Card-In-A-Box Birthday Fishies

Today was my husband's birthday, the first birthday in 41 years we have been apart!
My eldest and his wife had to fly interstate for a wedding, and I was in charge of their brood. Unfortunately, there's a couple of hours driving between homes, and it was important for the boys to continue attending school and kindergarten, so Pop has to wait till the weekend for birthday kisses!!!

I left his gift and card by the bed. I wonder if he waited till his birthday to open them? I put together a card-in-a-box card featuring By The Tide fish, shell and seaweed. The other stamp sets have retired now, but I do love Just Sayin' and Lovely Labels.

Cheers
Rachel

Stampin' Up! Word Bubbles Farewell Card

Just a quick post to share a quick and easy little card I made for a lady who was moving away for work. It shows what you can do with those snappy little Word Bubbles even if you don't have the matching stamp set, Just Sayin'. Missing you already... does actually come from Just Sayin' but many other sentiments fit into that shape.


So, the screen shot below brings you up to date with the other Weekly Deals from Stampin' Up!® for the 5th week of October 2014. Order up until 11.50pm 4th November. If you're in Australia, anywhere at all, you can pick them up from my online shop 24/7.
And don't forget! Weekly Deals are available every Wednesday morning at 9 a.m.

On another note, November is my birthday and I'd love to send you a gift. So....any orders over $50 (before shipping costs) during November will qualify for a gift from me. I can't tell you what it is yet, and it will ship separately to your main order. You need to use this code   MYJAE96T  in the box "Hostess Code" BEFORE you enter your payment details.

Have a good weekend
Rachel

You're How Old? PP209

Clean and Simple Child's Birthday. Yikes! That is some challenge from LeAnne at The Paper Players!

LeAnne was thinking four year old grand daughter, while my mind turns to little male scallywags, aged three through to seven. My husband has named this crew of small boys 'Poppy's scallywags'.

I made this patterned panel up about a week ago when I made "What's Your Number?" for two other challenges. At the time I'd thought that "You're How Old?" would be equally appropriate, so that is what I've selected for this card. Then when the birthday rolls around I can add the age inside, along with a Happy Birthday sentiment. There is a link at the end of the post to show you the products used on the card and 25 Days is available after 28th August.

Have a happy crafting day!
Rachel

Project Life Point & Click Photopolymer Stamp Set

Cards & Labels Project Life Framelits Dies

25 Days Photopolymer Stamp Set

Just Sayin'

Just Sayin'

Word Bubbles Framelits Dies

Banners Framelits Dies

Stars Framelits Die

$45.95

Brights Candy Dots

$9.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Missing You Already PP204

Now this is an interesting colour combo, thanks to LeAnne at The Paper Players for this piece of inspiration.
I was asked to make a card for my friend to give to her sister, as the sister is moving to Abu Dhabi indefinitely with her husband and son. I've  used all the challenge colours and Just Sayin' stamp set and framelits. Since it isn't a vacation card, I was quite happy to use 'missing you already' as I'm sure Suzi, and all her family will be missing her sister and nephew. The suitcases were perfect I thought, and I assume the other image is a passport. They are some of the neat images in the new stamp set Traveler, so much fun to play with these new goodies!!! For the SUO Challenge, I've scrunched the Lost Lagoon ribbon at one end of the card, using sticky dots to catch it, and a couple of rhinestones to glam it up. There's a giant rhinestone (now retired) on the ticket too.

Suzi seemed very happy with the card today, so that makes me happy too.
Glenda Calkins card inspired me to 'ground' the suitcases on a ticket. Wouldn't you like to make a card using these colours too?
 Thanks for reading my blog,
Rachel



You can click on any of the pictures below, and it will take you to that item in my online store.

Traveler Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$48.95

Traveler Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$34.95

Just Sayin' Wood Stamp Set

$46.95

Just Sayin' Clear Stamp Set

$37.95

Word Bubbles Framelits Die

$42.95

Tag Topper Angled Punch

$39.95

Lost Lagoon 3/8" Satin Stitched Ribbon

$15.95

Moonlight Designer Series Paper Stack

$11.95

Rhinestone Basic Jewels Embellishments

$8.95

Amazing Birthday Colour Me Playful PP201

I loved having some time to create this morning. I need to build my stash of masculine cards, with three sons celebrating birthdays between now and beginning of October. The colours at the challenge this week for colour me..! look to be perfectly playful for my card using Amazing Birthday stamp set. You'll find it in the new Stampin' Up Catalogue, and it was a Make & Take stamp set for us at Stampin' Up! South Pacific Convention.

The sketch at the Paper Players looks like you should use patterned paer for the centre strip and I bet it looks just great that way too, but I was sure this would also team beautifully with this pennant style greeting stamp. I could have used one of the circular greetings which come in Amazing Birthday, but decided on Love Ya from Just Sayin' . Maybe I will add Sam's name to this too. My pennants at the top are from Tape It, I used that stamp set for Aaron's card too. It's not a new set, but I'm seeing it with fresh eyes at the moment.

I've been hanging out for the end of the week (my working week anyway) because I am so exhausted from moving offices at work. We do begin our school holidays in Victoria this Friday too, but at some stage over the holidays, our team will need to go in to work to finish off - after the moving men have tackled the heavy cupboards and filing cabinets. Us 'girls' handled the moving of four desks on a trolley, assisted by my dear hubby.Plus there was a myriad of smaller items to lug across the whole school, so it was probably more exercise for me than I'm used to!!!

Thanks for visiting my blog, if I can help you in any way, you can leave a comment, or see some more details below...
Rachel




I'll be showing off the new stamp sets, In Colors, Blendabilities and Framelits at my Catalogue Launch on July 4th. You're most welcome to come if you are near to South Morang, Victoria (north of Melbourne). Its FREE! Email me or phone 0417 500 681 for details.

Australian readers - You can shop for supplies in my online shop, there's only 4 days till the mini Occasions catalogue and main catalogue finish. Lots of retiring bargains and weekly specials too.

Hostess code C2KVNKJJ

Classes for watercolouring available if you are near to South Morang (Melbourne) VIC

Thursday 17th July 7.00pm - 10.00pm

Friday 25th July 7.00pm - 10.00pm

Saturday 2nd August 2.00pm - 5.00pm (daytime)

Little Mouse Thanks You

I spent another few days away from my craft supplies, just before Easter, but I always take something to play with! Mainly I was trying to finish my swaps for the South Pacific Stampin' Up! Convention  held in Melbourne in May, but I also slipped Life in the Forest and some card and ink pads into my basket. I had lots of ideas running around my head, and it is usually a bit frustrating because I am missing something to finish them off and often have to sketch out the idea, so I recall it when it is time to put those stamped images to use. I have a lot of quirky ideas for this little mouse, here he is, perhaps, sending a thank you for saving his life.
I've simply stamped in black Stazon and water coloured with an Aqua Painter and ink pressed from the stamp pad onto the lid. You need the tiniest bit. The clouds are done by sponging some ink with a Sponge Dauber using a scalloped circle as a moveable mask.
I stamped out the 'Gee, Thanks' from Just Sayin' because you can barely see the 'Thank You' from Itty Bitty Banners on the Basic Grey card.

The On Film Framelits were perfect for this little snapshot of Life In A Forest.
Washi Tape & a paperclip (Essentials Hardware Clips), are the finishing touches.


It's a few days since I published this blog and I have no idea what was wrong with me when I did. I forgot to acknowledge the Paper Players sketch and Washi Tape challenge, which helped me put this card together. Apologies, Nance and everyone else at The Paper Players. :( so sorry.

Hope you like my funny little thank you card and thank you for passing by my blog

Rachel

Three Friendly, Furry Monsters

Once I saw these cute, little furry monsters that a number of people have pinned on Pinterest, I wanted to give it a go. I still had the eyes from a Holiday catalogue from about a year ago, and I had the Simple Stems stamp set too. Yes - believe it or not, it is a flower from that stamp set, but I doubt that I will EVER see it that way!

The Paper Player's challenge, set by LeAnne this week, is to use three: a "Three Spree."
Therefore, three little monsters (with another one inside for good measure). This might just end up being the birthday card for the grandson turning three this year too, unless I think of something better before then! For that reason, I have finished this card inside as well.

Now, I have also based the layout on the sketch at Try Stamping On Tuesday. Not with a photo, as suggested, but I might later, although I rarely do a single photo layout. Only one of the design team did, so I don't feel TOO badly.
I also used a couple of stamps from Just Sayin' and cut them with the matching Word Bubble Framelit Dies. The greeting inside is from the retired stamp set Up, Up and Away. Those sentiments fit the Word Bubbles nicely too. A strip of Perfect Plum was dry embossed with Embossing Folder Alphabet Press, love the texture it gives.





I'm planning to do some more creating today, must away...
Rachel

Birthday Cats

Quite a while ago I posted this card on my blog. It was for a friend, who also follows this blog, so I was hoping she wouldn't realise it was for her (and she didn't!!). 

Happy birthday, Genella, hope you were spoilt today.

 Being a cat-lover, this was squarely aimed at that love. I didn't show the inside last time I posted, and it was pretty cute too. The main stamp set Giggle Greetings is quite funny, though some people may not appreciate the humour! Then the black cat is from a new set, Cool Kid. The balloons are in Sketched Birthday and "You're How Old?" is another new set Just Sayin'.

I really enjoy doing these types of cards where you use a combination of different stamp sets, and a fun technique thrown in too. Doesn't sponging the clouds add interest to the background?

And now for a photo of my grand daughter Alice, who turned one on Saturday. She has two brothers, and 5 boy cousins (two of those are also my grandsons) so it is no wonder both her Grans treasure their little rose.

 Alice really LOVED her cake!

Its been a big weekend, with a big gathering for Alice's birthday yesterday, plus we have a holiday from work tomorrow. The weather is the absolute best that Melbourne puts on in Autumn, and I gardened today. Life is wonderful!

Hope you did something nice too

Rachel

Old Cats for Friday Mashup #145

Isn't this sketch just so good? Sara at The Friday Mashup provided the sketch and an extra challenge if you choose to use it, sponging. I love sponging, and used to ALWAYS sponge edges of punched pieces, etc etc.

If it had an edge, it was sponged. Then I began my CAS (clean and simple) phase and I stopped using my sponge daubers.

I've had an idea for using the different cats that Stampin' Up! has on stamps at the moment - Cool Kid, new in the Occasions Catalogue and Giggle Greetings, in the Annual Idea Book and Catalogue. Toss in a couple of balloons from Sketched Birthday, and the Happy Birthday greeting on the inside, as well as another cat from Giggle Greetings. I sponged with sky blue and  a scallop punch-out to get the clouds.
I've then waited for my Big Brown Box (BBB) to arrive this morning with Just Sayin' stamp set and matching dies, to add a cute greeting in a speech bubble.

And just now in a big rush, with 30 minutes till the challenge closes, I've stamped the greeting, die cut, added to card, photographed, watermarked and then placed on my blog!!!! All before breakfast too!!!!


 Thanks Sara and Friday Mashup for an inspiring challenge
Rachel