Birthday Bouquet And Star CTC#67

Catalogue Picture

Welcome again to another round of CASE-ing The Catty. Each week the crew take inspiration from a section of a Stampin' Up!® catalogue. Currently we are all so excited by our Occasions catalogue, this week is birthday's. CASE is an acronym which stands for "Copy And Share Everything" and we hope by sharing what we have CASE-d, you'll be inspired too.
Another exciting bit of news to report - we've been CASE-ing The Catty for 100 posts!!! I can't believe that it's that many, I must be enjoying it too much. Maybe you'd like to mark this momentous occasion by linking one of your CASE-d projects. There are more details at the end.

I decided to CASE the floral card on the far right in the picture. It's so fresh and 'clean' with white on white. I tried a soft and subtle palette, as well as a bright, modern look.

For the 8th birthday card, I was inspired by the spots of the top left example, and also CASE-d the Soft Sky banner. Lately it has been my mission to use up some of the many pieces of retired DSP around my craft room. These spots happily fitted the assignment and the Star Framelits provided a background for the number. The colour palette of the (retired) DSP has decided the colour scheme for this card. 

It seemed a good idea to do some paper piercing to the star, a simple technique, but it adds lovely detail.To make the number sufficently thick, I cut it out 3 times and glue the layers together, and that seems to be a perfect weight. The banner has been extended to accommodate 'happy' & 'birthday' but since I made this card, I've been checking out which of the other birthday greetings fit in, and so far have 3 options.

Starting this year we are doing a monthly challenge. If you have been inspired by any of the projects in the catalogue or on the blog hop, feel free to share with the linky tool at CASE-ing The Catty. A winner will be chosen and announced on the first post of the following month.

You may have arrived here from Helen Heil at H2 Designs

  

and now you can head on over to Tricia at The Speckled Sparrow

Don't forget to come back next week...

Cheers, Rachel

February 40th CTD#377

One of my spare-time activities, is to scroll through various challenges, checking out colour combinations or sketches for inspiration. I need to make a masculine 40th birthday card, for my son to give to a friend for his February 40th. The Sunburst Thinlet Die was out on my table while I was working on some class projects. After spotting this colour combination at Color Throwdown, I knew exactly what I was going to do for the 40th!

 Two sunbursts, one in Delightful Dijon, the other Smokey Slate are laid on top of Tip Top Taupe, just slightly askew. A little trimming is required to remove the overhang. The type-written phrases are actually stamps from Party With Cake, also in the Occasions Catalogue. The sentiment inside the card is one of the larger ones from Party With Cake, partially masked so I could use just the section I wanted.

The four and zero were cut three times each and glued together with the fine-tip glue pen which almost gives the impression of coaster board. There's lovely dimension to them. They've been grounded on a silver foil star outline, cut using two consecutive framelits, a few swirls of silver cord (retired now) and then three more tiny silver stars ar scattered amongst the sentiments. It must have met with my son's approval, because he's given me a list of all the 40th's he and his wife are going to this year!!

Cheers, Rachel

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A Star CQC#286

When you are at a loss for a colour combination, one that isn't 'totally safe' you can turn to a number of places. The Stampin' Up!® Color Coach is perhaps the first place, advertisments can be a great source too, but often, inspiration is as close as the colour challenges.

Today I've turned to Colour Q and challenge #286. This blog has the most astonishing combinations and I think this week's is one of those. I'm not sure that I've nailed it, they're pretty tricky colours! I've mixed a couple of different stamp sets, and kept the 'star' theme going all the way through.
 What would you create with these colours?
Cheers,
Rachel

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Amazing Weekly Deals 8th-14th April and Bonus Bundles!

These are the BEST Weekly Deals ever! I'm not sure whether I've ever said that before, but I'm definitely saying it this week!!

It would be so easy to make up a great order with just the items you want/need from these deals and the Bonus Bundles, which finish next Wednesday (15th). I have to admit, one of the reasons I became a Stampin' Up!® demonstrator was so I could have all these wonderful products, and every single item on that Weekly Deal flyer is in my craft room already. Another reason I love being a demonstrator, is to share the joy of creating with Stampin' Up!® colour co-ordinated cards, inks and ribbon and matching dies, punches and stamps.

Naturally, to be excited by these goodies, you'd really need to have a Big Shot, the must-have crafting tool. When you buy the Big Shot, it comes with a standard multipurpose platform to get you started. Later, you might want to upgrade to the Magnetic Platform -130658. The magnetic platform holds all your small framelit pieces in place and does away with the need to use post-it notes to secure them.

One of my favourite Framelits is Banners - 132173, you can stamp onto them, dry emboss or leave them plain. There are six different sizes, so you can even layer them like I did with the gold foil banner under the stamped banner in the picture above.

The Framelit Stars -133723 is great for masculine cards, graduation and Christmas. Even die cutting and leaving the void is a great way to use them. Again, there are a number of size options, five in total, so you can layer, stack and frame with these framelits.

Flower Fair Framelits -133731, even without the Flower Patch stamp, gives you a huge selection of flowers and foliage and since the stamp set is photopolymer, it isn't as expensive as the red rubber stamps. Most of the Framelits have more than a $10 saving off the regular price.

Would you prefer a flower punch instead? Fun Flower- 133785 is one of the newer ones and matches Beautiful Bunch (3 different images) and the single stamp Bloom For You. It's a $7.50 saving off the regular price of the punch.

I haven't covered everything on the flyer, you might already be sick of reading, but let me just remind you too, of the Bonus Bundles which are on offer for a fortnight, finishing next Wednesday.

If you would like to take advantage of these promotions you can order anytime of the day or night at my online store or you can phone me (0417 500 681) with your order and credit card details at reasonable times of the day or evening.

If you include this hostess code  6MGVWWGH at checkout, I will send a small gift separate to your order from Stampin' Up!®.

Now, what will you make first?

Rachel

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Many Merry Stars

I promise you this will be my very last Christmas-related post this year! I had some very grand plans for table decorations, but I ran out of time unfortunately, and after all, it is probably more important to get the food organised.

I did make some gift card holders using the Gift Card Envelope & Trims Thinlets Dies. The design has been very heavily influenced by this card by Teneale Williams, another Australian demonstrator who is on the Stampin' Up! International Artisan Design Team. I love the detail Teneale uses on her cards, but I am not so good about all of that. Holiday Invitation provided the Be Merry sentiment, cut with the long banner in the Gift Envelope set. The star is from Many Merry Stars stamp set that came out in a supplementary leaflet, and doesn't appear to be carrying over, so if you like this clean star which co-ordinates with the Star Framelits, best you order in the next week. (Photopolymer 138105 $27.95). The Santa and sleigh silhouette comes from Holiday Home, another great photopolymer stamp set, also not carrying over. 5th January is the last day to order these items. Under the Tree Specialty Designer Series Paper has been used on the belly band holding the envelope closed, and that is over on Year End Closeout sale at $15.39, down from $21.95. it is actually more like a card, not paper and would be perfect for making gift boxes. You should be able to click on the picture below to get taken directly to that item in my online shop, all available only till 5th January 2015.

I was rushing to get these made the night before our family gathering, so there are no little buttons or linen thread on mine, but a couple of the mini staples did the job and are totally appropriate for a bunch of boys. I don't often get compliments on my crafty projects from my sons, but apparently this was pretty good. Or maybe it was what was inside?

And, a really big statement from the eldest (which I may happen to agree with too) - "This was the best Christmas ever!"

Hope yours was just as jolly,
Rachel

I have a general card class on Wednesday 14th January at 1pm and another Project Class (page 16 of the Occasions Catalogue) on Tuesday 20th January - check for picture on the CLASS page, or contact me.

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Stampin' Up! Christmas Cards

I had another Christmas Card class today and although it is November 1st, it was actually my last class for October!!!
Wondr
The ladies had lots of fun using Stampin' Up! Wondrous Wreath and the matching Framelits which are available in the Holiday catalogue until January 5th 2015.
We ended up with an even mix of Pear Pizzaz and Lost Lagoon cards, and every one of them looked wonderful! The bows did look extra-special cut from gold or silver Glimmer Paper.

The other card used Foil Sheets in gold or silver, one of the Star Framelits and the Confetti Stars Punch. The 'Noel' is part of the Framelits from Wondrous Wreath, and 'Joy' is another word included with the set. You can check out below the contents of the stamp set and the Framelits, (and if you click on the picture it will take you through to my online shop). On the side bar to your right, you will find the Holiday Catalogue, Wondrous Wreath is on page 9.

If you would like to take part in a class, there is usually one or two places left, and my ladies are very friendly.

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.

Cheers,
Rachel

Wondrous Wreath Photopolymer Stamp Set

$44.95

Wonderful Wreath Framelits Dies

$42.95

Wonderous Wreath Photopolymer Bundle

$74.50

Confetti Stars Punch

$37.95

Stars Framelits Dies

$45.95

Gold Foil Sheets

$6.95

Champagne Glimmer Paper

$8.95

Silver Glimmer Paper

$8.95

Gold Glimmer Paper

$8.95

Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper

$8.95

Red Glimmer Paper

$8.95

Liquid Multipurpose Glue

$6.95

Glue Dots

$8.95

Stampin' Dimensionals

$6.95

Gold 1/8" Ribbon

$8.95

Silver 1/8" Ribbon

$8.95

Gold Baker's Twine

$5.95

Silver Baker's Twine

$5.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Christmas Star FMS #155

This hasn't happened to me before, but my internet usage has gone over the limit and it has slowed to a grinding halt. We only have to suffer one more day till it all gets reset, but it makes it tricky if you want to enter a challenge!

For that reason, I am going to make this a very brief blog, in the hope that a small file will be possible to upload.
Check out the amazing gallery at Freshly Made Sketches.
Cheers
Rachel

Case-ing The Catty #6 Kids

I am really enjoying CASE-ing The Catty because it pushes my creativity a little bit further. The card I've CASE-ed is on page 86 of the Australian catalogue, using Boys Will Be Boys stamp set. I liked the way they'd used the Chevron Border Punch, an arrow and star to draw the eye to the sentiment.

I wouldn't have thought to use washi tape at the bottom of the panel, but I'm glad I did as it ties the colours together beautifully. I expect I'm not the only one who buy pretty things, and then just hoards them!
I've added a lot more punched pieces than I'd have normally done AND I'm very pleased with the result.

I make a lot of cards for kids, but I haven't many current 'kid-type' stamp sets. This time I pulled out a great 'any occasion' stamp set,  Pictogram Punches. I bought this set as soon as we were allowed to, because I love the versatility. I like having more stars, hearts and flowers to punch out with the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack, I like the moon to go with stars (makes a super-cute baby card) and I love the vase of flower stems, even though I haven't used that stamp yet.I used Stampin' Write Markers to ink up the  star sentiment, Momento black ink for the birthday greeting. 


Something To Say is another stamp set I ordered very quickly and I have used quite a lot already. It also has the stars, hearts and flowers that match the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack, and the Happy Birthday sentiment I used here. There isn't a lot of stamping on my card, it was a good opportunity to use punches and frramelits. I actually used the August Stampin' Up! promotion for Big Shot and Bundles topurchase my Star Framelits and a NEW Bright and Beautiful stamp set from the Holiday Catalogue. If you buy the Big Shot in August you can choose a bundle (there's four on offer) for free, or if like me, you already have a Big Shot, you can purchase one or more of the bundles at 15% discount. Check that offer out here.


Now I'll wait to see what you CASE from pages 82-93 of the catalogue, and don't forget to share!
If you're in Australia, don't forget you can shop for Stampin' Up! products 24/7 and they are shipped to you very quickly via Australia Post.



Have a good weekend...

Rachel

Pictogram Punches Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$37.95

Pictogram Punches Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$28.95

Something To Say Wood-Mount Stamp Set

$51.95

Something To Say Clear-Mount Stamp Set

$37.95

Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack

$29.95

Border Chevron Punch

$37.95

Deco Labels Framelits Die

$42.95

Stars Framelits Die

$45.95

Label Card Thinlits Die

$55.95

Retro Fresh This And That Washi Tape

$8.95

Island Indigo A4 Card Stock

$11.95

Crumb Cake A4 Card Stock

$11.95

Tangerine Tango A4 Card Stock

$11.95

Tempting Turquoise A4 Card Stock

$11.95

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.