FRIENDS 24-7

Today I gave myself permission to not go in to work - what bliss! We have our own business, and I have been trying for a long time to 'retire'.  The first step is to actually not be there some days, and it is harder than it sounds to make that happen.  Happily, today I'm at home.

I have been having a play with my Friends 24-7 stamp set, which is one of my favourites in the current Stampin' Up! catalogue.  First I made a couple of cards (just to have on hand) using my 'fallback' colour combination of Kraft, Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip.  I love that they're simple and pretty - here they are:


All paper,punches and accessories are Stampin' Up! - if you have any questions, drop me a line!

I was visiting Renee Van Stralen's blog the other day, and loved this card she made using the cute little bird from this stamp set.  I was inspired to make a Christmas card using Friends 24-7.  Mine is a lot simpler, but I like how it turned out:

 Stamps: So Swirly Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel, Friends 24-7, Season of Joy

Ink: Chocolate Chip and Riding Hood Red stampin' pads, Chocolate chip marker (bird's eye!)

Card: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Riding Hood Red

Other: Riding Hood Red 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon, large oval punch, scallop oval punch, dimensionals

KIWI KISS "THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS"

Kiwi Kiss is one of this year's "in colours" from Stampin' Up!, which means that it is one of six colours available (in ink, cardstock, papers and accessories) only until the new catalogue is released.  "Thoughts and Prayers" is the name of the stamp set I've used.  Right, now that the explanation is out of the way, I'll get on with showing you my card!

I decided to make a sympathy card, and just love this beautiful green.  Once I'd finished the card, my darling husband told me it looks "unbalanced" (the pedant in me wanted to tell him "imbalanced", but I didn't want him to think I agreed in any way, ha ha).  I told him I'd post a picture of the card on my blog, and see what feedback I get.  Andrew said nobody would actually comment if they didn't like it, but I told him he obviously doesn't know my friends!!  (Hey, Kerry - at least it's not insipid!)



Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers

Card: Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White, Basic Gray

Ink: Basic Gray stampin' pad, Whisper White craft stampin' pad, Versamark ink pad

DSP: Walk in the Park

Other: White embossing powder, Wide Oval Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Basic Gray and Kiwi Kiss corduroy buttons, Basic Gray taffeta ribbon, sponge dauber.

Don't you just love how the buttons, ribbon, paper and card match so beautifully?  This Designer Series Paper, and the corduroy buttons, are available only until the end of November in Australia, so if you haven't already got them, but *need* them, feel free to contact me to place an order.  I'd be more than happy to help you find loads of matching products that you didn't know you needed!

In the meantime, leave me a comment and let me know what you think of the card (honestly, I can take it!!).

ORGANIC OUTLINES CHRISTMAS CARD

Yesterday I attended my first Stampin' Up! event, being Melbourne Regionals (a full-day training session, with stamping and socialising time mixed in) at Crown Promenade Hotel.  What a fun day, with hundreds of like-minded women (and two men)!  It was a very long day, as I was up at 5.45am - a bit like a child on Christmas Eve, over-excited about the day ahead!  The function itself ran from 8.00am (registration) until 3.30pm, and I enjoyed coffee afterwards with a couple of my special stamping friends.  It was so nice to spend a day with 'the girls', but all too soon it was over.  The absolute highlight of the day (oh, apart from the friendships, that is!) was having Bonnie Thurber, from Stampin' Up! in the US, take part.  She is such a warm, friendly, funny woman - a total delight.  What a shame we can't keep her!

At Regionals, a number of demonstrators swapped cards/ card fronts, to share ideas on how to use Stampin' Up! products.  I've come home with some amazing creations, that have inspired me to do some 'different' things.  Here is my card, that my swaps were based on:

Stamps: Organic Outlines, En Francais, Occasional Greetings

Card: Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla

Ink: Real Red, Always Artichoke, Old Olive

DSP: Ski Slope

Other: Real Red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, sponge dauber, Real Red & Always Artichoke brads, dimensionals

Once I arrived home from Regionals, I was looking forward to an easy dinner and relaxing at home.  However, my accident-prone husband (who is on Warfarin and has an unstable blood clot in his leg), had a fall and rolled his ankle - it was swollen and we suspected fractured, so off to hospital we went!  Thankfully it turned out to be a sprain; it is now bandaged and we are back home.  A more eventful end to the day than I needed!

Hope you like the card - I'm rather fond of it myself!

CHRISTMAS CLASSICS

I am having a HEAP of trouble with Typepad, and have tried numerous times over the last few days to post, only to be thrown out repeatedly.  I had a rather lengthy post saved, and it has disappeared into oblivion, so today I am feeling just a bit grumpy!!  (Alright, a lot grumpy.)

I've been playing with my gorgeous new Christmas Classics stamp set (LOVE the crisp images it produces), and have a couple of cards to share, if only the uploading of images is successful, on my 247th attempt.  Here goes ..... 

Oh, wait, I just remembered I promised my sister, Lynda, that I'd post a photo of the birthday cards she and I made for Ethan recently.  Lynda and I are twins on one day of the year (she was born the day before my first birthday); for the other 364 days we do share thoughts, ideas and colour-choices in clothing.  It's a bit uncanny sometimes.  This year Lynda was super-organised and had made my little man a birthday card early.  Foolishly, I didn't think to check with her as to what colours and stamp set she used (you'd think that after 40+ years of 'twin-like' behaviour, I'd know better).  This was the result - Lynda's card on the left, mine on the right:



Now for the Christmas cards I have to show you - both using Christmas Classics stamp set and Ski Slope Designer Series Paper, from Stampin' Up!  I have tried several times to upload these photos, and add all the 'ingredients' used, and such is my frustration at failing repeatedly that I am going to try ONE MORE TIME to just get the pictures up.  I'll skip all the extra explanations - if you need any details, just email me!  Here's what I came up with:


How cute are those baubles?  Here's the next one (my favourite) - let me know which one you prefer!  I know some of my friends need no prompting to let me know, but I'm interested to see your feedback :)




Well, hallelujah, I've successfully uploaded 3 photos, and even managed to add some text -what progress!  I'm going to sign off here (don't want to push my luck).  Fingers crossed my next post will be smooth sailing, and will take less than 4 days to complete!