WELCOME BACK "GREAT FRIEND"!

I am thrilled that an "old favourite" stamp set of mine, from last year's Spring Mini Catalogue, has made its way into Stampin' Up!'s brand new Idea Book & Catalogue.  "Great Friend" is a beautiful set of 5 stamps, for only $31.95.  I've missed being able to use the gorgeous butterfly from this set. I also love the frame (that frames this card's sentiment) - it's a very easy shape to cut around.

While I'm impatiently awaiting delivery of my new colours of card and ink (that might be a couple of weeks away still), I thought I'd use some colours I love from the core range.  Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, and Very Vanilla go beautifully together; I've popped them onto a Crumb Cake card base.  I need to get out of the habit of telling everyone I use a lot of Kraft card, and embrace the name change!!  Don't you just love the Very Vanilla and Basic Black "Newsprint" Designer Series Paper I've used on this card?

Stamps: Great Friend, Wonderful Favourites

Card: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry, Basic Black textured

Ink: Soft Suede and Rich Razzleberry stampin' pads, Versamark inkpad

Other: Newsprint DSP, clear embossing powder, Pewter Build-a-Brad, 1/2" circle punch, Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon, sponge daubers, Sticky Strip, paper snips

I have worked out my class schedule for September.  If you live in Melbourne's outer eastern suburbs, and would like to use lots of new catalogue products to make some cards, please check out the "Classes" tab at the top of this page!  I'd love to have you join in on a few hours of stamping, talking, and eating with new friends!


Christine :)

JUST ADD INK #32

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink, is to "just add material" to a card or other papercraft project.  I don't have any fabric (much to my mother's dismay, I can't sew to save my life), so I have drawn a rather long bow (pardon the pun), and used one of the sweet little fabric flowers from Stampin' Up!'s Pretties Kit, that is about to retire.  I have also used the solitary Baja Breeze corduroy brad that I had left (LOVED those things, but it's time for me to use up my hoarded supplies!).

Here is the card I came up with, using the "oldies but goodies", plus some gorgeous new products that will be available from this coming Wednesday!!  Counting down the hours until 1st September, when the brand-spanking-new-AMAZING 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue goes 'live'!!

Stamps: Thoughts & Prayers, Friends Never Fade (*NEW*)

Card: So Saffron, Baja Breeze, Whisper White

Ink: Versamark inkpad, So Saffron, Baja Breeze and Basic Black stampin' pads

DSP: Greenhouse Gala Designer Series Paper (*NEW*)

Other: Scallop Edge punch, Fancy Flower XL punch (*NEW*), 5-petal Flower punch, Pretties Kit, Baja Breeze corduroy brad, sponge daubers, Stamp-a-ma-jig, dimensionals

I just LOVE how the 5-petal flower punch fits beautifully with the new Fancy Flower XL punch.  I can see this becoming a recurring theme on my cards!

Hope you're having a happy day.  I had a lovely mini-golf, and hot chocolate / cafe latte, date with my littlest man this morning, while his big brother was at cricket training - such a nice way to spend the morning!

RETURN OF TWO FAVOURITES ... and another go at JAI #31

This week's Just Add Ink challenge is open until midnight tonight.  I couldn't resist making another card using this great colour combo:

I've added some white into the mix, and used a couple of stamp sets that I am pleased to say will be in Stampin' Up!'s new Idea Book & Catalogue being released on 1st September!  These stamps are favourites in my collection, but to date had been available only for a limited time in mini catalogues.  Yippee!  I'll get to play with them, and show them off, some more :)

Stamps: Oval All, Butterfly Prints

Card: Kraft, Real Red (smooth and textured), Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

Ink: Sahara Sand stampin' pad, Versamark inkpad, Real Red and Chocolate Chip markers

Other: Butterfly Punch, Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, sponge daubers, white embossing powder, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, Kraft taffeta ribbon, dimensionals

SOME VERY HAPPY NEWS!!

If you haven't already, please visit the Helping Hudson website, to find out the results of the fundraising efforts a team of us have had going for the past 3 weeks!!

We are incredibly humbled by the collective generosity of the papercrafting, and wider, community.  Thank you, to everyone who helped us reach the lofty heights we have!

Christine xx

JUST ADD INK #31, and HELPING HUDSON TECHNIQUE CHALLENGE

The colour challenge over at Just Add Ink this week is right up my alley!  Here are the colours to incorporate in a papercraft project:

 I already have a HEAP of cards I've made using these colours, but of course I had to make a new card specifically for the challenge.  While I was at it, I decided to incorporate this week's technique challenge, at Helping Hudson, to use embossing and sponging.  If any of my customers are reading this, they'll probably just laugh or roll their eyes, because any card I make just isn't finished if it's not sponged to within an inch of its life! Sponge daubers are highly valued items in my house, and get a VERY good work-out in my classes!!

My brother and sister-in-law are about to celebrate being married 24 years.  They are no-fuss people (clearly not Leos, ha ha), and I thought this colour scheme would be perfect to use on their anniversary card.  I love the 'understated' look of stamping on kraft card; because it has a rougher tooth than Whisper White, the ink does not absorb as well.  That rustic look is just what I was going for.  I've sponged around every panel and element (including each heart) ..... I had planned to sponge around the outer edge of the card front, but got too excited about having enough light to photograph the card on this bleak day, so will do that before I put the card in the post!  The 'embossed' part is the Kraft dotty panel in the centre, and the sentiment panel; I've used the 'debossed' side to complement the simply, un-fussy, look of the rest of the card.

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Real Red

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Chocolate Chip, Real Red and Sahara Sand stampin' pads

Other: Heart to Heart Punch, Round Tab Punch, Word Window Punch, Linen Thread, 5/16" jumbo brads, dimensionals, sponge daubers, Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder

Our "Helping Hudson" fundraiser officially winds up on Sunday!!  So, if you haven't already been to the website to purchase the fabulous bundles of tutorials (AMAZING value, at only $10 for 10 tutorials), or make a donation towards Hudson's Kidwalk, please do so in the next two days.  Your support is greatly appreciated - thank you!

"SUNNY DAY" FISH

Ah, no, it's NOT a sunny day here in Melbourne!  I have had some of the papers from my "Sunny Day" Simply Scrappin' Kit out, to have a play, after being inspired by the very creative Kathryn Ruddick.  You must check out what Kathryn has just made, for a 3-D item challenge at "Helping Hudson".  It is bright and cheery, and just plain fun - what we all need, especially when the weather is very bleak.

I just had to have a go at making the gorgeous little punch-art fish that Kathryn used on her project.  Great fun, I have to tell you!

Here are some tiny 'thank you' cards that were very quick to whip up once I'd made the fish (which, themselves, were very quick to whip up!).

Stamps: Short & Sweet

Card: Tempting Turquoise, Pink Passion, Whisper White

Ink: Tempting Turquoise stampin' pad, Jet Black Staz-on inkpad, black fineline marker

Other: "Sunny Day" Simply Scrappin' Kit, Word Window Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Heart to Heart Punch, XL Two-Step Bird Punch, sponge dauber, SNAIL adhesive

Ethan, my 9-year-old, wanted to try his hand at making a fish too, so he chose which punches he wanted to use, and came up with this little guy (which I think has great character with his big eye, don't you?!):

I've had to photograph these inside, because it is very grey and wet outside.  Hope they put a smile on your face!  Thanks, Kathryn, for the inspiration - I love your work!

The "Sunny Day" Simply Scrappin' Kit, at $36.95, is fantastic value for scrapbookers and cardmakers alike. The pack contains co-ordinating double-sided Designer Series Papers, 12"x12" cardstock in three colours, and heaps of adhesive die cuts.  As you can see, it's very bright and happy!  It is available only until 31st August (since it's in our current Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue).  I can take orders to be shipped direct to your door, wherever in Australia you live.  So, if you don't already have your own Stampin' Up! demonstrator, email me, and I'd be very happy to help you!

Christine :)

"HELPING HUDSON" COLOUR CHALLENGE ....and a Sneak Peek!

This week's colour challenge at "Helping Hudson" is to use these beautiful colours together:

I have had all sorts of ideas this week, but they haven't come to fruition, so I decided to 'clear my mind' and go back to using my tried-and-true Top Note die.  I hope you're not thoroughly sick of seeing it, after all my "quilted" Top Notes that I shared with you the other day!  This die is just so versatile; I love it to bits.

The only stamping on this card is the sentiment, which is a new, to-die-for CUTE stamp, that will be available from 1st September.  It even has its own co-ordinating punch (also used on my card) - you'll just *have* to have these, people!!

I love all the colours in this week's challenge, and think they complement each other beautifully.  Here is the card I made today .... please forgive the 'questionable' photography.   It was all I could manage, quickly snapping a shot of my card out on our decking, before the gusty wind picked it up and carried it away.  (I got it back.)

Stamps: *New* stamp being released 1st September

Card: Very Vanilla, So Saffron, Baja Breeze textured

Ink: Chocolate Chip and Baja Breeze stampin' pads

DSP: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, So Saffron Prints DSP, Bella Rose Designer Series Paper

Other: Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon, Button Latte buttons, Perfect Polka Dots and Manhattan Flowers embossing folders, Mini Glue Dots, *New* punch coming 1st September