Yummy Summer Picnic

This designer paper is scrummy with a capital S! And such great value 12 pages of 12x12" double dipped paper for ONLY $13.95. The hardest thing was only having 10 sides to cover when we had 12 choices.

I think everyone loved their efforts at Sunday's class when we made Coaster Boxes using plain coasters, ribbons and most importantly a Crop-a-Dile which makes chomping a hole through the 4 layers a breeze - also incredible value at $64.95. SCS has a cool tutorial on how to do it (though we didn't use Mod Podge). If you'd like to know more do contact ME.

Gift Box in a Bag

Wow for awhile these were popping up on everyone's blog. Thanks to Paula Goff for the great tutorial! Click on Paula's name to be taken to her blog to see the tutorial.

I've used Petals & Paisley's designer paper & matching cardstock & ribbon. Gosh these were quick n' easy!

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Tempting Turquoise, Rose Red
Other: Round tab punch, slit punch, sticky strip, spring flower bouquet punch, Boho blossoms punch, non-SU flower brads, always artichoke & tempting turquoise grosgrain ribbon

I've been tagged by 2 of my new SBS sisters!

Both Stephanie & Sharon got me

Here are the rules:
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. I was a Bay City Roller fan when young - still quite partial to tartan!
2. Hobbies I've attempted: tap dancing, calligraphy & watercolour painting - must admit loved them all - not sure why I stopped,
3. Played a lot of sports when younger (couch potato would describe my style now) from netball, basketball, badminton. tennis, squash, golf & 10 pin bowling
4. Still love to dance like no one is watching!
5. I was top of my schools at maths
6. I've always wanted to own a deli - yes I love food & wine
7. Last but not least I have 2 sisters Faye & Tracey & one brother Alan - I am the oldest

Now to tag 7 others:

• Diane
  
• Trudi
• Anne Marie
• Rachael
• Michele
• Susie
• Sam
  

Looking forward to seeing some unusual facts about you all!

Update on my mum

Firstly thanks everyone for your kind wishes lately. This is a picture of my mum Noleen (& me) a few months ago - unfortunately not looking so chirpy anymore but one can hope but the hospital are running out of options. Her recent visit (she's still there) wasn't pneumonia but basically lung failure. She's on a proper oxygen mask which makes reading impossible as the steam fogs up her glasses & she can't do her puzzles (which she loves) so understandably she's not feeling a box of birds. It's the weekend now so she'll have a few more visitors which should make her happier. I'm off to make her some chocolate muffins now as she has a sweet tooth!

RAK from Judy

Judy has been busy & hopefully lots more of her lovely cards will be seen on her blog as I know my sister Tracey & my mum has received one too. She's a very plucky lady who has had one bout of ovarian Ca, then she has just had gastric surgery to remove a secondary growth & is scheduled for more chemotherapy next week. I know all of US wish you a speedy recovery.

I'm very lucky as she's joined my SBS group of blogging stampers! which will be fun.

Stamp sets: Bloomin' with Beauty, Lots of Thoughts (retired SAB 2008)
Other: White embossing powder, glitter, scallop circle punch, 1-3/8" & 1-1/4" circle punches

Thank you Judy from all the Rogers gals - they're beautiful!

Happy Birthday Jacque

eek I've been to busy blogging (or blathering) with my new SBS sisters & am a day late for my upline's birthday - TODAY - as I think she's away doing a show hopefully Fastpost will rescue me.

I do hope she's had an awesome day & I wonder what my life may have been like if I've never meet you, definitely not as fulfilled as it is now!

I'm cheating with the card too as Trudi has posted a challenge on the NZSU blog to do some embossing and I love embossing so incorporated it into the card. I've stamped the lovely flourish first in Versamark then chocolate chip ink then clear embossed - for my dear overseas SBS sisters in case you think I'm mad doing this we don't have Craft inks in the SU! range as yet apart from white. But doesn't it make the stamped image glisten!


Stamp sets: Baroque Motifs, French Script background (retired)
Card stock: Very vanilla, Chocolate chip, Purely pomegranate
Ink: Chocolate chip, Purely pomegranate, Blush blossom (BG), Versamark
Other: Clear EP, rhinestone brad (Pretties kit), photo corner punch, dimensionals, sponge daubers.

I hope Jacque likes the card but know she loves chocolate chip & is also very partial to purely pomegranate too & this is such a classy stamp set it's hard to make a bad card with it!

Sisterhood 25 of the Blogging Stampers

I've done it, I've joined a SBS group - as some of you may be aware I love my PC as much as my stamps - this way I get to blog, stamp & be challenged PLUS get to know some other great stampers. Check out the SBS site if you'd like to join in too! I've started a blog roll on the sidebar of my SBS sisters - there'll be 20 of us soon!

A little bit about me for my new sisters (in no particular order):

• I work full time in a medical laboratory growing & identifying fungi (interestingly lots of SU demos in my team seem to have a science background - we must need a CREATIVE or in my case KReative outlet)
• I live in Auckland, New Zealand
  
• Never married but have a great relationship with a special man called Pete - only problem is we live 2 hours apart (& petrol keeps rising!)
• Mum to 2 demanding cats - Napoleon & Tiger
• Love to stamp (used to like to scrap but prefer to stamp now I've discovered it), love reading, cooking & being with friends
• Have a cooking blog too - so do check it out if you'd like to be inspired that way as well. My style easy but tasty (need quick recipes for after work)
  

Get well soon mum

Yes my mum is back in hospital with pneumonia - a bit close for comfort this time but she's a fighter all right & constantly shocks the doctors with her survival - they often predict her impending death. As she likes to say you can't kill a weed!

She loved this card I made for Aunty June's birthday so I thought I would give her, her own glittering butterfly especially as I am doing a spinner class this week - this would be a wee refresher but they're really easy & fun & very effective - especially when the spinning object is covered in lots & lots of glitter!


Stamp sets: Garden Whimsy, Sincere Salutations, Daisy Field (wheel)
Card stock: Pixie Pink, White (non- SU)
Ink: Basic Black, Pixie Pink
Other: Dazzling diamonds glitter, dimensionals, word window punch, small coins, bold brights water colour crayons, blender pen, scallop circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch

RAK from UStamp

Wow this was an exciting find in my letterbox. I've recently signed up with UStamp & it was well worth the investment. UStamp is the brain child of Dawn & Heather & in NZ the very talented Sarah Gough is their representative.


So a big thanks to Dawn & Heather you made my day!

Demo Swap Received - Season of Joy IV

I just love how subtle these colours are - they haven't photographed well but it's stunning in real life and a really simple concept. Created by Denise Ibbett.


Stamp set: Season of Joy
Card stock: Pale Plum, Soft Sky, Whisper White, Brushed Silver
Ink: Pale Plum, Soft Sky, Silver Encore
Other: Dazzling Diamonds glitter

Demo Swap Received - Season of Joy III

This card was a real life saver as it had a Twix bar in the middle, the colours matched well & it was just what I needed after training. Created by Debbie Airey & really appreciated by all. The colours are great & what a cool idea making a special chocolate bar holder.

Stamp set: Season of Joy
Card stock: River Rock, Very Vanilla
Ink: River Rock, Purely Pomegranate
Other: Purely Pomegranate DS ribbon, dazzling diamonds glitter, word window punch, large oval punch, dimensionals

Demo Swap Received - Season of Joy II

This card by Dianne Low AKA Crafts2Di4 (isn't that a cute tag/name) is so lovely with all the glitter. The colours are awesome too and just right for Christmas.

Stamp set: Season of Joy
Ink: Bashful Blue, Real Red
Card Stock: Real Red, Whisper White

Other: Dazzling diamonds glitter, various circle punches, white grosgrain ribbon , real red marker, dimensionals

Update: Isn't this a great idea Diane has run the real red marker along the edge of the ribbon to make a striped ribbon - wow that's clever & co-ordinating! Thanks for sharing.

Demo Swap Received - Season of Joy I

The recent demo swap theme for my team was Christmas. One set was used by many Season of Joy - so I thought I would share with you the cards from my team that don't have blogs.

First off the block is Jo Limpus's effort - very seasonal with the Hunter Green card stock used.

I'm guessing here as to what I think is used (so forgive me if I'm wrong).

Stamp set/s: Season of Joy, Boho Backgrounds, Short & Sweet
Card stock: Hunter green
Ink: Gold
Other: Cream organdy ribbon (retired), dimensionals

I really like the cut out tree it really does pops out at you

Altered ClipBoard

I've been tidying up this weekend & found this uncovered clipboard in my supplies; so I glued on the double-sided Brocade Backgrounds designer paper - which is so classy. Attached a few ribbons & a coat of Mod Podge & we are good to go.

RAK from Janine

Janine has been a busy girl making groovy boxes for us all. My friend Judy received one too made using Tart n' Tangy with fruit jubes, mine is beautifully decorated & full of Kahlua chocolates, not sure what that says about me, but most appreciated & I'm enjoying them all right & the box is perfect & matches the chocolate wrapper rather well. It's amazing what a bit of card stock, some ink, ribbon & a few other embellishment can create in a very short time. So big thanks Janine from me xox

A sneak peek of what is maybe coming

Wow last night was an action packed one with a room of enthusiastic SU! demonstrators plus SU! management & trainers. We were very lucky as we got to play with a new stamp set Live Your Dreams, new designer paper (Afternoon Tea - it's divine I love it), new punches - scallop edge & scallop square (can hardly contain myself waiting for these ones).

This is the scrapbook make n' take we all got to make, if you look closely at the designer paper it has been scalloped all the way along - it was a Live Your Dream moment all right and a piece of cake.

Yes that is me in the photo - it's one of my arty farty moments - looks kinda Parisienne but just me outside Te Papa feeding the pigeons

Enjoy and dare I say it start increasing your wishlist!

Easy Christmas card using WHEELS!

I'm sure I've mentioned that last year I was still making this card 3 days before Christmas so whether I need to get more organised or do something easier but I've just made 28 of these as my demo swap for our regional training that is happening in Auckland tonight and the easy option is looking good!

Stamp set/s: So Swirly (jumbo wheel), Many Merry Messages
Card stock: Rose Red, Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, VersaMark
Other: White embossing powder, Dazzling diamonds glitter, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, mini glue dot

Happy Father's day to all dad's

Don't you just love it when you're told late on Friday night that the get together with Pete & his dad is actually taking place on Saturday lunch, instead of Sunday. I had a medical appointment Saturday & was in the middle of making 28 cards for demo-swap for Auckland regional training of us SU! demonstrators.

So a real quick card needed. I used this card as my inspiration but wanted to make it bright & cheery so used the striped paper from Spring Break DP series.

Stamp set/s: Occasional Greetings, Boho Backgrounds, Weathered (BG)
Card Stock: Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Old Olive, Whisper White, Spring Break DP
Ink: Old Olive, Soft Sky, Blue Bayou
Other: Earth elements markers, crop-o-dile, jumbo eyelets (pewter), vintage brads, hemp twine

Certainly not my best work but Pete's dad was pleased with it & we all had a lovely long lunch & get together which is what it is all about.

Free Wheeling in September starts

I love wheels so I adore this month's promotion with SU! & will try & post lots of good fun ideas.

This first card was cased from one I made last year with my upline Jacque but I've changed the colour combo & stamps to be current. Must admit my scalloped edge has got a lot better with the corner rounder since then (last year looked like I'd been drinking!) - after seeing this tutorial it all clicked how to do it - my biggest hint is to start in the middle of your cardstock & work your way out either side - so it's even.

Stamp set/s: Kindness Wheel, Think Happy Thoughts, One of a Kind (little circle in a row on small groovy guava strip)
Card Stock: Whisper White, River Rock, Groovy, Guava, Soft Sky
Inks: Basic Black, River Rock, Groovy, Guava, Soft Sky
Other: Blender pen, 1-1/4" circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch, corner rounder, 1/8" hand held circle punch, white taffeta ribbon, dimensionals, 2-way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Cutting Dimensions (& there is a lot!) :
Soft Sky: 9-1/4 x 4-1/8", score at 5"
River Rock: 4-1/8 x 5/8" + 4-1/8 x 3-3/8"
Groovy Guava: 4-1/8 x 2-1/4" + 4-1/8 x 3/8"
Whisper White: 4-1/8 x 2" + 3-7/8 x 3-3/4" (the latter for inside the card)

Fun wheelin' to all!

from a blushing me

oh shucks Anne Marie has awarded my blog another award - I feel so honoured!! This certainly inspires one to go out & share all - thank you.

Happy Birthday Jeanetta

HMM HMM 65 years young today! Congratulations - felt I had to make a very classy card for such a momentous occasion & hoping that these are "your colours" - enjoy your day.


Stamp set/s: Brocade Basics, Sincere Salutations, Floral (BG stamp but can't really see it on the So Saffron mat)
Card stock: Mellow Moss, Bravo Burgundy, So Saffron, Very Vanilla
Ink: as above
Other: Pretties kit, wide grosgrain burgundy ribbon, mat pack, sponge dauber, distressing tool, dimensionals