The rest of my Christmas Mail

As it's the last day of 2009 I thought I'd share the last of my lovely cards that my friends made me for Christmas - lucky me!!

From Frances a stunning Tree Trimmings card:

From Jan - wow this is so gorgeous especially with all the BLING:

From Jennifer Montgomery a demo in my team a really traditional Christmas card using Season of Joy - so pretty:

Another fingerprint card from Claire, this time we have elves:

From Clare one of of my downline a lovely glitter Tree Trimming card (sorry I seem to have made it dirty), love the paper piercing for the string:

From Sue another iris folded bauble:

The last one Wendy's chocolate Tree Trimmings  card:

In my opinion it seems Tree Trimmings was everyone's favourite stamp set if they stamped. Thanks everyone they were all great -  in hindsight one of my New Year's resolution should be to start my 2010 cards now! so I can complete them before the big day. So I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very special New Year's celebration - wow where did the last decade go - 2000 seems not that long ago & wishing you all the very best for 2010. I'm away for a few days so I'll catch you back on my return.

A gift for me

This is the very lovely gift that my upline Jacque gave to her immediate downline for Christmas - isn't it pretty - she's covered a small round tin with Tea Party DSP, punched holes with the Crop-a-dile, set jumbo eyelets & decorated it & voila a ribbon holder!

So pretty - thank you Jacque!!!

Boxes for the bath bombs

I showed on an earlier post some acetate boxes to put in my bath bombs but with Christmas rapidly approaching I resorted to the 7s box of Marelle Taylor which is so quick & easy.

A bit of packaging & done - 2 more pressies (tick). Here's the top of the 2 boxes:

Stamp set: Snow Swirled, Winter Post, Curly Label Punch
Ink: Real Red, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Stazon white
Paper: Real Red, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Whisper White, "acetate", Ski slope DSP (retired

This is what the bath bombs looked like before being packaged up, they're easy to make & the recipe is courtesy of Sandy Miller a La Reve consultant with "my modifications"

• 1 cup baking soda
• 1 cup citric acid
• 1 Tbsp La Reve Angel Mist Body Oil Mist (or replace with 1 Tbsp almond oil & approx. 10 drops of essential oil)
• Liquid food colouring

Sift dry ingredients & mix well , add wet ingredients & mix. Add to silicone small moulds that you'd use for ice-cubes etc - I have a butterfly set & a heart set. The mix makes about 3 tray fulls ~3 dozen. Press the mix into the mould until can't add anymore. Leave overnight & then push out. They take about another day to dry properly.

Santa has been early for me!

And I have a new camera - I bit the bullet tonight & bought the one I had my eye on - a Panasonic Lumix TZ7 & I must have been very good as he also shouted me 2 new pairs of sandals. So thought I'd share some pictures of my Christmas lights.

The outside of my house:

The front entrance (this was taken at the same time as the house picture in the dark - WOW - looks like daylight).

My Christmas tree & I just love the card holder I got from the Warehouse the other night - clear pegs & clear LED lights behind them - looks pretty, is strong & my cards aren't blowing over - another great buy.

So I'm pretty impressed with my first shots - thank you Santa I must have been a very good girl this year ;-)

The first of my Christmas Mail

I've been getting lots of cards but unfortunately I've decided that my digital camera is dying fast - everything is a wishy washy blue - so quite a lot of manipulation has occurred to bring you these photos at all . So I hope the Boxing Day sales are awesome so I can get a new camera ASAP!

From Judy one of my first cards & absolutely stunning - using A Wish for Peace - so beautiful!

From Joan - she knows I love cats - isn't he sweet and surprise lots of sparkle from my own Glitter Queen.

From her sister Carol - all the way from Scotland - this is so stunning IRL - thanks Carol & I look forward to catching up in 2010 for a goss & a wee bit of stamping!

From Janet - classical elegance using Baroque Motifs:

From Rina - a Christmas bauble - she's used iris folding which is a really nice touch - thank you Rina.

From Sylvia - very simple but lovely colours & love the dry embossing - with my favourite stamp from Best Yet.

From Mary - another cat card - well I suppose Napoleon's presence in class is always obvious! I love Fluffles so many thanks Mary.

From Ella - how sweet is this - all the families' finger prints:

Last but certainly not least an absolute stunner from Michelle Cave a demonstrator in my team in Hastings - an acetate card stamped with white Stazon Ink, and the front of the card is silver embossed - she's used Season of Joy. This card is so incredible in real life. Thank you very much Meshellz this one will be treasured for a very long time!

I'll be back with more when I get my camera replaced (will have to rely upon saved shots on my PC to share until then).

Acetate gift boxes

I've been making fizzing bath bombs for Christmas gifts this year. They're so pretty I needed a see through box to display them in.

I've followed the tutorial on SCS to make the smaller box & on my own blog to make the larger box. Just a bit of designer paper (candy-striped as it's Christmas) & a wee embellishment & done!

Stamp set: Spotlight on Christmas
Ink: Riding Hood Red or Pink Pirouette
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Candy Lane DSP
Punches: Scallop edge & scallop square

Other: Rhinestone brads, Riding Hood Red tafetta & linen thread

Sparkly seaweed

This was the 2nd project we KReated at the last training of the WOW paperKrafters for 2009 - as our theme for the day was summer it seemed appropriate that we played with my Ocean's Commotions stamp set, we used Heat & Stick Powder to make the seaweed really sparkly.

If you haven't had a play with Heat & Stick and Dazzling Diamonds glitter you don't know what you're missing out on - it is a real wow! Click HERE for a wee tutorial on using it or contact me to schedule your own workshop.

Stamp set: Ocean's Commotion
Ink: Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss, Versamark
Paper:  Baja Breeze,  Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White
Other: Heat and Stick powder, Dazzling Diamond glitter, heat tool, dimensionals

Sweet treat on a stick

This is a really cool project that my downline Janine Pearce taught me - I love being part of a team as you learn so much from each other. If you'd like to know more about being part of our team the WOW paperKRafters do contact us you won't regret it.

I demoed this project at Sylvia's workshop tonight & it was a hit especially with the young & young at heart present.

The designer series paper is the fabulous Pink Flamingo which is part of the inventory clearance & reduced to $14.96 (25% saving). I also got to use my Circle Scissors to cut out 2 circles easily at 2-¼" & 2-¾" for the backing of the treat.

Stamp set: Really Retro
Ink: Stazon Black
Paper: Real Red 
Other: Sticky strip, Riding Hood Red tafetta, eyelet border punch, crimper, sweet treat cups

Very yummy - thanks Janine

It's summertime drinks

This was a cool project shown at a team training mid-year to me by Julia Leece - I just loved it as so FUN & shared it with my downline at our Christmas party / training - the theme of the day was "summertime".

There's a tutorial on SCS on how to make a cup card which you can see by clicking HERE.

We've used sponging to blend all the colours & I certainly fancy a drink by the pool looking at this.

Stamp sets: Tart and Tangy, Cheers to You
Ink: Basic Black, Yoyo Yellow, Summer Sun, Only Orange, Real Red, Tempting Turqoise, Taken with Teal, Kiwi Kiss, Garden Green, Versamark
Paper: Pacific Point, Basic Black, Whisper White, Vellum cardstock (heavier weight)
Punches: Circle punches

Other: Clear embossing powder (the "lime slice" is shiny in real life), Dazzling Diamonds glitter, sponges

My first Christmas card

Hi all I've been very quite blogging I know as I'm really busy KReating my own Christmas cards - yep done it again & left it to the last minute - though the problem is compounded by the fact that I've I sold too many at the market days I've been involved with lately.

This is relatively quick card which looks stunning with this absolutely gorgeous ribbon that just retired November 30 - it's a breeze to tie beautifully and wish I had more in my stash - this design will stop when the ribbon runs out!

Stamp set: Winter Post
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red
Paper: Kraft, Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla
Punches: Designer label, scallop border, hand-held 1/16"
Other: Linen thread, dimensionals, Signo white gel pen, Riding Hood Red 1-¼" striped grosgrain

Well I hope your prep is all further advanced than mine. Ciao for now.

Butterflies are multiplying

I was so excited when I saw the Butterfly Prints stamp set in the mini catalogue for quite a few reasons:

•  My mum loves butterflies (no.1)

• It has a matching punch - yah no more cutting - I know some of you think I'm mean when I make you cut things out at class but it sure does add WOW to projects and the punch also co-ordinates with the Flight of the Butterflies stamp set - double WOW
  

• It's phenomenal value - only $28.95 
• I love the saying with the set Love is like a butterfly...it goes where it pleases & pleases where it goes

I knew this was the project I wanted to use for my Open Home launch last night (thanks all that braved the torrential rain in Auckland - hard to imagine it is "SUMMER") and was inspired by Anabel Welch's demo swap card in Tempting Turquoise, Orchid Opulence and Pixie Pink as it was so bright & colourful.

I tried a Barely Banana, Pink Pirouette and Tangerine Tango combo & liked it but seemed to be lacking a wee bit of wow - so out came the colour coach (only $22.50 for us colour challenged people) and it's colour combo for Tempting Turquoise is Cameo Coral and Apricot Appeal & I loved it!

So this was last night's make n' take apart from Mrs B's phenomenal Christmas Cake which I can't believe we demolished a whole cake in one night; just as well I have another one for the big day. Plus we all had a wee play with my new toy - the Circle Scissors Plus - you can see a video using the Circle Scissors in action by clicking HERE.

"Thinking of You" on the front of the card comes from Trendy Trees too by the way. Enjoy the weekend we do have a wee bit of blue sky!