The last of the SAB swaps

I've already posted earlier the demo swap cards I received using the other 3 stamp sets and I've saved what I think will be the most useful set to last Whimsical Words - I just love the style of this writing and I hope we see more of it (looking at the American blogs I think I may get my wish to come true).

This set seemed to be the most popular with those of us that chose to pre-order (5/14). I'm hoping the nice courier man will deliver mine tomorrow morning.

From Janine Pearce a really cute notecard & she's stamped on acetate & used our new 1-3/4" circle punch to create the window. I chose the green version but she has different colour versions so do check out her blog:

From Juliette Riddell AKA RomeoCards a lovely card with a lovely sentiment:

WOW Delys Cram has even outdone herself this time - just stunning & she's highlighted the new wider Pink Pirouette ribbon beautiful. Do check out her blog to see how's she created this black magic card:

From Wendy Herbert a lovely card for a small child/baby - Animal Stories & it's matching Tall Tales DSP is so much fun:

Last but certainly not least Rachael Knight's stunning birthday card - just adorable & again what a perfect sentiment:

So don't forget you can earn this stamp set or one of the other 3 stamp sets already highlighted by spending $120, no limits to the no. of sets you can earn for free.

Mini Friendship Album

This was a very cool project I retrieved from my upline's rubbish bin and was my first class project for 2010. It looks complicated but is really simple (once you know how).

It has been embellished with images from the For Everything stamp set - which is currently in the Summer Mini catalogue & available until March 31st.

Stamp set: For Everthing
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Riding Hood Red, More Mustard. Kiwi Kiss
Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Riding Hood Red, More Mustard. Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White, Riding Hood Red Patterns DSP
Punches: Scallop edge border. 1-¾" circle, 1-¼" square, horizontal slot
Other: Riding Hood Red striped grosgrain

If you're kicking yourself for not coming to class this week - schedule a home class with me & for you & 3 of your friends. Contact me for further details.

My schedule can be found on the left hand column for upcoming classes etc.

Just Add Ink Colour Challenge 1

We have a new challenge blog Just Add Ink which is a group of Australian & New Zealand Stampin' Up! demonstrators who love to share what they love and inspire others to create! The cool thing about it being "local" is we'll always have the colours! I thought this week's colours were cool & inspirational but Pete is right I love green on my cards so it instantly became harder.

In the end I ended up making a small card 4x4" square & created a flower from So Saffron Patterns DSP - you just take various sized circles (can be hand drawn and then cut out but I just used my circle punches, distress the edges & then crumple up - quite a lot of fun).

Stamp sets: Polka Dot (background), Occasional Greetings

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Stazon White

Paper: Taken with Teal, Chocolate Chip, Rose Red, So Saffron Patterns DSP

Punches: 1-3/4" circle, 1-3/8" circle, 1-1/4" circle

Other: Chocolate Chip brad, acetate, dimensionals

OOPS: it's closed already today is Thursday - look what happens when you're on holiday you lose track of the days!

My first easel card

Hi all this was my recent demo swap I made to swap with other team members I used the funky set Good Neighbors - yep American spelling but we'll let them off as so cute and so many stamps - TEN of them and it's free in Sale-a-bration.

The style of this stamp set really reminds me of  Trendy Trees & the Funky Forest wheel. I wanted something bright & colourful & I wanted to make an easel card & they were so easy but don't tell my team mates that - hopefully they think I'm really clever so here it is in cheerfulness.

Stamp sets: Good Neighbors, Bella's Bloom, Funky Forest (wheel)

Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Only Orange, Green Galore, Gable Green, Baja Breeze

Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Only Orange, Green Galore,Kaleidoscope DSP

Punches: Scallop oval, large oval, scallop border

Other: Dimensionals, stamp-a-ma-jig

The side view:

And folded flat for posting:

The only other demo with impeccable taste (so 2/14 of us) who chose to pre-order this set was Bron Heslop - her card is also a happy card teamed up with Washington Apple DSP - love how she's stamped on the DSP for her clouds plus she's cut out a few houses & popped them up on dimensionals - seriously cute in real life!

 

The wait is over

Sale-a-bration happens once a year & it is when Stampin' Up! release 4 unique stamp sets, that won't be sold again, that can be earned for FREE!


Sale-a-bration starts now & lasts until 31 March 2010.To view the sets that you can earn please click HERE. Don't forget about the Hearts for Haiti appeal & my special offer to earn your first free SAB set. More details on this can be viewed HERE.

There are 3 easy ways to earn FREE stamps.

1. Spend $120 on any Stampin' Up! product out of either the summer mini catalogue or the Idea Book & catalogue & you will get to choose 1 FREE sale-a-bration stamp set! Of course if you spend $240 you get to choose 2 FREE stamp sets. There are no limits on free stamp sets.

2. Host a workshop of at least $700 & earn 1 FREE sale-a-bration stamp set. On top of getting the free stamp sets you will also receive a level 2 hostess set + $70 to go shopping with in either the summer mini catalogue or the Idea Book & Catalogue. What a deal!

3. Sign up as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator during the sale-a-bration time frame & you get to choose a free stamp set from the Idea Book & Catalogue (valued up to $93.95).

It is that simple to get a FREE stamp set!

To place an order, book a workshop or join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator, email me at karen@karenstampz.co.nz or 09 835 4818

Sneak peek 2

Sale-a-bration starts tomorrow & the 2nd sneak peek uses the Happy Moments stamp set that 3 of the 14 demos that partook in the swap chose to pre-order. It is a set of  7 that you can earn for free by just spending $120. My own order is all keyed up & ready to go for tomorrow - can hardily wait. I love FREE & that's probably the main reason I chose to become a demonstrator - apart from all the neat people I have meet in real life & in cyberspace.

From Debbie Lamb (a happy card alright & love how's she's used one of the stamps in the set to make her background):

From Jacquelyn Pedersen a pocket card (Jacque taught me how to make these years ago & they're so much fun - love the bright colours too):

And from June Abbott in Ashburton - her very first swap - isn't it just brilliant & don't you just love our new DSP Kaleidoscope & the jumbo grommet:

Back tomorrow with my swap - see you all then!

Let the countdown begin.....

Come Monday the biggest promotion of the Stampin' Up! year starts Sale-a-bration - my plan was to share with you all the swaps the Creative Inkers team KReated 4 days before the launch, but life got in the way.

4 of the 14 demonstrators that partook in the swap chose to pre-order Vintage Labels (a set of 6). If you haven't already checked out what you can earn for free please read my blog post HERE with all the details and the link to the mini catalogue. I'm happy to start taking orders to process on Monday so get working on those wishlists, if necessary combine with a friend to make $120 or book in a workshop & earn them for free.

From Sally Williams (simply classical & elegant - check out her other color combos on her blog too):

From Samantha Fan (love the background she's created):

From Tee-Jay Horrell (this is a very clever card do check out Tee-Jay's blog to see more of the card).

And Anna Sutherland - WOW!

Look at the details on this rosette:

I'll be back tomorrow with the next stamp set you can earn for FREE & any questions or orders don't hesitate to e-mail me karen@karenstampz.co.nz

A few updates

EEK the night has gotten away on me - I'll blame the return of American Idol - I love blobbing on a Friday night watching it.

3 quickies Stampin' Up! have announced that they will be donating $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set sold world wide to donate to the Red Cross for Haiti - I love this company & am so proud to be associated with them as they do have a BIG {HEART} all right. The stamp set is $49.95 & co-ordinates with 2 of the punches Heart to Heart and Full Heart (both $35.95). This bundle 3 of will earn you one Sale-a-bration stamp set on Monday. I will offer my support to this worthy cause by offering the above bundle at 10% off  & free shipping anywhere in New Zealand (i.e. $110 for the lot plus you'll earn a free SAB set)

The inventory sale is in it's last days and another 3 stamp sets are no longer available at the discounted price as of yesterday:

• Occasionally
• Sprinkles
• Life's A Breeze

So if you're been procrastinating you have less than 48 hours to order from the sale.

Last but not least Sale-a-bration (SAB) kicks off on Monday - let me wet your appetite by revealing that you can earn stamp sets for FREE in 3 different ways.

1. Spend $120 earn 1 SAB set (no limits)
2. Host a party that has sales greater than $700 & earn another SAB set on top of the other hostess rewards - I am also offering a classic ink pad to the first 3 bookings I receive whilst SAB  is on.
   
3. Join my team & you'll earn a FREE stamp set up to $93.95 value plus you'll go in the draw to win a recruit basket I'm offering which contains:

• Hand Drawn bundle (level 3 hostess set)
• Square scallop punch
• Pattern pack designer series II paper (level 1 hostess)
• Whimsical Words (SAB stamp set) 
• One roll of each of Certainly Celery & So Saffron ribbon to really get the lucky recipient on their way. This recruit basket will be drawn after April 1st 2010.

If you'd like to know anything more look for the cat on the left hand side of the blog to e-mail me or click HERE.

Pink flamingo anyone?

Now Dave Mccartney & the Pink Flamingos were one of my favourite kiwi rock bands when I was in my 20s & I love the brightness of the Pink Flamingo DSP which is reduced in the Inventory Clearance sale from $19.95 to $14.96.

So if you'd like to order some Pink Flamingo DSP whilst it's a bargain or anything else for that matter; a reminder the sale closes this coming Sunday.

Below is a fun card we made at team training in November using the DSP & the really cute new stamp set For Everything that is currently available from the Summer mini catalogue.

Stamp set: For Everything
Ink: Basic Black, Tempting Turquoise (marker), Cameo Coral
Paper: Real Red, Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Pink Flamingo DSP
Punches: Scallop circle, 1-3/8" & 1-1/4" circle
Other: Turquoise narrow grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals

Inside the card:

Happy stampin'

Lots & lots of RAKs for me :-)

RAK = Random Act of Kindness.

I'm very blessed by the lovely demos in my stampin' team. I arranged for a demo swap which in the end I received cards from Kaeo in the North to Invercargill in the South & some of the girls snuck cards or other goodies in their envelopes for ME! As you will shortly see if the thank you cards are anything to go by the swaps for Sale-a-bration (SAB) will be sensational.

For those of you that receive my monthly newsletter you will see a sneak peek of my demo swap & one of the sets you can earn for free whilst SAB is on & how to re-KReate it real soon. Otherwise I'll start the countdown for SAB on Friday night so do check back then.

From Samantha Fan a really cute cat collar - love the label for the bag too decorated with two of my favourite stamp sets Fresh Cuts and Pocket Silhouettes.

I'll take this opportunity to share my favourite cat - doesn't he look happy & contented lying on my bed in the sun this morning - Napoleon AKA Napster 

From June Abbott a lovely flower card created from Tall Tales DSP - so effective!

From Tee Jay Horrell a stunning butterfly card - the top two wings have been stamped or embossed on vellum - so delicate & wait there's more a matching Bella Bleu DSP envelope. I am so in love with the butterfly punch & it's matching Butterfly Prints stamp set. I do hope it's top of all your wishlists for SAB

And then WOW - this one from Anna Sutherland - the cello bag has been stamped with Upsy Daisy using Stazon White, plus there's stitching & sponging on the card - it has to be seen to be believed, this is possibly the most beautiful card I've ever received!

So a huge thank you all, totally unnecessary but really appreciated - I was totally spoilt (psst when can I organise the next swap amongst us all, though my downline who kindly helped me divvy them all up last night might take my goodies of me next time).