Kia Ora from NZ

Well It's Maori Mate is the only NZ themed stamp set we have & it retires today so I thought I'd share this absolutely fabulous card one of my down line Lesley Stewart from Te Atutu Peninsula created.

If you like to contact Lesley (click on her name above)  to learn how you make Crumb Cake (Kraft) look like woven flax - I'm sure she would be happy to schedule a workshop with you.

 This really was an amazing card in real life & I only hope my photo does it justice.

Remember today is the very last day to order from the Retiring List & lots have already retired permanently as they've sold out - so do contact me ASAP if you require something & please include your phone. no. in the e-mail so I can contact you if required.

Love shack

No not a B52 song but love in the tree using my new Woodgrain background stamp & a Mr blue bird & a Mrs red bird - so cute! Thanks to Megala on SCS for the inspiration

It was the WOW paperKRafters team training day today so as well as "training" which is really playtime for us all it's swap time - demos love to swap cards & ideas. This was my swap - the "love shack".

Stamp sets: Tiny Tags, Woodgrain (background)
Ink: Real Red, Pacific Point, Basic Black marker
Paper: Real Red, Pacific Point, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake (Kraft's new name after the 'renovation'), Naturals Ivory
Punches: 1-3/8" circle, scallop edge border, jewelery tag, extra large 2-step bird, hand-held 1/16"
Other: Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, linen thread, sponge dauber, dimensionals

And here's the team in action with one person hearing that cake & coffee was up - pretending to supervise.

Do they really call this training?

Awhile back I spent a really lovely day with my team & fellow demonstrators being trained by Stampin' Up!  We always get a free stamp set & this training was no exception and we received the really incredibly versatile set Every Moment - which is a set of 4; $30.95 clear or $38.95 wood mount.

You too can order this set come September 1st.

This was my favourite project on the day, we were taught the masking technique & watercolouring with real watercolouring paper, other new things to look out for on the card is the lovely yellow we're getting Daffodil Delight I love it! Self adhesive pearls, 1/8" taffeta ribbon If this is there idea of training it's my idea of heaven. I have my own downline training to do today so going to be a great day - yes being a SU! demonstrator is the bestest job in the whole wide world!

Stamp set: Every Moment
Ink: Soft Suede, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive
Paper: Watercolour,  Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Old Olive
Other: Aqua painter, pearl, clip, 1/8" Old Olive taffeta ribbon, 3/8" Daffodil Delight taffeta ribbon, spritzer tool, scallop edge border punch (on special for $17.98 until August 31st)

Who wants to Party with me?

Wow it's only 5 days to the release of the new Idea Book & Catalogue - to celebrate it's release I'm throwing open my home in Henderson on September 11th from 10-5pm (the doors close at 5pm so please arrive no later than 4pm) for a look at the IB+C & hopefully lots of projects, prizes, free make n' takes & of course food & drink it really will be a party! RSVP me if you'd like to attend.

Talking about parties this is one of our new stamp sets called Party This Way. Those circle images are all "balloons" punched out - quick & easy!

Ink: Wild Wasabi (yah it's back), Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Bashful Blue
Paper: Wild Wasabi, Real Red, WhisperWhite
Punches: 1", 3/4" and 1/2" circle
Other: Dimensionals

Last Chance List - grab a bargain time :)

Available until August 31st  only so contact me ASAP if you'd like to order something. To see the whole list check out the Specials tab or click the Last Chance List at the top of the blog

Item #	Page	Description	Discount	Discounted AUS Price	Discounted NZ Price
116342	42	Big Bold Birthday	50%	$     26.98	$    31.98
116408	100	Seeing Spots	50%	$     14.98	$    17.98
116344	121	Big Deal Alphabet	50%	$     38.98	$    45.98
116208	126	In Color card stock (A4)	50%	$        7.25	$      8.63
105538	127	Bold Brights Stampin' Write markers	25%	$     43.46	$    51.71
105537	127	Soft Subtles Stampin' Write markers	25%	$     43.46	$    51.71
105540	127	Rich Regals Stampin' Write markers	25%	$     43.46	$    51.71
105541	127	Many Marvelous Markers	25%	$   175.46	$  209.96
105550	128	Bold Brights Classic Stampin' Spots	25%	$     31.46	$    37.46
105551	128	Earth Elements Classic Stampin' Spots	25%	$     31.46	$    37.46
105539	128	Earth Elements Stampin' Write markers	25%	$     43.46	$    51.71
105552	129	Rich Regals Classic Stampin' Spots	25%	$     31.46	$    37.46
112042	132	Urban Garden Designer Series paper	50%	$        8.48	$      9.98
112041	134	Bella Rose Designer Series paper	50%	$        8.48	$      9.98
107305	152	Oval Large punch	50%	$     15.48	$    17.98
113692	152	Eyelet border punch	50%	$     15.48	$    17.98
109043	152	Scallop Circle punch	50%	$     15.48	$    17.98
113694	152	Heart to Heart punch	50%	$     15.48	$    17.98
112082	152	Wide Oval punch	50%	$     15.48	$    17.98
112091	152	Scallop Edge punch	50%	$     15.48	$    17.98
113693	152	Full Heart punch	50%	$     15.48	$    17.98
104310	155	Crafters' Tool Kit	25%	$     58.46	$    68.96
112004	AW28*	1-3/4" Circle punch	50%	$     15.48	$    17.98
116629	CO*	Butterfly punch	50%	$     15.48	$    17.98

My family's Dr Doolittle

is my sister Faye Rogers from Christchurch, Animal Communicator extraordinare - she's on Close Up tonight so hope you can tune in & watch her otherwise check out this link.

And here is her blog.She was awesome!!!

Diagonal Double Pocket Card

Try & say that in a hurry! Yes the Diagonal Double Pocket card was the technique that my upline Jacque taught us at training yesterday & a fancy flower - I've mastered the card thanks to my team mates but my flowers leave a wee bit to be desired - practice I can see as I loved my card so much I'm going to teach my downline it next weekend at my team training.

Julia Leece has mastered the flower & has also made a really cute one with Fox and Friends today which is stinkingly cute - so click on her name & go check them out.

Without further ado here's my first effort at the card which I'm rather happy with Soft Suede & Baja Breeze - yummy.

Stamps: Vintage Vogue, Very Vintage (wheel)
Ink: Soft Suede, Baja Breeze, Old Olive
Paper:  Soft Suede, Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Whisper White, Watercolour Paper
Other: Crop-a-dile, jumbo eyelet, Kraft tafetta, aquapainter, sponge, scallop edge border punch

Extra large 2-step bird punch box & tags

I just love the large bird punch - it's so versatile & until the end of August it's only $35.95 (plus shipping). I was always surprised (pleasantly) that it was this price when it was released.

I can share with you now that I have my own copy of our new Idea Book & Catalogue that come September 1st it's increasing in price to $41.50, so if it's on your wishlist now is maybe a good time to get it.

This divided slider box is another fabulous project from Jenny Moors that we made at my home class last night. For those of you that know me I don't do punch art but made an exception for this as it's so fabulous. The attendees made 12 tags to go in their boxes so they mayn't do punch art anymore either!

Stamp set: Tiny Tags
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence
Paper: Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence, Old Olive, Whisper White, Cottage Wall DSP.
Punches: Extra large 2-step bird punch, Boho Blossoms, Medium Jewelery Tag, 1-3/4" circle, 1-3/8" circle, handheld 1/16"
Other: Dimensionals, aluminum metal edge tag, rhinestone bards, silver brads, silver cord (retired), 2 way glue pen, mat pack, paper piercing tool, Rich Razzleberry dotted grosgrain ribbon, Sticky Strip

So do remember the retiring list - come Septenmber 1st the extra large 2-step bird punch will increase in price and (sob) Orchid Opulence & Cottage Wall DSP will retire forever. So do contact me if you'd like to order any of them or anything else.

Simple Simply Said

Well when I was blog hopping tonight & saw some of the great entries for the last challenge for Helping Hudson & I'd saved on my desktop a card I really liked over the weekend from Sharon Davis in Bashful Blue that I wanted to do in pink someday thought I'd better get my A into G & make it as it was perfect for the challenge which is one colour & a neutral.

So this is my Rose Red version of Sharon's card:

Stamp set: Simply Said
Ink: Rose Red, Whisper White (Craft)
Paper: Rose Red & Confetti White
Other: Blender pen, sponge dauber, linen thread, Rose Red stitched grosgrain ribbon, Pretties kit

Well the challenge & the last chance to buy the tutorials for Helping Hudson is August 21st - I've bought a couple of the tutorial packs & they're phenomenal in value & quality.

A spring bouquet?

This was a card idea I has stored on my PC for a rainy day & as no watermark on the original  a big thank you to the original creator. I've tweaked the original card just a teeny bit but I really love the red gingham ribbon tying the bundle of flowers together. This ribbon is retiring & will no longer be available in the new IB+C. Kiwi Kiss is also going & is now running "low".

Stamp sets: Fifth Avenue Floral, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Ink: Tangerine Tango, Real Red, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Summer Sun
Paper: Tangerine Tango, Real Red, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White
Other: Word window punch, red gingham ribbon, blender pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, dimensionals

I love these bright colours together & I for one am really looking forward to the Colour Renovation which is now only 2 weeks away - if you haven't earnt a FREE Idea Book & Catalogue with me this year do pre-order your copy from me for $10 (includes free postage if you don't make my open home launch party).
Here's a sneek peak of the new Brights Collection - yummy! Remember if you want to see any picture bigger just click on the picture :)

I hope you're staying warm & dry if you're a kiwi reading this.

Christmas bauble

Well it's a perfect day for being inside in Auckland which means I can sit down & make a few things :)

This was Debbie Lamb's project at our Christmas in August team event last week & the red jelly beans in the bag have been looking at me all week, so decided that had better be the first one I did so there were some jelly beans to go in the Sweet Treats cup.

I've changed mine a wee bit from Debbie's which you can see here as my kit didn't have any DSP so had to change it to one I had on hand.

Stamp sets: Heard from the Heart, Baroque Motifs
Ink: Old Olive, Riding Hood Red, Basic Black
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Whisper white, Holiday Treasures DSP
Other: Sweet treat cup, 1-3/4" circle punch, RHR striped grosgrain ribbon, rhinestone brad, red lollies

A very simple card & finished off beautifully inside with the ever versatile Baroque Motifs stamp set:

Life's a breeze

is one of those FUN sets that I'll be really sad to see go - it's perfect for embellishing beach scrap book layouts.

But it's making way for the new & the new is FABULOUS (I was very lucky to see the new IB+C in real life yesterday as my demonstrator copy arrived for me).

This was a fabulous swap I received at Convention in May so I'd better share it with you before the set is retired for real. Created by Cheryl O'Bree from Australia. My apologies Cheryl I seemed to have chopped the RHS of the card off when taking it's piccie.

Stamps: Priceless, Life's a Breeze, Cheep Talk
Ink: Tempting Turquoise, melon Mambo, Old Olive
Paper: As for ink; plus Whisper White
Other: Bold brights brads, turquoise grosgrain ribbon, crimper, Crop-a-dile

Christmas in August is today

Well the wait is finally over - the WOW paperKRafters have been planning our annual event for months & today is the day.

I'm demonstrating a faux silk gatefold card using one of my favourite Christmas sets Snow Swirled. 

Stamp set: Snow Swirled
Ink: Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Pacific Point, Whisper White
Paper: Night of Navy, Bashful Blue, Whisper White, tissue paper
Other: Scallop oval punch, sponges, crimper, white embossing powder, dazzling diamonds glitter, bashful blue taffeta ribbon.

Well I hope the attendees & the demos have a fabulous afternoon of paperKRafting the weather is perfect - wet but not cold :)

July's Top 10

• 120003 Cottage Garden (clear-mount)
• 118592 Tiny Tags (clear-mount)
• 115770 Cheep Talk (wood-mount)
• 115860 A Rose is a Rose (wood-mount)
• 119163 Cottage Garden (wood-mount)
• 116386 Loads of Love (wood-mount)
• 116332 Playful Petals (wood-mount)
• 118598 Vintage Vogue (clear-mount)
• 111536 Wonderful Favourites (wood-mount)
• 117693 Very Vintage Jumbo Stampin’ Around Wheel

some of them are retiring real soon - so make sure you get your set before it is gone.

Wild about You

Well I've been confined to my bed for 5 days & been too sick to really craft but as going mad thought I'd make a really quick card with one of my favourite sets that is retiring Wild about You. Looking at my card the DSP is retiring & so is the striped grosgrain ribbon - the ribbon is 25% off & it's a colour that is staying - so well worth stocking up on at $17.75 (reduced from $22.95).


Stamp set: Wild About You
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Bashful Blue, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive
Paper: So Saffron, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, Washingtom Apple DSP
Other: 1-1/4" square punch, Riding Hood Red striped grosgrain ribbon

What are the bargains on the retiring list...

The link to the retiring list & what's running low & what has sold out will stay at the top of my blog until the end of August but I thought I'd point out what is incredibly good value on the list which is huge (9 pages).

There are 6 stamp sets that are 50% off:

A Happy Heart (page 34) is now $24.98
Best Wishes and More (page 53) is now $28.48
Greetings Eight (page 57) is now $29.48
Only Ovals (page 93) is now $23.48
Enjoy Every Moment (page 97) is now $31.48
All Scallops (page 105) is now $33.48

....and 17 other sets are 25% off!

Most of the markers in Retiring Colours are 25% off, making them only $5.06. Cameo Coral and Apricot Appeal are 50% off, making them a bargain $3.38!

6 of the Patterned papers are 25% off, and one is 50% off (Pink Flamingo is only $9.98!)

I Wish" Simply Scrappin Kit (page 137) - perfect for Christmas cards and layouts is 25% off - now only $32.96!

Chunky Glitter (page 145) is 50% off - only $18.98.
Blooms Die Cuts (page 144), also 50% off - only $9.75
50% off Double-Stitched ribbons in Rose Red, Chocolate Chip and Bashful Blue (page 150) - now only $11.75! There's also other ribbon bargains for the Striped ribbons, most of these are 25% off.

7 Jumbo wheels and 8 standard wheels are retiring... these always go fast!

The punches are all listed because they are being reconfigured into the new punch style, however 5 punches are not returning at all:
Small Star
Trio Flower
Double Rectangle
Horizontal Slot
Slit