Who's the most dashing of them all?

Why dasher of cos' (though I've made him Rudolph with a shiny red nose). He's one of our a la carte stamps i.e. single stamps & only $18.50 to buy. This was one of my 3 Quick & Easy Christmas cards that was this week's class (the ladies easily made their 3 cards in 1-1/2 hours - so we finished EARLY! - so more time for chatting :)

The photo doesn't show it but the embossed piece of card stock is our new Shimmer White so it's shimmery & the piece of card stock with Dasher on also has been sprayed with Champagne Mist shimmer paint - so also all shimmery. This was my favourite of the 3 as I just love Dasher xxx

Stamp sets: Dasher, Season of Joy
Ink: Basic Black
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Shimmer White
Other: Champagne mist shimmer paint, Petals a plenty EF, Merry Details Sizzlit die, circle fire rhinestone brads, basic rhinestones, dimensionals

If you'd like your own Dasher do contact me to purchase or any other product - I also have space in Friday night's class if you'd like to join us.

Elements of Style - my new favourite set

Well I had a lovely crafty weekend just gone which started off perfectly with a cracked glass class at Debbie Lamb's place and it was payback time for Debbie as I loved the first card (& so will you) & have now ordered the stamp set - it's normally the other way around. She's always telling me off for making her fall in love with sets that she hadn't looked twice at before. Clever Debbie worked out how we can still have spotted ribbon too!

Stamp set: Elements of Style
Ink: Versamark, Pacific Point, Marina Mist - also yummy I love it!
Paper: Marina Mist, Whisper White
Punches: 1" circle
Other: Marina mist 5/8" grosgrain, white Signo gel pen, silver hodgepodge, clear embossing powder
Technique: Cracked glass

This is definitely a class I'm going to CASE as it was so much fun, thanks Debbie. So look out for Cracked Glass technique on my class schedule if you'd like to make this card or contact Debbie to schedule a workshop and have the class bought directly to you.

Gift bag in a box

It's been a wee while since I've demoed how to do one of these but it's one of those projects that are extremely easy to do & I demoed how to at a 10th birthday party recently along with a cupcake bookmark.

The girls (& the 1 boy) seemed to enjoy the presentation and were suitably impressed. The actual gift bag on the day got filled with bath bombs, lollies & stamps - what more could a girl want for her birthday!

Technique: Gift Bag in a Box
Paper: Bella Rose DSP, Pretty in Pink, Real Red
Punches: Round tab, Boho blossoms, Crop-a-dile, scallop edge
Other: Sticky strip, white brads, Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon

With Christmas coming this is a very cool gift wrapping idea so if you'd like to know how to make one contact me to schedule a FREE workshop with 4-10 friends.

Thanks for stoppin' by.

Embossing folder playtime

This was something my team looked at our last training afternoon - brayering in an embossing folder - putting in a piece of Whisper White card stock & running it through the Big Shot - we chose Melon Mambo as such a strong colour. As you can see the technique worked perfectly - the embossed bits remained white & the card stock is coloured - I had to see it to believe it though.

Stamp set: Oval All
Ink: Melon Mambo, Basic Black
Paper: Melon Mambo, Basic Black, Whisper White
Punches: Scallop oval, large oval
Other: Elegant Bouquet embossing folder, dimensionals, brayer, Big Shot

Well the next Team Training (play afternoon) is Sunday 10th so if you're interested in becoming a demonstrator & would like to play with us do contact me & don't forget that the Starter Kit offer with the additional In-Colour bundle closes October 15th.

Thanks for poppin' in!

A simple but pretty effective thank you note

I too received some happy mail this week from the very lovely Lisa Bullock & this is a great idea if you want to mass produce some thank you note cards. She's used Every Moment & Artistic Etchings stamp sets.

It really brightened my day & I think this is one of the reasons that we love to share the love of what we do as it does bring so much pleasure to create it & then even more so when shared.

Thanks Lisa for brightening my day.

My beautiful techniques booklet

Well a few of my team mates Bron & Narelle have already blogged their efforts but this was such a fun project we made at our upline Jacque's place the other night. The first technique we did was chipboard.

Maybe Stamping 101 will come to West Auckland soon. I must admit I love this DSP it's my favourite in our new offerings Elegant Soiree.

2nd go at Floating Reinker

After my first attempt which I was pretty happy with but felt needed a wee bit of tweaking. I thought now how do you do this properly. Looked on SplitCoast Stampers - nilch; so Googled the term & found lots of helpful blogs.

These are the tips I found most useful:

• I knew you needed as high an emboss as possible to get "compartments" - good recommendation to use Craft White & white EP - I think whoever recommended this was right as I could see separate puddles of water the 2nd time.
• Use Shimmer white paper - still waiting on my next order - so watch out for Part 3. Otherwise watercolour paper (tick).
• Wet both sides of your card stock after embossing - I did this anyhow as it seemed logical to stop the card stock bending. 
• Make sure the embossed side is really wet!
• Add 1 drop of re-inker to a used Dimensionals backing (this is my favourite tip), pick up the drop of ink with your AquaPainter & spread & blend - this was so much easier and I only used 1 drop of each of the colours. On my first attempt I just added drops to the wet card stock & let them run!

Stamp set: Simply Said
Ink: White Craft, Regal Rose (ink & re-inker), Rose Red (re-inker), So Saffron (re-inker)
Paper: Regal Rose, Whisper White, watercolour paper
Other: White embossing powder, Manhattan Flowers EF, Regal Rose 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals, sponge dauber, aquapainter.

First go at Floating Re-inker Technique

I wanted to make a thank you card & I've always loved this one that Tee-Jay sent me so thought I'd have a go with one of the new in-colours Blushing Bride which is such a pretty pink.

I can see why I love it - it's a dynamic duo for Regal Rose which I love, when I look at my Colour Coach - this means to you & me it's a half tone of Regal Rose.

Stamp set: Simply Said
Ink: Versamark, Blushing Bride, Regal Rose, Rose Red, So Saffron
Paper: Blushing Bride, Whisper White, watercolour paper
Other: White embossing powder, Manhattan Flowers EF, Blushing Bride poly-twill ribbon, dimensionals.

Julia brightened my day :-)

Julia Leece that is - she sent me some special mail - isn't she sweet - and it's so pretty thanks Julia

I'm not sure of all the finer details but can tell she's white embossed the Medallion background stamp - looks like she's "kissed" it too - the thanks inside the Pretties flower comes from the new stamp set Perfect Punches, the hatpin also come from the Pretties kit, the card stock is Close to Cocoa (retired now) and Pretty In Pink - she's also added a crimped mat but the photo doesn't reveal that; other than that you'll have to ask her. Thanks Julia it was a lovely surprise on a very dreary wet & windy day otherwise! And read the comments - some of the finer detail has been revealed ;-)

Somethings have to be believed to be seen!

Like me using Garden Green - why haven't I used it before? I love it!

Still struggling whilst I build up my new colours & very thankful I have packs of Wild Wasabi from the last time around. It's also the dynamic duo for Garden Green!

My favourite stamp set in the new catalogue is Just Believe & I do love this DSP Woodland Park. I think it reminds me of flatting & maidenhair ferns in the bathroom - so maybe an 80s thing!

Stamp set: Just Believe
Ink: Early Espresso, Garden Green, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake
Paper: Garden Green, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla
Punches: 1-3/4" circle, scallop trim border
Other: Early Espresso taffeta ribbon, sponges, sponge dauber, basic pearls (self-adhesive), dimensionals

Fabulous wine bag

My dear friend Judy bought along a bottle of wine for me to drink after my launch party the other day & she made it really pretty with a tag from the Oval All stamp set which thankfully has returned & she's used up some of the fabulous retired Ginger Blossum DSP that we all loved.

Fabulous bag Judy & the wine wasn't half bad either!

The colour coach strikes again

Loving my new colour coach - this colour combo came from the coach too Wild Wasabi & Perfect Plum & I think it's a winner & I hope all the ladies that popped in yesterday thought so too.

The a la carte stamps are growing & this one even has it's own matching punch.

Stamp: For Your Flower
Ink: Perfect Plum, Wild Wasabi
Paper: Perfect Plum, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White
Punches: Fancy flower extra large, 1-3/8" circle
Other: Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder, dimesionals

This is just a wee notecard 3x 3" and one of the cool extras we have this year is mini envelopes 7.9cm square & you get 40 for $14.50

Fast & fabulous it sure was!

One of the hostess sets this year we have is called Fast & Fabulous and it sure is, but the only way you can get this set is to host a workshop with qualifying sales ($700) or place an order for the same amount.Saying that an awful lot of workshops do achieve this sales target very easily! 

I used this set at my launch party for the new catalogue and I put my new colour coach to good use creating the colour combo used for this & the 2nd card the attendees got to make and take home with them.

Stamp sets: Fast & Fabulous, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Ink: Basic Black, Poppy Parade
Paper: Baja Breeze, Poppy Parade, So Saffron, Confetti White
Punches: Scallop Trim border
Other: Beautiful Wings embosslit die, Poppy Parade stitched poly ribbon, dimensionals, mat pack and paper piercing tool, basic pearl

So if you'd like to earn this fabulous stamp set contact me to book a home workshop with you & your friends.

Last of the team swaps

and all 3 of them have used Embossing Folders! Vintage Wallpaper & Perfect Dots.

Firstly Rachael Knight's fabulous Christmas Tag box - she's used one of our new stamp sets called Perfect Punches

 Then Ria Kaire's shabby chic Artistic Etchings card

 Then Bron Heslop's fabulous For You Flower card and she's made the centre very shiny with lots of Crystal Effects

Well it's my launch party tomorrow so better get back to the cleaning! Hope to see some of my readers there.

Vintage Wallpaper?

I'm so hoping a nice courier man visits me tomorrow with my new stamps, colours, ribbons, DSP & embossing folders. I'm wishing I'd pre-ordered as the wait is killing me :)

So whilst I wait I thought I'd share 2 gorgeous swaps I got from my team mates showing you the depth of the emboss in one of our latest folders - it's amazing.

Firstly from Julia Leece - who has made hers darker. Julia's is sealed inside a cello bag that was impossible to open in case you're wondering why it's so shiny.

and then Jacque Pedersen - who has made her's lighter. Amazing the same concept but so different!

But you have to agree with me what stunning elegant cards the embossing folder creates & you too can own one for the mere sum of  $19.95. It is an exclusive design & can only be purchased through a demonstrator.

I'm renovating HERE

Hi all, I've also been forced to spend a lot of time at home lately as Industrial Relations keep breaking down on the day job so I've been renovating; which involves clearing out 3 years of being a SU! demonstrator & so my Launch Party this coming Saturday will have out a lot of stuff I am being brave & "retiring 90% of the old" as I have to make room for the new plus need to put food in my tum. I am very thankful that I have my Stampin' Business at the moment to help pay a few bills!

So don't miss the sale of the year plus you get to eat, drink, make a card or 2 & go in the draw to win stuff. Contact me if you'd like to know more.

To save me going mad looking at the 4 walls last week I dragged Judy & myself along to my upline's card class & Jacque did it again - added another stamp set to my wishlist! Loved this card - lots of new products here.

Stamp sets: Greenhouse Garden, Teeny Tiny Sentiments, French Filigree (Background)
Ink: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand, Versamark
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Greenhouse Gala DSP
Punches: Extra large 2-step bird, eyelet border
Other: Ice rhinestone brad, Circle Scissors, dimensionals, Whisper white envelope, sponge dauber

So don't forget FREE catalogue release party at my house this coming Saturday - hope to see you there if you can make it.

WOW Team swaps Part III - Lesley's Mambolicious Box

The final installment of my team swaps last weekend - Lesley Stewart made us all an origami box - I chose a Melon Mambo one as it looked so cheery.

She's added a few flowers from the Flower Fancy set and a self-adhesive pearl - this is one of the cool new products we now stock $11.50 for 150 of them in 3 sizes; 2,3 and 5 mm.

WOW Team swaps Part II

As promised the 2nd installment (just a wee bit late wasn't X-factor Australia great!)

Judy Beetson shared as her swap a cute gift bag created with a cellophane bag, some lovely Greenhouse Gala DSP & the new level 2 hostess set Cute by the Inch and CUTE it is!

As you can see there's 9 stamps in this set & if you'd like to earn your own set do think about scheduling a workshop with me. Thanks Judy these cute gift cards will be very handy.

The newest member of our team is Sarah Roche from Hamilton East & WOW all right - this is Sarah's first demo swap & as you can see she is not an inexperienced stamper. I still have my first demo swap when I only had a few stamp sets & pads - I'd signed up but was still waiting for my Starter Kit - it was 28 September 2007! Gosh doesn't time fly when you're having fun - check it out HERE - I can squirm a little now unlike Sarah's effort which is sensational! So any readers from the Waikato that want to contact her - click on Sarah's name above to e-mail her.