12 days of Christmas from Stampin' Up!

Tomorrow is the start of our clearance rack blitz when once  retired items are available for just a  short time at prices up to 70% off RRP, whilst we wait with bated breath to see what we have on offer here's a bit of a giggle xxx

Treats for the tree & for the tum

Happy weekend to you all. I've been busy the last few weeks getting ready for my work's annual craft market - this was the first time I have made & sold the skinny cello bags with wee toppers.

#124134 $5.50/50 bags 8" x 1" or 20 x 2.5 cm

I'm going to try doing some Rudolph noses next with Jaffas & I won't be doing jellybeans again - too hard to poke into the bags but M+M's were easy, quick, cute & great fun to make as a few ended up in my tum.

The wee saying came from More Merry Messages which is a very versatile set & loving it.

Clearance Rack Blitz

Stampin' Up! are temporarily taking hundreds of products out of retirement with discounts up to 70 percent off retail–only while supplies last! There will be four different groups of products on sale between 14 December – 21 January.

There are FOUR sale periods:

14-20 December
21 December-3 January
4-10 January
11-21 January

So make sure you check back on 14 December to see what’s on sale and when!

Take advantage of these amazing bargains on previously retired products while they’re here!

Making old into new

Hi all I'm getting ready for my work's annual craft market this coming Thursday so clearing out all those kits & stuff I have stored in my garage. This 7's box was an Extravaganza project of mine way back in February 2010 for "Valentine's" - well I've got rid of the hearts & added some glitter & blinged it up for Christmas 2012. My original post you can see HERE.

I've used my retired So Swirly wheel, which even though it's now retired from SU! it'll never retire from my stash, as I love it & it's so versatile & I've used my most favourite thing now Irridescent ICE embossing powder.  I used our Illuminate pad as it's a watermark pad that is luminescent in case I missed anywhere & made my box all sparkly. Then a red glimmer snowflake, gorgeous faceted button & voila the soaps & bath bombs are ready for sale to someone as a small gift.

If you haven't had a go at making a 7's box do try them they actually make a substantial wee box with very little effort. If you check out the original post it'll send you off to Marelle Taylor's blog with step by step instructions "how-to".

Well I hope everyone's Christmas preparations are going well I may need a week to tidy up my house ;)

Double triple time

These are the images from my last home class for 2012; just a  quick share & a few snaps from my "herb garden" which is growing in size & content (thanks Pete). The cat on patrol is my Tiger and the stamp sets used are The Open Sea which is perfect for masculine & isn't that natural button just divine & more Creative Elements for the feminine card.

Masculine Card:
Stamp sets: The Open Sea, Curly & Cute
Ink: Crumb Cake, Marina Mist, Early Espresso
Paper: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso
Other: Natural Designer buttons, dimensionals, sponge, mini glue dots

Feminine Card:
Stamp sets: Creative Elements, Petite Pairs
Ink: Crumb Cake, Regal Rose, Rose Red
Paper: Whisper White, Rose Red
Other: Rose Red seam binding ribbon, mini glue dots

Gold, gold & yes more gold!!

Though I think I may have gone a wee bit overboard with the Gold Glow Smooch Spritz though Joan loves gold & glitter so I wanted to make her leaving from the neighbourhood/retiring card as golden as possible.

And yes it's another Triple Time stamping card!! Loving these & they look so much better in real life too.

Stamp sets: Everything Eleanor, Loving Thoughts
Ink: Bravo Burgundy, More Mustard, River Rock (Color Coach combo)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Bravo Burgundy, Champagne glimmer
Other: Gold Glow Smooch Spritz, Basic Pearls, dimensionals

Inside the card:

A few piccies at the leaving lunch with some of my fabulous team Sally, Debbie & Judy.

Well I sincerely wish Joan & David a long & happy retirement,  may they be blessed with good health & I'm sure they will make lots of new friends at their retirement village but we sure are going to miss them around here!

How to do Triple Time Stamping (in metric)

I just loved this technique so much I whipped up a couple more cards for an upcoming birthday & also to celebrate a retirement today for some dear friends, so whilst KReating I took some step-by-step pictures to share with you.

The first thing you'll find when you look how to do this,  is there are a lot of "American measurements" out there but none easily found for A4. So this is my take on the conversion & if you'd like to print off a Word doc to save - click HERE.

I used my Everything Eleanor stamp set & randomly chose Bravo Burgundy & then looked up my Color Coach for it's colour combo; which was with More Mustard & River Rock & they do look fabulous together. I used Very Vanilla as my neutral card stock.

There's nothing tricky about the technique just the cutting, which isn't that hard. First layer the 3 neutral card pieces together & lightly adhere with a removal adhesive or a teeny weeny bit of SNAIL.

Very Vanilla & Whisper White card stocks are perfect for this technique as good quality & "thin".

Stamp randomly all over the 3 layers - you'll notice there is a wee gap where the mats meet.

But once you add the neutral mat to it's corresponding coloured mat the gap "disappears" - it's very cool.  I would also highly recommend using a wet glue like Tombow Multipurpose adhesive - you need WIGGLE!!!

Layer all the mats up, trying to line the images up as close as you can.

For the finished card I added an embellishment to the front of the card as the Everything Eleanor stamp set has a very cool frame, the wee sentiment comes from Petite Pairs.

I've got a few more cards to share with this technique which I did at my home class last night plus a "golden" version of this card for the retirement celebrations  - so hope you check back soon.

Happy stampin' in the interim xox

Watercolor Winter does Triple time

I must be the last demo in the world to do the technique of  Triple Time stamping but I love it, the cutting is fiddly but as I know that I can pre-order the new Stampin' Up! trimmer tomorrow (it'll be on sale on December 1st in NZ RRP $59.95); so this would make a really effective Christmas card to mass produce for Christmas & I hope the attendees at my home class tomorrow think so (this is one of 3 cards they're creating).

Stamp sets: Watercolor Winter, Greetings of the Season, Creative Elements
Ink: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Riding Hood Red, Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Champagne Glimmer
Other: Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details

Bleaching with Pleasant Poppies

This was the 2nd card everyone made at my techniques starting with B class inspired by the fabulous card of Sandie McIvor's HERE. Nothing tricky about bleaching except you need strong bleach & an aquapainter which remains reserved for bleaching.

Stamp sets: Pleasant Poppies, Tiny Tags
Ink: Versamark, Garden Green
Paper: Garden Green, Cherry Cobbler
Punches: Jewelry Tag, handheld 1/16" circle
Other: Cherry Cobbler embossing powder & scalloped tulle ribbon (love, love this - hope it's staying as it's a Holiday mini item) & baker's twine, Watercolor Pencils, aquapainter x2 (one with strong bleach & one with water), dimensionals.

Some close ups showing the colouring (nowhere as good as Sandie's), just bleached (no re-colouring with the watercolour pencils & aquapainter) & the image stamped inside the card:

Well I think you'll be seeing some more of this fabulous stamp set real soon as everyone loves poppies - especially if you're a kiwi (or an Aussie).

I'm running Triple Time Stamping classes this week Monday & Friday nights - to see more information click on my classes tab or picture. I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend.

Twisted greeting cards for Christmas

Yes been MIA (again) but was prepping for my team's Extravaganza which 58 ladies had the pleasure of attending & doing 5 projects yesterday afternoon - this is the project I taught with Sally Williams which looks really hard but is very easy when you know how. Thanks to all that attended the response has been very positive .

Stamps:  More Merry Messages, Ornament Keepsakes

Ink:  Cherry Cobbler, Illuminate

Paper:  Gumball Green, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Silver glimmer, Be of Good  Cheer DSP

Framelits:  Labels Collection, Holiday Ornaments

Other:  Snow Flurry Bigz die, dimensionals, basic jewels, square punch

Cutting Instructions:  Gumball Green A4 cut in ½ lengthwise, DSP 28.5cm x 9.5cm, Very Vanilla strip 10cm x 2.5 cm wide (banner) 

 If you want to know how-to; I’d recommend watching the creator of this fold's card Kelly Gettelfinger’s video 

Scarily Cute

Don't you just live this Frankie that Roxy AKA Corinne Somerville shared how to KReate.

I was supposed to be prepping with Sally Williams today for the Creative Inkers Christmas Extravaganza which we are both involved with next Saturday but I was naughty & distracted us with cute projects to make!! I'm going to whip up a few of these for my work colleagues who have small children for Halloween.

No stamps were involved in the making of this project but needs the stinkingly cute Petite Purse Bigz die. The green is Gumball Green; one of our new in-colours which is such a happy green.

Well I'm not sure if my Frankie is scarey enough, I may need to work on his mouth but he is cute - so thanks Roxy - awesome project!!!

If you're not doing anything next Saturday we still have a few empty seats for our Team Extravaganza which you can reserve for $45 & I promise you we have FIVE very cute projects to share with you then. CONTACT ME ASAP if you would like to attend.

Location: Western Springs, Auckland
Time and date: Saturday 3rd November 1-5pm
Cost: $45 FIVE projects in 4 hours plus we provide all the materials to make the projects, afternoon tea plus you go in the draw to win one of our fabulous spot prizes. $10 discount on the day if you place an order for over $50.