Peek-a-boo

I know it's been awhile since I blogged but gosh life seems to go so fast lately. This is the workshop card Miah & her friends made last weekend at her workshop. As the attendees were approx. 6 years old I wanted something that was cute but hopefully couldn't fail & it didn't! Or they were very clever which was also true.


Cutting measurements:
Top mat (Melon Mambo or Marina Mist) 6.5 x 10.5 cm
Whisper White 6.8 x 12 cm
Basic Black 10" x 7" - love that our cutter has inches & cm

There is a wee trick to the card & I mucked up my first demo so that meant no one else did - they all learnt from my mistake :)

1. Scallop border the whisper white piece - this width should be exactly the right width to give entire scallops.
2. The trick is to punch out your scallop circle on the top mat by inserting your punch from the top as far down as it goes & centred. 
3. Then attach to Whisper White - with your 1-3/8" circle punch from the side punch a hole in the centre of the scallop.
4. Attach to Basic Black & punch out a hole with the 1-1/4" circle - this gives a wee black frame.
5. Insert another whisper white mat inside.
6. Stamp a small image - glitter it up. 
7. Place around the image a scallop frame.

Inside the card

Stamp sets: Flight of The Butterfly, Short & Sweet
Ink: Melon Mambo, Marina Mist, Basic Black
Paper: Melon Mambo, Marina Mist, Basic Black, Whisper White
Punches: Scallop border, scallop circle, 1-3/8" circle, 1-1/4" circle
Other: Basic Black 1/8" taffeta, 2-way glue pen, dazzling diamonds glitter

Happy stampin'

Deals of the week is here for June

Throughout the month of June, Stampin’ Up! is bringing you a new deal every week! With the Deals of the Week, you’ll get up to 50 percent off a selection of products from the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalogue!

Be sure to check my web site each Wednesday in June to see what new deals are up for grabs that week, then contact me to place your order!

This week’s deals:

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Sale Price
112081	152	Scallop Square punch	$35.95	$23.37
109183	153	Trio Flower punch	$35.95	$23.37
110711	153	Boho Blossoms punch	$35.95	$23.37
114889	n/a*	Scallop Oval punch	$35.95	$23.37

Deal #1: Tuesday, 1 June 2010 (ends 8 June) - payment will need to be cleared by this date for me to process - so if you're interested order as soon as possible - my e-mail link is in the side bar - look for the black cat.

Here's some links to projects using the trio flower punch: (one of my favourite punches) Link 1, Link 2, Link 3

The Boho Blossom punch: Link 4, Link 5,
Link 6,

The square scallop punch: Link 7, Link 8, Link 9,
 Link 10,


the oval scallop punch: Link 11, Link 12

Deal #2: Wednesday, 9 June 2010 (ends 15 June)
Deal #3: Wednesday, 16 June 2010 (ends 22 June)
Deal #4: Wednesday, 23 June 2010 (ends 30 June)

• Individual products will not be announced early. All Deals of the Week announcements will be made on the commencement dates above.
• There is no minimum purchase required to participate in this promotion.
• There is no limit to the number of Deals of the Week items a customer may purchase.
• All Deals of the Week are current products and featured in the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalogue.

So many handbags!

Wow Pete's daughter has turned 16 & this lovely card I made at Jacque's punch card class is just perfect as I'm giving her shopping vouchers.

Stamp sets: Stem sayings, Circle Circus
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red
Paper: Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla, Candy Lane DSP
Punches: Scallop edge, Eyelet border, small & large oval, round tab, curly label, 1-¼" circle
Other: Pink grosgrain ribbon, gold brads, dimensionals

How to sharpen your punches

wow Tee Jay from my team found this really cool video showing you how to use a soda can to sharpen your punches - looks much more effective than tin foil. Guess I'll be off buying a few Vs tomorrow.

http://lindastamps.wordpress.com/2008/11/09/stampbusters-sharpening-your-punches-with-soda-cans/ or just click HERE

Maybe the last of Tart and Tangy for awhile

I love this stamp set and am kinda sad that I had my last home class with it last night, as I'm now full steam ahead for Christmas it maybe awhile before it sees ink again or in last night's case markers & Crystal Effects.

We looked at using markers to colour in stamps & this set is perfect to demonstrate this technique especially for beginners.


I made a strawberry one & smothered it with Crystal Effects - it looks good enough to eat! And I made my first red apple & Nickie had the great idea of just adding the Crystal effects to the pips - so cute!

A sweet card from Clare

One of my downline sent me this gorgeous card by e-mail. I just love it & am going to case it but wanted to share it with you all - as it's so gorgeous. She's in love with embossing - click on the photo to enlarge it & see the gorgeous heartfelt jump off the page!

Well done Clare & keep inspiring us all.

Update from the Regional training

Hi all I do not know where the days go. Just a quickie from Saturday's demo training but I saw lots of great ideas which I will share when I have time. We got to play with the Live Your Dream stamp set, the I can hardly contain myself scallop edge border punch & the gorgeous Afternoon Tea DSP again - only 2 months to the launch of the Summer Mini catalogue & their official release.

This time I got to make a matchbook card - very quick & easy but rather effective.


Stamp set: Live Your Dreams
Card stock: Soft sky (textured), Chocolate Chip, Afternoon Tea DSP
Ink: Groovy Guava, Chocolate Chip
Other: Metal edge tag, groovy guava DS grosgrain ribbon, Scallop edge punch, 1/16" circle punch, linen thread

Gift Box in a Bag

Wow for awhile these were popping up on everyone's blog. Thanks to Paula Goff for the great tutorial! Click on Paula's name to be taken to her blog to see the tutorial.

I've used Petals & Paisley's designer paper & matching cardstock & ribbon. Gosh these were quick n' easy!

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Tempting Turquoise, Rose Red
Other: Round tab punch, slit punch, sticky strip, spring flower bouquet punch, Boho blossoms punch, non-SU flower brads, always artichoke & tempting turquoise grosgrain ribbon

A sneak peek of what is maybe coming

Wow last night was an action packed one with a room of enthusiastic SU! demonstrators plus SU! management & trainers. We were very lucky as we got to play with a new stamp set Live Your Dreams, new designer paper (Afternoon Tea - it's divine I love it), new punches - scallop edge & scallop square (can hardly contain myself waiting for these ones).

This is the scrapbook make n' take we all got to make, if you look closely at the designer paper it has been scalloped all the way along - it was a Live Your Dream moment all right and a piece of cake.

Yes that is me in the photo - it's one of my arty farty moments - looks kinda Parisienne but just me outside Te Papa feeding the pigeons

Enjoy and dare I say it start increasing your wishlist!

Free Wheeling in September starts

I love wheels so I adore this month's promotion with SU! & will try & post lots of good fun ideas.

This first card was cased from one I made last year with my upline Jacque but I've changed the colour combo & stamps to be current. Must admit my scalloped edge has got a lot better with the corner rounder since then (last year looked like I'd been drinking!) - after seeing this tutorial it all clicked how to do it - my biggest hint is to start in the middle of your cardstock & work your way out either side - so it's even.

Stamp set/s: Kindness Wheel, Think Happy Thoughts, One of a Kind (little circle in a row on small groovy guava strip)
Card Stock: Whisper White, River Rock, Groovy, Guava, Soft Sky
Inks: Basic Black, River Rock, Groovy, Guava, Soft Sky
Other: Blender pen, 1-1/4" circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch, corner rounder, 1/8" hand held circle punch, white taffeta ribbon, dimensionals, 2-way glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Stamp-a-ma-jig

Cutting Dimensions (& there is a lot!) :
Soft Sky: 9-1/4 x 4-1/8", score at 5"
River Rock: 4-1/8 x 5/8" + 4-1/8 x 3-3/8"
Groovy Guava: 4-1/8 x 2-1/4" + 4-1/8 x 3/8"
Whisper White: 4-1/8 x 2" + 3-7/8 x 3-3/4" (the latter for inside the card)

Fun wheelin' to all!

Masculine Cards

Don't you hate them? Well that was the theme at my upline's card class this week. I think that may have been something to do with Father's day looming but saying that we didn't actually make a Father's day card, so I'll have to think of something for Pete for his dad all by myself.

Jacque got us to make 2 items that Shelli demonstrated at this year's convention. As my team knows I'm not a great fan of Wanted & I have my own nick name for it but it's starting to grow on me but I do love the designer paper that "matches it" - Outlaw and it's colour combo.

I changed the sentiment on the card as one of my colleagues Harry was leaving us to go work at North Shore Hospital lab.

Stamp set/s: Wanted, Sincere Salutations, Weathered (BG)
Card Stock: Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, Confetti Cream, Outlaw DP
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, Sage Shadow
Other: Cropodile, jumbo eyelets (pewter), vintage brads, crop-o-dile, hemp twine

Definitely best wishes Harry - enjoy not travelling over the bridge & the FREE parking!

Happy Birthday Rachael

Yes another birthday in The Creative Inkers team this time Rachael Knight AKA Knight Stamper & if you haven't checked out her blog you're missing out on something good.

Rachael likes chocolate in more than one way - she often uses it in her stamping and I know she loves Berry Bliss Designer Paper so her birthday card was easy as Berry Bliss matches the newly released (Spring Mini catalogue) One Of A Kind which I'm still playing with as it's my newest toy!

Stamp set: One of a Kind
Card stock: Purely Pomegranate, Pretty In Pink, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Berry Bliss DP
Inks: Purely Pomegranate, Pretty In Pink, Close to Cocoa
Other: Purely Pomegranate DS grosgrain ribbon, Boho Blossoms punch, silver brads, corner rounder (for scalloped edge).

So I hope it was a special day with lots of chocolate & other goodies too as you are definitely One of a Kind.

Ain't this the cutest baby card you've ever seen

I found this really cool tutorial by Lauren but there's a couple of things you need to know!

• The size of the card stock in the first step should read 11 x 4-1/4" or in my/our case down under 11 x 4-1/8" as our cardstock is slighter narrower than the USA's.
• If your circle punch won't cut two layers for the neck don't force it or you'll spend the next 2 hours unjamming & filing it (in my case about 1230am!). Must admit it's nice & sharp now & it can cut 2 layers. I did use another cutting system in the end but for the next versions in pink & blue I create hopefully the circle punch will keep on working as that will definitely speed it all up.
• When using your craft knife if right handed like me, turn the card over when cutting the left hand side (if you look closely at my LHS it's not quite straight - it was an awkward angle to cut).

Otherwise have fun - lots of oohs & ahh's at work today. Yes no. 2 mum to be leaves tomorrow. Good luck Bhamini.

Stamp set/s: In The Wild, Short & Sweet
Card stock: Barely Banana, So Saffron, Whisper White
Ink: So Saffron
Other: White brads (non-SU), Scallop circle punch, 1-3/8" circle punch or other cutting system, craft knife/scalpel, white Signo gel pen

Demo swap/training again

& the girls are off to Napier for the weekend (photos & goss will follow). I've been busy creating wee cards to swap with the team & lucky for me as what little mojo I have has been drained (trying to do a team colour challenge) that I found this really sweet little card on Angie's blog & it was perfect. I loved it, it was easy and it used the designer paper that is May's promotion with SU! (so the timing was perfect!). Unfortunately someone - yes me, had almost used up the Always Amethyst DP with the wee daisies on it, so I had to create more cards using the other colours so there was enough to go around the team, saying that I think the Rose Red has the most pizzazz & I don't even really like Rose Red. So maybe that was a good thing.



Stamps: Short & Sweet
Ink: Basic Gray
Card stock: Almost Amethyst, Rose Red, Certainly Celery, So Saffran & matching designer paper
Punches: 1 1/4" & 1 3/8" circle & square punches
Other: white brad & grosgrain ribbon, sticky tape, dimensionals