AM I spoilt or what???

I wanted to pop in to show you a fantastic gift I was given from a lovely customer last week,  (waves Bridget), Bridget knows how much I love anything with Paris on it, adore it actually and this is the lovely present that was gifted to me when she came to pick up a stamp set from me last week:

aren't the just gorgeous? I love them thanks so much Bridget :)

Last Days of promo....

 Get your own personal shopping spree on Stampin' up!

But be quick - special ends on the 30th June.

Its the last days everyone of the extra extra promotion so get in quick if you want to participate.  You can put in your own personal order of $450 including postage and receive

$110 of FREE product PLUS your FREE level 1 hostess stamp set.

Email me HERE to put your $450 order in and then pick your FREE $110 in FREE product!

Convention wrap up

Convention 2011 - it was fabulous as expected, I learnt so much, met so many nice people, had an absolute ball, so I thought I should do a layout for it. However, I have been creatively challenged lately, so I turned to my mini catalogue to CASE a layout from that.  That is another use for our catalogues, not only do they need to be used for purchasing (which is the best part) but I use them as go to guides for when I am feeling a little less creative then normal.  Anyway here is my layout - changed only a little from the layout on page 14 of our winter mini catalogue.

and how good does these photo corners look, using the tulip embossing folder, big shot and the photo corner punch:

Details:

Stamp Sets: Nature walk
Ink markers: Old olive, cherry cobbler, early espresso(for spritzed areas)
Cardstock: Old olive, Very vanilla
DSP: botanical Gazette
Punches:Scallop border punch, photo corner punch
Tools: Big shot machine, spritzer, paper snips, cutter kit
Other:tulips embossing folder, vintage lace, serif alphabet and number dies, twine, dimensionals, snail.

A mojo sketch

Over at Mojo Monday this week there is a fabulous sketch - here it is:

 

Have stamped two of the flowers onto DSP then cut out and raised on dimensionals.

 I re stamped the stamens and cut them out and raised them on dimensionals. Love this look.

The inside of the card.

Details:

Stamp Sets:  Fifth avenue floral, Well scripted
Ink Pads:Riding hood red, basic black
Cardstock: Very vanilla, Basic black
DSP:  Love letters
Other:  Black satin ribbon, dimensionals

For You.....

I was thinking today about what is really my style of card, I love love love the shabby chic style, but I love clean lines too, as well as vintage. After some thought,  I guess I love that I don't have any one particular style, as I think It could and would get very boring very quickly lol,  so using the just Add Ink sketch this week for inspiration my card is below.

Here is the sketch:

here is my labour of love:

Blushing bride cardstock has french filigree stamped in white craft ink.

THe photo corners have been punched out from a piece of cardstock that had been run through the big shot with the tulip edge embossing folder.

the main baja breeze panel has been stamped using the retired dotted background stamp using whisper white craft ink.
A row of pearls sits along the top scallops.

Details:

Stamp Sets:French filigree, Clearly for you, spotted background (retired)
Ink Pads: Whisper white craft ink, blushing bride, baja breeze
Cardstock: Very vanilla, blushing bride, baja breeze
Punches: Heart to heart, photo corner, scallop edge punch, scallop circle punch(for rosettes)
Tools:  Big shot, tulip frame embossing folder, mat pack and paper piercer
Other:White gel pen, smooch spritz, crochet trim, very vanilla seam binding(NAH), metallic eyelets, very vanilla taffeta ribbon, pearls, pin(not SU)

Happy Happy Birthday

Well I was hoping and praying this got to Canada in time, I sent this card and another something little back on the 15th June, then on the 17th it was reported that all parcels etc going into and out of Canada were going to be stopped while there was a strike of sorts, so fingers crossed it got there for today as its my friend Sheri's birthday, so I had to mark the occasion with a new style card that I have seen around a lot lately - a centre step card. 

from a side view:

and the inside of the card:

I hope you have a fabulous birthday Sheri :)

a male birthday card.

Boy these are hard (male cards that is), but here is my card, its for a friends birthday this month also.

I have rubbed crumb cake ink over the inside of the embossing folder to make the texture look more like linen.

Details:

Stamp Sets: Engraved greetings
Ink Pads:  sahara sand, not quite navy
Cardstock: not quite navy, sahara sand, whisper white
Punches:ticket corner punch,
Tools:big shot machine, lattice embossing folder
Other:twine, silver brads. vintage tags.

a little bit shabby

shabby chic that is, I love this style, this is for a friends birthday this month, hope she likes it!

and the inside of the card:

Details:

Stamp Sets:  Pocket silhouettes, Teeny tiny sentiments, Creative elements (coming soon woo hoo)
Ink Pads: Crumb cake, pink silhouette, versamark
Cardstock: whisper white, crumb cake, pink pirouette
Punches: xlarge scallop circle, 1 3/4" circle, 1 3/8" circle
Tools:sponges, big shot, vintage wallpaper embossing folder,
Other:  hat pin, whisper white satin ribbon, mat pack, paper piercer.

A basket full of sweet treats!

    For this weeks JAI challenge is to just add colouring I thought I would create one of these fabulous baskets and a note card to go along with it.  The butterfly has been coloured directly onto the stamp using markers in pear pizazz, peach parfait and poppy parade.

the original tutorial can be found here

Details:

Stamp Sets:Happiness shared, Teeny tiny sentiments, All a flutter
Ink Pads:Poppy parade
Ink Markers: Pear pizazz, peach parfait, poppy parade
Cardstock:  crumb cake, Whisper white
DSP: Sunny Garden
Punches: Scallop oval punch, small oval punch, scallop border punch.
Tools: Paper scorer/cutter, paper snips, paper piercer
Other:snail, sticky strip

Some thank you cards!!!

Some thank you cards that have gone out to my customers who purchased from the "deals of the week" promo during the month of May.  Thank you to you all.

Details:

Stamp Sets: Sincere Salutations, Vintage Vogue
Ink Pads:  Basic black, Baja breeze
Cardstock: Whisper white, Baja breeze
DSP: Soft subtles DSP stack
Punches: Itty bitty punches, boho blossoms
Other: Basic pearls

embossing folders storage.

I tried many different options and bought many different items to try and store my embossing folders easily, I finally settled on these:

 Gorgeous looking aren't they, like little pieces of luggage.

I have one for Stampin' Up! folders and another for all other embossing folders, and they are labelled on the outside so I know which folder to grab.

 these inner sleeves are double sided and each side holds 4 standard embossing folders. I think they come with 2 inserts and you can buy more as you need them.

I found these cuties at Custom Crops (you can google), but I waited until they had a sale before purchasing, making sure to allow for postage from overseas.

A gorgeous gift at our team meeting.

Last week we had our team meeting, it was a convention wrap up, the girls got to make some make n takes, I taught them how to do the rock n roll technique as well as the cracked glass technique, it made for a very enjoyable time. I also received a lovely gift from my downline Jay and Ali - thanks girls - it was a lovely surprise, the best kind of surprise lol,  and something that will be well used (and yes the choccies are all gone lol).  Here is my fabulous ribbon holder from them!

notice the girls have decorated with polka dot ribbon and  brads too!  Gorgeous, hugs to you both, it was the most wonderful surprise.

Day 12 swap - A surprise

 LIFE IS LIKE A BOX OF CHOCOLATES - you never know what you are gonna get?

Well today (and I mean even as early as I am posting this which is what ? 12.45 am lol) is the last day of our fabulous winter swap, and I for one have loved creating each and every thing that I have sent, and I also have loved each and everything I have received back, so here is my last hurrah to Deb, hope you likey Deb :)

a mini (and I mean a really mini tutorial)

Step 1

Cut a piece of cardstock to 30.5 x 22cm

Score along the 30.5 side at 1.5cm, 5cm, 15.5cm, 18.9cm and 29.5cm

Score along the  22cm side at 2.3cm and 18.2 cm

Step 2

Trim along score lines so that it resembles the image below.

 in the photo above the small tab on the right is what will be used to close the box

step 3

Add sticky strip on the tabs as per picture below.

Decorate the box (not including embellishments) before forming your box.  The size of the two layers are as below:

Melon mambo cardstock: 15 x 10.3cm (lid), 2 of 9.8 x 3 cm(two short sides), 2 of 15 x 3 cm(two long sides)

DSP: 14.5 x 9.8cm (lid), 2 of  9.5 x 2.6cm (short sides), 2 of 14.5 x 2.6 (long sides)

Form your box and then decorate as desired:

and here is my fabulous gift from Deb, gee I wish I could sew, this is really amazing,

 

the scissor pouch below used the big shot machine, a new die coming in the next catalogue (yep a sneak peak) and Stampin' Up! fabric (Hmmm I wonder if we are getting fabric in the new catty?) 

Details:

Stamp Sets:  Afterthoughts
Ink Pads:  Melon mambo
Cardstock: Whisper white, Melon Mambo
DSP:Ice cream parlour (nah)
Punches: Decorative label
Other: Ice cream parlour ribbon.(a sneak peek at next months special woo hoo)