HELLO TO A PERFECTLY ARTISTIC SALE-A-BRATION

This limited-time stamp set is available till Monday 15th February 2016 as a FREE sale-a-bration item with any A$90 order.  Shop online with me: http://bit.ly/YGGVGt

The "HELLO" stamp set is perfect for all occasions.  The cute icons: sunshine, smiley face and party hat are designed to be stamped in the spaces around the large "hello".  You can see how I've done that in the Melon Mambo card below.

In the card above I've used the sunshine stamp to create a background for my focal point on this baby card.

This time I've used the greeting stamp as a repeating ombre background - and yes, I did it freehand, for me it worked better to go from bottom to top that way I could see the previously stamped image.

Happy Stamping,

Elegant Butterfly Notecards Two Ways

These cute 3x3" notecards are easy to put together with punches.  I love using punches in my papercrafting as it allows fabulous results that you can repeat over and over again! Even better is these notecards went further as I've used both the positive and the negative punched portions. Here are some closeups:

Bitty Butterfly layered on an Elegant Butterfly inside a circle window.

And now the Bitty Butterfly inside the negative Elegant Butterfly atop a piece of patterned paper. Can you see what I did there?

Here's how I got the most out of my pieces:

• Cut pieces of Whisper White cardstock 2 3/4" x 2 3/4".  Since we're using both the positive and the negative if you cut 6 pieces, you'll be able to make 12 notecards.
• Insert these pieces as far as you can into your Elegant Butterfly punch, making sure the cardstock is centred on the left and right.  Punch out your butterfly and set aside.  Repeat with all your pieces of 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" so you have square pieces with a butterfly cut out.
• Using the 2" circle punch line up the 2 3/4" piece so the butterfly is inside the circle and punch. Set aside both the punched circle and the remaining frame (you can emboss this if desired).
• Punch patterned paper using the 2 1/2" circle punch.
• Punch Bitty Butterflies from vellum cardstock. I added a touch of ink in the centre for depth.
• Assemble using adhesive and dimensionals where required and embellish as desired.
• Stamp with a small sentiment stamp and you're done!

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Vellum cardstock

Ink: Blushing Bride, Memento Black Ink

Stamps:  Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Punches:  Bitty Butterfly, Elegant Butterfly, 2" Circle punch, 2 1/2" Circle punch

Acc:  Brick Wall TIEF, Sweet Sorbet DSP (clearance rack), dimensionals, rhinestones

Happy Stamping,

Triangle Punch Four You

This prismatic card features two retiring products: the Four You stamp set and the Large Triangle punch.  I CASED this design from Laura B who used paint chip samples for her version.  I used our beautiful Stampin' Up colours and I love the result.  Both the stamp set and punch are on the retiring list and reduced in price, so grab them while you still can!  The punch makes 1" triangles (2.5cm).

Shop online at my store (Australian customers only): http://bit.ly/1zQoW2b

Cardstock:  Wisteria Wonder, Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Rich Razzleberry, Blackberry Bliss

                   Pool Party, Marina Mist, Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Point, Night of Navy

                   Pistachio Pudding, Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive, Always Artichoke, Mossy Meadow

                   Blushing Bride, Crisp Canteloupe, Tangerine Tango, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler

                   Whisper White

Ink:  Memento Black

Stamps:  Four You 130535

Acc:  Large Triangle Punch 133375

http://bit.ly/1IUqp9w

http://bit.ly/1EggUfh

  

Happy Stamping,

Groovy Love Pop Up Slider Card

My lovely friend Tanya created a lovely slider pop-up card that inspired me to make this version of my own.  I incorporated the fabulous "Groovy Love" stamp set as well as "On Film" framelits to create a window card......

 that opens to reveal a fun slider...... 

and a surprise message!

Using washi tape to bind the edges to make a pocket for the slider piece allowed a smooth sliding mechanism.  I had to plan where the window was placed in order to show off the hearts, so I cut out a template from scrap paper and used that for placement before carefully cutting out the window and using film strip negative as a border.  I neatened the reverse of the window with a second film piece (and to hide my imperfect cutting!).

Cardstock:  Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White

Ink:  Memento Black, Cherry Cobbler

Stamps:  Groovy Love, Honeycomb Hello

Acc:  On Film Framelits, Sweetheart Punch, Banner Punch, Tiny Triangles EF, 3/4" circle punch, Sweet Sadie washi tape, 1/2"circle punch, linen thread

Try this pop up slider mechanism for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYS2WIEOEbQ 

Happy Stamping,

World Cardmaking Day

Here are some cards I've designed as inspiration for my World Cardmaking Day FB event.  Make your own card, head on over to my Facebook page on Saturday October 4th and join the fun online.

This was fun using the Gold Soiree Specialty Designer paper, with it's gloss finish and metallic gold print, it is one classy DSP!

Cardstock:  Crumb Cake

Ink:  Memento Black

Stamps:  Four You

Acc:  Gold Soiree DSP, Paper Doily, Faceted button, linen thread, circle framelits, essentials paper piercing pack, handheld stapler

Happy Stamping,

Happy Hour Awning Card

I made this tropical card for a friend after seeing this awning card made by DandI93.  I also made it because the fabulous "Happy Hour" wood mount stamp set is currently a weekly deal, usually $51.95 now $38.96!

Happy Hour stamp set

Here are video directions for making the awning/ canopy card:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50gU4pDzof0

I swiped ink onto my Whisper White background piece to create a vibrant sky, stamped my drink images in black, then stamped them again in colour onto a scrap piece of paper. I cut out the drink pattern and popped them on top of the original stamping using dimensionals.  The hula fringing I cut with my fringing scissors using the brown paper that comes packed in my Stampin' Up! orders.  Love a bit of recycling!

Cardstock:  Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Crumb Cake

Ink:  Tempting Turquoise, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive, Melon Mambo, Bermuda Bay, Memento Black

Stamps:  Happy Hour

Acc:  Scallop edge border punch, Fringing scissors, Strawberry Slush thick twine, Dimensionals

Fringe scissors

Does this card make you feel summer-y?

Happy Stamping,

Summer Silhouettes Dandelion

A friend and I were admiring a beautiful dandelion image together, which led to the inspiration behind this simple card.  A set of these is so easy to make as a gift, or to have on hand right when you need one.  I find the Crumb Cake notecards are so quick and easy to use as a card base - they are prescored and measure 8.9cm x 12.7cm (3 1/2"x 5") when folded.  At $9.95 for a set of 20 notecards and envelopes, they are perfect for fast, easy cardmaking.  My favourite kind :)

Summer Silhouettes stamp set has so many beautiful flower images, and I've used four of them in this dandelion card.

Summer Silhouettes 132082

 

I stamped the stems and dandelion seeds in black memento ink, then stamped the seeds again with the craft white ink offset.  I used one of the small flower heads to stamp the centre of the heads also in craft white ink.  The smallest stamen image was perfect for a few seed heads already in the breeze.  I finished it off using a simple banner sentiment with a small coloured circle behind all anchored with our new handheld stapler.  What a fun and easy way to attach embellishments!  I know I'm going to be using this stapler lots for my seasonal cards - and it's so easy for kids to use too.

Cardstock:  Crumb Cake notecards, Whisper White, Crushed Curry

Ink:  Memento Black, Craft White

Stamps:  Summer Silhouettes, And Many More

Acc:  3/4" circle punch, handheld stapler, rhinestones

Click on any of the links above to see the products I used in my online store.

Do you like dandelions too?

Happy Stamping,

Kinda Eclectic Thank You Notes

I had fun making these customer Thank You's using the Kinda Eclectic stamp set and some of the new 2014-2016 In Colours.  The top photo shows a tag and the bottom photo is a 3x3" notecard.

By coincidence, two of the punches I used - Bitty Butterfly (was $27.95 now $20.96) and 7/8" (2.2cm) scallop circle (was $18.95 now $14.21) are on sale for the current "Weekly Deals"!  The little scallop circle punch co-ordinates with the "A Round Array" stamp set shown below.  Wood mount $32.95 and Clear mount $25.95

I also love using "Dynamic Duos" when choosing my colours.  A Dynamic Duo = Stampin' Up colours in monochromatic schemes (the light and dark of the same shade).  New In Colour "Lost Lagoon" is the dark variation of "Soft Sky", so I used the darker shade for the small punched butterfly and the lighter shade for the shadow behind it. You can read more about how the Colour Coach  works here and purchase your own here.

Cardstock:  Whisper White, Real Red

Ink:  Tangelo Twist, Hello Honey, Lost Lagoon, Soft Sky

Stamps: Kinda Eclectic, A Round Array

Acc: Scallop tag topper punch, Bitty Butterfly punch, 7/8" scallop circle punch, Curly Label punch, Lost Lagoon satin stitched ribbon, dimensionals, basic rhinestones

The punches are on special until 11.50pm Tuesday 8th July 2014.  Order online by clicking the links or contact me directly.

Happy Stamping,

Thankful for Expressions Thinlits

The Expressions Thinlits dies are on sale in the Clearance Rack!  If you like them, you'd best be quick. You can see below there are three words and I have snipped my "thankful" down for my customer cards shown above.  I had to play around with my Big Shot stack and add a shim to get a clean cut, and I found DSP worked better than cardstock, but once you experiment you'll find what works best for your machine.

I used the Watercolour notecards to whip these up - I love having notecards on hand to use as a fast, easy cardbase.  The only stamps I used were on the envelopes.

Shop online for supplies here.

Cardstock:  Watercolour Wonder notecards (Occasions cat) 133362 $22.95

Ink:  Island Indigo

Stamps:  Flowering Flourishes 131998 $42.95, Postage Due 132064 $37.95

Acc:  Expressions Thinlits die 132171 $25.79 (while stocks last), Two Way glue pen 100425 $7.95

Happy Stamping,

A Million and One Fine Feathers

A special family member celebrated a milestone birthday this weekend, so I made a card using "Fine Feathers" and "Million and One" stamp sets.  The gold embossing really sets off those peacock feathers and I used my sponge daubers to apply soft colour.  I chose to use Bermuda Bay, Crumb Cake, Gumball Green on the feathers, the daubers were perfect for the soft application of these strong colours.

I used the scallop edge border punch, a vellum doily and finished it all off with a large vintage faceted button and gold baker's twine.

Cardstock:  Crumb Cake, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White, Vellum cardstock

Ink:  Versamark, Bermuda Bay, Crumb Cake

Stamps:  Million and One, Fine Feathers, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Acc:  Gold Embossing Powder, Sponge Daubers, Delicate Doilies Sizzlets, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Vintage Faceted buttons, Pearl Basic jewels, Gold bakers twine

Happy Stamping,

Hip, Hip, Hooray for Soccer Hexagons

This soccer ball card was CASED from an eye-catching design from In the Cat Cave just perfect for soccer (football) fans.  The hexagon punch is super handy for this design, and I debossed the white sections with the perfect polka dot TIEF.  Some masculine trim and then I stamped the greeting on the fun new Essentials wooden elements.  

Cardstock:  Tangerine Tango, Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink:  Black StazOn

Stamps:  Hip Notes

Acc:  Hexagon punch, Perfect Polka dots TIEF, Burlap ribbon, Stitched satin ribbon, essentials wooden elements

Who would you make this card for?

Happy Stamping,

Best of Butterflies meets Natural Composition

This card is a CASE of Mariana Grigsby's design which you can see here.  Using the Naturals Composition Specialty DSP made a very easy background as the designs are pre-embossed in glossy on heavy weight natural paper.  All I had to do was cut it to size!  I used Baked Brown Sugar as the card base and hand cut the butterfly from our "Best of Butterflies" set.  This special set is not printed in any of our catalogues but can be viewed here and purchased until April 2014.  I simply sponged the colour onto the butterfly before cutting it out.

Cardstock: Baked Brown Sugar , Basic Black , Whisper White

Ink: Black StazOn, Tempting Turquoise

Stamps: Best of Butterflies (limited release), Perfectly Penned

Acc:  Natural Composition DSP, Scallop Edge Border Punch, Adhesive pearls

Happy Stamping,

Season of Style this Christmas

This season we have: Seasons of Style, a contemporary patterned paper available as a 12" x 12" DSP pack AND as a smaller sized DSP stack, perfect for cardmaking and when you need multiple sheets of the same pattern.  I've blinged it up with a flag of silver glimmer paper and added a bit of trim in co-ordinating cardstock from the Tasteful Trim die.  And the little tree?  It's from the Merry Minis punch pack, not shown in our current catalogue but still available for sale.

I've also used one of our limited edition single stamps - "Cheers" which is just $9.95!  You can see the full range of special-release holiday stamps here (all under A$16.95)

Cardstock:  Whisper White Notecards, Silver Glimmer Paper, Old Olive A4, Cherry Cobbler A4, Whisper White A4 

Ink:  Cherry Cobbler

Stamps:  Cheers

Acc:  Seasons of Style DSP stack, Tasteful Trim Bigz die, Merry Minis punch pack

Click to enlarge

Happy Stamping,