New Blog

If you are a fellow cat lover, pop on over to my new blog "my boys."

My Twin Boys

He he he. Have you been wondering what I have been up to lately and why I haven't blogged for a while?

Well I have had a few things on the go but , as some of you will know, I lost darling Florence ( my rescue Persian cat which I had for about 12 years of her life) to kidney disease 4 months ago.

 

I have been bereft without a cat in my life and since then a lot of my emotional energy has been spent on researching and finding another cat to fill the void.

I am now please to announce that I am picking up my two new Birman boys next Saturday.
I have named the Seal Point boy, Sherwood (after Sherwood Forest which is near where I was born) and the Chocolate Point boy, Lincoln (Robin Hood, of Sherwod Forest wore "lincoln" green).

Aren't they gorgeous? I will probably bore everyone silly with upcoming pics and antics..

Christmas CASE

I taught this gorgeous card recently. The card was designed by my good friend, Paula Dobson. It uses the emboss resist technique with the Snowflake Soiree stamp set.

I used the new Midnight Muse ink and cardstock Mounted in Baja Breeze cardstock.

Altered tin and pyramid card

This is a project I made for club night last month.
The tin is a peanut tin. You need to
. carefully remove the bottom of the tin with a "safety tin opener". This kind of opener cuts inside the outside lip of the tin leaving no jagged or sharp edges. (you leave the pop top lid intact).
. remove the peanuts and wipe out the tin to remove oil and salt.
.  decorate the tin
. now you can put a gift (e.g. homemade fudge or cookies inside a sellophane bag, or perhaps a piece of jewellery or a handstamped scarf) inside the tin and seal it closed with Stampin' Up! Crystal Effects. The recipient of this gift will have to pop the tear tab to remove the lid to see what's inside. He or she will be amazed at how you managed to seal your personised gift inside a tin.

We also made a matching Pyramid Card. the DSP used on both projects was Floral District from the main catalogue.

Never too early for Christmas. Right?

Notice that gorgeous Christmas onament on the cover the the Holiday Mini?
I had a go at it and this is a pic of my attempt.

I am just missing an extra large pearl for the centre which will be in my next order from Stampin'Up!

I wanted some other ideas for my Ornament Keepsakes Bundle (pg 3 of the Holiday Mini) so after trawling the net and looking at a few ideas then putting my own spin on things, I came up with this...

And this..

 

 

Methinks I should do better at taking my photos... Maybe some research next school holidays?

 

Betsy's Blossoms again

Another card a designed using the stamp set Betsy's Blossoms (p72). The base card is Gumball Green from the new in colour range. The frame is made from the  Top Note Die (p 193).

The card is run through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder before attaching the bird and flowers.

Betsy's Blossom's

This is a card I CASed from a friend and fellow demo Debbie Lamb using the new Betsy's Blossoms stamp set and Floral District DSP. I changed mine just a little from the original. What a quick and easy card to make when using DSP.
The base card is Summer Starfruit matted with an old favourite, Rich Razzleberry.

Using this card as my inspiration, I designed another card using the large chysanthemum flower from Betsy's Blossoms punched out with the large 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch (p184 main catalogue) and the NEW smaller 1 1/4" Scalloped Circle punch (pg7 Holiday Mini).

I used the ever so gorgeous Glimmer Brads (p174) on my sentiment banner. The card front was run through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice embossing folder to give an "inlaid" embossing effect.

Door card

A friend of mine recently moved into a new home so I trawled the internet for ideas for a sutiable card. I found this idea on Lynn Pratt's blog. Don't you just love the glimmer brad door knobs? And of course the woodgrain background stamp really worked here.

Window Cards

I thought I would have a go at making some window cards for my last club night.  I made these 3.5" square and used different embossing folders for different textures. Sorry the photos are not so good. My camera battery died and I couldn't find the charger so took the photos with my phone.

My inspiration for the above card came from rubberstampinzone

We then used the diagonal plate with the Simply Scored tool to make our own envelopes out of matching DSP. It was so simple. Once I got my diagonal plate I started making envelopes and got a bit addicted. It was so much fun. Having said all that I now realise I havent even taken a photo of the enveopes to show you. Will do that on the next post:)

Chinese screen card

I first saw this style of card at my recent Demo Training. ( I am sorry I cant remember whose card it was) and then I saw one that my Stampin' Up Friend, Julia Leece had made so decided to design one for my recent Club Class. I have used a heap of different techniques on this one, including some on the front of the card that I learned from the very talented Rhonda Fawcett at my training day.

The base card is Night of Navy and the accent colour is Baja Breeze. The stamp set is Mixed Bunch from the current mini. Remember that if you want this set, you need to order it before the end of the month when the mini expires:)

This is the card Rhonda taught us at team training:) It uses the negative space of a punched out object used as a stencil.

Teenage Birthday

I recently made this card for a friend at work whose daughter was having a special birthday. The stamp set was "Grunge Rock". I got my inpiration from Christie :)

Something a bit different

A few weeks ago I was working in my sister's shop in Birkenhead when a very nice woman came in wearing the most stunningly beautiful scarf . I asked her where she had got it and she said she had made it. I asked if she would make me one. She said she could show me how to make one. I had the same reaction I had when I first started admiring Stampin' Up cards, "it's gorgeous but I wouldn't be able to make it". Of course as far as card making goes, it turns out I could make them so I quizzed her about the wool and whre I could get it, I took her phone number and went about tending the shop. After work, I went shopping for something competely different but came across some wool that looked like it might have been something like that I had seen the scarf made from so I bought some. I came home, dug out some knitting needles (many , many year since I last knitted) and then Googled "spiralled scarf" on the internet. I found a youtube that taught me how to do it and went ahead and made one.
This is the result

(Can you tell I am holding my phone in front of me to take this self-portrait?)

Bleach technique

This is another card I entered into a competition but alas, once again did not win:(
I was very pleased with it though.
Poppy Parade is the base colour and bleaches to a cool yellow.

If you would like to learn how to use the Bleach technique, email me for the next class:)

Masked technique card

This is a card I designed for a competition. I couldn't blog it until I found out the results and then forgot about it. Sorry to say I didn't win but at least now I can share it with you all:) At the time of taking this photo, my camera was starting to croak so not the best image but you  get the idea.

Inlaid Embossing

Inspired by a card made by my good friend and fellow SU demonstrator, Paula Dobson, I used the Inlaid Embossing technique to make this card. I have used the same colours and layout as Paula but used a different technique to get a slightly different result.

The stamp set is 'Mixed Bunch" from the current Mini and I have used the Square Lattice Embossing folder to create the textured, fabric look.

Acetate flower and dotted scallop ribbon punch

I was trawling the net for ideas recently (as you do), and came across a cool technique on Zoe Tant's blog using Stampin'Up! window sheets.

I also found a lot of blogs using a punched border technique on a 3" square of card. I altered the size to fit a card front, combined the two techniques and came up with this.

The border uses the Dotted Scallop Riubbon Border punch.

If you would like to learn either of these techniques, email me for a class schedule:)

I know I've been neglectful

So sorry to have, once again, neglected my blog for a while. I have now finished a few other projects including my mid year school reports so ready to blog again:)

This month, Stampin' Up! have a FREE stamp set Promotion.
Spend $150 and receive a free stamp set called "Reason to Smile". This is a lovely floral two step stamping set that will not be offered in any catalogue.

To get this stamp set for FREE, place your order of $150 or more here.                                                                                        

Acetate card

Inspired by Jacque Pedersen, I CASed this acetate card with a couple of minor changes.
I love the way that from a distance the card appears to be floating in space:)

Baby Cards

Don't you just love these "cabbage Patch" style baby cards. I di not design these myself. I got the idea from Dianne Low who got the idea from Sherri Leigh Freese ( an Australian SU Demonstrator)

I used DSP from Beau Chateau. The petals and leaves were made with the Build a Blossom stamp set and the coordinating Blossom Petals Builder punch.

More cards

This is card class I did for my Parnell Community class and also for my club classes. I have used River Rock cardstock as the base and matted with Concord Crush and Bashful Blue. I think the pansies came out particularly well:) If you missed this class and would like a kitset with full instructions, please email me. (Cost of kitset is $15)

stamp camp swaps

Some of you know that recently I attended a demonstrator Stamp Camp in Rotorua. I made butterfly necklaces/pins for my swaps. I have to say my first attempt at these was a bit of a disaster and I was seriously running out of time to make them (mainly because I had left it to the last minute and I needed to prep for the class I taught at Camp also). I had a few rejects from further attempts too so I had none to give my fellow demo teachers as well as none left over to show my club people or to blog, so I had to make some more last week. The thing about trying a new technique is that the more often you try it, the better you become at it, and often you find better ways of doing it.

Anyway, these are my latest butterfly necklaces.

Thanks to  Bekka Prideaux for the idea and the instructions for these little gems.

I think I still need a little practice as I think hers were a lot better than mine but practice makes perfect as they say.

If you would like to have a go at making these, you will need thick acetate, Stampin" Up!'s Crystal Effects, reinkers and shimmer paint. I found the Crystal effects to be quite runny in warm conditions so this might be a good winter project. I did mine slighly differently to Bekka:
Runa piece of the acetate through the Big Shot using the small butterfly of the "Beautiful Butterflies" Bigz die to get your cut out butterfly. Puddle some Crystal effects on an old (no longer to be used for anything but crafts) saucer, drop on a drop of reinker and a small drop of shimmer paint, swirl with a toothpick and paint onto the butterfly. repeat with a different colour. Let it dry overnight and repaint with clear Crystal Effects and let it dry overnight again. Punch a small hole in the middle near the top (you can use a paper piercer). I prepared mine on the back of a cutting mat but I did get CE stuck to the mat. Dont be tempted to prep them on paper as the paper will not come off the back once dry.
I bought the necklace 'clips' (not sure of the correct term) from my lcal beading shop.

Punch Art Gardener

This is a punch art card I made for my friend Vicki who is a keen gardener. I CASEd the card from Inkin Blinkin Thinkin

If you would like to learn more about punch art, please email me for details of my next punch art class.

Some cards to share

Hi everyone,
I have a bit of a backlog of photos from my non-blogging time so will start blogging some:)
This was part of a card class I did prior to Valentine's Day. I figured it could be used as a Valentine's card but equally useful for a wedding or anniversary card.

I have used Pool Party card stock (one of my new favourites) with black. The image is embossed in silver. The stamped image is from the current Summer mini and is called "You are Loved'. If you want this set, you will have to be quick as the summer mini finishes next week. click here to email your order. The DSP is from the Mocha Morning paper set. And the sentiment is from the 'Perfectly Penned' stamp set.
If you like the ribbon flower you can google 'Stampin Up heated ribbon flower' for many sites explaining the details. I used Stampin Up's white organza ribbon.

Stamp camp

My apologies for leaving it so long since I last blogged. I have been very busy caregiving for my friend who has had a hip replacement. Also I have been making swaps and designing and preparing madly for a class I taught at Stamp Camp in Rotorua last weekend. (not to mention the same for my club classes).

Anyway, I had a great time in Rotorua, made some fab projects and really enjoyed being part of the teaching team along with fellow demos; Delys, Ria, Vicki-Lee, Rachael and Bev.

I taught the 'polished stone' technique as well as how to resize the Framed Tulips embossing folder.

NZSU colour challenge - valentine's cards

NZSU - Colour Challenge

Paula Reid from NZSU blogs gave Stampin' Up! demonstrator's a colour challenge this week to use a combination of ;

River Rock
Cherry Cobbler and
Marina Mist

As I have recently fallen in love with River Rock I gave it a go.- (Notice I resized the "Framed Tulips" embossing folder for this one. I taught this resizing technique at my recent desk calendar class:)) If you would like to learn this technique, email me to schedule a class:)
I got my inspiration for this card from Dawn Olchefske and Michelle last.

The next card is a variation using River Rock, Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso. this time I have not resized the embossing folder. This one is pretty much CASE'd from Dawn:)

The stamp set is "You Are Loved" from the Summer Mini catalogue

Ok I'm Back

Happy New Year everyone. I hope you've all had a nice break (despite the weather).

I am having a class next week for anyone (including newcomers) who would like to attend. The class is suitable for beginners to advanced crafters).This is extra to club classes which will start back again next month.


The class is to make the  desk calendar above and is on Tuesday 17th January at my place (email for details) at 7pm. It will cost $15. All materials provided (but please bring your own Snips and adhesive if you have them)

I need to know numbers as soon as possible to make sure I have enough jewel cases so please
click here to book now:)