Bring on spring! August 30, 2009

I’m seriously over winter…..yeah for spring this week! 

A simple little card that showcases the scallop edge punch which this time is used as a boarder – fancy  pants hey?  :)

 

Card Recipe 

Stamp set: Embrace Life

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze

Card stock: Whisper White, Baja Breeze

Accessories: Accents & Elements felt flowers in Baja Breeze, Rhinestone brads in clear. 

Fifth Avenue – foolproof water colouring July 20, 2009

Hi Everyone,

I’m sorry about my absence in the last few weeks….. It’s been very naughty of me to not to have been blogging……. I’ll try and be better!! Promise.  

I’ve been having a play with my new set – ‘Fifth Avenue Floral’. I’ve found an amazing tutorial by a fellow Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator Patty Bennet, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxCsVlvKIM8

The roses are water coloured using the following method: Stamp your image in Versa Mark on white paper and then Emboss with White Embossing powder (using your heat gun). Spray image with water (I just used my ironing spray bottle and put the card stock in a Tupperware container’s lid) until it’s very wet. Choose some nice ‘rose’ coloured inkpads… pinks, yellows, apricots. Squeeze the lid of your Stampin’ Up! inkpad into the inkpad mat, so there is a pool of ink on the inside of the lid. Take your Aquapainter and dip into a pool of the ink. Place the loaded Aquapainter on a petal and let the colour run. Don’t be afraid to use more then one colour on a petal or to add more water to make the colour run a little more.

Stamp Sets: Fith Avenue Floral 

Ink: Pink Pirouette, Rose Red, Tangerine Tango.

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Rose Red, Designer series paper.

Accessories: Very Vanilla Grosgrain Ribbon 1.6cm.

Tools of note: Aquapainter, Sponges. 

 

Embrace Life with watercolour! June 18, 2009

I’ve had a bit of a play with my inkpads and my aquapainters this week….. I was so surprised how easy it was to get some really nice results. 

I’ve just squished together the Stampin’ Pad lid and ink mat. This gives me a smudge of ink on the underside of the Stampin’ Pads lid, a palette in which I can dip the brush of the Aquapainter into. The Aquapainter is fantastic to work with as it’s basically a paint brush with the water inside it – so no mess and ready to go and a moments notice…. and very cheap at only $19.95 for a pack of 2! 

So I’ve watercoloured the flower and sponged the boarder. It’s a simple card but with enough elements to keep in interesting. 

Stamp Sets: Embrace Life

Ink: Tangerine Tango ‘In Color” and Basic Black Stampin’ Pad. 

Papers: Whisper white, Kiwi Kiss & Tangerine Tango card stock

Accessories: Striped Grosgrain Ribbon in Pumpkin Pie, Rhinestone Brad in Clear.

Tools of note: Aquapainters, Stamping Sponges.

Welcome to the world baby Hudson!!! June 15, 2009

Some very dear friends of ours welcomed a little baby boy into their lives last week. We wish them all of our love and best wishes… he’s beautiful!

So…. a baby card was in order………

I can’t take total credit for thinking this one up as I’ve seen the card shape recreated a number of times on a few stamping websites. I’m not sure of the original designer but it’s super cute and super easy.

Stamp Sets: Fun & Fast Notes.

Ink: Basic Black Ink Pad.

Papers: Whisper White, Designer Serious Paper in Sweet Slumber Speciality

Accessories: Rhinestone Brads in Clea

Tools of note: Watercolor pencils, 1-3/8″ Circle punch, Scallop Circle Punch.

Quick Tip – ‘Huffity Huff!!!’ June 14, 2009

Just inked up your stamp with Stampin’ Up! ink and the kids suddenly want ANOTHER snack?? Or maybe the phone rings?? Do you need to re-ink when you get back??? NOOOOOOO!! Huffity Huff!!!!

Yep, if you need to re ‘juicy’ up your pre inked stamp, give it a big huff of hot breath and this will freshen up the ink. I even do this with a solid picture stamp – just to make sure the ink has evenly dispersed over the image. 

Stay tuned for more new posts…….. I’ve been busy Stamping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eastern Blooms – Thank you! June 10, 2009

Hello All,

Firstly a BIG thank you to everyone who has left comments and sent me messages regarding my blog.. it’s been very exciting to see people visiting the blog.

I lost about 2 hours last night in my study stamping. This card started off very different but somehow found itself in the end. I love oriental themes and this one touches on it … the stamp set is called Eastern Blooms and it’s possibilities are endless…  so you’ll see some more of it really soon. 

Stamp sets: Eastern Blooms and sentiments Lovely Lables.

Inks: Basic Black and Rose Red.

Papers: Rose Red, Whisper White, Designer Serious Paper in Urban Garden.

Accessories: Grosgrain Ribbon in Basic Black. 

Tools: 1-3/8″ Circle Punch, Dimentionals.

Oh so girlie….. scallop punch daisies. June 6, 2009

I’ve had sooo much fun making this card. I wanted to do something a bit girlie… well, I think I’ve exceeded expectations on that front!!! 

I have a confession… I’m a button-holic and how cute are the little buttons on the daisies????

The daisies are actually very easy.  Using a Stampin’ Up! scallop punch I’ve punched out in Designer Series Paper and then cut almost to the centre between each scollop and popped on a button in a contrasting colour. Simple but effective. 

Just to add a little bit of softness to the card, I’ve sponged then Whisper White card stocks edges in Pink Pirouette. 

I hope you like it. Feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think.

Stamps: Organic Grace (Hostess set… book a work shop with me and you might qualify for this set for free!), sentiment is from the Baroque Motifs set. 

Card Stock: Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red (both from the the ‘In Color’ range), Whisper White and Designer Serious Papers in Pink Pirouette and Riding Hood Red In Colors. 

Ink: Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip.

Accessories: Designer Buttons in Button Bouquet. Striped Grosgrain 1.59cm Ribbon in Pink Pirouette. 

Tools: Scallop Circle, Scallop Edges, Sanding Blocks, Stampin’ Dimensionals, SNAIL Adhesive. 

Specials – Hostess Rewards!!!! June 2, 2009

Would you like to earn an extra  $40 on Stampin’ Up! Products?

Have some fun during June and July by hosting a workshop–and Stampin’ Up! will give you even more hostess awards!

When your workshop totals $600, you’ll receive an additional $40 in hostess awards.

 

AND………………….

 

As a celebration of my new blog I have my own personal special:

Carolyn’s June ‘New Blog’ Special 

Book a home workshop with me this month and the hostess will receive one FREE full size Stampin’ Pad of their colour choice, when an order of $5o or more is placed. Workshops must be held within 2 months. Stampin’ Pad will be presented to the hostess with ordered items. 

Remember, Hostess’s also get a free Stampin’ Up! Ideas book & Catalogue…. So it’s never been a better time to gather a group of friends together for a wonderful evening of stamping. 

Contact me now to organise a date for your workshop!!  See my Workshop Tab for all the details on what’s involved in holding a workshop.

Trendy Trees June 2, 2009

This is one of the cards we all made at the Stampin’ Up! Convention 2009 Make and Take session. We received this stamp set as part of our gifts for attending Convention … so I’m really looking forward to having a big play with it soon. This card is a perfect autumn card and looks very at home in the leaves. 

Stamp set: Trendy Trees.

Ink: Ridding Hood Red, Pacific Point, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, So Saffron & Tangerine Tango Classic stampin pads.

Paper: Whisper White , Old Olive, so saffron, Chocolate Chip textured. 

Accessories: Striped Grosgrain ribbon in Ridding Hood Red, Linen Thread.

Stampin’ Up! Convention 2009 June 2, 2009

Well, there is nothing like jumping in with two feet! I joined up with Stampin’ Up! in March and was at their yearly convention in Canberra at the end of April!! I had the best time. I’ve learnt so much my head is still spinning with ideas. I can totally recommend it … especially new demonstrators because it gives you so much inspiration looking at some amazing cards and techniques, learning heaps of information about how to be at the top of your game as a demonstrator and meeting over 450 other crazy ladies who love stamping as much as you. 

I took loads of photos but mostly of cards. LOL. Here are a couple of photos of some of the other lovely Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators. Above from left to right : Me, Tanya Page (my upline), Donna Gale and standing up is Roz Blignault (Tanya’s upline).  Below is a photo of my old school friend Alisa Tilsner and me. It was great to catch up.