Hello friends, welcome to the brand new month of July 2019!

With the new month we have two exciting offers from Stampin’ Up!®, both designed to save you stacks of your crafting dollars.

1. July Starter Kit Offer – ‘Extra! Extra!

Have you been part of the Stampin’ Up! family in the past? Maybe you wished you joined up years ago? Do you have a big wish list and want to save money? Maybe you are new to the world of Stampin’ Up! and know already that you’re going to be hooked!

If you have ever been thinking about becoming a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, now IS the perfect time to join my team here in Australia.

Let me explain why…

From 1 July until 31 August, you can choose an EXTRA $45 worth of bonus products in your Starter Kit. That means you’ll now get $280 worth of Stampin’ Up! products of your choice, and it will only cost you $169. And there’s free postage on it too!

THEN, you’ll receive a $16 gift voucher code the following month to spend on any products that you’ve been eying off.

It’s a fantastic deal!

Seriously, it just. makes. sense. to join if:

• you are a fan of Stampin’ Up! products, and/or
• you are a regular shopper, and/or
• you occasionally place big orders, and/or
• you want to kick start your own business that combines your love of paper crafting with a way to earn some extra money

Got questions? I’ve got the answers here.

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2. Bonus Days are Back!

A past favourite from previous years, the return of Bonus Days means it’s the perfect time to go shopping for new crafting supplies.

For every $90 you spend during July (excl. p/h) you’ll get a digital code emailed to you which will give you $9 credit towards a shopping spree in August. Collect as many codes as you want! You’ll still get any hostess rewards as usual (if applicable) so this is purely a bonus just for you!

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Only a few more days to go before I head off to this year’s Stampin’ Up! incentive trip: an all-expenses paid trip to Rome and a Greek Isles cruise for 2! #soblessed

I’m leaving hubby at home this time to keep the house and family ticking along, and instead turning this into a mother-and-daughter trip with my nearly-16 year old. It will be an adventure!

I’ll have internet access while away so don’t hesitate to catch me on Messenger or email. As usual, my online store is open for business 24/7. If you’d like to place an order during July, please use Host Code WQ3H69UC if the order is under $250. If it’s over $250 then you’ll earn a $25 host rewards to spend all on your own.

Happy stamping, 

Hi friends! I’m SO excited about our theme for Case-ing The Catty this week. It’s all about the gorgeous new Pressed Petals suite, which is one of my faves (it’s running a very close second behind Bird Ballad).

In particular, we’re using the Pressed Petals colour scheme as inspiration, and the layouts on pages 72-74.

The rich and noble colours include Crumb Cake, Daffodil Delight, Merry Merlot, Mossy Meadow, Night of Navy, Pear Pizzazz, Rococo Rose, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla.

Don’t worry, we don’t have to use them all! Just as many as we want. Phew!

The card layout I chose as inspiration was this one from page 73…

I changed it around to a portrait layout instead of landscape, swapped out the stamped paper at the top for Designer Series Paper, swapped the sentiment and changed around the flower a little.

Here is my version…

How amazing is the Pressed Petal Washi Tape flower?! Individual petals on a roll of washi tape, so you can peel off as many petals as you like to create a flower. Or use them individually for scattered petals. So fun!

You actually get two rolls of washi tape in this pack. The second is a gorgeous vintage-y script style, which you can see just a little bit of it poking out under the vellum sentiment.

The centre is from a punched daisy (trimmed) in Crushed Curry cardstock, with a metallic Designer Element embellishment to finish it off.

The sentiment was stamped in Merry Merlot ink, then clear embossed to help set the ink onto the vellum. I nice way to add a sentiment without it overpowering the design.

For more inspiration, continue along our fun blog hop. Next up is the fabulous Lauren Meiklejohn – you can see her project here.

Would you like to have a go at this week’s challenge? To join in, you can either directly CASE (Copy and Share Everything) or use a sketch/layout, colour combination or something similar, as inspiration for your own creation. Then simply take a photo of your project and upload it to the latest challenge album in the CASEing The Catty Challenge group on Facebook. Each challenge will end at 7pm (AEST) on Saturday before the next challenge is posted. We pick some winners each week, but most importantly it’s a fun way to get out of your creative comfort zone and try something new. 

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Happy stamping, 

For our first CASEing the Catty challenge of the new annual catalogue, we turn to the back of the book for inspiration to pages 106-159. These pages cover the Artistic Expressions section and much more, and are jam-packed full of fabulous projects.

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What’s CASE-ing The Catty? CASE stands for “Copy And Share Everything”. It means we use the ideas and inspiration from one project and apply them to another to create something altogether new. Each Sunday evening at 7pm AEST/8pm AEDT the CTC Crew kick off a new Challenge, using the Stampin’ Up! catalogues as inspiration. The CTC Crew are Stampin’ Up! demonstrators from Australia and NZ. Just click on the ‘Next’ link at the end of this post and you’ll work your way around the Blog Hop. To learn more about joining the challenge, follow the instructions at the end of this post.

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The one that caught my eye is on page 112 (see below). In particular, it was the colour combination that inspired my project. I just adore the Mint Macaron, Soft Suede and Crumb Cake combo, which absolutely suits this vintage style perfectly.

This is what I came up with:

It is actually an oversized card measuring 18cm x 11cm, and was made for a special friend who faced some tough medical challenges lately.

Somehow she always manages to stay upbeat, positive and hilariously funny. She never fails to teach me a thing or two about how to handle challenging situations with grace… and a generous dose of humour.

My fave stamp set, Free As a Bird, was perfect for this one.

Leaves were stamped on the Soft Suede layer in Crumb Cake ink and then coloured in with white pencils. I love the way it makes the leaves pop.

I used Foam Adhesives Strips to adhere the Soft Suede layer, and sponged the edges of the white foam with Crumb Cake ink so they would blend in with the rest of the card.

Does the doily look familiar?

It has actually been cut from the middle of a Bird Ballad Laser-cut Card! (Don’t worry, I used the rest of the card for another project which I’ll share soon).

Thanks so much for joining me this week! It’s great to be playing along with the rest of the CASEing the Catty design team this week.

To continue on the hop for more inspiration, just click on the Next button below and you’ll be on your way to see what Shannon has made for us this week. 

Happy stamping, 

Today I’m bringing you a virtual gift: some handy free downloads to make your crafting time more fun. Enjoy!

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Tip: For high quality free downloads, make sure you click on the DOWNLOAD link and not the picture

Colour Combination Coach

Do you ever get stuck trying to work out which of the Stampin’ Up! core colours will work with the ‘In Color’ ranges?
This is a handy free download that you can print onto cardstock, cut and add to an O-ring to give you some on-the-go colour inspiration.
Or print and pop a copy in an ‘inspiration’ folder for a handy reference sheet.
I’ve included both the 2018-2020 In Colors (Pineapple Punch, Grapefruit Grove, Lovely Lipstick, Blueberry Bushel and Call Me Clover), and the brand new 2019-2021 In Colors (Sea Side Spray, Terracotta Tile, Purple Posy, Rococo Rose and Pretty Peacock).

Shopping List

If you’re a list maker like me, you’re going to love this one.
Here’s a shopping list you can download and print out. There are two copies to a page, so you could easily print multiple copies back-to-back and turn them into a little notebook to keep in your craft room. Or print a little stack and keep it on a clip board.

I have a shopping list on the go all the time, and I always try to write down when I run out of something, or if I need something when I’m crafting.

If you’ve ever put in an order and *then* remembered that you wanted to order something else, then you’ll definitely want to print this!

(And don’t worry, we’ve all done it!)

Catalogue Greetings Image Index

The catalogue greetings index was a handy feature in last year’s annual catalogue. Some people used it a lot, while others not so much. To save on space it hasn’t been printed in this year’s annual catalogue, but Stampin’ Up! didn’t want us to miss out so an 8-page free download has been made available instead.
Feel free to print a copy today.

Stamp Case Insert

Are you a fan of the awesome stamp cases that you can buy from Stampin’ Up!?

I use these *all the time* to keep opened packets of embellishments, half-made projects, Memories & More cards, scraps of papers… you name it.

If you would like to make an insert so your cases match your stamp sets, then make sure you download this one. It’s editable (* may depend on the software you have on your computer) so you should even be able to type the details right onto the insert before you print it out. You can even add a picture too!

I hope you find these files useful. If you do, please leave a comment to let me know and I’ll see if I can find some more for you. Thank you!

Don’t forget the new annual Stampin’ Up! catalogue is now LIVE! You can shop from online store or contact me and I’d be happy to process it all for you.

Happy stamping, 

It’s here! We’ve been waiting for it and now it’s live…

The brand new 2019-2020 Annual Stampin’ Up! catalogue. With over 200 pages of new ideas, innovative products and packed with inspiration.

Click to view catalogue online

Shop the new catalogue

• If your order is over $250 you’ll qualify for at least 10% of the value back in FREE products (host rewards)! The more you shop, the more freebies you get. 
• If your order is under $250 use Host Code AGA2UVKE during the month of June for a surprise in the mail.
• If your wish list is HUGE now could be the perfect time to join Stampin’ Up! to save you some money. More info here.

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Product Updates

Just to recap from a previous post, there will be a delay with a couple of our product ranges that are not yet ready to ship out.

Stampin’ Up! Storage

The Stampin’ Up! storage won’t be available to order until July 1st due to extreme demand. The manufacturer is catching up and the range will be available soon.

3D Embossing Folders

Also, there’s a delay with some of the 3D embossing folders, so you may not be able to order them just yet. I’ll keep you posted with any news here on my blog, but for quicker updates follow my Facebook page.

New: Embossing Folder Plate

On the topic of embossing folders, Stampin’ Up! are now using a new supplier for dies and embossing folders. These new-style 3D embossing folders are thinner than the old-style Dynamic folders so, depending on the machine you’re using, you may find it handy to use a newly introduced 3D Embossing Folder Plate. This new plate will be available very soon, but you can see what it looks like here. It’s important to note that you may not need this new Embossing Folder Plate, or if you do then you may already have shims that will work perfectly (or maybe you can make your own!). But its nice to know that the option is there if you need/want it.

Purple Posy Ink Pad and Refill

Just another reminder that due to issues with the Purple Posy ink, both the pad and refill are not currently available for purchase. This is one of the new In Colours for 2019-2020, but the others are all available if you’d like to get them.

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Enjoy this fabulous day. xxx

Happy stamping, 

I’m not quite sure how we managed to blink and suddenly be facing June. Is time racing along quickly for you this year?

Winter is around the corner too. In fact, it snowed this week where I live (central Victoria) which does happen but certainly not every year. It’s exciting enough for us to stop and take photos.

We also have a fair bit happening in the papercrafting world at the moment. I thought I’d take a moment to summarise all the Stampin’ Up! news and to make sure you’re kept in the loop. Which is not an easy feat at the moment with a big fur ball laying on my keyboard!

As always, if you have any questions about these updates or if you’d like further information about Stampin’ Up! in Australia, please don’t hesitate to email me or connect via Facebook.

1. Just Announced – Discounted retiring products

We’re approaching the end of our Last-Chance Products promotion, and in these final days some items have been discounted by up to 20%.

View the sale in the online store or download the discounted list here.  You know the drill… sales items are strictly limited and may sell out quickly. 

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2. Everything is Rosy

This gorgeous ‘product medley’ is available until 11.50pm on Friday 31st May. It comes in a box and includes a stack of products. Read all about it here. 

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3. Hugs from Shelli – Card making kit

An elegant, vintage-themed cardmaking kit is available for a limited time, and it’s only $37! It includes an exclusive stamp set, paper and crafting materials to create 12 cards (3 cards of 4 unique designs), 12 coordinating envelopes, and a Classic Stampin’ Spot (ie mini ink pad). A box of happy delivered to your door (and it’s a cute box too!). More info here.  

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4. Trimmer Blades & Die Cutting Accessories

If you bought a Stampin’ Up! trimmer from me you would have received an email updating you about some recent announcements. If you haven’t, please reach out to me.

In a nutshell, the current trimmer is being retired and in time the blades will no longer be available. They are in high demand at the moment, but there will be regular deliveries of blades right through until September 2019. If you need a trimmer blade, please contact me so I can keep you in the loop. 

Also, as we announced in a recent update, Stampin’ Up! will no longer be stocking the Big Shot die cutting machine or accessories. This includes the replacement standard cutting pads. The current inventory of cutting pads has run out so the item has been removed from the online store and you will have to source them elsewhere (they are quite readily available so you shouldn’t have trouble finding them). But don’t worry – there will be plenty of dies and embossing folders in the new catalogue. And of course there will be plenty of exciting new crafty stuff to look forward to in the months ahead. 

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5. New Catalogue Information – Product updates

The new catalogue officially ‘goes live’ at 9am on the 4th of June.

Have you got a hard copy of the catalogue yet? If you have placed an order with me over the past year you should have received your own copy in the mail, but if not please let me know so I can chase it up. 

The digital version of the catalogue will be available right here on my blog on June 4. 

Have you seen the beautiful new In Colors? This new batch of colours will be available for the next two years, although there is currently a problem with the Purple Posy ink so the ink pad and refill will be unavailable for a little while, until it’s all resolved.

There will also be delay with a couple of other product ranges. The Stampin’ Up! storage won’t be available to order until July 1st, and there is a little manufacturing delay with some of the 3D embossing folders. With 213 pages of ideas and inspiration and gorgeous new products, I’m sure we can be a little patient for these few items.  

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6. Cardmaking classes and workshop

Just letting you know that demand has been strong for workshops and in-home cardmaking classes, so dates are now very limited through until late July/early August. 

Getting together with friends and learning new papercrafting techniques really never goes out of style, and I’m thrilled to see that it’s still such a popular activity. If you’ve been to one of my workshops you’ll know that I do absolutely everything I can to ensure that you and your guests have a relaxing yet engaging experience. I’ve been doing them for 10 years now (yep, there’s that ‘time racing by quickly’ thing again).

I’m excited to be heading off on this year’s Stampin’ Up! Incentive Trip in early July (the Greek Isles – woohoo!), so if you would like to book a workshop before then please contact me soon and I’ll do my best to fit you in. 

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There we go, I think you’re up-to-date now. 

Don’t forget, if you have a pretty long wish list for the new catalogue, now could be the perfect time for you to join my Stampin’ Up! team so that you can save 20% on all your crafty shopping. Something to think about.

Happy stamping,