Yaaay – today’s the day we launch a brand new mini catalogue jam-packed with lots of new yummy things.

All this week I’ll be posting new projects made with some of the great new products, which include new PUNCHES, new RIBBONS and ACCESSORIES, new TOOLS, new WHEELS, new DESIGNER PAPERS (12×12), new RUB-ONS, and of course new RUBBAH (aka stamps!)

CARD KEEPER CLASS

Just a quick reminder that there’s still time to sign up for the Card Keeper Class which is a special Thank You class for my loyal customers and stamping friends. I have a couple of spare spots, and would love you to join us. 

WHEN:    Friday 4th December 7pm  –  3 SPOTS AVAILABLE
                 Sunday 13th December 1pm SORRY BOOKED OUT

COST: $25. This Includes:
–  the Forget-Me-Not Keeper (valued at $22.95 plus p&h),
– embellishments,
– cardstock divider templates printed on Whisper White cardstock,
– and me! Well, for an hour or two. 🙂

This class is a special treat and has been super popular, so if you want to snap up one of the last few spots contact me ASAP.

Happy stamping,

 On Saturday I spent a great day in Camperdown, Vic., with my wonderful team member Maureen and her group of Ink Link demonstrators for a training and stamping day. It was so nice to sit, stamp and chat with like-minded people (aka fellow stamping addicts).

Maureen joined my team when I was still pretty green and it’s been an absolute pleasure to get to know her over the past few years. She really is one of those people that everyone says "isn’t she lovely". Plus she’s a very talented cardmaker too!

Here are some of the Make & Takes we did (ok, so I was too busy talking to finish them at Maureen’s but I did finish this card when I got home!)

This card features the Friends 24/7 stamp set  (p81 IBC) and the matching Friendly wheel, and was inspired by another team member, Juliana. The flower was punched with the Wide Oval punch, then sponged around the edges and then coated in Crystal Effects to create the look of a cameo. Very effective technique, although it is a bit difficult to see the full effect in this picture.

We also made the crimped envelope card (CASE of Leonie Schroder’s):

And we EVEN got to play with some yummy new toys that will be available next month in the NEW Summer Mini catalogue! Ooooh how exciting. I’ll share those with you another day 😉

Happy stamping,

Tonight was the start of a new round of Stamp Club, and it was a great nightl I’ve known these ladies for a while now and they are soooo lovely – I’m rapt that I’ll be stamping with them once a month at least.

They had a bit of a laugh at me tonight because it is my dear son’s 9th birthday tomorrow – aargh – and I hadn’t made his card! Criminal, I know *lol*. But I had a good excuse. The stamp set I wanted to use only arrived TODAY.

So, to my Stamp Club girls, this is what I came up with about half an hour after you left tonight….

[Definition "jawing" (verb): to talk, jabber]

This is the Just Jawing stamp set, which is one of the products on the Gift Giving Guide. I wasn’t too sure about this set for me when I first saw it, but it has reeeeeeeally grown on me since Jenny Adams sent  me this amazing card a couple of months ago.

 Wow! That really opened my eyes to the possibilities.  

I was just teetering on the fence, so to speak, when my DH said to me last week (while flicking through the Idea Book, what a darling): "why don’t you have this set? I’ll buy it!". And he did! He actually paid me money for it and put in an order, which the kids thought was hysterically funny.

He’s right, though. I often   moan that I can’t make good boys’ cards, and I know this stamp set fits the bill perfectly. It’s great to have a bit of fun and mix things up a bit. Try a different style, technique or ‘look’.

Here I’ve covered the love heart eyes with white punched circles and added punched stars for the eyes. (I could have just left the ink off the heart-eyes but I didn’t think of that earlier )

It also makes great girls’ cards too… I’m picturing Pink Passion and black. Hmmmm, that might have to be the next card.

Anyway, better go because my big boy will be up bright and early in the morning to open his pressies.

Happy stamping,

Just a quick post today to share with you this cute Faux Metal embellishment. I haven’t worked out yet what to do with it. Any ideas? 

I’ll turn it into something and post it here in a couple of days.

Faux Metal is a great technique. If you can emboss, you can create the ‘faux metal’ look. Just press your versamark pad directly onto your cardstock (I used Whisper White), then sprinkle on your embossing powder and heat.

Repeat this about 4 times so you’ve got a good thickish coating. While it’s still hot (and therefore soft) carefully push your uninked stamp into the surface and it will create a great impression! This picture is a bit shadowy so the image doesn’t look too clear, but in real life it looks great! Just like a metallic buckle!

This stamp and its matching punch are part of the Curly Label Punch Bundle (p153) which is one of the handy dandy items on the Gift Giving Guide. Click on the November Promotions tab at the top of this page for more details.

Happy stamping,

Julie from Julie’s Japes came up with a gorgeous punch art monkey, and posted a very cool tutorial on her blog. Great one, Julie!

My daughters (DD2 and DD6) LOVE punch art so I knew this one would be a big hit with them. And it was!

We used the monkey as a feature on their daddy’s birthday card this week.

The girls decided the monkey should be flying a kite, although I’m not sure if you can tell by this pic.

The tree was stamped in versamark and then Heat & Stick powder added to allow the yummy chocolate Fine Supernova glitter (p144 Idea Book & Catalogue) to stick. It is very sparkly in real life! 

Also making an appearance: On Your Birthday, Garden Whimsy and Thoughts & Prayers stamp sets, and the Walk In The Park DSP. Plus, plenty of punches!

Speaking of punches, you may have noticed that I had to make a few changes to my last post, which outlined the fab special for this month.

Yep, now it’s even better!!!

With every $85 purchase from the Gift Giving Guide you can now choose from either the Square Scallop Punch OR the Boho Blossoms punch.  Contact me for more details.

Happy stamping,

Edited: 4th November

VERY exciting news from Stampin’ Up! this month. The November promotion has been announced, and it’s FABULOUS!

When you spend $85 on products in the Gift Giving Guide – the one-stop shop for all your Christmas needs – you’ll get a FREE punch….

BREAKING NEWS: You now have a choice of punches that you can claim for FREE.
Choose between the Square Scallop Punch or the Boho Blossoms punch!!!

Click on the image below to open the Gift Giving Guide. 

The Guide has: 

• necessary basics like A4 Whisper White, Kiwi Kiss and Bold Brights cardstock
• gift ideas for kids, teens, sisters, crafty friends and more
• On Board 5"x5" Art Journal – just embellish and you have the perfect gift
• Festive Real Red 12"x12" cardstock – perfect for bags and boxes, place cards and scrapbooking your favourite merry moments
• Simply Scrappin’ kits – just the thing to tuck away for your scrapping friends’ birthdays
• Simply Sent card kits which contain everything needed for the beginning papercrafter. This is a fantastic gift idea for your KK, your Mum or yourself!
• Ribbons, ribbons, ribbons… yum! Need we say more?
• and plenty of other great ideas.

Even better news, there is no limit to the number of free punches you can earn. For every $85 purchased from the Gift-Giving Guide, you can choose either the Square Scallop Punch or the Boho Blossoms punch. 

I LOVE my square scallop punch. Hope you enjoy the following projects made with it… can you identify a few of the ‘out of the box’ uses for the square scallop punch????

Check back soon for different ways to use the Boho Blossoms punch.

Layering, punch art, a delicate scallop edging, angled, trimmed… and the list of ways to use the Scallop Square Punch goes on. Soooo much fun!!!!

Get in touch with me to place your order and start punching soon. All email and phone orders will get an extra little something from me: a couple of handmade items like the ones above, so you’ll always have inspiration you can refer to.

Happy stamping,