It hasn't been forever ...

... since my last post. Surprised, huh? I know I am! Although, I suppose a week and a bit in blogland can seem like a long time.

I made the following card for a friend of mine in Canada. And it really has been like FOREVER since I sent her something to remind her that she is in my thoughts and heart. I was thinking how easy it has been for so much time to pass by in the whirligig of every day and, in that time, not reach out to those that I care about - especially those who may be far away. Definitely time for redress...

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Always Artichoke
Chocolate Chip
Old Olive
Soft Suede
VersaMark

Stamp sets:
Defining Alphabet
Vintage Vogue

Cardstock:
Always Artichoke
Naturals Ivory
Old Olive

Accessories:
Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon
Earth Elements Brads
Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon
Rich Regals Brads
Soft Suede Polka-dot Grosgrain Ribbon
Sponge Daubers
Stamp-A-Ma-Jig
Stampin' Dimensionals

Not A-Mused

I've really struggled for a few months to get back into papercrafting. As one of the sweet people who have visited my blog, you would have noticed that the frequency of my postings has declined drastically. Initially, after Christmas, I had attributed the lack of interest in things crafty to a little burnout ... and consoled myself with gaming in the hope that the passion for creating would build up like forest litter waiting for ignition by lightning or, possibly as a worst case, a passing firebug. But, alas, no such conflagaration has eventuated and the fire danger rating is sitting on "No Great Need to Worry".

It finally dawned on me, about a month ago, that my Muse must have absconded after I overworked and neglected her during that Christmas period. I've been imagining her flitting from country to country, enjoying the sights and sounds of novel surroundings while gifting the odd local with some inspiration to add a masterful new ingredient to an existing speciality or, perhaps, injecting new life into a tired artist's caricatures of willing tourists. I imagine her ending up in Tuscany, holed up with a poor yet talented writer - sharing cheese, olives, wine and ciabatta ... and exhorting him to finishing that one manuscript that will make his career! Of course, it would be published first in Italian and I would have to wait for the English translation to really appreciate the end result. *grin*

I think that she may have paid me a little visit when I made the following card as it took several hours to complete and I didn't notice the time passing by. I'm dedicating the card to my Muse and to Muses in all their forms ... for if you do love your Muse (like life), I expect that they will love you back.

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Certainly Celery
Old Olive
Orchid Opulence
Rich Razzleberry
VersaMark

Stamp sets:
Cottage Garden

Paper:
Certainly Celery CS
Cottage Wall DSP
Old Olive CS
Orchid Opulence CS
Rich Razzleberry CS
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
1/16" Circle Punch
Eyelet Border Punch
Rich Razzleberry Polka-Dot Grosgrain Ribbon
Sizzlits Buttons #5
Stampin' Dimensionals
White Embossing Powder

On bended knees

I am typing this post while kneeling at my computer. Why you may ask? OK - other than the really obvious need for forgiveness for neglecting my blog, I've just read that sitting down is the new smoking! A study has

...found that for every hour that a person spends sitting..., their individual risk of death from all causes rose 11 per cent, their risk of death from cardiovascular disease rose 18 per cent and their risk of dying from cancer, 9 per cent.

I'm really surprised that I'm still here after those statistics. Given how much I've been sitting all these years, I'm pretty sure that the risk from all causes would be pushing 100% (albeit at an ever decreasing rate). Also, given how my knees are feeling already, I'm sure that knee replacement surgery is now on the cards.

Anyway, I thought I would try making a whole card while standing up¹ just to see how tricksy it would be to avoid this sitting health hazard going forward. Here it is:

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Brilliant Blue
Chocolate Chip
Old Olive
So Saffron

Stamp sets:
Good Friend
Simply Said

Paper:
So Saffron CS
Tall Tales DSP
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
Circle Scissors Plus
Rose Red Double Stitched Grograin
Sponge Dauber

After that experiment, I can honestly say, "I can't stand it!" Oh noes! Is that a varicose vein I see appearing?

---

1. Most demonstrators are probably adept at demoing cards standing up BUT who would choose to design a card doing so? Yeah .. thought so ... who's quite that crazy, hey? Doh! Me apparently.

Give 'em the new Razzle Dazzle

(To the tune of Chicago's Razzle Dazzle)

Give 'em the new razzle dazzle
Razzle Dazzle 'em
Give 'em a card with lots of flash in it
And the reaction will be passionate
Give 'em the old hocus pocus
Brad, embellish 'em
How can they see with glitter in their eyes?

What if your lines all are askew?
What if you can't stamp without a tool?

Razzle dazzle 'em
And they'll never catch wise!

This card is to farewell the old and welcome the new. It sports some Jumbo brads and the Birthday Wish single stamp from the Spring Mini ending today and a sneak peak of the Razzle Dazzle stamp set, Real Red Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon and Circle Scissors from the Summer Mini which is launching tomorrow.

The scalloped large circle was made using the corner rounder and if this card wasn't for someone completely utterly special, I would have had second thoughts about doing it. By the way, it isn't for my sister ... and, by the way, that is NOT saying that my sister isn't completely utterly special either!

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Lovely Lilac
Orchid Opulence

Stamp sets:
Birthday Wish
Razzle Dazzle
Wonderful Favourites

Cardstock:
Lovely Lilac
Orchid Opulence
Whisper White

Accessories:
Button Latte
Circle Scissors
Corner Rounder Punch
Jumbo Brads in Neutrals
Real Red Polka Dot Grosgrain
Stamp-A-Ma-Jig
Stampin' Write Markers in Gable Green, Lovely Lilac, Orchid Opulence, Real Red, So Saffron

Parisian Breeze breezes by

I just had to post this little album before the Spring Mini ends. I made this for my cousin Kelvin and it features the truly inspiring Parisian Breeze Specialty paper that will be saying goodbye with the Mini. The cardweight is perfect for this album and everything about this paper makes me want to make stuff out of it!

Stampin' Supplies
Paper:
Kraft CS
Parisian Breeze Specialty
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
Basic Eyelets (retired)
Crop-A-Dile
Double-Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon in Chocolate Chip
Flower Fusion Too
Hemp Twine
Jumbo Brads in Neutrals
Trio Flower Punch




Don't you love how the Trio Flower Punch creates a punchie that layers perfectly on the Flower Fusion Too five petalled flower?

I've used a Quickutz Peppermint Spine die to make things easier but you could replicate it with a scallop edge punch and Crop-A-Dile. I also used a Cuttlebug Floral Borders die for the corner flourishes. The Kraft panel is actually a little pocket in which a photo can be inserted as the centrepiece of the album.

Where's the chocolate chip?

This is a card that I've been demonstrating in my Emerging Colour classes. Funnily enough, in each of the classes, someone has asked me at the commencement of proceedings where the chocolate chip cardstock was to be found. As it turns out, it is in the chocolate chip ink pad just busting to get out.

Another funny thing was at each event, someone brought up Boho Backgrounds as a set that piqued their interest - a stamp set that made it from last year's catalogue into this year's which practically means that it has fallen off the radar (Lovely as a Tree is an exception). And they said that before seeing my sample! Freaky, no? *plays Twilight Zone music*

I think that it is a sign that Boho Backgrounds is due for a resurgence!

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Baja Breeze
Chocolate Chip
Sahara Sand

Stamp sets:
Boho Backgrounds
Circle Circus
Oval All
Petal Pizzazz

Paper:
Baja Breeze CS
Kraft CS
Parisian Breeze Specialty
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
Brayer
Button Bouquet
Clear Embossing Powder
Double-Striped Grosgrain Ribbon in Baja Breeze
Heat Tool
Large Oval Punch
Mini Glue Dot
Scallop Border Punch
Scallop Oval Punch
Sponge Dauber

PS: I know a sample size of two classes isn't anywhere close to statistically significant but it was significant to me!

SNAIL mail

Jillian, my sister demonstrator, recently RAK'ed the INKlings with an offer SNAIL in the mail - which I kinda pounced on. I say "kinda" because it sounds marginally better than the unadulterated "pounced on" which is pretty much the truth (and I say "pretty much" for the same reason as I used "kinda"!). For her tremendous generosity, I thought I'd give her a notebook...I imagine you all must be completely over my covered notebooks by now so this will be my last for a little while...that is, if I can help it!

The colourful foliage sheet from the Walk in the Park DSP is my favourite from the pack and I used it for a notebook so that I could keep it and stroke it. Of course, it was covered in plastic so that my stroking would leave no fingerprints on the paper. Also, I didn't think that the book needed anything more in terms of embellishment since the pattern and colours of the DSP make enough of a statement.

Due to Jillian's RAK, I decided to part with this so that it would have an exciting new home to experience and be heartfelt thanks for her favour. So farewell notebook ... and thank you, Jillian!

Stampin' Supplies
Paper:
Cameo Coral CS
Walk in the Park DSP

Accessories:
Eyelet Border Punch
So Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon

More notables

Two of my awesome customers, Ruth and Bonny, accompanied me along with one of my fabulous downlines, Joyce, to the Stampin' Up! Australia Sydney Regionals on Saturday.

Of course, I appreciate all of my customers (!) but Ruth and Bonny have been amazing as they have hosted and attended classes throughout the year and firmly refuse to be demonstrators even though they would have made stellar ones and saved quite a bit in the process...I'd almost be worried that they are reading this and change their minds but they know about the demonstrator opportunity already and I'd be grateful with them enjoying Stampin' Up! with me as either *beam happily* So to show my appreciation, I made the following notebooks for them:

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Baja Breeze
Basic Gray
Chocolate Chip
Kiwi Kiss

Stamp sets:
Defining alphabet
Gallery
One of a Kind

Paper:
Basic Gray CS
Walk in the Park DSP
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
Baja Breeze Corduroy buttons
Boho Blossoms punch
Button Latte
Brads Jumbo Neutrals
Brads Silver
Chocolate Chip Double-Stitched Grosgrain

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Baja Breeze
Chocolate Chip

Stamp sets:
Best Yet
Gallery
Lovely Letters alphabet

Paper:
Baja Breeze CS
Chocolate Chip CS
Walk in the Park DSP
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
Baja Breeze Corduroy buttons
Boho Blossoms punch
Brads Jumbo Neutrals
Chocolate Chip Grosgrain
Curly Label Punch Bundle
Flower Fusion Too
Heat Tool
White Embossing Powder

Thanks so much, Bonny and Ruth!

Taking note

... and giving notebooks. Other than blinging jumbo brads, I've been busy decorating notebooks as gifts for some noteworthy people in my life. The first one was a birthday gift to Joni, who has been a friend from the first full time job I ever had in Sydney. Being a technologist, I'm not sure if she will get much use out of this but it may come in handy for making paper aeroplanes or writing messages to be inserted into bottles should she ever happen to be stranded on a deserted island. You just never know when a piece of paper may save your life!

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Chocolate Chip
Close to Cocoa
Sahara Sand

Stamp sets:
Defining alphabet
Lovely Letters alphabet
No One Like You

Cardstock:
Chocolate Chip
Kraft
Whisper White

Accessories:
Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelets
Chocolate Chip Double-Stitched Grosgrain
Crop-A-Dile
Eyelet Border Punch
Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

Travel notebook

Hubby and I have just returned from a wonderful jaunt to Phillip Island to attend the wedding of a dear friend and his lady love. The weather was fine and hot (perhaps a little too warm as my decolletage now looks like I dropped a tub of red blush all over it) and the garden setting, with Westernport Bay as the backdrop, was beautiful. The highlight for me was their exchange of vows, which they composed themselves - touching, sweet and so very moving. I have to keep their names secret or I'd have to erase this blog after posting and, well, that'd just defeat the whole purpose of posting! But I'm wishing them lots of love and laughter as they head into their first holiday season in married bliss.

Accompanying me during this memorable trip was this little notebook that I decorated using a standard exercise book. After embellishing the cover, I slipped the book into a plastic cover to protect it from spills and stains. I then used White StazOn to stamp a damask pattern on the plastic cover to add a little more interest and light. Because I'm me, I used the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig and lots of ruled lines to make sure the pattern was even...

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Certainly Celery
Lavender Lace
Perfect Plum
StazOn Cotton White

Stamp sets:
24-7
All Scallops
Lovely Letters
No One Like You

Cardstock:
Certainly Celery
Whisper White
Pale Plum
Perfect Plum

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	[back of the notebook]
Stampin' Write Markers in:    Certainly Celery    Pale Plum    Perfect Plum

Jayne Mercer's Girls Night in Cyberstamp

My terrific upline, Jayne, is holding a Cyberstamp to raise funds for the very worthy cause of breast cancer research.

I thought I would pop in with a contribution to the evening but, as usual, I took a lot longer than anticipated to make this card! So I'm dashing off this post so that I can spend some time with my neglected Hubby. I'll post the supplies list tomorrow [ETA: posted now] but, if you do get the chance, please support Jayne's fundraising effort.

Jayne's first challenge was to CASE a layout from the Stampin' Up! 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalogue. Mine was based on the Spring Song card on page 79.

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Regal Rose
Riding Hood Red

Stamp sets:
Boho Backgrounds
Fifth Avenue Floral

Paper:
Pink Pirouette CS
Pretty In Pink CS
Regal Rose CS
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
Double Stitched Grograin Ribbon in Rose Red
Flower Designer Brads
Flower Fusion Too
Paper Snips
Slot Punch
Stampin' Dimensionals
Stampin' Write Markers in Pretty in Pink and Regal Rose

A pink lighthouse

To me, a lighthouse symbolises "Awareness" as it serves to alert unwary seafarers of dangers hidden nearby. Colour it Pink Ribbon Day pink and it so represents Breast Cancer Awareness, don't you think? Or am I speaking for myself? *looks around*

Well, it seemed like a good idea to me at the time! It still does except for the sting of rejection. *sniffle*

Anyway, the amazingly talented Teneale Williams sent out a request for 6" X 6" pages to compile a book of inspirational quotations for those affected by breast cancer while they visit the Westmead Breast Cancer Clinic and the McGrath Foundation office. You still have time to help her as she is waiting until Monday October 12 for the last submissions.

I chose the Elisabeth Guinot quotation for mine because I believe that we don't really know what we are capable of until we are tested. And I'd like to think that we are chronic underestimators.

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Kiwi Kiss
Pink Pirouette
Rose Red

Stamp sets:
A Great Friend
Eastern Influences
Lovely Letters
Uncharted Territory

Paper:
Pink Pirouette CS
Rose Red CS
Rose Red Prints DSP (retired)
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
Flower Assortment Designer Brads
Mat Pack
Sponge Dauber
Striped Grograin Ribbon in Pink Pirouette
Word Window Punch

PS. The title is Rose Red cardstock cut using the QuicKutz harvest font.

Long time between scraps

It has been an inordinately long time since I completed a scrap page. I have been feeling the pull of it recently and it brought to mind a little conversation that I had with my sister over a year ago. In that exchange, my sister made me promise that I wouldn't devote myself to scrapping a hundred pages on my nephew, Shi Wei, and then neglect any other subsequent children of hers ... leaving them to wonder why Auntie Lin Mei loved Shi Wei the most.

So, here I am, wondering where are the pages of my baby niece, Shi Ying? Hmmmmmm ... I'd better set aside an album for her as a starting point! The following page will be the inaugural one.

After feeling rather guilty, I consoled myself with the fact I have yet to scrap a baby photo of Shi Wei ... so it is still early days for Shi Ying - phew! The other thing that I've noticed is that the recent supply of photos from my sister has slowed to a mere trickle so I think that it's time for me to remind her of her side of the bargain...

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Basic Black
Basic Gray
Cameo Coral
Pixie Pink

Stamp sets:
Calendar alphabet

Paper:
Pixie Pink CS
Raspberry Tart DSP
Vellum CS

Accessories:
1.3cm Circle Punch
Clear Buttons
Pretties Kit
Scallop Oval Punch
Sponge Dauber
Stampin' Pastels
Stampin' Write Marker in Basic Black
Summer Love Rub-Ons
White Grosgrain Ribbon

For my newsletter subscribers, I have to apologise for not posting a project featuring the custom coloured ribbon when promised. I lost the ribbon in amongst my scraps and I was hoping that it would float to the surface eventually. Needless to say, ribbon isn't particularly buoyant (especially without floaties) when immersed in scrap paper *sigh* Anyway, I applied Stampin' Pastels on another strip with a colour gradient starting from Pixie Pink to Basic Black. You should be able to spy it in the page above.

So Saffree

Isn't this month's free (with purchase) So Saffron grosgrain ribbon so perfect for spring and summer projects? Of course, it'd be great for other seasons too (as it is So Saffron) but I doubt that my roll will last until next Autumn. *grin*

I've teamed it up with a Summer Love Rub-On and every time I look at this combination, I want to put on a wide brimmed straw hat and a fresh floral dress then sneak into the closest corn field to run carefree through it. Since I live in the 'burbs, the only accessible farms are those that exist in my mind...most likely a good thing since this romantic notion can't end with me actually being charged for trespassing or collapsing a 100 metres into a row of corn since that's about all my real life stamina would allow. *pictures calling Hubby on my mobile phone to save me when he gets off work and then waiting and waiting* Yep! Much better left in the realms of one's imagination...

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Cameo Coral
Kiwi Kiss
So Saffron

Stamp sets:
Great Friend

Paper:
So Saffron CS
So Saffron Patterns DSP
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
Aqua Painter
Designer Brads Flower Assortment
Mat Pack
Paper Snips
So Saffron Grosgrain Ribbon
Stampin' Write Markers in Cameo Coral, Old Olive, So Saffron
Summer Love Rub-Ons
White Gel Pen

I played around with the petals of the flower brad by filling them in with a white gel pen. The flower centre features a rub-on for contrast. Many thanks to Carol for this month's Elite Challenges card sketch which I've used for this card.

Stampin' Up! Gift to You promotion

---

30 September 2009 NEWS ALERT:
Ribbon bundles now comprise of:
• Chocolate Chip 1" (2.5cm) Double-Stitched grosgrain ribbon (approx 9.1 metres)
• Rose Red 1" (2.5cm) Double-Stitched grosgrain ribbon (approx 9.1 metres)
due to the original bundle running out of stock! This is an even better deal as the ribbons are normally $19.95 each + SU! S&H

---

During September, you get a FREE ribbon bundle if you place a product order worth $100 or more OR host a $600 workshop. The bundle includes 2 full rolls of ribbon, more specifically:

• Certainly Celery 5/8" (1.59 cm) poly-twill ribbon (approx 9.1 metres)
• So Saffron 5/8" (1.59 cm) grosgrain ribbon (approx 9.1 metres)

Please contact me to book a workshop or place an order to qualify for this gift made for ribbon lovers.

Really bright delights

I'm gettin' old! Oh boy! was it a shock to realise that today. I treated my aunt to a Donut King buy one get one free coffee - does that technically qualify as a treat I wonder? Probably only if I nominate hers as the one that's paid for...I digress. While waiting for the milk to get hot and frothy, I had a look at the garishly iced doughnuts on offer and was struck by the thought, "How can anyone eat fluorescent blue?" I imagine a munched up portion lighting my oesophagus on its trip down to my stomach, with all and sundry privy to its illuminated descent...I have to confess to shuddering a little bit at the thought. Nothing that incandescent could be harmless to the human body - no wonder little children become hyperactive after consuming this sort of food colouring: all that excess brightness has to be converted somehow (basic case of conservation of energy). Anyway, it didn't seem too long ago when such colourful doughnuts would have been a siren song to lure me into throwing myself at the unyielding rocks of my parents' legs begging for two or three or more (in all different colours because at that age, every colour is a different flavour ... which is why hundreds and thousands are the ultimate gourmet delight for kids). Now that I am getting old, I think you'd have to be nuts to want that kind of dough. *sigh*

On the subject of brightly coloured, please dust off your favourite eclipse viewing technique for the following card. I thought that it was time to be bold and use my stash of Only Orange...I have to say that I think "Only Orange" is a bit of a misnomer - as in whatdyamean it's ONLY orange? It's an in-your-face RETINA-MELTING orange. If you ask me, it'd be more appropriately descriptive as "Over-the-top Orange" or "Outrageously Orange". *folds arms stubbornly* Anyway, I matched it up with some Bravo Burgundy because I needed a bit of bravado to use Outrageously Orange for a Spring Mini swap. In the end, I think that I liked it.

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Bravo Burgundy
Only Orange
Real Red
Tangerine Tango
VersaMark
Whisper White Craft

Stamp sets:
Oval All
Simply Said

Cardstock:
Bravo Burgundy Textured
Only Orange
Whisper White

Accessories:
Aqua Painter
Bravo Burgundy Grograin Ribbon
Heat Tool
Scallop Oval Punch
White Embossing Powder

A tip with stamping on Only Orange cardstock - test your dye ink on some scrap cardstock first as some colours can look surprisingly dark or dirty on it.

PS. I left the post date as the date I started this post since it does mention "today" BUT it has only just been published - two weeks later. Oh the shame!

Ain't nothing gonna break-a my str...uh, will do

Here I was hoping that June would be the month to get on top of things. I had Matthew Wilder's "Break My Stride" playing in my head:

What song would anyone want more to get the blood pumping and the body moving and to bolster's one's will? OK...The "Rocky" anthem "Eye of the Tiger" would be an exception but I reckon that this song is boppier and doesn't make me feel guilty for skipping the sprints up stairs.

And yet, this blog has been woefully neglected and my newsletter is still fighting with "Break My Stride" - ie for my attention, inside my head, constantly drowned out by synthesisers and a litany of "never met a girl like you...Have to say - Oh!"

Currently, I'm placing the blame on the fact that our TV went poof! and left me with nothing to ignore whilst trying to do some crafting. This coupled with the really cold weather that has me in Michelin-man attire, constantly running to warm myself in front of the fridge...and interruptions to do other things.

Anyway, there's nothing quite like a cyberstamp to give me a shove in the right direction. This month's INKlings set of challenges was hosted by the very lovely Fiona Brown. Her first was based on the sketch clean & simple stamping FTL 44. Not much stamping but lots of cramping cutting for my attempt. It also features one of my favourite things at the moment which is making glittery brads from Supernova glitter, mini glue dots and plain ol' brads. The wide grograin ribbon knot finally found its home on this card after sitting neglected (and in the way, at times!) since December last year when I first tied it into existence.

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Tangerine Tango

Stamp sets:
More Thoughts Simply Sent Kit

Paper:
Haiku DSP
Old Olive CS
So Saffron CS
Tangerine Tango CS
Very Vanilla CS

Accessories:
Mini Glue Dots
Old Olive Grosgrain Ribbon
Paper Snips
Stampin' Dimensionals
Stampin' Write Marker in Old Olive
Supernova Fine Glitter
Very Vanilla Grosgrain Ribbon

Lin Mei's May Maybe Malaise

That about sums up my May. Maybe or maybe not. Mostly maybe not...maybe. If I keep this up, "maybe" is not going to look correctly spelt and this post may just end up on the list of maybes. Yup! That's done it ... "maybe" looks completely wrong now. Maybee it needs an extra "e"... Not! *sigh*

I hosted this month's INKlings Cyberstamp and, being a little stamped out after Convention swaps, nominated as the first challenge to make a card that featured Designer Series Paper mainly. With this month's DSP promotion, I was feeling like I could actually USE my DSP for once as there's still time to buy more on sale if I really messed up...

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
VersaMark

Stamp sets:
More Thoughts

Paper:
Pink Flamingo DSP
Piroutte Pink
White copy

Accessories:
Felt Fusion Too
Heat Tool
Ice Circle RS Brads
Oval Punch
Pink Piroutte Striped Grosgrain Ribbon
Small Oval Punch
White Embossing Powder

Too late for Mother's Day

this year...Maybe I'll keep it for next year!

I made this card using Dani's colour challenge of Baja Breeze, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip and Taken with Teal last month. It features my new Marker Over technique - it's new 'cos I've made up a name for it. It involves using a Stampin' Write Marker to accent parts of an image after it has been stamped which is great for jazzing up mono-coloured wheels. You can even add accents of your own ... like dots. I used this terrific (if I may say so myself) technique for my Convention swaps too!

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Certainly Celery

Stamp sets:
Bella's Border
Occasional Greetings

Cardstock:
Baja Breeze
Certainly Celery
Whisper White

Accessories:
Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon
Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon
Filigree Designer Brads
Flower Fusion Too
Ice Circle Rhinestone Brads
Stampin' Write Markers Chocolate Chip, Taken with Teal and Tempting Turquoise

No inkling

Sometimes it is just unfortunate...you are totally immersed in the process of manifesting that grand vision in your mind and you have no idea about the big picture you are setting in motion - the complete picture. For me, here is how it all started...

We recently had an INKlings Cyberstamp hosted by the very effervescent Dani Fender. I haven't been able to take part in a team cyberstamp for a while so I made a little commitment to do hers. One of the challenges was to make an Easter basket inspired by Makeesha Byl. Because I was too time-poor¹ to follow the tutorial, I decided to use a A5 sheet that was lying around for the base and just make the rest up as I go. The grand vision that I had for this project was to use the eyelet punch to emulate the look of broderie anglaise². I also wanted to add ribbon woven through cardstock as it reminds me of trim on pretty lingerie.

As an aside, how great are the new Stampin' Up! Filigree Designer Brads? There is a little round recess in the centre of the filigree flower for a perfectly sized brad to slot in. You can use the ones included or the smallest sized circle rhinestones brads, for example. This makes the whole thing very stable (no wobbling here) once attached to a project.

The thing that did surprise me about the Filigree Designer Brads was the thickness - check it out in the close up.

Back to the saga. Once the basket was completed, I hunted around fruitlessly for some Easter eggs to fill it. Failing that, I found a box of Ferrero Rocher. As it turned out, the basket fit two chocolates abreast perfectly. Which is exactly the problem...the basket now looks like a brassiere! Waaaaaaaaaah! *sniffle* Just don't imagine tipping the Ferrero Rochers so that the labels face the front! Hey! I warned you...

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Certainly Celery
Lavendar Lace

Stamps:
Baroque wheel
Fresh Cuts set
Petal Pizzazz set

Cardstock:
Lavendar Lace
Whisper White

Accessories:
Certainly Celery Grosgrain
Designer Brad Filigree
Double Rectangle Punch
Eyelet Border Punch
Scallop Punch
Small Oval Punch
Stampin' Write Marker in Lavendar Lace
Whisper White Grosgrain

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1. time-poor: an excuse (aka spin) for being impatient and lazy in this case.
2. Broderie Anglaise: French for "English Embroidery". It is rather ironic that a French term is used in English to describe something as English.