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

Calendar Class

This 2010 calendar is one of two calendars being made next Friday evening, December 11 at my calendar class. It uses the beautiful Sweet Nothings Simply Scrappin' Kit which is part of the Christmas Extravanganza promotion.

There are also products fresh from the new Summer Mini: the lovely Butterfly Print stamp set with co-ordinating Butterfly Punch and the Retro Mix Wheel.

We have room for a few more people to attend this class - the cost is $20 and is being held in Padstow at 7:30pm. Bookings are essential as the number of places are limited. All attendees will receive a copy of the new Summer Mini too!

Please contact me to hold a place for you.

Last post for today I promise

... for you ... and for me! Personally, four posts in one day is completely excessive and the only reason I am posting this last one is because I promised to let my newsletter readers know the tips for using the faux metal technique with jumbo brads.

You can see the technique in action as the flower centre on the card that I made for hubby for our anniversary today. There is a close up in the bottom left of the picture. By the way, I highlighted the debossed dots with a metallic silver pen.

So, here are the tips:
1. Use only two layers of black embossing powder - any more and it becomes a gooey mess.
2. Since the brad is metal, it gets very hot when you melt the embossing powder so use tweezers or a clip with a wooden handle to hold it while applying heat.
3. The heat also takes longer to dissipate. VersaMark your rubber and wait a little bit before making the impression - also hold the brad in place for a little longer than normal too.

So, that's it! Tips over and time to spend the evening with Hubby! Have a great night.

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Sahara Sand
Taken with Teal

Stamp sets:
Cheer and Wishes
En Français
Occasional Greetings
One of a Kind
Sanded
Wonderful Favourites

Cardstock:
Basic Black
Basic Gray
Taken with Teal
Whisper White

Accessories:
Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon
Black Embossing Powder
Heat Tool
Pretties Kit
Sponge Dauber
Stampin' Write Markers in Neutrals

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.

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!

Bling it on, Brad!

I love a big Brad even more than Angelina Jolie. Rewind! Actually, I can't say for certain that Angelina loves big Brads or even which size ones she has, but I can say that I love 'em - big and small. At the moment, I'm having a ball playing with the Jumbo Brads in the Spring Mini and adding lots of colour and sparkle to them with my heat tool, heat and stick powder and fine glitter. Makes them almost red carpet worthy, imho...

Stampin' Supplies
Ink:
Kiwi Kiss

Stamp sets:
A Great Friend

Paper:
Pink Pirouette CS
Walk in the Park DSP
Whisper White CS

Accessories:
Fine Supernova Glitter
Flower Fusion Too
Heat and Stick Powder
Heat Tool
Jumbo Brads
Round Tab Punch
Small Oval Punch

Who would have thought that these brads came in neutrals?