Thinking of You Card

Here's a little post-Christmas eye candy for you. I used it as a sympathy card but obviously a 'Thinking of You' can be anything you want it to be!

The background paper is from the Stampin' Up! Modern Medley pack. All black and vanilla images that have proven to be very versatile. Punch flowers out of creped filter paper and then use your inks and brayer to give a deep and satisfying colour.

Teacher Gifts 2013

Here are the little boxes of bliss balls I put together for our very devoted kindy teachers this year. They (the balls) are both tasty and healthy thanks to the expertise of a friend and her magimix!

The boxes are made using a 7x7" square of Afternoon Picnic designer paper and the magnificent new Stampin' Up! envelope punch board.

Check out the video tutorial here. Note that she uses a 6x6" square. That turned out a little small for me as I needed to fit four cellophane-packaged bliss balls in each box. You can make these with a flat top or thread the string through as she shows you in the video. Adjust the size of your box by cutting whatever size square you want and dividing your  edge measurement by three (e.g: punch and socre at the 5.9cm mark for a 7" square).

Merry Christmas everyone.
x

Just Add Ink #193

Who doesn't like little stars when it comes to Christmas? Especially in silver glimmer paper right? Here's a 3x3" boxed set of gift tags I made for our JAI challenge this week. Somehow I laboured over something so simple for the entire afternoon. How rewarding it will be to actually use them on gifts in just a few weeks!

Hop on over to Just Add Ink to see the inspiration pic and join in the fun!

Just Add Ink #191

ANOTHER fortnight has rolled around so quickly. It's a big birthday month in our family and then lo and behold it'll be more birthdays and Christmas! Here's my design team entry for Just Add Ink this week. Quite an easy and adaptable sketch when it came down to it as all the layering is done for you. Check it out at Just Add Ink and give it a try!

If you're wondering about the background, I've sewn vellum straight onto Pool Party card. Made a nice tame blue with a bit of interest.

Just Add Ink #189

It's a colour challenge at Just Add Ink this week - Raspberry Ripple, Perfect Plum, Crumb Cake and Whisper White. I took this challenge further and tried a Christmas card. I'm not particularly one for traditional Christmas red and green anyway but steering away even from red and blue was tricky! Go on, join in the fun and make something too....

Just Add Ink #187

This week we have a simple sketch challenge for you at Just Add Ink. Dress it up as much as you like and join in the fun!

I think this must be the first time I have actually used my cupcake punch for making a cupcake! I had to laugh when my nearly-three-year-old guessed it was a cloud as I had fought the cute pink cloud temptation several times while making it! Anyway... have some cake...

Just Add Ink #185

Now that it's October, it's really not too soon to think about Christmas. I'm not that crazy with being super organised but it has been fun putting on some carols in the car and singing along. To my surprise, my kids (preschoolers) still remember a few from last year. I must sing them at frequent enough intervals..?? At Just Add Ink this week, we're posing a colour challenge. Head on over and have a go.

Being one of five siblings this Christmas was quite significant in that we were only missing one person from the whole lot of us! I crammed a lot of photos on one page, that's for sure, but my favourite would have to be my awesome Ugandan bro-in-law indulging in the kiwi pavlova experience. 

And check out my freehand stitching on the cotton ribbon. Less than perfect but exactly as I wanted it so let's label it rustic...

Just Add Ink #181

This week at Just Add Ink we have a oh-so-cool colour challenge for you. Head on over and join in the fun! Here's what I made - whoops the Very Vanilla got away on me a bit.

Just Add Ink #177

This week at Just Add Ink we have a colour challenge for you: Smoky Slate, Soft Sky and Calypso Coral... Yah, what a winning combo. Here's my creation...

SHOCK HORROR - Did you notice I did NOT matt my photos? They're still lifted by the strips but no matting for a change was quite nice - clean and bare and loving it.

Just Add Ink #175

This week at Just Add Ink we have a sketch to work with and the girls have outdone themselves! Be inspired by their creations here and join in the fun - go on!

Just Add Water! #173

This week it's Just Add Water! So pour yourself a glass... of water... and get creating over at Just Add Ink.

And here's what I made. This is one of my favourite photos of my son and his mate splashing around at dusk. (Please, bring back Summer - I'm sitting here in my dressing gown trying to keep warm!) I wrapped only a simple layout around this pic with subtle sketching here and there and clear-embossed splashes for the background.

Just Add Ink #172

What a pleasure it is to join a great team of gals on the Just Add Ink Design Team. Thanks for the honour, ladies, and let's get started! Here's my very first Design Team project. The challenge this week is to use the new Stampin' Up! catalogue cover as inspiration...  Hop over to Just Add Ink and join in the fun.

Hello Lovely Card

Why, hello lovely! Yes, it's time for another baby card. But I can imagine you know many lovely people that this card would work for...

I can't get past putting on a bit of bling at the moment - loving our silver glimmer paper to no end.
Sneak peek of some upcoming new products here: The aptly named Hello Lovely and Gorgeous Grunge stamp sets and parts of the Tag a Bag Accessory Kit. Only a couple of weeks to go until the new catalogue comes out - YAH!

Mini Suitcase

'Please Deliver To....'
There's only a few days left to order the Sent With Love bundle. Here a little suitcase I made with the Sent With Love Stamp Set. It houses some 3x3 note cards. If you've made pizza boxes before, this is the same concept except I halved the measurement of the edgings on the lid section. Decorate it up as you wish.
Go on, give it a go!

One of the talented demonstrators at Convention showed us the emboss resist technique on vellum. I loved it so much I had to try it right away. Powder emboss, set, and sponge ink over the top. 

A Wonderful Wedding

My beautiful friend married her sweetheart back in March. The weather was perfect, the atmosphere was powerful and what a privilage it was to witness their commitment to each other.

As Matron of Honour (and a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator), I had a part to play in bringing the bride's styling ideas to fruition in the reception hall and other details along the way.
All photos by the amazing Jo Currie Photography. Check out her blog to see more.

The Invitations. Two envelopes folded and adhered in the centre with a
cover to hold it together and info cards inserted.

A timeline of photos to mimic the concept in the 'Proposal Scrapbook'
that the groom made for his fiancee-to-be.

Gorgeous stands and baskets from French Country done up by the bride's family.
Love the light through my bottle collection in this one!

GIANT tissue paper flowers for the bridal table backdrop.
Design perfected by my lovely lady helpers.

The table centerpeices were done up by my amazing friend.
We were going for vibrant colour and fragrance.

The seating plan in a rustic frame made by my DH. Spot the Stampin' Up! white craft ink!

Each table number was a date of significance in the couple's story.

One of these went on each napkin. The reverse said 'thank you for celebrating with us'.

The bride and groom had special ones!

 And just have to share a few more...

The bridesmaids' dresses in beautiful eggplant silk.
The seamstress and florist are sisters. They did an amazing job!

Me and my son: my fav lil page boy.

Colour Collage

Here's an engagement card I spend a couple hours on this past weekend. It was an absolute pleasure to sit down, make something from scratch and have it turn out exactly as I had hoped with lots of layers and on-trend colours. It's a 5x7 one as I needed to write a lot in it!

"So Worth the Wait" stamp from the Wordplay set. I think the best thing about this card was the texture. Textured card, embossing, ribbon, glimmer paper, glitter, the doily... so much to touch and feel.

Sewing and Such

A special little girl I know had her third birthday on the weekend. Instead of purchasing something, I made her gift from things around the house...

First, a man's t-shirt...
Find the Warhol Dress pattern on DanaMadeIt - it's free and easy.

Second, some matching packaging...
This is a pizza box made from one sheet of 12x12 card stock. The name is embossed in white.

Do your boxes always sit crooked when you tie ribbon around them? Find out how to do a flat-bottomed bow for boxes here.

Third, a bit of poetry for the birthday girl who has just started kindergarten...

Happy birthday Chloe.
xox

Patio Party Thank You

I've been enjoying the beautiful Patio Party designer papers. Here's a little hint of it, you don't need much, on a thank you card I made recently. Look at those wee butterflies!

This card is made of only two main pieces. The back (Pool Party) wraps all the way around. I've adhered it on the left to the front main piece (Summer Starfruit). The Woodgrain background stamp is clear-embossed onto Crumb Cake to make the card extra special and give it a bit of texture. 

x

Tying the Knot - JAI #154

There's a pop-up card challenge at Just Add Ink! The following is my entry...

Some very special friends of ours get married next week. This card is very symbollic of course - get it?
{Thanks to my DH for being my hand model.}

 

Thanks a Million Cuz

My amazingly talented cousin performed a surprise serenade for my friend at her Hen Party. He was brilliant and all the gals loved him! Here's the card I made him...

Yes - even cards for guys can have bling. The silver glimmer paper is so easy to use and saves you from wearing glitter for days after it gets everywhere!
Spot the sneaky doily too...

Just Add Ink #149

It has been a while since I entered a JAI challenge! This challenge required us to use the Big Shot machine - here I've used the Labels Collection framelits. A friend needed a sympathy card that was a bit more meaningful than a lot of the cringe-worthy shop ones and here it is...

Doilies and Butterflies

Loving the vintage with a modern twist that doilies bring to a card or layout! Fold them, layer them, sew them... endless possibilities really. Here I've used the Papillon Potpourri set to create something sweet. Hope you like!

Stay tuned for another card in this theme...