Stamp Club Cards

Last night was the first meeting for the year of my stamp club, where we get to make projects that are normally too involved to make during a make and take at a workshop. Last night we made two cards.
The first card was inspired by a card designed by fellow demonstrator Michele Knight at our recent team training day. Using one of my favourite sets Embrace Life (available in the Summer Mini Catalogue) we created this very elegant card. The flowers are coloured using blender pens and cameo coral ink and marker and i have added some extra flowers on dimensionals with pearls from the pretties kit to finish off. The sentiment is from the Wonderful Favourites stamp set.

The second card was made using the From the Garden stamp set(free when you host a workshop of $300 or more). We watercoloured the image using markers and an aqua pen and finished it off with some gorgeous satin choc chip ribbon from the Theater Originals Ribbon set.

If you are interested in hearing more about stamp club contact me christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au

Card 1 Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Embrace Life, Wonderful Favourites
Very Vanilla Card Stock
Ink: Basic Brown and Cameo Coral
Blender Pen
Aqua Painter
Certainly Celery Wide Grossgrain Ribbon
Cameo Coral Marker
Pearls from Pretties Kits

Card 2 Recipe:
Stamp Sets: From the Garden, Canvas Background
Card Stock: Kraft and Choc Chip
Ink: Choc Chip
Staz On Black Ink
Markers: Garden Green, Old Olive, Rose Red, Cameo Coral
Theater Ribbon Originals

Birthday Card Class

I am holding a Birthday Card Class on Friday 27th February at 7:30pm.
We will be making 8 cards of 4 different designs (2 of each card) - A Male Card, A Female Card and 2 kids cards. Cost is $15 (+$2.50 optional to make matching envelopes). Places are limited so email me Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au to book in. As with all my classes there will be a hand made gift for each attendee and a lucky door prize.



I thought that such a class would fit nicely after the Birthday Book Class i just held. This is a bo

Publish Post

ok made by Sue. I was really happy with how they turned out. And below is the Twisty Treat that each guest recieved as a gift. These are really neat and quick and easy to make. I will be demonstrating these at workshops throughout February.

A Make and Take Card

This is one of the range of cards i will be demonstrating as a make and take in the next month. It is made using the Garden Whimsy stamp set and some of my favourite in colours Purely Pomegranate and Bayou Blue. I have also used the Congrats stamp set which is free with any purchase of $100 till the end of February. There is still room inFebruary to take advantage of the Sale-A-Bration period and book a workshop (get a free stamp set for every $100 spent plus other bonuses).
If you are interested in booking a workshop there are a variety of make and takes we can do (3-dimensional projects, 6x6 scrap pages) or you can come along to one of my classes and try a new technique. Class schedule and information is listed on the blog well in advance, so book your spot or email me christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au for more information.
I hope everyone has a lovely and relaxing Australia Day!

Card Recipe
Stamp Sets: Garden Whimsy, Congrats
Carstock: Purely Pomegranate, Bayou Blue, Mellow Moss, Whisper White
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Bayou Blue
Punches: Scall0p Circle, 1 1/4" circle
Metallic Brads and Cropodile

2 scrapbooking layouts

I have been busy completing a few scrapping layouts like i promised. These two layouts were inspired by the Impressions magazine. A monthly magazine that Stampin' Up! sends to all demonstrators. It is full of information, tips and project ideas and is just another of the many perks of joining the Stampin' Up! family.
The first pages is of my daughter Alyssa's christening which was held in March. Her dress (as was my son's outfit) was made out of my wedding dress and so that made it extra special. I have used one of my favourite Stampin' Up! stamp sets Baroque Motifs. It is such a classic and timeless set, i love it.


The second page is a fun page of Tyson using the stars set from the Summer Mini Catalogue. I have used textured card stock in both layouts, which i think adds such a great look to the pages.

Scrapbook pages are such an individual thing and everyone has their own flair. But here is a great tip from Stampin' Up!
"Repetition - Using similar elements throughout your page establishes continuity and can tie everything together, eg.using a variety of the same shape, or the same colours for different embellishments. You can even throw in a little contrast in there and still keep the repetition going by using the same size of different shapes, like circles and stars, but using the same colours or pattern, like polka dots."

If you would like more info on what i have used for my scrapping layouts just email me at christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au for more details.

Garden Whimsy Colour Challenge Card

Yesterday i set out to do a colour challenge and this is what i came up with! Its a fairly simple card using the colours Choc Chip, Very Vanilla, Bayou Blue and Ruby Red (and yet when i first heard of these colours togetherm i thought surely not!). Check out this Scraptitude site. It allows you to put in your favourite Stampin' Up! colour and then suggests other colours to combine with it.
I used one of my favourite sets, Garden Whimsy, to create this card. When i saw this set, new in the Idea's Book and Catalogue last year it was a must have! I also used the Congrats set from the Sale-A-Bration catalogue. This set is free with any purchase of $100 and is so versatile.

LAST CHANCE: To register for my birthday book class this friday (25th Jan) night. I have 2 spaces left. All guests recieve a free birthday card for their folder plus a small gift and entry into lucky door prize. See earlier posts for photographs of the book.
I have also listed my birthday card class in the classes section. We will make 8 cards (4 different designs - male, female and kids), cost is $15.

Make sure you check back for another 12x12 scrap page in the next couple of days.

Card Recipe:
Stamp Sets: Garden Whimsy and Congrats
Cardstock: Choc Chip, Ruby Red, Blue Bayou and Very Vanilla
Ink: Choc Chip, Ruby Red, Blue Bayou
Circle Punches: 1 1/4" and 1 3/8"
Jumbo Eyelets and Cropodile

Sign Up to Win

To celebrate the launch of my blog, i am offering the chance to win the above package. All you have to do to be in the running is sign up to my blog. Then on the 15th Februray i will randomly draw out a lucky winner and will deliver the package to you.
What does the prize include: A Little Bit of Happiness stamp set, Ribbon Sample Pack, Hodgepode Sample Pack, Rose Red Designer Series Paper sample pack, Die Cut Blooms sample pack, hand made cards, a crocodile clip, a magnetic calendar and an exclusive voucher.

Ahoy Matey Invite and Birthday Card

Last April when the new Ideas Book and Catalogue came out, i spotted the Ahoy Matey stamp set and co-ordinating Matey's Map jumbo wheel, and i knew it would be perfect for my son's 2nd Birthday later on in the year. So i made all of his invitations (the top picture) and his birthday card (bottom picture) using this set. Don't you think it is just perfect for a little boy? I was very lucky that pirate themes seemed to be the go last year and there was lots of pirate party gear to match. It was a great day, now my aim in the next couple of weeks is to do a scrapbooking layout of his party to match, i think i'll need a double layout though as i have so many photo's to choose from!

Now i can't wait to see what things i may be able to buy from the new Idea's Book and Catalogue in order to make my daughters first birthday invitations! April will be here before we know it!!!

A Christmas Layout and a Card in a Box

Here is a layout i did of our christmas photos for 2008. Unfortunately again i had to sit in on the Santa photo (i'm sure most mum's can sympathise with me) with my two kids. Alyssa was happy enough but Tyson didn't want a bar of him. I like the idea of doing a page for the Santa photos each year. It was suggested by my upline and friend Merryl. I'm lucky i only have 2 other years of santa photo's for my kids though!

This layout was completed using Dashing Designer Series Paper, which was ever so popular late last year. It has one of my favourite colours (Old Olive) so i loved playing with it. I just have to journal on this page and it will be done. I have a few other scrapping layouts that i am working on, so make sure all of you scrappers check back and let me know what you think!

Scrap Page Recipe
Stamp Sets: Crazy for Christmas, Bid Deal Alpahbet
Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Real Red, Old Olive
Ink: Old Olive and Basic Black
Dashing Designer Series Paper
Bold Brights Buttons
Photo Corner Punch


Yesterday i spent the day with my fellow demonstors in the Creative Stampers team. We did what was called a card in a box, where we all made up a card (or make and take) and put everything needed to make it in a box. There were 10 of us there so we got to make 10 different cards each. It was a fabulous day and one of my favourite perks of being a demonstrator. The card above is the card that i did using the Embrace Life set. This set has to be my favourite at the moment and it is available only until March in the Summer Mini Catalogue.

Card Recipe
Stamp Sets: Embrace Life and Short and Sweet
Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Orchid Oppulence, Very Vanilla
Ink Pad: Elegant Eggplant, Versamerk and Staz On Black
Orchid Oppulence Stampin' Write Marker
Long Scallop Punch
Large and Small Oval Punches
Stampin' Dimensionals
Metallic Brads

First Ever Challenge Card - Botanical Blooms

One of the many wonderful things about being a demonstrator is being part of demonstrator forums where a wealth of knowledge and help is held. One forum that i am a member of (ESAD) has weekly challenges run by the talented Makeesha Byl. I have never had time to take part in them before but today i decided to kill two birds with one stone and make a card for the challenge using the new Sale-A-Bration stamp set Botanical Blooms (free with a purchase of $100). When i saw this stamp set in the Sale-A-Bration catalogue i knew it would be a must have! Im looking forward to playing with it some more.

I went way outside my comfort zone on this one, using colours that i don't normally use but i must admit that i quite like Sage Shadow and im really pleased with the way this card turned out. I used my trusty Colour Wheel (which i swear i use every day!) to find matching colours. The card used the technique two-step stampin, so i got out my trusty Stamp-a-magig and went with it..

Card Recipe
Cardstock: Sage Shadow, Perfect Plum, Lovely Lilac andWhisper White
Ink Pads: Sage Shadow, Perfect Plum and Lovely Lilac and Whisper White Craft
Staz On Black Ink
Scallop Circle Punch
1 1/4" Circle Punch
1" Circle Punch
Whisper White Grossgrain Ribbon
Pearls from Pretties Kit
Stamp-A-Magig

Embrace Life

Whilst i was away i gave this stamp set (and in particular this flower) a good work out.
Here are two similar cards. On one i have used watercolour pencils and a bit of bling (silver hodgepodge) availalbe in the Summer Mini Catalogue, whilst on the other card i have used markers to colour in the background.
Which card do you like better?

I'll be back soon to show you some of the other cards i made whilst i was away.

Card 1 Recipe
Embrace Life Stamp Set
Short n Sweet Stamp Set
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Pink Passion, Very Vanilla
Watercolour Paper
Staz On Black Ink
Versamark Ink
Watercolour Pencils
Scallop Edge Punch
Styled Silver Hodgepode (including brads)
Stampin' Dimensionals

Card 2 Recipe
Embrace Life Stamp Set
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Pink Passion, Very Vanilla
Staz On Black Ink
Versamark Ink
Pink Passion Stampin' Write Marker
Large Oval Punch
Metallic Brad
Stampin Dimensionals

Watercolouring with Markers

Did you know that you can create a watercolour effect with markers?

The card above features some watercolouring using markers, i have also given the flowers in the pot a glossy effect using crytsal effects (i have only just begun to discover the possibilities of this great product!). I finished off the flowers with half pearls from the pretties kit. Now i just have to find a greeting to stamp onto the pot.

In 2 weeks time, my stamp club will meet and we will be working with this technique. Stamp Club members get to explore techniques and projects that are generally not possible in normal workshops due to the time needed to create the make and takes. My current Stamp Club meets every 2 month and each member takes a turn of being the hostess and collecting hostess benefits. If you are interested in hearing more about stamp clubs then contact me and i can send you some information.

Project Recipe
Embrace Life Stamp Set
Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla and Pretty in Pink Card Stock
Staz On Black Ink
Garden Green Classic Ink Pad
Rose Red Stampin' Write Marker
Crystal Effects
Scallop Edge Punch
Green Gingham Ribbon
Pretties Kit

Im Back

I have had a nice break, spending some time away with family and friends up at the river. There were some really great days but new years eve was a great day! I did have some time when the kids were in bed to do some creating, so watch out in the next few days for some of my creations!!!

I hope everyone is feeling refreshed and looking forward to the new year. Im very excited about the Sale-A-Bration period and have just recieved my new Sale-A-Bration stamp sets today. Now i just must find some time to play with them....