Flower Fancy Inkspirations Colour Challenge

I was hoping to be able to participate in a few more challenges this year and work them into other projects i am doing. I almost missed the first Inkspiration Challenge as it ends tonight but i was able to quickly make a card. The colours for the challenge were indeed a challenge for me. I think i have used Cameo Coral once before in a card.

I have used the Flower Fancy set. I just love using this big flower with the Rock'n'Roll technique. I have used So Saffron and Cameo Coral for the Rock'n'Roll with Chocolate Chip behind for the two step stampin'

Another little thing i incorporated into this card and can tick off the 'Want to Do' list is to use a Half Pear from the Pretties kit inside one of the Large Flower Designer Brads. I have stuck it on using Crystal Effects which is just an all around handy product to have.
Anyway here is my card and entry into the challenge. Still not convinced of the colours but i gave it a go!

Vintage Labels with a Twist

I am sure you can all empathise with me when i say that this is a card that took me 2 hours to make. It may not look like it BUT i had this great idea in my head to use the FREE Sale-A-Bration Vintage Labels set with punches to create a different looking stamped image depending on the punch i used. Well that part actually worked and the Scallop Circle Vintage Label stamp looks fabulous and entirely different when punched out with the Scallop Circle, the 1 3/4" Circle, the 1 3/8" Circle and the 1 1/4" Circle punch. What didnt work was the layout for the card i had in my head so after a while i thought of the flower pot with some layered flowers and this is what it turned out like. I like that it is a different twist on the stamp set but it is entirely different to what i had in mind.
The flower pot is made using the Kaleidescope Designer Series Paper and the Greeting is from the Chit Chat Rub On s both from the Summer Mini Catalogue. The stems are made from the Baroque Motifs stamp set and the flowers are layers of the Vintage Labels decorated with some Designer Series Paper and a Clear Round Button.

Celebrate Sale-A-Bration with an ESAD Blog Hop

Today marks the beginning of Sale-A-Bration and to celebrate we are having a Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop! ESAD (Extra Special Aussie Demonstrators) is a Demonstrator Only forum that i am part of that is a wealth of information, support and all around fun. If you are an Australian Demonstrator you are eligible to join - just click here for more information.
Now let's get the party started!

Today i have a couple of projects to show you. The first is a very simple box in which i have stored a whole bunch of tags made using the Vintage Labels Sale-A-Bration set. I have used the very simple classic colours of Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White and Basic Grey. The Vintage Labels set is fabulous because it co-ordinates with three of our punches - the Scallop Circle, Large Oval and Curly Label. This makes it great for greetings on a card or for simple tags for a small gift. The set also has 3 different greetings, so it can be used for any occassion.
The box is a very simple slider box in which i have placed a divider to divide my tags by occassion.

The second project i have for you today is some cards in a draw. I have used the Kaleidascope Designer Series Paper and mounted it on Basic Grey and Pixie Pink card stock. The colour contrast of the dark grey colour makes the vibrant colours of the Kaleidascope paper really POP! Again using the Vintage Label Sale-A-Bration set you can see that it is so easy to place a greeting on some ribbon on a card to finish it off. Such a simple card to make! I have also made a draw which i have decorated with some matching Kaleidascope paper and some buttons from the Summer Mini Catalogue. I made 4 matching cards and placed them inside the draw and it will be a nice little gift for someone.

For more Sale-A-Bration ideas head on over to Corinna Buchan's blog . It is the next stop on the blog hop. Remember if you leave a comment on each blog and then send an email to leonie@stamp- a-latte.com you will go into the draw to win some great blog candy. Happy Blog Hopping.

Hatian Disaster Relief Special

On 12 January, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck Haiti, leaving in its wake devastation so overwhelming that the Haitian people and their leaders can only look for help from the outside to cope. As a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, you can help make a difference in the lives of those who continue to suffer from the effects of this earthquake by purchasing, and more importantly selling, the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set.

From now until 28 February 2010, $2 from every I {Heart} Hearts stamp set you sell will be donated to the American Red Cross' Haiti Reflief and Development Fund. The Red Cross is already well-established in Haiti, and this money will be used to provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need.

Product Name	Item #	Price
I {Heart} Hearts	117715	$42.95 AUD/$49.95 NZD

In the past, when terrorists attacked the Twin Towers, when a tsunami struck Indonesia, when a hurricane destroyed New Orleans, and when wildfires ravaged Australia, Stampin' Up! demonstrators have stepped forward and showed their commitment to making a difference in the lives of others. This time is no different.

To help raise as much moeny as possible i have decided to offer all customers my demonstrator discount on this stamp set. The total costs for this stamp set including postage will be $41.09 so if you were partial to this stamp set and want to help a good cause place your order with me at Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au

I have really been enjoying playing with this stamp set and the co ordinating punches. Here are two cards to give you some inspiration.

The first card is a very simple card which is decorated with the scallop edge punch and the gorgeous Real Red Polka Dot Ribbon. But where are the dots? The flip side of the ribbon is double stitched, making it extra handy. I have also used a rub on from the Chit Chat Rub Ons as my greeting.


The second card i have used the Big Deal Alphabet set and a Sweet Treat Cup. Inside the cup i have placed some chipboard love hearts (coloured in with a co orrdinating pink passion marker of course) and some of the love hearts from the stamp set that have been puched out with the co ordinating Heart to Heart punch. Turned out pretty cute i think.

Of course this stamp set screams Valentines Day at this time of year but it is also a really great set for engagements, weddings, for that specials someone and also for little girls who all seem to love hearts! I have a few more projects that i have created with this set up my sleeve so check back to see more ideas to inspire you!

Something Sweet for you

This card is made with the great set Something Sweet from the Summer Mini Catalogue. It is on one of the cards we made at my Sale-A-Bration launch last night. We had lots of fun with 3 make and takes, some food and lots of fun. Congratulations to my prize winners too - some of my customers were lucky enough to take home a free stamp set and other product.
If you would like to attend one of my launch nights make sure you sign up to my newsletter at the top of this page.

Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peak 2 - Whimsical Words Baby Card

One of my very good friends had a beautiful little baby girl last week and this is the baby card i made for her. I used the All in the Family, Family Favourites and Family Accessories Too stamp sets. The greeting is from the new Sale-A-Bration stamp set Whimsical Words. I really love this stamp set. The greetings are so pretty and are really hard to get wrong when you stamp them on a page (and that is what we want right??).

I have used a Soft Subltles colour scheme (Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana, sage Shadow, Bashful Blue and Almost Amethyst) for the card (perfect for any baby card right) with Regal Rose for definition in the background. To give the card a 'pretty touch' i have used the Eyelet Border Punch and some Pretty in Pink Tafetta Ribbon. I have also used a flower shaped Button from the Sherbet Designer Buttons in the Summer Mini Catalogue and added a half pearl from the pretties kit.

If you would like to have your very own free set of the Whimsical Words stamp set, all you need to do is spend $100 on Stampin' Up! products which we know is so easy to do or perhaps you would like to host a workshop during the Sale-A-Bration period. Sale-A-Bration starts next monday so email me with your preferre dates at Christies_stamps@yahoo.co.au

Sweet Treat Card Class

Thursday 28th January 2010
7:30 pm
$25 includes your box of Sweet Treat Cups
Limited Places. Bookings Essential
Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au

Faux Frosting and Good Neighbours with a Twist

I recently learnt how to do Faux Frosting - thanks to a recent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Newsletter. It is perfect for cupcakes but in all of my stamp sets do you think i have any cupcakes??? No i don't! I used to but it retired.
So in order to make a cupcake i had to think outside the box and that is exactly what i did with this card.
One of the new Sale-A-Bration FREE sets is called Good Neighbours and it has a couple of trees, houses, different roofs and a cloud stamp. Anyway i made myself a cupcake with this stamp set using a roof turned upside down and a cloud stamp. What do you think? It is always good to think about different ways to use the stamps you have in your collection. It is amazing to see what people come up with.
Anyway this is quite a simple card in which i have just used two colours - Taken with Teal and Rose Red and have used markers only to colour my stamps.
The greeting is from the On Your Birthday stamp set which is full of great birthday greetings for inside and outside the card. This particular greeting is my favourite and looks great on the inside or as a focal point ont the outside of the card.
I have used some of the Rose Red Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon which is a real bargain in the Inventory Clearance Sale (don't forget to place your order as it ends January 24th) and layered the cupcake image using the 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches.
Then i have made Faux Frosting which is a great 3 Dimensional effect on the cupcake icing (even if you can't see it the greatest in the photo). If you would like to learn how to make Faux Frosting (it looks great on bigger cupcakes too!) then i have a tutorial for this card on my Stampin' Up! Demonstrator website just visit it at http://christiewallace.stampinup.net

If you would like to learn even more great ideas, why don't you think of joining Stampin' Up! too. There are all types of demonstrators from your hobbyist to profitable small business owners. We have lots of fun. And if you join during Sale-A-Bration, not only do you get the great Starter Kit which is worth almost double of what you pay for it but you also get another FREE stamp set valued at $79.95 to choose from the Stampin' Up! Idea's Book and Catalogue. Just email me at Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au for more information.

All in the Family Fridge Calendars

Just a quick one today. Here are some calendars i made for my family for christmas. It was a great way to give them the daycare photos of the kids. I used the All In The Family set to do some little caricatures of the kids. I don't get to use this set near as much as i would like to. It is just so cute and has some great little accessories in the Family Favourites and Family Favourites Too set.
I put some magnets on the back of the calendars and voila! cute fridge calendars.

They took all of 5 minutes to make as well. Keep these in mind for next year.

Sale-A-Bration Sneak Peak

This is one of the Sale-A-Bration sets that you can choose for FREE just by earning $100. There are 4 sets to choose from and there is no limit to the number of sets you can get.

I made this card for a recent swap that i participated in. The stamp set is called Vintage Labels and i wanted to create a card using just that stamp set. It was a bit of a challenge because the stamp set is made up of labels and greetings. I have used one label in the background and another for the main greeting. I was happy with the way it turned out. The Old Olive and Tempting Turquoise colour scheme is not one i have used before but i love the lift the turquoise gives to the olive.

Did you know that as a hostess during Sale-A-Brations you can earn SAB sets for free too? I still have a few vacancies for the Sale-A-Bration period (january 25th through till March 31st) so if you would like to book a workshop then email me at Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au I have lots and lots of fun things planned for my SAB workshps!

For Everything in Bold Brights and a Marker Special

For Everything is a set in the new Summer Mini Catalogue. I actually recieved this set FREE from Stampin' Up! One of the perks of being a demonstrator is the great benefits you get at different times of the year. You can join in the fun too. If you join Stampin' Up! during the Sale-A-Bration period (25th Jan till 31st March) you get an extra stamp set for FREE (valued of $79.95). You can choose any stamp set out of the catalogue and add it to your Starter Kit. If you would like some more information on becoming a demonstrator you can email me at Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au

Now onto the card. This set for some reason just screams bold brights at me. I do find it harder to work with bold brights so this card was a challenge but i am really happy with the way it turned out. I went away over the new year period and i took a few things with me. I couldn't of course, take all of my inks but i could take my markers and this set really lends itself to markers. I do like the Stampin' Write markers for their versatility and for colouring in different parts of a stamp they are just unbeatable.
If you would like to order a pack of markers i will give you 10% off if you email me your order by the 17th January. If you would like to purchase the full set of markers i will give you 20% off so email me now with your order.

Hello Again Challenge Card

This is the card i spoke about before christmas. It is the challenge card we made at the Merry Inkers christmas get together. My upline Merryl Blacker gave us all the same peices of card stock with a few accessories, ink pads and markers and we got to use the stamp sets Hello Again from the Summer Mini Catalogue and or Pocket Silhouettes.
Now Pocket Silhouettes is one of my favourite stamp sets so i decided to challenge myself even more and not use it. This is what i came up with. What do you think?

The technique of scrunching the ribbon is a little different. I saw it in a demonstration at the Sydney Regionals and thought that i would like to try it so this was the perfect opportunity.
I was happy to create something a little different and am really enjoying this stamp set.

Mums and Kids Class Friday 22nd January

Mother and Kids Class
Friday 22nd January 2010 10am
Make 5 projects per person
(Desk Top Photo Frame, Box of Tags, Desk Calendar, Birthday Card and Mini Purse)
$35 for two people, $15 for extra person from same family
RSVP Essential to Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au

Sale-A-Bration Launch

You are all invited to my Sale-A-Bration Launch Party
January 21st 2010 at 7:00 pm
Come along for FREE make and takes, lucky door prizes and lots of displays for inspiration. Plus check out the 2010 Sale-A-Bration catalogue and the Summer Mini Catalogue.
RSVP is essential to Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au

Cheers to You Happy New Year

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2010. Lets hope this is a happy, healthy and productive year for everyone.
To celebrate today i have a scratch and sniff card to show you. I have used Jelly Crystals mixed with clear embossing powder on the orange circle. When you scratch it, you can smell the orange and mango jelly i used. It is a great technique for kids cards but you must make sure that you use diet jelly otherwise it will be an ants delight.
I have used the Circle Scissors Plus on Kiwi Kiss, Pumpkin Pie and Apricot Appeal Designer Series Paper to create my circular layout. I have then used the orange from the Tart n Tangy stamp set, stamped in Tangerine Tango with the same colour sponging around the circles. I have stamped the cocktail glass on Very Vanilla cardstock using Staz On Black Ink and used the Blender Pens to colour it in with Kiwi Kiss and Tangerine Tango inks. I have punched out the image using the new 1 3/4" Circle Punch available in the Summer Mini Catalogue and used the 1 1/4" circle punch to punch out the greeting. I have mounted it all on Tangerine Tango card stock and used a bit of Pumpkin Pie 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon to finish it off.
Hope everyone has a great start to the new year!