Cardinal Bird - 2 Step Bird Punch

This is one of the cards we made recently at Stamp Club. I try to show my stamp club two new techniques or card styles at each of our stamp club meetings. As well as the cards they make they also get to take home samples for their technique books.
We made this Cardinal bird with the 2-Step bird punch and we also used the Baby Wipe technique in the background of the card. On top of the background and along the bottom of the card i have used Staz On Black to stamp the grass from the Inspired by Nature stamp set.
Did you notice the frame around the sentiment? It is from the Lots of Tags Big Shot die and it is a new favourite of mine. I'm sure you will be seeing lots and lots of this.

Stamp Club Challenge Winner

My stamp club meets every 2 months and each time i set a different challenge to its members. It is an optional challenge and the winner gets a prize. The last stamp club challenge was "Anything But A Card". I had three really great entries and were all very different so it was a hard choice, however i did decide on the one above made by Alison. It is a pencil holder made for her 4 year old daughter, what little girl wouldn't love it!

Close to Cocoa Cardstock about to run out!

If you like Close to Cocoa card stock it is set to run out forever in the next two days so get your order to me at Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au and i will order some for you.

Bye Close to Cocoa

Is it too early for a Christmas card???

So what do you think? Well you know i like to plan things way way in advance. Anyway i have made a few christmas cards in recent months when preparing for Christmas in July. This is one of those cards.
I am really sad that handsome hunter is going to go, it is such a nice christmas colour (on the other hand i will be happy to see Wild Wasabi back!).

One of my all time favourite stamp sets is Lovely as a Tree because it can be used for so many things. This is a simple card. I love the effect that the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder gives the background. It is a bit like snow isn't it? I have placed the image on some dimensionals to make it pop out of the card!
The sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Sentiments stamp set.

So have i got those cogs turning for christmas ideas yet?

Final June Deal of the Week Up to 50% off Embellishments

Check out this weeks Deal of the Week. It is the final one and if you would like anything make sure you email me your order at christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au before next wednesday.

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Sale Price
109113	149	Square Ice Rhinestone brads	$19.95	$11.97
109111	149	Circle Ice Rhinestone brads	$19.95	$11.97
109112	149	Square Fire Rhinestone brads	$19.95	$11.97
111848	150	Bashful Blue 1” double-stitched grosgrain ribbon	$19.95	$10.97
109050	151	Certainly Celery 5/8” grosgrain ribbon	$14.95	$8.97

Movers and Shapers Purse

Today i have a cute little purse to share with you. A couple of weeks ago i got together with my downline who wanted a bit of Big Shot training. I tried to focus on some things that they would not have seen before and came up with this little purse. It was inspired by a box i saw demonstrated at convention using the Movers and Shapers.
With this purse i have used one of the Magneti Movers and Shapers from the Holiday Windows kit and cut a card in Orchid Opulence card stock. I have then placed some acetate behind the cut out to make it a clear window. I have placed the Top Note Die cut in Rich Razzleberry card stock on the top and decorated it with a flower from the Felt Fusion pack and purple Rhinestone brad from the Circle Ice Brads. Another Circle Ice Brad decorates the butterfly punched from a scrap of the Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper. A little bit of Polka Dot Rich Razzleberry Grosgrain Ribbon makes the handle on the bag and finishes it off.
My downline loved the little purse that they got to make. If you would like to be part of my downline and come along to my training plus a variety of other get togethers Stampin' Up! is still offering 20% off the starter kit. All you have to do is head over to my demonstrator website at www.christiewallace.stampinup.net and you can sign up online. Alternatively you can contact me for more details

Garden Whimsy Black Magic

This is a card that we made at my Stamp Club last week to showcase the Black Magic Technique. Black Magic involves stampin in Whisper White Ink on to black card stock and then colouring in the ink using water colour pencils. It is fun and gives a striking effect. Give it a go sometime.

Echoes of Kindness Heart Card

I made this card a few weeks back for a very special lady who achieved once in a lifetime award. It is a bit of a different card, a style that we were shown at the recent Stampin' Up! convention by the American Training facilitator Shannon West, what a talented and fun lady she is!
The card itself is a love heart and was made using a 12x12 piece of Cameo Coral Textured card stock. It was first folded in half and then half a love heart was cut so that when the card stock was opened up it gave a full symetrical love heart.
In the middle of the heart i placed a piece of So Saffron card stock measuring 14.8 x 10.5cm, layered with another piece of white card stock. I have stamped a lightly sponged (with Riding Hood Red ink) En Francais background stamp and sponged around the edges of the card stock with the same ink. I have then used the greeting and flower from the Echoes of Kindness Level 2 Hostess stamped in Riding Hood Red Ink to decorate the inside. I have finished the inside of the card off with some punched and stamped hearts from the Full Heart and the Heart to Heart Punches in co ordinating card stock.
If you look closely you can also see that i have distressed the edges of the card stock using my distressing tool.

The next thing that i have done is to fold the love heart down and around the centre piece of card stock. This creates the envelope for the card. I have also nicely decorated the front of the envelope but unfortunately i can't show you it because i have used a stamp set that we were given at convention from the new Idea's Book and Catalogue, so you will just have to wait in suspense for a little while!

Pendant Notes and Bright Delight Rub Ons

At the recent Stampin' Up! convention we were shown how to make a box out of the Pendant Notes. I really liked this idea so i made my own version and turned it into a bag using a bit of the gorgeous Satin Kiwi Kiss/Very Vanilla Ribbon. I then wanted to make some note cards to put in the box and decided that the Bright Delights rub ons were going to be a great option. They are the perfect look to place on Kraft card stock to match my box. I was really impressed with how they turned out and will make a perfect Lucky Door Prize or hostess gift at one of my workshops. The Pendant Notes are in the Autumn Winter Mini Catalogue and are just $17.50 for 12 notecards and envelopes

Deals of the Week #3- Up to 50% off Stamps

Deals of the week 3 have been announced with up to 50% off selected stamp sets. Check them out below and email your order to Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Sale Price
114263	34	A Happy Heart stamp set	$41.95	$20.98
115792	57	Greetings Eight stamp set	$49.95	$24.98
116330	78	Bella's Bloom stamp set	$24.95	$14.97
113009	97	Enjoy Every Moment stamp set	$53.95	$26.98
114283	105	All Scallops stamp set	$55.95	$27.98

Quick Easy and Cheap Gift Packaging

This is a quick and easy box i whipped up to place a book for my mum in. When i worked out the cost it actually cost less than one of those coloured paper bags you buy at any variety shop, and may i add looks much much nicer! It was really easy to make, i used 2 sheets of 12 x 12 textured card stock and some die cut blooms. I measured the book i wanted to go inside and then just based the measurements of the box bottom around that, making the lid slightly bigger. If you want more instructions you can contact me at Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au

Inspired by Nature using Daubers

This is a card i made recently using the Inspired by Nature stamp set. I used the sponge daubers to add colour to the stamp set, this way i was able to add different colours to the stamp. I was really happy with the effect that this gave the stamped image.
My colour inspiration for this card was straight from the Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper. This paper is one of my favourite all time papers and i just love the Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence and Old Olive Combination.
Sometimes when you lack a bit of inspiration you only need to look at the papers and colour combinations in the Ideas Book and Catalogue to help you.

Christmas In July Extravaganza

Saturday July 3rd 1 pm
Make 6 projects with Instructions for $25
Christmas Display, Lucky Door Prizes and Lots of Fun
Limited spaces left so RSVP to Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au

Fun with the Top Note Die

I love the Top Note Die and have been having lots of fun playing with it. I made this really quick and simple yet effective card at a recent workshop. I simply folded over a layer of A5 card stock and placed it onto the Top Note Die before running through the Big Shot. It then gave me a Top Note shaped card. I also cut out a Top Note in Whisper White card stock and then cut around the score line to make the card a bit smaller. I embossed the white card stock with the Manhattan Flowers Embossing Folder and placed it onto the Top Note card. Finished it off with matching Rich Razzleberry ribbon and viola! What do you think?


The second project i have for you is a Top Note Box. I made the box with the Cottage Wall Designer Series paper and co ordinating card stock and ribbon. I decorated the box with a Die Cut Blooms Flower and a punched DSP butterfly and added a thank you greeting. I filled the box with a few Stampin' Up! goodies and gave it to one of my lovely customers who had organised a card class. I hope Sue liked it!

Flower Fancy Circle Window Card

Hi All! Hope you are having a fantastic weekend and staying dry!!!!
I have for you today a Flower Fancy Circle Window card that we made at last weeks class. I used the circle scissors to cut the window and the Rich Razzleberry ring on the outside. I was happy with the way it turned out and once again i took my colour inspiration from the Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper.
Can you see the Scallop Circle Punch around the greeting? I just wanted to remind you that fantastic punch specials Stampin' Up! are offering will end this tuesday so make sure you get your order in and don't miss out on over 30% off some of the most popular punches.
You can check out the deals of the week at my demonstrator website www.christiewallace.stampinup.net or email me at Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au for details.

FAREWELL COLOURS RUNNING OUT! I wanted to let you all know that once the stock Stampin' Up! has on hand of the colours that are retiring has run out they will not be replacing it. This is likely to happen soon for some of the inks, paper and especially the refills. So if you have any colours that you MUST have then don't hesitate to email me your order
Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au

Inspired by Nature - Baby Wipe Technique

A couple of weeks ago at my one of my training nights with Creative Stampers team leader Joanna Wassens i learnt the baby wipe technique. It is so simple and yet so effective. I just had to make some cards using this technique and this is one of the cards i made using the Inspired by Nature stamp set. The greeting is from my well used Teeny Tiny Sentiments stamp set.
I will be teaching this technique at my upcoming Stamp Club night, with another card that i will show you later.

Heard From the Heart of Roses

This is a card i made as a recent make and take for a workshop. I love the Rose is a Rose stamp set. I recentley got this stamp set for FREE from Stampin' Up! as part of my Demonstrator benefits from Sale-A-Bration. Thanks Stampin' Up!, i have had my eye on this one for a while.
This card showed two step stampin' and everyone at the workshop seemed to pick it up pretty well. If you haven't heard of 2-Step Stampin' there is some information on the Stampin' Up! website under techniques.
This card also features the Big Shot Top Note Bigz Die and the new stamp set Heard from the Heart, such a simple yet elegant greeting set.
What do you think? Do you like the card? I have used the Bella's Border wheel with Rich Razzleberry ink to give a subtle background impression in the corner. Leave me a comment and tell me what you think

Deals of the Week #1 - Punches

Wow what a special Stampin' Up! has given us for the very first Deal of the Week!
Everyone loves punches, don't they? Well from today until the 111:50 pm on the 8th June you will be able to purchase any of the following punches for 2/3 of the RRP!

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Sale Price
112081	152	Scallop Square punch	$30.95	$20.12
109183	153	Trio Flower punch	$30.95	$20.12
110711	153	Boho Blossoms punch	$30.95	$20.12
114889	n/a*	Scallop Oval punch	$30.95	$20.12

To give you a bit of inspiration i thought i would show you something i have made recentley with some of these punches.

This is a pillow box made with the Big Shot BigZ Pillow Box Die. I have used the Scallop Square Punch for the tag.

The next picture is a cute little box that i made with Orchid Opulence card stock and Cottage Wall Designer Series Paper. I have used the Boho Blossoms flower punch for some decoration in the bottom corner.

Next i have a card i made with the Echoes of Kindness stamp set. The Scallop Oval Punch (which i use alot!) is featured around the greeting.

The final card i have uses the Trio Flower Punch. This card is one of the cards i will be offering in my bird punch class. You can come along to this class and make 4 different cards using the bird punch. If you include the bird punch in your class fee the total is $40! That is less than $10 for the class.

If you would like to order any deals of the week or if you would like any other product, you can email me at Christies_stamps@yahoo.com.au