Cupcake Gift Card Holder

Okay so this is too cool for words! I saw it on You Tube and instantly went "I have to make one!!" This was done as a little girls birthday gift, but would suit anyone of any age or gender - for a man I would put more white "icing" and a different top embellishment - maybe a red wooden bead with some green florists wire to make a sort of cherry on top effect??

Is that awesome or what? Almost good enough to eat isn't it! But it gets better - lft up the lolly (sweet/candy) shaped button and ta da.........

It's a gift card holder.

and finally a top view of both pieces, doesn't the rouche ribbon look effective as fake whipped cream?

Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Elegant Soiree DSP

Accessories: Blooms and Birds die, Big Shot, Itty Bitty Shapes punch, Crop-a-dile, hemp twine, Tombow glue (lots!), sticky strip, Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon, Melon Mambo polka dot ribbon (retired)

Non SU: needle & thread, pink sweet button, 10cm Styrofoam ball, small bulldog clip.

Secret Santa

Well Christmas hasn't finished yet - or at least my blog posts about it haven't! Below are the Christmas projects I made for our team's Christmas get together. We had a secret Santa swap to do of a handmade item using all Stampin' Up! products. I chose to make a milk carton holder which held four of the super cute & versatile milk cartons. 

I filled each of the milk cartons with ribbon, brads and other bits and pieces and topped each with a mini library clip - they are so cute. The outside of each carton was wrapped in DSP (retired) and embellished with either a punch art reindeer or Santa made from the owl and two-step bird punches (so versatile).

Stamps: Contempo Christmas, Delightful Decorations
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Real Red & Old Olive
Card Stock: Old Olive, Real Red, Basic Black, Cake Crumb, Whisper White, I Wish DSP (retired)
Accessories: Big Shot, Two Step Bird Punch, Ornament Punch, Owl Punch, mini library clips, SNAIL, stampin' sponges, white gel pen, paper snips. Dimensionals, Black Stampin' Write marker, Mistletoe Old Olive ribbon (retired), basic pearls, 2-way glue pen, modern label punch.

Then to finish of the gifting I made each of my team members a skinny treat bag filled with Christmas M&Ms and topped with an ornament from the Delightful Decorations stamp set. I also did similar ones to these for my son's kindergarten class, but they were filled with jelly beans - which the children really enjoyed and saved me writing out lots of Christmas cards for them each & lets face it at 4yo which would you prefer to get a card or jellybeans?

Crazy For Birthday Cupcakes!

We bucked the trend recently and did a birthday card class - it was very pink - although we did do the centre flip/swing card in bashful blue as well as pink just for something different! The DSP is retired (sorry), but I was cleaning up and found half a pack and thought that the colours matched what I was planning to do perfectly. I do love the Crazy For Cupcakes stamp set - very versatile and just plain good fun!

The flip/swing card template is one I got via Google and adapted it for our paper measurements, but basically it is 16.8cm x 14.8cm in total size. The cutting is 3.5cm in from the edges and the two centre score lines are 6.8cm from each side - if it doesn't make sense I can draw out a sketch of the template. The centre chocolate chip pieces are 9.2cm x 7.3cm in size and the whisper white pieces are 8.6cm x 6.7cm. One side looks like this, although the glitter didn't turn out very well on the photograph that is on the balloon.

This is the other side (not finished, but photographed for blog purposes as I still need to add the pink party whistle stamps to the pink surround base piece). Once you have the base sorted out it really is a quick card to make up and flipping it really is very therapeutic! 

Stamps: On Your Birthday, Crazy For Cupcakes

Ink: Regal Rose, Chocolate Chip

Card stock: Whisper White, Regal Rose & Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds glitter, 2-way glue pen, Aqua painter brush, stamping sponges, SNAIL.

Sick Owl!

Isn't it true that it never rains but it pours? (well in our case we'd love it to pour with rain actually, but you know what I meant!) I knew I would be making a get well card for a relative this month who had a knee operation, but would you know it the same week another relative had a fall and broke his ankle so I needed two get well cards. I should listen to my own advice though, as I always tell class attendees to make two cards in duplicate at a time as one A4 piece of card gives you two card bases - but who listens to their own advice??? Anyway I did a Google for ideas and there were a tonne of cute medical staff made with the two step owl punch and I had to CASE them as they were too cute! 

Stamps: Word Play & Dotted Lines jumbo roller wheel

Ink: Real Red & Basic Black

Card stock: Real Red, Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Whisper White & Baja Breeze

Accessories: Scallop Trim border punch, two step owl punch, Tombow glue, mini library clip, Dimensionals.

Stamps: Word Play & Dotted Lines jumbo roller wheel

Ink: Real Red & Basic Black

Card stock: Real Red, Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Whisper White & Baja Breeze

Accessories: Scallop Trim border punch, two step owl punch, Tombow glue, Spiral border punch

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Hi Everyone - here's a quick post to wish everyone a very safe & happy Christmas. I hope that everyone gets to spend some time with loved ones, enjoy the festive season and of course get some creative ideas for stamping in the next few weeks! I'd like to sincerely thank all of my friends, customers and family for their tolerance, support and constructive feedback over the last year - it's all appreciated! Here's something very cute I saw in cyber land that I thought I'd share with you - Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread Milk Carton

Greetings readers, whilst blog surfing I came across a couple of clever girls who had made up the milk carton die into a cute little gingerbread house (thanks for the inspiration Jackie T. & Kay S.) so I had a play with the new trim border punch and made this cute little ornament up to hang on the tree! The milk carton die makes it really quick and simple to make these up and as I am a hoarder and keep the left over stamped shapes I have done from previous projects it went together really quickly. I was also very pleased that the new circle punch in the Itty Bitty Shapes trio perfectly cuts out the circle lolly (sweet/candy) from the Something Sweet stamp set - so it made cutting those really quick!

Stamps: Something Sweet, Cottage Wall, Crazy for Cupcakes
Ink: Real Red, Pretty in Pink, Concord Crush, Daffodil Yellow, Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip
Card Stock: More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Real Red
Accessories: 1/8" white taffeta ribbon, Crop-o-dile, Scallop border punch, Scallop Trim punch, Tombow Glue, Itty Bitty trip circle punch, paper snips, sticky strip.

Chicken Eggs

We recently went away for a week for some much needed R&R and had the dilemma of getting our beloved little chooks babysat whilst we were away. Fortunately one of the lovely families from our sons school volunteered and I'm not sure who had more fun, the chooks being somewhere new or the boys at the novelty of little docile chooks who lay miniature eggs! As a little token thank you for the boys I made up these little thank you's - each contains 3 chocolate Kinder eggs..........what do you think?

I over wrapped the chocolate box with card stock stamped with the Woodgrain stamp to make it more nest box like. Then I made the chickens (inspired and modified from some punch art by Bonnie) and signs using punches and drew in features with the white gel pen. The wings, head and top of the sign were popped up on Dimensionals. The new a la carte stamp, So Many Thanks, was perfect for the sign, I am loving those a la carte stamps so affordable & versatile. Here's a slightly out of focus close up.

Stamps: Woodgrain & So Many Thanks

Card Stock" More Mustard, Basic Black, Real Red, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake & Daffodil Yellow

Ink: More Mustard & Soft Suede

Accessories: Paper snips, Tombow glue, Modern label punch, ornament punch (body), 1" circle punch, small oval punch, Heart to Heart punch (comb & wattle), Word Window Punch, Stampin' Sponges, owl punch (eyes)

Gift Vouchers

Any one who crafts loves receiving handmade cards and also handmade gifts! But sometimes non crafters have no idea what to buy a crafter - the solution is so simple = a gift voucher!!!! Throughout the year I am always happy to make up gift vouchers for any amount that can be redeemed for Stampin' Up! merchandise, the main conditions are:

1. it is only redeemable via myself, as we are all independent demonstrators!

2. it is valid for 12 months

3. you still have to pay shipping fees on the merchandise, but you can use the voucher towards the shipping 

I did one recently for a birthday and here's what it looks like on the outside (with matching envelope of course!) 

The voucher card can be made up to any theme/colours/occassion and for this one I purposely used the two-step bird punch and level 1 hostess set Punch Potpourri as I knew the recipient was getting both of those as part of her other presents!

Pretty cool hey! Wouldn't you just love getting one of these for birthday, Christmas or just because! Feel free to get your loved ones to email or phone me to organise what you really want for the festive season!

Medallion Photo Card

I saw this on Jackie T's blog last month and just had to make it as I think it's fabulous for sending to relatives at Christmas as they can keep the photograph well after the festive season has ended and the cards have been taken down. It uses the new 2 3/8" scallop circle punch from the new mini catalogue - I am loving the larger size!

Well I couldn't find a suitable Christmas photo to go with the card, so I used an old school one! The photographs don't show up the glitter very well that I added to the wreath. Again I used that lovely Mistletoe ribbon that was in last months special - sorry normal taffeta would look lovely too! The photograph slides in and out so empty the card looks like this...........

Stamps: Medallion & Contempo Christmas

Ink: Old Olive & Basic black

Card Stock: Old Olive, Real Red & Whisper White

Accessories, 2 way glue pen, Mistletoe ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, SNAIL, 2 3/8" scallop circle punch, single hole punch.

Window Sheet Treat Box

How about this for a nice way to gift wrap something?? I love these acetate boxes, but haven't made one in over a year, not sure why as they are terrific for packaging lollies (sweets/candies to our Northern Hemisphere readers), soaps or bath bombs, biscuits or a myriad of other items. I think I love this Jolly Holiday designer series paper more every time I use it if that's possible, it's definitely a firm favourite of mine from the catalogue! My hint of the day would be use sticky strip on the window sheet as then the join won't show very much as the sticky strip is more transparent than SNAIL (in my opinion of course!). This box was made using a 3" square base of Old Olive, scored at 1/2" all the way around to form the top and bottom boxes that are 2" square. The window sheet was cut to approximately 6" high and each score was 1 15/16" apart to make it just that fraction smaller than the ends to fit nicely.

Stamps: Delightful Decorations, To & From Tag

Card stock: Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Window Sheet (medium) & Jolly Holiday DSP

Ink: Cherry Cobbler

Accessories: Scallop Trim border, SNAIL, sticky strip, 3/4" circle punch, tag punch, large tag punch, Mistletoe ribbon (retired from this promotion), crop-a-dile, hemp twine

Flip Top Box

As it's getting closer to Christmas I thought I would stay with the festive theme, but show you some little boxes I've been making rather than just cards (not that there is anything wrong with cards of course!) This was a little box that is made using a 25cm x 15cm piece of card stock and is extremely sturdy and so easy to make - I can see myself making a little pyramid of these gems. What do you think - pretty nice aren't they?

Stamps: Punch Pals

Card Stock: Old Olive, Real Red & Whisper White.

Ink: Real Red, Basic black, Peach Parfait & Old Olive

Accessories: 3/4" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, scallop circle punch, scallop square punch, SNAIL, Dimensionals, Stamping Sponge, corner rounder punch.

No Stamped Star Ornament

I have a quick no stamping project to show you - perfect for this time of the year as it's a star ornament. They are so cool and can be made in any size - a sort of origami project, but one that looks stunning with the designer series papers (DSP)! I used up some retired DSP from my stash for this one, but I know it would look equally as stunning in any of the current DSP. Closed it looks very boring (I think I need to stamp and embellish the covers a bit!)

and then open it looks like this................perfect for hanging off the tree!

Card Stock: Real Red & I Wish DSP (retired)

Accessories: SNAIL, crop-a-dile & thin gold cord (non SU)

The New Summer Mini Catalogue is Here!!!!

 Yay, the new Summer Mini Catalogue is here! If you haven't already contacted me to get a hard copy of this, please do so that I can pop one in the mail to you, or alternatively you can view it online here and you can download the PDF of it.

There are two terrific new hostess sets, gorgeous new specialty paper  Presto Patterns Specialty and the new Smooch Spritz that gives a terrific finish to projects as is the new lace. The new Bitty Buttons and matching buttons and punches are awesome, as is the Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  There is a terrific new larger size scallop circle punch 2 3/8" in size and some of the new a la carte stamps are so cute! Too much to rave on about - you'll have to go and look for yourself and see if you can find just one favourite!

Masculine Star Card

Well another of the projects that the ladies at our World Card Making Event Made was one using all new stamp sets - Word Play, Wonderfully Worn and Elements of Style. It was a CASE from Kristy Brown's, but modified slightly to accommodate new and retiring items. It has a LOT of paper piercing around both the Sahara and the Whisper White card stock pieces, but I think the final effect is worth the effort, don't you?

Stamps: Word Play, Wonderfully Worn & Elements of Style

Ink: Early Expresso, Not Quite Navy, More Mustard & Sahara Sand

Card Stock: More Mustard, Not Quite Navy, Sahara Sand & Whisper White

Accessories: Hemp twine, Paper piercer, Dimensionals, Regal Brads, SNAIL, Star Punch, paper snips & Mat pack

December Frenzy Sale - coming soon!!!

Wow just in time for last minute Christmas presents, Stampin' Up! has brought out a fabulous new sale.....from December 1st -29th Stampin’ Up! are offering up to 50% off selected products. How awesome is that!!!

Check out the following list below:

Item	Page	Description	Retail Price	Sale Price
119181	39	A Little Treat Wood-Mount Stamp Set	$21.95	$10.98
120018	39	A Little Treat Clear-Mount Stamp Set	$15.95	$7.98
119189	40	Tote-Ally Tess Wood-Mount Stamp Set	$37.95	$26.57
111255	43	Daisy Dash Jumbo Stampin’ Around Wheel	$15.95	$9.57
121482	56	Baby Bundle Wood-Mount Stamp Set	$49.95	$34.97
119161	72	Autumn Days Wood-Mount Stamp Set	$38.95	$19.48
120012	77	Pendant Park Clear-Mount Stamp Set	$27.95	$13.98
113031	88	Tart & Tangy Wood-Mount Stamp Set	$21.95	$15.37
115806	91	Fresh Cuts Wood-Mount Stamp Set	$38.95	$27.27
115946	102	Wonderful Favorites Wood-Mount Stamp Set	$39.95	$23.97
119167	104	Heard from the Heart Wood-Mount Stamp Set	$38.95	$23.37
119185	105	Teeny Tiny Sentiments Wood-Mount Stamp Set	$62.95	$31.48
105115	118	Pumpkin Pie Stampin’ Write Marker	$5.75	$4.03
105106	119	Certainly Celery Stampin’ Write Marker	$5.75	$3.45
100045	119	Pretty in Pink Stampin’ Write Marker	$5.75	$3.45
105114	119	So Saffron Stampin’ Write Marker	$5.75	$3.45
105111	119	Bashful Blue Stampin’ Write Marker	$5.75	$3.45
105108	119	Regal Rose Stampin’ Write Marker	$5.75	$3.45
105109	120	Bravo Burgundy Stampin’ Write Marker	$5.75	$3.45
100069	120	Night of Navy Stampin’ Write Marker	$5.75	$4.03
100082	121	Basic Black Stampin’ Write Marker	$5.75	$3.45
103104	122	Small Cello Bags	$7.50	$4.50
111325	140	Styled Silver Hodgepodge Hardware	$57.95	$28.98
112530	140	Circle Scissor Plus	$54.95	$32.97
116681	161	Kind Heart Wood-Mount Stamp Set	$11.95	$5.98

There are no limits on ordering and normal postage and handling charges apply. Don’t forget to place your order with me from Wednesday 1st December onwards.  This promotion ends Wednesday 29th December so be quick.

Christmas Scrapbook Layout

What a busy time ahead, I can't believe it's only 4 weeks until Christmas - honestly it's the same date every year and I never seem to be quite as organised as I'd like to be! We had a lovely double layout for a class last week all ready to pop in the Christmas photos for this year, or you could use last years too (just change the year numbers)! I built the page around the Jolly Holiday designer series paper and my new Delightful Decorations stamp set (it came with the FREE ribbon in the bundle here). What you can't see from the photo is the glitter on the baubles and Dasher or the rhinestones on the snowflakes and top of the tree. If you wanted to modify the page to fit more photographs on it, I would use the ornament punch and put people on the tree! The small circles are also popped up onto Dimensionals and the numbers on the squares are covered in Crystal Effects to make them nice and shiny.

Stamps: Dasher, Contempo Christmas, Delightful Decorations

Ink: Cherry Cobbler & Early Expresso.

Card stock: Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Early Expresso & Jolly Holiday DSP.

Accessories: 1 1/4" square punch, 3/4" circle punch, 1" circle punch, Ornament punch, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet, Stamp-a-ma-jig, basic rhinestones, Dazzling Diamonds, Dimensionals, Crystal Effects & SNAIL.

More Pink Ribbon Thank You's!

It wasn't only the helpers that made the World Card Making Day a success, it was also mainly due to the participants who attended as well. Their laughter, talents and support really made the day very special and rewarding for us. For those that placed orders through myself on the day, I made a little thank you treat for each of them as it also enabled us to donate more money to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (Charmaine, Samantha and myself all donated 100% of our commissions from orders on the day to the cause). 

The idea for the treat holder came from a handbag designed by Angie Kennedy, but was modified to suit my purpose!

Of course it was the perfect size to pop in a Freddo Frog chocolate treat! I think these would be easily modified for other events e.g. birthday parties, Advent Calendar, place settings or similar - what would you use them for?

Stamps: Ribbon of Hope & Tiny Tags

Ink: Regal Rose

Card stock: Pretty in Pink

Accessories, Window Word punch, Stampin' Sponges, 1 3/4" circle punch, Dimensionals, SNAIL, basic rhinestones.

Non SU: Velcro

Thanks A Million

Well there are an awful lot of people that help behind the scenes and up front at an event like our World Card Making Day last month and without them not a lot would have happened! So for those special people who so generously gave their time and talents to help us we gave them a little token thank you gift and also a card.

How gorgeous is the new Word Play stamp set - so much fun! I also have a confession to make about this card, it did use retired Regal Rose double stitched ribbon and the watermark ribbon image in the background is contraband - i.e. it is not available (yet) in Australia, but an extremely generous friend in America brought it with her when she had an unexpected return trip here (thanks Kate!) Here's a close up of it - doesn't the rhinestone in the 'o' really set it off a treat!

Stamps: Word Play & Ribbon of Hope

Card stock: Regal Rose, Whisper White & Chocolate Chip

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: Basic rhinestones, Regal Rose double stitched grosgrain ribbon (retired), Polka dot embossing folder, SNAIL, Dimensionals

Christmas Scrapbook Card

This scrapbook card was another project made at our World Card Making Event by Charmaine which was a gorgeous CASE from Convention this year and features one of my favourite Christmas stamp sets - Contempo Christmas (page 23 of our current catalogue & for $26.95 wood mount or $21.95 clear mount it's a terrific bargain to boot!). It is a 6" wide finished card size and holds two photographs - perfect to send to relatives at Christmas time!

The front featured the new satin ribbon, rhinestones and dazzling diamonds glitter to make everything shine as well as some sponging, dimensionals and watermark background effect.

Inside fits two photographs and space for a little journaling or in this case a very nice Christmas tree from the set coloured with markers and topped with another sparkly rhinestone! The writing on the top right hand page is not a stamp - it is some super lovely calligraphy done by the multi talented Charmaine! The model is in fact our son when he was 6 months old - his first Christmas and as you can see, he was pretty pleased with the red car his Uncle & Aunt bought him!

Stamps: Contempo Christmas

Ink: Old Olive, Real Red, Daffodil Delight

Card stock: Whisper White, Real Red, Old Olive & Daffodil Delight

Accessories: Scallop border punch, basic Rhinestones, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet die, Dimensionals, Wide Oval punch, Old Olive satin ribbon, Stampin' sponges, SNAIL & paper snips.

Owl Treat Bag

Here is another of the projects that everyone had fun making at the World Card Making Day event - it had no stamping on it whatsoever!!! It features the exclusive to Stampin' Up! Big Shot Top Note die and the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder plus it also uses the gorgeous little owl punch which is SO cute! He's got sleepy eyelids here, but you can make him up in so many different ways - too much fun.

There is a little gold paper gift bag inside that you can put some goodies in for someone special. 

Ink: Daffodil Delight & Soft Suede

Card stock: Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Delight, Real Red, Soft Suede & Old Olive

Accessories: Daffodil Delight Striped grosgrain ribbon, Owl punch, Bird Punch, Top Note die, Perfect Polka Dot embossing folder, Large oval punch, Tombow glue, Stampin' sponges, SNAIL

Non SU: gold gift bag

Christmas Classics Trio

I thought it was time to post some more Christmas cards for you to have a look at - only 4 weeks to go now - these were all made using the same stamp set, some of the super yummy FREE ribbons (still available until the 30th of November - see here for details). It was a class I ran last week with a great group of ladies - lots of fun and lots of sparkle - if you are interested in attending any classes check out my website to see the schedule or subscribe to my monthly newsletter which will also have all the upcoming class details - don't forget if the times/dates/location doesn't suit we can always make a different time just email or phone me!

The first card used the gorgeous bauble from the set and I stamped it onto Old Olive and cut it out for the centre one and popped it up on a Dimensional. The other baubles were stamped directly onto the card stock and coloured with the red marker. The texture at the bottom was done using the crimper and the bauble strings were done using a ruler and black Stampin' Write marker, then the tops hidden by the ribbon which I just tied a knot in for decoration.

Stamps: Christmas Classics

Ink: Old Olive, Real Red & Basic Black

Card Stock: Old Olive, Real Red & Whisper White

Accessories: Real Red Polka Dot grosgrain ribbon, Crimper, Dimensionals, ruler, SNAIL

The second card I used the marker pens direct to rubber to get the multi-coloured greeting and holly leaves. The bell I stamped separately onto scrap white card stock and punched out and popped onto a Dimensional, the same with the tree and holly circle. The tree was also sparkly with glitter, but it doesn't show up in the photograph.

Stamps: Christmas Classics

Ink: Old Olive, Real Red & Basic Black

Card Stock: Old Olive, Real Red & Whisper White

Accessories: Real Red Polka Dot grosgrain ribbon, Petals a Plenty Embossing Folder, Dimensionals,  SNAIL, 1/2" circle punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, paper snips, dazzling diamonds, 2-way glue pen.

The final card in this set was made using the Jolly Holly DSP - great paper and it has the lovely traditional Christmas Colours, but the patterns would be suitable all year around! The greeting was done using the markers direct to rubber again and adhered to the card with Domensionals, the lovely wide striped ribbon is another in the FREE selection offer this month! The squares of DSP were punched out using the 1 1/4 square punch and then stuck down onto vanilla card stock before being put through the Big Shot with the Top Note die. I cut the perforated boarder off the DSP patchwork to show a thin boarder of cherry cobbler underneath.

Stamps: Christmas Classics

Ink: Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler & Chocolate Chip (all markers) 

Card Stock: Old Olive, Real Red, Very Vanilla & Jolly Holly DSP

Accessories: Riding Hood Red Striped grosgrain ribbon, Top Note die, Dimensionals,  SNAIL, 1 1/4" square punch, paper snips.

Thanks for getting to the end of such a long post - hope that your Christmas cards are going well.