Christmas Inspiration #2 & MDUC Winner!!!

Well this is the 2nd of 3 posts of Christmas cards I have been working on.

I have seen these type of christmas ornaments on many blogs and wanted to give them a try. They are so easy, I used the 1 3/8" circle punch and some acetate to punch a template, the swirl is from Spotlight on Christmas Stamp Set and the string from the Tree Trimmings set from the new mini catalogue. I have embossed the Merry Christmas on the front (from Occasional Greetings Stamp Set). Inside the card I have stamped the Merry Christmas in Chocolate Chip ink (same as the string on the ornaments) and included a smaller ornament inside. After making one I got carried away and made some more in different colours.


Here is a close up of one of them.


On another note I was very honoured to have won the Magnolia Down Under Challenge #20 (my very first challenge win - YEAAHHH). Thank you MDUC girls, I know there are always so many gorgeous entries.


Stay tuned one more Christmas post to go.

Christmas Inspiration #1

I have been inspired lately to do some Christmas Cards, so here is the first of a couple of Christmas related posts.

I love using Kraft and Whisper White and originally wasn't going to include any other colour, but I loved the effect of adding the Riding Hood Red striped ribbon (from the mini catalogue) and matting the reindeer on some Riding Hood Red cardstock. The snowflakes and the reindeer have been done with white embossing powder.

Back with more soon.

My First Blog Award

A big thank you to Kellie for my first blog award, she is such a talented person and her creations always inspire me. I have loved participating in her challenges, it is such a great way for any person new to this crafting or blogging world, to get to play with others all around the world.

I would like to pass this on to some people who have also inspired me:
Leonie - A Stamper's World - love her work and she always leaves me such encouraging comments
Christine - DOL Creations....Stamping and Card Ideas - simply stunning cards, love her colouring
Amy - Me & Mi Stamps - amazing 3d projects (check her out especially on Mondays)
Renee - Stamping for Sanity - her recent Christmas designs are gorgeous
Ramona - Ramona's Home of Creation - who I first met before I joined Stampin Up, for all her encouraging comments

There are many others I would love to give this to (but many have already just received it), one in particular, Debbie - my beautiful, talented, and always encouraging Upline.

thanks : )

Magnolia Down Under Challenge #20

I wanted to put a card in for the Magnolia Down Under Challenge but with a Father's Day theme and no Edwin or boy Magnolia stamps, I wasn't too sure what to do. I received a couple of new Tilda stamps on Friday and managed to colour a couple on the weekend which was fun so thought I might try using one of them. This ended up being a very quick and simple card, so I added a matching sunny boy container (which will be filled with Ginger Chocolate - my Dad's favourite).


I used Bella Bleu DSP layered on Very Vanilla and Kraft Cardstock, with Very Vanilla Grosgrain ribbon. The stamp was from the Occasional Greetings set.


We have wild weather coming in Victoria today (believe NSW and SA also have had a rough time), so to all having bad weather, stay safe.

Delicious Diva Colour Challenge #1 and Kellie's Sketch Challenge #2

Okay when I first thought I would try to combine the Delicious Diva Colour Challenge #1 and Kellie's Sketch Challenge #2, I don't think I quite realised how difficult it may be - boy those colours were tough.













I had another idea for the card in my head but ended up using patchwork squares with the colours from the colour challenge instead.


Well must go and get some washing done, hope you have a great weekend.

First Workshop

I had my very first workshop on the weekend, I think it went pretty well. It was kinda easy as it was some close friends - good way to practice. We did a couple of cards and a sunny boy container (I think they were just as excited about the jaffas and m&ms's I had brought to put in them).

This is a photo of one of the cards and envelope, I decided to also include stamping on tissue paper (only if we had time - which unfortunately we didn't, oh well). I had pre-cut all cardstock and placed them in paper bags, but they were a little plain as they were, so I stamped one of the flowers from the Fifth Avenue Floral set on the front and another flower on a circle of cardstock to close the bag.


Here is a close up of the card, I tried to keep it simple.


The other card used the 24-7 Friends Stamp Set, I forgot to take a photo of the card, but here are the cardstock sets. I did this one in a choice of blue or pink - the tag on the back indicated which colour cardstock was inside.


Unfortunately I didn't get to do any cards for challenges this weekend, and running a bit behind in all areas (my house looks like it has been hit by a tornado!), but hope to get some done this week.

Another Milk Carton - Christmas

I got the Milk Carton tutorial some time ago from Becky Roberts (see here), it is fantastic and can be used in so many ways. This is a Christmas version which I made soon after I got the tutorial, I'm not sure what I will put in the cartons yet, but I'm sure I'll come up with something before Christmas.

I kept it pretty simple, so I used clear embossing powder on the snowflakes to give it a bit of extra texture.

Supplies (all SU unless otherwise indicated)

Stamps -Winter Post, Punches Three (Hostess Set 1), Best Yet (Hostess Set 1)

Ink - Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss, Very Vanilla, Versamark

Paper - Chocolate (non SU), Kiwi Kiss, Very Vanilla

Accessories - Kiwi Kiss Satin Ribbon, Chocolate Chip Taffeta Ribbon, Scallop Square Punch, Large Oval Punch

I have a workshop tomorrow, but hope to get onto some of the fantastic challenge around at the moment.

Have a great weekend.

Holiday Line Up Christmas Set

Well it is after 12 midnight and I can't get to sleep, I don't think the coffee I had this afternoon has helped. Anyway thought I might as well post another blog.

One of the first Stampin Up classes I attended was Debbie's (my talented upline) Holiday Line Up Class, I loved these guys they are soo cute and fun, and it was a great way to start to learn about colouring. During the class we managed to complete the green and blue cards (you see below), using the elves and snowmen (we did a reindeer one, but in a different design), but I wanted to complete the set with one of each design using the reindeers. When I finally got my own Holiday Line Up set I had the chance to complete them.

Here is the top note die design, you can find the original design on Debbie's blog here.


This is the other design, and Debbie's original design is here.


Finally I wanted to house them in a suitable box, this is what I came up with using the new Ski Slope DSP and striped ribbon from Stampin Up's Mini Catalogue.


Better go - I'm not looking forward to the alarm going off at 5:45am tomorrow.

Another Box - Change of Address Kit

My parents have moved into aged care recently and to help them to update their mail with their new address details, I made them a Change of Address Kit. I have used some Basic Grey paper to decorate the cover and 2 Bazzill Buttons and some string as the closure (the ribbon is actually just covering up a join in the paper - as I only had one 12x12 sheet of the patterned paper).


Inside there is a large heavy duty acetate pocket, which holds 20 pre-printed A5 size letters with all the change of address details (Mum can just fill in the recipient/company and any other details and send it off). I have also included a Change of Address list so they can take a note of what ones they have sent off.

On the other side there is an acetate pocket to hold envelopes, another to hold the stamps and a pen holder. I have also added a post-it note holder which is attached with velcro - that way Mum can remove and use (note a good idea is to put the soft velcro side on the part that is being removed).


Hopefully this will make it a bit easier for them, as there has been a lot for them to cope with over the past few weeks.

Is it a Box of Cards or a Bag of Cards?

I have been wanting to make a Card Set for a while and had a few ideas in my head of how I wanted to put it together, so when the Parisian Breeze Specialty Paper was released in the Spring Mini Catalogue using two of my favorite colours, Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip, I just had to get it. I'm not sure whether to call this a Box of Cards or a Bag of Cards, so whatever you want to call it, it is a set of 3 cards, 3 mini cards and 3 tags (I'm into 3's, but to be honest I often run out of ideas for the 4th or its past midnight and I'm too tired to think of a 4th of everything).

The box or bag simply uses a cardstock cover with heavy acetate pockets inside.


When you open it up this is what the inside looks like, it has 3 heavy acetate pockets, one with a section for a pen (needs to be a small pen to fit).


Here is a couple of pictures of the complete set.



I am probably going to give this to a friend for her birthday next week (I haven't told her I have a blog yet, so she won't see it before the day). The only problem is I really like the bag/box design so I need to take down all the measurements before I give it to her so I can make another sometime (I always forget to do this, and then I struggle to remember how I had made something).

Hope you are having or have had a great weekend.

Hand Drawn Set

Hi there I'm back, sorry I know it has been a while. Life does get crazy sometimes.

But back to the cards - I have a workshop (my first) coming up and wanted to make something as a hostess gift, this is what I came up with (I'm just not 100% sure I will use it). If there are any other demonstrators out there - have you given hostess gifts? and if so any thoughts or ideas your willing to share would be greatly appreciated.

This is a little pack of three cards using the Hand Drawn Level 3 hostess set. The stamps are so cute and versatile, I also used them this week on a farewell gift for a colleague at work.








Supplies

Stamps - Hand Drawn Hostess Set (Level 3), Short & Sweet Stamp Set

Ink - Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Versamark

Paper -Whisper White, Riding Hood Red, Kraft

Accessories - Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Riding Hood Red Stripe Ribbon, Cellophane Bag (Med), Eyelet Punch, Square Punches