Gorgeous Stamp Set - Limited edition, and FREE*

A special limited edition set!  Just for the month of June!
You can either buy it - Woodmount #130826  $35.95 or Clearmount #130828 $28.95

or

You can receive it as a free bonus when you spend $125 on other catalogue products!

There's a limit of one free set per person per order, and it's available between June 1st and June 30th only.  Click on the image above to see the whole flyer as a PDF, and call me to arrange your goodies!  Your $125 can come from either the main Idea Book or the Autumn Winter mini, so check out the delicious new products available, or make sure your Pear Pizzazz and Peach Parfait stocks are topped up before the end of the catalogue year.

Change of Date - Stampin' Crop moved to 26th May

Aaarggghhh!  After carefully scheduling dates for my monthly Stampin' Crop days around uni assignment original due dates, Convention in Canberra and more, I am afraid I need to move the next day FROM this Sat 19th May to the FOLLOWING Sat 26th May.   Unfortunately, I will be head down, tail up trying not to be too late handing it in.  Sorry people, but maybe you will be consoled by the fact that I would much rather be stamping???

A lovely handmade birthday present! And a plug for home-grown businesses

I was given this beautiful padded zip pouch, camera strap slip cover and keyring/grab handle for my birthday by the lovely Nicky Adamson, after I had long admired hers.  It was made by a very clever friend of Nicky's, Sandra.  There are some great funky gift ideas for all kinds of gadgets, from iPads to iPods to Kindles on Sandra's Facebook page, "Six Threads".  There are a selection ready-made to choose from, but Sandra can also custom make to your colour/size requirements.

The camera strap cover is a fantastic idea, which I'm sure you would agree if you've ever been to a gathering of cardmaking or scrapbooking women, a good half of whom have a camera that is either identical, or looks pretty much the same (Canon, 300-1000D anyone??)  It is also very clever in that it is padded slightly, which makes it more comfy to leave around your neck.  It also has a nifty elasticated pocket on one end, for your lens cap or SD card pouch!    The strap winds neatly around the lens, offering some protection and padding.  The zippered pouch is beautifully constructed, with a full lining and light padding.  The camera fits inside it easily with the standard kit lens attached, and the whole shebang fits inside my handbag.  It's just perfect for those occasions where I really don't want to take the separate camera bag with all the bells and whistles, but want something more snazzy to snap with than the ol' iPhone!  Love it so much, thank you Nicky and Sandra!

Framelits and Flowers

Everytime I pick up Razzleberry, my hand gravitates to Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake as well - it's sort of become my signature combination.  These two cards I made together, and made some very minor variations for  the second card.  The base is Rich Razzleberry, and there is a panel of First Edition Specialty newsprint paper on the left side.  The gorgeous label shape is one of the new Labels Collection Framelits, as is the sponged Vanilla layer behind the flower on the left card and the smaller sentiment label on the right hand card.  I used the "Mixed Bunch" stamp set and the matching Blossom punch to cut the flowers and centres, and finished off with some Razzleberry Satin ribbon and some Basics adhesive pearls.  For the card on the left, I used a greeting from the "Apothecary Art" set, and for the right the cute little "Kindness Matters" set.  The layers have been popped up here and there with Stampin' Dimensionals.  All done, quick and easy!

Kate Mason's Canvas Napkin Art Class

There is no stamping on this particular example, but you could quite easily add stamping to this really cool, really fun, and easy technique!
Kate Mason was one of the three awesome teachers this year, and she taught a class on the fascinating technique of paper napkin collage.  The teaser images on the class flyer and the plethora of darling artworks on her blog and etsy shop had me quite excited to try something new. I'm planning to have a go with some of my immense collection of Stampin' Up! Designer Series paper and fabrics too, chucking in a bit of texture paste and gauze too maybe, a la Louise Nelson (who's workshop I loved at last year's e2c).  Adding it to the never ending 'to do' list.  Shame there's so much tedious, less crafty stuff that must come first.  I wonder how many art subjects I would need to do at uni before I would be allowed to teach that too???  Hmm, there's an idea!  After all, there's plenty of science in art!

 I changed the designs only a little from the class samples, mainly moving the images to make space for a large quote on each, and switching the colours around.  I had an idea straight off that I wanted to put an inspirational quote on each as a gift for my two lovely kids.  I went looking for rubons, but the only ones I liked were too small and/or the wrong font style.  Hmm, what to do?  I was not keen on writing directly onto the finished canvas, for fear of stuffing it up, but I had a brainwave about using the white layers from the 3 ply napkins, which weren't used on the canvas base.  I took my Sakura Pigma black pen and hand-wrote what I wanted to say, then carefully cut around the lettering and applied it just like another layer of printed napkin.  It meant I could write a word as many times as I needed to get the spacing and look to be how I wanted.  I just need to add a final coat of matte sealer, and then the kids can have them.  I'm desperate to make more, but as per above, there's less fun stuff ahead in the queue :(  Better get off here and start ticking some of those items off I guess... 

More Escape2Create goodness!

 I've had a shocker of a week, catching up from a fabulous trip to e2c, full on teaching and uni, and some assignments to stress over as well :(  It's nice to look at the pics and pretend to be back there, if just for the time it takes to write this post.  Some of the pictures have been borrowed from the escape2create blog...

The lolly buffet - complete with some memorabilia from e2cs past.  There were lovely big white bowls to scoop assortments into, and take back to the tables for the late night sugar hits needed to keep on stampin on!
  

 Just before the happy noises of guests arriving, we enjoyed a toast of Moet with the whole behind the scenes team and teachers.

Creative juices, captured in a glass - Amanda and Meredith's now famous Cosmo cocktails.  Chug-a-lug, there's a whole jug in the kitchen!

e2c blog borrowed pic of the hive of industry taking place!

 

The decorated shed, before the peeps filled it up!

 Kate Mason, artiste extraordinaire!  She would like this pic better without her in it, but I think this apron captures her quirky creativity best when she's holding it out for me!

L-R me, Nat, Amanda, Kate, Meredith, Andrew and Sue, with Mardi at centre front - the e2c organising team and teachers with interstate helpers!

The whole crew, early Sunday morning  - sunglasses might have been a good idea...

I've photographed the cards and Kate's canvas class products, more tomorrow maybe!

Current List of Stamp Sets for Sale - May 2012

Cupboards have been emptied, and quite a number of wood mounted stamp sets have hit the pile for re-homing.  Some are well used, and quite a few are new and unmounted and would make great gifts.  All are bargain-priced at less than half their catalogue price!  Some might be stained on the rubber or wood block, but this has no effect on stamping performance.  All stamps are in great condition.  UPDATED 5th MAY 2012 - I have included lots more new sets from my latest ruthless cull!

Postage is available via satchel, with up to 500g costing $9 and over 500g costing $15.  If you'd like several sets, I can combine into a large satchel.  Pick up from Cherrybrook is also available by arrangement.

This would be one very large post if I made pictures for all of the sets, but since Stampin' Up! stamps are so widely admired,a simple google images search will pull up lots of ideas about the sets and what you can make with them!  Where I have easy reference I have included the 6 digit item code.

Stamps A la Carte - single stamps in clamshell boxes  $7.00 each

Sweetness Unlimited - 117721 (Welcome Baby Sweetness Unlimited sentiment)

Stamp Sets in clamshell boxes- $12.00 each

Bella's Bloom (new, unmounted) 116330


Stamp Sets in clamshell boxes- $15.00 each


Birthday Bakery (new, unmounted hostess set) 121452
Good Neighbours (new unmounted) 118780
Good Neigbours (new, unmounted) 118780
Sweet Summer 123286 (mounted, unstained)
Yummy (new, mounted) 115243
Sweet Little Sentiments (mounted, lightly used) 115736
Botanical Blooms (new, mounted) 115237
Bliss (new, unmounted) 123282
Bliss (new unmounted) 123282
Congrats (new, unmounted) 115239
Picture This (new unmounted, rare hostess set) 119157


Stamp Sets in clamshell boxes - $20 each


In the Spotlight - Hostess set, for many occasions, including Christmas
Rustic Rooster (new unmounted) 115744


Stamp sets in clamshell boxes - $25 each

Friends 24-7 115808 - one of my favourites..
Greetings Eight (new unmounted) 115792
Echoes of Kindness (new, unmounted) 115940


Stamp sets in clamshell boxes - $30 each

Asian Artistry - 119159 - Hostess  set from a mini, rare!

Stamp sets in clamshell boxes - $35 each

Occasionally - (new, unmounted set of 28 icon stamps) 112372


To purchase, please leave a reply here in the comments, and send me an email - michelle.dyson@bigpond.com  with your list and contact details.  Happy shopping, I'll cross them off as they find new homes :)

Escape2Create 2012

Just posting these pics makes me wish I was back in the shed, stamping and laughing, soaking up the creative vibes that were so thick in the air you could cut them!  As always, Amanda, Sue and Meredith (the main organising team) together with their wonderful teachers for the year, Nat May, Mardi Winen and Kate Mason made it an unforgettable trip.  I feel lucky that I get to stretch the experience out to nearly a week, because it's a fair way to go.  For the last two years, Andrew has been part of the incredible behind the scenes team making everything run smoothly, helping out in the kitchen with the wonderful Val Slater (my newly adopted physics and chemistry HS teacher mentor!), and this year's volunteer cooking trio of Leanne, Mel and Kym.  This year, following on from last year's "Man in Pink" tag, he scored the label of "Mr McGuyver" from Mardi.  Lucky me that he's made himself so indispensible that I get to be amongst the chosen few who have the pleasure of attending and helping out.  I'm so inspired, my buckets are flowing over with enthusiasm, now just to find the time needed to play!  A huge thank you to everyone who is so friendly and welcoming to us out-of-staters, if I ever feel the need to move to the country, the Eyre Peninsula would be top of my list I reckon!

Home again, home again (wishing I was away again?)

Back from escape2create #5, 2012. Our 4th trip, 4000km round trip to THE.BEST.SCRAP.RETREAT in Australia.  If not the world.....  I didn't take as many pics as I should have, but here are a few I squeaked in on the way home via Port Augusta, Broken Hill and Nyngan.
More to follow...

 Sunrise, heading towards Wilcannia, Central West NSW. 

 Arty farty "road to nowhere" pic, somewhere between Wilcannia and Cobar.  I was just having a play with the newly enlarged selection of editing tools in good old Picasa.

Last of the cotton in the field, north of Nyngan.  Reminds me of when I was a child, driving to Tibooburra, where we made my dad stop so we could collect some of the fluffy white bolls of cotton fibre by the side of the road.  The fact they looked pretty much like a dirty, slightly prickly cotton ball didn't matter to us.

A totally FAB trip away, still catching my breath, there will be pics of the retreat festivities soon :)

Update...

It's been a little while, life has been somewhat hectic, in a creative way though!
I hope to get back to regular posting very soon, but in the mean time I have a little rush of catch-up posts to make up for my slackness.

 These are the fastest, easiest easter treats for my kids to hand out to their classmates!  I was a bit over chocolate, even before easter got here (did I actually say that?? ).  I had also found a mega jar of Jelly Belly beans at Costco that if I didn't parcel them up and ship them out, would have found their way into my tummy...  (maybe it was sugar I was over rather than chocolate?  Yeah, that sounds better!)  50 something packs of beans made short work of the jar, so that worked out really well.  I used skinny cello self seal bags, and had an idea to use the new Sizzix Framelits Labels Collection from the Autumn Winter mini as a topper for the bag.  Just like the fabulous "Top Note" Sizzix Bigz die we've had for ages, the Framelit shapes are symmetrical, and can be folded in either portrait or landscape to form a bag topper.  The best thing?  The SIZES!  I had no idea until they arrived that the largest Framelit shape is much bigger than the usual nested dies, big enough to use as a decent sized card.  So, there was a die size for pretty much any bag, including the mini bags I was using.  I was able to cut the label Framelits three sheets of cardstock at a time (pretty amazing) on the Bigshot, and was able to use up lots of scrap cardstock.   You can check out the Framelits on page 18 of the mini catalogue, $49.95, 125598.  The Designer Label punch was perfect for the front label, and I whizzed up a batch of those using the chick stamp from the "Best of Everything"set, 124946 $47.95.  I inked up in Daffodil Delight ink, but then I rolled the edges of the inked stamp onto a Peach Parfait inkpad, to get more contrast for the edges against the sharp white label.  A little greeting from good old "Teeny Tiny (something for everything) Sentiments" and a dab of SNAIL, and they were done!  I did gather them all together for the pics above, because they looked so cute and colourful.  They went down a treat apparently, so all was good there. 

Here I am, at my car boot sale stall, just after the completion of set up.  I managed to sell a few of the retired sets on offer, and quite a few cards from the donation box were purchased to benefit the Dural Rural Fire Brigade.  Thanks so much to the lovely customers who were able to drop by for a visit.  Unfortunately, the drawcard, car stopper of a Jumping Castle for the kids was a last minute no-show, so traffic was a bit lighter than expected.  I did manage to make quite a few swap cards, so it worked out to be a fun day.  Off to find more neglected pics in my blog folder!