New catalogues and fantastic freebies!

NOW is a great time to do some crafty shopping with Stampin' Up!  There is a lovely, luscious new Occasions Catalogue with all kinds of new goodies.  And, to sweeten the deal even more, it is Sale-a-bration time as well!  You can select from a range of products including stamp sets, punches, embossing folders, DSP, fun kits and more.  Click on the Cover image at the right hand side, or download the PDF by clicking the SAB cover in this post to view.  This year, you earn a free choice with each $90 spent on any current catalogue.  It's also a great time to join me and my team, with extra value in the Starter Kit.

The photo in the middle of the post shows what can be made with one of the free products on offer, the Good As Gold card kit.  Very quick, so easy, and a great gift - either assembled or left as a craft kit.  Everybody needs Thank You cards, birthday cards etc, and this fits the bill in a most shiny, spotty way!

Christmas Classmate Gifts - Decorated Cookie Cutters

Was Christmas REALLY more than 6 weeks ago?  I am sure I am not the only one who has found the new year to be rocketing by.
These are some photos of gifts I made for my children's classmates, and their teachers got some larger versions amongst their other goodies.  I had seen some Cookie Cutter ornaments about, on Pinterest and my talented downline Clare McIlhatton's blog etc, and then I came across some lovely sets of German-made cutters at Aldi Supermarket, of all places!  And at just $3.99 for a pack of 25, my mind instantly went into planning mode.

They are very simple to make, if a little fiddly and time consuming in places.    The cost per ornament was very little, and I used up quite a few sparkly bits and bobs from my stash.  The ornaments are glued onto sheets of retired Christmas Designer Series Papers, and cut out with a craft knife.  I sanded back any scrappy bits, and inked the edges with a sponge.  I used co-ordinating Washi Tape to wrap around the outside, making sure to have punched a hole for ribbon in the top with my Crop-a-dile first!  I then used various bits of rhinestone, buttons, pearls, chipboard stars, and glimmer paper diecut "merry" from the Expressions Thinlits set.  I packaged them up in cello bags with MDS designed card tags, and they were a big hit with the recipients.  Hope you like them!