I love Glossy White cardstock!

These two cards both use a panel of Stampin' Up!'s Glossy White cardstock (found on p133 of the 2008/9 catalogue, item 106555, $9.50 for 25 sheets) It is probably something you would overlook in the catalogue in favour of all the other yummy choices, but these cards show how effective and versatile it is!

The Ruby red card is stamped first in Versamark ink using the Paisley background stamp (one of my all time faves) to create a subtle watermark effect. I then cut a sheet of Glossy white into 4 equal sections, and stamped each with Ruby Red ink and the Paisely background. I used my brayer to get a nice even impression, but if you don't have one handy, you could use a small rolling pin. The dye based ink penetrates the glossy surface, and gives a rich intense colour, which I think you'll agree makes the stamp pattern really 'pop' from the page! I then trimmed the sections down into bands, and mounted them on a wider strip of our Whisper White cardstock, add a snippet of white Grosgrain ribbon and attach to the card base. Add a greeting in Whisper White craft ink to complement the white accents in the design and Voila! a very quick and easy card that just looks complicated. From one sheet of Glossy white, I made 12 cards, so a little goes a long way, and it is a great technique to consider for any card you need to make a batch of.

The second card uses the "Crayon Resist" technique, and I did a more detailed tutorial on that a few weeks ago if you'd care to scroll down a bit. Briefly, you need Glossy White cardstock, Stazon ink, a white WAX crayon, some small sections of sponge (such as Stampin' Sponges, p 150, 101610, $6.50 /3pk) and a couple of inks that look nice together. Stamp, apply crayon to areas you wish to highlight, sponge inks over and then polish with a tissue to reveal the white areas under the wax. Again, this is a great technique for cards you need to mass produce, as you can stamp a whole sheet of GW and cut it into small sections to embellish your card bases with. This card uses Apricot Appeal and Certainly Celery inks and cardstocks.

I hope you like them, give me a call on (02) 9484 9447 if you'd like to add some Glossy White to your supplies!

Proud mum moment..

This card was not created by me, but by my newest team member, Susan! She came up with this snappy idea using the "Its your birthday" and the sadly retired "Stem Silhouettes" sets, with a canvas background to make a simple and elegant yet masculine birthday card in just a few minutes. Thanks Susan for letting me take a pic and show it off!

Would YOU like to join my team? There are lots of great reasons - from feeding your stamping habit at a discount, to making a bit of extra cash to building your own team and making a rewarding career that suits YOUR lifestyle.

As your 'mum' - or Upline as SU! calls us, I offer support and advice to help you operate at whatever level YOU choose. It doesn't matter if you live in the next street or on the other side of the country, I'm available to help you, or keep out of your way - whatever suits you.

In addition, the resources available only to Demonstrators from Stampin' Up! are wonderful and extensive, and there are two friendly and supportive Demonstrator online forums available to members of my team.

Concerned about the costs? Don't be. The Starter Kit is offered at 40% discount on RRP, and can be customised extensively to suit your tastes. It represents amazing value as well as everything you need to get started.

The ongoing quarterly minimums are easily achievable even if you buy only for yourself. Add orders from a friend or two and you can be MAKING money.

Should your circumstances change and you decide not to continue as a Demonstrator, there are no penalties whatsoever, no cancellation fee, nothing to return!

Really REALLY don't want to hold workshops or parties? No problem - unlike many Direct Sales companies, they are not required.

On the other hand, if you like meeting new people and sharing your passion for stamping and papercraft, you will love your new job as a SU! Demo

Unenthusiastic partner? Not a problem, just send HIM to the newsagents to buy the next round of Birthday cards and he'll be your biggest fan in no time!

Contact me for a no-obligation chat, and to receive an information package and application forms.

Ta Da!!

And here is the first card I have made, using 2 new sets. This is one of the cards that has been in my head since I first saw the delicious Scallop punch in the new catalogue. It nests beautifully with both the 1 3/8" and 1 1/4" circle punches, and these circle punches can be used on so many different SU stamps that they are all a must have in your punch collection! So easy to layer and create contrast with. The Lovely Labels set also leapt out at me - there are 4 stamps in the set, this is my favourite. I sponged the edges of the scallop with Blue Bayou ink to make it 'pop' against the background. I finished off the scalloped layered stamps with a strip of the beautiful Le Jardin Designer series paper mounted on Bayou Blue cardstock, one of our new In Colors for 2008/9. The card base is another In Color, River Rock, and it is a neutral with a bit of kick! The gorgeous swirl is a stamp from the Priceless set - definitely on my wish list - is it on yours? Hope you like it, I was pleased with how it turned out - just as it appeared in my head for a change!