And now for something COMPLETELY different!!

Here's a bit of an oddball post, and it has nothing at all to do with stamping! I was shopping last week with the kids and we happened to see some fluffy pencil cases. As it is the beginning of kindergarten in just 2o something days for Lillian, she naturally wanted one. As did Ciaran, who has most definitely inherited his mother's love of all things stationery! Hmm, says I, looking at the hefty price tag and the rather ordinary quality.

Spotlight happened to be just across the road, and I promised them I would sew them each a furry pencil case. Off we trooped, and found a dazzling selection of fake fur. I was thinking that Miss Lillian would definitely go for pink, and she surprised me by deciding on a steely grey that she named "Bentley" - he's our pretty British Blue cat. Having named the colour, she then decided, naturally, that the pencil case should look like a cat. Hmm. OK, well, we'll buy some pink too. Ciaran is my Mr Orange, always has been, so I thought that would be his choice. Wrong AGAIN - he chooses Leopard Print!

I made them in an evening, and they were quite fun. I lined them with some mid-weight denim, and made them with open end zippers (which makes assembling them easier as the zipper seams are enclosed to make them open smoothly) I like this style of pencil case with the sipper down the middle because it sits nicely on the desk without spilling the contents.

Lillian's has a pink 'tongue', and they both have a tie of ribbon to make opening the zip easier.

At least I know that amongst a host of smiggle/barbie/dora/smash pencil cases, they will both have something pretty unique. I made a couple of smaller zipped purse pouches with the excess width of the fabric, so they have a matching pouch for their lunch money too. Cool hey!

Snow Swirled, Dazzling Diamonds and Pretty colours too!

Here is a very special Christmas card, one that I made for my Secret Santa recipients (just one of the nice things about belonging to a friendly team of demonstrators). I made two of them the same in colours they both liked, a nice co-incidence, hence the non-traditional Christmas colours. It was also an excuse to go all out and make a really pretty card, hence the frills and glitter! It was a lot of fun too :)

The card base is Pink Pirouette, and I have stamped the snowflake images in Pretty in Pink ink, also sponging the edges for definition.

The next layer is a extended mat of Baja Breeze that I have used the Eyelet Border punch on one edge, and I have used the sponge again, with Baja Breeze ink this time.

A narrow mat of Chocolate Chip comes next, just around the white stamped panel. On the Whisper White I have stamped the gorgeous swirly tree from the "Snow Swirled" set in Baja Breeze ink. I also stamped a number of the small snowflake, in Baja Breeze, Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip, and cut them out with my trusty paper snips. I decorated the tree with a tinsel garland, by swiping some 2way Glue pen along the swirls, and sprinkling with Dazzling Diamonds glitter. I added a bit to the cutout snowflakes as well. I popped up the snowflakes over the tree using Stampin' Dimensionals, and placed an "Ice" rhinestone brad on the top as the star.

The ribbon ruffle is a trick we learned at the recent Regional Training day. Start with a strip of the super-dooper double sided "Sticky Strip" tape, and begin at one end with a length of ribbon. Remember the pleating takes up some length, so it's a good idea not to cut the roll end off until you're nearly done pleating your way across. Rub the liner tape firmly with your fingertip to warm up the adhesive first, because it is heat activated. Pretty hey! To finish, I stamped the Season's Greeting from the Snow Swirled set in Chocolate Chip on the bottom of the extended mat. Noice! My giftees liked it, hope you do too!

Happy New Year!

We're here, it's now Twenty Ten! Two Thousand and Nine was a pretty shabby year for a great many people I know, so I think it's time for a change, and sweep in the positive vibes for a fresh new decade full of good stuff!

Thanks very much to all those who visit my blog, especially my 'regulars' and anyone who cares to leave a comment. I wish you and your families a peaceful, happy and prosperous year ahead, with lots of time for nurturing your creative side. I have lots and lots of ideas buzzing around my head. As my daughter heads off to BIG SCHOOL in just 27 DAYS(!!), I am hoping that I might manage to get a lot more of them OUT of my head and ONTO paper and cardstock.

Now, what on EARTH is that photo I've put here?? On New Year's Eve we celebrated with Kim and her family, and the Glow Band bracelets were a big hit. Having tried and failed to get a reasonable pic with everyone sitting super still in the dark, I thought I'd go with the flow and get everyone to wave them about instead. Ta da!