Time is running out - Sale-a-brate with the Summer Mini

There are just  a few short days left to order items from the current Summer Mini catalogue - it ends on March 31st.  I'm driving to South Australia to teach a stamping workshop at a fabulous retreat, leaving next Wednesday morning 30th, but I'll be able to access my email on the way, and my mobile is 0403 175 790  - text messages will be best, as coverage is patchy in lots of areas along the way.  Sale-a-bration also ends on the same date, 31st March, so check out the great selection of free sets with each $100 you spend, from any catalogue, mini or main.  

The card above is made from one of the sets in the mini, "Grunge Rock" , 122055, just $35.95 in woodmount even!  It didn't grab me at first, but then I kept seeing great cards being made with it, especially for men and teenagers  - two of the hardest groups of recipients, for many cardmakers at least. The purchase price is about 6 or 7 cards from the shop, so it will pay for itself in no time!!  This one started out as a straight CASE of one of the cards that leapt off the page for me while browsing the gallery for this set over on Splitcoast stampers.  Imagine my surprise and pleasure to see it was made by Rachel Capps , another demonstrator on the Inklings team.  I see Rachel has the quote "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" on her blog header, while grabbing the link, so I hope she likes my version of her beautiful card.  Since I am on a grungy bent at the moment, I couldn't help but get out the distresser tool and do some ripping and rolling, and add some linen thread that I roughed up.  I added a second guitar, mainly because I couldn't decide which colour to go with....

Another item I've used on this card from the mini is the MUST HAVE!! Square Lattice embossing folder for the Big Shot.  This is, without doubt, one of the folders I have found to be most useful of all the designs I own (and there are lots, trust me!!)  It looks great for male, female, vintage, clean and simple, works fabulously with the inking technique and more.    Just $15.95, 119976, page 17. 

So, don't delay, have a little retail therapy session, and cross a few things off your wishlist!

Stampin' Crop Day - some vacancies!

This Saturday, 19th March is the date for my monthly Stampin' Crop day.

It's a casual, social day, designed for you to bring along whatever projects you would like to work on - cards, scrapbooking, off the page, non papercraft even!  I provide my extensive collection of stamps, inks and tools, and my creative genius (splerk!*) is at your disposal for advice and ideas.

It starts at 10am, and runs till 5pm, and I provide a light snack style lunch, bottomless tea and coffee, nibbles and heaps of inspiration.  BYO basic tools and materials.  There are limited places available each month, but there are a few vacancies for this Saturday.

The cost for the day is just $15.00, so if the idea of good company and some quality crafting sounds good to you, give me a call on 9484 9447 to book a spot.  Beginners and new faces are always welcome!

(Plenty of) Elements of Style - Happy Birthday Ryn!

First, let me say that assignments are IN.  I was very good and refrained from procrastinating further until today.  Always plenty to do on the ole' to do list, but I do enjoy slipping in a cosy blog chat amongst the more mundane :)

My downline team member and good friend Carolyn, known as Ryn to many shares her birthday with me, along with lots of other things in common!  It wasn't possible to meet up on the day, as our schedules have become busier than ever lately with work, uni and other commitments.  But, we met for lunch yesterday at a T2 tea shop and enjoyed a yummo selection of high tea goodies with steaming pots of Earl Grey  (yet another taste we have in common!)  It was lots of fun, and I wished we got a chance to be decadent like that a little more often!

Anyway, here's the card I made for Ryn, using the Elements of Style set.  Again, this card started out as a rescue project, so I can thank Barbara (yes, the same Barbara who provided the beautiful rescued watercolouring in the post just before this) for her exacting standards.  This time it wasn't a wayward punch chomp, but a slightly wonky greeting.  Four words Barb, Stamp A Ma Jig.  But!  Never mind, it created material that I was keen to put to good use.  It involved a lot of fussy cutting, but I was very pleased with the result.  I chose colours from the crayon watercolouring used, Old Olive and Blushing Bride, and recycled a distressed piece of Confetti Cream cardstock from a previous stamping session. Ryn would be proud of me - she's big on minimising waste.  I stamped the same flower sprig onto the scrunched Confetti panel in Early Espresso ink, and mounted the cut out watercolour paper image over it with Stampin' Dimensionals.  I curled and distressed the edges of the other layers, and used my new punch, Pinking Hearts along the right hand side

(be quick for this punch - it's in the current mini, ending March 31st, and I'm not sure about it being available again until at least September)

The base of the card was stamped with the Bella Toile background in Old Olive ink, and I used an offcut made into a pennant shape to stamp the Birthday Wishes greeting from the Level 3 Hostess set Occasional Quotes.  I used an Antique brad to attach a scrap of Blusing Bride twill ribbon to the pennant, and slipped it behind the Confetti layer.

As a final touch, I got out the Crystal Effects dimensional lacquer, and dabbed glossy accents onto the flowers.  It takes a while to set, but gives a beautiful raised shiny finish to a special card for a special someone.  Happy Birthday Ryn!