Project Life is GO - all products are now available.

It's a match made in heaven - Stampin' Up's famous colour co-ordination, stamps and accessories and Becky Higgins' brilliant and simple memory keeping system.
All product lines are now available for purchase.
The range includes everything you need, from albums and divided pages to journaling pens, corner rounder punch, card sets and more.  There's even a set of Framelits to create your own pocket inserts.  I haven't scrapbooked in a traditional way for a few years now,  (aside from the irresistable classes at escape2create).  It takes too long, and my photos were piling up so much faster than I could manage.  I ummed and ahh'ed about Project Life, liking the simplicity of the concept, but with such an investment in Stampin' Up products, I was reluctant to start something new.  When the preorder came along for demonstrators, I thought I would give it a go.  I managed to create some 14 pages in a day, and I am well on my way to taming those photos.  It's so much nicer to have them in albums than stacked away in paper envelopes.  You can keep it as simple as sliding photos in the pockets with a journaling card per page to track the details, or you can get creative with stamping, accents and embellishments. For digi-creators, there are even MDS versions of the cards and stamps  It's flexible like that :-)

The video above gives an intro into the features and benefits, so contact me to order when you've decided which design you like best.  Or, you can view and shop the range online - too easy!
Jut click here

MDS Monday Challenge #1

The lovely and talented Nicole Derendorf has been using My Digital Studio for several years as a past Canadian demo, and has arranged a weekly MDS challenge to help everyone get familiar and have fun with the new program here.  This is the first week, and the sketch provided is this one:

And, here's my take:

Feel free to join in and email me with your version!

escape 2 create creativity continued...

This year, there were three highly regarded and talented teachers with a class each to wow us with:  (L-R)
Ebony van der Starre, Kim Jeffress, and Sharmaine Kruijver.   Ebony is a current "Scrapbooking Memories Master", and is on the guest design team for Bella Blvd.  Kim is an Aussie scrapping superstar, on the design teams for Heidi Swapp, Basic Grey, Bella Blvd, Pebbles, Greatest View as well as having been a past Scrapbooking Memories Master.  Sharmaine is on the Cocoa Daisy, Scrapmatts, X-pressIT, FabScraps, D-lish scraps and is also an official blogger for Target.  I decided to do all three classes this year, to create some new pages for my wall frames (most of which still contain pages scrapped when I was last on a design team, some years back now!).  All three ladies were lovely, down to earth and friendly.  Sharmaine and I kept feeling we knew each other from somewhere  (but still can't think how or where, so perhaps it's a kindred spirits thing)

Anyway, here are the projects:

This was created in Ebony's class, and I loved making it.  Lots of masks, mists, strips, tape, and gesso texture. as well as doodling.  I love it, and the colour theme suits my boy's favourite colour - ORANGE!

Kim's class was for a Memory File - and it's not yet complete, as I intend making it an album to record the 2013 e2c retreat roadtrip.  I think I will have a bit of a play using some SU gear to create something similar - it's a fast and  easy way to get memories stuck down and safe.
Here are the progress pics - I've collected quite a few bits and bobs to stash in the pockets, and have plenty of photos.  I'll try and remember to post again when it's done.  And I'd better hurry up, since Kim is keen to show our creations to Heidi Swapp herself (!)

Sharmaine's class was perfect for my messy style, more sprays and paste and splats.  And Potty People!  I'd not heard the term before, but it was perfect for the little wooden male/female shapes we added.  There was resin, washi, twine and more.  Another frame-worthy creation.

As well as these three completed (well, almost!) layouts, I did a non-class layout of my own, first time in aaaaaaggggges, as a warm up before the classes started.  And 14 cards!!  I think that was a record level of output for me at a retreat, but staying up laaaattte is good for that ;-)

More later!!

It's been a busy, busy month!

Things are slowly returning to a normal pace of life around here, after a hectic round of work and play, ending with a cracking easter break.

First up - I'd been hanging out for my annual pilgrimage to North Shields, on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia, to attend the BEST. RETREAT. ON. EARTH.  Best people, best atmosphere, best planning, best decoration, best prize table, best food.  Totally the best fun!

Here's a selection of images from our road trip, taken this time with my StampInkPaper team mate, Ryn, who scored a last-minute spot from the waiting list.

 Broken Hill - Miner's Memorial on the giant park bench at dusk.  Not sure what the knitted bands mean, they weren't there last year??

 Emu on the move, between Wilcannia and Broken Hill

 Emu: Do you think if I stand behind this fence post, they won't be able to see me??

 Miner's Memorial, at the top of the oldest mine workings, right in the centre of the town.

 View at dusk from the Miner's Memorial to one of the main streets of Broken Hill, Iodide Street I think?

 Old "Poppet Head" - entrance to one of the mine shafts of the main workings.

  Cr

 Horrocks Pass, between Peterborough and Port Augusta.  A lovely, but treacherous stretch of winding roads after hundreds of kilometres of pure straightness.  Crap pic, as it was starting to drizzle, but scenic none the less.

We went on a felicitous detour this time, due to the navigator (me, apparently) being asleep in the back seat at the time...  We therefore came across the pretty village of Melrose, at the foot of Mount Remarkable.  It seems to be a magnet for mountain bike riding, according to the bike shops and trail posters, but where the main street comes to a dead end was scenic enough for us, with tin sculptures and gorgeous gum trees in big wide median strips. 

 

What other retreat do you know offers a chauffeur driven pickup service from the local airport?  Go Sandra!

 Table decorations, custom chevron tote goody bags, personalised mugs....

 The "shed"  - looks basic, but it's just perfect for scrapping in alll night long!  Heaps of space, and filled with laughter and infectious creativity, its the best shed on earth.

 Table 9 - that's us!

 Ryn putting finishing touches to the banner swag in the entrance

 Lolly buffet and Inspiration Station

Parade of logo'ed tshirts - one for each of the 5 previous years - I've been so fortunate to be able to attend every one, except for the first in 2008.

That'll have to do for now, getting late!  I still have heaps to show you, pop back soon!

What!!?? Who'd drive more than 4000km just to go to a scrap retreat??

Me! Me! Me! (and, with luck, Me! again next year!)
Yep, it really is an Escape 2 Create.  A round trip of a whisker over 4000km from here in Sydney to Port Lincoln, SA and back again, the third year in a row.  It's become a trip my husband and I look forward to, knowing the best places to stay, to stop for fuel, food and (respectable) bathroom facilities along the way.  We had the car loaded up with materials to teach my stamping workshop, lots and lots of papercrafting stuff for creating into the wee hours, and a back seat snooze zone with blanket and pillows for resting between driving stints.

Words can't quite express how much I appreciate being able to participate in such a great event.  Amanda, Meredith, and Sue have created an extraordinary retreat, to fill a need in an isolated pocket of Australia that is simply brimming with creativity and resourcefulness.  There is quite a few more people working behind the scenes, including Val and Kathryn the volunteer kitchen goddesses and the Eyre Peninsula papercraft retailers.not to mention each and every e2c participant!

It was indeed an honour to be invited to teach, and I'll move heaven and earth to be there again in 2012, if you'll have me! Nabbing a teaching spot might be the only chance I have, this year booked out within an incredible 15 MINUTES!  It is worth every single kilometre and more to share in the wonderful 'thing' you have created together.  I'll bribe you if necessary, dangling my "man in pink" like a carrot....  LOL!  Thank you to all the brave ladies who faced their stamping fears at my workshop, we made a delightful mess, and I hope you are all inspired to go home and dig out your neglected stamping tools and materials. 

I was sorry I didn't get myself organised in time to book into the scrap classes, being taught by legendary Australian scrapbookers Fran Tynan and Tatum Woodroffe.  Their creations were AMAZING!  It was nice to soak up the inspiration just by being seated close by though, and to wander around seeing how everyone's layouts looked so subtly different!  I did however get to take part in the incredibly fun workshop by 'upcycling' legend, Lou Nelson, using texture paste, stencils, gauze, glimmer spray, plastic bubble packages and dress pattern tissue to create a deliciously textured scrap 'page'  It's not yet finished, but I love how it looks so far!  Stay tuned...


And, being that it was a scrap retreat, I created an honourary scrap page.  I feel like I haven't scrapped in years, finding the bite-sized canvas of a card to be easier to fit in amongst my busy life.  But, I do enjoy creating a few special memories with selected photos.

Going from last photo to first:

A4 Scrap page - inspired by Amanda Hall  's hallmark size, as well as the awe-inspiring A4 talent of fellow teacher, Fran Tynan.  Just as the scrappers were thinking of their stamps as re-useable rub-ons, I was attempting to think, "it's just an oversized card"  The background is Pear Pizzazz, the paper scraps are from the Greenhouse Gala DSP, and the journal panel is cut using the Scallop circle BigShot die from the Hostess pack of In Colour paper.  The splodge stamp is from Extreme Elements, the Friends stamp from Vintage Vogue, and the flower is punched using the Scallop Circle and Butterfly punches, on scraps of brown paper stamped with images from the Friends never Fade stamp set that matches the Greenhouse Gala papers.  I secured the flower with an Antique brad, and added a mini vintage tag to trim.  Up the top, I added a Clips Assortment clip with a snip of Pear Pizzazz twill ribbon.  Around the outside I doodled a border of Early Espresso marker.  I chose the colours based on the photo, taken in the Central West of NSW, hope you like!

Next pic up: Dawn breaking, towards Wilcannia.  Taken at speed through a grubby windscreen unfortunately, due to there being a Road Train not far behind me...

Sculpture of oversized park bench, Broken Hill Line of Lode Miner's Memorial.  Love the light in this one, SOOC.

The rusted, tunnel like Miner's Memorial - inside are the details of the more than 800 men who have lost their lives in mining accidents at Broken Hill since silver, copper, tin and zinc were first mined there in the 1800's.  This complex has won many architectural awards, and is perched on top of the giant "mullock heap" that dominates the town-scape.

Next up - what's country Australia without a bit of "Big Kitsch"??  This is Kimba, which claims to be halfway across Australia.  Not sure of the validity of that, but hey, it's got a Big Galah!  Freaky looking really...  And it is in close proximity to the curiously named town "Iron Knob"

Next up, third from top - something a LOT more aesthetically pleasing!  The escape 2 create girls go to extra-ordinary effort to createa theme for each year's retreat, this one was 1950's housewife humour, complete with vintage colour scheme, old-style magazine adverts in the table number frames, pinwheel decorations and great pop-art style graphics.  The goodie bags contained all kinds of curious snippets, I look forward to creating with them at some time in the future (when I clear my desk of Constructivism essay papers...*)

Second from top - the shed, what a fabulous creating space!  High ceiling, expansive width, room to move, and an airy feel.  This was taken quite early during setup, it didn't stay this peaceful looking for long.  It was simply buzzing with creative energy!

And, at the top, somewhere near Nymadgee, northern central NSW.  Bugger!  I forgot to take a photo of the to-die-for Vanilla Slice from the 5 Loaves Bakery in Cummins, SA.  Long way to go for coffee and pastries, but we WILL be back!  Like I said, worth. every. kilometre. 


* yes - I have done it again, a nice loooong post, with lots of pics, when I should really be investing time in wrapping my head around the "vast and woolly" topic of constructivism.    Now my typing fingers are nice and lubricated, I'll take a break and enjoy a glass of wine  :P

It's Scrapbooking Month! Sweet Nothings Simply Scrappin Kit layout

I'm putting this here to show that I *can* and *do* occasionally make a scrapbook page!!  I was a scrapper before I got into making cards, and the appeal of cardmaking was that cards can be completed in smaller chunks of time.  I am one of those 'work on a layout for a week' people usually, so it is gratifying to whip up a card or two in an hour, give them away and then work on the next.

However, in honour of Scrapbooking Month, here is a 6x6 layout I have made as part of a swap amongst a lovely group of demonstrators.  I have used a "Simply Scrappin Kit" for the first time too - tooo easy!  It came together so fast I could probably make a few more pages without digging into my cardmaking time ;)

The kit I have used is "Sweet Nothings" and it uses the colours Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss and Pink Pirouette.  These colours are also featured in the Designer Series Paper "Bella Rose" so you could extend one kit to make a whole album with ease, by purchasing a pack of Bella Rose and a pack of 12x12 In Color cardstock.  The Simply Scrappin kits come packed with *SIX* 12x6" diecut sticker sheets, and I have barely scratched the surface of those (and I made 5 copies of this page for the swap)  There are also DSP's  exclusive to the kits inside, and textured cardstock.

The photo is of my craft studio not long after I had finished moving in and making it look noice, trust me, it doesn't look much like that now,  at least in terms of tidyness!!  Stamps I have used include "Bella's Bloom" and the "Life Definitions" set - a must have for scrapping.  I stitched around the outside on my sewing machine, which sees a lot more paper than fabric these days!!  The embellishments are "Felt Fusion Too" felt flowers and Bouquet Buttons, a rhinestone brad and a snippet of delectable Kiwi Kiss satin ribbon. 

Hope you like it, let me know what you think!!

A bit of this and a bit of that - e2c totally rocked!

Well, I have had a curiously amazing week. I have travelled over 4000km in a car, been in 3 different states at various times, spent an awesome few days at a brilliant retreat in SA, and back to normal life via a sad and unexpected funeral :( Phew! And, funerals most definitely excluded, I'll be doing it all again next year!! I am almost reluctant to tell you more about it in case you all decide to go along and steal all the spots!!

The Escape 2 Create retreat was organised and run by a bunch of fab girls I feel I have known for years, and in some (online) ways, I have! Thanks!! Thanks!! and more Thanks!!! go to Amanda, Meredith, Sue, Val, Kathryn and Mel for your wonderful hospitality and brilliantly smooth organisation. I haven't laughed so hard since... last year's retreat!! I also managed to get quite a lot done, with three classes, a scrapped 2010 calendar from a kit (thought that since it was nearly April that I should make that a priority!), and all up I made 13 cards as well.

The top layout is the one I made during Amanda Hall's class. She's such a clever chicky that it's already been snapped up for publication, so give me a yell if you need me to take it down! It was lots of fun, and although I had reservations about my choice of photo (taken by my then 8 year old!), it turned out to fit in just brilliantly. Ciaran is very excited to see it scrapped at last.

The second layout I made during a class by Mel Forbes, who was guest teaching at e2c all the way from WA. It was great to catch up with Mel again IRL, and I got to watch her talent up close sitting at the same table, making the most stunning off the page creations. The layout looks a lot more complicated that it actually was to create, so that's a bonus!! And, it was nearly as messy as a good stamping session, so I felt right at home!!

I also got to meet IRL a lovely digiscrapping online mate, Ange Byrnes. You have probably seen her super 'real' creations in the mags, and she was also the lightest packed scrapper in the shed!! Her expanse of table top looked positively vacant!! In the top pic we have Mel, Ange and Amanda left to right, nice and happy scrapped out faces from the final hours on Sunday.
It was lovely to catch up with old mates from last year, thanks to Tiff, Sue, Sandra, Val and plenty more for making me feel so welcome. The piece de resistance was a shoulder, back and neck massage by the diminutively powerful Mandy - I fair glided out of the shed and into the car for the trip home. Stay tuned for some card creations and the cutest mini flap album (the source of much late night hilarity) by Meredith maybe tomorrow - off to the Royal Easter Show with kids in tow!

If you've been thinking about it, NOW is the time!

OK, so the standard Starter Kit is a great deal, at $324 for $560 worth of products and business supplies. This comes along with a special discount of 30% for your first order* and an ongoing discount of 20% on everything from the catalogue. There is also an incentive program called Stampin' Start, where you can earn up to 18 free stamp sets of any value (!!), by meeting any or all of 3 goals in sales and team building over your first 6 months. The quarterly minimums are very low, and there are no penalties for stopping. There is no requirement to actually "demonstrate" anything either, unless you wish. Your demonstratorship can be anything you want it to be - from making your hobby pay for itself, to covering a household bill per month to a fully-fledged full time job. Pretty inexpensive way to start your own business that you can run from home around your other committments isn't it?? *over $300, within 45 days of starting

But, are you any of these people?

1. You have a massive stash of Stampin' Up gear, and may as well become a demonstrator to purchase at a discount, but don't want to have to buy duplicates of stuff you already have by purchasing the standard kit?

2. Would love to give it a try, but can't justify the full cost right now?

3. Are a scrapbooker rather than a stamper, so might not want the stamp component (yet!)

If so, pay attention, because do I have a deal for you!!!!!

Between May 1st and May 31st, there is a perfect opportunity to sign up as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator in my team. In celebration of National Scrapbooking Month, there is a special promotion, offering all the benefits of a normal demonstratorship with a limited-time Scrapbooking Starter Kit, for just $150!

The Scrapbooking Starter Kit contains the following:

Item Code Description Retail Value

112231 Schoolbook Serif Alphabet stamp set* $77.95

113059 Simply Scrappin’ Petal Party $36.95

108697 Earth Elements Assorted textured card stock (12″ x 12″) $21.95

105216 Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin’ Pad $11.95

103179 Craft & Rubber Scissors $37.95

Please note: Each of the products listed above may be substituted for like items - ie, you can change the scrappin kit to another design, the inkpad colour, cardstock colour and stamp set for a non-alpha set if you wish, up to the value of $77.95 for the set chosen.

The Scrapbooking Starter Kit also contains all the business supplies contained in the standard Starter Kit:

Getting Started DVD

Getting Started Guide

Guest Invitation Postcards (100)

Idea Book & Catalogues (box of 8)

Project Sample Sheet

Customer Order Forms

and other brochures to get you off to a flying start.

Interested? Just send me an email at michelle.dyson@bigpond.com or call me on (02) 9484 9447 for a no obligation chat. I offer each and every member of my small team as much or as little attention as they want or need. You won't be pushed or hassled, but all the guidance you could need is there for the asking. On offer is access to one of the largest demonstrator internet forums in Australia, with a wealth of experience to willingly share, as well as an abundance of the best friends you could find.

If you would like to read through some information, I'd be happy to send you out a packet containing an introductory DVD, brochures and other details.

I hope to be back tomorrow with some cards - my swaps for Convention, and some photos of the occasion!

Goooooooood Morrrrnnnnnrning SUNSHINE!

The title reference to this post is a little bit obscure, but those of you who are fans of the Robin Williams film Good Morning Vietnam will probably get it! Anyway, there ain't no sunshine in Sydney today, it's bucketing down right now (in time for me to meet the school bus of course!)

As promised, I'm back with a couple more sneak peeks from my Launch night... Featuring a gorgeously retro paper pack called "Good Morning Sunshine" I had fun making this page, of a sepia toned print of my daughter, aged 11 months. The "Good Friend" stamp set features here, and goes nicely with the paper style. This set has a cute bird with separate legs and beak, so you can play around with the construction using your Stamp-a-ma-jig, and also a two-step stamping stylised dandelion. The colours in this paper pack are chocolate chip, summer sun, and the two In Colors Pacific Point and Kiwi Kiss. I've used some other designs to cover some notebooks and pencils for goody bag recipients. What do you think?