Last Day for Free Ribbon Gift with Purchase!

Hi everyone,

Today is the last day of the September Ribbon Bundle Promotion, where you will receive two rolls of gorgeous ribbon with a purchase of $100 or more. That's great!

However!! The special package of So Saffron wide grosgrain and Certainly Celery poly twill ribbon has sold out, so Stampin' Up! have generously substituted 2 other different rolls of ribbon, worth even more at $40! They are the 1" double stitched ribbons in Rose Red and Chocolate Chip and you can see them on page 150 of the Idea Book and Catalogue.

I've also had a quick browse to find some images, thanks to Jacqui Crouch who has used the Rose Red double stitched grosgrain in the Simply Sent card above. The choc chip colour can be seen in the other photo taken by Yvonne Campbell, croppd down to show the ribbon.

These ribbons are fantastic for using as bands across pages, and for gift items. Gorgeous colours, so be super quick and get your orders in to me today!!

So,

How can you place an order with me? You can either email your order to michelle.dyson@bigpond.com or call me on (02) 9484 9447. Don't have a catalogue handy? Click on the covers of the catalogues at the right hand side of this blog to see the online PDF versions. Your order can be delivered directly to you for a cost of just $5.95 or 5%, whichever is greater.

Masculine and Feminine Birthday cards

September is a big month in our house for birthdays, and it seems to be a popular month amongst our friends and their children too!

For the weekend just gone, there were two cards to make, one for a preschool friend of my daughter, the gorgeous Charlotte, and one for my own dad, who turned the BIG 70 yesterday! Happy Birthday Dad!

Dad's card uses Lovely As A Tree (please, please Stampin' Up, don't retire this set, ever!) I have coloured the image using markers in Mellow Moss and Always Artichoke for the leaves and Chocolate Chip for the trunks and ground. It is stamped on a piece of Very Vanilla.

I used the same colours for the card base (Mellow Moss) and matting (Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip , Mellow Moss and Always Artichoke (textured), and added some brass Jumbo Eyelets and hemp twine, through a tag made from large and small tag punches. The greeting is from On Your Birthday.

The card for Charlotte uses the Window Dressing hostess set, and Candy Lane Designer Series papers. I have stamped the image in Stazon onto Watercolor paper, and used the ink pad puddle technique and blender pens to colour in. Colours used are Riding Hood Red, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Blush Blossom, So Saffron and Pretty in Pink. I cut around the stamped image and then matted it onto a piece of Riding Hood Red cardstock, before cutting out again. Because of the hand-drawn style of the stamp, this was pretty easy to do (ie, perfection not required!!)

The card base is Close to Cocoa, then there is a thin mat of Pink Pirouette. Over this is a piece of Candy Lane DSP. It is so easy to choose colours when the paper is there, already decided for you! I have inked the edges for definition.

To finish, I made a scallop oval punch out of Riding Hood Red cardstock, and used the co-ordinating large oval punch to punch out "Happy Birthday" from the Family Phrases set. I popped it up on Stampin Dimensionals and then added a tie of Vanilla tafetta ribbon.

I have such lovely customers! THINK PINK in October

One of my favourite things about being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator is the friendships that have developed with my customers. It is so wonderfully satisfying to have the privilege of helping people discover and develop their talents as stampers and cardmakers, as well as introducing them to a useful outlet and diversion in their busy lives. It has also enabled me to become directly involved in fundraising for various groups, both locally with schools and community groups, and nationally for Camp Quality and Breast Cancer Charities.

The gorgeous card above was made for me by a lovely lady to thank me for running my regular Stampin'Crop days, she enjoys them so much and learns something new each time. Thank YOU! for coming along Barbara!

Barbara has adapted a card design we all made at the Spring Mini launch event, using the set "Great Friend" and also the Hostess set "Best Yet". The card base is Pink Pirouette, and the strip backing is Regal Rose. The stamping is also done using Regal Rose ink, and Not Quite Navy for the sentiment. The butterfly in Regal Rose on Whisper White cardstock has had Crystal Effects added to the white pattern, so it really 'pops' A strip of patterned paper, some ribbon and a sticky rhinestone complete the card. So pretty!

More 'warm fuzzies' came on Monday this week, when Kim Tonnet and I attended a fund raising event for the McGrath Foundation hosted by the Muirfield Golf Club Ladies group. The McGrath Foundation, in loving memory of the courageous Jane McGrath, support women diagnosed with breast cancer by funding the employment of specialist Breast Care nurses, particularly in regional and rural areas. You can find out more about the invaluable work of the McGrath foundation, and make a donation yourself if you are able HERE. Each of the ladies attending donated $10 towards the foundation, and have also donated their group's Hostess Benefits towards a raffle to raise even more! Stampin' Up! Australia have been extremely generous in donating a large box of goodies to add to the raffle and prizes for this event and also our October Christmas Craft Day, and we thank them sincerely for their support - they are truly a Company with heart.

Would you like to join me and my team in our efforts to make the world a nicer place? For more information on becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, please contact me for a no pressure, no obligation chat, or to receive a Joining Kit in the mail.

Meanwhile, if you are Sydney-based, there are still places available at our "Get Ready for Christmas Craft Day", on October 10th at Epping Creative Centre. Registration cost is $40 and includes morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, lunch, use of stamps and tools, demonstrations and more. There will be lots of prizes and giveaways, and a number of Make n Take projects to enjoy for a gold-coin donation to Breast Cancer charities. Do join us if you can for a fun, creative day, while supporting these most important causes during Pink Month! Call Michelle on (02) 9484 9447 or email to book your place today.