Merry Christmas

Just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2017! I hope that you all have a wonderful time this festive season with your friends and family.

I'm so very thankful for all your support of my blog for 2016 and I'm so excited to for what 2017 will bring.

I'm just letting you know that I'm having a short break from blogging to have some R & R for a couple of weeks with my husband and kids. I will be back mid-Jan for some more cards and creations. Can't wait to show you some of my creations for when I get back!

Thanks for all your support and thanks so much for stopping by!

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Just Add Ink #342 | Just Add N

WOW! The last challenge for Just Add Ink for 2016!!! Where did the year go! And what a fabulous challenge we have for you too! 

Just Add 'N'. Could be a colour like Night of Navy, a theme like New Years Eve, your favourite stamp set that starts with N or what I have done used some new products.

My creation this week is using some new products from the up coming Stampin' Up! Occasions catalogue that starts 4th Jan 2017. Not long now! See of you can pick them.

I started with the new embossing folder Falling Petals Textured Impressions embossing folder. I thought it looked more like hearts than petals. Still gorgeous either way!

I've then layered an all new Lace Doily with a Vellum Scalloped circle and a piece of the Sending Love Glassine Sheet cut out with the Stitched Shapes Framelits. The Glassine Sheets have been printed with a delicate white hearts and is also fabulous for bags and envelopes.

Speaking of envelopes, Oh My!!!! How super cute is the little envelope on the front! This is one of the new dies from the Love Notes Framelits! I die cut it out of the new 6"x 6"Sending Love DSP stack. My favourite of this DSP is these little hearts. Love, Love, Love. These little envelopes are crazy cute and there is also a die in the framelit set that you can die cut out a little note to put inside it! So fabulous for a few little love notes to your partner or pop them in your kids lunch box for school to let them know you are thinking of them. They'll love it!

The arrow is also part of the Love Notes Framelit Dies set. I cut it in half to make it look longer than it actually is and hid the two halves behind the envelope. Looks gorgeous die cut in the Gold Glimmer Paper.

My last two new products on my card is the little wooden heart on the front. That is from the Sending Love Embellishments and the other new product is the 'Hugs & Kisses' sentiment comes from the new Sealed with Love stamp set. Most of the products I've used today are from the Sending Love Suite in the Occasions Catalogue.

Did you notice the new watermark??? EEK!!! Super excited to use it for the first time today!

This challenge will run for two weeks, so once the hustle and bustle of Christmas dies down you still have plenty of time to join in. Or if you want to escape for a few moments creating to take a break from the busy time, there is plenty of time to get your creation in. If you can't join in this week make sure that you still have a look at the creations from the Just Add Ink DT for some fabulous inspiration!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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#tgifc85 | Tin of Tags Sketch

Oh yeah! It's sketch challenge time over at #tgifc. I think you all know by now this is my favourite type of challenge.

 This sketch is so fab that you can use it in either orientation. You might need to put your thinking caps on though for what to do with those squares and rectangles.

I'm still in Christmas creations mode so I have another Christmas card for you today using the Tin of Tags stamp set. I so love this set. The fonts a stunning!

I started with the snowflake image from this set and did a bit of the Watercolour Emboss Resist Technique. Once I had put down the layer of watercolour wash I got my Aqua painter and flicked the brush with just water to give a splattered look through the wash of colour.

 I embossed the snowflakes onto one piece of cardstock and then cut it up after the watercolour wash had dried. Would have been a bit tricky to try and do it the other way round.

How fabulous are those Stitched Shapes Framelits? Who would have thought that a little dotted line around the circle would change up the whole look of the card. They are so good! 

Last, but not least, I added some of the beautiful ribbon, trim and embellishments Stampin' Up! has to offer to finish it all off! 

We would love to see you join in the fun for the challenge this week!! Check out the sketch and DT inspiration and then make your own creation!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Just Add Ink #340 - Just Add Gift Tags

Happy Friday! Welcome to another challenge brought to you by the fabulous team at Just Add Ink.

We have a theme for you this week, Just Add Gift Tags, with the idea for this weeks challenge coming from Jan McQueen. Perfect for this time of year on all your gifts.

I've had a play with the Here's to Cheers stamp set and the Cheerful Tags Framelit Dies. I've been deliberating about this bundle for a little bit now. I finally 'bit the bullet' and purchased this fabulous stamp set and framlit dies. These tags really dress up those wine bottle gifts and make them look that little bit more special.

I started with just a Basic Black bottle tag but thought that looked a little plain. The Basic Black and the gold elements do look beautiful but I wanted something a little more. Bring in my all time favourite DSP sheet - Black and White stripe from Pop of Pink. I love the elegance of those stripes!

I stuck the DSP tag on to the Basic Black tag to make it stronger. The DSP alone didn't have the strength as what it did with the cardstock backing.

Loving the gorgeous Gold Glimmer piece. To help cut the Gold Glimmer paper with these intricate dies, remove the backing from the Glimmer paper and then run the paper though the Big Shot glimmer side facing down. Fabulous tip I learn't at an On Stage event last year.

I was going to layer the vellum straight over the Gold Glimmer but the words got lost with the glimmer detail showing through the vellum. I then layered the vellum over Whisper White cardstock.

These tags are super quick to pump out if you need to get lots made for your gifts this season and these tags aren't just limited to going on wine bottles. You are only limited by your imagination!

You can find loads more inspiration here with the amazing JAI gals as well as all the info you need to join in with this weeks gift tag challenge.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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Stamp Review Crew | Christmas Pines

Welcome, welcome! We have a very festive Stamp Review Crew blog hop for you today showcasing Christmas Pines. A fabulous layering stamp set with some fabulous sentiments and a co-ordinating thinlit set.

If you are joining us for the first time we are a group of International Stampin' Up! demonstrators that show one stamp set at a time, every first and third Monday's of the month. Be sure to make your way around the hop by click the next button at the bottom of each post. If you get lost along the way click on the banner at the top of each post and that will lead you to the list of hoppers so you can continue seeing all the fabulous creations.

I've gone with a gift box creation for you today.  You can never have too many gift box ideas, especially at this time of year.

I've gone back to an oldie but a goodie Envelope Punch board gift box. I put in the measurements in of the size of the box I wanted in to the Box Buster over at The Crafty Owl to figure out where to put the first and second punches to get my box started.  Its such and easy box to make, especially of you have to make lots of them.

I've used 12"x12" Basic Gray cardstock and heat embossed the starry stamp with Copper Stampin' Emboss powder. The copper looks fabulous on the grey! Love it!

I've used one of the sentiments and some of the other images t make a chalkboard looking tag. Love, love, love the chalkboard technique. It's such a stunning look and so easy to do.

The other tag I stamped with Real Red and then fussy cut it out. I then used the Copper Stampin' Emboss Powder for the 'Noel' fussy cut that out and then adhered it to the swirly tag.  All finished off with some Gold 1/8" ribbon, Gold Metallic Thread, Mini Jingle Bells and  a spray of the Pine needles from the Pretty Pines Thinlit Dies.

Next up on the hop is the oh so fabulous and fellow Aussie, Kelly Kent. Love her creations!!

Kelly Kent 

Heidi Baks

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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On Stage Display Cards Part 3 - Nailed it and Urban District

My last post on my samples for On Stage using a mix of the Nailed It, Urban District stamp sets and the Build It Framelits

 

The first up on today's post is one of my favourite samples. Creating a faux embossed look. This one was a little more time consuming and needed a little more patience than some of the others but the look of this faux embossing technique, I think, looks very effective.

This is an easel gift box again trying to give it a bit of a tool box look.

 I've embossed that Silver Foil again with the Hexagon Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. Just love, love, love!!! 

 

My last card I stamped one of the stamps into melted embossing powder for a faux wax seal look. I saw this technique on Shelli Gardner's blog a few months ago and thought the sentiment stamp lended itself to this faux wax look.

So there you have it! My display samples for the Nailed It and Urban District stamp sets. I do hope that I've inspired you with these sets and maybe even helped you to put these on your wish list to purchase. 

Cant' wait to see the rest of the products in the new Occasions Catalogue? Contact me (Australian Residents Only) and I can get one to you. Or, better still,  join my team and you can participate in the preorder available to demonstrators in December. You will fall in love with all of the new products as much as I have! 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by! 

 

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On Stage Display Cards Part 2 - Nailed it and Urban District

Welcome back to part 2 of my On Stage Samples using Nailed It and Urban District. Lots more ideas for those men in your life, especialy for Father's Day.

Part of the brief for our samples was to include some 3-D items as well as cards. One of my creations was a gift card holder. With the tool stamp set and framelits I wanted one of my creations to look like a tool box. 

 

The 'D' and the 'A' are from the Urban District set. I love all the little intricate details in them. All different things representing Dads. Loving the look of the Hexagon embossing folder in the Silver Foil. Reminds me of checker plate.

Just a quick card using a strip of DSP and some ribbon and trim. The DSP was a left over piece that was sitting on my desk when I started making this card and it just happened to work out for this creation. Got to love those scraps sitting around.

The last one is a water colour wash background and then again using the 'D' and 'A' from Urban District embossed onto vellum and then accented with piece of the silver foil embossed with the Hexagon embossing folder. How fabulous are those Urban Underground Embellishments?? They really add to that grungy look.

That's it for part 2. Stay tuned tomorrow for the last part of my On Stage samples.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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On Stage Display Cards Part 1 - Nailed it and Urban District

Oops! I nearly had forgotten to show you my On Stage Display Cards for the recent Stampin' Up! On Stage event held in Brisbane at the start of the month. I was chosen earlier on in the year to be a Display Stamper. I was sent a few of the new products from the upcoming Occasions Catalogue to create 15 samples to put on display at On Stage. I was super excited to be part of the display stampers and to make samples for all the attendees to get ideas from.

That's me!!

I received the stamp sets Nailed it, Urban District, Build It Framelits, Hexagons Dynamic Textured Embossing Folder, Urban Underground Embellishments and some co-ordinating ribbon and cardstock to accent my creations.

 

Anyone who knows my creations knows that I'm all about everything pretty, lots of buttons, sequins, ribbon and embellishments. So all these products that I received was definitely going to get my creativity going and for me to step out of my comfort zone, that's for sure!

 

I'm quite proud of my creations and so pleased with how they turned out.  This post will be in 3 parts due to there being lots of photos so watch this space.

 

I have used a mix of the Nailed It stamp set and Urban District in nearly all my samples as the two sets go so well together.

 

This first sample I embossed the hammers on to watercolour paper using White Stampin' Emboss Powder and then coloured over with a watercolour wash background. Like an emboss resist technique. Can you see the embossed vellum? The Hexagon Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder is just amazing!! If I hadn't have been given it in my sample box I would have definitely had it on my wish list!

Again using the Hexagon Embossing Folder. I think I nearly used it on all my samples. This one I inked up the inside of the embossing folder and then as it ran through the Big Shot it 'stamped' the hexagon image on the cardstock for another look to the embossed layer.

Due to the tool images from the Nailed It stamp set being open they lend themselves to being coloured! Yay! My favourite! I stamped the images on to Shimmery White cardstock and then coloured them with Real Red and Smoky Slate.

 

 

How fabulous does that ruler look? That is one of the dies from the Build It Framelit set! It looks so amazing on Silver Foil cardstock. Just Sayin'. 

 

I hope that you enjoyed my first lot of On Stage Display samples. Make sure you check back in tomorrow for part 2. Lots more to show you!

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

 

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#tgifc83 | Designer Spotlight - Cathy Caines

Happy Friday to you!!! Welcome to another TGIF Challenge. We have our second Designer Spotlight challenge. If you're not too sure what this challenge involves, all you have to do is create something inspired by our spotlighted designer!

This weeks spotlighted designer is Cathy Caines at In the Cat Cave.

My inspiration have come from two of Cathy's recent posts on her blog here and here. I loved the layout from her card and the watercolour wash and the scattering of pearls and bling from the scrapbook page. I've tried to combine the two of those creations for my card. I'm also showing some sneak peek products from the upcoming Occasions catalogue that starts 4th Jan 2017.

All the products, bar the Basic Pearl Jewels and the Very Vanilla Lace Trim, are from the Falling in Love Suite and I'm sure you are going to 'fall in love' with these products too! Just a gorgeous collection of products that I instantly fell in love with when I saw them at the recent Stampin' Up! On Stage in Brisbane earlier this month.

I've layered some of the new Falling in Love DSP.  Some of the sheets feature some beautiful bokeh patterns - a blurred look created from out-of-focus, clustered shapes, as well as some other patterns. Some of the colours featured in this beautiful DSP are Blushing Bride, Sahara Sand, Soft Sky, Sweet Sugarplum and Very Vanilla. The perfect colours to create some soft and romantic creations.

I put a water colour wash on the Shimmery White layer using Soft Sky and then layered some other products from the Falling in Love suite. The die cut is s strip from one of the So Detailed Thinlit dies and then I adhered some of the little hearts on to the Stitched Shapes Framelits circle after I stamped it with one of the images from the So In Love stamp set. Sigh! So pretty!

How beautiful are those Falling In Love Embellishments?? I'm going to put them on everything!! Just Love them!!

Thanks for the inspiration Cathy and for all the fabulous creations that you make! So looking forward to being on the Stampin' Up! Artisan Design Team with you next year and being inspired by more of your fabulous creations! Go and check out Cathy's blog for some inspiration and get creating! I hope that you join us this week at TGIF Challenges! We love to see your work!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Sneak Peek Products Available 4th Jan 2017 - Get these on your wish list NOW!!
Stamp Set - So In Love (Clear-Mount)
DSP - Falling In Love DSP
Other - Falling In Love Embellishments, So Detailed Thinlit Dies

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