Christmas Blog Hop in July

So sorry - I am having computer troubles & can't get my pictures to come up. Please continue on to Caths blog to continue on the Blog Hop.

Workshop cards

Whoops - I turn around & suddenly it's been nearly 3 months since my last blog post!!
Last weekend my SIL had a workshop, so I had to dust off my Stampin' Up! goodies & make some cards. At a loss where to start I found this lovely card made by Genelle so CASED it -

I haven't changed it at all just added a different sentiment. I loved the colours (Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzaz, Early Espresso) & how cute is the inlaid embossing panel Here is a close up of the inlaid enbossing made using the Boho Blossoms Punch & Little Leaves Sizzlit die - doesn't it look like a peice of patterned paper!

Thought I'd also make the same card but change it up abit by using different colours, punches & dies

For a girly twist I used the colours from the Sweet Stitches DSP in the Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue along with the gorgeous Beautiful Wings Embosslit I really love the inliad embossing technique - you can hardly tell that there are four layers of cardstock on the embossed piece!

Next up for a masculine feel I used Not Quite Navy, Cherry Cobbler, More Mustard & Always Artichoke along with some different sized circle punches for the pattern.

Finally, my boyish scheme of Pacific Point, Real Red & Pumpkin Pie. I have a young chap in mind for this card so have used the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Dies to personalise it with his initial & age.

If you live local to me & would like to make these cards, then contact me to book your own workshop - hopefully I will be back with more stampin to share in alot less than 3 months time :-)

Strength & Hope

I made this card for an INKlings swap that I took part in recently. It uses the new Strength & Hope stampset from the Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue - Stampin' Up! will donate $2 from the sale of this stampset to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. I really love the new Framed Tulips ambossing folder & for this card I have sponged the embossed parts with Crumb Cake ink.

Mmmmm - think I have a bit of a 'thing' for this butterfly & the rock & Roll technique!!

I hope the swappers liked my card, as I received some gorgeous ones back in return. You can see Kari's here & I am hoping the other girls blog their cards so I can link them also.

Stampset: Strength & Hope Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, Choc Chip, Crumb Cake, Whisper White Ink: Daffodil Delight, Choc Chip, Crumb Cake Accessories: Antique Brads, Framed Tulip Embossing Folder

Blog Hop Candy

It's not too late to check out the INKlings Blog Hop & have a chance to win some lovely handmade goodies - I am contributing these 2 cards along with a stash of retired ribbon. All you need to do is start the Blog Hop here & comment on each of the 10 blogs before midnight AEST on 3rd April (sorry candy only available to Australian residents & non-SU! Demonstrators) I made these 2 cards using up some scraps from my Blog Hop layout & the Inlaid Embossing technique. It is a really simple technique - simply stick on your punched, cut or die cut images & then run the lot through the Bigshot. My first card uses die cut flowers from the Birds & Blooms Sizzlets & the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder My second card uses the butterfly from the new Strength & Hope stampset that have been inked in Daffodil Delight & the edges rolled in Tangerine Tango. Here is a close up to show you the inlaid embossing - I have used the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder for this one - I really don't know how I survived without a Bigshot, as I seem to use it on everything!

Stampsets: Strength & Hope, Inspired by Nature

Cardstock: Garden Green, Daffodil Delight,m Whisper White, Sweet Stitches DSP

Ink: Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango, Wild Wasabi

Accessories: Basic Rhinestones, Birds & Blooms Sizzlets, Perfect Polka Dot, Vintage Wallpaper & Framed Tulips Embosing Folders

INKlings Blog Hop

Welcome to The INKlings’ Team’s Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue blog hop. You may have arrived here from Cath's blog or just be visiting my blog, whichever way once you’ve checked out my creations you can continue the hop through the links at the end of this post to the next team member.

With a new Mini Catalogue out today we thought it would be a great time to showcase the gorgeous new products to all our blog readers. You can check out the new mini catalogue online here or if you'd like your own copy contact me today and I'll pop one in the mail to you.

Want to win some Blog Candy? Simply leave a comment on each blog before midnight AEST on 3rd April and then email Kari at karigail@internode.on.net.au and let her know you’ve done so and you’ll be in the running for some fantastic handmade cards plus other goodies. Sorry Blog Candy prize not available to SU! demonstrators or anyone living outside Australia, but you're more than welcome to leave us a comment!

As soon as I saw the Sweet Stitches DSP in the Autumn/Winter Mini Catty I fell in love, funny thing is that it wasn't with these papers, it was all the other ones. When I was searching for some pics to scrapbook I found these from my daughters first day of school & realised that the colours matched the uniform perfectly (the sports uniform is even yellow & green)

Please forgive my contraband doily - since the colour was such a great match I couldn't resist adding it.Here are a couple of close-ups of the cute flowers that I made using the Birds & Bloom Die through my Bigshot

I also LOVE the gorgeous butterfly from the Strength & Hope stampset. Stampin' Up! is donating $2 from the sale of every set to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, so if you'd like to make a difference contact me today to order your own set.

Well that’s all from me. Next stop on the INKlings’ Team Blog Hop is Liz. Have fun and don't forget to leave a comment on each blog to win some great Blog Candy - I have made 2 gorgeous cards to giveaway as blog candy, just haven't had a chance to take a pic yet!

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1. Kari Hughes - http://www.karigail.wordpress.com/

2. Fiona Brown - http://www.fionajanestamping.blogspot.com/

3. Clare McIlhatton - http://www.crafty-cow.com/

4. Jayne Mercer - www.jaynemercer.com/blogs

5. Beth Stewart - http://www.elisabethstewart.com/

6. Christie Wallace - http://www.christiescreativecorner.blogspot.com/

7. Cath Dean http://www.cathdean.com/

8. Alana Galagher http://www.alanagalagher.com/

9. Liz Halbisch - http://www.lizhalbisch.blogspot.com/

10. Dani Holland - http://www.daniholland.wordpress.com/

Cupcake Inspiration

My scrapbooking has really fallen behind in the last year, so I've been trying to get abit more done lately. Afew weeks ago Jayne hosted an INKlings cyberstamp & one of the challenges was to join in the So Shelli Creative Challenge. This month it is Crazy for Cupcakes & I knew straight away what photo's I wanted to use - only problem is, apart from the cupcakes wheel, I don't own any cupcake stamps .......yet. Luckily I received this cute cupcake invitation in the mail last week which was just the inspiration I needed.

I tossed up the idea of just using the actual invite on my layout, but couldn't find the right papers, so I created my own cupcake using Stampin' Up! papers

This layout is also abit of a sneak peek at some of the new Designer Series Paper in the upcoming Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue & is available to order from 1st April 2011. I have also used one of the new punches, the Decorative Label Punch. The other new punch would have been perfect for this layout as it is a Build a Cupcake - very cute & now on my wish list :-)

Here are a couple of closer pics -

Stamps: Cupcake Wheel

Cardstock: Pretty In Pink, Very Vanilla, Vellum Cardstock, Sweet Stiches & other assorted DSP

Ink: Versamark, Pretty In Pink

Accessories: Melon Mambo Marker, Scallop Edge Border & Decorative Label Punch, Crop-a-dile, Bigshot, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet Dies, assorted Buttons

Camp Cypress 2011

Over the last 3 years I've been running a small Scrapbook & Stamping weekend at Baradine on the first weekend in March. We stay at Camp Cypress & always have a great time - this year was no exception.

I saw on Marelle's blog that at her camp she ran a MasterCrafter contest which sounded like lots of fun, so I CASEd her idea. Although not everyone liked the idea of having to do challenges they were all good sports & joined in (I think they even ended up having fun!)

First up was the Mystery Bag which contained an A5 sheet of Brocade Blue, 1 Brocade Blue brad, A5 sheet of Kiwi Kiss, length of Rose Red Stitched Ribbon & a scrap of patterned paper. I instructed the ladies to create anything they liked using at least 3 items out of the bag & they came up with these beauties -

Everyone voted on their favourites & sadly the bottom 5 were eliminated. Mandy's card below was the winner - there was almost an uproar when it was thought that she had only used 2 items from the 'Mystery Bag', but on close inspection from the judge (me!) it was discovered that Mandy had covered her Brocade Blue brad in Fine Supernova Glitter - clever thing.

I had downloaded afew Sketches from Makeesha's blog & Mandy choose the one below for the next challenge -

& here are all the fantastic creations.

The eliminated crafters got to vote for the winners, with Belinda's gorgeous scrapbook page taking the round.

The top 3 crafters now had to compete in the Pressure Test! I had CASEd this cute Easter box from Kirsty earlier in the day & the last challenge was to recreate it in 20 mins - adding your own personal touch. There were lots of laughs & nerves got the better of the crafters, so I kindly added 5 mins extra time so each had a finished box to 'dish up'. They all did a fantasic job - as you can see below. First on the left is my CASEd one, then Belinda's, Leanne's & Jenny's. All the eliminated crafters voted for the overall winner, which was Leanne, with her Pink Personalised Bunny!

If you would like to join the fun next year, let me know & I will add you to my emailing list.

AWOL!!!

I can't believe it has been well over 12 months since my last blog post - I am very red faced about it! Not that it is a very good excuse, but I have been very busy with work, kids & lots of other stuff. In March last year we bought a small property about 8km from town, then spent 5 months painting the house & changing the kitchen from this .......

to this ......

It is a huge improvement & has made the old farmhouse much more comfortable to live in. I think the bathroom is going to be the next project ........ just need to find some more $$ :-)

I have just spent the past weekend at my annual scrapbook & stamping getaway with 13 other ladies & we had a great time. I will try & post some pics of what we got up to in the next few days ............ I am determined not to let 12 months pass before my next post!