Enthusiastic New Stampers!

I just have to share with you my JOY when I hold a workshop and unearth an enthusiastic stamper (or two) who have never been introduced to SU products (this their first time) and just can’t believe their eyes!

I had one such workshop this morning, and want to say “a big thanks” to my stunner of a hostess Kylie (or Linksy as some of us are coming to know her ), for introducing me to such a great bunch of girls! I am looking forward to seeing some of them again at Kim’s workshop in June!

So what projects did we make that created such enthusiasm you may be wondering?

Firstly I showed the girls a cute Lolly Box using my fave birthday set Party Hearty:

And my large tag punch creates are great name tag if you are using them as the lolly bag for a birthday party..

And a then demonstrated a Birthday Card using the same colours and stampset:

I’ve started with a card base of Kiwi Kiss, added some Pacific Point DSP, and stamped my cupcake from Party Hearty, first in Pacific Point and then in Riding Hood Red, Cutting out the Red icing and popping it up on dimensionals.  My candles are also cut out and arranged on dimensionals in the shape of my chosen number (7 works really well but I dare you to try a 3 or 8!)…

I have used my trusty FREE sale-a-bration stamp set Vintage Labels for the Happy Birthday Scalloped Circle (4 of the girls at the WS earned their FREE SAB set by spending $100 or more)…

The ribbon for my bow is Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon and I have tied it on to a white paperclip.

Cute for boys or girls eh?

For my next project I made a sweet card using Raspberry Tart DSP patterned paper and the Large Bloom for the Embrace Life stampset.  I’ve repeat stamped first using Kiwi Kiss and then Riding Hood Red.  I love the effect this makes! I also showed the girls the scoring technique cased over at www.SarahKlass.com on a white strip of card and then sponged it with Kiwi Kiss, allowing the ink to pick up and highlight the scored lines.  Again my label is from SAB Vintage Labels and the sentiment is from the great Hostess level 1 set Best Yet

And for the make and take project:

I just love this colour combo of Kraft, Baja Breeze and Close to Cocoa Card.  I snuck a little Kaleidescope DSP in there and finished the look with Baja Breeze Striped Grograin.

And of course following my theory that it should look even better as a scrapbook Layout:

This sweet little 8×8 layout was one of the many hostess gifts I left with Kylie for “inspiration” while she plays with her new SU products.

If you’d like to know more about the hostess benefits available when you hold a workshop, drop me an email at stampingelegance@live.com OR call me on 0400220177.

Have a great weekend- and if you are one of the enthusiastic new stampers I met today – THANKS!

Jan x

Something Special About Watercolouring!

Water colouring with my Aqua Painter is definitely one of my favourite techniques, and I think the results with this card are pretty special.  I’ve used Kraft Card with highlights of Cameo Coral, and added two kinds of brads from my Hodge Podge Hardware:

 

 

 

I just love repeat stamping – especially with this large flower from the Embrace Life stamp set – you can easily create your own printed paper in the exact colour to suit your project. 

Repeat Stamp and Watercolour with Your Aqua Painter - A Great Effect!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One single butterfly stamped with the new Spring Mini stamp set Butterfly Prints and punched with the brand new Butterfly Punch, and secured with a brad creates a fantastic accent.

 

Don’t be afraid to double mat an accent like this – it really brings it off the page.

 

The sentiment I’ve used is from the retired Yummy stamp set, and is highlighted with a brad and piece of Riding Hood red taffeta ribbon.

 

  

For this project you will need:

 

Card Kraft, Cameo Coral, Whisper White

Ink Riding Hood Red, Cameo Coral, Summer Sun

Stamp Sets Embrace Life, Butterfly Prints, Yummy

Punches Butterfly Punch, Eyelet Border

Tools Aqua painter 

Accessories Hodge Podge Hardware, Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon

 

Thanks for stopping by!

Lolly Lunch Bag Collar

Yesterday as I wrote Laurenz’s lunch order on his brown paper lunch bag I had the cutest idea for a Lolly Lunch Bag…

My Stampin’ UP! buddy Michelle had a great ole time playing with her new Circle Scissors Plus (Summer Mini Preview Time) and sent me the remnants of her “circle frenzy” to have a play with too.

So I had the idea of using these to create a decorative collar…

If you look carefully you will see another preview from the Summer Mini - Polka Dot Ribbon anyone? Available for order Dec 1

I’ve decorated both the bag and the collar with images from the Embrace Life stampset, and used a wee bit of ribbon to create a tab to hang the circles from, giving me the perfect place for a watercoloured flower accent and sentiment.

Fill the bag with something yummy and tie off with some hemp twine – perfect for a quick easy gift..

For this project you will need

Stamp Sets

Embrace Life Stamp Set

Ink

Cameo Coral

Riding Hood Red

Summer Sun (For Water Colouring)

Punches/Cutting Tools

Circle Scissors Plus (Summer Mini Available Dec 1)

Card and DSP

Cameo Coral

Riding Hood red

Accessories

Hemp Twine

Ribbon – Polka Dot Grosgrain in Real Red (Summer Mini Available Dec 1)

Dazzling Diamonds (for flower accent)

Lunch Bag – Generic – Non Stampin’ UP!

Aqua Painter 101

 

I couldn’t wait to receive my new Aqua Painters and have a go at water colouring my favourite stamp set at the moment – I decided to make my own pattern paper with a repeat stamp in Baja Breeze and love the way it turned out! I used some hemp twine to tie on the Hodgpodge Hardware, added three brads at the top and tucked in a little Butterfly made from the new Butterfly Prints and Butterfly Punch coming soon in the Summer Mini…Thanks to Michelle for giving these to me as a sneak peek ahead of the catalogue on December 1!

 

Hodge Podge Hardware, Hemp Twine, Dazzling Diamonds

 I love using Kraft Card – tied in with the Natural look of the Hemp Twine, it creates the perfect backdrop for pale and bold colours alike.  

The With Love sentiment is from the retired “Yummy” Stamp Set.  

Jan x

My first 3D Project (and my first blog!)

As I slowly build my collection of Stampin’ UP! products, and attend stamp-a-stacks at my (now upline) Michelle Scott’s house, I find there are so many new techniques to try! I found this purse template on Andrea Walford’s blog andreawalford.com  and couldn’t wait to try it out – I really wanted to show my work colleague what I was so excited about (stampin’ up products) so I filled the purse with six blank cards with different sentiments that she could use at her leisure.  

   

Here is the purse

  

and a close up of the detail on the front – my first attempt at watercolouring unsupervised!  

  

I then set about creating 6 cards that tied in together with theme and colour etc, but could be used for a variety of occasions:  

Card 1 Happy Birthday - I took my inspiration from a patchwork card in the current Stampin UP! catalogue 2009-2010

  

Card 2 - Embrace Life

  

Card 3 - So Kind

  

Card 4 - more kindness!

  

Card 5 - Happy Birthday

  

   

and Card 6 - thank you

  

I popped all the cards with their matching stamped envelopes inside the purse and wrapped it in a cellophane bag, tying off with ribbon:  

  

And now the finished project, wrapped in Cellophane with a Gift Tag attached: 

  I was really happy with the way this project turned out and can’t wait to give it to my friend as my first hand-made Christmas Gift.  One of many I am sure! 

Jan x