InkyArt

Making Merry Monday # 22 and Summer Mini News

I can't believe it has been a whole week with no blogs - you must have thought that somebody had gagged me :o)  I reckon that Twilight card zapped me of my energy to be crafty!  So sorry - back now though!

It's almost December and the start of the silly season!  How is your card making going?  If you've been playing along since the start then you should be well on your way - have you started writing them yet?  

We, the Sadler Family, include a newsletter and some photos every year ... talk about making a big job into a huge job ... lol ... but from all the emails and letters we receive after Christmas I think the extra work is worth the effort ... the rewards are great!  I love to catch up with old friends and as we are well travelled (thanks to the Navy) we have friends scattered everywhere - it's great to catch up on their news - only the other day we received a card from one of our neighbours in Scotland with news of the families who we shared our lives with for six years - it was the highlight of last week - thank you Una.

So as today is the very last day for orders for the Spring Mini I thought I'd post my last card using Tree Trimmings.  I love this set ... and will be sad to see it disappear ... I think it is perfect for Christmas and at only $24.95, its not too expensive either.

Colour are Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive and Whisper White - the swirls are from Baroque Motifs.

And just because it's the last day of the Spring Mini, I've also included another card using the beautiful Ski Slope paper $16.95; if you love this paper you need to call me now to place your order - we have until about 9pm tonite to place orders.

This one uses the Square Scallop punch which is a freebie if you purchase some products from the Christmas Extravaganza before 14 December ... click here for details. 

Colours are Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip and Baja Breeze - I've just bought the Crop-o-Dial - wow - an eyelet set through some grosgrain ribbon and two layers of card - like slicing through butter ... why has it taken me so long to buy one of these gadgets?

And here's the inside:

Isn't that little snowman cute and the little tag on the front - both are part of the Punch Pals set that I purchased recently ... that's a set that Olivia wanted to buy ... she's been making some stockings for the family cards ... I'll show you those in a week or two.

As we say goodbye to the Spring Mini with the Scallop Oval punch, corduroy buttons and my all time favourite the Great Friend stamp set (such a beautiful butterfly) ... there is much excitement in the Stampin' Up! world because tomorrow marks the launch of the new Summer Mini ... it contains some very beautiful summery things, including some beautiful new papers and a fabulous punch ... I can't wait to show you.

To mark the launch of this new catalogue, starting at 6am on Tuesday 1 December, some of the ESAD Team will be hosting their very first Blog Hop showcasing items made using products from the Summer Mini Catalogue, so don't forget to come back tomorrow.  It doesn’t matter where you start as there will be a link to the next blog in the chain all the way along till you finally finish where you started.  And if you leave a comment on each and every blog in the chain you'll be entered into the draw to receive some Blog Candy - woo hoo!

So see you back here bright and early tomorrow and don't forget if you just have to have any of the items in the Spring Mini make sure you phone or email today :o)

Hope you have a very Merry Monday.

 

Echoes of Kindness and Candle Stamping

Another candle and another technique I had never tried before.  This stamp set is a level II hostess set and it is beautiful.  It isn't something that I would initially pick out of the catalogue but now that I have used it I love it. 

I've stamped the image in black onto watercolour paper and then I've used the marker pens and watercolour brush to fill in the details.  Using a Brocade Blue marker, I have scribbled onto a piece of plastic (the top of the clamshell box that holds the stamps to be precise) and then I've picked up the ink with the watercolouring brush and coloured in the image.  I then got a bit carried away and decided to colour in some white tafetta ribbon with the same Brocade Blue marker to make a matching piece of ribbon - how cool is that!  The Oval All sentiment and scallop punch finished off the card. 

I've then stamped the image onto the candle using the marker pen directly to the tissue paper and finished the candle off with some So Saffron ribbon, some more of that 'homemade' Brocade Blue ribbon and a little sparkle.

Such a beautiful set ... hope the recipient likes them :o)

This set reminds me that the Spring Mini is finishing very soon so if you've been thinking of buying the Oval All or Scallop Oval now is the time ... before it is too late!

Happy Birthday Victoria

Yes another birthday ... and yes another niece ... this time it is the lovely Victoria who also lives in England.  Victoria sends us MSN messages when we are asleep ... and we send them back when she is asleep!  Occasionally though we manage to all be on the computer at the same time and so we sometimes get to speak to each other - but not nearly enough. 

Made with Priceless (I love this set ... definitely on my wish list ever since I borrowed this set from my friend Tammy), I've turned my peep hole Christmas card into a birthday card using the little flower that fits perfectly within the 1 3/8" circle punch; and then had fun decorating the envelope.

This is the new Walk in the Park designer series paper from the Spring Mini which coordinates brilliantly with Basic Grey and Baji Breeze ... the wording is from Upsy Daisy set.  I really like this card and am thinking that I need to invest in the star punches to transform this idea into a male card too ... something else to add onto the wish list!.

Hope you are having a good day and happy birthday Victoria.

Happy stampin!

Love Nikki

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Making Merry Monday # 8

I love this card .... okay so yes it is Old Olive and Real Red ... I did tell you I was a traditional girl at heart!

I've used the new Tree Trimmings from the Spring Mini, a glue pen with Dazzling Diamonds, the wording from the Level One Hostess set Best Yet set which fits perfectly inside the tag punch (which I then matted with yummy Real Red).  I've used the little flower from the Season Of Joy set but if you don't have this set then any little flower or sparkle will do.

This is my new Christmas card for the September classes - these are filling up fast so if you want to make an early start on your cards call me now to book your place.

Scrapbooking Workshop

On Saturday I held a workshop for a lovely bunch of ladies (hi girls) who wanted to complete a scrapbooking page. Whilst I worried that this would be hard to please everyone with colours and design, I managed to put something together that I think suited everyone.

Sorry about the terrible photo - the Melbourne weather wasn't conducive to photography today (or soccer but that's another story!).  

You may recognise the Great Friend pastel strip from a card of last week - Versamark and pastels are a wonderful thing!  I managed to forget the stamp set for this workshop which almost set me in a spin until the lovely hostess Tammy produced Priceless from her stash and hey presto ... I now NEED to buy Priceless too!  So the ladies used some of the many stamps from that set (I can't believe that I have never noticed that set - 11 stamps for $48.95 - now that is a bargain - and Tammy lent me the set so I can have a play) ....

 

The flowers are from the One of a Kind set ... the flowers fit perfectly with the Boho Blossoms punch - which the ladies loved.  Colours are Baji Breeze, Basic Grey, Not Quite Navy and Whisper White.

The photo is of Olivia and I in Paris earlier this year; the grimace on my face is because I was frozen ... it was -4 degrees!  After the photo was taken Olivia and I wrapped our scarves over our heads and faces ... such a good look in the fashion capital of the world!

Back soon with more cards and scrapbooking pages.  

Happy Stampin!

Nikki

x

Making Merry Monday # 7

Well I've done it ... yes it was a struggle ... but now I have a Christmas card combining Pink Passion, Tempting Turquoise and Lovely Lilac ... eeeek!  (I wonder whose job it is to think up the names for the colours ...  now that sounds like a fun job to me!).

It was challenging (to say the least) to use these colours and I wasn't sure that I'd use them again but my family like it so I am hoping that you do too :o)

I've used the new Tree Trimmings set from the Spring Mini - such a great set ($24.95) and I love the way the embossing stands out - beautiful stamp set.  The wording is from the Hostess Level 1 set Best Yet.  Of course, I lined up the 'thread' bit with the Stampamajig ... perfectly placed.

Back in a couple of days with some scrapbooking and a couple more cards ... been very creative this weekend!

Have a lovely week and happy stampin!

Nikki

Spring Mini Is Here!

Finally you get to see what the fuss is all about!  Click here to view a copy on line ... so many yummy new things.  There are so many hot favourites that I am having trouble working out what to make first so that I can show you all the lovely things.  

From new Christmas papers to individual stamps and corduroy buttons ... so many beautiful things.

I'll be back again in a few days with more to show you and news of some product shares (product shares for those of you new to Stampin! Up are a great way to get a little bits of things without the big investment of buying a whole set - perfect for brads, buttons, ribbon, etc).

Back soon and if you want your own copy of the new mini call me on 0428 254 952 (or email) and I'll pop one in the post for you ... they are FREE!

Nikki

x

Great Friend

Just a quick card for today from the set Great Friend.

This set is in the new Spring Mini - which launches today!  There are so many great products including the scallop oval punch and a matching stamp set called Oval All - a lovely train stamp called Choo Choo and some beautiful new papers.

Chocolate chip, Baja Breeze and the new Parisian Breeze paper this card was very quick to put together.  Set is called Good Friend and includes a beautiful butterfly.

Hope you like it.  If you'd like a copy of the new Spring Mini just let me know and I'll pop one in the post - they are FREE!

Happy Stampin

Nikki

x

Forest Friends

It was our wedding anniversary yesterday, 17 years we've been married - that number makes me feel old ... and amazed that 17 years can pass by in a flash.

I came home from work on Friday to find that my lovely husband had filled the cupboards with food and cleaned the house ... I feel like I have been on holiday with the chores already done.  Paul bought me a beautiful bunch of proteas and lilies which are just stunning.

And here's my card for Paul ....

This is a sneek peek from the new Spring mini - Forest Friends - such a cute set, there's a little owl and deer to go with the lovely tree and bunny.  The words are from the Always stamp set.  Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip are fast becoming one of my favourite combinations.

We had a lovely evening with our friends - another Christmas in July ... did I tell you how much I enjoy Christmas?  LOL  and now we are off to see Harry Potter.

Hope you too are having a relaxing weekend.

Back tomorrow with Making Merry Monday ...

Happy Stampin

Nikki

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