INKYART

Christmas In July again!

I love this card.  It was inspired from a stamping magazine - not sure which one but when I saw the tree made with the leaves from the two step bird punch I knew that eventually I would find the time to make it.  It really is very easy (yes Sharon I did write easy LOL) to place the leaves (tear off the stems) into a shape of a tree - and when we made this in the class last week we had trees of all different styles ... and they all looked lovely.

I've used the Vintage Vogue set to create the background - stamping tone on tone with Rich Razzleberry - and the pearls are a must have finish for the card.

Happy Stampin

Nikki

x

 

Convention 2011 - The Swaps

Have you noticed how quiet blogland has been this past week?  That's because all of us Stampin' Up! demos have been beavering feverishly away - making swaps and organsing our lives so that we can be in Melbourne from Thursday to Sunday - mingling with the US and Australian Home Office staff and fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators.

I love it .... its taken a bit of organising this year with my husband being away ... but thank goodness for my best mate Tracy - my kids are so excited to be staying with her this weekend and I thank her from the bottom of my heart xx

So what do have to show you today .... 70 swaps .... yes that's seven .... zero ..... not the 100 I wanted to make but one week ago today I had none - so I am extremely happy with 70 - and thank you Olivia for being the Big Shot queen and turning out all the butterflies and top note dies for me ... love you xx

These worked out quick and easy to make and would be a great card to make for those moments when time is of the essence!  I made four different colours versions to suit all tastes:

So Saffron and Regal Rose

Pink Pirouette and Baja Breeze

Daffodil Delight and Pacific Point

Basic Grey and Melon Mambo

Sorry for the terrible photos - taking photos at night is never good is it.  So in return for my 70 cards, I should come home with 70 other swaps from other demonstrators - so if you are a workshop lady - be prepared to be inspired with all the new ideas I'll have to show you.

Now I'll be home tonight (little thing called two kids and another day at school to organise - doh), so I'll upload some photos of the day for you to see tomorrow.  After that I'll be staying in the city with a heap (quite literally) of other demos until Sunday  ... but I will keep you updated with what's new and what's coming from Stampin' Up!

Nikki

x

 

 

 

Royal Tour - Welcome to Australia and Vintage Vogue

Hello and welcome to my castle which is located in Melbourne, Australia.  I'm not sure how many aussies have taken part in the Royal Tour before .... but two of my friends are taking part too ... and we have been very excited.

So without further ado here's my project using the beautiful stamp set Vintage Vogue.  It's a gift for my mother-in-law who celebrates her birthday this month.  How often do you reach for a notelet or card to send to someone .... and find you don't have anything to send?

The designer series paper is a set called Elegant Soiree, it coordinates perfectly with Baja Breeze, Crmb Cake, Very Vanilla and Soft Suede.   I have made four designs, two of each.  I have planned for these cards to be used for all sorts of occasions.  Whilst this set of cards have all their sentiments in place;  I'll be making more as gifts with hand stamped sentiments that are not attached to the card .... this is so when the card is written an appropriate sentiment can be attached - perfect.  

A lovely thank you card ...

As And a 'just for you' card ... all the cards have matching envelopes too.

We are nearing Christmas, so this little gift idea would be perfect for teachers, friends, colleagues and anyone who you post pressies too as it is light and easy to package.

I am offering a pack of these cards with the self adhesive sentiments as blog candy and a thank you for visiting my castle.  

If you would like to be in the draw please leave a comment and then email me a note of your name and email address to nikki@inkyart.com.au to let me know your name and your email address to be included within the draw.

Thank you for visiting my aussie castle ... it's been a pleasure to meet you .... leave me a comment so that I know you have visited, and come back again soon!

 

ESAD Mother's Day Hop

Oh yes another Hop - I love Blog Hops!

You will have just arrived from Debbie William's blog, but if you haven't and you are starting here ... don't worry ... hops are a circle ... you can hop on and off where you choose.  Now if you'd like to win some blog candy all you need to do is to leave a comment on all the blogs in the hop (16 in total) and then email the organiser Sharlene Torres and let her know that's what you have done - so simple!

Mother's Day for me happens in March (three weeks before Easter) .... being an English chick that's just what happens ... but ... being an Aussie chick too (thank goodness you can't hear me speak - lol), Mum did say that she'd quite like having two Mother's Days so perhaps Mother's Day in May will become more normal for me I think.

Having just achieved a recent promotion, I was able to get the Big Shot for FREE - yes FREE - excited is an understatement. 

I've used the Top Cut die to make a little bag.  I used this last night as a prize for a workshop - the ladies loved it.  It is so simple to make.  

Then I have cut two Top Notes (at the same time) and ran the Very Vintage wheel over them in Soft Suede.  A little Melon Mambo Vintage Vogue flower with a little centre in Soft Suede and a brad, the little bag was almost complete.

I used the Hostess Level 1 set, Best Yet to create a tag, punched with the large oval, scallop oval and wide oval, this is a quick and easy way to add a sentiment.  I've attached it to the Melon Mambo Polka Dot ribbon handles with a little piece of Linen Thread ... finished off with a little bit of sponging with the Soft Suede ink .. perfect.  Here's a little sketch to show you the dimensions for making the little box inside ...

I love being a demo ... not only do we get a generous discount we also receive great incentives ... and you can became a member of ESAD - it's for all Australian and New Zealand demonstrators of all levels. Click here to join and receive the help and encouragement you need in your business from both new and experienced demonstrators. And if you want to join Team Inky ... click here to find out more.

Right time to hop onto Melissa Barkwith's blog for more inspiration - enjoy your day.

 

SAM Challenge # 7 - ME!

The challenge .... to scrapbook five things you like about yourself ... including a photo!  Yep a photo - I don't have very many photos of me at all - I'm always taking the photos!

As always, there is a prize .... two jumbo Stampin' Around wheels of your choice - cool prize donated by Tanja.  You can use Mr Linky to enter your layout or if you don't have a blog email one of the design team and we will help you - you can make a guest appearance on my blog if you like ;o)

You will find all the challenge details HERE at the Stampamemory.

Believe it or not ... this challenge was ... well a challenge.  I can waffle on until the cows come home about everyone I know (and often do), talk to a lamp post if it will answer back even ... but tell you something personal about me ... or show you a photo of me .... ummmm that takes a bit of preparation!

I have three photos of me that I 'kinda' like (constantly on a diet you see - perhaps one day there will be a before and after picture - lol) ... the one here on my blog ... up there on the right ... the one I use as an avatar for the forums I frequent (will scrap that one day) and this one!

I asked my son Kieran if he could list five things that he loved about his mum ... being rather smart he asked why, and when I told him he said it would be cheating if he told me ... great help he was!

I then asked my best friend ... she came up with heaps of ideas (gotta love best friends).  I did ponder scrapbooking my feet ... I like my feet ... I wondered if scrapping my big toe, my little toe ... and so on ... would count ... or get me chucked off the design team!  As this was one of my New Year Resolutions (that I really didn't think I could achieve) - I took several days to come up with this layout ... the stamping was a breeze ... the journalling a little less so!  So here it is .... 

I am in love with the new Vintage Vogue set from the Autumn Mini - especially the clear mount version.  But first ... here's the sparkle ... I've used Crystal Effects and then sprinkled some Dazzling Diamonds over the letters before it dried ... see how much it sparkles.

And the flowers - I've created 'centres' threading the ribbon up through one hole, knotting it and then threading it down through another hole ... or ... I have threaded both ends of the ribbon through the card and tied a simple knot.

I used Real Red and the long stamp from the Vintage Vogue set to create an edge to the page ... and then overlaid that with the Basic Black, Craft White ink and the 'viney' stamp to create another border before I added the photo and the numbered chipboard journalling.

All the numbers are from the On Board Timeless set ... I've used the 'waste' and cut it out with a craft knife.  I sponged Basic Black and Real Red ink onto the chipboard and then stamped the image over the top in Craft White.  These little pieces are attached to Whispter White journalling blocks, again stamped and I have written with a Real Red marker.

So what does the journalling say ... well here goes:

I love being Mum!  My two greatest achievements are Olivia and Kieran - they make me smile every day.

I like being me .. trying to be the very best I can be for myself and for everyone around me - a definite work in progress!

I love to create ... are you surprised?  I've always got a list of 'things I want to do' ... 
 if only I had more time!

I love to make others laugh and I love hearing others laugh.  I can't tell a joke to save my life but I do have a few 'blonde' moments to share.

I am a glass half full kinda girl.  I'll grab any opportunity that comes my way with a smile and encourage others to do the same!

I hope this inspires you to have a go and enter a layout - remember there are prizes!

It has been a challenge to bear my soul in this way but I am really pleased that I did it ... now my kids ... and their kids will have a record of what their mother / grandmother looked like and thought about herself at the ripe old age of 42 - did I just admit to being that old :o)

That's what I love about scrapbooking :o)

 

Mini Creations

I've used the new Pendant Notes in the Autumn Winter Mini to create a little card - it's only 10.8 cm square but it is so cute.  They cost $17.50 and the pack contains 15 of these little cards and 15 matching envelopes - brilliant value. 

You slip the little die cut pieces out to reveal the pattern and then the rest is up to you.  I've used the Melon Mambo cardstock and the Vintage Vogue stamp set to create a really quick and easy card.  The centre of the flower is a little white brad and the centre of the bow is a half pearl from the Pretties Kit.

Talking of bows have you noticed how good this one is .... I don't 'do' bows but anyone can do this one ... leave me a comment and I'll send you the link to a great little video I found!

Back soon with another little Pendant Note creation.