Quick post!

As I expected I don't have half as much time as I would like to keep my blog up-to-date and full of wonderful creations (which I am not getting to do much at present) now that I am back at 'real' work (but not as much fun as Stampin' Up!) and also as I am busy helping my husband type up his nursing assignment. So while he is getting some more ready for me to type I thought I would sneak in to my blog and make a post.

We celebrated our daughter's 15th birthday on Sunday (27th April) and my parents came to visit. I made a card for my daughter and my son requested I make one for her from him as well (see them in the photo below). The other card was given by my parents and the beautiful beaded doll in the photo was created by my mother for my daughter - she is making one for all her grand-daughters! As one of my young nieces says they are 'looking at dolls, not playing with dolls' as they are very special.


Happy stamping!

More tiling...

Here are a few more examples of the technique of 'tiling'. One of my favourite things to do here in Dodges Ferry is to walk on the beach with our dog Chloe. Recently my husband I took a walk along the beach and collected some lovely shells and a few sea urchins (empty of the creatures!) and they just seemed to suit the Fishy Friends card sample that I made. The other card using the Natural Beauty stamp set not only demonstrates tiling but also uses a favourite technique called 'polished stone'.

Happy stamping!

Tiling

At my next workshop to be held at my home next Friday I am going to demonstrate the technique of 'tiling'. There are various ways to achieve this effect and below are some samples of cards I have created using this technique. I have a couple more examples to load to this post when I retrieve them off my camera!

So for those ladies who are attending next week's workshop and regularly 'pop' in to my blog here are samples of what you can expect to create, although I am sure you will have more imagination and fun using this technique in different ways than I perhaps have!


Happy stamping!

Back to work!

As I suspected now that I am no longer on holidays and am back at my "regular" job, four days a week (Mon-Thu), I have not had the time to blog! I have not been home before 7 pm each night so far and with Monday night as my regular 'crop' night with other local scrapbooking ladies and other family commitments in the evenings I have not had time to complete what I want in my stamping arena - including adding new posts or images to my blog!

I have been trying to complete my 7 swap cards (sample previously displayed on my blog) and to complete some samples of cards demonstrating the technique of tiling as this is what I am going to demonstrate at my next workshop to be held at my home with my regular local friends and customers. These samples I will load to my blog this coming weekend when I have some more time and can take some photos of them in better light during the day.

Happy stamping!

For You With Love...

My 14 year old daughter is the godparent of one of my friend's children who is about to celebrate her first birthday and she just loves giraffes! So my daughter asked me to create a card for her using the giraffe from the Wild About You stamp set. I chose Pumpkin Pie from Stampin' Up!'s Earth Elements® colour family as my main colour because it made be think of a giraffe and then using Stampin' Up!'s Color Coach® I found that Ballet Blue from the Rich Regals® colour family was suggested as the Complementary Color. I was so glad that I followed the suggested combination as it looks so fresh and bright, just the effect I wanted to achieve.

If you are like me and often have trouble working out what colours to use on a project you need the assistance of Stampin' Up!'s Color Coach®. You select a main colour and point the arrow to it and the Color Coach® provides you with two options: Coordinating Colors - showing three colours that can be used individually with your main colour or a combination of two or all three to create stunning results; and Complementary Color - a colour that will complement your chosen main colour to get a great result.


Happy stamping!

Palette o' Prints offer!

Stampin’ Up!® have a one time only 6" x 6" designer paper pad offer! This special offer is only available during 1-31 May 2008 - when you purchase $35 Stampin’ Up!® products you can get a 6" x 6" pad of double-sided Prints Designer Series paper for only $12.95!

This one-time offer gives you 48 double-sided sheets in Certainly Celery, Rose Red, So Saffron* and Almost Amethyst*. Each pad holds 12 sheets of each colour - two sheets of each pattern in each colour - that can be used for cards, crafts or scrapbooking!

*these colours are not offered in the 2008-2009 Idea Book & Catalogue, and can only be purchased through this special offer!

Contact me today to book your workshop in May so you and your friends can take advantage of this offer! Or alternatively email me with your $35 order and a request for the Palette o' Prints offer (total cost $53.90, includes $5.95 shipping & handling) - orders will be placed after 1 May when the promotion begins and when payment is received.

Happy stamping!

New In Color Range - Swap

I am participating in a 'swap' with some other Stampin' Up!® demonstrators, where we create a card front and put the details on how we created it and what products we used on the back. The swap theme is to use one of the new stamp sets in the latest catalogue. I decided to use one of the new Hostess Gift Stamp Sets - Time Well Spent (level 3) - which active demonstrators received free from Stampin' Up!® as a christmas bonus - how special is that! [If you want to know how you can receive this hostess only stamp set FREE please contact me]

I also wanted to play with the new In Color range of card stock, inks and ribbons so I decided that this was a good time to do it! Below is the card front that I created - I now have 6 more to make! I cased the design off a card displayed on Splitcoast Stampers (thanks LaLatty!) but changed the colours to some of the new In Color range - Groovy Guava, Wild Wasabi and Soft Sky. I did some doodling using the Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker and White Gel Pen, as well as using the mat pack for paper piercing.


Happy stamping!

50th Birthday Card

Below is the birthday card that I created for my husband's 50th birthday, he really liked it as he loves the water and dreams of having a boat one day!

Instead of using the brayer for the sky I used a sponge with several shades of blue to give a stormy appearance, although it would not be a good day to sail! I also punched a circle to use as a mask for the moon prior to sponging. After removing the circle mask I sponge a little over the moon for a softer effect.


Stamp Set: Seaworthy
Ink: Brocade Blue, Blue Bayou (new In Color), Not Quite Navy
Cardstock: Blue Bayou, Black
Accessories: Organdy Ribbon and Hodgepodge Hardware, sponges, circle punch

Happy stamping!

Brayered Sky Technique

Now that I have got my blog to a stage that I am reasonably happy with (design wise) I thought it was about time that I put a sample of what I have created recently on my blog!

I just love the Brayered Sky technique that Michelle Zindorf demonstrated on Splitcoast Stampers and gave it a try and then shared the technique with some of my stamping/scrapbooking friends at a workshop at my home. Below are two of the cards that I created using this technique.



Happy stamping!

Idea Book & Catalogue 2008-2009

Stampin' Up!® have recently released their new Idea Book & Catalogue 2008-2009 and it has some lovely new stamp sets, new hostess stamp sets, and a new In Color range of ink pads, cardstock and matching ribbons. New 12 x 12 textured cardstock packs have been introduced and there are also new accessories including rubons, ribbons, a pretties embelishment kit, rhinestones, and additional punches. A new tool is the Crop-A-Dile which can punch circles through chipboard, tin, and multiple layers with ease as well as setting eyelets silently and easily.

Too much to list here and something that I am constantly re-reading and seeing new ideas and adding to my 'wishlist' even after putting in a 'big' order when it was first released. If you would like to receive a copy of the new catalogue at a cost of $12.95 (I will pay the postage cost if posted within Australia for the month of April) please contact me on maecollins3@iprimus.com.au.

Happy stamping!

My Group - Tassie Inkydinks!

When I joined Stampin' Up!® in October 2006 I only planned to enhance my scrapbooking hobby and enjoy the fun of creating my own cards using rubber stamps! I also loved their range of accessories! I planned to do a few workshops to share my joy of stamping with others and to supplement the cost of my hobby. However, over a year down the track I now have a small team of stampers and scrapbookers who work to achieve their own goals and who I support in whatever way they want - we are called the Tassie Inkydinks.

If you would like any information on the opportunities of joining Stampin' Up!® or the Tassie Inkydinks please email me on maecollins3@iprimus.com.au or feel free to contact any of the other members of our group who have their own blogs and can be located from our group blog - http://tassieinkydinks.blogspot.com/.

Happy stamping!

Blog Development (work in progress)

This is my first attempt at developing a blog and sharing information on the web about my enjoyment in Stampin' Up!® and the different designs that I can create using their products. I will be updating my blog on a weekly basis (most likely at the weekends, because I have another "regular" four day a week job!) and improving its overall design and appearance as my skills in "blogging" improve!

Happy stamping!