Queen for a Day

.
Wow, what a great weekend! I had a ball at Dunkleys - it was fun to catch up with my customers (both old and new!). I'll post some pictures of my stall later on this week.

And I've also been busy with all the orders for the DSP that's on special! I wanted to show you this page I made with the fabulous Pink Flamingo papers. This page is cased from a page I saw here - I would never have thought to use the papers like this, but I love the effect it gives!


I especially love how the papers are used by cutting out various elements to use as embellishments on the page. How many times have you found a beautiful piece of paper but thought it was too lovely to use? Or the pattern was too "busy" to use on a page? By using just a little bit of paper, or by cutting out images from it, you can create a beautiful layout - or even a whole co-ordinating scrapbook from one pack of DSP!


I've also used the technique of colouring in chipboard letters then lacquering them with Crystal Effects - an easy way to ensure you always have matching letters for your layout!

The subject of this page is my beautiful niece Moana. Isn't she just the cutest?! I was lucky enough to be in Sydney when she turned two in January, so got this priceless pic of her wearing her new princess garb (only a few moments after this photo was taken that crown was off!!).


If you would like to order this paper at the special price of $12.97 (usually $19.95) then email me before 10pm tonight (Tuesday) so that I can place your order before the special price expires.

I'll be posting the new Deal of the Week tomorrow morning (after 2am when I find out what it is!) so come back and check it out. If you would like the deal emailed directly to you then please join my mailing list by entering your email address in the box on the right hand side of this page. I promise not to spam you, and you are free to unsubscribe at any time!

Catch you tomorrow and happy crafting!

Deal of the Week #2... and a page I've been meaning to post!

.
Throughout the month of June, Stampin’ Up! is bringing out a new deal every week! With the Deals of the Week, you’ll get up to 50% off a selection of products from the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalogue!

This week’s deals: Save 35-40% on selected Designer Series (double-sided) paper packs!

Haiku - $11.97 (rrp $19.95)

Tea Party - $11.97 (rrp $19.95)

Pink Flamingo - $12.97 (rrp $19.95)

Raspberry Tart - $12.97 (rrp $19.95)

Sweet Slumber - $18.17 (rrp $27.95)

There is no limit to the number of DSP packs you can purchase at the special prices, and no minimum order is required (5% will be added to your order total to cover postage and packaging). If you would like to order any of these papers at the special price you have until Tuesday 15 June at 10pm when I will be putting my order in, so place an order now!

Bronte Beach

Now for the page I've been meaning to post for the last two weeks... One of my customers once asked me whether I ever do any "plain" scrapbooking. I had to laugh, as I confess that most of the pages I do have at least a little embellishing on them! But that question sparked a challenge for me - to make a "plain" page! And this is what I came up with:


This is my most favourite beach in all of Sydney, Australia! Bronte is a small family-oriented beach, just two beaches south of the famous Bondi Beach (Tamarama beach is in between the two). At the southern end of the beach is a sheltered rock pool (the Aborigines call it a bogey hole) where young children can swim safely, and there is also a gorgeous ocean pool where swimmers can train by doing laps (the pool is 30 metres long) or teenagers can jump off the cliff into the deep end! During the Christmas holidays when I was visiting my brother and his family I spent many happy days in this pool, either alone or with my nephews.

I thought the photos of Bronte Beach would be perfect for my "plain" page, and I wanted to lay them out so that (1) they would showcase the many beautiful views, and (2) they would appear to be like a window that the viewer is looking out from. I love this page and the memories it brings back to me (isn't that what scrapbooking is all about - preserving your precious memories!).

The one addition I made to this page was to ink the chipboard letters with Pacific Point (to match the background cardstock) and then cover them in Crystal Effects, which is a clear dimensional lacquer that gives these letters such a wonderful shine!

I hope you like my "plain" page! And if you want to know more about it please feel free to contact me!

Supplies Used:
Cardstock: Pacific Point, Bashful Blue
Ink: Pacific Point, Bashful Blue
Stamps: Pure & Simple Alphabet (retired)
Other: On Board Loads of Letters, Crystal Effects, Sponge Dauber
.

Scrappy Monday!

.
I just love Mondays! The start of a new week, the opportunity to get everything done that wasn't done last week (hehe), and a chance to show you some of my scrapbooking!!

This page is an old one I did - one that I promised I would show you last year before I took my blogging 'holiday'. I made this page before I went to Australia to spend Christmas with my brother and his family, and it captures the main reason for my visit: to see my nephews and niece!

I used the I Wish Simply Scrappin' kit - a great kit to use to make quick and easy scrapbook pages as all elements co-ordinate together! This kit contains 8 sheets of 12"x12" textured cardstock (four different colors), 6 sheets of 12"x12" double-sided patterned paper, and 6 sheets of die-cut stickers - all this for only $43.95!

I have also used some of the scrumptious Button Bouquet buttons to add a little texture on the page, using linen thread and tiny strips of DSP to fill the button holes. The two corduroy buttons are from a different set that has sadly now retired :( - luckily I stocked up before they finished so still have plenty in my stash!

Also, to add some stamping to my page (which I find isn't always necessary when using the Simply Scrappin' kits, but I like to so I did!) I have used the Snow Swirled set which is still available in the main catalogue. That set sure did get a workout at Christmastime, and is one I'll be keeping in my collection for many years to come!

As this week is the start of National Scrapbooking Month I'm making the following offer to encourage you all to get scrappin'! Purchase any Simply Scrappin' kit during May and receive 5 metres of 1/4" grosgrain ribbon (in co-ordinating colours) FREE! Contact me today to place your order, and let me know which colour ribbon you would like to receive. Simply Scrappin' kits can be found on pages 136-38 of the main catalogue and on page 33 of the Autumn/Winter Mini; 1/4" grosgrain ribbon is on page 151 of the main catalogue.

Recipe (all products by Stampin'Up! unless otherwise noted):
Paper: Simply Scrappin' I Wish kit
Stamps: Snow Swirled
Ink: Versamark
Other: Silver embossing powder, Button Bouquet, linen thread, Chocolate Chip marker
.

Just Add Ink Challenge #14

.
Nothing like a challenge to get someone back into blogging is there! I umm-ed and ahhh-ed about whether to post this page, as it didn't come out as 'heritage' as I would have liked, but thought I would share anyway, as part of it has a really nice collage effect.


This page showcases my gorgeous god-daughter, Carla, who has (surprisingly!) graced the pages of my scrapbooking pages (and blog) many times before! Last year she was finally old enough to travel up from Auckland to visit me in Whangarei, and we had plenty of photo opportunities when we visited Mair Park and she started climbing the old trees!!

I wanted to capture the timeless nature of this park, and to also show that this was an historic visit for us both. Hence the heritage-style page! I bought the twill tape ages ago when I saw how cool it looked stamped, but haven't managed to pull it out of my stash until now. I love it! To make the title shown below I first wheeled the Very Vintage jumbo wheel using Soft Suede, then randomly stamped the vine, from the de-vine (hehe) Vintage Vogue set in the new Autumn/Winter Mini, using Old Olive ink. I then stamped the title and flowers using Rich Razzleberry (or Rich Raz as I call it!), frayed each end of the tape and attached with brads. A few buttons cut out using the Buttons #5 Sizzlet and a bit of linen thread and Crystal Effects, then my title was completed!



I also stamped some flowers from the Vintage Vogue set onto vellum cardstock using the Rich Raz, cut them out and adhered to the page. A bit of faux-stitching using the mat pack, piercing tool and white gel pen to tie the Cottage Wall DSP together gave the page a nice collage feel. I know that the faux stitching and hand-cutting of the flowers takes time, but I love how the detail gives the page a real 'hand made' feel.

So, that's my take on the Just Add Vintage challenge! It's so nice to be blogging again - this will be a regular thing, I promise!! Go and check out the other great entries at Just Add Ink - there are some stunning ones this week!

Recipe (all products by Stampin'Up! unless otherwise noted):
Ink: Old Olive, Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry, Sahara Sand, Whisper White
Paper: Old Olive, Soft Suede, Kraft, Vellum Cardstock, Cottage Garden DSP
Stamps: Lovely Letters alphabet, Vintage Vogue
Other: Vintage brads, Top Note Die, Buttons #5 Sizzlet, twill tape, glue dots, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Mat Pack and piercing tool, white gel pen, linen thread
.

So Young, So Innocent...

style.
It seems my scrapbooking ladies just can't get enough of Heritage scrapbooking, but in order to make this page more versatile I have leaned towards more of a 'modern' heritage style.


This is my Third form (Year 9??) photo taken in 1986 when I was in my first year at boarding school. I can't believe how young and innocent (naive??)I look in this photo!

In order to give the page a timeless feel I have used the gorgeous Parisian Breeze DSP ($27.95), which is only available until the end of this month (sob!) when the Spring Mini catalogue ends. This DSP is a textured coverweight, so is perfect for those mini albums. I'm really going to miss it when it's gone... (can you tell!?!). I've also coupled this paper with the beautiful Great Friend set (also leaving in the Spring Mini!), which at $37.95 for five co-ordinating stamps is great value. In order to make the customised border shown below I used Baja Breeze ink to stamp the En Francais ($39.95) background onto glossy cardstock and then stamped the butterfly from Great Friend in Versamark before embossing it with white embossing powder (some students used clear embossing powder too so that the En Francais words showed though), and lastly sponging over the top with Baja Breeze again. I love how it all co-ordinates and really showcases this (modern) heritage page!

To add some extra special touches I have used a crystal brad, white half pearl and flower from the Pretties kit ($66.95 for TONS of bling!). The flower has been dyed with the Baja Breeze reinker to co-ordinate with the rest of the page. A few butterflies fluttering through the bottom left-hand corner symbolize my journey from innocence to... well, all that I am today!

Check out my blog tomorrow for a sneak peak of the door prize I am making for the Tauranga Extravaganza that is on this coming Sunday at St Johns Church in Bureta. I still have a couple of spaces left to fill so please contact me ASAP if you would like to join us for a fun afternoon of stamping and crafting on Sunday afternoon!

Converting Cardmakers to Scrapbookers??

.
Hooray, I've managed ONE blog post in September!! Sorry I have been such a slack blogger - as usual, life happened!

This month the Creative Inkers Team Challenge was to create a scrapbooking layout or project that would appeal to scrapbookers using Stampin' Up! products. One aim of this was to maybe convert some of our cardmaking customers into scrapbookers. Personally, I have had no problems converting the cardmakers to scrapbooking, but converting scrapbookers to cardmaking is another story! For that reason I created the following page which I cased (an anagram for "Copy And Share Everything") from the Spring Mini Catalogue (page 17) using the wonderfully masculine set Uncharted Territory ($40.95).



To get the effect shown on the card I was casing I firstly stamped the images onto acetate using StazOn Cotton White ink, then stamped the highlighted areas onto colored cardstock before cutting them out and adhering to the back of the acetate. I used a torn piece of Pacific Point cardstock to make the ocean and there you have it - a scrapbook page cased from a card!

I also used the stamp set Enjoy Every Moment ($62.95) to create the title and journalling block, and the background card is the very funky Ballet Blue - not a very masculine name but a very masculine colour!

I am holding a scrapbooking class this Sunday, 4th October, so please contact me to book in if you would like to become a scrapbooking convert!

Raspberry Tart Double-Page Spread

.

Well, you might need to click on this photo to see the pages in their full glory, as I cropped it before uploading - it's so hard to take a shot of two 12x12 pages side by side!! This DSP is so girly, and perfect for some shots of my lovely niece Moana as she turned the big ONE! The photos aren't the best, but they just go perfectly with this paper. It's also not my usual style to make two pages symmetrical with each other, but it worked really well in this case.

Here's the recipe:

Papers: Whisper White, Rose Red, Kiwi Kiss, Raspberry Tart DSP
Inks: Rose Red
Stamps: So Swirly Jumbo Wheel
Accessories: Eyelet Border punch, 5 Petal punch, Boho Blossoms punch, Ticket Corner punch (USA only), Top Note Sizzix die (USA only), Silver Hodgepodge Hardware, White Gel Pen.

My latest Heritage Page

.
This is the page we made at May's scrapbooking workshop held at Christine's lovely home. I wish now that I'd taken a photo of the view from her deck, but alas I didn't!!


This page was inspired by the Monthly Challenge on my upline Jacque's blog (click here to view the other entries). It is a page by Becky at PageMaps.com - great for inspiration if you are ever stuck for ideas! Although I haven't stuck religiously to the sketch it retains the main elements. And I love the title, made with my favourite Heritage alphabet, Lovely Letters.

This page was a bit like a jigsaw puzzle to make, as all the paper pieces had to be placed in the exact order to get the overall effect. The blank panel in the middle is for the journalling, which I am yet to do!! This page used the following items:

Paper: Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy, Close to Cocoa, Bella Bleu DSP
Inks: Not Quite Navy, Close to Cocoa
Stamps: Lovely Letters, Echoes of Kindness
Accessories: Spiral punch, Photo Corners punch, Piercing Mat, White Gel Pen, Scallop Edge punch, Eyelet Border punch.

A Real Challenge

.
This page was made for the Scrapbooking Shed Cooper's Beach Camp challenge. They hold two camps a year, one in Autumn and one in Spring, and each time they have a challenge pack consisting of different materials that you must use to make a page with. Although you can use your own stamps, inks, punches etc, you are not allowed to use any other materials! AND... you have to use at least some of every different item in the pack!


It was really interesting to see what everyone else made with their packs - they were so different! I am thinking of hosting a challenge of my own, using only Stampin' Up! materials just to see what everyone else makes. Packs will be no more than $5 - let me know if you want to join in!

The Stampin' Up! products used in this page were the Always set, Round Tab punch, Photo Corner punch, 1 1/4" Circle punch, 1/2" Circle punch, Chocolate Chip ink, Piercing Mat and white gel pen. Btw, the two stamped panels open up using the Round Tab hinges to reveal hidden journaling inside!

Stamp Happy Challenge of the Month - February 2009

I have been doing a few challenges lately, and this is one from Jacque's blog. She got this sketch from Becky at Pagemaps. If you're ever stuck for inspiration for scrapbooking layouts then this is the site to visit!

Using the sketch as my inspiration I made the following page about me and my baby, Lil' Missy. I didn't have three small portrait photos of her so I modified the sketch so that I could use the photos I had. It looks kinda collage-y which also captures her personality. She's a real witch, but I love her anyway!

Here is the recipe:
Stamps: Warm Words
Inks: Pretty In Pink, Wild Wasabi, Pixie Pink
Papers: Afternoon Tea DSP, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White
Accessories: Aluminium-edged circle tag, cat punch, silver foil tape, white gel pen, Bella lettering, Making Memories rub-on letters, Bradletz flower brads, Groovy Guava double-stitched ribbon

Scrapbooking Shed Christmas Page Challenge

This weekend the Scrapbooking Shed in Kerikeri had a scrap weekend for Valentine's day. I went up for it and caught up with some old friends from the Cooper's Beach camps, as well as made some new friends (hi Alison and Nola!). It was a really great day - great company, great nibbles and some really cool pages being made. Rowena and Carolyn (the owners) made it a great day, and if any of you are going through Kerikeri stop in at the Shed - 175 Pungaere Road, just out of Waipapa.

Anyway, they also held a scrap challenge, which was to make a 12"x12" scrapbooking page with a Christmas theme. And guess what? I won!!! The page I made was of my gorgeous god-daughter Carla, who at seven was finally allowed to be in the Auckland Santa Parade (her father has been in it for the past eight years as a certain bearded man in a red suit!). She got to dress up as a 'Sugar Plum Fairy' and she looked too cute!!! Of course I took waaay too many photos, so devised the following layout with some hidden areas so that I could fit them all in!

Firstly, here is the page as it initially appears...


...Then the left side opens (love that round tab punch!) to reveal more photos.


But wait - there's more! The right side photo opens out to reveal another photo and some journalling about the day.


And here is the layout fully opened out:


I wanted to make it like a fairytale book, where the outside is the cover and the inside is where more information can be found. It's also a good way of displaying the best photos on the layout, but keeping the other 'less good' photos that you don't want to discard or not memorialise in a scrapbook. I found that using the round tab punch and star brads from the silver Hodgepodge set to make the 'hinges' kept with the theme of an old bound book. Hope you like it!

Here is the recipe:

Stamps: One of a Kind (Spring 2008 mini), Big Deal Alphabet, Short & Sweet
Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Pretty In Pink
Paper: Purely Pomegranate, Old Olive, Chocolate chip, Very Vanilla, Pretty In Pink
Accessories: Round tab punch, 1/2" circle punch, designer tag punch, boho blossoms punch (Spring 2008 mini), silver Hodgepodge brads and frame, piercing tool, Very Vanilla 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Basic Black marker pen