Bloomin' With Beauty

When the Spring Mini came out, the first stamp set that made it to my wish list was Bloomin' with Beauty. I just LOVE hydrangeas and knew it would be a lovely set to play with and practise my watercolouring skills on. Having said that, I still haven't yet had a play with the hydrangeas stamp LOL.
I wanted to demonstrate the 'watercolouring with markers & stamp pads' technique at a recent workshop so had a little play and came up with the design you see here. I hope you like it.

SUPPLIES:
Stamp: Blooming with Beauty
Paper: Old Olive, Purely Pomegranate, watercolouring paper, Very Vanilla
Ink: Versamark, Old Olive, Purely Pomegranate
Accessories: Stamp-a-ma-jig, Double-stitched ribbon, Slit Punch, sponge daubers, snail, dimensionals, aquapen

Until next time....

All supplies from Stampin' Up!

World Card Making Day

Celebrated the first Saturday in October, World Card Making Day endeavours to bring together card makers around the world at a time that is traditionally the busiest time of year for card- and gift-making.

Stampin’ Up! Celebrates World Card Making Day

Stampin’ Up! is excited to celebrate this holiday with you the week of 4-11 October. During this week, we are offering 20 percent off Simply Sent Card Kits (pp 12-14 in the Catalogue)

If you would like to take advantage of this offer, be quick and email me janine.rutherford@xtra.co.nz

Until next time....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO STAMPIN' UP!

Happy Birthday SU!
Happy Birthday SU!
HappyBirthday Stampin' U-Up!
Happy Birthday SU!

Yes, that's right, it's Stampin' Up!'s 20th birthday (in the US) and we are giving you the presents. All you need to do is purchase $20 in products ( and that will be easy ;-) ) and you can purchase one of five selected stamps sets at 20% off. How good is that??!! And there is something for everybody in the selection too.
The sets on sale (and the catalogue page numbers) are:

Big Bold Birthday (pg 37) now only $51.16!
Pretty Princess (pg 38) now only $43.16!
Birthday Best (pg 51) now only $23.96!
Crab & Company (pg 55) now only $50.36!
Short & Sweet (pg 118) now only $28.76!

There's no limit to the sets you can buy, just spend $20 and you can have all five if you want! To place an order and take advantage of this super special birthday deal, please email me at janine.rutherford@xtra.co.nz.

Until next time....

ready to start FREE WHEELIN'?

Hands up if you LOVE the wheels that Stampin' Up! produce. Well, here's your chance to get some for FREE! Yes, you heard right, FREE! How cool is that?
Purchase any of the following stamp sets before 30 September and get the co-ordinating Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheel absolutely FREE!

Merry Merry Stamp Set, pg 29 - $53.95 (receive All About Christmas Wheel FREE)
Artfully Asian Stamp Set, pg 48 - $53.95 (receive Watercolour Vine Wheel FREE)
Nursery Neccessties Stamp Set, pg 59 - $66.95 (receive Nursery Letters Wheel FREE)
Bodacious Bouquet Stamp Set, pg 80 - $68.95 (receive Bodacious Wheel FREE)
Carte Postale Stamp Set, pg 94-95 - $57.95 (receive Leaves a-la Carte Wheel FREE)
Priceless Stamp Set, pg 105 $57.95 - (receive So Swirly Wheel FREE)

You'll be amazed at all the ways you can use wheels to add depth and dimension to you projects - and I'm excited to show you how. If you would like to place an order for any of these sets, email me at janine.rutherford@xtra.co.nz

Until next time....

MASCULINE CARDS

Our wonderful Idea Book and Catalogue is brimming full with beautiful stamp sets that are perfect for feminine cards. Some people find it difficult when it comes to making a card for the boys and men in their life. Recently I participated in a card swap with some other SU Demos for masculine cards. You may find some of these ideas great for Fathers Day coming up very quickly. My contribution was this card. And here are the other cards that I received.

Nik Wilkinson

Karren Johnson

Lynette Couper


Megan Finer

Delys Cram

As you can see they are all very different and all using different stamp sets. So go on! Have a go and you may be surprised how easy it is to make a great card for you man!

Until next time...

ALWAYS - so versatile

Here is another card I have made using the lovely set Always. This one was for my mother for her birthday. It is a very similar design to the card I made for my Husband. For the heart I used the rock and roll technique. The greeting is from the Wonderful Favourites set which is a very handy set indeed. The scalloped boarder was made using the slit punch.

SUPPLIES:
Card: Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Very Vanilla, Enchante DSP (retired)
Ink: Perfect Plum, Pale Plum
Stamps: Always, Wonderful Favourites
Accessories: Slit Punch, 1/2" Circle Punch, Dimensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Sponge Daubers

All supplies available from Stampin' Up!

Until next time....

Birthday Card for my Little Princess

Today is my Darling Daughter's 6th Birthday. She is a real girly girl and loves anything to do with fairies, princesses pink etc. You know the type. I like to make really special cards for my children's birthdays and this was to be no exception. Dana said she wanted a fairy card and since Stampin' Up! don't have any fairy stamps in the NZ catalogue I was a bit stumped. And then I remembered the lovely set I shared with you a few posts ago - Pretty Princess. I decided to make the cute Princess into a fairy. I stamped some butterflies from the Time Well Spent set onto vellum cardstock in Stazon ink. Carefully cut them out making sure to cut the head and feelers off and voila! - fairy wings! I stamped the Princess onto the Vellum cardstock as well. Coloured them using my Stampin' Write Markers. Glued the wings on the back with the Two Way Glue Pen, added a bit of Stampin' Glitter, and there you have a very sweet fairy!

I decided to make a garden scene with the fairies flying around some pretty flowers. Using a variety of flowers from Time Well Spent, I stamped onto cardstock in Stazon and coloured using ink pad lids and my aqua brush. I attached these to some of the die cut flowers from the Spring Mini with rhinestone brads and pearls from the Pretties Kit. I also coloured two of the smaller flowers from the Pretties Kit with my Markers - SO easy!
I made grass by snipping card with the Paper Snips and leaves and stalks from scraps of card.






SUPPLIES:
Card: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Wild Wasabi, Vellum Cardstock, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie
Stamps: Pretty Princess, Time Well Spent
Ink: Stazon
Accessories: Pretties Kit, Markers, Aqua Brush, Dimensionals, Paper Snips, Snail, Glue Dots

Dana really loved the card and it was worth the time it took to create - this was NOT a ten minute creation! She has had a lovely day too so all in all everyone is happy.
I hope you like it.

Until next time.....

All supplies from Stampin' Up!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SWEETIE!

Yes, 13 years ago today I married my darling. It's amazing how time flies and yet sooo much has happened in those 13 years that it seems like a very long time ago too.

Don't we look young? Aah, those were the days!

So, onto the card I have made to give to my beloved...

This was made using the gorgeous new set from the Spring Mini called Always and also Boho Backgrounds. As soon as I saw this set, I knew that I would use it to make this anniversary card as the words and images are just so lovely. I hope he likes it. My son asked why it had a heart on it when it was for a boy? I said that I didn't think Daddy would mind ;-) LOL
I have used the colours from the DSP Outlaw which I think are great for masculine cards. Let me know what you think of it.

Until next time...

SUPPLIES:
Stamps: Always, Boho Backgrounds
Paper: Sage Shadow, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, DSP Outlaw
Inks: Versamark, Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel , Ruby Red, Markers
Accessories: Hemp Twine, Vintage Brads, Sponge Daubers, Dimensionals

All supplies available from Stampin' Up!

IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE!

Today is launch day - hooray! As promised, this Mini Catalogue is anything but mini on wonderful products! You can view the entire catalogue by clicking the picture on the sidebar at left.

The Spring Mini offers a fresh selection of your favourite items available until the end of November. This mini catalogue really does have something for everyone! You'll love the array of styles represented in the stamp sets and the fantastic new accessories.

A few of the highlights for me are...

TART & TANGY ENSEMBLE
Stampin' Up! always comes out with new coordinating products, and I love their newest ensemble. The Summer Picnic Designer Series paper is seriously cute. The bright, summery colours combined with the cute fruit images make me just want to eat it! Add the Tart & Tangy stamp set and Rub-Ons, and I am ready for summer!

ONE OF A KIND SET & PUNCH
Stampin' Up! has done it again! This time the three-flower punch coordinates with a stamp set in the Boho West Style Watch product line - One of a Kind. I adore this set, and now I can have flower accents in seconds using the punch!

ON BOARD TRIMMINGS
Start a new tradition - handmade ornaments and decor! With our On Board Trimmings, Holiday Harmony Designer Series Paper and coordinating Accents & Elements, you'll be ready to deck the halls and your gifts in true Christmas style.


If you would like to book a workshop with me so I can show you some great products and techniques, just email me. My contact details are in my profile at left.


Until next time....

Spring Mini Coming Soon!

Hi there.
Yes, excitement is mounting as the new Spring Mini is coming out on the 1st August. Yippee. It is gorgeous!!!!All it's gorgeous yumminess will be available until November 30th. This catalogue is jammed packed with beautiful new stamp sets, designer papers and gorgeous satin ribbons. It is just STUNNING and something you won't want to miss! My personal wish list was practically the whole book and I am stalking the postie in anticipation of receiving my pre-order. This is just one of the perks of being a SU Demonstrator - we get to pre-order a whole month before the release of new catties - cool eh?. I can't wait to have a play and will definitely be sharing my creations with you here on my blog.

Speaking of sharing mini catty creations... a couple of very talented scrapbookers were sent some samples from the Spring Mini to have a play with recently and they will be sharing what they have created starting on August 1st. They will also be giving away some SU goodies so be sure to check them out. The lovely Trina McClune and Nic Howard.
Now knowing me and my limited abilities with linking on my blog, these links may not work, so here are their blog addresses in full if the links don't take you there directly.
Trina: http://www.trinamcclune.typepad.com/
Nic: http://nichoward.typepad.com/

Until next time...

Birthday Stars

This is a variation of a card design I have seen all over the place. It is so easy to do yet very effective. It makes a great birthday card or would be equally suited to a Congratulations card. I have made it up in masculine colours for a workshop but you could easily make it girly with a different colour combination.
I chose the colours for this card from the gorgeous DSP Jersey Shore.




SUPPLIES:
Stamps: Classic Stars (Jumbo Wheel), Wonderful Words
Ink: Brilliant Blue
Card: Pumpkin Pie, Brilliant Blue, Whisper White, Jersey Shore DSP
Accessories: Large Star & Star Punches, Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (Pumpkin Pie), Dimensionals

Here are another couple of cards using the same design but in different colour combinations. This time I have used the Stem Sayings for the greeting.


And just to prove how easy this card is to make, here is one done by my 8 year old son for his friend's birthday a few weeks ago. My children love to play with the wheels and punches!

One for the Little Girls

If you have a little girl in your life, then you can't go past the gorgeous stamp set Pretty Princess. This set is so sweet and I know my daughter just loves it and wants me to use it for her birthday card this year. She is already giving me instructions as to what colours I am to use - pink is obviously in there - lol! This is a great set to use when you have a lot of little girls birthday cards to make and the saying which comes in the set is so sweet. It also comes with a yummy looking birthday cake which can be used for the big girls in your life too. I borrowed this set from my friend Jamey (thanks Jamey ;-) ) to make some cards with.

Here she is in all her sweetness!

SUPPLIES:
Stamps: Pretty Princess
Inks: Basic Black, Certainly Celery, Whisper White
Card: Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Perfect Plum
Accessories: Soft Subtles buttons, Mat Pack, Hemp Twine, Dazzling Diamonds, 2 way Glue Pen, Stampin' Pastels, Blender Pens, Markers, Dimensionals, Glue Dots










And here she is again in another colourway.

SUPPLIES:
Stamps: Pretty Princess
Inks: Basic Black, Pixie Pink
Card: Pixie Pink, Pale Plum, Whisper White
Accessories: Ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds, 2 way Glue Pen, Stampin' Pastels, Blender Pens, Markers, Dimensionals, Glue Dots

I hope you like her.

Until next time....





All supplies available from Stampin' Up!

Loads of Love (again)

Hi there
I just wanted to show you a few cards I have recently made using the incredibly versatile set, Loads of Love. This is a great set for both masculine and feminine cards, especially when you use it with the Loads of Love Accessories set. AND, it comes in the Starter Kit which as you know is on special this month!!


As you can see, these two are the same card design, just using different colours. Easy!



And again, the same design, with just a few changes to make it masculine or feminine. That's not a wheel I have used for the bottom of the card by the way. It is the stack of presents from the Accessories set stamped in a row.

Until next time...

Hubby's Birthday

It was my Husband's birthday last month and so I thought I would show you the cards that my children and I made for him.

First up it is my one. This uses one of my favourite sets, Touch of Nature.

I got the idea from a blog tutorial I read on lining up the four circles. You can read it here.
EDITED: Once again I am having trouble linking so if you can't follow the above link to the tutorial, the address is: http://prairiepaperandink.typepad.com/amyr/2008/05/lining-up-4-pun.html

SUPPLIES:
Stamps: Touch of Nature, Wonderful Words
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Card: Bashful Blue, Spring Showers DSP
Accessories: 1 1/4" circle punch, Mat Pack, Blender Pens, Stampin' Pastels, Paper Piercer, Stampin' Dimensionals, Sponge Daubers


The children had a great time looking through all my stamp sets to find the ones that they wanted to use on Daddy's card. We talked about design and colour and we had a fabulous time making them (although I did need a large glass of wine afterwards - lol!!) They had very definite ideas on what they wanted to create.

Next up it is Joseph's (8 yrs) card.



















SUPPLIES:
Stamps: Birthday Whimsy (retired), Big Deal Alpha, All in the Family
Card: Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate chip

And finally, Dana's (5 yrs) card.
Dana wanted to stamp a rainbow and since we don't have any rainbow stamps in the SU catalogue, she drew hers.


















SUPPLIES:
Stamps: Fun & Fast Notes, Reason to Smile (retired)
Card: Yoyo Yellow, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Grey, Regal Rose
Accessories: Word Window Punch, Dimensionals

They turned out really well I thought :-)

Until next time....