November Team Swaps

Here's the Team Swaps as promised.

We were asked to use products from the Summer Mini Catalogue or if we didn't have our preorders we were asked to do something new out of the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalogue.

 This is Rachel's she has used the 'Aviary' Stamp Set.

 Here's Sharyn's she has used Itty Bitty Bits Stamps, Punches and Buttons.

 Here's Manda's she has also used the Itty Bitty Bits Stamps, Punches and Buttons.

 Here's Jennie's she has used 'Boho Blossom' Punch to make this reef and teamed it with 'Jolly Holiday' DSP

 Here's Angela's she has used Punches to make her flower with the delicous 'Sweet and Sour' Specialty DSP.

 Here's Alison's she has used Build a Wheel, 'Birthday', 'Candle Crazy' and 'Bees and Blossoms'.

Here's Jenny's she has also used the Build a Wheel, 'Birthday', 'Candle Crazy' and 'So Many Stars'.

Here's Trina's she has used 'Dasher' Stamp, I think this very clever the Jaffas are Rudolfs Spares.

I will come back tomorrow with the rest of the swaps.

Better Late Than Never

 On the 24th November was our First Kiwi Stampers Team Meeting.

As per normal we did swaps, we needed to make 17 swaps.

I finished mine this Friday, ( yes ladies I put them in the post on yesterday) hopefully you will recieve them on Monday or Tuesday.

I had them almost finished but my Sentiment Journey Stamp Set (Summer Mini) hadn't arrived when I left for Christchurch were the meeting was. Paul phoned to say it had arrived that afternoon, I had left in the morning but even if I had waited I would have had time to complete them.

So now the long wait is over, I hope the ladies think the wait was worth it.

This is my swap.

I cased this from Michelle Zindorf go check out her blog it is a must visit blog, she does the most beautiful brayer work and she has over 300 tutorials.
When I first saw this on Michelle's blog, I loved the plane with the flourish and I thought of Air New Zealand and the Koru on the tail of there planes.

I have made a complete card as we have friends packing up and moving over the ditch to Aussie and I thought it would be a great card to give to them as they continue on there lifes journey.

This is the inside of the card, the stamp I have used is from 'Word Play' Stamp Set.

It is a fabulous Set, I fell in love with in the 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalogue.

I thought both stamp sets would be good sets for card making and scrapbooking.

So what do you think are these great sets?

 Supplies List 

Stamps: Sentimental Jounrney and Word Play.

Card Stock: Early Espresso, Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango and Whisper White.

Ink: Early Espresso, Tempting Turquoise, Pacific Piont, Night of Navy and VersaMark.

Extra: Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Mat Pack, Paper Piecing Tool, Early Espresso 1/4" Grosgain Ribbon and Pearls.

I will show you the team swap another day soon.

Deck The Halls

Christmas isn't coming fast enough for Samuel my 5 year old, he has been been asking when is coming for quite some time now and wanting the tree up.

We had told him my birthday was first, and we don't put up the tree until after then.

So last night we put up the tree.

Paul put the lights on the tree, then Savannah and Samuel got into the spirit of it, put the decorations on.

I remember the fun of decorating the tree as child

 Our tree has lots of decorations, we don't stick to a particular colour scheme.

Santa puts a new decoration in the kids stocking every year and there are all the homemade decorations that have been made at Kindy and School over the years, so there is a far bit of reminising.

Here is the finished tree, Samuel is giving it the thumbs up.

After we finished decorationing it, we went for a drive to look at the Christmas Lights.

Top Picks JAI#46

I have just been and had at JAI Top Picks, and to my surprize I was one of them.
Go and check out the other Top Picks.

Today is Bron Heslops Birthday and it was her was her birthday card and present that won this Top Pick.

Happy Birthday Bron.

Have a great day.

Birthday Cards

Yesterday was my Birthday, I'm now 21 with 22 year experience.

Thanks for all the Birthday wishes emails.

 I had a great day, Jeanne and Brian came over for Dinner.

We had Roast Chicken and veges, Savannah (daughter) made my birthday cake, it was an Ice Cream Cake and it was very delicious.

Here are some of the cards I received.

This Card was made by Jeanne.

Jeanne makes very beautiful cards in fact they are stunning.

She puts hours of work into them, look at the beautiful stitching details.

The next card was made by Mum, she has used Happy Moments (retired SAB 2010) stamp.

She has stamped the parcel onto DSP and she used 1 of my favourite colours combos Tangerine Tango and Old Olive.

 The next card has been made by my sister Heather.

She has used punches and she has sponged using the stencil from were she has punched the flower

 Then she added some bling and glitter.

Just Add Critters

This week challenge #46 at Just Add Ink is just add.... 

Critters.

I needed to make a Birthday and a gift.

So I decided to used the Aviary Stamp Set from the Summer Mini Catalogue.

This is a great stamp set, 9 stamps in the set, 4 bird cages, 4 birds, 1 of these is an Owl and a stand available in wood and clear mount.

 

I have braided the ribbon, I found a braided reef on Andrea Lowcock Blog she has a link to the You Tube Video. I had to have a go at it straight away, click here to view video.

I decided to not make it into a reef, so I weaved the ends back through the ribbon to finish it.

 For the gift I have made a Mini Magazine Box with Note Cards.
This was one of the We Stamp for Lara Tutorials designed by Madonna Dunn, go visit here blog here.
 This is so cute. I have used Rose Red, Old Olive, Tempting Turquoise and Whisper White Card Stock.

 I have used Island Oasis DSP also from Summer Mini.

It has a real topical feel to it, the colours are stunning, Tempting Turquise, Pumpkin Pie, So Saffron, Rose Red and Old Olive. I love the stripes in this DSP.

In the tutorial the note cards were 2" square cards, I changed mine to 3" square cards.

Online Class @ Crafters Anonymous

There was a online class on Tuesday.

Deb Speijers was our wonderful tutorial for the night.

Here is the Star Decorations that she taught us.

Here is the decorations closed, the large one is made using 4" square and the small a using 2" square of DSP.

This is the large star.

This is the small star.

These are very easy to make, 3 simple folds and some glue.

I have used Lap of Luxury DSP.

I made some of these for my hostess and door prize at last nights workshop.

If you would like an invite to Crafters Anonymous so you can join in with the fun, email for an invitation.

December Frenzy and Summer Mini Catalogue

Today is the launch of the New Summer Mini Catalogue.

 

Click on the Catalogue to view online or contact for your copy.

Also today is the start of 'December Frenzy Clearance Sale'.

Get great Stampin' Up! products up to 50% 0ff, From now to 29th December.

Click on the flyer to view online.

I still have some workshop dates avaible, contact me to book a date.

Make the most of th specials and earn some gifts as well.

Another Special Card

Here's another sympathy card, it is for my sister Sandra.

Sandra works in a Rest Home in Christchurch and there have been quite a few residents pass on in the last wee while.

Sandra has a big heart and get to know all the residents, and loves them.

Last week was a very differcuit week not only with the events unfolding on the coast with our cousin, but her favourite resident passed away on Friday.

Here is the card I have made for her.

Again this a cased card, I cased Amy Buchanan a Demonstrator is Aussie.

Go check out her blog HERE.

Thanks Amy for your inspiration.

I have used Every Moment Stamp Set again, as I said yesterday great set for watercolouring.

Yes yesterday, don't be too shocked 2 days in a row (I have been a bit slack lately) LOL.

The bow is made with a very simple tool to make the perfect bow, Alisa Tilsner has made a video tutorial for us all. 

Click HERE to make your perfect bows.

Second Sympathy Card

When I returned from Christchurch last week, I was told of a friend whose husband had just passed away.

Liz came and spoke at our Ladies Camp earlier in the year, we had a wonderful weekend with Liz.

So here's the card I have made for Liz.

 I have made a Waterfall Card, using Every Moment Stamp Set.

 This is a fab Stamp Set for watercolouring.

I have cased this card also (sorry a lot of my cards at the moment are cased).

Lisa Bullock is the very clever lady who I cased, I have changed my colour very slightly.

Lisa is a very talent lady go check out her blog HERE.

Thanks Lisa for your inspiration.

For Anna

Here is the card I have made for my cousin Anna and her 2 children.

I needed inspiration for this card, so yesterday I surfed the net for cards.

I found a card on Tania Gould blog here.

Thanks Tania for the inspiration when I saw your card I thought it looked like the West Coast (South Island NZ).

So this card is pretty much a complete case of her card. 

Tania sponged hers, were I used my brayer and sponges and I have used this weeks sketch challenge at JAI#45.

 I matted my scene with Rich Razzleberry and Wild Wasabi, I didn't have any Rich Razzleberry Ribbon so I dyed some Very Vanilla 5/8' Satin Ribbon which I dyed with Rich Razzleberry Ink Refill.

I ruffed my Ribbon, which very easy to acheive and gives some dimension to your card.

This is the iside of the card, were I have used Pocket Silhouettes in the corner. I like to use something from the outside into the inside of the card.

Online Classes @ Crafters Anonymous

On Tuesday evening there was a online class @ Crafters Anonymous.

Tuesday had not been a great day for me.

I was very frustrated about the process of rescue effort in the mine, and the courier hadn't arrived with the "Sentimental Journey" Stamp Set that I needed to finish my swaps for my Team Meeting last night.

The set arrived yesterday after I had left for Christchurch for my meeting.

Lisa Bullock ran a Waterfall Card Class, I love online classes.

Here's my card.

 I didn't ready start the tutorial in the right frame of mind and even admitted it to the ladies, but the support they all gave me was great and by the end of the class I was feeling a lot better. 

Online classes are great, photos are been posted as the instructions are been typed in the chat room .

 I was pleased with the card I made.

I have used "Baroque Motif" Stamp Set. 

The colour combo I used is the same as I have used for my swaps (I will show when they are completed).

I used Tangerine Tango, Melon Mambo and Early Espresso and I stamped it with Platinum Shimmer Paint.

If you would like to join Crafters Anonymous email and I will get a invite to you.

I would like to express Mine and my families thanks for all the thoughts and prayers that you have given us over the last week as we were all hoping and praying for a rescue of Milton (My cousin's Husband) and all the other 28 miners.

As you are all very well aware that yesterday we got the news we had all been dreading.

We are all now praying that we will be able to have his body back.

Thanks for your support.

Mum's Birthday Present

Hi all.

Here are the pics of the Expansion Album that I made for my Mum for her birthday.

I have used 'Elegant Soiree' DSP, this is very beautiful DSP.

I blogged the matching card HERE.

This is the outside, I have used Beautiful Wings Embosslits through my Big Shot.

It Embosses and cuts at the same time is that fab or what? I also added Dazzling Diamonds and I very pleased with outcome.

I found some old photos of a weekend we had in Arrowtown, Central Otago, New Zealand.

It was October 1994 pre children days. My Mum and Dad had travelled down to Dunedin (we lived there at the time) then we headed to Arrowtown. We had a great weekend exploring the area.

We camped in the camping ground, in the photos we are playing on a  4 way seesaw come merry go round, we had a great time playing on it lots of laughter. I'm not in the photos I must have been the photographer.

Supplies List

Ink: Soft Suede and Baja Breeze.

Cardstock: Soft Suede, Very Vanilla and Elegant Soiree DSP.

Extras: Big Shot, Beautiful Wings Embosslits, 2 Way Glue Pen, Dazzling Diamonds and Basic Pearls.

My thoughts and Prayers are with all the families involved in the Pike River Mine Accident, My cousin's husband is one of the men trapped. We are praying for the very best outcome.

Have a great Sunday.

Sweet Owl

I have been enjoying all the fun been had over at We Stamp for Lara.

Yesterdays tutorial was this gorgeous Owl Tutorial designed by Petra Cassai and there was a colour challenge for the week.

I simply love it. I didn't have any Regal Rose so I used Rose Red instead.

So I have combined them and this is what I came up with.

Isn't he just the cutest, I love his sleepy look.

Christmas Craft Evening

Hi all, sorry that I haven't been blogging.

I have been very busy making things for a stall I have got booked at the Christmas Craft Evening, for Timaru GirlGuiding Jamboree Fundraiser.

If you are in Timaru this Friday it should be a great night, there are 20 stall holders.

Great opportunity to start your Christmas shopping.

 Savannah my daughter is hoping to attend the Jamboree, Jamboree is in Rotorua January 2012.

Come along and support the GirlGuides.

Christmas Craft Evening

Timaru GirlGuiding Jamboree Fundraiser

        Friday 12^th November 7:30pm

        Woodlands Church

        Supper provided

        Tickets $5

Great opportunity to get all your Christmas shopping done!

There will be a variety of vendors displaying their wares that can be viewed and purchased as Christmas gifts or for you!

        Stall holders include Prenzels, Stampin’ Up,         Creative Memories, jewellery, photographer,        embroidery and patchwork …new people are                   being added all the time!

Contact me for tickets

Helen 6862891

        Or tickets can be picked up from Barrett Joinery - 204 Hilton Highway

 Have a great day.

Blog Award

Last week Paula Dobson awarded me with the Best Blogging Friends Forever Award.

 

Thanks Paula for awarding me with this. Sorry I haven't blogged about it earlier, it's not that I don't appreciate it, I do. 

I have never met Paula (I look forward to the day I do). 

Since joining Stampin' Up and starting my blog I met so many wonderful people, some in person other over cyberspace. The support, care and love has been amazing.

Thanks Guys love you all.

I would like to pass this award.

1. Alison Hydes

2. Bron Heslop

3. Jo Armstrong

Life has been very busy here. 

We had a great afternoon on Saturday at the Christmas Craft Afternoon, I have not photographed the 'Gift Box or Card' yet, as soon as I do I will blog it for you.

 I'm preparing for a stall I have got booked, for GirlGuides Jamboree Fundraiser.

I'm also driving the School bus this week as Raewyn is sick, so my days start early and end late, I love driving the bus the kids are a lovely bunch of kids. 

The bus run is to Temuka and back with 3 stops.