Start ‘em young & train ‘em!!

Posted on May 29, 2008 by admin

No “real” stamping pictures for you this morning. I just had to share these pictures of my “baby”, Alexandra, having a stamp with me yesterday afternoon. Her little eyes light up so big when she walks into my craft area I just couldn’t resist letting her have a little play.

Don’t mind the messy desk. I’m in the middle of creating stuff. Well that’s my excuse and i’m sticking to it. (To be honest, i’m a shockingly messy stamper!)

Alexandra was too cute yesterday afternoon, she’d been helping Daddy lick the bowl of my chocolate birthday cake. At the end of our “stamping session” she was also covered in ink. It was definately time for a bath then!!

Normal programming will return later! Until then, happy stamping!!

Hip Hip Hooray!

Posted on May 27, 2008 by admin

The 28th of May has a PLETHORA of important peoples birthdays!! How exciting is that?! My dear dear twin celebrates his 31st Birthday tomorrow. My bet is there will be copious amounts of beer consumed!! He is, after all, his father’s son!

Here is the card I made for him using some swap images from Cath. Thanks Cath!

I’m sorry the photograpy is a bit whoopsy but I had to take it at night as I needed to get it in the post and the crystal effects weren’t dry enough for me to take the picture until late. I’m leaning toward “artistic” for the photography effect. LOL. I’ve used the new Bronc Buster stamps, Choc Chip, Close to Cocoa and Vanilla cardstock. The ink is Choc Chip. I’ve cut around the original stamp and used some…ok well A LOT of crystal effects to kinda give the appearance of a “buckle”. That stamp just reminds me of the big buckles that cowboys wear. (Surprisingly, I have been to a rodeo or two in my life!! )

And the other Big Birthday shout out is to Kylie Minogue…..no just kidding (although it is her birthday!) my dear friend and fellow Demonstrator Melissa Garland. Check out her lovely creations at her blog (in my roll to the right). Happy Birthday dear friend. May you have all the wonderful things you deserve on this your special day!! Mwah.

Until next time, Happy Stamping!! And here’s hoping for lots of CAKE!!

Basic Gray is my new love affair…

Posted on May 26, 2008 by admin

Perhaps love affair is a bit strong but I am positively ADORING the new colour Basic Gray in the SU range. It’s just so yummy!! I also love the matching Taffeta Ribbon goes with it. Love it all.

The two cards below were inside my head and clambering to get out. You know how you get an idea in your head and you can’t make anything else until you get it out onto paper? (OK well, maybe it’s just me!). These cards are just that. They didn’t turn out exactly as I had envisioned (nothing ever does) but I was still happy with the end result.

I ended up having to raise the middle panel in the first card with two dimesionals on top of each other to get the “lift” I was after. I also had a “play” with the Crop-a-Dile and the pretties kit. I really love the effect the dry embossing gives.

Stamps: Oh So Lovely! Hostess Set

Ink: Purely Pomegranate, Basic Gray

Cardstock: Whisper White, Purely Pomegranate and Basic Gray

Other: Crop-a-Dile, Pretties Kit Half Pearls, Sponges, Stampin’ Dimensionals.

The other project that i’ve made with the Basic Gray Cardstock and Taffeta Ribbon is a cover for a Gratitude Journal.

I have just stamped the Celery Cardstock with Basic Gray ink using the Baroque Motifs Set. I also stamped a smaller piece of card with the Basic Gray and using the Frames with a flourish set and then added a rubon to the centre. The ribbons are Wide Grosgrain in Celery and Basic Gray Taffeta. I’ve just assembled the front and then adhered it to the blank sketch book to make a Gratitude Journal. I love Basic Gray with Celery, and Pomegranate and and and….LOL.

Hope you like it! Until next time, Happy Stamping!

Mad

Accordian Album

Posted on May 26, 2008 by admin

Well, i’m a naughty blogger and I apologise if you have been back and there hasn’t been anything new for you to look at. In my defence I’ve been a tad busy with the everyday occurrences of life with three children and one on the way!! (Well that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!!)

Firstly I’d like to show you the pictures of the accordion album I am running for a hostess as a class next week – Hi Lauren! As the attendees (& most importantly the hostess!) have boys they wanted something more masculine. I love the East Coast Prep Designer Series papers and so this album was born. The little accordion card on page 5 of the catalogue was where I took the original inspiration from. I haven’t popped the pictures in yet and I still have some stamping to do on the insides but have left it fairly plain for now.

Stamps: Big Deal Alpha Jumbo.

Card stock: Real Red, Whisper White, More Mustard, Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Non-SU Chipboard for covers and tags. East Coast Prep Designer Series Double Sided Papers.

Other: Star Punch, Cropadile, Pewter Jumbo Eyelets, Wide Grosgrain Ribbon in Real Red, Grosgrain ribbon in Tempting Turquoise, More Mustard and Always Artichoke, Red Sticky Strip and sanding blocks.

The album is quite large with the cover measuring 5 3/4″ square. I wanted something that was big enough for a couple of smaller photos and plenty of space for journaling if that’s what took your fancy.

Hope you like it.

Until next time, happy creating!

Mad

Fun & Fast Palette Of Notes

Posted on May 14, 2008 by admin

Was that a bit of a mouthful?? I’ve created some really quick and easy cards to go into a box for my MIL for Mother’s Day and these are some of the ones that will be going included.

We received Fun & Fast Notes at Convention and did a watercolouring session using them. Now i’m far from the watercolouring Queen that Alisa is or even my downline Treez. I need LOTS and LOTS of practice!! LOL! I am slightly watercolour challenged!

These cards were super easy and quick to make using the Fun & Fast notes, some watercolour paper, Stazon, the new Pallete o Prints promotion papers and the ’08 In Colour Range. It’s so cool how ALL the SU colours mix and match. I love it! The birdy card at the front uses Blue Bayou, Celery Print Paper and So Saffron Cardstock. I’ve also used Blue Bayou Ribbon. The Echinda (porcupine, hedgehog, whatever!) uses Bashful Blue, Rose Red Patterned Paper and Wild Wasabi. The little flowers down the bottom are punched out with the Spring Flowers punch and then a 1/4 inch circle adhered to the top. The lot is raised on dimensionals. The ribbon is Wild Wasabi Double stitched. The baby card at the back is done with the Rose Red Patterened Paper, Groovy Guava and Wild Wasabi cardstock. I’ve used Silver Brads down the bottom and also the Pomegranate Double Stitched Ribbon.

Each card took less than ten minutes to make and yet they’re kinda sweet. The original inspiration for these came from Ness, check out her divine creations here.

I’m now off for a few days to Sydney. My very talented and clever husband is going to be filming a segment on the New Inventors show that is aired on the ABC. I’m so proud of him for all of his achievements! He has created a camera system and i’ll post back here when the show is going to be aired.

Until next time, happy stamping.

Tagged

Posted on May 12, 2008 by admin

I’ve been tagged by Karen! So you’re going to learn seven things about me you probably didn’t ever want to know!! LOL

The rules are…
1. Link your tagger and list these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4. Let them know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog .

So here goes:

1. I have three children and we’re expecting our 4th in November. It was a little surprise and we’ve decided to name it Houdini.

2. I don’t like beetroot. Not even the look of it. I cannot eat something if it’s even looked like beetroot has touched it.

3. I had a toy dog called doggie and my {evil} sisters boyfriend stole him when I was 15 and it devastated me. Scarred me for life. (well maybe not but that’s random isn’t it?)

4. I detest ironing. Detest it.

5. I have an odd little toe. So do my children and so does my Mother, my sister (the good one) and Grandmother. They are all sort of curled in and not pretty at all (can toes be pretty?).

6. I’m a hoarder and I keep things i’ll never possibly ever need but just can’t bear to throw away. It’s a cumbersome problem and i’m working on it.

7. My favourite number is 54. I often have 54 million things to do. What? No I NEVER exaggerate!

So there you have it. Wierd? Probably. Random? Most likely. Interesting? I doubt it!! LOL. I’ll play the game however and tag: Melissa Czislowski, Miss Treez, Kristie (ha), Sally, Melissa Garland and Angela (as a payback for once tagging me!! he hee he heee). And that’s it. Six suckers will have to do…oh i mean six lovely ladies to play along!! Tee hee hee.

Normal Scheduling will return later!! Happy Stamping!

Mad

Calender Class

Posted on May 5, 2008 by admin

I loved the new Calendar Background Stamp from SU! as soon as I laid eyes on it. The possibilities are endless. This is just a very quick book that i’ve put together for a Class in a couple of weeks. I have left it fairly simple as it’s a little time-consuming to complete in a class environment.

COVER:

Stamps: So Swirly Wheel, Baroque Motifs

Ink: River Rock, Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi

Cardstock: River Rock, Wild Wasabi Textured, Very Vanilla

Other: Wild Wasabi Double stitched ribbon, Bind it all machine & wires, non-SU! Chipboard

INSIDE:

Stampes: Calendar, Simple Serif Mini Alphabet & Numbers, *Retired Alphabet for month name*

Ink: Wild Wasabi, Cameo Coral, Purely Pomegranate

Cardstock: Very Vanilla

The back page (which in my wisdom I forgot to photograph!?!) has another calendar stamp on it and then i’ve stamped out the Calendar Cues Set in the squares. I used my Cutter Kit to perforate the lines and now there will be some little “extras” to snap out and use on the calendar as required. If I get a chance later I’ll take a picture and add it to the post.

I’ve bound it all together using my Bind It All machine. I hope that you like it.

Until next time, Happy Stamping!

Madonna xo

Groovy Photo Folios

Posted on May 5, 2008 by admin

I’m still debating whether or not i’m in love with Groovy Guava yet!! I know how much I love the other “In Colours”, but the jury is still out on the Guava.

This weekend I made up a couple of cute little Photo Folios. I got the idea off SCS, and I think the original template was used at a US regional training. I plan on taking some pictures of the kids and popping them in these for Mother’s Day Gifts. Just a little something the Grandmothers can pop in their handbags so they can show off my little treasures with ease!! LOL