Retreat!

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Hi again!!

So, as I mentioned previously, last weekend was my Annual Mad Inkstincts Team Retreat! There were 12 very talented, beautiful, funny and awesome ladies who attended (including me, lol).  One of the challenges that I set for the weekend was a Sketch Challenge.  I used the Sweet Sunday Sketch #151. And this was my card:

I had purchased this set, The Open Sea, from our current Mini Catalogue to use in a Class.  I wanted to have a little play before the class to see what I could come up with.  This card has a lot going on with embossing on the Not Quite Navy Background and distressing and layers of stamping.  I was quite happy with how it turned out though.  Do you like?  It can be tricky to do a boy card but I think this one works.

Anyway!  Enjoy your Sunday wherever you are and I’ll be back soon with more stuff from Retreat!

Mad
xo

Festive Friday #8

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Hi hi,

Back so soon???!!  Aren’t you lucky!! LOL

Just wanting to link you all up to Nicole’s Festive Friday posts!  Check it out HERE.  My submission this week was this card:

I used the Cherry Cobbler Embossing ink and the Snow Swirled Stamp Set to create the embossed tree on Glossy Cardstock.  The background is called polished stone and it’s created using Isocol Rubbing Alcohol and the ink from SU re-inkers.  It’s a great technique to use for something a little different.  The ribbon is the Baha Breeze Seam Binding.  I love that stuff!!!  Any other questions on this, just let me know.

Don’t forget to go on over to Nicole’s Blog and play along with our Festive Friday Challenge!!!

Mad
xo

Where did February go?!?!!

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Hello Hello!!  So much to catch up on!!!!  February was a crazy busy month and as such no blog posts from me!  Start of the month saw Mark and I celebrate our 16th Wedding Anniversary with a yummy dinner out in a lovely restaurant! Very grown up!  Then we had Missy Lara in hospital with a virus for a few days and still quite unwell in the first couple of weeks of Feb.  During this time I was madly madly trying to prepare 120 odd party favours for Mark’s Nan’s 90th Birthday party!!  Yep! I’m mad!  They turned out well and I was quite happy with them.  At her celebration I got to break out my Canon DSLR and was the “official” photographer on the day.  Here’s a pic of us with Nana Millie (minus Lara who stayed in Respite that weekend).

So after that weekend it was all systems go preparing for my Annual Mad Inkstincts Team Retreat!!  This is our third year of getting together and was our biggest year yet with 12 lovely ladies joining in to all the fun!!  We had a great time creating and crafting through the weekend!!  There are lots of bonuses to being a member of my team!!!  We had nearly every single stamp set from the catalogue along with most of the Big Shot dies and other accessories!!!  With all of those things available for our use, sometimes it can get a little overwhelming! I made sure we all had several challenges to keep us busy over the weekend.  I’ll be posting some of my cards for you to see over the next few days!

Until then,
Happy Stamping!!

Mad
xo

ESAD Sale A Bration Blog Hop!

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Welcome to the ESAD Blog Hop!! If you are coming from Sharlene’s Blog, Welcome! If you are starting here, that’s ok too!!  Keep hopping through and remember to leave some comment love for everyone! We all like some lovin’!

What is ESAD?

ESAD stands for “Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators” and it is an on-line group just for Australian and New Zealand Stampin Up demonstrators.

We so love what we do and not only do we love to share it with our customers, friends, and wonderful blog visitors, but we share our love for what we do with each other as demonstrators. We run swaps, challenges, tutorials, product know-how, and cyberstamps, and we are always there to help and support each other when it is needed.

So if you are a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator located in Australia or New Zealand, then please feel free to click here to join our wonderful group!

My project for the Blog Hop is a little Mini Album using the divine new papers available when you spend $100!! Oh yeah, and did I say those papers are FREE?!  The papers, called Everyday Enchantment are divine! Not to mention the matching Ribbon and Brad pack that you can get for free as well!!  Soooo pretty!!  Anyway, my project is a little Mini Album.  I used some of the photos from Lara’s 3rd Birthday Celebrations. I also used the matching stamp set (FREE as well with every $100 purchase – I love SAB) called Fresh Vintage.

You can see by the photo below that each “double” page was different sizes. which sort of stops it from just flopping open. Sort of.

I started with a base of Chipboard measuring 6 x9″.  The pages are all cut from the backing sheets of DSP.  They vary in sizes, I started with them at 6×9″ and then kind of cut them so they were off centre to each other.

I hope that you like my creation using the new DSP from the Sale A Bration Catalogue!  Don’t forget, if you would like to place an order I can be reached via email at any time!

Next stop on your ESAD hop is Joanne Kechagias

Until next time!
Happy creating!!!

Madonna

A little bit of sunshine….

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The other week I was feeling quite cross and the only (ONLY) thing that was going to un-cross me was having a little play with some Yellow Papers.  I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I love yellow!!  It makes me happy on the inside…warms the cockles of my heart and gives me great pleasure. Yep. I really like it! So I decided that I’d make a bunch of yellow cards and send them out into the world to make other people happy on the inside too!!  The cards have found their way into the hands (and hopefully hearts) of the recipients so I can show *you* now!

So there wasn’t as much Yellow as I had initially intended but I hope that it was enough to make hearts happy on the inside. Let’s face it…any kind of mail into your letterbox that is NOT a bill has to make you smile just a little huh?  I have received some gorgeous creations in return and will photograph and post up here in the next wee while. Today is rainy and overcast here. Just the sort of day I like to spend curled up in bed with a book…..not likely to happen though with a list of “to do’s” as long as my arm.  Oh well in my “other world” (you know, the place you go to in your head…or is that just me??!) i’ll be curling up in bed with a book!! LOL

12 little cards went out one day, into some letterboxes far away!!

Until next time!
Happy Creating!!

Mad
xo

Festive Friday #1

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Woot!! Festive Fridays have begun!!!  We are kicking off the week with a Valentine Card!!!  Head on over to Nicole’s blog to check it out!!!  There are some lovely creations for you to use as inspiration towards your own Valentine card or gift!!

My card was inspired by a whole bunch of the little tiny butterfly prints I’ve been seeing popping up over the Internet.  I used the new DSP you can earn for FREE in the upcoming Saleabration Promotion with Stampin’ Up!

The little tag at the bottom was done using the Decorative Label punch. It’s the side of the punch re-fed into the punch to get the smaller shape to fit in.  All the hearts are raised up with dimensionals.  Isn’t the paper divine though???  I am in love with it. You will be seeing a lot more of it in the coming months!!!

Anyway, pop over to Nicole’s blog, check everyone else’s work out, make something inspired by it and link up to play!!!

Until next time,
Happy creating!!
Mad

Scrapping again!! Yay!!!

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Hi!!  I have been trying very hard to get into the groove of my scrapbooking again.  I realised recently that this year (May) marks my five year anniversary with Stampin’ Up!!  FIVE YEARS!!  When I joined it was primarily because I scrapbooked.  And then, cards came on the scene and with three kids (at the time) cards were quicker and scrapbooking took much more of a back seat. But I’ve realised I want to get back into recording the special things that my kids do. Keeping the memories of all the stuff that’s important to us alive. So it’s my resolution to do more scrapbooking this year. I have a goal of at least 26 layouts for the year but would love to do 52. That’s only one a week. I reckon I could do that!!  Anyway!  Here is my first double layout of the year!

I’ve done one other one which I’ll pop up here later this week.  Hope you like.

Until next time,
Create!

Mad
xo

Oh Dear Blog!

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Dear Blog,

What a neglectful mother/owner/writer you have.  Posts for 2011 haven’t had a good average.  The world has seemed to have gotten busier and as such you have been the one who’s missed out on my time.  I do apologise if you’ve missed me.  I don’t apologise for the extra time spent with family and away from the computer!!

Blog, I won’t make promises i’m unable to keep in 2012.  For me the next year is about simplifying things.  De-cluttering the stuff in my life that isn’t so important. Now, now don’t go getting all in a tizzy. I’m *not* talking about you.  I mean the more physical clutter in my life.  Stuff I have kept for the “one day I’ll use this/need this” factor.

My next to littlest baby starts prep next year Blog!  Can you believe that!?!!  This is the child that wasn’t even one when you and I first hooked up!  Huh!  Time flies when you’re having fun!  So hopefully next year will see me get some organisation about how many days I’m creating and as such, how many times I can get on board and update you!  Are you excited?  I hope so.  Now, I’m not gonna promise miracles but we’ll aim for more than one post a month.

Anyway Blog, I just wanted you to know that you aren’t forgotten.  I’m gonna dust off the cobwebs and lets see what good things 2012 can bring us!!!  Have a Happy New Year to you and your visitors! May 2012 bring you peace and happiness along with whatever it is your goals are for the beginning of a New Year.  Cheers to New Beginnings and new Chapters of lives!!!

All my love,
Madonna
xo

Celebrating Lara

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Phew! What a big weekend we had!!  It was awesome celebrating Lara’s birthday with some of our dearest friends and family.  My Lara was a little star and coped beautifully with the noise and excitement of her very large extravaganza!!  Wanna see some pics??

Here’s the banner and the tissue paper pom pom that I made:

The cake:

and inside the Cake:

Lara’s Lolly bar

The whole table with all the cakes!

The cool hanging balloons outside. I got this idea from Pinterest.  You thread the balloons along a string….looked really cool!

Here is the birthday girl, ready to have us all sing Happy Birthday!

Here she is modelling her lovely Cupcake Clips in honour of Little Kate who passed away in May. Kate was a “playmate” from playgroup and was very much on our minds during Lara’s celebration.

It was a fantastic day and it’s hard to believe it’s been and gone and now she’s really 3. Scary stuff!

Anyway I hope you liked the pics!!

Until next time!
Mad

xo