Ok the real reason for this post is to show you a scrap page I made with one of the pics from our summer holidays.  I just love this pic of Paul and Matt and am quite happy with how this turned out, especially considering I’m not really a scrapper.

I made this at a recent workshop where my hostess had requested to see some of our tools so here I have used several.  Firstly, the Funky Forest wheel in Old Olive on Old Olive 8 x 8 cardstock, the paper piercer and matt pack on the Choc Chip cardstock and the Crimper on the Sahara Sand cardstock as a background matting for the photo which I think fits in with the rustic nature of the pic.  I also showcased the Stampa-ma-jig to line up the trees with the trunks using the Trendy Trees stamp set which I rock’n'rolled with Choc Chip and Old Olive then punched them out the 1 1/4″  and 1 3/8″ circles punches.  Finally I used the Stampa-ma-jig again for the sentiment (Life Definitions) placement.

 Here’s a close up to see the finer detail:

Even though this appears to be quite a simple page there are a few techniques and tools used to showcase our wonderful Stampin’ Up! products!  I hope you like it!

I’ll be back soon with some goodies from the upcoming Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue.  Have a great week!

Cheers

At the moment I seem to have quite a few deadlines for various projects looming with swaps, presentations and classes all in need of preparation AND  in the midst of school holidays, so whilst I was keen to put something together for Teneale I knew it would have to be fairly basic and quick enough to get off in time to her.  Teneale’s only request was that pages were to be in keeping with the pink theme, so here are my two pages I prepared.

This first one is one of my favourite inspirational pieces, Footprints in the Sand.  This has always had a special meaning to me since I was in school so I hold it dear and thought it appropriate.

Stamp set:  Priceless
Cardstock:  Basic Gray, Regal Rose, Whisper White
Inks:  Pink Pirouette, Regal Rose
Accessories:  Basic Gray taffeta ribbon, Designer brads Filigree, white gel pen, cutter kit

The second page features a verse I hadn’t seen before until my friend and fellow demonstrator Sue Joyce sent me a card during my breast cancer treatment.  It is a strong and determined piece of writing which defies the suffering cancer can cause and brings our awareness to those precious things cancer cannot touch.

This has not photographed particularly well, but the colours are actually Regal Rose and Pink Pirouette and I’ve used Crystal Effects on the circles to make them ‘pop’.  It is quite pretty IRL.

Stamp set:  Always
Cardstock:  Regal Rose, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
Inks:  Regal Rose, Pink Pirouette
Accessories:  Sweet Always DSP, Pink grosgrain ribbon, 1/2″ circle punch, Crystal Effects

Thanks Teneale for the opportunity to give something back, however small.  I hope this book is of some comfort to those in need.

If you are reading this, there’s a good chance you are my friend too!  Yesterday I had a little nudge or more likely a ‘kick in the head’ about how important friendships are and not to get so caught up in what is going on in my own life that I don’t see what is going on in others.  I had already taken these pics to upload on my blog so it is very fitting that they are made with the new Great Friends stamp set and Walk in the Park designer papers.  I hope you like them and they put a smile on your face and take a minute to think of your special friends too!

I have been making some samples for our Breast Cancer fundraiser Stampathon on Saturday and decided you can view these as a little sneak peak.  Makeesha, Charmaine & I have been cutting, scoring and packing the 800 projects for the day and it’s getting very exciting indeed.  Charmaine and I are a bit nervous as it’s our first one but Keesh is old hat at this and has us under control!  I am thrilled and honoured to be part of Stampathon this year and don’t forget if you can’t make it along to the day, you can always put in an order and all sales and commissions from the day will go towards the National Breast Cancer Foundation for research. 

Stamp set:  Great Friend
Inks:  Basic Grey, Baja Breeze
Cardstock:  Cameo Coral, Basic Grey, Whisper White
Accessories:  Walk in the Park DSP, Grey Taffeta ribbon, Fillagree brads

Here is a scrap page (yes I did another one – ooh how excitement!) using Great Friend of myself and my gorgeous girlfriend Fee on her birthday. 

Stamp set:  Great Friend
Cardstock:  Not Quite Navy, Kraft, Basic Grey, Urban Garden DSP
Inks:  Not Quite Navy, Basic Grey
Accessories:  Kraft taffeta ribbon, clear rhinestones, cutter kit for distressing, glue pen, dazzling diamonds

 Well, I’m off to put my sample boards together for Saturday and promise to be back soon with all the buzz.

Cheers and thank you for your friendship!!

The colours of the rock formations up at Nature’s Window in the Kalbarri National Park are just incredible and I actually managed to get half decent photos of the boys as well!

This is our cheeky monkey Sam…  

This is our big boy Matt.  I love this photo because he’s looking away from the camera and looks deep in thought (which is very like him)…

Stamp set:  Circle Circus
Cardstock:  Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango
Inks:  Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango
Accessories:  Pacific Point & Kiwi Kiss Patterns DSP, Mat pack, silver hodgepodge, cutter kit distressing tool, 1 3/8″ circle punch, 1 1/4″ circle punch, 1″ circle punch, spiral punch, tag punch, Old Olive wide ribbon

Yes they have matching hats!  I know, I know but they needed new broad rimmed camping hats and I had to buy Billabong ones just to get them to wear them!  Man, they are growing up.

Let me know what you think and if I should keep trying or give up now!

Cheers

I hope you enjoy seeing some of my work and reading some of the things I get up to in my life with Stampin’ Up!  Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think and what you would like to see more of.

I aim to use this blog as my main source of communication with my customers and trust that it is informative and enjoyable for you to read and view.  I’m new at this so please be kind!

So we have to start somewhere don’t we?  Ok, so first cab off the rank so to speak….

There are soooo many sets in the new Catalogue that I have fallen in love with and I have to say that the more I play with each one, the more I love them all.  My very first new set was Baroque Motifs and I must say that I certainly put it to good use in the first few weeks, along with the new In-Colours.

My photography skills are not the best so you’ll have to hope I get better with practice!

This is a gift set I gave Mum on Mother’s Day using an A4 sheet of the Purely Pomegranate cardstock to make the gift folder and 3 matching cards and envelopes.  I have also used River Rock, Wild Wasabi and Groovy Guava inks and cardstock to complete the set, along with some new embellishments, the scallop punch (my favourite, most versatile new punch), the half pearls from the Pretties Kit and the double stitched Purely Pomegranate ribbon.

Recently I was involved in a Set Swap with a number of my fellow demonstrators.  The set I chose was of course Baroque Motifs and here are the 5 cards I made for the swap. 

Mini Accordian Album

Below is my first attempt at a mini accordian album and I am quite pleased with how it turned out.  I just LOVE the Secret Garden Simply Scrappin’ kit and have used it quite a lot for scrap pages, cards and this album and still have plenty left over. I have used the River Rock textured card stock, the Simon Lower Chipboard Alphabet and some more bits from the Pretties Kit.  I have softly coloured the flower with my aqua painter using the Groovy Guava.

Now for some scrapbooking…

I don’t do a lot of scrapping but I have to admit I just LOVE the Simply Scrappin’ kits and boy do they make it easy to pump out a few pages here and there.  Here are two I have made using the Secret Garden kit on an 8×8 layout.

The designer papers in this pack are divine and the colours beautfiul.  This layout of myself and my sisters uses the Groovy Guava and Always Artichoke textured cardstock (loving that texture) and everything else you see on this page is a sticker from the kit.  So easy!

This page uses the same cardstock but in reverse and stickers also from the kit with the simple added touch of a half pearl from the Pretties Kit.

This page is of course my boys.  Very cute pic I just couldn’t go past scrapping.  This is a 12×12 CASE from an overseas Stampin’ Up! magazine and fellow demonstrator Claire Daly.   I have used the white Anchored Rub-ons for the circular piece, the On Board Accents for the stars which I have coloured using my daubers and the ink pads, together with the Blue Bayou textured cardstock, Choc Chip strip which I dry embossed using the Cropodile, Certainly Celery Designer Print paper, the tab punch and the circle punch.

Ok, so that’s it for my first entry.  I hope to be back soon with some more samples and ideas!

Lou