Christmas Surprises!

Tags

December Frenzy Promotion

STICKY POST ALERT! Scroll down for the latest 25 Days of Christmas post!

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Click on the pics here to check out all the details for our December Promo & the new Summer Mini Catalogue.

 

Skater Ian

Tags

Clean & Simple Sketch, On Your Birthday

Hi …

Just a quick one today! It is almost December and I am keen to show you all the Christmas cards that I have been working on!  Yes … tomorrow is a FAB DAY … because … there is a lot to be excited about!

1. 25 days of Christmas Cards!!! (I’m sure I will throw in a challenge or two along the way!)
2. Summer Mini Catalogue is here!!! Yippee!!!
3. December Frenzy – UP TO 50% off selected products – promo!!!! Now is the time to order your Circle Scissors Plus!!! (Yep! 40% off!)

So … make sure you pop back tomorrow! It will take me a few mins to get all the details up … but I will get them here asap! But … if you are a little impatient … and I haven’t updated here … you can always check out my SU! website … for all the new December news! This is a card I made for my nephew recently (based on an old C&S sketch – shown above!)

This cute skater is a Greetings Farm stamp …  but … I would have called it Surfer Ian … not sure why they called it Skater Ian??? I had fun colouring it … although I was a tad lazy and just coloured it in instead of watercolouring it! So … it is a little streaky! One day I will bite the bullet and buy some Copics … but being that I have no idea where to start with colour purchases … I keep putting this off … and I am usually quite satisfied with watercolouring with my SU! inks! You will be proud of me, Sonia! I have used some more in-colours! Aren’t I a good girl! And … I actually think they look really good together … and really suit this particular card! No pinks … of course, Lynda! After all … it is a boy’s card! The girls and I are going to pop up to Wollongong to try and finish our Christmas shopping today … so I had better toddle off and get moving! And … I really need to start addressing some of the multitudes of Christmas Cards that I have to send out! C U tomorrow! xxaxx

Stamping 411 SSC #179

Tags

Short & Sweet, Simply Said, Stamping 411 - Stampers Showcase 179, Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge

Hi there everyone!

Another rainy day!!! I can’t believe how much rain we have had. But … I am not one to complain about the rain … I love sitting at my desk watching the beautiful scene! And … everything is so clean and fresh! The tanks are full … the grass is gorgeously green … and even though it feels like summer will never get here … I guess it really isn’t summer until tomorrow … is it!!!! I have another achievement from my quiet afternoon on Saturday to share with you today! Yes … another challenge card! I am sooooo enjoying having a play with the challenges lately!

I was determined to use some of the Peach Parfait (in colour) on this card. It is a very neglected colour (on my part) … and I thought I should have a go at using it! A great place to start when choosing combinations with in-colours … is usually another in-colour. I love this Pear Pizzazz … and with the Early Espresso as a darker contrast … the colour combo just seemed to work perfectly! I have almost hidden the scallop border with my cut out flowers … but I decided that the flowers actually created their own “scallop edge” … so I think I have still stayed true to the sketch! I had forgotten how much I LOVE this stamp set … and the gorgeously simple effect of “2-step stamping”! It was a fun card to put together! And … I am sooo loving the new SU! Jewels … both the pearls (used here) … and the sparkly rhinestones! I just can’t get enough of them at the moment! Gretchen has supplied all the measurements for this FAB sketch … which I have converted into cm on my card recipe! How handy! This means you can play along without having to think too hard!!!

I just noticed that I have 10 comments waiting for replies and I just wanted to say thank you to all those who have taken the time to cheer me up on the weekend! Your comments always bring a smile to my face … and I can’t wait to pop by my mail box and check them all out! (And attach a reply … of course!) Thanks again for your friendship and support!

Don’t forget to pop by here on Wednesday! There is so much happening with the beginning of summer! A new super 50% off promo … and a NEW MINI CATALOGUE! (For those who have requested one … I will pop these in the mail in the next few days!). Off to check those comments … and then I had better stop procrastinating and get that newsletter done! C U all soon! xxaxx

Added 6th Dec: I am sooooooo excited! I was chosen for the Stamping 411 Showcase (top 5) for this card! Big smile on my face! Thanks so much to the S411 operators for picking me! I am thrilled … my 2nd showcase win! Yippeeee!!! xxxxxxxx

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Quiet Afternoon!

Tags

A Word for You, Just Add Ink Challenge, NO TIE Brad Bow, Vintage Vogue

Hi everyone!

How is your Saturday going? Mine has been absolute bliss! After a breakfast date with our good friends Dave & Tania at a lovely restaurant overlooking the ocean at Kiama … I am now “home alone” … with several hours to myself. The cricket is on the TV in the background and … YAYAYAYA Australia is 9 / 472! The girls are out at a youth group car rally … and the boys have gone with Gav to the Motorcross in Sydney. Neither will be home until well after tea. It is rather quiet here … but I am enjoying a little “me time”!  I am determined to get a few more Christmas cards done today … but first I wanted to play along with the Just Add Ink Challenge. This week is a sketch challenge … and the design team has posted some gorgeous samples! Click on the sketch to view these! Here is my entry …

I haven’t pulled out my FAV Vintage Vogue in a while … and it was so nice to play with it again. I honestly think that it is hard to do a BAD card with this set. It is one of those stamp sets that you just can’t go wrong with. I have used the “Rock N Roll” technique for the flowers … and (sorry) I forgot to add this to the “details” on my card recipe. But … I think most of you already know how to do this technique! For those who don’t: Ink up your stamp using the lighter colour ink … then roll the edges of the image “around” on the darker colour ink pad. Stamp. EASY! The bow is a “No Tie Brad Bow” and I used a Chocolate Chip Neutrals brad (flat top) and stuck a pearl on top with a mini glue dot … to go with the pearl accents on the flowers!

So … I need to do a bit of a clean up before I get into those Chrissy cards! But … I still have time to play some more! Happiness is … stamping!!! I am feeling a little lonely … but that is ok … I will cope! Perhaps I need a little blog love!!! I go away for a few days … and all my blog comments dry up!!! So … please stop for a moment … and say hi! It will feel like you are keeping me company! Have a nice weekend, everyone! xxaxx

Promo Update!

Tags

December Frenzy Promotion, Dress up Christmas Promotion

Note: Links will be added once promotion details are available!

• Only 4 more days for the Dress Up Christmas Sale! Click on the pic below for a reminder of all the details. I am putting an order in TOMORROW (Saturday 27th) if you would like to add to it!

• Coming SOON! December 1 means … “December Frenzy”! 50% selected products … keep watching for details!

• Coming SOON! December 1 also means … NEW SUMMER MINI CATALOGUE! Let me know if you would like a copy of this catalogue … and keep watching for an online link on Dec 1!

• Coming SOON! Sale-a-bration! January 25 – March 31. Earn free stamp sets!

More details will follow as they are made available!

A RAK & a visitor!

Tags

Echidna, Trish Marmont

Hello … this is going to be quick … because I have probably worn you out after reading my previous post! (If you missed the Melbourne report … then scroll down for a good giggle!)

It was so lovely to get another gorgeous RAK in the mail on Monday from one of my stamping “groupies”, Trish! I wanted to show you her pretty card …

Did you notice the embossing folder that Trish used on the DSP? It is a snowflake one! I am a little disappointed that we didn’t get a snowflake embossing folder in the Summer Mini! I felt sure that there would be one. So … I guess we will have to wait until next year. I think SU! might think because we don’t get snow at Christmas time … that we aren’t interested in snowflake embossing??? But … then … why do we get snowflake stamps in our catty … if that was the case??? Good question!!! Oh well … there is plenty more in the new catty that is already on my wish list … so perhaps it is just as well!

Oh … and one other quick thing … we had a visitor to our back yard last week …

Yep! A big echidna. I know that there are probably a few around our place … but we don’t get to see them too often! This was having a lovely wander around. (I had to keep the dogs inside.) Ok … gotta go … and get something done! See you all again soon! xxaxx

Hello! Back from Melbourne & all “shopped out”!!!

Tags

Mary Poppins, Skye's Year 12 holiday treat, Trip to Melbourne

Hi there!

I thought I would share some of my trip with you … BUT … feel free to “pass” on this post … if you are here for some stamping inspiration! I won’t take it personally! I do want to share a lovely card I received in the mail this week … so keep watching for my 2nd post … a little later today … if you like!

Well … I am a tad tired today! Giggle! I can’t even begin to tell you how much we enjoyed our break in Melbourne. It was sooooo special to have my 3 girls with me … and to share in this special time! This trip is part of our family tradition. Instead of our kids cruising up to the Gold Coast for “schoolies” … they have all chosen to go somewhere special … with either Gav or I. Gav & Shane spent 3 days in Canberra doing all the boy stuff … like go-carting / golf / lazer skirmish etc etc etc. And … I have had a treat with each of my girls shopping and enjoying a nice break in a lovely hotel. Stacey & I went to Melbourne with her best friend & mum. Sheree & I went to the Gold Coast (not during “schoolies”) with Jono’s (son-i-l) mum & sis. And … this last trip … was really special because Skye wanted her two sisters to come with us. It was such a treat to enjoy this time and create some wonderful memories.  It probably won’t be possible for many years to come … now that Stacey is about to be a mum. And … I think that helped to make it really special. I just wish I could share all the little memories & moments with you … but there are far too many to recount. So … I will just give a brief run down.

Thankfully, Stace left her camera in Skye’s handbag … so I do have some photos to share … I stole them off Stace’s memory card! I’m sure she won’t mind. (My camera is still out of action!)

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Highlights (in brief) …

• The hotel!  The girls loved having a little (okay … A LOT of)  luxury … can’t imagine them ever camping again after this! They are all 5 star girls now!!!
• The shopping! We spent time at DFO South Wharf & Harbourtown Docklands … and it was just as well we allowed for room in our bags! I can tell you … by 3pm day 3 we were all “shopped out”. Totally exhausted! But … then … we did manage another hour or so to finish after recharging with a coffee.
• Mary Poppins! Our major treat to celebrate Skye’ finishing school. It was magical … musical … exciting! Matt Lee was BRILLIANT as Bert (the smile on his face was such a delight!) … and Verity Hunt-Ballard was “practically perfect in every way” as Mary! The casting was fantastic … and the songs were so spectacular. We loved the tap dancing chimney sweeps … and supercalifragilisticexpialidocious act was amazing! We even had an hilarious ‘malfunction’ … when Mary Poppins came up onto the roof to meet Bert … and got stuck in the chimney!!!!!!! She was “bottom down” with her leg in the air … and still managed to powder her nose with a straight face and pretend that she was supposed to be standing!!!! The theatre laughed and laughed … and there was a 10 min break … before they got started again. Mary got a huge roar of applause … when she arrived up the chimney in one piece the second time!
• Maze Grill. Our fine dining experience … that was lotsa fun! If only we had allowed enough time to enjoy this Gordon Ramsay restaurant … but with a deadline (theatre) … we were a little too rushed to really take it all in properly. We had the best waiter who was very understanding and organised our meals really quickly … but … we did feel a little “out of our depth”! I’m sure we would have relished the challenge of this ritzy experience … if we could have spent a little more time there. Best salmon I have ever tasted … and Skye is still saying “oooooh … that chicken!!!” Everytime she thinks about that meal … she says that same phrase! So … it is a pity we didn’t have  a little more time to enjoy!
• The pool! Again … if only we had a little more time to indulge … but this was still a FAB experience. Beautiful temperature … wonderful ambience … comfortable day beds! Just not enough time! (Perhaps we should have done a little less shopping … and a little more relaxing!) Yep! … we DID swim!
• In room movie – “Killers” (Skye hadn’t seen this before … and it was a great choice on Tues night!)

Lowlights: (almost not worth mentioning … ‘cos we just didn’t let them spoil anything … in fact … they actually gave us a good giggle and added to the memories!)

• Hayfever! Yes! According to the radio … the worst hayfever season in Melbourne in 20 years … and Sheree & I suffered greatly with runny eyes … itchy eyes & throat … and constant sneezing! Our asthma flared up (and neither of us have had probs for ages with our asthma!). It really did make us feel miserable at times. I felt “old, haggard & horrible” (a family joke) … because within minutes the make up was gone … and the eyelids were rubbed raw!!!! I am still recovering today … but it is a lot better.
• Taxi break down!!! The concierge at the hotel flagged a cab for us to take downtown to the theatre. It took the cabbie about 5 mins to get the car started … and it did cross my mind that I hoped it didn’t break down at a traffic light on the way. Perhaps I should have insisted on another cab … ‘cos that’s exactly what happened! Thankfully we had almost completed our trip … but we did have to walk about 4 blocks up Exhibition Street to the Theatre … in high heels!!!
• Rain! We came out of the theatre to find it was raining … and struggled through the crowd and over to the centre of the road … where (on the way to the theatre) we had noticed a cab rank just up the road a little. So … there we were … huddled under two umbrellas in the middle of the street … getting splashed by passing cars … but NO CABS!!! They weren’t even taking the time to stop in the rank … they were picking up from directly outside the theatre! (DUH!!!) So … we giggled back to the theatre and managed to flag down a cab. The cabbie was lovely … and made our trip back very pleasant!
• An hour wait on the tarmac … for our plane to leave Melbourne! We boarded … and then sat there for an hour!!! Apparently the rain was causing delays and traffic control kept bumping us back in the queue! So … we arrived home after midnight!!! Poor Gav had travelled up to Sydney an hour early … cos he didn’t get my message until after he was already on his way.
• The bills! Yes … we did spend a little!!!!!! But … it was so nice for Gav to remind me … that the memories were “worth every cent”! Isn’t he just the best!!!

So … even though I could tell you lots of funny stories (like when Stace spilt her smoothie on her lap) … I will spare you from any more ramblings! We did have lots of laughs and … I have had the best 3 days with my best 3 girls! Keep watching for a 2nd post … with a lovely card that I received from Trish on Monday! Hugs xxaxx

Oooh! A bonus post! :)

Tags

Great Friend, Heard from the Heart, Just Add Ink Challenge, Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge, Vine & Blossom Wheel Stamp

Hi there!

Well … this is a bonus post for today! (Scroll down for earlier post – my sneak peek from the new Mini!) I wanted to complete one last sketch challenge card … that I had started on the weekend … but just didn’t get time to finish. And … because I am leaving really early tomorrow morning … I had to get this posted to be able to enter the challenge before the deadline! Aren’t you all lucky! I hope this will keep you going until I get home from Melbourne … cos … this will be it … I’m afraid!

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This is a combined challenge … JAI #44 & Stamping 411 SSC 178. If I had time I would have done these separately … but … oh well … this is the best I can do without stressing myself too much! giggle!

Now … I think that wheel stamping is almost perfectly lined up!!! I have to admit to using my Wheel Guide to do this strip … and with an image that actually does have a “defined” edge … this is almost a must! (Unless you have very good eyes … and a steady hand!) I have popped a couple of the flowers up on dimensionals. I love this pretty satin ribbon … pity it is now retired!

Hope you are all having a lovely day. I am on a roll … the newsletter DRAFT is finished … I have finished this card & posted 2 posts! Now … just need to get dinner organised & do my packing and I am ready to jet off to Melbourne! (Doing a little happy dance!) See you all on Friday! I will get here asap to reply to your  sweet comments … and please don’t think I am slack for not visiting your blog over the next few days … I will pop by asap when I get home, too! Hugs xxaxx