SU! Mini Catalogue Holder

Tags

Mini Catty Holder, Punch Potpourri, Punch Potpourri - Level 1 hostess

Hello bloggies!

Do you have mini catties lying around … and you aren’t sure what to do with them?? I like to keep them handy … even if out of date … cos I often refer to them for card recipes & ideas for designs … so I finally got around to creating a “magazine holder” for them to sit on my desk.

Now … because I was limited with sizing … due to the size of the DSP … this is quite a narrow holder … and it doesn’t stand too well on it’s own. But … I have it sitting between a basket (with my clear blocks) and a box with my “ready to use” completed cards … and it sits quite well supported on each side. I imagine it will fit 6 – 8 catties. It looks sweet … and is doing the job I wanted — keeping my mini catties tidy! I have drawn up a template so you can see the sizing … and to make it super easy for you to make one of your own!  (Click on pics to view larger images!)

I actually cut one each of these templates from the thick packaging card from the DSP packs … and one each from the DSP and stuck them together with Tombow glue before scoring and folding. This makes the holder extra strong and able to support the catties better.

Well … I am a tad tired! But … S&J have moved into their little villa … and we have achieved a lot in the last few days. I am going back this afternoon to help finish off the unpacking … and then will pop up and see mum again later.

I am itching to stamp! This project definitely has NOT satisfied my withdrawals. But … after Monday (after we clean S&J’s old unit) … my life might quieten down a little??? Here’s hoping, anyway!!! Hugs xxaxx

• Stamp Set: Punch Potpourri
• DSP: Parisian  Breeze
• Ink: Baja Breeze Stamp Pad, Chocolate Chip Marker
• Accents: Rhinestone Jewels, Double Stitched 1″ Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon
• Tools: Big Shot, Scalloped Heart of Hearts Sizzlets Die, Full Heart Punch

A striking colour combo!

Tags

Claytons Convention - May11, Erin Prior, So Happy for You, Thanks for Caring

Hello bloggies!

Well … the big move is on … Stacey & Jono got the keys yesterday and we spent until 9pm last night packing and moving as much as possible. Murray (Ree’s boyfriend) managed to borrow a trailer … so with his big ute … and another trailer … the boys managed to get most of the ‘big stuff’ done after work yesterday. Stace & I packed most of the day … with Ree helping after uni. But … we still have a lot to do today … finishing off the last minute packing … and getting it all over to the new unit. Then of course … we start unpacking!!! On Mon/Tue Stace & I will go back to the old unit and give it a good clean. So … the next few days are going to be busy busy busy!!!

This card is the very last from our CC in May. This was Erin’s sweet make & take design … and we enjoyed using a colour combo that none of us had done before. Black/ Rich Razzleberry / Melon Mambo + white & a touch of Pear Pizzazz. I was quite taken with this combo … and must remember to try it again sometime soon. I like the way Erin cut the front short and popped the butterflies onto the back section of the card. Please excuse the pathetic colouring in. I think we were making this one at about 1am … and my eyes had stopped working!!! I should go back and touch up the colouring before I give this one to anyone!!!

It is my mum’s birthday today. Poor mum is still in hospital … fighting a nasty infection … and not doing so well. I hope some balloons, cake & cappuccino will help brighten her morning! So … I really had better get going … I have lots to do today! (and tomorrow … and the next day … and again next week! — Did we really just have a holiday??? Seems a distant memory.)

Skye is back at uni … and although coping well without her crutches … she is still struggling with  some pain. Please pray that she will be able to manage her “prac” placement well enough to continue this subject this semester. It will totally muck up her degree is she isn’t able to complete it.

See you all as soon as I can! Obviously no time for stamping at the moment … but I will be back with something for you asap! Hugs xxaxx

Back to reality!

Tags

Dolphin Point, Family Stuff

Well bloggies … it is back to reality!

We just had the most wonderfully, relaxing few days down the coast … lots of reading, playing card games, watching DVDs, napping & some happy family time! It rained almost the whole time we were away … and although you may think that was annoying … a beach holiday in the rain … it actually was just the perfect weather for relaxing! I am sooooo very thankful we were able to escape for a week … and very thankful to my sis for keeping an eye on mum while we were away. I feel a little refreshed … but do wish we could have had a little longer to recover properly. But … please don’t think I am complaining. I enjoyed every minute of it!

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I took away my “sympathy thank yous” to write … and somehow … in all the busy-ness of doing nothing … I forgot to do them! So … that is on the top of my “to do” list now! And … yes … my “to do” list is growing by the minute! We are so thankful that Stacey & Jono have a place to move into. They finally had 4 offers within 24 hours while they were down staying with us. One of these was the one Stace liked the best … so they were quick to say yes … even though the “proviso” was that they moved in “immediately”.

So … yes … back to reality. We will be helping Stace & Jono move house this week … I have to be available to drive Skye to uni … as she isn’t able to drive yet … and of course … I want to see my mum as much as I can. She is still in hospital (now in Wollongong) having been transferred there to drain yet another infection! She has had such a time of it … with a recovery that should have taken 2 weeks stretching into 5+ weeks now. We are praying that she will soon be home again and back on her feet asap. She has had so many setbacks … and I am sure she has had enough of hospitals! Please continue to pray for her full recovery … and for patience for this process. We do appreciate your prayers.

Well … I am sure you will understand … if I am a little preoccupied over the next week or so. I can only apologise again … and hope you will continue to “hang in” with me! One day … my routine and life will get back to normal!!! Do you think??? I will be back asap with a card. It is mum’s birthday on Thursday … so I need to get my stamps out! I am off now … to take Skye to uni … and stop by Sandy’s zone athletics carnival for a few hours. As long as he still wants me to come and watch … I am keen to be there! He is in high school now … but he still likes me to be there!

A big thank you to all those who so faithfully stopped by while I was away and left me some blog love! You are the BEST!!! Hugs xxaxx

CASE Showcase #8 – Kim Singdahlsen

Tags

All a Flutter Butterfly, CASE Showcase, Create A Cupcake, Fast & Fabulous, Kim Singdahlsen

Hello again!

Well … I am back from holidays … but I knew today would be a little frantic catching up on washing … visiting my mum etc … so I thought I would do one last “scheduled post” … in case I just didn’t find the time to get here today. Takes the pressure off for a little while longer. Today’s card is the last in my CASE Showcase … and I am finishing where I began. This is another of Kim’s delightful creations …

And … here is my version of this wonderful butterfly card …

I definitely like Kim’s creation more than mine! I like the colours I chose … but somehow they just don’t gel as well as Kim’s. I do admire the way Kim puts colours together. Kim also used an embossing folder on the background … and I added some flowers using my Versamark stamp pad.

Well … that is the last of my CASE Showcase cards! I have so many more cards in my “to CASE” file from so many fabulous card designers … and I did find this a lot of fun. So … I imagine you will be seeing some more from time to time. I just want to take a moment to say thank you to all those who have blogs … and who take the time to share their creations … because I for one benefit so much from your wonderful insights and creativity! See you soon … Hugs xxaxx

CASE Showcase #7 – Paula Dobson

Tags

CASE Showcase, Paula Dobson, Sweet Summer, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Hi again!

Well … our week down the coast is almost over … but I am determined to make the most of it. Holidays don’t end until tomorrow! Now … just because we are getting to the end of my CASE Showcase … don’t for one second think that the last couple are the bottom of the barrel. This is next card is a little stunner … and I couldn’t wait to CASE this one for myself as soon as I saw it on Paula’s blog. It is such a simple, elegant, eye-catching card. Here is Paula’s original …

And … I know … there is hardly a difference at all … but this is my CASE …

I thought and thought … about the “selectively edit” bit of this CASE … and realised you just can’t improve on perfection! But … I did add a tiny tweak (edit) by adding some bling. I don’t think it is out of place …but truly … this card certainly didn’t need anything more! Isn’t it such an elegant design! Thanks Paula for sharing this little beauty! Please make sure you pop over to Paula’s blog. She is the queen of sponging!!! Her sponged cards are gorgeous.

We will be on our way home this afternoon. Hopefully feeling much more refreshed and relaxed after our ‘escape’! I hope to see you soon … with something new! I know I will be itching to stamp after being away from my stamps for a week! Hugs xxaxx

CASE Showcase #6 – Mary Brown

Tags

Build a Cupcake punch, CASE Showcase, Create A Cupcake, Mary Brown

Hello bloggies!

I have a great card to share with you today … I loved this idea as soon as I saw it … and decided that you could use so many stamp sets with this design. The original design comes from Mary Brown … one of the well known “Create with Connie & Mary” founders. Mary has such a professional way of putting cards together … I am in awe of her work! Here is the inspiration for today’s CASE Showcase card …

And … here is my “copy cat” card!

One of the things that drew me to this card was the colour! I soooo love green. But … I decided that part of my “selectively edit” tweak to this CASEd card was to change the colours. I left the design layout pretty much identical. Another excuse to use my new “Build a Cupcake” Punch … and I was really pleased with the result. I did use some glossy white card for the cupcakes. I love the depth of ink colour that you can get when you stamp on glossy card. You just need to be careful not to slide the stamp on the card. It is a little slippery for stamping! This photo captures the “gloss” quite well.

Day 6 of my holiday … and suddenly the week seems to be disappearing. When your break is only such a short one … it is hard not to start counting it down almost before it even starts. We so desperately needed this break … but couldn’t manage more than 6 days away. I do hope we feel the benefit … even though it is shorter than we hoped for. Having said that … I don’t want to be complaining. It is such a blessing that we managed to get away at all! So … I am trying to be content. Hope your week is as nice as mine! Hugs xxaxx

CASE Showcase #5 – Judy May

Tags

CASE Showcase, Cheer & Wishes, Friendly Words Jumbo Wheel Stamp, I {heart} hearts, Judy May

Hello!

Don’t you find sometimes a card catches your eye instantly … and you just love it to bits??? This is one of those cards! I am sure this would look great in other colour combos … but I really think that the “black/white/red” combo is the thing that makes this a standout card! Today’s CASE Showcase card is created by the wonderfully talented Judy May. One benefit of going through my “to CASE” file for this showcase … is that I have rediscovered some blogs that I had not visited in a while. And … I have bookmarked a couple to remind me! Judy’s is one I want to pop by again … once I get back from hols! Here is Judy’s original …

And … mine …

I didn’t want to change this card too much … it just seemed beautiful the way it was. I don’t have the Bella Toile background stamp … but I do think the Friendly Words Jumbo Wheel stamp was a really great substitute! Thanks, Judy for your gorgeous inspiration … I really enjoyed CASEing this card!

Friday today! And … if things go as planned … Stacey & Jono & little Bree have arrived down the coast to spend a couple of days with us. It will be nice to share some “down time” with them after all the busy-ness they have had looking at rentals. I am sure I will have lots of cuddles over the next couple of days. Have a nice weekend! Hugs xxaxx

CASE Showcase #4 – Leonie Newman

Tags

CASE Showcase, Leonie Newman, Lovely as a Tree, Many Merry Messages

Hi there bloggies!

My card today is actually a CASE that I did at our Clayton’s Convention in May. I thought I would include it in my CASE Showcase while I am away on holidays. Leonie is a lovely friend of mine … and we love sharing stamping time together. She always puts a smile on my face. Anyway … while we were at CC … we all looked through Leonie’s stash … and chose a card to CASE. This was my choice … Leonie’s original design …

And here is my “take” on her gorgeous Christmas Card …

Do you think I overdid the bling??? I do love sparkle on Chrissy Cards! It doesn’t matter how long this stamp set has been around … it always looks gorgeous on a card. An oldie but a goodie! Don’t panic if you haven’t started on your Christmas cards … cos I haven’t either. This was just a card that caught my eye and I wanted to make one for myself.

I do hope you are enjoying my CASE Showcase! I had such fun creating them. And … now I am loving sharing all this gorgeous inspiration from some of my fav stampers with you all! Keep smiling! Hugs xxaxx