Here I am!

Hi there!

It has been a while hasn’t it!!! I thought I should quickly do a post this morning before I get too engrossed in the school newsletter! I wanted to thank you all for your patience and also show you a gorgeous card that I received in the mail last week!

Do you know why I love blogging so much? It’s not just an “outlet” for my creative writing & a chance to show off about my latest creations … it’s not just an opportunity to share my love of stamping with my close stamping friends … and it’s not just a new hobby! The best thing about blogging is the FRIENDS I meet! I have truly been so blessed with some special friends in my life since I have been blogging! And … I am always so touched by the kindness of total strangers!!! It seems that if you share a common interest … this becomes a bond … and creates friendships that are always so unexpected! I have met some wonderful people who have visited my blog & stopped by to say hi! I have also found that blog visitors have wonderful blogs of their own … and when I visit they are always so welcoming! It is like a “sisterhood”!

One of my very favourite blogs (I shared her blog with you recently in my “Featured Blogs” posts) is “My Life” … and is owned by Silke Ledlow. I had visited Silke’s blog several times and was really taken with the silver rhinestone stickers that she often used on her cards. So I decided to leave a comment on Silke’s blog asking where she purchase them. She wrote back suggesting I try “Michaels” – a big US craft store … which we don’t have here in Australia. I tried getting online … but unfortunately, they didn’t have an online store. After a couple of follow up emails … Silke offered to buy me some next time she went to the store! How kind is that!!! She asked for my address & I asked for her bank account details so I could electronically deposit the amount (+postage) into her account. After a couple of reminders from me about her bank account details … she sent back that this was my “birthday present” from her to me!!!  Isn’t that just the loveliest & kindest thing. Silke & I have never met! We really are total strangers … and here she was offering to send me some silver pearls without expecting anything in return! I was so touched! What a really lovely person Silke is!  And … here is what arrived in the mail last Thursday!!! Wow! 5 packets – 4 silver + 1 gold!!! Plus a pretty card! I felt sooooo spoilt! And … I can’t wait to get back to my stamps & use them!!!

Silke Ledlow - A Kind Word

So … this is Silke’s VERY PRETTY card! (You can see the original on her blog —> here ) I love how she creates – always simple but elegant! Never overstated! And … she does use a lot of white! Something that has really appealed to me! All my Convention Swaps were based around a white background because I had loved so many of Silke’s creations! And … isn’t this stamp set just the cutest! It is one of SU!’s new sets in this year’s catty – called: “A Kind Word”. Check the blog link (above) for her card recipe!

This card from Silke was a perfect sketch for a card I was working on for my workshop last weekend. I decided to demo a brand new technique that I found on a US blog … and was itching to show some of my regular stampers who were attending the workshop! So I have actually CASE-D (copied & selectively edited) Silke’s design for my “Watercolour Rose” card.

Card Recipe: Card: Whisper White, Cameo Coral, Pink Pirouette. Re-inkers: Cameo Coral, Pink Pirouette, Apricot Appeal. Pink Pirouette ribbon, Silver Hodgepodge buckle, Filigree Brad, Stamp Sets: Fifth Avenue Floral & Warm Words. Silver Encore Ink, Versamark Ink, White Embossing Powder, Aqua Painter.

The white background is perfect to highlight the watercoloured rose. I am thrilled with how this technique turned out and this was a real WOW demo at the workshop on Saturday! It’s always exciting to find a new way to do things with your stamps! I am hoping to share this technique at my Stamp Club that will be starting again soon! I am also working on some new ideas for those who can’t make it to classes … but this will take a little time … so keep watching!

Before I get back to that dog-gone newsletter I wanted to share this pic! I took this on Saturday night … just after arriving home from my workshop. The house was empty and quiet (all the family was out) … and this was the view from the back door! It was breath-taking … but, of course, the photo doesn’t really do it justice! No-one was home to share this delight … so I thought I would share it with you!

Have a great day! Will be back soon!

Images copyright © Stampin’ Up! ® 1997—2009.  Artwork by Silke Ledlow, Andrea Lowcock.