A weekly roundup!

Slack blogger. Yup that is me. There has been a fair bit going on but I just haven’t had time to blog about any of it. That and I have had a couple of migraines this past week. Ewww yucky!

Saturday last weekend was my brother’s 30th birthday. We went to one of the local pubs in town with many family members and had a great meal. Afterwards, the kids had a ball in the local park.

Picture of my brother, his wife, my niece, my kids and my SIL’s niece. Warren told the kids to pull funny faces, and of course, look at the ones that listened!

I tried going on the swing at the park, and it wasn’t made for adults is all I can say. I think this picture of me says it all... LOL and now I have a huge yucky bruise on the side of my thigh... I was going to take a picture of it, but then again, I don’t think the whole world needs to see my naked thigh!

Josh had a major meltdown at school on Wednesday morning, he wanted to be Mr Independent and walk into school by himself. It ended up with me carrying him in like a baby and sore arm muscles to this day still.

Wedding plans are moving along. Still need to make place cards but here are some pics of the hen’s party invite and wedding invite. Just over 2 weeks to go now. Still need to organise my jewellery (know what I want though) and just had my hair dyed today.

(Invites in my journal as a wedding keepsake) Sorry for crappy pics!
Materials list: (Hen’s night invite)
Cardstock: Soft sky, wild wasabi
Stamps: Big on Spring
Ink: Basic Black, Soft Sky
DSP: Spring silhouettes
Other: 2 way glue pen, dazzling diamonds, seed beads, white grosgrain ribbon, scallop edge punch

Materials list: (Wedding invite)
Cardstock: Basic grey, whisper white, basic black
Ink: Taken with teal, gold encore, basic grey
Stamps: Season of joy
Other: Black grosgrain ribbon, doodlebug embossed cardstock

Had a few SU workshops and have my final class for March tomorrow. We are making this explosion card.

Materials list:
Stamps: Outlined for fun, Baroque motifs
DSP: Bali Breeze
Cardstock: Old olive, Whisper white
Other: Embossing powder, versamark, brads, felt fusion flowers

The new catalogue is released in less than 3 weeks and I can’t wait. I haven’t got my copy yet and am anxiously waiting for it. If anyone wants to pre-order a catalogue they are $12 picked up from me in Skye or $15 delivered. Contact me on rosnat@iprimus.com.au or call me on 0407 353 325.

Having a bad day here, got slugged a fine for mail that didn’t have enough postage, more than happy to pay the additional postage but the $1.50 extra per letter I am not!!! I wish I was contacted before they sent them all and charged me an additional $51! Got sent a parking infringement in the mail today too for parking on the nature strip while taking Josh and Callum to school. Cranky, but I can cope that. Problem is, the street (well court) I was parked in, if I parked on the road, you can barely get another car past. Okay, gripe over!

Best go to bed. Need an early night since the migraines are giving me the s&%^s!

Cheers,
Ros

Baby Mabel

My step sister had a little baby girl last weekend, Valentine's day and I made this card for her. I have a "thing" with my punches at the moment... Can't be helped!

Picture of Faye, and Dougie holding Mabel.

Materials list:

Stamps: Short and sweet

Ink: Basic Black

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Basic Black

Punches: Boho Blossoms, word window, scallop circle, large oval, 1" circle punch

Other: Making Memories stickers, checked ribbon

I have been creating other things, but have been a little lazy in the photography department!

Ros

Creative play

I had a creative day at Claire's house the other Friday. I didn't get heaps done but these are two things that I finally finished when I got home on Friday... I was struggling with tiredness really bad that I almost fell asleep behind the wheel while driving on Eastlink and had to pull over and sleep. I must have been tired to have slept on the side of a freeway with trucks not bothering me for 30 minutes...

Onto the projects.... A card just coz I could

Materials list:
Stamps: Life your dream, boho backgrounds, symbols of solitude
Cardstock: Very vanilla, ruby red, metallic gold cardstock, basic black

Ink: Versamark, ruby red,

Other: Photo corner punch, brads, mat pat, emobssing powder, 1 3/8" circle punch

and a layout challenge using two cardstock colours, a neutral, brads, ribbon, no patterned paper and no punches

Materials list:

Stamps: Embrace life, sanded background

Cardstock: Brilliant blue, tempting turquoise

Ink: Brilliant blue, tempting turquoise, whisper white

Other: Mat pack

Cheers,
Ros

P.S. I hope to be creating more new stuff soon as I have only, 3, yes THREE more wedding invites to make (plus one to keep for myself) and then I am onto the hen's night invites. Not that I have to do them, but I want to... Does that make sense?

First few SU cards

On our team Stampin' Up! forums there has been our first cards shown. I can't remember exactly which card was my first card I made but I do know, the all of the cards below are the ones I made in my first 3 months as a demonstrator.

I don't know if my style has changed or evolved or what. Since I have made cards since I was 14 or so, it is hard to guess. What do you think?

Now, I am making things more often (just doesn't seem like it lately) and having a ball and even have myself a little team of 4 downlines. I orginally joined SU because I wanted lots of product and it was a way of getting it at a discount and I totally loved how the red matched the red etc... Plus I thought it might help with the depression (which it does!) Now, I still love it for all those reasons, but also the friendships I have developed with other demonstrators and the fun we have plus many more reasons including all the cool new things I have learned along the way.

Ros

Wedding card

I went to my cousins' wedding last weekend and was asked by my grandmother to make a card for them. This is what I came up with after using a card from http://luvtostamp.blogspot.com/2008/11/wild-rose.html for inspiration. Okay, so I mainly cased it. I couldn't remember where I saw the idea from so that is why I am edited it with the lik to Karen's blog. I also made a very similar card using Apricot Appeal and Pumpkin Pie combination but can't find the photo...

Materials list:
Stamps: Wonderful favourites, wild rose
Ink: Regal rose, pretty in pink, basic black
Cardstock: Regal rose, pretty in pink, whisper white
Other: Regal rose 5/8" ribbon, pretties kit, stampin dimensionals.

Just one thing I want to mention about wonderful favourites, when out catalogue was released April 1st last year, there was a couple of errors in it. One of them was wonderful favourites. We currently pay $39.95 while the US pay $41.95 or so. We should be paying around the $80 mark for wonderful favourites but because SU made the mistake they are honouring it as printed. How awesome is that? Same thing with the designer series paper, it should be $16.95 not $11.95 like we are paying!

I've had a busy day stamping with my upline Claire so some new creations will be uploaded soon!

Ros

Keesh's challenge

I thought I'd give Keesh's challenge a go this week seeing as it is an awesome sketch. Here is what I came up with.

Materials list:

Stamps: Polka dot punches, Yummy

DSP: Bali breeze

Cardstock: Pretty in pink, basic black purely pomegrante

Other: Styled silver hodgepodge, felt fusion flowers, small oval punch, 3/4" circle punch, rose red brads, groovy guava re inker, rose red re inker, purely pomegrante re inker, black embossing powder

Cheers,

Ros.

Summer mini swap card

My spin on a card for our team summer mini card swap.


Colour combination came from the Stampin' Up! color coach on page 128 of the main catalogue. Click here to see the main idea book or the summer mini catalogue. If you would prefer a hard copy, contact me and I will arrange to send you out a copy.



Stamp sets: In the stars (Summer mini 2008/2009)
Cardstock: Rose red, cameo coral, barely banana, certainly celery, garden green, whisper white
Ink: Rose red, versamark
Other: Embossing powder, 1 1/4" circle punch, 3/4" circle punch, rose red double stitched ribbon


Cheers
Ros.

Update with a project share

It is about time I did an update especially with a project share seeing as I haven't shared anything I have made from the summer mini catalogue or using the new free SAB (sale-a-bration) stamps sets.

Materials list

Stamps: Live Your Dream (Summer Mini 2008/2009), Occasional greetings

Patterned Paper: Ginger Blossom (Summer Mini 2008/2009)

Cardstock: Cameo Coral, Basic Black, Kraft

Ink: Versamark

Other: Embossing powder, 1/4" circle punch, stampin' dimensionals, glossy accents

Cheers,

Ros

KW30

Kristina Werner color challenge #30, old olive, certainly celery, sahara sand and whisper white... My spin on it with some masking and a little bling using dazzlings diamonds.Cheers,

Ros

P.S. Been busy creating so far this evening I think the kids need some lovin' or at least a bath they are filthy!!!!

Inspired

I was inspired and had to make my bah humbug card straight away. Here is it. While I was at it, I made a matching envelope also.

Materials list:

Stamps: Rough edges mini alphabet

Ink: Basic Black, River Rock, Old Olive, Real Red

DSP: Dashing

Cardstock: Old Olive, River Rock (textured), Real Red, Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Basic Black

Punches: Boho blossoms, scallop edge punch, scallop circle, horizontal slot, 1/2" & 1/4" circle Other: Dazzling Diamonds, stampin dimensionals, 1/4" real red grosgrain ribbon, styled silver hodgepodge hardware, sponge daubers, 2 way glue pen, note cards & envelope

Ros

P.S. Two posts in one day, most unusual!!!

ATC tutorial

Welcome to my first ever tutorial.... Hopefully it will make sense and not be too boring. I made these ATC's (Artist Trading Cards) as swaps at Stampin' Up!'s Melbourne Regional’s last Saturday. I ran out quickly and had many a request to post a copy online so others could see that didn't get one.

Products used: (All Stampin' Up!)
Scallop punch
1 1/4", 1", 3/4", 1/2" & 1/4" circle punches
Spiral punch
Basic black, whisper white, brilliant blue, real red, close to cocoa and only orange cardstock
Close to cocoa, chocolate chip ink
Boho backgrounds stamp set
Sponge dauber
2 way glue pen
Snail
Stampin' dimensionals


1. Cut basic black cardstock to 2.5" wide x 3.5" high and whisper white cardstock to 4.5cm wide x 3.5" high

2. Using spiral punch, punch holes along both sides of basic black cardstock

3. Adhere whisper white cardstock onto basic black cardstock

4. Punch out 1 each brilliant blue and real red scallop circles

5. Adhere onto ATC as shown in picture

6. Punch out 4, 1/4" basic black circles (eye), 4, 1/2" circles (eyes), 1, 1/2"only orange circle (Elmo's nose), 1/2, 1" basic black circle (Elmo's mouth), 1/2, 1 1/4" basic black circle (Oscar's mouth), 1, 3/4" close to cocoa circle (stamped with boho backgrounds stamp in chocolate chip ink)

7. Assemble faces as shown

8. Using scallop circle punch a "nibble" mark out of the cookie to look like a bite mark

9. Ink edges of cookie using close to cocoa ink and sponge dauber. Adhere cookie to mouth using stampin' dimensionals.

Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird. Made in the same way only using scallop circle, horizontal slot, large oval, small oval, 1/2" circle & 1/4" circle punches along with spiral punch. Certainly Celery, yoyo yellow, regal rose, real red, basic black and whisper white cardstocks.

Closer look at Big bird's mouth...

A Christmas take on Oscar. I am planning on using him on a card with bah-humbug! LOL

All the same materials as previous only boho blossoms punch, scallop edge punch, real red ink, sponge dauber and dazzling diamonds.

Finally, where it all started from. Drew's 3rd birthday card.

Materials used: (All Stampin' Up!)

Stamps: sanded background, best friends alphabet lower, boho backgrounds

Inks: Only orange

Cardstock: Basic black, whisper white, regal rose, yoyo yellow, certainly celery, real red, only orange, brilliant blue

Punches: Scallop circle, horizontal slot, large oval, small oval, spiral punch, 1 1/4", 1", 3/4", 1/2" & 1/4" circle punches

And last but not least, Nikki's birthday card seeing as I had never posted it either.

Materials used: (All Stampin' Up! unless otherwise mentioned)

Stamps: Figures of speech

Ink: Staz on

Cardstock: Watercolour paper, basic black, whisper white, pink passion, tempting turquoise

Other: Scallop punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, watercolour wonder crayons, Making Memories rub ons, misc. ribbon, Sizzix die cuts, Ki Memories pp

Seriously long post from me. By for now.

Ros

Same, same but different

I made these cards as part of our monthly team colour challenge. We were to use groovy guava, bravo burgundy, old olive and blush blossom. I couldn't get it to work without a neutral so I added in whisper white.

The second card also uses certainly celery and I think I like a mix of the two cards together. What do you think?

Apologises about the colour being "off" in the 2nd photo.

Materials list

Stamps: Bud basics

Inks: Blush blossom, bravo burgundy, versamark

Cardstock: Groovy guava, bravo burgundy, old olive and blush blossom, whisper white, certainly celery (2nd card only)

Other: Groovy guava double stitched in colour ribbon, embossing powder, cuttlebug embossing folder, slit punch, 1 3/8" punch, nestabilities (2nd card only)

Ros

Teenage card?

This is something I whipped up a few nights ago before heading to bed. I have had a copy of this card (original by Sharlene Torres) in my inspiration folder for some time... I just loved the way it worked. Sharlene’s was a different to mine but anyway I just wanted to give credit where its due.

I just had to give it a red navel piercing. That was the colour of the first barbell I got in my navel after having it pieced. Funny thing is, my stomach never looked as tan as that, more like whisper white!
Materials list
Stamps: Sanded background
Cardstock: Brocade Blue, Kraft
Inks: Brocade Blue
Other: Rhinestone fire jewels, stampin’ write markers, chocolate satin ribbon (spring mini 2008), ribbon charm (stylish silver hardware, spring mini 2008), mat pack

Cheers,
Ros

P.S. Does anyone else ever write blog posts in their head when they are trying to fall asleep? I do frequently and I never remember them when I wake up and it always seems like such a good topic! *Giggles*

Sick and a father's day card

Okay so a quick post as I am still not well. Managed to come down with Pleurisy and I feel like s&%t! Not to mention the kids aren’t 100% either. This is something I whipped up while ago and was published in Creative Cardmaking and Papercrafts Magazine along with two other father’s day cards I designed. (This is by far my favourite!)

I actually was in bed until a few minutes ago trying to sleep but then I remembered I hadn’t wrapped my dad’s, father’s day present or written in any of the cards I had made. I can’t sleep if there is something like that bothering me. So up I got and here I am.

Materials list
Cardstock: Whisper white, morning marigold (retired)
Inks: Creamy caramel
Other: Square punches, scanner, Josh’s handwriting, Nestabilities

Take two on going to sleep.
Nite,
Ros

P.S. There is a recent photo of the kids on the "postage stamp". That was just the one I used for publication purposes as it was what I had at printed at home at the time.

Dawn Rapsas

While I am away, I thought I might feature some of the handmade cards I have received lately.

Today's card is made by Dawn Rapsas http://www.inkeruptildawn.typepad.com/

This card was a complete surprise as I booked in for an event Dawn is co-ordinating and it was sent from USA!

Cheers,
Ros

Claire Graves

While I am away, I thought I might feature some of the handmade cards I have received lately.

Today's card is made by Claire Graves, a talented demonstrator in the same team as I am.

This card was a thank you for posting swap cards back when a returned stamped self address envelope was forgotten... And it included the cost of postage!!!

Cheers,
Ros

Claire Daly

While I am away, I thought I might feature some of the handmade cards I have received lately. Today's card is made by Claire Daly, (my upline) http://www.clairedaly.typepad.com/

I love how bright this card is and commented on it at Claire's blog a while ago and when I was sent my 3 ink pads for being the top demonstrator for the last quarter, this card was inside...

Cheers,

Ros

Busy, busy, busy

Been really busy around here getting ready for my trip away and had my family over for dinner on the weekend and got to see my niece again. She has grown, almost the same height as Bella and there is a 8 month ages difference. Mad clean up before they got here as Chloe is now crawling and Bella is interested in far more things than “what could that be on the floor?” LOL... I was so busy cleaning I ached everywhere when I eventually got into bed. Has something to do with starting cleaning at 6.30am when I just woke up. Yuck!

Requisite photo of all the cousins together...

Drew, Chloe, Nikki, Bella and Josh

Sending out my “early” September newsletter today as I want people to know about the classes and Christmas stamp club before it begins. That and I don’t think I’ll have a lot of time once I get back. It will be rush rush rush again.... Ohhh somedays I love the rush, other days I wish I was on holiday. Thank goodness, I am going on one, as I really could use the break. LOL, but then again, who couldn’t?

Sitting here typing this and looking over at what I am wanting to pack stamping wise and I am wondering how am I going to fit it all in and my clothes and be under 20kg in weight... Hmmm, I hope there won’t be too much culling required!

Anyway, now that I have finished my swaps for the incentive trip, I can show them to you.
Materials list
Stamps: One of a kind, En Francais
Ink: Staz On, Versamark, River Rock
Cardstock: River Rock, Blue Bayou, Purely Pomegranate, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky
Other: Vellum, black embossing powder, sizzix frame die

Hoping also to schedule some posts of cards made by other demonstrators while I am away.

Cheers,
Ros