Sale-a-Bration 2017

Sale-a-bration 2017 is here and I can't believe I haven't shared here on this blog.  Terrible I know!

And the important download link : Click right the Sale-a-Bration catalogue here!

So here's all the details (or you can find me on my Stamp with Me Facebook page).

Shop!

Here’s the deal: for every $90 you spend (before shipping), you get a FREE Sale-A-Bration product. That means it’s the perfect time to purchase those products you’ve had your eye on while earning more products for free. 

Host!

Need another excuse to get together with friends? Just host a qualifying party with at least $400  in sales during Sale-A-Bration and you’ll earn $40  more in Stampin’ Rewards! 

Join!

It’s the best time of year to join Stampin’ Up! During Sale-A-Bration, you can become a demonstrator for just $169  and choose TWO additional stamp sets for your Starter Kit—any stamp set, any price! (Excludes project kits, bundles, and Sale-A-Bration sets.) Plus, the kit ships for free!

 As always, contact me for any information or a copy of the Sale-a-Bration catalogue (Aus only please) xx

It's a Bloomin' Year!

So?  Have you checked out the new Sale-a-Bration catalogue yet?  It's full of so many new products, I just don't know where to start.  Luckily I have a couple of things from Sale-a-Bration to get me started.

And seeing it is January, well just with only a few days left, I thought it was the perfect time to get my 2013 calendar started!!

So.  You might notice lots of Sale-a-Bration products there.  Shall I count thy ways?  I've used papers, stamps and buttons.  So cute aren't they. 

 

This calendar just happens to be one of my Sale-a-Bration make & takes for next week.  Stay tuned for more details on that one!!

So here's what I used:
Stamps: Bloomin' Marvelous (Sale-a-Bration)
Inks: Summer Starfruit, Pool Party, Rich Razzlebery, Crumb Cake & Early Espresso
Papers: Whisper White CS & Sycamore Street (Sale-a-Bration) DSP
Other: Sponge daubers, rhinestones, Whisper White bakers twine, Big Shot & Sycamore Street Button & Ribbon Pack

And I don't really want to think about, but I'll be turning over that calendar page to the next month....

Fridge Calendars

While I'm on the subject of calendars, and I can, seeing it is still the first month of a new year (wink wink), I thought I might show a couple of little fridge calendars I made for friends who had their birthdays this month.  A cute little gift that fits inside the card & envelope.

Owl Calendar.  Made for my friend who just loves owls and the colour of purple.  Hoot Hoot!!

The Precious Butterflies (current Hostess set) sentiment goes perfectly with 2011's SAB set - Bliss

I used coasters (I've stocked up from both the local and online!!) covered in DSP.  I attached a mini calendar on the front and used magnet sheets that I found in the mailbox (from real estates etc), cut in thick strips and attached to the back with sticky strip.  Just make sure you stick down the right side of the magnet strip!!!

A great gift idea, and I have only 1 or 2 mini calendars left.  If you would like to make your own calendars, contact me - I have spare coasters too.  First in, first served though!

Calendar days

What a busy week it has been!  While I've been at work and my WH has been home looking after the kids, my dad and nephew travelled up from Melbourne to spend the week with us.  My dad is an amazingly skilled builder, so we took him up on his offer to build us a deck.  And yay!  The deck is almost done.  It was finished by the afternoon of Australia Day, which was hooray we will have our bbq there, but then came the downpour!!  Indoors it was!

The deck still hasn't got a roof (waiting on a permit) and dad will be back from that, but in the few moments I had spare this week, I got around to some sewing (shock horror), 1 scrap layout and taking photos of a few bits and pieces.  Just like my calendar pages, which as usual have fallen behind in sharing.  So much for my new years resolutions ;0)

All of these pages, use scraps of cardstock and DSP, most of which are retired.  They are in my box of bits and pieces, which I think I might donate to the preschool this year!  Here they are:

Featuring the Owl builder punch & Just Believe sentiment

Colouring on Copics and Season of Joy sentiment

Colouring with Copics & retired DSP

If you're interested in what colours or papers I have used, retired or not, let me know and I'll dig around and find out!! 

October!

It's almost the end of October and I haven't even shown my monthly calendar page!  Makes me realise how fast another month has gone by.  In fact so fast, the shops are now full of Christmas goodies, so yep the year is going by, full steam ahead!

This month's calendar features lots of new items.  The new lace punch and the new stamp sets, including my favourite: Creative Elements.  So enjoy and I'll be back soon with more creations!

Stamps: Creative Elements & Posy Bunch (hostess set)
Papers: Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz, Crumb Cake & Early Espresso
Inks: Early Espresso & Crumb Cake
Other: Big Shot & Llttle Leaves sizzlit, pearls, circle punch & Lace Border punch

I got nothing!

Yep, I've got nothing.  I'm putting my hand up, honestly and admitting I've got nothing to show.  After a hectic week of goodness knows what, it's already Tuesday night and I'm supposed to be studying!  It's been hectic to say the least.  My weekend was great but tinged with a hint of sadness knowing that my mum would be leaving again (she left yesterday) to return to her home in Holland.  Bittersweet for sure.  But happily I can say, that my first order from the oh so pretty catalogue arrived today.  I haven't opened it yet, for fear I will be too distracted to accomplish my studying, but I know it's waiting as my reward!

And then I looked at my diary and realised, oh my gosh, it's already September 13, it's my husband's birthday in 5 days and I've got no present organised and no card made.  Guess what I'll be doing this week!  And then I looked up and saw my calendar page. At least they're done ....

My September calendar page was a Sunday Scraps project, using up bits and pieces after I used the Butterfly Prints stamp set to make a card.  I've used Kiwi Kiss cardstock and a scrap piece of DSP from my Subtles Collection.  Some bling and the butterfly punch, done.

And from the looks of it, August was definitely a Sunday scraps project with very little done to it.  I must have been in a frantic rush for a page, LOL.  Definitely not my greatest work, oh well.  This of course, uses the now retired Eastern Blossoms stamp set and Sunny Garden DSP also retired.  I will miss them.

So as my projects are definitely not inspiring, perhaps a little read of this online magazine TICKLE THE IMAGINATION! might give you a burst of creative inspiration.  It's on my to-read list, when my studying and bill paying is done!!

A late calendar page

Just popping in with a late blog post.  It's Sunday night, almost 11pm and so farewell to the last two weeks of holidays and hello back to school and normal routine!!  Luke's said that school's back in session, me too.  Although school holidays is not a terribly productive craft time for me as I have three kids to entertain, but I do have a few projects to show over the next few days!!

But today, I wanted to show my July Calendar page (which of course, is late for show and tell again).  Old habits die hard don't they!!  This page matches my Special Elements of Style Workshop!  Same colours, almost exactly same layout with a tiny bit of tweaking!

 

I hope you enjoy!!  Have a lovely night and see you tomorrow :0)

My June Calendar page

Hmm, the clock is ticking by this month very fast.  It's one week to my birthday now and I'm not happy.  To help me celebrate or should I say commiserate, look out for a special offer coming up in one week's time!!  I should clarify .... Stampin' Up! have a wonderful special offer coming in July, which is like my birthday present!

So for now, I wanted to show my June calendar page that I made to match my Natural Elegance stamp camp.  The muted colours and the subtle colouring in, is just perfect.  In my humble opinion anyway!!

 

Of course, the page did require some fussy cutting and some watercolouring, but hey!  I enjoy it, so why not!!

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Nature Walk
Inks: Marina Mist, Old Olive & Daffodil Delight
Papers: Very Vanilla & Elegant Soiree DSP

Simple = Good!

A few more calendar pages!

I'm way behind on showing my calendar pages. Again.  May is almost finished, April is well and truly over and I haven't even made June's page yet!!  Yep, it's busy times.  It's now 12 months since I've been on maternity leave, another 12 months that flew by so incredibly fast.  So it's no wonder I'm behind on showing my calendar pages.  Where did that year go?  Jessica is almost a year old now and I'm back to work on Monday.  Ho hum.
Happily I can report that I'm returning three days a week, so I still get two days at home with my babies!!

So without any further ado, here are my calendar pages.  I'll start with April first (I much prefer this one):

 

 

This card uses a few different elements for me.  I've used the Elements of Style stamp set.  A new stamp set for me, but one I've been wanting since I first saw it.  I've used a strip of the Sunny Garden DSP and I made a ribbon flower using the burnt ribbon technique.

Stamps: Elements of Style
Papers: Whisper White, Daffodil Delight, Baja Breeze & Peach Parfait CS and Sunny Garden DSP
Inks: Baja Breeze & Daffodil Delight, Chocolate Chip
Other: Daffodil Delight Satin ribbon, beads & Stampin' Dimensionals

OK, here's my effort for May:

I've used a water-colouring technique here, which is the feature of the June Stamp @ Home kit.  It looks very crooked in this photo :(  Oh well, too late to change!


Stamps: Growing Green & French Script
Papers: Whisper White, Subtles patterned DSP and Watercolour paper
Inks: Soft Suede, Rose Red, Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze & Daffodil Delight

Other: Jewels

I guess I had better start thinking about June!!

Calendar Pages

Just popping in with a few more calendar pages, that I unbelievably haven't already shown!!  It's hard to fit time in sometimes, so maybe that's it.  It sounds OK, so I'm gonna stick with that excuse.

Both of these calendar pages match up with the Stamp @ Home classes for the corresponding month, so while March in Australia is not Spring time, it's nice to be reminded of Spring!  Although I do love Autumn, Spring in Canberra is even more beautiful!

 

March uses the gorgeous Easter Blossoms set.  I added a bit of interest to the page by colouring in selected areas with the Signo white gel ink pen.

Stamps: Easter Blossoms
Inks: Rose Red & Soft Suede
Papers: Pear Pizzazz and Pretty in Pink
Other: White Gel Ink pen

February of course, is all about love.  So lots of hearts on this page!




Papers: Riding Hood Red, Crumb Cake, Basic Black & Whisper White, Love Letters DSP
Other: Small Heart Punch & Heart Border Trim Punch

January 2011

I keep thinking to myself, it's still Christmas, it's still Christmas - so slow down and enjoy the season!  But then I look at the calendar and see it's already the 4th of January 2011 and Christmas is all but over.  In two days I take down the Christmas tree and pack it away for the year.  It doesn't help that it still feels like Christmas when my kids are playing their Christmas CDs and watching Christmas movies .... or that there is still Christmas Plum Pudding in the fridge!!

Oh well, the reality of January 2011 is here and I'm now in the swing of summer (not that the weather is behaving itself!!) and the chaos of school holidays.  So of course, I had to show you my January calendar page.  I should have it as a New Years Resolution to have the calendars shown on this little blog a bit earlier but then who am I kidding!!

So without any further ado, here it is:

 

This page uses one of my 'new' favourite stamp sets (although I am embarrassed to say that I hadn't used it until recently ....) and some bright summery colours!

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Awash with Flowers
Papers: Whisper White, Tempting Turquoise & Pixie Pink (retired) CS
Inks: Daffodil Delight, Pixie Pink (retired), Melon Mambo and Old Olive
Other: Big Shot & Beautiful Wings Sizzlit, Stampin' Dimensionals

December 2010

It's already December 11!!  Can you believe the days are just flying past?  As we head into Christmas season, end of the school year and the usual hustle and bustle, sometimes it's good to just stop.  And stop, I had to!!  Baby Jess has been up and down with temperatures over the last week, grizzly and just not her happy self.  Yesterday, we got a diagnosis and with the help of anti-biotics she is a happy little baby girl again.  Thank heavens!!  So now while she sleeps peacefully, I can catch up on my blog, my Facebook and my crafting.  Hooray!

Inspired by a card I saw by Andrea Walford, I used it to design my December 2010 calendar page.  Can you believe it?  It's the end of another calendar year!  So here it is (yes, I'm late with it as usual - but I figure why change now at the end of the year!  Best to change my bad habits next year!!!):

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Snow Swirled
Papers: Bashful Blue, Whisper White & Crumb Cake CS
Inks: Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze & Night of Navy
Other: Scallop Trim Border Punch

It's November!

It's November already!!  Can you believe it!!  I just look at Jessica and realise she's already 4 months old and then wonder, where has that time gone.  And then I look at the shops and see they're getting ready for Christmas, so whether I like it or not, another year is quickly finishing and I need to catch up!  And catching up is what I'm trying to do.  The kids and I have all got colds, so we're in tissue misery at the moment :( but I'm sure we're all on the mend now and ready to face another new month.

Speaking of new months, it's time for the November calendar page reveal.  I based this calendar page on a demonstration I saw at the SU Regionals on the weekend.  This project uses the fabulous shimmer paints, new stamps and new cardstock colours.  Woohoo!

I've used a sponge dauber to sponge the Champagne Mist shimmer paint directly onto the leaf stamp and stamped over my page.  Looks glorious!  I've stamped the flowers onto Whisper White CS and coloured the centres with sponge daubers and added a bit of glitter bling.  I've also used the new Scallop Trim Border Punch.  Am loving that one too!!  So many new things, so many new techniques, it's just fantastic!!

Here's a close up of the cute flowers:

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Growing Green
Inks: Certainly Celery, Pink Pirouette, Baja Breeze & Basic Grey
Papers: Early Espresso, Whisper White & Kiwi Kiss (now retired)
Other: Sponge Daubers, Scallop Trim Border Punch & Champagne Mist paint

I've also got two 'Weeks of Christmas' projects to share as well .... told you I was catching up, so I'll be back real soon!

It's October already!

Are you like me and wondering where time has gone or why it's going so fast?  I know I often wonder and I do know why, it's just that we're so busy.  Too busy to slow down and enjoy the moments.  Although I do try!

We're back from a week in Melbourne, where we spent time with my family and friends.  I come back home to Canberra, and it's October and there is Christmas food and decorations in the shops.  Hmm, do I start panicking now???  OK, not yet but soon!  I haven't started my Christmas cards yet :(

Instead I'll show you my calendar page for October.  A mix this one, it uses retired stamps but new in-colours!  I've also used Crystal Effects on the little stars which I have popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Crystal Effects really brings out the colour and gives a nice glossy finish!

Stamps: In the Stars (retired)
Inks: Melon Mambo, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride & Yoyo Yellow (retired)
Papers: Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz & Whisper White CS
Other: Ribbon, Rhinestones and Crystal Effects, Star Punch

I didn't do any craft while in Melbourne but I'll be back real soon with more projects.  I'm behind on my birthday card list too!

September Calendar Month

In my house, September is all about the men!!  With Father's Day and birthdays, all thoughts are turned to creating gifts and cards for men.  And boy, that can be a challenge sometimes.  So to honour the 'manly' month, my September 2010 page has a definite masculine theme happening!

I've also been playing with Photoshop Elements software too, so my image is not so 'dark' as it usually is!

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Ink: Baja Breeze & Basic Grey
Papers: Real Red, Basic Black, Baja Breeze & Whisper White & Patterned Prints DSP (retired)
Other: Black Brads & Word Window Punch

Enjoy!

August - Another calendar month!

It's August already, and Friday the thirteenth at that!  So ignoring the 13th part, thought I would show you my latest monthly calendar page.  Not only do I like the colour combination, I'm happy this stamp set is making it's way into the new catalogue.  Yep I've seen it, and it's great.  Awesome.  Wonderful.  Inspiring.  I can't rave enough!!

Here's what I used:


Stamps: Butterfly Prints
Papers: Basic Grey (textured), Riding Hood Red & Whisper White, Bella Rose DSP
Inks: Riding Hood Red & Basic Grey
Other: Butterfly Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Rhinestones & Signo White Gel Ink pen

Now it's time to go and clear off my table.  It's girls night/craft night.  We're having a spontaneous one!!

Calendar Updates

It's school holiday craziness here in Canberra.  I have my sister and her two boys (Brendan 7 yrs & Aaron 3 yrs) from Melbourne visiting us and to meet baby Jessica.  Of course, Brendan & Aaron are the right ages for my boys (Luke 7yrs & Matthew 2.5yrs) and they've been playing wonderfully together, even if a little noisy!!

At the moment, it's all quiet though.  I've got Matthew and Jessica having their afternoon sleeps and my sister Laura has taken the other 3 boys to see Toy Story 3.  Time for me to catch up on chores, computer stuff and a little bit of crafting!! 

My July calendar page is a little late though, although I have the excuse of a newborn in my house!!  I made my July page to complement our Christmas in July project from Sunday.  These calendars are a great way to use up scraps and keep the whole theme going!

Here it is:

This page uses the following:

Stamps: Holiday Line Up
Inks: StazOn (Black) & Stampin' Write markers in assorted colours
Papers: Riding Hood Red & Old Olive (textured), Green Bazzill Bling (background)
Other: White brad, Dazzling Diamonds & Rhinestones

While I'm here, I must also show my June page which I have also neglected to show :(

Stamps: Cheep Talk
Inks: Pacific Point, Kiwi Kiss & Soft Suede
Papers: Rose Red, Apricot Appeal, Old Olive (textured) & Good Morning Sunshine DSP
Other: Pearl, Spring Blossom punch, Pacific Point ribbon & white button


Now I'm gonna duck out and get the washing off the line before the sun goes down and it all goes damp again.  You have to love drying the washing in winter!!  Especially chilly Canberra winter!  Ciao!

Calendar Catch Ups!!

Where has the month gone?  In fact, where has the year gone??  I had to go to the hospital for my pre-admission appointment and realising I was 36 weeks gone and only a few weeks to go before baby number 3 arrives was a bit of a shock!!  I shouldn't be too surprised though, I look at both my boys and they are growing so big and so fast!!

And then it got me thinking, I haven't even shown you the latest calendar pages for May or April.  How slack am I!!  And if I don't show you now, both months will be finished and I'll be rushing to show you June!!  So without further ado ....

April's month has the feeling of Spring (even though not quite Spring in Australia!!) which evokes thoughts of Easter.  This calendar page was well and truly uses up scraps I had lying around too!!  Happy with that!

Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly
Inks: Orchid Opulence, Pretty in Pink, Soft Sky (retired), Almost Amethyst and Pale Plum
Other: Kindy Glitz and Rhinestones, Butterfly punch & sponge daubers

May's page uses scraps from the Razzleberry Cottage class kits I had prepared!!  Seeing as Razzleberry Cottage Stamp Camp was on the first of May, only makes sense to do this page!!

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Cottage Garden 
Inks: Rich Razzleberry & Cottage Garden
Papers: Cottage Wall DSP, Whisper White, Old Olive, Orchid Opulence, Pale Plum & Rich Razzleberry CS
Other: Scallop Edge Punch, XL Two-Step Bird Punch, Dazzling Diamonds and Stampin' Dimensionals

You never know, I might show the next month pages on time for a change!!!

March 2010

Don't you just love public holidays on a Monday??? Today, is Canberra Day and there is nothing nicer than a sleep-in on a Monday morning after a busy weekend. The only alarm clock we had was Matthew waking and waiting to be picked up out of his cot.

But then I realised how behind I am on my blogging!! I haven't even shown you my March calendar month!! So here it is, at least it's still the month of March and only 8 days late!!

This calendar page was inspired by a scrap layout I had just finished. These small pages are perfect for using up scraps!!

Here's what I used:

Stamps: Embrace Life, Artfully Asian (retired) & Live your Dream (retired)
Inks: Close to Cocoa
Papers: Very Vanilla & Taken with Teal
Other: Dragonfly stamp (a freebie I received with a magazine a few years ago), rhinestones, Twinkling H2Os and sponge daubers.

Those calendar pages

As promised, I've finally been able to take some half/semi decent photos of my calendar pages, I'm sure they could be even better, but I had to take them after I got home from work and the light was fading!!

Seeing as you've now seen the February 2010 page, I'll work backwards!

Okay! Here is the January 2010 page. A nice simple page which was inspired by those scrap layouts I had done the other week. The whole beach theme. This time I added more water features!

Stamps: Life's a breeze & Something Fishy Jumbo Wheel
Inks: Versamark, Basic Brown, Cool Caribbean and Taken with Teal
Papers: Whisper White & Bashful Blue CS
Other: Stampin' Dimensionals and Chalks, Glitter for the fish bubbles

My December 2009 page used up scraps from Christmas stamp camps, layouts and cards. See you can put to good use all those scraps that you have lying around (I have 2 A4 bags full!).

Stamps: Holiday Line Up
Inks: Basic Brown, various Stampin' Up! markers for colouring
Papers: Whisper White, Ruby Red, Old Olive and Chocolate Chip CS, and Ski Slope DSP (retired)
Other: Stampin' Dimensionals, circle and scallop circle punches and snowflake confetti

And finally, my November 2009 page which was a bit of a favourite both for the colours and my 'flowers'!!

My 'flowers' were made with faux suede paper that I had made from Baja Breeze CS, finished with a scallop circle punch, and tied off with hemp twine and matching button. So easy but very cute!!

Stamps: None!!
Inks: None!!
Papers: Whisper White, Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip CS, Non-SU textured dark brown CS and Baja Breeze DSP
Other: Circle and scallop circle punches, eyelet border punch, buttons and hemp twine.