Thought it was about time I brought you all up to date on the latest SU! happenings

***This is a sticky post until 31/12/09, please scroll down for new posts***

With all the excitement of having a newborn in the house I have been really slack in letting you know what's happening in the world of SU!, so I thought it was about time I put some info up for you. I won't have a proper newsletter this month but will get back into the swing of things with a January Newsletter.

• Stampin' Up! are having an inventory clearance, these items are overstocks and leftovers from the days when all stamp sets came square cut. There are huge savings to be had but only while stocks last (or 24 January 2010, whichever comes first) so place your order today to make sure you don't miss out.
  View the flyer here.
  
  
• Sale-A-Bration is coming! (25 January - 31 March 2010) I am currently taking bookings for Sale-A-Bration workshops, so contact me if you want to earn free sets! As usual there is also a free stamp set to anyone who choses to sign up during Sale-A-Bration so if you would like to join my team, even if you just want to earn a discount on your own sets let me know!
  
  
• Spring Mini Catalogue: Although the Spring Mini has finished SU! have announced a few items that will continue to be available:
  112534 5/16" Jumbo Brads (Neutrals Assortment) $15.50
  112533 5/8" Jumbo Brads (Neutrals Assortment) $13.50
  114889 Scallop Oval Punch $30.95
  106960 Stazon White Inkpad + Refill $22.95
  109196 Stazon Cleaner $9.95

Well, I think that about covers it... If you have any questions or would like to place an order, just remember I'm only ever a phone call or email away!


Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Merry Christmas!

Hope you all have a great day today! Look after your loved ones and if you are travelling away make sure you stay safe!

With love


Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 24

I made it!!! 24 days in a row for Christmas cards!! Are you proud of me?
I made this cute little wreath with the small star punch and a few buttons... The glitter in the middle of the buttons didn't really turn out how I want but I'm really happy with the rest of the card.
Hope you all have a great Christmas eve and that the kids leave out lots of yummy scotch for "Santa" :)
Stamps: Short & Sweet
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Kraft, Old Olive, Real Red, I Wish SS Kit
Accessories: Button Latte & Playground Designer Buttons, Red Gingham Ribbon
Punches: Small Star Punch, Word Window Punch

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 23

I know that isn't a Christmas Card but it was just too cute not to share... Jack has been spending a bit of time in his jolly jumper lately, and I took some photos of him last time. Anyway, on to the real reason you're here:
Now I know it sounds horrible but the person I'm giving it to knows that if I were nice to her the world would end and since nobody likes an apocalypse at Christmas I really had no choice...
I really love this card and I'm thinking about finding a way to make it nice enough for the general population (like ho-ho-hope you have a great Christmas but with less individual alphabet stamps) so that I can use it next year. Since I've made the buttons myself (5 layer button technique - love these so have to make more!) the only thing I'd have to substitute to make it economical would be the clip.
Anyway, back tomorrow with one last card, thanks for hanging in there with my Advent Calender of Cards (I don't care if anyone read it, I'm just impressed that I managed to post a card a day for this long!) and after Christmas we'll return to our regularly scheduled programming :D
Stamps: Lovely Letters & Short Order Alphabets
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss
Cardstock: Kraft, Urban Garden DSP, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White
Accessories: Clips Assortment, Linen Thread, Crystal Effects, Anywhere Glue Stick
Punches: Small Star Punch

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Tutorial: Resizing Box Tutorials to make the box size you need

I wanted to make some mini pizza boxes for Teacher Gifts, but the SCS tutorial was the wrong size, so I quickly scanned the tutorial then made my own guide to make a box 9.5cm L x 9.5cm W x 2.5cm H.
I thought I'd share how to make a guide since I know that alot of box tutorials need to be resized because of the difference between US and Australian Card sizings.

Clear as mud? Leave a comment if you have any questions


Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 22

Another card that Nikita helped me design. I love this design, so simple, and you could easily pump out millions from 1 sheet of DSP.
On a side note, I'm watching The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button as I write this, has anyone else seen it? I know it's not exactly new so I'm probably the last one to see it, but I'm really enjoying it! Such a sweet story.
Stamps: Best Yet, Season of Joy
Ink: Old Olive, Real Red
Cardstock:Whisper White, Kraft, Old Olive, I Wish SS Kit
Punches: Scallop & Large Oval Punches

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Teacher Gifts Part 1

I'm making a few of these sets for Charlotte's preschool teachers, each set is going to have 4 Cards (2 of each design) in a mini pizza box made using a different DSP to suit each teacher's personality. I've kept the cards as "For You" cards so that they can be used as gift tags, cards for birthday's or thank you's or just because cards.
The cards are 9x9cm and I have resized the SCS Mini Pizza Box tutorial to fit. Here are close ups of the box and cards:


I'll share the other sets later, and a tutorial on how to resize box tutorials to suit your project.
Stamps: One of a Kind, A Rose is A Rose
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss
Cardstock: Bella Rose DSP, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
Accessories: Riding Hood Red Striped Grosgrain, Flower Fusion Too, Pretties Kit, Linen Thread, Buttons Latte
Punches: Eyelet Border, Scallop Punches, Large & Small Oval Punches

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 21

This is one of the cards I made on my cardmaking afternoon with Nikita. We had so much fun that she has asked me to organise a day with her mum that she come and craft with me again, I can't wait!
Nikita helped me design this one and we made one each, it's a very simple design, just a piece of DSP from the I Wish SS Kit and some diecuts.

Cardstock:Kraft Cardstock, I Wish SS Kit


Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 20

I've been wanting to stamp straight onto Kraft Cardstock as my focal piece for a while now and I was excited to be able to do it on this card. If the greeting looks slightly pink that's because I opened up my Pink Passion inkpad instead of my Real Red and inked up my stamp and stamped without paying attention, it looks pretty red IRL thank goodness but next time I have to read the ink colour and not take for granted that I know where it lives in my ink caddy...
Stamps: Season of Joy
Ink: Pink Passion, Old Olive
Cardstock: Kraft, I Wish SS Kit, Old Olive

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 19

I call this one "Rudolph the Red Nosed Teddy Bear". I was fortunate enough to be able to get my hands on this great SU! exclusive die from the US and this is the first thing I made. As soon as I realised that his nose could be cut seperately I decided that he needed a red nose and antlers like a build-a-bear reindeer.
We don't know what dies will be available when SU! bring the bigshot to Australia but I'm really hoping they bring these build-a-bear ones, they're so cute and the possibilities are endless!
Stamps: Season of Joy
Ink: Riding Hood Red
Cardstock: Bella Rose DSP, I Wish SS Kit, Kraft, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red
Punches: Corner Rounder Punch, 1 3/8" Square Punch
Bigshot: Bigz Bear, Beary Girl & Scribbles Swirls Sizzlets

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

One Sketch 2 ways

I needed 2 birthday cards for sisters and I wanted to make them pretty fast but also wanted them to look fairly different. So I chose a recent Mojo Monday sketch as my starting point, then picked out 2 completely different DSP's for my colourschemes and these are the cards I came up with:
This first card was made for Olivia and since she's a bit of a girly girl I used Bella Rose as my colour scheme, then because I was using Bella Rose, of course I had to use "A Rose is a Rose" for my main image (just that slight OCD thing that I have going on...). I used the Circle Scissor Plus to make the circles. On this card they are all the same sized circles.
This next card is for Karin, she's not as girly as her sister so I used Good Morning Sunshine and the more retro colours (doesn't this DSP remind you of a 70's kitchen???). I kept with the circles and the same placement but unlike on Olivia's card I have made each of these circles a slightly different size.
Hopefully these cards are different enough that it won't bring out that old "just get them identical presents/cards since they're identical twins" complex that they've grown up with....
PS I should mention the order, since Olivia is the oldest (by a few minutes) I have posted her card first, this isn't an indicator as to who I like better, OK girls!?!
Stamps:
Ink:
Cardstock:
Accessories:

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 18

I've been determined to use some non-Christmas DSP for Christmas Cards, I think we get so caught up this time of year in having everything "Christmassy" that we forget about what we already own that still suits the season, and I figured a go at a Tri-Fold Card is perfect to try it out, so on this card I have used Christmas coloured DSP from Raspberry Tart, Good Morning Sunshine and Washington Apple.
Here's a shot of the card open:

Stamps: Season of Joy
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip Marker
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Kraft, Real Red, Good Morning Sunshine DSP, Raspberry Tart DSP, Washington Apple DSP
Accessories: Riding Hood Red Taffeta

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 17

A little rudolph card I made using the Topnote Die. This card is going to Charlotte's pre-school teachers as well as our playgroup leader (who has no small children of her own she just keeps running it out of the kindness of her heart) I was inspired by Sam Post's Card as well as Amy Manhart's Topnote box and I kind of just took the elements I loved from each to make the card I wanted. Bigshot dies will easily cut through 2 layers of cardstock, the only thing was that the perferations around the edge of the topnote only cut through the first layer fully so I just made sure that the side i put face down into the die was the side i wanted for the front of my card.
I have included a list of punches used and I think it's fairly self explanatory but if anyone wants specific info let me know as I'm more than happy to share how I made this card with you.
Ink: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa
Accessories: Dazzling Diamond Glitter, White Gel Pen
Punches: Wide & Large Oval Punches, 1 3/4", 1" & 3/4" Circle Punches, Corner Rounder Punch
Bigshot: Topnote Die, Divine Swirl Cuttlebug Folder

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Birthday RAK's

I thought I'd share with you some birthday cards I got this year, this first card is from Lisa, she has used the beautiful Bella Rose DSP along with Chocolate Chip Patterns DSP. I think the stamp is one of Rachel Greig's Darkroom Door designs. ETA: The paper is Bella Rose and the "Happy Birthday" stamp is from the "On Your Birthday" SU! set... This is what I get for prescheduling posts and typing them up late at night lol
Now I know it's customary to only put up photos of the handmade cards that you receive but as you know I love cards of any description and there were 2 that were so hilarious I just had to share:
This one is from my twinnies, please note that I am WAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY more normal than they are, plus I'm 6 days older so I am also heaps more wise and clever and stuff!
Now this handsome fella here, he is from my good friend Rhonda... She was also kind enough to buy me a pair of pliers to go with it and go through them all especially to find a pair for me that didn't work properly... (I showed her though, I fixed them!!) Anyway the inside of the card reads "I gave him your number. Expect a booty call on your birthday." Isn't she kind?!?


Some Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 16

I know I've said it before about other cards, but out of my favourites from the 35 for $35 class these are up there near the top of my list!
Did you know you could get 48 of this style card out of a single simply scrappin kit and still have some DSP and all the diecuts left over! All you need to add is some kraft bases and scrap cardstock for the punchies.
These are the last 3 cards from the class, the rest will be cards I've made just for the fun of it.
Stamps: Season of joy
Ink: Chocolate Chip, real red, old olive
Cardstock: Kraft, I Wish SS Kit
Punches: Scallop & large oval Punches, Scallop Edge Punch

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 15

Stamps: Season of Joy, Best Yet
Ink: Old Olive, Real Red
Cardstock: Kraft, I Wish SS Kit
Accessories: Gold Brads, White Taffeta
Punches: Scallop Square Punch, Scallop & Large Oval Punches

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 14

Get it??? haha!
I stole this idea from Andrea Walford's blog because as soon as I saw her sister Sophia's card I knew my friend Sarah would love it! Sarah is the sort of person that when her husband turned 43 she got on the computer, found a clip art tree and put 40 of them on a card front in publisher so that the card would be Forty Tree... So this card is right up her alley!
I made some changes from Sophia's card because I wanted the card to show the Australian side of the globe and I also don't have any bigshot letters so I had to hand write the greeting... I have to apologise to my Tasmanian, Kiwi, Japanese and Polynesian friends for just drawing in their islands, but there were just too many of them and too small to cut out!
Anyway, have a great day! only 11 more sleeps til the fat guy in red comes a knockin'!
Ink: Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Pacific Point, Night of Navy, Garden Green (& Marker), Old Olive (& Marker)
Cardstock: Kraft, Night of Navy, Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze, Garden Green, Whisper White, Real Red
Accessories: 3/4" Spotted Grosgrain
Tools: Circle Scissor Plus, Paper Snips
Punches: 3/4", 1 1/4", 1 3/8" & Scallop Circle Punches

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Advent Calender of Cards Day 13

Promised you something different!! I made the ribbon with some of the 1 3/4" Striped Grosgrain from the spring mini and then just stitched with some linen thread a running stitch along one edge, pulled the ribbon tight and knotted it so that the ribbon formed a flower. Added a star brad to the middle and then adjusted the flower so the edges of the ribbon sat neatly. The rest of the card is pretty self explanatory.
Stamps: Baroque Motifs, Season of Joy
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Old Olive
Cardstock: Kraft
Accessories: 1 3/4" Striped Grosgrain, Chocolate Chip DS Grosgrain, Star Designer Brad

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould