Only 2 Days left!

I'm making this a sticky post until the end of the month so make sure you scroll down for new posts
If you haven't already taken advantage of our Birthday Offer now is the time! It ends tomorrow, so check out these gorgeous sets and email me with your choice before 9pm Friday:
Short & Sweet Crab & Co
Birthday Best
Pretty Princess
Big Bold Birthday



Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

Search Cloud

I've created a little search cloud along the top of my blog so that my readers can browse by category. At this stage I've haven't added (and don't think I will) Colours or Techniques to the search cloud, however you can easily browse by stamp set or topic, whether you want a Layout or a card etc. The most common labels are the biggest, the least common the smallest etc
I used a tutorial I found online if anyone wants to add one to their own blog it was pretty easy to follow, there was a little bit of technical mumbojumbo but overall it was just copy and paste this, replace that with this etc.
Let me know what you think and if you think I should add colours and techniques to the cloud.

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

RAK from Marcia

The gorgeous Marcia Pringle from over at the Stamp Spot helped me out with a huge favour for a customer of mine and in the box she also included this gorgeous card! How's that, she helps me AND sends me a card! I should be the one sending her a card for all the help she gave me!!!
The photo doesn't really do it justice, but I don't know if you can see the gorgeous pattern on the background of the card, it looks like it has been cuttlebugged or something similar. I'm really not familiar with all the embossing and die-cutting products out there so I can't tell you what one it is or any of the specs but I can tell you it's beautiful and at the end of that day that's what matters right?
If you haven't checked out her blog yet you should! She has some really beautiful SU! & non-SU! creations!

Images © Stampin' Up!

Cardinal Stampers Challenge #3

I made this card for Lisa's Colour Challenge over at our Cardinal Stampers blog. Her challenge was to use the colours Pretty in Pink & Certainly Celery to make a girly card. I decided that with the Summer Mini being just around the corner (Demo preorder in November and open to the public in December) that it would be great to use the new set that we got at Regionals "Live your Dream".
I used the faux seersucker technique to create my own patterned paper (you just run it through the crimper alternating directions until you are happy with the look). It's a little hard to see but I've also stamped the saying "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams" in the bottom corner using Pretty in Pink.
I've tried to get a real girly girl kind of look but not sure if i'm quite there yet(tomboy-in-a-dress maybe).
Stamps: Live your dream, Linen Background
Ink: Certainly celery, Pretty in Pink, Soft Subtles SW Markers
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Whisper White, Certainly Celery
Accessories: Crimper, Metal Edge Tags, Pink Gingham Ribbon, Certainly Celery 5/8" Grosgrain, Soft Subtles Buttons, White Gel Pen

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

So Shelli Creative Challenge - I thank God for you

This is my entry for So Shelli Creative Challenge Season of Thanks.
For the journalling pocket I took a pocket from the "Pockets and Pieces" set then I covered it in cardstock to match my layout as the Kraft didn't suit my layout.
The journalling outside reads: "You are my Reason to give Thanks" and inside: "I am thankful for your smile, your laugh, your health, I am even thankful for your strong will (sometimes). I thank God for YOU"
I got the rhinestones for the photo corner by pulling apart some Rhinestone Brads. I did this as I really wanted a little bling but because I'd use Pewter Hodgepodge I thought the silver on the Rhinestone brads would have clashed. You might notice the 'n' in thanks might look a little different, it's because I had already used the 'n' but i still had the 'm' so I trimmed the extra 'leg' off and turned it into an 'n'.
Sketch: Got Sketch Express
Stamps: One of a Kind, Short Order Alphabet, Best Friend Alphabet, Linen Background
Ink: Mellow Moss, Soft Sky, Rich Regals & Soft Subtles SW Markers
Cardstock: Mellow Moss, Regal Rose, Soft Sky, Fall Flowers DSP
Accessories: On Board Lots of Letters, Hodge Podge Hardware Pewter, Fire Rhinestone Brads, Pockets & Pieces

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould

RAK from Marelle

I was lucky enough to win the ribbon part of Marelle's little guessing game a week or so ago, and even though I told her she didn't need to (I felt bad because I was a demo) she sent me a Beautiful Card and a little packet of In Colour double stitched ribbon!
I used my best photo shop skills (read no skills lol) to try and do this card justice but it still looks a million times better IRL!
She has used the cracked glass technique which I have been meaning to try for months now and I have added a close up of the tree so that you can see the cracks and the gorgeous colouring.


Images © Stampin' Up!

Wish Big!

I had a new customer come to my Christmas Card Club on Saturday and she was telling me about a cupcake card she made and as soon as she left I had to look them up and see what she was talking about.
She was right, they were cute! So when Makeesha posted this colour challenge on the weekend I thought I had the perfect colour combo for a cupcake!
I have used Regal Rose for the Icing & Cherry, Soft Sky for the icing decoration & Sentiment, Pumpkin Pie for the Patty Pan (is that what they're called? You know what I mean right?) and I managed to sneak in Basic Grey in the Taffeta Ribbon. I have used versamark and heat & stick powder to make the dazzling diamonds stick to the detail on the icing.
The main stamp set I used, short & sweet, is available for 20% off until Friday only, so make sure you don't miss out and email me zjgould@gmail.com if you want to place an order!
Stamps: Short & Sweet, Baroque Motifs
Ink: Soft Sky, Versamark
Cardstock: Soft Sky, Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie, Whisper White
Accessories: Heat & Stick Powder, Dazzling Diamonds, 3/4" Circle Punch, Basic Grey Taffeta Ribbon, Styled Silver HodgePodge Hardware, Crimper

Images © Stampin' Up!, Designs © Zarna Gould