The Backwards Card

No, the card itself isn't backwards... I just did a backwards process of putting together compared to my usual method! I did the elephant and the bird the other night when Amanda was here but decided not to use it for what I originally planned. Subsequently I was left with an elephant with no card to call home! I tried about 3 different card colours until I settled with Only Orange. Usually I start with a base colour and work my way up - this time I worked my way back! A challenge indeed, although the orange does work in with my "less frequently used" colour challenge I've been setting myself of late!

Stamps: Wild About You, Lots of Thoughts (Sale-A-Bration 08) and Simply Said
Cardstock: Only Orange, Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore, Gable Green, Whisper White.
Ink: Whisper White Craft
Accessories: Stampin' Write Markers (Bold Brights & Basic Black), Word Window Punch, Silver Brad and Stamp-a-ma-jig

Only one more sleep until the new 2008-2009 Idea Book & Catalogue is launched!!

Sketch Challenge

My good friend and fellow Stampin' Up!® fanatic, Amanda, came over this evening and we set ourselves a sketch challenge to make a card. We selected 5 colours that could be used (Tempting Turquise, Real Red, Green Galore, Gable Green and Whisper White) and had to follow this sketch (caution: dodgy drawing...)


So from that drawing, this is what I came up with (we were doing it quickly too so that I could get to the airport to pick up my Dad and she could take her son home to bed!)


A bit of fun - perhaps not one of my best efforts but not too bad considering the time constraints and the distractions of children in the background!!

Stamp Sets: Wild About You, Beyond the Basics
Ink: Basic Black, VersaMark Pad
Accessories: Bold Brights Stampin' Write Markers, Celery Grosgrain Ribbon, non-SU! paperclip.

Stems, Stems, Glorious Stems!!!

Having lots of fun with Stem Silhouettes! I've been challenging myself today to include colours that I don't usually use and here's the latest creation... A bit different!

Stamps: Stem Silhouettes, Kanji
Cardstock: Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Very Vanilla, Close to Cocoa
Ink: Classic Brown
Accessories: Soft Subtle brads, Word Window Punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Stampin' Dimensionals

I'm having a bit of fun with this set! Worth the $$ It's very versatile for 6 stamps!

More Stems

This card I made for a friend and I thought I'd try some different colours - ones that I don't use that often... I wanted a feminine look and I think the Cameo Coral works really well with the Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery and the Very Vanilla!

Stamp Set: Stem Silhouettes, Time Well Spent
Ink: Bashful Blue, Basic Brown
Accessories: Celery grosgrain ribbon, Stampin' Pastels, Blender Pens

I quite like the elongated look of the card - something a bit different! I'm happy with the end result!

Brown Flowers?

I'm going with the simple things at the moment - very understated! This was going to be a card made with Glorious Green but ended up Chocolate Chip and completely different to what I thought! It just kind of evolved!!

Stamp Sets: Time Well Spent (Lvl 3 hostess 08-09), Leaf Prints Wheel
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla
Ink: Basic Brown, Certainly Celery, Whisper White Craft
Accessories: Celery grosgrain ribbon, Soft Subtles Brads, Stampin' Dimensionals, Stampin' Pastels

Time Well Spent

Thought I'd use some of the Bold Brights this evening - nice and cheery! This is almost an odd combination yet it seems somehow to work! This is using the great Time Well Spent set which is a Level 3 hostess set in the upcoming catalogue. I've used the following to make this new creation:

Cardstock: Brilliant Blue, Real Red, Green Galore, Whisper White
Stamp Sets: Time Well Spent, Lots of Thoughts (from Sale-A-Braton '08)
Inks: Basic Black, Gable Green, VersaMark® Pad
Accessories: Stampin' Pastels, Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker, Stampin' Dimensionals, Celery grosgrain ribbon, Tag Sheets Confetti White, Bone Folder, White Gel Pen, Stamp-a-ma-jig

To add a bit of dimension, I used the Bone Folder on the butterfly wings to make them stand up and used a tag that opens to reveal the word "Friend" inside as well as using a Dimensional to make the centre of the flower "pop" up!

The Noodle Box

It's late so I'm working in low light for pics here!! Gotta love a good noodle box. Thought I'd try something a bit different but still really simple. The Stampin' Up!® bone folder is your best friend for a project like this! Here's what I've used:

Stamp set: Stem Silhouettes
Cardstock: Gable Green, Whisper White
Ink: Gable Green, Whisper White Craft
Accessories: Word Window Punch, White grosgrain ribbon, silver brads, household staple

Easy as pie with a great result! I've used the "stamp off" technique to give the leaves a dark and lighter shade with the same ink colour! Loving my new stamp set - Summer mini ends in 6 days and then this set may never be seen again!!!

A Simple Thank You

Here's a really quick card I just made using the "Stem Silhouettes" set from the Stampin' Up!® Summer Mini Catalogue (Dec07-Mar08). This is one of the sets that I just had to have. It's so elegant! I've kept it VERY simple but I think it's quite effective!

Here I've used the following:
Cardstock: Sage Shadow, Close to Cocoa
Ink: Classic Brown, Whisper White
Accessories: White grosgrain ribbon, Stamp-a-ma-jig™

Blooming with Happiness

This is a Stampin' Up! hostess set "Blooming with Happiness" that is about to be retired but I have only just added it to my collection so I've been having a lot of fun with it. Have a look at these creations, all using the same set!


Cardstock: Pale Plum, Barely Banana, Whisper White, Almost Amethyst
Ink: Basic Brown
Accessories: Soft Subtles brads, VersaMark pad, Stampin Pastels, white grosgrain ribbon


This one is a very elegant colour combination!
Additional Stamp Set: Warmest Regards Hostess Set
Cardstock: Pale Plum, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Whisper White Craft
Accessories: White gel pen, White grosgrain ribbon

I was happy with this one - I started off wanting to use a blue and red colour combo and this is what resulted with a little help from the SU Color Combos site.
Cardstock: Ruby Red, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue
Ink: Whisper White Craft
Accessories: Soft Subtles Brads, White gel pen, white grosgrain ribbon

So as you can see, I have been very busy this past weekend creating my little heart out! I find it very therapeutic to do so! Happy creating!

Take Two

This is the second time I've tried this blog thing. The first time, the page looked great but no one knew it existed unless I told them the address.... Let's hope this time it works out a little better!

I wanted to share some of the cards I've made in the past weekend. I've been on a bit of a cardmaking frenzy! I just purchased the Stampin' Up!® "Be Happy" set that I've had my eye on for ages and just love!! Here's a couple of creations...


I really must post this one to my friend who had her baby about a week ago now! I'm a bit slack of late - the horrid heat here in Melbourne is enough to stop me from doing anything too strenuous! This card uses Be Happy & Best Friends Alphabet lower stamp sets, Bashful Blue, Whisper White & Gable Green cardstock with the following accessories: Word Window Punch, Celery grosgrain ribbon, Hemp twine, Soft Subtles brad and Stampin Dimensionals and I used the Stamp-a-ma-jig to get the positions just so (what a great little thing).


This is a fun colour combination - Certainly Celery, Pink Passion & Pumpkin Pie cardstock with Be Happy set, White Craft Stamp Pad and Celery and White grosgrain ribbon & white gel pen. How much fun can you have with just one stamp set?? I've been "in the groove" this past weekend and have added quite a number of creations to my folio!!