The 2011 Albany Agricultural Show was held last Friday and Saturday, and Peggy Quarmby and I held a trade stall for both days. I’d upload a photo of our awsome stall right now, but in my haste each day I forgot to take my camera and had to rely on my dear friend Wendy Woo to bring her camera on Saturday afternoon for me to snap a few pics for my Stampin’ Up! album! As soon as I obtain copies of the photos I’ll post some on here. 

Okay, so I’m not usually the one to gloat, but this year I entered a few of my handstamped and handcrafted creations into the Papercraft Section of the Show. I almost didn’t bother, as they had to be benched by 9.30am on the Thursday, but my dear frined Wendy Woo offered to enter them for me (thank you Woo!). It was just as well I made the effort, as I was awarded the prize for the most points in the Papercraft Section!

Remember my Dreams du Jour chocolate box from the retiring Blog Hop back in August? I was so spun out - it received the prize for the Best Exhibit in the Papercraft Section!!!

Wow, today’s the 1st November already - where did October go? I had an extremely busy month preparing for our annual Stamp ’n’ Scrap Retreat which was held at The Cove in Denmark the weekend before last. I promised I would post photos of the projects we made – everything was based around the Beau Chateau collection….

 Friday night we covered an on board journal with Beau Chateau fabric. This one is based on one made for our demonstrator retreat by one of my downline Sharon Tunbridge (thanks Sharon!) To cover this one we opened the spiral and removed the covers and pages.

Saturday morning we spent creating a double page scrapbooking layout using Beau Chateau DSP and the Creative Elements stamp set. The concealed journaling tag is made using the scallop ended tag from the Two Tags Die.

This is the second page of the double layout. We cut an extended tag using the folded tag from the Two Tags die, to enlarge the tag so a small photo could be added with journaling inside the tag. These photographs are copies taken of my maternal grandparents taken during WWI and also on their wedding day in 1921. The shoes are my grandmother’s which she wore on her wedding day – I can remember trying them on when I was little! We are fortunate enough to still have them in safe keeping. I am yet to add titles and journaling to my pages.

Next on the agenda to make was the Beau Chateau and Creative Elements Card & Envelope Compendium. I love how there are so many different uses for this stamp set – it’s just so versatile!

The pocket holds an assortment of tags made using Teeny Tiny Sentiments stamped onto Very Vanilla  card and punched out with the Word Window Punch and adhered to a Modern Label punched in Soft Suede card. A label can be chosen according to the occasion and can be adhered across the oval on the face of a card.

An assortment of cards made using Beau Chateau DSP and Creative Elements.

One of the Saturday afternoon/night projects was the Card Organiser made using the Elisabeth stamp.

The pages are made from 12×12 card and folded to make pockets to hold finsihed cards to give.

Scraps of Beau Chateau DSP were then used to decorate a Tri-Shutter card.

I just love the coordination in the DSP!

One of the last projects to make was a Drawer Box Easel Card. We made 3D flowers using the new Lace Doiley Layering punch.

Last but not least to make was the 3D frame – stamped with Creative Elements, embossed in gold and gently watercoloured. Elegant! Thank you to everyone who came on the retreat!

Our Stampin’ Up! Regional Training was held in Perth last Saturday, and I was privileged to be asked to present a Workshop Wow again this year!  Last month you may remember I made a cute little chocolate box (and it still holds the chocolates – uneaten!) and a centre step card stamped with the Dreams Du Jour stamp set ? I made some cute little scrunched up flowers to decorate the box and the card. I also used the same technique to make a flower to decorate a 3D frame, of which I  made another 10 to give to each of my downline as a thank you gift for attending our demonstrator retreat last month. I initially came across this technique by Joanne Leddy for making the flowers, and wondered what they would look like made with other punches. So, I just had to experiment! I got some stunning results with the new layering punches and the Fun Flowers Bigz L die, so decided I just had to share my Spring flower fest at regionals! 

This is my 3D frame on display at regionals, made with the Creative Elements stamp set .

I also made this gift box using the scruptious Mocha Morning DSP. The middle sized flowers are made by using the new Doiley layering punch, and the tiny ones are made by using the little pointy flower on the Boho Blossoms punch. I love the vintage look with the Antique brads! I’ll have to buy a truck load if ever they look like retiring!

I also made a heap of assorted flowers – all shapes, colours and sizes, but Sophie asked if she could take them back to Sydney with her and I didn’t get a chance to take a photo! I did however make this one, which reminds me of anemones which I once grew when I had a flower garden on the farm. This flower inspired me to make a poppy using Poppy Parade cardstock, and so inspired this scrap book page…..

The Crumb Cake page is stamped with Creative Elements and Baroque Motifs stamp sets, and I have watercoloured the Creative Elements image. I think I am addicted to that stamp set! The page also features the new Swirls Scribbles Sizzlits die and the the new Lace Ribbon Border punch. The photo is a copy of an original taken of my great uncle in France in WWI. I used the distressing kit (sanding block and inks) to “antique” and distress the photo.

At the end of my presentation Aaron presented me with this gorgeous card and voucher for a stamp set (I’m still deciding which set to order!) A huge thank you to Stampin’ Up! for another fabulous Regional Training!

Oh, and just a reminder – there are only 3 days remaining to order the Mini Starter Kit for $169, or the regular Starter Kit with 20% discount! Did you know that you now don’t need to have an ABN to join?  If you have been thinking about joining the Stampin’ Up! family – don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity! Contact me today for more information!

With the Retired List now out, it’s a good opportunity for a blog hop to say “goodbye” to many of the stamp sets which are retiring! I’m a member of ESAD-SU, which is an on-line group of Stampin’ Up! demonstrators across Australia and New Zealand, and today there are 26 of us taking part in the Blog Hop! We have all chosen retiring stamp sets to showcase on our projects for today’s Blog Hop.

What is ESAD?

ESAD stands for “Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators” and it is an on-line group just for Australian and New Zealand Stampin Up demonstrators.

 We so love what we do and not only do we love to share it with our customers, friends, and wonderful blog visitors, but we share our love for what we do with each other as demonstrators.  We run swaps, challenges, tutorials, product know-how, and cyberstamps, and we are always there to help and support each other when it is needed.

So if you are a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator located in Australia or New Zealand, then please feel free to click here to join our wonderful group!

I thought I’d give myself a bit of a challenge, and use Dreams du Jour. I loved this stamp set from the first time I saw it, but really on used it on a few occassions. So, it was a good opportunity to get it off the shelf and ink it up again!

First I made this chocolate box. I’ve used Riding Hood Red card for the box, and Chocolate Chip card and Love Letter Designer Series Paper to decorate the lid of the box. I’ve stamped the “Dreams” image in Chocolate Chip ink onto Very Vanilla Card, and watercoloured the image with inks and a Blender Pen. The decorative edge around the box is made with a 1.5cm strip of Very Vanilla card and punched using the Scallop Trim border punch. I’ve added some 3.2mm Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon to the punched strip, and added a bow to the front of the box.  The flowers are made by using the Fancy Flower, Five Petal and Boho Blossoms punches, and layering the punch outs together and inserting an Antique brad. The flowers are spritzed with water and scrunched.

I made an insert for the inside of the box, to help separate the chocolates and keep them in place.

Each chocolate is wrapped in a strip of Vanilla card stamped with the “Love You” image and again watercoloured. I think this would make a lovely Mother’s Day gift, don’t you?

I decided to go with the same romantic vintage theme and make a matching centre step card. This card was so easy, and came together very quickly! The thing I love most about Stampin’ Up! is how everything coordinates – it makes stamping and paper crafting a breeze!

This card is decorated in the same manner as the chocolate box, and I have utilized the other two stamps in the Dreams du Jour stamp set. If you would like to purchase this stamp set, or any others from the Retired List, remember they are only available while stocks last. Contact your demonstrator today if you wish to order.

The next blog to visit on the Retired List Blog Hop is the very creative Tanya Bell

Thanks for visiting, enjoy the Blog Hop and have a great weekend!

1.    Keryn Campbell 

2.    Michelle Martin 

3.    Richelle Fletcher 

4.    Sharlene Meyer 

5.    Karen Southwell 

6.    Carole Stedman 

7.    Sherylee Tutt 

8.    Monique Fielder 

9.    Juliette Chapman

 10.  Rebecca Scurr

11.    Yvonne Walker

12.  Karen Rogers

 13.  Dani Fender

 14.  Cathy Clark

15.  Tanya Bell  

16.  Kelly Nelson

 17.  Sharlene Torres 

18.  Kari Hughes  

19.  Mel Sharp

 20.  Christie Kunkel

 21.  Debbie Lamb  

22.  Clare Mcilhatton

 23.  Michelle Halling

 24.  Nicole VanSteelandt Derendorf  

25.  Elizabeth Dyson

26.  Joanne Kechagias

I recently designed this little album in a box as a project for my Stamp Club ladies. It is based on similar boxes shown on page 115 of the 2010-1011 Idea Book & Catalogue.

I love the combination Baja Breeze, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla, and somehow a Vintage theme fell into place as I designed the cover…

…I was able to use a number of different stamp sets to make up the pages….

And one thought led to another….

…one the fourth page I placed two stamped and embossed hearts, and some tiny “letters” tied together with hemp twine (I replicated this page as a card front for some of my Convention swaps!)

This is the last page made using the Notably Ornate stamp set. The frame is lightly watercoloured and stained.

On pages two and four I also added some photos of my grandparents taken during the Great War. I printed the photos in black and white in passport size, and used the Distressing Essentials kit to sepia colour and distress the photos. My grandfather served in France in WWII which was fitting to use on the page with the Artistic Etchings stamp of the Eiffel Tower.

…the open album. The project was very well received by my Stamp Club ladies, and it was completed over two club nights. I had a most enjoyable time making it, and like I said one idea flowed on to another!

Okay, so I know it’s been a few weeks now since Convention, but it’s taken me this long to get back on track – and thanks to this long weekend I’ve had a bit of time to upload and resize some photos! So, here are a few of my Convention Swaps….

This one’s using the new French Foliage stamp set, and is stamped with Stazon Black onto Metallic Gold, Copper, Cajun Craze and Always Artichoke squares of card. The background is stamped with Sanded stamp set in Versa Mark ink. The greeting stamp I realised after I made this sample card is retired, so on my swap cards I used the “wishes” stamp from Heard from the Heart stamp set!

This is my Vintage Collage card, using several different vintage style stamp sets and sponging. The cardstock and inks used are Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke and Bravo Burgundy, and I used Soft Suede ink for the En Francais background (stamped off a few times before stamping onto the card for a subtle background) and sponging the edges of the Very Vanilla card. The other stamp sets used are Noteably Ornate (for the bird), Artistic Etchings and Friends 24/7. The flower is subtly watercoloured using an Aqua Painter and inks.

I also made up about 15 pairs of earrings, some embossed and some using Play Date rub-ons. I forgot to take decent photos until breakfast time on the first moring of Convention, so this is my 3D swap done up in cellaphane all ready to go!

…and here are the many beautiful swaps I received in return…… so many different ideas and inspiration – gotta love Convention time!

We’re off shortly to have a look at the Albany Classic Event - it’s the one time of the year the classic cars get to race around the main streets of town on a special circuit. The sun’s shining after some morning showers, so it looks like being a great day for the event! Enjoy the long weekend!

Recently I took part in a Secret Bunny Swap for Easter with fellow Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators from ESAD  (Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators – for Stampin’ Up!), an on-line group which I belong to. Now that my gift has been received, I thought I’d share with you what I made to send to my chosen demonstrator.

Here’s what I made – a DSP handbag, complete with flap and front pocket and a match book sewing kit in the pocket. The handbag template is from Becky Roberts Purse-onally Perfect Notes Tutorial, and I added a flap and adjusted the size of the pocket. I originally saw the little matchbook sewing kit on Belinda Tubby’s blog, and had made a stack of them as little gifts for my customers who attended my Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue Launch. So, in keeping with the Sew Suite theme, I just had to include one in the pocket of the handbag! Oh, and I filled the handbag with Rafaello choccies!

As well as a handmade gift, I included a card – and of course it just had to coordinate with the gift! I decided to make a Never Ending Card; it was so much fun to make with Stampin’ Up!’s sewing range of stamps, DSP and accessories!

If you have never made a Never Ending Card before – they are very easy to make! A pdf of the measurements can be found here in the side bar of my blog.

They are one of those things you can’t put down – they just keep opening…..

and opening…….

Main products used for the above projects (all products are Stampin’ Up!):

• Melon Mambo cardstock
• Sweet Stitches Designer Series Paper
• Pompom Trim Daffodil Delight
• Designer Big Buttons
• Button, Button stamp set
• Sweet Buttons Embosslit
• Sew Suite stamp set
• Ink pads, cardstock and markers to coordinate with the DSP

I’ll be back another day to show you the gorgeous gift I received from my Secret Bunny, but for now I had better go and get some more swaps made for the Stampin’ Up! Convention in Melbourne which is being held in 2 weeks time! I have just over a week to get organised!!

Last week I had a quick experiment with some metal shim I dug out from the craft cupboard! I’ve had the shim for years, and had barely used it. I think I punched out a few dragons and tooled them – long before my Stampin’ Up! days! Anyway, I had a quick play with the Flower Folds die and the Finial Press textured impressions embossing folder, added a few holes with the paper piercing tool, then carefully turned the petals under and secured the two flowers with Pop Up Glue Dots (retired).  I have more ideas for the metal shim - so stay tuned!

Okay, I know it’s been a while since I posted – and I have been meaning to post the results of the Stamping Fundraiser, but I’ve had a hectic few weeks so this last week I had to take a little “me” time! But here I am again, and with the results of  last Saturday’s fundraiser!

The fundraiser was a huge success, with $1546.00 being raised for the Salvation Army Australian Disaster Relief. I’d very much like to thank all the lovely ladies who attended, and for their valued support. A big thanks also to those who helped in any way, no matter how big or small, as it all helped to make the day a success.

The door entry included 4 Make & Take projects, a door prize ticket and afternoon tea. We also held a raffle and a silent auction of retired product generously donated by Stampin’ Up! (have I mentioned before how much I love Stampin’ Up!?)    Anyway, here are the four projects…..

One of the first projects to be made was a Pillow Box Bucket made using Stampin’ Up!’s Pillow Box Die. I found a tutorial on Youtube. This one is made in retired Blue Bayou and Soft Sky cardstock, using the Scribble jumbo wheel and Blue Bayou ink, and Scribble This stamp set. I highlighted some of the Scribble pattern with a White Gel Pen.

This Easel Card was made using the Bliss Sale-a-Bration stamp set and Purely Pomegranate (retired), Groovy Guava (retired) and Sahara Sand cardstock….

The Greenhouse Garden card was made using Wild Wasabi, Rich Razzleberry and Confetti White cardstock. The flower images were stamped by first inking the stamp in Regal Rose ink, then lightly misting with water before stamping once and then twice before cleaning the stamp and re-inking. The bolder flowers were finished by 2 Step Stampin’  the flower’s centres in Rich Razzleberry ink and stamping the little flower from the set onto the centres in So Saffron ink. I was actually quite pleased the way this one turned out, as I had a difficult time trying to decide what colours to put with Wild Wasabi!

And last but not least here is the 6×6 Owl Page made using the Two Step Owl punch, and Woodgrain stamp set! Thanks again to everyone who contributed to the day!

Thought I’d share with you a copy of 79 engagement invitations I completed a few weekends ago. The white cardstock is stamped in Marina Mist ink using the retired Seaside stamp set. I printed the details onto a Vellum Paper overlay. The starfish were all silver embossed and handcut, then layered onto Marina Mist cardstock and hand cut again! The embossing folder I used was non-Stampin’ Up! though. I have changed the names, venue and dates on this one – in fact the venue is very fictitious!