Circle creations

I've been having a bit of fun with the new Circle Cutter, available in the Summer Mini catalogue, so I've done just a few more Christmas cards. The Snow Swirled stamp set has been in action again as well as Real Red ink and cardstock. The craft Whisper White inkpad was used to stamp the Christmas Tree and sponge around the edges. The Christmas Tree was highlighted with the white gel pen and a drop of Crystal Effects for dimension.










The Christmas Tree is gold embossed onto Kraft cardstock and the circle Cutter was used to round the edge of the cardstock. Then the cutter settings were adjusted slightly to give a thin strip. Baja breeze is the base cardstock.

More Snow Swirled

More gold embossing of the Snow Swirled Christmas Tree. The new Real Red ribbon has been added to the corner of the card front. The cardstock is Kiwi Kiss and Real Red. Do you like the wording banner here?

I embossed gold Christmas trees in bulk so there are more variations to come!!

The flower from Scribble This has been stamped twice, cut out and layered. Gold beads have been added to the centre. The new Real Red ribbon was again added to the Kraft card with gold Encore snowflakes from Snow Swirled stamped on the base Kraft cardstock.

Snow Swirled Fun!!

A little fun with the Christmas Tree from Snow Swirled Stamp Set. It has been embossed in gold on Kraft cardstock then layered on Whisper White Cardstock. The card is Chocolate Chip with a Riding Hood Red strip. The flower is from the Season of Joy stamp set and is stamped in Riding Hood Red also.

Christmas Tree decoration

This was fun to create and I first saw it HERE. Each individual piece is a square, I used the smaller square punch and then cut 12, 4 cm squares. The snowflake is from the stamp set Snow Swirled stamped in Real Red. Give it a go!! You can also adhere a photo to the back before hanging on the Christmas tree.

Secret Santa

These are the Secret Santa cards that we shared at our team meeting today!! Aren't they fantastic?? The 'Sandy Claws' card has a plastic sheet overlay to give an effective appearance of looking into a fish bowl. Awesome work Shanni!! The card using the Season of Joy trees and the koala bear was also a 3D card with a sheet of plastic at the front, really impressive Coral!! The blue card uses the Snowflake Swirls with a matching envelope. The envelope has been cut with the smaller piece creating a lid and the remainder a pocket which has been crimped. A wonderful idea created by Paula. The remaining cards used a combination of the Christmas tree from Snow Swirled and the flower from Scribble This cut out twice. This would be my work!! Thinking of those of you who couldn't be there today!!

All boxed up!!

These cute Origami Boxes have been lots of fun to make. It takes an A4 piece of cardstock to produce a box about 7cm wide. Once the band is removed the box opens out. They make a great idea for teachers presents filled with lots of yummy things - chocolates, tealights, lollies etc. The Ski Slope DSP has been used in the band with the snowflake from the Snow Swirled stamp set stamped using the Craft white ink and Real Red ink on the card. The cardstock is Real Red. All products are Stampin' Up!

The box can also be filled with coordinating gift cards and tags making gift giving a completely creative experience!!

12 days of Christmas

The plan is to post a 12 Christmas cards for you to get some inspirational ideas. Here goes.........

Firstly a play with the SEASON OF JOY stamp set:

The Season of Joy stamp set is using with Baja Breeze and Basic Grey cardstock. Stazon white is stamped over vellum on the bottom of the card with white taffeta ribbon on top of the tag card. White Craft ink is used to stamp the small flowers on the tag. A photo can go behind the tag.

This was lots of fun with a different combination of colours of cardstock - Kiwi Kiss, Baja Breeze and Rose Red. Black brads and Black gingham ribbon were added too.

Perhaps my favourite, nice and easy to mass produce at Christmas time. The flowers were stamped with Riding Hood Red Ink and Chocolate chip for the florishes and wording. Chocolate chip Stampin' Write Marker

was used to highlight the centre of the flowers. The lovely striped ribbon was added to embellish. The cardstock was Very Vanilla and Riding Hood Red.

Christmas Craft Fair display

Here's some of the items that were on display at the Christmas Craft Fair. The paper is Ski Slope Designer Series Paper and it's available until 30 November from the Spring Mini Catalogue.

NEW STAMPIN' UP! WEBSITE

Take note I now have a NEW WEBSITE. It's easy to use with lots of information on specials, recruiting and events. Please take a look! http://www.ruthmassey.stampinup.net/ (please note NO 'au' at the end) At least that is a note to myself!!

Punching it Out!

This month's Technique class was 'Punches'. The ideas for punches was endless. Don't worry this is not one of the cards the class created on the night for those who are attending at a later date. The Designer Series paper was punched out with circle punches of various sizes and repositioned with a larger circle punch underneath (in some cases) or soften with Whisper white craft ink. The Upsy Daisy stamp set was used for the background flowers. The flower was inked with Versamark then stamped on the card before layering the other paper.

Good Chat

The birds are having a chat!! The Good Friends stamp set has so many fun variations. The Good Morning Sunshine Designer Series Paper pack has all the patterned paper used on this card and more. Baja Breeze and So Saffron cardstock was used on this card also. Abit of doodling with the Chocolate Chip Write marker on the So Saffron cardstock. The Write markers are now available individally as well as colour family packs.

Fresh Cut

A fresh start to the new Catalogue with the Fresh Cuts Stamp set. The Split negative technique is featured and was just one of the techniques added to our Technique journal. The new In colors - Kiwi Kiss cardstock was used with Kiwi Kiss sponging along the left hand side. The images were stamped in Not Quite Navy and Whisper White inkpads.

Birthday Best

Here's something else you can do with the Chunky Glitter and the Scallop circle punch. This makes a quick and easy card with lots of colour. The Designer Series Papers are Petals and Paisleys and Bali Breeze. The stamp set Birthday Best also will retire. This set was my first purchase and has come in handy with lots of kids and ladies birthdays too!!

Embrace Life Flowers

This card uses the flowers from the Embrace Life stamp set. The scallop edge punch is also from the Summer Mini catalogue. The centre of the flowers have been decorated with Blue Chunky Glitter and a pearl from the Pretties Kit. The Soft Sky flower has been highlighted with the white gel pen. The Designer Series Paper is from the Spring Break collection.

Ocean Commotion

A little variation from flowers to the ocean or fish tank. Can you see the raised Crystal Effects bubbles? Also the embossed bubbles using the Crop-o-dile? Clear Chunky Glitter lines the sand on the bottom. The water is Blue Bayou in color cardstock and Old Olive Designer Series paper, all of which is retiring. Happy Birthday is from It's Your Birthday another retiring stamp set. The Ocean Commotion stamp set is in the Summer Mini Catalogue which finishes at the end of the March.

Spring Break

This card features the retiring products - Designer Series Paper Spring Break, double stitch Blue Bayou double stitched ribbon, Blue Bayou cardstock, Soft subtle buttons and Chunky Glitter (from the Summer mini catalogue). Also the stamp set It's Your Birthday is retiring. The main flower is from Scribble This which is since continuing into the next catalogue, but I just had to use it here.

It's Your Birthday

This little matchbox set of cards uses River Rock cardstock, Kraft and Very Vanilla cardstock. The Designer Series Paper Brocade Background is also used to decorate and coordinate the cards. This DSP as well as the It's your Birthday stamp set is also retiring on 31/03/09. Notice how you can gather the ribbon by pulling the white cord within the ribbon.

Summer by the Sea

I missed yesterday, but I have an excuse for not meeting my commitment of a card a day using the retired stamp sets until 31 March. I was not feeling well and have spent most of the day on the couch!!

This is just one of the lovely stamp sets in the Summer by the Sea stamp set that will be retiring too!! This time I've used the watercolour pencils to colour and an aqua painter on water colour paper. The water colour paper is great and can absorb looks of water from the aqua painter if required to blend colour.

TAKE A LOOK BELOW AT THE FOND FAREWELL POST TO KEEP ON EYE ON THE AVAILABILITY OF THE RETIRED STAMP SETS AND PRODUCTS. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ORDER AS IT IS WHILE STOCKS LAST!!

Handmade flower!!

The flower has been created by tearing Very Vanilla Cardstock and layering the pieces. The centre of the flower is pink Chunky glitter from the Spring Mini catalogue. The double stitch ribbon is Purely Pomegranate with Regal Rose wide grosgrain underneath. The Designer Series Paper - Brocade Background will be retiring also.


The stamp sets used Baroque Motif and Basic Phrases will appear in the new 2009/10 Idea Book & catalogue.

Sorry about the colour here. Alot brighter IRL with a sparkling centre to the flower.

Don't forget to look down this page for the list of Low Quantity and Unavailable products on the Retired List. Get in before it is too late!!

Farewell - Polka Dot and Paisley

Goodbye to Polka Dot and Paisley Stamp set and the Square Scallop punch (which appears in the Summer Mini catalgue) Designer Series Paper is available until 31 March also.

The flower has been stamped on water colour paper and coloured using Regal Rose write marker. The other flowers were inked with Regal Rose and Taken with Teal also.

If you look closely there is an embossed strip along the edge which borders the polka dots. This was created using the trimmer and bone scorer. So many options with this stamp set!!!

Bye, bye Bodacious Bouquet!!

Bodacious Bouquet is retiring, so I've used it with Brocade Background Designer Series Paper. Also I have stamped the large flower with River Rock inkpad. River Rock, one of the In Color series, will be replaced by a new range of in colors.

The row of flowers and the butterfly are from the Summer Mini catalogue stamp set Live your Dreams. Lastly there is two Old Olive felt flowers also from the Summer Mini was will finish on 31 March too.

Seaside Folder

I received some lovely gifts for Christmas, including the Seaside stamp set and the Fiskars paper trimmer from the catalogue. Here's how I used it. I have made cards and gifts cards for the inside of this card foler. The shells are stamped with Stazon on Stampin' Up watercolour paper and cut out, after colouring. The folder is Kraft A4 folded in half lengthwise and then folded up 4cm along the bottom lengthwise. I used the Crop-o-dile to punch holes and threaded Kraft taffeta ribbon which holds the cards in place on the inside.

The top of the folder has two scored lines also, though a little hard to see. To score I used the paper trimmer and ran the bone scorer down the cutting groove (slide the cutting blade to the bottom).