Welcome to Spring!

Happy Fathers Day to all the Dads out there, hope you are having a great time with family on the beautiful first day of Spring! I haven't managed to make a Fathers Day card this year (Mum and Dad are in Broken Hill!), but I dug out this one that could easily be adapted to suit the masculine theme for Fathers Day. I haven't stopped using the Memorable Moments set that includes numbers plus 'st', 'th' and 'rd' and the 'Happy',' Birthday' and 'Anniversary' stamps. Very handy for cards and scrapbooking!

The new festive catalogue has launched and there are some great new ideas for Christmas cards, gifts, tags and decorating - lets face it its less than 4 months away so the time to start planning is now! There are plenty of card sets if you want to save time and whip out a batch of cards quickly. Another new product is the Christmas planner and sticker collection, and scrapbookers will love the 8x8 album and sectioned page protectors for quick and easy layouts. If you'd like your own free paper copy of the catalogue, or the main catalogue & idea book for just $5 just let me know.

There is also a big selection of Halloween and Thanksgiving craftiness - very American but it seems we are celebrating Halloween more and more each year....I really like the idea of being grateful for the abundance in our lives so why not host a Thanksgiving meal for the special folks in your life? I am planning to do that early with the return of Jo and family to Sydney in October, such special times lie ahead......

 

The Stampin' Up! special for September is the butterfly bundle - save 15% when you order the Bitty Butterfly punch and the Papillion Potpourri stamp set together (7 stamps). A combination you will use for so many occasions, birthday, sympathy, thank you - just about everything could do with a butterfly touch! ($51 for wood mount or $45 for clear mount if you have the clear blocks). Click here to see the flyer. Let me know if you have any questions of would like to take advantage of this bundle deal. I will waive the postage costs on these items in September as butterflies are my absolute favourite stamps!

My next paper craft workshop day will be Sunday 22 September, so please let me know if you'd like to join us.

Happy Spring and have a creative September!!

Caz xx

New fresh ideas, colours and catalogues

So much has been happening in the Stampin Up! world I have gotten a bit behind in updating you all. The biggest news is that there is a gorgeous new Annual Idea book & Catalogue full of lovely new things and so many pretty ideas! You can view the catalogue online (either a flip book or download the PDF from a link on the right of my blog) or for just $5 you can have your very own glossy copy to flick through and be inspired.

There is also a great new Holiday Catalogue on the way 29 Aug which has much more than the traditional craft supplies....there are lots of great gift wrapping packs, Halloween ideas, party supplies, table decorations, tag packs and of course everything Christmassy! Can't wait to show it to you!

Here are the 5 new In Colours which I am loving using at the moment - they are so fresh and springy and remind me of gelato!! I also love the new names Baked Brown Sugar, Coastal Cabana, Crisp Canteloupe, Pistachio Pudding and my favourite new pink - Strawberry Slush!

If you would like a simple and affordable pack of card I recommend the mixed pack of these new In Colours ($11.95 for 24 sheets) as they work really well for all kinds of cards and scrapbooking projects. Of course there is matching ribbons and embellishments too! Here are some cards I have been making:

The other exciting news for all you paper lovers like me is that there is an August special - buy 3 packs DSP and receive 4th one free! This includes most of the new sets and there are some really nice designs (check out pages 151, 153 and 154 in the catalogue) and let me know if you are interested in this special offer.

Take care and have a creative day :) 

Caz xx

Retiring products on sale

Only one more month til our new catalogue is out so it's time to check your wishlists and catalogue against the Retirement Lists for discontinued and discounted stamps and accessories.  Products are only available while stocks last, so let me know quick if you'd like to order anything before its gone....

Some highlights of the retirement lists are:

• Patterned paper packs at 50% off $9.48
• Craft and Rubber scissors - everyone loves my scissors!
• 25% off lots of ribbon designs
• Loads of other stamps and accessories are retiring so check them all out

Retiring Accessories List HERE

and the Retiring Stamps List HERE

Thanks to my friend Michelle Dyson for these images of the discounted items (more retiring items online):

 

Don't forget the seasonal catalogue finishes 30 June so let me know if anything takes your fancy. I'm looking forward to another scrappin Sunday tomorrow, just the perfect way to spend a wintery weekend! 

Stay well and keep warm! 

Love Caz xx

StampInkPaper Team Mother's Day Blog Hop

Welcome to our . A blog hop is where you 'hop' from blog to blog linked by the same theme, you may have arrived here from Anne Farrar's blog, or just happened upon the tour by chance. Our theme is of course Mother's Day. Each of our team members has made a card using Stampin'Up! products.

My Mothers Day card features Calypso Coral, Raspberry Ripple, Lucky Limeade and Very Vanilla colour scheme. I have used the Tulip Embossing folder which has been sponged with Calypso ink to make the tulips really stand out. Next layer is two Top Note diecuts, one slightly trimmed by hand to provide a matt look, and then stuck together and run through the Big Shot with the Lattice embossing folder. Quite an embroidered type look I guess....

The final touches are the Teeny Tiny Sentiment Mothers Day greeting peeking through a punched Decorative Label punch, and a sponged layered flower - all SU bits and bobs of course! My Mum returns from the UK this week, so I look forward to giving this to her and telling her how much I have missed her the past 6 weeks. I hope you get to speak to or think about the special Mothers in your life this week. 

When you have finished here, you can continue the hop through the link at the end of this post to the next team member's creations.

Lost? Here's a list of links to all the participants so you can find your way again.

Vanessa Cook - www.stampness.blogspot.com

Michelle Dyson - www.stampinkpaper.blogspot.com

Clare McIlhatton - http://craftycowcreations.blogspot.com.au/

Anne Farrar - http://stampinannies.blogspot.com.au/

Carolyn Campbell-McLean - http://carolyncampbell-mclean.blogspot.com.au/

Marilyn Scholtz - http://www.marilynscholz.typepad.com/justcallmemars

Karen Fowler - http://karenfowler61.blogspot.com.au/

You'll find lots of great ideas as you hop through the chain of different team members’ fantastic blogs. Why not add my blog to your "follow" list, or subscribe to my newsletter for info about my upcoming events - just email cazza74@iinet.net.au

Want to win some Free Stuff? Simply leave a comment on each blog in the hop and then email Vanessa and let her know you’ve done so and you’ll be in the running for a fantastic prize of handmade cards plus other goodies from each of the participants. Sorry, prizes not available to current demonstrators, but you are most welcome to leave a comment!

Next up on the hop is Marilyn Scholtz enjoy the rest of the tour.

Caz xx

Hearts a Flutter Birthday Banners

Hello crafty friends, hope you are all well and enjoying a bit of timeout this weekend. The weather here in Sydney this week has been absolutely perfect, still warm but defintely getting that lovely Autumnal feeling, I have always loved the month of April. And there are so many birthdays this month, including my sugary sweet Niece Sophie over in the still very wintery UK.
 
I made this 3rd Birthday card for Miss Sophie using my new Stampin' Up! stamp set called Hearts a Flutter (although I havn't used the hearts!). The set has banner shapes which are so cool right now and really set off wording don't you think? I must say I LOVE this card!

After stamping the banners in a range of pink inks (couldn't choose just one!) I cut them out with the matching Hearts a Flutter framelits through the Big Shot, added some die cut letters - and voila - instant name banner! Under that I had used a strip of glitter paper and gorgeous vintage lace from the Artisan Embellishment kit and of course some pink pearls to finish it off. I wanted to add a '3' somewhere but couldn't find the right place. 

Now Miss Sophie takes after her Aunty and just loves cake so I made a punch art cupcake! 

These products and many more goodies are available in the SU Seasonal Catalogue which you can find on the right side of my blog - and are available until 30 June. Let me know if you would like any orders.

So HAPPY 3RD BIRTHDAY SOPHIE we cant wait to hear all about your bowling party and cuddle you later this year! (yay they are coming home - for good!) xxx
 

Saleabration freebies and Workshop dates

MY NEWS 
Hello to my lovely blog readers sorry its been so long between posts! I have been distracted by job applications and interviews but I am pleased to report I have landed a great new job at the Lifetime Care and Support Authority. This will involve supporting people severely injured in motor accidents to get the rehab and supports they need to get on with life after acquiring a disability. I am thrilled and excited to be challenged by a different area of disability, and a bit sad to be saying farewell to my colleagues and friends at the Public Guardian. I must remember change is good!

WONDERFUL MOTHER CARD
Hope you like this card I made for my lovely mother in law Jill for her birthday earlier this year? I've combined a Vintage Wallpaper embossed background with a framelit shape in Primrose Petals, my new favourite pink. On top of that I arranged some flowers from Mixed Bunch stamp set which have been punched with the matching flower punch. The Itty Bitty Banners stamp has the birthday greeting and its cut out using the matching framelits through the Big Shot - love the matchy matchy!! Wonderful Mother is from a lovely word set called Well Scripted (I think its retired now). Sweet Jill liked this card so much she ordered the stamps! 

FREE STUFF 
The Salebration giveaway ends next week and I'll be placing my last order on Sunday 17 March so let me know what products you want and you will receive your choice of 19 free items! You just need to spend minimum $100 and choose from stamp sets, Designer Series Paper, a punch, framelits, button and ribbon sets and more - they are all listed here. There are plenty of lovely new goodies to check out in the Seasonal catalogue including vintage items doilies, lace and some lovely new double sided papers. See the link to the right hand side up top.

STAMPIN' & SCRAPPIN' WORKSHOPS
Here are the dates for my next round of workshops. Come and join us for a relaxed and informal day of papercraft - a fun and creative day scrapbooking, making cards or bring along other crafty projects you'd like to work on. Its great crafting with others - the ideas seem to flow better......and we have a good chinwag. No men allowed lol! 

• Sun 7 April
• Sun 5 May 
• Sun 2 June

Workshop Fee: $10 includes casual instruction, tea/coffee, light lunch, use of my collection of scraps, stamps, inks, punches, Big Shot etc. You can also purchase card, paper and embellishments or make an order from the Stampin' Up! catalogues 

All the workshops will be at my place in Rydalmere. Please RSVP to me on 0408 472 510 or cazza74@iinet.net.au so I can set your place at the table and you can receive your choccie and giveaways. I will also be having a lucky door prize on each day to help me clear my crafty space! 

Take care and keep on crafting

Love Caz xx 

Storytime card

My sweet nephew Mr Mackie turned one just after Christmas and this is the card I made him. It required minimal stamping as I used the images from the Storytime Designer Series Paper, some Midnight Muse ribbon and a little red jewel on the happy birthday banner.

The boy / train image was punched with a circle punch and layered on a foam dimensional (for that pop effect) onto a bigger circle punchie; a really easy technique, but I like the way it turned out. I used my basic black marker to add the train tracks. As it turned out my card matched the Thomas the Tank jacket present I gave him and his birthday party theme too (well Thomas is his middle name!).

So Mackenzie Thomas has grown from this little cherub:

 

into this cheeky monkey! I really am looking forward to my sister Jo and her lovely little family moving home from the UK later this year.......exciting times ahead!

I will be back later this week with lots more creations from crafty time over the holiday season. Stay safe everyone!

Caz xx

Sale-a-bration 2013

It is that time of year crafty friends!  Saleabration, Stampin Up's sale time, is here again.  If you've got some things on your wish lists, this is a great time to get them. Why not get orders for friends or gifts for down the track and pocket the freebies!  This year is Stampin Up's 25th Anniversary so there are 19 items to choose from rather than the usual 4 stamp sets - Happy Birthday Stampin Up!!! I should make you a card lol   

So for every $100 of products you order, you can choose a free item from the Saleabration range.

What freebies do you get during Saleabration??

Spend $100, choose 1 free Saleabration item
Spend $200, choose 2 free Saleabration things.
Spend $300, choose 3 free Saleabration things, plus you'll get a free pack of silver glimmer paper, plus you'll get $50 hostess dollars to spend.

Download the SAB catalogue

I'll be checking out the catalogues this weekend and placing an order on Monday so give me a shout if you need anything or would like to take advantage of this great deal. The Holiday catalogue finishes on January 31 and then we will have a lovely new catalogue which I have peeked at, so gorgeous! The Sale-a-Bration deal runs until 22 March so you have plenty of time to check it all out!

Caz xx

Sealed with Love Simply Sent Kit Deal

From time to time Stampin' Up! run special offers and this one is a cutie! From now until the 21st of January purchase the My Little Valentine stamp set (only comes in clear mount) for $17.95 #132242 

and you will get a Sealed with Love Simply Sent Kit FREE RRP$15.95 from the Holiday catalogue page 35 #126923.

Here's what you will get inside the Sealed with Love Kit: 
 
• 10 notecards, 5 each of 2 designs 8.6 x 11.6 cm
• 10 double-sided envelopes 12.1 x 8.7 cm
• 20 printed paper buttons
• 10 pieces Whisper White/Real Red bakers twine each 25.4 cm

• 24 Stampin Dimensionals

These notelets are perfect for Valentines Day but could be used year round to send loving messages to family and friends, and make a gorgeous gift. Let me know if you would like the lot for just $17.95 (plus $5.95 p&h).

Looking forward to Scrappin Sunday this weekend. I have almost finished scrappin my entire photo colletcion from 2012 - using a snazzy new SU product which I will show you next time! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone may 2013 be wonderful for you and your family!

Love Caz xx