Christmas Ornaments

Jayne Mercer recently posted a Kusudama Ball she had made using the Bella Rose DSP which reminded me that I had seen them done previous years using Christmas Papers. Now I’m usually not a folded paper sort of person but I have Christmas DSP from previous years that has now retired and I thought this would be a great way to use some (if not all) of it up.

So far I’ve made 2 using some of the Holiday Thyme DSP. Yes that’s right. It’s from 2 years ago. The ribbon is also Cranberry Crisp Double Stitched. So glad I kept some of that too now.

 

 

 

Here’s the 1st one:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and of course this is the 2nd one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m really happy how they turned out and they are really quite easy. I think the hardest part is gluing the 2 halves together.

 

On another note, I hope to be posting more regularly later next week. Yes I know I keep saying this but my laptop is back in again (and has been for the last 10 days) for repairs and I so hope they phone and say it’s ready in the earlier part of the week. You don’t realise how much you rely on computers until they aren’t around and having this computer in another room than my craft room makes it harder to do some things. I’d also like it all set back up before school breaks up on Friday for 2 weeks. Not how I really want to spend school holidays.

World Card Making Day

 

What is World Card Making Day?

World Card Making Day is a holiday especially for the card makers around the world to:

• Celebrate the creativity of handmade cards and the personal connection that they create between friends and family.
• Kick off (and get a head start on) the holiday card-making season.

When is it?

The first Saturday of October every year, a great time to start the holiday card-making (if you haven’t already done so), which makes it the most popular time for creating and sharing handmade greetings.

Who is it for?

Card-makers worldwide, from beginners to more experienced, retailers & manufacturers. Anyone who loves to make and create.

Why have World Card Making Day?

It is a day to gather with friends and family and share their common interest in card-making while inspiring and motivating each other.

How do we celebrate World Card Making Day?

Well that’s where I come into it. I will be holding a World Card Making Day event at my home in Lalor Park NSW and you’re invited.

When: Saturday 3rd October
Where: Lalor Park NSW (full address will be supplied upon booking)
Time: 2pm – 5pm or 7pm - 10pm
Cost: $15
Bookings are essential and required by Sunday 27th September. You can book by emailing me or phone on 0418 218 467
Tea, Coffee, Cakes & Biscuits will be provided.

 

Would you like to see what we will be making? It won’t be Christmas Cards but still great gift ideas.

If you saw my previous post you will recognise the item on the left but I’ve glittered the Butterfly this time. The item on the right holds 3 of the cards shown and envelopes. All materials are supplied including the required chocolate.

So if you’d like to come along and make these items please email or phone me asap to reserve your spot.

Nikki

Mmmm….Chocolate…..

Don’t we all love Chocolate??

Of course I do and this month I received another fabulous gift from my Secret Sister and one of them contained Chocolate. This month we find out who our Sisters were and then as long as I receive her okay I will share her wonderful gifts here for you all to see. They are all just gorgeous and I couldn’t have asked for a better Secret Sister and hope she had as great a partner as I did.

So back to the Chocolate that I received. It wasn’t so much that I received Chocolate but the way it was presented. From the front it looks like a card but when you open it up it displays the Chocolate which was all individually wrapped to match the rest of the card. Now the chocolate used for this was the Cadbury 8 Moments which I found is very hard to find but I managed and purchased what was left as I’m going to make these up for some gifts I need over the next month.

So I sat down on Sunday and went to work making up a template to recreate this wonderful idea. I chose to use the Walk in the Park DSP and coordinating colours along with the Great Friend stamp set from the Spring Mini catalogue. I really love this set and it’s funny as I nearly didn’t purchase it because I’d not long since purchased the Flight of the Butterfly set so figured I had enough butterflies. So glad I changed my mind as I use it all the time.

So would you like to see what I’ve been talking about?

Here’s the front:

and now for the inside:

Isn’t this a fabulous idea?

Don’t forget to check back soon as hopefully I’ll be able to share the one I received or at least supply a link to my Secret Sisters blog/website where she has posted to share.  

Happy Stamping

Nikki

The Birthdays have started.

A large part of my family seem to all have been born after September. There are 8 of us that celebrate birthdays born between January – August and then 12 that are from September – December. I’ve just worked out that it would be even if one of my sisters and her family celebrated and even if I worked on January – June and July – December. Never realised that before as it just seems that once my eldest daughter has her birthday it all starts happening. I guess it doesn’t help when my youngest has her birthday 2 days after my eldest either…..

So last weekend, yes it was also Fathers’ Day, my eldest and youngest both had a combined birthday party. My eldest’s Birthday actually fell on Fathers’ Day this year and my youngest was the Tuesday. We just had a small party at home with only a few friends each and it was nice. My eldest is 14 and in her second year at High School so it’s always nice to meet her friends as you don’t have that same association with the High School as you do with Primary. She was allowed to invite 5 friends which turned out to be 3 boys and 2 girls. 2 of the boys we already knew and they are all just friends (or so they tell us…..) so it was a fun afternoon for them all. The weather was great so they ended up playing some ball games, darts and a few other things. My youngest turned 8 and invited 3 of her friends and they just played Polly Pocket most of the time until they decided to go out and play in the cubby house and on the trampoline. We also had a pinata which as anyone with children would know, they love. Not sure if it’s the bashing the pinata they enjoy or just the lollies that come out when they have cracked it open.

As it was a pretty laid back party I wanted to make some lolly containers for them to take with them. Unfortunately I didn’t snap a picture of the ones I made for the boys (they’re probably in the bin by now too) but I did manage to take one of the girls.

           

I’ve used my favourite stamp set from the Spring Mini Catalogue called Great Friends and on the tag I have used Heat & Stick powder with Dazzling Diamonds to jazz it up for the girls. The boys boxes where done in Baja Breeze and I’d stamped the surfer from the Seaworthy set and they didn’t have a tag.  These boxes are the Sevens Box that Marelle Taylor shared a tutorial for on her blog not too long ago. I’ve added a clear window on mine using a Transparency sheet and also included little tabs on the top side panel pieces to support my lid.

I was rather slack and didn’t make my girls Birthday cards, and don’t think I have for a few years now which is rather shameful to admit considering what I do….. My girls complained this year, which they had every right to do, so even though they are late I finally made them both a card today. I decided to use the latest Stamping411 Sketch and the Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set.

My eldest loves purple and my youngest doesn’t really have a favourite (or so she tells me…) so I created these cards for them.

For my eldest

and for my youngest

On the card for my youngest I’ve added Crystal Effects to the balloon.

I hope they like them and I must remember to make sure I make them all Birthday Cards from now on and on time.

Supplies: All supplies by Stampin’ Up unless specified

Lolly Box
Stamp Set: Great Friend
Card: Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White
Ink: Pink Pirouette, Versamark
Accessories: Heat & Stick Powder, Dazzling Diamonds, Riding Hood Red Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Scallop, 1 3/8” & 1 1/4” Circle punches, Linen Thread, Pop-up Glue Dots, Transparency Sheet (non-SU)

Card 1
Stamp set: Crazy for Cupcakes, Polka Dot
Card: Elegant Eggplant, Lavender Lace, Pretty in Pink, Watercolour Paper
Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Lavender Lace, Pretty in Pink, Pixie Pink, Stazon Black
Accessories: Aqua Painter, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Card 2
Stamp set: Crazy for Cupcakes
Card: Riding Hood Red, Close to Cocoa, Watercolour Paper, Candy Lane DSP
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Stazon Black
Accessories: Crystal Effects, Aqua Painter, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Stampin’ Dimensionals.

Another Bella but more SU

I’m going to share another Bella creation today, again coloured with Copics on Neenah card but most everything else is SU.

I chose to use the lovely Raspberry Tart papers for this card. Bet that’s not a big surprise…. Copic colours were selected to coordinate with the colours in the papers along with some grey shades for the metal parts on bikes. This brings me back to my younger days when my old boyfriend had a bike and we used to go on some great rides. Never looked this good on it though and used to hate the helmet hair…..lol

Here’s a list of supplies I used to create this card.

Supplies:
Stamp sets: Simply Said, Biker Bella & Biker Babe (non-SU)
Card: Rose Red, Cameo Coral, Real Red,Raspberry Tart DSP, Neenah Classic Crest(non-SU)
Inks: Cameo Coral, Memento Black & Copic markers (non-SU)
Accessories: Real Red Brads (Bold Brights pack), Scallop Edge Punch, Mat Pack & piercer, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Nestabilities.

*mwah*…..

I’d like to apologise for my sporadic posting lately. I have been a little busy with other things/commitments and a small computer repair and haven’t done a lot of creating of late and then when I have it’s been items for a Secret Sister swap I’m in or yahoo group commitments. Hence I can’t really share those things until the Secret Sister reveal later this month or the voting has been done on the group cards/items. This then means I should have a few things at least ready to share with you for next month.

I do have something to share with you today but there is minimal SU included in the card. In fact it’s only a couple of punches (scallop edge & word window) and some ribbon (elegant eggplant 1/4” grosgrain). That’s very unusual for me but I’m still really happy with the card and hope you don’t mind me sharing it here. The paper I’ve used has been stashed away for I don’t know how long so it was nice to put it to use finally.

The image on this card is a Stamping Bella called mwahbella, hence the post title and the card also has ‘mwah’ as the sentiment. I’m really happy with how this image turned out. I love the colour combo which I’m calling Elegant Eggplant and Kiwi Kiss (there’s another SU inclusion…lol). I think these colours go together lovely and might see what I can create with SU items and the true colours. Of course I’ve coloured using my Copic Markers again. So lovin’ these.

 

Look who’s turning…..

 

One of my good friends little girl turned 5 last Monday and this is the card I made for her.

 

I knew I wanted to use one of my recent Sugar Nellie stamp purchases for the card and decided on the Candy Lane DSP pack from Stampin’ Up and went from there. The balloon was an after thought but one I’m happy with. I’ve coloured the main image with my Copic Markers to coordinate with the colours of the DSP pack.

Supplies: All items Stampin’ Up unless specified otherwise
Stamps: On Your Birthday, Occasional Greetings, Big Bold Birthday, Gorjuss – Just A Girl (Non-SU)
Card: Riding Hood Red, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White, Neenah Classic Crest Solar White (Non-SU)
Inks: Riding Hood Red inkpad, Close to Cocoa Marker, Memento Black (Non-SU), Copic Markers (Non-SU)
Accessories: Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Scallop Circle, 1 3/8” Circle, 1 1/4” Circle, Word Window and Scallop Edge Punches, Sponge dauber, Stampin’ Dimensionals.