September Blog Hop - New Catalogue

Hi there

Welcome to our casual monthly Blog Hop for September. This month we are showcasing  some of the products from the new 2011-12 Idea Book and Catalogue.  I hope you have had an opportunity to browse all the fabulous new products in the last few weeks.  There are so many things to choose from, but I have decided to focus on some products for Christmas projects.

You may have come from the blog of  the lovely Nikki Saddler,  but if not, you can join the Blog Hop from here using the link to the next blog at the end of the post.  This month we have 9 Stampin' Up! demonstrators sharing their inspiration and the full list of contributors is at the end of the post.

The first project I have for you is a Christmas card using the 'Beautiful Season' stamp set.  The main image is great for colouring and I have used watercolour crayons. The bird is a apparently a 'Chickadee' so I had a quick look at a few images on the Internet to get an idea of its colour.  Of course, you can make it any colour, but I like the touch of yellow to balance off the traditional red and green. The sentiment is from the retired 'Occasional Greetings' and I have hand cut the holly leaves. For a bit of extra bling, I have used sticky strip and Dazzling Diamonds glitter for the outside border around the red mat, which is showing up quite well on the photo.

Project Details
Stamps	Beautiful Season (New), Occasional Greetings (Retired)
Card stock & Papers	Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Watercolour paper
Ink	Memento Tuxedo Black, Cherry Cobbler
Accessories	Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding ribbon, Antique Brads, Red Sead Beads (not SU), Dazzling Diamonds glitter
Tools	Circle punches,  Dimensionals, Sticky Strip

The next project is Christmas tags created using the fabulous 'Two Tags' Die. Both shapes are really flexible, but I love the closed version as it turns a tag into a special gift card.  I have used my favourite reindeer stamp from the 'Winter Post' stamp set  as it is a good size for tags. These tags are a good way to use up your scraps of cardstock and DSP as well.  The red houndstooth paper is from the retired 'Holiday Treasures' DSP.

 

I also want to show you the new, cute square envelopes, which fit the closed tag. Perfect for gift cards.

 

Project Details
Stamps	Winter Post, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Card stock & Papers	Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Real Red, Early Espresso Patterns DSP, Holiday Treasures DSP (Retired)
Ink	Real Red, Early Espresso
Accessories	Very Vanilla Seam Binding ribbon, Linen Thread, 1/8" Early Espresso Taffeta ribbon
Tools	Wide Oval punch, Two Tags Die, Ovals Die, Big Shot, Circle punches, Cropadile, Scallop Ribbon Border punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, sponge daubers

The final tag uses the super cute new stocking punch that will be available for purchase in October, so you get plenty of time to use it on your Christmas projects.  It also has a matching stamp set 'Stitched Stockings', but you can produce a huge variety of options with cardstock and paper, embossing folders, background stamps etc. Notice the cute mini silver brad in the jewellery tag, the perfect size for this miniature tag.  

Project Details
Stamps	Snow Swirled, Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Card stock & Papers	Very Vanilla, Soft Suede (Smooth and Textured), Real Red, Real Red Patterns DSP
Ink	Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Real Red
Accessories	Crumb Cake Seam Binding ribbon, Linen Thread, Mini Silver brad
Tools	Stocking punch, Jewellery Tag punch, 1/2 " circle punch, Cropadile, Dimensionals, Sponge daubers, Petals a Plenty and Square Lattice Embossing folders, Big Shot

My final project also uses the versatile 'Two Tags' die to create this cute little box, suitable for small gifts or treats (I put 4 Ferrero Rocher chocs in it). This was originally designed by Lisa Curcio, a US Demo.  It is simple to make and can be decorated for lots of uses.  I have gone for a vintage look, using Soft Suede for the base box, the lovely 'Beau Chateau' papers and the  new oval Designer Frames embossing folder for the central embellishment. 

  

Project Details
Stamps	None
Card stock & Papers	Soft Suede, Marina Mist, Pink Pirouette, Beau Chateau DSP
Ink	Soft Suede, Pink Pirouette
Accessories	Crumb Cake Seam Binding ribbon, Antique brad, Basic Pearl
Tools	Wide Oval punch, Boho Blossoms punch, Cropadile, Sponge daubers, Oval Designer Frames Embossing folders, Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Blossoms & Birds Sizzlit (Reitred), Big Shot

I hope you have seen something that takes your interest. Please contact me if you have any questions about the projects or the new products.

The next stop is the lovely Kathryn Ruddick.  Below is a list of the contributors for this month's Blog Hop.

Ros Davidson

Christine Blain

Alisha Watson

Di Dunk

Nikki Sadler

Kathryn Ruddick

Kathryn Mangelsdorf

Tina Gillespie

Thanks for visiting!

 

Channelling 'Mocha Morning'

Hi

It has been a busy couple of weeks with one thing and another, but  I thought I would get in early for this week's Clean & Simple Sketch 158.  Here is the sketch:

I started with the 'Elements of Style'  stamp set, which I've gold embossed on Very Vanilla (not really apparent in the photo).  This led me to 'Mocha Morning' which is one of the new Designer Series Papers and it is a gorgeous rich selection of neutrals including Black, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Early Espresso with touches of gold and flocking.  I've used all of these except black to come up with the final result.  I've taken some liberty by adding the Very Vanilla seam binding ribbon knot to soften it a bit. I love the seam binding ribbon, it is so easy to work with. 'Mocha Morning' is totally elegant and lends itself to all kinds of occasions with some great options for masculine cards as well .

  

Project Details
Stamps	Elements of Style, Sincere Salutations
Card stock & Papers	Crumb Cake, Soft Suede (Textured), Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Mocha Morning DSP
Ink	Versamark, Early Espresso
Accessories	Very Vanilla Seam Binding ribbon
Tools	Gold Embossing powder, Heat gun, Dimensionals, Corner Rounder punch, Scallop Border punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig

 See you soon. 



 

Spring & New Catalogue Arrives!

Hi there

Well, the last few days of weather have been truly delightful in Melbourne. My garden thinks so too, as it has burst into colour and the new leaves are popping out on the weeping birches.  It is amazing how quickly this happens. I thought I would share a few photos I took yesterday.  Photographs (or at least my photography) doesn't do it justice and it is lovely when people walking by stop and admire it too.

This first photo shows the garden bed close to the house. You can see the weeping birch with the leaves starting to pop out and the very large mass of Azaleas underneath.

 

This is a close up of the pink Azalea, which is stunning.

 
The last photo is of the garden bed at the front.  The large birch trees are still bare, which gives the Azaleas underneath the full benefit of the spring sunshine.  We are in the process of removing the old Aussie Box hedge that is past its best and replacing it with English Box.

 
It is also that other favourite time of the year, when the new Stampin' Up! catalogue starts.  The card I have for you today is based on this week's Clean & Simple 156 sketch. This is what it looks like:

 
This is a simple sketch, so I have taken the opportunity to dress it up with different textures to add interest and some products from the new catalogue.  The main element is the gorgeous Melon Mambo doily from the 'Flirtatious Specialty' DSP.  These come as a sheet of 16 joined together so that you can use the whole page, but you can easily snip them apart and use each one individually.  There are 4 different designs and they also come in Pumpkin Pie. Both sheets are white on the reverse, which is really flexible, allowing them to be coloured to match your project. In the centre I added a small crocheted Fleurette that has had the centre petals dyed with a reinker diluted with a small amount of water. I've inserted one of the new In Color Glimmer brads in Pear Pizzazz through all the layers and popped it up. Sitting behind the doily is the gorgeous Pear Pizzazz seam binding ribbon, which feels like silk.  Here it is:

 

Project Details
Stamps	Just Believe
Card stock & Papers	Pear Pizzazz, Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Flirtatious Specialty DSP
Ink	Pear Pizzazz
Accessories	Glimmer Brad (Pear Pizzaz), Seam Binding ribbon (Pear Pizzazz), Basic Pearls
Tools	Beautiful Wings, Swiss Dots Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Modern Label punch, Word Window punch, Dimensionals, Crimper

Happy stamping!