Stampin with Joanna

Embossing ATC

This is an Artist Trading Card (ATC) I made for a swap with some other Stampin' Up! demonstrators.  The criteria for this swap was we had to use embossing.  The idea is that we will all recieve 8 ATC cards to showcase embossing.  These cards are only very small:  2.5 x 3.5 inches.

I have embossed all the stamped images on this ATC.  The small flower from 'Simply said' is stamped in versamark ink and embossed with clear embossing powder on the navy card.  The group of flowers is stamped in versamark ink and embossed with white embossing powder on the bordering blue.  And the 'for you' greeting (From 'All Year Cheer I') is inked up first in versamark then in night of navy ink, then stamped and embossed using clear embossing powder.

I can't wait to see what swaps I get back!

If you would like to purchase any embossing supplies, Stampin' Up! has reasonably priced, high quality embossing tools and powders. You can view them by clicking here (on page 145) and can place your order with me via email or by calling 0408 657 258.

Here is a close up:

Details: 

Stamps:  Simply Said, All year cheer I

Inks:  Versamark, Night of navy

Card:  Night of navy, whisper white, bordering blue.

Accessories:  Heat tool, clear embossing powder, white embossing powder, embossing buddy, word window punch, 1/8 inch circle punch, navy organdy ribbon, night of navy Stampin' Write® marker, sponge daubers.

Friendship Blooms, flirty ribbon, tag card

As promised here is the second card I made using the Stampin' Up! Flirty Ribbon.  This one uses the pink corrugated ribbon and the pale blue (cool caribbean) ric rac.

I have stamped the flower from the Sale-a-bration set, 'Friendship Blooms' and punched them out with the tag punch.  This stamp set is one of the limited edition sets available FREE only until the end of February when you order $100 of Stampin' Up! product (you can email me your order today if you like!)

The greeting is from that set too - and would look so much better on this card if I had used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp it so it wasn't crooked! LOL!  How many times have you made a great card then stamped the greeting crooked right at the end to muck it all up!!  Oh well - it is only slightly crooked so maybe you won't notice, and even if you do - it makes it a unique handmade card! (and is a great advertisement for the Stamp-a-ma-jig, Stampin' Up!'s easy to use stamp positioner)

Here is a close up:

Details:

Stamps:  Friendship blooms (Limited edition Sale-a-bration set Jan-Feb 2008), Itty bitty backgrounds.

Ink:  Pretty in pink, Regal rose

Card:  Regal rose, cool caribbean, whisper white

Accessories:  Flirty ribbon originals, tag punch. 

Flirty Ribbon, Little Pieces Valentine

Here is a card I made using the new Stampin' Up! Flirty ribbon (this is only available until the end of March - so don't forget to order some before then!).  I have loved this ribbon since it came out in December, but not used it yet!  So yesterday I sat down and challenged myself to make some cards using it.  This is the first one (I have another one for you tomorrow!)

In case you can't tell the ribbon is the pink strip with the detail on the sides!  It actually has this detail on both edges but I have just shown one edge above and below the main centre stripe. 

I have also used the stamp sets "Little Pieces" and "Itty Bitty Backgrounds". Sets that are so versatile and sometimes forgotten besides their bigger neighbours.  I have punched the circles out with the half inch circle punch and popped them up on Stampin' dimensions for that 3D effect.

I distressed the edges of the white and celery strips to give them some dimension too, using the cutter kit. 

Here are some close ups of the detail:

Details:

Stamps:  Little pieces, Itty bitty backgrounds, Everyday flexible phrases

Ink:  Pretty in pink, certainly celery,

Card:  Whisper white, pretty in pink, certainly celery.

Accessories:  Flirty ribbon originals, word window punch, 1/2 inch circle punch, stampin' dimensionals, cutter kit.

Remember:  You can place a Stampin' Up! order with me at any time and I can have it mailed to your home.  Please feel free to email me if you would like to order, or have any queries.

Oh - and Happy Australia Day!

Pretty gift box

This is a cute 2,4,6,8, box that I made and decorated.  I think it might be nice if there was a little valentine's gift inside for someone special!

I have utilised Stampin' Up!'s wonderful punches for decorating this box.  Both the small and large oval and the spring bouquet flower punch. 

Here are some close ups of the detail:

Details:

Stamps:  All year cheer I, scribble wheel

Ink:  Pretty in pink, mellow moss.

Card:  Pretty in pink, certainly celery.

Accessories:  Large oval, small oval, spring bouquet flower punch, 1/4 inch circle punch, stampin' dimensionals, sponge daubers.

Happy Stamping!

Jordan's Birthday Whimsy Card

Here is a card I made for a school friend of one of my boys. It was a bit fiddly tying all the silver cord onto the letters and balloons - but worth the effort I think!  Both the letters and balloons are raised up by stampin' dimensionals so they 'pop' out of the card. 

I cut them all out using the Stampin' Up! paper snips - they made it so easy!  They are really sharp and cut right to the end of the blade. I don't know why I 'made do' without them for so long.  They are only $18.95 and so worth it.

I used the 'Birthday Whimsy' Sale-a-bration stamp set.  I think this will be an invaluable set for birthday cards for people of all ages.

If you would like to get this stamp set FREE you just need to place an order of at least $100 with me before the end of February.  You can email me or call me on 0408 657 258.

Details:

Stamps:  Birthday Whimsy (Sale-a-bration 2008), Big deal alphabet

Card:  Whisper white, bordering blue.

Ink:  Ballet blue, pumpkin pie, marigold morning, real red, garden green, tempting turquoise, night of navy, bordering blue.

Accessories:  Stampin' dimensionals, silver cord, sponge daubers, Stampin' Up! paper snips.

I've been tagged!

The lovely Melissa has tagged me - so here are 7 things you may not know about me:

1.  I am originally from New Zealand but am now officially an Aussie too!

2.  I am a stay at home Mum to 2 boys. 

3.  I became a Stampin' Up! demonstrator in July 2006 so I could fund my papercrafting hobby.  I have since turned my hobby into a successful business which I manage around my family life.  I couldn't imagine life without Stampin' Up! now.

4. Jobs I have done include:  bank teller, tour leader, personal assistant, lab technician.

5.  I have a degree in Geology.

6.  I really hate ironing and only do it when I absolutely have to!

7.  I make really good chocolate fudge at Christmas time - it may have something to do with the old family recipe I use!

Wild Rose Post it note holder

This is the post it note holder that I am making for my hostess gifts during Sale-a-bration.  It can sit on their desks so they can always find their post it notes!

It was very dificult to photograph due to its reflective nature - so I apologise for the photo - this was the best I could do!  It does look better in real life (thankfully!)

I hope my hostesses are happy with this little gift.  I always give them a special little something to let them know that I appreciate the time and effort they have taken in organising their gathering.

If you would like to be treated to a special gift from me all you need to do is book a Stampin' Up! demonstration with me.  You only need 4 or more friends and have a dining table where we can all make a card together.  It is lots of fun.  Email me or call me on 0408 657 258 if you are interested in finding out more.

Details:

Stamps:  Wild rose, everday flexible phrases, expressive flexible phrases

Card:  Mellow moss, cranberry crisp, very vanilla, chocolate chip

Ink: chocolate chip, cranberry crisp, mellow moss

Accessories:  Recollections patterned paper, stamp-a-ma-jig, acrylic photo frame, post it notes.

The handmade Christmas cards I received

I know it is way after Christmas now, but as I only took down my cards last week, I realised I got some lovely handmade cards this Christmas.  So thought I would share them!

I was very spoilt and received hand made cards from Marelle Taylor, Tina Dickman, Rachel Capps, Jayne Mercer, Maggie Mathern, Merryl Blacker, Carol Dunstan, Alissa Buckley and Berlinda Neale.  Thank you all ladies.  I love the extra effort taken to send a hand made card.

All of these use Stampin' Up! stamps and products too, so are even better!  I can save them until next Christmas to get ideas from.

I think I will try and be extra prepared this year and start making my Christmas cards early.  I will try and make 10 Christmas cards each month this year so that by December I will have 110 cards ready to send out!  Imagine that!  I will let you know if I suceed. 

If you would like to make your cards early, or any other card designs you can always book a card making class with me.  All you need is 4 people and I will bring everything we need to your home. You can choose the type of cards you would like to make. Everyone makes 10 cards (5 each of 2 designs) and pays only $20 each. Everyone can learn some new techniques, get some cards made and have some fun. Email me or call me on 0408 657 258 if you are interested.

Stem Silhouettes, Lots of Thoughts Card

Here is one of the make and takes you could have made if you attended by fantastic Sale-a-bration/Summer Mini Catalogue Launch Party last night. 

It is a card I think you could use for a man or a woman. I love Stem Silhouettes, it is my favourite set in the Summer Mini Catalouge.  And the greeting stamp is from the Sale-a-bration set, Lots of Thoughts, one of the most versatile greeting sets I think there is in the Stampin' Up! range - 24 greeting lines in one stamp set!

Guests at my party could choose the greeting stamp they wanted from the set for their card.

Last night we shared lots of laughter and fun while we made cards, nibbled and sipped champagne.  The lucky door prize winners were also thrilled with their stamp sets and free products. And everyone loved the free giveaways which they all got to take home too!  If you weren't one of the lucky ones who attended be sure to watch out for my next event night so you don't miss out in the future!

Details:

Stamps: Stem silhouettes(Summer Mini Dec 07-March 2008), Lots of thoughts (SAB 2008)

Card:  Always artichoke, night of navy, whisper white

Ink:  Night of navy, always artichoke.

Accessories:  Sponge daubers, 1 3/4 inch square punch.

Make and Takes for Launch Party

These are the three FREE gifts you could be receiving if you attend my Sale-a-bration/ Summer Mini Catalogue Launch Party tonight!

- A triangle box (with mystery filling!) stamped with the "leaves a la carte" jumbo wheel.

- A gift card made with Stem Silhouettes (from the Summer Mini)

- and a Paperclip bookmark decorated with an image from "Carte Postale" on one side and the bee from the Sale-a-bration set "Merci" on the other side.

Email me or call me on 0408 657 258 if you would like to attend!  I live near Windsor in Sydney.

OR Place an order by midnight Sunday 13th January to get one each of these lovely giveaways.  I accept Visa and Mastercard or direct deposit into my bank account.  Email me or call me on 0408 657 258 to place your order now!

Here is a close up of them all:

Boy and Girl Cards

Do you have lots of children's birthdays to make cards this year?

Why not book a Card Making Class with me to make 10 of the cards above.  All you need is a group of 4 or more.  I provide all the materials and we can even stamp envelopes to match if you like.

Cost of classes are $20 per person, optional $3 extra for envelopes.

Contact me today by calling 0408 657 258 or email me to find out more.

I designed these cards using a card by Jayne Mercer as my sketch.  Thanks for the inspiration Jayne!

Details:

Stamps:  All in the family (not available until April 2008), Lots of Thoughts (SAB set), French script, canvas background.

Card:  Whisper white, certainly celery, ballet blue, regal rose

Ink:  Bashful blue, staz on black, pretty in pink

Accessories:  Word window punch, sponges, grosgrain ribbon.

Interested in Becoming a Demonstrator?

There has never been a better time to sign up to be a Stampin' Up! demonstrator than right now.

These are the reasons why:

- You can get 10% off the starter kit if you sign up now (that's only $291.60 for approx. $600 of product!)

- You get a free stamp set of your choice from the Idea Book and Catalogue if you sign up now (until the end of February)

- You can join a fabulous team, mine! (The Creative Stampers - some of whom are pictured above)  We meet at least once a month for training and stamping fun and have some very talented and creative members.

- You can earn some extra money, while having fun doing your hobby, or just get the discount and enjoy not spending quite so much on your hobby!

If you are interested in receiving a FREE, no obligation, Stampin' Up! Information pack please email me or call me on 0408 657 258.  I am more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

Free Giveaways at my Launch Party

These are one of the free giveaways for my Sale-a-bration/Summer Mini Catalogue launch party this Saturday.

They are mini triangle boxes filled with a special treat!  I'm not going to tell you what - you'll have to come along or place an order with me to find out!

There is still time to book your place, bookings are essential.  If you live not too far from Windsor in Sydney and would like a fun night of card making then give me a call on 0408 657 258 or email me to book your place.

If you can't make it (but would really like to find out what is in my treat boxes!) you still can, if you place a Stampin' Up! order with me before Sunday 13th January.  All orders, no matter how small, will recieve all the free giveaways at my launch on Saturday.  There are more to come, this is just one!  So hurry now to place your order!

Quick Birthday Gift Tag

Here is a very quick gift tag I created in less than 10 minutes!  It uses the 'Best bar codes' set from the Stampin' Up! Summer Mini Catalogue.  A nice set with 4 stamps all similar to the one above but saying:  Thank you, Hope you are feeling better, Congratulations as well as the Happy Birthday one.

I have hinged the tag using a brad, so your birthday message can be hidden behind the front piece of card. I got this idea from Kari Hughes in a recent cyberstamp - thanks Kari!

I also stamped a greeting from the "Lots of Thoughts" sale-a-bration set - this is such a versatile set, it has so many greetings for all occasions, I think I will be using it alot.  Some fake stitching with my marker finishes off the tag.  I think I should have rounded the corners too - maybe next time!

Details: 

Colours:  close to cocoa and whisper white card, tempting turquoise ink and pumpkin pie ink (around edges), More mustard brad.  Close to cocoa marker.

Email me or call me on 0408 657 258 if you would like to get your Sale-a-bration set for FREE before the end of February 2008.

Merci card

This is a card using stamps from only one stamp set - Merci - one of the fantastic Sale-a-bration stamps sets - available FREE if you place an order of $100 with me during January and February 2008.  It contains the lovely central image as well as a butterfly, bee and flower - a very versatile set.

This card was also inspired by a card I swapped with Alisa Tilsner, a good friend of mine, whom I got to know much better on the Stampin' Up! Incentive Trip last year.  I think she may have got her inspiration from an SCS sketch.  I have used her card as my sketch but changed the colours and stamps to fit my needs.  Thanks for the inspiration Alisa!

I also got to try my new Stampin' Up! Watercolour paper for the first time.  It really made the colouring look fantastic (so if it makes mine look great - imagine what it can do for you!) There really is no substitute for quality sometimes.  And that's what Stampin' Up!'s watercolour paper is - VERY HIGH QUALITY. 

Contact me if you would like to try some too!

Details:

Stamps:  Merci (sale-a-bration 2008 limited edition stamp set, only available until end Feb 2008)

Card:  Chocolate chip, vintage violet, cool caribbean, ruby red, Stampin' Up! watercolour paper

Ink:  Staz on, vintage violet, versamark, tempting turquoise (for sponging edges of cool caribbean)

Accessories:  ruby red brads, Stampin' Up! mat pack (helped to space and line up the brads so they are perfectly placed - makes it so easy!)

Special Bonus Offer:  Place any Stampin' Up! order with me before 12th January 2008 to get the free giveaways from the launch party I am holding on that date.  Even the smallest order will get the free giveaways - so contact me today to place your order!

Baby Boy Card

I'm so happy for my friends Melissa and Craig.  They have just welcomed a third baby boy to their family, Liam Andrew Smith!  Congratulation guys!

This is the card I made for them.  Welcome to the world Liam.  I wish you a long, happy and laughter filled life.

Details:

Stamps:  All in the family (will be available in new Stampin' Up! Catalogue due in March 2008), All year cheer I, Classic Alphabet, Everyday flexible phrases, Expressive flexible phrases.

Card: Night of navy, bashful blue, old olive, whisper white.

Ink:  Staz on black, old olive, night of navy, bashful blue

Accessories:  Four seasons paper (pale blue background), blue gingham ribbon, silver thread, 3/4 circle punch, 1 inch cirlce punch and 1 1/4 inch circle punch.

Birthday Whimsy Card

I just love all of the Sale-a-bration stamp sets!  This is the cake from 'Birthday Whimsy' and the greeting from 'Lots of Thoughts'. 

The card is from a splitcoaststampers sketch (SC140) that I used as a challenge on a cyberstamp I helped to run last night, for the INKlings (one of the Stampin' Up! Demonstrator teams I am in!).  You had to use the sketch plus some Stampin' Up! patterned paper somewhere in your design, and take your colour scheme from the paper.

I used the Four Seasons patterned paper (for the three strips - two are cut to show all the stripes and the strip along the bottom of the card is cut at 90 degrees to the others so it shows one long stripe.)  Other colours used are bashful blue, old olive, marigold morning, bravo burgundy and whisper white.

I used the Stampin' Write Markers© to add colour to the birthday cake after inking it in marigold morning first.  And also to 'ink' up just part of the greeting stamp which actually has 4 lines of greeting on it - but I just wanted one - so I using the markers meant I didn't have to mask the others.  It makes 'Lots of Thoughts' a very versatile set with 24 greeting lines if you count them all individually!

Remember to get one of these lovely stamp sets for FREE, its easy! - all you have to do is place an order of $100 with me before the end of February. 

If you place your order before 12th January then I will give you all of the free giveaways from my launch party on that day (You also get them if you attend - so if you are in Sydney and would like to come and make some cards - contact me today!)

Sale-a-bration has begun!

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope your year is a wonderful one, filled with happy days and joyful moments.

The first reason to celebrate is that Stampin' Up!'s SALE-A-BRATION is here.  Yippee!  A chance to get FREE STAMPS!

All you have to do is place an order of at least $100 with me and you get to choose a FREE stamp set.

You can view the stamp sets that you get to choose in the Sale-a-bration brochure (1.91MB) if you click here.

Don't forget:  To launch this fabulous promotion I am holding a launch party on Saturday 12th January at 7.30pm at my home in McGraths Hill.  I provide freebies for everyone as well as make and takes, nibbles, champagne and lucky door prizes!  All are welcome so email me to book your place.  Bookings are essential.

If you can't attend you can still join in the fun.  If you place an order of $50 or more I will give you the freebies I am giving away on the night, so email me your order now!