I've been a bad Auntie - poor Emma, my eldest niece will be receiving a belated birthday card this year so I thought I had better post this a little late (it should have been posted a couple of days ago), I'm hoping that her card has arrived before it appears on the internet.
I made it ages ago and then forgot to post it - it travelled around in my handbag for over a week - don't you hate it when that happens - so organised and then just so forgetful - oh dear.
Well lovely Emma I hope that you had a super day and that you loved your bright and fluttery birthday card.
With love from Auntie Nikki, Uncle Paul, Olivia and Kieran xxx
Hello and welcome to another blog hop - you are either on the hop already arriving from Ros Davidson's lovely blog or just starting right here.
With the excitement of the new Ideas Book and Catalogue comes the sadness of what has to go. The Retired list is getting smaller - and for me this was one of my first sets. I remember borrowing it from a friend until I could afford to buy it for myself - Eastern Blooms - discounted to just $29.96 and still available.
I've used the rock and roll technique and inked the lovely flower in Certainly Celery and the rolled the edges around the Not Quite Navy ink pad to add some interest. I really love this card layout - its so quick and easy and never fails to look good. I've re-inked the same stamp with Chocolate Chip and stamped again - this time punching out the centres. I've mounted these using Dimensions to add some .... well 'dimension' ... to the card :o)
Onward you must go to visit the lovely Kathryn Ruddick - she's an inspiration to all of us, her energy and enthusiasm never fails to shine through whatever she is doing.
And if you want to check out what's left of the Retiring Goodies before they are all gone - click here and call one of us on the hop to place your order before close of business Wednesday 31 August - yes that's next week.
I feel like I have been absent forever, there has been so much to do this month and not nearly enough time to create and I have totally abandoned my little blog - sorry.
It's my husband's birthday today - and yes he came home to celebrate being as old as me.
I've used a new stamp set Pennant Parade from the upcoming catalogue - comes with a matching punch to make cutting the little pennants so easy.
I've also used another new punch - the little tiny scallop edge - its a cute new edging punch that is going to be added to my collection very soon (we used it at Convention so I punched this extra piece and surprised myself by (a) not losing it and (b) actually putting it to good use!).
I've used the now retired small star punch to make the background - love tone on tone like this and going to miss this little punch.
I've got a few deadlines to meet with swaps and blog hops so I will be back soon.
Happy birthday Sads, the sun is shining, we have a soccer match to watch and then we are off to visit the Tutankhamun Exhibition in Melbourne - another busy day.
My lovely friend Sharon celebrates her birthday today. She's a fellow English girl who makes me smile. Sharon doesn't 'do' messy and don't ask her to write something in her own hand on a scrapbooking page - a definite no no. When I am making cards or scrapbooking pages I often smile when I think about Sharon making the same page - I know before I even show her what she is going to say.
So her birthday card had to be pretty, feminine and not messy. I've used the retiring Eastern Blooms and lots of pearls - and daubing - all the girls love the daubing. The sentiment is from the Big Birthday set (in the new Ideas Book and Catalogue).
Sharon I hope you have a lovely day. Happy birthday dear friend.
It's the lovely Christine Blain's birthday today - she makes the most lovely cards and has a lovely blog - you should really check it out.
Here's a close up of the middle panel. There are a few stamp sets that lend themselves to this technique of just randomly stamping in a couple of coordinating colours - French Foliage (that yes did make it into the new catalogue) is just one of them. The colours are Night of Navy, Cajun Craze and More Mustard.
I hope my lovely friend has a lovely day today, spending some quality time with her boys.
Happy Birthday Christine
Nikki
x
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
There is much excitement in the Stampin' Up! world - new catalogues are coming which means new stamps and papers and ribbons.
But it also means we need to say goodbye to a few old favourites too.
All items are limited - and more importantly there are some bargins - 25% -40% off some items. These items will sell out over the course of this month - this list is updated daily by Stampin' Up! - to check out what's on the list click here. If you want something call or email and I'll place the order immediately for you.
Now who wants a new Ideas Book and Catalogue? Yes you can get one early .... well earlier than 1 September. $10 if you want to come by and pick one up - $15 if you want one popped in the post.
Email me, I've got a list happening.
Want to come along to a launch party - come and play with new colours and new stamps? Sign up for the newsletter to find out the date and how to secure your ticket to the event.
Newletters will be posted by the end of the week.
Back soon with samples from the retiring list .... sniff sniff some favourites are going ... call me quick if you want something.
Back for another month and part of a blog hop. Its a full circle so if you are starting here hop on board, if you have arrived from Margie's blog you'll know the drill - and all the blogs will be live during the middle of the night (Oz time so if you don't find a connecting link - don't panic just check back later).
This month is all about music. Music plays an important part in my life - but I couldn't find myself ten tunes that meant something to me and my OLW, so I have listed just a couple. Adele and Rolling in the Deep is my favourite right now. I love the singer, her voice, her look, her words .... and whilst I haven't been through what she is singing about I love the first line ..... 'There's a fire starting in my heart, reaching a fever pitch that's bring me out the dark' ..... that's how I feel about my OLW.
The page isn't my usual style - but I am very time poor just now and I will revisit it when I have a bit more time to ponder and embellish.
As I reflect each month on my OLW I am very aware of how much of it is centred around healthy living and 'stopping to smell the roses' .... sometimes it is hard to do this but this month we as a family have introduced DEAR - Drop Everything And Read (thanks to Sue Madex for enlightening me).
There are many tears and tantrums from number 2 child - the very child that needs this regular event and the sole reason for the introduction of it into our lives. But .... it has also bought about 1/2 an hour or so of silence every day after dinner - no screens (computer, tv or phones) and I know I for one am benefitting from it.
So I am pleased to report I have read not one but two books this month - When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman and Jodi Picoult's latest book Sing You Home - very appropriate for this muscical themed post; and I have restarted The Secret Lives of Dress by Erin McKean. It is great to have found my passion for reading again - I am enjoying this quiet time.
August brings for me a new start yet again. For us in the Southern Hemisphere it is one month until Spring. We are moving office / warehouse at work - a huge change and a huge step forward; and I am joining the local gym. My weight loss has stalled yet again and I am using August to kick start it into action.
Hope to see you around next month - hop along and enjoy the update from Monica.
I'm off to dance around the kitchen - playing Adele oh so very loud :)
Its the first Monday of the month - must be time for a new SAM Challenge. Stampamemory is celebrating it's second birthday this month - so the Design Team decided it would be appropriate to scrap a celebration. Our most recent Sadler Celebration was Kieran's 13th birthday (blacked out faces of his friends for blogland (their faces are usually that mucky in real life honest)).
I just had to use the Celebrations DSP. This is the month for retiring items .... and yes all the Designer Series Papers will be retiring - I wasn't sure about this one when I first saw it but I am pleased to say, I've almost finished the whole pack. Its bright colours have worked well with my photos this year.
I love the Stars wheel too (rumoured to be retiring but I will update this when I know for sure) - I love that it matches the star punch.
I've used the paper crimper to add texture to all of the pieces and the Bigshot Timeless Type alphabet for the numbers, Kieran is now officially a teenager! Olivia and I made the cupcakes - and we found some cute icing 'toppers' in the shape of balls together with some grey striped cupcake wrappers to make them 'teenage boy' proof.
Bunting is so now - I love it .... wonder if Stampin' Up! will bring the bunting punch to us in the new catalogue this time?
Kieran always has so much fun with this group of boys - and they are all so lovely ... its great to be able to scrap these photos and the event.
So if you fancy putting a page together to celebrate an event please do join in .... post your link here and check out what all the other designers have come up with.
Back again very soon with more news of retired items, how to get your hands on the new catalogue, a launch party date and a OLW update.
Signing off ... a very busy crafting stampin bee
Nikki
x
ps - I forgot to mention, I've found a new site for layout inspiration - www.pencillines.com - check them out.
