Sale-A-Bration is the time to become a Demo!

Last year I wrote a post similar to this one .... cos yes ... Sale-a-bration is STILL the time to become a demo!

WHY?

Because not only do you receive a fantastic value for money, huge basket full of Stampin' Up! goodies for just $289 (for more information click here) - but if you join up during Sale-a-bration you also receive a FREE stamp set of your choice - to the value of $79.95.

So what can I add to all the information you have seen or read before?  Well Stampin' Up! provide all demos with lots and lots of extra resources to help with workshops or just to whet your appetite to create beautiful projects.

Here's a card I found on the Demonstrator website when I was looking for inspiration.  Cherry Cobbler, Daffodil Delight and Early Espresso .... isn't it a great combination.  There are many more ideas like this to help you to create.

So whether you are thinking of joining for the discount (and lots and lots of us do join for just that reason) or you are thinking now is the time to create a business just for you then contact me to find out more.

Keep cool if you are a Melbourne-ite - and come back in a day or two for a very special blog hop.

Love Nikki

x 

 

Sale-a-bration Starts TODAY

Oh yes - its that time again .... Sale-a-bration is here!

The choice of four beautiful stamps sets - one set for every $100 spent on products from either the Ideas Book and Catalogue or the new Summer Mini.

If you want a closer look at the finer details click here.

This is just a quick announcement - I am placing my order tonight so if you want to join me and share in the postage just let me know - call me on 0428 254 952 or send an email with your order.

You can earn a FREE set by hosting a qualfying workshop too - call me for a date and I'll help you to achieve a FREE Sale-a-bration set as well as a FREE hostess set and FREE product.

Now's the time to also consider whether you'd like to join the Stampin' Up! family as a demo .... there is an additional free stamp set of your choice up to the value of $79.95 from the Ideas Book and Catalogue if you join up before 31 March.  To find out more just call or email.

Everyone loves Sale-a-Bration!

Back soon with samples and more to keep you inspired.

Nikki

x

Summer Mini Blog Hopping Loveliness

By now I am sure you will have drooled over the new Summer Mini - so many yummy new products.  This little blog hop is focusing on just that - Summer Mini loveliness.

You may have just arrived from the wonderful Kathryn Manglesdorf site ... or you may be starting right here .... don't worry, a hop is a full circle, keep clicking through and you'll visit all of the blogs along the way ... all 9 of them!

When I saw the Presto Patterns Speciality Designer Series Papers they were the first item on my shopping list.

These papers are so beautiful.  There are 12 sheets in a pack and they are 'cover-weight' ... which in layman's terms means the paper is 'thick' LOL.  Its almost like an embossed clear image that appears right before your eyes, without the need for embossing powders and a heat gun.  The vintage patterned papers come to life when you apply ink to them.  Here I have used a sponge and just rubbed ink onto the page but you could use a brayer or some Smooch Spritz.

Now to be honest I probably over did the Smooch Spritz ... but these little pearlised accent sprays add a splash of colour to the page ... very sparkly and it is a Christmas page afterall.  The colours I chose were Pacific Point, Marina Mist and Pear Pizzaz - I tried to match the more prominent colours of the photos.

You'll notice there is even some stitching, a Big Shot punched snowflake and a few of the Delightful Decorations baubles along with lots of torn edges and even some sparkly rhinestones.  The journalling is on a page from the Hostess Level One paper pack - screwed up and Smooch Spritz'd for good measure.  

Can you see anything else from the Summer Mini?  I sneeked in an Itty Bitty Bits heart and little button - if you haven't seen these they are just so cute (if you click on the photo above you should get to see it a little clearer) .... I'll have a card or two to show you (once I've gotten them out of my head and on cardstock LOL) .. these are just so cute and great for adding just a little bit extra to your cards and pages.

And here is a close up of the photo - we always put together a collage of photos to send with our Christmas cards and letter each year.  Our letter is tucked in behind the photo - there's a little tag of ribbon attached to it to make it easier to pull out and read in years to come.

Lots of memories from 2010.  Well I had better let you hop along ... off you go to check out the lovely Tina Gillespie to see what she is showcasing today.

Back next week with Sale-a-bration news and more of those little Itty Bitty Bits.

Have a lovely weekend.

Love Nikki

x

 

Helping Hudson Update

Do you remember the huge fundraiser for a little lad called Hudson last year .... your response was overwhelming; from offers of tutorials, to purchases of the packs and some very generous donations.  

Well I have some great news to share with you - news which will surely bring tears to your eyes.  If you hop on over to Hudson's mum's blog (Tina Gillespie), you will find a video of Hudson in his Kidwalk taken just a day or so ago.  Amazing to see Hudson actually taking steps forward and really enjoying his new found freedom.

What are you waiting for ... go on ... hop on over there and check it out ... and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making this happen.

Come back on Saturday for a little blog hop .... featuring Summer Mini projects (at least you'll be guaranteed some sunshine in blog land).

Have a lovely day.

Nikki

x

 

Thank You Cards

I always have lots of Thank You's to write at this time of year and so I made a few of these - so quick and very easy to do ... the Big Shot and a couple of punches are all you need to make a few lovely cards in no time at all - I think it took me longer to write them :)

I like to keep a few cards in reserve for those times when I want to send a quick note and time is of the essence ... so I think I will making more of these in different colours.

Great way to use up little pieces of designer series papers.  I use the 1 1/4" square punch and the sentiments from the Perfect Punches set - and the little Embosslits Beautiful Wings makes the most gorgeous little embossed and die cut butterflies which I have jazzed up with some sparkly jewels. 

 Easy peasy :)

Nikki

x

Perfect Punches

Does this card look familiar?  It was made using the bits and pieces left from the card for my friend.  It almost looks as though that little birdie has a really feathery tail doesn't it.

This is the card I sent to a fellow team member who celebrated her birthday this week - I have set myself a little challenge to send birthday cards to all my  friends - that's if they tell me it is their birthday of course :-) 

So you want to go on the list then leave a comment and let me know your birthday - I'm motivated to create when I have a reason to send a card ... you will be helping me out!

Thank you.

Nikki

x

 

JAI Challenge # 50

With the news of the devastation in Queensland filling the days with more and more sadness and despair, I decided that as I listen to the updates I would make a card.  Of course the girls at Just Add Ink always have a challenge for us to take part in ... I find it easier to do something 'normal' whilst listening to this type of news - makes me feel a little less helpless and reminds me that card making is such a simple pleasure but one that we shouldn't take for granted.

It's a colour challenge this week and here is my card.

I've used the new Itty Bitty Bits from the Summer mini - so cute with their matching Punch Pack and little Bitty Buttons.  The little sentiment has been attached to the inside of the card and a 'peep' hole punched through.

I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like to live through a natural disaster like this.  Thinking of everyone affected by the devastation, especially those that have lost loved ones.

Nikki

x

Happy Birthday Beautiful Friend

Now I know she reads my blog ... so I know she will read this.  I have a very beautiful friend; one I can share anything and everything with.  We chat, we laugh, we chat some more, we cry, we chat a lot more, we laugh a whole lot more .... she 'gets' me.  There is nothing we can say or do that will alter our friendship - our children believe our families are related to each other - she is my BFF, she is Tracy of course :)

I struggle to make a card every year for my friend .... I want it to be extra special ... this card was no exception.  It evolved in rather an usual way ... I knew I wanted to create a card using the Concord Crush and Pear Pizzaz combination and used the Colour Coach to add in Peach Parfait.  So I created the scallop square border, ribbon and little tag (I must stop using the little tags on everything don't you think) and the little sentiment .... almost like a border and then pondered for hours before I created the middle bit!  

Perfect Punches is such a beautiful set ... and the little pearls are fast becoming one of my favourite embellishments.  I don't usually make cards this way round but I am pleased and know that Tracy will love it.

Happy birthday sweetheart - I do hope you have a fabulous day, thank you for being my BFF.

Love Nikki

xxxx

Happy Birthday Chris and Susannah

Two birthdays on the same day .... first my brother celebrates his 40th today - yep he finally enters the over 40's club - welcome Chris!

Isn't the little penquin cute - he's the two step owl punch with a slight adjustment to his ears - I chopped them off ... brutal I know - hence his startled look I think :)

The little balloons are from the Party This Way set and the numbers were cut using the Sizzix Timeless Type alphabet.  I really love the Celebrations Designer Series papers - they are just so bright.

And my second card is for my lovely friend Susannah who lives in Scotland.  We met at a painting class many years ago and have remained friends ever since.  

Another Fifth Avenue rose, this time in Rose Red - watercoloured and then cut out - I sponged the edges a little.  I used the Friendly Words roller and Versamark to create the background and layered up pieces of embossed card, leaves from the Two Step Bird punch and offcuts from the beautiful new Vintages trims to create this card.  The lace at the bottom is called Chantilly and I've added a few of the little self adhesive pearls - I think you can just about see them the photo - they are very tiny - and a quick spritz of shimmer mist.

Happy birthday to both of you.

Love from Nikki

xx

NOTE:  The latest Stampamemory challenge started today - if you missed this morning's post scroll down :) 

Stampamemory Challenge - January 2011

Happy New Year to everyone, I love New Year ... a time for reflection, new beginnings and dare I say it resolutions - certainly a great time for some reflective scrapbooking, but you will have to wait for another day to see what I have been up to.

Stampamemory's challenge for January 2011 is to produce a page using this sketch. I love using sketches because no matter how you interpret it - it always works.

I really struggled with the title of this layout - I wanted to write Veggie Patch but it wouldn't fit ... so Veg it is!  I chose photos that would remind us just how fast things can grow in your garden and the end result - our veggie patch is providing us with endless hours of entertainment (well Paul and I, the kids don't quite get their mother when she runs around pointing out baby cucumbers or spends hours on the net researching solutions for whitefly LOL).

This little embellishment was made using the Every Moment set, watercolour paper and a blender pen - regular viewers of my blog will remember this technique for a birthday card - very easy to do - the hardest part is the cutting out!

The colours are Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso and Poppy Parade.  The little strawberry is from the Tart and Tangy set - I've used Crystal Effects to give it a glossy finish.  I've also edged the designer series papers from the Subtles pack using some Linen Thread - which I simply stapled into place.

The Poppy Parade patterned paper is from the paper stack that is available as a Hostess Level One benefit when you hold a workshop - it matched perfectly with the first tomatoes of the season.  I also used the Spritzer and and Early Espresso pen to speckle the paper - I was thinking it should be a bit grubby as I always end up covered in soil when I am gardening LOL

So now its your turn to have a go - you can enter your pages at Stampamemory - the challege is open for three weeks and we would love to see your creations.

Nikki

x

NOTE:  Two posts in one day from me today ... two birthday cards coming later today :)