Art with Heart Team Blog Hop - Women In Our Lives

Morning and welcome to another Art with Heart Team blog hop .... celebrating the women in our lives.  You may have arrived from the lovely Ros Davidson's blog but if you haven't, don't worry, hop on board here and you won't miss a thing.

Now firstly I have to start with an apology ... my photos are shocking ... sorry ... only realised yesterday morning that as I hadn't yet finished my project I would have to take photos in artificial light ... ooops!

Now the title Women In Our Lives .... as I am sure most of you know the most important woman in my life lives in England .. yep my Mum ... there was another ... my grandmother who sadly isn't with us anymore but I had wanted to scrapbook a photo I know I have of all of us (mum, granny, Olivia and I) but do you think I could find it ... nope but I will ... and so that will have to wait for another day.

Other women in my life include all my friends, and I am lucky enough to have girlfriends scattered across the globe.  I decided it was too hard to choose just one group so I chose a favourite past time instead.  Lots and lots of my friends are avid readers ... in fact I belong to a book club and we meet once a month.  So here's what I have made ... 

This is the book I am half way through ... and yes book club ladies I know I am supposed to have finished it over a month ago but .... I've been busy scrapbooking and card making :o)  Do you see what I am using to save my page?  Yes a lovely bookmark.

And here it is in close up on another favourite 'book' of mine ... the latest mini catalogue (yes yes I know I am obsessed)!

These are so easy to make, quick and very cute.  I am planning on sending all of my girlfriends one of these - it might take me a while to complete this task but I know everyone will love them.  

I've used Fifth Avenue Floral, a recent addition to my collection to create the centre piece.  Card stock colours are More Mustard and Chocolate Chip.  If you would like the pattern leave me a comment and I will email one to you.

And here's a picture of this month's blog candy ... a pair of bookmarks to either keep for yourself or to pass on to another as a gift.

So how do you win this candy?  Continue through the hop and leave a comment on everyone's blog and then email me and let me know.  All the names go into a hat and a lucky winner will be drawn.  It's that easy!

So you had better hop along to the next stop Tanya Westwood.  Tanya is a star scrapbooker and the host of the Stampamemory site ... if you love scrapbooking bookmark this site - you won't be disappointed.

Off you hop and don't forget to comment and enter our blog candy prize draw.

 

Exciting News

Have you noticed the new picture in the left hand column?  I am taking part in The Royal Tour - a blog hop that spans across the world.  Starts tomorrow and includes six paths that will lead to about a dozen castles all featuring ideas using different stamps sets .... is it very exciting.

And ... on the same day but at a different time ... we have the Art With Heart Team hop too ... featuring the women in our lives.

So be sure to come back and check it all out - now to just work out a way to make sure you don't miss anything or get lost along the way :o)

 

Sunny Day Beauty

Take a look over at Stampamemory for my latest scrapbooking page,  I've used the new Sunny Day Scrappin kit from the Autumn Winter Mini .... 

Here's a sneek peak ...

 Can you guess who is featured in this page?

 

Introducing Stamp and Scrapbooking Clubs

How would you like a night out with friends every month doing something you love? How would you like to learn how to make the most of the stamping supplies that you already have? Do you want to learn new techniques and make beautiful projects? If you answered YES to any of these questions, then a club would be perfect for you. 

Here are the details…

• Each member commits to placing a minimum order of $50 (plus p&h) each month.

• Each month on a rotating basis, one member will get to be the club hostess, and will earn the hostess benefits for that month. On your hostessing month, you can bring in outside orders by hosting your own workshop too.

• Free copy of the current Ideas Book and Catalogue if you don't already own one.

That’s all there is to it! Contact me today to register as a member of the next stamp club!

OR….here are some other stamp club options…..

• Start your own! – If you have a group of stampin’ friends, lets get organised and start your own stamp club! You can come to me, or I will bring it to you, the choice is yours.  Contact me to start your own club today!

• Virtual stamp club – if you are not local to me and are therefore unable to attend stamp club gatherings, or if you like the idea of the club but are not able to make the time to attend for one reason or another, contact me to arrange a spot in a Virtual Stamp Club. Members still place a minimum $50 + p&h order in the same way each month, and everyone still gets a chance to choose the hostess benefits, but without having to leave your home!  You'll receive the project details, photos and instructions so that you too can take part and try out new techniques.

And of course, not forgetting the scrapbooking addicts, same deal as the Stamp Club only all the emphasis is on scrapbooking.  Every month the project will be a scrapbooking page ... at the very least if you join up for this club you'll have completed six pages by the end of it - that is six more pages than I completed last year :o)

You can start your own club, come and join in a club here or become a member of a virtual club .... contact me if you want to book your spot.

ESAD Mother's Day Hop

Oh yes another Hop - I love Blog Hops!

You will have just arrived from Debbie William's blog, but if you haven't and you are starting here ... don't worry ... hops are a circle ... you can hop on and off where you choose.  Now if you'd like to win some blog candy all you need to do is to leave a comment on all the blogs in the hop (16 in total) and then email the organiser Sharlene Torres and let her know that's what you have done - so simple!

Mother's Day for me happens in March (three weeks before Easter) .... being an English chick that's just what happens ... but ... being an Aussie chick too (thank goodness you can't hear me speak - lol), Mum did say that she'd quite like having two Mother's Days so perhaps Mother's Day in May will become more normal for me I think.

Having just achieved a recent promotion, I was able to get the Big Shot for FREE - yes FREE - excited is an understatement. 

I've used the Top Cut die to make a little bag.  I used this last night as a prize for a workshop - the ladies loved it.  It is so simple to make.  

Then I have cut two Top Notes (at the same time) and ran the Very Vintage wheel over them in Soft Suede.  A little Melon Mambo Vintage Vogue flower with a little centre in Soft Suede and a brad, the little bag was almost complete.

I used the Hostess Level 1 set, Best Yet to create a tag, punched with the large oval, scallop oval and wide oval, this is a quick and easy way to add a sentiment.  I've attached it to the Melon Mambo Polka Dot ribbon handles with a little piece of Linen Thread ... finished off with a little bit of sponging with the Soft Suede ink .. perfect.  Here's a little sketch to show you the dimensions for making the little box inside ...

I love being a demo ... not only do we get a generous discount we also receive great incentives ... and you can became a member of ESAD - it's for all Australian and New Zealand demonstrators of all levels. Click here to join and receive the help and encouragement you need in your business from both new and experienced demonstrators. And if you want to join Team Inky ... click here to find out more.

Right time to hop onto Melissa Barkwith's blog for more inspiration - enjoy your day.

 

Happy Birthday Mum

It's my Mum's birthday today ... Happy Birthday Mum :o) 

Elegant Eggplant, So Saffron and Old Olive remind me of spring time ... it's okay I haven't gone mad ... mum lives in England and spring has sprung for her.

The beautiful Vintage Vogue stamp set is just so beautiful and I have teamed it up with the Very Vintage wheel and the Best Yet Level 1 hostess set sentiment.

I was very pleased with this card .... went a little OTT as I attached another Top Note die cut to the inside of the card and a few more flowers .... but I reckon if you can't go a bit mad on your Mum's card when can you?

Hope you are having a fantastic day Mum - love you.

Love Paul, Nikki, Olivia, Kieran and Max (woof woof) 

xxxxx 

PS - thanks to Christine for coming to my rescue and sending me some die cuts - my die cutting machine ... the Big Shot ... hadn't arrived and I had a vision of this card that just needed to be made for my Mum.  Christine came to the rescue and sent me a 'few' of her die cuts to help me out - thanks x

SAM Challenge # 7 - ME!

The challenge .... to scrapbook five things you like about yourself ... including a photo!  Yep a photo - I don't have very many photos of me at all - I'm always taking the photos!

As always, there is a prize .... two jumbo Stampin' Around wheels of your choice - cool prize donated by Tanja.  You can use Mr Linky to enter your layout or if you don't have a blog email one of the design team and we will help you - you can make a guest appearance on my blog if you like ;o)

You will find all the challenge details HERE at the Stampamemory.

Believe it or not ... this challenge was ... well a challenge.  I can waffle on until the cows come home about everyone I know (and often do), talk to a lamp post if it will answer back even ... but tell you something personal about me ... or show you a photo of me .... ummmm that takes a bit of preparation!

I have three photos of me that I 'kinda' like (constantly on a diet you see - perhaps one day there will be a before and after picture - lol) ... the one here on my blog ... up there on the right ... the one I use as an avatar for the forums I frequent (will scrap that one day) and this one!

I asked my son Kieran if he could list five things that he loved about his mum ... being rather smart he asked why, and when I told him he said it would be cheating if he told me ... great help he was!

I then asked my best friend ... she came up with heaps of ideas (gotta love best friends).  I did ponder scrapbooking my feet ... I like my feet ... I wondered if scrapping my big toe, my little toe ... and so on ... would count ... or get me chucked off the design team!  As this was one of my New Year Resolutions (that I really didn't think I could achieve) - I took several days to come up with this layout ... the stamping was a breeze ... the journalling a little less so!  So here it is .... 

I am in love with the new Vintage Vogue set from the Autumn Mini - especially the clear mount version.  But first ... here's the sparkle ... I've used Crystal Effects and then sprinkled some Dazzling Diamonds over the letters before it dried ... see how much it sparkles.

And the flowers - I've created 'centres' threading the ribbon up through one hole, knotting it and then threading it down through another hole ... or ... I have threaded both ends of the ribbon through the card and tied a simple knot.

I used Real Red and the long stamp from the Vintage Vogue set to create an edge to the page ... and then overlaid that with the Basic Black, Craft White ink and the 'viney' stamp to create another border before I added the photo and the numbered chipboard journalling.

All the numbers are from the On Board Timeless set ... I've used the 'waste' and cut it out with a craft knife.  I sponged Basic Black and Real Red ink onto the chipboard and then stamped the image over the top in Craft White.  These little pieces are attached to Whispter White journalling blocks, again stamped and I have written with a Real Red marker.

So what does the journalling say ... well here goes:

I love being Mum!  My two greatest achievements are Olivia and Kieran - they make me smile every day.

I like being me .. trying to be the very best I can be for myself and for everyone around me - a definite work in progress!

I love to create ... are you surprised?  I've always got a list of 'things I want to do' ... 
 if only I had more time!

I love to make others laugh and I love hearing others laugh.  I can't tell a joke to save my life but I do have a few 'blonde' moments to share.

I am a glass half full kinda girl.  I'll grab any opportunity that comes my way with a smile and encourage others to do the same!

I hope this inspires you to have a go and enter a layout - remember there are prizes!

It has been a challenge to bear my soul in this way but I am really pleased that I did it ... now my kids ... and their kids will have a record of what their mother / grandmother looked like and thought about herself at the ripe old age of 42 - did I just admit to being that old :o)

That's what I love about scrapbooking :o)