Oh..... My...... Goodness!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last night I arrived home from the Stampin' Up!® Incentive Trip to Palm Cove (up near Cairns in lusciously warm QLD). I have to say, that even though I knew I was going to be spoiled rotten, I really did not understand the concept fully!!! Right from the word go, all stops were out to make sure we were looked after.... from presents every day left sneakily in our rooms (like Santa!) to the amazing resort we stayed in, to sumptuous meals, wonderful friends new and old, fabulous trips to surrounding attractions, eating dinner with real live lions (!!) and spending time getting to know other fabulous Australian and New Zealand demonstrators, it is a trip that I will NEVER forget!! Here are some pics.... stay tuned for more!
Here is the group of 25 of us plus Shelli (the CEO in Utah, USA). Shelli is in yellow, 2nd from the left in front. I am up the back, 4th one in.
This is our apartment... just beautiful! We stayed at the Angsana Resort and Spa in Palm Cove. I have NEVER stayed anywhere so nice! If you can ever afford such luxury, this place is a good place to go! That kitchen bench in the first picture is where my gifts were put every day..... I felt like a kid at Christmas!
This lion was sitting, pacing, fighting and roaring right beside us as we ate our Farewell dinner on the last evening. We literally ate our meal hemmed in on 3 sides by lion enclosures, with the lions mere centimetres away, separated from us by a hurricane wire mesh fence, and an electrified cable just beyond it... We could have stuck our hands through the wire and patted them!!! We of course chose instead to keep our limbs permanently attached to our bodies... It was an amazing experience! The zoo we visited was up in the Atherton Tablelands, the Cairns Wildlife Safari Reserve. I want to go again and take the kids! It was great!

I will post more soon.... I have an underwater disposable camera to develop, plus photos to get from others who got different or better shots than me.... Also, I want to show you some of the presents we got, and the things we made in our stamping session... need to take daylight photos to do them justice though.
I am still feeling like it was all a dream, but I was really there! Quite surreal.

Until then!

Summer Picnic

Sure enough.... another installment in my blogging batch... it's because I am having so much fun playing with all my new Spring Mini catalogue products, and therefore have new things to show you! For those who are coming to the Scrapbooking class (see my post below), the following is a tin I altered using the Summer Picnic designer series double sided paper.... and these are the colours we will be using on Thursday. The tin used to have after dinner mints in it, but they are sadly gone....
So in addition to the paper, I have used the One of a Kind Spring mini set, with the matching Boho Blossoms punch in Real Red on Whisper White card stock. I used Pumpkin Pie, Bashful Blue and Old Olive markers to add colour. I also punched out some of the flowers from the paper with the Boho Blossoms punch. I love the scalloped circle punch (in Bashful Blue) and the 2 largest circle punches (in Old Olive and Real Red), as you know, so they are featured again! Real Red wide grosgrain ribbon finishes off my tin! Don't forget, you have until this Friday 15th August to complete your forms to get the Starter Kit for only $299, instead of the usual $324 (with over $560 worth of products and business supplies to get you started!) Email me for information on cherylandrews@optusnet.com.au, or call me on 0401684938, and start a new business or just get your own products at a 20% discount, feed your own stampin', scrapbooking and papercraft addiction, or work at your own pace to fund your hobby! It takes all kinds of demonstrators to be part of my team! Which one are you? (I am still offering a roll of ribbon of your choice too for every new demonstrator who joins with me before the 15th August 2008...).
As usual, all images are © Stampin' Up!® 1990-2008, all artwork is by Cheryl Andrews for your enjoyment and inspiration, and all products are available from Stampin' Up! through me!

Class reminders

Yes, I know - I seem to post in batches with gaps in between.... I guess I have to take the time when I find it! I have also rearranged my creating area, so am feeling less cluttered and more inspired... ;-)
Just a quick reminder about the upcoming classes I have - still some spots left for Scrapbooking with new Spring Mini Catalogue products next Thursday 14th August, 7:30pm at my place - email for the address cherylandrews@optusnet.com.au if you don't have it. For those already coming, (and those who want to book in!) it will be a 12x12 layout for $10, using the new die cuts, Summer Picnic designer paper, Hodgepodge Hardware and stamps and punches. So the colours will be Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Real Red and Pumkin Pie. (check out the Mini catalogue page 10 and 12 for an idea of the colours. The cover gives a good indication too!) Suitable for boy or girl pages. We will be focussing on journalling, ie, the importance of journalling, styles, what to write etc.... 2 larger photos, or 1 large and 2 small are all you will need.... Convert to black and white, or bring photos that will work with the colour scheme... or leave your photos at home and create the page for adding photos to later...

Here is a card I made for my Dad for his birthday in July. I struggle with man cards, but this one he really loved! He usually says thanks etc, but this time he was impressed!!!! Might have to make more for Fathers' Day! Not for him of course... I will have to come up with another for him...
I have used Touch of Nature (the bird), One of a Kind (the sentiment) and Be Happy (the dotty tag). It's funny how some cards come together... this card was literally scraps lying around on my desk! Taken with Teal, Soft Sky, Very Vanilla and Creamy Caramel card stock, Watercolour paper, Stazon ink, Taken with Teal, Creamy Caramel, Going Grey, Basic Grey, More Mustard ink, Basic Grey Taffeta ribbon, eyelets, crimper, aquapainters, crop-a-dile, cutter kit, envelope.... all sitting around on my desk, unconnected in any way! All images are © Stampin' Up!® 1990 - 2008, and artwork is by Cheryl Andrews (me!) for your enjoyment and inspiration....

Spring Mini Catalogue

Yahoo!!!! More stamps and papers and accessories and ideas and... and... And now you can actually purchase from it! I have been having my Mini Catalogue launches (last Friday night, and this Friday night), and in my current workshops we have been using the new things too!!!! Wanna see? Here are the 3 projects we have been making at the launch nights.....
This card uses the new One of a Kind set and the matching Boho Blossoms punch, which perfectly and quickly punches out the triple flower stamp so you don't have to laboriously cut them out yourself! Gotta love that! I have also used: Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Real Red and Pumpkin Pie card stock, the new Summer Picnic designer series double sided paper, Real Red ink, Bashful Blue, Real Red and Pumkin Pie markers, Rhinestone Brad Circle (Fire) and Pumpkin Pie grosgrain ribbon. Also the corner rounder with the guard removed for the scalloped edge, and a handheld punch to make the decorative holes and the half inch circle punch for the centre of the big flower.... Sounds complicated, but tools always make your job a lot quicker and easier!
This is the little gift box found on page 5 of the Mini catalogue - if you would like the template, just email me and I will mail or email it to you (cherylandrews@optusnet.com.au) It is super quick and easy to make, and I have used River Rock card stock, River Rock and Purely Pomegranate ink, Purely Pomegranate Satin ribbon (oh so yummy!!!!) and the A Beautiful Thing stamp set.... I loved using this set (Thanks Nic for the loan!) - the River Rock flower row of four perfectly coordinates with the Purely Pomegranate florally spots row of four so you can stamp one inside the other! So cute and easy! Oh, and I've used the large oval punch too with Very Vanilla card stock for the sentiment....
And last but not least, a bookmark using the Always stamp set..... my personal favourite set. Groovy Guava textured cardstock and ink, Chocolate Chip card stock and ink, Purely Pomegranate ink, sponge daubers, Whisper White card stock, Chocolate Chip wide grosgrain ribbon, one and three eighths inch circle punch, one and a quarter inch circle punch and the White gel pen complete this bookmark, and my three launch projects!

All images are ©Stampin' Up!® 1990-2008, and all artwork is by Cheryl Andrews for your inspiration and enjoyment....

I have more samples, but that will do for now... Meanwhile, don't forget, you have one more week to take advantage of the discounted Starter Kit - now only $299 for $560 worth of products to get you started in either a new career, or fulfilling hobby - email me today for information and Starter Kit order forms - cherylandrews@optusnet.com.au, or call me on 0401684938. Orders must be received by Stampin' Up!® by the 15th August, which is next Friday!

Happy Stamping!