40th Birthday Gifts

So many of my friends have been turning 40 lately! Or, as my sister-in-law said, 18 with 22 years experience.. I have been creating cute tote bags holding a few handmade cards for them to use for friends or family....

I have used: Concord Crush (brand new In Color), Baja Breeze, Sahara Sand, Riding Hood Red and Very Vanilla card stock, Very Vanilla C6 envelopes, Extra Large 2 Step Bird punch, 1 and 3/4" circle punch, Top Note Die and Polka Dot Embossing Folder for the Big Shot (LOOOOVE my Big Shot!!!), some Die Cut Flowers that I believe are now retired (though I have a flower die arriving very soon for my Big Shot! Did I mention how I love it?), the new Scallop Trim Border Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 and 3/8" circle punch, Heart to Heart Punch, Word Window Punch, 3/4" circle punch, 1/2" circle punch, 1" circle punch, Scallop Square Punch, Cheap Talk stamp set, Retro Remix wheel, Teeny Tiny Sentiments stamp set, 1/8" Very Vanilla and Silver Brads, Build-a-Brads, Flower Brad (retired), Hemp Twine, Very Vanilla Taffeta Ribbon and Filigree Brads. Phew! I had lots of fun making these, and using my new Concord Crush ink and Marker... yes, In Colors now come in markers!!!

You'll have to excuse my dodgy photos - I had stayed up late to finish the cards, and only just remembered in time the next day as we were leaving to take some shots.... so I didn't get the lighting right, and had to do a lot of doctoring to make them look ok...

Ooh! I forgot the gorgeous Playdate DSP! Those sweet red hearts in rows are a piece from that pack... and of course Riding Hood Red, Sahara Sand and Baja Breeze ink to match the card stock... Also, sponge daubers to sponge the edges of some of the edges.
Enjoy!

Some things are running out!

Here's a quick list of things running low on the Last Chance List:
Nursery Necessities Stamp Set
Eastern Influences Stamp Set
A Rose is a Rose Stamp Set
Playful Petals Stamp Set
Totally Tabs Stamp Set
Short Order Alphabet Stamp Set
Forever Flowers Standard Wheel
Bella's Border Standard Wheel
Kiwi Kiss A4 Card Stock
Real Red Stampin' Around Cartridge
I Wish Simply Scrappin' Kit
Rock-a-Bye Boy Simply Scrappin' Kit
Elegant Eggplant 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon
Star Punch
Word Window Punch (it is in the new catalogue in it's new design)
Stampin' Pastels
Pop-Up Glue Dots

Some of the neutrals card stock is already gone, but mostly it will be appearing in the new catalogue in a different form. Remember the card stock is going up in price, so you will be wanting to stock up before the end of August! Close to Cocoa is definitely out of stock now.

Don't delay! You don't want to be disappointed!

Last Chance List!

The new Idea Book and Catalogue for 2010/2011 is almost here.... but this final month of the 2009/2010 catalogue will see lots and lots of things GO! The Last Chance List is out, and some of the things are discounted. And a couple of things have already sold out! Be quick to make sure you get what you want.... click the title of this post or the highlighted words above to go to the list...
Just a heads up too - the price of the card stock will be increased in the new catalogue, so STOCK UP NOW on your favourite colours!
Here's a pic of my daughter's birthday invitation - I believe Taken With Teal card stock has already gone, but you could switch it for Tempting Turquoise for a similar effect...

Tools and Materials List:
Big Shot
Scallop Circle Bigz Die
Eastern Blooms Stamp Set
Taken With Teal card stock and ink
Rich Razzleberry card stock and ink
Lavender Lace card stock and ink
Whisper White card stock
Elegant Eggplant ink
Rich Razzleberry grosgrain ribbon
Clips Assortment
Not Quite Navy Brad
Boho Blossoms Punch
Snail Adhesive
Dimensionals

Email me today cherylandrews@optusnet.com.au so you don't miss out!

Retiring Stampin' Up!® Colours

By now you have probably heard about all the colours that are not going to be in the new Idea Book and Catalogue in September... Colours are available while stocks last, and Close to Cocoa A4 card stock is very low!!!! If you love this colour, it is expected to sell out in the next few days... I am ordering on Tuesday night (29/6) so call or email me on 0401684938 or cherylandrews@optusnet.com.au to place your order!

We are bidding a Fond Farewell to these colours (click the grey words to go to the pdf). And of course, we will not be left without beautiful colours to work with!!! The New Colour Collection is fabulous! Can't wait to get my hands on them!

So here is a last glimpse of Close to Cocoa A4 card stock in action....

This Pillar Box is a template I printed straight onto my Close to Cocoa A4 card stock. This project was for the lovely Sally's workshop last month - Hi Sal! We also used Rose Red, Chocolate Chip, Kraft and Bravo Burgundy card stock, Close to Cocoa, Rose Red and Bravo Burgundy ink, Silver brads, Chocolate Chip marker, Vintage Vogue stamp set, Raspberry Tart DSP and Kraft Taffeta Ribbon. We had a play with the Big Shot as well, creating the embossed dots on the square Kraft piece behind the bird. The Two Step Bird Punch and Scallop Square Punch were included. (How could I NOT include the birdie punch? You know how much I love him!)

Don't forget to visit my Website at http://cherylandrews.stampinup.net to check out current specials and promotions, including the Starter Kit special and Ribbon and Rhinestone brads on sale.

Stampin' Up!® Starter Kit on Sale

I know some of you are sitting on the fence about joining Stampin' Up! and becoming part of my fabulous team... now is the BEST opportunity ever to join! The Starter Kit contains over $560 worth and normally costs $324. Until the end of July, it will be 20% off at only $259!!!! AWESOME value! So if you want to:

• earn money doing what you love
  
• fund your own Stampin' hobby
• choose your own hours to fit around family and other commitments
• build a business to suit you

or all of the above, then email or call me now! Email cherylandrews@optusnet.com.au, or call my mobile on 0401684938. I would love to share with you this fabulous opportunity!
Here is a pic of what is in the starter kit. You will need to do the following:

• Get an ABN -go to www.abr.gov.au to obtain one.
• You can visit my webpage at http://cherylandrews.stampinup.net and join online. Contact me first for the authorization password.
• Alternatively, we can meet for a cuppa and fill out the paperwork and post it to Stampin' Up! direct.
  
• You can choose different stamp sets, ink colours and card stock colours to what is already included to the same value, so have a list of things you like!
• Feel free to call me with any questions!!!! Looking forward to hearing from you.

Cheryl

I Love My Birdie Punch

A friend of mine has commissioned me before to make cards for her. This time, she needed a card for a Grandma. (She needs 2 other cards too, but they will be for another day).
The Grandma in question apparently loves flowers and birds, so I was really pleased to have no excuse but to get out my Two Step Bird punch from the Autumn /Winter mini catalogue!
I actually started with the Whisper White piece and stamped the images from A Rose is a Rose in a strategic spray across the bottom and up the right hand side in Pretty In Pink, Regal Rose, Mellow Moss and Always Artichoke. (This stamp set is a Two-Step set, meaning you layer the images in 2 tone colours to get the depth.) Then I cut out the blossom buds and layered them up on dimensionals (not sure if you can tell that from the photo). I used some Crystal Effects (thick clear medium for adding dimension and shine) to add dew drops to my leaves and petals, and left it to dry. Next I tied the Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon around the whole piece, and tucked it under the biggest bud. I layered it onto a piece of Chocolate Chip card stock as the card base - I love cutting my A4 card stock down the middle long ways to make a card that either opens tall upwards, or in this case, opens long sideways. The Eyelet Border punch can also be used to make pretty corners, as you can see on the left hand side of the card.
So then I got to create my birdie. The Two-Step Bird punches out a bird body, his teeny wing, and a branch for him to sit on. I punched him in Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss and Always Artichoke. I used the small overlay leaf image from the A Rose is a Rose stamp set and added some texture to the leaves and the birdie's belly. I used the Chocolate Chip marker for his eye and beak. I layered the Close to Cocoa on the Chocolate Chip body, and the Chocolate Chip wing onto the Mellow Moss one. I used the Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss and Always Artichoke branches. Then I sat him up on a dimensional. All done!
Except for the sentiment.... Happy Birthday (stamped in Regal Rose ink) from Teeny Tiny Sentiments in the Autumn/Winter mini catalogue fits neatly into the Word Window punch, and I stamped the base leaf image from A Rose is a Rose to tie it in with the card in Mellow Moss ink. The sweetly perfect mat for the Word Window is none other than the Scallop Oval Punch (still available from the Spring Mini catalogue!!!) with the top and bottom cut off! Cute hey!

Now whilst all my friends are at the Stampin' Up! Convention, I am terribly green with envy, but it's also nice to be home with time to stamp! I hope my friend's Grandma likes her card!

Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue

WOO HOOO!!!!! How excitement! The new Autumn/Winter Mini is here... and it is FABULOUS!!!! Not only that, but I am actually blogging again! Life gets in the way of papercraft sometimes... Can you imagine?
In case you are wondering why we have another Mini Catalogue instead of a new Idea Book & Catalogue, it is because Stampin' Up!® Australia are moving to be in line with the US catalogue time frame. So, we will be getting a new Idea Book & Catalogue in September, with this Autumn/Winter Mini to tide us over...
And what a tide!!!! An absolute flood of cool new tools and beautiful products!

The catalogue includes some things like:
Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine

Gorgeous Embossing Folders and Dies for the Big Shot

Clear Mount Stamps and Acrylic Blocks (stamp sets still have the wood-mount option)

3 new In Colors

Designer Hardware

And heaps more - punches in a new flat-store space saving design and DSP and ribbon....

Anyoo, I have had a wonderful time playing - here are some projects I have already made...
This is a trifold card, tied neatly shut with some of the new Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot ribbon. Rich Razzleberry is one of the new In-Colors, and I have used the ink to stamp the image from the new Vintage Vogue stamp set. I wiped the ink off the word 'friends' and reinked it in Old Olive with a marker. A purple Fire Circle Rhinestone Brad accents the corner. The card stock is Old Olive, Orchid Opulence and Whisper White. The gorgeous triangle pieces on the background of the card are from the Cottage Wall Designer Series paper pack. This paper also has a coordinating stamp set called Cottage Garden to match it.

This pic is of a part of a card I made using the Vintage Vogue stamp set again, but I have also used the new Extra-Large Two-Step Bird Punch, and the Big Shot Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Perfect Polka Dots plus the Big Shot Sizzlits Die Little Leaves. I just LOOOOVEEEE the Birdie punch - he is so stinkin' cute! I have stitched his wings with a chocolate marker, coloured in his beak and eye with the marker, and stamped a Vintage Vogue image on his wee little belly. The punch comes with a little branch for him to sit on too, but I used this bigger version so I could play with the Big Shot some more!!!! Tee hee!
The products and colours in the card include Kraft, Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa and Old Olive, with Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze and Old Olive inks and Baja Breeze striped ribbon.
If you would like to have a copy of the Stampin' Up!® Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue, send me an email at cherylandrews@optusnet.com.au or call me on 0401684938. Don't reply to Feedblitz if you get my automatic updates - I won't get it!!! You have to call or email me direct.

PS - do you like my new blog design? Bit different to my old one!

Inventory Clearance Sale - selling fast!

Most of you will be aware of the Stampin' Up!® Inventory Clearance Sale* if you are on my email updates list.... it finishes on the 24th January, making way for Sale-a-Bration to start. Until then, there are some amazing discounts on certain stamp sets and accessories. Already, the Jumbo Outline Alphabet has sold out! If you had been deliberating over your wish list from the Inventory Clearance Sale, then get cracking! Once the items are sold out, they will be no more. Click on the link (by clicking your mouse on the words above that say "Stampin' Up! Inventory Clearance Sale") to see which stamp sets and accessories are on sale. Some items are 50% off! Email me ASAP to make sure you don't miss out.. cherylandrews@optusnet.com.au

*All stamps are square cut. Sold out sets will still be available for purchase from the 2009/2010 Idea Book and Catalogue as die cut at the full retail price.

I know it's been a while since I posted - you know that's not unusual for me! I hope your Christmas was wonderful, and that 2010 brings all the good things you've been wishing for!

These cans were covered in Designer Series paper and filled with yummies for the teacher! Some of you know I always make a special book of quotes for my kids teachers, but this particular teacher of my daughter's actually taught my son a few years ago! So he already has a teacher book. I made him a tin for his pens (the one in the background, using retired DSP from the 2008/2009 IB&C), and the one in the foreground uses Bella Bleu and Riding Hood Red Patterns DSP, plus Cholcolate Chip grosgrain ribbon, a Jumbo Brad (still available from the Spring Mini Catalaogue), and the Trendy Trees set stamped in Chocolate Chip, Sahara Sand, and rock'n'rolled in Riding Hood Red. Simple circle punching with the one and three quarter inch and the one and three eighths inch circle punches finish it all off! Very quick and easy, and resealable too! I just used a gravy tin (rinsed out of course!).
These letters I covered for my nieces, Jessica and Lauren for Christmas with the new Kaleidoscope DSP from the Summer Mini Catalogue. Other things I used here include:
Five Petal Flower Punch
Boho Blossoms Punch
Rhinestone Brads, Fire and Ice
Brocade Blue grosgrain ribbon
Certainly Celery twill (unavailable - but Certainly Celery grosgrain is just as nice)
Regal Rose grosgrain ribbon
So Saffron designer ribbon from the Dress Up Ribbon Originals pack
Crystal Effects
Pixie Pink, So Saffron, Brocade Blue, Gable Green, Regal Rose and Tempting Turquoise card stock
Great Friend stamp set - Butterfly image (currently unavailable) stamped in matching inks using the sponge daubers to get the varigated colours.
Hope you like these as much as my nieces did!