Almost gone....

Sorry about the mutliple postings tonight, but I'm making up for lost time, and I'm not sure how much I'll get done this week as I have a full-on week at work.




Tonight I've been playing around with some pocket notes (Chocolate Chip and Very Vanilla) which were in the Summer Mini. I thought it would be hard to come up with something that worked because they are so small (about the size of a credit card) but I've decided they're fantastic (the pocket notes, not necessarily my creations)! I also wanted to use the Love Matters stamp set someone accidentally returned to me instead of my Time Well Spent (but I'm going to swap it back soon because I need my set for my catalogue launch on the weekend).


Here's what I came up with using mostly retiring products...

Sorry about the poor quality photo - flouro lights really aren't that flash for photographing! Clockwise from top left: *Dragonfly from Winged Things, embossed silver, finished with apple green grosgrain ribbon; **inspired by my retiring set swap - Terrific Tulips stamped with Vintage Violet and Sage Shadow ink with greeting from Much Appreciated (continuing stamp set) embossed in silver, I also ran the right hand edge over the Sage Shadow ink pad; ***friends saying from Love Matters stamped in Tempting Turquoise and mounted on Tempting Turquoise card (that had been run over the coordinating ink pad) and Au Chocolate DS paper. The ribbon on the edge is from Seaside ribbon orginals; ****Love Matters provided the stamped images in Rose Red and Regal Rose, I also used a little bit of Regal Rose card. The ribbons are wine organdy and burgandy grosgrain.

I'm happy with how they turned out. Must go now and work on the projects for the new catalogue launch I'm holding on the weekend. Let me know if you're interested (still need to work out hyperlinks, but I preview all comments so I won't publish any personal details) and I'll send you more details.

Retired Stamp Set Swap

As you may have noticed from previous posts, a good friend of mine Mel is the queen of organising swaps, and she organised a retiring swap for us to get a little bit more use out of those sets we're not going to see in the new catalogue.

Those of you who know me well (and maybe some who don't...) know that I love tulips, so I was very sad to see Terrific Tulips on the retired list. Even so, I have only recently aquired this set and hadn't had much opportunity to play with it; this is what I came up with for the swap - the other condition was using at least one colour from the Soft Subtles family:

I masked the tulips, and stamped off the background ones. You can't see it real well, but I also used Itty Bitty Backgrounds and the card stock was Sage Shadow, Cranberry Crisp and Very Vanilla. Inks were Vintage Violet (I'm really going to miss this colour!) and Sage Shadow and it was all finished with some sliver cord (which I also have to say good bye to and am going to miss).

Thanks Mel for organising this swap - my turn next...

Last Workshop for 2007-2008 IB&C

Yesterday I held my last workshop for the current (for only another 2 days) Idea Book and Catalogue. However, the card we ended up making used stamp sets from the Summer Mini - which also finishes 31st March.

We used the Bud Basics stamp set (which I don't have to put into mothballs - yay!!) and Small Sayings. The flowers in the main panel used the masking technique. Colours were inspired by the Celebration Spectrum pad I used for Joseph's Coat in a previous post; card used was Lovely Lilac, Pink Passion, Green Galore and Whisper White, and ink used was Lovely Lilac, Brilliant Blue, Pink Passion and Green Galore. I used the horizontal slot punch to make my 'poor man's hodgepodge' for the saying and threaded sliver organdy ribbon through it. True to my current phase of movable parts - the saying slides along the ribbon to wherever you think it looks best at the time.

The ladies (and young man) at the workshop came up with some great variations - thanks for a great workshop Rebecca!!

Happy Easter

We have just arrived home from Luana's child care Easter party, so I thought it fitting to post the cards we made this year (plus, I got a message from Mum today to say she has received hers in the post!). I just HAD to buy the very cute Bunny Hugs from the Summer Mini, so that's what I used this year (only 11 days to go to order this stamp set if you're already planning for next year!).

The colour wheel provided the card combination of Certainly Celery, Almost Amethyst and Blush Blossom. I used versamark and Almost Amethyst ink for the backgrounds, and Chocolate Chip for everything else. Soft Subtles Stampin' Write markers were used to colour the eggs and the bunny ears and nose, and the white gel pen provided the white cotton tail. I finished the card off with hodgepodge hardware (egg shaped of course!) and a bit of white organdy ribbon.

Luana quite liked the bunny too, so I stamped one for her. She proudly coloured it in and I couldn't help making it into something!! I like this colour combo - Tempting Turquoise, Pixie Pink and Gable Green. Isn't she clever!?!

I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy Easter and in the words of a good friend of mine...

May you gorge on love and chocolate!!

Summer Mini Swap

Today's offering is my contribution to a Summer Mini Catalogue swap that my friend and sister demonstrator (we have the same upline) Mel organised earlier this year (when I figure out how to do it, I'll link her blog to mine). I actually made the original card for my grandmother's birthday, and just changed the greeting for the swap - a bit cheeky, but I really liked what I did for Mamma!

I used all In Colours for this card (I am so going to miss them, but can't wait to find out what the new ones are!); Marigold Morning and Vintage Violet (and Whisper White) card, and Marigold Morning, True Thyme, Cranberry Crisp and Vintage Violet inks. Carte Postale and the coordinating Jumbo wheel Leaves a la Carte met the swap criteria, and I also used Mostly Flowers (thanks Helene) which I couldn't have placed without the Stamp-a-ma-jig.
The end result was quite different to what I usually do and Mamma liked it, which is the most important part!

Joseph's Coat

I had my first get-together with my team of girls on the weekend (except one who is living it up in Ireland at the moment); I have 4 wonderful and talented members of my team and it was great for everyone to meet face to face and I loved seeing all their creations. BTW, thanks Sam for the awesome rocky road!!


We tried our hand at Joseph's Coat this week - I love this technique because when it works it looks awesome, and even when it doesn't it's still pretty impressive! I still need to trouble shoot an issue, but here are the 2 cards we made; both used Bud Basics and Basic Outline Jumbo wheel from the Summer Mini, the retiring Celebration spectrum ink pad and Basic Black ink.

This one used Green Galore and Pink Passion card with Green Galore ink and was finished with lilac grosgrain ribbon. Very simple, yet effective!

This looks so much better IRL - the weather here has been rather dismal lately (except for today) so I haven't been able to photograph outside. Brilliant Blue, Lovely Lilac, Pink Passion and Whisper White card was used, as well as Lovely Lilac (you can just see it) and Green Galore ink. I used apple green grosgrain ribbon across the top, and the (barely visible) greeting is from Small Sayings in the Summer Mini, finished with hodgepodge hardware.

Lastly, I'd thought I'd share this one too - I played lots for this technique (there are 4 more I could have shared with you!). Once again, it looks a lot better IRL. The stamp set this time was Big Blooms from the Summer Mini. Basic Black, Pink Passion and Green Galore card was used, and tangerine grosgrain ribbon. I love it, even though technique-wise it's not great!!

Let me know if you need any of the stamp sets I've used from the Summer Mini, because that finishes at the end of this month, and all the grosgrain ribbon is retiring too; some have already sold out (check out current availability through the link on my previous post). I'm on the countdown to the new Ideas Book and Catalogue!

Happy Birthday Kate

I ran into a friend yesterday who gave me grief for not keeping my blog up to date, so this one's for you!!




A very good friend of mine up and left me last year and moved back home. I made this card for her birthday, and in true Natasha style only posted it a couple of months after the event.

This one uses Lovely Lilac, Green Galore, Pixie Pink and Whisper White card and inks with Bodacious Blooms and the greeting is from Simple Wishes (retired Level 1 Hostess set from 06-07 catalogue). I kissed the middle of the flower with Mostly Flowers and finished it with a Lovely Lilac eyelet.

Hope you had a great birthday Kate!

Thanks Lynne!!!

Our beautiful Luana is moving up to the next room at child care next week, so I thought I'd make a thank you card for Lynne who has been her carer since she started there. Luana is going to miss her, but I'm sure she'll visit the babies room often to say hello!

I used a Sahara Sand long note with the Scribble Jumbo Wheel (both from the Spring Mini last year), Flirty ribbon from the Summer Mini, Tidy Alphabet (which is retiring, so let me know if you need a set) with Taken by Teal ink, and the little girl (Miss Luana!) is stamped using All in the Family which will be in the 08/09 Ideas Book & Catalogue, with Chocolate Chip ink and Soft Subtles Stampin' Write Markers and backed with Taken By Teal card. I'm really happy with how this turned out, and Luana even wrote/scribbled in it herself!

Thanks again Lynne! We really appreciate you taking care of our little girl!!

7 years

Where has the time gone? I can't believe that this time 7 years ago, I was pacing the lounge room floor of my auntie's house while my best friend was trying to get me to relax and have something to eat (or start drinking that glass of champagne!)...

For today, I made this little card for Paul.

As it's our copper anniversary, I really wanted to include copper on the card - and I think it worked! Once again, the reverse brayer technique came in with the giraffes from Wild About You. I also used the Paisley background stamp and the Level 2 Hostess Set Love It. Thanks to the colour wheel for the colour combo - Always Artichoke, Brilliant Blue, Elegant Eggplant and Rose Red, and the slit punch for the corners.

As our anniversary and Valentines Day are so close, we usually don't do much for the most romantic day of the year. But, I made a card for Paul this year:

I love this colour combo of Chocolate Chip, Rose Red and Regal Rose (and Very Vanilla). The love squares are from the Level 2 Hostess Set A is for Adorable, and I also used Like It A Latte and You Make Me Happy (both from the Spring Mini Catalogue 2007). Paul really liked it (and so does Luana!)

Stampin' Up Retired List

March is the last month for the current Ideas Book & Catalogue, and the retiring list is quite long.... (which means there's probably going to be A LOT of new things to play with in the new one!). Have a look at the list at http://www3.stampinup.com/au/ena/5575.asp and if there's something you see that you can't live without, let me know! Also, if you would like to host a workshop (at home or work) for a last hurrah for retiring sets, let me know!

February Birthdays

The end of February is MAD in our house for birthdays - we have 3 on the one day - so I've been busy making cards for these special people. To add more to the challenge, 2 of the birthdays are males, and I find making male cards a bit difficult..... This is what I came up with this time:

This one was sent to Paul's Pop who turned 87 this year! I wanted to keep it a bit conservative, so I used Treehouse paper as the inspiration, and complemented it with True Thyme, Buckaroo Blue and Cranberry Crisp card. Itty Bitty Backgrounds and the Level 1 Hostess Set Terrific Tags provided the stamping touch (the Tag Punch is awesome for getting the tag just right) and I finished it with White Grosgrain ribbon and Hodgepodge Hardware - Antique Brass. I was quite happy with the final result and hope Pop will be too.

My sister's boyfriend is a keen fisherman, so I thought I'd try and work it into his card this year. I thought I'd make a bit of an interactive card with moving fish - it worked! but needs a bit of fine tuning! The very cute fish comes from Fishy Friends (thanks Mel!!), and I also used Itty Bitty Backgrounds and the Level 1 Hostess Set Riveting. I stamped 'bubbles' in the background of the fish tank using the steam stamp from Like It A Latte (retired; Spring Mini Catalogue 2007 - I hope it's in the new one being released April 1st!!), but it doesn't come up too well on the photo. I used Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Cool Caribbean and Whisper White card, and Old Olive, Cool Caribbean and Marigold Morning ink (I am really going to miss these In Colour inks....). I cut down a small cellophane bag for the 'glass' and used a double layer of Stampin' Dimensionals to get enough height for the fish to move. I'll let you know what he thought.

Last card for this special trio... My good friend's daughter turned 2, so this card is on its way to her. I LOVE Bold Butterfly so it was the 'only' option for this card! The lovely bright card is Yoyo Yellow and Pink Passion (and Whisper White), and I used Yoyo Yellow, Pink Passion, Tempting Turquoise and Lovely Lilac ink - the bottom layer of the butterflies is stamped off, and the edge of the white card is sponged. I also used the Yoyo Yellow Stampin' Write marker (from Bold Brights) to edge the number, which is traced from the On Board Simon Lower chipboard assortment. I finished off the butterfly wings with the 2-way glue pen and Dazzling Diamonds. I also made a 3 year old card with an extra butterfly for a work colleagues daughter, which worked well too. I'm sure the little girls receiving them will love them too...

Happy Birthday to you all, you know who you are!!