is it a book or a box??

I think it could be both! lol

A few weeks ago Debi Ryan taught us a cool box which looks like a box. I decided to make another one using some of the new products. This one shows the new stamp sets (two new ones) and a new embossing folder (can you see where I used it??) and the new "Glass Glitter". That is what I love most with the products I used for this - it's so sparkly!! hehe I used Crystal Effects to adhere it to the frame (embossing folder????). Apparently it tarnishes a bit over time to give vintage look. Actually at the Stampin' Up! Big Day Out I accidentally called it "Broken Glass" which isn't really a good selling name nor a popular product to craft with - blahahahah. I have to concentrate to call it "Glass Glitter" but what ever you call it it is an AWESOME new product. It comes in both silver like I used and gold.

Only one more sleep before the new catalogue go live!! I can't wait!!! Can you?????

vintage scrap book 12x12 page

more yummy new products are on this page:

- The DSP 'Timeless Portrait'

- The stamps 'Perfectly Penned' & 'Delicate Doilies'

- New punch 'Triple Layer Doily'

- Embellishment 'Trinket Keys'

- Embossing folder 'Designer Frames'

The photo is of my Great Grand Parents on my mothers side (her mothers parents). I am so in love with Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla and Basic Black! You will (and have) see a lot of it from me in the next wee while - I have LOTS of samples to show you - all item's I prepared for the Big Stamp Day Out last weekend.

This weekend I have me launch party for the new catalogue - email me by Thursday for more details if you are keen.

Also I now have the 3D Frame tutorial available to purchase on the side of my blog along with the Top Note Stepper Card.

Happy Crafting :)

a frame of fabric!! Stampin' Up!'s new FABRIC!!!

I made another frame like the last one but I wanted it bigger - so I decided it would be cool to cover it with the lovely new Stampin' Up! fabric - Timeless Portrait. The Stampin' Up! glue stick is PERFECT for adhering fabric to card. I used the backing card that comes with the DSP packs as the base for all of this frame. When making your own frame from scratch you can over it with what ever you like and make it with whatever!!!

The butterflies are cut with the Big Shot and the Beautiful Butterflies die - and the two patterned fabrics are also out of the Timeless Portrait fabric pack.

By the way - it's my mum at 21 in the photo :)

I am having my new catalogue launch party this coming Saturday where you can see the new catalogues along with the samples I am showing on here over the next 2 weeks or so. Email me if you would like to join us julia.leece@vodafone.co.nz

My Stampin' Up! Big Day Out project

Today in Auckland we had New Zealand's first Big Day Out where all Stampin' Up! demos and guests were invited to come along for a day of lots of fun and products. I was privileged to be asked to demonstrate some new products (yes they sent me stuff no one else in NZ had! how cool was that!!) and this is the main project that I showed.

One of the new products is full packets of A4 Brushed Silver card and I just knew I had to make a silver frame and antique it!! There are LOTS of new products in the projects - the ribbon, the punches, the embossing folder, the charms etc.......

I will offer a tutorial for this project on my blog this coming week so look out for it!

Now I better go to bed and rest my body after such a HUGE big AWESOME day!!

another cool Crafters Anonymous class project

this week the wonderful Bev Poultney of Hamilton showed us Iris folding - and this vase was the project. I have done it for YEARS so it was nice to revisit it. You can do lots with this type of project. I decided to keep to Riding Hood Red, using the DSP pattern packs - a little inside information is that these are carrying over on to the new catalogue which is good!

I having been very busy making projects for a BIG Stampin' Up! event this weekend so next week I will have LOTs of sneak peeks into the new catalogue coming out next week!

have you purchased my Top Note Stepper Card in the last month or so?

if you have but haven't received anything yet PLEASE email julia.leece@vodafone.co.nz as I have been having difficulties with the PayPal button with my change of address. I wasn't receiving emails saying people had purchased it. I have now fixed the issue with the button but if you are waiting for the tutorial I apologize and look forward to you contacting me so I can send you the tutorials you have purchased.

Thanks and again sorry for the inconvenience.

another cool Crafters Anonymous technique night

Last night we had one of our fortnightly technique classes where you learn a technique rather than complete a whole project. Last night Anne taught us the ghosting technique where you stamp an image first in Whisper White then when dry over stamp - slightly off from the white image - to create an almost 3D 'embossed' look.

This isn't the best photo as it was taken at night - actually usually when we do classes the CA Team have prepared their samples as we always try out the tutorials before the class but last night I didn't get a chance pre make it so I was like all the other crafters following along the class. It was a great time, the buzz of it all was AWESOME!!! I for some reason chose a large stamp that I was having trouble inking up and holding the stampin-ma-jig at the same time but I think you get the drift! lol

I made the frilly ribbon by using the heat tool on it, be careful that you burn the ribbon - it doesn't take much heat to make the ribbon curl. The scallop bits around the oval is just a strip of scallop boarder that you cut down to 1cm from top of scallop then do little snips every 5mm or so which makes it easy to bend it around the oval. Try it with different boarder punches - they all create different looks. You can also put it thru the crimper to make bigger boarders easier to bend. Lots of fun things to try!!

The next online technique class I am teaching at - it's a goodie (well I think so but I am bias! lol)

Email me julia.leece@vodafone.co.nz if you would like to know more about joining the Crafters Anonymous site - it's only $20AUD per year.

I love a new (to me) technique - inlaid embossing today!

I have wanted to try this technique for a while and finally got a chance today while working on what my class tomorrow are making. To do it you cut or punch like I did here card (I pre stamped mine too) and stick them to card stock. Then you put them all thru the Big Shot with the Lattice embossing folder. This blends the punch outs and the background together. To add a bit more to the card I added the three extra flowers with dimentionals. You can see it in more detail below.

I have another version tomorrow with a different subject!

an amazingly cool box!

We had a very special class on Friday night to celebrate our first year on Crafters Anonymous and Bek Kaberry come up with this very cool box.

They are very easy to make (gotta love that!!) and actually useful! Think Christmas ones filled with goodies like chocolates, or even jewellery (gotta love that even better!!). What about kiddies one with fun little nick knacks etc.

I used Basic Black for the outside frame and Basic Grey for the inside. The DSP is the Basic Grey one from the Neutrals Patterns Pack. These are SO useful when you want to keep things simple! Great value for money as you get 4 12x12 of each colour (2 of each design - double sided).

Hopefully I won't be having such a long gap between blog posts!!

I have been busy working on some new projects but can't show you those till 1st Sept! They are worth the wait (if I don't say so myself! lol)

enjoy the rest of your Sunday!!

isn't this the cutest little book??

Debi Ryan taught us this cool box album on Monday night at Crafters Anonymous. I love all these types of things. I used the a la carte stamp Sail Away for my decoration and kept to the nautical theme through out. The blue is Marina Mist which I really love!

Inside the book is a little fold out album. I have some old photos of my husband as a kid playing in a boat that I thought would be great with this project! I used lots of different stamps on the fold out part, some which are retiring, so remember NEVER leave it to the last minute to place your order!!!

I reckon this could make a cool card - esp. if it was for a special occasion and you wanted to have room for lots of comments or lots of signatures!!

I really love this type of project, I am sure I will make more of these and versions there of soon!!

two projects today!!

thought as I haven't blogged since Friday I would do two photos today to make up for it! hehe

The first one is a little bag that I have used the dress from past posts on. This time I wanted a different edge on the skirt - so I punched it twice. What you do is punch it like normal then attached the punched out item on a strip of scrap card with dotto and repunch but this time move the scallops a half scallop and that will give you a great zigzag type of edge. You can do the same with the scallop boarder punch and you can use it for grass or something! Have a go and see what you can create!!

This card was for Allie who turned 18 last week (Sam's sister from the grungy card I made with the guitar last week). I cut the 18 shape out then wheeled it with the Forever Friends Jumbo wheel, added some punched flowers, tags, a few pearls and a bit of lace - easy peasy! She was very happy with it (but that might of been the ca$h inside it!! lol)

see you soon.

Zig Zag card

Over on Crafters Anonymous we have classes online every Monday night and last week I taught this card. It is an awesomely different card which looks fabulous on a special persons mantle. This particular one is for my mother-in-law as she just had a knee operation. I have a few samples of this card - this one is made from card stock but it looks really cool in DSP. I used Old Olive and Crumb Cake which were rolled with So Swirly wheel.

The decorations were simple with the Beautiful Wings Embosslite. a few pearls, some lacy ribbon and 'ta da' it's done!

this is what I put on the back of the card - it not only stabilises the card (more importantly on DSP only cards) but it gives you somewhere to write!!

I have been a bit slack this week with blogging as I am busy making samples etc with products from our exciting new catalogue that starts on 1st September - BUT don't forget our amazing retiring list with many specials between 25-40% off AND ALL the items on the list WILL NOT be available after 31st August so order TODAY!!

thanks for looking!

very posh dress this time!

Here is another version of the cool dress that I have been playing with. This one is in my favourite Black and White with red colour combos!! I had a hounds tooth skirt as a teenager and it was my favourite!! (why is it called hounds tooth too?? LOL) I have kept this a whole dress rather than the top and skirt of the last post. I think it's fun using the right sentiment with an image - like wouldn't we all WISH for a dress like this!!! I know I would - be like being Audrey Hepburn eh!!

Don't forget that the Stampin' Up! 2011 Retirement List is out - email me julia.leece@vodafone.co.nz if you haven't received this information! By the end of the month the products will not EVER be available again - and I think MANY products (stamp sets and others) will be selling out fast - it is a first come first serve sale. Many products are 25-40% discounted - AND you can still earn Hostess benefits!!

Call or email me TODAY to place your order!!!!