coffee, chocolate and friends....

those things all go together soooooo well! At Kmart the other day I was in the party section (as you do) and I found a stack of coffee cups with lids (yip $2.50 for 10!) and I knew what I wanted to do with them! I undid one to get the template for the shape of the cup itself as you need to get the curve right as it's not just a straight strip of paper. Then a decorating I went!!! At the Stamp Camp I went to a demo (Juliette) taught us how to make the lovely burlap flower out of our burlap ribbon. It's so fun to do - it leaves you with lots of threads from the ribbon which is what I used for the bow and around the lids etc. If you would like to know how to make these book yourself a workshop with me - email me at julia.leece@vodafone.co.nz

Oh yes the coffee cups are filled with chocolates - pineapple lumps to be precise! lol

Clearance Rack Updated

The Clearance Rack has been updated and here are the items and WOW there are some good ones there!!! I'm putting an order on Friday 28th February so let me know what you need. Also I have updated my GARAGE SALE 2014 -now with photos. Email me to grab your bargin julia.leece@vodafone.co.nz

Never Underestimate the Power of YOU!

I wanted to make a quick card to pop in the bag of an order - it was a special order as it was for a young lady who had saved her Christmas money to buy a Texture Boutique Embossing Machine. SO I decided I wanted a card to encourage her to enjoy her new crafting tool (BTW her mum was pretty happy she bought the machine too! lol). The word stamp is from Yippee-Skippee!. It actually says "never underestimate the power of TWO" but by colouring the words in individually with marker pens I could leave off the word "TWO" and add my own using the alphabet set "ABC-123 Outline Alphabet & Numbers". One I stamped the set I masked the greeting with some post-it notes and then stamped "Off the Grid" stamp over the top. 

We had a fab time at Stamp Camp - I will post some pics soon :) 

Retro Hello!

I LOVE the new Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper. I have created these three matching projects using this cool paper. I used the matching Washi tape too. And I LOVE the new Fringe Scissors!!! I made the top of the canister using them. There are LOTS of YOUTUBE videos of some of the amazing things people have come up with using them. 

I'm off today for a few days to Rotorua (aka Roto Vagas! hee hee) for our Stampin' Up! team Stamp Camp!!! Can't wait to spend some quality time with some very creative people!!

Treasure Chest

I am in LOVE with the new Hardwood background stamp, I used it to create my treasure chest and matching card. To make the 'wood' I inked the stamp up with Versamark and heat embossed it with Early Espresso embossing powder on to Soft Suede cardstock. Then I gently sponged some Craft Whisper White over it then rubbed it off with a tissue. Then finally I sponged the edges with Soft Suede. This 'method' I've found seems to give it a more 'aged' look. 

The treasure chest itself is one I designed myself and at some stage I will do a tutorial on it but just haven't had the time. BUT I will say I made the chest out of Soft Suede card then added the wood on after it was made. That way I could line up the 'planks' evenly around the chest. I hope you like it - it was FUN making it :) and NO coins were harmed in the making of this display - YEAH RIGHT!!! lol

Sweet Sweet Moments

I am LOVING the new Scalloped Tag punch - it makes so much more than just tags -nothing wrong with tags but hey we love multi purpose tools!!! There is a technique to enable you to punch things wider than the 2" panel, it's just a matter of 'sliding' it in where the 'gap' is between the 2" guide and the main housing of the punch. In need - Google my friend! lol There are MASSES of tutorials online already with these punches! The flowers of cause are made from the Spiral Flower Die, leaves from the bird punch. I pulled out the old piercing tools to make the detail on the round Vanilla piece. It's always great to go back to tools you've had for a while. This project we made at my Manurewa class last night and the girls enjoyed playing with the piercing tools too!

I'm off to Pukekohe tomorrow for the day to the Franklin A&P Show - we have a HUGE Stampin' Up! tent - if you're in the area come and say hi!

Happy Valentines Day everyone!

Yip it's THAT day again today - February 14 - VALENTINES DAY! This is the card I made my hubby. It's a simple as card (that is such a New Zealand thing to say!) using the new Ampersand embossing folder, Pool Party Co-Ordination card stock and my Big Shot Typeset Alphabet dies. Oh and the red glitter heart using the small heart punch. I used Real Red too of cause as that's the Valentines Day colour!! I also made him a red velvet heart shaped cake - he called it a guilt cake cause I'm not home tonight as I have a class! lol Every day is a Valentines Day for me!! We're having a nice day together on Saturday instead! hee hee

Hope you get to spend some time with those you love over the next few days, THAT'S what it is all about!! 

anyone for a glass of bubbles??

Saturday was my nieces 20th birthday (eek didn't seem that long ago she was borne! lol) and this is the card I made for her. I hand drew the glass on vellum which I sponged with Whisper White craft ink. The 'drink' inside is brushed gold which I punched small holes in to represent the 'bubbles'. The sentiment is from the new set called Another Great Year which I stamped and heat embossed in black on both Shimmer White and the brushed gold. I ruled a line of black marker pen around the background (brushed silver) to frame it up. I was really pleased how this turned out and my niece liked it too!

Texture Boutique Tutorial -with washi tape

Yesterday I got my new little toy the gorgeous wee Texture Boutique! So I just HAD to have a play. It is similar but different to the Big Shot - if that makes ANY sense at all! lol You can see the size against the normal card size. 

Ok what you get with the Texture Boutique is two black embossing plates and a cloudy plastic shim. The shim is to take the place of a card back. So with this machine you can embossing a single sheet of card (with the shim) or a card front. Then you would wrap the back of the card around the back of the embossing folder, thus eliminating the need for the extra thickness of the shim. 

So here are the layers that you make up for a single card emboss.

It just goes thru the front of the like this and wind away. 

Here is the result. It is somewhat softer than the Big Shot impression. Which for some projects that would be fabulous! But I like a deeper impression so I thought I would add another layer - or shim as it's called. I cut a piece of thick acetate the same size as the other shim that comes with the machine and added it to the sandwich and put it thru the machine like normal. 

Here you can see the difference between the two embossed pieces. The original one on the right and the extra shimmed embossed piece on the left. It was the look I wanted so very pleased! I made the card below with it. I did sand the Pool Party Co-Ordination cardstock to bring the lighter colour thru. The 'banners' are made from our Retro washi tape - they make such FUN banners!!

The sentiment is from the Sale-a-bration stamp set "See Ya Later" I stamp two of the stamps and cut out the words for the front. Inside I used just the one stamp. It's not often I stamp with Tangerine Tango! lol But this card need just a touch of it! lol

The Texture Boutique Embossing Machine is a hit with me and for only $59.95 it's a great buy. I will add a acetate shim for free with every one I sell. Contact me today!! AND don't forget that for every $110 you spend you can pick something from the Sale-a-bration catalogue - like the above stamp set. 

Black and White jar of happiness!!

I LOVE black and white but I don't really like black jelly beans but they work great in this project! hee hee. AND the store had then on sale - I would of preferred white jellybeans! ANYWAY I love the new "Starburst Sayings" stamps and matching framelits!! I teamed it up with the Kaleidoscope DSP as there are 3 plain Black and White prints in it. How simple, a bit of stamping (I did use Versamark and Black embossing powder), so ribbon and strips of DSP and a gift is done!! Easy!! I'm sure I'll find someone who enjoys the black jellybeans!!

Polaroid Scrapbooking Page

I am so in love with the On Film dies and matching stamp set Peachy Keen. The polaroid style frame is sooooo cool! This is my son at aged 5 when he was learning to knee board. He's now 18 and can knee board, ski and his much loved wakeboarding. He hasn't taken to barefooting like his dad! The paper in the background is the Watercolor Wonder and I used the Retro Fresh washi tape too.