MeRrY cHrIsTmAs

Just wanting to wish everyone a very merry christmas and a so safe, healthy and crafty new year! I haven't had much chance for crafting in the last few days due to baking and cleaning for the big day tomorrow so wont be posting anything for a few days.

But I did want to share this picture with you. My daughter Kelly made her first gingerbread house yesturday. She made it from scratch, and did it all herself. Shes done a fab job and Im very proud of her.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

box of truffles

Every year I do some baking for my doctor and chemist for putting up with me all year. This year I made these little Christmas pudding truffles. So to go with them I made these easy as acetate topped boxes with matching cards. The tops are thick acetate which work really well and they are held together with brads rather than glue or tape - ie making a feature of the join rather than hide it. I stamped the acetate with White Stazon using the Snow Swirled stamp set. The cards are also made using that set. White Stazon was in the last mini catalogue but Stampin' Up! have announced that these will remain an orderable item which is awesome!. The truffles are just a no cook biscuit and condensed milk recipe, the white is white chocolate and topped with a Jaffa (OJay) and mint leaves (I cut them in half so they aren't so thick). You can also do the same with Mellowpuff biscuits if you can't be bothered making the truffles!

ok this is so not paper crafty but......

I just had to share this. Its what I made (so it is still creative! lol) for my hubby's christmas dinner yesturday. It's a chocolate cookie dough baked cheesecake and yes it was yummy!

I didn't think I would of had time for blogging today

but a girlfriend emailed me this yesterday so I thought I just HAD to share it. I am a chocolate addict - I was given a coaster the other day that said "I'd give up chocolate but I'm no quitter!" hehe

All I need to know about life, I learned from eating chocolate..
Some people are semi-sweet; others are just plain nutty.
Don’t cry over spilled milk - unless, of course, it’s chocolate milk.
There is a fine line between vice and addiction.
Blind dates are like chocolate - they’re usually chunky and they quickly disappear.
When life presents you a rocky road, just eat your way out of it.
Money can’t buy you love - but it can buy you chocolate - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Keep your fingers off other people’s bonbons.
Mother-in-laws are like chocolate syrup; a little goes a long way.
Flowers and champagne may set the stage, but it’s chocolate that steals the show.
An ounce of truffles is worth a pound of anything.
Milk chocolate…for all it’s worth.
You never really know a person ’til you’ve shared a box of chocolate with them.
A kiss is is just a kiss, but a chocolate kiss is bliss.
True love will remain long after the chocolates have gone….. provided there’s another box.
The best things in life are not fat free
Nothing is worth getting sick over - except; of course, chocolate.
When all else fails; fudge it!
And remember…. if Life is like a box of chocolates, take a bite out of anything…!

old olive and real red christmas

This Christmas card (which is for my lovely up line) is made using the new Razzle Dazzle stamp set. I coloured the main stamp with the Stampin' Up! Markers - using the brush end. This way you can have two or more colours on the one stamp. I did the same method with the stripy background piece only colouring in the bits I wanted and in the colour I wanted! I used the clear SU buttons which I have sewed onto punched circles. And of cause I had to add a bit of paper piercing!

We have our Team Christmas Brunch tomorrow then my hubby's family are having their Christmas celebrations so I wont be able to post anything tomorrow, sorry LOL.

Sweet Birthday

I know I have put two pics of the same card but I wanted to show both the colour and the clear embossing on the background and neither pic showed both! lol

Anyway this stamp is called 'Sweet Birthday' and it's one of the 'a' la carte' stamps in the mini catty. It has both the words and the cake. I always mount my stamps that come with words separately -that way you can use either part separately nice and easily which has got to be good!! The wide ribbon is also from the summer mini. To create the background I sponged three colours on to glossy paper (which is just fab for sponging and blending) then I stamped the cakes with black Stazon (just to make sure it dries quickly). Then I rolled 'So Swirly' wheel thru versamark and heat embossed with clear embossing powder. These even a little bit of vellum popping out of the card with some scalloped boarder punch. The brads are from the Earth Elements pack.

Thanks again for looking :-)

SiMpLe SaNtA

This card is a very simple card, but sometimes we are in a hurry and we need a simple but effective card. The special thing to this card is the new rub-ons in the Summer Mini Catalogue. They are called Chit Chat rub-ons and you get two sheets - one black and the other white so more than 65 greetings on each sheet. At only $23.50 its great value. Rub-ons can be applied to surfaces that stamping can't. It's really easy to add words to ribbon like I have in this card. Santa is from the set 'A Holly, Jolly Christmas' and I jazzed him up with some Dazzling Diamonds and his buttons have some Chystal Effects to make them pop. The paper is from the Holiday Treasures DSP. The ribbon is Real Red.

Don't forget if you want anything before Christmas my order will be going in at 6pm NZ tonight!

Thanks for looking. :-)

black and white

sorry for the delay in today's post but here it is. This is a card I made for my last team swap. I love black and white - so much so when I had the privilege to set this months challenge on our demo website I made it black and white. Anne Brignall one of the demo's who's known me for some even said it was what she would of guessed I would of picked it! hehe

Anyway this card opens in the middle, I think its called a window shutter card but who cares what the name of it is - it makes for a interesting card. The white is white craft ink embossed with white embossing powder. I have used a touch of red which just lifts it a bit. I used the For Everything set for the flowers and the Butterfly Prints with matching punch. And finished it off with a bit scallop boarder!

We have a fab new 'sale promo' happening at the moment - some stamp sets are half price! Contact me so I can email the details direct to you. Sale ends 24 January. I am doing an order Wednesday the 16th at 6pm (NZ) so if you want anything before Christmas this is the order your order needs to be in. julia.leece@slingshot.co.nz

HeArT tO hEaRt

this wee card was one I made for a recent team training. There is a neat heart stamp set in the new mini catty and two of the stamps fit into the two heart punches that SU sell. This is a spinner card. You wind the heart up and pop it into an envelope so when the receiver takes out the card and opens it the heart goes spinning around. The DSP paper is called Kaleidoscope and the card is made out from Tempting Turquoise card stock and the pink is Pixie Pink. The circle hole is made with the new 1 3/4" punch.

Don't forget today is the last craft class for the year, you are welcome to phone or email any orders you need during the holidays, I love doing gift vouchers aswell so get your partners to contact me for the ultimate christmas pressies! The first class in the new year will be on the first Monday in February which I think is the 1st February. We will have a free kids club during the day class so you mums can come along and my daughter will entertain the kids! (thanks Kelly! xox)

you just have to giggle

Yesturday I was playing with a very old Stampin' Up! stamp set, it was released in 2005 but no longer available. My kids are computer MAD, so its why I HAD to have it. I have used it here with the set 'Enjoy Every Moment' which is very much a current set. On the red background I have used the Paw Prints Wheel. I love using wheels as they are so easy to use and very economical! This one is only $13.95! I have coloured in using a blender pen and stamp pads, a great way to get a cool water colour effect. I know this isn't out of the new mini catty but I just had to share this card as it makes me giggle whenever I look it!

butterfly prints

This is another set from the new Summer Mini Catalogue. Its called Butterfly Prints and has the three butterfly wings as on the card, the antenia stamp and the words which read "Love is like a butterfly ...it goes where is pleases & pleases where it goes" so so so sweet! I have used Perfect Plum, Pale Plum and Whisper White here. I made the background paper by rolling the brayer in Pale Plum on to WW and then stamped the rose from 5th Avenue (pg 83 IB&C).
In the Summer catty we have the Butterfly PUNCH too! Makes making butterfly cards like this sooooo easy. It also fits the "Flight of the Butterfly" stamp set which is also in the IB&C on page 83.

more lollies!!

This is suposed to be a bauble from the Christmas Tree - can you see it? lol
This one has a tab on the inside front and you lift the tab (which is only held in place with a bit of dotto) and then peel back the cardstock which has been sliced with the cutter kit. The paper is from Holiday Treasures.
We had another prize giving yesturday for my eldest child and he got Excellence in ICT for year 10, unfortunitly he and another boy won it jointly and hes got the trophy, we didn't even get to have a picture of it! Aaron wont get it till next year! lol

the JOY of Jaffa's

Yes still more sweet cups! This one is using the a SU alphabet set and using the cup for an "O". I am a big fan of Jaffa's (well I am an Aucklander!). This is on Ridinghood Red and the Holiday Treasures DSP. The flower is from Spotlight on Christmas and the leaves from A Rose is a Rose. I've used the 5 petal punch on the flower (it fits perfectly with the stamp set - all of the stamps in that set fits punches) and the photo corners punch.
We are off to the other childs prizegiving today and he's getting a prize too, can't wait to see what it is!! I will let you know later today :-)

skiting time!!

I know this is supposed to be about crafting etc but I just wanted to show off what my youngest recieved today. Shes only 12 and year 7. She got the excellence award for year 7 Performing Arts and then the School Cup for performing arts! For those that know Kelly know that she is a drama queen so now its offical! lol

animal stories!

This little card is from a big set I made yesturday with my upline Jacque, we had a craft afternoon at her place. These cards are the cards I will give out with my orders - don't forget the first person to order from the new Summer Mini Catalogue and mentions my blog gets a FREE set of Sweet Treat Cups!

The paper is new from the Summer Mini, it also has a wee stamp set with four animals like the ones on the paper, -elephant, owl, whale & giraffe. Its called Animal Stories and only $28.95!! The owl can also easierly altered to look like a cat. This set of DSP (Designer Series Paper) goes really well the Trendy Trees Stamp Set out of the main Catalogue. I have used So Saffron, Old Olive, Choc Chip. The paper also has - Brillant Blue and Rose Red.

See you tomorrow

GoNe To ThE bIrDs!

hehe this treat cup is filled with bird seed! the words are from Enjoy Every Moment and the bird from Good Friend. The paper is from Goodmorning Sunshine, and its mounted on Summer Sun and Chocolate Chip, the ribbon is So Saffron. Punches - Boho Flowers and Word Window topped with a Summer Sun brad. Im sure this type of card would put a smile on anyones face if they got it!

You could make this card next week at my Treat Cups class, contact me to book your place. julia.leece@slingshot.co.nz

tonights class

Just a quick post to let you know that Ive had to cancel tonights class as my body has waved the white flag after 5 super busy days with lots of rich food! Next Monday (14th December) is our last class so reserve your spot today!

Razzle Dazzle

This card is made using every stamp in the new Razzle Dazzle stamp set. I love this set cause there is so many cool things you can do with it. I also used the 'Thanks' from For Everything. You can create some lovely boarders by stamping the same stamp in a row, and the stamp that is different lines can be made continuous by using the Stampin' Ma Gig to line it up. Makes it sooooooo easy. I use the Gig whenever I want a stamp in a certain place. The card I will show tomorrow shows how great the tool is so be sure to come back and look. I have also used the Stampin' Up! vellum, buttons and ribbon

Just a reminder that I am having a special class on Monday 14th December where we will make 2 Sweet Treat cup cards, its also the last class of the year so be sure to contact me to reserve your seat. Classes will be 12.30-2.30pm & 7.30-9.30pm and only $10!!!!!!!!!

another day for crafting

I love the idea of the card - I will admit its not my best produced card but you get the drift of it! LOL I have used 2 of the sweet cup and put liquorice straps in them. Found a lollie shop that still sells them all rolled up! I used the All in the Family stamp set for the driver and his dog, and the little set Staring You for the medal.

lollies in sweet treat cups

Now of cause these sweet treat cups can have lollies in them (duh) hehe , the big key is to make the card so the sweets can be got to without the card being ruined in the process! There are several ways to do it. On this card I have used the sliding door method. The yellow tag on the right of the card is what you pull to open a hole in the back of the card front so the sweets come out.

This cute little hippo is from the pun fun stamp set, I wiped off the ballon on the stamp before I stamped it so I can replace it with the sweet cup 'balloon'. I hand drew the ballon string using the Stampin' Markers that come in all the same colours as the ink pads. They have a 'paint brush' end and a fine marker end which is the one I used - it just looks like part of the stamp. The markers give you so many more uses of your stamps. You can colour in directly onto your stamps using different colours and so when you stamp its all done! They are a MUST have!

There are swing tags with tear tabs and a whole lot more different ways to give access to your lollies. If you want to learn more about these methods I am having my final class for the year on Monday 14th December, two classes, 12.30-2.30pm and 7.30-9.30pm You will get to make two sweet treat cards - complete with sweets for both you and the cards! lol Spaces will be limited so contact me NOW to reserve your place.

grommets

one of the new items in the new Summer Mini Catalogue is these grommets. They come in two sizes and in black, white, vanilla & silver. This card style is called a tri-fold shutter card, I used the Always stampset, which is a quite a femine set but here I have made it musculan but using darker colours etc. This card I give my husband yesturday for our 21 wedding anniversary. It offically makes me married for half of my life! The card base is Basic Grey, Urban Garden dsp aswell as Uppsy Daisy stamp set and Life Definition, plus the sprial punch.

FOR ALL CAT LOVERS!!!!

todays sweet treat cup card is for the king of the house - cats, I read a sign yesturday that said "Dogs have owners, Cats have staff!" so so so true. I filled the cup with cat biscuits - which I had to fish (sorry for the pun!) thru the cats biscuit box to get just the fish shape ones and our cat Jerry was just about beside himself!! thought he was being robbed! hee hee

I used the paw print wheel to creat the background 'Kraft' paper, the cat is from Pun Fun set (which actually belongs to my daughter but she so kindly lets me use it!) and the words are printed on the computer cause I couldn't find a stamp or rub on. The circles are punches but the last two are hand drawn with the white gel pen. No holes in this cup as all cats would destroy it to get them hehe. I have again sealed the back of the cup with acetate to ensure no odor escapes.

heres another stamp set thats in the new mini

This one is called Razzle Dazzle, I've used Baja Breeze, both plain and textured (yes we sell textured card stock 12"x12") I stamped the background with the same stamp as the one on the front of the card (which is embossed in clear) I then used my SU White Gel pen to highlight some parts of the background. I paper pierced using the Mat Pack too. Finished off with 3 pearls from the Pretties Kit. I used Diamentionals to give the card some depth.

But don't fear, I have HEAPS of Sweet Treat Cup cards to show you so I will do one every second day and another sample from the Summer mini the other days!!

SO KEEP COMING BACK!!!

Don't forget that the first person to place an order who mentions my blog will win a free set of Sweet Treat cups (theres 12 cups in a box!)

see you tomorrow :-)

ITS TIME!!!!!

its all offical now! The new Summer Mini is here:

Contact me on julia.leece@slingshot.co.nz if you would like me to send to a copy.

Some of the highlights are:

Circle Sissors and the glass mat

Butterfly punch

Large circle punch (which fits the Sweet cups)

Some amazing gromets

2 cool ribbons

HEAPS OF AWESOME STAMPS

The latest trends in Designer Series Papers (12"x12")

The Sweet Treat Cups and padded envelopes for posting them.

I am offering a FREE packet of Sweet Treat Cups to the first person to contact me to place an order from the new mini!!!!!

So here is todays card:

This one is full of coffee beans, I have put three holes in the front of the Sweet Cup so you can smell the coffee!! MMMMMMMMM

The stamp set I have used is called Sip by Sip - a must have if you or your friends and family are coffee lovers! I used this set on an easel card a few posts ago. The cardstock is Very Vanilla & Choc Chip. I have used the Mat Pack to do the paper piercing, and the ribbon is Choc Chip.

Its time for sneak peeks now!

SUMMER MINI is offical from tomorrow 1st December!

There are so MANY amazing new products coming out! As a demo you get to get hold of the goodies a month early (what better reason to become part of our Stampin' Up! team!! and did I mention the discount????) so I have been playing with my new toys and have had a BALL!!!!

So just to tease you into it I am going to post a card a day - so stay around and see whats coming!!!!!!!

These are called Sweet Treat cups - you can fill them with all sorts of things - I have made this one as a snow glob (retro eh?) I have used the Punch Pals stamp set (from the Main Catalogue) for the words and the image behind the snow glob. The paper is Holiday Treasures also from the Main catalogue, white taffita ribbon, and a dash of Basic Black & Whisper White Cardstock.

Why not book a workshop at your place where you and your friends can make cool cards like this!

See you tomorrow!

I love finding new ways to make cards

while blog surfing I found Deb's (fellow demonstrator) blog http://debbiesstampingcorner.blogspot.com/2009/11/christmas-pull-up-card.html

with this cool card techneque. Its sometimes called a pull up card and sometimes a suprise pop up card, but what ever you call it its very cool. You pull the tab at the top of the card and the image on the front pops up and reveales a hidden message. This is my version using Parisian Breeze Speciality DSP from the Spring Mini which won't be available after the end of the month. It is my all time favourite cardstock so I have stocked up on it - have you??

hello to Tuesday

Yesturday we had fun making more easel cards. One thing I think you might need to do is to somehow tell the reciever of the card how to stand it up. We don't want to go the effort of creating a one off goreous card only to have the bearer unsure how to display it. Maybe inclose a wee drawing - or copy the drawing off the instruction sheet.

Anyway these are the three easel cards I made yesturday.

Next week I think we will do a scrapbooking page. You are welcome to bring a photo or two. We will look at a couple of techneques that you can use in either scrapbooking or card making. There will only be the 12.30-2.30 class next week.

Have a great day crafters :-)

upcoming classes

I can't believe its been 2 weeks since I last blogged - where did the days go??

We had a great time at the Upper Harbour Christmas Extravaganza on Sunday - next time we have an event you must come and join in the fun and creating!

Next week at class we will be cover two great ideas. On is a cool gift box/bag - great for wrapping those little gifts at Christmas.

The other is an easel card. These seem like the latest craze - but the cool thing is they are sooooo easy to make. This one here is using the Totally Tools stamp set -great for all those men in our lives. Also theres one using the Sip by Sip stampset -cool for the lattel lovers amongst us and finally the Cute as A Bug stamp set for the under 8 yo boys! lol

Class sizes are limited so email me to book your set. Class times are 12.30-2.30pm and 7.30-9.30pm. julia.leece@slingshot.co.nz

take you pick of cards

Here's the cards that you could make on Monday 9th November at my classes. There is limited spaces so be sure to book. 12.30-2.30 or 7.30-9.30.

They are nice and easy but I think they look effective.

Email me at julia.leece@slingshot.co.nz to book. And don't forget the great special offer for shopping in November - see below post.

WHO LOVES FREE STUFF??

Stampin' Up! have announced a cool as promotion for the month of November.

As I know the above picture is really hard to read I have listed it all below.

Spend just $105.00 on product listed and receive a Scallop Square punch absolutely FREE. That's $35.95 just for shopping! WHooaa!! A great gift for you or for a cardmaker on your gift list. You can get a one for every $105 you spend, so why not do your Christmas Shopping and earn extra punches to make any friend or family very happy!!

Don't forget that this is the last month that you can shop out of our Spring Mini - thats fill of Christmas crafting supplies!
The Christmas Gift Guide includes the following products: -
Gifts for Neighbours - made using: -
- I Wish Simply Scrappin' Kit - $43.95 - Pg 137
- Real Red 12x12 Cardstock - $17.25 - Pg 128
- Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon - $17.95 - Pg 151
- Small Flat Cellophane Bags - $8.95 - Pg 130
- Curly Label Punch Bundle - $77.95 - Pg 153
- Kiwi Kiss A4 Cardstock - $12.50 - Pg 126
- Whisper White A4 Cardstock - $16.25 - Pg 127
- Riding Hood Red 5/8" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon - $22.95 - Pg 150
- From the Kitchen of Stamp Set - $62.95 - Pg 93
Gifts for Card Makers
- Thanks x 2 Simply Sent Card Elements and More Kit - $56.95 - Pg 142
- More Thoughts Simply Sent Kit - $98.95- Pg 143
- 2U Simply Sent Card Elements & More Kit - $56.95 - Pg 142
- No One Like You Simply Sent Kit - $98.95 - Pg 143
Gifts for Scrapbookers
- Petal Party Simply Scrappin' Kit - $43.95 - Pg 136
- Rock A Bye Girl Simply Scrappin' Kit - $43.95 - Pg 137
- Rock A Bye Boy Simply Scrappin' Kit - $43.95 - Pg 137
- Sweet Nothings Simply Scrappin' Kit - $43.95 - Pg 138
- Hoppy Memories Simply Scrappin' Kit - $43.95 - Pg 138
Gifts for Kids and Teens
- Just Jawing Stamp Set - $53.95 - Pg 67
- Bold Brights A4 Assorted Cardstock - $17.25 - Pg 128
- Real Red Stampin' Write Marker - $6.75 - Pg 128
- Brilliant Blue Stampin' Write Marker - $6.75 - Pg 128
- Glorious Green Stampin' Write Marker - $6.75 - Pg 128
- On Board 5"x5" Art Journal - $16.25 - Pg 147
- Spiral Punch - $24.95 - Pg 152
Stocking Stuffers
- Dress Up Ribbon Originals - $29.95 - Pg 150
- Valet Ribbon Originals - $29.95- Pg 150
- Pigtails Ribbon Originals - $32.95 - Pg 150
- Cutter Kit - $39.95 - Pg 155
- Button Latte Designer Buttons - $18.50 - Pg 151
- Button Bouquet Designer Buttons - $18.50 - Pg 151
Page numbers above refer to the 2009/2010 Idea Book and Catalogue.

I forgot to put this card on here

My favourite cardstock ever is Parisian Breeze which is what I have used on this card, along with craft another favourite. Inside the pocket is a sachet of bath salts but you could easily change it to a voucher, gift card, packet of seeds etc for birthdays, Christmas or just relifting a friends spirit.

If you would like me to demonstrate this card at a in home workshop just contact me to book a date! You will have a fun time with some friends, get to create and maybe earn some free Stampin' Up! product (on quailifing sales).

I've been busy!

I found this cardboard bird box at a local store and just HAD to "Stampin' Up! it" hehe

I used the Washington Apple DSP with Ridinghood Red & So Saffron.

This is a set I made today. I set myself a challange to use Garden Green and Real Red, two colours I don't normally use. The patterned paper is a level one Hostess set. These papers are only available to hostesses with quailfing sales. If you would like to find out how you can get these for free email me at julia.leece@slingshot.co.nz

The bauble card is inspired by a card a fellow demo did for a recent swap we had at our last team training. The tree one was cased from the latest Aussie Cardmaking mag Vol 15 No 5

This is a bit of a tease really - its actually a card I made for a friend using the 5th Avenue stamp set.

Class on Monday 2nd November are making paper bows and Christmas crackers. I still have a few places available so email to reserve your spot.

Thanks for looking :-)