A Christmas Project

I made this 3D layout for my sister, Denise for Christmas.  I wasn't able to post it until after I had given it to her but now she has it here it is. 

I CASed the idea from Louise Edmonds after seeing in the Splitcoast Stampers gallery.  I used Rich Razzlebury and Lucky Limeade (retired) as my base colours and a variety of stamp sets, some current and some retired, to create this project.

I was pleased with the final result and so was Denise.




 

Dad's birthday card

I have made this card for my Dad who was so sick last year on his birthday we were sure he wouldn't see another!  But he has rallied and is back to his wonderful, chipper self at 83 years old in a couple of weeks.

The card uses a great stamp set called The Open Sea.  This stamp set came out in a mini catalogue last year and has reappeared in this year's regular catalogue.  I have used a colour scheme of Bashful Blue, Midnight Muse and Whisper White and I have also used some retired DSP that came out with the stamp set last year.

Let's hope this year treats Dad kindly and I get to make many more cards for him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

Never Ending Card

I have prepared this Never Ending card for a small workshop I am holding with a couple of friends.

Never Ending cards are full of WOW factor. They fold and fold and fold and fold and each time they provide another wonderful combination of images.

On this occasion I have used one of my new stamp sets called Flowering Flourishes and a couple of images from the retired stamp set called Fresh Vintage. The colour combination is Crumb Cake, Midnight Muse and Very Vanilla which matches the pieces of the new DSP Comfort Cafe I have included on the card.

I have included images of three of the four stages of this card -  the fourth one keeps loading the wrong way round. I will try to upload it again later.  Even though you can only see three of the four folds you can see how each fold gives a completely different effect.

Concertina Card

Last week the Splitcoast Stampers tutorial was for a Concertina Card which sparked my interest.

I decided to have a go at making one and this is the result.  I have used a stamp set from last year's Sale-A-Bration called Fresh Vintage along with its matching DSP and the colour scheme used the retired Incolour, Peach Parfait.


The result is quite pleasing .  If you are interested in making this card Google Splitcoast Stampers tutorials and look for "Concertina Card".  One thing to think about though is that it takes most of a 12 x 12 sheet of DSP to complete.

November Stamp-A-Stack

The November Stamp-A-Stack (SAS) will be held on Saturday 17 November from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm.  This will be the fourth in the Christmas Series of SASs.  We will be making 8 cards with matching envelopes. 

The first card uses the new cutting die from the Holiday Catalogue called Snow Flurry.  It gives a real 3 dimensional effect to this card.

The second card combines images from the new stamp set Evergreen and uses one of the new Incolours called Gumball Green.

Cost for the SAS is $20.00 which includes all materials and afternoon tea.

If you are interested in joining me for this workshop please contact me by email or phone on 04111 57969.

Birthday Fun

I was reminded how wonderful tri-shutter cards are when my sister posted one on her blog a couple of weeks ago.  So out came the instructions and you will see here the second special birthday card I have made in this style recently.

This is for my niece's birthday in a week or so.  I hope she's not into reading this blog!  I have used another retired stamp set called Sunny Fun.  The thongs in this stamp set are perfect for Livy's birthday card as she seems to have a different pair of thongs for every occasion.

I have also used a combination of card stock, paper and brads from my collection - you know those bits and pieces you keep for a rainy day!  I am happy with the final product and hope Liv likes it too.

Happy birthday Livy!!!

Tags til Christmas

There has been a revival of this design of card called Triple Time Stamping.  This idea comes from Marelle Taylor's blog and also my sister's blog.

I decided to give it a Christmas theme using the ornament stamp from the Tags til Christmas stamp set.  The flourish is from the retired stamp set called Season of Joy.  I have used Cherry Cobbler, Certainly Celery and Whisper White as the colour theme with some Baker's twine and a button to finish it off.

I am happy with this attempt at this style of card but will keep working with it to see what other combinations I can come up with.

More Christmas Ideas

I think I mentioned that I spent some time playing with a friend coming up with lots of ideas for Christmas cards.  I often find when I am just talking about ideas with others that great ideas emerged.

I know own the Snow Flurry die that goes through the Big Shot.  I read on someone else's blog that even though we don't have snow at Christmas they still enjoy the idea.  Having spent a couple of Christmas's in the northern hemisphere, snow at Christmas is really special but it does restrict the "beach holiday" idea that we associate with Christmas time.

Anyway, here are a couple of cards I have made using the Snow Flurry die.  The card stock used for the snowflakes isn't Stampin' Up but it is very sparkly and reminds me of the glitter of snow.

A special birthday card

One of my friends is having a special birthday this week, you know the kind when you have to renew your license!

I decided a birthday of such significance deserved a special card so out came the wonderful Fifth Ave Floral stamp set, now retired, but a definite keeper.  I made a similar card a couple of years ago for my sister and was very pleased with the result then.  I am also very happy with my remake on this occasion.

I used various products, some retired including the old DSP Elegant Soiree and, of course Fifth Ave Floral.  Colours used are Crumb Cake, Marina Mist and Not Quite Navy.

I hope Jen has a great birthday this week.

Playing with Christmas ideas

I spent some time playing around with various ideas and products with a friend over the weekend.  When I do this I tend to venture beyond my stock of Stampin' Up products and on this occasion I decided to see what I could do with some shimmer paper I have had in my cupboard for ages.

These cards are using the same basic technique and layout as in the Holiday Catalogue using the stamp set Joyous Celebrations.  The shimmer paper embossed beautifully and I was delighted with the results.

More to come from this play session as we ran lots of card and paper through the Big Shot using the Snow Flurry die.  I just have to get some cards made now.

Playing with Evergreen

I have spent quite a bit of time playing with one of the new stamp sets from the Holiday Catalougue called Evergreen.

This stamp set has a series of Christmas trees including a solid image, an outline image and an image that uses the words from Silent Night.

These are two of a series of cards I have made so far.  The first is a 'Z fold' card and I have used a combination of Old Olive card stock and the new Be of Good Cheer Designer Series Paper.  The tree on the front uses Old Olive ink for the background image and I have embossed the outline image with white embossing powder.  The image on the inside of the card is the one using the words from 'Silent Night'.


The second card uses Real Red, Whisper White and Basic Black card stock as well as a piece of acetate overlay.  I have stamped the outline image of the tree as a background and sparkled it up with Dazzling Diamonds.  I have then stamped the 'Silent Night' words onto the acetate with black StayzOn ink.  Lining the two trees up was a bit of a challenge but I was happy with the final result.

Back by Popular Demand

Each year I get asked about these two cards which we first made 2 or 3 years ago so I have decided to offer these cards as a Stamp-A-Stack (SAS) on Saturday 27 October from 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm.

Both cards use the largest tree in the Lovely As A Tree stamp set.  The first card uses Night of Navy card stock and Craft White Ink.  The second card is a combination of the new colour, Midnight Muse and Basic Black.  Both cards are sparkled up with Dazzling Diamonds so you can expect to go home sparkling with glitter.

Cost for the workshop will be $20.00 which will include all materials to make 4 of each of the cards with matching envelopes and afternoon tea.

If you are interested in joining us for this SAS please email me or give me a call on 04111 57969.

October Stamp-A-Stack

Our next Stamp-A-Stack (SAS) will be held on Saturday 13 October from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm.

We will be making 8 cards with a Christmas theme.  We will be using the new stamp set, Joyous Celebrations to create our cards.  I have included an image of possible cards we might make on the day however, you are at liberty to put together any combination of the images in the Joyous Celebration set to create your cards.

Kits will be prepared to make four Riding Hood Red cards and four Old Olive cards and the embossed background image will also be prepared in advance.  After that it is up to you to put together whatever combination of designs you can create on the day.

Come along and join in the fun to see what people come up with.  You never know who will have the next great idea.

Cost for the SAS is $20.00 which includes all materials to make 8 cards with matching envelopes and a light afternoon tea.

New Catalogue Launch and Sale Day

Saturday 22nd September at 2.00 pm

Come along and enjoy some time having a look at the new 2012-2013 Catalogue.  There will be a “make & take” on offer using products from that catalogue and I will also be having a sale of old stock and selling it off at reduced prices. 

I have listed the stamp sets and items I will be selling below.

If you'd like to put your name on any of these items just let me know.

I can't give/sell them to you until 1st September but am happy to hold

them for you until then.

On the day, come along check out the sale table, make a card and

have a cuppa.
Cost for this session is $8 which includes both the new 2012-2013 Catalogue and the new Holiday Catalogue (previously known as the mini catalogue) as well as the 'Make & Take' project and arvo' tea.
If you already have a catalogue there will be no charge.

Email me at larkinjones@grapevine.com.au and let me know if you'd like to come along.

2012 Retired Product

It's Your Day (wood stamps) - Sale price $5 (RRP$20.95)

Tree Trimmings (wood stamps) - Sale price $15 (some ink stains on wood) (RRP $24.95)

Growing Green (wood stamps) - Sale price $25 (some ink stains on wood) (RRP $38.95)

Welcome Christmas (clear stamps) - Sale price $18 (RRP $29.96 on retired list)

Flower Fest (clear stamps) - Sale price $25 (RRP $42.95)

Reason to Smile (clear stamps) 2 sets- Sale price $10 each (2012 Reason to Smile promotion)

Pendant Park (clear stamps) - Sale price $10 (RRP $20.96 on retired list)

Faith in Nature (Hostess Set) (clear stamps) - Sale price $10 (RRP $17.00 on retired list)

Butterfly punch - Sale price $15

Lace Ribbon Border punch - Sale Price $25 (RRP $38.95)

Blossom Petals punch - $25 (RRP $33.95)

5 Petal Flower punch - $25 (RRP $33.95)

Eyelet border punch (old style) - $20 (RRP $30.95)

Crimper – $15 ($28.46 on retired list)

Stamp Pads

Baja Breeze – Sale Price $5

Blushing Bride – Sale Price $5

Poppy Parade – Sale Price $5

Cherry Cobbler – Sale Price $5

Pear Pizzazz - Sale Price $5

Taken With Teal (old colour) – Sale Price $5 

2011 Retired Product

Eastern Blooms (wood stamps) Sale price $25

Simply Said (wood stamps) Sale price $25

Fresh Cuts (wood stamps) Sale price $20

Gifted (clear stamps) Sale price $20

Kimono Kids (clear stamps) Sale price $20

Punch Bunch (clear stamps) Sale price $10

Because I Care (clear stamps) Sale Price $10

Birthday Bakery (wood stamps) Sale price $10

Strength and Hope (clear stamps) Sale price $10

2010 Reitred Products

Happy Moments (wood stamps) Sale Price $15

Vintage Labels (wood stamps) Sale Price $12

Organic Grace (wood stamps) Sale Price $10

Sweet Little Sentiments (wood stamps) Sale Price $8

2009 Retired Products

Say It with Scallops (wood stamps) Sale Price $10

Best Yet (Wood stamps) Sale Price $10

Organic Grace (Wood stamps) Sale Price $10

After Thoughts (Wood stamps) Sale Price $10

 

Fathers Day card

This is a sneak peak at a new stamp set that is coming out in the 2012-2013 catalogue starting 1 September 2012.  It is called World's Greatest.

This stamp can be used in so many ways and combined with so many other images from your stash.  I have made this card for my Dad who has survived a fairly difficult year health wise but is rolling along really well now.

I have used a retiring colour Concord Crush (which is a rich purple colour) for this card.  I must say, I am sorry to see this colour go as it is great for both male and female cards.

More about the new catalogue soon.

September Stamp-A-Stack

September sees the start of my Christmas Stamp-A-Stack (SAS) series.  Over the next three months I will run a series of workshops where you will be able to make 8 Christmas cards on each occasion.  In December I will be offering a SAS with a difference where we will be making Christmas gift tags.

The first of these SASs will be held on Saturday 8 September starting and 2.00 pm.  We will be making 8 cards (2 cards of each variety) using stamp sets that are continuing on in the new 2012-2013 catalogue (available as of 1 September 2012).

The first card uses the ornament image and matching ornament punch from the Tags til Christmas set and the second card uses images from the Merry and Type stamp set.

The cost of this SAS will be $20.00 which covers materials for 8 cards with matching envelopes and afternoon tea.

If you are interested in joining this workshop please contact me by email or phone (04111 57969).

Framelits and French Foliage

I have not had a lot of time to get into my craftroom lately but I finally made time to play with the Framelits I bought from the last mini catalogue.  I used them to make this "Z fold" card which I think worked quite well.  These cards are an interesting twist on a regular card where you score the front of the card down the middle and fold it back on itself.  You can then create an overlapping image using cut out shapes or just plain squares and rectangles.


For this card I layered different sized framelit shapes to create the overlapping image.  I used the French Foliage stamp set and the faux mother of pearl technique on the front image.  All this combined with some DSP and I had an interesting folded card. 

I still have some spare spaces in my next Stamp-A-Stack.  If you are interested please contact me.  Details for this workshop are below.

The next Stamp-A-Stack will be held on Saturday 21 July starting at 2.00 pm. As per all SAS's we will be making 8 cards, 4 each of two different designs. I have included images of the cards we will be making here.

The first design uses an old favourite stamp set called Circle Circus. The other design uses a stamp set called Flower Fest which is new to this year's catalogue.

If you are interested in joining me on Saturday 21 July to make these cards please send me an email and I will add your name to the list.

Cost of the SAS is $20.00 which includes all materials to make 8 cards and matching envelopes as well as a light refreshments.

Faux Mother of Pearl

This week I have also been playing with the Faux Mother of Pearl technique.  This uses Frost White Shimmer Paint and some glad wrap.

I have three examples to show you here.  The first stamps from the Established Elements stamp set and the other two use stamps from the Nature Walk stamp set.

I will be teaching this technique at my next Stamp Club gathering on Saturday 4 August for my ongoing Stamp Club members.  If you are not in this group but would be interested in finding out more about this technique please contact me and I will offer this as a technique class later in the year.