Think Pink
In honour of Breast Cancer, Challenge 93 at Late Night Stampers is to use pink. We should all be very vigilant with this disease because it can strike anyone, at any time. My Aunty Bev is a Breast Cancer Survivor so this is for her.

I stamped the butterfly from Great Friend onto Whisper White card using Pretty in Pink ink. Then I ran the cardstock through the Big Shot using the Elegant Lines embossing folder. I wrapped the card with Pretty in Pink Satin Ribbon and then attached it to a Pretty in Pink base card. “Life Happens, Love Helps” is from Vintage Vogue and I inked it using my Pretty in Pink Stampin’ Write Marker and stamped onto Whisper White card which was punched out using the 1 3/8″ circle punch. I sponged the edges with Pretty in Pink ink and layered it onto a Scallop Circle of Pretty in Pink card. I love how simple and elegant this card it.
So all you ladies out there take card or yourselves.
Bye for now, Kris.
A quick case
This week I had a chance to play along with the challenge at SUDSOL. Sudsol stands for Simply Unique Demonstrators Sharing Online. The challenge was to case a card from the USA Stampin’ Success magazine. This magazine is only available to US Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators.

This is the card we had to case. Fairly simple and I must say it didn’t take me too long to come up with my version.

My card is 5″ square. I started with Concord Crush and stamped the grass from Inspired by Nature using Concord Crush ink. I sponged the edges with Concord Crush ink also. I added a piece of Cherry Cobbler card with both edges punched with the new Scallop Trim Border punch. The main image is from Just Believe and I inked it using my Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler Stampin’ Write Markers. I stamped the image onto Very Vanilla card and tore the top edge. I also distressed the other edges using my scissors. I added the image panel to the card using dimensionals.
I like the way this card turned out. I think I am going to be making more square cards, I like the proportions. I am especially happy that I got to use Just Believe. I love this set and haven’t played with it nearly enough.
I’d love to hear what you think.
Bye for now, Kris.
Fun and Fast Get Well
Since my success with the watercolouring at Regionals (sort of), I decided to dust off Fun and Fast Notes for the Stamping 411 challenge this week.

I used my personal Colour Combo book to select my colours. I started with a Chocolate Chip cardstock base. Then added a layer of So Saffron which has been stamped with the Sanded Background using So Saffron ink. I also sponged So Saffron ink onto the edges. I used my Scallop Trim border on the edge of a piece of Chocolate Chip card and then added a layer of Tangerine Tango. My image was stamped on Watercolour Paper using Black Stazon ink. I used Tangerine Tango, Perfect Plum, So Saffron, Chocolate Chip and Pear Pizzazz ink and my Aqua Painter to colour in the flowers and vase. I layered this onto Perfect Plum and Tangerine Tango card and attached it to the front of the card. The greeting is stamped using Perfect Plum ink onto a tag I cut using the Big Shot and my Lots of Tags sizzlet. I sponged around the edges with Perfect Plum ink and then added a Wide Oval punched from Perfect Plum card. This was added to the card front using dimensionals.
I think it turned out pretty well, although my watercolouring still needs some work.
Bye for now, Kris.
Very Dashing
I don’t know why I waited so long to buy the single stamp Dasher. I have seen so many gorgoues things done with it and it is such a cute little stamp.

When I saw the sketch challenge on the Technostamper website, I thought I just had to ink this stamp (Thanks Mary Jo such a great sketch). I started with Cherry Cobbler card as my base (just love this colour). I inked the antlers of the Dasher stamp only using Cherry Cobbler ink and stamped it across the top of the Cherry Cobbler card to add some interest. Next I add a piece of Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper after sponging the edges with some Cherry Cobbler ink. Next I added a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock which I ran through the Big Shot using the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder. I added a small Basic Rhinestone in the centre of the motif on the right hand side. I stamped Dasher onto an oval of Very Vanilla card and layered it onto a piece of Old Olive card. This was added over the Very Vanilla card using dimensionals. I added a small Basic Rhinestone for his eye. Lastly I stamped “Merry Christmas” using the greeting from Contempo Christmas using Cherry Cobbler ink and my stamp-a-ma-jig. I actually stamped the greeting 3 times to give it depth of colour – only possible when you use the stamp-a-ma-jig to position correctly.
I am quite happy with the way this card turned out. What do you think?
Bye for now, Kris.
Happy Birthday Jae
My granddaughter Jae turns two next Friday but we are celebrating her birthday with a family lunch today.

Jae loves Giggle and Hoot (as do all the grandchildren) so I thought I would do something with the new Owl Punch. I have always wanted to do a viewmaster card and used the tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers as a guide. My card is square and after some experimentation I managed to make 4 windows to house my owls. The card is So Saffron and I have stamped it with the Sanded Background stamp using So Saffron ink. The windows are framed with a Circle Scallop punched from More Mustard Card. The “Celebrate You” comes from the Party Hearty Stampset and has been stamped in Chocolate Chip ink. The owls have been punched from various “neutral” and “pink” colours. I have attached the rotating circle to the So Saffron cardfront using a Clear Rhinestone brad through the centre of the “Celebrate You” stamp. I also added a couple of circles of cardstock between the front and the rotating circle to give a little clearance for my owls. The front has been added to a folded So Saffron card base using dimensionals, again to give clearance for the rotation of the owls.

I couldn’t resist decorating the inside of the card with another owl. He is sitting on two branches punched out using the Two Step Bird Punch. The letters have been cut using the Big Shot and the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet medium sizzix dies.
I had lots of fun making this card and I sure hope Jae likes it too.

I needed something to hold her present and found this bag which I got when I purchased some cheese from the Gallo Chocolate and Cheese Factory at Atherton, Qld. If you are ever there, I can thoroughly recommend a visit. They make beautiful chocolates and gorgeous cheese and also serve lovely meals. Anyway this bag was just the right size for her gift and so I decorate the front and “rebirthed” it. Don’t you just love it when you can make something creative and at the same time contribute to “saving the planet” by recycling.

Anyway I made a simple tag again using my Owl Punch and the On Your Birthday Stampset. I attached this to the front of the bag over the Gallo logo and no-one will ever know that I “rebirthed” the bag.
I am so looking forward to celebrating this day with her. She is talking pretty well now and loves to sing “Happy Birthday to Jae”.
I hope you all have a fabulous Sunday.
Bye for now, Kris.
Updated Classes and Workshops Page

I have just updated my Classes and Workshops Page to include details for my Envelope Scrapbook Class. This class is proving popular already so be quick to reserve your place.
Bye for now, Kris.
A Special Birthday
On the weekend Ron and I attended a 70th birthday celebration for a friend and this is the card that I made for him.

I decided to make a Waterfall card and there is a great tutorial for this on Splitcoast Stampers. I used Basic Black and the fabulous Newsprint DSP. I stamped my images from Cheers to You using Basic Black ink and then used my Stampin’ Write Markers to colour them it.



I love how much fun these cards are. Just pull on the ribbon and the images flip over until you get to the end.
Now I did make one little faux pas on this card and I wonder if you can spot what it is.
Anyway I don’t think our friend will notice and hopefully he will like his card.
Bye for now, Kris.
Paper Flowers
Yesterday I held my second workshop during which we learned how to make paper flowers 3 different ways.

To make this flower we punched a 1 3/8″ circle from Real Red cardstock and then punched a scallop circle around it. By cutting between two of the scallops and rolling the cardstock up really tightly you get a gorgeous little flower. Now I know that there was a tutorial somewhere on the net about this and if I can find out where I will post a link.
The Base of the this card is Crumb Cake with a layer of Basic Black. The Top Note die is cut using Very Vanilla card and the Real Red cardstock has been run through the Big Shot using the Petals A Plenty Embossing Folder. The leaves are cut using the Little Leaves sizzlet and Old Olive cardstock. To make the large flowers we joined 3 of the pieces I described above and then when they are finished we attached a circle of real red card behind them and attached to the card front using mini glue dots. We made two flowers like this and then two flowers using 2 of the pieces described above and then one flower using only 1 of the pieces described above. Some Basic Black grosgrain tied around the middle to conceal the top edge of the Real Red cardstock.

The flowers on this card are made by punching out a Scallop Circle, then cutting between two of the scallops and continuing to cut in a spiral until you reach the centre of the scallop circle. You begin at the outside edge and roll until you get to the centre as tight as you can, then you let the cardstock go so that it springs open. These flowers are attached to a 1/2″ circle of matching cardstock using crystal effects. They take about an hour to dry enough to add to the card front.
This card uses Rich Razzleberry as the base card. The layer of Regal Rose has been stamped using the Friendly Words Jumbo Roller and Versamark ink. The edges were sponged with Regal Rose ink. The Sahara Sand cardstock has been embossed using the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder. 5/8″ grosgrain Very Vanilla ribbon has been wrapped around the card. The bow was made by wrapping a Clear Rhinstone brad around a piece of ribbon that has been folded into three and then it was attached using mini glue dots. The Little Leaves were cut using Old Olive cardstock and then the 3 flowers we made from Rich Razzleberry card were attached using mini glue dots. The greeting from Sincere Salutations was stamped using Real Red ink.

The flowers on this card were made by punching 3 layers of cardstock and then piercing a hold through the centre of them. Then we distressed them so that each piece could be separated into 2 layers. The layers were then scrunched up and opened out again. The six pieces were attached using a brad and then each layer scrunched up around the brad. Once all six layers are done, then they are opened from the outside giving a gorgeous almost carnation like effect. One good thing about these is that you can use up all the retired brad colours because you don’t see the brad once the flower is completed.
This card also has a base of Crumb Cake and a layer of Basic Black card. The Top Note is cut using Very Vanilla cardstock. 3 Little Leaves were cut from Old Olive card and then we made the flowers. 1 from the Scallop Circle, 2 from the 1″ circle punch and 2 from the 3/4″ circle punch. They are attached using mini glue dots. The greeting from Sincere Salutations has been stamped using Real Red ink.
They also made a presentation box which was very simple so that if required the card could be posted.
This class was very “full on” and for the first one, the ladies had to punch out all their own pieces. For the class on Saturday I punched out all the pieces for the flowers for them and also did most of the distressing to save time. The ladies only had to punch out the pieces for their technique card.
Making paper flowers can be quite time consuming, but the finished product is so worth the effort.
Bye for now, Kris.
A Wedding Card
My neice got married in Bali this week and I needed to make a wedding card. This card by the very talented Shelley Bierma was one of the swaps that I received at the Brisbane Regionals and was the inspiration for making my card and gift card holder.

I added a little more red to my card and used my Big Shot dies to cut out my hearts and added a little ribbon.
The gift card holder also uses my Big Shot and the new Scallop Trim Border Punch.

I started with Real Red as my base card and then added a layer of Whisper White which I has been run through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dot Impressions folder. I cut one black and one white heart using the Scallop Heart of Heart Embosslit Die. For the Groom’s heart I punched out a Full Heart Extra Large from Basic Black. I cut it partway down, folded back the cut section and then added a bow tie made out of a little 1/4″ grosgrain ribbon and a small Clear Rhinestone Brad. For the Bride”s heart I punched out a Full Heart Extra Large from Whisper White and then ran it through the Big Shot using the Elegant Lines Embossing Folder and making sure that my two circles were centred on the heart. I added a small and a medium Basic Rhinestone to the circles. I stamped the sentiment from Occasional Quotes (a level 3 Hostess Set) onto Whisper White card using Basic Black ink. I punched the sentiment out with the Oval Extra Large Punch. I added a few Basic Rhinestones to the punched piece and layered it onto a Basic Black tag cut using the Big Shot and the Lots of Tags sizzlet. I wrapped the card front with Real Red 1/4″ grosgrain and attached the greeting over the top using dimensionals.

Here is a close up of the Bride and Groom. I love the way these turned out.

The hearts on the belly band for the Gift Card Holder were made by firstly cutting a Basic Black and Real Red heart using the Scalloped Heart of Hearts sizzlet. Then I punched out two Whisper White hearts using the Full Heart Extra Large. I placed the punched hearts back into the Scalloped Heart of Hearts sizzlet so that they could have this gorgeous small polka dot embossed onto them.
I love the way this card and gift card holder have turned out and I hope that my niece will too.
Bye for now, Kris.
A New Stampset
I have loved the Just Believe stampset since it was first released in the United States catalogue but have only just purchased it. In fact it was only delivered yesterday. I do love my parcel man.

I decided to use this set and complete the challenge on Late Night Stampers to use Incolours. I started with Poppy Parade as my base card and stamped the large image from Just Believe in versamark. Then I sponged the edges of the card with Poppy Parade ink. I ran the piece of Concord Crush through the Big Shot using the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder. I inked up the large flower image using my Poppy Parade and Pear Pizzazz Stampin’ Write Markers and stamped onto Whisper White card. I matted the image onto Pear Pizzazz card and attached it to the card front using dimensionals. This card is very simple but the image is so beautiful you don’t need to embellish it to create something lovely.
I am sure you will be seeing this set used much more (now that I have it).
Bye for now, Kris.





