Excitement Plus!! I am at the Stampin’ Up! Convention in Canberra. Thursday morning is traditionally a time for getting together and swapping ideas and meeting up with those we have only met via the internet or playing catch up with those we only get to see once every 12 months or so. I thought I would schedule this post for Thursday morning and you can then see what I am swapping this year.

I like to try and do some card fronts and some 3D items to swap. I enjoy swapping as it gives me so many more ideas when I come home.

Now onto my first swap, one you may have seen a couple of weeks ago as I did submit a very similar one to this for a challenge at Sunny Challenges and Creations.

Card Front I am swapping at Convention

On the original card, I had brads to match and didnt like the way they sat in the ribbon and I didnt have 150 laying around in my drawer in green. I changed it to putting 3 of the Itty Bitty Flower punches there instead and placed some pearls in their centres. I have made 50 of these little gems and I still go swapping with workshops or classes in mind. I have used the aqua pen and stamp pads for water colouring and this has been done direct to Very Vanilla card not the water colour paper, for placement, used the Stamp a Ma Jig so there is quite a  bit of scope for a class or workshop.

Here is my next swap and its the first of 2 x 3 D items I made.

Twitterpated Kanzashi Flower Brooch

I just love how these turned out and the buttons came from an enormous stash I have and I was lucky to find coordinating buttons. Here is how they are packaged for swapping.

Twitterpated Kanzashi Flowers bagged with the info enclosed.

I will post more information about these a bit later on in a separate post, I just wanted to give an idea of what I was swapping. I have made various ones out of all the different fabrics from Stampin’ Up!. I ran out of the lovely wooden buttons and the brooch backs to continue making more.

And one more using Timeless Portrait.

I really enjoyed making these and my sewing just keeps getting better and better.

I promise that I will post more information about these easy to make flowers using a template.

Here are my final swaps, they are paper snip or mobile phone charms, mine is on my paper snips.

Paper Snip Charms

More information on will be posted on these after I come back from Convention and run up a bit of a tutorial as I did some step by step photos while making these with the Blossom Punch and Mixed Bunch Stamp set out of the Autumn – Winter Mini Catalogue. Here is a group of them ready to go into their little boxes.

Black Red and White Charm

I have either coloured them using Water Colour Crayons or directly off the stamp pads using an aqua brush. Lastly the one I chose to keep to put on my old paper snips so I can just keep an eye on which ones I use for certain jobs.

One on my paper snips. They are blue hues.

Ok I am sitting here Tuesday afternoon rather relaxed, packed, and just about ready to go, I need to swap over a bag and my Spicey wallet to take with me and make sure I have my last minute packing stuff ready to go and wondering how I am this organised that this will post while I am actually swapping in Canberra. So off I go to do my last minute things.

“May the Stamps be with You”

xxTessxx

Such a nice simple sketch, however the challenge this week was to use the “Baby Wipe” Technique. There are plenty of ways to choose from on the internet. Just google “Baby Wipe” Technique and you will find many amazing ideas and creations using this simple and fun technique.

For my take on the challenge this week, I used the baby wipe technique for my background, using glossy white card stock and Chocolate Chip, Wild Wasabi and Pretty in Pink reinkers. I also used a slightly different technique for the focal point and the sentiment and matting it all on chocolate chip to frame it all.

Here is my take on the challenge:

SC 042 – 12 Baby Wipe Technique

This is so much fun and I have never used this technique before. I want to thank Sunny Challenges and Creations for another awesome challenge with this fun technique. The challenge is on until 4.00 pm Friday Australian Standard time so why not have a go. This was just so much fun.

2 Sleeps until I board that plane to go to Canberra for Convention. I am getting so excited. All my swaps are packed and done and pictures will be up before the weekend. I may even get time to do some additional posts. I am not promising though, as I have so much fun at these things I sometimes have even forgotten to call my family !!!

Ok just a quick post this morning as I am going to the Drs, followed by a nail appointment (a first for me !!! and I wanted a nice ‘girlie” treat) and my hair done.

Take care

“May the Stamps be with You!!”

xxTessxx

I wasnt going to do much else crafty this week even my favourite weekly challenge, but it seems I am at a loose end until my lovely order comes today. I have 40 card fronts ready to be assembled as soon as that box is in the house (I am hoping today and probably after lunch). So off to check out the sketch for Sunny Challenges and Creations this week, and here it is

So use this sketch with In-Colours. Here is my creation:

SC 041 – 12. A ‘Spicey” Rosette

I have been playing on and off with the rosettes. They are such fun to make. This time I decided to do an oval one. I cut 2 x 1 inch strips of paper from the Spice Cake range and then cut on of the 12 inch strips back to 6 inches. I then used the Simply scored tool and marked each 1/4 inch. I then joined the the 6 and 12 inch strip together with some adhesive. This just gave a little more length to go around the oval more evenly. Using the Spiced Paisley set, after playing a while with what I was going to put in the center of the oval, I came up with the idea of a yin and yang with Pool Party and Pear Pizzazz (alas, I am waiting for more of this cardstock right now). I used the striped embossing folder to match the striped pattern in the Spice Cake patterned paper and finally used the ‘create’ stamp out of the Creative Elements stamp set for the sentiment.

I hope you enjoy my take on Sunny Challenges and Creations Challenge this week and there is still time to join in.

Keep tuned as I have pictures of my swaps for convention taken and now to editing and scheduling some posts while I am away and as my trusty laptop is coming with me, I may even have time to post a couple of quick ones in while I am away.

take care

“May the Stamps be with You”

xxTessxx

I have a very early start this morning as I going to do the markets at the Bongaree Jetty this mornng. Just thought I would show you a couple of things that will be on my stall. First of all the Chupa Chup Flowers, these are very popular and a great way to use up that stash of card stock and printed papers.

Flower Box

These flowers are made with the new Blossom Punch with the petals cut and also the Flower Folds Bigz Die for the Big Shot. I think they look awesome and they are very popular at the markets.

Now onto something completely new for my stall this week.

Butterfly Lip Balm Holder – Pool Party

These I made using the Beautiful Butterflies Die and the Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die. It has been really lucky that Avon has had specials on their lip balms the last couple of campaigns and that they coordinate so well with our cardstock and this is also another way to get rid of the off cuts or left over card stock. Here is another:

Butterfly Lip Balm Holder – Real Red

Just another one close up to show you and a few together in the next picture.

A few of the Butterfly Lip Balm Holders together

I sure hope they do well at the markets.

Thats it for now. I hope you all have a great Mother’s Day.

“May the Stamps be with you”

xxTessxx

I hope your week has been filled with fun and crafting. I have been so busy this last week, so it has taken me all week to get to the challenge at Sunny Challenges and Creations this week.

Here is the sketch,

Sketch Challenge from Sunny Challenges and Creations this week.

I have been using the Big Shot so much this week so it was inevitable that I used it in the challenge. Here is my entry for this weeks challenge,

Beautiful Wings and Butterflies – Mother’s Day Card

To complete the challenge, I added the stripes with the lattice embossing folder. Mother’s Day is this weekend here in Australia. Last weekend at the markets, I sold out of all my Mother’s Day cards so  I needed to make just a couple more for those last minute shoppers at the markets this Sunday. I have so many more things to make as shoppers really spent last Sunday. Mostly notepads and post it notes, also some mini albums that I have made with the top note die.

Off to create some more lovely things for this weekend. Have a great day and come back soon. I have at least another post almost ready to go.

“May the Stamps be with you”

xxTessxx

Sunny Challenges and Creations always have just the thing to kick start some mojo. This weeks challenge is no exception. Use the sketch and the in colours that unfortunately will be retiring for Australian and New Zealand Customers in August this year. Not to weep too hard as there will always be lovely colours to replace them in September. We still have a little while before they retire!!!

Here is my entry into the challenge this week.

Under the Big Top

The In Colours I used were Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz and the fabulous Peach Parfait. I used the Under the Big Top stamp set and masked the words under the ballerina. To be honest this is only the second time I have used this set and the first time was at Brisbane Regionals last year. With this in mind I decided to challenge myself a little more and use this set. I water coloured the image that has been stamped onto just ordinary Very Vanilla card. The sentiment I used is from the Creative Elements stamp set and goes perfectly with the stamped image and shows that while I would consider Under the Big Top more a stamp set for little ones, it can show its versatility with a more “mature” card.

This post is short and sweet, but I will have more coming shortly. Until next time take care

“May the Stamps be with You”

xxTessxx

I have been quite ill with a chest infection and I now and quietly thinking that after almost 2 rounds of antibiotics I am starting to feel better. Today also marks 4 weeks since I smoked my last cigarette. I am sure some of the unwellness I have been feeling can be contributed to this but no where near all. I have a repeat of the last antibiotics so going to get them made up and really knock this bug on the head.

So last week was my last week on the Design Team at Sunny Challenges and Creations and the challenge was to put a window in the front of the card. Again first I must apologise to Kris, Vicky and Gwen as this card was not up to my usual standards. However, here it is in all its glory.

Now I am not happy with this as its too flat, if I were to do this again, it would have sponging around the edges and dimensionals to give the card some depth. Maybe I am being too picky, I am moving on.

I have also been participating in a Secret Sister group on Facebook and I made this window card for her. I am sure that she should receive this in the post today or no later than tomorrow!! As its the reveal card I have no problem with posting this here, made later last week when I was feeling a little better.

Window Card - April Reveal

No I wasnt drunk, I just took a crooked photo and had already posted it off last week before looking at the photos. Oh by the way I left the camera on too. Lucky it goes to sleep on its own or I would have had no battery!!

I used some of the Twitterpated Designer Fabric a bit left over from the final reveal gift. I just love this pleated ribbon, its just so luxurious dont you think?

I also hadnt been near my sewing machine for a little while so I cased a gift I received from my secret sister and made a final little gift for my secret sister.

Desk Caddy Corner.

This is using the Large Scallop Square Die and the lovely, gorgeous Twitterpated Designer Fabric. I have just used some “pellen” (I think that is what its called) between the layers of fabric to ‘stiffen’ the walls a bit, so it stands up on its own. Here is another view of one side. Where I appliqued a Beautiful Wings Butterfly out of the inner fabric just to see if I could machine applique around corners. It turned out ok for a first go (I have only appliqued in straight lines before this).

Front of the Desk Caddy.

I love how this turned out and I am sure my Secret Sister will be thrilled with her final reveal gift.

I will be posting more this week as there is a new challenge at Sunny Challenges and Creations this week and I am itching to have a go.

However, I have 6 desk caddy’s cut out ready to sew up so they are ready for the markets. They would make lovely gifts for Mother’s Day which is coming up very shortly now. I also am making some little gift tags that I will be bagging up with a sweet topper on them to sell. They will be quite generic so they can be used all year round but also would make a nice last minute gift for someone else.

Off I go to sew now.

Thank you for being so patient and I hope you dont have to wait so long for my next post. Until then..

“May the Stamps be with You”

xxTessxx

Here is my card for the sketch.

Medallion Birthday Card

I really love the Medallion Stamp, but have rarely used it, I am ashamed to say. The next few months I will be personally challenging myself to use some of the ‘older’ stamps again just to remind myself of some of the gorgeous treasures I have in my “stash”. I wanted to use purple this week as while its lovely, I dont use it a lot. An invaluable tool for coordinating different colours from the large range, is the Color Coach, from Stampin’ Up!

120148 - Color Coach

It is such an invaluable tool, especially if you are struggling for inspiration. Ok,,,, so not exactly true to colours, they are very, very close. Want to make a card with a specific colour in mind? Simple flick to the colour you want to use. On the back of the cards there are a couple of different colour combinations and on most a monochromatic suggestion too. Take the combination back to our wonderful cardstock and see how the combination works together. You will be wonderfully surprised! In the front there are a lot of ideas, tips information about the colour wheel, primary, secondary and tertiary colours and in the back are spaces where you can put your own colour combinations that work for you and that is just for starters. I love my Color Coach.

If you are looking for inspiration or would like to get creative, why not join us at Sunny Challenges and Creations this week.  Sadly, I only have one more week to go as a guest designer on the team and I have had a lot of fun and it was also good to make me a little more organised with getting my bits and pieces done.

Please leave a comment if you like. I love to see feedback here and thank you if you do.

My last 2 – 3 weeks have been huge and I have a lot to do over the next few weeks as well. Come back and visit, I will have more posts on their way this week.

Until then,

“May the Stamps be with you”

xxTessxx

I am hoping you are having a wonderful Easter, enjoying time with family and friends and perhaps some chocolatey goodness too.  I will be going down to the markets at the Jetty on Bribie Island for a while to hopefully sell the last of my Easter Goodies, then home to have a nice quiet day with the family in the afternoon. Whatever you do enjoy your day!! If you have some spare time and want to relax and craft, just keep reading.

It is my second week as Guest Designer over at Sunny Challenges and Creations and here is the sketch for this week:

Sunny Challenges and Creations SC 035 12 Sketch plus "Mother's" Theme

I couldnt resist having another play with the new Blossom punch and made a Chrysanthemum for the front of the card. Rather than the usual “feminine’ type colours, I chose to use Not Quite Navy with some Daffodil Delight. The Petals a Plenty Embossing folder made a lovely background to go with the punched flower. Here is the card:

Blossom Punch Mother's Day Card

I added a couple of Vintage Brads, one to the centre of the flower and another on the punched ribbon border. I love this Ribbon Border punch so much and its a “go to” when I dont seem to have the right coordinating coloured ribbon to finish off a project.

I also decided to take a close up of the flower, as a way of perfecting photography for pictures and because, I loved the look.

Chrysanthemum Close Up

I must say thankyou to a couple of the talented Ladies from the ESAD Autumn Winter Mini Blog Hop (start here) that inspired me to make this flower for a Mother’s Day card. I always remember making sure that my Mum had a bunch of Chrysanthemums on Mother’s Day. We always called them the “Mother’s Day” Flowers.

Why not go over and join in a fun challenge this week at Sunny Challenges and Creations? Its all a lot of fun and we would love to see your interpretation of the sketch for this week. Next week, I will be doing the sketch design, a little nervous, but I can do it I am sure.

Thats all from me for now and Thank you again for stopping by.

“May the Stamps be with you”

xxTessxx

I have been using a lovely covered notebook that a friend gave me, for quite a while now. The problem with it was, it ran out of paper. So what to do? I grabbed a notebook from down at the local newsagent yesterday and started to write in it. The cover of the notebook was fairly disgusting in colour and was distracting me from what I was meant to be doing. So I stopped writing notes and decided then and there to cover my notebook so it wasnt offending my sense of colour. I reached for the trusty Spice Cake DSP and off I went. Here is what I come up:

A covered notebook for me!!!

Not very often I do something for me.  I used the Spice Cake DSP and the lovely new Framelets which you can get in the new Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue.

Thank you once again for stopping by.

“May the Stamps be with you”

xxTessxx