Due to Popular Demand...

After posting the teacher gift sets I made on here, I have had several requests to run a class so people could make their own. So here it is!
You'll make 5 cute 3x3 cards with envelopes and a Top Note Purse to hold them. It's based on an idea I've seen in the brand new catalogue.
Isn't it just oh so cute?!

Sweet!

This is the first lot of wee gift cartons I have made using the cute milk carton die from SU!. I just think they are so darn sweet (excuse the pun!).
I've used the milk carton die and punched out a circle in the front and covered it with acetate to create a little window. There's nothing like having a wee peek at goodies inside to tempt the recipient!
Colours are Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay and Rich Razzleberry. The stamp set covering the box is one of the Sprinkles stamps and the sentiment comes from the 'More the Merrier' Hostess set.

Simply ... Thank You

Here's a card I whipped up to give to as a thank you. I really like the colour combo so am going to have to remember it for future reference.
I played around with the front piece trying to choose between lining everything up straight or slanting some of the sections. Thought I'd be daring and go for a bit of a slant. I wonder whether I should have left the sentiment section straight but by the time I thought of it, it was too late as I had already stuck it down!
I've used Elegant Eggplant, Ruby Red (retiring but I can use another gorgeous red instead) and Marina Mist (I can see this is going to be my favourite new colour). Stamp sets are Extreme Elements and Thank You Kindly. My Stamp-a-ma-jig came in handy with lining up the sentiments!

I'm on the home stretch now with only a few gift boxes to make. I'll post one set I have made already. Enjoy!

New Catty Sneaky Peek

The current PPA challenge is Summer themed cards and when I think of Summer, images of the ocean are conjured up... waves in those gorgeous turquoise colours tipped with white foam, and of course, sand!
Here I have used a brand new colour Marina Mist combined with Bashful Blue, Whisper White and Cake Crumb (formally Kraft).
The stamp sets are two Hostess gift sets - a cute wee set called 'Cute By the Inch' and another called 'Occasional Quotes'. I see you flicking through your catty looking for them, but alas, they aren't there.
That's because they're from the soon-to-be released new Ideas Book & Catalogue!
Demonstrators were given a sneak peek to some of the new Hostess Stamp Sets, and even better, we got to order some to tempt our customers with.
If you'd like to get your own stamping sneak peeks, consider signing up as a demonstrator and joining my team. Are you tempted?!

It's a 'Nouveau Chic' Card Class

Stampin' Up!'s paper pack, 'Nouveau Chic' is my inspiration for this class. The designs are so classy and elegant, and perfect to use on a gift project.
Here I've made an accordion style holder with 4 matching cards. Who wouldn't love to receive this?!
If you are interested in making one of these for yourself (or to give to someone as a gift) email me to reserve your seat!
Class is on Wednesday June 30th from 7 - 9.30pm. Cost $20.

Teacher Gift Time

The other thing that has been taking up my time, has been creating Thank You gifts for the teachers of the classes I have been volunteering in.
Each gift consists of 5 note cards/envelopes and a matching gift box or bag. Here are some of the goodies I have made thus far:
Here I've used the 'Pocket Silhouettes' stamp set and the new Itty Bitty punches. I stamped the background with our Polka Dot stamp just to add some detail. The wee gift bag in the background is made with two Top Notes with a Box #2 sandwiched between them.

This set has the same cute gift bag, just in orange. The cards use some 'Sweet Pea' DSP I had left over which I thought went perfectly with the 'Trendy Trees' stamp set I wanted to use.
Can you tell I have made a few of these gift bags?! This version is for a teacher that likes blue.
I made the flowers using the scallop circle punch and cut into the middle at each valley. I put a butting in the centre of each and tied a bow using embroidery thread.

Now this is my favourite of all the sets I have made. It is for a teacher who LOVES motor cycles (Since it's a lady I added a bit of ribbon but I'm not sure it will stay yet). The paper I used to cover the box is not SU! (I know, sorry!) but I have had it sitting around for ages and wanted to use it up. I think it works so well. The blue "stain" is made using one of the stamps from the 'Extreme Elements' set.

ASI Team Challenge

Now, I hear some of you asking what I have been doing of late. I haven't posted many new ideas for a wee while, but, rest assured, I have been busy!
One of the first projects I had to complete was my team challenge for June. One of the other team members chose 'Masculine Cards' and with Father's Day just around the corner, I thought it would fit the bill perfectly.

Pretty simple with only a minimum of "fluff" as I find guys don't like all the "extra" we girls do. Originally, I just had the brown square with the sentiment in the centre but felt something was missing. It took me the longest time to come up with adding the tab. My Upline Carol calls me the 'Details Girl' so I guess I earned the name with this one :)

Adding Pizzazz with Pastels

Ok, I have to get one thing straight before I begin ... where I come from, we don't call these little cubes of colour, Pastels, we call them chalk. Isn't it funny how something the same can have different names depending on where you come from!

For my upcoming class I wanted to showcase an often overlooked SU! product. I'll be demonstrating some of the many wonderful things that can be done with pastels. They are a fantastic way to get all of Stampin' Up!'s colour range, at a very reasonable price.
For each project I use pastels in a different way.


The butterfly card - I stamped my image with Versa Mark then used a dauber and pastel to colour. I love this technique as it reminds me of developing a film in the dark room and the feeling you get when your image starts to appear. I have used a glassine envelope to place a little message on the front of the card.


The card with the criss cross background uses pastels to colour plain white paper to come up with your own unique Designer Series paper (something I love to do). I love the contrast of the light pastel with the striking rich black.


The last project is the ever-so-sweet gift box with matching card. Isn't it just adorable. Here I have used my pastels with a blender pen to pick up colour. With 48 colours in the pastel set you are never short of having a rainbow of colour on hand.
So if you'd like to learn how to create these beauties or want to learn to get the most out of the humble chalk (opps sorry, pastel), then register for my class. Cost $15.

Oh my lovely Lemon!

I just had to make these wee pillow boxes as give away's for those coming to my class tonight. The reason??
I forgot lemons!!!
So what's the big deal about lemons? They are only my all time favourite flavour and I forgot them on my 'Fruit Salad Card Class'. I just can't believe it didn't occur to me to put a lemon on the oranges/lime card!
Not to be outdone, I'm quite partial to the odd blackberry too so I decided to try making one of my own. I used the strawberry stamp (from the 'Tart & Tangy' set) and coloured it with 'Rich Razzleberry'. Once I'd stamped the image I coloured in the white dots and added the blackberry detail.
So what do you think? Pretty sweet?!

ASI Team Challenge

Our ASI team challenge for May was to use some of the new colours Stampin' Up! will be releasing in July.
Here's the card I came up with. I've used Pacific Point, Tangerine Tango, Riding Hood Red (ink) and Pink Pirouette (ink).
The stamp set is one of my favourite sets from the new Summer Mini ('Water Colour Trio') and the sentiment comes from 'Of the Earth' - a Level One Hostess set.