Life Oh Life!

Hi all,

I know it's been a while for me between posts! I am so slack! I must admit though it is all due to somethings that happened earlier this week. It has meant I cannot concentrate on Craft and Stampin and must make some decisions and follow up somethings. I will be back on track shortly but need this time to myself. I will assure you that I am fine and will be ok just need to get through what is going on my own way.

For this reason I need to report that I need to reschedule the class I am due to hold this Sunday. I am sorry to anyone who was looking forward to it as I was also. I have just bumped it back a week. So instead of this Sunday 2nd December it will be NEXT Sunday the 9th November at 2pm. I really hope you can join me on this date as I would like to still have lots of money to donate to Cancer Council.

I really thank you all for understanding these unexpected circumstances!

Anyway on a lighter note I do have some craft project photos for you. Here are photo's of my most recent ATC Swaps. They were Christmas themed and I really wanted to do something a little different. I also thought most people would be using Season of Joy so wanted to steer clear of that set. Here is what I came up with. It is a little different but I really like it and hope you do too.

Here is the individual ATC! I used the Faux Metal Technique to make the snow flake pendant and cracked out my jewelry making stuff to attach it to the ribbon. Here is a close up.

Stamp Set: Short and Sweet, Snow Flurries

Ink: Night of Navy, Ballet Blue, Bashful Blue, Versamark

Cardstock: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Ballet Blue

Accessories: Silver Embossing Powder, Ballet Blue Grosgain Ribbon, 3/4" Punch

Techniques: Faux Metal

I won't have a spotlight product this month as things are too crazy at the moment. I do apologise! I will be back when I have time!

Take Care,

Dani

Always in Pink!

Kristina Werner posted another colour challenge and although I should be cutting up cardstock for my upcoming demo I couldn't resist. The challenge was to use tones and shades of red including pink. I also am not a huge pink person but LOVE red. I did however mainly used pink/red tones for this card. It is very simplisitic but I love the end effect. I think this card would look lovely in other colours also.

Here is the card I made, How lush is it??

Here is a close up of the heart. I used the embossing resist techniqueand embossed in clear embossing powder then used my brayer and sponging to add tones of pinks and reds. I also added eyelets and tied ribbon through it!

Stamp Set: Always

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Rose Red, Purely Pomegrante, Versamark

Cardstock: Whisper White, Rose Red

Acessories: White Eyelets, Crop a dile, Pink Grosgrain ribbon, Pretties Kit, Sponge Daubers, Clear Embossing Powder, Sponges, Brayer

Thanks a bunch for looking!

Please post your guesses for belows post so you can win some goodies!

Have a great night

Dani

Birthday Card Comp

Allo Allo Allo,

The other day I was making a birthday card. As I was making it I someone asked me who it was for and when I told them who it was for they were quiet surprised and advised that you couldn't tell the person it would be for just looking at the card. This got me thinking of making a little comp of this. (I sort of stole the idea from Marelle Taylor) So I have a few gifts up for grabs for the first person/people who correctly guess the following questions... This is open to demonstrators and customers!

Based on the card below comment and tell me
a. The sex of the person I am giving it to (Male of Female)
b. The age of the person. I will give it to the closest if no one gets it within a week.
c. The way in which this person is known to me ie. Related (if so how - Brother, Mother, Uncle, Cousin, etc) Close Friend, Work Colleague, Stampin Up! Friend, Netball Team Mate, Aquintance, Youth Group Friend, etc.

Here is the card in which you have to answer these questions about...




Here's a close up of the card!



Stamp Set: Big Bold Birthday
Cardstock: Summer Sun, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: Certainly Celery, Ballet Blue, Real Red, Summer Sun
Accessories: Summer Sun Marker, Wide Certainly Celery Ribbon, Thin Ballet Blue Ribbon, Dimensionals, Paper Snips, Real Red eyelets, Crop a dile

If you like this card you can purchase the set used in it for 20% of when you spend $20 or more from the catty. Please contact me if you would like to take advantage of this! Hurry runs out at the end of the month!

Cheers,
Dani

Scrapbooking Challenge

I originally got into craft after my mum started scrapbooking a few years ago. I got into scrapbooking and found it alot of fun but my pages were very basic. I started buying stuff with the intent of scrapbooking but never had photo's printed (I'm sure others can also share a simular predicament) so moved onto card making. My card making started off again very basic and still wasn't all that spectacular until I found Stampin' Up! Since then though I haven't really continued doing much scrapbooking because I still feel my skills are quite basic and can never really come up with any new layouts. I find my pages also take me a very long time to complete because I can't just get an idea and sort of run with it like cardmaking I have to explore absolutly every possibility and then give up after 2 hours and just end up doing something very basic.

The other day when we were given challenges by the lovely Kylie. She set us a challenge to use traditional Christmas colours (Red, Green, Gold (if embossing) and White) to create a card or scrapbook. Usually I would just go the easy option and make a card. I decided that I have heaps of photo's I've been meaning to scrap as a Christmas Pressie to my Boyfriends Brother of his beautiful daughter, Asha, so I should get a headstart on that. This page took me a very long time but I am so happy with how it turned out and it is very different to anything I'd normally do. I got some inspiration for the page from looking at some of the gorgeous pages by Beth Stewart. She has some great work if you ever have time to check her blog out.

Behind the First Picture there is a pullout for some journalling which I haven't written on yet as I want to make sure I put something special on there that really tells the story of the photo's and I think my boyfriend should help with that.

I used flowers from the pretties kit which I coloured in with real red ink and a sponge Dauber. They are so nice and the first time I've used them! I think I'll be using them again!

Stamp Sets: Season of Joy, Many Merry Messages, Big Deal Alphabet

Card Stock: Real Red, Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Certainly Celery Prints DSP

Ink: Real Red, Wild Wasabi

Accessories: Real Red Marker, Summer Sun Marker, Real Red Eyelets, Crop-a-dile, Round Tab Punch, Pretties Kit, Ice Rhinestone Brads, Dimensionals, Mat Pack, White Gel Pen, Stapler, Hemp Twine, Spounge Dauber

Thanks for looking!

Cheers Big Ears!

Dani

Challenge Night

Hi All,

During the week we had another challenge night with the demonstrator group that I am apart of, The Inklings. Challenges were set by the lovely Kylie Swain and were all very appropriatly Christmas Themed. I haven't been able to have the chance to complete them all as yet but I have done Challenge 1 which was to make a pocket card but of course make it Christmas themed! These were very quick and easy to make. It was just the decorating that I took more time. Here's what I came up with...



The Mellow moss insert at the back pulls out so you could write a nice message on it or have something hidden in it such as a gift card/voucher. They are great little christmas gifts to give out and the dimensions can easily be changed to suit what you want to make. Below is a close up of the pull out tab and ribbon. I set an jumbo eyelet and then placed a rhinestone brad in the middle. Looks really cute and blings it up a little too!



Stamps: Season of Joy, Baroque Motifs
Cardstock: Sahara Sand, Mellow Moss, Purely Pomegrante
Ink: Mellow Moss, Purely Pomegrante
Accessories: Mellow Moss Grosgrain Ribbon, Corner Rounder Punch, Ice Rhinestone Brads, Jumbo Eyelets, Crop-a-dile, Sponge Daubers, Round Tab Punch

You can make these up to suit any occasion! I will try and get to the other challenges soon!

Thanks for looking!
Happy Sunday :)

Dani

And the winner is...

The other week I posted 3 cards I made for a Kristina Colour Challenge. I left it up to you to chose your favourite. The general consensus was the Giraffe Card was the fav. So I am giving this one away to a lucky person...

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:3

Which is Kristy Young! Kristy please send me an email with your address and I will send that card out to you!

My personal fav of the 3 was the Christmas card as it was just a little different to the other entries that were entered so I'm glad I get to keep it for a bit!!

Thanks guys for viewing my blog and commenting! Keep the comments coming! They are one of the things that keep me motivated and inspired to update my blog and create beautiful things!!

Cheers,
Dani :)

NOT my usual style and upcoming classes

I had a customer buy a set back in April after she saw a card made with it and fell in love with it. She has since not made anything with it and advised me she had no idea how to use the set. She asked if i could demo it at her party on Saturday. Not being able to say no to anything (my worst habit) I said yes. This set is REALLY not one I would normally use or anything I would normally pick but decided to be open to the challenge and also look on others sites for inspiration. I was also instructed that I must use purple for the card also otherwise I could do what I liked! I went blog hunting and used the wonderful and extremly talented Teneale Williams card for some inspiration. Of course my card is no where near as nice as hers but I tried.

The set I was given was blossoms abound! To tell you the truth it is a really fun set to use and I had alot of fun creating these 2 cards. I have even added the set to my wish list...

Here are the two cards I came up with

I was also intimidated by making these cards because I have lost my stamp-ma-jig I then found it whilst I was loading my boot for the demonstration! Whoops! The card above uses my new found love in colours sage shadow! It also has a combo of Lavendar Lace and Elegant Eggplant! I love how it stands out so brightly but not to overpowering!

This second card I toned down in colour a little to just see what the difference would look like. The colours in this one is sage shadow teamed with perfect plum and pale plum. Still really stunning! I demoed this card at the party and she loved it so much she bought all the stamp pads and cardstock along with hodgepodge so she could re-create it! I think I did good! What do you reckon??

On Saturday I also decided to get a little organised. I have planned my classes from now until June next year! I am holding project and technique classes once per month on the first Sunday of each month at 2pm. (This is all I can manage at the moment with a full time job sorry guys! Tell me boss to sack me hehe) I have posted the first few classes on the right hand side of my blog for your info and will keep updating. If you want a full document with all the info please comment or email me and I will gladly send them to you.

For my first class on the 2nd November I am doing a Girls Afternoon In and will donate $20 of the $25 class fee's to the breast cancer council. Please come bring your girlfriends wear pink and make a Pink handbag and gift cards! I would love to have as many people attend as possible so we can donate a good amount of money. I am also accepting donations. Please email me if you would like to leave a donation however big or small! danielle.fender@centacare.org

Thanks in advance!

Dani

Happy 1st Birthday Asha

On the 26th of September my boyfriends Niece, Asha, turned One! I cannot believe she is already a year old. She is the most beautiful and sweet little girl and I'm not just be a biased "sort of auntie." Check out this gorgeous photo taken of her at her party!

As it was her birthday I also had to make her a beautiful birthday card. I used a set that is retired (Sorry guys) called "Favourite Teddy Bear" but it was the most appropriate set for the card. I love this set so much and was bummed when it retired! He (the bear) is sooo cute and I've nicknamed him Boris!

I stamped Boris in Timber Brown Stazon onto watercolouring paper and then watercoloured him in Close to cocoa and Chocolate Chip Inks to get all the shading! I added a party hat to him and watercoloured it in lavendar lace. The rest of the card was done in Pretty in Pink and Lavendar lace as these were the colours of the balloons they had chosen for the party.

On the inside of the card I took a Very Vanilla Love Note envelope. Jazzed it up with punches and bling and stuck it to the inside of the card. I put some money in the envelope to be added to her bank account which was opened for her a few days after she was born. Unfortunatly in the heat my Basic Black journaler went psycho and wouldn't work so I had to write with the thick side of the marker. It isn't as neat and perfect as I would usually write for that reason!

How sweet does it look??

During the party Mum and Dad had a cake for her. They decided after blowing the candles out they would let her loose on the cake. She ended up with icing all over herself including in her hair. I have heaps of photos of her looking like a very cute grub and it was hard to chose one. The photo I have chosen was her whilst eating cake and dancing along to the song her dad made up for her. Isn't she sooo cute?

I can't wait to get these printed and scrapbook them!!

Thanks for looking! Have a great day

Dani

A day of cardmaking

Hi all,

It's been lovely having some time off work the last week it has meant I've been able to get HEAPS of craft stuff done! Today I have been so busy creating I only just noticed that it's nearly 4pm and I'm still in my pj's! Pure Bliss if I do say so myself!

The projects I have to share were made using the colours from Kristina Werner's lastest Colour Challenge! I saw the colours and immediatly thought ok these are my type of colours! I'm pretty sure I've used the combo a few times in the past. I had so much fun creating that I ended up making 3 cards!

Here are the colours... Ballet Blue, Certainly Celery, So Saffron and Ruby Red... Mmmm How nice!!



Here is what I did with the colours. For my first card I started using the Big Bold Birthday Stamp Set (On sale for 20% this month only). And got 3/4 of the way through and decided to change it up a bit and use the cute giraffe from the Wild About You set! I'm so happy I did as I love the outcome!



Stamp Set: Big Bold Birthday, Wild About You
Cardstock: Ballet Blue, So Saffron, Ruby Red, Certainly Celery Prints DSP
Ink: So Saffron, Ruby Red Marker
Accessories: Ballet Blue and Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon

I then had this Cup Cake that I had already worked on and didn't use so I made up a little 3x3" Love Note Card and adhered it to this. How cute does it look??



You can't tell but the Ballet Blue top of the card is embossed in top boss glitter embossing powder. Here's a close up hopefully you can see it now!!



Stamp Set: Big Bold Birthday
Ink: Balllet Blue, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Versamark
Cardstock: Whisper White, Ruby Red, So Saffron
Accessories: Certainly Celery and So Saffron Brads, Glitter Embossing Powder, Certainly Celery Ribbon

Finally I decided these colours could be used for a christmas card. I pulled out my Spotlight product for this month, The beautiful Season of Joy set and played with that. I wish I owned all the coloured markers as it would have made it a little easier but I am so happy with the outcome! How sweet is this card?? It would make a great Stamp a Stack cos it was really quick and easy!



Stamp Set: Season of Joy
Cardstock: Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Ruby Red
Ink: Certainly Celery, Ruby Red, Ballet Blue, So Saffron
Accessories: 3/4" circle, Wide Grosgrain Ribbon, So Saffron Brad

Now it's over to you guys my readers. I love each card for different reasons. I want you to tell me which card you like the best. All the responses I get before 19/10/08 will be in the running to win the card which is selected as the favourite of all the responses! The winner will be chosen at random! You must be in it to win it So leave me a comment!

Cheers!

Dani

Ben and Karl's Colour Challenge

Hi All,

I'm back from my little break! Gee's it was so good to get away with no phone, no tv, no electricity and just relax! Was much needed! Anywho...

The other night I was a little stuck for ideas so was looking at the In Colour Chart that Stampin' Up! have on the Demonstrator site. Just one of the great benefits you recieve from being a demonstrator. The chart has a whole heap of colour combinations that you can use all using at least one of the 2008-2009 In Colours. Some of the combinations are quiet nice and I got lots of ideas from them other's I would never consider.

My apprentice (my 16 yr old brother) kept looking over to have a look at them. He would comment on weather he liked them or how crazy the colours were together. I then did the stupidest thing possible... I opened my big mouth and told him to chose a combo and I would make a card up using those colours. I then did something stupider (if that's a word I did it!) I told him that I disliked/wasn't comfortable with using groovy guava I also don't own the ink pad which makes it even more difficult. So naturally he chose to only look at the combo's using Groovy Guava and finally decided on the following colours...

Groovy Guava, Ballet Blue, River Rock and Rose Red. Ouch! was my initial thought! I wouldn't normally put those colours together! I pondered it for a while and then decided my best bet would to do some watercolouring. I am quiet happy with what I came up with. If you stand back from the card the colours look so well blended and really pop!

The beauty about this card is that you can use it both ways and it works... SEE!!!

Stamp Set: Scribble This

Cardstock: Rose Red, Groovy Guava, Watercolouring Paper

Ink: Black Stazon, Rose Red, Ballet Blue, River Rock

Accessories: Aqua Painter, Corner Rounder, Ballet Blue Wide Ribbon, River Rock Double Stitched Ribbon

Just as I had finished the card my Darling Boyfriend came me over to find me crafting. He asked what I was up to and so I explained. He then decided to jump on the band wagon and choose some colours. He is quiet obsessed with Real Red at the moment. (He keeps suggesting it for everything I make) so was trying to incorporate that into the card whilst also not making it to easy for me. He finally decided on a combo and added Real Red to it.

My colour combo was Close to Cocoa, More Mustard, Blue Bayou, Perfect Plum and Real Red. To make the combo just that bit harder I was forbidden to use watercolouring as I did that with the prevopis card. As these colours aren't really something I would use either I again had some difficulty but am happy with the end result.

Stamp Set: Whimsical Alphabet* Everday Flexible Phrases, Looks Like Spring

Cardstock: Whisper White, Close to Cocoa, Real Red, More Mustard, Blue Bayou, Perfect Plum

Ink: Close to Cocoa, Real Red, More Mustard, Blue Bayou, Perfect Plum

Accessories: 1 1/2" and 1 3/8 Square Punch, More Mustard Ribbon, Spring Bouquet Punch, Red Eyelets, Crop-a-dile, Staples and Stapler

I have always wanted to do this layout card before but never have so was really happy that I colour have a bit of fun with it! I'm thinking I will be getting them to set me some more of these challenges more often as because they are here I am forced to do it otherwise they will rouse on me and that's WAY too much trouble then it's worth! I had lots of fun with it despite whinging at them.

Thanks for looking!

Have a lovely night

Dani

* indicates that product is retired

Stampin' Up! 20th Birthday

As mentioned a few posts down it is Stampin' Up! 20th Birthday and to celebrate they are giving everyone 20% of selected Stamp sets. Here is another card using two of the sets, Short and Sweet and Pretty Princess. Pretty Princess is a very girly set and I'm not very girly but have gotten into alot more pink since joining SU! I will show you how to boy it up when I get a chance.

For this card I did some more of my new found love... Watercolouring. I watercoloured the cake image in So Saffron, Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegrante and Regal Rose. I added some hodgepodge and chose a piece that I have always struggled with using cos I wasn't 100% sure what to do with it. I think it looks so funky and stylish though. I thread some Regal Rose wide grosgrain ribbon through it and finished it with some So Saffron brads. I then finished the card off with some polka dots and 'best wishes' from Short and Sweet.

Stamp Set: Pretty Princess (Thanks Carol), Short and Sweet, Polka Dot BG

Cardstock: So Saffron, Regal Rose, Watercolouring Paper

Ink: So Saffron, Wild Wasabi, Purely Pomegrante, Regal Rose, Black Stazon, Basic Black

Accessories: Regal Rose Wide Grosgrain, So Saffron Brads, Hodgepodge Hardware, Aquapainter

Technique: Watercolouring

How super cute is it?? Want to make your own! Well now is the best time as there is 20%. Contact me today to order your set!

I am going away for a few nights to get some much needed R&R! See you when I get back!

Ciao,

Dani

Episode II - Welcome to the major CASE squad

The best craft designs are persued by the detective of the major CASE squad... This is her story

Doink Doink

7 weeks ago Detective Dani was given a new assignment. To create some simple yet different Christmas gifts. Detective Dani stewed this over for a while when she remembered the lovely Joanna Wassens. Detective Dani thought to herself Jo always has gorgeous projects and she is very easily persuaded to give up her ideas, She will be my perfect target.

So Detective Dani went over to Jo's blog for some inspiration and came across some beautiful Magnet Bookmark's. Knowing that this fit the brief Detective Dani knew she had to use her quick wit and incredibly good looks to get Jo to give up her beautiful ideas. Detective Dani read down and found that by just thinking of how to get Jo to confess she already had exposed her secrets and the recipe to make the bookmark. Detective Dani knew it wasn't that easy and knew that there had to be more to it so sent Jo a comment trying to be discrete that she wasn't on Jo's CASE but also to get her to fully expose her secrets.

"Hi Jo,
I keep eyeing this off. It's such a great and simple idea. I am thinking of casing it for my next upcoming demo's. Thanks for the inspiration.
Where did you get the magnets from?? I've only been able to get huge sheets of them!! Please let me know
Dani xoxo"

Detective Dani knowing that Jo will give in awaited a reply and received one only a few days later from Jo advising that she simply recycled old fridge magents. Not knowing weather Jo had just given Detective Dani the key to unlocking all the secrets Detective Dani decided to start making up some prototypes with the plan of keeping Jo in a cell overnight until she gives in if they didn't work.

After making the first prototype Detective Dani knew that Jo had given in to her power's of persuasion and given Detective Dani the key to completing her assignment. Knowing that Jo may suspect that Detective Dani had Copied And Stole Everything she knew she had to disguise the project. Detective Dani looked at her colour Pallete and picked up the Old Olive and Real Red Cardstock and knew that this will give the project that extra touch it needed. To be extra sneaky Detective Dani made a second one by adding her own flair to the project. She then knew the CASE was complete and submitted her project to Senior Constable Karl for approval. Knowing that he was also memerised by Dectective Dani's beauty and wit he approved the project by saying "My darling they are beautiful".

The first prototype using Jo's design cleverly disguised with Old Olive and Real Red Cardstock. Detective Dani also used wide grosgrain ribbon.

The second Prototype with a changed design.

Here's how the magnet sits and below how the Magnet looks in Detective Dani's favourite reading material.

Detective Dani had made a beautiful and fun Christmas gift and due to these efforts Detective Dani was able to provide her demonstration attendee's with a fun Make and Take during the month of September. Detective Dani even used her Spotlight product to top off the project.

Stay tuned for the next episode of Craft and Design. Detective Dani ends up in too deep. Will she be able to solve the case?? You'll be in suspense!

Dani

P.S. Thanks so much Jo for letting me case your work and write this fun post.

October Spotlight

I know I promised I'd be post yesterday but I've been busy entertaining my mates from Melbourne! Sorry to anyone that may have been hanging out for this months spotlight. I do highly doubt it though!

This months Spotlight is a stamp set. I decided since it's October now is the best time to start thinking about getting prepared for Christmas. So all month I'm going to show you beautiful projects made with the very gorgeous "Season of Joy" Christmas Stamp Set. This set is featured in the lovely Spring Mini Catalogue (pg 22) for only $51.95. It is a really fresh and versatile set and great for quick and easy Christmas cards.

The following card was made taking inspiration from the lovely Michelle Dyson after the card she had us make as a card in a box on the team weekend away. The colours are really lovely and a great combo together. I will use it again!

I made the snowflake embellishment using a technique called Faux Metal. It is made by applying versamark to a piece of cardstock and then embossing silver powder onto it. I then repreted this process until I had about 4 layers thick of the powder. I then stamped the snowflake image into the versamark onto the embossing layers whilst it was still hot to get the imprint of the stamp. I then finished it off with a blue rhinestone brad. Here's a close up... How pretty is it???

Stamp Set: Season of Joy

Cardstock: Whisper White, Soft Sky, Sage Shadow

Ink: Sage Shadow, Versamark

Accessories: Scallop Punch, 1 3/8" and 1 1/2" circle, Silver Embossing Powder, Ice Rhinestone Brads, Mat Pack, Dimensionals

Technique: Faux Metal

Cheers Big Ears!

Dani xoxo

New Month New Promotion

Stampin' Up just keep rolling out the Promo's. It is great and so much fun but also breaks my bank account a little! For the month of October Stampin' Up are Celebrating there 20th Brithday! To celebrate they have decided to take 20% of 5 birthday related stamp sets.

Big Bold Birthday (pg 37) was $53.95 For month of Ocotber only $43.16

Pretty Princess (pg 38) was $45.95 For month of October only $36.76

Birthday Best (pg 51) was $25.95 For the month of October only $20.76

Crab & Company (pg 55) was $52.95 For the month of October only $42.36

Short & Sweet (pg 118) was $29.95 For the month of October only $23.96

If you would like to order any of these sets with the special 20% off please contact me before 31st October.

I made a card ages ago for a Kristina challenge using one of my fav stamps which is also on special... Short & Sweet. This set is so cute and versatile and can jazz up any card with just a sweet greeting or a cute picture. This card shows just how great this stamp set is.

I sent this card to friends of ours who live in Raymond Terrace and had a beautiful baby boy a few months ago and they LOVED it! So simple but so effective.

Stampin' Up also have another great special during the week starting 4th - 11th October to celebrate World Card Making Day which is this Saturday! Stampin Up! are taking again a lovely 20% of all the Simply Sent Kits. I just purchased one of these a few weeks ago and let me tell you it's great. Everything you need to make the cards included, ribbon, ink pads, stampin' write markers, cardstock, embellishments and stamp sets! These make a great gift to a loved one or even a stamping beginner! If you would like to take advantage of this offer please contact me to place your offer!

Ok so that's all the promo talk! Come visit my blog tomorrow to find out October's Spotlight Product and in a few days time for the next episode of Major Case Squad! You can read the first episode here. I also have some fun cards that were made using some rather interesting colour challenges my brother and boyfriend set me!

Thanks for looking!

Dani