Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Bali Blooms

Hi all,

I have been eyeing of mojo monday sketches for AGESSSSSSSS but never get time. I set myself the challenge this week of actually participating in one. I had lots of fun that I will be doing it again and hopefully soon! Here is this weeks sketch...
I decided to use alot of the new stuff from the summer mini to show you just how nice some of the stuff in the catalogue looks. I absolutly LOVE the bali breeze DSP and Flower Fusion! Here's what I came up with using them...
Stamp Sets: Eastern Blooms, Occasional Greetings
Ink: Temping Turquoise, Rose Red and Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Write Markers
Cardstock: Naturals Ivory, Old Olive, Bali Breeze DSP
Accessories: Scalloped Square Punch, 1 1/2" Square Punch, Rich Regal Brads, Flower Fusion Felt Flowers, Mat Pack, Tempting Turquoise ribbon
Thanks for looking!
Dani

Monday, January 26, 2009

Inspiring Punched Flowers

Hi all,
Firstly I want to update you on my whereabouts the last week or so. Last Wednesday I went to the antenatal clinic for an appt with the kidney specialist he took one look at the way I was hobbling in pain and decided to admit to the hospital for montoring and further investigation. Unfortunatly there search came up fruitless so I ended up being discharged on Friday evening with the same advice as my last hospital visit - possibly kidney stones rest, lots of fluids and pain relief!
Prior to my discharge I had a niggling headache but dismissed it. I went home it got worse and worse. At 9pm it hit me so bad I couldn't stand up and had extremly blurred vision. I treated it like a migraine but it didn't go away. My partner rushed me back to the hospital Saturday morning at 5:30am in fear it was a new symptom, baby was in distress or I had a reaction to a medication they gave me (At this stage I was vomitting and couldn't hold medication down). After being checked and treated at Emergency they advised me that it was just a very bad migraine and told me to rest. Baby is all fine and doing normal for it's age.
My life has been such a whirlwind and this pregnancy hasn't been enjoyable. I pray that this is the end of all my dillema's and I start to get better. One good thing is I felt baby move and kick for the first time this evening. It was just a magical moment. And just in case anyone asks I am currently 18 weeks. Thanks again for all your continued support I appreciate all your prayers and thoughts!
Ok enough of my ramblings, Lets get onto some craft! Today i finally felt up to some craft. I saw Makeesha's current weekly challenge and remembered an idea that would fit perfectly and that I've been meaning to try for a while but haven't found the time. Here's the inspiration...


The flowers and colours are so pretty I was so excited to give them a whirl. The idea I've had is taken from my paper quilling days and adapting a technique I learnt and using my scalloped circle punch to make some cool 3D flowers. I don't know if I am 100% satisfied with the outcome as it is very different to anything I usually do but I think it was a fun card to make and really took me out of my comfort zone and got the "creative mojo" happening as Keesh would say.

I tried my best to get a photo of how the flowers are sitting so you can see more of the work put into them and how 3d they are. I hope you can get the idea.

Stamp Set: Occasional Greetings
Ink: Blue Bayou
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Soft Sky, Ruby Red, Sage Shadow, Blue Bayou, DSP
Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, Pretties Kit (Rhinestones and cream half back pearls), Scallop Edge Punch, Mat Pack, Tombow Adhesive
I decided that this card can be for a wedding my partner is going to next weekend and he was happy with that as he really likes the card. He thought it was very innovative. If you like the flowers too and would like to make them yourself please let me know and I will post my first ever tutorial in how to make them.
Happy Australia Day and a big Happy Birthday to my dad who reckons Australia is generous to give him a day off on his brithday!
Thanks for looking,
Dani (+1)

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Kristina Challenge

Wow it has been a while since I've done one of these and got it in on time! I saw these colours and thought they were stunning so got working straight away but only just finished it today. I'm happy with the outcome too... Here's the inspiration colours



And here's what I did with the colours... I'm used the 'Always' stamp set that was in the spring mini. I am parying it will be in the main catalogue next year because it is such a fun set to use.



Stamp Set: Always
Ink: Pretty in Pink, Pumpkin Pie and Ruby Red Markers
Cardstock: Whisper White, Ruby Red, Spring Fling DSP, Bali Breeze DSP
Accessories: Mat Pack, Dimensionals, Pretties Kit, Fusion Flowers, Soft Subtle Brads, Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon, Scallop Punch

Thanks for looking!
Dani

Monday, January 12, 2009

Keesh Challenge

Hi Kids,
It feels like forever since I have participated in a Makeesha Challenge and it was just so nice to actually be able to sit down and create something (and within the deadline too :) ). So the first challenge for the year was a sketch challenge. Here's the sketch we had to use...
When I first saw the sketch I knew instantly what I wanted to do with it. A friend gave birth to a beautiful (not to mention big - 10 pound 6 OUCH! Not looking forward to that side of being pregnant) baby boy recently so I decided I'd use the skecth to make this adorable card to say congrats using the Christmas present I bought myself - Bundle of Joy stamp set.
I'm not overly impressed with my photographing skills today but love how the card turned out.
Stamp Set: Bundle of Joy
Cardstock: Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Watercolour Paper and Certainly Celery Prints DSP
Ink: Black Stazon, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky
Accessories: Dimensionals, Certainly Celery Ribbon, Certainly Celery Brads, 1 3/8" and 1 1/2" circle punches
I had so much fun with the layout that I wanted to make another card using it. So today I sat down and made the following card using some colours I don't always grab for. Again my photographing skills suck today but here's the other card I made.
Stamp Sets: Canvas BG, Everday Flexible Phrases, Bud Basics
Cardstock: Mellow Moss, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla
Ink: Mellow Moss, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Always Artichoke
Accessories: Dimensionals, Hemp Twine, Mellow Moss Grosgrain ribbon, Double Rectangle Punch, I 3/8" and 1 1/2" circle punches
I hope you liked looking at the cards as much as I enjoyed making them. It was a nice break from laying on the lounge. I'm so over being unwell!
Happy Stampin'
Dani

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Unfroggettable Valentines

As I stated below, I participated in Inklings Challenges over New Years. The beauty about these is there is no time limit so I did another one yesterday. The Challenge was to use Kristina Werner's most recent colour challenge to create a card, scrapbook page, etc. Obviously I didn't get to submit my card before the deadline but the colours were just so fab and stunning I couldn't resist playing anyway.
When I first saw these colours I had a million ideas go through my head. I then decided to use the frog from Unfroggettable (Thanks Merryl for lending me the set) as the colours would look great watercoloured. I didn't really have much thought to it but to water colour the frog but by the end the card took so much shape and actually has alot of meaning to me. My boyfriend gets called "Frog" my his family as a nickname. So I decided that this card would be perfect to give to my handsome "frog" for valentines day! I am so happy with it and actually feel a little organised for a change lol! Anywho enough rambling, Here's my card...
Stamp Sets: Unfroggettable, Short and Sweet, Polka Dot BG
Cardstock: Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Old Olive, Watercolour Paper
Ink: Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Old Olive, Black Stazon
Accessories: 1/2" circle and word window punches, Rose Red Brads, Aqua Painter, Dimensionals
Also if your bored and looking for something to do over the break (even though for some it's nearly up) check out a new British Comedy i've been watching lately called The IT Crowd. It's about IT nerds that work for a huge company in London. It's very silly humour which I appreciate and the seasons are very short (6 per season) so it's very easy to watch. If you have seen it please let me know also cos I'm a little obsessed and would love someone else to talk to about it!
Anywho thanks for looking.
Happy Stampin'
Dani

Saturday, January 3, 2009

I {heart} meal times

On New Years Eve I participated in a challenge night with the Inklings (Demonstrator Group I'm apart of). The first Challenge was to create a Scrapbook page using the Page layout on Page 4 of the SAB catalogue. I have been working on a scarpbook for my boyfriends brother for a while now so decided to scrap some more picks of his beautiful daughter. Here is the page i ended up with



The caption at the top reads "I {heart} meal times" and the journalling in the Tempting Turquoise box says "Asha loves to eat and decorate herself at the same time - Asha's first year 2007"
Stamp Set: Simply Said, Whimsical Lower Alphabet*
Cardstock: Barely Banana, Certainly Celery, Rose Red, Tempting Turquoise
Ink: Certainly Celery, Rose Red
Accesories: Double Rectangle, 1 3/8" Circle, Scallop Circle and Scallop Edge Punches, Dimensionals, Hemp Twine, Turquoise grosgrain Ribbon, White Gel Pen, Ice Rhinestone Brad
Also quick update on my health if your interested. After a few hospital visits and admissions and a thousand tests I have finally been diagnosed with Kidney Stones. They aren't blocking and I have been told to pass them naturally (If you consider that natural). I am still limping around in pain but am happy to have a diagnosis and action plan. Baby is happy and fine!
Thanks for all the get well messages and emails! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a safe New Year! I look forward to all the adventures 2009 will bring for me!
Happy Stampin'
Dani

It's time to Sale-A-Brate


Sale-a-bration (SAB) is back from 1st January - 28th February and Stampin' Up is giving you the rewards. Simply Spend $100 from the IB&C or Summer Mini Catalogue during this time and you qualify for a set from the SAB catalogue for free! If you spend $200 you get 2 free sets and so on!
That's not all! Have a demonstration with me during this period and make $600 (or more) in sales and you can choose another SAB set from the catalogue for free.
Love Stampin' Up and have been thinking about signing up as a demonstrator??? Well now is the best time to do so as if you sign up during Sale-a-bration time Stampin' Up will reward you with a free set of your choice up to $79.95.
If you haven't recieved a copy of the SAB catalogue please contact me today for your free catalogue! Also if you would like to book a workshop or place an order please contact me!
Look forward to Sale-a-brating with you
Dani