So very exciting!!!!

I am so super excited to finally be able to share the news. I applied to join the Design Team over at The Town Scrapper, and today I can officially add 'Senior Scrapette' to my resume :D I already have a scrummy card ready to debut on the blog for Friday's challenge, and can't believe I get to join such a talented bunch of ladies. If you look on the right side of my blog you can click links to all my DT-mates and check out their spectacular creations! You can also read more about The Town Scrapper on Phebe's blog here and find more info here.

More Cards!!!!

I am soooooo in love with these Emo Amber images from Clip Art and Scrap! I have been using papers from my scrap folders to put down some bases on mini cards, and then as I accumulate more copic markers I'm colouring these cuties to go on them. The little one at the top features the feathering technique I learned last week, which is heaps of fun, and so effective. The greetings are stamped using Stampin' Up stamps and the paper is Chatterbox.

One of my favourite mini gifts is a bundle of mini cards. They're made with love, inexpensive, and always appreciated. I may have to make doubles this year ... these are going to be hard to let go! LOL

Scrapbooking for Francheville

Here's a layout I created especially for SIA using the gorgeous Francheville Passionate range. The title was cut using my Cricut, I printed my text in a circle, and made it fit under the scrummy acetate glittery circle. Mostly I love the buttons in this range ... they're so fun!

I got new stamps!

Well ... they're digital stamps, but they're the best kind! They're not just cute ... they're also affordable and I can resize them to suit my project. These cuties are from Clip Art and Scrap. This is Emo Amber, and she's just adorable. Now that I have increased my copic marker collection I can try using some different colours for her.

More Kitten Goodness

I wanted to share a couple of my favourite kitten shots from last week. The top one is the only boy in the litter, and the dark grey kitty is one of the girls. They just have so much personality, and seriously ... who can resist a kitten?

More yummy blog candy

Today I've been cruising stamping blogs ... and check out this scrummy blog candy at Victoria Case Stamps. Go check out the lovely blog, gorgeous stamps and awesome blog candy offer.

Challenge for Anya Ink

Courtesy of the talented Mandy-Lee Klinger I have discovered a blog after my own heart ... Anya Ink! It's dedicated to the adorable Greeting Farm and CC Design stamps ... 2 of my favourites. I have started collecting some of their digital stamps, and using them on pretty much everything I touch at the moment LOL. Their current challenge is to make an easel card featuring TGF or CC stamps. This is my entry, and boy did I have fun making it!

Credit where credit is due ... here's what I used:
Cardstock - bazzil
Pattern paper - K&Co
Ric rac
Flower - Prima
Brad - Bazzil
Scallop circle & circle - Cricut (Graphically Speaking cartridge)
Ink - Tim Holtz Distress Ink 'Vintage Photo'
Copic markers - E51, E50, #43, E47, W-3, B60, B63, R20, R22, R27
Stamp - The Greeting Farm, digital Audrey stamp

Wicked!

I am officially a HUGE fan of Wicked. It is hands down the best musical I have ever seen (and I have seen quite a few!). Hubby bought me 2 tickets for Christmas, and when February finally rolled around, Jemma Rix in the role of Elphaba absolutely blew me away!!! For mothers day I was given 4 more tickets, and yesterday we took both the girls with us for their first ever theatre experience. Pippa Grandison played Elphaba and it was her final performance. She was a very different Elphie than Jemma, but still very good. I really wanted to hang about the stage door, but everyone else was restless, it was cold and it was dark ... and so we went straight home. Perhaps I can wrangle day-time tickets and hang out with the groupies on my own one day soon :D

Mail art for Inkurable Stampers Challenge

I used to do mail art, only I didn't know it was art. It's fun to doodle on envelopes, or add some stickers or stamp a little something. Apparently it's art, and it's FUN!

I decorated up this envelope for the May challenge over at Inkurable Stampers. Go check it out ... the artwork there is amazing!

Ingredients:
White envelope
Stampin' Up Inkpad - Not Quite Navy
Stampin' Up Inkpad - Bashful Blue
Stampin' Up background stamp - Canvas
Hero Arts stamp (greeting) 'Say Hello' set
The Greeting Farm stamp - Stella
Swirls & envelope from the Heidi Grace 'Valentines Day' set
Copic Ciao markers:
Skin E50, E51
Hair E33, E35
Cheeks R20
Heart R22, R27
Dress & Shoes B60, B63
Envelope W-3

Methods:
Masking with post-it notes
Blending with copic markers
Inked edges and straight stamping

I'm not sure that the council will quite appreciate receiving a payment in an envelope like this, but I know I would be thrilled to get an envelope like this in the post :D

A brush with fame

A couple of weeks ago my friend Sarah asked if I wanted to go to a book signing with her. Sure! Ever since I heard Julie Goodwin describe the recipe book she wanted to publish on Master Chef last year, I knew I had to have it. We picked up our books for a great price at Big W, then waited outside House with the masses. We were only in line for half an hour or so, and Sarah even won a lucky door prize! Julie signed our books and Sarah and I took photos for each other. Julie is such a sweet lady, and a big inspiration to me. She reminds me that if you work hard and focus, your dreams really can come true.

Kittens!

I took a break from my copic markers and frantic card making marathon today to go visit my friend Tracy. Her beautiful ragdoll cat had 5 cute kittens 5 weeks ago, and they needed a portrait session!!! Here is a pic of the mummy kitty with her 4 sweet girls and 1 adorable boy. I'm so glad they're all spoken for, or I think I would be in the doghouse (so to speak) with dh and my own sweet kitty, Ally LOL.

Blog Candy is delicious!

So, I now have a new addiction to Copic Markers. If you've not heard of them before, then you're totally missing out!!! Here are a few cards I made yesterday. I just love how they blend ... so naturally I ordered more today :D

Go check out the great deals on markers at Mad for Markers. Then go check out the incredible projects by their design time at the Mad for Markers blog. Best of all, there's a blog candy giveaway (and the candy is fat-free and sugar-free!). Check it out by clicking here. You can also see more beautiful cardmaking goodness at The Stamp Spot blog.

This was the centrepiece of our high tea table at SIA ... a 12 slice paper cake! The cake is made using Francheville Cutie Pie papers, and is topped with an optional piece of icing, has a strip of 'jam & cream' around the centre of the cake, and is finished off with a rose. The best part about these cake slices is that they are a nifty gift box. Since we all know that girls don't eat cake at parties, why not have one of these at your shower tea or celebration? You can pop some goodies into each slice, and your guests have a little party slice to take home.

It's easy to make, and you can download the template for paper cake slices by clicking here. If you want to make a 2-tiered cake, just photocopy and reduced the template a little, and you can pop another layer of cake on top. Great for a larger gathering and more spectacular cake!

Watch for more details about the high tea table goodies soon.

6x6 album class

This is the class I am teaching at Erina Scrapbook Store this month. It's a 6x6 album, 40 pages, and so easy to make! The first class is next weekend ... Saturday 15th May 9:30am-12pm. There will need to be a few more signups for the 2nd class to go ahead on Wednesday 19th May 6:30-9pm. You can book by calling Erina Scrapbook store, and see the full class schedule on the blog (top left). Click here to visit the blog.

SIA - some pics

Well, it's over for 2010 ... my first time at SIA. I attended as guest artist for Brandcorp, who distribute Francheville and Martha Stewart products (to name a few).


Here is a pic of the high tea table on our stand. I used the Francheville Cutie Pie range to create these little goodies. Our real cupcakes were topped with Wilton icing and Martha Stewart glitter, and the little green bunny was crochet'd using Milford Threads (another Brandcorp product). The little topiary was my class piece, and I am also teaching it at Erina Scrapbook Store in June.

I was absolutely thrilled to meet some great store owners, as well as other teachers at SIA. Highlights were getting together with the incredibly talented Mandi-Lee Klinger (a Copic marker QUEEN!), having Becky Fleck (best sketches EVER) sitting in on one of my make & take sessions, and meeting the divine Heidi Swapp.

To all those who came to visit me at the Brandcorp stand, a great big thank you for making my show so great. A double thankyou to my scrappers in shining armour who rescued me from the wrong end of Homebush Bay :D Keep watching this space as I put up projects from the High Tea table over coming days.