{All in the Family Keychain}

In case you were ever curious what my family looked like, here we are! It's my husband, me in the orange dress, and my three daughters in dresses of their favourite colours. The words read "Happiness is knowing you".

We made keychains this week using this very, very cute and fun set and Polyshrink. It was great to break away from cardstock for an hour and put these gifts together. This stamp set is just available through the end of November and all sales go towards a fund set up for a recent widow and her three young children.

I thought about making these keychains for my siblings for Christmas because they are easy to mail overseas, but then I remembered that my brother has seven daughters. Maybe I could make him a belt?

{Christmas Seeds}

This is a simple card that has a packet of seeds inside for a small, but useful gift. Of course you can put other things in there, but since Christmas is in the summer for some odd reason in New Zealand, I thought we'd do daisy seeds instead of the traditional hot chocolate.

This set, Both Way Blossoms, is a level three hostess set. From now until the end of the year, if you qualify for a level one set (either through a workshop or a personal or group order), you can choose a stamp set from any level! So you get a level one, level two, or a level three set when you qualify for a level one. That's a great deal, especially if you have had your eye on one of the bigger sets like this one.

{Tins for Tauranga}

The pop cans were such a BIG hit amongst my team and my customers back in Auckland that I decided the ladies in Tauranga needed a little taste of them as well. (Okay, I took chocolates instead of the roasted nuts, but you know what I mean).

I simplified down the first Christmas tin we did a few weeks back for a quick and easy project. We've used the Holiday Thyme papers here and the Snow Flurries stamp set, both big winners this season. I think everyone loved this little project and I suspect there will be a big run on the little tins of nuts all over New Zealand!

{Tauranga Oopsy}

Well, what do you do when you travel three hours to do a workshop and you've forgotten the stamp set?

These are the things that happen when you pack and prepare at one in the morning.

Lucky for me, my partner in crime that weekend, Pauline, had a stamp set with her that made a nice substitute. And Tui was so cool to gloss over my mistake by telling everyone that it was an example of how you can use the same template to make a variety of cards. Which IS true and IS a great point, but I was still rather mad at myself for forgetting such a great set for those fun ladies there.

Anyway, it was a great day overall; I know I enjoyed myself even with just a few hours of sleep . . .

{Anabel's Peace}

This is last month's swap from Anabel, using another beautiful set only available until the end of the month. It's a very clean, simple design using minimal supplies.

This set can be used year round - the images are not necessarily Christmas, but could also be party, sympathy, and Easter. Great value for the price as well!

http://catalogs.shoplocal.com/stampinup/index.aspx?pagename=shopmain&fsid=792a30a8-6188-47af-8ce9-fa7175bc011f&storeid=1039381&circularid=11083

{Merry}

This is Tui's swap from last month. I wanted to show it here, not only because I love it, but because it features a wonderful little word set from the Spring mini catalogue. These are only available until the end of December . . .

She's done multiple layers on here using background stamps and the Cuttlebug folders. Also a great use of those oval punches.

Beautiful work, Tui!!

{My Little Slaves}

What a good support system I have! Here is my husband doing faux stitching and my eldest daughter doing the final assembly on this month's swap cards. Why do I always put it off until the last minute? It's not actually that I put it off, I just have other, more pressing things . . . one emergency to the other sometimes!

Isn't he a good husband? :) And little Madeleine will be taking over the business any day now . . .

{Card Tote - Teacher Appreciation Gift}

What a great project this was! This little tote goes together without a template and lickity-split. I stepped it up a bit, but of course you can make it a more simple and quick design if you have a number to make.

I slotted this as a teacher appreciation gift because it's that time of year and I bet many teachers don't want another box of chocolates. How cool to give them something like this? Especially if your child helps put it together? (if you have the patience of a saint).

I am just showing one card here, but we made four to go inside, all a little different, but coordinating. It's easy to make up a little template for a matching envelope to fit any size card when you use the Stampin Up 5-in-1 envelope template. I love seeing my students' finished projects - all adding their own touches.

{A Gift for Me}

This was really a special gift from my dear friend, Janine. I don't get a lot of hand-crafted gifts, and it means a lot when someone does make me one. I love how she's used our newest products (a sneak peak of what's coming in the new catalogue in December) and how she's coordinated two class projects. This hand-stamped candle fits inside the tin! I believe the candle is one from the Warehouse and the tin is a pineapple one, in case you want to replicate this cool idea. How fun for a recipient to find a matching, hand-made candle and a personalized card inside a sealed tin!! Thanks, Janine, you're a gem.

{Peaceful Wishes in Creamy Caramel}

This card was Case'd off of Michelle Fischer, one of my most favorite artists. It's very simple, subtle, yet still effective. And I wanted to make use of all the stamps in the beautiful Peaceful Wishes set in class this week.

This one has a few steps to it, but goes together very quickly. And, of course, it can be done in other colors, but I liked the effect of the gold and the Creamy Caramel - very sophisticated.

Peaceful Wishes set of five for 54.95.

{Christmas Thyme}

I Love this card! This was inspired by another card made with the same layout, but slightly different stamps and different colors and papers. I've used the Peaceful Wishes set here and then the Warm Words for the sentiment. We don't often think of stamping on patterned paper, but it's quite a cool effect, especially when done with an opaque ink like Stampin Up's Whisper White and then embossed. I've embossed with white detail and glitter here, so the pine boughs are subtly shimmering.

The papers are from Stampin Up's Holiday Thyme collection, available only until Dec 15th and at 15% off retail at that. They are double sided and so gorgeous! What do you think?

It's always fun for me to get out the patterned papers and see all the different creations my students come up with, using this card as a base inspiration. Tui always distresses and changes up the colors, others tend to go more monochromatic, Anabel always adds a truckload of glitter, and Janine always leans towards a more masculine feel. I am so blessed to have such inspiring ladies around me. And blessed to have ladies who put up with me and my crazy ideas!!

{The Magic of Stamping on Candles}

A very, very simple and quick project. I've used Solemn Stillness here. The tag is actually quite nice, but I see the flash removed my efforts from the picture. This is a fabulous way to really jazz up and personalize a few items from the $2 shop - candles and cello wrap. Last year I had my four, six, and eight year old daughters make candles with no problem.

{Cosmo Cricket Pop Can}

I just love this finished product. . . . love the colors, love the stamps, and LOVE the fun idea of "secretly" filling a can. I have one pack of these gorgeous papers left. I think I want to do these for Christmas, but might need to hire someone to clean my house in the meantime with all the projects I want to do . . .

{Tauranga Stamping Classes}

I am going to be in Tauranga this weekend - the 18th of November. While there, I'll be offering two classes with Pauline, a lovely lady on my team and with Tui, my right hand. We will do FIVE fantastic projects with you for only $30.

And that's not all! With that $30, you will also get a FREE 2007 Stampin Up! Idea Book and Catalogue (RRP 14.95). For those who already have the Idea Book and Catalogue (good job!), you will receive a $10 gift voucher for any order placed on the day.

We will be doing two Christmas cards, a gift box, a small gift item, and a scrapbooking layout. And most of all, we will have FUN! Door prizes, fun ladies, and exciting products ~ what more does a girl need? Okay, we'll throw in some chocolate . . . .

{Quick and Easy Christmas Cards Class}

Please email me and subscribe to my email class list for a photo and description of these projects. I have a few kits still available, but they go quickly . . .

{Merry Chistmas}

I demo'ed this card last class, thinking it was too simple for a class project. Well, everyone loved this one! Funny thing is, I did exactly the same thing last year - demoed a really quick project and everyone wanted to do that one instead of the projects I had planned! Oh, well, at least I'm keeping them enthused one way or another . . . .

So this one I saw somewhere, or at least similar, because the idea's been in my mind for a while. But I don't know where so I can't give proper credit. And maybe I did make it up? Not sure. But the idea is super simple - just one color, a wheel, and a sentiment. Oh, and the ribbon, or course. Must have ribbon.

The wheel is called Bold Snowflakes. Wheels are fabulous when you have lots of stamping to do - fast and painless. I then stamped the sentiment from the Glad Tidings set, tossed on some of the grosgrain ribbon and silver cord, added some organdy and a dash of glitter. Done!

Please contact me asap if you'd like to get the supplies for this project so I can be sure they get to you in plenty of time for the holidays.

The other thought is that you don't have to do snowflakes or even Christmas. This is a simple design that could be used with any wheel, any color, and any occasion.

{Taranki}

So many of you know I've been working my bum off (literally) for a competition in New Plymouth. It has finally come and gone and I took FIRST PLACE!

All the watered down soup, tiny quantities of oats, herbal tea, and weighing every meal paid off.

Now I am eating again and thoroughly enjoying it! But still eating well and clean because my next step is the National Competition.

Thanks to everyone for cheering me on. It's you who motivate me to challenge myself and to keep going.

{Small Gift Swaps}

I'm the very lucky lady who gets to work with a FANTASTIC group of Stampin Up demonstrators. One of the perks of my job is getting to do monthly swaps with such talented women. The month of October we swapped small gift ideas, and the results were just over the top! We had everything from scrapbooking kits, needle cases, pin cushions, treat bags, bookmarks, soap, various boxes, albums, and notebooks. Enjoy these photos of some of the goodies.

I included a close up of Anne's swap because she made me laugh. She made these cute lolly pouches, but no, no, I didn't get lollies. She gave me a muesli bar in mine! Gee, you'd think I was on some crazy diet or something!! :) Just to demonstrate how versatile one project can be in any case . . . .

I have the best ladies!

{Explosion Box Album}

This turned out to be a really great project - a really fun and colorful result with lots and lots of spaces for photos or other embellishments.

We used the VERY cool set Polka Dots and Paisleys and the coordinating Polka Dots and Petals along with the matching 12x12 papers, Petals and Paisleys. Wow, what a tongue-twister. All of these really great items are only available until the end of November so act now!!

We had a few new ladies in class, both of whom had a very distinct sense of style, which we all loved. I realize I can be a bit full-on in class, and I hope I didn't scare these two lovelies away. (But then again, I could just blame the rowdiness of the group) I didn't get a shot of their finished albums, but did get a pic of Tui's. I loved how the Old Olive ink showed up on her lid. I just loved all the color in this project.