2 Step Bird Punch

I love the 2 step bird punch just out in the new Autumn/Winter mini, at first I thought "yeah nice, but how versatile?" then did some looking at others and found a few options and looks achievable from this lovely punch. Here are some of my efforts ...

Birds wings as tulips and leaves - saw this a few times on SCS and just had to try them out. The petals are from Almost Apricot and leaves and stems from Certainly Celery (I think). I sponged the petals in Pretty In Pink, the leaves sponged with Old Olive. I used the Circles #2 Die and the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder for the background. Just a 3"x3" card, mostly to play with the technique. Background is Kraft.

This one I did for a challenge on SCS but had lost my camera so couldn't post it for the challenge, it was one of the challenges where you take inspiration from another person's card. The original was a white card with 3 stamped apples i think, the paper piercing and the words very similar. This was also part of a colour challenge (multi-tasking again). Just cranky I didn't get to post on SCS as I often look at the challenges but rarely jump in and do them!

Again playing with my favourite colours of the moment - Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, and Orchid Opulence. I like the Cottage Wall DSP as well and think it works well in this card. I added a few extra branch clippings to the main branch just to add some colour and depth to the area.

Another 3"x3" card using some pen work and DSP on the bird to add some depth to it. Again just playing with my new toys rather than making a card to use so to speak, not happy with the sponging around the edge, would tidy that up in a "real" card.

Last one ... I had some spare scraps of the DSP and wanted to do a simple 3"x3" card, I like the use of the DSP like this, flipping the paper over on the diagonal pieces gives a nice effect. Again used the Big Shot to emboss and cut the circle used in the background.

When embossing and cutting - if you want a strong emboss then do the cutting first, as the cutting process will squash down the embossed areas giving a more subtle effect.

Asian Artistry

These are a few cards I made last night, looking for an "easy" outline that was still pretty. I was happy with the double circle for the image and mat, and also happy with the way the wide oval punch fit so neatly around the words from the Asian Artistry set.

Card Stock: Kraft, Lovely Lilac, Almost Amethyst, Whisper White
Stamp: Asian Artistry
Extras: Very Vanilla ribbon, dimensionals, snail
Technique: used aqua pen to pick up matching inks and colour the main image


Card Stock: Soft Suede, Barely Banana, Lovely Lilac, Whisper White
Stamp: Asian Artistry


Card Stock: Certainly Celery, Barely Banana, Rose Red
Stamp Set: Asian Artistry and Best Yet
Extra: Whisper White ribbon (looks pinkish in the photo but its white!)


Of the three I like the ones with the ribbon more, I was thinking of adding some brads to one of them for something different but didn't know quite where to put them. Overall happy with the final cards.

Top Note die with the Big Shot.

I am having some real fun with the top note die, I have looked at the shape on cards on Split Coast Stampers for a while now and loved it, so very pleased we now have access to it here in Australia.

This card I used Apricot Appeal for the base, and my own DSP on the lower section of the top note using the Vintage Vogue and Country Garden stamp sets from the Autumn/Winter mini catalogue. Colours used Apricot Appeal, Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry.

Another variation with the top note, I also love the way the curly label punch matches the top note. I put diamond brads from the pretties kit as the centres of the flowers for some extra bling. For this one I cut one top note from DSP from the Cottage Wall collection and another from Old Olive card stock, the DSP one I trimmed off around the perforations and layered over the Old Olive one to make the frame. Sponging the edge of the curly label gave the effect of this layering on that also. The base of the card is Kraft as are the two flowers.

This is my verson of the card I received from the swap, I changed the colours - Kraft as the base, Old Olive and DPS from . I inked the Vintage Vogue flowers with Soft Suede and then used "rock and roll" technique with the Rich Razzleberry, I really like the way they turned out. Again sponging the curly label punch out gives some depth. The light part on the top right of the card is just a patch of sunshine that crept onto my photo area.

Display Board

This is a board I made up for my workshops to show off the wonderful swaps I received from some very talented ladies. The swap "rules" were to use anything from the new Autum/Winter mini catalogue. I have CASE'd a couple of these, the Pony Party one as well as the one on the bottom left though changed the colours on that one. Will post my version soon.

I loved being part of this swap as it gave me examples to show my customers at workshops even though I don't have all the sets/dies for my customers to see first hand.

Thanks to (clockwise from top right) ...

Paula Fuller - Pendant Park

Rebekah Kaberry - 2 Step Bird Punch

Lyn Fox - Good Neighbours

Karen Whibley - Pony Party

Maryanne Johnston - Embrace Life and Top Note

Me - Vintage Vogue

Pauline Bennetts - Vintage Vogue and Top Note

Me - Vintage Vogue (again)

Felicity Kendall - Punches Three

Thanks again to all of you for such wonderful swaps and inspiration.

Lovin Vintage Vogue

Another couple using Rich Razzleberry and the Vintage Vogue stamp set.

This one I also used the Friends Jumbo Wheel for the sentiment, cutting out a small part of it . The butterfly is from the Flight of the Butterfly stamp set, stamped on vellum and attached using a mini staple.

This one I made as a thank you for one of my hostesses. Same colours as the others! Its only a small square card, can't remember the exact measurements but I think the double flower makes a nice feature. I usually can't cut around things with a small border, but for once it worked.

Card for Swap

This one is for a swap I did with a group of very talented demonstrators to showcase some of the new things in the Autumn/Winger Mini catalogue.

I love the colours of this card, Rich Razzleberry is one of my new favourites, and I am so glad it will be staying on as a Core Colour with the new Colour Renovation come September. I can't wait to get my hands on more accessories to match. I also love the Vintage Vogue stamp set and have used it a lot!

Stamp Set: Vintage Vogue
Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla
Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Certainly Celery, Pale Plum.
Other: Dimensionals, SNAIL, Designer Label, Wide Oval and Scallop Edge Punch.
Techniques: I made the DSP - one of my new favourite things. Sponging the edges of the patterned paper gave it a more vintage look.

Been busy

Well its been a while since I posted anything, and I really need to get more motivated to upload my projects. Inspired to do this as I am directing more people to my blog and think there should be more here if they take the time to come and look.


This one is a card I made for my parents for Easter. I needed a religous themed cards, but sadly no stamps that met this criteria ... so after having a look on Split Coast Stampers I found one to CASE, then got a bit creative.

I printed out and cut a cross on computer paper then used the cut out cross as a mask and coloured the background using Pastels, I used the yellow to make the apperance of a halo. The cross on the page looked a bit too plain and stark, so used the vine stamp out of Vingage Vogue set from the Autumn/Winter mini, to create the effect of vines on the cross. To do this I used the paper which I cut the original cross out of to mask the card. Vingage Vogue flowers and leaves were added with half pearls in the centre. I can't remember the exact colours used but think it was So Saffron, Elegant Eggplant and one of the greens. I was so happy with it I made another one for my in-laws also.