Dynamic 411

This weekend I had the time and mojo needed to make a couple of cards and join in a couple of challenges! Great achievement all things considered!  The two cards I made I will post next week as they are birthday cards for my mum and niece, and as mum checks my blog I don't want to spoil the surprise. I joined in two challenges with this card Stamping 411 and Dynamic Duos, Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive were two of my favourite colours when I first joined Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator but I don't use them as much as I used to, and certainly not together.

I tipped the 411 layout onto its side and added the sentiment window - the window is cut from the DSP and the sentiment is stamped onto the base card stock. I have used the Fun Flowers Die for the bottom two layers of the flower, one in card stock and the other in Newsprint DSP stamped with Creative Elements.  The top layer of the flower is stamped with the flower from Button Buddies embossed in white.  I am totally loving white embossing powder and the crisp bright white effect it gives you.  The base layer of DSP is actually from the Christmas papers Letters to Santa. 

Happy Stamping

Another SS Gift

I hope you liked the last lot of things my Secret Sister sent to me, I know I did :)  This time I want to share with you my October gift which completely blew me away.  Isn't she a clever lady! I want to show you each of them separately so you can see what work has gone into them.

 Firstly the little packet of thank you cards.  These are the ones I copied for my last workshop I was so taken by them.  My SS has used the Morning Mocha Speciality paper, why is it special? Because the black pattern is made from velvet, it feels amazing - I am quite tactile and just love the richness of these.  She has even stamped the bag topper with the matching stamp from Elements of Style set.

 The next part of the gift was a cute little soap in a tin, which my lovely SS has decorated with the same DSP. The soap is scented lightly with Grapefruit and Mandarin and smells so fresh, I think I will just take it out of the wrapper and leave it on my desk to add the soft citrus scent to the room.

Finally this is a beautiful 2012 diary which has been covered with the same amazing paper, it almost is too good to use ... almost!  But good news is I have been able to put my first workshop booking for 2012 in it already so the timing was great.  The ribbon on the front with the flower is actually a bookmark made from a length of ribbon, a hair elastic, and the beautiful flower.  I have been wanting to try one of these for a while (on my very very long to do list), they are so neat. The hair elastic allows some give in the book mark for when you are sliding it over the pages.

Here is a close up of the flower, you can see my SS has embossed it with the Petals-A-Plenty embossing folder, and cut the layers of the flower with the Fun Flowers Big Shot Die. You might not be able to see in the picture but she has actually cut them out of black leather, and then spritzed them to give that effect, they look so great in person, and the Antique Brad in the centre of the flower is a great finishing touch.

As you can imagine I feel pretty spoiled right now, I can't wait to find out who made these lovely gifts for me. We have the big reveal at the end of November so I don't have to wait too much longer.

Happy Stamping

Secret Sister Swap - Crafters Anonymous

Today I want to share the first of my Secret Sister gifts.  A Secret Sister Swap is one in which you make a card and/or gift for someone but they have no idea who you are until the end of the swap.  Some are done over three months and some are just a one item swap.  I am currently in 2 such swaps, one through Crafters Anonymous and one with a group of fellow demonstrators at Extra Special Australasian Stampin' Up! Demonstrators, and I will be sharing all my 'happy mail' with you.

These are from my Secret Sister in the Crafter's Anonymous swap, aren't they beautiful?  The little box on at the back has a beautiful scented candle in it the fragrance is Orchidberry, and is a similar colour to Rich Razzleberry so now I will always think of this scent when I see that colour!  The item at the back right is a covered 2012 calendar, a month to a page, so great to have in your handbag to keep track of special dates.  The two flowers are actually two magnet clips with the beautiful die-cut flowers adhered to the front.  Can you see the little glimmer brad in the centre of each flower? Aren't they so cute, I just have to own some now!

This was a one off swap, and so I now know who my SS was. It was the lovely Steph who is one of my on-line stamping buddies.  It was extra special to find out that it was made by a cyber friend!  I love the colours Steph has used, so soft and pretty.  

Happy Stamping