Beautiful Peacock

Hi Crafters,

I trust you all had a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying the holiday season! I for one am very excited at what is just around the corner - in just 6 days Stampin’ Up! releases their new 2018 Occasions & Sale-a-bration Catalogues, and boy are you in for a treat!! 

Not only is there an awesome range of free stamp sets on offer, but for the first time you can select a free framelits set too! And it coordinates beautifully with a matching stamp set! So keep your eyes peeled on the 3rd January when these fabulous (& very enticing!) catalogues will be available!

One of the free stamp sets on offer for every $90 spend is “Beautiful Peacock”.  

This stamp set is exquisite and offers stampers such a variety of ways to utilise the stamps to create unique images.. combine with ribbon or embellishments and you can create simply stunning cards effortlessly!  This is a card I created today and is a great set to illustrate the masking technique..

The Night of Navy card base was layered with Whisper White, stamped in one corner using a stamp from the “You’re Priceless” stamp set in Night of Navy, Bermuda Bay & Pear Pizzazz stampin’ ink.  I then used the layering ovals framelits to frame the Peacock.

The Masking Technique

When you want to create a single layered image using multiple stamps but don’t want an overlapping effect, the masking technique is your answer!

To start with, pick your main image you want to be at the forefront of your final stamped image - in my design I selected the peacock’s body &I stamped this in Night of Navy.

You then stamp this same stamped image onto a sticky note, ensuring you have the sticky strip at the top underside of where you are stamping. Take scissors & carefully cut your sticky note stamped image out, ideally cutting as close to your stamped edges as possible. A tip for doing this effectively is to guide/ move your paper gently to cut, not manoeuvring your scissors.

Stick this stamped sticky note cutout on top of your identical stamped image as shown below:

Take your next stamp, in my case I used the peacock’s rear feathers & stamp this over your sticky note stamp cutout.  In my design I wanted a multi-coloured effect, so I used daubers to create this using Lemon Lime Twist & Bermuda Bay ink.  Gently remove your sticky note piece of paper & voila! You have created a beautiful stamped image without creating unsightly overlaps with ink!

To finish my card off, I used mini dimensionals to add a 3D effect to the peacock’s tail feathers, ribbon & a few embellishments to add a bit of bling.

I hope you’ve learnt something new today - I encourage you to give it a go! This is just one example you could use the masking technique - try it with other stamp sets and see what you can create!

To purchase the Stampin' Up! products used to create these cards Shop Now and be sure to use the Hostess Code A9EM7V9Q in the checkout process to receive free rewards for shopping with me!

Have you had a squiz at our monthly card kits? These are a great way of building up your stash and purchasing coordinating products at a cheaper rate! Just AU$55 for the following supplies including postage & handling.. but be quick, for a limited time only!

Craft Kit January 2018 - Coffee Break

Till next time..

Lorin xx

Lovely As A Tree

Hi Crafters!

I recently attended a fellow friend & Stampin’ Up! demonstrator’s Christmas card class, where we used the stamp set “Season Like Christmas”.  This was a card I designed & created using this set:

This stamp set features a couple of festive sentiments as well as a layering Christmas tree set.  I loved this set but it literally had me stumped (yes, Dad joke I know! Haha) See, despite the stamp set being a very reasonable price, I already own two other Stampin’ Up! Stamp sets which are similar in nature - Lovely as a Tree, and Ornamental Pines (retired).  The Lovely as a Tree stamp set is one of my favourite stamp sets as it is such a versatile set that can be used for male or female cards, as well as a range of occasions from Father’s Day, Birthdays to expressing sympathy.  And whilst I had actually purchased this set originally to CASE (copy & selectively edit) a Christmas card from Pinterest (err.. will get around to that one day!) it had not really crossed my mind to use this set as a Christmas card making staple set.

So yesterday I challenged myself to use this set for Christmas cards, and I’m not usually one to toot my own horn, but I actually really really like how they turned out!

I started by selecting my base card colour theme of Basic Black, Night of Navy, Whisper White & Gold Foil, giving the cards a sophisticated and stylish appearance.  I opted for a clean, crisp design that was able to be adapted to suit differing tastes or layouts.. here are a couple of different designs I made:

I wanted the Christmas trees to be the main focal point, and the single tree in Lovely as a Tree was perfect!

Stampin' Up! Stamp Sets Used

If you do want to create a multi-toned stamped image similar to that in the Season Like Christmas set, you could stamp the image onto a scrap piece of paper first before stamping on your desired card piece, but I chose to rather ink and stamp directly on my card stock for a bolder, crisp image.  I did stamp and layer the tree 2-3 times to create a forest appearance with differing tree heights.  Another nifty idea that you can do with this tree stamp is rotate the stamp to give a branch appearance.. perhaps dangle ornaments or pop a bird sitting on the branch.. the options are limited to your imagination!

To create a more Christmassy (yes, I’m sure that’s a word ;)) look, I decided to add snowflakes.  Now again you could opt to use embossing paste (adding Dazzling Diamonds Stampin’ Glitter would be perfect!!) or sequins/ enamel dots or even an embossing folder.. I opted to stick with my black & white image and selected two miniature stamps from the upcoming Sale-a-Bration brochure (stay tuned - all will be revealed on the 3rd January 2018!) stamp set Beautiful Peacock.  They were small and perfect for snowflakes! 

One particular aspect of the cards was the layered border of Basic Black and Gold Foil that was punched out using the new Decorative Ribbon Border Punch (Annual Catalogue, page 206) and placed over a strip of Night of Navy.  I think the shiny gold layer adds a pop to the colours I selected, but as you can see on my various cards, this border can be utilised in a couple of ways to create different patterns or edging to your cards making them look stylish & unique.

Lastly, the sentiment used was from the stamp set Star of Light.

I hope you liked my selection of cards - please feel free to leave me a comment if you liked them :)

To purchase the Stampin' Up! products used to create these cards Shop Now and be sure to use the Hostess Code A9EM7V9Q in the checkout process to receive free rewards for shopping with me!

Have a lovely day!

Lorin xx

When Needlecraft Collides with Papercrafts...

Hi Crafters,

Today I would like to introduce a technique/ concept that you can use on your cards or scrapbooking pages... needlework! Yes, I can tell I've lost some of you already but please bear with me! You don't need to be a cross-stitch or embroidery guru to add a special touch to your creations, read on to learn how..

There are two methods of creating pinpricks/ holes in your cardstock - one is using a Paper Piercing Tool & Mat (found in the "Tools" section of my online shop) and the other is using a sewing machine. Let me take a moment to explain these two methods...

Paper Piercing Tool & Mat

These two products retail for AU$16.00 & is a cheap and effective way of creating holes or borders on your papercrafts. From time to time Stampin' Up! offers piercing templates that coordinates with their die-cut shapes (eg stars, squares, ovals etc) that make this a breeze. It ensures a regular spacing is gained, and it isn't wonky. Without the templates, it can be somewhat tricky to get a perfect line. 

Sewing Machine

If you own a basic sewing machine, this can make the job a lot quicker & easier. Ensure there is no bobbin or thread in the machine (we want to use the needle only). Placing your cardstock under the foot, you can manually spin the circular handle (located on the side of your machine) or put your foot gently on the pedal, ensuring you guide your cardstock gently as it goes to ensure a straight line. A tip is to line the right side of the sewing machine foot up with the edge of your paper, slowing down when you get close to the end. Leave the needle in the paper, lift the sewing machine foot and swivel your paper 90 degrees, drop the foot down and away you go again down another side of the paper.

Once you have got the dotted pattern/ border you desire, take a needle & some Stampin' Up! Bakers Twine in the colour you desire. In my photos, I have selected white.

Thread your needle with a single strand of bakers twine (don't make the strand too long otherwise it gets tangled easily) and then go in and out the holes created with the thread as shown in the photo above.  

Tip: Try to catch the beginning thread under your cardstock when you come back through the hole (from underneath) so that it won't come loose.  You can knot it underneath if you prefer but just try to keep the knot as small as possible otherwise it will create a bulky patch on top when you adhere the cardstock to your card.  

On the underside, ensure you "capture" the beginning and end of your thread to ensure your stitches do not come undone or loose when completed.

When you near the end of your strand of thread, on the underside of your cardstock, weave the remaining thread in and out through the lines of thread you have just sewn.  This captures it and stops it unravelling once snipped/ thread comes to an end.  Then take another strand of bakers twine and begin again until your whole project is finished being sewn.

Here is a completed Christmas card I made, CASED (copied & selectively edited) from a similar one made by Marie Meyer I found on pinterest, to show you what you can create with a threaded needlework border... 

The needlecraft possibilities are endless so why don't you pull out a needle and some baker's twine and have a go!  Try using different shapes like stars, circles, squares etc. and making borders or patterns using different coloured thread!

I hope I have inspired you to try something new this week.

Till next time,

Happy Crafting!! Lorin xx

Lots of Happy

Hi Crafters,

Never mind waiting for the postie to knock on my front door - from the moment Stampin' Up emails through the shipping confirmation, I transition to watchful hawk, waiting for that moment to pounce on the front door in eager anticipation for my order to arrive. And this past week has been just that, but this was not just any order... this was the order.  The one which you know is really special because only the Onstage attendees were privileged to preorder selective items from the new catalogue not yet released to the public.   So what are these new products?!? 

Let me introduce you to the first one... one of my favourites!

Lots of Happy Card Kit

For a card kit to be one of my favourite products is really saying something.. I have been reluctant to purchase these up until now as I have always thought the end products looked superficial in the sense of the images not giving a true stamped image/ home-made quality but I've gotta be honest, this kit has proved me wrong! The finished cards look stylish, professional and of a very good quality.  It certainly has opened up a new avenue of card making, so if you haven't tried a kit before, I would encourage you to give this one a go.

This all-inclusive kit comes packaged in a giftable craft box, and features everything you need (except for adhesive & snips) to complete 20 stunning and elegant cards with envelopes!  

The card kit contains a fabulous assortment of items that really makes for hours of crafting bliss! Items included are:

-  7 photopolymer stamps
-  Clear stamp block
-  20 printed card bases & coordinating envelopes
-  Printed, gold foil, white & vellum die-cut accents
-  White & gold foil labels
-  Basic Black Archival Stampin' Spot
-  4 watercolour pencils - 1 each of Flirty Flamingo, Lemon Lime Twist, Old Olive & Rich Razzleberry
-  Lemon Lime Twist 1/4" (6.4mm) Ombre Ribbon
-  Stampin' Dimensionals
-  Giftable kraft box

A very special bonus with this kit is it includes 2 new watercolour pencils, Flirty Flamingo & Lemon Lime Twist, that are not included in the set of watercolour pencils (available separately)!

And if 20 cards wasn't enough, Stampin' Up will be offering a refill kit which includes all you need to create a further 20 cards per refill pack for $37.00 - that works out an economical $1.85 per card! Pretty good, right?

So let's have a closer look at the cards you can make with this kit...

Card #1

This would have to be my favourite of the five cards in this kit.  Featuring an elegant background patterned card, it has exquisite layering with vellum leaves, black & white stripe of cardstock (coordinates with the envelope interior trim), watercoloured floral accent and a beautiful sentiment cased in a shiny gold circle.  Very elegant!

The card kit actually mentions in the instruction sheet that the paper provided in the kit is not watercolour paper, and they advise not using aqua painters after colouring them in with the watercolour pencils.  Personally I have found the aqua painters to release too much water for petite coloured areas (the excess water tends to run/ weep past the lines you want it to stay within) - I use a stampin' clear block and put a bit of water on it, then use a fine tip paintbrush to pick up literally a dot of water on the tip, and use this to colour the floral arrangement in.  Works a treat, even on normal non-watercolour paper.

Card #2

The 7 piece photopolymer stamp set features 7 different sentiments, suitable for birthdays, encouragement, thank you cards, just to name a few.  The clear stamp sets enable you to easily place the stamps over each pre-cut piece of card, and the fact it comes with a mini black ink pad is great.

Card #3

The colouring in shapes of cardstock are pre-cut for easy, no fuss cutting.  Each floral piece can easily be coloured in with your preferred product or colours, using the watercolouring pencils, or the new Stampin' Blends.

Card #4 & 5

Because this kit enables you to make 4 sets of the 5 cards, it works perfectly with the clear acetate boxes currently available through Stampin' Up.  Each acetate box holds up to 5 cards, and comes in packs of 10.  This makes it ideal to give as gifts, or to sell as combo kits, particularly in the lead up to Christmas.  Here is an example of a set I made up:

           

So the good news is that this Lots of Happy Card Kit and refill packs will be available to purchase from the 3rd January 2018 when the new Occasions & Sale-a-bration Catalogues will be launched, and for every $90 spend during that sale period you can select a free product from the Sale-a-bration catalogue! For now, why don't you check out Stampin' Up!'s other Card Kits here.

If placing an order through my online shop, remember to use the November Host Code CCSN3VAV at the bottom of your shopping cart to receive free rewards for shopping with me (only available in Australia).

Also be sure to check out the NEW November Craft Kit released this month - $55 including postage & handling within Australia!  

See you next time,

Lorin xx

Onstage Melbourne - November 2017

Hi Crafters,

The past few months have literally been a chaotic whirlwind of ups and downs for our family, but I am delighted to say things are finally settling down again & I'm back in the crafting seat :) And what better time.. there is LOTS happening in the Stampin' Up world so stay tuned for exciting updates in the coming weeks!

To kickstart, I want to share with you my first visit to...

Stampin' Up! Onstage Melbourne 
November 2017

It was amazing!! In all fairness, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect at one of the most anticipated Stampin' Up! events of the year but it didn't disappoint.  From meeting new people & catching up with others, to celebrating demonstrator successes & achievements, participating in "make & takes", previewing the upcoming catalogues, new product demonstrations, etc. it was a tiring but very rewarding day!  Here are a few highlights from my time at Onstage 2017...

Most of you will likely know I am a part of The Crazy Crafters, a team lead by the dedicated & lovely Kylie Bertucci (who sadly wasn't present as she is currently overseas).  One of my absolute highlights was finally putting faces to names of people I have gotten to know online over the past year & a half, forming new friendships & reconnecting with some I haven't seen ìn months.  Here are a couple of pics taken throughout the day...

So thankful to have enjoyed Onstage with fellow demonstrators & friends - Carolina Evans,
Irene Rahman, Michelle & Sharon.

 Top left: Carolina, Irene, Michelle, Sharon & I
Top Middle:  Rosalie Desmond & I
Top Right:  Sharon, Jessie Holton, Irene Rahman & I
Middle Left:  Amanda Shields & I observing a presentation
Bottom Left: Jacalyn Slegtenhorst, Carolina Evans & I
Bottom Right (from left to right): Irene, Michelle, Sharon, Lorin (me), Amanda & Jacalyn

One particular part of preparing oneself for the Onstage event is getting ready for "swaps".  You make a number of one particular crafty item, be it a card, gift box, gift tag, etc. and you swap them at the event.  This is an awesome way of meeting new people as well as getting some incredible inspiration from others, not necessarily from just your team. Here are the cards I made to swap..

The key thing with swaps is to keep it simple, particularly when making quite a few.  For the cards I made, I used a distressing tool to create the two tone blended backgrounds - the one combination was powder pink & melon mambo, the other combination was Bermuda Bay & Island Indigo.  I adhered this to the card & scored each side to create an elegant but simple effect, finishing off with gold embossing for the sentiment from the "Beautiful You" stamp set.  If you are considering attending Onstage at some point in the future, I'd really encourage you to participate. You don't need gazillions of card swaps - I made 27 and that was fine, so don't feel pressured to make hundreds, it's completely up to you, but definitely do take part!

And these are the amazing swaps I received...

Pretty amazing eh? Some of the talent and creativeness that fellow demonstrators possess just blows my mind! And if you think that is awesome, check out these beautiful freebies we received from Stampin' Up!...

One of the best parts of Onstage is being the first to get your hands on the upcoming catalogues, and this year's ones are superb!! As is the usual case each year, January sees the launch of Sale-a-bration - a fabulous time to get free products for every $90 spend, and bonus stamp sets if you decide to join as a demonstrator (for personal use to get the discounted products or to kickstart this as a business, the option is entirely yours).  I will likely do a blog post soon on the new catalogues and products coming soon, but for now check out the covers.. aren't they beautiful?!?

2018 Occasions Catalogue

2018 Sale-a-bration Catalogue

Throughout the event we got to participate in Prize Patrol - a highly anticipated round of obtaining a free stamp set depending on your allocated number (obtained when you signed into the event).  I was very thankful to receive a new stamp set "Perennial Birthday" featuring some beautiful floral stamps and a selection of sentiments, making it perfect for any occasion.  Stampin' Up! are a very generous company to be a part of, and they really did bless us with not one but four new stamp sets, products being released in the next catalogue and more! These were the free stamp sets I obtained:

Stamp Sets (from top left): Petal Palette (2 stamp case set), Picture Perfect Birthday, Bird Banter & Perennial Birthday.

And last but not least, we got to participate in "Make & Takes" - a selection of 4 beautiful items to create ourselves, using products from the new catalogues.  Here were the ones I made:

Stamp sets used include: Cake Soiree, Petal Palette, Fruit Basket & Bubble Over

This is just a condensed version of some of the highlights throughout the event but I hope I have given you some insight into this event and inspired you to attend in the coming months/ years.. it certainly isn't one to be missed!  And if you didn't attend Onstage, don't despair! These amazing products will be launched on the 3rd January 2018, so stay tuned as I will be sharing some sneek peaks in the coming weeks of some of the fabulous products on offer!

But for now, farewell till next time :)

Lorin xx

Perfect Day Inspiration

Hi Crafters,

Have you ever been stuck in a rut using your favourite colours over & over? Or perhaps certain colour combinations? Well if you are anything like me, you order the coloured paper packs in subtles, regals, brights, etc. and then within weeks you have used those minimal three sheets in your favourite colours and are left with a stack of those drab don't-quite-want-to-jump-to-utilise-them ones, but not to worry, we will get around to using them... someday ;)

So what do you do when you get stuck in the same old routine of using the same old colours day in and day out?  Thankfully in today's day & age we are surrounded by avenues that can get our creative juices flowing... do you utilise pinterest, or google images, or follow blog hops, or online crafting social pages?  Some of these avenues offer a range of inspiration from card or scrapbooking layout sketches, to different techniques, or exciting new products that take the ordinary to the extraordinary.  

Today, I want to encourage you to think outside the square.. to expand and build on your favourite colour palette. To be bold.  To be daring.  To try new things.  Yes, you!! 

So for a moment I want you to consider what are your go to colours? Do you stick to white or cream cardbases? Or do you mix it up with bold and bright colours?  Do you use complementary colours or colours that clash but create a statement?

Now I want you to consider a colour you don't use much or at all.  What cardstock colours do you have that would complement or work with that particular colour? Or perhaps you have patterned paper that would work with it? Give it a go and see where it leads... 

For those that know me well, my favourite colours are pink, gold, purple, navy & bermuda bay.  These are my go to colours. So today I tried to team colours together that were a bit different to what I normally would opt for. I tried teaming cardstock together & today it just wasn't gelling (we all have those days, right?) So I decided to start with my patterned paper sheets/ pads & work backwards.  Stick with me here...

This year we have an amazing new product line called "Memories & More".  Whilst this range is aimed primarily at scrapbooking & photo albums, they are a perfect addition to your card making supplies.  There are a range of card packs featuring some gorgeous paper, sentiments, stickers, foil borders and shapes etc. And best of all each pack comes in complementary themes and colours, some of which coordinate perfectly with some of our stamp sets!

So today, I picked up the Perfect Days card pack.  Some of the colours in this set include Basic Black, Emerald Envy, Lemon Lime Twist, Soft Sky, Whisper White & Sahara Sand. This formed the basis of my card inspiration, along with a particular patterned paper card that I really liked. Here is the card I created...

Using the Happiest of Days stamp set, the card base was Emerald Envy, topped with a layer of Lemon Lime Twist & Crumb Cake. 

I hope you have been inspired to step out of your comfort zone and try new colour combinations!  Sometimes when we are pushed outside our comfort zone we produce better results than normal.. Let me know how you get on :)

Till next time,

Lorin xx

Mixing It Up

Hi Crafters,

Welcome to another day of crafting inspiration! Today I want to show you a simple yet effective way of creating an embossed type backdrop for your cards or scrapbooking pages.  With my youngest daughter's 4th birthday fast approaching, this was the perfect opportunity to try this technique out!

For this card I used the large number framelits, however you can easily select other shapes or images to create your own unique designs to suit the occasion! Butterflies, leaves or flowers would look just as pretty! The great thing about this technique is that you don't need a long list of supplies to create it - all you need is the big shot & your choice of framelits & some glue.  

Once you have selected your particular background shape/s & cut them out, lay them out on your cardstock to arrange prior to applying adhesive.  I recommend adhering them using the Tombow Multi-purpose Glue which enables you to manoeuvre the shape into the desired position if placed incorrectly the first time, without ruining or ripping your cardstock trying to replace it. It dries clear, & if you do have glue which can be detected, wait till it dries & then gently rub with a glue removing eraser (the Stampin' Up! one is brilliant) and you won't know it was there! 

And there you have it - super simple but another technique for creating unique and beautiful backgrounds!  

I hope you have been inspired to give this a try! If you need to purchase supplies, head to my online store HERE, & do remember to pop in this month's Hostess Code UK4QTE6Q to receive a little thank you gift from me :)

Enjoy the rest of your week & I'll be back soon with some more crafty inspiration.

Lorin xx

A Change of Seasons

Hi Crafters,

It has been awhile, but boy am I glad to be back in the crafting seat!  The past month for our family has been one of real turbulence and trials.  Thankfully after moving house twice in a four month time period, as spring has rounded the corner here in Melbourne, things are slowly returning back to normal.

There is something contagious and exciting when each season changes, bringing with it an expectancy of hope and anticipation of good things just yonder.  So today I picked up a new stamp set which I absolutely adore - "Count My Blessings".

I love the sentiments contained in this set, but the stamps are just as beautiful.  With autumn acorns, leaves and flowers, this set is versatile and nifty for creating a range of cards or scrapbooking backgrounds.  Today I created a trio of cards, each bringing a unique touch of textured warmth & layers that can be used for any occasion..

The thing I love about stamping and card making/ scrapbooking is that it is entirely up to you how simple or complex you want your end product to be.  With the three cards I created, the first card I opted to keep clean and simple, making it a perfect card for the beginner stamper...

Using Very Vanilla as the card base, I created a central bordered strip of Chocolate Chip cardstock, topped with Crumb Cake.  Using the Chocolate Chip Stampin' Pad, the acorn stamp was then stamped randomly.  Two strips of Chocolate Chip & Very Vanilla were added, and the sentiment was copper embossed & cut out using the Stitched Shapes Framelits.  If you haven't tried heat embossing yet, I definitely recommend it.  The effect is simply stunning and can take any card to another level without overdoing it.  This card was then finished off with copper enamel dots.
  

My second card used a similar pattern using the acorn stamp set, however on this card I introduced water colouring.

  

The base colours remained the same - Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake.  Twine was added under the stamped strips, and the strips were raised to add another dimension using Stampin' Dimensionals.  To apply colour to the stamped images, I used Stampin' Markers to highlights the middle and edges of the leaves and acorns, and then coloured them in lightly using Stampin' Up! Watercolour Pencils before going over them with a blender pen.  The sentiment was taken from the stamp set "Wood Words", also available at present in the current annual catalogue, and heat embossed in gold. 

The third card features a large sentiment as the focal point, and features a range of different textures and techniques that come together to create a lovely card for that special someone.

The Chocolate Chip cardstock formed the card base, layered with a sheet of striped patterned paper from one of the Memories & More Card Packs (sorry I can't remember which one). The sentiment was stamped in Calypso Coral on Very Vanilla cardstock, daubered around the edges in Crumb Cake ink to add interest, and framed with Crumb Cake cardstock. The leaves stamp was perfect for creating a patterned strip using Wild Wasabi, and was finished off using twine.  Two copper metal embellishments were added in the top right corner.

I hope I have inspired you to give this stamp set a go... the options are endless!  If you liked my cards or have a question, please feel free to leave me a comment in the comments section below.

If you liked my cards & would like to try your hand at making them, you can purchase these items from my Online Store 24/7. Remember to use the September Host Code UK4QTE6Q at the bottom of your shopping cart to receive free rewards for shopping with me (only available in Australia).

Also be sure to check out the NEW September Craft Kit released this month - $55 including postage & handling within Australia!  

Till next time, happy crafting!

Lorin xx