Tomorrow's Scoring Clas

Tomorrow (30th April 2012) I have my last class for this month... and it's our second Scoring Class. I did the same class last week as an evening program, but tomorrow at 11am I am running it again. If you would like to join us I still have a couple of spots. All materials and a light lunch are included for a cost of $20. Classes are held on the Central Coast of NSW and address details are available when you book in. The card you see here is one of our projects. This past month Stampin'Up released their brand new scoring tool - "Simply Scored" - and so this class is all about showing you lots of different things you can do with it. So by the end of the class you will understand how the Simply Scored tool works... and have some great new ideas. In addition to the cute Rosette on this card, you will also learn how to make envelopes, a box and a bookmark. Last week's attendees all enjoyed it... and several of them also purchased the Simply Scored tool. :-) Email me at lindastamps@bigpond.com if you would like to come along.

Playing around wtth Colour

I've been away this week, and stamping up a storm with my lovely friend Vanessa. The only down side was that I forgot my camera, so this photo is not quite up to scratch (taken on my phone). But you get the idea. I love this mashing of colours!

I clear-embossed the flowers from the Mixed Bunch set... but not just with any old embossing powder but actually with our brand new scented powders. This one is Vanilla, and so my card doesn't just look good.. it SMELLS good too! After embossing I sponged my colours over the top... first Pool Party, then Island Indigo and Lucky Limeade. It's a very simple card, but lots of fun to do.

I'll be back home soon as school holidays are very nearly over. Back to "normal" next week. I still have a couple of spots in next week's Simply Scored technique class. There are two classes - Tuesday 24th April @ 7.30pm, and Monday 30th April @ 11am. You will make 3-4 projects and the cost of the class is $20. Classes are held on the Central Coast and I can give you the address details when you book in. All materials and light refreshments provided.

Contact me at lindastamps@bigpond.com to reserve your spot.

One for the Bookworms

Every year I set goals for myself. I've done this for years. I usually stick them on my fridge so I am can see them (for obvious reasons these are called "Fridge Goals"... believe it or not, if it's on my fridge I know I have a good chance of it happening because it's in front of me every day, and I get really clear on what it is I want for me and the kids. This includes personal and business goals. They are both really important to me. And let's face it, I have business goals because they mean good things for us personally. For example, I am aiming at a new car that my business will buy for me sometime this year. I have a picture of what I want I my fridge. And my 9yo daughter drew a picture of it for me and wrote "My Mum's new Car"... that's on the fridge too. (And coloured it blue of course)

But some goals don't make it to the fridge. These are still important, but just on a different level. And one of those this year had to do with my love for books. Over the past couple of years whilst we got our little family back on its feet I haven't had time to read, which is something I had always loved to do. So my goal in that area for 2012 was to try to read one book a month. 12 books. Seeing as I had been reading "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" since I went to Hamilton Island in October 2010 and still hadn't got past the first few chapters at the beginning of 2012, I threw myself into reading it in January this year. And rediscovered my love of books that I hadn't felt in so long. I read all three of that series, plus "Water for Elephants" that my daughter gave me for Christmas. Now I am reading the third book of a very popular current series... hang on.... It's only April!!!

So very satisfying to discover my long-lost love of novels. Lovely to have a goal just for me... and yet... my daughter has just lost herself in a book series for the first time. She just read the "Magic Faraway Tree" books. Watching her spending her hours engrossed in these books made me smile... and I realized that it's a wonderful example when you read for your children. I'm sure it's not a coincidence that as I start reading more, so does my daughter. And my 6yo son's reading has taken off this year too... as in he can now read independently,even if the books are much more suited to his age group. I thought you might like to see a picture of him reading to his sister.



So I've been making these cute little Bookmarks using my new Simply Scored tool,and though you might like to see them. They will be one of the items we will be making in the "Simply Scored technique class". I have two dates for this... Tuesday 24th April @ 7.30pm. and Monday 30th May @ 11am. Please note this is a change of date, and my apologies if anyone is inconvenienced by this. You will make 3 projects and the cost for this class is $20. All materials and light refreshments are provided. Just email me at lindastamps@bigpond.com to book yourself a spot.

So can you guess what I am reading now? Here's a clue....

Creative Afternoons with Friends

Today I had a friend (and team member) drop by and we sat down and chatted and made some stuff together. Well I made stuff and she was my cheer squad. I ended up making a couple of easy cards that just kind of came together. And the card below is one of them.

I used the Island Indigo cardstock as my base, and stamped it with the "Splodge" from the "Extreme Elements" stamp set. I spritzed it and then punched the flowers in Pear Pizzaz, Pool Party and "Timeless Portrait" DSP. That's an Antique Brad in the middle of the flower. I have used the Tuplip embossing folder around the edge of the card. The sentiment is from the new set "Loving Thoughts".. loving that set! The ruffled ribbon is in "Lucky Limeade". Such a simple card, but I really loved it, and it felt good to make.

Hope you enjoy it too... back with more soon.

Linda xx

Upcoming Project Class

I promised you all a while back that I would post photos of the project we are making at this month's project class. Project classes differ quite a bit from both technique classes and Stamp-A-Stacks... each month I pick a specific project and we make it together. These are larger 3D projects that can be used as gifts. So the price of the class is reflected in this, as there is always a lot more product used in it's creation.

This month we are making this gorgeous purse and card set... I thought with Mother's Day not far away this would make a great gift too. I cant take credit for the design though.. this is the word of the very talented Becky Roberts who I consider one of my papercraft inspirations! She comes up with the most beautiful ideas. I have changed the measurements slightly as our A4 paper size differs a little from the US, but I was really happy with how this turned out. We will be working with different colours in the class.. but this one was the first one I ever made, and I wanted to show it to you. I have used the delectable Mocha Morning DSP (rrp $24.95 for a pack of 12) but you can use any paper of your choice. I am thinking it would look gorgeous in the Twitterpated papers... YUM!

I have 2 dates available if you would like to make this project with me. Wednesday 11th April @ 11am, (light lunch provided) and Tuesday 1st May @ 7.30pm. All materials are supplied. The cost is $30. Classes are held on the Central Coast NSW and I can give you the address when you book in.

Email me at lindastamps@bigpond.com to reserve your spot.

Mixed Bunch

I wanted to show you a quick card I made with the "Mixed Bunch" stamp set (rrp $38.95 for the clear-mount or $48.95 for the wood-mount)from our brand new Mini. I was inspired by a card I saw on Wendy Weixler's beautiful blog. I changed it around but I loved the 3 flowers so I kept that bit. Other than that I went off on my own tangent... I used the new Twitterpated DSP behind the negative shapes created by the punch. I also used some of our new Twitterpated buttons in the flower centres, and the word "Create" is from our new word set "Loving Thoughts". This is my new favourite word set... I love the sentiments in there! Words like "Create", "Dream", "Inspire", "Imagine" and "Dare to Dream"... plus there are words appropriate for weddings and anniversaries, and even for Sympathy cards. There are 11 word stamps in that set altogether. The clear set retails for $44.95, and the wood-mount retails for $55.95.

I am busy packing orders and getting organized before the holidays and Easter so I'd better get back to it :-) Today I am also putting the finishing touches to my Purse and Card project class for next week, so I will pop up a photo of it for you shortly.

Enjoy the card, and I'll be back soon.

Linda xx

Brand New Day....

And what a beautiful day it is! The sun is shining and maybe the world feels different because we turned out clocks back an hour last night? Or maybe its because today is the very first day of our Brand New Autumn Winter mini catalogue... ah... that must be it! LOL

Here it is...





So what's inside? For those of you coming along to my launches this week (and I have filled them up, so thank you to all those who booked) you will get to play with all the lovely new stuff first hand. But if you aren't on the Central Coast or coming along, you can still see what's inside by clicking HERE.

And this mini has SO MUCH NEW EXCITING STUFF! Framelets, Edgelits and matching embossing folders. Gorgeous new stamps and papers. A coordinating punch. Lots of buzz about Stampin' Up's new scoring tool.. "Simply Scored". I cant wait to show you all.. even if you can't make a launch event, there will be classes and workshops in the coming weeks so that you can test drive it all for yourselves.

To place an order, just email me at lindastamps@bigpond.com... I can have your order delivered anywhere in Australia for a low postage cost - which is the same no matter where in Australia you are. I accept credit card OR bank deposit for those who worry about how they will pay. And orders are really fast.. so it can be with you quickly.

I've been busy creating lots of new projects with new stuff, so I will be back soon with more to show you. Stay tuned!

Linda H