ANZAC day commemoration and poppies from our Build-A-Bouquet kit!

Today is a very special day in Australia. For those that don't know, its ANZAC day.  "ANZAC" stands for "Australian and New Zealand Army Corps", and its a day on which we remember the sacrifices made by fallen soldiers so that we can live the lives we do today.  In particular we remember the ultimate sacrifices made by those brave soldiers who landed at what is now known as "Anzac Cove" in Gallipoli, Turkey, on this day in 1915.  So although every ANZAC day is a day to remember, this one is additionally special as we commemorate 100 years since that momentous and tragic landing.

This morning I went down to the waterfront in my local area where volunteers had set up poppies (our symbol of rememberance) to remember each soldier who so bravely gave their lives.  I am not an overly emotional type of person, but it was difficult to hold back tears, and it took me by surprise at the depth of emotion it is possible to feel 100 years after such an event.  There was so much respect between the people there, and I am proud to be Australian and honoured to be in the debt of those men. Here are some photos of the poppies erected by Gosford waterfront for today:

Can you believe the poppies on these bushes are all hand knittted or crocheted??  

So hauntingly beautiful! Many names were on the individual flower stems.

The poppy at the top of this post is actually from our Build-A-Bouquet simply created kit. Aren't they beautiful?  I thought it was appropriate for this post!  I was to run classes on these this week, but due to the storm that came through earlier in the week I have been forced to cancel all my classes and events over this period. My home (and that of many others) is still without power after 5 days...... but I hope to be back creating, teaching and using our lovely products very soon!  I am supposed to be heading to Convention at the Gold Coast next Wednesday so hoping the power comes on before then so I can get away in time!

If you follow me on my Facebook Business Page I will advice when everything is back to "normal" there :-)

Video: Our Favourite 2015 Retiring Products PLUS today's updated Retirement list!

UPDATED retirement list is HERE!



I hope you've had time to check out this year's retirement list! As in other years, the list is HUGE.... lots of stamps and accessories are going... and many are marked up to 50% off!  Do yourself a favour and get them while you can! Not only are they only available until the end of the catalogue on the 2nd June, many aren't going to last that long because they will sell out quickly. In fact... some items already have!



The list here includes updates on those items already totally gone.  In particular, tools (like punches) and Big Shot Accessories will go quickly. Many of the retiring In-colors are already gone.



Here's the updated list:



http://su-media.s3.amazonaws.com/media/lastChance/2015_SP_RetiredList/SP_retiredList.pdf



(DONT FORGET THIS IS THE LIST FOR THE AUSTRALIAN AND NZ MARKET - if you are not in Australia your list will have different sold out items!)



Or visit the Online Store... you can purchase directly from the store if you choose. This year I've set up a hostess code so we can bundle our orders together. That way there will be hostess benefits for one lucky customer... a free $50 worth of product for someone! Just enter the hostess code when prompted by the system. The code is GA3G2V6S . Your orders can be delivered to you anywhere in Australia!



Keep checking back as I will update the list every couple of days!



Here's a video of some of the retiring products to inspire you!

Stampin'Up Grand Vacation Hawaii Blog Hop!

Today's the day! Welcome to the Grand Vacation Hawaii blog hop! I've only ever done a couple of blog hops prior to this one, and this is the first one using a Scheduled post.... so if you are reading this I did it right! Go me!

As many of you know, in just a few weeks from now we are heading to Waikiki in Hawaii, courtesy of Stampin'Up for this year's incentive trip. In recent years SU have started called this the "Grand Vacation" rather than the "Incentive Trip"... but its just the same thing with a different name. This will be my 7th trip with SU, and I am so so grateful to them for putting on these wonderful holidays for us to take. Of course, its also about my earning it.... but when you love what you do, it doesn't feel like work at all! And really.. I would be nowhere without my wonderful customers and my amazing team of demonstrators!  Its all of YOU that allow me to do the work that allows me to get away from it all.

This year our trip will include the South Pacific market (Australia and New Zealand), and the North American market (US and Canada) ... so we are all staying at the Sheraton on Waikiki beach for the dates of the trip. One of the awesome things about SU trips is that its a trip for 2... all accommodations, meals events, gifts and pretty much everything is paid for!  I only have to put my hand in my pocket if there is something I want to purchase for myself such as souvenirs... how cool is that?

One of the fun things we are doing this year is a blog hop for some of the attendees... and thats why you are here right? We were given a Hawaiian theme.... but apart from that its up to us what we create. So here are my attempts at something "Hawaiian"... I decided to use the Flowers Bigz Die to create a flower that reminded me of a Hibiscus, and created two cards that I felt met the requirements.   Plus I've used the template from the Hooray its your Day kit to create the sunshine backgrounds.  And of course you need Sunshine and sunsets for Hawaii right?  What do you think?

Here's a close up of the first card:

Here is card No. 2...

This one i had rolling around in my head for a few weeks.... I really wanted to create a sunset, and make it a little retro with the colours I chose (think "Hawaii 5-O" and "Hawaiian shirts")... I think it turned out ok.... Here's a close up of the Hibiscus... I used the Build-A-Bouquet stamp set to make my flower a little more "Hibiscus-y" :-)

If you like these cards please feel free to comment below.... OR even better head over to my Facebook business page and "like" it.  You'll get to see these plus lots more pics, specials and ideas. I tend to show there what I am currently working on more often than here.

I'm quite delighted to be part of the hop and especially to be in line after the clever Ms Georgia Giguere... who runs a beautiful blog and her fabulous Stampin'Up business in Minnesota in the US.

Thank you for visiting my blog as part of the Hawaii Blog Hop!  I hope you visit again :-) To visit the next blog in the hop click the "Next Blog" button below.. you will be taken to the very talented Simone Bertram's blog! Or to return to Georgia's blog use the "Previous Blog" button below. Enjoy the hop and happy creating!

             

Blog Hop List

1. Brian King  

2. Louise Sharp

3. Kylie Bertucci

4. Janet Wakeland 

 5. Shannean Moncrieff

6. BJ Peters

 7. Selene Kempton 

8. Georgia Giguere 

9. Linda Higgins 

10. Simone Bartrum 

11. Dawn Griffith 

 12. Marelle Taylor 

13. Dena Rekow 

14. Connie Stewart 

15. Alisa Tilsner  

16. Tami White 

17. Renee Kohnke 

18. Bec Ross 

19. Ann Craig 

20. Vanessa Webb 

21. Sandi MacIver 

22. Sharon Armstrong 

23. Barb Mullikin 

24. Connie Babbert 

25. Alison Solven 

 26. Betty Button 

27. Lisa Curcio 

28. Krista Frattin 

29. Kim Gavarra 

30. Jacque Williams

Here it is! The 2015 Retirement List from Stampin'Up!

It's out today!  This year's retirement list is now up, and I know you want to see it, so without further fuss here it is......

Click HERE for the 2015 Retiring Stamp and Accessory List

Don't forget that items on this list will no longer be available when the current catalogue comes to an end, and in fact will only be available until they sell out.  Although I don't have a crystal ball and can't tell you which items will go early, In-colors often do sell out quickly... and especially the re-inkers for those retiring colours.

If you are ordering through the Online Store then please use the Hostess Code GA3G2V6S when prompted... this will mean that all the orders will be attached in the system so that hostess benefits will apply.. one lucky person who orders using the code will be drawn to receive a $50 product voucher. Then you can use that to purchase from the brand new catalogue due out on the 2nd June if you wish!  Don't forget that when you order online, your products are sent directly to your door, anywhere in Australia.. and for a very reasonable postage charge. 

This is a very exciting time to be part of Stampin'Up - whether that be as a customer or as a demonstrator. We have so many new and exciting things about to happen! So stay tuned and enjoy the excitement.  I am heading off to Convention on the Gold Coast in just over a week.... and so I will come back with my head full of exciting new ideas, and I'll have new products to show you very soon! 

If you have ever thought about becoming a demonstrator, this is a fantastic time to do it!  Click the "Join my Team" tab above for further information :-)

Video Tutorial: Tips for creating your So You Mini Album

Today I wanted to show you what I've created with the So You Mini Album.  I'm including some photos, and also a video tutorial to give you some ideas for creating your own. Its so cute! And it would make an awesome gift... don't forget we have Mother's Day coming up here in Australia!



Above you can see the cover of my album... I did add a few things when putting the album together. The album has been decorated using the stars stencil - its one of our decorative masks in the Annual Catalogue.  I just used Whisper White craft ink to do this, and it only took a couple of minutes.  But nearly everything else to create the album came directly out of the kit.  I did add a couple of things -  (white stallion ink to stamp on the acetate sheets, Project Life framelit labels for captions, and some other stamps) but not much at all as the kit itself is quite comprehensive.



Here is my stamp club group enjoying the class we did together....

And here are a couple of my favourite pages from the album....

 This would be a great project to purchase and create together with friends. All you need is an album and your photos, and away you go.

If you'd like to buy one for yourself visit the ONLINE STORE..... you'll find the album listed with the Occasions Catalogue products.  If you are in Australia, you can have it shipped directly to you for a low postage charge.  Or you can CONTACT ME by email.





So without any more fuss... below is the video to give you some ideas.

Flowers and Chocolates... the perfect gift. My Bouquet Basket class

Aren't these flowers just beautiful? 

You might recognise them from the cover of our current Occasions Catalogue. You can make a whole bouquet of them with the Build-A-Bouquet Simply Created kit... or you can come to class next week and make one of each of the flower (there are 5 different flowers) and a cute basket to put them in.  And some yummy Lindt choccies in there too :-)

If you just wish to make the basket of flowers the class is $25, or if you wish to include the full kit in your class, the price is $45. 

Make sure you book as soon as you can, as this class is a small number class. 

Class dates:

Tuesday April 21st @ 7.30pm

or

Wednesday April 22nd @ 11am

Cost $25 (Basket and the flowers you make in the class only)

o$45 for the full kit. 

To book click HERE

I've done it again... gone crazy with the Silver Embossing....

Yes, I know. I've done it again. Too much silver.

But I just can't help it sometimes... I do love embossing and especially with the metallics.  This time I used the Something Lacy background stamp on Soft Sky cardstock and embossed it with Silver embossing powder. Then I added the sentiment (also silver embossed of course) and some white organza ribbon. Its a super simple card :-)

Want to see more? Visit my Facebook business page for more inspiration and ideas :-) Don't forget to
"like" it so that you can come back and visit again.

I hope you like today's card. I did have fun playing with embossing again... its one of my favourite things to do :-)

This Week's Weekly Deals are AWESOME!

This week's "Weekly Deals" are maybe my favourites ever.  There are some great deals this week.... but my favourite is the Magnetic Plate at a fantastic price! I know that a lot of my customers are keen on it, but have been waiting for the right time.....well this might just be it!

To buy these awesome specials go to the ONLINE STORE or click the "Shop Now" button. You can shop 24 hours a day or in your PJs if you want. And items can be sent to your door for a low postage cost... anywhere in Australia!

Don't forget there are new deals every Wednesday... so these prices are only good until next Tuesday night!

Here are this week's deals:

1" SQUARE PUNCH Price: $27.95 $20.96	BANNERS FRAMELITS DIE Price: $45.95 $34.46	BIG SHOT MAGNETIC PLATFORM Price: $69.95 $52.46
CIRCLE CARD THINLITS DIE Price: $55.95 $41.96	FLOWER FAIR FRAMELITS DIE Price: $42.95 $32.21	FUN FLOWER PUNCH Price: $29.95 $22.46
STARS FRAMELITS DIES Price: $45.95 $34.46	VINTAGE FACETED BUTTONS Price: $9.95 $7.46

Love Bundles? Here's some great April bundles at 15% off :-)

From now until the 17th April, if you are an Australian customer you can purchase these great bundles from me at reduced prices. These items are not normally bundled together so its a limited time only deal.

Here are the bundles on offer:

To see the full flyer (with prices) click HERE

You can contact me to purchase, or visit the Online Store.  What I love about the online store is that you can have your order of any Stampin'Up products sent directly to your door for a low postage charge.  And of course you can shop at any time because the store is open 24 hours a day!  (Just make sure you are shopping with me.. my name will be in the top right hand corner of the page)

Enjoy your shopping!

A Gorgeous technique to make you feel clever - Bokeh!

If you've ever wanted to feel like an artist and create beautiful backgrounds then the Bokeh technique is for you!  I've loved playing around with different colours for this awesome technique... and I am loving the results it gives me. And its not only easy.. but its a lot of fun!

I showed you another card with this technique a couple of weeks ago (click HERE to see it) and I received so much positive feedback that I wanted to give it another go. Today my card uses completely different colours, but I still love the soft background that they create.  I've added the butterfly from our Butterfly framelits, cut from a piece of silver foil. There are also a couple of stamps in the background to add to the effect - both are from the matching 'Butterfly Basics' set.  Of course I don't know for sure, but if I was a betting person I would guess that those Butterfly stamps and matching framelits are the top selling combo out of our current Occasions catalogue. Certainly I have sold a LOT of them myself... I wonder if I am right?

If you would like to come along to class this week and learn how to create these great backgrounds then I do still have a couple of spots left in my classes. But I fully expect them to fill, so don't delay... make sure you are booked in by clicking HERE, and letting me know that you'll be joining us :-)

The class schedule is at the top of this page with dates and times for my upcoming classes....