A Christmas Surprise.....

 

So what is inside?

 

Over the coming 10 posts, I'm going to show you what I've created (times 4) on the first few days of my holidays.  I have really enjoyed some crafting time, and am looking forward to some more before I have to put my nose back to the grindstone. 

 

For this and the next 10 posts in the series, supplies are:

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Lucky Limeade

Inks: Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Lucky Limeade

Stamp Sets: a variety of Christmas sets, both current and retired, and a couple of borrowed sets from other companies.

Embellishments: Candlelight Christmas DSP (retired, but I didn't have my current Christmas order when I started the project), pearls, rhinestones, various ribbons, punches and framelits.

 

Happy Stamping......Manda

A long time between posts.......

 

Being a teacher is very rewarding and a wonderful career.....but doesn't leave much time for oneself after looking after my own family as well.  Stamping, sadly, often comes last on the list.

 

This project was one of those times where I had to combine family and stamping.....YEAH!! 

 

DD 1 wanted a birthday gift for a friend, and found the present, but wanted Mum to make a gift box.  So 9.45pm on Friday night, Mum sat down and whipped up this little number. 

 

 

And on the inside.......

 

Yes, purple and pink were the colours of the evening!!  A little bit of retired ribbon, but the rest is all current......except the Rimmel nail polish.....which is actually really good and doesn't chip.  Hehe....not that I bought any for myself :-)

 

Stamp Set: Lacy and Lovely, Label Love

Card stock: Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White

Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise

Other:  Retired ribbon and brad, Artisan Label punch

 

Happy Stamping.....Manda

It's beginning to look a lot like......

CHRISTMAS!!

 

 

And now that I'm on holidays, I'm slowing getting my creative mojo back....Yay!!

 

 So the first thing I thought I'd share with you are some gifts that I made this year.

 

 

I made a set of these magnets for each of the staff members who I work with at school, and they were also the gift that I gave to the ladies who attended my Christmas Stamp-A-Stack.

 

They are based on an idea shared by my stamping sister Bec at a team meeting earlier this year.  The base of the magnet is a beer bottle top from the home brew section of the supermarket.  Run it through the Big Shot and it makes a cool embellishment with a bit of DSP and some Crystal Effects.  I've also used Crystal Effects to glue a magnet to the back of the bottle top and then packaged them up.

 

Happy Stamping.....Manda xx

 



Happy Birthday.....

To the stripe lover....here is your frame as requested. 

Hope you have a wonderful day.

Stamps: Awash with Flowers

Card stock:  Lucky Limeade, Concord Crush, Watercolour Paper, Melon Mambo

Ink: Stazon Black

Other: Stamp'n'Write Markers in Bashful Blue, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Wisteria Wonder, Concord Crush, Lucky Limeade

Other:  Pink Glitter, Hostess DSP (the name escapes me at the moment) Butterfly embosslits.

Happy Stamping.....Manda



Laura's Birthday

It was Laura's birthday on Sunday just past, so here is the gift.  Yes another frame, but this time a bigger version in silver (I've cut out the frame in the picture, sorry, but the glass put glare on the photo). 

I've used Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink and the Flirtatious Specialty DSP, with the silver glitter paper. 

Happy 10th Birthday, Laura.

Happy Stamping......Manda xx

Next in the gift parade......

DS has been invited to "my best friend from kindy, Jeremy"'s birthday party very soon.  As today is a public holiday in not so sunny Queensland, I took the opportunity to make up the gift for the birthday party.  There is a story behind the rockets.......DS's kindy sheets have rockets on them and Jeremy had to have rocket sheets as well.  His poor mum has been all over town looking for rocket sheets......only to discover that DS's grandmother made his sheets for him from a doona cover!

Anyway.......hopefully Jeremy will like this rocket instead!!

I have borrowed the rocket image, and the paper is retired SU! Celebrations DSP.

Card Stock: Real Red, Whisper White

Ink: SU! stamp'n'write markers in Real Red, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, Tangerine Tango

Other: Champagne Shimmer Paint, Big Shot alphabet dies.

Happy Stamping.....Manda

Pay it forward......a little late!

At the beginning of the year, I put a post on my Face book page about Paying it Forward, where I promised to send/deliver a handmade gift to anyone who replied.  The only rule was that if you replied, you then had to post the same message on your Face book page, and pay it forward with a gift also. 

Anyway, here is the gift that I made for one of the forwardees (if that's a word). 

A sweet little handbag box, which I've decorated with the scallop envelope die and the Embosslits butterflies, using Lap of Luxury DSP.

And here's what was inside.....

which is where the 'late' part comes in, because the little gift cards are made using Sale-a-bration sets.  Even though SAB has now finished, I still wanted to share them with you. 

Here are some close ups......

The little gift cards have matching DSP scallop envelopes.

What you need.....

Card Stock:  Concord Crush, Very Vanilla, Blushing Bride

Ink:  Blushing Bride, Concord Crush

Stamps:  Bliss, Punch Bunch

Other: Lap of Luxury DSP, Embosslits Butterflies, Scallop Envelope Die, Stamp'n'Write markers.

Happy Stamping.....Manda

Black Board? White Board? Glass Board!!!!

I found some orange and pink white board marker pens at a retail store back before Christmas.  I bought them with the vague idea of making something....but wasn't sure what. 

Brain wave.......Glass board.

I have used DSP behind the glass, and used a strip of ribbon to make a loop out the side to hold the pen.

I've used mine to remind me what I need to order next, you could equally use it for a shopping list, things to do, etc.

Card Stock:  Whisper White, Rose Red

Ink: Rose Red

Stamps:  One from my stash

Other: Wide Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain ribbon, Sweet and Sour Specialty DSP, button (my stash again), kitchen string.

Happy Stamping......Manda

25 days till Christmas.....

The Story: 

 My daughter's class parents pooled their money and bought the teacher a substantial group gift for Christmas. 

The Problem:  

Normally, one card is bought and everyone gets to write in a tiny piece of space, about the size of a 20cent piece. 

The Solution:

Everyone has their own 3 x 3 inch gift card to write in, all of which will be presented on a small Christmas tree, hanging like ornaments.

The Challenge:

Being me, I couldn't just make 25 gift cards.  No.....  I had to make them all look pretty, and unique, and look like baubles when hanging on the tree.  So, the challenge became, to create 25 gift cards all different, but all using the same ornament shape, and all using the same colours. 

Over the next 25 days till Christmas, I'll post one card a day, kind of like a Christmas Bauble Advent Calendar.  So stay tuned.  As mentioned above, all of the cards use much the same in the way of supplies, so I'll post the supply list now, and you can refer back to it for each card if you get stuck on which supplies I've used.  I have used all SU! supplies, but I did need to venture into a friends stamp collection for some of the backgrounds (click here if you would like to discover some of her fantastic creations). 

But without further ado, here is the first, and my favourite (yes this one was mine to write in - hehehe) gift card. 

Supply List:

Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive

SU! Stamp Sets: Delightful Decorations, Contempo Christmas, Contempo Roller,Christmas Greetings, Four the Holidays, Tree Trimmings, Baroque Motifs.

Other: Jolly Holiday DSP, Vellum, Old Olive wide grosgrain ribbon, Mistletoe Ribbon Originals, Sleigh Bells, Very Vanilla taffeta, Old Olive thin taffeta, Basic Pearls, Basic Rhinestones, Fire Circle Rhinestone Brads, Dazzling Diamonds, Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint, Modern Label Punch, 1 3/4 inch circle punch, 1 inch circle punch, Ornament punch, Petals-a-Plenty and Polka Dot Textured Impressions Embossing Folders, copper cord (retired), dimensionals, 2 way glue pen, snail, paper piercing tools.

Happy Stamping......Manda

A stack of chocolate......literally!!.....

Here is another quick, simple, and inexpensive, yet impressive gift. 

Once again, Aldi was the source of the original product.

Simply take of the coloured paper, and substitute DSP in the design of your choice.  I've used Jolly Holiday, as it is part of the Dressing Up Christmas promotion.  Vanilla ribbon, and a quick tag, and you're done. 

Happy Stamping......Manda

Happy Birthday ......

To my wonderful, amazing, and much loved Mum....Hope you have a happy day. 

As an aside, I'll be teaching you how to make this amazing paper bow at technique class this Friday.  Email me if you would like to come along. 

Supplies: Sunny Garden DSP, So Saffron wide grosgrain ribbon (retired).

Happy Stamping....Manda

Dressing up.....Lil' Chocits....

Another Aldi favourite are these little chocolates.....

Very easy to cover with DSP and stack into a pile with ribbon, or a DSP belly band.  But my new discovery is that they fit into the No. 2 Box Die really well.

Card Stock:  Cherry Cobbler

Ink: None (are you shocked?)

Stamps: None (don't fall over now!!)

Other:  Jolly Holiday DSP, Old Olive wide grosgrain ribbon, Cherry Cobbler button, kitchen string.

Happy Stamping.....Manda

Dressing up......Nougat.....

My stamping friends tease me that I never go anywhere without thinking about stamping....Sad to say, but sometimes it's true.  I was wandering around Aldi the other day, and found these little treats.

The gold wrapping caught my eye, and I had to think......."I could make something with these".  What did I come up with?

This...... 

And to get rid of the not so special blue on the original packaging....

 

just add a strip of co-ordinating DSP.  Pop 4 into the pillow box made from acetate, and look what you get.   Gotta love it, right?  Makes a quick, impressive, yet inexpensive gift for Christmas......I'm thinking all those extra teachers at school....music, sport, art, etc.

Here is a close up of my tags.  I've used the markers to just colour the little pictures from the full stamp and then punched them out with the jewellery tag punch.  Simple, hey?

Card stock:  Old Olive, Very Vanilla, Acetate

Ink: Old Olive, Cherry Cobbler

Stamps: Gifted

Other: Old Olive wide grosgrain ribbon, Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive Stamp'n'Write markers, Jolly Holiday DSP, Linen Thread, Jewellery Tag Punch, Pillow Box Die, Big Shot

Happy Stamping.....Manda

Here's what was inside.....

Jo guessed it correctly.......well done Miss Melbourne!  Everyone seemed to like them. 

Happy Stamping.......Manda

Hmmmmm........What are these????

If you would like to find out what's in these little pillow boxes, come along to my Stamp-a-Stack of Christmas cards tomorrow night.  $20.00 for 9 cards, 3 each of 3 designs.  If you're interested, email me and I'll give you more details. 

Happy Stamping......Manda

Happy Birthday G!....

One of the things that I love about Stampin' Up! is that it is sooooooo easy to create a fantastic looking gift and matching card. Why?  Because everything co-ordinates so beautifully.  Last night I visited some friends where the husband is having a birthday soon (waving at you M and G!), and I wanted to package his present nicely.  I whipped out some 12 x 12 Real Red card stock and the Celebrations DSP and this is what I came up with.

I made a simple box base out of the hard card backing from the DSP packet, and then wrapped the Real Red card around it.  I had to add a second panel, as the 12 x 12 wasn't quite wide enough to go around the base of the box.  Then I covered each side of the box with DSP, punched a couple of holes for eyelets on the sides, added a ribbon handle and ta dah - a wine bottle gift bag.  Make sure that you use Sticky Strip though!

And here is the matching card, using the matching stamp set, Party this Way.

Stamp Set: Party This Way

Card Stock: Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White

Ink: Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Bashful Blue, Pacific Point

Other: Antique Brass Eyelets, Real Red 5/8 Grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch

Happy Stamping........Manda

A birthday gift......

 This past week, it was my BFF's birthday.  Now that she has opened her pressie, (had to wait for the mail to be delivered), I can post the photos here to show you all. 

My latest discovery is pen holders, so I made her a little desk set, which would be perfect for her desk at work or that little table inside her front door where the keys and mobile phone get put (supposedly!!) when she comes home.

Here is the pen holder, complete with pens, and a little note book.

And a close up of the front of the pen holder.

Card Stock: Crumb Cake, Pacific Point, Very Vanilla

Ink: Pacific Point

Stamp Sets: Punch Potpourri, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Other: Pacific Point Ribbon (retired, but blue is her favourite colour, so I had to feature this), flower punch, bird punch (though mine had been held hostage at a friends house, so I actually hand cut these ones), Blueberry Crisp DSP, Stamp-a-ma-jig.

Happy Stamping......Manda

Happy Birthday to?

One of my good friends is having a birthday this week. 

Not saying who......

Not saying when.......

But here is a little tease for you......

Happy Stamping.......Manda

Bag Tags.

This is another school activity, which the children loved.  I found these self laminating pouches at the local dollar shop and they came pre-punched with a slot in the top for the ribbon to attach to the childrens' bags. 

Stamping with 20 children in 30 minutes can be a bit challenging at times, but if you keep it simple and have a production line going, it all seems to work. 

I've used Garden Whimsy and Pocket Silhouettes stamp sets, and the colours are Certainly Celery, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red and Regal Rose.  Card stock is Whisper White and Certainly Celery.  I've taken the opportunity to use up some of the Certainly Celery Poly Twill ribbon from the SU ribbon bundle promotion from late last year, that has been sitting in my stash. 

Bag Tags will swing on the bag, so I've stamped the back as well as the front of the tags.

Here is the back of the boys tag.

And the front of the boys tag.

The back of the girls bag tag.

And the front.

Happy Stamping..........Manda

Bye Bye Lilly

 DD2's best friend, Lilly, is leaving today to live in Scotland for 12 months.  Needless to say DD2 is devastated.  So I have made 2 of  these photo frames, one for each of them. 

I have to say that I was very sad to hear that Purely Pomegranate wasn't coming back with the new colour renovation from SU! - it is a perfect match for the school uniform colours.  Good thing I stocked up before it retired at the end of 2009 catty year!

The DSP is from Berry Bliss (retired) and the 'good friend' stamp is from A Good Friend stamp set.

I've used the word window punch for 'friend' and I've hand cut the 'good'.  It's just a shame that the frame holder is just there.  At least it's not over the tail of the 'g'.  I've stamped them in Purely Pomegranate ink on Pretty in Pink card stock. 

Happy Stamping......Manda