Scrapbook Sunday blog hop

Hi all, and welcome to this months scrapbook blog hop! I wanted to keep this one simple and record this fabulous memory from May. My husband and I attended an autumn picnic out amongst an olive Grove that was fairly local to us. We were lucky enough to get given tickets, and the day turned out just beautiful despite the weather predictions of rain.

I’ve used to mixture of DSP for this one including the online exclusive coming soon which features the little bird. I wanted the blue of the sky to really pop and the green grass as well from my photos, so the DSPs in Night of Navy were perfect for this. 

Products Used:

• Basic White Thick Cardstock 
• DSP - Mediterranean Blooms and Take to the Sky
• Spotlight On Nature Dies
• Crumb Cake ink

Pop over to the following blogs and leave some love after being inspired!

Happy memory keeping,

Rach xx

 

Just because...

 It's almost the New Year and of course like many others, I'm attempting to be organised.  My aim is to send out my birthday cards ahead of time and to have them sorted and in envelopes before the end of the previous month.  So today I discovered that with all the cards I created over Christmas, I'd left myself short of birthday cards.  

I created this design, in bulk with the intention of using up some designer series paper.  I have so much already but always find cutting it up very hard to do.  They are all so pretty! So to show it off, I used it as my background and added a simple label and some butterflies to finish.  

Just Jade and Bumblebee papers as well as Flirty Flamingo for the butterflies, make the pattern really pop.  

I now have cards in envelopes, addressed and stamped, all ready to pop in the mailbox today.  Thats all January birthdays done and dusted.  Are you on my birthday list?  If not, send me a message and I'll make sure one comes your way during the year.  

Happy stampin,

Rachael xx

Facebook Sunday - using DSP

 

I used a series of strips of DSP for this card and couldn't help but add this cute image from the Birthday Chick bundle.  So cute.

It made for a bright and cheerful card.  

Happy Stamping

Sunday FB challenge

 

This weeks challenge got me digging into my DSP stash - I'm always up for using some of the sheets up if I can.  

I used last catalogues 'Fine Art Gallery' Designer Series Paper.  I also used Old Olive and Poppy Parade cardstock. 

The ribbon is coloured with Stampin Blend pens to match up the paper.  

You can join in the challenge and post over on Facebook HERE.

Sunday Facebook Challenge

 This week I stepped back into my scrapbooking mode and created a mini album.  Talk about a blast from the past....

The challenge this week for Sunday was:

I've used the Simply Elegant DSP for this album and approached it using black and white photos and similar layouts for each page.  I then finished with plenty of sentiments from my stamp collection.  

I love how the heart 'charm' turned out, its stamped on foil cardstock using Stazon ink - its double sided and was hand cut.  

I have a feeling my mum is really going to love this :) 

Happy creating everyone,

Rachael xx

Global Design Project: Hot Drinks

 I've had mini coffee cups in my stash for a while and I've wanted to make a quick birthday coffee cup with card, so this challenge was perfect to push me to finally use them.

I've used the Ornate Garden DSP, which is gold foiled and very pretty.  I use a fancy fold card with the circle tag to hold the card closed.

Birthdays are really the best days.  Pop over to GDP and join the challenge too: 

Double up for FB Sunday Challenge

 

A perfect challenge this Sunday!!!  I bought 2 sets of Stampin Up Designer Series Paper from the mini catalogue (secretly I could have bought 4 or 5!) and I am determined to use them up!

I liked this challenge so much that I found myself making 2 cards.  This first one came together in no time from some DSP cut outs that I already had on my desk.  This is the Coming Home DSP and I have found it to be the easiest set to use.  

I know in Australia we don't have snow but the curved snow covered ground and snowy sky really screams Christmas doesn't it?  The traditional colours with a splash of Misty Moonlight are striking together.  

The second card was using the Heart Warming Hugs DSP which is all traditional reds and greens.  I used my new bundle "Wishes and Wonder".  Isn't the deer beautiful?

I didn't feel it needed a sentiment with the North Pole seal stamp.  

I'm making my way through my list of Christmas Cards I need to make.  And I'm having a lot of fun as I do because I am Christmas mad!  

Happy Christmas creating to you all, Rachael xx

Kylie's International Blog Highlight - THANKS

This is my first time participating in the International Blog Highlights run by Kylie Bertucci.  I'm nervous!

The theme was: Thanks.  I never seem to have the right Thank You card for when I need them, so this was a good theme for me to run with.  You can never have too many in your stash!   

I opened a new pack of Designer Series Paper for this one (Ornate Garden) and tried to keep the layout simple.  If you have never been to my blog before or seen my work, you probably don't know that one of my 'go to' stamping techniques is to use smaller stamps and versa mark ink to create watermarked backgrounds.  

I've used the following to create my card:

• Cardstock in Whisper White, Crumb Cake, Old Olive and gold foil
• Ornate Garden designer series paper #152488
• Whisper White seam binding ribbon #151326
• Forever Fern dies #152714
• Sentiment stamp from the stamp set "From all of Us" #152641
• Gold glittered rhinestones - Wonderful Gems  #153536

I would love for you to pop over and vote for me by clicking on the button below and following the link.

Thanks for visiting my blog.  Please leave a comment.  Don't forget to check out all the other talented participants too. 

Happy Stamping, Rachael xxx

A new home...

 Hubby has a workmate that bought his first home and moves in this week. He asked me to make a card to go with the bottle of wine he is dropping around after settlement.  

I've used cut outs from the Trimming the Town Designer Series Papers, as well as stamped and coloured the car the same colour as the one they have....  The layout is simple with a textured background.  The sentiment is an old old old sticker from back in my scrapbooking days.  

Enjoy your day, Rachael xx

Just Thinking of you = a simple box

I've been meaning to create a simple box for a while.  They literally take no time, just a few score lines and snipping then glue them together.  This one measures 4 inches square and is 2 inches high.   

Handy to have on hand when you want to give a simple gift to someone because you can!  

I used champagne foil to cut the background label.  Most other elements are from the Forever Ferns line of dies and papers.  Now I need to find a place to hide it until I need it so someone doesn't think its theirs to play with!  Don't forget that the papers used in this project are currently on sale this month.  Contact me if you would like to order some and create your own box.  

Rachael xx

Freshly made sketches #458

This weeks sketch from the Freshly Made Sketches team:

My interpretation, using the Trimming the Town and Heartwarming Hugs DSP.  A quick and easy card this morning, made with lots of dimensional dots. 

I used the background snow flurry stamp for the detail on the pool party matting and the whisper white matting was embossed using the Textures folders.  

These Designer Series Papers are really making my heart happy when creating Christmas cards, and I have so much still left over!

Happy stamping, Rachael xx

It's your day

This sentiment has always been a good one to have on hand because it has so many meanings.  

I have had scraps of this Designer Series Paper on my desk for a week now, begging to be used.  I also hadn't use the "Under My Umbrella" stamp set yet so I've combined both.  I wanted to use the not so common combination of Soft Seafoam and Petal Pink which I think worked well together.  

Add some sparkle with basic rhinestones and contrast with basic black cardstock for layering.  

  

Both of these are available at the moment and create such versatile cards that are soft and pretty.  If you are interested in grabbing them, let me know.  This month the Designer Series Papers are on sale so now is the time to grab a few things to add to your cardmaking stash.

Happy creating, Rachael xx

Cut and flip - triple cards using DSP

 A big shout out THANKS to the Stampin Up Demonstrators who have been so kind and supportive this last few weeks as I learn the ropes.  Especially Tracy Bish, who has been answering questions day and night for me. 

Thank you cards are always appreciated when received and a carmaker can never have too many on hand.  This triple set uses the Forever Greenery Designer Series Paper.  I created 4x4 bases in Whisper White then cut three of the double sided papers measuring 3.5x3.5.  Then I chopped them into 3 and created a 'jigsaw' to put back together for a quick and simple set of coordinating cards.  I add a label die cut from Stitched So Sweetly and stamped a sentiment to layer over a Forever Fern image that I cut using the matching dies.  All up three cards took me less than 15 minutes to create.  I've already written on 2 of them to give to some people I need to remind that their support is always appreciated.

Designer Series Paper is on sale this month at Stampin Up, if you would like more information, please reach out to me. 

Happy stamping everyone!  Rachael xx

AMAZING! Designer Series Papers go on SALE!!!

 This month brings us 15% off Designer Series Papers at Stampin Up!

Since rejoining the Stampin Up world, I've made it no secret that I have a passion for using patterned paper on my cards.  I either use them as backgrounds or fussy cut out the images to add onto the card for 3D elements using SU! dimensional foam dots.  

  

Designer Series Paper are a card makers friend for making fast and professional looking cards.  

Stampin Up! have so many packs to choose from.  And the best part, each pack states which ink and cardstock colours will coordinate perfectly.  

Send me a message to place your order today.  And if you have a friend who is also interested, consider splitting 2 packs between you because each pack comes with 2 of each paper.  AWESOME VALUE!

Happy crafting!

Rachael xx

Wishing you much happiness

You just never know when you need a pretty and simplistic card.

 I created this one so quickly,  using the So Sentimental image as the main focus.  It could be a birthday, anniversary or wedding card with that kind of sentiment!  I can see myself making multiple copies of this one in different shades of Subtles colour collection to have on hand.  

Supplies for this card:

Balmy Blue and Whisper White cardstock

Balmy Blue ink

Stitched So sweetly dies

So Sentimental Cling Stamp set

Greenery Embossing Folders

Basic Pearls

Dimensional dots and adhesive

Peony Garden Designer Series Paper