My birthday bash!

Last weekend I celebrated my birthday with family and friends over a 2-day period. Oh I was so, so spoilt and fussed over. Lunch with friends on the Friday then a barbeque lunch down at my sisters with family on the Saturday ... and just look at all the beautiful cards and presents I received.

The group photo is my husband, Nev and two daughters - Kim on the left and Nicky between Nev and I.

Naturally I just had to make thank you cards for everyone and I came up with these two versions which gave me a good excuse for using the Au Chocolat d/s paper. I also used my Sale-a-Bration stamp sets - Friendship Blooms and Merci. Cardstock was Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip and Regal Rose.

Thanks everyone for a really memorable birthday bash!

More cards

Have had a flurry of cardmaking just lately. First card I made was for old family friends celebrating their 50th (Golden) wedding anniversary. What a wonderful achievement for two such lovely people.

As you can see I love the French Flair background stamp which I have gold embossed on the Elegant Eggplant background though in this picture it appears to look like black. I then mounted on the main card using the gold cardstock.

Next I made this birthday card for a male friend (mainly cased from gbedwright) and was very pleased at the way it turned out. It was an opportunity for me to use my new Stem Silhouettes stamp set which I feel will prove to be most versatile. Also used my new Cuttlebug embossing folder, Distressed Stripes then used my Crystal Effects to give it a shiny, glossy finish. This set off the leaves mat beautifully. Cardstock used was Close to Cocoa, Very Vanilla and Sage Shadow. The patterned paper is a non-Stampin' Up paper but feel it compliments this card very well.

Anabel had us around to her house and her lovely tidy and well arranged craft room last Wednesday where we made these two 'buckle' cards - so called because the flaps slot into the front of the card to hold it closed. 'Scuse the ink mark on the 'friends' card - when stamping the floral card ink accidentally got onto the first card I had made!

Thanks so much Anabel for a lovely evening.

Follow up photos - Auckland Extravaganza

As promised, here are the photos of all the groovy things I made at the Auckland Extravaganza under the watchful eye of the SU demonstrators:




A gorgeous box and in my favourite lilac and purple colours too - so elegant and easier to make than it looks.

This is a 6x6 scrapbook layout, ready for pasting photos in the centre. This theme definitely has a summery, beachy feel to it.

One of my favourites - just adore the colours and the technique. The picture is looped over the main card and kept in place by magnets. Just remove it and you have a novel bookmark.

Something new that I haven't seen before - a corkboard for all those pesky notes that keep getting lost. We also used the shrink plastic to make the two cute little flowers which were then attached to the head of drawing pins with Crystal Effects. Neat eh!!

Isn't this pretty. I wasn't sure when the Sellebrations catalogue came out with this stamp set in it as to whether I really liked it. After making this card I definitely changed my mind. This is a Jacobs Ladder card with a hidden panel where you can write a secret message (providing the recipient can find it!!) Lots of fun and still have not worked out how we get it to finish up like that.

Well done TJ

This is Tyler my youngest grandson (with his best pal, Wayne). Tyler, or TJ as he is known in the family has just won - yet again!! - a prize in a colouring and drawing competition. You can see him proudly wearing his watch and holding the rugby ball, both of which were part of his prize.

TJ takes after his older cousin, Michael (another grandson) who is also an excellent artist and has won several prizes and gained praise from his teachers as well. What a pair of talented and upcoming artists we have in the family!

Really, really proud of you TJ and we love you heaps.

Auckland Stampin' Up Extravaganza

I spent a fabulous day yesterday at the Auckland SU Extravaganza. Firstly congratulations to Jacque and her team (including the two smallest members - they know who they are!!) for a wonderful job carried out very professionally. The day was packed full of hands-on demonstrations and I came home proudly bearing the fruits of my efforts (I will photograph and post these later). I am sure Jacque's blog (http://www.stamphappynz.blogspot.com/) will give you more information on this event, which I hope will become an annual one.

If anyone reading this wants to make their own cards and other projects using stamps and stamping techniques, then Stampin' Up is the only way to go!!

Today was back to more boring things like grocery shopping ........ but heh, I did stop off and pick up a couple of essential? things for my craft room supplies.