Joy Express

On these freezing cold mornings there is nothing better than popping off to UStamp with Dawn and Friends to see what the latest project is and making it up immediately!  I am always so delighted when UStamp coordinates with School Holidays because my change of routine means LOTS more time for Being Creative.

This fabulous Scallop Easel Card is one of my favourit-ist projects from this round of UStamp.  Jenn Picard has, once again, swept me off my feet with inspiration!  I invested in the Scallop Circle Die for the Big Shot and, along with my Top Note Die (currently being used for another Fabulous project, this time by Kirsty Brown), it’s become a Favourite Stampin’ Up! tool. 

Of course, as you may have noticed, I tend to get on a bit of a roll when I am inspired and this card has sparked lots of different creative directions.  My second variation uses the Autumn Traditions DSP with the Autumn Days Stamp Set … I wanted a more masculine tone for this card.  I wasn’t sure I’d ever use that cute ‘pheasant’ (is that what that bird is??) image if I didn’t really try.  And, I am thrilled with the end result.  Once you’ve made one of these designs the process just flows and all things are possible!  YAY!

Happy Food: I thought I should share some other things which make me HAPPY … last night’s dinner was just wonderful ~ Porterhouse Steak which Kels barbecued, with home made salad, steamed asparagus spears with lemon juice, baked potato with sour cream and chives, and Queen of Puddings (made by Josh) for dessert.  YUM!

My “Creative” Challenge Week began on a high note with company from my lovely stamping friends.  I was inspired to do Christmas designs and these very cute note cards, brought along by Lovely Jenny. 

I really did wonder if I would get a chance to purchase the fabulous Autumn Traditions Designer Series Paper and Autumn Days Stamp Set given how much indulging in new product had been going on already!  But, I am Really Glad that I indulged further because these cards are So Cute!!  And, I really liked the opportunity to ‘play’ with Elegant Eggplant cardstock and ribbon! 

The other project I actually achieved, this week, was my Team Swap cards for Ozzimum Margaret’s new team of SU! Demonstrators.  Our challenge was to use Glossy White Cardstock & Poppin’ Pastels and create a card front.  Margaret chose Baja Breeze (which I really do not like) and Soft Suede (which is rather fabulous and comes with coordinating Polka Dot Ribbon ~ Ooh La La!) as the other coordinating colours.  It took some serious thinking but I found a combo which I liked – Pick a Petal & Stem Sayings stamp sets and a few bits of embellishments … I made up my whole card so I could check and see that my card front was ok and I really like the end result!  Unfortunately, I was unable to attend Margaret’s Team Meeting as Kels was attending her first Gymnastics competition of the season but I am really glad I got to ‘play’ and join in the Team Swap!

So, my Challenge Week is now over.  It’s been really successful ~ again ~ as all the girls have been chatting and sharing what they have achieved.  I am much more relaxed than I was at the beginning of the week and ready to ‘take on the world’ again.

Wow!  What a Workshop!!  8 girls, 3 projects, lots of punched paper pieces flying around the room (especially at the end)! 

Joy Is … Being Creative!

I LOVE the Stampin’ Kids Workshops!!!  It’s heaps of fun making projects, chatting with the girls, laughing together.  Wow! 

This month there are 5 New Friends joining our group!!  I am so excited!  I know that they will all take a little time to integrate with each other (and the regular ‘crew’) and get their heads around the fabulous projects I’ve planned ~ Caramels “Yummy” Box, Tiny Teddies Treat Bag and 3 Button Flower Card ~ but I am sure they will be Master Creators by the time they have some Free Time opportunity.   

I have been Totally Indulgent in Stampin’ Up! punches!  Any excuse to buy product that I can play with, in order to promote interest, enthusiasm and creativity for the Girls.   I have really enJOYed the new Bird Punch and especially like this project from the Autumn/Winter Mini Catalog.  I amended the “Hello” project from being in a Frame, to being on a Card, and used the Elegant Eggplant Cardstock with some More Mustard Designer Series Paper from the Autumn Traditions pack.  Ooh La La!

My most recent card was this one in Black and White which is based on a design by Betsy Veldman.  It was heaps of fun, and a little challenging, to create!  I have really enJOYed the challenge to ‘change it up’ with the punches and colour combos, stimulated by creating projects for the girls in the Stampin’ Kids Class.  I love the opportunity they give me for exploring new ideas, playing with new stamp sets and accessories and, most especially, I Love the FUN they allow me to indulge!

I LOVE this card!  It’s the one I created for Kels’ 12th birthday and uses the Sunny Days Simply Scrappin’ Kit from Stampin’ Up!  I have gone a bit mad for ’skinny’ cards since creating the card and box set from UStamp where Jenn Picard suggested a 6″x6″ square to work with as the card base.  I, of course, then had to cut down an envelope and ‘re-work’ it to be the appropriate size for this cute birthday card.

The theme for birthday cards in June has been Flowers so the ‘mums’ got the gorgeous tag flower cards and the ‘daughters &  nieces’ got the funky scalloped flowers.   After the actual creating of the blossom, I think my favourite part of the process has been choosing bold colours to create the card with.  I found some fabulous options in my Very Extensive Stash!

“Purification” Update:  In true Decluttering fashion, I sorted through the extensive Designer Series Paper Stash and cleaned out the unusable pieces then re-filed the leftover bits into one folder.  I now know exactly what I have in that stash and heaps of room for new papers!