Gift Voucher Holder

I hate to give gift cards or vouchers. I always think that the person receiving it feels that I couldn't be bothered to think of something special so I just got a voucher. I don't feel like that when I receive one, but I always feel like that when I give one... strange I know.

And then they always come in the most boring envelope in the world... ever!!! I've tried stamping on the envelope or wrapping it up, but it just doesn't feel like any effort has been put in. So when I decided to buy a voucher for two very close, couple friends, I wanted to make something nice and inviting to put it in.

I searched the Internet for a template or design idea but only came up with Gift Cards and not vouchers, so I decided to just give it a try and see what I... me... could come up with.

I have to say, I'm pretty pleased with myself. I showed my hubby and he just said "yeah, that's nice". I really wanted to show my fellow scrapper and BFF but the present is actually for her and her hubby. I know she'll be really impressed and super excited about it when she actually gets it!!!

The little snowman has been embossed with the polka dot folder, but only half way to make it look like it's snowing. He also has some glitter on his hat but the photo has come out a little bright.

And just after I made these, I noticed that the Just Add Ink challenge this week is Just Add Fancy Packaging. Don't you love it when a plan comes together lol!! Oh and the challenge is running for TWO weeks, so it gives you all plenty of time, in between all the holiday celebrations, to come up with something.

So to all my fellow blogger out there, I hope you all have a super marvellous Christmas and an amazing New Year!!

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Whisper White, Old Olive and Real Red - Stampin' Up
Ink: Old Olive and Real Red - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Button Buddies - Stampin' Up
Others: DSP in Real Red and Old Olive - Stampin' Up. 1.5" circle - Spellbinders Nestabilities, 2" circle punch and 3" scallop punch - EK Success. Rhinestones - Kasiercraft.

Pals Paper Arts Challenge

Today I decided to make another challenge card, but this time for the Pal's Paper Arts blog. The girls and boys on the design team over there are amazing. I also follow a couple of them on their blogs too. Mary Fish, has to be one of my all time favourite designer. Go and have a look at her blog Stampin Pretty, not only is she very talented but also she's a regular blogger, Hooray!!!

Ok, so the challenge today for Pals Paper Arts is to use a sketch, designed by Margaret Moody:

Isn't it a great sketch. Very easy and you can't help but feel your creative juices working. So this is the card I came up with...

 

I made this card for my friend, who is expecting her second baby in a weeks time. We held a little baby shower for her and I wanted to make a baby shower card, without being too boyish or girly. She and I are both convinced it's a boy... but you can't ever be too sure!!!

Because that card came together so quickly and the sketch was so user friendly, I decide to make another quick card, but this time only using one colour... there's nothing like a double challenge to get the blood pumping.

I think I could get very addicted to this design. Oh and doesn't the Calypso Coral really pop!!!

Hugs and Merry Christmas
Chlo

Ingredients - Baby Card

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Whisper White and So Saffron - Stampin' Up
Ink: Certainly Celery and So Saffron - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Button Buddies and Petite Pairs - Stampin' Up
Other: Certainly Celery and So Saffron DSP - Stampin' Up, Ribbon and Rhinestones - Kaisercraft, Designer label punch - Stampin' Up, 3" scallop circle punch and 2" circle punch - EK Success, Spellbinders Nestibilites.

Ingredients - Birthday Card

Cardstock: Calypso Coral and Whisper White - Stampin' Up
Ink: Calypso Coral - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Party Hearty - Stampin' Up
Other: Everything else the same.

That 1% of cards...

Pretty much 90% of the cards or scrap pages I make I love. Another 8% I like but feel somethings missing or somethings not quite right and then I have 1% which I really don't like, but they are done and I try to think of what to do better next time.

But then I find that sometimes you make that other 1%. A card that you simple adore. The colours are perfect, the design and layout are amazing and the card is a masterpiece. In fact it's so good you don't really want to give it to anyone. Ever felt like that... or is it just me!!!

Well, I made THAT card the other night. I have to admit the design is Cased from Teneale Williams Blog so I was already on to a winner. That girl is a Legend with a capital "L". Her cards are beautiful and I quite often find myself admiring them on Google images. So you see I couldn't really go wrong.

Teneale's card is an Easter themed one, but I have a friends birthday coming up so I decided to use little cupcakes instead.

I think what makes this card so lovely is the double layer. Everything is double layered and it makes such a difference. All very elegant. Now if only I could talk myself into sending it to the friend I made it for...

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo


Ingredients

Cardstock: Baja Breeze and Pear Pizzazz - Stampin' Up. Vanilla - Bazzill
Ink: Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz and Wisteria Wonder - Stampin' Up. Vanilla - VersaMark
Stamps: Flourish - Kaszazz, Party Hearty - Stampin' Up
Others: Pearls - Kaisercraft

Just Add Ink Challenge

I enjoyed the Just Add Ink Challenge from last week so much, that I couldn't resist having another go at it this week.

This weeks challenge is to just add SPARKLE... easy peasy. So I decided to make a sparkly, Christmas card using good ol' Dasher. I know I've said it before, but he has to be one of my all time favourite stamps. He's simply gorgeous!!

 

I even made them in the traditional Christmas colours of Red and Green, but just not together lol. This card was so easy to make that I think I will tuck is away and maybe send them out for next year as this year's have all been done... aren't I organised!!! 

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Red and green glitter card - American Crafts, Brown card - Bazzill, Whisper White - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Dasher - Stampin' Up
Ink: Chocolate Chip - Stampin' Up
Other: Rhinestones - Kasiercraft, Ribbon, button and thread.

Cute Reindeer Candy

Today is the day that all the teachers presents have to be taken to school and Niah also decided that she wanted presents for her friends, all 17 of them!! So I had a quick look around the house and in my craft area to see what I could come up with.

 

It's amazing what you can make with some candy canes, pipe cleaners and a packet of googly eyes. oh and did you know pipe cleaners are now called Chenille Sticks... What's that all about!!!

Niah was so impressed with her Reindeer Candy, that she wanted to take them to bed with her. I told her they might get too hot and sticky... could you imagine the mess the next day. There would be eyes stuck everywhere, hee hee hee. 

Hugs and Merry Christmas,

Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Whisper White - Stampin' Up

Ink: Poppy Parade - Stampin' Up

Stamp: Merry and Bright - Stampin' Up

Other: Tag - Sizzix, Pipe Cleaners, Googly Eyes and Candy Canes.

A Quick Dasher

Hi all, Just a quick one today as the kids are all due to wake up very soon and are hanging out to go to the park as it's finally stopped raining.

So, I've decided that I hate making Thank You cards. By the time I've got around to making them, I can't for the life of me remember who sent what to which child. This year I decided to make some early, so I can pretty much write in them Christmas night and send them by new year, as I know my Parents and the Grandparents appreciate them.

I wanted to use Stampin' Ups Dasher stamp. Isn't he gorgeous!!! I think he pretty much stands for himself. All I added was a little glitter to his beautiful antlers and some little red rhinestones. I think red and brown together are my favourite Christmas colours.

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Red and Brown - Bazzill. Whisper White - Stampin' Up.
Ink: Chocolate Chip - Stampin' Up.
Stamps: Dasher and Petite Pairs - Stampin' Up.
Other: Polka Dot embossing folder - Cuttlebug, Rhinestones - Kaisercraft and Fine Glitter.

First of Many...

Today is the day I made my first Challenge card!!!! I know, it's a pretty big milestone. I had been surfing the web this weekend looking for a challenge that took my fancy and I noticed that alot of them are American and even though they allow everybody to enter, only US shipping address win prizes. So I decided I wanted to enter an Australian Challenge first.... Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!!!

I found this great blog called Just Add Ink which is not only an Aussie site, but the challenge this week is a colour challenge, using some of the colours I've been hoping to play with. This is the photo that we are too be inspired by:

Tiffanys no less. And the colours are Poppy Parade, Pool Party, Melon Mambo and Lucky Limeade. The design team have come up with some beautiful interpretations, well worth popping over to take a look!!!

So this is MY design:

I decide to be inspired by the colour and of course the bling. I have a few Christmas Birthdays coming up soon and I really like this stamp from Stampin' Up's Punch Bunch. I don't usually leave so much white card and I was very tempted to "pretty it up" but this is a challenge after all!!!

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Whisper white, Melon Mambo, Pool Party, Poppy Parade and Lucky Limeade - Stampin' UP.
Ink: Melon Mambo, Pool Party, Poppy Parade and Lucky Limeade - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Punch Bunch - Stampin' Up
Other: Rhinestones - Kaisercraft

Saturday Midnight Stamping

My girlfriends and I usually get together every Friday to scrap, whether it's cards or page layouts, but this Friday we all had lots on and didn't get together. This nearly never happens. I think we have only cancelled 4 Fridays this year!

So instead we got together last night and invited another friend, Amy, who has only just started getting into card making after attending a Stampin' Up party. She's being converted!!

I think we finally called it a night just after midnight!!! I really couldn't believe the time. We were all enjoying it so much that none of us wanted to pack up, but considering Amy had a long drive home and Tracey and I have tiny babies to look after we thought it was time to call it a night.

Anyway, I've made so many Christmas cards lately, that I fancied making something different.

I had seen this gorgeous card design on Patty (or LaLatty as she's known on Splitcoasters) blog and knew I had to give it a try. I've changed it up, but only a little. I gave my Wild Wasabi and Certainly Celery a Scallop border and also ran the whole card through the Bigshot (I'm so addicted to bobbling everything) but other then that it's pretty close to the original.

I borrowed the stamp set, Flower Fest, from a friend and after using it last night I can tell you it's most definitely going on my "Most Wanted" list. Every stamp I did came out perfectly, no missing bits, no double images. Just perfect and crisp. I'm totally in love!!!

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi and Whisper White - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Flower Fest and Happiest Birthday Wishes - Stampin' Up
Ink: Rose Red, Pretty in Pink, Wild Wasabi and Certainly Celery - Stampin' Up
Other: Rhinestone - Kasiercraft and Polka Dot Embossing Folder - Cuttlebug

My friend the Demonstrator

The street that I live on is just like living in neighbours. Everybody knows everything about everyone. It sounds terrible, but it actually is really nice... as long as the gossip isn't about you lol.

My next door neighbour has recently become a Kaszazz demonstrator and asked if I would host one of her first parties. Now I have to admit that I am a hardcore lover of Stampin' Up and so asking me to host a Kaszazz party felt a bit like a betrayal. She was asking me to cheat on my one true stamping love, but I really do like my neighbour and wanted to help her in her new role... I also didn't fancy being this weeks topic of gossip in the street!!

Well we all had a lovely time and she did very well. I know she was a little nervous but it didn't show one bit.

 We made this lovely butterfly card using the Tim Holtz distress inks and Kaszazz flourish and script stamps. Even though the colours and card design aren't my usual style, I really did enjoy having a go blending with the distress inks. And really, who doesn't like butterflies with a little bit of bling!!!

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo

Where's my Comment button!!!

I just want to send a big shout out to Silke Shimazu, for letting me know I have no comment button!?!?! I have no idea where it would have gone. Maybe it popped away to do some Christmas shopping!!!

Anyway, it's back and waiting to take you comments. So, thank you again Silke and I love visiting you blog. Please visit Silke at Silke Shimazu's papercraft and take a look around. Today she has the cutest Birthday card using the Penny Black stamps.

Hugs
Chlo

Note Card Box

Wow, I can't believe it's been over a week since I last posted. I've been so busy organising Christmas cards, Teachers Presents and wrapping the kids toys. I suppose that's Christmas for you!!

In between all of my jobs I managed to find time to have a look through some of my regular blog haunts and I came across this beautiful little box that holds note cards on Di Gibbs blog Stamping with Di. I want to give a big shout out to Di. She always has something new to look at everyday and I love visiting for inspiration!!

So I decided that I would have a go and this is what I came up with. This is the box closed:

The inside with the cards in their pockets:

And these are the three cards that are inside. I actually did two of each design so it holds six all together.

I have to admit, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be and came out better then I imagined. I think it would have gone easier if my 4 year old daughter didn't want to "help" mummy lol.

Hugs and Merry Christmas,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Regal Rose - Stampin' Up
Paper: Regal Rose and Rich Razzleberry DSP - Stampin' Up
Ink: Regal Rose, Rich Razzleberry, Chocolate Chip - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Punch Bunch - Stampin' Up
Other: 1-3/4 scallop punch, Designer Label punch, Scallop Border punch - Stampin' Up, Ribbon and Pearls - Kaisercraft. Brads and twine.

I finally grabbed a button.

Last night I spent about 4 hours trying to design and set up one of those 'Grab my Blog' buttons. Well I had no idea at all on what I was doing and even when I had a button designed I couldn't work out how to make it clicky on my blog.

I was just giving up when my wonderfully hubby offered to help. Within 15 mins of him taking a look, my beautiful button was up and running (it's at the top on the righthand side of my blog, looking very proud)!!!

So a quick message to all you lurkers and I admit I too am one of you, but I'm trying to convert - Come and take a look around. Please leave a comment and then I know who you are and I can do the same for you. Oh and don't forget to take my beautiful button with you, I'm sure it would love to travel!!!

Hugs,
Chlo

Christmas time and counting

So I had a quiet few minutes and thought as we had already put up the tree I would see if Drew wanted to play along and have some silly photos taken of him. Well he is only 4mths old, so it's not like he can tell me no lol. And while we were messing around my eldest, Niah, asked to have some done too... Great!!!

Logan, my middle child and toddler, wasn't playing the game. But after a lot of encouragement... ok, ok, I bribed him with a pink wafer biscuit. He finally sat down and had a go. In fact after a while I couldn't get him out of the chair!!!

They all make the cutest little Christmas elves!!!

Hugs,
Chlo

Please baby, go to sleep...

It's now 10.21pm and my 4 month old is still refusing to go to sleep. He's usually such a good little sleeper and I only generally get up once or twice a night for a feed, but tonight, he has other plans for me. So while I sit here hoping that THIS time I've calmed him down enough that he'll go off to sleep, I though I would share a new card that I made this weekend. Hold that thought, baby's calling...

... 10 mins later and baby is asleep... Hopefully!

Right, where was I?? Oh yes the cute little card I made. Yet again, it's using Stampin' Ups Button Buddies stamp set. But this time I'm using the lovely flower from the set. Now I don't know about the rest of you, but everyone that I've spoken to has said that the flower was the original reason for buying this set (like any of us need a real reason to buy yummy craft items lol!!!). I have to say I adore this stamp. Not only does it stamp beautifully every time but Stampin Ups 1-3/4 Scallop punch fits the stamp perfectly... All very handy!

I ended up making a couple of these cards in different colours, but have to say this was my favourite colour combo by far... very sunny!!!

Hugs,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock - Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, So Saffron and Whisper White - Stampin' Up
Stamps - Button Buddies and Happiest Birthday Wishes - Stampin' Up
Ink - Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, So Saffron and Chocolate Chip - Stampin' Up
Other - Bigshot, Polka Dot embossing folder - Cuttlebug, and Buttons.

Scrapbook Friday

So last week when I got together with my Friday Scrappers, I scrapped my daughters school photo. This week I though it was time to scrap my sons first school photo. Usually he loves to smile and have his photos taken, but in the last few months he's really become a toddler and now has his own mind... in other words, he's turned into a little "No" monster!!

Anyway, he kicked and screamed and cried all the way through the session and this was the best of a terrible bunch. That stripy arm in the background is me lol.

Hugs,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Bazzil
Patterned Paper: Baby Saurus - LYB
Other: Flowers, Letters - American Craft Thickers, Sticker - LYB.

It's a boy!!!

My cousin finally had her baby last week. Baby George Powell was born on 12/11/11. Almost an 11/11/11 baby!

All my family live in the UK and have been sending me heaps of photos of the little guy as they know how sad I am that I wont get to have a snuggle with him.

So I wanted to make a special card for him and couldn't help trying out my new Stampin' Up set called Button Buddies. OK, so I know the obvious choice to use for a baby card would be the rattle stamp that comes in the set, but the little Piggy is far to adorable to pass up. And I had been wanting a reason to use him ever since I first saw the stamps. I know most piggys are pink but this one is for a baby boy after all so I used Bashful Blue and a little Wild Wasabi for his ears.

I also used the Square lattice embossing folder. I'm always amazed at how different the paper looks once it's been embossed. I have to say I'm a little addicted to my Bigshot and use it for nearly every project.

Oh and I want to give a special shout out to all my American scrappers. Hope you all have a wondering Thanksgiving!!!

Hugs,
Chlo

Ingredients

Stamps: Button Buddies and Petite Pairs - Stampin' Up
Ink: Wild Wasabi and Bashful Blue - Stampin' Up
Cardstock: Wild Wasabi, Bashful Blue and Whisper White - Stampin' Up. Patterned paper - American Crafts.
Other: Bigshot, Square Lattice Embossing Folder - Stampin' Up, ribbon, floss, Wild Wasabi button - Stampin' Up.

Christmas Candles

Low and behold, I manged to get all three children down for an afternoon sleep, which never happens and then they all slept for about 2 hours!! So while I had all this free time I decided to start on my kids teachers presents. A Stampin' Up friend of mine showed me how to stamp on candles using tissue paper and it looked like so much fun I couldn't wait to give it ago.

I also just recently brought off ebay the little Sizzix Scallop label die (don't you just love finding a bargain on ebay). I'm so in love with this little label and it finishes off the candles beautifully.

Oh and yes I did do a green and red candle. I like it, but have to say I don't 'love' it like the blue ones. Funnily enough everyone else prefers the "Christmas coloured" one lol.

Hugs,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Concord Crush and Real Red - Stampin' Up
Stamps: Snow Swirled and Season of Joy - Stampin' Up
Ink: Concord Crush, Bashful Blue, Real Red and Garden Green - Stampin' Up
Other: Silver rhinestones - Kaisercraft, Silver embossing powder - American Craft Zing, cellophane and ribbon.

32 days before Christmas

Yep you heard me, 32 days before the big event and  I've come to the conclusion that I need to move a lot faster, if I want to get all my Christmas cards out this year. Most of my friends and family are overseas so I have to have at least their cards completed and sent within the next 2 weeks. Oh and did I mention that I have to make 38 of them!!!

So I wanted to make a card, that was easy, straight forward and didn't require alot of technique or material and this is what I came up with. I have put some super fine glitter in the middle of all the snowflakes but the camera hasn't really picked up on that.

Now I can honestly say, I hate the tradtional Christmas colours of red and green. I also spend ALOT of time coming up with a card. My fellow scrapper and friend Tracey, often laughs at how many "attempted" cards I make every year. And this year is no different. I adore the company called Stampin' Up (www.stampinup.com.au) and generally only use their products when making cards, as it comes out perfect everytime... well nearly, but I think that's sometimes more user error lol!!!

I'm also going to make some hand-stamped candles as Teachers presents this year and I think I'll be using the same stamp set (Snow Swirled is one of my favourite Christmas sets) and colours on those.

You never now I might try a red and green combination, just to be different !!!

Hugs,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Concord Crush, Bashful Blue and Whisper White - Stampin' Up
Stamps Set: Snow Swirled - Stampin' Up
Ink: Concord Crush and Bashful Blue - Stampin' Up
Other: Bigshot, Cuttlebug Polka dot embossing folder, Super fine glitter and Kasiercraft silver rhinestones.

Pretty in Pink...

Ok, so I haven't posted in forever and I really hoped I would be able to manage at least once a week :-(

But today I found a few minutes of time, at long last, to post a page that I made last Friday at my weekly "Scrap Day Off". Every Friday a few of my friends get together to spend the day scrapping or card making. We spend pretty much the whole day, scrapping, chatting and eating, while all child free... love my Fridays!!!
So this week I fancied going really pink and girly to match the school photo of my daughter. Now anyone who knows Niah, knows she is not really a girly girl, so when she decided to wear her new party dress for her school photo I was over the moon. The photo is so beautiful, that I couldn't help going all pink on it.

Didn't it turn out perfectly!!!

Hugs,
Chlo

Ingredients

Cardstock: Bazzill, Whisper white - Stampin' Up
Patterned Paper: April Showers - 3 Bugs in a Rug
Stamps: Flight of the Butterfly - Stampin' Up
Ink: Rose Red - Stampin Up
Other: Bigshot, Spellbinders Nestables, White Embossing powder - Stampin' Up, Lippy red and Silver Rhinestones, Pale pink flourish, Rub-ons - Kaisercraft, Tara Flowers and American Craft Thickers.

Welcome Peeps...

Well here I am. I've finally made it and have started my very own blog.... Isn't this exciting!!!

So firstly I would like to say hello to anyone who may have come by and stopped to take a look. I understand it is a little bare at the moment, but I hope to change that by posting some photos of cards that I have been working on this week and maybe some scrapbook layouts.

Friday is my Scrapday and the only day when I have two out of three kids at preschool... it kinda of feels like a day off, if you know what I mean :-) I get together with a few of the girls and we will either scrap cards or layouts. The last few weeks, we have been getting into the swing of Christmas cards, as I'm sure you all know, this can be quite time consuming. Hopefully tomorrow I'll post a photo of the card that I will send out this year.

I also went to a Stampin' Up party a few weeks ago and I gave my credit card a good work out. I'm so in love with this company and it was like Christmas and Birthday all rolled into one when my order arrived. I've had a blast playing around with the goodies I got from them.

Well I think that's all for tonight. Goodnight fellow crafters and I'll write again soon,

Chlo