The New (2010) Stampin' Up! Catalogue is Here

That's right, lots of new stamps, paper and accessories to browse and many ideas to use and enjoy. You can view it online here.

But it's really better to have your own hard copy beside your bed or on your craft desk. Catalogues can be purchased from me for $10 (local pick-up or drop-off) or $12 posted to anywhere in Australia. And remember, if you host a Stampin' Up! gathering any time in this coming year (April 2009 - March 2010), you will receive a free catalogue and idea book as one of your hostess gifts. So check your diaries to see when you can get some friends together.

The names of all catalogue purchasers will go into the draw to win a free stamp set (limited choice of sets). This offer closes the 30 April 2009 so please email me or phone me on 0402 347 010 to take up this offer.

Samples of New Catalogue Goodies

I'll be back soon with more new catalogue excitement.

Love from Crafty Kim

One Sheet Wonder

A One-Sheet-Wonder is where you stamp a sheet of random images (either A4 or 12 x 12 inches) and then cut them up and arrange/mount them on card stock to make several cards or lay-outs.

It's really quick and easy; and allows you to express your creativity and put your own personal touch on the cards or lay-outs. I stamped an A4 sheet of Whisper White with the soon-to-retire Polka Dots and Petals in the colours of Sage Green, Really Rust and Chocolate Chip. I made eight cards from this one A4 sheet of stamped images. Only seven cards appear above because I gave away the eighth card already.

First I did some cutting and punching. Then I added some Whisper White Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon (card on left) and white half-pearls from the Pretties Kit (card on the right):


Then I got tearing (card on left) and added some rhinestones (card on right):


Next I added some HodgePodge (both cards):


And lastly I used some Stampin' Dimensionals to pop up some punched out pieces:


Big and Little Pieces stamp sets (also about to retire - sob) would also work well for the One Sheet Wonder idea.

There's not much time left to order from the 2008 - 2008 Stampin' Up! catalogue. And many of the items included in it have been discontinued. Some of the discontinued items have been discounted by 25% too. So, please, if there is anything that your heart desires, get in contact with me by the 31 March 2009.

Love from Crafty Kim

Bushfire Victim Fundraiser Closing Soon

Pretty heart-breaking picture isn't it? While the media focus has shifted away from the recent Victoria Bush Fires, the nightmare is far from over for those affected. I'm not here to burden you further but if you haven't had an opportunity to support the widespread fundraising for bush fire victims yet, I just wanted to remind you that the Stampin' Up! Bush Fire Relief Promotion ends on Tuesday 31 March 2009.

One of the sets featured in this promotion is Live Your Dream. I got a surprise when this set was not included in the new upcoming annual catalogue. It's such a lovely set. Here's some cards made using it and the matching paper, Afternoon Tea.


Notice the card on the left is a match card style. You know the packets of lighting matches? You fold the bottom of the card up and staple it. Then tuck the front card panel behind the folded flap. Here's a close-up to show you what I mean:


I also made some small cards and a folder to contain them using Whisper White Love Notes:




For another idea using this set, hop over to Alana Galagher's Blog where she has used envelopes to create this:

(Creation and photo courtesy of Alana Galagher)

Thank you Alana for allowing me to share your creations with my blog readers.

Live Your Dream is now $44.76 but only available until the 31 March 2009. Please phone me on 0402 347 010 or email me to take up the offer and support the Victoria Bush Fire victims.

Love from Crafty Kim

Back from Outback Road Trip

(Creations courtesy of escape2create)

Hi Everyone,

It's been a long time between posts because I've been travelling around rural Australia. My destination was North Shields in South Australia (near Port Lincoln, the seafood capital of Australia, also known for its Great White Shark population) for a scrapbooking retreat called escape2create. It was fabulous, organised by a hard-working and highly creative group of ladies. You can read and view more about it here. One of the highlights for me was winning first pick of a vast collection of lucky draw prizes. Thanks to the organisers and generous sponsors, I brought home a Cuttle Bug with two embossing folders. Very cool.

The picture above shows the result of Friday night's Little House class. Not my usual thing but a nice change from a card or scrapbook page. Very cute and fun. Here's a couple more:

(Creation courtesy of escape2create)

(Creations courtesy of escape2create)

More thanks to Amanda Hall (2008 Scrapbooking Memories Master) and her husband Greg for their warm welcome at their grain farm near Cummins. It was also great to catch up with Bev Mantle and Alisa Tilsner, two Stampin' Up! demonstrators, who are local to Port Lincoln. Bev is busy preparing for her daughter's wedding this coming weekend - good luck Kylie.

I hit the ground in Sydney running, and am back working. There's lots going on and heaps of creativity to share with you. The plan is to post lots this week so please check back if you can.

Hope you're all keeping well and are as lucky as me to be crafting and seeing more of beautiful Australia.

Love from Crafty Kim

Farewell My Fishy Friend

This is a monochromatic card I've made a few times, to illustrate water-colouring techniques. I have stamped the crab in Staz-On Jet Black Ink on Watercolour Paper and then used my Aqua Painter with Certainly Celery and Old Olive ink pads to colour the crab.

I'm certainly going to miss Fishy Friends. Ditto the versatile birthday set called It's Your Birthday. The patterned paper I've used in the card above, available in several colours, is also retiring and has been discounted by 25% so it's very tempting and affordable to buy, as are many other paper packs.

I might also mentioned that Stampin' Up! ink pads will be priced at $11.95 from the 1 April 2009, a $2 increase. The refills will be $5.95, a $1 increase. So if there are any you're considering buying, it may be worth deciding before the end of the month to beat the price rise.

Love from Crafty Kim

One Lay-Out, Three Birthday Cards

(Eastern Blooms from Summer Mini Catalogue ends 31 March 2009)

A couple of weeks ago, I made birthday cards for my brother and sister-in-law. No matter that their birthdays had passed some time ago....I started with the floral card shown above. This is a variation on a basic theme that I made with Bud Basics last year:

(Bud Basics, now at 25% off, great value for $25.46)

On the Eastern Blooms card, I have used a trio of pink-red colours: Rose Red, Regal Rose and Pretty in Pink. I've scalloped the edge with the SU! Scallop Edge Punch and placed a piece of Rose Red card underneath the scallops. I've stamped an extra flower on a separate piece of Whisper White card stock, cut it out and placed Chunky Glitter with Tombow Glue in the flower centre. The "happy birthday" greeting is from Occasional Greetings and the wide grosgrain ribbon colour is Certainly Celery. To create the leaves, I've used the 5-Petal Flower Punch and scissors with Certainly Celery card stock. I then scored and folded the leaves to give them extra dimension, here's a close up:


For the Bud Basics card, I've used the soon-to-be-deleted colours of Purely Pomegranate and Groovy Guava teamed with one of the most useful colours in the range, Chocolate Chip. You'll notice that some of flower centres have "bling" on them? Leave me a comment suggesting how I did this and I'll put the names from all the correct comments in a dish and draw out one person to receive a packet of SU! 12 x 12 inch paper (valued at $11.95). Comments close at 6pm Friday 6 March 2009 (Eastern Standard Time in Australia). Please, entries from Australian residents only and, entries from other Stampin' Up! demonstrators are not eligible to win a prize.

I didn't think my brother would appreciate a floral card so I decided to adapt the same basic lay-out for a male and use stars instead:

(In The Stars from Summer Mini Catalogue ends 31 March 2009)

In the Stars stamp set has been stamped in Soft Sky and Blue Bayou ink (also retiring soon) and Blue Bayou ribbon added. There is a brad from the discounted Pewter HodgePodge Hardware (now only $39.71 such great value). The feature star has been stamped on a separate piece of Whisper White card stock, punched out with the co-ordinating Large Star Punch and popped up with a Dimensional.

Now it's time for me to update the availability list for the retiring items so better get on it.

Love from Crafty Kim

2008 - 2009 Stampin' Up! Items - Stock Level Update as at 1pm Thursday 5 March

Just keeping you up-to-date, stocks of these are gone so they are no longer available:

103195 Gifts Galore Standard wheel
107561 Garden Annuals Standard Wheel
109610 Confetti Simply Scrappin'
104279 Leaf Prints Standard Wheel
107565 Flip Flops Standard wheel
107212 Mateys Map Jumbo Wheel
109020 Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
109015 Soft Sky Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
109016 River Rock Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
109017 Purely Pomegranate Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
109019 Groovy Guava Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
100381 Earth Elements Eyelets
100378 Soft Subtle Eyelets
105320 Basic Eyelets
108748 Best Friend Numbers
110255 Bundle of Joy
112402 Short Order Numbers
109018 Blue Bayou Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
111852 River Rock A4 card stock
108720 Ahoy, Matey
108747 Best Friends Alphabet Upper
111851 Soft Sky A4 card stock

There are low quantities of the following items:

108740 Bareback
108746 Best Friends Alphabet Lower
105316 Rich Regal Eyelets
101259 Black Hemp Twine
106662 Dasey Field Wheel
108638 In Color 12"x 12" card stock
109186 Theater Ribbon Originals
105445 Soft Subtle buttons
111850 Wild Wasabi A4 card stock
106610 Basics Outline Jumbo Wheel
103981 Earth Elements & Neutrals buttons
100900 Gift sacks
108763 By Land
104065 Fishy wheel
112253 Dad's Day
108849 It's Your Birthday
105531 Antique Brass Hodgepodge Hardware
112391 Everything Baby
112310 Fabulous Flowers
107464 Rough Texture Jumbo Wheel
107465 Speckled Jumbo Wheel
107467 Birthday Jumbo Wheel
108923 Stipple Rose
112272 Classic Backgrounds
108929 Symbols of Solicitude
112316 Forever in My Heart
105446 Rich Regal Buttons
112229 ABC Images
108857 Linen
108998 Beautiful Life
110248 Polka Dots & Petals
108765 Cheery Chat

I'll keep you informed of anything further but please, if you need something, don't wait long to order it.

Love from Crafty Kim

Artist Trading Cards - Stampless Challenge & Swap

What is an Artist Trading Card? I hear some of you asking. Artist trading cards, also known as ATCs, are 2.5 x 3 inch (64 x 89 mm) miniature works of art which artists trade with one another, similar to the way people trade sports cards. They may be constructed from any media: pencil, watercolor, acrylic, oil, collage, scratch board, textile arts and/or mixed media but paper-craft lends itself perfectly to the media. The cards are traded - never bought or sold and the artist of the card puts their name and contact information on the back so other artists can get to know them and their work. Generally they are made as limited editions, or as part of a series. They are often displayed in standard card-collector pockets, sleeves or sheets:

(Photo courtesy of Jayne Mercer, ATCs from various artists displayed)

I recently bought a carousel to house my growing collection which I really love and can't wait to add to :

(picture shown is not my personal carousel, photo comes from the maker, 7 Gypsies)

I suspect some of you wonder what is the purpose of ATCs?, especially when most of us have more ideas than time to do our paper-craft. But as someone who has made their hobby their job, I don't often get to create just for me, I'm usually creating with a purpose like a class or sales workshop or website display. So, this is my "for me" project and I am participating in monthly swaps with other artists.

The card shown above is 1 of 10 entries into a Stampless ATC Swap. As much I love stamping, you can go a long way without rubber touching ink. I've used Stampin' Up! Bali Bliss 12 x 12 inch Designer Series Paper, plain and textured Card Stock (Apricot Appeal and Pumpkin Pie), Tempting Turquoise ribbon, Pumpkin Fire Rhinestone and Old Olive brads and an Old Olive Rub-On (for the "for you" greeting).

Speaking of SU! 12 x 12 inch Designer Series Paper, now is the time to buy it. Several of the packs are discounted by 25%; two are 50% off. After the 1 April 2009, SU! paper packs will increase from the current regular price of $11.95 to $19.50 (OUCH). So buy up now if you have any favourites.

There ends the lesson on ATCs, it turned out longer than planned! If you're still not convinced of the worth of ATCs, you can always turn them into larger cards. I did exactly this on Saturday night when making a gift voucher for Joanne Stokes' birthday (Happy Birthday Jo). The only catch is I didn't photograph the final card, d'oh!

Love from Crafty Kim

Stampin' Up! Bushfire Appeal Update

Just a quick update on this compelling cause. As of the 27 February 2009, from the sales of the Bushfire Appeal stamp sets, Stampin' Up! will be able to donate $34,653.80 to the Australian Red Cross Victorian Bushfires 2009 Appeal.

I appreciate your continued efforts to help those who've suffered so much. The Stampin' Up! Bushfire Appeal continues until 31 March 2009 so there is still time to help those in need and get yourself discounted stamps.

Love from Crafty Kim

Retiring, Discounted Stampin' Up! Items Selling Fast

Wow, it was too fast for my liking, but I have to report the following items are no longer available:

107565 Flip Flops Standard wheel
107212 Mateys Map Jumbo Wheel
109020 Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
109015 Soft Sky Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
109016 River Rock Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
109017 Purely Pomegranate Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
109019 Groovy Guava Classic Stampin' Ink Refill
100381 Earth Elements Eyelets
100378 Soft Subtle Eyelets
105320 Basic Eyelets
108748 Best Friend Numbers

Please note, if you ordered the In-Colour re-inkers from me prior to 28 February 2009, Stampin' Up! will be honouring these orders.

Love from Crafty Kim