Hi there, well my new blog style didn't get me posting did it!! Things have been a bit hectic and we have been away for a lovely snow skiing holiday so I haven't done a great deal of crafting - which is just plain criminal considering all the lovely new Caty product that I have in my house! Hoping for some more crafting time and a return of my mojo soon...in the meantime here are some pics of old projects for you. This first lot are some CD folders and pens that I sent to my downlines and friends from Convention.

This next one is a layout I put together for a class using the Sunny Day simply scrappin kit. You may also notice the decorated jar we made and some little acetate pillow boxes there as well.

Do you like my ribbon rack in the background? Rick made it for me and it's awesome. One day I'll take some photos and give you a proper look.

Claire's Cupcake & Muffin Box Templates

In my Christmas gift making spree I made this gorgeous packaging using templates generously provided by one of the very talented SU! Demonstrators of the Year - Claire Daly. You can get the templates here. They were great fun to make and can be tailored to suit any theme - I can see myself making a few of these. Thanks again Claire.

Happy New Year!!

Wow how time flies - I can't believe its been so long between posts!! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas & and wish you all the best for the New Year.

So much has happened since my last post I don't know where to start...there has been highs and lows, a few adventures and a lot of creating. Sadly I lost my best bud for the last 14 years "Bear". We all miss him heaps but he was very old for a Staffordshire and unfortunately they cant live forever.

On the creative front ...I made quite a few Chrissie pressies this year, I decorated this ribbon box for my Mum...

Breanna had 5 Preschool teachers last year so I made each of them a covered notebook:

We packaged the notebooks and a small bag of chocs shown below (cased from the mega talented Karen Thomas) into these gift bags. They were all a hit with the teachers.

Oh yeah and on the 1 December we got a great new Summer Mini Caty - its awesome - check out the online copy on the right or email me if you would like one posted to you. Just a couple of the highlights are the Butterfly punch and the Circle Scissors - both featured on the notebooks above.

I had planned for this to be a much longer post but blogger is driving me insane (wont let me move the photos around) so I'll be back with another post shortly.

Handmade Christmas Gift Ideas

As promised here are a couple of pics of some of the Christmas items I've made lately...The first one is a Christmas Stocking made using Lauren Meaders template using Ski Slope DSP - very cute:

Next is a coffee jar decorated with Ski Slope DSP and filled with Christmas Choccies:

This Bag-a-lope features Holiday treasures DSP and the Soft Holly wheel:

This acetate box also features the Holiday treasures DSP:

Please email me if you'd like more info on any of these projects. I'll be back soon with the Christmas cards...Have a great weekend everyone!

Tree Trimmings

I couple of weeks back I did another workshop for the Crafty Sisters (waving!) These are the projects we made. The first is a cute little matchbox...

Wouldn't you just love to get something nice and shiny in that for Chrissy! I'm thinking diamond earrings but some of girls thought they'd be ideal for Pandora beads! We used the holiday treasures DSP, Old Olive and Ruby Red cardstock, and the sentiment is from the Best Yet Hostess SS. Thanks very much to the extremely talented Karen Thomas for the poinsettia idea - I've been using them heaps - they are so effective!

The next project was a card using the very popular Tree Trimmings SS. This one is in the Spring Mini caty - so if you don't have this set yet you've only got until the end of November to get it.

The Holiday treasures DSP was used for the background, the card base is Sahara Sand and there is also some brushed gold on there. The holy was done using the Soft Holly wheel in Old Olive then going over the berries with a Ruby Red marker. Seasons greetings is from the Snow Swirled SS and has been gold embossed.

I've done dozens of Christmas cards and gifts lately so I'll be making an effort to get on here more frequently to show you all. Hope you like my first Christmas offering for 09!

My AMM Vituri Handbag

For some time now I have been admiring the AMM Vituri Handbags...well a few months back I bit the bullet and decided to spoil myself...here is my cool personalised handbag...

Now the trim and lining is a very nice pale pink - extremely close to our beautiful SU! in-colour Pink Pirouette! See...


So that inspired me to make a co-ordinating notebook to keep in my bag...I used some papers and die-cut stickers from the Sweet Nothings Simply Scrappin' Kit...and of course personalised it with a beautiful picture of my darling girl....here it is:

I also stamped the inside pages using the priceless stamp set and Riding Hood Red and Pink Pirouette inks:

And of course I couldn't get the handbag without the wallet - so here is a picture of the complete set:

What do you think? If you'd like more info on the AMM Handbags ~ I got mine from www.craftainers.com.au (look under totes and bags - not sure if they have stock right now but they are very helpful so just drop them email).

I wish I got a dollar for every time someone asked me about the bag! We have been away for a short break in Sydney and I had to write the details of where I got it down for a couple of random strangers!! Its a great talking piece!!

Returning from Sydney and finally getting through my emails I got a nice surprise to find that the extremely talented and lovely Cassie (of the circle flowers fame -see previous posts!) has started her own blog - YAY!!! Do yourself a favour and check out her work here - you'll want to add her to your favorites!! I've also added a link to Cassie's blog from my Team members section on the right.

Until next time, Happy Stampin'!, Kaz xx

Thank You

Thank You to everyone who sent me get well wishes and who left lovely comments, your kind thoughts really picked me up!

I'm all better now, except I have RSI from using the scallop punch!!! ROFL!!! Yes I have finally finished my Convention Swaps - I've made a grand total of 80 items - 60 cards and 20 clippies! Woo HOO!! I was hoping to do 100 but I'm satisfied with 80 so I'm stopping now! I'm not going to show them just yet - I'll kept them a surprise and post the photos when I get back.

I can hardly believe how much I have managed to make in the last couple of weeks. I've also made myself a card tin, notebook, clippy and bag tag especially for convention using the gorgeous Urban Garden papers. Here's some pics...

What do you think? I'm really happy with how they turned out. I looove those papers - the colours are so me! So if you see me with these at Convention please come and say Hi.

I've also done heaps of other cards lately - I've done two workshops and have two new team members - so I have heaps to share if I can find the time. I'll try to get back here before Convention...

Good Morning Sunshine!

Well it was great this year to get a sneak peak of the new caty and pre-order some of the items before its release on April 1 (2 more sleeps!). The new DSP that we got to pre-order is called Good Morning Sunshine and one of the SS was "good friend" - a retro type set featuring a cool looking bird. Here's a notebook I decorated using them both:

Notice there's some new colours in there? Yes the paper features the new in-colours - I just love that blue - its called Pacific Point. here's a card featuring some of the other in -colours - Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango and the ribbon is Kiwi Kiss, nice hey! I received this card from SU! - its an invitation to the Managers reception at convention - wow! I was so chuffed to get this - cant wait to go!

Well must go - I need to make about 6 cards (heaps of birthdays this month!) not that I think I'll be getting them all done tonight - first day back at work was a killer - I really just want to curl up in bed!! hmm maybe the cards can wait...

Sale-A-Bration Creations!

It’s Sale-A-Bration time again at Stampin’ Up! and free stamps is what it’s all about!
Every year Stampin’ Up! gives customers, hostesses, and new recruits the opportunity to earn fantastic, FREE, limited-edition stamp sets they’ll enjoy for years to come.

Here’s how Sale-A-Bration works:

Customers When you spend $100 on Stampin’ Up! merchandise, you’ll receive a free Sale-A-Bration reward. There’s no limit–for every $100 you spend, you can select another free Sale-A-Bration reward!

Hostesses When you host a workshop of at least $600 (before tax and shipping), you’ll receive a free Sale-A-Bration reward–in addition to all of the regular hostess benefits!

Recruits During Sale-A-Bration, anyone who joins as a demonstrator can choose any stamp set–a value of up to $79.95–from our current Idea Book and Catalogue!

The Sale-A-Bration promotion started on 1 January and runs through 28 February, so don’t miss your chance to earn free products!

You can view the Sale-A-Bration catalogue via the link to the right...

Here are some of my creations made with the SAB stamp sets... The first card used the Botanical Blooms:

This next card uses the SAB set Polka Dot Punches

Polka Dot Punches again for the background hearts

This set is Yummy!

This is one of Makeesha Byl's Carousel Bags stamped with SAB set Polka Dot Punches

Lastly, these projects feature Botanical Blooms, Polka Dot Punches, and Yummy. The beautiful DSP for these projects is Afternoon Tea from the Summer Mini

If you'd like anymore info on other products used in any of these projects, or if you'd like to place an order and earn free sets! please send me an email.

Christmas RAK from Sharon

My very lovely upline Sharon Walsh, who is now located in Tasmania, sent me this lovely gift - a cherish album, and beautiful SAB card...

Sharon doesn't have a blog (yet!) so I thought I would share them with you all on her behalf. Aren't they lovely? I'm very lucky! Thanks so much Sharon.

Altered Tea Chest

I picked up this tea chest for a bargain price because some of the painted detail on the glass lid had been scratched off (see bottom right hand side of border). That very fact inspired me for some reason - I thought I could take all the rest of the paint off the lid and then make it into a hair accessory organiser/storage box for Breanna. I had all of her hair things in a box and it was a pain to find anything, so this divided tea chest was the perfect solution.

So on Friday night I set to work with the new Bali Breeze papers from the Summer Mini - such gorgeous colours! This is what eventuated...

All the products I used are Stampin Up! Bali Breeze DSP, Pretties kit flowers, Felt flowers, Rhinestone brads, rub-ons, & ribbons.

Here it is finished off and in use - I know I'm a bit anal - but I looove how organised and coordinated this is!!!

I'm really happy with how it turned out - it's been a great idea - even Rick is putting things away in their correct section!

I'd love to hear what you guys think...

Live Your Dream - Regionals Make & Take Set

Here are some photos of the make & takes we did at this years Regionals. They feature the stamp set Live Your Dream and the gorgeous Afternoon Tea DSP - both from the Summer Mini catalogue - available now!

I'm posting these pictures for Kerynne (Hi!) who spotted these at a workshop I did in December and loved them so much she has booked a class specifically to make these projects - so if you're one of Kerynne's guests these are the four projects we will be making - 2 cards, a love note folder with 3 love notes and envelopes and a 6x6 scrapbook page (you can bring along a photo or add one later).

If your not one of Kerynne's friends but you'd like to attend a class to make these projects let me know by email, I will run another at my house if there is enough interest.

Happy New Year!!!

Hi everyone! Thank you to all the my loyal blog followers who have been checking in - sorry I took so long to post. I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and I wish you all the best for the New Year - hope its the best yet!! Wow, I cant believe it's 2009 - does anyone else feel like 2008 was a complete blur? I'm hoping for a great 2009 but I do hope it goes by a bit slower!

So what have I been up to? Well...I had HEAPS of Christmas creations to show you back in December but that went out the window when I got caught up in the Twilight saga - if you haven't read the books do yourself a favour and get them now - However be warned once you start you cant stop and all 4 books will need to be read - you just cant get enough and have to know what will happen next. Apart from the Crosstitch (Jamie & Claire) series by Diana Gabaldon, these are the most compelling books I've ever read. If you're not into books check out the movie - its no where near as good as the book - and I think seeing it without having read the book you would miss a lot of the details - but anyway its a close second that's for sure! You can check out the film trailer here (I downloaded it onto my iPod so I can get my fix whenever I want! - yes I'm a complete addict - I know its sad!) And one other little note of warning - you will fall in love with Edward Cullen and no mortal man will ever measure up again!

Ok, that's my twilight rant. In my real life (as opposed to my fantasy world of gorgeous vampires and werewolves!!! ) I have been really busy with all the usual Christmas and New Year stuff, we've had a few short breaks away and been getting some house and yard work done. Sadly I haven't really done any crafting at all and its back to work for me tomorrow.

Thank you to all my lovely friends, customers, downlines that sent me gorgeous hand made Christmas cards - they are all beautiful.

I made some post-it note holders to send to my downlines for Christmas, here is a picture of some of them:

While I'm in catch up mode...3 lovely bloggin sisters recently gave me awards - thank you soooo much. This beautiful butterfly award from my lovely friend Mel Hanlon and from the very creative Leah Weir

And this one from Sharon at Stampin & Scrappin


Thanks again ladies for thinking of me. I'm not going to tag any other bloggers - I think everyone has already got them (cause I'm so far behind!!!!)

I'll be back with some cards to show you later