A footprint record may seem like a small gesture

On  Sunday 8th January Channel 7 presented a new series called Gold Coast Medical. It is a series that captures all the challenges and triumphs of a day in the life of the Gold Coast's most expert medical teams. Now why as a card maker am I telling you about a medical program?

Each year since 2008 the annual ‘Paper Angels’ Christmas Card Workshop takes place. These workshops raise funds to purchase and supply Footprint Cards to the Mater Mother's Brisbane Hospital Bereavement Programe and other hospitals as far up as Nambour and down to the Gold Coast. Sadly these cards are created so that the parents of babies that do not survive may take home a precious record of their child's footprint. Whilst a footprint record may seem like a small gesture, it is a meaningful record that can be shared, as grieving parents, grandparents and other family members come to terms with their loss.

In season 1 episode 8 of this Gold Coast Medical a family talk about what it is like to receive our Footprint cards, with the handprint and footprint of their "angel baby". They want to have the memory of their lost baby close to them and also feel that their new baby is being looked over by her big brother. It was very touching to see this and also very satisfying to know that we as a group are making a difference.

 These cards are made using materials we have been able to buy from the proceeds of our raffles at the Christmas Card Workshops. This had been made possible by the generous donation of raffle products by Stampin' Up! as well as the support of the Paper Angels Group of Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrators and their customers.

I am extremely grateful to everyone who has helped by attending one of these days and buying raffle tickets. I hope you can see that by doing so you have made a difference in someones life.

Also a heartfelt thank you to all of the other Paper Angels that work tirelessly to put on these events or to take part in the assembling of these cards.

Some fun

I love the way Stampin' Up! promote their products. They created this cute video before the Occasions Catalogue went live to encourage us to make the most of this time of year. They give us tips on how to get the most out of our stamp sets as hobby demonstrators and help us if we want to take our hobby up a level and have a little craft business.

 

Colour challenge

I have decided to try a colour challenge with the Colour INKspiration crew. It is all going to be done on Facebook, but if we have a blog we can post there as well. So stay tuned I am going to try and keep on doing the colour challenge bi-monthly. It should be loads of fun and inspiration will be flowing freely.

 This is a card I made for the pre challenge. The colours we were to use are Bermuda Bay, Daffodil Delight and Mint Macaron. I masked a Whisper White piece of card and sponged the three colours. Then stamped over the sponging. The stamp set was one of our new ones from the Occasional Catalogue. It is the Balloon Adventures. The Mint Macaron base was created using the Scallop Tog Punch.

So what do you recon? Head on over to Facebook and check out all the other cards, there are so many talented people out there don't you think???

One spot left in the Hostess Club

I have one spot left for my special Online Hostess Club.

This is a 3 Month club, January through to March. The reason for only 3 months is because I want everyone to be a Hostess over the Sale A Bration period, and this way everyone in the group will benefit.

I have one place left for this club, so if you have been thinking about joining this club to get some great goodies for the next 3 months you are not too late.

For each $90 spent there is a FREE product to choose. So even though you are not a Hostess for the month you will still receive Free product. Then when you are hostess, you will receive the hostess rewards, plus FREE Sale-A-Bration product. How good is that?

Read the full details from my last post

Are you ready to sign up. Email me 

Dragonfly Dreams

Oh how lovely is this set. Check out this versatile occasions catalogue bundle to create a detailed, artistic look or give your projects more of a graphic, abstract feel. If you buy the coordinating Dragonfly Dreams Stamp Set and the Detailed Dragonfly Thinlits Dies in a bundle you’ll save 10% add another item to your order and you will qualify for a FREE product from the Sale-A-Bration brochure.

I'd love to show you what else you can make using other products with this gorgeous set. Take a look as our Stampin' Up! trainer, Carrie, showcases the versatile Inside the Lines Specialty Designer Series Paper. This exclusive 12" x 12" paper is only available when you make a qualifying purchase during Stampin' Up!'s annual Sale-A-Bration event.

Pretty Pocket Card Kit.

Another little Sale-A-Bration highlight. The Pretty Pocket Card Kit. You can get this kit for FREE with a qualifying purchase during Sale-A-Bration.

Sale-A-Bration runs from 4th January to 31st March. Contact me or visit my Online store if you would like to earn this cutie.

Check it out on Page 19 of the Sale-A-Bration brochure


Our Stampin' Up! trainer, Donna, demonstrates how quick and easy it is to create beautiful cards using the Pretty Pocket Card Kit.

 

Special Reason Bundle

This occasions catalogue bundle is great for showing off several unique looks with one set of dies. You can use the dies to create layering pieces or to make one image that allows the paper underneath to peek through. I love that idea of having the pretty paper peeking through, as I have decided that this year I am going to use more of my Designer Series paper. How many of you buy the DSP because it is sooooo pretty but can't bear to cut it up. Hands up Zena!!! That's me, I can't bear to use it all up.

This bundle is so versatile you will just NEED to have it!! If you buy it as the bundle Special Reason Stamp Set and Stylish Stems Framelits Dies together then you save 10%.

Check out what Holly our Stampin' Up! trainer Holly from the Home Office shows us the many ways to use this bundle.

Contact me to learn more or visit my Online Store to order yours today!

What is your January Plan?

The new year symbolises a new beginning for many of us. We've gone through some bad times and some good times. Now it is a New Year and we should all be refreshed and ready for the new challenges that a new year brings.

Here’s my plan:

1. Make sure I spend more time with my husband, taking short trips often.
2. Catch up with my friends over a coffee instead of a quick text or email. Why has technology taken over so much of our personal lives????
3. Enjoy my garden and share the wonderful organic produce with friends.
4. Drag out my birthday calendar and update it. I want to commit to sending more cards this year.
5. Continue having fun in my Craft Studio.
6. Start a new Hostess club

I would love to hear what everyone else is planning.

If you are planning more crafting, then come and enjoy a class in my studio or book a workshop and I'll come to you.

With a new seasonal catalogue and Sale-A-Bration, it’s also the best time of year to tap into the built-in offers Stampin' Up! are promoting.

Cool Treats Special Class - March

It’s time to start playing with the mouth-watering Cool Treats Suite from the occasions catalogue! Stampin' Up! have created a class for us with all the information I need to prepare, as well as a project instruction sheet that I can give to you.

Because of this I am going to hold a special Cool Treats class. You will take home 4 cards and also make 4 coordinating envelopes using the Envelope Punch Board.

The cost will be $20 and everything is supplied. Great for a beginner that does not have the basics yet. If you are interested in this class please let me know, it will be held on a Sunday in March. Date to be confirmed.

You are going to love the Cool Treats Bundle! It’s packed with vibrant colours and delicious designs for you to play with. If you wish to purchase the bundle before the class, then your class is free.

Sale-A-Bration Product Highlights

It’s time to start Sale-A-Brating! This is your  biggest sales event of the year. Every week for the next few weeks I’ll highlight a Sale-A-Bration product with information and resources. Sorry you will fall even more in love with the products, as I have done.

One of the product highlights is the Hey, Chick Stamp Set on page 17 of the Sale-A-Bration brochure.  It is one of the FREE items you can get by spending $90 on Stampin' Up! products.

I would like to give you an insight into how some of these stamps come about. Lori Sume is an illustrator for Stampin' Up! and this is how she got the inspiration for this set.

"When I was a child growing up in Canada, I remember some family friends who had little chickens that I thought were so cute. A couple of summers ago here in Utah, I stopped at a friend’s ranch and saw all their cute animals including their chickens. They had typical chickens but also another kind called Polish Frizzle Bantam White Chickens. I think they are so funny with all those feathers flopping around on the top of their heads and how they like to stare straight at you and cock their heads.
So when I was assigned to create the Hey, Chick Stamp Set, I was so excited. I wanted to exaggerate the rounder chickens and really make them round, and I also really wanted to draw one of those funny chickens I saw at my friend’s ranch. It was a really fun set to create."

I love hearing these stories from the illustrators, now I look at this crazy chicken and know where the idea came from.

January Hostess code D3AHSRUM

Shop!

For every $90 you spend (before shipping), you get a FREE Sale-A-Bration product. That means it’s the perfect time to purchase those products you’ve had your eye on while earning more products for free.

Host!

Need another excuse to get together with friends? Just host a qualifying party with at least $400  in sales during Sale-A-Bration and you’ll earn $40 more in Stampin’ Rewards! Your host can even apply their Stampin’ Rewards towards their Starter Kit and become a demonstrator themselves!

Join!

It’s the best time of year to join Stampin’ Up! During Sale-A-Bration, you can become a demonstrator for just $169  and choose TWO additional stamp sets for your Starter Kit—any stamp set, any price! (Excludes project kits, bundles, and Sale-A-Bration sets.) Plus, the kit ships for free!

My first class used this set

Gee it was nice to get back to my classes, I enjoyed my break over the Christmas holidays and I really did need to take a breather, however after cleaning my studio and finally going through all my orders from  the Occasions Catalogue I was chaffing at the bit to get going again.

So I was very excited to have my first class and use this bundle. Take a look at the video and see why I was so excited. I will post pikkies of the cards we made later.

Oh and by the way here is the January Hostess code. If you want to order your goodies and get them posted straight to your door then here you go.

January Hostess code D3AHSRUM

Lookey lookey FREE stuff

Here is the Brochure of Free stuff that you can earn during Sale-A-Bration. Spend $90 and you can choose any one of these items. Oh I love this time of year.

The Occasions Catalogue is live

We have been keeping the Occasions Catalogue under wraps waiting for the 4th January. Well now it is officially unwrapped. Thank goodness I was just bursting to show some of the goodies that I already have. One of the perks of being a demonstrator. So here is the online version, go make a cuppa, put your feet up and DROOL!!



Here are a few close ups of what you can find on these pages.

Online Hostess Club during Sale A Bration

Sale-A-Bration starts tomorrow and I am once again offering my Online Hostess Club.

It will be a 3 Month club, January through to March. The reason for only 3 months is because I want everyone to be a Hostess over the Sale A Bration period, and this way everyone in the group will benefit.

For each $90 spent there is a FREE product to choose. So even though you are not a Hostess for the month you will still receive Free product. How good is that?

Here are the details

When you join my Online Hostess Club...

• You will receive Instructions for 3 projects based around a Stamp Set or Product.
• You will receive any new Stampin’ Up! catalogues as they become available during the 3 Months 
• You will become the Hostess 1 Month out of the 3, and earn at least $27 FREE PRODUCT plus your Free Sale A Bration product 
• You can order from any of the product lines including the new Project Life range. 
• You will earn Sale a Bration items for FREE. 

 Would you spend $270 in 3 months ($3.00 a day) on your hobby? If the answer is yes then why not join the club and get some Free product and instructions on some beautiful projects.

Your Commitment Includes

•  $90 Minimum Order each month for 3 Months only (January through to March)
• You MUST order online using the Hostess Code that I’ll provide you with each month 
• You MUST commit to 3 Months Club Time 
• Your order MUST be placed before the 20th of each Month (to be fair to each Hostess for their Month) 

There are limited spaces available, so please be quick to sign up. Email me