Claire Daly - Stampin Up Demonstrator in Melbourne, Australia

12 days of Christmas: Day 11 - Solemn Stillness & Day 12 - Season of Joy

Here we are with day 11 after a couple of days of time standing still to focus on some things for the the family (more about that is some scrapbooking coming soon). Just wanted to finish up my 12 days of Christmas cards first, so here's day 11 and 12.

This one is suer easy and quick - just a bit of Silver embossing and some adhesive rhinestones. The Christmas tree set is from Stampin' Up!'s Solemn Stillness set. Sorry about the dodgy pic, the card is actually straight IRL!

 

Here's the recipe:

• Stampin' Up! Stamps: Solemn Stillness, Season of Joy
• Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate
• Ink: Versamark
• Accessories: Silver Embossing Powder, Purely Pomegranate Satin Ribbon, Rhinestones

Finally, here's day 12 - another Dashing Designing Series Paper creation. One of the ways I like to use patterned paper is the emboss resist technique. In this card I have clear embossed the patterned paper with the Christmas tree from Stampin' Up!'s Season of Joy. I then brayered Old Olive ink over the top to highlight the swirls on the tree. It was then just cut out and popped on the card with the matching paper and cardstock colours.

 

Here's the recipe for this one:

• Stampin' Up! Season of Joy and Party Punch
• Cardstock: Real Red and Old Olive
• Paper: Dashing Designer Series Paper
• Ink: Old Olive and Versamark
• Accessories: Rhinestones

There you go, my 12 days of Christmas which I hope have inspired you in some way. See you back here soon with some scrapbooking and other goodies from the new Summer Mini Catalogue!

Claire xx

12 days of Christmas: Day 10 - All About Christmas Wheel and Merry Merry

How about a bit of bling for day 10? Today's card features one of the Stampin' Up! Jumbo Stampin' Around Wheels called All About Christmas. I have also used the greeting from Merry Merry. This would be another good card forthe girls in the family. Lots of pink and lots of bling!

 

For the middle panel featuring the wheel, I have clear embossed it. You can easily do this on a card by just rolling the wheel into your Versamark stamp pad (make sure you use your embossing buddy first!). Then just sprinkle over the clear embossing powder and heat emboss.

Here's today's recipe:

• Stampin' Up! Stamps: Merry Merry, All About Christmas, Snow Flurries
• Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, Pixie Pink, Old Olive, Whisper White
• Ink: Versamark, Pixie Pink, Purely Pomegranate
• Paper: Old Olive Prints Designer Series Paper
• Accessories: Rhinestone Brad (from Pretties Kit), adhesive rhinestones (Kaiser), Scallop Punch, 1 3.8 and 1 1/4 circle punch.

See you back soon for day 11 and 12.

Claire xx

12 Days of Christmas: Day 9 - Dashing Designer Series Paper

Today's card features the Stampin' Up! Dashing Designer Series Paper in the lovely tones of Very Vanilla, River Rock, Old Olive and Real Red.

 

The layout was inspires by this weeks sketch by Beate, WSC67.

I added the strip of paper and the red ribbon. The circular embellishment is made up of some cute Poinsettia embellishments and a metal tag by Making Memories. Poinsettias always remind me of my Grandmother. She loved them and I often bought them for her as a Christmas present. Here's the recipe:

• Stamps: Linen Background
• Ink and Cardstock: Old Olive
• Paper: Stampin' Up! Dashing & Brocade Background Designer Series Paper
• Accessories: Red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Poinsettia's and metal tag by Making Memories.

I like the freshness of these colours, so I might see if I can do a catchup card tonight with another take on them. Until then, have a great night,

Claire xx

12 Days of Christmas Day 8: Season of Joy and Baroque Motifs

Today's card used the lovely Season of Joy again ( you had better get in quick if you like this one - it can only be ordered up until Sunday).

I have used the lovely colour combination from my Wintergreen Bundle. This can be ordered right up until Christmas. You could even purchase the three individual markers I have used (Certainly Celery, Sage Shadow and Always Artichoke) individually for $4.95 each until Sunday. Just email me if you are interested in ordering these or any products from the Spring Mini. I can accept credit card orders up until Sunday afternoon. Here's the recipe for the card:

• Stamps: Season of Joy, Baroque Motifs, The Snowflake Spot
• Cardstock: Whisper White, Certainly Celery, Always Artichoke, Soft Sky
• Ink: Soft Sky, Always Artichoke
• Accessories: Bashful Blue Brads, Stampin' Write Markers (Always Artichoke, Sage Shadow, Certainly Celery), Ribbon (Soft Sky Double Stitched, Certainly Celery 5/8" grosgrain), Crystal Effects

See you again tomorrow,

Claire xx

12 days of Christmas: Day 7 - Party Punch

OK, so technically it's just past day 7, but what's 52 minutes between friends. Had such a relaxing day today - slept in, helped Paul and the boys with the major project of the box car rally for school this week (they are building a HSV out of a box complete with paintwork!), had a nap and then watched 4 in a row reruns of Sex and the City. Cool day! Somewhere among that I managed to make a quick card. This one was REALLY quick, with the main feature being the greeting stamp from the Stampin' Up! hostess set Party Punch.

 

There's 3 layers for the greeting - the first layer is a 1 3/8 circle of Purely Pomegranate, next layer is Always Artcihoke Ink on River Rock and punched out with the Designer Label Punch. Third layer is the circle part of the stamp in Purely Pomegranate on Very Vanilla. Last layer is 1/2" circle of Always Artichoke on River Rock. This is a great example of how perfectly the Stampin' Up! stamps are designed to fit the punches.

Here's the recipe:

• Stamps: Party Punch and Solemn Stillness (the star on the background)
• Cardstock: River Rock, Purely Pomegranate, Very Vanilla
• Ink: Purely Pomegranate and Always Artichoke
• Paper: Holiday Harmony (only available until the 30th of this month!)
• Accessories: 1 3/8" circle, 1/2"circle, Designer Label, 1" circle punches; metal brad and Purely Pomegranate satin ribbon (also only available until 30th November)

See you back here tomorrow with day 8,

Claire xx

12 Days of Christmas: Day 6 - Lovely as a Tree

Morning lovelies :) Had planned to post this one last night, then the camera battery was flat to download so I had an early night instead! We had lots of rain last night and more this morning which has been lovely. I can hear the vegie patch and the garden sighing with delight :) Apparently we have a wild wet weekend ahead though, so I hope everyone stays warm and safe.

Todays card is from the Stampin' Up! set Lovely as a Tree. I have used Dazzling Diamonds to give it a glittery feel.

 

This time I used some of my Basic Grey Wassail papers as I loved the colour combinations. To achieve the sparkly tree, I first 'stamped off' the tree using  Always Artichoke ink stamping once on scrap paper before I started (so once onto the scrap and then three times onto the Very Vanilla cardstock without reinking). Next I used my embossing buddy (this stops the dazzling diamonds and embossing powders from sticking to where they are not supposed to). I then inked in Versamark followed by Always Artichoke and stamped onto the centre of the panel. Next came heat and stick powder, heat, dazzling diamonds and a quick blast to set. Bit hard to see the sparkles in the photo but they look awesome in real life. Here's the recipe:

• Stamps: Lovely as a Tree
• Ink: Always Artichoke, Chocolate Chip (for inking), Versamark
• Cardstock: Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla and Chocolate Chip
• Paper: Basic Grey Wassail
• Accessories: Making Memories metal embellishment, heart brad from my stash, Word Window Punch, Designer Label Punch, Heat and Stick Powder, Dazzling Diamonds.

Thanks for popping in - back later with Day 7.

Claire xx

12 Days of Christmas: Day 5 - Peaceful Wishes (and my new Canon MP980!)

Time to get back to my earthy colours - always gravitate back to these for the more traditional cards. This time I have used one of my favourite Stampin' Up! Christmas sets, Peaceful Wishes.

 

I have used the markers direct to rubber to create the berries, and then the berries and pinecones have been coated in Crystal Effects to create some dimension. The greeting that comes with this set is gorgeous and says 'Peaceful Wishes' but that was a little long for this card so I used a sentiment from Occasional Greetings. I hope you like this one! Here's the recipe:

• Stamps: Stampin' Up! Peaceful Wishes and Occasional Greetings
• Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive and Very Vanilla
• Ink: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and Versamark
• Accessories: Stampin' Write Markers (Always Artichoke, Real Red and Bravo Burgundy), gold embossing powder, red brads and Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon

Now for the peek I promised last night. Yesterday morning I took delivery of this awesome new Pixma MP980 Wireless Photo Printer from Canon as well as a box full of all types of photo paper, fine art paper, canvas, photo stickers, Chromalife (100 year fade resistance!) inks. Woohoo - very yummy. I especially can't wait to play with the Canon Fine Art Paper "Photo Rag".

     

     

Canon contacted me last week and complimented me on my scrapbooking and asked if I would like to be part of their new Canon Blogger Product Review Program. I would get to play with their awesome photo printer for 3 months with all goodies supplied. Ummm let me think about that for 20 milliseconds - YES PLEASE! Even though they found me on the web, I was a good choice for them as I am a Canon girl through and through. I have had my previous printer (a Canon Pixma MP760) for 3 trouble-free years and have scanned, printed and copied with it non-stop. I also have a Canon digital SLR camera (350D) that I love love love.

So what this means of course is that I get to do HEAPS more scrapbooking over the next 3 months -what great timing over the summer break. I have already printed my first photo (of me and Phoebe Cat) and wow - it is so fast compared to my last printer! Thanks Canon! 

See you back her tomorrow for day 6 :)

Claire xx

12 Days of Christmas: Day 4 - Lovely Letters and Baroque Motifs

Thanks for all your heartfelt comments about losing Phoebe. I felt really uplifted coming in here and knowing so many people were thinking of us.

Todays card was super quick and easy and didn't even use any Christmas stamps. Just the much loved Stampin' Up! Baroque Motifs and Lovely Letters stamp sets.

 

My colour combination is Bravo Burgundy, Purely Pomegranate and Kraft. I have clear embossed the large swirl on the Burgundy layer, and used Versamark on the Kraft layer. The letters are also clear embossed after inking first in Versamark and then in Purely Pomegranate. I love the intense and glossy effect this gives.

• Stamps: Stampin' Up! Baroque Motifs and Lovely Letters
• Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, Bravo Burgundy and Kraft
• Ink: Versamark, Purely Pomegranate
• Accessories: Clear embossing powder, 11/4 circle punch, 1 3/8 circle punch

Thanks for stopping by again. I'll be back tomorrow with day 5. I'll also have some pictures of a VERY cool thing I got delivered to play with today.

Have a happy night and thanks for being so caring,

Claire xx

12 Days of Christmas: Day 3 - Solemn Stillness

Today's card is back to the more traditional style and colours, and features Stampin' Up!'s Solemn Stillness Set, with the greeting from the sentiment set Occasional Greetings.

 

The technique I have used here is called Faux Tiling. This is a really easy technique with a WOW effect. To begin you just score the cardstock and stamp the image normally over the top. You will notice the score marks resist the ink. I have just used the base of the 2 step stamps to create a Christmas tree farm look. I have added lots of extra 'stamped off' images in the background to add the illusion of depth. Once you are happy with the stamping, apply Versamark over the entire image and clear emboss. This gives the effect of shiny tiles. Easy hey?

• Stamps: Stampin' Up! Solemn Stillness and Occasional Greetings
• Ink: Always Artichoke, Purely Pomegranate, Versamark
• Cardstock: River Rock, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla and Purely Pomegranate
• Accessories: Purely Pomegranate satin ribbon, Aged Copper brads, Kaiser Rhinestones
• Patterned Paper: Baroque Backgrounds

Speaking of solemn, today was a sad day for me. We had to take my much loved 'Phoebe cat' to the vet to be put to sleep.

 

I had known all week she was very ill but it's still hard to say goodbye. I bought her on the first anniversary of my Dad's death and she was really symbolic to me as my Dad loved cats too and was always feeding the strays. I can take comfort in the fact she was very loved and spent many happy days curled up on my bed. I imagine her up in heaven having already conned a bowl of food from my Dad.

Rest in peace 'Phoebe Cat'.

See you back here tomorrow for Day 4,

Claire xx

12 Days of Christmas: Day 2 - The Snowflake Spot

How about of happy bling and sparkle for a Monday? Welcome to day 2 of my 12 days of Christmas. So cool to see Marelle and others pop in for a visit. So who's next up for the 12 days? Teneale?

This card was inspired by Amy Rsavy over at Prairie Paper and Ink. She has some gorgeous cards using snowflakes on her blog this week, and I particularly loved the pink ones. I can definitely see myself making more of these. I have used the lovely Stampin' Up! set The Snowflake Spot and the sentiment is from Many Merry Messages. Today's technique is embossing, both coloured and with Dazzling Diamonds.

 

I started by clear embossing the large snowflake in Pretty in Pink, and then did a few using the rock and roll technique with Pretty in Pink rolled in Regal Rose. I then did a Purely Pomegranate one which I added heat and stick powder and Dazzling Diamond glitter to. I also added a few silver embossed ones top left to balance out the silver sentiment. Finally I added a few rhinestone brads and matted the card in Bravo Burgundy and Purely Pomegranate.

I'm not usually a white and blingy person but I love how this turned out and think it will be a great card for one of my nieces. Thanks for the inspiration Amy.

Hope to see you back here tomorrow for day 3.

Wishing you all a great day,

Claire