Grab a bargain from the retires list before stocks go!

OK, it’s that time of year when we are ushering out the old and welcoming in the new. August is the last month of the current Stampin’ Up! Annual Catalogue and also the LAST CHANCE to snap up retiring products (some of which are on sale) from the retired stamp & accessory list.

I thought I would help you wade through the very long accessory list by highlighting the top 7 bargains! If you are interested in these, you will need to act QUICKLY as it is a first in best dressed basis on retiring products in August and it will be no surprise that the sale items often go first. I am placing an order tonight (Thursday) as well as tomorrow (Friday) and then a couple of days after that again – the sooner your order comes to me, the better your chance of securing your favourite retiring product (you know the one you’ve been meaning to order but as yet haven’t) and/or a major bargain.

‘Nursery Nest’ Designer Series Paper is now 40% OFF and instead of the usual $18.95, you can now purchase as many packets as you like for only $11.37. This is an awesome paper and great for cardmaking and scrapbooking alike. This paper would make a great gift for a papercrafter, someone having a baby, or dare I even say it ‘wrapping paper’ for small gifts!

Can you believe this! 75% OFF these Christmas Designer Fabric Packs! Each pack includes 3 beautifully coordinated designs in an extra-wide fat quarter size, each piece being approx 68.6 x 45.7. These packs are now ONLY $4.99. Seriously this has to be the best bargain of all and I can see loads of applications, from patchwork to gifting such as covering jar lids on home made Christmas Treats! Really it’s only limited by your imagination and at this price you can afford to stock up and maybe even include them as stocking fillers in gifts for crafty friends!

Some demonstrators are expressing shock that the Crop a Dile is being retired and I’m hearing them – I use this tool all the time. I can only imagine that it is because eyelets are no longer a current trend in papercrafting at present. However, this is a tool well worth having for it’s magnificent ability to punch holes through chipboard and multiple layers of cardstock with ease! But don’t be sad it’s going, buy one NOW at 25% off Normally $54.95 this must have tool is NOW ONLY $41.21

Don’t cry – this fabulous stamp cleaner is not actually being retired, rather it is being reformatted into a larger square version. I’m guessing this is to make cleaning the larger background stamps easier. Having said that, this current model does the job and if you don’t yet own one and would rather get a discount than wait for the bigger version, now’s the time to buy one. Normally $28.95, this essential tool is now 25% off and is NOW $21.71. What a great present for a fellow stamper who doesn’t yet own one too!

Loving this ‘continuous’ border punch, which stands alone, is great as a border tucked under another layer, or also looks great with ribbon threaded through it. Unbelievably this punch is 40% OFF and instead of the normal $38.95 NOW you can order for $23.37!

Finally the Triple Layer ‘Blossom Bouquet’ Punch is also 40% OFF and instead of $44.95 you’ll pay ONLY $26.97! What a bargain when you consider that this punch actually punches 4 different flowers which either stand alone or can be layered in different colours. Enjoy!

Don’t forget, these products plus the rest of the retired list, is only available whilst stocks last. I cannot order them once they have run out OR past the 31st August! Every year, I get contacted after this date and asked if I can get something from the previous catalogue – really this is true. Sadly I cannot help these people and it makes me sad!

Contact me by e-mail to place your order

Customisable Starter Kit!

The new Starter Kit has been released on 1st May, and is only $169 for $235 of products - COMPLETELY CUSTOMISABLE! You no longer have to buy the suggested items on the list, so if you've been a customer for a while but have always put off joining because you have already purchased the items that Stampin' Up! wanted you to buy, you can now choose anything you want. You'll also get $80 of business supplies (catalogues, order forms, invitation postcards etc.) for free, and all of it will be shipped to you for free as well! This is a permanent change to the Starter Kit, but take advantage of the offer now, and as a new demonstrator in May you will receive a pack of Designer Series Paper EVERY month for free until December! That's over $130 of extra value for free!
So come on, what's your excuse to not have fun and enjoy your favourite hobby?!

May Paper Party – special!

BUY 3 Designer Series Paper packs and receive the 4^th FREE

During May, you will get a FREE package of Designer Series Paper for every three you buy!* Choose from a wide variety (14 in total) of designs and colours available in the 2011-2012 Idea Book & Catalogue pg 128-130 and 2012 Autumn-Winter Mini Catalogue.

Check out my Stampin’ Up! Website for more details

FREE Designer Series Paper for 7 MONTHS for New Demonstrators

Imagine joining the Stampin’ Up! family in May, and receiving FREE Designer Series Paper for the rest of 2012! You will receive your choice of DSP in June, July, August, September, October, November and December – how amazing is that $132.65 of FREE Designer Series Paper! Your free Designer Series Paper will be shipped when you place a demonstrator order each month (If you choose not to add any other items to your order besides the free Designer Series Paper, you will only incur the minimum shipping charge of $5.95).

Plus, with our fully-customisable starter kit for the new lower price of just $169, it’s easier than ever for you to join Stampin’ Up! Simply hop on my Stampin’ Up! Website below and click JOIN NOW, fill out a simple form and then receive $235 of ANY current catalogue product for $169, plus receive the business supplies for free.

Imagine ordering your Stampin’ Up! ON LINE 24/7 at a minimum 20% discount (up to 35%), receive ideas & inspiration as well as pre-release products, not to mention enjoying the Stampin’ Up! Experience as a member of the Paper Angels team. Quarterly Demonstrator Minimum is now ONLY $400 commissionable sales plus no ABN required to sign up. Nothing to lose and everything to gain!

*Does not include Specialty Designer Series Paper (ie. Flirtatious, First Edition, Mocha Morning & Sweet Shop)

Cherished girls

My two gorgeous girls were photographed together here in 2007, gee they were so cute then! Not that they're not cute now, but they've developed a love/hate relationship that can be quite taxing! I used a technique shown to me by Liz Collett where you fold DSP and cut it on the Big Shot. You may remember making paper-chain dolls the same way as a child! I have wanted to use this sheet from the Beau Chateau DSP for ages, and the folded paper technique really was a great way to frame this photo too. As you can see it is a pretty simple page in terms of design, but the embellishments and separated-paper flowers add the right touch without detracting from the photo itself. I have also fussy-cut some more flowers from another sheet of DSP to add more dimension to the page.
See also repeating-flowers for more ideas using this technique.

I was playing with some scrap pieces of the Sale-a-Bration Designer Series Paper (DSP) and came up with these two designs which I'm quite pleased with. I also used Elementary Elegance stamp set from the FREE SAB promotion, it makes a lovely border instead of a frame. You can still earn FREE stamp sets and ribbon/brad packs or DSP packs until the end of March, just contact me for more details

Beyond the Garden product suite

Monday night craft class we made a box and card set, using the Beyond The Garden suite of products from the Summer mini catalogue. The colours are really vibrant in the DSP, with Wild Wasabi, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Pacific Point and Tangerine Tango; it really makes me think of summer. These products are only available until the end of March, so please contact me to place your order.  The box, envelopes and decoration are all cut from the Big Shot using Stampin' Up! dies, it is a really easy tool to use, and with the new way of rewarding hostesses with a half price item when sales reach +$600, you could be the proud owner of a Big Shot for only $75!

birthday girl

Miss O was six last week, and she had a great time at the movies seeing The Muppets with some friends from school. I made this card quite quickly as things were getting hectic, but even so I think it was a success. I used the 'Big Top Birthday' DSP combined with the 'Fun Flowers' and 'Two Tags' dies and 'Flower Garden' embossing folder. The brad and ribbon is from the free Sale-a-Bration 'Everyday Enchantment' pack.

My good friend helped me in the rush make these party bags too, they were made from a C5 envelope (I think that's what they're called!). We stamped an initial for each child with the 'Broadsheet Alphabet' set, and used some left over ribbon to tie them to the bags. Each bag was stamped with an image from the 'Sunny Fun' set.
You can see all the items used in the Idea Book and Catalogue (see link on the right), and also the Summer mini catalogue.

Favourite teacher scrapbook canvas

We have a fantastic music teacher at our school, Tegan always thrives in her lessons, and she has really developed her confidence these last few years. This year Tegan got to perform with the choir and sing solo in front of a large crowd at our performing arts awards night, and also at the opening of the new Performing Arts Centre, and she wouldn't have had that chance without Mrs Van's help. As a thank you I decided to make a scrap canvas, and yes, it's black and red!!

I used a retired piece of DSP for the background and then added some red glimmer paper with stars punched out. I liked the negative of the punched image so used a Top Note die cut frame to highlight a photo too. Spinner Wheel from 'Take  Spin' stamp set worked really well as it describes everything that we love about her teacher! A mini vintage tag finishes the project off.

This is a really simple project to create using any size canvas from an arts supply shop, this one was about 8 inches big. If you would like to create something like this you can buy the other items mentioned from the Stampin' Up!® Idea Book and Catalogue, contact me to find out how you can get extra FREE items with your order during Sale-a-Bration...

Black and red

DH asked me to make a card for his aunt's 70th birthday yesterday. Shes the type of woman who wears her age well but definitely would not like to be reminded of it! I really wanted to use my Glimmer Paper ($8.95 for 2 x 12" sheets), as it is so glamorous and sparkly, and Liz Collett's scrapbook project inspired me to create this card. I used retired newsprint DSP, the Glimmer paper from the new Summer mini catalogue , Full heart and Heart-to-heart punches, the Medium Sizzlits and Simple Letters Alphabet dies for the Big Shot, Riding Hood red ink, Victoria Crochet trim ribbon, Creative Elements and Happiest Birthday Wishes stamp sets. I cut around the heart after I had punched it to create the thin outline frame.


I then decided to make her a present instead of the usual gift card, and took the theme from the card through to a decorated shadow-box frame, I used the letter 'i' from the already cut-out initial that was left over, and the heart from the punch that wasn't used. I also used the Elements of Style stamp set for the sentiment in the frame, and some bling using the Basic Rhinestone Jewels.

Happy birthday Ingrid, we hope you have a great birthday!

Here's a card I recently made for a friend, based on the same theme:

My little Rainbow Puppy

My youngest wanted to be a rainbow dog when she was asked by the Face Painter what she would like to be. I thought this was such a cute photo, and was made to be scrapbooked! I love the new hostess-only Designer Series Paper "Cheerful Treat", and was lucky enough to pre-order some (another benefit of being a Demonstrator!). You can get your own pack by hosting a +$300 workshop or placing an order of your own to the same value, and still have dollars left to buy more gorgeous products!