Scrapbooking on retreat

Some scrapbook pages I created on retreat...

This one is for my Paper Angels challenge, to use the Sale-a-bration stamp sets. The photo was taken when we first moved in to our home, and it was blue back in 2005! The card stock is "basic grey" and "bashful blue", and it uses "Whimsical Words" and "Good Neighbours" stamp sets.

This page was created using some left over items from last year's Simply Scrappin' kit "Crew Kids Girls" and felt flowers, buttons and brads.

This page is of Olivia on Australia Day, using the fabulous "Pink Flamingo" DSP, flowers from the Pretties kit and Regal Rose ribbon. The paper is so colourful and vibrant you really don't have to do much to it to make a great page for your album.

Finally a page for the cousins, Tegan, Catherine, Annabelle and Olivia. I still have plenty of photos with Charlotte too, but these ones have been itching to be scrapped for a while now, and what better time to do it than away on a craft retreat! I used "Washington Apple" DSP because it is so bright and cheerful.

busy busy busy

At retreat I made a cute little 6" scrap book using the Sweet Slumber Specialty paper, something I have been meaning to use for ages, and the cute photos of Olivia at Easter 2008. I used the Polka Dot Punches stamp set teamed with Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, So Saffron and Baja Breeze inks and card stock, and embellished with felt flowers and rhinestone brads and a little bit of chocolate chip taffeta ribbon. The cover decoration is made from Baja Breeze double-stitched grosgrain ribbon and twill tape.

retreat "shoe box" projects

Here are the projects that were created for us to make this weekend. I lost my daisies, sorry Ana, I don't know where they went! But these were the ones she showed us how to make, from Kaisercraft. I designed the Life card, Danielle created the thankyou card and Justine made the happy birthday card. Rachelle created the pretty cake box. Thanks everyone, it was good to make something that someone else had put the brain power into!

retreat photos

Coolangatta craft retreat

With so much anticipation building up to our trip away at the Gold Coast, it was great to finally get here this weekend! The Sea Sound Apartment is a lovely big airy place, and the perfect set-up for nine paper-crafters getting away from it all. Marjorie, Rachelle and myself got there first, and I made about twelve trips up and down the stairs to the first floor apartment with practically ALL my craft room, it was just like going to the gym for a workout! The we re-arranged the tables slightly (fortunately they didn't see me put the sticker on a chair for one lucky winner). I put out a hand-decorated diary for everyone that was coming, along with a Loyalty Card for any Stampin' Up! purchases in the future, gee I'm so lovely! LOL. It wasn't long before the others started arriving.
Marie and Danielle brought their gorgeous baby girls with them, but for some reason I didn't get any piccies of Kayla, maybe because she was such a well-behaved baby I forgot she was there! Nikaya was a good girl too though, and you can see she enjoyed herself with the tools on hand. Unfortunately Jenny couldn't make it down with us, and we missed her! Maybe next time? There will definitely be a next time, as we all got so much done, either scrapbooking or card making.
On Friday night some of us got a takeaway curry which was really nice, the shops and restaurants are so close by so it's really easy to take a break for a while and have a wander. Saturday morning I went out for a walk on the beach, and took in the sights up on Point Danger headland. In the middle of the morning I tested the girls' memories with a fun game, there were items laid out on the table which they had to study and then try and remember all of them. Liz gave us this challenge at our Paper Angels meeting last month. (Justine came third winning some card magazines, Marjorie came second and won the Patterns Pack II DSP hostess pack, and Meegan won a stamp set for first prize, "Sweet Little Sentiments".)
We crafted non-stop and then late morning I ran a workshop to make little exploding gift boxes. We made sure we stopped for lunch that we shared together, thanks everyone for bringing all the little extras even though you put your ten dollars in for groceries! Those that had the time brought "shoe box" projects for us all to make throughout the weekend, I will photograph those for another blog soon. I set a quiz in the afternoon, ten questions about the Stampin' Up! catalogue and products, again with three prizes to be won. Meegan won some scrapbooking magazines, and we had a tie-breaker for first prize. Marjorie was just pipped at the post by Justine, so she won the roll of Chocolate Chip double-stitched ribbon and Justine won a stamp set, "Oh, So Lovely". Wow, the same three people won all the prizes! Ana won the lucky chair prize though of a decorated jar with some little goodies in. Everyone enjoyed their various evening meals either at the pizza restaurant or at the Coolangatta SLSC, before doing more projects before bed.
Sunday still felt like a holiday because we were allowed to check out a bit later, so there was ample time to finish things off before getting packed all over again. Meegan went for a dip in the sea, I walked on the beach again, as did Ana I think. A bit of fresh air to inspire even the tiredest of crafters, after a late Saturday night.
Thanks everyone for pitching in with the clear up, and thanks for coming on my first organised retreat. I know you enjoyed it because you told me, but I really hope you'll come again next year as well. (Bagsy the queen bed again though!!)

Thanks Kim for the lovely card you made for Olivia. Kim used the Sweet Treat cups to hold a pretty necklace and the bracelet fitted around the edge perfectly. The jewellery colours matched the Kaleidoscope DSP and Tempting Turquoise card stock beautifully.

Olivia's birthday was a big success, thanks to all her friends who came to Dino's playland for the party. I made these cute little thank you notes for her guests using the Scallop notes in the Summer mini, along with Oval All stamp set and Bella Bleu DSP. They have matching envelopes and are a really easy way of making a stack of cards for any occasion.

Papercraft Expo RNA showgrounds

This weekend I was fortunate enough to be part of the team of Paper Angels Stampin' Up! Demonstrators who had a stand at the Papercraft Expo in Brisbane. Liz, Bec, Ursula, Kate and myself worked hard for two weeks to put it all together, although the bulk of the work was done by Liz who had the stand set up in her family/dining room to see how it would look, and talked tirelessly on the phone to the organisers. (And we won't forget the leg work that Leonie put in, but couldn't make it in the end for family reasons) The stand looked fabulous, with a make and take table at one end, and a tasteful display at the other, surrounded by beautiful creations on the walls. We had show specials (contact me for more details of these, we are offering them to you now that the show is over) and a fantastic door prize of over $300 in products as well as incentives for workshop bookings. It was tiring, and I was only there for two days, so the others must be superhuman. Now I know how quickly an ink pad can be put back together (thanks Bec), and had a lesson in how to make sales seem easy from Kate... Thanks to everyone who came and supported us at our first big commercial show, I really hope to be involved with the next one as it was such good fun. We really do have the most wonderful team Demonstrators, the Creative Memories lady even commented on how much fun we were having and how we all get on so well.

Olivia's birthday

Elisa came over on Saturday night to make some cards with me, and this is the fabulous card she made for Olivia's 4th birthday on Thursday. It is made using Stampin' Up! punches; Wide and medium ovals, 1" and 3/4" circles, Boho Blossoms triple flower, Scallop circle. The greeting is from the "On your birthday" set. Thanks Elisa she will really love it!

craft class

This week at craft class we made two projects, a card with envelope (thanks Leonie for reminding me of this project!) and a vellum box as seen on Splitcoast stampers and slightly amended. I decided to use a monochromatic colour scheme, and each person chose their favourite colour, I loved the Tempting Turquoise it is such a fresh colour. I used my brand new Whimsical Words stamp set (waited sooooo long for this!) and the Oval All set, along with the Retro Remix wheel. Thanks to everyone who came, see you on the 16th February. If you would like to come, please let me know as bookings are essential.