Just popping in today to wish all of you a wonderful Christmas. I will be taking a bit of a break from all things stamping and blogging for a few days at least, so I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year as well.
And just to get you all in the Christmas spirit, here is a cute Christmas decoration I made using all Stampin’ Up! products. The idea for this came from the wonderfully creative Carol Dunstan, and they are really quite easy to make.
I am back after some “non-blogging” time, life has caught up with me over the past few weeks and unfortunately my blog has been the first thing to suffer!
As many of you know, my lovely Mum has been unwell for quite some time. She recently spent three weeks in hospital, and was then transferred to a lovely nursing home, where she is being well looked after, for four weeks of respite care. Things are certainly a lot easier for the rest of the family now that she is settled somewhere comfortable.
Stamping has continued though! 🙂 Stamping, cardmaking and scrapbooking are such a relaxing “therapy” for me, and is the time when I can sit quietly and digest and “work through” the difficult times, as well as the good ones. So I do have quite a lot that I have been making but haven’t shared with you.
Today’s card is another Christmas card, although one a little different, in that it uses mostly non-Stampin’ Up! stuff. I have a massive stash of ribbon which I want to start using, and this one is just a gorgeous colour and matches one of last years In Colours, Purely Pomegranate. The card also uses this week’s sketch from Our Creative Corner.
Stamp Sets: None!!
Cardstock: Whisper White, Purely Pomegranate (retired), Certainly Celery
Accessories: Christmas Tree embossing Folder, Big Shot, Ribbon and clear flat back Rhinestones from my own stash.
I hope the lead up to Christmas is not too stressful for all of you, and that you have time to enjoy some Stampin’!
Chris
Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes
Stampin’ Up! have announced today their first ever Australian Inventory Sale. Some stamp sets are 50% off. The sale starts on 15th December (tomorrow) and runs until the 24th January but only while stocks last. Don’t miss out. You can check out the stamps, papers, glitter and much more that are on sale here.
Contact me today to order yours before they run out!
Today I am going to share with you the swap I made for the Stampin’ Up! Canberra Region Training, which uses my two favourite stamp sets from the Summer Mini Catalogue, Razzle Dazzle, and Butterfly Prints. I have combined them in another flower pot card. It may be difficult to see in the photo, but around the edge of the Whisper White layer of cardstock, I have done two scored lines which cross over in the corners. I really like this technique, which creates some added texture and interest with very little effort!
Stamp Sets: Razzle Dazzle, Butterfly Prints, Weathered.
Cardstock: Whisper White, Always Artichoke, Almost Amethyst, Close to Cocoa, Apricot Appeal.
Inks: Always Artichoke, Almost Amethyst, Apricot Appeal, Sage Shadow, Close to Cocoa.
Accessories: Butterfly Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Markers, Scoring Tool.
Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes
Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!
A very quick post today, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of you for your lovely and generous comments on my Blog Hop projects. I enjoyed making them and have enjoyed sharing them with you. And I’ll be back real soon with some other projects using some of the new products from the Summer Mini Catalogue.
Thanks for stopping by.
Chris
Welcome to the very first ESAD blog hop!
ESAD (which is short from Extremely Special Aussie Demonstrators) is a yahoo group which connects some 300 Stampin’ Up! demonstrators from around Australia and New Zealand. So if you are a demonstrator and are not part of this group, feel free to click here to join.
And now on to my projects today. I have chosen to highlight one of the gorgeous new ribbons in the Summer Mini Catalogue, the Real Red Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, which is here just in time for Christmas. So I thought it only appropriate that I make a Christmas Card with a difference and show you another way of using some of that yummy ribbon that we all have a stash of! 🙂 I have simply put a layer of ribbon behind the open areas of the Fresh Cut Note front so that the ribbon shows through. But of course you could use the same technique with a punched out shape.
Stamp Sets: Season of Joy, Occasional Greetings.
Inks: Real Red, Versamark.
Cardstock: Real Red, Whisper White, Fresh Cut Notes.
Accessories: Real Red Polka Dot Ribbon (2009/10 Summer Mini Catalogue), Silver Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Large Oval Punch, Circle Fire Rhinestone Brads.
Next is a gift bag to match the card, which also features the Polka Dot ribbon, and I have used the new Circle Scissors to cut out the circles for the front and back. These Circle Scissors make cutting out circles a breeze, and is just so easy to use.
Cardstock: Real Red, I Wish Simply Scrappin’ Kit.
Accessories: Real Red Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Circle Scissors, Crop-a-dile, Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelets.
Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes
Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!
These two items, (along with some Stampin’ Up! goodies) will be up for grabs as the Door Prize at my Mini Catalogue launch on Tuesday 8th December at 7.30pm. So if you live in the Canberra area and would like to come along and have a look at more of the products available in the new mini catalogue, just send me an email or give me a call. Places are limited though, so get in quickly to register. Cost is just $5 and includes some “make and takes”.
Well, that’s all from me for the time being, but your next stop on your blog hop is with the very talented Christie Wallace from Christie’s Creative Corner. And make sure you leave a comment for Christie, and all of us, to be in the running to win some Blog Candy! But yes, you need to leave a comment on each of the blogs to be in the running to win. And when you have left a comment on each of the 30 blogs taking part, will need to email our blog hop co-ordinator Leonie, to let her know that you have qualified for the blog candy, by midnight on Wed 2nd December. leonie@stamp-a-latte.com Names will be drawn at random.
Have fun, and come back soon.
Chris
Dot Dot Stamping Designs 