Today I have a double page layout, using one of the Simply Scrappin’ Kits from the new catalogue.  The colours are lovely and bright and cheerful, just right for photos from Jamie’s first day at pre-school.  The actual layout I have used is similar to the one which is on the cover of this particular kit, but as always, I have changed it around and this time made a double page layout.  These kits make it so easy to make gorgeous scrapbook pages, not only do they include sheets of 12 x 12 textured cardsock and patterned papers, but also stickers for borders, embellishments and journaling blocks.  And of course they can be used for making cards as well. If you are interested in purchasing this kit, or having a look at some of the other kits available in this range, please contact me dotdotstamping@myacn.net.au

Stamp Set: Short Order Alphabet.

Inks: Whisper White Craft Ink.

Cardstock: All from Simply Scrappin’ Kit Hoppy Memories – Colours are Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red.

Accessories: Chocolate Chip marker. All stickers and embellishment from Simply Scrappin’ Kit Hoppy Memories.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

I am really thrilled to let you all know that I have received an award for my blog from the lovely Leah from Stampin’ With Leah.  She has passed on the Kreative Blogger award to me, and I feel very undeserving but grateful.  There are so many blogs out there and so many unbelievably creative people, so thank you again Leah.  I will post again in the next couple of days to let you know who I will be passing this award on to.  In the meantime, check out Leah‘s blog, and enjoy getting your fingers inky 🙂

Chris

…to all of you who visit my blog on a regular basis (all two of you 🙂 ) but I am back on board.  Things have just been so busy with Christmas and Jamie’s 3rd birthday as well as unpacking boxes and organising the new house, and getting stuck into the rather unloved garden.

But now that the silly season is over I can start to concentrate on other things again, which includes stamping, craft and… yes, my blog!!

I thought I would just share a couple of photos from one of the stamp-a-stacks I held here in December.  Everyone had heaps of fun and we came up with some incredible variations on the original cards that I had prepared.  But that is one of the things I really love about being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator, is seeing the designs that other people come up with.  So thanks Tammy, Naomi, Helen and Judi for a good night!!

Just a quick one today to let you all know that we arrived safe and sound in our new home, a few sore muscles, but nothing broken 🙂  I should be back to doing some stamping in the next few days, but until then, here is a photo of our house.

I have been a little slack with my posts recently so I thought I would make up for it with some photos that were taken today whilst visiting the Tulips Tops Garden.  This is an amazing place to visit, it is only a few kilometers outside Canberra on the Federal Highway but is only open for a few weeks each year while the tulips are flowering.  However, if you live in the Canberra area it is definitely worth going to.  Doug had the day off work today so we had a lovely family day out.  Jamie had a ball because he could run to his little heart’s content, plus he just loves flowers, as you will see in the photos.  Hopefully I will get the chance to post some cards later today, but in the meantime enjoy the beautiful flowers.

Wow, what a fantastic weekend!!  On Saturday I took the opportunity to go to my first Stampin’ Up! seminar and I had such a great time.  There was just so much information, new techniques and ideas, new inspiration, new business ideas, and to top all of that off we got a new stamp set (which hasn’t been released yet), did four different make and take projects which were just fantastic, met lots of new stampers and got lots of swaps 🙂

This was the swap I made, I wasn’t all that pleased with it, but I really wanted to use some of the beautiful Designer Papers and tried to do something a little different with them.

Stamps: Itty Bitty Backgrounds, One of a Kind

Cardstock: Soft Sky, Blue Bayou, Ruby Red, Very Vanilla

Designer Series Paper: Fall Flowers, Spring Break

Inks: Soft Sky, Blue Bayou

Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, White Gel Pen

Artwork by Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990–2008 Stampin’ Up!

One of the many things I really enjoyed about the seminar was the opportunity to meet some of the amazingly talented demonstrators who live in the region, and whose blogs I visit on a regular basis.  One of these people was Jayne Mercer, and today’s card is based on one that she has on her blog. I had not thought of combining these colours and was trying to work out what to do with Taken with Teal as it is a beautiful colour just not one that I have used very much.  I have used a similar design but different stamp sets to the one Jayne uses.  It is a nice simple layout, and quite an easy card to make, which is just as well as I think the rest of the day will need to be a recovery day from the weekend 🙂

 Stamp Sets: Season of Joy, Garden Whimsy

Cardstock: Taken with Teal, Chocolate Chip, Confetti White

Inks: Taken with Teal, Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turquoise

Accessories: Dimensionals

Images copyright 1990–2008 Stampin’ Up!