Petal Party

Posted in Cards, Petal Party by

If you weren’t there, then you really missed out on a good afternoon on Saturday.  We made 16 (yes, that does say sixteen) cards in the afternoon, all using the Petal Party Simply Scrappin’ Kit.  We had lots of fun and had heaps left over from the kit to take home for more card making or scrapbook pages, or whatever takes your fancy really 🙂  I just love these kits, everything goes together beautifully, the cardstock, Designer Series Papers and gorgeous Die Cut Stickers, to make beautiful cards or scrapbook pages.

I won’t show you all 16 of the cards we made, just a couple.  But if you did missed out, make sure you have a look at my Upcoming Events page or give me a call or email to make sure you don’t miss out on any more of the classes that are coming up.

Card 1:

Stamp Set: Fresh Cuts

Cardstock: So Saffron, Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: DSP and Stickers from the Petal Party Simply Scrappin’ Kit, Large Oval Punch, Scallop Oval Punch.

How easy is that!

Card 2:

Stamp Set: Occasional Greetings

Cardstock: Old Olive and So Saffron

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: DSP and Stickers from the Petal Party Simply Scrappin Kit.

(Sorry, the photo came out a little crooked!)

Both cards are Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

and Images copyright 1990 – 2009 Stampin’ Up!

Once again I find myself apologising for the being MIA for so long, but I have had quite a lot going on.  I recently found out the my Mum has had a return of the cancer that she had removed around 4 years ago only it has spread into other areas of her body.  She has decided not to have treatment for it, mainly because she saw how sick treatment made my Dad before he passed away.  So we are busy doing all those things that we try not to think too much about at other times, like updating wills etc and making sure everything is in order.  It is a difficult time for her (and the whole family) as she lives on her own, and we don’t know how long it will be before she gets too ill and weak to be on her own.

On a more positive note, lots of stamping and workshops have been on the go, which is giving me some good things to focus on as well. And as always, my Mum is very supportive of my stamping business and would want me to continue through thick and thin.

But I do have lots of cards etc to share with you so I will try to get back real soon and post some more.

In the mean time, happy stamping!

Chris

Fun Flowers

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I know my blog posts have been few and far between recently, but with the weather starting to warm up ever so slightly here in Canberra, and the sun out a little longer each day, it has been just too hard to resist being out in the sunshine and doing some gardening.  However, I have still been spending quite a lot of time in my craft room and getting a lot of stamping done, so I do have some cards and ideas to share with you.  But one at a time 🙂

The Fun Flowers Stamp is one of the recently released individual stamps in the Spring Mini Catalogue.   I haven’t used it much so far, however here is a card I made a few weeks ago for a colour challenge.  The challenge was to use the colours So Saffron, Whisper White and Basic Grey.  It is a probably a little difficult to see in the photo, but I have embossed the Fun Flowers image with white embossing powder onto the patterned paper.

Stamp Sets: Oval All, Fun Flowers individual stamp

Cardstock: Whisper White, So Saffron, Basic Grey, Walk in the Park DSP.

Ink: Basic Grey, Versamark.

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop Square Punch, White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Paper Snips, Rich Regal Brads, Paper Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, White Gel Pen.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990 – 2009 Stampin’ Up!

I will try to be back in the next couple of days with some more for you, that’s if the sun doesn’t lure me back out of doors 🙂

Chris

Sense of Time Scrapbook Page

Posted in Bella's Border, Scrap Pages, Sense of Time by

This scrapbook page started out as a CASE (or exact copy) of the 6 x 6 inch layout which is on Page 16 of the Spring Mini Catalogue.  I prepared this layout as one of the “Make and Takes” at Saturday’s Mini Catalogue launch, since I think it is a layout that can be used for all sorts of photos.  I then showed how it could be turned into a 12 x 12 layout, just by centering it onto the cardstock, and then adding a few finishing touches.  So here is the finished 12 x 12 page.

Stamp Sets: Sense of Time (Spring Mini Catalogue), Bella’s Border Stampin’ Around Wheel.

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip 12 x 12 Textured, Always Artichoke Textured, Confetti White, Mellow Moss, Chocolate Chip Patterns DSP.

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White Craft.

Accessories: Flower Fusion Too, Boho Blossoms Punch, Round Tab Punch, Vintage Brads.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

The page all looks a bit crooked, but I assure you it is just the photo 🙂

I will be back with some more ideas on how to use the gorgeous new stamp sets and accessories from the mini catalogue very soon.

Happy stamping,

Chris

Spring Mini Launch

Posted in Cards, Soft Summer by

Once again, I have to apologise for being a very slack blogger!  I know I promised more photos from the Snow Swirled Christmas event, and I will get to them, I promise 🙂

I have had a very busy week, and had my Spring Mini Launch yesterday afternoon, so I will also share some of the projects we made.  The first one is a card using the beautiful new stamp set called Soft Summer.  This is another of the two step stamps which make it so easy to make gorgeous floral features on cards and scrap pages.  I also made this card up in two different colour combinations so that you can see how easily you can change a few things around and make a totally different look.  I can’t decide which one I like the best, although at the moment I have a slight preference for the yellow one.  Leave me a comment and tell me which is your favourite. 🙂

Stamp Sets: Soft Summer (Spring Mini Catalogue).

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Riding Hood Red, Washington Apple DSP

Inks: So Saffron, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Riding Hood Red.

Accessories: Markers, Paper Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, Sponge Daubers, Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Rich Regals Brads, Flower Fusion.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

Stamp Set: Soft Summer

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Pink Pirouette Patterns DSP.

Inks: Pale Plum, Perfect Plum, Old Olive.

Accessories: Markers, Paper piercing tool and Mat Pack, Sponge Daubers, Flower Fusion Too, Soft Subtles Brads, Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

For some reason, my blog doesn’t seem to like having two photos today, so sorry about the way it has gone a bit wonky, I have tried fixing it but to no avail.  But anyway, you get the idea! 🙂  Happy stamping everyone,

Chris

A Snow Swirled afternoon

Posted in Uncategorized by

Just a very quick post today, particularly to say thanks to all of the lovely ladies who attended the Snow Swirled Christmas Stamp extravaganza, this afternoon.  We had a fabulous afternoon of stamping, fun and frivolity, and I just thought I would share a photo  of what you missed out on if you weren’t there! 🙂  Unfortunately I forgot to take photos earlier, so some people had already left by the time I started clicking away, but Michelle, Carolyn and Trudi were still enjoying themselves.

Michelle, Carolyn & Trudi

 

 

 

 

I will be having a break for a couple of days, but after that I will put up some photos of what we made.  So until then, happy stamping,

Chris

Good Cheer

Posted in Cards, Christmas, Good Cheer by

Another card to have a look at today, using another new stamp set from the Spring Mini Catalogue.  Only a couple more days to wait until you can order these.  Sorry for the very short post, but I have rather a lot on my plate at the moment, with the Snow Swirled Christmas Stamp Extravaganza happening this coming Saturday, and my mini catalogue launch party the following weekend.  Don’t forget to contact me if you would like to come along and see more of the mini catalogue products or if you would like me to send one of the catalogues out to you.

Stamp Set: Good Cheer (available 1st August 2009).

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Real Red, Glorious Green.

Inks: Real Red, Glorious Green, Basic Black, Close to Cocoa.

Accessories: Markers, Colour Spritzer Tool, Cutter Kit, Bold Brights Brads, Real Red 1.27cm Striped Grosgrain Ribbon.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

New Designer Series Papers

Posted in Cards, Designer Series Paper, Flower Fusion, On Your Birthday, Rub-ons by

Here is the next in the series of sneak peeks from the Spring Mini Catalogue which is being released this coming Saturday, 1st August 2009.  This card features the gorgeous new DSP called Parisian Breeze, and which I made for Larisa‘s birthday.  I’m sure she won’t mind me sharing it with you all 🙂

The Parisian Breeze Designer Series Paper is another which is printed on textured, cover-weight cardstock, which makes it ideal not just for cardmaking but is also fantastic for scrapbooking.  I will have to try to come up with a scrapbook page using it very soon!

Stamp Set: On your Birthday.

Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Parisian Breeze DSP, Urban Garden DSP.

Ink: Chocolate Chip.

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Sponge Dauber, Paper Piercing tool and Mat Pack, Paper Snips, Chocolate Chip 2.5cm Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon, Laughter and Love Rub ons, Clear Rhinestone Brads, Flower Fusion Too.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

It’s nearly time….

Posted in Designer Series Paper, Great Friend, Rub-ons, Scrap Pages by

for the release of the Spring Mini Catalogue, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you are in for a treat!  There are lots and lots of gorgeous new goodies to be had, heaps of fantastic stamp sets and lots of new accessories, including some new papers.  If you would like one of the mini catalogues, feel free to contact me with your postal details and I will send one out to you.  But remember, you can’t order from it until the 1st August 2009.

However, those of us who are lucky enough to be Stampin’ Up! demonstrators are able to pre-order the products so I have been able to have a play and thought I would give you a bit of a sneak peek.  I have made a few different things and will show you some of them over the next week or so.  But you won’t get to see it all, I will be saving some for my mini catalogue launch party on the 8th August.  Make sure you contact me to book in for that one, it is a good way for you to try out some of the new stamps and accessories before you buy.

So, the first one is a scrap page.  It is a CASE (copy and share exactly) – except this one is not exactly the same (which seems to happen most of the time when I case something)…. anyway, it started out being a CASE of the scrap page on Page 4 of the mini catalogue, and uses some of the new Designer Series Paper and also the new stamp set called “Great Friend”.

The photos are of our beautiful cat Shadow, who passed away nearly 12 months ago, and who we miss heaps!  She was a sweet natured girl, who purred all the time and loved our company as much as we loved hers.  You may recognise her, she has pride of place on the home page of this blog! 🙂  Doing some scrapbooking of the photos of Shadow has been quite difficult and emotional for us all, but therapeutic in a way, and to me, that is exactly what scrapbooking is all about.  It helps us to evaluate and deal with the bad and the good that happens in our every day lives, helping us to put those memories down on paper, rather than hiding them away in the corners of our own minds.

Stamp Set: Great Friend (Available 1st August 2009)

Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Basic Grey, Walk in the Park Designer Series Paper (available 1st August 2009).

Inks: Baja Breeze, Basic Grey.

Accessories: Eyelet Border Punch, Basic Grey Taffeta Ribbon, Laughter and Love Rub ons, Urban West Rub ons (retired), Paper snips, Piercing tool and Mat Pack.

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!

Bella Bleu Card

Posted in Baroque Motifs, Cards, Designer Series Paper, Pocket Silhouette by

The Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper is another which I just adore but have hardly used, so again, I thought it was time I used some instead of admiring it 🙂  I tried to make a card in a vintage style, since I think this paper lends itself particularly well to vintage, and also because I don’t do a lot in this style.  I’m not really sure if I succeeded, but I like the end result anyway.  Hope you do, too.

Sorry this is such a short post, but it has been a busy day (again), but I will be back soon with more cards.

Chris

Stamp Sets: Baroque Motifs, Pocket Silhouettes.

Cardstock: Kraft, Not Quite Navy, Bella Bleu DSP.

Inks: Not Quite Navy

Accessories: Scallop Square Punch, Sponge Dauber, Vintage Brads, Kraft Tafetta Ribbon.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990 – 2009 Stampin’ Up!

Double Layout Scrapbook Page

Posted in Designer Series Paper, Fifth Avenue Floral, Scrap Pages by

Another scrapbook “challenge” from one of the stamping yahoo groups I belong to, this challenge was a double page layout sketch.  And again, I really enjoyed completing this challenge, it fell into place really easily, and I have spent a very relaxing couple of hours today completing it.

The photos are again from our trip to Fiji in 2004.  I like to leave out the journalling when I put my scrapbook pages up here, as I like to keep some things private 🙂 but I do generally go back and add the journalling in at some stage.  However, I often don’t use a lot of journalling on my pages, sometimes just the date and place of the photos, and other times I feel there is a need for more information.  But like all things in scrapbooking, there are no rules, so do what you want to do with your scrapbook pages!

I have been doing quite a lot of stamping in the past few days, so I will post again tomorrow with some cards.  Until then, happy stamping!

Chris

Stamp Set: Fifth Avenue Floral

Cardstock: Bordering Blue Textured, Basic Grey Textured, Whisper White, Urban Oasis Designer Series Paper.

Inks: Kiwi Kiss, So Saffron, Basic Grey marker

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Paper Piercing Tool and Mat Pack, Paper Snips, Blender Pen, Marker.

Artwork copyright Chris Parker-Barnes

Images copyright 1990-2009 Stampin’ Up!