Technique Class

Good morning!   What a great weekend I had with lots of women over for Technique Class on Saturday and Sunday.  They worked their butts off, getting 10 different cards made with 10 techniques.  Well done to you all - hope you weren't too exhausted at the end.   I'm still buzzing over it!   I'd like to thank Cherie, who bought the most wonderful cake over, even though she had just moved house this weekend!   To Helen & Kim, who stayed on to help sort out some of the mess at the end of class, Thanks also!   I'd also like to thank my Mum, without whom I wouldn't be where I am today...  LOL (Does this sound a little like the Oscars?...)  Anyway, I thought I would give you a little look at one or two of the cards we made.  

The first one is Faux Tiling, which Trish Griffin demonstrated at our Stampin' Up! Training in New Plymouth at the start of this month.  Thanks for that Trish!  Really was pleased with this card - LOVE Stem Silhouettes (last day TODAY to purchase this set - EVER).  Recipe : Stamp Sets : Paisley Background, Stem Silhouettes.  Cardstock : Always Artichoke, Elegant Eggplant, Very Vanilla.  Inks : Elegant Eggplant, Always Artichoke.  Accessories : Very Vailla Ribbon, Scorer, Clear EP.

This second card is Acetate & Tissue, and was probably the one that received the most "WOW's".  A fun, messy technique to do, I think it gives a really cool look to the card.  Thanks to my sister & upline, Sharlene, for first teaching me this technique when we did our very first class back in May last year!          Recipe : Stamp Sets : Lovely As A Tree, All Year Cheer I.  Cardstock : Really Rust, Old Olive, Basic Black.  Inks : Really Rust, Stazon Black, Versamark.  Accessories : Acetate, Tissue, PVA Glue, Re-inkers (More Mustard, Old Olive & Certainly Celery), Black EP.

After a wonderful 2 days, then a great night at Trudi's place last night with a Jewellery Party, I was looking forward to coming home and relaxing while watching GREY'S ANATOMY. No.  Apparently  my DH (who I have to add was just AMAZING all weekend looking after children, and running them around to cricket, picking up more EP from my sister when I ran out yesterday, AND making the coffee)... forgot to video Grey's until 9pm.  "Do you want to watch it now?   I only missed half an hour."  Gee, half an hour.  I resisted the desperate urge to reply "if you missed the first half of the rugby, wouldn't it be better just to see some of it, rather than none of it"?    Needless to say, I didn't watch half of my very very favourite show that I look forward to all week - I text Trudi, and she had taped it, so will borrow it from her.  Thanks Trudi!  Shame.  Poor DH felt a little stink. 

Hope you all have a fantastic Monday!   Michelle

 

Technique Class this weekend

Good evening!!  What a gorgeous day we've had - the weather is just beautiful.  Summer is just lingering a little.  YAY!  Just a reminder to everyone about the Technique Class this weekend - There are two classes - one on Saturday, which has TWO spaces only available if you phone me by tomorrow at the latest, and one on Sunday, which is fully booked.   If you are booked in and have not yet paid, or made arrangements to pay, then I'd really appreciate you forwarding payment asap, as I have a waiting list for the Sunday class - contact me if you wish to direct credit payment into my bank a/c.   Class starts at 1pm sharp, and we'll be going flat out to complete our ten cards - all with different techniques, so make sure you are ready to go!  It's going to be great.

Thought I'd share with you a card that I made a while back at $2 cards using Stem Silhouettes, that I am doing at a workshop tonight.  I'm really going to miss this set the most I think.  It is NOT going into the new catalogue, and I really love it.  If you want to get a set, then make sure you get your order in by Monday 31st March so you don't miss out.

RECIPE : Stamp Sets : Stem Silhouettes, French Script (Both retiring 31st March), Cardstock : Real Red, Sahara Sand, Whisper White.  Inks : Close to Cocoa, Basic Black, Real Red.  Accessories : Double Rectangle punch

Enjoy your evening.

Michelle

YOU MAKE MY DAY AWARD!

Oh my goodness - It really DOES make your day!  Thanks so much to Trudi who has nominated me  (back on 15th March I might add.. whoops!) for this award.  Trudi - you make so many people's day by your kindness and lovely comments, that you are the ultimate "day maker"!  Have a wonderful day, and I'll see you this afternoon.

Here's how this works : 
1) Write a post with links to 5 blogs you find of interest and that inspire you.
2) Acknowledge the post of the award giver.
3) Display the logo 'You make my day'
4) Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs with the news

This is a tough one - ONLY 5 blogs that I'm inspired by.   Hmmm, OK, here's a start anyway.

1. Joan 

2. Lisa Johnson

3. Angela Corbett **

4. Latisha 

5. Rochelle Wick 

 

** (Angela is brand new to blogging & Stampin' Up! Demonstrating, so stop by and leave her a comment to make HER day, just like she makes mine!  If you are in the South Auckland area, make sure you leave your details for Angela, so you can check out her wonderful classes that will be coming up real soon)

A great award, thanks so much Trudi!

Have a great rainy day - the farmers will be pleased, and my boys are all going to the movies, so how great!

Michelle

Credit Card Payments...

Good morning everyone!   Hope you have all had a fabulous Easter break - we sure have.  Busy, but great!  I'm just letting you all know that I can now accept Credit Card payments from you.  I'm happy to accept credit cards for all orders over $100.00 without passing on any credit card fees.   

Here's one of the projects we made at the Easter Class last week.  It's called a Fry Box, and is made from a 7 1/2" circle.  Very easy, and cute to fill with little eggs.  If you would like the template for this, please leave me a message here, or email me said@xtra.co.nz and I'll email it to you.  I used the Bunny Hugs stamp set from the mini catalogue for this project, which is finishing on 31st March.    I am having a little clean out of my stamp sets that will be retiring, and there will be a table at $2 cards on 1st April selling off some of my sets than I can bear to part with!    There is still space available if you wish to come along to $2 cards on 1st April.   I will have a copy of the new catalogue there - have I told you how fabulous it is??  I'm struggling to decide which sets to get first - AND THE PUNCHES!!!  Awesome!   If you were one of the people wondering whether the Round Tab Punch was going to be continuing in the new catalogue (we made our little handbags from this punch at $2 cards in February) then it's all good news!  This punch is going to be available from the new catalogue for $35.95, along with a fantastic NEW round scallop punch, also for $35.95.   WOW - I just can't wait to get my hands on these punches.  Look out for these in my upcoming classes later in April.

RECIPE : Stamp Set - Bunny Hugs.  Cardstock - So Saffron, Chocolate Chip.  Inks - Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Versamark.  Accessories - Wide Grosgrain Ribbon (Certainly Celery), Gold Embossing Powder, Cellophane Bags, Gold Cord.

 

Stem Silhouettes Z Fold

RECIPE : Stamp sets : Stem Silhouettes, Perennial Favourites. Cardstock : Green Galore, Garden Green, Whisper White. Inks : Basic Black, Green Galore, Garden Green, Versamark. Accessories : Notched Corner Punch, 1 3/8" & 1 1/4" Circle Punches, scorer.

Have a great day!

michelle

My wonderful class!

Hello everyone - back to blogging - YAY!!  I really miss it when I'm super busy.  I had my Inglewood High School class last night, and the ladies are just SOOOO lovely!   Even if I did forget to cut one piece of cardstock!!  Thanks ladies, you are so gracious, and Kim, I really appreciate you doing a sprint back home to save my bacon and bring me back a piece of the missing cardstock!   Thanks so much - that's dedication for you huh??    I was just trying to take a picture of the Z Fold card we made last night, when my camera battery went flat.  Hmm.  Will have to post the picture later.  I used Stem Silhouettes, which is disappearing at the end of this month.  I love this set, and thought it may go into the new catalogue, but alas, it hasn't, so I'm making the most of it now. 

SPECIAL OFFER FOR YOU...

As some of you know, I've had a fantastic year with Stampin' Up!, and have been honoured to make it into the top 3 demonstrators for New Zealand for the past 3 months.  This has just blown me away, and I have been trying each month to keep up there so I will receive the award at convention in Australia next month.  This is the last 10 days for me to keep going with my sales, so I'd like to offer something special for everyone who makes an order with me from now until the end of this month - and hopefully helps to keep me in the Top 3 Demonstrators.  This is how it's going to work :

If you spend $75.00, then you can choose a classic ink pad for free.  If you spend $125.00, then you can choose two classic  ink pads of your choice.  Spend $200.00, and you can choose either three free classic ink pads, or one of the six remaining Sale-A-Bration sets I have left.    So check now what you need to stock up on and give me a call or email.  This offer is available until 12 noon on Monday 31st March.   My goal is to do $1000 in the next ten days in sales - $100 per day, and every little bit helps.  This offer applies to individual orders, OR as a part of a workshop order!  Once again - THANKS to all of you who have made this year so enjoyable and successful - I wouldn't be in this position if it weren't for you  8-))

Have a fantastic Easter

Michelle

 

New Catalogues have arrived!!

Oh my goodness - this has been THE most eventful day!  First courier arrived at 6.30am, but this wasn't my catalogues.  Next courier arrived at 8.00am, With SIX boxes of Stampin' Up! products & catalogues.  WOW - I went into my very sleepy husband jumping around and yelling "my catalogues are here, my catalogues are here", while he went - "Is that exciting??"   DUH!!!!      Then, while I was rushing to get children out the door to school so I could sit down in peace and read my new catalogue, eldest son comes in and tells me that our freezer that was full of meat has defrosted and is running across the garage floor. Hmmmm.  So after cleaning up that mess, and trying to sort this all out with the insurance company,  I didn't get around to even opening my catalogue until 9.45am.  BOY!   It is so very cool!!   If you want to secure your copy, you will need to hurry, as I've only got 20 catalogues for sale, and it will be a couple more weeks until I have more.   

Enjoy your day!

Michelle

I DID stamp today...

As I started to look around my incredibly tidy office (NOT) I found a card that I in fact did make today.  It's a friend's son's birthday tomorrow, and I really wanted to drop a card into their letterbox (because I didn't have it made in time for the mail today..), so this is what I made.     Now, before you all start getting excited about the stamp set - IT'S NOT IN OUR CATALOGUE.  YET!    I bought this a few years back from a USA demo while I was visiting, and I really love the set.  It's so great for boys or men, and very cool to colour in.  It is called "Classic Pickups" - no, not pick up lines, pick up trucks!  Jett - I hope you like it, and have a fabulous day tomorrow!  I'll call by later for my piece of cake....

I just found a lovely surprise - two a little box of Lindt chocolates - my favourite chocolate ever!   I bought them today, and hid them quickly before the children or husband could see them, and thought they would be perfect to bring out one night for a treat.  Well, one of the boxes fell down from the secret hiding place just now, so of course I had to open them to check they were all ok, and, well, they weren't!   So, I had to eat one or tw  one, just to make sure they would last another day until I could share them with my DH.  They had been quite warm where they were, so were lovely and soft, and almost melted.  YUM!! 

Speaking of chocolate - my Easter class is on this Wednesday, and is full, so you ladies who are registered - come along and have some fun - I've got the coolest idea from another very talented lady - Helen McEwen!   Thanks so much Helen for your inspiration - it's the coolest thing!  I might (with your permission of course) post it after our class on Wednesday.  Have fun everyone, and don't eat too much chocolate.  Ha!   And, Angela - get off Splitcoast and go to bed!     Two posts in one day - that's almost a record for me!

Goodnight

A very talented lady...

Hello to you all!   Yes, don't tell me.  I can see by the Stat Counter that you have all been checking my blog, and I'm sure going "Oh, she STILL hasn't posted anything new"!!  SORRY!   Had a very exciting and busy week.  I went up to Waiuku (that's near Auckland, not Wellington, like I first thought...) to support my fabulous new demonstrator who is taking Waiuku by storm with her talent & charm.  Hi Angela - YOU ROCK!!   So, seeing as I haven't had time to do stamping here myself, I've cheated - but you will all be so impressed, like I was.  Colleen Fawkner has a very special talent with card making and scrapbooking, and has so kindly showed me some of her cards, which just blew me away.  Colleen was kind enough to agree to me posting a couple of them on my blog - because you all deserve to see these - they are just so cool!  The first one was Colleen's Christmas Card, and is my absolute favourite.   Thanks so much Colleen - you are very kind, and just so darn clever!  These cards use "It's All In The Family" stamp set, which will be in the new catalogue, so if you love it as much as I now do, then save up - 'cos it's only 13 1/2 more sleeps to go until we will see the new catalogue!  (Yes, by the time I get to bed tonight, it will only count as 1/2 a sleep I'm sure. LOL)  I'll be emailing out my class list for April in the next day, so keep an eye out for that.  

Have a great night - I'll keep going through my emails, and orders so I'm sorted for tomorrow.

Goodnight, Michelle

I'm back!!

Hi there, and I'm sorry I've taken so long to post again - especially to those ladies from the Dazzling Diamonds Class on Monday.  Here's the card I've made, for the glitter window.  As usual, the pic doesn't really do the card justice, as the diamonds really sparkle through the window.  Please let me know via email, or a message on this post, if you would like me to send you this card, along with instructions.  Thanks for your patience - it's been another craaaaazy week.  Looking forward to a lovely long weekend, and some serious relaxing.

Enjoy your weekends.   Michelle

IMPORTANT - PLEASE NOTE : IF I DO NOT REPLY TO AN EMAIL YOU SEND ME, THAT WILL MEAN THAT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED IT.  MY LOVELY ISP IS MESSING WITH MY HEAD, AND I FIND OUT ABOUT LOTS OF EMAILS THAT I NEVER SEE.  NOT GOOD.  HOPEFULLY SORTED SOON, AS I'M JUST GOING ABOUT OPENING AN ACCOUNT WITH ANOTHER ISP TO TRY AND GET AROUND THIS.

How'd I do this circle??

Good evening - well, another episode of Grey's Anatomy is over, and my television time for the week gone!  I'm supposed to be finishing off preparing for tomorrow night's Dazzling Diamonds Class (and I'm well on the way...), but just found the coolest way to make a big circle, and just had to make a card with it.  This is one of the cards we will be making at $2 cards on Friday night, so make sure you come along to find out how to do it... mean huh??

Recipe : Stamp Sets - Bud Basics, Everyday Flexible Phrases.  Cardstock - Certainly Celery, Ballet  Blue, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla.  Ink - Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, White Craft, Versamark.  Accessories - Gold Embossing Powder, Wide Certainly Celery Grosgrain Ribbon, blender pens & ink from lids of inkpads for colouring.

Have a great night!

Michelle

My Swap - Touch of Nature

Hello everyone!  Well, I did finish my swaps in time for today's training session, and was really pleased with the card.  Forgot to load it last night though after finishing late, so better late than never huh?  I stamped the butterfly from Touch of Nature, and coloured it, then put vellum paper over the top, wrapping it over the top and bottom of the old olive card to secure it.  Then I stamped the words with Black Stazon onto the vellum. 

Recipe : Stamp Sets : Touch of Nature, Natural Beauty, Merci (sale-a-bration), Leaves A La Carte wheel.  Cardstock : Chocolate chip, Ruby Red, Old Olive, Confetti Cream, Vellum Paper.  Inks : Ruby Red, Old Olive, Black Stazon.  Accessories : Small & Large oval punches, Markers.

QUIZ : Do you see what my latest Stampin' Up! purchase is that I've used on this card??  Leave me a comment on this blog (or email me if you are one of the people who can't leave a comment) and I'll send you a copy of this card for yourself, along with a little treat as well to the first three people who correctly guess!

Hope it's raining where you are - we all need some rain, and it's just so lovely to put on a pair of jeans and pretend it's winter again, so i can spend tonight stamping & playing with all the amazing ideas I got today from all those talented other demos!

Enjoy your evening!

Michelle

Watch out for my March Specials and a great invitation coming out to your inbox this weekend!   If you don't receive my email updates (or if you just don't get this one, 'cos my email has been a little selective about who it delivers to), then leave me a message, and I'll make sure you don't miss out on the fun!