Ros Davidson, Independent Stampin' Up! demonstrator, Melbourne, Australia

Birthday book

Miss social butterfly (Miss N) had a party of a school friend this past weekend and I whipped up a birthday book for the special birthday girl. I couldn't resist going all girly seeing as pink is her favourite colour.

Close up of the glittered initial

The pleated ribbon and dazzling diamonds/crystal effects is so girly and glamorous, don't you think?

Materials list:

Cardstock: Pink pirouette

Accessories: Blushing bride pleated ribbon (autumn/winter mini catalogue), crystal effects, dazzling diamonds, lap of luxury designer series paper (retired)

Other: Chipboard letter

Happy birthday Miss B!

Well, my baby is officially 1 year older now! Yesterday we celebrated her 5th birthday (again). We did a family celebration at the end of the school holidays but yesterday was her actual birthday. I was so tired in the lead up to her birthday that I didn't make her a special birthday card. I pulled a card out of of my pre-made box. As frustrated as I was that I didn't make B a card "just for her", I was thankful I didn't go and buy her a store brought card. (So not me and doesn't seem right if I make cards for a living!)

I did however use some crafting talent to create some lolly boxes for her to hand out at school. Boy was B pleased as a punch to hand them out to everyone. I used the candy wrapper die from the carry over flyer to make each little lolly box. Each box has a freddo frog, a lolly and a balloon with room to spare!

The pile of lolly boxes ready for school

This is the special one I made just for B

With the help of my Thermomix, I made two cakes for her birthday this year (one for each celebration), a toblerone cheesecake (very yummy) and a rainbow buttercake.

Doesn't she look so pleased?

As usual B was spoiled with lots of gifts and has increased her wardrobe and toy stash again :D I'm especially pleased with the wardrobe stash as B is growing like a worm at the moment. Were did my little girl go?

Materials list:

Cardstock: Real red

Punches: 1 1/4" circle

Accessories: Candy wrapper die (carry over flyer), big shot, cherry cobbler bakers twine (carry over flyer), big top birthday designer series paper, crystal effects, timeless type sizzlet dies

Recyled jeans

Miss N had a close friends birthday party this week and I created yet another handmade book for a gift. I took a different turn to my "normal" books this time and made a book using a pair of old jeans that were once spoiled by bleach. I am thrilled how it turned out (as was Miss N) and her friend.

Close up of the fabric flower. I ran each flower piece through the big shot and different textured impressions embossing folders for an added effect.

Materials list:

Cardstock: Lucky limeade

Accessories: Big shot, textured impressions embossing folders - square lattice, houndstooth, perfect polka dots, wisteria wonder bakers twine (autumn/winter mini catalogue)

Other: Old jeans, sizzix leaf die

Easter chocolate

I was struggling what to buy a 13 year old for Easter this year. Is my nephew to old for Easter eggs? Luckily a block of chocolate helped solved the problem. Who doesn't like a block of chocie? I put together this slider box but I think it looks girl-er than not. How does one make Easter boyish with a bunny? Skip the bunny???

Close up of the punch art

The simply scored tool from the autumn/winter mini catalogue made this slider box a breeze to put together.

If you'd like your own simply scored scoring tool, contact me today to place your order. Cost is $55.95 for the tool and the optional metric scoring plate is $21.95.

Linking this post up to the current Just-Add-Ink challenge #111 and to Festive Friday challenge #12*.

*I was inspired to use the retired well scripted stamp set as used on Brooke and Tina's cards.

Materials list:

Stamps: Well scripted (retired), woodgrain

Cardstock: Soft suede, very vanilla, pear pizzazz, pink pirouette, bashful blue, crumb cake

Inkpads: Soft suede, pear pizzazz, pink pirouette, marina mist, sahara sand

Punches: Word window, 2 3/8" scallop circle (clouds), heart to heart, cupcake (circles on bunny feet), scallop oval (clouds), scallop circle (clouds), itty bitty shapes, 1 3/4" circle, wide oval, large oval

Accessories: Simply scored scoring tool, lots of tags, big shot machine, pear pizzazz 1/2" stitched poly ribbon, chocolate chip stampin' write marker

Other: Sizzix grass die

Gift packaging

I recently gave a CD as a gift as I couldn't just wrap it up any old way so I made a slider box.

Side on view

Slider in action

Materials used:

Stamps: Take a spin, calendar alphabet and numbers

Inkpads: Baja breeze, early espresso

Cardstock: Baja breeze, early espresso, whisper white

Punches: Round tab, small oval punch

Accessories: Pocketful of posies designer series paper, baja breeze striped ribbon (retired), brights brads, game spinner hands

Candy wrapper

Are you intrigued by the candy wrapper big shot die in the summer mini catalogue? I was and think it is very cute. I made this one up as a sample and changed the way the ends are closed (compared to the catalogue) because I think it looks more like a lolly/candy (than the other way). What do you think?

Materials used:

Stamps: Perfect punches

Ink: Early espresso

Cardstock: Crumb cake, very vanilla

Punches: Scallop oval, small oval (retired)

Accessories: Mocha morning speciality designer series paper, brads, big shot, candy wrapper die (summer mini catalogue)

Recyling

A while ago, I saw this fabulous idea on somewhere on the www (and can't remember where for the life of me!). Finally, I found the time to make one. Isn't it so cute? It's an amazing little goodie made using an empty embossing powder container.

Side view (it's filled with scallop dots ribbon)

Materials used:

Stamps: Button buddies

Inkpads: Pretty in pink

Cardstock: Whisper white, pretty in pink

Accessories: Scallop dots ribbon - pretty in pink, subtles patterns designer series paper, subtles designer buttons

Other: Empty embossing powder container, google eyes

New from old

With school starting recently (posts about that here and here) I had to make some new library bags. I used an old dress of the girls and recycled it, or up-cycled it to make a new library bag. I also threw in some Stampin' Up! flirtatious fabric and ruffled ribbon into the mix.

Here's what the dress used to look like (have to share a photo of each of the girls as they both wore it and loved it.)

Miss N (with Master J)

Miss B

Materials used:

Accessories: Flirtatious fabric, wisteria wonder ruffled ribbon

Other: Old dress

K is for Kaila

Apologises for the blogging break the past few days. I spent some time in hospital and resting up at home with an ovarian cyst. My girls both attended a birthday party this week for a school friend, Kaila. I made her a cute little notebook (not pictured) and a co-ordinating card. Kaila (and her mum) loved her card and gift. I know my girls would if I gave it to them.

To keep the card simple, I scrap lifted myself from this card. I think the card looks completely different, probably because of the bright colours I used but then again, I am not comparing the two cards side by side.

Close up of the many layers on the card (9 in total)

Simple decoration on the card inside

Materials used:

Stamps: On your birthday, bring on the cake, cottage garden

Inkpads: Basic black

Cardstock: Melon mambo, whisper white, concord crush

Accessories: Big shot, beautiful butterflies bigz die, stampin' write markers - lucky limeade and melon mambo, lucky limeade ruffled ribbon, basic jewels - rhinestones, cheerful treat designer series paper (hostess), presto patterns dsp (retired)

Christmas gift - recurring calendar

For Christmas, I made my sister a recurring calendar to use for many years to come. As my sister declares herself not crafting and isn't interested in scrapbooking I thought this was the perfect way for her to document treasured memories over the coming years.

It was a labour of love hand stamping each and every 366 cards with the month and the date. Nothing a few (or six or so hours) of tv watching couldn't handle!

The idea for this project came from this image found on Pinterest.

Materials used:

Stamps: Calendar alphabet and numbers

Ink: Real red

Designer series paper: Cheerful treat (hostess only DSP)

Accessories: Melon mambo 1/2" scallop dots ribbon