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

Another Monster High birthday

My darling Miss B turned 7 on Good Friday. She didn't have a birthday party this year but still managed to sneak 2 friends in for a sleepover. As with Miss N's 9th birthday, B wanted a Monster High theme. 
I made her a card in a box style card

She crafted with her friends (Hema Beads and Loom Bands, inverted fishtail). Monster High Hema Beads pattern found here.

A quick and simple birthday cake, everything Monster High themed.

I used my sample of the crafting for the cake topper. Along with some buttercream icing, black fondant and chocolate buds, the cake was very simple but B loved it still.


Stampin' Up! materials used (card in a box):
Stamps: Gorgeous grunge, petite pairs
Inkpads: Basic black, tempting turquoise, melon mambo
Cardstock: Basic black, tempting turquoise, melon mambo, whisper white
Accessories: Big shot, white bakers twine, window sheets, typeset alphabet, 
Other: Sizzix - medium balloons and confetti, digital Monster High logo/skull, digital Monster High themed paper

Stampin' Up! materials used (loom band bracelet/charm):
Punches: 1/2" circle
Accessories: Big shot (for flattening the soda pop tops)
Other: Soda pop tops (retired)

Christmas card photo

Every year I send out Christmas cards with a photo of my 4 cherubs along with a blurb update of our family. This year being injured and time poor, I had the kids and hubby write their names on my iPad using Adobe Ideas and edit them together to put at the end of the family update.

This is the 2013 photo, J is 10, N is 9, D is 8 and B is 6.5


The "signatures" for each card (this was a time saver in the end also as I pasted all the family update into each card instead of writing Merry Christmas etc.


Also, using Adobe Ideas, the kids each drew a picture. Originally, they were going to hand it out at school with candy canes to their classmates but opted to just give out candy canes in the end.


I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve this evening. We are celebrating with family at our place as hubby is working. See you all in 2014.

Off to...

Yesterday, was a busy morning of goodbyes in my house today with my eldest son going on school camp for the first time and with me off to Stampin' Up!'s annual convention (in Brisbane this year).

I've been posting updates on my Facebook business account so if you want to check out whats new, drop by and have a looksie.

B's now 6!

My baby girl is now 6. She celebrated on Thursday (her birthday) and on Saturday (her birthday party).
Of course I made her a card, all pink and sparkly (her two favourite combinations.)


I have to share some photos from her birthday because they make me smile. Master D's face is priceless while B is opening one of her gifts (she got lots of clothes and Monster High dolls).


Her birthday cake for the afternoon tea with family


One slight mishap from B's birthday was that J climbed the light pole outside our neighbours house and jumped from a significant height and sprained his ankle and chipped the bone slightly at the back of his ankle. Grrr.
Photo of J climbing the same light pole (the first and supposably the only time he was to climb it).


J proud using his crutches


I'll post photos of her invites tomorrow.

Stampin' Up! materials used:
Stamps: French foliage
Inkpads: Melon mambo, basic grey, sahara sand
Cardstock: Melon mambo, basic grey, whisper white
Accessories: Big shot, framelits labels collection
Other: Sizzix shadowbox alphabet dies, sketch block font 

Aunty Didi's birthday

The other week it was my sisters birthday and my crew showed her some love and each made her a card. They used some cards of mine as their starting point and off they went with current and retired product.

Mr 9 based off this card


Miss 8 based off this card


Mr 7 based off this card


Miss 5 begun basing off this card then did her own thing

Australia Day

How did you spend your Australian Day? I spent mine with a quick session of crafting, a BBQ with family and a taking a few photos.

First up, the quick crafting. A couple more thank you cards for my stash. I used the colour coach to find my combination as a starting point, basic grey, pumpkin pie and real red. I couldn't decide which colour to put where in regards to the pumpkin pie and real red so I made two cards only with the colours opposite.

My annual Australia kids photo of the crew. I like both for different reasons...

Pics from 2010 and 2012. Apparently, I didn't blog 2011 pics...

Greater family photo

Stampin' Up! materials used:
Stamps: Pretty petites
Inkpads: Basic grey, pumpkin pie, real red
Cardstock: Basic grey, pumpkin pie, real red
Punches: Petite curly label, curly label, 1" circle
Accessories: First edition designer series paper
Other: Sewing machine and thread 

Guest poster - Nikki

Miss Nikki had to sweetest thought the other day. To make a birthday card for her best friends mum. She made it all herself except for cutting the garden green/wild wasabi/crumb cake cardstock.I think she did a pretty good job, considering she's 8. She mastered the art of the framelits and the big shot easily. 

If you ever thought the big shot was too confusing or hard to use, I give you proof. If my kids can do it, anyone can (even my 5 year old has a go). Don't tell anyone, but often the kids help kit up my class kits for me (they love the extra pocket money)....

Without further ado, here's the card Nikki made.

Because I can, a photo of the proud crafter with her work.

Lego birthday cakes and party games

Finishing up with my creations for Drew's Lego birthday with his birthday cakes (one on his birthday and the other for his party).

The first one was a supposed to  be a Lego head but cream cheese icing is not a good combo with a shaped cake (hence why there isn't a close up picture.)

Cake 2 was a #7 made to look like a Lego board with chocolate Lego bricks.

Some of the Lego themed games we played at Drew's party were:

Duplo block game (before the party, hide 21 blocks, 10 of two different colours and 1 block of another colour and divide everyone into two teams. Winning team is the one to find all their colour blocks and the one other coloured block). Worked out great as we had 11 kids!

Move lego pieces off the plate using a straw (and no hands) onto the table

Draw Lego faces onto plastic plates (we used a Sharpie marker and drew on the backside of the plates before the kids ate)

Throw Lego pieces into a Lego head (did this in groups and had a champions round) - no photos of this one, sorry!

Pass the parcel, Lego style (we passed a large Duplo block around) - again, no photos sorry.

I also made Lego cookies and they were a hit. Almost all gone before a photo was taken.

That just about wraps up Drewie's party. He had a ball and I for one, enjoyed it, but am glad my kids birthdays are over for the year :)

Lego birthday party recap

Invitations
Lolly bags
Birthday card 

MMM #33 to come

Today's MMM is still coming. I've been at the doctor's twice today with two different kids and am currently caring for this little munchkin...

Nikki's 8th birthday

Apologises for the blogging break. We are currently in the middle of the kids October birthdays (one down and one to go) and have a houseful of sickies. A bunch of the family either have chicken pox (for the second time) or a highly infectious virus. With kids home from school (and myself not well either), it certainly has limited crafting time.

Miss Nikki turned 8 this week and to celebrate she took some "cake slices" to school for lolly bags. 

She was thrilled with her gifts (and card) which included an iPod dock, clothes, money and so much more.

I used a lot of retired product to make the cake slices but the hero of the day is the petal cone die.