May Deals of the Week

When Stampin' Up! says DEALS they mean DEALS!!!!

During the month of May, Stampin' Up! will offer several discounted products as 'Deals of the Week.' Get up to 40 percent off a selection of incredible products from the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue! No limits and no minimum purchase required. But you will have to get in quick as this promotion is very popular and stock does run out....

Below is a schedule of when the weekly deals will be announced on the Stampin' Up! customer websites:

• Weekly Deals # 1: Sunday, 1 May 2011; 12:01 AM (AET)
• Weekly Deals # 2: Wednesday, 11 May 2011; 12:01 AM (AET)
• Weekly Deals # 3: Wednesday, 18 May 2011; 12:01 AM (AET)
• Weekly Deals # 4: Wednesday, 25 May 2011; 12:01 AM (AET)

But also check back here too for all the information you will need.

This Week's Deals are:

Item Page Description Regular Price Sale Price 121578 37 Tag Alongs Wood-Mount Set $31.95 $19.17 120468 59 More Monkey Accessories Clear-Mount Set $23.95 $14.37 121550 59 More Monkey Accessories Wood-Mount Set $29.95 $17.97 120003 75 Cottage Garden Clear-Mount Set $24.95 $14.97 119163 75 Cottage Garden Wood-Mount Set $32.95 $19.77 121494 98 Compliments to the Chef Wood-Mount Set $35.95 $21.57 WOW what a DEAL!!! Put your order in ASAP so you don't miss out. To make ordering easier for you now, just click on the 'place an order' tab at the top, fill in your details and product number and description, and I will be notified immediately of your order :) How cool is that! Enjoy May and the Deals of the Week, it's so fun and exciting to see what comes out next......

Mothers Day Workshop

This Wednesday, 27th April, if you haven't already let me know you are coming and you would like to come along at 7:30pm to make this lovely Mother's Day card and gift including the love heart choccys, please let me know ASAP....... I know you'll love it and so will your mum!

Easter Workshop

Last night was my Easter Workshop, I love making little baskets and boxes and gift baggy type things to give away for Easter.....I just need to remember to give them away LOL!!

This is the card we made, I got the idea for the 'punch art' bunny from Kris McIntosh, a fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrator, it was so cute I had to share it with you all.

And here it is in pink:

We next made this cute little box that opens out to reveal a chocolate or two. If you would like to see a tutorial on it click here.

As I was planning for the workshop I came across this bunny from Chic n' Scratch, and I made this card with it, but I found the bunny very fiddly with so many tiny pieces especially if you are to make a few, then my 9 year old daughter told me the bunny looks 'freaky' not cute at all, hahaha what you think, freaky or cute??

And lastly, this was very popular, we didn't make it last night but everyone liked the idea and how simple it was to make. It pops out like a pocket so you can put a little treat in. It's and oldie, but a goodie, it's been around Stampin' Up! for a long time,read on for the instructions.

Make a square out of your choice of coloured cardstock, this one is 21cm x 21cm (the width of A4, then cut down the length to make square) Fold in half to create triangle. Fold front of triangle down so that tip of flap is approximately 1.5 cm from bottom edge. Fold right side of triangle in so that top edge of side is even with the top edge of flap. Repeat with left side. Pull right and left sides back and pull flap up, then fold sides in and fold flap over. Voila simple as that, now to decorate, stamp an image over the cardstock or stick co-ordinating paper onto the back section, add a ribbon if you want and an embellishment. Then stick the front flap down with a little sticky strip to hold in place. Pop some choccies in a clear celo bag and pop in the pocket. Cute as and super simple.

Happy Easter Everyone!!!

Meet Ellie...

This is Ellie, isn't she adorable? I made her from a pattern I bought from "Funky Friends Factory" for my friends son's 1st birthday. I now have to make another for my elder daughter and I have a teddy bear pattern to make for my younger daughter and a set of 3 monsters to make for my son! They are sooooo cute and fairly simple to make, just a bit fiddly on some of the smaller pieces. They are a nice cuddle size, about the size of a basket ball more or less. Pauline, the owner and designer of Funky Friends Factory is a Brissy chick too, so check out her awesome website, it will make you want to get out the sewing machine - even if your kids are grown up!!!

Sale-A-Bration ends THIS month

Not long now until the end of Sale-A-Bration so place your orders now to receive a FREE stamp set. Also anyone who places a qualifying order (of $100 or more) with me before the end of the month you will also go in a draw to win this card making kit valued at over $80.00

You gotta be in it to win it!

OP SHOP SCORE!!!!

Ok this is soooo cool, after stalking this Blog 'Made' I found that she often goes to Op shops to pick up 'stuff' and makes goodies from them or she spots 'vintage' bargains for her decor etc well it reminded me how much I love op shopping and that I haven't done it in ages. So after I dropped off the kids as school this morning I decided to pop into at least one of the 3 op shops down the road from school. I was very excited with my stash:

A wig for the kids dress up box $4.00 (for some reason my lovely olive skinned, brown haired daughters always want to be blonde!)

But she looks much better like this:

An attempt to dress up the dog LOL

A navy blue corduroy bean bag cover which looks brand new $5

3m (150cm wide) of navy blue stretch material, it's quite thick I'm thinking it's something like rugby knit $6 and some lovely floral knit fabric 3m x 0.5m $2. I think I will make an Ellie the Elephant out of this navy with the floral as an accent on her foot pads and inner ear, I'll let you know how I go....I think my son will get plenty of shorts and pants out of this navy fabric too!

And the best thing ever!!! I can't believe how cool this is....I got a Matryoshka doll (commonly know as Babushka dolls or nesting dolls) for $3

This starting doll is approx. 10cm tall, it is beautifully hand painted and has 10 dolls in total!! I can't believe it....10....when I was opening it at the shop and it kept going and going, the lady said "If I knew how many there were I would have put the price up!! Ha! I score!

This is where they normally stop at about 5......

......but it just kept going and going and just when you think it HAS to be the last one, there is one more inside that little one - look how small it already is compared to my fingers.....

......and then the last doll is the size of a grain of rice, I have never seen nesting dolls go that small and still have a hand painted designed on it - it's just amazing and impressive of the skill of that artist!

I am so excited because I just LOVE Matryoshka dolls and this one is so lovely and for such a steal.

So get out there and op shop your little hearts out and then tell me what YOU have scored :)

I Love Sewing

I have been sewing so much lately, and I have been really enjoying it. When I was younger I used to sew clothes for myself all the time - in fact the very first thing I ever made for myself was a shift dress, no pattern, I just lay down on this huge piece of black stretch material that my mum had stored in her sewing cupboard that I knew she would never use as she hates black, then I drew around myself. I then cut it out sewed some side seams and shoulder seams leaving gaps from my head and arms and voila a shift dress!!! I added a belt I think and I actually wore it to town!!! I was about 13 years old and I was allowed to go to the city with my girlfriends by ourselves so it was a big deal :) I continued to sew and all the way through high school I did Home Ec and always got A's for sewing (just a little bit of bragging is ok isn't LOL)

I sewed a little when I had 1 child, made sheets and valance etc for the cot to save money, but I guess the more children I had and the lack of a sewing machine meant the end of that for a while. So when I turned 30 I wanted a sewing machine just to be able to mend things at least! My husband and my mum put in together and I got an awesome Janome sewing machine that had more stitch varieties than my mum's....so that was sooooo cool LOL. I have made various things in the last 4 years (now you know how old I am) but lately I have really gotten into it again for some reason and I am LOVING IT.

I am trying quilting for the first time, I am still very impatient but I am enjoying it none the less. I have made some bags that I am really excited about and I have just recently bought some toy patterns to make some stuffed toys.

I must give gratitude to my mum who introduced me to sewing and guided me through it and who on many occasions would unpick my mistakes after I threw it in a pile never wanting to see it again (I still hate unpicking), and I am forever greatfull for my talents and I thank my Father above for all that he has given me :)

This is my very cool Beach Bag I made in January 2011

An inside view

This is a cute little patchwork tote I made for my niece who turned 11 recently (I just finished it today)

and here is the inside view

So I hope I have inspired you to dust off your sewing machines and get sewing - it's so much fun and so rewarding....Luv ya, Bec