The Challenge..... To make jewellery out of Stampin' Up! Products... I'll take it!!!!!!!

Yes it was given to me a month or so ago... And I am sad to report that I have not been prompt in rising to the challenge... However... I went to Liz's during this week and she had been over to her friend who makes beads.. (very talented lady!!! ^-^ I so want to make stuff with her!!!) Anyway Liz told her of her Challenge and Olgar made a WONDERFUL necklace and lovely key ring... I told Liz that I was inspired and felt that I should whip my BUTT into shape by meeting the challenge... so I would go home and make a necklace of my own!!!

And that I did.. Like a woman possessed!!!! I stayed up till 1am in the morning.... I got blisters from beading.. I wrapped all the beads!!! and made them all individual... then I used the Designer Label punch on some small Black and White photos I had of my 2 boys and punched out some OHT to cover and protect the photos.. then I glued the Hodge Podge together (using 5 min Araldite.... If you try this DO NOT use superglue... it's vapers will cloud the metal and the plastic!!!) and joined it with a jump ring to the chain on the necklace.... Can you believe it looks sooooooooo good!!! I love it!!! And I have been wanting to make a black and white necklace for sooo long!!! I wore it to the Craft Showcase on the weekend and I got so many compliments.. Quite a few ladies who knew about Stampin' UP! commented on it too.. and thought it was such a lovely idea... Yeah again for Liz... Challenges.. and Inspiration... AND GREAT FRIENDS!!!

(This photo is not the best... I will take another when the sun is shining again.. come back in a couple of days to check on it)

Now you really know you are obsessed with stamping when you start wearing your paper crafts!!! hehehe...

One side has Ethan-----------------------and the other has Izra

Jar Decorating

I have been looking at the catalogue for ages now and admiring the lovely stamp Jar that is pictured on page 109 of our Aust/NS 07/08 Ideas Catalogue... And wondering what can I make up to warrant owing and decorating a lovely jar that way...??? Well I was over Liz's the other day and she has a jar with stamps that she has saved (form retired sets) that mean something.... like a set of wings.. (paper angels) another one that we use for the Think Pink fund raisers we have participated in.. It's a pic of a Bra.. and says 'thanks for your support'.. so I thought well there is my reason.. I will do a jar with stamps.. I want to be like Liz!!! hehe.. So I have started my collection... It has one lonely stamp so far... time will only make less room for more!!! (does that even make sense???)
As you can see I took my inspiration from page 109!!!! Love the "Ideas" Catalogue...

Also I was thinking that this would be yet another great pressie for people... The Jar I got from the bargain shop.. bout $6 I think.. and then you could make it like a "choc cake in a jar' pressie.. where you put all the dry ingredients in and put instructions to add wet stuff and bake for temp and time... you could even go all out and spend another 40cents on a wooden spoon and tie it on with ribbon... too cute!!!

Christmas Card Peg Sets

I whipped these up for the showcase I was doing on the weekend... I thought that a set would be nice for a simple present.. You really can go all out with Paper Crafts!! Deck the House out with bells and Holly... hehehe...

Babies Card using Punches

I have been looking at our punches in a totally different way these days.. It all started with the dream about the Christmas "Babies First" decoration... (Link http://stampinwithu.blogspot.com/2008/10/3rd-annual-paper-angels-christmas-card.html)
So this is what I have come up with to use it on a card.... Again using the punches....

The bib is made out of the Scallop Circle punch .. with a pleat and chopped with the Oval Punch to make the neck shape... I didn't want the 'happy' on the New BABY stamp so I inked up the BABY with my Stampin' Write Markers and then used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to make the new in the center...

Peg Paper Clips

I thought this would be a great idea for Christmas card lines.. You know when people send you one and you want to look popular.. so you hang them on a line in the lounge room for everyone to see.... (Don't worry I am soooooooooo guilty of wanting to look Popular!!!)

You could also put a magnet on the back to use it as a note holder for the fridge... SOOOOOOOOOOO easy that my 6 year old can make it!!!!!!!!

All you need is scrap decorative paper... snail runner.. Scallop Circle Punch... Left over ribbon... White card stock to stamp image on and wahoo!!! More inexpensive gift or ideas... I am just soooooooo full of it!!! opps them I mean... hehe.. My bad...

Small Note Pads

Again inspired by watching a tutorial on You Tube.... But I changed it up to suit what I had at home..

Years ago my Husband worked for a printer... so he would bring me home all sorts of goodies that they would through out... I have a pile of thick cardboard.. that was used to package the BULK orders of paper at the printers... (Did you know paper arrives at the printers in 1000mm x 765mm or some crazy measurement like that...!!!) So anyway I had this card board form that... I had them cut into coaster size... for something... didn't know what exactly at the time.. but I have been saving it for years... and guess what..???? It finally came in handy... who says hording is BAD???? It saved money!!! And I was able to use a whole bunch of left over papers to cover the board... I picked up 25 clips form the bargain shop for $2... And I used off cuts of ribbon.. again saved for something... Frugality comes in handy... I used my Tag punch... and wallah!!! Another lovely inexpensive pressie for people...

I mass produce some.... for a Craft Show case I am doing on the 14th and 15th of November... If there are any left you can buy them form me!!! ;)

If you would like them to be note pads that you can stick on the fridge you can stick a magnet on the back, and tie a pencil covered in the same paper... now wouldn't that be nice?!!

Cardboard Box Gift Bags

I was watching a tutorial on You Tube last week and loved this idea... It was different measurements and didn't have a handle on it... but I loved it so much I thought I would go to my Art Studio (Shed) and create... I wanted to give a few friends a little something to let them know I was thinking of them.. They are going through tough times... so i put some Bananas in side.. and when I presented them to my friends.. I said... "When you are going Bananas remember you have a friend!"....Not only was it fun and easy to create but also nice again to have a purpose to give it away to someone and make them feel special!!

Ok so the secret is... Card stock... 2 x A5 size.. score down 3 sides @ 3cm... and sticking together is a little difficult to describe.. so I will do some instructions with pictures.. maybe my first video tutorial... wahoo!!

Candles make great pressies

If you what something cheep but nice to give to someone... I'm thinking school teachers... You can always get a nice candle.. from the bargain shop... and decorate it... with these ones i have used the 5-Petal Flower punch and the small flower from the Spring Flower Bouquet punch and layered them so they looked like water lilies.. Inspired by Orelle from Bec's Team!! Thanks!!! And i tied a ribbon around just to give it something else to stick to... simple and easy...

Close Up...

I also decorated these glass cup candles... they would make a lovely gift! A nice set...

Close Up.....