Inkyness

ESAD Christmas Blog Hop

2010-10-23T09:00:00.000+10:00

I hope you’re ready for another ESAD Christmas Blog Hop!

What is ESAD?

ESAD stands for Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators and it is an online group just for Australian and New Zealand demonstrators for Stampin’ Up!

We so love what we do and not only do we love to share it with our customers, friends, and wonderful blog visitors but we share our love for what we do with each other as Demonstrators. We run swaps, challenges, tutorials, product know how and cyberstamps and we are always there to help and support each other when its needed.

So if you are a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator located in Australia or New Zealand then please feel free to click here to join our wonderful group.

You should have arrived here from the blog of Pauline Bennetts, but don't worry if you're missed it ... all the blogs are linked, so you can hop around in a big circle until you get back here, and see all the fabulous projects we have prepared for you.

Before I show you today's cards I really must apologise for the quality of these photos. I don't know if it's me, or the cards, or the light, but I took tons of pics and this was the best I could manage (it's probably me lol). Anyway ...

For my first card I've used Cherry Cobbler cardstock as the base. To this I've added a piece of window sheet as the card front, and stamped on it with Frost White shimmer paint. It takes quite a while to dry, and although the shimmer doesnt show up in the photo, in real life it's really lovely. I've used textured Whisper White cardstock and the Merry Details Sizzlet die to cut the tiny trees and snowflake. They are adhered with glue dots, and I've added a couple of Rhinestone Jewels for extra sparkle. The greeting is from Curly Cute and is embossed in white on the inside of the card. A Whisper White Taffeta ribbon finished it off.

My next card also uses the Merry Details Sizzlet die (you might need your sunnies lol).

Sorry for the glare that hits you in the eye. I had to take this outside in the sun so you could actually see that the snowflakes are "suspended" on fine gold thread. Two of the snowflakes were adhered together with the thread in the middle, so I could suspend them in the window that I cut in the front of the card. The brushed gold edge around the inside of the window is actually a full panel on the inside of the card, and very conveniently hides the threads. The snowflakes are painted with Frost White shimmer paint too, and a frame was added with slivers of brushed gold cardstock.

I added tiny rhinestones to finish off the front of the card, and adhered a panel of Cherry Cobbler to the inside. Shows the shadows nicely don't you think? lol

Now it's time to hop off to see what fabulous projects Tanya Bell has created.

Thanks for dropping in,

Inky hugs

Aly

Dress Up Christmas with Free Ribbons!

2010-10-16T12:00:00.000+10:00

Stampin' Up! have just announced a FANTASTIC deal for Christmas. Get a head start on your Christmas cards and gifts with one of these terrific bundles, and choose from a gorgeous selection of exclusive, limited time only, FREE ribbon!

This offer is valid from 16 October to 30 November, but only while stocks last, so get in early to avoid disappointment, as once the bundles are sold out they will no longer be available.

Click on the link in my sidebar to view full details, or visit my Demonstrator Business Website.

If you'd like some ideas for using these products or creating your own cards and gift packaging, why not try one of my Christmas Classes during November. Check out my Calendar, and call me to book your spot. Or why not host your own workshop and qualify for more FREE stuff! I love giving away free stuff, and would love to talk to you about the great benefits of being a Hostess.

It's a fabulously windy day here .. so now I'm off to hang some more washing. Back soon with pics :)

Thanks for dropping in,

Inky hugs,

Aly

WOW Did I Really Make That?

2010-10-05T14:13:00.001+10:00

Does that ever happen to you? When you finish a card you look at it and can't believe you created it? hehehe Well that was my thought when I sat back after creating this ...

All the fabulous inspiration out there in blogland must be rubbing off on me!

I totally love how this turned out (if only everything turned out this well lol). I used a sketch from Richelle Fletcher for the ESAD Week 34 Card Challenge, but turned it around to accomodate my rather large circle. I stamped En Francais background in Crumb Cake on Whisper White, and then stamped All A Flutter over the top with versamark and clear embossed it. I sponged Crumb Cake and River Rock ink over the image panel and then cut it out using my Circle Scissor. I added some sponging with Soft Suede to create more depth. This panel was then matted on Early Espresso and Cajun Craze. The image piece was mounted on dimensionals on Crumb Cake, with an Early Espresso layer, on a Cajun Craze card base.

I also punched a leftover piece of the panel with the Curly Label punch to create the sentiment (from Baroque Motifs). The embellishment was created with the branch from the 2Step Bird punch, a Latte (retired) button, and a piece of Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta ribbon. A strip of Satin ribbon and some Early Espresso brads finish it off.

I think it might be a little while before I can bear to part with this one hehe ... and couldn't have done it without all the fabulous stamps and products from Stampin' Up! I still marvel at how easy it is, even for me, to create gorgeous cards ... and I can show you how too. Contact me today to book a workshop or class and then you can WOW your family and friends as well. I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks for dropping in,

Inky hugs,
Aly

A Little Elegance

2010-09-28T22:18:00.001+10:00

Hi there,

One of my "new favourite" items from the new catty is the Elegant Lines Embossing Folder. Oh gosh it's beautiful! I've been seeing this on lots of American blogs for quite some time now, and was so excited we were getting it, and I can honestly say it is so much more gorgeous in real life than in pictures. The impression is deep and very crisp, and looks stunning on white cardstock. It's also fabulous on coloured cardstock too, and I plan to play with it a LOT more lol.

I've used Daffodil Delight as my card base, and mounted the embossed panel with no other matting (I like the pop of yellow around the edge). I've also used some other new favourite things - Antique brads, new Satin ribbon, Beautiful Wings embosslits ... and, of course, Pearls!

I've actually tried to keep the embellishments fairly low key, aiming for an elegant, rather than flashy look. Was I successful? The largest butterfly has been cut from vellum cardstock, and I've painted it with Champagne Mist shimmer paint (to die for stuff!!), adding just a few pearls for the body. Two little tiny butterflies were cut from Perfect Plum, and adhered on one side only, so their wing still pops up. I also added a few pearls to some of the circular embossed areas on the card.

This is the first time that I've tried the "scrunchy" ribbon technique .. soo quick and easy to do, and I love how it looks, especially with the Antique Brad on the side. For a step-by-step picture tutorial, visit Sharon Field, who explains it beautifully.

Well, that's it from me today .. I'm off to play with more goodies hehe.

Thanks for dropping in,

Inky hugs,
Aly

Time Flies ....

2010-09-26T22:27:00.001+10:00

Oh my Gosh!! Where did September go?? I thought I'd better pop in with a quick post, just so you know I haven't fallen off the face of the earth hehehe. It's been a really busy (but exciting) month, with the new catty, my Launch Open House, then Regionals, some secret stamping stuff, classes .. you get the idea lol.

I've managed to get some creating time in there as well, and have a ton of photos to edit. Hopefully I'll get that done soon. In the meantime, I thought I'd show you a quick something .. this card was for the ESAD Week 32 Challenge, which was to use Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Certainly Celery and Crumb Cake.

Oh gosh .. no white ... no black ... this was soooo hard lol. I'm quite pleased with how this turned out though, and glad I decided to have a go. I've used the Blossom Party die to create the flower, and added a tiny Paper Daisy and a Rhinestone Jewel to the centre. The paper daisy was coloured with a Pretty in Pink marker, and painted with Shimmer Paint for a little extra interest. I also added a rhinestone to the sentiment. I'm loving the new Scallop Trim Border Punch. A pierced edge finishes off the bottom panel. I did contemplate stamping a background on the crumb cake card base, but decided to leave this clean and simple.

Short and sweet today ... but I'll be back soon. Hope to see you then :)

Thanks for dropping in,

Inky hugs,
Aly

So Many Choices .. So Little Time ..

2010-09-09T19:45:00.000+10:00

Hi there,

I really hope your day has been as exciting as mine! I've been eagerly waiting for delivery of my first box of goodies from the new catalogue .. and today it came! Oh My Gosh! What to play with first? It was such a hard decision hehe. After much oooohing and aahhhing (and drooling too lol) I finally decided on a stamp set I've been dying to get.

This card is a copy of one by an American demonstrator, Tina Dyck. I loved the composition of her card, and couldn't wait to recreate it for myself. I adore silhouette images, and this is one of the prettiest ones we have. The card base is the new InColor Concord Crush .. a beautiful rich, deep purple. I've masked three squares with torn post-it notes and sponged Concord Crush, Peach Parfait and Pear Pizzazz (also new InColors). The grass silhouette is stamped directly over the top with Basic Black ink, and the sentiment was also stamped on Basic Black. This card was very quick to create, and is one of the cards you'll see if you attend my Catalogue Launch Open House this coming Saturday (11th).

Another card I will have on display is this one ...

I've used the same silhouette image, but this time I've coloured it with my markers (new lol). The grass and leaves are Old Olive and Always Artichoke, and the flowers are Cherry Cobbler. They look quite pink in this photo, but are really much more red in real life. Unfortunately I haven't received my new cardstock yet, and had to use a piece of Riding Hood Red down the side, but it's a fairly good substitute and co-ordinates much more nicely than appears in the photo. I've used the new Scallop Trim Corner and Scallop Trim Border punch around the Always Artichoke panel, and mounted it onto a Crumb Cake card base. I've stamped the same sentiment over the image using Basic Black ink.

As a final finishing touch, I just HAD to add some tiny pearls from our new Basic Pearl Jewels pack. I have craved these for so long lol ... be warned .. you'll be seeing a lot of them from now on hahaha.

I have a ton of other cards and projects in the works and can't wait to show you. Stay tuned.

Thanks for dropping in,

Inky hugs

Aly

I Love Happy Mail!

2010-09-03T19:35:00.000+10:00

Hi there,

Just had to share pics with you of the awesome happy mail I received the other day, from my sweet friend Tanya.

Isn't the card lovely?!! Melon Mambo is not a colour I normally use .. but with Crumb Cake and Whisper White it looks absolutely delicious! I'll have to try that combo for myself. I also really like Tanya's ribbon treatment, and now that a crop-a-dile is on its way to my house I'll be able to try that too!! But that's not all she sent. Feast your eyes on these goodies!

Oh my gosh! How sweet is that? A pack of sweet treat padded envelopes, Dress Up ribbon originals and ... something I've had on my wish list for such a long time ... an On Board Journal!! And everything tied up in a long piece of Soft Suede polka dot ribbon. Tanya .. you are a little treasure, and so very generous. Thank you thank you for your gift. Now to wait for my goodies from the new catalogue to arrive so I can decorate my journal :)

Thanks for dropping in
Inky hugs,
Aly

Are You Ready to Hop?

2010-09-01T09:14:00.003+10:00

Hi everyone,

So glad you could visit today. I hope you're ready for the ESAD New Catty Blog Hop!

What is ESAD? ESAD stands for Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators and it is an online group just for Australian and New Zealand Demonstrators for Stampin'Up!

We so love what we do, and not only do we love to share it with our customers, friends and wonderful blog visitors, but we share our love for what we do with each other as Demonstrators. We run swaps, challenges, tutorials, product know-hows and cyberstamps, and we are always there to help and support each other when it's needed.

So if you are a Stampin'Up! Demonstrator located in Australia or New Zealand, then please click here to join our wonderful group.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the lovely projects made by Vicki Were from Christchurch. Now I'd like to show you a "little something I whipped up" hehe. I had something completely different in mind when I sat down to create something for the blog hop, but as I worked on it, it seemed to take on a life of its own, and took me in a direction I'm not used to lol.

Inspired by a calendar book by Laurie Schmidlin, I decided to make a Birthday List book so I don't lose track of all the birthday cards I need to make. I've used the new Newsprint Designer Series Paper and my favourite set at the moment called Friends Never Fade (can't put this one down lol).

I normally don't "do vintage", but I love how this dsp looks when it's "aged", and how easy it is to achieve a worn, olde worlde look with SU products.

Each page has a pocket made by adhering Newsprint dsp to Very Vanilla cardstock that has been folded in half, and stuck together to form the book. I've added a strip of scalloped Very Vanilla to reinforce the top of the pocket, and all the pieces have been sponged with So Saffron ink.

Each pocket has an insert which was made by stamping one of the images from Friends Never Fade in Real Red ink on Real Red cardstock, and matted on Basic Black. Although the photos don't show it clearly I've sponged all the edges with Real Red too. The calendar was printed out on printer paper, and adhered to the front, and I stamped-off the flower 4 times, before adding it to the page.

The back of each insert has a piece of printer paper adhered to it, so I can record names and dates.

A final close up of the detail on the front. I've used a strip of Newsprint dsp down the spine as well as on the front. See the embossed panel? Isn't it stunning! That's one of the new embossing folders called Vintage Wallpaper. It's just delicious in person, and looks just as good on white or vanilla as it does on coloured cardstock. I've sponged the edges with Real Red. I stamped a Very Vanilla panel with the flower image, sponged the edges of that too and added the Friends Never Fade main image, popped up on dimensionals.

I had so much fun creating this, and I hope you've enjoyed looking at it. Don't forget, to be eligible for the blog candy you need to leave a comment on each blog on the hop (24), and then email Leonie at stamp-a-latte to let her know you've done so. Winners will be announced next Tuesday. If you lose your place on the Hop don't worry ... there's a full list of participants at the end of my post.

Now it's time to hop off to the next stop and see what Juliette Chapman has created for you.

Thanks for dropping in,
Inky hugs,
Aly

Leonie Schroder - http://www.stamp-a-latte.com
Keryn Campbell - http://kerynscards.blogspot.com
Vicki Were - http://www.stampinvickistyle.blogspot.com/
Aly Adcock - http://www.inkyaly.blogspot.com
Juliette Chapman - http://juleskraftikrafts.blogspot.com
Kristine Thompson - http://www.inkspotcreations.typepad.com
Jo Weedon - http://www.scrapandstampin.blogspot.com
Jan McAnulty - http://cardcaperswithjan.wordpress.com/
Karen Southwell http://www.kareniescrafts.blogspot.com
Kim Conway - http://www.kimconwaycards.blogspot.com
Jane Norrish - http://janenorrish.com
Pauline Bennetts - http://www.paulinebennetts.com/stampede
Gemma Coumbe - http://www.gemmacoumbe.blogspot.com
Genelle Little - http://www.stampedecards.blogspot.com
Sharlene Meyer - http://www.magpiecreates.com
Susan Joyce - http://www.catsinkcorporated.blogspot.com
Rhonda Statham - http://rhondastatham.typepad.com/
Monique Fielder - http://stamping-with-moni-q.blogspot.com/
Andrea Buckland http://creatingcardswithandrea.blogspot.com
Bev Watt http://stampinovation.blogspot.com
Claire Mcilhatton http://www.crafty-cow.com/
Mae Collins - http://maecollins.blogspot.com/
Charmaine Black - http://www.l-ink-edtopaper.blogspot.com/
Lynn Powell - http://www.lynnpowell.com.au

It's All About the DSP

2010-08-30T19:28:00.000+10:00

Gosh, time's flying by at a great rate of knots and it's almost here ... the release of the new 2010-2011 Idea Book and Catalogue!! Just two more days, and then you can see for yourselves all the gorgeousness inside! I've been working frantically on lots of special projects .. and can't wait to show you, although some have to be kept under wraps for now (drat lol).

One of my "secret" projects is for the ESAD New Catty Blog Hop which takes place on Wednesday, 1 September, commencing around 10am. You'll find a link in my sidebar to the blog of the lovely Leonie Schroder who is kicking off the hop. Join me in hopping around, and see all the fabulous new products we've been playing with, and the projects that have been created for you. It'll be a lot of fun and inspiration.

I can show you a couple of things I've been working on ....

This first card uses one of the new Level 2 Hostess sets, called Cute By the Inch .. and it was one I just couldn't resist. It has an OWL in it lol!! This is a great 7-stamp set, and has a super-cute Petal Card XL Punch to match. I've also used a strip of the new Greenhouse Gala designer series paper. To be honest, when I first saw the pictures of this paper, I was not keen at all, and had decided not to order it. I did order it with my pre-order though ... and I'm so glad I did. There are some lovely sheets, highlighting the new Daffodil Delight and Pear Pizzazz colours, and I've used heaps of it already!

Here's another sheet from the pack, this time showcasing Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze and Chocolate Chip. And see that embossed background ... that's a gorgeous new embossing folder called Vintage Wallpaper. It gives a beautiful deep impression when run through the Big Shot, and looks equally wonderful on white, or coloured cardstock.

This next card features another designer series paper called Newsprint ... and another confession haha ... I bought this pack just for the sheet with the music score on it, thinking I'd use that sheet, and nothing else. Weelllll ... ummm...... I Love it ALL!

This card was so quick to make. I used one of the flower images from the new set called Friends Never Fade, a piece of Newsprint dsp, and a strip of crimped cardstock. Add a couple of pearls from the (retired) Pretties Kit ... or better yet our NEW Basic Pearl Jewels, and you're done. Can't wait to get those! I'm sure you'll be seeing more pearls from me soon. You'll also be seeing a lot more of this dsp and colour combination in the not too distant future *wink*.

Back with more excitement very soon!!

Thanks for dropping in.

Inky hugs,
Aly

Last Chance and Extra Discounts

2010-08-26T10:04:00.000+10:00

Hi there,

In case you missed it, the Last Chance List is almost over. Last day to purchase items on this list, and from the Autumn/Winter Mini catalogue, is 31st August. I'm very excited to announce that for the first (and probably last) time, Stampin'Up! has added a select number of additional products at further big reductions!! See the list below.

Item #	Page	Description	Discount	Discounted AUS Price	Discounted NZ Price
116342	42	Big Bold Birthday	50%	$ 26.98	$ 31.98
116408	100	Seeing Spots	50%	$ 14.98	$ 17.98
116344	121	Big Deal Alphabet	50%	$ 38.98	$ 45.98
116208	126	In Color card stock (A4)	50%	$ 7.25	$ 8.63
105538	127	Bold Brights Stampin' Write markers	25%	$ 43.46	$ 51.71
105537	127	Soft Subtles Stampin' Write markers	25%	$ 43.46	$ 51.71
105540	127	Rich Regals Stampin' Write markers	25%	$ 43.46	$ 51.71
105541	127	Many Marvelous Markers	25%	$ 175.46	$ 209.96
105550	128	Bold Brights Classic Stampin' Spots	25%	$ 31.46	$ 37.46
105551	128	Earth Elements Classic Stampin' Spots	25%	$ 31.46	$ 37.46
105539	128	Earth Elements Stampin' Write markers	25%	$ 43.46	$ 51.71
105552	129	Rich Regals Classic Stampin' Spots	25%	$ 31.46	$ 37.46
112042	132	Urban Garden Designer Series paper	50%	$ 8.48	$ 9.98
112041	134	Bella Rose Designer Series paper	50%	$ 8.48	$ 9.98
107305	152	Oval Large punch	50%	$ 15.48	$ 17.98
113692	152	Eyelet border punch	50%	$ 15.48	$ 17.98
109043	152	Scallop Circle punch	50%	$ 15.48	$ 17.98
113694	152	Heart to Heart punch	50%	$ 15.48	$ 17.98
112082	152	Wide Oval punch	50%	$ 15.48	$ 17.98
112091	152	Scallop Edge punch	50%	$ 15.48	$ 17.98
113693	152	Full Heart punch	50%	$ 15.48	$ 17.98
104310	155	Crafters' Tool Kit	25%	$ 58.46	$ 68.96
112004	AW28*	1-3/4" Circle punch	50%	$ 15.48	$ 17.98
116629	CO*	Butterfly punch	50%	$ 15.48	$ 17.98

*CO=Carryover Flyer
*AW=Autumn/Winter Mini Catalogue

These are amazing discounts! Don't delay ... if you'd like to order these, or any other items from the Last Chance List contact me today.

EnchantINK Challenge

2010-08-19T17:11:00.002+10:00

A lovely friend and fellow demonstrator, Andrea, is celebrating a huge blogging milestone ... 100,000 hits! That's an awesome achievement. She issued a challenge to use her blog colours and header to create a card, and I thought what better way to honour her achievement, than to participate in the challenge.

I used her colours of Rich Razzleberry, Pale Plum (retiring), and So Saffron, and of course lots of Whisper White to really "pop" the colours. The Rich Razzleberry and Pale Plum panels were sponged around the edges with the corresponding inks. The two scalloped panels were wheeled with the Very Vintage wheel in So Saffron, and sponged round the edges with Pale Plum. I stamped my butterfly (All A Flutter) with black Stazon on vellum cardstock, coloured with ink and blender pens, and then fussy cut and adhered on a small piece of dimensional. The central panel uses a piece of So Saffron Patterns DSP, and is also popped up on dimensionals.

I've been hoarding that piece of Hodge Podge Hardware (also retiring) for about a year now hehehe, mainly because it's so large and I couldn't figure out what to do with it! I decided it needed to be a feature on a card, and found a sentiment from Whimsical Words that just fit the bill. It's especially appropriate for this card, as Andrea is well known for her kindness and consideration of others.

I really enjoyed stretching myself on this challenge, and I'm really happy with how the card turned out. Thanks Andrea for issuing the challenge, and HUGE congratulations on your amazing milestone!

Thanks for dropping in,
Inky hugs
Aly

Colour Renovation

2010-08-15T08:53:00.001+10:00

Hi everyone,

Like just about everyone else on the planet, hehehe, I'm hanging out for the new colours. My lovely friend, fellow Demonstrator and blogging buddy Monique had a wonderful idea to display the new colour collections, that she posted on ESAD (Extra Special Australasion Demonstrators) Forum and I just HAD to steal it! (with her permission of course haha). I changed the punch she used, and used a different card base, but kept the layout fairly similar as I loved how her cards turned out.

I used a piece of crimped cardstock across the card in place of ribbon, and left spaces where I can add a punched heart in the new core colours when we're able to order those on 1st September. I've used confetti white for the card bases, and printed out the titles from my computer onto Whisper White. The punches are the Small Heart and Extra-Large Two-Step Bird punches from the current mini catalogue, and I'm really pleased these will carry over to the new catty.

I just love the way the collections have been organised, and how well the colours go together. This is a fabulous way to show customers the collections "in the flesh" and a big THANK YOU again to Monique for coming up with this idea.

Thanks for dropping in, and have a stampy day :)

Inky hugs
Aly

Out with the Old ....

2010-08-07T11:01:00.001+10:00

... and in with the New!!

One of the things I really love about being a demonstrator is getting to see NEW catalogues and products before they are released! It's so exciting to get a Sneak Peek of the new catalogue that will be launching on 1 September, and being able to order some of the beautiful new products that will be available.

My preorder arrived yesterday ... and the timing was perfect, as I needed to make a birthday card and gift for a dear friend. The colours in the new Greenhouse Gala DSP (designer series paper) are just her style and I hope she likes her gift.

The box is called a keepsake box, and I've used Riding Hood Red cardstock and ribbon to decorate it, and added a stick pin from the Pretties Kit that is retiring at the end of August.

I hope she enjoys the contents of the box ... a few SU goodies for her to use in her scrapbooking, and a couple of jumbo binder clips that I've decorated with the new dsp.

One of the new sets that will be in the catalogue is this one called Friends Never Fade. It's a lovely set of images. I used Crumb Cake (formerly known as Kraft) as a base, and stamped with Riding Hood Red ink on Very Vanilla cardstock. I stamped the swirly flower as a background (stamped off once) with Riding Hood Red ink, added a bow and rows of piercing, and then popped up the whole panel with dimensionals.

I stamped the image again, cut out the flower, and popped that up with dimensionals too. (I really think I need to find a prettier background for my photos lol)

I'll be back soon to show you some more sneak peeks ...

Thanks for dropping in :)

Inky hugs
Aly

Last Chance List

2010-08-03T10:20:00.000+10:00

Hi there,

Hundreds of products from the 2009-2010 Idea Book & Catalogue are retiring. Now is the last chance for you to get them before they're gone for good!

Some of the last chance items are discounted by as much as 50%, so this is a great time to save some money. And you can save even more! Place an order with me over $75 and I will pay your shipping! This offer is only available through me, and only for the month of August.

Some of the items on the Last Chance List will be available in the new catalogue, but in a new configuration (e.g., a new punch body style). These items include (but are not limited to) punches, card stock assortment packs, etc.

Don't delay .. these products are only available While Stocks Last! and could sell out quickly. Check out the list here.

Contact me today to place your order.

Inky hugs
Aly

Helping Hudson - A Wheely Great Cause

2010-08-02T16:42:00.001+10:00

It's true when they say that a little goes a long way, and I'm here to tell you about how a simple purchase of some fun-filled papercraft tutorials can give freedom to a little boy!

Hudson is 2 1/2 but unlike most children his age, he has had a tough little life. Doctors realised he had an incomplete brain before he was born and as a newborn he was discovered to be legally blind. Hudston has recently been diagnosed with both Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy. His mobility has been hindered severely by his disabilities, however his family and friends wish nothing more than to give him the chance to get moving on his own. Hudson needs a special Wheelchair/Walker, called a Kid Walker. This device will help get him mobile, allow him to play with his brother and sister, interact with other children his own age and give him independence in his day-to-day life.

This is where the stamping world really comes into play! When a group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators are asked for help they come to the rescue, ink and paper in hand, to work miracles. This is what has happened around Hudson over the last few months. First with his mum's direct team, and then spreading out across Australia and New Zealand, and around the world. His story has touched so many people so it's time to share it with you all.

There is a HUGE online stamping event taking place, called Helping Hudson - A Wheely Great Cause! The organisers have been working really hard, securing support, tutorials and donations to get this event underway. There are going to be three weeks of stamping fun for you to join in. It kicked off on 1 August and will run right through until the 22nd. You'll find it at http://helpinghudson.blogspot.com

You'll find out all about Hudson, his family and his cause. But, more importantly, you can do something to help Hudson, at the same time as helping yourself learn how to make some great new papercraft projects, by purchasing bundles of tutorials kindly donated by Stampin' Up! demonstrators the world over. There's even a FREE bonus bundle if you buy four or more. All proceeds go directly to help Hudson.
The Helping Hudson Crew will also be posting some awesome challenges throughout the three weeks. For a small donation you can join in and be in the running for some fantastic Stampin' Up! prize packs, kindly donated by Stampin' Up! Australia (Australian residents only).

C'mon ... let's get Hudson moving and support this great cause.

Inky hugs
Aly

Pretty 5th Avenue Flowers

2010-07-04T20:01:00.001+10:00

I love the versatility of Stampin' Up!'s stamp sets. There are so many possibilities that I might never exhaust them all. A set I reach for time and time again is 5th Avenue Floral. It's wonderful for many different techniques and styles and I don't think I'll ever get tired of using it.

This card is one of my most favourite. I made it shortly after becoming a Demonstrator when I was learning to colour with chalk pastels. I loved the result so much that I've kept the card .. and may never part with it hehe, although my poor photography skills are quite evident in the photo :) Of course I could always make another one.

I was inspired by this card by the very talented Leslie Miller. I wanted to try her colouring technique, and cased the design of her card, using all Stampin' Up! products.

The flowers are popped up with dimensionals, and I love the 3D effect they give.

From memory, I think the colours I used were Blush Blossom, Cameo Coral and Regal Rose, and I used a blender pen with Bravo Burgundy chalk to colour the stamens. I also decorated the inside, which I don't always do, but the card needed the stability as the front is rather heavy with all those layers.

Thanks for dropping in. I'd love to hear what you think.

Inky hugs
Aly

Stamps: 5th Avenue Floral, Best Yet
Cardstock: Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Cameo Coral, Walk in the Park DSP (previous Mini)
Ink: Stazon Black
Other: Chalk Pastels, Blender Pen Dimensionals, Whisper White grosgrain

Grand Opening and Happy SU! Birthday!

2010-07-04T14:02:00.002+10:00

Hi and welcome to my first "real" post lol. It's a momentous day ... the Grand Opening of my new Blog, and my new Stampin' Up! Demonstrator Website Blog! It's also my Stampin' Up! birthday month. Wow! I can't believe it has been a whole year already since I joined Stampin' Up! as an Independent Demonstrator. As they say, time flies when you're having fun .. and I'm having LOTS of it. *insert big grin here*

In celebration of all these happy events, I'm offering free shipping and handling on all orders placed with me during July, excluding class orders. My class order deal remains the same. (See my Demonstrator Web Site for details.)

There are so many exciting things happening right now, and I'll share more with you in days to come (didn't want to get too long winded heheh). I'll be back later with something pretty for you to look at.

Before I go I'd like to say a huge Thank You to the lovely Leonie at Stamp-A-Latte for her invaluable help with getting my blog set up, and to my ESAD friends for their encouragement and support. I'm loving this new adventure.

Thanks for dropping in.
Inky hugs
Aly

Hello and Welcome

2010-07-03T22:27:00.000+10:00

Hi there. Thanks for dropping in to my blog. I'm in the process of setting it up and hope to have some fun and interesting things to show you soon. Thanks for being patient with me .. I hope you'll check back soon.

Inky hugs
Aly