Stamps Ahead

Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford One of my other Secret Santa gifts was a die-cut scalloped Carousel Note in Cameo Coral (now retired but Carousel Notes are available in current catalogue in Ruby Red, Kiwi Kiss, Bali Breeze). I cut it in half, that way I get two cards, then wheeled over the Retro Remix wheel, I marked up the flower image from Hello Again. To finish off the retro feel I used some hemp twine as my tribute to macrame. Happy New Year to all, catch you all in 2010.

Images:(c)1990-2010 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford In an earlier post I showed you my Secret Santa goodies that I received. My Santa has been revealed as Joanna - thanks so much. Here is a card I have made using the stamp set - Sweet Stems that was included in my gift. The centre image has been raised on dimensionals. I also used my blender pen to do the colouring - I rarely use these pens so it was good to get out and use a different colouring method.

I spent time enjoying the day with my family. And I did a spot of scrapbooking - here I am helping my sister by designing and planning a page for one of her photographs. Her Christmas tree is full of decorations she has purchased from around the world.

Artist: Laura Bax (USA) I love all my Christmas cards that I receive and I wanted to share one that came in the mail from a friend in the USA. The greeting "Hope your holidays are as peaceful as ours!" Cute as, thanks Laura and family. If you are celebrating in snow or or heat my message is the same - Have a happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year.

Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford Do you love a sale? Well, Stampin' Up ! is having a sale until the 24th January. The card I have made above uses one of the stamp sets that are in the inventory sale. Happy Christmas, Mate is only $28.46 plus postage. I love this stamp set, in addition to surfing Santa there is a kangaroo delivering presents and a koala sitting on a candy cane. If you would like to see what else if available, just click here , and if you would like to order anything just email me. Happy Christmas, Mates.

Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford Last night, Carol set the challenges, her 3rd challenge (I am yet to do challenges 1 & 2) was to use a technique called 'direct to rubber" where you use your SU markers like colouring pencils onto your stamp. I have used another new set from the summer mini Razzle Dazzle. For the background I used the ever popular Weathered Background stamp. Enjoy.

Images:(c) 1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork: Merryl Blacker Here is "Sydney" snowman. He arrived in my mailbox this week in his special packaging - to keep him from melting perhaps!!! My friend Merryl created him (her original idea) using a Sweet Treat Cups (which has been filled with blue M&M's), a special padded envelope and 4.4cm circle punch available in Stampin'Up!(r) summer mini catalogue. Very cute.

Images: (c) 1990-2009 Stampin'Up! (r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford My secret Santa has arrived. Okay, so I showed no restraint and ripped right into it. Thanks SS. You can see a 2010 calender using one of the new stamp sets (For Everything) in the Stampin' Up! Summer Mini catalogue . I now have some new stamps and accessories to play with on Christmas Day. If you want to order anything in there, just email me.

Images: (c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford Today, I attended the baptism of the daughter of a friend of mine. Here is the card I made for her to celebrate her special day. The inside greeting is from God's Blessing stamp set and the paper and embellishments from the Simply Scrappin' Kit Rock-a-Bye Girl. Welcome to the world Samantha and may you have many blessings thoughout your life.

Over the past few weeks I have been making cards as well as catching up on scrapbooking. Here is a page I completed today. I was staying with Carol in Missouri in June this year and one afternoon we - Carol, her sister Candee and I made some no-bake peanut cookies. Carol lives down on a farm and is a great cook. Candee lives up the dirt road from Carol. I have had this cooking paper and accessories in my stash for years - obviously just waiting for the right photo.

Images:(c)1990-2008 Stampin'Up!(r) Images:Margaret L Crawford I first saw my friend, Joanna Wassens , using this birthday set for a christmas card. Here is my take on using the Party Hearty birthday hats as Christmas Trees. Another easy card. Enjoy and party hearty this Christmas.

Images:(c) 1990-2009 Stampin'Up! (r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford This card is very easy to put together. All you need is one stamp flourish (I used Priceless), a punch of your choice (I used square scallop), double sided paper, a brad, some ribbon and a greeting (I used a retired greeting that I could punch out). You could use any embellishment that you like the punched shapes. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Clare's second challenge - black, white and orange. Certainly well out of my comfort zone using orange. Here is my card. Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford

It is time for another The INKlings cyberchallenge. Tonight our host is Clare and her 1st challenge is a sketch based on a poster from the movie "The Shining". Here is my card - I have taken the title of the film and gold embossed my stamped image, on red cardstock, lots of distressing. Does the greeting area look like an axe? Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford

Here is another birthday invitation I have created - I hope you enjoy the bling (glitter). Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford

Yesterday, I should have been cleaning (it is spring after all!) but I am wanting to finish off the scrapbooking of my photos from my holiday to the US in May/June this year. I have used all Stampin'Up! (SU) product on one page and a mixture of paper, ribbon, stamps and inks from my stash (which never seems to reduce). This page was the last day of my holiday (and my final travellers cheque that I am signing), the photos were taken at Manhattan Beach, California. I took a taxi from my hotel near LAX airport. It was a beautiful sunny day and I had a great time walking the pier, the beach and the looking at the shops. I even made it to See's Candies for my chocolate fix. My taxi driver recommended the Shellback Surf Tavern for lunch (yummy fish and chips) and the best thing the view - yes it was the view of the pier in the photo. Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up! (r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford Artwork: Margaret L Crawford Here is the page I made from my stash - the photos are

Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford My niece is turning 21 shortly and I have made her invitations for a dinner she is organising to celebrate this milestone. Of course I did not cut and emboss the frame - I used a die cutting/embossing machine for this. I love the ribbon bow using ribbon available from current SU mini catalogue - it is wide and soft.

Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford Recently, I posted a picture of a card I made for Kiera's christening. I have made a scrapbook page to celebrate this event. I have used the same paper (from Rock-a-bye Girl Simply Scrappin' kit) as I used to make her card . I love these kits you get paper, cardstock and embellishments to match. Another element the same as her card was the white embossed "K" top right hand corner.

Sketch challenge Images:(c)1990-2009Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford Last night the challenges were set by Ryn. She had three challenges for us - colour (Pumpkin Pie, Garden Green, Riding Hood Red and Perfect Plum, sketch and punch, I have not completed the punch one. I have used two stamp sets that I rarely use. Enjoy

My scrapbooking style, in the most, is plain and simple. At the Sunday crop, I attended, one of the projects was a musical scrapbook page with Nina Granzien - lots of distressing, masking and glimmer. I loved it. Just need to find a photograph with something musical in it. Taking this to my own style I created a page about my grandmother (in apron), circa 1923. My father gave this photo to a local historian to put in a book about Hornsby area - and this is a photograph of the page in the book. Last night I participated in the latest cyberchallenge with The INKlings and I will be back later to post my projects and another scrapbook page I created. On a roll.

Images: (c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up! (r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford Yesterday, I attended a crop to raise funds for cancer research. It was a fun day of stamping and scrapping. One of the days events was to take some of your cards with a chance to win a years subscription to a magazine. I am excited to announced that I won a subscription with two cards that you have seen here before using 3D flowers.

Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford Watercolouring is so much fun. As many know, I am an INKling group member and Jayne recently shared with us some of her techniques for using re-inkers (the bottles of ink that you can use to re-ink your stamp pads). I put this card together rather quickly - the longest part is waiting for the watercoloured flower to dry completely before adhering it to the card. This technique is found in many places on the web, but Jayne's instructions made it all clear. Enjoy.

Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford Here is a card I designed and created today. I have gold embossed the baubles and attached some small bows. The background paper and adhesive red/green strip are from the "I Wish" SU scrap pack. Enjoy.

Images:(c)1990-2009Stampin'Up! (r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford Whilst I had the blue ink/ribbon out this weekend, I decided to make this card. It uses the Fresh Cuts stamp set. I like monochromatic cards - how about you? Thanks for stopping by, Margaret

Over the weekend I have been busy making cards. Here is a Christmas card using Winter Post and the greeting is from God's Blessing. We do not snow here in Australia at Christmas however this image evokes olde world charm. I will be back later with another blue thank you card I created this weekend. Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up! (r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford

Images:(c) 1990-2009 Stampin'Up! (r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford I have been busy creating various cards over the past few days. This one drew inspiration from SU catalogue p53. I have added more texture using Weathered background stamp and twine. Also, on Friday I went to NSW Government House via David Jones. David Jones had their spring flower show, their windows and ground floor were decorated in Australian Native Flowers. The waratahs in bloom were just magnificent. And at Government House, the tulips were on show. Enjoy these photos - spring has come.

Photography:Jayne Mercer What can you do with your scraps of cardstock? The INKlings group of which I am a member has recently started volunteering at Westmead Childrens Hospital Play Therapy unit and recently Jayne saw one of the staff members cutting out shapes and offered to make up a stack of already punched out shapes for them to use. You can help as well, why not punch out shapes, using any papers or punches(just not Stampin'Up!) that you have, then post them to me - if you email me I will give you my address. Off to do some punching myself.

Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) unless indicated Artwork: Margaret L Crawford My sister is heading overseas shortly and part of her holiday is a culinary tour of the great restaurants of London. She will get to cook with some amazing chefs. My sister is a great cook herself and she loves to make cupcakes. Whilst looking at a magazine recently I read of a great bakery/restuarant in Bloomsbury, London so I have made her a bon-voyage card and put inside some money to have a treat (maybe some cupcakes or meringues) on me. As well as the stamp set Crazy for Cupcakes (note I have amended the greeting to say "hope your holiday is the sweetest ever") I have used my Cuttlebug - yes I succombed and got one and die-cut/embossed a frame from Spellbinders. Blue is her favourite colour as well so a little bit of watercolouring and I think it is a sweet card. Happy holidays Heather.

Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford I have never been much of a fan of embossing but after using SU embossing powder I am a convert to this form of bling. Here are some cards I had fun creating. The christmas card I have made in several colour ways. The bird on the pink card has been cut out and attached with dimensionals to raise it up a little, this does not really show in the photo. What do you think? Thank you for stopping here for a few minutes.

Images:(c)1990-2009Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford This morning I am heading to Gosford, on the Central Coast, for a christening. Here is the card I have made for Kiera - all girly and pink. I have embossed her initial with white embossing powder. I have stamped the word "Cherish" on the front left. Really a very easy card to make. It is full circle as I was at her mother's christening not so many years ago. I hope that you all have an enjoyable day, no matter what you are doing. Margaret

Images:(c)1990-2009Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford Whilst blog surfing I came across the blog of Shell and I was instantly inspired with the ribbon over the shoulder of the chef on one of her cards. A little bit of watercolouring, some glue and contrasting paper - Viola complete.

Images:(c) 1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford Thank you to Fiona , a fellow INKling for the inspiration for this card. I love the simplicity of the brown and confetti cream card stock. Enjoy.

Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork:Margaret L Crawford This card uses the more traditional Christmas colours of red and green. I do not have this stamp set but I borrowed it at our stamping weekend and had a play.

Images: (c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up(r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford Another card I have made recently in non-traditional Christmas colours. The colour challenge was to use Whisper White, Baja Breeze, Sahara Sand and Pumpkin Pie.

Images:(c)1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford Our 3rd challenge was to use a layout from page 126 of SU catalogue. As I was using 3 photographs, taken at Dollywood Pidgeon Forge, Tennessee I drew inspiration from several elements in the page layout - the scallop punch, the butterflies and torn edges.

Images: (c) 1990-2009 Stampin'Up!(r) Artwork: Margaret L Crawford. The INKlings challenges this month are being set by Alison B. The first challenge is a Christmas card using no red or green. Here is my take on it. The stamp is from the just released Spring Mini set called Tree Trimmings. I have tried to make them look like they are swinging on the tree. Our 2nd challenge was to use the colours Riding Hood Red , Pacific Point , Pumpkin Pie, and Black or Gold. Now these are not colours I would normally use. I used another new set from Spring Mini - Sense of Time. I stamped the clock face on the blue CS and then with the orange strip and smaller second hand I crumpled the paper and then stamped over with Riding Hood Red Ink to get that distressed look.

Wow 3 posts in one day - here are three completed pages of my visit to Dinosaur Ridge, Denver, Colorado. I searched high and low for dinosaurs (well paper) with no luck and my thanks go to Ryn for the chipboard dinosaurs and paper from her stash. Ryn I hope you enjoyed the chocolates.