Now is the time to join Stampin' Up! Australia. . .

Have you seen the latest catalogue, played with some of the latest products. . . pleated satin ribbon, framelits labels collection not to mention the stunning stamp sets on offer?  Well if you have looked and loved, used and yearned for, and felt inspired by Stampin' Up! products for a while now ~ I have news for you!

It used to be $289 to join Stampin' Up! Australia (it was even more when I joined in February 2009).  NOW, at the moment, this month. . . it is $169 to get your own account!!  But that's not the best part ~ you get $235 worth of product for the price of $169 ~ AMAZING!!

The greatest thing is that you can COMPLETELY customise your products to suit your needs.  So you select any products that you want from the current catalogues (Ideas Book & Catalogue and Autumn Winter Mini) to the value of $235 and you pay only $169!

 There are so many advantages to having your own account:
*  being able to order 24 hours a day, seven days a week ~ having your own paper crafting shop at your fingertips
*  getting a minimum 20% discount each time you order or receiving a minimum 20% commission if you sell to others
*  get a one off 30% discount on the first order over $300 placed within the first 45 days of starting your account
*  have exclusive access to offers and specials, events and ideas, new products and techniques
*  be part of an exclusive on-line international community of Stampin' Up! demonstrators
*  receive monthly newsletters and regular emails from the company
*  share with other like minded and motivated people who love paper crafting, stamping and scrapping as much as you
*  be part of the inspiring, creative, supportive and sharing Stampin' Up! family

So if you are interested in getting your own account ACT NOW, do not wait, do not hesitate. . . I can't guarantee how long this offer will stand for.  Join Straight Away fill in your details, complete the order form of products that you want in your starter kit and process the credit card payment.  You will have your own account within ten minutes of completing the application.

Alternatively if you would like more information, contact me -Stamping Shanni so that I can assuage your concerns and help with anything that you are unsure of.

I am so excited about this offer and would be delighted to welcome you to our team.
Shanni x

PS unfortunately this offer is only open to Australian residents.  I apologise for any inconvenience caused by this restriction.

June and July ~ birthdays and more

I have so many friends whose birthdays fall this month and next.  It is sometimes hard keeping track of them and making sure that they get their cards on time and I do have to admit that I am more inclined to send cards to the people in my life who live further afield. The people who live near by get cards a little bit later because I get to see them and deliver. . .

Here is one of the cards I have made using the Twitterpated Designer Series Papers - two strips of paper for the rosette and 14cm x 14cm square of one of the more subtle papers for the background paper that I stictched around the edges.

The Apothecary Art set is still one of my all time favourites - I am yet to make a card with this set that I don't like. The stamped image is coloured using Riding Hood Red and Wild Wasabi Stampin' Write Markers.  The sentiment comes in the Apothecary Art set. I cut out the stamped image using the Framelits Label Collection dies and double mounted it with a second layer (same die that I simply cut in half) in Riding Hood Red.

The stamped image is mounted on a rosette that I made with the Twitterpated papers (2 lengths of 30 cm x 5cm).  I punched one edge of each with the Scallop Trim Border Punch.  I then scored the two pieces at every centimetre with the Simply Scored then folded mountain/valley (don't fret if the score lines don't marry with the trim punch!).  It reminded me of making fans when I was a kid.  I simply stuck the two lengths together and pulled it into a circle on itself which I then stuck with Tombow glue and a 1 1/4" circle punch. 

Roses are made with Cherry Cobbler and Pretty in Pink cardstock which I have distressed and punched out using the Floral Fusion Sizzlet die.

Happy Birthday hmmm. . .

Shanni xx

We {Heart} Hostesses

Gotta love Stampin' Up! Australia!

Stampin' Up! is hosting an amazing promotion until the end of July - We {Heart} Hostesses!*. This is a time for hostesses across Australia to bask in the glory of holding an in-home workshop or party for their local demonstrator. . . when workshop sales reach $650, the Hostess receives an additional $90 to spend.

The additional $90 is on top of the usual exclusive $100 and half price item which the Hostess would usually receive.  So this means that the Hostess stands to benefit BIG TIME!  I love this promotion because it means that I can make sure that my hostesses truly get rewarded for their support.

I have had several workshops already this month and know that my hostesses are loving the promotion and I am enjoying sharing the love of all things Stampin' Up! with them and their friends.

So I am looking for workshop bookings for July and would love to share this opportunity with paper crafters, card makers and scrap bookers in my local area. 

If you are not in the Cairns area don't feel despondent, I am happy to arrange a "Catalogue Celebration" with you to mark this event.  That means that I will post you a current Ideas Book & Catalogue (and mini), you collect orders (of at least $650) and tell me how you want to spend your $200 and what you would like to purchase as your half price item.  I will arrange for the Stampin' Up! package to be posted direct to you along with a make and take and example for each customer who places an order!

If you have been thinking of having a gathering for a while, then now is the time to act.  Don't hesitate, contact me today to arrange a time for your party.

Sharing the love
Shanni xx

* this promotion is only available to residents of Australia, I apologise to anyone who is inconvenienced by this restriction.

A Reason to Smile. . . Gerberas

I love Gerberas - they are my favourite flowers and when I heard that Stampin' Up! had a promotion this month which involved a free stamp set featuring gerberas, I knew that I had to get my hands on the set!  And the best part is that it is called A Reason to Smile. . . Two reasons in fact - 1. that it is free and 2. that it spotlights a beautiful flower. . .

A Reason to Smile is a two step stampin' set and I have yet to really play with it. . . But so far I have enjoyed stamping the flower outline and colouring in.  Here are two of my creations from tonight's team get together.

I masked the flower stamp image and stamped randomly before colouring using Real Red and Riding Hood Red Stampin' Write Markers for the red flowers and Melon Mambo and Rose Red Stampin' Write Markers for the pink gerberas.  The vase is a Framelits Label Collection die cut shape, which I ran through the big shot using the Elegant Lines Embossing Folder. I then partially punched out the top of the vase using the Extra Large Oval Punch. The base of the vase is a Round Tab Label punch out cut in half.

This card is fairly bright but rarely do we see gerberas in dull colours and I wanted to capture some of that frivolity. . . so once again stamped in Staz On Jet Black ink and then coloured using the Stampin' Write Markers in Melon Mambo, Tangerine Tango and Daffodil Delight. . . even the colours sound happy. I used  Tangerine Tango as the base card and accented it with Tangerine Tango Scallop Dots Ribbon.  I couldn't resist going over all of the flowers with Crystal Effects to make them pop even more.

I have issued my team with a challenge this month to come up with the best creation using the set and have a few entries so far. . .will keep you posted on the outcome.

Sharing the love
Shanni x

Fabulous Field Flowers

I have a number of stamp sets which are my "go to" sets, they never fail me in that every time I use them I am happy with the outcome. . .

This week's creation is made with one of those sets. . . Field Flowers.  The minute this set was released I could not wait to get my hands on it!  So in getting ready for a few workshops this week I needed a card that would appeal but not be too difficult to create.

I love combining the images from Field Flowers with French Foliage, both have that rustic feel.  You can almost smell the decomposing leaves and the chill in the air. The flower image is stamped in Riding Hood Red and the detail outline is stamped in Bravo Burgundy.  Leaves in Always Artichoke.  The background colours are a combination of Crumb Cake and Chocolate Chip.

Some more creations using the same set, include these:

The flower image on this card is stamped in Baja Breeze and followed up with Not Quite Navy for the detail.  I love two step stampin' when the finished product looks this good. The sentiment was stamped on card stock then run through the shottie using the oval Designer Frames embossing folder. 

On this card the image is stamped using Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso for the detail.  Leaves are in Old Olive. . .

This last card was stamped with Cherry Cobbler and Early Espresso again but with Always Artichoke for the leaves.  The background of the card are En Francais and French Foliage stamped in Crumb Cake and Cherry Cobbler.  It is amazing how the different accompanying colours and a bit of distressing and daubing change the overall feel of the card.

Enjoy!

Shanni xx

Sad times. . . means blue cards. . .

Whilst I was in Canberra my husband's family lost one its patriarchs.  Aub had enjoyed a long and useful life including being married to Aunty Beryl for 72 years ~ an amazing feat in this modern era of drive through marriages and on-line divorces!

I made a card using a heap of media included printed canvas, lace, pearls, lace, embossed cardstock and of course stamps.

I have used the rose stamp out of Fifth Avenue Floral, I have stamped using Versamark and white embossing powder with the heat tool. I spritzed the image and using the Not Quite Navy re-ink simply placed a few drops in the centre of the rose and let it leach with the moisture.  I then cut around the image so that it would pop and mounted them on the card with dimensionals.  A few quick leaf punches.

Sympathy cards are always difficult to balance.  I hope that I got this one right.

Ciao for now

Shanni

Convention 2012 Awards

One of the things that I should have been quicker to blog about was the huge haul of awards I received at Convention. . . I was very humbled by the support of my team and friends and their complete belief in my abilities.

There were some awards that I knew that I was in the running for - recognition of sales and recruiting ~ as this is something where I keep a record of what I am doing and what further steps I need to take to reach my goals.

I was really excited about reaching the goals that I had set for myself as I am all about consistency.  My team of girls would tell you that I count this virtue as the foundation for any of my successes.

So this is the amazing certificate, badge and gift that I received for being in the top three Recruiters for Australia in 2011-2012.

This photo was taken of either the top three Recruiters or the top three Leadership award winners for 4002547Australia (I am red beside Aaron Scott, Australian Manager).  I apologise to the girls who are on stage with me - it is simply that we seemed to swap these tributes around a little so it was a matter of same people different awards.

Here are the beautiful certificate, badge and gift that I received for being in the top three demonstrators in Leadership in Australia.

How cool is that Betty Johnson watch?!  Enough bling to satisfy any gal! 

The final award of the gala event was Demonstrator of the Year, with Mette hooting as only true Danes can the countdown was on from 25 to number one. The girls where whooooing the whole time from 25 to 6 and exploded with applause and yehahs when my name was announced.  Last year I had been shocked to be named number 20 out of the 25 so you can imagine how astounded I was to take out fifth position this year. . . in fact I am still not certain that something wasn't rigged!

The certificate and pin that went with the award were quite beautiful and the handmade chocolates were divine according to the girls and kids that got to eat them. . .

All in all it was a pretty amazing year and a terrific Convention.  The team from Stampin' Up! Australia invested an amazing amount of time and effort in all of the break out sessions, entertainment, the demonstrators who presented were so inspiring, Shelli was incredible and it was a truly brilliant event.

I'll share some other shots of the Paper Belles and swaps once I have downloaded photos from my sister's camera.

Sharing the love. . .

Shanni

Been a bit busy. . .

Canberra was awesome! We had the best time and met heaps of talented and inspirational people.  I can't wait for Convention 2013 which will be a little closer to home in Brisbane. If you would like to join me, let me know and I can suggest some methods of saving.

My friend Jayne celebrated a special birthday yesterday and put on a lavish spread for her friends and family. I made her a special card and hope that she enjoyed her party.

So the card was a little larger than usual ~ I had a lot to say inside! Fifth Avenue Floral is a big favourite of mine and it is due to be retired at the end of this Ideas Book & Catalogue.  I stamped the roses on Whisper White card stock in Versamark and heat embossed using white embossing powder.  I then wet the whole image and placed a few drops of Cherry Cobbler re-inker in the centre and let it bleed with the moisture to over the whole flower.  I love this effect.

Also wanted to mention the beautiful ribbon idea which is a combination of Victorian Lace, Very Vanilla and Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding and Very Vanilla Grosgrain ribbon - the amazing Teresa Dabrowski prompted us to use our ribbon off cuts like this in one of her workshop wows in Canberra.

Back later

Shanni