IT’S BEEN QUITE A WHILE …

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 30

… since my last post!

I left my comfort zone and then left Australia for 5 weeks.

My husband, Rob and I enjoyed a fabulous holiday adventure in Canada and the United States – Vancouver, Alaskan Cruise, Canadian Rockies, Salt Lake City [including a visit to Stampin’ Up!’s head office in Riverton – a HUGE thank you to Rett for our fantastic visit!], Yellowstone N.P. [it SNOWED!!], Moab and the surrounding amazing national parks, Seattle, Vancouver and home. Driving on the wrong side of the road gets easier with every visit.

When we arrived home, I collected my BBB of Occasions Catalogue products for the projects I would create for On Stage Local on the Gold Coast.

I had 5 weeks to do this in … here are the results. I am very pleased with what I created.

The Myths & Magic Suite [stamp set and Speciality Designer Series Paper] was a little challenging at first because I haven’t really done a lot of children’s based cards or layouts in a long time.

I thought that I would start with a memories layout first – the SDSP page I used really stood out as a great background. Then I started searching through lots of photos of my two gorgeous girls [now 27 and 22]. Mermaids, Michele?

They SPLASH and I want my daughters to make a splash in their lives …

Now onto the knights, dragons and unicorns … birthday party items seemed the way to go.

So, JAMES is turning 9 and having a party. Here is his diorama invitation in an upturned mini pizza box.

I have been having fun making 6″x 6″ and 4″x 4″ smash cards since I first saw them online [apologies that I cannot acknowledge the source of this inspiration … I can’t find my CASing notebook].

This is the 3″x 3″ smash pizza box card that Robert gave to James at the party. [Names inspired by my husband – Robert James]

Look at the above display board photo and you might see the test tube of “Dragon food – Beware’.

Next, some magical wizard cards … if there wasn’t already enough get excited about, you are going to love the Myths & Magic 6″x 6″ glimmer papers and the Picture Perfect Paper Ribbon.

So … what little girl doesn’t like UNICORNS?

In this collection, I created: a mini treat bag invitation, birthday card, party treat pillow and a party treat test tube [“Unicorn snacks” … “Hand feeding only”] along with a Memories card game.

The Perennial Birthday Stamp Set, Picture Perfect Paper Ribbon and light green Glimmer Paper gave great scope for more elegant projects.

I really liked the way the paper ribbon folded in half so easily when I wanted to create the flowers for this collection.

The top centre gift box was achieved by cutting, scoring and stamping one of the floral images onto Whisper White cardstock; adhering it to create an insert into a Clear Tiny Treat Box and then using Stampin’ Up!’s brilliant new Stampin’ Blends to add colour onto the outside of the clear box.

The only thing I think the Picnic with You Stamp Set needed was an ANT stamp!

I roughly sketched my little ant and then used a black permanent marker to trace him onto a strip of Window Sheet, at different angles, to achieve my little army of picnic-pilferers.

The 3″x 3″ gift cards were designed to fit inside this trifold gift set with the front sentiment reading, “A basketful of thanks for you.”