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Settling into a new routine …

16th May, 2019

The last 12 months have been ‘interesting’ and my posts became further and further apart.

A snapshot – my brother, sister and I decided that it was essential that we find our mother a new aged care facility and we found that at BUPA New Farm, where they cared for her so lovingly and professionally until she passed away in late October. Four days after her private family funeral service I was heading to Orlando for On Stage Live [it was all quite surreal, but a perfect tonic].

I farewelled teaching, after 35 years, with a wonderful farewell from the school I started and finished teaching at [with several others in between].

After Christmas, Rob and I started preparing our home, of 24 years, for sale. If you have done this you know it involves lots and lots of decluttering, cleaning, maintenance, organising tradespeople to come and fix things, painting, gardening, visits to the dump/tip/refuse and many more visits to charity organisations to donate those items not coming with us but too ‘good’ to dispose of.

The New Year saw our home listed for sale and the big FOR SALE sign erected outside our home. Each inspection and Open House brings the necessary cleaning, tidying and styling to ensure it looks inviting.

Then there’s the contract awaiting settlement [which is this Friday – yeah].

In amongst all this organised mayhem, we moved into our new home two weeks ago, today. Most of our boxes are now unpacked, we’re still awaiting some of our new furniture and we are feeling at home. Our views are pretty amazing.

A view from our balcony of the Story Bridge.
The view from our balcony across to the Brisbane River.

We have downsized from a large three bedroom home in Bargara to a two bedroom apartment in Kangaroo Point, Brisbane. I might have lost my own craft room but we have gained a well-appointed apartment within Yungaba [look at the photos with the heritage listed Yungaba House] … and I have plans for a wall unit with some crafting potential.

The view from our balcony across to Yungaba House.
The view from our kitchen.

… and now I am planning my new Stampin’ Up! demonstrator routine … classes, workshops, launch events and online opportunities.

I am looking forward to re-connecting with existing customers and connecting with new crafters.

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YOU’VE BEEN ON MY MIND …

21ST JANUARY 2019

This is the perfect sentiment for a card you want to send to someone because you have been thinking of them – for any reason.

Ink, paper and a stamp … #simplestamping!

I have used the amazing new Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies to create the three layered frames [148551 – $61 or combined with the Amazing Life Stamp Set in a bundle 150624 – $85.50, on p28 of the 2019 Occasions Catalogue].

The black gingham and butterfly DSP is from the Botanical Butterfly DSP, that is yours as a Sale-a-bration freebie with any qualifying $90 order [contact me for more details].

I look forward to answering any of your questions, sending you a catalogue, placing an order for you or anything else that I can help you with.

Michele

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#simplestamping WE WERE ALL BEGINNERS ONCE

20TH JANUARY, 2019

I can remember going to my first cardmaking class … it was a class held by a local Stampin’ Up! ® demonstrator. Although I had experience with scrapbooking and a variety of textile crafts, this was something all together new.

Can you remember your first experiences?

I had no idea what a bone folder was … or a Big Shot … or Tombow … or dimensionals … and DSP was totally foreign to me.

That all seems so long ago and now that I’ve fully embraced everything Stampin’ Up!, it is important for me to remember that there are lots of you who have yet to get your fingers inky …

… and there are those of who have dabbled in stamping, cardmaking, memory keeping and paper crafts from time to time – and you might even have some of your own tools and products …

… and then, there are those of you who craft regularly, have lots of tools and products [and probably a wish list] and look forward to getting back into your crafting space to make something again.

This year, I plan to incorporate projects in my classes [face to face, in the post and online] to meet each of your stages of creativity.

Here are some samples to help you see what I mean:

I have chosen to use some of the new products available in the 2019 Occasions Catalogue and Sale-a-bration Brochure – Beauty Abounds Stamp Set and Butterfly Beauty Thinlits Dies.

CARD ONE … paper, ink and stamps are the key elements for a beginner stamper. If you join a class, you will also have opportunities to use some of other tools that more experienced crafters use. In this case. I used the Thinlits Dies and the Big Shot to cut out some layered butterflies.

A Whisper White card, stamped with a textured stamp and the sentiment from the chosen set using Soft Sea Foam to create a subtle background. A beginner stamper will be shown how to stamp and stamp off. The butterflies are adhered using Tombow multipurpose glue. #simplestamping

CARD TWO – adding some more elements, using the same layout concept. This time, I’ve added some of the Gingham Gala 6″x6″ DSP [designer series paper] and some Gingham Gala adhesive-backed sequins to lift the card and give a crafter with some experience in techniques something to work with. the sentiment is stamped onto a separate piece of card stock and run through the Big Shot using the new Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies.

CARD THREE – for an avid crafter, something that a beginner might not be comfortable trying on their first few encounters. This card still uses the products already mentioned, although the DSP colours are different [Daffodil Delight in Card 2 and Highland Heather for this card].

As you can see, the same textured stamp from card one has been used to stamp onto the DSP. A bow has been added, using the coordinating organdy Ribbon Combo Pack that is free from the Sale-a-bration Brochure with any $90 order [see Brochure or ask me for details]. The base butterfly piece was cut out in Highland Heather and the top Whisper White layer was daubed around the edges. A Pearlised Doily was coloured using a Stampin’ Blend and the sentiment stamped and cut using a banner die from the Lakeside Framelits. Add a few sequins and some Wink of Stella for a glittery finish.

Three cards using the same basic layout concept but with three very different results.

I hope you can join me and make projects that suit your level of experience while giving you opportunities to try techniques and tools and ideas you haven’t tried before.