New look - so what do you think?

OK to kick the new blog look off I'll share some daily inspiration I've found today

from Di Taylor a gorgeous flutterby card - love the colours

from Bron Heslip is it a card - is it a XYZ - no it's a card tote - a cool project using the Pendant Notecards

from Kelly Nelson a really sweet layout

and last but not least from Diane Bell-Robertson a very glittery butterfly card.

Thanks all for sharing such great projects

Challenges on hold

Hi all not sure why but May's challenge was a flop & it was a fabulous project Helen & I'm going to do it one day - I even promised a wee prize hoping some more would join in to no avail but I've had the draw using www.random org & congratulations Roz Begbie you're it - click the big blue envelope & send me your address & I'll get it in the post for you.

I'll do a bit of hopping & find us some more inspiration soon.

In the interim I'll share this video LINK that Keryn Campbell found on how to make a whole bird family using the 2 step bird punch - it's fabulous thanks Keryn

Helen inspires again!

UPDATE: I've extended the closing time for this as I know I've been too busy making swaps for the SU! convention & the whole of May is National scrapbooking month - so I do hope more people can enter the challenge.

I must admit I've not been the best-est blog hopper lately as life is a bit frantic but every time I need to find some inspiration Helen Williams seems to blog an amazing project & provide a link - this time she's created a one page mini scrapbook - now as some of us know May is International Scrap-booking Month so her inspiration is timed to perfection.

Here's the link to the rest of Helen's fabulous scrapbooks & the link to how to make your own.

Please do join in, if nothing else we'll all get to see some family photos. Please link your creation using Mr Linky below (close off Sunday May 30th at 9pm - so no excuses!). PLUS I'll offer a 6x6" mixed pack of Cottage Wall DSP (new release in the Autumn mini catalogue)  with a bit of matching ribbon & cardstock as well to one lucky participant  - the winner to be drawn by Random.org - I'll enter Helen as no. 1!

Inspiration from Anna Sutherland

It's great to see her back blogging - she really does exquisite work & has created a gorgeous box with lots of links on how to - click HERE to view.

So our challenge for the next 2 weeks (so we all have time to have a go) is to make "the box" it's certainly looks different than one I've ever made before, hope you can play along & this is open to all - it's just for fun. If you can link below with Mr Linky and we'll have close off Sunday 25th April at 9pm.



Happy stampin' in the interim.

Inpsiration from Keryn

Keryn Campbell is providing us with this week's inspiration for her very cool tutorial on creating the Top Note tissue box, check it out HERE and then have a go.

We'd all love to see your creations so link below with Mr Linky with your blog post or from a public site like SCS etc. We'll close it off next Monday at 9pm. Hope you can play along this week.

Delys Cram

Has kindly offered to be our 2nd tutorial writer and share a little bit about herself. She's created these cool pansies using the butterfly punch which is about to disappear on March 31st, as they're in the current Summer Mini catalogue & we won't be able to order from it after this date!

Delys's story - after coming home on holiday from overseas in 2001, my hubby Dave, our two kids Rhys (16), Jennifer (13) and I decided to stay in NZ and we went dairy farming. This was a huge change of career as I was formerly a medical scientist and Dave was a Boarding School Manager.

I had already dabbled in embroidery and patchwork but working on a farm put that hobby in the too hard tray so I gave scrapbooking a go and taught myself for a year or two before going to formal classes. It’s now a lifelong hobby for me.

Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to have won competitions here and overseas, being published many times both here and overseas and being on design teams both here and in Australia. Last year I had the pleasure of being on the Up2scrap Elite Team (which is NZs only paper craft magazine).

In May 2008 I saw an advertisement in a magazine about Stampin’ Up! ..And I knew right then I had to join. Never having done much card making, it has been a fun journey of discovery and being in a supportive and wonderful team environment.

Having a team myself has been most rewarding but as I don’t tend to follow rules successfully I have named my team Del INK quents... all of my team love the name to bits!

Just recently I have joined the Just Add Ink Team and love the challenges and the inspiration the other DT members give me. I love seeing everyone's submissions / projectS every week which then inspires me onwards.

Making pansies – Delys Cram

My tutorial is using that fabulous Butterfly punch (116629) that is about to be unavailable come April 1 and so this tutorial is also a reminder to get your order in to your demonstrator quick smart so you too can make pansies.

Materials needed: 

• Butterfly punch 
• Stampin rite markers
• Whisper White cardstock
• Water spray bottle
• Brads

1.    Punch 2 butterflies out of Whisper white cardstock. .
2.    Colour in the butterflies with two colours. You can see in these photos I’m not being overly fussy about the colouring in here.  
3.    Spritz with a water spray bottle or alcohol spray and let the colours run a little.  
4.    Let dry. I used a heat gun to speed up the process.
5.    When dry screw up the butterflies and unfold again. 
6.    Arrange one landscape and one portrait over the top.
7.    Pierce a hole and put a brad into the centre. 
8.    Finish your card. I’ve made a few different colours but you are only limited by your imagination what colours to use.

If you'd like to download the tutorial & print it out please click HERE.

Thanks for sharing this Delys - I love the butterfly punch so this makes it an even better investment.

Anyone else wanting to share with us a cool technique & a wee tete-a-tete please do contact me.

Project Tuesday

 Congratulations Sarah Gough she's on the design team of Project Tuesday this week's challenge is to make a flower pot card - you can click HERE to download a template from the very talented Andrea Walford.

So let's join Sarah at Project Tuesday & also link below with Mr Linky so we can all see what we've KReated. I must admit Sarah has used my first SU! stamp set which has retired & I sold mine this year (regretfully looking at her awesome card).

We'll have close of here next Tuesday night at 9pm - so hope this inspires you to have a go - I'm sure our mum's would love this for mother's day!

Keryn Campbell: our first NZSU tutorial

Many thanks to  Keryn Campbell for putting her hand up & being our FIRST guest designer.

Now I asked Keryn to share with us all a bit about herself as well as provide the tutorial & here's her reply:

Partner of Dave, mum to Lachlan (9) and Cameron (6); and lucky her she works from home doing something she loves. Born in Tawa, Wellington and after living away in other places has been back in Tawa for the last eight years.

Keryn started cardmaking approximately 12 years ago at a Krafty Kids party where she saw heat embossing being demonstrated. She signed up as a demonstrator in July 2007.  She still loves doing workshops and classes, both for the creative and the social side of being a demonstrator.  One of the best parts of it is Keryn's Krew (her team) which have allowed her to build some fantastic social and business relationships with the members.

She's been a member of the Daring Cardmakers design team since it started in October 2006 as the first card dare blog.  The Daring Cardmakers Blog has no company or product affiliations so we have complete freedom to use whatever product we like to complete the dares.

When she has a free moment she is relearning to play her clarinet after neglecting it horribly since leaving college and is a member of the Tawa based Aspire Music Performance Academy mostly playing Swing Jazz as part of it's development band.

Without further ado Keryn shares with us all how to create a faux bow using the jumbo grommets:

The tutorial uses the jumbo grommets found in the current Stampin’ Up!® Summer Mini Catalogue available only until 31 March 2010.

She personally find bows incredibly difficult to tie nicely (tell me about it!).  This technique gives the look of a bow without having to actually tie one.

The trick to getting away with not tying an actual bow is to have another decorative way of holding the ribbon together.  She's used Jumbo Grommets but comments you could use designer brads or any other embellishment that will get the job done.

Step 1: - Cut ribbon to a length slightly longer than double the size of your finished bow.  I want my bow to be approx 5cms long so have cut my ribbon at 12cms.  Make sure the ribbon chosen is slightly wider than the diameter of your chosen embellishment. She's used chocolate chip 1” double stitched grosgrain ribbon.

Step 2: - Stick ends of the bow together to form a loop.  I just used my Snail Tape Runner and placed one end over the other.  It only needs to hold into the grommet is attached.  I wouldn’t use sellotape as it would be another layer to have to force the brad through.

Step 3 – Gently push the prongs on the brad through the centre of the ribbon loop.

Step 4 – Use the side of a bone folder flatten the prongs.

Step 5 – to use my embellishment on a card I have cut a square of Windsor Knot Designer Series Paper and stuck the ends of my strip of ribbon to the back of paper.

Step 6 – Position your faux bow over the ribbon using Sticky Strip or other strong adhesive.

Step 7 – I finished my card by mounting my embellished DSP on a layer of Chocolate Chip cardstock and on to a Sage Shadow card base.  Your can use any greeting to finish it off.  I’ve chosen to use initials using the Big Deal Stamp Set and Chocolate Chip Classic Ink.

What a great start so if you'd like to download a copy of Keryn's tutorial click HERE

If you'd like to be our 2nd guest designer do contact me I'd love to hear from you and if you'd like to have a go at making Keryn's bows & sharing with us all  please link your creation with Mr Linky below (ALL welcome). Closing time 9pm next Thursday 18th March - until then happy stampin'

Paula's Impossible Box

Paula has created her tutorial & blogged it & it's fabulous so do check it out & I'm sure if you ask her nicely she'll send you the instructions in a PDF file. Click HERE to see what I mean.

So our challenge this week will be to have a go & link your creations below with Mr Linky which will close at 8pm Tuesday 9th March



So I'm still looking for someone to write a tutorial for NZSU exclusively plus tell us all a bit about yourselves - don't be shy or it'll have to be me!

New direction?

Hi, this is Karen here. I've thought about the best way to continue on with the great tradition Trudi handed over to me - I do remember how she was such a caring  person & shared so much stuff & I've tried to use that as my focus for the weekly inspiration - looking for demos that share how they create their projects.

A big thank you all the demso that played along with the weekly challenges but it seems to me with the Just Add Ink weekly challenges that maybe the way forward for NZSU blogs & to carry on with Trudi's tradition is to ask demos with great projects to write them up for us & tell us a little bit about themselves - so no pressure but Paula Dobson has agreed to do the first one with her Impossible Box & then Mr Linky may return for us all to play along with too.

If you'd like to share something do contact me directly or I'll be tapping you on the shoulder to help. This is a great place which I know we all enjoy & benefit from.

Anne Brignall

Anne is this week's inspiration - looks like she's been having fun playing with some secret sisters but we'll just have to play amongst ourselves and the laundry bleach.

There is a tutorial on SCS which you can check out HERE if you've never used bleach before.

So our challenge this week is to create something using bleach.  Entries closing at Sunday around 8pm - happy stampin' in the interim.

Please link the blog post or your entry at a public forum like SCS or PCP using Mr Linky below:

Megan McDonald

Megan is this week's inspiration with her lovely tutorial on making paper flowers - so do check out how to create them & say hi whilst you're there as she's new to the world of blogging.

Your challenge this week is to make some & use them on a card or a box etc. So I'll leave Mr Linky open until next Sunday at 8pm.

Looking forward to seeing what fabulous projects you all come up with this week.



Happy stampin' in the meantime!

Janine Pearce

Janine is this week's inspiration she's created a lovely punch art teddy bear card using punches.

Anyone that knows me knows I hate punch art but I will make an exception this week as Janine's card is so adorable.

So your challenge this week is to KReate a card using punch art & link below using Mr Linky. Close off normal time next Sunday at 8pm.

Happy stampin'

New Challenge Site

Just Add Ink is a new challenge blog: the Just Add Ink Design Team is a group of Australian & New Zealand Stampin' Up! demonstrators who love to share what they love and inspire others to create!

This week's challenge is the very FIRST one & a colour challenge & guess what we have the colours. They also have a prize but challenges are great especially when our mojo needs a little kick start!

Shock horror I've posted twice on one day so don't forget about this week's challenge on NZSU either which is the post below.

Patrice gets moving

Patrice Halliday-Larsen has moved from a blogger blog to a website & maybe I'll be able to work out how to link her here but in the interim go check out her new website Create with Stamps as she has the most adorable moving card with a link on how to create one - so this will be this week's inspiration to create a moving card.

Please link your lovely creations using Mr Linky below with cutoff on Monday 1st February at 6pm as hopefully most of us have the day off work.

Welcome back Sarah Gough

It's great to see Sarah Gough back blogging & she's already posted a very cool project a beautiful wee box decorated beautifully with a clear lid - so this will be our challenge this week to all have a go at using acetate or such on a box.

She's got instructions on the blog post how to recreate hers if you need them too.

Post below using Mr Linky with close off at 9pm on Friday 22nd, if you don't have a blog you can post on Split Coast Stampers or the like - have fun & can't wait to see what we all create this coming week.

Happy New Year

Finally someone has inspired me to blog about them Paula Woods has posted a stunning collage of butterflies and made a gorgeous scrapbook cover - your challenge should you chose to accept it to create something with a butterfly on it - now how easy is that.

Link with Mr Linky below - as it's nearly the weekend we'll have the close off on Tuesday 12th at 8pm approximately.



Happy creating all.

Merry Christmas from NZSU

I've been much too busy making cards & gifts to blog hop lately so will leave all with this fun poem from Anne Wills

Twas the night before Christmas
And in case you forgot,
I thought I’d remind you
What I like a lot!


Stampin’ Up! Stamps
And papers and ink,
“Hmmm, that’s what I should buy you
You’ll be tickled pink!”


To make it so simple
I’ve sent your demo a list,
Just phone her with credit card
You get the gist!


She’ll wrap it, and pack it
And deliver it too,
But if you’re to late
One of her Gift Vouchers will do!


So contact her now
Shopping’s no longer a chore,
She’ll make it so easy
And you, I’ll adore!

I do hope you all have a great Christmas & New Year & will catch you all in 2010 with inspiration & ideas from the very talented demonstrators & friends of NZSU.

Take care all KarenR

Jenny Humphreys

Jenny is this week's inspiration with her 12 days of Christmas gifts. She has some cool projects but I love her bit late fold out-scrapbook - especially as I'm a bit late with posting this as my sister has been working on my PC lately.

So this week's challenge is to link below your gift ideas.



Update: Click on Mr Linky 3 & 4 to see Dely's take on this mini-album - gorgeous

Sweet Treat Ideas?

Well I hate to say this but I haven't been able to find anyone this week that has shared or linked to somewhere else or provided a tutorial apart from ME and my link to the snow globe video - so I'm going to nominate myself for this week's inspiration - my card for my downline was cased from one of my favourite Aussie bloggers Kirsty Brown & she has done something amazing today with the sweet treat cups & butterflies - stunning!

So this week's challenge is to link all those ideas for Sweet Treat Cups; which should be easy as I can see there's plenty appearing already.

Please link your blog post or SCS or PCP post using Mr Linky below: