Another New Baby!
Another very good friend of ours has just had a baby girl, and being in a knitting mood, I knitted her these booties.
And because her Mummy and I served at sea together, I bought her a bib… Navy Intake 2030!
Another bag!
This time a duffle bag, knitted for my friend Kath who is celebrating her birthday today.
Happy birthday, chick! Hope you’ve had a wonderful day. xoxox
Crocheted Bucket Bag
This is a bucket bag I crocheted last week, in aran-weight cotton. I love it – my ‘work-in-progress’ knitting is in it now.
New Baby Girl Cuddles!
Today I had the pleasure of meeting a beautiful new baby girl for the first time, a very precious little bundle. Thankfully her parents didn’t hold back when they found out they were expecting their second daughter, so I had time to work some pink magic with needles and hook. I knitted the blanket and espadrilles, and crocheted the bib and face cloths. There was love worked in every stitch, and it was so nice to finally meet her today.
Welcome to the world, Evie. I look forward to watching you grow. xoxox
Happy 65th Birthday!
Today is Nigel’s Mum’s 65th birthday, and she and Nige’s Dad have been down for afternoon tea (banana cake with lemon icing) this afternoon. I made her a card, and wrapped her gift in a bag I embossed using the fabulous embossing folder that you can only get FREE with a qualifying order ($120) during Sale-A-Bration. There’s less than 2 weeks left of Sale-A-Bration, so if you want to get free products with your order, contact me now.
Happy birthday Jan!
Retro Birthday
My ‘little’ sister celebrates a birthday with a ‘0’ on the end this year, and it looks like we might be overseas when she turns _0. I found a pattern for this fabulous retro-style crochet bag, and had so much fun making it for her. I gave it to her yesterday when she came to Auckland for the day, and she seemed quite pleased! (And Rach – just know that life gets even better at 40!) 🙂
Happy Birthday, Frieda!
We’ve had friends from Sydney staying with us for the last week. They left yesterday, and today is Frieda’s birthday. We celebrated it on Sunday while they were still with us – I baked a chocolate cake, made her a gift, and of course a card. This uses the gorgeous DSP that you can get free at the moment, through Sale-A-Bration.
Bucket Bag
I found this fabulous site, http://www.craftsy.com, and used a great tutorial to make this bag. I used Stampin’ Up! fabric (albeit retired), and gave it to my Mum. She is a sewing and quilting tutor, so I thought the fabric was pretty appropriate.
One of our colleagues at work is getting married next weekend, and being the gem that he is, he’s taking the week off to help organise the final touches. So tomorrow is the last day most of us will see him as a single man… Hence the card.
ESAD Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop 2013
Hello, and welcome to the ESAD Sale-A-Bration (SAB) Blog Hop for 2013! You may have arrived from the site of the very talented Anna Mathieson, or you may just be surfing. Either way, feel free to keep going on the blog hop from here. But first, let me answer a question for you:
What is ESAD?
ESAD stands for “Extra Special Australasian Demonstrators” and it is an on-line group just for Australian and New Zealand Stampin’ Up! demonstrators.
We so love what we do and not only do we love to share it with our customers, friends, and wonderful blog visitors, but we share our love for what we do with each other as demonstrators. We run swaps, challenges, tutorials, product know-how, and cyberstamps, and we are always there to help and support each other when it is needed.
So if you are a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator located in Australia or New Zealand, then please feel free to click here to join our wonderful group.
Now, onto my project for the day. I love that SAB is at the beginning of the year – and such good timing for a little gift for my boys’ new school teachers (as well as my favourite colleagues at work). This year I made notepad covers, but incorporated a 2013 calendar on the front, as well as a slot for a wee pen (tutorial at the end for those interested).
This one uses Rich Razzleberry cardstock,  the beautiful SAB Sycamore Street Designer Series Paper, as well as the Pretty Petites Stamp Set and the matching Petite Curly Label punch (I love that Stampin’ Up! make coordinating products, like this punch to go with the stamp set). I’ve layered the image on a Modern Label punch piece, and finished it with adhesive rhinestones.
Here it is opened:
I also made one with Baja Breeze cardstock, and the Floral District DSP (found in our Annual 2012-2013 Catalogue). These are so handy by the phone!
Here they are together. Remember, you can get the DSP, the stamps or the matching punch FREE, each time you spend $100 AUD/$120 NZD with your Stampin’ Up! demonstrator – but only until 22 March. There are also great benefits if you want to host a party, or sign up as a demonstrator. Check out the details here.
Thanks for visiting. Next stop is Debbie Speijers, who I’m sure you will love! And in case you get lost, or want to check out other sites specifically, here’s the list of those participating:
1. Chloe Evans
www.chloscraftcloset.blogspot.com.
2. Emily Campbell
www.tinykiwicards.blogspot.com
3. Rochelle Blok
http://rochelleblok.blogspot.com.au/
4. Jenny Humphreys
http://stampinbytheseatofmypants.blogspot.com
5. Andrea Buckland
www.creatingcardswithandrea.blogspot.co.nz/
6. Ann Gerlach
7. Jenny Hayward
www.astampingjourney.wordpress.com
8. Anna Mathieson
9. Bron Heslop
10. Debbie Speijers
11. Pauline Bennetts
www.paulinebennetts.com/stampede
12. Kristina Collett
http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/kristinacollett/blog
13. Nikki Sadler
14. Jane Norrish
15. Christie Kunkel
www.christiescreativecorner.blogspot.com
16. Monique Fielder
www.stamping-with-moni-q.blogspot.com.au
17. Elisabeth Stewart
18. Tanya Bell
19. Gail Kirby
www.stampwithgail.blogspot.com
20. Michelle Grech
www.stampmeshell.wordpress.com
21. Narelle Fasulo
www.simplystampinwithnarelle.blogspot.com.au
22. Juliette Chapman
www.juleskraftikrafts.blogspot.com
23. Rebecca Scurr
www.stampinwithrebecca.wordpress.com
24. Keryn Campbell
25. Narelle Hoggard
www.handmadebynarelle.wordpress.com
Now for the tutorial!
I designed this project around my notepad, which measures 12.5 cm x 7.5 cm (or 4 15/16″ x 2 15/16″).
I cut the base cardstock at 12″ x 3″, and a coordinating piece of DSP at 5″ x 2 3/4″.
Score the cardstock at 5 3/4″, 6 1/4″ and 6 3/4″. Fold along the middle line, and cut between the two outside lines in position for the clip of your pen (I chose to cut at 1/2″ and 1 1/2″, to allow for the clip at the top). Â You can then pop out the middle part to slide the pen into, and adhere the pieces at either side using Sticky Strip.
I cut a piece of cardstock to match my base colour, a 1/4″ larger than the calendar, to mat it with. I stuck this on the top cover after I’d adhered the DSP.
You can easily turn this into a male gift using masculine colours and papers, or keep it sweet and feminine.
Stamp with Me! 