It’s week two of school holidays over this way, and I would have to say that it’s been one of the most enjoyable school holidays I can remember.

Despite the fact that we have had a couple of overly crisp weeks in terms of weather, which was promptly followed by rain in large bucket loads, and a bit of a head cold on my part, we have have been enjoying several sleep ins, a bunch of pyjama days, loads of visiting, a number of play dates, a movie and large amounts of pottering at home.

The girls have been absolutely delightful, reveling in each others’ company and being quite honestly, completely delicious!

So I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this relaxed time, which hasn’t left a whole lot of room for blogging, so apologies for that

I have been stamping though, and have spent some time this week playing along with a number of challenges, hence the title of this post.

You may have noticed that the Design Team over at Just Add Ink has been expanded by about double, meaning that we only have to design fortnightly for the challenges.  We are free to play along in our off week though, and this week I decided to do exactly that – leaving it to the very last minute as is my standard OP, but anyway, here it is…

I especially wanted to play along with this one, as it involves Elegant Eggplant – a colour that I need as much practise with as I can get.

Despite needing practise though, I do tend to use Elegant Eggplant very much as a highlight rather than a feature colour, but at least it’s there!

I combined the colour challenge with a sketch from the Clean and Simple blog – a place that I head to on many an occasion when I’m in need of a fabulous yet simple layout

So there you have challenge number one!  Next up I’ll show you a card that I made up for a challenge on my team stamping blog, and later this week the next JAI challenge!

All this is after we head to the park tomorrow followed by dinner with my bestie and her gorgeous family.

It’s a tough life, but somebody has to do it

“Just Add Ink #25″
Stamps: Seeing Spots, Polka Dot,
Paper: Soft Suede, Elegant Eggplant, Rose Red, Very Vanilla, Raspberry Tart DSP
Ink: Soft Suede, Elegant Eggplant, Rose Red
Accessories: 1-3/8″, 1-1/4″ and 3/4″ Circle Punches, Rich Regals brads, Vintage brads, Elegant Eggplant 1/4″ Grosgrian Ribbon, Stampin’ Dimensionals

My sweet and lovely big girl turned seven at the end of May, and this year it was decided that we would head out with a gaggle of her equally sweet and lovely friends and catch a movie together by way of celebration.

The only trouble with that plan was that the movies that are suitable for kids are all screened at school holiday time, and May being smack in the middle of term left us without a single G-rated option.

Being the sweet, lovely and incredibly understanding seven year old that she is, Hannah was perfectly fine to delay the outing by several weeks, so next week we’re off to see Toy Story 3 with aforementioned gaggle.

Being relatively small as gaggles go, I was able to cram a bit more detail and fun into the invitations than I would if she had been inviting a horde of her mates, and being that detail and fun is what I live for as far as papercraft is concerned, and I had a blast coming up with these….

The pinkest of pink personalised faux crocodile handbags!

Here’s what was inside…

The little ‘tickets’ are just about my favourite thing, mostly as I found a use for that funny ticket shaped die in the Lots of Tags set!  To make them, I found a promotional image online for Toy Story 3 and set up a Publisher document so that the ‘Admit One’ text and the image would line up perfectly to be cut out by the die.

The little lollipop shaped thingamy is a lip gloss, and then there’s the actual invitation itself.

The girls were all very excited to receive them and one of the lovely loves was still carrying hers around two days later when I saw her at school!

My next plan is for personalised goodie bags to actually take into the movie – I’m working on those already…

“Hannah’s 7th Birthday Invites”
Stamps: Vintage Vogue
Paper: Pixie Pink, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White
Ink: Pixie Pink, Versamark
Accessories: Clear Embossing Powder, Pretties Kit, Melon Mambo Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Lots of Tags dies, Top Note Die, Jewelry Tag Punch, Sticky Strip, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I think I may have mentioned on a previous occasion or two that I have a folder on my computer named ‘to blog’.  This folder contains images of projects completed over a good long while that are stored there so that I know I need to put them up here for you all to see.

At this point they would more aptly fit in a folder entitled ‘what the heck are you waiting for?!’

If not for the fact that the computer doesn’t like anything other than letters and numbers in its folder names, I may well have had a go at changing it.

So anyway, I’ve decided that it’s time to clear the backlog, what with colour collections being renovated and only just over a month until stamps and all sorts start retiring and all.

So herewith, my first offering from the aforementioned folder.  Blow the dust off if you will

This is a card that I made for my sweet niece Izzy, who turned 11 in December last year.

See what I mean about backlog?

Moving on…

I just had to have a go at the Sweet Treat Cups when they first appeared back in the previous mini and LOVE how they jazz up  a card.

The fact that you can fill them with mini M&Ms or other small chocolatey treats is a definite bonus, particularly where an 11 year old girl is involved.

You may have noticed in the flower to the right that there is also a small protrusion…

See?!

When I first laid eyes on the Sweet Treat Cups, they reminded me instantly of a class that I saw offered by a co-worker at a local craft shop where I worked momentarily a few years ago between children.  It involved using objects found around the home in your crafting and card making.

Can anybody tell me what I’ve used here for the smaller flower?

Petal Pizzazz would have to be one of my absolute favourite and most-used stamp sets from this current catalogue and I always get nervous around this time – a month or so out from retiring lists appearing – that one like this will retire.

I REALLY hope it sticks around and heads will not have to roll.

I’m just sayin’…..

As it turns out my nephew, Izzy’s little brother Harry has his birthday exactly a week before his big sis, so he got a Sweet Treat Cup on his card too.

No girly flowers here though….

…just a rocket!

This idea came from my super-clever and delightful sis-in-law Janny who is part of my stampin’ team.

She came up with the oh-so-awesome idea to fill the STC with blue and green mini M&Ms, thereby creating Earth for the rocket to blast off from.

Is this not the coolest idea for a boy card you’ve ever seen?!

Whether or not Harry paused to appreciate the artistry and inventiveness of this idea prior to tearing it apart to get to the M&Ms, I can’t honestly recall, but one can remain hopeful.

In fact, for both of the cards, I installed a handy little flap behind the STC using a scrap of cardstock and the slit punch so that getting at the contents doesn’t require complete annihilation of the card itself…

Again, whether or not Harry noticed this thoughtful inclusion is another thing entirely.  Let’s just say its a good thing he’s my favourite nephew

The Sweet Treat Cups are perfectly designed to work with the 1-3/4″ Circle Punch, both of which are available in the current Autumn/Winter mini catalogue.

If you’d like to grab some of these to have a play with for yourself, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

“Izzy’s Sweet Treat Flowers”
Stamps: Petal Pizzazz, Short & Sweet
Paper: Regal Rose, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White
Ink: Tangerine Tango, Summer Sun, Kiwi Kiss
Accessories: Eyelet Border, Word Window, 1/2″ & 1-3/4″ Circle Punches; Regal Rose 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon, Stampin’ Dimensionals

“Harry’s Sweet Treat Rocket”
Stamps: Pun Fun, Big Bold Birthday, Season of Joy (stars)
Paper: Baja Breeze, Close to Cocoa, Night of Navy, Watercolour Paper
Ink: StazOn Jet Black, Baja Breeze, Close to Cocoa, Riding Hood Red, Night of Navy
Accessories: Scallop Border, Word Window $ 1-3/4″ Circle Punches; Riding Hood Red Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Aquapainter, White Gel Pen, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I can’t believe it’s already three weeks on from convention – although having said that, it feels a whole lot longer ago – and if you’re into reading stampin’ blogs at all, there’s a very good chance that you’ve already found out all the good bits about Sydney 2010!

I’ve finally had a chance to edit some photos from our time away, having received our camera back in the mail last week (thanks again Mr Businessman!), so if you’re at all inclined to know what goes on at a Stampin’ Up! convention (and don’t mind wading through some happy snaps from the family holiday that followed…), read on for my version of Sydney 2010!

We decided that we would make this year another family holiday/convention extravaganza, the last one being Brisbane two years ago and let me tell you, the two years difference between travelling with an 18 month old as opposed to a 3.5 year is vast.

In a very good way!

The customary pre-flight photo. Daddy and his girls

The first day of convention – in fact the first five minutes – is quite often the most fun for me, as it’s when I get to see many of my gorgeous stampin’ friends again for the first time in a year.  I am so lucky to have expanded my circle of friends by huge amounts through nothing other than a mutual association with Stampin’ Up! and for that, I will be forever thankful.

This year, convention kind of started the evening before the official beginning, at the Managers’ Reception.  It’s a chance for a number of demonstrators titled Manager and above to get together in a smaller setting with each other and also with Shelli.

Following a brief talk from Shelli herself, we were ushered into a room where there was a table filled with fish bowl sized mugs adorned with the sweet Share a Cup stamp image from the Autumn/Winter mini.

Alongside the table were several convention centre staff ladling melted chocolate and warm milk into the fish bowl sized mugs and handing them out to us all…

Despite the fact that the cup posed a couple of social issues in that taking a sip from it obscured the immediate area and any conversation partners from view, as well as the more cosmetic concern of having chocolate deposited across one’s forehead and through one’s eyebrows, the number one topic of conversation in the room was how we could lick them clean enough to tuck in our bags to take home…

Thankfully, this conundrum was solved upon leaving the room where there was another table filled with the mugs, this time gift wrapped in cellophane and with the matching stamp tucked inside

The first official day of convention started with the usual throng of demonstrators lining up to register, as well as mad swapping, hugging, chatting, photographing and general merriment.

The gorgeous Sarah-Jane Kalé was there for her first convention and it was great to hang out with her all weekend.  I’m lucky enough to live just a couple of suburbs from SJ in Perth, so we have got together on several occasions, kids and all.  During convention weekend she was without her own precious poppets, so mine were happy stand in whenever SJ felt the need for some poppet love

SJ was an honourary member of my A Klass Act team for the weekend, speaking of which, here are the rest of the team gals that came along….

Clockwise from left: Barb, Me, Hayley, Natalie, Louise

Louise is holding one of the little bags that I made up for my girls that attended convention this year – sort of a convention survival kit – something I love to do as a little token.

Here’s what was inside:

Tissues; Mentos & Fruit Tingles; lip balm; a nail file; a bag tag - a necessity with 500 other demonstrators walking around with a bag JUST like yours!

The two days of convention went by in a blur of fun and informative classes, fantastic presentations by both the home office staff and our local star demonstrators, gorgeous make and takes (that I can’t actually show you as they involve stamp sets from the  upcoming Idea Book & Catalogue!) and more than a smattering of wonderful new friendships formed.

The weekend culminated in the awards dinner which is always a highlight and a great opportunity to get into a bit of finery and celebrate some amazing achievements by Australian and New Zealand Demonstrators.

One of the things that I love about convention is how much of a production it is, with a theme running through the whole weekend, and sound, lighting, video and photography all professionally taken care of.

The awards dinner was no exception and was set up as an Oscars type event, complete with a red carpet, paparazzi and screaming fans (aka Stampin’ Up! staff) upon our arrival.

A paparazzo caught at his own game...

With SJ in our finery

With the gorgeous (and still blog-less) Teresa!

Sitting with Marelle at dinner

Of course, no Stampin’ Up! event would be complete without a photo opportunity with the ever gracious and smiling Shelli…

And not to be outdone, Tim simply wouldn’t rest until he had managed to get ‘Sterlo’ in a picture…

By the end of the awards, I was hoarse from screaming and my hands were raw from clapping – there were some amazing achievements.

My dear friend Marelle Taylor stormed the stage on at least five occasions, one of which saw her named the number four demonstrator in Australia, and the wonderfully talented and all-around lovely Claire Daly was popularly announced as number one!

Go Claire!

I was equal parts surprised and delighted to have been called out at number 13.

At the end of the night, we hit the stage for a shot of our whole posse, including Fiona at the far left, who was SJ’s roomie and part of our crew for the weekend.

After the awards dinner, we headed out into Darling Harbour, which was for the most part uneventful, aside from SJ being picked up at a bar, but that’s a story for another time

Here we are doing our best Sex and the City movie poster impersonation…

As ever, it was over far too quickly, so the news that next year’s convention would be three days instead of two was met with rapturous applause!

Do YOU want to join me for three days of stampin’ fun in Melbourne next year?!

There’s a FANTABULOUS promotion on at the moment with 20% off the Starter Kit, which is great value considering what you get in the kit, and better yet, what you get out of being a demonstrator.

Head to the Join My Team section , or contact me for more information!

Alrighty, if you’re still with me, still conscious, and vaguely interested here are a few snaps of what my family and I got up to once the stampin’ was done…

Hannah had been entranced by the Jessica Watson story, so was delighted to have a photo with Ella's Pink Lady. Truth be told, she doesn't actually look all that delighted - possibly due to a look of concentration as she plans her own circumnavigation of the world in nine years time...

The girls and Nanny after hitting the Sydney aquarium gift store. They each chose a furry manatee, having been quite taken with the real ones in the aquarium, but Sophie kept getting mixed up and calling them 'panadols'!

Having a ride on the gorgeous carousel in Darling Harbour

I love this pic that Tim took of the ferris wheel, also in Darling Harbour

Just one of a great many snaps of our mini tourists..

Taronga scored itself some new inmates...

The girls in my uncle's beautiful 'secret garden' in the Blue Mountains

...and again

As a stained glass window artist, the way my uncle Rod stores his sheets of glass...

..is quite interestingly similar to the way I store my paper...

...the only difference is the resulting art work. This is one of the many beautiful windows in the Queen Victoria Building that my uncle created.

With each day jam packed with adventures of all varieties, this is how each evening ended for my angels...

... and this photo of me with my beautiful big girl is included for no other reason than because I love it. So there.

And here ends my not so quick account of what was a wonderful week in Sydney!

If you’re still with me, I commend you on your stamina and hope you enjoyed reading my account of our Sydney 2010 adventures

It’ s been just over a week since convention in Sydney, and I plan to do a post of my version of events just as soon as possible, I’m just not sure at this stage when “possible” might be….

I am currently awaiting the arrival of my camera from Sydney, as it evidently decided to stay a few additional days on its own by slipping down  behind the bedside table away from view during our “are you sure we haven’t forgotten anything” triple sweep of the hotel room as we walked out last Tuesday evening.

Thankfully the lovely businessman who checked into our room after us found it tucked away whilst on the hunt for a power point and handed it in to the front desk.   So although it will never likely reach his ears, thank you so very much Mr Businessman for your honesty and for saving my convention memories for me

Since our return, we have hit the ground running with our big girl’s seventh birthday, which also sadly coincided with the funeral of Tim’s dear, sweet 92 year old Gramps, who slipped away quietly last Saturday while we were away.

I plan to be back later today with my card for the latest Just Add Ink challenge, so hopefully I will see you back here then.

It’s a couple of weeks since we returned from our Easter holiday down south  and in something other than my usual form of scrapbooking an event a good many years after it actually occurred, I have completed a page using one of the photo’s I took on the trip.

Go me!

My almost seven year old doesn’t have a scrapbook page of her second birthday yet, but at least she has a beach layout featuring herself from a fortnight ago, right?!

Here it is, the Just Add Ink theme for the week being vintage…..

The journalling reads:

She’s a few years younger than I was when I went to Dillon Bay for the first time but Hannah was just as captivated by this beautiful stretch of beach as I remember being.  Miles of baby-powder white sand and the bluest blue water you ever did see

I grunged up the picture a bit using some Pioneer Woman actions in Photoshop and also some post-printing sponged on ink around the edges, so the baby-powder-esque sand isn’t done a great deal of justice in this photo but it really is a sight to behold.

As for the layout itself, it was rather a collaborative effort, as I used elements of things that I loved from all over to put it together.

The custom made Designer Series Paper to the left of the layout was inspired by the amazing artist that is Teneale Williams.

I started out with a 12 x 5 inch piece of Baja Breeze cardstock and stamped all over it with the Sanded background stamp – first in Soft Suede, then in Versamark.

After that, I inked up my brand new Medallion stamp – also in Versamark – and stamped it in a fairly tight fitting pattern all over as well.

The whole sheet was then covered in Clear Embossing Powder and blasted with my Heat Gun.

Once it was embossed, I loaded up my Brayer with Soft Suede ink and rolled it several times all over the sheet, giving the exposed, un-embossed cardstock a gorgeous rich brown colour and leaving the embossed parts the original Baja Breeze.

This technique is called emboss resist, because the embossed part “resists” the ink that is applied.  It’s a wonderful technique

As you would very likely be aware, the process of embossing leaves quite a shiny finish and being a vintage theme, I wanted a flatter, less shiny finish, so this is where my second collaborator comes in…

I was at the workshop of a gorgeous customer and friend on the weekend and she’s one of those super clever types who tries her hand – and succeeds amazingly – at everything arty and crafty.

*waving Mandy*

During the make and takes, as I sipped on the Nespresso coffee that was whipped up for me (have I mentioned recently how much I love my job?!) I was browsing her collection of ATCs and cards and 3D projects and checking out her funky workspace and came across a card that looked very much like emboss resist, but with no embossing.

Mandy kindly let me know that the way to get rid of the embossing after the resisting had been done was to iron it!

I was keen to use this technique immediately, hence its appearance in this very challenge entry, and I was even more pleased to have a use for my iron, since it doesn’t see the light of day very often in a more standard role….

Basically, you just lay some sheets of copy paper over the embossed area and using your iron on high, go right over the top, thereby melting off the embossed area, which is lifted away when the copy paper is removed.

How cool is that?!

The third collaborator was another gorgeous workshop guest and a good friend of Mandy’s who is also one of those super clever crafty types.

*hi Lisa*

Lisa sent me the link to a tutorial for some particularly funky (and I thought, vintage-y) paper flowers using the Scallop Circle Punch and Crimper.

You can find the tutorial –>HERE<–

To make mine, I first stamped the Medallion onto Naturals Ivory cardstock using Baja Breeze ink, then punched out three Scallop Circles.  After following the tutorial linked above, I sponged some Soft Suede ink on the edges of the flower and added a Button Latte button and Linen Thread to the centre.

I was really happy with the way it came together, as vintage style is not something I would usually try my hand at.

If you’d like to challenge yourself to create something with a vintage twist, head on over to Just Add Ink to check out some DT inspiration!

And if you’d like any further information on my layout or the products that went into creating it, please don’t hesitate to contact me!

“Just Add Vintage – History Repeating 12×12 Layout”
Stamps: Medallion, Vintage Vogue, Sanded
Paper: Kraft, Baja Breeze, Naturals Ivory, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla textured
Ink: Soft Suede, Versamark, Baja Breeze, Sahara Sand
Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note die, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies, Eyelet Border Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Clear Embossing Powder, Button Latte, Linen Thread, Stamping Sponges, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Marker

Well school’s back in for term two and I feel as though my feet are touching the ground again for the first time in a long time!

I will need to get my blogging back on track again now as there has been a lot of stampin’ a-happenin’ ’round these parts, but today I had to pop in and show you some little pieces of delight that landed in my mailbox today.

A happy mail-day for me usually involves no mail at all, as that means there are no utility or other such companies requiring the attention of my credit card, but today, not only did I NOT have mail of the window-fronted variety, but two, yes TWO hand stamped cards addressed to me!

This first beautiful creation is from Amanda and Danielle, the two girls who set up the Just Add Ink challenge blog that I am honoured to be on the design team for.

If you have had the chance to visit JAI at all, you would have to agree that the girls do an amazing job of putting together inspiring challenges and fabulous articles.

If you haven’t visited yet, then I highly recommend that you take a moment to pop on over.  The next challenge is due up tomorrow and the variety of DT projects for this one is mind-blowing….

Then there was this…..

My sweet friend and fellow stamper SJ (aka Sarah Jane Kalé) sent me this stunning work of cardmanship (!!) and the beautiful design of the card was overshadowed only slightly by the gorgeous words on the inside.

To think that I only know these wonderful chicks because of my involvement in Stampin’ Up! is one of the main reasons that I love what I do so very much.

Thank you sweet friends for being so thoughtful in thinking of me and making my day

By the time you’re reading this, I’ll be well on my way to Dillon Bay on the south coast of WA, and with any luck I won’t have flung many Freddo Frogs out of the window yet.

Huh?

Just a little side note before I get to today’s project…  A dear friend of my Aunty Mary (*waving* Aunty Mair and Sal!) has told me that the way she used to get through long car trips with her then three small boys, was to have a packet of Freddo Frogs along for the ride.

Every time there was a sniff of misbehaviour, a Freddo went out the car window and at the end of the trip, any that were left were shared out between the boys.

You can bet they didn’t take long to pull their heads in and behave, as would any youngster with the prospect at staring at the bottom of an empty bag of Freddos at the end of a long car trip…

I love that story!

Anyway, moving on to today’s project, a Wild Card from the gals at Just Add Ink.

The rules are, there ain’t no rules (name that movie), and I found myself completely devoid of ideas and a starting point.

I kinda like guidelines and starting points.

What I ended up with was this…

Being new to the world of the die-cutting machine, I was excited and amazed to discover that they cut all manner of materials, including, well…material!

I have a stash of gorgeous fabrics from my gorgeous and talented quilting mum-in-law, so I grabbed a co-ordinating handful of fabrics and got busy with my Big Shot!

Then I got busy looking up how to blanket stitch on YouTube, as it’s been a few years since I tried my hand at sewing and the process of stitching around the edge of applique had momentarily escaped me.

After I figured it out, I got stuck into it, then in a panic, emailed the Just Add Ink girls to see if I could submit another Easter project as my entry this week as I couldn’t see how I was going to get through all the flippin’ stitching in time for the deadline!

After a hefty stint on the couch, hunched over my fabric like a woman double my age, I got it done, then had my big girl out on the front porch at sparrow fart  this morning  modelling for the photo.

I think the half-closed eyes kind of give away that she had just woken up, plus if you look closely, you might even detect some sleep in the corner of her left eye.

Eye boogers, my small girl likes to call those.  She’s all class.

Here’s a close up of the stitched panel…

I’m happy (and slightly disbelieving) to report that the t-shirt has even made it through the wash with the stitched panel intact, so that’s good news.

If you have a Big Shot and a selection of dies, I encourage you to raid your fabric stash and have a go at this.  It’s FUN!

If you don’t have a Big Shot, I highly recommend that you get one, which by happy coincidence I can help you with

If you’d like any further information on the Big Shot and what it can do, or if you’d like to own one for yourself, don’t hesitate to get in touch!

“Sweet Heart Top Note T-shirt”
Stamps: None
Paper: Nope
Ink: None of that either…
Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Sizzlits Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies, assorted fabric and embroidery thread

I would announce sweet Grace herself, but it would be rather overdue an announcement, considering that she was born in late August last year and is likely polishing her walking skills and most definitely up to eating solids as we speak.

Yes, I am that far behind in my blogging, who wants to know…?

Grace is the most delightful angel of a dear friend of mine that I have known since school days.  When she was born, I offered to make the birth announcements as a gift because I thought it would be a useful gift and also, quite happily,  gave me a fabulous excuse to dabble in the digital world that I love so much!

Of course a gift is not a gift unless it is packaged and embellished within an inch of its life, and this was no exception.

I made a little flat-ish box to sit the stack of announcements in, then wrapped the box in an overlapping layer of vellum, tying on a sweet little tag with lashings of Regal Rose grosgrain.

Here you can see a tiny peek of the box within, and a tiny peek of the princess herself, delicious little girl that she is

The flower on the tag is from Hello Again – a gorgeous little stamp set from the Summer Mini that has loads of possibilities, particularly as there are four other equally lovely stamps that make up the set.

I have used it to death these past few months and it looks equally good in soft, pastel colours as it is above, or in brighter colours like the following card that we made in one of the workshops I held here at home last month.

So while you’re patiently waiting in the queue for Framed with Love from the previous post, you might want to consider adding Hello Again to your list.  At $21.95, it’s a serious bargain, it has a matching Stampin’ Around wheel in Retro Remix,  and there are no guarantees that it will pop up again when the new Idea Book & Catalogue hits in September.

If I didn’t own it already, I know what I’d be doing

“Grace’s Birth Announcements”
Stamps: Hello Again, Nursery Necessities
Paper: Sage Shadow, Whisper White
Ink: Sage Shadow, Regal Rose, So Saffron
Accessories: Regal Rose 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon, Wide Oval Punch, Linen Thread

“Bright Hello Card”
Stamps: Hello Again
Paper: Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore, Pixie Pink, Summer Sun, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: Green Galore, Pixie Pink & Summer Sun Stampin’ Write Markers, Scallop Square Punch, Stampin’ Dimensionals

The title of my post refers to the fact that I have so much happening at the moment, I can barely see straight and am a week overdue with my Just Add Ink Design Team commitments as a result!!

Aarghhhh!

I have created the projects, it’s just the time to post them here that has eluded me since last week, so I have popped in just now to post two projects (the second one in the post following) and then will head back to my lengthy to-do list…!

So last week the challenge was Just Add Easter, which was a perfectly timely theme.  The challenge has closed, but if you head over to the JAI blog, you will be able to see all of the Design Team projects, plus a vast listing of over 50 entries received for the challenge!  The winning entries  are also posted –>HERE<–

As for my project, this is it….

This is what the classmates of my big girl will be getting for Easter in a couple of weeks’ time

I like to make up little things for the kids in the class on special occasions, although with my small girl starting kindergarten next year, the number of goodies required will double to 60, which will keep me busy, and up late, considering that I always seem to end up finishing things off some time after midnight on the day before the occasion in question….

Does anybody else do that?

Anyway, I chose individually wrapped mini mentos as the treat, as there are quite a few kids with nut allergies in Hannah’s class so I wanted to steer clear of chocolate just as a precaution.

Plus, it’s really just a token thing and I’d like the children to appreciate the artistry of the little tiny matchbook style covers and colourful, glittery Easter eggs on the front rather than the sugary goodness contained within.

YEAH RIGHT….!!

I still have a few to make to complete the batch for the whole class and also have something in mind for her lovely teacher as well

Check back shortly (unless I get horribly sidetracked, which is always a distinct possibility) for my next post – Just Add Ink #9!

Just Add Ink Challenge #8 – Just Add Easter!
Stamps: None
Paper: Pretty in Pink, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Tea Party DSP
Ink: None
Accessories: Wide Oval Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Fine Supernova Glitter, Stampin’ Dimensionals