INKYART

Every Day Enchantment DSP

2012-02-16T06:40:00+11:00

If you haven't already noticed there is a new DSP being offered for Sale-a-Bration this year and it is B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L. It is my most favouritist (yes I am having that as a real word today) of allllllll time.

This is the card I made for my bestest friend's birthday - her birthday is at the begining of January and we only just managed to catch up last week so I had to wait ages and ages before I could show you.

The stamp set is another Sale-a-Bration set - Outlined Occasions. I love the colours together - Pool Party, Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade and Very Vanilla - perfect combination. The butterflies are die cuts from the Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die and the brad in the middle is another Sale-a-Bration set - the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad set.

Did you know you can get a free Sale-a-Bration goodie with every $100 you spend until 31 March? If you'd like the paper and the embellishments I have a few ladies who are placing orders and sharing the packs - let me know if you want me to team you up with someone - you'll receive 6 sheets of 12 x 12 DSP (one of each piece) and 9.14m of ribbon (4.6m of each of the two colours) and15 matching brads.

Back with more later this week.

Nikki

Inkyart Newsletter and Class Dates

2012-02-15T06:00:00+11:00

Latest newsletter should be in your mailbox this morning - together with new class dates for the next few months.

Check out all the new information here.

Happy Stampin!

Nikki

Happy Valentine's Day

2012-02-14T06:23:00+11:00

Happy Valentine's day everyone - I hope you are having a lovely day.

I have to confess that I am not 'big' on the whole Valentine's day thing but it does give me an opportunity to make a card for my lovely husband.

I've used the Sale-a-Bration DSP Everyday Enchantment and punched hearts using the Heart to Heart and Small Heart punches (I keep meaning to buy the Full Heart punch - I often reach for it thinking I do actually own it but I don't LOL). To emphasise their shape I have 'daubed' around the edges of the hearts with Soft Suede ink.

Once I had attached all the little hearts to the Very Vanilla Top Note die cut, I then 'squished' it using the Square Lattice embossing folder. I then cut around the score lines and added a Cherry Cobbler Top Note die cut to frame it. A Cherry Cobbler Tulips Frame and some Very Vanilla Seam binding finished it off with a sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Sentiments set.

Its very girly but is there such a thing as a male valentine's card?

Happy Valentine's day to you where-ever you are - and yes Sads that includes you mwah

Nikki

One On 1 Blog Hop - January Update

2012-02-02T03:00:00+11:00

Welcome to a very large One on 1 blog hop. Its an exciting time of the year having a new word and seeing how it will develop over the coming months. Having already completed one year of this course last year I am already planning what I am going to include as each month unfolds.

One of the first tasks is to take a photo of yourself. Its not the best photo but its serves the purpose. The class does include instructions for overlaying the photo with the wording, but as I am yet to master this piece of software I have just taken a photo of myself with the camera on the computer and printed it off - yes mastering PhotoShop and overlaying photos is on my list of things to learn in 2012.

This month we have been exploring the meanings and noting the reasons for choosing the word. This year I have chosen the Paisley Petals Designer Series Papers from Stampin' Up - I love these papers and they coordinate with a wide range of colours including Bravo Burgundy, Cajun Craze and Not Quite Navy (although for some reason when I was making this page I grabbed More Mustard - but it seems to work okay I think).

I used the Bigshot Timeless Type to create my word and embellished it with sparkly rhinestones.

I've used some of the new Bakers Twine from the Summer Mini and the Tiny Tag punch to create a little embellishment to show the year.

I can feel the preseence of my word FOCUS already this year, I've been decluttering and simplifying the house and trying really hard to remained focus on the task in hand - I can feel this isn't going to be easy but I do have faith that this will beome easier over time.

I really look foward to catching up with everyone again next month, its now time to hop along to meet Erin to discover how her word Mindfulness has been for her during January.

If you get lost along the way there's a list of participants below to help you.

Happy hopping

Nikki

Margie http://xnomads.typepad.com
Sharyn http://www.lavieenchic.com
Jill http://jillconyers.com
Lynn http://www.crafty-creativity.blogspot.com
Jenn http://www.studiojenn.blogspot.com
Carmen http://www.carmenpaulsorthner.com
Marilee http://rose-brier.blogspot.com
Kristina http://hrinspirationfromthe403.blogspot.com
Cindy http://www.cynthiacrysdale.com
Kelly http://mindingmynest.com
Cheri http://cheriandrews.blogspot.com

Amanda http://scrappnbee.blogspot.com
Cindy http://seriousplay.typepad.com
Brooke www.everysnapshot.com
Naomi www.poeticaperture.com
Melissa http://www.smudgetime.com
Karen http://breathenowsmile.blogspot.com
Melissa S http://blog.mshanhun.com
Devon http://www.youhadmeatneurotic.com
Donna http://holimess.blogspot.com
Dawn www.sunshineandcreativity.com
Katrina www.katrinasimeck.com
Sam http://learncreatedo.wordpress.com
Monica http://scrapinspired.com
Kimberlee http://scrapsandsass.blogspot.com
Missus W http://mrswookieswanderings.blogspot.com
Kaylea http://www.myscrappylife.com
THIS IS WHERE YOU ARE ---- Nikki www.inkyart.com.au
Erin http://erinsparkes.typepad.com/optimstic-fascination
Jo www.curlyscrapbooker.blogspot.com
Coley http://coleybelle.blogspot.com/2012/01/focus-word-for-2012.html
Beth www.thesingularlyordinary.blogspot.com
Veronica http://www.veronicanorris.typepad.com
Jamie http://jmpgirl.blogspot.com
Monica B http://questtoperfectimperfection.blogspot.com
Lisa http://backtoallen.com/writers_blog
Rebekah http://istampscrapcraft.blogspot.com
Jan http://mysimplelittlelife.typepad.com
Veronica http://www.veronicanorris.typepad.com
Cate http://www.lifebehindthepurpledoor.com
Stephanie http://www.scrapworthylives.com
Orange Gearle http://orangegearle.blogspot.com
Tere  http://terecontodomicorazon.blogspot.com
Junelle http://yesandamenblog.blogspot.com
Ruth  http://suburbansahm.blogspot.com
Becky http://www.becky-handforth.blogspot.com

Festive Friday Challenge # 3

2012-01-31T21:20:19+11:00

Another Festive Friday Challenge and the first Christmas card for 2012. I do have a confession, this is a case of a card that I made and forgot to blog from last year - the original one was posted off last year. I have a very busy week this week (you know one of those weeks where there is something on every night) and as I am so determined to enter as many of these festive challenges as possible (that way I will have a heap of cards ready for sending in a timely manner this year) - I needed something quick to make.

I was inspired by Carolyn Bennies shimmery poinsettia - the shimmer paint is so easy to use and adds a real sparkle.

Why not have a play along yourself, I'm feeling a little organised having made my first card and it's still January - whoo hoo!

Nikki

We Love Heart

2012-01-30T20:00:52+11:00

Another page for Twelve, this time under the heading of Family Story. My husband has always loved soccer and my son has followed in his footsteps.

I was meaning to enter this into a challenge but I ran out of time. The challenge was a valentine theme and I thought it would be good to document our family's love for the Melbourne Heart soccer team. Olivia and I have been going to AAMI Park to watch the matches with Kieran whilst Paul is away and we've been having fun. I'm sure Kieran would rather be with his dad but for now he is embracing having a supportive sister and mum very well.

I've used the Big Top Birthday DSP from Stampin' Up! as the red and white stripes were perfect. I created the title by painting some retired chipboard letters with white craft paint and then I've used the Itty Bitty Bits and Real Red ink to create the little hearts. I've used a few of these letters before and so had to mix up the capitals and the lowercase, and the 'e' is the number 3 - I love the end result and the fact that I have used up something from my retired stash.

The Twelve colour for Family Stories is another purple - Perfect Plum and I've managed to sneak a little brad onto the layout with the date on it to signify this important part of the course.

I've also used one of the Sale-a-bration stamp sets for the word Love - its Outline Occasions - and the word 'WE' is a rub on from my stash.

Happy scrapping - pop back in a day or two for a One Little Word update.

Nikki

Blog Hopping with the Summer Mini

2012-01-28T06:00:00+11:00

Its blog hopping time - the first for 2012. This is the time to showcase all the lovely goodies from the new Summer Mini - there are some very yummy things and of course, for every $100 you spend between now and the end of March you will receive a free stamp set, designer series paper pack or set of embelllishments - got to love the free stuff!

I've used the very yummy Spice Cake designer series paper to create another scrapbooking page for my Twelve course. This paper is so yummy and works well with soft Suede, More Mustard, Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz, River Rock and Very Vanilla - so you just know with that line up of neutrals, blues and greens you are going to love it.

I decided to use Pool Party as my accent colour and teamed it with lace and pearls. And just in case you think I have lost my marbles completely, the colour I have allocated to Me for my Twelve course is purple (it is my favourite colour) so the little Elegant Eggplant button with the little pearl is to remind me this is a Twelve page. The flower embellishment is a piece of lace which I have threaded with cotton and pulled to make a ruffled flower. I've then added a punched flower, pearls and ruffled ribbon to finish it off.

I hope you are enjoying the hop - it is time to be on your way, off to visit the lovely and very talented Kathryn Manglesdorf.

Have a super weekend and happy scrapping.

Nikki

Sale-A-Bration Begins - FREE Stamps Anyone?

2012-01-26T07:43:24+11:00

Yes the most exciting time is here - Sale-A-Bration. Click on the logo above to see the exclusive stamps, papers and embellishments being offered this year.

My personal favourite (so far LOL) are the lovely papers, I've used them to make a few cards and a couple of scrapbooking pages - the colours are gorgeous.

So how do you get your hands on some freebies?

CUSTOMERS - Spend $100 and choose one of the 6 Sale-A-Bration items for free. Spend $200 and receive two Sale-A-Bration items - you receive a free item for every $100 spent.

HOSTESSES - host a workshop and earn lots of free goodies.

JOIN - become a demonstrator. The kits is on special $249 plus you get to add another stamp from the main catalogue onto your order for free (any value).

Call or email if you'd like to place an order, host a workshop or are thinking about joining up as a demonstrator - 0428 254 952.

Happy Australia Day.

Nikki

1st Layout of 2012, 1st of 144 and 1st JAI Scrapbook Challenge

2012-01-22T13:54:47+11:00

Yes this is the first layout of 2012.

All about what we did on the 1st of January 2012.

It is the first layout for my Twelve project .... only 143 to go :o)

So I think it qualifies as an entry for the Just Add Ink Scrapbook Challenge - Firsts or Ones.

I wanted to include a few pictures, but I only wanted to do a single page layout so I cropped them all and then played with them until they sat together well. Of course colour was going to be an issue with this many photos so I flicked through the Stampin' Up DSP pages of the catalogue and found this piece from the Paisley Petals pack - matches well with KP's top and the fireworks - perfect.

I loved the concept of firsts and so all the journalling around the outside relates to this - Firsts on the First of the First of Twenty Twelve, Our First time watching the fireworks in Sydney, First Sadler - Petrie event of Twenty Twelve and First time visiting Bondi Beach on the First.

A part of the Twelve concept is to 'colour code' each of the Twelve topics - so Holiday is my red orange topic. Students are encouraged to use a small embellishment on the page in your chosen colour - so I've included some Real Red brads as accents - ordinarily I would have just chosen the Cajun Craze ones only but I like the contrast.

This was a super quick easy layout to put together. Pop on over to the JAI scrapbooking challenge and why not put in an entry yourself - so much fun.

I am really loving the learnings of the Twelve course - I'll be back in a day or two with my second layout - one all about Me.

Happy scrapping.

Nikki

Twelve Update

2012-01-21T06:00:00+11:00

Although I am a little 'scared' as we are mid way through January and I am yet to make one of the 12 layouts for the month of January I am excited. The whole idea of Twelve is to simplify the art of scrapbooking by providing you with topics and daily prompts to ignite your inner creative being.

I've completed all the prepartion work which involved making a lovely Inspiration box. I've used the very yummy Spice Cake DSP from Stampin' Up! which is a new product in the latest Summer Mini. I really love this paper and as this little box is going to be with me all year long I thought it was perfect to put it to good use.

I bought the little clipboard in Officeworks and covered that with the same DSP.

For each of the Twelve topics I've allocated a colour and started to complete the inspiration cards to help with my mojo is lacking.

I've started an embellishment box - we need to gather 12 embellishments for each of the 12 colours - I've shopped my stash and I seemed to have had a flower fetish at some point LOL.

I'm going to be taking part in an embellishment swap with fellow Twelve students and so I hope to fill this box with more than just flowers. And of course, I am going to be make some embellishments of my own with all the lovely Stampin' Up goodies that I have too.

I then received some happy mail - I knew this was coming and that some of my local friends had received their envelopes so the tension was mounting when I finally found my parcel in the mailbox this week.

Perhaps I'll eat those Skittles when I have finally finished all 144 layouts - better check the best before date hadn't I LOL

This little notebook is to carry around in your purse so that have something to jot down something that inspires you when you are out and about and the bingo cards are so that you can check off the things to do each month.

And the lovely journal is for writing your thoughts in too. We also receive daily emails - thought provokers - some of them have been a little weird - but then sometime later, a thought occurs to me for a page - so pleased I now have somewhere to write all these little thoughts down before they are lost again.

I am really loving the whole concept - now just to FOCUS and make a page or Twelve!

Let me know if you are joining in with Twelve too - and if you'd like a bag of flowers I am sending RAK's to anyone who wants some.

Nikki