Don’t forget, the current Spring Mini catalogue finishes on 30 November. The “Summer Mini” will be released 1 December and contains some lovely new and fresh goodies! As a demonstrator, we get to have a look and play with these earlier than the 1 December release date! If you would like to receive the new summer mini catalogue in the mail, email me today andrea.eppingstall@gmail.com.

I decided this year, instead of buying a chocolate advent calendar for each of the kids, I’d buy a kaiser craft kit and make my own.

Tip for those embarking on doing the same thing, put it together then paint it. I thought it would be ‘easier’ to paint the pieces and put it together, wrong!!

I’ve used paint similar to ‘real red’ ‘chocolate chip’ and ‘gold’. I will ’scrapbook a xmas page and pop it in the middle. If you take out all the little boxes, you can use it like a ’shadow box’ for little ornaments on the wall. It’s so cute!!

 Here’s a few different Christmas decorations I have made with paper. The little diamond and round shapes have been made with lots of scallop circle punchies, and scallop square punchies.

The ‘ball, is actually a Kusudama Ball, made using 60 pieces of 3 x 3 designer series paper that are folded into petals. Each 5 petals made a flower, then the 12 flowers are stuck together. I was inspired by Jayne Mercer’s  Kusudama ball, which has a link to a tutorial. It took me around 3-4 hours, from start to finish. Not sure if I’ll make another one, but they are gorgeous!!

Well I’ve been flat out during the last week! Little DS turned 4 yesterday and we had his party over the weekend. This is a pic of him yesterday at ‘kinder’ with the ‘birthday hat’ on.

I’ve got a number of things I want to share with you.

This first one, I stumbled across at Jackie Thomas’ website. She inspired me to make my own!! These are so cute. I’m thinking of making some for pressies this year. I’ve put together my own tutorial, with step by step photos. It only takes 1 piece of 12 x 12 cardstock (plus decorations!)

I’ve looked and looked for a gift card holder template that I like, without luck. Today I have spent the last hour creating my own version. I am going to put together a tutorial shortly. I really love how it’s turned out. I have used chocolate chip, baja breeze, old olive, and holiday DSP, as well as 1″ circle, corner rounder and word window punches.

I am offering a detailed step by step, 5 page tutorial for purchase at AU$2.50. Click on the ‘buy now’ paypal button, and I will email it through to you in pdf format.

Have you signed up for my newsletter?? Well you need to, to go into the draw to win this gift card holder as FREE blog candy. The winner will be announced Saturday 10th October. I will have some other fabulous Christmas crafted items which will go to the blog candy winner!!

I’ve been a busy all day, creating all different “Christmas” gift card holders.

Here’s a group of them! 

 On a serious note, my heart goes out to all those affected by the Samoa Tsunami. My dh came across his ex teacher’s photo on ‘The Age’ website, as one of the Australians that died in the disaster. Her facebook page is so sad.. she had shared that she was looking forward to her trip to Samoa.. then there were a number of people who posted on her wall to say ‘please check in asap so we know you’re ok’. She didn’t survive Our hearts go out to her family and friends.

I’ve seen these on the net, and thought, why not! I had no other baby things to add, so I tried blue and pink ribbon, and the colour combination of so saffron and certainly celery (using the FREE ribbon bundle I received with my most recent order – you can too, if you purchase more than $100 of SU product during the month of September!!)

I’ve used ‘walk in the park’ designer series paper, with contrasting so saffron and certainly celery cardstock. The pink is regal rose, and the blue is brocade blue.

The matching card is made with the set ‘wild about you’ (giraffe) stamped in certainly celery, with contrasting so saffron and certainly celery on whisper white card stock.

I didn’t come up with this idea. It’s been around for a while. I have googled and searched on the net for a tutorial or instructions, without luck. I finally worked it out.. so I thought I’d share it with you!

I’ve made some free instructions..click here if you would like to download them (warning 4 meg download).

Colourwise, I’ve used rose red, to coordinate with the rose red ribbon. Other colours include old olive and some raspberry tart designer series paper – all of which coordinates fabulously!!

Colours are pink pirouette, red riding hood, close to cocoa, chocolate chip. I used every punch I have, every stamp set with special words in them.

Let me know what you think!