Inklings Christmas in July Bloghop

Welcome to The INKlings’ Team’s Christmas in July blog hop. You may have arrived here from Michelle's blog or just be visiting my blog, whichever way once you’ve checked out my creations you can continue the hop through the link at the end of this post to the next team member.

How quick is this year going! Have you started to think about your Christmas cards and projects yet? The INKlings team has and we thought that this month was the perfect time to host a Christmas in July blog hop. You'll find lots of great ideas provided by 15 team members’ fantastic blogs.

Want to win some Blog Candy? Simply leave a comment on each blog and then email clare@crafty-cow.com (subject Inklings Bloghop) and let her know you’ve done so and you’ll be in the running for a fantastic prize of 15 handmade items plus other goodies.

Sorry Blog Candy prize not available to SU! demonstrators but you're more than welcome to leave us a comment!

Here's the start of my idea. I took some plain calico fabric and used the Scallop Envelope die to cut out 24 envelopes (2 at a time). I then mixed some Cherry Cobbler (and Always Artichoke) ink with textile medium and rolled the mix with a brayer onto the raised part of the Vintage Wallpaper textured impression folder and ran it through the big shot. When I did this, I left the flap hanging outside the edge of the folder (could get two on the textured impression folder this way!). It all looked to plain, so I mixed some gold smooch in with the textile medium and spritzed it across the envelope flap. Ironed everything to set the colours. The idea is to make an advent calendar with each of these little pockets stitched onto a backing fabric. I'm working on this! The background in this picture is my ironing board. This is also my blog candy - will update this when I've finished the project. I've laid out the envelopes in straight lines 5 rows with 5 envelopes (4 on bottom row), or tried a Christmas tree pattern. What do you think would work better?


Well that’s all from me. Next stop on the INKlings’ Team Blog Hop is the lovely
Fiona Brown. Have fun and don't forget to leave a comment on each blog to win some great Blog Candy.

If for any reason you find a missing link on the blog hop I've included a list below of all the members taking part.

1. Clare www.crafty-cow.com
2. Janice www.janicespencer.blogspot.com
3. Christie www.christiescreativecorner.blogspot.com
4. Kari www.karigail.wordpress.com
5. Joanna www.joannawassens.com
6. Michelle stampinground.wordpress.com
7. Alana www.alanagalagher.blogspot.com
8. Carol www.inkantations-and-inkarnations.blogspot.com
9. Cath cathdeanpapercraft.blogspot.com
10. Amy amyandersonsblog.blogspot.com
11. Vanessa stampness.blogspot.com
12. Michelle D stampinkpaper.blogspot.com
13. Ryn rynscraps.blogspot.com
14. Fiona B fionajanestamping.blogspot.com
15. Liz Halbisch lizhalbisch.blogspot.com

Cool Yule!

So its Christmas day and one of the gifts the kids received was this enormous spring-free trampoline. It took hubby and I a good few hours to put it together (with many cool-water breaks and a lunch break). Finally at 2.30pm it was time to give it a go. Caitlyn's face says it all really...Wee bit proud of myself and hubby for managing to get this together on our own. Saved ourselves an additional $140 due to DIY.

Happy Christmas, Cool Yule and Merry Solstice to everyone!

Christmas Busy

I wanted to reassure readers that I've not been idle behind the scenes here in blogland. Busy busy making loads of things for our school Christmas stall. These tealights are made from an Ikea set of 12 plain glass holders (Glimma) onto which I've painted a mix of Crystal Effects and a drop or two of Cherry Cobbler ink. The decoration on the candle and the tag are using the Perfect Punches Christmas sentiment stamped in Cherry Cobbler with a decorative Artistic Etchings in Pear Pizzazz behind. Think they've come up a treat! Hindsight, I'd try and either make the consistency of the crystal effects a bit thicker, or do more thin layers... Food for thought next year! A few simple cards for the stall too. The two on the left are made with Cajan Craze and Cherry Cobbler card stock (run through the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder) with a touch of Pear Pizzazz. The sentiments are stamped from Christmas Classics and Word Play. I used Contempo Christmas for the bright coloured baubles on the card on the right. Thanks muchly for the creative assistance from Clare, Michelle, Malyn and Caz at our team Christmas get-together.
So, you see, I've not been idle! I'm also working on hand quilting my patchwork. I'll post a picture when I'm nearer completion of the panels.

Christmas in July projects

Its been a long time between posts, I know... My boss went away for the entire school term, which meant I started working 4 days a week. Pat and I are struggling a little in the office. Its now only 6 weeks and 5 days until the end of term! Not that we're counting down!! LOL
As my 4 day week started earlier than expected, I asked Michelle to substitute for me at a workshop and she kindly accepted. Apparently she made a good substitute teacher and she was a font of knowledge about many things for my lovely ladies!

These are the cards I designed for the workshop. This first one is inked using a sponge on the Medallion stamp. I masked the inside with a circle punched from a post-it and sponged ink first with Garden Green, then Old Olive and finally Kiwi Kiss around the outside. When I'd stamped the image, I thought it looked a bit plain, so I went back with markers to rubber on the holly from Christmas Classics. I used alternated Old Olive and Garden green holly around the Medallion. I then used Real Red to draw over the berries again as they weren't "popping" enough for me! After that a few drops of crystal effects (which I then stuck my finger in before dry!!) on each berry to make them gleam! Oh, and I used the sponge I'd inked the stamp with to decorate the edges of the card. I'm so pleased with the result! The Medallion stamp has to be the most versatile and EASY stamp to use, creating a beautiful single layer card in seconds!
The next card was meant to be a CASE of one of Jayne Mercer's cards. In the end, apart from the layout and using Kraft and Pale Plum, it looks very little like her original! But similar enough to see where the CASE came from.
Because I see the same group of ladies every month, I find it difficult to come up with new box designs with which to WOW them. This one is an adapted "Sevens" box - score at 7 cm all around an A4 card and fold in this complicated way! Once closed, you can fit a chocolate or two inside. When open, the card folds right out so you can put quite a large message inside. Its very cute and quite easy to do. Considering I threw this together, I'm very pleased with the results. I'm going to miss using Kiwi Kiss at the beginning of September!

Which nicely leads to the following information. Stampin' Up! Australia's 2010/2011 catalogue! Its coming! I will have copies in my hot little hands towards the end of this month and ordering from the 2010/2011 catalogue begins on 1 September. There are quite a lot of discounted items and here is part of the Last Chance list. I've sorted this list for the discounted items only first by catalogue page, then alphabetically. Please don't use this PDF without permission. I will post more information in the next couple of weeks. Don't panic about some of these "Last Chance" items. Many of the punches are being re-configured to a new flatter style punch which is great for storage. However, the old style punches will be available until 31 August (or while stocks last).