Secret Sister « Nicole Stalker

Secret Sister Part 3

I meant to post this last week but I got tied up with a few things. Firstly I took my girls shopping for new clothes on the Wednesday which was the last day of school holidays, took myself on the Thursday so I could actually try things on and also went to the movies to see Fast and Furious 5, Friday I had a few things on then Saturday we picked up my brand new car. I’m so excited as I’ve never has a brand brand newy before. That new car smell is wonderful. So of course since then I’ve been running around a little more getting the feel of the car but also getting some thing done before heading off to Melbourne next week.

I’m stuck at home today as we are getting our solar panels put on today so I’m hoping to not only get a few posts up today but to also create and have some more ready for over the following few days. I’m also hoping to come up with a quick card idea for some swap cards for Convention. If I’m not successful then this will be the first Convention I haven’t made any swaps for. You know what? If that’s the way it ends up I’m not really bothered. No point in stressing myself out this late in time.

Enough rambling, now on to my gift for April.

All my April requirements were actually hand delivered together.

Seeing how April was the month for Easter this year I wanted to make a little something extra for my partner and her children.

This is the 1st card I made.

I’ve used the new Eat Chocolate stamp set from the Autumn/Winter Mini and the layout is a sketch from Clean & Simple. The colours I’ve used are from the Colour Coach and are Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink & Very Vanilla.

The Eat Chocolate set also has a new punch that coordinates with some of the images and that is the Modern Label punch also available in the Autumn/Winter Mini.

For my partners children I CASED some Top Note Bunnies from Tammy.

In the back there is a cello bag with some small Easter eggs. My partner has a son and daughter so I placed a bow on one for her daughter.

For my partner I’d purchased a small box of Cadbury Easter eggs so I made a box to present them in which coordinates with the rest of her months gifts using the Elegant Soiree DSP.

I’ve used another image from the Eat Chocolate stamp set. The circles are from the Circle Die for the Big Shot.

So that covers the Easter portion of the months gifts. Now to share the rest.

As mentioned I’ve coordinated the remainder of the gifts using the Elegant Soiree DSP. I’ve used a mixture of new stamp sets and an oldies but much loved by both my partner and myself.

The card is a Triangle Star card which I came across on Frances’ (AKA Stamp Owl’s Studio) blog which she has graciously shared a tutorial for here. Here’s a close up of the front and also one of the card opened.

The next item I made was the Keeping Tabs box which is one of Lauren Meader’s Time Templates.

I’ve used Crumb Cake cardstock to make the main box and then decorated with the Elegant Soiree DSP. I’ve stamped the cotton reel and tape measure images from the new Sew Suite using coordinating colours and used these to embellish the front of the box. The ribbon is retired Kraft Taffeta.

Inside the box I’ve placed samples of product into cello bags which I’ve tied with either Kraft Taffeta ribbon or Daffodil Delight Taffeta ribbon. On the right side the cello bags contain Paper Daisies and 1/8” Taffeta ribbon samples. The left side contains samples of Pom Pom trim in all 3 colours along with samples of the Sweet Stitches Designer Big Buttons.

This last box was made to fit the Spritzer Tool and Basic Jewels – Pearl pack which completed my gifts.

So that completes Round 4 of our Secret Sister Swap on Stampin’ Up in Oz. The next round will start in June with sign-ups being taken now. If you’d like to participate, just pop over to Stampin’ Up in Oz and request to join. You do need to live in Australia to join this group but you don’t have to be a demonstrator, just love using Stampin’ Up products. Upon requesting to join you will be sent a pendingmembership.doc from yahoo so keep watch as I can’t approve anyone until this is read and returned with requested information.

Till next time….

Secret Sister Gifts Part 2

I’m back today to share the cards & gifts I created for my partner for the month of March.

Another DSP she listed as a favourite was the Sunny Garden DSP. I hadn’t used this yet and at first found the colours a bit of a challenge. Seeing how this DSP coordinates with the Cottage Garden stamp set I’ve used that also in my creations.

This is my gifts and card, these were actually sent as the second mailing for the month, that I made.

I was quite happy with my end results. Here’s some more photos to show you what the gifts actually are.

The item in the front right of the picture above is a chocolate holder. I found this idea on Marelle Taylor’s site a little while ago. It holds 4 of the ALDI Moser Roth chocolates.

The inside of the box on the left in the 1st picture looks like this. It was made to hold 4 Ink refills. Each of the flaps is decorated with coordinating DSP and fold in over each other.

The other card I made to fulfil my March requirements I’ve used the same colour scheme from the DSP but have used one of my partners favourite stamp sets, Vintage Vogue. This card was actually the first thing my partner received during March.

I really like how this turned out. I’ve stamped the images randomly over a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock, then run it through the Big Shot using the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. I’ve then stamped a few extra small flowers which I’ve mounted on the card and then added some Pearls.

Tomorrow I’ll share the final months gifts and cards.

Till next time…..

Secret Sister Gifts Part 1

We have almost completed another round of the Secret Sister swap over on Stampin’ Up in Oz and seeing how my partner has now received all of her items from me and knows that it was me, I can share them with you all now. I will spread them over the next few days with todays post sharing the items I made for her for February.

The conditions of the swap for the first 2 months are to send 2 cards and a small handmade gift with Stampin’ Up product to the value of $4-$8. This is a minimum guideline so of course you can send more if you so wish but not less. The product can be made up of samples of items (ribbons, brads, buttons, etc) rather than full packs so you meet the requirement or a small product. The last month is 2 cards and Stampin’ Up product to the value of $25 presented in some handmade packaging. When we sign up to participate we have to fill out a questionnaire which is then forwarded by the coordinator to our Secret Sister so she has some ideas of things you would like and also some of the Stamp sets, colours and DSP that you like which she may wish to create your items using. This isn’t a must but if I’m able to I like to follow as much of this as possible.

My partner for this round was actually a friend of mine who is also one of my downline so I decided to spoil her a little. In her survey she listed Blueberry Crisp as one of her favourite DSP’s so for her February gifts that’s what I used. She also mentioned that she likes ‘construction’ cards.

The box at the back left was custom made to fit the gifts I was giving her for this month. Inside was the Sale-A-Bration clear mount stamp set ‘Punch Bunch’ along with a Textured Impressions Embossing folder – Elegant Bouquet.

The item on the right is a card and chocolate box in one and is a tutorial from Becky Roberts 12 Days of Christmas 2010. Of course the one in the tutorial is a Christmas theme…..lol. The box part holds 3 Ferrero Rocher chocolates.

The second card I made to complete the requirements for this month was a Never Ending Card to fit the ‘construction’ cards mentioned on my partners questionnaire. I’d never made one of these before, although it was something I wanted to try, and I’m so glad I finally did so.

I used another Sale-A-Bration set on this card and that was the Sweet Summer set. As I’m typing up this post and searching for the pictures, I realise I never took photos of this card before I sent it on. My partner did upload some to the Stampin’ Up in Oz group but unfortunately I can’t enlarge them enough and keep them clear to share with you all.

Pop back tomorrow to see the items I created for the month of March.

Till next time……

Secret Sister R3 Month 3

You may have gathered by now that each months items I’d focused on one of the colours she’d listed in her questionnaire so that means this month I got to play with Marina Mist.

However for her 1st card I went with using another of the Stamp sets she had listed, Artistic Etchings, and decide the Love Letters DSP better suited it than Marina Mist would have. I was yet to use this set and it’s been some time since I’ve tried my hand at anything ‘Vintage’ looking. I really like the ruffled ribbon on this card.

Supplies:
Stamp sets: Artistic Etchings
Card: Riding Hood Red, Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Love Letters DSP
Ink: Basic Black, Riding Hood Red
Accessories: Small & Large Oval Punches, Very Vanilla 5/8” Satin Ribbon, Sponge Dauber.

The main gift I sent was all done using a colour combination of Marina Mist and Very Vanilla along with the Medallion Stamp set again. I’ve also used more 5/8” Satin Ribbon (I’d have to say this is my favourite ribbon of them all followed closely by the 1 1/4” striped grosgrain), lots of Pearls and Rhinestones.

Unfortunately I didn’t take any photos of the 2 boxes open to show what’s in them so I’ll just have to let you know.

This smaller box on the right is a Dove Chocolate Box which I’d seen previously on Linda Craven’s blog (which she kindly shared her instructions with me) but was originated from Kerri Donsky. This box as 9 little sections which you can fit 2 Dove Chocolates in each. I placed a mixture of Caramel, Dark Chocolate and Mint Dove Chocolates in there. I hope she liked them.

This larger box contained a 6” x 6” DSP sample of Designer Series Papers (all bar the 2 speciality packs in the IB&C) along with a 6” x 6” DSP sample of each of the Pattern Stacks. That’s 124 6” x 6” sheets of DSP. Also inside was a Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. I’m pretty sure it was the Finial Press one which I hope wasn’t one she already had.

The card is very simple but I’m happier with this one than the first one I did for Month 1.

And the last item I made for her was a Desktop Calendar. I also included 2 more of the Containers + 2011 Calendars for her so she could make some of her own.

Supplies:
Stamp sets: Medallion, Apple Blossom (Hostess Level 2), A Word for You, Word Play
Card: Marina Mist, Very Vanilla, Marina Mist – Subtles Patterns DSP Stack.
Ink: Marina Mist
Accessories: Very Vanilla 5/8” Satin Ribbon, Jewels – Pearls, Jewels – Rhinestones, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Small Oval Punch.

I hope my sister enjoyed everything I made for you and can put it all to use.

Till next time….

Secret Sister R3 Month 2

Month 2 of the swap I decided to use Rich Razzleberry as my colour theme and some different stamp sets to those listed in my Sisters questionnaire.

For Card 1 I went with a colour combination from the new Colour Coach, yet again, and teamed it with the ‘Just Believe’ stamp set.

Supplies:
Stamp sets: Just Believe
Card: Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Scallop Trim Border Punch, Antique Brads, Pumpkin Pie 5/8” Satin Ribbon.

And this was the inside.

Now for the second card and gift I made this.

We don’t have any current DSP (apart from the Pattern Stacks of course) that contain Rich Razzleberry so I opted for some of the retired Cottage Wall DSP. The front box contained Ferrero Rocher Chocolates and the other box was a Fantasy (or Stepper) Box.

In each of the little compartments were some Big Shot die cuts. Each container is for a single colour. The 4 colours I used were Rich Razzleberry, Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi and Old Olive. I can’t remember all the dies assortment I put in there but there was buttons and butterflies for sure…. and I just remembered while typing out the supplies list that there was Floral Fusion in there too.

I hope she was happy with this months creations and gifts.

Supplies:
Stamp set: Teeny Tiny Sentiments
Card: Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence(retired), Old Olive, Whisper White, Cottage Wall DSP (Retired)
Ink: Rich Razzleberry
Accessories: Big Shot, Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die, Buttons #5 Sizzlits Die, Floral Fusion Sizzlits Die, Scallop Circle Punch, Rich Razzleberry 5/8” Satin Ribbon, Basic Pearls, Rhinestone Circle Brad.

Till next time…..