Botanical Gazette DSP

The new Botanical Gazette designer series paper is so beautiful, I find it scary to cut into any of the sheets. Strangely enough it's starting to disappear though... hmmm! These two projects have been designed for a future workshop, where we will be making both the card and gift box.

I will be showing the girls how to use the Big Shot machine to make this gorgeous little pinched box and the butterflies that are on both projects. I really enjoyed designing these and can't wait to share them!

Using bleach and Embossing

We were shown some amazing techniques at the recent Stampin' Up! convention in Melbourne. One that I just had to try was bleaching and embossing. Kirsty Brown showed us how to achieve a beautifully vintage look by embossing images and bleaching them. Here is my take on her workshop wow which I am demonstrating at a workshop later this week:

I used the Happiness Shared flower and black embossing powder to achieve this look.

The greeting is Sincere Salutations which looks lovely on this card.

If you'd like to book a workshop and make some gorgeous projects like these, my email is tennillekoelma@y7mail.com!

Swaps for Convention!

I am flying to Melbourne next Thursday to be a part of this years Stampin' Up! Convention. I have enlisted the help of all of my amily to take care of my little boy, which is a mammoth effort of shifting him around! Convention, by the way, is where demonstrators from around Australia and New Zealand converge in one area- this time Melbourne- to stamp, stamp and stamp (and learn new business tips and get inspired)!

I have made my swaps for Convention and wanted to share them with you. I made two designs, and depending on how much time I have next week, I may make a couple more.

Here's the one I started on Saturday:

I love the set Happiness Shared and used this to create a backdrop of flowers, as well as the sentiment in the oval. I used the Colour Spritzer Tool which looks awesome. Here they are, all bagged up and ready to swap:

Here's the other design I began yesterday and finished today:

I used my fvourite hostess set, Birthday Bakery, for this card. Here are all of them together:

I am so excited to get to Melbourne and swap my cards with other talented demos!

Wedding Scrapbook Page

Today I worked on scrapping a page for the Facebook page Scrap Addicts Challenge (a new site started by some friends, go and check it out!).

I love this photo so it's taken me a while to be brave enough to scrap it, I think I might make a few changes before it finds its way to an album. I used the top note die and the scallop punch to create the embellishment, with some retired beads in the centre of the flower.

A clip and some marina mist ribbon balances the photo I think.

I hope you enjoyed my page!

Mother's Day Gift Baskets

I have found a way to package my Mother's Day presents for this year, using a paper basket that you can find in many tutorials on the web. Usually, the instructions use a 6x6 piece of paper for a very cute but teeny basket, so I changed the dimensions to 9x9" and made them slightly larger to fit my Mother's Day goodies in. It's such an easy basket- score at 3" on each side, make four cuts (up to the first score crossover line on one side so all four cuts run parallel to each other) then fold and staple! Easy.

The subtles paper patterns stack designer series paper is so gorgeous for this project. I also used the stamp sets Well Scripted and Birthday Bakery which I thought looked great together. I used an aqua painter to colour the image by squishing my ink pad while closed to collect some ink on the lid of the ink pad to piant with. The Big Shot Ovals die was used for the large ovals and the scallop edge punch was used on the cards.

I had a great time making these and I hope the recipents enjoy how they're wrapped just as much as what's inside them! Thanks for having a look!

Create a Cupcake!

The brand new Autumn Winter mini catalogue is hot off the press and features so many gorgeous products! The Create a Cupcake stamp set and Build a Cupcake punch are so sweet. I have been using them this week in preparation for a future workshop which is going to be a lot of fun.

I love this set, it is so cute! The punch makes it come together so easily and it looks great combined with the perfect polka dots impressions folder.

This pillow box is just big enough to hold a Freddo Frog or some coffee sachets for a friend.

I hope you enjoyed looking at my latest creations. To book your own workshop where you could make equally gorgeous projects with your friends, just give me an email at tennillekoelma@y7mail.com! Thanks for stopping by.

Sweetest Stem and Top Note Scrapbook page

I have been busy making some samples to use at future workshops this week. I love scrapbooking using 6x6 size as it's more affordable and less space to worry about! This one uses river rock, elegant eggplant and concord crush, including the neutral paper patterns stack which is so much fun to use.

I used a little bit of certainly celery to bring out the greens in the river rock (a neutral not often used but I love the almost green of it!)The top note die peeks out as a balancing flourish. I made a scallop flower and stamped using Circle Circus to give it more texture.

I haven't added any writing or a title because I plan to give this page away in a future workshop (minus the picture of myself and my lovely cousin of course!)

I hope my page inspires you to create some 6x6's yourself!

Happiness Shared

Wow! It certainly has been a while. I have no good reasons for being so slack on the blogging front, so my apologies! Ah well.

Today I have been very busy making lots of cards for upcoming events- here is the first one I'd like to show you, using a beautiful stamp set called 'Happiness Shared'. It retails for just $23.95 for a set of four stamps which is an excellent price! I used it to create a vintage feel card for my brother in law's engagement.

I used Stampin Up's watercolour paper and used a paint brush liberally to apply ink staright from my ink pads. I also used a sponge dauber to add more colour to the edges. A stamp from the Sale-a-Bration promotion called 'Bliss' is peeking out from the ripped corner- this stamp set is free with any purchase of $100- but only until the end of March!

If you'd like to order any products anywhere within Australia, give me a phone call on 0421226332.



Silhouette Sentiments

Today's card is a birthday card- always handy to have one around and I've been a bit short of them lately! I used Just Add Ink's sketch challenge 52 for this one and I must say it turned out better than I expected.

The colours I used for my card are Stampin Up's very vanilla, crumb cake, night of navy and early espresso. The antique brad looks great with the gorgeous satin ribbon and I used the big shot for the oval shape. The stamps are from a set called Silhouette Sentiments- which you can get for free when you host a workshop with sales of just $300!

This card has quite a few layers so it does become a bit heavy- I combat this by adding a layered decorative strip to the back of the card to even out the weight to make it stand up better.

This one came together quite easily and I am really enjoying it, but I'm off now to

mother's group so I'll see you later!



Merry Christmas!

A quick post today today, I have been rather neglectful of late but am sure I'm not the only blogger out there with too much to do at this time of year!

So I just thought I'd pop over to say Merry Christmas and post a couple of photos of my decorations for this year. Each year we choose a different colour scheme or theme for our presents, wreath and tree: this year it's purple and gold.

I made some gift card holders which I thought were rather cute...

the template is from the talented Susan Joyce's blog (which she got from Claire Brennan)

 which you can find here.

Here's a shot of my gift tags. I used elegant eggplant and crumb cake, with versamark to create the background of stockings, stars and baubles. I used neutrals designer buttons to finsh them off. Phew, shopping all done, now time to sit back and enjoy the season.

Enjoy and happy holidays!

A Little Treat

I have combined two of my favourite challenges- Inkspirations challenge 50 and Just Add Ink 45. A colour pallete combined with a sketch- lots of inspiration! Here are the challenges-

So here is my card...

Hmm, I'm not too sure about it but there are bits I like. I threaded linen thread through the scallop edge and added a no-knot bow underneath the panel. The sentiment is from 'Afterthoughts' which is a hostess set (click here to find out how you can get it for free!), and the stamps which make up the balloon are A Little Treat and Circle Circus. I've also used crystal effects and dazzling diamonds glitter to the balloon.

Well, enjoy your Saturday- it's lovely here so I may just go out for a picnic!

Sweetest Stem Wreath

Inkspirations have a sketch challenge this week, which I got a chance to do today. I love doing challenges and have managed three this week, despite having a cold!

So here is my card...

I have used Always Artichoke, Old Olive, Early Espresso, Real Red and Whisper White colours, including the beautiful paper patterns stack which you can order from me if you live in Australia, as with all products I use. The Big Shot die- Sweetest Stem- was used to create this wreath which also has twine wrapped around it and brads as holly berries. I took some words from a stamp from the set 'Christmas Greetings' to make the teeny tag. A stamp from Circle Circus completes the sketch and adds a cute look to the bottom of the card.

I hope you like it! Now I just have to find an owner for this one at Christmas time. I think it's masculine enough so I might give it to a male family member.

Morning Cup Stack

I am still enjoying playing with the brights paper patterns stack, there are so many ways to use it! Here's a set of matching cards using Morning Cup:

I will repost this one with a more detailed picture of the whole card- it was so windy today that I couldn't get em to stand upright and I hate taking pictures indoors.

I used my Stampin Write markers to highlight parts of each card. The Big Shot circles die was used, as well as my 1 3/4 circle punch.

I'm loving those polka dots- so cute right?

Vintage Cards

I have been busy making lots of cards lately, here's another style I've been working on. Stay tuned next week for a series of posts on Christmas ideas!

For today's post, I made some vintage cards using the Greenhouse Gala DSP, along with the exquisite stamp set, Friends Never Fade, and Sincere Salutations. Lots of sponging and scrunching to make these! I'm loving the colour combination of Baja Breeze and Crumb Cake. The top note die using the Big Shot really makes this card beautiful, don't you think?

If you'd like to buy my cards (they're $4.50 each including postage), arrange a demonstration workshop or order any of these products, call me on 0421226332.

Have a lovely day!

My First Christmas card for the Year!

I am finally getting my act together and starting the big job of all of my Chrissy cards- I plan to do one for all of my family, and many friends and colleagues. Eep! I am thinking of doing quite a few using the colours elegant eggplant and crumb cake. It's not a traditional look but I'm not that into the traditional red, green and white thing.

I love the vintage feel of the stampset 'Welcome Christmas'. It's a good buy at $39.95 clear mount or $49.95 wood because you can get away without buying another set for a greeting. I used my big shot with the vintage wallpaper embossing folder (and sponged it with craft whisper white ink) and ovals die.

I made my bow using a stray button I had from a craft store and the lovely basic black satin ribbon.

If you're interested in making your own cards and want to buy gorgeous supplies like these, or even have me come to your home and do a demonstration of some techniques, give me a call on 0421226332.

Thanks for peeking!

Fancy Favor Gift Box

I love the Stampin Up Bigshot! It's an amazing tool to use to quickly create gifts, scrapbooking pages and cards. This week I've been having a play with the Fancy Favor die which, even though it's one of the more costly dies, will pay itself off in no time with all the birthdays, Christmas gifts and party favors I intend to make with it.


I made a little box to hold some cookies to give to my mother in law to thank her for helping babysit my son this week. Isn't it cute?

I used the gorgeous brights patterns paper stack and stuck a sheet of pumpkin pie and melon mambo together so that the inside is a different colour. I then cut out a circle with my 1 3/4 punch to make a window before using sticky strip to stick it together. Cute huh! Some pumpkin pie grosgrain ribbon and a tiny tag using the retired stamp from Vintage Labels and I was done. So quick and easy- and cute!

Just Add Ink... and Blue

I have finally gotten my act together to complete a second card challenge this week. I spent a fair bit of time yesterday sorting out my crafting space... ready to take the plunge to become a Stampin Up! demonstrator. My (soon to be) upline Linda Higgins is visiting today to get the paperwork sorted. I hope this means more opportunities to meet fellow crafters and make cards, as I really love it and I particularly love Stampin Up products. Sooo fun!

Anyway... I better write about my card now. This one is for this week's Just Add Ink challenge: just add blue for depression and anxiety awareness month.

I don't make masculine cards often but bought the woodgrain background stamp for this purpose. I like the look of the colours together- whisper white, basic grey, night of navy and crumb cake- very masculine. I wondered if it needed some sort of picture stamp but I think its simplicity makes it nice. I need to slow down with my whisper white craft ink though, it's like paint and looks gorgeous but needs drying time!

I used my Big Shot for this card- the top note die and oval shape- it certainly is paying itself off! The circle is a 1 3/4 punch. The only thing non Stampin Up is the button from a local craft shop.

Well, thanks for peeking!

Inkspirations Colour Challenge #44

I have finally had time to complete a challenge, after returning back to work post school holidys and celebrating my birthday! Makeesha's colour challenge was another really lovely combo:

This colour pallete screams baby card to me, but I really needed a thank you card, so I'll just have to have another play with these colours another time! This is what I did:

I love the Ornate Blossom stamp and finally inked it up for this card in Daffodil Delight, then used crystal effects over the whole stamp. I used the beautiful Greenhouse Gala DSP and cut a Marina Mist top note into two smaller sections with a piece of Whisper White cardstock to hide the join. I sponged the edges of this with craft Whisper White ink and used my gel pen to add dots for accent.

I hope you enjoyed my card!

Just Add Ink 38

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink is in line with Breast cancer awareness month. The theme is just add pink and bling... and my guess is there won't be a masculine project in sight! I had a go at making a top note box for my submission:

The colours I used are Crumb Cake, Blushing Bride and Whisper White. I used a satin gold ribbon to close my box and to tie in the gold bling on the embellishment.

I used my 1 3/4 circle punch to make the box easier to open.

I lined the inside with Whisper White stamped with the flower from Friends Never Fade. Now I just need to find something cute to add inside. I hope you like my little box, thanks for having a look!



A cute gift with the Big Shot Milk Carton die

It's my mother in law's birthday today so I thought it was the perfect time to use my mini milk carton die for the first time... well I had a little play with it as soon as I got it, but haven't used it for a gift yet. I decided to use Really Rust and Close to Cocoa cardstock, with some Whisper White, because these colours suit Grandma really well. I think they're really pretty together. I also made a matching card:

I have seen the mini milk carton box over all over the net, created by the talented Becky Roberts. I also used stamp set Birthday Bakery and Sincere Salutations. I filled my milk cartons with a variety of chockies from Darrell Lea. I ended up eating way too many myself!

I used the top note die to create this card. The ribbon is from a local craft shop. I hope you enjoyed my creations, thanks for looking!