Flower Burst Embosslit die

Hi everyone!
Hope you are enjoying the holidays (it's school holidays in NZ right now, for my overseas viewers).  I am enjoying spending a bit of time with my daughter, hanging out with her and taking her places (trying to avoid the ones which involve parting with copious amounts of my hard-earned cash of course!).  Yesterday we visited a friend, went to our local pet store for supplies (no new pets thank you!), and then went to the mall to do a little shopping.  Miss six-going-on-sixteen declared "I'm starving!" and talked me into taking her to a nice little cafe, where she proceeded to wolf down a massive muffin and half of my nice berry pie slice, and a large bottle of expensive organic apple juice.  I tried to enjoy the look of rapture on her face as she filled her tummy, and not think about the hole she is starting to burn in my wallet!  I should mention it wasn't lunch time either, but mid-afternoon, and it was also after she'd scoffed a large banana at my friend's house and insisted I rummage through my handbag for any morsels of food I had on me (there weren't any).  Oh how I wish I could have the metabolism of a six year old again, goodness knows where all that food went as she's a petite little thing unlike her parents.  I think she must be going through another growth spurt!

In the time that I can nab where I don't have a small person attached to my leg, I've been busy preparing for this weekend's Extravagazna (can't wait!) and also other upcoming events.  I'm also already starting to make samples for the start of the new catalogue in September (in August I will be announcing the details of my launch party, woo hoo!), as I was fortunate to receive a few new sets at the Stampin' Up! Convention in May and can't resist having a play.  Did I mention being a Demonstrator is fabulous just to get your hands on new stuff before anyone else does?!.  I've even managed to rummage through my supplies and find a few items that I think are likely to retire at the end of August, based on the fact they've already retired in the USA and Canada.  I'm trying to play with the retiring stuff while I still can!

I've also been good and used up a bit of long-retired stock that I have hoarded, to make invitations for Miss Six's upcoming birthday party.  She wants her friends to learn to make cards and decorate cupcakes.  The perfect party theme considering what I do as a job now, and the fact that I went a little crazy last year buying cupcake decorating supplies.  The cupcake stand I purchased may finally get an outing!

Here are the invitations, I made pocket cards so the party details are on the tags inside.  I stuck magnets on the back of the tags so her friends can put the invites on their fridge doors and not forget the party.  These were really fun to make.  Most of what you see here is retired, except the cardstock colours, and the cupcake stamp set and punch are still available in our Autumn Winter mini catalogue (only until the end of July though, as the mini catalogue finishes on the 31st).  If you like the patterned paper (it's called Sweet Always) though, let me know as I think I still have some packs of that lying around I'm happy to sell!  I also slipped in one non-Stampin' Up! item in these invites (gasp!) - the little flower brads, as yes, I have an embarrassing collection of other craft items I collected before I discovered Stampin' Up! and I need to make use of that sometimes, too!

Recently I just ordered the Flower Burst Embosslit die for myself.  A girl needs new toys every now and then, right?  I don't know why it took me so long to get this one as it was really fun to use.  I thought the flower shape coordinated really well with the pattern on the ribbon that is part of the Gift with Purchase offer this month, so I whipped this card up in no time! 

I've seen other cards using this die and covering an entire card base like I've done here, but I can't remember where I saw those, so please forgive me for not giving credit to the person who came up with that idea.  Usually I think it's done mono-tone to create a more subtle background, but for my card I was going with more of a brightly coloured "smack you in the face" kind of effect.  Miss Six loves it and she's very accustomed to being my resident critic!

Supplies:
Cardstock: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Stamps: Apple Blossoms (Level 2 hostess set)
Other: Flower Burst Embosslit die, Ice Cream Parlour ribbon

Hope you like these, and you're having just as much fun as I am these holidays!