It's just like Christmas!

Hi everyone,
Whoops I meant to blog a couple of times this week, but I got a bit distracted!  Check out what arrived on my doorstep earlier this week....

Oooh look at all the lovely new stuff!  This is a BIG box...  Ribbons galore, new punches, new stamps, ohhhh!  Of course, not all of it was for me... but there was enough of it to keep me entertained all week!

I was going to show you these earlier in the week.  I made these as prizes for my prize draw this month, I had some spare jars at home from some preserves my MIL made ages ago, so I went and bought some lids for the jars, filled them with ingredients and decorated them up - yummo, Brownies in a jar!  All the lucky winners will have to do is tip all the ingredients into a bowl, and some vanilla, a little oil and eggs, mix and bake to make a batch of easy brownies.  How fun is that? 

I decorated these jars using some felt I had stashed away.  For the large piece that covers the lid, I just traced around a plate from my kitchen, but the flowers were die cut using the fabulous Fun Flowers die.  I joined them together simply using a large Rhinestone brad, and then stuck the layered flower to the white felt circle.  The gorgeous Pretty In Pink satin ribbon holds the felt onto the lid.  Easy peasy!  I'm loving the new dies I have to say, this flower die has fast become a favourite.  In my delight at making these I forgot to write out the instructions for the lucky winners but I'll do that soon and include those with the prizes.  Want to win one?  Simply place an order with me this month and you're in the draw!

Next, I have a neat project to share.  Well, it didn't start off looking that neat - check this out:

The photo doesn't show it, but when I found this magnetic memo holder tucked away in a discount store somewhere in the wops between here and Rotorua (seriously, I have no idea where I was when I found this - I was making my way home from a team stamp camp earlier this year and stopped at all the cheap shops on the way!), it was looking pretty grubby, old and lonely.  This was the only one they had in the store, and I've never seen any others in any of the cheap shops up here in my part of Auckland.  So this project is a one-off, probably!

I decided it needed seriously girly-ing up (is that a word?) and settled on the Flirtacious patterned papers in the new catalogue.  Having just gotten home from the Hamilton Craft & Quilt show last week, and all inspired to play with fabric, I made a cute little flower from the matching fabric that we're now carrying.  I am not a sewer, but this flower was so fun to make!  And I was proud of myself - I finally used one of the REALLY big brads that we have, for the flower centre, and simply added a 1/2" punched circle of the paper on top to finish that off. 

I did change the pen from the memo holder, I swapped it out for a black one to which I inserted some of the patterned paper so that it matched.  I took out the pad of paper just so you could see how I decorated the back - new lace border punch and a little bling with the adhesive rhinestones!  If you want to see this in real life (looks better than the pic!), I am hanging onto it here for dear life.  My Mum tried to get me to stick this to HER fridge and told me I should make lots of these and sell them, lol!  Even hubby was impressed.  So if you have seen these memo holders somewhere, could you let me know where I can get them?  Please!

Oh, and I must mention - a huge warm welcome to my newest team members!  The awesome starter kit offer from Stampin' Up! has convinced some fabulous crafters to join my Stampin' Up! family, and I'm so excited to have new friends to play with!  Where else can you stamp/die cut/emboss/colour to your heart's content and get paid to do it?!  I love that!  If you're looking for a fabulous way to fund your craft spending, or help with the bills, just ask me for more info.  I'm loving helping my new team members get their businesses up and running!

If you have any questions about my projects today, feel free to email me and I'll answer as soon as I can!

Off to stamp some more... have a wonderful weekend!