Phew - wasn't sure that I would make it today or not!

But yes, just squeezing in a little one.

The last two days have been very busy. I was at High Wycombe yesterday with 25 other lovely ladies from Stampin' Up! at a training session. Just going throug some of the nitty gritty of what is going on over the coming year, although they are very good at not telling you too much! So unfortunately, not too much to share but we were tipped a nod and a wink that there just might be a little addition to this catalogue before we get the new catalogue in October, so watch this space for info on that!

Above is another card that I made for A Daily Inspiration using My Minds Eye Quite Smitten patterned paper pack - very simple again, but hey, that's me!

Today, I have been doing alot of jobs at home and also putting together our fourth peice of flatpack furniture for Ethan's room. We are both useless at DIY and to say that having put one piece together each weekend for the last four weekends, we are very very bored of it and we've still got a desk and a bed to put together yet! Arrgghhh!! Onwards and upwards though, his room is already looking alot better for the storage unit, 2 chest of drawers and wardrobe that we've done so far! Only another two weekends to go!

Anyway, I'm going to go and watch Casualty and I will be back again tomorrow! Got a few cards to make tomorrow as I've got five of my February birthdays this week including my brother's 40th and there are big plans for that that I'll share either tomorrow or Monday.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend,

Have fun!

Natalie x

Just a quick one while I wait for a lift

I'm awaiting another Stampin' Up! Demo to pick me up to take a few of us up to High Wycombe for a meeting, so thought I would quickly jump on here and do a quick post in case I miss you tonight (and I can't have that now I'm on a roll!)

Anyway, I am hoping that today we will find out lots of juicy things about SU and what is ahead for the next year.

There are 25 people going and we all took part in a card swap. A card swap is when I make 25 cards all the same and swap one for one from someone else (who has a different style, different tastes, different stamps etc). I've found them really useful for examples for my demo book as I am fully aware that not everyone has my simplistic contemporary tastes.

Anyway, above is the card I did for the swap, it's so cute - just a little 3" x 3" card using Pumpkin Pie card and patterned paper together with Basic Grey card, tafetta ribbon and ink. The scroll stamp is from the Baroque Motifs set - my new favourite at the moment! Also lovin' the taffeta ribbon too. Just had the whole set delivered yesterday, so watch this space for anyone wanting to join a taffeta ribbon share - it's lush! :-)

Well, better go as I'm sure my lift will be here shortly. Great to see all the piccys coming out of CHA (the US trade show where all the manufacturers show their new products). Wish I'd been there this year - anyhow..........

Catch up with you later with all the SU news!

Natalie x

Ta Da - and I'm doing it again

I'm so proud of myself! Managing to keep it up for four days (I think!) now.

Above is a non-Stampin' Up! card - shock horror! I am still part of the Scrapbook Mate Design Team (http://www.adailyinspiration.blogspot.com/) in 2009 and was lucky to have some of the new My Minds Eye Quite Smitten Valentines range sent to me. I'm all about simple / non-complicated cards and I really like the simplicity and colours of this. It's a tag of the tag sheet that comes with the paper pack with a Heidi Swapp heart and Making Memories cardstock tag all put together on a small white card blank - easy!

Managed to get my hair cut and coloured last night - it is long overdue and I have a very special day coming up next week that I have to look my most gorgeousness for - it's my Brother's 40th birthday and we have one hell of a day booked up to celebrate - I can't wait - posh shoes and dresses, the works!

Well I am off to SU Head Office tomorrow and there is lots of guessing of what we are going to be told - it can only be good and exciting so watch this space and I will share as soon as I can!

Have fun!

Natalie x

You are impressed now, aren't you?

Third day on the trot - I know that I am really spoiling you LOL!!

The above card was lifted from another blog (and when I find out who it was, I will credit them here, please let me know if you know!). Mrs Wonka made this card version using the Stampin' Up! Sale-a-Bration FREE Polka Dot Punches set.

Do you fancy getting this set for FREE? All you need to do is spend £45 on Stampin' Up! goodies between now and the end of February and you get to pick out of four different sets - the Polka Dot Punches being one of them! And judging by how excited some of you get by the catalogue, I know that £45 is not difficult to spend.

It's also a GREAT time to join the Stampin' Up! family if you have a very long wishlist like I had. Stampin' Up! welcomes people that they call "Hobby Demos". You don't have to have a party or anything - you just use the discount for your own orders and you get 30% off your first order! And not only do you get £240 worth of product for £139, if you sign up before February, Stampin' Up and I are giving you two more free sets of stamps (up to a value of £38.95 each set) included in that £139 too - it doesn't get much better than that!

Just let me know if you're a Stampin' Up! addict like me and I can help feed you your fix LOL :-)

Okay, that's it for today - back with another card tomorrow - I've got 10 birthdays in February and I'm determined to make everyone a card - I was so rubbish at Christmas so I'm trying to make up for things now.

I'm also going to SU Head Office on Friday for a meeting to hopefully find out lots of juicy things that SU are up to over the coming year and I've got to make 20 cards to swap with fellow demos for that too - should keep me busy this week.

Have fun!

Natalie x

Ha Ha - told you I'd be back today!

Here is another card that Mrs Wonka made with the Stampin' Up! Sale-a-Bration Polka Dot Punches FREE stamps. Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive are the colours used for this card and just look at that dotty circle - how perfectly does it fit into the scallop circle punch? That's what I love about SU - everything matching and co-ordinating!

Love the look of that ribbon? Have a look at this post here to see how you can get lots of lovely ribbon to match Stampin' Up inks and papers - I've only got enough for about two people left, so if you're thinking about it, then be quick!

Are you local to me and want to come to fun entertaining classes?

I'll be running a Stamp-a-Stack (9 cards) of Boys / Mens cards on Thursday 26th February from 7pm - 10pm in Ifield for £15. Again, there are only a few places left and are confirmed as soon as I receive payment from you.

Or are you a scrapbooker? I run monthly classes in Three Bridges from 7.30pm - 9.30pm. The cost is £12.50 and includes refreshments and a class kit.

Well, that is it for today.

Have fun!

Natalie x

Okay - I'm back!!!

Phew, well it's all been good fun here!

I am so sorry for the lack of updating. To make up for things, I am going to post everyday (for as long as I can cope LOL!). I have made lots of cards and I have LOTS of birthdays in February so will be making lots more too! So I can share lots with you.

So here is the first proper post on the **NEW** computer. Can I just say that I love my new computer - I felt like I'd had my right arm cut off not having a computer at home - sad that we've become so reliant on machines to keep in touch and up to date but I guess that is 2009 for you!

Well, what have you missed? I can't spoil you all at once can I now?

This week could have been so different! I was invited to attend CHA (Craft trade show) in Los Angeles this week but it never came about. Whilst I was a magazine Editor, I was lucky enough to go to a few of these events (Atlanta and Las Vegas!!!!) and although it is sooooo tiring, I have to say that I am missing all the excitement that goes with the show and the new products that all of the manufacturers are showing.

From what I've seen of Day 1 (yesterday) new / continuing trends seem to be:

1. Bling - rhinestones in abundance.

2. Flourishes - still everywhere in 2009 (which I have to say that I'm very pleased about!)

3. Canvas scrapbook album pages - brought to you by Chatterbox and Donna Downey for Prima

4. Lots of black and white wedding ranges this year too!

5. Jewellery and beading - still getting more popular!

6. Home Decor seems to still be growing too.

7. As do crafts aimed at teenagers. Can you believe that Paris Hilton was there yesterday promoting her new craft range?

So, it's all been fun fun fun and I'm sat here scouring the internet for photos, films and sneaky peeks! Are you doing it too?

I had a box arrive today from Scrapbook Mate for the Design Team and it's very lush. I've been treated to some new BasicGrey, some Piggy Tales, some WeR Memory Keepers and Making Memories - yum yum yum. Can't wait to start playing with that - there are some really scrummy bits in it - maybe I'll take a photo and share with you before I start creating!

So on another point, the Stampin' Up! Sale-a-Bration promotion is going really well and lots of people are benefitting from FREE stamps. Are you one of them? They are lovely and here is a card that Mrs Wonka made with the Polka Dot Punches set.

We had a SU party at her house and although she was very poorly, everyone rallied around to have a fun party. Tempting Turquoise and Pink Passion were used together with Whisper White to create this loud and funky card.

Anyway, don't want to run out of things to say, so I'm going to stop here and save something for tomorrow!

Have fun!

Natalie x

If you believe in a dream enough.....

you can achieve things that people say are impossible!

Yay Yay Yay

New computer at home now - oooo and with a 22" screen, I'll never not be able to see anything again!

Got lots of things to do before I update here but hope to be back with a post before the end of tomorrow :-)

Have fun!

Natalie x

Still no home computer

Sorry, but there won't be many updates for a while as I am still waiting for the new computer to turn up - hopefully not too long now!

I just get to quickly check things at work, so can't be long.

Life normal but busy, don't seem to be enough hours in the day and now over a week into yet another cold!

For someone who doesn't normally do ill, I've definately had my years share over the last month or so, but I think that there is just so much going around - nevermind, just a cold this time.

Have fun!

Natalie x

No computer - arrrghhhhh!!!

Well, both the desktop computer and laptop computer died completely over the last two weeks which leaves me computerless at home for the next three weeks until the new one arrives!!!

So, how am I doing this you may well ask.........well I'm at work, but thought that I would give you a quick update on a couple of things.

Firstly you can see I've actually been crafting - WOW! Got my mojo back after being so ill over December and made two items (well three really) for A Daily Inspiration.

The first item is a 2009 calendar made from an MDF block / frame that I've had sitting at home for about two years now. Painted blue and covered completely in the scrummy Crate Paper Prudence Collection Pack. Love Love Love blues and greens mixed with chocolate and if you add some shimmer and shine in too, I'm very happy.

The other two items were a Champagne Label and a card to welcome the New Year. My Minds Eye Laundry Line Collection (About a Boy) used for this - how odd - blue, green and brown again - mmmmmmm.

On other things, I will be running both cardmaking and scrapbooking classes throughout 2009.

For the card classes, numbers are restricted to 8 per class and are purely on a first come first served basis and confirmed as soon as payment is received.

Card Classes will be held in Crawley from 7.30 - 9.30pm (ish!) on:

Thursday 29th January - £10
Thursday 26th February - Stamp-a-Stack - £15
Thursday 26 March - £10
Thursday 30th April - Stamp-a-Stack - £15

Scrapbooking classes are £12.50 per class and will be held in Crawley from 7.30 - 9.30pm on:

Monday 19th January
Monday 16th February
Monday 16th March
Monday 20th April

You need to bring your own basic tool kit (trimmer / scissors and glue).

All bookings will be confirmed by email once payment is received. Please email me on natalie@oshea26.freeserve.co.uk for more information and to reserve your place.

Well that's about it for today. Still more to share but I don't want to spoil you :-)

Have fun!

Natalie x

Anyone love Stampin' Up! ribbon as much as me?

Stampin' Up! sells some FANTASTIC ribbon but only sells it on the reel, but here is an idea where you can own some of it and it not cost the earth.

I have decided to share my reels.....and here is what you can get......

To get 1.5 metres of each of the 11 colours of the 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, it costs £6.50.

To get 1.5metres of each of the 8 colours of the 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, it costs £7.50.

To get 1 metre of each of the 3 colours of 1" double stitched grosgrain ribbon, it costs £2.50.

If you would like all three sets, I will do them for £15.00. These prices include postage and packaging but will not be included towards any promotions (such as the Sale-a-Bration).

Have a look at this page of the catalogue and it's the first three groups that I am selling here.

http://catalogs.shoplocal.com/stampinup/index.aspx?pagename=shopmain&fsid=e15cd46b-a6d8-477f-a9d5-c072b0f3e044&storeid=1042907&circularid=14073

Look out for future news on patterned paper shares too!

Email me on natalie@oshea26.freeserve.co.uk to let me know if you are interested - there are only 8 sets of ribbon, so don't wait too long.

Natalie x

Sale-a-Brate Good Times - come on! Let's Sale-a-Brate!

You can click on the below pictures to see them better - you'll want to - they are gorgeous!

Hello all,

Firstly I must say that I'm not sure how I've managed to turn all these images blue, green and purple in the process of saving them but I actually quite like them these colours LOL!

Anyway, what is all the fuss about?

Anyone fancy some free stamps in January or February? Who doesn't? Well read on.......

For ten years, Stampin' Up have been holding those very popular events and it was natural that our time will come too and it did!!It's time to Sale-A-Brate at Stampin' Up! and free product is what it's all about!

During Sale-A-Bration (1 January – 28 February) Stampin' Up! gives customers, hostesses, and new recruits the opportunity to earn fantastic, FREE, limited-edition stamp sets they'll enjoy for years to come.

Here's how Sale-A-Bration works:

Customers: When you spend £45 on Stampin' Up! merchandise, you'll receive a free Sale-A-Bration reward. There's no limit--for every £45 you spend, you can select another free Sale-A-Bration reward! Order from ME during this time and you will get a free gift with every order (gift depending on the value of your order)

Hostesses: When you host a workshop of at least £300 (before shipping), you'll receive a free Sale-A-Bration reward--in addition to all of the regular hostess benefits! So get in touch with me and book your workshops now, I am planning to step up my SU business this coming year so if you wish to attend a workshop with cool demonstrations from me, for you and your crafting friends BOOK NOW to avoid disapointment.

Also ask me how you can be a virtual hostess without hosting the actual workshop but still enjoying the wonderful free benefits. And of course do it during the Sale a bration for even more free stuff ( I LOVE FREE STUFF!!!!)

Recruits: During Sale-A-Bration, anyone who joins as a demonstrator can choose any stamp set--a value of up to £34.95--from our current Idea Book and Catalogue!

It's a great time to became a demo and you don't even have to be a full time business one if you dont want to, you can join just so you get a fab discount on those amazing SU products.

Ask me how on natalie@oshea26.freeserve.co.uk.

You can view all of the Sale-A-Bration brochure online.

So as you can see - now really is the time to Sale-a-Brate! Get in touch quickly as I expect to be really busy over the next eight weeks and I would hate for you to miss out. Don't forget you don't have to host a party to place an order - just get in touch with me and I'll explain how.

I hope too many of you don't have a sore head today but if you do, I hope you had a good night to make up for it!

Happy 2009 everyone - now let's SALE-A-BRATE!

Have fun!

Natalie x