This is post no. 4 in my Bottles and Bubbles Product Suite presentation.

There are so many fun ways to make a bubble background, besides the Blown Bubble Technique I described in my last post.

You can try inking up bubblewrap and pressing your card onto that. You can use the Stampin' Up! Polka Dot embossing folder to give you nice texture and good size circles.

This Whisper White card front was embossed with Polka Dots embossing folder then sponged with Lemon Lime Twist and Daffodil Delight inks. The sponging really brings up the edges of the raised polka dots from the embossing. 

We also used the wet emboss technique, where we applied the ink to the inside of the Logo side of the embossing folder, then spritzed it with water before placing the card stock in the folder. We got raised white bubbles with an awesome watercolour or wet bubble look background.

In the above photo you can see three samples of the Blown Bubble Technique, the wet embossed technique in the pale blue card centre left of the photo, dry embossed and sponged yellow card, centre right and bubble wrap technique in the bright pink at the bottom.

This was probably not a bundle of products I would see in the catalogue and then think to order for myself, so how did I come to be having so much fun creating like crazy with them?

1. As a member of Stampin' Up!s Global Events Council I was invited to prepare display samples and do a 10 minute presentation at our On Stage Event in Melbourne in November - the products are in the catalogue which started on January 3rd and the On Stage Event doubles as a Catalogue Reveal / Launch /pre-order for demonstrators and members of the Stampin' Up! family. I was one of only 2 demonstrators in Australia who received the product Bundle several weeks before the event so I could prepare display items and my presentation
2. At my team night in January - after the catalogue went live to customers and everyone was able to order them, we played with all the techniques and cut out lots of bottles, straws and bottle caps. It's so, so nice being able to create with friends -so many inspiring suggestions, colour combinations, rearranging of elements on the card and the cameraderie of the production line as one person ends up making the cups of tea, someone else cuts out stack of bottles using the Big Shot, someone else cuts out bottle caps and straws using the 2nd Big Shot - too much fun!

You too can be a part of this fun stamping family and there is no better time to join the Stampin' Up! family than during Sale-a-bration. To join, you select $235 of whatever Stampin' Up! products you want. You pay only $169, and then on top of what is already a bargain, until the end of March, you also select 2 extra stamp sets (up to $174 total value) for free!

That is such a saving - over $400 in high quality stamping products for only $169.00 and the best bit is, there is no risk whatsoever - if you never do another thing, you just keep the goodies . . . 

OR you can come along to team nights and other events and stamp with us, buy more products with your 20% discount for being a member of the SU! family, be invited to demonstrator only FB groups and forums where you will be totally inspired by all the shared projects, have the opportunity to earn free stamps, or even have your stamps pay for themselves by learning to build a small business.

There are so many reasons for joining, there's sure to be one that matches you! Ask me more about it today so you can join before the end of Sale-a-bration and get those extra two stamp sets worth up to $174.00 for free! 

Back late last year in the lead up to my presentation at the Stampin' Up! On Stage event at Melbourne Park, I had so much fun creating arty farty messy bubble backgrounds for some cards using the Stampin' Up! Bottles and Bubbles Product Suite.

So much so that I turned the samples into a kids school holiday class in January and then followed up with a Stamp-a-stack class for adults earlier this week.

The first technique was Blown Bubbles - this is so random and messy and fun!

You'll need some plastic cups or disposable sauce containers, a couple of bottles of Bubble Magic, or some water and a few drops of dish-washing detergent, and Stampin' Up! Re-Inkers in your chosed colours. We went for Crushed Curry (I wanted a bright yellow, but when watered down in the solution, Daffodil Delight was too light. And Flirty Flamingo for the pink, which ended up being a tad too light as well so we added a drop or two of Melon Mambo to spice it up.

One needs to blow bubbles in the solution with a drinking straw until the mixture piles up over the top of the cup (without spilling down the edges), then press your Thick Whisper White card into it to get bubble patterns. Keep repeating until you have the depth of colour you like - I probably blow and press about 4-5 times.

Repeat that all again with the second colour, and then I have used the bubble stamp in the Bubble Over stamp set to stamp a few random bubbles just to add a little more depth and definition.

Cut out a few bottles using the Bottles and Bubbles Framelits, sponge them using the same colours as the background then layer them with torn vellum, bakers twine, a greeting panel and bottle labels to suit your chosen greeting stamp. I also added Silver Foil Card bottle caps and drinking straws also cut with the Bottles and Bubbles Framelits.

Here are a few colour variations which my team members experimented with at our January team night.

The Bottles and Bubbles bundle of stamps and framelits is available in our Summer Occasions catalogue through until the end of May, but the coordinating Bubble and Fix Designer Series Paper is only available until next Saturday 31st of March as a free Sale-a-bration gift with your $90 product order.  The paper is really fun in bright, versatile colours.

Why not get your free paper in this next week (value $18.95) by ordering the Bottles and Bubbles Bundle online, along with some card or ink so your product total is $90 (plus postage).  Come and see me today at Chirnside Park Shopping Centre all day if you need a hand with that!

Product List

Bubble Over Photopolymer Bundle [146082] $71.00

Bubbles & Fizz Designer Series Paper [147244] $0.00

In my last post (read it here), I mentioned that I also made a couple of coke bottle cards. These are terrific for teenagers / masculine cards or just for the Coca Cola addicts in your life.

The bottle stamps and framelits are very much beer bottles with straight sides, so I used my Stampin' Snips to cut a tiny divet in each side of the bottle to give it more of the traditional Coke bottle shape.

I also tweaked the shape of the Real Red label - cut with the framelit, but then moved higher up the bottle and trimmed with scissors to a shape more reminiscent of the famous label.

On the next card I went away from the black card stock for the bottles and used Early Espresso - our darkest brown, so I could also sponge it for a bit of depth.

This card also has the Clear and Glitter Epoxy shapes as effervescent bubbles coming out of the bottle, placed on the Wood Textures Designer Series Paper background.

I was pleased with how these came out, given I am not a Coke drinker, but there are plenty of people who are, who might appreciate a personalised card like this.  These are also very different cards from the others I made with this product bundle, showing how versatile the Bottle and Bubbles product suite really is.  I'll be back in the next day or so to show you what else we made - particularly the cards we made in the kids school holiday class and what we were working on yesterday in the class.

In the meantime, if you have discovered that you love these products for their versatility - teenagers cards / masculine cards, and you want to get your hands on them while Sale-a-bration is still running, order them online by clicking on the thumbnail pictures below.

Product List

Bubble Over Photopolymer Bundle [146082] $71.00

Bubble Over Photopolymer Stamp Set [145868] $30.00

Bottles & Bubbles Framelits Dies [145663] $49.00

Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack [144177] $17.50

Technology is getting the better of me today!

Do you have those days when you just want to throw your phone / laptop out the window?? A few years ago (well, probably 15 years ago) my dad sat his mobile phone on the back wheel of a tractor while he did something that needed both hands. Hours later he was looking for his phone and found the very flat remains on the track where he'd backed over it . . . 

LOL so on days like this, I say I want to take my device out into the driveway and reverse over it a few times!

It's either that, or open a bottle of wine early! Which brings me to what I was trying to share with you!

Last November I presented the Bottles and Bubbles Product Suite at Stampin' Up!'s On Stage Event at Melbourne Park. In preparing my presentation I also took lots of step by step photos and I only just realised I hadn't shared most of them!

This is the Stampin' Up! Woodcrate Framelit Die cut in Soft Suede card stock and stamped with the Hardwood Background stamp. I also sponged all of the corners with Soft Suede to make them look a bit old and well-loved.

Bubble Over stamp set bottles stamped in Cherry Cobbler and Garden Green and cut with the Bottles and Bubbles Framelits Dies and mounted onto a soft suede card strip cut and scored to fit inside the crate.

The labels on the bottles were also stamped and decorated, then some Linen Thread, a hand stamped and sponged tag and a tiny wreath (from our Holiday catalogue) were added to the front of the crate.  Very cute, don't you think?

The bottles in the set are very much beer or cider bottles, but as we're not beer drinkers, I wanted to be able to make more variety of wine bottles with them too,

I stamped them again in Cherry Cobbler, sponged the white edges that are left from cutting with the framelits, cut and stamped labels in Basic Black and Crumb Cake and sponged the smaller one.

The background of the card includes lots of collage stamping and some strips of left over Designer Series Paper.

The bottles are layered on with some bakers twine and a couple of embellishments cut with the framelits and sponged for 3D effect, and the gold foil bottle caps are gold foil card cut using the bottle framelits, then scored across for the ridges and trimmed slightly on the corners to fit.  Not perfect, but I think it works.

I changed the bottles also to coke bottles and I will share those cards soon (see them here). I am also doing a class next Tuesday - a Bottles and Bubbles Stamp a Stack class where you will get to make 8 cards minimum using this fun bundle and some great simple background techniques. If this interests you, please check out my event details and book in!

If you can't attend the class, buy the products here:

Product List

Bubble Over Photopolymer Bundle [146082] $71.00

Bubbles & Fizz Designer Series Paper [147244] $0.00

Wood Crate Framelits Dies [143730] $50.00

March Stamping Classes – Croydon North with Kathryn Ruddick

Thursday 15^th March – Stamp Club – 7.30pm-10pm Croydon North

Monthly Stamp Club ladies make up to 3 card or gift box projects, experiment with new techniques and fancy folds and earn free Stampin’ Up! products if everyone in the group places product order. Class cost is $25.00 or free with $50 product order.

Tuesday 20^th March – Bottles and Bubbles Stamp-a-stack Class – 10am – 3pm Croydon North

The Bottles and Bubbles Product Suite is fantastic for making all types of cards for males/females/ variety of ages and occasions and in this class you will get to make at least 8 cards – 2 each of 4 designs, learn several fun techniques, become an expert stamper, sponger and die-cutter and go home with a variety of cards to send out. Depending on your skill level, you may make more cards, cost will be initial class price of $40 (for 8 cards + envelopes x 4 hours) plus $4 for each extra card made.

BYO lunch, and small tool kit including favourite adhesive. Tea / coffee supplied.

Should you wish to purchase the Bottles and Bubbles Product Bundle to use in the class, please book in before Tuesday 13^th March. Those purchasing the product bundle will get the class for 25% off.

Wednesday 21st  March – Absolute Beginners Stamping Class - 10.00am-12noon Croydon North

Learn how to get the most out of your Stampin’ Up! stamps and Ink Pads and take home some finished cards to send out to friends. $25.00 all materials included

Wednesday 21^st March – Mystery Hostess Stampin’ Up! party – Croydon North 7pm

I will host a Stampin’ Up! party / workshop for all those who have never seen or used the products before, or who want an update on what is new in the product range. Everyone bringing someone along I’ve not met before will get a little thank you gift. Everyone placing a product order that qualifies for a Sale-a-bration free gift will also receive a share of the hostess gifts

Friday 23^rd March – Yarra Valley Papercrafters at Chirnside Park Shopping Centre

We’ll be on the casual kiosk at Chirnside Park Shopping Centre from 9am-5pm so come and visit us and see what we are creating. Free to stop and chat. Collect a catalogue, buy a finished card, book into a class.

Saturday 24^th March – Perennial Birthday Project Kit Class 1pm-4pm – Croydon North

Beautiful Gift Boxed Birthday Cards with monthly dividers so you never forget another birthday. Make 16 cards and keep them organized in this delightful storage box. Class and materials kit only $55. Suitable for beginners.

Purchase the stamp set, a Stampin’ Up! adhesive as well as the material kit and select a free Sale-a-bration item too.

 Works out at less than $3.50 per card and you get to keep the gorgeous divider box and stamp set if you added that to your booking order.

Book with Kathryn Ruddick                         0418 361 931                       email: [email protected]

www.katlodesigns.com                                                                                www.kathrynruddick.stampinup.net

Tomorrow I will be at Eastland Shopping Centre all day celebrating International Women's Day by participating in the Maroondah Council's Women on the Go Expo.

I will be talking to my visitors about Being Part of Something Amazing. This means different things to different people and I will be sharing experiences and opportunities for you to be part of my something amazing. 

I would love to see you there. The expo is open from 9am until 5.30pm inside Eastland Shopping Centre, Level 1 between Myer and the Coffee Club.

Wow! Can you believe how fast this year is going? I don't even want to think about it.

Some exciting news! You'll remember that late last year we were fundraising for Alysia's Wish - to send Alysia on a cruise to New Zealand, her first real holiday. Well, she's been and is home now, printing her photos and getting ready to make a scrapbook album of her fun memories.

We have some items from the fundraiser left over - we found out later that apparently there was some sort of Facebook glitch and people who were wanting to bid on the silent auction items online without attending the event couldn't actually see the items to bid on. Ooooops! Sorry about that, we had no idea that was happening!

The good news is, we are now ready to auction off the remaining items. All funds raised will go back into Alysia's account to help pay off some of her trip expenses.

The auction will start today, March 1st and run through until Sunday March 11th and there are 30 items to bid on.

You can find all the items, photos, descriptions etc in THIS ALBUM

Please place your bids by commenting on each specific photo. Bidding will close at 8pm next Sunday 11th March at which time the highest bidder on each item will win the item. Payment will need to be made through Alysia's Go Fund Me page and collection of purchases arranged via email to Alysia.  If you require a purchased item to be posted to you, you will need to pay postage.

Good luck on the bidding!!

Note: All items were donated from various people specifically to be auctioned off to raise money for Alysia's Wish fundraiser.  All proceeds are going directly to Alysia's holiday trip and no other person is benefitting in anyway from the sale of these items.