Headbands with SU! embellishments

While we have got a bit of a hair accessory theme going on, I thought I would show you Bridie's new hairband collection as well.  These were inspired by some rather pricey (and out of the question!) headbands that Bridie spotted while we were out shopping one day.  She was rather keen to bring some home, and wasn't really convinced that we could make some ourselves, for a fraction of the price, and that ours would be even prettier!  We grabbed some plain headbands instead, and went home to check out the embellishment stash (and it was around that time that Bridie was swayed to my way of thinking - bling will do that to a girl!)  Here is what we have come up with so far:

Like the flowery hair clips that we made, these headbands would make a great little gift, and I have no doubt that there will be more one-of-a-kind, fancy headbands being made, in the not too distant future!

Pretty Flowery Hairclips

Now that Bridie has a place to keep her hair clips, she needed a few more flowers to really make it look like a cottage garden.  So I dug out my felt flowers and eyelets and we transformed some plain metal clips into pretty, one of a kind, flowery hair clips (well - two of a kind, because we made them in pairs!)  They are so easy to make, and would make the perfect little gift for a girl who loves her hair accessories.

I used my cropadile to make holes in the clips (actually, I got Peter to do that bit, because his muscles are a bit bigger than mine!) and then it took no time at all to attach the flowers using a coordinating eyelet, and the cropadile again.    Disclaimer time - while the cropadile handled the hole making job with relative ease, please remember that any time you use it for heavier duty tasks like this there is a risk you could damage it.  If you don't want to use eyelets to attach the flowers you could always use crystal effects, or a hot glue gun.

Bridie is very pleased about her new hair clip stash, and the hair clip holder to keep them in.  And with all those pretty new flowers, it really is looking like a cottage garden, don't you think? 

Next up, Bridie's fancy new headbands!

Cottage Garden Hair Clip Holder

Recently I was looking at some crafty blogs, lamenting the fact that I don't have my sewing machine with me, and I came across a great hair clip holder idea at little pumpkin grace.

I thought it would be perfect for Bridie, who is not very good at keeping her clips in one place (let alone in her hair!)  I decided instead of fabric, I would make use of what I had on hand, and the cottage wall papers worked perfectly with the frame I had.  To make the paper a bit sturdier (I didn't want it ripping the first time we put clips in it) I applied several coats of modgepodge, to both sides of the paper.  It worked perfectly.  The paper was now more of a cardboard weight, but more flexible, and a lot more durable.  

 I used the reverse, non dotty side of some razzleberry ribbon for the clips to attach to, and finished the frame off with made it myself embellishment  - a ribbon flower, also using the razzleberry ribbon, and a touch of old olive ribbon and a button.

Not only is it a great way to keep Bridie's hair clips together, it also helps to pretty up her room.  She is very happy about that!  She is even happier with the clips we decorated to go in the holder. - the flowers to go in this cottage garden. The clips in the photo are the 'before' version, but I will take some photos of the 'after' version tomorrow, along with some cute headbands we decorated.  Very stylish if we do say so ourselves!

New 25 -50% Discounts on retiring product!

Stampin' Up have just announced some additional discounts on selected items from the retiring/last chance list:

Item #	Page	Description	Discount	Discounted NZ Price
116342	42	Big Bold Birthday	50%	$    31.98
116408	100	Seeing Spots	50%	$    17.98
116344	121	Big Deal Alphabet	50%	$    45.98
116208	126	In Color card stock (A4)	50%	$      8.63
105538	127	Bold Brights Stampin' Write markers	25%	$    51.71
105537	127	Soft Subtles Stampin' Write markers	25%	$    51.71
105540	127	Rich Regals Stampin' Write markers	25%	$    51.71
105541	127	Many Marvelous Markers	25%	$  209.96
105550	128	Bold Brights Classic Stampin' Spots	25%	$    37.46
105551	128	Earth Elements Classic Stampin' Spots	25%	$    37.46
105539	128	Earth Elements Stampin' Write markers	25%	$    51.71
105552	129	Rich Regals Classic Stampin' Spots	25%	$    37.46
112042	132	Urban Garden Designer Series paper	50%	$      9.98
112041	134	Bella Rose Designer Series paper	50%	$      9.98
107305	152	Oval Large punch	50%	$    17.98
113692	152	Eyelet border punch	50%	$    17.98
109043	152	Scallop Circle punch	50%	$    17.98
113694	152	Heart to Heart punch	50%	$    17.98
112082	152	Wide Oval punch	50%	$    17.98
112091	152	Scallop Edge punch	50%	$    17.98
113693	152	Full Heart punch	50%	$    17.98
104310	155	Crafters' Tool Kit	25%	$    68.96
112004	AW28*	1-3/4" Circle punch	50%	$    17.98
116629	CO*	Butterfly punch	50%	$    17.98

As with all product that is retiring these items will only be available until the end of August, or while stocks last.  To see the complete list of retiring product you can click here.  To see a list of product that is running low, or sold out already, you click here, or on the link at the top of my blog (right under the photo of Campbell and Bridie admiring their scrapbooks!)

Contact me ASAP if you would like to order any of this retiring product.  With discounts like this it is likely to go fast!

Baby Shower Butterflies

I am loving the single butterfly stamp from the mini catalogue, and when I needed a card and gift bag for a baby shower recently I decided that the butterfly would be perfect for a sweet baby girl and her mama, (who has two boys already and so not a lot of pink butterflies in her life!) 

I used the retiring Pink Pirouette patterned papers to make the gift bag, teamed with pink pirouette ribbon for the handles, and an assortment of pink inks for the butterflies on both the bag and the card.  

The sentiment is from the nursery necessities stamp set (also on the retiring list) because it had to have a hint of baby to it.  Alas the photos are worse than usual (an overcast morning on top of our cave like apartment don't make for happy photos) but hopefully you can see enough to get the gist of it!

A Clipboard for the Teacher

Recently we needed to come up with a gift for Campbell's teacher. Something that would be useful, and not too flowery and frilly.  A nice, useful, masculine gift for the teacher.  After a bit of thought we decided to decorate a clipboard, and this is what we came up with:

We decided to go with an owl theme -  decorating the back with one wise owl on a branch (chipboard from the So Tweet On Board Pack, covered with card, and papers from the Good Morning Sunshine DSP pack) and lots of eager little owls awaiting instruction covering both sides of the clipboard (another sheet of paper from the Good Morning Sunshine pack).  We personalised it using letters made with the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies from the Autumn/Winter mini catalogue, and then finished it off with some strips of coordinating card (pacific point, kiwi kiss) and some ribbon.  Several coats of modge podge help to seal and protect it all.

Campbell was really pleased with his gift, and the teacher was most appreciative. Best of all it was a relatively quick and easy project, and inexpensive too.  Perfect for mass production!

The kiwi kiss cardstock, Good Morning Sunshine DSP, On Board So Tweet, Kiwi Kiss ribbon, and Pacific Point Ribbon used in this project are all on the 'last chance list'.  Available only until 31 August, or while stocks last.

Last chance to get Retiring SU products...

The new Stampin' Up! Catalogue is just a few weeks away, so of course that means last chance to get those products that will be retiring.  The full list of retiring product can be seen online here.  I'm not going to list them all in this post because there are nine pages of retiring products this year - eek - remembering of course with the colour renovation we are saying goodbye to lots of colours (ink, card, embellishments) to make way for some lovely new colours.   

There are 95 stamp sets in the catalogue that are retiring, as well as 15 stampin' around wheels (8 standard size, and 7 jumbo) and all of the hostess sets.

You will see that the punches all appear on the retiring list.  This is because they are being 'reconfigured' into the new punch style we saw in the latest mini catalogue.  

There are five punches that will not be returning though, and these are:

•  Small Star
• Trio Flower
• Double Rectangle
• Horizontal Slot
• Slit

You will also see that some products have been discounted (25-50%) and there are some great bargains.  Some of the highlights of the discounted retiring product:

Three punches - Boho Blossoms, Scallop square, and the scallop oval punch are all 25% off.

17 of the stamp sets are discounted by 25%, and these Six stamp sets are 50% off:

• A Happy Heart (page 34) now $24.98
• Best Wishes and More (page 53) now $28.48
• Greetings Eight (page 57) now $29.48
• Only Ovals (page 93) now $23.48
• Enjoy Every Moment (page 97) now $31.48
• All Scallops (page 105) now $33.48

Many of the markers in the retiring colours are discounted (usually $6.75, now $5.06, or even $3.38 for a couple of colours!) as are many of the stampin' around inked cartridges.

Four of the Simply Sent kits are reduced by 25%

Six of the patterned paper packs are 25% off, and Pink Flamingo has 50% discount (now only $9.98 for 12 sheets of paper)

The Simply Scrappin' kits are all retiring, and the I Wish" Simply Scrappin Kit (page 137) is discounted by 25% 

Lots of embellishments are being retired (ribbons, brads, buttons, chipboard, assorted flower embellishments, rub-ons and glitter) and there are some great bargains to be had here too.

Double-Stitched ribbons in Rose Red, Chocolate Chip and Bashful Blue (page 150) are 50% off - now only $11.75 Several of the other ribbons have 25% off.

The Chunky Sprinkles Glitter (page 145) is also discounted by 50%  (now $18.98 for four colours).

Both the 'Flower Fusion', and 'Flower Fusion Too' felt flower packs as well as the 'Blooms Again' cardstock diecut flowers (page 144) are discounted by 25%.

The 'Blooms' cardstock flower die cuts (also page 144), are 50% off.

Don't forget that all of these retiring products will only be available until 31 August, or while stocks last.  I will try to keep a list up to date of what is running low/sold out already! You can find it by clicking the 'What's gone already?' tab at the top of my blog (right under the photo of Campbell and Bridie looking at the scrapbook).

A reminder also that the Autumn/Winter Mini catalogue will also be ending on 31 August.

Let me know if there is something that you want to order.