Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Try it Tuesday - Social Circle Cards

                                                       Try it Tuesday
  27 July 2010

As you know, 'Try it Tuesdays' are all about those creative bods willing to share their talent and inspire us.

To celebrate the 'sisterhood' this week I wanted to share a recent purchase we made on Etsy.  Now Etsy is one of our most favourite places to shop ever!  We love the handmade items, the unusual supplies, sometimes it is just the inspiration that comes from browsing...... yep we likey lots!!!



We had been looking to have some business cards printed and, well we didn't just want to go with the 'same old... same old'. 

We were lucky enough to  stumble across this absolutely fabulous gal,  Amanda from the USA who owns a great Etsy Store called Social Circle Cards.  Amanda was very patient with my demands (at no extra cost) and well, she worked her magic  with our logo and this is the result. 





These gorgeous cards come in a groovy little tin with a ribbon and key clasp so you can hang them on your handbag... they look so cute, but are just so practical.  What we loved was the  flower shape - so like the Embellee logo.  They come printed on double sided quality cardstock and the text is easy to read.


Amanda does a lot of these for gifts for new mums, so when they go 'calling' and make new friends at playgroup, school, etc. it is really easy to hand over a cute little card instead of scrambling in your bag for a pen and paper and then (if you are like Lizzie) loosing the info you just wrote down before getting home. 

These would make the nicest and, oh so different gift.  So girls what a great idea for that next baby shower gift or maybe, for a 'mummy present' when they start daycare or school... the list is endless!


For now ... we can't wait to handout our very gorgeous social circle cards... so much nicer than the 'run of the mill' business cards, don't you agree?

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Have you caught the BUG - the Cuttlebug?


The Embellees Team have been busy working on a new Workshop and we can finally announce the details.

Last year Lisa and Lizzie both purchased a Cuttlebug.  Now like with most of our tools, we were inspired when we got them and, then it seeed to sit and taunt us on our craft table... not so anymore... we have been busy working on a whole lot of ideas to get you using your Cuttlebug to the MAX! 

Maybe you are entertaining the idea of buying a Cuttlebug and want to know if this tool is worth the investment - then come along and play and learn....



If you have another diecut/embossing machine like the BigShot or Sissix and want to look at using Cuttlebug folders and dies, then don't hesistate this Workshop will meet your needs.

So here are the Workshop details...


Workshop #5 - 17 October 2010

Have you caught the BUG (Cuttlebug)?

Do you own a Cuttlebug? Maybe you've been thinking of buying one and want to see what they can do for you? Then this is the Workshop for you!


Learn how to use your Cuttlebug (or other die cutting/embossing tool like the 'Bigshot') you have to the MAX!!! I

In this 4 hours Workshop you get to explore how to use those embossing folders with paint, ink, 12 x 12 cardstock - and lots more. We will have you looking at your stash to make your own embossing folders, using different mediums to explore embossing and die cutting to make great backgrounds and embellees for all your pages and cards.



Date:          Sunday - 17 October 2010
Time:         10:30 am to 4:00 pm
Venue:      Edgeworth Bowling Club

Register your interest by emailing: embellees@bigpond.com

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Try it Tuesday - A Rose By Any Other Name

Try it Tuesday
20 July 2010

As you know, 'Try it Tuesdays' are all about those creative bods willing to share their talent and inspire us.

To celebrate the 'sisterhood' this week and, yep you guessed it to continue on with the 'flowers' theme as we lead into our next Workshop - 'Field of Flowers' - Miss Lisa has been busy experimenting.


Spiral Flowers

I am sure by now most of you have had a go at the favourite spiral flower - yep maybe a bit 'done to death' by now, but I just love the simplicity of them and can't get enough.  My first introduction to them was with this great, but simple tutorial by Kenner Road (check out their blog is has some other great stuff).

http://blog.kennerroad.com/2009/08/spiral-flowers/




In my Blog stalking (as you do) I came across some great examples and convinced or should I say 'challenged' Miss Lisa to see how many flowers it would take to cover a styro ball  (I think the count ended up being around 50) and make us a 'prop' to jazz up our registration table at the 'Field of Flowers' Workshop... check out her efforts

It is great to think you can make so many flowers to adorn just about anything these days... from headbands and clips for out littlies, to corsages for our winter coats, or to jazz up a tired looking handbag!  My all time favourite is to be able to quickly make any number of handmade flowers as a co-ordinating embellee to add to my latest scrapbooking  layout or on a card I am sending to a friend....

So if you want to learn now make a variety of flowers to expand your repertoire then you need to come along to our next Workshop 'Field of Flowers' on the 29 August 2010 here in Newcastle  ... but hurry we are nearly at maximum numbers and we wouldn't want you to miss out.

Here is our sneaky peeky... definitely not the finished sample, we need to keep you intrigued... but lets say what we do with zippers, wet cardstock, fabric, paper napkins, cupcake wrappers and felt will have you reaching for your stash to make your next embellee!








Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Try It Tuesday - Pipecleaner Flowers




Try it Tuesday
13 July 2010



As you know, 'Try it Tuesdays' are all about those creative bods willing to share their talent and inspire us.


To celebrate the 'sisterhood' this week and, to continue on with the 'flowers' theme as we lead into our next Workshop 'Field fo Flowers' - what would a Try it Tuesday tutorial be without visiting the icon, the queen of craft - Martha Stewart.

Now I can't take the credit for finding this tutorial, that goes to our friend Jen Hall who after spending a weekend away scrapping came home and made Lisa and Lizzie the most gorgeous cocktail rings... oooohh we likey.....

Introducing my new Cocktail Ring.....




(Yes it is true... do not give up my day job to become a hand model... come on seriously ... one handed photography, I have trouble getting a good photo with both hands on the camera and, the fact that I can't do anything creative when my nails are long and shaped and beautiful... these are my 'worker woman' hands ....Lizzie x)

Now let's get back on track....

Here is the link to the Martha Stewart tutorial on how to make these pretty flowers.  http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/pipe-cleaner-ring

I watched the video link to see how the remarkable Wendy Baner did her stuff with the pipecleaners... and I am thinking these would be great on the Mum's Day Stall at school next year as a ring or made into a corsage .... they really are so easy... maybe even a great craft to do with your kids... DD and I are going to give them ago... me sees these being a hit at the next sleepover party!

Hope you enjoy!

Lizzie








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Saturday, July 10, 2010

Workshop Dates Have Changed!

The realities of life often mean we have to be ready to make changes and go with the flow.  For that reason, the next Embellees Workshop - Field of Flowers that was scheduled for 1 August, 2010... has to moved to a new date:  

Field of Flowers
29 August 2010

Miss Lisa up and sold her beautiful home last weekend and if we could have taken bets we would be rich ladies... we just knew that the move date would co-incide with our next workshop.  Rather than put Miss Lisa under anymore stress (if anyone has ever sold one house, purchased the next and packed and moved you would totally understand) we had to make a decision to move our next workshop - so we sincerely apologise! 

Emails have been sent to all registered participants asking if this new date suits, so please check your emails ladies!

If you are reading our Blog and had the dates already in your diary prior to this posting, please check our new  Workshop Schedule as we have moved all our Workshops back so that the sequence remains the same:

New Workshop Dates are:



Field of Flowers  
29 August 2010


Fun with Fabric   
26 September 2010


Everything Old is New Again
7 November 2010

And a great time was had by all....

Thank you to all our lovely ladies who came to our first workshop.  The feedback via email and the comments on the Blog indicate that everyone thoroughly enjoyed; getting 'down and dirty' with all the Glimmer Misting we did, the content and the pace of the workshop and that it delivered on technique. 

We were so pleased that everyone seemed to appreciate the 'detail' that the Embellees Team want to be known for - from our kits to the setup - so thank you it has really made Lisa and I feel that we are 'hitting the mark' for our local scrapbookers.

A very special thanks to our good friend Jen Hall from Jenerations Photography who came along and took lots of photos.  For our participants I will email the photos for you shortly, so that you have them to do that 'special' layout with the additional kit you recieved on the day (gotta luv a surprise or two). 

I have set up an album page to show the photos from the day - so check them out here Workshop Photos!