Stampers Anonymous Autumn/Winter Mini Blog Hop + Blog Candy

Hi everyone and a very warm welcome to the beautiful Blue Mountains in NSW. Tonight the Stampers Anonymous team plus special guest stamper are pleased to show you projects using products from Stampin' Up!'s new mini catalogue which goes live to you tomorrow, 1st April.

If you have just come from Sally Williams, you are in the right place, but if you are starting here don't worry; there will be a link at the end of this post to take you on to the next stop on the tour and you can continue around all 14 blogs until you end up back here. Just in case of cyber mishaps, there will be a list of the team and links to their blogs at the end of my post.

We are also offering two lucky people some BLOG CANDY; to be eligible to win you must

1. leave some comment love on EVERY blog on the tour (please be sure to leave your FULL NAME so I can identify you clearly if you are one of the lucky winners!)
2. email me, Kerry, to tell me that you have left 14 comments and would like to be in to win!
3. Blog candy is available to Australian residents only
4. Entry is open until midnight, 5th April 2010
5. Other SU demos are welcome to enter

So, without further ado, on to some projects!

Although the new mini contains many gorgeous things that I just adore, tonight I want to give you a taste of what you can do with the Extra Large Two Step Bird punch. This is such a versatile design (as you'll soon see!) and the new style punch is great; easy to push and locks flat for storage. Fantastic job, SU!

The first project I made using this punch is a wedding card, as one of my regular customers mentioned she needs a few wedding cards this year. It's a very simple design as I want my beginners class to be able to make it easily and I've also used the Textured Impressions Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder:

To add a bit more of a challenge, I used one of my favourite techniques - brayering. The negative of the punched out part is used as a template for sponging in the reflection of the bird.After seeing some fantastic work by Ann Fitzgerald where she uses layering and turns the simple bird into a gorgeous chickadee, I decided to have a go at making some birds we regularly see here in the Blue Mountains, rainbow lorikeets. These brilliantly coloured birds are often in our back garden and I adore their colours and cheeky behaviour! Now, I know I haven't got the right shape beak and I've ignored the feet altogether, but I'm quite happy overall with my lorikeets and their birdhouse (made with Becky Roberts' milk carton design). Yes, I did make many layers for the roof with the scallop edge punch, and yes, it did take ages! But it's worth it, I think; hope you like it too:
OK, so far so good, but when is a bird not a bird?

Well, firstly, it can become a tulip:

This card uses the new designer papers called Cottage Wall and the colours are Rich Razzleberry, Orchid Opulence and Old Olive. The tulips were inspired by Julia Bettencourt and the vase can be made from the Holiday Windows Movers and Shapers. A "Teneale" bow and build-a-brad complete the ensemble.

Then the bird becomes a heliconia (also designed by Ann Fitzgerald). Did you know this is an Easter flower in Hawaii?

And lastly, this versatile bird can also become part of Chris the caterpillar:

Isn't it just the cutest? This is made from a number of punches and was designed by Gretchen Barron. Too adorable! My DD11 said "talk about puppy dog eyes: it's only a card and it could make me do anything it wanted!" LOL!

Well, that's all from me! I hope you have enjoyed seeing the versatility of the 2 step bird punch and that I've inspired you to think outside the box and come up with some stunning designs of your own.

Thanks for stopping by and please remember to leave a comment to brighten my day and be in to win some blog candy. Now it's time to see what gorgeous creations Fiona Harvey has in store for you (just click on her name).

Cheers!

Kez

List of blog hop participants (there's a link on each name to take you to their blog if you get lost):

Kerry Bunting (me)

Fiona Harvey

Teneale Williams

Liam Pucher

Marelle Taylor

Juliette Chapman

Sue Dean

Meighan Wheller

Chary Belfield

Nikki Stalker

Sharon Wilson

Kirrily Matthews

Robyn Irving

Sally Williams