Christmas Sparkle Card Making Kit

After the last post I knew that I had to just put everything else aside and focus on my business.  So here is the end result of some super productive hours of just me, my desk, my studio, my supplies, a cup of tea, a lit candle and the very early hours of a peaceful uninterrupted Sunday Morning.  Hope you love it.  Limited number of kits are available.

Christmas Sparkle Card Making Kit

Designed by Anna Pontikis

exclusive to Koko Vanilla Designs

(All images copyright Koko Vanilla Designs)

It's the silly season for 2010 and at Koko Vanilla we have searched high and low to find the most beautiful and festive supplies to create a stunning Christmas Card Making Kit. Featuring a range of papers from Echo Park, Lilybeedesigns and a few others, including some rub ons from Rasberry and finally the most beautiful selection of embellishments to bring the cards and tags to life.


In this kit you will create 4 large cards and 3 gift tags. You will recieve all the supplies needed to create this kit, including instructions and photos.

If you purchase this kit before Friday 3rd of December you will recieve included as a bonus gift 20 metres of red/white cotton bakers twine, to complete your Christmas Wrapping.  Shop here for this new Kit.

Anna xx

Where has the week gone???

Why is it that as you approach the end of the year time seems to really fly.  I can't believe a week has passed since I last posted.

To be honest I have had such a busy week and not much creating.  So I was thinking well what do I update my blog about.  Feeling a bit lacking in blog inspiration for myself.  As I have been blog surfing I see others creating so many wonderful Christmas Crafts and I just think I want to do them all.  Reality though there are only so many hours in the day and I just have to accept the fact that I can't be and do everything.  Such a hard pill to swallow for us multitasking mums.

So there you have it, maybe it's this humid Melbourne weather which feels more like QLD weather at the moment that's making my brain feel blah!

Of course I can't leave without uploading something crafty.  You will find this card in the shop for sale here.

Sweet Wishes Musical Butterfly

Handmade Card



Anna xx

Decorating Koko Vanilla Style - Dessert Table

After being inspired a couple of weeks ago at viewing Amy's blog on Dessert Table, I knew I would love to give the whole decorating thing a go. So here are a few snaps of my how I decorated the party room aka our Kitchen/Meals area for her party of 12 friends yesterday.

If I had more time and planning I would probably have done a much better job with it.  But given it has been a chaotic and busy month this is the best I could do considering it was a last minute rush job and I had a family party the night before.  I guess my tip would be to choose your colours and then theme everything to those colours.  I chose pink, green and turquoise.  I love that combination and then hunted around for what I could find, from candle holders, to pink jellybeans to paper plates and cups, to making the perfect shade of pink icing for the cupcakes.  I found the cutest green roses for the tops of the cupcakes at a local cake shop around here.  My sister-in-law Meri made the tissue paper pom poms which she does as a business so if you would like some made up for a special occasion or even to hang from a bedroom ceiling they look really adorable.  If you would like details send me an email and I will put you in contact with her. 

The girls had an amazing time, Melanie just enjoyed having only her school friends to concentrate on, my eldest daughter organised and ran most of the games, I am so proud of her she did a great job and even my son was really well behaved considering there was a house full of girls.  Glad to see he relates well and knows when to hang back and not interfere and when to get involved. 

All in all a great couple of days, tiring but fun and we are all partied out for the moment.  Today has been a clean up and relaxing day.  Beautiful sunshine and I now feel like all the big occasions have come and gone and I can relax a little more and conentrate on myself and my business for the next few weeks before it begins all over again with Christmas and School Holidays.

Happy Sunday

Anna xx

Birthday Party Time

It's that time of year again for our family.  Birthday party time.  When you have 3 children it seems like no sooner is one party finished that it starts all over again.  I have to admit I am really over organising birthday parties, but since my daughter is turning 10 this can be her last big one for a while.  I think I have hosted around 27 big parties for my kids combined, no wonder I've had enough.

Anyway here are some pics of the invites.  We are doing two parties this weekend, one on Saturday for all her friends and family on friday night.

These invites went out to her friends.

This is the final photo of how they were given out.  Instead of putting them in envelopes I like to use the invites as a decorative feature to get the wow factor when they are hand delivered to her friends, which was certainly the case. So they were popped in clear bags and then tied with a bit of the new pink/white coloured twine we now have in stock.  I am loving the turquoise and pink combination at the moment. In  fact I am loving turquoise and red too which is the theme of the newest card kit coming soon.

I will have more photos of the party decorations I have a few cute ideas up my sleeve for this one.

anna xx

Bakers Twine Pale Pink/White available now!!!

So here it is the newest colour of cotton twine available at Koko Vanilla. 

Pale Pink/White

You can purchase it in store here pale pink/white twine.

Below is a photo of all the colours available.  You can purchase 5 rolls in one listing as I know its too hard to pick just one colour, and the rolls work out a little cheaper that way also.  Find them in store here.  Please be sure to tell me which colours you would like in the comments otherwise you will recieve the default colours I have listed on site.  There are 8 gorgeous colours to choose from.

Bakers Twine Cotton Assorted Colours



Hope you get a chance to enjoy the sunshine.  I am torn between sitting inside and getting work done, and going out to enjoy the sunshine.  I know what I must do but also know what I would like to do.  I might sneak 15 minutes later on in the afternoon just to enjoy this beautiful weather.

Anna xx

Have you filled your cup first??

I greeted the day today with a mixture of exhaustion and relief.  As much as I love supporting the school with their fair and helping to coordinate and run craft, it really couldn't be at a busier time for me.  I feel as though I put my life and work aside to assist on and off throughout the year and then a big chunk at this time of year.  I enjoy doing it but then there is the other side of the equation, what have I neglected and now need to catch up on.  I once read this amazing saying which has stuck with me since I first saw it.  "When you say yes to something or someone what are you saying no to"  So I try to remember that before I say yes to a commitment.  For me it is so easy to be the accomodating people pleaser, which makes me feel good because I have contributed to something and done an act of service, however the flip side is sort of like a hangover the residue of the adrenaline kick of trying to squeeze more into an already overloaded schedule.  Another great metaphor which I have heard is "When your cup is filled and overflowing only then you can give from your saucer."  Okay it sounds kind of corny, but it really does make sense and it's an easy visual to have.  Fill your own cup first, when you try to give from a half filled cup you only do a diservice to yourself and the people your are helping are probably only getting a half hearted effort from you anyway.

I have to say that it really is most of the same parents and teachers that year in and year out  put their hands up to help out, to organise, to run and then ultimately to donate and support these events.  It's these amazing people that make it happen and go beyond their job description of parent and teacher.  It's not always about donating or spending money either, that's easy enough, but when you give time and energy and enthusiasm, that I believe, is even more priceless at these events, because without all that positive energy and momentum it wouldn't happen and wouldn't be very successful.

That said it was a wonderful and fun day, perfect weather, beautiful sunshine, a great time chatting and laughing with friends and the kids just had the best day ever.  After all it is all for them.  My day started at the fair at 12.30pm and we didn't finish packing up our stall until 7.45pm a very loooong day.  Needless to say I had a very early night last night.

So today has been catch up day around here and I am feeling a little more on top of things but there is still a lot more to be done before I feel like I am really back under control.

Anyway I didn't get a chance to show some wall decor I created for the craft stall at our fair.  I just loved how these canvases turned out and I almost didn't want to give them up.  However, lucky I did because they both sold within the first 1/2 hour of the fair starting which always makes me feel good, when my artwork is appreciated.  I had lots of fun making them and most of the supplies can be found on site.  All that you need to purchase that isn't on site is modge podge, a canvas, butterfly and flower nestabilities and paint brush.  The rest can all be found here.

Dimensional Butterfly Canvas

Vintage Flower Dimensional Canvas

That's the weekend update for me.  Off to prep for the week ahead.

Enjoy the last few hours of the weekend!!

Anna xx

Whistle while you work........ Order Turnaround Update!!

I could really use these guys right now hah!!.  I'll just have to settle for hubby and the 3 kids who kinda help sort of.

Just popping in to let you know as you may already have gathered it's the silly season, which officially started for me a couple of weeks ago.

Please be a little more patient to recieve your orders, if you need an order asap, I completely understand and I will bump it up to the top of the list.  However you must send me a separate email to let me know, don't just add it in the comments section as I may not see it right away.  Currently order turnaround is 3 - 4 days. 

Another note while I think about it Bakers Twine is high on everyone's list please don't leave it to the last minute to purchase, I am trying to keep stock levels high around here, but I can't guarantee my suppliers will always have enough stock leading up to Christmas.  Now is the time to purchase if you want it for Chrissie Wrapping.  I have a few hundred rolls of stock arriving this week so to be sure you won't miss out place your order this week.  I am also very excited to announce that coming with this batch of twine is a new colour pale pink/white.  Its just gorgeous and I can't wait to photograph it and pop it on site.  I am expecting this order today or tomorrow so stay tuned for that one I will add a photo here as soon as its in stock.

For those of you waiting for a Christmas Card Kit, I am scheduling to release it early next week.

Anna xx

Dessert Table Decor - Absolutely Divine...

Where have I been that I have never come across this concept before??

Oh my!! I think heaven truly is on earth.  Dessert and Papercrafts all on one table.  More than that a career doing this sort of thing.  You have to check out Amy's blog .  I spent hours checking out this blog last night and then looking at the links to other blogs.  Oh imagine doing this, not the baking part, but combining with somone and doing the decorating part.  How much fun would this be and how fabulous does it look.  Who new a dessert table could look soooo good.

I have my daughters birthday coming up later on in November, I have some ideas churning around in my already very overcrowded mind LOL.  Feeling very inspired at the moment not sure why, maybe its too much blog surfing and the spring weather, or maybe because the festive season is coming up.  Either way its time to log of and get something done.

By the way Happy Melbourne Cup Day - Hope you back a winner!!

Anna xx