Birthday celebrations

Happy Monday crafty pals,

Stumped - that was how I felt when I finally settled down to make a birthday card for my sons friend early last week.

I got out my stamp catalogue and sat and stared at it for ages hoping for inspiration to hit! Unfortunately nothing happened the first time so I left it a day and came back.

I'm sure most of you have a stamp catalogue, but for those that don't I'd highly recommend it. It is basically a stamped record of all of your stamps categorised in a way that suits your needs. That way you don't need to drag out all of your boxes or stamps when you have a creative urge. I made mine over a period of a few days and try really hard to add new stamps as soon as I get them now as it was time consuming to set up.  I use printer paper and black ink for all of my stamps and keep mine in a ring binder, but I know some people have special books they carry with them when they are out hunting for craft supplies.

I am a real procrastinator so couple that with a fairly small craft stash (I only became a demonstrator in June) and I was lost at where to start. Yeah for Designer Series Paper as Patio Party finally inspired me.

Images © 2012 Stampin’ Up!

Ingredients
 
Sweets for the Sweet Clear-Mount Stamp Set
Pennant Parade Clear-Mount Stamp Set
Summer Starfruit Card Stock
Whisper White Card Stock
Summer Starfruit Classic Stampin' Pad^®
Marina Mist Classic Stampin' Pad^®
Raspberry Ripple Classic Stampin' Pad^®
Basic Black Classic Stampin Pad^®
Top Note Stampin Up!^® Bigz Die
Big Shot
Patio Party Designer Series Paper
Polka Dot Parade Designer Series Paper (Marina Mist)
Stampin' Dimensionals^®
SNAIL Adhesive^®
1" Circle punch
Stamping sponges

Looking back at the card I should have made both the left and right 'lollipops' be the same height and I maybe could have stamped the ribbon from the Sweets for the Sweet stamp set and added them to the sticks.

To go with the card I made a gift card holder from a Stampin' Up! envelope.

Ingredients

Teeny Tiny Wishes Clear-Mount Stamp Set
Marina Mist Card Stock
Whisper White Card Stock
Whisper White Classic Stampin' Pad^®
Marina Mist Classic Stampin' Pad^®
Extra Large Oval punch
Polka Dot Parade Designer Series Paper (Marina Mist)
Bitty Banners Framelits
Big Shot
Whisper White Baker's Twine
Stampin' Dimensionals^®
Whisper White medium envelope

I used them to make a 'belly' band, but tweaked it slightly after the photo so that the twine was double wrapped around rather then knotted (in photo).

Hope you like them and keep crafting

My latest haul has arrived

Good afternoon,

Well the weather outside may be miserable today, but inside my craft room the sun is shining as my longed for Top Note Stampin' Up!^® Bigz Die and it's traveling companions arrived.

Apart from that I bought some other supplies to make a wonderful holiday card that I saw on YouTube by another one of my favourite go-to crafters Stamp with Tami. If you have never seen her videos or her blog I'd recommend a visit. Once I've made it I'll put up a post and include a link to her actual video.

I also got a set of the Festive Paper-Piercing templates which coordinate with so many products, but works well on their own to add extra little touches.

I can see over the next few weeks some busy afternoons at my table creating decorations for a school event, preparing for my open house, teacher holiday thank yous (only 5 to create for) and finally making a start on my holiday cards.

Hope you pop back soon to see my next creations.

Best wishes and try to find some time to get inky.

Stamping Extravaganza

Hi,

I'm trying to blog these cards more quickly than than the last ones (sorry).

I went to a cool event yesterday Stamping Extravaganza in Etobicoke (near Toronto). I had the opportunity to make 10 different types of holiday card using the Joyous Celebrations stamp set from the 2012 Holiday Catalogue. Big thanks to Christyne for organising it as I'm sure it took ages to think of the designs and then get all of the papers etc trimmed and ready for us.

My favourite card was

Images © 2012 Stampin’ Up!





I thought the colours worked great together and I'm certainly going to make a few more, but I may switch up the colours a bit.

I'll definitely try to make it to the summer extravaganza (some time in June 2013) as I met some great people, learnt a new technique for applying ink to stamps and even won a door prize.

By the way have you noticed any improvement in my photos? I must having been having a Doh moment when I took the last ones as I don't know what option I had my camera set to, but it wasn't the right one.

Happy crafting

Collage card pack

Hi everyone,

Last week I went to our Canadian Blossoms meeting and our make and take was a very pretty pack of 4 cards using the Clockworks Wood-Mount Stamp Set and a collage technique (see photo below). It was the first time I'd used the notecards and I'll definitely be using them again.

I really liked the vellum envelope that we made to keep them all in. The final set would make a great gift or a nice demo at a workshop.

Images © 2012 Stampin’ Up!



 

Best wishes and keep creating

Top Note yeah

Hi,

Yeah at last I've ordered my longed for Top Note Stampin' Up! Bigz Die die to use in the Big Shot. It was the first item from Stampin' Up!^® that I fell in love with.

I was at a stamping day and someone had made the most adorable snowmen, santa, reindeer toppers for gift bags using the Top Note Stampin' Up! Bigz Die as the body, head etc for the characters. Unfortunately I'd forgotten my camera and I didn't have something I could use it in at the time so I searched the internet for examples and squirreled away an image of them until I had my own die.

The die has so many uses as box tops, card bases, characters, calendar backers and many more. I can't wait to use it. Of course as I was ordering that I couldn't let it travel all the way to Canada on it's own so I ordered a few other items to keep it company.

If I've peaked your interest about the Top Note Stampin' Up! Bigz Die then check it out in the Stampin' Up! store or if you use Pinterest do a search there are loads of great creations.  As soon as I've given it a test drive I'll be adding photos of mine to the Pinterest mix.

Best wishes

CASEd Sticky notes holder

Hi,

A very quick and easy make that I used as a 'nice to meet you' for my sons new teacher.

I have actually made two of these, but as usual I forgot to photograph the first. The photo doesn't really do it justice and I think I really need to work on improving my photography as everything always seems to be dark even when I use the flash.

Images © 2012 Stampin’ Up!

I'd seen these sticky note holders before, but not taken note of the dimensions. So big thanks to Frenchie Stamps on YouTube as I have CASEd my sticky notes holder from her. I really like her videos especially as she uses Stampin' Up!^® products so I can copy them exactly if I choose.

Ingredients

Mixed Bunch Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Midnight Muse Card Stock

Summer Starfruit Card Stock

Whisper White Card Stock

Blossom punch
Big Shot

Argyle Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

Midnight Muse Classic Stampin' Pad^®

Simply Scored Stylus

Stampin' Dimensionals^®

SNAIL Adhesive^®

Bone Folder

Pen (approximately 3" long)

If you'd like any of the supplies to make the card please contact me and I can get them ordered for you.

Best wishes

World Card Making Day - My project

Hi,

Well Saturday was World Card Making Day so I hope you all managed to grab a few minutes to yourself and make something beautiful.

I spent a bit of time tidying up and then decided to make a thank you card as we have a school event coming up towards the end of October and I wanted to be prepared for once!

Images © 2012 Stampin’ Up!



Same as my sticky notes holder I had photo troubles - I think I need more light on the card and a better background. I stood it on my chest freezer and propped up a piece of card behind. Maybe my card making won't improve but my pictures will.

Ingredients

Betsy's Blossoms Clear-Mount Stamp Set
Itty Bitty Banners Clear-Mount Stamp Set
Pretty in Pink Card Stock
Rich Razzleberry Card Stock
Polka Dot Parade Rich Razzleberry Designer Series Paper
Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack
Stampin' Pierce Mat
Paper-Piercing Tool
Big Shot
Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Die
Whisper White Classic Stampin' Pad^®
Scallop Square Punch
Bitty Banners Framelits
Stampin' Dimensionals^®
SNAIL Adhesive^®

If you'd like any of the supplies to make the card please contact me and I can get them ordered for you.

Best wishes