Simply Stampin Challenge - Photo Love

My daughter wanted a card for her boyfriends birthday & she had this lovely photo she wanted me to use.

She's not a mushy sort of gal so I decided to use the Celebrations Designer Papers & matching cardstock Real Red, Bashful Blue & Old Olive.

I've used the Large Label Punch from the Mini Catalogue to create the frame & the Heart Punch for the detail at the left of the picture. The buttons are Old Olive from the retired range & Linen Thread for a bit of detail at the corners.

I've stamped her boyfriends initial using the Broadsheet Alphabet.

I'm entering this in the challenge at Simply Stampin.

Thanks for looking & for any comments you leave.

August Special Offer from Stampin' Up!

I can't believe it's the 1st August already!! where is this year going. 1st August also brings another special offer from Stampin' Up! & this month you can earn yourself 3 fabulous freebies one of which is an exclusive cosmetics purse or if like me you're more into your craft tools than make up it will make a lovely little tool bag.

Simply place an order of £75 or host a workshop totalling over £250 this month and you will receive this fantastic FREE gift. Yes, everything you see in the photo will be yours absolutely FREE!!

As well as the cosetics purse you will also receive a  roll of Rich Razzleberry wide striped ribbon and a pack of 24 mini clips.

If you would like to place an order or book a workshop please email me.

Less Is More - 2nd Card

I needed a couple of thinking of you cards for a customer so decided to use the Less Is More recipe again but I hope I've left enough white space to qualify. I deliberately kept the butterfly to the right to leave white space on the left of the card.

I've used the same elements, Seam Binding, Butterflies & buttons but have gone for a different colour scheme.

All the elements of this card except the tiny buttons are from Stampin' Up!.

I've used So Saffron & Baha Breeze cardstock & Baha Breeze Seam Binding to make the bow. I had to go back to my own technique for the ribbon as I just couldn't get Chrissie's tutorial to work for me this time :-( but will definitely keep practicing!!

The butterfly is made by layering the different size butterflies from the Beautiful Wings Embosslit & I've used the tiny buttons again to make the 'flight path'.

The bottom of the white cardstock has been stamped with the wording from the Strength & Hope stamp set in So Saffron Basic Ink & then I've run the cardstock through the Big Shot using the Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder.

The sentiment is from the So Happy For You stamp set which is no longer available stamped in Baha Breeze & punch out using the Large Modern Label punch.

Thanks for looking & for any comments you leave.

Less Is More - Recipe Challenge

I don't take part in many challenges since I became a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator as I just don't have the time. The one challenge I do try to follow every week is the Less Is More Challenge as it really gets me out of my comfort zone. Another great challenge this week

BUTTON OR RIBBON

(or plurals thereof)



I decided to add both to my card & had a go at the bow tutorial Chrissie posted this week. Although I'm pleased with my first attempt at the bow I think I need more practice at getting the 'tails' to go in the right direction.

I've used the Strength & Hope Butterfly and stamped 2 layers, one on Pink Pirouette cardstock & the other on Stampin' Up! Vellum paper. I've used tiny little pink heart shaped buttons down the butterfly body.

The sentiment is from the Stampin' Up! Occasional Quotes stamp set stamped in Rose Red Ink & the bow is Old Olive Seam Binding which ties beautifully.

I was going to add a couple of small butterflies but decided less is more on this one!!

Thanks for looking & for any comments you leave.

Give Me The Money

Last week it was my eldest daughters 16th Birthday & like all teenage girls all she wanted was money, dosh, wanger!! I didn't just want to hand her it & so put my new Pillow Box Stampin' Up! die to good use. This die is exclusive to Stampin' Up! & makes the cutest little gift boxes or if you put 2 or three together they can make a lovely long gift box. I'll post about that tomorrow.

I've used Night of Navy cardstock for the body of the box & wrapped a piece of Striped Grosgrain Ribbon across the centre.

The sentiment has been stamped in the middle of one of the Four Frames stamps & punched out useing the Large Label Punch.

Finished off with this cute little flower punched using the two smallest flowers from the Boho Blossom Punch & a little bow made with Night of Navy 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon.

Thanks for looking & for any comments you leave.

Less Is More - Second Entry

While I was in my craft room this morning creating my first card for this weeks challenge I decided to have a bit of a tidy!! I've had quite a few commissioned cards to finish before the girls break up from school & when I'm busy my craft room just get more & more untidy!! When I couldn't even see the desk this morning I decided enough was enough lol!!

I found these 3 footballs from the Goal stamp set from Stampin' Up! already stamped out & ready to use so set about creating another card for this weeks circles challenge.

I've used the Goal stamp to create a grass effect & have stamped it in Pear Pizzazz & Old Olive. The sentiment is from the Party This Way set punched out with the Word Window punch (I did stamp it directly onto the card using my Stamp-a-ma-jig first!! bad idea to do that after I'd stuck the footballs down as I couldn't get the SAMJ flush & the sentiment smudged duh!!)

Thanks for looking & for any comments you leave.

Less Is More - Circles

Another week another Less Is More Challenge & this week the theme is circles.

I love the Celebrations Designer Paper from Stampin' Up! and this pattern was perfect for this challenge. I've teamed it up with the Owl Punch again to create a birthday card.

Mr Owl has been mounted on a punched circle in Bashful Blue then a Scalloped Circle in Real Red & another punched circle in Whisper White which has been run through the Big Shot with the Lattice Folder.

The sentiment in from my new set (can't believe I didn't buy this set earlier) Curly Cute.

Thanks for looking & for any comments you might leave.

Less Is More Sketch

I was awol from last weeks Less Is More challenge as I had a very busy weekend with my youngest daughters First Holy Communion & then straight after that was the build up to my eldest daughters Prom!! My head is still spinning from it all but as soon as I saw this weeks sketch I had to dash to the craft room & get this card made.

I've used the oh so cute Owl Punch from Stampin Up & the gorgeous Brights paper stack. I just love this little fella or lil lady whichever takes your fancy! & decided to use the sketch to have him peeping out from behind the circles.

Just too cute!!

Just a few pictures to share with you from our celebrations last week.

Butter wouldn't melt!!

This is more like my cheeky little Tomboy of a daughter lol!! Here she is with her 3 best friends.

My husband is seriously out numbered in our house & is always last in the bathroom!!

This is what kept me away from LIM last Saturday morning!! The pink & chocolate ones are my creations & the ices cupcakes are Mr Costco!!

Thanks for visiting & for any comments you leave.

Less Is More - One Layer In The Frame

I've been trawling the net looking for ideas for this weeks challenge at Less Is More which is One Layer Card In The Frame & came across a couple of tutorials on Youtube for the embossing folder resist technique.

I really like the effect of the embossing around the edge which has been done with the new Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder. The sentiment is from the Just Believe set from Stampin' Up! stamped in Rose Red Classic ink which I've centered using my Stamp-a-ma-jig.

I've finished off with three flowers punched with the Boho Blossom punch in Rose Red & So Saffron with tiny pearl beads at the centre.

Gift Card Holder

Here is another of the projects from my card class on Saturday. When I was preparing all the elements for this I started to think I'd maybe been a bit ambitious as most of my ladies are beginners & the only card they had made was at one of the workshops I'd had. However, they all did really well & were all delighted with their gift card holders.

The cardstock is Soft Suede run through the Big Shot first with the Top Note Die & then with the Square Lattice embossing folder. I love the feel of the card once its been embossed with this folder. It gives it a lovely feel (oo er I can see a fetish developing lol!!) & looked like leather.

I've used some thinly cut strips of card to loo like leather strips wrapped around the outside.

The strap is secured with a piece of cardstock punched with the word window punch & held by two silver brads.

The inside of the wallet has been designed to hold a Gift Card. Some of the ladies had decided to put money or a lottery ticket in theirs & one of the younger crafters was going to put a picture of herself  inside for her Grandad.

I've punched the top piece of card with the large label punch.