Thursday 31 May 2012

Distressed Distressing .....

Distressing doesn't come easy to me, my natural instinct is neat, neat and perhaps just a little bit prissy! I admit it, I am a CAS girl at heart.

When does distressing stop being distressing and end up a dirty, tatty mess?

My friend and upline Cal lives by the motto "if it's got an edge ink it, distress it" ..... for for her birthday last year (yep, just found the photo and I realised I'd forgotten to share it.....) I just had to distress her card ....



I ripped, tore, sanded and distressed ...... everything against my natural instinct!  My favourite Everything Eleanor teamed with the First Edition papers. The butterflies are from the hostess exclusive Precious Butterflies set. The flower was coloured with a blender pen and the leaf is made from half of a flower. Even the seam binding got an inking before it was scrunched and of course no flower can escape without a middle decoration of pearls and rhinestones.

A little decoration for the inside too .....


And after all that distressing ...... a nice cuppa tea!

SU materials used

Stamps: Everything Eleanor, Precious Butterflies, Teeny Tiny Wishes
DSP: First Edition
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze,
Inks: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Certainly Celery, Baja Breeze, Early Espresso
Ribbon: Baja Breeze seam binding
Embellishments: Rhinestones, Pearls



Thanks for stopping by ......


Tuesday 29 May 2012

The one you never want to have to send .....

We had our monthly Stamp-a-Stack group last Saturday, all around the theme of Occassions but definately no birthday cards in sight. Like most people, I find making mens cards a struggle but the ones I don't like making are sympathy cards yet it's inevitable that we'll need it at some point. 

We combined a stamp set from the main IB&C with some fabulous new cutting tool and matching embossing folders from the new Summer Mini to make this ....


The floral image was coloured direct to stamp with the marker pens and the verse added with the trusty stamp-a-ma-jig. The edglit and matching Adorning Accent embossing folder give a little detail but I purposely kept the design CAS. The central panel was spritzed to give a gentle shimmer.

Our next Stamp-a-Stack is on 9th June 10am-3pm at St Mark's Church Hall, Scarisbrick (on the A570); if you would like to join us, drop me a line to reserve your place (limited places available).


Thanks for stopping by ......



SU Materials used:

Stamp: Love & Sympathy
Inks / Markers:  So Saffron, More Mustard, Certainly Celery, Basic Gray
Card: Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery
Tools: Edgelits, Adorning Accents, Bigshot

Friday 25 May 2012

Feeling flirty ......

So, did the post title grab your attention? Ha! Things are progressing nicely with my quilt blocks but that's not what I am sharing today...... no siree ...... I have other sewing projects for you!

These are made with the Flirtatious fabric collection.....


The box was coloured with a white craft ink pad and then stamped with the matching Delicate Doilies set. It holds cottons, unpickers and so on ......


The pin cushion has been drawn in at the top and bottom and held in place with circle bitty buttons to give it its shape.


There is still lots of the fabric left over, even though I have other projects made in just one pack of the fabric, but I'm going to tease and hold those back to share another day!

SU materials used:

Fabric: Flirtatious
Buttons: Bitty Buttons, Subtles
Inks:  Craft Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Wisteria Wonder
Stamps: Delicate Doilies, Broadsheet Alphabet


Thanks for stopping by ....

Wednesday 23 May 2012

Time spent colouring .....

I used to love colouring books when I was little and must admit I still love colouring today!


The images were stamped in Basic Black and coloured with a blender pen starting with the palest colour on each dino finishing with the darkest shade. As I used 3 dinos, I kept the background pretty plain, just some colour, applied with a cotton wool ball to get that mottled effect - don't put cotton wool direct onto the inkpad as you could end up leaving fibres behind, transfer some ink into the lid.

Here's the arty shot ....... haven't done one for a while!!


The dinos were cut out and mounted on Dimensionals. But, there are four dinos in the set ....... the last one awaits you inside!


Enjoying colouring so much, I made a matching money box wrap.


And the two together!!



SU materials used:

Stamps: Dinoroar
Card: Wild Wasabi, More Mustard, Whisper White, More Mustard DSP (from the Neutrals family stack)
Inks: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, More Mustard, Basic Gray, Basic Black, Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake, So Saffron, Cajun Craze, River Rock, Chocolate Chip, Pretty in Pink
Tools: Blender Pen


Thanks for stopping by ....

Tuesday 22 May 2012

A new challenge .....

I have always been fascinated by lace, the intricate and oh so delicate patterns and how it can be curved to make collars. I have some antique laces and trims and was in total awe at the lace on display at the ICHF show at Aintree recently.

I met a lovely lady called Ramona on the West Lancs Lace Making stand who let me have a go on her pillow and invited me along to their monthly meeting to find out more. Well, last night I tootled off to join them in Crosby and I made this ......



It's a snake bookmark .... or will be when it is finished. It uses thicker thread than normal lace making and the different colours really helped to keep the bobbins in the right order on the pillow. I even learned how to make the gaps by twisting the thread and to join new thread when one runs out.

The ladies were making some stunning creations including beautiful keepsakes for their family to mark special occasions. There was so much talent in the room and everyone was so friendly and welcoming, but I want to give a huge thank you to them again especially to Ramona, Janet and my fellow total beginners who made it a blast.

So, is there something that you've always wanted to have a go at?


Thanks for stopping by .....

Monday 21 May 2012

Who am I .........

Today I'm sharing the last of my makes for the Stampin' Up! Regional Training .... my name badge.


This was based on a Top Note. I added swirls in the same colour and inked a little to get texture without it being too dominant. The cartouche and flowers are from the trusty Everything Eleanor set, my absolute favourite of all my go-to sets. The bird is an a la carte single stamp which I have coloured with a blender pen; I love this stamp because it looks like a real bird. Ju, well that's what my family and friends call me (and fits better too). A few pearls, rhinestones and a smidge of ribbon finish it off.


SU Materials Used:

Stamps: Everything Eleanor, Young Vermillio, Broadhseet Alpha
Inks: Poppy Parade, Certainly Celery, Marina Mist,
for colouring the bird: Crumb Cake, More Mustard, Baja Breeze, Choc Chip, Early Espresso
Tools: Big Shot, Top Note, Swirls Sizzlit
Punch: Word Window
Ribbon: Marina Mist stripey grosgrain, Blue Denim


Thanks for stopping by .....

Saturday 19 May 2012

Training Swaps .....

One of the great things about meeting up with other Demos is swapping. It's a great way to get ideas and showcase the different effects that you can get with the same stamp set.

For my swaps, I decided to use the Button Button set from the IB&C as the main image with a little from the new mini thrown in too .... Just for You is one of the sentiments from the Tea Shoppe set. This is what I came up with ......


I used the Stampin' Up! exclusive envelop die and a puched button held with a Dimensional as the closure ......


And when you see the contents, well my stamp choice is explained!


A practical swap ..... how did that happen!!! I made 50 in total, 10 in each of the 2011-13 In Colors, I think Lucky Limeade is my favourite, can you tell?!?



SU materials used:
Stamps: Button Button, Tea Shoppe
Inks: 2011-13 In Colors, Sahara Sand, Crumb Cake
Cardstock: 2011-13 In Colors
Punch: 3/4" Circle
Tools: Scallop Envelope die, Bigshot

Thanks for stopping by .....

Friday 18 May 2012

My project .....

Tomorrow my fellow teamies and I are off to Leeds for the Stampin' Up! regional training where no doubt we'll be sure to find our own noisy (ahem ...... naughty) table for the day. My sides have only just recovered from laughing so much at our last meet up and I still can't buy lettuce without giggling ...... and this gets you really funny looks in the supermarket!

Stampin' Up! asked that we each make a project to share (well, their mission is to create, inspire, share) with fellow demos using products from the new Summer Mini Catalogue ...... here's mine.



The bird was cut using the new Elegant Bird die from the new Twitterpated DSP, which is also used on the background. I love this DSP, it mixes papers with a bright, modern feel along with more vintagey patterns like the one I used for the bird. This is the full set, 12 sheets of double sided patterns!



It also uses a fab new cutting tool - the framelits. A few Little Leaves and 3D flowers topped with pearls finish it off ....... and just a tiny bit of stamping on this one!


SU materials used:
Stamps:Tiny Tags
Inks: Riding Hood Red, Sahara Sand
Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Riding Hood Red, Pear Pizazz, Blushing Bride
DSP: Twitterpated
Punch: 1 3/4 Circle, Jewelry Tag
Tools: Framelits, Elegant Bird die, Little Leaves Sixxlit, Big Shot
Misc: Pearls


Thanks for stopping by .....

Thursday 17 May 2012

Share what you love ......

Sorry for the lack of posts, technology playing up ... I have been busy making new projects with the lush new stamps, framelits, score board, scented embossing powders and pleated ribbons (complete lushness!!) which I will share with you soon. Check out the new Summer Mini catalogue with the link on the left or if you would prefer to hold a real copy, just let me know and I'll get one in the post to you.

So .... to share what I love ...... If you have been toying with the idea of becoming a Stampin' Up! Demo yourself, this could be just what you have been waiting for! Stampin' Up! have released a new, completely customisable starter kit of products worth £130 at a fantastically, whoppingly reduced price of just £99! You could choose stamp sets, inks or for the first time ever, include Stampin' Up!'s exclusive dies made by Sizzix.

You will also receive a "Business Brick" which includes all of the resources you need to get you on your way which is also worth over £45.

And ...... as if that's not enough........ yes, there is more ....... if you join as a Demonstrator in May 2012, Stampin' Up! will also give you FREE registration* to this years convention held in Mainz, Germany worth a huge £149!!!!! Find out more here.



Where else could you get everything that you need to start your own business for less than £100?

What kind of Demo would you like to be?

* DISCOUNT DEMONSTRATOR: Likes the idea of buying stamps for personal use at a discount and occasionally sells to friends and family.
* SHORT-TERM DEMONSTRATOR: Sells for a short period of time to earn a specified amount of money and stops when the goal is reached.
* HOBBY DEMONSTRATOR: Loves doing workshops and classes and earning extra money when it’s convenient, works a lot some months and very little or none, other months.
* SEASONAL DEMONSTRATOR: Works hard at the business during September, October, and November doing workshops for seasonal money. Maintains minimum sales during the rest of the year.
* STAY-AT-HOME MUM DEMONSTRATOR: Wants to stay at home with her children and make some extra money working a few nights a month.
* CAREER DEMONSTRATOR: Views Stampin’ Up! as a viable business with long-term career potential; pursues management and wants to move up the career ladder; regularly attends Stampin’ Up! events and has developed close social relationships with other demonstrators; works at her business in a consistent manner.

If you would like to have an informal chat, please give me a shout.


* you would be responsible for your own travel and hotel.


Thanks for stopping by .......