Saturday 27 February 2010

Kraft Medallion



The inspiration for this card came from a friend's curtains!

I used a Kraft card base and stamped the wonderful Medallion background stamp on it in Whisper White craft ink. The stamp was used again with the same ink on a second piece of Kraft card. I then cut out the centre circle with a craft knife and trimmed the image to make a frame. I attached dimensionals on the back of the frame and matched the pattern up to the Medallion on the card base. In the centre I glued a flat-backed pearl from the Pretties kit and tied a knot of Kraft Taffeta ribbon around one side of the frame.

It's amazing where you get inspiration from!!!

All items Stampin' Up!
Card: Kraft
Ink: Whisper White Craft ink pad
Ribbon: Kraft Taffeta
Accessories: Pearl from the Pretties kit

Thursday 25 February 2010

Eye popping colour!



On a grey, dreary day get out your brightest eye popping colours!! Doesn't that make you feel better?

I took inspiration for this card from my upline, Helen, at All Things Stampy, but had to use my new Baroque Motifs stamp set!

The designer paper and the Pumpkin Pie textured cardstock is from the Sunny Days Simply Scrappin' kit. The base card is an A6 card cut lengthways with a semi-circle of designer paper (which I pricked holes around the curved edge with my paper piercer) layered with a fancy die cut circle, a bow of Tempting Turquoise grosgrain and a crystal brad in the centre. I stamped the Baroque Motifs swirl with Pumpkin Pie ink and the small flower stamp (from the same set) was used with Pumkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise and Pink Passion inks, cut out and popped up on dimensionals.

You really need your sunglasses to look at this!

Tuesday 23 February 2010

Tweet little card



This lovely little card uses the bird and cage stamp from the soon-to-be retired Happy Moments set. Have I said how much I will miss it?

The base card is a 10cm x 10cm Always Artichoke card. I divided the front into four and used Tea & Crumpets designer paper to make four 'patches' (oohh might have to go back and add some faux stitching - didn't think of that before!!). The image is stamped in Always Artichoke onto Whisper White card and then die cut along with a Pretty in Pink background. A bow of Always Artichoke grosgrain was added to the top of the cage and the whole image popped up on Dimensionals.

A really simple card with no sentiment so it can be used for different occasions.

Monday 22 February 2010

Simple Happy Moments parcels



I am soooo rubbish at photography - SORRY!!

I am really going to miss this set when it is retired at the end of this month. You still have a few days to get your hands on it though, just spend £45 in the current Stampin' Up! catalogue and this set can be yours for FREE!!

This card is inspired by the Nouveux Chic designer paper colours. I started with a standard Blush Blossom A6 card and added stripes of Basic Black, Basic Grey, Sage Shadow, Apricot Appeal and I left a stripe at the top of Blush Blossom. The image is coloured using blender pens and the 'squish the ink pad' technique in Sage Shadow, Blush Blossom and, because I don't have Apricot Appeal ink pad - YET -, So Saffron. I used a couple of nestie dies to cut out the image and a black background. The sentiment is from the same stamp set inked in Sage Shadow, punched out with the Word Window punch and raised up on some Dimensionals. I tied a bow of Basic Grey Taffeta ribbon and stuck it at the top of the parcels.

Unusual, I know, but I think I like it ...............

Sunday 21 February 2010

Classy Stampin' experience update



I now have the following places left for my classes;

Thursday 4th March a.m - FULL
Friday 5th March a.m - 2 places
Friday 5th March evening - FULL

Bella Bleu B-Side book



So, I finished the card below and then inspiration struck again for this little book using the B-Side to the Bella Bleu papers.

The inside is 3 pieces of 10cm x 20cm Kraft cardstock, scored at 5cm and 15cm. These 5cm flaps are stuck together to make the 'pages'. A front Kraft card cover measuring 10cm x 28cm, scored at 7cm, 9cm, 19cm and 21 cm. The 2cm strips form the 'spines' of the book.



The book was decorated using Barely Banana cardstock, Kraft cardstock and Bella Bleu papers. The centre panel has more of the daisy flowers and faux stritched stems on it. I stamped a couple of labels with sentiments using one of the stamps from the Sale-A-Bration Vintage Labels set. Some So Saffron striped grosgrain ribbon ties the book together. I put another flower with faux stitched stems on the front.

Took me all afternoon - had to have a lie down afterwards!!

Saturday 20 February 2010

Bella Bleu B-Side card!



I wasn't too keen on the Barely Banana and Whisper White sides of the Bella Bleu designer papers, so I was determined to make something with it! The pack has sat on my desk for a few days until inspiration struck!!

The gentle, but fresh, colours made me feel spring-like, even though I sat watching it snow. I decided to take an idea from the little bag I made for the Stamp With Us challenge and do some faux stitching using my Mat Pack, Paper Piercer and white gel pen.

The base card is a standard A6 size using Kraft CS. I chose two complimentary paper designs and split them roughly 1/3 to 2/3 on the front of the card, a further complimentary paper strip was used to cover the join. On a piece of Kraft CS I drew a couple of stalks in pencil, then, using the pricking guide from the Mat Pack and a paper piercer, I pricked holes along the stalks. Using my white gel pen I created faux stitches in between the holes! I die cut some daisy flowers from Whisper White and Barely Banana, layered them with Crystal brads and stuck them at the top of the stalks. A knot of Whisper White grosgrain ribbon finished it off.

All products Stampin' Up! unless stated:
Card: Kraft, Whisper White and Barely Banana
Paper: Bella Bleu
Crystal Brads
Whisper White grosgrain ribbon
Mat Pack
Paper Piercer
Uni-Ball Signo white gel pen
Miscellaneous: Daisy flower die

Thursday 18 February 2010

Stamp With Us Challenge


Deep breath.....relax..... OMG, this is my first attempt at a challenge!! PANIC!

I adore these colours and would love to be a good enough knitter to produce something like these scrumptious looking cakes! As soon as I thought about the colours in this challenge I could see the project I wanted to do.

A recent parcel through the post brought me Michelle Powell's new book and this little bag is on the front. This is my interpretation of it.



I started off with a 10cm x 29cm piece of Creamy Caramel cardstock and formed a basic bag shape that is 3cm deep, 10cm wide and 7cm high. I used the 1 3/4" circle punch for the handles and the 1 3/8" circle punch for the inner hole. Using the Mat Pack and Paper Piercer I pierced holes around the top edge of the bag, around the circular handles and to form the stems of the flowers. A white gel pen was used to make faux stitching in between the pierced holes.

I die cut several flowers in Sage Shadow, Blush Blossom, Pale Plum and Bashful Blue cardstock and stuck some of them on the front of the bag with Tombow adhesive and some were popped up on dimensionals. A small knot of Bashful Blue taffeta ribbon was tied around the handle.

When my husband saw it his first thought was "ooh, that should be filled with Mini Eggs!", and looking at it, the colours would match perfectly!!!

All items Stampin' Up! unless stated:
Cardstock - Creamy Caramel, Sage Shadow, Blush Blossom, Bashful Blue, Pale Plum, Whisper White
Punches - 1 3/4" circle, 1 3/8" circle
Ribbon - Bashful Blue Taffeta
Uniball Signo white gel pen
Mat Pack
Paper Piercer
Tombow multi adhesive
Stampin' dimensionals
Miscellaneous - flower dies.

Wednesday 17 February 2010

Easel Valentine card



This is the card I made for our little girl - she loved it!!

It's a simple easel card in Real Red covered with Ruby Red DSP (Hostess Level 1 set). I used a nesting die for the shape and I punched a heart from some Whisper White that I had run through my Big Shot with an embossing die. A small heart punch from my stash finished it off.

I wrote the sentiment on a piece of Whisper White card and punched it out with the Word Window punch.

Tuesday 16 February 2010

Valentine Recess Card



My favourite recess card again!

I used some stiff white card from my stash, Ruby Red DSP (a Hostess Level 1 set), a heart punch from my stash and the Word Window punch.

Simples!

Monday 15 February 2010

Classy Stampin' experience



Just a quick update on the classes I am holding at home.

Thursday 4th March a.m - NOW FULL

Friday 5th March a.m - ONLY 2 PLACES REMAINING

Friday 5th March evening - 4 PLACES REMAINING

Please send me a message if you are interested in a place.

Sunny Days Scrunchy Flower Brooch



First of all I would like to apologise for the quality of these photographs - I'm not the worlds best photographer!

I found this gorgeous flower on Carrie Stamps blog. It is so easy to make as it only uses the Scallop Circle punch!



I used the Sunny Days Simply Scrappin kit for the flower and I punched two of the 5 Petal Flowers in Old Olive for the leaves.

Sunday 14 February 2010

Flight of the Butterfly votive



These are so cute I just had to have a go!!

My little girl had some battery operated tealights for Christmas and as soon as the wrapping paper came off I knew what I was going to do with them..........

The main body is Pale Plum cardstock which I scalloped around one edge. I then used the Butterfly punch for the 'windows' and added vellum cardstock to the backs. The tiny flower and spotty Bashful Blue butterfly is from Flight of the Butterfly stamp set. I ran some Whisper White through my Big Shot with a dotty embossing folder, then used the Butterfly punch to make two larger butterflies. A thin strip of Mellow Moss was fringed and stuck around the base to make 'grass'. My favourite white gell pen was used to add highlights here and there.

Gorgeous....

(Of course, I don't recommend you use a real tealight inside!)

Friday 12 February 2010

Tea & Crumpets......again



This is another card inspired by a book that I think is called 'The Joy of Card Making' - had it from the library a while ago.

Tea & Crumpets DSP was used again and I used the Eyelet border punch along the edge and tied some Chocolate Chip grosgrain ribbon around it. A couple of punched circles were layered and stuck to the top of the card along with a Chocolate Chip scalloped label and sentiment from the Sale-A-Bration set Vintage Labels.

Thursday 11 February 2010

Distressed Old Olive card



I don't normally do distressed cards, but when I made this it just needed something...... wished I'd left it alone now!

The base card is Basic Black and I cut off about 5 cm from the front edge to expose the inner card. I cut a piece of Old Olive and distressed it with black ink and then tied a knot of Black striped grosgrain ribbon around it. This was stuck to the front of the card with the lovely ornate label and sentiment from the Vintage Label set - I will be very sorry to see this stamp set go at the end of February!

For the inside of the card I cut a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock and stamped Basic Black spots all over it using the eraser at the end of a pencil as a stamp!! I then distressed it using black ink.

This card might grow on me.....

Wednesday 10 February 2010

Tea & Crumpets handbag



This card was inspired by a book I had from the library, I think it was called 'The Joy of Card Making', but I am not sure as it was quite a while ago.

I used the 1 3/4" circle punch to make a hole in the front of a Chocolate Chip card and also punched a white circle with the same punch to stick to the inside of the card behind the apperture. Using the Tea & Crumpets DSP I cut out a small handbag shape and made the handle with the large Oval punch and a scrap of Chocolate Chip. Another piece of the designer paper was stuck on the bottom third of the card and I cut out one of the flower strips from the paper to look like a ribbon. The sentiment and label is from the free Sale-A-Bration stamp set called Vintage Labels. The card was finished off by rounding the corners.

Tuesday 9 February 2010

Bella Toile friendship card



I really love this background stamp. It is simply stamped in Basic Black on Very Vanilla with a knot of Black striped grosgrain ribbon across the centre and the lovely friends sentiments from Occasional Greetings stamped again on Very Vanilla and matted on Basic Black.

A quick and simple card.

Monday 8 February 2010

Kaleidoscope Handbag


This is my take on a bag I saw on Becky Roberts' blog, Inking Idaho, and it is sooo cute! I don't have the Chocolate Chip stitched ribbon so used cardstock instead and added faux stitching with a white gel pen!

Love it!!

Join me for a Classy Stampin' experience!

Sunday 7 February 2010

Birdhouse with quilling




Sooo cute!! Told you there would be more quilling!

The house and quilled flower is cut from Tall Tales designer papers, and the quilled leaves and stem are Old Olive cardstock.

The roof looks a bit wonky in the picture, but in real life it is straight - honest!!

Saturday 6 February 2010

Pocket Silhouette window card




I love this versatile stamp set. It is teamed up with Chocolate Chip cardstock, Tall Tales DSP, acetate and Always Artichoke ribbon. The grass image from Pocket Silhouette is stamped with Whisper White ink on the inside of the card. The greeting is from the free Sale-A-Bration Whimsical Words set.

Simple but effective!

Friday 5 February 2010

Happy Moments cake



You will be seeing a lot of these colours, So Saffron and Old Olive, as they have been on my desk for a while and I just can't seem to put them away!!

This is just a simple card using the cake and greeting from the free Sale-A Bration Happy Moments stamp set, Tall Tales designer paper, So Saffron and Old Olive cardstock and ink, and Always Artichoke ribbon.

Lovely!

Thursday 4 February 2010

Quilled Happy Birthday



I absolutely love quilling, so decided to have a go at combining it with Stampin' Up - I think it works!

My base card is So Saffron and Old Olive, and the papers are from the Tall Tales and Tea & Crumpets ranges. The label and greeting is from the Sale-A-Bration offer and is called Vintage Labels. It is free when you spend £45 in the main catalogue - fabulous!! Contact me for more details.



The quilled flower is made with a fringed strip of designer paper and a quilling tool. The leaves are strips of Old Olive cardstock. Now I know it is possible to quill with the thicker papers and cardstock, I think you will be seeing more!

Wednesday 3 February 2010

Basic Grey Rose is a Rose




Even though I say this myself - isn't this gorgeous? This is one of the free stamp sets I chose for achieving my first Stampin' Start goal and I love it.


I chose Basic Grey for the card base and stamped the small flower outline from the Rose is a Rose set in Basic Grey ink to give a watermark effect. I then stamped the main flower images in Bashful Blue and Basic Grey using the two-step stamping technique with the help of my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig. The leaves were stamped with Mellow Moss and Always Artichoke, again using the Stamp-A-Ma-Jig. I cut the images out and layered them on Whisper White, popping some up on dimensionals. The corners looked a bit bare, so out came the Mat Pack and the Paper Piercer for a little bit of paper pricking in the corners. I then added layers of Bashful Blue and Mellow Moss, and added a knot of Basic Grey taffeta ribbon.


I will definitely be using this stamp set again!

Tuesday 2 February 2010

Little Love Notes part 2



These are the other two Love Notes I made inspired by my new Always Artichoke handbag. I made these with the Whisper White Love Notes and used Always Artichoke and Ruby Red. The butterfly image is from Flight of the Butterfly and the heart is from Hello Again. I popped both images up on dimensionals.


I love new handbags NEARLY as much as new stamp sets!!

Monday 1 February 2010

Little Love Notes



I bought myself a new handbag on Sunday and I am sure it's colour is Always Artichoke! Of course the bag has some dangly bits which are Ruby Red and Tempting Turquoise ......you know what happens next! All the way home I kept looking at it and couldn't wait to get stamping! I had already decided that the next project would use the Love Notes that came in my Starter Kit, so I was half way there.


I used Pocket Silhouettes in Tempting Turquoise and Always Artichoke, and Trendy Trees in Always Artichoke and Chocolate Chip, both on the Very Vanilla cardstock. I also 3D'd the tree with dimensionals and tied a knot of Always Artichoke grosgrain ribbon around the card.