A valentine!

I made a card using the sketch featured on the Clean and Simple stamping blog this week. It's very similar to the example card, I've just changed the colours/sentiment and rotated the layout so that I could fit the sentiment on. I think I'll be using this sketch again as it's very adaptable, and the 'simple' layout would probably appeal to the male of the species.


It's hard to see in this photo (rubbish weather here in the North East, just for a change!) but the coloured squares have been stamped using various background stamps with Versamark and popped up on dimensionals. After I took this photo, I decided the card needed a little something extra so I stamped the red heart again, cut it out and added crystal effects to produce a shiny finish. When dry, I layered it over the stamped heart using dimensionals. Weather permitting, I'll take a photo tomorrow of the updated version!

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps - Whimsical Words (SAB set), Darling Dots (L1 Hostess set), Paisley BG, Medallion BG, En Francais BG
  
• Ink - Basic Black, Versamark, Real Red
  
• Cardstock - Bashful Blue, Whisper White, Basic Gray, Real Red
  
• Other - Whisper White satin ribbon, Crystal Effects, dimensionals.
  

The weather is so horrible that I'm having trouble getting a decent picture of my recent creations, so in true Blue Peter style, here's one I made earlier! This was a card for my Stampers 6 group to thank them for participating. If you would like to know more about a Stampers 6 club, please get in touch.


The tree trunks have been stamped using chocolate ink and the leaves, which is a seperate stamp, using several different coloured inks. I used the brilliant Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up the trunks and leaves perfectly. A chocolate mat has been added, and these layers raised up on dimensionals to create depth. The pumpkin layer is designer paper on another chocolate mat with a scalloped edge. The word window punch was used to cut out the ruby red sentiment. A little knot of striped ribbon finishes the card nicely.

Products used (all Stampin' Up! unless stated):

• Stamps: Trendy Trees
  
• Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Ruby Red
  
• Cardstock: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive
• Other: Summer Picnic designer paper (retired), Old Olive striped grosgrain ribbon, Scalloped border punch, Word Window punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, dimensionals.
  

Merry Christmas!

Hope you're all having a fabulous Christmas! I'm still feeling too full to eat my pudding - dinner was later than expected. His lordship forgot to put the oven on, so Mr Turkey crown didn't start to get warm till I got home from work! I overcooked the veg (again) but the yorkshires, roast potatoes and homemade stuffing were spot-on so I'm happy. Off to have ANOTHER glass of fizzy stuff and a lie on the sofa!

The 12 blogs of Christmas!

If you're following the '12 blogs of Christmas', you should have arrived here from Lorraine's blog. Don't forget to visit all the blogs - there will be some great ideas for you to try yourself.


Here is my Christmas project - an organiser for your Christmas shopping trips. I've left the front plain but I think I'll add some of the stamped poinsettias later to make it a bit more colourful.



The notepad is handy for jotting down present ideas, or keeping track of clothes sizes for your nearest and dearest. The file compartment can be used to store all your receipts in one place, just in case Granny decides she would rather have a green hat instead of the blue one you've bought her! If you're inspired to make an organiser of your own, I'd love to see it!

PS Sorry about the terrible photos - will try to get some better ones when the light is better!

Products used (All Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated):

• Stamps - Season of Joy
  
• Ink - Real Red, Old Olive
  
• Cardstock - Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White
• Other - Chipboard (non SU), Old Olive designer paper, Old Olive striped grosgrain ribbon, silver elastic cord, notepad(non SU), pen (non SU)

For the next port of call on the '12 blogs of Christmas' blog cruise, please visit Theresa's blog.
Hope you see something to inspire you on the blog cruise!

It's HOW long??!

I can't believe so much time has gone by since I last posted! I must admit that I haven't been too productive lately, but 4 weeks??! I've got nothing to post today, but if you come back tomorrow I'll be taking part in a '12 blogs of Christmas' blog cruise.

There will be 12 blogs showing something with a Christmas theme and a link to the next blog on the cruise. Hopefully you'll find something to inspire you if your mojo has gone walkabouts at the crafter's busiest time of the year.

Monchromatic monolayer!

Here's a one layer card, something I don't do very often as I find it difficult not to add bits and bobs! This would be good for mass production as there aren't too many steps involved. Or how about experimenting with different colour schemes?


I created a mask by cutting an oval aperture in a piece of scrap paper, then placed this over my piece of white cardstock. The trees were then stamped through the aperture using artichoke ink (the edges of the image are on the scrap paper, not the cardstock). While the mask was still in place, I daubed round the edges with pastels. The mask was removed and the sentiment stamped in artichoke ink, and the bottom edge of the cardstock pierced. The artichoke ribbon was added before the white layer was added to an artichoke card base.

Get your sunglasses on!

I was playing with my new Circle Circus set and decided to step out of my comfort zone and go bright! And I really like the result! This set of 10 stamps features circular images that co-ordinate brilliantly with the different size punches in the catalogue. Here I've used just one stamp with 3 different inks and cardstock and 2 punches - I used the sketch challenge 235 on SCS for inspiration.

The sentiment has been coloured using markers, and a rhinestone brad adds a bit of bling!

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps - Circle Circus, Wow Flowers
  
• Ink - Pink Passion, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise
  
• Cardstock - Whisper White, Pink Passion, Pumpkin Pie, Tempting Turquoise
  
• Other - 1 1/4" Circle punch, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Stampin' Write Markers, Circle Fire Rhinestone brad, dimensionals.

Let's try again

I had to make this card twice - our current foster dog, Vicky, seems partial to a bit of paper every now and then. Chewing the free newspaper and the post (usually bills!) I can cope with, but stealing my cards off the bookcase and slobbering on them is going a step too far! I think I'll use the next shelf up from now on :)

Products used (All Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps - Carte Postale, A Rose is a Rose
  
• Ink - Always Artichoke, Real Red
  
• Cardstock - Always Artichoke, Whisper White
• Other - Real Red designer paper (from hostess paper pack), Scallop Border punch, Scallop Circle punch, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Theatre ribbon pack (retired), dimensionals.

Autumnal bird

I've been creating, but unfortunately the photos are on OH's camera so I'll post another card I made a while ago. The bird has been gently coloured using an aquapainter and ink, and a marker used to ink the sentiment (from the Oval All stamp set).



Products used (all Stampin' Up! unless stated):

• Stamps: Touch of Nature, Oval All
  
• Ink: black Stazon, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Always Artichoke
  
• Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Really Rust, Close to Cocoa
• Other: Sweet Cider designer paper, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain ribbon, Nestabilities (non-SU), brads (non-SU), Aqua Painter, dimensionals.

Goodbye Carte Postale!

Last week I decided to have a final play with some of the sets that didn't make it into the new catalogue. Here's a quick and easy card using Carte Postale, a set that really lends itself to elegant cards I think - I'm sad to see this set retire. The caramel card has been stamped with the french script background stamp and the edges sponged with caramel ink.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!)

• Stamps: Carte Postale, French Script
  
• Ink: Not quite Navy, Creamy Caramel
  
• Cardstock: Creamy Caramel, Very Vanilla
  
• Other: Not quite Navy Designer paper (from hostess paper pack), sponge daubers, twine, dimensionals.

A sketch card

This is the card I made using the Verve anniversary sketch here. I actually started this on the night the sketch was posted - I did all my stamping and punching and cutting layers, then when I came to put it all together, I couldn't find the large half-circle layer. I got a bee in my bonnet and proceeded to spend the next 2 hours looking for the darn thing! It would have been quicker to just do it again! I eventually found it about a month later tucked away with my scraps of chocolate chip cardstock, so needless to say it was glued down pretty sharpish before it could escape again.


Products used (Stampin' Up! unless stated otherwise):

• Stamps - True Friend
  
• Ink - Chocolate Chip
  
• Cardstock - Whisper White, Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue, Kraft
  
• Other - Bashful Blue designer paper, Kraft designer paper (from hostess paper pack), nestabilities (non-SU), dimensionals.

More Blog candy!

If you would like the chance to win more blog candy, go visit Bev Rochester! She's got some gorgeous Christmas candy to give away.

A Blog hop!

To celebrate the launch of the 2009-2010 catalogue, Stampin' Up! issued 3 well-known crafters with a challenge. They each received a parcel containing products from the new catalogue, and had 6 hours to create to their hearts content. Then at the stroke of midnight, they could post their creations on their blogs in a Stampin' Up! blog hop! To join in the fun, just visit the following blogs and leave a comment for a chance to win some blog candy, donated by Stampin' Up!

Lousette
Jenny
Suzanne

Good luck! And if you don't win, hope the ideas inspire you to get stamping!

General card

I haven't included a sentiment on this card so it can be used for a variety of occasions. It would work as a card for those awkward males in our lives, or a sympathy card perhaps. The edges of the cardstock have been sponged with not quite navy ink, and the top layer is popped up on dimensionals.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!)

• Stamps: Carte Postale
• Ink: Not quite Navy, Old Olive
  
• Cardstock: Old Olive, Very Vanilla
  
• Other: Jumbo eyelet, sponge daubers, dimensionals.

More sweet cupcakes

A simple card using the retiring Sweet Always paper, the image has been coloured using markers. Brads from my stash matched the Regal Rose cardstock.

Products used (all Stampin’ Up! unless stated):

• Stamps – Crazy for Cupcakes
• Ink – black Stazon
• Cardstock – Whisper White, Blush Blossom, Regal Rose
• Other – Markers, Sweet Always Designer Paper, brads (non -SU)

I know where my mojo has gone!

For around the last 6 weeks, I have been suffering from a flare-up of my Ulcerative colitis which has not responded to treatment. Visiting the loo upto 20 times a day has resulted in a severe lack of creative energy here - my Mojo has been flushed away! Even my pre-order stamps from the new catalogue have failed to see ink. A week in hospital with more intensive treatment means I'm starting to feel better, but my mojo is still missing. I'll just stroke all my lovely stash and I'm sure it will be back soon, LOL! In the meantime, I have older cards to share with you once I get some photos taken.

But first I'd like to share 2 of the get well cards I received recently. This card is from Bev, the butterfly is lovely and sparkly in real life.


And this card is from Kerry, not a very good photo but it has the sweetest tiny coloured pearls on it (and a get well soon message!)

Thanks again for the cards and the flowers, they have been much admired!

A late Mojo

Here's a card I made for last week's Mojo sketch. I'm not sure whether I like it or not - it seems a bit 'busy', or perhaps I'm in a CAS mood tonight! The pink strip under the sentiment and swirl panels has been cut with the scallop Border punch to give a ric-rac effect.


Products used (Stampin' Up! unless stated otherwise):

• Stamps - Soft Summer, Best Yet, Carte Postale, Polka Dot background
  
• Ink - Basic Black, Pink Passion, Pixie Pink
  
• Cardstock - Basic Black, Whisper White, Pink Passion
  
• Other - Scalloped Border punch, Nestabilities (non-SU), dimensionals.

We all knew it wouldn't last!

I forgot to post yesterday, sorry! I did actually have something to post, but by the time I got back from card club it had slipped my mind (the mind is so small, that's quite easy to do, haha!)


The oak leaves have been coloured using an aquapainter and artichoke, mustard and cocoa inkpads. The artichoke paper is from the Tea and Crumpets pack, while the mustard is from the paper pad available as a Level 1 hostess gift. I wanted a sentiment that didn't distract too much from the image, and thought this sentiment from the Soft Summer set fit the bill nicely.

Products used (all Stampin' Up!):

• Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Soft Summer
  
• Ink: black Stazon, Always Artichoke, More Mustard, Close to Cocoa
  
• Cardstock: Whisper White, Chocolate Chip
• Other: Patterns Pack Designer paper (hostess), Tea and Crumpets Designer paper, Earth Elements buttons, Linen thread, Aqua Painter.

Last chance list, and a card too!

It's almost time for a new SU catalogue (October 1 st!) and to make room for the new goodies, we have to wave goodbye to some of the products in the current catalogue. The retirement list is here, there are some fabulous bargains to be had with upto 50% off some items. But you'll have to be quick - these are only available while stock lasts and with prices like these, I don't think that will be long! Please contact me if you would like to place an order or if you have any questions.

Here's a card a made for my good friend Kerry, whose birthday was in July. (She did receive it earlier than this, I promise! LOL!!) I must admit she was lucky to get it, I really love this card!


It's a Z-fold card and here's a piccie of it open. The flowers on the sentiment have been coloured using markers.

Products used (all Stampin’ Up!):

• Stamps – Soft Summer, Oval All
• Ink – Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, Old Olive, Summer Sun
  
• Cardstock – Chocolate Chip, Ruby Red, Very Vanilla
• Other - Holiday Treasures Designer Paper, Scallop Oval punch, Oval punch, Chocolate Chip taffeta ribbon, Hodgepodge Hardware, Stampin' Write markers, dimensionals.

Two in a row!

I'll keep it short'n'sweet as you're probably in shock!

Products used (all Stampin’ Up!):

• Stamps – True Friend, Best Yet
• Ink – Blush Blossom, Cameo Coral, Old Olive
• Cardstock – Whisper White, Blush Blossom, Cameo Coral, Old Olive
• Other – Scallop Border punch, Scallop Oval punch, Oval punch, 1/4" circle punch, Crop-a-Dile