Snow time

Hello, you may have noticed, if you've see any of my recent posts, how much I like like the Colourful Seasons bundle. There really is something for every season; if you're just starting out this set will cover so many occasions.

I'd noticed that several of my Christmas sets have been retired. At the time of writing this in early August I've yet to place my Autumn/Winter order so took a look at the snowflake dies.

Soft Sky

Whisper White

Smoky Slate

Silver Foil

I had a scrap of vellum left over from my Autumn card so decided to experiment with heat embossing in colour using Stampin' Up inks. First of all I covered the vellum in Versamark followed by the Soft Sky ink pad. I then sprinkled a holographic embossing powder over it and heated up until it had melted. This particular embossing powder isn't made by Stampin' Up but they do make a clear one which would have almost the same effect. Once cooled down, I die cut  a couple of snowflakes.

I also die cut more snowflakes in both glimmer card and silver foil. My sentiment was stamped in Smoky Slate  onto Whisper White and heat embossed before die cutting with a square Stitched Shape Framelit.

I don't often use embossed backgrounds, however, this one called Softly Falling fitted perfectly with the theme. I added a strip of ribbon before adhering the sentiment using dimensionals to raise it slightly. My handy tip today is when using a speciality paper such as the silver foil as a layer, cut out the centre as it won't be seen. I scattered the snowflakes loosely around the sentiment, adding a few rhinestones for a touch more bling.

Have you Scene the Delicate Ornaments?

Hello, have you started your Christmas projects yet? Normally, in spite of all good intentions, I leave my Xmas cards to the very last minute. Oh each year I say it will be different next year but usually it isn't. That is until now. I have started my Christmas cards; I've made a few, started them in July! I think I may need to lie down due to shock.

Now I know some of you will be wondering why I'm not using products from the new Autumn/Winter catalogue. Here's the confession, I actually made this card at the end of July, before my new crafty stash had arrived. I know, it's September already but I've been crafting and scheduling blog posts since I'm on the 7 week Summer break from work. Yes, working in education does have some bonuses. I've gone from posting once a week to scheduling 3 times a week as I've created so much. I only hope this time that once I'm back to my day job I can keep up.

I haven't taken Delicate Ornament Thinlit dies off the shelf until now. I was so disappointed it was retired in January. For this project I decided to combine it with Lovely as a Tree and Holiday Home.

Night of Navy

Whisper White

Silver Foil

Using the "onion" die, I cut an aperture and created a winter scene behind it.

As I wanted my sentiment to be heat embossed but in a colour that that Stampin' Up don't do I followed a tip by Sam from Pootles. First of ink up your chosen stamp in Versamark and then your chosen ink colour before stamping. Sprinkle clear embossing powder over it, remove excess and then heat until set. It really does work.

I still feel this needs a little extra, maybe either a sprig of holly and berries or other greenery around the hook. Chris, my friend suggested some snowflakes dotted around. What do you think? If you have any thoughts, please leave a comment below. Thank you for looking today.

Spotlight on Lovely as a Tree

If you've read any of my previous posts, you'll know that I like a stamp set to be versatile so that it earns it's keep. Well, there is one set, Lovely as a Tree that can be used for almost any occasion, either on it's own or in conjunction with other sets. Had you thought of using it for Christmas though?

I decided that I'd make a Christmas card using the negative spotlight technique and Lovely as a Tree. As with many of my cards, it's simple and uncluttered. I often feel that with cards less is more.

Whisper White

Night of Navy

As you can see, I only used 2 colours. First of all I stamped the row of trees onto both Whisper White and Night of Navy using Versamark ink and then heat embossed in white. It immediately had a wintery feel to it. I also took some stars from the Star of Light set and stamped randomly  for a twinkly sky on the navy card. These were also heat embossed for a cohesive look.











A circle was cut out of the navy card, I used a die although a punch would work just as well. I very lightly sponged the area of white that would be revealed through the hole and used dimensionals to layer both pieces of card. It took a little while to line up both images as there is so much detail on this stamp. I do think it's worth the effort though.

A little silver metallic thread was wrapped around my fingers to loop it and place on the base card. I used a couple of glue dots to hold in place. My design was then mounted onto white card before adhering to the navy base card, allowing the silver thread to show diagonally, top and bottom. I took a sentiment from Star of Light and once again stamped and heat embossed it.

Whilst playing with this technique, I also made a second card, this time with no heat embossing. It uses the same spotlight method but with a coloured background. Another male oriented card I think. I'm so pleased I managed to get the Sky is the Limit; this one was so much easier to line up!

Think I'm in Love...

On my last post I showed you a card I was commissioned to make for a birthday. Well I loved it so much that I made several more cards over the following days that were based on the same design. If you need to batch make cards or need one in a hurry this is so easy and so effective whether for Christmas as here with Merry mice, which has sadly been discontinued...

to say thank you to someone, using my favourite flower stamp, Birthday Blooms,,,

or to welcome a new baby, this time with Moon Baby...

The possibilities are virtually endless! 

Christmas in July

That really does seem a tad strange for a title doesn't it. At Stampin' Up though they have given us a teaser of things to come; there is a new stamp set available for demonstrators and anyone choosing to sign up in July. We're also eagerly anticipating the Autumn/Winter catalogue so that we can pre-order in August to create lots of gorgeous things for you prior to general release on 1st September.

I've chosen to use the Star of Light set that I'm so pleased has been carried over to the Annual catalogue this year. I love this set, apart from the obvious Xmas cards and goodies, I've used it to create fireworks and also a little magic - the flourish was perfect for my Harry Potter inspired cards!

Pool Party

Whisper White

 I cut the largest square in the Stitched Shape Framelit set in Whisper White. I then stamped my sentiment so I knew where to place my star die from the Star of Light set. This square was then mounted onto Pool Party and I cut a border using my Perfect Layers ruler. I know they aren't Stampin' Up, however there are some things I can't manage without and this is one of them, alongside my precision press for accurate stamping.

Using Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper, I cut some stars, they really do sparkle. It's such a shame they don't show up too well . A quick tip; when die cutting Glimmer Paper, cut on the reverse.

These star die cuts were placed over the aperture using a mini dimensional with a rhinestone placed in the centre. This helps cover the fixing but I think adds a little more bling to such a simple card.

To make the box; 

Cut an 11" x 4⅝" piece of cardstock.
Score - on the long side at 3⅜", 4", 7 ⅜" and 8" 
and on the short side - ⅝" and 4"
Trim as shown in the photo.

The box before sticking. This time I chose to use velcro dots to close the flap which was shaped using an edgelits die.

 I also added a hint of white card behind the lid so that I could stick down my fancy star. Being a (sometimes) frugal crafter, I didn't want to use more of the Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper as most of it would be hidden but I did want that effect. Then I had an idea, Before sticking the Whisper White card down, I ran some glue along the edge and sprinkled with Dazzling Diamond Stampin' Glitter. The same result... You can also see a hint of the heat embossing on the front too.

I think I already know the recipient for this little box of cards; the colours will match her lounge perfectly!

From Circles to Baubles

Hello again, Christmas is rapidly approaching isn't it. I hope preparations are well in hand, unlike mine this year. Its going to be a last minute rush again. Will I never learn.

The card I'm sharing today is made to look like a bauble, using a circle I confess, the image I coloured in is not SU, it's by Penny Black - and so like my cat, Star. I haven't put the tree up this year as she has a habit of climbing up curtains, plants etc. I can imagine I'd come home to a real Star on top of the tree each evening.

Soft Sky

Real Red

Whisper White

I'm not going to write a set of instructions today. There are many tutorials on You Tube for shaker cards that can be followed and indeed, several different ways of making them. I love this style of card, they look more complicated than they actually are but one piece of advice I will give is add the flakes before sealing...
 ...I'm sure you can guess what I've done in the past.!

I'm in love... with the Jar of Love bundle

My order containing the Jar of Love bundle arrived yesterday and I've been dying to use it. It's funny how with some sets, I have so many ideas I don't know what to make first. At times like these I put pencil to paper and make a very rough sketch so that I don't forget. Also many of my cards evolve as I'm working, whereas this one I had a very clear image right from the start. It's loosely based on the card I made at Cards and Coffee with Susan at the Grand Piano in Godmanchester, Cambs.

Having got in the mood for Xmas at this weeks Cards and Coffee, I thought I'd make another card for the holiday season, although it has been sugested it would be suitable for Anzac Day with the right sentiment. I don't know about you, but I still associate Christmas with rich, warm colours and these just fit the bill.

Crumb Cake

Cherry Cobbler

Garden Green

Wild Wasabi

I used Wild Wasabi and die cut the largest "round" shape from Swirly Scribbles Thinits as my wreath. I love using the linen thread and this time wrapped it round my fingers a few times before then securing it to the wreath along with some leaves and stems stamped in Garden Green and die cut.

Now last week I really struggled with the 2 stage stamping. I got some scrap paper and had a practise; it's actually quite easy once you get going. The set also has some really small flowers, probably my favourites out the sets I currently own, so I had to include a few. A sentiment added onto the banner and the card was almost complete. The second part of the sentiment was stamped onto cardstock and stuck inside to complete the look. I hope you enjoy it.

Inside

Star of Wonder, Star of Night....

So it's finally arrived.... and I'm only a day late posting this!

I've been really lucky as a demonstrator to have a good look at the new Autumn/Winter Catalogue for the last month. Now it's available for everyone to view and order from. There really are so many gorgeous stamp sets and dies, some bundled together for a saving of 10%. I've put a link on the right of my blog, I'm sure once you've seen it you'll be really excited and will want most of them too. I know I've really enjoyed seeing what other demos have been creating. I do have a confession though, I haven't put my order in yet! I know, it's so bad of me but I really am struggling to decide - in an ideal world I'd get it all. Anyway, one set I have put on my next order is Star of Light. Apart from the obvious Xmas cards I'm wanting to use the flourish with the brooms for more  magical Harry Potter cards. I blame my youngest, she lives and breathes HP so I guess it has rubbed off on me a little.

Another of my absolute favourites is Merry Mice, they are just so cute and never fail to put a smile on my face.

If you don't have a demonstrator and would like a catalogue, please get in touch with me.