12 Blogs of Christmas

Hello and welcome from The Craft Spa to our 12 Blogs of Christmas cruise whether you are starting here or have arrived from seeing Michelle's wonderful creations... Please press the icon at the end of this posting to cruise on to the next stop.

This blog cruise has been organised by a bunch of very talented Stampin' Up! demonstrators that all meet in the cyber space at the In Love with Stamping forum.... A particularly big thanks must go to Carolynne for inspiring us and getting us organised!!

My first project is one that I have wanted to make for a long time.. a Gingerbread House made from my wonderful Stampin' Up! punches and stamps. So I am delighted to have finally achieved it!!

My second project is particularly for those with 4-12 year old children who are immersed in the web or trading card world of Club Penguin.... or for those who just like penguins!! The little pot holds a lollipop... so a double treat for kids everywhere.

I will be posting a full recipe and directions for these projects during next week so please feel free to leave me a comment and join my followers.... It will really spur me on to finishing the directions!!

In the meantime, please press on the icon to go to the next stop for Kara's wonderful creations to further inspire you. (www.kimberlight.net)

Christmas Cards

So here are 4 of the 5 card designs we made at our Stamp A Stack session back in September. Everyone made 2 of each of these cards. My favourite was the Silent Night church.... it was super quick & easy to colour in with the Watercolor WonderCrayons, plus some dabs of the glue pen followed by glitter! It really sparkles.

I cannot believe it is that long ago - and I apologise for not posting them earlier. I will also post the 5th snowman when I locate the photo!!!

Please contact me by the email link if you want any product details... they are all made using Stampin' Up! stamps, punches and card/inks etc

Cards & Treat Holder - Autumn Days stamp set

Finally got round to loading up some of the samples I made for my Open House and one made for a SU! demo swap hosted on In Love With Stamping.com last month.

This first lot are all made using the Autumn Days set released in October. ( Page 45; Item Code 115452; £19.95 plus P&P) The pumpkin treat holder is made using the Large Oval punch to form the pumpkin( Page 88 , Item Code 115156, £12.50 plus P&P) and the Square Scallop punch ( Page 88; Item Code 113653; £12.50 plus P&P) to make the bat.

Spa Time - Small Gifts

Thought I would share the little gifts we made earlier this week . They are all holders - for teabags, notebook, post it note pad and chocolates....

Upon request... I am running an extra workshop next week when you can make either these OR the mini pizza box and small cards shown below. The workshop will be on Thursday 29th October from 1 till 3.30pm














Do let me know if you want to come on Thursday - also which project you would like to do....

New SU stamp set - Medallion Background

I had a quick break from making cards etc for Christmas classes, ILWS swaps and more samples with my new sets today.

I needed to get a sympathy card off in the post pronto! And then came the block.... but I was quickly saved by the UPS man turning up with my much awaited new Medallion background stamp ( Page 60; code 115223, £14.95 plus P&P) And oh do I love this one!! You may get fed up of seeing it over the next few months.....

So my new fave Elegant Eggplant ink came out again and minutes later I was off to the postbox!! I used the new 1 3/4" circle punch (Page 89; code 117405; £12.50 plus PP) for the centre Taken with Teal medallion. The flower is from the Pretties kit ( Page 85, code 109887, £23.25 plus for a box of 10 sets - or £2.50 for 1 full set from me!) and the clear rhinestone brad is from the new box of 84 clear brads (page 85;code 113144; £7.75 plus PP) or in the Pretties kit as before... And my favourite oval punches came into use again ( Page 85, codes Large Oval 115156 and Scallop Oval 115429; both £12.50 plus PP)

Just a little detail - I coloured the rhinestone brad with my trusty purple Sharpie pen.... so you can have these fabulous brads in any colour that you have permanent marker pens for!!! So I think these brads will be in continuous use too.....

More new stamp set samples- Say It With Scallops

Another day... another new stamp set. This time it is the Say it With Scallops set ( Page 58; Code 111678, Price £14.95 plus PP)

Some of you will recognise these as they were a quick & simple set we made in a session the other week along with the mini pizza box - and a session I have been asked to repeat for those that missed it! So watch this space!

Please do email me if you are interested in coming to papercrafting sessions and you live in the North/West Yorkshire area - I will be delighted to send you the current schedule.... ( I have not worked out how to put it on my blog yet...but in time I will!)

New SU stamp set samples - Circle Circus

So it is time for some more samples using the new stamp sets.

This time it is Circle Circus (Code 115778 on Page 55, costs £23.95 plus P&P) I just can't stop using this one... these circles are just so good... and can you spot the golf ball!? And the new large 1 3/4" circle punch made punching those large circles very easy ( Page 88; Code 117405; £12.50 plus P&P)

I also used

• the SU! 1 3/8" punch to make the little handbags. I just cut across the top of the circles!


• the SU! scallop circle punch to make the foldover on the bags. Just cut across 3 of the scallops


• the SU! oval and scallop oval punches to make those bag handles


• the SU! tag punch and tag stamp from the Merry Moments set (Page 16) on the topiary card... I just cut off the top of the tag!


• the SU! large star punches on the kraft card

NOTE - you can now buy packs of 12x12 kraft cardstock from Stampin' Up! too. Hooray!! 20 sheets for £5.95 plus P&P. Details on page 80....

More new SU stamp set samples - Flight of the Butterfly

And here are some clean & simple (CAS) cards etc I made using the new set called Flight of the Butterfly. You will find this set on page 43; item code 111564; and it costs £23.95 plus P&P.

This is one of the new sets I most expect to"fly"off the shelves... especially as it has a punch to match ..... which is on page 88 ; item code 117404; costing £12.50 plus P&P.

I absolutely love this set... which is amazing seeing as I usually do not like butterflies...! Yes I am in that strange 1% minority ..... And it will be even better when I receive my punch!!

The mat pack ( page 91; item code 117395 for £7.50) was essential for easily achieving the pricking on this black & white card

New Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalogue

Drum Roll please!!! Here it is .... the new Stampin' Up! idea book and catalogue for 2009-10. Lots of new stamp sets, punches, tools, adhesives, papers and accessories.

Just click on the image to the right and it will take you to the catalogue on the Stampin' Up! web site. And for those of you (like me!) that need a hard copy... just contact me to order one....

Happy browsing... and I would love any feedback on your thoughts of the new products....

Remember too... that you can come and see many of these new products at my Open House on Sat 10th and Sun 11th October. Just let me know that you are coming so I can ensure there is a Make n Take for you!

New SU stamp set samples

So whilst I am waiting to update my blog with the new Idea Book & Catalogue.... Thought I should finally upload some of my projects using some of the new stamp sets. So here are some I made using the Good Friend set. (This is on Page 48 of the new catalogue; item code no. 113740; and it costs £22.95 plus P&P)

Stampin' Up! New Idea Book & Catalogue

It is only hours away from the new catalogue launch. I have the new catalogues available and ready to go for tomorrow, 1st October 2009. So please don't hesitate to order one from me or come and get one at my Open House events on 10/11th October.

I have had some of the new stamp sets to play with over the past few weeks - hence why I have gone very quiet on the blog front... I have had great fun and will be posting some samples on this blog very soon.....

Blog Candy - Quickutz Silhouette!

Fantastic opportunity here to win £299's worth of kit if you live in the UK. See Jak Heath's blog Crafters Kitchen to take your part.... http://crafterskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/09/amazing-blog-candy.html

Last Chance List

As each catalogue year comes to a close, Stampin' Up! provides us with a Last Chance List of stamps and accessories that will be retired and no longer available from 1st October. These are all only available while supplies last - and some items have already gone!

Unusually - this year many of these items are being offered at a discount - even up to 50% off!! so click on the link at the top RHS of this screen for more product information. Please order asap to avoid disappointment!

Gift Card Holders

So my first posting of some of my cards. I made these the other week for a swap on In Love With Stamping hosted by Alex...... Thanks again Alex!

These are Gift Card holders all made from Stampin' Up! products - their punches just make my life so much easier! And aren't those Bold Brights colours just fab!

Blog Candy

Helen has posted some fab blog candy over at http://ellephantasticcards.blogspot.com/ - up till 20th September. She is also opening her online shop on 16th September - I hope it is a wonderful new venture Helen.....

Now what shall I try to do next on my blog! I think it must be adding an image - I have so many cards to show you! I have my very bright gift card holders from the last In Love With Stamping swap(thanks Alex!) and I have the 8 Clean & Simple Christmas cards from this week's classes chez moi!

Hi. So this is my first post. Hopefully the first of many - as I start off on my journey in Blog Land!