Friday 28 February 2014

Envelope Punch Board–Mini Series #2

2014_02_Envelope Punch Board Project by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa, North Yorkshire, UK  (2)

Here is another project we did using the Envelope Punch Board… a simple 6” envelope card with a belly band closure. I must thank Nic (aided and abetted by Sharon & Sam…) for their stunning samples at Nic’s Team Training inspiration station which inspired to try one of these cards… and I am so glad I did….

I kept everything really really simple on purpose …just the beautiful  Simply Fabulous words  and gorgeous punched Flower Shop flowers – including a paper pierced flower to throw in a new technique for most of my ladies! Oh and another Scallop Square – you still can’t keep them out of The Craft Spa!!!!

This class was really about showing everyone what to do with their board step by step – so more projects – less faffing!!!! But everyone still took home 7 finished projects… and their own Punch Board….and everyone loved doing everything with their Punch Board… step-by-step… and all at the same time… though we still can’t work out how that meant we did even more chatting than usual!!! Must be something to do with less memory power being required at the time!!!! And they all got a crib sheet too…..

But I cannot believe I took so long to buy the Simple Fabulous stamp set… as it is really is… Simply Fabulous…& Gorgeous… and i do use the expression A Million and One … a lot…by all accounts!!!!

And a few more photos for you ….

2014_02_Envelope Punch Board Project by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa, North Yorkshire, UK  (4)2014_02_Envelope Punch Board Project by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa, North Yorkshire, UK  (1)7

Back tomorrow with more of our Envelope Punch Board projects.

And then I will get to publish the details for the Scalloped Tag Topper Box Card I shared earlier in the week….. I know a lot of you are waiting for that….. I am in awe over the number of messages ands blog hits with that one!! Thank YOU so much. It has already hit my Top 10 blog posts ever…. WOW…. Amaze-Balls!!!

SU! Products Used

Stamps – Simply Fabulous; Flower Shop

Punches & Dies– Pansy & Square Framelits

Papers & Card – SAB Sweet Sorbet; Sahara Sand; Summer Starfruit; Pool Party

Inks - Sahara Sand; Summer Starfruit; Pool Party; Staz On Black

Thursday 27 February 2014

Envelope Punch Board Mini Series #1

2014_02_Envelope Punch Board Project by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa, North Yorkshire, UK  (16)

During February – my classes have focused on the Envelope Punch Board tool. Not only is it useful for making envelopes  - and box envelopes - as you would expect… but it is incredibly versatile and can also be used for cards, boxes, bows, crackers, bags , mini albums, file folders etc  etc etc.

Visit my Pinterest Envelope Punch Board board here to see many ideas and tutorials using this fabulous tool….

It really is an awesome bit of kit for just £17.95…

So my posts for the next few days will feature projects we made to demonstrate the versatility of the tool – whilst ensuring that everyone went home with their Envelope Punch Board and the knowledge on how to use it!

The first project is a simple box envelope for sending a card with dimension… well until I decided to add a bow made using the Envelope Punch Board too!!! So this one will have to be hand delivered after all…

2014_02_Envelope Punch Board Project by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa, North Yorkshire, UK  (17)

I used this tutorial by  Chris Slogar for the box envelope tutorial. Thank you Chris! Now as I know I have a few readers that will find the measurements useful for this particular card…. the dimensions of this card are 3” x 4” x 3/4” deep – so my paper size is 7” Square. The first score is at 2 5/8” and the second is at 3 5/8”.

I used this tutorial by Nadine Hoessrich for the bow. I did add a few shortcuts by leaving the paper pieces folded in half… which just meant that I cut through 2 ends etc at a time….

And the card itself….. this one is thanks to my uber-talented SU! mummy Julie Kettlewell. Think it is one of my favourite team training projects ever Julie!! So  - here are more details of the original from Julie - I just added an extra greeting and a few flowers so here are a few more photos of mine….. a truly stunning concertina card using the absolutely wonderful Scallop Tag Topper Punch…. ( my favourite product!!!) and the Banner Punch which is my favourite SAB freebie item….. I have already made a few more of these concertina cards but those will be for another day…..

2014_02_Envelope Punch Board Project by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa, North Yorkshire, UK  (14)2014_02_Envelope Punch Board Project by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa, North Yorkshire, UK  (12)

And here are more details on the Envelope Punch Board from the Stampin’ Up! web site.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JzokPixtpko
133774 Envelope Punch Board £17.95      Check out the video here
It creates totally customisable envelopes in up to 66 different sizes (not to mention a million different colour and pattern options depending on the paper you want to use). Even tried and true envelope sizes will only take you moments to cr

eate! 
  • It’s super easy to use; it will go over as a huge wow when you demonstrate it at your events and your customers see it in action. It looks intimidating at first glance, but when they see that all you have to do is measure for the first punch and from there you just turn and score they’ll go crazy (in a good way). 
  • It’s small and lightweight; this makes it easy for you to take it to your events and show it. It’s also a great selling point when you show your customers how it’s super portable and easy to store. It’s small and light enough that they could use it while watching a football match, at a park, at a friend’s for craft night—anywhere. 
  • It even has a clever scoring tool as well as a punch that lets you create rounded corners on your envelopes. 
  • It’s easy to keep it all together; the stylus storage compartment and two punches are designed into the tool so you don’t have a bunch of little pieces to keep track of (even the instructions are printed right on the tool so you won’t lose them!).
  • The price is terrific--especially for a tool that does so much!
  • It will be in next year’s annual catalogue, so it’s here to stay.

    SU! Supplies used

    Stamps – Label Love; Petite Petals; Morning Post Alphabet; Yippee Skippee; SAB See Ya Later

    Punches – Scallop Tag Topper; SAB Banner; Circle Punch 1 ¾”; Artisan Label; Petite Petals

    Dies – Circle Framelits 1 7/8” Circle

    Papers- SAB Sweet Sorbet

    Cardstock – Pool Party; Crisp Canteloupe

    Inks – Crisp Canteloupe; Summer Starfruit; Pool Party; Staz On Black

  • Wednesday 26 February 2014

    WWWU #5– One for the Boys–Rev Up The Fun!

    WWWU #5, Joy Ride, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa, 2014_02   (1) 

    Just popping on with another quick share. Julie’s colour choice for WWWU last week was Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Midnight Muse & Early Espresso. Perfect for a card for the men folk….

    So out came my Rev Up The Fun! stamp set and I CASED myself … which in turn was a CASE of Kerstin Lang’s card. I just changed the orientation of the layout….

    SU! Products Used

    Stamps – Rev Up The Fun!

    Inks - Pool Party, Crumb Cake, Midnight Muse & Early Espresso

    Card & Paper – Pool Party, Midnight Muse, DSP Stack Neutrals (Crumb Cake)

    Tuesday 25 February 2014

    WWWU #4 Card–Ampersand Embossing Folder

    2012_02_Ampersand_WWWU #4, Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa 009

    Quick share today. This is a card I made for our weekly team colour challenge. Thanks again to Julie Wade for yet another fantastic colour combination. This time it is Smoky Slate, Basic Grey, Pistachio Pudding & Rose Red.

    There are quite a few new embossing folders in the Stampin’ Up! Spring Summer catalogue – and the Ampersand one just struck a chord with me. I imagined lots of cards with Mr & Mrs… and You & Me… and then I came to use it…. and Hello & Thank You just popped into my head – for reasons that the recipient will understand in due course – as it is now in the post on its way to a very special & clever person!!!

    Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa, WWWU 009

    The first card is a stepped up version of the first very clean & simple one shown below ( yes very CAS … even for me!!)

    Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa, WWWU 002

    I used the new Texture Boutique machine (aka Baby Big Shot!) for the embossing. It was its first outing…. and I was very impressed with this baby for what it costs ….though I did add an extra plastic shim as I am used to the deep embossing that the Big Shot gives us….

    SU! Supplies Used

    Stamps – Four You; Petite Petals

    Punches – Petite Petals

    Embossing – Ampersand EF; Texture Boutique

    Inks & Card - Smoky Slate, Basic Grey, Pistachio Pudding & Rose Red.

    Monday 24 February 2014

    Tag Topper Box Card

    Tag Topper Punch Box Card by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa 001

    Travel around Pinterest for papercrafts inspiration at the moment – and you see 2 major trends! Firstly..the Box Card and secondly…projects using the new and fabulous Stampin’ Up! Tag Topper Punch.

    So last week…. I thought it was time for me to try to merge the two…. so here we have a Tag Topper Box Card.

    I first saw the Box Card  - aka Card in A Box – here on my SU! granny Monica Gale’s blog back in September– and you can find Monica’s video tutorial here. Thank you Monica…..  I have to give Netty a shout out too… great project introduction Netty!! I think my first Box Card was made on the 2nd October when Monica shared this tutorial with us all – it was a very popular Christmas card at my classes….

    This version is a completely different size…much more diddy…so so cute!!

    This card will be one of the projects in my March Tag Topper Punch classes….but here are the recipe & directions for this card … I had to first finish my instructions and prepping for the Envelope Punch Board class I ran last week…..

    And here are a few more views of the card….. firstly flat for posting….

    Tag Topper Punch Box Card Flat by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa 004 (1)

    And then just from different angles…..

    Tag Topper Punch Box Card by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa 014Tag Topper Punch Box Card by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa 009

    SU! Products Used

    Stamps – Flower Shop; Petite Petals; Petite Pairs

    Punches – Scalloped Tag Topper Punch; Petite Petals; Pansy; 1” Circle; 1 1/4 Scallop Circle

    Papers – Fresh Prints DSP Stack

    Card & Inks – Pool Party; Crumb Cake; Soft Suede; Coastal Cabana

    Embellishments – Naturals 5/8” Chevron Ribbon; Gemstones; Linen Thread

    Monday 3 February 2014

    Congratulations Mr & Mr

    Mr & Mr,Engagement,Mr & Mrs,Undefined,Amanda Bates,The Craft Spa Multi Tache (4)

    A friend came to me with a request for a card she was finding impossible to find… my carved Undefined stamp was still out, my Mr & Mrs stamp was still out – and my colours for this weeks’ Wades Weekly Warm Up Challenge were out ( Pool Party; Basic Black; Sahara Sand & Crisp Canteloupe)

    So  - in a ‘stache – her card difficulty was sorted!!! Hope the recipients are as happy with the card as she is!!! Looking forward to making their wedding card.

    SU! Supplies Used

    Stamps - Mr & Mrs; Sweet Essentials; Love & Laughter; my Undefined carved “Geek” stamp

    Card & Inks - Pool Party; Basic Black; Sahara Sand