Birthday Card for Shelli

Now as any Stampin’ Up demonstrator that was at the recent European Stampin’ Up! Convention in Brussels knows… there was a surprise Birthday Card gathering for CEO, Shelli Gardner.

As Shelli says on her blog…. Highlights for me were being sent onstage to receive an unexpected birthday greeting. I was standing backstage, patiently waiting for my cue, when our stage manager told me to go onstage. I hesitated. . . this wasn’t the way we’d rehearsed it! But she insisted it was time, so I walked out (you never argue with the stage manager during a show!). Donna handed me a birthday card, and then employees started gathering cards from the demonstrators in the audience. Somehow they’d planned this fun birthday surprise without me knowing. Sterling and I opened every birthday card that day (there were hundreds), and that thoughtful gesture made this year’s extended birthday celebration even more special!

Now even though I couldn’t be there in person this year... I decided that I would take some time out to make a card for Shelli in any case… So Happy Birthday Shelli… The card was personally taken over for me by friend and fellow demo, Sharon. Thanks again Sharon! Really wish I could have been there with you all!

So this is the card I made. Yes… another Large Square Double Display Card… definitely my favourite card format this year! And yes I will be sharing the instructions sometime mid November… Sorry but you will have to be patient….

Edited to Add….Imperial Tutorial here. Metric Tutorial  here.

Thanks for visiting me today...... Amanda

Last Day for 6 free packs of paper when you join Stampin’ Up!

Today (Friday 24th October) is the last day to sign up with Stampin’ Up! and get your extra 6 free packs of paper. So that is £235 of goods for your £99 initial investment.

Plus I have a free stamp set and a lovely collection of past catalogues for your inspiration for the first person joining with me today…

Past catalogues subject to availability. Only 1 full set as pictured left! But there are plenty of smaller collections left…

But you only have till 10pm UK time to benefit from this deal. So here is the link to join up straightaway….

And here are the details….

Pick A Pack of Paper 1-24 October

Thinking about signing up with Stampin Up! Well now till 24 October is a great time…

Not only do you get £130 product for £99…plus £45 business supplies. You will also get one FREE package of Designer Series Paper, every month for the next six months. You just need to place an order each month and then you get your pack for free… so that’s worth another £60… so £235 of goods for your £99 initial investment…. and I win too… as I get a free pack each month too as well!! Which means I can spend my money on other things!!! Hey more stamps/dies to use and make projects to share! Win Win Win….

Free paper packs redeemable beginning November 2014 and ending April 2015. Paper will be limited to non specialty paper only; Specialty Designer Series Paper and Designer Series Paper Stacks not included. Any current catalogue paper pack that month can be selected.

Find out more about joining our Craft Therapists team here… or – have a question , just contact me here…. But if you are already decided - just go straight to the sign up link here. Remember I still have a lovely collection of past catalogues for your inspiration for those people joining me …

Autumn Winter Catalogue Supplement

Just released. A supplement to the Autumn Winter Catalogue. Just click here or on the picture to go to the Supplement.

Lots more Christmas crafting goodness in here – particularly for those that love Stars, Project Life & 12 Days of Christmas!

But beware… items only available whilst stocks last…

And here is a quick peek of one product for you! I call it the “Lots of Stars without the Hassle” kit! Can’t wait to get mine and make a stunning but simple-to-make mantelpiece decoration! With lots of stars left over to decorate the tree too!

All is Calm Box in a Bag

Gosh haven’t made one of these for ages! And my ladies loved it… quick, simple and great for popping all sorts of things in… chocolates spring to my mind!

Now this was kept purposefully simple in decoration as it was intended to explain the principle… before progressing to the main event…. which is code for a different version coming this way soon!!

And here is the tutorial I followed…..

And before I leave you… here is a dressed up version of the base project…. well there had to be another wreath shared somewhere….

Holiday Home meets White Christmas – a Simpler Version!

Here is a simpler version of a card previously posted & much visited!! This is a straightforward DL version – suitable for batch making and posting out!!
The previous one was a BIG 8” Flap version intended to personally hand over and to sit on the mantelpiece of someone very special!

And here is another view…

I guess you can spot the similarity!! And yes the door is open and the windows & lights are glazed ( care of my Crystal Effects which seems to be constantly at my crafting side!)

More Ornamental Pines in Soft Blues

Following on from yesterdays post. The single layer card I CASED from the catalogue warped as a result of the white heat embossing… so another layer was required as the card format was far too nice not share!
So 2 versions of matting here… my favourite on the left! I remade the cards using Soft Sky rather than Pool Party - it takes on a dreamlike appearance – and it is SO gorgeous when used with new Lost Lagoon in-color – a match made in heaven!!!

Again I have used the Gorgeous Grunge splats to add the delicate snowy effect around the pine images….. Again LOL…. this is another card that can make the week’s Snow Challenge theme folder… maybe tomorrow
Oh and spot the Thumping…. yes Lost Lagoon marker pen “delicately but randomly stroked” over the Soft Sky inked pine cone stamp… lovely job! I still laugh at this technique being called Thumping – I am always quick to point out in classes that actually thumping of my marker pens is not what it is about!!! They would see a grown woman cry…

Ornamental Pines in blues–Part 1

Loving my Ornamental Pines.
The first card is a CASE of the card sample on page 27 of the Stampin’ Up! Autumn Winter Catalogue. It is even nicer in the flesh on its Pool Party base…. I am so glad I decided to make it… though white embossing on a single layer card does unfortunately make the card warp – so come back tomorrow for my solution to that problem!

But the second card caused the most WOWs here in the Craft Room…. that huge bauble just appears to physically leap out of the pine sprays.
     
Though I have to laugh… as I had declared this card a reject card!! (won’t bore you with the whys!! There are a few.. ) But there was such a reaction to it … I decided it was daft not to share it here…. But I do hope to have a remake sometime soon….. in the meantime … get out those masks & sponges!!
And even more laughing at myself… as I look at this photo…. I have just realised that this fits this week’s Weekly Team Challenge theme of Snow…so I am now off to quickly post it in  the Challenge folder…..   so some of you will now have seen this already!!                                                                                                             
Bye for now….

Ornamental Pines Set– Clean peace, Sponged beauty or downright Grungy!

Moving swiftly onto the Ornamental Pines stamp set…. Same card. Different styles!

Clean on clean to start with… just the addition of the Gorgeous Grunge splats to add a bit of texture…

Bit of sponging to that centre panel… definitely stands out more!

And trying to go grungy for a change ….. all over sponging to the right…

Front Door Wreath!

Very quick share today. The last of the Wonderful & Wondrous Wreath cards for now. Well, there had to be a door with a wreath somewhere didn’t there….

And here are the red & green Christmas versions all together….

Wonderful Wondrous Wreath Scallop Square Double Die Cut Card

Just realised that there are a couple more Wonderful Wondrous Wreath cards I have not yet shared.

So for today, a Clean & Simple card using the Double Die Cut Card Technique. This a personal variant of the Double Punched Technique designed by Robin Armbrecht  and for which there is a tutorial by Julie Davison  here. I have used the Double Die Cut method quite a few times over the years… particularly with flowers & snowflakes… But I appear to have not posted any here before… so I have put a few pictures of last years Festive Flurry version at the end of this post…. there are some better views….

Photos don’t really do it justice! – but I am sure you will get the idea… Though I have to admit… there is actually too much card cut away in the front – so the finished result is a bit floppy when just using Whisper White. Shame as it is effective…. so remakes will have to include that extra layer of paper as shown in the Festive Flurry example…

 

Holiday Home– and a How To…

Just a quick share of some other clean & simple projects using the Holiday Home stamp set & co-ordinating Homemade Framelits.  And with stars! Albeit tiny ones…

I was asked for a “how did she do that” so … without further ado… apart from the MERRY card…

These were all made by sponging Soft Sky, then Lost Lagoon through a rectangular aperture ( I have a plastic sheet with the rectangular hole all cut out & ready to go!).

I popped a punched 1” circle as a 2nd mask where I wanted the moon…

Then a quick stamp of the Gorgeous Grunge small splats in Soft Sky to add a bit of texture /snow effect.

Then the masks were removed.

And finished off by stamping Silver Encore stars, Soft Sky tiny snowflakes, Memento Ink or Basic Grey Santa & sleigh and wording.

Simples…

Apologies for the bad photo of this first one! Not only is this the simplest but this was also the favourite so I couldn’t leave it out!!… Love this wording – which is from the Wondrous Wreath stamp set. And big thanks to Jean for putting this wording on her version of the card in class - I liked it so much I had to quickly make another!!

Wording from Bright & Beautiful….

And the MERRY stamp Seasonally Scattered makes it debut here! Along with lots of Gorgeous Grunge splats! And Christmas from Endless Wishes.

And the last one I have shared before..click on the photo for more views & information…

All Things Bright & Beautiful–Keeping it Clean & Simple

Thought I should share some really clean & simple cards after my flurry of Fancy Folds recently…. and Stars spring to mind!!
We had a fabulous WWWU challenge on Stars last week – to say that I am part of a very talented team is an understatement!! And I even got to award gold stars to lots of people!! Lots of gold stars actually…. Thanks so much for joining in in my challenge girls!
So here are a few of my Bright & Beautiful stamp set star cards… these were quick to make thanks to the matching Star Framelits.
Here are the back 2 again with another even simpler friend…..

And some close ups… starting off with the simplest silver embossed card ( my favourite in the flesh!)

This one has a mountain fold star on top

A valley fold ( aka cup ) star on this one…

Finishing off with a simple 2 layer card, quick addition of a marker pen frame, Silver Encore ink & All is Calm sequins to add some interest…

Bye for now…. lots more stars to come!

White Christmas & Holiday Home meets Wonderful Wreath– 8” Flap Card

Now this is a BIG card… all 8” square of it when closed & 16” wide when open…. Definitely one for the mantelpiece of someone special.
Now this is a project format I have shared before… quite a few times actually… but the previous versions were all mini books. But I had a mixed class this week – half being Cardmakers and half being Scrapbookers – so I set too to do projects that could suit both camps … and I am so glad that I took on that challenge – as I really LOVE this card! Especially that All is Calm paper used in the centre section – looks like lights shining down from those twinkling Confetti Stars punch stars…almost surreal!
See here for a previous mini book version & tutorial. I loved this card so much I didn’t even make up a mini book version! And guess what…nor did anyone else!
Here’s the view of the closed card – along with its belly band & wreath ….

Another view of the inside…

Now off to do a re-make of this…. it is about to shrink slightly in the spirit of being more frugal!!! For you Zoe!!

All is Calm Large Square Double Display Card

Happy World Card Making Day. So a card for you today!
This is another Double Display Card I devised… a large 6” Square version this time… oh and look a star too! Better pop this in the Team WWWU Challenge Folder…

Edited to Add…. as this card has been INCREDIBLY popular judging by blog hits! Here you go…. Imperial Tutorial here. Metric Tutorial  here.

Another view…

And another…

And here it is closed… I love that it is so unassuming for the recipient when they open the envelope…

Don’t forget to contact me to stock up with the Stamp Stock & Save promotion…. or to get my Endless Wishes Class in the Mail kit at the reduced price. Only 2 more days to go…ends Monday 6th October. Order going in at 10pm on Monday night!!
Bye for Now….

Thanks for visiting me today...... Amanda

Endless Wishes Part 3 & Class in the Mail Kit

Oh I couldn’t resist… the wreath and those snowflakes are just SO lovely…I just had to make a special card! So I pulled out the Scalloped Tag Topper punch and set to with another concertina card. Go here, here and here for ones I made earlier and more details….

Talking of Endless Wishes. A few of you have asked about a kit for these lovely quick & simple cards I shared earlier in the week. So I thought it was about time to offer a Class in the Mail kit.

Click on the photos for more card pictures

Perfect timing for the next 3 days as ink pads are 15% less with the Stamp, Stock & Save promotion … So, until 6th October,  my Endless Wishes Class in the Mail Kit will be available for just £42 collected (£46 posted) – this includes a fourth FREE INK PAD from me!!

And here is what you will get…. enough to make at least 30 cards… Endless Wishes stamp set, 4 ink pads ( Pool Party, Smoky Slate, Pear Pizzazz and choose another!), pack of 20 notecards & envelopes, pack of gems, 9 pc co-ordinating A4 cardstock, 6 yds co-ordinating ribbon ( 3 x 2yds each) , 10 C6 envelopes and tutorials for all the cards you see…..

And that FREE Fourth ink pad… choose from the brighter Coastal Cabana ( to the right) or the deeper/muter Lost Lagoon.( to the left) I did actually use both in the samples!!

Really want a different colour ink pad...or two… No problem... just let me know I will also switch  co-ordinating cardstock and ribbon if relevant…

This price assumes you already have clear blocks ( I recommend A £3.50 & C£5.95 as a minimum, though B £4.95 & G £3.95 make life easier), cutter and glues. If not just “talk” to me for more details!

And some of the samples pictured use elements from other stamp sets or punches etc ( Bright & Beautiful, Festival of Trees, White Christmas, Large Polka Dot embossing Folder). Again these are not included – but “talk” to me if there is a must have there for you!

Now this Kit does not include the Tag Topper Concertina Card pictured above… but if you want to me to add the All is Calm papers and some cardstock/ribbon so that you can make a couple. No problem – will be £13.50 more. This assumes you have the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch (£20.95); Wonderous Wreath Bundle (£37.25) & Crystal Effects (£5.25). If not…”talk” to me!

And if it is now after 7th October…. Kit still available… but now £45 collected, £49 posted. Sorry!