Tuesday 25 November 2014

Crumb Cake Christmas…no sorry White Christmas - Part 2…

White Christmas, Crumb Cake, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (5)

Quick share of another set of White Christmas cards. This is the Crumb Cake collection for the White Christmas class running this week.

Oh and don’t forget..you can now sign up with Stampin Up! at a 25% discount (£130 product for about £75)and get an extra 5% cashback bonus on your December orders too! For one week only. See more details here…..

Back to my creative share… The front card is my favourite! We made this at Team Training back in September. Card designed by the double act of Rebecca Deary & Julie Kettlewell… Thanks again girls…. oh and decorated envelope care of Allie Joliffe…. so triple act in the end!!

Just a wee notecard from a pack of 20 and away you go! Speedy Christmas card making. Oh & envelopes come in the pack too…

White Christmas, Crumb Cake, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (4)White Christmas, Crumb Cake, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (1)

A bit more decoration added this time. Notice those staples again!!! Two this time… don’t miss this stapler!!

White Christmas, Crumb Cake, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (2)White Christmas, Crumb Cake, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (3)

Monday 24 November 2014

I’m dreaming of a …. White Christmas…. Part 1

White Christmas, Soft Sky, Mask & Sponge, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (8)

And I will be all week….. though cards not just for Christmas here….

But before I start... thinking of signing up with Stampin Up!... read this latest promotion first! 25% off Starter Kit. Starts tomorrow 25 November.

These are some of the cards my ladies will be making at my classes this week….. I think they may be spoilt for choice – but I think they will be happy to all be going home with the White Christmas stamp set!!

This first series are all masked and sponged through a large circular aperture…along with some torn paper strips to create the snow banks. Or grass fields… 

Add one of the small cards as a mat to a plain Soft Sky 6” card blank….add a stapled banner… and voila… small & simple card now dressed up for more special friends!

White Christmas, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (6)

But I have to point out the staple on this card…. I was SO excited that Stampin’ Up! brought us this Handheld Stapler in the Autumn Winter catalogue…

One not to miss…smaller staple than standard stationery and so much easier to use in the hand …. and at such a low price too!! Only £8.95.  I say low price as I have another “Crafters” Handheld small staple system… I think that was 3 times the price! For once forget crafting ( though unmissable for that!)… but think home stationery… your life won’t be the same….

I am loving the White Christmas stamp set…along with the fabulous Holiday Home set of course!! Match made in heaven. So here are the smaller cards individually….

Just the one tree used on all of these cards … by covering the snow line of the stamp to the right of the single tree with a post it note. Inking up the single tree with the Memento black ink pad & then ( do not forget to do this!!) removing the post it note! And then stamping…..

White Christmas, Soft Sky, Mask & Sponge, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (11)

This first one is pretty much as the set comes!

Soft Sky snowflakes so they are really subtle!

Thinking of You wording stamp curved as it is placed on the clear block so that the words bend around the top of the sponged circle.

White Christmas, Soft Sky, Mask & Sponge, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (12)

The second one has Memento black snowflakes coloured in with the Soft Sky marker. And the Thinking of You wording is split…again using the post-it note-cover & ink technique described above.

White Christmas, Soft Sky, Mask & Sponge, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (10)

Third one is for all occasions…. the set isn’t just for Christmas after all. Again post-it note-cover & ink technique for the wording. And the snow melts and we have grassy fields. Along with flowers ( using the snowflake stamp)… This card was made on Remembrance Day…hence the poppies!

White Christmas, Soft Sky, Mask & Sponge, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (9)

And last but not least…. masking using the circle I cut out to produce the previously used mask (cut using the Circles Framelits by the way!) And there you have it… a man’s birthday card…

PS sponging using Blushing Bride, Soft Sky, Lost Lagoon…… or with Pear Pizzazz for grassy fields…..

Saturday 22 November 2014

All Abloom Large Square Double Display Card

All Abloom Large Square Double Display Card , Amanda Bates at The Craft Spa (5)

So here is another version of the Large Square Double Display Card for you.

This time the mats on the card front are medium-sized so that the small sheets of the Designer Paper Stacks can be used – such as this All Abloom stack. So 4 1/2” square DSP with a 4 3/4” square Card Mat.

All Abloom Large Square Double Display Card , Amanda Bates at The Craft Spa (1)

Imperial Tutorial here.

All Abloom Large Square Double Display Card , Amanda Bates at The Craft Spa (3)

Metric Tutorial here.

Right off to finish off the Small Square Double Display Card Tutorial…. will be posting that next week…..

And I have a 50th card and an 18th card to make and send ….wonder which card format I will use!!! Probably no surprise there…..

But before I go…a round up of the Large Square Double Display cards I have shared so far…. Which Frontage do you prefer???

All is Calm, Large Square Double Display Card, Festival of Trees, Wonderful Wreath, by Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa (1)Typeset Large Square Double Display Birthday Card for Shelli,  Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (3)All Abloom Large Square Double Display Card , Amanda Bates at The Craft Spa (5)Typeset Large Square Double Display Card, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa (1)

Friday 21 November 2014

Imperial Tutorial for Large Square Double Display Card


All is Calm, Double Display Card, Festival of Trees, Wonderful Wreath, by Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa (1)
Here is the Imperial Tutorial for the Large Square Double Display Card. I personally find this easier as I am an inches gal……. but for you younger ones or when you are using a trimmer with only a metric cut/vertical blade bar…. the Metric Tutorial was posted here…..

As I said before this is my way of saying  A BIG THANK YOU to all of you that regularly follow my blog, who comment and who re-share/pin my projects. Nearly 600 of you following at the last count!!! WOW – that is amazing – you would laugh at how excited I was all those years ago when I first hit 20 followers!!! So THANK YOU EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU… you honour me with your time… particularly when you comment as that always makes my day!

Again I have to thank & credit Paola Levi in South Africa as I was inspired by a Double Display cut & score card she made back in 2011 and whose template I have used a few times …. as first shown here back in 2012 …. Edited to Add: As I have travelled around Pinterest - I have subsequently found a previous 2009 version with instructions of the main back part of the card - so I feel that the originating credit should be attributed to Susan Bluerobot. Thank you Susan for a fantastic cut & score card.... so glad I have found you...

I just added an extra square front to the card (as I do so like my square cards!!)  - which has already earnt this card the nickname of The Card With More Frontage!!!

And as also promised …..here is another example of a Large Square Double Display card ….
Typeset Large Square Double Display Card  (3)
This time the Card Front Mats are Larger (Cardstock Mat 5 ¾“ Square; DSP 5 ½“ Square )

I purposefully didn’t add any extra decoration to the front this time as it was for a man! Happy Birthday again Steve… And I am delighted to report that Steve REALLY loved this card!!! He was well WOWED…. So I am definitely making a few more of these… need to do some today actually!
Typeset Large Square Double Display Card  (6)
Oh and check out the great Larger than Life numbers – my favourite photopolymer alphabet & numbers set….
Typeset Large Square Double Display Card  (7)
Come back tomorrow for another example!

So here is the Imperial Tutorial…..
RECIPE Main Card CS Pear Pizzazz

Mats CS Lost Lagoon

Decoration DSP

CS Whisper White

Main Card 12” x 6” X X X
Card Front 6” Square 4 ¼” Square 4” Square X
Card Back X 3 ¾” Square X 3 ½” Square
Inner Centre X 3 ¾” Square 3 ½” Square X
Inner Sides X 1 ¾” x 3 ¾” (x2) 1 ½”x 3 ½” (x2) X
Inner Top & Bottom X 1 ¾” x ¾” (x6) 1 ½” x ½” (x6) X


INSTRUCTIONS
In pictorials, Red = Cut Line; Blue = Score Line Main Card

(1) Line up large Pear Pizzazz panel PORTRAIT at 1” on Top Bar
(2) Cut from 1” to 5”
(3) LIFT THE CUTTING BLADE...
(4) Cut from 7” to 11”
(5) Flip 180 degrees
(6) Repeat (1-4) for the other side
double display card-Imperial Template - Copy

(7) Line up LANDSCAPE at 1” on Top Bar
(8) Score from outside edge to cut line at top & bottom (ie score from O to 1”, LIFT BLADE..., then score from 5” to 6”)
(9) Repeat (7-8) lined up at 5”, 7” & 11” on the Top Bar

(10) Line up LANDSCAPE at 2” on Top Bar
(11) Score across the whole card  (ie 0 to 6”)
(12) Repeat (10-11) lined up at 4”, 8” & 10” on the Top Bar

double display card-Imperial Template

(13) Crease score lines by hand LIGHTLY.... starting at one side of the card...
          Inside Sections – Mountain then Valley folds
          Outer Sections – Mountain, Valley, Mountain, Valley folds
(14) Bone Fold. TIP – an extra “crease” will now magically appear in the centre of the top & bottom outer sections – do not worry, you will be covering these! But don’t further crease or bone-fold it!!!
(15) Repeat (13-14) from the other side

Card Front Decoration
(1) * Cut 6” Square Pear Pizzazz panel in half to 3” (x2)
*This step is not necessary with a guillotine cutter, but most Trimmers will not cut through 3 layers! If your cutter will go through the 3 layers then adhere all 3 parts & cut the whole panel in half (ie at 3”)

(2) Adhere DSP to larger square Lost Lagoon Card Mat
(3) Cut DSP/Mat panel in half (ie at 2 1/8” )

(4) Adhere parts (1) & (3) together to form 2 Card Front Sections
(5) Adhere Card Front Sections to front LH & RH sections of Main Card – one at a time lining everything up nicely as you go! TIP – put glue on front sections of Main Card NOT the back of the Card Front Sections!!! Or you will have glue where you don’t want it!!!

Large Square Double Display Card Tutorial, The Craft Spa 007Large Square Double Display Card Tutorial, The Craft Spa 010
I would recommend Tombow – I have only used Sticky Strip so you can see where to put the glue in the photo!

Inner Card Decoration The rest is just gluing & sticking! And stamping &decorating as you desire.....

So there you have it…. I would love to see your makes if you use this…so please remember to link back here…. or send me an email with a photo!!

Thursday 20 November 2014

One Week Only! Sign up deal Starts November 25. Ends Dec 2.

Logo_for_Spencer

Soon will be a great time to join Stampin’ Up!

For one week only (25 November – 2 December), sign up with Stampin Up! and get a 25 percent discount on the Starter Kit with all the same great products included!

So I reckon that is £175s for just £75. £130 product plus your £45s’ worth of business supplies.

In addition you will get a five percent cash back on your commissionable orders placed in December if you have signed up!. 

And last but not least…. the new 2015 Spring Summer Catalogue & SAB promotion is released to us demos 5th December. So lots of new products to see and order in December!

See here for more details on signing up & joining my team. And please do not hesitate to contact me for more information.

Deadlines:

    • By e-mail or post (paperwork received in office): Tuesday, 2 December, 2014; 11:00 AM (GMT);

    • Online: All Starter Kit orders must be finalized on 2 December by 22:00 (GMT)

      This is my second post today.  Imperial Large Square Double Display Card tutorial will be tomorrow….. as auto-scheduling didn’t work as intended….

      All is Calm LARGE Box in a Bag

      All is Calm Box in a Bag, Festival of Trees, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (2)

      Following on from an earlier post – here is the large version of the Box in A Bag we made at an October class.

      And it is pretty large as papercrafting projects go… 6” high, 8” wide at the top and 4” deep… And here is the tutorial by Heather Klump that I used… thank you Heather – it is a fabulous project! I will definitely be making more…

      I just changed a couple of things….

      Firstly  - the handles from ribbon to cardstock to end up with a stiffer handle.

      Secondly -  the flap is made using the larger of the Envelope Liners dies as it is so perfect for the job. Not only in shape/size – but also as  - with just one quick score – you have a flap to stiffen & cover the inside too…. perfect! (Note I didn’t use the whole die  shape - just to about 1” down on the long length – I didn’t need any more overlap on the inside – so cutting the whole shape would have just been a waste of cardstock!)

      And thirdly – a shout out for and thanks to fellow Jems team-mate & friend, Sharon Glynn – the fabulous Tag is a remake of her fabulous Christmas swap at the last Team Training. I just changed the colour of the stars panel and the tree to suit this project…. Thanks again Sharon! 

      And finally – here are the 2 Box in a Bag projects we made – so you can see how much bigger this bag is compared to the “standard”… It may be rather expensive to fill with chocolate – as it is nearly twice the depth too!!!

      All is Calm Box in a Bag, Festival of Trees, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa  (3)

      Wednesday 19 November 2014

      Metric Tutorial - Large Square Double Display Card

      All is Calm, Double Display Card, Festival of Trees, Wonderful Wreath, by Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa (1)
      And here is the last of the projects we made at my All Day Christmas event…. Yes you will recognise it from before if you regularly follow my blog … but this card has been so popular – and pinned/re-pinned/visited here so many times -  that it had to be shared with /demonstrated again & made by my All Day Event ladies ……
      All is Calm, Double Display Card, Festival of Trees, Wonderful Wreath, by Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa (2)
      But seeing as I was looking for a way to say  A BIG THANK YOU to all of you that regularly follow my blog, who comment and who re-share/pin my projects. Nearly 600 of you following at the last count!!! WOW – that is amazing – you would laugh at how excited I was all those years ago when I first hit 20 followers!!! So THANK YOU EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU… you honour me with your time… particularly when you comment as that always makes my day!

      And also… because so many of you asked too…  so here it is!! A tutorial for the Large Square Double Display Card. Just to say Thanks!

      But first…. a quick apology for keeping you waiting… I had to tell you to be patient as I worked through a very full calendar of events during the last month.

      Secondly Again I have to thank & credit Paola Levi in South Africa as I was inspired by a Double Display cut & score card she made back in 2011 and whose template I have used a few times …. as first shown here back in 2012 …. Edited to Add: As I have travelled around Pinterest - I have subsequently found a previous 2009 version with instructions of the main back part of the card - so I feel that the originating credit should be attributed to Susan Bluerobot. Thank you Susan for a fantastic cut & score card.... so glad I have found you...

      But this time I added an extra square front to the card (as I do so like my square cards!!)  - which has already earnt this card the nickname of The Card With More Frontage!!! - and I converted Paola’s imperial template to metric to suit our new Stampin Up! trimmer….. but don’t worry I will be back with a full Imperial Tutorial tomorrow ( as I am still an inches gal)….. and some more Large Square Double Display card options….

      RECIPE Main Card  CS Pear Pizzazz Mats CS Lost Lagoon Decoration DSP CS Whisper White
      Main Card
      30 x 15cm
      X
      X
      X
      Card Front
      15cm Square
      10.5 cm Square
      10cm Square
      X
      Card Back
      X
      9.5cm Square
      X
      9cm Square
      Inner Centre
      X
      9.5cm Square
      9cm Square
      X
      Inner Sides
      X
      4.5x9.5 cm (x2)
      4 x 9cm (x2)
      X
      Inner Top & Bottom
      X
      4.5 x 2cm (x6)
      4 x 1.5cm (x6)
      X

      INSTRUCTIONSIn pictorials, Red = Cut Line; Green = Score Line
      Main Card

      (1) Line up large Pear Pizzazz panel PORTRAIT at 2.5cm on Top Bar

      (2) Cut from 2.5 to 12.5cm.

      (3) LIFT THE CUTTING BLADE...

      (4) Cut from 17.5 to 27.5cm

      (5) Flip 180 degrees (6) Repeat (1-4) for the other side

       Large Square Double Display Card Tutorial, The Craft Spa 001

      (7) Line up LANDSCAPE at 2.5cm on Top Bar

      (8) Score from outside edge to cut line at top & bottom (ie score from O to 2.5cm, LIFT BLADE..., then score from 12.5 to 15cm)

      (9) Repeat (7-8) lined up at 12.5cm, 17.5cm & 27.5cm on the Top Bar

      (10) Line up LANDSCAPE at 5cm on Top Bar

      (11) Score across the whole card (ie 0 to 15cm)

      (12) Repeat (10-11) lined up at 10,20 & 25cm on the Top Bar

       Large Square Double Display Card Tutorial, The Craft Spa 002

      (13) Crease score lines by hand LIGHTLY.... starting at one side of the card...
      Inside Sections – Mountain then Valley folds
      Outer Sections – Mountain, Valley, Mountain, Valley folds (14) Bone Fold. TIP – an extra “crease” will now magically appear in the centre of the top & bottom outer sections – do not worry, you will be covering these! But don’t further crease or bone-fold it!!! (15) Repeat (13-14) from the other side

       

      Card Front Decoration

      (1) * Cut 15cm Square panel in half to 7.5cm x 15cm (x2)
      *This step is not necessary with a guillotine cutter, but most Trimmers will not cut through 3 layers! If your cutter will go through the 3 layers then adhere all 3 parts & cut the whole panel in half (7.5cm)
      (2) Adhere DSP to larger square Lost Lagoon Card Mat
      (3) Cut DSP/Mat panel in half (5.25cm)

      (4) Adhere parts together to form 2 Card Front Sections

      (5) Adhere Card Front Sections to front LH & RH sections of Main Card – one at a time lining everything up nicely as you go! 

      TIP – put glue on front sections of Main Card NOT the back of the Card Front Sections!!! Or you will have glue where you don’t want it!!!
       Large Square Double Display Card Tutorial, The Craft Spa 007Large Square Double Display Card Tutorial, The Craft Spa 010
      I would recommend Tombow – I have only used Sticky Strip so you can see where to put the glue in the photo!

      Inner Card Decoration

      (1) The rest is just gluing & sticking!

      And stamping & decorating as you desire.....

      Edited to Add: And for those of you wanting an Imperial Tutorial…here it is… along with another version of the card…

      So there you have it…. I would love to see your makes if you use this…so please remember to link back here….