Student Desk & Shelf Bench Fold Card for my son,Joe at Swansea University

The penultimate card... for my own dear son, Joe this time...so a few more details to share with you! He may indeed not be happy with me ... at all!!

Though I promise that I will now give you a Desk & Shelf Card break for a few days.. as...
(A) I am now back home after a visit to Swansea for the last few days!
(B) Tomorrow is a new month so plenty of news to share!
(C) I have been waiting a while for the photos for the last noticeboard!! In fact as I write this post... prior to my trip to Swansea... I still haven't got them...

So Joe is studying Computer Sciences at Swansea University in sunny Wales... so quite a few hours away from us... 5-7 hours depending on traffic!

But a beautiful part of the world on his doorstep... not many universities that are right next to the beach! And he does have a view of the sea and Swansea Bay from his room...

So Joe's room is brand new... with a very modern square-ish shaped Lemon Lime Twist chair... so the little glass die in the Seasonal Layers dies came in super useful for cutting that modern notch! And thank goodness Stampin' Up! introduced the colour this year...

He also has Smoky Slate furniture... white/slate walls... and a Dapper Denim carpet & noticeboard...

And I couldn't resist a few extra details on his card... first up the Game of Thrones coasters on his desk... these were left at home and new coasters bought for his new adventure... as no-one is allowed to put a drink on his desk without the coaster(s) in place! I think it is a full set of 8... until I hid a few as I realised that the empty glasses came down to the dishwasher quicker if he had less coasters!!

Secondly a very special little bear on his notice board... Brussels Bear... who came all the way from... Brussels, Belgium... when Joe was just a few weeks old...

Or should I call him... Brussels-e-Moji... I just couldn't resist the Leaf Punch tears on his face... and a Classic Label Punch/ Thoughtful Banners Missing You greeting... aw!!!

And as I think I forgot to say before... the chair frames are produced from the Adirondack chair die in the Seasonal Layers die set... as I one said.. I believe this to be the most creative die in the world (and I have not used it as a garden/beach chair yet!)... it never lets me down!

Student Desk & Shelf Bench Fold Card for Paddy at Aberdeen University

Another day... another one... see the original post here to understand the background to these special cards for some special people!... and/OR click HERE to go and order the tutorial (s)... 

So now we have Paddy's card...

Paddy is studying Management Sciences at Aberdeen University in sunny Scotland...

So again the  "nod to tartan" care of the Christmas Around the World papers... which are still in this month's Paper Sale... though only for 1 more day...

Though there (of course) isn't any tartan on Paddys walls...! Though yet again the walls are bare white... with wood furniture... and a wood desk... so the Wood Textures paper stack came in so useful again... also in the Sale! 

And I have to admit to changing Paddys' notice board and chair in colour as they just had to match his tartan wallpaper!!! Sorry Paddy! But I do know your favourite colour is green!

Red... and yellow... and green... and blue

Well just red in my case today... but yours can be any colour you like! Well once you have your Stampin Blends safely in your hands...

So this made me very happy this week... and I couldn't wait to share this Top Tip with you... the project will have to wait until another day!

I needed a red bauble for a project... and I only had the silver Mini Ornaments to hand...

Perfect size... love them... but definitely not the right colour!! 

And then I thought...why not! So I grabbed my dark Cherry Cobbler Stampin Blend marker and coloured them easy peasy... and it has not shifted since! And a little tip... easier with the brush end...

So what colour will you make yours??

Stampin Blends alcohol markers coming very soon... just 48 hours to wait! Remember to click here to email me for the leaflet and details on my Stampin Blends club... I promise you won't be disappointed...

Student Desk & Shelf Bench Fold Card for Adam at Loughborough University

So here is the second of my Student Desk & Shelf cards... Click HERE to go and order the tutorial (s)... 

This one is for Adam... who is studying Product Design at Loughborough University... a university very close to my heart... with many a happy day spent there... as it is indeed my very own old university!!

Adam's room is very white... with just a blue carpet, chair and some wood furniture to add some warmth! I even had to change his notice board to blue to add a hint of colour in the card! Though the the Wood Textures paper stack came in so useful... a real staple in your crafting stash... still in the Sale! but only for 3 more days...

All the rest of the details the same as James' card yesterday... 

Student Desk & Shelf Bench Fold Card for James at Heriot Watt University

Had a bit of creative fun this week... making 5 special cards for 5 special young adults who have started their new student lives at university... a card to say Good Luck, Congratulations and Wishing them all the best and success... etc...

First up is the card for James... James is studying Management at Heriot Watt university near Edinburgh in Scotland... so I couldn't resist the "nod to tartan" care of the Christmas Around the World papers... which are still in this month's Paper Sale... though only for 4 more days...

So the card had to be one of my Bench Fold Cards... albeit slightly taller than usual... along with the successful addition of a 3D shelf above the desk... decorated of course with files, folders and shot glasses! Click HERE to go and order the tutorial (s)... 

The main feature of each of the cards is the bespoke noticeboard with photos of life, family & friends at home & school... along with the York Rugby Club ball (under the desk) & Team shot ... which along with school is the common theme for the group... well - apart from one of them! But more on hers later...

James room in halls is actually all white... with a bright orange chair and notice board... sign of a new halls of residence! And definitely no tartan on his walls really!!

Each card also displays some relevant study books on the desk... and the coat of arms for the relevant university...

Though I may be in trouble for the Winnie the Pooh on Success book!! But I did fondly remember the Winnie Pooh on Management book from my undergraduate days!! So I just couldn't resist when I saw this one... 

More of the little details to be shared with the next cards in the series! 

Invitation in the post...and colouring opportunity

So today I received my invitation to the Stampin' Up! CentreStage event at On Stage in Solihull, England in November...

But I just couldn't resist pulling out my Stampin Blends for a minute's adult colouring!!! Loving my Stampin Blends markers...

Ah that's better... though I have to admit that the Colour Lifter did come in extra handy after I took this close-up shot!!! Amazing what that little pen can do to remove your "over-the-lines colouring" and smudges!

So what is CentreStage... This is an exclusive invite only event hosted by Stampin Up! to celebrate demonstrators that have worked hard and have achieved Silver Elite+ status in terms of their sales and team numbers/sales... and I am honoured to be amongst them!

Though I do have to admit that I ... and some of my team... do work really hard for me to be there... Thanks for all that you do ladies... and I do hope that at least one of you will be joining me next time! That would make me so so happy!

And for the rest of you... 

Live in the UK and would maybe like to have your own Stampin Up! journey... I would love for you to join my team... just click to contact me here for more information... or click here to join up straightaway... 

And not long to getting your hands on the new Stampin Blends now... just 6 more days... available from 1st November... lots more information on these later...

Half Full meets Hometown Greetings

Picture the scene... you have 10 minutes(ish) left of class time to make a 30 minute (ish) card...

This is what the lovely Denise made... and I liked it so much I had to then make one of my own....

Christmas Around the World Papers... still on Sale... but only for another week...

House border die cuts care of Hometown Greetings... silver embossed greeting care of Half Full... and moon and stars care of Card Front Builder dies...

Though I did have to add a few Clear Glimmer trees and snowman... and of course draw on my snowman with a Basic Black marker pen to finish him off... though looking at the close up... he does look like he is wearing sunglasses! Or should they be called moonglasses....

And an admittance... for the last week my head has been bursting into the "Let It Snow" song at any opportunity... just can't get it out of my head... must be all this christmas stuff I am surrounded by...

Though today I had a bit of time off off... as the Proclaimers "I'm Gonna Be (walk 500 miles)" song took over instead... care of friends (and blog reader) breaking down miles from anywhere in Scotland... thanks for the break to the song in my head Andrea & Andrew! And so glad that you got on your way (relatively) quickly!!! Hope the new car behaves for the rest of the week!

And an update on my special cards for 5 special young adults... I am waiting for photos to be sent from the last family... and then I am done and can share... patience is a virtue so I am told....

Last of the series... and Round Up...

Oops... got so carried away sourcing and buying for a special christmas project or two... I nearly forgot to post!

Year of Cheer papers brayered in Pool Party... rest of details as this post...

Which completes the series of five simple cards featuring coloured Year of Cheer and Merry Little Labels... with a few Foil Snowflakes thrown in for good measure...

And so now onto something completely different! As I have been very very busy behind the scenes...

Merry Little Labels & Year of Cheer...

Another really simple card with the Year of Cheer gold & white check papers and Merry Little Labels... 

Card and paper sizes as per the previous small square card shared here...

And before I go today... don't forget the Paper Sale we have going on at the moment... Buy 3... get a Fourth for free... select papers only... as shown below... click on the picture to go straight to my Online Shop to select yours... 

And I can't wait to share what I have been making over the past few days with you... a labour of love for 5 very special young adults! Coming soon... 

Clean & Simple Style Be Merry kit

 

Oh this Be Merry kit is worth shouting about....

Easy to overlook as the catalogue page doesn't show the size element... hence the hand shot!

 

Though mine are all a bit different to that pictured (below) by Stampin' Up!... as I really didn't like the additional glimmer tulle tufts on the rosettes in the flesh... give me cleaner and simpler anytime!

Year on year my regular class ladies request a rosette (aka lollipop) ornament or two ... or twenty! But don't love all that scoring, cutting and folding to achieve them... so they were tickled pink with these...

I am going to use mine as super duper gift tags this year... but I think that some will make their way onto some ladies' christmas trees... and wreaths we made a couple of years ago...

And then I did decide to use those glitter tulle circles after all... with the leftover tree element... simples!

Though unfortunately I didn't get a shot of one ladies' candy cane... luckily all her kids are hockey enthusiasts! So she will get away with it!! Yes it was stick on upside down! 

And here are the Be Merry kit details... 

First up...this is what you get in the pack... enough to make 12 rosettes in minutes... with "merry" die cut in English, French & German if you have friends & family further afield....

And click on the Be Merry icon below to go straight to the video showing you more details and instructions...

And here is the Online Store link... remember to add this month's host code J7WDEP9W where prompted to get a gift from me... 

Enjoy!

Year of Cheer & Merry Little Labels Part 2

Well I lied when I said I had made 2 of the brayered Year of Cheer cards on Thursday's post... I actually made a few more!!

This one is on a standard A6 card blank (again with a 10cm piece of paper) ... so US Letter nearest equivalent being A2 sized with 4" paper...

And uses just half a Foil Snowflake... so you can have 2 for your money...

Rest of the details as per Thursday's post... though I punched a Basic Black 2 1/4" circle to frame the Merry Little Labels greeting instead...

Faux Bendi Card with Tutorial for Fancy Fold Friday

Back to Christmas Around the World papers...and Hearts Come Home/Hometown Greetings...

This was a very quick card put together mid class by special request of one of my ladies... and from a card kit set out for another card... so the final decoration is as quick as I could muster on the spot! 

We made one 2 years ago and she wanted a repeat performance for her christmas card making this year... and now everyone else wants to make it too!!

When I first made a Bendi card... I thought there would be a problem with the card in the hands of the receiver... The card will arrive flat in the envelope and I have to hope that they spot both slots and manage to assemble it... Especially that back slot... as it is difficult to see and difficult to assemble...

So I changed the card to just have the front slot... as I reckon that one will be managed! And from a distance it looks exactly the same as the Full Bendi Fold version...

And  - seeing as it is Fancy Fold Friday - here are the instructions for this Faux (or Partial) Bendi Fold version...  If you need pictures to aid you in the construction element then just look at the Full Bendi Fold card link posted

For my US readers... please note that the US Letter Size card sizes are converted from my metric sizes as best I can and have not been tested... so crafter beware!! And if it needs any adjustment I would be delighted if you told me! Saves a lot more people any anguish as I can quickly amend this post... Thanks)

Craft Spa Recipe 

Back Panel Thick Whisper White 14.8 x 10.5cm (US Letter 5 1/2" x 4 1/4")

Front RHS Panel Shimmery White 14.8 x 9cm H (US 5 1/2" x 3 1/2")

Back LHS Shimmery White panel 13.5 x 8.5cm H (US 5" x 3 1/4")

Paper panel 14.3 x 10cm (US 5 1/4" x 4")

Craft Spa Directions

1. With wider Front RHS 9cm (US 3 1/2") high panel LANDSCAPE - score at 1cm (US 1/2") from both sides

2. Turn 180 degrees (ie so your left hand scoreline becomes your right hand scoreline... ie not turning it over!)

3. Line this right hand score line up at 1cm (US 1/2") on the right hand side of the top bar

4. Cut from 0 to 1cm then 2.5 to end/9cm (US 0 to 3/8", then 1" to end/3 1/2")

5. Trim above and below to form a tab 

6. With Back LHS 8.5cm (US 3 1/4") LANDSCAPE - score at 1cm (US 1/2") from left hand side 

7. With score to left, line up panel LANDSCAPE at 5cm (US 2") on Top Bar

8. Cut from 5.5 to 7.5cm (US 2 1/8" to 3")

9. Die cut small houses on Back LHS 8.5cm (US 3 1/4") panel

10. Die cut larger houses on Front RHS 9cm (US 3 1/2") panel

11. Trim down and across score lines (& to the panel end) as necessary

12. Bone fold scorelines 

13. Ink up & stamp greeting on Front RHS larger houses panel

14. Ink up & stamp back paper panel as necessary

15. Adhere Back LHS smaller houses panel (to LHS) and Front RHS Trees panel (to RHS) to the bottom of the front face of the larger Whisper White Back Panel using the 1cm (US 1/2") sections/tabs in valley fold orientation

16. Adhere background DSP panel to front face of Back Panel (duly covering up those 1 cm/US 1/2" tabs)

17. Make sure your small tab fits in the slot. Trim if necessary...

18. You may also find you need to trim off the slope to the right hand side of the Back LHS panel so that the horizon is neater behind the front houses...