Monday 28 February 2022

Last day of Sale A Bration promotion... and More on Monday...


So these are the Easiest (or Simplest) Side Step Cards in my Friendly Hello series... as with even more steps omitted... they are even simpler to make... and cleaner & simpler in style too... Some extra hints at the end of this post...

So these showcase three more of the patterns of gorgeous Friendly Hello papers... and co-ordinating stamps... which can be earnt for free during the Sale-a-bration promotion with a £90 order... 

But you will need to be quick as the promotion ends on 10.30pm UK time TODAY, Monday, 28 February... 

Click here for all the details on the Sale-a-bration  promotion... including how to get 2 free stamp sets... and/or click here for the Sale A Bration leaflet... which shows you all the extra free goodies you can get for each nd every order for £45 product...

Oh... and just click here if you have your £130 list (PLUS those 2 free stamp sets) ready and wish to join my Team... 

But back to todays' cards... with some quick notes on simplicity... 

Both are set on white cardstock... for the main card element and the pop up section... so no need for the 2 white panels on coloured card sections as with the previous cards... simples!

And the paper panel is omitted from the following Granny Apple Green version... making it a really super simple stunner IMHO... and a very quick to make fun fold card too!

Back with the Tutorial soon... 

Sunday 27 February 2022

Sunday Friendly Hello Simple Centre Step Card


Back again with another Friendly Hello Simple (aka Easy) Step card... 

But set as a Simple Centre Step Card this time... aka Easy Centre Step Card...

And I will be back with a Tutorial for you soon... but I wanted to quickly post more cards using this beautiful Sale A Bration promotion bundle of Friendly Hello stamps and papers - as there are only 2 more days left that you can obtain/earn these for free... and I think they are definitely worth it...! 

In the meantime... scroll back to this post for more details... 

Saturday 26 February 2022

Saturday Simple Side Step Card featuring Friendly Hello...


Quickly back with another Friendly Hello Simple (aka Easy) Side Step card... 

And I will be back with a Tutorial for you in a few days time... but I wanted to quickly post more cards using this beautiful Sale A Bration promotion Friendly Hello bundle of stamps and papers - as there are only a very few days left that you can earn these for free...

Scroll back to yesterday's post for more details... 

Friday 25 February 2022

Friday Fun Fold - Friendly Hello Easy Side Step Card

Where has this Card Fold been all my life!!? I bring you the Easy Side Step Card aka Simple Side Step Card... 

But before I start...  This card also showcases the really beautiful Friendly Hello papers and stamp set which can be earnt for free during the Sale-a-bration promotion with a £90 order... 

But you will need to be quick as the promotion ends on 10.30pm UK time next Monday, 28 February... 

Click here for all the details on the Sale-a-bration  promotion... including how to get 2 free stamp sets... and/or click here for the Sale A Bration leaflet... which shows you all the extra free goodies you can get for each nd every order for £45 product...

But back to today's card... 

I always love a simpler version of a previous favourite but more complicated to create card fold... and this lays perfectly in that category... 

First inspired by this card made by the incredibly talented Julie Davison at Julie's Stampin Spot... though I did convert to metric and make a slight change... but more on that another day... 

And a few more to share over the next few days... as once I started... I couldn't stop... So if anyone fancies a nice 6 card Class in the Post??? There's one all ready to go...

Saturday 19 February 2022

Saturday Serene Scene...


The last of my In The Moment Grassy Grove & New Horizons cards... for now...

A simple little serene scene... of which a couple of details may be hard to spot... 

As she is dipping her toes into the water... almost literally...

And look... no coffee cup for a change..

Simple Diorama Card fold instructions  here

Thursday 17 February 2022

Thursday Trio - In The Moment scene...


Here are some more of my cards using the triple combination of the Grassy Grove die-cut, New Horizons papers and In The Moment stamps... 

This first one also combines Paper Piecing for the shirt... with Baby Wipe Swoosh (or Swipe) for the background

Whereas the other 2 have the images coloured using Stampin Blends alcohol markers... and have a sheet of the New Horizons as the background...

All on a Simple Diorama card that can be used for all occasions... Click HERE for the card tutorial...

All just so.... peaceful...

And do be sure to have a close look at the images... as my trusty Paper Snips scissors have been busy cutting away parts of the images I didn't want on these occasions...


Tuesday 15 February 2022

Tuesday Team Treats Trio... For The Record Flap Boxes

Bet you cant say the first half of the title on repeat for very long!!! What a tongue twister... 

So I thought it high time I said hello and thanks to some very special & creative ladies I know... namely my team of lovely and super talented Craft Therapists! 

As I do like to send out a little treat from time to time... just 'cos! That is .. for no particular reason... but just to show my appreciation... and to remind them they are "awesome"...

So to give them a sweet treat... the For The Record Flap Box Treat Holders remained the order of the day... but brightened up this time round... 

Love these even more in these bright and happy colours... in Coastal Cabana, Polished Pink and Fresh Freesia... Hope they do too... Enjoy...

Click HERE for the Flap Box Treat Holder Tutorial.
And oh... as I forgot to mention this before... the papers used are the retired Merry Music papers from 2017... which seemed so perfect as these sheets have either "catherine wheel" shapes or music notes...

Oh and I do have a few extra sets of liquorice catherine wheels left if anyone would like to join my team during the Sale A Bration offer of 2 extra free stamp sets... and have one made especially for them... LOL!! 


Monday 14 February 2022

Happy Valentines Day - Flap Boxes and Card


Happy Valentines Day... with a tutorial for you today to share my love... 

Along with another slight variant of my Double Treat Flap Box . I actually don't know if my son likes liquorice... but he loves Caramel Nibbles... so I thought I had better make another of the Double Treat Flap Box... so that I could fill the large drawer with chocolate treats that I know he likes...

In the image above... see the box to the top left...  as this time round I didn't add any ribbon... as luckily the flap sits so nicely onto the box section... and so it doesn't actually need any ribbon to keep everything closed... 

I have to admit that I prefer this simpler version... what about you?

Oh and click here for more details on the Valentine Pop Out Concertina Card shown... 

Fancy making this Double Flap Box Treat Holder Box for yourself... well here you go...

Flap Panel 

  • Cut card 26.5 x 10.5cm. 
  • Score LANDSCAPE at 10.5 & 16cm
  • Valley Bone Fold
  • TIP - if you valley and mountain bone fold the score line that will sit on the top... then the fold is much neater and flatter... and so it doesn't need the ribbon...
  • Add ribbon if required to inside
Sleeve
  • Cut card to A4 long x 10cm
  • Score whilst LANDSCAPE at 4,14, 18 & 28cm
  • Mountain bone fold
  • Adhere using narrow tab
Large Drawer
  • Cut card 17.4cm square
  • Score at 1 1/2" on all 4 sides
  • Bone Fold & Dart on 2 opposing sides
  • Adhere to form open box
  • Poke a central hole and add a brad as a handle

Open Top Box

  • Cut card 12.5cm square
  • Score at 1/2" on all 4 sides
  • Bone Fold & Dart on 2 opposing sides
  • Adhere to form open box

Large Inner Section

  • Cut card to 16.5 x 9.9cm
  • Score LANDSCAPE at 1, 1.5, 2.5, 7, 8, 8.5, 9.5, 14, 15 & 15.5cm
  • Bone Fold M, M, V, V, M, M, V, V, M, M (where M= mountain/up and V = valley/down)

Small Inner Sections

  • Cut card to 11.5 x 8cm
  • Score at 4.5, 5.5, 6 & 7cm
  • Cut in half- PORTRAIT at 4cm
  • Bone Fold V, M, M, V

Decoration ... Then just decorate as required. 

  • I used the retired 2017 Merry Music papers as so perfect... as these sheets have either "catherine wheel" shapes or music notes... 
  • I used card mats 9.9cm square, Paper panels 9.4cm square and 26" of Ribbon
  • Be sure to add any ribbon on the inside of the Flap Panel before you adhere any boxes or other panels...
  • Adhere the Sleeve to the bottom section of the Flap Panel.. pop in the drawer... and then adhere the Open Top Box on top... 
  • BIG TIP!!! Only apply glue on the back of the Open Top Box  to adhere the sections to the Flap Panel... if you apply glue to the central section of the Flap Panel and/or the back of the drawer... then you will not be open to open the drawer!! 
  • White panels 8cm square on the front and 5cm square on the inside...
  • 4 spogs in the liquorice wheels just a 3/4" punched circle and a small punched heart (using a long retired punch)
  • Record is embossed on Basic Grey card using black embossing powder and die cut using Layered Circles dies
  • Centre of the record is a 1" punched circle plus a die cut heart (Sweet & Sassy dies) and a larger die cut heart on the inside...
  • Quickly snip the sentiment " You're My Favourite Song" to remove the word "song" ... and add eg HUSBAND as required...


Sunday 13 February 2022

Be In The Moment... #1

A few of these to share with you!  But just keeping it simple for today... as it is Sunday after all... 

So here is a simple standard sized Tent Fold Card (opening at the side)...

Combining my favourite papers ever... New Horizons.... with my favourite die cut ever, Grassy Grove... with In The Moment...

Which I didn't realise when I bought them... but I absolutely love used this way with the Grassy Grove tree canopy ... 

So much so that I now have a few more stamp sets to buy... namely A Good Man and Beautiful Moments... though I think I may have to be quick about buying before the Retiring List comes out ... 

Saturday 12 February 2022

Simple for Saturday - Grassy Grove & New Horizons meets Sailing Home...

 
Simple watery scenic perfection... for the sailing fans...

Combining the New Horizons papers... with a Grassy Grove die cut... and finishing off with a Sailing Home yacht... on a Simple Diorama Card 

Made in minutes... and I think this will be a very popular card for many crafters... and recipients... I know...

Card tutorial here...

Friday 11 February 2022

Fancy Fold Friday - Ever Eden Pop Out Concertina Fold Card

Loved creating this Pop Out Concertina Fold card for special birthdays... 

And so did everyone in classes... as we all love a shiny pop of foil... greens... as well as an interesting fold... 

Colours used are Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent and Gold Foil. Leaves care of Grove dies and flowers care of Floral Squares dies (both of which I absolutely LOVE BTW)

I also used the new Iridescent Rhinestones... which look really subtle compared to the usual Jewels and Pearls... 

And a quick tip... remember to die cut those Large Numbers out of your gold foil mat before sticking your paper on... waste not want not as they say!! And sorry those Large Numbers dies are no longer available to order...

But a couple of admittances.. 

You are going to see a lot of 60th birthday cards here over the next year... lots of my friends 60th birthdays coming up... so I need to be prepared...

The Ever Eden papers I used are not available anymore... I actually "messed up" and ordered them not realising they were a on-off just for a month and wouldn't be available to purchase the following month!! But they are far too nice not to use... and I just really hope they become available on the Clearance Rack one day!!! 

Thursday 10 February 2022

Thursday Treats - Valentine Double Flap Box Treat Holder




Another For The Record treat holder Flap Box...

I decided that more liquorice treats were required for the husbands... 

So I added a sleeve and drawer to the Single Layer Flap Box version shared here... for which I have now added a tutorial... 

And decorated it to co-ordinate with the Valentine card shown below and shared here...

Edited To Add - Double Flap Box Treat Holder Tutorial HERE...
NOTE - posting 14 February 2022 if you see this a day early!! 

And here are the 2 Treat Boxes together...

Allsorts at the ready... yum!

Wednesday 9 February 2022

Hot off the Press - Celebrate Today Magnetic Board Kit just released..

 

Really loving this brand new Celebrate Today Magnet Board Kit just released by Stampin Up!

With this kit... you can create and customize your very own magnet board with stickers to organise daily tasks and positive affirmations. Since when have daily chores looked so pretty?
Kit includes ...
  • one framed magnet board
  • sticker sheets, double-sided cards, and double-sided paper to decorate with
  • six magnet clips and two pocket envelopes to attach things to your board
Finished magnet board size (inside of frame): 12" x 12" (30.5 x 30.5 cm)
Coordinating colours: Basic Black, Blushing Bride, Flirty Flamingo, Melon Mambo, Mint Macaron, Smoky Slate
Just £24.00

And buy one today... whether for you or for a friend as a great gift... get a free gift from me too... as why not for the sake of £1... and for the first few to order... I know I can find lots of extra products to gift that will co-ordinate nicely!
Loving the ease and creativity of the Kits? Be sure to check them all out by clicking here...


Tuesday 8 February 2022

Tuesday Treats -Valentine For The Record...


Sometimes you just have to buy a stamp set to create a "little idea" that comes to you... and you can make one of these Flap Boxes too as the tutorial is shared below...

This was the case with For The Record... and IMHO... the "ends definitely justified the means" in this case!! 

Note that the very quick snip of the sentiment " You're My Favourite Song" made the perfect sentiment for a SON required here...

Though I couldn't find real " Catherine Wheels " with the jelly SPOG in the middle - so I had to buy " Disco Wheels" and create my own spogs! Don't you just love that word!! And no... I didn't know they were called that before either...  Edited to add - and I am reliably informed that they are also called Jelly Buttons and Horsecakes ...

Really love this one... back with more soon...

Though I have to admit that lots of liquorice had to be eaten in the name of research... and then when prepping for classes!! I'd completely forgotten how much I love liquorice...

See a co-ordinating Valentine card posted here... Though the papers used this time are the retired 2016 Halloween Night papers from way back when... as I just fancied using orange for a change... 

Fancy making one for yourself... well here you go...

Flap Panel 

  • Cut card 22.5 x 10.5cm. 
  • Score LANDSCAPE at 10.5 & 12cm
  • Valley Bone Fold
  • Add ribbon as required to inside

Open Box

  • Cut card 12.5cm square
  • Score at 1/2" on all 4 sides
  • Bone Fold & Dart on 2 opposing sides
  • Adhere to form open box

Large Inner Section

  • Cut card to 16.5 x 9.9cm
  • Score LANDSCAPE at 1, 1.5, 2.5, 7, 8, 8.5, 9.5, 14, 15 & 15.5cm
  • Bone Fold M, M, V, V, M, M, V, V, M, M (where M= mountain/up and V = valley/down)

Small Inner Sections

  • Cut card to 11.5 x 8cm
  • Score at 4.5, 5.5, 6 & 7cm
  • Cut in half- PORTRAIT at 4cm
  • Bone Fold V, M, M, V

Decoration ... Then just decorate as required. 

  • I used the retired 2017 Merry Music papers for my other red-coloured Valentine Makes... as so perfect... as these sheets have either "catherine wheel" shapes or music notes... but I used the retired 2016 Halloween Night papers on this version for the flash of orange I wanted...
  • I used card mats 9.9cm square, Paper panels 9.4cm square, and thin paper panels just 1.3cm wide x 9.9cm and 24" of Ribbon
  • Be sure to add any ribbon on the inside before you adhere any paper panels or the box...
  • White panels 8cm square on the front and 5cm square on the inside...
  • 4 spogs just a 3/4" punched circle and a small punched heart (using a long retired punch)
  • Record is embossed on Basic Grey card using black embossing powder and die cut using Layered Circles dies
  • Centre of the record is a 1" punched circle plus a die cut heart (Sweet & Sassy dies) and a larger die cut heart on the inside...
  • Note that the very quick snip of the sentiment " You're My Favourite Song" made the perfect sentiment for a SON... otherwise I snipped off the word song and added as required.... eg HUSBAND in the case of the card or Double Flap Box...






Sunday 6 February 2022

Sunday Swap - Grassy Grove

From time to time... part of our team of intrepid (and incredibly talented and creative!) demonstrators create a set of cards and then swap with each other to provide each of us with samples of different products, projects and styles...

And this month was the time for our latest Team Swap! I created a set of 10 cards using the Grassy Grove dies... which I have to admit may prove to be my most popular die of all time!!

My original plan was to use the wonderful New Horizons papers... but delays to stocks being in place in Europe meant I had to come up with a Plan B... though my papers did turn up the day after the deadline! And they are indeed perfect for this little scene...

So a bit of Baby Wipe Swoosh ( or Swipe) on Shimmery White card was the order of the day... using Soft Succulent and Balmy Blue to produce a dreamy backdrop... with a touch of Soft Succulent stamped grasses at the bottom...

Added a couple of deer to my 3D scene... and finished off with the beautiful greeting from Nature's Harvest in Evening Evergreen... I just thought this was the perfect sentiment for my little scene...

And I had to share the full set of backgrounds... as I love that they changed as time crept on... as the Baby Wipe got less and less moist... 

Oh .. and did I mention... I designed a simple but fun fancy fold whilst I was at it... as I found that the die cut card blank wanted to splay... and so collapse! So an extra insert was the order of the day... and so I guess you could call this a Simple Diorama Card Fold...

Just a 14.8 x 5cm piece of card scored whilst portrait at 1, 2.5 and 4cm... folded valley, mountain, valley... and stuck to the bottom of the card... (For my US friends... 5 1/2" x 2"... scored whilst portrait at 3/8", 1" and 1 5/8")

And yes you've guessed it... I now have 9 wonderful swapped cards to share at some point... though I have quite a lot of other projects to share first... including some New Horizons versions... so they will be for another day!