Showing posts with label Mantelpiece Decoration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mantelpiece Decoration. Show all posts

Tuesday, 9 December 2014

Many Merry Stars REVISITED….

Many Merry Stars, NOEL,  Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa 035 (24)

Thought I had better quickly share my other Star makes from the fabulous Many Merry Stars Kit. Fancy your own kit to make the NOEL and stars…. please read on to the end of the post….

Yesterday I shared this version … using a smaller star for the O…

Many Merry Stars, NOEL,  Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa 035 (26)

And then I got to thinking…. these Noel ones are perfect as a gift for my postman (who is called Noel!)

But then there is my friend Len…

Many Merry Stars, NOEL,  Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa 035 (22)

And of course the lovely Nell… ( thanks for your L Karen!! Couldn’t have done this without it!!)

Many Merry Stars, NOEL,  Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa 035 (23)

Right silliness over and done with….. oh but there is Neil too!!!!

Bad photo but here is the kit as intended…. though lots of my other stars are still on the mantelpiece with NOEL or used in my other ideas! And I can’t wait to get the greenery down from the loft and display them properly on the mantelpiece…

Many Merry Stars, NOEL,  Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa 035 (14)

And here is a cute little tree….. this part of my display has really caught the eye of everyone... though he does look a bit wonky in this photo!!!

Many Merry Stars, NOEL,  Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa 035 (19)

And a Christmas tree decoration… the thick Bakers Twine even comes in the Many Merry Stars Kit

Many Merry Stars, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa 006

And finally a tag….

Many Merry Stars, Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa 003

And I have to admit…. I loved this kit so much that I have ordered another. I will be making the NOEL small star arrangement for a few friends & family  - and reckon I will have enough stars left over for my tags too!

Here are the 3 essential items I used to create these projects – the boxes and the papers just being used for NOEL…

 

A Class To Go kit for these can be yours for £41.70 plus £4.95 postage as follows… 

Order these 3 items  through my Online Store quoting hostess code DJBN2STF where prompted (BUT PLEASE do not check out as a guest or I cannot contact you!!) They will be shipped straight to you from Stampin’ Up! within 4-6 days (subject to stock availability). The step by step instructions to make the letters will come from me separately – as well as a close up of all of my stars!!

Or email me & I can place the order for you...

I also used these stamps & basic items to dress a few up a little bit …. So add anything to your order that you feel essential!

Monday, 8 December 2014

Many Merry NOEL Stars & Creative Monday Blog Hop

Many Merry Stars, NOEL,  Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa 035 (26)

How exciting! I was nominated by fellow demo Rachel Chamberlain of Great Minds Ink Alike last week to participate in the Creative Monday Blog Hop. This is a blog hop about creativity and our love for creativity. Each Monday, a few bloggers post on their blogs sharing a little bit about their creativity and will also invite two other bloggers to join and post on the following Monday.

So first I will share my latest creative project… grab a Many Merry Stars kit, a bag of Tiny Treat Boxes and some co-ordinating Under The Tree speciality designer series paper . And you have a great mantelpiece decoration to brighten up any room….. More Merry Stars to follow tomorrow… and details of my Many Merry NOEL Stars Class Kit to Go too….

And here are my 4 questions & answers!

1.  What are you working on?

Quite a lot over the next week! (though it is a very quiet week compared to usual!) 

Prepping for my last class of the Year. Making some more of these NOELS for Christmas presents. Finalising some Class Kits to Go. Finishing off my Christmas cards to send…Writing up some blog posts & tutorials to share. Oh and hopefully a WWWU Team Challenge card too…

And then my big box will arrive from Stampin Up!… with new stamps & products from the Spring Summer Catalogue & Sale A Bration promotion that launch in January …. So I will finish off the week blissfully creating something new…..  well quite a few things probably….

2.  How does your work differ from others in your genre?

I like to keep my creative work Clean & Simple. Or as others have told me DOUBLE CAS…. Clean & Stylish and Classy & Simple….

But I love a Fancy Fold card to give immediate WOW too…. whether it is one I make up myself or one that I stumble upon on the web….

And then… as others keep telling me…  I have “unusual” ideas…now I don’t really know if that is code for weird …or wonderful!!!

And I don’t just do cards – though a lot of my class attendees want just cards! I get such a buzz from creating a mini book, a box, a bag, a treat holder,a home decor project or an altered item…. especially those that I create from scratch…

3.  Why do you create what you do?

Simply - I create to share… I share to inspire… The SU! mantra of Create Inspire Share sums it all up for me….

It started off with just sending friends & family something handmade & special ( I used to find it amazing to get Thank You cards or telephone calls for my Christmas cards!!!)

Then I realised friends were interested and that I could show them how to craft for themselves!

Then I started a blog – and lovely people gave me lovely comments about my work inspiring them when I shared a project.

And now… I create & share projects for the various classes I run, for customer purchases so they can see how to get more use out of their products, for Team Meetings & the Team Forum & occasionally just ‘cos!  All of which get shared on my blog & Pinterest too….

4.  How does your creative process work?  

Ah… lots of ways! I completely bombard myself actually…..

I have an “unusual” idea – and work out how to make it …OR more often…

I look at a Stampin’ Up! product – be it a die, punch or stamp set – and my brain goes into overdrive. I usually write a list of 12-20+ different ideas for that one item…. but I probably only get the time to create 4 or 5….! I then look at another product….and a new list forms….

I follow lots of blogs, I am very active on Pinterest, I am part of a great & sharing team… so I am constantly inspired by others too!!!! So my list of 20 ideas expands to about 30 or so….. often more!

I am also a great researcher – so when it is time to pick up a stamp set or punch….I will still get onto Google and get even more inspiration for that item…. yup list now approaching 50…

But it is probably a good job I am not into the videos on You Tube as well ( or my list would go up to 75!!)

And then I select a few ideas off my list – and I start to actually create something!! I make loads of mess… I agonise over colours and placement & which other products to use! … but I get there in the end….

But I have a new years resolution….. pick one product, use my own list and focus!!! LOL….

And as I love this sum up of my work as it appears to others…. I will also share what Rachel said about me as she nominated me last week ….

I first found Amanda through a Pinterest pin, and I am so glad I did.  She will take one stamp set and show so many different ways to use the same set or she will design one "wow" project and make several using different stamps.  She makes it easy to imagine a project and to see the possibilities in a particular stamp set or project.

Such lovely words Rachel. You highlighted what I try to do so perfectly….Thank YOU!!

And finally… my invites for continuing this blog hop next Monday 15th December ..… go to fellow team members Julie's Japes by Julie Kettlewell (aka my SU! mummy)  and Krafts by Kate Martin (aka SU! sister).

Both are such talented, charismatic and lovely ladies. We are all part of a Mutual Appreciation Society though …which means if you like my work… you will like theirs too… in fact they CASE me… I CASE them… lovely creative Stampin’ Up! circle….

So please don’t hesitate… pop over to their blogs straightaway for further inspiration…. I can’t wait to see what they share about their creative processes next Monday…