Happy 18th Birthday Joe....

Wow! 18 years of Joe today... how did that happen!!?!

Long term blog followers will know that today is normally my annual Real Red Card day... but he is all grown up now... so Cherry Cobbler seemed more appropriate this time!! Along with Basic Grey and Black still of course!

The old favourite Scallop Tag Topper Punch Concertina Card came to the rescue (long story at the end!!)... which is great as I now have a cunning plan with it for another day!

Click here for the Tutorial...

And the specific details...
Basic Black papers from the Neutrals 12x12 Designer Series Paper Stack.
Cherry Cobbler, Basic Grey and Whisper White card...

Lots of dies used!! Large Numbers, Large Letters, Stitched Shapes, Layering Circles & Lots of Labels

Difficult to see in the photos (clearest on the number 18 on the front)... but makes a huge difference in the flesh... I overstamped my Basic Grey die cut letters and numbers with the hexagon pattern stamp in Butterfly Basics using Craft Whisper White ... and then a Basic Grey postmark too...

And I have just realised that I have "forgotten" to add the stars I had planned as the final decoration...so please imagine those all over!!! The card is safely sealed in the envelope and it is time for bed... I will add them when he is at school... he'll never notice!!!

So the back story.... So his card was going to be this... then that.... then the other... then I finally made a decision ... something special I saw a while ago that had stuck in my head.....

So then I tried desperately to find a written tutorial (with maybe some photos) for what I wanted to make... and failed... although I had to laugh at how many of my own card designs popped up in my search... but they are nothing like what I was searching for...

So then I had to follow a video tutorial... and failed!!! Not for the fault of the video/creator.... I think it was probably a good one... Maybe I just don't have the patience for that method of delivery... I did REALLY try though.... as I never (usually) give up on a card fold... and I do have to admit that an essential part of the card fold wouldn't be explainable just in words in any case...

So onto Plan B... great start... great new card fold... but major fail at the last stick of paper!!! In the bin...

So then I was back to this, that and the other.... having rather lost the will... and far too many hours... and then I remembered the wonderful Concertina card... moment saved! A card special enough for my 18 year old... even though a photo never does them justice....

So Detailed Easter Cross Card

I was asked to make an Easter card with a cross.... but no Easter Message stamp set to make my life simple... so it was either search around my retired stamps... or use my brain...

So the brain whirred a bit... and this is what I came up with... well who says the small So Detailed dies can only be used for card sleeves...

Spot the extra detail... the long white part is embossed from each edge just to add some extra visual interest...

And wouldn't this be great for Confirmation, Christening cards etc....

Gold papers from the Neutrals 12x12 Paper Stack Collection... Happy Easter from Circle of Spring...and greeting frame from So In Love (which is the co-ordinating stamp set and bundle to the So Detailed dies). Ribbon from the now-not-available Sale A Bration pack...

Circle of Spring Simple Square Easel Card

So here is another version of the Simple Square Easel Card posted previously here and here...

Simple blender pen coloured Circle of Spring wreath on Shimmer card

Crumb Cake paper (from the Neutrals 12x12 paper stack) card & ribbon colours and Mint Macaron leaves and highlights so that any colours could be chosen in class for the flowers... I used Blushing Bride...

And have to laugh as this post was scheduled (incorrectly as it didn't work!) quite a while ago... as you can see from the greeting!! But wait all is not lost after all... isn't Mothers Day in US in May??

And apologies... yet again the Mum sentiment is from the retired For My Family stamp set... Fingers crossed Stampin' Up bring us a new updated variant of this set in the new Annual Catalogue... my toes are crossed too!!!

And finally... fellow UK demos... looking forward to seeing you at Telford... not long now!!! I would love to know if you are going and hope to meet many of you if so...

10 Tips on Tuesday - Project Life Moments Like These

Well I haven't just got the one tip for you today for my Tuesday Tips, Techniques and Tutorials posts - but 10 instead!!! Hope you find them useful....

Tip no 1 - the Neutrals Paper Stack co-ordinates so perfectly! Top Tip!!

Check out the text on the paper and on the PL cards. It is the same font, spacing and layout - albeit that the words are different... Perfect co-ordination - Thank you Stampin Up!

This is why my Mega Bundle includes half a stack of paper....  Most of the paper stack sheets/colours can be used (just the 3 darker browns that don't co-ordinate  - Chocolate Chip, Early Espresso & Soft Suede)

So you can easily make extra pocket cards...

And you can do this! Just cut up a sheet of paper the size you need to cover a few pockets ( this is 6" wide x 8" high) - mount a photo - decorate as required... cut the sheet to fit in the pockets ...

And as an extra tip... the new In Color Paper Stack also co-ordinates so well in the same way but with the colours - well 3 of the colours  - Mint Macaron, Tip Top Taupe & Watermelon Wonder...

Tip no 2 - Give your pages a colour pop #1 
Colour in random words on the paper/PL cards with your marker pens. You will be amazed at how many words fit the theme of your pocket/page....

Tip no 2 - Give your pages a colour pop #2 
Colour symbols etc on the PL cards with your marker pens

Tip no 3 - Give your journalling a colour pop!
Grab your marker pens and write select words in your journalling in  colour

Or scribble over words instead...

Tip no 4 - How to make those little numbers easy to use! ( My favourite tip!!!)
Set up all 10 number circles on your clear block.
Ink them all up in your first colour eg Black & stamp on a strip of Whisper White card.

Repeat for the length of the strip.

Ink them all up in your 2nd colour eg Mint Macaron. Stamp on a 2nd strip. Repeat for the length.
Same again for 3rd colour eg Tip Top Taupe.
And for 4th eg Watermelon Wonder

When you need a number, grab a pre-stamped strip and a 1/4" circle punch and quickly punch as needed.

Tip no.5  - Need a feature - create it!

I needed a rocket to go next to the Rocket Tower at The Space Centre. No stamp. Could have used Punch Art ...but... a quick look at Build A Birthday and Sprinkles of Life - and all became clear! Blast off! 

Tip no 6 - Neaten up photos with Washi Tape

Got photos with borders at either side. (note that the photo is a collage created by some free software I found - can't remember which one I used now...sorry)

Grab your washi tape and cover up those gaps!

Tip no 7 - Find your logo

Amazing what you can find in a leaflet from the place you visited - or on the web...

Tip no 8 - Index your memories

Make an index card and number your photos too. This index card came in the pack...but I had to cut it in half to fit the page. So my coloured number circles are punches out and popped on top of the pocket....

Tip no 9 - Doodle your art

Label on a photo a bit plain - don't hesitate to doodle around the edge....

Tip no 10 - Leave a clear pocket

Looks great when you can see the next card/photo through a window.

The small square pocket cards in the accessory pack are brilliant for this type of feature.

Do remember that goes for both sides though....

And I could go on and on pointing out tips, features and details on these pages. But I won't or this will become the longest blog post in history!! Needless to say I REALLY enjoyed producing these pages. And now I have a great log of a great day all those years ago...

So where were we? At the National Space Centre in Leicester (UK). A great day out for an 8 year old boy with an inquisitive mind!

But last but not least... I have to show and explain my favourite pages from this day! Precious moments indeed.... especially as he is now 16 and I am lucky if I get one photo a year!

These represent a silly couple of minutes in the cafe... me with my camera out...Joe pulling silly faces and letting me photograph away! 

And then Dad arrived with hot chocolate and Rolos... so there were more silly faces as the Rolo went in... and then finally the face buried into the cup as the hot chocolate became of much more interest...