Vertical Greetings Topiary...for Christmas...

Final part of the Vertical Greetings notecard mini series!!!

One dressed up for Christmas... though it took a while to find a CHRISTMAS stamp that was small enough!

Bow, MERRY and WISHES from Santa's Sleigh

CHRISTMAS from the SCRUMPTIOUS stamp in Here's To Cheers

Too Cute! Go here for the inking directions... Oh and the pot is handcut and 3D'd this time

Vertical Greetings Topiary #3

Same design... Same way of inking... but with a different stamp from the collection... 

And big shame I forgot the gemstone on the bow before I took the photos!!

More Vertical Greetings Topiary....

Well you didn't expect me to only make the one did you!!?

This was actually my favourite... but then I realised how much time I would need to spend getting those three words on each topiary ball... so hence yesterday's bulk make...

I was also asked how I did the envelope... I just inked up the bottom ball and pot in the same way... 

3 ways to do that... but do make sure that your stamp is nice and clean before you start... you don't want any image ghosting from a dirty stamp...

(1) Eyeball it like I did! I found there was enough of a gap between the parts of the image to do so with my inkpads with success...

(2) Cover up the 2 top balls and stalks with a post it note, ink up as required, remove the post it note   - and then stamp...

(3) Ink up the required part of the stamps with marker pens rather than ink pads

And a quick update on the Staircase Card Tutorial that SO SO many of you have asked for... I really was surprised & humbled by it's popularity!

I hope it will be my Fancy Fold Friday post this week... I am REALLY sorry to have kept you waiting - but I am running 4 different classes over the next 4 days... so I have been very busy creating!!! And this week my feet won't touch the ground...

Vertical Greetings Thanks Topiary

Well after my busiest Stampin' Up! month ever during September... I am very thankful and blessed to have a lot of Thank You cards and gifts to pop in the post...

Want your own card and gift from The Craft Spa... see bottom of this blog post and/or go here for my Rewards Club details...

I picked up some Whisper White notecards and my new Vertical Greetings stamp set  - which had arrived with my Autumn Winter catalogue pre-orders in August  - and had thus being feeling neglected!

And came up with this small little cutie! Love these... and I hope that my ladies will too... And I also know a couple of people that will be very happy with a batch of these for their Chrismas pressy!

So the how to.... 

(1) Grab the Topiary Trio rubber stamp

(2) Ink up foliage area with Mint Macaron ink pad then randomly "thump" with Garden Green marker pen... 

(3) Ink up pot area with Soft Suede ink pad then  over-ink stalks with Soft Suede marker pen. 

(4) And now you can stamp...

(5) Ink up "Thanks" from the One Big Meaning small "A Little Thanks" stamp... with Garden Green marker pen 

(6) Stamp over top of pot

(7) Die cut a Clear Glimmer bow ( I had the Hang Your Stockings dies out!)

(8) Adhere bow and a jewel too

Seasonal Bells Part 1

Quick share of a quick little christmas card...

Copper embossed Seasonal Bell and greeting... Copper embossed & Cherry Cobbler Holly Berry Happiness/Builder Punch bow... Cherry Cobbler mat on a Whisper White notecard

Not to self to take another photo or two... be back soon!!

Floral Affection Note Card & Envelope

Changing up the colour scheme for Floral Affection here... bright...fresh...and summery... Flirty Flamingo, Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz and So Saffron

This is a project we made at Monthly Training the other month. A gorgeous notecard in a lovely little envelope... I think this would make the recipient  feel very special!

Butterfly Basics Notecards

Carrying on the Butterfly Basics series .... 

But before I start... remember today is the last day that you can sign up with Stampin Up! and get the extra 2 stamp sets for free in your starter kit... so if you want up to £222 crafting supplies for £99 ... don't delay... go here and sign up now.... your big box of crafting goodies would be with you next week... 

Want the new large alphabet dies? Go here and sign up now.... you can have the co-ordinating Letters For You stamps for free too! Plus another £41 of goods. Plus another stamp set for free... All for just £99.

Ok... Back to the cards... These are the ones where you grab a pack of Whisper White notecards and envelopes...spend a therapeutic 45 mins stamping with your Butterfly Basics & die cutting away with your Butterflies dies ... and end up with 20 cards ready to go... we like that!

And an apology for my ladies at the class today... I couldn't find my notecards & envelopes... hence why these were not included in the class! Oops... 

And whilst you are there... don't forget to stamp your envelopes! Card shown below here...

Detailed Floral Notecards in Multi Colours!

Remember this little set... well before I had carried on with finding easier ways to make my notecards.... I had cut a panel using various different colours for my thank you cards that I pop in with my customer orders...

They all have different favourite colours so I thought it was a great opportunity to see the beautiful die cut used with a myriad of colours...

First up were the blues... photo at the top... starting from the left... Island Indigo, Bermuda Bay, Dapper Denim and Night of Navy

Next up... the neutrals... 

Again from the left... Basic Black, Sahara Sand, Tip Top Taupe...

Then the purples...

Rich Razzleberry, Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder...

And then I started to play with some colour combinations!!! Unfortunately most not photoed.... so just an example... though I am loving this combi... and not one I would have remotely thought about without a bit of a play!

And cough... you will notice that I hadn't finished off all the cards with the bit of Bakers Twine before I photographed.... Oops...

Detailed Floral Clean & Simple Notecard Set

Did I tell you these Detailed Floral dies are my favourite product...ever!! They work like a dream.... though they do require the recommended Precision Plate in my opinion...

I started to make my customer Thank You cards to go out with orders... and the process just started to change as I carried on with my task!! So I just had to share...

First we have a Night of Navy die cut panel mounted onto a plain Whisper White card blank...

Next we have a Whisper White card blank die cut... then a Night of Navy panel mounted onto the back of the die cut area...

Then we have a Whisper White card blank die cut... then a Night of Navy panel mounted onto the back of the card...

Finishing off with a Night of Navy card blank die cut... then a Whisper White panel mounted onto the back of the card... with the greeting embossed in white on this version...

I love all 4 versions.... but the last 2 look so beautiful as you peep through that filigree detail... and require no fussy "being tight with your Tombow" glue action on narrow filigree sections...! So easy peasy... though less strong when standing up of course...

And a few other details... 

The card blank is a 10.5cm Square card blank (4 1/8" Square). 

I am cutting a 10.2cm (4") wide panel to die cut through (ie as in the first version)

And a 9.9cm (3 15/16") panel to stick on the backs

I have used the co-ordinating Floral Phrases stamps... which I have quickly come to LOVE... but more on that another day...

And I finished off simply with Night of Navy or Whisper White Solid Bakers Twine. Really wish I had bought all the coloured Solid Bakers Twines straightaway... loving them!! Oh well I am ordering again later this week so I can quickly resolve that stock problem....

Now back to using the co-ordinating Floral Boutique papers for next week's classes.... Ooh... think I might just create a box for 4 notecards.... 

And finally... I have to admit... I think you are going to see a lot of makes over the months with these papers!!! I think they are the business....! In my happy corner...

Painted Petals Note Cards Trio

Loving my Painted Petals stamps. I can feel a series coming on…..

Let’s start with something simple…. grab some white and crumb cake notecards & envelopes, some Whisper White cardstock, Rose Red, Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky  & Craft Whisper White inks & some sponges. Oh and maybe a few other things as we go along…..

And just create…. no fuss, no bother… simple but gorgeous!

Keeping it clean & simple… Direct Wild Wasabi ink pad around the central Whisper White panel. Gems coloured using Blendys….

Could maybe do with a close up photo here…. the central panel flowers are inked with Rose Red..then extra highlights added using a Rich Razzleberry marker… yummy!

A bit of faux shadow work…. background of whisper white flowers over-stamped with Rose Red flowers.

And central Whisper White panel Soft Sky sponged all over then Wild Wasabi sponged around edges….

Central white panel all Soft Sky sponged  and Dazzling Details applied to the flowers. So pretty!

And you can still see the texture of the stamp coming through…

Keeping it REALLY Simple–Part 2–Painted Blooms

Told you I am starting off the New Year REALLY simple… As explained in yesterday’s post -  grab a few note cards, a NEW Stamp set from the 2015 Spring Summer Catalogue and a few inkpads – PLAY… and CREATE!

Today it is the NEW stamp set… Painted Petals..

Which has a gorgeous set of co-ordinating papers… called Painted Blooms… but more of those on another day… For today … I am just keeping it REALLY simple ….

Oh did I say NEW…. yes these projects use new stamp sets that are to be found in the 2015 Spring Summer Occasion Catalogue. Releasing 6th January…only 1 day left now….

Not got your Spring Summer Catalogue or Sale A Bration promotion leaflet yet… Just call & collect if you are local… or Email me to arrange a copy in the post … or come back here tomorrow, Tuesday 6 January to download for yourself…

Starting off the New Year…SIMPLY…

A very Happy New Year to You… I hope that you had a wonderful festive period. I certainly did…though it did feel very strange to have all my crafting goods packed away and to not craft for nearly 3 weeks…

So I am starting off the New Year with a few projects that are as simple as simple can be! Grab a few notecards, a NEW stamp set, a few inkpads and go for it…

There are many valid reasons for this simplicity though…. Firstly I had one hour to make 30 Thank You cards for my bestie!! Secondly, everything was still packed away – so 30+ minutes would have been used up finding  other stuff ( the notecards and new stamps were in a box delivered on New Years Eve) And well.. NEW stamps…I just had to didn’t I…!?

Oh did I say NEW…. yes these projects use new stamp sets that are to be found in the 2015 Spring Summer Occasion Catalogue. Releasing 6th January…only 2 days left now….

Not got your Spring Summer Catalogue or Sale A Bration promotion leaflet yet… Just call & collect if you are local… or Email me to arrange a copy in the post … or come back here on Tuesday 6 January to download for yourself…

This stamp set is probably my favourite! I give you… Sheltering Tree… I think you will be seeing a lot of this one over the next 6 months…

Another White Christmas card

Another very quick share for today…

Just found another card I made but hadn’t yet shared…. A very simple little scene using a pre-made note card and the fabulous White Christmas stamp set.

But I am afraid that the stamp set is not available to buy for much longer (only till 5 January 2015)

My set is definitely a keeper… I have really REALLY enjoyed creating with this stamp set along with the perfect accompanying Holiday Home stamp set … which is also (BIG SNIFF HERE!!) not available after 5th Jan….. and definitely a keeper too!! That one is particularly precious to me….. gorgeous houses…and Santa & his sleigh too

White Christmas Photopolymer stamp set £13.95

Holiday Home photopolymer stamp set. £13.95

Endless Wishes Part 1

I did something last week that I haven’t done for ages! I opened up my new Endless Wishes stamp set , got 4 ink pads out,  gemstones, a few notecards,  and some standard card blanks/mats…and just had a few hours play-time. Thoroughly therapeutic!!

Edited to add: Endless Wishes Class in the Mail Kit now available. See here for details…

Most of the cards are re-makes of popular class cards from the last 2 years, some are CASED or inspired by fellow team mates – and one is a swap card from a fellow team mate…! And even a few new ones too….

But together I think they make a great collection – and are great starter projects from a perfect starter kit for someone just starting out on their papercrafting journey – or for someone for whom time is scarce…

So why Part 1….well I made so many that just one post is not enough!! So first of all, the notecards…no equipment required. Just grab a pack of SU! small white notecards and envelopes… and create!

Starting off with one of my favourites! Clean & Simple does it! You could make all your Christmas cards quicker than getting in your car, going to the shop and buying some cards!! Spot the Blendabilities markers used to colour some of the gemstones…

For 2 seconds more per card….

Maybe a minute more… as there is a bow… another of my favourites!

About the same time… as a bit of cutting of mats, punching and shaping going on. Thanks to fellow team-mate Julie Wade for the fab tip of punching the small snowflake with the Boho Blossoms punch! I shaped mine – valley folds on first card, mountain folds on second. Just by hand on each petal at a time… little task…huge difference! And I have to admit to using a greeting from another stamp set here (Bright & Beautiful aka THE STARS!) on the first…

And last note card…but definitely not least…. a shaker notecard using the fabulous new All is Calm sequins & Window Sheets. This one is CASED from a larger stunning card created by fellow demo friend & team-mate, Allie Joliffe.  The aperture is sized specifically… with the 1 3/4” circle punch as I wasn’t in the mood to mess about with lots of Stampin Dimensionals to go around the aperture – not when there are the Circular Shaker Frames available out of a pack…. I also used the new Festival of Trees stamps and matching Tree Punch here

So what do you need for the cards shown here….. just 5 items for the basic cards…

Endless Wishes stamp set (photopolymer)

4 ink pads (Pool Party, Lost Lagoon, Smoky Slate & Pear Pizzazz)

Pack of Note cards & Envelopes

Basics Gems

Clear Stamp Blocks

 

And just on one or more of them….

Pool Party Cotton Ribbon

All is Calm Sequins

Boho Blossoms Punch

1 3/4” Circle Punch

Blendabilities Coastal Cabana

Window Sheets

Festival Of Trees stamps & Tree Punch

Bright & Beautiful stamp set

 

Remember to come back tomorrow for the 2nd instalment…..