Trial…

Well..  I’m stuck in traffic  so thought I’d try a blog post just using a mobile phone and see what I can do....

Firstly…  check out the amazing deals on the ‘Last Chance List’ come Tuesday 11pm…. 

Secondly …a quick creative share… a little something we were making in the last week.. which proved so very popular…

Amazingly I have been able to do more than I thought just using my mobile phone… a tech improvement for once!! As it is years since I have tried to do a blog post using just an iPad or iPhone 

Happy Easter... Chocolate Eggs Topiary...

Bit of a tongue in cheek post today...

Not the biggest success project in the world... but I thought I would share it to say Happy Easter... hope you are having a wonderful holiday time... and (hopefully) give you a creative laugh!

So the Christmas Topiary Tree... with Ferrero Rocher removed... with Lindor Balls removed... and the Valentines chocolate hearts removed... and lovely Caramel Eggs added... lol!

The eggs are way too big for my curled paper decoration sizing and available "holes"... so they stick up like no-ones business... but I am sure you get the idea!

And I did try some gold Mini Eggs... but they were too small... and devilishly hard to get a cocktail stick into (code for they just broke!! Yum! Shame!!!)

So Happy Easter to you!!

PS sorry... still no tutorial... though it is on THE list...
PPS please do not PIN this... way too embarrassing...

Share some Love with Global Stamping Friends Blog Hop...

Hello and welcome to the Global Stamping Friends February Blog Hop featuring Love as the theme... from Amanda Bates at The Craft Spa in England...

I was asked to make a mushy Valentines card for my next classes... as a couple of my ladies are in the mood for spoiling their husbands with a bit of loving sentiment... so here you go... clean and simple in style... but with a bit of "mush"...

And a bit of paper engineering with a Pop Out Swing Card fold to suit that element of a man's interest in a card too!

Greetings from Watercolor Words... die cut hearts care of Sweet & Sassy Framelits... and die cut "YOU" care of the Sale A Bration Level 2 die set, Celebrate You... which can be yours for free with a £90 order... 

And whilst my ladies are in the mood for sharing a bit of love... they will also be shown this updated version of their Christmas Curled Paper Chocolate Balls Topiary...

A simple few minutes with some chocolate hearts to update something they really loved for another special occasion in the year... hope theirs aren't too well hidden in the loft!

And I feel it pertinent to warn my regular visitors... that...

(1) I have taken the opportunity to tweak my tutorial from long ago... so a new tutorial will be coming along sometime soon... when I catch a few hours for a remake session...

(2) I have also created a lovely little re-size of the Pop Out Swing Card Fold... but more on that tomorrow...

(3) I then went even more mad... and created a few more cards with love in mind whilst the hearts were out!! So it may be a bit of a love in all week!

And now it is time to say goodbye and to pass you onto the lovely Claudia Perry in Columbus, Georgia in the USA... just click on the big arrow below to continue on the Hop...

Or here is the Roll Call of all the Blog Participants today if you prefer to hop around that way...

1.    Libby Dyson 

2.    Anastasia Radloff  

3.    Erica Jones  

4.    Tricia Butts

5.    Cheryl Algie 

6.    Jan Musselman   

7.    Amanda Farlinger 

8.    Jenn Curtis Charles 

9.    Karie Beglau 

10. Rachel Macleod 

11. Amber Thompson 

12. Courtenay Heuston 

13.  Rebecca Urban 

14. Amanda Bates  YOU ARE HERE...

15. Claudia Perry 

16. Kimberley Anne Morris 

17.  Marieke Bart 

18. Mary Ann Kay Rossiter 

19. Georgia missy Aubrey-Gaydos 

20. Christina Walker 

21. Lisa Henderson 

Curled Paper "Red Balls" Topiary...

Couldn't put this away for the year without sharing my preferred treats version of the "golden balls Topiary" I shared here earlier... again using Merry Little Christmas papers though with the black side being used too for this one... and double the balls added!

Though I have to laugh as the FR one sat there for 2 months with not a moments temptation to eat anything... but this Lindor one didn't get through a second night without the family devouring them all!! Led by yours truly...

Though I have to admit to preferring the Golden Balls one visually!

And I can report that they have been such a success in the flesh... indeed my mother's favourite project ever! Though I kind of knew that before I finished it...

And before I go... for those of you in the UK... don't forget...

(1) The Spring Summer Catalogue and Sale A Bration promotion launch tomorrow, 3rd Jan. So lots more on that tomorrow morning... but a great time to join me and Stampin' Up! and a great time for extra freebies with your orders of every £45...

(2) You only have a few hours left to order anything not carrying over from the Autumn Winter Catalogue... many discounted and some out of stock forever already...  Click here for more details and relevant links... Now online only till 10.50pm UK time Tuesday 2nd January...

(3) Why not join my Spring Summer Catalogue Product Shares... Click here for more details...

(4) Why not order my Spring Summer Catalogue Paper Swatch Books...Click here for more details... Photo of a swatch book now added too!

(5) Fancy the Stampin Blends alcohol based markers... fancy some Sale A Bration freebies too... why not join my Stampin Blends Club... Click here for the details...

Honeycomb Bauble Ornamernt for Christmas Decorations Blog Hop...

Hello and welcome to the Jems monthly Blog Hop from Amanda Bates at The Craft Spa ... featuring Christmas Decorations... so you are in for some lovely and inspiring projects when you hop around today...

I for one have already shared my main Christmas Decorations class projects already... so I thought I would share a new and simpler project ... but also give you a quick recap of the larger class Christmas Decorations projects... which have duly filled my house with very large boxes of the component parts!!

So first up...  I have a Merry Music honeycomb bauble or ornament to share... these are such fun to make!

Visit the lovely and talented Kim Oliver here for a step by step to help you along your way... though I have done a couple of  things differently with mine... including punching my circles for speed....

I coloured my Mini Ornament with the Dark Cherry Cobbler Stampin Blends pen as shown here... though crafter beware... as mine is lovely and solid... but my ladies ended up with a partially coloured ornament for some reason as it "split" (we reckoned maybe greasy hands on the ornament as it was an after lunch project!)

And before final assembly... I also coloured the edges with the same pen... added Versamark...and chucked red glitter embossing powder (retired) all over and heated it... subtle enough to not show in these photos... but lovely and glittery...

And I have to admit that I loved these so much I ended up with a list of about 20 other ideas to try... but sadly that list will have to carryover to next year!

And here are my "Golden Balls" or "Red Balls" Topiary... and Christmas Lantern that are being made in classes this month... just click on the photo to go to the original post...

Though I really must photograph and share my updated Christmas Lantern... I finally got the desired lights which changed a couple of things in the details... but more on that another day...

Thank you for visiting me today... and now it is time to pass you onto the lovely Samantha... just click on the arrow pic below to go straight there...

Curled Paper Chocolate Topiary

You have no idea how many years this project has been in my head... but has never made it to to the drawing board so to speak...

But this year was the time... and after some lengthy sourcing escapades for the non Stampin' Up! parts... and a disaster or two along the way... it finally all came together... a lovely centrepiece for the christmas table....

Though photographing it was SO hard... and really really does not do it justice!

So this is one of my special Christmas class projects for this year... coming to you at a Craft Spa Class through December... a Merry Little Christmas curly paper Topiary sweet tree... add Ferrero Rocher or Lindor balls... both work as well! Half Day Class... just £25 including 16 treat balls... or come for a Full Day £45 and make the Christmas Lantern too...

And I am so happy with this project... as I know a few people that are really going to LOVE my handmade christmas gift this year.... just hope they are not sneaking a peek here today!!!

Stampin Up! Products Used
Merry Little Christmas papers
Black & White 7/8" Striped Ribbon
Washi Tape Basics Pack 2
Green Sprigs
Year of Cheer Embellishments
Jute Twine

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

Thoughtful Branches Holly

And here is the last of my topiary trio... a holly bush dressed for Christmas...

Spot the details...

You probably won't be able to see this detail... but the leaf canopy is domed... adding real texture to the card. 

Really easy to do... after you have used your Big Shot Die Brush to remove all the die cut scraps... turn the leaf canopy over on the mat and give it another brush (or 3)... everything all pops up ( well down actually!)  to form the dome shape... 

It is also easy to glue down that way - just Tombow or Precision Tip Glue around the edges and be careful to leave the dome shape in the centre as you stick it down...

A double spoiler alert now... a red glitter-embossed Holly Berry Happiness punched bow... yes glitter embossing powders are coming your way... My initial glitter-embossing wasn't so deep in colour ( I think my Versamark needed a re-ink!)... so  - rather than go upstairs to get the Versamark refill - I cheated! I stamped the bow in Real Red, then I stamped over in Versamark, applied the Red glitter-embossing powder and heated to melt...worked a treat! Lovely and glittery

And 1/8" hand punched circle red glimmer paper berries...

Another Seasonal Bells punched and trimmer plant pot - a different bell this time! And banner again from Seasonal Bells...

And a tree trunk from a Soft Suede sliver stamped with the woodgrain effect stamp in Soft Suede from Timeless Textures...

And if this is the first of the Topiary Trio you have come across - and some of the new Autumn Winter/Holiday product names are new to you! Please feel free to go back a few days worth of blog posts when more is revealed...

Thoughtful Branches - Happy Christmas Topiary

I guess that some of you will have guessed where I might go next after yesterday's post....

Well... it is August... it is Stampin' Up! pre-order month for us demos... and I do so enjoy my Christmas makes...

So here is my Thoughtful Branches topiary bush all dressed up for Christmas... with some more Autumn Winter Catalogue Sneak Peeks!

Plant pot and banner from the Seasonal Bells stamp and punch Bundle... available from 1st September

Bows from Holly Berry Happiness stamp and punch Bundle. And note... this punch also punches Baby Bear's Bow.... Yay! Available from 1st September.

Oh and little robins from Thoughtful Branches. Available August only...

Thoughtful Branches Topiary - and Spoiler Alert!

So I was asked for a Welcome to your New Home card... for someone into topiary.... so it had to be... 

The August-exclusive Thoughtful Branches was still out...so I stamped and die cut 3 leaf canopies... hand trimmed 2 of them to smaller sizes...and there you go... Love it!

The greeting and banner is from the Banners For You bundle

And Spoiler Alert.... 

There is also a Sneak Peek from the new Autumn Winter Catalogue on here.... so look away now if you don't want the spoiler......

Life saver when my pre-order box turned up!! This bush was in a cupcake base up till then.... this plant pot is SO much nicer...

Still not sure? Well... it is a punched bell... with a couple of snips... and turned upside down...perfect!! From the up and coming... Seasonal Bells... (no link as this item is not available until 1st September!)

Think you are going to like these bells!!! Stamp set, Punch or the Bundle... And definitely not just for Christmas... 

I can see a Seasonal Bells Class Kit coming on soon.... but do remember to buy your Thoughtful Branches THIS month... it is a keeper!!

Unless that is... anyone would like a Thoughtful Branches Class Kit this month!!?? I could do that even though I am not running a physical class.... mmm... Contact me here for more information