WOW! My 15 years Stamp-a-Versary...

Little did I think that I would still be here doing this 15 years ago! 

Like most people I originally signed up with Stampin' Up! just for the discount on my personal crafting supplies... but ended up with so so much more! 

So many really good friends made with class and online customers, blog followers, other demonstrators all round the world and Stampin' Up! staff.. as well as still keeping in touch with school-year friends and neighbours that became class mates/crafters... So so many good times and tears (mainly of laughter I hasten to add...)  

As an aside here... a huge thanks to all of you that follow and read my blog posts - whether that be since August 2009 when I started... or just a few days ... I hope that you still find all the tutorials useful... and I still hope to resume with more... as I am still creating a few cards per month to share... 

And a particular thanks to those of you that have purchased tutorials - there aren't so many of them (as they are somewhat longer tutorials that take a huge amount of time to produce) - but those purchases have enabled me to remain a demonstrator for the last 3 years... as they have funded my orders whilst classes weren't possible...

Plus... craft inspiration and "learning on the job" in bucket loads... and then the true honour of using all that in turn to inspire and instruct others... whether via this blog online or face to face...  I still laugh at my comment a few years in that " I used to spend all my time researching , shopping and then storing and logging my crating purchases...but not much creating... Then after joining Stampin' Up! I spent all my time learning, experimenting & creating as well as sharing those creations... much more satisfying... and a lot cheaper!"

But I can honestly say that I never dreamt that my brain would be able to design new card folds and packaging ideas! Or blog... or write tutorials for others to follow... and definitely not stand up in a room presenting to lots of fellow demonstrators (though admittedly these times have been few and far between as that is not in my comfort zone at all!) And oh... I could never imagine running a "Health improving service" for fellow demonstrators either!! Amazing what happens after you lose 5 stone yourself...

Oh and a lot of crafting supplies earnt over the years! Effectively all earnt for free! 

Here's to the next 15...

But before I go... and I may be in trouble with some of these!! Just a few recollections over the years! In no particular order...  If you know... you know! Good times! Mostly!

Simple Saturday Snowflake Tree Trio...

Just realised I hadn't shared the 3rd card from the simple little trio of Snow is Glistening trees...

Silver embossed tree on Whisper White... cut out by hand...  matted on Galvanised Metallic Paper (which is reduced in the Year End Closeout Sale - while stocks last)

Greeting from Merry Christmas To All...

And so here are the three together for you too..

Lemon Lime Twist & Background Bits

A summery day scene.... featuring the new hostess set Background Bits 

With 3 of the birds from High Tide... 

Sponging & swooshing inks for the "marbled" sky on glossy A4 cardstock again which all my ladies are loving doing! (mixing Soft Sky, Pool Party & Dapper Denim for the sky with Lemon Lime Twist for the ground)

And spot the extra script over the ground area (in Pear Pizzazz) - love this stamp in the Background Bits for adding a bit of texture and interest....

And lots of new projects to photo tomorrow.... been a busy little Amanda!!!

Welcome Little One Stockings

So back to my other plan for On Stage Telford swaps.... So this one is definitely not for Christmas... but great to welcome a new little one instead...

Still using Joyful Nativity & Hang Your Stockings... did I tell you the Stockings have 25% off this month!

So how did I do the reverse stocking on the left!? Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo and time is not on my side today!

So... in the meantime... I die cut a white stocking and stamped over the foot area. If you look carefully at it... the stamping carries up over the top of the foot area (as that is where the length of the stocking went as I stamped) and the heel has become the toe... but I don't think you will have noticed those until now I have  pointed it out!

Greeting from Sunshine Sayings (bundled with Sunshine Wishes dies with 10% off) Colours used Soft Sky, Sahara Sand and Whisper White...Finished off with Linen Thread...

Definitely too time consuming on the day for 50 or so swaps... but thought I should share it any case...

More Super CAS Butterfly Basics

Thought I had better keep these Butterfly Basics samples all together... particularly as each one was demoed on the day of the class ... so I did end up making quite a lot of variants as I just had to finish them off...... 

These three are all the same apart from the addition of the butterflies and the Tip Top Taupe greeting used...

First up using the small punched butterfly from Butterfly Basics in Rich Razzleberry, Sweet Sugarplum and Pink Pirouette. Along with the greeting from the hostess Time of Year stamp set..

Next up, Rich Razzleberry stamped and die cut butterfly (again Butterfly Basics & Butterflies dies) Wording from the Butterfly Basics set too...

And lastly... new Stylised Birthday greeting stamp and Bold Butterfly die cut butterfly. 

Interestingly I missed this greeting stamp in the new catalogue... luckily a few of my ladies pointed out the error in my ways!!! Bit of a go to stamp for me now.....

And a Tuesday Tip for you.... this last butterfly is die cut and then just watercoloured using the Aquapainter in Pool Party on the body and wings and then Mint Macaron on the tips of the wings... great inky fun! I then added a few Rhinestones Basics Jewels for a splash of shine on the wings and body....