Another Wild About Flowers card

Staying on my clean & simple makes using Wild About Flowers and Watercolor Wash.

Same card as yesterday - but different flower, greeting and colour combination this time. Soft Sky again, Pear Pizzazz for the green, Lost Lagoon for the greeting and Rose Red for the flowers...

Slightly brighter which seemed more appropriate for this flower image....

A few pearls added to highlight... and there you have it!

Love this sentiment!

And last but not least - apologies for anyone coming on today to check out my Fancy Fold Friday post. I knew what I wanted to write up.... but my extra GCSE school runs & life took their toll this week... so huge fail on my part...

But next week will be different - as the son and heir has NO exams...so no trips into York for me!! And the following week - he has the last one!!

Boy will he (and we) be happier then.... I get my crafting/teaching room back for a start!!! Life will become so much simpler again.... everything back in its place....

Wild About Flowers...and NEW Thick Whisper White Card!

New THICK Whisper White card… New stamp sets… new quick & simple makes!

First of all the stamp sets… Wild About Flowers and Watercolour Wash… a match made in heaven for those that like silhouettes over a watercolour background… bang on trend!

And a quick tip for how I used the Watercolour Wash BIG background stamp... inked up & stamped in Soft Sky first, then inked up just the top part of the stamp and stamped the Mint Macaron over the top at the bottom...was just easier that way!

Same card...Two ways...

Some like it clean around the edges....

Some like it overlapping the edges...

And I have to laugh at myself (again!) ... I meant to do a matching One Layer Card ... but I got a bit carried away with testing out stamping side by side on Whisper White and Thick Whisper White - so I forgot!! I even searched through the samples I had made...as I was sure I had.... but no....

Colour combi... Mint Macaron, Soft Sky, Lost Lagoon & Wisteria Wonder...

And now for a quick review of Amanda’s number 1 product in the new 2015-16 Annual Catalogue! 

Yes Thick Whisper White card stock! I have been waiting SO long. And yes I have been one of those on the relentless treadmill of “we want thick white for card blanks pretty please!” at every opportunity Stampin’ Up! has given us to comment on products for the last 7 years… So thank you Stampin’ Up!

And I am not disappointed…. It is thick enough to use for card blanks, it scores well, it stamps up well and it works well with the water-colouring techniques I have tried so far. It also doesn’t have the slight sheen that the Whisper White does – which has its advantages for some projects.

In fact I am surprised to report that it stamped up as well as the normal Whisper White – I couldn’t actually tell a difference with my side-by-side test…. Though I will still continue to use my beloved Whisper White for stamping as I think that solid images will work better on it….

So all in all Thick Whisper White is pretty perfect in my eyes!

And I am delighted to be able to do large & one layer cards again… I have missed those in my repertoire…. 

Weekly Deals 10-16 June

Quick post with this week's Weekly Deals.
All with 25% off. For one week only. Ending Tues 16th June 11pm

Click on the picture to go straight to all the details on my On Line Store.

If you haven't got them - don't miss the Squares Framelits - my most used Framelits!

And the Confetti Hearts punch is fabulous for all you hearts lovers....

For me - I might just succumb and buy the Star stamps - well 25% off is 25% off after all!

Email me or order direct through my Online Store.
If ordering on-line  - and your order is less than £150 - please do quote my Rewards Code EYJVTV9C - a small gift will come from me to you for any order over £20 (excl.P&P).

Corner Garden - and a Tip!

Another quick share today. This is the Corner Garden stamp set that I have had a short while  - but new In colors and products intervened...so it didn't see ink... So now it has!

Well I was looking for something to quickly put on my trial of a 6" card using the NEW Whisper White Thick Cardstock... which I have to say has passed all of my tests so far!!!

I stamped and Aqua-Painted the flowers and leaves...and added my favourite Happy Birthday wording (yes again!) - but something was definitely missing...

So a quick tip for you when you just know a card needs just a little bit more... 

Get the Soft Sky inkpad out... 

Aqua Paint a faint outline around the flowers and leaves to make a shadow.  

Then pick up the little splats from the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set - and splat. 

And then suddenly it all come to life....

CAS You've Got This!

Staying on my Watermelon Wonder theme...coupled with Tip Top Taupe...with a bit of Mint Macaron and Sahara Sand thrown in for good measure...

Here is a very Clean & Simple card...just to show off a very simple technique using the You've Got This! stamp set.... use the large background image to colour in your flowers and leaves...simple but very effective.... you would pay good money to buy papers to use for paper piercing to achieve the same effect....

And ...I have to laugh at myself...  Finally I can leave some white in a watercolour effect...

Why can I not do that when armed with a Blender Pen or an Aquabrush! I know you should ...but I just can't!

 And the details... large background stamp inked and used to "colour" the flower and leaves - as well as to give texture to the background panel before stamping the flowers

New In Color Watermelon Wonder & Butterfly Basics

Back to my new 2015-17 In Color introductions... today it is time for Watermelon Wonder - along with Tip Top Taupe which I introduced earlier in the week.....

I have found this one quite difficult to describe! It truly is an original - as it is not red, not pink, not orange, not even coral - but an amazing combination of all 4.....

So a quick simple card to show it off in its first stamping colour depth (Top Butterfly) and its second stamping too ( Bottom Butterfly)! Both are gorgeous... making this a very versatile colour....

Stamp sets used are Butterfly Basics and Happy Birthday Everyone.

Embellishments used are 2015-17 In Color Blossom Accents and good ol' gemstones...

But spot the gemstone in the centre of the Blossom Accent  - fits like a treat - though you have to carefully apply some Tombow to fill the hole before popping on the gemstone....

And  - as I have just been playing around with a new piece of collage software.... just wanting to see how this may look!!

What do you think???

Sprinkles of Life for Fancy Fold Friday

Gosh I am SO late posting today. Something about a box of new goodies turning up days early!! 

But eventually I went back to plan and made what I have been plotting for a few days. Using my Gift Bag Punch Board and lots of other pre-order goodies...with a few brand new products picked straight out of the box and put straight into commission!

So what else can you spot from the new catalogue ... RMDH Sprinkles of Life stamp set... Tree Punch... all 5 new In Colors ( never thought I would use all 5 on 1 project!! But just seemed to work...)

And brand new from the box.... 2015-17 In color Paper Stack & White Perfect Accents..

And yes - I did say Gift Bag Punch Board... well you didn't expect me to make a bag first did you!!!? A Box Card just leapt out at me....

Loving my new tool.... but much more on that another day!!

And the tutorial for this Box Card coming soon ..... sorry - but definitely too late in the evening for that now.... EDITED TO ADD... 3 July 2015 - Tutorial now posted .....

Weekly Deals 3-9 June

Now I know you are all excitedly perusing the BRAND NEW 2015-16 Catalogue…. but don’t forget this Weeks Weekly Deals too – items at 25% off…Offers apply for orders from today up to 9th June.

I think some have been especially selected for you this week as they co-ordinate well with some new products!

And these can all be part of your starter kit if you are wanting to join with Stampin Up!

Edited to add: after a few emails coming in over the last half-hour!... the Fun Flower Punch co-ordinates with 2 stamp sets.

Firstly ... Beautiful Bunch on pg.92 (£25W/£18 Clr)
Note that there are bundles including the punch to be had which work out cheaper than the discounted punch & stamps separately

Beautiful Bunch Clear-Mount Bundle Price: £28.75 Beautiful Bunch Wood-Mount Bundle Price: £34.75

And secondly... the single Bloom For You pg 78 ( £9 W) No bundle available so Weekly Deal a great Deal!

Bloom For You Wood-Mount Stamp Set Price: £9.00

Dashing off now ...as having been to my Monthly Training today...I feel inspired to create!! Just one new tool out... can you guess what it is??? Watch this space....

Free Stamps anyone? Join Stampin' Up! this month

Choose an extra 2 stamp sets for free when you choose to join Stampin’ Up! during the month of June.

Any 2 stamp sets of any value from the BRAND NEW 2015-16 Annual Catalogue.

So not only can you choose any products up to a value of £130… but you can add any 2 stamp sets – for FREE. And you still pay just £99.  For say £218's worth of goods! WOW!!

Just think of those £40+ stamp sets…
Larger Than Life alphabet (£41, pg 132); Crazy About You (£47 in Wood, pg 106); Big News (£40 in Wood, pg 100). Butterfly Basics (£44 in Wood, pg 124); Guy Greetings (£46 Wood, pg 98)

Or even the £30+ sets…
And Many More (£33 in Wood, pg 105); Everything Eleanor (£33 in Wood, pg30); Remarkable You (£32 in Wood, pg 112); You’ve Got This (£35 in Wood, pg 113) & the clear-mount versions of the £40+ wood sets above

I know many of you have more than 1 of those on your Wish Lists!!

Here is my sign up link.... welcome to the team for those of you that I know are about to join because of this offer.... and for those of you thinking about it a bit more...please just contact me for more information.... no obligation at all!

What are you waiting for!? Come and have some fun & crafty time with the Team! This deal is only available from 2nd June to 30th June.

Just click on the picture below to go and take a look at the NEW 2015-16 Catalogue… Note that most of the afore mentioned sets are in the Stamp Picture Index at the back (pgs.185-187)

The NEW Stampin' Up! Annual Catalogue is NOW LIVE!

Short & Sweet! Here you go!

Click on the photo to go straight to the On-Line Catalogue and download for yourself for free…

 

Remember that for today only, 2nd June…until 11.00pm GMT… you can order from this NEW catalogue, the Spring Summer Catalogue and the old 2015-16 catalogue (at the old pre-price increase prices) – so 3 in one…!

It really is your very last chance for those Spring Summer Catalogue Non Carryovers & Annual Catalogue Retiring Items....

And old 2014-15 catalogue hostess benefits apply today only . eg  an additional £25 product for free with a £150+ order..! Only £15 free from tomorrow…

Just email me at thecraftspa@gmail.com or go direct to my Online Shop and place your own order straightaway. 

And don’t forget… for those of you ordering less than £150 on-line... please enter the Hostess Code EYJVTV9C where prompted - I do love sending out gifts to those of you that spend over £20 & do enter the hostess code....

Back very soon with more details of a fabulous promotion for joining Stampin’ Up! during June…