sorry guys!

Sorry for being quiet lately. Its been a super busy couple of week and to top it off this morning the entire left hand side of my screen went black! This is NOT good!! To be honest I don't even know how I am going to finish preparing for class tomorrow - I have numbers and stuff to print. Uh-oh! So as a result of not being able to see lots of my screen I cannot upload photos (as I can't see what I am doing - I can just about manage to write this) so blogging is going to be quiet until I can get a solution worked out. Ideally a new laptop would be brilliant but they are expensive - I think I am going to have to try and borrow a spare screen from someone. I'll keep you posted!

Take care,

Amanda xx

simply stampin' challenge, week 33

Another week has just flown by - been really busy this week with lots of parties and all sorts so sorry for neglecting the blog! Its Saturday again and another challenge over at the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog. This week is a theme, and the theme is...

LEAFY

Happy Thanksgiving

Stamp Set: French Foliage, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: More Mustard, Bravo Burgundy

Cardstock: Naturals Ivory

A really simple and clean card this time for me. I know its so easy (for me) to want to do a really earthy rich and intense colour palette with fall/autumnal leaves but for this I wanted to just try and make something that still retained a hint of carefree summer. I rock and rolled the leaves and then stamped them off onto scrap paper before stamping them over the background for a lighter shade. I then stamped 3 leaves in full intensity onto a scrap, cut them out and used dimensionals to adhere them in a little row. Final thing to do is stamp my sentiment - I am SO VERY MUCH looking forward to thanksgiving - pumpkin pie, turkey, wild rice and all the trimmings here I come! 

I hope this card has inspired you to have some leafy fun of your own and create a card for this week's challenge - you could even be one of our top three! So head on over to the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog, check out the other design team's entries and upload your own! I can't wait to see what you come up with! 

Please do leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Happy Stampin',

Amanda x

simply stampin' challenge, week 32

Good Morning!

First off I would like to thank everyone for their kind wishes over the past week - I am now feeling A LOT better! A bit gutted that I missed an entire week of my life sick on the sofa and now have a couple of REALLY hectic weeks! Oh well, sometimes it cannot be helped!

Now, here we are on Saturday again and that means another Simply Stampin' Challenge!! This week is a Colour Challenge and this time the colours are....

I have a LOVELY project to share with you - I had lots of fun making this one. It was inspired by a sketch from a book called Folding Ideas for Cards and Envelopes by Laurence K. Withers. 

Hugs Because I Care

Stamp Set: Just Perfect Alphabet, Precious Butterflies

Ink: Soft Suede

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Peach Parfait

DSP: Domestic Goddess

Punch: Scallop Edge, Decorative Label, 3/4" Circle

Big Shot: Top Note

Accessories: Mini Brads, Brown Baker's Twine (non-SU)

Extras: Paper Piercer, Mat Pack

I started out by wanting to make a different than normal card. So this card all folds up with some of the sentiment on the outside and then continues inside. I think its a lovely and special card to give to someone going through a hard time - that's what immediately screamed to me when I saw the colours - so sunny and happy looking! 

I started by folding my card then cut a curve on one of the flaps. I added some gorgeous sunny Daffodil Delight DSP from the Domestic Goddess collection - it was all sun rays and and sparkles - I just thought it was really fitting! I punched a scallop trim to add the the front flap, and some small circles that could be used to make a tie to hold the card together. I used brads to attach the circles for the closure. On the inside I added a portion of the Top Note to the centre and a sentiment to the bottom corner punched out with the decorative label punch. I then stamped some butterflies and cut out some too, to decorate the inside and outside (I used some of these butterflies to cover up the backs of the brads. I used a combination of the Just Perfect Alphabet and my own hand writing to make up the sentiment. Finally I added faux stitching around all the edges. 

Now a really in depth card for this week but I hope you enjoyed seeing a bit of a different card and have been inspired to try something different yourself! I'd love to see what you come up with. 

Please visit the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog to see what the other talented design team members have created for you this week and then get creating yourself! I can't wait to see what you come up with! 

Thanks for stopping by, please do leave me a comment,

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xx

nothing today

Well, I woke up fine yesterday but as the morning developed I began getting a stomach ache and headache...managed to hold it together long enough for mr tesco man and post man but the whole day went dramatically downhill. I was totally freezing despite the fire being on, had a really bad headache and couldn't keep anything down - not even liquids so I am extremely dehydrated, feeling quite weak and generally not up for much - even today.

So as you might be able to tell crafting took a back seat and so did house cleaning - ugh! I'm going to have an easy day today but might have something for you tomorrow.

Take care,

Happy Craftin',

Amanda x