simply stampin' challenge 70

Hey there! 

So I have been organised enough to do my DT entries for Simply Stampin' in advance for the weeks I am away. At the moment I'm either in Wisconsin, North Carolina or South Carolina depending on when you're reading this. We have a fun and packed schedule! Love it!

This week is a sketch challenge...

Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Soft Suede

Cardstock: Whisper White, Soft Suede

DSP: Attic Boutique

Big Shot: Framelits

Punch: 1 3/8" Circle

Accessories: Rhinestone Brads

Ribbon: Chantilly Crochet Trim

I just couldn't make this sketch work, eventually I got something down that I am mildly happy with. Its not great but its okay. I used the framelits with Attic Boutique DSP for the main focal point shapes and gave them a thin border of Soft Suede around the edge. I used another piece of the DSP in the background with more Soft  Suede - I used a circle punch for the scallop edge. My final addition was a crochet trim bow with a rhinestone brad in the centre! 

Go to Simply Stampin' to see the other DT entries and enter yourself! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xx

simply stampin' challenge 69

Hi there! 

School finished yesterday so now I get my lovely hubby for 6 whole weeks and whats more is there's only 3 days until our holiday! I cannot freakin' wait! I'm so excited to introduce Stu to the wonderful United States of America! I'm hope he loves it as much as I do! Do you all have lots of things planned over the summer break?!

Anyway onto the Simply Stampin' challenge for this week, we're on a theme this week. The theme is 

Vintage

Vintage Pens

Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Creative Elements

Ink: Soft Suede

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla

DSP: First Edition, Attic Boutique 

Punch: Scallop Edge

Accessories: Antique Brad

Baker's Twine: Calypso Coral

Extras: Color Spritzer

So I wanted to make the card this week different from last week's which was also really vintage style. Sometimes I find this hard to do when I've just made another one fairly similar! So when I saw the pens in the Attic Butique DSP I thought I'd use that! I stamped the flourish all over the background Crumb Cake and then spritzed it with Soft Suede for that speckled vintage feel. I added a peice of the First Edition paper behind the fountain pens DSP. I also added some bakers twine, sentiment and antique brad to the mix. Its a bit thrown together and little bit of a hash job but I think its turned out okay. I'm not 100% happy with it but there's always that fear that if you carry on playing around with a card sometimes you just end up ruining it completely! 

I hope you like my effort! Now head over to Simply Stampin' to see the other DT entries and create and share your own! 

Amanda x

yummy, yum, yum!

Just thought I'd ake the time to show you another of the samples I made using the new products in the Summer Mini. 

I can't believe we leave for America next week!!! Super excited but I have so so much to do before we go. Now one of the things I am really looking forward to while we are over in Wisconsin is going to Culvers for frozen yoghurt! Oh my goodness its so so yummy! If you haven't tried frozen yoghurt, the only way I can describe it is like Ben and Jerry's but so much better!!! YUM!

IceCream Treats

Stamp Set: Mouthwatering, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Regal Rose, Real Red, Pear Pizzazz, Peach Parfait, Soft Suede, VersaMarker

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Regal Rose, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizzazz

Punch: Modern Label

Emboss Powder: Cherry Scented

Accessories: Rhinestones

Aren't these just so yummy lookin'?! One of my favourite flavours is Pistachio!! The exciting bit on this card is the cherry scented embossed powder  which I added to the cherries! Its smells lush!! I added some scrap strips of cardstock to the bottom for more of a colour pop! 

Do you like it? What's your favourite flavour icecream/frozen yoghurt? 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda x

simple romance

I just realised that I never posted the invitations that I made to send to my customers to invite them to a special launch party for the Summer Mini back in May! Wow long time ago!!

Romance Flowers

Stamp Set: Bordering on Romance

Ink: Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz, Baja Breeze, So Saffron, Riding Hood Red, Basic Black

Extra: Simply Scored

This card couldn't be simpler! I used the score board to make a double frame around the edge of the card and then stamped the flowers in the bottom right hand corner above the score lines. It was coloured in with the stampin' write markers and that's it! Simple cards are great when you have lots to do and quick! 

So have you ordered your goodies from the summer mini yet?! Don't forget its only available til the end of August so you haven't got long to grab your bits before they go!! Don't miss out!

Hope you enjoyed this quickie today! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xx

simply stampin' challenge 68

Back for another challenge over at Simply Stampin' today! This week is a colour challenge, its a beaut! 

Rose Red, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede

Vintage Eleanor Birthday 

Stamp Set: Everything Eleanor, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Rose Red, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede

DSP: First Edition

Accessories: Pearls, Champagne Shimmer Paint& Mist

So I used the stamping off technique to create a second shade of red/pink for my flowers - I love this technique - its especially great if you don't have so many coloured inks and need more shades/colours! I stamped the block frame in Crumb Cake onto the DSP followed by the flourish in Soft Suede. And finally the fancy looking frame in the champagne shimmer paint, this is actually stamped about 3 times but the second two I didn't add any soft suede to the mixture so it can't really be seen in this photo but in real life its sparkly and subtle and beautiful! I added the sentiment and flowers and then lots of pretty pearls before finally spritzing with champagne shimmer mist for even more added sparkle! 

I hope you will hop of over to the Simply Stampin' blog to see the other DT entries and then get on to creating your own! I can't wait to see them, and don't forget if you don't have te exact colours, no matter just use the closest ones you do own! 

Happy Stampin', 

Amanda xo

oh where is my... summer!?!

Goodness me where on earth is summer!?! I seriously cannot remember the last time we had a whole day without rain! How depressing! Come on its July!! Maybe we can coax the sun out with this card - lollies!!

For You Lollies

Stamp Set: Mouthwatering, Tea Shoppe

Ink: Peach Parfait, Lucky Limeade, Melon Mambo, Soft Suede

Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Peach Parfait, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White

So I got stamped the lollies in some very mouthwatering lolly flavour colours. I used some strips of the coordinating colours in the background which just adds more of a pop to the card! A little banner with a sentiment on it from Tea Shoppe. 

Have a great day! 

Amanda x

twitterpated rag wreath

I wanted to show you something a little bit different today. Its a rag wreath that I made for my friend Jo for her birthday! I found the idea on Pinterest, there was a stunning green one by Kristol which I pinned and just found myself coming back to again and again. When I won a free pack of the Twitterpated fabric at a Stampin' Up! training day I just knew I had to use some to make a wreath! 

It was so super simple to make, I used a piece of wire to make the circular frame but an old wire coat hanger would work just the same. I cut the fabrics into strips, about 2 inches wide by 6 inches long. Then all that I had to do was tie them onto the frame. I did it fairly randomly but tried to alternate between the 3 patterns! I finished it off with a Wild Wasabi Striped Grosgrain bow and another length to hang it by! 

What do you think? Love it?

Happy Craftin',

Amanda xx

C25K update

Just thought I'd give you a really quick update on my C25K. So last night I completed Week 3, tomorrow I begin Week 4! 

Week 4 (Brisk 5 minute warm up walk, jog for 3 minutes, walk 90 seconds, jog for 5 minutes, walk for 2.5 minutes, jog for 3 minutes, walk for 90 seconds, jog for 5 minutes) so it involves a whole lot more running and a lot less walking! I've gotta admit I'm pretty apprehensive about it although I've been quite apprehensive about what I'm capable of doing every single week and not failed yet so that helps keep me going! 

To be honest I can't believe I'm almost half way there! I hope I can keep it up to some degree while on holiday in America! I worked out that if I do keep it up I'm on track to finish it just before my 25th birthday! 

Anyhow this is only a quick update. Have a great day! 

Amanda xo

simply stampin' challenge 67

Good morning! 

Simply Stampin' Challenge time again folks! This week is a sketch again and here we have it...

And my interpretation...

Birthday Cupcake

Stamp Set: Easy Events

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, Basic Black

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Rose Red

Punch: Owl Builder

Ribbon: Blushing Bride Pleated Satin, Pretty in Pink Satin, Pretty in Pink Taffeta (Retired)

Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds

So Deb did some beautiful CAS cards with the Easy Events stamp set last week which has made me want to get my set out for a play again! 

As you can see I rotated the sketch! 

I started by stamping the cupcake and colouring it in with a blender pen for a watercolour look, I mounted it on a some crumb cake for a border and help it stand out against all the pink I was about to throw at the card! I wanted to try something different for the strips in the background so I thought I'd raid my ribbons for pinks - hence the retired taffeta because the colours matched - it really showcases the ribbons and different textures. They were adhered/tied to the card and the cupcake popped up on top. To finish it off and add a small bit of pop to the card I punched the tiny heart from the owl punch and added it to the top of the cupcake and added glitter! That cupcake looks SO yummy!!!

I hope you will head over to the Simply Stampin' blog to check out the other amazingly talented DT entries, and enter yourself! Oh and don't forget to leave me a comment and let me know what you thought to this card! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xx

a special card

Hiya! 

Okay so I've just posted a C25K update (seem my previous post) but I thought I'd also show you a special card I was commissioned to make last month. 

It was for a 80 birthday and I was asked to make it a big card (oh I don't really do big cards - a challenge for me!!) and pinks and roses. I used a retired stamp set here as it was the only one I had with roses. Even though its retired I couldn't help but share this with y'all! 

Rose Wreath 80 Birthday

Stamp Set: Baby Blossoms (Retired), Apothecary Art

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Wisteria Wonder, Pear Pizzazz

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Regal Rose, Wisteria Wonder

Big Shot: Timeless Type Junior Alphabet

Ribbon: So Saffron Taffeta (Retired)

Accessories: Pearls

So this has still got to be one of my favourite stamp sets - so so darling! So sad its retired! So i had a rough circle pencil line which I followed to make my wreath. I stamped the ditsy flowers in wisteria - the base was stamped off for a lighter shade and then the coordinating detail stamp in full strength for that subtle pretty look. I then added in lots of leaves in the spaces with Pear Pizzazz (going to miss this colour SO much when it retires in September!!!) I then stamped in some scrap vanilla lots of roses and spent time cutting them all out to layer over the top - great way to add dimension, depth and perfect placement! I also added a bow to the wreath because I think a wreath has to have a bow! In the middle I added a banner with happiest birthday and an 80. The way I made this card "big" was to just use a larger card base, layer up some of the colours I used in the wreath as mounts and just have a plain and simple large boarder around the edge. Oh and of course I added some pearls for pretty bling!

Apparently the recipient loved it! I am so glad! 

Hope you liked this! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda x

C25K update

Hey there! 

Man oh man how is it Friday already!?! I completely meant to blog this week, got lots of things I wanted to show off and alas the week has escaped me!! I also wanted to give you a little update about my C25K. So here it goes...

 I should have completed week 2 at the end of last week but I was having a super lazy Friday last week and just couldn't find the energy. Saturday I went to Cambridge on a photography trip for the day so after traipsing around Cambridge all day I was shattered and going out for a run, I must admit was NOT on my mind. So I ended up doing my last week 2 run on Monday, I have to say I didn't hold out too much hope of success after no running for 4/5 days. To my surprise it went well I managed the whole run without pressing pause to catch my breath once!! It was a proud moment!

 Now I am on week 3 (5 minutes warm up walk followed by 2 repetitions of 90 seconds jog, 90 seconds walk, 3 minutes jog, 3 minutes walk and then a 5 minute cool down at the end). I intended to start week 3 on Tuesday but it just rained so much I had to give it a miss. I had an awful night sleep Tuesday, woke up like 5 times with nightmares (!?!?!?!) so Wednesday was just a rubbish blur and I spent the entire evening sorting stuff out at my mom's so when I rolled in at midnight I had absolutely NO enthusiasm for running. Tonight I did my first run. I wasn't looking forward to 3 minutes running - I seriously doubted I had it in me to do it and was fully expecting to have to press pause a few times during the session. Well, I was AWESOME!!! Probably the best run I have done so far, pressed pause for about 7 seconds on my 90 second walks to give myself a little extra time to catch my breath before the 3 minute runs. Actually I found the 3 minutes easier than the 90 seconds! Probably because its longer you don't think about the time so much - I was utterly amazed to see how fast 3 minutes running went by! I honestly thought it would seem like an eternity! 

I'm actually loving (mostly) my runs at the moment and look forward to going out on them! Never thought in a million years I'd say that! If any of you out there is reading this thinking it sounds nuts running for enjoyment and to get fit I'd really urge you to try it! It just feels so good when you've accomplished a run and I actually feel myself getting fitter and slimmer too!!! 

Well my "short" update has turned into a little bit of a blabbering on rant - sorry for that! 

Have a great day! 

Amanda xo