simply stampin' challenge 66

Back today with another Simply Stampin' Challenge. This week's challenge is a theme and the theme is 

Clean & Simple

Birthday Flower

Stamp Set: Apothecary Art

Ink: Night of Navy

Cardstock: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight

Punches: Blossom, 5 Petal Flower, Boho Blossoms, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border, Corner Rounder

Accessories: Daffodil Delight Brad

So I'm not sure that the photo really does this card justice. The flower is really curvy and poofy! The tab just balances out the rest of the card and adds a place for the sentiment. 

Hope you liked this fun CAS card! I look forward to seeing your CAS creations over on the Simply Stampin' blog.

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xo

simply stampin' challenge week 54

This week is a themed week folks! And the theme is...

Easter

Seeing as Easter is tomorrow you probably already have Easter projects/decorations/gifts/cards made so what could be easier than taking a quick pic and posting it on your blog. And for those of you who don't have a blog you can always email your creation to simplystampinchallenge@hotmail.co.uk! We all can't wait to see what you've created! 

Easter Basket

Cardstock: Early Espresso Textured

Accessories: Old Olive Brad

Non-SU: Green Tissue Shreddings, Baby Chicks, Chocolate Eggs

I basically used this template on Heather's blog and just made my own version. I filled it with the shredded tissue and eggs and chicks! Its just a nice little decoration for my home! 

Please head over to the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog for the other DT entries and to enter yourself! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xo

party bunting

Morning all! 

Don't you just love getting new stuff to play with?! I am super bad at it. Occassionally I borrow stamp sets/punches/dies off my downline when I fancy something different to play with. Below is such an occasion. 

Party Bunting

Stamp Set: Party This Way

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Pacific Point, Rich Razzleberry, Real Red, Old Olive

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Pacific Point, Rich Razzleberry, Real Red, Old Olive

Punch: Petite Pennants

Big Shot: Timeless Type Junior Alphabet

Accessories: Brads, Baker's Twine

I stamped a load of the balloons in the background using a masking technique so I could get them to overlap each other. I also used the stamping off technique for a lighter shade - so they would match with the bunting but also let the bunting stand out over quite a busy background! The pennants were stamped and punched and then the letters for the word PARTY cut out with the timeless type alphabet. I threaded all the pennants onto some baker's twine and fastened it with some brads. 

I hope you enjoyed my little playful creation! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xo

paper players challenge

Any of my faithful blog readers will know that I am a design team member for Simply Stampin' Challenge blog. I love doing it, but what with having to produce an entry for that every week, my own personal projects, SU business stuff and general life I don't really find time to look at other challenge blogs and NEVER seem to be organised enough to actually enter any - I've had the best of intentions several times but not quite succeeded. Anyway, today I was surfing the net and came across The Paper Players. Their sketch for the week looked interesting and I thought I could do something with it! So here's the sketch I was working from along with my own take on it!

Spring Flowers & Frame

Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Rich Razzleberry

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Tangerine Tango

Punches: Scallop Circle, Boho Blossoms, 5 Petal Flower, Curly Label, Scallop Trim 

Big Shot: Little Leaves, Oval Frame

Ribbon: Very Vanilla Satin

Accessories: Brights Brad, Rhinestones

So this was actually my third attempt at this sketch - my first two attempts just developed into something else and they were so pretty I didn't want to mess around with them to fit the sketch so this is my third try and its using a few left overs! Oh I love cards that use leftovers! I had this Razzleberry flower which has been sitting in my craft room for probably about 9 months now - its the scallop circle, split cardstock to make it poofy and fastened with a brights brad. Underneath is the 5 petal flower for the leaves. I had the idea that it would look really nice in the oval embossed frame but it looked a little lonely so I used some little tangerine boho blossoms and little leaves to fill it out. I added my sentiment to the side and punched a border with the scallop trim for the bottom of the card. Finally I added some ribbon and rhinestones to just finish it off. 

I hope you like this little number - I'm quite pleased with how it worked out - its defo a hand delivery number though as the flower is POOFY!!! Let me know what you think and leave me a comment! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Amanda x

my dad's birthday card

I thought today I would show you the birthday card that I made for my dad last week. I had to take the photo at night inside - the lighting is really poor so sorry for the bad quality photo - I'm sure you get the idea though! 

Vintage Happy Birthday

Stamp Set: Letter It Alphabet

Ink: Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Whisper White

DSP: Everyday Elegance (SAB)

Accessories: Mini Brads

I stamped out the letters for HAPPY and then cut them out, sticking them roughly in the centre of the card. I wrote birthday in my handwriting underneath. I added some strips of the Everyday Elegance DSP and finished off with some stitching lines. I did a little bit of sponging with Crumb Cake ink to distress the card and calm down the white. Finally I added brads between each of the letters in the word HAPPY to make it look like they have been pinned down. 

Another quite simple card really, I hope you liked it. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Amanda xx

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

so timeless...

So, did you enjoy your extra hour this morning?! We have been away visiting Stuart's aunt, uncle and cousins - Esther had a Stampin' Up party and then we stayed for the weekend for some fun - got back last night completely shattered and so I enjoyed my extra hour snuggled up in bed asleep. I must've been out of it for almost 12 hours!! wowee! 

Today's post features some of the Timeless Portrait DSP - thought it would be appropriate to have a 'time' related post seeing as the clocks went back! :)

Timeless Daughter

Stamp Set: For My Family

Ink: Versa Mark

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Island Indigo

DSP: Timeless Portrait 

Emboss: White Powder, Heat Tool

Big Shot: Lot of Tags

Punches: Decorative Label

Accessories: Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon, Brads

I just used a few scraps of the DSP to make this card and punched out the girl silhouette with a punch - I thought about cutting it out but thought that the blue just set it off against the vanilla background and it was quicker too!! I tied some ribbon on too and cut out a tag with the big shot. I embossed the word daughter on it and also embossed the brads white to tie in as silver didn't go!

Altogether a simple and elegant little card.

I hope you enjoyed seeing something else new in the catalogue - please do leave a comment and let me know what you think! I love reading them! Thanks.

Happy Stampin',

Amanda

everything eleanor

Wow what a set!!! This is a new set in the catalogue and I just LOVE it!! Its called Everything Eleanor and its just absolutely fabulous! I think its my absolute favourite set at the moment! (Its not even in the American catalogue - that's how special it is!!) I'll share loads of cute projects done with this over the next few weeks but here's today's! This is one of the cards I demonstrated at Sue's party on Monday. 

Thank You Kissing Birdie

Stamp Set: Everything Eleanor, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Baja Breeze, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Versa Mark

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede

Big Shot: Vintage Wallpaper

Embossing: Gold Emboss Powder, Heat Tool

Accessories: Silver Brads

Extras: Sponges, Paper Piercer, Mat Pack

So this card highlights the 'kissing' technique. It involves inking up two stamps, a plain stamp (frame) and then another with pattern (flourish). Then you kiss the two inked stamps together. This means the pattern from the second stamp has now been transferred onto the plan stamp. Its a fun technique and really effective on this card. I then stamped the frame and cut it out, and used soft suede ink to sponge the edges and very lightly over the baja breeze frame to give it a vintage feel. I then ran the very vanilla cardstock through the big shot in the vintage wallpaper embossing folder. I stamped the flourish over the soft suede cardstock in soft suede ink to just add a little pattern and then sponged the edges before assembling the card. Oh the other thing I did was heat emboss my brads - I only had silver but wanted a vintagey gold brad so I inked up the heads with versamark, dipped them into gold powder and heated them. This is a great little trick if you don't have the right colour brads! 

I hope you enjoyed this little card as much as I do, please do leave a comment and let me know what you think! As I said there's lots more to come with Everything Eleanor  so stay tuned! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xoxo

new catalogue!

I am so excited!! The new catalogue was released on Saturday and it is just jam packed full of awesome new stuff! You can view the catalogue online here, alternatively come along to my launch party on Friday 7th October at 7:30pm to see the catalogue, some of the new products and have a play! It would be really great to see you there!

Today, I'd like to share with you a card  I made for Stuart's cousin, Abi, whose birthday it was yesterday!

Sweet Sixteen Icecream

Stamp Set: Pennant Parade

Ink: Soft Suede, Real Red

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Whisper White

DSP: Just Add Cake

Accessories: Real Red Brads

Punches: Pennant

Extras: Paper Piercer, Dimensionals

This is using a new stamp set called Pennant Parade, designed for making bunting on your paper crafting creations, however it has lots of other uses too for example a Christmas tree and today I made mine into a icecream cone. We have been having so much lovely warm weather I decided that ice cream wasn't too far out an idea for a October birthday card. I hand wrote the sentiment as I don't have anything for a 16 year old. 

I hope you've liked this little share, please leave a comment and come back tomorrow for another new catalogue project!! I have been away from blogging for so long and now have a back log of cards and projects to share with you all!

Hugs,

Amanda xx

awesome august

A few days ago was my August class. This month's class focused on punches! I love punches so to do a class on punches was just so much fun!! Here are the project we did...

Flutter Away Butterfly

A cute card using the stencilling technique. To finish it off we added a fe punched butterflies out, this made it look like the butterflies were flying off the page! 

Flower Box

This was the main project we focused on this time as it involved rock and roll, glittery, glossy butterflies, gorgeous rolled roses, and fluffy 3D flowers! 

If you would like to have a go at learning these techniques and doing these projects yourself please get in touch for a catch up class, I have several people who have expressed an interest so please don't hesitate, contact me now, at amanda_burditt@hotmail.co.uk

I hope you enjoyed seeing what I and six lovely ladies got up to on Saturday, and I would love to share it with you too. Please do leave a comment.

Hugs,

Amanda

xxx

simply stampin' challenge, week 20

Just not with it yet! I've been super busy with rabbit sitting, 3 workshops and other life happening that I just haven't had time to focus on my blog lately...whoops! Anyway I managed to sort of do the Simply Stampin' Challenge this week. By this I mean that I got it made and submitted just in time but was lacking inspiration slightly!! So I did a really simple card, sorry its nothing to write home about. It wasn't 'til I looked at the other entries today that I realised I used the wrong colour. Some how I read Pink Pirouette not Pretty in Pink, so sorry about that. So, moving on, this week's colour challenge colours are...

Hello Flower 

Stamp Set: Tiny Tags

Ink: Early Espresso, Pink Pirouette, Pacific Point

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pacific Point, Early Espresso

DSP: Pink Pirouette

Punches: 5 Petal Flower, Boho Blossoms, Jewellery Tag 

Accessories: Early Espresso Satin Ribbon, Brad

Extras: Sponge, Paper Piercer, Dimensionals

So now you've seen my uber simple effort this week please visit the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog for more inspiration and to enter. Weeks 20-23, there is also a chance to win a stamp set! Its is the uber cute Forest Friends, so for your chance to win please do enter! 

Take care,

Amanda xx

oh sew swirly

Following in the theme of Saturday's class. Here is one of my samples I made to show at class on Saturday using the wheel. I really love the So Swirly wheel and while it is advertised as a Christmas product I think it is so versatile. 

Oh Sew Swirly

Stamp Set: Basic Phrases, So Swirly Wheel

Ink: Regal Rose

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink

DSP: Oh Sew

Punches: Modern Label, Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, Boho Blossoms, Itty Bitty Pack, Corner Rounder

Accessories: Brights Buttons, Brights Brads

Extras: Paper Piercer, Tombo Multi Glue, Jumbo Wheel Handle

I used a variety of punches to make several flowers using dsp paper and then applied them to the So Swirly wheel. I stamped the sentiment on some more dsp and punched it out using the Modern Label punch. All the flowers and modern label punch were very rounded so I decided round all the corners of the card. I think it makes a very sweet and cute girly birthday card! 

Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think. I look forward to reading your comments! 

Hugs,

Amanda x

accept, accept, accept!

My husband's cousin, Naomi, is getting married in August. We got a wedding invitation from her about a month ago and due to business I still have not got round to replying...until today!

Blushing Bride Acceptance

Stamp Set: n/a

Cardstock: Always Artichoke, Old Olive, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White

DSP: Blushing Bride (Hostess only)

Ink: Frost White Shimmer Paint

Punches: Modern Label, 1 3/4" Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, 1" Circle, Two Step Bird

Accessories: Old Olive Button, Old Olive Brad

Extras: Dimensionals, White Gel Pen, Rubbing Alcohol, Tombo Mono Multi Glue, Glue Dots

Nay's wedding is a dusty pink colour so I thought my hostess in colour Blushing Bride dsp would be perfect for making an acceptance card! I punched out a variety of circles in a couple of the patterns, crumpled them up then I began unfolding layering and rescrunching up. I made 3 flowers in this way, large, medium and small.  I then sprayed them with my uber cool shimmer mist (rubbing alcohol and shimmer paint in a old spray bottle!), added a Old Olive button to the largest, a Old Olive brad to the middle and the bud was too tiny to need anything in the centre! I adhered them to the Pear Pizzazz cardstock and embellished with a few branchy sprigs in Old Olive and Always Artichoke! I finally hand wrote the sentiment onto a modern label punch with white gel pen and did a dashed line around the edge of the Pear Pizzazz. Finally I mounted the whole thing on a Whisper White card base! 

I hope you enjoyed today's share! I am really pleased with this little card. Please do leave a comment!

Thanks for visiting!

Amanda

xxx

in-love with in-colour...blushing bride

The second in my series of playing with the in-colours, this time its Blushing Bride! I admit, I just wasn't that taken with the colour. My first thought was we have Pink Pirouette and Pretty in Pink, why do we need another pale pink?! But when I got the pack, looked at the colour my opinion changed, its a lovely colour, a little dusty and it really looks great on the hostess patterned paper pack I've been playing with! I loved my upline, Rhoda's, banner cards she made a few months ago (click here to see), and thought it would make a perfect summery baby girl or even wedding card! 

Blushing Bride Congrats

Stamp Set: Just Perfect Alphabet

Cardstock: Whisper White

DSP: Blushing Bride (6x6 Hostess only), Certainly Celery

Ink: Certainly Celery

Punches: Modern Label

Accessories: Linen Thread, Brads (Pale Green-non SU- I wanted to use Certainly Celery brads but I don't have any yet!) Basic Rhinestones

Extras: Stamp-a-ma-jig, paper piercer

Isn't it such a sweet card?! I punched out the modern label punch in different patterns, fold them over and then use the stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the letters on them (the Just Perfect Alphabet fits PERFECTLY on this punch for banners). I then stuck the two sides together with the linen thread in the middle. I pierced two holes, stuck the brads through then wrapped the thread around the brads so the banner was hanging between the two. SO CUTE! I used a tiny bit of adhesive it keep the "flags" from moving around, adhered a strip of Certainly Celery dsp to the bottom and then added a rhinestone and bow to finish off the banner! 

Doesn't the banner show off the patterns beautifully! It could almost be fabric! 

Please leave a comment, they make my day!!! 

Amanda xx

adorable baby girl

Yesterday my husband's cousin had a little baby girl, Georgia Poppy! (totally adore her name!) I am so excited! The boys are all so sweet, but this is the first girl to be born in the family for 15 years so she is long overdue! I am not a baby person in the slightest but I am really excited to meet her and have a little cuddle! Maybe its my maternal side kicking in or something! I don't know! Anyway, obviously a new baby requires a welcome baby card! I showed one last week, but I wanted to make a special little one just for Georgia today, and here it is...

It's a Girl 

Stamp Set: It's a Girl (Hero Arts, not SU)

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Pink Pirouette DSP, Very Vanilla

Ink: Basic Black, Elegant Eggplant, Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight

Accessories: Brads, Linen Thread

Extras: Blender Pen, Dimensionals, Paper Piercer

A really simple little card, its very tall and thin but the height was important to enable me to have enough space for the elephant and flowers as well as the hanging girl mobile! I really love the little adorable wording and heart in the bottom corner! Adorable is definitely my word of the moment! 

I hope you enjoyed today's short and sweet entry today. 

Hope you're all having a great week! Don't forget to leave a comment!

Amanda xoxo

wedding card

My husband, Stuart, took in a bunch of my cards today to sell at his school for me, as a result, I have been asked to make a wedding card. Brilliant because I love making pretty wedding cards! However, the specifications are "beautiful and different!" That's a corker! Beautiful is the easy bit but trying to come up with a card that is different too is proving more tricky! Trying to remember back to my own wedding last summer and the cards we got then, I guess the common wedding cards include hearts, bride and groom, flowers and cake, so how to do a different card?! I've been mulling it over all evening and after finishing off a few other projects and having a go at bleach stamping because I just couldn't wait (so much fun - sample on its way hopefully tomorrow). I remember some gorgeous cards that my upline Rhoda posted on her blog (link: http://shetlandstamper.blogspot.com/2011/02/exciting-times.html). I've been wanting to try out one of these banner cards for a while, it was one of the reasons I decided I just had to have the modern label punch - not a decision I have regretted one bit! so, this is my CASEd version, please do let me know what you think...

Wedding Day

Stamp Set: All Year Cheer I (retired), All Year Cheer II (retired), So Happy For You (SAB)

Cardstock: Whisper White, Early Espresso, Riding Hood Red, Elegant Eggplant

Ink: Riding Hood Red, Elegant Eggplant

Accessories: Basic Rhinestones, Silver Brads, Linen Thread

Extras: White Gel Pen, Flower Punch (not an SU one but I would have used the Boho Blossoms punch if I had it!), Modern Label Punch

I stamped out individual letters from sentiment stamps and cut them out to layer onto the modern label punch which I used as the basis of my banner. I also used handwriting to make up the word. The modern label punches were then folded over in half and adhered with the linen thread in the middle. They were attached to the card with a brad at each end and the thread wrapped around the brads. I accessories the sentiment on the banner by adding a few little layered flowers and rhinestones for a elegant and sparkly look. 

I hope it goes down well, I guess I shall see tomorrow! Please do let me know what you think! I love reading your comments! 

Thanks. 

Amanda xoxo