blossom party pot

Thought I would quickly share with you another of the cards we did at this month's card club today. It was a fun card to make - I've seen them floating around on the internet for quite a while and thought it would be a really fun springtime card to make. Once you know where to cut it was surprisingly VERY easy to make and looks fab! 

 

Blossom Party Flower Pot

Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Early Espresso

Cardstock: Early Espresso, Whisper White, Blushing Bride, Calypso Coral, Wisteria Wonder, Lucky Limeade

DSP: Berry Blossoms

Ribbon: Whisper White Satin

Big Shot: Blossom Party

Extras: Paper Crimper

So I adhered the ribbon to the card as well as the piece of polka dot DSP. I made the flower pot into a pocket with one glue dot on either side top corner! Next I stamped the sentiment and then adhered that peice if Whisper White to the Early Espresso mat. At the to of this I added 3 dimensionals - centre top, then on either side slightly lower than the middle one - this is where I stuck my flowers I then slipped the insert inth the pocket and added some leaves to fill in the gaps. (I made my leaves by folding a piece of cardstock in half and cut a half leaf shape along the fold, while it was still folded I ran it through the paper crimper for some texture, when it is unfolded you have a beautiful leaf!) Once I had added my leaves I stuck the bow on in the gap left, and voila! as simple as that! 

Hope you liked this - sorry I haven't been very diligent with blogging this week - I spent the day today tackling my craft room - it went really well actually, Ive seen bits of floor and desk that I don't think I've seen for about a year! Woah *embarassed* anyway I am intending on having another good old crack at it tomorrow and then start organising my things - I really need to sort out some better storage solutions for my craft things - that's how it gets in such a mess because I get EVERYTHING out in order to use it...ugh! I've been pinning (on pinterest - my latest addiction!) solutions and ideas so stay tuned to see how my craft room turns out - maybe I'll even get the chance to take a few photos when its all done! I considered taking a photo of the carange that was the before shot but I was too embarrassed to have anyone see it! I'm just glad its looking so much better alreadY! Anyway I should stop babbling o and get cracking once again! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Have a great day! 

Amanda 

every little bit

Nothing incredibly new today - this is another version of a card I made about a year ago. This is just a little bit more of a girlie updated version! Enjoy!

Handbags and Gladrags 

Stamp Set: Every Little Bit

Ink: Basic Black, Peach Parfait, Pretty in Pink, Real Red, Pear Pizzazz, So Saffron

Cardstock: Whisper White, Sahara Sand

Ribbon: Pretty in Pink Satin 

Punch: 1" Circle, Corner Rounder

Extra: Paper Crimper

I stamped the purses and perfume bottles on Whisper White cardstock and used the markers to colour them in then punched them out with the circle punch. I rounded the top two corners and crimped the bottom of a Sahara Sand cardbase. I them adhered all the circles down in two rows with dimensionals, added some ribbon and finally did a faux stitching line around the edge of the cardstock. 

Hope you have a brilliant day,

Catch you tomorrow!

Happy Stampin',

Amanda x

a little bonus - happy birthday mum

A little bonus post for you today, just wanted to share the little card I made for my mum's birthday last month.

Birthday Flowers

Stamp Set: Something to Celebrate (Hostess - retired)

Cardstock: Rose Red, Garden Green, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake

Ink: Rose Red, Garden Green

Punch: Bird, Boho Blossoms, Itty Bitty, 5 Petal Flower, Corner Rounder

Accessories: Rhinestones, Rhinestone Brads

Big Shot: Lots of Tags

Extras: Crimper, Sponge

Hope you enjoyed this quick little post today. Isn't the card gorgeous?! And so simple to make! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xx

give it some texture!

The third of the cards I made for women leaving a women's Bible Committee. This one was for a woman who is moving to Norfolk!

So Sorry You're Leaving 

Stamp Set: Basic Phrases

Ink: Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip

Cardstock: Whisper White, Crumb Cake

DSP: Playdate

Punches: Corner Rounder

Extras: Brown Pen, Sponge, Crimper

I chose a couple green patterns out of the Playdate paper which I layered up to look like hills (I know Norfolk is really flat but the hills worked for the card). I sponged the background to look like a sky with clouds. Then made the house with some red dsp from the Playdate collection again and also some Crumb Cake. When I started putting it together I just couldn't get the house to work, I think because everything was so textured and patterned the flat cardstock stuck out like a sore thumb, so I decided to give it a go and crimp it...seemed to work! Finally to tie everything together and give it a slightly more country feel I drew brown stitching lines around everything. I finished it off with the sentiment, half stamped and half handwritten. I really love the half and half style, it ties together the geometric patterns and the hand made quality together nicely! 

Hope you enjoyed seeing today's card, I love doing cards on commission. Especially for an occassion that isn't an everyday one as it really stretches my creative brain! 

Hugs,

Amanda 

simply stampin' challenge, week 11

Wow, can you believe its week 11 on the Simply Stampin' challenges already?! Can't believe how time is flying by! This week is another colour challenge. The colours are so lovely I have 2 cards this week, one you will get today and the other sometime later in the week! Without any further ado, here are this week's colours and my first card...

Stamp Set: Greenhouse Garden, Fun & Fast Notes

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip

DSP: Concord Crush (6x6 Hostess Only pack)

Ink: Concord Crush, Chocolate Chip

Punches: Eyelet Border, Modern Label, Corner Rounder

Extras: Crimper, Crop-a-dile

This is a really simple card, sometimes simple is the most effective though, right?! A few strips of Concord Crush DSP split up with a little bit of Chocolate Chip cardstock. The eyelet border punch mimics the polka dot DSP. I stamped the sentiment on some Very Vanilla cardstock, punched out with te modern label punch and then sponged the edges to give it a softer look. I stamped and cut out a few small flowers from the Greenhouse Garden stamp set to embellish the sentiment (I think the finished effect it looks similar to a stamp in the Just Believe stamp set - just to prove you can get inspiration from stamps you don't own!) To help marry the sentiment and the strips of DSP (and also to soften the very bold flowers) I punched out dots of Very Vanilla cardstock using the small end of the crop-a-dile and added them to the middle of the flowers. Finally I crimped the edge just to break up the large expanse of Crumb Cake, and then rounded the corners. 

Check out the other design team entries at Simply Stampin' Challenge blog, and please do enter!

Please let me know what you think! Are you a lover of Concord Crush?! I certainly am!

Check back later this week for my second entry! 

Amanda xx

simply stampin' challenge, week 3

This week's Simply Stampin' Challenge is a themed challenge. And I was very excited to see that it was an Easter theme! Any excuse to decorate the house...and I'm there! I remember as a kid my mum, brother and I would decorate eggs with food colouring and wax resist. So when I was thinking about this challenge I considered trying something similar...for old time's sake with re-inkers. However at the moment I only have Marina Mist and lets face it, one colour can only go so far...so that idea is on the back burner 'till next year when hopefully I'll have more re-inkers! 


The project I did this week was inspired from an idea that was shared at the Stampin' Up! training day I attended last month, and here it is...

Easter Tree

Stamp Set: N/A

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Pink Pirouette

DSP: Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Pink Pirouette, Marina Mist, Perfect Plum 

Accessories: Whisper White 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Whisper White Satin Ribbon

Extras: Eyelets, Crop-a-dile, Corner Chomper, Crimper, Sticky Strip

Other: Chocolate Eggs, Chick Marshmallows, Flower Pot, Stones, Twigs

A bit different to what I normally do hey? I thought Id make a "Easter Tree".  On It are hung lots of little boxes which I made (so simple to do and really cute) and decorated with some Brights Collection DSP. Inside each box are little treats, tiny foil wrapped chocolate eggs and marshmallows. I shredded some carstock and crimped it to add inside the box to pad out the treats and make them look extra special - like they're sitting in a little nest! Finally I added some satin ribbon bows to the twigs just to fill it out a little more and make it look extra cute! Below are additional close ups of the tree and boxes! 

I intend on giving these little gifts to guests who visit us over the Easter period...a cute little surprise for them! (Anyone who came to my workshop last night got to choose one!) 

Please don't forget to head over to the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog to see what the other lovely talented design team members have created. Also enter your own creation for your chance to win some lovely goodies (for more details, check out the simply stampin challenge blog!).

Until next time, 

Amanda xoxo

everyone gets to make a magnet!

As promised, here are the projects I demonstrated last night! 

Congratulations Hearts 

Stamp Set: En Francais, I {Heart} Hearts, Fun & Fast Notes

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Riding Hood Red, Marina Mist

Ink: Versa Mark, Riding Hood Red, Pacific Point

Pastels: Marina Mist, Riding Hood Red, Pumpkin Pie

Accessories: Pumpkin Pie Button, Linen Thread

Extras: Clear Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Cotton Balls, Sponge, Dimensionals, Glue Dot

In this first demo I really wanted to highlight the wonderful ways you can use the versa mark ink pad (something I don't think I could live without!). This also included embossing!

I stamped the En Francais background stamp with versa mark on the Crumb Cake cardstock and then used cotton balls to gently rub and blend Stampin' Pastels over it to give some gentle colour and bring out the writing! I then stamped the hearts with versa mark and covered them in clear embossing powder and heated with my heat tool. I used a sponge to rub some Pacific Point ink over the small LOVE heart to show the emboss resist technique. Finally, I adhered everything together, stamped the sentiment from Fun & Fast Notes and added a small button!

Get Well Flowers

Stamp Set: Greenhouse Garden, Fun & Fast Notes

Cardstock: Whisper White, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Crumb Cake, Marina Mist

Ink: Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Old Olive

Accessories: Basic Rhinestones, Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon (dyed Marina Mist)

Extras: Paper Crimper, Sponge, Dimensionals, Glue Dots, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Modern Label Punch

With this demo, I wanted to show how to use a stamp-a-ma-jig as I think it is an amazing peice of kit and show how perfect it makes stamping and possitioning every single time! I also wanted to show how you can get more out of your ink pad by sponging! 

I used the stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the medium flower from the Greenhouse Garden. Then I used the sponge to sponge Marina Mist ink around the edge of the Whisper White cardstock, I also dampened a piece of whisper white ribbon and sponged it on both size so it was Marina Mist in colour! A great way to get a piece of white ribbon to match any colour ink you have!! I love it! I layered up the cardstock and then stamped, punched and sponged the sentiment before adhering it to the bottom of the Whisper White cardstock, this just "grounds" the flowers so its not floating. finally I crimped the edge! 

Pie Thanks Magnet

Pie Magnet

Gumball Birthday Magnet

Gumball Magnet

Stamp Set: Every Little Bit, Fun & Fast Notes

Cardstock: Whisper White 

Ink: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Marina Mist, Pacific Point, Daffodil Delight, Old Olive

Accessories: Linen Thread

Extras: Bottle Cap, Magnet, small piece of tango can, Blender Pen, Crystal Effects, 1" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Dimensionals

If you want to see how to make this way cool magnet, come to my workshop next Friday!!! You get to make one yourself!! 

(CASEd from a swap I received at Coventry Training by Zoe Tant - thanks for the awesome idea!)

Hope you enjoyed seeing a bit from my latest workshops! Please do come along next Friday and bring a friend!! It would be great to see you there! 

Ta ta for now! 

Amanda xoxo

my week just keeps getting better!

Wow, overslept this morning and I must've been shattered as I didn't hear the door bell. When I came down I had a slip of paper saying that I wasn't in and they had delivered the package to my neighbour. Naturally my neighbour was out...grr! I had absolutely no idea what it could possibly be, and its been driving me totally nuts all day! I hadn't ordered anything else and really wasn't expecting anything to come. Finally he came home and I was able to collect my mystery package! It was from Stampin' Up! Even more confused now, but still I opened it and it contained some really wonderful goodies! Some beautiful buttons, linen thread and sparkly rhinestones (the magpie in me has totally come out and I really can't wait to use them, they are just stunning!) So, I still don't really understand, but I am so very grateful to whoever it was! It was a most wonderful surprise! :D


I've spent today cutting out all the pieces I need for my demos and make and takes for the workshops next week. feeling a bit more organised and relaxed about the whole thing now. I'm sure the nerves will pick up again next week but being prepared definitely helps!


I've made a few more cards, but I think I'm going to have to make a couple more now with my new goodies. Exciting!

Girls, Girls, Girls

Stamp Set: Every Little Bit

Ink: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Real Red, Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight

Cardstock: Kraft, Whisper White

Accessories: Whisper White Satin Ribbon

Extras: White Gel Pen, Dimentionals, Fiskars Paper Crimper, 1" Circle Punch, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, Blender Pen

Last night I couldn't sleep, and while I was flicking through the catalogue, in a vain attempt to sleep, I saw the paper crimper, something that my mom and I bought when we first got into Stampin' Up ten years ago. I used to use it on lots of my projects to finish them off, but I haven't used it for the last few years, the white gel pen sort of took over! I kind of miss using it so thought I'd give it a go, trying to make a card using it. I thought I'd use a couple stamps from Every Little Bit and use repetition to make them work for a card. I cut the ribbon into a "V" cut, just to try something else a little different. Its nice to push myself to try different things. I enjoy the challenge! 

Friend

Stamp Set: I {Heart} Hearts

Ink: Old Olive

Cardstock: Whisper White, Kraft, Old Olive

Accessories: Old Olive Button, Linen Thread

 Extras: Dimentionals, Glue Dot, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper

I really loved the stamped off heart pattern as a background, this piece of whisper white was a bit I had when done when I was playing around with ideas for Stuart's valentine's card. I figured it was a shame to just let it go to waste so I tore off the remaining paper. Tore some strips of old olive cardstock to enhance the ripped edge (tearing isn't really something I have done much of before so it was nice to have a go and experimenting with it). I decided to ink the edges to give a bit more definition to the layers of cardstock. The buttons and thread came just as I was trying to finish off this card, it was just the perfect finishing touch! I think I will give this card to my mom next week at her workshop to say thank you for hosting a workshop!

I hope you are all having a most pleasant day! 

Amanda xoxo