virus free and back in business

I am officially virus free...thanks to my fab husband! I'm so glad that is all over! It was so horrible having a virus and having no clue what to do and there's that really real fear that you could loose everything. As a result, I am now protected...again!


Now, on to more exciting pretty things, I have a few more cards to share with you. First is my mother-in-law's birthday card, it was her birthday on Friday. So here we go...

Heather's Birthday Card

Stamp Set: Stipple Butterfly (Retired)

Ink: Basic Black, Old Olive, Real Red, Pumpkin Pie

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Kraft

Accessories: Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon

Extras: White Gel Pen, Glue Dots, Dimentionals, Blender Pen

Ok, so, I know this stamp is retired but I thought it would be just perfect for Mum's card, and it turned out so well I just HAD to share it! I used the blender pen to colour in two butterflies, then cut one out to layer over to add another dimension, folding the wings up and adhering it with a glue dot. I used a scrap of Kraft to make my card, a different style card for me than my usual rectangular/square cards! I think the white stitching and ribbon just really finishes it off! The sentiment was written in my own handwriting, to add a personal touch! 

Thanks...I Needed That

Stamp Set: Every Little Bit, Fun and Fast Notes

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Basic Black, Real Red

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive

Extras: Dimentionals

Just a really quick little card I made to use up some little scraps I had lying around (as you might be able to tell, I am attempting to be better at using up my scraps before starting a fresh sheet). I coloured in the pies with the blender pen, cut them out and mounted them on pumpkin pie and old olive cardstock, but  as I was laying out the card I came to the conclusion it was looking a little bare, after a little thinking, I decided to use the pie stamp and old olive ink (stamped off once for a paler shade) to make my own patterned paper and a little to my surprise it actually worked really well! It not only filled in the empty space but pulled everything together sweetly! Finished off the card with a torn strip of pumpkin pie and the "thanks...i needed that" saying from the fun and fast notes set. 

Birdie

Stamp Set: Fun and Fast Notes, Fast Flowers Wheel

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

Cardstock: Whisper White, Marina Mist, Pacific Point (Textured)

Accessories: Linen Thread

Extras: Spiral Border Punch, Stampin' Around Handle, Blender Pen

I used versa mark to stamp the fast flowers background. punched the spiral border punch on the whisper white and then stamped and coloured in the birdie on the cardstock. I ripped and distressed the pacific point cardstock, brushing the versamark pad over the cardstock to emphasise the texture. It was finished off by wrapping the linen thread around several times and then tying into a bow. 

I hope you liked what I had to share today! 

Until next time, 

Amanda x

birthday card

Its been a busy day, printing off things I need to make myself totally prepared for workshops next week, designing business cards to hand out too, then off  to work at Aunt Lil's (my husband's great aunt) getting her dinner and cleaning over lunch period, going to Bible study at my mother-in-laws this afternoon and then went back to my friend Donna's for a bit of a impromptu chat..It was also one of my best friend's (she was actually one of my bridesmaids at my wedding last July) birthday today, we were going to a party at her this evening and I wanted to make her a special card from my stash of stuff, and despite not much time, here is what I finally came up with.

Kathryn's Birthday Card

Stamp Set: I {Heart} Hearts

Ink: Old Olive

Cardstock: Whisper White, Old Olive, Kraft

Accessories: Pumpkin Pie Button, Linen Thread

Extras: Glue Dots

I know this card was quite similar to a card that I made yesterday, but I just felt it was really something I wanted to work with a bit more. I used a different stamp from the set for the background, but still stamped off to give a bit more of a subtle look. I wrapped the thread around several times and added a button, this time pumpkin pie to give a tiny pop of colour! I actually originally made the card the same size as the card yesterday, but it just was not working. I really didnt know what to do, the strip of kraft cardstock was just too wide in relation to everything else on the card, so I carefully peeled it off (a bit of a tricky task as Stampin' Up's snail adhesive is really good and strong) and then I chopped off a chunk of the bottom of the card to just make it a lot narrower, and suddenly it just worked so much better! I was happy. I hope Kat liked it! 

I had a really nice evening at Kat and Rob's tonight. It was nice to see their new place, and meet their new babies...guinea-pigs! Gizmo and Dill are absolutely gorgeous! they have really .long quirky white and ginger furr...its so funny and cute looking. I had such a long cuddle with Dill, he just sat so still and snuggled! I totally fell in love, now just to persuade my husband to let me have some! I think that might take a while, but a girl can try, cant she?! 

I'm off to work on my business cards some more. I hope you all have a lovely evening, until next time! 

Amanda xxx

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