sail away...

Well I finally got around to purchasing the Sail Away stamp recently. Haven't regretted it for a second! I love it so much, if for no other fact than it makes a really quick and simple masculine card! 

Atmospheric Sail Away

Stamp Set: Sail Away, Fun and Fast Notes

Ink: Crumb Cake, Not Quite Navy, Night of Navy, Basic Black

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy, Night of Navy

Punches: Modern Label

Extras: Sponges, Dimensionals, Blender Pen

So this card is actually pretty simple, just requires a LOT of inking and getting rather messy hands! I don't think I could consider myself a crafter without getting messy every once in a while though!! Haha, and with me that seems to be more often that not! So I stamped the sail boat of some Very Vanilla cardstock and the sails on a separate piece and cut them out. I then began inking the edges of the cardstock, being quite vicious with the inking and not at all careful working futher and further in. I layered the Not Quite Navy and the Night of Navy inks on to of one another to create the atmospheric sky and sea. I shaded the cut out sails with a little bit of Crumb Cake and a blender pen and then adhered the sails to the inked up cardstock. I layered it up on some Not Quite Navy and Night of Navy cardstock and finished it off with stamping the sentiment from Fun and Fast Notes on some Very Vanilla cardstock, punching with the modern label and then inking the edges before adhering below. 

I think this has got to be one of my favourite cards I've made recently! What do you think? Please comment.

Til next time,

Amanda x

i'm crushing...

As I said, This colour combo was gorgeous and therefore I actually made a couple cards using the same combo, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Crumb Cake and Concord Crush. I think one of the reasons I have taken so well to this combo is because of its heavy use of neutral colours. The nice thing about a mostly neutral coloured card is that any colour you put in it just really pops and stands out all the more! This is clearly shown in my card below. 

Together Forever Wedding Cake

Stamp Set: Fun and Fast Notes, Fast Flowers Wheel

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Concord Crush, Pear Pizzaz (just the very slightest bit to bring out the leaves)

Extras: Blender Pen

The strip of Chocolate Chip cardstock and the Fast Flowers wheel breaks up the large expanse of Vanilla cardstock. The Crumb Cake and Chocolate Chip cardstock frame the centre image. I used a blender pen to colour in the image. Concord Crush was used on the flowers on the cakes and also a little sponging around the edges...draws out the colour and also draws in the eye! It definitely shows the eye where the focal point of the card is! 

I hope you liked this second colour combo card. Please do leave me a comment, they make me smile lots! :)

'till next time,

Amanda xx

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

in-love with in-colour...poppy parade

This is the final of the five in-colours I have been playing with recently! And I think I found this colour the hardest. For some reason I find red a really difficult colour to work with. Especially the bright ones. Give me something like Riding Hood Red, a darker more muted and richer shade and I am fine but bright red just causes me difficulties so after a few failed attempts and beginning to feel slightly exasperated I decided to look through Tiff's old Sketchy Sunday sketched and I found this little gem! 

Poppy Parade Get Well Wishes

Stamp Set: Fun and Fast Notes

Cardstock: Whisper White

DSP: Poppy Parade (6x6 Hostess only)

Ink: Poppy Parade, Early Espresso

Punches: Scallop Square, 1" Circle, Modern Label

Extras: Sponge, Dimensionals

The end result is a very simple card but shows off the patterns beautifully. It took hardly any time to make at all, uses minimal supplies and therefore definately makes it a contender for a quick and simple bulk card!! 

I simply punched out the shapes in the dsp, layered them up and adhered them down. stamped, punched and sponged my sentiment and then used dimensionals to adhere that to the centre of my four squares! 

I hope you liked this oh so simple card! Oh and don't forget if you've liked this series and would like to make these cards for yourself why not host a workshop and you can get this pack of all five in-colours with all these gorgeous patterns for FREE!!! 

Please leave a comment, let me know what you think. Is Poppy Parade a favourite of yours? 

Until next time!

Amanda xx

oh baby!

Everyone seems to be popping out babies at the moment, and I realised that I don't really have any baby cards, so I thought it was about time to put that right and use the way cute baby pram from the Fun and Fast Notes set! 

Happy New Baby

Stamp Set: Fun & Fast Notes

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Marina Mist

Ink: Early Espresso, Marina Mist 

Extras: Crystal Effects, Dimensionals, Blender Pen

I stamped the image, coloured in the wheels with a blender pen, paper pieced the carriage in marina mist using dimensionals to add a bit of depth to the image and after adhering it all together to the background, added some crystal effects just to jazz up the wheels a little bit more! Its such a simple but very cute baby card 

Side Note: This is a quick one too so good for those last minute rushes when you suddenly realise you need a card and don't have one! The time it would take to make think is probably shorter than the amount of time it would take going to a shop and picking one out! And if I do say myself, much nicer!)

I also did a girly version using Pink Pirouette cardstock and Pretty in Pink ink! 

Hope you enjoyed today's creation and please do leave a comment! 

Amanda x

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

simply stampin' challenge, week 1

Okay, I am immensely excited to finally show you the first challenge, and what I created from the this week's sketch! Below is the sketch followed by my creation. To see what the other lovely talented DT members created, and to enter the challenge yourself, check out the simply stampin' challenge site!

Get Well Wishes

Stamp Set: En Francais, Fun and Fast Notes, Greenhouse Garden

Ink: Certainly Celery, Rich Razzleberry

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Rich Razzleberry, Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Basic Rhinestones, Very Vanilla Satin Ribbon

Extras: Corner Chomper, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, White Gel Pen, Dinensionals, Stamp-a-ma-jig

For my workshops next week I was asked to show how to use the stamp-a-ma-jig so as I had it out to work on some samples I thought I'd use it for this project too! The 1 3/8" punched hole works perfectly with the medium sized flower in the Greenhouse Garden stamp set. I'm really loving the Rich Razzleberry and Certainly Celery colour combo at the moment, these two colours are just totally gorgeous! I used the En Francais stamp to add a bit of light texture to the celery background. I finished off the card with a little bit of ribbon, some rhinestones and a bit of white gel pen dot and dash line! 

I hope you enjoyed this first week's entry, leave a comment, and please don't forget to head over to the simply stampin' challenge blog and enter for your chance to win a special prize! 

Take care! 

Amanda xoxo

just a quickie

Its been a busy day! Such nice weather urged me to get some cleaning and other stuff done today so now its late and so today is just a quick little card for you all. This is the swap I made to swap with the the other demos that attended the training last Saturday! 

Birdie of a Branch

Stamp Set: Fun & Fast Notes, En Francais

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, Old Olive

Ink: Versa Mark, Certainly Celery

Punches: Eyelet Border, Two Step Bird

Extras: Clear Embossing Powder, Dimensionals

Pretty simple little card, I stamped the Pretty in Pink cardstock with En Francais in versamark and then embossed it with clear embossing powder. I punched out all the shapes and then adhered them altogether. Finally I stamped the sentiment "thanks" from part of the Fun and Fast Notes set using masking technique. 

Hope you've all had a good  day, I better get off to bed now as I have lots to do tomorrow and my workshop is tomorrow evening, don't forget, if you're in the area and interested please do feel free to come! For more details contact me! 

xoxo

update 2 - birthday cards

Second of my card instalments in an attempt to catch up on the last week or so! I hope you enjoy seeing all the things I have been making! Please feel free to leave a comment, I love reading them! 

Birthday Wishes Pressies

Stamp Set: Every Little Bit, So Happy For You (SAB set)

Ink: Basic Black, Pacific Point

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pacific Point DSP, Rich Razzleberry DSP, Wild Wasabi DSP

Extras: Eyelet Border Punch

A really quick easy card. I stamped the presents on Whisper White CS and then stamped again onto Designer Series Paper and cut them out. I punched some Wild Wasabi DSP with the punch and adhered it to the bottom with a narrow strip along the top. I adhered all that to the white background and finally stamped the sentiment above the presents.  

Birthday Wishes Gifts

Stamp Set: --

Ink: --

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry, Pumpkin Pie DSP, Rich Razzleberry DSP, Daffodil Delight DSP

Accessories: Silver Embroidery Floss

Extras: We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, Modern Label Punch, White Gel Pen, Dimensionals

I wanted to try using DSP to make presents. I saw a card similar to this on the wonderful Kristina Werner's website, unfortunately I dont think it turned out as nicely as hers did. At least I tried! Let me know what you think!

HB Happy Birthday

Stamp Set: Punch Bunch

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Garden Green, Night of Navy

Ink: Night of Navy, Garden Green

Extras: White Gel Pen, Dimensionals, Scallop Square Punch, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper

I cut strips in a variety of widths of cardstock, and adhered them to the card, adding the scallop punched saying HB in a row too. I finished off the card by doing some dots and dashes with a white gel pen on the card strips and rounding the corners. This is a good manly card!

Happy Birthday Owl

Stamp Set: Punch Bunch, Fun & Fast Notes

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Old Olive

Ink: Elegant Eggplant

Extras: Dimensionals, Two Step Bird Punch

I punched out the leaves and branches using the Two Step Bird punch and then  stamped the owl onto Crumb Cake and Cut it out. I adhered it all together and popped the owl up on some dimensionals to add some depth. 

Birthday Flowers 

Stamp Set: Every Little Bit, Fun & Fast Notes

Cardstock: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive DSP, Pumpkin Pie DSP, Rich Razzleberry DSP

Ink, Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry, Orange Pen (would have used Pumpkin Pie marker if I had one!)

Accessories: 1/4" Whisper White Grosgrain Ribbon

Extras: Eyelet Border Punch, Crystal Effects, Dimensionals

I simply stamped the flower from Every Little Bit onto some DSP and then cut them out, adding dimensionals to the back and adhereing them in a grid pattern to the Whisper White cardstock, which I adhered to Rich Razzleberry cardstock that had a punched bottom edge on. I added some Whisper White grosgrain ribbon to help finish it off and a small blob of crystal effects to the centre of each flower to give it a glossy finish! Finally I stamped the sentiment in the bottom right hand corner!

Birthday Bliss - Donna's Birthday Card

Stamp Set: Bliss (SAB Set), Fun & Fast Notes

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Elegant Eggplant, Whispter White

Ink: Versamark, Elegant Eggplant

Accessories: Linen Thread

Extras: Modern Label Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Clear Embossing Powder, Sponge, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper, Paper Piercer, Glue Dot

I stamped the flourish onto Crumb Cake in versamark ink and then added clear embossing powder. I then sponged Elegant Eggplant ink over the cardstock to create this spongy purple and kraft coloured effect. I stamped the butterfly, cut it out and folded the wings up to add dimension. I attached it with a glue dot. I punched the eyelet border and adhered the card together. Finally I stamped and punched out the sentiment, pierced a whole in each side and attached it to the card by wrapping linen thread around the card. 

I hope you enjoyed my second update, check back later for my third update! 

Please leave a comment. 

Have a great Tuesday! 

Amanda x

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

just a bit of play

I have spent the entire afternoon playing and being creative with all my new goodies...it felt so good! I am just loving all my new stuff and the quality of the materials is outstanding...its so nice to work with materials that don't let you down. On a more serious note, I was also working on demos and make and take stuff for my workshops I have coming up next week. My mom is hosting one on Weds 23rd in the afternoon, and mine is on Fri 25th in the evening, if youre interested and in the area youre very welcome to come along! Anyway, as promised, here are the outcomes of my day of play! (sorry the the low image quality, by the time I had finished playing and cooked dinner and was ready to photograph and blog, there was no natural light left and you know how rubbish indoor lights can be for taking photos, but still, here they are)

Candles 

Stamp Set: Greenhouse Garden

Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Real Red, Old Olive

Extras: Candle, Heat gun, Greaseproof paper

For more information on how I decorated these gorgeous candles come to one of my February workshops. 

So Many Thanks

Stamp Sets: So Many Thanks, Every Little Bit

Ink: Old Olive Classic Ink Pad, Marina Mist & Daffodil Delight Stampin' Write Markers

Cardstock: Whisper White, Kraft & Brights Patterned Paper (Daffodil Delight Polka Dot, Old Olive Flourish, Pacific Point Flourish)

Extras: Dinentionals

The second of my demos for the February workshops. 

Friend Love

Stamp Set: I {heart} Hearts, Fun & Fast Notes

Ink: Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pumpkin Pie

Accessories: Whisper White Satin Ribbon

Extras: Dimensionals

My make & take for my February workshops, if you would like to make this card, come along. CASEd from a card made by my upline, cousin-in-law, Rhoda. She has been really helpful and supportive, helping me to get thing and projects organised for my workshops. Its been fab, especially as she lives up in Shetland! 

Thanks For Sharing You With Me

Stamp Set: Fun and Fast Notes, Fast Flowers Wheel

Ink: Basic Black, Versamark, Real Red

Cardstock: Kraft, Pumpkin Pie, Real Red

Extras: Clear Embossing Powder, Blender Pen, Dimentionals 

A sample card to showcase other techniques for my guests to see at my workshops next week. this one is highlighting the use of versmark inkpad for creating a tone on tone background and then I added clear embossing powder to the versamarked hedgehog which I popped up in front with a dimensional! 

Happy Birthday Wishes

Stamp Set: Fun and Fast Notes

Ink: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Marina Mist, Daffodil Delight

Cardstock: Kraft, Whisper White, Brights Patterned Paper (Pumpkin Pie Polka Dot)

Extras: Blender Pen

Just a really simple little card highlighting the blender pen with ink pads and ink refills. 

Clover

Stamp Set: Every Little Bit

Ink: Basic Black, Versamark

Cardstock: Kraft, Whisper White

Extras, Blender Pen, Stampin' Pastels (Garden Green-retired), cotton ball

Again, a really simple card just showing another way to use the blender pen, this time to fill the image with stampin pastels (I had to use a retired colour as the set I have is one I bought in 2002, when I first got into Stampin' Up in the States). the background was stamped in versamark and then the pastel was applied to the inked area with a cotton ball, just to highlight another use of the pastels. 

And finally, I have one last card to share with you all, seeing as its Valentine's Day, I figured I should make my wonderful husband a sweet valentines card. So here it is...

I LOVE U

Stamp Set: I {heart} Hearts

Ink: Old Olive, Real Red

Cardstock: Kraft, Real Red

Accessories: Whisper White Satin Ribbon

Extras: White Gel Pen, Dimentionals, We R Memory Keepers Corner Chomper (I know its not stampin' up but I really felt that the corners could be rounded to improve the card)

To get a more subtle background effect with the heart stamps I used the stamping off technique, stamping each one off once on a piece of scratch paper before stamping onto the Kraft cardstock. I'm really pleased how it turned out, it really makes the white and the red in the foreground stand out! I think that by rounding the corners it really enhances the curves of the hearts. 

And just the finish off this mamoth blog entry, geesh I didn't realise how long it was or how long I've been sitting at this computer screen, I thought I'd just fill you in on a couple other lovely suprises I had today. 


First, was from the lovely Rhoda, my upline, she so sweetly sent me some swatches she made for the designer patterened paper available from the catalogue so I can show it off to all of my lovely guests. The paper is gorgeous and yet another reason why you should totally come to/host a workshop so I can show it all off to you! She also sent me some lovely cards she made with the current sale-a-bration sets that are on offer for free when you spend £45 until the end of February. And some really cute little swaps she got when she went to convention last November. It really was so kind of her, and I am very grateful for all of her wonderful ideas she has given me! 


Second was from my darling husband. He came home from work today with some really gorgeous white daisies and a heart-shaped balloon for me. I LOVE the flowers! I thought the balloon seemed a little out of character and until he told me the florist just gave it to him for free...yay for free stuff! 


I hope you have all enjoyed seeing a little of what I have done and seen a bit of what I'll be showing at my workshops. Comments are always a pleasure to read and make my day! 


Have an awesome rest of your evening,


Amanda xx