Love-ly Spring-y

Hi there! 

Happy Friday!!! This is my second day in London and another scheduled post for y'all! My friend Emma (who I am staying with) and I are hitting the art galleries today. Its been quite a while since I've been to galleries so I'm looking forward to reliving my student days and seeing some art! 

Stamp Set: Happy Day, Language of Love

Ink: Melon Mambo, Island Indigo

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz

DSP: Gingham Garden

Punch: Postage Stamp, Small Curly Label, Small Heart

Other: White Gel Pen

I hope this card goes to show that the Language of Love set isn't just for "love" cards. With this colour combo, the card just screams spring!! I think this is just a bit of a different take on a spring card - generally we think of them as being very floral so I like this with the hearts. 

This was actually a card we made back in January at card club - that was a while ago, huh? I thought I'd wait for Spring to come to show you this one though!

I think it really is the the Gingham Garden DSP that makes this so spring like. Its got to be one of, if not my favourite, paper of this year! 

The dash dot is a cute touch that just adds a little extra finishing touch. I love this technique which is so easy and cheap to do and gives a great finished look. 

Hope you enjoyed this. I'm back from London tonight so hopefully if I'm not too shattered and busy I'll have something new for you tomorrow! 

Happy Stampin',

Bloomin' Marvelous

Hello! 

Really quick little post for you today. I saw a card like this and just loved it so much that I pretty much copied it but I'm afraid I don't remember where I saw this now so if you are the original creator, thank you and I owe you full credit! 

Stamp Set: Bloomin' Marvelous

Ink: Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Rose Red

Cardstock: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Rose Red, Certainly Celery, So Saffron

Big Shot: Vine Street TEIF, Square Lattice TEIF, Apothecary Accents Framelits

Punch: Postage Stamp

Accessories: Rhinestones 

Baker's Twine: Whisper White

The butterflies on this are using the rock and roll technique - instead of using 2 different colours I inked the stamp, stamped it on scrap paper then rock and rolled it in the same color for a darker edge. Yet another way to stretch your ink pad! You don't quite get the full effect from the photo but you get the idea! 

The rest of the card is fairly self explanatory and straight forward so I won't go through all the details with you. My goal is to do shorter blog posts but to post ore regularily, so far, this seems to be working out! What do you think to the change is style? Like short snappy posts as opposed to more chatter? 

Have a lovely day!

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xx

simple and elegant christmas cards?

So I've been thinking about Christmas a lot lately and in particular Christmas cards! So some of you will be thinking, I can't make 60 (or more!!) Christmas cards by hand. Well, I've come up with a couple simple designs that are totally do-able on mass production! 

Stamp Set: Come to Bethlehem (It was the Merry Christmas I had on hand - a different one would do!!)

Ink: Lucky Limeade/Real Red

Cardstock: Real Red/Lucky Limeade, Very Vanilla

DSP: Candlelight Christmas

Punch: Postage Stamp

Stamp Set: Come to Bethlehem

Carstock: Very Vanilla

DSP: Be of Good Cheer

Punch: Postage Stamp

Accessories: Rhinestone

I chose these designs because they look really cute but I promise you are so, so simple to do!! 

Literally they are punched with the postage stamp punch (although the scallop square punch would look really cute too). Then they were popped onto the card with a dimensional and a sentiment was stamped below! 

Of course if you wanted to you could further embellish these designs with buttons, brads, ribbon... make them your own with whatever extra bits you have lying around!

If you like the look of a super cute and simple card like this why not get in touch and I would be happy to help you pick out a few things to help you on your way to making elegant, quick and inexpensive Christmas cards for all your friends and family! 

Have a great day! 

Amanda xo

twitterpated with the new summer mini!

Yesterday the Summer Mini catalogue was released! Its got so many gorgeous things in it! If you haven't checked it out yet you can view it here. If you want to place an order please get in touch with me!

Today I thought I'd show you some of the new Twitterpated designer paper available in the mini.

Twitterpaper "Quilt" 

Stamp Set: n/a

Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Grey, Island Indigo, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride, Riding Hood Red

DSP: Twitterpated 

Punch: Postage Stamp (Spring Mini - no longer avail. Try Curly Label, Square/Scallop Square instead), Boho Blossoms, Itty Bitty, Beautiful Wings

Ribbon: Baja Breeze Satin Pleated, Whisper White Baker's Twine

Accessories: Twitterpated Buttons, Pearls

So this is a great way to show off loads of the gorgeous patterns in this new paper. I did a "quilt" effect with the postage stamp squares. Then I added a little decoration to each square to bling it up! The button is one of the new twitterpated buttons in the mini which co-ordinate with the paper - they're small and very sweet! The pleated satin ribbon is also new - comes in Riding Hood Red, Baja Breeze, Pear Pizzazz, Blushing Bride - I love that you can add a tiny bit of it for detail and it still has a beautiful effect! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xo

simply stampin' challenge week 44

So now that I am back to blogging I am also back to the Simply Stampin' Challenges - sorry for my lack of participation over the last couple of months - hopefully the other design team members will understand!

This week's challenge is a Colour Combo Challenge. The colours are...

What lovely earthy colours, and here is what I created -

Earthy Vintage

Stamp Set: Fresh Vintage (SAB), Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Early Espresso, Not Quite Navy, River Rock

Cardstock: Very Vanilla 

Punch: Postage Stamp

So this is just a really simple little card using the Fresh Vintage Sale-A-Bration set. This one would definitely be one you could whip up on mass! I stamped the large floral flourish in River Rock and then added the border strip in Early Espresso on a separate piece of Very Vanilla cardstock. I brushed the edges of the card strip on the Early Espresso ink pad to just give it the very slightest hint of definition. I really wanted to make a clean vintage card this time - I banned the sponges! I coloured in the postage stamp, punched it out with the postage stamp punch and then did the same technique of brushing the edges on the ink pad. Finally after adhering the pieces together I added a little sentiment in the bottom corner. Voila! 

I hope you liked it! Please make your way over to the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog to see the other design team's creations and then enter your own make! I can't wait to see what you come up with (and don't forget, if you don't have the exact colours, just use the closest ones you do have!) 

Happy Crafting!

Amanda xo 

fresh vintage

Yesterday saw the beginning of the Sale-A-Bration. Today  want to show you a couple cards I have made using the Fresh Vintage SAB set.

Sorry for the poor image quality - its been pretty miserable outside - I am looking forward to lighter days and happier weather! 

Fresh Vintage Thank you

Stamp Set: Fresh Vintage (SAB), Curly Cute

Ink: Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Rose Red, Crumb Cake

Cardstock: So Saffron, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Rose Red Seam Binding

I stamped the border stamp all over the background in Crumb Cake. Next I coloured in and stamped the large floral image on some Very Vanilla cardstock. I stamped the sentiment in Rose Red and then sponged everything with Crumb Cake to make it look vintage. Finally I added some ruffled Rose Red seam binding ribbon along the edge and adhered it all together. 

Fresh Vintage Letter 

Stamp Set: Fresh Vintage (SAB), French Foliage, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Always Artichoke, Rose Red, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso

Cardstock: Whisper White, Always Artichoke

Punch: Postage Stamp

Big Shot: Scallop Envelope 

I stamped the french hand written note from French Foliage on a small piece of Whisper White cardstock. I distressed it and sponged it with Crumb Cake to make it aged and vintage. I also sponged the scallop envelope. I coloured in and stamped the sweet postage stamp from the new fresh vintage set, and punched out the new postage stamp punch. Again I sponged and the adhered to the envelope, I stamped the Paris postmark and water splotches from French Foliage, the friend to friend sentiment from Teeny Tiny Wishes, and the large flower from the Fresh Vintage set on the envelope - each of these images work really well together to add to the vintage feel. The large Fresh Vintage flower was stamped all over the back ground of the card to tie everything together. 

Come back tomorrow for some more creative inspiration! 

Amanda x