spring foliage!

Yesterday was Stu's Pap's birthday. Here is the card I made for him - lovely and spring like. The photo looks really light, sorry about that! 

Spring Leaves

Stamp Set: French Foliage, Happiest Birthday Wishes (Hostess)

Ink: So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Wild Wasabi

Cardstock: Naturals Ivory

This was a really simple card but I wanted to have a go making a pretty but masculine-ish card using the french foliage set. I think most people look att he set and see autumn but its a versatile set - love it! So I rock and rolled the leaves in So Saffron and Certainly Celery stamping twice before reinking to give more shading and layers. I then stamped 5 leaves on some extra cardstock, rock and rolling in So Saffron, Certainly Celery and very lightly in Wild Wasabi around the edges. I cut these leaves out and adheres them using dimensionals. Finally I stamped the sentiment at the bottom in Wild Wasabi. 

Oh I also stamped 3 leaves in a row on the bottom of the inside of the card but alas I didn't take a photo - it was a nice finishing touch to the card! I hope Pap liked it!

What do you think? Please do leave me a comment, I love reading them.

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xx

simply stampin' challenge, week 33

Another week has just flown by - been really busy this week with lots of parties and all sorts so sorry for neglecting the blog! Its Saturday again and another challenge over at the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog. This week is a theme, and the theme is...

LEAFY

Happy Thanksgiving

Stamp Set: French Foliage, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: More Mustard, Bravo Burgundy

Cardstock: Naturals Ivory

A really simple and clean card this time for me. I know its so easy (for me) to want to do a really earthy rich and intense colour palette with fall/autumnal leaves but for this I wanted to just try and make something that still retained a hint of carefree summer. I rock and rolled the leaves and then stamped them off onto scrap paper before stamping them over the background for a lighter shade. I then stamped 3 leaves in full intensity onto a scrap, cut them out and used dimensionals to adhere them in a little row. Final thing to do is stamp my sentiment - I am SO VERY MUCH looking forward to thanksgiving - pumpkin pie, turkey, wild rice and all the trimmings here I come! 

I hope this card has inspired you to have some leafy fun of your own and create a card for this week's challenge - you could even be one of our top three! So head on over to the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog, check out the other design team's entries and upload your own! I can't wait to see what you come up with! 

Please do leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Happy Stampin',

Amanda x

roll on some texture!

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you are all looking forward to the weekend! I am looking forward to a weekend full of crafting! Tonight I have a workshop at one of my friend's houses which I am really looking forward to, and then tomorrow I have a class with some lovely ladies followed by a catch up class on Monday evening for a few people who couldn't make it on Saturday! So much fun! Woohoo! 

So today I just have a little card to wet your appetite for my classes this weekend and show you one of the cards I have been demonstrating a lot at workshops recently! Its actually a slightly CASEd version of a card Rhoda made a little while back, click here to go and see her card. 

This card uses the wheel, a product we shall be getting stuck into this weekend at class! It is so much fun, so easy and a great way of adding texture and pattern to the background! And if you would like to have a go at using the wheel yourself there is just enough time to get in touch and attend my class! Either Saturday 11-2 or Monday 7:30-10. Cost is £12.50 which covers the cost of materials used. I guarantee it will be a lot of fun, so get in touch, email me on amanda_burditt@hotmail.co.uk now to book your place!

French Foliage (Texture Galore!)

Stamp Set: French Foliage

Wheels: Texture (Jumbo)

Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Riding Hood Red

Cardstock: Old Olive, Crumb Cake

Accessories: Early Espresso Satin Ribbon, Linen Thread

Extras: Dimensionals, Jumbo Wheel Handle

I wheeled the texture wheel across the entire background in Crumb Cake to give it a subtle tone on tone texture. I then stamped the french script, postmark and water drops in Early Espresso on top of one another. They all work wonderfully together! I slipped a piece of ribbon through the card and instead of tying it in a know or bow, I tied a piece of linen thread around the ends as they hung off the card. This uses less ribbon (great for the economical crafter) and also makes it a much less bulk, post friendly card! Finally, I stamped the leaves using the rock and roll technique to make them look more realistic and adhered then with dimensionals to give more depth to the card. 

Don't forget to get in touch and book your place now if you would like to come along on Saturday or Monday and make some cards like this, plus the message board from the Simply Stampin' Challenge last week also!!

Look forward to reading your comments,

Hugs,

Amanda xx

plus one

I have a piece of rather exciting news, last week I got my first downline member! I'm just a tad excited! I remember how exciting a time it was when I joined the Stampin' Up! family as a demo and how sweet Rhoda was to send me buttons and rhinestones to help me along. So, with my first downline member, I felt it only natural to share that same joy in giving! Its great to give, it always makes me feel so happy to see someone getting joy out of something you have done or given to them. So, as a thank you and a welcome for joining the Stampin' Up! family I made a little gift for Sue.

Butterfly Box

Stamp Set: Punch Potpourri (Hostess Only)

Ink: Marina Mist, Rich Razzleberry, Pacific Point, Elegant Eggplant

Cardstock: Rich Razzleberry Texture, Garden Green, Crumb Cake

DSP: Rose Red, So Saffron, Wild Wasabi 

Punches: Butterfly, Boho Blossoms, Two Step Bird

Accessories: Rhinestones, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds

Extras: Sticky Strip, Tombo Multi Glue

I bought this little paper mache box very cheaply and decorated it with strips of dsp. I punched out a variety of colours using the Boho Blossoms punch and layered them on top of one another adding a rhinestone to the centre and a few branches from the two step bird punch! For the butterflies I got inspiration from a video on Michelle Last's blog, click here to see her lovely little video! I changed it slightly as I couldn't really find a flower stamp in my collection that was suitable. I originally intended on curling the edge of the butterflies but after trying one decided it just didn't look good! So basically I did the rock and roll technique, punched out the butterflies and covered then with crystal effects and finished them off with a dusting of dazzling diamonds glitter and some rhinestones. when they were dry I bent up the wings, and adhered them in the centre of the lid as if they are sitting on the flowers. The box was just the perfect size for the small box of flower brads that I bought for Sue to help her get going with crafting! When she saw the box she was stunned and when she heard the rattled she was shocked that there was a little something inside. I love seeing people's excited reactions to gifts, especially when they aren't expecting them! 

I hope you liked today's little share. Come back tomorrow to see the little card I made to welcome Sue into my team. 

Hugs, 

Amanda xx

sue's workshop

On Monday night my husband's aunt Sue hosted a workshop at her house and I just thought I would show you one of the projects that I demonstrated!

Hi There Ornate Blossom

Stamp Set: Ornate Blossom, Ornate Flowers, Basic Phrases

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

Ink: Old Olive, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake

Punches: Modern Label

Extras: Dimensionals, Sponge

I made this card to show off one of the new stamp sets I had recently gotten from Stampin' Up! I love the fact that there is a small and a large stamp that are the same, doesn't it just work great to make a card with a patterned background and focal point?! It also shows the super fun rock and roll technique, where you ink up the stamp with one colour and then rock and roll the edges in a darker colour ink before stamping. I really like this technique as it adds extra colour to a stamp without being too much of one solid colour, and also for the fact that you will never get the same effect twice with rock and roll. We rocked and rolled both the background and the focal point of the card! 

I hope you enjoyed today's little share! Please do let me know what you think, I love reading your comments! 

Take care, 

Amanda 

xx

marvellous may class fun!

My first class is over and it was fab! There were 5 lovely ladies that joined me today, and I couldn't have been happier with how it went, apart from perhaps the few moments where I got totally tongue tied but hey ho that happens to everyone, we live and learn! So, I really enjoyed it and from what I can gather, everyone seemed to have a great time too! It makes me so happy to see others getting enjoyment out of creating a card or other project and its such a blessing to be able to share my passion with others! Its actually what gets me out of bed in the morning...love it!


 And now I would like to show you what we did, and if you didn't make it, what you missed out on!

Poppin' Pastels Flower 

Rock And Roll Birdie

Greenhouse Garden Waterfall


This was an BIG hit...its so much fun to make a interactive card and everyone really did go ooh and ahh when they saw it cascade! 

Candle

I gave everyone freedom to create whatever they wanted on their candle! They turned out beautifully and clearly showed each person's individual taste and flare! 

If you like what you saw and really wished that you had come I am thinking of running a catch up class on my return in June so if you are at all interested please email me on amanda_burditt@hotmail.co.uk 

It will depend on the amount of interest I recieve as to whether I run this catch up class so please do email me if you would like to make all of the above projects. 

I will leave you with a comment from today: 

"After using the stamp-a-ma-jig today it has really given me the confidence to use it at home, its a lot less daunting"

It is so lovely to see the confidence build up in people. Please do email me if you are interested. 

For those interested in my June class, it will be on June 18th from 11am-2pm at mine. Don't forget to email me to book your place! (there were "WOWs" today as I showed sneak peaks of June's class!!) 

Can't wait to hear from you! 

Amanda xoxo

may class

As I said, at the beginning of each months I will announce the details of the month's class techniques and 3D items! Without any further ado, here they are for the month of May:


Techniques:
Rock and Roll 
Two Step Stampin'
Stamp-a-ma-jig
Poppin' Pastels 
3D Item:
Candle 


Just to remind you the class is on Saturday May 21st from 11am-2pm and costs £12.50. This includes all the materials you will need to make all the projects and also lots of tea and cake! :) Places are limited so please book.


I am very excited to say that I already have 5 people who have booked their places for my first class, but still have a few left! It would be lovely to see you there too, I promise it will be fun so please do book your spot as soon as possible to avoid disappointment! 


For any more information or to book your spot please email me at, amanda_burditt@hotmail.co.uk


I hope to see you there! 


Until next time, 


Amanda xx

let's rock and roll!

It's been a little while since I added some cards that weren't challenges...I've been busy making and have now got lots to upload! Today I would like to share my experimentation with the rock and roll technique!

Thinking of You

Stamp Set: Silhouette Sentiment, Punch Potpourri 

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery, Old Olive

Ink: Dafodil Delight, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive

Extras: Staples, Dimensionals

If you would like to see how to do a card like this, and have a go yourself, why not come along to my class in May when we will all be having a go at doing the Rock and Roll technique! Its really easy and fun....not to mention very cool looking! 

Tea Bag Holder

Stamp Set: Punch Potpourri, Bliss, Silhouette Sentiments

Cardstock: Early Espresso, Certainly Celery, Marina Mist DSP

Ink: Early Espresso, Certainly Celery, Old Olive

Accessories: 1/4" Whisper White Grosgrian Ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

Extras: Sticky Strip, Tombo Mono Multi Glue, Dimensionals, Velcro, Eyelet Border Punch, 1" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch

Again, this is going to be a upcoming project in my classes, so keep your eyes peeled for the class featuring this project! Its totally gorgeous and makes a fantastic gift! 

Hope you enjoyed today's offerings, please do leave a comment, they make my day! 

Amanda x