Monster Love

Hello there! 

Here's an idea for Valentine's day, or any occassion card really, where you'd want to write your little 'monster' a note to say you love them. I know I don't have any little monsters of my own but I had some of these cuties left from my Christmas project and was trying to find creative ways to use them. 

Stamp Set: Hearts a Flutter, Geometrical

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Pool Party, Real Red

Cardstock: Whisper White, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pool Party

Accessories: Monster Hugs - Girls & Boys, Crystal Effects

These are so easy and quick to do - aren't they so adorably cute!?

Okay, this was just a super quick post for today. Don't forget you can buy these little Monster Hugs in packs of 18 for £5.50, they're available to order from me or buy from my online shop until January 27th.

Happy Stampin',

Inky Fingers Challenge 3

Hi! 

Doesn't the weekend fly by fast!? I hope you had a good weekend? Mine was pretty good - did some crafting, met with friends, did some holiday planning for the summer. Only thing that was a bummer was majorly over sleeping on Sunday. Stuart had been up very late writing school reports and we were both tired 0 these headaches have really been taking it out of me. Church begins at 11am and we woke at 11:15! Whoops! That was a bit of a mad rush! Apart from that, it was a good day!

Well, now its Monday again and that means another Inky Fingers Challenge. This week is a stamp set challenge and its the well loved Chalk Talk!

Stamp Set: Chalk Talk

Ink: Old Olive, Bermuda Bay, Tempting Turquoise

Cardstock: Whisper White, Bermuda Bay

I know Chalk Talk is one of the hottest sets at the moment - it makes lovely cards and tags too. There's a couple stamps in there that have become some go-to stamps, with that in mind I discarded them and set about inking up one of the stamps yet to be inked up! This is a lovely stamp and I had great fun playing! 

I also set about using different colours - no Crisp Cantaloupe to be seen here! 

I decided to leave the inside blank apart from the small heart in the corner so I could stamp it with the perfect thank you stamp I wanted when I'm ready to send this out!

I used the pens to colour in just the heart for the falling hearts and also stamped a few extra on scrap Whisper White, cut them out and popped them up with dimensionals for a bit of added depth!

I'm really pleased how this card came together and I only used ONE stamp!! 

Don't forget to head over to the Inky Fingers blog to check out what the other talented Design Team members have created for you this week and make something yourself to ad to this challenge! I look forward to seeing what you create! 

Happy Stampin',

Hearts & Confetti

Hey there! 

Happy Saturday folks! I hope you're having a good day! I had the most lovely morning - breakfast with my besties - Jo and Laura, and Laura's friend Honor too! It was just perfect to catch up, plus there were belated Christmas pressies! Awesome!!

So, as I said earlier this week, I'm trying to play along with more challenge blogs this year. What I love about challenge blogs is that they give you a fantastic starting point, often prove challenging and rewarding when its completed and help you think outside the box, or get out of a rut!

I've been following Freshly Made Sketches for a while and often admire the sketches they have, but I've never actually played along before! Its a new year, I thought I'd give it a go! Here is this week's sketch...

Isn't it lovely and simple? I have to admit, I was a little skeptical about it as I HATE things on diagonals. I just think they look wonky and its just not for me, however, after seeing what the design team members had created I thought, hey, I can give this a go! Besides, if everything was your cup of tea, where would the challenge be!?

Stamp Set: Language of Love

Ink: Primrose Petals, Coastal Cabana, Pear Pizzazz, Crushed Curry

Cardstock: Primrose Petals, Coastal Cabana, Pear Pizzazz, Crushed Curry, Whisper White, Glimmer Paper, Vellum

Big Shot: Hearts a Flutter

Punches: Owl Builder

Extras: White Gel Pen

 I pretty much followed the sketch as it was, I didn't deviate too much - doesn't that make a change!? 

I used the Paper Player's challengecolours again just because I am really LOVING them - so bright and cheery! I also thought I'd incorporate in the confetti idea again. This time the confetti is in the shape of lots of the little punched hearts from the owl builder punch. 

I coloured in the love stamp with the markers, doesn't it look fun in all those bright colours?! And glimmer paper really adds glitz to the card. The white gel pen lines around the diagonal shape and the three little hearts in the corner are the perfect finishing touches.

So, what do you think? Did I pull off the diagonal/non-straight card?! I sure think I did. I think I can be brought around to the idea that not everything has to be at right angles on a card....I just might! 

Hope you enjoyed this, have a nice Saturday!

Happy Stampin',

Frosted Scattered Embossing Technique & Video!

Happy Friday folks!! 

Are you looking forward to the weekend? I certainly am! Breakfast tomorrow with two of my besties, chilling out with my lovely and very hardworking hubby followed by lunch out at his aunt and uncle's on Sunday. Really looking forward to it! 

As promised (and I really hoped to have done this earlier this week)  here is a card and video on the frosted scattered embossing technique I showed you earlier this week on the card I made for the Paper Player's and also SU Only challenges! 

Stamp Set: Hello Lovely

Ink: Gumball Green, Crisp Cantaloupe

Cardstock: Pistachio Pudding, Gumball Green, Crisp Cantaloupe, Vellum, Very Vanilla. Gold Foil

DSP: Venetian Romance

Big Shot: Petals a Penty

Punch: Bitty Butterfly, Banner (SAB)

Trimmer: Scallop

Accessories: Gold Baker's Twine, Pearls

I really love this card! I bought the petals a plenty folder a while ago but haven't really used it as the pattern was very compacted, now I've created a way to be more versatile with the folder. Love it!

I've explained pretty much everything in the video so sit back and enjoy! (Sorry I rather got my hand in the way of embossing, its so hard to see at such a distance so I don't get my head in the way...I hope you get the general idea!)

Have a beautiful weekend whatever the weather is doing by you! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xox

Anyday Sweet Sayings

Hello again! 

As promised I'm back today with some super simple, quick and easy to make cards using the Sweet Sayings notecards. They're part of the Valentine's promotion Stampin' Up has running and at £5.50 for 12 including envelopes, they're a steal. You can purchase them from my online store, here. You'll need to be quick though as they are only available until January 27th!

Anyway today's shares are non-Valentines cards using the Sweet Sayings notecards. 

Stamp Set: Chalk Talk, Language of Love

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Pool Party, Real Red

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pool Party, Crisp Cantaloupe

Big Shot: Chalk Talk framelits

Punch: Owl Builder, 1 3/8" Circle

Accessories: Baker's Twine, Rhinestone

A couple variations using a few stamps from the Chalk Talk and Language of Love sets.

They're cute and great to have on hand or throw together quickly for an emergency card. 

Stamp Set: Hello Lovely

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Pool Party, Real Red

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pool Party, Crisp Cantaloupe

Punch: Owl Builder, Decorative Label

Accessories: Baker's Twine, Rhinestone, Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons

Likewise these are also quick clean & simple cards using the Hello Lovely set. I'm super pleased with these two and can see myself making a few more, perhaps with a couple more variations added in too and bundling them together to make a pretty little notecard set as a gift. 

This final little note card is using a stamp from the Lots of Thanks stamp set which has lots of lovely thank you sentiments in it. Perfect!

I hope you enjoyed this super quick little post today. I'm sorry its been so quick, I've been struggling with a migraine the last couple days and my to-do list is getting longer by the minute so I am off to accomplish some of those items and hopefully shorten the dreaded list! 

Come back again soon for more pretties! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xo

Valentine Birds

Hello!

Are you having a good week? Isn't this month just flying by!?! It'll be Christmas again before we know it! I wish time would slow down a bit. 

Valentine's is fast approaching and today I've got some more creative inspiration for you. 

I'm aware you might not be so interested in Valentine's so I'm also sharing ways to adapt card/products for other occassions too! 

Stamp Set: For the Birds, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Black Stazon, Real Red, Pool Party, Soft Sky, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pear Pizzazz, Daffodil Delight

Cardstock: Crisp Cantaloupe, Sweet Sayings Cards & Envelopes

Accessories: Subtles Buttons, Pearls, Dazzling Diamonds

These super sweet note cards come with a pre-printed border and are absolutely perfect for a quick card. A little stamped image or sentiment and you're set to go! They also come with envelopes in Pool Party, Crisp Cantaloupe, and Real Red - so pretty! These come in a pack of 12 for £5.50 so they work out at 45p each for the card and envelope - what a great deal! 

I chose to use the For the Birds set and colour it in with blender pens. The blender pens give it a lovely watercolour look and is so easy to do and makes great use of all those ink pads you own for the price of a blender pen! 

I cut of the sentiment from the bird stamp which makes these stamps so much more versatile, but you could use a post-it note to mask it off too if you didn't want to cut your stamp! Just pop any sentiment you need on here and your card is good to go! 

For a little extra sparkle I added a dab of dazzling diamonds to the hearts and scattered a few pearls and a button! 

Here's another of the stamps from the For the Birds set. It only took a few minutes to throw together and made a fab quick note card to pop in with some goodies for a friend! I can see I'm going to have to stock up on these little notecards - they are only available until January 27th! Get them while you can!!

I'll be back tomorrow and share with you a few more cards using these gorgeous Sweet Sayings note cards for non-valenine purposes!

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xx

Confetti & Banners

Hello!

Well, today has not gone according to plan. I've got a long to-do list and was looking forward to crossing off a number of items from it today. Unfortunately I woke with a horrid headache, I still went to coffee morning at church this morning, hoping that if I ignored it, it'd go away. Alas it didn't, it simply got worse and developed into a migraine! Oh the fun. When I got home I went back to bed and just dozed for the afternoon! I'm feeling rather frustrated with myself but there's not much you can do with a raging migraine! I'm still feeling a little delicate as I write this but at least it's not requiring a great deal of movement! 

Anyway, onto something I made last night. This year I would love to take part in more challenge blogs, I really enjoy looking at all the pretty things on challenge blogs but seldomly get my act together to actually make something and enter it on time! Two of my favourite are The Paper Players and SU Only and this card fit in perfectly with both challenges! 

The Paper Players' Challenge is this gorgeous colour challenge

SU Only had a 'Fun with New Toys' Challenge on their blog so that's a great opportunity to play with lots of new toys! We all love new toys, don't we!?

Stamp Set: Remembering Your Birthday, Language of Love

Ink: Coastal Cabana, Crushed Curry, Pear Pizzazz, Primrose Petals

Cardstock: Coastal Cabana, Crushed Curry, Pear Pizzazz, Primrose Petals, Whisper White, Vellum

Big Shot: Decorative Dots TIEF (SAB)

Punch: Owl Builder, Small Heart

Accessories: Gold Baker's Twine, Crystal Effects

So I've got to say, these colours just made me feel so happy! They make me think of confetti and sprinkles!

I laid the vellum over the open embossing folder and used the embossing stylus to only emboss the dots I wanted - this meant I could get the look of falling confetti. I then coloured in the embossed dots with my markers. I wish you could feel how lovely this vellum feels embossed! 

The new gold (!!LOVE IT!!) baker's twine and stamped images from the Language of Love set which will be in the Spring Summer seasonal catalogue later this month adorn the top edge - using this bright colours really re-purposes them for other occassions than just Valentine's or for a wedding! 

I also used the Remembering Your Birthday set which is in the AC but its new to me, and I am LOVING it! With the pens I was able to colour in the sentiment, highlight the word sprinkles and omit the word pink to customise it for the card! 

A few little hearts from the Owl Builder and some crystal effects were the finishing touches! 

I am so pleased with how this card turned out. One of my to-do list items for today was a wee video on how to do the embossing technique featured here but alas it'll have to wait until Thursday. 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xo