simply stampin' challenge, week 4

And this week we are back to another sketch challenge! I think I've decided sketch challenges are some of my favourite! Its really great to be challenged with a sketch design for a starting point. This week's challenge template was lovely! 

Thinking of You

Stamp Set: Silhouette Sentiments

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper white

Ink: Versa Mark, Elegant Eggplant, Certainly Celery

Stampin' Pastels: Certainly Celery

Accessories: Whisper White Satin Ribbon, Basic Rhinestones

Extras: 1" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Dimensionals, Sponges

I stamped the flowers in versamark on the Whisper White and them used a cotton ball to apply Certainly Celery pastel to the image. I sponged the edge with Certainly Celery ink and mounted on a piece of Elegant Eggplant cardstock. I tied some ribbon to the Certainly Celery cardbase (which I sponged the edges with Elegant Eggplant ink) before adhering the chalked flower section. I stamped the flowers and bird on separate pieces of Certainly Celery cardstock, punched them out and them sponged the edges with Elegant Eggplant ink before adhering them with dimensionals. Finally I stamped the sentiment, Thinking of You, in the bottom right hand corner, and added a strip of 3 rhinestones to the corner. One more rhinestone on the branch with the bird finishes off the card! I must just say, I am LOVING this colour combo at the moment! 

Hope you enjoyed this week's challenge entry and look forward to seeing what you all create. So head on over to the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog to enter for you last chance to win some lovely goodies. Also check out the other design team member's entries! They're fab! 

Have a great weekend! 


Amanda xoxo

floral brooch

I'm still here! After a busy week of posts everyday last week I haven't much to share at the moment, I have been busy getting all my projects ready for my May and June classes (I have some very exciting and cute projects in store so please do book your place and come along - I'm sure you won't regret it!) As a result of class planning, I haven't had much time to play (I want my class projects to be a bit of a surprise so look out for postings after my class!) 

I scoured my photo archives today just to see if there was anything I hadn't yet shared that I could put up for you all to see and I found this cute little rosette! I saw this a few weeks ago on the lovely and talented Amanda Fowler's blog, to see her tutorial on how to make them see here.

Ribbon Rosette 

Stamp Set: N/A

Cardstock: Melon Mambo

Ink: N/A

Accessories: Satin Ribbon (non SU - I wish SU sold bright pink - melon mambo - coloured satin ribbon!!!), Basic Rhinestones 

Extras: 1 3/8" Circle Punch

I cut slits in the ribbon at intervals and rounded the corners then using the heat tool heated the ribbon until it began to curl and melt a bit. When I was satisfied I covered a piece of cardstock in SNAIL and began winding and sticking the ribbon to the cardstock to form a rosette. After a while, when I was finally happy with it I cut off the excess and added a bunch of different sized rhinestones to the centre to finish it off! 

Its so gorgeous, I makes a perfect brooch or even a lovely little accent for a card!!! 

Stuart and I are going away to Chester for a couple days, using our wedding present from his brother Richard and cousin Andrew which was a afternoon tea for two and overnight stay at this fancy hotel. Looking forward to relaxing and getting away from it all for a bit and spending some quality time with my lovely hubby...I'm a little nervous leaving all my creative things at home and no access to them 'till Friday night...I'm well and truly an addict!!! Seriously I am! EEK!! 

Finally, I just want to let you know I have another workshop scheduled for Friday May 6th at mine at 7:30pm so please do come along! I'd love to see you there! 

Also, don't forget to book your place for my May class! I am soo excited!!

Take Care, 

Amanda xoxo

simply stampin' challenge, week 3

This week's Simply Stampin' Challenge is a themed challenge. And I was very excited to see that it was an Easter theme! Any excuse to decorate the house...and I'm there! I remember as a kid my mum, brother and I would decorate eggs with food colouring and wax resist. So when I was thinking about this challenge I considered trying something similar...for old time's sake with re-inkers. However at the moment I only have Marina Mist and lets face it, one colour can only go so far...so that idea is on the back burner 'till next year when hopefully I'll have more re-inkers! 


The project I did this week was inspired from an idea that was shared at the Stampin' Up! training day I attended last month, and here it is...

Easter Tree

Stamp Set: N/A

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Pink Pirouette

DSP: Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Pink Pirouette, Marina Mist, Perfect Plum 

Accessories: Whisper White 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon, Whisper White Satin Ribbon

Extras: Eyelets, Crop-a-dile, Corner Chomper, Crimper, Sticky Strip

Other: Chocolate Eggs, Chick Marshmallows, Flower Pot, Stones, Twigs

A bit different to what I normally do hey? I thought Id make a "Easter Tree".  On It are hung lots of little boxes which I made (so simple to do and really cute) and decorated with some Brights Collection DSP. Inside each box are little treats, tiny foil wrapped chocolate eggs and marshmallows. I shredded some carstock and crimped it to add inside the box to pad out the treats and make them look extra special - like they're sitting in a little nest! Finally I added some satin ribbon bows to the twigs just to fill it out a little more and make it look extra cute! Below are additional close ups of the tree and boxes! 

I intend on giving these little gifts to guests who visit us over the Easter period...a cute little surprise for them! (Anyone who came to my workshop last night got to choose one!) 

Please don't forget to head over to the Simply Stampin' Challenge blog to see what the other lovely talented design team members have created. Also enter your own creation for your chance to win some lovely goodies (for more details, check out the simply stampin challenge blog!).

Until next time, 

Amanda xoxo

cravendales milk

Anyone who knows me will know that I am a sucker for a GOOD advert! One of my favourite ads at the moment is the Cravendale's Milk ad....and I thought I would just share it with you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! I think its really clever and funny!

Hope you like it! 


Amanda x

finally friday

I only have a little card to share with you today (I'm actually writing this post the night before, nursing my arm which is really hurting after burning it on the oven! Ice is helping a little but still hurts! booo). Its a little monogrammed notelet. 

"A" Monogrammed Notelet

Stamp Set: Broadsheet Alphabet, Punch Bunch (SAB), En Francais

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Certainly Celery, Rich Razzleberry

Accessories: Basic Rhinestone

Extras: 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Eyelet Border Punch, Dimensionals. 

I stamped the background with the En Francais background stamp. I stamped the scalloped circle for you stamp from the Punch Bunch in Rich Razzleberry on razzleberry cardstock, I then punched out the centre so just the scallop edge remained. On a separate piece of Very Vanilla I stamped the enitial "A" and the adheredit to the centre of the scallop circle. I adhered narrow strips of Certainly Celery eyelet border to the top and bottom of the razzleberry strip. Finally, I finished off this little notelet with a rhinestone on the monogram. This would make a really cute little monogrammed gift set which is what I intend on doing with this...watch out for the finished gift sets soon! 

I hope you have a great Friday! If you're in the area, tonight, I am having my workshop so please pop along, there's a extra little something in it for all who attend!! 

One more thing, its your last chance today to enter the Simply Stampin' Colour Challenge...a new challenge is released tomorrow so please head on over, enter for your chance to win some lovely goodies!!! 

Take Care!

Amanda xo

give a little

A few days ago I said that last Thursday I went over to Vicky's to have some crafty play and use her big shot. I cut out lots with it so I have plenty to play with back at home. Here is a little gift carton I made using the Milk Carton die! I have more things I still plan on making but I will make and share them another day! Today is just a really quick simple little one!

Congrats Milk Carton

Stamp Set: Silhouette Sentiments 

Cardstock: Pink Pirouette, Rose Red DSP

Accessories: Pink Bulldog Clip

 Extras: Sticky Strip, 1" Circle Punch

This is a really great little container for giving a small gift to someone! They would make cute favours at a wedding too! 

Please leave a comment! I love reading them! 

'till tomorrow,

Ciao!

what a lovely day!

Just a short little post to say what a lovely day I have had! For anyone that knows me, you will know that I am not really a baby and kid person...I just don't know what to do with them and afraid I'm just not good at connecting with them! So this may surprise some of you... Today Stuart and I took Harry and Ollie (new little baby Georgia's older brothers) to the park! We had SO MUCH FUN!! seriously! We swung on the swings, played football, ate an ice-cream, fed the ducks, played on the slide, more football, more sliding and more swinging! The boys totally loved it! And they were SO good all afternoon, only a tiny 30 second tantrum when it was time to go home! I wish kids were always like that! It was nice to be able to give Lydia a break from the boys, she must get so tired out looking after 3 kids! Anyhow, that's all that I wanted to say, I was actually pleasantly surprised how fun it was and needed to share it with someone!!