C25K update

Just thought I'd give you a really quick update on my C25K. So last night I completed Week 3, tomorrow I begin Week 4! 

Week 4 (Brisk 5 minute warm up walk, jog for 3 minutes, walk 90 seconds, jog for 5 minutes, walk for 2.5 minutes, jog for 3 minutes, walk for 90 seconds, jog for 5 minutes) so it involves a whole lot more running and a lot less walking! I've gotta admit I'm pretty apprehensive about it although I've been quite apprehensive about what I'm capable of doing every single week and not failed yet so that helps keep me going! 

To be honest I can't believe I'm almost half way there! I hope I can keep it up to some degree while on holiday in America! I worked out that if I do keep it up I'm on track to finish it just before my 25th birthday! 

Anyhow this is only a quick update. Have a great day! 

Amanda xo

simply stampin' challenge 67

Good morning! 

Simply Stampin' Challenge time again folks! This week is a sketch again and here we have it...

And my interpretation...

Birthday Cupcake

Stamp Set: Easy Events

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Crumb Cake, Baja Breeze, Basic Black

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake, Rose Red

Punch: Owl Builder

Ribbon: Blushing Bride Pleated Satin, Pretty in Pink Satin, Pretty in Pink Taffeta (Retired)

Accessories: Dazzling Diamonds

So Deb did some beautiful CAS cards with the Easy Events stamp set last week which has made me want to get my set out for a play again! 

As you can see I rotated the sketch! 

I started by stamping the cupcake and colouring it in with a blender pen for a watercolour look, I mounted it on a some crumb cake for a border and help it stand out against all the pink I was about to throw at the card! I wanted to try something different for the strips in the background so I thought I'd raid my ribbons for pinks - hence the retired taffeta because the colours matched - it really showcases the ribbons and different textures. They were adhered/tied to the card and the cupcake popped up on top. To finish it off and add a small bit of pop to the card I punched the tiny heart from the owl punch and added it to the top of the cupcake and added glitter! That cupcake looks SO yummy!!!

I hope you will head over to the Simply Stampin' blog to check out the other amazingly talented DT entries, and enter yourself! Oh and don't forget to leave me a comment and let me know what you thought to this card! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xx

a special card

Hiya! 

Okay so I've just posted a C25K update (seem my previous post) but I thought I'd also show you a special card I was commissioned to make last month. 

It was for a 80 birthday and I was asked to make it a big card (oh I don't really do big cards - a challenge for me!!) and pinks and roses. I used a retired stamp set here as it was the only one I had with roses. Even though its retired I couldn't help but share this with y'all! 

Rose Wreath 80 Birthday

Stamp Set: Baby Blossoms (Retired), Apothecary Art

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Wisteria Wonder, Pear Pizzazz

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Pretty in Pink, So Saffron, Regal Rose, Wisteria Wonder

Big Shot: Timeless Type Junior Alphabet

Ribbon: So Saffron Taffeta (Retired)

Accessories: Pearls

So this has still got to be one of my favourite stamp sets - so so darling! So sad its retired! So i had a rough circle pencil line which I followed to make my wreath. I stamped the ditsy flowers in wisteria - the base was stamped off for a lighter shade and then the coordinating detail stamp in full strength for that subtle pretty look. I then added in lots of leaves in the spaces with Pear Pizzazz (going to miss this colour SO much when it retires in September!!!) I then stamped in some scrap vanilla lots of roses and spent time cutting them all out to layer over the top - great way to add dimension, depth and perfect placement! I also added a bow to the wreath because I think a wreath has to have a bow! In the middle I added a banner with happiest birthday and an 80. The way I made this card "big" was to just use a larger card base, layer up some of the colours I used in the wreath as mounts and just have a plain and simple large boarder around the edge. Oh and of course I added some pearls for pretty bling!

Apparently the recipient loved it! I am so glad! 

Hope you liked this! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda x

C25K update

Hey there! 

Man oh man how is it Friday already!?! I completely meant to blog this week, got lots of things I wanted to show off and alas the week has escaped me!! I also wanted to give you a little update about my C25K. So here it goes...

 I should have completed week 2 at the end of last week but I was having a super lazy Friday last week and just couldn't find the energy. Saturday I went to Cambridge on a photography trip for the day so after traipsing around Cambridge all day I was shattered and going out for a run, I must admit was NOT on my mind. So I ended up doing my last week 2 run on Monday, I have to say I didn't hold out too much hope of success after no running for 4/5 days. To my surprise it went well I managed the whole run without pressing pause to catch my breath once!! It was a proud moment!

 Now I am on week 3 (5 minutes warm up walk followed by 2 repetitions of 90 seconds jog, 90 seconds walk, 3 minutes jog, 3 minutes walk and then a 5 minute cool down at the end). I intended to start week 3 on Tuesday but it just rained so much I had to give it a miss. I had an awful night sleep Tuesday, woke up like 5 times with nightmares (!?!?!?!) so Wednesday was just a rubbish blur and I spent the entire evening sorting stuff out at my mom's so when I rolled in at midnight I had absolutely NO enthusiasm for running. Tonight I did my first run. I wasn't looking forward to 3 minutes running - I seriously doubted I had it in me to do it and was fully expecting to have to press pause a few times during the session. Well, I was AWESOME!!! Probably the best run I have done so far, pressed pause for about 7 seconds on my 90 second walks to give myself a little extra time to catch my breath before the 3 minute runs. Actually I found the 3 minutes easier than the 90 seconds! Probably because its longer you don't think about the time so much - I was utterly amazed to see how fast 3 minutes running went by! I honestly thought it would seem like an eternity! 

I'm actually loving (mostly) my runs at the moment and look forward to going out on them! Never thought in a million years I'd say that! If any of you out there is reading this thinking it sounds nuts running for enjoyment and to get fit I'd really urge you to try it! It just feels so good when you've accomplished a run and I actually feel myself getting fitter and slimmer too!!! 

Well my "short" update has turned into a little bit of a blabbering on rant - sorry for that! 

Have a great day! 

Amanda xo

simply stampin' challenge 66

Back today with another Simply Stampin' Challenge. This week's challenge is a theme and the theme is 

Clean & Simple

Birthday Flower

Stamp Set: Apothecary Art

Ink: Night of Navy

Cardstock: Whisper White, Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight

Punches: Blossom, 5 Petal Flower, Boho Blossoms, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border, Corner Rounder

Accessories: Daffodil Delight Brad

So I'm not sure that the photo really does this card justice. The flower is really curvy and poofy! The tab just balances out the rest of the card and adds a place for the sentiment. 

Hope you liked this fun CAS card! I look forward to seeing your CAS creations over on the Simply Stampin' blog.

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xo

wedding...

So I've been doing wedding stationary for a couple of ladies recently and this was one of the samples I knocked up of a invite I could make - seeing as Ive only just started I didn't have many samples to show! 

Wedding Invite with Belly Band

Stamp Set: n/a

Ink: n/a

Cardstock: Basic Black, Very Vanilla, So Saffron

DSP: First Edition

Punch: Boho Blossoms

Big Shot: Fun Flowers, Elegant Bouquet Emboss 

Accessories: Antique Brads

So inside in the middle would be the invitation wording and embossed pattern on the two sides enclosing it. Holding the whole thing together is a belly band with embossed pattern again and then a pretty flower in the centre! Its gorgeous! If I was getting married again I would totally go for something glamorous like this!! 

Hope you liked today's quick little share! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xo

C25K update

For any of you that know already or are reading my blog I am attempting to do the Couch to 5k program.  It helps train you and build up your endurance so that you can run 5k. This is both in an attempt to just get a bit fitter and to loose more weight in my ongoing goal to see the pandas at Edinburgh zoo - see last week's post to see what that's all about! 

Anyway last week was Week 1 of C25K (a 9 week program, uh *cough* we will see about that!). It actually went surprisingly well - week 1 involves 5 minute brisk warm up walk followed by 20 minutes of 60 seconds running, 90 seconds walking on repeat. finished off with a 5 minute cool down.

Yes I was super out of breath and had to stop walking a couple times to catch my breath and recover from stitches but by my third run I managed the entire half hour without stopping! I was so proud! I know I sound really unfit and I totally am, so for me to do that, was a great achievement! To be honest when I first started I seriously didn't think I could run for 60 seconds. My calves and feet have been aching so much! Oh joy!

Anyway, today was the beginning of Week 2! All I can say is OH MY GOODNESS!!! That was rough!! 

Week 2 is 5 minutes brisk warm up walk followed by 20 minutes of 90 seconds and 2 minutes walking on repeat, finished off with a 5 minute cool down. Wow who would have thought that 30 seconds more running would be SO challenging! Anyhow, I shall soldier on and hopefully by the end of the week it will become easier just like week 1 did! 

I'm going to try and blog about C25K each week but hopefully shorter length so you can all check up on how I'm doing, if you're interested! 

Hugs,

Amanda xo