is your life manic?

Well, is it? I know everyone is super busy these days so you're probably thinking, I just don't have time to make card, in particular Christmas cards...because I need a lot. Well I'm here with another nice, quick and easy Christmas card for you! 

And don't forget, everyone needs a little bit of relaxation away from busy days and life. Why not let a spot of crafting be your "escape" zone?! If you'd like a more social activity, invite a couple friends over, have a glass of wine or cuppa (it'll be cheaper than a take away, meal out or night on the town!). Or if you have kids why not get them involved - they'll love it and it will create a great bonding session and activity for you to do together away from video games, computer or the tv!

Christmas Accents

Stamp Set: Come to Bethlehem

Ink: Early Espresso,

Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade

DSP: Festival of Prints

Big Shot: Apothecary Accents Framelits

Accessories: Brushed Bronze Button

Baker's Twine: Cherry Cobbler

I'm really liking these Apothecary Accent framelits at the moment, They are perfectly designed to use individually but equally work well by layering them up! They easily cut up to 3 pieces of DSP/cardstock at one time which means making cards in bulk is super easy and simple! I've used a button here as an embelishment but why not use a small stamped image, ribbon strip or a few rhinestones/pearls for a more postal friendly embellishment?! 

If you like the look of this card and would like to give it a go why not drop me a message and I would be glad to help you with all that you'll need to make as many as you need! Seeing as these framelits aren't Christmassy they will get used throughout the year making them an excellent purchase!!

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xo

whirlwind weekend take 2

I'm back as promised with another darling little project that I demo'd this weekend for a couple of parties. It was World Card Making Day yesterday so in honour of it I focused on some card making techniques and tools! 

This project is another Betsy creation. I'm sorry but you're probably going to see a lot of Betsy Blossoms creations in the coming days as I am just crazy for the sweet bird, flowers and leaves!

Rainbow Blooms

Stamp Set: Betsy Blossoms, Betsy Blooms (wheel), Itty Bitty Banners

Ink: Melon Mambo, Pumpkin Pie, Daffodil Delight, Gumball Green

Cardstock: Whisper White 

Big Shot: Labels Framelits 

Extras: Festive Paper Piercing Pack

Ribbon: Daffodil Delight Stitched Grosgrain

Accessories: Rhinestones

This card is showing off the beautiful co-ordination that Stampin' Up! has! See how the flowers in the wheel stamp match so perfectly wit the flower from Betsy's Blossoms?! I love that! So I inked and wheeled the Betsy's Blooms in 3 colours - like a rainbow! In all honesty, I haven't used wheels in a while, they got a little forgotten about but recently I have regained my love or wheels and how easy they make patterned backgrounds! They are really quite inexpensive and so easy! If you haven't tried wheels yet you have to give it a go, they're so much fun! 

I was also showing off the new piercing packs that Stampin' Up! have. Its so neat that they co-ordinate with framelits and punches that SU! carry. Yes, there's that word again, co-ordination. It really is at the heart of what Stampin' Up! is all about and one of the reasons I love them as a company so much!! 

Its definitely got a good pop of colour! A cheery card as we head towards the coldness of winter! I'm not a fan of the cold so hanging on to summery cards and colours as long as possible is a must for me! 

Have a great Sunday,

Amanda x

betsy's birds

Good morning! 

I've got another Betsy's Blossoms creation for you today! 

Stamp Set: Betsy's Blossoms, Itty Bitty Banners

Ink: Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Rich Razzleberry

Cardstock: Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry

Punch: Itty Bitty Punch Pack

Big Shot: Vintage Wallpaper

Accessories: Rhinestones

Quite a simple card. The leaves and bird were stamped and cut out. The background was embossed and then leaves and bird adhered over top. I punched the sweet little flowers and added them to the leaves and finally the sentiment. 

Isn't this bird darling? I just love it! I actually stamped the bird several times, cut out the wings and body separately so I could layer them up with dimentionals for a 3D effect! 

Is Betsy's Blossoms on your wish list?! I'm sure glad I got mine! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Amanda xx

whirlwind weekend!

Man oh man! Its been one of those weekends!! I have had a lovely but tiring weekend filled with LOTS of crafting with LOTS of lovely people! 

Last night my lovely friend Emma hosted a party for a few friends, it was a nice relaxed evening and her cute little boy kept us all highly amused! 

Today was Wendy's turn to host! It makes me so happy to see someone get so excited about hosting and inviting so many people! She truly had a house full, everyone seemed to have a great time! I don't feel like I stopped talking (and listening to questions and stories) ALL afternoon and still didn't get to talk to people half as much as I would have wished to! But we had fun, that's the main thing!!

So I thought I'd share with you one of the cute little projects I shared with them all! Seeing as its World Card Making Day today it seemed appropriate that I focus on showing some cards and different techniques! Here's what we did!

Believe Snowflake Gradient

Stamp Set: Snowflake Gradient

Ink: VersaMark, Wisteria Wonder, Island Indigo, Midnight Muse

Cardstock: Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder

Punch: Decorative Label

Ribbon: Whisper White Organza

Emboss: White Embossing Powder

This is an emboss resist technique I've show before - but with a twist! To begin I embossed the snowflakes. Next step is to sponge over the snowflakes with ink, before I've just used one colour but here I did a gradient look using 3 colours. Begin with lightest colour and work darker! Sponge the colour on in nice smooth strokes leaving a white gap of "light" down the centre; as you apply the different colours, over lapping slightly as you go, the colours will blend together to form a smooth transition between ink colours. After you've finished sponging the ink use a paper towel or tissue to wipe off any ink that will have pooled over the embossed snowflakes to bring them back to a lovely clean glossy white! 

I stamped and punched the sentiment, added some ribbon and matted on some more card to finish it off. Another card perfect for mass producing in time for Christmas! 

This card was inspired by a card I found somewhere on the internet - she had brayered hers which looked lovely but sponging give a lot smoother look in my opinion.

I think this has got to be one of my favourite creations of late - the snowflakes are so elegant and classy and I've fallen head over heels for this gradient emboss resist technique! (look out for another emboss resist card coming soon!)

I'll have a double post for you tomorrow as I already had a project all lined up for you but I'd love to show you another card I showed at this weekend's parties in honour of World Card Making Day!

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xx

betsy's blossoms

One of the new stamp sets in the new annual catalogue is called Betsy's Blossoms. Its full of flowers, leaves, and a bird too!! So here's a cute card using some of the darling images from this fabulous new set!

Birthday Blossoms

Stamp Set: Betsy's Blossoms, Curly Cute

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Daffodil Delight, Gumball Green

Cardstock: Whisper White

DSP: Floral District

Big Shot: Apothecary Accents Framelits

Ribbon Stitched Grosgrain

Accessories: Rhinestones

Okay, I know what you're going to say, that's a lot of cutting out! Well, yes, I can't deny that, there is a fair amount of cutting but its not hard cutting and everything layered on top just looks so clean and cute! I stuck a strip of the new Floral Distict DSP to some white cardstock, I laid the Apothecary Accents framelit down so it would cut half white and half DSP, then ran it through the Big Shot. To hide the join I stuck down some of the beautiful new stitched grosgrain! 

Right, I have a busy day of prepping for 2 workshops, one tonight and on tomorrow afternoon, I am looking forward to some crafty fun with some lovely ladies!! 

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

stitched owl

A couple weeks ago Simply Stampin' Challenge was a stitched challenge - it could be faux or proper sewing. Well, you know I love my faux stitching! I wasn't very organised in taking a photo and therefore just missed that week completely with is gutting because I'd created this sweet little card for the challenge.

Birthday Stitched Owl

Stamp Set: Curly Cute, Betsy's Blossoms

Ink: Early Espresso, Gumball Green

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Primrose Petals, Very Vanilla, More Mustard

DSP: Patio Party

Punch: Owl Builder, Boho Blossoms, Itty Bitty Punch Pack

Accessories: White Embossing Powder, Rhinestones

This is a pretty simple card actually, the owl was punched and assembled it. I stamped the leaves and branch stamp in white cardstock for the owl to sit on and embellished with some little blossoms. I stamped and embossed the sentiment with white embossing powder. Everything got faux stitched with a espresso marker. 

I hope you enjoyed this slightly delayed creation!

Happy Stampin',

Amanda x