Frosted Sympathy

Hi! 

I'm back from a very lovely and relaxing few days away with Stuart. We had a really nice time in Chester - went to the zoo, did some walking and wandering around pretty gardens. Everywhere seems to be overflowing with gorgeous rhododendrons at the moment (some of my fave flowers). Now I'm home and we're back to work Monday! 

A while ago I had to make a few sympathy cards. I really hate making them and didn't want to share them too soon, but I think enough time has passed now. Its also using some very pretty products that have hit the retirement list as of yesterday! Ruffled ribbon, Venetian Romance designer paper and the Petals a Plenty embossing folder are all on there! Get them before they're gone forever! 

To see the full list of retiring stamps and accessories, check out the link below...

GOING, GOING, GONE!!

Stamp Set: Thoughts & Prayers

Ink: Pistachio Pudding

Cardstock: Pistachio Pudding, Very Vanilla, Vellum

DSP: Venetian Romance

Punch: Bitty Butterfly

Big Shot: Petals a Plenty TIEF

Embellishments: Gold Baker's Twine, Pisachio Pudding Ruffled Ribbon, Pearls

There's the scattered frosted embossing technique I'm loving at the moment! I'm going to miss this embossing folder that just works so perfectly with this technique! 

I'm also really going to miss the pretty ruffled ribbon - I think a lot of us were pretty shocked to see it added to the retirement list! It and the baker's twine work great at hiding the adhesive along the top. I also added glue dots behind some of the flowers to keep the vellum from curling towards the bottom.

I kept the sentiment nice and simple and added a little bit more of a sentiment to the inside. I'm afraid I'm not very good at these difficult to say cards. I struggle to know what to say in a birthday card let alone a card of substance! 

Shortly after this first card Stuart asked if I could make one for soneone who'd lost a family member at work. I though I'd do pretty much the same design but just bigger for more space for everyone in his department to write a message.

I concertina'd a full sheet of card into three sections which definately gave more than enough space of everyone to write, apart from that, the card is pretty much identical, only taller! 

Hope you're having a great weekend! 

Catch you tomorrow! 

Happy Stampin',

For my Mum

Hello! 

Today hasn't been a great day - feeling a bit rubbish and didn't have the best day at work. I'm completely shattered so this will just be a super speedy post as I really need my bed. 

I've got a card for the Paper Players' challenge this week. The challenge this week is to make a "mother" card - seeing as American mother's day is this Sunday it fits well although British mother's day was back in March. Anyway I haven't actually shared either mother's day cards I made for mum or mother-in-law so I thought I'd share one I did for my dear mummy!

Stamp Set: Something to Celebrate (retired), Beautifully Baroque

Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Versamark

Cardstock: Pear Pizzazz, Very Vanilla, Crisp Cantaloupe

Punch: Bitty Butterfly, Elegant Butterfly

Big Shot: Beautiful Butterflies

Accessories: Subtles Buttons, Whisper White Baker's Twine, Pearls

Other: White Embossing Powder

My mum likes butterflies so I thought a pretty card with lots of layered butterflies would be perfect. The baroque stamp just adds a really elegant touch to this card. 

A multitude of pearls, white embossed sentiment and button in the centre just make this a wow card. 

Sorry to be so brief, I'm off to bed, have a nice evening, I'll be back tomorrow! 

Happy Stampin',

Simple Sunday - Watercolor Butterflies

Hello there! 

Another day and I'm feeling a little better still! My stack of super simple and easy cards is getting a little thin, I'd intended on stocking up on new designs this week but that didn't happen for obvious reasons! Anyway, here's a simple-ish card. 

Stamp Set: Flower Shop, Remembering Your Birthday

Ink: Early Espresso

Cardstock: Watercolor Wonder Notecards

DSP: Watercolor Wonder

Punch: Pansy, Itty Bitty Butterfly

Embellishments: Candy Dots

Did you know that you can make the pansy punch into a butterfly by cutting out one petal. Isn't it fun?

I'm loving the watercolor notecards and pattern paper - they have such beautiful watercolour looks and patterns but with none of the fuss! 

I added a few smaller butterflues and some candy dots to finish off the card. 

I'm planning to be back to work tomorrow - hoping for a better and healthier week this week! 

Happy Stampin',

Butterfly 21

Hey there!

It was Stuart's cousin Andrew's girlfriend's 21st at the weekend, a whole big group of us all went out for a meal to celebrate last night - it was good fun and many laughs were had! Anyway, my MIL had asked if I could make a special card for them to give Bekah so I got busy designing a couple pretty 21st cards - obviously I needed to make one for us to give her too! I gave her both so she could choose, here's the one she picked. 

Stamp Set: Express Yourself

Ink: Pool Party

Cardstock: Soft Sky, Silver Glimmer Paper

DSP: Venetian Romance

Big Shot: Beautifully Baroque, Typeset Alphabet, Ovals Framelits

Punch: Elegant Butterfly, Bitty Butterfly

Embellishments: Subtles Buttons, Pearls, Whisper White Baker's Twine

I started making a card with a window similar to this petite petals blossom one. I just wasn't liking how it was working so seeing as I hadn't stuck anything down yet I cut off the card front with the window in it, embossed it, sponged it to help bring out some of that gorgeous texture and mounted it on another card base! The sponging REALLY lifted the card!

 Then I could add the glittery 21, sentiment and lots of pretty butterflies. 

21 is a pretty special birthday in the UK so I went a bit nuts with all the pearls and added lots of scattered pearls to the background too!

I wanted to do something a little different with the large butterfly rather than a pearl so I thought a button and baker's twine would be a cute little addition. 

I'm just loving all the soft colours here. I haven't really played too much with the new colour Soft Sky. I wasn't really sure about it, its quite pale and similar to Pool Party. But I've grown to love it after having a bit of a play with it. If you haven't played with it yet/much I'd really recommend giving it a go! I think you'll like it!

I'm back to work tomorrow so I'm enjoying my last day of holidays - I've been to coffee morning at church, looked at some new phones, had lunch with Emma and now I'm going to have a relaxing afternoon of stamping! 

Happy Stampin',

Translucent Butterflies

Hey there! 

Its Good Friday, what a great day to remember as our Saviour died on a cross for us, but what is even better is Easter day, when we can celebrate that he is risen! Happy day!

So today I've got this week's Paper Players challenge for you, and this week its on time! Woohoo! 

I'm not sure why but I was a little daunted by this colour challenge. All three colours are very powerful one, so I've spent all week thinking about how to make these work.

Stamp Set: Papillon Potpourri, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Always Artichoke, Calypso Coral, Coastal Cabana

Cardstock: Window Sheet, Vellum

Punch: Bitty Butterfly

When I set out to make this card it wasn't intended to be a transparent card. I wanted to make a swam of butterflies that had a beautiful translucency to them. I stamped the butterflies on the vellum which also helped to soften the intense colour palette but when I placed them on a white card base they just got lost! I was really quite disappointed but then thought about trying out a transparent card. Worked perfectly! 

Don't you just love all those butterflies?! I think they look fab.

The bold artichoke and coral butterflies really pop amongst a sea of coastal cabana butterflies.

I'm quite pleased with how this has turned out! Cards with transparencies to them intrigue me. This is something I've dabbled with before but I'd love to try playing around with window sheet some more! Have you worked with window sheets much? How do you like to use it? 

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

Everyone Loves a Surprise!

Hello, 

I recently got a couple of new downline members and I wanted to give them something nice to say welcome to the team. My friend Esther who signed up lives quite a distance away and as she's starting out I thought it'd be nice to send her a few swaps from Convention plus a welcome card and gift. Here's what I made her!

Decorated Monogram Notebook & Matching Pen

Stamp: Beautifully Baroque

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe

Card: Crisp Cantaloupe, Silver Glimmer

DSP: Venetian Romance

Punch: Bitty Butterfly, Elegant Butterfly

Big Shot: Typeset Alphabet

Ribbon: Pistachio Pudding Ruffle, Whisper White Baker's Twine

Accessories: Pearls

 And of course there's always a card to accompany a gift...

Flip Card!!!

Stamp Set: Petite Pairs, Beautifully Baroque

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe, Baked Brown Sugar

Card: Whisper White, Crisp Cantaloupe, Baked Brown Sugar, Vellum

Punch: Small Heart, Owl Builder

Big Shot: Label Card Thinlits, Label Framelits

The Label Card Thinlit is a new-ish product for Stampin' Up! but its new to me. As I'd only just recieved it I just HAD to have a play and a card for Esther was the perfect opportunity! If you're wondering what is so special about the thinlit card dies, let me tell you, it makes FLIP cards!!! Its so easy to run through the big shot and out comes a cut and scored flip card. LOVE IT!

I stamped the Beautifully Baroque stamp on the Vellum - I wanted a frosty lacy look and being the impatient person I am I didn't wait long enough for the ink to dry and got it smudged a bit so it ended up looking a little worn and vintage. The banner is one of the accessories the thinlit card comes with - how awesome!! A few little hearts just completed it nicely!

If you're inteerested in joining the Stampin' Up! family and my team, you'll not only get a little welcome gift from me but you'll get all the joys of being a demo too!! Sneak peeks, pre-order, ability to make some extra income and possibly the best of all DISCOUNT on all your crafty goodies! Oh yes, I LOVE being a demo!! Contact me today for more info on signing up!

I hope you enjoyed seeing Esther's special things today. Come back soon for some more pretty makes! 

Amanda xx