All the Hearts in a Row

Hello! 

I'm back from my night away with my husband. We didn't go far, only about an hour away to Stratford-on-Avon but it was nice to just get away and spend some quality tie with each other, without work getting in the way. We stayed at a posh country hotel with a swimming pool, jacuzzi  sauna, fancy restaurant...the works!! And you know what, I forgot to take a photo of it!! Oh well, we had fun! 

The weather has been a bit miserable, when we left Northampton there was quite a lot of snow but as we drove to Stratford it was all disappearing. Part of me was disappointed because I really hoped to get some cool photos of old buildings covered in snow...no such luck. Instead it was just really dull and cold. Today we went for a walk, got about half a mile and realised that we weren't going to get anywhere as the river had seriously flooded - most of the park was covered in water. Pity! 

Anyway, on to some creative inspiration for you. Here's another card I made a while ago but didn't get around to showing you and seeing as its Valentine's Day tomorrow I thought it would be the perfect time to show you! 

Stamp Set: Love & Laughter

Card Stock: Primrose Petals, Raspberry Ripple, Whisper White

Big Shot: Fashionable Hearts

Embossing: White Emboss Powder

Baker's Twine: Whisper White

Accessories: Rhinestones

Its a very simple card but the simplicity really shows off all the beautiful textured in the different hearts!! Wouldn't this make a stunning Valentines/Engagement/Wedding card for someone?! I am loving this colour combo at the moment, these two pinks are just so yummy!

Right, I'm off to clean and tidy up my messy house before we have 2 of  Stu's excitable little cousins over for the afternoon. We're hoping to take them out to the park to kick the ball around and play on the swings but its been so wet, muddy and snowy lately that mario kart on the Wii is our fall back option!! 

Happy Stampin',

Amanda x

True Love Birds

Morning! 

What plans have you got this weekend? I'm at a craft sale for a Christian charity this morning. Very excited for it! After that, I am looking forward to kicking back and relaxing for a bit with my dear hubby! He's been working so hard, now its half term, he really deserves a break! 

Anyway, my friend needed an emergency wedding card the other day so I offered to whip one up for her and here is it for you to see today! 

Stamp Set: Love & Laughter

Ink: Raspberry Ripple

Cardstock: Marina Mist, Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette, Pretty in Pink, Certainly Celery, So Saffron, Crumb Cake

DSP: More Amore

Punch: Bird Builder, Itty Bitty, Corner Rounder

Accessories: Pearls

I just LOVE the More Amore DSP - especially the two die cut sheets with all these hearts on it! So if you don't have a Big Shot but want paper that will make impressive cards, then this is the paper for you!! The heart makes such a sweet background for the birds to sit in. I also didn't want to detract away from the cutie birds with a big punchy sentiment so its just stamped in the bottom corner, it works! 

So what do you think, do you like it? I'd love to hear what you think?

Happy Stampin',

Amanda xx 

a learning curve regarding window sheets!

Time certainly doesn fly doesn't it!? October was such a busy month, both for myself and for Stuart too - school has been manic for him. So at the end of October came half term - great for a little break and just hang out with my darling husband again! Now its back to the grind stone - well he is at least - school is manic once again and I am pottering along with card club, making christmas pressies, sewing thing (well trying to - I spent a lot of the afternoon reading pattern instructions and not sure I've really gotten anywhere!) 

Anyway I thought I'd show you a wedding card I got asked to make a couple weeks ago. The colour scheme was navy blue and my friend didn't want anything too soppy or mushy! She also asked if I could incorporate their names into the card too! So I got my thinking cap on! 

Wedding cards don't come around every day and when they do, you want them to look special so I will admit not, it was a bit of a challenge but I think I managed to achieve elegance without any mushiness involved, I hope you'll agree! 

Wedding Cake Card

Stamp Set: Love & Laughter

Ink: Midnight Muse

Cardstock: Midnight Muse, Whisper White, Window Sheet

Big Shot: Delicate Doilies, Lacy Brocade, Typeset Alphabet

Ribbon: Midnight Muse Stitched Satin

When I started I thought the coolest idea for incorporating names would be a wedding cake card with the initials on top of the cake! This lead me to thinking about how great it would look if the card was cake shaped and after some deliberation I decided using window sheet as the card base would be the best way to do this! 

Maybe a wedding card for a customer was not the best time to use window sheet for the card base for the first time wasn't such a good idea! But you live and learn, and let me tell you, this card was a REAL learning curve!  Here's what I learnt...

1. Whatever you stick to the front of the card has to be covered up behind or you'll see the adhesive!! 

2. Embossing paper changes the size slightly - therefore if you're sticking card on the back to cover up adhesive marks, check its not too big that it'll show through on the front!! 

3. Be careful where you get adhesive - the adhesive remover, fabulous product on paper but doesn't work on window sheet - just smears!!

4. Think and KNOW for definite where you want things stuck! No matter how carefully you try to remove cardstock from the window sheet, once its stuck, its stuck for good! No backsies! 

So you can see I had great fun making this card, right? Well, I did, despite all of my mistakes! 

Also if you're wondering why the sentiment inside the card is stamped on a doily, well I stamped the sentiment on the cardbase crooked and so this was my sneaky cover up!! (Yes, I stamp things wonky too!!! I am by no means the perfect stamper!)

Wow this is starting to look like an essay, I think I shall have to sign off now before I bore you any further! 

Have a great evening,

Amanda x