I Return....

Hi! 

Its been a while. What with a new job to get used to, exciting holiday in America, redecorating and now Christmas planning I'm afraid blogging and even CRAFTING has got pushed to the bottom of the list!! I'm finally getting to that stage where I have more energy (I don't come home and crash out to sleep on the sofa). I will update you further o everything that's been going on over the next few weeks but today I just wanted to get back in with a short little post!

Tonight, after work I went to Warwickshire for a Sale-a-Bration Creative tour! I've seen some gorgeous new things and I'm sure you enjoy seeing sneaky peeks in weeks to come! I feel so pepped up and encouraged! (Thanks Michelle!!)

As I can't really post without showing you something pretty...I've got a birthday card I made for my sweet godson Euan's 2nd birthday back in July to show y'all...

Stamp Set: Remembering Your Birthday

Ink: Versa Mark

Cardstock: Lost Lagoon, Hello Honey, Basic Grey, Smokey Slate

DSP: Moonlight

Punch: Owl Builder, Banner

Big Shot: Decorative Dots, Typeset Alphabet (retired)

Embellishments: Mini Brads

Other: White Embossing Powder

I used my favourite technique - selective embossing and then added some little punched dots on top for more colour. 

I just love this paper and the banners look so fun and celebratory.

I'm planning to wean myself back into blogging, creating shorter blog posts which hopefully will be easier to maintain in my busy life I appear to be leading at the moment! 

I'm off to bed as I am completely wiped out!

Have a great day!

Happy Stampin',

Amanda 

Mosaic 21

Hello! 

The weekly balance has tipped, we are now on the downhill towards the weekend! Only 2 more days of school until a nice long weekend! Woohoo! Today's been a battle, we were very busy, short staffed and to top it off my head has been feeling very fuzzy, like the beginning of a migraine! I didn't sleep well last night either so I'm going to get a really early good sleep tonight! 

Today I have the other 21st birthday card I made for Bekah's birthday last week! You can see the first one I made here, as that one was really soft and elegant so I wanted something quite different, I think this hits the brief!

Stamp Set: Mosaic Madness, Remembering Your Birthday

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Bermuda Bay

Cardstock: Baked Brown Sugar, Bermuda Bay, Rich Razzleberry, Very Vanilla

DSP: Natural Composition

Punch: Itty Bitty, Decorative Label

Big Shot: Typeset Alphabet

Embellishments: Rhinestones, Crystal Effects

I pulled out one of my most favourite pattern papers of the moment - Naturals Composition. I just love the neutral colour that seems to work beautifully with any other colour. Its also got gorgeous glossy embossed designs which are just crying out to be inked up. Here I used 2 colours - bermuda bay and rich razzleberry to create this ombre type effect. By applying both colours to the centre section it really helps the 2 colours to blend together! 

I started with the 21 on the decorative label punch on the card and then worked in the other elements around it. 

I love the mosaic pattern in the paper and immediately thought that the Mosaic Madness set would pair perfectly as some scattered elements. I also decided to add a few of the 4 petal itty bitty punches to fill in the gaps, and the shape worked well with the mosaic stamps and paper too!

I wanted this card to be quite fun and jazzy so I went a little crazy with lots of little rhinestones in the centre of the mosaics and also a few just scattered on the background mosaics. Love that look, plus it just gives the card that extra special touch! 

One final special touch I added to the front of the card was to add crystal effects to the 21 - it just makes the letters look more special and blends with the glossy embossed background paper too! I think its little touches like this that really help make a card! 

The patterned paper ended up being a little larger than I thought I was going to want so I trimmed off about 5mm, I was going to throw it as it really wasn't much good for anything then thought it'd be a nice little embellishment for the inside. I added a sentiment and that was the inside sorted! 

Bekah totally loved this card and so did I! If I was turning 21 again I would be totally over the moon to get this card! Its so my style! 

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',

Peppa Pig

Hey! 

I haven't done much punch art lately but I found the perfect opportunity last week. Stuart's cousin, Georgia, was 3! She just loves Peppa Pig! I thought I'd just include a picture of Peppa for any of you who have no idea who she is. Has Peppa made her way over State-side? 

Isn't she cute? She looked pretty simple to make but the head was going to be the most tricky! 

Stamp Set: Express Yourself, Petal Parade (SAB)

Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Strawberry Slush, Basic Grey 

Cardstock: Whisper White, Crisp Cantaloupe, Primrose Petals, Basic Black, Marina Mist, So Saffron, Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz

Big Shot: Ovals Framelits, Typeset Alphabet

Punch: 1 3/8" Circle, Modern Label, 1" Circle, Owl Builder, Itty Bitty, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle

So, the head, I eventually decided the best way to do it would be to make a template with the 1 3/8" circle punch and the modern label. I then drew around it and added a curve under to make the correct shape that I could hand cut out. I didn't have a circle punch of the correct size for her nose so I freehanded mine but I think the 1/2" circle would work a treat. 

 Peppa's eyes and nostrels are made with the ever so handy owl builder - notice the owl punch was also used for the balloons! I also used the owl punch for a mask that I lightly sponged the cheek in. Her ears and feet are actually from the 4 petal flower with two petals snipped off. 

The legs and arms are thin strips - couldn't be easier! Same for the tail, I just twirled it around a thin stick to curl it! I love her cute tail! 

Inside I wanted to add Georgia's age - I think its a cute touch on a kid's card! 

Hope you enjoyed my version of Peppa! 

Happy Stampin',

Quick Boy's

Hello there! 

I just have a super quick post today. I'd intended on getting some new things made today but errands and vegging out on the couch won over! There's always this evening! 

This is a quick card I made for one of Stuart's cousins, Harry, last month. His birthday kind of crept up on me and then I forgot and needed something fun and quick.

Stamp Set: Gorgeous Grunge, Remembering Your Birthday

Ink: Tempting Turquoise, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive

Cardstock: Whisper White, Old Olive

Big Shot: Typeset Alphabet

Punch: 1 3/4" Circle

I just did a quick stamp, stamp, stamp with the splatter from Gorgeous Grunge and then added Harry's age and a sentiment. It couldn't be simpler! He loved it too.

Happy Stampin',

Sixty!

 Hi there! 

So today is my first day of my new temporary job. I'll let you know how it goes later!

I've got a card my friend Ally asked me to make a little while ago. It was for her Auntie that was turning 60. I didn't have much direction apart from she wanted a big 60 on it. 

Stamp Set: Teeny Tiny Wishes

Ink: Island Indigo

Cardstock: Pool Party, Island Indigo

Punch: Decorative Label

Big Shot: Typeset Alphabet, Decorative Dots TIEF (SAB)

Ribbon: Island Indigo Chevron, Baker's Twine

Embellishments: Tea Lace Doily, Pearls

I thought it'd be fun to crack out some of the core'dinations cardstock for the background. Embossed and sanded with the decorative dots makes a really pretty confetti pattern. Because this card was longer than the average card I had to emboss as much as I could then rotate the paper 180 and emboss the rest. With the dots being a bit random there wasn't actually too much of a join mark, however this was covered up with the ribbon and doily anyway!

I just used a tiny piece of the doily, that's all it really needed! 

So unfortunately the chevron ribbon was a bit too big and chunky for the card so I did a new little trick I learnt recently - I cut down the centre of the ribbon. To stop the ribbon from fraying I ran a lighter down the size to just melt the ribbon that little bit. Its a fab way to get more use out of what is a pretty chunky ribbon. Don't you just love it? To cut down on more bulk, I just tied the ribbon with a bit of baker's twine instead of a bow or knot. 

After adding the 60 and a sentiment the final touch was a good sprinkling of pearls! 

Until next time, 

Happy Stampin',

1st Girly

Hi folks! 

Afraid I've had a lazy day today - well, not that lazy! Got a bunch of cutting and sewing done for my latest sewing project (I'll tell you more about it later). I just haven't done any card making today. Perhaps tomorrow I'll crank out a couple! 

I thought I'd quickly share a little card I made for a friend's little girl who was 1 last Sunday. I forgot about it so this was a last minute card. 

Stamp Set: Chalk Talk

Ink: Crisp Cantaloupe

Cardstock: Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White, So Saffron, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pear Pizzazz

Punch: Itty Bitty, Bird Builder

Big Shot: Chalk Talk, Typeset Alphabet

Embellishments: Dazzling Details

Okay so its just a really simple card with confetti flowers. 

I used the embossing stylus to give the flowers some shape. I really wanted to do something in the centre, I didn't want to use rhinestones or pearls so I went for a cheaper and super speedy option...dazzling details. I let it dry while I was out at church and then it was ready to deliver later that day! 

Happy Stampin',

All Gold

Hey there! 

Wow Tuesday already?! I spent yesterday making cards with my card club ladies - a nice chilled out time! And I spent the afternoon using My Digital Studio to do some digital scrapbooking of our holiday to Scotland last summer! Its super easy and fun. If you haven't tried out MDS yet, you can download the program for a free 30 day trial and if you decide you like it you can purchase the program for £13.95! A fantastic deal for all you get! Try it now here.

For those of you who have been following me for a while, you might remember I was inundated with a number of 50th wedding anniversary cards. Seven of which were commissions from friends and family for the same couple so they all needed to be different...if you missed them you can catch up on one, two, three, four, five, six and seven. 

Brenda was so impressed by them all she asked me to make a few for her friends who were also celebrating their 50th anniversary, most of which were very similar to ones I'd already made for her own. But recently she's asked for another, seeing as its been a while and I've had some time I thought I'd make up a new design. I thought I'd show you my latest creation.

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Gold Foil

DSP: Gold Foil Vellum

Big Shot: Typeset Alphabet

Embellishments: Gold Baker's Twine, Pearls, Tea Lace Doily

I just HAD to use the gold foil vellum. Isn't it pretty? I carefully added glue dots under the gold foil hearts. I think they look really pretty over the softened crumb cake card base. 

I really wanted to add a little bit of doily - some gold baker's twine and gold 50 just seemed the perfect little combo for the focal point. To finish it off I just added a few sprinkled pearls. 

I just couldn't work a sentiment into the card - thought it'd just totally throw off the aesthetics. Besides, I thought the 50 was enough. I did stamp a Happy Anniversary sentiment inside the card using an old retired set, can't remember the name off the top of my head.

Happy Stampin',

Giant Cupcake

Hi!

Another new week. Got much on this week? Mine is actually shaping up to be a pretty good one! We have card club this morning and this evening which is going to be good fun. Then on Wednesday evening I'm getting a train down to London to stay with my friend Emma. We're going to see some art exhibitions and hang out. On Thursday Sam is coming to join us so we'll all have Friday together before coming home in the evening! Sounds exhausting but it should be good fun too! Don't worry, I'll have some posts lined up for you while I'm away! 

So my friend Vicky asked me a few weeks ago to make a 30th birthday card for her friend. When I asked her if there was anything specific she was looking for she just said "big cupcake". Okay I think I can work something out there! 

Stamp Set: Express Yourself, Petite Petals

Ink: Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe, Gumball Green

Cardstock: Crumb Cake , Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe, Pool Party, Whisper White, Gumball Green, Silver Glimmer Paper

DSP: Sweet Sorbet

Punch: Modern Label, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, Petite Petals, Bird Builder, Scallop Border

Big Shot: Typeset Alphabet, Decorative Dots (SAB)

Ribbon: Pool Party Ruffle (retired), Silver Baker's Twine

Embellishments: Rhinestone

Other: Tooth Pick

So this card was a bit of a case of just adding and removing items until it looked right. 

I started by just drawing out a huge cupcake on a piece of printer paper using the cupcake builder as my inspiration for the shape. I then just worked at it until it was right and then cut the pieces of pattern paper and cardstock. Here's a photo of the back so you can see how it folds a bit better! 

I thought the striped Sweet Sorbet paper was perfect for the cupcake liner - adding the scallop border punch to the top made it even more realistic. It did however look like a lot of pattern with nothing to break it up. the ribbon I eventually decided on is some that was retired - I kind of wanted to use crisp cantaloupe ruffled ribbon but I didn't have any and using more pistachio would be overload I think.

The 30 piece is supposed to resemble one of those cupcake toppers that seem to be quite fashionable at the moment. I actually sandwiched a toothpick between two of the scallop circles and pierced it through the frosting layer. 

Some texture and sponging on the frosting was to add some interest to quite a large area of Pistachio Pudding and look kind of like sprinkles. 

The flowers were one of the later additions - I loved the topper but it didn't seem to quite gel with the card right. I guess the card just looked a little bare so I added some flowers and leaves. the rhinestones are a nice finishing touch as if they are just sprinkled on. 

Hope you enjoyed this. 

Happy Stampin',

Elegant 30

Hello! 

Just a super quick post today, Stuart is on holiday from school (yay!) and as a result we are trying to get a bunch of jobs done around the house, there's a fence to repair and I need to get my sewing machine to the repair shop. I'm not really sure what the matter with my machine is at the moment but it REALLY doesn't like me!!! Hopefully my lovely sewing machine man can get it all sorted for me! (And hope it won't cost too much either!!)

I thought it was about time that I showed you a card that my cousin asked me to make for her a few months ago. Its a pretty fun and elegant 30th birthday card! 

Stamp Set: Express Yourself

Ink: Elegant Eggplant

Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Elegant Eggplant Core'dinations, Pistachio Pudding, Silver Glimmer Paper, Vellum

Big Shot: Beautiful Wings Embosslit, Typeset Alphabet, Labels Framelits, Beautifully Baroque TIEF

Embellishments: Rhinestones, Pistachio Pudding Ruffle Ribbon

I just love the core'dinations card - isn't it just beautiful embossed and sanded? The embossing folder wasn't tall enough to do the entire card front so I did as much as I could and just worked it into the design with a bit of the ruffle ribbon. 

The 30 and butterflies just add a bit of sparkle and really stand out in the pistachio and glimmer paper against all that deep, rich eggplant colour. 

What's your thoughts on this colour combo? Its a bit different, right? 

Have a great Tuesday!

Happy Stampin',

A Must....For List Makers!! PP182

Hey there! 

Today's creation is using the gorgeous colour palette from the Paper Players.

I just LOVE the colour palette this week - any of you regular followers know that I'm on a bit of a Crisp Cantaloupe kick at the moment. I was actually admiring (and almost bought) a top in a store on Saturday which had Cantaloupe and Midnight Muse paired up - it was beautiful. 

So this colour combo would make a beautiful card but I had picked up a nice champagne gold frame that I wanted to make into a "To Do" board. It seemed only natural to do it up with the Crisp Cantaloupe and Midnight Muse and add some more gold in there too. Here's the finished article. (sorry for the less than amazing photos - its a dark and miserable day here and the light in my room is less than perfect for photos!)

Cardstock: Midnight Muse

DSP: Sweet Sorbet (SAB), Gold Fancy Foil Vellum

Big Shot: Bigz Alphabet Typeset

Punch: Boho Blossoms

Accessories: Metallic Mini Clothespins

Other: Frame

This frame was just a cheap frame I picked up for £5 - and its big! It'll hold a 12"x10" photo in there for you so it means there's plenty of space for writing that forever uberlong to do list!

I chose probably my favourite sheet of paper in SAB's Sweet Sorbet collection and just cut some letters with the big shot alphabet (its been a while since I cracked these out!) I decided I wanted a bit more of a gold touch to this so go tthe chance to add some of the gold foil vellum - isn't this just to die for!? What I especially love is that I managed to punch the heart vellum with the boho blossoms so there's just a single heart in the centre. 

At that point I was finished. Ish. I saw the metallic clothes pins laying there and thought oh what a brilliant idea - I could hot glue some to the bottom of the frame to clip important piece of paper etc to. 

I'm just over the moon at how well this turned out and really hope it'll keep me a little more organised!

Happy Stampin',

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