Every little bit cards

The Every Little Bit stamp set from Stampin' Up! is still one of my favourites as it has something for everyone. I was in need of a couple of last minute cards so here is what I came up with:

A quick stamp and sentiment change and a couple of quick and easy cards. Change the colour and stamp and you can create something for any occasion.

Happy Christmas 2012

Well, Happy Christmas to you all!

Here is my last Christmas card for 2012, which I made for my parents.  You will see the card includes a little box for those christmass tealights that I showed you recently.

It was a bit fiddly to get the right dimensions for the box, and which I had forgotten to note down before sending the card, but if you are interested, just email me and I will get these for you :).

The card base is Basic Grey and I've used Cherry Cobbler run through the Argyle embossing folder for the background.  The sentiment is from the Wacky Wishes (hostess set) inked in Marina Mist and of course those little 'gingerbreads' are from the Scentsational stamp set.

Christmassy tealights

The crafting is taking a bit of a back seat currently, mainly because I have to keep the house tidy for viewings and can't have the craft room looking like it's usual bomb site and the dining room too!

That said I still have a few projects lined up to share with you. 

Today I thought I'd show you these tealights that I have decorated with lettering from the Occasions Alphabet stamp set and the snowflake from the Every Little Bit stamp set (sorry the photo doesn't show the latter too well as I've used Bashful Blue ink).

Box them up as gifts or use them as decorations around the hous or at dinner :).  I'm going to create a card with box attached to put mine in... so watch this space for more with these soon.

Christmas tags

At my Christmas accessories class last week we made a selection of tags, a bag and a box, all to co-ordinate with the Christmas cards made in the previous weeks.  Here are the tags:

 



In case you want to check out the cards I've added links here:

1. Polar Party - here.
2. Scentsational Season - here and here.
3. Happy Hour - here.
4. Every Little Bit/Snowmen - here.

Snowmen

I have another Christmas card offering to share with you today.  As the cold sets in perhaps we will get some snow :).

 

This card was created with the cute stamp set from the Autumn/Winter catalogue, Frosty Friends.

 



You can just make out the Bashful Blue inked snowflakes from the Every Little Bit stamp set in the background on the Bashful Blue card base.  I've then matted the image panel onto Pretty in Pink card stock (rounding the corners of both) and then raised this up with dimensionals before adding a length of the Pretty in Pink Stitched grosgrain ribbon.

 

The ribbon has been adhered with sticky strip (red tape) and carefully rippled rather than stuck down flat to create a little texture.

 

You will see the image has been coloured with Stampin' Write markers in places to co-ordinate with the colouring of the card.

 

 



For mixed twins

Back to regular posts hopefully now I am back :).

 

I received a request to make a congratulations card following the birth of mixed twins.  Initially I was a little stumped at what I could create for both a boy and a girl and what colours to use.  However So Saffron and Whisper White came to the rescue, as did the little ducky from the Every Little Bit stamp set...



I've used a square Whisper White base and then stamped the little ducky in Marina Mist, Regal Rose and More Mustard before colouring with Stampin' Write markers using a blender pen and Bashful Blue, Pink Pirouette and So Saffron inks.

 

I've then cut out the panel using one of the Labels Collection framelets and cut a large shape from a piece of So Saffron which I have then run through the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.

 

The sentiment is from the Itty Bitty Banners stamp set which is new in the main catalogue.  The baby names have been printed onto Whisper White and cut and matted onto a strip of So Saffron card stock to finish.

 

I hope little Aimee and Aiden like it x

Happy Birthday Bridget

Today I have a card to share with you that I made for a friend/colleague... Happy Birthday Bridget!

 



She loves the colour purple... and several other things, but as I can't share any of the products from the new catalogue that is released on 1st October, with you just yet I had to create a card with some of the current products.

 

The Every Little Bit stamp set is ideal for so many occasions, so I have picked the girly perfume and handbag and added the butterfly from the For Everything stamp set (retiring).

 

The 1 3/8 Circle punch and Scallop Circle punch work well for so many things... and made this card very simple.

Birthday beers and new ink pads

Today's card includes, ribbon and DSP that is retiring at the end of the month, plus the lovely Happiest Birthday Wishes sentiment stamp set.

 



Just a couple of weeks left to get your hands on the retiring products, whilst stocks last.  Check out the latest up to date list here.

 

The card based in More Mustard from the Regals collection, with Early Espresso grosgrain ribbon around the centre, and a Curly Label punch border punched from some scraps of Well Worn DSP.  I've created a little collection of beer mugs using the 'coffee mug' stamp from the Every Little Bit stamp set, by masking each image to make them look like they are behind the front image.  and then finally the sentiment, inked in Chocolate Chip ink.

 

You may have already seen that the ink pads are all retiring.  This is due to being reconfigured - what does that mean exactly?

 

Well, With the introduction of the 2012-2013 annual catalogue, Stampin' Up! have made a very big change to their Stampin’ Pads by ...

 

introducing firm foam pads!

• Create wonderfully solid images. The Firm Foam releases more ink onto your rubber stamp than the felt pads. When using the Firm Foam pad, your stamp will get an even, solid covering of ink that you may not have been able to achieve with the felt pads. Please note: if you are using the ink pad frequently you may need to re-ink your Firm Foam pad more often. We recommend that you purchase a refill at the time of your ink pad purchase.
•  Have a crisply printed, glossy label on the top of the pad that is easier to read and that will not fade or chip off!
•  Come with colour name labels in all four languages (English, Spanish, French, and German)—just choose your language, peel it off the back, and add it to the side of the pad for easy identification!
•  Use the same patented flip-top case design that stores the inking surface upside down, so the pad surface stays moist!
•  Are available in all colours, including our exclusive In Colors!

Please note: Five ink colours have undergone formula changes to improve functionality and colour stability with the new firm foam pads. These colours are

• Basic Black
• Basic Gray
• Marina Mist
• Perfect Plum
• Tempting Turquoise

 All five colours of the reformulated inks have been fully tested and approved. While using the new ink formula in the old Stampin’ Pads is fine, we do not recommend using the old ink formula in these five colours in the new firm foam pads.

 

 

Pizza box for scented gifts

I'm at the coast today... hopefully getting some walking done.  I hope you are up to something nice too over the bank holiday, perhaps some crafting :)!?

 

If you are a regular follower of my blog you will hopefully remember the little quilted lavendar bags that my mum made earlier this month from the Flirtatious fabrics?

 

Well, I thought they would make great gifts, to put in a sock drawer perhaps... so needed a little box to put them in.  I decided that a pizza box would work well...

 



 

A perfect fit it seems :).

 

 

I've used Wisteria Wonder for the box itself and then added Melon Mambo card stock and papers to decorate.

 

The papers are from the lovely Cheerful Treat DSP pack (hostess only) and the label is from the Apothecary Art stamp set (coloured in avoiding the flowers in the centre) with a Wisteria Wonder Stampin' Write Marker and then I've inserted the 'perfume' image stamp from the Every Little Bit stamp set inside and coloured with markers using a blender pen.

 

Finally the sentiment is from the Tiny Tags stamp set, and I've punched it out with one of the 'eyes' from the Owl Punch :).

 

I love these little boxes and they are so easy to make, for mini cards too.

New home's

It seems quite a few people I know are moving home or have moved recently.  Tonight I'm going to a long over due house warming dinner party with friends.  So of course I had to make a card, in fact I have had to make three New Home cards in the last couple of weeks, so I went with similar designs but in different colours and with a slight twist on each...

I hope Marie and Matt are very happy in their new place... looking forward to seeing it later.

You will see that I have used Marina Mist for the base and co-ordinated the lettering cut with the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies.  I've attached these to the background panel, created from Very Vanilla card stock run through the Square Lattice embossing folder.  And then of course the little cuckoo that comes from the Easy Events stamp set that I have cut out and coloured with blender pens and then adhered to the base with dimensional sticky pads.

Next up is a card I made for a friend at work... she hasn't moved in officially yet but the purchase completed last week so hopefully there is a mantle piece or suitable worktop for the card to go on soon x.

For this card I have used Perfect Plum for the base and lettering and then stamped the cuckoo image directly onto the Shimmery White card stock that I have used in background.  I've coloured the image with blender pens in the same way as the other card, but the shimmery card creates a lovely effect.  Notice the corners of the panel have been punched out with a petal from one of the Boho Blossoms punch flowers and I've added some Basic Rhinestones to finish.

Then finally, a card for my cousin and his wife.  They haven't actually moved yet either and my Aunt/Uncle are helping them out with the move over the bank holiday weekend... but they have the keys!

I've changed the background panel by using the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder and then added some Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon, and in stead of the cuckoo... the little bird in it's cage, from from the Every Little Bit stamp set.

Smashing travels

Just to let you know that if you want to place an order and live close to me (GU16) you can save on postage this week, as I will be putting an order through, so just email me with details.  And, don't forget the great offer this month if you spend £60 - you can get the Reason to Smile stamp set for FREE (RRP £14.95/18.95).  See further details here.

I got back from Poland yesterday.  Krakow to be exact, where I have spent the last week after a couple of days spent in Berlin, Germany.

However my summer break is not yet over, as I am off to the Lake District later this evening to hang out in the rain no doubt!  But first I wanted to share with you something from my travels... because the crafting bug is now with me everywhere I go :).

You may have seen a Smash book before (?!).  In fact I positively recommend that you check out this to see what it's all about if you haven't as it's totally addictive and an alternative to journalling or blogging. 

I've been compiling mine for a while, specifically for keeping all those little bits and pieces I pick up whilst travelling around.  And of course there is the odd 'ickle bit' of Stampin' Up! loveliness that sneaks in along the way...

For those of you that are familiar with the products... you will see that I've used the 'coffee mug' image from the Every Little Bit stamp set in the main catalogue, to create little beer mugs.  And of course the lettering for 'Berlin' is cut using the Stampin' Up! Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies which I absolutely love.

If you want to read more about the finer details of my latest adventures then check out my travel blog for 2012 (from Berlin to Krakow). 

I will hopefully be able to share the Krakow pages with you from my Smash book soon, along with some of the lovely birthday cards that I received last week so keep checking back.

In the meantime, I would love to see any ideas of your own that you have come up with for this addictive way to journal...

Happy birthday Dad

Another birthday today... Happy Birthday Dad!

My Dad is a keen DIY'er, although perhaps that is largely down to the amount of DIY'ing I create for him everytime I move lol!

For this card I've used a Sahara Sand card base with a strip of DSP in the centre, to which I have adhered lettering cut from Chocolate Chip card, with the Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies.  For the centre panel I've used the 'hammer' stamp from the Every Little Bit stamp set on Whisper White card, punched out with the Curly Label punch and then raised up with dimensionals onto a couple of Labels Collection Framelits dies cut from Chocolate Chip and Bashful Blue.

Have a great birthday Dad x

Kitty bling

Cards with animals always seem to go down very well, especially those with cats or dogs.  The Every Little Bit stamp set has lots of variety including a few animals... and this little cat is one of my favs.

I've completely CASE'd this card, which I saw at the Bracknell craft show a few weeks back, although I've used a different sentiment... however I don't know who made it originally, but would give credit if anyone does?

I've stamped the little cat onto Whisper White card stock and then punched out with the Perfect Postage punch, which isn't currently available in the the catalogues, but hopefully it will return in October.  I've created a little frame by cutting out a square of Real Red card stock and then raised the image up with dimensionals.  To make the card a little more luxurious I have added some bling - Basic Rhinestones, to create the kitty's collar.  Finally the sentiment is from the Petite Pairs stamp set.

Happy birthday Tori

Mondays are not a good day for a birthday... but fortunately my good friend Tori celebrated her birthday yesterday, with a BBQ and for once the weather was like it should be at this time of year!

As a cat lover and fairly new to card making, I made her this card in the 'Brights' collection colours of Melon Mambo and Tempting Turquoise...



The little cat is from the Every Little Bit stamp set and the sofa is from the Little Additions (baby themed) stamp set.  The sentiment is part of one of the Happiest Birthday Wishes stamp set available with Hostess pounds.



DIY themed card

As the weather apparently starts to turn back into Summer, the days indoors are expected to come to an end... and perhaps so will the time for DIY also stop.  Not that I actually do much DIY myself, but there are plenty who do and this card was designed with someone in mind, who is pretty handy around the house.



I've used a Baha Breeze card base and adhered a piece of the 'striped' DSP from the Neutrals designer series paper pack.  The image is from the Every Little Bit stamp set, which caters for many occasions and themes, and I have inked this in Chocolate Chip ink onto Whisper White card and then punched out with the Curly Label punch.  To create the frame I have then punched out 2 Curly Labels from Chocolate chip and cut these in half vertically and diagonally and glued to the back.  I've mounted the image panel onto one of the Labels Collection Framelits dies (also Baha Breeze), which I have embossed with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.

The sentiment is of course, from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set, inked in Chocolate Chip and punched out with the Word Window punch.

I hope the Summer really does arrive soon ... and I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Paisley cat

I've been having a play with the Little Additions stamp set from the main catalogue, which is a baby themed set, but actually seems to suit a lot of other card ideas. 

This card features the sofa from the set and the little cat from the Every Little Bit stamp set which still ramains one of my favourites as it has so much variety for lots of occasions.



I've teamed a Melon Mambo card base with a piece of the Paisley Petals DSP and attached a length of ribbon around this before attaching to the card.

The little sofa has been inked in Marina Mist ink onto Whisper White card stock and then matted onto Marina Mist card.  The sentiment is from the Happiest Birthday Wishes 'hostess' stamp set and the kitty has been coloured with Stampn' Write markers using a blender pen and then raised up with a dimensional sticky pad.

There are so many different designer papers in the main catalogue to choose from, and don't forget the Summer mini catalogue has some fab packs too... although remember the mini products are only available until the end of August.

Baby shower invite

I received this cute little invite from my crafty friend Amy, so just had to share it with you.

This babygrow design was created by folding a Whisper White cardbase at the top and then punching using 1-3/8 circles to create the neck and leg-holes.  After cutting the arms the card has been run through the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder using the Big Shot machine. 

For the 'lace' Amy has punched out Bashful Blue scallop circles and then punched the centre usingin a 1-3/8 circle punch.  The teddy bear is from the Every Little Bit stampset inked with Bashful Blue onto Whisper White and then punched out using a 1-1/4 circle punch before being mounted onto a 1-3/8 circle of Bashful Blue card.

Now I just have to create a baby shower card and think of a present idea...

Everyone is starting new jobs...

...or so it seems! 

Here is a very quick card that I made for my lovely friend Min who starts her new job this week.  I realised that she was away until after I had left for Vienna so had to come up with something quickly but then forgot to drop it round and also post it from the airport...

So, another apology for another late delivery of a card - best of luck with the new job Min, I'll drop the card round when I'm back later x

The card base is the lovely Island Indigo and the background panel is a piece of Pool Party run through the Square Lattice embossing folder with the corners punched using one of the petals from the Boho Blossoms punch.

I went with a traditional good luck card, so picked the 'clover' image from the Every Little Bit stamp set which has something for everything ;), inked onto Whisper White and punched out with the Curly Label punch.  I couldn't find a sentiment suitable so printed out the 'Good Luck' and punch this out with the Word Window punch and then finished off with some Basic Pearls.

I hope the first day of the new jobs goes well x

Charity cards

The charity event at work in aid of Sport Relief went well on Friday lunchtime.  A few ladies came along to make a cupcake card and some of them wanted to adapt the design and use some different stamps to make other cards too...

Aren't they cute!?  And all of them hadn't made cards before but clearly have a creative side :).

Valentines gift boxes

Only 4 days left until Valentines.  So don't forget to make something to put those little gifts in for Valentines too...

The trusty pillow box die comes to the rescue all the time for gift boxes.  And created in a nano second!

Here I have used Very Vanilla card teamed this with Real Red DSP and ink.

Stamp sets - Every Little Bit and Tagtastic (hostess only);

Sentiments - Teeny Tiny Wishes, Just Believe;

DSP - Brights;

Ink - Real Red and a blender pen to colour/shade.

Don't forget that I am having a crafty day on 3rd March 10am-3pm and everyone is welcome - see more details here.