Quick embossed note cards

I have a couple of very quick note cards to share with you today, created using the manhattan flower embossing folder on Pink Pirouette and Calypso Coral card stock.

After running the A6 pieces of card through the Big Shot machine, using the embossing folders I have added a length of Very Vanilla Seam Binding ribbon and then adhered them only Very Vanilla card bases and added a couple of Basic Pearls to finish.

Suitable for note cards, or you could add a sentiment for a specific occassion.

A different style

I've been playing with a few different styles, having borrowed a stamp set or two, it seems only wise to have play and move away from my typical style - whatever that is (lol!)!

I needed to create a set of note cards with a flower theme.  Not being a big fan of flowers generally I thought I'd give the Button Buddies stamp set a try as this would allow me to work within the boundaries of the request but also create something a little less 'girly' than flowers normally involve.

I've inked the image in More Mustard and stamped onto Very Vanilla and then used the 'button' die from the Timeless Junior Alphabet dies set to create faux buttons... and then run these through the Square Lattice embossing folder to give them some texture.  With the linen thread tied through the button holes and then raising these with dimensional sticky pads, I was quite pleased with my finished layout, which I then adhered to a Soft Suede card base and embellished with some Grosgrain Ribbon.

I did mention that I was creating a set, but as I am a little limited on ideas for posts this week you will have to check back for the other 2 cards that goes with this one :).

Flowers for any occasion

Finally I've been able to take a day off... get a break from work and try and catch up on life.  Watch this space for upcoming offers, events and classes as I try to get my life back to BC ("Before Cambridge")...

Today I have a card for you that would work for any occasion and even just to let someone know that you are thinking of them.  Add a sentiment and it has a whole different meaning :).

The cardbase is Pink Pirouette card stock. For the panel I matted a piece of Whisper White card onto a piece of  So Saffron card and then adhered this to the card base using some Dimensional sticky pads. 

The tulips are punched from Pink Pirouette and So Saffron card stock using the Bird Builder punch along with the stems and leaves (Pear Pizzazz).

Thanks for a great weekend

It seems I am not the only one who has had a great weekend... it must be something to do with the first day or Spring being upon us!

The last couple of days have been fabulous and full of catching up with people and crafting for a change... so thanks to each and everyone who I have spoken to or spent time with since I got home on Thursday evening :).  I was working on Friday of course... but it was just so nice to be home.

Sadly though, this week I am back in Cambridge again, and scheduling my posts once more, so will try not to dwell on the misery of being away from home and focus on the last of the Sale-A-Bration projects that I have for you this week. 

Yes, there are only 6 more days left  of the Sale-A-Bration event where you can get a FREE stamp set or paper pack when you spend £45 on Stampin' Up! products so contact me to place your order now.

I still have quite a bit of my Everyday Enchantment paper pack from the Sale-A-Bration catalogue, so have been making a few thank you note cards with some leftover scraps.

The 'Thanks' sentiment is from the Outlined Occasions stamp set which will only be available until Saturday 31st March.

Other materials:
Card base - Crumbcake card stock.
Ribbon - Very Vanilla seam binding ribbon.
Punches - Boho Blossoms, Scallop Trim Border, Curly Label, Word Window.
Embossing folder - Designer frames.

Cleaning and crafting

Sadly I had to spend my morning cleaning the house thoroughly as it hasn't been done for a few months now that I am in Cambridge most of the week.

This afternoon I made the most of the good weather and set up my crafting stash in the sun room and set to work on the Easter samples for my class tomorrow.

My 'Mother in-law', Maureen stopped by and joined in the fun a little later too... I think she's now made all the cards for her family for the next year!  Look at these...

I also caught up on some commissions.  Including a large batch of note cards which I created from the Vintage Vogue stamp set and the Season of Joy stamp set (yes it's a Christmas one!).

A quick card but I did decide to cut out the middle flower and raise it up with a dimensional sticky pad so as I had 24 to make it wasn't a 5 minute job!

I've used Elegant Eggplant, Red Rose and Peach Parfait for the flower heads and Lucky Limeade for the decorative swirls, all stamped onto Whisper White and then mounted on a co-ordinating colour base of either Wisteria Wonder, Pink Piroutte or So Saffron.

Don't forget the clocks go forward tonight... see you tomorrow with some Easter class offerings.

Thank you scraps

Don't forget it's my Sale-A-Bration coffee morning tomorrow 10-12, so if you want to come along just let me know.

Yesterday I shared with you a great way to use up scraps of card and create ribbons.  Today I've got lots more of ideas to use up leftovers :0). 

I do really like the brights colour collection and my favourite combo has to be Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive, the first 2 Stampin' Up! ink pads I ever owned... and of course I have lots of scraps in these colours as I use them all the time. 

I've stuck with one stamp set to create these little notecards which are made from a base measuring 3.5 x 7cm - Easy Events.  A nice quick stampset where you can mix and match the sentiments with the images or just stamp the stamp as is.

There are a variety of other tools used here: Eyelet Border punch, top note die (using the Big Shot machine) and blender pens.

Get well wishes

I've been asked to make quite a few get well cards recently...

And last night when I arrived at my accommodation for this week I was sat there frozen for and hour before I had to venture to bed fully clothed and still be cold (!)... after also coming home at the weekend to no heating I'm going to be getting pneumonia soon.  

Better make up some get well cards by the batch as it's that time of year...

Anyway, there are numerous stamp sets that are ideal for creating quick note cards... and for this set I've used Clearly for You.  It's got some lovely stamps including the butterfly one that I have used here.

The colours are Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive - all from the brights collection.  I've co-ordinated the DSP and then used a variety of sentiments form the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set and the Word Window punch on a different shade of matching card (Blushing Bride, Tangerine Tango and Pear Pizzazz).

What I love about Stampin' Up! products is that the ink, card and DSP all co-ordinates within each collection and also with many other colours.

Ideas with trees...

There are quite a few stamp sets in the Stampin' Up! catalogue which have trees depicted on them.  At this time of year, tree's are great for cards with an autumn feel, like this swap that a fellow demonstrator gave to me at our last training day.  It uses one of the trees from the Lovely as a Tree stampset, which I keep thinking I should invest in as these seems to feature on so many cards. 

The card base is Cajun Craze from the Regals colour range, stamped with the oak leaf image from the Lovely as a Tree set in both Soft Suede and Cajun Craze ink.  The main image has been inked with Soft Suede and stamped onto Very Vanilla and them mounted on matching card stock. 

The sentiment is from the Clearly for You stampset and has been inked to match the image and then punched with the Jewelry tag punch, as has the leaf image (also from the Lovely as a Tree stampset), and both tags have been tied with linen thread.

Another stampset with a tree image is the Easy Events set, which I just love for the numerous images included that can be used for all and any occasion.  Here is the tree, used on one of the note cards shown here.

I would love to see any ideas or projects that you have made which use other Stampin' Up! stampsets with tree's in them...

Thank you notes

I'm away for a few days in the Lake District again...

I thought I would share with you a couple of note cards that I made as part of this pizza box set last time I went up to the Lakes.  They are both made using the 'thank you' flower image stamp from the Easy Events stampset inked in Chocolate Chip and coloured with blender pens using Stampin' Up! markers.  I love the water colour effect that you can get with blender pens and it's so simple to achieve...



Both these cards use scraps from the brights DSP pack, the first uses small squares of paper behind the image panel in 2 different tones and the second uses just one design on the front of the card and behind the eyelet punched border on the inside too.

A Chocolate Chip decorative strip created with the eyelet punch and a couple of basic pearls finishes of the first card, but I have left the second card with just the DSP.

Fab colours from Cate

My upline Cate always uses such great colour combinations on her cards and this swap she gave me is no exception.  I love the use of the circle punches - so simple yet for me (as I don't have the punch) it would be a lot of huffing and puffing with a protractor or something similar to do this.  I do recommend the Stampin' Up! punches as they make crafting so much more enjoyable as you don't have to fiddle about doing the not so fun stuff when using them.  Look up 'punch art' on the web... but prepare yourself to lose a couple of hours surfing all the endless ideas that you can create with punches :).

4 days until I am back so if you want to order something or book a class, check out the details on the relevant pages and email me.

Butterfly note cards

Last day of work today... so a scheduled post as I have had to plan myself before departure tomorrow. 

Here are some quick note cards using the butterfly stamp from the Clearly for You set.  There are so many things you can do with the stamp set, both male and female cards and for all occasions.  Fortunately although it is from the current mini catalogue it will be in the main catalogue from 1st October in both the wood and clear sets still.  I will be posting a few more ideas using this set whilst I am away to keep your creative juices flowing so keep checking back:).

Amy's card

I love this idea as it's ideal for note cards.  One of the other demonstrators in Cate's team gave me this card as a swap.  Check out Amy's site for full details, but it is a simple square of Very Vanilla cardstock with DSP strips and some ribbon, mounted onto Crumbcake cardstock.  The idea/layout can be adapted with a variety of papers and sentiments for all sorts of note cards.

The gorgeous papers, Springtime Vintage (Mini catalogue page 17, 121782 - £8.75), used on this card are retiring at the end of September, so if you want to get your hands on these before they are gone, contact me to place your order before Thursday (8th September) as after that I will be on holiday until October.

Run 1st workshop, tick :)

Thank you to my 2 very good friends who attended my demo today - it is very much appreciated.  At one point I had 6 people saying they would attend but of course there are always those that say they may come along and then those that let you down and drop out :(.  The important thing is that I got to do a trial run of the demo and the make and take.

Sample table

The cupcakes seemed to go down well too... although I still have a lot leftover!

I gained a large card order and at least one confirmed attendee for my Christmas Card club starting in October and as the social aspect is more important to me than making product sales I am quite happy :).

So as promised here are the details of the card I did for the Make and Take which completes the Just Believe A6 card set with box:

·         Fold in half an A5 piece of Whisper White cardstock for the base card.

·         Cut a 5cm strip of DSP wide enough to go across the base card (10.5cm).

·         Tear a strip of Old Olive cardstock and stick this behind the DSP.

·         Ink the stamp with the Rich Razzleberry and Old Olive markers and stamp onto the card then use the Stamp-a-ma-jig to position the sentiment in the centre.

Materials:

Just Believe stamp set (120453);

Patterns DSP stack - brights (117155);

Old Olive marker pen (100079);

Rich Razzleberry marker pen (120970);

*Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049);

A4 smooth cardstock - Crumbcake (121685);

A4 smooth cardstock – Whisper White (106549);

Versamark ink (102283);

Stampin' dimensionals (104430);

Whisper White satin ribbon (114616)

Sticky strip or adhesive.

If you would like to order the Just Believe stamp set during August and can collect it from me there will be no postage charge and I will provide you with a worksheet giving full details of how to make the box as well as the card set featured in my earlier posts (see here for details).

Note card

The sentiment that comes with the Just believe stamp set that I have used in this card fits perfectly inside a 1 and 1/4 inch circle punch and also the border (without the flowers coloured in).  As I don't have the punch I've just cut a circle out for this before stamping the sentiment in Rich Razzleberry and then edging it with Old Olive ink so it stands out when raised with dimensionals.

I've coloured the background stamp with the markers - which takes a while as there is a lot of detail in the image... to ensure the ink isn't dried out before making the stamp you need to 'huff' on the stamp - trust me it works, this is a top stamping tip which works really well with the Stampin' Up! marker pens, although I have tried it in the past with other markers which not such a good effect.

Materials:

Just Believe stamp set (120453);

Patterns DSP stack - brights (117155);

Old Olive marker pen (100079);

Rich Razzleberry marker pen (120970);

Stamp-a-ma-jig (101049);

A4 cardstock - Whisper White (106649);

Old Olive stamp pad (102277) - for inking the edge of the circle with sentiment.