Today’s card is the last one from my vintage class, it was so big it needed a box!

I have used both Very Vanilla and Cherry Cobbler seam binding which has a lovely vintagy sheen and style.  Don’t the vintage tags look great, they are slightly rusty !

The card is a square easel, very straightforward to make but looks impressive.

We used Everything Eleanor and scrumpled, stamped, embossed, heat embossed and used Champagne Shimmer paint all over.  The flowers are make layering up the doily punch onto the scallop circle punch, scrumpling, stamping and topping off with a pearl.  The ribbon bow is attached using glue dots it keeps the swags looking lovely.

I am currently working on my class list for next year, do sign up for my email newsletter (link is on the right) and you will get to see the list as soon as it is finished.

Happy Stampin’

So what exactly is an extreme card?  These cards are not difficult, but time consuming, lots of layers, stamping techniques, embossing, cutting out, ribbons, crochet trim and the finished cards certainly needed an extra large stamp to post them, or even a box!

This is one of the cards, inspired by my recent trip to Paris !  There are so many components to the card and lots of embossing and distressing too.

The inside is decorated too, it’s really important to make sure you have enough weight at the back of the card so it doesn’t fall over!  Stampin’ Up! doesn’t sell C5 evelopes but these manilla ones are perfect and the stamping looks great on them too!

The second card I will share with you was inspired by one of my favourite bloggers Teneale Williams, she is a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator in Australia.  You can find her website here, I have put direct links to the cards under each picture.  Her cards are amazing, such attention to detail, I warn you now you will spend a long time looking at her site !!!!

The front of the card was based on this one here.

The inside of the card was based on this one here.

 Happy Stampin’

Traditional Christmas cards today, one bright and one vintage looking.

This first vintage style card uses the Skaters from Winter post and teams them up with the Medallion background stamp, it would look great in lots of colours and it would also be easy to make lots!  The brad goes either side of the ribbon to make a flat embellishment, with just enough sparkle!

Now this card is using Real Red and Old Olive ink, a perfect match for Christmas. I have just used one stamp set for this card, Season of Joy.

Happy Stampin’

Today is a full day, doors open at 8am  with a jam packed program until 5pm and then it’s off for a quick shower and change for the awards dinner.  I am so excited about the awards, last year 5 of us from the Inspiring Inkin’ team where in the top 25, Stampin’ Up! have changed the ranking system this year and I am hoping for more of my team to be recognised for their amazing achievements !  I will give you a full report when I am home.

So when ever we get together we always swap cards and 3D items, this is my general swap card I have made about 85 of these. I have used the Take a Sip Wheel, Everything Eleanor, Sprizter and Posy Punch too.  The designer series paper is called Well Worn and that along with Cajun Craze and River Rock are the themed colours running throughout the projects.

There are 14 of us from the team attending so these are the goodies I have made for them.

Bag Charm, everyone needs these there are 300+ demo’s at convention and we will all have the same bag so you need something to  show that the bag is yours, their name is on the back.

Each person has a notebook, very important, the inspiration and information we receive at convention is amazing, and so much that you have to write it down because you will never remember it all!

I have up scaled the swap card a little just for my team, by adding a different colour mug and some Crystal effects.

and finally this 3D item was inspired by one of my lovely new team members Clair.  I ran her launch workshop for her last week, and this was the project she demonstrated, it’s a fab paper purse and the perfect size to gift wrap an Inspiring Inkin’ convention tradition, a dragonfly.  This year they are brooches, and in the back of the purse are some after eight mints !

 Happy Stampin’

It’s an early night for me tonight as we the flight is a little after 7am.  To be fair I didn’t need to get such an early flight as Convention doesn’t start until Friday morning, but I have a bit of Disney to fit in too!  I love the rides and I am pleased to say some of my team do too, so when we are not at convention we will be zooming along, flipped upside down and generally sprinkled with pixie dust !

I promised more Christmas cards, so here you are, today’s cards all focus on the brand new Stampin’ Up! set Polar Party, the penguins are sooooooo cute!

I’m not sure what has happened to the colours on this photo, they are Island Indigo, Rich Razzleberry and Baja Breeze, really vibrant in real life!  The glimmer brads in the right hand colour are very sparkly too.

The card below is so quick to make, you could sit in front of your favourite program and emboss lots of card, colour the images in another evening and cut out and assemble.  Christmas cards are best made production line style!

This card showcases the other major image in the stamp set, and all the little ones too.

Happy Stampin’

36 of my team and guests had a wonderful day, of stamping, crafting, chatting, training, sharing business tips and tricks and of course eating cake too!  A big thank you to Kerry, Michele and Elizabeth who did some fantastic demonstrations and projects to wow us!

We made 6 projects, using a goody bag of products, Chipboard alphabets, satin ribbon and yummy Jolly Holiday designer series paper. We always make a technique card too for our 6×6 album, you can see some of them here.

The first 2 projects are quick and easy cards, perfect for mass production.

The 3rd card takes a bit longer as you cover the chipboard with designer paper, to get a nice finish use an emery board to distress the edge of the paper, always sand downwards or you will lift the paper off the chipboard.

We made a cute snowman box, using the topnote die.

A gift card holder again using the Topnote die, you really need this one……….!

I will be demonstrating this at my workshops in the next few weeks.

and finally a NOEL bunting, I love this and it will be part of my Christmas decorations and gift class on the 29th October.

Here are a few close up shots, I tied that bow !!!!!!

We decorated the back too

So if this sounds like fun, I’d love you to join us next time!  My next quarterly meeting is on the 15th October at Locks Heath, Hampshire, email me to find out more!

Happy Stampin’

Am I very excited?  YES !

But I did remember to schedule some posts whilst I am away as I know I won’t have time to post till Monday.  If you do want snippets of information all about my trip, please do check out my facebook page here. You will need to add me as a friend. I will update that as often as I can.

Now if you are one of my amazing customers you would have received an email about my special offer whilst I am away, if you are not on my mailing list you need to join quickly because this is a once a year only offer!!!  You can join my mailing list but clicking here or clicking the link in my right hand bar and follow the directions.

I do have some projects for you to look at today, these are from my Big shot class I held at the end of May, it’s called Die cut divas and runs every month, click the Monthly clubs tab at the top of this page and you will find out all the details.

I have used Not Quite Navy and Poppy Parade for this card and bag combo, Red, White and Blue very patriotic, I designed it whilst watching the Royal Wedding in April!  The bag is made using Scallop envelopes, I will do a tutorial about this in a couple of weeks.

Happy Stampin’

Yesterday not only did we eradicate every dust bunny in our bedroom, re-arrange all the cupboards and drawers clean out everything from under the bed, we managed to empty the loft too!  We have boxes of clothes and books to go to the charity shop, a boot full of rubbish for the tip and a huge sense of satisfaction!  I still have 5 boxes of paperwork to sort and shred and haven’t dared look into my wardrobe.  We did manage to eat lunch in the garden and stop for an occasional cold beverage, the loft was sooooo hot and dusty.

So today we have food shopping to look forward to, tip runs and lots of shredding and then I’m going to sit in my hammock the garden and read a book (one of the many I unearthed from under the bed!!!!)

I do have a card for you today, the last one in my Baby series, very cute and straightforward to make.  The ribbing around the neck and legs is made by punching out a 1 3/8″ circle and then over punching the hole with the scallop circle punch.

In other news I did have all my hair cut off on Thursday……. well not quite all of it, but certainly back to how it was 4 years ago, so once I’ve worked out how to use my new camera I’ll update my picture.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Happy Stampin’

In fact it’s 32 pages and contains the BIG SHOT ! along with some amazing Stampin’ Up! exclusive dies, embossing folders and too many goodies to list here!

Now the best way to look at the mini catalogue is to turn the pages over in your hands, so email me to get your hands on a copy.  But if you can’t wait for the post to arrive you will find an online version here or you can download a PDF copy here.

So why exactly am I so excited?…………Drum roll please……….the Big Shot is a die cutting system that will revolutionise your crafting. It can cut over 50 types of materials, cut at least 4 sheets of card at once and gives such wonderful professional results.  I cut almost 200 flowers from our designer series paper yesterday in less than 5 minutes!  Not only is this going to be fabulous for paper crafting you can use the Big Shot with fabric and felt so all of my lovely customers who sew too, you really need this machine!

I am so excited to share this with you and would love to demonstrate how you can incorporate this into your crafting, do contact me to book a workshop or come along to one of my classes to see it in action!  We have a huge number of exclusive dies and embossing folders too!

The Top Note Die is an exclusive die to us in Stampin’ Up! and it has been hugely popular in the USA I’m sure you are going to love it too.  This is a wallet we made at our most recent Stampin’ Up! training.

I hope you can see the foam of the die, this is the part that both cuts and embosses the dotted line around the outside edge.

This is the inside of the wallet, space for money or itunes vouchers……and the back of the die, all the exclusive Stampin’ Up! dies are grey and they have the Stampin’ Up! logo on them too, cool !

So what else is in the mini catalogue?

Stamps for the boys, big buttons, teeny tiny clear shaped buttons, punches oh yes….. the owl punch is in there, Builder wheels, lots of scrummy papers, Glass Glitter and THE BIG SHOT !!!!!

There are so many things to show you, I will have some new projects every day but we are going to start with a cause very dear to my heart.

On page 31 is a stamp set that I believe you all need, not only is is a beautiful stamp set Stampin’ Up! is donating £1 from each purchase to the Breast Cancer Research foundation.

The stamp set is called Strength and Hope and is £15.95 in wood or £12.95 in clear mount.

I have a card for you today using this wonderful stamp set. See the pretty ribbon, it’s actually seam binding in Pear Pizzazz, the softest silkiest ribbon I have ever used, it is available in Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake and Rose Red you will be seeing a lot of this!!!!

So come back tomorrow for some more mini catalogue projects.

Happy Stampin’

I think that’s enough motor racing for now…….

I promised to draw 3 names for a handmade brooch today, several of you had 2 entries as you linked to your websites, thank you so much for all your comments.

Here are the 3 winners

Julie said:

So pretty, will definitely have a go at making these once the cast comes off!! Thank you for sharing x If I’m lucky would like any colour as I love them all!

Taniaj said:

great brooch i would love the marina mist if I were lucky. Thanks for sharing the idea Tx

Sharon said:

WOW! Fab easy to follow tutorial, with clear step by step photos. Brooch is stunning.

Sharon and Julie please can you let me know which colour you would like and I’ll get busy making them !

I have some notebooks to show you today, a few weeks ago we attended a Stampin’ Up! regional training with more than 20 of my team attending I wanted to make them something lovely.

I have used the in colour designer series paper stack, Pear Pizzazz ribbon and decorated them with punched flowers.

Since we now have a gentleman in our team, Trevor I made his notebook a little differently.

Happy Stampin’

Last November we went the the 2nd European Stampin’ Up! convention.  One of the presenters was the amazing Pam Morgan, she shared lots of things you could do with our paper daisies and this card is inspired by what she shared with us. This was one of the cards we made last Saturday at the Birthday Bash class. The paper daisies have been stamped, sponged and glittered.

Here they are in close up.

Happy Stampin’

These swaps are a business tool, they showcase all of the lovely flowers in the Idea book and Catalogue in one place.

To make them neat and tidy I made a flap to tuck behind the brads so they didn’t catch.  I have also made a special one for the lovely Jane, she is my room mate for convention and has put up with me for the last 3 days!

Happy Stampin’

I love making gift and home decor items and I have had some little 4″ square canvases for a long time in my magical “3D items to alter box…….”

I pick up things with no real idea of what I am going to do with them and then when inspiration strikes I have things ready!

You can see some tiny ribbon, it’s our new 1/8″ taffeta, yummy !  The base of the canvas is painted with Stampin’ Up! Basic Black ink refill, then a layer of the fabulous News print Designer Series paper, followed by lots of stamping and tearing.

The rose at the bottom corner is very dimensional and made from a circle of card, cute !

Pop back tomorrow and the rest of this week as I have lots of convention things to share with you.

Happy Stampin’

I can honestly say I have no idea where the time has gone, I have been really busy but that isn’t anything new now is it!  I think I haven’t got to the website because of the travelling I have been doing, lots of workshops and a launch workshop for a new member of my team the lovely Karen along with team trainings and family stuff, phew it’s no wonder I haven’t been around much huh!

Well I am trying to get back on top of my world this week, the kids are off school for half term and I have  plans to catch up and spend some time with my family so I’m not actually working that much.  Then there is the madness of next week, I have 2 workshops and then on Thursday I’m off to convention with 300 other European Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators, 18 of my team and I’m so looking forward to seeing so many of my demonstrator friends, I have the small matter of 220 swap cards and team gifts to finish first.  I must say a big thank you to Kelly and Steph who have been great helping me make the swaps!

So some lovely things for you to see today, this is a little baby gift set, the box is a perfect size for a babygrow and some little socks.

The colour combination is Daffodil Delight and Marina Mist.  Here is the card in close up!

I promise to be back tomorrow!!!!

Happy Stampin’

Added to that children’s shopping trips ready for school trips and a sick car ( which is now all fixed), phew I’m exhausted just typing that!!  I am certainly looking forward to having Sunday off and tackling the jungle in my garden!

So new samples, well this first card is my thank you card for October, I make more thank you cards than any other type so I do them in a bit of a production line.  I have used the most amazing Newsprint DSP, you NEED this!  The papers are all double sided there is newsprint, maps, music score, notepad, text from gardening journals, it is wonderful!  I have used it lots…….

The colour combination on my next card of Cherry Cobbler and Crumb cake with Vanilla is fast becoming one of my favourites.  It sounds like the menu in a very exclusive cake shop!!!! Crumb Cake was Kraft in our last catalogue, it has been renamed and we now have inkpads, and markers too.  My Artistic impressions is clear mounted so making the background takes seconds and I have over stamped with the En Francais background stamp.  If you are coming to Card club today this is one of the cards you will be making.  You will find more information about card club along the top opf the website.

Well that’s all for me today I will be back as soon as those pirates have been inked up!!!

Happy Stampin’

This past week has been full of classes, workshops, training events, all day training with my team and designing new projects. It has been wonderful crafting with so many amazing and talented people.  I have the best job in the world!

A big thank you to all my lovely customers ordering from the last chance list, they are getting lots of half price bargains !  If you would like to see the list please scroll down to the post below this one for the link.  I have orders going in most days, your goodies can be delivered direct to you or you can collect from me which ever is easiest.

The following items are no longer available:

Stamp sets
Old Fashioned Christmas
A Tree for all Seasons
Seaside

A4 Cardstock
Close To Cocoa
Sage Shadow
Creamy Caramel
Blush Blossom

12 x 12 Cardstock
Very Vanilla

Designer Series Paper
Autumn Meadows
Bridesmaid
Merry Moments

Punches
Round Tab
Spiral
3/4″ circle
Large Oval

Ribbons
Chocolate Chip 1/4″ Grosgrain

Embellishments
Playground Buttons

Ink refills
Earth Elements
Rich Regals

Ink Cartridges
Chocolate Chip Standard Cartridge
Close to Cocoa Standard Cartridge

Hostess Level 1 Stamp Set
Darling Dots
Studio Sketches
Out of the box

Todays card is from last year, a pop up star card, this In the Stars stamp set is now only £18.71, better get it quick!

I’m off to run a technique class this morning and then finalise my preparations for my hostess Appreciation event on Saturday, I’ll be back soon.

Happy Stampin’

You stamp a line art image onto a piece of Vellum cardstock, this is Stampin’ Up! heavier weight of vellum and is lovely to stamp on.  I use Stazon so it dries quickly and gives a lovely crisp edge.  Once it is dry flip it over and using your markers colour in the image from the back.  This gives a muted tone to the image and looks just like stained glass.

I have used brads to secure the vellum cardstock to the mat layers and finished with a little bit of ribbon.

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

It’s still glorious here and has been for days, the garden is struggling and the water butts are empty, so it’s lots of watering cans full………!

I’ve been really busy this week, Saturday was Eclipse the Twilight movie with Kimberley, then off to London to take Connor and his friend to an Ozzy Osborne concert.

Sunday was wonderful I saw so many people old and new friends, Hayley had organised a stand at the Newbury show, it was a great event, check out her blog here to see pictures of the stand and some of the projects.

Monday I was with Rachel and her friends for a workshop and the card below was their make and take, this will be the basis for all my July make and takes so if you are coming to to workshop with me in the next month and don’t want to know what the card is shut your eyes and scroll down a bit !!!

Now it was Rachel’s friend Steph’s idea to use a card on page  18 of the mini catalogue, so the first one I made looked like this, it was a bit too straightforward for me so I jazzed it up a bit.

The card below is the one they made as their make and take, I do have a few dates in July and August if you would like to book a workshop, do contact me.

With an insert too.

Tuesday was Kimberley’s Netball club’s AGM.

On Wednesday I ran a party for Izzy who was 9 and her 12 friends, more details of that over the weekend.

Phew……. busy week,  and today I’ve just been catching up……..!

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

Today’s card I have used twice in the last couple of weeks, firstly at my Card club where we make 6 cards for £10 or a £15 order, click the link above to see more details, but you need to be quick and book as June is almost full!  I made this card again in this colour combination as my Shoebox swap card.

I have used the Vibrant Melon Mambo, with Soft Suede and Very Vanilla, lots of fun and such a quick card, not even 10 minutes!

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

On Saturday I held my Mini Madness class, what an amazing group of ladies, we made 6 wow cards and a box and the class fee included the wonderful Vintage Vogue stamp set from the mini.

This card is using one of my favourite Tempting Turquoise and Basic Black combinations.  It is so vibrant. Lots of layers including the Dotty acetate from the Night and Day paper Pack and some rock and roll with the flowers and the “F” stamp.  If you have never heard of Rock and Roll, don’t worry I don’t make my ladies sing………..!  and even more importantly I don’t sing either!!!!

Rock and Roll is a technique where you ink up a stamp in a pale colour and then ‘roll’ the edges onto an ink pad of a darker colour, then stamp.  Lovely effect, minimum effort, got to love that!!

The most important thing is to clean your stamp each time before you re-ink or your pale colour ink pad becomes two-tone !

So now onto my day out, so we could all be together rather than driving around in cars we went on the Longleat bus, we where high up and got commentary all the way around……I learnt lots…….did you know a group of Flamingos is called a Flamboyance, and a group of Vultures in the sky riding the air currents is called a Kettle, or even that a group of Giraffes is called a tower?

The idea of the safari park was from Chipperfield ( of circus fame) who thought it would be a good idea to have the animals roaming free and the people caged in their cars………..

My favourite bit has nothing to do with the animals but we went on a tour of the House and booked to see Lord Baths Murals, they are amazing, vibrant, textural and like no other art work I have ever seen, do go and visit if you ever get the chance.

So here are some photos for you, if you don’t like snakes or spiders don’t scroll to the bottom.  The were all taken by Susie, a very talented lady!

Kimberley and me.

Connor !

Happy Stampin’

Amanda