This first card is the lovely dasher, his antlers are scattered with pearls and I’ve even coloured a tiny pearl to make his nose red, so really he is Rudolph!!!  The woodgrain background stamp is certainly becoming a firm favourite too!

No series of Christmas cards would be complete without a snowflake card, I have partnered the new Pool Party with Night of Navy, it looks fabulous together.  A few pearls and the stamp from Perfect Punches and another quick card.

Happy Stampin’

Today it takes centre stage on Christmas cards.  The first card is completely flat, so no postage worries, it uses the new colour Pool Party a soft aqua, perfect for Christmas cards, the sentiment is from Petite pairs.

The next card also uses Winter Post but adds in the fir tree from Lovely as a Tree.  Everyone NEEDS Lovely as a Tree it is a fabulous set! You can cut off the Top note if you wish, but I just wrap it over the top score line and glue it down.

This final card takes the Top Note die and cuts it a second time to give this stylish square mat.  A stamp and punch from Contempo Christmas and a small bow and the card is finished.

Happy Stampin’

These are cards we made at my Card Club which I hold each month at Titchfield Community Centre on the first Thursday evening and Friday morning of the month.  We make 6 cards and the class cost is £14, but if you place a minimum of a £22 order your class is free!  That’s fabulous value and we have such fun, lots of chatting, laughing, drinking tea and eating biscuits and crafting with new friends, it’s a wonderful way to spend a few hours.  You can see all the dates by clicking here.

The card above is using 2 new colours to Stampin’ Up! UK, Island Indigo and Pool Party partnered with Very vanilla is makes a lovely combination.  The Merry Christmas is from the sentiments set Petite Pairs, a really useful set.  The card is flat again, to keep those postage costs down.

The card below is much more rustic, this is mainly due to the Naturals Ivory cardstock,  the cardstock has a slightly bumpy texture and a fleck in it, very trendy.  The flourish is from Everything Eleanor and the tree is made by sticking 3 Petitie Pennant Punches together.  Although the card is 3D, it will still fold flat enough to post standard rates.

Happy Stampin’

I’m going to start in the middle, exciting news…………..

This week the lovely Hayley achieved the Stampin’ Up! UK incentive trip to Vienna during 2012.  Hayley is the first member of my downline to achieve this and I am so very proud of her and the way she runs her business and supports her team she is an inspiration.  The very next day a second member of my downline Kerry, who is part of Jane’s team also achieved the Vienna incentive trip.  Kerry is also an inspiration, works really hard personally and in supporting her team.  Woo Hoo I have been walking on air all week!  The incentive trip is an amazing experience and I am really looking forward to spending more time with them both in Vienna.

Whilst we are talking about the incentive trip, you will find some sneak peeks using 2 stamp sets I received in Prague this summer, Petite Pairs and Everything Eleanor. I have had to hide them for 4 months but they are going to be soooooo well used they are amazing.  You can see more about this fabulous trip by typing Prague in the search button at the top of the page.

So onto training and the sneak peek, today we are off to High Wycombe for training with Stampin’ Up! UK there are 14 of my team attending so I have made them a notebook using these 2 sets. I have used a brand new colour combination for me, Bravo Burgundy, Pretty in Pink, Sahara Sand, and Very Vanilla.

And then I made 56 swaps………swaps are card front that we “swap” with other demonstrators to get lots of lovely ideas and samples. I am really looking forward to seeing the swaps I will get in return.

Now we still have 13 days to get your last chance items, I have orders going in most days so contact me to get hold of those stamp sets you can’t live without.

Happy Stampin’

I haven’t changed a thing!

Tonight I’m off to Joiners in Southampton for Connor’s band Fools and Scissors latest gig, very exciting!

Happy Stampin’

Last Saturday was a day of classes, lots of lovely ladies, lots of crafting, laughing, chatting and cupcake eating!

One of the classes was based around the 2 Step Owl punch, we made so many different things, here are 2 of them.

A penguin bookmark

and a Lion notebook.

I haven’t forgotten to show my birthday cards from last week, I need to get them all photographed, they are lovely and they will be on here very soon.  Have a great weekend.

Happy Stampin’

Today is my birthday and Brian has taken the day off and is taking me out, I know not where or why or what, it’s a surprise, very exciting!  I will have some lovely birthday cards to show you over the weekend, as I type I can see a big pile on the mantelpiece, lots of squishy parcels too !

Onto today’s card, and yes you may have guessed it it’s a Christmas card, we made this at card club earlier this month, I did think there might be a riot, but everyone took it in their stride.  It’s a good idea to get started early I think, less stress in December then, and I’m all for less stress!

Rudolph has a very sparkly red nose, now Stampin’ Up! doesn’t do coloured gemstones but it is very easily solved, with a Sharpie marker pen!  Just colour over the top of the rhinestone, leave to dry for a couple of minutes  and they are ready to add to your project.

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’

The share bit especially, I am blessed with both team members and customers who are very talented and who share their projects with me and I share all my projects with them too.  At the last team training Elizabeth shared this little calendar here .

It was so cute I had to give it a try!

My version is Baja Breeze, Soft Suede and Very Vanilla and lots of sponging and distressing.

I’ll be back tomorrow with some more cards.

Happy Stampin’

These are the 3 cards they made, all showcasing our fabulous buttons.

And a close up of each one.

And the final 3D item they made was a button bracelet, I have been making these for a long time as a friend and store owner Anna has been designing and making button jewellery forever and has shown me lots of tips and tricks!  I haven’t made much jewellery for a while and when I decided to focus the training on buttons I knew I just had to make some jewellery with the team.

I was then reminded of the bracelet idea via a post from an American Stampin’ Up! demonstrator Patty Bennett here, she in turn got the idea from Jill Olson, isn’t this so great we all share from one another!

The buttons Patty uses are bigger than the ones we have currently in the UK, but we just used a few more ! These are modelled by the lovely Kimberley.

I have used a clear stretchy thread as I wanted the buttons to be the star of the show, but you could easily use our stretchy silver or gold thread.  You could put rhinestones or pearls in the centre of the flower buttons too, that would make it very sparkly!

I’ll be back tomorrow with the mini scrapbook details.

Happy Stampin’

I discovered some glorious blackberries and pears in the freezer this afternoon, they made a beautiful crumble yum!!  Just the right sort of food to fortify us all before the madness begins!

My cards today are using a colour combo I haven’t tried before, Pear Pizzazz, Cajun Craze and More Mustard.  I think it is going to be a favourite, do let me know what you think.

I used the Stampamajig to position the flowers, stamped them again on scrap card and cut out extra layers which I popped up on glue dots.  Have you noticed the pearls have made another appearance……

Now the next card is a little square 3 1/2″ using the same colours and punches I have made a moon for the owl.  Super quick card but soooo cute.  I have to say I am so excited that the owl punch will be included in the mini Catalogue in April, he isn’t that hard to cut out, but oh it will be so much quicker with a punch!!!

Happy Stampin’

I don’t make resolutions as they are too set in stone, I like a bit of wriggle room with my plans and ideas…….!

I have learnt from last year that I need to spend more time with friends and family as well as working hard, so I think for me 2011 will be more about balance.  I’m also going to add a few things to my world, a daily walk and moisturiser…….I think the laughter lines really need some help……….

So how about you?  Do you make resolutions?  Do share if you would like, I’d love to hear from you and of course you will be entered into my draw to win £30 of  Stampin’ Up! products of your choice, see here for more information.

So today’s cards are a little bit of sunshine, I love the combination of Tempting Turquoise and Daffodil Delight, the sky is very grey here at the moment.

Both cards use the Brights Designer series paper stack and the Punch Bunch stamps.  These are perfect for batch making cards and the pearls and ribbon add a little elegance too!  The Daffodil Delight mat layer has been punched using the Scallop Trim Corner punch.

Happy Stampin’

Have a lovely Christmas Eve, I hope Santa puts presents in your stocking not Coal………!

Happy Stampin’

We don’t have any snow, although it has disrupted our plans as it is so difficult and dangerous to travel, so we will be having several Christmas’s this year and I am plotting with my lovely sister in law Vicky to move our all family Christmas event to July !!

My to do list is still rather long though………… so how are you doing with your lists?

On my agenda today is wrapping and cake decorating, well actually Kimberley is cake decorating and I am trying not to get in the way and probably being chief washer upper !

I have a few cards for you today, these are my family Christmas cards and the ones we made at card club last week.

I adore the robin made from the Bird punch, I think it is my favourite card of the whole year, thank you Jenny for your inspiration.

This is my super speedy card, I’m not sure it shows but there is a glitter border around the red circle punch out, very sparkly in real life!

Each year I am blessed with wonderful handmade cards arriving through the letterbox, I’m planning on showcasing those over the next few days, and of course Kimberley’s cake creation.

So do come back and visit, there is exciting news on the 30th December too………..but my lips are sealed…….if you want to find out before the 30th you need to email me your address details and I’ll pop some information in the post to 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’

First onto a piece of Whisper White card I have stamped the circles in Versamark and clear embossed them.  Normally when you are embossing you stop when the image is glossy and raised, with this technique you continue to heat the embossing powder until it flattens out again.Don’t hold the heat gun too close or you will end up with burnt patches on your card.  You will know when it is heated enough because you will be able to see the images on the reverse of the card.

Then spritz the card with water it needs to form in puddles, use a sponge dauber and a variety of ink pads I have used Chocolate Chip, Rose Red and Taken with Teal.  Dab the sponge daubers over the wet card and the colour will bleed through, once you have an effect you are happy with leave to dry.

I’m back from my holiday in Malta now having had an amazing time, it will take me a day or 2 to catch up with my emails, thank you for being patient!

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

I love this little set and right now it’s only £10.36 as it’s part of Stampin’ Up!s special August offer.  I’ve teamed up Old Olive, Ruby Red and Close to Cocoa.

See the post below for more details of the special offer from Stampin’ Up! during August.

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

Inside their bags ( which they made)  is a bookmark, decorated pen, Smarties card, notepad and a pop up chocolate bar.

It was a lovely day, thank you for inviting me Izzy!

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

Rose Red, Regal Rose and the ever so versatile Chocolate Chip is the colour combo, all of the large flowers have Rose red and Champagne Mist shimmer paint on them, as does the Chocolate Chip circle, here is a closer look…..

So how do you get Rose Red and Champagne Mist onto your stamp……..carefully……..tee hee………….sorry for teasing……..but you do need to be careful and have your stamp ‘n’ scrub at the ready.

Ink up your stamp with Rose Red, put a little Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint into a saucer, use a sponge dauber to pick up the shimmer paint and tap onto the stamp, stamp the image as normal, you can get 2-3 images from one application, they do get paler but that’s part of the fun!   Then clean your stamp……….IMPORTANT………..Do this before you re-ink the stamp.  If you don’t you will end up with a sparkly inkpad, which looks pretty, but might not be good for it.  (I’ll let you know……I have several sparkly inkpads now………shimmer paint and dazzling diamonds adorn many of my inkpads!)

As you carry on your sponge dauber and the shimmer pain in the saucer will get pinker and pinker, this is why you don’t want to take it direct from the bottle!

To make your Chocolate chip card stock sparkly just rub the dauber over the card with Shimmer paint and allow to dry.

I hope that is clear but do leave me a comment if not, actually please do leave me a comment, it is so lovely to hear from you!

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

When I spoke with Susan about the type of projects she was interested in, she explained she liked Giraffes………..Having been to Susan’s house ‘liking Giraffes’ is a bit of an understatement, the most wonderful display of Giraffes of every type, size and material adorn her home.

I made some cards for her as her hostess gift using the Giraffe from the Fox and Friends Stamp set, but I wanted to make her something using punch art.

I found this card here on Splitcoast Stampers forum and it inspired my Chocolate bar cover below!

I am very pleased to say she loved it !

I would love to come and do a workshop for you and your friends and family, do get in touch and book one soon!

Happy Stampin’

Amanda