And HAPPY ANNIVERSARY !  Today is my Mum and Dad’s wedding anniversary, I hope they have a wonderful day xxxx

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 all about swaps and team goodies.  Today is the first day of the Stampin’ Up! European convention, it’s the 3rd one we have had and in case I didn’t mention it before we are in DISNEYLAND Paris !!!!

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’

Well I’m packed, I think !!!!

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’

Good morning, have you ever been working towards a deadline and you get to the point where you are sure there is the Countdown TV program clock ticking in your ear?  That’s kind of how I’m feeling at the moment.  On Friday 1st April 2011 Stampin’ Up! UK launches a new mini catalogue it’s the BIGGEST one yet and is full of the most amazing products I am sooooooooooo excited I could burst, which to be fair wouldn’t be very pretty!

I’m ploughing through my to do list and making some gorgeous things for you but I can’t share with you just yet…….and I’mn sure you know what it’s like when you have new goodies, you just want to play with them, not your favourite stamps from last week, we crafters are so fickle sometimes!

I do have a card to share with you today, it’s for my husbands Aunt and Uncle who celebrate their Diamond wedding anniversary this week, that’s 60 years of marriage.

I have used an old favourite style of card, it’s been around for years, but was really popular about 2-3 years ago and has now disappeared a bit.  I call it a cracker fold (as it looks like a Christmas cracker), it probably has a proper name!  The front is shaped like a diamond so very appropriate.

The papers and colours are the same as yesterday. Do you like the 3 layers of punched edging I think it looks like antique lace.

Come back tomorrow to see lots of new goodies.

If you are on my mailing list mini catalogues have gone out in the post yesterday along with my new class schedule, lots of new clubs and classes for you. Email me if you would like your own copy.

Happy Stampin’

Today’s card is for my Mother in Law, Brenda for Mothers day, she is not a computer fan so I’m safe in posting this before Sunday!  I have made 3 cards using this set of colours, papers and techniques, one for today, one for tomorrow and my Mum’s card which you will see on Sunday when she has opened it, because I know she checks my website daily and I’d hate to spoil the surprise…….Hi Mum xx

Now one of the amazing things that Stampin’ Up! UK does is co-ordination.  The stamp set Growing Green, co-ordinates with the designer series paper Woodland Walk.  I have stamped the images in stazon onto watercolour paper and then coloured them in using my watercolour wonder crayons and an aqua painter.  I feel like a real artist when I do this, the truth is I can’t draw a stick person !  That is the reason I am a stamper!

The flowers are decorated with Dazzling diamonds glitter and pearls, here they are in close up.

I’ll be back tomorrow with a diamond card.

Happy Stampin’

Well did you remember to put your clocks forward? It certainly meant a very, very early start for me this morning as the Australian GP started the new Formula 1 season.  I have been a huge fan since I was a small child and never miss a race.  McLaren is my favourite team and the fact that 2 British boys race for them is a wonderful bonus!  The race was a great start to the season with Lewis 2nd and Jenson 6th.

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’

These cards may look familiar……they are a set I posted in and amongst the computer troubles so they have been on my website but not for long.  Natures Nest was a stamp set I bought as soon as it entered the catalogue, basically because it had a dragonfly in it!  I was challenged last week to make some cards by one of my lovely hostesses Elizabeth.

These are the samples I made to show her. All three cards have a Brights colour scheme running through them, each card has a little bit more detail and embellishment on it.

This first card is Old Olive and Daffodil Delight, the tortoise is stamped in Stazon and coloured with watercolour pencils.  The shell is then made glossy by using Crystal effects, which I left overnight to dry.  The button has a sliver of card put through for the string, a great tip for colour co-ordination.

Card number 2, this time Tempting Turquoise and Rich Razzleberry, the peacock feather was stamped coloured and made glossy as before.  This time there are 2 buttons and a Rhinestone for added sparkle.

and finally the Dragonfly card, the same colourway as the previous card. I have used Designer paper as before but this time overstamped it using the sanded background stamp.  Each dragonfly was stamped and cut out, watercoloured and then when the crystal effects was put onto the wings I added a little dazzling diamonds for added sparkle!  The crinkled ribbon is easily achieved by placing sticky strip along the length of the ribbon and pleating and folding as you stick it down.

Thank you so much for all your comments about my Brooches, I am so pleased you love them as much as I do!  There is still time to enter the prize draw, see the post below for details.

Happy Stampin’

This card continues the theme from yesterday of sharing.

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’

Look at these wonderful creations !

Happy Stampin’

Well I am finally finished, the shopping, decorating the house, the Christmas cards are posted, the parcels that needed to be are posted, the Turkey and cranberries have arrived, the kids are off school and Brian finishes work tonight !

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’

This lovely little stamp set is retiring…….It’s so cute and great for your Christmas cards.

The stamp set is 4 trees one for each season, they are easy to colour and as you can see from the card above very quick to make a really cute card.

URGENT ANNOUNCEMENT

If you attend my Card Club in Titchfield your goodies have arrived early……….If you can’t wait until the pick up dates of 21st and 22nd September you can come and collect early !

Tonight Friday 10th from 5pm – 8pm and tomorrow Saturday  11th from 5pm-8pm.

Happy Stampin’

My very first video tutorial……..I hope you enjoy it!

It’s a spinner card using the wonderful flight of the butterfly stamp set and the co-ordinating butterfly punch.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvW7uRsakRo

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

I wish you all a wonderful 2010 filled with health, happiness, friendship and fun!

If you are here visiting the Inspiring Inkin’ blog hop please scroll down one more post to see the projects.

I have new Stampin’ Up! classes and clubs for the spring you will find all the details here and here. My first class for this year is Fun with Flowers and it’s a great way of banishing those winter blues!

My card today is my Stampers 10 project for December, I have several ‘virtual clubs’ these are groups who order each month for 6, 8 or 10 months and during one month they are the hostess and recieve the hostess benefits ( stamp set and free product).  I always like to give my clubs something special and these clubs recieve a project pack from me each month including all the card and paper they need, they just add glue and stamps. You can find more details about these virtual clubs and my wonderful Stampin’ Technique clubs at the bottom of this page here.

This is an easel card

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

Are you feeling Christmassy yet?

Today was the first frost of this winter, I’m so pleased I wasn’t driving and I could stay snuggled up inside.  I do love the frost though, much better than the rain !

Well we survived the inflatable rings on the dry ski slope, it was wonderful, the birthday girl and her friends and even her big brother had a great time, I do think I gave them the biggest giggle when I fell off the ski lift, I have lots of bruises…..!

So back to Christmas, I’ve been trying out all sorts of ideas for a paper based Christmas Wreath and a few days ago I found this idea here. It’s wonderful how people share their ideas, here is my version, it is more rustic and a recycling dream!

I have ironed, yes ironed don’t faint…..( I hate ironing ) the brown paper that comes inside our Stampin’ Up! parcels, the wreath backing is the cardboard from the inside of one of our 12 x 12 designer paper packs.  I have used 1 sheet of designer paper from the Christmas Jingle kit, some ribbon and Dazzling diamonds glitter and lots of staples !!!

Here is a close up, the ribbon is Chocolate chip wide ribbon that I have coloured 2 stripes Real Red and Old Olive.

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

Today I am in Germany for the first ever European Stampin’ Up! convention.  I’m more than a little excited !  Actually I could probably fly myself there………but I’m taking the conventional route and going on an airplane !

A big part of convention is swapping and I have made almost 100 card fronts to swap with my fellow demontrators from the UK, France and Germany.  The great thing about swapping is you get so many ideas from the cards you receive, it’s going to help when my inspiration deserts me!

This is what almost 100 cards looks like.

On the back of each one is the  details of the products used and how to make it along with my contact information as well.

My convention has a bit of a Sage Shadow, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla theme going on as you will see in later posts this week!

Here is a close up of the swap card.

Stamps : Winter Post
Inks: Sage Shadow, Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Sage Shadow, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Chocolate Chip ribbon, 2 way Glue pen, Dazzling Diamonds, Sponge Dauber

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

I couldn’t go anywhere with my team and not make them some goodies………So this is what I have made for Jane, Elaine and Stella.

A notebook, really important for convention to take lots of notes !

A lanyard, this is made using the scrummy 1 1/4″ striped Chocolate Chip ribbon which is so soft, you need to be amazed because I have sewn the bases of these…….!

The reason for the lanyards is Stampin’ Up! awards usually come with pins and they need somewhere to display them!

I have also made a dragonfly brooch using the butterfly punch and the pretties kit, Dragonflies are our team mascot.

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

I am here, well just back actually……..Life is a little crazy at the moment…….

2 weeks from magazine launch, my busiest month of the year for Stampin’ Up! I have had lots and lots of home workshops, classes every weekend and the small matter of the first European Stampin’ Up! convention (also in 2 weeks) to get prepared for, posh frock, flights, class projects, swaps, lots and lots of swaps…….

It is all coming together and I am such a lucky lady to have so much wonderful crafting going on in my life, I’d just like an extra 6 hours a day please…….!

I do have a card for you today, a Christmas card made with Winter post, I have made the deer into Rudolf by using my Real Red marker pen, you could of course use some of our new fantabulous (It’s not a real word but I love it!) glitter.

I have used a piece of Whisper white card for the base, punched a circle from a post it note to mask the moon and Brayered over the top with Brilliant Blue ink.  A torn piece of Whisper White makes the snow, I then over stamped the deer and the trees, added the postmark and some tombow glue and Dazzling Diamonds glitter, not forgetting the red nose!

Stamps : Winter Post, Lovely as a Tree
Inks: Close to Cocoa, Brilliant Blue
Cardstock: Whisper White, Brilliant Blue, Close to Cocoa
Accessories: Brayer, Real Red Marker, Dazzling Diamonds, Tombow Glue

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

This little box was my entry to the Stampin’ Up! summer design challenge.  The challenge was to make something that reminded us of summer.  This little box is for the ‘Mother of the Bride’ and explodes open to reveal a lapel pin.

Stamps : Organic Grace
Inks: Certainly Celery, So Saffron
Cardstock: Very Vanilla
Accessories: So Saffron ribbon, Pumpkin Pie marker,Dazzling Diamonds, Pretties kit

I had a wonderful day with my team on Saturday, lots of swaps to show you this week, they are a very talented bunch!

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

Today’s card is for my Aunt, lots of little elements with a button and ribbon, a great design for using up any little pieces of card you save but don’t use!!  It is using one of my favourite stamp sets Touch of Nature, the butterfly is so useful.

Stamps : Sincere Salutations, Touch of Nature
Inks: Chocolate Chip
Cardstock: Pale Plum, Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss
Accessories: Pale Plum button, Linen Thread, Double stitched and grosgrain Chocolate Chip ribbon, Mellow Moss and Pale Plum markers, Dazzling Diamonds

Happy Stampin’

Amanda

I am often asked why is my Stampin’ Up! team called Inspiring Inkin’ there are lots of reasons but the main one is I am inspired by my team on a daily basis, they are wonderfully creative and love sharing the Stampin’ Up! products and opportunities with all those they meet. A close second is my own personal passion to inspire everyone to get ‘Inkin’……..especially your rubber stamps!

The Inspiring Inkees are a team spread from the Shetland Isles to the tip of Cornwall, it’s definitely the very best team and really friendly too. I am in regular contact with my team by phone, email and letter and I am available to them whenever they need me. In addition I have a team website, that is password protected, within it is an online live chat facility for team training sessions, challenges and lots of fun. My class planners and techniques are all available for the team to download and use with their customers.

Within my team I have business demonstrators who are building teams of their own and working on building a business that ultimately will allow them to give up thier 9-5 job and hobby demonstrators who join for the discounts and the social aspect of being part of a team. Most of my team are some where in between, enjoying the income, discounts, workshops, classes, events and the fantastic products that Stampin’ Up! sell.

I have lots more information about joining my team here and here.

Joining Stampin’ Up! was one of the best decisions I have made, why not join me and become an Inspiring Inkee too.   Email me and I’ll call you for a chat.

My card today was inspired by a card Amy made and she brought it along to a team training day we had in July, our quarterly team days are an opportunity for all the team to come together and share and learn from one another. We have business training, sharing good practise, team support and stamping, lots and lots of Stamping!!!!

Winter Post Card

Stamps : Winter Post, Best yet
Inks: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Bashful Blue
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Real Red, Bashful Blue, Brilliant Blue
Accessories: Love notes envelope, Dazzling Diamonds, Sponge Daubers, Tombow Glue, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Designer Paper – Ski Slope.

Happy Stampin’

Amanda