I know, sorry - its another easel card!!!  But to be fair, I did mention the other day that I had the bug...

I forgot about this Christmas Tree stamp set until the other day.  I actually got it as part of my starter set when I joined SU!!! Fun and Fast Notes has images for most occasions and is cute enough for most ages.  I coloured the image using my markers and aqua painters to give a watercoloured look.

The Merry Christmas stamp fits the scalloped square punch perfectly and is part of a set of three stamps (Punches Three - Hostess Level 1 set) which you can only get by;

- holding a workshop with qualifying sales

- joining one my stamp club

- placing an order for over £150 in products (excl delivery)

The designer series paper used and the ribbon are both Certainly Celery.  The paper is now retired and the ribbon was free with a special offer a few months ago.  I tied a knot in the ribbon which creates a raised area to hold the card front in place for display.

Recipe
Cardstock Old Olive, Whisper White
DSP - Certainly Celery
Stamp sets - Fun and Fast Notes, Punches Three
Accessories - Brad (Hodgepodge Hardware) Scalloped Square punch, Certainly Celery ribbon, Aqua Painters
Non Su - Die cutter

Silent Night

This stamp set is absolutely gorgeous. If you are looking for a stamp set to make quick batches of Christmas cards this is the baby!!!!

It doesnt need any other embellishments, all that I have added is some Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  I have used the sentiment stamp for the card insert.

Recipe
Cardstock - Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink - Chocolate Chip
Accessories - Dazzling Diamonds glitter
Non SU - Die cutter

Thanks for stopping by, off to make more cards...

Jan

Christmas Jingle, Simply Scrappin - not just for scrapbooking!!!

Well, I am having to make more Christmas cards as we sold most of our others at the craft fair at Felkirk Church the other day!

I think I have fallen in love with the easel cards!  They are so easy to make and look really impressive.

Here is one I made today using some items from the Christmas Jingle scrapping kit.  I must admit I am terrible at using some items from SU as they are so lovely to look at!!! I imagine most crafters do the same though...

The corners of the top section have been made by punching out a scalloped square and cutting it into 4 quarters.

Recipe
Cardstock - Old Olive, Real Red, Whisper White
Stamp set - Season of Joy
Christmas Jingle Simply Scrapping Kit
Accessories - Red glitter, Scalloped Oval and Scalloped Square punches, Paper pricking tool and mat

Expect to see more easel cards - I have the bug now!!!
Thanks for stopping by

Jan

Easel Card and Tree Hanger

Had a great morning with a great group of crafty ladies at my open day today.  Showed how to make an easel card and as a make and take everyone made a little tree hanger - I had to test the sweets to make sure they were safe first though (ha ha!).

Sorry the photos not that good due to the poor lighting!

We also talked through how our stamp club will work and when their hostess month will be!  I only have one (possible) place left for this club, however if you would like to be included on in a new Stampers 6 or Stampers 10 club, please  email me.

Recipe
Stamp set - Season of Joy
Ink - Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
Cardstock - Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Accessories - Real Red ribbon, Red glitter, Scalloped Circle, 1 1/4" Circle and Scallop Edge punches.
Non Su - Sweets (chocolate eclairs)

Update 22/11/09
Following a request from the wonderful Abby, here are the instructions to make the easel cards

1) Cut an A4 sheet of card in half lengthways to give you a piece of card measuring 29.7cm x 10.5cm.
2) Score the card at 14.9cm and 22.3cm.
3) The main image/topper is secured to the bottom quarter panel (so as you fold to display the card, the topper shows at the right angle).
4) A raised sentiment has been placed approximately halfway down the inside of the card.  This holds the front of the card in place to display.  Simples!

Craft Fair and Open Day Sat 21st Nov

What a totally brilliant day we had on Saturday!!

Felkirk Church near South Hiendly is a beautiful building (dont quote me but I think it was built around the 12th century) and was where we spent Saturday 14th November.  Here is a photo of the goodies me & Sara Stamper had on the stall.

We sold lots of stock - and I now need to make some more Christmas cards as I dont have enough left lol!!! Oh well, its a hard life will just have to have a play this weekend!!

I am holding an open day on Saturday 21st between 10am and 12 noon and will be demonstrating how to make a quick easel card and do a christmas themed make and take.  We are also going to be discussing the Stampers 10 Club (info here) but still have a couple of places left.  We are starting the club before the end of November so if you fancy the chance of getting free stamp sets and products email me and I will send you directions.

Whist at the craft fair I had lots of requests for classes, and will be holding one Saturday 23rd January from 10am to 12noon.  As there were so many comments about the bag in boxes on the stall at the fair we will be making one and a couple of matching cards!  I will post details of the February class in a couple of weeks.

Thank you to the lovely ladies who took the time to come and say hello - Abby, Kim, Anne, Kaz, Jean and Pat.  And a huge thank you to Sara Stamper, for her support, ideas and inspiration - her creations are amazing.

Love
Jan
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Just Moved!

Our friends have just moved house and it was just the excuse I needed to use my Neighbourhood wheel! 

There are lots of these wheels in the range - and it was seeing them in the last catalogue that started my obsession with everything Stampin' Up!  LOL.

The Neighbourhood wheel is so cute and can be used for so many different occasions.  Here are the other wheels available from SU

There are two sizes of wheel (standard & jumbo) and the optional ink cartridges (like mini ink pads) come uninked (so you can use reinkers or versamark for inking).  You can also buy pre-inked cartridges in a range of co-ordinating colours (Standard £3.95 or Jumbo £5.95)

I use uninked cartridges with Versamark and then heat emboss.  Here I used black embossing powder, then water coloured the images in with my reinkers and Aqua Painters. The Whispter White cardstock isnt very forgiving when watercolouring so I used Confetti White - which is gorgous - its a little thicker and perfect for watercolouring!!

Thanks for taking the time to look at my blog - hope to see you at the Craft Fair at Felkirk, South Heindley, on Saturday if you are going!!!

Recipe:

Cardstock - Confetti White, Chocolate Chip, Summer Sun

DSP - Chocolate Chip

Stamp sets - Neighbourhood Wheel, Loads of Love Accessories

Ink - Versamark, Chocolate Chip

Accessories - Black embossing powder.

Jan

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Thanks Again!

I loved the effect with the vellum cardstock so HAD to do another - and they are going to different people so its not really cheating (LOL!).

I did the same techniqe as the card I made on Saturday but changed the colours and raised the images onto scalloped edged card instead of recessing into the card blank.

Recipe:


Cardsock; Pink Passion, Whisper White
Stamp Sets; In My Garden
Ink; Pink Passion, Marvelous Markers
Accessories; So Saffron ribbon, Circle and Scalloped Edge punches.

Butterflies

Havent had the chance to play with this stamp set since getting it and had a ball using it - its so nice to use and the matching punch cuts out the butterfiles perfectly!

I used a die cutter to make the base for the bottom layer, leaving the cutter in place whilst using my Stampin Pastels with sponge daubers to do some shading.  This left a really nice white edge to the layer.  I had heard about this technique before but have never tried it before today - its really easy and the effect is lovely.

The sentiment is one from the stamp set and was stamped directly onto the base using a marker to colour.

I stamped different butterfly stamps onto vellum cardstock, punched them out and layered them, creasing the wings so they are raised slightly.  I used a little craft wire from my stash and fastened long chrystal beads from the Pretties Kit onto the butterflies for the body, curling the ends.  I then mounted them on dimentionals.

The two flowers are each made from two layers of the six pointed flower from the Boho Punch, secured using a brad to the centre.

Recipe:

Cardsock; Pink Passion, vellum
Stamp Sets; Flight of the Butterfly
Ink; Marvelous Markers
Accessories; Stampin Pastels, Sponge Daubers, brads, So Safron ribbon, chrystal beads (Pretties Kit), Butterfly Punch.

Thanks
Jan

Thank You!

Mum is doing really well!!  She is on a general ward and definately getting back to her normal self.

Finally got round to making some thank you cards for the staff at the hospitals my Mum has been treated at - and enjoying a bit of chill out time. 

Here is one of the cards I made using the 'In My Garden' set. It is really sweet and is a Level 1 hostess set.  You can get the set by placing an order or holding a worksop with sales totalling the qualifying amount.  I also have some places left in my Stampers 10 Club (details here).

I stamped the images using white pigment ink onto vellum cardstock, turned the cardstock over and then coloured the image from the back using markers.  This gives a gorgeous stained glass effect which looks really pretty.  I then punched the image out and mounted it on Mellow Moss cardstock to highlight the colours.

I punched circles out of the card blank and positioned the images through the holes, glueing them to the back part of the card blank.  I finished off the card using a piece of Certainly Celery ribbon, a chrystal brad, and a sentiment trimmed to fit one of the Hodgepodge Hardware frames.  The peircing along the bottom of the card was done using the piercing tool and mat set (so pleased with this!)

Recipe:
Cardsock; Vellum, Mellow Moss, Barely Banana
Stamp Sets; In My Garden, Sincere Salutations
Ink; Certainly Celery, Marvelous Markers
Accessories; Hodgepodge Hardware and brads, Certainly Celery ribbon, chrystal brad (Pretties Kit), piercing tool & mat set, Circle punches.

Thanks for stopping by!
Jan

Holiday Extravaganza!

Here is a cracking offer from Stampin' Up!

Order £45 in products from the above Gift Giving Guide between 1st November and 29th December 2009 and recieve a free Tag or Small Tag Punch worth £12.50.  To view the Gift Giving Guide on line click here.

Loads of Love

Well, Mum seems finally to be on the mend, but is still in Intensive Care.  Her doctors are amazed at her progress, so fingers crossed she will be home soon.  She still has the tracheostomy fitted but its getting easier to work out what she is trying to say - and she has even vowed to stop smoking!!!

Not been able to do much crafting at all but have LOADS of ideas just bursting to come out!!

Here is a card and matching gift box I made the other day.  I used the Loads of Love stamp set which is so versatile and is just brilliant for mens cards.

I used two sheets of Designer Series Paper to make the box which is suprisingly sturdy considering that its made with paper and not cardstock.  The template for making the box is from the Splitcoast Stampers website (here) I love using this template.  Theres no cutting or glueing needed but I decided to put a little spot of glue to the inner flaps just to keep them flat (it just looks a little better).  The finished box is 4" X 4" so is ideal for lots of goodies to fit inside!!

I stamped the truck then used the Stamp-a-ma-jig to position the gifts, man + woman and finally the sentiments.  The images were then coloured with Marvelous Markers (with both direct and using watercolouring techniques). 

I used a die cutter to trim the images and mounted them on larger die cut shapes of Real Red cardstock then finished the card and box with a little Real Red ribbon and stamped the 'Cheers to You' sentiment and mounted it with dimentionals onto red cardstock.

Recipe:
Cardstock - Brocade Blue, Real Red
DSP - Brilliant Blue (retired)
Stamp Sets - Loads of Love, Cheers to You
Ink - Basic Gray, Markers
Accessories - 1 3/8 Circle punch, Real Red Ribbon
Non SU - Die cutter

Thanks for taking the time to look at my blog.
Jan
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