Blowing the dust off......

OK....a show of hands please......have you ever had to have a stamp set, and then let it hide at the back of your 'Stash'?? You occasionally pick it up and stroke it and put it back thinking 'errrr...what will I do with it??'

Well, the 'Autumn Days' Stampin' Up! Stamp set has been at the back of the stamp draw for a long time now, and whilst tiding my desk, and gathering my creative thoughts, I came a across a pack of little buff notebooks that were a birthday gift, and inspiration hit me!

The set combined with 'Soft Suede' and 'Early Espresso' classic ink pads, have quickly made a rustic/ nature inspired note pad.

The Pheasant, stamped in 'Early Espresso' was used as the main focal point, in the centre of the note book. So he wasn't 'floating in mid-air' I grounded him by sponging some 'Soft suede' along a torn strip of paper. I then stamped the 'stalks of wheat' stamp that's in the set,in the lighter ink colour of 'Soft Suede' to the bottom edge and up either side of the notebook, to add depth.
Each of the pages got a little stamp treatment too, using the lovely foliage stamps that are part of the set, I stamped a different image on each page, grouping them differently and alternating ink and placement to add interest through out the book.

I had a root in my things to alter box too and came across a buff, totally round pencil and even 'rolled' that across the 'pine cone' stamp, to make a little set (I have already ear marked this stamp for a super simple Christmas card......yes!! I have wrote the word Christmas and it isn't quite July yet!!!).To attach the pencil to the notebook, i placed a large 'antique gold- jumbo eyelet' and used some general parcel string to tie the two together. Now the pheasant & foliage combo, doesn't appeal to all, but the idea could easily be adapted with many other SU stamp sets and colour combo's, I think I will make a few more, along this idea, for gifts.....they don't cost the earth, they look good and they are handmade with love.

I am planning lots of creative 'Stampin' Up!' fun through out July, and wouldn't like you to miss out, so email me: sally-johoughton@hotmail.co.uk to request the July newsletter xx