Just In Case........

OOOoooo my gosh, having realised that my blog posts are getting even more sporadic, I thought I had better share with you- what I was up too at the weekend, and if in case my cosmic star chart is dragging me away from the computer still and you don't get another blog post off me till the New Year, I had better send you my.......

What with all the holiday hullabaloo and my boy Matthew breaking his wrist, I was glad of the excuse, to shoot over the hill and join many of the Julies Jems- for a Shoe Box swap on Saturday! 

I have been tinkering around with this 'Top Note' wall hanging idea in my head for the last couple of weeks and was considering about it as my offering at the 'Shoe box Swap', but after making this late Friday afternoon/ evening I thought that we would be hard pushed, to get the whole thing Big Shotted, punched, stamped, cut and glued in the 30mins we had for each project!

But I risked it for a biscuit!!! And stayed up, till the very early hours, doing die cutting and punching, then my fellow Swap attendees could concentrate on the important bit- the stamping, well we are 'Stampin' Up!' Demonstrators after all!!!! 

I think the trickest bit, I left for the girls was that I was down to my last few peices of 'Very Vanillia Card after die cutting the top notes, so they only had a small peice on to which the had to stamp the letters from the 'Letter It' SU stamp set...... 

 This is going to be my favourite alphabet stamp set, although if Shelli checks this out- It would be awesome if we had a punch, to punch them out and it would double up for the 'Number It' SU Stamp set too!!

 In the little kits I put together for the 'Shoe Box Swap', I even drew on lines so the girls could get on with putting the stamped letters into place, i love how the words winter & warm over hang from the top note!

 In little envelopes I had put the different elements to decorate the wall hanging, in one were the punched leaves and flowers.....

 In another were the branch and the robins........

 And I had even put an envelope together for the embellies, yep! I had snipped the gem stones and the linen thread ready for use!!

As there were so many of us swapping we split into two groups, so her are links to the blogs, of the girls in our group, hopefully they aren't as behind as me and will have blogged about what they created to swap!!

                           Kate Martin 

Lynda Bradley

Allie Jolliffe

Evelyn Calder

Jill Jones

Victoria

Apoplogies to Karen Fagelman & Julie Wade- sorry that I can't link to  your blogs but I have googled you and cant find links, please get in touch, then I can correct xxx

It was a fantastic day, and it was great that we all brought such different ideas to the swapping table, I cant wait for the next one in the new year!!

But now for a little pop quiz!!

What I love the most about what I have designed and created, is the use of the most unusual stamp, to create the Snowflake background on the top notes......

In fact I have renamed it my...

'Hidden Snowflake'!!!!

Can you guess which  Current 'Stampin' Up!' Stamp set, it has come from????

Get your answers in my comment box, and I will put the correct answers in a box, and draw out a winner and will post the winner a kit and instructions to make this little wall hanging, I will do the draw on Saturday evening (25/08/2012) UK time.  

Thanks for stopping by

Sally-Jo

xXx

Simply 'My Friend'.........

Is it only me, or when you have got to the end of the week do you find that time is of short supply?? All those things you have, maybe had on a list, only half you have got round to doing and those extras that were in your head..... well they didn't make it too the list, so the chances of you getting them done before the weekend is upon us.....Hmmm maybe they should go on next weeks list??!!!

Yesterday I did manage to sneak a few minutes, to add a couple of links to the right hand side of my blog. They take you to online copy of the current 'Stampin' Up!- Ideas Book & catalogue', the new 'Spring Mini' and also to the fantastic 'Sale-A-Bration' promotion too!! Everyone loves products for free, so put it on your list of things to do this weekend, and check out the lovely exclusive stamp sets and papers, I would love to help you get craft stash for free!!

This week I attended a lovely craft group, based in Ashton, Preston. I had a display table and ran a 'Make & Take', and I shared with them this lovely idea for a note card, perfect to make when time is of short supply and you don't have hours to craft..... only minutes!!

It may seem a bit of a fancy shaped note card, but it's created in seconds with the lovely SU exclusive 'Top Note Die' and the 'Big Shot', it even adds a touch of detail with a perforated edge, and teamed with the 'My Friend' stamp set from the NEW 'Spring Mini', it creates a card to crown any mantle piece!! 

The Colour war added through a little sponging of the lovely 'In Colour- Island Indigo', around the edges....

And a scrap of lovely SU co-ordinating card stock, given a make over with the 'Beautiful Wings Embosslit'.

Just the centre/ body part of the butterfly was given a kiss of glue, then once dry, the wings can be lifted to give them some life and the the card some dimension.

Even the inside, was given a quick make over too, the edges were also given a dusting of ink and the main foliage stamp was turned 45degrees to the left and stamped in the bottom right-hand corner. Not to be left on the table abandoned, the two smaller butterflies which were left over from decorating the front, were stuck down completely- to the inside for a finishing touch........So there you are......Simply 'My Friend', a make in minutes, not hours!!

And don't forget to check out the 'Sale-A-Bration' promotion, if you Purchased the Clear Mount 'My Friend' stamp set at £19.95. the 'Beautiful Wings Embosslit' at £10.50 and the 'Top Note Die' at £16.50, totalling £46.95, you would be get freebies too!!

If you would like any further information, or just a 'Crafty' text or chat, then please do get in touch, Tel. 07891605129 or Email: sally-johoughton@hotmail.co.uk 

I would love to share my love,

of 'Stampin' Up!' with you. xXXx

Alot to get excited about......

There is so much going on at the moment.....school open evening, High school applications, Getting ready for training & SU Convention,Getting ahead for Christmas.....I know I keep mentioning this, but we only have 73 days to go to the day!!!

Its is hard to fit it all we want to do, and it was the same for so many people I spoke to last night, making calls for the 'Book-A-Thon', and it was great of them, to make time, to let me in to there homes and Craft Clubs to Share my love of Craft & 'Stampin' Up!, by hosting a 'Workshop'. Thank you so much for booking and our fantastic 'Idea Book & Catalogues' are winging there way to you!....Did you know that you get one for FREE for hosting a workshop?? And that they are so glossy and Packed full of more Craft ideas than any UK craft magazine.....well that is my opinion, but book a workshop to find out for yourself!

Well as I have already mentioned that we are firmly on our way to Christmas, so how about a little Christmas Card? It showing one of the new stamp sets from the New 'IB&C'

It's called 'Beautiful Season'

(Wood mounted 122680 £20.95/ Clearmount 122682 £16.95)

And it really does show how beautiful the season can be!

The swirls on the base card were created with 'Baroque Motifs'

(Woodmounted only 113490 £28.95)

The Big Shot & Glimmer paint came out for this too!

And the decorative label punch!!

Right off to make swaps for Saturday........OOOOOoooo so so excited!!!

Sally-Jo xXx

When is a bauble not a bauble?!

While messing around late yesterday afternoon, I was wondering what else I could make out of the fantastic bauble punch, blog hopping over the weekend I had seen it as a Hot Air Balloon and a vase! I punched a few, out of 'Whisper White' card stock and jiggled them about on my desk and came up with grouping three of them, as an Orchid bloom. I had a go at adding colour by sponging them with 'Melon Mambo'.....My favourite Pink! And centre detail was added using the 'Boho Blossoms' punch, and 'Old Olive' & 'Daffodil Delight' Ink.

This morning I have made another 'Top Note' box for it to sit on and added some SU bling, to the centre, to finish it.

A couple of curls, made from scraps of 'Old Olive' card curled around a pencil, were added to added dimension.

The sentiment came from the 'Just Believe' SU stamp set.

I embossed the top note die using the 'Perfect Polka Dots' SU embossing folder, the front was only half embossed and the back completely.

As the box was made out of 'Whisper white' SU cardstock, colour was added to the box by sponging it with 'Old Olive' Ink.

I hope you like my alternative use for the bauble punch and would love to know what you have made with yours, mine has also been busy making baubles ready for my Christmas party, that I am holding in September, i will be showing you a sneaky peek of those closer to the date!! xxx

Christmas punch...es!

Over the weekend I did manage some blog hopping and came across an American Su demonstrator, Angie Kennedy Juda, who is very inventive with punches, she had made a Father Christmas using the very versatile Stampin' Up! punches. Inspired by this I had a bash at doing my version.



Can you guess what punches I used?? And I have just realised that i have given him a dimple on his nose & chin (NOTE TO SELF....less force with the tweezers for placements of bits and bobs!!)



I also made a little box, using the 'Top Note' Su exclusive 'Big Shot' die, on which I could stick the FC!!



The Box was made out of 'Crumb Cake' card and was stamped with the little trio of snowflakes stamp from the 'Serene Snowflakes' set, using crumb cake ink.



Here is a picture of the inside, the top just sits over the bottom when shut.
Have you guessed what punches I used, have a go via the comments section, it would be great to see what you guess!

Tomorrow is 'Creative Cafe' and we will be having a 'Make & Take'- creating a none Christmas version of the Top Note box.

Everyone is welcome to attend, just email or ring me, then i will know how many kits to make. We start at 6.30pm and run to after 10 as it's the school hols!! The venue is Delicachix's, 14 Woodplumton Road, Lane Ends, Ashton, Preston. xXx

Long time no see!!!!!!!

Hello, sorry about the lack of posts, my craft 'Mojo' left me and I have been busy doing 'Mum' stuff while Heather and Matty, are on their summer Hols!

Last night though, it came back to me in a flash of inspiration......well I had been jigging over a Layout with the 'Just Believe' Stampin' Up! stamp set for a bit, and when I finally put stamp to paper it all just came together!

When I had finished the 12x12" base, I had a look through my box of photo's and came across this one of 'Foxy....sunday name Foxglove!' she is our beautiful 'so grey- she is white' pony, she taught Heather how to ride, and 'Baggins' that wheelie bins and blue garden plants won't kill you! Anyway if I told you were she was when I took this photo, of her with heather and Matty...you would think I was crazy....well, yes, I am! And yes, she was in the living room!
I used some more of the 'Marina Mist' ink refill, diluted and misted over the card to add colour to the 12x12" textured Whisper White card.A few splats were add, by flicking the plastic tube in the spritzer accross the page.....
WARNING>>>MAKE SURE YOUR SURFACES ARE COVERED AS IT GOES FURTHER THAN YOU THINK!!!I felt that the base page needed something to draw the eye from the decoration at the bottom, to up and across the page so added a few butterflies from the 'Strength & Hope' SU stamp set.
I then created a wide matt for the photo using the same butterfly, by stamping it in 'Basic Black' around the edge of a piece of the textured white card, I also dragged the ink pad around the edge of the card to define it.
For the title, I die-cut the lettering using the 'Timeless Type' alphabet dies. I stuck the title to a piece of 'Whisper White' card that had been die-cut, using the 'Top-Note' die and then folded in half.

To add more texture to the letters, I embossed them using the 'Square Lattice' embossing folder, I also added a little stamping to the die-cut!And the reason for folding the 'Top-note' die cut in half...well it gave me a little area to add some journalling...well I don't want the whole world to knew that i had a pony in the living room! ;-)Don't forget about the fantastic offer from 'Stampin' Up!' if you place an order for £75 or over, or host a workshop with sales totalling over £250 before P&P, you get the fantastic cosmetics tote, ribbon and clips, so everyone gets a chance of this offer I am placing weekly orders myself, so email me to find out more. xxx

Did you get it right??

Well the stamp set used to make the background was.....'Vintage Vogue' and here it is on the project, I had originally make the sheet for!

It's a 'CASE' of a Lay out, that was shown in the SU demo's monthly newsletter, I loved the bright colours, and the design. There are so many different elements to this!........

'Top Note Die'

'Fun Flowers Die' & 'Perfect Polk a dots Embossing folder'

Card ribbon labels & 'Brights Designer Series Buttons'
The Flourish from the 'Strength & Hope' stamp set. The quote from the 'Sense of Time' stamp set &
an engraved heart from 'I [heart] Hearts' Stamp set.

Ink Splatters made with 'Pumpkin Pie Ink'

A decorative edge made with the 'Fancy Frames punch'

I really enjoyed 'CASE'-ing this layout & hope you will do your take on it too. If you would like to purchase any of the 'Stampin' Up!' products that I used for this, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange delivery to your door. XX

Top note crush!!!

Yes I have a crush.........well two actually...................One with the lovely SU exclusive 'Top Note' die and the other with the fabulous 'In colour'- 'Concord Crush', you know the one that is so delicious that it can't decide if it blue or purple!!!

They are both in regular use, and feature prominently on my blog, but wants the point in liking something and having it and not using it!!

I teamed them together with the lovely 'Just Believe' Stampin' Up! stamp set, to make a lovely gift for a hostess, a few weeks ago, and gave it away before taking some piccies to post on my blog, so this morning while prepping for today's workshop, I took time out to make one for myself.

The 'Concord Crush' ink was sponged around the edge, and the large frond from the 'Just Believe' stamp set was added over the top using basic black ink.

I added the word 'Notes' cut with the 'Timeless Type' dies.

The pages are cut, from just copier paper, so when I run out, I can just cut some more!Got to dash off to a workshop in the 'Trough of Bowland', that's the great thing about 'Stampin' Up!' we can come to you!!