All at once..........

Last week has gone in a blink!........ What with 'Creative Cafe', Matthews School Play ( I did end up watching all three shows!!) and helping Heather turn Foxglove into a 'Sport Relief' Red pony, on Friday (they raised just over £50!!)- my blog has been  neglected, sorry!

Thank you to all. who left comments, its been great to have some questions too, so before I go off onto something else, I will get those answered:

Allie my SU sister, left a lovely comment and also asked how I got the wreath shape- well I drew around my red sticky strip and cut out a 'scratch' paper mask, I then stuck it to the centre, with a little making tape folded round on its self, and stamped around the edge of the mask. It does take a little fiddling and I had, had the practise at Christmas, but if I can do it anyone can!

Kate. a fellow SU sister, also asked with her lovely comments, the finished size of card- it was 21 cm's or for those who are more traditional 8 inches, which can be made out of two sheets of A4 card stock.

Here is a picture. of one of my Christmas wreath cards. created in the same way- just with poinsettias, made with SU punches, and the lovely Christmas sentiment- from 'Delightful Dozen' stamped to the middle.

Now I couldn't just leave you with a lone Christmas picture, especially as the sun has been shinning like it thinks it's the middle of summer here!! So I will show you the boxes I decorated for Linda's 21st gifts, she is back home in the Isle of Man now, and she reported back a nice cam ferry crossing!!

My special gift was a 'Simply Adorned' necklace, which got a touch of 'Crochet Trim' & 'Seam Binding' and one of the gorgeous 'Trinket Keys'

I used the same supplies as the card, but with the sentiments from 'Your a Gem' &

'Tiny Tags' to create a custom tag for each box.

 Here shows the insert I made for the large-

'Simply Adorned Charm'.

Here are the boxes all lined up, ready to go in the gift bag. Linda was very excited, opening them all and placing them on the chain, it was great to give a special gift to a special person xx

If you would like to create a special gift like this,

then you can purchase all the goods through me, Sally-Jo! 

Contact me:

sally-johoughton@hotmail.co.uk

Don't forget....

SALE-A-BRATION ends on Saturday, and it would be a shame if you missed out on a fantastic FREE gift, with every £45 you spend! 

A wreath for all seasons....

I can't remember if I blogged the really gorgeous 'CAS' large wreath cards I made at Christmas, I say gorgeous, because I was really pleased with how they looked and how they came together and also the people who received them were really appreciative, and stuck them in the middle of there mantle pieces- you always know, you have made a nice card, when it takes pride of place on the mantle piece!!!

Anyway I mentioned just over a week ago that my good friend Linda was celebrating her 21st, well Linda has come over to the UK for a little holiday to see her family and her delightful grandson Alex, and we had the chance to meet up yesterday and have a belated birthday lunch, I had saved Linda's card to give her then, as I also had her pressies, but here is the card I made for her, and yes I put a wreath on it, I have loved creating 3D home decor wreaths and I have wanted for ages to create a wreath on a card that wasn't for Christmas, and this came from there!!

Sorry for the blue picture, of the whole card front....maybe need to work on my lighting!!

But i think you get the LO xx

As Linda is the 'Craft Stamper Of the Year' I wanted to make a card that was worthy of her mantle piece!!

I created some spiral curled flowers using the 'Stampin' Up!' 'First Edition DSP' and gave them a frilly outer using the 'Triple Doily Punch'

I got an 'Antique Brad' on it and some of our lovely 'Crochet Trim' as Linda likes these SU products!

I used the 'Beautiful Wings Embossilit' to add a kaleidoscope of butterflies across the card, Linda has just got this in her February 'Stampers 6' order with me!

I added a lovely 'Timeless Type' die cut 21 numerals, which I glittered with the lovely 'Gold- Glass Glitter', I also used this to add specks of sparkle to the stamped wreath, I created a embossed oval using the 'Designer Frames' Embossing folder on to which I stamped the greeting.

Here you can see the inside decoration, I just die cut a 'Scallopped Circle' of 'Very Vanillia' using my SU Big shot and did a little more stamping and glittering of the wreath spray around the edge and finished it with the other half of the 'Petite Pairs' sentiment which I had used on the front, I also gave it a sponging of the 'Gold Shimmer Paint' around the edge of the scalloped circle.

Now that I look back at the card, there are a few more bits that I haven't mentioned what I did or how I got it to do it, but if you have any questions please, do get in touch, I love to share what I learn.

Apart from 3 diamante headed pins, which you can pick up from a florists, everything about the card including the large base, which is made from 2 A4 sheets of 'Crumbcake' is  made using the fantastic Stampin' Up! products, which you can order form me, please do get in touch:

sally-johoughton@hotmail.co.uk

xXXx

What's a milk carton??

Whilst having a little play with my SU goodies over dinner time, Heather asked what I was cutting on the 'Big Shot', it was the milk carton die, now living on a dairy farm, our milk comes in a Jug, so I had to spend a few minutes discussing what can come in cartons!!

But for the sake of our house, I have transformed the 'Milk carton Die' into a jug, just with a little snipping and a scrap of card from what the die was cut from. Don't forget that it's easier to stamp on the die before you stick it together!The top tip of the day is to have a few paper clips to preform the task of the third hand that us crafters wish we had, when attaching the strip for the handle!!
I hope you like, right got to dash.... a mountain of none craft jobs to do before my 'Big Shot Event' tonight xxx

It's on the Desk!!

While the Stampin' Up! 'Autumn Day's' Stamp set was on the desk, I was struck by another flash of creativity and thought it would make a nice card for my brothers birthday today!

This time on a whisper white card base.

I again used the sponge, 'Soft Suede' ink and torn paper, to create the hill & to add a ground line.Then I stamped the ears of corn stamp, from the same set, with 'Early Espresso' ink along the bottom edge, and up either side to add foreground, sometimes using the 2nd impression. The bottom left corners, inside the card and also the envelope, were given the same treatment.The sentiment came from the Level 2 Hostess set, out of the mini, and was stamped on a scrap of the whisper white card. I cut it on the trimmer to a rectangle, and then snipped in, at the right side to create a flag. This was matted onto some 'Early Espresso' card and trimmed to leave a small border. A small antique brass brad, was added as an accent to the left hand side of the sentiment.To add further interest, I stuck the left hand side, flat to the card base, lifted the middle with a double thickness of foam pads and let the right hand side- hang off the card.Admittedly this won't fit in a standard C6 envelope, but as it will be hand delivered, I will slice along the top right hand edge of the envelope, then the edge of the flag can just pop out.....also providing a sneaky peek of what is inside!!

I think I will leave this set out on the desk a bit longer, as I fancy doing a more colourful creation!!

Remember to email me: sally-johoughton@hotmail.co.uk to request my July Newsletter xx

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