A bit of Badgar Breeze with the 'Book-A-Thon'!!!

I don't admit to having any great Computer tech abilities and this last week I have been plagued by a week connection, whether I sat next to the broad band thingy ma jig, with the lappy on my knee or tried to hook up with a lead, I weren't getting far, but this morning I seem to have a connection, it may have something to do with several BT vans outside the house- for once I think it may not be down to me or me missing a cable etc! So I will count my blessings as today is Stampin' Up!s worldwide Book-a-thon day!

Demonstrators across the world have been set a challenge to book almost 9000 parties worldwide, in the next 24 hours - if anyone would like to book a workshop between the 10th December and 31st March to help reach the target - If you would like to get a group of friends together and have a FREE demonstration and try a new hobby with our fantastic exclusive products please get in touch with me today, at my demo's we always manage to have fun!!!

One of the things that makes me giggle, when I demo, is that quite often, people get in a muddle over the colour names.......even I do this, often posting them as mixed up combinations!!

Well a good friend always refers to 'Baja Breeze' as BADGER Breeze, and even though she now knows its true name, she still calls it BADGER Breeze, one of those things that stick!!!

Anyway following on from last Tuesdays post, here are a couple of cards I designed, based on a similar layout and colour scheme........ Yes! you have guessed it.... BADGER Breeze with a touch of 'Basic Grey' too.

As you can see, I still have the 'Parisian' theme going too!!

I did some random stamping on the card base to create a look of decorative paper...... and even though the flowers aren't a crisp impression, it added to the chabby chic-ness!! I even added the delightful flourish from 'Creative Elements' on top..... can you ever have too much stamping??

And the sentiment from 'Notably Ornate' fits perfectly in the 'Modern label' punch....

It would have been tricky to cut that out neatly!!!

The little card has a bit more of a collage style to it, again piling on the stamps!!

Even the insides got some stamping too, I find it is so easier than 'faffing' about with inserts, and still gives a tidy finished look to my cards, If i am sending the cards I usually decorate the envelopes in a similar way too!

Right I am off to log my workshops for the 'Book-A-Thon' please do get in touch if you would like me to host you a free demonstration:

sally-johoughton@hotmail.co.uk

And I would love to know your funny name colours too, just send me a comment! xxx

Dizzy heights of SU!!!

The last weekweek has flown by, and catching up with day to day, jobs and sorting out the tip, I left my craft room in has eaten up alot of time and put blogging on the back burner....SORRY XX

But anyway here I am back with the first layout, of my Paris trip! I can't wait to take Heather and Matthew, to see the City, it really can't be truly appreciated in a day.....maybe I may even get farmer Johnnie, to come with us for the weekend!!!

Ok.....it's not often you see me on a layout, but it was a great event and that equals a great memory...... so I have braved the lense, and 'Papped' myself at the top of the tower!!

The layout, is quite clean & simple, and features a couple of SU stamp sets that have been lent to me by Yvonne Hunt, a lady who has become a good SU friend, and put up with me sharing with herself and Jeanettes Eames, at Convention........ I do think, they had no idea what they had let themselves in for!!!

One of the sets, has a brilliant stamp of the 'Eiffel Tower' and so stamp fate was decided!! And after seeing a totally gorgeous swap, Yvonne recieved off- Jenni Pauli- it was a real wow-sers of a card, and it had a beautiful trail of pearls and gems strewn across it, I decided to give it a little go on my layout, its just a shame the camera doesnt do it better justice!!!

 The lovely delicate swirl came from a set I recieved for attending convention.

In honour of me being a 'Northern lass- who likes to watch her pennies!' I have just added a few scraps of ribbon as embellishment.....well SU ribbon is too good for the bin!!

Right got to dash, on the school run and have a gather of ladies to check out the swaps and goodies I recieved at convention too! XXXX

Roomies!!!

This time last week, I was discovering the sights and sounds of Paris, with my two convention roomies- Yvonne Hunt & Jeanette Eames. They were fantastic girls to go to Paris with and we laughed and had so much fun!!

Here are some pictures of the roomie gift I made for them, I also made one for my SU mum- Julie Kettlewell.......oo and no prizes for guessing what stamps sets I used!!!

The books were out of my stash, and were calling out for an SU make over!!

The lovely journal tag was created with the label from 'Everything Eleanor' and the gorgeous 'Antique Brads. Grosgrain ribbon & 'Crochet Trim' made lovely embellishments.'

The Heart over the girl, is a technique I have pinched off the ACE Australian demo- Teneale Williams, the Friend sentiment, is from 'Tiny Tags'.

The 'Parlour Prints' background stamp & some 'Baja Breeze' card created a most lovely, antique style backing too!

Striped Grosgrain, more crochet trim and also 'Baja Breeze- Seam Binding' were tied to the spirals, to finish the journal.

I even gave a pencil, an SU make over too, then they had a pretty object to write with too!

I had some brown paper gift bags, in my stash too, and these were perfect for holding my gifts, for my roomies, and of course they got an SU makeover, this time with the lovely friends wheel, and ribbons too!

Right got to dash, off up into the 'Trough Of Bowland' to demonstrate at a workshop, and I have the car to pack yet!! xxx

Flying the flag......

Today I am posting the card that I made for Heather to give Matthew, she does sometimes help but she has been busy over the holidays doing horsey jobs. The card is quite large for me and the base layer is made from an A4 sheet of 'Baja Breeze' SU cardstock, folded in half to make a card with a A5 front, and do you recognise the design??

The design/ layout is taken from a card we made at training with Julie, and I just re-worked it to fit a larger card. The only try-ing bit was getting my 'Square Lattice Embossing Folder' to emboss an area that is larger than the folder its self, this meant take the card through the 'Big Shot' twice, just repositioning the folder and not winding over the embossing you did first.....it did take me two attempts....and in folders with such a ridged pattern you may see a join line, but the finished effect was pleasing!

I even decorated the inside to match the front, I had some discontinued Patterened papers to use up to make the bunting for the card front and had also stamped and punched a few with co-ordinating Ink pad & the scalloped edge bunting stamp, from 'Pennant Parade'. I so love it that SU takes the hassle out of getting things to co-ordinate, and at a recent workshop I demonstrated at, I really flew the flag..... that SU have really thought about what they do and that its great that you can easily get everything you need for a project that matches and co-ordinates perfectly, not just paper cards & inks, but finishing touches such as buttons, brads & ribbons too! So I just carried a similar decoration over to the inside, the sentiment came from a new set 'Petite Pairs', I like these as on a smaller card you can put part of the sentiment on the front of your card and the other bit on the inside, or maybe if you have made a larger card like me, use the 'Stamp-a-ma-jig' and put it all on the inside!

I made a little rosette for the front on which I put a greeting from the 'Pennant Parade' stamp set.Here you can see that the large birthday greeting, taken from 'Curly Cute' is layered on a strip of card. on top of the embossing, and how 'Crumb Cake' ink has been sponged around the edges of the white to take the glare off.On the blog candy draw for yesterday, I have had over 20 entries so far, I do have to check my spam box though!! I will be back tomorrow with the draw. xXx