Getting in the groove!

Well after last weeks 'dramas and dioramas' I thought I would have had a quieter week and been able to dust off my desk, and get crafting- but what with Matthew doing maypole.... I know I can't believes he has offered to dance, let alone with a girl!!! and Heather wanting to make the most, of the lighter nights and get lots of riding in, I have failed to do as much as what I had planned!

So did you guess the sneaky peakes that were on show, in last weeks 'Dramas & Dioramas' card???.......

I was giving you a peak at the new  'Framelits Dies'.They are a set of 6, thin wafer-like dies. you can layer inside each other to cut frames for stamp images  or cut single labels for accents or layering. They do coordinate with the 'Apothecary Art' Stamp Set ( shown on p. 17 of the Summer Mini).

The other sneaky peak was a little harder to guess, as its a tool- This is something that really will help you get in the groove! Its the new 'Simply Scored Scoring Tool'! I love that it has made scoring such a pleasant task!!

Here is the card, I made for swaps,

at SU mummy- Julies Training event.

For this I also used the 'Summer Mini' stamp set....

'Bordering on Romance'

 Wood Mounted 125480 £24.95 

Clear mounted 125482 £19.95.

I stamped the spray of flowers from the set, to the left of a panel of the SU water colour paper and used my 'Aqua Blenders' to watercolour- using the lids of my stamp pads as a pallet, the versatility of my SU stash! The water colour paper also helped to let the ink blend smoothly too!

Here you can see, the working of the card fold from above, I was able to create two of these card blanks, from an A4 sheet of card- so would be ideal if you wished to create multiples for wedding invitations or a special event, and using the 'Simply Scored- Scoring tool' and having the place markers set up, would make it a doddle! 

I got farmer Johnnie to help me shoot a video yesterday, to show you how I created the card blank, but lets just say after the 20th take, I was about to beat him over the head with my 'Simply Scored board' what with his phone ringing, the kids running up and down the stairs and I haven't managed to refrain from saying 'oakie dokey', but I hope it helps to show you how to create the card xx

To create the sentiments, I used my trusty 'Stamp-ma-jig' and a combination of stamps from 'Petite Pairs' & 'My Family'.I also added some little flowers, punched with the flower from the 'Itty Bitties' punch pack and dots of 'Tombow- liguid glue' and to all the flower centres, and then a dusting of sparkle with some 'Dazzling Diamonds'.

Thank you for looking by, and I will be back tomorrow, to tell you about ........

xXXx

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

I took some Islands with me!!

Well I am back, in blighty.....I survived flying, what was the most daunting aspect of air travel was the checking in and the weighing of luggage, and it was only me, out of our group that set off the airport alarms...any surprises there though!!

On to the more important stuff..... Spending the day site seeing, in Paris, on the Thursday prior to convention, was fantastic, although I do have to say that the 'Tour De Eiffel' was not at all as romantic, as we expected it to be.....until the light faded and night was upon us....then Paris really came alive, and so did my French....words I had never used since my GCSE days sprang from my lips.....During the day I managed to ask for directions, gel shoe inserts and a cork screw....get me and my metropolitan lifestyle!!

Anyway all to soon we were catching the last train back to the Hotel, and getting ready for 2 action packed days of 'Stampin' Up!' Convention (And wow-sers....they were action packed, full of info on new product lines and top tips...there is so much to cover over the next couple of months!!)As I was attending as part of the 'Julies Jems' team, we all made each other little team swaps, I am still pouring over all the lovely makes I received, but here is my make for the team swap.

And yes, it is a play on words, but I took 19 of these little boxes, made from our delightful 'Island Indigo' card stock with me...get it?? Islands with me!!

The boxes are based, on a cheese wedge style I was taught years ago, but I loved bringing an old idea to life again with modern products. The fab sentiment came from the lovely 'Petite Pairs' Stamp set and was then punched with the modern label punch, with the little flourish from 'Tiny Tags' added for some decoration, and to finish the tag, a bit of SU bling!!

The boxes were given a simple bit of stamping, with the swirl from 'Everything Eleanor'.....and a light misting of the champagne.....well we were in Paris.....shimmer paint, that I had watered down.To hold the box closed and fasten the tag in place, I used a 12cm length of the new crochet trim, and as knotting it, slipped in a short piece of the 'Basic Black- Striped Grosgrain'........I have used 3 rolls of this for my convention makes......Its a good job I get a demo discount!! But I couldn't just give my teamies, an empty box, well the make inside, was something to wear......

A beautiful ring!

I am extremely grateful, that my good friend Deborah, is an avid 'Kirsty Allsop' fan, she saw a gorgeous make similar to this on her craft TV show, well the next day whilst I was out and about Deborah phoned me, to ask had I seen it, well I hadn't, but all she said was...' She just stuck the paper roses, you have been making on to ring backs and Voila....she had made a ring'. It was sort of a serendipity moment, as she rung, I happen to be stood outside a Haberdashery shop, which stocked the ring backs!!

And as soon as I got home, I used all my little scraps of 'Timeless Portrait' Designer Papers to create the roses.....to make them more sturdy, I gave them a couple of coats of 'Crystal Effects' and just before the centre set, popped in a large, sparkly bling......well I couldn't afford real diamonds....sorry girls!!

I hope the girls loved my make, as much as I have loved theirs, swapping was such a special part of convention, only 'Stampin' Up! demonstrators, can attend the convention, so if you don't want to miss out on all the HOT SU news, learn new some new craft skills, and even make new friends, then join my team.......OOOoo and the location for convention next year.......

Mainz, Germany

on November 2 and 3, 2012!

Make plans now to attend this wonderful event!

I can't wait for you- to become a

'Stampin' Up! ' Demonstrator with me!!! XXX

French Foilage Frenzy!!

November is going to be a month of madness.....well more of a frenzy of activity, action & excitement!

Its 12 days until my good friend- Katies', charity ball, in aid of the 'North West Air Ambulance' and I have a table plan to make, and then it's only 16 days until I set off on my first ever trip to the 'Stampin' Up!' convention, this year it is being held in Paris. It will also be the first time I have flown or been abroad, so I am more than a little excited!!

Whilst waiting for some 'Crystal Effects' to dry on an altered Jewellery piece, I was making this morning, I decided to put to use, a sheet of card I had stamped the other week, after being inspired by a lovely swap by Jules Kirkham, check out her blog: www.ribbonkisses.blogspot.com

Well here is my card, and yes its another big one, it will fit a C5 envelope though!!

This leaves, splats, text & postal frank are all from the lovely 'French Foliage' stamp set, it's quite apt that this is the stamp set I am featuring while gushing about my excitement at the Paris Convention!!The sentiment came from the 'Petite Pairs' Stamp set, I stamped both parts together, and punched out and stamped and inked around the edges.The base layer of 'Sahara Sand' was stamped with matching ink to add depth and a strip of 'Whisper White' card stock, was embossed with the lovely Square lattice embossing folder, and the lovely New 'In Colour ink pad- Pool Party' was sponged along the edge, a few of the lovely SU pearls were added for interest too!Simply decoration was added to the inside of the card base, again stamping colour on colour, makes a nice surprise for the recipient and takes the hassle of sticking in an insert!I hope you like my make and thanks to Jules Kirkham, for the inspiration, this was a stamp set that I had so over looked, but beleive that it will now become one of my favourites! 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