Happiest Landmark

A friend of ours recently celebrated a landmark birthday...

The trouble is it was a man! (Am I the only one who struggles with masculine cards?)

Out came my trusty Gorgeous Grunge, the Chevron Punch, Sassy Salutations and my Bigz Alphabet and numbers dies. I so love the Glimmer Paper!

He absolutely loved it and I really enjoyed making it!

I have some more masculine cards coming soon with their very own video tutorials so don't miss them! I'm still struggling to find time to record them but in the mean time you can check out more of my YouTube videos here : Knall Crafting on You Tube

Hope you are having a good week - I am finally hoping to get to an Agility show this weekend and use my caravan for the first time!

What a TWIT

Well - I'm trying lots of new things this week... one of which was to open a Twitter account! I have no idea if it will be successful... or if anyone will even follow me.

The blogging is a bit easier... I have unlimited characters... Not that I talk a lot! Honest.

I shall try and say profound things and share "stuff". In the meantime, whilst I'm finding my feet I would really appreciate if you would 'follow' me.

I'm @knallcrafting

Hope to see you there!

I'm working on a whole heap of videos so watch this space! I mean a heap so as I work full time it's going to take a couple of days to get things rolling.

Pxxx

Swallowtail

I held off buying this stamp for quite a while as I was unsure what to do with it... But I have seen so many beautiful cards... and I just love it so much!

Of course it goes really well with Papillon Potpourri, the focus for the card classes in May (contact me for details if you are interested). The main sentiments I have used are from Sassy Salutations... the 'Good Luck' one is retired.

Here are a few of the cards I've been making.

The detail in this stamp is exquisite! Here's a close up of the yellow one with the butterfly punched out of Papillon Potpourri with the Elegant Butterfly punch. I coloured it with a Blender Pen. 

Hope you'll pop back soon - I have some great ideas 'brewing'!

Classes - the outcome!

Todays' post will be picture heavy as I am showing you the pictures from the class earlier this month.

The main products used were Gorgeous Grunge, In-Colour card stock and ink sets, Sassy Salutations and the Chevron punch.

May's class on the 23rd will be using Papillon Potpourri - so check out the details here. Book before the 7th of May to guarantee your place! There are two classes, both the same, at either 3pm or 7pm.

Here are the cards made with the 2012-13 In-Colours:

Here they are in the 2013-14 In-Colours

Weekly Deals

Well it's Wednesday again and here are this weeks' Weekly Deals...

Jaw dropping value for money I'm sure you'll agree! Especially that Bigz Large Die...

Who can resist the Modern Medley DSP?

Give me a call if you would like anything or pop over an e-mail.

In the mean time I'm trying to think what I'm going to post tomorrow night... before I go away for the weekend! It's my first time in my caravan and the first time I will have towed it alone! Eeeek!!!

Flying High...

As promised yesterday I am going to show you the card I made using the Sponged Clouds technique from yesterdays' video tutorial...

It just goes to show you don't have to make cards overcomplicated to be really effective!

I hope you love this...

And the corresponding tutorial...

Up in the Clouds

...is where my head has been!

I had a lovely weekend away with one of the dogs and a dear friend of mine, in a caravan with her, her baby and her dog, on a showground.

I didn't run Blaze on Sunday in any of his competitions as it was pelting down with rain and I was in a sour mood! Though we were eliminated for getting the course wrong in 2 classes Saturday, we only got 10 faults in the third class. In honesty I'm not bothered as I just like being with my friends and my dog.

Before I went away I did another short tutorial of another simple technique that most of you probably know. I just think sometimes it's useful to revisit the techniques to keep them fresh in our minds... so apologies if I am showing you something you already know.

Tomorrow I'll be back with a simple card you can make using this technique!

Hope you've had a fabulous Easter!

Pxx

Shaving Foam Technique

There are probably loads of tutorials for this out there, But I like getting messy so decided to record one myself... If you haven't heard of this technique it gives you patterned cardstock like this...

So here is the video and underneath you'll see an example of something you can use the technique for!

So here is the wedding card I made using Love and Laughter with the Gold ink pad. 

Aren't those flowers just gorgeous?

And can you see the shimmer of the Gold?

A big thank you to Nicky Dexter of Dexterous Designs, a fellow Pinkie who reminded me about this technique!

Weekly Deals!

Sorry folks I have been out making the most of the sunshine with the dogs since I finished work.

BUT - here are this weeks Weekly Deals...

Snap them up before they're gone! I for one am ordering some of that ribbon AND a few packs of glimmer paper...

Click on the button at the top right of my blog to buy from my on-line shop!

and there's more!

Check out some of the new Project Life products coming soon!

Can't wait and want the products at a discount?

Join my team and be first in line for the UK demonstrator Pre-order!

Project Life from Stampin' Up!

YES! You read that title correctly.

If you are a Scrapbooker you may have already heard about or used Project Life products... and if you haven't and have always fancied giving Scrapbooking a try but not known where to start... Stampin' Up! have collaborated with Becky Higgins and the Project Life team to bring you a whole suite of products just for you!

Check out the video and I will bring you more news as I hear it!

Down on the farm!

Normally I formulate a card design in my head, sometimes I'll sketch it out but I never design as I work and usually complete a card in one sitting (last night the juices were flowing and I stayed up until 2am!).

This week was the exception, I knew I wanted to use the Harvest Blessings set, in particular the image of the tractor on my Dad's Fathers Day card - as he has a small farm.

So I started by stamping it out... then thought I would make it into a pop up card... and that was the end of day one.

Throughout the week I added bits and pieces. Turning the card into a barn - I just love the little mouse from Life In The Forest peeking out from the grain sack made from a short piece of Burlap Ribbon tied with some Linen Thread.

The barn doors and walls are of course made from the Hardwood stamp, with Candy Dot door handles.

Once I had mounted the tractor and finished the front of the card, I felt the inside needed a bit more attention. In a flash of inspiration I thought how fabulous the Word Bubbles framelits would be as tractor smoke - and the sentiment from the corresponding Just Sayin' stamp was just perfect.

Finally I thought I would use the Banner punch from Saleabration to decorate the bottom - If you missed it during SAB - don't despair. It will be back in the main catalogue later in the year.

That Sketch Alphabet is such a useful size!

I can't wait to give it to him now! I'm sure he'll love it. I just need to make sure I don't put it in one of "those" safe places you can never remember. Hope you've had a good weekend!

Baby Girls

Can you believe we are nearly half way through the weekend! AND I haven't posted since Wednesday - though to be fair this cold has been getting progressively worse and this morning, having run a class last night and chattered incessantly, as I have a habit of doing, I had completely lost my voice this morning.

Hubby was really pleased and I'm sure my work colleagues would have appreciated a day of peace!

Everyone seems to be having baby girls at the moment! It must have been something in the air back in June and July last year!

It has meant I have been making pink cards like they are going out of fashion, and this is one I made using Zoo Babies, I just love these stamps and look how crisp that elephant is!

I also used my Decorative Dots embossing folder I got during Saleabration, the Deco Labels Collection framelits, the Word Window and Modern Label punches and added some fluffiness with the Organza ribbon.

Well it was just a quick one between chores so I'm off to get ready as hubby is playing drums for a local band, filling in for their usual drummer. I'm off to watch - he'll be surprised as I don't usually go to his gigs.

Weekly Deals and Class Schedule!

Well folks - Stampin' Up! have a cracking deal for us... for the next 3 weeks they are offering a huge saving on at least six products.

There will be a selection of products from current catalogues AND at least one digital download available!

The offers will change each Wednesday and this week the products are all for the Big Shot!

These are the items available this week!

There will be a new selection on the 16th and 23rd of April!

I have now confirmed a date for my May class - The date will be the 23rd of May as it is the only date I have free - however I will be doing a class in the afternoon so if you prefer not to do evenings this is the class for you!

The times are either 3pm or 7pm

Costs are -

£10.95 for the class only

The following cost includes the Papillon Potpourri  stamp set, Bermuda Bay ink pad and co-ordinating Taffeta Ribbon.

Clear Mount - £30
Wood Mount - £33

Call to book or e-mail me!

Making super little Boxes - Video Tutorial

Hello, Exciting news for you tomorrow evening! So you HAVE to come back and find out the exciting news.

I'm writing a quick post from my sick bed as I wanted to share this video tutorial with you.

I like to make unique projects to demonstrate and I haven't seen these anywhere else so I hope they fall into that category!

I use the Stampin' Up! Trimmer and Envelope Punch Board... I have decorated using Petite Pairs (Sentiment), Chalk Talk and matching framelits and some of the Stretch Ruffled Ribbon with a couple of punches.

I hope you enjoy - Please feel free to CASE and Share - though a credit or link back to my blog would be much appreciated!

Here is a close up of that cute tag!

Flower Fun

I have to apologise for my lack of posts - it was my wedding anniversary at the weekend and we also had our 6 year old niece to stay... it's hard work entertaining small children. I hope you had a fab weekend!

To top it all it is year end at work so I was at work for twelve and a half hours today! And I have an awful feeling I'm coming down with a strep throat.

It never rains...! Anyhow, to brighten my mood (before I take to my sick bed) I thought I would share this card I made a while ago.

The flowers are from Secret Garden, embossed in white embossing powder then coloured in Calypso Coral with a Blender Pen.

The leaves were fussy cut from Simply Sketched after I heat embossed them and coloured them in the same way. (I love those leaves!)

Finally the sentiment was stamped using the Perfect Pennants set. I really like this card and must knuckle down and make some more!

Hope you like it too!

Pxxx

Many Thanks

I received an order from a new customer very late on Monday evening, I was so very disappointed for the lady as she missed out on a whole heap of SAB goodies by just an hour!

So I wanted to make her an extra special Thank You card and have also put together a little box of freebies to make up for missing out.

This is the card I made and it uses a whole heap of different stamp sets - all of which seem to be firm favourites with me at the moment...

I used Gorgeous Grunge for the speckled background, Simply Sketched for the leaves, Petite Petals for the small flowers, Flower Shop for the big flowers, Papillon Potpourri for the butterfly and Happy Watercolour for the sentiment.

I also used a fair few punches, Petite Petals for the small flowers, Pansy for the large flowers, Bitty Butterfly, Artisan Label for the background to the sentiment (and Fancy Fan embossing folder) and the Small Scallop Circle to shape the 'banner' the sentiment is stamped on.

I hope you like it and look forward to posting again soon - hopefully my new customer will love it!

Paula xxx