Stampin' Up! Sky is the Limit - Part 2

I hope you enjoyed yesterday's simple card - One for anyone, I'm sure you'll agree!

The working week has begun and today is the last day to book for a class this month (Still can't believe it's February!) and tomorrow is the last day to order and save on delivery if you collect from me!

So here is the second card.

The dark lines are made by sponging with a mask and Versamark - then embossing with clear embossing powder. I used the Tree Builder punch for the clouds and the Decorative Label punch for the sentiment.

Come back tomorrow for my "Piece De Resistance" - a special card for my nephew's birthday!

Slide on over...

...and see the last of the 3 slider cards. I'm not sure of the colours here and might tweak them but I love the idea.

 The Hardwood stamp is so versatile, here I used it for the planter. The Petite Petals stamp set and matching punch get a lot of outings and this was no exception.

Teamed up with a background made using the leaves from Kinda Eclectic and the label punched using the Decorative Label punch.

Like monday the pull is punched with the Ornate Tag Topper with Seam Binding and this time, Linen Thread added.

This week I am on a 4 day Health and Safety Course... so I hope I'll squeeze in some crafting.

Here's the tutorial to keep you busy!

More Tulips...

Well - today the sun has shone and what a blessed relief with all the rain we've been having. Mind you despite the sun the footpaths are still a quagmire!

The dogs have been walked, the housework and washing done, the animals cleaned out, hubby is out for the evening so I'm treating myself to an evening of pure crafting! I expect to have some lovely things to show you!

Speaking of lovely things - my love affair with Blessed Easter continues with this little lovely!

I heat embossed the flowers, colouring them with my Blender Pen... cutting the panels with the Squares Framelits, dry embossing the top one with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.

You can see more clearly here how I layered them.

Lastly I heat embossed the sentiment from Simply Sketched - the hostess set and punched it out using the Decorative Label punch before sponging the edges with white craft ink.

I'm really pleased with the result and now I'm off to hide away and craft to my hearts content... interruption free! I'm a little excited too as I'm making my first ever visit to Costco tomorrow... I'm thinking I should leave the credit cards at home!

Enjoy your weekend! xxxx

More Vellum...

Just before Christmas I posted my Pop Up flower card as an example of something else you can do with Vellum - well today I have a couple more cards to show you with 3 techniques for Vellum.

This first card is the simplest - I have used the World Map background stamp on the Vellum, The Open Sea and Simply Sketched stamps with the Decorative Label punch, the aperture is cut using the Ovals framelits, the Map stamped on the opaque Vellum gives a really interesting background.

For the second card I stamped the Poppy from Simply Sketched on the Vellum - then coloured it with my Blender Pens. I have again used the Decorative Label punch and Ovals framelits. The colouring technique gives a really soft effect.

Lastly - and again really simple but so effective is the use of embossing folders on Vellum. I have used two different ones here - the Adorning Accents and Needlepoint Border.

You will also see I have used the Expressions Thinlits for the word Love... only available until the 1st of February.

Have you noticed the Sneak Peeks I managed to sneak in here? The Decorative Dots embossing folder and the Banner Blast stamp set with coordinating punch will all be available from the end of January - you will be able to select from one of these or the other fabulous items free with orders of at least £45 during Sale-a-Bration.

Anyhow - that's all from me today. I hope you had a lovely Christmas and are looking forward to the weekend as much as I am - especially as I am getting a new hairdo, hubby is off out and I'll have 2 whole days to myself for crafting.

Pxx

Challenge Entries.

OK - so I had to do just one more post before my holidays... especially as I had some time to kill.

I thought I would make a challenge entry, and strangely enough I was able to combine two challenges. I don't often manage that as I can usually only get my head round one thing at a time!

So today's card combines an entry into CAS Colours and Sketches and Dynamic Duos challenges.

I used the new Stylish Stripes embossing folder from the Autumn/Winter Seasonal and a stamp from Creative Elements for the background. then punched the strip of So Saffron card using the Scallop Trim border punch then added a strip of Organza Ribbon.

The topper was made by stamping the bird from the Simply Sketched hostess set, punching it out with the Extra Large Oval punch and layering it on a punched out Decorative Label.

I was quite pleased with how it turned out.

Don't forget you can order On-Line whilst I'm away!

CAS Colours and Sketches Thursday

I know it's late in the day and most of you have given up on me posting today - but here I am.

I just managed to get out with the dogs between downpours today. The weather has meant I have no desire to go Agility Training tonight. The dog would love it but I just can't get motivated.

Today's challenge from the CAS Colours and Sketches team is a double - so a sketch and colour challenge combined.

Here is my take -

I used the Elegant Lines embossing folder and punched out 4 Decorative Labels, I then stamped using stamps from Just Believe and cut it out with the Labels Collection framelit, sponging the edges slightly.

Here are the 'sketches'

Why not click here and join in the fun!

Don't forget you can join Stampin' Up! as part of my team or hold your own party!

Maudlin on a Monday!

It didn't work! That cancellation request I put in... well Monday has arrived, it's still really chilly. I am avoiding having wet and muddy dogs by driving to a nice grassy field to walk. I know it's not very environmentally friendly, but it's better for the dogs that getting hosed down every day.

Blazey and I will be at Obedience Training later - Did you see the Obedience at Crufts? Yeah? well we aren't anywhere near as good as that! LOL But we have a good try. Blaze is too good for the intermediate class, so we've been bumped to the advanced class. If I'm honest it isn't because we are any good... it's because there were too many dogs and Blaze can hold his own in the higher class... just!

Today's card is entered in the Freshly Made Challenge for this week which is a sketch. The sketch should have been easy for me... until I realised I had made loads of similar cards, and I didn't want to replicate a past creation. So I sat and I thunk... I was stumped... and I stamped! A kiddy card! I will probably give it to my niece for her Birthday... if you click on the sketch it will take you to the challenge page.

The Designer Series Paper background is from the Floral District set, the Elephants are from the Feeling Sentimental Sale-a-bration set punched out with the Decorative Label, the brackets are from the Pretty Petites Sale-a-bration set and punched out with the Petite Curly Label, The little heart is from Love and Laughter.

I will be placing my final order during Sale-a-bration this friday - collections from me will have free P&P. If you want anything after Friday you only have until the 22nd and will need to pay £4.95 P&P.

Hope your week passes quickly! Roll on Friday I say! Don't forget to keep an eye out for some projects this week using blender pens and markers... if you don't have Markers I will be sharing a clever little alternative!

Pxxx

Thursdays CAS Challenge Inspiration #15

I can't believe it is Thursday already! Where do the weeks go? Is it just me or as you get older does the time seem to go faster?

I've been really busy at work this week and am looking forward to Agility with Blaze tonight. Some 'us' time! I had hoped the earlier sunshine this week was a sign of things to come but it's definitely chillier again!

Today the CAS challenge is a colour challenge. I hope you'll join us and encourage your friends to too! The more the merrier and the challenge team do try and leave a comment on every single entry.

Here is my card -

I have used the Secret Garden Stamps and Framelits but also did a little fussy cutting on the flower at the bottom to give myself some layers. The little tag at the top used the Four Frames Stamp Set inked with my Stampin' Write Markers and punched out using the Decorative Label Punch.

Something really feminine and a versatile sentiment from Teeny Tiny Sentiments. Great for any occasion!

Join us at CAS Colours and Sketches! Just click here.

Less is More Challenge 107

Today I am making two entries into the Less is More challenge for this week. Mainly because I had to try out both of the ideas I had!

If you want to find out more about the challenges you can click on the picture below...

 

The brief was 'Up in the Air'.

So I only have one stamp set with an aircraft, have none of the balloon sets and wondered how I could meet the brief. I momentarily contemplated butterflies but thought I had done enough of those... when I first started using Stampin' Up! products I swore blind I wasn't interested in Stamping I just wanted punches. That soon changed but my love of the punches hasn't.

So I thought I would use two of my favourites for my challenge entries!

The first is the Owl punch.

I also used the Decorative and Curly Label Punches. My trusty Bakers Twine and the sentiment from Teeny Tiny Sentiments.

The owls wings were made from a Scallop Circle punch.

I just love this it is soooo cute!


My second card is made using the Bird punch.

More Bakers Twine and the banner this time was cut using my Big Shot and the great dies from the Summer Catalogue, Hearts a Flutter, it has a corresponding stamp set and can be purchased as a bundle saving 15%! I sponged a little Marina Mist to match the birds and help give the banner definition.

I'm off to take one of the dogs and the cat for their annual boosters. Then I am going to spend the evening chilling! A glass of red calls me!

Paula xxx

Decorating Candles - With Stampin' Up!

Earlier this week - in between bouts of studying (thank goodness the exam is now over - just 8 weeks until my results), I saw an amazing video by one of my friends and fellow Pinkies Traci. It was a fabulous tutorial of how to decorate candles...

First I'll show you my effort - then the brilliant video Traci did - in case you would like to try the technique yourself.

I chose a non-Christmassy design so I can give it as a gift that will 'outlast' Christmas.

The butterflies are from Papillon Potpourri and punched out with the Butterfly Punch - it is not possible to punch out the Tissue Paper alone, so I stuck it on a Post-It (other brands of adhesive notes are available!) and punched the two layers out together.

The 'Love' image is from the gorgeous You Are Loved set and punched out, using the same technique, with the Decorative Label Punch.

Here is Traci's fabulous Video - don't forget if you want to try any techniques you can always ask me about holding a class at your house for you and your friends - for this type of project there would be a small charge - unless you supply your own candles. Or hold a party!

Thanks Traci for letting me share this video!



December arrives...

Well here we are, nearly another year over and only 24 days until Christmas. I have had a very busy week revising for my practitioners certificate in Data Protection. I have an exam next Friday and am really nervous.

The depressing thing is, I am so focused on passing my exam, and all the revision that goes with it that I just haven't even thought about crafting. I felt even more depressed when I went to Next today and couldn't fit in a size 12 any more! M&S here I come... hopefully their sizing is more generous!

I thought I would share a card I made a couple of weeks ago... before Data Protection took over my life!

Here I have used the Snow Swirled Stamp Set. Heat embossed the tree with Wild Wasabi embossing powder then punched a star out of Silver Glimmer Paper with the Merry Mini Star Punch.

The sentiment was punched out of Whisper White using the Decorative Label Punch, I then punched the same shape out of Red Glimmer Paper and 'framed' the sentiment. You can see it more clearly below.

 There will be a few more Christmassy offerings in the coming weeks. But please order early for Christmas. Orders will be being taken up to and including the 16th December!

Hope you are enjoying the cold crispy weather!

Paula xx