Love and Flowers

Last night I attended Pinkies training with the lovely Michelle Last who is my upline. In November I was in the top ten UK demonstrators for sales in her team. I was so excited and as I have been building a good size team, running regular classes and have lots of lovely regular customers, things are looking great and I am really enjoying being a demo...

But a year ago I was feeling despondent, and in recognition for my progress this year the lovely Michelle presented me with a dozen roses at training. I was so touched! What a lovely and thoughtful gesture... I really am part of the most amazing team so if you would like to join the greatest team on earth (and possibly the biggest in Europe!) please get in touch! mailme@paulaknall.co.uk

The roses are beautiful!

I have been my usual busy self so today I am sharing a selection of cards I was going to show over the last few days but never got round to!

Some Valentines... before it's too late!

For this one I used the Fun Frames embossing folder, Crazy About You bundle and Stacked With Love DSP.

For the next one I chose a simple but effective design.

I used my Sweetheart punch and then cut out the larger heart using the framelit from in the Mini Treat Bag Thinlit set - What do you think?

Here are my beautiful roses - Thank you Michelle! You can buy all the Stampin' Up! products via my shop or using the links below and they will be delivered straight to your door... you can even remain anonymous... but then I can't send you a Thank You card!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

A little flutter

Just a quicky... only because I have been so busy I haven't had time to craft and I need to get ready for Wednesday's class... I'm at Pinkies training on Monday, Yoga Tuesday, Class Wednesday and Agility with the dogs Thursday!

Tomorrow is a super special day too as a few of us Pinkies (Members of Michelle Last's downline) are doing a Blog hop to introduce products from the new occasions catalogue! So please stop by to have a look!

Don't forget all the special deals throughout Sale-a-Bration... including the option to join for just £99 and get £150 worth of products. I am also booking parties for March now as you can tell I am a busy lady so get in quick with your preferred dates!

The card I am showcasing today uses two of my favourite 'go to' sets that have been neglected with Christmas and all the new products - can you believe I have 4 new stamp sets still waiting to be mounted!

I have used Coastal Cabana card stock and matching Designer Series Paper, then the two gorgeous butterflies from Papillon Potpourri are mounted on one of the labels from Chalk Talk... inked up in Smoky Slate and cut out with the corresponding framelits.

Lastly that fun sentiment is from Sassy Salutations.

Isn't it a pretty card?

Here is a closer look at those butterflies. They were punched out using the coordinating punches - Elegant Butterfly and Bitty Butterfly.

Don't forget to pop back for tomorrows' Blog hop - meanwhile I'm just popping out to do some deliveries to some very excited ladies... one of whom is very heavily pregnant and in need of something she can do without having to stand up! I'm just so grateful we haven't been too badly hit by the floods - At least I don't have to swim to them.

See you tomorrow!

Pxxx

Stampin' Up! Convention Manchester 2013 - Part 1

Hi Folks,

As I expected I was far too exhausted and busy yesterday sorting out my haul from convention and getting the house back in order - I still haven't had time to play with my new Stampin' Up! Goodies!!!!

This was my first convention and exceeded all my expectations - imagine nearly 1000 excited people, loads of freebies, fantastic company, amazing and inspirational talks and demonstrations. Not to mention a whole raft of sneak peeks! You are going to love all the goodies coming up in the next few months - just scrummy!

AND whilst we were at convention Stampin' Up! released their 'Carve your own' stamp kit - Undefined - in the UK.

So just to share a few piccies - I have so many!

Me and my convention 'Roomie' Lizy - fellow Pinkie and a fabulous companion! You can check out her Blog here. 

The CEO of Stampin' Up! Shelli Gardner was seriously injured in an accident recently , so her equally amazing daughter Sara Douglass took the helm for convention - she was amazing and did her Mum Proud!

The head of the Pinkies team, Michelle Last, not only did a business talk for everyone, she also won all the available accolades at awards night, making her the top performing demo in Europe! Respect! And a lovely lady to boot - I am so lucky to be part of her team! There were 85 Pinkies at convention. Here are just a few!

We were the largest team and the noisiest crowd - and the Pinkies are a fabulous, warm, welcoming and supportive group!

I spent most of convention with the 2 lovely ladies with me here, Lizy and Caroline (her blog is here) 

Last of all, here is my haul of freebies from Stampin' Up! I can't show you some as they are new products - but as you can see we were spoiled rotten!

Tomorrow I'll be sharing my favourite swap that I received. I would do a double post today... but don't want to spoil you!

Paula (Still on cloud 9 and brimming with inspiration) xxx

Pinkie Swaps for Convention

By the time you read this I will be waiting for my train to Manchester!

Yup the day has finally arrived and I am so excited! Nearly 1000 Stampin' Up! Demonstrators from across Europe will be coming together for this amazing event. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to share next week!

Tonight at about 9pm after the early registration and Silver Reception, the Pinkies are meeting up. We're going to do some swapping and just really say Hi to each other.

I wanted to make exclusive Pinkie swaps but couldn't really think of what to make until a friend bought me a bag of 'Lifesavers' back from the US - for those of you who don't know they are fruit flavoured and about the same size as Polo's.

Well I figured, what could be more appropriate for Convention Goers than some Lifesavers? If nothing else it's something to suck whilst watching presentations.

I used the Labels Collection Framelits to make toppers for the bags and added Butterflies from Papillon PotPourri - punched with the Elegant Butterfly, and Flowers from Flower Shop, punched out with the Pansy Punch.

I hope my fellow Pinkies enjoy them!

Back soon with my other Convention Swap!

xxx

Candle Box Video Tutorial with Chalk Talk

Today's is the last of my scheduled posts, as I get back from Greece tomorrow. Hopefully it hasn't rained on me for the whole week or I'll be in a foul mood!

Wednesday evening I'm off to Wokingham for the Stampin' Up! Creative Tour - it's the first year they have held this event so I am really excited to find out what is going to happen! Stampin' Up! really organise some fantastic events, unfortunately this time I haven't had a chance to make any swaps so it will be interesting to see what everyone has made - hopefully some people will let me photograph their swaps as I won't be bringing any home. If you would like to join my team - please get in touch and I can explain everything to you. You get £130 worth of product for just £99! And never have to sell a thing if you don't want to. Just use your Demo status to get great discounts and to attend the Stampin' Up! events and Michelle Last's amazing Pinkie training.

Anyhow, here is a lovely little box I made for some tealight candles. You'll notice I stamped the Window Sheet with Stazon - I think it's beautiful! As is that Chalk Talk stamp set with co-ordinating framelits.

Finally the Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding makes beautiful bows!

Well without further ado - here is the video - Enjoy watching and hopefully I'll get a chance to update you later in the week!

In the Pink

You know it is great being a Pink Lady - Michelle Last is a wonderful, inspirational up-line and at the training yesterday she really opened my eyes to something.

I have been feeling a little anxious lately that I am not recording the same achievements as some of the other Pinkies. But Michelle pointed out - I work full time, I have my pets and my husband and should be proud of my achievements. Whether people are Hobby Demo's just joining to purchase for themselves, or whether they want to run Stampin' Up! as a business, they are still loved and appreciated for themselves. So I can take a bit of the pressure off now - I don't HAVE to blog every day, just enjoy my crafting.

I will of course continue to run classes and parties, I shall support my down-line and participate in all the great, sociable, exciting events. I have just removed the pressure from myself that I had inflicted, to post every day, constantly advertise my 'business' and expecting record breaking sales.

Anyway - now I have got that off my chest I can chill and enjoy playing with my stash and sharing my creations. These are the swaps I made for our quarterly training - there were 30 of us there yesterday plus Michelle. We had a business talk, ate WAY too much cake and pastries, crafted, chatted and had a wonderful day.

 

 

I used Whisper White card stock, stamped the Flowering Flourish with Pistachio Pudding, then stamped lots of different coloured flowers in all the designs from the Flower Shop set, punching them out with the co-ordinating Pansy Punch.



 

 

You can see how the flourish goes to the back as well.







 

 

 

 

And inside was either a little sewing kit or a 'vanity pack'.

 

So simple but effective. I'll be back soon - so keep checking in!

 

 

Pxxxx

 

 

 

Pinkies Training

The great thing about joining Stampin' Up! as a Demonstrator is the social aspect.

22 Pinkies have just returned from the Annual European Stampin' Up! Convention in Mainz in Germany. 850 demonstrators from France, Germany and the UK got together to craft and share business ideas as well as some of the highest achievers being recognised during the awards ceremony.

Next year I will be attending too as it will be held in Manchester! Hopefully all the new Dutch and Austrian Demo's will come along too!

Well a few of us Pinkies also got together for our monthly training with the lovely Michelle Last and I thought I would share the creations we made.

The first is a really simple card that was demoed in Germany...

This is a great way of using up little scraps of Designer Series Paper and uses the Pennant Punch, Tiny Tag Punch, Small Oval and the star from the Merry Minis set in the Autumn Winter Catalogue.

Isn't it effective?

 

 



 The second project was this lovely little box - Ideal for small christmas gifts like Jewellery - And it took 10 minutes to make!

 



  Perhaps you would like to make something? If you haven't crafted before then Stampin' Up! products make it easy to co-ordinate. I can come to your house and do a demo for you and your friends and you will all get to make the project to keep.

Paula xxx

Pinkies Blog Hop - Stampin' Up! Serene Silhouettes



We're so glad you could join us on our Blog Hop, We'll be showcasing lots of gorgeous projects using products from the new Stampin' Up!® 2012-2013 Annual Catalogue. Simply use the buttons at the bottom of each post to keep on hopping. We love comments so please tell us what you think.

If you arrived here from Nicky Dexter's blog, I hope you enjoyed her beautiful work showcasing Fine Feathers.

For this hop I am focusing on the new Serene Silhouettes Stamp Set. I hope to demonstrate how versatile one set can be by showing you three entirely different cards using this one set.

The first card is very simple with a Whisper White mat, stamped with the Tree from this set, then with three mini brads added the mat is stuck to a Basic Black card that has been embossed with the new Framed Tulips Folder. But it would be just as effective without the Embossing.

 



This second variation is stamped on Vellum Card with Versamark and embossed with Black Stampin' Emboss® Powder, The card stock is Cajun Craze and More Mustard.

The final card in the series uses a different stamp from the set, embossing with the Big Shot, sponging and masking techniques, and a little sparkle from the Basic Jewels. The colour combination is Whisper White, Wisteria Wonder and Elegant Eggplant.

I love the new Fancy Fan embossing folder...

If you would like any more information about the products and techniques used in these projects - please do ask - I am happy to help!

Now I will let you continue on your travels through the Pinkies Blog Hop, your next stop is Sarah Makin's blog, who has been creative using a selection of products from the new catalogue.



Punch Art and Embroidery

Last week a very good friend of mine had a birthday. Now this friend collects Elephants and I don't have an Elephant stamp so I wracked my brains, trawled Google and CASE'd this card... with a few tweaks. (I can't remember whose Blog it was on but there were a couple of versions.)

As well as a selection of Stampin' Up punches I also used my Adorning Accents Edgelits and my Little Leaves Sizzlits.

The 'E' which is my friends initial is stamped with the new Lovely Letters Alphabet Stamps.

Then to co-ordinate with the card I embroidered another little elephant with a lilac butterfly on to a cotton tote bag.

I do embroider these bags to order and they are available in lots of colours at £8.50 per bag plus P&P.

Having posted every day last week I thought I would add a little suspense... and stop bombarding my friends with FB links to my Blog. So this week I have been a little more selective. But check back each day just in case there is something new to see.

There will also be a Pinkies Blog Hop coming soon!

For those of you who haven't heard of this, it's a post with a link to the next Blog... then the next links to the next and so on. So you are taken on a tour of Pinkie Blogs. I hope you enjoy it.

The first Blog in the Hop will be the lovely Michelle Last... who is our wonderful Upline though you can start anywhere on the Hop as it will link in a continuous loop.

Hope you are having a good week!

Paula xxx

Bad Blogger!

I have failed - I'm so sorry!

I had all good intentions to take my camera and get lots of fantastic photo's at the Pinkies' Training on Sunday. Unfortunately my organisational skills didn't extend to remembering to put a memory card in the camera!

To make up for it I am showing you the most fantastic 'Make and Take' that we were able to make.

Now I am not the fastest crafter in the world so I completed it last night so I could show you all!

 

It is a stunning notecard holder with 4 notecards - Isn't it just beautiful!?

 

Here are the notecards to go inside...

 

 



 The design uses just one Stampset. Kindness Matters... Can you believe it is only £8.95 for the clear set! The colours are Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Wisteria Wonder, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla and Whisper White.

There are a number of different Edgelits, Framelits and Embossing folders - I hope you agree it is a truly stunning set and would make a great gift!

The Paper used to make the folders is almost card stock thickness and is the Natural Composition Speciality Designer Series Paper. Not something I have really taken much notice of before but this little project highlighted it's versatility - I LOVE it!

Thank you to the lovely Nicky Dexter and Michelle Last who came up with this Make and Take - Very Happy!

Back soon so keep your eyes peeled for the next project I will be showing you - I can assure you it is something completely different!

Paula xxx