Making it better

Well it is another stunning hot day today, it was 25C at 10am! So as I did the housework in the heat yesterday I have put on a bikini and am off outside with my Kindle!

I firstly had to make a quick card for a friend of mine.

This man is one of the fittest, most active people I know but has just been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, an horrific and debilitating condition. It has left him feeling so low and I just wish I knew enough about the condition to reassure him it won't always be so bad!

He cannot even drive or walk his dogs at the moment - I just cannot imagine how awful and traumatic it must be - but I do know the effect it is having on him. He won't 'Get Well Soon' so I hope the sentiment is fitting.

At times like this you need to know you have friends - so I made him a card that I am popping in the post - hopefully just to let him know that I care.

The stamps are Mosaic Madness and Sassy Salutations heat embossed with white embossing powder.

I hope he likes it and that with the right medication and treatment things will improve.

A card for Jen... Simply Less Is More

This weeks challenge from the Simply Less is More team was to create a Birthday Card for the extremely talented Jen... we did get a hint that she likes butterflies so I have teamed up some of my favourites in the hope she will love it! Visit the blog Here.

I have used the new In-Colour - Crisp Canteloupe, as the scheme for the card... I stamped 3 images from Mosaic Madness. To get them in a straight line I measured and drew a VERY faint line in pencil, so I could rub it out, then lined up the stamp with my Stamp-a-majig.

The ribbon... well you'll notice it looks a lot like our SU Organza... But you'll not find it in different colours in the catalogue! Nope - I inked up a sponge dauber and wiped it along the satiny centre of the ribbon - how gorgeous and simple is that?

The sentiment is from Bring on the Cake and the butterflies are punched out of co-ordinating card stock with my Bitty Butterfly punch. I curled the wings slightly with a bone folder then added the Rhinestone Basic Jewels...

Please leave me a comment I love to hear what you think.

I just realised, thumbing through my catalogue, that I haven't used my new Very Vintage Designer Buttons... there's a challenge for tomorrow I think!

Pxx

Freshly Made Sketches Challenge

I had most of the day off from crafting yesterday to do my housework... I know a bit of a swear word round here too!

Yesterday evening we went to Prezzos in Thame for an Italian! Completely blitzed any chance of losing any weight this week... so I walked the dogs six miles this morning!

I haven't entered many challenges lately so this is my entry for this weeks Freshly Made Sketches challenge - you can visit the challenge page here.

I stamped the border using my Stamp-a-majig and the Mosaic Madness stamp set. I cut the banner using the  Hearts a Flutter framelits.

The patterned papers are from the Quatrefancy Speciality Designer Series Papers that co-ordinate with the Mosaic collection of products. This particular design is in the new Strawberry Slush colour.

Last of all I used one of my flowers, made using the Simply Pressed Clay and Moulds. I coloured it by mixing some re-inker in the clay.

The sentiment is from Bring on the Cake and I think it is my favourite!

I hope it fits the sketch - what do you think?

Sneak Peek Week - Day 7! The last day.

Today is the last day of my Sneak Peek Week, I have had a jolly good play with some of the new products coming in the New Stampin' Up! catalogue on the 1st of July.

There are lots more things I am going to be buying - but don't tell hubby!

The last card I made this week combines the old and the new...

I have combined So Saffron and Wisteria Wonder with Baked Brown Sugar and Pistachio Pudding. I have used the Blossom punch and the Mosaic punch, I used the Mixed Bunch and Mosaic Madness stamp sets. To top it off I coloured some Simply Pressed Clay with Wisteria Wonder and So Saffron re-inkers and made flowers with the Blossoms and Buttons, Simply Pressed Clay moulds. Not forgetting the Mosaic embossing folder!

Fabtastic!

I hope you have enjoyed this weeks posts. Obviously I will still be making things with the new products so keep coming back and remember I love to read your comments and I can arrange delivery anywhere in the UK for just £4.95!

Paula xxx

Sneak Peek Week - Day 6!

I know I would normally be posting something for the CAS Colours and Sketches blog this week but I had a Stampin' Up! Party last night - the ladies had a fabulous time as usual - but my craft room is upside down so no crafting for me until I've sorted it out.

When I did my pre-order for the new catalogue I not only bought new product to be released - I also treated myself to a sentiment set as Curly Cute is retiring.

I bought - Sassy Salutations and I think it looks gorgeous on this card using Mosaic Madness and the new In-Colour - Pistachio Pudding.

I haven't embossed either of my first two cards today - as I know lots of people don't have a Big Shot. I couldn't live without mine - it is the best investment I ever made and I use it constantly. Remember if you hold a party and your guests spend £250 to £300 your Big Shot is half price with your hostess credits! Something worth thinking about! Give me a call if you would like to hold a party!

So back to today's cards...

On this one I have used ALL the new In-Colours - they are so scrummy looking. I could almost eat them!

The banner and sentiment are from the Itty Bitty Banner set, the co-ordinating Framelit was used to cut it out. Although you need a Big Shot for the Framelit - you could cut the banner by hand.

Finally this card is a testament to Strawberry Slush... the new In-Colour again!

I coloured white Bakers Twine using the Ink Pad... Embossed the mat with the Mosaic embossing folder, and punched out the stamped images from the Mosaic Madness stamp set using the Mosaic punch. It also has a sentiment from Label Love punched with the corresponding Artisan Label punch.

I hope I have given you lots of inspiration today and I'll be back tomorrow with the last of my Sneak Peek Week samples.

Pxxx

Sneak Peek Week - Day 5!

Today I want to demonstrate that although there are lots of corresponding dies and embossing folders - you really don't 'need' them... well I 'need' everything, but that's a different story!

This card uses Calypso Coral and So Saffron, which are both from the Subtles Colour Collection. I have used the new Mosaic Punch and Mosaic Madness stamp set. In addition I used the Itty Bitty Shapes punch, sentiment from Petite Pairs and a couple of Pearls.

Just as gorgeous without the embossing isn't it? I just love the crispness of the images - these new 'not so new' ink pads are just fabulous. Something else I am gradually replacing!

The Colour Refresh has really opened my eyes to some combinations I hadn't thought of before. Just gorgeous! I'm thinking Wisteria Wonder would go beautifully with that So Saffron... maybe the next card!

Hopefully I'll have another for you tomorrow. You'll just have to wait and see! So pop back and check things out!

Paula xxx

Sneak Peek Week - Day 2!

As it is Fathers' Day today I am sharing a Dad Card made using FOUR new products - and what is so amazing is they all co-ordinate - well would you expect anything less?

The 4 products are -

• Sketch Alphabet Stamp Set
• Mosaic Madness Stamp Set
• Mosaic Embossing Folder
• Mosaic Punch

Here is the card... What do you think?

Fab isn't it - and here is a little close up of the punched shape and embossing folder - I love them to bits - they are so on-trend!

Tomorrow I'll be giving you a sneak peek of a couple of the new In-Colours and a little creation of my own made from the Simply Pressed Clay! Don't forget to come back and see!

Pxx

Sneak Peek Week!

Well I spent all evening yesterday playing with my new stash of goodies from the up coming NEW catalogue. I can pretty much guarantee you will LOVE it... Mine's already looking a little worn from the constant use!

The first thing I am going to tell you about is the Simply Pressed Clay! Yup - it is A-Mazing. When it is dry it is light as a feather. You can shape it or use the Simply Pressed Buttons and Blossoms Moulds that will also appear in the new catalogue.

It can be coloured in so many ways - it is SO flexible.

You can add re-inkers to dye the clay, you can press it on an ink pad, you can colour it with Blender Pens, Aqua Painters or your Stampin' Write Markers!

You can colour two pieces of clay and mix them together for a marbled effect.

You can moisten it when it has dried and dip it in embossing powder - heat it and get a shiny finish.

You can mix in Dazzling Diamonds to get a glittery finish.

You can coat it in Crystal Effects to give it a hard shiny coating.

You can cut it with scissors or a knife when dry... I could go on! But for now I'll just show you a picture or two!

The top two images are of flowers made using the marbling technique - the one on your right has been coated with Crystal Effects...

The bright pink flower has been coloured with Melon Mambo Re-Inker then heat embossed with clear embossing powder.

The red and white flower was gently rolled on an ink pad to just pick up the colour on the edges.

The bottom picture shows the 3 sizes of flowers made by the mould.

This card shows how fabulous the Blossoms look when stuck on a card - you can use Glue Dots, Tombo, Dimensionals or Sticky Strip to stick them on. I'm sure you recognise the sentiment from Bring On The Cake - but the border stamp is brand spanking new and comes as part of the Mosaic Madness set.

How luscious is that all shiny with Crystal Effects? Just remember if you don't want inky fingers get yourself some polythene gloves like the ones in the petrol station... the clay tends to stick to surgical/latex gloves.

Hope you like all the bits I've shown you today - I'll be back tomorrow with some more!

Pxxx