April Stampin' Up! classes

So - this is it - your last chance to book for the April classes! I have spaces on the 11th or 13th April - though only a couple so don't miss out - if there are a group of you I will do a class exclusively for you. (Minimum 3 people.)

As well as the card I showed you the other day we'll be making a couple of masculine cards. These are always something so difficult to find.

The first uses The Open Sea.

Along with that fabulous embossing technique!

The other card uses Guy Greetings. I love this set it is just so versatile!

If you want to come along you have until 6pm Wednesday to book, and also to order anything you might like from the catalogue that you want to collect from me.

Masculine Card - Video Tutorial PtII

Hi - I'm back!

I haven't really been anywhere I promise! I was away last weekend and have no idea where this week has gone!

I did go and see Jersey Boys at the theatre in London last night and it was amazing! I still have loads to do before I go to regional training in Telford next weekend - So excited - loads of like minded demo's crafting together and learning together... and we usually get a Prize Patrol - where Stampin' Up! give us freebies!

I promised you another masculine card and here it is... along with a tutorial. I used The Open Sea and World Map stamps again with Sassy Salutations - so you get your money's worth.

This is the effect you get from 'splashing - you'll need to watch the video for that!

The Gold embossing powder makes the anchor stand out.

And here is the video - I hope you enjoy it! I have some more videos to post next week so watch this space!

Hand Embossing The Open Sea

Today I'm sharing a video for an ideal masculine card for any occasion!

The technique at the beginning of the video is one of the first things I learnt at our quarterly training when I first joined the Pinkies. If you would like to join my team you will also benefit from the fabulous training and social opportunities as well as being part of such a big supportive network of crafters!

Anyhow, back to the card. I have used, The Open Sea, World Map, Burlap Ribbon, Linen Thread, Natural Designer Buttons, Envelope Punch Board, Circles Framelits and my Big Shot.

Check out the video below and visit my YouTube channel for other fabulous tutorials!

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

Sunny Sunday - World Map v Open Seas and Friendship Preserves v Harvest Blessings!

I don't know about you but I have woken up to gorgeous sunshine this morning. I finally stopped crafting at 3am and discovered lots of other crafters were still on-line. Are we all insomniacs?

I did get lots done and I have 2 cards that will just make it into the challenges for this week by the skin of their teeth!

I have been doing a lot to promote my Stampin' Up! business the last few days and I am amazed at how far and wide you all are. The US, Australia, Malta, Germany, France, the Netherlands... I just couldn't say how many more - I just want to say a huge thank you to you all for following me and I hope you share my posts with your friends - that would be awesome!

The first card today is for the Freshly Made Sketches challenge, as soon as I saw the sketch an idea began to form - it uses one stamp I hadn't opened yet and one I hadn't used for a long while - and I created a masculine card... always useful!

I started by stamping the World Map on Crumb Cake card stock, then dabbed various colour stamp pads on the same stamp and stamped that on Very Vanilla. I cut out a circle with my Circles Framelits and stuck it down. I decided to put it not quite central so I could add the ship from The Open Sea.

Lastly the band is Soft Brown Sugar with Very Vanilla and the sentiment from Blooming with Kindness stamped in Baked Brown Sugar too. Here is the Sketch -

The second card is for the Pals Paper Arts challenge and will hopefully appeal to my American friends - we don't really celebrate Thanksgiving here in the same way, though the churches and schools celebrate Harvest Festival.

The two stamps I used were the 'Hello' from Friendship Preserves, cut out using the co-ordinating framelits and the pumpkins and apples from Harvest Blessings.

The image is coloured using my Stampin' Write markers in Pumpkin Pie, Pear Pizzaz and Baked Brown Sugar.

The textured mat is Baked Brown Sugar cardstock run through the Square Lattice folder which I think has a suitably rustic look. Especially when combined with the strands of Linen Thread.

Another card suitable for either gender.

I'm off to do some household chores now including de-frosting the freezer as 'someone' didn't shut the door properly yesterday (he hates it when I say 'someone' as 'he' knows it's him!).

Enjoy your sunday!

Paula xxx

The Sun has got his hat on...

Oh Yeah baby and I'm loving it! Summer is here and so is the weekend!

It's a bit warm to walk the dogs so I'll take them out later - I thought I should post a card in the mean time.

I've also been checking my account with Stampin' Up! and I have tracking numbers for my order - so excited! Just a shame the stuff probably won't arrive until Tuesday as it's only just been scanned in Germany - you wouldn't believe the excitement on the Pink Lads/Ladies Facebook page - all the parcels arriving!

It's lovely being part of such a huge close knit team. Even though we are spread all over the UK and Netherlands we all keep in touch - and help each other out! If someone needs something a Pinkie will post it to them - awesome! If you are interested in joining Stampin' Up! then please get in touch and I'll talk you through it.

Today's card was made on a whim. I've had the idea for a couple of days and only got round to it Wednesday evening.

The base is Baked Brown Sugar and rounded at the corners using a circle punch, the mat was rounded in the same way but then I inked my Square Lattice embossing folder with Baked Brown Sugar and ran the Very Vanilla mat through.

Next I used the Big Shot again to cut a Top Note with my Die - inked it with Baked Brown Sugar and stamped the images from The Open Sea - I made the tag from Very Vanilla - added a silver Mini Brad and the sentiment from Itty Bitty Banners.

I hope you like it and will come back tomorrow for another card - in the mean time I am torn... Garden or Crafting??

Until tomorrow...

Paula xxx

Simply Less is More Challenge

This weeks challenge from the team is to create a card on the theme of Sand... So I created a little one layer card that I hope fits the bill.

The Dune was made by cutting a sheet of paper and using it as a mask to sponge the sand - you know I made this on Monday and cannot for the life of me remember which two colours I used - but the Sky was sponged using a Scallop Circle and the new Soft Sky ink.

The sentiment is from the Sassy Salutations set that you can get with a 25% discount and inked in Marina Mist - the Anchor is from The Open Sea and inked in the new Smoky Slate ink.

I hope you like it and that the team at LIM will too! Click here to visit the blog.

Back tomorrow with a challenge from the Dynamic Duos team... don't miss it!

Double Challenge Entry

You know how it is... you're snuggled up under the duvet when a burst of creative ideas explode in your head. You can't shake them, but all you want to do is sleep. An hour later you can't resist any further and you 'have' to get up and put the idea down on paper. Or in my case on card!

I had two challenges I wanted to enter and had this explosion of inspiration at 11:15pm, when I should have been asleep for an hour!

The two challenges were (click on the images to visit the challenge pages):

My take on the combined challenges is this. So I managed to incorporate the Cloud option too!

I used the Hearts a Flutter Framelits to make the clouds and used Basic Black to define the edges, and the edges of the circle. The sentiment is from Petite Pairs and the ship is from The Open Sea. I thought the Bakers Twine added a nautical touch too and the little silver button from the Spring/Summer Mini keeps it nice and masculine.

Inside the card I stuck a Top Note roughly stamped with the globe from The Open Sea.

I hope you like it. I was really pleased with my nightime activities and returned to bed around midnight and went out like a light!

I am just relieved I am posting in time to meet the Dynamic Duos deadline of 12 noon PST!

Paula xxx

Pinkie Swaps

So - today I have scheduled this post as I am in Bicester having a fabulous time with my fellow Pinkies!

We will be playing with all the NEW Stampin' Up! products. Learning New Techniques, eating, drinking and having a great time!

As I promised here are pictures of the Swaps I created... I hope my fellow Pinkies like them.

I used You are Loved, Mixed Bunch, Need for Speed, The Open Sea and Stazon Ink to stamp on Shrink plastic and made these fun keyrings!

Just in case anyone didn't 'like' them I also made some edible swaps as they ALWAYS go down well!

Yup - Mint Crisps decorated using the Ornament Keepsake Bundle, What a fun idea for the Christmas Tree!!!

I'll hopefully be able to post some pictures from training tomorrow. Don't forget - if you would like to be part of this great team you can use the link above to contact me or become a Demonstrator.

Paula xxx