Sweet Goodbye

Hi folks - I'm back from the sunny continent. We visited a number of 1st and 2nd World War, sites of interest in Belgium and Holland. Luckily we were accompanied by some really knowledgeable people and it was an absolutely awesome experience, but humbling and at times emotional. I shall share some pictures once I have been through all 250 of them!

Last week I said goodbye to a lovely friend and customer who has moved abroad.

I will miss her so much - she is a very special person - and I hope to stay in touch.

I thought I would share the card I made for her. I was so pleased with it and I think she loved it too - though she refused to read her cards at her leaving do, for fear of shedding more tears than absolutely necessary!

Firstly I stamped a blank card with one of the Flower Shop images, then I rounded the corners with a Circle Punch. 

Next I cut a Top Note out of some of the Venetian Romance DSP using my Big Shot. I stamped the flower from Blooming with Kindness and over stamped it with the sentiment. Finally tying some Organza Ribbon round it before adhering it to the card.

I cut the leaves from my Little Leaves Sizzlits, again using the Big Shot.

Finally the flowers were stamped on Vellum, punched out using the co-ordinating Pansy Punch, curled slightly with my Bone Folder and then I added a little Dazzling Diamonds and a Pearl in each centre.

I also decorated the envelope, just with a couple of the stamped flowers.

I can feel another tutorial coming on!

Hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend - it has been hoofing it down with rain for the last couple of hours... Hopefully the grass will grow a little for the rabbit and guinea pig!

Back soon!

Pxx

Simply Sunshine

This week is Risborough Festival - the weather is glorious and I've just been for a little walk round the town. There's so much going on - I must admit I was extremely naughty and headed for the hog roast!

I'm torn now between sitting in the garden or crafting... Decisions Decisions - it is so hot our chap that cuts the grass isn't coming today... lawn looks like a jungle - but there's plenty for the rabbit and guinea pig to eat!

Todays little card is a variation on Fridays man card - it is almost the equivalent for a lady. I was unsure about the colour combo - but now I see it all together I love it.

The base card is Always Artichoke, the Top Note is Pistachio Pudding and embossed again with the Square Lattice embossing folder. The tag, punched using the new Artisan Label punch, is whisper white with the sentiment from Petite Pairs stamped in Calypso Coral.

The leaves and flowers are stamped using the Secret Garden stamp set and cut out with the corresponding framelits. I just love Calypso Coral with the greens.

Hope you'll come back and join me tomorrow!

Pxxx

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

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

Pinkies Blog Hop - Part One!

 

 

We’re so glad you could join us on Part 1 of the Pinkies Spring/Summer Blog Hop. We are showcasing lots of gorgeous projects using products from the new Stampin’ Up!® Spring/Summer Catalogue. We have so much inspiration to share with you we will be offering two Blog Hops - Part 2 will be tomorrow (Sunday 10th February). Simply use the buttons at the end of each post to keep on hopping. Do come back tomorrow to see what Part 2 has in store. We love comments, so please tell us what you think!

 

If you have arrived from Nicole's Blog, I hope you enjoyed her focus on the Just Married stamp set. These Blog Hops are such a source of inspiration!

 

I have focused on some cards using the Secret Garden Bundle. It incorporates the Stamp Set and Framelits, buying as a bundle also saves you 15% on the price of the items bought seperately. There are 3 cards for you to try at home.

My first card also uses the Top Note Die, Organza Ribbon and large Pearls. The colour scheme is Rose Red and Pretty in Pink. I coloured the flowers using a Blender Pen and ink from my pads - to do this you press on the pad when it is closed and it deposits some ink on the lid for you to pick up with the tip of the blender pen. Simples!

The sentiment is from the Bring on The Cake set.

My second card is yet again pink, but this time I have used the In-Colour Primrose Petals Ink Pad. I have cut out an aperture in the card using a Window Frames Framelit and used a slightly smaller one for inside the card. One of the fantastic things about the new style ink pads is the coverage, it means you can stamp again without re-inking and get shades of the same colour - which is how I have ended up with so many different coloured flowers.

The sentiment is from the Just Believe set.

On a similar theme I created an aperture in my final card using one of the Labels Collection Framelits, the colours are Wild Wasabi and So Saffron. The Secret Garden set means you really have plenty of scope to jazz up the cards as much as you like!

The sentiment is from the Petite Pairs Set. And that gorgeous stripy Designer Series Paper is from the co-ordinating Subtles pad of 12x12 papers. Don't despair - If you don't have a Big Shot - you can still snip out these little beauties by hand!

I hope you have enjoyed my projects as much as I enjoyed making them. If you would like to know more about Stampin' Up! Would like to hold a party, or place an order, go to the links at the top of the page and get in touch.

Do take the time to carry on round the Blog Hop and leave messages when you find something you like. We all love to hear what you think of our projects and whether you have been inspired by something you have seen.

The next stop is Diana's Blog, why don't you go and take a peek at what she has been up to?

Thanks for stopping by!

Part 2 of the Pinkies Blog Hop starts HERE so why not have a look around that too! There are loads more stunning projects to see. Have fun! xxx