Desk Calendar

Well - the weekend is nearly over. Hubby has gone to see Billy Idol in London and I've been busy in my little craft room today.

I've seen cards in this style and someone had made calendars like it... I'm sure! I just can't for the life of me remember where I saw them.

I used the Traveler set from the main catalogue - I've had my eye on the set for a while and succumbed on my last order as I had earned a free stamp set for my early convention registration.

You can just see I have also used the World Map, Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch and Window Frames framelits.

I liked them so much I made a whole batch... and recorded a video tutorial as well! Go on - give them a try!

Have a good week at work and I hope no-one gets badly affected by the rain they are forecasting!

Paula xxx

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