Pleasant Pheasant Sunset!

The title reminds me of that old tongue twister pleasant pheasant plucker.....but let's not go there! lol!!!

Here's my fave stamp of the moment again - this time I've successfully used my brayer - thanks to a tip I found on youtube which is to start the brayer on a piece of scrap paper first before rolling on to your card. Normally when I used it I got those awful lines - but this one was a success - yippee.

More Mustard and Taken with Teal are the cardstock colours - the flowers on the right have been colour embossed.

STAINED GLASS TECHNIQUE

I've used the pheasant again from the new Autumn Days set to create this Stained Glass Technique card. It really shows the pheasant up well. I've used the Designer Series Paper Tea and Crumpets for the backgrounds.

If you're not familiar with the Stained Glass Technique there is a tutorial on SCS. Basically all you do is stamp your image on to Vellum paper then turn the vellum over and colour it in with marker pens on the reverse side. I used Stampin Up's markers, naturally.

TWO FOR THE SPONGE TECHNIQUE

Two more Christmas cards from me today - both using the sponge technique and a reflection technique.

The stamps used are Lovely as a Tree, Winter Post and Happy Winter. These cards will form part of the up-coming Christmas class. Email me for futher details

SNEAK PEAK......

of one of the sets coming in our new Catalogue out 1st October - this one is called Autumn Days. I love this set and can see its going to be one of my favourites - I love pheasants - we have a lot of them in Hampshire and some come into the garden. With a Welsh Springer Spaniel for a dog, she is always flushing out pheasants when we go for a walk and they're actually one of my favourite meats come autumn. The male has such beautifully coloured feathers too.

I couldn't do his colours justice so I clear embossed him and built up the autumnal colours around him. The various grasses have also been embossed.

The autumn stamp is from an old SU set and unfortunately not in this catalogue - I was so amazed when I saw this set as it actually said Autumn and not Fall.

RUDOLPH

You better watch out, you better take care .....

cause I love Reindeers, especially at Christmas time - so you may have an overload of Reindeer themed cards over the next few weeks. This gorgeous reindeer has come courtesty of SU Winter Post - I've also added some of the trees from Lovely As A Tree as part of the background. The snowflake, also from Winter Post, is clear embossed and a touch of Dazzling Diamonds added to the trees.

Hope you like............................

OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS

I think its official - I've started my Christmas cards - for those who don't know I adore Christmas and my favourite things to make of all time are Christmas Cards. This Old Fashioned Christmas set is an old favourite of mine - I know its only new to the UK but I've had mine for years from when I used to live in Texas - so its an old favourite but I'm always trying to think up new ways of using it. He looks such a jolly old Santa!

WINTER POST

My new stamps have arrived and I couldn't wait to have a play with them. This set, Winter Post, was actually introduced in our mini catalogue in the summer but, I don't know about you, I really couldn't get excited about Christmas stamps in June!

However, now we're getting into Autumn I can let myself start playing Christmas and I just loved this set when I saw it - mainly for the Reindeer as I'm a sucker for reindeer stamps.

And yet, the first stamp I played with, wasn't even old Rudolph, it was the skaters and the snowflake! The snowflake was stamped with Bordering Blue and some Dazzling Diamonds added. The skaters were coloured in with SU markers - Brocade Blue and More Mustard - these were the same colours I used for my cardstock.

SUMMER DESIGN CHALLENGE

I CAN FINALLY REVEAL MY PROJECT FOR THE SUMMER DESIGN
CHALLENGE - I MADE THIS GORGEOUS LITTLE 3 D WATERING CAN.

I used the Tea and Crumpets Designer Series Paper for the actual watering can and for the flowers. I used the Oval All stamp set and the Seeing Spots stamp set. The extra flowers were from our Flower Fusion felt flowers tin.

SORRY I'VE BEEN AWOL!

Sorry I've been AWOL from my SU blog for a while - I've been in hospital having an operation and recuperating! Its taken me a while to get back into crafting and the first thing I fancied doing was some Scrapbooking Layouts - Most of the projects used in this layout are Stampin Up!

FLOWERPOT CARD

A tall card for a change - I've been seeing flowerpots all over blogs so thought I'd do something slightly different. I've used DSP Tea and Crumpets (again!) and Seeing Spots. Felt flowers from Flower Fusion tin.

SIMPLY STAMPIN

I went on Ann's blog yesterday, I found her on Inspirational blog and was inspired to do some simple stamping!

My first card was inspired by one of Ann's - I used the tree from Forest Friends - added some colour with marker pens and a touch of Dazzling Diamonds and some SU ribbon. The verse is from Curvy Verses. The cardstock is from the neutrals selection.

The other cards use the Cause for Celebration Hostess set - the only way to get your hands on one of these is to host a party and get all your crafting and non crafting friends together for an evening of chat and craft. The Designer Paper is Tea and Crumpets and I've also added felt flowers from our Flower Fusion tin.

The butterflies were stamped using marker pens to get the alternative colours on the wings. I also stamped them onto photo print paper to give them a glossy sheen. Versamark was used to stamp a background on both cards.

STAMPIN' UP! SUMMER DESIGN COMPETITION

Stampin’ Up! Summer Design Challenge


WHO WOULDN'T LOVE THE CHANCE TO GET £150 WORTH OF FREE STAMPS FROM STAMPIN' UP!? SO WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO - JUST GET CRAFTING!

This summer you can win free stamp sets when you participate in the Summer Design Challenge. Simply create a summer-inspired project using Stampin’ Up! products and submit it no later than 30 August 2009 for your chance to win!

The Summer Design Challenge is an opportunity to show off your crafting skills and also a perfect opportunity inspire you to use your Stampin’ Up! products. The competition will be judged at Stampin’ Up! head office by the three European Managers.

THE PRIZES:

Four prizes will be awarded to demonstrators and customers:

Customers
Customer First Place: £150 worth of stamps sets
Customer Second and Third Place: £50 worth of stamps sets

Demonstrators
Demonstrator First Place: £150 worth of stamps sets

HERE'S THE SMALL PRINT

Projects must be created using only Stampin’ Up! products from the 2008/2009 UK catalogue.
Only one project per participant will be accepted.
Projects can be cards, home decor, scrapbook pages, or 3D items.
All projects must be summer-themed.
Projects must be unique, and created for the Summer Design Challenge. Do not just recycle your old projects.
A list of products used must be included with the project submission.
Full contact information, including your full name, demonstrator ID (if you are a demonstrator), address, phone number, and e-mail address must be included with the project submission.
Projects will not be returned as they may be displayed at future Stampin’ Up! events or on the Stampin’ Up! web site.

If you would to enter please email me and I will send you a copy of the full rules and regulations and the address of where to send your project.

Happy Stamping

ENVELOPE CARD

Here's a great little project for a nicer way to give a gift card or perhaps some money for a birthday or, dare I say it, Christmas!!!!

So quick and easy to make - the inside uses an envelope cut in half.

I've used Forest Friends here - and Chocolate Chip cardstock with some of the Tea and Crumpets Designer Series Paper.

If you make one - let me know and I'll pop over and have a look.

SUMMER BY THE SEA/Reflection Technique

Somebody asked me what the Reflection Technique entailed and I thought I had already put this on my blog - but I couldn't find it - so here it is.

An example of the Reflection Technique here with Summer by the Sea set - inspired by one of Michele Zindorf's wonderful cards. I don't have a reflection stamp so just used a piece of acetate.

TOUCH OF NATURE/SPONGED GRID TECHNIQUE

The sponged grid technique is such an easy technique to master and looks really good as a background to your art work. I've used it here with Touch of Nature, again. Such a great bird stamp.

OH SO LOVELY

The background for this card was made with the flower stamp from Fresh Cuts, and various word stamps currently available in the catalogue. The Oh So Lovely set was a hostess set in our last catalogue - but I love the poppy in this set. The card was mounted on to Grey cardstock and I used grey taffetta ribbon.

BRAVO BURGUNDY/CERTAINLY CELERY

I love this colour combination - I've used it here with the True Friend Stamp set and the sentiment is from the Fresh Cuts set.

LET'S GET WEAVING

I've used some of the gorgeous Tea & Crumpets paper here to create the woven background on this card. Only £7.75 for a set of 12 sheets of double sided paper - great for your cards or scrapbook pages.

And as its summer it just had to be the strawberry from the Tart & Tangy set - such a great set of four stamps for only £10.95. I use them time and again - I think my favourite has to be the strawberry - especially when you add that little bit of brown at the bottom to make it look as though its been dipped in chocolate! Yummy!

I'll be covering the Weaving Technique at my craft afternoon Tuesday 12th.

TOUCH OF NATURE - FAUX LINEN

Another favourite set is Touch of Nature - especially the fern and the leaves which can be used as great background stamps. Here I've used the fern to create the Faux Linen technique. It just so happened I had some tissue paper the exact colour of Lavender Lace - how lucky was that.

I've also used Elegant Eggplant and Whisper White cardstock. The Butterfly was clear embossed in Lavender Lace and coloured in with Regal Rose marker pen.

If you want to learn how to do the Faux Linen look - I will be covering this at my next craft afternoon on 14th July.

TRUE FRIEND

I got my True Friend set out again today - its still one of my favourites - I hope it doesn't get retired at the end of the year.

Here I've used Pretty In Pink paper and Ink, Chocolate Chip Ribbon and Certainly Celery Ink for the embellishment. Extra embellishments are from our Hodgepodge Hardware and Pretties Kit.

CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION

....the Stamp set that is - not that I've got a cause for celebration you understand! LOL!

I've used Sage Shadow, Lavender Lace and Apricot Appeal for this card - all part of the soft subtles range. The ribbon was coloured with Sage Shadow and then I stamped a butterfly on it in lavender and covered in Dazzling Diamonds. The stamp set is of course Cause for Celebration which is a Level 2 Hostess set. Wouldn't you just love this set? Contact me to find out how you could get it.

AMENDMENT - I have got cause for celebration - just found out I've won two tickets to see Lorna Luft in a Tribute Concert to her mother, Judy Garland. Woohoo!!!! Now - I'm not suggesting that if you use Stampin Up products - you'll get a treat like this - but you never know! LOL!!!

SUMMER BY THE SEA

We will be using the Summer By the Sea Stamp set at our June craft club and will be making an accordion/stair step card similar to this one.

LET'S SCRAP!!!

I've actually done a layout! I haven't done any for ages and was prompted this week to do one with my Stampin Up goodies. I've used the True Friend stamp set here.

If you're in the Ludgershall area on 5 June - come along to the crop - I will be doing a lesson showing you how I made this layout and you can even use my stamps!

MAY'S SPECIAL OFFERS - NOT ONE BUT TWO

WE HAVE TWO SPECIAL OFFERS FOR MAY

THE FIRST ONE IS A MUST FOR ALL SCRAPBOOKERS - BUY 3 OF OUR GORGEOUS DESIGNER SERIES PAPER PACKS - GET ONE FREE.

STAMPIN' UP!'S PAPERS ARE DOUBLE SIDED AND ARE A GORGEOUS WEIGHT - I DARE YOU TO ACTUALLY USE THEM AND NOT JUST SIT AND STROKE THEM!!!

YOU CAN USE THEM FOR ALL YOUR CARD-MAKING AND SCRAPBOOKING. CLICK ON THE LOGO OPPOSITE FOR MORE DETAILS.

THE SECOND OFFER IS ALSO A GREAT ONE FOR SCRAPBOOKERS AND FOR THIS MONTH ONLY THE COST OF JOINING UP WITH A SPECIALL SCRAPBOOKING KIT IS ONLY £99

CONTACT ME FOR FURTHER DETAILS

KEEP IT SIMPLE

A nice simple note card - using Oval punch and Oval All Stamp Set and the flowers from Carte Postale. Coloured in with SU Marker pens.

HOLIDAY CANVAS

Stampin' Up! isn't all about making cards - here I've made a canvas of a holiday photo from last year. I've used Haiku Designer Paper and some brads from our hotchpotch range. The stamp set is True Friend, finished with some Dazzling Diamonds. The 08 is made from our chipboard range covered in the same paper. Ribbon is Old Olive.

Stamp With Us have a recipe challenge this week - and this fits the bill.

FOREST FRIENDS/REFLECTION TECHNIQUE

Another example of this lovely little set - here I've done the reflection technique - just simply restamp your image on some acetate - the acetate that comes with our Stamp-a-ma Jig is ideal - and turn it upside down.

The sentiment is from the Oval All set.

I'M BACK

HOPE YOU MISSED ME - I'M BACK AFTER MY HOLS - WE TOOK A TRIP BACK TO HOUSTON, TEXAS WHERE WE USED TO LIVE. AND I DIDN'T EVEN GO MAD IN ALL THE CRAFT SHOPS - CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT??????

SO, HERE ARE A FEW CARDS TO KEEP YOU GOING - WE WILL BE DOING THESE IN OUR TUESDAY CRAFT CLUB NEXT WEEK - SO IF YOU HAVEN'T BOOKED YOUR SPACE YET - YOU'D BETTER HURRY.



THIS IS A GATEFOLD CARD OR TRI FOLD CARD USING THE POPPIN PASTELS TECHNIQUE


PAPERS USED:

DESIGNER SERIES PAPER - HAIKU
CARDSTOCK- CHOCOLATE CHIP - SO SAFFRON - VERY VANILLA

STAMP SET USED :
SUMMER BY THE SEA

POPPIN PASTEL CHALKS

PUNCHES -
OVAL PUNCH, OVAL SCALLOP PUNCH







THIS ONE IS INSPIRED BY THE FABULOUS DAWN GRIFFITH - A CHOCOLATE CANDY BAR.


I USED THE FOLLOWING PAPERS:


DESIGNER SERIES PAPER - SUMMER PICNIC

TAKEN WITH TEAL - CARDSTOCK -


STAMPSET:

FRESH CUTS


PUNCHES:

OVAL PUNCH AND OVAL SCALLOP PUNCH

FOREST FRIENDS/OVAL ALL

Here are some examples of Forest Friends which we used at our workshop today together with Oval All and the Oval punches.

FROM THE GARDEN

Another example of this gorgeous flower stamp, which is a Hostess Level 1 stamp. That means if you host a party and your sales equal more than £150 you can choose this stamp free.

I've teamed it here with some of our Designer Series Paper - this one is called Haiku and is based on my favourite colours, Old Olive, More Mustard, So Saffron.

I coloured the Flower in with Old Olive for the leaves, So Saffron for the majority of the flower and added a touch of More Mustard and Summer Sun - all with my SU marker pens. You could also layer the flower for added dimension.

OVAL ALL / FRESH CUTS

Some more examples of these two sets. These are small cards and a great way to use up any scraps of Designer Paper and ribbon. The little bit of Dazzling Diamonds on the butterfly just adds a lift to the card.


An addition of our gorgeous felt flowers - layered to great effect here. Just a touch of watercolour added to the flower on the stamp.

Versamark and a piece of our Hodgepodge Hardware to add a lift to this card. I so love using these oval punches - they're especially good with the Hodgepodge!

FAUX TILE TECHNIQUE

An example of the Faux Tile Technique. We will be doing a card like this at our next workshop on 31st March. A really simple technique but its looks so effective.

I've used Ruby Red and Old Olive Cardstock and Kraft as the base for the card, together with a bit of Haiku Designer Series Paper. The stamp set is Touch of Nature and I've used my new oval punches again and the Oval All stamp set. The Bird has been layered to give a bit more depth. The white lines for the grouting were added with a white signo pen - also available from Stampin' Up! and I must say its the best white pen I've ever found. A touch of Double Sided Grosgrain Ribbon in Chocolate Chip completes the card.

MINI CATALOGUES - SNEAK PEEK -

AS DEMONSTRATORS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PRE-ORDER SOME GOODIES FROM THE MINI CATALOGUE - THE FIRST THINGS ON MY LIST WERE THE OVAL PUNCHES AND THE OVAL ALL STAMPS TO MATCH.

I'VE ALSO USED THE FRESH CUTS STAMP ON THESE EXAMPLES:

FROM THE GARDEN

This is a gorgeous Hostess Level 1 stamp that you can earn. What a gorgeous big stamp to colour in. I've used SU watercolour crayons as well as ink here. The cardstock is Elegant Eggplant and Pretty in Pink. I've layered the flower in parts to give it a bit more dimension.

MINI CATALOGUE

WE HAVE OUR NEW MINI CATALOGUE - AVAILABLE FROM 1ST APRIL AND THERE ARE SOME LOVELY STAMP SETS, RIBBONS, NEW PUNCHES, PAPERS TO OOH AND AAH OVER. I'VE ALREADY MADE OUT MY LIST AND AS SOON AS I GET MY GOODIES I'LL PUT UP SOME SAMPLES FOR YOU.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE A COPY - YOU CAN EMAIL ME AND AS SOON AS MY SUPPLIES ARRIVE I'LL FORWARD ONE ON TO YOU.

IF YOU CAN'T WAIT - YOU CAN VIEW THE CATALOGUE ON LINE HERE. SO WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE????

HERE'S A SNEAK PEAK OF ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SETS -

AND ANOTHER OF THESE LOVELY PUNCHES AND STAMPS WHICH CO-ORDINATE!

SUMMER CHIPBOARD

Summer by the Sea is such a lovely set - it makes you long for warm summer nights.

Here I've teamed it with some Chipboard used as a frame. The Chipboard has been covered in Mellow Moss Ink. Used with the Happy Everything phrase stamp set. The fern stamp from Organic Grace was used with Versamark.

The image was coloured in using watercolours - So Saffron, Bashful Blue, Pretty In Pink.

Cardstock is Mellow Moss, Very Vanilla, Bashful Blue.

MARCH'S SPECIAL PROMOTION - CHIPBOARD

AS PROMISED - STAMPIN' UP! HAVE YET ANOTHER PROMOTION FOR US THIS MONTH - IN MARCH ITS CHIPBOARD!!!

DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH GET 25% OFF ALL CHIPBOARD ASSORTMENTS - WITH NO MINIMUM PURCHASE REQUIRED.

USE CHIPBOARD ON YOUR CARDS AND YOUR SCRAPBOOK PROJECTS - INK IT UP - COVER IT WITH PAPERS - OR DO YOU DARE TO GO NAKED!!!!

STAMPIN' UP!'S CHIPBOARD IS DESIGNED TO COORDINATE WITH MANY OF OUR STAMPS AND ACCESSORIES. SO WETHER YOUR PREFERENCE IS FOR LETTERS OR FLOWERS AND SHAPES, OR BOTH, THERE'S A GREAT CHOICE.