Today I'm sharing another of the cards from last week's Secret Garden One Sheet Wonder class with you. This card also uses single stamped images of three of the flowers in the set which are then cut out using the co-ordinating framelits and layered onto a smaller piece of patterned cardstock as a background:

This card has more detailed to it with lots of layering and looks very crisp on a white background. We had a lot of fun creating our cards using the One Sheet Wonder and the nice thing is that even though we all followed the same basic layout, everyone's cards looked different.

I really enjoyed the One Sheet Wonder - look at how many cards you can make with just one sheet of patterned stamped paper:

Come back tomorrow to see another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up Supplies:

Stamps: Secret Garden, Sassy Salutations

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Old Olive

Ink/Stampin' Write Markers:  Raspberry Ripple, Pink Pirouette, Old Olive

Tools: Secret Garden Framelits

Finishing Touches: Basics Pearls

As promised, I'm back today with the last of the owl punch cards from this month's class. Our last card was another alternative use for this versatile punch; this time, to make a cute giraffe punch art card:

To make this card, the owl's body (minus his feet!) becomes the giraffe's head - clever, right?! We then used a variety of circle punches and the large oval punch to create the rest of him. The edges of the finished giraffe were sponged in So Saffron ink to add dimension and I placed him inside the card looking out, for added interest. The oval aperture was easy to make using an oval framelit and a few branches from the Bird Builder punch were added to give the giraffe something to munch on. I finished this card with embossed clouds and an 'Oh Hello' sentiment highlighted with a Cute Clip (love these!), but you could just as easily use a happy birthday greeting - I think this would make a lovely card for a little person.

I hope you like the finished card - there were a few interesting adaptations to this card by the ladies at my class: everything from hearts added to the sentiment banner to eyelashes on the giraffe. That's one of the things I love about teaching classes - whilst I scope out the original design, it can still be adapted or customised to make it individual to you. If you would like to attend my stamping classes, please do get in touch via [email protected] for more details. Next month's class is a One Sheet Wonder class using the Secret Garden stamp set and framelits. 

Back tomorrow with another project - until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up Supplies:

Stamps: Oh Hello

Cardstock: Whisper White, Marina Mist, Pink Pirouette, So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black, Certainly Celery

Ink/Stampin' Write Markers: Early Espresso

Tools: Owl Punch, Cloudy Day Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, 1" Circle Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, Bird Builder Punch, Oval Framelits, Itty Bitty Shapes Punch (circle), Large Oval Punch

Finishing Touches: Cute Clip

Busy day revolving around my little ones today with music recitals, class assemblies, ballet lessons and visiting friends for tea - I swear my two have a better social life than me! Anyway, finally sitting down to share another card from this month's class with you - today, a cute baby card, complete with washing line:

I used the lovely Twitterpated designer paper for the dresses and dungarees, as the largely pastel colours suit a new baby card. I must confess to using some now retired ribbon that was lurking at the back of my drawer to edge the dresses because the pleated edge was perfect for the dress edge. The dresses and dungarees are all made from the 'waistcoat' section of the owl punch, with a few nips and tucks here and there. My most favourite thing about this card is the mini-brad dungaree buttons - I love them!

I've added a pink 'oh baby' sentiment circle to this card, but in class we made two: one pink and one blue, so that they could be added at a later stage when the recipient was known; now that's what you call organised! Back tomorrow with my last class card - until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up Supplies:

Stamps: Ciao Baby!

Cardstock: Whisper White, Old Olive, Island Indigo, Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette, Twitterpated DSP

Ink/Stampin' Write Markers: Baja Breeze, Pink Pirouette

Tools: Owl Punch, Cloudy Day Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Simply Scored Borders Scoring Plate, 7/8" Scallop Circle Punch, 1" Circle Punch

Finishing Touches: 1/8" Mini Brads, Island Indigo Baker's Twine, Ruffled Ribbon (retired)

I've been busy card making today, but I thought it was about time I shared some of the cards that we made in this month's card class, featuring the owl punch. The class centred around the versatility of this punch and with the exception of the card I'm sharing today, the other cards we made were about using the punch to make things other than a straight forward owl. So on to today's card! This is the somewhat unassuming front of the card:

A nice woodgrained stamped tree trunk with a someone peeping out to say 'Oh Hello'. Open up the card and this is what you find:

A cute pair of owls keeping each other company, balancing on a branch. I chose to use bright colours for the owls so that they would stand out against the neutral Crumb Cake background. This would make a great card for a good friend, or even an anniversary card for your 's'owl' mate' (apologies - couldn't resist the pun!)

Back tomorrow with another owl card - until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up Supplies:

Stamps: Oh Hello, Bloomin' Marvelous (Sale-A-Bration - retired), Woodgrain

Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip, Island Indigo, Raspberry Ripple, More Mustard, Old Olive

Ink/Stampin' Write Markers: Island Indigo, Raspberry Ripple

Tools: Owl Punch, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Bird Builder Punch

No stamping today! I have another Dress Up project from last month's quarterly training session: this time a lovely set of gift tags in a nice little pocket holder made using the Pop n' Cuts base again. Here's the outside of the box, decorated with its own dress on a Cute Clip hanger and another of those little filter paper flowers:

Open up the box to reveal a lovely set of dressed mannequin gift tags, each one with its own outfit:

This kind of holder is so easy to make just by adding in a couple of central score lines and box section to hold the tags; it would also make a nice notelet holder. As for the tags - what better way to ensure a gift for someone special is 'all dressed up'? My particular favourite outfit combo is the embossed filter paper sundress with the hot pink patterned bolero cardigan; leave me a comment and let me know which one you prefer, or better still how you would dress yours?

If you would like to get your hands on a gift tag set like the one above, you can do one of three things:

host a party during the month of May - this will be my hostess gift to thank you for booking a party and if you have party sales totally £300 or more, you could use your hostess credits to obtain the Pop 'n' Cuts Card base, Pop 'n' Cuts Dress Form and All Dressed Up framelit and stamps bundle ABSOLUTELY FREE!*

ask me about a class - if I have enough interested crafters, I will run a class featuring the Dress Up framelits and Pop 'n' Cuts base and you can learn how to make this set and more

contact me via [email protected] to place your order today

So many choices - I hope one of them tick's your box and I look forward to hearing from you. Back tomorrow with anohter project - until then, happy stampin'!

*Hostess credits for party sales of £300 totalling £75 (£50 plus £25 bonus if you host a party before May 30th) with one item purchased at 50% discount price

Stampin' Up Supplies:

Cardstock: Marina Mist, Sunshine and Sprinkles DSP

Ink: Basic Grey

Tools: Dress Up Framelits, Big Shot, Itty Bitty Punches, Elegant Bouquet Embossing Folder, Fancy Fan Embossing Folder, Heart Punch

Finishing Touches: Basics Rhinestones, 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon Basic Grey, Creped Filter Paper, Cute Clips

It's the middle of April and finally my tulips in the garden are starting to bud! Still not yet in bloom, unlike my neighbour's daffodils which cheer me up every time I drive on and off the drive. So whilst I'm waiting for the real thing, I thought I would share a tulip card I made:

Can you tell how I made the tulips? Yes, my much beloved Owl Punch was used to create the petals; a whole one (minus feet!) for the base, followed by two sections overlaid for petals. I sponged the edges of the sections in the co-ordinating ink colours to add body and tied the stems with some linen thread for simplicity. I also paper-pierced the background just for added interest; this was so easy with my piercing tool and guide template, yet quite effective I think.

This is just one of many alternative uses for the owl punch. I will be sharing this and many more of them in my next card class on May 15th; if you would like to attend, just contact me at [email protected] for more details. Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up Supplies:

Cardstock: Rose Red, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White, Lucky Limeade

Ink/Stampin' Write Markers:  Rose Red, Daffodil Delight

Tools: Owl Punch, Essentials Paper Piercing Pack, Paper Piercing Tool

Finishing Touches: Linen Thread

I enjoyed a pleasant card class yesterday evening with a lovely group of crafty ladies. We were using the 'Mixed Bunch' stamp set and the co-ordinating blossom punch and learning a few new techniques and tricks along the way. We made a number of different cards that can be used for different occasions and today I thought I would share with you my favourite of them all:

This four inch square card features the most detailed of the flower stamps in the Mixed Bunch set and the variagated colour effect was created by making our own ink pad using a baby wipe and three different coloured reinkers. We stamped and punched the first image, then without reinking the stamp, stamped off onto a square of white card to create a muted background paper. If you've never tried it, you should give it a go - it's great fun and the stamped images are really unique! We then layered the punched flower with a red punched blossom to add definition, finished with a basic rhinestone coloured red to match and layered the double flower using a dimensional to make it 'pop'. The addition of a sentiment in the bottom corner completed the card.

When I was making up the instruction sample before the class, I must confess to getting rather carried away with all the pretty stamped images I was producing, so printed a few extra to make into butterflies similar to the Easter egg butterfly I shared here, but this time to make into thank you cards to pop in with some customer orders and also to make this cute little magnetic note holder to stick on my fridge:

Cute, don't you think? The baker's twine antennae are the perfect finishing touch too. All in all, a fun class and with quite a few laughs along the way - what better way to spend a Wednesday evening. I'll share some of the other things I made for this class in future blog posts; meanwhile, I'm already looking forward to next month's class, when we will be using the owl punch and looking at both great owl cards and some of the many other things that can be made using this shape.

Back tomorrow with another project - until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up Supplies:

Stamps: Mixed Bunch, Sassy Salutations

Cardstock: Real Red, Island Indigo, Whisper White

Ink/Stampin' Write Markers: Real Red, Island Indigo, Tempting Turquoise

Tools: Blossom Punch

Finishing Touches: Basics Rhinestones

It's rained pretty much all day today, so I thought I'd share a blue card for a 'blue' mood, at least as far as the weather is concerned! This is a card I designed and made for a recent team 'Rainbow Swap'. Across my wider team, we all chose one of the colours of the rainbow, then made five cards with that colour as the basis for the colour scheme and sent them to the others in the same colour group. In return, we received a 'swap' of a different design but with the same colour scheme. I was in the Blue colour group; here is the card I made: 

I used one of the flower stamps from the Mixed Bunch stamp set and the co-ordinating Blossom Punch for my bold all-blue card. I used Pool Party as my base card, then layered flowers across the front in Island Indigo, Pool Party, Island Indigo and Midnight Muse. A simple greeting for any occasion and some ruffled ribbon and rhinestone detail on the uppermost flower added just enough sparkle to turn this card into something special. I got a lovely set of cards in return (but unfortunately haven't had the chance to photograph them - I will share them another time).

The Mixed Bunch stamp set and Blossom punch used to make this card is the stamp set that will feature in my card and technique class next week. The class will be held on Wednesday 17th April, 7.30-9.30pm. The class costs £10: we will be making four cards using the various stamps in this set and learning a number of new techniques along the way. All stamps, punches, cardstock and embellishments will be provided; all you need to bring is a basic toolkit (wet/dry adhesives, pencil, ruler, rubber, scissors, bone folder and cutter if you have one). If you would like to attend this class or any of the others currently planned, please contact me at [email protected] for more details.

I'll be back tomorrow with a 3D project made using the Blossom Punch. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up Supplies:

Stamps: Mixed Bunch, Tea Shoppe

Cardstock: Whisper White, Pool Party

Ink/Stampin' Write Markers: Pool Party, Island Indigo, Midnight Muse

Tools: Blossom Punch

Finishing Touches: Ruffled Ribbon, basics Rhinestones