Good evening blog readers! I managed to get a little time in my craft room today (a reward to myself for finishing the housework :-) ) so thought I would make a quick card for this week's Pals Paper Arts challenge, where they are having their first colour challenge of Spring 2014 and would like us to work with the following colours:

This is not a colour combination I would choose independently, but I really like it - I think the three colours work really well together. I decided to use one of the flowers from the Simple Stems stamp set and this week's sketch over at Retrosketches, and this is what I eventually came up with:

I say eventually, because this didn't turn out to be a quick card at all - it was one of those where the idea in your head doesn't fall onto the paper quite as easily as you hoped it would; I had about four aborted attempts before this one! That said, I love this flower for the Simple Stems set; it reminds me of a dandelion clock, which was the reason for pairing it with the 'Make a Wish' sentiment from the Perfect Pennants set. I stamped my sentiment in Versamark and heat embossed in Pool Party embossing powder to give it some texture and make it stand out against the Old Olive background. A small loop of ribbon and a trio of candy dots complete my card.

Back tomorrow with another project; until them, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Simple Stems	Perfect Pennants	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	Embossing Buddy	Versamark Pad
Pool Party Stampin' Emboss Powder	Heat Tool - Uk Plug	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Pool Party A4 Card Stock	Summer Starfruit Classic Stampin' Pad
Summer Starfruit A4 Card Stock	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad	Old Olive A4 Card Stock	Brights Candy Dots	Subtles Candy Dots

Good evening lovely blog readers! Today I'm sharing a card (well, actually two!) that I made a little while ago but that I didn't share with you at the time. I made this card using an old Freshly Made Sketches layout - here is my card:

My card uses the Fresh Prints DSP stack - this paper stack is great value and perfect for cards and the pattern I've used on this card is one of my favourites: an Orla Kiely-inspired design I think and one that also appeared in last year's Sycamore Street Sale-A-Bration DSP pack, but this time updated with some fresh colours for the new season. I cut three panels, having centralised the pattern, and matted it on Real Red and a Pool Party base, with a Pool Party banner finished with two co-ordinating candy dots. The original sketch had only two dots and I wrestled with myself to not use three (I think things looks better in threes!) but I decided that the two dots balanced the sentiment on the top left-hand side of the card, so left alone! I stamped my sentiment in Versamark and heat-embossed with Whisper White embossing powder, because whilst I didn't want it to dominate my card, I didn't want it to get lost either. This was the card I was happy with, but I promised two cards today and thought I would show you the first one I made; it was slightly smaller in size but to the same layout, but instead of centralising the pattern on each individual strip, I simply cut a piece of paper equally into three. It gives quite a different effect - see what I mean:

This cut really didn't work for me, as I felt such a clean card need the symmetry in the pattern - hence the second version. Here are both cards in focus side by side - which one do you prefer?

Who would have thought that such a simple card took so much thought? But for me, that's the difference between a good card and a great card! Lesson over for today; I'm off to listen to the next instalment of Harry Potter, our current bedtime reading book.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Stack	Pool Party A4 Card Stock	Real Red A4 Card Stock	Brights Candy Dots	Neutrals Candy Dots
Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	Express Yourself	Embossing Buddy	White Stampin' Emboss Powder	Versamark Pad
Heat Tool - Uk Plug

Another tulip card for you today - no apologies, I love this stamp! This card was inspired by the flecked pink tulips I received from my James juniors for Mother's Day last week. This card features this stamp used in another different way, this time to create an outlined background panel:

In splitting the tulips away from the sentiment on the original stamp, this makes it really easy to use the tulips for non-Easter cards, as I've done here. I used a Whisper White base, then stamped the tulips in Rose Red on a strip of Pink Pirouette cardstock. I then stamped the tulips again, this time in Black Stazon on watercolour paper and coloured with inks and my Aquapainter and cut out using my oval framelits and mounted on a second oval in Rose Red.

That's all for today; tomorrow's card may well have to be a 'get well soon' card as this afternoon my young son appears to have succumbed to the chicken pox - his THIRD dose in just 6 years!!! I didn't think this was even possible, but his itchy spots tell me otherwise. On the upside, at least it's the Easter holidays, so he should be over it by the time the new term starts :-)

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Blessed Easter	Aqua Painter	Jet Black Stazon Pad	Stazon Cleaner	Whisper White A4 Card Stock
Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	6 X 9 Watercolor Paper	Magnetic Platform	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Pink Pirouette Classic Stampin' Pad
Pink Pirouette A4 Card Stock	Rose Red Classic Stampin' Pad	Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad	Express Yourself	Ovals Collection Framelits Dies

Today I'm sharing another card from this week's classes - this time one of the scallop tag-closure cards that are all the rage at the moment in a lovely, deep purple. Here is my card: 

The card is a standard A6 size (10.5cm x 14.9cm), but instead of being scored down the centre of the cardstock, I scored at 8.5cm and 19cm, marked the centre point and having guided the cardstock over the punch guides, I punched using the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch and trimmed away the excess on either side of the punched section. I love this punch - it really is so useful for tags, bookmarks, boxes, fancy cards and everything in between!

I also used my Aquapainter to colour this card, but instead of using watercolour paper I actually used Whisper White cardstock - I wanted to show my class attendees the differences in effect when you use different paper types. The sentiment was also stamped separately and punched out, which worked better on the narrower section. We split our sentiment away from the tulips at the start to allow for more flexibility when stamping, so this was really easy with no masking required.

That's all from me today; I'm entertaining family this weekend and off to play tooth fairy to my eldest this evening, who lost another of her baby teeth today - just need to make sure she's asleep first :-)

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Blessed Easter	Scalloped Tag Topper Punch	Aqua Painter	Jet Black Stazon Pad	Stazon Cleaner
Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	Elegant Eggplant A4 Card Stock	Basic Black A4 Card Stock	Elegant Eggplant Classic Stampin' Pad
Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad	Old Olive 1/8 Inch Taffeta Ribbon

Evening everyone! I promised you a special project today and here it is! Several months ago Stampin' Up! asked me if I would create an Easter box for a magazine commission and that magazine hits the shelves of the newsagents today! The box I created for Stampin' Up! is featured in the April 2014 issue of Prima Baby and Parenting and is part of an extended feature on Easter Family Fun - great things to make and do with your family this Easter. There are cute cakes and biscuits to bake and this fabulous Easter egg box to make:

 Here's another shot from a different angle showing a close up of the tag, stamped with the egg from the 'Eggstra Spectacular' stamp set:

Lastly the trio of boxes that the magazine used for the title page of the two-page spread:

Here is my photograph of the title page in the magazine itself - the facing page contains a step-by-step 'how to' tutorial showing how to make it:

The sides of the body of the finished box measures 2" x 2 1/2" which is perfect for a small Easter egg (I used the ones you can buy in packs for Easter egg hunts) but this box could be used for anything small and attractive where you want to give a glimpse of the contents.  If you would like a copy of the tutorial you can see it in this month's Prima Baby magazine - if you live in Northampton, you'd better get to the shops quick though before I buy all the copies :-) I also made a short video tutorial showing you how I made this box - click the link below to watch it:

 That's all from me today; back tomorrow with another project; happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Simply Scored	Scalloped Tag Topper Punch	Extra-Large Oval Punch	Eggstra Spectacular	Daffodil Delight A4 Card Stock
Card Stock A4 Pear Pizzazz	Melon Mambo A4 Card Stock	Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker	Brights Stampin' Write Markers	Whisper White A4 Card Stock
Crushed Curry 3/4" Chevron Ribbon	Pear Pizzazz 3/4" Chevron Ribbon	Melon Mambo 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon	Gingham Garden Designer Washi Tape	Gold Baker's Twine
Candy Dots Brad Bases	Brights Candy Dots	Subtles Candy Dots	Medium Window Sheets	Sticky Strip
Paper Snips

Another quick post from me today before I head out for my second card class of the week with another of the cards that we are making, featuring the 'Blessed Easter' stamp. This time I paired the stamp with the Hardwood background - love this stamp, especially in Smoky Slate grey:

Unlike yesterday's card, I also used my Aquapainter to blend in some Smoky Slate ink around the tulips to create some subtle shading; shading in this way really makes the flowers stand out.

More lovely cards to share using this stamp in due course; off now to pack for my class.

Back tomorrow with another project - a rather special one too! until then, happy stampin!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Blessed Easter	6 X 9 Watercolor Paper	Aqua Painter	Jet Black Stazon Pad	Stazon Cleaner
Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	Hardwood	Scallop Edge Border Punch	Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad	Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad
Daffodil Delight A4 Card Stock	Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Smoky Slate

Hello everyone! I can't quite believe it but James Juniors have broken up from school for their Easter holidays today - aargh! Where did that term go? Anyway, on the upside that will mean a few weeks of fun with hopefully not too much holiday homework. Today I've another quick post as I'm out hosting a crafty Stampin' Up! party this evening, so I'm blogging early (for me!) and thought I would share one of this week's class cards. In this month's classes my ladies are learning watercolouring techniques using Aquapainters and we are using the 'Blessed Easter' stamp set. All this month's cards are quite simple in design, as the aim is to spend the majority of the class time focusing on watercolouring and practising the technique rather than doing lots of stamping, cutting and sticking. Here is the first of this week's cards:

A Real Red card base and Pear Pizzazz panel, with the tulips and sentiment stamped onto watercolour paper using Jet Black Stazon and then coloured using the corresponding coloured inks and our Aquapainters. I think all the ladies in yesterday's class were pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get a great result and the nice thing is even though everyone had the same tools, the cards all looked really different, depending on the individual shading and detail on the tulips. To finish we embellished with a piece of Real Red grosgrain ribbon.

That's all from me - I'm off to pack my bags for later. Back with more tulips later in the week; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Blessed Easter	Aqua Painter	6 X 9 Watercolor Paper	Jet Black Stazon Pad	Stazon Cleaner
Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad	Real Red A4 Card Stock	Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Pear Pizzazz
Real Red 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon

I had a busy day in London yesterday so despite my best efforts to get ahead of myself I still didn't manage to blog yesterday and having had a class and put in my last Sale-A-Bration order I'm almost running out of time today, so before I do here is my intended share for yesterday, one of the Mother's Day cards I made in a couple of different colourways that I couldn't share before the day itself. Here it is in the predominantly pink colourway:

The card is similar to one I saw on Julie Kettlewell's blog here - I made a 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square gatefold card and created an overlapping framed circle that I cut with my Circles Framelits and created a wreath of tiny stamped and punched flowers around the central bold 'Happy Mother's Day sentiment. I also made this card is an aqua colourway here using Coastal Cabana for the base:

The hardwood background stamp makes such a great background for the focal point and some flower stamping inside and on the envelopes along with a few rhinestones just finishes off the card perfectly.

My Mother's Day was rather unconventional and was only spent with one of my offspring, which felt slightly strange, but Rebecca and I had a great day in London (she was so excited that she got to have her picture taken in front of Big Ben!) and the bonus is we get to have another Mother's Day next Sunday altogether to make up for it!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

My Mother	Petite Petals Clear-Mount Bundle	Hardwood	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine
Magnetic Platform	Circles Collection Framelits Dies	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad	Melon Mambo A4 Card Stock	Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad
Pool Party A4 Card Stock	Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad	Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pad
Basic Rhinestones Jewel Accents	Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Pad	Coastal Cabana 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim	Card Stock A4 Bermuda Bay	Tangerine Tango Classic Stampin' Pad
Crisp Cantaloupe Classic Stampin' Pad	Pistachio Pudding Classic Stampin' Pad

A quick (and late!) post from me today - I have one of the busiest weekends ever today and tomorrow. I've been putting the final touches to my class preparation for next week today and have spent the evening at the swimming pool with Rebecca as she was participating in a swimming gala. We are having a real 'girls versus boys' weekend; we each went to our separate swimming pools today (and Granny came along to watch Rebecca for the first time today too) and tomorrow Rebecca and I are travelling to London so that she can take part in an inter-school music festival with the rest of her school choir, whilst the boys have a fun day doing their own thing at home.

Anyway, with all that in mind there will be a couple of quick posts from me over the next couple of days. Today I'm sharing a gift I made for one of my customers who celebrated her birthday recently. If you follow me on Facebook, you will have see this photograph I posted yesterday of a lovely box I made using the Sweet Sorbet papers (yours free with a £45 spend during Sale-A-Bration - only 2 more days to go to plae a Sale-A-Bration order!)and my Box Buster tool and Envelope Punch Board:

Today I thought I would share what was inside - a sweet little box frame:

Just a simple stamped sentiment, decorated with a punched butterfly and a few flowers stamped and punched using the Petite Petals stamp set and co-ordinating punch. A decorated frame makes a lovely gift.

Back tomorrow with a card (or two!); until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper	Chalk Talk	Spiral Flower Originals Die	Calypso Coral A4 Card Stock	Crisp Cantaloupe Classic Stampin' Pad
Whisper White 5/8 Inch Organza Ribbon	Envelope Punch Board	Perfect Pennants	Petite Petals Clear-Mount Bundle	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig
Tangerine Tango A4 Card Stock	Brights Stampin' Write Markers	Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad	Tangerine Tango Classic Stampin' Pad	Soft Sky Classic Stampin' Pad
Subtles Stampin' Write Markers	Bitty Butterfly Punch	Basic Pearls Jewel Accents

Today I’m sharing my entry for this week’s Less is More challenge where you have to create a card with three of something. I decided to indulge in a spot of watercolouring and use a new stamp of mine from the ‘Baby We’ve Grown’ stamp set:

What can I say – I love this trio of owls! I’ve never purchased a dedicated baby-themed stamp set before, but I saw this set and it really appealed to me: a cute bunny, some of the sweetest baby shoes, some sentiments and well – those owls!

I simply stamped the image onto watercolour paper and coloured using my Aquapainter and a range of browns and pinks – this card is heading for my ‘baby girl’ pile – and mounted on a mat of Baked Brown Sugar and a card base of Blushing Bride.  Well, this is ‘Less is More’ after all! I'm still a novice at this compared to some, yet I love the blending I get with an Aquapainter - here's a close up:

Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin’!

Stampin’ Up! Supplies Used:

Baby, We've Grown	6 X 9 Watercolor Paper	Jet Black Stazon Pad	Aqua Painter	Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad
Card Stock A4 Blushing Bride	Baked Brown Sugar Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Baked Brown Sugar