Three trees

I love this stamp set and I love this design which I saw on a photo of one of the swaps that somebody received at the Stampin’ Up! Convention. So all credit to the designer but unfortunately I don’t know who that was!

I copied it from memory so it may be different – the colours certainly are as I used what I had out on the table at the time which was, surprise surprise, Old Olive and Chocolate Chip.

The card base is Sahara Sand which I’m loving at the moment – it comes in the Neutrals pack along with Kraft, Basic Gray and Basic Black. All really useful but often overlooked (especially by me).

I made this card for a friend who has done really really well to get her dream job – there were loads of applicants but she did it and well deserves it after all her hard work.

Stamps: Trendy Trees, Basic Phrases
Cardstock: Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Very Vanilla
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive
Accessories: 1 ¼” circle punch, 1 3/8” circle punch, Striped Grosgrain Ribbon – Old Olive, Stamp-a-ma-jig®, Stampin’ Dimensionals

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the link on the right to view it online.

A glitter class sneak peek

A sneak preview for those who are attending my Glitterati Class on Monday... I initially rejected this card because I thought it was too dull-looking for a Christmas card but I kept coming back to it. I think that, not being a glittery sort of person, I am drawn to the subtlety of the neutrals to offset the bling.

But is the black too gloomy? I was thinking of switching to Night of Navy but have cut up the black now – I decided I like how striking it is next to the Sahara Sand.

To create this glitter effect, stamp the snowflake in Versamark then cover with Heat & Stick Powder. Tap off the excess and then heat with your heat tool. A hairdryer will not do, sorry – it will just blow the powder away and not be hot enough. When the powder has melted, cover with glitter and tap off the excess. Heat again lightly to set.

Reliable sources tell me that the Embossing Buddy will prevent any stray glitter from sticking to your paper but mine is due to arrive today so I’ll have to let you know my views when I’ve tried it.

The ribbon is something I’ve seen everywhere but never tried. It didn’t sit as flat as I’d have liked but some of the samples I’ve seen involve stitching and that’s never going to happen in this house. So I put a strip of Sticky Strip along the card and stuck the ribbon to that, pleating it as I went along.

Stamps: Snowburst, Basic Phrases
Cardstock: Sahara Sand, Basic Black, Brocade Blue, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Versamark
Accessories: Heat & Stick Powder, Fine Cosmo glitter (Light Blue), Heat Tool, Stamp-a-ma-jig, 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon – Brocade Blue, Stampin’ Dimensionals

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the link on the right to view it online.

Christmas four

This was a contender for my glitter class but it didn't get through to the finals because I already have a Christmas card and I want to show that glitter isn’t just for Christmas.

First job was to decide which circle punch to use. I settled on the 1 3/8” because it fits the reindeer and the stocking perfectly; Santa has to have his legs cut off but that’s ok and it’s a bit of a squeeze with the tree but manageable.

There’s Dazzling Diamonds glitter on Santa’s hat, the stocking “bells” and the start on top of the tree. Rudolph’s nose is Fine Cosmo Rose Pink. It’s a small enough area to look red but if you want a proper bright red, go for the Fine Cosmo Galaxy selection. The glitter is applied with the two-way glue pen – just “draw” where you want it to go and then sprinkle.

Looking at this now I wish I’d pierced the red layer so that I could have a narrower band of Chocolate Chip around it but it’s too late now. You live and learn.

Stamps: Sparkly & Bright
Cardstock: Whisper White, Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, textured Chocolate Chip
Ink: Real Red, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White
Accessories: 1 3/8” circle punch, Mat pack and paper piercing tool, Two-Way Glue Pen, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Stampin’ Glitter – Dazzling Diamonds and Fine Cosmo, Striped Grosgrain Ribbon – Old Olive

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the link on the right to view it online.

Christmas cottage

How cute is this? (Am I allowed to say that?) A little chipboard house covered in Merry Moments papers which are just perfect for your Christmas cards, gifts and post-Christmas scrapbooking.

Cardstock: Very Vanilla
Paper: Merry Moments
Accessories: Stampin’ Write marker - Chocolate Chip, Filigree Brads
Other – chipboard house from stash

All products by Stampin' Up! except for chipboard house. Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the link on the right to view it online.

Circle Christmas

You don’t need Christmas stamps to make Christmas cards – here’s one made with Circle Circus and some festive paper.

You will need your Stamp-a-ma-jig® for this one and this was my second attempt to get it right. Lucky our Whisper White cardstock has two sides, eh?

The pot is made from another Circle Circus stamp cut to shape; it would have perhaps been better in red, I don’t know.

Stamps: Circle Circus
Cardstock: Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White
Paper: Merry Moments
Ink: Garden Green, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Striped Grosgrain Ribbon - Chocolate Chip, Stamp-a-ma-jig®, Scallop Edge Punch, Earth Elements and Neutrals buttons, linen thread

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the link on the right to view it online.

And the winner is... Earth Elements!

My colour family poll shows that the majority of blog visitors love Earth Elements! Hmmm... no surprise really because it’s my favourite, too!

So I have yet another Earth Elements card to show you... this is one of those end-of-craft-session card where you just throw a few leftover bits together and it turns out ok. I love these autumnal shades – but you knew that, didn’t you?

Stamps: Circle Circus, Basic Phrases
Cardstock: Really Rust, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Kraft
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Really Rust, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Summer Sun, Whisper White
Accessories: 1 ¼” circle punch, 1 3/8” circle punch, Scallop Circle Punch, linen thread, 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon - Chocolate Chip

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the link on the right to view it online.

A little hi

Found this at the bottom of my samples box – it’s the second Make and Take from my Catalogue Launch. It’s a simple card but it had to be as there were about 30 people there! The stamp is that shape and fits the Scallop Square Punch perfectly. I stamped it twice – once in Taken with Teal and once in Night of Navy, then punched the “hi” out of the navy image using the ½” circle punch. It’s popped up using a Stampin’ Dimensional.

Stamps: Say It With Scallops
Cardstock: Night of Navy, Whisper White
Ink: Taken with Teal, Night of Navy
Accessories: Love Notes, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon – Night of Navy, Silver Brads, ½” Circle Punch

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the link on the right to view it online.