Halloween goodie bags

This is my one and only Halloween project of the year – in fact I think it’s my one and only Halloween project EVER, so I hope you like it. It’s pretty subtle and not even the slightest bit scary, I’ll admit, but small steps, eh?

They were the September gifts for my hostess club – each bag contains some chocolate raisins, against all odds. Reason being that I kept buying them, putting them in an attractive jar and then they just proved too attractive to resist. Even when I’d reined myself in, hubby kept finding them.

Finally I managed to fill these 10 bags from the great value Goodie Gear Simply Created Kit. There are two kits available, each containing enough for 10 projects, for just £4.50. There’s a Real Red version – perfect for Christmas – and this Pumpkin Pie kit – perfect for Halloween. Of course, either kit can be adapted for any other occasion, too.

I couldn’t resist adding to the kit with my Witches’ Brew Washi Tape. An odd purchase for someone who only makes one Halloween project every 44 years but, as I showed you in this post, the skull tape makes it perfect for teenage boy projects.

Supplies: Witches’ Brew Designer Washi Tape, Pumpkin Pie Goodie Gear Simply Created Kit

Save 20% on Tag It gift packaging bundles

I know it’s only October and some people, like my good friend Amanda Volley, think it's way too early to be thinking about Christmas - but we crafters know otherwise, don’t we?

Which is why Stampin’ Up! is giving you yet another offer - and this time to help you with your Christmas preparations.

Two new bundles will help you with your Christmas packaging - and save you 20% into the bargain! Both feature the excellent Tag It Bundle (above), which features tags, twine and stamps for making quick and easy gift tags. Then you have a choice of two box sizes:

Extra Large box decorated with the products in the bundle

Holiday Tag It Extra Large Box Bundle - 135812 - £16.95

• Stamp a Tag Kit
• Extra Large Gift Boxes (3)
• Cherry Cobbler 1" Stitched Edge Grosgrain Ribbon (9.1m)

Decorative box features an acetate window

Holiday Tag It Decorative Box Bundle - 135811 - £17.95

• Stamp a Tag Kit
• Decorative Window Gift Boxes (6)
• Cherry Cobbler 1" Stitched Edge Grosgrain Ribbon (9.1m)

Sound good? This offer is available from today until the end of November. Find out more by clicking the image at the top of the page or drop me a line!

New product: Thinlits card dies

I have two brand new and very exciting products to show you – and they’re available now! They are Thinlits Card Dies and they make creating flip cards an absolute breeze.

Circle Card Thinlits Dies

Label Card Thinlits Dies

There are two designs available, each retailing at £29.95 – and each one comes with a host of accessory dies, which you can see in the images.

To use them, all you have to do is lay the largest die on half a sheet of cardstock and run it through your Big Shot. Fold along the scorelines, concertina-style, and you have the basis of your flip card. Then you can decorate it as you wish, using the accompanying dies or whatever you have to hand.

The finished card is US-sizing, but this is not an issue, as you have several options, including:

1. Use our standard C6 envelopes and live with the fact that they are a little long. The card will still fit.
2. Buy the Medium Envelopes (page 162), available in Clear or Crumb Cake. These are sized perfectly.
3. Watch this space for another fab new product!

Of course, I’ve hinted at these fab products before, by showing you one of the cards we made at my Epic Day of Crafting. Here’s the inside of the one pictured at the top of the page, which I made for my downline Donna’s birthday.

For more about the Thinlits, please click here.

Stamps: Flower Shop, Remembering Your Birthday

Cardstock: Coastal Cabana, Whisper White, Rich Razzleberry

Ink: Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo, Coastal Cabana

Accessories: Label Card Thinlits, Chevron Embossing Folder, Pansy Punch, Bird Punch, Itty Bitty Punches

Caturday: Albie, lost and found

Here’s little Albie, who had a Big Adventure when he went missing from his home in Elvaston yesterday, leaving his owner - fellow craft blogger Samantha Schofield -  frantic with worry, especially as there was a reported sighting in Borrowash... quite a step for a small feline.

Happily, after a search of the local area, he was found taking in the grounds of Elvaston Castle. Clearly a cat with a taste for culture... or delusions of grandeur!

Epic Day woodmount case of cards

Today’s project was the final workshop of the day at my Epic Day of Crafting – this box of cards. It’s made from one of the wood-mount cases, which you can buy empty, in packs of four. It’s a very cool idea, as there are loads of things you can do with them. If you’re the sort of person who likes everything matchy-matchy, you can repackage your old wood-mount stamps in them, so that all the boxes are the same size. You can also use them to store other supplies, such as markers, reinkers, button boxes etc.

Or, best of all, you can alter them to make really cool gifts.

Covering the box is the easy part as it just slides in. Then, inside you can put whatever you like – in our case, cards, gift tags and a decorated pen.

Coincidentally, two of the stamp sets we used for this project are currently available at 25% off! Check out the rest of the list by clicking the link at the top of the page.

Stamps: Off the Grid, Itty Bitty Banners, Happy Day

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Whisper White

Paper: Epic Day

Ink: Basic Gray, Crumb Cake

Accessories: White Baker’s Twine, Bitty Butterfly Punch, Epic Day Washi Tape, Basic Rhinestones

Epic Day envelope album

Today is my downline Donna’s birthday but I can’t show you her card, because I promised to show you the envelope album from my Epic Day of Crafting – and here it is.

I’ve shown this fab project to lots of people – many of whom have assumed that you can buy these books from Stampin’ Up!® But no, it’s made entirely from scratch. The covers are made from chipboard covered in Designer Series Paper, and the pages are made from envelopes, joined together and decorated.  It’s closed together with very slim magnets. It’s very ingenious.

The design is adapted from one I made on Monica Gale’s Paperie Treat and she kindly gave me permission to use it at my workshop. Everyone loved it! And I loved how some people used different papers from the pack to create a totally different look to the project. 

Stamps: Off the Grid, Morning Post Alphabet, various others as required

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Gumball Green, Calypso Coral, Early Espresso, Vellum

Paper: Epic Day

Ink: Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso

Accessories: Autumn Leaves die, Polka Dots embossing folder, Woodgrain embossing folder,  Naturals buttons, Linen Thread, Cute Clips, Crochet Trim, border punches, Apothecary Accents framelits

Meanwhile, happy birthday, Donna! 

25 stamp sets at 25% off!

Whoohoo! Let’s get this party started!

As many of you will know, Stampin’ Up!® celebrates its 25^th anniversary this year – and we’ve been enjoying a year of special offers and surprises.

The actual date is this week – the 25^th to be precise – so, to celebrate, between now and 28th October, you can buy 25 stamp sets at 25% off! That’s a pretty impressive saving, don’t you think?!

You can see the full list here or check them out at my online store (with images) here.

I’m going to have a proper look myself now – as I’m sure there will be something I *ahem* need!

Please get in touch to place an order!