Glittery flower

This little card was the Make & Take for my workshops this month – and probably next month, too, if no guests overlap! It’s a 9cm square card cut from Certainly Celery cardstock and stamped with Season of Joy.

I used a glue pen on the swirl and added glitter – I’m not a huge fan of glitter so this was a little out of my comfort zone!

It’s inspired by a project I’ll show you shortly – an album with a very similar cover.

Stamps: Season of Joy
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Very Vanilla, Ruby Red
Ink: Old Olive, Ruby Red
Accessories: Stampin’ Glitter

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Recycle those old CDs

This mini album is made from old CDs. In fact, I’ve only just noticed it on the photo but you can just see the centre of the CD on the front cover. Oops.

I covered two CDs with PVA glue, very thinly, using a foam brush from Wilko. Then I covered them with Designer Series Paper and trimmed with scissors. Yes, scissors. To get the edges nice and neat, I lightly sanded them with sandpaper.

I repeated the process with textured 12x12 cardstock, to make the inside (not shown).

The same technique was used to cover the chipboard circle. I inked the chipboard letters with Tempting Turquoise and attached them with Glue Dots®.

The Crop-A-Dile™ made short work of the holes. However, they weren’t quite big enough to take the jumbo eyelets (they’re okay on paper and cardstock but CDs are notoriously inflexible). To solve this problem, I just punched again and again, round the edges of the hole, to make it slightly larger. The resulting hole wasn’t very neat but it didn’t matter as the jumbo eyelet covered the imperfections.

I haven’t made the inside pages yet – still sourcing old CDs! – but won’t bother to eyelet them, just cover the pages and punch the holes.

Cardstock: Old Olive textured 12x12
Paper: Petals and Paisley
Ink: Tempting Turquoise
Accessories: On Board Lots of Letters, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Tempting Turquoise, jumbo eyelets, book rings (Staples)

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

Easiest album in the world!

This is the easiest album in the world. All you do is take a sheet of 12x12 cardstock and cut it into three strips, each one four inches wide. Score them down the centre and tie them together with linen thread. The edges won’t sit neatly so you can either trim them, or ignore them.

For this one I added some tabs using the Round Tab Punch and decorated the pages with Lovely as a Tree and Really Rust ink. I added some Fall Flowers Designer Series Paper on one spread. I will put proper pictures in this one when I’ve taken some!

For the front cover, I used the masking technique to create the moon against the night sky, as I did on this card, inspired by one of my downlines, Tracey.

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Daily Flexible Phrases
Cardstock: Really Rust, Creamy Caramel, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White
Paper: Fall Flowers
Ink: Really Rust, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Linen Thread, Round Tab Punch, Stampin’ Pastels

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

Another mini album

This is a tiny mini album, made from a single sheet of 12x12 cardstock. Slice the sheet into four 3” strips, then score at 3” intervals to make an accordion. Attach the whole of one of the end flaps to the end flap of the second piece and then do the same again until you have a really long strip. Either use an odd number of strips or cut off one flap from the end, then attach to your cover pieces. 

To bind it, you can make a spine, as I did (trust me, this was only an emergency measure) or do what you should do; make one piece of ribbon REALLY long and wrap it around the whole album to hold it together and tie at the front.

Have a go – all will become clear when you do it!

Stamps: A Tree For All Seasons
Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon – Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip marker, blender pen

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

Pop-up album

A mini album with a difference: it folds flat for storage or carrying around, or opens out for display. How cool is that?

This one took me ages to make as I was struggling with the instructions but I will make another and photograph each step to show you how it’s done. I might even organise a class to make one as I think it could be popular with the scrapbookers out there.

It’s made of four pieces of cardstock, each individually decorated before assembling. I won’t even try to explain further… you’ll just have to be patient I’m afraid. I’m very aware that I still haven’t produced that cracked glass tutorial I promised you!

This album is made using the Home Again Simply Scrappin’® Kit which, sadly, is no longer available. However, you could use any cardstock and stamps, or a different scrappin’ kit instead.

To get small photos, I printed them from the computer myself, “antiquing” them first. They looked really 70s and slightly yellowy on screen but I thought they worked well in the album as the original colours would have been too garish for the mellow colours of the cardstock and Designer Series Paper.

Stamps: Daily Flexible Phrases
Cardstock: Bordering Blue, Old Olive, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Home Again Simply Scrappin’® kit (no longer available), Grosgrain Ribbon – Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White; Taffeta ribbon - Chocolate Chip

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

Gift Vouchers available

Did you know that I sell gift vouchers in any denomination? I never thought to mention it until I got an order for two in a week!

Just let me know how much you want it to be for and I’ll supply the voucher in a handmade card. It will be valid for six months and, of course, only redeemable with me.

Here’s one I made for a customer this month. When I found out who it was for, I just had to use Earth Elements. Hope she liked it!

You slide the "belt" off the card and then it opens out to reveal the voucher inside. It's a useful design for giving money, tickets, vouchers... anything flat really. 

Stamps: True Friend
Cardstock: Close to Cocoa, Really Rust, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
Ink: Really Rust, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: ¼” circle punch, 1 3/8” circle punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Earth Elements buttons, linen thread

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

Another World Card Making Day creation

This time we used Poppin’ Pastels, a popular technique involving Versamark® and chalks. Read more about it here.

The ribbon is in two pieces. The first is wrapped around the corner and attached at the back. The second is tied in a single knot over the top. No point in making it harder than necessary!

Stamps: True Friend
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral, Very Vanilla
Ink: Versamark®
Accessories: Stampin’ Pastels, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Chocolate Chip

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

Earthy flowers

Here’s another World Card Making Day card – in lovely Earth Elements. No special instructions required – just stamp and stick!

Notice that we now have narrow grosgrain ribbon in Chocolate Chip! I’m so pleased as this is one of my favourite colours!

Stamps: True Friend
Cardstock: Really Rust, More Mustard, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla
Ink: Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Old Olive, Really Rust
Accessories: ¼: Grosgrain Ribbon – Chocolate Chip

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

Punched handbag

This was one of the fun cards we made at our World Card Making Day event... and no Old Olive in sight!

The handbag is created using two punches: the Round Tab Punch and a 1” circle punch.

First stamp your image on to a piece of Pretty in Pink cardstock. This stamp set is fabulous as each of the four stamps fit the round tab punch exactly. Punch out the tab shape – then you can cut it in half, so you’re actually making two handbags every time!

The bag’s flap is made with the same punch, using a technique you can read about here. Again, you will cut your punched shape in half to create two pieces.

To make the handle, punch a semi-circle from the edge of a piece of black cardstock. Discard the punched piece and return to the template, punching again to create a crescent shape.

Stamps: Totally Tabs, Basic Phrases
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Basic Black, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Rich Regals brads

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

Bargain gift idea

Here’s an idea for a quick gift/tombola prize. Two bars of soap, held together with Designer Paper and decorated. Cheap and cheerful!










And, finally, here’s a pic of our stall at the show – look at all that red and olive!

Stamps: Happy Winter
Cardstock: Old Olive, Whisper White
Paper: Fall Flowers, vellum
Ink: Old Olive
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Whisper White, 1 ¼” circle punch, 1 3/8” circle punch, scallop circle punch, crafters’ toolkit



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

Funky frog

I do like this card, although I say it myself. I’m still not tired of the red/olive combination and I think all the cheerful elements really come together on this one.

The larger circle is a piece of chipboard from the On Board Lots of Letters pack, covered with Dashing Designer Series Paper. Both of these products – and, in fact, the stamp set – are now retired but you still have time to buy them. Be quick, though, as I have no idea how long stocks will last.

Stamps: Unfrogettable
Cardstock: Old Olive, Real Red, Naturals Ivory
Paper: Dashing
Ink: Old Olive, Real Read, StazOn® black
Accessories: ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon – Real Red, 1 3/8” circle punch, crafters’ toolkit

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

There's chocolate in here!

This pouch was met with very little enthusiasm at home – but proved very popular at the Papercraft Show! It’s just a strip of cardstock, folded to create a 4” square front and back, with a 2” flap at the front and (I think) a 2” base. 

I kept it really simple, just adding a scalloped edge in Old Olive and some white letters which I wanted to stand out, stark against the red. To get them this bright, I pressed the chipboard letters into my Versamark® pad, then embossed them. It still wasn’t quite bright enough so I did it again… and again. Yep, three layers of embossing powder before I was happy with the result! But, if you’re really quick, you don’t need to reink with the Versamark, just apply new powder before the previous layer has set.

Inside there is a pack of white chocolate money. I’d forgotten they were there actually – now I’m going to have to resist them until I’ve finished demoing Christmas projects! Aaaagh!

And here is a tiny card – really simple. This also attracted attention at the show, from a lady who said it would be perfect for the Muslim festival, Eid. The image is from True Friend, which has a boho cowboy feel to it – but works equally well in an eastern context.

Stamps: True Friend
Cardstock: Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Versamark®
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Red Gingham ribbon, On Board Lots of Letters, white embossing powder, rhinestone brads

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

More red and olive!

Some more of the Real Red and Old Olive samples… we’re getting to the end of them now, honest!

This first one is a really simple card, stamped in Versamark® on the top half of the background, then a simple strip of Old Olive topped with the image and a button. I made this – and a couple of others – when I laid out the Red/Olive samples and realised that Olive was taking over!

The second card is pretty much the same design, but turned on its side. I coloured the image with ink pads and blender pen – it’s all Old Olive and Real red but the blender pen allows you to create different shades.

Stamps: True Friend, Cheers to You
Cardstock: Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White
Paper: Dashing
Accessories: ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon – Real Red, Earth Elements coloured buttons

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

Email issues

My email isn't working!!! Apparently Virgin are "working on it". Here's hoping they fix it soon - it's no wonder I thought everyone was ignoring me. (Unless they really are all ignoring me, too.)

Edited to add: The point of this post is that, if you have emailed me in the last few days and I haven't got back to you, it's because I've not received your email. If it's urgent and you have my phone number, please call. If you don't have my phone number, leave a comment and I'll try to get back to you asap.

thanks! 

Trees by moonlight

This is a variation on a card my downline, Tracey, was demoing at the Papercraft Show. It’s such a cool idea. She punched a circle from a sticky note then attached it to a piece of cardstock. Next you chalk the top half of the background using Stampin’ Pastels and sponge daubers. Remove the sticky note circle to reveal a spooky moon.

Finally, stamp on top to create an atmospheric silhouette effect.

Tracey made a lovely Christmas card using Night of Navy and glitter – but I didn’t have the right ink pads so improvised with this birthday card. I love it (I really should stop saying that about my own cards!) and plan to demo it at this month’s workshops.

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Daily Flexible Phrases
Cardstock: Bordering Blue, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Paper: Brocade Background
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Stampin’ Pastels, Sponge Daubers, Round Tab Punch, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Chocolate Chip

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

Back to Olive and Red

What do you think of the new colour scheme? Like it? Or not?

For the card, we're back to the Old Olive and Real Red today – I bet you knew it couldn’t last! I adapted this card from Page 3 of the new Idea Book and Catalogue. I often find inspiration in there – I just flick until I see a project that takes my fancy, then do what I can with the supplies I have.

If you really want to copy something exactly and aren’t sure what supplies are used, you can download a PDF of all the project recipes from the Stampin’ Up!® website, here. It takes a while to download as it's a reasonably large document.

I coloured this image using ink pad lids and blender pens.

Stamps: Cheers To You
Cardstock: Old Olive, Old Olive textured, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: StazOn® black, Old Olive, Real Red
Accessories: Red gingham ribbon, Scallop Edge Punch, blender pens, Crafters’ Tool Kit

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

Shades of autumn

Edited to add: Forgot to say - Happy World Card Making Day!

I thought I’d give you a break from the Real Red … but not from the Old Olive because I just love that colour!

I made this as a sample to show off the technique I was demonstrating at the Papercraft Show last Sunday. We all took turns to demo a technique and mine was Watercolour Wonder™ crayons. I love these – they are so nice and smooth to use. In case you haven’t worked it out from the title, they are like watercolour pencils… but they’re crayons!

All you do is scribble a little on the area you want to colour, then blend it in using your favourite from the following: blender pens, Aqua Painter™ or simply a wet paintbrush. I prefer blender pens for small areas and because they are so easy – just whip them out of the drawer and off you go.

For fine detail, you can apply your blender pen/Aqua Painter™/paintbrush directly to the crayon to pick up the colour.

I stamped on Naturals Ivory which I find the best cardstock for colouring with any “wet” medium, although blender pens work fine on small areas on Whisper White/Very Vanilla, too.

This is my favourite image from the For Father set – I’ll have to make some cards with the other images soon.

Stamps: For Father
Cardstock: Old Olive, Chocolate Chip, More Mustard, Ruby Red, Naturals Ivory
Ink: StazOn® Black
Accessories: Hodgepodge Hardware® - Pewter, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Always Artichoke

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

New catalogue online!

The brand new Stampin' Up! idea book and catalogue is now online! Just click the picture of the catalogue cover on the right to be taken straight there. 

But nothing beats the real thing - your own personal copy to take to bed, to work and to all those places when you have to sit and wait while the children do fun stuff. If you'd like your own copy, I'm selling them at a bargain £3 (RRP £4.95) and, because I'm so excited about the fab new products, I'll include a £3 off voucher against purchases of £30 or more!

Let me know if you'd like a catalogue - if you need it posting, it's £4 inclusive. 

And if you want a FREE catalogue, just book a workshop and I'll get one in the post to you straight away.