Psssst! Want free stamps?

Free stamps? Did somebody say something about free stamps?

Well, if the thought of a dreary January gets you down, I have some exciting news which is sure to cheer you up!

Introducing Sale-A-Bration, a very exciting offer from Stampin' Up! which our stamping sisters in the USA and Canada know well and love dearly. 

And now Sale-A-Bration is coming to Great Britain so that we can share the excitement of free stamps! 

Sale-A-Bration (I'm going to call it SAB from now on, as it's not so hard to type) takes place throughout January and February, and features freebies for everyone! 

Stampin' Up! has released four exclusive stamp sets and you can earn any (or all!) of them for free. They will only be available during the promotion, never to be seen again in any future catalogues. You can see these sets in the SAB brochure, which I can email to you on request.  

So how do you get your hands on these wonderful stamps?

Customers: Simply place an order of £45 to earn a free SAB stamp set. Place an order of £90 to receive two free SAB sets... and so on. There is no limit to the number of sets you can earn and you don't have to attend a workshop to earn a free set.

Hostesses: Hold a £300 workshop and receive a free SAB stamp set. This is in addition to your usual hostess benefits, and on top of any free SAB sets you earn by placing your own order.

New recruits: During SAB, there are also extra free stamps for new recruits - making the Starter Kit even better value at £139. If you'd like to find out whether becoming a demonstrator is right for you, please email me and we can arrange a time to discuss it. 

As I expect there to be high demand for workshop bookings during SAB, please book early! But if you can't fit in a party, either as hostess or guest, don't forget that you can still earn free SAB sets by placing a qualifying order.

See? I told you it was exciting news! 

Mini stationery set

Hello. Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and you aren't too full of mince pies.

Before today's project, I'd like to offer my condolences to the ladies of Craft Central at Derby Garden Centre. The entire chain is closing down, as I discovered when I visited on Christmas Eve. I'm not sure if any of the staff visit my blog but, if you are reading, I am so sorry that you all have lost your jobs - and just before Christmas, too.

Now, on to today's project, which is my new favourite thing to make.

I started out with an Altoid Tin - this was a plain white one but you can use a mint tin, I think they sell them in M&S.

To save going into great detail again, here's my tutorial on covering an Altoid tin - click here.

So with tin decorated, I added a coat of Mod Podge matt finish to seal it all. If you can't find it you could use ordinary PVA glue (although that will give you a gloss finish) or a clear wood varnish. Or just not bother!

For the inside, I drew around the bottom part of the tin on to Tempting Turquoise cardstock, then cut it out. I had to trim it slightly to get it to fit. I then cut two slits in the cardstock so I could thread the ribbon through - this makes a nifty little holder for paper clips

Funnily enough, one of the hardest bits of this project was finding things to fit and then fitting them! I found these sticky notes in Wilko, the mini mechanical pencils, paper clips and mini bulldog clips in Staples. Can't remember where the highlighters came from - but it was either WIlko or Staples. I am still on the lookout for tiny pens - can't find those anywhere. I did buy a tiny calculator from Staples but that wouldn't fit due to the highlighter pen. If you could find a slimmer highlighter, you could get a calculator in, too. Oh, the elastic bands? Found those in my son's elastic band stash!

Stamps: Polka Dots & Paisley
Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Whisper White
Paper: Petals & Paisleys
Ink: Tempting Turquoise
Accessories: 1/4" grosgrain ribbon - Tempting Turquoise, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, scallop circle punch

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.

Just wanted to say...

...Merry Christmas everyone!

More cake...

Yet another simple card for the children’s workshop. I’ve just realised I’ve forgotten to colour in the sprinkles on the cake! I was going to add glitter but never got round to it. I’m sure that’s something eight-year-old girls would never forget!

I coloured this image with Watercolour Wonder™ crayons and blender pens. I used Regal Rose to go with the Pretty in Pink cardstock and So Saffron to go with the Barely Banana cardstock. I put a little shadow around the edges using Bordering Blue but I don’t expect the children to do that!

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Barely Banana, Perfect Plum, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Whisper White

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.

The last Christmas cards...

These are the last of the Christmas projects… well, actually, there’s a bauble knocking around somewhere but I have no idea where I’ve put it! If I find it, you’ll be the first to know.

I threw these cards together the other day when I realised I didn’t have enough homemade cards to go round. Next year I MUST start earlier! (Hmmm, have said that before.)

All the cards start with the same image from A Tree For All Seasons. I chalked roughly around the top edges – no masking required on these. Then I coloured the image VERY quickly with a Real Red marker and a Creamy Caramel marker. Finally, because it’s Christmas, I added some glitter to the snowflakes and the ground – what on earth has come over me?

The landscape card has a Brocade Blue base, while the square cards are on Bordering Blue – but after that they’re pretty much the same. I stamped the snowflake from Best Wishes and More on the backgrounds of all the cards – I used the same colour as the cardstock but “stamped off” (ie, stamped on a piece of scrap first to remove some ink) for a more subtle look.

I layered the images and popped it up using dimensionals – which makes the layers sit better over the ribbon.

And that’s about it really. A Ready, Set, Snow! stamp at the bottom and I was all done. Phew!

Stamps: A Tree For All Seasons, Best Wishes & More
Cardstock: Bordering Blue, Brocade Blue, Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Bordering Blue, Brocade Blue
Accessories: 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon – Real Red, Red Gingham Ribbon, Stampin’ Glitter, Stampin’ Pastels®, Stampin’ Write markers, Stampin’ Dimensionals

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.

Oh Christmas Tree...

Ooh, I’d better cram in some Christmas projects before it’s too late! Here’s a variation on this year’s favourite; the Lovely as a Tree moon card. This time I used Ruby Red as the base and stamped the background stamp En Francais on top. I stamped it in Real Red but only because it was already out and I was too lazy to dig out the Ruby Red.

I masked the moon with a circle of Post-it note and chalked the background, before stamping on top with Night of Navy and adding glitter, which you probably can’t see.

The edge is made with the very wonderful Scallop Edge Punch.

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, En Francais
Cardstock: Ruby Red, Night of Navy, Whisper White
Ink: Night of Navy, Real Red
Accessories: Stampin’ Glitter, Stampin’ Pastels®, Scallop Edge Punch, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon – Night of Navy

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.

Yummy cakes!

This is another simple card for the children’s workshop. I coloured the image using Watercolour Wonder™ crayons but the children will be using coloured pencils. I used Soft Subtles cardstock but Rich Regals crayons and found that they worked quite well if I was sparing with them. I used Elegant Eggplant, Garden Green and So Saffron to go with the Lavender Lace, Certainly Celery and Barely Banana cardstock.

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes
Cardstock: Lavender Lace, Certainly Celery, Barely Banana, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Watercolour Wonder™ crayons – Rich Regals, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Whisper White

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.

Bookmark card

This is a bookmark card – a very simple one because it’s part of a kit I’ve made for a group of eight-year-old girls. They’ll have everything cut and prepared and just need to stamp and assemble. 

The piece of cardstock is cut from a sheet of A4 down to 148mm wide, using the full length of the sheet (does that even make sense?). Then it’s creased into thirds, to create three 99mm wide panels. If you want it in imperial I’m afraid you’ll have to work it out for yourself, sorry!

Then you slice off the left panel at an angle, as shown and fold the card into a Z shape, with the sliced panel at the front. Tape around the edges of the sliced panel to create a pocket for the bookmark.

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes
Cardstock: Lavender Lace, Barely Banana, Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Ink: Perfect Plum
Accessories: Blender pens, ¼” grosgrain ribbon - Whisper White, corner rounder, Crop-A-Dile™

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.

Clearly not a stamped project

I'm not in the habit of posting non-stamping related images but had to show you this.

I just plugged in the camera to upload the pix I took of today's projects and found poor Cobweb looking disgruntled in a Santa hat... in fact, 50-odd photos of Cobweb looking increasingly disgruntled in a Santa hat, in various states of blurriness.

That look in her eyes says "I'll get you for this later". I suspect revenge will be puddle-shaped and round the back of the Christmas tree.

How far behind am I?

Answer: very. I haven't even started making my Christmas cards yet! Other than the ones you've seen on here, of course. 

So forgive me for not posting any samples; I'm currently wading through my huge Christmas job list.

Back soon! 

Another cake!

Same stamp set, same colour scheme, same colouring technique… different card. And, if you look carefully, you’ll see that I stamped a single small cake on the inside of the card, too. This is not like me at all! You never know, I could be stamping envelopes next!

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes
Cardstock: So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Rose Red, Whisper White
Paper: Patterns Designer Series Paper - Chocolate Chip
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Whisper White, 5/8” 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.

Cakes for all ages

Yum! Those cakes look tasty – and make a great birthday card for all ages. I coloured the image using Watercolour Wonder™ crayons, which are just fabulous and so easy to use and blend with blender pens. I’m not sure if you can see on this picture but I outlined the whole image using Bordering Blue, to give it some shadow. It’s a look I really admire when other stampers do it but am still working on it myself!

And this card saw off the last of my narrow Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon - it was very well-loved while it lasted. And it lasted a long time – don’t forget all the ribbon we used on Chocolate Night!

Oh, forgot to say, there's glitter on the top of the cakes - I wasn't sure about it but my daughter convinced me to try it. 

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes
Cardstock: So Saffron, Chocolate Chip, Rose Red, Whisper White
Paper: Prints Designer Series Papers - Close to Cocoa
Ink: Chocolate Chip
Accessories: ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Chocolate Chip, Stampin' Glitter

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.

Same kit, different card

Remember this? It was one of our World Card Making Day projects in October. I had a few pre-cut kits left over so fished it out to see if I could some up with something different from the same pieces of cardstock. This was the result – and I had a piece of Chocolate Chip left over. I don’t love it but it’s okay.

Stamps: True Friend
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Cameo Coral, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark®
Accessories: Poppin’ 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.

Tic-Tac tube

This test tube is filled with Tic-Tacs – you can get a whole small box into one tube. This tube also fits a small box of mini Smarties. Jelly beans and chocolate raisins fit, too, although not many of them.

For a more “grown-up” gift, you could use different coloured peppercorns, herbs and spices, fancy sea salt, seeds etc. Just remember to label them or tell the recipient what’s inside!

Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes
Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Pixie Pink, Whisper White
Ink: Elegant Eggplant
Accessories: 1 ¼” circle punch, 1 3/8” circle punch, Scallop Circle Punch, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Elegant Eggplant

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.

Leaves of green

I’m not so sure about this one. I like the idea but don’t think the words show up as well as they could – I should have used a darker ink.

I’ll tell you what’s great, though… the Paper Snips! I’m really bad at cutting out detail but these scissors are fantastic and make it easy even for someone like me!

Stamps: Best Wishes and More
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Whisper White
Paper: Prints Designer Series Papers - Certainly Celery
Ink: Certainly Celery
Accessories: ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Whisper White

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.

Birthday birdie

This is a really simple card to show beginners that cardmaking doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming.

I love this stamp set – the bird is really cute and there are images for all occasions in there… as well as the words to match!

Stamps: Best Wishes and More
Cardstock: Brocade Blue, Rose Red, Regal Rose, Whisper White
Ink: Brocade Blue, Versamark®
Accessories: 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon - Brocade Blue

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.

Stamping the blues

I do like this cute little card, all in blue. Hmmm… wonder if something like this will be on the agenda at the Winter Blues class?

The paper is the new Patterns Designer Series Paper in Bashful Blue. It’s actually the same piece, torn across, and one piece flipped over to reveal the pattern on the other side.

Stamps: Best Wishes and More
Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Whisper White
Paper: Patterns Designer Series Paper - Bashful Blue
Ink: Bashful Blue
Accessories: ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Whisper White


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.

Test tube treats

Test tubes, eh? The new craze among British Stampin’ Up! demonstrators! Who would have thought it?  

But look what a cute little gift/stocking filler they make when filled with small sweets! 

The tag is stamped with a single cake from Crazy for Cupcakes. I inked it with a marker so that I could stamp just the one. I then stamped the greeting on Barely Banana cardstock before punching it out – holding the punch cutter side up so that I could see where to punch.

I bought the test tubes on ebay and this one is filled with sherbert pips.

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes
Cardstock: Barely Banana, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: 1” circle punch, Scallop Circle Punch, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Whisper White

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.

A birthday box

This little box is the first project I’ve made for a Birthday Party in a Box I’m putting together for the daughter of one of my hostesses. I love this stamp set – and it’s just perfect for a group of girl stampers!

I designed the box by stamping the image first and then working from there. My new grid paper made it easy – and as long as you keep the sides the same width as the base, you should have no problems putting your box together.

I shred my own tissue paper in a paper shredder - I'm far too tight to fork out for the pre-shredded stuff!

Stamps: Crazy for Cupcakes
Cardstock: Almost Amethyst, Perfect Plum, Whisper White
Ink: Basic Black, Perfect Plum
Accessories: ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Whisper White, Stampin’ Writer markers

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.

Snowflake box

Sick of Christmas stuff yet? Sick of Old Olive and Real Red? I’m not, as you can tell!

I demoed this little box at a workshop last week – it went wrong, as these things do from time to time (ok, a lot of the time) and I forgot to put the ribbon join under the snowflake, which would have been far more sensible.

It’s the same box template as Saturday’s sample but with the sides pushed in and the front and back stapled together. Obviously, you need to remember to put your goodies inside before sealing!

Click here for the template - it's very easy, just made from a sheet of A5 cardstock. 

I made this with one of my new stamp sets, Best Wishes and More – it’s a fab all-occasion set with a flower, leaf, bird and snowflake plus a few greetings, too.

Stamps: Best Wishes & More
Cardstock: Old Olive, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: Old Olive, Real Red
Accessories: 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon – Real Red, Red gingham ribbon, household staple

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.