It's Caturday again!

Today is Caturday and our featured moggy is the one we call Hamish. That’s not his real name and he’s not ours, just a regular visitor who likes to lounge in our herbaceous border. Daughter is a bit of a cat fanatic (as you may have gathered) and she does tend to encourage visiting felines, despite the protestations of our own two.

Hamish is a lovely cat, although a little on the shy side. Unless hubby happens to be gardening – which is when Hamish decides to overcome his fears and rub round his ankles.

He and his brother have huge fights in our garden, leaving piles of ginger and white fluff everywhere. Last weekend they left enough to make a whole new cat, I’m sure!

Supplies: Cat (borrowed)

Easy notebook

Finally, my last SAB project of the year because, while SAB doesn't end until tomorrow, Saturday is of course now Caturday!

This little notebook is an easy way to make party favours or a little gift to go with a matching card, for instance. This is the easiest sort of notebook to cover – the kind with the black binding strip along the top.

All you do is trim off the cover, up to the binding strip, and replace it with your own cardstock, fixed securely under the strip.

Stamps: Outlined Occasions

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

Ink: Rich Razzleberry

Accessories: Grosgrain Ribbon - Whisper White, Rhinestones

All products by Stampin' Up!

Triangle box

I want to show the new ladies on Friday just how versatile stamping can be, so I have a couple more Outlined Expressions projects to show them, too.

The first I will demonstrate as an easy little party favour. It’s made from a rectangular piece of Designer Series Paper (trust me, squares don’t work). You simply fold it in half, short edge to short edge, and crease along the fold. Then open out and mark the centre point along both short edges. Score and fold from this centre point to the centre point along the long edge. Take a look at the template, it’s easier than it sounds.

Fold everything inwards and overlap the side flaps. On the top one, mark about 1cm from the top and punch a hole. Fold again and mark through this hole onto the bottom flap and punch again. Repeat on the opposite side. Now you can use ribbon to hold it together and decorate the front as you wish.

I haven’t given measurements because no measurements are required – you can make these any size you like, as long as it’s a rectangle. If you insist on knowing, this one was made from a piece of 6”x4” paper.

Stamps: Outlined Occasions

Cardstock: Old Olive, Whisper White

Paper: Elementary Elegance (SAB)

Ink: Old Olive

Accessories: Rhinestones, 1 ¾” circle punch, large scallop circle punch, Grosgrain Ribbon – Pumpkin Pie (although I’m hoping to scrounge some Old Olive from someone before Friday!)

All products by Stampin' Up! 

Sale-a-Bration for beginners

We’re on the Sale-A-Bration home stretch now: don’t forget that this fabulous promotion ends on Saturday 31^st March. And if you’ve been meaning to sign up as a demonstrator and want to take advantage of the extra free stamp set that Sale-A-Bration gives you, you need to get all your paperwork to SU by 2pm on Friday. It must be signed by me (or your chosen upline) but can be faxed or emailed.

So, with the end of SAB looming, I thought I’d better cram in a few last-minute projects. On Friday I’m doing a last SAB party for a group of ladies who are mostly new to rubber stamping and the joys of Stampin’ Up!®, so I’ve been playing around with a bundle of products which are perfect for beginners, and still give you a free stamp set.

The Outlined Occasions stamp set is ideal for new stampers as it contains stamps for lots of occasions, and can be coloured in. Here I’ve shown three different ways of colouring an image – there are many more ways but these are the three I use most.

1. The card on the left uses Watercolour Wonder™ crayons – which I love. You can scribble on your image using the crayon and then blend the colour using a blender pen or wet paintbrush. Because this is a detailed image, I used them a different way; I put the blender pen straight to the crayon to pick up the colour instead. I used the Brights pack for this card.

2. Top right is simply coloured with Stampin’ Write markers. I don’t use markers as often as many stampers but they are very popular. I find them easier to use for smaller images such as this one. For this card, I used Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry and Daffodil Delight.

3. Bottom right is simply stamped in Rich Razzleberry and then coloured in using Rich Razzleberry ink picked up from the inside of the ink pad lid using a blender pen. This is probably my most used method of colouring because I’m lazy and the ink pad is usually in front of me and I always have a blender pen to hand.

These three cards are made with a bundle I will be showcasing on Friday – although I couldn’t resist adding a background of Fruit & Flowers on one of the cards, just because the stamp set will be going soon (at the end of April) and I don’t seem to have used it much.

So, ignoring Fruit & Flowers and the colouring media, here’s the bundle:

Assorted A4 cardstock: Getting Started colours (20 sheets)	121799	88	£6.25
Word Window punch	119857	116	£14.25
Ink pad – suggest Old Olive	102277	91	£4.95
Ink pad – suggest Rich Razzleberry	115658	91	£4.95
Tombow multi-purpose adhesive	110755	114	£3.25
Stampin’ Dimensionals	104430	114	£3.25
Grosgrain Ribbon – your choice of colour:		107	£4.50
Glimmer brads – Brights	121006	109	£4.50
OR Basic Rhinestones	119246	110
Outlined Occasions stamp set (wood)	126014	SAB	FREE
TOTAL			£45.90

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Mmmmmm Mocha Morning

Caturday proved to be more popular than my stamping projects! Not sure whether to be pleased or a bit miffed, LOL!

But back to stamping today and this little beauty arrived in the post from a fellow demonstrator and friend, Ann Wall. Ann is an adopted member of our team as her own upline lives far away and she sent me this gorgeous card recently using that favourite Sale-a-Bration stamp set, Fresh Vintage. I love how she punched out the postage stamp shapes from the images and also from Mocha Morning DSP.

Would you believe I have a full pack of Mocha Morning, as yet untouched? All I’ve done is open it and drool over it. I MUST make something with it, as it’s beautiful, especially these flocked sheets.  Yes, flocked. This gives the paper a lovely texture, which is echoed in Ann’s use of the velvet ribbon. Yum!

If you love this card as much as I do and want to recreate it, here are a few warnings:

1. The Fresh Vintage stamp set is only available until March 31^st – and comes free with any £45 order
2. The Velvet ribbon is only available until the end of April, when the Spring Mini makes way for the Summer Mini
3. The Postage Stamp punch is also only available until the end of April, as it’s in the Spring Mini

My gut feeling says the punch MIGHT reappear in the new catalogue, but there are no guarantees. I suspect the ribbon will not. So you are advised to buy now while you know you can get them.

Everything else is in the main Idea Book & Catalogue and therefore available until the end of September.

Stamps: Fresh Vintage (SAB)

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Very Vanilla

Paper: Mocha Morning

Ink: Basic Black, Crumb Cake

Accessories: Postage Stamp Punch, Velvet Ribbon (Spring Mini), Antique Brads, Crochet Trim – Victoria

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

It's Caturday!

Introducing a new, possibly unsustainable and totally non-stamping related blog feature: Caturday! Daughter has a habit of filling my camera with cat pictures and it seems a shame that they go to waste so she and I reckon my blog could benefit from some furriness.  Readers with cat allergies can rest assured that no dangerous dander can reach your tender nostrils from behind the safety screen. However, I do extend my apologies to any cat phobics and advise you to skip my blog on Saturdays in future.

Today’s poster girl is sure to be a regular; it’s Cobweb, our largely misunderstood female feline. This was taken by my daughter on one of her first voluntary forays into the garden of the year. That’s Cobweb’s first foray, not my daughter’s, although on reflection, it was probably her first, too.  And I say voluntary because Cobweb is of course turfed out daily in the hope that she’ll wee outside instead of in the litter tray we have been forced to provide for her since the incident I will refer to as Legogate.

But the sun came out a few days ago and Cobweb decided, all by herself, that it would be a good thing to investigate. She loves being high up as there’s less chance of getting beaten up by ninja neighbour cats or her brother – even though the chances are pretty slim as they’re all terrified of her due to her “whack first, don’t even bother asking questions later” policy of defence.

So here she is, at the top of the pergola, eyes set to “stun”. Hope you like her – if not, see you next week for some stamping stuff! And if you don't like stamping stuff, see you next Caturday!

Supplies: Black and white cat, pergola, camera (operated by daughter)

French Foliage one-sheet wonder

Finally, the one-sheet wonder projects from my class at the weekend – well, most of them, as I accidentally used one of them before taking the photo. Oops.

We made nine cards using  these gorgeous colours – Island Indigo, Pool Party, Sahara Sand and Early Espresso. The choice of stamp sets was this one; French Foliage, which I absolutely love... and Spiced Paisley, which I also love but I needed an excuse to buy French Foliage!

I thought the theme of the cards and the colours would go some way to redress the balance in favour of masculine cards a little; it’s so easy to get drawn into pretty ribbons and colours and forget about the men in our lives. So many of these cards can be used for male birthdays etc.

The class worked quite well; everyone had a sheet of Whisper White A4 cardstock to stamp at a separate stamping station, then returned to their table to assemble the projects. The supply list is going to be a big one but here goes...

Stamps: French Foliage, Happiest of Birthdays (Hostess), Curly Cute, It’s Your Day, Perfect Punches

Cardstock: Pool Party, Island Indigo, Sahara Sand, Early Espresso, Whisper White

Ink: Pool Party, Island Indigo, Sahara Sand, Early Espresso

Accessories: Scallop Edge punch, Wide Oval punch, Square Punch (to create flag), Big Shot, Lots of Tags, ¼” Taffeta Ribbon – Early Espresso, Ruffled Ribbon – Island Indigo, Linen Thread, Itty Bitty Buttons, 1¾” circle punch (not shown),  large scallop circle punch (not shown)

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Cool card carrier

Wow, busy week with a SU party, a team meeting and a class - that's a lot in one week for me! But before I show you what we made at the class, here's the rather whizzy carrier I made for the cards shown in the last two posts – fun, isn’t it? Naturally I didn’t think of this myself, it was shown to me by the über-talented Kelly, friend and former downline.

It’s made from a single sheet of Designer Series Paper, folded. You punch holes in the top and tie it together so that it stands up.

I am thinking some of you might like this as a class... yes? Let me know please!  It looks a little cluttered like this so I am thinking a slightly smaller one would be better, made to hold smaller cards of course.

NB: I don't currently have instructions or a template to make this but when I make one for the class (possibly in June) I will be happy to provide one. 

Supplies: Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper (SAB), Lucky Limeade Ruffled Ribbon, Crop-A-Dile™

For card supplies and details, please see previous two blog posts.

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Fluttering by again

Another butterfly/Sale-A-Bration pairing – this time just one Pool Party butterfly to pick up the Pool Party in the Designer Series Paper and the hint of a Pool Party border on the left.

And have I mentioned how much I love the new Scallop Circle Punch from the Spring Mini? It’s larger than the one in the main catalogue, measuring 2 3/8” (6cm) in diameter. As always, Stampin’ Up!® have thought of everything so naturally it co-ordinates perfectly with the 1¾” circle punch, as shown here. 

This punch – as with everything in the Spring Mini – is only guaranteed to be available until the end of April. It might return in the new catalogue in October but I can’t make any promises because I simply don’t know!

And of course the Sale-A-Bration items (the paper and the stamp set) are only available until the end of March – and each ones comes free with a £45 purchase.

I made two of these cards – and two of the previous one. Next time I’ll show you what I made to carry them!

Stamps: Curly Cute, Fresh Vintage (SAB)

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Pool Party

Paper: Everyday Enchantment (SAB)

Ink: Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso

Accessories: Big Shot, Butterfly Embosslit, 2 3/8” Scallop Circle Punch, 1¾” circle punch, Lace Ribbon Border Punch

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Fluttering by

These little butterflies go so well with this paper! Wish I’d thought of it before really...

I simply stamped the Happy Birthday greeting from Perfect Punches onto some Very Vanilla cardstock, punched it out and mounted it onto a tag made with one of my new Lots of Tags dies. You can only just see it but I’ve stamped off in Pool Party with the large flourish from Fresh Vintage, too.

It’s overlaid onto some Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper, with a hint of Peach Parfait peeping out behind it. I’ve punched this using the Lace Ribbon Border punch. This punch is really popular and, while it may be a little bit on the fussy side for my tastes, but I love it when it’s used this way. The butterflies are the perfect finishing touch, especially with a tiny bit of Linen Thread to hold them together and tie in with the Crumb Cake card base.

Stamps: Perfect Punches, Fresh Vintage (SAB)

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Peach Parfait, Very Vanilla, Pool Party

Paper: Everyday Enchantment (SAB)

Ink: Crumb Cake, Pool Party

Accessories: Big Shot, Butterfly Embosslit, Lots of Tags Dies, Wide Oval Punch, Lace Ribbon Border Punch, Pool Party ruffled ribbon, linen thread

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Take your pick: simple... or bling

This is something I’ve been demoing at some of my Sale-a-Bration parties – a very simple card which showcases the Fresh Vintage stamps set nicely. The bottom card is the basic one, the top one has been “stepped up” with the addition of Glimmer Paper and a rhinestone. Love that subtle hint of bling!

Stamps: Fresh Vintage (SAB)

Cardstock: Pool Party, Whisper White, Lucky Limeade, Poppy Parade

Ink: Poppy Parade, Pool Party

Accessories: Postage Stamp Punch, Ruffled Ribbon – Lucky Limeade, Basic Rhinestones

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Green and red are for life, not just for Christmas

This was something I made while coming up with a Make and Take for  my Sale-a-Bration parties. This isn’t the M&T of course because at the time of designing, I didn’t have enough of the Designer Series Paper.

I do love this stamp set and paper – and this colour combo, too, which shows that it doesn’t have to be Christmas to use green and red!

Stamps: Fresh Vintage (SAB)

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White

Paper: Everyday Enchantment (SAB)

Ink: Poppy Parade, Lucky Limeade

Accessories: Ruffled Ribbon – Lucky Limeade, Postage Stamp Punch, Basic Rhinestone

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Look familiar?

I thought I’d posted this one but I can’t find it. Apologies if you’ve seen it before. It’s another Sale-a-Bration creation using possibly my favourite SAB item available: the Everyday Enchantment Designer Series Paper. And this horizontal strip is my favourite pattern from the whole pack, although I have to say it’s very difficult to choose.

A very simple card, allowing the paper to do the work, along with the gorgeous Lots of Tags die and the Perfect Punches stamp set.

The Wide Oval punch fits perfectly on top of this die – I love the way SU makes everything go together so well!

Stamps: Perfect Punches

Cardstock: Poppy Parade, Pool Party, Lucky Limeade, Very Vanilla

Paper: Everyday Enchantment (SAB)

Ink: Pool Party

Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Lots of Tags dies

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

More SAB lovelies

Hello, long time no blog! Sorry about that – will try to keep the blog updated but I am not able to get to the internet as often as I’d like right now. I have to say, though – as inconvenient as it can be, in a way it’s sort of liberating, too.

Today’s project shows off some more Sale-A-Bration loveliness.  Poppy Parade and Lucky Limeade – they rhyme so they must be a perfect colour combination! Add a splash of gorgeous Pool Party for this n In Colour card using free stamps and free papers. Curly Cute is a must right now – it’s my “go to” greeting set of the moment. Love it!

The flowers are punched with the Boho Blossoms punch. The leaves are created from the middle-sized flower from this punch, with all but two of the petals trimmed off.

Stamps: Fresh Vintage (SAB), Curly Cute

Cardstock: Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, Poppy Parade, Whisper White

Paper: Everyday Enchantment (SAB)

Ink: Lucky Limeade, Pool Party, Poppy Parade

Accessories: Boho Blossoms punch, basic rhinestones, scallop edge punch

All products by Stampin’ Up!®

Delicious blackberries

This little card (3" square) uses the oh so sweet stamp set, Perfect Postage, which co-ordinates so perfectly with the Postage Stamp punch.

Here I’ve inked the blackberries image with markers, stamped it on Very Vanilla and cut it out. I’ve layered it onto a piece of Elegant Eggplant punched out with the Postage Stamp punch.

Don’t you just love the vintage look of the Crochet Trim? This one is the Victoria 5/8” – gorgeous!

Stamps: Perfect Postage

Cardstock: Sahara Sand textured, Elegant Eggplant, Very Vanilla

Ink: Elegant Eggplant and Old Olive markers

Accessories: Postage Stamp punch, Victoria Crochet Trim

All products by Stampin’ Up!®