Caturday - Mr Winky

Happy Easter from Mr Winky, who is not enjoying this snowy weather AT ALL. He keeps coming home with snowy accessories which he shakes off in the house. Poor Mr Winky. 

CAS Itty Bitties cards

Simple, stylish, clean, elegant... yes, these cards have all the hallmarks of a Kelly Austin creation!

Kelly came round to play – well, really, I just ply her with tea and put her to work – and came up with these beauties, using the Itty Bitties stamp set from the Spring/Summer catalogue.

She also scored a border using the Simply Scored tool and pretty much left it at that. That’s why she’s a genius – she knows when to stop!

Stamps: Itty Bitties, Tiny Tags

Cardstock: Whisper White, Wild Wasabi

Ink: Marina Mist, Wild Wasabi

Accessories: Itty Bitty Punches, Boho Blossoms punch, Basic Rhinestones

All products by Stampin' Up!®

Newsflash! Extra Starter Kit goodies offer extended until end of March

I've just learned that the Sale-a-Bration recruiting offer has been extended until the end of March! That means if you sign up before the end of March, you can choose craft supplies up to the value of £162.50 in your Starter Kit, just as you could during SAB!

This is a fantastic offer as you'll get all those lovely craft goodies, as well as business supplies to set you on your way, for just £99, with free shipping!

If you'd like to find out more, please read the info on this blog (see buttons on the right), or drop me a line with any questions.

And if you're ready to take the plunge, simply click here!

"Love" card with Artisan Embellishments Kit

Suffering from a post-Sale-a-Bration slump? Well, don’t! Pick up that Spring/Summer catalogue and have another flick through – you’re sure to find something to lift your spirits. Never mind that there’s still six inches of snow outside and icy gales blowing, it is officially spring now so it’s time to make some spring projects!

Here’s one I made earlier, blatantly CASEd from Joanne Travis over in Seattle. It’s bang on trend, with its Victoriana theme and use of cream and white together. Lots of detail, lots of prettiness... so not my style but I have to admit I love it, and it’s been attracting a lot of attention on my samples table at events!

The great thing about this card is that all it uses is a couple of embossing folders – just use the ones you already have, I did! All the embellishments – the Kraft tag, Love label, lace and rose – come from the Artisan Embellishment Kit. If you don’t have one of these, I highly recommend that you order one, as there’s so much to play with in there!

Cardstock: Whisper White, Very Vanilla

Accessories: Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder, Adorning Accents Folder, corner rounder, Artisan Embellishments Kit.

All products by Stampin' Up!®

Caturday - Ajax

Well, Sale-a-Bration is over for another year and what a Sale-a-Bration it has been. I've been delighted to welcome a staggering 18 new people into my team as a whole, which is remarkable for a relatively small team like mine. I've seen two of my team promote to a higher level,  which is always satisfying and, most importantly of all, I've seen lots of customers get really excited about their free gifts, which I always love to see.

Now it's back to normality and I will get cracking on some Spring/Summer samples for you, although there's nothing summery or even spring-like about the weather right now. Eight inches of snow and it's STILL coming down. Coupled with strong winds which have led to some impressive drifts. I'm NOT going anywhere unless I absolutely have to.

So here's today's Caturday model for your viewing pleasure: it's Ajax, who belongs to one of my downlines, Jacqui. He's a really big fellow, but a gentle giant. However, he's not keen on having his photo taken and looked away almost every time I pointed the camera at him!

Sale-a-Bration ends today!

The sad news, on this unseasonably snowy day, is that Sale-a-Bration comes to a close this evening. Don't say you haven't been warned!

Here are my final two SAB projects, totally unrelated but they are all I have. A scrapbook page with a hint of SAB in the words, and a box using SAB stamp set and papers.

Better start making some new stuff then I suppose!

Stamps: Bloomin Marvelous (SAB), Vintage Verses (SAB)
Cardstock: Pacific Point, Gumball Green, Summer Starfruit, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White
Paper: Sycamore Street (SAB), Poetry Prints stack
Ink: Tangerine Tango, Whisper White
Accessories: Small heart punch, basic pears, Butterly embosslits, Labels Collection Framelits

All products by Stampin' Up!®

Last chance for Sale-a-Bration, plus a vintage Feeling Sentimental card

This is (almost) your final warning: Sale-a-Bration ends tomorrow! That means all those fabulous stamp sets and accessories will no longer be available. No longer will you be able to get a fab free gift with a £45 order, and the Starter Kit will be back to its usual size (£130 of catalogue products for £99). Don’t want to miss out? Here’s what you need to do:

Want to place an order?

Email me today or tomorrow with full details, including item code and full product description. Please ensure you have all details correct as we’re running out of time for clarification.

How to pay: Pop cash through my door, or send online to my account if you have the details stored. Remember to add £4.95 for shipping. If you need to pay by cheque, bear in mind that I will have to have the order delivered to me (shipping charges still apply) for collection.

Want to host a party?

Hmmm... why didn’t you mention it sooner? I am now taking bookings for post-SAB parties but if you really wanted hostess benefits before then, simply gather enough orders before the end of tomorrow and you can be the hostess.

How to pay: See above.

Want to join?

This one’s easy. Simply make your list of up to £162.50 of products and click the link on the left! Your craft products can be chosen from both current catalogues, but cannot include hostess sets or SAB items. You cannot go over the £162.50 so get your calculator out!

How to pay: You will need a credit or debit card to pay SU direct. Shipping is free.

Ok, now that’s out of the way, onto today’s project, which uses three SAB items because I’m extravagant that way (ha!). I’ve wiped the glossy cardstock with reinkers, then embossed it using the Honeycomb Embossing Folder. Next I applied ink to some of the raised areas using the Direct-to-Paper technique (basically just holding the ink pad and applying it to the paper).

The big wheel is embossed in silver. You don’t see THAT very often on my blog, do you? The Primrose Petals Core’dinations cardstock is sanded to create one of my very favourite looks of the moment.

Oh there’s loads on there, I’ll just make a list...

Stamps: Feeling Sentimental (SAB), Pretty Petites (SAB),

Cardstock: Primrose Petals, Primrose Petals Core’dinations, Glossy White, Whisper White, Brushed Silver, Silver Glimmer Paper

Ink: Versamark, Primrose Petals

Accessories: Silver embossing powder, Rose Red Seam-binding ribbon (from Artisan Embellishments Kit), Honeycomb embossing folder, Petite Curly Label punch (SAB), Itty Bitty Punches, Sanding Block, Basic Pearls

All products by Stampin' Up!® 

Feeling Sentimental... with doilies

Continuing the theme of using a masculine set for a girlie card, here’s another of my attempts to embrace the doily challenge! This was one of my earlier efforts and I do think I’ve got a bit over-the-top with the doilies, even though I’ve only used one. I do like the Primrose Petals sponging around the edges though. I've also sponged the edges of the paper flower to darken them. 

Stamps: Feeling Sentimental (SAB)

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Raspberry Ripple

Ink: Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, Midnight Muse

Accessories: Artisan Embellishments Kit, sponge daubers

All products by Stampin' Up!® 

Feeling Sentimental Bloomin' Marvelous card

Went to the Post Office yesterday and sent out LOADS of cards to welcome yet more new team members and to congratulate other members of the team who have promoted. I’m overwhelmed by the number of new people we have in our not-so-little team now – the latest count is 17 new starters since the start of Sale-a-Bration!

This was another of the cards I posted out – a belated birthday card for another member of the team. I totally CASEd this from a card I saw on Pinterest, created by Nikki Spencer. I’ve just taken a look at her blog, and she has versions using all three of the image stamps from this fabulous set. I love that it's turned what is often seen as a masculine set into something very feminine. 

I’ve used the Penny Farthing (just for you, Kathy!) and teamed it with the flowers from Bloomin’ Marvelous, another must-have Sale-a-Bration set.

This was an end-of-day card and I was keen to finish, so grabbed what I could from the scraps box for the sentiment. All I could find in the right size was Very Vanilla but I remembered that cream and white together is a key trend for 2013, so just went with it. Kinda works, I think.

Stamps: Bloomin’ Marvelous (SAB), Feeling Sentimental (SAB)

Cardstock: Whisper White, Very Vanilla

Ink: Basic Grey, Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals, Gumball Green

All products by Stampin' Up!® 

Bloomin' Marvelous Aviary card

This is a card I made for one of my team, to congratulate her on a recent promotion. But I’m ashamed to say that I haven’t posted it to her yet! I thought I had, but I found it among some other cards the other day. Must sort that out this week.

It was inspired by Crafting Clare, who cleverly teamed the SAB set, Bloomin’ Marvelous, with Aviary. I love the look and made a variation on the theme as my Mother’s Day card this year. And look, I’m channelling my girlie side by using a doily!

Stamps: Bloomin’ Marvelous (SAB), Aviary

Cardstock: Lucky Limeade, Raspberry Ripple, Primrose Petals Core’dinations, Very Vanilla

Paper: Tea For Two DSP

Ink: Black StazOn®, Lucky Limeade, Raspberry Ripple (marker), Primrose Petals (marker)

Accessories: Doilies, oval punch, scalloped oval punch

All products by Stampin' Up!® 

Caturday already?

It's Caturday again, they don't half come round quick! Here's a gorgeous little tortoise-shell and white we found on a walk and daughter was happy that she (I believe they're always female, aren't they?) obliged with a quick cuddle.

I'm off cats at the moment, after being woken four times in the night by bad felines! Worst one was when Mr Winky jumped onto my chest and gave me the fright of my life! Anyone want a black cat?

Sale-a-Bration last leg: Feeling Sentimental

Cramming now in the last leg of Sale-a-Bration. You have until Friday, 22^nd March to earn this gorgeous vintage stamp set free. It’s called Feeling Sentimental and has been one of the most popular choices with my customers during this year’s SAB. You get this penny farthing, a proper British phone box, a big wheel (London Eye?) and the word “Celebrate”, and you can choose wood or clear-mount.

Here I’ve teamed it with a few items from the Spring/Summer catalogue. I brayered the Honeycomb Embossing Folder then smashed it onto a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock to create this cool background. Basically, the harder you smash, the more ink you get inside the hexagons. Go gently and you’ll get a nice, neat honeycomb pattern, if that’s what you prefer.

I also stamped some splodges in Crumb Cake using French Foliage... this stamp set is worth the money for the splodge stamp alone!

The final embellishment is a small Soda Pop Top. The great news is that these are now back in stock! Here I’ve flattened it in the Big Shot, then stamped and punched an image to fit inside and covered it with Crystal Effects. It’s attached with a dimensional.

Stamps: Feeling Sentimental (SAB), French Foliage, Tiny Tags

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Soft Suede

Ink: Crumb Cake, Raspberry Ripple, Soft Suede

Accessories: Natural Trim Ribbon, Soda Pop Tops, ½” circle punch, Crystal Effects®, Honeycomb Embossing Folder

All products by Stampin' Up!® 

Last few days of Sale-a-Bration - Bloomin' Marvelous

Here are a couple of variations of yesterday’s card, for those who have a Big Shot. Don’t have a Big Shot? Why not talk to me about getting one at half price?

These cards were inspired by several I saw on Pinterest and are an amalgamation of them all – unfortunately I can't remember who made them and don't have time to look right now. 

On the first, it’s hard to see but there are extra flowers in the background, stamped off – ie, stamped on scrap paper first to remove some of the ink and create a more subtle image. They are a bit clearer on the second card.  The first card is topped off with a Summer Starfruit Dahlia; these are really cute and I don’t use them enough.

Both of these cards use three Sale-a-Bration items: a stamp set, Designer Series Paper and the ribbon/button bundle. You can get all of these either by placing a £135 order (and, if you’re doing that, frankly you may as well sign up as a demonstrator, which only costs £99) or by placing a £45 order to get Bloomin’ Marvelous at your own £300 party, where you’ll get the DSP, ribbon/button bundle and a further stamp set, Madison Avenue, FREE. You’ll have to hurry, though – there is only just over a week to go! But did you know you can get the same benefits without holding a party? Just gather the orders from your friends and, as a reward, you’ll be the hostess with the mostess!

Stamps: Bloomin’ Marvelous (SAB)

Cardstock: Pool Party, Sahara Sand, Whisper White

Paper: Sycamore Street (SAB)

Ink: Summer Starfruit, Pool Party, Island Indigo, Sahara Sand, Tangerine Tango

Accessories: Sycamore Street Ribbon/Button bundle (SAB),  In Color Dahlias, Apothecary Accents Dies

All products by Stampin' Up!® 

Sale-a-bration final stretch - Bloomin' Marvelous

We’re on the Sale-a-Bration countdown now... there are only nine days left to go of this fabulous promotion, so please make sure you don’t miss out.

Take a look here at all the fabulous things you could earn with a £45 order and then get in touch as soon as you can! Shipping is £4.95 to any address in the UK, or €5,95 if you’d like it shipped to France, Germany, Austria or The Netherlands. If you can collect from me, I’ll be placing my final SAB order on 15^th March, so you can hop onto that and get free shipping!   

So, as time is short, I need to rattle through my remaining SAB samples, starting with these two. These were made in preparation for the party I never managed to do, back in January when I wasn’t well. Thankfully, one of my team stepped into the breach so that the hostess wouldn’t be disappointed. I don’t think these were the exact projects, but they were some of the samples I had hastily prepared – see how twisted and untrimmed the ribbon is on the box? I noticed after I uploaded the photo and never got round to fixing it. What’s the opposite of perfect? Finished! 

Stamps: Bloomin’ Marvelous (SAB)

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

Paper: International Bazaar, Silver Glimmer Paper

Ink: Pool Party, Island Indigo, Tangerine Tango

Accessories: Small heart punch, Sycamore Street Ribbon/Button bundle (SAB), Kraft Boxes, Stitched grosgrain ribbon - Whisper White

All products by Stampin' Up!® 

Bloomin' Marvelous CAS cards - last batch

Aaaaaaaaaagh, the weather! Just when we thought spring was around the corner, we’re faced with a blizzard! Wish I’d not opened the curtains this morning.

To brighten things up a little, here are the final projects from the batch I made with my bargain beginners’ bundle. Ok, I’ll admit I added the white gift bag, but most of us crafty hoarders have something like this stashed away, don’t we?

The first card is inspired by Mary Fish, a name which crops up a lot on this blog because I really admire her simple but classy style.

Ah, phew... in the time it’s taken to type those three paragraphs, the snow has eased to a small flurry and the sun has come out. That's England for you! Still blooming cold though.

Supply list:

Whisper White cardstock: £7.50

Assorted A4 In Color cardstock – 2012-24: £6.25

Stampin’ Write In Color markers 2012-14: £11.75

Stitched Satin In Color ribbon – Primrose Petals: £7.95

C6 Whisper White envelopes: £5.75

Stampin’ Dimensionals: £3.25

Tombow multi-purpose adhesive: £3.25

Bloomin’ Marvelous stamp set: FREE

Total price: £45.70

All products by Stampin' Up!® 

VIDEO: Caturday - the cat that plays fetch!

It’s Caturday and today I have a video for you. Solo became famous this week when his amazing skills were showcased on the Derby Telegraph website, and his picture was featured in the paper.

Solo is very fond of one particular toy mouse. I say “mouse” – it used to be a mouse, but now it’s just a grimy blob of plastic half covered in manky fur. With this mouse he likes to play “fetch” – not with any other mouse, just this one.

Unfortunately the mouse has been missing for several weeks, but last weekend it was the first thing I spotted when we entered the cat shelter. Yes, it had turned up and he had resumed his fetching practice. Luckily I had my camera with me so managed to catch him in action and submitted it to the Derby Telegraph website - click on the video, below, and take a look here. 

CAS cards with Bloomin' Marvelous

Yet more CAS (clean and simple) projects made with my £45 bundle. You know, it makes crafting a lot quicker when you are determined to stick to certain products and don’t have to keep fetching more items and cluttering the table even more!

This time I have a couple of really simple square cards to show you – hope you like them! I was inspired to make the flower one by a card I saw on Pinterest by Allison Okamitsu. I just changed the stamp set. I thought I had also CASEd the bird card but can’t find an original, so apologies if it was yours.

Supply list (not all used):

Whisper White cardstock: £7.50

Assorted A4 In Color cardstock – 2012-24: £6.25

Stampin’ Write In Color markers 2012-14: £11.75

Stitched Satin In Color ribbon – Primrose Petals: £7.95

C6 Whisper White envelopes: £5.75

Stampin’ Dimensionals: £3.25

Tombow multi-purpose adhesive: £3.25

Bloomin’ Marvelous stamp set: FREE

Total price: £45.70

All products by Stampin' Up!® 

Beautiful butterflies - Bloomin' Marvelous!

Continuing the theme of crafting on a budget, here are a couple more projects I made with my bargain bundle of products.

Using just the following items...

Whisper White cardstock: £7.50

Assorted A4 In Color cardstock – 2012-24: £6.25

Stampin’ Write In Color markers 2012-14: £11.75

Stitched Satin In Color ribbon – Primrose Petals: £7.95

C6 Whisper White envelopes: £5.75

Stampin’ Dimensionals: £3.25

Tombow multi-purpose adhesive: £3.25

Bloomin’ Marvelous stamp set: FREE

Total price: £45.70

...I made a batch of projects at the weekend, the scattered butterly one being inspired by Kim Ryden. And you know something? Not once did I think “I could make this sooooo much better if I was allowed to use X”. I just sat there like a good girl and crafted happily with my small selection of supplies. Why not try it one day? And why not tell your  non-stamping friends that crafting CAN save you money!

All products by Stampin' Up!® 

Stamping on a budget - Bloomin' Marvelous!

If you’re anything like as obsessed with crafting as I am, you’ll probably have stacks and stacks of supplies and believe that you simply can’t do without any of them.

Don’t tell your other half if you have one – but the truth is, you CAN. And recently I made a batch of cards which proves that you can make beautiful projects on a budget, even if you’re starting out with nothing. That’s definitely something worth sharing with those friends who think stamping is an expensive hobby! Here are some of the projects I made and here’s what I used:

Whisper White cardstock: £7.50

Assorted A4 In Color cardstock – 2012-24: £6.25

Stampin’ Write In Color markers 2012-14: £11.75

Stitched Satin In Color ribbon – Primrose Petals: £7.95

C6 Whisper White envelopes: £5.75

Stampin’ Dimensionals: £3.25

Tombow multi-purpose adhesive: £3.25

Bloomin’ Marvelous stamp set: FREE

 

Total price: £45.70

If you’re not starting out and already have adhesives and envelopes, you can swap those items for something more exciting and open up even more possibilities!

All products by Stampin' Up!® 

Caturday - Kisa

Sorry for the Catur-delay - but here at last is today's feline model. It's Kisa, who lives in Canada for most of the year but, like his owner (my aunt) is a snow bird and heads south to Florida for the winter. He's a handsome chap, isn't it?

I've had a busy afternoon - been doing a Stampin' Up!® party for a lady on the other side of Derby. Everyone seemed to have a good time and the hostess gets loads of freebies. It's a win-win!