Calmly Bearing Gifts

It s the Christmas countdown and I only have a couple of cards left to show you. I do have some new samples from the Spring/Summer catty but the pictures I took are even worse than this one! I’d forgotten how difficult it was to get a decent picture when you’re in the darkest part of the year.

While I’m here I’d just like to remind you that I am now taking bookings for TWO events...

Launch Party
At my Launch Party, you’ll get to see samples, demonstrations and enjoy Make & Takes with products from both the new Spring/Summer catalogue and from the forthcoming Sale-a-Bration promotion. These are always relaxed events, with the odd game and, of course, cake and prizes. The cost is £7 (discount for Virtual Hostess Club members) and you can read all about it, and register, HERE.  Please book soon as the event is on 10th January, which isn’t actually that far away! But what better way to start the New Year than with some crafting?

All-Day Craftathon
My All-Day Craftathon is for those of you who like to get your teeth into a project. We’ll be making several exciting projects and playing with some fun techniques. You’ll get a generous kit to use on the day, with leftovers to take home afterwards to continue your crafting. All materials are supplied (please bring your own adhesives and basic craft kit) and brand new products will feature strongly. This event is more than half full already, so please don’t delay booking as I’d hate you to be disappointed. The cost is £30 which I know isn’t something you want to fork out before Christmas, so you can secure your place now with just £5. All details, and booking, are HERE.

You can also read about and book for either of these events using the buttons at the top of this page, or the links in your most recent newsletter. Not on my mailing list? Click the link on this page to join!

And now... remember that polar bear card at the top of the page? Here’s the recipe...

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Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Festival of Trees tag card

Oops, how did it get to be Friday? I’ll tell you how… it’s been a bit of a crazy week. The biggest thing to happen has been our office move at work. If you’re in Derby you’ll have probably read about it at some point. We’ve not moved far but it does mean a different route into work, an earlier start to allow time to find a parking space (and *gasp* PAY for it), plus disruption when you get there, as we try to get used to a new way of working, overcome a few technical teething problems and get to grips with a clever but therefore more complex new phone system. But our new “hot-desking” culture means that next week I am going to try working from home for part of the week, so fingers crossed our wi-fi is up to the task!

Back home we’ve been trying to get our boiler fixed so that we can have central heating when we want it. Thank goodness we have the woodburner to take the chill off the house, even when the radiators won’t work. By chance, I found a really great plumber who has given us heat, but he still needs to come back to find out why the pump now won’t switch off! This wouldn’t be a major issue if the boiler wasn’t in the back of a cupboard, the contents of which are currently strewn across the kitchen table waiting to be put away when the issues are resolved. 

Meanwhile, most of us at home and a good chunk of us at work are dealing with a particularly nasty cold which, as you know, makes everything seem worse! 

But enough of my woes, here’s a fun card that you can easily make if you have the Tree Punch; you don’t even need the co-ordinating stamp set, as you can switch the greeting. But I will warn you – I was talking to my demo friend Ann the other day and she says several of her customers bought the stamp set, intending to cut out the tree themselves… then returned to her quite quickly to order the punch, too! So, as Stampin’ Up!® so often knows best, buy the stamps and punch as a bundle for best value and ease of use. 

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Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Little boxes with All is Calm DSP

This is a fab little box designed by Pootles which uses a 6x6 piece of Designer Series Paper, so I’m sure you’ll appreciate that I enjoy the economy of this!

Here are two I made using the All is Calm Designer Series Paper, achieving two very different looks from this same pack of gorgeous paper. Scroll down for the second one!

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Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

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A White Christmas... and All is Calm

I held my first party of the month last week and was proud to introduce the guests to our fabulous new Autumn/Winter catalogue. It’s proving very popular, with lots of interest in the gorgeous new stamp sets. 

This set is a clear favourite. It’s called White Christmas and is a photopolymer set, which is perfect for lining up the images. I love so many of the images in this set but I did explain to the guests that I find it difficult to comprehend when people stamp the polar bear next to the trees.  There are no trees in the world of polar bears, so I’m afraid I couldn’t create a card like that!

However, as I also explained, I have no problem at all with a blue deer! This card is kept deliberately simple; partly so that it could be created quickly as our Make & Take and partly because, when you’re making a lot of Christmas cards, you don’t want to overcomplicate matters. 

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Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

I used Whisper White note cards and envelopes to eliminate the cutting and scoring process. Using circle punches to create the elements also speeds things up as there’s no measuring required.  I’ve used just one ink pad, as I appreciate not everybody has everything (like I do!) and your Christmas cards shouldn’t break the bank. Who knew I put so much thought into your Make & Takes?

But there’s a stepped-up version, too, for your “A-list friends”. This one is a larger card, featuring embossing, another ink colour (Silver) and a rhinestone (but only one because I forgot to order them and need to hold some back for my Christmas workshop!). There’s a hint of Chalk Marker, too, to add a snowy ground beneath the stag’s feet. 

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Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

The Merry Christmas on both cards comes from a really lovely stamp set called Good Greetings. It’s free to hostesses who hold a party of £200 or more before the end of October. And it’s in addition to all their other lovely hostess benefits, too! My calendar is pretty tight now but drop me a line and I’ll see if I can squeeze you in!