Stepped-up projects using new Nests of Winter Suite from Stampin’ Up!®

There’s a new Stampin’ Up!® Mini Catalogue coming our way soon, and I am lucky to have the Nests of Winter Suite, featuring Winterly Tree Tops stamps and dies, already.

This was available to demonstrators who signed up for the online global Creativity Now event. It was a fun opportunity to see an array of gorgeous projects using Winterly Tree Tops as well as some behind-the-scenes peeks at other products in the new September-December Mini Catalogue from Stampin’ Up!®.

Take a look at some of the projects I made. You could make these and more at my in-person Autumn Craft Day here in Derbyshire on 28th September. 

 

Find out more and reserve your spot here

12 projects using Beary Cute stamp set

 

Are you looking for some Beary Cute project ideas? You’ve come to the right place.

I recently held a full day event using the Beary Cute stamp set from Stampin’ Up!® 

Guests could choose to receive half a pack of either the Beary Christmas Designer Series Paper or A Walk in the Forest. Both packs of Designer Series Paper coordinate perfectly with the Beary Cute stamp set and I couldn’t choose so gave them the option. 

Check out the gorgeous Ornate Garden Designer Series Paper

I wasn’t sure about the new Ornate Garden Suite when I first saw it, but now I’m completely hooked on the Designer Series Paper. It features beautiful floral designs with a vintage feel.

I’ve been busy designing projects for my upcoming class. Guests can log in from home and craft along with me, while seeing and chatting to each other, too. It’s the next best thing from coming to a class and so far has been working well.

Everyone will get a quarter pack of this lovely DSP (6x6 pieces – that way I don’t have to step inside a Post Office) and there’s the option to include the Ornate Thanks stamp set, too. If you don’t choose the stamp set option, you can use your own greeting stamps.

Please click/tap the image above or go here for more details

Many of the flowers in the DSP are incomplete so are not obvious choices for cutting out. But if you place them carefully, you can cover any missing pieces with a complete flower. The small yellow one is the only complete flower in this grouping... it’s just covering the missing bits. Backstage secret there!

Honey Bee bundle: How to attach the honeycomb die to your projects

 
When it came to pre-ordering from this Spring/Summer catalogue, I went a bit mad. Not in a “buy everything” way, but in a “buy a load of stuff I don’t really like and ignore the sets I love” kind of a way.

Consequently, I ignored the beautiful Honey Bee bundle until recently when, really, it should have been at the top of my list. I've always been drawn to bee stamps and had them in my collection almost from day one. As I don't keep anything that isn’t current, I was bee-less, so I'm more than happy to have this on my shelf.

And it seems I'm not alone, as I presented this card at my Stampy Buffet, where it proved to be the most popular project of the day by far, with some of the ladies making three of them. I hope you think it’s the bee’s knees, too.

To attach the very fine honeycomb die-cut, you can either use wet glue, gently applied to the back with a sponge, or carefully tape it behind the aperture. Both ways are quite fiddly as it's only just big enough - but it's worth the effort. 

All-Day Craft Event - still a few places left!

EVENT: #loveitchopit

Devised by Australian Demonstrator Kylie Bertucci, #loveitchopit is a fantastic concept. Like all the best ideas, it’s very simple: you cut up your Designer Series Paper when you receive it, so you aren’t tempted to hoard it and can start using it instead! 

Please join me for this fun event, where you will receive half a pack of Animal Expedition DSP (other options available) and make 10 easy cards.

Bloom by Bloom mini pizza box and cards

Sale-a-Bration is over now, which means I now have time to show you the rest of my All-Day Craft Event projects. This was our morning project - a mini pizza box with four small cards inside (two of each design). 

Everyone’s kit contained – among other items – the Bloom By Bloom stamp set, a roll of Night of Navy Baker's Twine and some Butterfly Elements, which made it a very relaxed occasion as nobody had to wait around for stamps. The Butterfly Elements are no longer available as they were a Sale-a-Bration item, but the Frames Elements (146906) contain leaf sprigs and hearts, so would do a similar job.

Together, the box of small cards would make a lovely gift, or you could use the cards and use the box for a different present.

EVENT: It's All About Cats & Dogs

Incredible Like You Week: very simple projects for Cuppa & Card

It’s Incredible Like You week here at All Things Stampy and this is the perfect set for new stampers because you get a good variety of images and greetings, which you can maximise with just two stamp sets if you wish.

I was inspired to start using this set by Mikaela Titheridge at The Crafty oINK Pen, who has been showcasing some beautiful projects with it.

These are the projects I am making with the good folk of Borrowash this morning at my Cuppa & Card session at Dawson’s Café.

This first card is incredibly simple and, as well as the stamp set, uses just a Notecard, a scrap of Whisper White cardstock and two ink pads. The images in this set are so clever that you can stamp them with the same ink pad without stamping off; you’ll still get this amazing two-tone look.

For our second project, we will be making an ever so slightly more complicated card... in that it has a zingy Lemon Lime Twist layer and a little more fussy cutting. I hope it goes well!

Cats and Dogs class registration now open

Modern Calligraphy workshop highlights

I held two classes on Friday. The morning was my usual Crafty Friday – more of that later in the week – and in the evening I held a Modern Calligraphy workshop.

Well, I say “workshop”... it wasn’t exactly work, it was quite relaxing as we practised our strokes on the sheets provided and then make up these four lovely cards from the Calligraphy Essentials kit.

As you can see, we did chicken out when it came to adding our modern calligraphy to the cards themselves. Fortunately, there is a coordinating stamp set which makes things a bit easier. Above are Karen’s cards... I love the extra touch of a flower on the thank you card. (Well you have to give the early finishes an extension activity, don’t you?)

Here are some more pix from the event...

Event: Calligraphy Hygge Night

Hope you can join me

Please click here for full details and to register

No post yet but it will be worth the wait!

Please be patient!

Please come back this evening (after 8pm) to see some amazing sneak peeks from the upcoming Annual Catalogue!

I don’t normally share products this early as I think it’s a bit unfair if you can’t get your hands on them for almost two months, but I made samples for the OnStage 2018 display boards which other demonstrators are sure to be sharing, so I thought I’d better join in this time!

Waterfront - faux watercoloured scene

My Facebook followers will already have seen this, I hope (head here for more fun and frolics). It’s my attempt to create a faux watercolour scene using the Waterfront stamp set and inspired by this Youtube video from Aussie demo Linda Dalke. 

I’m hoping to get this to a stage where it can be one of the projects at my next Hygge Night - booking is now open and places are going fast!

As you can see, it didn’t go right first time...

Please join me for January Hygge Night

Please click here for more details and to register

I hope you can come!

OnStage 2017 - a global gathering of Stampin’ Up!® demonstrators

My haul of goodies from OnStage2017 - there were SU pens, too!

It should be Mix It Up Monday today but you know what? I’ve decided not to let that rule my life any more, and not worry too much if I don’t manage to create a project with all 50 colours from my In Color charts. 

I thought today you’d be far more interested in my OnStage2017 experience. This is where demonstrators around the world gather to share ideas, business tips and, most exciting of all, see new products from the upcoming Spring/Summer catalogue and Sale-a-Bration brochure! Yes, of course we received both publications and a good haul of products from them, too! Plus, we get to order from them early, as a special On Stage treat!

My name label for the day featured my achievements from the past year. The numbered badge was for Prize Patrol!

More than 450 demonstrators attended the UK event, at the National Conference Centre in Solihull, and thousands more attended events worldwide, including the main OnStage Live event in Salt Lake City in the home of Stampin’ Up!® in Utah, USA.

It was a chance to recognise the top achievers and I was honoured to be invited to walk the stage for my promotion to Gold earlier this year. This was more daunting than I expected as I didn’t realise there would only be TWO of us walking the stage for this achievement! The video MIGHT be on Facebook.

Not quite one Big Shot each, but three stations like this around the room

It’s also a great opportunity to catch up with demonstrator friends from around the country – people we didn’t know until Stampin’ Up!® came into our lives – making the event like a hug reunion.  

In addition, there were demonstrations, product spotlights, display boards, gifts and, of course, Make & Takes. Here are the Big Shots, lined up and ready for action. Oh, what a shame you can’t see the fabulous dies we used... 

10th anniversary cupcakes - one for everyone!

And because Stampin’ Up!® will soon be celebrating 10 years in Europe, there were extra treats, too... and more celebrations to come in the year ahead.

It's our 10th anniversary year in Europe

Demonstrators are given titles based on sales and recruiting and everyone awarded Silver Elite and above is invited to a special evening celebration the night before On Stage. This is called Centre Stage and was attended by around 50 demonstrators, including me and my downline Tracey. We were treated to a three-course meal, plus special gifts and we had the chance to share business ideas with other leaders. Plus - and this cannot be under-estimated as a perk - we received our catalogues early! And another valuable perk is that we get to register early so can skip the HUGE queues for check-in on Saturday morning!

A three-course meal and special gifts at Centre Stage

I can’t share any spoilers yet but trust me, there is LOADS to love in the two new catalogues. Whether you like floral, fun, funky or innovative, you’ll find something you’ll need. Yes, I said “need”.

My team at the end of a tiring day! They'll kill me. But then they don't read my blog so serves them right...

Sharing Sweet Thoughts - the ladybird escapes

I was really lucky - and surprised! - to win this stamp set recently. It’s called Sharing Sweet Thoughts and, for every set sold, Stampin’ Up!® will donate £2 to Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC).

The prize draw was open to demonstrators who register their event to make cards for the Birthday Wishes Challenge at the end of June.

To celebrate 10 years of Stampin’ Up!® being in Europe, demonstrators have been challenged to create 10,000 cards to send to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, so that families who are busy caring for very sick children have access to handmade cards to send out.

My event is on Saturday, 24th June ... and I could still squeeze in a couple more people if you let me know by the end of today! Just drop me a line and I’ll see what I can do.

Please join me for the Birthday Wishes Challenge - and stamp for a great cause

Stampin’ Up!® has issued us with a challenge... to create 10,000 cards in a weekend. That’s a LOT of cards, but I know we can do it!

These cards will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provide free accommodation for families at specialist children's hospitals around the UK. The cards will be made available to the families who, during such a busy and stressful period in their lives, don’t have time to go shopping. 

Want to help? Here’s how you can!

Please join me for a fun afternoon creating birthday cards for this great cause. Make two of each design – keep one of each and leave one behind for the challenge. And guess what else you get to keep? A brand new set from the new Annual Catalogue!  

The workshop costs £16 – the price of the stamp set – and all materials will be provided. Please bring your own scissors, adhesives and craft kit. Plus, if you have them, black or grey ink pad, watercolour pencils and blender pen. 

If you’re a speedy stamper, feel free to bring your own supplies to make more cards - and stamp till you cramp!

NB: I will be taking this opportunity to use up some retired cardstock and DSP, so not all supplies used will be current. Basic card sketches and samples will be provided but colours and DSP designs may vary according to availability. 

DATE: Saturday, 24th June 2017, 1.30pm-4.30pm.

Venue: My house in Derbyshire (directions available on request)
Cost: £16

Please bring: Usual craft kit including scissors and adhesives.  If you have them, please bring black or grey ink pad, watercolour pencils and blender pen. 

Closing date: Places are strictly limited. Registration will close automatically when all places are filled, or on 30th May, 11pm, whichever is sooner, as I will need to order the stamps on 1st June. If the form submits, you have a place, which is secured on receipt of payment. 

Any questions? Please email me!

Hygge Night with a difference: Stamp Doctor

Badly punched? Rash purchase? Scared of die-ing? There are many maladies which can afflict even the most experienced crafter, which is why I’m holding a Hygge Night with a difference this month. 

Please come along and meet the Stamp Doctor! I’ll have you up and about in no time. 

We’ve all purchased products which haven’t seen the light of day because we simply can’t get inspired. So guests are invited to bring along a Stampin’ Up!® stamp set, punch or die set which they’ve struggled to use. Advice will be provided on all products brought along on the night and we will make projects using some of them. 

Please book before 10th March if you wish to bring a product

The cost is £8 which includes all materials plus refreshments. Please bring your own scissors and adhesives.  

Date: Friday, 24th March, 7.30pm-9.45pm. Doors open at 7.20pm. 

Venue: My house (directions available on request)

Cost: £8

Please bring: Usual craft kit including scissors and adhesives.  

Closing date: Places are strictly limited. Registration will close automatically when all places are filled, or on 16th Mar, 11pm, whichever is sooner. Your place is secured on receipt of payment. 

For more information, please email me. To register, please click the image or here.

All-Day Craftathon: Window Shopping workshop

I thought I’d skip Mix It Up Monday this week in favour of showing you what we made at the All-Day Craftathon at the weekend. The day was split into three classes, beginning with this one featuring the Window Shopping Bundle.

All the guests received the Window Shopping stamp set in their kit, which is tremendously versatile; in fact we used it in every class throughout the day. 

We began by making this fun box. It’s a slight variation on the hexagon box as it opens at the side, Pac-Man style...

You do this by cutting and reassembling the box pieces as shown below, then joining the two halves together at the side. You can download a tutorial here. 

Three tags go inside, using a tiny strip of the gorgeous Succulent Garden Designer Series Paper, which featured in all three workshops throughout the day.

And there’s a matching card, too. This is made simply by sponging colour onto the front of the card base, then overlaying the die-cut piece. Simple but effective.

This completed our morning activities, so we paused for a buffet lunch before moving on to the second class, which I’ll show you tomorrow...