Remote classes still running - check out these Ornate Garden samples

Getting together with friends is one of the joys of crafting – and thanks to the wonders of technology, we still can!

On Saturday, I held a class for 10 people, who all crafted in their own homes while chatting over Zoom.

Everyone received a quarter of a pack of Ornate Garden Designer Series Paper, and some took up the option to add the Ornate Thanks stamp set onto their kit, too. Such pretty paper, isn't it?

I’m currently taking bookings for several other remote classes, so please check https://www.facebook.com/allthingsstampy/events/ to see if there's an event to suit you – you’d be made very welcome.

You can make beautiful cards using just the Designer Series Paper, if you can face all the fussy-cutting! With this paper, it can be a bit of a struggle to whole flowers but they are there and then you can use strategic placing to give the illusion of whole flowers. You can adhere part flowers at the edge of the cardstock, or cover any missing petals with a small whole flower.

Lockdown challenge: Poppies Elements cards for Crafty Friday

It’s Crafty Friday today... lockdown or no lockdown! But don’t worry, social distancing will be maintained as it’s a virtual event held over Zoom. I prefer Zoom to Facebook Live because everyone can see each other and chat, plus it doesn’t exclude the non-Facebook members.

Today’s projects are these bright and cheery Poppies Elements cards; a half-easel and a standard card.

Everyone received a full sheet of the watercolour paper Poppies Elements to colour in, plus some of the black elements for decoration. They use their own stamps and inks for the greetings.
 

 

 Want to make these projects? Full instructions are here

Do the Impossible: mix it up!

I was proud to celebrate a good friend’s running achievement with this card. I never thought I’d team the Do The Impossible stamp with Memories & More cards from the Come Sail Away Suite!

The blue background is a Memories & More card which I brayered with Pool Party to make it more match the shorts, while another forms the brown layer, sponged this in Soft Suede to tone down the nautical imagery! I wanted the vintage look but not the nautical feel.

I’ve said this before but it bears repeating: don't be afraid to mix things up! A nautical product on a card to celebrate a runner isn’t an obvious choice, but it's amazing what you can put together with a bit of altering. 

Keeping it simple with Magnolia Lane Cards & More

Who says cardmaking has to be complicated? Ok, so I’ve used a couple of die sets here but they were just leftover from other projects, I promise! The main point is that you can buy packs of these little card blanks, with pretty printed cards to fit on the front.

In fact, you can buy a whole bundle of products for £42.25 which are ideal for getting started. You get a stamp set, clear block, mini ink pads, adhesives and these cards.

Please look online for the "Getting started" section of my website to see these great products and more.

Keep it simple! At this time of crisis, sending a card to someone is more important than making it fancy!

Happy Birthday to You - celebrate with a product-heavy card

Simple stamping? Not today! Heavily inspired by Stesha Bloodhart and Lauren Alarid, this is technique and product-heavy card featuring white embossing, dry embossing, paint splattering, two stamp sets, dies and a punch. Well if you've got it, why not use it?

I used Artisan Textures to stamp Balmy Blue splatters on my Whisper White cardstock before running it through the Tin Tile embossing folder (LOVE this folder!) and splattering with Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint.

The main image is from Happy Birthday to You from the Sale-a-Bration collection and the exciting news is that there will be dies to match this set available from 4th February, while supplies last.

My cake was stamped and embossed in white and coloured with Blueberry Bushel and Balmy Blue inks using Blender Pens. In the absence of dies (which as a demonstrator I can order now but haven't done yet), I fussy cut it, along with another couple of flowers which I popped up to add dimension.

The filigree die is from the Painted Labels dies from the Peaceful Poppies Suite and the punch is that old favourite, the Sprig Punch – not just for Christmas!

Embossing the image makes colouring it in really easy. You just colour in circles over the top, and the embossed areas will resist the ink. Just make sure you use a water-based colouring medium, rather than our alcohol-based Stampin’ Blends, as alcohol ink will stick to the shiny embossing and you’ll lose the white.

One pack of Designer Series Paper, one card design, two looks

Using the same basic card design and most of the same elements, I created two very different looks here to celebrate the male and female members of my Stampin' Up!® team. Yes, men can be demonstrators, too!

I decided to let the Designer Series Paper do the talking and pulled out the paper sampler that you can earn FREE as part of your Starter Kit if you join during Sale-a-Bration.

The feminine cards use the Best Dressed Designer Series Paper, while the masculine card uses the Country Club Designer Series Paper, with a little die-cut polar bear as its accent. This is from the Snow Globe Scenes Dies, which have carried over from the Autumn/Winter catalogue.




Neither of these paper packs were on my radar so it’s great to have just a little taste of them to play with and to show to customers.

Other than the polar bear, all the other dies are from the Painted Labels Dies from the Peaceful Poppies Suite. The "from me" sentiment and stars are from Label Me Bold, one of those stamp sets which looks a little uninspiring on first glance but turns out to be really useful.

By fussy-cutting elements from Designer Series Paper, you don’t always need the co-ordinating stamp set. This allows you to experiment with styles outside of your comfort zone.