Sweet Stockings Designer Series Paper projects

 

Do you love cats and dogs as much as I do? If so you won’t want to miss the beautiful Sweet Stockings Suite from Stampin’ Up!®. For my October kit of the month I used the Sweet Stockings Designer Series Paper and put together a selection of coordinating products. These are a really economical way to get your hands on everything you need to make fully coordinated projects and are idea if you find you don’t always manage to get through full packs.

Everyone who buys the kit from me gets access to an exclusive PDF of project ideas, with measurements, for them to copy or take inspiration from. I love that some of my customers then get together on Zoom to make the projects while they chat. 

 

These are some of the projects I shared with them this month. This is a Kraft Gift Box decorated with a fun tag made using the Seasonal Labels Dies and beautiful Pool Party striped ribbon. 

 

Isn’t that dog cute? And there are plenty more where that came from. To stamp the greeting, I used the little set that comes with the Christmas Whimsy Card Kit. It’s so useful.

 

 

Here are some more of the cut animals cut out from the Sweet Stockings Designer Series Paper. I love how grumpy the cat looks with his seasonal antlers on. All the greetings for the rest of the projects came from the Christmas to Remember stamp set – I particularly love this ’Tis the Season stamp as it gives you white on a colour without the hassle of embossing.

 

 

Behind the bottom edge of the Designer Series Paper layer, I have pleated the ribbon, which is one of my favourite ribbon techniques. Simply lay a strip of double-sided tape along the edge of the paper or cardstock then pleat the ribbon onto it, and lay a second strip of tape on top to hold it in place.

 

 When using double-sided table, always stick to the firmer surface first. So if you are using paper and cardstock, stick it to the cardstock. If using ribbon, stick to the paper or cardstock, then add the ribbon on top. Otherwise you’ll be there all day trying to peel off the backing.

 

 

This card uses the lovely Kraft cardstock which is something I have longed to see back in the catalogue for many years. It makes a beautiful warm neutral backdrop for this festive dog with his wreath collar. 

 

November’s Kit By Mail uses the brand new Eden’s Garden products – I am only taking orders for this kit until midnight on 31st October so I can order first thing on 1st November when these products go live to customers. This is because the Designer Series Paper, speciality cotton paper and Garden Gems are all only available while supplies last, and I would hate for anyone to miss out. 

 

  

Please click here to order your kit today – I can post them out to anywhere in the UK.

Does your wish list come to more than £99? Please get in touch and I will help you get more for your money and unlock discounts all year round.  

 

Please message me via my website

Love cats? Nine Lives gift packaging

It's not always about cardmaking. Having all these lovely supplies at my disposal means I can make matching gift packaging, too. 

I was planning to send this card to a friend and wanted to wrap the small gift to match, so I created a box using the Envelope Punch Board and decorated it with some Call Me Clover Designer Series Paper and a punched cat. The box is a bit wonky (slipped up on a measurement somewhere) but you can't tell unless you look hard or someone points it out!

If you love cats – or dogs (or both!) – don’t miss my Cats & Dogs craft workshop in Aston-on-Trent next month. Places are going fast but there are a few left so please hurry over to the registration page to book your slot.

Nine Lives - grey cat with Call Me Clover background

What I love about the new Rectangle Stitched Framelits is the way they stitch the frame as well as the shape they cut. Here I’ve placed some Call Me Clover Designer Series Paper behind the aperture and topped it with a lovely stamped and punched cat from the fabulous (must-have!) Nine Lives stamp set. The bow, stamped in Call Me Clover, finishes it off nicely. 

Tropical Chic Hello card... with a little help from a feline friend

It’s another outing for Tropical Chic and this time a really simple project which I threw together in minutes. You could step it up by embossing those leaves which would look stunning, and adding some embellishments, too. But sometimes a quick project hits the mark and I like to keep things simple.

If only taking the photograph had gone so smoothly... thanks for the “help”, Hamish!

Caturday: Another plea for Tutheran, who desperately needs a home

It’s very nearly 2017 and one of my New Year’s resolutions has to be to find a home for this boy... as soon as possible. He’s not getting any younger and I’m sure the cold weather of the last few days can’t be good for a cat who has to live outside. He’s not an easy cat to rehome for the following reasons:

• He’s black and apparently these are the hardest cats to rehome (not sure why, I LOVE black cats!)
• He’s probably about five or six years old, so not a cute kitten
• If I’m being honest, he is a bit thick
• He was neutered late so retains his alpha male tendencies, which means he is aggressive towards other cats, particularly other males – this is why he can’t stay here with us
• He’s very nervous and can occasionally lash out
• He’s never, as far as we know, lived indoors, so presumably isn’t litter trained and will also go mad when cooped up... initially.

Ok, those are the negatives. Here are the positives:

• Six months ago he was completely wild and wouldn’t go near a human at all. He is now (mostly) tame, so think how much tamer he could become in a loving, patient home?
• He loves being stroked
• He used to lash out when we attempted to stroke him... this has turned into a gentle pat when you stop stroking him... in a “more please” kind of way
• He’s neutered and, at the same time, tested negative for FIV
• He purrs like a tractor
• When you pick him up (yes, we can even pick him up now!), he purrs and snuggles under your chin
• He loves sitting on your knee
• He’s been treated for fleas!

So what we’re looking at is a potentially perfect pet, but who needs a patient home with:

• Cat people – you have to know what you’re getting into, possible aggression initially, possible “accidents”... until it’s safe to let him out
• No small children, due to his nervous nature and therefore potential for aggression
• No other cats, unless you can keep them separate
• Preferably no dogs
• A reasonable distance from my house, so he isn’t tempted to return.

Please, please, please share this post so we can find Tutheran a home for the New Year! It’s vital that this is with a cat person who is willing to put in the work to give him a forever home. Thank you!

Mix It Up Monday: Festive Fireplace birthday card

It’s Mix It Up Monday again and today I have a birthday card for my friend and downline, Donna. Like me, Donna loves cats so when I was stamping with her recently, I sneakily stamped out a few of these cats for her birthday card. They were ably coloured by my daughter, who also added the bow; there’s no way I could have drawn that. 

The concept in my head was cats sitting on a brick wall but I hadn’t accounted for the scale issues; the bricks from the embossing folder are way too big for these little cats. So I tried rolling it through the Big Shot twice, offsetting the folder the second time to create the effect of smaller bricks/stones. This almost had the desired effect, but the first embossed lines were flattened by the second rolling. Nothing ventured…

The colour combination - which, of course, comes from my In Color charts - is a good one but I did bend the rules slightly with the cotton paper, which is actually Crushed Curry. Ah well, my blog: my rules to bend. I finished the flowers off with just a small scribbled of black marker in the centre.

Festive Fireplace Photopolymer Stamp Set [139754]	Tin Of Cards Photopolymer Stamp Set [138946]	Brick Wall Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [138288]	Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack [133787]	Pool Party A4 Card Stock [124391]
So Saffron A4 Card Stock [108611]	Tip Top Taupe A4 Cardstock [138343]	Whisper White A4 Card Stock [106549]	Project Life Journaling Pens [135304]	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad [132708]
Cherry On Top Cotton Paper Assortment [138308]	2015-2017 In Color Stampin' Write Markers [138333]	Subtles Stampin' Write Markers [131263]

Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

Caturday: George needs a new home

It’s Caturday again (they come round so fast!) and today I want to feature George. He is a lovely rescue cat who belongs to the daughter of one of my team. However, his owners are looking to move abroad so need to find a new home for George and his canine companion (separately or together I believe).

When George was taken in by Cats Protection he had been hit by a car while a stray. But he must have been a pet at some point as he love human affection. Has a torn ear and not many teeth but is a lovely cat who enjoys having his tummy tickled. He is also happy around their dog.

Since his rescue he has had no further health problems and is fully litter-trained. He currently spends most of his time as a house cat as he lives near a busy road, but does go out in the garden with his owner occasionally.

If you know anyone who could offer George another loving home, please do get in touch and I’ll put you in contact with his owners.

You Little Furball note cards

What a glorious Bank Holiday Monday it is! Don’t we normally get rain? I’ll make this brief and quickly show you part of a set of cat note cards I made for my friend Jane, the crazy cat lady who runs Woodland Nook Cat Shelter. I kept them really simple, using the limited supplies I took on holiday with me. See? You don’t need the whole catalogue to make cute cards! (But it is quite nice to have a choice.)

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Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com

You Little Furball - peeping toms?

I’m sure you won’t be surprised to know that I love this stamp set and can see many possibilities for it. This is a reprise of a card I made many, many years ago ... before I became a Stampin’ Up!® demonstrator, but I still love the concept so made it again using You Little Furball. You could make it with the equivalent dog set, Hot Diggity Dog, too, although I’m not sure dogs are quite so keen on peering around corners as cats!

134150	131350	133698	108611
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Links by TheseAreMyStamps.com