Blending with watercolour crayons

This was one of the demos I did at a workshop last week. It’s a very quick and easy card (my favourite kind!) and uses the Watercolour Wonder™ crayons which I love so much.

I stamped the image in StazOn®, which is instantly waterproof. Then I coloured small areas on the right of the image – a bit of Rose Red on the petals, a little Always Artichoke on the leaves. Then, using the blender pen, I spread the colour around the image, leaving the right hand side slightly darker, for shadow.

Finally, I applied a very tiny amount of Brocade Blue crayon all around the image, then blended that in, to give the image some depth. It’s remarkably easy – what makes it easier is the use of the Naturals Ivory cardstock, which is not as smooth as Whisper White or Very Vanilla so therefore more absorbent. Whisper White and Very Vanilla are fabulous for stamping on but Naturals Ivory is better if you’re using blender pens, aquapainter or watercolour brushes. It’s all a matter of finding the right tools for the job.

Stamps: Doodle That (p55)
Cardstock: Brocade Blue, Rose Red, Naturals Ivory
Paper: Cutie Pie (p73)
Ink: StazOn® (82)
Accessories: 3/8” Grosgrain Ribbon - Brocade Blue (p86), 1 3/8” circle punch (p80), Scallop Circle Punch (p80)

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the link on the right to view it online.

Watercolour crayons

I was practising with the Watercolour Wonder™ crayons and blender pens for a workshop and made this card. I think it would look better if the images were stamped straight on to the large white layer, dispensing with the green layer completely but, as I say, I was practising so stamping on small pieces.

I’ve since discovered that, while using Watercolour Wonder™ crayons and blender pens works fine on Whisper White, it works loads better on Naturals Ivory cardstock, which is more absorbent.

The colours are a bit off in this photo but it’s my favourite combo; Rose Red and Always Artichoke.

Stamps: Doodle That (p55), Basic Phrases (p65)
Cardstock: Rose Red, Always Artichoke, Whisper White
Ink: StazOn®
Accessories: Watercolour Wonder™ crayons, blender pens, ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Whisper White

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the picture of the catalogue on the right to view it online.

Christmas in July - sold out

Sorry I haven't had chance to post recently. Just time this morning to tell you that the Christmas in July cardmaking event is now fully booked. Sorry if you've missed out - there will be more events announced shortly.

A little rusty

Er, have you noticed I'm a little rusty lately? Just like these cards! Yes, I'm afraid it's yet another little box of square cards. I made this one as a gift for the hostess of a workshop I'm doing in Derby on Friday, so I hope she likes browns!

Last night's scrapbooking class went okay I think - they seemed to enjoy themselves and everyone tapped into their creativity to make really lovely pages and cards.

So here's the recipe for today's samples:

Stamps: Three For You (p80), Basic Phrases (p65)
Cardstock: Naturals Ivory, Really Rust, Chocolate Chip
Ink: Really Rust, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: 3/8” Grosgrain Ribbon - Chocolate Chip (p86), ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon – Very Vanilla (p86), Three for You punch box (p80), Designer Series Paper – Fall Flowers (p72)

All products by Stampin’ Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the link on the right to view it online.

Lucky I found this really...

I really don’t have any samples to put on my blog at the moment – it’s quite worrying as it’s only Tuesday! I’ve been busy preparing for a scrapbooking class I’m doing tonight – you would not believe just how much stuff I have to take with me. I’m going to have to repack as I can’t lift my trolley.

Anyway, all this scrapbooking doesn’t leave me with much to put on the blog, until I get round to scrapbooking pictures of the cats, as I don’t really want the offspring on here.

Meanwhile, here’s a card I found which I’m fairly sure I haven’t posted on here; largely because it’s a bit boring. The image is stamped in Versamark® and then chalked using Stampin’ Pastels®. I used the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig® to position the flower and the bird – always fun when using Versamark® as you have to stamp on the positioning sheet in a coloured ink, then clean your stamp thoroughly before stamping on the project in Versamark®. I don’t recommend it.

To make the rounded end of the strip of white cardstock, I picked up a really nifty trick from a fabulous stamper in Texas. You cut a strip of cardstock slightly narrower than the width of your circle punch, then feed one end of it into the punch. If that makes no sense, just try it - it works brilliantly.

Stamps: Wild About You (p32)
Cardstock: Old Olive, More Mustard, Ruby Red, Whisper White
Ink: Versamark®
Accessories: Stampin’ Pastels (p82), sponge daubers (p81)

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the picture of the catalogue on the right to view it online.

Birthday Party in a Box!

Someone asked me recently if I would do children's birthday parties. Well, I've thought about it long and hard and decided that it's probably not for me, not least because children's parties are likely to be held when I'm spending time with my own children.

But I've come up with an even better idea: A birthday party in a box!

I would provide a box containing the following:

• A stamp set of your choice (mounted and used once by me to make the samples)
  
• Ink pad(s)
  
• Prepared and bagged up make and take projects for the children to stamp on and assemble
  
• Samples of the projects with clear instructions for making them. 

Why is it better than having me at your party? Well, apart from the fact that I would eat all the crisps and cake when you weren't looking, it means you can have your party whenever suits you, instead of trying to fit around my schedule. 

Even better: not only would you get to keep the stamps and inks, you would receive all the leftover cardstock and ribbon, too! This means that, after the party, you and your children can keep stamping more and more projects!

Rough estimates make this party work out at around £65, with enough supplies for 12 children - yes, less than £5.50 a head! Smaller groups of children would be cheaper - but only slightly - as the price still needs to cover the stamp set and ink... but you'd get more leftovers! And, of course, the price would depend on which stamp set you choose.

For a unique party, I think it sounds pretty fab! And very economical when you compare it to soft play centres etc.

Let me know what you think of this idea and, if it sounds favourable, I'll develop it further. Thanks!

Gift set no. 2

I hope you're not bored of little boxes full of cards because this is all I have to show you at the moment! I made this one for an end-of-year teacher gift... I have a few more to make before the end of July but should manage it. Am making another on Saturday night with a group of stamping friends so that's another one to tick off the list!

I will be holding a class to make one of these during the summer. Date and venue still to be arranged but it's not to early to register your interest by emailing me!

I'm afraid the cards are remarkably similar to the last set - apart from colour and stamp set of course! I do tend to stick to the same designs; no point in reinventing the wheel!

This time I added a strip of ribbon for a handle - easy and cute!

Stamps: Polka Dots & Paisley (p51), Basic Phrases (p65)
Cardstock: Lavender Lace, Certainly Celery, Whisper White
Ink: Lavender Lace, Certainly Celery
Accessories: ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Whisper White (p86), 3/8” Grosgrain Ribbon - Certainly Celery (p86), Scallop Circle Punch (p80), 1¼” circle punch (p80), silver brads (p85)

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the link on the right to view it online.

Inspiration from America...

I love this card design - and I'm allowed to say that  because it's not my idea! I copied the idea from an American stamper called Kerry and she'd kindly given me permission to post the card on my blog. Kerry's sample was Rose Red and Whisper White but I sometimes feel I overuse Rose Red, so changed it to Bordering Blue. 

It's really simple - you just punch out the flowers using the punch from the Three For You kit, which is currently on special offer at £29. I stamped the greeting in the centre and pierced a border on the white layer. The white square is popped up to give it dimension. Finally, add three small white dots in the centres of the flowers. 

Stamps: Three For You (p80)
Cardstock: Bordering Blue, Whisper White
Ink: Bordering Blue
Accessories: Three For You punch box (p80), Crafters’ Tool Kit (p85), uni-ball® Signo white gel pen (p82)

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the picture of the catalogue on the right to view it online.

Gift box of cards

This is my new favourite project - a little box containing five square cards. I'm enjoying making them so much that I'm going to hold an eScape class over the summer to make one. So if you're interested, please get in touch.

The box is really simple and can be made out of one sheet of A4 cardstock. You can make a lid, like on this example, or simply attach a strip of cardstock or some ribbon to make a handle. They're really easy and fun to make.

There are only three cards in the picture because, in the interests of saving time, I duplicated two of them.

Stamps: Three For You Punch Box (p80), Doodle That (p55), Basic Phrases (p65)
Cardstock: Old Olive, Sahara Sand, Naturals Ivory, Whisper White
Paper: Designer Series Paper – Fall Flowers (p72)
Ink: Old Olive, StazOn®
Accessories: Three For You punch (p80), Scallop Circle Punch (p80), 3/8” Grosgrain Ribbon – Old Olive, (p86) ¼” Grosgrain Ribbon - Very Vanilla (p86), Brads – Rich Regals® (p85), blender pen (p81), office staple

This set is a birthday gift so I made this co-ordinating birthday card using some of the same supplies. I even remembered to stamp the envelope!

All products by Stampin' Up! Please email me to order a catalogue, or click the picture of the catalogue on the right to view it online.

It's a great time to become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator

During June and July, there’s even more reason to join the Stampin’ Up! family.

From now until the end of July, if you sign up as a demonstrator, in addition to the fantastic Starter Kit, you’ll receive a FREE stamp set of your choice from the Idea Book & Catalogue 2007-2008 -- up to a £41.95 value!

The Starter Kit already represents fantastic value but, if you become a demonstrator before 31st July, 2008, it’s even better. You could start out with more than £300 of Stampin’ Up! products for just £155!

For more information about being a demonstrator, please click here. If you think it sounds like fun (it is!), I’m sure you’ll have loads of questions, so please please email me. I’ll be happy to help you allay any worries, with no obligation and no pressure.