Another purse and upcoming event reminders

Hope that you're having a great weekend. As promised, I'm back again with the other version of the purse I shared yesterday ... but first a couple of event reminders:

Crop and class

Next Saturday - 14 May - is the next monthly Crop and Class at St Saviour's Church Hall, High Green, Sheffield

Crop - Drop in any time 11am - 4pm and stay as long as you like. Bring along your own project and materials (can be cardmaking, scrapbooking or anything else crafty) and join us to share in some inspiration and good company. Cost is £4 towards room hire and refreshments, with any profits donated to Cavendish Cancer Care.

Class - runs 1.30pm - 3.30pm and all materials are provided. Learn new techniques (this month is ruffled ribbon and faux dry embossing), build your technique notebook and practice on a couple of projects. Cost is £12 for full class kit (including a product to take home), room hire and refreshments.

Crop and class - come along for both and the combined cost is just £15.

More details including directions to the venue are here.

Spring Stamptacular

This full day (10:30am - 3.30pm) crafting smorgasbord takes place a week on Sunday - 22 May - also at St Saviour's Church Hall, High Green, Sheffield.

Booking is essential for this event, so that we are able to guarantee you a goodie bag on arrival. The cost is £30 or ... bring a friend and get 10% off, making it just £27 each. Cost includes your goodie bag, projects (including all materials) throughout the day, light lunch, refreshments, free entry into the prize draw and more! Use the Paypal button on the right hand menu to book. More details are here or please email me if you have any questions.

Now, back to the crafting:

Recipe

Stamp sets: Baby Blossoms, Baroque Border

Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White

Ink: Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose, Pear Pizzazz

Punches: Word Window, Scallop Circle, 1-3/8" Circle, 1-1/4" Circle

Bigz Die: Scallop Envelope

Seam Binding Ribbon: Rose Red

Two scallop envelopes were die cut from Pretty in Pink card and the Baroque Border wheeled across the centre in Regal Rose ink. The handle was punched from each using the Word Window punch and the bottom flap cut to match the width of the side flaps (see yesterday's post for details). Using the stamp-a-ma-jig for placement the full rose and the leaves from the Baby Blossoms set were stamped onto Whisper White card with Pretty in Pink, Regal Rose and Pear Pizzazz inks. The Rose was punched out with the 1-1/4" Circle and matted onto a 1-3/8" Circle punched from Daffodil Delight card. These circles were popped up on a couple of dimensionals onto a Scallop Circle punched from Regal Rose card and then with more dimensionals onto the purse front. The two envelopes were assembled with Sticky Strip, a mini choccie bar added inside and Rose Red Seam Binding Ribbon tied around the handle and trimmed.

This side view shows the width of the purse - just big enough for that mini choccie bar.

Now I'm off to finish a birthday card for my SIL ready for tomorrow - who says I'm a last minute crafter, lol!

Sara xx

My clever DH made a card for his Mum

A change for you today - this card was made by my DH for his Mum. He designed it himself. I helped out just a little by demonstrating the heat embossing technique and how to use the stamp-a-ma-jig but the actual card was made by him. I'm so proud of him, I think he did a great job.

And his Mum was really impressed.

Recipe

Stamp sets: En Francais, Baroque Motifs, Perfect Punches

Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie

Ink: Versamark, Early Espresso

Punches: Extra-large Oval, Large Oval

3mm Taffeta Ribbon: Early Espresso

Other: Clear EP, Brights Brads (Pumpkin Pie)

The card blank is an A6 portrait of Melon Mambo, matted with Early Espresso card. The En Francais background and the Baroque swirl were stamped in Versamark onto another layer of Melon Mambo card and then heat embossed with Clear EP. Early Espresso ribbon was wrapped around the top left corner and a bow secured to it with a brad. Using Early Espresso ink, the sentiment was stamped onto Pumpkin Pie card and punched out with the Large Oval. This was matted onto an Extra-Large Oval punched from Early Espresso card and decorative brads added before adhering the layer to the front of the card.

My MIL isn't so keen on flowery verses so DH stamped the insert with images instead:

Recipe (inside)

Stamp sets: Baroque Border, On a Pedestal

Cardstock: Whisper White

Ink: Early Espresso, Pumpkin Pie, Melon Mambo

He wheeled the Baroque Border with Early Espresso ink (he already knows how to stamp with a wheel) and then used the stamp-a-ma-jig to build the birthday cake.

I mentioned Easter last night and he asked in a shocked voice "you don't think she'll expect an Easter card as well as Mother's Day do you?"

I think he may be joining me at the crafting table more often than he thought, lol!

Tomorrow I'll show you the card that I made. Yes, my MIL still wanted a card from me too heehee, I'm not redundant yet.

Sara xx

Baroque flourishes for the ILWS colour challenge

Our colour challenge this month over at ILWS is to use Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Basic Black with optional Whisper White or Very Vanilla.

I decided to brush off my Baroque stamps for my first go at this challenge.

Recipe

Stamp sets: Baroque Motifs, Baroque Border

Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Very Vanilla

Ink: Old Olive

Punches: Large Oval, Scallop Oval

Other: Black Brads (Vintage collection)

I started with an A6 card blank in Certainly Celery and rolled the Baroque Border in Old Olive across the bottom portion of the card. With the large flourish from the Baroque Motifs and Old Olive ink I stamped in the upper right corner of the card front ensuring that I stamped off the card onto my grid paper underneath. I also marked the edges of the card in pencil on the grid paper before removing the card. Using a temporary glue dot (a Tombow spot left to dry) I positioned my Very Vanilla mat in the centre of my pencil marks and used the stamp a ma jig (lined up with the stamped off image) to stamp the flourish again with Old Olive. The Very Vanilla layer was matted with Old Olive and the combined layers popped up on dimensionals and positioned directly over the full flourish on the card front. The tiny flowers were stamped in Old Olive on Certainly Celery, cut out, centred with a black brad and popped up on dimensionals. Finally the Cherish sentiment was stamped, matted and layered with the oval punches and popped up on dimensionals.

Pop back for my second take on this colour challenge tomorrow.

Sara xx

My first christmas card this year uses the Happy Moments Sale-a-bration set

This is a case of my own card from the bloghop on Sunday but I thought I'd show you how this versatile, free, stamp set is ideal for Christmas as well as birthdays.

I also created it for the ILWS January Christmas Card challenge. This is a laid back challenge with no deadline but the idea is to help you create all the Christmas cards you'll need, so you're not in a last minute rush when December rolls around. January's challenge is a colour one, using Black, White and Red. I made four identical versions of this card to start my stock off.

Recipe

Stamp sets: Happy Moments, Season of Joy (sentiment)

Cardstock: Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White

DSP: Ski Slope (retired)

Ink: Black Stazon, Versamark, Markers, Real Red (envelope)

Punches: Scallop Oval, Large Oval

Narrow Grosgrain Ribbon: Real Red

Other: Black EP, Silver Elastic Cord

You can see that I'm still using up some of my older DSP but you could use the Real Red papers from Merry Moments or Jackpot if you don't have Ski Slope.

Again the present opens up to reveal a little hidden message:

I used the sentiment from the Loads of Love stamp set for the hidden message. I also finished off the inside of the card with a stamped insert.

Recipe (inside)

Stamp set: Baroque Border

Cardstock: Whisper White

Ink: Real Red

Have you started your Christmas cards yet?

Sara xx

A get well card using a Happy Moment

It's about time I stopped complaining about the weather, after all I've got it easy compared with some. The Mum of my crafting pal Heather, is having a tough time at the moment battling one illness after another and is missing being home into the bargain. Heather's asked for some get well cards to cheer her up (details here if you're able to add to them, I'm sure she'll appreciate it). I sent this at the weekend so hopefully she's got it by now and I'm safe to show it on here.

I've made it using the new Happy Moments set but also combined with a few others.

Recipe

Stamp sets: Happy Moments, Flight of the Butterfly, Fun and Fast Notes (sentiment)

Cardstock: Taken With Teal, More Mustard, Whisper White

DSP: Pink Flamingo

Ink: Taken With Teal, Black Stazon, Markers

Punches: Corner Rounder, Scallop Edge, Butterfly

And because I wanted to make the inside pretty to look at too:

Recipe (inside)

Stamp sets: Baroque Border, Flight of the Butterfly, Curvy Verses

Cardstock: Whisper White

Ink: Taken with Teal

Punch: Corner Rounder

Wishing you a speedy recovery Karen.

Sara xx

Mini cracker twist box tutorial

This mini choc box is just big enough to hold a couple of Ferraro Rocher chocolates.

I've made tutorial box in a pale colour with score lines drawn in a dark colour so that you can see them clearly. Don't mark the end piece score lines on your own box or they will show when the box is finished (as you can see in the photo below).

Recipe

Cardstock of choice

Scoring tool

1/2" Circle Punch

Stamp set/embellishments of choice

The cardstock is cut to 14cm x 15cm. Along the long edge, score at 3.5cm, 7cm, 10.5cm and 14cm. Along the short edge, score at 3.5cm and 10.5cm. I have cut the end piece flaps away so that there is less bulk when folding the ends but you can leave these in place if you wish. Score the ends as shown and use the 1/2" Circle punch to create the holes as shown. Fold along all score lines. It's easier to add any flat decoration to the outside of the box at this stage.

On the outside of the flap (the reverse side as shown in the photo) apply Sticky Strip, form into a square tube and fasten.

Push the centre of each square edge into the centre to form a cross shape as shown here.

This is the difficult bit to describe. Twist the cross, pushing each point to the next corner along (either clockwise or anti-clockwise).

As you do so, unfold from the centre.

Repeat at the other end to form your box.

Enjoy.

Sara xx

A christmas place setting for the SWU challenge

Thanks to everyone for their get well wishes and suggestions. I'm using a blend of oils in my burner and I'm going to steam my head again today :-) I had to resort to strong painkillers on Friday, it was either that or put my head in a vice to relieve the pain - anyone who's had a sinus infection will be able to relate, I'm sure. The painkillers are now being phased out again though, I'm able to wait a little longer between them now, so I guess the antibiotics are having an effect.

I still haven't got a great deal of crafting done, mainly gift tags for the presents. How come every year I forget just how long it takes to wrap presents? Of course this year I also had Bess helping - sticking her nose against the cellotape, walking across the wrapping paper, trying to lick the gifts (and I can just hear you out there saying "yes you do that too" to your moggy/doggy, lol).

The other bit of crafting I did get done was for today's new challenge over at Stamp With Us, it's on the theme of

Christmas

and I made the table settings for Christmas Day to match my existing burgundy and gold tableware.

Recipe (Place Card)

Stamp set: Baroque Border

Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy textured

Ink: Versamark

Punch: Scallop Edge

Other Gold EP

I loaded a blank wheel cartridge with Versamark ink which I rolled along one edge of the place card and heat embossed with gold embossing powder. The name setting is written freehand with my Versamark pen and heat embossed again with gold powder. If you're not confident of your handwriting then you can always print the cards on a computer and trace over the printing with the Versamarker, once heated the gold embossing with hide the original printing.

Recipe (Napkin Ring)

Stamp set: Baroque Border

Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy textured

Ink: Versamark

Punch: Scallop Edge

Other Gold EP

The centre design was again made with the Baroque Border wheel but I added a gold line either side by drawing my Versamarker against the wheel guide at the edge of the card.

Recipe (Mini choc box)

Stamp set: Baroque Border

Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy textured

Ink: Versamark

Punch: 1/2" Circle

Other Gold EP

This little box holds a couple of Ferrero Rocher chocs (well, I've got to spoil the family haven't I). It's a twist/squish box that I found over at Splitcoaststampers that I've scaled down to fit my chocolates. I'll post the dimensions and a tutorial in a few days, just as soon as I'm feeling a little better.

I hope that you'll play along with our challenge - I'm sure that you can find one more Christmas item that you need to make; a last minute card, a tree decoration or a tag. And please hop along and see the beautiful creations made by the rest of the Design Team, including our new Team members, they're truly gorgeous (the projects and the team members).

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Sara xx

Oh and don't forget my blog candy draw closes at 9pm tonight!