SAB blog hop, put your feet up, grab a cuppa and have a browse

Hi and welcome to our Sale-a-bration blog hop. A bunch of us from over at the In Love With Stamping Forum have joined together to put on a major hop for you today. A big thanks to Pat for organising this.

If you've joined me from Laura then thank you for stopping by. If you're starting here then you'll be able to work your way around this loop of 9 or 10 blogs until you get back here and then you can skip to one of the other loops if you like (the links are at the end of this post). If you get here early then we may possibly have a few glitches with the links (for example one of our girls is poorly and has had to drop out - get well soon Debbi!) but please persevere or pop back later, it will be well worth it and we do get them all ironed out as quickly as we can.

Our aim is to provide you with lots of inspiration for using our Sale-a-bration sets - the sets that you can get free with a £45 order from our Idea Book and Catalogue (see the link on the right hand side menu) - and don't forget that there's no limit to the number you can qualify for, so spend £45, get one set, spend £90, get two sets etc so you can collect all four! Just email me to place your order. Hopefully today I've got a little something for everyone, I've used each SAB set and have a mix of cards, scrapbook page and 3d items, some using bright colours and some are more monochrome.

First up for you, I've made a little set of all occasion cards:

Recipe (All)

Stamp set: So Happy for You

Recipe (Butterfly)

Cardstock: Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum, Whisper White

Ink: Elegant Eggplant, Perfect Plum,

Punch: Butterfly

Recipe (Star)

Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White

Ink: Baja Breeze, Not Quite Navy

Punch: Star

Recipe (Heart)

Cardstock: Blushing Bride, Rose Red, Whisper White

Ink: Blushing Bride, Rose Red

Punch: Full Heart

Recipe (Clover)

Cardstock: Wild Wasabi, Garden Green, Whisper White

Ink: Wild Wasabi, Garden Green

Punch: Small Heart, 2-step Bird

Recipe (Flower)

Cardstock: Daffodil Delight, More Mustard, Whisper White

Ink: Daffodil Delight, More Mustard

Punch: 5-petal Flower

Each card is made in the same way. A 3-1/2" square card blank of the lighter colour is matted with a 3-1/4" square of the darker colour. A 3" square of Whisper White card is stamped with the sentiment in the darker ink in the bottom right corner and then randomly with the background stamp in the lighter ink. This is adhered direct to the card front. A matching shape is punched from the lighter cardstock and popped up on dimensionals in the centre. (To get a closer match for the flower I reinserted each petal back into the punch reversed and punched again). The envelopes are stamped with the matching background stamp.

I then boxed them in a mini pizza box:

Recipe

Cardstock: Basic Black, Tangerine Tango, Whisper White

Ink: Perfect Plum, Baja Breeze, Blushing Bride, Wild Wasabi, Daffodil Delight, Basic Black

Punches: 1" Circle, 1-1/4" Circle, Small Oval, Large Oval

I used this tutorial here to make the mini pizza box in Basic Black cardstock, then matted it with Squares of Tangerine Tango and Basic Black. A square of Whisper White card was stamped with all the images from the cards. Using a marker direct to stamp I selectively stamped the "for you" sentiment and punched it out with the Small Oval. It was adhered direct to a Large Oval of Tangerine Tango and popped up on dimensionals on the box top. Tangerine Tango strips were adhered to the front and sides of the box.

Using the Punch Bunch set I made a little Post-it note key chain to keep in my handbag:

Recipe

Stamp set: Punch Bunch

Cardstock: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla

Ink: Early Espresso

3mm Taffeta Ribbon: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla

1cm Taffeta Ribbon: Very Vanilla

Other: Crystal Effects

Non-SU: Keyring, Mini Post-it notes

About a third of the mini Post-it notes were separated off and wrapped with Early Espresso card. A small mat of Very Vanilla card was stamped with the owl in Early Espresso ink and then adhered to the cover of the notes. The eyes of the owl were covered in Crystal Effects to make them shine (you can just see that in the photo). A hole was punched through the "book" with the Crop-a-dile, a keyring fastened through and the ribbons tied onto the keyring.

I think the Bliss set is ideal for scrapbooking wedding photos as well as using on cards and went with a sepia tone photo for this:

Recipe

Stamp set: Bliss

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla

Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso

Punches: Scallop Oval, Large Oval

Other: Basic Pearls

I used the stamp-a-ma-jig to position the large stamp to create the background. The sepia tinted photo was matted onto Early Espresso card and adhered direct to the page. Using the rock and roll technique with Crumb Cake and Early Espresso inks I stamped the flower three times and the butterfly once onto Very Vanilla card and cut them out. Small pearls were added to the centres of the flowers. The sentiment was stamped with Early Espresso onto Very Vanilla card, punched with the Large Oval and matted onto a Scallop Oval of Early Espresso card. These elements were then arranged around the photo to further frame it.

Finally, as part of my MIL's birthday gift I created this packaging:

Recipe

Stamp set: Sweet Summer

Cardstock: Basic Black, Melon Mambo, Whisper White

Ink: Versamark, Black Stazon, White Gel Pen, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Basic Black

Punch: Petal Card

3mm Taffeta Ribbon: Basic Black

Other: White EP, Filigree Brad

Non-SU: Velcro

I used Carol's quirky little box tutorial here for my box. The box sides are made with Basic Black card and were stamped with the leafy stems in Versamark and then heat embossed with White EP. The full flower heads were stamped twice in Black Stazon and then coloured with markers before cutting out then popping up on dimensionals at the top of each leafy stem. Two Petal Cards were punched from Melon Mambo. One was adhered to the base of the box. The other had the small butterfly stamped with Black Stazon on one peta and was coloured with the White Gel pen. This was used to indicate the opening for the box. A hole was punched in the centre of the lid using the Crop-a-dile and a Filigree brad attached with a loop of Black taffeta ribbon. The back petal was adhered to the back of the box. A sliver of velcro was used to fasten the box lid at the front. You'll have to stop back another day to see what was inside it.

Well I hope that you've enjoyed my creations and I'll pass you on now to Alison. She has some wonderful step cards to show you.

If you'd like to look at the other loops, then here are the links:

Loop 2

Loop 3

Loop 4

Don't forget that if you want to place an order to get your free set then just email me.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Sara xx

A scrapbook page with hidden journalling

Here is my second bite at the cherry for making a scrapbook page for the In Love With Stamping challenge.

Recipe

Stamp set: Circle Circus

Cardstock: Marina Mist, Crumb Cake, Real Red

Ink: Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Versamark

Punches: Corner Rounder, 1-3/4" Circle, 1-3/8" Circle, 1-1/4" Circle, Scallop Edge, 1/4" Circle (retired)

3mm Taffeta Ribbon: Marina Mist

Other: Silver EP, Silver Brads

The base page is a 6" x 6" of Marina Mist card. Using Marina Mist ink the outline Circle from Circle Circus was stamped randomly on the left side of the page. The main photo was matted onto Real Red and then Crumb Cake card, with the corners of all layers punched with the Corner Rounder. A thin strip of Crumb Cake card was punched with the Scallop Edge Border, then wrapped with Marina Mist taffeta ribbon. The bubble circle was stamped with Versamark, heat embossed with Silver EP, then punched with the 1-1/4" Circle. This was matted onto a 1-3/8" Circle of Marina Mist and adhered direct to the centre of the right side of the page. Photos of DH and I were punched with the 1-3/4" Circle and secured to the page with Silver brads. I used Marina Mist 1/4" Circles (retired) between brad and photo and between photo and page as a protector to help with the swivel action. The outline Circle was stamped again with Marina Mist ink this time onto Crumb Cake card and punched out with the 1-3/8" Circle and adhered underneath the photos for journalling. Circle punches were used to punch segments of Crumb Cake card and adhered below the main photo for journalling the place and year.

Admission - the journalling was originally done direct to the page but had to be redone on the Crumb Cake layers because I added the wrong year - doh!

The photos of DH and I swivel aside to reveal the journalling:

DH and I both love photography but hate having our photo taken. We did take a handful of photos of us more than usual in 2010 but I think I need to up the number even more in 2011, after all it makes the scrapbook pages that much more personal (and it may be the incentive I need to lose weight, lol).

Sara xx

Scrapbooking in the new year with pix from the last

Another of our challenges this month over at In Love With Stamping is:

a scrapbook page!

and I'm so glad that this was set as a challenge as I finally got around to downloading my photos from my holidays earlier in the year. Better still, I've actually printed off some pix and scrapped them.

Recipe

Stamp set: Just Believe

Cardstock: Cajun Craze, Peach Parfait, Early Espresso

Ink: Cajun Craze

DSP: In-Color Paper Pack (hostess level 1)

Punches: Curly Label, Boho Blossoms

Other: Neutrals Brads (Early Espresso)

The base page is a 6" x 6" of Cajun Craze card. For the borders, top and bottom, I trimmed the same pattern of Peach Parfait paper from the In Color hostess pack, matted them on a thin strip of Early Espresso card and adhered them direct to the page. Each of the photos was matted with Peach Parfait card and also matted direct. For the top label I used my computer to printed the place and year onto Very Vanilla card and then stamped over the top of it with the square type label from the Just Believe set in Cajun Craze ink. This was cut out leaving a small margin all around. For the bottom label I used my stamp-a-ma-jig and Cajun Craze marker to rearrange the sentiment, colouring the needed lines of the sentiment direct to stamp, positioning, stamping, repeating (and cleaning well between each stamping). This sentiment was punched out with the Curly Label. The smallest Boho Blossom was punched twice from Peach Parfait card, snipped between each petal and shaped, then secured with a brad to each sentiment label. The labels were then popped up on dimensionals.

Now is a great time to do your scrapbooking, whether it's the seasonal photos you've taken over the holiday period, or a reminder of the warmer and sunnier times from last summer. If you're in the South Yorkshire area, then come along and join my crop on Saturday 15 January (details here) or why not book a workshop with me (just email to book a date) and earn your free hostess sets at the same time.

Sara xx

A mini scrapbook album for wedding photos

Here is the mini scrapbook album that I made for my newlywed friends. I followed Helen's excellent instructions over at All Things Stampy here, for a sweet little album that just keeps on unfolding.

Recipe

Punch: Scallop Edge

Taffeta Ribbon: Chocolate Chip

Other: Love Stories Simply Scrappin' Kit

I really had to add very little to the supplies from the kit to make this album, just a little ribbon for the closure. The base of the album is the very lush textured cardstock from the kit and I've layered it with the co-ordinating DSP for the inner pages. The kit comes with die-cut edging in Pretty in Pink and to keep the bulk of the pages down, I added my own Close to Cocoa edging by using the Scallop Edge punch on some off-cuts of the DSP. Layers of DSP and more textured card hide the ribbon ties and the album front is finished with more die-cuts. And there's plenty of kit left over for more scapbooking projects or cardmaking. This kit will be available in the new catty while stocks last but the taffeta ribbon will be retiring.

Here's how the album unfolds:

All ready for Laetitia and her hubby to add their own photos, journalling and any personal embellishments if they want to.

I wish them much happiness in their new life together.

Sara xx

Scrapbooking for the August sketch challenge at ILWS - take 2

And today I'm back around to the August ILWS sketch challenge which, if you remember was this:

The first time around I used it for a card but as soon as I saw it I knew it would be a great layout for a single photo scrapbook page. I made a 6" x 6" size using a photo I've used before. It has limited colours that are easy to pick out in my card and paper choices. I will have to take some new pix of Bess - the trouble is that whenever we're out with her we have our hands full enough without trying to manage a camera too, lol.

Recipe

Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise

DSP: Groom, Kaleidoscope

Punch: Corner Rounder

The base page is a piece of 6" x 6" Groom DSP. A wide strip of Kaleidoscope DSP was matted onto Tempting Turquoise and adhered direct to the base page. I cut strips of one sheet of DSP and then adhered these to some Whisper White card, turning the DSP over for alternate strips. This was then trimmed to shape following the lines of the strips and then matted onto more Tempting Turquoise card. This was popped up on dimensionals on the left side of the page. The photo was cropped, the corner rounder punch used on the corners and then matted onto Tempting Turquoise, also with the corners punched. The left side of the photo was adhered direct to the alternated strips and the right side of the photo popped up on dimensionals so that the same height was retained throughout.

Have a great weekend.

Sara xx

National Scrapbooking Day and a limited supplies challenge at ILWS

Today is National Scrapbooking Day and we have a Limited Supplies challenge this month over at In Love With Stamping so I've combined the two for today's offering.

The Limited Supplies allowed are:

• 1 stamp set
• 3 colours cardstock
• 1 patterned paper
• something shiny

Recipe

Stamp set: One of a Kind

Cardstock: Green Galore, Tempting Turquoise, Summer Sun

DSP: Night and Day Specialty

Ink: Craft Whisper White, Basic Black, Versamark

Other: Hodgepodge, Black EP

I chose a set of pix of Bess so that the limited scheme would work with them and I picked out the main colours from the photos for my paper and cardstock. Two of the photos are standard size 10cm x 15cm and I trimmed the third to be a 10cm x 10cm square to fit my layout. My 1 piece of patterned paper is a 12" x 12" sheet from the Night and Day Specialty pack and I chose this to mirror the black and white markings on Bess. Using my stamp-a-ma-jig (SAMJ) I created the corner border with Craft White ink and then stamped the large and small flowers with the same ink. These extend the pattern that already exists on the paper. The photos were matted and layered and added around the edges. The sentiment was selectively stamped by using a Basic Black marker to ink and stamp the bottom line, the stamp cleaned and then the "One" inked in the same way and positioned with the SAMJ. This was cut out and put behind the silver hodgepodge (something shiny) centred on the DSP design. Finally the large flower was stamped in Versamark on both the green and turquoise card and heat embossed with Black EP. The small flower was done the same way on Summer Sun. All were cut out and layered and adhered to the centre of the page.

Hope that you get chance to join in with some scrapbooking activities of your own today. If a 12" x 12" page seems too daunting then why not start with a 6" x 6" mini page.

My own scrapbooking efforts have made me realise that I need to get my camera out more often than just snapping my cards for this blog, lol.

Back tomorrow with another ILWS challenge.

Sara xx

A scrapbook page featuring the Designer Series Papers

This week's Stamp With Us challenge is a colour one using the photo below as inspiration.

I can hardly believe that I've been blogging for nearly 6 months now and haven't posted a scrapbook page yet. When I saw the image we were going to use, it brought this layout to mind. I opted not to have all the "towels" facing the same way because it unbalanced the page.

Recipe

Cardstock: Old Olive, Bashful Blue, Ruby Red, Apricot Appeal, Certainly Celery

DSP: Haiku, Washington Apple, Holiday Treasures, Rainbow Sherbet, Certainly Celery Prints (retired)

Other: Printed Captions, Octagon Nestabilities

The photos are from our trip to Peru last year. The top one is the oasis we stopped at after flying over the Nazca lines (you can just see the huge sand dunes in the background). The bottom one is my hubby and his Dad at the same oasis. It was a fantastic trip and making this page brought a lot of it back to me - I really must do more scrapbooking.

Don't forget that the Designer Series Papers are on offer this month. Buy any three packs and get another one free. More details are here. Please email me at sarastamper123@gmail.com to place your order.

Sara xx