Anniversary card using the couple from Summer by the Sea stamp set

Before I get on to today's card I'd just like to welcome my very first team member - Julie. I've known for a few days, but now it's official, woohoo. Thank you Julie, for joining Sara's Stampettes. You'll see that she is an extremely talented lady, with a great blog already over at Julie's Crafty Corner, from which I've just learned that it was also her birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday Julie - what a week for you! I wish you lots of success in your new venture as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and feel so lucky to have you on my team.

If you're thinking about joining Julie and me then please stop by tomorrow as I'll have a little bonus that might just make the decision for you.

Now onto 

today's card. This is another quick one using the Summer by the Sea set. 

I used Very Vanilla as my card blank. Using the couple from the Summer by the Sea set I stamped onto more Very Vanilla card using Versamark and embossed with gold powder. I did the same with the Wishing You Happiness sentiment from the 

same set. These were matted onto Creamy Caramel card before being attached to the card.

A great fix when you need an anniversary card in a hurry.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sara xx

Quick craft tip - inking tip no. 3

Use your inks to create a palette of matching paints. Dab your ink pad onto a clean tile or piece of acetate and use a damp paintbrush to pick up the ink and paint with it. Pick up just a little ink with a damper brush to get a lighter shade or use more ink and less water for a deeper colour. Test on a piece of scrap card for depth of shade before painting onto your masterpiece.

A couple of ATCs in red and black

I'm a little late posting tonight because I've just got a new computer and so I've been copying files across from the old to the new. I tend to get a little paranoid over backups these days as I've lost files in the past - better safe than sorry now.

These are a couple of ATCs that I made for a swap a short while ago. The red one is Ruby Red card as the base. Using the dinky heart from the Cause for Celebration set (level 2 hostess gift), I stamped with Pretty in Pink ink onto Whisper White card. This was tied with Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon and topped with a Ruby Red heart stamped with the Polka Dot Punches heart and embossed with white embossing powder.

The black ATC was Basic Black card. Using the flower trio from the True Friend set I stamped with Basic Black ink onto Whisper White card. I sponged the edges to reduce the contrast a little. I also stamped the True Friend sentiment and matted that over the flower trio. To fill the final bit of (too white) space, I used the solo flower from the One of a Kind set.

All corners were punched with the corner rounder punch.

Keep stampin'

Sara xx

A mini catalogue full of more Stampin' Up! goodies

Ooooooh so many great new goodies to choose from. One of the many benefits of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator is that we get to order ahead of schedule, from the catalogues that will be coming out, so that we can make samples to show to you all. When I got a copy of the new mini catalogue, I made myself a cup of tea and sat down to start my wishlist.  It's looong. There are great new stamps, new designer series papers (including Almost Amethyst shades - one of my favourites), stripey ribbons in summer colours, christmas stamps, rub-ons, and oval punches! What a treasure trove. You can browse the mini by clicking here or on the mini catalogue image on the right hand side bar (be warned - it takes a little while to download).

You'll be able to buy  from the mini from 1 April - 30 September 2009 but I'm taking pre-orders now. I currently have my own offer (not a Stampin' Up! offer) of free postage on orders of £40 or over during March and I'm extending this to cover pre-orders (or combinations of pre-orders from the mini plus orders from the catalogue, but these will ship together after 1 April). Orders less than £40 are charged a flat rate of £3.95 postage. I need to receive cleared payment in full by 31 March and then all orders will be placed on 1st April (the earliest we're allowed) and delivery is estimated at 7-14 working days later.

If you'd like a real copy of the mini catalogue to actually hold in your hands then please email me and I'll send you one just as soon as my stock arrives.

Can you guess what I'm ordering? I'll be posting samples over the coming weeks so please stop back soon.

Bye for now.

Sara xx

A new award for comments and support

Thanks to Heather for nominating me for this award.

I'd like to pass it on to:

Amber

Margaret

Kate

Alex

Fiona

Another quick card using the Summer by the Sea stamp set

Today's card is another one showing how the Summer by the Sea stamp set is perfect for creating quick cards. For this one I started with Almost Amethyst as my card blank. I stamped the boy in the boat with Elegant Eggplant ink onto Very Vanilla card. This was matted onto more Almost Amethyst and another layer of Very Vanilla. I then wrapped Elegant Eggplant narrow grosgrain ribbon around each corner and secured the whole to the front of the card with dimensionals.

Using the Happy Birthday sentiment from the Occasional Greetings set I stamped with Elegant Eggplant ink again onto Very vanilla card. This time it was matted onto Elegant Eggplant card and the whole added with dimensionals again.

Nice 'n' easy 'n' quick.

Keep stampin'

Sara xx

A sandy coloured, summery birthday card

Now I know that I haven't posted as many card ideas this week as usual. Hubby and I had the week off work and we went up to Scotland for a few days to visit relatives. The modern miracles of laptop and hotel wifi made it possible to post one or two entries but I didn't take my craft warehouse (seems like, haha) with me and so it has been a bit more limited. We're back home again now so it should be back to normal service.

I made this card for my friend's little boy for his birthday. The card blank was Summer Sun. I stamped the little boy on the beach from the Summer by the Sea set using More Mustard ink (sandy coloured) on Very Vanilla card. Using More Mustard card I used the scallop edge punch along both long edges and then scored double lines top and bottom with my Paper Cutter and Paper Folder. This gave a frame for matting the image.

I stamped the Birthday Wishes sentiment from the Circle of Friendship set using More Mustard ink on Very Vanilla card again and punched out with the 1" circle punch. I punched a 1-1/4" circle from More Mustard card and a scallop circle from Summer Sun and layered these up. Finally I created a loop of Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon, stuck this to the card and added the circles over the top using dimensionals.

Now I'm off to finish tidying the house before my in-laws arrive for dinner. Regulars to my blog will know that this means transforming my craft room back into a dining room - but don't worry, I'll have it back to crafting tomorrow!

Thanks for stopping by.

Sara xx

Great stamps for quick cards using the Summer by the Sea set

Some stamps are just so detailed and elegant that they don't need any extra work or embellishment. That's not to say that you can't add to them - just that they are good enough to stand on their own when you need a quick card. Sunday was just such an occasion. I realised that I'd missed my Aunt's birthday, didn't have much time for crafting (it's been busy, busy, busy lately and I'm still not getting the housework done) so I turned to a gorgeous stamp set that I've just bought - Summer by the Sea.

I started with a card blank of Pretty in Pink. Using the little girl stamp from the Summer by the Sea set, I stamped with Regal Rose ink onto Very Vanilla card. Using the Birthday Wishes sentiment from the Sincere Salutations set, I did the same. These had the corner rounder punch used on all four corners and were matted onto Rose Red card also corner rounded. I put a length of Rose Red double stitched grosgrain ribbon across the top of the card and added the image and the sentiment.

Quick, straightforward, but I think also elegant and effective. Oh, and I added an apology inside the card, for it being late.

Keep Stampin'

Sara xx

Quick craft tip - using punches tip no. 4

Use the "waste" from a punch by using a larger punch over the top of the design. Centre the punched out shape within the window of the larger punch and punch it out (an purposely offset design also looks good if there is sufficient space within the design). It usually works best to combine a more elaborate design with a simple one. 

Get on Board with Chipboard - 25% off

In March you can get a whopping 25% off Stampin' Up! chipboard so now is a great time to stock up on our Letters and Bloom sets ready to embellish your cards, scrapbook pages and other projects. You can:

•  stamp onto the chipboard
  
•  layer it together for extra depth and dimension
  
•  dress it up with Hodgepodge and Pretties
  
•  cover it with Designer Series Paper
•  glitter it
  
•  paint it
  
•  or even leave it as is, for a natural look
  

The new prices, just for March, are:

Page 78, Batch of Blooms on Board - was £11.75, now just £8.81

Page 78, Loads of Letters on Board - was £10.25, now just £7.69

and you can still get the same great deal on retired chipboard sets while stocks last:

Page 94, Blossoms & Basics on Board - was £11.75, now just £8.81

Page 94, Lots of Letters on Board - was £10.25, now just £7.69

Email me at sarastamper123@gmail.com to order your chipboard sets now. 

And my own special offer during March - on orders over £40 placed with me, I'll pay your postage costs (saving you a minimum of £3.95).