Birthday, wedding or anniversary card in Kraft, Vanilla and Gold

It was my friend's birthday last Friday and this is the card that I made for her (she should have received it by now so I think I'm safe to show it). As I was preparing the pix for this blogpost though, I started thinking that it would work equally well as a wedding or anniversary card. What do you think?

Recipe

Stamp set: Tiny Tags

Cardstock: Kraft, Very Vanilla

Ink: Versamark

DSP: Bridesmaid

Punches: 5-Petal Flower, Medium Jewelry Tag, Boho Blossoms

Other: Gold EP, Gold Elastic Cord, Cream Halfback Pearl (Pretties Kit)

The card blank is Kraft (soon to be renamed Crumb Cake) and this was matted with a layer of Very Vanilla and another layer of Kraft. I punched two 5-Petal Flowers from the Bridesmaid DSP and pencilled around one of them to work out where to stamp the larger flower spray from the Tiny Tags stamp set. This was stamped three times in Versamark and heat embossed with Gold EP. The pencil marks were erased and the flower added using glue dots, with a medium sized Kraft Boho Blossom and a halfback pearl to finish the centre. The heart and the love sentiment from the same stamp set were stamped in Versamark onto Very Vanilla card, heat embossed with Gold EP and punched out with the Medium Jewelry Tag. They were then threaded onto some Gold Elastic Cord. A strip of Bridesmaid DSP was strengthened with scrap card (to prevent the cord from buckling it), wrapped with the gold cord (secured in place on the reverse with Sticky Strip) and popped up on dimensionals. The tags were popped up on half dimensionals and arranged in place.

Here's a close up to show the gold embossing:

The Tiny Tags set is one of the two-step Stampin' sets that we have on offer this month and is reduced from £18.95 to £15.16 (offer valid 1-31 August 2010). Please email me if you'd like to order.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Sara xx

Helping Hudson - Tutorial bundles update

On Sunday I told you all about the Helping Hudson event (details here). Well I've received my tutorial bundles now (an easy download process by the way) - all 6 plus the bonus one, so I can now give you a heads up on how they match across to our SU materials.

Bundle 1 - Christmas

6 of the projects use stamp (set)s we don't have but they are very easily substituted with ones we do.

3 of the projects use the Big Shot with dies but again I think you could still use the ideas quite easily and create your own templates. One of these could be created as a smaller version using the scallop circle punch.

This bundle has some great techniques and templates that you could use for other projects.

Bundle 2 - Masculine

4 of the projects use stamp (set)s we don't have but they are easily substituted with ones we do or with choice of DSP.

This bundle has some great techniques and templates that you could use for other projects.

Bundle 3 - Punch Art

8 of the projects use punches that we don't (yet) have in the UK (roll on October when we hopefully might get a few new ones!). However with a little creativity/swapping for punches we do have, you can still make many of the projects.

Bundle 4 - Kids Birthdays

4 of the projects (and some of the pictured variations) use stamp (set)s we don't have but they are very easily substituted with ones we do.

3 projects of the projects use the Big Shot with dies but again, you could still use the ideas quite easily and create your own templates.

This bundle has some fabulous templates that you could use for other projects.

Bundle 5 - Scrapbooking

5 of the projects use stamp (set)s we don't have but they are very easily substituted with ones we do.

3 of the projects use the Big Shot with dies but again I think you could still use the ideas quite easily and create your own templates.

This bundle has great techniques and a template that you could use for other projects.

Bundle 6 - Bags, Boxes and Gifts

6 or so of the projects (and some of the pictured variations) use stamp (set)s we don't have but they are very easily substituted with ones we do.

3 of the projects use the Big Shot with dies but again I think you could still use the ideas quite easily and create your own templates.

This bundle has some great techniques and templates that you could use for other projects.

Bonus Bundle - free when you buy 4 or more bundles

A set of great techniques to be used with any stamp sets.

Here's hoping you can support the cause. Click here to buy your bundles.

Thanks

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

August technique challenge with cling film and shimmer paint

Today is my FIL's birthday and for his card I used the August technique challenge from over at ILWS:

Plastic Wrap - cut yourself a length of saran wrap (cling film in our house). Crumble it up, dab onto the ink pad, press on paper - easy!!!

Recipe

Stamp sets: Trendy Trees, Happy Moments (sentiment)

Cardstock: Basic Black, Whisper White

Ink: Basic Black, Versamark, Frost White Shimmer Paint

Punch: Word Window

Other: Gold EP

Non-SU: Silver cardstock, cling film

The cling film was crumpled up, dipped in Frost White Shimmer Paint, blotted to remove excess and then dabbed along the top and bottom of the Basic Black card blank and left to dry. Using a sponge dauber I inked the tree foliage stamps with the Shimmer Paint and stamped them onto a strip of Basic Black. I used the stamp-a-ma-jig to position the trees and used the heat tool to dry the paint in between each stamping so as not to smudge the ink with the jig. The tree trunks were then stamped and heat embossed with Gold EP, again one at a time to avoid smudging. This was then matted direct onto some silver card and then onto the card front. A Whisper White insert was adhered to the inside. Using the Word Window I punched an aperture in the bottom right front of the card, pencilled in the window on the insert and used the stamp-a-ma-jig to position the sentiment before erasing the pencil marks.

Don't forget that we have 20% off this Trendy Trees set at the moment (along with a selection of other two-step stampin' sets). See here for more details and email me to order yours.

MIL and FIL are here for tea tonight so I'm off now to tuck into our fish and chip supper, followed by Pavlova (can you put candles on Pavlova?) and a friendly game of darts on the board they bought DH for his birthday.

I'll be back with the last of my ILWS challenge samples tomorrow.

Sara xx

PS. My Helping Hudson tutorial bundles have arrived so I'll check through those and let you know how many use UK catty supplies, just as soon as I can.

August colour challenge at ILWS - take 2

Yesterday I shared my first sample for the colour challenge this month over at ILWS which uses:

• Basic Gray
• So Saffron
• Certainly Celery
• Whisper White

Today I have a different card using the same colour combo ... and I just couldn't resist using my Vintage Vogue set, I knew it would look great in these colours:

Recipe

Stamp sets: Vintage Vogue, Very Vintage, Tiny Tags

Textured Cardstock: Basic Gray

Plain Cardstock: So Saffron, Whisper White

Ink: So Saffron, Basic Gray, Certainly Celery

Punches: Eyelet Border, Medium Jewelry Tag, 1/4" Circle

Brads: Certainly Celery (Soft Subtles), So Saffron (Rich Regals)

Throughout, I stamped the Basic Gray ink off once each time to get a softer shade of grey. First I used the Very Vintage wheel to stamp the background in Basic Gray onto So Saffron card. I stamped the butterfly area of the image again onto a scrap of So Saffron and cut it out to use later. The edges of the background were punched with the Eyelet Border and then this layer was adhered direct to a layer of Textured Basic Gray card. The Tiny Tags were stamped, punched and added to the corners with Certainly Celery Brads. For the flowers I used the rock and roll technique. I inked the stamp up first with So Saffron and the rolled the edges of the stamp in Basic Gray and stamped onto Whisper White card. The leaves were simply stamped with Certainly Celery ink. Each flower was cut out with a narrow margin, shaped and in the centre a 1/4" Circle of punched Textured Basic Gray card added with a So Saffron brad. These were popped up on dimensionals. The leaves were also cut out with a narrow margin, shaped a little at the end and added on glue dots. Finally a rolled up glue dot was added to the spine of the butterfly and lined up over the one on the background.

Thanks for stopping by.

Sara xx

August colour challenge at ILWS

Our colour challenge this month over at ILWS is to use:

• Basic Gray
• So Saffron
• Certainly Celery
• Whisper White

I love this colour combo and I'm so pleased that Basic Gray will be a core colour in a couple of months time. Then I'll be able to buy it in single colour packs not just mixed neutrals packs :-)

Recipe

Stamp sets: Trendy Trees, Happy Moments (sentiment)

Textured Cardstock: Basic Gray

Plain Cardstock: So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Whisper White

Ink: So Saffron, Basic Gray

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

Wide Grosgrain Ribbon: So Saffron

Taffeta Ribbon: Basic Gray

Brads: Certainly Celery (Soft Subtles), So Saffron (Rich Regals)

I marked the centres for the circles on both the Gray and Celery layers and punched with the 1-3/8" Circle on the Gray and the 1-1/4" Circle on the Celery. These layers were then matted. I marked the circle apertures onto the Whisper White layer with a pencil and then used the stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the tree tops in Saffron and the trunks in Basic Gray (stamping the Gray off first each time to get a paler shade of grey). So Saffron brads were pushed through each of the top corners and So Saffron ribbon was wrapped around the lower portion of the grey layer. (This ribbon was a freebie last August with purchase and has lasted me ages - it's well worth snapping these up when they're there). Snail was applied across the centre of the So Saffron ribbon and then Basic Gray taffeta ribbon was pleated over the top, leaving a flat patch in the centre where a ribbon knot was attached with a glue dot. This grey layer was popped up on dimensionals onto the So Saffron card blank. Finally the sentiment was stamped onto Whisper White card and punched out with the Word Window punch. The same punch was used on Certainly Celery card, snipped in the middle and adhered behind either end of the sentiment. So Saffron brads were added for decoration and the sentiment popped up on dimensionals on the card front.

Tomorrow I'll be using the same colour combo for a different look and on Thursday the same stamp set in a different colour combo.

Sara xx

August inspiration challenge at ILWS

Our August inspiration challenge over at ILWS is this image:

I decided to use the four quarter layout and the colours to make this card:

Recipe

Cardstock: Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie, Apricot Appeal, Yoyo Yellow, Lavender Lace, Pixie Pink, Tempting Turquoise, Green Galore, Whisper White, Brilliant Blue, Elegant Eggplant, Pink Passion

Punches: 5-Petal Flower, Extra-Large Two-Step Bird, Boho Blossoms

The card blank is a 4-1/4" square in Basic Black. Each quarter is cut to 2" square and adhered direct to the card blank. Leaves are punched using the Two-Step Bird and around half the stalk is trimmed off. This is secured on the reverse of the 5-Petal punched flower with a dimensional which is also used to adhere the flower to the square. Finally the smallest Boho Blossom flower is punched and snailed into the centre of the 5-Petal flower.

Hope to see your creations in the gallery soon.

Pop back tomorrow to see another challenge card, this time made with one of our great August Offer stamp sets.

Sara xx

July Mini Draw Winner

And the winner of my July Mini Draw is ... *drumroll* ...

Ros

from our Stamptacular event. I'll get your winnings out to you with your order Ros.

If you'd like to be in with a chance of winning the final August Grand Draw then take a look here for details.

A two step bargain at 20 percent off!

Two-Step Stampin’ sets allow you to quickly and easily take your creativity to the next level. From 1-31 August, you'll get 20 percent off select Two-Step Stampin’ sets from our current catalogues--no limit and no minimum purchase required!

Email me to order yours.

Choose from the following stamp sets:

Item	Page	Description	Regular Price	Sale Price
104606	31	Loads of Love	£18.95	£15.16
105709	31	Des tonnes d'amour (Loads of Love in French)	£18.95	£15.16
110662	31	Liebe, nichts als Liebe (Loads of Love in German)	£18.95	£15.16
109439	35	Big Bold Birthday	£23.95	£19.16
110548	35	Un super anniversaire (Big Bold Birthday in French)	£23.95	£19.16
113258	39	Trendy Trees	£12.95	£10.36
113824	43	Greenhouse Garden	£22.95	£18.36
117688	8*	Something Sweet	£23.95	£19.16
118878	8*	Un peu de douceur (Something Sweet in French)	£23.95	£19.16
118880	8*	Süße Kleinigkeiten (Something Sweet in German)	£23.95	£19.16
118091	15*	Tiny Tags	£18.95	£15.16
113266	18*	Bird on a Branch	£14.95	£11.96

August sketch challenge at ILWS

A busy day today blogpost-wise as it's the first of the month already and I've so much news to share with you. Next up is the whole new set of August challenges for you over at In Love With Stamping. This month we have a sketch challenge (below), a colour combo, an inspiration image and a technique (using cling film). We also have some new Design Team Members ready and willing to provide you with inspiration.

So here's the sketch:

For my first take on this sketch I've created a card with a slightly masculine feel:

Recipe

Stamp set: Touch of Nature

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Taken With Teal, Whisper White

Ink: Black Stazon, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, More Mustard, Creamy Caramel

DSP: Autumn Meadows

The bird on a branch from the Touch of Nature set was stamped onto Whisper White card with Black Stazon. It was then coloured in using blender pens and ink pads, this gives greater control than using markers and allows me to better control the intensity of the colour. The panel was sponged around the edges with Chocolate Chip to spotlight the bird and then matted onto Taken with Teal card. A panel of woodgrain effect DSP was also matted onto Taken with Teal and adhered direct to the Chocolate Chip card base. I created the bargello panel to the left by cutting the Autumn Meadows DSP into strips and adhering them to Whisper White card, off-setting the stripes slightly. This was then cut into the shape within the sketch following the lines of the strips and popped up on dimensionals over the top of the wood grain panel. The image was also popped up on dimensionals on top of the other layers.

Back a bit later with details of Stampin' Up!'s great August offer.

Sara xx