For the Happy Couple !

Morning all,

I was up mega early this morning ready for a day in front of the telly to watch all the celebrations.

While in the shower I thought I should make the happy couple a card. Hubby was horrified at the thought that I might actually be sending it to them but I explained it was just a bit of fun for my lovely blog readers !

However, perhaps I should send it to them and spread the SU word further - bet they haven't got another one the same lol !!

Anyway this is what I came up with.............

When I was getting out my chipboard letters I thought it best to go for the more informal Kate rather than using the initial for Catherine, to prevent a Royal 'flush' of embarassment lol !

I have used the crown from Tiny Tags and made my central crown from the Decorative Label, Window and one of the Itty Bitty punches - with some SU crown jewels of course !

Right off to watch all the goings on , I can't believe the guests are waiting outside the Abbey to go in at 8.30 am - I would have to take my SU catty to read while I was waiting !

Whatever you are doing have a fantastic long weekend and I wish the happy couple every happiness.

Baby Blossoms - but not as you know it !

Hurrah, what a difference a day makes again !

The sunshine's back. I even had to rescue a couple of the Easter eggs today as the girls had stacked them up in the conservatory and the sun got to the top ones. Oh and yes, they had counted them lol ! Perhaps if it's sunny again tomorrow one could be beyond salvaging ;)

Yesterday I said how much I loved the new Baby Blossoms set but we are all different and I know it's not everyone's cup of tea being too pretty and vintage..... but not anymore !!!

Regular readers know how 'cruel' I am to my stamps and make them do things they weren't expecting to do, so I've tried to show that Baby Blossoms can be more funky ..............

I stamped the roses in Versamark then heat embossed with white powder. Ribbon and a bit of bling to glam it up lol !

Didn't throw away the piece of the Top Note die I cut off from the previous card ! Made the red flower from the scalloped circle punch and stamped with the stem stamp. I have other ideas for this useful little stamp, I'm thinking snowman arms lol ! Yes, I do need to get out more !!!

More stems and I like the background using just the stamp that creates the shadow on the roses.

Another entry for the sketch challenge at Simply Stampin - I am organised this week !

Looks and feels completely different from yesterday's projects ? Hopefully I have convinced a few of the ' non- believers' that they DO need this stamp set - if anyone would like me to order it for them please get in touch.

Remember stamps are as versatile as your imagination - let me know what you think x

Baby Blossoms

Brrr - what a difference a day makes !!!

At least it was nice while the schools were off for a change. Hope you all had a fantastic Easter and didn't eat too much chocolate ! We haven't eaten much but OMG we have an overdose !

Thought I would show you the mountain .............

and that was after a few had been eaten and minus the packets of Mini eggs !!!! I have been given strict instructions NOT to touch them while the girls are at school -as if ....lol !

Back to the crafting, when I first saw the Mini Catalogue which seems ages ago now, top of my 'Must Have' list was the Baby Blossoms stamp set. This is just my thing, pretty, girly and you know how I love flowers !

Well, why haven't I used it then ? I didn't forget I'd got it ( which has been known to happen ) but I think I just got distracted by the Springtime Vintage papers, the Owl Punch and the square embossing folder !!

Anyway, over the weekend I had a good play and I love it just as much as I thought I would !

Stamped onto the Springtime vintage paper and embossed it to give it a different look. The rose is done in the appropriately named Rose Red ink, using the stamping off technique to get the two different shades.

Left the striped paper alone this time but embossed the other one lol !Also made a cute little gift box

Aren't they pretty ? Made loads of other things too but I'll save them for another time, now I wonder do you think they have really counted those eggs ..................?

Birthdays and Bunting

Happy St George's Day to you !

Today I am even more lastminute.com and decided this morning to join in with Victoria's Monthly Scrapbook Challenge at Blue Jelly Stampin.

The theme is 'Birthdays and Bunting' and I have used some photos from when Sophie was 7. She is a bit like the Queen and often celebrates her birthday over several days with various groups of friends/ family etc due to the actual date being 27th December ! With Isabel's birthday also in December I usually end up buying a handful of birthday cakes !

I have also decided to enter this page in the sketch challenge for Simply Stampin- not rushing on Friday this week, might even have time to do something else lol !

I have used chipboard to spell her name. Must confess I haven't used this before but was introduced to it at training with Jules.

Like the little 'shelf ' my journalling is sitting on ? I ran the wide ribbon through the Top Note die- how exciting is that ?!! A bit of clear nail polish prevents any fraying.

Sorry about the photos, they are a lot more vibrant IRL but I'm not going to complain about the sunshine.

I am amazing myself by how much I am enjoying Scrapbooking and have even got over my fear of orange ( I think I told you before, it stems from Hubby coming home with a signed,framed Wolves shirt and asking where he could hang it lol ! ).

More pages of my album filled and talking of orange - come on Wolves, they need to win today !!

Off to sit in the garden , have an eggstra (sorry ! ) special weekend x

Tiny Tags Easter

Hello all,

As usual I am very lastminute.com and this morning decided to make my entry for the Simply Stampin Challenge.

This week the theme is Easter and as it's Good Friday I thought it should contain the Cross. However I don't have the Special Blessings set but, never fear, the ever versatile Tiny Tags came to the rescue again !

I stamped Easter Wishes from the Occasional Greetings set then used the little flourish from Tiny Tags to make my cross. Also a few Baby Blossoms dotted in.

Colours are Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze and Perfect Plum. Some beautiful seam binding ribbon to finish.
I also decorated the inside, stamping the same little flourish again to coordinate.

Tiny Tags is such a useful set and can be used to make all sorts of designs - did I ever tell you about when I made a Christmas tree ....? Lol !!! ( New readers see my post on 1st Jan for tree )

No Fox, just his Friends !

Hello all,

Isn't it nice to have some beautiful weather - it makes such a difference to wake up in the morning knowing it's going to be a sunny day !

Today I decided I should give you a break from my obsession with the Springtime Vintage papers and new Mini items.

I don't often make boys cards, I do confess to preferring girly and pretty - must be from having 2 daughters lol !

I decided to use the Fox and Friends stamp set (but not the fox today ) and the Celebrations designer paper.

Okay so far, no Mini items but then I just found myself NEEDING to use the Top Note die, oh and the Decorative Label punch, oh and the Square Lattice embossing folder - and a little Owl snook in there too !!!

I DID try not to use them but..... well, a girl's got to do ,what a girl's got to do lol !

These two show why I love this embossing folder - it can completely change the look of your Designer paper

It also changes the physical feel of the paper, it almost becomes like fabric.

Once I started embossing I couldn't stop !

Well, I did manage not to use any Springtime Vintage papers - til next time lol !

Itty Bitty ideas

Evening all,

Hope you all enjoyed the sunshine this weekend. Ours was dominated by Hubby building some Ikea wardrobes and I won't bore you with all the details but it involved them being too tall for the ceiling, borrowing a neighbours van and 3 visits to 2 different branches of Ikea !!! This was all after the old ones had been dismantled , put in the skip and the contents piled up in all the other bedrooms !

I'm pleased to report it's all sorted now and I can get into bed again lol !

Despite all the mess (it made my desk look tidy ! ) I made a bookmark to go with the card from my last post. This was an idea shared by Jules at training.

While decorating it I made a little discovery that you can make some sweet little embellishments by punching out the Sprintime Vintage paper with the Itty Bitty punches . Let me show you what I mean............So simple but very effective. I also found that the large owl eyes from the Owl Punch are perfect to mount them on.

Finished with a little pearl and a very quick addition to a card.

I used the oh so useful top note die again, decorative label punch (embossed with square lattice) and the patterned shape is done by stamping the shape from Baby Blossoms on the reverse and then cutting round it.

I was quite pleased with my little discoveries so thought it was worth sharing - another excuse to keep all those little scraps and the piece I punched them out of was also used as the strip behind the top note die on the above card !

Off to see what other shapes I can punch out lol !

More owls !

Hiya everyone,

This morning I needed to make a card for a friend's little girl so I thought I would combine it with the challenge at Simply Stampin.

This week it's a colour challenge - Very Vanilla, Wild Wasabi, Pink Pirouette and Bravo Burgundy. I must confess not a combination I've used before but thanks for the idea ladies !

After I'd made it I saw Jules had also made a little owl but never mind they do say GREAT minds think alike lol !

If you haven't got an Owl Punch yet - you need one ! They make such a quick card and use up all the left over bits and can't help but make you smile !

If you need some owl therapy please get in touch lol ! Have a good weekend x

Little Owls

Hello there,

As promised I have got some cute little owls for you today. These are soo good for using up little scraps, ideal for someone like me who can't bear to waste even the tiniest piece of paper lol !

These cards are for my little niece who will be a grown up lady of 6 next week.......

Aren't the owls sweet and so versatile because they could easily be done in other colour ways for a boys card ( note to self, try that soon lol ! ). Sentiment is from Oval All.

Next card is from Crazy for Cupcakes and mentioning cupcakes reminded me I haven't shown you all my knitted cupcakes that my floristry teacher knitted for me- thanks Kerrie

Didn't want to show you before til I had given Jules hers. They last a lot longer than the real thing !!

Back to the cards-

Cupcake case is paper pieced from guess which papers lol ? Stamped in Rose Red on Very Vanilla and cherry is punched from Itty Bitty punch set. Have also used the Square lattice embossing folder , this is so useful and makes paper almost look and feel like fabric.

Girly but not babyish ? Hope she likes them !

Springtime Scrapbooking

Evening all,

I have been meaning to 'talk' to you all day but just never got round to it. Oh well, hopefully better late than never !

Today I am going to show you the scrapbook page I made at the training with Jules on Saturday.

I love these papers so much, I think I may need to order some more soon and I haven't had mine for a week yet ! The flowers are from the SU exclusive Fun Flowers die and those new big buttons are definitely on my wish list now !

Have also used the new Four Frames stamp set and the matching decorative label punch.

Regular readers will know that scrapbooking is all new to me but I am really enjoying it - so much so that I have made another page to go with this one.

I am so excited now I have actually got some pages in my new album ! If you live in the Cannock or surrounding areas and would like to have a go at scrapbooking, card making or even bag decorating lol , please get in touch !

Have also been making some cute little owls so pop back next time !

Springtime Vintage

Evening all,

Ladies thank you all for the lovely comments again, I really appreciate you stopping by !

I promised you Springtime Vintage, so here goes ...........

The first item is a little pizza box I made for Angie when she came to collect her recent order using some of my new toys

and inside I put a few little goodies for her to play with !

Today was also a special day because despite many conversations I finally got to meet Jules in real life !!! So of course I took her a little pressie............

Think I need one now ! It would be perfect to transport my new Scrapbook Album in

Close up of the panel, doesn't the texture of the square lattice embossing folder look good with the jute ? Inside I put a little cupcake.....

Can't take the credit for this (I don't do knitting lol ) my talented floristry teacher made this and used SU buttons of course !

Really enjoyed the training so thanks for a fab day Jules and the real cupcakes were very yummy !

Also need to say a big thank you to Victoria for giving me a lift (feels like the Oscars now lol ! ) and as I know she likes scrapbooking I decorated a box for her to keep photos and embellishments in but it looked sad empty so I put a few choccies in for now !

Flower made with the punch that is back available now.

My final thank you must be to Hubby , who kindly drove to Nottingham and back TWICE so I could link up with Victoria, over 4 hours driving ! Don't think he would appreciate anything Springtime Vintage so it may have to be payment in kind ;) - actually no, I won't spoil him - it's not his birthday yet lol !!!

Definitely need an early night though - off to sleep !!!

Bold Mini Bliss

Hello all,

Firstly I would like to say thank you for all the lovely comments you left on my last post. I really do appreciate them all and it's so nice to know I am not 'talking' to myself lol !

For todays creations I have chosen a bold colour combination- Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red and Love Letters designer papers. I know Sale-a-bration has sadly been and gone but I have used the beautiful Bliss butterfly to show all those of you that were looking enough to get it how the old blends perfectly with the new goodies available - the beauty of Stampin Up !

I would like to say I chose this colour scheme because I'm sick of all the beautiful Springtime Vintage projects about but I'm NOT !!! I'm just jealous because I hadn't got mine but ......

look what came today ...........

Ok so most of it isn't mine but I was still really excited opening the box and there will be some Springtime Vintage projects coming soon -watch this space lol !

Back to the cards (made with limited supplies from Coventry again ! )....

I love the new top note die and I'm sure I will be using this loads, now I've got my own.

This one uses the negative from the above and I have just put some black card behind. Obviously now I can run through as many as I want it would be easier to cut out the black one and just place on top but needs must !

Once I got started I just couldn't stop lol !These use the new decorative label punch and the pillow box die, with more ruffled ribbon.

Well I hope you likey ?

I have decided to enty these into the Simply Stampin Challenge blog that has started this week.I have NEVER entered a challenge before but there's a first time for everything !!!

Better go and sort out my new goodies, I have enjoyed having to make something with very limited supplies but it will be sooo nice to have my own, now which colour will I choose first ? !!

Fun Flowers

Hello there,

Aren't there some gorgeous projects around in Blogland at the moment with all the Mini goodies ? Having to take it easy is becoming very frustrating but at least I have got more time to read about what everyone else has been making. I spent all morning today lying on the settee ruffling ribbon but I 'll show you that another day !

Todays cards are made from the new SU exclusive Fun Flowers die. These look fantastic all layered up but mine are in very short supply at the moment so I have had to make them last. I haven't got this die (yet!) but I have got just a few I managed to run through the Big Shot when at the training in Coventry - I did take my own paper lol !

Colours are Rich Razzleberry and Crumb Cake. I have used the Printed Petals set to make my own flower centre. Another die cut flower, this time the centre is made from Boho Blossoms and Itty Bitty punches and some gorgeous ribbon ruffles. Love the dimension and different textures !

The final of the 3 flower shapes teamed with my favourite Baroque Motifs swirl and a bow from the new seam binding ribbon.

Think you can see that from just 1 run through the Big Shot you can quickly make beautiful embellishments for 3 cards - can't wait to layer them when I've got my own never-ending supply !!!