Awesome Otters Birthday card

Awesome Otters Birthday card

I made this card for my Granddaughter’s birthday using the gorgeous Awesome Otters stamp set. This is one of the items you can get for FREE with a £45 order! Yes, FREE!!

Once again Sale-a-bration has started, this time running from January 4th until February 28th. During this period, any purchase from current catalogues (annual, Jan to June mini or purchases for online exclusives ie kits) that exceed £45, entitles you to choose from a selection of products from the Sale-a-bration catalogue. Spend multiples of £45 and get 2 free items or a higher value item (catalogue price excluding shipping and handling).

Anyway, back to my Granddaughters birthday card. She particularly loves Sloths, but as I don’t have a sloth stamp, I figured a cuddly otter would make her just as happy…hope I’m right! This set is soo cute! Three different otters and sentiments that are actually pretty usable. I think so many sentiments are too Americanized and not what we use in the UK. (I wonder if the Americans actually do use them on their cards?)

Awesome Otters Sale-a-bration stamp

I used Stampin blends to colour the otters and used blending brushes to soften the water around them. The background paper is retired incolor papers although the colour (Misty Moonlight) is still current until June this year.

On the inside I used sentiments from ‘A Grand Kid’ stamp set and just had to pop another otter in their!

So, don’t forget if you love this Awesome Otter, you can get it for FREE with an order of £45 or more. So you too can make an Awesome Otters birthday card!! To find out more email me at [email protected].

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If you don’t have the latest January to June Mini catalogue or Sale-a-bration catalogue and live in the UK, again drop me an email and I will get one to you [email protected]. Alternately, you can see everything in my online shop here

Anyone else have birthdays straight after Christmas? I now have son-in-laws card to make and post!!

Fancy Fold Christmas Card

Fancy Fold Christmas Card

During the past week, I have run a workshop demonstrating four fancy fold Christmas cards. In fact, the workshop extended into another session, as I didn’t take into account how much work we actually had to do! (Note to self, 2 fancy folds is enough in one session!)

This card is one of the ones we made. Probably the most technical and certainly a challenge to follow my own hand written instructions!

Lots of the materials were from the Whimsy and Wonder suite. I used 12 x 12 basic card stock for the base, but because it is not very stiff, I used lots of layers to help support it.

I wanted a cracker like feel to the card. The Basic edge dies were perfect to achieve this effect, and this is what took a lot of time….12 edges to die cut for each card!

I didn’t use Stampin’ Up! dies for the central aperture, as they were not big enough for it.

The gorgeous Whimsy and Wonder specialty designer series papers were used to decorate this fancy fold card. They are foiled on one side and so pretty. In fact they are so beautiful that its hard to decide which side to use, and in fact, some of the workshop attendees used the opposite side to what I used in my sample card. I stamped some of the Whimsical trees and the coloured baubles on to the central panel. To finish I added some Crystal Shimmery effects to make those pretty baubles shimmer.

To order any of the products used to make this fancy fold card, click on the images below.

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To find out more about upcoming workshops, take a look at the events and classes tab.

Birthday Card with Tasteful Touches

Birthday Card with Tasteful Touches

Today I sat and looked at all my stamps and thought…..what haven’t I used recently? Its way too easy to forget about those stamps you bought when they launched and then have pushed them to one side once new stamps are released. So, I flicked through my pile of stamps and decided to use a couple of stamp sets that I haven’t used for quite some time because before we know it another new catalogue will be out and again those unused stamps will be pushed to the back. I also didn’t want to use the main focal images on the stamps, but I did want stamped textured background on a birthday card. So, I used Tasteful Touches and also used Free as a Bird stamps.

Birthday Card with Tasteful Touches stamp set. A combination of Granny Apple green and Gorgeous Grape with a splash of So Saffron really sets off this pretty birthday card, and only I didn't use the 'focus' stamps in the sets either.
Pretty Birthday Card with Tasteful Touches stamp

I used Gorgeous Grape and Granny Apple Green for my card layers and stamped onto some basic white in Memento black and Granny Apple Green. The flowers are stamped onto some white card, coloured with Stampin’ blends and then fussy cut – who doesn’t love a bit of fussy cutting? And then, I cut slightly into the centre of some flowers and gently eased the petals to give some dimension. I layered one flower on top of another, making sure NOT to line up the petals for a more realistic effect.

The square shaped ‘blocks’ add a lovely bit of texture and interest to the background.

I added a mat layer inside and stamped and coloured one of the flowers inside too.

What do you think to this birthday card with Tasteful Touches?

Shop any of the products I used by clicking on the images below

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Paper Snips
[103579]
£9.25

If you were at this weeks Coffee and a Card, then you will have had the opportunity to make this card.

Do you think you would like to make cards like these? Live local to Boston, UK? Why not pop along to The Mallard on a Monday morning and join our friendly group? Please note; from November 8th we will be meeting at 11:30AM due to winter opening hours.

If you are a complete beginner to card making and papercrafts and would like to learn more, watch out for beginners card making classes starting in the New Year. Sign up to my newsletter (at the top of this page) to keep informed.

24hour Sale

Cling Stamp sale 2021

Tuesday 19th October 11pm until Wednesday 20th October 10:59pm

A limited range of cling stamps are being offered for sale for just 24 hrs.

Have you seen a stamp set that you’ve been stalling over purchasing? This sale could be just what you need!

Their is quite a range of stamps included in the sale, so check out to see if that one you’re wanting is included.

If you live local to me, you can place an order by contacting me directly before 10pm on the 20th October and I can order for you, other wise visit my shop to order for yourself – don’t forget to use this months host code (9PXNMN3E) at checkout to get a thankyou gift from me (orders over £25).

Whats included?

Hand-Penned Petals Memories & More

Hand-Penned Petals Memories & More

Earlier in the summer, I ran a workshop using the lovely Hand-Penned Petals Memories & More card pack. If you haven’t seen or used memory & More packs, they are great for some quick and easy cards as well as for using for scrapbooking and using in the scrap book pockets – a quick and easy way to scrapbook!

Memories and More Hand Penned Petals card packs
To Purchase the Memories and More card pack , click here

You get so much…

  • 50 printed card elements – 36 3”x4”, and 14 4”x6”.
  • 4 sheets of stickers

And then you can get co-ordinating cards and envelopes;

You get 20 cards and co ordinating envelopes in this pack

Memories and More Hand Penned Petals cards and envelopes
To purchase The Hand Penned Petals Memories and More card blanks and Co-ordinating envelopes – this pack, click here

Anyhow, we had lots of fun and made our own cards using the supplies from these kits.

Here is a selection of some of the cards, and I still have loads more cards left over so can make plenty more!

Memories and More card packs were originally designed as an easy way to scrap book….Album, pre made photo pockets, and a variety of card packs to individualise as you wish. This is a great way of recording those precious memories, be it from a new arrival, a holiday or just for the fun of it. Below are some of what is available right now. Click on any of them to be taken straight to my shop!

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Do you like the idea of easy joining in a workshop? Then watch this space……details to follow!

Thanks for reading and Happy Crafting xx

Christmas is coming!

Christmas is coming!

You only have to look around the shops to know its ‘that time of year’ approaching!

The summer has flown by with holidays, grandchildren and the dreaded Covid, and also the redesigning of my website, but now a sort of normality is happening.

Craft groups are restarting, my Coffee and a Card group starts next Monday (contact me for more info), and today i’m working on upcoming workshops and thought it was time to share a Christmas card to get you all in the mood! So it was time to get playing with some of the new products I got back in July!

I’ve used the Whimsical Trees and co-ordinating Whimsy and Wonder papers, all available in the July to December mini catalogue. (Don’t have a copy? contact me – to get one sent out, UK only).

I heat embossed the snowflakes from the Penguin Place stamp set in silver to add more sparkle to the sentiment.

This is such a pretty set. Love the non traditional colours of the papers, some sheets are foiled (this one is but don’t think it shows too well in the photos, and that ribbon….Glittered Organdy ribbon, has beautiful shimmery tiny sequins embedded…it is gorgeous.

I am doing a ribbon share, so if you would like 1 metre of each of the 9 ribbons in the July-December mini catalogue, then get in touch…..they are not all Christmassy.

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Thanks for checking out my blog…more from me soon and if you want all the latest, don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter too xx

Ribbon Share

Would you like some pretty ribbon to add to your stash?

I am offering a 1 metre ribbon share… that’s 1 metre of all the ribbons from the July to December Mini Catalogue, so 9 metres in total for just £7.40 excluding postage.

These are the ribbons included;

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To ensure you don’t miss out, please contact me by September 16th 2021.

Vibrant Color & Contour

Vibrant Color & Contour

I’m back!

I put my website into ‘maintenance back in May, and where has time gone? I’ve still been crafting – well, until I went on holiday mid June, but then I’ve had technical issues with the upgrade of my website, along with catching Covid which knocked me off my feet for a few days. So, these are actually cards I made prior to my holiday to Cornwall and some I have demonstrated on my Facebook page.

Color & Contour meets Very Versailles

I know…its flowers again! But, I love this set…so simple to use and so many colours possible…you can never make 2 cards the same!

This card used a base of Granny Apple Green, a layer of Gorgeous Grape and then stamping onto Whisper White – yes I’m not onto my basic white stock yet!!

I stamped the cards in Fresh Freesia and Gorgeous Grape and then used Granny Apple Green for the ‘vines which were from the Very Versailles set

I die cut the smallest Scalloped Contour die in white and stamped the sentiment from the Color & Contour set. After sticking the top two layers together, i wound some white bakers twine around before attaching the sentiment.

To finish off, I added a stamped image to the inside on a layer of white.

I love how these colours go together and give the card a real’pop, what do you think?

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Triple layer card

My lovely upline, Zoe Tant, showed a group of us (her) team members how to make this next card.

Its far easier than it looks, and is a bit like sticking a card within a card!

You will need;

  • Card base 23cm x 10.8cm scored at 14cm
  • Coloured card 22.8cm x 10.8cm scored at 14cm
  • Coloured card (layer) 10.5cm x 8.5cm
  • DSP (patterned paper) 10.2 x 8.2
  • additional dies cuts to embellish

To make;

Adhere the back of the largest piece of coloured card to the back of the base card at the hinge, leaving the front section ‘hanging.

Attach the DSP onto the layer, and then fasten to front of card.

Add your stamped and die cut images, remembering that the middle layer and back layer hang below the front, so what ever is placed in the centre or back may show. (I carefully stamped ‘friend’ so I knew you could see it fully from the front.

I used sentiments from Daisy Lane stamp set

This card works equally as well orientated on its side….why not have a go?

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Are you a Cardmaker or papercrafter?

The 2021/2022 annual catalogue is available right now, but ordering doesn’t start until May 4th.

Would you like a copy?

Click on the ‘contact’ tab at the top of this page and leave your details and I will get one to you asap (UK only).

Shortly after the launch of the catalogue, you will be able to download it from here if you prefer not to have a physical copy.

I love a Butterfly..do you?

I love a Butterfly..do you?

I’ve had Butterfly Brilliance Stamp set and the co-ordinating Brilliant wings dies for a while now, but not shown them to you until today!

I love how British these stamps are….so like our butterflies. They have so much details and the dies are stunning!

Yes, they are one large stamp, but by clever positioning of your paper, there is no need to stamp or die cut all of the butterflies in one go.

I made 1 card before hand using the Painted Texture 3D embossing folder on Sahara Sand card stock, to give it a lovely faux wall background. I coloured the butterflies with blends…Pumpkin Pie, Mango Melody, Blackberyy Bliss and So Saffron.

The cards I made Live, used soon to be retiring DSP (Designer Series Papers).

The first card used Forever Greenery, layered onto a Garden Green card base. The butterflies were coloured with Night of Navy, Daffodil Delight and Balmy blue blends for the outside, and a smaller butterfly was added to the inside which was coloured in Pumpkin Pie.

After the Live session had finished, I added a few Holiday Rhinestone jewels

The second card used Artisan Blooms DSP, on a layer of Pumpkin Pie. This time the butterfly was die cut from a piece of Pumpkin Pie cardstock and again some Holiday Rhinestones to embellish.

Sentiments for these cards were all taken from the Many Messages stamp set and the coordinating Messages Dies.

The Butterflies are from the upcoming Annual Catalogue, but are available now. The Many Messages is from the January to June Mini Catalogue.

Don’t forget the brand new Annual Catalogue will be available later this month. If you are not a regular customer, but would like a catalogue, please use the ‘contact me’ tab above, and I will get one to you.