Baskets & Blooms Alternative Project

Here's an alternative project you can make using the Baskets & Blooms Big Shot die. I made this for my Club girls last week and they seemed to like it ~ so I'm sharing it with you all! This is my version of the little tub I came up with after seeing a few photos of similar projects around the internet.

And here's a video tutorial showing you how to make my version of the alternative 'Baskets & Blooms' tub.

Cake Decorating and Club

I spent a lovely day with my group of English friends ~ Elaine made cupcakes and then taught us how to make these little flowers to decorate them with. What fun!

When I got home, I had to pull my Friday night Club projects together. Here's this month's projects. If you think you might like to join my 2nd club, I do have a list of interested people, and we just need a couple more to make it viable ~ e:mail me for more details if you think it might be something you'd enjoy.

A Fun Sketch

When I first saw the sneak peaks from Stampin' Up's SALE A BRATION, I fell for this adorable stamp set called "Good Neighbours". It's still my favourite! So what better than to pull it out and use it for today's SCS sketch! So quick and easy to pull together with the Designer Paper Pack "Welcome Neighbour". Got to love, quick, easy and cute!

Here's a close up of the houses. I popped the front one up on dimensionals.

Recipe
Stamps : Good Neighbours
Cardstock : Whisper White, Regal Rose, Welcome Neighbour DSP
Ink : Mellow Moss, Sahara Sand, Regal Rose, So Saffron
Accessories : Stamp a Majig, Dimensionals

A Perfect Colour Combo

Good Morning! Today's Colour Combo on Splitcoast is Pale Plum, Perfect Plum and Soft Suede! Love them together! I need a birthday card for my Auntie Sue ... and as she loves her garden, I though 'Garden from the Heart' would be the perfect set! I watercoloured the main image and love the soft, summery feel to it.

Recipe
Stamps : Garden from the Heart, Vintage Labels (sentiment)
Cardstock : WW, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum
Ink : Soft Suede, Pale Plum, Perfect Plum
Accessories : Scallop Trim Punch, Aquapainters, Reinkers

Monday's Technique

Morning all! Happy Monday ~ the technique today is a really sweet little candy 'matchbook'. There's a video tutorial here explaining how you make it. The photo directions are at the top, scroll to the bottom for the video.

Here's a side-view of mine. VERY quick and easy ... but just so sweet when you want to give a little treat to a friend! Love it!

And here's the inside where you slip your little chocolate square inside. I used the tiny tag punch, love that too!

Recipe
Stamps : Tiny Tags, Think Happy Thoughts
Cardstock : Very Vanilla, Mellow Moss, Pretty in Pink
Ink : Mellow Moss, Pretty in Pink
Accessories : Flower Punch, Tiny Tag Punch, Tiny Heart Punch, Brads, Linen Thread

February's Class

I just wanted to show you the Name Frame I'm offering as my February Class. I love how this turned out. The inspiration came from my dear friend, Debra, who made the most amazing Name Frames as commission pieces for Christmas. She very graciously said I could base my class on her frames.

The class is Friday 26th February at 7pm and if you didn't receive the sign up e:mail and would like it, please let me know. The class is $24 which INCLUDES the frame AND a pack of Designer Series Paper which you keep and take home (an $11.60 value!). Now that's a deal! If you want to try this, but don't care for the Designer Papers I chose, then just choose your favourite patterns from the catalogue and we'll modify the colour combination to suit your individual taste. I need to know who'd like to join me by Wednesday 17th February so an order can be placed.

Here's a close up of the project.

Link to a President

Wendy set a great challenge over on Splitcoast today. We had to create something which would link to a US President, eg. a card with cherry blossom would link to George Washington ... etc. Anyway, my US history is dreadful and I don't know my US Presidents as well as I ought to ... so here's my dubious link ... are you ready for this?

President Ronald Reagan ... had a special relationship with Queen Elizabeth II ... who is English ... I am English, and one of her majesty's subjects ... and I made THIS card!!! Tee Hee. Good eh?

Cheep Talk was sitting on my desk from yesterday's card so I decided to ink up the cute little birds with my SU markers and have a play around. I quite like how this turned out. It doesn't follow yesterday's rules of 'odd' numbers, there being 2 birds ... but I'm told by my friends and family that I'm often a rule breaker ... so there! Here's a close up of my birds.

Recipe
Stamps : Cheep Talk
Ink : None
Cardstock : WW, Old Olive, So Saffron, Bashful Blue
Accessories : SU Markers (to ink the image), SU Punches (Scallop Circle, 1 1/4", 1 3/8" Circles, XL Bird), Piercing Tool, Satin Olive Ribbon

They Come In Threes

Today's Ways to Use it Challenge on Splitcoast is to make a project using odd numbers ... so I decided to make 3 little heart flowers for this very simple card.

Recipe
Stamps : Cheep Talk
Cardstock : WW, Old Olive, Melon Mambo
Ink : Melon Mambo, Old Olive
Accessories : Scallop Square and 1 1/4" Square Punches, Melon Mambo grosgrain ribbon

A Simple Sketch

So after all that filming last night, I thought I needed a nice, easy sketch to try! Today's SC over on splitcoast is lovely and easy ... just the ticket! I used my SU star punches and the polka dot EF to make this quick and easy baby boy card.

Recipe
Stamps : Tiny Labels
Cardstock : Very Vanilla, Bashful Blue, Barely Banana
Ink : Night of Navy
Accessories : Big Shot, Polka Dot EF, Linen Thread, Tiny Label Punch, Small and Large Star Punches, 1/4" grosgrain ribbons, dimensionals

Paper Roses

... and for those of you who would like to know how to make Paper Roses ~ here's another very quick and easy video 'how to' ...

Video Tutorial

Morning! I'm excited today ... I managed to FINALLY make a video tutorial on YouTube. It shows you how to make cardstock buttons! Roy and Sarah watched it last night and laughed ... I say 'urm' a lot ~ but I promise to keep trying and I'll get better in time. I'd love some feedback!

Colour Challenge and a Birdcage

Well, I made time to sneak the SCS colour challenge in this morning ... shhhh, don't tell anyone! The colours are, Sage Shadow, Dusty Durango and Chocolate Chip. Back to my 'safe' place with a CAS card today ... absolutely nothing to it ... some ink, a stamp set and a few layers. Easy Peasy!

Recipe
Stamps : Happy Moments (SAB)
Cardstock : WW, Dusty Durango, Sage Shadow
Ink : Sage Shadow, Dusty Durango, Choc Chip
Accessories : Aquapainters, Scallop Trim Punch

I decided to have one more go, with a slightly different colour-way and a variation on the layout. This one uses Bordering Blue for the birdcage and Basic Gray for the cardstock. The birdcage is highlighted with Ruby Red ink and an aquapainter.

Frosted Window Technique

Holly posted a new technique on Splitcoast today, it's called the Frosted Window and is TLC259. You stamp and colour your image on white c/stock and then stamp and colour the BACK of your image on vellum. Then lay the vellum over the cardstock and adhere it with dimensionals so it's layered. It's cool! I like these fun and funky colours, not my normal style ~ but that's good!

Here's a close up of the sentiment at the bottom! Funny story ~ I perched the card up on a shelf while I tidied my desk ... and when I pulled it down, the teeny Pumpkin Pie flower fell with it ... as though it was MEANT to go on the card ... and it looked so much better once I added it! Tee Hee.

Recipe
Stamps : Happy Moments, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock : Real Red, Pumpkin Pie, WW, Vellum
Ink : Stazon Black, Pumpkin Pie
Accessories : Flower Fusion, Brocade blue Brad, SU Word Window and Modern Label Punches, Circle Scissor Plus, Big Shot, Polka Dot Embossing Folder, SU Markers

Sophie is a STAR

Well, you know when you can't believe that members of your family are truly talented??? Well, my niece Sophie proved that to us on Thursday ... she was accepted for a place at the London College of Fashion ... it will be Project Runway for her next! Wahoo! I made a card for her to say congratulations ~ we're a long way away in miles so I wanted her to know how very proud we all are of her! Way to go Sophie Matlock!

Have you ever tried using SU's stencils on your cards? My friend Debra switched me onto these. I got a set of 3 called Elegant Trio Decor Stencils, and they're the perfect size to use on cards! For this card, I used a Blush Blossom cardstock base and laid my stencil over it. Then I got my versamark ink pad and smooshed (yes, that is a technical term!!!) it all over the stencil, embossed with WHITE embossing powder and then just ran my vintage wheel over the top. The ink wipes off the white embossed area easily with a tissue and I think it looks so pretty. You don't have to emboss, you can sponge over the stencil too, with ink and daubers, or with chalks, ~ so versatile for a different look.

Recipe
Stamps : Vintage Wheel, Razzle Dazzle (sentiment)
Ink : Soft Suede, Versamark
Cardstock : WW, Blush Blossom, Soft Suede
Accessories : Decor Stencil, White EP, Heat Tool, Wheel, Taffeta Kraft Ribbon, SU Word Window and Modern Label Punches

Birthday Card & Tag

It's my sister's birthday next week so I HAVE to get her gift and card into the post today, or it will be late! I bought her something luxurious from Nordstrom and yesterday decided to make her card. Nope, not happening ... I made a card, it's just not special enough to give to my sister so I decided to wait until today. I got up bright and early and decided to pack up her gift in the beautiful silver and gray Nordstrom box and there you have it! The perfect colour combo right there in front of me. First came the tag ....

The SU exclusive 'Two Tags' Die did the trick for this ... plus the new vintage labels set which fits beautifully with several of our punches. This one is for the scallop punch. And after spending the day with Debra, last week, I was convinced to buy the gorgeous sizzlit alpha, another SU exclusive called 'Timeless Type Jr' ... come on girls, who could resist THIS box! I know, I'm weak, what can I say!

So after that tag was made, the card was easy! Same colours, same idea, but with the vintage vogue wheel as a background. I love the simplicity of it ... and I hope Sarah will love it too :) Happy Birthday Big Sis! Love you!

Recipe
Stamps : Very Vintage Wheel, Vintage Lables
Cardstock : Basic Gray, Going Gray, Blush Blossom
Ink : Basic Gray, Going Gray
Accessories : Big Shot, Timeless Type Alphabet Die, Two Tags Die, Scallop Punch, 1" Circle Punch, Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon, Sponges