A Sketch & a Twist on Percy

Happy 2009 Everyone! I made this card for friends of ours ... they're hosting a New Year's Eve party tonight and I wanted to take a card along to say HNY and Thank You! For those of you who are fans of Percy (from H&M Stamps), you may recognise this image as 'Beach Time' Percy and in fact the champagne glass is his spade for the beach, LOL! I thought it would work as a bubbly beverage so I covered it in golden stickles and I think it looks great! Here's a closer look.

Don't forget H&M's great GARAGE SALE on Jan 6th and 7th. Design Team members will be posting lots of pretty cards to give you plenty of inspiration. Heather promises that some of her sets will be ROCK-BOTTOM bargain prices. Take look here.

Recipe
Stamps : H&M Beach Time Percy (computer generated sentiment)
Ink : Brilliance Tuxedo Black
Cardstock : Shimmer White, WW, BB, Tangerine Tango, DP
Accessories : Various SU punches, black gingham ribbon, stickles, brads

All that's left is to wish you all a very Happy, Successful and Prosperous New Year!

Colour Combo Notebook and H&M Gift Tag

Today's Colour Combo on SCS is So Saffron, Bravo Burgundy and Handsome Hunter ... 3 colours I'd never have put together ... but they work!!! I need a little gift for an aunt who said she didn't mind waiting until after christmas for her hand-made gift ((thanks Sal!)) ... so I put together a little coaster notebook with my new Bind It All and monogrammed it for her. I think she'll like it!

Recipe
Cardstock : Washington Apple DSP, Handsome Hunter
Accessories : Bravo Burgundy Ribbon, Big Shot, Serif Alpha, Bind it All, Prima Flowers and Brad

The other thing I needed today was a gift tag for some friends ... I used a 2"x3" card and envelope and shall attach it to their wedding gift. This set from H&M Stamps (Dreaming of Princess Land) worked perfectly ... we all believe in Fairy Tales, right?! I used the frog from the set and coloured him with my Copics, then mounted him on a Nestability die cut piece of cardstock. Attached a piece of Ribbon and hey presto!

Recipe
Stamps : Dreaming of Princess Land H&M Stamps
Ink : Brilliance Graphite, Old Olive
Cardstock : Old Olive, WW
Accessories : Nestabilities, Chocolate Satin Ribbon, Copic Markers

Don't forget that H&M Stamps have their super-low priced GARAGE SALE on Jan 6th & 7th ... really, it's not to be missed!

Love You Much

Lynn over on SCS has come up with another great technique for today's challenge! This fun-fold card is so easy to do ... take a look at Lynn's tutorial here!

I used my new Valentine's Bundle from Stampin' up (it's on special offer at 20% off right now ~ send me a msg if you'd like to order it) ... anyway, the stamp set is totally adorable and I love how it looks with this fold technique. The DP is Candy Lane and is included in the bundle too. I put a small slit into the side of my card and attached a ribbon to hold it shut.

Recipe
Stamps : Love You Much
Ink : Basic Black
Cardstock : Candy Lane DSP, Basic Black, WW
Accessories : SU Markers, Nestabilities Die, Ribbon

H&M Stamps Garage Sale

I just wanted to let you know that H&M Stamps is having a wonderful garage sale on January 6th and 7th ... Heather promises that the prices are NOT TO BE MISSED .... in true garage sale fashion! She's making way for lots of new sets! Take a look at her inventory here and choose what you're going to buy on the 6th. I've put together the above cards this month ... along with the glittery castle further down the page. The stamps are so versatile, there's one for every occassion!

Merry Christmas!

I've been wanting to show you these projects for a few weeks now ... but they're my mum's Christmas Gifts and I know she checks my blog regularly so didn't want to spoil her surprise! She did call me this morning to say thank you though, so I know I'm safe to share them with you all today!!!

The Rooster is going to be a Level 2 Hostess set in the upcoming Spring/Summer '09 catalogue. Isn't he lovely? A friend of mine saw the set the other day and didn't know why anyone would want a rooster set (sorry Justyna!!!) but I think he's such a handsome thing!!!

Anyway, mum's projects were a notecard set in their own folder, a 2009 CD Calendar with a tear-away piece for each month of the year, a smaller fridge magnet calendar made from chipboard and a notebook with mum's initial on it. When I was younger I couldn't imagine why anyone would want a homemade gift instead of something bought in a shop, but mum kept telling me that what she really, really wanted was something that didn't cost money, but was made with love ~ and now I'm older, I get it at last!

Merry Christmas Mum!

Spring/Summer 2009 Catalogue Preview

I love this fun set, it's called 'Just Buzzin' By' and will be available in Stampin' Up's upcoming Spring/Summer 09 Catalogue ... this is the first time I've inked it up! Lynn posted a great technique over on SCS today, to make a faux silk 'pop' card. The hive section shows off the technique. Look at the faces on those little baby-bees ... soooo sweet!

Recipe
Stamps : SU Just Buzzin' By
Cardstock : Whisper White, Choc Chip, Bravo Burgundy, So Saffron
Ink : Choc Chip
Accessories : Black Gingham Ribbon, Tissue Wrap

FS98 Glittery Castle

I tried my hand at sewing again, mimicking the style of Paula (FS98) over on SCS today! This castle is from a set at H&M Stamps called Dreaming of Princess Land. I coloured the castle with Copic Spica glitter pens ... it's soooo shimmery in the flesh so I tried to capture it as a close-up ... never easy to do! Anyway, here it is!

Vellum Votive Shade

I'm getting to love Mondays ... because of the TLC on Splitcoast! Today Lynn gave us a template for a vellum shade ~ it's so simple to do. Print the template onto a sheet of vellum cardstock and cut it out. Tape it together and decorate! Easy Peasy Lemon Squeasy!!!

I used green vellum, punched out the flowers using the SU Trio of Flowers Punch, attached them with glue dots and added liquid pearls to their centres. Not exactly difficult!!! The glass is one of Roy's precious Waterford champagne flutes ... he'd not be happy if he saw it with a lit votive inside ... good job he's at work!!!!

Recipe
Cardstock : Vellum, assorted scraps for flowers
Ink : None
Accessories : Trio of Flowers Punch, glue dots, pink liquid pearls, votive, crystal glass

Scallop Envelope BOX

Today's challenge over on SCS is to use an envelope as part of your design! My friend Robin (MzRobin on SCS) had made a cute little box made out of the new SU exclusive scallop envelope die for the Big Shot (check out her blog here) ... I loved it as soon as I saw it so I went looking for a tutorial. I think the original idea came from 'Whoopsie Daisy' ~ here's a link to her blog tutorial. So of course I had to have a go myself! It's such fun to do so if you have the envelope die and some glue, give it a go!

Recipe

Stamps : Winter Post

Cardstock : Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip, Bella Rose DP

Ink : Riding Hood Red

Accessories : SU Scallop Envelope Die, Big Shot, Label Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Kiwi Kiss Ribbon, Dimensionals, Sticky Strip

A colour combo and a sketch

Good morning! Today started off just the way I like ... with an SCS challenge (well 2 actually). The colours for yesterday were Basic Black, Sahara Sand and Very Vanilla which I combined with the sketch and came up with this!

Recipe

Stamps : Beautiful Borders, Curly Label Punch Bundle

Cardstock : Very Vanilla, Sahara Sand, Basic Black

Ink : Brilliance Graphite

Accessories : Organza Ribbon, Filigree Brad, Curly Label Punch

I learned a new technique yesterday ... you use glossy white cardstock and ink it up using a brayer, then you spray it with 'Simple Green' (for my English friends & Family, that's an Environmentally Friendly cleaner). After the cleaner dries, you get the blotches on the ink. I love the effect so I just stamped my tree 3 times and added a greeting. So simple!
Recipe
Stamps : SU Lovely as a Tree
Cardstock : Glossy White, Choc Chip, Very Vanilla
Ink : Kiwi Kiss, Choc Chip
Accessories : Glitter, Spray Cleaner (from Shaklee), Brayer

H&M Stamps December Blog Hop

Happy December! What a great way to start the month ... with the H&M Stamps Blog Hop. Our theme this month was 'All Wrapped Up' so my project uses the pillow box die from Sizzix and Stampin' Up. I made a sheet of Designer Paper with H&M's stamped sweetly set and coloured in the images with Copic Markers. Such an easy way to make a fun and colourful home-wrapped gift for the Holidays.

Now you can have some fun by 'hopping' over to my fellow Design Team Members' blogs to see what they've been up to!

Carolina Buchting
Cindy Lawrence
Dawn Easton
Debbie Corbari
Heather Rolin
Julia Aston
Julie Lacey
Kimberly Crawford
Nancy Levine
Neva McMullen
Shannon Erskine
Suzanne Dean
Tracy Dorton

Big Shot Pennant Banner

Finally I've had a chance to play with my Big Shot and the Pennant Banner! I was very excited with the results ... it's so easy to use ~ I used the die-cut and put various sheets of SU Designer Papers and Cardstock throught he machine and then I cut the letters from the Serif Alphabet and simply glued them together.

Recipe

Cardstock : Purely Pomegranate, Kiwi Kiss, Holiday Treasures, Rose Cottage Scrappin' Kit

Accessories : Big Shot, Pennant Bigz XL Die, Velvet Ribbon, Tombow Mono Adhesive

Happy Turkey Day

I managed to get a quick card made before I have to start preparing our Thanksgiving Day meal ... luckily my family are all in England still so I only need to cook for 3!!!! This set is from H&M Stamps and is called 'Doggy Years'. I made the background with some of the small images from the set and I masked the dog to make it look like he's lying outside his kennel. Images are coloured with Copics. Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

Someone Special's Having a Birthday

Heather Rolin of H&M Stamps has a BIRTHDAY today! As a special birthday surprise, her design team members have put together a blog hop of birthday cards for her! Here's my birthday card which should be arriving today ~ the set is called G'Day Mate and can be found here. I coloured the owl with Copic markers and mounted him onto Kiwi Kiss and Riding Hood Red cardstock which was cut out of a Nestability Rectangle. Inside it says 'Hoo's having a bird-day'.

Here's a close-up of the owl, isn't he a hoot?!!!!

Please take a moment to hop on over to the other Design Team members' blogs, they've put together some great birthday treats for Heather all using Heather's own line of stamps, H&M Stamps. Have a wonderful day Heather and enjoy your cards!

Carolina Buchting
Cindy Lawrence
Dawn Easton
Debbie Corbari
Kim Crawford
Julia Aston
Julie Lacey
Nancy Levine
Neva McMullen
Suzanne Dean
Tracy Dorton
Shannon Erskine

Tile Coaster and Candle

Happy Friday! I am about to leave for an 'Open House' craft and vendor fair ... but before I go I wanted to let you see the tile coaster and candle sets I've made ~ I hope they sell (otherwise, you know what you're getting for christmas mum!).

I hope to be back over the w/end with some more information! Bye for now.

Where did last week go?

Oh my word ... how busy am I? Don't answer that!!! Just thought I'd post something in case anyone's looking! LOL, I've been such a bad blogger this month ... but it's good to be a SU demo and so busy, right?! I took some orders for personalised monogram notecards at the craft fair last week. I'm delivering them today so I hope she loves them ... I love the combination of Riding Hood Red and Pink Pirouette!

Recipe
Stamps : Lovely Letters
Ink : Riding Hood Red
Cardstock : Pink Pirouette, Bella Rose DP, PTI White, Riding Hood Red
Accessories : SU Punches ~ Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, 1 1/4" Circle, Pink Pirouette Ribbon

Craft Fair

I haven't had much time to post recently, a friend and I had a table at a craft fair this past weekend so we were busy, busy, busy leading up to it! We did quite well and made a bit of pocket money! I thought you might like to see our booth:

It was a lot of work, but we enjoyed it, and it was nice to see what people thought of our stuff!

Note Pad & Border

Hi all ... just a quick one today ~ I'm getting ready for a craft fair this w/end and a workshop tonight so haven't got a lot of time! Anyway, while making my notepads I thought I'd check out today's Ways to Use It challenge on SCS ... it's to use corner punches in unusual ways! So I made a criss cross border with my corner rounder! Cool hey! I saw the idea ages ago on Cambria Turnbow's blog here. Give it a try!