Floral District Celebrations

Today's post is of a lovely gift idea to show off the beautiful designer papers from Stampin' Up!  It is the last week of the retirment list items being available and in my next few posts I am going to be showing you as many as I can of the great products which are only available now until the end of the catalogue to make sure you don't miss anything!

 

This project is a notebook I picked up in a supermarket which was reduced as a clearance line. It had a sturdy hardback cover and spiral binding, but a not very inspiring cover design, so perfect candidate for some DSP love.  I loved covered pencils idea too ever since I saw it online - just purchase some round wooden pencils and wrap your DSP round them - easy, and they look something special all dressed up!

The papers I have used for my gifts are from the Floral District pack.  Lovely bright designs (not that my photography shows it too well with the poor lighting conditions today!) which are bolder than my usual choices, but I was drawn to the colours used in these papers and the flower blooms on them.

One of the colours in the palette for these papers is Baja Breeze which is a colour leaving us in the refresh.  It's sad, but there are some lovely new colours coming, including some new blues to keep us all happy.  Now, I have used the Pool Party ruffled ribbon on my notepad, not a true colour co-ordination, but I just love this ribbon (this too is retiring) with the end of the catalogue.

A lovely layered Big Shot Fun Flower on the notepad shows off the rest of the designs in the pack as do the Boho Blossom smaller flowers. I finished off the flower with a button from the artisan kit and a large pearl.  For the 'Notes' heading I have used the Broadsheet Alphabet stamp set which is retiring.  This a fantastic alphabet set and each letter is a beautiful unique design. It has been great for initials on cards and projects whilst it has been in my collection as the letters work so well just on their own as stamps. 

The label and sentiment for the pencil box were from the Just Believe stamp set, yes yet another one on the retirement list. 

The second project to show you today, using the same papers, but with an alternative palette is this lovely birthday card I made recently.  I love the colours on this.  The green is the Lucky Limeade which is also leaving us in the refresh.  I really wasn't sure about this one in the In Colours 2012-2013 set, but it really did grow on me and I think I will miss it's vibrance.  Here I have teamed it up with Rose Red for my birthday card.  This card was made on a not-too-sunny day I remember feeling lifted by the colour combination.

The stamps for the 'tweeties' are from the Aviary stamp set,  also retiring at the end of the catalogue period next week.  I think there will be some tweet love still in my house as I don't think I am ready to part with this set just yet.  The banner is made from simple Pennants from the Pennants Builder Punch and the flowers are from the Big Shot Floral Fusion sizzlits.  This card was a really quick win for a birthday celebration and I was really pleased with the results and how easy it was to put together.

That's quite a list of items which I have used for these projects which are retiring, but to list them all in one place, they are:

Notebook
Floral District DSP Papers
Baja Breeze Colour items
Ruffled Ribbon - Pool Party
Broadsheet Alphabet stamp set
Just Believe stamp set

Aviary Card
Aviary stamp set
Lucky Limeade colour items
Floral District DSP
Made for You stamp set


Remember, the retiring items are only available whilst stocks last and until 30th June.  Don't miss out if there is something here you have loved and have not realised is going.

To place an order, book a party or come to a workshop just email me at craftyinkbuds@sky.com

Anniversary Sentiments

Today is a year to the day my hubby and I finally tied the knot and I just wanted to share a post with you all of my very first scrapbook pages I have made to mark this special occasion.  As you read this I will hopefully already be off somewhere special to celebrate with some pampering and some time with my man. 

 

I knew when I saw the Artisan Embellishment kit that this was going to be perfect to remember our special day with as the vintage-style lace matched in with my gown and my wedding colours were green and dusky pink so the ribbon and buttons would tie-in great too.

 

The background for the pages are stamped with the Elements of Style which has that beautiful springtime blossom stamp, which I love. 

I have used some other extras as as you will know I have already used some of my Artisan kit for other projects.  I certainly have been making it last, until now.  I used extra Vintage Faceted Buttons, Flower Trim and Pearls for the two page spread. 

Many of my favourite pictures from the wedding, and indeed the ones I have selected for the pages, are in black and white so I have accented the colours of the wedding theme by colouring the flower trim with the Certainly Celery and Pink Pirouette (I think!) marker pens.

 

......and for the Anniversary card........

 

 

More of the Artisan kit.  I have used a pre-cut card and again used the same background.  Some simple lace border and doily layered give the artisan touch to the card.  The button is a layered with a pearl to finish it. 

I included too the teatime trinket of the teacup as part of today's special treats is afternoon tea!  Mmmm.....yummy!  The stamps on the card are the Elements of Style (again), Musical Notes (on the Special Edition DSP), You Are Loved and Broadsheet Alphabet and For My Family - phew! Quite a few stamps then!

The 'LOVE' lettering is stamped with ink and then I have accented with a white gel pen.

 

Well I hope you are having a great day too....back soon with some more crafting.......

 

To place an order, book a party or come to a workshop email me at craftyinkbuds@sky.com

Jingle Joy and Noel Tags

As promised on yesterday's blog here are some more of my workshop cards.  These 3 designs are based on a simple stamp stick with the Striped emboss folder giving a texture to the background of two of the designs.  The third as the Top Note die shapes layered in two colours for a contrast.

 

 

 

I used the emboss folder for vertical stripes on the Joy card and horizontally on the Noel card. For both I embossed twice leaving a plain flat band in the middle section of the card for effect. 



The lettering for both cards is the Broadsheet Alphabet, this is such a great lettering set.  It is fantastic for initials on stationery or project items or dressed up as I have done for Christmas cheer on cards.  The lettering has perfect places to add jewels or pearls for those extra special touches.                                    

Christmas trees made simple with the little Pennants Parade stamp set finishes off the Joy card with it's Christmas theme and is also used for the three trees again. The set even includes the mini star for the top of the tree and the tree pot, all that's missing is the fairy! All the pieces for the Joy card were easily cut using the Square punch and then mounted again on coloured card as borders. The three trees on the third card were punched with the co-ordinating Pennants Builder Punch - easy cutting - I love it!

For the Noel card too I needed to add to the punched Tags (X-Large Tag Punch) so I used the holly from the 'Make a Mitten' set from this Autumn/Winter's catalogue.  I purposely set the tags at a slight angle from one another as a contrast to the straight lines of the Joy card. 

 

If you like these cards, why not come along to my next workshops on either Thursday 8th November or Thursday 6th December to make some yourself!
Hope to see you soon

Suzanne
x

 To place an order or book a place on a workshop at any time you can email me at craftyinkbuds@sky.com

Lettering fun

Well after a fantastic fun evening demonstrating last week with one of my customers, I had a day of training with the other demonstrators in the team.  It surprises me everytime the imagination everyone has for items to make with the products.  I came home with so many new ideas, a box of lovely swaps people had made and a larger wish list too!  I can't wait to share some of the new makes in our forthcoming workshops.

Just a couple of cards I have made too with one of my new stamp sets - Broadsheet Alphabet.  One is a lovely RSVP our friends getting married in December using their theme of purple and icicles.  I really enjoyed making this card and the lucky couple really loved it too!

The other card, well, guess who's birthday was this weekend.............

I used simple layering of Designer papers and the cute little Owls made with the Owl 2-Step punch with matching papers.  Of course, both cards used some added sparkle with some Rhinestones on the lettering.