Valentine Sweet Heart Suprises

I was invited to a fabulous crafting Fun Day with my fellow Stampin' Up team members last weekend and was set the task of making something to 'show-and-tell'.  Now, what a panic that set, making something fabulous enough to share with all those experienced crafters!

After a little calming down and reassurance from my wonderful upline Amanda Fowler I decided I would make the Secret Box which I had been eyeing up for some time.  Hopefully it would wow the crowd, but also I could put one of my favourite things in it, Chocolate, for a Valentine's gift!

It is fantastic.  A Box that opens up to reveal three trays to fill with goodies.  The main sections are made from A4 card so no need for 12"x12" cardstock for this one either.

Chocolate, mini soaps, mini chocolate eggs for Easter, the ideas are endless! 

To make the box I was following a tutorial on Split Coast Stampers from Heather Perraux.  The measurements and template are all there on the tutorial along with step-by-step videos on how to put it together.  

I followed the template guide with my Simply Scored Tool and used the additional Diagonal Plate to create the diagonal lines to easily follow where to cut for the main two outer pieces for the box.  For a project like this where you have a template and measurements, the Simply Scored tool just makes it so much easier and quicker to complete.

Tip:  Make sure if you are flipping you card round to make the diagonals on your card that they are going the correct way!  I found the diagram easist to follow on the tutorial for the scoring and folding and the video easiest for the sticking and finishing.

I used the My Digital Studio Love Letters designer papers layered on Smoky Slate and Very Vanilla cardstock for my decorative background.  The sentiments on the Circles (using the Circles Framelits Collection) were from the 'Perfect Pennants' stamp set available in the Spring/Summer Catalogue.

I love the 'You & Me' for a Valentines theme and also I have inked and cut the 'Life Doesn't Have To Be Perfect To Be Wonderful' to split it across the 3 tray fronts inside.  This stamp set is available as a Digital Download Stamp Brush Set so if you love the project is not too late to recreate it for yourself. Just download your stamp set and background papers and get folding and sticking - go on, give it a go!

For more details and to purchase either the tools or products I used you can follow the links to them here

Simply Scored 122334

Simply Scored Diagonal Plate 125586

Circles Collection Framelits Dies 130911

Perfect Pennants Brush Set - Digital Download 137042

Love Letter Designer Series Paper - Digital Download 124012

Of course, a gift, needs a card to go with it. Well here is a Valentine Pop-up suprise card to match. The dimensions mean that this card folds flat to allow it to fit into a C6 envelope if you need to post or send your valentine's messages.

I have just used the Large Heart Punch and Small Heart Punch for decoration and the colours are Cherry Cobbler, Real Red, Shimmery White and Glimmer Paper.  The background paper too is First Edition Speciality Paper which is still available as a digital download.  The sentiment on the Decorative Label Punch is from the Delightful Dozen stamp set.  There are lots of templates and tutuorials for these pop up cards online and they are so so easy.  Once you have made one, you will want to make more trust me.  A hint that there are some more to come......

To place an order, book a workshop in your home or come to a class, just drop me an email at craftyinkbuds@sky.com. Remember you can now order online at anytime too.

Somethings Have To Be Believed To Be Seen - Last Retiring and Sneek Peek

I think possibly today's flurry of crafting is going to be some of the last of the retiring products you will see from me.  One of the first stamp sets I bought from Stampin' Up! was the Just Believe set.  It has simple 'Thank You', 'Friends' and 'Just for You' sentiments, but also has the great saying 'Somethings have to be believed to be seen'.  I have been inspired for the cards here by so many designs I have seen with the  larger stamp and how this can be framed on the front of the cards.

This first card is a combination of the In Colours 2013-2014 Raspberry Ripple and Primrose Petals. There is also some Regal Rose for the Boho Blossoms flowers which is a retiring colour with the new colour refresh.  The green on the card is Always Artichoke which has a darker shade which I think works really well in contrast with the other colours.

I just love the frame shape for this card.  This was cut using the Framelits Label Collection for the Big Shot.  I just imagined this card layout in my head and built it up from cutting and framing the stamped image.  The Boho Blossoms and Embosslits Beautiful Wings on the card are just the right size to go with the background image to dress it. 

The stamp set also contains two stamps which can be used to create instant label.  There is the decorative label I have added to this card and another larger label which can be used.  These are great for layering on cards or tags and are sized for the sentiments to fit with ease. 

You cannot see it too well on the photo, but there are embossing designs on the middle section and also on the edges of the white insert piece.  I used a product I have not mentioned too much up until now, the Simply Borders plate for the Simply Scored Tool, which is in the Spring/Summer mini.  This is fabulous for a subtle embossed design to your cards and co-ordinates with other products such as the Framelits dies. 

Tip:  The Simply Borders plate comes with a top template for easy alignment with your project when embossing.  To keep everything in place when embossing use some low tack masking tape to keep placement and to stop any slips.

The second card in neutral tones of Crumb Cake and Soft Suede is another use of the framelits die.  This card is created by first stamping in Crumb Cake and then using the Stamp-a-ma-jig to line up and create a shadow image, stamping with Versamark and then embossing with white.  The embossing was then sponged over with Crumb Cake.

This first photo is the initial version with the Flower Trim from the Spring/Summer catalogue and the Crumb Cake Seam Binding ribbon.  I then decided to step-up the card a little and added a few pearls.  I think the pearls lift it and make for a much better looking card.   Just a simple change can make such a difference!

The Flower Trim, as it is in the Spring/Summer catalogue will no longer be available after June 30th.  The other retiring products on the cards are, the Just Believe stamps and also the First Edition designer papers.  The papers are such a staple for any craft room; they work so well for a background, for vintage looks, or for masculine cards.

Lastly, all these retiring products posts have meant I have had to keep my twitching hands off my new catalogue products, but as we are now in the last few days of the current catalogues I thought it only right to give you a little tease of what is coming.  We have been talking about all the colour changes and retiring colours, well here are the yummy new In Colours 2013-2014 for the new catalogue (well 4 of them anyway!). 

 

Still with a retiring products, this card has monochrome Just Believe flower circles and I have then decorated them with the Floral Fusion Sizzlits in the new colours.  The photo does not show it, but I have also used the 'Friends' saying from the stamps down the right hand side strip.  The white card is also embossed with the Simply Borders plate as once I had played with it once I got carried away and wanted to play some more - as often the way with all the products!

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

Springtime Artisan Embellishments

Well I am truely in Birthday Month for our family.  You know there is always one month, or two in the year which is busier for family birthdays, well May is one of those months for our family.  Not only have we birthdays, we also have our 1st wedding anniversary coming up and our little one's 3rd birthday!  So, as you can imagine, it's been a busy time crafting cards more than I have had time to sit down to photo and show you them all.  Lucky for you it does mean I have lots to show you today!

Today's post is some of my favourites so far from the month. What better way to celebrate a birthday than with a little tea and cake. See the teapot hanging on my middle banner.

I love anything small and cute and so the Teatime trinkets from the Spring/Summer catalogue immediately caught my magpie eyes when the catalogue first came out - a teapot, tea cups and clock faces, perfect for marking special occasions.

The catalogue has a Tea for Two designer paper for teatime too, but I have used here some paper I already have which is now retired.  There is a strip of the Storytime papers for the scallop under the taffeta ribbon though and spot the First Edition papers again in the line up!

The Hearts a Flutter Framelits dies for the Big Shot in the Spring/Summer Catalogue make the banner making so much quicker and easier - out pop your banners all neatly cut the same size!  I have rolled the top edge over some dyed baker's twine for my washing line .  The die set comes with some lovely other banner shapes including hearts and there is a matching stamp set of course too!
 

The second card to show you is for my Aunt, it's her birthday today (safely hand-delivered this weekend).
I used the Scallop Square punch here for my springtime flower collection and the stamped images are the big stamp from the Elements of Style set again.  I have stamped in Always Artichoke and then used a blender to add Pretty in Pink highlighting to the flowers. 





I wanted to use my flowers from the Artisan Embellishments Kit on this one so bunched a few together and secured them with some glue dots - a lasting bunch of flowers for the occasion!

 Now to show you just how many projects you can make with a kit from SU, I have a card made with some more of the Artisan Embellishment Kit (there is even more to come later this month from this kit too!).



 Not a birthday card this time, an engagement celebration!  Well it's all about the love so this kit was just the ticket - see the ticket in there!  This was so easy to make with all the pieces already in the kit.  I just layered some DSP onto the Crumb Cake and added the Doily and the Hearts card which the ribbon wraps round in the kit and I was half way there.  The Heart button and seam binding ribbon are all part of the Artisan embellishments kit too.

The scallop circle layer is from the Afternoon Daydream Scrapbook kit which is in the same In Colour of Primrose Petals. I have added a flower trim flower coloured with ink and a 'Congratulations' from the For My Family stamp Set. Also couple of pearls and all done. What an easy way to make a truly beautiful card for a happy occasion!

I am going to need to place an order to replenish my stock of the Spring/Summer items I love, as remember, they do not always carry into the new Annual Catalogue (out in July).  This Spring/Summer catalogue ends on 31st June, remember to contact me for anything you need to order before stock runs out.  Stock for product in colours which are retiring are also proving very popular at the moment so order yours soon if you do not want to miss out!

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

Once Upon a Time....

Good Morning to you all.  We have been having some fun over Easter and over the weekend we visited a local farm which hands hands-on experience for children.  My little one loved it!  He got to feed the lambs, baby goats and hold a little baby goat too.  I have to say I was enjoying the close up experience too, although it was a little too close when one of the bigger sheep decided to hop over the fence and jump the queue for the feeding!

Well in a springtime animal theme I thought I would share a card I made for my Niece recently using the Storytime designer papers. This pack is absolutely fantastic for children's projects and I love the Alphabet and Numeric papers which are great even hung or framed as they are for teaching little ones.  You could even cut and mount them for your very own set of flashcards or create a game of snap!

It was my Niece's third birthday so I used the pictorial numeric sheet to represent her birthday, you can also see some of the other designs of the paper on the background strips.  I had to play around a while to get all three of the numbers on the card as I just loved the pictures and did not want to cut them down any smaller.  The colours are so gender neutral which is great, but I wanted to add a little 'girlie' to the card so I punched some Boho Blossoms to add to it.  To soften the corners I used the corner punch on the card and the layered pieces.

 

This pack of papers is multi-talented as it's not just for children.  Here too is a card I have made for a male birthday using the same papers. Little banners are great for using up scraps or little leftovers, I have picked the reverse designs from some of the papers and added the ruler paper for a DIY reference for this one.  The First Edition Papers have also found a little place on this card too.    

 

 

Happy Birthday for the card is from the Delightful Dozen set again - yep AGAIN!  Another one to add to the useful stamp set count!  I have used markers to select colours from the papers and stamp elements of the Happy Birthday stamp in the set.  The stamp is loaded with Birthday sayings and you can stamp which ever bits you want this way.  I also used the 'Wish Big' from the Pennant Parade set.

 

The flags hide it a little bit, but I have criss-crossed some baker's twine behind them and finished off with a big button with a knot of the twine.  I used one of the bronze buttons from the Aut/Wint catalogue for my card, but a big designer button would work just as well.

To place an order, book a party or come to a workshop email me at craftyinkbuds@sky.com.  I would love to hear from you.

Sending Birthday Love

Well another lovely workshop on Thursday and a lovely set of cards to show you, but first I wanted to blog a card I made over the weekend.  It was my lovely hubby's birthday - the first birthday card I have had to make for my 'Husband'.  The 'For My Family' (pg  138) has a stamp for family members, husbands included so of course this was brought out for my crafting session.

I used the 'You Are Loved' stamp set for the main image. This is a lovely set which was originally in the Spring Mini and I am so glad SU decided to bring it into the annual catalogue too!!  The background print was using the 'Musical Notes' and 'Very Vintage' stamp wheels on Crumb cake card.

You cannot see the gold shimmer as much in the photo, but my other favourite at the moment which I used for this card was the emboss powder. I used the Gold powder for the heart design and additional wording on the front. I am just loving the 'magic' as they turn from their original colour to the lovely shiny metallics as you heat them with the heat tool! 

The new heat tool this catalogue (pg 159) has two heat settings too, one for drying ink and setting and a second setting for embossing.  I love my embossing buddy too - a clever little pillow fellow. Swipe over the page before working with the Versamark pad and emboss powder and it stops any powder sticking anywhere else on the page - so no stray emboss dots and a clearer image!

The designer paper for the heart was the Speciality News DSP (pg 162), I cut the image into strips and shaped them - I wanted varied lengths at the bottom for a less tidy effect.  I added a 'Happy Birthday' from the useful little set 'Made For You' (pg 44) for the birthday wishes on the front and created a tag for the embossed 'Love' element (I cut down an X-Large Tag punch).

An envelope then made to size using the Simply Scored tool and decorated with DSP - I loved the results!

Why not come to one of my workshops to see for yourself how easy it is to make beautiful cards! be!

Contact me at craftyinkbuds@sky.com