Sweet Sorbet Wraps it up!

The Easter rabbit has been early in our house and look how pretty the Easter offering is!  

It's a lovely little wrap for a chocolate egg made from just a few scraps of card and the Sale-A-Bration papers.

This egg wrap was made with the Scallop Tag Punch.  I simply cut some cardstock I had left over from another project to 5cm (2") wide for the width for the punch and then used a 21cm length strip.

I folded at 8.5cm each end to leave a 4cm base for the wrap.  I used the Scallop Tag Punch for each end to make the decorative top.  I then just quickly made a tray box  4cm x 5cm to fit inside for the egg to sit in. 

Before constructing the wrap, I punch an extra Large Oval for the opening and ran it through the Big Shot with the Decorative dots folder (SAB FREE product).

I used left over Sweet Sorbert paper from the Sale-a-Bration FREE products I have earnt to decorate inside the tray and wrap sides.  The pretty little spring flowers are made with the Boho Blossoms punch and a little Ruffled Ribbon to tie the wrap together finishes it off. 

There are lots of little changes you can make to make this yourself with products you have if you do not have everything I have used.  You can create a wrap with a label if you do not have the oval, for example. 

Remember Sale-A-Bration ends on 31st March - Just 4 Days to Go to grab your FREE products! You can still order your products direct through me or from my Online store to qualify for the Sale-a-bration goodies.

If you love this project and want to replicate it, I have used:

Scallop Tag Punch

Boho Blossoms Punch

Extra Large Oval Punch

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.

Scallop Tags for Mother's Day

It's a Floral Fusion meets Petal Parade card for you today.  See how prepared I am, I have a card for Mother's Day ready!  Well this is not the card I am sending my Mum as that is under wraps for the day, but another card I have made.  Once I had mastered the scallop card punch opening I wanted to play some more!

The opening is created by folding and feeding your standard card into the Scallop Tag Punch.  Now this punch is fantastic.  Everyone needs one!  Need a tag quickly and easily for a card, gift or for Christmas? This punch creates a tag from a strip of card 5cm (approx) wide and any length.  Yes, ANY length.  You just cut the length of your tag to the size you desire after punching the lovely scallop top.

To create the card openings.  Cut your card to size then feed the shorter edge into the tag punch.  Lift it slightly and slide it all the way into the punch so that the edge is right up into the end of the scallop top.  Then just punch.  Easy, huh?  All you need to do is then use your trimmer to cut down the edge line to finish the opening edge.  Repeat for the other side and a fantastic new card design is yours!

My Sentiment is a custom tag using the same punch.  I punched the scallop top, stamped my sentiment from the all-year-round Delightful Dozen stamp set and then trimmed the tag down on the width on both sides to the first indent of the scallop top.  I then cut the bottom edge and rounded the corners using the corner punch  on the Envelope Punch Board. 

The card I created has slightly different measurements to some I have seen from other demos.  Some people have just folded the right hand side so the tag top just folds over as the finishing edge, but I wanted to fold it over a little further in so I have an extra decorative panel/strip on my card.  It did mean the left hand side was narrower, but this left the inside more visible and more places to stamp with the lovely Petal Parade stamps.

I hope you like the card.  Just get in touch is you are local and you would like a demonstration of the products and how to make lovely cards like this.

The designer papers and Petal Parade stamp sets are from this year's Sale-a-Bration and don't forget this ends 31st March.  Don't panic!  There is still time to order to get these free with your purchases.

Floral Fusion Sizzlit Die
Scallop Tag Punch
Delightful Dozen Stamps

Sale-a-Bration - FREE Products When You Order
Sweet Sorbet Designer Papers
Petal Parade

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 by clicking the links on the top right of this page.

Hip Hip Hooray!

Today I want to tell you all about a new kit from Stampin' Up!  I don't know how many times I hear from busy people that they just love the Stampin' Up! products, but do not have the time to craft or I meet them at a Stampin' Up! party and they look at all the lovely wonderful products in the catalogues, but just do not know where to start when ordering.  Well here it is, the solution to BOTH dilemmas - the Hip Hip Hooray Card Kit.

It is a card kit with EVERYTHING you need in it to make 20 cards and all for £17.95!  That's less than a £1 a card to make your very own handmade cards to send to family and friends.  There is a small stamp kit consisiting of 3 images to stamp in various ways and even a little ink spot to ink your stamps.  The card background designs, of which there are two, are printed on high quality card as you would expect and there are envelopes for all your cards too!  All the paper die-cuts are self adhesive so no messy glue, just get sticking with the foam pads and your cards are made in a matter of minutes.

The sentimets in the stamps suit a number of occasions and include the essential 'thanks' for anyone's crafting collection.  Perfect for all those 'thanks' for teachers, family members or friends. 

I don't kow about you, but I love getting lots of little pacakges to open and put together and this kit is great for that!  Here's what is in side if you want to take a closer look....see how much you get!

Here are some of the cards I made with the kit. 

So easily put together, 

There are even instructions with pictures on suggested layouts and designs and how to partially stamp an image.

So if you think this kit is as great as I do and you can see it as a must-have to make those all important cards at last call when you need to.  You can order your kit direct from me.

To place an order for this just click Hip Hip Hooray Card Kit to go straight to my online shop and order. if you are local, want to miss out on delivery charges and you can pick up from me then just get in touch.

Remember until the end of March it is Sale-a-Bration too!  For every £45 you spend you can choose one of the free products from the Sale-a-Bration brochure.

Happy Shopping!

Suzanne
x

Pretty Petite Petals and Butterflies All Around

The sunshine today has drawn us out into the garden to finally paint the new fence panels we had installed after the recent storms.  We did manage a trip out to the local garden centres too where we enjoyed seeing all the Spring flowers in full bloom.  What a delight to see the bright vibrant colours in all the container plants!

So today's card is another using the springtime favourite, Petite Petals.  I could have just stamped directly onto some card, but I wanted to layer my flowers with some tiny leaves so I punched my flowers out.  I also wanted to add some ribbon detail so made a wrap of Crumb Cake seam-binding ribbon with a flower detail of it's own.

Why stop at flowers?  I thought I would add some Butterflies too!  It's a full Spring/Summer celebration card with this one!  The elegant butterfly and petite butterfly punches make a a lovely frame detail round the 'For You' sentiment from the Chalk Talk stamp set.

The whole card is layered onto the Hexagon emboss folder background in the matching Rose Red colourway now in the Regals colour collection.

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.

Simpy Stars

The sunshine has certainly been to visit us today! Unfortunately I have not had a chance to enjoy any of it as I have been under the duvet with a cold/flu, but hoping to be back on top form tomorrow.  Just a quick post from me today in between sniffles I am afraid.

Today's card is made with the Simply Stars set.  I knew, having a little boy I just had to have this set to play with out of the main catalogue.  I have teamed it up with the Pool Party and Baked Brown Sugar combination of colours and the Chalk Talk label for a big birthday wish. The Gorgeous Grunge set making the star dust too is perfect.

I love the simplicity of the design of the card and the linen thread to tie the label.

To buy the ingredients just click to go through to the items in my online store: 

Simply Stars 130889

Gorgeous Grunge 130514 

Linen Thread 104199

Chalk Talk 130631

All stamp set links will direct you to the Wood mount versions, if you wish to purchase the clear mount versions, please enter a simple search to get the details and go to the items in the store.

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.

Wedding Words

It is going to be one of those years full of great occasions to celebrate as we have three wedding celebrations to attend this year, I am so excited!  Ever since our wedding day I have been keen to see someone else celebrating, I am getting almost just as excited talking about other people's weddings as I did my own! Now I know just how much effort everyone has gone to prepare everything I am going to see everything through different eyes. It has already started with the appreciation of the handmade invitations we received this year. All three were handmade cards, everyone has been bitten by the crafting bug it seems!

I felt that with all that effort for the invitation, it was only right I created my RSVP too. I like to match the style of the invitation if I can with a colour match as close as I can. Unfortunately I made and sealed the first reply in an envelope before I took a photo so you will have to take my word for it that it was beautiful.

The second RSVP was in response to a monochrome invitation so I went with a Smoky Slate and Basic Grey combination. I thought Black would have been a little too dark for me and it does not make me think weddings so I kept to the greyscales.

Now the greatest Wedding stamp I have in my collection is here as the background, it is the Wedding Words jumbo stampin' wheel.  Just two rolls over a piece of whisper white and I had the basics for my card.  

Tip: Use your grid paper to line the card up straight and guide a steel ruler or something with a thick enough straight edge to guide your wheel straight as you roll and stamp with it.  The grid paper also helps you line up another roll line if you want a continual background as I have done.

The line break in the text was perfect to fit a line of Silver 1/8" ribbon which has been continued into the Spring/Summer mini catalogue. The RSVP on the card is the Alphabetized lettering again, which I have used previously as a single stamp or just as individual lettering.

Tip: I inked individual letters with a marker pen and then with the stamp upside down on the craft desk I pressed the cardstock onto the letter to stamp it.

How simple was it to then punch the letters as mini banners with my Banner Punch - it's free with a £45 spend right now!

If you haven't stamped with a stamp wheel previously, hopefully you feel inspired to give it a go now!  It really is simple once you have got a straight edge to run against and they are great for background stamping across a page or card front. The Wedding Words looks gorgeous in Silver or Gold emboss.  

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.

Banner Blast Love

After being over-enthusiastic after my previous Valentine crafting projects were finished and showing them to my Husband I was back to the crafting table to make another card so I could have one to surprise him with this morning.  

It is a Banner Blast card made with the absolutely gorgeous cute Banner Blast stamp set and matching punch from the current Sale-a-Bration brochure.  This stamp set is available free with a £45 spend and so too is the punch if you spend again.  The stamps are perfect for my linen line along the Woodgrain panels of the card.  My Woodgrain is the background stamp (128763) from the annual catalogue, but don't forget there is the lovely new Hardwood stamp (133032) in the new Spring/Summer catalogue too.

I cut my card to be 12cm x 20cm when folded.  I found if I marked at the 5cm, 10cm and the 15cm lines I could get the diagonals evenly spaced on the 20cm card.  My panels are extra layers of card, stamped with the woodgrain and then daubed a little for some rustic wood colouring.  They are attached with dimensionals to lift them a little off the background card too.

The Chalk Talk label die cut on the front of the card has my 'You&Me' stamp again from the Perfect Pennants to match the secret chocolate box I showed yesterday.  I used some small hearts I had pre-punched with the Small Heart Punch in glimmer paper and Real Red card to add some detail and some sparkly rhinestones.

Inside there are some more hearts and sparkles too, along with a space to write a special message.

I loved playing with my itsy-bitsy Banner kit and I know this is going to be a fast favourite in my collection.  Remember, this is one of the free sets from the Sale-a-Bration period so if you fancy a few friends round for some crafting, or it's time for a treat for yourself, these great products are available until the end of March.

I hope you have a lovely Valentine's and get thoroughly spoiled

Suzanne

x

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.

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.

Pretty Petals All Around

Just a quick post from me today as we are getting ready to be battered by the storm outside.  This card was one I have made recently, but it is my favourite.  I am sure you can see the inspiration from my previous posts, the wreath kit and my other cards with the Petite Petals.

The idea came to me one morning as I woke and I knew I was going to have to make it before I lost it in the muddled mummy memory bank.

The card is on Whisper White layers, but the best bit in the middle is the Vellum window created with Stampin' Up!'s Vellum Cardstock.  I have seen so much of the new vellum embossed papers we have around and it inspired me to dig out my pack of the special cardstock to have a play.  The Chalk Talk saying in the middle is white embossed which was my creative moment when I thought of this as the idea.

The best bit about the wreath too and the Petite Petals was I was using up all my off-cuts of strips of card.  I just inked and stamped a row of each colour flower and design on a strip and then punched away whilst catching up on some TV viewing - perfect!  I had some Little Leaves prepared too with the small Sizzlit die for the Big Shot to add the leaves around the wreath.

Here's another view of the card so you can see I layered it and used some dimensionals to give the top layer a lift from the vellum.

There is a lovely banner of heart embossing across the bottom of the card too using the Adorning Accents Emboss Folders.

Talking of embossing, did you know Stampin' Up! have released a new tool and I have only just got round to telling you all about it!  It is so exciting!  There is the new Texture Boutique Tool which allows you to emboss with embossing folders, but without the bulky Big Shot cutting machine.  It is much smaller, lighter and transportable for those catch-up crafting sessions on-the-go.  The best bit, it is only £26.95 so not too heavy on the purse either!  If you like the embossing on my card, why not treat yourself with some love this Valentine and give yourself a treat or just send your hubby to my online store to order yours. 

Texture Boutique 132657

Before I go, here is another card of Petals.  See the vase?  It is one of the Delightful decorations stamps with the bottom modified slightly to give it a flat base.

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.

Simply Bloomin' - Burlap and Blooms Wreath Kit

There is a Spring in my step, the bulbs are poking through the ground with a promise of what is to come and I am ready to Sale-a-Brate with a garden of blooms this coming Springtime!  I had such a lovely time this weekend sitting down with my Burlap and Blooms Simply Created Wreath Kit from the new Spring Summer Catalogue 2014 (pages 14 & 21).

The kit includes a chipboard wreath (33cm), die-cut designer paper for creating the 15 flowers which adorn the wreath, approx 6.4m of burlap ribbon and 61cm of linen thread, 4 designer buttons and 2 brads!  It is simple to put-together with clear instructions provided - all you need is some glue!  

The larger flowers are made up of circles of paper which just need a simple glue together.  The 'ruffle' flowers are so easy!  The strips are pre-cut for you and even have their own glue strips attached ready. You just need to roll them up - how easy is that!  I would suggest using a strong glue such as used with a glue gun to hold your burlap firmly on your chipboard and also to add the flowers - you don't want to have any wilting flowers or any dropping off before the end of Spring!

I love the colours.  Even the sunshine came out to allow me to photograph this is full glory!

The kit is a perfect project for your own home or to gift to another.  Why not share your crafting, by getting together with some friends, siblings or your Mum to assemble your kits together with some good chat and time out?

You can go straight to my online store now to order your kit and have it delivered straight to your door

Burlap and Blooms Simply Created Wreath Kit 133333

Remember, it is S-A-B time too so go on, treat yourself!

To 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.