Sharon's Birthday Card

A few days late but this is the card that was created from my earlier messy post!

I used the Just believe Stamp Set, watercolour paper and marker pens to create this image. A couple of rhinestone gems were added for that touch of sparkle.

The background was stamped in En Francis which is one of the large background stamps.

My colour combo was helped along using the colour coach. (I love this tool). I chose rose red and elegant eggplant with a hint of marina mist.

SALE-A-BRATION TIME

Ladies and Gents

Its that time of year again. From now until the 28th February you will earn a free stamp set from the sale-a-bration catty for each £45 you spend. The four stamp sets are lovely (sneaky preview below) (click on the sale-a-bration icon on the right hand side of my blog for details).

Bliss 

Punch Bunch

So happy for you

Sweet Summer

If you host a workshop during the time and have sales of £300 + you can earn another set and if you decide to become a demonstrator during the time you can choose a stamp set from the main catty up to the value of £44.95.

I have also been a demonstrator now for a year and I am offering everyone who hosts a workshop for me or signs up as a demonstrator during January and February the chance to enter a draw to win free product of your choice up to the value of £25 (this is an offer from me and not Stampin' UP!) The draw will be made on the 1st March

My Daughter's christmas card

Hannah made this card at school for her dad and I last week during her craft week. The baubles have been punched out using the large ornament punch and then a piece of wire was threaded through the card so it appears the baubles are hung from it. There is of course sparkle along the bottom. (Hannah has just informed me it is snow!).

A number of Hannah's teachers at school are regular Stampin'Up! ladies........hence the use of the punch.

How messy?

This was my craft table on the 23rd of December. The purpose of this mess was to make a birthday card for my friend Sharon who's birthday is Christmas eve. I will show you the finished result tomorrow. I just hope she likes it together with her stampin'UP! parcel of goodies. Sharon had given me a wish list and it was my job to choose goodies. It was such a hard job as everything in the catty is gorgeous.

For those of you who think I am a tidy crafter I think this proves that I am NOT!!!!

Handmade Birthday Cards

This card was made by my downline Vicky. I just love the colour combo..............

Handmade Birthday Cards

This card was made for me by Trevor. Isn't it beautiful.......................

Monday Class card 6

For this one we have a very vanilla card base teamed with certainly celery cardstock and ink.

The floral image is from Just Believe and the greeting from Thank you kindly.

The strip of cardstock at the top was punched through the eyelet border punch.

Its My Birthday!!

Just a quick posting as I am all chilled out and relaxed. I have spent a lovely day with two special friends today at a local spa. I have been thoroughly spoilt with some beautiful gifts and homemade cards. ( I will post them for you all to see when I take them down and replace them with Christmas Cards in a few days).
Yesterday I spent the morning crafting with Rosie and Nickie thank you ladies I had a great time and managed to find my way home alright:) and on Thursday Kerry and I are meeting up to craft again.

And hey the children break up from school on Friday and the madness begins!!!!!! I am seeing another special friend on Monday who is visiting from Devon so from then on its party time I think.

Over the Christmas period I will post when I can but normal business will resume from the 5th January 2011.

Ladies who are waiting for goodies I have two parcels today that have been shipped, I have no delivery date yet but should be early next week I will be in touch as soon as they arrive. Thank you all so much for being so patient

Monday Class card 5

Card 5 is so pretty and uses a whisper white card base teamed with early espresso. The greeting comes from Thank You Kindly again and the flowers from Pocket Silhouettes. The flowers were coloured in using real red and garden green markers.

Monday Class Card 4

Card 4 uses a whisper white base teamed with Peach Parfait. Peach Parfait is one of our IN COLOURS. The greeting is stamped in Peach Parfait ink and comes from the level 3 hostess gift. This was then punched out using the oval punch and layered up on a scallop oval using dimensionals.

A thin strip of matching cardstock was added along the bottom.

Monday Class card 3

This card is pure simplicity. The frame and greeting are from the Just Believe stamp set. The frame was stamped first in Marina Mist onto the very vanilla card front and then the samj was used to place the thank you sentiment inside.

Monday Class Card 2

Card two uses whisper white and cherry cobbler cardstock together with cherry cobbler ink.

The greeting comes from Thank you Kindly. The corners of the cardstock have been rounder using the corner rounder. A little bow of early espresso ribbon finishes off the card.

Monday's Class card 1

The class theme for December was Thank you cards. Our first one combines whisper white and so saffron cardstock together with so saffron ink. The images were stamped from Big Bold Birthday and Occasional Greetings.

We used the samj to place the bow in position on top of the parcel.

Tonights Class

Tonights class is still going ahead although numbers are low. If you are coming please drive/walk carefully. Hopefully we will finish early.

See you later X

Playing

Please bear with me Georgina and I are trying a few new things out with the blog. We hope that over the festive season normality will return!!

Just Belive wet paper stamping

At a workshop earlier in the month I demonstrated the wet paper stamping technique, using the Just Believe stamp set.

If you are looking to add a little dimension to your stamped images, try this technique. It's pretty much what it sounds like-stamping on wet paper, but you will be surprised by the effect it creates.

Would you like me to show you how? If the answers YES then give me a call and book a workshop and I will show you how.

Just Belive watercolour

My hostess Jo last week asked if we could do something using Just Believe as this was a stamp set she wanted to buy. Now of course I said yes, if possible I like to be able to show what my hostesses ask for. For some it is starting to become a bit more difficult, especially when guests attend more than one party, but I think this just means I have to look outside the box and my comfort zone.

Jo had 11 guests so we did two sittings for the make and take. The card uses not quite navy and bashful blue cardstock and the watercolour paper. If you haven't tried this paper you must, it just gives such a wonderful effect to the flower and grass image and allows you to show off some great SU tools.

The large flower and grass image was coloured in using marker pens in old olive, not quite navy, bashful blue and pear piazza. I then filled a old stampin mist bottle with water and we lightly spritzed the stamp before stamping onto the cardstock. This was then set aside to dry.

The sentiment was stamped in not quite navy and we used the samj to line up and place where we wanted it. The light spray of dots was created with the spritzer tool and the not quite navy marker.

The ribbon is old olive 3/8" taffeta

Crisp Blue Gable Box

This gable box is of the same design I have previously shown but in completely different colours.

Now I told you yesterday that there was a blue theme on the go at this class but I really love the colour combo of very vanilla, pacific point and the blueberry crisp DSP. I have also included a button from the neutrals range with a little bit of linen thread and some very vanilla satin ribbon.

Do you like the last two projects? If so would you like to join us at our next class which is on the 9th December at 7.30pm. Unusually I have a couple of spare places so get in touch if you would like to join us.

Reflective Technique

This was our card project at my Thursday class on the 18th November. Late with the post I know. Not sure where the time seems to go as I haven't been resting on my Laurels........

The card base here is real red and I have teamed that with the fresh whisper white and old olive. The inkpad used is marina mist with matching ribbon.

To create the reflection we first stamped our top image onto the whisper white cardstock and then again onto a cello bag. The cello bag was then turned over and placed onto the cardstock and smoothed over. This creates the reflection. So simple but what a lovely effect it gives. To add a bit of sparkle we used the 2 way glue pen and dazzling diamonds.

I will show the 3D project tomorrow and you will see that I had a bit of a blue thing!!!! going.

Thank you for looking and see you tomorrow X

Me and Shelli

This is my favourite picture of convention. Its me with Shelli Gardner the CEO and co founder of Stampin'UP!.

This lady is everything I aspire to, kind, generous, down to earth and passionate about crafting.

A cute Gable Box

I made this gable box as Jo's hostess gift. I have incorporated serene snowflakes again and a little bit of bling using dazzling diamonds.

The box was filled with a few goodies as well.

I have to say I was really surprised how easy this box was to make as Georgina will tell you I always struggle with 3D projects. I like to be shown how to do something first, instructions are ok if you can visualise the outcome, but I am hopeless at this. (its a bit like map reading and I can't do that either................)

More from Convention

Here are some more pictures from Convention at the beginning of the month. The first is the lovely Jane Cutting and Kerry Timms. We headed straight for the bar when we arrived on Thursday....

The second shows us signing up for registration can you see the yummy bags in the background? We were each given one of these and inside there were 2 stamp sets and other goodies. I will show a picture of the bag in more detail soon. I have to say this bag has made its entrance into my workshops and has been much admired.....

Lastly you can see some of the inspiring inkin team taking a much needed rest. Can you see the size of those cookies?

faux Silk technique

This was the technique I showed at Jo's workshop. The technique is called Faux Silk and incorporates stamping onto tissue paper. You then screw up the tissue paper and then open it back out and use tombow to adhere to another piece of cardstock. Smooth is out using a bone folder.

You when just finish your card layout. Serene snowflakes and the greeting from contempo christmas have been used. The inks were cherry cobbler, early espresso and white craft.

Snowflakes on your birthday!!!!

Last month I did a workshop for Jo and she asked for a birthday card using serene snowflakes, which was a stamp set she had but was lacking inspiration. I themed Jo's workshop totally around this stamp set.

The above card uses concord crush and blushing bride which are two of our in colours and early espresso.

The edges have been torn on the centre panels and then snowflakes were randomly stamped. The image was then stamped again twice and the middle pieces hand cut out to layer up and give a flower effect.

The greeting comes from big bold birthday and was punched out using the word window and layered up on a scallop oval which had been trimmed down.

christmas card

This is our last card of the evening.

Our cardfront is very vanilla and more mustard cardstock teamed with some musical notes. These can be found in our newsprint dsp.

The edges have been torn and distressed using chocolate chip ink and a dauber. The greeting comes from sincere salutations and has been punched out using the oval punch and then layered on a scallop oval using a dimensional.

I hope these 6 christmas cards have given you inspiration to create more of your own. If you would like to purchase any of the products used please contact me and I can arrange this for you.

Pics from Convention 2010

I think I have finally come down from cloud nine after our fabulous 2010 convention.

Here is a picture of myself and Amanda Fowler at our team awards ceremony on Thursday evening. I was so pleased to receive the Rising Star award with Elizabeth. This award was given to SU demonstrators in the team who have been with SU for less than 18 months and have been steadily building their business.

Awards were also given to the top demonstrators in the team. The lovely Jane Cutting came 1st and Kerry Timms 4th.

We were thoroughly spoilt by Amanda with our awards and goody bags and this was before we had even got to convention!!!!!

I must tell you that next year's convention is at Disney Land Paris........OMG I will be there and I very much hope to walk across the stage at the awards ceremony. Would you like to join me? Well let me tell you how you can.

Come and join my team of Caro's stampers. Sign up as a Stampin'UP! demonstrator and build a business to suit your life style, or just take the opportunity to save money on your orders to support your hobby.

I will be holding an opportunity event on the 16th December 2010 at 7.30pm at my home. I already have three people coming along to have a chat about becoming a demonstrator and of course we will have to craft. This is an ideal chance for you to find out more. Are you interested? Do you want to know more? If your answer is yes give me a call and book your space.

christmas card

Our 5th card of the evening.

We used whisper white and melon mambo cardstock together with melon mambo ink.

The so swirly wheel and handle created the pattern and then we stamped on the melon mambo card stock using the swirl from season of joy. The ribbon is whisper white 1/4" grosgrain tied in a simple knot.

The greeting comes from occasional greetings and is stamped in melon mambo ink.

christmas card

This is our forth card of the evening.

We have used whisper white and cherry cobbler cardstock together with cherry cobbler ink.

The image and greeting both come from contempo christmas.

christmas card

This is our 3rd christmas card.

We have used whisper white and perfect plum cardstock together with perfect plum ink.

We have torn the edges again on the two panels and stamped in perfect plum ink using serene snowflakes.

The greeting comes from contempo christmas.

christmas card

Our second christmas card.

We have used whisper white and real red cardstock together with real red ink.

The edges of the centre panels have been torn and daubered with real red ink.

Our image comes from tree trimmings and we stamped the bauble 3 times and then hand cut out folded and attached as a 3D object.

The greeting comes from season of joy.

Christmas card

This is our first christmas card from last Monday's card class.

We have used very vanilla and old olive cardstock together with old olive ink.

The image is from Contempo christmas and stamped in old olive ink. The edges have been daubered. The greeting comes from basic phrases.

A christmas tree was also stamped inside the card.

CONVENTION DAY

By the time you are reading this post I will be on my way to stampin'UP! convention. This is one of the most important events we have where approx 300 men and women will get together to celebrate the achievements of fellow demonstrators and to craft of course.

I made 50 of the above card fronts for my swap. (thank you Jo for your help). In return for swapping I should receive 50 different card fronts to give me ideas and inspiration for future workshops and events.

I am so excited and even have a posh frock for the awards dinner............... I will be taking photos whilst I am there and will post them when I return.

Next years convention is likely to be in France so I had better start saving now.

I will be back Saturday evening but will return back to work on Monday as we are all off racing on Sunday and then on to a firework display.

Lovely as a tree

Last week I did a workshop for Cathie and she had asked for a Manly card for the make and take.

This card shows the colour combination of crumb cake, Cajun craze and marina mist. (colour coach inspired).

The tree comes from the stamp set lovely as a tree and I have coloured it in using old olive and early espresso markers. The smaller trees along the middle of the card are stamped using the funky forest wheel and small handle in early espresso ink.

The strip along the bottom has been edged using the scallop border and the 2 smaller strips are the left over bits from this.

We used marina mist 1/8" taffeta ribbon tied in a simple knot at the top of the card.

The greeting comes from the level 3 hostess gift.

Do you want some inspiration for a card? How about learning a new technique? contact me and book a home workshop for you and your friends and we can do all the above together.

Project 4 (Money Holder)

Our money holder uses the comtempo christmas stamp set, together with jolly holly dsp, cherry cobbler, early espresso, sahara sand and whisper white cardstock.

The inks used were cherry cobbler and white craft.

We used the new rhinestone jewels on the inside of the holder instead of brads. These jewels are fantastic value for money at £4.50 for 150 pieces.

A perfect gift for sending money or gift vouchers. Just vary the colours and stamp set for each occasion.

Project 3

For project 3 everybody made 3 christmas cards to go in their accordion box together with a treat holder.

Comtempo christmas was used on all the cards with a collection of different cardstocks and inks.

Tomorrow will show our last project.

A BIG thank you

A big thank you to my friend Jo who came round this morning to help finish my swaps for convention next week.
I was on a mission this morning, when my husband and younger daughter left home this morning at 7.30am (they were off collecting 32 stock car racing tyres from someone at Newbury services) I started work on completing my swaps. Jo arrived about 9am and tied lots of knots for me and then assembled cards.
By 11am they were all done phew one less thing to think about...................We have 4 days before we are off to Stampin' UP! convention, I am getting very excited now!!!

I still have lots of things to post for you to see so please keep checking in. x

Project 2 Candle Art

Project 2 was to decorate a candle using the contempo christmas stamp set. Each person designed their own images. The images were stamped onto tissue paper and trimmed.

To transfer the image onto the candle you use wax paper and a heat gun.

Here's Edna again with her finished candle.

Project 1 Accordian file Purse

Registration began at 9.30am. Ladies collected their name badges, and assembled their stamp sets for using further on in the day. Nancy was also to hand with tea and coffee.

At 10am we started with our first project of the day which was an Accordion File Purse. We used early espresso and cherry cobbler together with Jolly Holly DSP.

The photos show everyone working at their own pace. Each lady had a pack containing all the instructions for the day as well as finished projects on each table. Georgina and I mingled and gave help as and when.

You can see Enda and Becky with their finished project and a smile .....

Saturday 23rd October

Its the morning after ladies.......Yesterday Georgina and I held a Christmas Extravaganza with 10 wonderful ladies.

We had snowmen, a Christmas tree which gave away presents all day long and even some Christmas music.

Join me throughout the next week when I will bring you details of the projects we made. Our next event is the 2nd APRIL 2011 if you would like to join us please let me know and I can add your interest to our files. Booking forms and details will be available nearer the time.

Tomorrow I will show you project 1 which was an Accordion File Purse.

Ladies thank you for your support during the day, Gusti thank you for the sweets, Jo and Edna thank you for your help clearing up and Nancy for the endless cups of tea and coffee during the day. xx

Credit and Debit Card Acceptance

This is great news everyone. From the 19th October 2010 Stampin'UP! will now accept payment from Mastercard and Visa Credit cards and also Visa debit cards.

This is something that we have been working towards for a long time and it is fab that you now have a number of payment options.

MIA

Morning all

I can't believe I haven't posted for over a week. Its been hectic putting the last finishing touches to my all day event on Saturday and getting ready for card class last night. There will be plenty of posts coming out over the next few weeks where I will be showing what my ladies made at the all day event and also cards and projects that have been made at classes and workshops.

My friend Trevor has also sent me pictures of more lovely cards that he and his mum have made and I will be showing these too.

Its half term next week so please bear with me as I juggle my SU life and children......

A big thank you to everyone who came last night. I hope you all had a fun evening I know George and I did.

Monday Card class 6

This is the last card of the evening. I have teamed whisper white with melon mambo and pretty in pink cardstock. The melon mambo was stamped using the same colour ink and the fine flourish stamp. The flower on top is the Flower accent stamp, stamped in pink pirouette and then hand cut. The centre of the flower is a 1/2" circle punch out.

The eyelet border punch was used along the bottom and another greeting from Sincere Salutations was stamped.

Monday Class Card 5

This card uses one of my favourite new stamp sets in the catalogue Artisitic Etchings. I have teamed it with very vanilla and soft suede cardstock. The images are stamped in soft suede and crumb cake ink. These two colours contrast lovely together. The sentiment is from big bold birthday and is punched out using the word window and layered on a scallop oval.