Trying something different

I have been having a great time crafting recently.  I attended an arty day workshop up in Harrogate last week and thoroughly enjoyed working in a different style and with different mediums.   Whilst working away, in the back of my mind, I was working out in my head how I could recreate this style with Stampin' Up products.  We made very nice arty tags out of sheets of canvas, I didn't quite finish mine, but they will be finished ready to show the ladies that attend me classes in May (hopefully).

My favourite part of the workshop I attended in Harrogate, was the use of uplifting quotes that our lovely and extrenely talented teacher (Dyan Reaveley) had printed onto canvas for us to attached to our tags.

I used this idea and made a little star book for my daughter Sarah, who loves to read little uplifting and happy quotes.  I typed and printed the quotes and then stamped pretty Stampin' Up images, delicately decorating the white canvas.  Here is a photo of how the simple little book turned out:

I have made a little something else too.  Sarah is moving to London very soon and with me all rareing to go to try different styles of cards, I have made this card in the style of another artist I've been following from America.

I think this card shows that with Stampin' Up we can create something just a little different, especially with the introduction of the Big Shot and some fabulous dies to go with it.

You will be able to see that I've used the new Top Note die as my base, I cut out some canvas with this die together with a peice of dictionary paper and used a variety of inks to colour the base layer.  I also used the Flower, Daisies #2 and the Little Leaves die for embellishing.  I made the house out of the Stampin' Up Square Punch, the Word Window punch and the Small Heart Punch, using a Basic Rhinestones jewel on the heart and a tiny pearl from the Basic Pearls set.  The main colours I used were Soft Suede, More Mustard and I chose Bravo Burgundy as my actual card mount.

Right I've got a load of clearing up to do and a wedding to watch.  Enjoy your day.

Happy crafting.

Carole
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If you are interested in purchasing any of the Stampin' Up products that I've used please don't hesitate to contact me.

Just happy to play.........

Whilst all the other Stampin' Up demonstrators are busily beavering away at updating their blogs and web-sites, emailing their customers and checking which dates are available in their own diaries for parties, workshops and classes - I've been playing - enjoying myself in fact!  I have many of the new products in the new Stampin' Up mini catalogue and have made lots of samples.  I just find that it still takes me ages to put them all on here!  Anyone living close, can contact me and arrange to come over for a coffee and take a look at the new mini and the samples I've made.  You can still book a party with me too, just let me know that you'd like one and we can arrange a date.

If you attend my regular classes you will know when your next class is and hopefully will be looking forward to seeing what I've made and excited about making some of my designs.  If you haven't been to one of my classes lately you might well want to come back, enjoy some crafting time with me and see what lovely cards we are making these days.  Send me an email, if you'd like to try another session.

This is a card that I made this morning, I've had a new load of stash arrive, although I am supposed to be on a spending freeze!  Hope you like it:

I have used some Stampin' Up products for this card, the products used are as follows:

Stampin' pastels, whisper white cardstock and taffeta ribbon (which I pulled through my So Saffron Ink Pad), Regal Rose Ink and Designer Paper, Oval All stamp set, new Bitty Buttons and Beautiful Wings Embosslits die.

Have a great weekend.

Happy crafting.

Carole
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Twisted Easel Card

I've had such a lovely morning, I went over to Lechlade to the Christmas Shop searching out bits for a special class I will be running in June.  My lovely friend Sue told me all about it and realising that it was only about 40 minutes away I hot footed it over there to see if they had what I needed.

The lady who owns the shop and her assistant were very friendly and welcoming.  They were dashing around the shop selecting items that I could use for my projects, it was extremely difficult to decide on what I wanted (I wanted it all really - lol), but I did come away feeling very proud of my purchases!  Watch this space for a sneak peek coming soon!

In the meantime I have a little card I made this afternoon, it's a twisted easel card.  I've been meaning to make one for ages and finally got the inspiration today to make one.

I have used all Stampin' Up products; Cardstock in Wild Wasabi, Garden Green & So Saffron, Designer Paper from the Subtles paper stack, Eyelet border punch, Extra Large Fancy Flower punch, Flower for You stamp & a stamp from the Punch Bunch Sale-A-Bration stamp set.

Will be back soon with some work that I've had to keep secret!

Happy crafting.

Carole
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Left over bits!

This morning I am supposed to be tidying away all the bits and pieces I used in the classes I taught on Friday at Sue's.  As I started putting away the tools I came across my box of unused ready cut bits for the cards we made.  I always cut a few extras and this month we had two or three ladies unable to attend so I had even more bits left over.  Normally I divide them up into my scrap cardstock/paper boxes and use them up later but this morning I decided to play with the bits and make a few different cards with the bits I'd cut for other designs.

Here are 3 of the cards all made with the same bits, just placed differently.

I have used Designer Paper, Whisper White cards stock, Always Artichoke ink, Basic Pearls, Word Window punch, Modern Label punch, Scallop Trim Border punch and the Sweet Summer stamp set all from Stampin' Up.

Have a great Sunday.

Carole
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Ornate Flowers

I am back from a nice day of crafting with my up-line Michelle Last.  If you would like to see what we made then pop over to Rose's blog, you will find the link on my side-bar.  Rose finished her project, but I'm afraid I'm still working on mine!

I really enjoyed making those lovely flowers, so this morning I sat down and worked out how to make them so that they still looked nice but dried faster.  I stamped the little flower from Cottage Garden with Blushing Bride ink and "rock & rolled" it around the edges with Soft Suede ink, then cut it out, put it on the card and then using the Crystal Effects like a pen, I scribbled the Crystal Effects on.  This way I got a very shallow but still lovely effect that dried quicker.

With my renewed Crysal Effects enthusiasm, I then drew over the Ornate Flower, which I'd stamped onto a piece of dictionary paper, that I'd given a wash with white acrylic paint and Blushing Bride re-inker to soften the words.

I am pleased with the finished card and it will be one we make in this months classes.

Hope you like it.

Happy crafting.

Carole
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