... none for ages - then two at once !

hi all

yes don't worry, its not  Sunday,  (my usual day for putting digit to keyboard) honest,
but have just finished a card for my  friend to thank her for all she did in the run up to my big '0' day, so thought I would share.

I chose the very popular Hexagon Hive thinlits die as the main focus of the card, with my two must have, go to,  colours of the moment. Namely,  Lost Lagoon and Hello Honey from the current 2014 - 2016 In-colours.

My sentiment came from the 'A Dozen Thoughts' stamp set and a bit of careful inking/masking and Stamp-a-majigging to get the wording where I wanted it - along with some strategically placed flowers,  stamped from the 'Something to Say' set and punched with the matching punch from the Itty Bitty Accent Punch pack, completed the look.

and here we are -

A bit of sponging in Hello Honey to complete the card - and I was really pleased with the finished result.

...and of course being the frugal person  I am - I  just had to find something to do with all those punched hexagons that you end up with after using the Hexgaon Hive thinlit die.

A fellow sewer at my weekly needlework class is also about to reach the same birthday milestone as me -  - well to me, all those little shapes just cried out pieced 'Grandma's flower garden and being as she is a  keen quilter,  I thought this very apt!

With a little bit of arranging of those hexagon offcuts  and a few more of the same punched flowers,   a 'Happy 60th Birthday' sentiment from the Memorable Moments Stamp set, which I die-cut using the 'Chalk Talk' thinlits and I had another card which came together really quickly.  Shame about the slight pink cast which am still puzzling over though!

and with the birthday in mind thought I would link it to the current challenge being run by the lovely ladies over at  Fashionable Stamping Challenges where their Challenge #80 is a Birthday card for someone special

I used the opposite colourway for my sponging this time with Lost Lagoon, and finished it off with the toning ribbon trim.

... simple but effective and so easily done with my Stampin' Up! stamps, punches, and dies

Stampin' Up! supplies for these cards:

Stamp Sets : A Dozen Thoughts,  Something to Say, Memorable Moments

Inks:Lost Lagoon, Hello Honey

Card stock:Whisper White
Thinlits Dies/Punches: Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack,  Hexagon Hive Thinlits Die 
or Honeycomb Hello Clear Mount bundle

Chalk Talk Thinlit Dies or Chalk Talk Clear Mount bundle
Other Essentials: Stampin' Up! dimensionals, Stamp-a-Ma-jig, Sponge Daubers
Lost Lagoon ribbon 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon

Just click on the items to easily access them in my on line store  to place an order and have  them shipped straight to your address.

Am happy to answer any questions you may have - if you would like to find out more or would like me to place an order for you, you can email me or contact me on 01438 820829 if you would rather.

Well, my partner survived today's  'great-niece' invasion and lives to tell the tale.
I understand a rather lengthy trip to the park took up quite a substantial amount of time.
Am not too sure who enjoyed the roundabout more - him or they!

Til next time and have a great week
with best wishes
Jan x

ahh - when you read this...

hi all

...sorry I have been absent this week - but its been a hive of activity here in my crafting corner, over the last few days - as Miss 'Lastminute.com'  finally tumbled to her senses and gave some thought to making a card and a number of swaps for a 'Stampin' Up! event I am attending, along with a lot of other Stampin' Up! demonstrators, this weekend.

Here's a quick view of my rather in-elegant!  box of swaps ready to go..

...I will explain the doings of them in a bit more detail in my usual Sunday snippets..!

and Stampin' Up!  have also asked for card donations for their Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) Drop box - we have all been asked to make a card.

For my card, I chose Pistachio Pudding (one of the current 'In-Colours' for 2013 - 2015) and Very Vanilla for my basic colour scheme  - actually unwrapping the 'in-colour' stamp pad for the very first time.. Not too sure why I waited so long to use it, if am honest..?

Having opened it and seen it in for real as it were,  I find I just love the subtle hue and soft look to it!


my card is a 'just because' card .. and that's just because I had the stamp still to hand from its last outing, a couple of weeks ago.!


But this was what I finally settled for: and am quite pleased how it all came together in the end and as the 2nd love in my life in the crafting stakes is sewing, I thought I would add a touch of faux stitching to finish it all off.!

...and inside - I just did a bit of 'stampin' off the paper - as I like the effect that gives, 

I hope they like it.

Stampin' Up! supplies for this card:

Stamp Set: A Dozen Thoughts

Inks: Pistachio Pudding

Card stock/Paper: Pistachio Pudding, Very Vanilla, Venetian Romance

Punches: Pansy Punch, Petite Petals Punch
Other Essentials: Stampin' Up! dimensionals, sponge daubers, basic rhinestones, 
Stampin' Up! Paper piercing tool and mat, 'Essentials' paper piercing pack

 I can order Stampin' Up! Products for you, shipped straight to your address and am happy to answer any questions you may have - if you would like to find out more or would like to place an order you can email me or contact me on 01438 820829

or why not visit my on line store  

Well I have heard the weather is supposed to hold for the weekend, so am crossing fingers and anything else I can think of, that it does as promised.. and  shall be looking forward to a bit of a relax on Sunday after my away day!

so  shall close by wishing you all a lovely weekend as well and will be back in a few days time with a round up of tomorrow's fun and festivities.

til  next time
Jan
x

Flower shop - 'Just because' ...

hi all and Happy Bank holiday

again - I find myself not working this bank holiday - so what do I do, spend all Saturday working in the garden and all Sunday cleaning windows and paintwork.

uhm  on reflection - I might have preferred going to work!

but that's the reason behind my card - after all my endeavours outside I think I justifiably deserved a play with cards and inks inside once I had finished.!
...hence the sentiment..  'Just because'  - and I thought very apt in the circumstances.

Am going to link it to the current ColourQ challenge #239 of Pumpkin Pie, Calypso Coral,  Pretty in Pink (I substituted Blushing Bride) and Old Olive as this was the inspiration behind  my colour choices.

 

I also thought I would link it  to the current challenge over at Less is More where they want to see us use either Three Colours   or  Three Shades of One Colour

It's a mix of  stamped and punched flowers from the Flower Shop stamp set, the punched one I popped up on dimensionals, a bit of sponging and corner cutting for emphasis,  and a few candy dots to finish and ended up with this.

I  hand cut the label for my sentiment,and 'just because' really sums up how I felt after all my hard work - no real reason for a card - i just wanted to - my way of relaxing !

 What do you all think?

Although it is quite a departure from my more usual fussy style, couldn't quite leave it it at that - so just had to put something inside as well -

Stampin' Up! supplies for this card:

Stamp Sets:Flower Shop, A Dozen Thoughts

Inks: Pumpkin pie, Calypso Coral, Blushing Bride,

Card stock: Old Olive and Whisper White

Punches: Pansy Punch, Corner rounder
Other Essentials: Stampin' Up! dimensionals,  sponge daubers, candy dots

 I can order Stampin' Up! Products for you, shipped straight to your address and am happy to answer any questions you may have - if you would like to find out more or would like to place an order you can email me or contact me on 01438 820829

or why not visit my on line store  

well with it Bank holiday Monday - and my being such a busy lady (well certainly in my book anyway!)  over the weekend, am flatly refusing to do anything - but looking forward to just chilling as they say.

whatever you have in store - hope you have a lovely day, all!

Til next time
Jan
x

Water colouring - no need for DIY!

hi everyone

I have the lovely Patty Bennett to thank for the inspiration behind this card - that of using flowers punched from the Watercolour wonder series DSP as your own DIY embellishments - with nothing else needed for them other than a few candy dots and a bit of sponging.

Unfortunately I don't have the Petite Petals punch, yet, so made do with a punch I already had - but it's certainly on my wish list and as the punch and its matching stamp set come as a bargain bundle in the new Spring/summer catalogue am thinking acquisition may be sooner rather than later!

I used one of the Watercolour wonder notelets as my card base as well.. I just added an embossed panel, sponged the edges, looped some toning bakers twine round this and punched out 3 flowers from the matching DSP, to tone in with the zig-zag design colours on the card.

I sponged these round the edges to make them pop and added some toning candy dots to finish and popped them up on dimensionals.

My sentiment says it all I think - sometimes you just don't need to say anything and this was one of those occasions, so the sentiment was just perfect.

It's from the 'A dozen thoughts' stamp set, full of all sorts of nice sayings, perfect for all sorts of reasons.!

Stampin Up recipe for this card:
Stamp Set: A Dozen Thoughts
Inks: Island Indigo, Crisp Cantaloupe, Gumball Green 
Cardstock/Paper: Watercolour Wonder Notelets, Whisper White, Watercolour DSP
Punches: Flower Punch
Other Essentials: Stampin Up dimensionals, toning candy dots, sponge daubers, 
Stamp-a-majig, Bakers twine

I can order Stampin' Up Products for you, shipped straight to your address and am happy to answer any questions you may have - if you would like to find out more or would like to place an order you can email me or contact me on 01438 820829

or why not visit my online store 

I understand that yet more bad weather is forecast - definitely a reason for staying inside, and getting on with some chores, but then on reflection - crafting of any sort is a far better occupation and am sure will win hands down any time!

have a nice week - what is left of it!

til next time
Janx