Happy 2017 everyone

hello all

well it's almost time to say goodbye to 2016 and hello to 2017 so just wanted to take this opportunity to say thanks so much to all my lovely customers and colleagues who have supported my business in 2016.

it really is greatly appreciated. and although have not posted at all much in the last couple of months - have been wearing my other hat and have been welded to my sewing machine sewing up a storm to make a birth quilt for my latest great-niece - born at the beginning of December  - so had a bit of a rush on my hands to ensure it was finished for Christmas..  but it was... scroll down to see what I got up to.

but just had time to make a New Year card and just now posting this as the clock ticks away - what are we going to do though without Big Ben to 'chime us in' ?

hopefully they have thought of something suitable !

so here it is - my last card for 2016 and am going to link it up with Inkspirational Challenge #125 where they have a truly wonderful festive photo to help get us creating..

 

All glitter and gold and  stylish black, atop a base of shimmery white cardstock!..  

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used

Just click on the descriptions below  to easily access them in my on line store 

Shimmery White cardstock
Gold Glimmer paper
Basic Black cardstock
Layering Ovals dies
Hello You Thinlit dies
Large Number Framelits
Large Letter Framelits
Mini treat bag Framelits ( for the cut out stars)
Big Shot die cut Machine
Magnetic Platform

  have to say though - not one stamp was hurt in the making of this card - more a testament to my skill at cranking the handle of my Big Shot and precise positioning of my dies/framelits using my magnetic platform!,

Well,  the New Spring Summer Catalogue launch and the Sale-a-Bration campaign both get underway on the 4th January and will be posting out copies of both of these brochures  on the 2nd, just in time.

so with that - and whatever you get up to this evening - either at home or visiting elsewhere,  hope everyone has a lovely time and safe travels afterwards  - and will close with my very best wishes for a great 2017 for everyone

til next time

Jan

x

and if you were wondering about that birth quilt I was mentioning - here it is.

Decorative ornaments meets challenges x 3 - for glitter, sparkle and silver.. !

 hi all

well I think I have certainly got into the 'C' groove with my cards now - and the stack is coming along quite nicely - my plan was to use all my associated 'C' word papers, stamps, cardstock and inks and set to.

but am guessing  like a lot of you - I would never get to use it all  up, 'never in a month of Sundays' as the saying goes.. 'but am doing my best to diminish the stash pile' as I keep telling himself.  Somehow though, the look on his face makes me think he is somewhat sceptical - but we will see...

and today's card really does pay homage to the fabulously detailed Decorative ornaments die-cuts and the lovely item that is Stampin' Up! Glimmer Paper.  Top notch Glitter effect without it going everywhere it shouldn't..! 

and as this week's quest over at The Glory of Christmas Challenge #71 charges us to use Glitter and/or shine (add glitter or rhinestones, etc) ,  Wednesday's Creative Challenge #334 asked for 'Sparkle' and Inkspirational Challenges #95  want Anything goes with silver ....

well I couldn't resist having a go and hopefully this maybe satisfies on all 3 counts as this is what I ended up with after all my endeavours.

Still on my Pool Party colourway theme (determined to make geat inwards into my pack of cardstock here!) so we have another one.

Pool party base with a Whisper white topper - glimmer card die-cut ornament (Delicate Ornaments) . As this is such a detailed die, I used Stampin' Up's new Fine Tip glue pen to add it to the card - its delivers such a fine bead of glue - so absolutely no worries  as to getting your glue other than where you put it ! It's a brilliant,  must have,  in my book .

The bow and stars are courtesy of a couple of the accessory pieces from the Mini-Treat bag Thinlets set. A strip of toning seam binding, and stamped sentiment from Cosy Christmas to finish.

And inside...

more Pool Party stampin' - the holly swag from the matching Embellished Ornaments stamp set  (currently one of the fabulous weekly special deals,  as I write)

though thinking about it it always a special offer to consider are Stampin' Up's money saving bundles - where you can buy both the stamp set and matching Thinlet dies as with this set I am using here.

and the little glimmer accents were just waste pieces created whilst punching away..

A really lovely effect card and so easily put together with Stampin' Up supplies that all co-ordnate and as they take the guesswork out of things  - you don't have to!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used

Just click on the items below to easily access them in my on line store 

Pool Party A4 Cardstock	Whisper White A4 Cardstock	Silver Glimmer Paper	Embellished Ornaments Clear-Mount Bundle
Fine-Tip Glue Pen	Cozy Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad	Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies

Or please just contact me if you have any questions or to place an order for you, if you would prefer.

Well,  off to pack the car with parents/in-laws shortly - as mentioned previously - going to watch my first ever G&S operetta, Iolanthe.

til next time - happy stamping all and as today is the day it is-  for everyone affected by conflict... then, now and to come

We will remember them...

Jan x

mini-treat thank yous

hello all

well, my 'go to' Thinlits  die set at the moment just has to be the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits set and even better, they are one of the fabulous items featured on the Wednesday deals this week.

...and with my English Garden Designer series paper still to hand I decided to use it again to make some cut  down mini-mini bags! These end up as 'half size' bags when completed.

Lots of inspiration for these on the great 'www'  - so certainly cannot claim any rights as to originality - but what a brilliant idea and so easily done.

Basically, instead of using the 2 Thinlits component parts as usually instructed to make the bag, you  only use the smaller of the 2, cutting  this out twice.

But when I had done that I felt I wanted to tidy up the top edges of both pieces, as the Thinlit you use for this particular sized bag results in one side of each piece being straight and not curved to match the other edge.

So I just used one of the die-cut offcuts as a template to trace round to try to even up the curved edges  for both pieces and just hand cut along the drawn  line.

...a bit of Fast Fuse down each of the 2 tabs, a small piece at the bottom edge to stick the bag together and we have one tall and skinny mini-treat bag
(golly that's a mouthful!)

The decoration I kept to a  minimum - just a toning  belly band complete with a punched petite petal and  a suitable sentiment - 'Enjoy' in this case - (one of the accessory Thinlits that come with the set) all cut from some scraps from the same  DSP paper.

just perfect for:

well no-one can  ever have enough chocolate or reasons to have chocolate in my book!

I bought them as little thank you's for some work colleagues  and thought it would be nice to package them up.

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used

Just click on the items below to easily access them in my on line store  

Pay just  £4:95 whatever the size of your order, and have them shipped straight to your address.

English Garden Designer Series Paper	Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies	Fast Fuse Adhesive	Delightful Dijon A4 Cardstock
Blushing Bride A4 Cardstock	Whisper White A4 Cardstock	Petite Petals Punch	Glue Dots

Or please just contact me if you have any questions or to place an order for you, if you would prefer.

well very short and sweet for me -  as with such a lovely weekend and the forecast saying things are  about to change  and so to enjoy it whilst you can - I did spend a lot of time in the garden to give it a good tidy up -

Am  feeling very smug and pleased with myself - one weed free patio, both front and back grass cut and driveway power washed  - golly makes me tired to read it back, though of course I did have some help I hasten to add.

so just now time for a long and leisurely 'me-time' soak in the bath I think ..

til next time - have a lovely week
Jan
x