Monday 29 September 2014

Endless Wishes Part 2

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So here is the other half of the Endless Wishes collection. This part of the set are all again using my new Endless Wishes stamp set ,  4 main ink pads,  gemstones and standard card blanks/mats this time… Most of the cards are re-makes of popular class cards from the last 2 years, some are CASED or inspired by fellow team mates – and one is even a swap card from a fellow team mate…! Plus a few new ideas too….

Edited to add: Endless Wishes Class in the Mail Kit now available. See here for details

Love this first one… Triple Time card that have been the rage for 3 years now… Wording actually from the Bright & Beautiful set. And just a simple bow from the Silver Shimmer ribbon…Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa, 044

Tumbling snowflakes here…

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Small snowflakes on just a pop of texture. I used the Large Polka dots embossing folder to create the raised dots and just stamped the small snowflake on top

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CASE of a card I made probably 4 years ago. Changed thick striped ribbon then for Thick Bakers Twine now. A bit of Soft Sky sponging at the top. And of course my favourite wording from the Bright & Beautiful set again….

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And my trees in a snow storm card! This is a CASE of a card by Julie that was inspired by a Shaker card by Allie…. but I had already CASED Allie’s Shaker card on a notecard!! It is so good to share!!! Don’t know if you can spot the dots behind the greeting…. nope not Gorgeous Grunge, not Work of Art – Look carefully….. funny how they look the same as the baubles on the right hand tree!!! Yup… Festival of Trees splodges this time….

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And the last of my makes…. White Christmas meets Endless Wishes…in a Slant card as I have nicknamed them…. this one just at a different angle…. The star like snowflake to the top right hand side is just the small snowflake punched out using the Boho Blossoms punch ( thanks again for that tip Julie Wade!) and shaped by hand ( squeeze of each petal between the fingers!) then mountain folded. And class-mates…please be warned… I LOVE White Christmas… I want to use it on every card I need to make….. be it a simple, a Fancy Fold or a WOW card …so please feel free to add it to your Needs List…..LOL…

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Now this last card is not a CASE of another of Allie Joliffe’s card that I just had to CASE. It is actually a swap card made by Allie herself…. I let out the biggest squeal when it was passed to me in our Christmas swap session – as it was one job off my To DO list the following day!!! Love it when that happens!! Thanks again Allie…. Clear Block stamping plus silver embossing and a scattering of sequins makes for a simple but very effective card….

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Fancy making yourself some quick & easy cards with the Endless Wishes snowflakes this year!!? Just contact me to get the basic kit to make some (or all) of these cards… one stamp set, 4 ink pads, notecards plus gems & clear blocks if you haven’t already got them…. simples…

Sunday 28 September 2014

Endless Wishes Part 1

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I did something last week that I haven’t done for ages! I opened up my new Endless Wishes stamp set , got 4 ink pads out,  gemstones, a few notecards,  and some standard card blanks/mats…and just had a few hours play-time. Thoroughly therapeutic!!

Edited to add: Endless Wishes Class in the Mail Kit now available. See here for details

Most of the cards are re-makes of popular class cards from the last 2 years, some are CASED or inspired by fellow team mates – and one is a swap card from a fellow team mate…! And even a few new ones too….

But together I think they make a great collection – and are great starter projects from a perfect starter kit for someone just starting out on their papercrafting journey – or for someone for whom time is scarce…

So why Part 1….well I made so many that just one post is not enough!! So first of all, the notecards…no equipment required. Just grab a pack of SU! small white notecards and envelopes… and create!

Starting off with one of my favourites! Clean & Simple does it! You could make all your Christmas cards quicker than getting in your car, going to the shop and buying some cards!! Spot the Blendabilities markers used to colour some of the gemstones…

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For 2 seconds more per card….

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Maybe a minute more… as there is a bow… another of my favourites!

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About the same time… as a bit of cutting of mats, punching and shaping going on. Thanks to fellow team-mate Julie Wade for the fab tip of punching the small snowflake with the Boho Blossoms punch! I shaped mine – valley folds on first card, mountain folds on second. Just by hand on each petal at a time… little task…huge difference! And I have to admit to using a greeting from another stamp set here (Bright & Beautiful aka THE STARS!) on the first…

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And last note card…but definitely not least…. a shaker notecard using the fabulous new All is Calm sequins & Window Sheets. This one is CASED from a larger stunning card created by fellow demo friend & team-mate, Allie Joliffe.  The aperture is sized specifically… with the 1 3/4” circle punch as I wasn’t in the mood to mess about with lots of Stampin Dimensionals to go around the aperture – not when there are the Circular Shaker Frames available out of a pack…. I also used the new Festival of Trees stamps and matching Tree Punch here

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So what do you need for the cards shown here….. just 5 items for the basic cards…

Endless Wishes stamp set (photopolymer)

4 ink pads (Pool Party, Lost Lagoon, Smoky Slate & Pear Pizzazz)

Pack of Note cards & Envelopes

Basics Gems

Clear Stamp Blocks

 

And just on one or more of them….

Pool Party Cotton Ribbon

All is Calm Sequins

Boho Blossoms Punch

1 3/4” Circle Punch

Blendabilities Coastal Cabana

Window Sheets

Festival Of Trees stamps & Tree Punch

Bright & Beautiful stamp set

 

Remember to come back tomorrow for the 2nd instalment…..

Friday 26 September 2014

Piercing with Work of Art …. as 25% off Piercing Packs on Weekly Deals

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Had to pop on and share this Clean & Simple card this week. As… there are 3 Paper Piercing Packs with 25% off this week on the SU! Weekly deals. All down to £5.44 from £7.25 RRP. The Occasions pack was used here….
This is a card we made in classes back in July – a few ladies had bought the Work of Art stamp set – so I set to and made some cards with it! And developed a love for the Work of Art & Fabulous Four stamp sets …but more on that another day…. But also a love for the new In Colour Lost Lagoon paired with Soft Sky… which is definitely continuing on till Christmas!!
And here is another version…. which actually came first… as I created this card to showcase the amazing ability of the new In Colour Blackberry Bliss to keep stamping as no other colour can!! The chevrons were not re- inked between stampings…it just kept going and going…. easy peasy!
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Spot the piercing around the heart aperture…… that is where the piercing pack comes into its own….
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But the Lost Lagoon one is definitely my favourite version…it has a dream like appearance in the flesh…… love this card!!!!
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And here are the 3 Paper Piercing Packs….. just click on the pic for a better view & more details
Occasions

Essentials
Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack
And the new one on the block… Eclectic
Eclectic Paper-Piercing Pack by Stampin' Up!
And here are all this weeks Weekly Deals – some great products there….. check out all those dies too…. those Window Frames have been my most used for the past few months…..
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Wednesday 24 September 2014

Free Postage…. Clearance Rack updated today! And new Weekly Deals too….

Just a very  quick share….. Stampin’ Up! have just updated the Clearance Rack. Up to 80% off… Check it out here

And new Weekly Deals from today until next Tuesday 30 September too….

But…. as I am pretty much out of action for the next 48 hours or so… so I cannot do my usual Clearance Rack “DANCE” ….. and as I know that the BEST Clearance Rack deals disappear fast!! Here is an extra deal for you…. go here, press SHOP & place an online order for more than £50 and enter the  current hostess code  A6GZQ64W (be it products from Clearance Rack, Weekly Deals, Autumn/Winter Catalogue, 2014-15 Catalogue, My Digital Studio…and anything else you can find that can be ordered!!) – and I will refund that £4.95 postage for you! (via paypal if you let me know the order number and your paypal email address-  or in the flesh when I see you!!)

However if you have birthday money or are otherwise feeling flush and are placing an order over 150….. Don’t enter that hostess code… claim your Stampin Rewards instead… and I will still refund that postage for you….

Note – this extra deal is from me, Amanda at The Craft Spa – NOT Stampin’ UP!

Tuesday 23 September 2014

Wondrous Wreath with more WOW!

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Before I got my Wondrous Wreath set… one of my ladies commented that the wreaths appeared “flat”on the samples she had seen on the web… so I set to to give my wreaths a bit more life….

The process started off with the berries or just a few leaves being randomly glossed up using Crystal Effects as per these cards shared earlier in the week…

But then I went the whole hog…  so this card has every leaf glossed up… and boy does it shine and pop off the card! Definitely not flat! You just need a bit of patience – but it does makes great therapy!

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In fact I didn’t stop there… even some of the flowers are “glossed up” too….

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SU! Supplies Used

Stamps – Wondrous Wreath, Pictogram Punches, PL Holiday Cheer

Dies – Wonderful Wreath

Punches – Itty Bitty Accents Pack

Colours – Old Olive, Garden Green, Blackberry Bliss, Pink Pirouette

Embellishments – Crystal Effects, Basics Gemstones

Monday 22 September 2014

Stamping Tip for Wondrous Wreath

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A quick tip for you today…..

After spending time peering carefully through my clear photopolymer stamp to line up the “few leaves” over the “lots of leaves”  - and having watched this video released by Stampin’ Up! showing us tips on how to use these stamps & framelits (which explains the fab new feature of alignment tabs to be found on both the wreath stamps and the dies to make lining up a breeze!)  - but then deciding that I was not going to do a 2 die-cut pass…

A lightbulb moment hit me… obvious really but…. stamp the “few leaves”… then overstamp with the “lots of leaves”…. really easy to line everything up that way…. a lot quicker – and a slightly softer effect too….

Wondrous Wreath tip 001(1) “Few leaves” in Garden Green…

Wondrous Wreath tip 002(2) “Lots of Leaves” in Old Olive

Wondrous Wreath tip 003

Wondrous Wreath tip 005 Ah…easy perfection…

And so onto today’s card…..

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OK OK… the more observant of you will have spotted that the “to the world” greeting is from a retired set from last year… and some fellow Jems will recognise this card from my Inspiration display a year ago! Yes…new year…new wreath… that is all I am going to say!!!

So the other details…

The large letters are sponged through the alphabet masks in the Build A Banner Simply Created Kit  which was re-released in this years Annual Catalogue. Great banner – but this kit is highly recommended just for the masks!!

Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details adds some glimmer to the berries

The flower is in the Wondrous Wreath stamp set – along with the matching die in the Wonderful Wreath die set….

The wreath on the card was created before my lightbulb moment…. oops…. lining up not quite right!!!

Come back tomorrow for another tip to give this wreath some extra dimension…..

Sunday 21 September 2014

Another Wonderful Wondrous Wreath….

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Very quick share today! Following on from yesterdays post…. here is another Clean & Simple card using the Wonderful Wreath & Wondrous Wreath stamps and matching Framelits. Not only do the Framelits cut the wreath… but the words Joy and Noel too… as well as the lovely red glimmer bow used here….

Come back tomorrow for some tips on using these stamps …. I discovered an easier way of lining everything up…..

Saturday 20 September 2014

Clean & Simple Wonderful Wondrous Wreath - One for Christmas, One for a Birthday

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This month’s workshops & classes focus on cards that are suitable for Christmas – or suitable for another occasion – given just a change in sentiment or colours….

Lots of my ladies have the school summer holidays off from papercrafting… which results in 2 requests for September… Firstly, to keep the cards simple to allow them quickly & easily back into the swing of things!! Secondly, even though my September classes are all about Christmas cards suitable for mass production - their stocks of birthday cards & other occasion cards run out  … so this year I thought I would plan around their requests!! Less running upstairs for me!!!

So here is a clean & simple card that does just that - using the Wondrous & Wonderful Wreath stamps & matching framelits.

Spot the detail…. Crystal Effects is applied to the red berries for the Christmas one – and to random leaves for the birthday one… little thing…big difference…..

Thursday 18 September 2014

Weekly Deals 17-23 September

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Here’s the snapshot! Click on the snapshot for more product information. Or here for more details on Weekly Deals.

Some great items at 25% off this week. Have to highlight the 2013-15 In Color Markers as there are so many favourite & much used colours in there and I know that many of you have been itching to add them to your stash! So now you can for less! Coastal Cabana, Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Canteloupe, Baked Brown Sugar & Strawberry Slush.

And we have 2 stamp sets this week….. both in the Wood Mount option… Some of the wording from Yippee Skippee has been really popular and Happy Hour was a favourite for Christmas cards last year – though useable all year round…. So here are a few projects using these stamps from the archives!! Though typically I can’t find the Happy Hour christmas card I was looking for…..

2014_02_Envelope Punch Board Project by Amanda Bates @ The Craft Spa, North Yorkshire, UK  (14)

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2013_04_Jems Training_Swap Card by Amanda Bates, The Craft Spa, SU UK demonstrator  (6)

And don ‘t miss the boxes whilst they are on offer…. here a few we made last year….

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Right onto sharing wreaths now….

Tuesday 16 September 2014

Holiday Home for a New Home

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Following on from the Christmas version I posted yesterday…here is a New Home version that I needed to quickly make for good friends just settling into a New Home. Delighted to say that this accompanied some SU! crafting goodies – so yes Alison… I will quickly move onto some cards using the Wonderful & Wondrous Wreath very soon!!!

As it was SO important that I got Alison’s crafting goodies off in the post quickly….. I made myself keep it very Clean & Simple – but I did get the chance to use my new FAVOURITE background stamp….. I Love Lace…oh yes I do!!! It is SO beautiful stamped in Whisper White craft ink on any cardstock colour – albeit very subtle when stamped on the more subtle colour ways…. I think everyone has picked up my display cards using it…there is almost a texture to feel….

I Love Lace Wood Stamp Set by Stampin' Up!

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