I've been hunting...

...on the Internet for some projects to keep me occupied as I've not been feeling too well this week, but as usual craft has dragged me to normality and at least I'm not lying in bed all day (for too long anyway hehe)

So here's what I've come up with. I'm still waiting until payday to put in a [LARGE] order with Stampin' Up! so have taken this chance to use up some of my other paper stash.

Hope you like :o)

This one is a cute little box which has 4 triangle sections. So cute and really easy to make.
I found a tutorial on you tube and would really like to give credit to whoever came up with this but I'm afraid I have searched and searched and cannot for the life of me remember who it was.
Sorry!

Now, I can remember this one. Check it out here.
Here's my take on it.

This one is by the same lady, I just love her videos!
See it here.

Now this match book is such a great idea. I saw it here as an album but with a little tweak you can make it a flat gift. I also thought you could adapt it as a get well soon gift, can you imagine a sachet of Lemsip inside? How cute! My mind is rushing with ideas now!

I loved making these, they are so versatile. You can include gift vouchers or gift cards, hot chocolate sachets... the list is endless!

And this is another one inspired by Paynete on you tube, she is so great!!

Her video for this is here.

I've had such a great time making these and they really aren't that hard to do! I'd love it if you have a go at any of these and post a link in the comments! Go on!!!

And a final thing, Billie has asked if I can do a tutorial on sour cream containers. Watch this space, hopefully I'll have a chance during this week!

So I hope that has got you all thinking, see you next week with even more adaptations!

Thanks for stopping by,
Take care x

Blog award!

Can you imagine my complete surprise and gratitude when I received a lovely comment from the gorge Alex saying that she was awarding me with a blog award!

How great is that?! *Grins*

Firstly, because I wasn't even sure how many people this blog would appeal to and secondly, it's just a place for me to gab and show off a few of my projects but it looks like at least one person likes it!


Thank you so much Alex!

It works by doing the following:

1. Post the award logo on your blog.
2. Add the link to the person who nominated you.
3. Nominate ten other blogs and post their links as well.
4. Let those people know that they received the award.

Now, I have the hard task of passing it on to ten more people who's blog inspires me (but there are sooo many I could choose!!)

But I can only choose ten so here goes...


1 - SJ - Truly talented and Uber trendy

2 - Bekka - My ultra supportive upline x

3 - Monica - Another ultra supportive girlie x

4 - Julie - Such and inspiration

5 - Steph - Another inspiration to me

6 - Billie - Fantastic blog, if you love bookbinding you'll love this!

7 - Dawn - So talented, have you checked out her YouTube videos?

8 - Angie - And again, go check her YouTube videos out - you'll be in awe!

9 - Dannie - Super cool blog

10 - Amy - Fantastic creations

Go check out these blogs that are important to me, I'm sure you'll agree they are all very talented and deserve this award.

And a big thank you to YOU, for reading my blog. If you didn't read it then no-one else would... lol

Mwah! x

Sale-A-Bration

I'm pleased to announce that Stampin' Up! are offering a great promotion that will run up to the 28th of February.

So what does this mean for you?

Customers: Receive a free Sale-A-Bration product for every £45 purchase.

Hostesses: Receive a free Sale-A-Bration stamp set with £300 or more workshop, in addition to the normal hostess benefits.

Recruits: Choose any retail stamp set (a value up to £38.95) from the current catalogue when signing up during the promotion.

Have a look through the stamps sets available by clicking here.

This is a great opportunity to earn limited edition stamps from Stampin' Up! These products are exclusive to this promotion and will never be offered again.

Click the catalogues at the side to browse through the products.

If you would like to book a workshop or be a hostess please e-mail at:
craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk

Of course, you don't have to host or attend a workshop to order but to avoid disappointment please place your order with me no later than Saturday, 28 February 2009 Before 5pm.

I hope you enjoy this very special offer and I look forward to seeing your creations!

... In with the new!

What a week!

Firstly, I'd like to announce that I'm now finally an Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator!

I'm so excited, the products are just wonderful! I took a picture of the parcel that woke me up this morning...

And since they arrived I cannot take my eyes (and hands) off them. The stamps are inspirational and just so darn cute! (Sorry, I do tend to get over excited lol)

And as if that wasn't enough, a good friend of mine from America sent me a surprise present! Can you believe it!! How lucky am I? Thank you sweetie x

I don't know how I'm going to top this when I send her present over...

So, I've been busy this week with an online course called 'Create your Dreams' run by my upline Bekka. For more information check out her blog here : http://feeling-crafty.blogspot.com/

In between trying to organise myself in preparation for my starter kit arriving I made a card for someone really great. (I won't mention who in case they are reading) I used an old stamp set that I got last year from an exhibition in Manchester. Stamped in Staz on and coloured in using watercolour pencils.

I stamped the image twice and then cut out the main flower so I could layer it on top of the original to add dimension.

The bird silhouette should have been a block of colour but I wanted to add a little bit of subtle detail.
I inked it up with blue pearlescent ink, pressed the inked stamp into a lace background stamp I had then placed the card stock on top of the background ink silhouette (hope this is making sense) and rubbed to transfer the image.

I love the colours in this one, as it's quite detailed already I just layered it onto some plain card, added a ribbon piece and used Glossy Accents in the centre of the flower and the bird.

I hope you like it.

As I mentioned, when my starter kit arrived I couldn't help myself. So I dug in - even though I should have really been doing some work - and the cards below are what I have come up with so far.

They were really quick to make. I can't really take credit for that though, the products make it so easy.

If you've not yet been introduced to the wonderful world of Stampin' Up! I encourage you to have a look through the catalogue - hopefully by now I've worked out how to add it to my blog...

On this one I used the chick from Fun & Fast notes masking out the message underneath it with tape than removing it before stamping.

The spots are using the Spot On jumbo wheel with Brilliant Blue ink and the ribbon is Whisper White.

This one is also using the stamp set Fun & Fast notes, again masking out the message underneath. The 'Thank you' message is from 'Occasionally' stamped with Staz On.

This card is made using another image using Fun & Fast notes (can you tell I just love this set?!) and the Spot On jumbo Stampin' Around wheel in Going Green.

This time I left the message underneath and stamped it all. I have just used simple matting and layering in Yoyo Yellow and Going Green card stock. I used our scallop border punch and pierced holes in each scallop to add more detail and finished off with Whisper White ribbon.

I'm hoping to make a lot more cards with my SU! stash and will no doubt share them with you all next week.

Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing my exciting news with me.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the Stampin' Up! products, to book a workshop in the Liverpool area or you just have a question do not hesitate to e-mail me at craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk.

Thanks for stopping by, take care x

Out with the old...

So, my new year has got off to a good start so far with work etc. although the diet has kinda taken a back seat - tut tut!

I've decided over the next couple of weeks (if not longer) I will sort out my gigantic stash of craft tools and supplies and hopefully shift most of it on eBay. I'll let you know once I'm organised and will put a link up here for anyone who wants to bag a bargain.

This week has been so busy with work and life in general that I haven't had much time to get creative. I did manage to complete my ATC's for Stampingmadforum's January swap

and also had an attempt of a card sketch challenge on InLoveWithStamping.

I sometimes get stuck for inspiration and tend to over think my card designs so to help with this I deiced to put together a book using book rings that will house 'layouts' of my past projects and any that catch my eye so when I have crafter's block I can just take a look through there and get making. I used Cosmo cricket papers *scrummy*for this. I fell in love with the shabby chic finish of the papers.





I find it easier to look through something like this rather than a magazine. I'm yet to fill them with my ideas lol, but I will get round to it !!

Thanks for stopping by, next week I shall be able to reveal to all what my '...In with the new' is. I'm so excited!
Take care x x

WARNING !!!!

This post is photo heavy!

I've been having a little hunt around the local shops this week and I found this cute little set of Forever Friends stamps (they were in the sale so it's justified... isn't it?)

These will be so cute for gift tags and cards next year, promised myself I'd start early but we'll see !

I also got these beauties, they're massive!
It wasn't until I came to have a play that I realised just how big they were and how small my 'big' acrylic blocks are... (Excuse my messy work area lol)

It took me a while to figure out just how I'd manage it.

I googled for nearly half a day to find an acrylic block to fit my mammoth stamps, the largest measuring about 8.5" x 6" !

The biggest block I could find was 6" x 6". I wondered about sticking it onto the plastic packaging face up and lay the paper on top?

Anyway, you clever people out there have probably figured a way to do this years ago but thought I'd share my solution.

What I ended up doing was using a replacement cutting mat from my Big Shot die cutting machine which is near enough an acrylic block anyway.. and it worked perfectly!

I love this stamp so much, the pattern is intricate but the swirl/flourish makes it modern and use able in almost any layout or card situation.

And last, but not least I would like to thank a lovely lady from the 'Stamping Mad Forum' that I have been a member of now for a year.

Every month there is an ATC swap which she hosts and we are very grateful for that.

I will be sending a card and a little notebook I made using my new Bind it all machine to her as a thank you for her dedication to the swap!

Thanks Lynn, your a star ! x

Anyway, enough ramble from me today.

Thanks for stopping by and hopefully in a couple of weeks Ill have some very exciting news to announce... !

Take care x