Procraftination

Hello?

2011-08-01T18:49:00.002+01:00

Hi everyone,

I feel I need to explain why I've been so quiet here for the past 8 months.

A lot of things have been happening in my personal life that I wont go into right now but I think it's fair to say it knocked me for six. Completely threw my life upside down.

I haven't crafted in 4 months now. This may sound strange as that is the first thing most people do when things get hard - it used to be for me too.

I suppose I just wanted to forget about everything, I would spend most of my time in bed.
I really didn't have the energy or drive to do anything, even the thing I loved most of all.

But anyway, I'm getting better. I have a lot of great friends and family around me which I'm so grateful for. They have got me through this and even have me itching to craft!

But right now I just sit at my desk and don't know where to begin, it's like starting all over again.

I'm not going to make empty promises about updating my blog every week because I don't think I'm there yet. Hopefully I will be soon, but somehow my drive has gone.

I am still an active demo, thank you all so much for your loyalty. This is what makes me want to do my 'thing' again.

Sorry for the long depressing post but thought you at least deserved an update and to know I haven't vanished off the face of the earth (although at times I wish I had!)

Hopefully I will see you all again soon

Take care
xxxx

I'm stil here...

2010-12-30T13:05:00.000Z

Hi everyone, hope you had a lovely Christmas.

Sorry for being MIA lately, things are still pretty rough here and I'm finding it hard to stay motivated so will be taking some time out to re-charge.

I am still here though! And even if I'm not blogging you can still get in touch : craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk - especially with a very important Stampin' Up! event starting tomorrow... eek!

I wanted to share a fun little project I cased from the current Stampin' Up! catalogue which is the cutlery pouch. So fun and surprisingly easy to make.

It would be fun to have on the table for any up coming festivities.

I will be back tomorrow to kick start that special event !

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Want to Sale-A-Brate with me?

2010-12-30T13:02:00.006Z

Afternoon! Told you I'd be back
(Lol, how many of you had bets I'd forget??)

How could I not come back to tell you about this fantastic offer from Stampin' Up!
This has got to be one of my favourite promotions because it includes one of my favourite things....
FREE STAMP SETS!!

Yay!

Click on the picture about to download the leaflet.

Want to have a closer look at these free sets then?

Here they are!!

This one is called Punch Bunch.

Something Stampin' Up! do so well is coordinating stamp sets with punches...
and you may notice there is that owl there... I can confirm we are getting the punch in April!

This one is called So Happy For You.

Lovely sentiments in a versatile font with some little motifs in there too!

This one is called Bliss.

Isn't it gorgeous? So so pretty, I can think of all sorts of projects to use this on.

This one is called Sweet Summer.

Love this set, and I was lucky enough to get my hands on these stamps early so have already had a play!

Now, if you download the flyer these cards may look familiar!

I loved case-ing them, and the colours are delicious.

Really lovely stamps, once I started I couldn't stop and duplicated them again and again.

So, which one if your favourite?

Want to know how you can get your inky little hands on them?

Well, there are a few ways to use this promotion to get FREE stuff so read on!

** This promotion runs from today until the 28th of February **

The most common way to get the free stamps is to place an order for £45 worth of crafty product. For every £45 you spend, you get a free set of your choice! So it isn't capped. You could receive all 4 of them with the one order if you really wanted :)

Contact me today and I'd be more than happy to get these off to you.
07792457463 or craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk

You can also host a Stampin' Up! party, if the product sales are £300 or more you will also receive a sale-a-bration set AS WELL as the normal hostess benefits!

Contact me today to book your very own party.

And there's one more way you can take advantage of this fantastic promotion... Become a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and from now until the 28th of February you can choose any stamp set from the current idea book and catalogue! What a great way to start your business.

For more information or for a chat please don't hesitate to contact me.

I look forward to welcoming you to the Sparkly Stampers!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Xmas tag

2010-12-13T11:45:00.001Z

Morning everyone, hope you're all well.

Just a quick post to share a tag I've made and intend to duplicate for my gift wrapping.

It's really simple, just a Crumb Cake base, some scraps of DSP and ribbon. The sentiment is from the Level 3 Occasional Quotes set.

And on a personal note, still not feeling 100% but hopefully I'll be back to normal soon - after all, the Liverpool/Wirral demo's are meeting up tomorrow for a takeaway/Christmas Crafty/Secret Santa night so must be on form :D

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Just believe watercolour

2010-12-06T10:04:00.000Z

Hi all, hope you're having a good day so far.

Sorry for not updating recently, it's been a tough couple of weeks with a few things taking my attention away from crafting and to be honest I've not really felt like doing anything never mind making a card (haven't started on my Christmas cards yet and don't really want to think about them!)

Things are getting a bit too much and I need a break.
Hopefully I will be back crafting and blogging soon.

Here's a card I've been meaning to show you, it's using the watercolour paper and Just Believe stamp set. Again, it is inspired by the fabulous Monica. Whenever I lose my mojo I pop over to a few of my fellow Stampin' Up! demo's blog and they are sure to kick start it.

I coloured the stamp in with my markers and sprayed with water, then stamped onto the watercolour paper.

Hope you like it and sorry for the downer, I'm sure I'll be back to normal soon.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

A blog award :)

2010-11-26T14:00:00.000Z

A big thank you to the lovely Deborah for nominating me!

So, the rules when accepting this award is to list three things that make me different... I'll have to think about this!

1. I'm a qualified Make-up Artist and Nail Technician. I worked on a few short films before deciding it wasn't for me (I don't like standing in the cold for too long haha)

2. I have a lonnnnng tongue! I can do the Mexican Wave, touch my nose and even touch my elbow (with said long tongue) although it's supposed to be impossible... go on... try it!

3. I'm a Stampin' Up! demo, does that count?? And I loves it :) xx

Wow, that took a while! Ok, so now on to chosing 5 others to pass the award onto... this may take even longer.

In no particular order:

1. Linda

2. Carole

3. Jo

4. Kim

5. Alex

Go check out their blogs, they are some seriously talented ladies there.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Simple butterfly

2010-11-23T19:45:00.000Z

Hi everyone, hope you've had a nice week so far.

Yesterday was my Nan's funeral, it was a lovely service.

Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who left a comment on my last post :)

I wanted to share a simple butterfly card I made recently with one of the Level one hostess sets called Punch Potpourri. The flowers on the background are stamped in my new favourite-est colour Sahara Sand, I've been through 3 pack of A4 card stock already haha.

The butterfly is also in the hostess set and is stamped in Peach Parfait.

This hostess set is so lovely, and matches our Butterfly, Boho Blossoms and 2 Step Bird punches!

Hope you like it,

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Sad weekend.

2010-11-16T22:26:00.004Z

Hi everyone,

This may be a bit of a downer post so feel free to skip this :)

It's been a bit of a sad weekend here. You may remember from my last post that I mentioned it was my nan's 93rd birthday on Sunday.

It was also the day she passed away - without any warning.

It was such a shock, we were getting ready to go see her and celebrate when my Auntie from London called my dad to say she had spoken to my Nan and she didn't sound herself.

Now, my nan lived on her own without a stair lift, without any outside help. She didn't even have a walking stick or hearing aid, we were all so inspired by how she got on with life.

My Dad called Nan to see how she was, she said she didn't feel too good and was getting a bit dizzy, so they called an ambulance and my dad went to meet her at the hospital with his other sister whilst my Auntie from London decided to drive up to Liverpool.

My dad kept us informed, we were told her blood pressure was low, and she was having some difficulties breathing. We expected her to bounce back like she always did.

Within 2 hours she had passed away.

I never got to give her her birthday card, I hope she would have liked it.

Love you Nan, R.I.P xxx

Sorry for a down post, hopefully I'll be back soon with some nice things to share, but they say it's good to get things off your chest - and I know you lot are good listeners :)

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Some thank you gifts...

2010-11-07T21:47:00.004Z

Phew! I go away for a few days and I fall behind on everything!

So this week I've been chasing my tail again, I will get round to sharing pictures from convention soon I promise!

Today I wanted to share a thank you card and gift I made for Monica and Natalie who organised a Pre Convention Party on the Thursday night.

It was so lovely, we even got a goodie bag!

So I thought that one of these each was the least I could do, I can't begin to imagine how much preparation went into organising it.

I love the Thanks so much stamp, it's available as a single stamp and I've used it so much already.

The brown paper is actually what our Stampin' Up! order boxes are stuffed with!

So useful, I normally iron it to take out the creases but I quite like the crinkle effect (It has the Flower Accent stamp inked with Crumb Cake on to it) I also scrunched the thank you 'tag' and used the new Spritzer tool to add ink 'splodges' - love love LOVE this new tool!

I hope to be back soon with more pictures, I have a jam packed weekend - it's my nan's 93rd birthday on Sunday :)

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

I'm back!

2010-11-07T21:01:00.003Z

From another Stampin' Up! convention.

I have had the most amazing few days, seriously, all the other Stampin' Up! demo's are amazingly talented and so very kind and warm hearted.

I can't wait for next year, it's in..... Disney Land Paris!!!

Oh my gosh, when they announced it on the last day there was an uproar of applause and cheers.
How exciting!

Would you like to join me there and soak up all the creativity and friendliness? Contact me today for more information : craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk

Ok, so onto some crafty gifts I said I'd share.

I made 3 of these little french fry boxes, they are filled with chocolate truffles (not all of them found their way into the cello bag though, hehe)

The box itself is made with Crumb Cake card stock (Formally known as kraft) with a strip of Blushing Bride and some gorgeous Pear Pizzazz ribbon.

I love that ribbon, and you get so much on a reel.
I have them in all the In Colours ! Yum.

And of course, I had to finish the little bottle off with a coordinating piece of ribbon.

At convention we received so many freebies, from stamp sets to bags!
And we were also let in on a few secrets... that's the beauty of being a demo :)

Oh, and I won prize patrol!! I will share some photos of the weekend with you soon.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Convention gifts

2010-11-06T10:00:00.001Z

Morning!

This is another scheduled post as I'm still in London enjoying time with my Stampin' Up! friends.

I wanted to share the gifts I've made for my downline, Linda, who is attending Convention with me.

First up is a notebook for her to jot down anything over the weekend. I love that Marina Mist ribbon!

I included a little pocket for the pen so it can't be lost! (Or that's the plan..)

It even has her name on the front!

Now some supplies to get her through the day.

Water, Tic Tacs and Lip balm. What more could a girl need? Haha

I cracked open my new spritzer to use on this. Love that tool, can you see the splatters?

I also made her a little French Fry box with Crumb Cake, filled with yummy truffles. (Not pictured here, but will post it soon)

I popped them all into this little brown bag for her.

Dressed up with the same Marina Mist ribbon as Linda's notebook, some Flower Accents and jewelled brads.

Hope you like!

I should be back soon with photos from the weekend.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Some Swaps

2010-11-05T10:00:00.003Z

Morning everyone,

This is a scheduled post.

I'm guessing by now I'd have swapped all these out so no worries about them being spied and ruining the surprise :)

I've made 150 in total.

Would have loved to do more but in all fairness, I don't think I'll need more than 150 samples back!

They are very simple, I think that's the key when making in bulk.

This one is using up some scrap strips of card and ribbon. I then used the Thanks sentiment from Perfect Punches in Crumb Cake and punched out with the scallop oval punch.

I added a bit of faux stitching to the strips using my mat pack and white gel pen.

For this one I inked up my Sparkling Jumbo wheel in Crumb Cake and rolled it onto Crumb Cake card to give a subtle finish.

I stamped the little reindeer from Sparkly & Bright in Chocolate Chip, coloured in his nose with my Real Red marker and punched him out with the 1 3/8" circle punch.

The sentiment at the bottom is from Contempo Christmas.

I think this one is my fave!

The card base in Melon Mambo, the butterfly is stamped in Old Olive.

The butterfly and sentiment are from Butterfly Prints. Love this set.

I punched a 1 1/4" circle out of the base and placed my butterfly to one side, then finished off with some faux stitching.

And Dasher! I love this little fella.

He is stamped in Riding Hood Red, I punched some Chocolate Chip strips (which I had left over from a previous project) with the scallop border trim punch.

I matted it onto some Baja Breeze and I just love the contrast.

The little sentiment is from Tiny Tags.

Hope you like them!

When I get home I will share some of the swaps I received at Convention.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

The waiting is finally over!

2010-11-04T10:00:00.001Z

In just a few short hours I will be setting off with Keren, Vicki and Linda, my wonderful Stampin' Up! demo friends, on our way to London Baby!!

I'm all ready, swaps and all. I'm too excited for words. Last year was so much fun!

Ok, so I can't really share my swaps or any of my gifts I've made as I don't want to ruin the surprise but I do have some posts scheduled so watch this space.

I shall leave you today with a card I made recently with the Artistic Etchings set.
I got the inspiration for this card from Monica :)

And I just love that scallop border trim punch, don't you? So elegant.

I don't think you can tell from the picture but I've sprayed it with some Shimmer mist (Shimmer paint mixed with rubbing alcohol. Makes it so sparkly!)

Well, I'm gonna go back and check my list to make sure I've not left anything!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Another Promotion? Yes please!

2010-10-27T16:30:00.005+01:00

Good afternoon!

I'm getting ever so excited for Thursday as that is when I will be setting off with 3 lovely demo friends to London for Stampin' Up!'s 2010 European Convention!

It is gonna be soooo much fun, we had a ball last year and I can't wait to see my many friends I have made whilst being a demo again. I will be taking plenty of pictures and will share once I'm back.

But before all that, Stampin' Up! have just announced a wonderful promotion called Bundle Up For Christmas... Yay!!

You can get FREE ribbon whenever you purchase one of the exclusive bundles.

You all know how much I love my ribbons! These ribbons would be ideal for decorating your Christmas Cards and Packages and it’s even better that they are my favourite price... FREE!

So what can we get?

They include some products that are exclusive to the offer... Ooooo!
Here are the ribbons, you can choose one of these with every order for one of the following bundles between now and 29th December:

Just look at them! Soooooo yummy!
And remember, they are not available for purchase separately so get them with the bundles while you can.

Have you got a favourite yet? I don't think I can choose!
What are in these bundles?

The Gifted Bundle: Gifted Stamp Set and a pack of Jolly Holiday Designer Series papers. £35.70 in Wood Mount and £30.70 in Clear Mount

The Welcome Christmas Bundle: Welcome Christmas Stamp Set and Christmas Cocoa Speciality Designer Series Paper. £36.90 in Wood Mount and £31.90 in Clear Mount. This Designer Series Paper is only available as part of this bundle and only while stocks last!

The Season of Joy Bundle: Season of Joy Stamp Set and So Swirly Stampin’ Around Wheel. £36.45 Wood Mount only

The Delightful Decorations Bundle: Delightful Decorations Stamp Set and the Ornament Punch £37.45 Wood Mount only.

How exciting!

Contact me on craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk to place your orders, these bundles are only available while stocks last so don't leave it too long! (Plus, you'll want them to make your Christmas goodies won't you!)

I will leave you today with a little creation I plan on decorating my tree with this year.

This is using Contempo Christmas and the Ornament punch but you can get Delightful Decorations with the Ornament punch as a bundle and get your free ribbon!

I've stamped and punched out 4 bauble images, folded them in half and adhered them together to form a 3d ornament.

Before I stuck the last edge down, I inserted some Stampin' Up! Elastic Cord (held down with Tombow) and then stuck the edges down. How cute is this!

Oh, and before you go:

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Dare I say it?

2010-10-27T15:15:00.003+01:00

Christmas is approaching fast!

I haven't even thought about Christmas presents yet, have you? I know people who have completed their shopping and just have the wrapping left... Argh!

I haven't planned my cards for this year yet but found one of the cards I made last year which was so quick and easy to make.

They are perfect for mass-producing!

I even used Crystal Effects on his nose! He's a little cutie.

Anyway, I want to share a new service which I am offering. I hope it will help you or your friends & family when it comes to buying presents all year round.

Stampin' Up! Wishlist service.

What do I need to do?

All you have to do is e-mail me with a request for a form and I'll e-mail it out to you.

How does it work?

Once you received your e-mail Wishlist, just print it out.
It will consist of a 'List' and a contact sheet. You fill our your list and either e-mail or post it back to me. You can then distribute my contact details among your friends and family for them to contact me when buying you a gift.

What are the benefits?

It helps the gift giver to purchase a gift which is chosen by you, although you wont know what they have chosen so it will remain a lovely surprise.

There will also be the option of a gift wrapping service too which makes it that bit easier!

If you want any more information please don't hesitate to contact me and I can answer any of your questions.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Exciting news!

2010-10-19T21:07:00.003+01:00

I've spent most of the day with my little sister helping her move into her new house, I was mainly the baby entertainer and I can't complain...

Just look at this face!

He's such a sweetie :)

Anyway, the exciting news is that I can now accept credit cards for Stampin' Up! orders!

How fab is that?

You won't have to worry about bringing enough money, remembering the cheque book or even having to send your cheque onto me then waiting for it to clear (So you'll get your goodies even quicker haha!)

Hopefully this will make everything that bit easier.

If you would like to book a workshop or just place an order e-mail me :
craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk

I still have a few dates available, I'd love to be able to help you earn exclusive stamp sets that cannot be bought and free spends in the catalogue.

Workshops are great fun and aren't hard work at all, I love my job!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Ooopps!

2010-10-19T01:09:00.006+01:00

Sorry! It's kind of still Monday... as I haven't been asleep lol.

How did it get to 1:30am??

Anyway, as promised I am going to announce the winner of the raffle prize from my launch party on Saturday.

Three lovely ladies qualified on the day and two others placed orders over £40 so also received a strip of raffle tickets.

I wondered on which way would be best to draw the winner ...

So I laid out all of the strips and used Random.org to generate a number from 1 to 25.

It picked number 16 which was Jo.

Congratulations Jo!!

Those lovely Stampin' Up! goodies are all yours. I will be in touch soon.

Thank you to everyone who placed orders, I'm sure you're going to love playing with your new stash when it arrives. If you get a chance I would love to see what you create with it.

Right, I best get off to bed. I'm helping my little sister move into her new house tomorrow/today and need to be up for 6:30am haha.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Catalogue Launch Party

2010-10-16T23:48:00.007+01:00

Good afternoon,

I just wanted to share some photos from my catalogue launch party yesterday, I hope the ladies that went enjoyed themselves - I certainly did!

First up is my raffle prize, for all orders over £40 you get a free raffle strip, this will run until tomorrow (Monday 18th October) so if you would like to place an order you will also be entered - good luck!

The goodie bag contains:

Whimsical Words
Bone Folder
Snail Adhesive
6"x6" DSP stack
Note Pad
Paper Snips
3 frame stamps

This is the order table where they ladies could have a cup of tea and browse the gorgeous new products in the catalogue.

And this is the sale table (albeit, a large portion already gone due to the early birds haha)
where I was selling off some retired stock.

Here is one of the sample tables, you will spy some of the gorgeous ones I received at training that I posted about a week or so back.

And some more... I did take pictures of the other sample table but they are too blurry to share. Sorry!

And here are a few of the girls doing the make and take, we had to take it in turns to fit everyone round the table!

And here is the make and take, a simple version of the one we completed at Manchester training only I changed the colours.

I just love this set and the ornament punch!

Don't forget, there is still time to enter the raffle with all orders over £40 placed with me before 12pm Monday 18th October!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Punches and ribbon and stamps.. Oh my!!

2010-10-08T12:52:00.005+01:00

Look what I've just got!!

This is a really quick post today, I have a ton of things waiting to be done but when the lovely UPS man knocked on the door with a big brown parcel I had to drop everything I was doing and see what was inside... and then I have to take pictures and share it with you all hehe!

Look at the In Colour ink pads... and the ribbon. That 1/2" stitched poly grosgrain (Left) is to die for IRL.

And the ornament punch! I can't wait to get cracking on my Christmas cards now.

These are just a few bits of my wishlist, it seems to be endless but I thought I'd do it bit by bit and hope Stu doesn't notice too much!

Just look at the pearls and rhinestones, yum!

Oh and the heart treat cups!

It's a shame I have to work tonight, a few bits might find their way into my bag to get me through my 10 hour shift..!

If you would like to see some of this for yourself and have a play why not come along to my Catalogue Launch party on Saturday the 16th of October?

There will be prize draws, special offers and lots of fun. Contact me today for more details and to book your free make & take.

Right, I best get going.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Some more samples...

2010-10-07T11:26:00.009+01:00

Afternoon everyone,

Hope your week is going well, I don't know where mine has gone! I really need to make more time to craft :)

Here are some more samples I received from the Stampin' Up! training event in Manchester.

This first one was our make and take. It uses one of my favourite new stamp sets called Contempo Christmas which has this gorgeous bauble in it - which also has a matching bauble PUNCH!! I know!

I plan to use this set for my Christmas cards as well as making some lovely little bauble ornaments (my order is due for delivery tomorrow, I'm too excited!)

I don't know if you can tell from this picture but we punched out the bauble 3 times and folded them in half, then stuck the edges together to give a 3d effect. There is also a matching treat bag using one of our cello bags which would be perfect for some Christmas choccies!

And here are the rest of the swaps, I love swapping at the Stampin' Up! events. It's a fabulous way to get some new ideas and inspiration - I hope you get some fresh ideas from these.

Aren't they all fab? So many talented ladies I'm really proud to be apart of Stampin' Up!

And don't forget that my Catalogue Launch Party is on Saturday the 16th of October at 12pm, there will be a free make & take if you book your place so get in contact today!

It should be a fun afternoon with prize draws, offers and plenty of chat, chocolate and crafting.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Another sample

2010-10-02T09:00:00.000+01:00

Good morning!

Here is a picture of the card I demo'd at Stampin' Up!'s regional training in Manchester last week.

I achieved the effect by folding my card stock in half, cutting out petal shapes (I will hopfully get a chance to upload a template soon) one the fold and running them through my crimper at an angle.

Once opened, it gives the effect shown below. Great for leaves!

And of course, I had to add glitter!

I can't promise how quickly I can get a tutorial up but keep an eye out for it at the side ---->

Right, I must go. I'm doing some final prep for Deborah's workshop today.

Really looking forward to sharing the new catalogue !!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Swaps from Manchester!

2010-10-01T08:00:00.000+01:00

Morning all!

Happy catalogue launch day!!!!

I've been waiting sooooo long to be able to say that :)

Here are some of the swaps I received at the Manchester training which show case some of the gorgeous new stamp sets, accessories and embellishments.

If you would like to have the glossy new catalogue in your hands e-mail me and I can get one out to you for only £4 including postage. (Normally £4.95 plus postage)

craftychick001 @ yahoo.co.uk

First up is my swap, using Rose Red, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla. I love Kraft - which has now been renamed Crumb Cake which makes it even yummier in my mind.

Now, feast your eyes on these fabulous swaps from the very talented Stampin' Up! demo's.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow for more samples from Manchester.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

The waiting is almost over!

2010-09-30T14:03:00.002+01:00

There are only a few hours left until the official launch of the

Stampin' Up! 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue!!

Oh my gosh, I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to be able to show you the goodies encase between the glossy covers...

I will finally be able to share the gorgeous swaps I received at the Manchester training tomorrow to make sure you pop back.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Oh what a night..!

2010-09-25T08:47:00.004+01:00

Morning all!

Yesterday was the Manchester training provided by Stampin' Up! and 5 of us from Liverpool set off on our road trip with Keren kindly driving.

This is partly the reason why I haven't been updating my blog as much as I'd have liked to - myself and Keren were asked to prepare a project and demonstrate it in front of the other 40 or so demonstrators... eeek!

Here is Keren doing a brilliant job, her card was just gorgeous !

I've been preparing and practising for weeks and as it's been getting closer I was getting more and more nervous... but it's good to move out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself and in the end I really enjoyed it (once my part was over with haha!)

As a demonstrator, I never pass up the opportunity to do swaps (which are basically samples made by other demo's which you 'swap' to exchange ideas and techniques) and yesterday was no exception. The swaps I received were absolutely gorgeous and I can't wait to show you them.

Linda (from my team) was sooo funny, every time someone arrived she would get giddy and shout 'swaps!' at them hehe, you made my night Linda :) !

I'd just like to give a shout out to the newest member of my team - Vicki!
Sorry you weren't there last night but there will be plenty of time for more events.

Last night got me really excited for convention, I need to get cracking on my swaps now... think there are 185-ish from the UK alone !

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

It's nearly time...

2010-09-20T21:35:00.003+01:00

...for the new catalogue!

Mine are due for delivery by the end of the week so those of you who have pre-ordered can get stalking the postman :)

It's been so busy round here, I've had my pre-order goodies arrive but unfortunately can't show any new items until the release - it'll be worth the wait though I promise!

My new catalogue launch party seems to be filling up pretty quick and I may need to cap the numbers if we'll all to fit in the hall!

It will be on Saturday the 16th of October 12pm at Holy Name Church, Fazakerley.
If you would like more information please contact me asap to book a free make and take.
craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk

Hopefully I won't leave it so long before blogging again and can show you some goodies!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

I really should...

2010-09-02T09:00:00.000+01:00

...set time aside to blog more!

But as the title of my blog suggest I always seem to proCRAFTinate.

This week has been pretty hectic but that's really no excuse.

Ok, so I have some exciting news to share....
Here is the Stampin' Up! Last Chance List!! Ta daa!!!

But please take note that these items are while stocks last only, so get them while you can.

If you want to place an order please get in touch as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.
craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk or 07792457463

You can download the PDF by clicking on the picture above.

As a demo I had the absolute pleasure of having a sneaky peek at the
NEW 2010-2011 Stampin' Up! Idea book and catalogue !!

I could barely sleep thinking of all these new goodies and how I can make lots of samples to hopefully inspire you.

It will be officially released on the 1st of October and if you would like to be one of the first to receive it you can pre-order one with me today!

Right, I best be off I have a few card commissions to finish.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Well, it's nearly Monday...

2010-08-24T09:00:00.000+01:00

Ok, I know I said I'd post Monday but I didn't anticipate getting home from V Festival quite so late/early. I really should have booked the night off work!

I had such a fab time, but have you ever tried walking for more than a few hours in wellies??
Ouch! Feels like I've been on the treadmill for 8 hours straight... and I'm sporting a rather red and shiny forehead with burnt hair parting.. haha I really can't complaint though it was soooo good, seriously the best time I've had for a while!

Anyhooo, here are the thank you cards I made for my sister.
They are using Nursery Necessities and the sentiment is from Trendy Trees.

I punched out a circle from the blue layer and popped up the little elephant.

The fancy frame outside the word window punch is a fab little creation which I learnt from Jo D.
You can see it here, very creative!

I like to stamp a little coordinating image on the envelopes to finish them off!

And on a personal note, I can't get enough of my little nephew. Just look at this little sweetie!

He's so adorable I could spend all day just watching him!

Ooo, and before I go there is a mere 8 sleeps before we as Stampin' Up! demo's get to see the new catalogue! I can't wait for pre-order and be prepared for some sneaky peeks soon, eeekk!!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Wednesday already?

2010-08-18T13:01:00.002+01:00

HI everyone, is it really Wednesday already?

I've been so pre-occupied with little Connor that I haven't crafted since he was born - and he's not even my child!!

I really need to get back into the craft room though as my sister needs a truckload of thank you cards making.

Here are the birth announcement cards I made for the new parents.

This is using a Stampin' Up! stamp set that retired last year but I kept it for my own use - which reminds me!
As of the 1st of September Stampin' Up! will be releasing their last chance list which will give you all the stamp sets, accessories, ribbons etc that will not be carried over into the next catty so my advice is get it before it's gone!

All the details will be filled out and a cute little picture of the baby inside so mummy and daddy can give them to friends and relatives to remember all the particulars.

Hopefully I won't leave it another week before blogging although I'm off to V at the weekend so depending on what state I am when I get back I'll be blogging Monday!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

I am still here...

2010-08-11T10:00:00.000+01:00

... just a bit pre-occupied with my little nephew!!

He is just perfect, such a little sweetie and is soooo good!

Meet Connor Sean, born 10-08-10 at 8:04am weighing in at 6lbs 13oz.

I'm a very proud Auntie and will be spoiling him rotten!

Right, here's the card I made for the new parents - I love making baby cards but don't really get a chance to send them so I've kinda used all my baby stamp sets on the one card lol.

I've seen a few baby cards with little babygro's on a washing line and couldn't wait to give it a go.

Background is from Queue Up, Babygro is from All for Friends (Level 2 hostess) and sentiment is from Nursery Necessities.

I've made some little birth announcements too and will share them soon.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Vintage Vogue Class

2010-08-08T09:00:00.000+01:00

Morning everyone, hope you're all having a lovely weekend.

It's all getting rather exciting here, my sister is due next Friday but is already getting pains and the midwife reckons she's in slow labour so it shouldn't be long now!!

Right then, onto the class.

As always, if you would like to attend any classes please contact me as soon as possible. Classes tend to fill up quite quickly and I'm looking into 'up-ing' my maximum so contact me today to avoid disappointment.

Tuesday 31st of August 7pm at Holy Name Church Hall, Fazakerley.

£10 - includes all materials (except adhesive)

£25 - includes all materials (except adhesive) plus Vintage Vogue stamp set (Stamp set available to purchase separately at £19.95)

**If you can't make the class but would like to take part via post, the charge is £12 including postage and I will send your kit off to you. You will receive all materials to make the box and cards, with full instructions. All you need to provide is adhesive and the stamp set (if not ordering it with the class) **

Hope to see you there.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Promotion time!

2010-08-04T10:00:00.001+01:00

Only a few days late but I'm still in holiday/birthday mode!

Here is another great promotion from Stampin’ Up!

Throughout August Stampin’ Up! are letting you get your hands on 7 fantastic 2 Step Stampin' sets at 20% off the catalogue price! A fantastic opportunity to get some stamp sets ticked off your wish list.

Here are the sets that qualify for the discount.

Loads of Love (104606) Normally £18.95 Now £15.16

Big Bold Birthday (109439) Normally £23.95 Now £19.16

Trendy Trees (113258) Normally £12.95 Now £10.36

Greenhouse Garden (113824) Normally £22.95 Now £18.36

Something Sweet (117668) Normally £23.95 Now £19.16

Tiny Tags (118091) Normally £18.95 Now £15.16

Bird on a Branch (113266) Normally £14.95 Now £11.96

You can purchase any of these stamp sets today by sending me an email to craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk or by giving me a call on 07792457463 to place an order.

This promotion wont last forever, you have until the end of August to qualify for the discount.

Thanks for stopping by,

take care.

I want to live in Camden Town!

2010-08-03T02:05:00.006+01:00

Hi everyone, I'm back!!

Stu took me to London for the weekend as part of my birthday present.

And while we were there we went to see Wicked, it was brilliant. I had goosebumps! The singing, the dancing - everything was soooo well done it was amazing :)

For my actual birthday (Saturday) we went to Camden Market and had a stroll round looking at all the stalls. I loved it there, the atmosphere was so relaxed and laid back (baring in mind we got there about 9am so it wasn't that busy!)

We then made our way to Leicester Square and bought our tickets to see Inception. Has anyone ever been to that cinema ?? The seats are the most comfortable seats I've ever sat on in a cinema! I almost fell asleep... not because of the film though - that was soooo good.
It must be my age lol.

After we went back to the hotel to freshen up, Stu treated me to dinner in a gorgeous little Chinese restaurant in China Town then we went to Ripley's Believe it or Not! (We've been to the one in New York and Florida too) so it's kind of a tradition now.

On the Sunday, before we had to catch our train back, we went shopping in Canary Wharf where I had the most delicious Bailey's hot chocolate! Yum :)

I couldn't believe it only took us 2 hours to get home, I tracked our progress (because I'm a bit of a geek like that lol) with the GPS app on my iPhone. It was a little freaky to see the little blue dot zoom across the country like that.

Sorry to bore you with all that! I'll be back soon with some crafty photos.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Butterflies

2010-07-27T23:05:00.001+01:00

Oops, has it been a week already??

Sorry about that!

Tonight I had my Flight of the Butterfly class and we had such a laugh, I need to thank Linda in my downline for coming along and the lovely ladies who attend my classes each month. They really are a great bunch :)

We made 6 cards and a matching desk organiser, I adapted the measurements slightly from a tutorial Jo D did here to fit into some clear plastic boxes.

I can't wait for our next one, I will share details about that one soon.
If your in the Merseyside area and fancy a fun night of craft and chat them e-mail or call me to book your place.

Stu is taking me to London for the weekend for my birthday and we have booked tickets for go see Wicked so I will be back next week with some pictures to share!!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Lottery Ticket Holder Tutorial

2010-07-21T10:00:00.000+01:00

Morning everyone,

Here is the lottery ticket holder tutorial as promised.

I've not included any measurements as they can vary depending on the type of ticket but they are really easy to adapt - maybe try a scratch card holder?

For this lottery ticket holder I'm using Taken with Teal for the base, Really Rust and Old Olive card with Old Olive Satin ribbon .

I roughly measured my lottery ticket and cut my Taken with Teal card slightly bigger and scored it in the centre.

For example, if my ticket measured 3" x 5" then I would cut my card to 6 1/2" x 5 1/4" and score at 3 1/4" but it's probably easier to just eyeball it.

I cut down my Really Rust piece the same width as the holder (when closed) and about 2 1/2" high.

Place your ribbon in the centre of this piece and make small tick marks on either side of your ribbon towards the right hand side of the card.

I then took my craft knife and ruler to cut a small slit in between the tick marks.

Then slide your ribbon from the back to the front through the slit like shown below.

Wrap the rest of your ribbon around the closed holder and lay the Really Rust card onto the base to ensure you're happy with the position before sticking it down.

Once you've got your placement, apply adhesive to the back of the Really Rust piece but not over the ribbon.

It should then look like this (below) with your ribbon running in between the two layers -it should be free to slide without getting caught.

Line up the ends of your ribbon to the right hand side of your holder.

On the back, run a strip of adhesive where your ribbon will lie and stick it down.

Open up your holder and line up the ticket so there is an even border that runs around it.

Make small tick marks on the top and side as shown below.

Again using a craft knife and ruler, line up the two tick marks and make a diagonal cut. Do this to the top right and the bottom right hand corners.

You can then rub out your tick marks.

Slip the corner of the ticket into these slits and your ticket will hold in place.

Next I closed the holder and tied my ribbon so that I was happy with it.

I try to leave the 'tails' a little longer than normal so that when the recipient opens it, they can close it again afterwards.

I only decided later to add a sentiment to the bottom part of the Really Rust card but using the Stamp-a-ma-jig made this really easy.

I just lined it up where I wanted the sentiment to go and stamped in Really Rust ink.

I used my A Rose is a Rose stamp set to stamp and cut out some images in coordinating inks.

For the rose I inked it up with Really Rust, stamped it first onto some scrap paper then onto some Whisper White card to get a weaker colour. Then I stamped the detailed image 'full strength' on top.

The leaves are done in the same way using Old Olive ink.

And it's really that easy, once you've made one you'll be away!

Now it's your turn to have a go! Do post a link in the comments so we can all see it too.

I really hope you've found this tutorial useful.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Card Class Gift

2010-07-16T10:00:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone! It's finally Friday, woohooo!

My monthly classes are going really well and I'm so lucky to have such lovely customers which, in my opinion, makes the classes so much better.

So to thank them I always make a small thank you card to show my appreciation.

With my classes I give the option of just buying the class which includes all the materials but I also offer a 'package' which gives you a great saving when purchasing the stamp set used in that class at the same time.

And as another little thank you, when you purchase the set with the class you will receive a little surprise waiting for you on your desk! (See below)

If you're in the Liverpool area and fancy a lovely night crafting and chatting please do not hesitate to contact me, I'd love to see you there.

For more information you can visit the Craft Classes page in the top right hand corner or drop me an e-mail to:
craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk

Hope you have a lovely weekend, I'm off out tonight for our works 'Summer Party' which has a retro fairground theme with game stalls and everything! Hope to be able to share some photos with you soon.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Birdhouse Post it Note Holder

2010-07-14T10:00:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone, I can't believe it's Wednesday already! These weeks are flying by.

I wanted to share with you a project I made following one of my fellow demo's Jo D. She is so very talented and her project are just fab so when I saw this on her blog I knew I just had to get it.

It uses the Sweet Treat Cups from the mini catalogue which I can't get enough of lately and the 2 Step Bird Punch.

The cup is filled with paper clips with a sliding door at the back for access! How cute!

Hope you're having a lovely week so far.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Everton Football Shirt

2010-07-12T10:00:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone, Happy Monday!

Here is another football card I was asked to make for a friend in work - I love making these now!

I printed the badge onto some Whisper White card stock, I just love how well this prints.

On another note, we went to see Eclipse on Saturday... lots of screaming kids but it was still good!

I'm too excited for Breaking Dawn now, how long to wait?

And before I go I want to let you all in on my offer for July.

For every order over £50 placed with me before (and including) the 31st of July will entitle you to a free ink pad with your order!

If you are interested please let me know no later than 10:00pm on Saturday the 31st of July to qualify.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

A team challenge!

2010-07-11T10:00:00.003+01:00

Hello everyone, hope your enjoying your weekend.

At the beginning of this week my lovely upline Bekka sent all of her team a mystery white envelope... inside had some card, ribbon lengths and a sheet of rub ons with a simple card inside to say details were in our newsletter!

I love surprises and she had the great idea to set us a challenge to use the stash in the envelope to create a card WITHOUT STAMPING!
I know, I was hyperventilating at the thought...

So I chose the Ruby Red card stock for my card base, then matted a piece of Chocolate Chip on top.

I applied the dotty border rub ons to the Chocolate Chip piece and tied some of the gorgeous Chocolate Chip satin ribbon around it.

Then I punched out a bunch of hearts using the Heart to Heart punch in Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip and Naturals Ivory card.

I popped some up with dimensionals and some stuck straight down with my tombow glue.

With the smaller Chocolate Chip hearts I felt they needed something else to make them stand out from the background so I used another border strip from the rub ons sheet.

This really kick started my mojo - esp. as I hadn't been expecting it.

I can't wait to see what the others come up with.

Thank you Bekka :)

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Blue hearts.

2010-07-09T14:05:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone. Happy Friday!

I'm so excited, my friend and I have booked our tickets to go see Eclipse tomorrow! We wanted to go last weekend for the midnight launch but we she was visiting family so couldn't make it.

I feel like such a big kid! Have you seen it/booked to see it?
Let me know what you think about it, I've read all the books anyway so know what happens :)

Right, moving onto something craft related. Here is a card I made with the intention of giving to Stu 'just because' although, he always makes a dig at me for making his anniversary and valentine cards 'too girlie' ! The cheek, maybe it's just him being 'too manly' haha and I think this is still not manly enough for him so I'll have to do another (any excuse to spend time crafting - Procraftination-itis! Anyone else got this? There's no cure, just medication in the form of stash to ease the symptoms!)

For the 'Designer Series Paper' element I used the little motif from Framed with Love and stamped it in a continuous pattern using the Stamp a ma jig (I was inspired by a card made by my lovely upline Bekka, you can see it here)

I used the I {Heart} Hearts stamp set and hand cut the bigger hearts but used the Heart to Heart punch for the smaller ones then finished it off with some Bashful Blue double stitched grosgrain ribbon. The love you sentiment is handwritten using my Signo White Gel pen along with the faux stitching.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Your a star!

2010-07-07T10:00:00.000+01:00

I forgot I hadn't posted these!

As a Stampin' Up! demo we have a lot of support to help us run our business the way we want to, whether that be as a discount demo (who signs up purl for the discount on their own orders and maybe puts one or two through for a friend etc) or a career demo who builds a downline and gains incentive trips etc.

We have a service called Demo Support which is based in Germany.
The UK demo support staff are called Chris and Eileen.

They work so hard to help us with any queries or problems we may have.
On ILWS, Keren had the brilliant idea of doing a 'Demo Support Appreciation Day' where we all send a card to one or both of them to arrive on the same day (so hopefully they are inundated with cards!) - how I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when they all arrived!

I made the same card for both Chris and Eileen but changed the colours.

I used the star punch and our Schoolbook Sherif Alphabet stamp set for the letters then added some detail to the edges with the mat pack and piercing tool.

The day they arrived it just so happened my upline Bekka was on the phone to Chris and the poor little lamb is now worried what we all might have planned for convention *insert evil laugh - mwahhahaa!!* As last year was the first European convention (Chris especially) was practically mobbed!

I think it was such a lovely idea, a RAK (Random Act of Kindness) that I'm sure made their day!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care,
x

Chelsea Football Shirt

2010-07-06T12:55:00.003+01:00

Hello everyone, how's your week going so far?

The weather here is miserable so hopefully it's nicer where you are.

Here's another football shirt card I was asked to make.
(I can't seem to make them quick enough, everyone wants one!)

I printed out the badge and it fitted perfectly in our 1 3/8" circle punch.

And I've not forgotten about the Lottery ticket holder tutorial, I will do it tonight!

So make sure you come back tomorrow for it :)

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

A very girlie card...

2010-07-06T10:00:00.000+01:00

... these are my favourite to make simply because anything pink goes so I just use what I'd like to see on a card! Lol.

This is another commissioned card for a friend in work.

The letters are cut out using my digital die cutting machine and accented with some pink gems.

I used some Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon and I just love the way this ties, it is definitely one of my must haves!

I punched out some coordinating paper with the butterfly punch and used some of Stampin' Up!'s silver elastic cord to tie around the middle to make their antenna, then slightly curled the top layer to make the wings 'flutter'.

I also used some of SU!'s card stock vellum in the die cut aperture which was then embossed to give some more detail.

So, girlie is my favourite type of card to make - what's yours?

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Blackburn Rovers?

2010-07-05T10:00:00.002+01:00

Hi everyone, happy Monday!

Here are the commissioned Blackburn Rovers cards I told you about a few posts back, please excuse the first photo - I thought I'd taken a proper one but turns out it was only on my iPhone so quality and lighting is not the best.

A friend in work asked me to make this for her son's 13th birthday.

Then she asked me to make one for her husband off the kids for fathers day.

They are surprisingly easy to make, the longest part on the first one was making the template to fit a c5 envelope but now that's done you can get straight to work - which is handy because another friend in work has asked me to make her Everton and Chelsea ones for her two sons which I will share soon.

It has been made using Stampin' Up! products; from the card base which is the 12" x 12" blank card 'backer' you get with the DSP to the marker pens and punches used with a stamp set for the badge.

The only non-SU! is the letters which I used my die cutting machine for.

It was really fun to make! I love paying attention to detail so this is not like work for me :)

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Happy Birthday Julie!!

2010-07-03T10:00:00.000+01:00

Today is the lovely Julie's birthday, I met Julie at last years convention when we were roomies and we had such a laugh!

So Happy Birthday Julie!
Hope you have a lovely day

I used the Flight of the Butterfly stamp set with coordinating butterfly punch.

It was inspired by one of the cards in the current catalogue and changed the colours slightly.

Hope you like it Jules!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Trendy Trees

2010-07-01T13:41:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone!

We had a lot of fun at my card class on Tuesday, we had such a blast and once again thank you for you lovely feedback!

If your interested in attending one check out the details on the craft classes page :)

Here is another card with matching lottery ticket holder, I know there was a request on how I did the holder and plan to do a photo tutorial early next week so stay tuned!

I used the Trendy Trees stamp set for this one as well as the matching wheel called Funky Forest.

I used Mellow Moss taffeta ribbon as the closure and love this type of ribbon, it is quickly becoming one of my faves!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Tut, tut!

2010-06-29T10:00:00.000+01:00

I seem to be apologising a lot lately for not posting... but I've been so busy with my card class preparations!

I can't wait for tonight's, I hope the ladies attending will enjoy it.

There are still a few places on my next one, check out the craft classes page for more info.

Here's another card with matching lottery card holder - I will hopefully get a chance to post a mini tutorial on how I've done the holder as requested :)

And surprise!! I've used Bird on a Branch haha, if you couldn't tell I just love this set!

I'm really loving Rich Razzleberry at the moment too.

Hope you are all enjoying the nice weather and aren't too hot and bothered!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Fresh Cut Notes

2010-06-22T15:55:00.005+01:00

Hi All!

I love this weather, it's put me in a very good mood :)

I wanted to share some more of the cards with matching lottery ticket holders I've been making recently, with the first one I made for my sister the orders have been flooding in!

They're really quick and easy to make too.

For this one I used the Fresh Cut Notes and stamped it with the Dot, Dot, Dot stamp.

I popped the pieces out and stuck them onto the lottery ticket holder to coordinate.

I'm loving these new colours too, I can't wait for all of them to launch with the new catalogue (In October - how exciting!)

I hope you like!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Stamp with us colour challenge!!

2010-06-19T15:24:00.004+01:00

Happy Sunday!

Today is a colour challenge over at SWU and this is the picture for our inspiration, love those colours - I would never have thought to put them together.

So for my card I pulled out my increasingly favorite stamp set Bird On A Branch.

This set is just so elegant and easy to create with and I finished it off with some gorgeous Real Red Satin ribbon.

I hope you like it! Don't forget to have a look at the other design teams creations over on SWU.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Fancy a couple of hours crafting?

2010-06-17T14:01:00.002+01:00

Hi everyone,

Just a quick one to say there are still a few places left on my 2 Step Stampin' class if your local and can make it on the 29th of June.

It will be starting at 7pm at Holy Name Church, Moss Pits Lane, Fazakerley. Liverpool.
(For directions or more info please don't hesitate to contact me)

This class is using my all time favourite stamp set - A Rose Is A Rose.
I will guide you through step by step how to make these fabulous images come to life!

You will be making a total of 6 cards, 2 of each design with a matching card box.

Prices:

£10 - includes all materials (except adhesive)

£36 - includes all (except adhesive) plus A Rose is a Rose stamp set (Stamp set available to purchase separately at £32.95) *Please note, you need to book your place no later than the 20th of June if ordering the stamp set and payment must be taken at time of booking. All classes require a £5 deposit to secure your place.

If you are interested please let me know as soon as possible so you don't miss out!

There will be tea, coffee and biscuits on the night. We had so much fun last time I hope you can make it!

**If you can't make the class but would like to take part via post, the charge is £12 including postage and I will send your kit off to you. You will receive all materials to make the box and cards, with full instructions. All you need to provide is adhesive and the stamp set (if not ordering it with the class) **

For more information and details of up-coming classes please visit the Craft Classes page in the top right hand corner.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

A baby card

2010-06-16T13:47:00.003+01:00

Hello everyone!

Hope the weather is as lovely where you are, it's so beautiful here.

I love summer, and I'm very tempted to paint paint each of my nails a different summery colour but don't think that would go down well in work tonight haha!

On to some crafting, I'm loving these treat cups so much, I think they are just so fantastic.

As you may already know, my little sister is expecting and I've gone into Auntie overdrive on the shopping front - so wanted to make a little 'pre-baby' card to go with some of the things I'm going to give to her early.

I combined a treat cup with the Something Sweet stamp set to make a little rattle, filled with some beads so it makes a satisfying noise!

Ooo, and last night I went with one of my friends to see SATC2... was a little worried as some people have said they were disappointed but I thought it was great! Very funny and just what you need to lift your spirits :)

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

2010-06-12T10:00:00.000+01:00

My lovely dad is the big 5-0 today!

And for his special birthday I decided to make him an extra special card...

... in the shape of a Liverpool Football Shirt!

Hehe, I hope he will like it
(Only took me 5 hours to complete, hand drawn badges and all lol)

It's made using SU! cardstock, pens and punches with some die cut letters and a silver gel pen!

One of the girls in work asked me to make her son a Blackburn Rovers football shirt card which he loved and now they all want the same one made for their dad for fathers day - I will share a pic of those soon.

We're off for a meal now to celebrate, hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Bird on a branch

2010-06-10T10:00:00.000+01:00

Again!

I love this set, it's so simple to use, and to be honest my mojo has gone into hibernation.

I've not felt like crafting much lately but really had to just get on with a few things so pulled this set out.

This one is for my penpal and fellow Stampin' Up! demo Christelle in France.

I think the new colours go beautifully together, there's Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry and Melon Mambo.

Hope you like it.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Stamp with us

2010-06-06T10:00:00.000+01:00

Hi Everyone, hope you have enjoyed your weekend.

I have to apologise again for the lack of posts, it's been a difficult week here but we're getting through it.

The challenge today for SWU is a Get Well card, and on mine I used the Flower accent stamp and 'kissed' it with a stamp from Circle Circus.

Don't forget to pop over to SWU to see the other DT's creations!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Who wants more hostess benefits?

2010-06-02T00:59:00.003+01:00

Wow, another fabulous offer from Stampin' Up! which runs for the whole of June and July. During this promotion, hostesses can get extra rewards in addition to the already fantastic hostess benefits!

So if you host a workshop and get £250 or more in product sales, you earn an extra £20 worth of freebies from the current catalogues on top of the normal rewards!

So now is the perfect opportunity to get that workshop booked.

Workshop total (before shipping and handling)	Free Stampin’ Up! merchandise		Extra, Extra hostess rewards	Free Stampin’ Up! merchandise with Extra, Extra hostess rewards
£250 - £299	£25	+	£20	£45
£300 - £349	£35	+	£20	£55
£350 - £399	£40	+	£20	£60
£400 - £449	£45	+	£20	£65
£450 - £499	£50	+	£20	£70
£500 - £549*	£60	+	£20	£80

To host your own party, please contact me to reserve a date.
craftychick001[@]yahoo.co.uk

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Blimey...

2010-05-28T11:20:00.004+01:00

... it's Friday already, how did that happen?

Sorry for my lack of blogging, this week has been very busy!

We had my Working With One Sheet Wonders class on Tuesday (and silly me forgot to pack my camera!) which went brilliantly.
I've had such positive feedback so thank you girls, I'm thrilled to pieces you enjoyed yourselves!

Linda from my team came along which was lovely, and as a thank you for all her hard work so far (and a pre-convention gift - soooo excited!!) I made her this lot:

It's a bag-a-lope made using the square chocolate chip envelopes that come with the carousel notes and as we are The Sparkly Stampers I glittered some chipboard pieces and attached them to the front - complete with some ruffling!

I also covered a little note book, a mini post-it note holder and the little beady thing you can see at the side of the note pad is our team signature - a scissor charm!

I've got a pink (obvs!) scissor charm on mine and plan to make one for each person who joins my team (as well as some other goodies you will get as part of your welcome gift) so we can all be spotted!

If you would like to join my team or have a chat about the benefits of becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator please don't hesitate to contact me. Details are in my profile on the side of the blog ---->

I finally cracked open my brand new Bird On A Branch stamp set, I have to say these stamps are setting my mojo into overdrive!

I glittered the blooms on the branch and used some of the gorgeous real red satin ribbon. I hope you like it all Linda!

And on a personal note, look at this!

This is my little nephew, due in August. How amazing, can't wait to meet him!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

A Stamp With Us Sketch.

2010-05-23T10:00:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone,
Happy Sunday!

Here's the sketch for SWU this fortnight.

I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get a 6 x 6 scrapbook page done! I've always wanted to give scrapbooking a go, but was always too scared (I don't really know why...)

I might even get enough done to fill a scrapbook, you never know!

I really like how it turned out, and having the sketch was a great help.

Now, because this was a spare of the moment idea I didn't have any photos printed *to be scrapped etc, so I tried to keep the page as neutral as possible but I'm sure I'll find one to go on there.

This is using the new colours Soft Suede for the background and Melon Mambo and Rich Razzleberry butterflies with some Razzleberry polka dot ribbon (and I had to include some ribbon ruffling didn't I!?)

Hope you like it!

Don't forget to pop over to SWU to see the other DT creations!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Sorry for lack of blogging...

2010-05-21T22:39:00.002+01:00

... can't believe it's the weekend already!

I've been busy making some more batches of bath bombs this week, with Lavender and Shea Butter !

I forgot to get photos :( but will get some with the next batch.

Make sure you drop by on Sunday for another Stamp With Us inspired creation, this time I've tried something very new to me... a scrapbook page!? I know!

See you Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

An iPod card!

2010-05-18T10:00:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone, happy Tuesday!

I love my Tuesday, it's my day off and I generally spend the whole day crafting, yay!!

I wanted to share this card that my friend asked me to make for her son. She told me he liked music and was getting an iPod for his present... and voila!

I found a template for it online which assembles into a little box iPod, I then punched out a bunch of 1/2" circles in from Whisper White and stuck them together with a 1/4" silver circle to make the earphones.

The silver elastic cord attaches them to iPod itself!

With the box on the front of the card it did make it a bit bulky, so I cut down the A5 card base slightly and gusseted the envelope a little so it fits into a normal C6.

Hope you like it!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

This weekend...

2010-05-17T10:00:00.000+01:00

...I've been busy making Bath Bombs!!

Have you ever tried these? They are so easy!

My first batch were these, pink glittery (chocolate scented) ones!

I can't believe how much they fizz and bubble, think these will make perfect girlies gifts.
I'm planning on using some Lavender essential oils for my next ones - nice and relaxing.

So this is for my mum, my official bath bomb tester!
I added some white kaolin clay to these as it's supposed to 'help stimulate circulation to the skin while gently exfoliating and cleansing it.'

Hope she likes it!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

My Sweet Pea

2010-05-12T10:00:00.002+01:00

Hi Everyone!

SO I managed to get this video up as promised, please be gentle with me!

It's quite time consuming, so maybe it wont be that frequent but I'll try my best :)

I made this card using the My Sweet Pea stamp set, it's so cute - I love it!

I made some grass for the little birdie to stand on, I got this idea from one of Keren's gorgeous cards, thanks Keren! :)

And I got to crack open a brand new roll of Chocolate Chip Taffeta ribbon, yum!

I've been playing with my new colours and will have some projects to show you soon, but in the meantime I hope you like the video!

Again, if you want to see a technique done or have any questions don't hesitate to get in touch!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Crafting class

2010-05-11T10:00:00.000+01:00

Hello!

Just wanted to remind you that there are still a few spaces left on my
'Working with One Sheet Wonders' class
on the 25th of May 2010 at 7pm.

So if your local and are interested get in touch and I'll book you in!

In the class you will make 8 cards, 4 designs - 2 of each and a matching tote bag.

If you buy the stamp set as part of your class your basically getting the class half price! Details are below:

£10 - includes all materials (except adhesive)

£28 - includes all materials (except adhesive) plus Greenhouse Garden stamp set (Stamp set available to purchase separately at £22.95)

*Please note, you need to book your place no later than the 16th of May if ordering the stamp set and payment must be taken at time of booking.

Let me know if your interested, would be great to meet a few new faces :)

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Sparkle sparkle!

2010-05-10T10:00:00.000+01:00

Happy Monday lovely blog readers.

The weekends go way too fast, but Paddy an I have already watched Twilight and New moon twice!

Today I've got a bright card to share with you! I'm loving teaming Pink Passion with Tempting Turquoise at the moment, and made this card for my friend Amy.

I used some DSP and card stock stickers from the Sunny Day Simply Scrappin' Kit.

She's very glam is our Amy so I added a bit of bling and sparkle.

I mixed some of our shimmer paint with rubbing alcohol and sprayed away!

I can't get enough of that shimmer paint at the moment, it's the perfect finishing touch.

Enjoy the rest of your day!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Stamp with us challenge.

2010-05-09T10:00:00.000+01:00

Happy Sunday everyone!

Here's the inspirational picture from SWU.

And here's my take on it:

I loved the bright colours with the white, so I decided to do some actual stitching. I know, the sew-a-phobic got the needle and thread out..!

I cheated a bit though, I took the mat pack and paper piecer to put holes in the card and then went in with the needle to pull the thread through.

I added a co coordinating button and stamped a little birdie from Nursery Necessities and a sentiment taken from Fun & Fast Notes and embossed them in white.

I hope you like it!

Don't forget to check out the other design team cards here.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

A card and gift holder

2010-05-08T11:35:00.000+01:00

Happy Saturday!

My dad is off to sun himself in Benidorm for a week *Ash cloud permitting and so far the flight hasn't been cancelled - so fingers crossed!*, so I have the house to myself and intend to spoil Paddy rotten.

Whenever I'm away Paddy goes off his food, and he's already being quite clingy (haha, sounds like a baby?!) He loves sandwich paste straight from the jar so I have bought a case for him, with the added bonus of keeping him quiet..!

Ok, on a crafty note - there's nothing like a tight deadline to kick start your mojo is there?

My sister asked me to make a card for a friend in work. She asked me at about 10pm... and she needed it for the following morning *insert rolling eyes emoticon*

So straight away I reached for my go-to stamp set when I haven't got time to faff about : Crazy for Cupcakes. Love this set.

I used Tempting Turquoise with some pixie pink for the colour combo, and coloured in the image with some Stampin' Markers.

I used a technique I saw on Shaz's blog to colour the frosting, only I used my markers by transferring some colour onto my stamp-a-ma-jig imaging sheet.

In her workplace, whenever it is somebodies birthday you include a Lucky Dip lottery ticket inside the card! So I made this matching holder for it to go in.

I'm going to attempt to edit this video to within an inch of it's life (or re-shoot... probably the latter!) and hopefully share with you next week.

Have a lovely weekend!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

No video!

2010-05-07T19:47:00.000+01:00

Ok, I know I said I was going to try and do another video and I did! Just didn't like the way it turned out and me saying 'urrmm' about a million times lol.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist so it will take a bit of editing but hopefully I'll be able to share it with you soon.

I've got some other projects to share with you tomorrow though, so don't forget to come have a look!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Thinking about signing up??

2010-05-07T14:00:00.001+01:00

**ETA: This post will remain at the top, please scroll down for newer posts **

So with the Hobbycrafts show on this weekend at Aintree, Stampin' Up! have got a great promotion on the starter kit.

From the 23rd of April to the 7th of May there will be an extra 10% off the starter kit price.

You pay £125 and receive £240 worth of products... how great is that?

And as a extra little thank you, if you sign up to my team during this time I will also send you a welcome gift as well as a Stampin' Pad and reel of 1/4" Grosgrain ribbon in your choice of colours. This is in addition to all the help and support from me and my upline. You will be part of a big team of people who love what they do, and there's nothing better than that.

I can honestly say I've met friends for life thanks to Stampin' Up! and I as so grateful for that.

And the great thing about being a Stampin' Up! demo is that you decide how you run your own business - whether your in it for the discount or to make a career you can make it work for you.

If you'd like to chat about it and ask any questions e-mail me : craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk or call on 07792457463. (I'm working at the show all day tomorrow but you can leave me a message and I'll get back to you)

I'd love to be able to welcome you to my team to be come a Sparkly Stamper.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Milk carton birdhouse

2010-05-07T10:00:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone, happy Friday!

Today is the last day to get an extra 10% off the starter kit, so if you want to sign up and be a Sparkly Stamper let me know as soon as !

I made this little birdhouse as part of my demonstration at the craft event last Tuesday.

I followed the tutorial on Jo's blog, it's a 2,4,6,8 box which has been slightly adapted.

I popped the cute little bird from the 2 step bird punch on the front of the box.

You can't really tell in this picture but I used the shimmer paints with rubbing alcohol and spritzed the roof. It gives is the most gorgeous sparkle!

And I filled my box with some dolly mixtures which I have to confess, are no longer there..!
I love dolly mixtures!

I've made another card which I will share with you soon with the Something Sweet stamp set, I love this set with the sweet treat cups that I've gone a bit over board making cards with them.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Reminder

2010-05-06T14:35:00.006+01:00

You only have today and tomorrow to take advantage of the promotion on the Starter Kit, so if you have been thinking about it now is a great time to take the plunge - and it's really not that scary!

If you have any questions either e-mail or call me, I'd be more than happy to talk it through with you.

And don't forget, each new team member get a welcome gift from me which includes an ink pad and reel of 1/4" grosgrain in a colour of your choice!

Right, onto a card!

So here's the spinner card I shared a peek of a week or so ago, I thought this little monkey looked as if he should be swinging from some branches so I gave him a load to play on.

I love spinner cards, great for kids too. I need to do them more often!

I'm gearing up for another YouTube video, I got some ideas so hopefully I'll get a chance to shoot one tomorrow and will post a link here.

I've currently using a web cam and it's not the best quality for detailed work. I need to get myself a tripod and then I can then use my digital camera so hopefully that will work better.

I shall see you back here tomorrow (hopefully with some news on that YouTube video) but also with a cute little project I demonstrated at my event last week.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Youtube...

2010-05-05T15:24:00.003+01:00

... eek!

Be gentle with me, this is my first video and the quality is not the best. I'll have to get another camera!

You can see the video here.

It is for my ribbon rose, I did a photo tutorial on it about a year ago but thought it would be nice to see it in 'real time'

And I'm not brave enough to speak on it yet haha, will have to practise my telephone voice before I do the next one.

I would appreciate any feedback or ideas for new videos, hopefully this can be something I can do on a regular basis.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

I love Stampin' Up!!

2010-05-01T12:00:00.000+01:00

Recently Stampin' Up! announced their plans for a colour renovation.
You can see the post here.

So, Stampin' Up! have given us 3 of the brand NEW colours as a May Offer! You can purchase ALL of these 11 new products now, just look at those colours and the polka dot ribbon!

Now is also a fantastic time to hold your very own workshop, you can spend your hostess entitlement on these goodies!!

I can't wait for my order to arrive so I can get some projects made and of course, you will be the first to see them.

So get in touch today about your workshop,I look forward to helping you earn some free products!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Sweet treat cups

2010-05-01T10:00:00.001+01:00

I love these little cups, they are perfect for a special card.

I took this idea from the mini catalogue and filled it with sunflower seeds, and attempted to make a sunflower to fit around it... I think it worked haha, but you can be the judge of that!

I used the Something Sweet stamp set which has the most adorable little gum ball machine in it too... I have a card made with this to share with you soon.

Then I made a little trap door so the recipient can get the seeds out without destroying the card - it was surprisingly easy!

It would be great to put other seeds in there too, and adapting the flower around it to be the same.

I think I might have to try some more.

What do you think?

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

They keep coming!

2010-04-30T10:00:00.000+01:00

Happy Friday! Woohoo, my bank holiday weekend has officially started :)

Hope you've got something fun planned.

Here's another full card, this is very similar to the one I made for the love swap on ILWS. I loved it so much that I duplicated it again with the I {heart} hearts set from the mini.

What do you think to those colours? Gorgeous, I love the way they look together...

And the detail on those stamps are fabulous, so soooo pretty.

I shall be back tomorrow with another!

Thanks for stopping by,
tale care.
x

And another...

2010-04-29T10:00:00.000+01:00

...reveal!

I can't believe it's Thursday already! These weeks are whizzing by aren't they!?

This card was using the Sweet pea stamp set, it's so cute. And matches those gorgeous stitched felt flowers perfectly.

I stamped this pink flower and punched out the centre, then stamped the stitching details onto chocolate chip - punched it out with the same punch (3/4" circle) and embedded it on the centre.

Sort of replicated the felt flower...

And that little birdie is such a sweetie!

Hope you like!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

The reveal!

2010-04-28T14:35:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone,

I just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who came last night (and a big hello to Lyn !)

Hope you enjoyed the samples and the projects.

So here's one of the samples I was showing you throughout the countdown.

I used the Solid Stripes stamp from the mini catalogue with Versamark. I then applied some Heat & Stick powder, heated it and added some Dazzling Diamonds. Then heated it again to secure the glitter.

I then popped some of the stitched felt on top, I love these and seriously can't get enough!!

Hope it was worth the wait! I'll be revealing the others over the week too.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care,
x

Today is the day!

2010-04-27T10:00:00.000+01:00

It feels strangely like my first day at high school... nervous yet excited!

My first Stampin' Up! event all on my own.

I can't wait, it should be a fantastic night.

Here is the last of the sneak peeks, I've only taken a selection of the samples to tease you with and will be taking pictures of the others to share in full tomorrow.

I think this has to be one of my favourites, those colours and the patterns on the hearts.... *swoon!*

And now I'm looking forward to my class, working with one sheet wonders.
I love the project, it's so cute.
For more info visit the craft classes page in the top right hand corner!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Glitter Glitter...

2010-04-26T14:30:00.000+01:00

...everywhere!

But I love it and that's why my team name is Sparkly Stampers, it's good to have a bit of bling!

So another peek at the samples for my event tomorrow, I'm so excited I've got some special offers, demo's and prizes for the night.
(There will also be lots of nibbles and as much tea and coffee you can drink!)
Details are on the class page in the top right hand corner.

Look at those stitched felt flowers!

I'll be revealing the full cards I've shown peeks of so far on Wednesday so make sure you pop back!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

2010-04-25T10:00:00.002+01:00

This fortnight on SWU the theme is Birthday, so I took the opportunity to make a man's card as I tend to be shying away from them alot lately!

This balloon is from the Crazy for Cupcakes set and is perfect for both male and female cards.

I'm going to try stamping some flowers on that balloon and multi-colouring it for a fun card... watch this space :)

I paper pieced the balloon itself and covered in crystal effects to make it lovely and shiny!

Why not pop over and check out what the other DT members have made.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Another sneak peek...

2010-04-23T21:53:00.004+01:00

... and this time it's a spinner card.

I've used the little monkey out of Fox & Friends, he's so cute!

I shall be revealing all shortly, and if you can make my event on Tuesday the 27th of April at 7pm you can see all of the projects for real & have a go at stamping yourself. There will be prizes to be won and some goodies for booking workshops!

It's at Holy Name Church, Just off Moss Pitts Lane in Fazakerely. E-mail me for more information.

Today I spent the day at the Aintree show again, this time to do some browsing, I also got the chance to meet some friends and haven't seen for a while and some new ones! There's something about crafters, always such a lovely bunch.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

My poor little feet!

2010-04-22T03:30:00.004+01:00

Today was amazing, I've met so many wonderful people and I hope you enjoyed our make and take if you participated.

I need to say a special hello to 'Snoflake' and everyone else I met that reads my little blog!

For those of you not there, we used the Sweat Pea stamp set from the new mini catalogue, and I just love it! I will share it with you soon.

But here is a peek at a card I made using the same set for my event on Tuesday... I will reveal it properly next week!

Don't you just love this set?!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Can someone tell me...

2010-04-21T10:00:00.000+01:00

... Where this week has gone???

Not that I'm complaining, that means Friday will be here in no time !!

And look what I got in the post this week...!

How gorgeous is this!! I took part in a handmade swap organised by Claire (thank you Claire!)

I was paired with Kimmy, and this is what she sent me. I love love LOVE them!!

We both said what we liked, Kimmy anything with skulls and me - something Ed Hardy/Girly.

I've been wearing them all week, thank you so much Kimmy!

and I'll be back tomorrow for some sneak peaks of my samples for my event on Tuesday.

I don't want to show them fully and ruin the surprise for anyone who can make it but will share with you afterwards!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Hello...

2010-04-15T10:00:00.000+01:00

... Remember me?!

Sorry I haven't been posting my creations very much lately. I've been busy organising my very first Stampin' Up! event - got some fab samples made up and will share them with you soon.

I'm looking forward to the ICHF Creative Stitches and Hobbycrafts show at Aintree racecourse from the 23rd of April to the 25th.I'm going to be on the Stampin' Up! stand on the Friday and I'm so so excited!
If your gonna be there, come and say hello! I'd love to see you there!
Opening times are:- at 9am - 5pm Fri and Sun
9am - 5:30pm Sat

Now, it has taken me a little while to get these up... sorry!
I took part in another swap of on ILWS, the theme was Neutrals. You could only use card and ink from the Stampin' Up! Neutrals collection... and when I was planning my card I didn't think it would be that hard but it's tough, I wanted to add some pink!

So here they are:

This one is mine.

This is Amanda's, isn't it gorgeous? And just look at that DSP!!

Rachel made these two, I love the simplicity of these. Stunning.

This one is Dawn's. I love that medallion.

And this is Debbi's, the black and kraft is very striking.

This is Lorraine's card, I love the detail given from this stamp set, beautiful.

And last but by no means least, this is Emma's. I think I've got some ribbon ruffle envy!

Thank you girlies, they are all so beautiful and have given me lots of ideas!

I'll be back soon with some peeks of the samples I've been busy making for my free craft event.

If your within travelling distance (To Fazakerley, Liverpool) then why not pop in? Details are on the craft classes page in the top right hand corner. The more the merrier :)

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

A sketch from Stamp With Us

2010-04-11T10:00:00.003+01:00

Happy Sunday everyone!

Here is the fab sketch from SWU, and as I keep saying - I love a good sketch me!

So here is my attempt:

I love this Level 3 Hostess set, it's called Queue Up and you can do so much with it.

I only used a section of the stamp for this, I just masked off one part with cellotape to ink up the part I wanted then removed it before stamping.

I also masked off the image from the Fun & Fast notes stamp so I was just left with the sentiment.

You can get a lot more use out of your stamps this way!

I hope you like it, why not pop over to SWU and see the other design team cards.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Have I got news for you..!

2010-04-08T10:00:00.000+01:00

Wow! Ok, I'm really excited to share this with you.

It has just been announced to demo's that with effect from the 1st of October the Stampin' Up! colours are having some work done... a colour renovation!

What does that mean?
It means that there will now be 40 'core' colours (shown below) and then 5 new 'In Colours' each year which will stay current for two years... so in the new catalogue there will be 45 colours, the one after that 50. We've not had 'In Colours' in the past and I can't wait to get them, they are gorgeous!

Have a look for yourself...

Unfortunately this means that we need to make room by retiring some of the existing colours.
It will be sad, but I'm taking the opportunity to stock up on my favourite ones.

You still have 6 months until they go for good, but if you would like to start stocking up to avoid disappointment e-mail me at craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk or if you would like to host a party so you can earn some stash for free!

Any questions let me know!

And don't forget about my craft classes - details on the new classes page in the top right hand corner.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Friday Fun!

2010-04-02T09:00:00.000+01:00

Hi everyone, happy Friday!

I'm helping my mum move house today, that should be fun lol.

I want to share with you a little project that I put together for when I met up with Linda, my lovely downline.

It's a little packet, similar to the match book treat I made for Valentine's day.

We used one of the new stamp sets from the mini, it's called Fox & Friends and is sooo adorable!

I love it lots.

The sentiment is from the Crazy for Cupcakes stamp set.

If you would like to order any products from the mini or would like me to send you a copy please e-mail me: craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk and I'll get one out as soon as I get some more delivered.

I can't wait to share more projects using the new items available.

And don't forget about my Introduction to Stampin' Up! and the mini catalogue launch day. If you are in the Liverpool area, please see my Classes page (Top right) for more details.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Happy Birthday and the official release!

2010-04-01T09:00:00.001+01:00

I'm not going to do an April Fools joke, I'm rubbish at those... plus working nights I rarely up before 12noon and don't think my friends and family would appreciate a text at 2am in the morning !

One of the managers in our place always gets someone new each year when the clock strikes midnight, almost like a tradition. Not got me yet, hoping I don't fall for it, lol!

So today is Monica's Happy Birthday!

For Monica's card I cracked open my French Filigree background stamp and used it with our clear embossing powder.

I'm sooo sorry that this little set has gone! I will miss it loads, but definitely be keeping it in my stash, and I eagerly await next years Sale-A-Bration sets!

I used a circle punch to make a little flower around the outside of the 1 3/4" circle and used faux stitching to bring them all together.

I hope you like it Monica and have a lovely birthday xx

Today is also the release of our brand new mini catalogue, I can't wait to share the gorgeous products with you! If you would like a mini catalogue, e-mail me at craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk and I'll get one straight out when they come which should be next week.

I hope you don't fall for any April Fools jokes today!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Another birthday...

2010-03-28T14:30:00.001+01:00

... Happy Birthday Katy!

I made this card for my cousin, she a bit quirky and very trendy so thought this Ketto stamp was perfect.

I've used Bravo Burgundy which has some faux stitching added around the edge as well as Taken with Teal card stock that has a distressed edge which I achieved with the cutter kit.

I added some Whisper White satin ribbon in a little ruffle - you know how much I love my ribbon ruffles!!

That's all from me today, hope your week is panning out nicely!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Stamp with us...

2010-03-28T10:00:00.000+01:00

... a colour challenge!!

And here was out inspiration:

Gorgeous, love those colours!

And here's my take on it. I always thought pink and orange together was a big no no but as you can see from nature, they look fab together!

I'm really pleased with the results. I used a Level 3 hostess set called Queue Up which is so adorable and coloured in the image with my aqua painter and watercolour wonders.

Why not have a go yourself?
And don't forget to check out the other DT members cards here.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Hello from Egypt !

2010-03-26T09:34:00.002Z

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to give you all a quick update...

Was rushed off my feet on Monday, had my driving test at 10:30am and passed woohoo! Then was rushing round trying to pack, get hair done etc for this holiday and didn't get a chance to blog anything!

Well, I've managed to work these keyboards out and here I am, taking a break from the sun - it's so hot! Hope the weather back home is good ..?

I'll get a proper post up when I'm back but do have the SWU challenge scheduled for Sunday so check back.

Thanks for stopping by,

take care.

Chasing my tail...

2010-03-21T10:00:00.000Z

...metaphorically speaking of course!

I've got a big day ahead of me tomorrow, and I'm sooooo nervous. Hopefully I will be back Monday afternoon to share some (fingers crossed) good news, as well as going away - which I haven't packed for yet eeek! I'm working until 1am on Tuesday morning. Will manage about 4 hours sleep before I have to get up again. Ah well! I love being busy.

Anyhow, I wanted to share a quick card I made for a friend who loves her cocktails!

I coloured in my Bella image with the Aqua painter and Stampin' Up! markers.

The sentiment if from Fun & Fast notes and punched out using the word window punch.
The paper is Laura Ashley and that is Pretty in Pink Taffeta ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Fresh cuts

2010-03-18T14:51:00.002Z

What a lovely day today! I'm loving all this spring sunshine, and about time too!

Here's a card I made for Stu's mum.

I used the Fresh Cut notes and Fresh cut stamp set.

I ran it through my big shot with the swiss dots folder and added some prima flowers to the centre.

It's a simple little card, and I love the grosgrain ribbon.

Hope you like it!

Stu taking me on holiday next Tuesday, we're going to Egypt and I can't wait!
I'll have some little projects scheduled to show you while I'm away, and if we can find Internet access I'll be updating you with some piccies!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Happy St Patricks day!

2010-03-16T23:39:00.002Z

Happy Paddy's day everyone!

I want to share a funny little card I made for my nan who's originally from Ireland (and still has the accent.)

Every year I send a little cheeky card and she loves them, very stereotypical though!

The little fella on this card is made completely from punches and I just added some ribbon to his hat and googly eyes.

The 4 leaf clover is made with 4 of the little hearts from the heart to heart punch and circles punched out for the gold coins.

I always love hearing of how my nan and granddad got together, they met during the war and became pen pals. They dated and my nan moved here, to Liverpool where she had my two aunties and my dad.

I think it's so lovely that they fell in love through their letters.

Sadly my granddad died before I was born but my nan's still going strong at 93 !

And before I go, has anyone noticed the little addition to the side of my blog up at the top? --->

Yes! I'm organising some classes, so if your in the Liverpool area have a nosey and see if there's one (or all) that you'd like to attend and don't hesitate to get in touch. There gonna be so much fun, I can't wait!

craftychick001@yahoo.co.uk or 07792457463

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Happy Mother's day !

2010-03-14T10:00:00.000Z

Happy Mother's day to all you mum's out there.

And of course, to my mum too. Hope you have a lovely day.

The card I made was using A Rose is a Rose stamp set which I adore and keep going back to it.
It's a 2 step stampin' set which means you get that beautiful detail on the image.

I've used So Saffron for the card base, Rose Red and Regal Rose for the flowers and Old Olive with Always Artichoke for the leaves. I've also used some Taffeta ribbon to finish it off.

I hope you like it.

I've also used this stamp set for a swap I've taken part in on ILWS and will share those with you when they arrive.

Hope your all enjoying you weekend!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.]
x

Hello Kitty!

2010-03-13T11:30:00.001Z

It's not often that I'll get a chance to play with my 'other stash' (that being non-SU!) and to be honest I don't see much point, as they have almost everything you could need!

But I dug out my Hello Kitty die and some old ribbon I had and made a birthday card for a friend in work. (Happy Birthday Alex!!) Now, her birthday isn't until tomorrow but I have something else to share with you with it being Mother's day.

I love how simple the card is, and the embossing just adds a little more detail without over doing it.

It's nice to have a change sometimes, but nothing beats cracking open some Stampin' Pads and getting inky !!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Happy Birthday Sammi !!

2010-03-12T12:00:00.001Z

My little sister turns 19 today - Happy Birthday Sam.

I thought I'd make this card a little different - no stamping - eekk!

I love the combo of Tempting Turquoise and Pixie Pink.

And that gorgeous Pretty in Pink taffeta ribbon.... yum.

Hope you have a lovely day and relax loads coz soon you won't have the chance to!!!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

2010-03-08T10:33:00.002Z

Hi everyone, hope your start to the week is going well.

It's lovely and bright here, very spring-y!

I love mornings like this, and it's been made even better by the delivery of my New Full Heart Punch!! And tomorrow I've got some more goodies from my Mini pre-order due with a whole day off work - oh how I love being a demo!!

Will get some sneak peeks in place for you soon.

Today I want share a card that I made for my friends who recently got engaged.

I stamped the hearts from the Love you much set and matted them onto chocolate chip card then added some bling.

I love this Wide Striped Grosgrain ribbon, it's so luxurious.

I'm off to take Paddy on a long work before work this evening, hope your enjoying some sunshine wherever you are.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Another crafty night !

2010-03-05T14:15:00.002Z

Hi everyone,

Here's are the projects we made at Vicki's on Tuesday, sadly Keren couldn't make this one but there'll be plenty more time to catch up!

I'm hoping that our meetings will grow as our teams do, they're a lot of fun and I can't wait to share that with my team.

Vicki prepared two projects for me this week, and here's the first one.

It's so stunning, I love those colours.

And this one, using The flight of the butterfly stamp set and matching punch. I will be taking advantage of the Perfect pairs promotion this month and getting the punch at a discounted price!
If you'd like to take advantage don't hesitate to send me an e-mail, you can find more details here.

And my project, you all know how much I love playing with my ribbons! I saw a video tutorial SJ did over on Little Musings and had to give it a go with my Stampin' Up! supplies and I love how it turned out.

Sorry about the strange lighting on this one... don't know what happened there!

I've been playing and making all sorts of little blooms.

I frayed some edges, added giant brads and I think the Regal Rose double stitched one is my absolute fave. I must get a brooch pin and use it with my scarves!

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

What a pair!

2010-03-01T15:15:00.002Z

Just a quick reminder that the Perfect Pairs promotion starts today!

Have you been wanting a certain stamp set and the matching punch to go with it?

Click the leaflet above to see if your must have set is there.

Buy them both during March and get 20% off the price of the punch! Usually £12.50 but this month it will be £10.

And we have a brand new punch, the Full Heart Punch which can be bought for just £10 when ordering the co ordinating stamp set too

If you already have the stamp sets and just want the new punch it is available to purchase separately for £12.50 but only until the end of March or while stocks last.

Once the stock has done, The Full Heart punch will not be available again until the 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalogue.

I've already placed my order, e-mail me today if you can't wait that long!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Oh my..

2010-03-01T14:43:00.005Z

Oops! I forgot to blog these beauties with you (had them all uploaded and everything!)

Sorry! But better late than never, and I'm sure you'll find inspiration in them.

They are the cards I received from the ILWS Love/Valentine's swap.

As I shared with you here's mine:

Siobhan's.

Debbi's.

Jo's.

Cate's.

Sandra's.

Deborah's

And Lorraine's.

Thank you ladies, I love them and they have given me some ideas for anniversary cards this year.

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Stamp with Us sketch

2010-02-28T12:00:00.004Z

Hi Everyone, hope your weekend is going nicely.

Here's todays sketch from Stamp With Us.

And here's my take on it, I love this paper. It's the Bella Bleu DSP, so elegant :)

And I'm so sad this is little stamp set will no longer be available as of tomorrow. Sale-a-bration has really be great this year :)

Hope you like, why not give it a go?

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Last chance!!

2010-02-26T16:29:00.003Z

I want to remind everyone that Sale-a-bration is coming to an end and those fabulous stamp sets will never be available again after the end of the month.

I would hate for you to miss out on the fabulous sets on offer so contact me if you'd like to place an order.

Please ensure all orders and money arrangements are given before Saturday the 27th of February to avoid disappointment.

Don't miss out!

Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x