Tuesday, 29 September 2009

The countdown begins, well sort of...

… and a bit of a moan!

Hi everyone, hope this post finds you well.

Now, the 1st of October is nearly upon us ( eekk! Someone mentioned on facebook it was 12 weeks and 3 days until Christmas! *shudder*) and we all know what the 1st of October brings – the new Stampin’ Up! 2009 – 2010 idea book and catalogue. How very exciting!

So, in my last post I said I’d be revealing the full image of the sneak peeks as a countdown – now if there was ever a good time for your Internet connection to go down now is not it… apologises, I’m actually hogging Stu’s bandwidth to get these to you! Soo, I’ve decided to just show all of them at once as to not keep you in suspense any longer and also to save my hair… I hope you like them! I just adore the Good Friend stamp set and wait until you see the new ribbon and chipboard shapes *swoooon*


The following three cards use a level 3 hostess set called 'Queue up'




These two use a level 2 hostess set called 'Whimsical Wings'




This is a set called 'Good Friend' available to purchase.



If you want to order any sets, don't hesitate to contact me and we can also see if we can get you any hostess benefits (free stuff!!)

I’m also busy making 100+ swaps for the SU! convention in Germany early November, so of course will be sharing photos of those too as I go along – needless to say, Internet connection permitting – but I wont start on that as I may never stop!

And before I pop off to bed, a quick reminder about the catalogue offer, contact me before the 30th of October to take advantage of the early bird price of £3.00 including postage. (**Please note: this is an offer run by me and not stampin’ up!**)

Thanks for stopping by,

Take care.

x


Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Sneak peeks…

...and workshop prep.


Sorry I haven’t been blogging a lot lately I really don’t know where the time goes, it seems to run away as soon as I get close...


However, I have got some sneak peeks for you made with a selection of stamp sets from the new 2009-2010 idea book and catalogue. How exciting!!!


I am sooo excited about it, many new stamp sets, ribbons, punches and more!!

In the coming weeks I will release the full picture of the samples below and also a few sneaky hints about what you can expect…




It will be released on the 1st of October, so if you would like to pre-order your idea book & catalogue with me, which will be shipped out for you once its available, please e-mail me and I will send it straight out once I get them. And just for you, my fabulous blog readers, you can get it for just £3.00 including postage - that’s a saving of £1.95 from the normal price, every little helps! (Haha, how cheesy of me!) Lol.

So, with a new catalogue brings new opportunity for more creativity. I’m currently putting together new projects for up coming workshops, and if you’d like to book your own workshop in the Liverpool or surrounding areas then do not hesitate to contact me – or even if you’d like some more information I’d be more than happy to talk it through with you.


I hope you’ve enjoyed the sneak peeks this week and I’m sure my fellow Stampin’ Up! fans will wait with bated breath for the1st of October. The count down begins!!


Thanks for stopping by,

Take care

Nicci x




Tuesday, 1 September 2009

Last chance...

... to buy these lovelies and news on our new catalogue!


As a Stampin' Up! demo we have the privilege of having a sneak peek at the new 2009-2010 catalogue and I love love love it!

It's so exciting I can't wait to share some samples with you!
And with the release date being the 1st of October there's not long to wait!!

Unfortunately, when we get a new catalogue we need to say goodbye to a few old favourites. However, there is a fantastic opportunity to buy these last chance items - some of which have been reduced by 25% and some up to 50% !!

Now that's a great deal !!!

So, if you've had your eye on any products and haven't gone for them yet click the picture below and see if your fave products have been discounted.
Products include stamp sets and accessories and I heart the fairy tale and theatre ribbons!! (Page 94)

Remember though that once they are gone they are gone, so don't delay and get in touch today - I'd really hate to think that you missed out.



Thanks for stopping by,
Take care.
x

Saturday, 22 August 2009

A good night...

... and the pictures to prove it!

So I promised to share some photos with you from my birthday night out and here they are (in time order lol, just look at that last picture... hehe!)

We had a great time, fab friends make fab company and the food was delicious!





And in other birthday news it was recently my upline's birthday. She's such a great friend so she needed an extra special card sending.




I used puffy stuff with some ink to colourise the frosting and used a spotlighting technique. I will upload a tutorial on that soon. (Ooo, get me!)

Besides from that, I said I've photograph some more pictures using the masking technique from the last tutorial and here it is! It's for my friend Danielle's birthday which is coming up soon. It's using a stamping bella image which I love!



Sorry its not a long one today but I will be back with that promised tutorial!


Thanks for stopping by,
take care.
x

Saturday, 8 August 2009

Masking and stamping = ...

... another tutorial!!

Thought I'd share a little technique I accidentally came up with (although I'm sure someone else actually intended to and did a better job than me!!) but it kept me amused for a hour or so and most importantly its easy peasy!!

So here goes:

Using some whisper white card stock and a large scallop circle die, I ran it through my big shot.


Using a circle cutter, I cut a circle to form the 'mask' from some copier paper.


I adjusted mine to just under 9cm but you can measure it against the scallop circle to get a size that fits in nicely. (Which means you can do loads of sizes!)



Then I put it on top of the scallop circle an held it up to the light so I could position the 'mask' in the centre of the scallop. I then used some low tack tape to temporarily hold it in place.



I found some designer paper that I wanted to use on my final card and collected some inks that co-ordinated with it.
I used Stampin' Up!'s Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Cameo Coral and Bashful Blue.

(I apologise for the colours looking drained in the pictures, for some reason I couldn't get the camera to pick them up, hmm?)


I then chose a large image that would roughly fit into the scallop circle and inked with Old Olive.


With the 'mask' held in place with tape, I stamped directly on top of it trying to aim it so the majority of the image would be inside the circle.


I then carefully removed the 'mask' to reveal the stamped image.


Using the Cameo Coral on a sponge dauber, I positioned the circle which was cut away from the centre of the 'mask' and placed this over the stamped image.


It's pretty easy to position with the image already in the centre, you just need to cover this up.
I then colour tinted the scallop edges.


Using my acrylic block as a palette, I picked up the ink with my water brush and applied to the image.



To finish off my scallop circle, I tinted the edge of it with Old Olive.


When I had covered my base card with the designer card stock and some co-ordinating plain card I then positioned my scallop circle to one side of the card, cutting off two sections that would over hang.


I applied (quite a few - lol) dimensionals to the back of the scallop circle.


I then adhered it to my card base and added some ribbon.


I stamped a sentiment and punched out, then tinted the card with Cameo Coral and edges with Old Olive.


(The sentiment used is from a Stampin' Up! set called Fun and Fast Notes. I used some tape to cover the bottom of the image and inked up the wording, then peeled off the tape and stamped onto whisper white leaving just the sentiment - and in the words of Aleksandr Orlov famed for his appearance in the Meerkat adverts - Simples!! Hehe I Love that advert!!)



And finish off by adhering the sentiment!





I love this technique so much already, here's another card I made using the same technique with a different colour scheme.

On this one I didn't use the negative from the mask and opted to sponge the colour freehand for a different look.


On this card I used some jewels and added clear accents to the image.




You can do this with some many different stamps and I think it adds a bit more interest to some stamps you may have used to death!!

I'll photograph a card I made with another image and upload during the week.

I'd love to see your creations if you decide to give it a go!! Leave a comment with a link to your blog and we can check it out :o)

Thanks for stopping by,
take care
x



Saturday, 25 July 2009

The sun has got his hat on...

...hip hip hip hooorayy!!!!!!!!

Hi all,
I'm typing this weeks post from a sun lounger in Stu's back garden!
- Bliss -
Picture a smoking BBQ in the background with the sound of Now 73 and the birds! {I wont mention the rather loud neighbour who has decided to knock down an inside wall of his house with the loudest drill known to man..!!!} Now where is my cocktail...

So this week it feels as if I've done absolutely nothing except sleep and work, which is about right lol. I've actually managed to make 5 card projects along with organising my birthday night out - why couldn't Stu do that I hear you ask? Because he's a man!!

I'm sorry I've not had a chance to photograph the projects but I've got a little treat that will make you laugh your socks off as it did me when I seen it!!

Feast your eyes on Nicart!!!



It's basically Stu in a wig lmao!

The only problem with this site is you spend hours morphing everyone you have a picture of and at the end of it you feel you really could have been doing something else!

Right then, my veggie burgers are nice and ready so I'll be off!

Next week I'll share Birthday pictures - yay! -

Thanks for stopping by,
take care
x

Friday, 10 July 2009

The big bang...

... and tantrums!

Well, I'm so sorry I haven't blogged for a while, I've been cursed with such bad luck its unbelievable!!

Firstly it started when my laptop cable very kindly hissed and blew up on my leg (!!!) leaving me without a power supply to my life line not to mention a sore leg, it could only happen to me - seriously a couple of years ago my ghd straighteners blew up right next to my face. I'm jinxed!!

Anyway, Stu very kindly ordered me a new cable but I was still without power for a week and with my battery being dead I couldn't do a thing! When it finally arrived would you believe it... the Internet connection in the house couldn't connect - something to do with the micro filter?? - so I had a mini tantrum and was huffing and puffing for a good few days ! Haha, I really shouldn't be surprised, it's just my luck.

So, I'm in the middle of putting together a few tutorials which I hope I'll get a chance to finish soon and will upload.

While I was without the web I decided to bring my Christmas stash out of hibernation (I know, I know but I'm always rushing around at the last minute!!)

I have lots of gorgeous stamps from SU! and some fab forever friends ones from last year but my all time favourite stamp that comes out year after year is my Snow Bunny Bella. I love it soooo much! I've been playing with it loads and will share more cards with you soon.





I can't really grumble about the past couple of weeks, I won 2 sets of Molton Brown gift sets in work and have been pampering myself within an inch of my life :o)

I will upload a few more card samples I've been working one within the week (Internet connection permitting lol)

Thanks for stopping by,
Take care
x