Stampin' Up! Saleabration Ends Today

It's ended today so here is a card to inspire you with your new free stamps.  Check back in April to see the new Stampin' Up! offer. 

This card features the very popular Fresh Vintage stamp set mixed with a sentiment from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set for the Happy Birthday and 'Hello' is from the hostess set Swirls and Curls Verses which is available as a hostess gift until the end of the Spring Mini from Stampin Up ending on 30 April.  Email me your choice of dates for a party if you can't live without this cute sentiment set.

Of course the Spice Cake Suite which includes the yummy designer series papers spice cake also go at the end of April.  You can see how even scraps of paper can add some 'spice' to your cards above, along with ends of rolls of lace and seam binding fastened with a glimmer brad.  The choice is endless and your biggest problem is choosing what and which colour to buy first. 

The final touch is a little bit of spritzing with the Stampin' Up! Colour Spritzer and a couple of marker pens.  Suddenly Sahara Sand cardstock is much more attractive than you ever thought it could be. 

More soon. Zx

Stampin Up Swirls and Pearls for Christmas Club Challenge

It's been a while since I posted as it took some time to come to terms with the loss of our lovely dog Meg.  I am so grateful to you all for the kind thoughtful comments, cards, emails and calls received during our time of sadness. 

Life has got easier in many ways, but last week I developed a neck problem which after several days of trying different painkillers resulted in my attendance at 4am Sunday morning at the out of hours doctors which was a 50 mile round trip to receive even stronger painkillers.  I am now able to sleep, hold a conversation and today have had a visit from my friend Julie who kindly waxes my legs, but is commonly known as the 'fuff' lady in our house thanks to sweet Charlie after he saw her do the wax once!!!! I have to say I don't recommend pain killers, but it was the most pain free de-fuzz I think I have ever experienced!

I am also now able to do a bit at the computer so can share with you my Christmas Card Club post which I had been organised with before I made the card.  Please do visit the other club members who I'm sure will have some gorgeous cards to share with you.  Posting will be limited as I've been told not to compute too much so this is it for now.  Enjoy. Zx

It's Hazel's turn to set the Christmas Card Challenge and she's given us a theme to follow of Swirls and Pearls.  Here's my entry using Stampin' Up! 's Baroque Motives swirly stamp, bauble type drops from the Stampin Up Spring Mini set My Friend which I've added pearls to and what better way to add a sentiment for this theme than Curly Cute!

The gorgeous specialty Christmas papers Holly Berry Bouquet are just perfect for adding a fun backdrop and matting layers to my my swirls and pearls and mixed with garden green and real red cardstock it gives a great effect.

Finally I've added a luxurious bow made from the velvet vanilla ribbon also from the Spring Mini, a red and green button and one final pearl. 

Incidentally if you like the My friend stamp set then don't forget that the Stampin' Up! Spring Mini ends on 30 April and items in it will no longer be available until October at the earliest if at all.  Also remember that you could choose this or any other stamp set as a bonus to your Starter Kit if you join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator by 30 March 2012.  If you'd like to know more please visit my page Stampin' Up! Demonstrator - you can do it too or contact me asap for more information.

My special friend

It's never easy to say goodbye especially to the most loyal friend you could ever have.  We said goodbye to Meg last night.  We'll love her forever and miss her even more. 

Stampin' Up! Winter Post for Christmas Card Club

I joined the Christmas Card Club for a fortnightly challenge and to get better organised with making my Christmas cards.  I never dreamt it would challenge me quite so hard!  The first week was a card using more than 2 folds.  You can see my card here.  I thought that was a tough one to start on, but Sally has set the challenge of winter sports this time and as I'm committed to using Stampin' Up! products I found I didn't have a single winter sport set, so thanks to my fellow demonstrator Bekka I had some stamped skaters to play with.  Here's my first card which I wasn't really happy with, but my daughter ooh'd and ahh'd so I've decided to share it with you. 

The early espresso background has clear embossed snowflakes from the Serene Snowflakes set and the sentiment is from Pines and Poinsettias.  Brushed gold and real red cardstock frame the image having been cut out using the Big Shot and the Petal Cone die.  Real red striped grosgrain and victoria lace ribbon are gorgeous accessories.

My second version is more pleasing to me.  It features the lush, luxurious Stampin' Up! Mocha Morning Designer Series Papers, along with glimmer brads, gold glitter adhered with heat and stick powder and versamark ink and also the very versatile oblong frame from the Designer Frames embossing folder.  A sentiment from new Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set and the finishing touch is vanilla velvet ribbon from the Stampin Up spring Mini 2012.  Also featured is the eyelet border punch which I used to trim the bottom edge of the card and then reinstated it with chocolate chip cardstock.

Don't forget to look around the other blogs in Christmas Card Club to draw lots of great inspiration.  You can find their blogs in my sidebar.

Happy Stampin'
Zoë x

Supplies
Stamps - Winter Post, Serene Snowflakes, Pines and Poinsettias, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock - brushed gold, crumb cake, real red, early espresso, chocolate chip, very vanilla, Mocha Morning Specialty Papers
Inks - versamark, real red, chocolate chip, early espresso

Tools - Big Shot, designer frames embossing folders, 11/4" circle punch, 23/8" scallop circle punch, modern label punch, paper piercer and matt pack, heat gun
accessories - velvet designer ribbon, victoria lace ribbon, real red grosgrain ribbon, glimmer brads, fine galaxy glitter, clear embossing powder

Challenges
Love to create - monochromatic
Sweet Stamps - monochromatic
Craftyhazelnut's Christmas Challenge - Glam it up with glitter

Stampin' Up! Charming Stamp Set

Things are not going well today.  My mojo has got up and gone and may be distant for a while.  Our beloved dog, Meg is declining fast and furious and it's taking it's toll.  As a consequence I'm struggling to concentrate on cardmaking or much else really.  Thankfully the challenge at Less is More this week is a one layer card with the proviso that you use script in some shape or form.  The Stampin' Up! set Charming is perfect in everyway for this challenge and has turned out ok using the latest Stampin' Up! In Colours of Wisteria Wonder, Pool Party, Indigo Island, Calypso Coral and Lucky Limeade.  Aren't they fabulous names for colours.  Many of my customers are in the queue to be the next Stampin' Up! colour namer!!! I think the queue is long for such a fun post.                                                

I hope you are having a more fruitful day.  Zx

Supplies
Whisper White Notecards
Inks - In Colous 2011-2013
Stamp set - Charming

Challenges
Less is More - Single Layer

Stampin' Up! Spring Mini - so lovely

What more could you want to adorn a card, gift box or cloth bag than one of these beautiful Blossom Party Die flowers.  Yes it's a Stampin' Up! exclusive die and can be used on over 50 different types of material including fabric hence the reference to decorating cloth bags or making fabric flower brooches.

The die is available from Stampin' Up! and in is the current Spring Mini Catalogue.  By it now before the end of March along with a couple of other trinkets and you'll get yourself a free stamp set or pack of very yummy everyday enchantment designer series paper.   The die is very reasonably priced at £16.50 and will bring you hours of die cutting fun.  I've teamed it up with the Stampin' Around standard wheel Musical Notes and a fitting sentiment from Thank You Kindly.   A little bit of smudging with a sponge dauder, curling with my paper piercer handle ,  pearls and you're there! What could be simpler. 

There's also this version of the same card which I intended for One Layer Wednesday Challenge, but I only realised today that the W in OLW stood for Wednesday so I'm to late to offer my cream base, black ink with a bit of bling card, but I'd still like to share it with you.  Ornate Flowers provides surprisingly the flower, the sentiment is the same and having stamped the image I masked it with paper and then used the Stampin' Around wheel.  This time rhinestones added dimension to the centre of my flower and covered the challenge requirement of 'bling'. 

You can see other cards using the Stampin Around Musical Notes Wheel.

Hope you are not having such a scatty day as me!

Zoë x

Supplies

Cardstock - poppy parade, naturals ivory

Ink - basic black, poppy parade

stamps - ornate flowers, stampin around wheel musical notes, thank you kindly

accessories - pearls, rhinestones

Snow delays work on Stampin Craft Room - Chapter 4

The snow hung around for a few days, but some jobs were fitted in although I'm glad it was the builders and not me hanging doors..........brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!

You can read Stampin Craft Room chapter 3 and see more snowy pics.
Zoë x

Stampin' Up! Sale-a-bration bonus time!

Did you know that if you order the following from me

Stampin' Up! Products

Getting Started Ink Spots

Getting Started Cardstock

Tombow Multipurpose Adhesive

Stampin' Dimensionals

1/4inch grosgrain ribbon

rhinestones

envelopes

You have all the ingregients for this card except for the stamp set which comes to you FREE of charge. 

How good is that.........!

You can add items to the shopping list for example 

•  a punch or two
• a paper trimmer or scissors to make a snip of cutting card to size
• dazzling diamonds glitter to add sparkle
• snail adhesive for mess free glueing
• pearls to accompany your rhinestones

When you reach £90 you can have another FREE gift and could then make the card below.   What more could you want!!

Well you might want more free items in which case you need to consider hosting a workshop.  To find out more about this click    Stampin' Up! party.

IF you NEED, WANT more than this and an additional bonus during Sale-a-bration you need to test drive the Starter Kit which contains a minimum of £182.40 worth of stampin kit, plus a business pack and currently you can choose an additional stamp set of any value as a thank you for joining.  The cost to you is only £119.  You might want a little more information about joining so click here on Stampin' Up! uk  demonstrator - you can do it too or at the top of the page.

Have a great day!

Zoë x

Supplies

Getting Started inkspots

Getting Started cardstock

Stamp Sets - sprinkled expressions, outlined occasions

accessories - satin ribbon, pearls, rhinestones, stampin dimensionals, tombow, boho blossoms punch, owl builder punch, sticky sheets, dazzling diamonds

Stampin' Up! 's most wonderful time of the year!

Please scroll down for new posts as this will remain at the top of my blog for some time!

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FREE GIFTS

So it's here again, yes the most wonderful time of the year......... No not Christmas that's the other time and it's not always the most wonderful for everyone, but Sale-a-bration is wonderful for everyone because everyone can be a winner.  There are 3 ways to benefit from this annual promotion.

CLICK THE IMAGE TO SEE THE FREE GIFTS

During this wonderful time of the year you can do exactly what the sign says..... spend £45 and earn a free gift.

CLICK THE IMAGE TO FIND OUT ABOUT PARTY FUN!

Alternatively host a party and encourage all your friends to come and join the wonderful time of the year.  Not only do they get the free gifts for their purchases, but you can earn bonuses above and beyond those normally received by hostesses.  It's also a fun time spent with friends and of course me!

The final option of 3 is for the me the best one!

CLICK ABOVE TO EARN MONEY DOING YOUR HOBBY AND MORE FREE GIFTS

You can join the Stampin' Up! family and benefit from discounted products, first view and use of new products, friendship, fun and did I mention that you too get more than usual for joining my team during February or March 2012 during the Sale-a-bration most wonderful time of the year.

For more details of any of the above please do contact me.  I'm happy to chat about each wonderful option and help you choose whether

• You want a taste of it all
•  You want more than a taste or
• You most definitely want it all.............

Only you can decide and that's a tough decision, but I'm here to help you make the best choice for you.  You can email me martin.tant@homecall.co.uk or call 01507 525885.

Let me know if you'd like a complimentary Spring Mini catalogue or Sale-a-bration brochure.

Stampin Craft Room continued to evolve! - Chapter 3

Further to my previous post about my new Stampin Craft Room.  you can see that the building started to grow and come together very quickly.  All was going extremely well and we were so lucky with the weather before Christmas.  However snow then came and temperatures plummeted stopping the plasterer in his tracks as the water in his plaster crystallised.  So it all stopped, but when the snow came it still looked good and was very exciting.

And we had fun!

Chapter 4 coming soon!  Be patient especially you Victoria!!!!
Hugs Zx

Less is More challenge

Stampin Up Creative Elements with large scallop circle punch

I've just had time before I head off to my cornet lesson to join in with the Less is More challenge this week.  The lovely ladies over there have a colour theme this week and you need to use neutrals.  I've used a template that my friendly team mate Ginny gave to me for my base card and created an aperture using Stampin Up large scallop circle punch.  I also made a mask to stamp inside the card using the Creative Elements stamp set like I did on this post in my blog.  To colour the flowers you can use Stampin Up Marvellous Markers to bring in different neutral shades and the butterfly features the rock and roll technique which I can share with you at your workshop if you choose.  The sentiment is also Stampin Up - Sincere Salutations. 

Have yourself a great weekend.
Hugs Zoë x

Less is more challenge - neutrals CAS card

My new Stampin Craft Room - Chapter 2

You may recall my post about my new craft room back last year when I promised I would update you on its progress.  I've been remiss and several folk have asked for an update and so to keep you all in the picture here are some of the following stages.  We're almost there so I'll update you over the next few days.

Once the foundations were dug a special raft had to be created due to the removal of the pine tree and also because of other trees near by.  This was made of a steel frame and then submerged in concrete. 

This was then smoothed and has become the garage floor.

Once this has gone 'off' building began in earnest and it quickly rose to this.

Check back soon for the next installment!