At Sea on the Stampin' Up! Cruise

Ship's Log  Monday 23 May 2016

Today we are at sea on our way to the port of Naples.  It's time to hand in our swaps and then after a conference style welcome from the Stampin' Up! team, we'll be able to collect a bag of swaps various from demonstrators around the Stampin' Up! world.  We've had to make 26 and will get 25 in return. One is kept by Stampin' Up! for display boards at future events.  I'm so looking forward to seeing the different swaps and getting lots of ideas and inspiration from so many others.  I'm hoping there will be lots of ideas for me to share from the new catalogue. Different countries had different stamp sets given out at a big onstage event a few weeks ago so with luck there will be  a mass of creativity and mojo building for the months ahead.

My swap features a new in colour Sweet Sugarplum ink and card stock. It's always the same when you see the colours printed on a flyer you are never sure, but as soon as you start to 'play' with them they really get under your skin and I think this and Dapper Denim will become favourites.  I used Dapper Denim on my incentive trip blog hop card.

By now you have realised I really like Timeless Textures stamp set and I used it to create the back drop for my pretty flower.  I added some splatters in plum, but also used my gold wink of stella pen to add some shimmery splatters.  I just used the nib of the pen and coloured the stamp, quickly stamped and then made sure to clean it with a wipe between each card to make sure it didn't dry on the stamp.

The sentiment is from Endless Birthday Wishes which as a photopolymer set is easy to stamp each word separately but where you want it creating your own combo of words, not that this combo is very original tee hee!

Tonight we're having dinner in the Le Bistro, the french restaurant on board, it too has a non original name, but I believe from reviews that the food is delicious.

Back internet permitting with details of Naples soon.

Zx

Moving along with the times - Words only

Stampin' Up!'s new set Enjoy the Little Things is perfect for using with the project kit of the same name, but today I've used one of the stamps to make my card for the Moving Along with the Times challenge set by my lovely blogland friend Christine.  In addition to Enjoy the Little Things, you'll see touches of Work of Art and Timeless Textures stamp sets, both Stampin' Up! and embellishments of Everyday Chic washi tape, silver thread and It's my Party enamel dots.  I also used the medium star  and confetti stars punches.  

Inside the card you can continue your stamping using Endless Birthday Wishes stamp set to add more  'words' and a smidge of decoration.  You could use any colour way for a card like this to suit the recipient, but I used Mint Macaron, Pool Party, Smoky Slate and archival basic black.

Do join in our challenge at MAWTT and go check out the other design team cards for more inspiration.

Coincidentally the confetti star border punch that I used for the mini stars is on special until next Tuesday.  You can order it online in my Stampin' Up! Shop.  Please use the link in the sidebar.

Happy Birthday to my fabulous hubby

Stampin' Up! UK The Wilderness Awaits, Lovely as a Tree, Wetlands

It's happy half century day to my husband today.  We've celebrated at home with presents and gifts and now he's having fun sorting out the fish tank! Excitement has nothing on this household.

We've also had afternoon tea with chocolate chip Victoria sponge made by Charlie and some quality family time.

I made him a card without the big '50' on it, but I have to confess I partially cased the idea from a super start made by the customer of one of my team. You can see her card here on lovely Mandy's blog.  I did add the tree she threatened,  Wetlands grasses  and some extra trim with a birthday sentiment from Endless Birthday Wishes.

I used some of the retired laser cut embellies which came as two pieces, but they fit together like a glove and I coloured the rim with early espresso marker pen and then married them together again.

We have a crazy border collie, but this rather fine dog is from Stampin' Up! set The Wilderness Awaits.  It is great for masculine cards and you can revisit one I made using the fox in the set on my earlier Stampin' post.

Off now to finish the rest of the day.  Best wishes to all for a great week ahead.

Zx
Challenges
Sweet Stampin' Challenge - create a scene

You can purchase many of the products used for this card now in my Stampin' Up! UK Online Shop right now and remember if you add the stampin' rewards code in the top right of my sidebar and spend £25 or more up to £150 (excl.  P&P) you will be sent a gift in early September by me after I have closed the code and ordered some rewards for everyone who has a qualifying shop on this code.

Stampin' Up! UK Autumn/Winter Catalogue Sneak Peek!

You can be forgiven for thinking how could this pretty whisper white, blushing bride and dazzling diamonds card be anything remotely to do with a Winter catalogue sneak peek!  However it is a sneak of a stamp set called Your Presents and it is perfect for anyone who wishes 'it could be Christmas every day' because it is packed full of presents and not only can you stamp them for Christmas cards and tags, but also for birthdays and more!  I've cased this from a card that was shown recently at the US Stampin' Up! convention in Salt Lake City, Utah, but have changed the colours and sentiment and it makes a very quick make for a lovely birthday card.  I love the vellum back drop with just a touch of my favourite bling and the staples are a modern adhesive that is mess free!

Launch party for everyone local to me is on 27 August please message me for details and for those further afield let me know if you'd like a copy of what quite simply the Most Amazing Stampin' Up! Seasonal catalogue I have ever seen.  #willieverhaveanymoney  !!!

Cheers Zx

Happy Birthday Mum!

 Stampin' Up! Sheltering Tree joins forces with Awesomely Artistic!

For those of you who have followed my blog for sometime, you'll be familiar with my mentions of Pollyanna, a lovely story and wonderful film about a young girl.  In the film she talks of finding something everyday to be glad about.  Well I'm glad for several reasons today not least as it's my wonderful Mum's birthday.  Happy Birthday Mum!

Stampin' Up! Sheltering Tree & Awesomely Artistic for a special birthday card

 I'm also glad as I've brought back to life a stamp set that a friend was ready to throw away.  She managed to lose half of her Stampin' Up! UK Sheltering Tree set and decided that without the blossom part and swing etc it was useless, but me being the Magpie that I am rescued it from her to show that it was still useful.  I used it first on my last post with a wintery scene for a Christmas card which was easy with a bare tree, but today I've matched it with another stamp set, Awesomely Artistic, to give the bare tree life with leaves! 

A touch of vellum under my sentiment banner from Endless Birthday Wishes continues the theme of delicate and soft and the grass and flower heads were in this part of Sheltering Tree.  A ruler and marvellous marker allows you to add faux stitching in shades of pink pirouette and rose red and lots of tiny pearls for those that my Mum has freely given in the form of wisdom throughout my life. 

You can add butterflies, but I'm sorry these were made with the ever so popular Beautiful Wings Embosslit that Stampin' Up! did, but has sadly now retired.  

Mine and my daughter's pearls of wisdom are now passing back to my Mum as we teach her to use the internet and so this post has had to wait until today as she does now peek at Stamping Scene! 

Hope you have a wonderful day Mum!

Hugs

Zx