Very Versailles - easy to miss but never forgotten once seen

My card club ladies loved this card and the one we made this week.  They all admitted they hadn't spotted the Very Versailles set in the Stampin' Up! catalogue (page 113 if you've missed it too!).  However once they got to play with it they absolutely loved it and many have made the decision not to miss it again by popping it on their wishlist or in their shopping bag.  

I used a very vanilla notelet to collage stamp on with Blackberry Bliss, Mossy Meadow and Crumb Cake.  Layered over the top of my stamping I added a small piece of the leaf design paper from the Pressed Petals Specialty Paper with lace trim adhered to the reverse side and peeking out.  Before adding this I stamped 3rd generation script onto the paper and added some sponged Blackberry Bliss to the edges to make the dsp pop from the vanilla back ground.   I also added a sentiment using half the Timeless Label punch. 

On top of the patterned paper (DSP) I added a flower using 5 petals from the roll of Pressed Petals washi tape which i stuck to a punched circle and also added a recoloured Bumble Bee bottom aka Perennial Essence Floral centres.  I used an alcohol marker, Stampin' Blend, in Cajun Craze to recolour it.  

It is when all said and done a #simplestamping card with a couple of embellishment additions, but no huge skill is involved to create a pretty vintage card with a natural theme. 

All these gorgeous bits and pieces are available in my Stampin' Up! shop.  Where at the moment you can earn a bonus for shopping. Every £45 spent in a single order Stampin' Up! will reward you with a coupon code worth £4.50 off your next order in August.  T's & C's apply but the details are in the shop.  

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Happy crafting and have a great weekend. 

Hugs Zoe x

Join Stampin' Up! in July or August as a discount shopper for extra benefits 

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Floral Essence for a Botanical Brights design

Stampin' Up! has changed this years new catalogue to showcase products more clearly and allow you to see lots of inspirational pictures along with much clearer embellishment and tool pictures.  One that caught my eye very early is the Floral Essence stamp set.

I chose to use bold brights to create a botanical explosion of colour and florals and Floral Essence was the perfect choice.

I started with glossy paper/photo paper and dropped ink spots from a re-inker bottle across the paper. I then spritzed it with water in a Stampin' Spritzer.  The colour ran and and was spread out.  I then added another colour and did the same process allowing them to blend. In all I added 3 colours of Melon Mambo, Poppy Parade and Gorgeous Grape.  I took off some of the excess water lightly with a paper towel and also gently used my heat tool to dry the design.  I then added white heat embossed flowers.  Using the Stitched Rectangle dies I created a 'wonky' frame by adding the central rectangle at an angle.  I then stamped with Gorgeous Grape to extend the flowers outside the frame. I did this by eye and lucky placing and they are stamped onto the thick whisper white card base. I replaced the ink spot layer and added the frame on Stampin' dimensionals.

I stamped an additional flower on watercolour paper in versa mark before adding white embossing powder and colouring it using an aqua painter and ink from ink pad lids.

The greenery is created by stamping the leaf stamp from the stamp set and punching it out with the co-ordinating leaf punch and some sprigs with the Sprig punch using Granny Apple Green card and ink.  Some leaves were created by first stamping the stamp on a versa mark pad and then onto Granny Apple Green onto vellum and adding clear embossing powder before heating.

The simple sentiment is embossed in white onto black card. You can also see I added some splatter by putting the marker pen nib into it's lid partially and flicking it outwards.

It's a "here I am guys" kind of card, but fabulous for brightening your day and I'm proud to say it was published in Craft Stamper magazine last month.

I hope you like it too!

Thanks for stopping by and do visit my online shop to see this and many other fabulous stamp sets and more.

Happy crafting

Zoe x

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Christmas Card Club - Christmas Lights

 When you are late to the party the last thing you need is to have coloured your red door only to drop the inside of your pen onto your project to get a beautiful splatter effect, but just not wanted on this occasion.................!!!!!!  It is fair to say that expletives that my Mother would chastise me for even now did exit my mouth.  I'm sorry Mum.  However once again in crafting there is a remedy to every problem, in this case not the proverbial butterfly, but a die that cuts out the door.

Our theme was chosen by Margaret who is our chief organiser. She has made a fabulous card which really says Christmas lights, do go and visit here.

Already it is Christmas card club again and we're sharing cards with Christmas lights of any kind. At first I was thinking I may have to opt for the 'anything goes' alternative option, but then thought what better lights are those that welcome folk to your home in the festive season, not only the lamps outside but the warm glow through the windows and any glass in your front door.  I've made it a festive door by adding a beautiful holly garland and door wreath.  It's a simple card with a clear message. All images were stamped with Tuxedo Black Memento ink and then I've coloured them all in with my Stampin' Blends.  Also all images are from the Stampin' Up! set At Home with You which compliments my thoughts of warm lights at home and a warm welcome.  The stamp set has coordinating dies called At Home framelits. This super set of products retire at on 3 June so if either the stamp set or dies appeal now is the time to buy.  

The stamp set is rather like a puppy - not just for Christmas and can be used all year.  The dies fit the images including one that cuts the door out as I mentioned before, but also  one that cuts it so you can open the door and reveal images behind.  You can see an example  on this stampingscene post. 

I'm running late so I'm off to visit the other CCC ladies and see what light cards they've shared.  

Thanks for checking in and Happy Bank Holiday or Memorial Day weekend.  

Hugs Zoe 

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Happy Birthday Dad

It's my fabulous Dad's birthday today. He's in his 80's and would love to be able to fish again, but sadly health doesn't allow, but he still has a wicked sense of humour and we're going to celebrate in style.  So it's a big whoop whoop HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD day.

I made him a floating frame card using the Stampin' Up! Best Catch set.  I remember as a child going fishing on holiday out at sea and I found that small boat rocking was not the best day of my holibobs.  I'll not say anymore on that subject today though. 

I used the stamps and dies from this wonderful bundle to stamp and cut out lots of fishing images.  I also used the Well Said dies to create my framed sentiment.  I'm pleased to share that the Best Catch stamp set and dies are carrying on in the new annual Stampin' Up! catalogue when the spring catalogue ends, but they won't be listed as a bundle so if you like the bundle and want to save 10% get it now before the end of May.  You can see the individual products or the bundle in Zoe's Stampin' Up! Shop. 

I stamped some images, but the hats I embossed with black embossing powder to give a little more texture and I'm afraid I used retired Not Quite Navy card, but you could use any colour for a fisherman's hat.  Some of the dies speak for themselves like the fish and the Merry Merlot hooks. 

So now it's time for cake so I must dash, but before I go here is the card I made from the floating images cut from the centre of the card. 

A simple happy birthday  from Itty Bitty Sentiments makes this a great masculine birthday card especially if they like to fish. 

Enjoy the sunshine.

Zoe x

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Mothers Day Make

Here in the UK we celebrate Mother's Day at a different time to many countries and so I made my card last week for my lovely Mum as we celebrated yesterday.  It was a lovely sunny day, my parents came for lunch and Olivia surprised me by popping home from university for the day and of course she and Charlie bought me some beautiful flowers. Some arrived by post which is always exciting on Friday and more yesterday with a fun and special card.  

My card was a big hit with Mum and I'm so pleased. It is bigger than many I make, but I know my mum loves to make bigger cards so I used a sheet of A4 for the base. I added several  matting layers which I embossed using different folders.  The first was just a tad smaller than the card base and I used one of the Stampin' Up! Petal Pair folders which are long and thin. I first embossed one end placing the folder just under half way down the card from the top and then again the same placing it from bottom up.  The next layer was smaller and embossed with the Subtle folder which is I have to admit not easy to see in the catalogue or on this picture, but the one above shows the linen effect it produces.  The next layer is again a tad smaller than the previous one and is embossed with the Tufted folder.  It made me think of a quilted pin cushion and fitted in with the Stampin' Up! set images of the Needle and Thread set.  I created a faux embroidery hoop using the Swirly Frames set and used my layering circle dies to cut out the image.  Next I built up an arrangement of the faux embroidered flowers. Needle and Thread is a Stampin' Up! DisINKtive set which gives a 3D impression and allows it to look like individual embroidery threads.    You can see more examples on my stampingscene scrapbook post and cards I made for onstage using the Needlepoint Nook suite and here. 

I also used a couple of the leave dies from the Stampin' Up! spring catalogue Wonderful Floral framelit dies.  One of them embosses at the same time as cuts but to create a deeper emboss you can also use the embossing mats from page 221 in the annual catalogue to create a deeper impression.
Quick Tip I die cut vellum leaves and then removed the vellum from the die carefully. I put Versamark ink on the die and replaced the vellum leaves.  I then used the embossing mats to push the ink onto the vellum leaves before adding copper embossing powder.  Once you've heated it it highlights the veins of the leaves.  You can see it peeking out at the bottom of my floral arrangement.

If you celebrated Mothering Sunday yesterday with your mum or without I hope it was a day of special memories. 

Perhaps if you received some spends for your craft you might like to look at the new Stampin' Up! Storage which launched today. 

You can order any of these pieces and that gorgeous grid paper in my Stampin' Up! Online Shop

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Thanks for checking in.

Zoe x

Christmas Card Club - Santa

 It's time for the Christmas Card Club challenge from Rita this week and she asked us to make cards featuring Santa Claus.  Mine was a quick and relatively easy card using the Stitched Rectangle dies which are perfect for creating frames just like this and adding some detail with the stitching.  I've stamped on the centre using Memento Black and then coloured with my Stampin' Blends.  The stamps are all from the retired set Signs of Santa which is really cute and I just love this little fellow.  I used silver embossing powder to add the stamped seal and some black and white striped bakers twine.  To carry the design into the card I've stamped further sentiments pieces and added a strip of the Botanical Butterfly papers that you can still get free with an order of £45 TODAY, but sadly only today as Saleabration ends tonight. 

Of course it's Mothering Sunday here in the UK so I'm off to enjoy my beautiful flowers from my children and entertain my family for delicious roast lamb.

Happy Sunday all

Hugs Zoe x

Oh I love this stamp set - Painted Seasons

I can't stop playing with this stunning stamp set bundle.  I just love the 3D effect of the DisINKtive stamps and the fabulous creations you can make throughout the seasons with Painted Seasons.  As you've probably read here before it is a stamp set that comes free with a pack of designer papers when you place an order of £90 this month.  You can also, perhaps as part of your £90 order, purchase a set of coordinating dies to go along with the stamps. 

In my card today I used the soon to retire Berry Burst, Tranquil Tide and Lemon Lime Twist inks from Stampin' Up! 2017 - 2019 in colours. I will really miss these gorgeous colours and if you want to carry on using yours or haven't ventured into this bunch of in colours you will need to act soon. They will sell out as the end of the annual catalogue approaches.  The ribbon is Berry Burst with a silver edge which just makes the flowers pop more.  I wrapped it around my designed layer before sticking to the base card and then instead of a bow to secure it I added a small amount of snail behind the designed layer before then tying white bakers twine around the two ends of the ribbon.  It's a less bulky way of adding ribbon, but a little more fiddly.  Quick tip tie the bakers twine in a double knot before adding the bow loops. 

I mentioned the free pack of papers and have used the subtle side of one piece to fill the aperture I created by using the Stitched Rectangle dies.  It creates a super background for my floral spray.  I've also used the Well Said Stampin' Up! set to create the sentiment which is heat embossed in white powder onto black card.  I hand cut these out and added with mini stampin' dimensionals. 

Another quick tip is to get a softer shade of the darker green leaves be sure to stamp off on scrap paper or whisper white for diecutting later for another project. I felt that the full power of the Tranquil Tide for this card would have been a little overpowering. 

Regular readers know I like a bit of bling so there's the ribbon and some gold metallic pearls too.

Happy Friday All and have a fantabulous weekend.

Zoe x

ps Love all these products consider the Stampin' Up! starter kit and you can currently get £170 minimum for your join fee of £99.  For more details please email me or visit the join link above.
zoetant@live.co.uk

Stampin' Up! Painted Seasons Mixed Media Style

Stampin' Up! Painted Seasons - Mixed Media style

Today I'm sharing something a little different from the usual clean cut Stampin' Up! design and yet I'm still using Stampin' Up! products.  I've taken the Painted Seasons stamp set in another route to create a different look and I really enjoyed tinkering with inks, sponges and watercolour.  I'm also participating in a mini blog hop with my lovely friend and fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrator, Shannean Moncrieff in Australia.  She has some Home to Roost stamp set ideas to share with you to give you some inspiration for  two sets which  are part of the  super FREE gifts available this month from Stampin' Up! with a qualifying order. 

A different look for Painted Seasons

I started by stamping the images onto a piece of watercolour paper and then spritz gently with water to get the ink to run and blend.  I quickly dabbed off excess water with kitchen towel and heat set it all with my heat tool. I stamped the mini stars over the top and also added some gold embossed stars. With sponges I added extra colour to fill in the white space and also to define the edges of the watercolour paper.  I used Melon Mambo, Coastal Cabana and Granny Apple Green inks and lightly, free hand stamped the flowers again to add some detail back to them.  Torn edges of scraps sponged to deepen the tones create interest at the bottom of the card and allow for a touch of sponged Botanical Butterfly Designer Series Paper to be added along with a torn extract nearer to the top.

My matting layer is a piece of whisper white card which I sponged to get a 'softer' shade of Melon Mambo and having defined the edge of the watercolour paper with sponging I also flicked my Versamark ink pad along the edges to add random smudges of gold embossing to define it further before adding to the matt layer.  

The sentiment is partly die cut in gold foil card and the remainder stamped with Versamark and heat set with white embossing powder on black card stock.  The sentiment is from the awesome Stampin' Up! bundle Well Said which is so worth the investment!

I've entered my card into the Craft Stamper Magazine Take it Make it Challenge also. You can join the challenge HERE

The second half of the bundle is a pack of beautifully hand painted then printed designer series papers.  You can see the whole bundle in my Stampin' Up! Online Shop

Now check out Shannean's design for another take on this gorgeous stamp set bundle.  

Thanks for visiting Zoe x

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Celebration Time with easy watercolour wash technique

It's time for me to finally revisit Moving Along with the TImes design team. I'm beginning to get some crafting done as my leg gets stronger.  You can join in our sentiment only card challenge for MAWTT here. 

I've been busy making celebration cards as it's always nice to send a card to someone who has had some success and brighten their day and join in their celebration.  For this particular one I did a watercolour wash background before die cutting the 'celebrate' out and adding a silver foil celebrate in its place.  

I used colours from the Stampin' Up! Brights collection including Melon Mambo, Flirty Flamingo, Daffodil Delight, Granny Apple Green and Coastal Cabana.   I let each colour dry or rather dried with my heat tool, before adding the next.  I've also added some sequins from the Stampin' Up! annual catalogue called simply Sequin Assortment and also a little silver glitter which is adhered with dots of fine tip glue.  Just be sure to let these glittery spots dry before you do much else with your card.  

The sentiment is from a Demonstrator only set called Stamping Your Way to the Top. It's great for someone in a new job too!   I just used versa mark and white emboss powder on black card and then fussy cut the banner.

This card has gone with a bundle of goodie to one of my team who recently promoted and so I hope she likes it.

You can try the colour wash with any colours you choose, just be careful that you don't end up with brown.  Use watercolour paper and paint the first part with water using an aqua painter.  Then create a pool of ink in the lid of your ink pad by squeezing your ink pad when closed. If you have the new Stampin' Up! pads then place it face down (while closed!) on your work surface and gently push down with the heel of your hand on it and you'll create a pool of ink.  Using your aqua painter lift some of the ink and put into the water pool on your paper and move it around. When you are happy absord excess water lightly with kitchen paper and then heat set.  Repeat with your chosen colours.


Thanks for popping by and remember you can purchase the products in my online shop anytime.  There's also a selection of free gifts with qualifying purchases available until the end of March , but be quick some have proved super popular and have now gone.

More soon

Zoe x

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Z Fold Cards for Totally Techniques Stampin' Up! International Demonstrator Blog Hop

Welcome to our Totally Techniques Blog Hop for February. Our lovely French demo, Marine, chose our technique this month and so we are showing you different types of Z Fold Card tutorials.  If you've come from Kelly's blog in the USA I'm sure you've been WOW'ed already with her fab project.

Z Fold cards often open the opposite way to which I have created mine, but as you'll see from my photos I wanted the frogs to look as though they are talking to each other and therefore looking at each other so I made it so that you pull it right to open instead of left. Confused? probably but I wanted to also show that you can flip templates and make them work for you.

I used the idea from this link on SplitcoastStampers and turned it around and also made it work for metric measurements. US readers can follow the link for imperial measurements.

You'll need a piece of card that is 26cm x 10cm.
1. Score on the long side at 6cm up 2.5cm to point A.
2. Score on long side at 12cm all the way across the card.
3. Score at 18cm from point B which is 2.5cm up from the bottom edge of the card all the way to the top.
4. Cut from point A to B which is 2.5cm from the bottom edge. 
5. Carefully fold the score lines.  The short fold between A and B comes out towards you as a mountain fold and the larger fold above it is a valley going away from you as you look at it.
6. Try not to fold from point B down to the bottom edge just the fold above it which is a mountain towards you also.

You now can decorate your design.  The measurements I used are below for each numbered section.

Part 1 
matt layer is  11.5cm x 7 cm
dsp 11cm x 6.5cm

Part 2
matt layer is 5.5cm x 2cm
dsp 5cm x 1.5cm

Part 3
matt layer is 13.5cm x 2cm
dsp 13cm x 1.5cm

Part 4
matt layer is 7.5cm x 7cm
dsp 7cm  x 6.5cm

Then making sure you only add glue to the back of part 1 and 2 adhere the Z fold to a single piece of card which is 14.8 and smidge cms x 10.5cm ie a quarter sheet of A4.

I just adore these cute frogs from Stampin' Up! Saleabration set So Hoppy Together.  They are so much fun and you can do lots with them.  They are also free with a qualifying order until the end of March 2019.  Also in March you'll be able to purchase a set of dies to coordinate with them.  I used Stampin' Blends (alcohol markers) to colour them in and create some shading with the light and dark pens of Garden Green and Pineapple Punch.   I've added sentiments from the same So Hoppy Together stamp set in Poppy Parade and some red rhinestones to tie the colours together.

Next on the hop is Shannean and she has a fabulous card to share with you so don't forget to keep hopping on.  

 

1. Zoe Tant - UK - You're here
2. Barbara Meyer - Austria
3. Annette Elias - The Netherlands
4. Nadine Weiner - Germany
5. Satomi Wellard - Japan
6. Marine Wiplier - France
7. Kelly Acheson - USA

check back for this Stampin' Up! UK promotion in March 2019


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Christmas Card Club - Polar Bears of Teddy Bears

Valery chose Polar Bears or Teddy Bears for our Christmas Card Club Challenge this time. I was a bit stumped at first, but then remembered that Stampin' Up! set Cookie Cutter Christmas has a very cute bear and to be honest I had not used it before being drawn to the gingerbread man, Santa and Rudolph stamps instead.  However he's turned out to be perfect and I've teamed him up with some stickers from the Stampin Memories and More Santa's Workshop card pack, to give him a hat and cane. Once again the new Buffalo Check background stamp looks different in another colour namely Poppy Parade stamped onto card of the same name.

A handful of red rhinestones that I'm really finding useful for Christmas projects and a silver foil Happy stuck down by using the double sided adhesive sheets on the back of the foil card before die cutting it.  This helps you to cut a piece just the right size for the die.  The Christmas was stamped and heat embossed with white powder and die cut.

Now I started this challenge with a great plan to create a spinner card with the bear on a bauble and it got a little messy and complicated, but slowly it turned around and I'm happy to share although it isn't quite as elegant as I had planned, but then it is a spinner card with a teddy.

Using the Detailed Baubles Thinlits Dies I created an aperture for the spinner to fit inside and then I used a layering circle to cut one slightly smaller than the aperture.  I actually cut 2 in Pool Party and then stamped with the small Poinsettia flower from Dashing Deer and heat embossed a patterned in white.  I stamped and punched out the teddy from the Cookie Cutter set.  I added a layer of fine tip glue to the baubles and waited for it to dry as I was trying to create a sheen across the baubles. I added too much glue and so it was taking too long to dry.  I decided to add a teddy to each circle and push them down into the glue and then brushed of much of the glue so now instead of having a sheen they look more like papier mache which is fine just not what was planned.  I had to wipe off much of the glue so that the colour of the stamped bears didn't run.  It did a bit on the bow ties so to salvage I added another punched tie for each side.  Once done I left it to dry in the hope that all would not be lost.  It's turned out ok I guess in the end.  

 Now it was a little fiddly bringing it all together, but I used some silver cord from my stash and threaded it through the outer pretty border and by adding lots of double sided tape on each back of the bear circles I was able to secure it in the middle of the two circles.  I added pearls and a bow along with some more red rhinestones to enhance the bauble.

All's well that ends well and I think it would please a young child if not me! 

Remember the other ladies will have gorgeous creations to inspire you so please do visit their blogs via the Christmas Card Club button at the top of my blog, but just before you go here's a couple of pics of bears we saw in Canada on our trip this summer. 

Bears seen on our extended trip to Vancouver

I love bears

Happy Sunday all, hope you have a great week. I'm going to be busy visiting the hospital for my pre-op appointment with the hope that the scheduled operation the following week to fix my Achilles will go ahead.  Wish me luck.  

Hugs Zoe x

Challenges

Winterwonderland Challenge - use ribbon or twine

CHNC # 403 - Use gingham, check

Die cutting Divas - Any animal

Stampin' Up! Botanical Bliss Birthday Cards

September is a busy month for birthdays in my calendar and so I made a selection of girly birthday cards using Stampin Up Botanical Bliss set.  It's one of those sets with an eclectic mix of stamps, but they blend together really well and the sentiments are in a fabulous font.  The design team at Stampin Up are really talented and often their own hand writing has been used to create some of the scripted fonts.  It could be the case partially with this set.

I used the vine stamp as a starting point with all these cards stamping it twice overlapping it in Mint Macaron and Soft Sea Foam.  If you are not a 'green' fan then you might be persuaded to like it more with these two subtle shades.  I also used Blushing Bride, So Saffron and Calypso Coral to add elements from the stamp set.  In the top image I used the no line watercoloring technique to colour the focal flower on watercolour paper.  I stamped the flower in Smokey Slate to add an outline which hasn't disappeared completely with my watercoloring, but I think is faded enough not to overpower the delicate flower.  I've added different embellishments of pearls, ribbon or self adhesive sequins and also 'flicked' ink using the marker pen lid to take up some of the 'white space' that you may find difficult to leave and these spatters just soften it for you.  

On this final image I modified the sentiment by using washi tape to mask the happy on the stamp from the set and then added in a Happy from the winter catalogue set Merry Christmas to All.  Using masking and marker pens you can adapt sentiments to suit your needs.  Also a left over piece of ribbon too short for a bow or knot can just add a little sparkle and detail to a flower by folding it in half and adhering it behind the flower.  It helps to draw the eye across  the card and with the iridescent sequins there is just enough bling!

My card base is Blushing Bride and I've used just a layer of whisper white for my stamping and punched embellishments.  

Happy birthday to you if you are a September baby. 

Hugs Zoe x