Valentine card - Day 5

The last 2 cards of my valentine collection. I must admit I have enjoyed doing something different and having a little play.

Today's are definately girly colours with a little bit of sparkle too.

This is another note card sized card using Rose Red ink with black and vanilla cardstock.

I've coloured the silver glimmer paper with the rose red ink

Same design as a card on day 1 with a few different banners on the twine - makes them slightly different and therefore a unique card!

I hope you've enjoyed these examples and that they've given you some ideas and inspiration.

Now what next????????

Valentine card - Day 4

A bit of glitz & glamour today - using embossing powder, the gorgeous glimmer paper and a few sequins which seem to be in at the moment.

I have mixed gold & silver embossed images with champagne glimmer paper die cut & punched hearts. I've also added a little gold washi tape, a bow with the new gold bakers twine & a few sequins for more sparkle & texture. This card fits the note card size envelopes 13 x 9cm. I like little cards!

This one is more silver, with the silver glimmer paper, bakers twine and ribbon.

Check back tomorrow for the final day of my valentine cards - I'm all valentined out LOL!

Valentine cards - Day 3

Another couple to share today maybe more suited for a man but change the colour to suit!

This design was inspired by a swap I got at convention which used different colours and a star punched out of the circle embellishment. It only used washi tape but as I only had one suitable colour tape I used stamps.
Card smoky slate, real red and a little bit of silver glimmer.
Ink Smoky Slate, basic grey & real red.

This photo shows the matching envelope something I like to do, as well as stamping something inside to make it all co-ordinate.

Check back tomorrow for Day 4 - a bit of glitz & glamour!!!

Valentine cards - Day 2

Todays cards have been stamped in white on Soft Suede, using the same stamp sets and also hearts A Flutter.

If you like the design of a card but don'y have the exact stamps look at what you do have that you can use instead.

You can also use the design for different themes e.g. birthday, new baby, thank you and change the colours.

Check back again tomorrow for day 3!!

Valentines cards - day 1

I have got some new things t share which will be available from Tuesday.

I have had a little play and already have my favourite - the Hardwood background stamp. It stamps beautifully.

We don't "do" Valentines but I fancied making some cards and have loved doing something different so will share them during this coming week with you.

The Hardwood stamp is stamped in Cherry Cobbler onto white cardstock. The other stamps area mix from Sale-a-Bration and Spring/Summer catalogue - Banner Blast, Language of Love, Perfect Pennants and from current stamps That's The Ticket.

Check back tomorrow for a different colour scheme

Convention display boards part 3 - Christmas themed

This took 1st place in one of the competitions - festive flurry and stamps added to lights - how pretty does it look.

Thought this was cute punch art 

This is the Flower shop stamp set & pansy punch - show how you can make things Christmassy depending on the colours you use, so think outside the box with what you have!

Another thinking outside the box - using the Bigz bow die to create a cute angel 

This looked so much better than the photograph shows - it was very large and would certainly be a focal point on your wall at Christmas and would protect it and keep it dust free. 

An idea for next year!

Convention display boards part 2....

Convention display boards part 1

After sharing my favourite swaps from convention I thought I would share some of the display boards over the next few days. Apologies for the quality of the photo's, the light wasn't good and difficult not to get shadows and to take them quickly before people were stood in the way!
Hopefully you will be able to zoom in for a closer look and may get some inspiration from them.

My favourite convention swaps....

So much work in this swap from Judith Neudecker

http://stempelspass.wordpress.com

She has posted pictures on her blog 22Nov of all the bits waiting to be assembled for her swaps!

The little grip bag contained a business card with her photo on it, the background stamped card and the circle is a handbag mirror with Stampin Up DSP.

I like the way she has created the topper on the packaging and the colour combination.

I so want to do some envelopes using vellum and a sewing machine. 

This little card made by Andrea Weber from Germany measures 9.5cm x 6cm.

Again I love the colour combination and using DSP on one tree.

And my very favourite by Tanja Kolar - you must check out her blog, she has got some great ideas and projects with instructions too. It is in German but I think you will work some out or you may be like me and my Mac asked if I wanted to translate it and when I said yes it was written in English. How cool is that! 

http://www.tanjakolar.de/

Another vellum envelope but this one was just folded with a glue dot to close it.

I love the embossed stamped image using gold, white and then silver stickles.

Inside the envelope is a necklace made from a bottle cap and Frosted Finish embellishment, and even fastened onto a card stamped with the message a gift for you!

I will definitely keep checking her blog and there is a link on there to follow her on Pinterest too :)

More convention swaps....

3 cards today for you....

I love how Nikki has used the pressed clay flower cut in half as the top for her cupcake.

I like the colour co-ordination and design of this one by Katie Sommer. She has used crushed curry, coastal cabana, smoky slate inks, six-sided sampler and papillon potpourri stamps.

http://stamping-katie.blogspot.com

and this one by Amanda Bates. I like how she has used a circle mask to create a shaded and stamped background and then stamped on top of it in stronger shades.  

Ink colours coastal cabana, Bermuda bay, pear pizzazz & soft sky.

Stamps Too Kind & dictionary

http://thecraftspa.blogspot.com

Hope these give you some ideas and inspiration

Christmas convention swaps

I know we are past Christmas now, but it's never too early to start LOL!

This swap was made by Cindy and here is a link to her blog - in French!

http://lescrapdeclochette.blogspot.co.uk/

It might be difficult to see in the photo, but she has used acetate to create the base of a bookmark.

I love the sparkly chevrons, using half the snowflakes at the edge and the flower punch for the hole at the top of the tag.

This was from Jocelyn and uses the mini milk carton die. I also saw a buckle created using a scalloped circle punch and a black circle inside.

Convention swaps

I will include details of who made them if they are included as well as blog details. I haven't visited any blogs myself but you may get some more ideas/ inspiration? Some may not be English as I seemed to like to French, German and Netherlands swaps!

I will start with a couple of swaps that contained chocolate/sweets and used a die or framelit to wrap it.

I think it's a lovely way to give a little gift to some-one, and to me it's not what's inside (though chocolate is more than welcome!) but how you present something.

These ideas can easily be adapted for special occasions, names and messages added.

I don't know who made this one as there isn't any details on it. 

It uses the Top Note die which has been folded either side of the middle point to create a flat base the width of the Kinder bar. Simply stamped and held together with seam binding.

The message (Label Loves tamp set) is stuck on the knot with a 3d foam pad.

This was made by Krista McRae-Leake, no blog details. It uses label collection framelit folded in half and fastened with Chevron ribbon, think i will have to get some of this but which colour to choose???

The decorative label punch has been used on the front, and punched in cherry cobbler, cut in half and added behind the crumb cake stamped one at the top and bottom, a nice touch.

I do like this way of tying twine around ribbon too - it also means you don't use as much of your precious ribbons!!!!

Tidy up time.....

I thought I would share some pictures today of my craft room in December. It is lovely to have a room that I can leave it as it is and shut the door - which is a good job when it gets like this!

So I have done very little crafting since Christmas ( I will show you some things I made for a special birthday for some-one) because I couldn't face going into a messy room and didn't have the energy!!!

So Sunday was the day I decided I HAD to tidy up as I have a few days off work and wanted to get going, so here is the result....

What made me laugh when I went in the room yesterday was this.....

James was round on Sunday night and had been using the computer and had written this on my note wipe board frame. 

I had pinned boards like this on Pinterest and had been wanting to make one for ages.

I was given this one at Stampin Up Convention by Jocelyn, and was really pleased with it, and now I've tidied up I have a space to stand it next to the computer.

It also inspired me to make one for James & Natalie for Christmas.

I used More Amour DSP (retired) which had the little quote on it. I was going to put MENU's on it as they do plan their meals but decided to leave it blank so it can be used for anything.

 I added a little decoration at the top, using hot glue to stick the buttons onto the frame.

I also created a little holder for the dry wipe marker, which I covered in DSP. I tied some ribbon round to help stop the pen slipping out though the shape of the frame helped too.

I think I will be making more of these for presents!

I have taken some photo's of some of my favourite swaps from convention and will share these and favourites from the display boards over the next few weeks

-  so keep checking back!