Celebrations: 21

Happy 21st Michael!   This card is for my step son who turns 21 tomorrow.  We are all going out for a meal tonight to celebrate.  Mmmm can't wait! 

The card is a 6" by 6", a new size for me.  I started off with basic black card stock cut down from a 12" by 12" sheet.  Covered the front panel with bashful blue.  Then using the square punches, I punched out nine squares in pacific point.  I covered these in smaller squares from the celebrations designer papers.  I then used my cricut machine to cut out Michael 21 in pacific point and popped them onto the squares.  Finally stamped birthday wishes in bashful blue around the edges. 

Materials Used

All Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated

Stamps - So Happy for You

Card - Basic Black, Pacific Point, Bashful Blue

Paper - Celebrations Designer Paper

Ink - Bashful Blue

Punches - 1 1/4" square large, 1 3/8" square extra  large

Cutting Machine - Cricut Expression

Life's a hoot with you!

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend.  I had a great time on Saturday at a prisma pencil class out at Simply Create in Alford.  My husband thought it was very funny that I was going to a colouring class! 

Onto this week's challenge at less is more which is a sketch.  The card base is to be DL size.  This is new to me so I measured an envelope to get the size for my card.  

You know when you have an idea in your head then try to place it and it doesn't work or just seems too much?  Well that happened to me this week.  My original thought was to have 3 owls peeking behind each other with one standing out in his pretty waist coat.  I soon decided that was overload and one seemed to work better.  My next idea was to put a sponged circle behind him but on my trial it just looked as if he had a bit of a glow!  So I ditched that idea and have ended up with simplicity itself.  I hope this still fits the criteria.

Materials Used

All stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated.

Card - Chocolate chip, Whisper White, Pear Pizzazz

Paper - Greenhouse Gala Designer Paper

Ink - Chocolate Chip

Punch - 2 step Bird Extra-Large

Sentiment is computer generated and the font is Lucida Handwriting

Simply Said - and the answer is..............

Did you guess correctly?

These are the two cards that the salon chose.  The one on the right was an option for their male clients who also receive vouchers as gifts.  I've included in the photo the voucher that I had made so you can say how the designs tied in.

Hope you enjoyed playing along and do drop the girls a visit if you are in the area.  They would love to see you and will make you feel very relaxed - Touch of Beauty 01224 701777

Less is More - Masculine No. 2

Hi thought I'd squeeze in a second card for the less is more masculine challenge.  This is a very simple card and completely unlike the other card I entered.  After seeing all the wonderful entries where people have used sponging and masking, I wanted to have a go.  So here's how I made it -

I masked off stripes of different widths and sponged with crumb cake and soft suede.  I then stamped the medallion from Baroque Motifs in Bashful Blue and punched out using the scallop square. The Happy Birthday from Punch Bunch was stamped in Night of Navy and also punched out with the scallop punch.  I then added some crystal effects to the white areas on the bashful blue squares and on the large HB on the Happy Birthday.  Finally popped the squares on some dimensionals.

Thanks for visiting. x

Simply Said - Can you guess which one?

I have to say this post comes with a warning!  There are a lot of photos!

I was asked by my Health and Beauty salon to make cards to go with the gift vouchers that I'd previously made for them.  100 of them!  They wanted 2 designs 50 each.  The cards had to be simple but in their colour scheme and to match their vouchers.  So I made up the following 10 samples.

No.1

Can you guess which two cards they decided to order?  

No.2

No.3

No. 4

No.5 

No.6

No. 7

No.8

No.9

No.10

Sorry I'm rubbish at lining up photos in posts and I did warn you there are a lot! Lol!!  So which two would you choose?  Check back in the next few days as I'm putting the finishing touches to the cards and I'll reveal the two that they chose.

If you stay in the Aberdeen area check out Touch of Beauty, The Sensory Spa at Bannatynes Health Club, Laurel Drive, Bridge of Don.   Tel No: 01224 701777.  The ladies there are all lovely and very friendly.  You don't need to be a member of Bannatynes to book appointments at the salon.

Go on treat yourself to a facial, massage, manicure or you could purchase a gift voucher for a Mother's Day gift or birthday present.  Let's face it we all love a little pampering!!

As always thanks for looking. x

Less is More - Masculine

Hi everyone,  I hope you have all had a lovely weekend.  

The challenge given to us this week from Less is More is to make a card in the clean and simple style but masculine.  Oh dear I nearly ran for the hills!  I find male cards very difficult and don't have many stamp sets to suit.  However thinking cap on I came up with this card which I think would be suitable for the older gentleman.  My Dad for instance.  Hee hee.

I used a template to draw out a tie in whisper white then stamped it with stamps from the Circle Circus stamp set in bashful blue and night of navy.  The bashful blue circles were also clear embossed. The tie was mounted onto a "shirt front" of night of navy then onto a card base of bashful blue.

I haven't put a sentiment on the front but will put one in the middle.  My Father's birthday isn't until December so this may well be his Father's day card when it comes around.

Materials Used
All Stampin' Up! unless other wise stated

Card Stock - Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, Whisper White
Ink - Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, Versamark
Embossing Powder - Clear

Thanks to everyone who has visited my blog in recent weeks and left kind comments.  A welcome also to my new followers. xx

Lovely as a tree Mother's Day Card

Second post of the day!

I've been playing around with a stepper card.  My class next week is Mother's Day Cards and as my mother had commented that she liked the Lovely as a Tree stamp set  ...........  two birds with one stone?!!

I stamped the large image of the trees onto whisper white then cut it into two smaller images.  Using a blender pen and picking some ink direct from the ink pad I added some shading to the grass.  I then mounted them onto not quite navy.  The background papers are from the In Colour Designer Series Paper Pack available as a hostess gift set.  I used the Scallop Trim Border punch to make the not quite navy trim along the bottom of the card.  The sentiment is from Occasional Greetings and mounted onto peach parfait.

Materials Used
All Stampin' Up! supplies unless otherwise stated

Card Stock - Peach Parfait, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Paper - In colour Designer Series
Ink - Pear Pazzazz
Stamp Sets - Lovely as a Tree, Occasional Greetings

Less is More Challenge 6

The Less is More Challenge Blog has me addicted.  It's official!  Here is a second entry for this weeks challenge which is to be a one layer card with the image off the edge and no scored lines.  If you haven't already had a look at the Less is More blog you can find it here.

I was actually searching for something else but when I came across my old stamp set, Queue Up, I decided to stop what I was doing and instead put in another entry.  The Queue Up stamp set was a hostess set from the previous catalogue.  The hostess sets are really fab and can only be earned with the appropriate sales.

I first of all faced my fear and used my computer to print the sentiment.  Then I stamped the birds in versamark and then chocolate chip and clear embossed.  I did the same with the toadstools and coloured both images with the In Colour markers.

I hope you enjoyed my little addiction and I'm now off to do what I was supposed to be doing!

Class Party

Last week was my 10th card class so I decided we would have a theme of bright and cheerful birthday cards.  We made two cards (the second one can be found here).  I suggested that they think of a birthday and put on the appropriate number of candles.  My daughter was invited to a 9th birthday party so I put 9 candles on.  One lady wanted her card for a 13th!!  She managed to put 10 on the front and carried the other 3 into the middle which was very effective.

The Celebrations Designer Series Paper goes really well with this stamp set.  We added a strip of the circles along the bottom to echo the circles on the candles.  The sentiment was punched out using the word punch and popped onto a couple of dimensionals.

As a thank you to my ladies for supporting me I made them a little treat box holding a chocolate bar. Unfortunately I didn't have time to take a picture however I got my inspiration from here and just adapted it to our party theme.

Materials used
All Stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated

Card Stock - Pacific Point, Real Red
Paper - Celebrations Designer Series
Stamp Set - Party This Way
Ink - Real Red, Bashful Blue, Pear Pizazz
Punch - Word Punch

Thanks for looking x

Not just for Christmas!

Hi Everyone.  Hope you have had a good weekend.  My previous week was pretty hectic.  My daughter was in a dance show.  She does ballet and hip hop so two costumes to keep track off and a change of hair do during the show.  We all went to see it on Saturday morning and it was worth all the stresses.  It was fab!  They all did so well.  A lump in the throat and a tear in the eye for Mum and Dad!

Finally today I got back into the craft room and started on my card for this weeks Less is More challenge.  This week it's a one layer card with your image going off the edge.  I had already decided I wanted to use the swirl from Season of Joy to show that your christmas stamps don't necessarily mean they only have to come out once a year.  Having seen a few cards last week using kraft card stock, I thought I'd use this for my base.  I stamped the swirl in whisper white craft ink and alternated with perfect plum.  The sentiment is from the Hostess Level 1 set Afterthoughts, however I masked off the bottom line with a post it.  A few basic rhinestones in the smallest size to finish off.

Wish I'd bought a lottery ticket!  My luck was definitely in a week past Saturday.  My husband and I were at a fund raising ceilidh event organised by the school PTA and I won a lovely Edinburgh crystal vase in the raffle.  First time ever!  Then during the week I got a phone call from Dobbies Garden Centre to say that the raffle ticket I bought on the same Saturday had won a prize.  I'm now the proud owner of a bonsai tree!  And of course being showcased topped the lot!

I've been showcased!!

Wow.  I'm stunned, my card for the 3 squares challenge has been selected to be showcased on the Less is More Blog.  Thank you so much Chrissie and Mandi.  I must admit to a tear in my eye when I saw the e mail this morning. 

You can see the card I entered here.  I am really enjoying taking part in these challenges each week.  Everyone is so helpful and generous with sharing tips, tutorials etc.  I love looking around all the entries.  The talent is enormous.  

Thank you to everyone who has been kind to comment and visit my blog it is very encouraging. x

New Baby Boy

Whoa aren't the weeks flying past?  We are already into March and it's week 5 over at Less is More and time for another challenge.  This week is pastels.  Immediately I thought of new babies and conveniently my mother had asked me to make up a baby card for my cousin who is expecting a new baby soon.  You are all witnesses, she assures me they know they are having a baby boy!

So here is my card -

I've used bashful blue as my card blank and stamped Welcome Baby from the recent Sale-A-Bration Punch Bunch set (sadly no longer available) in the same colour then punched it out with the small tag punch and mounted it onto the same colour card.  I then used the 1/2 inch circle to punch out images from Bundle of Love set.  I coloured the little images with my Stampin' Pastels and re created the mobile effect with some silver string I had.  The Congratulations is from the Perfect Punches set and is also stamped in bashful blue.

I let my husband have a look at my card and he said "Oh yes, it's a clock with pendulums".  Oh dear........

Baroque Border Anniversary

I haven't put in more than one entry into the less is more challenge before this week but really wanted another go at this.  Chrissie and Mandi are very helpful and give great comments back.  I completely agree with their comments regarding my previous entry as I think I was trying too hard and I'm not quite there yet regards to skill with placement etc.  This card sticks to 3 little squares in a row and although not any easier to complete, I found the placement much easier.  

I stamped the border using the Baroque Border wheel (which by the way is currently reduced in the March Frenzy sale by 30% to £4.55) in basic black onto whisper white card stock.  I then used the wheel again this time using whisper white ink on basic black card stock which I then clear embossed.  I cut squares out of the strip and put them on dimensionals before placing them back into the pattern.  The sentiment is from Baroque Motifs. 

I really enjoy using the wheels so couldn't help myself having a bit more of a play and put a plain border on the back.

I'm going to use this card as a Wedding Anniversary Card.  Thanks for your patience and kind and helpful comments.

Enjoy your day. x 

Less is More 3 Square challenge Take 2

I've already entered this card to Less is More but was unhappy with it.  Rushing at the last minute to put it all together before picking up the children from school.  Sigh if only we had all the time in the world to craft.  Anyways something I felt was niggling at me and it just wasn't quite what I had pictured.  So please bear with me but I decided to move the middle square.  Any better or just the same?

Less is More: 3 squares challenge

Several false starts later and this is the card I'm entering into this weeks challenge at Less is More.  The challenge is to follow a recipe and this week it is to use 3 squares.  Not as easy as it sounds.   

I used the heart from the Hostess Set Punch Potpourri and sponged the edges with pear pizzazz and blushing bride.  I tried out the rock and roll technique when stamping the hearts using the same colours of ink.  The squares are mounted onto blushing bride card stock and a pearl added to each heart.  The "for you" is from Occasional Greetings. 

Thanks for looking. x

Materials Used

All stampin' Up! unless otherwise stated

Card Stock - Very Vanilla, Blushing Bride, Whisper White

Stamps - Punch Potpourri, Occasional Greetings

Ink - Blushing Bride, Pear Pizzazz 

Embellishments - Basic Pearls 

March Frenzy: Up to 30% off selected items

Wow check this out!  We have a sale during March.  Selected items are up to 30% off.  Click on poster to enlarge or see the side bar.

You can contact me on ails300@btinternet.com or call 07827923123 to place any orders or why not book a March Frenzy workshop and let your friends and family join in the fun?

Thanks for looking. x