Summer flowers in the Rain

By afternoon today the rain came and it was heavy.  Such a shame as this morning was glorious.

This gave me my theme for my card - Summer flowers in the Rain.  I've followed the sketch we have been given over at Less is More.

My card base is Certainly Celery and the trim is Peach Parfait punched with the Scallop Edge Border Punch.  I used the Paper Piercing Tool and Mat Pack to pierce holes in the scallops.  I then dressed it up with the Calypso Coral Organdy Ribbon (free in the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon/Brad pack).  I hope you can see the shimmer in the ribbon.  It really adds a bit of sparkle.  

Still time to place an order and receive this bundle if your order is £45 or more. 

Onto my summery flowers.  I stamped Simply Soft (Hostess set) on Whisper White in Black Stazon then used my Watercolour Pencils to lay down some colour on the flowers and dots in the background.  This is the first time I've used the pencils and I was very impressed with them.  With the Aqua Painters, I spread the colour around, hopefully giving the flowers their watery feel.  It was a lot of fun and the pencils look great even if you don't use any water.  I was also pleased at how well Whisper White took the water.

I covered my flowers with a panel of acetate.  Adding a couple of small brads to the top corners and attaching the Peach Parfait trim along the bottom.  The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes stamped in Certainly Celery and punched out with the Modern Label Punch. 

Did you like Simply Soft?  This is a hostess only set earned with an order of £150.  You can put in an individual order, host a party or join my Stampers 6 Club.  Have a look at the Virtual Hostess Page for more details.  A new club is starting in October and I have a space for you! My members always receive a little thank you from me in their parcels and when it's your hostess month you benefit from the exclusive hostess section.  Any questions give me a call 07827923123

Thanks for coming past for a visit.  It's appreciated x 

Supplies Used

All Stampin' Up!

Card - Certainly Celery, Whisper White, Peach Parfait

Ink - Black Satzon, Certainly Celery

Stamp - Simply Soft, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Punch - Scallop Edge Border, Modern Label Punch

Other - Piercing Tool, Mat Pack, Organdy Ribbon, Watercolour Pencils, Aqua Painters

If you would like to order any of the above or the other supplies from the current catalogues then please get in touch either by e mail ails300@btinternet.com or call 07827923123.  I would be delighted to help you with your crafty projects.  A parcel of lovely goodies could be winging it's way to you direct to your home in the UK!  

Last few days to receive freebies!!  Check out the latest promotion of a ribbon and brads bundle if you spend £45.  Our fab new promotion for July.  Also still time to take part in the We {Heart} our hostesses for even more free goodies!! 

Simply Soft Blossoms

Happy Saturday Everyone!   After all our sunny weather we now have a misty day.  Hopefully the sun will burn it off soon. 

Today is Less is More today on my crafting week.  It's a theme this week and we have been asked to choose 3 past challenges.  For my card I have gone all the way back to the beginning with 

1. Pink Black White - Week 1

2. Spring - Week 3

and then more recent, a favourite sketch

3. Sketch 4 - Week 52

As I can see the blossom starting to come up on our tree I decided to use this as my focal point.  I've used Simply Soft which is a hostess set.  Firstly I stamped it in Versamark and heat embossed with Black Embossing Powder.  Then stamped it again in Black Staz On and a third time but stamping off first.  I coloured my blossoms with my Stampin' Write Markers.  The background blossoms are Pink Pirouette, the middle Pretty in Pink and the foreground in Rose Red (which really looks a deep pink rather than red).  I added some Pretty in Pink 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon along the bottom and attached it to a Melon Mambo mat.  

The sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes and is stamped in Rose Red then punched out using the Word Window Punch.  It's attached to a Modern Label Punch in Melon Mambo.

Only 2 places left in my Stampers 6 starting in April.  This is an excellant way to go through your wish list and spread out the cost.  Perhaps you would like to build up your markers, ink collection or stamp sets?  You will also have the opportunity to be a hostess and you could use your hostess pounds to purchase this lovely stamp set I've used today.  If this appeals then drop me an e mail on ails300@btinternet.com. 

Supplies Used

All Stampin' Up! 

Card - Basic Black, Whisper White, Melon Mambo

Ink - Versamark, Rose Red, Staz on

Stamp - Simply Soft, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Punch - Word Window, Modern Label

Other - Stampin' Write markers, Black Embossing Powder

If you would like to order any of the above or the other supplies from the current catalogues then please get in touch either by e mail ails300@btinternet.com or call 07827923123.  I would be delighted to help you with your crafty projects.  Oh and don't forget to let me know which one of the free sets from Sale-A-Bration that you would like if your order reaches £45.

Last week!! x

Simply Soft Sympathy

As promised this is the card that inspired one of yesterdays cards. 

It's using the two step stamping set Simply Soft.  This is a beautiful set of stamps that you could colour or as I have done used the complimenting stamp in Marina Mist.   I mounted it onto Marina Mist card then wrapped some ribbon around it and tied a knotted bow.  I love this size of ribbon it's really easy to add it to your projects.  

I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to place the sentiment from Petite Pairs.

This is the first sympathy card I've ever made.  Thankfully we don't have an occasion to use it but when I was making the card it just seemed to suit sympathy and I decided that it would be good to have one in the box.  

Card - Whisper White, Marina Mist

Ink - Early Espresso, Marina Mist

Stamps - Simply Soft, Petite Pairs

Other - 1/4" Marina Mist Grosgrain Ribbon 

Simply Soft Twice

Two cards, one stamp set, one challenge.  

This is another entry for Freshly Made sketches and a reminder of the sketch - 

I actually had the idea to try out this sketch based on the card I'm going to show tomorrow. 

However before I got to there, River Rock textured card was calling to me so I diverted course and went in a completely different direction colour wise.

I stamped the images from Simply Soft in River Rock on Whisper White.  With the middle panel I coloured the flower heads with Cherry Cobbler.  I used my Blender Pen for the colouring.  

The sentiment is from Outlined Occasions and punched out using Word Window Punch and mounted onto Cherry Cobbler Modern Label. 

Still wanting to try out my original plan here's my other version - 

As it's monochromatic  I've taken out one of the layers and simplified the flower panel in the middle.  This time I lined up the complimenting petal stamp using my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig.  A little piece of ribbon and the sentiment is the same as above.

Hope you enjoyed looking at my two versions.  We had our first real snowfall today and my daughter gleefully went out sledging.  It was really sunny so wasn't cold at all and I suspect it will all be gone by tomorrow. 

Supplies Used

All Stampin' Up! 

Card - Marina Mist, Cherry Cobbler, Textured River Rock, Whisper White, Bashful Blue

Ink - River Rock, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Marina Mist

Stamps - Simply Soft, Outlined Occasions

Punch - Word Window, Modern Label

Other - Stamp-a-ma-jig, Blender Pens, 1/4" Marina Mist Grosgrain Ribbon

If you would like to order any of the above or the other supplies from the current catalogues then please get in touch either by e mail ails300@btinternet.com or call 07827923123.  I would be delighted to help you with your crafty projects.  Oh and don't forget to let me know which one of the free sets you would like if your order reaches £45. x

Going Green

with the LESS IS MORE challenge which has a colour theme of green this week.  Green fits right in for Christmas cards so I've made a Birthday Card!  Wasn't intentional but just developed that way.

I was so happy to have a play with one of my new Hostess sets - Simply Soft - which I hadn't had the chance to ink up so far.  This is a gorgeous stamp set where you can stamp an outline and then add background petals.  A Stamp-a-ma-jig is a huge help for this.  I stamped the branch in Always Artichoke and stamped the background flowers in Certainly Celery, but firstly I mixed the ink with Frost White Shimmer Paint.  So my branch still has some festive twinkle.  To mix the inks I squooshed the lid of my ink pad to create a pool and added a drop of the shimmer paint then use my Sponge Dauber to ink up my stamp.  I then cut out the branch with my Paper Snips.

Setting this aside I looked around for something to team it up with.  I decided to use a card blank of Garden Green.  With the name of the colour I started to think of gardens.  I cut a strip of the Garden Green.  Then using a strip of Pear Pizzazz, punched it with the Lace Ribbon Border Punch.  Now I had my trellis.  I criss crossed a star shape of ribbon in the central doiley with Old Olive Ribbon.  Then folded up the bottom of my strip to create a pocket.  I tied some Linen Thread around the bottom of the branch and added some of the smallest Basic Pearls before adding it to my trellis frame.

The sentiment is from another Hostess set Happiest Birthday Wishes, love the font on this one although there are so many stamps in the set you will never need another birthday stamp again!

There's still time to take advantage of the extra benefits for being a Hostess, the promotion runs until the 15th Dec, check out my side bar for details.

I'd love to help you with your Christmas Shopping.  Stuck for ideas?  Why not have a look through our catalogue.  I'd be happy to help you out with your Christmas Wish list and can also arrange gift vouchers redeemable through myself.

Enjoy the rest of your Saturday night and thanks for your visit.  I look forward to returning it. x