Don't miss a Reason to Smile

My name is Nicky and I love triple time stamping! Yep here is another card for you using this fantastic technique - as I have said previously I first saw it on Dawn Olchefske's blog, but there are samples all over blogland at the moment.

I have used the lovely Reason to Smile stamp set again - tomorrow is the last time you will be able to get your hands on this stamp so don't miss out!

I showed you the basic technique here, so wont go through it again.  The base card and mats are Soft Suede card. The flourish from the Creative Elements Stamp Set was stamped over all three layers of Confetti Ivory card using Crumb Cake ink.  The sentiment from Sincere Salutations was then added using the Stamp-a-ma-jig to make sure it was straight!  A mask was then punched out of a post-it note using the Extra-Large Oval Punch and placed over the sentiment.  The images from the Reason to Smile Stamp Set were then stamped all over the three images using Soft Suede, Poppy Parade and Peach Parfait ink.  The layers were then separated and matted together and finished off with a simple knot tied in the 1/2" Stitched Poly Ribbon in Poppy Parade.

As I mentioned tomorrow is the last time you will be able to get your hands on Reason to Smile. It is FREE with an order of £60 or more.  

Tomorrow is also the last time you will be able to order products from the fabby Summer Mini Catalogue. Now, some of the bits may be back in the New Annual Catalogue which is launched on 1st October but lots of products won't be so please don't miss out! 

Click here to have a flick through the Summer Mini Catalogue and don't hesitate to get in touch before tomorrow if you would like to order any goodies.

Here is a list of the Stampin' Up! Products used to make today's card:

Stamp Sets: Reason to Smile, Creative Elements, Sincere Salutation

Inks: Soft Suede, Poppy Parade, Peach Parfait, Crumb Cake

Cardstock: Soft Suede, Confetti Cream

Punches: Extra Large Oval

Other: Poppy Parade 1/2" Stitched Poly Ribbon, Stamp-a-ma-jig

If you would like to order any of these products please either email me or give me a call on07530 368466       and I will be happy to help. Don't forget that any order of £60 or more will qualify for the exclusive Reason to Smile Stamp Set.

Reason to Smile with a Bow!

A quick and easy card for you today using the Reason to Smile Stamp Set which you can still get for free until the end of this month with an order of £60 or more.

The daisy image from Reason to Smile was stamped randomly in Melon Mambo ink onto Confetti White card and matted onto a Melon Mambo card base.  The sentiment is from the Hopeful Thoughts Stamp Set and again was stamped in Melon Mambo ink onto Confetti White card. The sentiment and mat were then cut using the Labels Collection Framelits Dies and Big Shot and trimmed to give the shape.

The bow uses a piece of the gorgeous 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon in Melon Mambo. A length of White Baker's Twine was threaded through Rose Red and Whisper White Designer Buttons and tied round the ribbon to make a bow shape. A Rhinestone Jewel covers the twine on the button and the bow was attached to the card using Mini Glue Dots. This is a really quick way of making a bow - I will have to do a tutorial as I have made it sound far harder than it is!

Here is a list of the Stampin' Up! Products used to make today's card:

Stamp Sets: Reason to Smile, Thoughts and Prayers

Inks: Melon Mambo

Cardstock: Melon Mambo, Confetti White

Punches: Corner

Big Shot: Labels Collection Framelits Dies

Other: Designer Buttons, White Baker's Twine, Rhinestone Jewels, Melon Mambo 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon,

If you would like to order any of these products please either email me or give me a call on07530 368466       and I will be happy to help. Don't forget that any order of £60 or more will qualify for the exclusive Reason to Smile Stamp Set.

Stampin' Up! Convention 2012 Lip Dub

Hello everyone - apologies for not posting for a couple of weeks but we had internet problems and then we have been camping in North Norfolk with the dogs and no internet!

Well in 10 weeks time I will be in Mainz, Germany with 800 Stampin' Up! Demonstrators from the UK, Germany and France for the fabulous Stampin' Up! European Convention - I can't wait!

This year's Convention theme is "I am....." and Stampin' Up! have come up with another fantastic song which features vocals by Jessie Funk and lip dub by the Stampin' Up! staff from the Home Office in Utah.

Don't you just love it? The song is so catchy I always find myself humming along to it.  And how much fun does everyone look like they are having? We also get to have a peek round the US offices! 

I will be back tomorrow with a card for you - don't forget that you only have until the 31st August if you want to order anything from the Summer Mini Catalogue. We don't know what will carry forward to the new Annual Catalogue on 1st October and I would hate for you to miss out on a stamp set or paper you really love.

Mouthwatering Cherries in a Stampin' Up! Sweet Shop!

Today's card hides a surprise!  I needed to make a birthday card for the daughter of our lovely friends, Ian & Andrea, and wanted it to hold a gift card as well.  I had a phone call yesterday from J saying she loved the card and the contents so I am safe to show you!

The base card is made from a piece of 12 x 12" textured Calypso Coral card cut at 5 1/2 " and scored using the Simply Scored Scoring Tool at 4", 6" and 8".  

The Cherry image from the Mouthwatering Stamp Set was coloured using Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade and Soft Suede Stampin' Write Markers and stamped onto Whisper White card. The image was cut out using a Labels Collection Framelit Die.  A mat was cut from a piece of Calypso Coral using the next sized die.  How yummy are the Sweet Shop Designer Series papers?  I used two of the designs and matted them onto Soft Suede and Pool Party card before attaching to the main card.  The Sentiment is from Party This Way and was stamped in Soft Suede ink, punched using Word Window Punch and matted onto a Modern Label punch in Calypso Coral.

Sticky Strip was used secure the card together to make the pocket for the gift card. The slot was created using the Word Window and 3/4" Circle Punches. Two pieces of the Soft Suede 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon were secured inside the card using more sticky strip and the ends covered using the cherry paper from the Sweet Shop DSP.  The ribbon was tied in a bow to close the card.

Mouthwatering Stamp Set by Stampin' Up!

Both the Mouthwatering Stamp set and the Sweet Shop DSP are in the current Summer Mini Catalogue and so are only available to order until 31st August. We will then have to wait and see whether they reappear in the New Annual Catalogue 2012/13 on 1st October.

Here is a list of the Stampin' Up! Products used to make today's card:

Stamp Sets: Mouthwatering, Party This Way

Inks: Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Soft Suede

Cardstock: Calypso Coral, Whisper White, Pool Party, Soft Suede

DSP: Sweet Shop

Punches: Word Window, 3/4" Circle, Modern Label

Big Shot: Labels Collection Framelits Dies

Other: Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Soft Suede 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon,

If you would like to order any of these products please either email me or give me a call on07530 368466       and I will be happy to help. Don't forget that any order of £60 or more will qualify for the exclusive Reason to Smile Stamp Set.

The Open Sea is Triple Time Stamped

Today's card features two of my current favourites - The Open Sea and Triple Time Stamping! I had a couple of emails asking me how to do this so here you go:-

To start cut six pieces of card, these are the sizes I used:

Confetti White 

2" x 3-1/4"

3" x 4-1/4"

4" x 5-1/4"

Mats and Card Base (I used Chocolate Chip Card)

2-1/4" x 3-1/2"

3-1/4" x 4-1/2"

8-1/2" x 5-1/2" (fold in half for card base)

Next, using a tiny bit of Snail adhesive stack the Confetti Cream card together; don't use too much as you need to separate the layers once they are stamped.

Stamp your images in a random pattern over all three layers. Don't worry about the white gaps at the edges as they will be covered when you assemble the card.  I used Pool Party, Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake inks - a colour combination suggested by the Color Coach.

 

Carefully pull the layers apart and layer them onto the mats and card base 

Assemble the card making sure you keep the images in the correct orientation.  I popped the top layer up on Dimensionals and tied round a piece of the gorgeous Ruffled Ribbon in Pool Party.  The sentiment is from Just Believe and was stamped in Pool Party ink.  The 1 1/4" Square Punch was used to snip the banner end.

The Color Coach is a fantastic tool to help with your card making and scrapbooking. It contains a large swatch of each Stampin' Up! colour, hints and tips to help you use colours effectively and also suggests colour combinations for you to use. I use it a lot as it takes away the guesswork!

Here is a list of the Stampin' Up! Products used to make today's card:

Stamp Sets: The Open Sea, Just Believe

Inks: Chocolate Chip, Pool Party, Wild Wasabi, Crumb Cake

Cardstock: Confetti White, Chocolate Chip

Punches: 1/1/4" Square

Other: Pool Party 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon

If you would like to order any of these products please either email me or give me a call on07530 368466       and I will be happy to help. Don't forget that any order of £60 or more will qualify for the FREE exclusive Reason to Smile stamp set.

Stampin' Up! Owl Builder Punch is a Hoot!

Well are we all ready for another day of Olympic excitement?  How fabulous were the Brownlee brothers yesterday?

Today's card uses a technique called embedded embossing - really effective don't you think?

Three owls were punched out from Rose Red, Regal Rose and Pretty in Pink card stock using the Owl Builder punch. These were then stuck to a piece of Confetti White card using Multipurpose Liquid Glue. This piece was then sandwiched in the Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder and run through the Big Shot to give the embedded effect - how easy is that? The embossed piece was matted onto a piece of Regal Rose card and then onto a Confetti White card base. A piece of Pretty in Pink 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon was tied round in a bow. The sentiment from Party This Way was stamped in Rose Red onto Confetti White card, punched out using the Large Oval punch and matted onto a Extra Large Oval punch in Rose Red.  The Owls were finished off by adding their eyes from the original Owl Builder punch.

I have torn myself away from the television today and am listening to the Olympic coverage on Radio 5 Live again.  Come on Team GB!

Here is a list of the Stampin' Up! Products used to make today's card:

Stamp Sets: Party This Way

Inks: Rose Red 

Cardstock: Confetti White, Rose Red, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink

Punches: Owl Builder, Large Oval, Extra Large Oval, Corner

Big Shot: Square Lattice Textured Embossing Folder

Other: Pretty in Pink 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon

If you would like to order any of these products please either email me or give me a call on07530 368466       and I will be happy to help. Don't forget that any order of £60 or more will qualify for the FREE exclusive Reason to Smile stamp set.

Hit the Top Note with a Reason to Smile

I thought you would like to see another card using this month's EXCLUSIVE stamp set - Reason to Smile.  

You can get this stamp for FREE with a order of £60 or more or, if you would rather, you can buy it for £18.95 (wood mount) or £14.95 (clear mount) - more details here.

The flower image was first stamped onto Confetti White card using Basic Gray ink, then using the Stamp-a-ma-jig the coordinating image was over-stamped in Real Red and Old Olive inks. The sentiment from Hopeful Thoughts was stamped in Basic Gray, again using the Stamp-a-ma-jig to ensure it was in the correct place. This piece was matted onto Basic Black card. The Top Note Bigz Die was used to cut a piece of Real Red card using the Big Shot which was then embossed using the Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.  A piece of Basic Gray Designer Series Paper from the Neutrals Paper Stack was added to a card base in Basic Black.  The card was assembled and finished with a piece of Real Red Satin Ribbon tied in a bow.

The Olympic Men's Triathon is about to start - come the Brownlee brothers! We need some British good news after all the injuries in the athletics this morning.

Here is a list of the Stampin' Up! Products used to make today's card:

Stamp Sets: Reason to Smile, Hopeful Thoughts

Inks: Basic Gray, Real Red, Old Olive 

Cardstock: Confetti White, Real Red, Basic Black

Big Shot: Top Note Bigz Die, Square Lattice Textured Embossing Folder

Other: Neutrals Paper Stack, Real Red Satin Ribbon, Stamp-a-ma-jig

If you would like to order any of these products please either email me or give me a call on07530 368466       and I will be happy to help. Don't forget that an order of £60 or more will qualify for the FREE Reason to Smile Set.