Friday 30 September 2011

It's Here!!!

Hello Everyone

The most exciting time of the Stampin' Up! year is here! The new catalogue has arrived. I am so excited. Today I am hosting a New Catalogue Launch Party for my lovely ladies. I will be back tomorrow with some photographs of my displays - so I hope everyone will like what I made!

If you would like a catalogue, contact me. Alternatively - if you just can't wait to see it - click the Catalogue tab at the top of the page or the picture below and follow the link to an online version.



(Oh - and for my American visitors - can you spot the difference to the front of your catalogue? I will tell you tomorrow!)

As a demonstrator, can get a few select items in advance - and I have had SO much fun playing with my new stamps, tools and accessories. One of the things I am LOVING is the new In Colors.


I am so happy to have a coral and lilac colour to use - but my favourite so far is Island Indigo - such a fabby rich colour - love it!

So - I had better give you a peek at a project then...


As you can see, these monotone cards show off the fabby new in-colors. There is loads of texture, which looks better close to....


In this close up you can better see the wonderful Lace Ribbon Border Punch. Oh my goodness - this really is a fabby punch! It is so versatile and I can't wait to show you all the ways to use it...


I hope you will come and visit tomorrow to see my Launch Party photos and displays. :)

Love Elizabeth

Thursday 29 September 2011

Daisy, Daisy

Hello Everyone

This was a class project I taught during August, which uses lots of Big Shot dies to create it. We started with White Glossy cardstock and ran it through the Big Shot using the Polka Dot embossing folder. The light really catches the dots with that glossy finish.

Daffodil Yellow works really well with the Square Lattice embossing folder to create the bright strip of colour.

We used the Daisies #2 die to create the double layered daisy and finished with a home-made dot of card candy for the centre.


We finished the card with a border punched in black and Black Satin ribbon.

Hope you like it.

Love Elizabeth

Monday 26 September 2011

Baby Buggy

Hello Everyone

I have had the opportunity to make a couple of these cards recently to welcome two special little girls in to the world.

I've seen a few versions of these pram cards made using the scallop circle die - I chose to use the ruffled ribbon technique to embelish the pram hood.



On this version, I used the soon-to-be-retired Elegant Soiree Designer Series Paper - how I will miss it! The wheels are made with layered punched shapes from the Scallop Circle, 1 5/8" Circle and Boho Blossoms punches.

Here is a view of the card closed.


Hope you like it! 

Love Elizabeth X

Friday 23 September 2011

Stationery Box Class Close Ups

Hello Everyone

Last month I ran a fun evening class where we made a stationery box and some luxury cards and tags. I though I would show some close up pictures of what we created today. You may notice the Big Shot came in very handy with making these projects. We used the Just Believe stamp set and the fabulous Cherry Cobbler ink throughout.



The first group features the Top Note die and Beautiful Wings Embosslits die...


The next set used the Scallop Circle die and the Ornament Punch to create the vase...


The third set features the Scallop Envelope die and the Large Heart and Heart to Heart punch...


The stationery box itself was co-ordinated with a stamp envelope and matching pen...



We had a great time making these goodies - I hope you like them too!

Tuesday 20 September 2011

Pop up Gift Card Holder

Hello Everyone

Here is a project I taught at our classes last month. It is a pop up gift card holder box. I had designed it a while ago, but was never really happy with it until I did a Big Shot re-design.

Here is the original...closed and open


Well it was OK - but I wanted something a bit prettier, so I came up with...


I used the Growing Green stamp set and the Scallop Circle and Circles #2 dies to create this topper...the underneath pop up bit is just the same...


I am much happier with the second version and it was a fun project to teach.

Hope you like it too.

Saturday 17 September 2011

Pirates on Parade

Hello Everyone

A quick post featuring the Beware Pirates stamp set - perfect for boys, girls and those of us who love Capt. Jack Sparrow. :)

We made this card at a recent workshop. First we stamped the Not Quite Navy card using the Sanded background stamp and daubed around the edge.

Next we tore a strip of Newsprint DSP, and daubed the edges with Crumb Cake ink to give an aged effect.


We stamped the pirate images on Very Vanilla cardstock and straight on to the designer paper. Next we punched and set the Jumbo eyelets using the crop a dile, and fed Black wide striped ribbon through, securing with a piece of black 1/8" taffeta ribbon.

I hope you like :)

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Weathered Wood

Hello Everyone

A while ago, we did a clas using the Weathered Wood technique. This card was so much fun to design.
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To achieve this technique, you simply make score marks in the base card. In this case I used Very Vanilla cardstock and scored every half inch. You then swipe inks direct from the ink pad across the paper to build up the wood effect. I used Crumb Cake, Soft Suede and Chocolate Chip.

The greenery growing at the bottom is made with the Pocket Silhouettes stamp set, stamped in Garden Green and the bough at the top is from Hopeful Thoughts.
I stamped the flowers in Pacific Point using the Itty Bitty Buds stamp and punched out with the matching punch.

Let me know if you have a go at this technique - I would love to see what you create!

Sunday 11 September 2011

Glass Glitter Butterfly

Hello Everyone

When I saw the new Glass Glitter in the mini catalogue, I was intrigued to try it. I had a few experiments with a range of adhesives to see what worked best and found the easiest was sticky strip.

To make this card, I first stamped the background using two butterfly images. One is the single stamp called All a Flutter and the one with closed wings is from Nature Walk. I wanted to focus to be on the 'bling butterfly', so I used black stazon ink for a monochrome background.


Next I covered a small rectangle of of cardstock with sticky strip, (note: we don't have the adhesive sheets in the UK, or I would have used them!) I then cut the butterfly with the Beautiful Butterflies die, before removing the sticky strip backing.

I always keep my glitter in tupperware type boxes, so I was able to press the butterfly firmly down into the glitter and then shake off the excess.

I made his body with a piece of 1/4" black taffeta ribbon, snipped at the top to create antenae, which I topped with rhinestones. How blingy is that butterfly? LOL

Now in the catalogue it says that these glitters, (they come in 3 colour choices), are designed to tarnish over time to give an a vintage look. Well I made my first projects with it about 3 months ago - and no tarnishing has taken place yet! :) So if any of you U.S./Canadian or Aussie demos can tell me how long we wait for tarnishing to occur - I would be delighted to know! LOL

Thursday 8 September 2011

Owls About It!

Hello Everyone

Today I am sharing a little Owl card. I love the Owl punch - it makes such great projects.

The card base is Chocolate Chip with a Scallop Circle die cut piece of Woodland Walk designer series paper.


The circles were cut with the Circles #2 die and the sentiment comes from Curvy Verses. The flowers were stamped using Itty Bitty Bits and Punch Potpourri.

Hope you like it!

Monday 5 September 2011

3D Springtime Vintage

Hello Everyone

Well if you visited a couple of days ago, you will know the retirement list is out, (see it by clicking on the 'last chance list' tab at the top), and it is your last chance to get some of our much-loved stamps, accessories and designer papers. The designer papers I am most sorry to wave goodbye to are Springtime Vintage - I have loved using these this year.

So today I am sharing two 3D projects that I made using this beautiful paper during the year.

First is a little gift bag made with the Scallop Circle die and the Big Shot. I used the Large Oval and Scallop Oval punches to make the handles and the Four Frames stamp set and Decorative Label punch for the sentiment.

It was finished with the lovely Crumb Cake Seam Binding ribbon.


I used two of those same products to make this little gift box. The Scallop Circle die this time makes the lid and the Decorative Label punch makes the DSP panels around the edge. I closed the ribbon with a fancy silver brad from the Hodgepodge Hardware - which is also being retired this year.


The sentiment comes from Oval All and was coloured using blender pens and inks.

So if you neeeeed those Springtime Vintage papers - grab them while you can!

Friday 2 September 2011

Saying Goodbye.....

Hello Everyone

Well the saddest time of the Stampin' Up! year is upon us - some of our catalogue goodies are retiring - never to be seen again! Boo hoo!

But of course it is all in a good cause we need to make room in our warehouse because - in just one month we will be oohing and aahing over the new catalogue.

But before those stamps and designer papers and ribbons leave us for good - you have a last chance to get your hands on them. NOTE this is while stocks last - so let me know if there is anything you need to have and I will get an order in for you.

Click here to see the full list of retiring products.

Back in a couple of days with some projects.