THE GREAT WELLY PAPER CAPER - STAMP CAMP WEEKEND

How does a weekend of crafting pleasure sound to you?  No cooking, no housework, a whole weekend of nothing but ink, stamps and glue!  I would love to have you join us at the Great Welly Paper Caper Stamp Camp this October, and this is your personal invitation!  Just click HERE to download the information flier.

Each year, we have three full classes.  One by me, one by Sharlene Meyer (pictured) and another by a guest tutor.  This year is no different with great classes, a guest tutor, great products, fun crafty friends and fabulous accommodation.  The camp is at the gorgeous Silverstream Retreat.

These were just some of the gorgeous projects that were made last year!  We hope you can join us. Registrations close end of August.  We hope to see your there!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY - JAI 224

Being over halfway through the year already, it seems rather appropriate to start thinking of Christmas card and project making.  Kim had the fabulous idea of making it this weeks challenge at Just Add Ink and I hope you will join us!

She has even kindly given us a wee bit of inspiration to go by with this photo.  It is a great place to start help those brain cells gear up for the festive season.  I didn't want to pull out my Christmas product and decided to use things from the new Stampin' Up! catalogue instead.  Colours were easy, of course, but where to go from there?

Nobody said anything about having to use Christmas images, so I decided to use two new products instead - photopolymer stamps and letter framelits!  The "& Bright" image is stamped with the photopolymer alphabet set called Back to Basics Alphabet.  I didn't have to use a stamp-a-ma-jig, because I could see exactly where I was stamping and I can also see when the ink had transferred to my card!  These are seriously the best photopolymer stamps I have used!!

Before using my Little Letters framelits, I used a sponge dauber to daub Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive and Gold ink over my card front, just through the middle.  I love the fuzziness of the dots!  Then I ran my card front through the Big Shot, after lining up my letters, to spell MERRY.

Rather than pop these letters up on dimensionals to give height, I cut a further 6 layers of letters from white scrap card and stuck each layer together with Tombow, finishing with the original die cut on top.  Then I simply replaced the whole lot in the die cut slots on the card base.

For other great Christmas ideas, pop on over to the Just Add Ink site to see what the rest of the DT have for you.

BLINK AND YOU WILL MISS IT!

Just a really quick post today, as I am away from home and have only limited internet!

I have been happily playing with new Hostess goodies so I can share plenty of samples with my lovely ladies when doing classes and events.  I used all new colours and Blendabilities to whip up this card.  I also made the little coloured dots and will share how in a future post.

And to leave you with the inside........  You can never have too many birthday cards!

JUST ADD INK #222 AND A TUTORIAL!!

At Just Add Ink this week we have a gorgeous colour challenge, as suggested by Mae, using Bermuda Bay, Blushing Bride, and Soft Suede.

This colour challenge suited a technique I used on one of my recent convention swaps, which you can see HERE.  I used a different embossing folder for this weeks challenge and love the look of all those chevrons!

I hope the colour challenge inspires you to join in this great challenge at Just Add Ink this week. Head over there and check out the great samples the rest of the DT have come up with too.

I had some lovely comments left and quite a few emails asking if I would do a tutorial on the technique I have used here.  Well you asked, so here it is (finally, lol):-

You will need:
Stampin' Up! classic inks, two or three colours and sponges.
Stampin' Up! embossing folder of choice.
Water filled spritzer bottle.

1.  Sponge your choice of inks onto Whisper White or Very Vanilla card.    It looks fairly ugly at this stage, but never fear!

2.  Open your embossing folder so the inside is facing you.  One side will have the Sizzix and SU logo on, but we need to work on the opposite side.  Spritz the side of the the embossing folder without logo's liberally with water.

3.  Turn your embossing folder over, wet side toward your sponged card and gently lay the folder down.  Press evenly over the entire surface to transfer the water to the sponged card.  

4.  Don't leave the folder on too long or you will loose the definition of the folder you are stamping.  Gently lift the folder away.  When you first reveal your wet artwork, it doesn't look very defined, but that happens as it dries.

The top photo was taken just after I lifted the folder, the bottom, after it was dry.  Quite a difference!  You can leave it to dry naturally, as I do, or speed the process up with a heat gun.

I hope you weren't too disappointed with how easy this technique actually was!!  It packs a real punch with minimal effort - I love that!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.  Feel free to leave a comment and let me know what you thought.  I appreciate hearing from each and everyone that cares to leave a comment!

CARBS? WHAT CARBS?

Do you know if you eat cake in the dark or when no one is looking, then the carbs can't be seen, therefore, don't count?  At least that is what I tell myself, lol

I love the "Carbs, Schmarbs" sentiment from the Yippee-Skippee for that reason!  It makes for a fun birthday card.  I have teamed it with a pretty relaxed looking young lady (could be the Martini!) which I coloured with my new Blendabilities.
New colours, new pens, new designer paper and new stamps all on one card.  I love it!!  Find everything I have used at my Online store.

Stamps: Yippee-Skippee, In This Together
Card: Lost lagoon, Whisper White
Inks: Basic Gray, Black Memento Ink, Blendabilities
Accessories: Big Shot, Ovals Collection Framelits, Moonlight Designer Series Paper Stack, Fast Fuse, Dimensionals, Organza Ribbon

IN THIS TOGETHER

The new 2014-2015 Stampin' Up! catalogue is now LIVE!!  How exciting!!  That is why my posts have been a bit scarce recently.  I have been madly creating up a storm.  I can't wait to share this first card with you all!

I have used a stamp set called "In this Together".  It is a great wee set to use with my new Blendabilities!  I have also used another technique on this card too, paper piercing!  The new DSP's are GORGEOUS!!

To see these and more beautiful, newly released product, head over to my online store HERE.  You can even download a pdf copy of the catalogue, while you are at it.  Short and sweet today, back into my craft room for some more craft R&R!!