Thursday, 16 January 2025

Cake celebration birthday card

 How do you find inspiration?  It's a question I get asked quite a lot and today I thought I'd share one way that I get inspiration.... catalogues! That's right I use the beautiful projects made for catalogues as a fantastic source of inspiration. Years ago they they were described as being ideas books and that just stuck with me. Now in this digital age how does it work I hear you wonder ๐Ÿค” Well  if you go explore my Stampin' Up!  Online Shop you'll find projects galore. For every stamp, die, punch, pattern paper there are beautiful stylish project ideas shown. Whilst the ideas might be related to a certain product don't think that you need to use those products! Today's card was made using inspiration from 1 set but using something completely different! 

Today's inspiration is using the gorgeous Cake Celebration stamps and coordinating dies. But the inspiration was from and very different set called Hearts and Hugs! Cake celebration has a watercolour feel and is all about, as the name implies ๐Ÿ˜‰, cake. Whilst the Hearts and hugs is what I call a cutesy animal based one. They're very different!

Here is the Hearts and Hugs sample from the online shop ...

Cake celebration hearts and hugs stampin up birthday card

Now I know I said it was an animal set but the coordinating dies have lots of extras in it which are featured in this sample.
Now here is what I created using the Cake celebration stamps and dies....

Cake celebration hearts and hugs stampin up birthday card

Can you see the similarities?  The use of the 3 panels of embossed cardstock. The use of 1 colour predominantly. The softening of the edges using time on tone ink blending.

Cake celebration hearts and hugs stampin up birthday card

Same but different.  This is what I call casing. This is where you use a card to inspire your own creation. Sometimes you will just tweak the original slightly. Other times you might just use it as a starting point. But there is always a connection to the original inspiration. I think to case a card is OK but please remember to give credit to the original inspiration and it's creator. 

Cake celebration hearts and hugs stampin up birthday card


Sunday, 12 January 2025

Handmade Designs mini one sheet wonder

 Want a fun, quick and easy technique that makes 4 cards at once? Well today I've got you covered. I'm  calling the technique a mini one sheet wonder. 

I've also used another technique which I believe is called collage stamping. I've chosen to use the exclusive free stamp set called Handmade Designs. The set is only available for those who sign up during January and February 2025.  I've also used a set called Elements of text which is fantastic for this style of stamping. This set has a lovely mix of different size and style script and splodges.

Start with  piece of  cardstock measuring 14.85cm x 21cm ( 8½" x 5½) . Next gather your stamps and inks. I have chosen to use 2 shades of blue, 2 of lilac and a soft grey. As said before I used the Handmade Designs and elements of text stamps. When choosing the stamps think about both outline and solid stamps as this helps to create the collage feel.

For this mini one sheet wonder stamp your images in a rough cross  shape onto the cardstock panels.  I started with the largest flowrer image first and the brightest colours then filled in and around with the blues with the leaves. Then over with the lightest grey colour with the text and splodges to create a unified feel to the piece.

Handmade designs stampin up elements of text simple easy fun one sheet wonder collage stamping cards

As part of the joining offer you also receive 2 packs of Stampin' Write markers. So I've used these for today's inspiration.  The reason being that I wanted to only partially ink parts of the Handmade Designs stamps. I only inked the flower heads not the leaves in the lilac colours. Then only added blue ink to their leaves and stamped separately. 
Once happy with the layout turn the cardstock panel over and cut into quarters. The reason I turn it over is so that I'm not distracted by the images when cutting. Sometimes it can be a bit off putting to cut up your work ๐Ÿ˜‰.


Handmade designs stampin up elements of text simple easy fun one sheet wonder collage stamping cards

Now it's time to make your cards. These 4 smaller panels are your feature pieces and become the focal point of the card. 
I chose to use the same colour cardstock as inks and make one card base in each of the lilac and blue colours with mats of the grey.

Handmade designs stampin up elements of text simple easy fun one sheet wonder collage stamping cards

The simple layout uses the same size panels throughout all 4 cards. The positioning of the focal images helps them to appear different yet cohesive perfect for a bundle of cards to give as a gift.
The sentiments are from the Handmade Designs stamp set and are perfect for that gift bundle ๐Ÿ˜‰.

Handmade designs stampin up elements of text simple easy fun one sheet wonder collage stamping cards


Thursday, 9 January 2025

Handmade designs distressed card

 Well winter is well and truly here for me. The sky's are dull and the view from my crafting table, otherwise known as the dining table ๐Ÿ˜‰, is dreary and drab. We has a little snow yesterday but not enough to make it a winer wonder land rather just enough to show up the dirt ๐Ÿ˜œ. Anyway what's the weather got to do with today's inspiration I hear you ask..  well as I sit and face the forest the outlook is brown on brown and I need some colour! So decided it was time to make a card using a more hopeful colour palette. 

As I had the joining offer exclusive stamp set on the table and my trusty Stampin' Write markers to hand this is what I came up with.

Elements of text handmade designs Stampin up distressed green card

The style of the card is what is generally called Distressed.  Now it's a big leap for me as I'm usually drawn to a cleaner look. But I had this idea and decided to run with it!

For the background stamped texture I used a new stamp set called Elements of Text. I used the mossy meadow pen from the neutrals marker pens and the soft sea foam from the subtles marker pens. These 2 shades of green work well together I hope you agree. I used the pens to add ink to the stamps rather than an ink pad. The Stampin' Write markers are a great way to add colour to your stash and there are lots of fun techniques you can do with them.

Elements of text Stampin up distressed green card


I used the dark green pen, mossy meadow, to just ink the leaves on the plant and pot stamp from the Handmade Designs set. Using the marker pen means that I didn't need to mask of the pot on the stamp each time I inked it up.

Elements of text handmade designs Stampin up distressed green card

Once I'd finished stamping I took the light green, soft sea foam, marker pen and coloured in the leaves of plants. Now the distressing part. To add texture to the edge of the panel I ran the blade of an old pair of scissors along the edges. As the cardstock is a good weight you can be quite rough with it after all I was looking for a distressed feel ๐Ÿ˜‰.

Elements of text handmade designs Stampin up distressed green card


Once the white panel was finished I added it to a dark green cardstock panel just adhering it to the center.  This leaves the edges to curl and come away a little . The sentiment was stamped with the dark green on a strip of the light green cardstock used for the card base. I then tore the edges both above and below the sentiment. Then I took the torn of edges and adhered them behind the sentiment strip to enhance to torn edge look. 

Elements of text handmade designs Stampin up distressed green card


A swirl of green twine from the Natural tones linen thread trio and a scattering of brushed brass butterflies, now that's a mouthful ๐Ÿ˜œ, and the card was made.

Elements of text handmade designs Stampin up distressed green card


What do you think? Has it hit the distressed feel? I have to say it certainly brought some greenery to my table as I made it. 





Tuesday, 7 January 2025

Fun techniques with Stampin' Write markers

 Stampin' Up! Sale-A-Bration has begun and with it a fantastic joining offer. Sale-A-Bration is an annual offering of free product with qualifying orders,  host reward specials and fantastic joining offers. The join offer this year has 2 choices.

Option 1 

Customers who join our crafting community as a new demonstrator can get 175 € | £130 worth of products PLUS a choice of two Stampin’ Write Marker Assortment packs AND the Handmade Designs Cling Stamp Set, an exclusive stamp set designed to work with the markers. That’s a 286 € | £220 value all for just 129 € | £99!

option 2 

Customers who want to join Stampin’ Up! during Sale-A-Bration but are interested in a different join option can instead get 175 € | £130 worth of product PLUS an additional 39 € | £30 worth of product of their choice when they join for 129 € | £99. That’s a 214 € | £160 value!

Both are amazing but I thought I'd share some inspiration using the amazing stamps and pens. The stamp set is called Handmade Designs and is only available with the offer.

Handmade designs stampin up Sale-A-Bration joining offer

The cards I'm sharing today were made during my weekly Facebook live.  I go live on Facebook at 5pm GMT every Monday afternoon.  Why not pop by and join me sometime?  Or subscribe to my YouTube channel and see them there ๐Ÿ˜‰ 
Here is the video from yesterday's Live at 5


Here is the first card I made. I've used 3 different techniques using the Stampin' Write markers which are waterbased so very very versatile ๐Ÿ˜€.

Handmade designs stampin up Sale-A-Bration joining offer

The pens I chose to showcase are all in the Brights colour family. There are 4 colour family packs of 10 pens . This joining offer allows you to choose 2 packs... the hard part may be deciding which to go with ๐Ÿ˜‰

Handmade designs stampin up Sale-A-Bration joining offer

If you think this offer is one not to be missed you're right! Here is a link to join with my wonderful group of crafters Join here
Below is a short video with more details 




Handmade designs stampin up Sale-A-Bration joining offer


Saturday, 4 January 2025

Thank you card rub and reveal technique

 Today's inspiration is a simple card that uses an easily available product. The technique is to sand cardstock to reveal it's white core I call it the rub and reveal. But what you do if you don't have any white core cardstock ? Well let me explain....

It all starts with a piece of white cardstock.  Then blend ink all over the piece. Now make sure that the panel is completely dry. When you blend ink over such a large area the quantity of ink used means that it takes quite a while to dry. So leave it over night or use your heat tool to speed the process up but be careful not to burn it.

I have used 3 different coloured inks . A yellow, a lime green and an apple shade of green.  

Thank you card rub and reveal sanding technique

Once dry run the panel through your cut and emboss machine with a 3d embossing folder. You can use a standard embossing folder of course but I like the depth a 3d one gives.

Next find a nail file or block. Carefully rub it across the top of the embossed panel. Go gently you can always rub more off but you can't put it back ๐Ÿ˜œ. 

As you gently buff the top layer of colour off it will reveal the white paper beneath and voila you have a unique panel to use for your project.

Thank you card rub and reveal sanding technique

A simple technique that has a multitude of uses. Today's inspiration uses the dotted circle 3d embossing folder from Stampin' Up! for the embossing folder. 

Thank you card rub and reveal sanding technique

I would also recommend creating a larger panel. This way you can trim to the size and use the off cuts to decorate then inside of your card.

Thank you card rub and reveal sanding technique

The sentiment is from a set that is available from the 6th of January in the upcoming January to April mini catalogue from Stampin' Up!. Called With You In Mind it's a fun set with very useful sentiments and some cute images definitely one to look out for especially as it's price point is great too at just £19! If you live in the UK I'd love for you to shop with me. You can find my shop by clicking Here

Thank you card rub and reveal sanding technique


Wednesday, 1 January 2025

Tuesday, 31 December 2024

Happy New Year 2025

 I'd  like to wish all my team, customers,  class attendees and social media friends and followers a wonderful 2025. Thank you for all your support last year. Here's to a great year of creativity for us all .  ๐Ÿฉท๐Ÿงก๐Ÿ’›๐Ÿ’š๐Ÿฉต๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿ’œ