Fun fold Friday...

Well today we're off to the venue for our annual weekend retreat which will be full of Crafting, Laughing and Eating!!! So Gill and I will be shattered by the time Monday arrives but it will be so worth it 😁
Anyway back to today. For todays friday Fun Fold I am sharing another of my simple folds. This one has 2 scores and 4 straight cuts..nothing too difficult promise 😊
Start with a sheet of A4 cardstock  (American measurements will be in brackets and based on letter size, 8 1/2" x 11")
Now score the cardstock in half at 14.85cm ( 5")
Then rotate the card and score at 10.5cm (4 1/4")
Now with the card in a portrait orientation cut the top left hand rectangle out as per the photo below.
Next mark 0.5cm (1/4") in around all 3 open sides of the left hand panel and remove as per the photos.
Fold along the score lines folding the smaller right hand panel on to the left . Then fold the top down and rotate so that the card opens as normal from right to left. ( I hope that make sense 😅😅)
Now the fun begins decorate as desired 😁
I have used the stamps from the Positive Thoughts  set and a very monochromatic colour palette of night of navy and white. I heat embossed with clear embossing powder on the front panel to give  a tone on tone touch of texture.  The white maiden hair fern is heat embossed in white on night of navy the die cut out using the coordinating dies to the stamp set. I create the sentiment by masking parts of the sentiment stamp in the set to ink only the words I wanted to stamp there by creating my own sentiment. A few rhinestones and some basic white bakers twine and the front is done. The inside panels are created the same way but just using ink.
Well that's it from me this week I do hope you'll join us next week to see what inspiration we have to share.
Have fun
Cary xx

Throwback Thursday...

Now as you know we are Stampin Up independent Demonstrators and one of the fab things that means we get are gorgeous catalogues! We get 3 a year an annual and 2 seasonal/ mini catalogues.
These catalogues are not just full of fab product but they also contain a multitude of gorgeous inspirational samples to drool over 😉 When Gill and I started out they were called Ideas book and catalogue and I still think thats a great description of these gems.
So for todays samples I have taken inspiration from the cover of the 2011/12 Ideas book and catalogue.
I love the softly vintage feel of the crumb cake with the flash of colour from the grapefruit grove. I added a subtle pop of gold foil to my project.
I have used the Positive Thoughts stamps again and used my spong daubers to add blended edges to all the cut edges to help create the vintage feel.
And what card isn't complete without a little sparkle?? I used the oh so swish champagne rhinestones from the spring summer mini. They give a stunning little glint to he center of the butterfly.

Watercolour Wednesday

Gill and I hold regular classes every month. We take it in turns to design for each class and often ask our attendees what they'd like us to create for class. Sometimes they want us to use a certain stamp set or show them a certain technique.
Well one of our attendees asked for a class showcasing the...Stamparatus!! This fantastic tool is a stamp positioning tool par excellence!!!
One of the fun techniques that I showed was called the Stamparatus Slap! And the reason I'm sharing it with you today on watercolour Wednesday is because it uses lots of water!!
Firstly position your stamp in the stamparatus and stazon ink to stamp the image onto shimmery white cardstock .
Now clean your stamp and taking Stampin write markers colour your stamp. Now spritz the stamp with water, about 6 to 10 sprays depending on the size of the stamp just make sure its wet!
Now the fun part quickly slap the plate closed! Lift back and mop up your plate up.
If there are puddles on your work gently use the corner of a piece of kitchen roll to wick it away. Now let the piece dry, you can use a heat tool if you're impatient like me 😉.
 If the ink doesn't splat quite the way you'd like it too you can repeat the process solong as you don't move the stamp and place your card in the same place.
I hope you like this slightly messy but fun water coulouring technique 😊

Tips, Tricks and Techniques...

Today I thought I'd create a card using the rock "n" roll technique....but then I discovered that the stamp I wanted to use was tooo small!!!
The rock "n" roll technique requires that you ink the stamp in one colour then using another ink pad gently rock and roll it around the edge of the stamp.
Sooo what did I do? I reached for my trusty Stampin write markers!!
I inked the stamp with an ink pad first then ran the marker pen around the edge and down what would be the spine of the feather. Now a gentle huff and I was ready to...rock "n" roll 😂😂😂
The colours I used were Highland Heather and Seaside Spray ink pads and Gray Granite marker pen. The feather and sentiment stamps are from the positive thoughts set from Stampin Up.

Make it simple Monday...

This week is the run up to our annual weekend crafting retreat. And yes as you can imagine it's a very very crazy busy!!!
So a make it simple project is just what is called for!! And today's inspiration is very simple just 1 sentiment stamp and 1 image stamp and 1 ink to create the cards today.
I used generational stamping to create the ombre effect with the flowers.  This is a very easy technique you ink the stamp once, stamp, then gently huff on the stamp and stamp again. Huff on the stamp again and stamp. Huffing gentle remoistens the ink to reactivate it. It's a great way to make the most out of a few items from your stash.

Tips, Tricks and Techniques Tuesday.  

Today's tip is to do as I say again! I cannot tell you how many times I made this card and each time I got it wrong! The important TIP... Check what colours of card you use and how they blend together.

That's it, that's the tip from me. Silly isn't it? You would think that I would have got it right the first time but no, not me! I really did have a bad day today!
However, once I got the colours right, it was plain sailing as they say.

I used Whisper White card base and a Granny Apple Green card mat. I used the lovely dies called Sending Flowers and Perfectly Framed stamp set for the messages.

For more information on the Perfectly Framed stamps, please click HERE  

The stamps coordinate with Ornate Frames Dies, HERE

The dies are from a selection of special products available only while stocks last or until 31st March 2020  For a quick look, please click HERE  

Do please go and have a look as there are some beautiful products available.

What I did wrong was I used the same colour card base as the mat. It really didn't work at all!

Make It Monday  

Hello and welcome back. Cary's projects were up to her usual high standard last week weren't they?

Well done Cary, again.

Today I have made a different version of one that I made for a class last week. #simplestamping really is the word. I used a Whisper White card mat, Balmy Blue card base, Memento, Tuxedo Black ink pad and ordinary colouring pencils. Yep! That's all. The idea of #simplestamping is to prove that you can make a card very simply using the above tools and a stamp set. The stamp set I used was a Hostess set called New Wonders. Hostess sets can be earned when you hold a workshop or demonstration, class or 'party' with total orders gained of £150 or more. You earn 10% Hostess Pounds and on £150 you get £15 to spend. The stamp set only costs £12.50 so you would have money still to spend!   For more information on the stamp set, please click HERE

The stamping was very straightforward and once done, I coloured the images in and very gently rubbed the light blue around the images.

A close up of the images below.

It was that simple, I'm really quite pleased with this one!