Merry Merry Christmas Card

I love the printed vellums that we've have over the last couple of catalogues from Stampin' Up! and these from the Holiday Fancy Foil Designer pack are no exception.  Just look how a simple card can say 'wow look at me' and you can recreate it very simply.

The vellum comes in a pack of 9 sheets with 3 each of 3 designs.  I've used the tree design here with the Christmas Greetings thinlits and Holly Jolly stamp set and a tree from the annual catalogue stamp set Lots of Joy.  As you know I love my little bits of bling and so a pie crust rhinestone is just a perfect alternative to a traditional tree star.

A quick tip

To fasten your vellum matting layer to your base card why not consider using a stapler which not only fixes the vellum in place, but it adds texture and stops you having to have glue marks under the vellum.

Hope you had a  great weekend.  I was at my cornet lesson with the children.  I so love sharing the joy of learning how to play an instrument with them. I'm just a bit slower than them, but I'm improving with practice so hanging in there for now.

Zx

Christmas Packaging with Stampin' Up! Woodland Embossing Folder

Stampin' Up! Woodland Embossing Folder has been a huge hit with many of us.  It is such a fun folder with more uses than just straight embossing.  In addition to 'just' embossing you can use a brayer to add colour to the deboss side otherwise known as the side with printing on the folder and can then create popping silhouette trees like these on this pretty gift box.  The box is created using the  new Square Pillow Box Thin lit dies which are in the Stampin' Up! winter catalogue along with the folder.  The folder will disappear on 4 January as it's on the retiring product list.  It could go even sooner if it sells out so if you've had your eye on it please don't miss out and order one now.

You can add some silver twine, vellum and glimmer paper stars using the star punch and a sentiment from the Holly Jolly Greetings Bundle which includes a stamp set and thin lit greetings of Merry, Peace and Jolly.

These boxes are just the right size for giving to husbands and boyfriends or both whilst saying 'Fill this with jewels Darling!'

Here's wishing you small boxes filled with treats more exotic than chocolate.

Zx

Challenges
52 CCT - brayering or sponging

Stampin' Up! UK Spring Catalogue Sneak Peek

Stampin' Up! Botanical Gardens Suite is most definitely not just flowers.  It's also very easy to use other colours in addition to those included in the suite.  To make this card which I cased in part from the Stampin' Up! UK spring catalogue I used bermuda bay and lost lagoon as well as mint macaron from the suite of colours.

By adding some ink to a spritzer bottle you can create an original background along with some second generation stamping with Gorgeous Grunge.  You can add texture with  corrugated paper and the 'fern' leave works really well as a mask to develop even more depth to your card.

I like candy dots and am loving the white enamel dots for adding even more dimension and a little retired washi tape is great for attaching your topper.  You can stamp leaves onto watercolour paper in order that you can spritz very gently with water to blend the colour on the them.

This beautiful suite of products will be available from 5 January, but if you can't wait until then why not think about joining my team and then you can order this bundle in your starter kit from 3 December and be up and running for our big promotion in January.  Just contact me for more information if it's something you might be interested in doing either for the discount or for starting your own new business.  I have team across the UK and in The Netherlands so I'm sure we can find someone near to you for support, guidance and friendship.

More soon.

Zx

Stampin' Up! Onstage Live Brussels 2015

It is hard to believe that over a week has already passed since Stampin' Up! Europe hosted its first Onstage Live event.  Thankfully we were amongst the lucky ones to have our weekend of fun in Brussels and are grateful that it was not this past weekend when it would have left many of us in turmoil just like the poor residents and tourists in Brussels now.  Thoughts are with all those affected both there and in Paris. 

It was a memorable weekend in more ways than one and I loved spending time with some of my team, friends and fellow demonstrators.  As I mentioned in my Stampin' Up! UK spring catalogue post I was honoured to have been asked to share a product spotlight with other demonstrators and you can see me mic'd up in the top picture.   Above is a picture of myself and Annette attending the Manager's Reception onboard a boat with live jazz trio and an interesting, but delicious meal. 

An opportunity for which I have my dedicated team and wonderful customers to thank for their support and friendship in helping me to grow my Stampin' Up! business. Thank you all.

We two, along with my lovely friend Mikaela, walked the stage together for our annual sales achievement.  We later celebrated our successes and friendships later with a meal in a fun restaurant.  Lizzie celebrated her birthday earlier in the week and was surprised by the whole restaurant singing Happy Birthday to her.

We were also lucky enough to be given a copy of the upcoming Stampin' Up! UK spring catalogue that will be available to all from 5 January 2016.  This apparently was taken at the point I was asked on stage what I think about said new catalogue.  Thank you Mikaela for my most flattering photo to date lol.  You can see I'm as excited as usual about a new catalogue and you will love this one.  It has a bit of everything from beautiful florals to great kids projects and something fab for the mens cards.

Back soon with another sneak peek.
Zx

Stampin' Up! Spring Catalogue Sneak Peek - Botanical Blooms

Stampin' Up! recently changed its programme of events which meant that our traditional annual convention for Europe has now evolved to one european event every 18 months and then two 'local' events in each european nation in between.  Stampin' Up! Europe was the first to host the global Onstage Live event this past week in Brussels.  

Only the tragic events  in Paris which rocked us all and in particular our fellow demonstrators from Paris and the rest of France.  We joined together to show our unity by holding hands in silence on Saturday morning and I don't think there was a dry eye in the auditorium.  All our thoughts are with everyone affected.

I was honoured to have been asked to be a presenter for one of the new product spotlights which show cased different product suites from our upcoming Spring catalogue which launches in early January.  From today I am allowed to share some sneak peeks and this is a card I made with product I received for my presentation.  

Just look at how the new Botanical Builder Framelits Dies cut out gorgeous leaves, but also flowers that have dimension.  It cuts out the outline of the petals edges, but also cuts a further inner petal, but leaves them attached in the centre of the flower.  The basic black stamens are also part of this new set of dies which will come with designer series paper and a stamp set as a glorious bundle of Botanical Blooms. You are going to love it.

This is the entrance to the conference centre where we were treated to free stamp sets and other lovely logo'd products along with a copy of the spring catalogue and the Sale-a-bration catalogue.  Oh my are you in for a treat.  Watch this space.

More soon.
Zx

Christmas Card Club - Post Box

I got all mixed up with Christmas Card Club and missed a couple, but I'm hopefully back on track now with this one which was set by Valery who asked us to feature a post box.  I went for the punch art option and a very clean and simple card.

I used some Stampin' Up! dazzling diamonds glimmer paper along the bottom to give some depth and distance between the trees and and my punch art post box and as you know I love a bit of bling.  The trees are from the popular Sleigh Ride Edgelits and with the fine tip glue pen (I'm lovin' this new glue from the winter catty) I've added some dazzling diamonds glitter to the trees to make them look like they have tinsel adorning them.  If you like the Stampin' Up! Sleigh Ride Edgelit dies you can see another example and the other dies in the set on my earlier Christmas Card Club post.

Sentiment is from Oh What Fun, which you will have seen a taste of in my earlier post featuring the MAWTT challenge card.

Travelling home today from Brussels so look out soon for some sneak peeks as we are due to get our hands on the new Spring/Summer catalogue and maybe a treat to play with so watch this space.

Have a good Sunday.

Zx

Stampin' Up! Onstage Live More Swaps

Stampin' Up! has a great tradition of sharing ideas amongst demonstrators and so at events like Onstage we all make swaps and go around the event to share our swaps with other attendees whilst they share theirs with you.  It's a super way of boosting your mojo, getting ideas and seeing different styles.  I shared my first Stampin' Up! swap on Thursday and here's my second. A cute treat bag with a hand cream in each one.  I've altered some and used gold thread instead of the gold cord you see here and different sentiments all from the Stampin' Up! set Teeny Tiny Sentiments.  The bag itself is made using the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits dies.

Here's a 2 minute video to show you how to make one.

I know I'm having a fun day today as there is a general session today and this afternoon I'll be at an event called Centrestage where senior managers will be learning tips to help grow their business and help their teams grow theirs also.

Zx

Stampin' Up! European Onstage Live 2015 Swaps

Today I'm enjoying life in Brussels at the Stampin' Up! new style convention which is now called Onstage Live.  I'm here with some of my lovely team from the UK and The Netherlands and we are learning all about the new products coming in the Spring/Summer catalogue.  Sorry no sneaky peeks as we aren't allowed to share just yet, but I can share one of my swaps with you.  This simple card uses the star punch. I've used it with the corrugated card stock that comes in the Stampin' Up! annual catalogue and you get a sheet of white and sheet of kraft.  Fab card for texture and it looks great mixed with the in colour washi tape, gold thread and little bit of stamping from Gorgeous Grunge and the thank you is from the Tin of Cards set, its the one that matches that gorgeous tin and card kit on the front cover of the annual catalogue.

I love using washi tape as it is quick and when you are making lots of swaps, to share with fellow demonstrators for inspiration, you need something that is effective, but easy and speedy to use.

If you've ever wanted to have lots of friends to craft with and be able to buy fabulous products at a discount you might like to consider joining my team, The Tantalizing Stampers and then you too could join us at 6 monthly events like this organised by Stampin' Up! and also our team get togethers where training is free and we share ideas.

Another swap soon.

Zx

Christmas Wrap over at MAWTT

It's time for another challenge at MAWTT and it's a theme of anything listed in the song from The Sound of Music - Raindrops on Roses etc etc.......

I went for the brown paper packaging tied up with string to gift wrap a parcel in the vein of Jane Means, the gift wrap guru, with a co-ordinating card made using Stampin' Up! set Your Presents which is great for building piles of gifts either for Christmas or birthdays.  It's a super set for the 'kissing' technique.

My sentiment is from the Stampin' Up! winter catalogue set Oh , What Fun which co-ordinates with the Oh What Fun Tag Project Kit.   Some baker's twine and linen thread and you have all the makings of brown paper packages tied up with 'posh' string.

Step over to the challenge and take a look at the other design team inspiration before you have a go at the challenge.

Meanwhile today I'm at day one of the Stampin' Up! European Onstage Live event in Brussels with some of my lovely team The Tantalizing Stampers.  If you'd like to attend fun events like this and love Stampin' Up! why not contact me to find out about joining the team.

Have a great day!
Zx

Stampin' Up! Cards for Men

 I'm loving this Stampin' Up! Woodland embossing folder and have had a lot of fun creating some cards similar to many you may have seen with trees behind trees.  I've taken it a little further and created a whole scene  with the bold stag from the Wilderness Awaits stamp set.  The whole scene is stamped and brayered onto the embossing folder before putting the card through the Big Shot.  The only additions to the card above are the sentiment and I've coloured in the stag and rock with my marker pens.  I also used a marker pen to add a little definition to the embossed trees.  

This lower version is good as a birthday card for men.  The same process, but on this one I added some different embellishments ; some burlap and a wood element and I also 'smudged' some grey ink which could be clouds or smoke rising from the near by camp fire.  A perfect combination of stamps for all those who love nature or indeed the hunting, shooting, fishing brigade.

Supplies
Stamps - Lovely as a Tree, The Wilderness Awaits, Holly Jolly Greetings, Guy Greetings
Colours - Early espresso, soft sky, whisper white, mossy meadow, soft suede, smoky slate, so saffron, basic black
Embellishments - silver foil card stock, Into The Woods Elements, burlap
Tools - washi label punch, Christmas Greetings thin lets dies, stampin up stapler

Remember you can buy these and all other current products in my Stampin' Up! online shop.

Use November's Stampin' Rewards code when you spend £25 or more and I will send you a gift from the rewards when I close the code at the end of November.   NOVEMBER CODE  44AVQT6T

More soon.
Zx

Challenges
Don't forget to join us at MAWTT with our challenge of Leaves and/or trees

Stampin' Up! Home for Christmas Papers

Stampin' Up! Home for Christmas designer series paper has been a big winner this autumn and that is largely due to the fabulous hand painted images that appear on many of the sheets of paper in the pack.  These two cute reindeer are part of the ensemble and you can create fabulously stunning and yet simple cards just by cutting out images from the papers.  I've popped Rudolph and his girlfriend onto a circle of Winter Wonderland designer vellum and then on a larger circle of whisper white card stock.  This layered topper is then adhered to a an embossed base card in pool party. I've used the Softly Falling textured embossing folder from the Stampin' Up! winter catalogue to create a snowy background.

If you visited us at the Portsmouth Sincerely Yours show last Saturday you might have spotted this card on our display.  Welcome to anyone who has come to read my blog after visiting the show.  I hope you will return regularly for inspiration and a little bit of chatter.

Thank you for visiting us at the show and here on my blog.

More soon

Zx