Creating your own sentiments

I came across some sentiments which I created a while back, and have not shared them with you yet. Here is a greeting which I created in brown on the computer, and printed out ready to make thank you cards with. As it turns out, I need to use some of those soon so I thought I'd share one of the cards that I had made using the sentiment. (The basic design of this card was cased from the very talented Monica) I'll be giving away this sentiment that I created as a free downloadable sheet both in brown and multi colours, so check back in a few days for your free download. This card using some blue and pink Stampin' Up! card, my sentiment, pink SU ribbon an SU button and some decorative edge scissors. You can create your own version of this card using my sentiments or by creating your own too. Simply change the colour scheme for a choice of cards to add to your collection.

September is a very exciting time for Stampin’ Up customers and demonstrators alike! On September 1st we all get to see the ‘retiring list’ which is a list of discounted products available to you and me – of items which will not be carried forward to the new 2010 – 2011 catalogue at the end of September. If you are like me and have had your eye on some Stampin’ Up! sets and accessories but haven’t ordered them yet, or you want to stock up on your favourite colours of cardstock, inks or ribbons before they disappear – then tomorrow will be your chance! There will be bargains prices with the retirement list, so check back here tomorrow for details. Many of the stamp sets and almost all of the scrapbook paper sets as well as many other things, will be retiring from this main catalogue and also the mini catalogue:

Don’t wait too long before you place your order if you do see things you like, as items on this list are only available UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30TH, OR, WHILE STOCKS LAST! Many of the popular items will sell out very quickly and once they are gone, they are gone. Last year, many items were sold out within the first week.

There is also a lot of other change which is exciting for us demonstrators as we pass this onto you. There is a colour renovation in the new 2010 – 2011 Catalogue and Idea Book, which means that we are losing some of your old favourite colours and being given some fantastic new ones! This counts for colours of cardstock, patterned papers, ink pads and ribbons etc. Although you might feel sad about this, you have your chance to stock up on your favourites from tomorrow, and we are looking forward to some fab new colours to start demonstrating with very soon. This is another reason there should be some great sale prices from tomorrow! If there are things that you want on there, be sure to let me know as soon as you can. I will be offering FREE DELIVERY on all orders over £50. You can browse the two catalogues online by clicking on the links to the right.

The current Stampin' Up! catalogue is only valid until September 30th and a new one is valid from 1st October. With the colour renovation happening with that catalogue, there is sure to be some gorgeous new things on offer. Would you like to be one of the first people to get their hands on the 2010 / 2011 Catalogue and Idea Book? As well as all the gorgeous products, it is full of inspirational craft projects to kick start your imagination. Click the link on the right to pre-order and you could have your copy posted to you First Class Recorded, the day that they arrive with me (last week of September):

I think that is enough excitement for today. Check back tomorrow on 1st September for the retiring list and don't forget if you want to be one of the first people to get their catalogue sent to them, just use the link above to get yours to your door

** Stampin' Up! August Special Offer **

*This post will remain at the top for the month of August, please scroll down for new blog posts*

Hello everyone! Well look what Stampin' Up! are offering for the delightful summer month of August - a special 20% discount off of two-step stamping sets! These sets are designs that need more than one stamp to complete the finished image, such as the Big Bold Birthday cupcake top, bottom and candles. There are quite a few different two step stamping sets in the main catalogue and mini catalogue, so if you've had your eye on some of them - now is the time to order!

The stamp sets that are available from the catalogue (see right) are:

Loads of love £18.95 - now £15.16
Big bold birthday £23.95 - now £19.16
Trendy trees £12.95 - now £10.36
Greenhouse garden £22.95 - now £18.36
Something sweet £23.95 - now £19.16
Tiny tags £18.95 - now £15.16

Bird on a branch £14.95 - now £11.96

The Big Bold Birthday set, which I showed you featured on these cards some time back is just one of many. I'll be showing you some inspiration soon with what else you can do with these two step stamps but in the mean time, email me now with your order if you are keen to take up this special promotion!

First Birthday Card

A traditional girly first birthday card in pink! I've used the Polka Dot stamp for the background onto a cream card blank, using the Pink Passion stamp pad. I love this stamp, its so versatile! I used an Autumn Leaves stamp set I've got for the giraffe and baby, very cute, in the same colour pink onto white card, and rounded the corners. These wooden letters I have are so old now, and just when you create a pile of stash to get rid of, you find a use for it! Isn't that always the way, then I've just added some ric rak and a button, and of course the all important '1' sticker!

Cardmaking, Scrapbooking and Papercraft Basics Kit - Special Offer

Whether you need to replace your core tools and adhesives or you are new to crafting and thinking of crafting at home or attending classes, I’ve put together a special offer on a basics kit to help you on your way! The great thing about papercrafts is that you only need a few staple items to get you started - a few simple tools and a choice of adhesives (so that you have the right one for all different materials) is really all that is required to get you papercrafting so…

BASICS KITS
Paper Cutter Trimmer £17.50
Cutting Blade Refills £ 3.95
Paper Folder (Scorer) £ 4.95
Paper Snips (Scissors) £6.95
Snail adhesive (Glue runner) £ 4.95
Stampin Dimensionals (Foam pads) £ 2.75
Mini Glue Dots £ 3.50
Subtotal £44.55

Postage and packing £3.95
TOTAL £48.50

**Special Offer**
Order this basics kit from me today and you will receive a FREE ¼” Grosgrain ribbon spool (13.7m of ribbon worth £3.95) in the colour of your choice PLUS a FREE copy of the Stampin’ Up! Idea Book & Catalogue 2009/2010 (worth £4.95) full of inspirational craft projects, with each kit ordered! That’s an order of £57.40 for £48.50 - a saving of £8.90 today!

The colours you can choose from are:

110046 Whisper White
110042 Very Vanilla
110128 Pumpkin Pie
110126 More Mustard
110129 Real Red
110049 Elegant Eggplant
109977 Night of Navy

110132 Tempting Turquoise
110124 Certainly Celery
110121 Always Artichoke
113377 Chocolate Chip

If you would prefer to order some of these items individually, you can also do this through me but the special offer does not apply. Offer available until 31st August 2010.

*This offer cannot be combined with any other offer and is an offer from me as an independent demonstrator, not from Stampin’ Up!. Available at my discretion and while stocks last.

Happy Birthday Stacey!

I can't post this until this evening incase Stacey reads this - happy birthday!

It is my friend's birthday today and she loves pink, which is an easy choice for a female birthday card. I've used some chatterbox patterned card and lightly inked around the edges with a pink ink pad for definition. I created my own bookmark for the front of it, also from patterned card bu cutting a rectangle and rounding the corners with a punch. I've tied just a little bit of ribbon through a punched hole at the top.

I used my decorative edged scissors to cut some Stampin' Up! kraft card and then on another strip of the patterned card too, and wrapped a length of Stampin' Up! ribbon (Pretty in Pink colour) around this, tying it into a knot. I attached the border across the front of the card using double sided tape at the ends and along the top, but leaving a gap in the tape where I wanted to pull my bookmark through.

The birthday greeting is stamped using a Paula Pascual stamp. I love the sticker I have used on the bookmark, it's a traditional childhood image and as it's an old friend, it is very apt!

My craft space - ribbon storage

We all enjoy a little nose at other people's craft spaces don't we? I'm not sure what it is, but curiosity is a funny thing and it's great to see where other people work and what they have around them. This I have shared before, but it's newly tidied with an additional piece of storage so I thought I'd share it again.

I needed some new stoage for my Stampin' Up! ribbons as I have a tonne of ribbon, but none of it has been on reels until I started to fall in love with Stampin' Up! ribbons. I had my eye on a lovely little storage unit for ribbons but it was £25, another expense I just didn't need right now for my crafts so I had a look in Ikea for something alternative. And I found this little bargain:


You have to buy the bar, the two buckets and the double shelf item all separately but it still only cost me about £10 or something similar, and the reels of ribbons sit perfectly on the shelves, top and bottom, all sizes of the spools, so it was perfect!

I already had Ikea shelves above my desk which contain wicker baskets with my other stamps, chipboard etc in and then I have a rotating basket to my right with my tools in, and a box to the left with all my adhesives, craft knife etc that I need to hand.

Below my desk shows that I'm fairly restricted to space in my corner but I have a set of the six 12x12 plastic boxes in the storage unit, and some plastic drawers to the right. My Stampin' Up! stamps and ink pads are currently in plastic boxes under my desk, until I think of something better to do with them! What is your space like?

Wedding Bells

We had a lovely family wedding on Saturday and this was the card I made for the occasion. I used some patterned papers that I have had in my box for some time, they are beautiful from Delish Designs, and perfect for weddings. I've inked this paper and added it to a card blank, witha few diamonte brads in the corner. I have used the wedding cake stamp from the 'Fun and Fast Notes' set, and coloured it in with my marker pens (by chance, in West Ham colours so I am told!). The colours were, in fact, Real Red and Bashful Blue.

A greeting from the 'Curvy Verses' stamp set has also been stamped in Real Red, onto a piece of white card. I mounted this onto brown and cut a pretty scalloped edge, tying it all with organza ribbon into a bow to complete the card.

I really must stop taking bad photographs at night time, I just never seem to complete my craft work at the appropriate times! It makes such a difference to how your work looks on a blog though, so I really must.