What do you do when you need a quick card? ask your sister to make one! So here I made a card for my niece who was moving into her teenage years. She likes bold colours so we went for Rich Razzleberry card teamed with Pumpkin Pie orange card and Old Olive green satin ribbon. I love these satin ribbons!
It was my sister's birthday as well as my niece's, and a friend had kindly ordered a Stampin' Up! gift voucher for my sister - which I know she is going to love spending! I made a lovely envelope out of pink card and then stamped all over it and tied it with some satin ribbon to finish.
I'm sorry but you are just going to have to view the inside of the envelope at a strange angle - for some reason blogger likes to turn my photos for no real reason at all and I cannot work out how to get them to change! Even if I copy the photo four times and rotate one so that I have one at each angle, and upload all four, blogger still changes it to sideways! Anyone know the answer to that one? As I'd love to know!
Anyway my sister gets to spend this voucher on lovely Stampin' Up! goodies - would you like to receive one of these vouchers for your birthday or any other special occasion? Then point your relatives this way and I can surely help you out! I can create vouchers for any amount (hint, hint!) so ask them to simply email me to make contact, or they can buy the pre-paid amounts on the Paypal buttons on the right column of my blog here. I also sell gift vouchers for my craft classes too - keep these in mind when you are next stuck for what to buy your mum, sister or friend!
I'll be back soon with lots of birthday cards I've been making too! Some other great news is that I have been asked by Rainham Library to start teaching some of my craft classes there now - wahoo! It's very exciting and it will be open to everyone so for those of you who already attend my classes and want an extra fix - keep checking back for more information. I hope you all had a wonderful Easter break.
x
My projects are often quite feminine, I think most crafters are as they seem easier to make, but that's why it's great when you get a masculine project in the 'swaps' that we do at team training. It shows examples of other's that have a totally different style to me. It's perfect for boy's birthday cards and also if you wanted to make themed papercrafts for a child's birthday party. Lots of Early Expresso grunging and some Riding Hood Red for the sentiments. There are three good pirate images in that set with a couple of senitments so it's good value and I've seen so many good examples made with it. I'm hoping to get making some more craft items myself very soon - I'm waiting for a good few hours I have to spare to get stuck in!
I think those in the know at Stampin' Up! know that as some of my favourite items right now are the new Big Shot dies exclusive to SU - the mini milk carton and the mini pillow box! They are smaller than they look in the catalogue which makes them just look even cuter. They are on p6 of the mini catalogue - I also desperately want to order the mini scalloped envelope!
I will be doing a 'class at home' kit using these materials soon so keep your eyes peeled if you live too far away to come to one of my classes but would love to make these projects. This was another from a team mate but my designs will be different. The pretty stamps are using the 'Just Believe' set on p57 - we were given this set for free when I attended the Stampin' Up convention last year - as demonstrators we were just as excited as our customers when we get free things! It's such a big set there is so much variety that you can do with just one stamp set, and floral designs are always suitable for almost every occasion too which is another reason I love it. The Springtime Vintage patterned paper has been used as well as the Rose Red seam binding ribbon, the Scallop Trim border punch and I think it is Garden Green and Rose Red inks for the stamping. I'd love to make about ten of these and stamp a different sentiment on each, ready for any occasion that pops up. 
The butterflies are so cute and you get five, each one embossed with a different pattern, and cut out. I think the template for the fries box was using an electronic machine. These would make great Easter gifts as they are filled with chocolates! I keep posting when I haven't got the projects to hand to check who it was was but her family members should be very happy come Easter Sunday. You could make these in each of the different colours of the Designer Series paper stack!
The textured embossing folders (p10) are brilliant and super quick ways to add backgrounds and textures to your projects. These are especially great for when you get stuck for male card ideas as this can have a really masculine feel to it! See my last post for another idea on how to use it. You can imprint a raised dotted, square or flower pattern onto card - this one uses the 'Square Lattice' and the beautiful charity butterfly stamp on p31. It has been stamped onto the background card, and then run through the Big Shot to create the texture. The extra red butterfly image has been stamped onto separate card and then raised over the top. It's great to have alternative colour schemes for this set too as the catalogue examples are lovely subtle colours and this is a brighter alternative. Stampin' Up! is donating £1 from the purchase of each charity stamp set to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. 
So, now the mini catalogue has been launched, it's time to show you what you can make with it! At my recent Stampin' Up! training we all shared our swaps so I'll be starting with those - as most of them were made using items from the new mini! This one was a lovely bookmark made by Natalie O'Shea - isn't it pretty? And so simple but effective! It is made by using the Fun Flowers shape die, running that through the Big Shot machine with some Perfect Plum card. The edges have then been inked with an inkpad. 
The final touches are the strip of ribbon which makes it into a bookmark, and the lovely pink button and twine to centre it off. I can imagine making these in a rainbow of colours - lovely little gift ideas! I'll be back soon with more ideas. Don't forget my 10% off all Stampin' Up! products offer lasts until midnight 7th April.
A blog hop is when a group of crafters get together, all create a project with a similar theme or link, and then post it on their blog on the same day, each linking to the next person so that people can 'hop' around and look at all the lovely inspiration.
Want to see the latest blog hop featuring the lovely new goodies in the new mini catalogue? Start at the first person here - there are four fantastic blog hops going on this time so each person below starts a new chain!
Have you noticed that ALOT of these lovely projects are made using the new Big Shot die cutting machine? That's because we all love it! And you can use all dies from other cutting machines in it too. Take a look at this video to see how it all works and you will see why we think it's so great...
If you see anything you 'must have', don't forget you can place orders for Stampin' Up! goodies through me and I am running a special offer at the moment on all orders from the new mini catalogue (and main catalogue) of 10% discount! This offer only lasts until midnight on 7th April though so don't hang around...
We've been waiting eagerly for Stampin' Up! to release the new mini catalogue and it has finally arrived, packed full of amazing products - there is so much to love! Take a look for yourself!
The biggest thing to arrive is – of course – THE BIG SHOT die-cutting machine!!! As Stampin' Up! fans we have been waiting with baited breath for this to be introduced to the UK catalogue, and finally we have it! 
This is going to be amazing for projects and I especially can't wait to demonstrate my next two craft classes to you which I've created with these new dies! For those that don't know, it's a machine which you run shaped dies through and it cuts and/or embosses your shape for you. That's p6 onwards – I have already fallen in love with the mini pillow box die, the scallop envelope, the mini milk carton die – and as a demonstrator I've been lucky enough to have a play a month before they were released. Like what you see? 
The fun flowers die produces some stunning results, especially when you layer them all together (a class coming soon!) The textured embossing folders on p10 are always brilliant – just fantastic for imprinting a raised dotted, square or flower pattern onto card! 
There is so much to mention that I love, but I think you should simply take a look for yourself – don't miss other personal favourites of mine which are the Four Frames stamps and punch on p11, the STUNNING 'Springtime vintage' patterned paper, huge buttons and matching twine on p16 and how can you miss the 'Oh Sew Suite' matching stamps and papers on p27?
Go and look now! 
Now, because I know you are going to be tempted by soooo much in the catalogue – I'm offering you a special offer for a very limited time only:
Save 10% on all orders placed in the first week of April!
This offer lasts until midnight on 7th April, so grab your catalogue, decide on what you want to order and then email or call me to arrange your order. The standard postage and packing applies to all orders (£4.95). Those of you who have requested real life copies, they are being posted out tomorrow. What better reason to get your hands on the mini catalogue products NOW? 
Also as a one off limited edition offer I am offering:
A SPECIAL BIG SHOT BUNDLE OFFER*
Big Shot Die-Cutting Machine
Fun Flowers Bigz L Dies
Beautiful Wings Embosslits Dies
Flower Burst Embosslits Dies
Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
PLUS... a FREE level one hostess gift AND £15 to spend on the mini or main catalogue on products of your choice for a bargain offer price of £135!
That's over £175 worth of products – a huge saving of over £40! See the 'buy it now' now button to the right hand side of this blog.
*You can replace items in this bundle for other items from the mini or main catalogue of the same value or higher should you wish.
This offer is valid from me for one month only – it finishes 30 April 2011. (Please note as this is already a great offer, the 10% discount offer above is not applicable to this Big Shot Bundle Offer price of £135)
MAKE YOUR OWN BUNDLE
If you fancy putting together a bundle of your choice to get these fantastic savings, simply choose the products you want (for yourself or as a combined order between your friends), ensure they reach over £150 in catalogue price retail value and you will be entitled to these products PLUS... a FREE level one hostess gift AND £15 to spend on the mini or main catalogue on products of your choice for a bargain offer price of £135!
That's over £175 worth of products – a huge saving of over £40! See the 'buy it now' button on the right hand side of this blog.
This offer is valid from me for one month only – it finishes 30 April 2011. (Please note as this is already a great offer, the 10% discount offer above is not applicable to this Bundle Offer price of £135)
Stamper's Six Club
If there is simply too much to choose from in this catalogue, and you would like to spread the cost of your purchases over a six month period but STILL be eligible for the free hostess benefits, my Stamper's Six club is for you! See the full details here All orders can be taken from the new mini catalogue or from the main catalogue, which can be found here. I think that's plenty for you to take in – just don't squeal too loudly when you start looking through the catalogue!
I'm just off to place an order from a very eager customer! As always, if you have any questions just drop me a line.
Enjoy!
Jenny
*project ideas are a collection from myself and our Stampin' Stars team of demonstrators
