Goodbye Cupcakes :(

The 'Crazy for Cupcakes' stampset retires this month, but you won't have to go without cupcakes for long because the 'Create a Cupcake' stampset and coordinating punch that featured in the Spring mini catalogue earlier this year will be back in the new main catalogue which is released on 1st October!! woo hoo!

So today i have a card to share with that we made at Jades card class a week or so back. For this card we used some remains of DSP (papers) to create the icing, by stamping the image onto the paper and then cutting it out and fixing it onto a stamped image.  I'd like to that Jade for this idea because i hadn't thought about doing this - fab idea Jade!  We colored the cupcake using a 'Blender Pen' and inks and cut them out using the 'Big Shot' using the 'Framelits Die':



Sadly the Eyelet Border punch that we used on this card was on the retiring list aswell but it has already sold out, but don't worry there are plenty of other border punches in the new catalogue.

The colours on this card are 'So Saffron' and ' Rich Razzleberry', with some retiring 'Rich Razzleberry' 'Grosgrain Ribbon' and some blingy 'Basic Rhinestones' to finish the card off.

 

Thanks Jade for hosting such a fab card class. Crafting is a real treat for me at the mo, with very little spare time. I had a great time at the class. Why not check out Jades blog for class dates and join us for some crafty fun!

Retiring Stampset: Clearly For You

I have another card to share with you that my friend Jade designed. I made this card at her craft class last weekend. It features the the retiring ' Clearly for You' stampset and the seasonal 'Holly Berry DSP' which is also going at the end of the month. :(



The frame is from the 'Designer Frames', embossed using the 'Big Shot', and then we stamped the 'bird' image and sentiment from the 'Teeny Tiny Wishes' stampset inside the frame using the trusty  'Stamp-a-ma-jig'.

I love this stampset - it is such a shame it's going - isn't the ladybird cute!

If you;d like to order this or any other items drop me an email: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Showcasing Another Retiring Stampset: Contempo Christmas

Don't forget September is Stampin' Up! retirement month. There is a list of items that once sold out will not be returning. One of these stampsets is the seasonal 'Contempo Christmas':

Now you may think this set has limited uses around the Christmas period, but my friend Jade (aka Jaded Crafter) showed me a fab way to utilise this stampset to make a hot air balloon card:

On a 'Tempting Turquoise' cardbase we layered a piece of 'Melon Mambo' card embossed using the 'Big Shot' using the 'Stripes Embossing Folder'.

On a piece of 'Whisper White' card we stamped the bauble image using 'Tempting Turquoise' ink. We then on a scrap piece of 'Whisper White' stamped the christmas tree pot and cut it out and raised it using a 'Dimensional' to raise it up. We drew the balloon strings on using a 'Stampin' Write Marker'. We layered this onto a piece of 'Tempting Turquoise' card. Finally we stamped the sentiment onto a piece of 'Whisper White' and punched it out using the 'Word Window Punch'.

If you want this stampset you need to get an order in ASAP. Order today by emailing me: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Stop Monkey-ing Around!

Don't forget the stampin up retirement sale is only on for this month. Many items are on sale and everything on the list is going for good. In other words 'you snooze, you lose'

One item that already has sold out is the favourite set 'Fox and Friends'

At the weekend I went around my crafty friend Jades and we used this set one last time to make this card:

On a 'Crumb Cake' card base (trimmed shorter on the front) we layered a piece of 'Chocolate Chip' card edged along one side using the 'Scallop Trim' Punch. We then layered a piece of 'Pool Party' card, with a stamped sentiment from the retiring 'Happiest Birthday' stampset.

We then punched out three branches using the 'Two Step Bird Punch' from 'Old Olive' cardstock and glued them into place. Finally we stamped three monkeys from 'Fox and Friends' onto 'Crumb Cake' card using 'Chocolate Chip' ink. We cut these by hand and glued them into place.

As I said this stampset is now out of stock. Don't miss out on other retiring sets you love. Check out the list on the right hand side of my blog NOW and then email over your order: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Crafty Boots Challenge: Children Stories

Hi all. It's that time again! Another Crafty Boots Challenge.

I was naughty this fortnight and forgot to upload my creation so apologies to anyone who visited my blog Monday expecting to see it!

I went a little off challenge with this one and went for a childrens nursery rhyme instead - Baa Baa Black Sheep:

A 'Night of Navy' cardbase. The sky has been created with a piece of 'Bashful Blue' card. The grass has been created by tearing some 'Pear Pizzazz' 'DSP'. To create the tree i handcut some 'Early Espresso' card to make the truck, and punched some 'Scallop Circles' out of the same 'DSP' to create the leafy part of the tree!! The Sheep himself has been created from a 'Basic Black' Scallop circle to create his body, a 'Sahara Sand''5 Petal Flower Punch' which has been snipped into two pieces (2 petals making his legs, and the remaining three petals make his head! Clever hey!?!) His hair has been punched out from some 'Basic Black' using the 'Boho Blossom Punch'. I drew his eyes on with a white gel pen and then a 'Stampin' Write Marker'.

A very clever use of a flower punch i think!!! I love it when you find a completely different use for a piece of kit!! Total crafty satisfaction!!!

Anyway sorry for the delay in posting this. I look forward to seeing your creations! And don't forget if you'd like to make a Stampin' Up! order just email me!

Baby Sock Bouquet

(Not a stampin up post i'm afraid but i'm keen to share with you my crafty creation!! I'm off to Jades this weekend so will hopefully have some new card designs to share with you soon!)

Baby showers used to be an American phenomenon but they've recently become a standard part of the pregnancy experience in the UK. The first baby shower I actually went to was my own just a couple of months ago. My sister and two of my best friends hosted a wonderful day with lots of laughs and CAKE!

Now it seems all my friends are expecting and this of course means lots of baby showers in the upcoming months!! In fact I went to I've just this weekend been.

One of the customs of a baby shower is that you bring a gift for the mum to be and baby and being crafty I was keen to make a gift. I'd seen a few photos on twitter of baby sock bouquets and decided to give making one a go!

The mother to be opted not to find out the sex of the baby so I needed to make it neutral and opted to use mainly white socks and a pair of yellow and a pair of orange socks for a splash of colour (neutral baby socks were near on impossible to find and eventually found them in H&M kids)

I googled 'baby sock bouquets' and found this fab tutorial and after several attempts this is the final product!

The bouquet got a great response at the baby shower and was one of the most unique gifts there! I'd love to know what you think!

Are you going to a baby shower soon? Do you know someone who had just had a baby? Why not get crafty and make one of these. All you need is 6 pairs of baby socks, some floristry wire and green floristry tape, some foliage (which could be picked from your garden) and something to wrap the bouquet in or a vase!!

If i have inspires you to have a go at making one please tweet me a pic: @craftythinker

Stampin' Up Retirement SALE - up to 70% off some products!

A MASSIVE reminder. Stampin' Up! has released the annual retirement list! This list indicates the products that will be leaving the catalogue when the new main catalogue is released next month.

 

I admit there are one or two products that i'm sad to see go - including 'Fox and Friends' which is one of my most favourite sets, but they have to go to make way for tonnes of amazing new goodies.

 

Click the link below to see the stampset and accessory retiement lists:

 

RETIREMENT LISTS

 

The retired list also indicates the annual Stampin' Up! SALE! There are some amazing sale prices - up to 70% off - so work your way through the list - jot up your wish list and make your orders NOW via email: amyjtidd@gmail.com

 

Products on the retirement list are first come, first serve. In other words once they're gone, they're gone! Don't delay order today!!

Crafty Boots Challenge: ONE!

It's that time again - another Crafty Boots Challenge and i have to admit when i saw the theme i was a little confused!! The theme this fortnight is ONE... and it is as open ended as it sounds! The reason for this theme is because Crafty Boots Challenge is now ONE year old!!!

With my very busy schedule of being a new mummy i haven't been very adventurous and have interpretted the theme as 'ONE' brand of crafting products AND YES UNSUPRISINGLY THAT BRAND IS OF COURSE STAMPIN' UP!!

I started with a 'Blushing Bride' cardbase which i ran through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Manhatten Rose Embossing Folder'. I placed a strip of 'Whisper White' cardstock along the top of the card which i edged using the 'Eyelet Border Punch', before gluing it down i tied a piece of 'Baja Breeze' 'Seaming Ribbon' around and tied a bow!

The sentiment is from the hostess stampset 'Tagtastic' inked in 'Baja Breeze' and then punched out using the 'Decorative Label Punch. I placed a couple of tiny 'Basic Pearls' on it (although the photo doesn't pick these up well - sorry) and then layered it on a 'Baja Breeze' 'Decorative Label' which has been snipped in half to elongate it.

If you would like to order any Stampin' Up! products and you don't have a demonstrator you can order through me regardless of your location as all orders are delivered by UPS! The catalogues are available to view of the righthand side of my blog. There is a BRAND NEW winter mini catalogue available and also Stampin' Up! retirement list with some amazing sale prices!! If you like what you see email an order over to me today!! My email address is amyjtidd@gmail.com

I look forward to seeing your interpretation of the theme!

A Couple More New Baby Cards!

Morning all! Today i have two final cards to share with you that my lovely friends made to congratulate us on the arrival of Xander! We have been overwhelmed by the amount of beautiful handmade cards and gifts that we have recieved so thankyou so much for your creativity and kindness! It means alot and will all be presented in Xanders scrapbook!

First up a card from fellow Stampin Up demonstrator Julie:

I love this card. Julie used a 'Baja Breeze' cardbase on which she layered a piece of 'Very Vanilla' card which has been ran through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Stripes Embossed Folder', which she ran some 'Baja Breeze' 'Taffeta Ribbon' around. Next she layered three squares of 'Crumb Cake' card on some slightly larger 'Baja Breeze' squares. Then using punches she created the sailing boat (from '1-1/4" Circle Punch' and some handcut triangles, the star has been cleverly created from the ;5 Petal Punch' cleverly snipped and the moon from the '1-3/8" Circle Punch' - all out of 'Baja Breeze' and 'So Saffron' card. Although you can't really see it Julie 'spongue daubed' the edges of these and also raised the star using 'Dimensionals' to create a 3D effect. Finally the sentiment (from 'Teeny Tiny Wishes' has been stamped using 'Baja Breeze' ink onto 'Very Vanilla' card and punched using the 'Word Window Punch' again 'Sponge Daubed' around the edges!

Andhere is a card from Jane (aka @janesgrapevine):

I LOVE this card! The embossed bear is so cute! And i absolutely love the sentiment!! Thankyou Jane!

Stampin' Up! News...

Hey everyone! I post today with fabulous news! The arrival of the a new seasonal catalogue as well as the Stampin' Up! retirement list - basically next month Stampin' Up is releasing a new main catalogue which means that some of the products - stampsets, paper, ribbon, fabric etc will be retiring - i.e. no longer available after the end of the month - so if you want these products you need to order ASAP to avoid disappointment...

 

So without further ado... introducing the new autumn/ winter mini catalogue:

 

Full of wonderful goodness including some AMAZING christmas sets! So if you've started thinking about your christmas cards take a look through this - there will be plenty of products - festive stampsets, DSP ribbon etc to inspire!!

As well as the new mini catalogue products the retiring products from the current main catalogue were announced today!! Click HERE to view the retirement list. I'm so upset as some of my most favourite stampsets have been removed from the catalogue!! On the upside many of the retirement products are available at SALE price so get your orders in NOW to avoid disapointment!

 

Also.. i have had a sneaky peek at the new catalogue which will be released 1st October and there are plenty of amazing products on their way! Oh i can't wait to share these with you!!

You can contact me today to place an order for any of these items, and remember they are first come first served. So to avoid dissapointment order today: amyjtidd@gmail.com