My icecream swap!

Here's a card I created for a recent swap event that I was involved with several demos!

I used 'Wisteria Wonder' card to create a base. I then ran it through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Stripes Embossing Folder'

I then ran some 'Baja Breeze' card through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Perfect Pennants Die'.

The icecream cone was created using the 'Petite Pennants Punch' textured using the 'Lattice Embossing Folder'.

The scoops of icecream have been made using the 'Cupcake Punch' and 'Pretty In Pink', 'Very Vanilla' and 'Chocolate Chip' card.

Finally the sentiment was printed using 'Chocolate Chip' ink and the 'Itty Bitty Banners' stampset.

I just love punch art and using my punches in different ways!!

If you'd like to order any of these products drop me an email: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Spring Catalogue Products You Don't Wanna Miss Out On...

Hey everyone, todays blogpost is to remind you that products from the Spring Mini Catalogue are only available until the end of this month - that's right YOU ONLY HAVE UNTIL MONDAY TO GET IN ORDERS FOR ANYTHING THAT YOU LOVE FROM THE SPRING MINI CATTY!! (and to take advantage of the April promotion - a FREE pack of 'DSP' with orders of £45...)

So today i'm going to share with you some of my favourite products that i would hate for you to miss out on:

First up the 'Create A Cupcake' stampset and the coordinating 'Cupcake Punch':

This stamp set and coordinating punch are so versatile you can make a whole range of projects using them – such as cupcakes, hot air balloons and clouds, pots of flowers and more. Here are two projects that have previously been featured on my blog using these products:

Cupcake Card:

Hot Air Balloon Card:

Another project i have loved crafting with from the Spring Mini Catalogue is the 'Spice Cake DSP':

These 12x12 double sided papers have a seventies feel to them and i think they're fab! You can purchase a coordinating stampset, fabric and buttons too!! Check out this project i made with them:

Or why not treat yourself to the 'Perfect Postage' stampset and coordinating 'Postage Stamp':

I have just loved using these products (the images from the stampset are suitable to make a whole range of projects such as baby cards, valentine and anniversary cards, easter cards and birthday cards) to make crafty makes like this card:

So here are just a few of my recommendations! I love every single product within the Spring Mini and will be so sad to see them all go! So don't forget if you want to add these products to your crafty stash you HAVE to make an order by Monday. Online versions of the catalogue are available on the righthand side of this blog. Email your orders over to me: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Hot Air Balloon Birthday Card!

Hi all, today i have a birthday card to share with you that i made for my Grandad-in-laws birthday, which was a couple of days ago. February is a completely busy birthday month for hubby's side of the family so i have had a very crfaty few weeks!!

This card shows another fab way of using the 'Create-a-Cupcake' stampset and 'Cupcake Punch' to create this fab hot air balloon:

The cardbase is 'Marina Mist' on which a square of 'Bashful Blue' card was placed on the base. The 'happy birthday' sentiment is from the 'Teeny Tiny Wishes' which has been inked in 'Marina Mist'. The clouds have been created using the icing part of the 'Cupcake Punch' from 'Whisper White' card, which i ran through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Square Lattice Embossing Folder' to give them a bit of texture.

On a piece of 'Whisper White' card i stamped (in 'Chocolate Chip' ink) the cupcake base (from the 'Create a Cupcake' stampset) and punched out using the 'Cupcake Punch', i glued this into place to create the balloons basket!

 Next i punched four '1-3/4" Circles' from 'Big Top Birthday DSP' folded each of them in half and then glued them all toegther to create the 3D hot air balloon. Here's a close up:

Finally using a ruler and a 'Real Red' 'Stampin' Write Marker' i drew on by hand some ropes and bows to connect the balloon and basket!

I just love finding fresh ways of using my punches and the 'Cupcake Punch' is proving to be so versatile!!! Why not get your punches out and have a go at creating something less conventional with your punches!! Punchart is so fun - give it a go today! And if you don't have many punches why not take a look at pages 116 - 119 of the Stampin' Up Catalogue and pages 20 and 22 of the Spring Mini catalogue to update your collection!!

Don't forget at the moment with all Stampin' Up! orders over £45 you also get a free sale-a-bration stampset or paper!! Email me over your order today: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Angry Bird Pig Card!!

Hey all, hope you're having a good week! I'm on halfterm at the moment and having a pretty relaxing week. I'm off this afternoon for lunch with hubby, my sister and my nan. But before i go i want to share with you another Angry Birds inspired card that i made for my hubby's other twin brother, James. (It was their birthday yesterday.)

This card features an Angry Bird pig:

This card started life as a 'Soft Suede' cardbase. On a piece of 'Whisper White' i sponged 'Bashful Blue' ink all over using a 'Sponge Dauber' and the icing part of the 'Cupcake Punch' as a template to create the cloud effect. Along the bottom of the piece of white i glued in place a strip of 'Garden Green' card, handsnipped to create a grass effect.

The pig himself was created from 'Pear Pizzazz' card (and some tiny snippets of 'Whisper White' and 'Basic Black') and a range of punches: '1-3/8" Circle Punch', '1/2" Circle Punch', 'Owl Punch' and the 'Crop-a-Dile' (to create his nostrils and eyes). I drew on by hand his eyebrows and his pupils with a 'Basic Black' 'Stampin' Write Marker'.

The wooden structure was created from some 1cm strips of 'Soft Suede' card glued into place.

The sentiment is from the fab 'Sale-a-bration' stampset 'Elementary Elegance', stamped using 'Soft Suede' ink onto some 'Whisper White' card and then punched out using the 'Decorative Label' punch. I bordered the sentiment using 'Pear Pizzazz' card and the 'Decorative Label' punch.

The twins seemed very impressed with their Angry bird inspired birthday cards! Why not get your punches out and have a go at some punchart! You'll be amazed what you can create from a few punches used in a creative way!!

Don't have any punches to play with? Then why not browse through the Stampin' Up! catalogue and treat yourself!! Don't forget if you make an order before the end of March and it is £45 or more you will also be entitled to a FREE stampset or pack of papers. (I will also give you FREE P&P - RRP £4.95 - this is a CraftythINKer customer exclusive!) Email your order over today: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Angry Bird Birthday Card!

It's my twin brother-in-law's birthday today. I always find it hard to make cards for men, especially younger guys. So i thought i'd browse the web for inspiration and found a fab online video tutorial to create a punchart angry bird card, which is absolutely perfect for any gadget fanatic!! The tutorial has been created by an American Stampin' Up! demo called Tami and does use one or two products not available in the UK and unfortunately i didn't have all the right tools in my craft collection so had to improvise a bit, even so i'm still very happy with the final result:

I'm not going to write a detailed tutorial on here because Tami's tutorial is so fab, so click here to access it.

However here is a list of the Stampin' Up! materials i used:

• 'Soft Suede' card - for the cardbase.
• 'Whisper White' card for the background.
• 'Bashful Blue' ink, a 'Sponge Dauber' and the icing part from the 'Cupcake Punch' (as a cloud template) to create the sky background.
• Some 'Garden Green' card snipped to create the grass.
• 'Word Window Punch' and an elastic band to create the catapult.
• A 'Red Riding Hood' and a 'Crumb Cake' '1-3/8" Circle', five 'Basic Black' strips and two 'Red Riding Hood' strips created made from the candle part of the 'Cupcake Punch', some hand-snipped 'Pumpkin Pie' card for the beak, two 'Whisper White' circles punched from the 'Cupcake Punch' and two teeny tiny 'Basic Black' circles created using the 'Crop-a-dile'.
• The 'happy birthday' and the 'Brother' sentiment are both from the 'For My Family' stampset, inked in 'Soft Suede' ink.

I just love punchart and really happy with the final card - i hope hubby's brother likes it too!! Check back tomorrow for another card made with Stampin' Up! products!
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Mini Catalogue and Sale-A-Bration Coffee Morning: 28th January

Hi all!! What a lovely day i have had!! This morning i hosted my crafty coffee morning in celebration of the new spring catalogue and the sale-a-bration promotion! It was completely hectic but totally enjoyable!! I'd like to thanks the following lovely ladies for attending:

Jade, Suzanne, Audrey, Lucy, Jamie, Kirsty, Katie, Cate, Charmaine, Susan, Claire, Ruth, Poppy and Laura
As well as some lovely people who sadly couldn't be there but made orders:

Jane, Stephanie-Emma and Hannah.

It was a lovely morning involving tea, coffee, chocolates and of course CRAFTING!! Most of the ladies are experienced crafters and so adapted the fairly simple make and take project and made it their own!!

So here is the original card - designed by the wonderfully talented Jade (as i have been super busy with being lazy and pregnant!!) Don't know what i would do without Jade she has been AMAZING!! Thankyou! :

The card is a 'Whisper White' cardbase, with a strip of 'DSP' running down the middle - handsnipped to create a snakes tongue style flag. The cupcake componants were stamped using the 'Create a Cupcake' stampset using 'Rose Red' and 'Wild Wasabi' (for the cherry) 'So Saffron' (for the icing) and 'Pool Party' for the cupcake case) These were then punched out using the 'Cupcake Punch' and stuck down using 'Dimensionals' to create a 3D effect. The sentiment is also from the 'Create a Cupcake' stampset, inked in 'Pool Party' and then punched out using the 'Word Window Punch'. Finally Jade placed three' Basic Rhinestones' down the righthand bottom corner!! Such a fab card - and with a change of sentiment would suit plenty of alternative occassions!!

And here are a few pics taken from today's event:

First up Kirsty and her take on the project - a lovely valentines card:

For this design she used a 'Whisper White' base, ran a strip of 'Melon Mambo' 'DSP' across the card. The valentine sentiment is from the 'Teeny Tiny Wishes' stampset and punched out using the 'Word Window Punch' with a couple of 'Basic Pearls' each side. Above she created a cupcake using the 'Create a Cupcake' stampset and the 'Cupcake Punch' and i love the way she has used the 'Two Way Glue Pen' and applied lots of 'Dazzling Diamond Glitter' to her design!!!

Next up is Ruthie!!:

Ruth kept the design suite close to the original adding of course a little extra bling!! She changed the sentiment at the bottom of her card to alternative one from the 'Create a Cupcake' stampset and then using 'Stampin' Write Markers' she stamped a candle either side of the sentiment - and most impressively she did this WITHOUT  a 'Stamp-a-ma-jig'!!!

And heres a couple of pics of the lovely ladies getting a crafty and making the make and take project:

And the crafting also spilled to other parts of the living room with 'Big Shot' demos:

Finally i have to share with you Suzanne and Lucy's creations - both relatively new to crafting you wouldn't know it:

On the left is Lucy's creation - i just love the extra sprinkle detail she has added with the stamp from the set and the glitter she has applied to the cupcake icing and around the edge of the 'Word Window'!! and that cherry in the corner of the card is so cute!! And to the right is Suz's card - similar to the original but totally glitterflied!! Love, love, love!!

Thankyou once again to everyone who attended, crafted and made orders!! Hopefully your new products will be with you ASAP so you can get creating!! I know several of you are keen to get your crafty mits on your FREE sale-a-bration sets!!

If you couldn't make it today it is not too late to make an order to recieve a free sale-a-bration goody of your own! Email your order today: amyjtidd@gmail.com

A Very Bright Cupcake Card!

Hey guys, how are you all doing. Not been feeling too well today - i was hoping to make some new cards with my new mini catalogue stampsets today but just not felt up to it... so i'm afraid theres another cupcake for you today - but i promise i have something different for you tomorrow.

Today a card using the 'Cupcake Punch' and a very bright colour combo:

I've used a 'Melon Mambo' cardbase and layered some 'Tangerine Tango' 'DSP' ontop. Next i ran some 'Old Olive' 'DSP' through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Perfect Pennant Die' to create the doilie shape. I nested ontop a '1-3/4" Circle' punched from 'Tangerine Tango' card and then finally punched out the cupcake using the fabby new punch from some 'Melon Mambo' and 'Whisper White' card.

Sorry to bombard you with cupcake cards - i am obsessed with this punch - something different tomorrow - i promise. Have a good sunday evening and don't forget if you want to make an order from the mini or main catalogue just email it over: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Yummy Scrummy Cupcakes!!

For some reason Blogger didn't post this last night as scheduled ... so just had to prompt it now ... Sorry regular CraftyThINKer followers!! You'll get two for one tonight!

Hey all!

Today i have ANOTHER cupcake card for you - i have to be honest i think i'm addicted to the 'Cupcake Punch'!! So here you go:

So, today a 'Tempting Turquoise' cardbase with a strip of 'Tempting Turquoise' 'DSP' across the middle. The sentiment is from the 'Happiest Birthday Wishes' stampset, inked in 'Tempting Turquoise' onto 'Whisper White' card and then mounted onto some 'Daffodil Delight' punched with the 'Decorative Label Punch' and then positioned in the bottom righthand corner of the card. Next i ran some 'Daffodil Delight' card through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Perfect Pennant Die', layered up a 'Tempting Turquoise' '1-3/4" circle' ontop. The cupcake was created using the yummy scrummy 'Cupcake Punch' created from some 'Daffodil Delight DSP', 'Tempting Turquoise' card and some 'Whisper White' card for the icing on which i have added some sprinkle detail on using some 'Stampin' Write Markers'.

Hope you like this card and the cupcakes as much as me!! Check out the mini catalogue today. If you would like to make an order email it over to me: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Spring Mini Catalogue: 4th Jan - 30th April!

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!

So very exciting the new Stampin' Up! Mini Spring Catalogue launched today!!! Woo hoo! There are some fabulous new products - including new punches, stampsets, ribbon, paper and even jewellry making supplies!!! To view these new exciting products please click the image below or alternatively there is a link on the righthand side of this blog! :

For those of you who have requested a real paper copy i have popped them all in envelopes and addressed them and will pop them in the post for you to enjoy!!

All you have to do is scribble down your wish list and then simply make an order! (Little bit of advice - you may want to wait until the 24th January to get an extra free stampset or paper collection with qualifying orders over £45)

If you simply cannot wait until then i am willing to offer FREE P&P for all new and regular customers on orders over £50. (Usual cost of P&P is £4.95) THIS IS A CRAFTYTHINKER CUSTOMER EXCLUSIVE OFFER)

I recieved a scrummy package of new goodies in the post the other day and can't wait to start creating and sharing with you all the new bits Stampin' Up! has to offer.

For those of you who are regular visitors to my blog - i have been hinting about one new product that i am especially in love with - THE CUPCAKE PUNCH! It is awesome and a complete bargain at £15.50!

Here is another card that i have made with it:

This card is a 'Real Red' cardbase. I punched out three '1-3/4" Circles' from 'Daffodil Delight' card. Then punched out the cupcakes using the new punch from 'Real Red DSP', 'Whisper White' card for the icing and 'Real Red' card for the cherries. The sentiment is from the 'Happiest Birthday Wishes' stampset, inked in 'Real Red' onto some 'Daffodil Delight' and then handsnipped to create the flagged effect. I'm not joking this card literally took me 5 minutes to make! It's official... I'm in love with the cupcake punch!

Email over your postal address if you would like me to send you a copy of the mini catalogue and saleabration deal: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Launching Tomorrow: Spring Mini Catalogue!!

Oh, i'm so very excited to announce the launch of the very first UK Spring Mini Catalogue!!

It is simply full of lots of scrummy new Stampin' Up! products - including stampsets, punches, ribbon, papers and dies and is A MUST SEE!!

This card features just one of the fab new punches (although i'm afraid until tomorrow i can't give you any specific details - can you work out the new product?!)

A 'Whisper White' cardbase, this card uses a strip of 'Pacific Point' 'DSP' has been layered across the middle. Three '1-3/4" Circles' punched from 'Bashful Blue' cardstock and then the lovely cupcakes have been layered ontop.

The sentiment is stamped in 'Real Red' ink using a stamp from the 'Happiest Birthday Wishes' set and mounted onto a rectangle of 'Real Red' cardstock.

I hope you're as excited as me about the launch of the new products!! I'm in the process of organising a crafty coffee morning for all my local customers so you can all have a play - watch this space for details.

I will put an electronic copy of the new mini catty up tomorrow for you all to browse through! If anyone would like their own 'real' paper copy to flick through email me your postal address and i'll pop one in the post for you! My email is: amyjtidd@gmail.com

See you back here tomorrow!!

Christmas Up-Date and Crafty Boots Challenge: Celebrations!

Hi guys! Did you have a fab Christmas?! I certainly did! Probably one of the best ones ever! It was completely relaxing! We hosted a Christmas party for our friends on the 23rd December - a really fun fancy dress party!! Here's a pic of me and my hubby! I dressed up as one of Santas elfs and my hubby originally planned to be the Grinch, but ended up being the hulk at Christmas!!:

On Christmas day i was very excited to see that Santa had been and i recieved lots of lovely presents, including lots and lots of sweets and chocolate!!:



We spent lots of time with family and Santa even stopped by to give us some more gifts!!

All in all , a perfect Christmas!!! Hope you guys had a fab one too!!

Now, back to the crafting: with all the fun of Christmas i had a very brief crafting break - but now i'm back! And back with the last Crafty Boots Challenge of 2011. So make sure you get involved! The last theme of this year is 'Celebrations'. Here's my DT entry:

This card has been made using new 'In Colours' - 'Wisteria Wonder' and 'Calypso coral', as well as a little bit of 'Whisper White' cardstock' and some 'Daffodil Delight DSP'. The sentiment is from the 'Happiest Birthday Wishes' stampset. I have used my 'Big Shot' and the 'Perfect Pennants Die', as well as the '1-3/4" Circle Punch' to create this card. As well as a brand new punch that will be released very early in the New Year!!

As i have used Strippy 'DSP' on this design i thought i'd enter it into the 'Daring CardMakers Challenge' - it's been a while since i entered any cards into any challenges and it is most definately a new years resolution of mine to get more involved!

Thats right! 2012 sees the launch of a new catalogue and the annual Stampin' Up! Sale-a-bration promotion that occurs every year!! There will be some fab incentives for joining up as a demonstrator during this time too, so if you're interested in joining the team drop me an email: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Also if you live in the UK and don't currently have a Stampin' Up! seller and would like me to post a copy of the new mini catologue and sale-a-bration leaflet email me your address and i'll pop them in the post! Email: amyjtidd@gmail.com