A Monkey New Baby Card From Jade!

Back again with another beautiful handmade new baby card. This time a card made by the wonderfully crafty Jade!

She actually used my own stamp set, 'Fox and Friends' to create this card with the cute little monkeys (very sneaky!)  Jade carefully stamped them using her 'stamp-a-ma-jig' so they 'hang' from each other. You will see the middle one has been cut out by hand and raised up with dimensionals and his tail is looped into one of the letters, i love this effect!

Jade used the 'Top Note die' cut from 'Whisper White' card stock and mounted this onto a 'Bashful Blue' 'Top Note' and then added the lettering cut with the 'Timeless Type Junior Alphabet dies', of course stamping the cheeky monkeys first.

Jade the stamped out  out the 'hello baby' sentiment from the 'Teeny Tiny Wishes 'stamp set placed just above the 'BOY' inked in 'Bashful Blue', and then she mounted the panel onto 'Shimmery White card; and added a 'designer button' to finish.

I just love this card and of course with changing of sentiments and wordings it could be a fab kids birthday card too!

Thanks Jade!!This card is fab and will most definately be going in Xanders scrapbook!  xxxxxxx

Happy Birthday Nan! A bookmark card!

Yesterday i shared with you a beautiful bookmark we created at Jades 'Big Shot' craft class last month:

See yesterdays blog for details on how to create this bookmark!

Jade showed us how to transform this lovely bookmark into a card, which i intend to give to my Nanny Hazel as today is her birthday!!

We began with a square 'Whisper White' base which we folded along the top. On which we mounted a piece of 'Early Espresso' card and then a piece of 'Whisper White' card which we ran through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Square Lattice Embossing Folder'. We wrapped the bookmark around the card, securing it in place with a couple of glue dots (allowing the recipient to remove the bookmark with ease and make use of it!!) Finally we embossed the 'happy birthday' sentiment' from the 'For My Family' stampset using 'Versamark', 'White Embossing Powder' and a 'Heat Gun'. We punched the sentiment out using the 'Word Window Punch' and then secured it in place using 'Dimensionals' to create a 3D effect.

I love this idea! A fab way of incorporating a gift and a card - don't you think?! Thankyou to Jade for sharing this idea with me! I will most definately be making more of these cards in the future!!

A Flower Bookmark!

Last month i made this beautiful bookmark at a 'Big Shot' craft class hosted by Jade and i just had to share it with you:

We created this bookmark by running some 'So Saffron' card through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Fun Flowers Die'. We distressed the edges of the flower using a 'Sponge Dauber' and some 'Early Espresso' ink and then glued all the components together. We secured a 'Designer Button' threaded with 'Bakers Twine' to the centre of the flower using 'Red Sticky Tape'. Finally we glued a piece of 'Satin Ribbon' to the back of the flower!

Check back on my blog tomorrow to see how we used this bookmark to create a beautiful card!!

Baby Shower RSVP!

If you're a regular CraftyThinker follower you will probably have gathered that there has been quite a baby boom within my friendship group and many of the recent craft projects i have shared have been baby themed - i'm afraid i have another baby themed card for you today!! i have recently been invited to a baby shower, which will be held in September and made this card to RSVP:

I began with a 'So Saffron' cardbase. I wrapped a piece of beautiful 'White Organza Ribbon' around a piece of 'DSP' from the 'Domestic Goddess' collection and layered it onto the cardbase. I stamped the cot image from the 'Little Additions' stampset using 'Crumb Cake ink and then punched a little heart out of 'So Saffron' card using the 'Owl Punch'. I layered this onto some 'Certainly Celery' card and then onto the base. I stamped the RSVP sentiment from 'Wedding Sweet' set and punched it out using the 'Word Window Punch'. I embellished the card with some coordinating 'Designer Buttons' along the edge of the card!

Babies, Babies everywhere!! I love the fact i'm getting lots of use out of my 'Little Additions' set which my good friend Jade treated me to for my own baby shower

I've been playing with it quite a lot recently and it has so many uses - other than baby cards - i can't wait to share some of these with you - so keep your eyes peeled on this blog!!

Don't forget if you'd like to make an order email me: amyjtidd@gmail.com and don't forget to check on the July promotion where you can earn free ribbons and brads with your orders!! (See the top of my blog for details!!)

My Baby Shower!!

Hey everyone, sorry for the late post tonight - i have had the most amazing day - today my sister, mum and my two bestest ever friends Lucy and Suzanne arranged a baby shower for me! An amazing number of people came and both myself and baby Tiddlywink was completely spoilt!!

Now i have to find homes for all the beautiful gifts that everyone brought!!

Today i have a card that Jade made for me today - a special baby shower card:

On a 'Bashful Blue' cardbase she has glued a piece of embossed 'Whisper White' card using the 'Perfect Polkadot Embossing Folder'. (notice she has used the a circle from the 'Owl Punch; to shape the corners!!) Onto this she glued a piece of 'Bashful Blue' card (again embossed using the 'Perfect Polkadot Embossing Folder' and the circle from the 'Owl Punch; to shape the corners, before gluing it downshe wrapped a piece of 'Whisper White' 'Satin Ribbon'. She stamped the 'for your shower' sentiment from the fab 'Teeny Tiny Wishes' set inked in 'Daffodil Delight' and punched it out using the 'Word Window Punch', raising it up using 'Dimensionals', She glued a 'Designer Button' threaded with some 'Linen Thread',

Next she ran some 'Whisper White' card through the 'Big Shot' using the frame die from 'Textured Impression Embossing Set', which she then cut out. Finally she made the cute babygrow - using the wonderfully versatile 'Owl Punch' which she finished off with some 'Brads'.

I love this card!! Thankyou Jade!! And thankyou to all my lovely friends and family for making today so fabulous!! Love you all!!!

A Shirt Design Post-it Holder

Hey all! Something a little different for you today - not a card!!! But a post-it note holder!!

I found a fab tutorial to create an origami shirt scrapbook on @reddebs website - which has tonnes of brilliant mini scrapbook tutorials on it!! Check it out! So here it is:

The origami shirt has been made out of some 'Tempting Turquoise DSP' which has been cleverly folded! Click here for a direct link to the tutorial and view the dimensions! I glued some 'Rich Razzleberry' 'Designer Buttons' using some 'Red Sticky Tape'.

Inside the folded shirt i placed some post-it notes:

This is a fab gift project. Why not give it a try!! Don't forget Stampin' Up! has a fab offer on DSP this month - email me for details: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Happy Fathers Day!!

Today is FATHERS DAY!! So wishes all the Dads out there a very happy day - i hope you all get spoilt rotten!

I couldn't resist making hubby a Fathers Day card from bump!! So here it is:

I have Jade to thank for this design as i CASE'd it from her last week when she came around mine for a crafty session!! On a 'Pool Party' cardbase i ran a strip of 'DSP' from the 'Beau Chateau' collection down one side. On some 'Whisper White' card i stamped the dad image and the baby image created using the 'All in the Family' stampset. (TIP: use a 'stamp-a-ma-jig' to line up the componants' of the set) I coloured these images in using a selection of 'Stampin' Write Markers' and then carefully snipped them out. I created the 'Daddy' by running some 'Marina Mist' card through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Timeless Type Alphabet Dies' and glued the images and letter into place on the cardbase. Finally i stamped the 'Happy Fathers Day' sentiment, from the 'Teeny Tiny Wishes' set along the bottom of the card (using 'Marina Mist' ink). Finally i threaded some 'Linen Thread' through a 'Marina Mist' 'Designer Button' and then glued it into place on the top lefthand corner of the card!!

I hope my hubby (and every other Dad) has a lovely fathers day!!

Binder Clip Photo/Card Holders!

Hi all, hope you're having a great week! I have another makeover project to share with you. I've been having a lot of fun recently craft 'pimping' everyday items. Today i have turned some regular binder clips (found in any stationary shop):

Into some photo/ card holders. That look just like this:

I used some 'Melon Mambo', 'Pacific Point' and 'Daffodil Delight' 'Brights DSP' and wrapped them around the binder clips, using some 'Red Sticky Strip' to glue the 'DSP' in place. I finally embellished the clips  with a 'Daffodil Delight', 'Rose Red' and 'Tempting Turquoise' 'Designer Buttons'.

Here's a pic of the card holder in action (holding my Cat in the Hat card - which i made quite some time ago but i know was very popular with the CraftyThINKer blog followers, so deserved a return showcase!!):

I'm really happy with the final products and intend to use these to display my cards at craft workshops, classes and fairs! But you could use them for displaying photographs, or even at weddings/dinner parties for place cards!

Crafty Boots Challenge: Bowtastic!

Another fortnight has passed and it is Crafty Boots Challenge time again! This fortnights theme is 'Bowtastic'. So my DT offering this challenge is a 'Bright' parcel giftcard holder:

A very simple design (which is a variation of a past make - click here to view) created from a strip of 'Real Red' cardstock, cleverly stuck in place with some super 'Red Sticky Tape'. I have layered some spotty 'Pacific Point' 'DSP' and stripy 'Real Red' 'DSP' onto the base to make it look more gift parcel like...

I've punched a '1-3/8" Circle' out of 'Pacific Point' cardstock to create a fastener and placed a 'Real Red' 'Designer Button' in the centre with a 'Basic Pearl' in the centre of that! (I popped some velcro on the back to keep the giftcard inside nice and safe!)

Finally i popped a big 'Real Red' 'Satin Ribbon' bow on top!!

All the products that i have used are from the Stampin' Up! range and available to purchase through me! There are online versions of the the two catalogues on the righthand side of my blog - if you would like to make an order email me today: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Crafty Boots Challenge: Yellow!

Another fortnight has been and gone - and yes - it is time for another Crafty Boots Challenge. This months theme is 'Yellow' - so we want to see your projects featuring all shades of yellow!!

Here is my DT offering for this challenge using the beautiful 'So Saffron' shade of yellow!:

The cardbase is 'So Saffron' on which i layered a another piece of 'So Saffron' card which i have run thorugh the 'Big Shot' using the 'Square Lattice Embossing Folder' to create some texture, as well as some 'Beyond the Garden DSP' (which is FREE for just one more day if you make an April order! Email amyjtidd@gmail.com to make your order!) Along the middle i have wrapped some 'Calypso Coral' 'Ruffled Ribbon' as well as bow made from the same ribbon. On a small square of 'So Saffron' i have layered a square of 'Whisper White' card which i have stamped the 'happy birthday wishes' sentiment (from the 'Petite Pairs set) in 'Calypso Coral' ink. Finally i have stamped the flower image from the 'Button Buddies' stampset three times onto 'Whisper White' card using 'Calypso Coral' ink and then cute these out and layered them ontop of one another, finishing off the design with a coordinating 'So Saffron' 'Designer Button'!

Hope you like the card - i don't often use yellow - so this was a real challenge for me! If you like any of the materials used within this project you can order Stampin' Up! products through me! The catalogues are on the righthand side for you to view - and today is the last day of the 'Spring Mini Catalogue' and the April DSP Promotion - so get your order emailed over to me ASAP: amyjtidd@gmail.com

A Regal Colour Pallette Card.

Today i have a card that i have made that is not my usual kinda card. To be honest i usually stick to the Stampin' Up! 'Brights', 'Subtles' and 'In Colour' collections. But i recently did a recce of my cardstock and realised i had a lot of 'Regal' card that i have barely touched. So i decided to go out of my comfort zone and create a card with this range of colours:

This card was inspired by a card made by Catherine Pooler and love the way the 'Decorative Label Punch' is used to create a border! It started life as a 'Bravo Burgundy' cardbase. The 'DSP' used in this project is from the 'Paisley Petals' collection and i have used some 'More Mustard' card punched out using 'Decorative Label Punch' to create the border along the side of the card.

On a strip of 'Very Vanilla' cardstock i stamped the congrats sentiment from the 'Tagtastic' stampset (available as a hostess set) using 'Bravo Burgundy' and 'Baja Breeze' 'Stampin' Write Markers'. I mounted this onto a slightly wider 'More Mustard' card and finally finished off the card by threading some 'Linen Thread' though a 'Marina Mist' 'Designer Button'.

I love this card and it was such a quick make! I will definately be using this layout in the future and i love finding a new way to use my 'Decorative Label Punch'!

If you like any of the products used within this project then why not make an order. Email one over today: amyjtidd@gmail.com and don't forget you will recieve a FREE pack of 'DSP' (RRP £9.95) with all orders of £45 or over! And for the month of April i will also offer FREE P&P (usually £4.95) direct to your door with all orders over £45! This is an exclusive offer to MY customers!!

Button Buddies Baby Rattle Card!

Today i have a card to share with you using the fab 'Button Buddies' stampset:

This stampset is quite literally AMAZING ... because it completely coordinates with the 'Stampin' Up! Designer Buttons'. I have had a lot od fun recently playing with this set and last week created this card:

This card features 'Nursery Nest DSP' - which you can recieve for FREE throughout April if you make an order of £45! I love this paper collection - and it is SO versatile! I layered this paper onto a 'Pear Pizzazz' cardbase. I ran a piece of knotted 'Seaming Ribbon' around the card.

I ran some 'Pear Pizzazz' and 'Pink Pirouetter' card through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Perfect Pennant Die' to create the doily shapes and layered them on top of one another - using some 'Dimensionals' to create a 3D effect! Next on a piece of 'Whisper White' card i stamped the sentiment 'welcome baby' from the 'Petite Pairs' stampset in 'Pear Pizzazz' and the rattle image (from the 'Button Buddies' set) in 'Marina Mist'. I finally attached a 'Marina Mist' 'Designer Button' with some 'Linen Thread' tied through!

If you want to make an order - and get a pack of DSP for free, don't delay! Catalogues are on the right of this blog for your viewing. Email over your order to amyjtidd@gmail.com

Birthday Wishes From Ruth!

Hi all, just a quick post today - just wanted to share with you the lovely birthday card that Ruth gave me on Monday:

Ruth stamped the flower from the 'Button Buddies' stamped using 'Tempting Turquoise', 'Daffodil Delight' and 'Tangerine Tango' over some 'Whisper White' card, she mounted this onto a piece of 'Daffodil Delight' and then onto a 'Tempting Turquoise' cardbase. She stamped the happy birthday sentiment and punched it out using the 'Word Window' punch, before layering it onto a 'Daffodil Delight' 'Modern Label Punch' attaching it to the card using some 'Dimensionals' to give it a 3D effect. She finally placed some coordinating 'Designer Buttons' to the centre of the flowers!!

I love this beautiful bright card - it certainly made my birthday very special! Thanks Ruth xxx

Crafty Boots Challenge: Song Title - You Are My Sunshine!!

Hey CraftyThINKers!! It's time for another Crafty Boots Challenge and this fortnight the theme is 'Song Titles'. Your mission if you choose to accept it is to create a craft project reflecting a song title of your choice!!

So here is my Design Team offering themed around the song 'You Are My Sunshine' which is a song which has a very special place in my heart because i can remember my Grandad teaching it to me when i was a little girl and can literally hear him singing it to me if i close my eyes! Special memories!!

The 'you are my sunshine' sentiment and the leaves are stamps from the 'Something Sweet' set, which i have inked in 'Old Olive' ink, stamped onto 'Whisper White' card. To create the flower i punched four 'Scallop Circles' from 'Just Add Cake DSP Collection' and then folded each of them into quarters before arranging them into a flower shape. I placed a large 'Daffodil Delight' 'Designer Button' in the centre, and then layered a cute flower shaped 'Pumpkin Pie' 'Designer Button' in the centre of that. (Securing it in place with 'Red Sticky Tape'.) I placed three 'Bright Brads' - 'Pumpkin Pie', 'Daffodil Delight' and 'Old Olive' down the righthand bottom corner of the 'Whisper White' card. I mounted this onto an 'Old Olive' cardbase and finished of the card with a strip of 'DSP' from the 'Beyond The Garden' range and then a much thinner strip of 'Just Add Cake DSP'.

I hope you like the card, i have to admit i found this challenge a tricky one!! I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Finally, before you go... just a reminder that tomorrow is the launch of the annual 'Sale-A-Bration' promotion!!

Basically the deal is that you get a FREE exclusive stampset or pack of 'DSP' with every £45 purchase you make!! AND I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE THESE WITH YOU!!

So please visit back tomorrow when you can see each of these limited stampsets for the first time!!

Baby News!!

Hi all! I have some very exciting news to share with you! I'm pregnant! Baby Tiddlywink is due on the 31st July! We went for our 12 week scan on Tuesday and everything was perfect! We got lots of pics of our lovely baby! I can't stop looking at them! We have had a busy few days travelling around all over the place telling friends and family and it's so lovely not to have to keep it a secret anymore!!

We have recieved lots of lovely cards and gifts - so thankyou to everyone for your kindness!!

I just had to share with you a lovely card that my friend Hannah made using a range of current and retired Stampin' Up! products:

I just love the bird and bee design that she has created and the layout is just fab!! I think the 'Subtle' 'Designer Buttons' just finish off the design perfectly!

Thankyou so much Hannah for this lovely card - i'm planning on making a scrapbook for the baby and this will most definately be put in it!!

I Miss You

Hi all, hope you are all well, i'm super busy at the moment, so much going on but not long til Christmas!!!

Yesterday was a busy day for me, i taught in the morning and then went to the official opening of Alexandra House - a care home for the elderly - named after my late mother in law. I was completely amazing by the quality of the build and the services on offer for the residence who are living there. It was a very proud day for my husband family - and we got to meet a royal - The Duchess of Gloucester - she was such a lovely lady and spent quite some time speaking to us all!!

The card, therefore that i am sharing with you today is somewhat fitting. It features an image and sentiment from the 'Ain't Love Grand' stampset - I Miss You.

I have CASE'd this card directly from the Stampin Up! Catalogue (Page 12) It features a 'Marina Mist' cardbase, a rectangle of 'Whisper White' card (with two corners rounded off using the 'Corner Rounder'), next a thinner strip of 'Pumpkin Pie' 'DSP', snipped at the end, next an even thinner strip of 'So Saffron', card. Finally on a small scrap of 'Whisper White' i stamped the plane and sentiment stamp using 'Basic Black' ink and coloured it in using some 'Certainly Celery' ink and a 'Blender Pen'. I finished the card off with a 'Certainly Celery' 'Designer Button'!

There you go, a nice quick card! Now if you want to get your crafty mits on the 'Ain't Love Grand' stampset you need to either book a workshop in the new year or alternatively order £150 of goodies and you will get it for free! Email me for details: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Clearly for You!!

Hi everyone, i hope you are having a fab weekend. Sorry for such a late post - today has been a fairly busy day - hubby has been home and we have been out visiting family.

Today i have a lovely card made by a fellow Stampin' Demo Jade, using the fab 'Clearly For You' stampset:

Jade stampsed the birds image (in 'Basic Gray') and the 'for you' sentiment (in 'Tempting Turquoise')onto a piece of 'Whisper White' card. She then layered it onto a piece of 'Tempting Turquoise' 'DSP' which had been edged with the 'Scallop Trim Punch' and layered all of this onto a 'Basic Black' cardbase! Finished with a 'Basic Black' 'Designer Button'.

A clean and simple card! Don't you just love the colour combo! If you want to get you crafty mits onto this lovely vintagey stampset or anything else in the catty drop me an email: amyjtidd@gmail.com (I'm offering Free P&P for distant customers and 10% off for my more local ones! Get your orders in in time for Christmas!

Happy Birthday Jen!

Hiya! It's the weekend - and i'm so relieved! It has been a hard slog this week and this weekend is extra special because my hubby has the weekend off - which is quite rare! We have lots planned, including going to our friend Jen's birthday party this evening in Putney.

Last week i went to our monthly training at my upline Cates house. We always do our business talk and then have a crafty play with some of the newest Stampin' Up! products. I made this card with Jen in mind and plan to give to her this evening:

We started with a 'Melon Mambo' cardbase and i randomly stamped a stamp from the 'Delicate Doilies' in some 'Melon Mambo' ink. Next i layered some 'Flirtatious DSP' onto some 'Whisper White. Next we ran some 'Melon Mambo' cardstock through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Perfect Pennant Die'. We stamped about stamp from the 'Delicate Doilies' stampset, using 'Wisteria Wonder' ink and punched it out using the '1-3/4" Circle Punch'. We layered it all up and placed a 'Designer Button' in the centre, blinged up with a 'Basic Rhinestone'.

The sentiment is from 'Teeny Tiny Wishes', stamped onto some 'Whisper White', punched out using the 'Word Window Punch' and then layered onto a 'Pretty in Pink' 'Modern Label'. I added a few extra 'Basic Rhinestones' to finish off the card.

The great thing about creating homemade cards is that you can create cards that a perfect for the recipients - that totally reflects their personality - this card is bright, fun and blingy so i really hope that Jen likes it!

New Stampset: Delicate Doilies!

Today i want to share with a brand new stampset from the new catty - which i absolutely LOVE! I think it is definately going to be one of my new favourites! It can be found on page 69 of the new catalogue and is called 'Delicate Doilies' and they look like this:

Lovely big doilies that could be used in so many ways! At the weekend i went to Cates house (my uplines). She and Diane (another member of the Blue Angels Team' hosted their new catty launch party and Cate designed a card using this fab stampset and i couldn't resist making one! Here it is:

A 'Melon Mambo' cardbase, which has been stamped all over with one of the smaller doilie stamps (also in 'Melon Mambo ink', Then we layered a rectangle of the new 'Flirtatious DSP' onto some 'Whisper White' card. Then we ran some 'Melon Mambo' card through the 'Big Shot' using the new and absolutely fab 'Perfect Pennants Die' to create the cut out doilie shape. One another piece of 'Whisper White' we stamped another 'Doilie' from the set using the new ink colour 'Wisteria Wonder' and punched this out using the '1-3/4" Circle Punch' and raised this using 'Dimensionals'. Finally placing a 'Melon Mabo' 'Designer Button' threaded with 'Linen Thread'.

The 'Congratulations' sentiment is from the 'Wedding Sweet' stampset, inked in 'Melon Mambo, punched out using the 'Word Window Punch', layered (with 'dimensionals') onto a 'Pretty in Pink' 'Modern Label' Finally finished off with two 'Basic Rhinestones' for a little bit of bling!

I think you'll agree Stampin' Up! has done a great job with its new products, this stampset is beautifully versatile! As is the 'Perfect Pennants Die', check them out!!!

If you'd like to make an order drop me an email: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Happy Birthday Iwona!

Yesterday was my friend Iwona's birthday! I hope she had a lovely day! We went out last night for a few drinks!! I couldn't resist making her a birthday card. She has such a bright and cheery character, so i couldn't resist making her a bright and cheery card:

I have used the stunningly bright 'Daffodil Delight' cardstock for this cardbase. I then cut a strip of 'Daffodil Delight' for the centre of the card and then used the 'Eyelet Border Punch' on both sides of this strip of card and glued this into place. I then cut a thinner strip of 'Play Date DSP' and glued that in the centre if the 'Daffodil Delight' strip.

I punched out three flowers using the 'Fancy Flower Punch': one from 'Pacific Point' cardstock, one from 'Daffodil Delight' 'DSP' and one from 'Real Red' 'DSP', both from the 'Brights DSP Stack'.  I layered all three of these and secured them in placed with 'Red Sticky Tape'. I placed a 'Daffodil Delight' 'Designer Button' (with some 'Linen Thread' tied in a bow) onto the centre of the flowers, secured again with some 'Red Sticky Tape'.

The 'Happy Birthday' sentiment comes from the 'Something to Celebrate' stampset and was inked in 'Pacific Point'.

I hope Iwona liked her card and had an amazing birthday!!!