Retiring DSP

Hi guys, just a quick post today to remind you that the 'DSP' from the current catalogue will be retiring in a few days - so if you want to order any you need to get your order in NOW!! Today i have a quick idea to share with you, something you could make from some strips of 'DSP', some lovely bookmarks and the great thing is that they literally take minutes to make:

All you do cut strips of 'DSP' (in this case 'Greenhouse Gala DSP') and then punch out of some coordinating cardstock (in this case 'Early Espresso') using the 'Round Tab Punch'. and glue it to one end of the 'DSP' strip. Punch a hole through the card tab using a 'Crop-a-Dile' and finally thread some 'Satin Ribbon (or any ribbon that you have) through the hole. (in this vase i used 'Early Espresso' 'Satin Ribbon')

And there you go some lovely 'DSP' bookmarks - i'm planning on making lots of these to give as gifts at my New Catalogue Craft Open House - on the 22nd October. If you live local to me and fancy coming along to this FREE event drop me an email: amyjtidd@gmail.com

And don't forget - get those last minute retiring order in ASAP - time is running out!!!

Daisy, Daisy...

By now assuming my itinerary is still on track i will be in Tanga camp!! A beautiful camp right by the sea - the plan is to take some time to do some scuba diving here!

Don't worry - although i'm not in the UK, i had some very busy crafty days throughout June to create enough projects to share with you whilst i'm away. So today i have a beautiful card using the 'Flower Daisies Die'.

I ran some 'Whisper White' cardstock through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Flower Daisies Die', glued all the daisy pieces together to create this beautiful flower! I placed a 'Designer Button' tied with some 'linen thread' in the centre of the flower. I then got a piece of DSP from the 'Greenhouse Gala DSP Collection', wrapped a piece of 'Pear Pizzazz' 'Seaming Ribbon' around it and then placed the daisy over it. Finally i mounted this onto the 'Pear Pizzazz' cardbase.

A lovely sunny card, that could be used for any occassion!!

Another Strength and Hope Card!

I just love the 'Strength and Hope' set and it just seems to work with every single colour combo:

The cardbase used for this card is textured 'Pumpkin Pie'. I have used some 'Greenhouse Gala DSP' - i just love this paper, it's just so colourful and cheery. Before sticking thhe DSP down on the cardbase i cut a strip of 'Pear Pizzazz' card, edged it with the 'Eyelet Border Punch' and placed it underneath the DSP. The two circles are punched out of 'Pear Pizzazz' and 'Whisper White' cardstock using the '1-3/8" Circle Punch'. On the white circle i stamped the 'Thinking Of You' sentiment from the 'Silohouette Sentiments' set in 'Pear Pizzazz'. Finally i stamped a 'Pumpkin Pie' butterfly on a scrap piece of card, cut it out using my 'Paper Snips' and have glued him into place over the white circle.

I think i'm going to leave this card for my Nan. I try to visit her at least once a week and i know that she will be missing me whilst i'm away.

Happy Birthday Sal!

Hi all, Sorry for such a late post! Today has been a little hectic! I've been on the final day of a training course that i have been on for work. Today i had to do a presentation in front of some of my managers eeeek! But it's all over and done with now! Phew!! I've also popped in to visit my nan and been to a zumba class! Busy, busy, busy!!

Anyway, today was my friend Sally's birthday. Unfortunately i wasn't at work today so couldn't wish her happy birthday in person,  but have a card and a cheeky bottle of wine to give to her tomorrow. (I'm hoping she won't be checking on here tonight... so i want to share with you the tag that i made to go on her bottle of wine...

The card used on the base is 'Bashful Blue', i have then used some 'Greenhouse Gala DSP'.I have stamped out the butterfly from the 'Strength and Hope' stampset, cut it out with my 'Paper Snips' and placed some 'Basic Pearls' along the centre to create the butterflies body. I raised the butterfly with a 'dimensional'.

The sentiment is from the Level 1 hostess set 'Silhouette Sentiments' (stamped in 'Chocolate Chip' ink) and i have creatively used the 'Decorative Label Punch' to  punch it out! I have punched another piece of 'Greenhouse Gala DSP' using the Scallop Circle. Then punched out a '1-3/8" Circle' out of the centre. i also punched another circle out of the 'Bashful Blue' cardstock and lined them up, to create a hole for the wine bottleneck. Here's the finished article:

I hope Sally had a lovely birthday! I'm looking forward to seeing her tomorrow to give her a belated birthday hug, as well as her gift and card!!

Craft Challenge Addiction!

Morning all, I think i have become a little too addicted to challenge blogs!! I'm loving the way they are pushing my creativity - i hate making projects that are all too samey!

I have stumbled across yet another challenge blog: Cas-ual Fridays and loved their style!! They gave you this tic tac toe board and you had to choose a row of three elements and make a card!! What fun!

I decided to go diagonally across the board (Buttons, Dies or Punch, Emboss) and this is what i can up with:

A 'Pumpkin Pie' cardbase, reverse embossed with the 'Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder' (using my 'Big Shot', a strip of 'Greenhouse Gala' DSP down the centre. The flower has been created using the 'Fun Flowers Die' and 'Brights DSP' with a 'Designer Button' placed in the centre. Finally a piece of 'Grosgrain Ribbon' finishes off the design.

Life is Like a Butterfly!

I just loved the Daring Cardmakers Challenge this week, i couldn't resist making something else along that theme! So here is a second entry to the challenge made with the beautiful (and charitable) 'Strength and Hope' stampset from Stampin' Up!

I used 'Crumb Cake' cardstock for the cardbase and stamped the beautiful butterfly in 'Crumb Cake' ink. I then embellished the butterfly with some 'Basic Pearls'. I also used some 'Greenhouse Gala DSP' on this card. The word sentiment has been printed using 'Crumb Cake' ink on 'Whisper White' card and them mounted on 'Baja Breeze'. A lovely simple card, that would be an ideal Get Well Soon card or maybe a Thank You card.

The 'Strength and Hope' stampset can be purchased in both clear and woodmounted and for every set sold £1 will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. There are four stamps in this set, here they are:

If you would like to purchase this beautiful set or any other Stampin' Up! goodies then drop me an email: amyjtidd@gmail.com 

Thanks again to Daring Cardmakers for a wonderful challenge and to everyone visiting, commenting and following my blog!!

I have also decided to enter this card into the Cupcake Craft Challenge, this week their theme is 'in the garden'. I've got the challenge 'bug' ... haha get it... bug!! xx

Crafty Day with Sal!

Hi everyone, I can't believe how quickly the Easter holidays are going! I have been having such a lovely time off. Last Thursday i spent the whole day over my friend Sally's house. We have both recently purchased 'Big Shots' and so decided to have a dedicated day making projects with them! I have finally got round to uploading the pictures of all the crafty creations we made, so over the next few days i plan to share some of these with you!

Sally brought the 'Fun Flowers' Bigz L Die, which is a Stampin' Up! exclusive product. It is so much fun to play with. So i thought today that i would share with you a card that i pretty much CASE'd from the 'Mini Catalogue' (page 6) The cardbase used is the beautiful 'Baja Breeze'. Next i tore a piece of the 'Greenhouse Gala DSP'. The flowers were created out of 'Blushing Bride' cardstock (one of the Stampin' Up! 'in colours') using the 'Fun Flowers' Die and the 'Big Shot', to add a little more detail i used the large stamp from the 'Baroque Motifs' and some 'Blushing Bride' ink. Placing a 'Certainly Celery' button (from the Subtles 'Designer Buttons') in the centre. I finished this card off with a little strip of 'So Saffron' card, and stamped a sentiment from the Level 2 hostess set 'Something to celebrate' in 'Chocolate Chip ink, on a scrap of 'Whisper White' card.

I love this card, and it really didn't take long to create. The 'Big Shot' is brilliant as it really speeds up a project!! Only problem is i got quite carried away with the layout and it isn't going to fit in a conventional envelope so i'm going to have to custom make one!!

Do me a favour!

Today i want to share with you a quick and simple project shown to me by my upliner Cate, this project is referred to as a sour cream container. They really are quite simple to make. A sheet of DSP and some 'sticky strip' and hey presto!!

The DSP used in this example is from the 'Greenhouse Gala' range! The seniment is from the 'Oval All' stampset, bordered on an 'Old Olive' 'Scallop Oval' Punch, attached with Stampin' Up! dimensionals to give a raised effect.

These little containers are wonderful ... you can fill them with all sorts - sweets, little gifts, or even money (I made 15 of these in 'Jolly Holiday' DSP for my nan to put money in for christmas gifts, they looked really lovely on the christmas tree!) I think they would make lovely (and inexpensive) wedding favours ... what do you think?? If you would like some help designing and creating your wedding favours, invites, table plans or anything else then just get in touch. I'd love to help you out! xx

The First Retreat Day Project!

Hi guys, Hope you all had a good Monday! Only four more days til the weekend! Over the next few days i want to share with you some of the craft projects we made at Saturday's craft retreat! The first i'm going to share with you is a matching gift bag and card:

The black gift bag was purchased online by Cate and then we decorated it using 'Greenhouse Gala' DSP, the stampsets used were the 'Artistic Etchings' stampset and the Happy Birthday stamp from the 'Perfect Punches' stampset. The leaves were punched out of black cardstock from the branch of the 'Two-Step Bird Extra-Large' punch and the roses were create by punching 'Daffodil Delight' cardstock using the 'scallop punch' with a circle punched out of the middle and then coiled!! Don't they look beautiful!! The ribbon used is 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain ribbon in black! Here's a close up!

The coordinating card was used using exactly the same techniques:

Hope you like this project, please check back tomorrow for another crafty project!!