Crafty Boots Challenge: Fantasy

It's that time again, another Crafty Boots Challenge and this fortnights challenge is: Fantasy... This could be anything like Castles/fairies/unicorns/father christmas... you get the idea!! So here is my DT offering:

I really didn't know where to start with this challenge and this is what i finally came up with ... a fairy princess castle!!

It started life as a 'Marina Mist' cardbase. I hand-snipped some 'Whisper White' card into cloud shaped and added some detail on with a 'Bashful Blue' 'Stampin' Write Marker'. I then hand-snipped some 'Cheerful Treat DSP' to create the grass.

The castle was created from three wide strips of 'Blushing Bride' cardstock. I drew some brick detail on using a ruler and a 'Stampin' Write Marker'. To create the pointy roof i ran some 'Brights DSP' through the 'Big Shot' using my 'Perfect Pennants Die' and used some 'Melon Mambo' card stock edged with the 'Eyelet Punch' to create the frill! The windows was created from some 'Melon Mambo' card, which i hand-snipped to shape (notice that i ran a strip of 'Basic Pearls' along the bottom of them - you can't have a princess castle without bling!) and i punched the door out using my 'Large Tag Punch' (which a 'Basic Rhinestone' on it to create the handle - more bling!!)

Finally i stamped the 'just for you' sentiment (from the 'Tagtastic' stampset) in 'Melon Mambo' ink onto some 'Whisper White' card, punched it out using the 'Decorative Label Punch' and bordered it on a 'Melon Mambo' 'Decorative Label' which i cut in half to elongate! I love this effect!!

So get your craft on and get involved with the Craft Boots Challenge! I can't wait to see your entries!!

(And if any of you fancy making a Stampin' Up! order just email me: amyjtidd@gmail.com - i offer free P&P - usually £4.95 - with all orders over £50!)

Christmas Tags!!!

Hi guys, i hope you have had an amazing week! We have been so increadibly busy! We've been furniture shopping, London for a night out to celebrate our friend Jens birthday and today we went out for a yummy breakfast with friends, brought a sofa and visited my Nan! Busy, busy, busy!! Which means i haven't had much time at all for crafting - but there's still tonight!!! Hubby's working tonight and i have the house to myself so i will definately be getting the craft kit out!

Any due to the lack of crafting this weekend, today i have a lovely christmas tag made by another Stampin' Up! demonstrator Julie. (Every month our Stampin' Up! team get together and swap recent projects with one another!) So here it is:

These are soooooo simple to make, but look fab don't they! Julie punched a tag out of some 'Holly Berry Bouquet DSP' with the 'Large Tag Punch' and then layered this onto a 'Real Red' 'Extra Large Tag'. She then glued this onto a larger piece of 'Pear Pizzazz' which she snipped to turn it into an even larger tag. She stamped the cute little 'Merry' sentiment (from the wonderfully versatile 'Pennant Parade Stampset) in 'Pear Pizzazz' ink at the bottom. Finally she punched a hole with her 'Crop-a-dile' (a tool definately worth popping on your Christmas wish list!) and threaded through some 'Real Red' 'Taffeta Ribbon'.

Gift tags can cost so much at Christmas, and you often can't find tags to coordinate with your gift wrap - so here's the solution - use the 12x12" DSP sheets to wrap and create stunning tags to coordinate! In no time you'll have Christmas all wrapped up!

It's not too late to get in that order. Email me over your wish list today: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Half-term Craft Retreat!

Yes it's half-term and me and my friend Ruth are off to the Isle of Wight for a few days to stay at her Dad's place and yes we will be taking our craft kits along!! So i will have lots and lots of crafty projects to share with you when i return on Wednesday. But don't worry ... i have scheduled some crafty projects for you Crafty ThINKers to enjoy in my absence!!

So today a crafty 'Pillow Box' project to share with you:

To make this gift box i ran some 'Real Red' card through the 'big Shot' using the 'Pillow Box Die' and constructed it using some 'Red Sticky Strip', i wrapped some 'Old Olive' 'DSP' around the 'Pillow Box' and then wrapped some 'Early Espresso' 'Satin Ribbon' in a bow! I used the 'A Special Treat' tag punch from the  wonderful new hostess stampset 'Tagtastic', stamped it using some 'Early Espresso' ink onto some 'Old Olive' card. I punched it out using the 'Extra Large Tag Punch'. I punched a hole in the top using my 'Crop-a-Dile' - i threaded through some 'Linen thread' and tied it around the 'Satin Ribbon'.

And there you go ... a lovely christmas gift box! Want to buy the 'Pillow Box Die'? Then email me over an order: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Tealight Delight! WITH a Tealight Tutorial

Hi everyone, hope you're all having a fab weekend. I've had a really chilled out day today. Popped into town with my sister to do a spot of shopping and have some lunch and then managed to squeeze in a spot of crafting!!

It was my Husbands Nans birthday on Thursday and we're actually meeting up with his family tomorrow to go out for a meal and celebrate. I brought her lots of lovely things today but also thought i'd make her a gift. I've had this idea for a while so thought i'd try it out. You start off with a plain and simple tealight:

And then punch out a '1-3/8" Circle' from your favourite 'DSP' (I used the beautiful (but sadly retiring 'Springtime Vintage DSP') and punch a smaller hole in the centre using your trusy 'Crop-a-dile':

Then you've guessed it, slip the 'DSP' over the wick:

There is no need to stick these 'DSP' circles down - and of course you must tell your recipients to remove the paper circle before lighting!!

I made six of these pretty tealights and then packaged them up:

I popped the tealights into a 'Cellophane Bag' and sealed it up. Ran a piece of 'Pretty in Pink' cardstock through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Top Note Die' and folded in half length ways. Cut a 3cm wide strip of 'Very Vanilla' card stock, and then layed a 2cm wide strip of 'Springtime Vintage DSP' over top. Punched out a 'Rose Red' tag, using the 'Extra Large Tag Punch' and a 'Very Vanilla' tag using the 'Large Tag Punch'. On the 'Very Vanilla' tag i stamped 'best wishes' (in 'Rose Red' ink) from the 'Silohouette Sentiment' stampset. I punched a hole out of the tag using my 'Crop-a-dile' and ran some 'Rose Red' 'Seaming Ribbon' through it. I tied the tag around the 'Very Vanilla'/'DSP' strip and then stuck it all down using some 'Sticky Red Tape'... and there you go a lovely little gift!! It came out even better than i expected!! I'm definately going to be making lots of these to give as christmas gifts!!

I'm entering this project into the 'Daring Cardmakers' challenge - which this week is 'How Many Candles? I know it's not a card, but hopefully the'll appriciate it anyway!They are sponsored this week by 'Funky Hand'.

Riding Hood Red Milk Carton!

Hi everyone! Hope you are all ok! It's almost the weekend and it is almost the end of my trip. I leave Tanzania on the 1st of August and arrive back in the UK on the 2nd. I can't wait to share with you pictures of my adventures!!

Today i have a 'Milk Carton' box, that i have created using my 'Big Shot' and the 'Mini Milk Carton Die'. This box has been made from the beautiful 'Riding Hood Red' cardstock:

Once constucting the box (a little hint - make sure you stick it together with red sticky tape - otherwise it will ping open!) i ran a strip of 'Love Letters DSP' around the carton. Next i ran some scraps of 'Riding Hood Red Cardstock' through the 'Big Shot' with the 'Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die' and glued them on, embellishing them with some 'Basic Pearls'. Finally i punched some holes at the top of the carton with my 'Crop-a-Dile', ran some organza ribbon through and attached a tag, made from 'Basic Black' card and the 'Tag Punch', which was decorated by stamping some 'Very Vanilla' cardstock with the small medallion shaped stamp from the 'Artistic Etchings' stampset (notice how it coordinates with the 'Love Letters DSP'.

Baby Blossoms!

Hi all, hope you are all well! I've had a lovely start to my easter hols! Yesterday i went to London to visit Fiona a good friend of mine who i use to work with. We had a great time trawling Camden market, looking in all the vintage shops and managed to pick up a couple of bargains! Today i went out for a wander around the shops and out for some lunch with my sister. Good times!!
Today i want to share with you a card i made with my friend Sally last week at our weekly craft club at work. We were lacking inspiration and so browsed online and found a great blog called 'roseyscraper' and we case'd a card from there featuring the beautiful 'Baby Blossoms' stampset from the mini catalogue (If you love Cath Kidson you will LOVE this stampset!)

The card features the beautiful 'Springtime Vintage DSP, from the mini catalogue. I have used the 'Scallop Edge Border' Punch. The flower has been stamped from the 'Baby Blossoms' stampset. You have to stamp the images in stages, so a 'stamp-a-ma-jig' is a vital piece of kit!! The flower uses 'Pear Pizzazz', 'Rose Red' and 'Pretty in Pink', stamped on 'Very Vanilla' cardstock and punched with the 'Large Tag' Punch, I have mounted this on 'Pear Pizzazz' 'Extra Large Tag' punch. The card has been finished off with some 'Rose Red Seaming Ribbon' from the mini, and a little piece of 'linen thread'.

A perfect card for spring i think!! I'm planning to spend the day with Sal on Thursday so hoping to make lots of lovely things to share with you! (I recieved a massive Stampin' Up! order today with lots of goodies, so have plenty of new things to play with!!) So check back soon!!