My Card Tote!

Hi all, i have been working on this craft project for a couple of days on and off, and really very excited to share it with you. I have made a card tote (using an amazing tutorial brought from Lynda - an Australian SU demo).

OK, I'm not going to lie - this project was pretty fiddly and took me several hours to create, but now i know how it's all done i'm pretty confident that i could make it much quicker the second time around!! I made the tote using completely Stampin' Up! materials. The great thing about using SU materials is that they all coordinate!! The 'DSP' used is from the sadly retiring 'Love Letters DSP collection', i used quartered '1-3/4" Circles' cut from 'Early Espresso' card to decorate the corners, coordinating 'Satin Ribbon' for the handles and the 'Just Perfect Alphabet' stampset to stamp 'cards' on the front!

Here's a side view of the card tote:

The tote is tied up with 'Grosgrain Ribbon' and here is the tote opened wide:

You'll notice that i have made monthly dividers so i can get organised and store birthday, valentine, anniversary and any other cards in their correct place! (I have used 'Red Riding Hood' cardstock to coordinate with the 'Love Letters DSP' to create the accordian sides and the dividers.

Along with Lynda's tutorial she also supplied me with monthly calender templates! So i printed them off on 'Very Vanilla' cardstock and mounted them onto the 'Red Riding Hood' dividers. I punched some tabs out of 'Red Riding Hood' card, using the 'Round Tab Punch' and used the 'Just Perfect Alphabet' stampset to stamp the months on the tabs (in 'Early Espresso' ink.)

I slightly altered Lyndas tutorial - but overall i couldn't have made this without her detailed tutorial notes! I'm planning on making a few more of these to give away as christmas gifts, i just love the way these have turned out!

I'm planning on running a craft class on how to make these lovely totes, so watch this space ... details to follow!!

Happy Wedding Day Rob and Iwona!!

Today is our friends Rob and Iwona's wedding day!! So today i want to share with you a little present that i have made to give them to remember their big day...

I have made them a 'mini book' (i got this idea from a craft retreat that i assisted at which was run by my upline Cate) but as always i have put my own crafty touch on it! The 'outer' was created from a piece of 'Very Vanilla' cardstock which i lined with the wonderfully elegant 'Love Letters DSP', i have used 'Red Riding Hood' cardstock, edged with the 'Eyelet Border' to create a spine for this mini book. I create the bride and groom hearts using the 'Heart Punch'. I ran the bride heart through the 'Big Shot' with the 'Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder'. They have been embellised with 'Basic Pearls' and 'Basic Rhinestones. I glued these onto a 'Red Riding Hood' 'Top Note' and the sentiment is from the Level 3 'Occasional Quotes' stampset in 'Whisper White' ink.

Here's a sneaky peek inside:

For the centre i used a piece of retired DSP (10"x10") folded into four. The hearts have been created using the 'Heart Punch' and run through the 'Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder' and here's it completely folded out...

Again i have used some lovely 'Love Letters DSP', edged with the 'Eyelet Border Punch'. I hope the happy couple will love this gift and that they use it to place some cherished pictures or mementos of their big day!

Congratulations once again Rob and Iwona!! Hope you have an amazing day! I'm already looking forward to the big Polish wedding in October!!!

A Gate-Fold Card For You...

I'm back again with another card design ... this type of card is referred to as a 'Gate-Fold Card'. Here it is:

The cardbase used here is 'Very Vanilla'. i have also used 'Red Riding Hood' cardstock from the 'Regals' collection.  I have also used the beautiful 'Love Letters DSP'. I have stamped the flower from the 'Happiness Shared' stampset in 'Early Espresso' and then used my 'Blender Pens' to colour in the flower (with 'Red Riding Hood' ink) and leaves (with 'Always Artichoke' ink).

The 'for you' sentiment is actually from the 'i'm here for you' stamp (from the 'Occassional Quotes' set). I used an 'Early Espresso' 'Stampin' Write Marker' to colour in just the 'for you...'  Thats the great thing about the markers you can select parts of stamps to use! It makes your stampsets even more versatile!! I used the 1/2" Circle Punch to create the corners indents. I've also used some lovely 'Early Espresso' 'Satin Ribbon' on this card!! I just love this ribbon!!

Here's an open shot of the card:

If you would like to make a card like this, why not book a workshop, invite a few friends around for a craft tutorial!! Contact me for more details: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Snip and Tuck

Hi all, today i want to share with you card that i made using a tutorial from Julie Davison's blog. Check it out! This card is refered to as a 'Snip and Tuck' Card. I think it would be a perfect card style to give a voucher or money in as a gift! The cardstock used is 'Crumb Cake' (I seem to be using a lot of that recently) as well as some 'Red Riding Hood' and some 'Basic Black', the stampset used is the wonderful 'Artistic Etchings' with some 'Crumb Cake' ink and the DSP used is from the 'Love Letters' collection. I have also used the 'Eyelet  Border Punch', the 'Scallop Circle Punch' and the '1-3/8" Circle Punch) and a couple of 'Dimensionals' to raised the 'Scalloped Circle'.

Here's the card in it's closed form:

And here's a pic to show you how the card opens and closes:

I've been trying really hard to make different styles of card and really enjoyed making this card, it's really different from my usual style!

My hubby is away for the weekend on a stag do, so i have a completely free weekend to catch up with friends and hopefully get in some crafting without being told off for making the dining room table all messy!! Can't wait to share with you all, more of my creations!!! xx

Scrap Challenge!

Hello everyone! It is officially the weekend!! Woo hoo! I love long weekends!! I've only been back to work for three days but i sure do feel like i deserve these next four days off!! Work has been hectic. We've been crazy busy with mocks!!

Before i share with you today's crafty project i just want to say THANKYOU and HELLO to ALL my new followers!!! It's been a long while since i welcomed new followers, so hello to Suzy T, Amanda O, Marie, Sophie, Jayne, Emma, Stephanie Emma, Crafty Helen and Busy Lizzie!! I hope you all enjoy my blog. I always welcome your comments!

Also just to let you all know that i have joined the Twitter revolution. So if you're on Twitter please add me!! My alias is @CraftyThINKer.

Anyway back to the crafting: My scrap box is ever increasing, i just cannot throw away any card scrap - even if it is the teeniest little piece!! So the other day i set myself a challenge to only use scraps to make a quick card ... here's the result:

My inspiration for this card came from Sarah Makins Blog. The cardbase is 'Red Riding Hood' from the 'Regals' collection. I have used strips of 'Love Letters' DSP, some edged with the 'Eyelet Border' Punch and mounted these on 'Whisper White' card and wrapped a piece of 'Real Red' 'Satin Ribbon' around before adhering it to the cardbase. I then used a stamp from the 'Four Frames' set, inked in black. the sentiment is from the 'Because I Care' set (which is a level 1 hostess set) I used my 'Stamp-a-ma-jig' to line the 'thank you' up nice and neatly. I used the coordinating 'Decorative Label Punch' to punch out the shape and used 'dimensionals' to raise the frame and make it 3D. Easy Peasy!!

I'm making the most of the weekend! Of course i will be crafting! In fact my good friend Ruth is coming round for a crafty day tomorrow! Can't wait!!