An Elegant Peacock Feather Card!

Today i have a card to share with you that i made for my good friend Jen for her birthday! I just love how it has turned out!!

It features the beautiful peacock faether image from the 'Natures Nest' stampset:

I stamped the feather over the 'Indigo Island' cardbase using the same colour ink to create a background. Then on  square of 'Whisper White' card i stamped the feather image twice using 'Island Indigo' and 'Elegant Eggplant' 'Stampin' Write Markers' and placed some tiny 'Basic Pearls' to embellish. I stamped the sentiment (from the 'Happiest Birthday Wishes' set) using 'Elegant Eggplant' ink and then mounted it all onto a piece of 'Elegant Eggplant' card. Before gluing this onto the cardbase i cut a strip of 'Whisper White' 'Satin Ribbon', folded it over and pierced an 'Antique brad' through it.

I hope Jen likes the card and has a brilliant birthday!! And don't forget if you want to order the beautiful 'Natures Nest' stampset do it today by emailing me: amyjtidd@gmail.com

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!!

Waterfall Album!

Last month my crafty friend Jade attended a craft class held by another fellow demonstrator and learnt how to make beautiful waterfall albums! Unfortunately due to being heavily pregnant i was unable to attend however Jade kindly shared this technique with me at a recent crafty sesh at her house and i made one for my friends Jen and Andy for a wedding gift!!

Here's the front of my completed 'Waterfall Album':

The colours are 'Pool Party', 'Island Indigo' 'Crumb Cake' and 'Whisper White'. You can just see in the photo there is a panel of 'Pool Party' which has been run through the 'Big Shot' using and then the 'Stripes Embossing Folder. I have also used some 'Crumb Cake' 'DSP'.

To create the image on the front i (well ... if i'm honest, Jade) printed the 'Congratulations Jen & Andy, 21st july 2012 on the computer and then stamped the image from the 'Apothecary Art' stampset in 'Island Indigo' ink - i had to carefully line this up using my trusty 'Stamp-a-ma-jig'. I cut this image out using the 'Big Shot' and the 'Labels Collection Framelits Die' and then mounted it onto a larger 'Island Indigo' label! Here's a close up:

Here is the inside of the album:

I kept the pages inside treasonably simple with the view that Jen and Andy could add some photos from their wedding reception and some captions in themselves. I simply embellished the album with 'Crumb Cake' DSP', 'Island Indigo' card which has been punched using the 'Eyelet Border Punch' and the beautiful butterfly from the 'Clearly For you' stampset inked in 'Island Indigo'.

The other pages fold out like a 'waterfall' when you pull the tab (which was created from a 'Decorative Label Punch')

The mechanism to create this card is very technical and difficult to explain - i suggest you google waterfall cards/ albums and you'll find a range of tutorials to guide you though it! I was lucky enough to have Jade's guidance!

I have to admit this project was completely time consuming but i'm thrilled with the final product - although i think it is fair to say  special people will receive one of these made by me as they are hardwork to complete!!!!

Motorcycle Card

Hey, i'm back again today with another masculine card - it seems right to feature lots at the moment, what with Fathers Day approaching this weekend. Hopefully i will inspire you to get out your craft stash and make a special card for your Dad (if you haven't done so already!)

Todays card is actually a birthday card, but with a change of sentiment you could easily create a fathers day card! I had a bit of a creative block, but with a bit of google searching a came across this beautiful design and couldn't resist CASEing it from this blog:

On a 11.5cm x 11.5cm square of 'Whisper White' card i stamped the sentiment in the top lefthand corner (from the 'Happiest Birthday Wishes' set) using 'Early Espresso' ink. Next i stamped the fab A La Carte 'Motorcycle' stamp. I inked it up with 'Early Espresso' ink and stamped it three times WITHOUT reinking the image (i used the 'Stamp-a-ma-jig' tool to carefully line it up! The bow has been created from some (sadly retired) 'Early Espresso' 'Satin Ribbon' (although you could use 'Chocolate Chip' ribbon instead.) I mounted this onto a slightly larger square of 'Early Espresso' card and then mounted it all onto a 'Crumbcake' 12.5cm x 12.5cm cardbase.

If you struggle to create cards for men, consider purchasing the 'a la carte' 'Motorcycle' stamp. It is such a lifesaver for creating masculine cards:

And its a complete bargain at £7.95!! If you'd like to make an order email me today: amyjtidd@gmail.com

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: Good Luck!

Hey all!!! As you may know - for my full time job i'm a teacher - so this fortnights Crafty Boots Challenge is completely relevant to me! This week my AS students will be sitting their first exam!! AAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH! And of course i want to wish them the best of luck. So for this challenge i created some Good Luck bunting to hang in my classroom!!! And i made it all using my trusty 'Perfect Pennants Die' - bunting made nice and quickly with a roll of the 'Big Shot'!!:

I went with a 'Regal Rose', 'Melon Mambo', 'Rich Razzleberry' and 'Old Olive' colour combo. Chopping the large triangles out of cardstock using the 'Perfect Pennants Die' and the 'Big shot'. Then smaller triangles from a range of stripey and polkadot 'Brights DSP'. The letters have been stamped from the coordinating inks onto 'Whisper White' card using the brilliant 'Broadsheet Alphabets' stampset:

I punched these out and mounted them onto the bunting using a range of punches: '1 1/4" Circle Punch', '1-3/8" Circle Punch', '1-3/$" Circle Punch', 'Scallop Circle Punch' and the 'Perfect Pennant Die'. Here's close ups of each of the individual bunting triangles:

To finish off the card i punched some holes in each corner of the triangle and threaded through some 'Old Olive' 'Satin Ribbon'.

I'm really please with how this bunting has worked out and really do wish my students the best of luck with their exams! Why not enter the crafty boots challenge yourself! I look forward to seeing your entries!

And if you like the look of any of these products and would like to order them or have any questions feel free to drop me an email: amyjtidd@gmail.com 

'You Are Loved' Card!!

Reminder: The Spring Mini Catalogue is only available until the end of this month!! Today i want to share with you one of the cards we made yesterday during the crafty session around Fionas. This card has been created using the beautiful 'You are Loved' stampset which was designed by Kat:

Featuring 'Pretty In Pink', 'Old Olive' and 'Very Vanilla', there was quite a lot of inking and stamping (done with the 'Stampin' Write Markers) on this card, but it was a lovely idea to finish off the day with and i think the end product was most definately worth the effort!!

The centre of the card has been embellished with a piece of the 'Very Vanilla' 'Satin Ribbon' 'ruffled' up along by using red sticky strip (tape). I love this technique as it adds a lovely texture to a card.

We finished off the card with the sentiment - also from the 'You Are Loved' set inked in 'Rose Red' onto some 'Pretty in Pink' card and punched out with the 'Modern Label Punch'.

I just love the 'You Are Loved' stampset - it is so elegant and versatile! You could use it for Valentines Cards, Engagement Cards, Wedding Cards, Wedding Invitations, Friendship Cards etc...

Don't forget this wonderful stampset and the others in the Spring mini catalogue which you can find on the right hand side of my blog, will ONLY be available until the end of the month. So why not take advantage of April's offer when you spend £45, and get a pack of paper for FREE with your order. (I'll also through in FREE P&P (worth £4.95) with every order over £45!! So e-mail your order over today: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Make-It-Show: Farnborough Review!!

Hey all!! I hope you all had a good weekend - i had the most amazing weekend all in all! Hubby was away on a stag do and i had a jam packed few days and yes...it did include a lot of CRAFTING!!

Yesterday i went to the Make-it Show in Farnborough, with my sister and had sooooooooooooo much fun!! I really restrained myself and didn't but too much. I did however have a go at lots of new types of crafts which i want to share with you today in my blogpost!

Those of you who visited the show will know that Stampin' Up! had a stall and there was a fabby make and take project that was designed by the ladies. I just couldn't resist giving it a go myself:

I just love the colour combo used within this project: the cardbase is the beautiful 'Rich Razzleberry' on which we stamped a flower from the 'Ornate Flowers' set over (also in 'Rich Razzleberry') to create the background!

On a piece of 'Very Vanilla' piece of card we stamped the flower again, inking it using the 'Old Olive' and 'Rich Razzleberry' 'Stampin' Write Markers'. We tied a note in a piece of 'Very Vanilla' 'Satin Ribbon' and fixed that in place! We layered this onto a piece of 'Marina Mist' card edged each side with the 'Scallop Trip Border Punch'. Finally we stamped the sentiment from the 'Sincere Salutations' set, using 'Old Olive' ink. We punched this out using the 'Decorative Label' punch and then layered it on a 'Marina Mist' 'Decorative Label' cut in half! I just love this card design and think the ladies really showcased the products fantastically!! They were working so hard on the stall when i visited i hope they're having a restful day today to recover!!

Now... not only did we papercraft but we also got to have a go at a few other types of crafts whilst there! For those who follow the blog regularly you will know that i'm pretty much a pure papercraft girl, but i'm really proud with my other creations!!

Firstly we had a go at Decoupage and i created this butterfly:

I haven't quite finished this off, i intend to place something pink and sparkly down the centre and loop some pink ribbon to hang it up! Not bad for a first attempt!!

But i think i saved the best for last! We attended an Acrylic Folk Painting class and this is the final result:

My sister also made one, here is her creation:

I brought a third one from the lovely lady who demo'd and intend to hang tall three in my baby's nursery!! I'm so happy with the final result and still cannot believe that i have created something so beautiful!!

Before i go i just have to thank Jane Willis once again for her generous gift of the Make-It Show tickets!! I definately used them well and had a brilliant day!!

Feeling Fruity?!

Hey everyone, hope you're all having a great weekend?! I've had a really girly day involving takeaway, chick flicks and chocolate!! Oh and a tiny bit of crafting! Not quite as much as i would like but i've still got tomorrow set aside!!

Today i had a bit of a play with one of my new stampsets from the Spring Mini Catalogue: 'Fruit and Flowers' and created two bookmarks, one of which i will share with you today and i will save the other one for a future blogpost:

To create this bookmark i ran some 'Real Red' cardstock through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Perfect Pennant Die'. I then punched out a '1-3/4" Circle' from some 'Old Olive Cardstock. Then on a piece of 'Whisper White' card i stamped the cute apple stamp from the 'Fruit and Flowers' stampset using 'Real Red' and 'Old Olive' 'Stampin' Write Markers'. I then punched this out using the '1-1/4" Circle Punch'. Finally i threaded some 'Old Olive' 'Satin Ribbon'.

And this is how i'm using it with to bookmark my 'Spring Mini Catalogue':

So have you looked through your Mini Catalogue yet?! Written your wishlist?! Email me your order now: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Not seen the Mini Catalogue yet?! Either take a peek of it online - there's a link to it on the righthand side of this blog. If you would like your own copy of it then email me your postal address and i will pop one straight in the post for you!

New Year Sneak Peek!!

So it's 4 days or so until Christmas and that means there really isn't too long now until the start of 2012!!

Stampin' Up! has some amazing things planned for 2012 for their customers - not only will we have the annual Sale-a-Bration deal ( a free exclusive stampset or paper for every £45 you spend) but also for the first time in the UK  -  A winter mini Catalogue!! Super exciting and i'm going to give you a little sneaky peek of one of the products that features in it on  this card that i have made for my Card Tote christmas gifts that i shared with you a while back on this blog...

Now, i'm afraid that i cannot give you any details of new products until the new year but those of you who are familar with the current catalogue should work out the new element!!!

Products i have used (that i can tell you about!): A 'Crumb Cake' cardbase, some 'Old Olive' 'Satin Ribbon', 'Rich Razzleberry Card' and the 'Big shot' and the 'Perfect Pennant Die'. A '1-3/8" Circle Punch' and the 'Happiest Birthday Wishes' stampset!!

I'm planning on hosting a an open house in the new year to share 'Sale-a'Bration' and the new mini catty with you ... so if you''re local you're more than welcome to attend - details to follow!! If you're not local but would like details just post a comment on this blog (if you're a current customer) or email me your mailing address and i will send you a Sale-a-bration' leaflet and mini catalogue as soon as i can in the new year!!!

Can't wait to share with you all the new products that i have ordered!!!

Another Card Tote in Progress...

Hi guys, hope you're all having a fab weekend - can you believe that it will be Christmas day this time next week! Today we got most of the last minute christmas shopping done now and busily finishing the handmade christmas gifts i'm making: christmas card totes. Here's one i have almost finished:

I brought the instructions to make this online from an Australian Stampin' Up! demo (just google card tote tutorials) I used the following materials to make this: 'Holly Berry Bouquet DSP', '1-3/8" Circle Punch', '1/2" Circle Punch' 'Crop-a-dile', 'Chocolate Chip' 'Grosgrain Ribbon', 'Early Espresso' 'Satin Ribbon', 'Early Espresso' card.

Here's a side view:

I lined the card tote with 'Whisper White' card, and the concertina and dividers are made from 'Cherry Cobbler' card! All i have left to do is attach a card label and then it will be ready to fill with handmade cards and give away to our grandparents for christmas!!

Rainbows Christmas Workshop: 1st Gomshall, Peaslake and Shere Rainbows

Phew!! What a busy day!! I had a full day of teaching (all steam ahead in preperation for the January exams) and then straight off to 1st Gomshall, Peaslake and Shere Rainbows for a Christmas workshop!!!

It was the girls final meeting before Christmas and so i planned some christmas crafts for them to enjoy! They were all so creative and many of them adapted my original designs which i always love seeing!

It was a real challenge designing projects suitable for 5-7 year olds but i think it went well! All the girls seemed to have lots of fun making a christmas card, a cute little giftbox and some reindeer poop!!! Here's the projects:
First the Raindeer Poop:

A 'Real Red' 'Top Note' created using the 'Big Shot'. I typed the 'Reindeer Poop' label out on the computer and printed it on some 'Very Vanilla' cardstock, stamped the reindeer stamp in 'Soft Suede' ink (from a retired set - although you could use the 'Dasher' stamp from the current catalogue) and glued it on. I popped some chocolate (in this case some chocolate covered honeycomb) into a cellophane bad along with a Reindeer Poop poem (printed on 'Very Vanilla' card) and then stuck the topper on using some super 'Red Sticky Tape') The girls loved this project!!!

Next project was this cute 'Cherry Cobbler' 'Pillow Box' cute out using the 'big shot'. We wrapped some 'Old Olive' 'Satin Ribbon' around the 'Pillow Box'. Next we stamped the cute little penguin from the 'Polar Party' set in 'Basic Black ink. We coloured in his hat and scarf, beak and feet and then punched him out using the 'Scallop Circle Punch'. We stuck this onto the box using some 'Dimensionals'. Finally we popped a chocolate or two in them!!! The girls enjoyed that bit!!!



Final project was a Christmas card!! A 'Very Vanilla' cardbase. The Christmas tree has been made from some 'Old Olive' card that has been ran through the 'Big Shot' using the 'Perfect Pennants Die'. We decorated the tree using lots of stickers (non Stampin' Up!) The trunk was made from a little strip of 'Soft Suede' and the pot was made from some 'Real Red' card. The girls all created very different trees and even decorated their envelopes!!

 All in all we had a very lovely crafty time!!! Do you run a club or group who would like to do some crafting? E-mail me for some details of how to organise a workshop: amyjtidd@gmail.com

Christmas Card Tote Christmas Gift!

Hi all, i hope you have had the most fantastic weekend!!!! I have had a brilliant one! Yesterday i went Crimbo shopping with my sister and had a yummy lunch. Then in the evening we went out for a meal with our friends Tim and Lucy. Then today i had a super crafty day, with a visit from Jade in the morning, followed by an afternoon of crafting with Lucy! I have got so much done today, including packing up lots of handmade cards to go into the handmade card totes that i have made for our grandparents. So today here is the card tote that i made for Dave's grandparents who live in Spain. (It has featured on my blog before, to see details of the materials used click here.)

Here is the tote with all the cards that i made to put inside!!!

And here they are all packaged up ready to be sent!!

I really hope Dave's grandparents love their gift! They often find it hard to buy English cards so i'm sure they'll appriciate their gift!!

Just Believe Notelet Gift Box

Last week i shared with you a lovely gift idea - a box with a set of handmade cards featuring the 'Just Believe' stampset. Today i have a similar project - a cute little box with a set of notelets:

Here's a close up of the beautiful box. Created with 'Early Espresso', 'Marina Mist' and 'Whisper White' cardstock:

The image and sentiment are both from the 'Just Believe' stampset, and have been inked in 'Marina Mist' and 'Chocolate Chip', a couple of 'Basic Rhinestones' have been placed in the centre to add a bit of bling!!

Heres a pic of the box open:

This box is known as a pizza box, there are plenty of templates online if you would like to create one of these. 

And now for the cute little notelets:

An 'Early Espresso' cardbase, the image has been stamped several times with 'Early Espresso' ink. Some 'Whisper White' 'Satin Ribbon' has been wrapped around. The Friends sentiment has been stamped onto some 'Whisper White' card using 'Early Espresso' and 'Marina Mist' 'Stampin' Write Markers' and then hand-snipped. Finally a teeny tiny 'Basic Rhinestone' has been placed in the centre of the flower.

This second notelet is a 'Crumb Cake' cardbase. The image has been stamped using 'Early Espresso' ink, with some 'Basic Rhinestones' to bling it up! The sentiment was stamped onto some 'Marina Mist' card, punched out using the '1-3/4" Circle Punch', scrunched up a bit and placed on a strip of 'Whisper White' card, edged with the 'Eyelet Border Punch'.

This final notelet has been made from 'Marina Mist', the image (using 'Marina Mist' ink) has been stamped onto 'Whisper White' card, the thankyou sentiment was then inked over it using 'Early Espresso' ink (layering up is easy using a 'Stamp-a-ma-jig') This was layered onto some 'DSP'. The cute little flower was punched out using the 'Boho Blossom Punch', and placed a 'Basic Rhinestone' in the centre.

I think you'll agree this little notelet box gift is another fab project showcasing the 'Just Believe' stampset. A Stampin' Up! colleague of mine Jade came up with this super little project - isn't she clever!!!

If you would like to purchase any of the materials used in this project - or any other Stampin' Up! products drop me an email: amyjtidd@gmail.com It's not too late to get your orders in for Christmas!!

Just Believe Cards With Giftbox

Hi guys! It's Friday! So relieved and really looking forward to the weekend! I have lots of crafting in store!

Today i have a fab handmade gift idea to share with you - a lovely box full of handmade giftcards, using the lovely 'Just Believe' stampset:

Such a beautiful and versatile stampset i think you'll agree, and you can use it in some many ways - this project really showcases its versatility well:

The box is made from 'Crumb Cake' cardstock, and uses the '1/2" circle' Punch to create an opening device. (There's lots of templates online) The lid uses 'Rich Razzleberry DSP', 'Old Olive DSP' and 'Basic Rhinestones' to bling it up! The 'Some Things Have To Be Believed' sentiment was inked using 'Old Olive' and 'Rich Razzleberry' 'Stampin' Write Markers', and features a little loop of 'Whisper White' 'Satin Ribbon'. Here's a close up of the box:

And here's the cards that go inside:

This 1st card has a 'Crumb Cake' base, features some 'Old Olive DSP' and the image is stamped onto 'Whisper White' card using 'Rich Razzleberry' ink, and finally finished off with some 'Rich Razzleberry' 'Satin Ribbon'.

This 2nd card is a 'Whisper White' card base'. The image has been stamped using 'Old Olive' and 'Rich Razzleberry' 'Stampin' Write Markers' and has been stamped twice. The sentiment has been inked using 'Rich Razzleberry' and punched out using '1-3/4" Circle Punch'.

This 3rd card features a 'Crumb Cake' cardbase, the image has been stamped three times using 'Crumb Cake' ink. The 'thankyou' sentiment has been inked using 'Old Olive' and 'Rich Razzleberry' 'Stampin' Write Markers' and then handsnipped out and layered onto a square of 'Old Olive DSP'.

This final card is a 'Whisper White' cardbase. A strip of 'Rich Razzleberry DSP' and some torn 'Old Olive' card has been glued down the lefthand side of the card and some 'Whisper White' 'Satin Ribbon' has been tied around it. The 'just for you' sentiment has been stamped on the card base using 'Old Olive' and 'Rich Razzleberry' 'Stampin' Write Markers'. (Lined up using the trusty 'Stamp-a-ma-jig'.

What a fab colour combo this is! Jade (a fellow demonstrator) came up with wonderful project - don't you think it would be a lovely gift to send to someone over christmas. People are always having to buy cards, so why not make some for them - a perfect gift, especially for someone who finds it difficult to get out to the shops and buy cards for themselves!

It's not too late to get an order in to buy some crafty materials to make some gifts like these. The catalogue is on the righthand side of this blog. Make your list and email your order over: amyjtidd@gmail.com