Hostess Appreciation

Well Saturday was my Hostess Appreciation event, and it was great fun. We made 4 projects using some of the new stamp sets, made our wish lists from the new catalogue, ate cake and enjoyed being creative together. There are 3 photos of the lovely ladies all working hard and the fourth picture is of my fab friend Jan, she made all the cake and supplied all of the tea and coffee, well being creative is thirsty work!

The more eagle eyed will have noticed, Elaine, Hazel and Hayley in the pictures, 3 of my fab team joined me for the day too.

I am a very lucky lady to have such wonderful hostesses and this will become an annual event, so if you would love to take part next year, book a home workshop with me.

This was one of the cards we made using the For Father stamp set.

What a wonderful evening

I had a wonderful time on Friday at the Demonstrator training, we got to see the new catalogue...........gasp............it is fantastic!

It's is released on the 1st October and we have to keep everything a secret but.......shhh don't tell anyone.......we have definitely got some beautiful stamp sets, more punches, and they all work like a dream on card stock, our punches they are designed to work on our card stock they are not just for paper!

We also have the most beautiful rose set, it's a 2 step stamp set and I'll be demonstrating it at every home workshop I can, so book now..........

Now I have to introduce you to some Inspiring Inkees........Inspiring Inkin' is my team's name and everyone who joins my team becomes an Inkee!  There are 13 of us now and they are such a wonderful, warm, creative bunch of ladies, I am very lucky to be able to work with them.

On Friday 6 of my team where able to attend, there are 2 pictures of them busy working on the make and takes.




and the last picture is of all of us, at the very back is Hayley, then from left to right is Hazel, Elaine, Jane,  Me,  Amy and Helen.

Lots to share

Lots of things to show and tell you over the next few days.......

Tonight I'm off to a Stampin' Up! Independent Demonstrator field training, there will be more than 60 of us attending and we will get some more sneak peeks of the new catalogue, make projects, share, create and of course have fun.

I've had several requests about the Scallop edge punch, I believe it is in the catalogue, but until I can be sure I won't take any pre-orders.  Pop back tomorrow and hopefully I will have good news!

Now when ever you get a gathering of stampers we all share and tonight is no exception I have this card as my swap, I'm sure I will receive some lovely creations and I will share those with you over the coming days.

En Francais
Wonderful Words
Touch of Nature
Very Vanilla card stock
Bashful blue card stock and ink
Night of Navy card stock and ink
Blender Pen
Night of Navy 1/4” Grosgrain Ribbon
Sponge Dauber

Bashful Blue ink was used for the En Francais backgrounds and the “Thank you” and the Butterfly were stamped in Night of Navy ink. Sponging Bashful Blue ink using the dauber softened the edges of the Butterfly layer. The butterfly was softened by using a blender pen over the stamped image.

I am also meeting up with 6 of my Inspiring Inkin' team I have 3 projects for them to make and we will have lots of sharing of ideas and business training this afternoon.  If you would like to find out more about how you can be part of my team please email me.

We also have to submit a card or other stamped item for a Demonstrators choice, basically everyone votes for their favourite, this is my stamped item - A New Catalogue Survival kit!  it's based on a kit given to my friend when she retired but with a Stampin' Up! twist and chocolate!!!!

I'll post the full details over the weekend.

Happy Stampin'

Mum and Me !

On Saturday I held a Mum and Me class, the Mum's ( and Nanna's) and the girls all had a fab time, here are some pictures taken by Clair.  Everyone made 4 cards and a handbag to store them in, bookmarks and a door hanger.  

Card club workshops

Tonight and tomorrow I am off to see the lovely Sally and her 2 Card clubs, when we discussed the types of projects we are going to do we settled on Christmas cards, one traditional and one more contemporary.

I know that not everyone will love pink snowflakes with glitter, but I think it's a fab combination.

Both cards quick and easy and as always with Stampin' Up! the quality of the stamps shine through.

I used Snowflake Spot, (it's retiring so get it whilst you can!) and Traditional Christmas Stamp sets.

Elaine's projects

Last week I attended a home works shop with one of my lovely Inspiring Inkin' team Elaine.  

The homework shop was for a group of very experienced crafters and they made 3 projects.......

It was Elaine's first workshop and look at the lovely projects her customers made.  The first is a bag in a box using the Dashing Designer series paper ( which is retiring) and ecorated with some white gel pen doodling and some scallops using the corner rounder.

The second project is a tag used here for some Coconut ice this time using Shapes and Shadows another set that is retiring.

The third was a lovely card using Pick a Petal but I didn't manage to get a picture of that.

Look what the DHL man brought me!

This is a very exciting time of year for me, not only have I got stamps retiring and therefore lots of home workshops to run for customers wanting to make sure they get the stamps that they love before they are gone Stampin' Up! Demonstrators also have sneak peaks and the opportunity to buy some stamps from the new catalogue!

I ordered 2 stamp sets and these are going to be used at my hostess event at the end of the month. I will have a hostess event every year to say thank you to my wonderful hostesses, we make projects, look at the new catalogues, have prize draws, eat cake and have lots of fun, creativity and laughter.

It's not too late to get an invitation just contact me to book a home workshop during September and I'll add you to my guest list.

Enjoy looking at the stamps, you will see from the final picture these new ones are diecut, so you just pop them right out and stick them onto your wooden blocks. The new catalogue will have a mixture of diecut and traditional Stampin' Up! stamp sets which we will still need to cut out.

The new catalogue launches on the 1st October, please email me if you would like to pre-order one or to book a home workshop.

Amanda 

Happy Anniversary to me......

It's my wedding anniversary today, 19 years.........Here is a card I made for my husband Brian, very simple but I know he will love it.

Rose Red and Chocolate Chip cardstock and ink

En Francais background stamp 

Simply Said for the heart

Wonderful Words for the Love sentiment

I stamped the solid heart with Rose Red ink onto Rose Red cardstock and then I used the Flower heart stamp over the top in Versamark and then heat embossed it with clear embossing powder.

Happy Anniversary

It's my lovely In-Laws Wedding Anniversary this week and here is their card. 

I've used one of the retiring stamp sets Mixed Bouquet which is a really versatile set available whilst stocks last at £26.95.  

Please email me to order            ajpapercraft@btinternet.com

So to the details of the card

Rose Red, Chocolate Chip and So Saffron card and inks

Old Olive ink

Very Vanilla Card

Mixed Bouquet Stamp set

Occasional Greetings Stamp set - for the sentiment

I made a basic card blank with the Chocolate chip and 3 matted layers each one 1/4" smaller than the layer below.  That leaves a lovely border edge.

The top layer is Very Vanilla and I randomly stamped the shadow image of the Rose and then overstamped with the detailed image.  In the gaps I stamped the leaves in Old Olive.

I then stamped more roses onto scraps of Very Vanilla Card and cut them out.  The outlines give you good cutting lines  and I cut smaller and smaller sections in order to layer up 2 of the roses.  You can see the layers better on this picture.

I use Dimensionals to raise each layer up.  ( quick tip -  there is a border around the dimensional sheets use that by snipping bits off to get small pieces of foam tape)

I then used my 2 way glue pen and Dazzling Diamonds to add a little bit of bling to the card.

Going Going Gone.............

This is just a quick note to tell you that Stampin' Up! has announced it's 2008 retirement list of stamp sets and accessories and they are available for you to buy during September or whilst stocks last at a discounted price. The Hostess sets are retiring too so if there is a particular one you really really want you need to book a workshop with me during September.

We are getting a fantastic new catalogue on the 1st October 2008 and therefore some stamp sets and accessories have to retire to make room for all the lovely new things we are bringing to you.

Attached here you will find a copy of the retiring list of stamps and accessories many of the stamp sets have £2 off. Some of my favourites are retiring, Natures Wonders, Mixed Bouquet, Roses in Winter, Unfrogettable and Bold Butterfly, so don't delay place your order as once they are gone, they are gone!

You can view an on-line version of the catalogue here

A retirement gift from me..................all orders placed with me via email that include retired items during September will be delivered direct to your door for only £2.