This is a card from one of the sets I received in my starter kit it's called Touch of Nature, I've gone for a distressed kind of look for this one as I'm loving using my cutter kit which has a scoring tool, cutter, perforating tool and a 7 sided distresser all on a key ring.  Fab!

It is a colour combination I haven't used before, Real Red, Sage Shadow and So Saffron and the ink I have used is Old Olive.

Natures Wonders last one

Well I saved the most simple one till last, using one colour and white always looks elegant on a card and you have no problems with clashing colours.  It also has the added bonus of being very quick and simple to make.

Nature’s Wonders Stamp set 
Sincere Salutations Stamp Set
Whisper White, Old Olive and Certainly Celery Card
Certainly Celery Prints Designer Series Paper (DSP) 
Certainly Celery and Old Olive ink pads 
Ribbon Slider from Hodgepodge Hardware 
White grosgrain ribbon

Natures Wonders 3

This is a slighly more involved card just because the flower is in three layers.  You just need to stamp the image onto 3 different colours of card in Black Stazon, here I have used Certainly Celery, So Saffron and Lavender Lace and then cut them out and layered them with foam dimensionals.

Natures Wonders Stamp set 
Simply Said Stamp set 
Lavender Lace, So Saffron and Certainly Celery Card
Certainly Celery Prints Designer Series Paper (DSP) 
Lavender Lace inkpad 
Pewter Jumbo Eyelets 
Cropodile or eyelet setting tool

Stampin' Dimensionals
White grosgrain ribbon
Black Stazon inkpad

Natures Wonders 2

There are several lovely techniques on this card, the first is the 'faux' stitching, using a ruler and a piercing tool I made holes into the Lavender Lace card mat at 5mm intervals and then joined the dots with a white gel pen.

The 3 images are very simply stamped, the top one in versamark ink onto Lavender Lace card and covered in white embossing powder then heat set.  The middle image is Lavender Lave ink onto Whisper White card and the third is Lavender Lace ink onto Lavender Lace card.

In order to get the cut outs on the paper and card mats feed the corners into the circle punch 1/4 of the way through, it is easier to turn the  punch upside down so you can see what you are doing.

Nature’s Wonders Stamp set
Whisper White, Lavender Lace and Certainly Celery Cardstock
Certainly Celery Prints Designer Series Paper (DSP)
Lavender Lace ink pad
1” circle punch
Piercing tool and mat
White gel pen
White embossing powder
Versamark ink

Natures Wonders

This is a wonderful set of  4 stamps that is ideal for a beginner or a more experienced stamper.  My cards were featured in Making Cards magazine June 2008, I shall post the rest of the cards this week.  I have used the watercolour crayons to colour the image.

Warm Wishes

Natures Wonders stamp set

Certainly Celery Card

Certainly Celery Designer Series paper

Lavender Lace Card

Confetti White cardstock ( for watercolouring on)

Certainly Celery ink pad

Stazon black ink

Bold Brights watercolour wonder crayons

Aqua painter

Elegant Eggplant grosgrain ribbon

Join in June AND July

During June and July, it’s easier than ever to join the Stampin’ Up!® family.

From 15 June to 31 July, when you become a demonstrator, in addition to the fantastic Starter Kit, you’ll receive a FREE stamp set of your choice from the Idea Book & Catalogue 2007-2008 —up to a £41.95 value!

That means if you become a demonstrator before 31st July, you could start out with over £300 of Stampin' Up!'s high quality, one of a kind stamping products for just £155 !

Happy Birthday Paula

Here is a special card for a special lady........Paula is the Country Manager for Stampin' Up! in the UK. She is a wonderful person, the driving force behind the company in the UK, full of energy and enthusiasm and best of all a very dear friend.

Like me she is 40.................. obviously 1968 was a vintage year!

Real Red cardstock
Basic Black Cardstock
Chipboard number
Black Stazon ink
Versamark ink
Paisley Background stamp
Mixed Bouquet stamp set
Polka dots and paisley stamp set
Real Red grosgrain ribbon
Clear embossing powder
SU! Tool kit, paper piercing tool and mat

1. Use a 6" x 12" piece of real red card stock and fold it at 4" and 10" to give the offset panels.
   
2. Mat a piece of Basic Black 3 3/4" x 5 3/4" and another 1 3/4" x 5 3/4" onto the panels.
   
3. Using the Black Stazon stamp the paisley background stamp onto Real red cardstock panels 3 1/2" x 5 1/2" and 1 1/2" x 5 1/2"
   
4. Wrap 2 pieces of ribbon around the larger piece of paisley card and knot top and bottom as shown.
   
5. Stamp the outline rose from Mixed bouquet 3 times in black stazon onto real red card and cut out each one making 2 smaller so you can layer them with stampin' dimensionals to make a 3D flower.
   
6. Attach the 3D flower onto a 3" square of basic black cardstock which you have pierced the edges, place onto the front of your card as shown.
   
7. Stamp happy from the polka dots and paisley stamp set onto a piece of real red cardstock 2" x 1" which you have pierced the edges, place onto the front of your card as shown.
   
8. Using the chipboard numbers first ink then totally with black stazon, (you may need to use some gloves or a piece of sponge because otherwise your fingers will be black for days....) when the black ink is completely dry go over with versamark ink and clear embossing powder, heat until melted and glossy, repeat this 3/4 times until the numbers are raised and glossy then adhere them to your card as shown, I used mini glue dots.
   

June Specials

I have not 1 but 2 June Stampin' Up! specials for you.

The first is an amazing 30% off 2 different products, the promotion is called Two for You and includes a tin with stamps, ink and a punch, the second is a stamp set for more details please see the flyer at the end of the post.

The second amazing offer is called Escape, and the promotion is all about Escaping the electronic age and writing notes instead, it is a bundle of products at 25% off and includes a fantastic stamp set, punch and some love notes ( they are 3" square cards and envelopes) for more details please see the flyer at the end of the post.

Postage will be 5% of your order ( normally postage would be £3.95 or 5% which ever is the greater) and the products come direct to your home so I guess that's 3 offers!!!!!

Happy Stamping

What I did on my birthday

Thank you for the lovely messages about my birthday, I thought you might like to see what I was up to, Disneyland Paris in the rain...........It is absolutely not Stampin' Up! related but I hope you will understand!

Interested in becoming a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator ?

Join us at the Stampin’ Experience Tour!

Join us for an evening of creativity and fun! When you join us at the Stampin’ Experience Tour, you’ll enjoy making your own handmade cards while you learn about Stampin’ Up!’s exclusive products for card making, scrapbooking, home décor, and more. And while you’re there, you’ll discover a fun and flexible way to earn additional income—along with the many other amazing benefits of being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator!

Register for the Stampin’ Experience Tour today and discover all of Stampin’ Up!’s unique opportunities. Don’t miss out!

Edinburgh     3pm - 5pm   28 June, 2008
Leeds           7pm - 9pm   30 June, 2008
Manchester   7pm - 9pm     1 July, 2008

For more details please email me   ajpapercraft@btinternet.com

Happy 40th Birthday to me!

Yes today is the day, I'm 40 !

Thank you so much for all the birthday wishes I have received, I love to hear from you all.

Only a few days left for my free postage offer, it's valid until 31st May 2008, and remember all orders placed with me this month will be entered into a draw for your choice of stamp set in the catalogue, that is ANY stamp set.

Penny Spinner Instructions

Penny Spinner Cards

Craft knife and metal ruler
Image to spin
3D Stampin' Dimensionals
2 x 1p coins
Cardstock, paper and embellishments

1. Take your folded card and layer a piece of patterned paper ¼” or 0.5cm smaller onto the front.
2. Cut a piece of strong cardstock for the spinner holder, the size will be determined by how much of the backing paper you wish to see, between ½” or 1cm and 1 ½” or 3cm is about right.
3. Working on the reverse side of the spinner holder find the centre point of the card and draw a cross going to each edge of the card.
4. From the centre point mark a line 0.7cm above and below, stop the line 2cm in from the edge (you can vary this dependant on the size of the item that will spin.)
5. Using a metal ruler and craft knife cut this rectangle out. It is much better to cut inside the line and trim off rather than cut too big in the first place !
6. Sandwich a foam circle in between 2 pennies and attach the item to spin onto the top of one of the pennies, slot into the cut section of the card with a penny on either side. Check to see if it spins. If it gets stuck then trim a little excess off the card. Sometimes it takes a few goes for it to get started.
7. When you are happy it works attach the spinner holder card to your card front using foam pads or tape, make sure you use plenty so the pennies can move freely. Decorate the card further if you wish.

Top Tip

If you make a template for a A5, Square and DL card following the steps 4 – 7 using pieces of scrap card, you can just trace out the image on the back and cut out without having to measure every time!

Variations

Diagonal spinner – Find the centre point from each diagonal corner, mark the slot as before working on the diagonal lines.

Wobbly line – Use a free hand blade to cut the top line on a scrap piece of card and draw a pencil line along it. Then move the scrap piece of card approximately 1.4 cm down and mark a second line and cut out as before.

Penny Spinner card

I love cards that move and this style of card looks so effective but is really easy to make.

To make this card I have used

Certainly Celery card, ink and Designer series paper

Pick a petal stamp set

Simply said stamp set for the greeting in the spinner runner

Stampin' Dimensionals

2 pennies

I will post a series on instructions in a day or 2.

I did it again!

In this months June 2008 Making Cards magazine I am a designer and my cards are on page 12 and 13. You can see the front cover here

Making Cards is a fantastic magazine with some brilliant cards and lots of inspiration make sure you get a copy!

You can visit the website here

9 cards and a bag

On thursday evening I went to MJ's Crop circle to teach a class, 9 cards and a bag in 2 1/2 hours..........

We had a wonderful is very busy evening and everyone completed the cards but we over ran a little !  Thank you MJ and the lovely ladies for a fab evening, I hope to visit again soon.

Do check out MJ's Crop blog here.

If you would like me to come and teach this class to you and a group of friends please email me.  ajpapercraft@btinternet.com