Stampin up workshop.

Recently hosted another stampin up workshop.
Had a really good time making a card and the people we invited also had fun and enjoyed my baked goodies, chocolate chip cookies and a new favourite honey and lemon kisses, theses are honey and lemon biscuits sandwiched together with honey and lemon butter cream, which to me tastes abit like solid cough medicine, unfortunately forgot to take a picture of them.
Any way our demonstrator Zoe showed us a nifty technique using the holes created with punches and die cuts.

using the butterfly shaped hold created from a die ink was added to a roller and rolled over the hole like a stencil this created a solid  in the shape then a large background stamp full of text was inked in a complimenting darker colour and stamped over the top still through the stencil, once the stencil was removed accents of pearls and red heart were added to finish off this simple but stunningly sophisticated card.

The same technique had also been applied to this gift box this time using the hold created from a flower punch. and boxed had been finished off with a little thank-you banner on a stick.













Next it was on the card we would be making these were vintage inspired.

Mum's Card

My card

 Starting with a base of crumb cake coloured card which was distressed at the edges, we added embellishments of lace, a patterned paper strip, paper flower and glittered heart. Mum chose to do hers horizontal and I chose vertical.
A line of stamps in a complimenting colour was added we did butterflies and bees, and it was finished with a sentiment on cream card. I really like these cards and show that you don't need alot of something special like the lace to make an impact.









My newly ordered items from stampin up have now arrived and I look forward to creating and sharing lots of lovely things with them. Check back soon to see what I've been up to.

First attempt at being a design team member

Last year I signed up to be a volunteer design team member for craftsyle products and a while back they sent me some items and asked me to create for them card samples and post them back. In-between to very busy times at work I have managed to get the samples made and recently sent them back. I thought I would also share pictures of my cards on here.

The range of products I was sent was called Cut and create and was decoupage animals, four farmyard and four jungle with coordinating sentiments and backing papers.
I've not done a great deal of decoupage so it was fun to try something different, here's what I managed to produce.

I tried to include a range of styles including easel cards and a diamond topped one. I must admit this range is not something I would have chosen myself and do hope that if I'm picked to make samples again I get something other than decoupage.

A card for a wonderful mum.

Thought I would just quickly share the card I made for Mum for mother's day.

It's done using stampin up twitterpated paper and my curly label punch. the sentiment is stamped on to vellum in two different colours and then on to grey card with white ink. There's also small punched butterflies in grey card and vellum.
I was rather pleased with the effect and thought it made a change from a traditional card, my Mum is wonderful so her card should say so.









I was really impressed with the stamped bits on vellum and look forward to working more with the medium.

Sin Free Cupcakes

I always like to have a range of things available in my shop for Mother's Day with price tags to suit every budget. This year one of my favourite pocket money buys is these little cupcakes.

These cute little gifts are made using a facecloth, I've gone with pink and lemon ones, and topped with either a bath pearl or mini soap. I made the mini soaps by melting down a bar of pears soap and pouring it in to a heart shaped silicone ice cube tray, this meant they were easy to pop out once set. 

I think the presentation of these really sets them off I've placed them in fancy cupcake wrappers and then popped them in a cello bag. As a finishing touch I'm displaying them in the shop of a wire cupcake stand.

Sorry I've not been bloging much recently but have been busy at work getting things sorted before a little mini break last week to Scotland for my other half to launch the paperback copy of his book, "The Only Genuine Jones"  the weather was stunning and we had a lovely time, stopping at The Clachaig Inn.

Sunshine on the mountain snow.

DIY's like crafting

Purchased a new stand to use in the shop, and it came flat packed so putting it together is abit like crafting.

Its a white ladder shelf unit with four shelves of varying width. I'm really pleased with it and looking forward to creating my mothers day window display using it.
 It's been a while since I've built any flat pack furniture I'd almost forgotten how much I enjoy it.  Think I may purchase another one when they get back in stock, I like the ladder look feel it works with the vintage cottagey look I'm trying to achieve in the shop.

Also did abit more baking, got a huge bow of blueberries on special offer so just had to turn some of them in to blueberry and lemon muffins. It was a recipe I hadn't tried before ad was abit surprised how large they came out, however they are very yummy quite moist with the fresh fruit in and not too sweet because of the lemon, the icing was made using icing sugar and lemon juice instead of water, I maybe made it abit too thin as it ran everywhere will make it thicker next time. The book I got it out of suggested an alternative with fresh raspberries and white chocolate on top, think I will try that when the summer gets here.

Something Sweet

I enjoy dabbling with a little baking as well as crafting and like to make things for the village events committee  meetings which I go to. This week I did not have much time to be making so made the following.

It is a quick and easy no bake refrigerator cake, make by melting butter and golden syrup together and add coco powder, raisins and crushed digestive biscuits,  which is then pushed firmly in to a tin and topped with melted chocolate. It went down well with the other committee members and was soon munched up.    

Love is in the air

So here's a few cards I've been making really for Valentines day in the shop. They are made using some items I received in a Christmas package from Craftstyle products as a thank you for signing up to be part of their volunteer design team, they have since sent me some items with which to make sample cards and send back to them to be used at fairs and shows and even maybe on TV.

 These three are tall elegant cards with tags, I think tag shapes are very on trend.

These thee are again tag embellishments but in a round shape,  I will admit to changing the ribbon on two as they came with black ribbon which in my opinion didn't work. I like the colours or these something different from the traditional red and pink.

This last one for now, is my favourite I love the little patchwork hearts and lace, and who can resist buttons, I think the washing line effect really works well.









Check back soon to see what other crafts I've been up to including a bit of baking(ish) and mastering crochet.