Happy Birthday Glynis!

Would like to share some tips I used for this one,

that can be used for all sorts of things....

Fussy cutting of Designer Series Paper.....don't be afraid to cut into it, decoupage, or just make nice shapes!

I die-cut a frame, then embossed it, adding interest, and texture.

I die-cut a  smaller frame, to use as a stencil, and used a dauber to add ink shading to the centre.

I used the brill stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the flowers around the sentiment,

which I then coloured in with marker pens.

Here's a pic of the tools I used......

The little flower stamp is from the hostess set Pedal Presents.

Sadly my photographic skills do not do justice to the gorgeous Melon Mambo cardstock,

and Beyond the Garden DSP.

Ribbon and gems from Stampin' Up! too.

Fairly neat bow from me for a change!

Screen saver!

I've been busy with my sewing machine this time!

Inspired by my lovely Sarah (https://www.facebook.com/SweetPeaDesignsBySarah)

who makes such lovely homely things......

I had some screens in my old conservatory, that I was keen to revamp on a shoestring,

 for my new garden room.....

These are the old manky mouldy inserts, that despite boil washing, were impossible to salvage....

So I had some left-over blackout material, that wasn't quite long enough.....

and some material left from years ago when I made a table cloth..... 

and here's how it turned out.....

Then I looked at what was left........

and with a bit of planning on paper, before I cut into the remaining precious bits....

this is the other finished screen!

Not perfect by any means, but for someone who's not that good at sewing...

I feel quite chuffed!

It'll shade my new room, and I can move them around too!

I didn't want curtains or blinds.....so what do you think?!

My Display Board

I just had to show you my new display board!

It was very inexpensive to make.....I'd seen some very expensive options,

but then my SU friends gave me the idea of some inexpensive boards,

from a big craft chain, added ribbon hinges,

and hey presto!

Now all I have to do is fill it!

wedded bliss....

I had to make this one quite quickly......

but was actually quite pleased with it....

perhaps I fuss too much normally?!

I used "Ain't Love Grand", with some of my new embossing folders,

some gems and of course "tied the knot" with some of my fab ribbon......

I hope they've had a lovely day.... 

Happy Anniversary.....

My beloved arrived home with this lovely bouquet the other day...

on our anniversary......that is.......when we first started going out!

ahhhhhh bless him!

It was a lovely surprise...... in a very stressful week...

I just wish Linda had been here to arrange them for me!

Love you loads Alan xxxx

Tags 'n' Labels

I just had to share these cute tags I got recently with a couple of purchases from a local "White Stuff" store...

The left one has a scalloped edge, and 3 cute buttons attached!

The one on the right is a 'matchbook' style, with a little jelly sticker, that looks like a brad.

Mmmmmm great ideas for some tags and labels me thinks!.......

Bookmark/Card "Beyond the Garden"

Here's a gift and card, all in one.........

a bookmark that's a little bit different,

sits happily on the corner of your page....

I made the card plain, because the bookmark is so 'busy'...

using "beyond the garden" designer series paper.....lush!

The cardstock is melon mambo....an awesome 'pink'!

Here's a close-up of the 'blossom punch' flower,

to which I added a button, topped with an antique brad...

and teased out some bakers twine 'stamens'....

I hope you are enjoying the brief warm summer weather! xxx

Tip for Today!

I've been playing with some shrink plastic,

and the Stampin' Up set "The Open Sea" again!

I wanted to make some "buttons" with the "world"....

but had trouble centering the punched holes....

until I got out the pricking tools....

I lined up the cut out "world" with the eyelet section....

and hey presto!...pretty accurate holes!

The anchors look pretty cute too....punched holes before shrinking, so I can hang them on twine!

Hopefully you can see the shrinkage size from the original stamped images....

It's great fun!......once you get over the ooooeeer it's going wrong!

Just keep heating........if it gets stuck, just tweak apart,

and keep e.g. a clear block to hand, to flatten it out, whilst still warm... 

ENJOY!

Pedal Presents

Had some lovely friends over to play yesterday, and tried out my new

"Pedal Presents" which is a new hostess set from Stampin' Up!

It's so cute because you can add lots of different things to the "basket".

I did paper-piecing on the balloons, and bravely added a "road" with a marker pen,

(I'm not normally brave enough to do anything freehand!),

then lined up the ribbon with it.

I had fun with my Framelits dies, but had to cut off the bottom to stop it wobbling!

Father's Day (tip for today)

I am lucky to have two of these cards to make!

This one was whetted by my appetite for shrink plastic....

I made a sheet for the background, which I then cut into panels.

Cut and embossed a frame, and used bakers twine to hang my hand made "trinkets".

My "tip for today" is.......if your punch doesn't cut as cleanly as you'd liked,

take the edge of scissors, and rough-up the edge all around.

I did it on the "Dad" oval......should have taken a close-up for you!

I then edged it in ink, using a dauber.....(am addicted to doing this too....it looks good, and masks any rough edges!)
Also difficult to see, but I "filled in" the sea with a dauber and ink.

Tiny brads add a finishing touch.
In hindsight, my "ship" background layer is too dark,
but you learn by mistakes!

Father's Day....

Here's the card front, from the previous post....

Using "The Open Sea", and Framelits dies,

I added one of the vintage tags, stamped with the compass,

and made an anchor from shrink plastic.

I love how this stamp set is so easy to layer up.

I also used my new lattice embossing folder.......I'd seen it on so many other peoples projects I just had to add it to my collection! It's particularly good for male themes.
The reverse gives an impression of little crosses.....good for other events.

"The Open Sea"

Do you ever get stuck on a project?

I was given these postcards from a kind friend,

and I thought they'd go really well with Stampin' Up! "The Open Sea"....

In case you can't see properly.....they are maps of the world...

But it just wasn't "working" for me.....

so I had a rethink.....and decided to use them for the inserts instead!

I added a piece of vellum, attached at one end....the greetings are from my old stash....

and I will add my personal greeting under the vellum....

So.........if you get "stuck".....have a rethink and start again!

The card front will be revealed later......xxx

Happy Birthday Matthew!

Wishing my "big" nephew a very Happy Birthday!

The eldest of two fab nephews I am lucky to have!

I couldn't decide between Stampin' Up! "The Open Sea",
"Up up and Away", and "Ain't Love Grand",
so I used all three!

This was my first real attempt at a swing card, like Natalie O'Shea tried to teach us at Training!
It's quite easy with the Framelits dies....

I had to add extra weight with the Lucky Limeade strips....

used a bit of Lucky Limeade bakers twine for the aeroplane banner..

Hope you had a great day Matt!!!!! xxxx

My Jubilee bouquet!

Look at my lovely flowers from last weekend....still looking good!

I've only just realised they are "red white and blue"! doh! I'm sooooo slow on the uptake!
I put it down to the stress.....and my age!
Don't you just love the blue hue tho?!
I feel a card colour combo coming......
Thanks to Gayle for making my new room "blooming" marvelous! xxx

Our Guests!

These were our house guests at the weekend!

We had an amazing party!

Thanks to everyone for coming, bringing yummy food, and for helping make it a lovely day!

Hostess Rewards!

During June and July there's an EXTRA £30 in FREE products

when you host a party with sales of £325 or more...

That's £80 in hostess benefits

plus an item at 50% off!

Contact me for more details

or see the Stampin' Up! website

www. stampinup.co.uk

Join the Paper Party!

During June there's an amazing offer of a FREE Designer Series Paper Pack

when you buy another three

worth £9.95!

Contact me for more info!

or see the Stampin' Up! website

The Open Sea

This is one I did using my new framelits dies to make the "sea"

and my latest fave Stampin' Up! stamp set "The Open Sea"

so many ways to use this one......just not enough hours to play as usual!

The cloud is from Create a Cupcake, the birds are from Up, Up & Away
(methinks you'll see the birds a lot!)
Twine around the anchor, couple of brads, and some pool party ruffled ribbon...