Bloomin' with Beauty

Hello again - I am just looking thro' the SU catalogues that I have for inspiration for a whole new set of samples for me to show at parties - this is one that I found in one of the previous catalogues and I have put it with a page from last years' catalogue to give you another example with this gorgeous set.  To find it in the up-to-date catalogue turn to page 45 and you'll find even more inspirational examples for you.

I have used a classic combination of colours - Old Olive and Chocolate Chip - with the petals shaded with Pumpkin Pie using a blender pen.  The sentiment used is from Sincere Saluations with a cute button and linen thread in the corner.  The background is En Francais - oh and I nearly forgot the simple pricking detail on the Whisper White cardstock for a little added interest.

I'll photograph the others that I have found to add to my new sample box over the next few days - thank you for stopping by - Bridgette

Vintage Sunday Afternoon ......

..... what a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon - you guessed it, crafting.

Over to Lincoln today for a crafty party which saw us powering our way thro' three make and takes - using the Vintage Vogue stamp set - two smaller cards which I have shown on my blog before and a 3D floral card.

This card used Perfect Plum, Pale Plum and Confetti White, the matching inkpads and a touch of Old Olive for the leaves.  The base card was stamped with the Sanded background stamp using Versamark, layered with the complementary cardstock.  The flowers were stamped onto the Confetti White card and then others were carefully cut out and arranged over the top of them together with the leaves and branches punched out with the beautiful new punch to be found in the mini.  A little Elegant Eggplant grosgrain ribbon, a matching envelope and we were done.

The colours are not so true to life as I was taking it in the remaining light once I had returned home.

Thank you for stopping by - perhaps see you tomorrow?  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm I still have that candle to decorate - not really my forte I just thought it seemed a good idea at the time lol!!! - Bridgette 

Funky Forest Thank You Card

Phew, that was a bit of a marathon!!!  I have just completed the little Thank You cards I will be putting in my Stampers 10 orders this month - I am expecting the parcel today - so fingers crossed for onward delivery at the weekend - many thanks to Fleur who was the Stampers 10 Hostess for April - a super evening.

A quick and easy card ( that's when you're not making 20+ of them lol ) using the super fast rollers - Funky Forest and true to its name Fast Flowers - I love these little guys - they really give a lift to plain cardstock.

Old Olive, Barely Banana and Pretty in Pink combo for the card with the little floral detail and brad to the corner - also using the wonderful cutter kit that has the edge-distresser as part of the item - just helps to give it a little something.

Thanks for stopping by - now putting the finishing touches to the projects for the weekend  so will reveal those after the event - but guess what? I bought a little candle in a glass container yesterday so I'm going to have a play with paper and rub-ons and see what I come up with !! - Bridgette

Lovely As A Tree ..... Birthday Wishes

Oh isn't it always the way - that last minute birthday card and it has to be for a man !!!!  This one got me reaching for Lovely As A Tree and Sincere Salutations stamp sets - not to mention grabbing inspiration from my older Idea Book & Catalogue 2007-2008 - ( hold on to these catalogues, at the same price of a monthly magazine these will be a constant source of inspiration, I promise).

Good masculine colours - More Mustard, Really Rust, Old Olive and Chocolate Chip all combine with the Sanded background stamp, some NEW satin Chocolate Chip ribbon ( see the mini ) and the stamp sets mentioned above - torn and inked for that rugged look lol.

Remember don't forget that envelope - it's always such a nice touch to give it a little colour.

Phew, mission accomplished - see you tomorrow - thank you for stopping by - Bridgette

Fresh Cuts - Variation on a Theme

Phew, I think I am just squeezing into Monday - but this will at least be up early for Tuesday morning.  On Sunday I said that I had a birthday card to make - and that I would use the card I had cased and just change the colours.

So here it is in Regal Rose and Rose Red, using the Fresh Cuts - not too many variations just a little background stamping - I tried to keep it slim as it is going via Mr Postie- raised up with dimensionals rather than glue dots would have been better but not to worry - the effect was there although reduced.

Busy day tomorrow so I may be back in the evening - Bridgette

Fresh Cuts - Thank You

What I love about the Idea Book & Catalogue is that all the designs turn out just as they are within its pages - yes, this is an exact 'lift'  of the card on page 5 of the catalogue - I plan to do it in a different colourway and use the other sentiment - for you - within the set (page 53).  It needs to be done quite quickly as it has to be in the post tomorrow - so hopefully that's what you'll be seeing from me tomorrow.

Again what I love is that just a little decoration on the envelope it really lifts the card - so simple.

Drop by tomorrow if you can - Bridgette

Vintage Vogue - Make and Take

Well, I'm just managing to squeeze into Saturday - I made this little project last night for the Make and Take - and it is just a fun, simple little card using, you guessed it, my favourite set of the moment - Vintage Vogue.

I did make a few adjustments because I mislaid my sample card - so just tweaked it slightly from the original - my crafting girlfriends from last night may notice that the flower is a different colour and there a few little light touches of Taken with Teal inked onto the white cardstock which we didn't do on the evening.

Also we have an envelope - I always like to include an envelope - although on this occasion my supply hadn't arrived, but this is what we would have done if they had, so I shall have to rectify that when I receive them.

Thanks for stopping by - I shall show you my scrapbook page tomorrow and then I shall move onto a different stamp set - I think it's about time lol -Bridgette

Vintage Vogue Treat Pouch

Good morning - just lol.

I have just time to pop my project on for you to see - there are lots of these little treat pouches but this one originates from Chic n' Scratch and the wonderful Angie Juda - she used this for her Blessings Mix.

I have used Brocade Blue cardstock and inks, this together with Regal Rose ink for the flowers and using the rock and roll technique to deliver a little touch of colour to the edges, these are then finished with a Brocade Blue brad.

The stamp set is the beautiful Vintage Vogue with the matching roller - both found in the mini catalogue - see my side bar to take a look at the catalogue or please contact me if I can supply you with your own copy.

I shall be back tomorrow to show you what I got up to this evening and the project we managed to complete - thank you for stopping by - Bridgette

Vintage Vogue Thank You Card

Hello, I said that I would pop back with the Thank You card I am putting into Jeanne's order bags - it is made with my most favourite stamp set of the moment - the beautiful Vintage Vogue - so many elements to use in so many different ways - I'll be back with a Treat Bag tomorrow using this set.

Today's card is in our beautiful Brocade Blue ( a farewell colour, so if it's a favourite don't forget to buy an extra pack ) and then the shadow stamping ie just ink the stamp once and make three successive images, so simple.

The sentiment is from the very versatile Cheer and Wishes stamp set, so pretty.  The cute row of pricking is done top and bottom of the mellow moss taffeta ribbon - that's it, all done.

Simple but effective and really easy when it all colour co-ordinates so effortlessly.

See you tomorrow for the Vintage Vogue Treat Bag - if you have the time do stop by and say 'Hello'- Bridgette

This is the one that got away .................

Yes, I'm sorry to say we ran out of time - this was the project where all the ladies could just make up their own design using the pieces that would be given to them and the chosen stamp set which was Autumn Days.  These were my two examples to help to inspire them - I was looking forward to seeing what they would all produce, that's always the fun part.

By this time of course we had already managed to complete the 4 notelets and cute box for them plus another card with matching sweetie bag ( see my previous posts ) - so perhaps I was over ambitious but it is always good to have a project in reserve.

At the moment I am making Thank You cards to pop in the bags for Jeanne's recent party - so I'll show you that tomorrow - come back if you can - Bridgette

Another project from Tattershall ..............

Hello again - I thought that I would just put this on quickly as I spoke about it yesterday - once we had completed the four little notelet cards and matching box this is the project we moved on to.

I love the Top Note Sizzix die which is exclusive to Stampin' Up! - I have a lovely American friend who knows my weakness for dies - and it just fits perfectly on the top of the cute little bag - just right for a few sweeties - so you never arrive empty handed when visiting.

The card is using some of my favourite colours - Close to Cocoa, Certainly Celery and Pumpkin - and my latest stamp set - I waited so long for Lovely As A Tree - having now got it I marvel that I waited so long - it is beautiful.

Back tomorrow with the project that 'got away' - Bridgette

WI Craft Day - Tattershall Village Hall

I was invited, some months ago, to hold a craft class as part of the WI Craft Day on Saturday 10 April, this event was held in Tattershall Village Hall - I was absolutely delighted to accept - I love meeting new crafters, we are such a friendly group of women it's impossible not to get along.

The day was thoroughly enjoyable - we nearly managed the eighth project but time was against us - I blame the delicious lunch and certainly the Banoffee Pie, I tried to resist and stay focused but my willpower failed me lol.

As you can see we completed the main project of four notelet cards with matching box which you can see in the photos.  Congratulations to Val on winning the prize draw - a new stamp set just like the one we used to create these cards.

We then made a simple card and matching sweetie pouch - perfect when you don't want to arrive empty handed at a friend's home but want to show that you have thought of them and to give a small handcrafted gift - I'll have photos of that tomorrow for you.

I also gave out details of my blog - so I do hope that the ladies will drop by and read here that I had a great time, they are a lovely bunch of ladies that I look forward to meeting again soon - I do hope they all enjoyed themselves as much as I did.

I'll post the next cards tomorrow - and the eighth project (the one that got away as we ran out of time) on Wednesday.

Hope you can drop by - Bridgette

A Fond Farewell .....................

................. so now it is the turn of those familiar colours that we will be saying a fond farewell to over the next few months in readiness for the launch of our new catalogue in October.

Remember this will be introducing all of those beautiful new colours to us for use in our crafting projects and for us to discover how they will mix and match with those chosen to remain from our existing families.



Rest assured that over the next few months there will be opportunity to buy an extra pack or two of your favourites from the existing catalogue just to ensure that you will have them to hand - it's good that we have this lead-in time as it gives us the opportunity to plan our crafting needs.

I shall post later to show you the projects I completed with the wonderful ladies I met yesterday in Tattershall - it was a brilliant day organised by the WI - so yes, the Banoffee Pie was scrumptious !!!!

Come back later this evening if you have the time and thankyou for stopping by - Bridgette

Exciting News About Our New Colour Collections

Yes, it's exciting but also bittersweet - don't you think that sometimes change can be a little like that?

Exciting to think of the new possibilities that lie ahead but only natural to feel unsure about how things will be in the future and will it still be for you - particularly when you love the way it already is.

If you've been following the news on the Stampin' Up! forums you'll know that change is in the air - hmmmm exciting but bittersweet - see what I mean.

But this is REALLY GOOD and the changes will help to bring all the Stampin' Up! family into line - ie we'll be in line with America and Australia - all our paper colours will be the same - yes, that means In-Colors too!!!

Our Stampin' Up! Colour Families will be known as Collections - containing the most popular colours and some new exciting additions, a little colour hopping from one group to another shall we say!! Take a look at the photo at the top of this post - is your favourite staying or are you going to have to stock up to ensure you still get your colour 'fix'!!

Saying farewell to some will be hard, but saying hello to some new colours will be fun - and, don't panic, we have time - all this will start with our new catalogue in October - so you see plenty of time to stock up on the favourites you know you will miss - you're talking to a paper stroker here - and I KNOW I am not alone lol.

Bridgette