Love Letter DSP and Top Note Die

A little project that I put together to show how pretty these papers are - it's a fact, until you get these stunning papers in your hand it is hard to appreciate their quality and simply how gorgeous they are - I'm sure all of papers will be changing in the new catalogue and already I am excited to see what will be on offer - I have already promised myself that I will be using them so much more over the coming months and I'll be putting them into your hands as often as I can - and hopefully you'll fall in love with them too.

The colours for the project are Riding Hood Red, Black and Very Vanilla - the amazingly useful swirl from the Season of Joy - buttersoft striped grosgrain ribbon in the black and vanilla colourway - not forgetting the use of one of our jumbo brads - effortlessly put in position using the cropodile.

The embellishment is put together using the Oval All stamp set, Four Frames stamp set - and punching out with the matching oval and frame punches - can't beat Stampin' Up! for that - love the combination of stamp and punch for real mileage from your crafting items.  Cute little metallic brads complete this element with just a touch of Riding Hood Red cardstock peeping from behind - pretty!

The versatile Top Note Die - exclusive to Stampin' Up! - along with the Bigshot, is used to create the project - cut from mountboard, Designer Series Paper and then the inner pages cut from an artist's paperstack - all held together with an 'O' ring - sorry the proper name escapes me - decorated with a little ribbon.

Thanks for stopping by .....................

Bridgette

Fluttering by with a Shadow Box Card ........

........... isn't this cute?

This is a design from Stampin' Up's Impressions Newsletter, I receive this publication each month as a demonstrator, it is just one of many ways that Stampin' Up helps their demonstrators grow their business and enjoy their hobby.

I have used this at my last two workshops and it is just something a little different - it still folds flat and goes thro' the post as a letter - but of course not if it has lots of embellishments on it - so keep it simple!!! unless you are hand delivering and then bling away !!!!

Thank you so much for fluttering by ........................ sorry couldn't resist that - Bridgette

Happy Easter to you all ......

...... I've been meaning to show you this for a little while - cute isn't it?

A lovely mummy hen ( stuffed with a Cadbury's creme egg, thank you Barbara ) sitting on some smaller chocolate eggs, nestled in dried grasses from 'my field' at the side of the house.

John and I were paper weaving and making the boater, inking and distressing it, beribboning it with Certainly Celery grosgrain ribbon - distressed of course!! and we were very pleased with the result - and yes, he won first prize at school in the Easter Bonnet category!!

Thank you for dropping by - hoping you are enjoying the lovely weather - see you soon - Bridgette

PS Surprise, surprise Kirsty the creme egg is still intact, but for how much longer? Just to explain, Kirsty makes delicious cakes which I find very difficult to share (smile) - chocolate is also another weakness of mine.

Casing the Mini .....................

.............. that's right !!! but that is what it's there for - to inspire us to create with the stash that we have but use the sample as a springboard and then share the result.

So with that in mind I took the design on page 9 changed the colours a little - the ribbon completely and just inked the background because I love the large background stamps they are so useful to have to hand and added pearls rather than rhinestones.  Please remember I mount some of my cards for craft class so this is a little 4 x 4 Certainly Celery card mounted on black mountboard - ahhhh now it makes sense I hear you say !!!!

See you Thursday - thanks for dropping by - Bridgette

PS Hello Sally if you have managed to find me on here - welcome, lovely to see you today - I overheard Chrissy directing you to this blog so I do hope curiousity got the better of you and you've taken a peek - Bx

Easter Treat Pouch

This little pouch was, I believe, originally shown on Andrea Walford's site for Valentine's Day  - my upline, Zoe, gave me her cute version as a swap at the recent regional training events and now I have bunny hopped it on to my own colourway and selected image.

My pink version has an oval aperture and glazed little Forest Friends bunny on the side - this is very quick and easy to do and requires only a small amount of designer paper, a large punch, a snippet of ribbon and some sweeties in a cellophane wrapper - and you're in business.  Great mini treats for your children's school friends this Easter.

Thank you for dropping by - see you soon - Bridgette

Let's go on a nature walk .................

................ I love all of the stamps within this gorgeous set - Nature's Walk - in the Mini Catalogue - this is an example of a Make and Take project at a recent hostess party.

The card base is Garden Green - along with Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla and Sahara Sand accents - the 'faux' button is a really quick way of bringing in an embellishment when you don't have any to match your project - with the addition of a little bit of linen thread it looks just perfect.

I'm in love with our exclusive SU embossing folders - this particular one - Square Lattice - is useful for both masculine and feminine projects ( a great one to start your collection with !!) and forms a perfect base for my image here - I think this image would look great stamped in Basic Black with Night of Navy. Old Olive and Whisper White - now I may just try that and see !!

Thank you for dropping by - I say it every time but I do appreciate it - Bridgette

Just a little something ................

.......... this time for my dear friend Chrissy who was celebrating a birthday today - now Chrissy's favourite colour is pink - and of any hue but it has to be said the brighter the better - but never garish - always with a hint of fun.

So, of course, my little something for my friend had to involve pink, some pretty stripes and polka dots and a flower or two.  My combination was Rose Red, Pretty in Pink and Old Olive and I had a play with the Stampin' Up! chipboard shapes - they are so easy to use, why did I ever hesitate?

My birthday card matches the little notebook and I love this  card design - once you have the template it is a lovely one to adapt to any occasion.

Thanks for dropping by I appreciate it - Bridgette

Simply Stampin' Challenge Blog

 

This is a lovely new challenge blog incorporating Stampin' Up! products - do take a look at it here http://simplystampinchallenge.blogspot.com/  - I decided that it would encourage me to be more consistent in my blogging if I too part on a regular basis - so here goes .....................

I had to follow a template given on the site and as usual I have kept things simple and followed as closely as I could - using Crazy for Cupcakes, Whisper White with Pretty in Pink and Chocolate Chip combination - and a close up lets you see the lovely rhinestones - they are so pretty and in better in real life.

Thank you for stopping by and once again thank you  to everyone who commented and/or visited over the weekend - Bridgette

PS My stats looked fab - so many visitors!!

Are you exhausted from all that blog hopping?!!

Hope you have enjoyed hopping about like demented bunnies over the last two days - I still have Group 4 to go but managed the others - they are full of inspiration and I am full of admiration for my fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrators - what an amazing amount of creative talent and fantastic products we have to offer our customers.

Please scroll down for my Mini Catalogue Blog Hop offering but I thought I would just show you a recent make - inspired by my fellow demonstrator Chris and a Thank You card she sent - her idea was the gorgeous loopy twine down the side of the card and behind the paper flower - how cute is that!!

Using the dramatic Real Red and Basic Black combination, a touch of designer paper, glitz with the brad and dimension with the layered five petal flower.  The card base is Basic Black - I mount all my class samples onto white mountboard for ease of identification on a crowded crafting table, it helps!!

 Thank you for dropping by - see you soon - Bridgette

Oh!! I'm so excited and I just can't hide it ........

....... I'm about to lose control and I think I like it !!!!!  Loving the Pointer Sisters !!!

Now, I have to confess to being just a little bit of a control freak - I don't mean to be but well, when Zoe, my upline, told me that she had put my name down on this huge Blog Hop inspired by our fabulous new Mini Catalogue,  I don't think excitement was my first emotion !!!  You see this is actually my first Blog Hop - but do you know now I think she did me a favour - because I wouldn't have done this all by myself - so thank you Zoe - and now you see I am excited to be part of this hop and then take a whizz round everyone else's fabulous blog offerings myself.

I'm hoping that you have come here from Emma's ( Daisydaye) blog - I know that she will have wowed you with her offering - I love her wonderful 3D projects - make sure you have a good look at all the projects found on her blog http://emma-daye.blogspot.com/ - please stay awhile here - I hope you will like what you see.

My offering uses the Plane and Simple stamp set - and my card is plain and simple too - using just two colours: Night of Navy and Soft Suede - two techniques: sponging and dry embossing and two punches: circle and scallop circle - it's a quick make just right when you need a card in a hurry.

Now, please keep going on your voyage of discovery and visit the very talented Carol - you can find her blog here http://crescentstampin.blogspot.com/ - enjoy.

Thank you for dropping by - come back soon - Bridgette

PS For my crafty friends who visit please be assured more mini catalogues have been order so if I've missed you so far you're on my list - I'll get them out to you asap - B.

Blueberry Crisp Papers & Cottage Garden ..........

................. these are really lovely and so much lovelier 'for real' - a winning combination - just a simple little box to house a matching card - the box inspired by a fellow demonstrator named Roz, thank you Roz and the card inspiration from Jenny Moores using a gorgeous, and often overlooked, stamp set called Cottage Garden - but I know that several of my crafty friends have now added this superbly versatile little set to their stash having played with it at our Tuesday Craft Club.

Just a little note - the mini catalogue is just around the corner and is packed with some super new items - I shall be starting to send some to those I don't see so often and hand others out to those I do - but if I haven't managed to 'find' you by the end of the first week in April just let me know and I'll get one to you asap.

As always thank you so much for taking the time to drop by - Bridgette

Same Theme - Different Colour Scheme .....

...... oh I didn't mean to make that rhyme - but just wanted to show you a different colourway for the card and treat pouch that I made for Valentine's Day - this time suitable for Mother's Day or Easter perhaps.

These were two of the three projects completed at my Coningsby Craft Club today - it is held the third Tuesday of every month - I'll photograph the other one to show you too, it's very pretty and uses Crazy for Cupcakes and a sprinkle of glitter !!!!

Please don't be confused by the deeper green edge to the So Saffron base card - I adhere all my samples to mountboard as it helps to easily identify them amongst all the craft stash on the work table when I hold my classes.

Thank you for dropping by - Bridgette

Take a moment to think ............

.................................  have you been hesitating to buy something from your Wish List?

Is the answer a resounding yes?!!!

Then take a look at the March Frenzy List by simply clicking on the image in the sidebar - and it may well be there with up to a 30% discount

Yes, up to a fabulous 30% discount !!

Everything is there from papers and cardstock to rub-ons and embellishments not forgetting a wheel or two and much more !!!

Perhaps you've been waiting to try Stampin' Up! glossy cardstock, or maybe Stampin' Up! rub-ons, to name but two - now is the perfect opportunity to grab yourself a bargain and enhance your crafting at the same time.

Please don't hesitate to contact me to place an order - remember this offer is a limited offer and will run from 1 - 31 March only - OR WHILST STOCKS LAST !!!

That's right - Stampin' Up! have allocated 1000 pieces of each item at these special prices and once they're gone the price will revert back to the full catologue price - so don't hesitate to contact me to place an order by email, phone or tap me on the shoulder !!!

Don't miss out !!!

Bridgette 

Just before February leaves us ...................

................ I thought I would show you the card I made for my husband for Valentine's Day - with a little decorated box of favourite sweeties. 

My starting point for this design was from a card that Monica had made for her blog My Many, Many Passions and I just 'tweeked' it to suit the occasion ..... and used favourite colours and papers - and of course, the very versatile heart trio punch and the cute single punch. 

If you are wondering the stems are from the SAB Sweet Summer - such a popular choice this year - sadly this offer now leaves us at the end of the month - but I am sure there will be an offer to tempt us for March and then we have the lovely Mini Catalogue to look forward to in April.

I will pop the details in the side bar as soon as I can so that you can consult your Wish List !!!!

Bridgette

Join the Poppy Parade .........

...... this is such a lovely sunshine colour and makes you feel happy just looking at it - this little set was put together using the Cottage Garden stamp set, matching Designer Series Papers which are aptly named Sunny Garden and the gorgeous In-Colour grosgrain ribbon and In-Colour cardstock Poppy Parade and Pear Pizzazz.

I love the little double card holder, which can be adapted to any size just by increasing the measurements accordingly - this small example for a 3 x 3 envelope can be made using only 1 sheet of A4 cardstock - the 'belly-band' can be made to look really pretty with the addition of ribbon and gems and cheats 'ribbon' - a very thin sliver of cardstock wrapped around a knitting needle to give it curl - handy when you want to co-ordinate your item but don't have the appropriate colour ribbon in your stash.

Hope you are all well in Blogland and many thanks for visiting - come back when you can - Bridgette



Ohhhh ... I'm delighted it is 2011 so Happy New Year to All

Just a quick little post as I was putting away all the Christmas cards I thought I would show you the one I made for my husband - I love the little bird punch and have designs on making him into a little Bluebird for Springtime and Valentine's Day but for now he is a little Robin.

Some will recognise the inspiration ..... yes, it's the little corner bookmark - we made a whole selection of items using the little bird and so I thought I would just expand the idea.

Don't forget Sale-abra-tion - the sets are delicious and better than on the screen, trust me, I'm your friendly Stampin' Up Demonstrator !!!!

Bridgette

Little Jotter Pots ......... and sweet Saleabration time's here again!!!!

................ this has to be one of the best times in the Stampin' Up calendar - please check out the leaflet in the sidebar - by clicking on it it will reveal the new stamping sets on offer during January and February. 

Yes it's hard to believe that for each and every £45.00 you spend on product you will have the opportunity to select one of the sets displayed in the leaflet ie spend £45 and choose one set, spend £90 and choose two ..... and so on - and don't forget if you love all four then you have two months in which to collect them.

As if that wasn't incentive enough - should you wish to host a party and your sells exceed £300 then as a thank you you can choose a Salebration set for FREE - so if you prefer to obtain your sets that way then please contact me and we can arrange a time to party !!!!!

Whilst saying hello I thought I would show you a little project I completed for Christmas  - the little jotter holders are covered in Designer Series Paper with the addition of a little bit of ribbon and an attractive matching lid - the base pot and papers are easily found, if I remember correctly I think I found mine in Wilkinson's and they make such pretty little gifts for any occasion.

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year and let's hope that we all have a successful, happy and healthy 2011 - I know we all deserve it.

Bridgette

A touch of frosty loveliness ..................

.................... I do so love it when the world looks like it's been brushed with dazzling diamonds and walking in 'my' field inspired me to create this little card using another lovely set from Stampin' Up! - Winter Post - together with the sentiments from Contempo Christmas.

It's using Not Quite Navy - a non-traditional colour for Chrismas - together with Bashful Blue and Whisper White cardstock and Not Quite Navy ink with a hint of sparkle from our Dazzling Diamonds.

Shadow stamping the trees from Lovely As A Tree, cutting the circular aperture and positioning that on the inside - I think it looks pretty I'm pleased with the finished card particularly because it uses the skating couple - I'm clearly missing Artem and Kara !! - a favourite stamp from the Winter Post stamp set.

If you enlarge the photos it helps to see the effect of the glitter so much better - but please don't be too critical about my straight lines etc as it shows up all the imperfections - I do like simple cards that don't take too long to create and recreate but I adore looking and admiring the very complex creations my many talented friends produce - please take a look in the sidebar favourites to see what I mean, breathtakingly stunning !!!

So you see, I wasn't away for too long this time, was I? - I'll be back very soon - Bridgette

At last ...... and it's not even a card !!!!!!

Opps !!!  Well what happened there you may be thinking - phew, blink and you can miss a whole month practically.  At last an entry and as the title states it's not even a card - it's a cake !!!

For the last few weeks I have been attempting to ice and decorate a cake under the guidance of Fay Barrett a very accomplished cake maker and decorator - I didn't make the cake but bought it from good ol' M & S - one step at a time maybe next year for the making of the fruit cake.

I am very proud of the finished result as it is my first attempt and I know the cake will taste good so no surprises there.

I do have card and 3D projects to show you but I am trying to finish my Christmas cards and still a way to go so I shall be back - yeah, right I hear you say, you'll believe that when you see it - no honestly I will !!!

Take care it's slippery out there - Bridgette

It's good to be back on the road again ........................

.................. are you singing that one with me?  It is an oldie I know, but I'm telling myself that I have to get back on the road again - not literally you understand, although I have been busy getting out and about for my Stampin' Up! and my craft classes, which I am so happy to report are being enjoyed !!  Sadly, I haven't been blogging and I would so like to get back to it and be more consistent - I have discovered that it is so easy to lose momentum !!

So here I go again .................................... first light tomorrow morning I will be photographing some of the projects I have been demonstrating so if attendees give away their own creation there will be a record on here for them to refer to.

Also I have been thinking of swapping around some of my favourite blogs, particularly those that I have discovered on my travels in Blogland - so will be adding a few over the coming weeks.

Oh, how lovely with Christmas just around the corner I am feeling energised to make some changes although not sure what yet but I am sure to be inspired by my fellow crafters.

If you have popped back over the last few weeks and been disappointed that things still hadn't changed I send you a big thank you but hopefully you will have hopped on to somewhere interesting in the sidebar - my ambition is to have you linger a little longer with me before hopping off to one of my favourites - well, a girl has got to have a dream, because  'if you don't have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true ?' ( just a little South Pacific reference there - I apologise, another oldie, I love those movies )

Right it's just after midnight on Friday so I will be putting something on over the weekend - just wanted to say ' Hello again ' whilst I was here.

Bridgette