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

The Idea Book & Catalogue 2010/2011

Well, oh dear, where did September go for me? 

Just a quick update - I thought I was getting better and I promise I didn't overdo it - I conserved energy and only worked on the most immediate project - took it one day at a time - and still I do not feel 100% and am on a further course of antibiotics - so I shall just do what I can manage and not get frustrated and angry with myself when I don't have the reserves of energy that I need.

So moving on to nicer topics - the wonderful new catalogue is available to view - just click on the photo of the cover and it will take you there - I know it's not the same as holding it in your hand and flicking thro' it but your copy should be with you over the weekend if you are a member of my Stampers 10.

I am working on the catalogue launch for Saturday 9 October at Bromley Hall Pode Hole Spalding - I shall be getting emails out to those that I don't normally see on a regular basis - but to those that a do see don't forget to keep that afternoon free - 2.00pm - 4.00pm - between lunch and teatime - hopefully noone will miss us and wonder where we are as all tummies, large and small, will be full !!!!

Do feel free to bring along a friend to enjoy a coffee and a chat with fellow crafters - remember it doesn't cost them anything to come along with you and enjoy refreshments, have a look at a selection of new products and enter the door prize but, just like last year, there will be the new catalogues to buy for £3.50 rrp £5.95 - Make & Takes to purchase and complete whilst there, all my retiring stamp sets, retiring cardstock, brads, buttons etc etc for sale at super prices and a lovely raffle to enter to win a retired American Stampin' Up! set that hasn't made it across to our shores just yet and it's a Christmas one too !!!

Hope to see you there.

Bridgette

Thank goodness ..... back on my feet again !!!

As from today I am now more vertical than horizontal which comes as a great relief  - I could see next week looming large on the horizon and my not being prepared for all the events that are planned but, thank goodness, I'm now feeling so much more like my old self and connected to my body parts again !!! - I know that sounds strange but it is one of the weirdest sensations that I have experienced, a 'disconnected' feeling.

Thank you so much for your lovely get well wishes, they worked !!

Bridgette

Illness never comes at the right time ....................

.............. but it could have been worse !!

Wasn't I doing well with my posting over the last few weeks - then, oh dear, an infection literally swept me off my feet and landed me in bed - feeling a little brighter but fragile - thank goodness as my busiest week is next week and not this week - I will hopefully be back on track over the next couple of days.

Thank you for dropping by as you have done over the last few days

Bridgette

Vintage Vogue ....... outside my comfort zone !!

Mmmm, well I thought that, for a complete change, I would use grey and white today with a little taffeta ribbon ( not sure about that bow just yet, but it's glue dotted into position so there's not alot I can do about it now lol ).

So the deep grey cardstack from the Neutrals pack and using a little scrap of Confetti White, Vintage Vogue stamp set and Basic Grey inkpad - a little tearing, a little inking and a little background stamping with the addition of that little bow and away you go, job done.

Today I'm going to try and squeeze myself into the carboot that I missed on Wednesday so I shall be leaving early to grab my spot, let's hope I make it this time - I will report back later whether it's mission accomplished or not !!

Thank you for dropping by on your blog hopping journey - if you haven't already do take a look at the Last Chance List in the sidebar, just click on the image and it should automatically pop up for you - if I can be of any help please contact me.

Bridgette

Thank You card - a 'handsome hunter' version ........

No, nothing to do with a handsome hunk!!!! but it does look more masculine than my original version.

I have just quickly got time to post this as I'm waiting for a friend to arrive for coffee and she's running a little bit late - this is the colourway that I spoke about yesterday - using the retiring Handsome Hunter but the same little tree from the Forest Friends stamp set and the Garden Green inkpad and this time a little Bravo Burgundy button that gives a little lift to the card rather than a matching green one - for the Ballet Blue colourway scroll down a couple of posts. 

What do you think?  More of a masculine feel to it, or not?

Bridgette

Last Chance List is here .....Going, going, then most definitely gone !!!!

Oh my, I'm not the most technically minded but I have managed to put the Last Chance List on here, yeah .... and if you click on the image it will take you to the screen giving details of all the retiring stock.

Please take a look just incase your favourite, that you haven't managed to buy from your Wish List, is amongst their number - you may also be lucky and find that it is reduced by up to 50% and in other cases by 25% - take a peek - all the other stamp sets are at their original catalogue price but, let me hear you say it girls - you and the stamp sets are worth it !!!

I'm just quickly finishing some little Thank You cards this time in Handsome Hunter not Ballet Blue - it's because I managed to use all my small blue buttons and now it's the turn of the little green guys.

I'll photograph this colourway tomorrow and let you have a look to compare it to the blue way.

Busy, busy today - I am attempting to clear the garage for the winter and thought I would do a car boot - well, it was full, yes, no more cars allowed onto the field and that was just before 10.30 am ( it doesn't start 'til midday !!!! ) so I drove home - and attacked the cleaning of the house, mmmm I thought I better make some progress somewhere - after three hours it definitely looked better.

Bridgette

Dipping into the SU archives ..................

........... well, to more accurate, my back issues of the Idea Book and Catalogue - with my demo preview of our very own catalogue for 2010-2011 only a day away, I thought I would have a trip down memory lane.

This simple little card was featured in the 2007 US catalogue - I recreated the colourway but not the orientation of the embellishment - so, I used So Saffron cardstock and designer paper together with Not Quite Navy and Handsome Hunter (retiring) - Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon and the tiny floral punch which was part of a set originally but I hope that SU will sell it to us singularly again because it is such a cute flower - my sentiment came from the Fun & Fast Notes stamp set, and with some matching brads, of course.

This really is a very quick little card and if you use your own, or the recipient's, favourite colour combo it's one that you can pull out of the bag very quickly when you hear those words from a loved one - "You don't happen to have a card suitable for so-and-so do you, it's their birthday tomorrow!!!"

Had a fabby day yesterday - Chris was demonstrating at Sir Stampalot ( Always about Colour - please check in the sidebar for the link to her gorgeous creations ) and I came away with lots of ideas which I hope to translate using SU products and basic generic products - met up with my lovely friends - as I have said so often - I feel blessed by the friends that I have met thro crafting.

I'm on a roll with my blog now so please scoot by on your blog hop if you can - leave a comment if you feel so inclined - but either way thank you for visiting - as I remain on my toes lol.

Bridgette

Blooming With Beauty & En Francais ........

Hello just a little card to post today - I spotted a similar layout on Splitcoast Stampers and just translated to what I have.

The colourway is Creamy Caramel (retiring) and So Saffron with a little Sweet Pea designer paper from the mini - using Blooming with Beauty, En Francais, and the sentiment from One Of A Kind stamp set - I liked the idea of using the twill tape instead of ribbon and stamped the words using black Stazon ink - the little button is one of the neutrals and tones in really nicely.

I decided to ink the edges not only in the Creamy Caramel but to go in again using the  SU Black inkpad to give more definition.

I think the addition of the So Saffron cardstock as one of the matting layers and leaving it uninked just 'roughed up' lol a little using my little rougher up tool just makes it 'pop' more than it would have done if I had

inked it - do you know what I mean.

I don't know about you but I struggle between the 'clean' look and the 'inked' look - never sure which I like - I shall have to do the same card for you showing the two versions and get a vote going and see which one gets the vote.

Happy Bank Holiday tomorrow - do stop by on your usual round of blogs - keep me on my toes please !!!

Bridgette

Forest Friends Thank You

As I have mentioned before I always try to make a little thank you card for my Stampers 10 ladies - so here is this months offering - a very simple card using Forest Friends - I love the tree and cute little animals in this set - and yes, I did order my Trendy Trees with the discount - it was on my Wish List and I was determined to grab myself a bargain !!!!

The main base card is Confetti White ( I'm on a roll with this cardstock now !! ) with the retiring Ballet Blue colourway and the little buttons are part of the Rich Regals collection and they are also Ballet Blue - such a pretty colour - the button is sewn on using the linen thread.  The sentiment comes from the ever useful and much used Thank You Kindly set - fingers crossed it makes it thro' to the new catalogue.

Hope you have a super Bank Holiday weekend - I'm delivering this weekend so I shall catch up with some of my crafty friends - which is lovely for me.

Bridgette

Greenhouse Garden .......

This stamp set was on my wish list for some time before I bought it - and I have to say I love it - I love the two-step stamping technique it really makes the flowers 'pop' - and at the moment, yes, the last gently reminder lol, you can get this stamp set which is usually £22.95  for an amazing £18.36 - that's a 20% discount - for a set of 10 co-ordinating stamps - that's £1.83 for each stamp !!!!  That has to be considered value for money !!!!

The card I recreated is on page 43 of the Idea Book and Catalogue - I have slightly altered the colours and I like the addition of the bow down the side, but we're all different and you may not, so although it is a little brighter than what I would normally do I am trying to step outside my comfort zone.

I thank you once again for dropping by - I'm enjoying trying to give you something to look at each day - it's keeping me on my toes - I'm counting down to my peek at the new catalogue which as you know being a demonstrator I get to see earlier than my lovely customers - so I'm sure I shall be wearing a broad smile during the month of September knowing what you all have to look forward to.

Oh gosh, have chatted on as usual - have a good day - hopefully you'll pop by tomorrow.

Bridgette

On A Pedestal ................

Good afternoon - and what a wet one here!!!!!

I made a cute card yesterday, take a peek on page 13 of the Idea Book and Catalogue, I used the same colour combination - Certainly Celery, Pumpkin Pie and Creamy Caramel ( a retiring colour on 30 September 2010 ) - but then just added a Polka Dot background, satin rather than grosgrain Chocolate Chip ribbon, and my button placement just jumped from one side of the card to the other - I was pleased with the result - my only other change was to put a little Crystal Effects on the cherry to give it a little sheen.

Hope you don't have to venture far for the rest of the day and can stay snug inside crafting - I know I like to live in an ideal world - me? I've got to pop to Tesco's ( living the dream !!! lol )

See you tomorrow on your journey ........................ bye for now.

Bridgette

The Flowers in the Field ..................

It has been such a pleasure to walk amongst nature each day and really, really stop and look at what is around me and notice how quickly it changes and whilst these photos show full bloom many of these wild flowers have now come to the end of their short season - but they have been so beautiful.

I thought I would show you a floral friendship card - I love the Confetti White card although I don't often use it and when I do I wonder why I don't more often - do you know what I mean?

Daisy-like flowers have to be among my favourites - I have my fingers crossed for the Upsy Daisy stamp set in October catalogue but I'm not holding my breath lol.

There is just something so delicate about a dandelion 'clock' - I have one as a paperweight, it's in front of me as a type this - sorry this is very indulgent now but thank you for listening while I went on and on about my love of wild flowers - back to cardmaking tomorrow ..... promise.

Bridgette

A Summer Walk Continued ..................

Oh now this one takes me back - but I just wanted to continue my doggie walk with you and I needed a pink card - and the one today just seemed to fit.  This is one of the first stamp sets that I bought from SU, before I became a demo, I saw myself in this stamp lol - I love watching butterflies and as I mentioned yesterday there have been oddles of them on the walk - for some reason although I have now sold the stamp set as it is retired I have kept this card !!

These photos were taken on a warm sunny day, no harsh breeze, no chill wind - just glorious blue sky!!

Enjoy your day - thank you dropping by - look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Bridgette

Lovely As A Tree

I thought I would show you where I walk the doggies each day - just lately it has been alive with the sound of grasshoppers, bees and  a gorgeous array of butterflies - no wonder that I love green - see what I mean!!

So naturally I reach for these colours to craft with, together with my trusty Idea Book and Catalogue, and here is a card we recently completed as part of one of my classes - just perfect for the men in our lives.  Good Old Olive, Chocolate Chip and the retiring and to be missed, Close to Cocoa. 

This is a template that can be replicated time and time again using favourite colours and stamp sets - so easy and quick to do with lovely results because the colours co-ordinate so wonderfully together.

See you tomorrow if you have time - it would be nice - make a date with me on your blog hop!!

Bridgette