Sunflower Stamp Card !

Hello ! This post is a quickie and is a card which I popped onto Pinterest and it received a lot of interest a little while ago so, thought I would share it here too ! It features a gorgeous large SU stamp called Sunflower and is very dramatic and makes quite a statement card !!! The large stamps are very popular with my craft group because we do home decor and some scrap booking as well as cards and mini books so the size is quite appropriate for larger projects - they always get lots of ooohs and aaahs !!!!

I need to develop more ideas using this stamp and the other large ones - where to start ???? 

Happy crafting and thanks for dropping by ! 

Hugs Jane xxx

Fan Fair Graduation Card !

Hello ! We are having a quiet Sunday doing some gardening and plan to have the first BBQ of the season if the current lovely weather holds into the afternoon ! However, I have sneaked in a few minutes to share a card design I made yesterday - I don't usually repeat a design but I really liked the way this one turned out - so I did !!!

Supplies : 

Inks : raspberry ripple and more mustard 

STamp sets : You're Amazing, Measuring Stick builder and Blue Ribbon 

Accessories : antique brads, cherry cobbler seam binding ribbon and natural trim ribbon

Card stock : naturals ivory

DSP : Fan Fair 

Ok - must go and do my bit in the garden or at least be seen out there pretending I'm doing something !!! LOL !!! 

Happy Sunday - hugs Jane xxx

Stamped and Embossed Mirror Frame Design Class !

Morning ! I had a double class yesterday with some ladies making the mirror frame project and others doing a class based on deigning with stamps who made a 12x12 scrapbook layout and an A5 card ! It was quite amusing for the girls watching me run between two rooms and trying to get my brain into gear !!! I used to be quite a good multi - tasker - not so sure now !!! LOL ! Here are the two fabulous frames that Sally J and Sally C made - they came out so well - so much better than my sample !!! Enjoy ......

It is lovely to see how everyone personalises their project - my samples are there as a starting point and I love to see the projects develop - it's very exciting - but then creativity is !!!! 

Thank you very much for taking the time to visit my little blog ! 

Hugs Jane xx

Vintage Stampin' Up 12x12 Scrapbook Layout !

Hello ! We are coming to the end of the Stampin' Up year and looking forward to lots of lovely new products to play with ! Sadly it means we have to say goodbye to some old favourites and I started the week ruthlessly planning to part with some stamp sets to make room for some new ones - but no !!! I got everything out of the boxes but just couldn't move them on - they went back in the box, needless to say !!! The set featured in todays layout project was retired long ago but I love it and it was perfect for my theme ! I ran a design workshop based on designing with stamps and it was very well received ! 

The page is a lesson in using stamps to create a background collage with soft Spring greens, blues and yellows. I have added some nice textures by using embossing folders and punches and kept the theme light and delicate with touches of vellum ! 

More lovely mirror frames made by some of my ladies today to follow ! 

Happy crafting and have a great weekend ! 

Hugs Jane xxx

Top Note Class Treats !

Good Afternoon ! Well , after a wet and chilly morning the sun has made an appearance and it immediately lifts your spirits ! Just a quick post today - I am looking forward to my regular Friday design workshop and have made some little top note cards to say thank you to my lovely ladies for their support and for putting up with me !!! LOL ! 

I shall be posting details of the next few classes very soon - so watch this space ! Happy crafting - Hugs Jane xxx

This and That Journal Pages - Calypso Coral !

Morning ! A bit nippy this morning - ideal crafting weather !!! I have added a couple more pages to my This and That journal and worked with a colour combination of Calypso Coral, Basic Grey and White ! I like tone on tone and when I printed this photo of my daughter wearing a Calypso Coral dress I knew exactly where it was going !!!

When I opened my journal I found two cute little envelopes inside - so, the first thing I did was to make a template of them both so I could make more from the lovely DSP in the kit ! The papers are gorgeous but I always have to overstamp - it's just what I do - this just adds another layer of interest even though it is in this case very subtle . 

There is so much detail in this project - too much for a supplies list - but if you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact me via the link on my profile above . 

Must get busy - have a wonderful week ! Back soon with a scrapbook page . 

Hugs Jane x

Mirror Frame Collage Class !

Hello ! What a fabulous day !! I have just run my regular Friday design workshop and have two beautiful mirror frames to show you ! We had such  a super day  and I am blessed to have such lovely ladies who support my classes and make Fridays so much fun !!! The frames are basic squares in pine which I pre-prepared by brushing on some acrylic paint - this then gives a nice surface on which to stamp and heat emboss . My samples are a staring point but as I have a whole host of stamps to choose from the finished results are very personal and I think these two are quite beautiful !!! The first was made by Lesley who is such an amazing crafter it is she who really should be teaching the class !!! 

The next is by Jacqueline who is also a Stampin' Up demonstrator and has taught me lots of crafty things in the time I have known her; she is a talented and experienced crafter and also teaches technique classes to her group of local ladies. We all liked the new pewter embossing powder ( it got a big thumbs up !! ) and it was fun to watch these designs develop over the day ! 

Sorry about the photos - it was really hard to get a good shot and not get an annoying reflection in the mirrors !!! Well done to you both - your frames are lovely !!! 

Have a great weekend wherever you are and happy crafting !! 

Hugs Jane xx

This and That Cards !

A little late posting because I wanted to make a batch of cards that featured the gorgeous DS papers that came in the This and That bundle ! There are way too many papers to use in the album so lots over to make cards with !!! Now, anyone that knows me will confirm that these colours are way out of my comfort zone but I have fallen in love with the kit - it's versatile, contemporary with a vintage twist and as my daughter so aptly put it contains colours which are muted brights ! 

I wanted to show how fabulous the papers are and have used the following stamps sets to add to the gorgeousness !!!

Blue Ribbon , Postage Due , That's the Ticket , You're Amazing , Papaya Collage , Alhambra ( builder )  Measuring Stick ( builder ) , Viola's Lace  ( builder ) .

I don't always - almost never - plan a card design ! I just make up elements and play around until I am happy with the layout ; the card or whatever project I am doing evolves. When something looks wrong it is usually because it needs an accent - either a colour or dimensional item - I always fiddle around until I achieve a balance ! For example - the above card was fine but lacked something - so , I added the washi tape top right and number sticker and the three circular stickers to the left and then it worked better !!! 

Happy crafting and have a great day day !!! 

Hugs Jane xx

Telford Regional Training - Make and Takes !

Good Morning ! 
I'm still buzzing from the very exciting training day - just too many ideas - I don't know where to start ! As part of the day we made two little projects which we could use to demo or as gifts or giveaways - I changed one of them up a little as I was nattering so much I didn't get the second finished ( or started ) at the event !!! It was good to make something that you might not normally do and even better to work with colours that you don't usually go with too - why didn't someone tell me how gorgeous Calypso Coral is !!! The first project is a little covered notebook with the cover made more interesting with the use of the scoreboard tool . 

The next project used the same stamp set as the book cover - Clockworks - but I have had Blooming with Kindness for ages and haven't used it - the sentiments are so lovely in this stamp set. I liked  the results and changed the flower a little too - notice the cute little gumball green resin floret in the centre !!! Need more of those !!! 

So much to do today so hopefully back soon with some cards made with the  fab papers from the This and That journal bundle and details of more upcoming classes !!! 

Happy crafting - Hugs Jane xx

Regional Training Day at Telford !

Good Evening !! 
Just back from the most amazing day spent with fellow Stampin' Up demonstrators at our regional training ! Such a brilliant day and so nice to meet so many who have become FB and bloggy friends ! I'm too tired to say more than - thanks to everyone who made the day so special - I am buzzing with enthusiasm and new ideas , but they will have to wait for another day !!! Here are the swaps I made for the event and my name badge !!! 

Off now for an early night and planned Sunday morning lie in !!!

It was such a privilege to meet so many wonderful crafters today and a joy to spend time in their company ! 

Happy crafting ! Hugs Jane xxx

This and That Journal Cover !

Journal covers are quite difficult because all the lovely things you want to put on , you can't because the cover takes a lot of wear and tear ! I wanted to add one of my shabby flowers but they are so delicate and so added a rosette instead made using the scoring board . After I had scored , before I pleated it , I ran one edge through a punch - this was probably a mistake because it has weakened the edge but it does look pretty ! Everything is well stuck down and if I have to make a new rosette when this one gets tatty it's not the end of the world ! 

I really like the embossed hexagons on the cover of the journal and didn't want to lose them by covering the front with a DSP but didn't want to add more hexagons ! So , I swished the white ink pad several times over the cover ( I let it dry in between to build up the white ) and inked the edge in crumb cake . The hexagons stood out more after this , which I was happy about and I had a nice background on which to stamp. I worked within the limited colour palette of the journal bundle , just using - white , basic grey, crumb cake and pool party !  

I need to do the back cover to match so I'll ink it up in white and just stamp some ferns and script with the odd vintage postage stamp ! I am going to do some more pages soon but off to SU training in Telford tomorrow so very excited !!!! 

Have a great weekend wherever you are and thanks for your visit !!! 

Hugs Jane xxx

This and That Journal - My First Pages !

Morning ! You know , I love it when Stampin' Up bring out new exciting products - but the new journal bundle has been keeping me awake at night !!! From the moment I had it in my mitts I couldn't wait to get crafting ! What is so great about it you ask ? Well , lots of things -

• It's a nice size for crafters who do not scrapbook because it's  dimensions are those of a big card so not too daunting for those who can't face the  challenge of a big 12x12 layout ! 
• It therefore provides a nice easy intro to scrap booking and journalling ! 
• Everything is beautifully colour co-ordinated so everything goes together and it's easy to add in your own bits if you stick to the colour palette .
• You don't have to use it as a journal - one of my customers is going to make a recipe book for her daughter with it - it could also be used by demos to showcase all the lovely goodies SU do - stamps, dies, accessories etc....all in one book ! That is what I plan to do with my second one !!! 
• The papers and extras you get in the kit can be used to make cards and other projects as there is way too much to put in the journal - this makes the kit great value !!! 

I could go on but instead I'll share with you the first four pages I have made for mine ! 

I've stamped over the pages and added some die cut doilies and some narrow ribbons ! The photo size is 2x3 inches and this seemed a good size for the page , particularly as I wanted to add two or three ! I also think that B&W photos look nice on these papers and it's nice to add a pop of the colours from the kit !!! Everything used is from the current catalogue except the Sizzlits letters but you can of course use the newer upper case Bigz die ! 

Off to see what else I can come up with !!! Need to design the cover and get that done - can't commit !!! LOL ! 

Hugs and thanks for stopping by ! 

Jane xxx

Mirror Frame Class !

Good Evening ! 
Busy day communicating today, sighing over the new This and That bundle ( see previous post ! )  and doing the laundry - nice day to peg out though !!! All dry now and ready to be ironed ! 
I am running a design workshop to make the mirror frame shown below - it will be a day class on 17th May starting at 10.30 am - until we finish !!! I have four ladies interested in this class and three firm bookings so may run a repeat class the following week - please contact me for details ! You will be making one of the following - or you can go wild and design your own !!! 

Looking forward to this class - thank you to those who have already booked and as always for your valued support ! 

Hugs Jane x