Happy Christmas

Wouldn' t it have been lovely to have this on Christmas Day? So long as you didn't have to travel, of course. But this was the week before, and just had to take a picture.
No cards today, sorry,but there are some on the way.

Using birds and my technique of the moment.......

I came across these stamps in my stash the other day and thought that they would work well with my favourite technique at the moment. I just love sponging! And I've found that the finger daubers from Stampin' Up work so well. So I've tried a few different colour combos.

And the fact that SU have all the matching cardstock and ink colours makes life so easy. Even with this one - I'd run out of Pumpkin Pie cardstock so I just used my ink pad to edge a square of Whisper White and can you tell the difference?

Here's Old Olive, Always Articoke and a touch of Apricot Appeal.

I used whatever I felt like here! Looks a little like a rainbow background here! But the ink daubers allow you to smoothly blend from one colour to another.

I'll be back with more tomorrow.

Please leave a comment if you have time to do so. I love reading what you have to say!

Thanks for looking.

Tricia -x-

Simples!!

This card was inspired by a card I saw on show at Convention, made by the lovely Zoe Tant, with whom I had the pleasure of spending many happy hours, a few weeks ago. I've used a couple of stamps from Simply Said , in my version. So thanks Zoe for your inspiration!

This card uses a combination of stamps from Hello Again (only £9.95) and the level 2 hostess set Itty Bitty Buds. My inspiration came from seeing a card (somewhere) with buttons in the centre of flowers.

Just have a play with different colour combinations and see what you can do! That's all I did!

Thanks for looking.

Tricia -x-

A glittering Christmas!

Would you believe that these treese were made using the Scallop circle punch? And the sky used a scallop circle to act as a mask whilst sponging with Bashful Blue? How versatile is that!
Also an excuse to use drops of Crystal Effects and Fine Galaxy glitter from Stampin' Up. Don't do what I did though! Use ONE glitter and allow to dry before using a second colour! See the mess? But it all adds to the effect!

Glitter again, but this time I used the Champagne colour and it is so classy! Tree Trimmings stamp set was used for the baubles and in the Good Friend set there is an open flower that I use upside down, and glittered the ends of the image using the 2-way Glue pen. A must-have for your basic tool kit!

Thanks for looking.

See you soon.

Tricia -x-

Stamping on Candles

Now here's something I have been meaning to try for some time now. The first hurdle was to find reasonably priced candle so that failure would not be too costly!! So having found some small, vanilla scented candle in a pack of 3, I thought I'd give it a go. If all went wrong, I could burn the candle myself and enjoy the aroma. But my very first attempt, the Snowflake in the middle, was perfect. I couldn't believe how quick and simple it could be!

So how is it done?

If you thought that I have a very steady hand whilst rolling the rubber stamp on the surface of the candle, you'd be wrong!
The secret is by stamping your image onto tissue paper. And I just had a whole unopened ream of A2 size, white tissue paper which I had bought a while ago , to do....... I can't remember what, but I'm so glad I have it!
Having stamped your image, cut around the image leaving about 5mm around the edges. Then with a strip of waxed paper or greaseproof paper that is slightly wider than the height of the candle, and about twice as long as the circumference of the candle, place the stamped image in position and wrap the greseproof paper around the candle to hold it in place. The excess greaseproof serves as a handle to hold the image and candle together whilst setting the design.
Allow your heatgun to heat up for about 10 seconds before directing the heat towards the stamped image through the greaseproof paper. Watch the edges of the tissue paper around the image as they will gradually disappear, showing that the image is joining with the candle. Don't focus in one spot for too long! I tend to blow the heat over the whole area to start and then follow the disappearing tissue edges around the image, then finish with an allover blast.
Then carefully peel back the greaseproof paper to reveal a perfectly stamped candle. Very satisfying!

I'm hooked on this technique so I had to play some more but this time an all occasion candle, using Close as a Memory stamp set. I used the Stampin Write markers to give different colours on areas of the stamp - with a bit of 'huffing' to remoisten the inks. Finished off with ribbon around the bottom of the candle - purely for decoration and should be removed before burning the candle!

If you would like to try stamping on candles, I shall be running workshops in the New Year. Watch this space for more details.

Thanks for looking.

Tricia-x-

Treat bags

With the great ideas that are shared on the ILWS forum, these were an ideal quick make for a recent Christmas Bazaar that I attended. I took the opportunity to try out the Craft White ink pad, new to this year's SU catalogue along with my long awaited Kraft cardstock. The two go together like 'strawberries and cream' !

I cut a 12" x 12" piece of Kraft cardstock into 3, each piece measuring 4" wide. Depending on the contents you could work with a 12" strip but I decided to make the strips 9" long so scored at 4" and 5", giving a 1" gussett and folded along the score lines. I sponged the white ink with a finger dauber around the edges and then stamped randomly with the snowflake from the Winter Post stamp set. With the 1 3/4" circle punch, I punched a hole and sponged more ink around the aperture. Contract 3/8" grosgrain ribbon was passed through the hole and round the side and joined by a knotted bow.
I filled a cello bag with sweets, sealed it and placed inside the stamped and folded cardstock, and sealed the top with a stamped closure, being a Tab, punched in contrasting card and folded in half.

The children loved these, and they were so quick and easy to make. The idea could be used for other occasions throuhout the year.

Thanks for looking.

Be back soon.

Tricia -x-

Masking for Christmas

My bow has slipped! I didn't notice that until now, but hey! you get the idea!
Punch a 1 3/8" circle in the centre of a post-it-note and place in the centre of a piece of Whisper White cardstock. Using Pretty in Pink, sponge inside the circle, then use the floursh stamp from Season of Joy stamp set, randomly with same ink. Pretty in Pink cardstock base was stamp with Versamark using the same flourish stamp. Merry Christmas is from the same stamp set.

There have been a few versions of this technique but I decided to use the Fir Cones stamp from Autumn Days stamp set. I punched a 1 3/4" circle from a post-it-note and placed the circle in the centre of the square card. Using Stampin Write markers in Old Olive and Creamy Caramel, I stamped around the edge of the circle in a fairly uniform fashion, thinking of clock times = 12 o'clock, 6 o'clock, 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock. Then filled in the gaps! The red sprigs were made using only the end part of the Autumn Days berries stamp.

Finished off using the Scallop Oval and Large Oval punches with the Merry Christmas greeting from Season of Joy.

Thanks for looking.

Tricia -x-

After Convention.......

I've just about come down from my cloud after going to the first European Convention in Frankfurt. It's been over a month since I returned, after a fab weekend with like minded SU demonstrators from the UK, France and Germany . What lovely, friendly people who were ready to share their ideas by creating card swaps which certainly inspired me to spread the word. And here's the stage which says it all - and I even walked the stage as I was no. 20 in Demonstrator of the Year category, in the UK. So a big THANK YOU to all my customers and regular workshop attendees who helped me to get there.

I really didn't take enough photos while I was there but this is the result of one of the demonstrations, bravely done on stage by one of the top achievers in France or Germany - sorry but I can't remember who!

And no pictures of cards - I mean , get your priorities right! This was the most delicious chocolate muffin with a chocolate truffle centre, that I have ever eaten! It was part of the lunch we were given on the second day - two cheese bagels, and apple, a banana. a 'Corny' bar, THE MUFFIN, and yet another bottle of that disgusting fizzy water! Now bubbles in champagne are fine, but water? No!! IMHO

Sorry I haven't got more to say but if you are thinking that perhaps you should have been there too, why not get in touch and see how you could be at the next Convention to be held in London next year. You won't regret it!

I'll be back soon with a few little makes that I have been creating over the last few weeks - so many ideas and not enough time to try them out - you know the feeling?

Thanks for looking.

Tricia -x-

Off to Convention in Frankfurt today!

Here's my card swaps - quite simple as time was of the essence!

Here's the Card candy - sorry about the bad photo! And my 'Bag Tag' is below.

The day has finally arrived! It's the first European Stampin' Up convention in Frankfurt on 6th and 7th November so I'm flying out this afternoon with my roomie, Jo. We're going to have a great time meeting other demonstrators from the UK, France and Germany.

And part of the enjoyment will be swapping cards with each other - that's why I have been so busy since last Thursday, making about 120 cards and 'Card Candy'. And my Bag Tag, so that I know which bag is mine! Apparently, we are given a special bag to celebrate Convention, so you can imagine 300-400 similar bags walking about the convention centre!

Just the journey to Birmingham airport now, after I've packed! Got a few things in piles, in different places, but must put them in my suitcase so I have time to deliberate as to what I have forgotten to pack.

I'll let you know all about it on my return. All the new ideas, special news and anything else of great crafting interest. And who knows? You might decide to join me next year as a Stampin' Up demonstrator. Just let me know.

There's special discount on the

Stampin' Up starter Kit

at the moment

Just £125 for over £240 worth of SU items

Tke a look on the SU website

www.stampinup.co.uk

I'll be back soon.

Tricia -x-

Tote Bag

Here's a Tote bag, inspired by a very clever lady called Ann (Crafty Squirrel). Her version totally 'wowed' me when I saw her pictures so I decided to create my own version using Stampin' Up Designer papers from Tea Party set and the red/green version used the new Christmas Jingle set. The latter set has so many extras including self-adhesive die-cut strips (the christmas tree border is one of these) and co-ordinating Tree Trimmings self-adhesive embellishments. It really is a must have set. There is so much left in this kit to be able to make a huge amount of cards!
I decided to make a Christmas version to hold my card list and presents list but would make a lovely present or ideal item for craft stalls.
If you would like to order the Christmas Jingle Simply Scrappin' set 117371 , it is just £15.50 + £2.00 P&P and I will include my instructions to make this Tote Bag FREE.

Drop me an email

triciaablett@hotmail.com

Thanks for looking

Tricia -x-

THANK YOU

A huge 'Thank You' to everyone who came to the Catalogue launch on Saturday and making it such a sociable occasion. In a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, it seemed that we all enjoyed ourselves! And it was great to meet some new 'addicts' and welcome them to the wonderful world of Stampin' Up.
So a little card for the occasion , using the versatile 'Thank You Kindly' stamp set which has been punched and layered using the popular Large Oval and Scallop Oval punches. I just used a background of embossed card which has been lighly inked with Pretty in Pink and sponged all the edges to bring the card together. Sponging is so popular at the moment, and very easy to do, but it always makes a card 'work'.

And here's a close up of punched flowers that have also been sponged and layered with a brad centre.

And the winner of the FREE draw

is

MARJORIE BENTLEY

So 'Congratulations' Marjorie! I know that she won't be reading this post because computers are 'not her thing'! But as she attends my regular stamping classes, I shall be giving her these stamp sets tomorrow and I know that she will be thrilled.

Now I'm off to upload the new catalogue onto my blog (if I can remember how - lol! - well it has been a year since) so that you can all take a peek. If you would prefer your own hard copy to browse at your leisure, just email me triciaablett@hotmail.com and I will post one to you for just £3.95 incl P&P - SPECIAL OFFER THROUGHOUT OCTOBER.

Thanks for looking.

Tricia -x-

Catalogue Launch on World Cardmaking Day

World Cardmaking Day

&

Catalogue launch

Saturday 3rd October

10am til 4pm

If you live in the North Bedfordshire/ Northamptonshire area, why not pop along, this Saturday, to my launch of the new 2009/10 Stampin' Up catalogue. If you would like more details, please email me, Tricia at

triciaablett@hotmail.com

or call

01933 353695

I'm having a huge craft clearout too, to make way for all the new SU goodies I NEED!!

FREE prize draw

Bring a friend or two for extra tickets for the draw

Book a demo in your own home

Orders taken for products from the new catalogue

Make & Take

Refreshments

Retired stamps and designer papers at sale prices

I look forward to seeing you.

Tricia -x-

Christmas Workshop

Certainly Celery ribbon!

Just a quick post as I don't feel that I've done much all week. So I've just had half an hour in the craft room, playing with my i-Top brad maker. I thought I'd try it out - not difficult but how many times can you drop the brad and paper whilst you're trying to press it together? I think I've set the record!
Recipe: Certainly Celery and So Saffron cardstock
Certainly Celery poly twill ribbon - the FREE ribbon during August
Tea Party DSP from the mini catalogue
Paper flower sponged with Pretty in Pink and Certainly Celery ink spots
Thank You Kindly stamp set - so useful and only £11.95
The topper is edged using one of the new Martha Stewart 'Punch around the Page' set of two punches, which make punching round corners so, so easy. Must make a Halloween card or two with this one but need to find some black card.

Thanks for looking

Tricia -x-

Outside my comfort zone!

Well I'm really getting into this regular 'blogging at the weekend'. It's easier on the mind to do it this way, otherwise I am a bad blogger who posts once in a month or 6 times in one day!!
This card is quite pale for me - using Very Vanilla as a base, minimal sponging with So Saffron and Cameo Coral, and my first use of the So Saffron 5/8" Grosgrain from Stampin' Up. This is one of the two FREE reels you can get with orders of £45 or more during August. If you would like to place an order, just let me know.
The main image is from 'Bloomin' with Beauty' stamp set from SU, along with the wording, coloured with the SU markers in Cameo Coral and Blush Blossom.

Thanks for dropping by.

Leave me a comment if you have time and I'll drop by yours.

Tricia -x-

Martha Stewart punches

Martha Stewart has just released her 'Punch around the Page' edge and corner punches. When I first saw this particular one, I just had to have them. Not exactly cheap but well worth it, I think? How could you possibly get this design going around a corner absolutely right?

So playing with sponging AGAIN, and adding a spritz of pearl mica powder (you can just see the effect). I've used the 'ever useful' SU scallop oval and oval punches for the greeting, and edged with colour to make it stand out.

And a bad!! close up of the pearlescent effect and the image stamped and heat embossed with SU black embossing powder - the best black EP ever - IMHO!

Distessing with Stampin' Up

A few more cards I made whilst playing with colours and resist distressing. Using the large stamp from Baroque Motifs for that wonderful flourish, I stamped with Versamark and clear embossed. Then added colours with a sponge, in a swirling motion to give a lovely soft blend. The greetings were from the True Friend and Curvy Verses sets but and wording could be used depending on the occasion.
Have a play - it's great fun!

Thanks for looking

Tricia -x-

Distress and recess

A couple of cards with a recess for the greeting using my favourite technique of the moment, distressing inks! Splitcoasters tutorials are fab, and seeing this one during the week, I just had to give it a go! So useful for all types of card and so easy to make in different sizes. Check out Splitcoasters for more details.

Thanks for looking

Tricia -x-

THIS POST WILL REMAIN AT THE TOP UNTIL 31ST AUGUST

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE POSTS

FREE RIBBON WITH ALL ORDERS OF £45 or more

1st to 31st August If you love Stampin'Up ribbon, take a look at this fantastic offer for August. If you spend £45 or more, or host a workshop with sales of £300, you will receive 2 reels of ribbon, absolutely FREE -

1 x Certainly Celery 5/8", poly twill (9.144m)

and 1 x So Saffron 5/8" grosgrain (9.144m)

If you would like to place an order and get your FREE reels of ribbon, just let me know by email

triciaablett@hotmail.com

Mondays needn't be so bad.........

.............when you are spending a few hours crafting with 4 lovely talented ladies who, like me, adore Stampin' Up. Thank you Brenda, Linda, Margaret and Jenny for a great morning!

These are the cards they created after we had played with different techniques including distressing and resist , and lots of hints and tips for for variations on the theme. I could have played all day!

I have more workshops arranged over the next few months, with a few spaces available. If you are interested, please contact me triciaablett@hotmail.com

Saturday 5th September CARDS FOR MEN

Saturday 19th September CHRISTMAS CARDS - quick cards to get you started!

Saturday 31st October CHRISTMAS CARDS - luxury cards for those special people!

Morning and afternoon sessions available.

Don't forget SATURDAY 3RD OCTOBER is 'NEW STAMPIN'UP CATALOGUE' LAUNCH.

So if you're local to Rushden, and would like to see what's new, and have a play with some of the new crafting goodies, please come along between 10am and 4pm to see what's on offer.

FREE PRIZE DRAW -

1 ticket for every £10 you spend in the new catalogue

1 bonus ticket if you spend £25 or more

1 ticket if you bring a friend who's new to Stampin' Up

Refreshments and 'Make & Takes' all day.

Please contact me for venue details.

I look forward to seeing you.

Playtime

Just a quick post before I go out for the evening. This was inspired by watching some You Tube videos by Thinking Inking, Jenny McGuire, who uses Distress inks. So knowing I had bought a thousand luggage tags about a year ago, I thought I would have a play. And here's the result! Quite pleasing I thought.
Obviously, I have about 30 other tags which I have 'played' with but this is the one I chose to make into a card.
A load of sponging (my fave technique of the moment!), a bit of spritzing, sponged ink onto some 'nasty' colour, but nice shaped flowers, folded a flower in half to make a different shaped flower, a pleasant Sizzix die for the leaves (scored for the veins) and lovely Stampin'Up sentiment stamped and matted on Chocolate chip.
All of this card could be made using Stampin' Up refill inks so that is my next move, as it would have been so much quicker and easier to co-ordinate the colour scheme.
Hope you like it, and thanks for looking.

Tricia -x-

Live your dream

Just a quick picture of a card which was put together very quickly. Inspired by SU Monica using this particular stamp for one of her techniques in the Stamp With Us Summer online classes (a must for you all - they are fab!). Plus, I had a new Martha Stewart punch which I had tried out on a scrap of SU Regal Rose cardstock.
And not wanting to waste it, I made this card.
A little tip I thought of whilst making it, was the greeting I had stamped on Whisper White and punched with the SU Oval punch, needed to be mounted on a larger oval - which I don't have! So to get the effect of such, I punched another oval (same size) in Regal Rose, cut it in half, and then stuck it behind the WW leaving a gap on the reverse, but giving the impression of using a larger oval punch. Try it and see if it works for you.

Thanks for looking.

Tricia -x-

BLOG CANDY CLOSED....and the winner is......

Thank you to everyone who visited my blog and those who became followers over the last week or so, and entered the Blog Candy giveaway.
My daughter has chosen a number by text message, having no idea what I am talking about!! And the number she has chosen .... is comment.....no.........

28

So Carrie I think it's you!

If you would like to send me an email with your address, I will get these little beauties and cuties , in the post to you.

triciaablett@hotmail.com

From the response to this candy, I can see that there are lots of you who would love to have been the winner. So with that in mind, I shall be offering more candy very soon.

Keep dropping by, so that you don't miss the chance next time.

Tricia -x-

*/#*<^ *IT'S MY BLOG BIRTHDAY * */#**#^

***BLOG CANDY***

Just realised that it is actually my 1st birthday at

~Victoria May Cottage~

How would you like to win 100 assorted stamped images , stamped with Stazon, onto good quality white card PLUS 20 sheets of the same weight card ? There will be a good selection of hAnglars, Tildas and Anyas to name but a few.

What you have to do to be in with a chance of

winning is easy.

Just pop a link to my blog in your sidebar, then

leave a comment to let me know that you have

done that.

I would love you to be a follower on my blog but it is not essential to take part in my candy giveaway. Just makes it easier for me to visit your blog - hehe!!

The candy ends on Sunday 9th August at 9pm.

The winner will be drawn on Monday 10th August

and the winner will be posted on my blog.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE.

Tricia -x-

Last post of the day....

Just one last card for the day. On the same theme as I just found another piece of card that I had embossed earlier. So a bit of sponging again, trying out a few different colours together.
Started at the bottom with Mellow moss, into Barely Banana to So Saffron, followed by Almost Amethyst into Lavender Lace to Lovely Lilac, finally using Bordering Blue into Night of Navy.
I must say how fantastic SU Whisper White card takes all the colours and blends do well, whether you are using inks or chalks and sponging, blending or brayering.

That's all for this weekend folks.

Thanks for looking.

Tricia -x-

Brayering and Masking

Whilst looking at You Tube this morning (in the early hours having been woken by my mobile - a text from my DD who's in Tenerife at the mo, telling me how much she loves me! , probably a little too much pop I think, as both sons had also received the same message, at the same time - bless her!!) I watched a brayer tutorial and here's my version. A LITTLE MORE PRACTICE ME THINKS!!
But, all created on one layer of whisper white by masking and reverse masking, the centre panel is brayered and the outer edge is sponged by masking the sunset panel. I have made slits in the uninked edge to slot the ribbon through and added a bow, using SU Close to Cocoa grosgrain, with a glue dot.

If you have time to leave a comment, please do, as it makes it so easy

to go visit your blog!

Thanks for looking.

Tricia -x-

My first attempts with a brayer.....

My latest acquisition from Ebay - Upsy Daisy. I do hope it will be in the new Stampin' Up catalogue in October. Not too long to wait now, and then we shall know. You'll probably notice that I haven't actually use a brayer for all three. Top right and bottom, I did use the brayer with Adirondak ink pads that have a range of colour in each pad. This certainly makes life easy where the colours blend, but I definitely need to practice my technique efore showing ithers how to use one. However, the overall result will be well worth the time spent practicing. The flowers were stamped with Versamark and covered with SU black embossing powder, and heated with the heat gun. I must say that SU black embossing powder is by far, the best black embossing powder I have ever used. Absolutely awesome - very fine for the detail and gives a beautiful glossy finish when heated.

This was actually my first go at using the stamp and I decided to spong the background using Olive Green, Pumpkin Pie and Ruby Red. I like using this technique, just building up the intensity of colour as you like. And so much easier to blend the colour change. But I will persevere with my brayer - I will!

Thanks for looking.

Tricia -x-

Saturday Stanpin' Up workshop

What a lovely day we had! Two groups of lovely ladies came to my 'Crazy for Cupcakes' workshop yesterday and created these 3 cards, each using different techniques but using the one stamp set. And you can see how versatile it is, although there was far more that I could have showed them but time never allows!
This is the 'Step fold' card made with Pretty in pink and Close to Cocoa cardstock, Sweet Always DSPs, oval and oval scallop punch. The cakes were coloured using aquabrushes to pick up the colour from inside the ink pad lid after squeezing when closed.

This standard fold A6 card showed how the scallop edge border punch can be used to make a curved scallop edge. So ingenious, yet so simple when you know how! Joanne on ILWS has made a great tutorial on how to do this - and it save sme trying to put it into words!. So why not take a look on this wonderful, friendly and helpful forum.

And a gift card holder. So useful with the internal pocket for you to place your gift, whether it be a £50 note (oh yeah!), gift voucher or what about a lottery ticket for a Christmas pressie?

Here's the inside.

And again!

Thank you to all the ladies who made the day such fun.

Thanks for looking.

Tricia -x-

Sunday is playtime!!

Today I felt like making a batch of quick cards when you don't really have to think?? Hoping that the mojo returns whilst peeling back the double-sided tape, and thinking about what I'll be making next. Do you ever feel like that?
During the week I saw the Bind-It-All being demoed, so I wanted to use that. Then I saw Barbara Gray using her brayer - stunningly!! - so I wanted to try that out. But with so many other priority tasks, I haven't had the time. That's why these little cuties were the order of the day. I couldn't NOT use some SU products, so there's some sponging with SU inks and edging the toppers with SU inks, SU buttons and ribbon and some background stamping.

And the odd peel-off!

Hope you like and thanks for looking!

Tricia -x-