Thursday 10 March 2016

Taking time out


Do you find sometimes that life can be very hectic?

The last few weeks have been very busy, but over this last week I have taken some time out. I allowed myself a day away from my desk on Sunday as it was Mother's day and today I took some time out to have lunch with my sister and my daughter.

I spend a lot of time promoting craft supplies and techniques and encouraging people to take some time out for themselves, to relax and to unwind. I am a huge advocate of "Me time" and the importance of looking after yourself so that you are in the right place to look after all those others that are dependent on you.
So today I make no apologies for giving you a smiley selfie of ladies that lunch, instead of a project I have been working on.

What are you doing to set aside time for yourself? And is there anything I can help you with? Perhaps a day out of the house at a relaxing workshop would be just the ticket for you.
Check out the list of classes and workshops available, or contact me if you would like to arrange something for yourself and a group of friends.

Helen

Tuesday 8 March 2016

Really cool embossing technique

I promised you a couple of weeks ago that I would be bringing you some more techniques for your textured impression embossing folders. 
This is a really cool technique I discovered whilst trailing through pinterest and you can find a video Here.

You first emboss wax paper and then sandwich it between 2 pieces of glossy card (shiny side touching the wax paper). Cover it with tin foil and then iron.This creates a wax resist on the glossy card and you get a negative image on one piece of card and a positive image on the other. The wax paper c.an only be used once
I then used a brayer to apply ink all over the background and the results were beautiful. This one does come with an inky finger warning - but that never bothers me.
Here are a couple of cards I created using this technique for the background:




And here are some other backgrounds:



You need to choose an embossing folder that has an all over image to get the best results.

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

This seems like one of the only reasons you would want to get your iron out. Hope you have a go and have inky fun

Helen
xx


Saturday 5 March 2016

Oldie but goodie

This week's weekly deals feature some products that have been available for a while, but that doesn't make them any less wonderful. They are really useful and versatile additions to any collection. I have teamed some of the products along with something very new and sparkly to create a simple card.

The perfect pennants stamp set has some really useful sentiments, but this one has to be my favourite - "Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful" How true is that!!It also has both the stripey and the spotty long thin banner style stamps. I stamped the stripey one in island indigo to match the Card and the dotty one I stamped onto crumb cake card with versamark and heat embossed with gold powder.
I cut the sentiment out using one of the dies from the chalk talk set. Again lots of really useful label shapes in this set and the holes to go at the top of your label to thread your ribbon/twine through).I edged this die with my gold wink of stella pen. I am loving these pens.
The background mat of card I passed through my big shot with the decorative dots textured impressions embossing folder.
When I came to put the card together, I used a crumb cake notecard and adhered the embossed mat on to it. I laid down a banner of the self-adhesive gold glitter tape that has been added to the free gift offerings for sale-a-bration. It comes in a pack with silver and white glitter tape and it is beautiful. I then put my spotty and stripey banners either side. I added wisps of gold thread to the back of the sentiment tag before attaching it with a dimensional.
The final addition was some balloons. I stuck some more of the gold tape to some card before punching out 2 balloons and then I punched a third balloon from crumb cake card. These were adhered to the corner of the card, with the gold balloons raised on dimensionals.
The fourth item in this weeks weekly deals is the neutrals envelope paper. This is a collection of lightweight paper in kraft, white and very vanilla that you can use to create your own envelopes on the envelope punch board. It is ideal if you have created a card that is not a standard size and well worth stocking up whilst it is reduced. I certainly have it on my radar this week.


Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.


Don't forget you have until Tuesday evening to get your order in for this weeks weekly deals. They all change at 11pm.

Have a fab weekend and I hope all you Mums get just a little bit spoiled this Sunday.

Helen
xx

Thursday 3 March 2016

Enjoy the Little Things


Stampin' Up do some fabulous kits and my home is decorated with a few of them. I really do love this "Enjoy the little things kit"

It comes with the A frame blackboard style easel that is very sturdy, so it stands beautifully on my bookcase in the hall.

Like all Stampin' Up kits, it arrives packed with all the paper, card and embellishments you need to create the project, it just needs the accompanying stamp set, adhesive and ink to add the finishing touches.


There are 13 different card fronts that you can create and then display on your frame as the year goes around. Some are seasonal, some inspirational. 


Cotton paper flowers, wooden arrows and gold glimmering confetti.


A Christmas tree, autumn acorns and wooden banners.


Cups of tea, feathers, enjoy every moment and dream big.

Balloons, butterflies and then just be!

You can make a kit to adorn your own home, or make one up as a gift. the kit comes in a box ready for you to wrap up. If you have crafty friends, the kit along with the stamp set would make a great gift.

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

If you would like to get together with a group of friends to make one of these, I can bring along the stamp and ink. Just contact me for details.

In the meantime ensure that you always enjoy the little things, because they often turn out to be the big things.

Helen
xxx





Tuesday 1 March 2016

Out of the blocks

We do occasionally like to get really messy on a Monday morning - and inky fingers are guaranteed when you start playing with ink and water spritzers.
We used the same technique for all these beautiful samples (you can tell I had fun with this technique).

You first need to add colour to one of your acrylic blocks (you will spot a variety of shapes and sizes of blocks). The colour can be scribbled on with your stampin' markers, or daubed, sponged or patted  on direct from the ink pad. Next you need to spritz the block before stamping it on to your card to take a print of it. You are never going to get the same effect twice. You get a better effect on a smooth card, such as whisper white, than you do on watercolour card. You then need to leave it to dry, or speed up the process by giving it a blast with your heat tool.

Now to decide what to stamp onto your unique background.


"Hello" was stamped in archival black ink. Simple but effective. some silver thread, a small punched heart and a rhinestone finish off this simple card.

A big block for a big stamp. I used versamark and black embossing powder on this one.


Another black embossed image.


Neutral shades were used on the block for this one and I then spritzed the foliage stamp and just stamped with the water to create the faux bleached effect. The bird was stamped in black archival and some colour added with a blending pen. I love this one.



The colour pens I used were chosen to create a scenic background for this card. A simple black silhouette stamp on top and the addition of some background paper and twine.

A long block for this one, with a long stamp to match and some blobs from gorgeous grunge. I inked the edges to finish off

This card is different, in that it was created using leftovers. After inking the edge of the card above I had ink on my mat. I spritzed the ink and mopped it up on my piece of card. I added in some blobs using the ink left on my gorgeous grunge stamp. I then stamped the flower and greeting in versamark and embossed in gold.


Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.


I hope you feel inspired to get spritzing and get messy.
Have fun

Helen
xx