Happy bank holiday weekend!

One of the new items coming in the brand new stampin up catalogue are strips of dimensionals that make making a shaker card so simple!

For this one I used Pacific point card to make the card base, then cut a piece of whisper white for the front and inked it with my dauber and Pacific point ink to make the stripes.  We used this technique at one of Lilian Withers classes a few weeks back and it’s such a quick way transform boring white card!  I stamped celebrate in real red multiple times on the stripes.

Next I punched a circle out of the decorated piece of Whisper white using 2″ circle punch. I punched a second circle out of acetate using the 2 1/2″ circle punch and also using the 2 1/2″ I did another one in whisper white to form the back.

Shaker cards are so much easier to make now with the dimensional strips! I adhered the Tombow to the back of the striped whisper white before sticking the dimensional strip around the edge.

I punched lots of little stars out using the star border punch put them inside the adhesive stripe before removing the backing and sticking down the final circle of whisper white which I had stamped the sentiment on. I finished off with bakers twin and then used pieces of the dimensional strips to adhere to the card front. You can’t use ordinary dimensionals as the new strips are a little thicker.

and there we have it!

Enjoy the rest of he bank holiday weekend!

Gillian x

I’ve had a super busy week and I’m posting this as I dry my hair and get ready for work, so it’s just a quick one!

This is a little 5×5 card, the base is blushing bride, and the whisper white is sitting on a rose red mat.
 
I’ve used the elegant dots embossing folder and the something for baby stamp set. I used an acrylic block to lift a little blushing bride ink from the pad and then used my wink of Stella pen like paint brush so I got a subtle wash of. Shimmery colour.  I finished with white binding ribbon and two itty bitty pearls.  
Have a blessed Thursday.

Gillian x

This week one of my customers asked me to make a card for her Dad’s 80th birthday. I always like to know a little about the recipient so she told me he liked Liverpool FC and horses.
Bearing in mind the copyright issues with football club crests I decided to justo on for red and white together.
I’m very wary about copyright issues but I searched the wed and came across the perfect humorous picture to use.  The photograph can be attributed here:

http://www.horseracingphoto.co.uk”>horseracingphoto.co.uk</a> and is licensed under a <a href=”http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/” rel=”license”>Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License</a>.

Very kindly the artist lets others use it so long as it’s attributed to him! So a big Thank you! 

Anyway I used real red card stock and whisper white.  The rosette I made out of a retired stampin up designer series paper. I rounded all the edges and finished with real red cotton ribbon.

I was really pleased with how it turned out and it’s a perfect keepsake will look perfect in a box frame! 
   
   

That’s all from me for now… Feet up, movie on…. And relax! 

Have a great weekend!

Gillian x

It’s throwback Thursday, so looking back on the retiring catalogue from Stampin up and having been asked to make a card with the tap, tap, tap stamp set I realised how much I will miss this wee set.  It’s not one I’ll part with but I’m going to have to be quick if I want to use it in class.

It’s a fabulous fun stamp set and so versatile, easy to make cards for men or women.

  
This one is nice and girly.  The card base is Melon mambo, then a layer of very vanilla and some lovely DSP which is also retiring! 

I stamped the image in memento tuxedo black ink and use a chalk marker to make areas pop. I then cut outa. Extra piece for the paper and made it curl… Just the way paper used to when you used a type writer…. I can’t be the only on old enough to remember that…. Right???

Anyway I stamped the tap, tap, tap in melon mambo. The happy birthday is from endless birthday wishes and was just perfect in size and font. It’s stamped in basic black… Oh and a little bit bling for good measure.

And there we have it a perfectly cute girlie birthday card!  

   
Oh and don’t forget to dress your envelope…. Naked envelopes are so boring! 

Catch you later
G x

My class ladies asked if we could do a love themed class this week, just so they can build their stock of well love theme cards.

To me when I think stampin up and love the bloomin heart die is my favourite go to in the current catalogue and I’m so thankful it has made the cut to the new annual catalogue which launches on 1st June! 

  
I saw a little gift bag similar to this on Pinterest, typically there was no blog link or dimensions so after a bit of faffing around and a couple of trial runs here it is.

It’s so cute and as you can’t give a gift without a card I made one of those to match!

  
The third project of the night used the timeless love stamp set add a bit of water colouring and this is what you get…

   
 
I’d love to claim this as my own but design credit goes to rubber fanatics, again from Pinterest.

I love how you can input a name of a stampin up set into Pinterest and within seconds you have glitter ally hundreds of designs. Perfect if you’re in a rush or have crafters block!

Right I gotta rush off now, Wednesday is the night I go and craft with my lovely friend Lilian Withers, perfect really she designs the projects and I get to craft without having to think of the idea! 

Catch you soon
Gillian x

Good Morning from Northern Ireland and what a lovely day it is today! 

Yesterday I was working on some orders for Etsy… Three separate orders for one card so may be onto a new favourite!

  
This card showcases the timeless love stamp set with the botanical die set from stampin up.  This photo doesn’t do it justice, whisper white card stock with gold glitter card is just beautiful. It’s finished with gorgeous pearl embellishments.

So two head to the Mainland UK and the other is winging it’s way to the USA.

This card folds flat for postage and what a lovely surprise for the recipient when they open it. This style of pop up card is definitely one of my best sellers and I never get bored making them! 

Speaking of which I’ve a few more cards to make and a class to prep for so that’s all from me…. For now!
Have a blessed day

Love Gillian x

So this weekend I gathered with hundreds of other Stampin Up demonstrators in Telford, England for the onstage local event.

What a hectic couple of days…. Made totally worthwhile firstly because of the company… I had the pleasure of travelling with a small group of Northern Ireland demos who are all fabulous…. Secondly I got a brand new catalogue. Everyone who went gets a catalogue before any other demos and we got to sample new products! I came away with I’m sure £100+ of fabulous new products and freebies. Sadly I can’t share yet but let’s just say they are all wonderful!!

On of the main activities is swapping. I made 60 swaps and came came home with sixty different ideas… Some of which are fabulous!

My lovely friend and up line Sharon also made me a beautiful silver beaded bracelet with a crystal star as we are part of a team called the Stampin Stars….it’s gorgeous!

I got a beautiful pen from another friend Lilian, and a much sought after shamrock pin from Clare. Clare is the head of the shamrock stampers. I’m an honorary member, although to be fair I didn’t really give them much choice in the adoption process!

Still no matter how fabulous a weekend away is its always lovely to get home and get the feet up….

My hubbie even did housework whilst I was away, although I’ve a funny feeling his idea of clearing up was to dump everything in my craft room… Photographic evidence below! My desk has all but disappeared!  This is not how I left it!

Anyway, I’ll be back again in a day or two…. After I clear a path to my desk!

thanks for dropping by!

love me xx

Tuesday evenings are craft n cuppa at my house. I have a lovely group of ladies that come…. I’m like a feeder… I’ve got them all addicted to stampin up and card making and we eat cake and buns and have a good ole natter. The craic as we say in Northern Ireland is mighty!

This week we used an old favourite, the swallowtail stamp from stampin up and the everything Eleanor set.

We made a beautiful vintage inspired journal, design credit to the wonderful Monica Gale!

The background paper is from the typeset pack and the colours used are crumb cake and sky blue, but it works just as well with pool party!

The butterfly is stamped in Versa mark and then embossed with the black embossing powder before being fussy cut!

My ladies hate fussy cutting…. Almost as much as they hate having to tie bows, so I love to torment them by including one or other in the projects! I am determined to get them all tying perfect bows!

Here’s a close up…..

We also made a card using the swallowtail stamp, I love the simplicity of this card. The image was stamped in staz on and then water coloured using pool party, island indigo and tempting turquoise. Mine is nice and subtle but you add as much depth of colour as takes your fancy.

I added one of the images from he new stamp sets timeless textures. It’s stamped in pool party but after inking I stamped on scrap before I stamped onto the card to make it very subtle. I then mounted it in island indigo before adhering it to the card base.

Anyway enough from me!

Night night Gillian x

Wonders will never cease… Two days in a row!

This morning I’ve been having a play with one of the stamp sets that’s was available during Stampin’up Sale a bration, the gorgeous flowering fields.

I just LOVE this set, and although it’s no longer available I just don’t want to put it away!

This card was stamped on whisper white card stock and layered on top of wild wasabi. The edges were distressed ever so slightly with one corner curled down.

The images were stamped randomly using the basic black archival ink before watercolouring in various shades.

As this was a personalised card I hand wrote the sentiment in wild wasabi ink and finished it off with a little strip of pearl embellishments.

To finish off (….. and I should have done this first) I inked up my watercolour background stamp with soft sky, stamped it on scrap paper before stamping on the card… You probably can’t see it in the photograph but it just softens the overall image.

I’m off to Telford at the weekend for a Stampin’ up event so I’m off now to finish my swaps!

Happy Stampin’

xx

I am officially the worst blogger…. In the world…. Ever!

So there have been lots of changes in the last year (or so).

Firstly a fond farewell to South Hill Designs, sadly their direction changed and there has to be a parting of ways. I met so many lovely ladies  (and gents) during my time with them and have definitely expanded my jewellery collection… Lots of which is now on sale at reduced prices!

This gives me more time to concentrate on my first love… Crafting.  And there have been a lot of changes here too!

I still make and sell lots of cards via my Little things Facebook group and I’ve added an Etsy shop.  I’m blessed to sell my cards worldwide…. Sounds very grand but I’ve had a few sales to America…. Japan and Dubai… So I’m sticking with worldwide!

I also now offer weekly or fortnightly classes in Newtownards. These are held Tuesday’s for the weekly, Thursday for the fortnightly.

And if that doesn’t suit I run larger project classes at the weekends every 4-6 weeks.

We craft..lots and chat…lots and eat cakes…lots!  Oh and I’ve passed my addiction of all things stampin’ up to most of my lovely attendees.

I am also happy to come to you for a workshop the cost is £45 for up to four people. Additional people cost £10 each extra.

So whether you want to buy a card or gift, or whether you want to make a card or a gift I’m here happy to take your call.

Happy crafting!