Stash!

Last week at card club one of my ladies, Jan, taught a class on how to make lovely Easter bunny boxes. I hid mine away once I got home, intending to give to my husband as a little gift, hidden so well in fact that now I can't quite remember where...

So the blog post I intended to make isn't possible, I thought I'd share my latest stash bargains instead. It's a bit long, feel free to skip it if you've just come to look at cards.

Okay so this first pic isn't quite stash as such, it was my Valentine's Day present. When I was younger I adored colouring in and can remember having these 'Altair' pads, my two older cousins were amazing at finding different patterns and I so envied them. By the time I was old enough to figure it out properly myself I had gone off it, as you do.

Anyway my husband, knowing I like messing about with paper and colours, found the Altair books on Amazon and presented me with this plus a tub of felt-tips. Apparently colouring-in is quite popular at the moment, I haven't made a start yet as it seems a shame to spoil the white-ness.

Now on to the proper stash. I am buying quite a bit at the moment but I do have a great excuse in that a lot of it is for the card club. The previous venue we rented meant that most of our subs money had to be spent on rent and now we have the luxury of a rent-free room. It just means that I have to stash-buy in two ways: one for my own personal use and one for the club, not always as easy as it sounds (we can't use anything that takes too long to dry for example so no texture pastes or similar).

I love WaltzingMouse stamps and really wanted this background set - Way Out West - as a companion to a set I already own. Definitely one we can use at the club and I bought at just the right time, receiving the smaller set as a freebie.

I was searching for a particular paper pad and found a company I haven't used before, Crafty Charlie, the Hero Arts calendar set was reduced and I thought it would be useful for my latest fad (shown a bit further down). The Prima stamp set was also reduced and I like the water-colour effect cards that I've seen lately on Pinterest so that fell in to the basket too.

This is the paper pad I was searching for, by Webster's Pages, and I just love it. Like the Altair colouring book above it reminds me of my youth, very 1980's style but brought up-to-date. There's two sheets of each design and the back of each is ombre shaded. I adore the little month panels on the right-hand corners, they'll be getting chopped for my new planner for sure.

Okay so this is my latest fad and the reason why I wanted the paper pad, too.
It's a Webster's Pages planner (very similar to a Filofax basically). Several weeks back we went out for the day and I visited a craft shop, anyway whilst paying for my stuff I noticed one of these planners at the till.
I had a good flick through and fell in love with it, but balked a bit at the £43 price tag. I thought I'd wait till we got home and then have an internet browse to find one cheaper (also didn't like the only colour they had left in the shop, orange-brown).

So, back home did a Google search and found that actually these planners are HUGE at the minute, the more I looked the more blog posts I found with them on. Of course I am such a sheep I knew I really needed one! They are so pretty but also I have found the last few months, because of various things going on, I am just not as organised as I used to be and it's been bugging me (like not being able to find the Easter bunny box I made).

Pretty and practical? oh yes, sign me up right now.

The only problem I had was that most places have sold out of the things. Literally the only place that had them in stock was Create & Craft, at £40.

I looked at US sites too, but still couldn't find one in stock, I was debating whether to just splurge the £40 and get one but I was debating it because I wasn't sure if a non-leather planner was worth that much, I mean we were just about in April so a good chunk of the diary inserts would be out of date already.

But then again, pretty is pretty...

I left it a few days to mull over and then, last Thursday, noticed that Create and Craft were having some sale shows on that day. It didn't mention Webster's Pages on the TV schedule but I thought I'd have a look at their website anyway. The planner kits, were £40, now reduced to £20 (even cheaper if you're one of their members, I'm not).

You can imagine how quick my fingers were buying one!
Anyway it arrived -- I love it -- then obviously decided I needed some more paper for it, oh and some cute paperclips, and some washi tape and of course the matching folio case...
I have actually just discovered that there is a whole planner world out there: lots of stuff on YouTube, Etsy etc, who knew?

After all that, I mentioned these gorgeous planners to a crafty friend, she had a look on Create and Craft the other day and they'd gone back up to £40. I had a sneaking suspicion that they might just reduce them again, for the Easter weekend (or maybe for their birthday shows in a few days) and they have, back down to £20 again.

The teal colour I bought has gone but, still a really good reduction, especially given that the planners are sold out completely just about everywhere else. The cheapest place I have seen (but sold out) is charging £34, so the C&C price is excellent, if you're a stationery-loving crafter you so need one. Actually if you're a Project Life fan I think one of these would be really useful as you can keep a selection of PL journalling cards in your planner ready to complete. There, I've enabled you, buy one.

That's the rest of my day spoken for, I have some planning to do. I can't wait to get stuck in and start personalising this, chopping up that matching paper and attaching my washi and paperclips.


Happy Easter!

Congrats

Butterfly die is Spellbinders, I've added drops of Enamel Accents to the body
Sentiment die is by Cuttlebug

Birthday Wishes

Tonic scalloped square die. Sentiment stamp is by Phill Martin, stamped in purple not the faded black it appears here, and what looks like mustard card stock is actually lime green...
The flowers are Prima and I've added some beads to the centres, on my last post I used some beaded trim and these were the ones that dropped off as I cut it.

(I apologise to anyone looking at this who suffers from trypophobia)

April

Made for a friend whose birthday is in April, the panel and most of the papers are Graphic 45
The star paper is SU and I've coloured it by dabbing over with an ink pad.

The sentiment is a Tonic die, I've cut and layered it four times, and glazed with Glossy Accents.
Card is 8 x 8 inches.

Celebrate

Sue Wilson striplet die. I backed the die-cut with adhesive sheet before covering with gilding flakes and then scrubbing off.

Celebrate die is by Sizzix.

Tilda

Last week's project at craft club.
All papers are by Tilda
Embossing folder by Sizzix, we brayered the folder with ink before embossing for a subtle two-tone effect.

Hello Sailor!

We made this card at craft club yesterday.
The sentiment stamps are Waltzingmouse and the shell stamps (just about visible, we stamped in Versamark) are by Hero Arts

We attached the navy card to the card-blank just using masking tape and cut a hole through both using a circle Nestie die. Then we removed the navy card, did the stamping and heat embossing, and then adhered a small piece of acetate over the hole.

The navy card was then fixed to the card-blank, the same circle die plus one two sizes bigger used to cut silver card to make the porthole.
The gems were a last-minute decision, we didn't want to make it too fussy but decided the gems looked like rivets or whatever they are called.

The anchor is a Memory Box die and this was glued to the inside of the card.
Some more stamping of the Hero Arts shells to finish.

All The Best!

I can't quite believe it, that given how many hundred of stamps I own, I don't actually have a "Good luck in your new job" sentiment. I could only really find two basic "Good Luck" stamps in my stash and they weren't suitably sized for what I needed.

I ended up using an "All The Best" greeting instead, I'm sure the recipient won't mind.

I've brayered blue ink directly on to an embossing folder before placing a piece of white card inside and rolling it through the Cuttlebug.

Mother's Day

I was so pleased to be able make this card for my mum for Mothering Sunday this year.

A few days after Christmas, through absolutely no fault of her own, she was knocked down by a car (someone reversing from a driveway said 'he did not see' my mum and dad standing on the pavement). My dad was okay but my mum took the full impact and was thrown onto the road, she suffered injuries and has had other health complications since but we are so grateful she is still with us.

Now you know why I had not much time or inclination for crafting and blogging through January and February!

The card is 8 x 8 inches.

I used a grand Nestie circle die to cut through the front of the card, and the same die to cut a sentiment panel for the inside. Then I cut a scalloped circle out of purple card, put the plain circle die inside that and cut again.
So basically the sentiment panel is glued inside but visible from the outside.

The 'mum' stamp is by Papermania and the other is SU.
Patterned paper is Tilda, leaves die is Sue Wilson, and all flowers are Hobbycraft.

Thinking of those who find Mother's Day difficult.xx.

Birthday Blocking

All papers are SU
Sticker is Pebbles

Birthday

This is very unlike me - actually making a card days in advance and not the night before it's needed.

It's for someone whose birthday falls on St Patrick's Day so the Graphic 45 paper is perfect, I just needed to chop and re-arrange it to make sure the appropriate panels were visible.
I can't remember actually buying the paper so assume it was a magazine freebie.

I've used a Sue Wilson stitched tag die, Clearly Besotted sentiment dies, and SU Gorgeous Grunge stamps. The card is 7 x 7 inches.

Congratulations

Papers are Stampin' Up! I've over-stamped using a shell stamp by Hero Arts
Sentiment sticker is by Pebbles

Botanical Tea

This was our class card last week.
Everyone chose their own colours and patterns from a selection of 'Botanical Tea' papers by Graphic 45, so each card was similar in style but different.
We made the large tags, stamped the sentiment (Waltzingmouse) and used SU Gorgeous Grunge stamps for a bit of splat action.

Best Wishes

Last week's project at card club, peacock paper is Bo Bunny and the scallop die is by Tattered Lace.

The sentiment stamp is Hero Arts and we used a combination of ink and a Whisper brush marker to get a two-tone effect.

One of my ladies has been making up some kits for the class to use; patterned paper plus co-ordinating card-stock, ribbons, buttons etc.

I buy the products from her and then think up the project. It is a novelty for me because at the old card club everyone made what they liked, since we've been at Tesco (November) we do a class project every week instead.

I'm still trying to get used to having a more structured club. I have to be aware that everyone needs to use the same equipment so it can't be anything too time-consuming in that respect, plus we need to have enough of identical materials so everyone can make the same card (which isn't always as easy at is sounds).

What doesn't take so long at home, when there's just me using the rubber stamp or the die, turns into something else entirely when there's twelve people sharing. Fortunately the ladies have been very patient and forgiving of my slap-dash style!

All in all I am so pleased we had the opportunity to move from the old venue. I do miss my old regulars who felt unable to make the move, luckily some of the ladies did stick with me, plus I have gained lovely new members. I'm very pleased to say our club is now full, I just need to think of enough projects to keep us going...

Thank You

"Thank You" for sticking with me while my blog has been inactive!

I'm still not back up to speed, walking or crafting wise, but slowly getting there.

This was a card we made at craft club yesterday. We used a Poppystamps die for the sentiment, cutting four times and layering up for a 3-d effect.
I have no idea what the difference is between Poppystamps and Memory Box dies as they seem to be the same company? Makes it a little confusing when buying online in any case.

The flower and leaf dies are by My Favourite Things/ Die-namics.

Explanation

I haven't abandoned my blog, I promise.

What happened is that I had an accident which caused some ligament injuries to my foot. I'm meant to be resting/ elevating it, sitting on a chair to try and make cards is not possible just at the moment, it's too painful.

The annoying thing is that I could be spending the time thinking about what cards I am going to make when recovered, but my head is not in the right place for that.

My other hobby is walking, we (husband and me) are steadily working our way through the Wainwright fells in the Lake District, the thought of my foot injury affecting that has been depressing me a bit I think. I wouldn't even mind if I'd done the injury whilst walking up a mountain, no, I slipped on some ice in our local town centre, so stupid.

It's still early days yet but I'm not used to being unable to get around and it's very frustrating to say the least!

Looking at other people's blogs has kept me entertained but I'm itching to getting back to crafting for myself.
Thanks for sticking with me, fingers crossed I'm back soon.xx.

Special Day

I bought my first JustRite stamps last year...and now seem to be a little bit addicted to them.
Nestabilities that have sat looking sad for a very long time are now seeing a bit of action at last!

When I first looked at JustRite I found them a bit expensive compared to other brands but recently they seem to have come down a lot in price, as have Spellbinders dies, so I've been snapping up some bargains.
(I've been too busy to craft/ blog but online shopping; I'll always find the time for that apparently)

The patterned paper here is 'Helen' by Melissa Frances.
The stamp is from 'Grand Birthday Sentiments', the dies are Labels One and Scalloped Labels One.

I inked through the die using Inkylicious ink dusters, it's more subtle than a foam applicator and gives a speckled effect. I like the 'solid' look you achieve with a foam applicator and distress inks, but the ink dusters are much quicker and easier to use, I think. No risk of the applicator lines that you can sometimes get.

Last of the Christmas 2014 cards

This was one I made with someone particular in mind, I knew it would be just their style.
The reindeer head was a wooden blank and I used several layers of pewter embossing powder before finally dabbing over with a charcoal ink-pad.

The background was white shimmer-card that I stamped with a large sentiment stamp from Chloe's Creative Cards and heat embossed white. Label dies are Spellbinders.

This next card is more or less identical to one I made for my parents, blogged last month, I just altered the colour scheme a bit (and the wording, obviously).

Deck The Halls

I'm late posting these, obviously, but they might inspire for next year!

I used a Tonic die for the sentiment, off-set layering to make a shadow effect.
The embossing folder was a magazine freebie and I added Glamour Dust in places.
I ended up making several of these, some with gold layers and some with silver.

You Make Me Smile

Things have calmed down a little bit now. I'm not crafting every day but I need to get back in my routine!

This was the card we made at craft club today, although everyone did their own version; different colours and sentiments. It's lovely to see the variations and ideas, they are a fab bunch of ladies.

It's a 6 x 6 card-blank and we folded the left-hand side back on itself.
The sentiment stamp is from a Justrite set, paper is old SU.

I seem to still be having issues with my photo editing, I've switched from Microsoft to a MacBook and you know what they say about old dogs and new tricks...

In memory of L.M. who often made me smile.xx.

No posts (again!)

Due to an unfortunate accident I am unable to craft or blog at the moment.
Hopefully back soon.