SPINNER CARD - SNEAK PEAK SHOOTING STAR

 

I haven't made Spinner cards in years but this new set from the new catalogue (out soon, honest) lends itself to one I think.  I'm not a great lover of insects - butterflies I can do and I suppose bees just about but nothing else and I really wasn't sure when I first saw this set called Shooting Star.  But.... I belong to a card swap with the Pootles team on Facebook and Mandy Barton send me her card using this set.  It just goes to show that sometimes seeing it used can inspire you.  She had used the bees on her card and I decided I quite liked the little fellows.  After all, we so desperately need bees and maybe we could use our cards to help the plight of the bees.  Just a thought!

Its a lovely day here in Hampshire today - the sun is shining which is unusual for a Bank Holiday in the UK.  Not sure how long it will last cause yesterday we had hail stones.  April weather - don't you just love it.  Hubby has gone fishing on the river Test so brown trout for tea this evening.  We get so much trout I'm always on the look out for new recipes.  If you have any - do let me know.  One of the things I used to like to make was trout pate but now I'm dairy free this is a bit more of a challenge - I could try it with Goats but not quite sure how that would work out.  Here's out rescue cat Jet being very interested in the last lot of trout hubby caught!

• 75g unsalted butter
• 170ml carton soured cream/ craime fraiche
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 fillets (about 400g) hot smoked trout or normal trout

1. Warm the butter in a large bowl in the microwave, until just melted. Beat in the cream, lemon juice, a little salt and plenty of black pepper.
2. Roughly flake the fish straight into the bowl (checking for any bones). Mix in gently to keep some texture. Cover and chill.
3. Take out of the fridge 20 mins before serving.

SNEAK PEAK - IN COLOURS 2016/17 PAINTER'S PALETTE

 

Another little sneak peak from me today showcasing all the new In Colours for 2016/17 -  in all their glory they are as follows:

Dapper Denim, Emeral Envy, Flirty Flamingo, Peekaboo Peach, Sweet Sugarplum.

The Stamp set is going to be one of my favourites I think called Painter's Palette - a mixture of 9 stamps with great background stamps, sentiments and a wonderful artist's easel.

I'm going to enter my card into Watercooler Wednesday's challenge this week.  I was very pleased to be given another Honorary Mention by them for last week's challenge for my spring card.  This week's challenge is Anything Goes and you can find the challenge here.

 

Happy Crafting

SNEAK PEAK SHOOTING STAR

 

A little sneak peak from me today for a stamp set out in our new catalogue in June. I won this set at SU Convention in Telford and really didn't think I would be able to do anything with the stamps in it.  However, I've always fancied making a little luggage box/suitcase and I think these two stamps from the new set go so well.

Sometimes we need to get stamp sets that take us out of our comfort zone.  Especially as Demonstrators because its not always about what are our favourites but what our customers like.  So I'm going to have a play with some more of the stamps in this set and see what I can come up with.  There are 14 in the set so I should be able to  think of something. 

Dont' forget a lot of our popular punches, stamp sets, papers and ribbons are on the retiring list - Get them before they go for ever.

BOTANICAL GARDENS DSP - HIDDEN BOX

I've used the Botanical Gardens Designer Series Paper to make this lovely little hidden box.  Sadly this DSP is on the retired list so grab it while you can.  There is a tutorial on how to make this box at on the blog - you can find the link on the menu above.

BOTANICS GARDEN DESIGNER SERIES PAPER....GOING ...GOING....

WASHI TAPE AND SNEAK PEAK

 

 At Convention in Telford we were lucky enough to get some samples of Washi Tape.  I haven't really ever used it so it was a good excuse to have a play.  I must say I actually love using it and have used it on a couple of cards recently.  I thought the various black colours would go well under some of our Black card stock.  The sentiment which has been embossed in white is a Sneak Peak from one of our new word sets.  I just love this sentiment and can see it being a firm favourite.  A touch of pearls and faux stitching with the Gel Pen completes the card.

SIMPLY SKETCHED SATURDAY CHALLENGE

 This is the sketch for this week's Simply Sketched Saturday Challenge.

 I used mainly Designer Series Paper for my card with just a bit of stamping.  I also used some Washi tape - my first time using it and I surprised myself how much I liked using it.  The paper is from the Botanical Garden Design Series - soon to be retired - which really surprised me.  I'm glad the stamp set and thinlets are staying as I've just bought those! I used the small sentiment from Banner Banter, also retiring.  Also a shame as I love these little sentiments.  A touch of Baker's Twine, yep you've guessed it ..... also retired.  I'm going to have to use up all my stash.

As usual all products can be purchased from my website.


    

 

 Pop along to all the other blogs taking part in our blog hop to see some great inspiration

A RIGHT ROYAL CARD

 

 Here in the UK it's Queen Elizabeth's 90th Birthday.  I thought I would do a Red White and Blue card to celebrate her great achievement.

I've used stamps from the Banner Banter Set, Perfect Pairings and Cupcake Party.  The banner punch and some Designer Series Papers in Regals.  Couldn't be any other colour really could it?

I've used the sketch sample from Hand Stamped Sentiments challenge blog for inspiration.  You can find the blog and the sketch here .

Simply Less is More challenge is asking for the use of three stamps - which I have done here so I'm going to pop this one into their challenge also.  You'll find them here

 

Unfortunately some of the stamps I've used are on the Retirement List so grab them while you can.

CREATING WITH CONNIE AND MARY

 There's a Sketch Challenge going on at Create with Connie and Mary.  You'll find the challenge here

I love joining in with challenges cause it really makes you think outside the box and sometimes crafting on your own can be a lonely experience.  You need other's ideas to get you going and give you some mojo.  Well, I do anyway!

This is their sketch

 



I only did a tiny bit of stamping for this and mainly played with papers.  Some of the Wildflower Fields DSP and some Botanical Builder dies.  I'm so pleased the Botanicals are staying in the new catalogue but it's such a shame that the matching DSP is going.  I need to start using it then!

The sentiment has been made with the Banner Banter set - another set and punch which is on the Retirement List which is a shame cause I love it for using small sentiments.

All products can of course be found on my website here or follow the links above to get to my shop.

SPRING CHALLENGES

There are a couple of Spring challenges around at the moment.


The Challenge over at Watercooler Wednesday is Clean and Simple Spring.  You'll find the challenge here

Oh heck - lots of white space - here we go again.  And I steeled myself to try and stick to the brief - but is there too much white space?

I used the lovely flowers from Serene Silhouettes - I'm so sad this set is being retired as its one of my favourites.  So if its one of yours too there's not long to grab your own set!  I used my SU markers to colour the stamp in three colours!

The Spring word is an old SU saying and it was embossed with old SU Old Olive embossing powders.

I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to old SU products.  I'm not strict enough to get rid of things when they retire.  These embossing powders I have hasd since 2003!!!!  And the Spring sentiment is from 2005 - you can't say I don't get my monies worth.  The products last and last.

To purchase the wonderful Serene Silhouettes stamp set before it goes - click here.  Don't forget to use the hostess code above to get a free gift from me at the end of the month.


I also found a new challenge The Paper Players - you can find them here .Their challenge is Clean and Simple (CAS) but with butterflies.  I've used the spring card from above and added a lovely cut out butterfly.  I  must admit I feel a little happier filling that space with something.  Guess I have a way to go for CAS to become my norm!

GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT

The Global Design Project challenge this week is a CASE of a card by Krista Frattin.
 


 I used some Designer Series Paper from the Wildflowers Series as the background for my card.

The gorgeous Botanical Builder framelit dies were used for the flowers  - I'm so pleased this is carrying over to the new catalogue as I've only just bought them!!!

A sentiment from Birthday Blooms cut out with the Banner Punch completes the card.  A few touches of Rhinestones just to add to the sparkle.

The flowers were also inspired from a card I received from swapping at Telford last weekend.

You can find the challenge here

All products can be found on my website here .  If you would like to place an order and its under £150 please use the Hostess Code shown on the right.  At the end of the month I will send you a little thank you for ordering with me.

NEW CATALOGUE

If you would like to reserve a copy of the new catalogue with all the fabulous new goodies drop me an email and I will add you to my list!

HAPPY CRAFTING

 

FIONA

SU CONVENTION - I HAD A BALL

I had a great time at Telford, Shropshire for the SU convention.  Met loads of people I'd only previously spoken to on Facebook.  Met my upline Sam Hammond.  Saw loads of inspiring crafts and goodies, not to mention the new catalogue, and got to play with some new stamps and came home with loads and loads of goodies thanks to Stampin' Up!  All in all a fab weekend and I highly recommend it for other Demonstrators who aren't sure about going.

Here are some pictures of some of the fabulous swaps I received

I made sour cream containers to swap - though I had a difficult time trying to get them to glue so I also did some card fronts

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY EVER FOR WEEKLY DEALS!!!

Sadly Stampin' Up! are stopping their Weekly Deal and today is the last day to get your hands on some discounted goodies.  Click on the link to be taken to what's on offer.

Its also that time of year when products retire - I know so sad.  So to see what friends are leaving us click on the image below.  Get them before they are all gone.

Happy Crafting

FIONA

THE COLOUR PURPLE - SERENE SILHOUETTES AND SU CONVENTION!!

 I seem drawn to the colour purple when making cards, which is quite strange because it doesn't really feature in my life in any other way but there's just something about purple cards.  This card was made after being inspired by something I saw on the internet but the finished card ended up nothing like the inspiration. 

The theme over at Global Design Project is Nature so this card fits the bill perfectly.

For a tutorial on how I made this card, check out my free tutorial page above.

I'm off to Telford, Shropshire on Saturday for SU's Convention - my first so am super excited.  There will probably be no more blogging until after Convention.  I'm looking forward to  meeting all my fellow Demonstrators, especially those of us in the Pootlers team.

Happy Crafting

WOOHOO!

I'm an excited little bunny today to find out I won an Honourable Mention over at Watercooler Wednesday for my Pleated Skirt Fold card.



Proudly displaying my badge!!!

LOADS OF STAMPS!!

   

I just had to have another go at the Watercooler Wednesday challenge - this time I was inspired by the lovely card by Gail Allen who in turn was inspired by something she saw on Pinterest by Sandi McIver.  I love the way ideas zoom around the internet.

I've been doing quite a few CAS cards lately so this was a nice change - Even though the actual image is still only one layer - there's lots on there.

I started with my aqua brush and an old SU colour Creamy Caramel with a touch of Close to Cocoa.  I don't have waterproof paper but plenty of glue has helped the paper to stay flat.  I then stamped the lovely flowers from Serene Silhouettes in Early Espresso and added some background image dots.  I then Heat Embossed the For You Sentiment with old SU embossing poweder in brown.  The other stamped images were stamped off in Early Espresso.  The hearts stamp from Birthday Blooms were embossed with white embossing powder.  I didn't use bleach on mine but just added touches of white with my Signo pen. The paper piercing doesn't really show up very well in the photo but is in the corners.  Layered onto Early Espresso card stock and then Very Vanilla completed the card with some sentiments from Perfect Pairings.



To be inspired by the Tic Tac Toe challenge visit Watercooler Wednesday here

ANOTHER CHALLENGE - PLEATED SKIRT FOLD CARD

The thing I love about doing challenges is it really helps to motivate you and send you in different directions.  I'm sure I'm not the only crafter to sit at their desk and think what can I do?  Especially if you have limited stash and seem to be using the same stamps over and over again.

I loved this new challenge blog I found - called Watercooler Wednesday - and this week's challenge was a Tic Tac Toe! Interested?  This is what they give us to work with and as in the game you can take three of the choices horizontal, vertical or diagonal.






I chose to try the third vertical box Fun Fold, Stripes and Any Shade of Purple.  My card uses the skirt fold technique and I've used the SU Designer Series Paper with the stripes on show and the scallop showing the flowering underside of the paper, all in gorgeous purple.  There is a touch of Pool Party on the card and the flower just to balance the purple a bit. 

To  make the skirt fold, I used a piece of Designer Series Paper cut  to 7 3/4" x 3". On the right side of the paper make a small  mark with a pencil 1.5" down from the top corner.. Along the bottom of the paper make a mark 3" from the left corner.  Using a paper trimmer cut the two marks to create the angle.  Score the paper along the long uncut side at 3" 3.5", 5 and 6 1/8".Simply fold the pieces as if it were an accordion.  You can glue them in place if to keep them secure.  Add to your card stock and decorate as you would like.  If you want more folds, add more score lines.

I love this challenge and may even try and do some others using different boxes.

You'll find the challenge here if you want to have a go.



Happy Crafting

ANOTHER CAS CARD - SERENE SILHOUETTES

I've done a few CAS cards now and am getting a bit braver about leaving lots of empty space and not many embellishments.  I've done another one to join in with CAS on Sunday, the topic of which is flowers!  I'm thinking though that this still isn't quite CAS enough.

I've used Whisper White as the base - the stamp has been inked direct to stamp with marker pens in SU Garden Green and Rose Red both for the flower and the sentiment.  Some backig papers in Always Artichoke card stock and Designer Series Paper for the scallop flower.

If you'd like to join in you'll find CAS on Sunday here

Happy Crafting

Fiona

MOSAIC CARD - BIRTHDAY BLOOMS

 I've made a mosaic card.  I don't know if that is a recognised technique or not but I had great fun doing it.  Although I must admit when I was about to cut the card up I did get a bit of a pang in case I got it wrong after all that colouring.  I numbered the backs of each piece as well so I wouldn't forget where they went.  I always did like jigsaws as a child!

I've used the rose from the Birthday Blooms set.  I used SU marker pens to colour the stamp so that I wouldn't get a black ink line around the flowers.  I used Always Artichoke, Elegant Eggplant, Rose Red and an old SU colour Creamy Caramel.  It was stamped onto Whisper White and a touch of Going Gray ink around the edges.  I then mounted it onto two lots of grey cardstock, Basic Grey and Smokey Slate.  A touch of white gel pen and Wink of Stella added a touch of sparkle.  Some of the gorgeous Organza ribbon and some diamantes to finish off.  The sentiment is from the Banner Banter set. I love how this turned out and think I'll be looking for good stamps to make more tiles
.
.I was pleased then to find a challenge blog which had this picture as inspiration.  I loved the floor tiles and thought my card could be considered tiled!  The challenge is called Time Out Challenges if you would like to play along - you'll find them here.












Happy Crafting

FIONA

SOUR CREAM CONTAINERS

 I've been quiet on my blog this week because I've had a bit of a domestic crisis and crafting was actually the last thing on my mind.  Yes, real life interferred.  Don't you just hate that?

Anyway I'm back but not with a whole hell of a lot!  Like most of the other SU demos in the UK I'm in a panic over what to do for my swaps for Convention!  Woohoo, next weekend in Telford we get to see the new catalogue and new products and get to play.  Its traditional at SU Conventions to take swaps of cards, projects, anything really and I knew months ago what I was going to do.  Sour cream containers.  Easy peasy you would think.  Nope.  None of the glues I tried would keep the containers secure.  The last thing anyone would want is an empty container with no sweets!  I even tried my hot glue gun and in the end had to admit defeat.

I'd made over a dozen - they'll come in handy for something but not Convention.

There are some good tutorials on Youtube on how to  make them but the are really simple.

Mine are 4.5" x 5.5" but you can make them any size.  Glue three sides.  Ha sounds easy doesn't it.  I used SU snail, Sticky strip, hot glue gun - must admit I didn't try SU Fuse cause I don't have any.  Maybe that would have worked.  Anyway glue three sides and bring the two longer sides together as though you are making a toilet tube.  Stick the one end together and if you have a crimper, crimp.  This is supposed to help them stay together and look good - I did have a crimper but it didn't make it stick.  Pop your goodies into the container and then close the opposite sides to make the twisted shape.  Voila!  Hopefully.

 So for Convention I'm being conventional and doing a card front! Using my favourite stamp set which is Serene Silhouettes and some inks. I'm doing a CAS style card as I'm loving those at the moment and I'm sure there will be lots of other SU cards with loads of embellishments on them.

Happy crafting.

Fiona

SERENE SILHOUETTES - GLOBAL DESIGN PROJECT

I'm playing along with the Global Design Project again this week and its a sketch.  For some reason I found this one very tricky.  Here's the sketch for us to work from and the Design Team did some fab examples.You will find the challengehttp://www.global-design-project.com here

After much hair pulling, paper choosing, paper rejecting, I chose to use ink! lol! Even though I have some new SU papers to play with I couldn't make a decision.  It must be a Monday Mojo thing - I always find Mondays difficult.  Is it just me?

I used Serene Silhouettes again, but this time the butterfly.  For some reason I don't use this as much as the others in the set and I thought it needed an outing.

As I've been challenging myself to do CAS cards I thought I would continue the theme with this one.

I used Mint Macaron, Pool Party and So Saffron for the background inks but they seemed to turn out a bit darker than I thought they would.  Cherry Cobbler was used for the butterfly and the sentiment.

Shh, say nothing but the buttons are from my stash, not SU!


I made myself stop there and leave the card as is.....no I didn't I added a Wink of Stella to the outside of the scallop and the butterfly and the flowers.  Then I left it alone!


Thanks for stopping by my blog - drop me a comment before you leave - I love to chat!

Happy Crafting!

BOTANICAL GARDENS DSP

I'm playing with paper and not so much with the stamps today and going to play along with Pixies Crafty Workshop challenge which is to use snippets of paper or ribbon. You will find the challenge here if you want to play along

I've just had a new order arrive of the gorgeous Botanical Gardens Designer Series Paper - I've seen loads of examples of this around the internet and on Pinterest. They are a gorgeous pack of papers - I'll pop the details below just in case you may not have come across them.

Sadly I can't play with the matching stamps or the thin lets yet because they are a birthday present and hubby has hidden them.  Yes even Stampin' Up! Demonstrators have to wait - and until May can you believe how patient I am.

So I've been enjoying playing with the paper.  I masked the area with Mint Macaron and it did come out a bit darker than I was hoping for.  The Perfect Pairings stamp set provided the sentiments and a touch of Mint Macaron dotted lace to finish.  I love this lace - might have to get some other colours soon.

All our designer papers are double sided - the hardest thing about them is actually having to cut them.  I know some crafters who just want to look and never touch!

CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO BE TAKEN TO MY SHOP

BOTANICALS GARDEN SERIES DESIGNER PAPER£10.00 12 SHEETS OF 12" X 12"

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HAPPY CRAFTING