Flowering Fields Stamps and Wildflower Fields Papers

Who doesn't love a bargain?  I got the following papers and stamps for free from the Stampin' Up Sale-a-bration promotion.  Spend over £45 from any of the current catalogues, or even the clearance rack, and get an item for free. And there is no difference in the quality or quantity either - still the fabulous quality that I love about Stampin' Up!

Well I need a lovely birthday card for my big sister so I got to task with these goodies and some coordinating products and came up with this:

Blackberry bliss and mossy meadow are my two favourite colour combinations at the moment!  So pretty.

I also made a gift bag with the lovely matching papers:

Hope you like them!

Helen x

Product List

Flowering Fields Clear-Mount Stamp Set

[141303]

Wildflower Fields Designer Series Paper

[141022]

2014-2016 In Color 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock And Classic Ink Pads Kit

[133673]

2014-2016 In Color Stampin' Write Markers

[133654]

Gold Metallic Thread

[138401]

Window Word Punch

[119857]

Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock

[140490]

Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack

[133787]

Rhinestone Basic Jewels Embellishments

[119246]

Happy Blooming Birthday

I'm loving the big blooms stamps at the moment!  How's this for a pretty birthday card?

I think it is a rhododendron, which I love. Reminds me of the ones we had in our garden as a kid (although I think we spent more time making dens underneath them than admiring the pretty flowers!). Coloured with inks and blender pens which gives such a delicate effect. I'm seriously into the Sahara Sand card I used for the base of the card. A really lovely base card which goes really well with the purples.

This was sent off to Nicky my 'upline' in Stampin Up who got me started on my Stampin Up journey and answered all of my many questions so patiently! Hope she likes it and I hope you like it too :-)

Helen x

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Swallowtail

I'm going to let this card and stamp just speak for itself.  The stamp is just stylishly stunning, and really quite huge!  Hence why I've barefly fit half of it on an A6 card.  And I didn't even stick a sentiment on it as I didn't want to distract from the beautiful image. But I still love it as it is...

Hope you like it too!

Helen x

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

70th Wedding Anniversary - Platinum

I got a commission this month - well two really.  One of my best friend's parents-in-law were celebrating their 70th Wedding Anniversary.  Well first we had to look it up and apparently it is Platinum, and secondly you can't find many cards out there for a 70th Wedding Anniversary (or any for that matter).  Imagine how special it must be to celebrate 70 years! So it gave me chance to totally personalize the cards - one from the two of them, and one from her dad. Their's had to take centre stage with the one that they sent off for from The Queen so I knew it had to be special. So I did a bit of research and found out that the lovely bride had pink roses in her bouquet on her wedding day in 1943, and so along with platinum theme this is what I came up with:

It is quite a large card - 8"x8", custom made from Centura Pearl in Ivory, which has such an amazing sheen to it.  The roses are Anna Griffin decoupaged stickers, which I formed into a wreath, overlain on a Anna Griffin background paper, punched in a circle, and accented with Platinum Liquid Pearls (this months obsession!). The sentiment is bespoke as well! Here's a little close up.

Well of course such a special card wouldn't go in any normal envelope so out came the boxer board as well:

 

I completely forgot to take a picture of the insert but I had found a very special Christian-themed verse online which was perfect for them. Apparently the special couple were over-the-moon with the card, especially the effort that Jane had made in getting it so personalised.  There is no greater compliment to the crafter than the giver and the recipient both being pleased with the results. Probably not my usual simple style but you have to adapt to those in a different generation don't you?

The second card was a smaller card just focusing on the platinum theme.  This was definitely a good stash buster - card blank I've had for ages, a ribbon offcut, and bead embellishment from who knows where, and scraps of cards punched out for the sentiment. But doesn't it look elegant?

I hope you like them.  Sorry most of the photos are on a funny angle.  I must have had a wonky head that day, and trying to fix on the computer was making the pics blurry so you'll have to tilt your heads too to really appreciate them :-)!

I've got another couple of dolly mixtures cards nearing completion so I'll be back with them soon.

Helen x

Time for spring

Don't you think it is about time for spring!  Well May Day started with frost here in Oxfordshire but the sun soon came out to play and it has been a beautiful day.  Really hoping it will last this time.  I didn't make it to May Morning in Oxford as it was just too early.  Missed sleep = a week of misery for me. So how about a little card sprinkled with the spring daisies that are starting to pop up in my lawn?

I started by creating a custom gatefold out of some A4 Kraft Card from CWC, as are most of the bits on this card.  The daisies are one of the Delightful Daisies wreaths cut out and split in half.  I used some flowers from the Privilege kit but also punched some out and added some from my stocks to jazz them up. I love the pink and green checks. So fresh and classy.  Here's a view to see them in a bit more 3D:

And then opening up the card to see what's inside:

And finally the full inside:

I've not made a gatefold card in such a long time and I actually really enjoyed it.  The papers are from the Colleen Dolly Mixtures pad - not a duff paper in the whole pack. Love them all. I've also been encouraged by some blog posts to get out the liquid pearls and stickles for accenting again. Love them!

Hope this card has brought a little bit of spring cheer to your computer.

Helen x

Delightful Daisies

 

So the name of blog kind of gives it away, but I kind of love daisies!  My favourite little flower especially the little tiny, find them in the middle of your lawn type.  Anyway, these daisies are probably never going to be found in your garden.  But they are crazy and colourful and cheerful which I love.  From Craftwork Cards of course.

 I used an 8x8 scalloped blank, and tried to make the daisies stand out which you can see from the side view. And again totally loving the buttons. So perfect for the flower centres.

So the daisies and dandelions in my lawn still need sorting but can't bear mowing them down. Well that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

I'll be back soon.

Helen x

Birdcages, bows and roses

I love the trend of vintage birdcages (even though caged birds make me sad) so when craftwork cards brought out some pretty little birdcage diecuts I had to indulge...  And this is what I came up with when the creative juices were in full swing:

I think this is one of the prettiest little cards I've made (not even going to try to be humble as I love it!).  I inked the birdcage with a flexmarker, shaped it so it was domed, and added some gorgeous little paper flowers, some punched leaves, and of course the obligatory ribbon. You can see how it is domed a bit better here:

This time the ribbon is seam binding that had been dyed subtle greens and pinks with distress inks.  I'm loving adding buttons at the moment, and if you are short on supplies HobbyCraft do a massive bag of odd buttons in their value range. The top patterned paper is Laura Ashley and the base hunkydory.

There is a bit of gorgeous washi tape behind the cage that you can just about see peeking through.

This was another card that was reluctantly given away but I know my friend would love it as she really appreciates all things pretty and handcrafted.  I need to get making some male cards as there has been an overabundance of twee on this blog for some time :-).  Hope you don't mind.

Helen x

More Everyday Cards

My crafting bug has been running on overdrive recently.  Like the previous post I've been trying to use up some prepared toppers.  Here are a few of the cards I have scrambled together. Always useful for the emergency box when I forget a birthday or need a 'thinking of you' kind of card!

Notice any recurring themes?  Green and pink perhaps, and always a bit nature inspired? At least it looks like I'm developing a signature style! Like Karen's blog is called Stamping in Pink maybe I should have been 'nature crafting with green and pink' - not that catchy though... Keep on the lookout for some crochet creations that might be appearing here soon as well. Yes there is another new craft creeping into my obsessions :-)


Let me know which card you like best if you have a moment. Love the comments!

Helen x

Another wreath - this time on a card!

Happy New Year everyone!  Hope you had a happy and healthy Christmas and New Year (unlike our family where the dreaded lurgy was doing the rounds...).

Karen was right when she said great minds think alike when we both made some wreath cards for Christmas. Unfortunately I forgot to take pics of the card I sent to her, but she has kindly sent some photos so I can get put up on my blog.

It is mainly made of Craftwork Cards products (by the way don't look at their sale section if you are trying to be good in the New Year!). The card blank, flowers, base for sentiment and card candy are all CWC. The leaf is from a Martha Stewart punch. Here's a close up:

The sentiment is an Anna Griffin stamp and I've added a tiny bit of bling as I know Karen loves it!

Plus here is the obligatory ribbon.

I was so pleased they like it and Karen blogged about it. You can see her card here.

Hopefully I'll get to blog more in 2013. Thank you to all the people who follow me and leave such lovely comments.

Helen x

Red and White Wreath

 

Very quick post to show you the wreath I made for my office door! Gone for a more Scandinavian feel in red and white papermania papers. A colleague has already posted it's pic on facebook and twitter so it must have gone down well :-)

Hope you like it.  The gold version on my house door will follow shortly.

Helen x