Can you guess what this little cracker is made from?

I wonder if you've spotted it? 

The cracker is made from punch outs from the extra large tag punch. This is one of the quick & easy cards that you could make a whole batch of in an evening. The stamp set used is one that I've now been using for the past three Christmas's so you could dais that it's an old favourite Season of Joy. This card also uses some of the 2011 / 2013 in colours Calypso Coral & Pool Party.

Until next time Happy Crafting

One more colour combination

Here are the cards using some of the fabulous in Colours

Ink

Baja Breeze

Daffodil delight

Pear pizzazz

Blushing Bride

Peach Parfait

Poppy parade

Concord Crush

Basic Grey

Cardstock

Whisper white

Baja Breeze

Daffodil delight

Poppy parade

Old Olive

Stamps

Season of Joy

Itty Bitty Bits

Afterthoughts { Hostess set }

Flower Accent

Simply Said

Tools

Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack

Stamp a ma jig

Itty Bitty Buttons

Basic pearls

1/2" circle punch

In Colours paper Stack

Technique 

Kissing Technique

You can now place orders from the new mini catalogue

Colour can make a difference to your mood

Like death and taxes, there is no escaping colour. It is everywhere. 


Yet what does it all mean? 


Why are people more relaxed in green rooms? 


Why do brides wear white?


Why do mourners wear black?

Black

Black is the colour of authority and power. It is popular in fashion because it makes people appear thinner. It is also stylish and timeless. Black also implies submission. Priests wear black to signify submission to God. Some fashion experts say a woman wearing black implies submission to men. Black outfits can also be overpowering, or make the wearer seem aloof or evil. Villains, such as Dracula, often wear black.

White

Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. White reflects light and is considered a summer color. White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. However, white shows dirt and is therefore more difficult to keep clean than other colours. Doctors and nurses wear white to imply sterility.

Red

The most emotionally intense colour, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme colour, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations. Red cars are popular targets for thieves. In decorating, red is usually used as an accent. Decorators say that red furniture should be perfect since it will attract attention.

The most romantic colour, pink, is more tranquil. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker rooms used by opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.

Blue

The color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colours. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms. Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.

Green

Currently the most popular decorating colour, green symbolizes nature. It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color. People waiting to appear on TV sit in "green rooms" to relax. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients. Brides in the Middle Ages wore green to symbolize fertility. Dark green is masculine, conservative, and implies wealth. However, seamstresses often refuse to use green thread on the eve of a fashion show for fear it will bring bad luck.

Yellow

Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic colour, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. It is the most difficult colour for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism.

Purple

The colour of royalty, purple connotes luxury, wealth, and sophistication. It is also feminine and romantic. However, because it is rare in nature, purple can appear artificial.

Brown

Solid, reliable brown is the colour of earth and is abundant in nature. Light brown implies genuineness while dark brown is similar to wood or leather. Brown can also be sad and wistful. Men are more apt to say brown is one of their favorite colors.

The Psychology of colour & it's impact on our thoughts is fascinating, but more importantly we see it everyday & seldom realise the impact it has on our day to day lives. By using a variety of colours in our projects we can often enhance the impact the project will have on the recipient.


So here are the same cards as the last two days using a different colour combination from the Colour coach

Ink

Daffodil Delight

Melon Mambo

Tempting Turquoise

Basic Grey

Cardstock

Whisper white

Daffodil Delight

Melon Mambo

Tempting Turquoise

Stamps

Season of Joy

Itty Bitty Bits

Afterthoughts { Hostess set }

Flower Accent

Simply Said

Tools

Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack

Stamp a ma jig

Itty Bitty Buttons

Technique 

Kissing Technique

You can now place orders from the new mini catalogue

Working With Colour

Having been a Stampin' Up demonstrator for just over 2 years I constantly hear about customers having problems with colour. We are all guilty of using safe colours, I know when I was making my Christmas samples last year were nearly all Chocolate Chip, Old Olive & Cherry Cobbler, beautiful combination but very safe.

122228 £13.50

In October last year Stampin' Up produced the Colour coach, a very simple concept but an amazing tool that will make you look at colours with fresh eyes.

Ink

Pumpkin pie

Rich Razzleberry

Old Olive

Basic Grey

Cardstock

Whisper white

Rich Razzleberry

Old Olive

Pumpkin Pie

Stamps

Season of Joy

Itty Bitty Bits

Afterthoughts { Hostess set }

Flower Accent

Simply Said

Tools

Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack

Stamp a ma jig

Itty Bitty Buttons

Technique 

Kissing Technique

You can now place orders from the new mini catalogue

Colour Challenge

Spring is approaching fast now and with it come the lovely colours that brighten our days. Today i decided to open my colour coach at a random page & then work with those colours.

Card 1

Ink
Pumpkin pie
Melon mambo
pacific point
Basic Grey


Cardstock
Whisper white
Pacific point
Melon mambo


Stamps
Season of Joy
Itty Bitty Bits
Afterthoughts { Hostess set }
Flower Accent
Simply Said


Tools
Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack
Stamp a ma jig


Technique 
Kissing Technique


Card 2

Ink

Melon mambo

Pacific point

Basic Grey

Cardstock

Whisper white

Pacific point

Daffodil Delight

Stamps

Season of Joy

Itty Bitty Bits

Flower Accent

Simply Said

Tools

Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack

Stamp a ma jig

Technique 

Kissing Technique

Over the next couple of days I will show you how colour can change the look of this card design with the help of the colour coach.


You can now place orders from the new mini catalogue

Sharing

v.  shar·ing,

v.tr.

1. To divide and parcel out in shares; apportion.

2. To participate in, use, enjoy, or experience jointly or in turns.

3. To relate (a secret or experience, for example) to another or others.

4. To accord a share in (something) to another or others: shared her chocolate bar with a friend.

As the words of the Stampin' Up song go "Share what you love & Love what you do"

On Sunday Myself, Sharon & Michelle attended a Passionettes training event in Peterborough. The whole day whilst Business training based is an opportunity to Share. Firstly a big thank you to Monica ( Head Passionette ) & Bekka for opening up your training events to everyone, it was so much fun.

We shared business tips as well as card making tips, we laughed & also swapped cards another way of sharing information at a gathering of Stampin' Up Demo's.

I think we should have a collective noun for a gathering of demo's. I was thinking a 'kindness' of SU demo's, what do you think I am open to suggestions of a suitable collective noun.

Well as last week had it's highs & Low's I didn't start my cards swaps until 4.30pm on the Saturday afternoon, so it had to something fairly simple and easy to mass produce. The theme was New Beginnings. I managed to make 30 swaps by midnight.

My Swap

So here it is ' The first Ice cream of Summer'

Cardstock

Whisper white

Crumb cake

Pink pirouette

Ink

Crumb cake

Rose Red

Melon mambo

Tools

Scallop circle punch

Mat pack & embossing tool ( texture on the ice cream )

Sponge daubers

Embossing board or the channel in the paper trimmer

We also had the chance to make 6 make & take projects, see demonstrations from talented fellow demo's.

I will post some pictures of my make & takes tomorrow 

Making time to blog surf

I'm having a kinda couch potato day today, I did have plans to clean the house from top to bottom in preparation for the Christmas decorations this coming weekend but I came home from work feeling kinda yucky, not ill but really yuck maybe my bodies way of saying " hey slow down there are still 23 days left until Christmas you don't need to complete everything in the next 48 hours".

So after completing the essential household tasks, today is a couch day & whilst sitting here I have come across some new blogs that weren't in my list. 

The first is Amanda's blog The craft spa where I found the most adorable little Christmas pudding table favours, now I have already made the Christmas day favours so I thought maybe Boxing day for these little beauties. So I hot footed it into my craft room to try making my own Christmas puddings. I am not good without instructions but these were surprisingly easy.

1. Soft suede card 10cm square

2. Scored at 3cm in on all four sides.

3. Cut a line into the creased line, one on each corner to make the flap ( dont cut them off completely )

4. Glue each flap & hold in place with a mini bulldog clip until dry.

This is the little box part of the Christmas pudding holder, ready to decorate.

5. Cut 2  x 13/4" circles from the soft suede, these will be the Christmas puddings.

6. Using a scrap piece of card punch assorted holes using the crop o dile, 1/4" circle, & 1/2" circle randomly but not adjoining.

7. Using the punched piece of card as a stencil take a sponge dauber & Chocolate chip ink pad & dab through the holes  on the two pudding shapes to make them look fruity, this can be repeated using a different colour.

8. From Whisper White card cut 2 scalloped circles & stick to the top of the Christmas puddings to make the dripping icing & trim. The bottom of the puddings will need to be trimmed to a straight edge.

9. Using a Two way glue pen & some Dazzling diamonds i glittered the edge of the icing, this is personal choice I love glitter with everything.

10. The holly berry is punched from real red card stock using 1/2" circle punch, cut one for each pudding.

11. The Holly Leaves are Old olive cards tock cut 4 small ovals from the card & using the small  heart punch using just the very top of the heart nip the pieces off the small oval to shape the Holly leaves.

12. Using real red ink pad stamp the Merry from the tint tags set onto Very vanilla card & punch with the Jewellery tag punch.

13. Assemble the holly at the top of the Christmas pudding & stick a pudding on the front 7 back of the small box.

14. The box is now ready to fill with a Lindor ball or a ferro Rocher chocolate.

The next site that I found is an Origami site which I have seen before but never ever attempted to make anything from, If you know me personally you'll know that I don't do Fiddly & I really struggle with anything that needs to be measured precisely.

But I decided to have a go at the Christmas tree that Alice showed me how to make the other day.

The Tree

The tree is folded from some of the papers from the Simply scrappin kit called Christmas Jingle, I have now made about 10 different projects from that kit & still have a whole load of the papers & stickers left, I cannot believe just how far those kits go.

The card is made up from a Crumb cake base, the matt on the card is whisper white & a piece of the patterned paper from the Scrappin kit again & the eyelet border punch.

The stamped swirls on the card are using the beautiful swirl from the season of Joy set, stamped in Versamark, heat n stick powder & Dazzling diamonds.

The Tree decorations are the spiky flower from the boho blossoms punch with little nicks cut between the petals to get the star effect. 

Tombow glue dotted in the middle & then dipped in Dazzling Diamonds.

The final site that really caught my eye I found by accident in pursuit of the instructions for the folded Christmas tree in the previous card I found Lydia's blog ( well at least I think that's her name ).

From the blog understandtheblue

Check out some of her cool ideas, would you have thought to use printed petals to make thanksgiving turkey his tail feathers? No & neither would I.

On this blog I found another kind of folded tree card so I thought I would give that one a try. Please check out understandtheblue blog for tutorial on this card.

I know the tree is wonky, it moved after I had glued it down, I did weigh it down with a paper punch, which must have moved it before it dried.

What a cute & simple card if you need a card to mass produce, maybe this is the one. The bird is made from the wing of the bird on a branch punch & one of the basic pearls for his eye.

It's day 8 of the snow here in Norwich & despite having to go to work in the snow I am still loving it

Whatever your doing today take care & stay warm.

XX