It finally feels like spring has arrived

The sun is shining & the sky is blue
Here's hoping that we have seen the last of the snow for now.
I am at home today as Abi is now finally on the mend, { fingers crossed } Paul has gone to see the grandchildren & deliver some birthday presents, we couldn't go as Abi isn't up to the car journey as its a round trip of 300 miles which we thought was too much for her at the moment. Paul has taken the camera to take some up to date photographs of the grandchildren as they are growing so fast & changing every time we see them. So Dan has gone out for a walk to take some photographs for his final project for his A level photography piece, he went with the instruction too try & find me a snowdrop picture so I can finish a little mini book layout I started a few weeks ago at the crop.



Stamps
Forest Friends
Inks
Close to cocoa
Old Olive"
Cardstock
12" x 12" Kraft card
Designer series papers
Merry moments

So he has the camera, its freezing cold so what else is there to do?
finish of some of the projects that are sitting on the desk in my craft room.

My Mum told me a funny story on the phone about a conversation that she had about snowdrops last week.
She was in a taxi on her way too the dentist & making polite chit chat with the driver.
Mum " Isn't spring lovely, I haven't seen many snowdrops yet"
Taxi driver "sorry You've not seen many!! Snowdrops"
Mum " maybe the ground is still freezing & they cant poke through yet"
Taxi driver " Snowdrops come from the sky love" { I can just imagine the puzzled look on his face obviously think my Mum is suffering from a senior moment }
Mum " No dear snowdrops are plants & they come up through the ground, Your thinking of Snow flakes they come from the sky"
This did make my Mum chuckle but she's still isn't sure that the taxi driver believed her.

Thank you Dan for taking the pictures for me

Cards for the Mini magazine file

A beautiful sunny saturday here in Norwich, but that sun as beautiful as it is to see it is very deceptive as it's freezing outside. I have braved it out & hung some washing on the line for the first time in 2010, wether it dries remains to be seen.
Abi is still unwell but is beginning to look brighter, so we have the craft stuff on the dining table & I'm making the cards to go in the 2nd mini magazine file that I made yesterday.

The cards are all c6 size or in inches 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

Stamps
Flight of the butterfly
En Francais
Baroque Motifs
SAB Happy moments
Cardstock
Apricot appeal
Very vanilla
Rose redCertainly celery
Almost amethyst
Designer series papers
Patterns in Rose red
Inks
Basic grey
Rose red
Certainly celery
Versamark
Accents
Dazzling diamonds glitter
Tools
Scallop border punch
Eyelet border punch
Scallop cirle punch
Paper piercing tool
Paper piercing template

Another quiet crafting day

Poor Abi is still ill, but at least the tablets seem to be helping, so I am at home caring for her today, whilst she is asleep I am having a quiet crafting day.
Whilst i was blog surfing last night there were a couple of projects that caught my eye & one of them is a mini magazine holder & a selection of card to go in it.I have found two different tutorials & I am going to try both.The first one is for mini cards 3" x 3" in size & was made by Becky at Inking Idaho Becky has some wonderful tutorials on her blog, take a peep at her blog for inspiration.
Tutorial Part 1
Tutorial part 2

The cards for this folder are 3" x 3"

Stamps
Baroque motifs 113490
Flight of the butterfly 111564
Happy moments SAB 118664
Handcrafted 117607
Cardstock
Very vanillaRose red
Apricot appeal
Certainly celery
Love notes cards & envelopes 110195
Inks
Rose red
Apricot appeal
Certainly celery
Designer series paper
Rose red 113647
Tools
Stamp-a-ma-jig 101049
1" circle punch 110106
1 1/4" circle punch 110104
Scallop edge border punch 113654
Butterfly punch 117404
Eyelet border punch 117402
Scallop square punch 113653
Word window punch 117406
Accents
Dazzling diamonds glitter 110194
Gold Stampin' emboss powder 113664

The colours I chose for my mini magazine holder & cards are Rose red, Apricot appeal & very vanilla. I used the designer series papers in the patterns range in Rose red.
Dont forget to stamp the envelopes as well.


The second mini magazine holder is by Melinda at Sunflower Stamping last night is the first time that I have found melinda's blog, but I will be popping back & keeping an eye on her forthcoming projects.

Mini magazine holder tutorial

Stamps
Baroque motifs 113490
Flight of the butterfly 111564
Happy moments SAB 118664
Handcrafted 117607
Baroque border Wheel 109675
Inks
Versamark
Certainly celery
Apricot appeal
Rose red
Cardstock
Apricot appeal
Very vanilla
Certainly celery
Tools
Stamp-a-ma-jig 101049
1" circle punch 110106
1 1/4" circle punch 110104
Scallop edge border punch 113654
Butterfly punch 117404
Eyelet border punch 117402
Accents
Dazzling diamonds glitter 110194
1/4" Grosgrain ribbon ~ Certainly celery 110124

This mini magazine holder is designed for cards 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"

I love both of the designs for these mini magazine files but if i'm truthful the second is the easier of the two to make, but I do love the Love notes cards from Stampin' Up 110195 & they fit the first mini magazine file perfectly.

Thank Crunchie it's Friday

Well the weekend is almost here & hopefully the sun will shine so I can get out with my camera & capture the arrival of spring


Two cards again similar in style & composition but different colour schemes, I am trying this week to make masculine cards with the shortage of masculine products in general within the craft industry I have decided that by using some of my current Stampin' up sets & using masculine colour schemes that I can overcome the masculine cards issue.


I think that I need to get my stamp a ma jig out in future, or I can just claim artistic licence for the wonky greeting.

Stamps
Crazy for cupcakes 111618

Inks
Basic grey

Cardstock
card 1
Perfect plum
Pale Plum
Whisper White

card 2
Whisper white
Taken with teal
Tempting turquoise


Stampin write pens
Perfect plum
Pale plum

Real red

Tempting turquoise
Taken with teal

Accents
Dazzling diamonds 110194

Tools
Scallop border punch 113654
3/4" circle 110107


All of the above products are available from Stampin' Up through me as an independant demonstrator.


Have a happy weekend everyone & I hope that you get some quality crafting time.

Me again

I'm still crafting quietly so I have made a couple more cards
The first one is a 3" x 3" card which I haven't done in a while, probably since Christmas.
Stamps
Flight of the butterfly 111564
Cardstock
Basic black { I finally remebered to order some }
Whisper White
Tempting Turquoise
Inks
Tempting Turquoise
Bashful blue
Tools
Boho blossoms Punch 113651
Butterfly punch 117404
Accents
Dazzling diamonds
Mini glue dots
Crystal effects

The second card is a variation on the flower pot card, when I have made this previously I have put a panel on the back to write the greeting. With this version of the card I have made a panel that slips in & out of the pot & stuck the top two flowers onto the pnel that pulls out to reveal the place to write the greeting.

Stamps
Flight of the butterfly 111564
Playful petals 113728
Cardstock
Very Vanilla
Bashful blue
Close to cocoa
Inks
Basic grey
Bashful blue
Designer series papers
Chocolate chip 113649
Tools
Scallop border punch 113654
Crop o dile 108362
Accents
Dazzling diamonds glitter 110194
Very vanilla 1/4" grosgrain ribbon 110042
Linen thread 104199

A few extra cards today & very inky fingers

Poor Abi is ill again with backache & stomach pains, we have been back to the doctors & he has given her some very strong painkillers so at least she can now get some sleep & hopefully get her through this bad period. So I am at home creeping around the house so as not to wake her, so I am making quiet cards, by quiet I mean no heat gun, no hammering or setting eyelets the old fashioned way.
The sun is shining here in Norwich & the skies are a beautiful shade of blue, as i cant get out with my camera today I decided to make a couple of spring cards.

Two similar cards but with a second complementing colour.

For the first two spring cards
Stamps
Stem sayings 109481
Pick a petal 109445
Inks
Basic black
Real red
Yoyo Yellow
Cardstock
Whisper white
Basic black
Real Red
Yoyo yellow
Tools
Crop o dile 108362
Stamp-a-ma-jig 101049
Accents
Dazzling diamonds glitter 110194
Antique brass Jumbo eyelets 109960

Still trying to work on the masculine samples this card uses
Stamps
Sense of time 113804
Inks
Versamark
Chocolate Chip
Close to cocoa
Cardstock
Really rust
Chocolate chip
Creamy caramel
Accents
Vintage brads 109891
Crystal effects 101055


All of the above products are available from Stampin' Up through me as an independant demonstrator.

If there any spelling mistakes or grammer errors I appologies in advance as I am trying to blog this post one handed with a kitten asleep on my shoulder.

Two cards & two techniques

Two cards & two techniques for todays cards.
These cards use the masking technique using post it notes.
Tutorial
The balloons from the Crazy for cupcakes set lends itself perfectly to the masking technique.
The second is putting the colours on the stamped balloons & thats called paper piecing. Where you stamp the image onto the printed papaers & cut them out & layer them onto your stamped image.

Stamps
Seeing spots 107007
Crazy for cupcakes 111618
Vintage labels

Inks
Versamark
Basic Grey

Cardstock
Whisper white
Really rust
Pretty in Pink

Designer series papers
Spiced Cider 1119098
Tea & Crumpets 111911
Tea party 115158



And the same card in a different colour scheme


All of the above products are available to purchase from Stampin' Up through me.

working on samples for the next stampers 10

My march Stampers 10 hostess asked if I could make some samples using Cheers for you & Crazy for cupcakes as she has both sets & is now stuck for ideas. They are sets I have had for a while now & used loads when I first got them but I haven't had them out for a while now so here goes day 1 of my stampers 10 samples


So here's what you need for this card, not my usual olour combination but I think it works well.

Stamps
Cheers to you 11037
Cheers wheel 113122

Inks
Basic Grey
Real red
Pretty in pink
Permenant black on the wheel

Cardstock
Whisper white
Only orange
Ballet blue
Garden Green

Tools
1 1/4" circle 110104
Scallop border punch 113654
Sponge Daubers 110141

Accents
Crystal effects 101055


All of the above Stampin' Up products are available from Stampin' Up through me.

Quick & simple

A quick & simple card for today & trying to use some masculine colours as looking through my card samples I have very few cards that are suitable or men.


Stamps
Vintage labels 118392 Sale~A~Bration 2010 set

Cardstock
Taken with teal
So saffron
Tempting turquoise

Inks
Night of navy

Tools
Scallop border punch 113654
Stamp a ma jig 101049
Spiral punch 109973
Paper piercing tool 116631
Mat pack 117395

All of the above products are available to order from Stampin' Up through me.

Perfect pairs promotion & New punch

{Click on the above image to see in detail }

From 1st march ~ 31st march

Stampin' Up are offering the Perfect pairs promotion
+
The new heart shape punch is also now available to order for the 31 days of March
{ this punch will then not be available again until the release of the new catalogue on 1st october 2010}

To place your orders for this promotion or to register to receive your Stampin' Up mini catalogue on 1st April



contact me at
lovellsinnorfolk@hotmail.co.uk

Monday already & Happy St Davids day

I cant believe that it's monday already and even scarier to think that it is already the 1st March & St Davids day to everyone. Hopefully March will be the start of our spring & we will see a change for the better in the weather, fingers crossed.

There is new promotion starting today for just one month only, details to follow & just a littel clue a new punch will be available for just one month only, until it's official release on the 1st of October in the 2010 ~ 2011 Ideas book & catalogue.

Back to my personal card challenge here is todays card a diagonal double pocket fold. card.
Diagonal double pocket fold tutorial


Stamps
Cheers to you 111037

Cardstock
Whisper white
Real red
Inks
Pretty in pink
Basic grey
Real red

PunchesScallop circle 109877
1 1/ 4"circle 110104

Accents
Antique Brass jumbo eyelet 109960
Real red 5/8" grosgrain ribbon in Real red 110130
Crystal effects 101055



All of the above Stampin' Up products are avilable to buy from me, why not contact me today.

Au revoir

Au revoir Sale A Bration

Well thats it i'm affraid Sale A Bration for 2010 is now officially over & a big thank you to everyone who placed orders with me during Sale A Bration.

Well there is good new to cheer you in what seems to be an endless winter.
A new promotion starts tomorrow for 1 month only.
So check back in the morning to see the "perfect pairs " promotion

Sunday at last

Sunday at last & I was hoping to go out with my camera today & get some practice with the information I learned at last weeks photography class. The weather here in Norfolk is awful today, unless your a duck or a hippo as its raining & windy.

So I guess it's an ideal day to spend in the craft room

Stamps
Bloom with beauty 112606
Fast flowers wheel 109679

Cardstock
So saffron
Whisper White
Not quite Navy

Inks
Versamark
Basic Grey
( I now prefer this to black when colouring a lightly shaded image as its not so harsh )
So saffron

Stampin Write pens
Always Artichoke
So saffron
Barely Banana
Apricot appeal

Sponge daubers to colour the edges of the white panel, moving in circular movements.


All of the above products are available to order from me through Stampin' Up.

Day 5 & I am still here & still creating

Well to my amazement I am still managing to create a card a day.

The week got stranger & due to having no staff it was quite tiring so coming home & creating was very relaxing.

But guess what arrived today?

My Preview of the new Mini catalogue that goes live on 1st April
If anyone would like a copy of this mini to salivate over then drop me a line & as soon as they arrive with me I will make sure that yours is in the post to you.

So day the card for day 5 is a simple one.


Cardstock
Green galore
Pixie pink
Pretty in pink

Ink
Brocade blue
Green galore

Punches
1 3/4" Circle 117405
1 3/8" Circle 110105
1 1/4" circle 110104
1" circle 110106
Boho blossoms 113651

Papers
Bashful blue designer series papers 113648

Also used the distressing tool from the cutter kit 110090

I am loving these punched flowers & using the whole range of the Stampin' up circle punches makes achieving these beautiful very easy indeed & no more searching the house for different sizes of bottle lids or circular items to draw round.

All of the above products are available to order through me as a Stampin' Up demontrator.