Just Believe

Not the best photo as I'm using my mobile. My camera is all packed for Spain.. OK, dug my camera out and here's a better picture :)

Oh yes, 12 members of my family and 4 family friends are off to Benalmedina for 4 nights tomorrow afternoon.

I'm glad to say I am feeling better than I was a few weeks ago and can't wait for my time away, but won't be 100% till I get back on my eating plan! It's amazing how badly junk food affects my health, I've never really noticed before now... when I have had almost 8 months without an acute migraine attack!

Whilst we are away its my mum's birthday, she's coming with us so I've spent the last couple of hours making her card.

I'd decided a couple of days ago on the gorgeous 'Just Believe' stamp set, which I got as part of my convention bag last year. I've hardly used it since, in fact it wasn't fully mounted!

I wasn't sure on the colours until yesterday when I chose the Mocha Morning Special DSP. These are lush, with a couple of black flocked sheets and a few shimmer sheets.

Then this afternoon I was playing with layering up the stamps and decided on 'Parlor Prints' background stamp, from the new catalogue.

The inks are Early Espresso and Crumb Cake. I've finished the card with the scrummy Victoria crochet trim.

And a close up of the stamping...

Well that's all for now.
Happy Crafting!

Party this Way

I just love using last year's 'Party this Way' stamp set with the the new ' Pennant Parade', this new stamp set has given fresh life to the older neglected set.

This card was made using the pennants form the new set and sentiments form the older set, they work so well together, don't you thinks?

I've used Tempting Turquoise, Crumb Cake & Real Red, with the top note die and some of the Brights Designer Series Paper Stack.

That's all for today.
Happy Crafting!

Polar Party Trees

Back to the trees from the gorgeous 'Polar Party' stamp set.

I haven't been feeling to well recently so you will probably understand why it has taken me 3 days to make this card... no joke 3 days!

I've ran the Old Olive card base through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions folder.  Just the front went in the folder and the folder was fed through sideways so the back of the card wasn't squished.

I've used the blenders again with Lucky Limeade ink to colour and the gorgeous Fine Galaxy Stampin' Glitter to decorate the trees.

The sentiment is stamped on a strip of Whisper White which was curled and shaped with Dimensionals.

 I'm hoping my next card won't take 3 days to make!

That's all for today.

Happy Crafting!

Polar Penguins

Sorry for the earlier technical hitch, since blogger upgraded it doesn't want to work with picassa! Oh well, photos reuploaded so you should be able to see them now.

It's the turn of the penguins from 'Polar Party' today. I think these are even cuter than the polar bear.

I've used Pool Part again for the card base but picked up my Poppy Parade by mistake instead of Ream Red, but I think it works.

Again everything is coloured using blender pens and ink from the ink pads. There are 2 reasons I colour in this way:

1. I don't have all the Stampin' Write markers yet (they have been on my Christmas list for 4 years!)
2. It's a subtler colour than the markers

I've been planning on doing this glitter technique for ages, you can use Versamark ink with heat & stick powder, but I used the new clear double sided Sticky Sheets then sprinkled the glitter on top. You just have to make sure you press it down, I have my Dazzling Diamonds in a clear 'take away' try so after shaking off the excess put the image face down in the tray and pressed the back to permanently stick the glitter down.

That's all for today...

Happy Crafting!

Part this way

One of the girls I work with reminded me this week that she had asked for a card for a birthday boy she knows. So today I set to work .

I've used retired Celebration DSP, as I haven't bought the Big Top Birthday papers yet (they are on the shopping list! 

The '1' is cut from Pear Pizazz, with a Real Red card and balloons stamped in Real Red, Pear Pizazz and Pacific Point. 

I stamped the happy birthday on the base of the '1' also, and edged everything with black ink to make it stand out form the bright paper.

I hand cut the balloons and tied them to the base of the '1' with black embroidery floss.

And on the insert I just stamped 3 candles in the same 3 colours as the balloons, I know he's only 1 but you can never have too many candles!

That's all for today...
Happy Crafting!

Polar Bear Party

Another card from my newest favourite set 'Polar Party', this time it's the turn of the oh so cute polar bear in his hat, scarf & gloves.

I've used the lovely new 2011 -2012 In Color Pool Party, this is such a fab winter colour that it's currently out of stock! But do not fear there is more on it's way in time to finish off the Christmas cards.

The panel for the sentiment is cut from the Lots of Tags Sizzlet 4-Pack of dies, I put a bit of 2-way glue on my craft mat and let it dry so that it became a temporary adhesive. Once the glue dried I stuck the tag on top so that it wouldn't move when I lined the Stamp-a-ma-Jig up, I wanted to make sure I got the sentiment in the right place.

I've zoomed in on a corner to show you a few details, I also increased the shadow in Picassa so that the emboss lines will be a little more defined. For the panel with the polar bear stamped in the middle I used one of the 2 frames in the Designer Frames Textured impressions Embossing Set of folders. This is the rectangle frame which fits Mr Polar Bear in perfectly.

I've also put a bit of 2-way glue along the bottom and when it was still wet sprinkled on some Dazzling Diamonds for snow.

I've coloured him in with a blender pen and Real Red ink from my classic ink pad.

That's all for today...
Happy Crafting!

Polar Party

I've been playing with my new stamps today, my birthday present to myself!
I just love 'Polar Party', its a set of very cute stamps. Today you are getting to see the trees.
The great thing about clear mount stamps is you can easily do repetition without accidentally over lapping or using a stamp positioner. I've repeated the 3 tree image staggering it and only coloured one lot.
Christmas cards just scream glitter, so out came the cosmos glitter & dazzling diamonds.
Sorry about the poor pictures, I'm blogging from my mobile.
That's all for today.