Timeless Portrait

I must say these papers caught my eye last year when the catalogue launched, and I have only just chopped in to them, I have a real problem chopping into a 12 x12 sheet.  I always have to take a big deep breath before I can do it and I've managed to talk myself out of it so many times!! Weird really as that's what we buy it for, but I'm probably not alone with this as other scrapbooking friends have often told me that they suffer from 12x12-chopaphobia too!!

Here are some altered notepads I made over the weekend to share:

I cut the letters from Cherry Cobbler cardstock using the Timeless Type Sizzlit Dies and was able to use the positive on one cover and make use of the negative on the other cover.  I love it when even the waste looks good enough to use, and I hope you agree that the waste looks really effective, giving a stencil effect.

The plans are well underway for my Open House Launch Party on Monday, and I will be showing some sneak peeks of some of the lovely projects and the displays that I'm creating.  Lots and lots of colour, and colour makes me happy so I'm having loads of fun getting everything ready.

Bel x

First Challenge Completed

What a lovely weekend we had the weather in my part of the world was sunny and bright and extremely mild for this time of year.  It was lovely to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and we made the most of it with a walk and a climb up this majestic Tower.  Cabot Tower has fantastic views across the city and a trip to the top is a pretty good workout for a Sunday!

In my previous post I mentioned that inspiration can strike at any time and I had posted a couple of images that had inspired me and as promised I got myself busy coming up with some cards inspired by them.  I hope you like them? 

I will be back very shortly with some other things that I have been putting together from the Timeless Portraits Designer Series Paper. 

Bel x

I really am having a problem containing my excitement as I write my first post here as a Stampin'Up! Demonstrator.  This has been a long time coming, I attended the launch that the company did in Bristol when they first arrived here in the UK back in 2008 and I was hooked. I had spent the previous few years admiring their products from across the pond, but at that point I chose another path...........Stupid huh?!!  

Well they say everything happens for a reason and during those few years my creative journey took me in a different direction, I met some great people who became friends, so I guess it was all meant to be.

Maybe I can save some of you who haven't crafted before or who are relatively new to this hobby some  heartache (and cash!!)
I learnt by my many, many, many craft purchases, mostly the hard way that:
(a.) The phrase 'buy cheap, buy twice!!' is soooooooo true!
(b.) That most of the time the colour of the patterned paper on your craft desk does not at all resemble the card stock you just bought in Hobbycraft to go with it! Doh!! Nor does the ribbon purchased on-line go with either of them! Double doh!
(c.) Having heaps and heaps of mix and match products can make the creative process somewhere near impossible.
(d.) I bought too much and used too little because nothing worked together, and I couldn't find what did work in amongst the chaos of it all.

I jokingly referred about myself to both Neil and my Mum as being in SU Therapy and it honestly feels like that for me.  Maybe part of that therapy should be that I admit it here - OK here goes: "I'm Belinda and I'm a craft bargain -a-holic"   

Since I made the decision to sign-up not an urge to purchase on the recent craft day on a certain TV Channel, not even much of an urge to watch nor to succumb to the lure of the hundred million zillion on-line craft store emails I had signed up for offering me **% off some fab new whizzy product that I had always drooled over and would probably never use!!!!

It feels brilliant to be honest. A weight has been lifted I can see the wood because the trees have shed their leaves...........!  I carefully chose my kit  - oh yes you can personalise your kit to suit your style and preferred colours!  It arrived and I was doing the happy dance for some time. I eventually calmed down and assessed that one of my favourite things in my kit was the fab colour coach offering subtle and striking colour combos I cannot possibly have a problem with matching any of these products.  I have found myself seeing inspiration everywhere and it is a real a pick me up,  I feel more positive and inspired  you never know where it will strike! I was in John Lewis the other day and Bam! Pow! just like Batman it hit me, this lovely bedlinen clashing colours but so pretty together and then I was near the wallpaper and it got me again!! 

I am definitely going to use these as inspiration for some projects this weekend!

I'll be back to show you what I came up with.

And there will be all the news about my Launch Event!!

Bel x