Mum's are best!

Well my mum is!!  She reads this too, so she's loyal as well! My first Stampin'Up class was a Mother's Day theme.  We made a handbag shaped gift package and a matching card.  The Handbag idea came from the very clever Frenchie.  I saw her tutorial on YouTube and scaled up the size to make my version a bit larger. We used a 12 x 12 sheet of Everyday Enchantment Designer series paper cutting it down to 10 1/2 inches square and using the off cuts for the card, (though this one I mocked up, uses DSP that is now retired)  Dressing our bags up with punches and die cuts and a pretty rolled ribbon rose.

We had some lovely results they were all very pretty!  I think there were some happy Mum's receiving their handmade items!

My mother's day weekend was spent in Devon with friends celebrating my friend Tina's 40th Birthday and it was also Neil's Birthday too. Olivia had great fun too, she really liked the chickens and here she is with a friendly one, known as Miya's Chicken - Miya being the Farmhouse Owner (Jo's) 3 year old daughter, who is very fond of the chickens. 

I'm sure this one laid the eggs I brought home, they were yummy and you'd be struggling to get fresher!!

I'm busy making samples with my new purchases currently so expect to see some new ideas here very soon. I am so loving the Doiley Designer Papers and Mocha Morning well those are just exquisite.  I must stop stroking them and make the cut..............!! 

I'm also prepping some make and takes for two parties next week.  I'm looking forward to visiting Vikki's house on Monday and Lynnes's house next Thursday and introducing as many ladies (& gents) to the wonders of Papercrafting with fantastic Stampin'Up products.  Lookout folks and welcome to getting well and truly addicted to making pretty things!!

Spring has sprung!

I am loving these bright, sunny and slightly longer days.  Yes there is still a chill in the air, but the sunshine more than makes up for it.

We spent the weekend in a beautiful area of Devon at a friends 40th Birthday hosted in a lovely big farmhouse.  The property was fantastic, really rustic but with the inclusion of a very modern hot tub and surrounded by open fields and with a host of animal friends for the children to enjoy.  Four lovely alpacas, a couple of friendly goats, horses, loads of chickens (thanks for the eggs ladies!), beautiful peacocks and a couple of pecky and not so friendly ostriches!!  We had a brilliant time and are looking forward to returning to Wadden Farm one day, hopefully soon!

It's a little while since I had my Open House but I realised I hadn't posted my make and takes so here they are:

The first one uses the Fresh Vintage Sale a bration stamp set and the Everyday Enchantment Designer papers either of these is free with a purchase of £45 until March 31st. The ribbon and card stock is Whisper White and the card base and accents are Calypso Coral and Pool Party from the In-Colours.  The texture is created using the Embossing Folder -Square Lattice and the sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes and punched with the Large oval and edged with the Scalloped Oval. The Scallop Trim border features under the main focal image, and the little butterfly is from the Embosslit Dies Beautiful Wings.

The second make and take uses the Embossed Resist technique.  Whisper White card stock stamped with the Delicate Doilies stamp set in Versamark ink, then embossed with clear embossing powder and heated.  Then Wisteria Wonder ink applied over using the sponge dauber, and a rhinestone added to the centre of the doily.

Two different styles of card, one more basic with stamping and the other more technique based, but both make really nice cards - well I think so and my guests seemed to agree!

Bel x

We have lift off................

I bought this clock from Wilkinsons the other weekend after our Clifton trek.  It was half price and so reduced to £4 and I could see some potential in it.

I really like it now it's altered and I matched the paper to our lounge that has recently been decorated.  If you look closely you can see one of the Everyday Enchantment designer series papers free with a £45 purchase during sale-a-bration.  The HOME was cut using Timeless Type Sizzlits Dies and the leaves used the Little Leaves Sizzlits Die the butterflies were the smaller ones from the Beautiful Wings Embosslits Die.

My Open house Launch Day went very well, and It was lovely to get creative with friends and introduce them to the wonders of Stampin'Up! products.  Some of my visitors who were not familiar with crafting were really impressed at what they could produce with stamps, ink, pens and punches.  There was colour and inspiration everywhere and I went to bed exhausted but happy at how the day had gone.  It went by way too quickly, but there is no better way to spend a day in my opinion that crafting , chatting and enjoying time with friends.  Creativity is such a feel good therapy!!  In fact my visitors must have agreed with my theory as some of them decided to get their friends together over the next few weeks and do just that share time with friends being creative and they have asked me to come along with my lovely goodies to join in!!  

We had a door prize raffle and the lucky winners were Linda (and daughter Hana) who won 1st prize of a Stamp set and ink pad and Jane who won the second prize of a pack of Designer series paper. Well done ladies and enjoy your prizes, you will love them!

I will share the make and takes soon, so pop back to see them!

Bel x

Tomorrow's Open Day!

Well it's the eve of my Open Day & the launch of my Stampin'Up! business, and I have been super busy getting everything ready.  I have had some much appreciated help from Kerry my Upline sending me some of her beautiful samples to showcase the products in such clever ways (thank you Kerry!). 

David of Killer Cupcakes for the beautiful Cupcakes frosted to match the card stock samples in Certainly Celery, Regal Rose, Baja Breeze and So Saffron. Underneath that gorgeous frosting lies a Black Forest Cupcake base they look (and smell) delicious..........

And in advance of her help my lovely Mum who is spending the day with me to be put to use in my kitchen, making teas, coffees and generally doing my bidding!!  Thanks Mum!

I'll be back with photos of the day and hopefully it will be a busy and productive day!

Bel x