Christmas card using Lovely as a Tree

What a beautiful day here in Buckingham! The view from my window this morning was very Christmassy - our little back garden, the road outside and the field at the bottom of it were all blanketed with snow. With inspiration like that it's easy to make Christmas cards!

The card I'm showing you today took longer to make than my usual cards (I am a believer in quick, clean and simple to fit around my busy life!) but sometimes it's nice to get immersed in crafting and let the chores slide...

The card uses Stampin' Up's good quality vellum - it's like very thick tracing paper and I love its misty look and the way it looks when it's torn. Have you seen the little berry branch tucked into the ribbon? I love this branch so much that I do actually cut it out with scissors! I think it's worth it (oh - I think I can feel an advertising campaign coming on!) By the way, if you're looking for a good pair of scissors for cutting out, look no further than these; they're really sharp and come with a guard for when you're not using them (to avoid accidents and also to protect them from getting blunt), but they're not too small to use for straight lines. I love mine for paper cutting and and also have another pair which I keep for cutting ribbon only - that keeps them really sharp so that my ribbon doesn't fray. The paper snips are £7.95, which is an absolute bargain in my opinion.

Here's how to make this card:

• Cut a piece of Bashful Blue card stock 11cm wide and 8cm high. Sponge the edges with Whisper White craft ink.
• Cut a piece of vellum 14cm wide and 8cm high. Make a nick in the right-hand side of the vellum about 2cm up and tear towards the top left-hand corner. Fold the torn vellum around the Bashful Blue panel, using a bone folder for a nice, crisp edge.
• Open out the vellum and stamp a fir tree design onto it using Whisper White craft ink. Heat emboss the trees using white embossing powder. Fold back around the Bashful Blue panel and secure with tape at the back.
• Stamp a sentiment in Real Red ink on the corner of Bashful Blue that shows. Use a stamp-a-majig for accurate positioning.
• Tie ribbon around the bottom of the tree design and tie in a flat knot. Mount the panel onto a piece of Marina Mist card stock cut 11.5cm wide and 8.5cm high. Attach this to a Whisper White card blank.
• Colour the winter berry branch with Old Olive and Real Red markers and stamp onto a scrap of Whisper White card stock. Cut out carefully using sharp paper snips and tuck under the knot of the ribbon, securing with a touch of glue.

Supplies
Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Autumn Days, Contemp Christmas (sentiment)
Ink: Real Red, Whisper White craft ink
Card stock:L Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, vellum
Other: Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, White embossing powder, markers

I've sent my children off to school today in wellies, hats and gloves and with sparkling eyes, rosy cheeks and full of energy. Personally I prefer to be indoors, enjoying a cup of something hot, watching the sun glistening on the snow from the warmth of my home!

Thanks for dropping in today. Have a lovely day, wherever you are.

VIDEO TUTORIAL - hanging treat cone

Good morning! Hope you've all had a great weekend. We had a free day yesterday - the first in ages! -and we all got a little creative. In between model making, painting and cooking, my lovely family helped me to produce a new video tutorial - the promised tutorial on how to make these quick and easy hanging treat cones. I hope it inspires you!




Did anyone spot the fiendish meowing in the middle of the video? That was Tuppence who, waking from a luxurious afternoon nap, was outraged to see that the door separating her from the kitty snacks was CLOSED!!! She is convinced we are the most shockingly lax cat-owners...

There'll be lots more Christmas inspiration here this week so do pop back for a visit.
Enjoy your week,

Christmas card using Fox and Friends

The Fox and Friends stamp set is such a great buy! You get seven individual little creatures which are brilliant for making all sorts of babies' and children's cards and it's easy to split the set to make gifts too (like this). But Fox and Friends isn't just for children's cards and it can be an all the year-round set too - including Christmas! Come and see the Christmas card I've made using the owl from the set:

This owl makes me giggle. He looks as if someone has just goosed him from behind! He's always very sweet but just look at him in that Santa hat! Isn't he ridiculously cute!

You may have noticed that I'm using the sentiment from Contempo Christmas - this is the best Christmas sentiment in the catalogue in my opinion; I love the shape it makes and the combination of fonts is gorgeous. You may also have noticed that I'm using my favourite colour scheme of the moment - neutrals with just a splash of colour.

How to make this card:

• Make a 9cm square card base with Sahara Sand card stock
• Use a Basic Black marker to colour a frame from the Gifted set and stamp it in the centre of the card front. Using a stamp-a-majig makes it easy to be accurate with this!
• Stamp the sentiment from Contempo Christmas in Basic Black ink on a scrap of Very Vanilla card stock. Cut it out with paper snips.
• Load the owl stamp with versamark and Early Espresso and stamp it onto a scrap of Very Vanilla card stock. Use clear embossing powder to heat emboss it - this gives a nice shiny image.
• Make a hat for your owl by cutting one of the points off a Real Red star punched with the large star punch. A 1/4" circle punched from Whisper White card stock makes a bobble for the hat and a snipped strip  provides the trim. Glue these together.
• Cut out a few leaves - I used the two-step bird punch for mine - and a few berries using the 1/8" circle punch.
• Now assemble your card: Glue the leaves to the bottom, left-hand corner of the frame and add the sentiment; make your owl stand on the A of Christmas with a dimensional; pop his hat on using a dimensional for the top of the hat and glue to attach it to the owl's ear. Finish with the berries and add highlights with a white gel pen.

Supplies
Stamps: Fox and Friends, Contempo Christmas (sentiment)
Ink: Basic Black, Early Espresso, versamark
Card stock: Garden Green, Real Red, Sahara Sand, Whisper White, Very Vanilla
Other: Various punches, clear embossing powder

I know that my US readers will be carrying on with their Thanksgiving celebrations this weekend, so I wish you all a very happy time. Here in the UK, we're stoking up our fires against the first snow of the winter and making plans for Christmas. Whatever you have arranged, have a great weekend and I'll be back on Monday with more Christmas inspiration. Hope to see you then,

Three Minute Thursday - using Serene Snowflakes

Hello! Welcome to Three Minute Thursday, my weekly series of cards that take virtually no time to make but still look gorgeous! Today, I've used the classic Serene Snowflakes stamp set and have thoroughly enjoyed myself! Here's what I came up with:

I love the clean look of the Whisper White craft ink against the dark coloured card stock. My twelve-year-old son remarked that the inked edges reminded him of snow - he takes a keen interest in Stampin' Up and often gives me words of encouragement! The cards were very simple - even for me! - so I attached everything with dimensionals for added interest.

Here's how to make this card:

• Cut a 7.5cm square piece of Not Quite Navy card stock.
• Using Whisper White craft ink stamp a snowflake on it and add a sentiment below it.
• Sponge the edges of the card stock with the ink.
• Stamp another snowflake on a scrap of of Not Quite Navy card stock and punch out the centre with a 1" circle punch. Fix this on top of the first snowflake with a dimensional and add a large rhinestone to the centre.
• Attach the panel to a 9cm square Crumb Cake card blank.

Supplies
Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, Contempo Christmas (sentiment)
Ink: Whisper White craft ink
Card stock: Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake
Other: Basic Rhinestones

When I enjoy making a card, I often make it in other colours.This is what it looks like in Always Artichoke...

... and here it is in Cherry Cobbler.

There's an almost Shaker feel to these cards which I like.

If you'd like to order anything you see on these pages, it couldn't be easier. Just send me an email letting me know what you'd like and I'll do the rest! It's easy to pay by credit card, paypal, bank transfer, cheque or cash and, for every £25 you spend, you will get an entry into my blog candy prize draw! (Click here for more details.)

Thank you for spending your time here today and thank you to all of you who add comments to my posts or email me with them - it means the world to me. Do come and visit again tomorrow when I'll have something very, very cute to show you! Hope to see you then,

Christmas decorations and treat boxes

I'd like to say a huge thank you to all the lovely WI ladies I met at Cheddington on Monday. The ladies had come from all over Buckinghamshire to see a variety of demonstrations and there was a wonderful holiday atmosphere in the hall. I was made to feel very welcome and had a lovely day!

This hanging treat cone was one of the projects I demonstrated:

They're just the right size to fit a wrapped chocolate (or, for the enthusiastic chocolate eater, two!) and hang beautifully on a tree. They take very little supplies to make and they're so quick and easy that you could rustle up an advent calendar with them in no time. One of the ladies at Cheddington also suggested they would make an excellent gift for your cat, filled with kitty treats - great idea! My own cat, Tuppence, is very taken with the cones which I think she may have mistaken for a festive mouse...

If you're interested in making these treat cones, I'll be posting a video tutorial very soon, so look out for that.

Don't they look sweet all hung up in a row!

Don't forget that tomorrow is Three Minute Thursday here at Crafting Clare's Paper Moments, so I'll be posting a super-quick Christmas card to inspire you.
Hope to see you then,

Another Christmas card - using Dasher

What a handsome chap our Dasher is! I've taken him out for another airing today and this is the result:

Doesn't he look regal? I can never resist putting rhinestones in his antlers! I think I've said before how much I love neutrals with a flash of colour - and of course the colours of choice at this time of year are Real Red and Old Olive. 

Here's how to make this card:

• Stamp Dasher on a scrap of Very Vanilla card stock using Basic Black ink. Trim the card stock to about 6cm square, keeping Dasher on the right of the panel. Cut a piece of Cherry Cobbler card stock half a centimetre larger than this and mount Dasher onto it.
• Rip a post-it note and use it as a mask over the 'snow' at Dasher's feet. Sponge Sahara Sand ink over the rest of the panel. Discard the mask.
• Make a 9cm square card base out of Sahara Sand card stock. Ink up the En Français background stamp and decorate the card front. Attach the Dasher panel to the top right-hand corner.
• Cut some branches using the two-step bird punch and arrange them at the bottom left-hand corner of the Dasher panel.
• Stamp a sentiment in Real Red ink and cut round it with paper snips. Fix this on top of the branches with dimensionals. Add a poinsettia-style flower and some sparkle to Dasher's antlers.

Supplies

Stamps: En Français, Dasher, Contempo Christmas (sentiment)

Ink: Basic Black, Sahara Sand, Real Red

Card stock: Sahara Sand, Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Real Red

Other: Basic rhinestones, Old Olive brad, two-step bird, Boho Blossoms punches

Now that my daughter's birthday celebrations are over for another year she tells me that we can start thinking about Christmas... So there we are - it's official! Christmas is definitely creeping up on us now! My diary is looking rather hectic but if you would like to book a stamping party with me before Christmas I will find room for you. Just click here to send me an email.

Hope you're having a good week.

Do pop back tomorrow for more Christmas inspiration!

Blog candy - to say a great big thank you!!!

Since I started being a Stampin' Up demonstrator this year, I have been overwhelmed by the support and loyalty of my customers and, with Christmas coming up, I've been thinking about how to say thank you. I really wish I could give each and every one of you this kind of gift:

I'm afraid it isn't possible - but it IS possible for ONE of you to win it!

From today, Monday 22nd November, until Friday 17th December, you will receive a ticket for every £25 you spend with me.  On Saturday 18th December one ticket will be drawn from a hat and if your name is on it, you will win this gift! I'll be announcing the winner here on my blog.

Don't you just LOVE that gorgeous Stampin' Up bag? (I've been inspired by the funky flowers on it - and I expect you'll be seeing a card with something similar on it soon!) There are 12 sheets of assorted 12"x12" double-sided designer papers too, 3 metres of the show-stopping wide striped grosgrain ribbon in Rich Razzleberry, Night of Navy and Old Olive, as well as the popular One of a Kind stamp set that retired in September. Now that's what I call blog candy!

I can't let you go without showing you a card or two so here are a couple of my favourite cards made with One of a Kind:

Here's a birthday version - all pretty in purple with gold accents!

And here's another - a note card this time, with touches of Old Olive. The three-flower stamp in the set is perfect for One Sheet Wonders!

Good luck to you all - and don't forget that you get a ticket for every £25 you spend! To place an order with me, just click here to send me an email. And, just to keep things super simple, I can now take Visa and Mastercard as well as bank transfers, Paypal payments, cheque or cash.

Of course you can only order from me if you are a UK resident but I would also like to say that I very much appreciate all the comments and input from my readers all over the world. Thank you lovely friends!

Christmas card using Autumn Days

It's officially five weeks until Christmas folks - yes, really! - and I'm busy adding to my stash of cards to send out. Today's card was made when I should have been doing something else, because I had a sudden idea! Does that happen to you?

I wanted to get a shabby chic feel, and I'm rather pleased with the result. The trim makes me think of broderie Anglaise.

These little berry sprigs from the Autumn Days set are a little fiddly to cut out but, armed with my sharp paper snips and my turbo reading glasses, it was a very therapeutic activity! I love how they look layered up with dimensionals.

I put a drop of Crystal Effects on each berry which turns them all glossy and gorgeous. If only my photography skills were half as glossy and gorgeous you'd be able to see what I mean!

How to make this card:

• Cut a piece of Whisper White card stock 7cm wide x 9cm high and scallop one 7cm edge with the scallop border punch. Pierce each scallop with your paper piercer. That will be the top of your panel.
• Score a line 2cm up from the bottom of the panel. Turn the card stock over to find a decorative raised line.
• Using a stamp-a-majig for accurate placement, stamp the sentiment just under the line. Stamp a winter sprig to the left of the sentiment.
• Stamp the same sprig twice more on scrap card stock and cut out with paper snips. Layer these up with dimensionals (cut the dimensionals to size so that you can't see them.)
• Punch a hole just under the scored line on the left using a 1/8" hold punch. Thread with 1/8" taffeta ribbon and tie in a bow.
• Mount the panel onto a 7.5cm square of Real Red card stock using dimensionals and glue to a 9cm square Old Olive card base.
• Add a drop of Crystal Effects to each berry and leave to dry.

Supplies
Stamps: Autumn Days, Gifted (sentiment)
Ink: Real Red, Old Olive
Card stock: Old Olive, Real Red, Whisper White
Other: Scallop border punch, 1/8" taffeta ribbon in Old Olive, Crystal Effects

Now it's time to plan for another action-packed weekend! Sleepovers, parties, visits to friends, trips to the cinema... there's never a dull moment! Hope you all have a very happy weekend too.

Next week, I'll be announcing some special Christmas news for my lovely customers so watch out for that! Hope to see you then,

Three Minute Thursday - using Music Notes Wheel

Hello! Welcome to Three Minute Thursday, my weekly inspiration for those who prefer to make fast cards. I'm so excited about today's card - it is exactly the kind of design I like!

I started with this Very Vanilla version...

...then tried it out with Crumb cake card stock.

I was just about to see what it looked like with Sahara Sand but unfortunately Life happened! (I bet it would have been the best one!)

Here's how to make this card:

• Cut a 9cm square card blank in a neutral colour.
• Use the Music Notes wheel and a neutral ink to add two lines of music to the front of the card.
• Add a sentiment in Real Red ink.
• Make a poinsettia-style flower: punch two 5-petal flowers and one of the pointy flowers from the Boho Blossoms punch; layer them together and secure with a gold brad. Add the flower to the card front with a dimensional.
• Round the top right hand corner with a corner rounder.

Supplies
Stamps: Contempo Christmas (sentiment)
Ink: Early Espresso, Real Red
Card stock: Any neutral (Whisper White, Very Vanilla, Crumb Cake or Sahara Sand)
Other: Music Notes wheel, 5-petal and Boho Blossoms punches, gold brad

While I was figuring out this card, I experimented with the Jolly Holiday designer paper and came up with this simple design.

I like the contemporary lines of this card but it actually took longer than using the wheel! Nevertheless it's still a very quick card so I thought I'd show you anyway. The sentiment is from one of the stamps in the Gifted set which I'm finding very useful. And don't forget - you get a free spool of exclusive ribbon when you buy Gifted as part of a bundle with the Jolly Holiday designer paper!

There are other special bundles too - check here for details.

I really appreciate you dropping in to visit my blog today and I hope you've enjoyed your time here.
I'll be back with more inspiration tomorrow, so why not pop back then if you have a minute!
Have a happy Thursday,

Christmas card - using Notably Ornate and Serene Snowflakes

I'm rather liking the layered look in clothes this season and have been experimenting with layers on my cards. This isn't my usual style at all but it was fun to try something different and I like how dimensional the card turned out.

The bird from Notably Ornate is a big favourite of mine and I think he looks very comfortable bearing the olive branch of peace. I can already imagine him doing all sorts of other tricks throughout the year, so watch out for him! The Serene Snowflakes are gorgeous too - and perfect for those quick One Sheet Wonders!

How to make this card:

• Cut an A5 card base from Whisper White card stock.
• Cut a piece of Cherry Cobbler card stock 14.8 x 3cm and glue it to the card base.
• Cut a piece of designer paper 13.5 x 7cm and layer it on top of the Cherry Cobbler.
• Take a piece of Night of Navy card stock 10 x 7.5cm and crimp half of it. Fix it on top of the designer paper with dimensionals.
• Cut a 14.5cm length of Marina Mist satin ribbon and cut an inverted V in the ends. Layer on top of the crimped card stock with Snail.
• Cut a piece of Marina Mist card stock 8cm square and stamp it with the cluster of snowflakes using Whisper White craft ink. Sponge the edges of the card stock with the ink. Attach this on top of the ribbon with dimensionals.
• Cut a 10cm length of Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon and cut an inverted V in the ends. Layer on top of the stamped card stock with Snail.
• Stamp a sentiment and cut out with the extra large oval punch and fix on top of the ribbon with dimensionals. Cut a branch with the two-step bird punch, snip its lower leaf off and glue to the oval. Stamp the bird on a scrap of Whisper White card stock using Night of Navy ink. Cut him out with paper snips and add his eye with a white gel pen. Fix him to the card front with dimensionals so that it looks as if he has the branch in his beak.

Supplies
Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, Notably Ornate, Season of Joy
Ink: Real Red, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White craft ink
Card stock: Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist, Not Quite Navy
Other: Marina Mist satin ribbon, Real Red 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, two-step bird and extra large oval punches

When I make cards I usually use stamps from the same set - after all these stamps have been specifically designed to work beautifully together - but every now and again I like to look at all my stamps (I have them displayed on narrow shelves above my desk) and just let myself go! And today is one of those days - phew! I feel quite giddy! What will I do next I wonder?!

Tomorrow is Three Minute Thursday! Are you ready for another nippy little card to add to your Christmas card stash? See you tomorrow then!

Christmas gifts using Fox and Friends

Watching my teenage daughter and her friend have a whale of a time making her party invitations (see yesterday's post) gave me an idea for a Christmas gift.

Fox and Friends is a set of seven individual stamps which can easily be divided to make small gifts that don't break the bank. The set costs £16.95, which makes each stamp astounding value at only £2.42!




I added an appropriately coloured ink pad to each, some Whisper White/ Very Vanilla 3" x 3" note cards and envelopes, and some card stock/designer paper in the same colour palette. They look rather cute popped into a large cellophane bag and simply tied at the top with a fabulous ribbon - I've used striped grosgrain in Night of Navy for this one. (Going for a similar colour will mean that the recipient will be able to use it when they make their note cards.) I added a festive tag - this one is the snowflake from Season of Joy stamped in Tempting Turquoise on Whisper White card stock, cut out with the 1 1/4" circle punch and attached with silver elastic cord.

Here's another set using the cute turtle and a green theme:

The ribbon is Old Olive and the tag is made using the tree from Season of Joy.

Here's that thoughtful fox (What IS he thinking?!) packaged up with reds, browns and oranges. I used the Real Red striped grosgrain for this one and the tag is the bauble from Contempo Christmas cut out with the amazing Ornament punch - you'll be seeing a lot more of that on this blog!

I hope you've enjoyed these gift ideas. Of course Fox and Friends is only one set that can be used in this way - have a browse through the catalogue to find loads more. If you don't have a catalogue - you really need one! If you live in the UK, I can post one to your door for only £4 - check the side bar for a Paypal button or send me an email to order one. 

I don't know about you, but I'm starting to take Christmas really seriously now! I want all my presents bought and wrapped as soon as possible so that I can relax, spend some time with my family and enjoy all the parties, concerts, plays, fairs and festivities that the season brings. 

I'll be back tomorrow with some Christmas card inspiration.

Hope to see you then,

EDITED TO ADD: I've been asked how much these gift sets would cost: Each stamp works out at £2.42 and an ink pad is £4.95. I put in envelopes that I had in my drawer, plus three note cards made from one sheet of Whisper White card stock and some left-over scraps of designer paper and coloured card stock. So the answer is £7.37 plus whatever else you want to pop in!

They can packaged in different ways, but I used the Stampin' Up's large cello bags (3.95 for a pack of 50), striped grosgrain ribbon (£10.25 for a 9.1m reel), various stamps to make tags, and silver elastic cord to attach them (£3.95 for a 22.8m reel).

Party invitation - using Fox and Friends

Good morning! Today is a special day - the birthday of one of my favourite people in the world, my gorgeous daughter. She took me aside last week and asked if it would be all right if we didn't get up early to present her with gifts as we have in previous years as she is "not really a morning sort of a person". That is rather understating the matter but I assured her that it would be perfectly alright! There'll be all sorts of celebrations later though, present opening and extravagant meals and cakes.

My daughter decided to have a joint party with her lovely friend, whose birthday is next week, and the girls asked if they could make invitations for the event. I was delighted to organise it for them and we all had a great time! They threw themselves into production with great enthusiasm and a lot of laughter and this was the result:

Isn't it fab?! Just look at that creature, having a whale of a time... (Can you even believe that I just said that!!! I'm afraid I have been influenced by those bold girls!)

How to make this card:

• Cut Whisper White card stock 3 inches x 6 inches, score and fold in half to make a card blank.
• Cut a piece of Pacific Point card stock 2 1/2 inches square. Sponge it with Whisper White craft ink and add extra ink to the edges.
• Stamp the whale image on it using Night of Navy ink.
• Tear a piece of vellum and position it so that the whale peeps out above it. Fold the sides over the main panel and secure with tape.
• Stamp the sentiment and cut out with the word window punch. Fold it behind the main panel, pierce a hole and add a brad.
• Attach the panel to the card base. 

Supplies
Stamps: Fox and Friends, Basic Phrases
Ink: Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White craft ink
Card stock: Whisper White, Pacific Point, Vellum
Other: Word window punch, Pumpkin Pie or Daffodil Delight brads

Here are the girls concentrating on their creations (my daughter is on the left).

They had an absolute ball making these and I think they're tremendously professional.

I would like to point out that the daughter I'm talking about is the very same daughter that calls me Crafting Clare in a most sarcastic way! Hmmmm!

Thank you for dropping in on the birthday celebrations today. Tomorrow I'll be showing you how this invitation gave me the idea for another fabulous Christmas gift idea. Do come back and see!

Christmas card - using Dasher

One of the most popular stamps in the Stampin' Up catalogue is Dasher. I'm not surprised - he's so handsome that people fall in love with him at once! He comes as a large single stamp and costs only £7.95. To order him, click here to email me. Here's what I've done with him today:

I really like this neutral colour palette with flashes of colour and, although you can't see them very well in the photo, the rhinestones in Dasher's antlers sparkle beautifully. My observant regular readers might notice yesterday's cut-out sentiment  reappearing today - I love this look and the sentiment is incredibly easy to cut out!

How to make this card:

• Cut an 8cm square piece of Crumb Cake card stock.
• Using a piece of torn scrap paper as a mask, sponge in some snow using Whisper White craft ink. Sponge the edges of the card stock too. Craft ink remains wet for longer than dye ink but a quick blast with a heat gun speeds things along!
• Ink Dasher up with Basic Black ink and stamp him onto the snow on the right of the card.
• Fix three basic rhinestones to his antlers and give him an eye with a white gel pen.
• Wrap Old Olive 1/8" taffeta ribbon around the left of the card and secure with tape.
• Stamp a sentiment onto a scrap of Whisper White card stock using Real Red ink and cut it out. Attach it across the ribbon using dimensionals.
• Cut a piece of Basic Black card stock 18cm x 9cm. Score and fold it in half to make a 9cm square card blank and adhere the main panel to it.

Supplies

Stamps: Dasher, Contempo Christmas (sentiment)

Ink: Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White craft ink

Card stock: Crumb Cake, Basic Black, Whisper White

Other: Basic rhinestones, 1/8" taffeta ribbon in Old Olive

Well it's Friday and time to plan for the weekend. And talking of planning, it's my lovely daughter's birthday next week! We were chatting about getting older and I asked her where she saw herself in three years' time. "A bit taller," she said promptly. "And hopefully with nicer clothes!" She is an expert in living in the present and, after all, there's plenty of time to think of the future!

Have a great weekend!

Three Minute Thursday - using Season of Joy

Hello! Welcome to another Three Minute Thursday - inspiration for those who like their card-making to be super speedy!

This week I've used Season of Joy - one of my favourite sets. Why is it one of my favourites? Because although it looks like just a Christmas set, it is a hard-worker all the rest of the year too.

The swirl, the large and small flowers and the star are perfect for all sorts of cards which makes this a very desirable set to me! And, by the way, another great reason for getting this set at the moment is that when you buy it with the So Swirly jumbo wheel, you get to choose one of four enormous reels of gorgeous, exclusive ribbon free! That could be your Christmas wrapping sorted! Click here for more details.

Oops! I've got distracted! Let's move onto today's fast card! 

I'm using the snowflake today! Now, this is another One Sheet Wonder - you can stamp a whole A4 sheet with this design and simply cut it up to make lots of cards. You may have noticed that the sentiment has been cut out and be wondering how on earth that can be a feature of a three-minute card! Well, you're right - I wouldn't normally suggest cut-outs on a super-fast card, but this card is SO fast and the sentiment is actually very easy to cut out and, when I timed it, the card came in at three minutes!

I checked it three times, using different colours! I love the way it looks against the busy background.

This Not Quite Navy version is my favourite.

How to make this card:

• Stamp an A4 sheet of Whisper White card stock with the snowflake stamp in your chosen blue ink. EDITED TO SAY: Of course I didn't do this for the three minute card! I stamped a piece of 8cm square Whisper White. But it IS useful to know that if you were making multiple cards it would be quicker to stamp the whole sheet.
• Cut a piece 8cm square and mat it onto a piece of Real Red card stock cut 8.5 cm square.
• Attach this to a 9cm square card blank cut from your chosen blue card stock.
• Stamp the sentiment and cut it out. Mount it on dimensionals and attach to the card front.
• Add a rhinestone to the centre of the nearest snowflake above the sentiment.

Supplies

Stamps: Season of Joy, Contempo Christmas (sentiment)

Ink: Real Red, Not Quite Navy (or Pacific Point or Tempting Turquoise)

Card stock: Whisper White, Real Red, Not Quite Navy (or Pacific Point or Tempting Turquoise)

Other: Basic rhinestone

I really enjoyed making these cards and it's a winning formula! Try it with different stamps for other occasions - I'd love to hear how you get on!

Can you believe that tomorrow is Friday already?

See you then!

Christmas gift - using Hello Again

Today, I thought you might like a look at some little gift sets I'm making for my nieces for Christmas. All you need for these is the Hello Again stamp set, which appeals to all ages, with a couple of markers, some brads and some off-cuts of card stock. Come and see:

I started by making a simple box using Pacific Point card stock cut to 22.5cm x 10.25. (The card stock is scored 2.75cm round each edge, cut in to where the score lines meet on the long sides and assembled.) The box is the perfect size to hold the Hello Again stamp set as well as two markers, some card stock and embellishments. I cut Pacific Point, Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive card stock to 4cm x 8cm and some Whisper White cut to 3.5cm x 7.5cm. They fit nicely in the bottom of the box - the ingredients for some tags or card toppers. The brads were popped into a tiny cello bag, sealed and attached to a piece of Pacific Point card stock cut to 5cm x 5.25cm and scored down the longer side at 2.25cm and 2.75cm.

Here's everything tucked neatly into the box. I made a sleeve for the box using a medium Window Sheet cut to 19cm x 17.5cm. Scoring down the short side, I scored at 3cm, 8cm, 11cm and 16cm and folded the edges crisply. I secured the sleeve with a length of Sticky Strip and slid it over my box matchbox-style.

Here's the box decorated with a length of Old Olive 1/8" taffeta ribbon. This can be used to make the tags inside or embellish cards - how fab is that?!

To give the gift a festive feel, I stamped the snowflake from Season of Joy in Pacific Point ink on a scrap of Whisper White and attached it to the ribbon with a piece of silver elastic cord.

Supplies

Stamps: Hello Again (inside gift), Season of Joy (to decorate gift)

Ink: Pacific Point

Card stock: Pacific Point, Whisper White plus scraps for inside the gift

Other: Medium window sheet, 1/8" taffeta ribbon in Old Olive, silver elastic thread

I think that girls of all ages would be thrilled to receive this little gift box and it doesn't break the bank either! The Hello Again stamp set is only £10.95 for a set of 5 and the markers are £2.95 each. To order any of these items just send me an email - I now take credit card payments as well as Paypal, bank transfer, cash and cheque.

Lots of people have been asking me what happened on the way back from convention at the weekend. Well, poor Michelle's car broke down and we found ourselves stranded by the side of the road awaiting a tow truck. We were very tired and should have been rather miserable - but how can you be miserable with great company and chocolate? The AA man was astonished (and, I think, slightly scared!) when he turned up to find us giggling away, having a great time in the abandoned vehicle!

Thanks for visiting me today.

Hope to see you tomorrow for another Three Minute Thursday.

Happy crafting!