My Stampin' Up 'must have' set

I always laugh at those ads that claim their products are a 'must have' but in the case of the set I'm using for today's three minute card I really do think it's a justifiable claim! The reason? Well it's one of those rare sets that I think you could stamp with your eyes closed and get fabulous results! No masking is required, no embossing, no stamp-a-majig (well only for the sentiment), no clever tricks at all... come and see (and before anyone thinks about being rude, no I didn't stamp it with my eyes closed LOL!):

The plant images were stamped onto a scrap of First Edition designer paper starting with the lighter colours first, then the darker. I just love the way these stamps layer effortlessly! (By the way, if you're after just a little bit of useful First Edition paper, check the 'my special offers' tab at the top of my blog.)

Here's a closer view at that stamping and, if you look closely, you can see that I added a sprinkling of gems before sponging the edge of the paper and mounting it onto the Midnight Muse card base.

The sentiment from A Word For You didn't really show up too well against the background, so I just went over it with the thin end of a marker. It's a very 'handwriting' style anyway so I hope I got away with it! Even with that, the card took under three minutes to make!

I'm entering this card into the Addicted to Stamps and More challenge where the theme is Flowers and I shall also be taking it along for a quick skip in Di's Snippets Playground!

Here's what you'll need to make this card
Stamps: Summer Silhouettes, A Word For You
Ink: River Rock, Gumball Green, Midnight Muse
Card stock: Midnight Muse
Other: First Edition designer paper, markers, corner rounder, stamp-a-majig
I'd be delighted to order any of these items for you and have them delivered straight to your address in the UK, France, Deutschland, Nederland or Osterreich. I'm committed to providing excellent customer service and am always happy to offer help and advice. To place your order, just send me an email or give me a call on +44 (0) 1280 820593. Check out current special offers here.

We're preparing for a French exchange student to stay with us. He wrote us a sweet letter thanking us for giving him the opportunity for this 'trip of happiness' and confessing he was a little nervous, so I wrote a letter back telling him not to be nervous at all and that we were all looking forward to his visit. Unfortunately I embarrassed myself in the Post Office while checking the price of posting the letter. Yes, you've guessed it, I started my enquiry with the phrase: "I have a French letter here..." Everyone in the Post Office made a valiant effort to keep straight faces but when I added: "I really wish I hadn't said that," they gave up the attempt and fell about laughing!

I think I may have to get some more Christmas cards done so I should think I'll have something festive to show you tomorrow. Hope to see you then,