Making a crafty return

Hello? Helloooooo?!

I don't know if there's anyone reading this but I just made a card for the first time in four years, and I wanted to tell someone about it!

This, I warn you, is not a card using the latest and newest craft items... but come and see:

This is a card made by a desperate crafter who HAS NO CRAFT KIT!

Let me explain: Four years ago, I was ill and overwhelmed and gave up pretty much everything in my life to retire to a white room where the monsters couldn't get me. During this period, my husband decided to sell all my craft stash to free up some space and I agreed to it because I didn't have the strength to resist. (Don't worry, he is still alive and I've forgiven him!)

I made the polka dot stamps out of die-cut rubber off-cuts years ago. I have no ink pads but used markers to ink them up (hence the, ahem, 'texture'. But we can say that adds character - right?!) The label is from an ancient retired Stampin' Up set called Punches Three and heaven only knows where the birthday sentiment is from!

When the sudden urge to make a card hit me, I ransacked the house and this is what I found, left over from my previous life as a Stampin' Up demo:

Some bits of patterned paper
Some card stock
Some ribbon and bakers twine
Some mini punches
Markers
Re-inkers
About five Christmas-themed stamps
A few odd stamps

Aaaargh!!!

What do I miss the most? I desperately miss my ink pads and stamps - they are the things I love most about card-making. I also miss my punches when I'm wrapping gifts as I always loved making tags. It's not all bad of course. I am currently busy with plans to rebuild my craft stash and maybe try something new - I've been looking at stamps from Avery Belle, Concord and 9th, Mama Elephant, Alte and New, WPlus9, Winnie and Walter and Newtons Nook. I can't tell you how excited I am! All advice gratefully received :)

What do you think you'd miss most if someone came and stole away your stash?

If you've visited here today, thank you!  I'd really love to catch up with friends from the crafting world so please leave me a comment in the box below :)

Christmas card using Punches Three

One of my most used hostess sets of this year has been Punches Three. I love the way the images can be punched out - and my favourite image can be cut further to create an ornate tag. Of course, hostess sets are only available as a thank you to the hostess of a qualifying party and if you haven't booked your party already, it's going to be a little bit late to get your hands on this particular set! But the new hostess sets available from 1st October are even more desirable so it's well worth booking a date for your next party now! (Click here to email me for more information.)

Here's a classic Christmas card I made using Punches Three and the oh-so-useful Solid Stripes background stamp.

The tag is ornate enough to be focal point of the card, emphasised by the large satin bow.
Here's how to make this card:

• Cut a piece of Very Vanilla card stock 7.5cm wide x 8cm high. Take the Solid Stripes background stamp and colour it directly with markers. Huff on the stamp and press onto the card stock.
• Mount this panel onto a piece of Real Red card stock cut 8cm wide x 8.5cm high.
• Cut a piece of Very Vanilla card stock 8.5cm wide and 12cm high. Scallop the bottom with the scallop border punch. Mount the striped panel onto this.
• Use Snail to attach a length of Old Olive satin ribbon to the striped panel, folding it neatly over the top and securing at the back. Snip an inverted V in the tail of the ribbon with very sharp scissors. (I keep a pair specifically to use with ribbon.)
• Stamp the tag twice on a spare piece of Very Vanilla card stock, once in Chocolate Chip and once in Real Red. Cut both out with the scallop square punch. Snip the pattern off the Chocolate Chip image leaving the ornate tag shape. Pierce a hole in the sides of this one, using the stamped star as a guide, and add a gold brad to each side, bending the pins back so they're not visible.
• Using dimensionals, attach the Real Red square to the striped panel on top of the ribbon. Add the ornate tag to the top of this using more dimensionals.
• Adhere the panel to a Very Vanilla card base and finish with a large bow attached with Sticky Strip.

Supplies
Stamps: Solid Stripes, Punches Three
Ink: Real Red, Chocolate Chip
Card stock: Very Vanilla, Real Red
Other: Scallop square and scallop border punches, Old Olive satin ribbon, gold brads

So I spent the weekend making samples for my catalogue launch party on Thursday evening and using all the new colours with some of the new stamps and designer papers. Here's something I've learned this weekend: never under-estimate the fun value of new colours! I had a ball!

Hope your weekend was fun too!
See you soon