The ABC of a few of my favourite things....

A is for  Alphabets .... 

on page 131 you will find the new ABC-123 Outline Alphabets & Numbers and the coordinating ABC-123 Sketch Alphabets & Numbers...great that you can use either of the sets on their own or use them both together... a super chance for crafting friends or family to club together and get both...

B is for  Bundles ...

Everyone loves to say money and now is the perfect time to bag a bundle...There are no less than 7  great new bundles in this catalogue, each designed to present you with fabulous coordinated products and at a discounted bundle price. Check out Chalk Talk stamps and matching framelits bundle on page 12, ( The framelits in the bundle also coordinate with the Tag It set on page 45 ... and with each   Tag It stamp set  sold,  Stampin' Up! donate £2 to Ronald McDonald House Charities) also Backyard Basics stamp set and framelits on page 79,  Wildflower Meadow background stamp and embossing folder bundle on page 83,  Flower Shop stamp set and matching pansy punch on page 94,  Mosaic Madness  stamp set and punch Bundle on page 123 (there is a fabulous  Modern Mosaic embossing folder that goes with this set too and you will find that on page 191), Six Sided Sampler bundle on page 125 has an 11 piece stamp set and matching hexagon punch, and don't forget to check out the Tag a bag bundles on page 158 for all your packaging needs. 

and Backgrounds ...

There are some fabulous new background stamps including dictionary on page 100 and the fabulous background builder stamp set on page 119 ...

and  Buttons....

and how can we ignore the beautiful revamped button selection on page 168, including the gorgeous  Very Vintage designer buttons  which are fabulous and the thing I love best about them, especially the larger of the two sizes, is that they are lightweight and less bulky than your average fancy button.  On the card on the right I used one of the Very Vintage Buttons with some bakers twine but I also coloured the centre of the button using a marker pen to get a slightly different effect.

C is for colours...

                                                                                                    The staple colour families have had a slight revamp  to include some  favourite shades and a couple of new ones too...

and don't forget of course there are the fabulous new 2013-15 in-colours to enjoy. I used them here to make a quick in colour butterfly sampler

You can find the new in colours and check out the revamped colour family ranges starting on page 139.

and clay... 

You are going to LOVE the new simply pressed clay on page 167. White moulding clay  that simply air dries to make your own embellishments...and there is also  a new a set of buttons and flowers clay moulds to get you started. The clay is great and you can colour it before you press it into the mould by using reinkers and kneading the colour through the clay, or you can choose to make white embellishments and colour them afterwards...you can also stamp into the clay...the possibilities are endless and you will have fun trying out various options - you can even add glitter to the moulds for added sparkle... and the best thing of all, the finished results are light weight and slightly flexible so they are perfect for cards and projects...even those that have the survive the postal system.

 I made the card on the right for a Stampin' Up! friend and the flower was made from the clay  in the flower mould. I made the white flower  and then when it was dry I coloured it with the matching marker and then sponged over the top with the same shade ink.




For the card on the right I used another plain white flower but this time I simply sponged ink over the top leaving white accents and I dotted the centre with a grey marker and then sponged over the toip to blend it slightly.





So that is ABC of a few of my favourites  for today ...I would love to know what is catching your eye....and I will be back soon with some more thoughts , hints and project ideas inspired by the contents of the new catalogue. As always if you have any questions or would like to know more about any products or promotions please do get in touch 

Until next time, take care

Christa   xx