Going, going...and then its gone...

Stampin'Up! is saying goodbye to hundreds of retiring products from the 2013-14 catalogue. These retiring products will be only be available to purchase until 30 June 2014 and only while stocks last. There are some great bargains on the list - look out for the products with prices in red as these are the discounted items. Please check your wishlist to make sure none of your favourites are on the list - I would hate for you to miss out.

Of course the retiring list is not all bad news because it also means the new catalogue launch is getting closer. As demonstrators we get to see the catalogue in advance and are able to pre-order select key products. If you would like to join the Stampin' Up! team in time to join in the new catalogue excitement Stampin' Up! have a special promotion that you may like.

 As well as the usual starter kit  containing £130 worth of products plus the business kit for just for £99, for a limited time only  Stampin' Up! are offering the chance to join for the low price just £50 which gets you £55 of products plus your business kit and you can chose pre-order items in your starter kit. If you know this is for you then simply click on the Join for £50 image to be taken to the sign up page. If you would like to know more about this or any other promotion, product or service please get in touch.

As always if you have any questions or if I can help in any way please do let me know

Until next time, take care

Christa   xx

Weekend Bliss

I had decided (on Thursday evening after I spent ages looking for something in my craftroom - which is in serious danger of becoming the room of doom)that from now on Friday will be allocated Tidy Friday and is to be followed by use 'em or lose 'em scraps Saturday ( and maybe Sunday too before the recycling collection comes on Monday) but the best laid plans and all that...because as I started the much needed and seriously overdue tidy of the craftroom, I came across my bag from the Telford event last weekend...and spotted the make & take project I had brought home with me.

We often get make & take projects at Stampin' Up! events but I usually prefer to use the time for networking (aka chatting)  and anyway it is easier to bring home a project kit on the train than a completed project - especially if it is a 3D project...so I tell myself I will do it when I get home...

But do I ? Nope! I still have at least half a dozen make & take projects still in the wrappers (shock horror oh the shame...)... so this time I vowed publicly that I would complete this latest make & take... a cute little bag to hold some note cards and of course the cards to go inside.

Of course it would have been prudent to double check I own all the necessary tools and materials to complete the task at home...and of course typically I did not... so I have had to adapt the project to suit the stuff I do have...but despite the switcheroos I am pleased with how it turned out....and of course pleased as punch that I actually completed the project...albeit a full week after the event.

If you look really closely you may spot a sneak peek of a new catty product ssh! don't tell


Until next time, take care

Christa   xx

Days later...

Its now a few days since  the Telford event  and strangely it feels like it was yesterday and at the same time it seems like it was ages ago...

Batteries are now recharged, at least those in my camera are, and I was able to retrieve the photos and take some of the swaps I received...and I thought I would start with those...

I got quite a few tag and bookmark swaps and these are pictured left... the top right pink with the flower is also a bookmark - the clever page saver kind that pops over the corner of the page.
In addition to these there are also three mini cards in the picture

 The second picture shows the cute 3D birdhouse and the mini briefcase - this had a sherbet sweet inside...we used to call them space ships when we were kids and they are still just as yummy as I remember! A great selection of card designs and the kraft bag project on the far right with the tangerine tag is actually a teabag holder and has mint tea inside which was a lovely surprise.

In the background you will notice a canvas bag with the Stampin'Up! logo on it... These were given to us at the registration desk and were used to carry home our freebie give-aways ...and my prize patrol goodies...

The products inside the bag are all brand new product lines that will be in the new catalogue when it comes out at the end of June...so for now they are a secret...but watch out for sneaky peeks coming very soon...

Before I go let's not forget that today  is Wednesday and that means weekly deals day... If you haven't done so already, please pop along and check them out in case there is a deal on something on your wishlist


Until next time, take care

Christa   xx

What fun...

I had a fabulous time at the Stampin'Up!  UK regional event at Telford. Over three hundred demonstrators gathered together to hear the latest news from Stampin'Up!, see some sneak peeks at products from the upcoming catalogue (not too long to wait now...) and  to share creative ideas.

As well as the chance to catch up with old friends and the opportunity to see up close some of the exciting new things coming our way, one of the highlights is always prize patrol...and I was one of the very lucky winners of some yet to be released totally fabulous  products.... watch out for sneaky peeks very soon

I am home now, exhausted but inspired. I took lots of notes and hundreds of photos... I got lots of fab swap projects and  I will take pics of them as soon as my camera is charged so for now I can only show the full images of the swaps I made...

Once me and my camera are properly recharged and working on full power again  I will be back...

Until next time, take care

Christa   xx

What do you a call...

What do you call a gathering of demonstrators from up and down the UK?  I am sure there should be an official name for it...but anyhow this weekend there will indeed be a gathering of demonstrators for the UK regional event in Telford and always it is guaranteed to be energetic, noisy and above all fun!

As always swapping is a big part of any demonstrator event and with over 300 people due to attend the possibilities are endless. I did not get as many swaps prepared as I usually do, but I do have some because it just wouldn't feel the same without a little swapping... the projects are always amazing and inspirational and I always come home with loads of new ideas...

As I am leaving today I can't post pics of my swaps but I will share teeny tiny peeks and I can say I used Life in the Forest stamp set as the focus for my swaps this time.  When I get back I will  show my swaps in full along with some of the swapped projects I got in return.


Until next time, take care

Christa   xx
                                                                                                                                

Smile...

                                                                                                                                                                                 
It's the weekend...it's mid May and the weather is truly atrocious - it just hasn't stopped raining and it was so cold earlier we actually had to put the heating on!

Its miserable out there and so I thought today I would simply share a smile.


Happy Weekend one and all


Until next time, take care

Christa   xx

Show & Tell Card Candy Part 2

Card Candy  part two

So carrying on from my previous card candy post,these are the rest of the card candy swaps I received back from other participants and these are all made using stamps set I do not currently own... Interesting that of the ten sets chosen by swap participants, I already own exactly half. 

The first one on the left was made by Emily using the Perfect Couple stamp set. Like me Emily opted to focus on the current in-colours in her card candy  - they are really pretty - and she has used no less than eight punches to make her candy selection.

The next set  (on the right) was made by Charlie- Louise  and she chose the very cute Zoo Babies stamp set from the main annual catalogue. 

Charlie opted for gender neutral colours rather than  pink or blue and she used a variety of punches in the making of her  very pretty candy . 

Another baby related set was the focus for Laura's card candy  (pictured left) and Laura chose the equally cute Baby, We've Grown stamp set from the Spring and summer catalogue. Laura chose to work in pink and  blue for the gender specific stamps as well as the yellow with neutral shades.

Moving away from babies, a set with a rather cute name is Peachy Keen and this was the set chosen by Sarah for her candy. (pictured right)  This set also coordinates with the On Film framelits dies . A mix of words, shapes and elements this is a great set for candy.

  

Pictured on the left,  the last of the swaps is the candy made by  Elaine who chose to work with the By The Tide stamp set. I have seen lots of fabulous cards, including many scene builder style, made with this set but  I had never before  seen any card candy or card elements using By The Tide ...and it works so well . Elaine's candy includes a border, a panel, a tag and some  decorative elements.

And that ends the show & tell for the entire card candy swap (parts one and two)  I hope that you will have found some inspiration from the fabulous work featured  here and that you will have enjoyed the chance to see the work, design ideas and styles of several demonstrators all  located in one spot.

If you have been inspired to make card candy of your own I would love to see it and would be happy for you to share with a link back to your own projects.

As always, if you have any questions, want to know how to get hold of any of the products used in any of the candy examples or  if I can help in anyway you know what to do... please just get in touch

Until next time, take care

Christa   xx

Show & Tell - Card Candy

CARD CANDY!

I recently took part in an organised card candy swap  over at ILWS and organised by the lovely Jo. If you are not familiar with the concept let me quickly explain... There were ten demonstrators involved and we each chose a stamp set and  used that stamp set  to make ten packs of card candy. Once we had made and packaged our candy we all sent it to Jo who sorted it and sent us back one each of the ten completed sets (so we  each got one of our own sets back too)

I chose to use Perfect Pennants stamp set and matching framelits for my card candy and I used mainly the current in-colours. I used a number of techniques to make my candy including embossing, water colouring, faux stitching, paper piercing and of course the all important stamping...and I used card stock, stamps, ink, sponges, chalk marker, framelits, punches, foil paper, washi tape, glimmer paper, ribbon, candy dots and rhinestones - but the beauty of card candy is that while it may utilise lots of different products, it allows you to make use of all the offcuts and smaller pieces you may have left over from other projects... and at the end of the day you get some pretty cool card candy pieces that are totally unique.  Once you get started making card candy I don't think you will ever want to buy a pack in a shop again...

I think card candy also help us to see stamp sets in a new light. Sometimes - and we all do this - I have looked at a stamp set and thought well that's nice but how would I use it?  I consider my stamps and investment of sorts and so I like to know that I will be able to make the most of each set I invest in...card candy provides yet another creative option.

So without further ado I will share  some of the card candy that I received in the swap. Some of the stamp sets used are sets that I own and I  will start with these. All of the sets came packaged in cello bags with pretty toppers but since I want to focus on the candy itself I have zoomed in a bit.

This first one (on the left) was made by Jo  and she chose the Life in the Forest stamp set. This is a great one for colouring and scene building and I love all of Jo's fabulous candy designs. The little bunny was an extra added to the outside of the packaging which was a lovely touch. This set came out in the Spring and summer catalogue and is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. I fully expect I will be using it a lot in the near future.



The set (to the right) was made by Sandra and she opted for Bright Blossoms stamp set. I have owned this one for quite some time and must admit I don't use it as often as I should. ..but seeing what Sandra has done  and how she has made the most of this set using it with a variety of punches and dies has given me some fresh ideas.





The next set (on the left) was made by Alison using Everything Eleanor.  I have already really got a lot of use out of this set and yet I had never ever considered using it to make candy and Alison has really made me think differently about an old favourite. She has combined a lot of techniques and products including pressed clay flowers.

The last of the sets I own was the Just Sayin' stamp set and coordinating word bubble framelits chosen by  Julie. This is another new set from the spring and summer catalogue and this is a fine example of how what is a basically a sentiment set can be up-scaled into something a little more. The super cute punch art owl was a fabulous extra touch to this  set of candy.


So that is part one of the card candy swap show & tell.  I loved that the card candy I received gave me some new ideas on how I could use those sets that are already in my collection ...and of course it generally prompts creative thinking about how to use other sets in similar ways too.

I will come back to the rest of the card candy swaps - the sets I do not personally own -  in another post but for now if you have any questions, would like to know more or need some general information please do get in touch.

Until next time, take care

Christa   xx

Show & Tell - new photopolymer stamps

With so many great products and a wealth of fabulous projects out there I decided it is time to use this blog for a spot of regular show & tell ..and it starts right here with new product!

Click on image to go to offer

Stampin' Up!  has just announced that in the new 2014-15 catalogue we will have our usual wood mount and clear mount stamps but that we will also be getting photopolymer sets too. These have been available in the USA for some time now, and I was lucky enough to try them last year so am really pleased they have finally made it across the pond.

  

 I must admit (like many stampers) I was never that impressed with the results I got with the clear photopolymer stamps in the past, but Stampin’ Up! have found a high quality material that gives the quality images we have grown to expect from Stampin’ Up! products and once I tried them myself I was suitably impressed.

There will be a selection of brand new photopolymer stamps in the new catalogue in July but if you can’t wait for the new catalogue to try these for yourself, Stampin’ Up! has an offer for you…From now until 31 May when you place an order for £60 or more (not including P&P) you can choose one of these four Photopolymer Stamps for FREE.  This will be your only chance to get these sets as they will not be in the upcoming catalogues and supplies are limited!

I have just taken delivery of a set of the new photo-polymer stamps – I got Show & Tell set # 2 which in case you hadn't already guessed, I used to stamp the Show & Tell button at the top of the page....it seemed just perfectly suited for the job!

So…what are they like?

Well the first thing you notice is that they arrive in a cello bag  and are held on an acetate carrier sheet. 

When you peel them from the backing sheet they feel quite sturdy (for want of a better word) They are easy to position where you want them on the block and they stick really well to the acrylic blocks. Of course as you’d expect they are transparent so you can see exactly where you are stamping. 

This is particularly useful with alphabets and borders…and of course the slightly pliable nature of the photopolymer means that you can do even more with the element and border stamps…like make an arrow arch slightly or a make a border curvy rather than straight...which is what I did very quickly here with one of the arrows from the Show & Tell set #2.

As always if you would like to know more about the featured new photopolymer sets, about any Stampin'Up! offers, promotions and products in general or would like to know more about becoming a demonstrator yourself please drop me a line and  I will do my best to  help and to  answer any questions you may have.

Until next time, take care

Christa   xx