Bloomin’ Marvellous!

Firstly i am sorry this is Friday’s post, my problems with blogger continued over the weekend so i decided to start again today with a new week.  Finger’s crossed this will post correctly!

Morning All, I hope that you have had a good weekend?  I have a poorly M off school today she has suspicious spots that could be chicken pox so i need to take her to the doctors to see what they are before she can go back to school.  Unfortunately she is missing a school trip to the local museum and is desperately trying to convince us that she is well but the thermometer is not on her side and shows that she still has the fever from Saturday! Bless her i hate that she is missing out.

Todays card is made using the Sale-a-Bration {SAB} stamp set Bloomin’ Marvellous i really like this set so you will be seeing more of it i am sure.  The card was inspired by a card i saw on an American Demo called Lyssa’s blog the embossing folder is also part of the SAB selection of goodies that you can earn for FREE with a qualifying order.  I made these for a card front swap that was organised between the team i belong to.

**Remember between January 22nd and March 22nd 2013 Stampin’ Up! are giving away FREE products for all orders over £45!!  Call me now to place your order!!**

If you would like any products used to produce this project then please contact me craftylittlemoo@hotmail.co.uk

Until Next Time

Ttfn

Charlie.x

Everybunny convention Swaps

Hello Reader; today is the last day of convention and here is the last two Everybunny swaps.


This little guy is also stamped in soft suede and coloured with a blender pen and Watercolour Wonder Crayons. 



I have one more swap from this stamp set;



This pretty girl bunny is also coloured with the Watercolour Wonder Crayons and a blender pen


Here is a close up;







And here are all three of the Everybunny Swaps that i coloured with Watercolour Wonder Crayons;

I have another swap to share with you tomorrow, If you would like any products used to produce this project then please contact me craftylittlemoo@hotmail.co.uk

Until next time
ttfn
Charlie.xx

Festive Friday

Hello Readers, today’s Festive Friday is actually one of my convention swaps which i had planned as a tag for presents.

I love this cute little guy from the Scentsational Season Stamp set {Autumn/Winter Catalogue} i am going to be using it lots this year.  This is a small tag i made for parcels but it is doubling up as a convention swap this week too.  I took a small square base of crumb cake and mounted on it a very vanilla layer which i had stamped the gingerbread man in soft suede on and the sentiment is from the Polar Party stamp set {Annual Catalogue} which i have stamped in cherry cobbler.  And of course because it has an edge i have sponged around with crumb cake ink for a slightly vintage look.

If you would like any products used to produce this project then please contact me craftylittlemoo@hotmail.co.uk

Until next time

ttfn

Charlie.xx

Convention 2012 swaps

Morning reader; i shall be getting ready for day one of the Stampin’ Up! European Convention after travelling to Mainz yesterday.  Today i will be sharing with you another of my swaps again using the lovely bunnies from the Every Egg Wheel stamp they are perfect for quick Easter cards.

After quickly rolling the stamp wheel along the bottom of a very vanilla square in soft suede, i grabbed my blender pen and my Watercolour Wonder Crayons and quickly coloured the image in.  I then mounted it on a Bashful Blue base.  I plan to make many more of these for an Easter craft fair i have in the diary. 
Tonight i will be at the Awards Dinner and after party if you want to join me next year send me an email and i will call you when i get back and we can talk about you joining my team.

If you would like any products used to produce this project then please contact me craftylittlemoo@hotmail.co.uk

Until next time 
ttfn
Charlie.xx

On my way to Mainz…

Hello reader, hope you are well as you read this i shall be on my way to Heathrow for my flight to Frankfurt to join 850+ European Demonstrators at the Stampin’ Up! European Convention in Mainz.  As with all get togethers of Demo’s swaps are on the menu and although i didn't quite make 850 i did make a few and i shall share them with you over the next coming days.


This is a very simple card; a base of crumb cake with a mount of very vanilla that i have stamped the bunny image from the Everybunny stamp set in soft suede ink.  I then used a crumb cake ink pad and blender pen to ‘shade’ the image.  Quick and simple but quite effective i think.
i shall be back tomorrow with another swap for you.

If you would like any products used to produce this project then please contact me craftylittlemoo@hotmail.co.uk

Until next time
ttfn
Charlie.x

WOYWW? September 12th {a change}

Morning All, hope you are all well, this will be a picture heavy post as i have as the title suggests had a bit of a change so the first photo will be my desk last thing at night – nothing will have changed since then as i have only been up a little while! lol And then i will show you my re organisation and the change of look in my craft area for those that wanna stick around :)

So this is what is on my desk at the moment; the start of my convention swaps turned over so as not to spoil the surprise for the recipients, a gift from my friend and upline Bekka, a few new stamps, and a couple of stray hair clips.

SO the last few weeks i have posted pictures of my huge pile of mess; well this week i tidied it all up, and i mean ALL i pulled everything off the shelves and sorted through it all before putting it away i also reclaimed a dresser from the children’s craft stuff to put all mine away out of sight. 

So now that it was tidy i was thinking i don’t really like the fabric on my chair and footstool anymore and in our new house we have a different colour scheme so it was time for a change so off i popped to the local had dash and an afternoon and evenings work with the staple gun and hammer later here we are;

 

                Before                              After

This time i went for a nice mocha brown with a silvery tree pattern on which toned in well with our creams and browns in the living room.

Here are the rest of the shots of the chair, footstool {that Mr.C made a while ago} and a new notice board to match. 

if you are still with me thank you for looking what do you think of the change?

Until next time

Ttfn

Charlie.xx

Punch Soup becomes a pretty card.

Morning again, Hopefully it wont rain today i am sure that as soon as we was told of the hosepipe ban that is all that it has done!  I don’t mind the rain because i know that we need it but the wind, now that i could do without!

So.. yesterday i told you about my punch soup, well here i will show you one of the ways that i use them.  A couple of weeks ago i went along to a training day in Peterborough hosted by Monica and Bekka and of course any get together means swaps! but Monica set a theme that seemed tricky to begin with.  The theme was ‘yellow’ now i don’t know about you but i rarely use yellow so i really really struggled with what to do for them.  So after trying so many different idea that i was not entirely happy with an idea struck me. 

So here is my swap using my ‘punch soup’

I stamped the blossom stamp from the Easter Blossoms set {Spring Mini} in Soft Suede then i set to shaping the little flowers. i started doing this on the palm of my hand but it soon started to hurt so after trying different ideas i fell on the idea of using a clean cosmetic sponge.

  I shaped them using a new tool that is coming in the New Summer Mini Catty which is due out on May 1st 2012!

I used the Simply Scored Stylus head to shape the flowers just by rubbing the middle of the flower this causes the petals to raise up and form this blossom shape.

As you can see i used all types of paper and card stock i quite like how all the different types sit well together. I picked them mostly randomly making sure that i had at least 3 yellow flowers on each one.

Finished off with a stamped greeting from the same set in a scallop oval made using the punches with a little flower with a pearl in the centre.

To make things easier once i had shaped the flowers i sorted them into colours and found that the best place to store them was an ice cube tray.

I store all of this in an empty Xerox box lid, as you can see this houses my punched bits any bits and pieces that i have stamped and have not made it to a project yet and spares from other projects.
I made 56 of these card fronts and what i had left over from the training day i mounted onto cards to keep for next Easter so i am ahead already lol :)
{Products used all SU: Whisper White Card Stock; Easter Blossoms Stamp set; Itty Bitty Shapes Punches –set of three-; Scallop Oval Punch; Large Oval Punch; scraps of card stock and designer papers}

If you would like any products used to produce this project then please contact me craftylittlemoo@hotmail.co.uk

Until Next Time

Ttfn

Charlie.x

WOYWW Jan 11th 2012

Morning all, not much happening on my desk this week, my gorgeous new bag arrived yesterday from SU – it was the 2011 Convention Bag and is only available to Demo’s it is so gorgeous i just keep staring at it and stroking it Mr.C thinks i love it more than him!  I have assured him i am just in the throws of lust! Behind that is my box of swaps from my latest Training Day trip at the weekend {more of that later} and a little pop up bin that will be much better at holding my mess than my tiny green bucket!  My diary is out as i have been booking in people for card classes and planning my next lot.  This week is a planning week for me.  Right must go and tidy up my desk stop stroking my new bag so i can get on with some crafting. I have to find my project under there for the Craft Group tonight or i will have to sit and gossip rather than craft – ooo won’t that be different from every other month?! lol

Until next time

Ttfn

Charlie.x

2011 was the year …..

Inspired from Bekka Prideaux’s Blog Feeling Crafty, this post is titled ‘2011 was the year…’

2011 was the year that;

Me and Mr.C got married on May 18th

My dreams of a beautiful Kitchen Aid mixer was realised when we received one as a wedding gift (and we have all put on a little weight! lol)

I finally convinced Mr.C to build me a new Craft space in our new home.

I was invited to a team training day in Peterbourgh held by Monica and Bekka.  I made lots of new friends and was introduced to the world of swaps.

I decided to take the plunge and overcome my techno fears to create a blog and post semi-regularly on it ;).  And take part in What’s on Your Work-desk Wednesdays?

After 3 years (!) of over thinking it, i finally signed up as a Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator

My not so little any more M started Primary School

Joined the PTA and Organised a very successful Indulgence Evening.

Managed to finish and post all my Christmas cards out in time for last posting for the first time ever!

(this is on my to be scrap-booked list)

 

And much much more, as obviously little H has changed so much over the year learning to talk and walk and generally cause mischief!  M learnt to ride a bike this year.  Mr.C has bravely become a mature student and decided to start a History Degree i am so proud of him i not it is not in vogue but i really do love my Husband so much he is everything to me and he is the kindest most generous gentle man if a bit too tidy to live with a crafter!  He is also my best friend and is so supportive of everything that i do and provides for us perfectly and is the best Daddy i could ever want for my Daughters.

Mr.C supported and encouraged my decision to become a Demo for SU and because of him i get to indulge my passion for crafting while building a business in a field where i actually want to go out to work because it doesn’t feel like work and i have made honestly loads of friends.

If you fancy becoming a Demonstrator as a hobby or to supplement your own craft habit why not join my team of Inky Moo’s?? Email or Call me for an informal no pressure Chat.

So why not think about what you did this year and what you want to do next year??

Until Next time

Ttfn

Charlie.x

Christmas in July …… Part Two.

Hello! Good Morning i am hoping that today it rains less than it did yesterday as it’s Milli’s Friends’ 4th Birthday today and is having a birthday party today so finger’s crossed it won’t be rained off!  (This is a scheduled post so i have no idea what the weather is doing i am just giving this scheduling lark a go! lol)

So down to business and Part two of the Peterborough Christmas in July Training day.

So at these training days we swap the swaps that we made for about 40 swaps that the other attendants have made.  This has to be one of my favourite bits of the training days as it often makes me look again at a stamp set that i have overlooked in the past.  Often adding to my wish list much to the dismay of Mr.C who already thinks i have too many stamp sets! lol Although i have a lot less than when we first met, as back then i have over 1000 before Mr.C gave up counting with two more boxes full left to count!!!  But as i am changing over to all SU i have slowly sold them all off and now only have a tiny amount, its like being a brand new crafter!  And i do feel that i have been revitalised!  However i digress! lol

So here are some photos of the fantastic swaps that i received in return for the ones that i made.

Firstly a traditional red and green coloured selection, a more modern colour selection of blue tones; 

Cor! My desk looks messy in these photos, i promise it is tidy sometimes lol Mr.C is VERY tidy so i have to clear up after myself each night otherwise he gets twitchy and i just no he is dying to go tidy it up!

I love to look at all the swaps and will often get them out to have a look when i am having a crafting block.  I keep them all in a box together on the shelves above my desk so that they are close at hand but i do want to put them safely into scrapbooks at some point.  Another task to add to my list, along with finishing a piece of lace i started long before little H was even conceived!

 

Another Fantastic Benefit of attending these days is that there is an inspiration area manned by lovely Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrators.  Lots of gorgeous projects are on display all on the same theme to which we are working to which this time is of course Christmas.

Here are a few photo’s from the booths one was manned by Marissa other by Ann (i think! i am terrible with names so sorry please correct me if i am wrong)

 

So i have a lovely album of photos to flick through now to draw on for inspiration.  I feel so lucky that i am allowed to take part in these events and that everyone is so welcoming even though i am not officially part of the team (yet! watch this space he he!) So thank you very much Monica and Bekka and all the team for being so welcoming and lovely.

And of course thank you to Caroline for introducing me into the Fantastic team that she is part of. 

Until next time

ttfn

Charlie.xx

Christmas in July ……Part One.

Evening all, i hope that this finds you well?  Sorry for the lack of posts last week.  I went to the Peterborough Training Day organised by Monica and Bekka on the Sunday and enjoyed myself immensely but came home completely shattered, which obviously was touch paper for a lurking bug that had been threatening me to pounce and wipe me out!  I spent most of last week feeling sorry for myself , whilst trying to carry on with a very busy week which included Milli’s last day a Pre-School (Sob!). but i did manage to fit in a few hours crafting this weekend which i will share with you later but first…….My Swaps!

I had more notice for this training day but that didn’t mean that making my swaps was any easier, in fact it was harder because i kept changing my mind on what i was going to do!  But that does mean that i will have some extra projects to share with you in the future.

So firstly i made a pouch for sweets using the Top Note die for the Big Shot and the SU Ornament Punch.  I chose an unusual colour way of Certainly Celery and Pretty in Pink (partly because i had lots of these colours left over from my wedding invites earlier in the year, and partly because i like it! lol) even the sweet wrappers were pink and green!

   

But i only had enough sweets to make 6!! so i had to go back to the drawing board.  I asked my lovely friend Caroline if i could borrow her Pillow Box die for the Big Shot and kindly she agreed and even drove it all the way to me even though it is nearly an hours drive!!

SO……using the same colour way i sat myself in front of the TV with my Big Shot and cut 20 in each colour then using the bauble from the Contempo Christmas stamp set i stamped 20 of each in matching SU Ink.  I assembled them with a belly band of DSP from the Subtles Stack, and here they are;

 

I think that they look pretty good if i do say so myself! LOL  i shall be back soon with part two and the swaps that i received in return plus photos of the gorgeous items on display in the Inspiration Area.

Until next time

ttfn  

Charlie.xx

Peterborough Training, and meeting the lovely Monica!

hello all, hoping you are well? i am just recovering from my busy few days, saturday i managed to finish my swaps for the training day organised by monica.  sunday i went to peterborough to monica's team training which i was invited to by my stampin' up! demo caroline, and then monday night was the second meeting of the saffron walden craft group that i started last month.

so firstly my swaps, after many failed attempts that ended up in the bin my mojo completely failed me so i went off down the town with my nan and granddad and had a lovely lunch at ASK and then attempted to teach milli how to ride her bike for the afternoon.

with my head totally clear i sat down to make my swaps and asked Mr.C. his opinion and he said 'plain and simple' so i grabbed my 'trendy trees' stamp set and my stamp-a-ma-jig and got cracking here is what i came up with;

i think that they came out quite well but on the day the green ones where the most popular i only had 2 of those left!  i really love my stamp-a-ma-jig i wasn't too sure about it when i purchased it but couldnt see how i could use the 'trendy trees' without it, but now i really love it once i got my head round it its really simple and i always get my tree trunks in the right place which always helps! lol.

and so to training, i was invited to the team training event as i am thinking of joining stampin up! as a demo and caroline thought that coming to training would help in my decision, well it did! but also made my shopping list grow!! lol
we made some lovely 'make and take' projects and i met some lovely ladies including the rest of caroline's team of owls donna and helen.  and the swapping was lots of fun, it was lovely to see other stampers work and to get a small bit to take home and peruse at leisure.
here are some of the swaps that i received

and this photo is of the swaps made from left by helen, caroline and donna.

and so to the make and takes;

this was one of the projects we made with the 'nature's walk' stamp set.  i had originally overlooked this stamp set when looking through the mini catalogue as i wasnt sure what i would really do with it but after using it on sunday it is so on my wish list now!! lol

we also had some business talks from monica and bekka which i found really informative and helpful, they both speak and fill you with such inspiration that i had planned my launch party in my head before i've even signed my forms! lol

i met some really lovely and talented ladies who all welcomed me into their group for the day, had a lot of fun crafting for the whole day and seeing lots of others craft projects i have tons of photos but i think i may have rambled on far too long as it is now! lol
sorry for the long post and if you are still with me thank you for popping by until next time ttfn.

charlie.x