Sale-a-Bration - More Products Added

As you have previously read, Stampin' Up! have had a lot of issues with the Blendabilities and they are no longer available.  However, to sweeten the deal, the following products have been added to the Sale-a-Bration offerings - while stocks last!

In order to earn one of the Sale-a-Bration free products, you will have to place a £45 order, which will also earn you free postage from me.

To place your order - which can be any products from the main catalogue and the Spring/Summer catalogue, please contact me on carole.bryson@gmail.com or call/text me on 07747 465186

You can also place your order online HERE 24/7

Happy Shopping !    Cal xxxxxxx

It's a Potpourri Kinda Day!

I absolutely love this bundle that Stampin' Up! are offering in the Spring/Summer catalogue.  I know that I am a sucker for stamps and punches, and particularly flower stamps and punches, but I just love, love, love this Petal Potpourri set.

At only £34.95 for the wood bundle, and £28.95 for the unmounted bundle, it also offers great value for money too.

If you 'snip' into the petals (as shown above), you can achieve a lovely 3d effect to the flowers.  If you then slightly dampen the flowers and scrunch them up, you will achieve an amazing textured flower as well.  As the stamp set is sold with a solid pattern AND patterned images, you can achieve 100's of different effects !  Bargain !

Why not add in a pack of cardstock and a couple of inkpads, and you will then earn a FREE Sale-a-Bration product AND free postage !  

To place your order, you can contact me on carole.bryson@gmail.com or you can call/text me on 07747 465186 OR you can order direct via my 24/7 shop HERE (I will reimburse postage if your order is over £45).

2 Day Spring into Summer Crop - 11th & 12th April

Due to unforseen circumstances, I have FOUR places available for the 2 day crop (date above) in Rochdale, Lancashire.  All the classes are included, lunches, evening meal on the Saturday and breakfast on the Sunday plus refreshments throughout the two days.  There will also be lots of surprises and guaranteed laughs.  There are local hotels available if you wish to stay over.

A sneaky peak of the classes are below.   The kits for the classes are also available by mail (except the mixed media classes, as you would need to be there to be able to achieve the results).  

Six kits will be available and will include everything you need to complete the layouts (except the stamping) plus the written instructions.  The price is £40 INCLUDING postage.  (One of the classes is a Project Life scrapbook page, and each kit for this class will be different).

To either book a place for the 2 day crop or pre-book your class kits, please contact me on carole.bryson@gmail.com

DON'T FORGET

There is only 12 days of Sale-a-Bration left !    If you have ever considered becoming a Stampin Up' Demonstrator in order to receive a discount on all your purchases, or to run your own business, then NOW has never been a better time to sign up and join our amazing team The Hearts.

For £99 you will receive £130 worth of products PLUS either a free project kit, OR two free Sale-a-Bration products.  

For more details - please look HERE

To sign up to my successful team The Hearts, please click the link HERE and make sure my name is in the top right hand corner !

Don't forget to pop back for more news, ideas and hopefully, inspiration !  I've got some mixed media layouts to show you in the next day or two !

Much Love – Cal x

Confession, Mothers and News !

I'll start this evenings post with the news - get the bad bit out of the way first !

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT BLENDABILITIES:

Stampin' Up! is experiencing quality issues with the Blendabilities markers. The manufacturer is unable to correct the problem in a manner that we are certain would meet Stampin' Ups! high quality standards and provide us with a stable, long-term solution. Therefore, after a great deal of deliberation and in order to prevent further disappointment, the Blendabilities product line has been discontinued. Most Blendabilities markers work as intended, and thankfully, the faulty batches were discovered before they even hit the Stampin Up! warehouses.  However, there may be some that slipped through before the problem was noticed. 

If you have ordered Blendabilities through your SU demonstrator, then please check your pens, and we ask that you use your best judgment to determine whether your product is in good condition or if you need a refund. Due to the Sale-A-Bration Blendabilities no longer being available, demand for the other Sale-A-Bration items will be higher- that means Sale-A-Bration freebies are now WHILE SUPPLIES LAST!

My personal opinion (despite the fact that this is a huge loss to me business wise) is that I am pleased that Stampin Up! had the courage to discontinue an unsatisfactory product at a huge expensive to the company.  It seals my belief that Stampin Up will only sell high quality products and that their quality assurance systems are the best in the industry. 

Mother and confessions ...

I confess ...... that I bought my mums Mothers Day card last year.   I also confess that I bought her Birthday Card last year too :(

Well I have to confess because my darling mother recently announced to everyone at our monthly crop, that I always buy her cards, and that she rarely gets a handmade card from me !  Well imagine everyone's shock at my mothers announcement ... talk about being shamed into it !   I do admit that I felt really awful, so to compensate this year, I have made her two cards!

The following is one of the cards that I have made for her.  I just couldn't decide which one to send, so I'm sending her both !

The card was made using Oval Framelits, Butterfly Thinlets (from the spring/summer catalogue) and the Mum's Love stamp set.

Instructions

1. Make your card base.  I used a DL sized card base for this card using whisper white cardstock.

2. Cut a piece of whisper white cardstock 1/4" smaller than the cardbase on all sides to make the mat.

3. Die cut the 3rd smallest oval frame out of the whisper white mat.

4. Die cut three or four butterflies from whisper white cardstock

5. Cut a piece of coloured cardstock big enough to show under the oval framelit, and adhere this straight onto your cardbase.

6. Run tape runner around the underneath inside edges of the oval that has been cut out.

7. Again from the underneath, adhere parts of the butterfly to the oval - keep checking from the front of the oval to see how the butterflies look.  Once you are happy with the layout of the butterflies, burnish to ensure a good contact with the cardstock.

8. Using black memento inkpad, stamp the sentiment onto the front of the card.

9. Add dimensionals (foam pads) to the back of the oval/buttefly mat and adhere to the cardbase.

10. Adhere one 'flying' butterfly to the front, and add pearls

11. Punch out a small heart from the coloured cardstock, add a dimensional (cut to size), and attach the heart where indicated.

If you don't have the butterfly framelits, then you can use any 'fancy' framelits/dies that you own.

Well, I just hope my mum appreciates this card, and the second card (that I forgot to photograph), and I just hope it will make up for 'the bought effort' from last year !

If you wish to place an order, or if you have any questions or queries, please contact me at carole.bryson@gmail.com or call/text me on 07747 465186.

DON'T FORGET - Sale-a-Bration ends at the end of THIS month !

Have fun !  

Much Love – Cal x

It's a Garden Party type of day ...

I have fallen in love with this stamp set.  Not unusual you might say, but I seriously never saw this stamp set in the main catalogue at all.  I spotted something on Pinterest, did a bit of investigating, and found this stamp set.

Garden Party is one of those stamp sets that you will use over and over for any occasion.  It's great for backgrounds and main images.  It's a set that can be used for 'hellos', 'thinking of you', birthdays etc. etc... and will easily be used with hundreds of sentiment sets.

Can you tell I love it ? and at only £13.95 for the unmounted version, it's a bargain !

I've made a set of six cards using this stamp set, and three of them are below.

Instructions

1. Cut very vanilla into the usual A6 card.  I used the large dots embossing folder straight onto the cardstock using my big shot.
2. Punch out a 2" circle, and cover the bottom section (leaving a small gap) with washi tape.
3. Stamp two of the smaller flowers in Bermuda Bay and the larger flower in Bermuda bay.  Cut out.
4. Stamp the leaves using Mossy Meadow inkpad and cut out.  The '3' leaf image is the smaller flower, but I just cut out the leaves.  
5. Adhere the leaves to the flowers, as above
6. Stamp the 'thanks' sentiment from Another Thank You stamp set onto very vanilla cardstock, and cut out.  Add 'tails' to the left hand side, leaving enough room on the right hand side to add the flowers and leaves.
7. Adhere the flowers and leaves to the sentiment, and then adhere this to the washi circle.  Add dimensionals to the circle and stick down onto the card.  Voila !

Instructions

1. Make an A6 card base from very vanilla cardstock.
2. For this second card, I used the 'flower' embellishment from the current Artisan Embellishment kit as a stencil (spring catalogue).  
3. I used a dauber to sponge Coastal Cabana ink through the 'stencil'  then heat set it to ensure it was dry. (place stencil in the middle of the card and hold in place with masking tape)
4. Stamp out the small flower in Bermuda Bay and Mossy Meadow.  Cut out the small Bermuda Bay flower, and then cut out the leaves from the Mossy Meadow stamped image.  Adhere the leaves to the flower.
5. Stamp the 'thanks' sentiment from Another Thank You onto very vanilla and cut out the strip.  I added a small rhinestone to the tip of the 's' at the end of the word thanks.  Adhere the flower to the left hand side of the sentiment, and then using dimensionals, add this to the front of the card. You're done - how easy ?!?!

Instructions

1. Make an A6 card base from very vanilla cardstock.
2. Emboss the front of the card using the big dots embossing folder
3. Punch out a 2" x 4" strip of very vanilla cardstock using the scallop tag punch
4. Add washi tape to the 'top' of the tag (but it will actually be the bottom of the tag when added to the front of the card)
5. Using the small 'bunch' of flowers, stamp the image three times down the tag using Coastal Cabana and Bermuda Bay inkpad.
6. Using Mossy Meadow inkpad, stamp the flowers randomly over the flowers.
7. Stamp the large flower image once in Bermuda Bay, cut out and adhere onto the tag.
8. Add dimensionals to the back of the tag and attach to card.  You can add glitter or spray to add a touch of sparkle to the card, if wished.

So there you go ... three quick and very easy cards, all from one £13.95 stamp set ! Bargain !!!  I have another three cards in this series, that I will post during the week - so pop back for more ideas.

Don't forget - only three more weeks until the end of Sale-a-Bration, so if you 'need' the limited edition Sale-a-Bration goodies, then get your orders in quickly !

Don't forget - the extra FOUR Sale-a-Bration products ...

Don't forget - if you place a £45 order, you will receive FREE postage AND a FREE Sale-a-Bration item !

To place your orders, you can shop direct HERE at my 24/7 online shop OR you can email me on carole.bryson@gmail.com

See ya soon !

Much Love – Cal x

I'm back, Freebie, Tutorial and Important News!

Hi everybody !   I am extremely sorry for the lack of correspondence during the past 4-5 weeks.  My computer was severely hacked (I actually had a keylogger attack) which also hacked my Bank Account, Paypal, and lots of other online accounts that I was registered with.   My bank will be sorted tomorrow (hopefully) and my Paypal was sorted immediately - so thanks to Paypal and Halifax Bank - they have both been legends.

I still need to deal with lots of other Apps and forums etc., but I can deal with those over time.

The lead up to finding out that I had been hacked was a nightmare story, and involved a leak and a flood at home, a cancelled insurance policy, and random texts from my Bank ... there are a few other things that have happened, and that are still being dealt with, but I am more positive, that they are all behind me now.

However, I am very well aware, that I have not given the level of Service to my customers that you deserve, and I can only apologise from the bottom of my heart.  I have tried to keep things updated, but as most of my life is on my computer, I have been a bit stranded !

FREEBIE - In a small attempt to make up for my lack of correspondence, I am going to have a giveaway.  Every single person who places an order of £45 or above, will not only receive a free Sale-a-Bration product and FREE postage (an offer from me, not Stampin Up), but their names will be placed in a hat, and I will have a draw at the end of March for the winner .... the more people who order, the bigger the prize will be !

IMPORTANT NEWS - 1
Extra Sale-a-Bration Products !

Below are FOUR NEW products that you can earn during Sale-a-Bration.   To qualify, you must place a £45 order, and you get to select one of the products below - how lush ?!?!?!  I love them all !

http://www2.stampinup.com/gb/documents/Flyer_SAB2_demo_Feb1715_UK.pdf

http://www2.stampinup.com/gb/documents/Flyer_SAB2_demo_Feb1715_UK.pdf

Unfortunately, I do not have any samples of these products yet, as Demonstrators were only told about them last week.

You can order direct from my online shop HERE, or you can email me on carole.bryson@gmail.com or call/text me on 07747 465186

IMPORTANT NEWS - 2
Blendabilities

Unfortunately, on Friday evening, Stampin Up! released an update stating that they had turned off all the links for Blendabilities due to a 'quality control' issue.  To date, nobody has any idea why, so I'm afraid I can't answer any questions for now.  As soon as I am aware of any changes or information, you will be the first to know.

In other news ... I've been playing, yay !  I've been getting down and dirty with different watercolour techniques, and I have been having a ball !  I will be showing off some of my samples over the next few days, so please pop back to see them.

Tutorial - This is how I made the following card:-

1. Carefully using masking tape, tape down some watercolour paper onto a mat or distressing sheet.
2. Spritz water all over the watercolour paper until it is saturated.
3. Drop small amounts of re-inkers onto the water, and watch the colour blend into each other.  You might need to add more drops and/or re-spritz with water to get the colours to blend into each other.
4. Using a heat gun, thoroughly dry the watercolour paper.
TIP:  If your watercolour paper is warped (which it should be), then run the watercolour paper through your Big Shot.   Place your watercolour paper between two pieces of scrap paper and using your main Big Shot plate and two thinner plates, run it through once.  This will straighten out your watercolour paper.
5. To achieve the 'bokeh' effect, you can either use white acrylic paint or white stazon. I took a strip of acetate, and punched out three different sizes of circles.  I used 1 3/8", 1" and 3/4" ... I then used the acetate as a stencil, and daubered the paint through the circles.  I used a light hand on the largest circle, and then intensified the colour with the middle circle and smaller circle.
6. Using a heat gun, completely dry your work.
7. Using the large Thank You from Another Thank You stamp set (main catalogue, item no. 136835) and Memento black inkpad, stamp the Thank You across the watercolouring.
8. Add sequins to your project to add a little bit of sparkle!
9. Trim down your watercolour paper and add a strip of co-ordinating cardstock that has been punched with the scallop border punch.
10. Adhere this mat to your cardbase.  Voila !

I hope you enjoyed this quick tutorial, and that you will have a go yourselves !

Once again, I am extremely sorry for my lack of posts, and I do hope you will pop back again soon.

If you have any questions or queries, then please contact me on carole.bryson@gmail.com or if you would like to place an order, then you can either contact me on the above details, or visit my online shop 24/7 HERE

Much Love – Cal x

I need to share something …

 

Do you fancy a bit of everything now and again ?  I do - particularly when it comes to Stampin’ Up! products … well truthfully, I don’t want a ‘bit of everything’ .. I want a little bit more ! ha ha ha !

If you fancy a bit of something or a bit of everything, then look no further … Join one of my share groups HERE and your ‘wants’ will be answered !

In most groups, I need four people to join the share, so I won’t need any payments until each group is filled – then I will start another.

Each ‘share’ is discounted, so you will be onto a winner – plus it is currently Sale-a-Bration, so if you commit to spending £45 or more, you will also ‘earn’ a free gift from the Sale-a-Bration brochure!

Why not have a look at my Pinterest board to gather ideas together – you can find my board HERE

If you have any questions, or wish to commit to a share, then please contact me at carole.bryson@gmail.com or call/text me on 07747 465186

Cal xxx

It’s a Bonkers Bundle No 1!

One of my most favourite stamp sets from the Spring/Summer catalogue has got to be Moon Lake.  These stamps can be used on their own, or as a colouring-in stamp, or they can be used with different watercolour effects.  I’m sure, there are lots of other ways that I haven’t even thought about!

The following samples are from Vicky Hayes, who is the Artisan Team representative from the UK, and her work is amazing.  She really shows you how you can get great use from the Moon Lake stamp set.  Here are a couple of her samples.

I have put together a bundle for you, so that you can replicate these cards, but also offer great value for money.  The bundle includes a great discount, a free Sale-a-Bration product, AND free postage – it can’t get any better !

Bonkers Bundle No 1 -  £45

Includes everything listed below PLUS free P&P

(click on image for larger picture)

To place your order for this bundle, you can either :-

• Order from my online shop HERE (I will message you to reimburse your P&P costs)
• Email me – carole.bryson@gmail.com
• Call/text me on 07747 465186

I hope you like the first of the Sale-a-Bration bundles, so pop back regularly to see more of these amazing deals !

Cal xxx