Let’s Use Some Returning Products

 You will find plenty of Returning Products in the Stampin’ Up!  2024 - 2025 Catalogue - just look up page 74 onwards for all stamps and dies. Today I’m using retired papers from the Perennial Lavender Papers and the current Perennial Postage dies. The Painted Lavender stamps and dies are still available in the returning Products page (74)

The patterned papers from Stamp[in’ Up! Make really beautiful cards and when you combine them with embossing folders, you can take your card to the next level. 

The little birds are fussy cut from the retired Flight & Airy 12 x 12 inch Designer Series Paper. 

Arranging the punched shapes creates interest on an otherwise plain background. The patterns and colours coordinate well and a simple stamped greeting is added. Some gold cord was arranged behind the birds that have been raised up with dimensionals. 

Another product that I love to use on simple cards is the retired New Horizons 6 x 6 inch paper. 

I’ve made a set of 6 cards using these papers and the Aspen Tree dies and the Delicate Forest Dies. I plan to gift these to one of my customers next month, but here is a peek of some of the cards. If you don’t have these papers the Thoughtful Journey papers also work really well

And finally I made a fun Shaker Card using the same products. I’ve used Window Sheet and Foam Adhesive Strips to lift the front of the card. I little trick given to me by a friend is to place a tiny drop of Fine Tip glue on the Window Sheet and adhere a couple of the shaker sequins to it. That way you don’t have a blank scene when you first give or receive the card. 

A short video:

I hope these sample give you some inspiration for your own card making. If you would like to purchase Andy of the Stampin’ Up! Products mentioned or a variety of other coordinating craft items then you can see everything available in my Online Store

I would love you to visit and you might win the set of 6 cards that I’m giving away in July.

Best Wishes and Happy Crafting

Ann Craig

Spotlight On Nature

 If I had to pick favourites out of the Stampin’ Up! 2024 -2025 Annual Catalogue, I think that the Spotlight on Nature Bundle would be right at the top. I love the simplicity of the images and the dies are so versatile and pretty. 

Recently I held a catalogue launch and was rushing to get samples made, so for this bundle I decided to case the catalogue. This is a wonderful way of getting inspiration for your craft projects - the designers at Stampin’ Up! are so creative and the samples they make are wonderful to either copy directly or, as in my case, get the inspiration and add a little of yourself into the card. 

Here is my finished card.

I used Old Olive card stock for the card base and the embossed background. The background was swiped with Gold Ink (don’t forget to let it dry) then layered onto some of the gorgeous new Textured Metallic. I also cut Textured Metallic with the largest of the Spotlight On Nature dies. Can you see the detail on the edge of this die? It’s gives a lovely finish to the circle, whilst the subtle texture of the paper enhances the images layered above it. 

               

I stamped the images with Memento Black then coloured them with Stampin’ Blends. Old Olive Light and Dark plus a little Light Calypso Coral on the leaves and Calypso Coral Light and Dark on the flowers.  I love how the shading on the stamps enhances my colouring and makes it easy to decide where to add slightly darker areas.

I fussy cut the images with my Paper Snips from Stampin’ Up! I’ve had these for 18 years - lots of use and still just as sharp as ever. Totally worth the $’s. I also used a blade knife for cutting the bits that scissors wouldn’t reach. I layered these images with Dimensionals, added a bow of Linen Thread and a greeting cut with Deckled Rectangles.

The Bundle consists of :

                  

To see more details from the bundle select each of the images.

I hope you enjoy inspiration from this card. If you’d like to order any of the products (and you are an Australian resident) then please go to my on-line store. You’ll find so many high quality products (just like my paper snips) that last for so long. 

If you prefer you can contact me via email to place an order or ask questions about techniques.

I can’t wait to try out lots of different ideas using this bundle.

Until next time

Enjoy your crafting.

Ann Craig

Country Birdhouse Bundle - Sweet Card

When browsing through the 2024 -25 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalogue, I was delighted to see a birdhouse stamp. I've always loved birdhouses and have started a collection of them at our holiday house. 

Today I'm sharing the first card I made using the Country Birdhouse Bundle that is part of the Country Woods Suite in the new 2024 Annual Catalogue.

I've combined some stamped images with some die cuts from the coordinating Designer Series Papers - Country Woods

 The background of the card is from the Thoughtful Journey 6 x 6 inch Designer Series Paper Pack. This is such a beautiful pack with lots of gorgeous scenery designs on one side and beautiful colours on the reverse. Here is just a sample of the beautiful colours and backgrounds available in the pack.

                                                             

                    

I stamped the bird and flower images in Memento Black and coloured them with Stampin' blends. I do love using the Blends as they give such beautiful colour that coordinates with everything else Stampin' Up!. I also love that the colours really do blend together, giving you a lot of freedom for creativity. 

HINT:

Colour with the Light Blend first then add a little of the dark where needed and then go back over the edge where they join again using the Light Blend. Work quickly for best results.

I also use the Colour Lifter Blend to smooth out areas that abut white card.

The birds and flowers are die cut with the Country Birdhouse dies.

The Bird house is die cut from the Country Woods Designer Series Papers. Fabulous papers for anything country themed but also great as a base for masculine cards.

The chain on which the birdhouse is hanging is one of the stamps included in the Country Birdhouse Bundle

You will find coordinating embellishments in the Suite, and there are many other Stampin' Up! Embellishments that also coordinate so check out the variety on pages 114 - 115 of the 2024 Annual Catalogue.

I plan on creating so much more with this Country Birdhouse Bundle and I can't wait to share it with you. 

While I'm on the topic of sharing, Stampin' Up! has a really good offer for anyone wanting join the company during the month of May. Here are the details:

Choose $235 of product for $169 - this is your personalised Starter Kit

Receive Catalogues and other helpful business stationary - value approx $80

Free Postage 

Plus this month only include 

5 Ink Pads - 2024-2026 In colors

A mixed pack of In color Cardstock

2024 -2026 Stampin Write Markers (5) 

Pack of In Color Patterns Designer Series Paper

Total value $144 for additional free items

Select the image below to see further information

I would love you to join my friendly and relaxed team where you can be yourself, create at a discount and enjoy new friends.

If you would like to shop any of these products you can select the links above or for general shopping to see the enormous range from Stampin' Up! 

SHOP HERE

Until Next Time

Happy Crafting

Ann Craig

Stampin' Up! Kits are Fast, Fun & Creative

Hello crafting friends. 

I'm just wondering why, when I supposedly have retired, that I seem to have less time than ever. Life is full for most of us, and maybe my priorities have changed, but I'm now finding creative kits to be very helpful for when my brain doesn't fire creatively or when I'm short of time for a card for a special reason. 

That's where the Kits from Stampin' Up! come in very handy. Stampin' Up! releases 2 new kits every month so you are sure to find something that resonates with your style and your needs. You will find them in the ON-LINE ONLY section of my website.

The May releases are CITY SIGHTS KIT and HELLO HOLLYHOCKS KIT. One is perfect for cards for the men in your lives and the other showcases gorgeous floral images.

             

Select the images for further information on each of a these kits.

I have to admit that I will be adding them both to my next order. I particularly like the City Sights Kit as it has a very versatile stamp included. Just go to my website to see the details of this kit and others that are available.

This morning I decided to make up samples of the Hooray for Honeycomb Kit. (Once again, select the image below for further information on this kit)

Its a fun 3-D kit that is suitable for young and old. There are 9 cards in all, and it's a kit that doesn't require any stamping. 

And if you want to dress the cards up a bit all you need is to add some sparkle. It's so simple. 

There is a surprise inside two of the cards that is sure to delight young recipients when they open it. 

I encourage you to give kits a go, as they are fun for a group, they are easily personalised, and they have full instructions. Get together with a group of friends over a coffee, and provide something tangible and different for them to do. I would love to know how you use Stampin' Up! Kits. 

Now talking about Kits! Stampin' Up! has an awesome  opportunity for anyone interested in becoming a demonstrator. Don't faint! You do not have to hold classes if you join, although you will find gathering with friends for a creative session becomes something that everyone looks forward to.

For May 2024 only, you receive a vibrant collection of the new IN COLORS to the value of $144. This is added to you Starter Kit for free. The additional products uncle the 

5 In Color Classic Ink Pads, 

A selection of A4 card stock, 

5 In Color Markers 

A pack of 6 x 6 inch Patterns Designer Series Paper in the 2024 - 2026 In Colors. 

 If you love the variety of Kits SU provides, you can add plenty of them into your Starter Kit as it is YOUR Starter Kit to choose whatever you want. In all you receive:

$235 of product chosen by you

$144 of the In Color product range as specified above

Free postage

Catalogues and other useful business products

A supportive and creative group that loves to share ideas

And you only pay $169.00 to receive $379.00 of product - How good is that?

Contact me if you want further information (you must live in Australia or it's territories)

or 

get an awesome amount of products by Joining Here

Don't wait or you might miss out!

Until Next Time,

Be Creative

Ann Craig

Back to Traditional Scrapping with Adventurous Sky

 Hello,

Imagine my delight when I saw this great stamp set from Stampin' Up! 

Adventurous Sky is nostalgic and historical, and as far as I can see it is very like my grandfather's plane from the First World War. No, I'm not an aviator, but I do dabble in genealogy and when I saw the planes I immediately recognised them as being similar to what my grandfather flew in the First World War. I have some old photos and one that has always captured my attention is of a crash that he was involved in - luckily in the English countryside, and luckily not fatal.

Can you imagine risking life and limb in one of these? Many very brave people did.

The stamp and coordinating dies are easy to use and create lovely embellishments for my scrap page.

                    

Select the images for more details or if you love to save and want both the stamps and dies, you can purchase the Adventurous Sky Bundle of stamps and dies saving 10%

So why have I started making scrap pages again? 

Recently the Close To My Heart company announced they would be closing. Stampin' Up!  reached out to the many CTMH Makers offering them the opportunity to join Stampin' Up! to continue with their creativity and businesses. To that end SU will be offering more traditional scrapping products in the future. This encouraged me to revisit some of my designs from years past and I just felt like putting this page together. 

It was fun stamping the images and I used a water colouring technique with the Classic inks and Water Painters to enhance the stamped images. I chose 2 different sized planes and the large cloud stamp. I cut the propeller out in Bronze foil, and added a little Wink Of Stella to indicate movement of the propeller. The images are stamped in Early Espresso Classic Ink.

I wanted the plane crash to be the hero of the page, but I also wanted  to document a photo of the pilot, my grandfather - Harold Luke Horner Chambers. M.M. He started out enlisting as a 19 year old, spent time in the Army and fought at Pozieres, where he was awarded a Military Medal for bravery, He then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps.

                   

I still have not finished the journalling because I want to keep that more private, however I'm very happy with how this page turned out.

The Title is made using retired Stampin' Up! letters dies mounted on Foam Adhesive Sheets.

These foam sheets are wonderful for making Titles and headings that you want to stand out, and are so easy to use with the Stampin Cut & Emboss machine. You just use the same "sandwich" as if you are cutting a regular die.

The background paper is from the Adventurous Sky coordinating Designer Series Paper - it is available in the Suite collection or you can purchase it individually. It's perfect for making cards for the males in your life.

The Complete page:

I think I will add the year of this event in the title (I believe it was 1918 but I have to verify that) 

How brave these men and women were.

Unfortunately I was never able to meet my grandfather as he passed before I was born - I think I would have like him a lot! 

If you have enjoyed this page and it has encouraged you to make cards or create scrap pages then that makes me happy.

If you would like to purchase any of the products mentioned, please feel free to go to my website or follow any of the links above.

Until next time 

Happy crafting

Ann Craig

Stampin’ Up! Starter Kit Promotion

 It’s the 1st of May today and I have a really good opportunity for you if you love stamping, paper craft and scrap booking, if you like to get a bargain and you love to craft with friends - it can all be yours with the STARTER KIT SPECIAL.

This special promotion can start you off on a wonderful journey of creativity, new friendships and with some work, a business opportunity.

Choose your other kit items from the Annual Catalogue - if you are having trouble deciding what to order there some great ideas in the catalogue. You can also order from the Clearance Rack and the On-Line Only store. All of these are available for you to see on my website.

Want to see more of the current products? You are welcome to attend my Catalogue Launch on May 19, at 2pm - 4.30pm. Contact me for details or go to the calendar on my Demonstrator Business Website.The Catalogue image in the side bar will show you all the products. all you have to do is click on it!

Visit me again in a few days to see samples made with the In Colors, plus some of the other new products.

Until then, Happy Stamping.

Ann Craig

Stampin' Up! Kits

Have you tried any of the Stampin' Up! Kits? There are some really cute ones and others that are beautiful and make quick cards. Kits are perfect for on the go crafting as most of them contain everything you need to complete the projects. Others you simply need to add ink, maybe a sentiment and glue. 

Today I'm highlighting a kit that is on the newly refreshed Clearance Rack - the Nourish and Flourish Kit. I made this kit up and love the simple designs. I have to admit that I like to change things up a bit, so I followed the instructions for one each of the designs, then swapped elements to create different cards. If you want to dress them up further you can add a little bling!

The kit comes in a gorgeous container. It was priced at $68.00 but is on the Clearance Rack (April 2024) for just $27.20. Now that is a bargain. 

This would make a wonderful gift for anyone who likes to craft, and they will have the carry container to use for storing cards, as a cute picnic box or a gift bag.

Right now there are lots of new items on the CLEARANCE RACK - pop on over to my website and take a look. We also have the LAST CHANCE SALE from both the 23-24 Annual Catalogue and the January - April Mini Catalogue. Again there are some bargains to find in those lists that re also available on my website.

Stampin' Up releases 2 new kits each month so keep checking for any that suit your style.

Just a quick post today,

Enjoy your crafting

Ann C

   

Simplicity Is Often The Best Solution

Delicate Forest Bundle - so beautiful and has the option of being simple or as complex as you wish. I decided for my last class to use this bundle in different ways. This stamp set and dies will continue into the next catalogue, but not as a bundle, so if you want to save 10% on your purchase, now is a good time to order

The simple way was to case the catalogue (a wonderful help if you are stuck for ideas) and add a little touch of texture by running the stamped section through the Stampin' Up! Cut & Emboss Machine. Any texture can be used and I have a couple of  "go to" folders that simple add texture and not so much pattern. 

HINT: It's always a good idea to cut your paper to the correct size before embossing it as it is more difficult to cut sharp cutting lines when the paper is textured.

I chose some coordinating patterned paper which I mainly chose because of the colour. In this case the beautiful colour from the SUBTLES RANGE -  Lost Lagoon.

I teamed it up with Lost Lagoon ink and Fresh Freesia Ink. The Fresh Freesia ink was stamped off to give a lighter colour and the Lost Lagoon was stamped at full strength to provide good coverage  when overlapping. It was then just a simple step to adhere the pieces on the base card using Multipurpose glue. You can choose any colour combination that you love, and remember all of the colours from Stampin'Up! coordinate beautifully with the 6 x 6 inch Designer Series Paper Assortments from all the colour families.

The greeting brought in another technique for the class - that of heat embossing. It is a while since we've done that in class and I always like to refresh memories of the techniques available. Because we embossed in White on Lost Lagoon card stock it was important to remember to use the Embossing Buddy to eliminate any little white specs on the background. 

The finished card:

Feel free to contact me for further information, or you can visit my Facebook page: Ann Craig Independent Demonstrator Stampin' Up Supplies and Ideas. 

Until next time,

Happy stamping

Ann Craig

A Christmas Craft Fair

Christmas Ornaments I Love To Make

It's been a while since I added anything to my blog, and after many months I'm ready to get back to sharing with you all. 

The event that took up so much of my time at the end of last year, was preparing for The Canberra Christmas Craft Fair. My friend and fellow Stampin' Up! demonstrator Lorraine Spencer really enjoy this event as the other stall holders are so friendly and the organisers are awesome. We spend time making ornaments and Christmas gifts to sell to customers. Some want them for their personal use and others find just the right thing for work team gifts or stocking stuffers. We try to have a variety on offer so there is something for everyone. 

The ornaments at the top of the post are my staple. I cannot imagine how many of these I've made over the years, but it must be in the thousands. They sell so well and are quite relaxing to make. They also are a great way to use up your Designer Series Papers that you just had to buy and then didn't want to use! 

I have a video that shows you how to make these, but if you live locally and would like a class, then I'm happy to arrange that for you. 

Another ornament that I enjoy making is the Shaker Ornament.

These ornaments indulge my love of watercoloring. Simply stamp the image on a pre-cut 2 and1/2 inch circle of Basic White A4 using a permanent ink such as Stazon Jet Black, then colour with Water Painters and your chosen colours. Use any small sequins or snowflakes as the shaking medium, then cover with a Snow Globe Shaker Dome. (now retired from SU but I'm sure you can find them on-line somewhere) I cut the trim using the SU Snow Globe dies and the ornament was backed with a 2 and 1/2 inch glitter circle. these were very popular lat Christmas. 

Another of the ornaments that I always enjoy making are the Christmas ornaments using Designer Series Papers. These were featured in the Holiday Mini Catalogue in 2012 - it just shows you how timeless some of our paper craft can be, and because of the layers of glue used, these ornaments are sturdy and last a long time.

The framelits used are from the Ornaments Keepsakes stamps, but I've also made these using the Gleaming Ornaments 2 pack punch set. They are a little smaller but still beautiful.

I hope I've inspired you to make some of your own Christmas ornaments. It is never too early to get started and already we are in the 4th month of the year. I can't believe how fast the year is flying by. 

I would love you to go to my Stampin' Up! Demonstrator website if you want to look further at what is in the current catalogues. You'll also see an on-line version of the new 2024 - 25 Annual Catalogue and lists of the retiring products. There may be something you've been holding off on getting, so do check to make sure you don't miss out.

Until next post,

Best Wishes and Happy Crafting

Ann Craig

Lots of Birthdays This Month

 It's been such a long time since I posted anything on my blog, but that doesn't mean I haven't been creating, I've just been busy with other things in my life.

This includes taking refresher classes in wheel thrown pottery (after more than 40 years) and trying to improve my painting skills as well as continuing with in-person classes for card making. There also seems to be lots of grandma opportunities for me to be involved with my grandchildren's activities and as they are such fleeting times I'm taking every chance to spend time with them.

This week it is my middle daughter's birthday and she is one of those super mums who manages to do everything except relax enough. I made her a card and used the opportunity to relay my message that she needs to take more care of herself as well as wishing her a very happy birthday. 

For the base of the card I used one of the designs from one of the Stampin' Up! Kits - 

Saying Thanks Kit (162361)

To personalise the card I stamped an image from "In The Moment" stamp set (157987) onto Shimmery White card stock and roughly coloured with Watercolour pencils. These pencils are really good for a quick water colour technique as they transfer easily to the paper and have strong pigmentation for great colour. Add a little water with either a damp brush or the Water Painters (151298) to achieve  a nice watercolour effect. The w/c pencils come in 2 Assortments, giving you plenty of colours to choose from, and like paints they can be blended to create new colours. I'm a fan of the pencils and they are a really good way to start with water colouring.

Assortment 1 (161700)   Assortment 2 (149014)

The completed card. The hearts from the kit card provided the perfect backdrop, bright colour and dimension that I was looking for and I simply adhered a different greeting and the stamped image. (Along with a bit of bling!) 

The Stampin' Up! Kits range is perfect if you are looking for a quick card. They come in a variety of themes, and as I've shown you here, they can be used as lovely stand alone cards, or they can be personalised to display your own creativity. 

I hope you've enjoyed my take on this Kit and to see lots of Stampin' Up! products simply follow this link to my on-line store

If you are looking for a genuine bargain, the Stampin' Up! Clearance Rack has been refreshed this week and there are lots of wonderful bargains to inspire your card making, and scrap booking. You will find this when viewing my On-Line store.

Ann C.

Christmas Card - Joyful Holly

Do you love to create quick cards? 

Quite often I find making a card or more in a short time, very satisfying, and while I love to create intricate and time-consuming cards, come Christmas time when we are all very busy, something like this card is just perfect. 

I created this card at Christmas time last year, and forgot to complete the post, so here it is for your inspiration!

 It is easy but has a strong graphic quality because of its simplicity. 

I've used the Joyful Holly stamp set by Stampin' Up! because of the strong lines and simple shapes - combined with traditional Christmas colours - Cherry Cobbler, Shaded Spruce and Gold. 

Images copyright 1990 - 2022 Stampin' Up!®

The holly image is stamped twice in Memento Black and the colours are placed using a Stamparatus. You can also do this by eye, as the stamps are photopolymer and easily lined up.

 Images copyright 1990 - 2022 Stampin' Up!®

Cute Punch Note Cards with Hello Ladybug

 Punches are wonderful tools that assist you to make quick and pretty cards of all sizes. 

Today I've chosen to create little note cards using a builder punch from the 2022 -23 Annual Catalogue

This little card uses images from the Hello Ladybug stamp set and the coordinating Ladybug Builder Punch. It also coordinates with the Medium Daisy Punch

 

The card size is 7 x 7centimeters. This will fit perfectly in the 3 x 3 inch envelopes available in the Annual Catalogue

I stamped the daisy directly onto the card, punched out the ladybug body in black and the wings in red. I then stamped the black dots onto the wings. The "Hello" greeting is also from this set. The border is hand drawn with a Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker. The daisy centre is from the Glossy Dots Asssortment

It is so quick to make a set of these and they would be a lovely gift.

Images copyright Stampin' Up!® 1990 -2022

You can see more ideas for using this punch on page 30 of the 2022-23 Annual Catalogue

Australian residents are welcome to use my on-line store for any supplies, or simply select one of the above links in the description to go directly to that product in store.

Sometimes it is really fun to create something that takes very little time, and is very useful to have on hand.

Until next time enjoy your crafting,

 

Christmas Fun With The Sweet Gingerbread Bundle

The super cute Sweet Gingerbread Bundle consists of stamps and matching dies. 

You'll find these on page 20 of the July - December Mini Catalogue

There are so many cute accessories in the stamp set that you can make either complicated or simple projects, and because the stamps are photopolymer, it is easy to add in the windows, door and window frames and other accessories without using a stamp positioner. You can see right through the stamp!

I have 2 samples for you - one is a quick tag that takes very little time to create. I combined the stamped images with Embossed Treat Bags from the Annual Catalogue, and some of the gorgeous new In Color Ribbons, specifically Sweet Sorbet, Tahitian Tide and Orchid Oasis 3.2mm Metallic Woven Ribbon (p. 146 of the Annual Catalogue)

Images copyright Stampin' Up!® 1990 -2022

Those little trees and lollipops are so cute.

I also made a card that demonstrates the wonderful coordinating dies. I chose a bright spotty background and used non traditional Christmas colours to stamp the images. One house is popped up with dimensionals as are some of the trees and the lollipop. I love how the different heights add so much to a card.

 

                                           Images copyright Stampin' Up!® 1990 -2022

 I hope you've gained a little inspiration from my projects, and if you would like to shop on-line for the products, you can go to my on-line shop or select some of the links above.

thanks for joining me today