It's a girl

Woohoo, a few weeks ago now my nephew and his lovely girlfriend gave birth to an adorable baby girl, Poppy. So Aunty Mel had to make something special for this little one, after all I am her great Aunt ;-)

So I was on a mission to create something different and this is what I came up with.

Yep a Nappy Bike. Now in this photo, which was a quick one to show someone, the sock where a mess. So since taking this I fiddled with the wheels and also the socks on the handle bars. They where so much neater, once I had done. Here are a couple more pics to show what a state it was in. Sadle didn't take any before I gave it to them.

As you can see one tyre needed tightening. I just loved it and so did they. Also a card was in order which I used two of Papertrey Inks stamp sets,



I loved how this all came together, using a new in colour from Stampin' Up! Pool Party, just loving that colour right now. Its so refreshing.

P.S. forgot to add the bear was one from Build a Bear shop, love that place, can't go past without a look in at all the adorable bears. Hope you like.



Making your own backgrounds

Well hello there peeps! Been a little while since I last blogged but hey what's new?

I haven't been idle, quite the opposite in fact. What with working and running after family members (yes kids you know who you are ;-) mwah!). I have finally got something to share with you. I cased a couple of cards the other week using stamps from another company, I know shocker but I do love other things as well. Anyway, I thought I would show you them.

This first one, I have made my own background using the snowflake from Winter Post. The card is Melon Mambo and then stamped using real red, fabulous in real life. Notice the colour of the silhouette from Welcome Christmas? Yep its one of the fabby new in colours, which I am just loving right now, Pool Party, also the card along the bottom is the same colour. Then finished off the the tiny tags, love those too.

My second card is along the same lines as the first, I created my own background. OK this one was a little time consuming, but hey I was having a chill out day, well hour or so to be exact. Again the colour of the base card is that of Lucky Limeade, stamped on using Tiny Tags and Old Olive ink. I think you will probably work out the other stamp sets use, but if not they are, Contempo Christmas (senitment), and Notably Ornate for the frame. A strip of DSP is added underneath and of course you can't go wrong with a bit of BLING on anything.

Now you have seen what I have done why not dig out a stamp set and have a look at those unused stamps in sets and see what you can come up with? Don't forget its not only limited to patterns but to words too. Enjoy and have fun!



It's Here and its LIVE!

Yep its here the brand new catalogue from Stampin' Up!

Fabulous new products too. If you want to see more click on the photo on the left and you should be able to view online, but if like me, you like to browse one over a cup of coffee or tea and like to stroke those gorgeous pages filled with more scrumptious goodies, then you can always have one delivered to your door. If you would like one, please email me on melanie.reid2@ntlworld.com the price is just £4.50 per catalogue.

The hostess offers have changed too, no more having to place a VERY large order to get that exclusive hostess stamp set you had your eyes on. Nope you can use the NEW hostess rewards programme. It's fabbbbuuuuulous darling!

Also I have one more place for the Stampers group left which is due to start mid month. So if you want to have some scrummy goodies delivered to your door each month, you simply order goodies to the minimum value of £25 (plus postage at cost). Then one month out of the six you will be a virtual hostess where you reap all the hostess rewards. What is better than that?

Ever thought of becoming a Stampin' Up! demo? You don't have to run it as a business you could be what we call a hobby demo and have that discount just for yourself. If you want to know more please email me and I will give you all the details.

Hugs

Melanie

x



Something a bit different...

... well not for me, but for my blog it is. Not done any real sewing in ages but just couldn't resist doing something once I received my Fabirc on Friday. This is going to be something new coming up next month in the Stampin' Up! new catalogue, so watch this space as I have loads of projects in mind. Its just finding time to actually get them done. It took me most of the afternoon inbetween other things (like son's homework) to get this done.

Its a mug organiser. Isn't it sweet. There are actually little pockets on the inside of the mug too, its tied at the sides with some of the luxury satin ribbon. It is in shades of pink and you know what that means, yep, darling daughter has her eyes on it. Really enjoyed making one of these so may have to make another. Would make nice gifts for Christmas.

I will have new Stampers clubs starting too in October, if you want to know more details please get in touch, melanie.reid2@ntlworld.com and I will send you all the details. Places fill up fast. So if you want to have your self some stamping goodies delivered to your door each month, then please sign up, they are a fabulous way to build up your stash.

Well I hope you have enjoyed this post with it not being card related.

Helllloooooooo!!!!

Helllooooo! Remember me? Sorry I have been rather absent over the last well errrr lots of months really. Working in my new job has been rather time consuming so not much has been getting done with the crafting situation. I have tried every week to get into some kind of routine but other things just take priority with home life. Kids have been on their summer break too which can be hard work. Those with teenagers will understand.

Any how over the last couple of weeks I have made a start on some Christmas cards, woooooppppeeeee!

So I will show them both to you (I haven't just made two but a few of each). When you see them you will see they are time consuming.

First of all, let me appologise for the light, Mr. Sun decided to pop behind a cloud as I took the photo's. Here is Mr. Santa with attitude (Magnolia), love him don't you? I have used copics (21 in fact) to colour him in. Cardstock is all SU. Sentiment is from Lily of the Valley. Flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts. Not sure if I have attached those quite right as they are new to me but I used silicone glue. If your an expert and reading please let me know how do you attach yours?

This one has yet to be finished, needs some bling on there. But its in progress and inserts all need to be done and popped in. Just loving Santa this year. Again all cardstock and papers are Stampin' Up!

Right better go and do some more colouring, done my back in yesterday so have no choice but to rest, what a shame!

Enjoy!



Challenge using own stash

Afternoon peeps, Today starts the peeks of the release of papertreyink's monthly stamps. A few of the girls who like to set challenges over on ILWS forum, came up with the challenge to case a card shown during the peeks with your own stash. I have manged to get a couple made today and thought I would share.

All card and inks are from Stampin' Up! Stamp sets are PTI. the green card should have some kind of dry embossing on it but I forgot as I got carried away with a letter I had just received. More about that later. The flowers in the background have a filter of vellum over so that they are not too bold against the letters. Fab idea, sadly not my own ;-(

This one was actually on one of the design teams blogs, sorry can't remember and haven't time at the moment to find it, little one needs PC for homework, groan. Again all card, ribbon, brads, embossing folder and inks, Stampin' Up! Stamp set and felt PTI. I must look for a tutorial on how to ruffle this gorgeous ribbon.

Right onto some other news, well as most people know times have been tough for many families, well today I just got news of a job I applied for. Yep I got it, so excited and nervous all rolled into one. I haven't worked since I had my daughter, well apart from voluntary work, which has been 14 years. I choose to have time out to bring up my kids, but now as they are more independant I thought it was time to get back out there. I am very proud as it was the first job I had applied for and got it. I think after a long period of time like this you tend to doubt your abilities and whether or not you could cope with a job. But it feels right, right now, so I am going for it. At least if I need some peace during holidays I can go to work, hee hee. Right that is all for now.

Nana and Me!

Well today peeps I have a couple of scrapbook layouts to share with you. I wouldn't really call myself a scrapbooker, as such, as I have only done a couple layouts and they are only simple ones. Here is one of my recent ones. The photo was actually took on my hubby's phone in a very dark room in the back of the pub at Beamish Museum. I think it was a lovely photo of my daughter and my mum (who is 81 would you believe).

The 'Nana' and 'Me' are chipboard letters that I ghave painted using inks and daubers. Then on the nana I have used Baby blossoms stamp set and stamped the little flowers to blend in with the Springtime vintage papers. The 'Me' after inking was then covered using crystal effects, then sprinkled with dazzling diamonds to give it some bling. The ampersand was very plain just using card, so I covered with gems. The bottom paper has been distressed using the distresing tool. I must say I am not a fan of distressing and tearing paper, but I thought this looked ok.

My second layout I did a while ago in one of my classes, a very simple layout as you can see.

Again all cardstock and DSP are Stampin' Up! The flowers are actually felt die cuts with brads on top. Beamish is one of our favourite places to go. Most of it is set in 1913, here Fallon is having a go at one of the school day sports, Hoop Rolling. Its a metal hoop with a stick, this one is actually attached to the hoop but back then it was just a stick and a hoop, and I think they where made out of cane rather than metal. Its fab to watch everyone having a go, as its a skill only some can do. Hope you enjoy my simple layouts.

Come fly with me......

.....Let's fly, let's fly away. Don't you just love that song? Its one of favourites too. OKay I know two blog posts in almost one day. But don't get too used to it, you know what I am like at blogging.

Before I go on and show you my creation I just want to say a HUGE thanks for all your comments on yesterday's post. It really, really means a lot to have such wonferful talented people pass such lovely comments on my creations. BIG hugs to you all!

Ok on to today's project (or last nights). Remember the ship in a bottle? well my idea came slightly from this but also from a post from Michelle Wooderson did with one of the sets I have used.

Someone has come along and knocked over the jar, releasing the plane. You could use this for a male birthday. kids and even babies. Just alter the colour combo. I hope you like the idea.

Stamps-PTI, Cardstock and papers- SU.

One for the Guys....

..... OK its been far too long since I last posted. I know I am really, really bad. I just don't seem to find the time these days, to take the photo's then write up everything and finally click post. But today I have decided to blog about something us crafters seem to struggle with when making cards, MEN! Yep that three letter word that just send a shudder down your spine when your asked to make a card for one. A coupld of weeks ago I set a task to make some using stash we already have, I set a challenge to some of the ladies on ILWS to make a MAN'S card using what we already have. Took me a couple of days as I was plastering at the time, yep another feather to my bow, lol. Anyhow, here are a couple that I made.

and also

Some simple colour themes and a choosen stamp set or two and voila. Hope you likes 'em.

Stamp sets are PTI and the card and inks are all SU.