Contempo Christmas...

Well this week saw my latest class and here are the cards that we made - I have chosen to use cherry cobbler, night of navy and whisper white for a traditional Christmas theme I loved preparing this class and I think that these cards are just the right thing to get you into the Christmas mood... After the European Stampin' Up! Convention that is next week I will be making many a Christmas card and gift for the orders that I am taking and also a  craft fair or two!
So for these cards I have created three different designs the first very simple but I think very effective, I have used a night of navy blank and inked the edges, matting this with whisper white and then again with cherry cobbler. In the centre of this I then added a piece of whisper white where I have inked the edges in night of navy. I have stamped the sentiment from the Contempo Christmas set in night of navy to the centre of this panel and added a bauble on dimensionals to the centre also. To finish off the bauble I have added night of navy ribbon as the string.

The second card I used a rich cobbler blank and inked the edges and to this I have added a night of navy panel and inked the edges and then a piece of whisper white. I have stamped three baubles two night of navy and one rich cobbler, the middle one popped up on dimensionals. I have stamped the sentiment from the stamp set  in night of navy to the bottom centre of the card.

The final card in the set is using the technique that we were shown at the recent regional training I attended where we had to stamp three of the baubles and fold them in half sticking them together to make a 3D bauble on the card. For this card I have used again a night of navy again with a cherry cobbler mat with a whisper white on top of this one. I have added the 3D bauble to the centre of the card and added gold elastic thread to the top of the bauble for the string. The sentiment added to the bottom centre of the card to complete it.

I hope you like these cards and if you would like to purchase this stamp set please get in touch. Thanks for looking and your comments are appreciated - Debbi x x x

I will try and schedule some posts for next week of the swaps that I have been completing but don't want to share too much too soon - until I know many people will be free of blogland! x

Mad Cat...

This is one of my favourite penny black images and I love the expression on the cat's face. As a crafter it doesn't how long you have had your stamps - you just keep adding to them! buying more and more... but ssshhhh don't tell anyone!
I have coloured the image using my SU! colours and an aqua painter and am pleased with the results I have used my inkpads rather than pens, water colours pastels or the pencils (all of which I have!) I have used the black watered down to be more subtle and I have used pixie pink for the ears of the cat,  again watered down for the subtle colour. I have then inked the edges of the image in black and double mounted it on basic black and pixie pink. The sentiment is stamped in black and mounted on black then pink.
I have added three card candy to the top right of the card in black and pink and I think that they match really well. I have used a white card blank and have inked the edges in both the pink and the black colours rthat I have used. I then added a black panel to the middle of the card and have added the image to the top left and the sentiment to the bottom right.
I hope you like the card and thanks for looking - Debbi x x x

WINNERS...

LAUNCH RAFFLE....

This is for all people that placed an order this month with my workshops and openhouse... The prize DASHER, NIGHT OF NAVY, CHOCOLATE CHIP and CHOCOLATE CHIP RIBBON -

1) Joan
2) Sam
3) Sue
4) Tracey
5) Nicola
6) Anne
7) Bev
8) Steph

I have used random number generator for the winner which was...

So Tracey has won the raffle prize well done - when you pick up your order you can pick up your goodies too! and thank you everyone for attending my launch, workshops and placing an order...

So now to the Blog Candy I have had some lovely comments and thank you to the new followers - I hope you like my blog and find some inspiration from what I share with you! The back is on the mend but I am still getting twinges and after most of the weekend in bed I am feeling much better today, but will have to take things easy and it is half term too!

Well done Lorraine - please email me your address and I will package and post your blog candy to you in the next couple of days! I hope you enjoy it!

I will be back later with a card - See you soon! and thanks for looking - Debbi x x x

Quick Post!

Morning! I will be back later with the winners of my blog candy and also the winner of my launch raffle that I have been running since the beginning of the month! These are a little late as I have been in bed all weekend with a tummy bug and have not been feeling the best to say the least - I feel a little more alive this morning so will make sure the draws are completed and the winners displayed here!
Have a great day people x x x Debbi!

BIRTHDAY BLOG CANDY...

Well hello blogland! Today is my birthday and I am offering some Stampin' Up! blog candy...
The rules will be that you have to follow my blog (if you don't already) and link the candy post to the side bar of your blog (if you have one!) and leave a comment at the end of this post... I will leave the blog candy draw open for a week and draw the winner next Friday...
So what am I offering - I am offering a stamp set - one of the level one hostess sets from last year out of the box, a reel of ribbon still wrapped whisper white 1/4' grosgrain, an unopened pack of neutrals buttons and a selection of retired card stock from last years catalogue...
In the last couple of weeks I have had a number of new followers and this seems the perfect time to say welcome to those too!
So what do I have planned for my birthday?? Not a lot is the answer! ;-) yesterday morning I managed to put my back out just before the school run and that has rendered me pretty much useless since then - although what better excuse do you need not to do any housework than a bad back and your birthday!
I will hopefully manage to do a bit of crafting today - the SU Convention draws ever closer as does the number of swaps that I should be completing!
So good luck with the blog candy and thanks for looking! Have a great day - Debbi x x x
I will post a photo of the blog candy later tonight or tomorrow x x x

hand stamped images... challenge 38

This week the challenge over on hand stamped i ages is a great one to get you in the festive spirit, they were asking you to create a card, tag and box in preparation for your wrapping when the holidays hit! I have managed  to do a card and a tag but time ran out for me to cerate the box to go with it!
For this challenge I decided to use my Forever Friends stamps again and create something was was Christmasy and traditional with the colours that I used...
I coloursed the bear with my copics again just using gentle shading on the edges of the bear, and for the present and the bow and the Santa's hat I used cherry cobbler and wild wasabi from stampin up - using the ink pads and an aqua pen. adding a layer of colour and then waiting for this to dry and adding another. I added glitter to the hat for some Christmas sparkle and dabbed colour onto the tag in the image with a gold pen outline. I mounted the image on bazzil card stock and then again on stampin' up card to match the ink that I used. The ribbon detail is from my stash and I bet I have had that for 4 years - but the colour was a great match I think you will agree. The DSP across the top of the card is Forever Friends and I have inked the edges of this. The sentiment that I have used is also from Forever Friends. Using the same image for the tag and same method to colour it.
I hope you like my card and tag and thanks for looking - Again I have loved this challenge and it has relieved some of the convention stress I am feeling! Debbi x x x

JUGS challenge 55

The challenge over on Just us Girls this week was to create something that was using the colours Black, Cream and Craft - I love these colours so knew that I would have to have a go I thought that I would do something different using the stamp set Artistic Etchings as everything that I have crated so far have been bright and colourful - so this was more subtle and I loved it. I started with a black card blank and then to this added a piece of craft that I have stamped off images randomly - the circle and the crown stamps - again loving the effect that you get from these stams to create backgrounds.

I then added a panel of craft to the top of the card and added some black ribbon to add extra detail to it I stamped the sentiment in the bottom right hand corner in basic black. The Eiffel Tower image is stamped in black onto very vanilla card and I have added some taffeta ribbon for extra detail to the edge of this. I inked the edges of the image and then mounted it on basic black card.

and time for a challenge...

I have spent so much time creating things for Convention in the last week last night I decided that I was going to create just for me... Looking through my favourites blogs I knew that I had to do the challenge over on the Forever Friends blog - you had to use 3 flowers, 2 papers and 1 button. I though I would drag out my Christmas stamps and have a play...
I used a stamp that I bought last year and it has never seen ink. I teamed this with 2 of the papers from the Forever Friends Christmas stack also bought last year, the flowers I have had years as they are not really my thing! I have inked them with cherry cobbler ink SU! to match the inking I have used on the image. and a square card blank.
I have coloured the bear on my image with copics and gently shaded the belly of the bear and I coloured the robin body as well. and used SU! ink pads and an aqua marker for the tree and the present! I like the effect of the two together and am pleased with the result. I have mounted the image on cherry cobbler card and added some glitter for extra sparkle. I have inked the edges of the DSP that I have used I have added ribbon button detail to the top right of the card and the required flowers to the bottom right of the card.
I hope you like the card and thanks for looking - I have to admit I liked completing this challenge and it took me out of my comfort zone! there is another day to enter my birthday blog candy as well - Debbi x x x

Goals...

I have set myself the goal of being a better blogger and the main reason for this is I need to remain focused on my crafting as I am very busy in the next couple of months with the SU European Convention, my first craft fair, classes, workshops and Christmas! So I determined to use all this activity to my advantage and blog about it at the same time...
For Convention that is becoming scarily close and I am no where near prepared enough in relation to the swaps that I should have completed - I need to have completed...

team cards, scrapbook pages, gifts - non are done! 3D swap 10 - have designed it not made any though, Business Tools swap - 10 completed hoorah!, Card Candy - finished today and approximately 300 general swaps in various designs that I have designed and not really started! I feel lots of late nights coming on and a bit of stressing as the countdown begins in ernest!
I don't want to show the finished products, until the ladies that are receiving them will be on their way to collect there goodies, but here is an idea of the mess that I have been making today whilst completing the card candy - you can see the colour - I think they look great together...
Thanks for looking Debbi x x x

Two monkey's

Hello... Today's card is the card that I created with the help of Joshua for Aidan's birthday - it needed Joshua's input for the card as it was from him! he chose the colours and he also chose the characters from the stamp set that he wanted. Although when he was looking at the colours he just went for the same ones that I had been using to create Aidan's other card - easily pleased...
So for this card I stamped 2 monkeys in the centre of the card and at either side of these I stamped two tortoises, I used the sentiment from all in the stars as this was to hand and I used the colours soft suede and brocade blue.
I inked the edges of the panel and then distressed the edges of the panel, once completed I mounted this on a piece of brocade blue card that I have also inked the edges. I inked the edges of the brocade panel and have added this to a white card blank where I have inked the edges in both brocade and soft suede.
I hope you like the card and thanks for looking - Debbi x x x

stars...

The card that I am sharing today is one of the cards that i made for my Son's birthday he was two last week and we had his birthday party yesterday... He loves stars and this is one of his new words that he repeats at random times during the day - and no I don't think he sees them all the time! As soon as he opened it though he did keep saying stars! stars!
 I have used the all in the stars set and lots of random stamping to create the image and as he was two I have used two stars as the focal poing in the centre of the card cut out and added with dimensionals. I have used the colours brocade blue and soft suede to create this card and also a piece of whisper white. I have mounted this onto brocade blue and then this is mounted on to the card blank which I have also randomly stamped.
Some of the stars on the main panel I have stamped off to add a more subtle effect and I have only used the tiny star stamp in soft suede. I have stamped the sentiment in soft suede to the top left of the card .
I have inked the edges of the panels - I always do this as I think it gives a better finish to an image or panel... I hope you like the card and thanks for looking - Debbi x x x

an old favourite...

I cannot bear to part with all my retired Stampin' Up! sets and this is one of them... I love this set and this will be one of the sets that I use for my personal Christmas cards this year. I have made this card as a thank you for one of my customers and I did not make it a Christams theme I used my ink pad lids and an aqua painter to add the colour to the image and before adding each layer I waited for the image to dry...
Once I had finished the painting image I inked the edges in black and mounted it on craft and mellow moss and then I mounted this to the card blank which was soft suede. I added the image at an angle and have also inked the edges of the card. I have added a thanks so much sentiment to the bottom right of the card.
A very simple card to make but very effective proving that not all Christmas sets have to be used just for that purpose.
I hope you like the card and thanks for looking x x x

JOIN MY TEAM...

Check out the new price for the Stampin Up! Starter Kit! This means that you can earn discount on your Stampin Up! stash and join the wonderful community of Stampin' Up! demonstrators... You will be joining at just the right time as we have just launched the new catalogue for 2010/2011 and with a reduction in the price for the starter kit... What do you have to lose??
For £50.00 extra you can add on the scrapping kit which is also a great price, so if you would like to join my team email me at debbitaylor76@googlemail.com or call me on 01613384183...
Debbi x x x

Another family birthday...

My auntie's birthday was on Monday and I have made her card using one of the newly introduced colours and an old favourite... delightful daffodil and tempting turquoise. I have also used one of the new level one hostess sets, which I can see being a firm favourite with me this year!
I have used a tempting turquoise card blank and matted this with delightful daffodil inking the edges with basic black to make them really stand out. I have then on a panel of whisper white confetti card inked the edges with the turquoise and randomly stamped the images from the set across the main panel of the card in tempting turquoise and delightful daffodil, some were stamped off first. I have added some white ribbon to the top of the card and best wishes from the same set to the top left.
The was a very quick and easy card to complete but I love the effect that is created, especially as the colours are so bright! x
Thanks for looking and I hope you like the card - Debbi...
If you would like details on how to earn this set for free email me for further details - hold a workshop and have a great evening crafting with friends! x x x

crafting with Kate and Aimes... A great day!

Sunday was a great day spent crafting with some lovely people and we had a great time making some lovely projects that were designed by Kate and Aimes - we were lucky enough to be given some lovely paper, buttons and ribbon as well!

The first card was made using the enjoy the ride set and matching die - they go really well together and I love the colours.
The second was using on my couch set and teamed with simply chartreuse ribbon.
The third was a 3D item using Star Prints and I love the colours that were chosen to make this... What a great day... The projects are gorgeous aren't they! thanks for looking - Debbi x x x

Stars...

The card that I am sharing today is a card that I made for one of Joshua's friends at school and we were attending a party for him (Joshua has a much better social life than I do!) I asked Joshua what stamp set he wanted me to use and also the colours that he wanted and this is what he picked - the stamp set is the retired stars stamp set but do not fear there is a new one in this years catty! We chose the colours craft, chocolate chip and tempting turquoise I think you will agree they look great together and are perfect for a boy! I used the small star for the back ground on the chocolate chip and the craft - and have stamped off the tempting turquoise on to the craft panel.
I punched and cut out the stars and added them to the right hand side of the card and added the sentiment above these. I mounted the chocolate chip panel on to turquoise and inked the edges of this - the colours together I love! Joshua will make a great card maker in the future I am sure!
I hope you like the card and thanks for looking! Debbi x x x
Tomorrow I will share some cards that I received today at a crafty event with the lovely Kate and Aimes! Until tomorrow! night

Hello... a family birthday...

Well today the card i am sharing is one that I have made for my cousin who is exactly one week older than me and it is her birthday today - Happy Birthday Emma! I don't see her very often but we chat a lot on the internet... So this is the first of the week of family birthdays! Monday is my son Aidan's he will be two and also it is my Auntie Alma's (Emma's mum) and then next friday it will be mine! What a lot of cake I will have to eat! ;-)
The card that I have made for Emma is using an old favourite stamp set pocket silhouettes I have used the babywipe technique for the back ground and have then stamped the images across the panel.

 I have then mounted this on a piece of rich razzleberry card and then again on soft suede. I have then mounted this on a white card blank and I have inked the edges of each piece. I have added the friend to friend sentiment as even though we do not see eachother often we are still very close (even if she doesn't like football as much as me!) For the main image I have stamped off one of the images all the way across the card and then added a few that were not stamped off. I have then added the flower detail stamped in rich razzleberry at regular intervals across the card. The sentiment is in the top left hand side of the card and this is fro the same stamp set.
Thanks for looking - Debbi x x x

Launch Night...

Saturday night saw my launch party and we had a great evening with some new products and old favourites. I decided to do things a little bit different for my launch as the pictures will show - there were a couple of games, a make and take and a raffle. As I had recently attended training my display board was full thanks to many of my fellow demonstrators and I had a great time looking at all the beautiful swaps that I received on the evening.
I had created everyone a goody bag to tale away with them and I had tried to co-ordinate this with both retired card stock and also new colours with accessories as well.
For the make and take we made the card that was recently shown at training although as I didn't have much of the cherry cobbler used here I changed the main colour for real red and used real red ribbon... Both colours look great with this stamp set.
The second part of the evening was pin the tail on the donkey - although using stamping. Guests had to be blindfolded and spun around and then stamp on to the target Stampin Up! as close to the middle as they could. This is something that I have not tried before and we had a real giggle doing it - there was a prize for the winner.

I then turned the reins over to my guests... I gave them the same supplies and gave them 20 minutes to create a card using the circle circus set and some punches, they had a great time doing it and I think that you will agree they did really. Nicola's card was the winner and she received a prize on the evening also.

This is the card that WON! Nicola did a great job - as did all the ladies!

Joan
Sue's below

Tracey above
and Sam's


My raffle prize will be drawn when the last order is received in just over two weeks, this is for the ladies that attended the launch and for every order received over £45.00 that is placed before then. Email me if you want to  order - the prize - DASHER, CHOCOLATE CHIP INK, NOT QUITE NAVY INK and CHOCOLATE CHIP RIBBON... I hope you like the pictures! and thanks for looking Debbi x x x

having trouble loading piccies - will try again later x

NEW CATALOGUE...

Well it is here and you are now able to freely view the catalogue on line... I have created a link for you on the side bar of my blog. I hope you enjoy it and there are some great new stamp sets and products email me if you would like to place an order... I will be back later with a couple of samples for you ENJOY... thanks for looking Debbi x x x