100 posts

November 19th last year I started my blog and 5 months later this is my 100th post.  Wow how time flies.  My journey with Stampin' Up! has been great and I have learned so much about making cards.  Techniques, colours, textures and above all having lots of fun and meeting some fabulous people.

This was one of my first cards.  I look back now and smile at the simplicity and lack of imagination or technique.  I was extremely proud of this card.

And now...........a more recent card with more colour and dimension and lots of texture.  Both cards have a pearl in the centre of the butterfly, but I love the new stampin' up! butterfly stamp compared to the old one.

Crafting is a journey and it is good to sometimes look back and see how time and experience and allowed me to develop.  Funnily this is only 5 months in, I wonder what I will be showing at my 500th post or in 5 years time.  One thing I know I will always have a passion for creating.

Remember you can get in touch via email allmark.j@sky.com if you are interested in any stampin' up! products.

Happy crafting and thanks for stopping by :))

Stampin' Up! Christmas Deer

I am lucky to live next to a huge deer park and see some lovely small herd of deer whilst walking my elderly labrador dog.  It prompted me to use a stamp which I used a lot at christmas but havn't used for a while.

This stamp has big antlers and as the name suggests is quite christmasy.  I just inked up the body of the deer stamped one and then cut out the second ad put it on a backgroud  of leaves and sunset sponging.  The border is the tulip framelit border.  I havn't put a sentiment yet as this was just an idea, but pleased with the result and will definately use this stamp more (not just for christmas) as I love the woodland feel.

For all your stampin' up! needs just get in touch allmark.j@sky.com

Happy stampin and have a fab weekend.

Card Making Classes Farnham

One of my favourite times of the week is when I hold a card making class in Farnham with some beautiful elderly people.  The class has proved increasingly more popular and proves that you are never too old to craft.

This week we used the bird builder punch, designer series paper and co-ordinating cardstock.  Everyone designed a slighly different card and the results were gorgeous.

These are just a few of the lovely finished cards.

I hold classes for all age groups (minimum of 6 people) in the Farnham area.  Classes fill up quickly so please email me allmark.j@sky.com to be added to the list of up and coming classes.

If you have 5 friends and would like to hold a class in your home and live within a 10 mile radius of GU9 (Farnham) or would like to hold a party where I can showcase some of the fantastic Stampin' Up! products then just let me know allmark.j@sky.com

Happy crafting :)))

Rich Razzleberry

I just love this name for an ink pad and it is just like a big juicy berry bursting with glorious colour.

One of the things I love about Stampin' Up! is that everything matches perfectly, cardstock, ink pads and designer series paper.

I used my big shot to make a frame in whisper white cardstock using the framed tulips with my big shot and then sponged with the rich razzleberry ink pad.  Mounted on rich razzleberry cardstock. with the cupcake framed with some deigner series paper it is a simple card with gorgeous colour.

The cup cake was part of a stamp set which was a freebie during a recent promotion.  Stampin' Up! is good at offering lots of great offers during the year which I always try and include on my blog.  So keep dropping by.

Happy crafting and enjoy the weekend
allmark.j@sky.com if you want to get in touch.

Framelits and Doilies

The sun is shining and I'm off in a minute for a weekend down the allotment.  The ground is at last warming up so it is time to plant. Peas, beans, courgettes, spinach, corn, beetroot and anything else that takes my fancy.  Will start with the peas as still a little early for the rest but there is something very satisfying being out in the sunshine, hands in the soil, growing your own produce.

So my card today is a bright sunny flower made using the floral frames framelits and a doily.  My big shot has become my favourite tool.

The floral frames match perfectly with the daydream medallions stamp set which gives the lovely pattern to the petals.

Everything you see is by Stampin' Up! and can be purchased through myself as an independent demonstrator. allmark.j@sky.com

Happy crafting and have a lovely sunny weekend :))

Card Making Classes Farnham

Card making is becoming ever more popular with 56% of households crafting in one way or another.  There are magazines, retails shops, tv articles giving ideas and selling huge varieties of ways to make cards and paper craft.

There are many theories of why card making and paper craft has become so popular.  Some people claim it is the recession and everyone has become more thrifty (our parents and grandparents home crafted cards, knitting, sewing, housewares and I expect most of us wore something homemade when we were small). Mass production of cards with hundreds of choices but difficult to find something unique or personalised or fits the recipient perfectly.  Wanting to create something personal to give to a friend or relative for their special occasion or just to say thanks.  Hobbies, a way to relax and create.  Whatever the reason card making and papercraft has never been more popular.

Stampin' Up is a range of high quality card making and paper craft products which you buy through a demonstrator (like me) Up to the minute, on trend products to suit every style from modern & funky to beautiful vintage.  With 25 years trading they are a company to trust and have a real passion for what they do.  Buying through a stampin' up! demonstrator means you will always have ongoing support, help and advice.

Card making classes are one of the ways to "try before you buy" and learn how to create some wonderful projects, grow in confidence and techniques and above all have fun with other like-minded people.  My classes (as a stampin' up! demonstrator) are run for 6 people at a time, so everyone gets lots of individual attention and are held either in my home, your home if you live within a 10 mile radius of GU9 or at a function room.

One of the classes I run is a weekly class for the over 70's held at a local function room.  This has been running for a couple of months now and is very popular and proves that you are never too old to start.

These are a few of the cards that were created at last weeks class.

If you would like to join one of my classes then please get in touch allmark.j@sky.com

Happy crafting :))

Stampin Up! embossing folders

Flower garden and framed tulips folder are two of the new embossing folders in the stampin' up! annual catalogue.  Having recently bought a big shot I really wanted to try some of these folders.

They are sharp images and really easy to use and I was delighted at the results.

The flower garden I sponged using marina mist and wisteria wonder to give the lovely cornflower hues.  My photgraphy isn't the best as it is a little bright, but the card is really subtle and with a couple of sentiments made a very effective card that took no time at all to create.

Fancy a try? or want to increase your stash? never made cards before but want to give it a try? whatever brought you to this blog if you want to know more about stampin' up! and their huge range of products I am an independent stampin' up! demonstrator who is passionate about crafting and would love to share more with you and help you get started with stampin' up! products.  Whether a beginner, a seasoned card-maker, fancy running your own business, or just curious.  I don't bite (promise) so just get in touch allmark.j@sky.com

Happy crafting :))))

Blender pens

These blender pens from stampin' up! are brilliant.  I have been using a paintbrush to water colour my cards which I thought worked fine until I bought these blender pens (a pack of 3 double tipped is £8.95) and they allow really tight precision of colour into all the little corners and blending is a doddle.  Really wished I had bought these before.

Here is an example of a card I did using the flower garden embossing folder.  This was my first attempt but was really pleased at being able to blend the colours for the poppy and to give it a nice dark centre to the poppies.

So if you fancy giving it a go or want to order anything else from the stampin' up fantastic product ranges then just give me a shout allmark.j@sky.com

Happy crafting :))))

Flower garden textured embossing folder

At last Spring has sprung and the weather is starting to warm up and the sun is starting to come out.  Well it is April but it is soooo welcome.

So flowers and pretty spring ideas have been at the forefront of my mind.  I have just bought the Flower Garden textured embossing folder and it with a little bit of colour it is just gorgeous.

I water coloured this card using the blender pens (£8.95 for a pack of 3 double tipped)  It makes water colouring so much easier than using a paintbrush as you can get very precise detail.

Decided to do poppies and just randomly stamped a sentiment to finish off the card.

The flower garden folder is £7.50

If you want to join my team or order any stampin' up! products just get in touch allmark.j@sky.com

Thanks for looking :))

Flower Garden textured embossing folder

Wow I am so pleased with this new embossing folder.  Just ran it through the big shot and then started playing around with colour.  With a little bit of sponging and using some of the ink pads the effects are really beautiful.

This was done with calypso coral, certain celery & so saffron ink pads.  I cut out and over-layed so the whole card was filled with flowers.

Check back over the next couple of days to see some other colour designs using this great embossing folder and it's only £7.50 an absolute bargain as there is so much you can create with it. (you do need a big shot to be able to use this folder)

Spring has sprung and can't wait for my garden to be filled with the real thing.

Fancy joining my team or ordering some of the sumptuous stampin' up! products then just give me a shout allmark.j@sky.com

Happy crafting.