Christmas in August

Hello all! Today I have a card to show you that my lovely downline Pip made:





She's done brayering at the top with Dasher stamped on top. Simple but oh so effective!!!

She was a bit nervous as she hadn't made swaps before but I don't think she needed to worry, do you? Well done Pip!

Owl for you!

Hello Crafters! Hope you are well. Just got back from a downline social and thought I'd show you the swaps I made for my team:


Cute, hey?

They're pillow boxes with 3/4" circles for the stomach 'feathers', hearts for feet and beaks, ovals for wings and 1.25" circles plus 3/4" circles for eyes.

Here is a close-up of the yellow guy:


As you can see the rhinestones added that little extra. These are perfect for filling with little treats.

For those Munchkin fans, here's the photo I was sent today as I've had to be away from my angel girl today:


Cuuuuuuuute!

Smile for the Camera!

Happy Sunday! This is a pre-scheduled post that I have wanted to share with you for a while. Ruth created this fun camera based on one she had seen on the internet. We didn't have the punches the one on the website had though so she free-styled to create her own unique camera.

The camera is layered on Blueberry Crisp and Subtles Designer Series Paper Stack papers with a small piece of Night of Navy ribbon to finish. Do you recognise the sentiment? It's from the Level 2 hostess set in the current Mini catalogue. I'm such a fan of this set and it's just SO versatile. I've punched it out with the Word Window punch and then layered it on the Modern Label punch, which instantly makes it *pop* off the front.

Hope this gives you some inspiration for playing with your punches this weekend!

One Great Year

Morning all! It's a bright sunny day here so I have a happy card to share with you. I have to admit that it is not made by me but by my upline, Natalie. She makes gorgeous contemporary cards and this one is just gorgeous.

She's used the super-versatile Simple Scrappin' kit called One Great Year. It's a fab kit that helps you make scrapbook pages really easily as well as being perfect for cards as you get cardstock, patterned paper plus self-adhesive die-cuts that match. the colours on this card are Wild Wasabi, Concorde Crush, Whisper White and Pear Pizzazz.

My favourite parts are the Pear Pizzazz ribbon (just lush!) and the Basic Rhinestones. Both of these really add some zing to the card.

She very kindly sent this card to celebrate the growth of my team of Blue Angels! We're growing fast and if you'd like to be a part of it why not sign up as a demonstrator and join in the fun? Contact me for more information: blueangelcrafts@gmail.com

Right, we're off on holiday shortly. We've not left yet as my husband is currently next door watching the rugby with our neighbours (he's still pining for Sky TV!). I will have projects to share with you over the next week, plus the Last Chance List will be released on here on the 1st September so plenty to look out for!

Birdcages in progress

Hello and Happy Friday! I've been organising my diary ready to run a fun night in for you and your friends and whilst I was at it I've planned my classes for the rest of 2011 - you can see the full list here.

Now, today's project was based on one I saw on Pinterest, originally from here. These are my first two attempts and they do look a little....shabby. And not in a cute way! The cage base is an old jar lid which I covered with circles of card and then the strips of paper cover the sides and the joins where the cages were stuck.

The birds were made with my trusty two-step bird punch. Gosh I love that punch. I hadn't used it in a little while and I'm back in love with it!!!

Today has been a busy day achieving....nothing. However, I am really excited about our little family holiday tomorrow so it'll be worth all organising today. I'll also be able to indulge in some fabby Pinterest surfing. I am still 100% addicted to this site! Hope you are looking forward to a fun weekend!!

For Munchkin

As Munchkin has grown she's begun to develop a new hobby - playing with hairclips! As her hair is so fine the clips are tiny so I've made her this:


It's a cheap canvas (4 for 99p!) which I've stuck ribbons across and decorated. Munchkin can then store her clips on here and we can hang them up tidily!

I added a Rich Razzleberry flower out of designer paper which has been sponged. There's a double layer of the flowers and then there's a small circle of Pumpkin pie and an even smaller circle of Pirouette Pink and a Filigree brad in the centre. The make sure the brad didn't fall off I used a thick layer of Crystal Effects glue which is nice and shiny too.

Handmade flower

Greetings all! Hope you are having a good evening. Today I have a card for you that was inspired by the monthly magazine, Impression, all Stampin' Up! Demonstrators are posted each month. There is always tonnes of eye-craft-candy in each installment and this month's was no exception.

The flower is made using the large scallop circle die in the Big Shot. I cut mine with Peach Parfait cardstock and then inked the edge in the same colour ink. I then used scissors to cut my circle into a spiral which I rolled up to create a really 3D flower. This is not an ideal card to post! The centre of the flower is Rich Razzleberry satin ribbon which has been twisted and glued into the centre and then had a few pearls added for extra glam!

Have you seen the green leafy tendrils? These are super-simple to make using Pear Pizzazz seam binding ribbon which has been spritzed with water and then scrunched to give them a vintage look. Definately a technique that's worth giving a try on your next project.

The card base is layers of Peach Parfait, Old Olive and Rich Razzleberry cardstock and then the centre panel is Crumb Cake stamped with Bella Toile background stamp.

If you'd like to get your hands on the Stampin' Up! Demonstrator publication each month, why not sign up to be a demonstrator and join my team? Contact me: blueangelcrafts@gmail.com for more information.

All stitched up! Theme

Challenge #80 from Hand Stamped Sentiments was a stitching theme. This is a card I created with my new stitching tool which spaces the holes so stitching onto card is super-easy.

Can't quite remember where the inspiration for this card came from but I love the layout. I think the stitching adds the final touch!!

The sentiment is from the set, Just Believe; the papers are Elegant Soiree - such a classy set of papers. The butterfly was cut from the same set of papers on my beloved Big Shot (oh how I missed you these last few weeks!)

Hope you are enjoying the cards from this challenge if you found me from the HSS page - maybe you'd like to follow my blog to see all my other creations?

As for being back in the UK. Well, it's nice not to be sticky with sweat, especially for Munchkin but it was rather nice to be living an alfresco life! Back to reality and tomorrow I'm babysitting a nearly two-year-old along with my own.... any ideas to entertain them both?!

Punch art car

Another team-work card that Ruth & I concocted:
It's a punch-art car - perfect for giving someone who's just passed their driving test!

The base is Melon Mambo with Tempting Turquoise trim and Daffodil Delight patterned paper from the Greenhouse Gala pack. The sentiment is from the Level 2 Hostess Set in the Mini catalogue; it's stamped with Staz On as I wanted it to stand out against the background.

On another note....This is what woke me the other morning:

Wednesday was another gloriously hot day here in France and the kiddies made the most of it with swimming and waterplay in the garden:





SO cute!

Variations on a theme

Salut all! Today i have a card that is a variation on a theme from the one in my last post:

(edit: see, now it's the right way up!)
This time it's using Woodland Walk papers and a sweet little stamp (the name of the set is currently eluding me - do you know what it's called?). There's a touch of Early Espresso taffeta ribbon and some Dot, Dot, Dot background stamp on the Crumb cake base - voilà!!

As for our holiday, its great. The weathers been testing our patience by being "challenging" first thing but it's so hot and sunny later on that you barely remember a short time later!

Yesterday it was a Bank holiday in France so we had an extra day with my Aunt & Uncle who are our hosts so we went carbooting. This is Munchkin eating her hotdog in a baguette:


Here are our hosts:


Here are our travelling companions:


Anyhoooo see you again soon!!

Pink delight

Bonjour from France! We're having a lovely time in the warm surrounded by mountains, although we're missing dear hubby!!

Today I have a card I made to show off the papers from Lap of Luxury collection. There are shades of pink, Concorde Crush and Very Vanilla - delish!



The punch adds interest and allowed many designs to be shown at once - perfect of you have one of my papershares! The sentiment is from Tiny Tags punched with the Jewelry Punch and attached to a yum-o piece of Concorde Crush ribbon.

Just for those missing us in the UK here is Munchkin with her Boyfriend!

Farewell gifts

The gym I go to has an amazing crèche with some fantastic ladies which makes my trips to the gym with Munchkin a pleasure. Sadly the management of said gym have decided to close the crèche. The fools!

Anyway today is the last day of the crèche so yesterday I popped along with some little chocolate thank-yous:


I'm majorly into rainbows at the moment so that was my inspiration. I cut the Crumb Cake flaps with the Top Note die on my beloved Big Shot. It's projects like this where you're making multiples that the Big Shot comes into it's own.

Then I stamped in the same colour ink using the swirly stamp in Baroque Motifs and used Early Espresso for the Thanks sentiment.

The flowers were punched out from mainly the DSP colour stacks. These are fantastic value as each double-sided 12x12 sheet works out at just 36p each!!! If you haven't got a stack or two in your life you really should!

For the flower centres I punched a 1" circle in a co-ordinating colour and pushed a clear rhinestone brad through. Oh yes, to make the petals antique-y I sprayed them with water and crunched them in my hand. When they dry they keep their shape.

These bag toppers fit the medium cello bags PERFECTLY and with a little sticky strip they're super secure. I filled mine with Revels but they are a good size for all sorts of things, edible or not!

The ladies really liked them and I hope it let them know how much I appreciated how wonderfully they looked after Munchkin.

If you'd like to order any if the products I've used or from the UK Stampin Up! catalogue why not drop me an email: blueangelcrafts@gmail.com

Today Munchkin and I are off on holiday to visit relatives in France. Poor hubby and lodger had to stay behind but I'm sure they'll have a great time eating junk and watching violent films and sports non-stop!

Hopefully I'll still be blogging this week so stay tuned!

An Apple for the Teacher

This week on Hand Stamped Sentiments there is a theme of back to school, and what do you know, Ruth & I made this card!!

Ruth made the apples using a tab punch and Very Vanilla & Riding Hood Red cardstock. The tops were punched with a 1/2" circle punch. The cores were drawn with a Early Espresso marker which matches the freehand-cut stalks.

I made the base of the card out of Old Olive cardstock with a Very Vanilla trim that I punched. Then a small piece of Woodland Walk paper was added.

Such fun to create with a friend. I'd highly recommend it!

For a friend

Hello! Hope your week is going well. Today I have a card to share with you I made inspired by a pin on Pinterest.


I used markers to colour different parts of the stamp. The colours are Basic Black, Basic Grey and Real Red. Then I punched out a heart from Real Red and edged it with DaZzling Diamonds glitter.

To add interest to the Sahara Sand base I crimped it either side of the stamped words. Simple but effective. S simple knot of Real Red satin ribbon finished the look.

Today we're meeting my cousin and her little ones at BirdWorld in Farnham. I'm nit sure our new French Friend will join us as she got lost on the trains last night and travelled quite a few counties before finally making it home after 5 hours of travelling the short 1.5 hour journey!! Oh dear...

Monkey business

Today I spent a lovely day with my good friend Ruth and we squeezed in LOTS of crafting!!

Here is a card Ruth made:


She got the tutorial from a Google search - isn't it cute?

There's lots of punches used and the sentiment is from the Spring Mini hostess set.

Very cute!!!!

Sorry for the lack of posts lately - having a couple if different people staying at once is hard work!!!

Welcome and congratulations

Hello and happy Thursday! It's been quite a week and I have a pair of cards to show you:


These cards are CASE'd from one sent by my upline, Natalie (I believe she got the idea elsewhere!).

My trusty Color Coach came into play and helped with these striking combos! The top one is: So Saffron, Wild Wasabi and Rose Red. The lower one is: Melon Mambo, Old Olive and Elegant Eggplant. Mmmm the names are making me hungry!

The sentiment is from Curly Cute and was stamped in Early Espresso to match the ring. Love the stars and the punch made them fun to make.

If you'd like to order any of the materials or tools I've used, why not drop me an email: blueangelcrafts@gmail.com

Phew what a week! We've had a busy tine welcoming a French student and also a friend who've both come to stay. Lots of cooking, ferrying and chatting, so not much time for crafting (noooooo!)

See you again soon!

Stampin Up!'s Gift to You

As if getting your Stampin' Up! order was fun enough, when you place a £75 order or host a £250 workshop during August, you'll also get a FREE gift from Stampin' Up!

Your gift includes a beautiful, exclusively-designed cosmetics bag, along with Rich Razzleberry 1 1/4" striped grosgrain ribbon and a 24-piece clip assortment.

This offer from Stampin' Up! is only available during August, and I'll be placing regular orders each week throughout the month so you won't miss out on this exclusive offer!