Crafting for Christmas

At Craft Club last week it was time to fill up a treat holder with chocolate, though I'm sure it will need a refill or two before it gets on to the tree!

We used the Petal Cone Die with the Big Shot die cutting machine to create a treat holder to hang on the tree. The cone was left open but it can be closed to stop prying eyes or to keep your choccies safe! The concertina flower is an effective base for the stamped wording.

The folded star decoration was so simple but really effective and was designed by the talented US demonstrator Dawn Olchefske. She has kindly shared a video of how to make these on her blog. I will be making a giant one of these to hang up in my office!

The card is a simple design using a very popular stamp set called Seasons of Joy.

Supplies:

Card and Ink:

Chocolate Chip

Real Red

Wild Wasabi

Very Vanilla

Designer Series Paper:

Holly Berry Bouquet

Big Shot Die Cutting Machine

Dies/Embossing Folders:

Scallop Square Die

Perfect Polka Dots

Petal Cone Die

Stamp Set:

Seasons of Joy

Accessories:

Brights Buttons

Linen Thread

Chantilly Crochet Trim

Scallop Edge Punch

Thanks for looking!

Charity Craft Event Nov 2011

I recently held two classes at a charity event held in a local church. I met some lovely ladies again this year and we had fun making a mini scrapbook in the morning class and tags and treats in the afternoon. The event raised in the region of £430 which will be sent to help children in need in South Africa.

The mini scrapbook was taken from a design by Becki Roberts, a talented SU demonstrator in the US. The book itself was make from one sheet of 12" x 12" old olive card which was scored and folded to make a book with pockets to hold tags. It makes an ideal gift and an easy way to display photos of a family Christmas or indeed any event like a holiday in different colours.

The 3 pillow boxes were made with the assistance of the great Big Shot die cutting machine, which enables quick and easy cutting and embossing. They were stacked and tied with ribbon and a tag added. Fill with chocolates or any small gifts!

The chocolate treat bag was again made with the Big Shot and the Scallop Circle was embossed with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder and added as a great topper. The gift tags were stamped with the Tags til Christmas set, with the wreath from the Welcome Christmas stamp set and the gift card holder was made using the top note die and Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.

All the items (apart from the stripe ribbon and gold elastic cord) to make these goodies are available from the catalogue, the link to browse is on your right! Have a flick through and simply e-mail me to place an order.

Supplies:

Card Stock and Ink:

Real Red

Old Olive

Chocolate Chip

Stamp Sets:

Welcome Christmas

Tags til Christmas

Seasons of Joy

Big Shot die cutting machine

Big Shot Dies/Embossing Folders:

Top Note Die

Scallop Circle Die

Pillow Box Die

Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder

Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder

Thanks for stopping by!

New Idea Book & Catalogue!!!!

At last, the new Idea Book and Catalogue has been launched for 2011/12!

There are lots of great new products, with new stamp sets, papers and even fabric to match.

There are 4 new In Colours and even more dies for the Big Shot.

Please check back soon for some projects using new products, and click on the picture of the catalogue on the right to browse.

You can have your own personal copy posted to you for just £4.50. Get that wish list started!

Retired List!

It's time to say goodbye to some products from the current catalogue which will be retiring at the end of September. Now is the chance to get some bargains, with some items reduced up to 40%. They are only available while stocks last so if you would like to place an order, send me an email to clare@sparklecrafts.com to avoid disappointment! When they're gone, there gone!

Click on the link below to see the list of retired items:

Retired List

Just for the Men!

It's always more difficult to come up with ideas for cards for the boys, but these two stamps, Sail Away and Motorcycle make it easy peasy! They are available as single stamps from the Mini Catalogue, click on the link to the right to view, or if you would like a copy let me know and I would be happy to post one to you.

The colour combo is Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla. The cards are given a 3D look by layering up the sails and mud guards.

The stack of boxes were made using the Big Shot Pillow Box Die which makes it super simple to make just one or lots. Once cut out, I put the box through the Big Shot embossing folder to give it some texture. Pop in a treat (Freddo Frogs fit perfectly)!

Supplies used:

Card: Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy

Big Shot: Pillow Box Die, Lattice Embossing Folder

Punches: Word Window, Crop-A-Dile

Accessories: Linen Thread, Jumbo Eyelets

Top Note Easter!

Well I never need an excuse to have chocolate, but for Easter classes it is a necessity! Mini chocolate eggs were on the menu this evening, along with chocolate Easter cakes, yum!

I used the new Top Note Die from the new Mini Catalogue on all the projects; as a layer on one card, as the actual shape of the second card and as a topper for the treat bag, so it is already proving to be very versatile!

Stamp Sets: A Good Egg, Forest Friends

Card: Poppy Parade, Pear Pizazz, Whisper White

DSP: Sunny Garden

Ink: Poppy Parade, Pear Pizazz

Punches: Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, Decorative Label Punch, Word Window

Ribbon: Pear Pizazz 1/2" Stitched-Poly Ribbon

Big Shot: Top Note Bigz Die

Take a look through the catalogue links on the right and just let me know if you have any questions or would like to place an order!

Thanks for stopping by...

Mini Catalogue Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Mini Catalogue Blog Hop. If you have joined me from Sandra's blog http://cscarddesigns.blogspot.com then I am sure you have seen some fantastic designs to inspire you!

For my projects I decided to use Sew Suite stamp set along with the co-ordinating Sweet Stitches Designer Series Paper. With a new Big Shot, I couldn't leave out the Top Note Die and Flower Daisies dies, so I used these too!

The full list of items used is below:

Card: Tempting Turquoise, Melon Mambo, Chocolate Chip, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White

DSP: Sweet Stitches

Ink: Basic Black

Stamp Set: Sew Suite

Sissix dies: Top Note, Flower Daisies

Ribbon: Daffodil Delight

Punches: 3/4" Circle

Accessories: Silver Eyelets, Brights Collection buttons, Linen Thread

I hope you have enjoyed looking at my projects and now it's time to move on to Elaine's blog

http://ihavethestamp.blogspot.com

Happy Blog Hopping!!

Clare.

The New Mini Catalogue is Launched Today!

At last, 1 April has arrived which means the launch of the new Mini Catalogue which has lots of wonderful new products to add to my ever increasing wish list! I will be posting some photos tomorrow of some projects made with items from the new mini catalogue in preparation for a great event called a Blog Hop!

It starts at 10am on Saturday 2 April and there are lots of Stampin' Up! demonstrators taking part. Take time to hop from one blog to another to get lots of inspiration for future projects.

Until then, take a look at the mini catalogue by clicking on the picture of it on the right, and get that wish list started....now where's my pen and paper!

For Mum

Well I hope my Mum likes my creation for Mother's Day, but I hope she isn't peeking! I have made her a card, sticky pad holder and a fridge magnet.

The cheery colours of Pumpkin Pie and Rose Red co-ordinate perfectly with the Sweet and Sour Specialty Designer Series Paper. The card is a step design, which gives you several areas to decorate. It is ideal for this Mum card and the individual letters were stamped using the Broadsheet Alphabet. This is a very decorative set, each letter with a different design. These were then cut out with the Paper Snips, mounted on to scallop circles, some sparkles were added and it's done!

The note pad holder is made with an acrylic photo stand, and the flower was made using 3 scalloped circles. A cut was made into the circle from each scallop, then a water brush was used to wet them and then they were layered and glued together and scrunched up. A simple flower but very effective! Hope my Mum likes it!

All the items used to make this set are available from the Stampin' Up! Idea Book & Catalogue - just click the icon on the right and have a flick through!!

If you don't yet own a copy of the Idea Book & Catalogue and place an order for £35 or more, I will send you one free of charge (worth £5.95)

Just Believe

I have created this set of cards and gift bag using Just Believe, a beautiful and versatile set. The colours are Kraft, Very Vanilla, Baja Breeze and Basic Grey which co-ordinates with the Elegant Soiree designer paper pack. The background has a splattered look, created with the Colour Spritzer Tool which is so easy to use! There are two effects with the ribbon, the bag and the Baja Breeze card have the ribbon attached to a length of double sided tape giving a pleated effect, and I have ruffled the ribbon on the Kraft card by pulling a thread which runs the length of the ribbon and securing behind the card. You can see a close up of this lovely effect above.