Lights, Camera - CAT!

Hello everyone, thank you for visiting my blog.

I WAS going to show you some pictures of the cards I've been making.  However, as you can see from the photos, I have been prevented!

This is Mysti (short for Mystique).  She's a lilac and cream Persian.  And if you're wondering why I haven't chased her out of the studio box, you underestimate the feline capacity for stubborn.

I have another pop-up cube studio, which she has claimed as her own, and she can usually be lured away to it if I set it up for her - but not this time.  She's left the studio a couple of times to eat, drink and generally refresh herself, but has always moved back in, casually brushing aside the cards I have set up as she makes herself comfy.  

Frustrating as it is, I am actually quite pleased, because she's been a bit under the weather later - nothing that the vet could find seriously wrong with her, but just a bit low.  For a couple of weeks I've been able to craft and take photos without the assistance of cat. This is a return to her old sassy self.

So I'm sorry that I haven't been able to tease you with the lovely things coming in the new catalogue (if you're one of my customers, you've got a copy coming to you in the very near future).  Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

Fluttering Butterfly

Hello there and welcome!  Today's card features the Watercolour Wings butterflies stamp set and the Bold Butterfly thinlets dies.  Just about everyone likes butterflies and these stamps are proving very popular.
What do you think of the textured background card?  That started off as plain white or vanilla card - and doesn't it look good!
Here's the tutorial -

Hope you enjoyed it.  Please let me know if you try this- and share your results on my Facebook page, I'd love to see them.  See you soon!

Crafty hugs,

Keren

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

In miniature

Hello bloggers!  

One of the fun things about being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator is the training you get to help you make the most of the products you can get from SU.  The minute you join, you have access to training materials, videos and webinars to support you and share ideas, and you also get an advance look at the new catalogues and supplements before they are available to everyone else (good deal, eh?)

Anyway, the Autumn/Winter catalogue opens for business at the beginning of September, so that means that we Demonstrators got a sneaky peek of what's coming at a online-streamed Launch event,  which is where I saw the tiny card and envelope demonstrated.(and we also get the chance to place our orders so that we could play with the goodies  become familiar with the products).  

The finished card is 2" by 2" so you'd get quite a few of them out of a piece of A4 yardstick.  The DSP on the front of the card is from our Pretty Petals stack,  and so is the envelope.  You can make the envelope (using the Envelope Punch Board)  and the card from one sheet of 6" by 6" paper and still have some paper left over.  It would make a super gift card (Christmas is coming!) or a sweet little "Thinking of You" note for a loved one.

To make the envelope, you need a piece of paper 3 3/4" square.  Punch and score at the 1 7/8" mark on the Envelope Punch Board on all four sides.  Super-simple and a great way of using up small pieces of card and paper.

Anyway, that's it for now.  Please do come back another time, when I'll be sharing another project.  Oh, and if you'd like to know more about becoming a Demonstrator and having access to all the advantages and benefits of being part of the team, please get in touch - I'd be happy to help!

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

Gotta Lotta Bottle

Hello and welcome to my blog.
Today I'm sharing how I made this neat little gift bag.  The festive season will be upon us almost before we know it, and of course, birthdays happen all year round, so it's useful to have some gift bags or boxes handy.  This bag can be made up ahead of time and stored flat, which is convenient.

Here's the cutting/folding diagram - 

And here's the tutorial.

Oh, and in case you were curious, oil in the bottle is a combination of yang-ylang, lavender, and rose essential oils in a carrier oil.  It smells WONDERFUL!  

Thanks for visiting - hope to see you again soon!

Crafty Hugs

Keren

PS - Don't forget that the new Autumn/Winter mini catalogue goes live on 1 September and my customers will be getting their copy through the post direct from me.    Get in touch with your SU Demonstrator for your copy!

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

L for Leather

Hello and welcome!

In today's tutorial I show you how to make the leather-effect card as well as the "out of the frame" image.  These cards have a masculine theme, but you could use these techniques in lots of different ways - imagine a "Shoes and Handbags" card for a lady who loves to shop, or a flower stamp peeping out of a frame for a special greeting...the possibilities, as they say, are endless.

Hope you have fun trying this out.  Please let me know how you get on, I love reading your comments.  

See you soon,

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

On the CASE

Does your crafting Mojo ever go off on holiday?  Mine does, and it's usually when I absolutely HAVE to create something to a deadline, such as when my husband comes home from work and announces that so-and-so in the office is retiring at the end of the week and can I throw a card together?  That's usually the signal for the ol' Mojo to pack its bags and head off for a Destination Unknown.

That's the signal for me to turn to my Stampin' Up! catalogue to see if there's anything I can CASE.  CASE stands for  "Copy And Share Everything" and  the SU catalogue is a great source of inspiration.  It's much more than just a list of products - it's full of ideas.   

These two cards are quite close to the original versions which are on page 74 of this year's annual catalogue. They were so easy to make.  They both use the Wild about Flowers stamp set - they're two-step, photopolymer stamps so it's very easy to get the flowers lined up with the stems.   The one on the right has a bit of Gorgeous Grunge as well.


Here's what I used - 

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You can find every item in the SU catalogue as well as lots of great ideas. If you need a  copy, talk to your SU Demonstrator - or if you haven't got a SU demo of your own, I'd be happy to help - just email me (there's a contact form at the bottom of the blog) or get in touch through my online shop - just click the button at the top right that says "Shop Online".  Or there's my Facebook page - and I love getting comments, so please do let me know what you like!

OK, that's it for now - but I'll see you soon, I hope.

Crafty Hugs,

Keren

Butterfly, butterfly

Hello blog friends, and welcome to my crafty blog.  

It's been a while since I've demonstrated a kinetic card.  I love making pop-ups and action cards - they have the WOW! factor for me - so I thought it was about time I got back in the groove.   So here's a Pull-Up Slider card, featuring the Watercolor Wings and Remembering Your Birthday stamp sets.

Want to see how I made it?  Here's the cutting plan -

Here's the tutorial - 

I hope you try this for yourself, and I'd love to hear how you got on - leave a comment here or on my Facebook page.    

Bye for now,

Keren

PS I've just seen what's coming up in the new Autumn/Winter catalogue and there are some GORGEOUS items.  Contact your SU demonstrator for a copy.   If you've shopped with me this year (and left your contact details) I'll be sending you a copy when it goes live at the beginning of September or if you don't have a demonstrator and live in the UK, get in touch with me (email your postal address) and I'll get a copy to you.

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog