Author: Hannah McCurley

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Fathers Day

Fathers day is here once again (well it will be next weekend) and the stress of trying to make cards for men raises its ugly head.SAM_0353

This year I’ve struck lucky, and found the Wellington Bear collection from DoCrafts. Its a nice selection of masculine images along with a cute bear and some plain backing papers. I bought the 6×6 paper pack a good while ago but found it again during my craft room tidying and fell back in love with this adorable bear.

I have quite a selection of cards for fathers day this year, all made with Wellington.

I also used my Spellbinders Distress edges die, an edge punch and a simple stamp, to create a collection of simple layered cards

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A bit of teabag folding

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SAM_0345This beautiful card uses more of Papermania capsule collection, but this time in a way that is brand new to me – teabag folding. I was watching youtube last week, and came across this video, of a lady making this fold for the top of a box. I thought it was so pretty I had to give it a go! This was my third completed flower (the first I have already given away on a card, which I forgot to photograph!)

I added two layered buttons and some bakers twine to complete the flower before adding to a simple Get Well Soon card

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Flower Shop

Yesterday we talked about the different ways of using a flower punch, so today I thought I’d put my flower punching skills to good use and make a card!

Stampin Up! Flower shop

This card uses the Flower Shop stamp set from Stampin Up! along with the coordinating Pansy Punch. This combination requires some careful planning as the stamp and punch only line up one way. My suggestion, and the general consensus, is to punch a piece of scrap cardstock, turn the piece over and mark which end is the top and which is the bottom. Then you can lay this over your stamp, the stamp is the correct way round when the punch image fits over it perfectly, then mark which point of your stamp matches the bottom of the punch and make sure to always orientate it on your block this way round.

This time I stamped in Bermuda Bay, Daffodil Delight and Real Red, and used basic black to stamp the sentiment. Unfortunately, this stamp is from a now retiring hostess set, Simply Sketched, but any sentiment would work just as well. The flowers were then punched out using the Pansy Punch, before being layered onto the card, some flat and some on dimentionals. You could add more to this card, some jewels or pearls in the centre of the flowers, or heat embossing the sentiment, but sometimes something simple is just as good

Dont forget to check out the shop for other retiring items

Hannah Wilks

Stampin’ Up! UK Independent Demonstrator

If you like the project, or any of the products used, would like a catalogue, or to join my team, please contact me, or click on the ‘Shop NOW’ button at the top of the page. You can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, About.me, and Tumblr (Links in the sidebar)

Thank you for stopping by www.www.stampinbyhannah.co.uk today

x

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10 ways to use a flower punch

There are so many ways to use a simple flower punch (for more than just making flowers too)

1. Use the punch with the coordinating stamp set, the Stampin Up! Pansy Punch and Flower Shop Stamp set for example (beware with this combination though, they only fit one way!) creating a range of beautiful flat flowers in a wide variety of colours (providing you have the inks of course)1. Stamped and Punched Flower

2. cutting into the punched flower and curling the petals to create a dimensional flower, great for the fronts of cards and as decoration on boxes

3. punching out a series of flowers, either with the same punch or different ones, and stacking and crumpling them to create a 3D flower creation

3. 3D flower

4. Cut the all petals off, giving you heart shapes

4. Hearts

5. Cutting one petal out – butterflies anyone!

5. Butterflies

6. Stamped as in point 1. but then cut in half to look like bows great for flat projects

6. Presents

7. as clouds

8. Use those 3D flowers from 3. to create a table centrepiece   http://www.pinterest.com/pin/42150946482093490/ 

9. Vellum! who doesnt love a heat embossed vellum flower everyone once in a while

9. Vellum!

10. As closures on a box ……. tutorial coming soon

10. Flower Box

11. (Hold on, I though this was 10 ways….) 11. create a door wreath with those spare flower punches http://www.pinterest.com/pin/56224695317667973/ 

 

Hannah Wilks

Stampin’ Up! UK Independent Demonstrator

If you like the project, or any of the products used, would like a catalogue, or to join my team, please contact me, or click on the ‘Shop NOW’ button at the top of the page. You can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, About.me, and Tumblr (Links in the sidebar)

Thank you for stopping by www.www.stampinbyhannah.co.uk today

x

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Card Making Basics – Tools

So I thought while we wait for my Stampin’ Up! starter kit to arrive and my online shop to go live I would start a series of posts around Card making basics, and where is the best place to start? tools? well it is now!

  1. paper trimmer – the Stampin Up! paper trimmer is my personal favourite because of its large cutting and measuring area and the fact that it can be changed from a basic trimmer into a rotatory cutter
  2. bone folder – I always though, a bone folder was a bone folder, I was wrong! there is just something about the Stampin Up! bone folder, either size or weight that makes a massive difference with burnishing score lines
  3. Simply Scored – I LOVE  THIS Tool! hands down my favourite tool from any craft company! I have yet to come across a project where I don’t use it; cards, boxes, bags, envelopes,
  4. stamps – don’t think I need to say much more about stamps really, love them, cant get enough!
  5. Punches – see stamps!
  6. Paper piercer – use it for everything, in particular getting the backing off that pesky sticky strip!
  7. Tweezers – use a basic pair (designed for eyebrows I do believe) to remove backing from tape, sticky strip, place jewels and pearls, hold items while embossing, I use my tweezers all the time
  8. Grid paper – very useful for lining up papers, measuring, ensuring stamps are straight etc. and stopping your desk from getting messy!
  9. Big shot! – so useful, admittedly can be done without, but fantastic for die-cutting and embossing. I would suggest that an embossing machine (the texture boutique is awesome) adds a special extra something to your cards and projects. Along the same vein, dies and embossing folders, I would suggest dies that match stamps, and simple embossing patterns such as dots and strips
  10. Stampin Scrub – hands down the best way to clean those intricate and detailed stamps. I will openly admit, for years I have used the cheapest baby wipes I could possibly find, but no longer. My stamps are finally clean!

 

While I’m here, don’t forget to check out my site at StampinUp.net :  http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/stampinbyhannah

 

 

Hannah Wilks

Stampin’ Up! UK Independent Demonstrator

If you like the project, or any of the products used, would like a catalogue, or to join my team, please contact me, or click on the ‘Shop NOW’ button at the top of the page. You can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Google+, About.me, and Tumblr (Links in the sidebar)

Thank you for stopping by www.www.stampinbyhannah.co.uk today

x

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On my Desk

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These cards, created with the Me to You collection from Mothers day this year. Some of the papers in the 6×6 pad are very mothers day centric, however, there are also a nice selection of general use papers in lilac and teal, with hints of yellow and pink, perfect for feminine birthday cards.

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New Beginnings!

Hello there!

I am now a registered Stampin Up! demonstrator in the UK! I am super excited to get started, watch this space for more information, projects, ideas, videos and offers in the very near future!

Yay!

x

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Storage Sundays

   Hello again folks! its that time of the week again, Storage solutions time!SAM_0319

This week I thought I’d let you know how I store my Washi tape.

SOCKER Plant pot IKEA The plant pot is galvanised to protect against corrosion.I picked up a few of these plant pots from IKEA, they are super cute, and great for storing stuff in (and putting plants in I suppose!), and they only cost 95p

I use this is a couple of places in my craft room, although I bought them specifically for Washi tape, they are also really useful for tools and pens too!

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Back again soon

x

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Thank you

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I love sending little thank you messages to people, and a simple thank you card is quick to put together.

I’ve used my Spellbinders dies here, Floral Ribbon threader and curved matting basics A, along with a Papermania Capsule collection in liquorice, sadly I believe this has been since discontinued. I am currently working my way through some of my crafty stash, using up older products before an exciting order of new shiny things arrives next week (hint hint).SAM_0338

The flowers on this card is super simple to put together too, a couple of 1 inch circles punched from white card stock, layered with some patterned paper flowers die cut using the same Spellbinders die set, crumpled and finished with a bit of bling.

I’ve also tried some paper piecing on this card. I dont use this technique very often, generally because Its a big of a faff if you (like me) dont have a guide or piecing ruler. I line up my normal ruler and piece and half centimetre intervals, the problem with this is that sometimes I go off at a bit of an odd angle, but hey its only card!