Training Swap

I promised the other day to share the swap that I had made for training. Here it is along with a photo of the display I now have set up in my craft studio.

I love, love, love the new Paisleys & Petals stamp set.  I'm such a sucker for all things paisley that I knew I had to get it.

For training, I decided to make my own backgrounds and then turned a card into a desk calender. Each piece of Very Vanilla measures 9.0 cm x 13. 4 cm, and each was stamped individually so no two cards are identical. There is a little piece of scored and folded Rich Razzleberry inside the card to stop it from opening too much.

My display now has both cards and projects I've made, along with the swaps I receiving from training. Not all the swaps are there because I wanted to keep the display solely things from the Autumn/Winter catalogue.

Everyone coming to class in the next couple of months will be able to see everything first hand. If there is something you are intrigued about in the photo drop me a line to find out more. I'm more than happy to answer questions.

Fiona xx

Team Training Make 'n' Take

On Friday evening I held an informal team training event.

We had a great time chatting about all things Stampin' Up!, enjoying the obligatory cream cheese and raspberry chipotle dip and of course I arranged a Make 'n' Take for everyone to do.

Everyone got to make one of these. We used the Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Die from the Spring/Summer Catalogue to make the bag and it is large enough to hold a card that measures 9.0 cm x 13.0 cm. It could of course hold other things such as party treats but I thought it would be nice is we also made a card (mine are postcard style) to go inside.

We used the Best Year Ever Designer Series Paper, and you can get two of the treat bags out of each of the 12" x 12" sheets.

I've even managed to stick to my resolution and use only one stamp set - Best Day Ever from Sale-A-Bration.

I opted to make two different versions, one more feminine than the other. That way I had both sexes covered.

As well as the two above I also made a couple more yesterday to finish off some of the other paper. They follow the same lines but are slightly different.

I love Washi Tape - it's a great way to decorate lots of things

The rhinestones were coloured using Blendabilities

The full details of the items used are as follows:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

I love my swaps

I had a fun but exhausting day yesterday when 18 Stampin' Up! demonstrators (including me and Pip) invaded my craft room for a fun packed day of crafting and chatting, with a little bit of business talk thrown in for good measure too.

One of the great things about going to training is the swaps that most people do. They are not obligatory but this time round everyone did one so I have 17 news ones to share with you (there are  18 here but it includes mine and I shared all of the details of that with you yesterday).

Bright & Beautiful Stamp Set and matching framelits- top one by Sheila, bottom by Christine

 

Festival of Trees Stamp Set and Punch Bundle - bottom one by Pip, the one on the right by Sarah

Holiday Home Stamp Set and Framelit Bundle - left by Jane and right by Sue

Petite Petals Punch and various other punches - left by Helen and right by Michelle

 

3D items - top left from Esther, right from Sarah. Bottom left from Carol, right from Bridget

 

3D item using Curvy Keepsake Box Thinlit - from Elaine

 

3D item using punches and 2013-2015 In Colors - from Michelle M

I have a very talented bunch of friends and I can't wait to give some of these ideas a try and put my own twist on them.

I will share some of the projects that Pip and I designed for the day so you can see what everyone got up to. However, I've yet to make the ones that Pip designed, as yesterday was all about the team, so Pip and I were running around helping and answering questions, no time for crafting for us.

Super excited for Team Training

Today is our team training and a lazy Sunday is just not on the cards.

Pip and I finished all the cutting and preparing on Friday and I've just completed all the finishing touches to my craft room.

Here's Pip with all the goodies laid out ready for putting in the bags.

Last night I finally finished my swaps and managed to play with my birthday present from my mother (thanks Mum). I bought myself one of those pop-up photo studios with the money she gave me. The hope is that I can make my photos look a little more professional. No more running around the house finding the best spot to take a photo depending on what the weather is doing outside.

This is my temporary set up - on the kitchen table. With no-one around it did not matter where I set up but I do need to find a more permanent location where I can leave it up.

I had to leave all my swaps to dry before I could package them - the back of the sofa came in really handy for that.

Here's my first photo taken using the "proper" equipment. I have lots to learn but considering it was taken very late last night, it's not a bad first attempt.

This is my swap and I'll share some of the others I receive over the next couple of days. The greeting on the card comes from the Good Greetings Stamp Set. This is the stamp set that you could receive for holding a party between now and 31 October 2014.

Here's the details of the other products used:

Festival Of Trees Photopolymer Bundle

£24.95

Lost Lagoon Classic Stampin' Pad

£4.95

Lost Lagoon A4 Cardstock

£6.25

Pool Party A4 Card Stock

£6.25

Whisper White A4 Card Stock

£7.50

Decorative Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

£7.50

2-1/2 Inch Circle Punch

£15.50

Circles Collection Framelits Dies

£22.95

Silver Foil Sheets

£3.75

Lost Lagoon 3/8" Silky Taffeta Ribbon

£5.50

Silver 1/8" Ribbon

£4.50

Silver Glimmer Paper

£4.50

Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Coastal Cabana Assortment

£10.95

Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack

£15.50

Table by StampinBuddy. Try it FREE.

Swaps from Training Part IV - 3D

Sorry, things managed to get away from me yesterday and I didn't have time to schedule a post for this morning.

I've spent this morning making samples for the Sincerely Yours Show that is at the Bracknell Leisure Centre on 2 June, and also designing the FREE make and take that will be available. I've even been making some projects to post details of next week. All in all a pretty busy day as I've had to do a food shop for my 18 year old son.  That was certainly an experience in itself, and judging by what went in the shopping trolley I glad that he will be going to my Mother's two evenings next week for dinner.

In case you didn't know, I'm off to the USA on Saturday to take my daughter on a whistle stop tour of two colleges that she has been offered places at.  We only have half term to go take a look as time is running because because she would be starting in mid August (should she decide to go). Although I will be taking my lap top with me, it is going to be impossible to take my craft room.  My This and That Journal will be making the trip with me, along with a few other small things that I'm going to sneak into my hand luggage. I am planning on making the journal into a memento of our trip.

Today's post is the last of the swaps that I received earlier this month at Training. They are all 3D items. I can't decide on whether the bird brooch or the small purse is my favourite,

Tiara Helen - Bird Builder and 2012-2014 In Colors

                                      

 

Rosie Minors - Petite Purse Die, Vintage Wallpaper and Perfect Polka Dot Embossing Folders and    Boho Blossom Punch

Debbie Keating - Tea for Two DSP, Boho Blossom and Decorative Label Punches and Collage Curios stamp set

Sam Donald - Petite Curly. Oval and Scallop Oval  Punches,

Leave a comment and let me know which one is your favourite.

I'm now busy working on tomorrow's and Saturday's posts so check back tomorrow to see what else I've been up to today.

Phew...

Friday was a rather manic but fun day. I had one of my regular classes that I had to finish the prep for (today's too) and hold. I also wanted to finish off the projects from Training. I knew that if I didn't get the last Make and Take done then it will never get finished as there is always something else that I want to do or experiment with.

Anyway, here's the second Make and Take from Training that I did indeed finish yesterday.

The little box was made using two of the same wide tags that had been cut out using the Two Tags Bigz Die. Once again my project differs from the picture instructions given to us as I don't have the same stamp set that they suggested for the greeting. Oh well. I think it still looks cute.

Here are the five cards/gift tags that are in the box.

Stampin' Up! supplies used:

Stamp sets : Clockworks and Fabulous Phrases
Card Stock : Calypso Coral and Whisper White
Designer Series Paper : First Edition Speciality
Ink : Basic Grey, Gumball Green, Calypso Coral, Pool Party
Accessories : In Color Dahlias, Two Tags Bigz Die, Fancy Flower and 1" Circle punches, Paper Snips, Glue Dots and Red Sticky Strip

All the prep for last night's and this morning classes is finished too. Want to see what my craft room looks like when prepped for class? Well, check back tomorrow and I'll share a photo or two of what we made this weekend and also where they were made.

Made at Training (well kind of)

At Regional Training last Saturday we had two Make and Takes given to us. With all the excitement going on (too much chatting really) I didn't get to finish either of mine.

Here is one that I finished this morning (hence the late post today).

Just in case you are trying to figure it out, it's a covered note book.

I have changed mine slightly from the original instructions - missed a couple of things off and added others. I hope you like the results.

The Stampin' Up! products used are:

Stamp set : Clockworks and Fabulous Phrases
Card Stock : Basic Grey, Whisper White, Pool Party, Gumball Green, Calypso Coral and More Mustard
Ink : Basic Grey, Pool Party, Gumball Green, Calypso Coral and More Mustard
Accessories : Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Fancy Flower punch, Calypso Coral Baker's Twine, Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons, Stampin' Spritzer, Stamp-a-ma-jig and Mini Glue Dots

The Basic Grey background was made using the Simply Scored Scoring Tool and by scoring every 1/2" one way and then turning the card 90 ° and scoring every 1/2" again. The banners were scored every 1/4 " and then folded to give the concertina look.

The three Pool Party flower petals were spritzed with water and then crumpled. Once they were dry I glued them together using the Mini Glue Dots and then added a Vintage Faceted Button and some Baker's Twine. There are two other buttons on the cover - I'll leave you to spot them.

I stamped the greeting using the Fabulous Phrases stamp set. This is because I do not have the set that had been in box for us to use at Training. This set is really growing on me because you are able to use the 30 stamps to make up your own greeting. I did of course have to use my Stamp-a-ma-jig to make sure that I stamped the words in a straight line.

Check back tomorrow and see if I've had time to finish the other Make and Take or whether I've posted something else.

Swaps from Regional Training Part II - For men

I don't know about you, but I always have problems with thinking up ideas for cards suitable for men. I know that today's swaps are going to be a great source of future ideas.

Julia Eversden. Very Vintage, Bring on the Cake and
Postage Due

Pam Howard. The Open Sea

Alison Maclean. The Open Sea

Loraine Arderne. Clockworks, En Francais and
Itty Bitty Banners

Michele Gattrell. Blue Ribbon

I think that I am just going to have to hold a Cards for Men class later in the year so watch the News and Events page for more details.

Swaps from Regional Training Part I - Butterflies

Apologies, my posts for the next couple of days are going to be photos of the lovely swaps that I received at Regional Training. Sorry for this. "Normal service" will resume soon, but I need the next couple of days to get my head around things going on with the family dog (he is in the vets yet again) and my Mother In Law (she's in a home) and I know that I won't have time for any crafting.

Today's swaps all have butterflies on them - some stamped and some punched (or a mixture of both).

I have added the names of those who made the swaps but as is usually the case there is one that had no details on.  I've also added the names of the stamp sets used.

J Lambert - Tiny Tags, Mixed Bunch and
That's the Ticket

Sasha Reade - Papillon Potpourri and
Teeny Tiny Sentiments

No name - if you recognise who made it please let me know
so that I can credit the right person. Papillon Potpourri

Gemma Pullen - Serene Silhouettes

Janette Cowie. Wishes your Way

Fiona Hallas. Postage Due and Papillon Potpourri

Linda Gilbert. Summer Silhouttes and
Teeny Tiny Sentiments

I think that the tag is my favourite from this selection. Please feel free and leave a comment as to which is your favourite.