Summer in our Garden

Tim made this wheelbarrow planter and I planted it up -doesn't it look lovely?!
He also planted potatoes in our raised bed this year and when we harvested them

 There was a bumper crop! I won't have bought potatoes for two months by the time we finish them.

Just a "Taste" of what we have been doing this summer
x Helen

Yes I am Here!

Dear Blog Readers, I am so sorry I have been away for soooo long, I have had a very busy summer, hopefully I will get to show you some photos of what I have been up to soon. Please come back in a couple of days.
Until then
Happy Stampin'
x Helen

All the fun of the Fayre!

Here is the latest wonderful collection of creations by Jackie Gardner (click on any of the photos to enlarge them). Jackie writes...."A friend asked me to make some bits and bobs to sell at her village fete. So I thought I would show you some of the things I produced. I so enjoyed making it all!!

 

I made some boxed sets of cards - my favourite - using the "Lovely as a Tree" stamp set. The backgrounds were made by chalking around a masked a 1 3/8" circle punched from card, in shades of blue then stamping on top using various combinations of the trees. I then used these to make six matching but different cards. The presentation box was stamped to match using Versamark and decorated with ribbon

 

I made 4 different sets of boxed cards so let's hope they sell!! I found the Stampin' Up!  Designer papers (double-sided) ideal for all manner of bags and boxes to display my goodies to best effect. What a difference a nice box makes - I LOVE making boxes

My favourite new discovery is how to use Stampin' Up! stamps and inks to decorate candles. This wisso much fun to do and transforms a basic candle into something quite special....

So as well as enjoying all the crafting, I now realise how very versatile Stampin' Up! products are and how they can be used for so much more than just card-making

PS. My friend's stall raised over £150 for an Orphanage in the Philippines "

Wow! Aren't they beautiful? I think we may have to ask Jackie if she would do a few tutorials here to show us how to make these. Thanks Jackie for all your inspiration

x Helen

Competition and Prize Draw Results

First of all.......
In the Spring Newsletter there was a Mini Catalogue Competition, the closing date of which was 25th June. No-one got all the answers right which was a pity but I hope you all enjoyed it anyway!
The Answers were:
(1) The stamp used was from the Tiny Tags set (page 15)
(2) It was made using the 2-Step Bird Punch (page 6)
(3) The stamp is All A Flutter on page 22
(4) There are Four Buttons on the card with the Owl (page 11)
(5) There are seven apples illustrated in the Hostess set (page 4)
(6) The yellow bird is on page 19
(7) There are 48 Designs  in the Sweet Pea Paper Stack- as each page has a different design each side (page 13)

However there is a Winner for the Summer Draw for the Loyalty Card Scheme! All completed Loyalty cards for January to the end of June 2010 were put in the proverbial hat and the winning card drawn out.

Congratulations to Catherine T!

If you would like to be a part of this scheme, please ask for a Loyalty Reward Card. The card is marked for every £5 you spend. When the card is complete return it to me to claim the free product of your choice from the list I provide. All completed cards are then entered into the next Grand Draw which take place at the end of June and December each year (Please note that this scheme is only applicable through me and for purchases of Stampin' Up! products)

Thank you!

This is the card I made for my lovely upline Jo after she took a class for me on Brayering. It uses the beautiful Greenhouse Garden Stamp set. To make the corner decoration I punched the base card with the Eyelet Border Punch, coloured some vellum with an ink pad and mounted it behind the aperture. (The photo is a bit shadowy but it highlights the design I think). This is such an easy stamp set to create elegant sophisticated  looking cards easily. Have you got yours yet? Email me to place an order click here

Happy stamping
x Helen

Quote of the Day

Having just finished a class whence there was an enormous amount of hilarity as we all struggled with  Monday morning brain fog, I stumbled upon this thought provoking quote of  Baseball and Life Coach John Wooden

"Make each day your masterpiece"

Hmmm.................

Happy stamping

Helen

Guest Blogger - Jackie Gardiner

Today is the day of firsts! First day of the month, first of my changes for my Blog, and the first contribution to my Blog! I have invited Jackie to be my Guest Blogger and here is her lovely card;

Jackie writes "I have been attending Helen's classes for some time now and I am well and truly hooked!
It was my father's birthday recently so I needed a card suitable for an elderly gentleman (sorry dad but you are 84!)  I came up with this design with which I was pleased and so was he. It uses the pheasant stamp from the "Autumn Days" set. I coloured the stamp with marker pens then stamped it onto "Very Vanilla" cardstock. "Chocolate Chip" cardstock was used to mount this and also to make a scalloped square using the scallop edge punch.
The paper was from the "To the Nines" speciality designer pack and the ribbon was also "Chocolate Chip".  The pieces were mounted as shown onto a base card of "Sage Shadow". The sentiment is from my much used "Sincere Salutations" set.
I haven't tried it yet but I reckon the other stamps in the "Autumn Days" set would make lovely Christmas wreaths. All in all, a very useful and versatile set."

Recipe:

Stamp Sets - Autumn Days; Sincere Salutations
Card Stock  - Sage Shadow; Chocolate Chip; Very Vanilla
Ribbon  -  Chocolate Chip 5/8ths and 1/4 inch Grosgrain.
Paper   - To the Nines.

I hope you have enjoyed looking at Jackie's card and if you want any of the supplies she mentions you can order them through me, just email me helen.cronin@hotmail.co.uk 

Happy stamping 

Helen

Blog changes update

I see that I have actually posted very little this month and yet this was supposed to be the month of great changes! Well, as you know, I am technically challenged so although I have (what I think are) brilliant ideas, putting them into practice just takes me a bit longer than most. This has further been delayed by a Holiday at Our Gate (very homely) and a beastly cold that is doing the rounds of our village! So, hang on folks it will happen ASAP and I hope that you will agree that it has been worth the wait!
As the saying goes "All things come to (s)he who waits!"

My latest creation

For the classes this week I was using an Embossing and Die-cutting tool. This card is one that I made by coating the inside of one of the surfaces of the of the folder with Chocolate Chip Ink and then embossing it on to Close to Cocoa Cardstock. The Tree image is from the Lovely as a Tree set, stamped in Not Quite Navy. I put a 1cm strip of Night of Navy through my crimper before mounting it onto the Chocolate Chip ribbon. The various elements are then mounted onto Sage Shadow Card.
I made a card very similar to this for my Brother-in-law's birthday last Sunday  but I sewed linen thread in the corners of the Tree mat which added to the rustic feel  (Unfortunately I didn't photograph it!)
If you would like me to show you how to make cards like this, why not come a Class?  Click on the Classes in Dorset tab above or email me at helen.cronin@hotmail.co.uk for further details.
Happy Stamping
Helen

Sweet Pea Scrapbook Page

Yesterday evening I showed some ladies how to make a simple Scrapbook page using A4 Card stock (Bashful Blue) as a base. They had been asked to bring one postcard size Black and White photo, so anticipating they may either bring a Landscape or a Portrait photo I designed a page that would accommodate either. Here is what I came up with! First my landscape layout....

...and here is the portrait version

There is plenty of room  for journalling along the Taken with Teal strip. As this was a Stampin' Up! Workshop event, I wanted everyone to have the opportunity not only to use the wonderfully co-ordinated Sweet Pea Paper stack but also get to use the  extra large Two-Step Bird punch and the Sweet Serenity Stampin' Wheel too. It was amazing to see the variations the ladies came up with  by varying the colours used in the Bird embellishment and the position of it, amongst other things.  They all thoroughly enjoyed playing with the punches, and were really pleased to find out how easy it is to use the Stampin' Wheels.

NEWS
In my last post I said I would be revealing some exciting changes here on my Blog, I was a little quick off the mark 'cos I am so excited but I'm afraid you will have to wait a little longer to find out all about it. As you know (if you have followed my blog for a while), I am technically challenged when it comes to IT so the changes I have planned are taking me a while to implement but I'm getting there. So come back soon and you may spot some changes....and an addition or two.....!

Until then
Happy Stampin
x Helen

And the Winner is....

At my Open House in April I set up a challenge. I gave everyone who came a piece of Whisper White cardstock, then using the Very Vintage Stampin' Wheel, the Butterfly stamp from the Touch of Nature set and the Elegant Eggplant Ink pad, they were to stamp out the images and take them home to make a card. If they wished to enter it into the competition they had to return it to me by the 30th April. The cards were all beautiful and the standard very high. The judge, my DH, had a hard time choosing (I was not allowed in the room whilst the judging took place) but in the end decided this card was the winner....

This beautiful easel card was made by the very talented Jackie. Congratulations! Your prize will be winging its way to you shortly.

As the entries were all so good the next two cards were highly commended....

Well done Pat!

and Well done to you too Florence!











For my other exciting you will have to wait but be sure to check back in a couple of days when I should be able to tell you about some exciting developments on Stampernelly!
Until then Happy Stamping!
x Helen

What's All This?

This is only one part of the fun you have being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator - receiving orders like this!

This was the contents of the boxes I had from Stampin' Up! after a recent Open House and all these items were waiting to be delivered to my customers! .....Then there are the opportunities to share your creativity, enjoy discounts and Special promotions, earn income and receive rewards. Wouldn't you love to be a part of all this? Why not click on the Tab above to read more about becoming a Demonstrator or email me helen.cronin@hotmail.co.uk

STOP PRESS sign up before May 7th to receive your Starter Kit for £125 (saving you a further£14)

Flying Butterfly mints

For my recent Open House I made these

As usual I was short of time in making my "thank-you-for-coming" decorated chocolates that I like to do for all my Open Houses, so I came up with this simple idea using the "Flight of the Butterfly" Stamp set, Sage Shadow ink pad and Barely Banana cardstock. It was a whizz being able to punch all the butterflies out, I decorated the whole box of mints in less than 30 minutes and I was very good I didn't sample one!
Happy Stamping!
Helen

Longest Card-making class....Ever!!!

It all started when my DH suggested I tried to teach him how to make a card and I reminded him of his parents Wedding anniversary the following week. The 'class' started at 11am. He cut.... measured.... stamped.... glued.... matted.... punched....  (anything that used tools was much enjoyed) and carefully listened to all my instructions and  SIX hours later he had achieved this! (We did break for lunch)

I think he did really well...and yes we are still speaking!
So you see, anyone can make cards with the right instruction :)
Happy stamping!
Helen

Classes in Dorset - update

Phew! I have managed to put all the up-to-date information on the page for my classes for May to August this year, just click on the Tab above to see for yourself. Classes are filling up very quickly many of them only have one or two places left and the List has been out less than a week! So don't delay in booking your place or you may miss out.
Happy stamping
Helen