Special Occasion Album

This lovely project was inspired by Jenny Moors. I'd not made a waterfall card before I tried this project - but I wanted to create a special card for a friend. This wasn't it as I had to give that one away (boohoo!) but I so enjoyed doing this that I had to make a second (and third) version. I used one of my favourite colour combinations - soft suede, crumb cake, baja breeze and very vanilla and some of my favourite stamps - baroque motifs. I was so pleased that this set carried on over into the new catalogue as I love using the scroll.

I'm planning to create another version of this card usingthe lovely beau chateau papers and fabulous new stamp set everything eleanor - another beautiful scroll that will be so useful! I'll post a picture once it's done!

Close as a Memory

In memory of my uncle.

Ribbon Share!

Did you fall in love with the fabulous seam binding ribbons in the mini catalogue? Then you will be delighted to see that not only did they keep them in the new catalogue but they have added more colours! Yep - it now comes in the fabulous cherry cobbler, versatile always artichoke and esscential very vanilla.

I am offering you the opportunity to get your hands on all these fabulous ribbons - 1 metre of every colour of seam binding ribbon - for just £4.95. That's 7 metres of ribbon for just £4.95 - less than the cost of 1 roll of seam binding ribbon.

Interested? Drop me a line to secure your share of the ribbons!

Pennant Parade

Today is my friend Emma's birthday and I waited to make her a card with my new stamp set (it arrived today!) so it was a bit touch and go! I've been wanting to get my hands on this set for a while now - it's just so versatile. You can use it for Christmas as well as for birthday and lots of other occasions. Watch out for lots of examples in the future!

For this card I combined it with the new in colours (aren't they great!) and a simple background made from the perfect polka dots embossing folder. It makes for a really quick and effective card. I used a greeting from the fabulous happiest birthday wishes hostess set and a matching designer printed brad and voila!

If you love this set as much as me and want to get your hands on it - why not join Cate and I at our Craft Retreat Day on Saturday 12th November. You get to spend the whole day crafting on lots of different projects. All your materials for the day, the pennant parade stamp set (worth £16.95) and a light lunch are all included for just £40. Bargain! Contact me if you would like more details.

Forever Young

In September, I attended a stampin up training event and it's usual to make sample cards to swap with the other demonstrators. It's a great idea as you get lots of new ideas and samples to show people. The only problem was that I had 56 to make and only two days as I'd had visitors staying with me! After a bit of a panic I came up with this card which uses the new set Forever Young and a bit of Vintage Vogue. I deliberately made it to fit the new mini envelopes which are available and I think it turned out quite well. Forever Young is a beautiful set - with matching DSP papers and fabric available (Timeless Portrait). I really like this classic image and look forward to playing with it some more.

Stampers 6 Club - Up and running!

Just a quick update to let you know that the last place in my Stampers 6 Club has gone - so we are up and running! If you have missed out on this opportunity and would like to take part in a future club - let me know.

In the meantime we had a great evening at my last class making some traditional style christmas cards using a mixture of techniques. This one used the cracked glass technique. I took the inspiration for this card from a combination of cards that I saw recently and would like to thank Terri Pocock and Val Moody for sharing the technique and I CASD the idea of using the bauble punch from a lady at Split Coast Stampers (sorry I can't remember her name). It just reminded me of the old fashioned glass baubles that we used to hang on our christmas tree when I was a child. Funny the things you remember! I hope you like it - and if you fancy having a go yourself I still have a couple of places left on my class list for 21st October.

Fun with Fabric

When I first saw the fabrics in the new Catalogue I was a bit unsure how to incorporate them into my cardmaking (quite happy to quilt with them!). So it was great to see some projects that other demonstrators had done to help inspire me. This picture shows some items made by a lovely lady named Carey Buckingham. I really liked the way she has used the combination of stamping and fabric.

The stamp set is called Forever Young and the fabric is called Timeless Portrait. They work particularly well together and suggest some very striking colour combinations. Hopefully I will show you more projects using these products in the coming weeks.

Lovely new punch!

I thought you might like to see this card that I made a couple of weeks ago to swap with other demonstrators. Sorry for the sideways view - I don't know why it is like this - but I think you can get a pretty good view of the card anyway.

Again I am a little out of my comfort zone using the brights - but I love the colours and I think they work really well together! (pacific point, melon mambo, daffodil yellow and temping turquise)

The lacy "ribbon" is made with the fabulous new lace ribbon border punch. Again Stampin Up! have really thought about how it can be used. The 1" circle punch fits precisely behind the "flowers" in the lace border which allowed me to use multiple colours behind the lace. I also used the new scallop dots ribbon and melon mambo embossing powder to create the greeting. With just the addition of a rhinestone to add a little sparkle the card is done!

Stampers 6 Club

Just a quick update for you. My Stampers 6 club is proving very popular and I only have 1 space left. If you would like to take to advantage of the opportunity to spread the cost of your purchases and still recieve the hostess benefits - get in touch asap to secure your place.

Christmas Traditions Class

I've got a new class coming up soon where we are going to make some more traditional style cards using some new techniques. This is a very simple card, but I think it is quite effective. I haven't used a traditional christmas set - it's always nice to find new uses for other sets!

If you would like to know more about my classes then check out the list or drop me a line - diane@craftyducks.co.uk and I will send you my latest newsletter with all my classes and special offers.

Stampers 6 Club starting this month

If, like me, you have fallen in love with lots of the new stamps and fabulous new in colours, fabrics, punches etc then you might like to join my stampers 6 club.

Each person commits to spending £25 per month for 6 months - allowing you to spread the cost of your wish list - and in return, for one of the months you get to be the virtual "hostess" and have £25 extra to spend in the catalogue - as well as the option to choose from the specially priced hostess sets. Also, as a thank you for being part of my club, you can come to one of my classes each month for FREE!

If you're interested drop me a line as soon as possible as we will be starting the club this month.

New catalogue Launch

A huge thank you to all the lovely ladies who joined Cate and I for our Catalogue Kick Off Party yesterday afternoon. It was such a great day and everyone joined in the fun - lots of cake and two make and takes! If you haven't had a chance to get your hands on the new catalogue then click on the image to your left and take a peek at it online.

This is one of the cards that we made as a make and take. The image is from a lovely new set called Beautiful Season. It is a classic image and just shouted out to be colour tinted. Add a top note card, some cherry cobbler card embossed with the vintage wallpaper folder and you have the basis for your card. Simple!

Hopefully, now I've worked out how to use pictures directly from my camera on to my netbook I will be able to post pictures more regularly!