My Blog Has Moved

Just in case you thought you had not seen any post from me for a while, that would be because my Blog now has a new home.

Please pop along to www.helentcrafts.co.uk to find my Blog.

Some of my recent post include:

• Owls Everywhere
• Less is More - More Than One Stamp
• A Quick Fun Card

Change of Blog Address

Good Morning All

I have been thinking for a while about a change to this blog.  It was not really working for me and in addition I wanted something that I could use as a way of showcasing my Stampin' Up! supplies and ideas.

So after discussing options with a friend I decided that I would purchase my own web address and use that as my blog and in time I hope to include more features and resources. After quite a bit of thought I have decided to use Helen T Crafts & the web address is...

www.HelenTCrafts.co.uk

Here is a peak at my current home page.  Please pop over and have a log and bookmark my new web address.

This will be the last post on this blog, but I am continuing on my new web site, I look forward to seeing you there :)

Happy Crafting

Less is More - One Layer Card (Spring Flowers)

The challenge this week on the Less is More blog is this...

The week the subject of your 

One Layer Card

should be 

Spring Flowers

Now 'One Layer Cards' are not my favorite card to create, but I do have a number of 'Spring Flowers' that I can use.  So after a bit of though here is what I came up with.

I used one of the flower stamps from the Backyard Basics Stamp Set (not the Tulip the other one - I don't know what type of flower it is though).  It was stamped in Stazon and coloured using Daffodil Delight, So Saffron, Old Olive & Pear Pizzas markers.

The sentiment is from the Express Yourself Hostess Stamp Set, stamped in Old Olive - the stamp in the set says 'always thinking of you', but using my Stamp-a-ma-jig I only inked and used the 'thinking of you'.

Sunny Sunday

What a great day today... The sun is shinning, the windows are open and every so often bits of paper blow around the craft desk or onto the floor :). 

I have just finished creating a card using a set of stamps new to me (they arrived in a parcel on Friday) -  the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set, in Soft Suede.  This is used with one of the flowers from the Flower Shop stamp set, in Old Olive.  The sentiment is from the Happy Watercolour stamp set, again in Old Olive.

Scrapbook Layout with Stampin' Up! Flowers

I don't normally do fussy layouts but this one was a bit different for me.

During 2014 I decided to complete a single layout each month, this is the February 2014 layout.  For Christmas a friend gave me a pack of monthly owl bookmarks, for this month I decided to cut of the owls from the top of the bookmark and to only use the calendar.

I was planning on stamping flowers in Daffodil Delight, however I forgot to take the stamps with me to the crop :) so plan 'B' was to use patterned Cardstock which was from the same set as the background paper (I can't remember the name of it).

For each flower in the bottom right corner I used a Pansy Punch and Petite Petals Punch with a yellow drop in the centre and the leaves from the Bird Punch.  In the top right I layered 2 of the Petite Petals Punch (slightly off set) with a clear drop in the centre and more leaves from the Bird Punch.

All in all is was very pleased with this layout and loved the look of the flowers :)

Whats On Your Workdesk Wednesday - 05 March 2014

It is Wednesday and time for What's on Your Workdesk Wednesday (WOYWW) ... It has been a while since I last took part, but I'm back again :)

My desk has had a big sort out and tidy up, at the moment it is not too bad, although I really must get round to emptying the bin (I keep forgetting to bring up a bin bag from downstairs!).

You can see my new Stampin' Up! Colour Caddy storing all 11 of my ink pads, more are on the way via UPS, give me another couple of months and it will be full & a riot of colour.

I currently have the Crumb Cake ink out and was playing with the Lovely as a Tree stamp set.  Also hidden on the desk is the Petite Petals punch (which has been getting a LOT of use) and the 'Colour Coach' has been the best £13.50 I have ever spent - Just think of a colour and away you go, it is just so easy to colour coordinate your card or project.  The plastic tub contains my clear embossing powder, which has just been used and not put away yet.

By the time we reach next Wednesday I guess that you won't be able to see the actual desk & things will be back to normal... Who knows, maybe I will have even managed to empty the bin!!!!

Butterflies and Petite Petals

Good morning, it is a lovely bright & sunny morning her in Lincolnshire (even if I had to scrap the ice from the car this morning LOL).

I received my second order from Stampin' Up! last week and have been having a good play with all of my new card/stamps and other stuff...  another order went in today and I cant wait for it to arrive at the end of the week - I have another list of thinks I want to try.

However in the mean time here is a card I made yesterday evening for a friend, it features both Butterflies (from the Papillon Potpourri  stamp set) and Petite Petals.  This was my first totally 'Stampin' Up!' card, and after a quick look at the colour coach for ideas, I love the way it looks.

The card base was Crumb Cake (1/2 sheet of A4, cut length ways). The images were stamped using Black Stazon onto Very Vanilla card stock and coloured using Tempting Turquoise, Tangerine Tango & Daffodil Delight, I used the Aqua Painter to colour each of the images before cutting out with the Elegant Butterfly, Bitty Butterfly and Petite Petals punches.  I do like the way the butterflies have curled their wings... I think this is due to me punching them out when the card was still slightly damp from using the Aqua Painter :)

The sentiment was from Teeny Tiny Wishes and was cut out using the Word Window punch, the edges were then sponged with Daffodil Delight.

The card was finished with a insert of Very Vanilla, also sponged round the edges with Daffodil Delight.

Happy Crafting :)

I'm Back!!!

Wow... how time flies!!!

My last post was back on 11 July 2013... but as of today I am back blogging again.

I decided that after getting out of the habit of posting, I wanted to get back into the habit again.  So here goes, what will be the first of many more posts on 'Helen's World'.

The big thing that has changed is that I am now a "Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator", yes after drooling over the last couple of catalogues I decided that I just HAD to have more Stampin' Up! products.

Yesterday a very large & heavy box arrived from Stampin' Up! and I could not wait to open it, here is a little sneak peak...

Lots and lots of goodies are inside, but I have not had time to really play yet :(

So what do I plan to do next, well my brain is just buzzing with ideas and things I want to buy.

That leaves a very big problem...  In the past I have posted pictures of my workspace - it is not very big, in fact it is small and overflowing with stuff.

I have decided to be a bit ruthless and have a BIG clear out, especially of any thing that has not been used in the last 6-12 months (I do the same thing with my wardrobe every so often too).

I have decided that I will be putting most of the stuff I have not used on eBay to generate a bit of cash, many of the items will be starting at 99p (what a bargain!!).

If you want to see what I have up for sale pop over to eBay and do an advanced search for the seller 'helen-owl' alternatively click HERE (I hope this link will take you to the search results for me as a seller).

This will give 2 benefits more space and a bit more money to spend on more crafting goodies!!!

I am also thinking about organising a Stampin' Up! Make & Take event near Lincoln... I would love some feedback from you all about what you think:

A Saturday afternoon between 2pm &  4pm, no set times (you are free to drop in), Free to attend, but each Make & Take will cost £1.50 - maximum of 6 projects (including Cards, Boxes/Bags) all using Stampin' Up! materials & tools.  Depending on the venue (local village hall possibly) tea/coffee would also be available at a small cost.

So what do you think????

In the mean time I hope to get time to really unpack by box of goodies over the weekend and maybe even have some time to play.