Get 'Em While You Can {Make The Day Special Blog Hop}

Hello! Hello! Welcome to Make The Day Special's Blog Hop! Today, we're all showcasing some of the beautiful stamp sets that, unfortunately, are running low and *sob* won't be re-stocked.

We'll soon be seeing the last of Smeared Ink, QKR Stampede; Unity Mounted Singles; and Unity Co-Brands - Cosmo Cricket, Samantha Walker and Iron Orchid Designs. You can't buy these ranges in other UK stores, so it really is a case of first come, first served on these stamp sets. Get 'em while you can!

If you're a regular visitor, then you'll know that stamping is a fairly new addiction for me. I was only a semi-serious stamper when I joined the DT for Make The Day Special, but since then I have become devoted to learning new techniques and trying new styles.

However, I must admit that when Emily sent me the - undoubtedly beautiful - Paris Stamp Set from the Iron Orchid Design range, I went into a little panic. They just weren't a style that I'm used to creating with. Not to be defeated though, I sat down to create a 'shabby chic' style card and, you know what? I have never loved a card more. The stamps look delicious - and, let's face it, they've done most of the hard work for me!

Frame and Butterfly - Paris Stamp Set from the Iron Orchid Design range and Enjoy This Day Sentiment - Life Becoming from the Unity Store Kits range.

***So, to celebrate the blog hop - and the fact that I've embraced a new style - I'm going to have a bit of a giveway.*** I'll be sending the lucky winner a set of these shabby chic style cards, along with a little package of handmade embellishments - some stamped, of course. And you all know I do Pretty Packaging, right? To have a chance of winning, you'll need to make sure that you're a follower of the Make The Day Special Blog. How simple could that be?

I'll announce the winner's name next Sunday. So, you have plenty of time to visit the rest of the DT Girls, starting with Jo over at Here I Go Again, who have more lovely designs and giveaways planned for today. Yay!

The Patriot {July's Counterfeit Kit}

The inspiration kits for the Counterfeit Kit Challenge was 'revealed' yesterday morning and, because I was poorly sick, I didn't manage to use any of the kit I created last month. So, I've decided to keep it small and simple this month. I'm going to concentrate on using my kit this month for cards and maybe a mini-album, but I'll keep last month's kit in mind for layouts. It all depends on what life decides to throw at me next!

There were three inspiration kits to choose from this month, but keeping in mind that I wanted a small and simple kit, I chose to focus on the Liberty Shores kit - full of red, white and blue. Obviously the original was full of Americana, but being quintessentially British, I can still call a kit with these colours patriotic! Yay!

My paper selection is definitely on the small side - compared to normal. There's cardstock in red, blue and kraft, a collection of smaller scraps in similar colours and several papers which were free with the latest issue of Simply Homemade Magazine.

I was a little more generous with my embellishments, adding tons of floral embellishment, crocheted doilies, ruffled ribbons, buttons, brads and a handful of matching trims and threads.

And, in keeping with the Counterfeit Kit Challenge's urging to Use Your Stamps To Their Fullest Potential, I'll be creating a lot of my own embellishments this month using my stamps from Make The Day Special. There are too many suitable sets to list them all now, so I'll make sure to include details when I'm using them.

Right, I'm off to try and make something. It's been too long since I sat down to do some crafting. Have a great month Counterfeiters x

Pretty Packaging

I discovered My So Called Junky Life a little while ago and spent a wonderful hour or two looking through Sarah's blog archives - oohing and ahhing over her super pretty jewellery and gorgeous photography. But out of all that loveliness, I was especially in awe of beautiful beads and pretty packaging that Sarah had featured in the Petite Bead Box Swap. How amazing it would be to take part in a bead swap like that!

So, I was beyond thrilled when Sarah decided to host another bead swap and I signed up to take part straight away. Then, of course, I had a moment or two of panic - the ones which always come with needing to send something impressive to a complete stranger.

I decided to make an envelope parcel using what has to be my favourite cardstock of the century - Basic Grey's Kraft. I then decorated the envelope using some handstamped leaves from Blissful Botanicals and Harvest Of Memories, along with some ribbon and flowers from Precocious Paper.

I'm thrilled with the way my packaging turned out and can guarantee that come Christmas I'll be trying this with traditional reds, greens and little bits of holly! It's a little early to be thinking of Christmas, right? How did that pop into my head?

I should be able to reveal the parcel that I received - along with it's beautiful contents - over the next day or two. In the meantime, perhaps you can tell me where you get your packaging inspiration?

Cute Cards Continued!

As you know, I've been busy making little cards from all of my scraps this week and I just couldn't resist using the stamps from Lawn Fawn's Summer Release. They are just oh so lovely!

My first card features some of the leaves and a dinky little flower stamp from Blissful Botanicals and a sentiment stamp from Cruising Through Life.

The second card uses the most adorable clouds you'll ever see - they're from the Bon Voyage Set - along with the balloon stamps from Admit One and a sentiment from Blissful Botanicals.

And, last but not least, an idea for Father's Day using the sentiment stamps from Say Cheese Too and a couple of stamps from Admit One. Cute, right? Go get 'em!

Card Making Central

I'm sighing little happy sighs at the moment! I finally managed to sit down and create something - and with my May Counterfeit Kit. The one I really wasn't sure about. And you know what? Even though I didn't love the original inspiration kit, I do love what I've made.

Stamps from Lawn Fawn's Admit One and Papermania's Cupcake Minis

Stamps from Unity's Life Becoming

Anyway. I've been making cards again. You guessed that, right? All of a sudden I can't get enough of them. I'm so glad that I didn't give up on card making when it all seemed so hard!

Stamps from Unity's Quiet Essence and Lawn Fawn's Sophie's Sentiments

I think these dinky, little numbers are suitable for lots of occasions. Perfect for stashing away for unexpected moments of panic.

I've still got quite a lot of kit left - even if there is only a couple of days until the next Counterfeit Kit reveal - and there wasn't really a lot to begin with. But, I have big plans to create a mini book this evening. I'm joining in Kel's 52 Weeks & 52 Lists project which starts this Sunday and I want a little somewhere to keep them all. Watch this space!

Promarker Practice

A little while ago I bought my first few sets of Promarkers. On the same day I was lucky enough to receive a bumper pack of stamps from Make The Day Special. Emily is the most generous DT Co-ordinator - ever!

I immediately decided that the gorgeous blooms in the Quiet Essence set were perfect for a little bit of promarker practice - and, of course, they'd be perfect for all of you promarker pros too!

For this card, I stamped one of the images several times onto some smooth cardstock and then coloured using a variety of pinks, blushes and springy greens. To give the images dimension, I cut out elements from each of my stamped images and layered them using some small foam dots. I also added in just a couple of extra little leaves, which I curled with my finger nails to lift them a little.

Not bad for a practice piece, eh?

Another Simple Saturday

Just popping by to show off another simple, but 'oh so cute' card that I made this morning for Make The Day Special.

Since my cardmaking breakthrough last week, I've been embracing the 'clean and simple' with the help of the Sophie's Sentiments stamp set. Who would have thought that a simple (though lovely) little sentiment set could change the way I feel about cardmaking?

I've made a few this morning, but this one's my favourite. I stamped directly onto my ribbon using Stazon - no bleeding of the ink! Hurrah!

Have a good weekend folks x

I think that all the hard work and long hours that I put in at work last month have finally caught up with me. Despite a complete slow down - almost to the point where I've been a little bored at work this week - I've been so, so tired. I've been in bed by eight most nights this week. I'm such a party animal!

So, all I've got to share with you this week is a clean and simple card that I made for one of my bestest friends. She's just had a little girl and I thought something appropriately pink and pretty was in order to celebrate the occasion.

I used the Martha Stewart Daisy Border Punch to create some borders (I finally treated myself to a border punch so expect to see this motif on everything for a little while!) and my set of Sophie's Sentiments stamps. Just a couple of little ribbon roses to accent the card and I was done.

Thank Saturday for simple projects!

There's something about card making that I always find really difficult, so it was with some surprise that I made a little card that I actually like. I think I'm starting to get into my card making groove - a little like scrapbooking it's all about becoming happy with your own style.

Today I'm sharing a little card for my sister who's a bit fed up with being ill and off work. A 'Get Well Soon' card didn't seem appropriate but, luckily, the Sophie's Sentiments set from Lawn Fawn has something that will work for almost any card.

I've used the 'Thinking Of You' sentiment, along with one of the stamps from the Naturally You set - which is just peeking out behind the embellishments. This set is only available in stores, so head on over to Make The Day Special and snap yours up. You'll be the envy of all your friends!

The papers and embellishments are all from this month's Counterfeit Kit - including the little ladybird. Isn't she cute? So, all you beautiful blogreaders, have a wonderful weekend x

Hello. Hi. How Are You?

I'll be the first to admit that I've never really been much of a card maker, but I'm determined to use up some of my smaller scraps and conquer my fear of small (design) spaces by making some cards. So, in an attempt to make life easier for myself, I've been designing more mini cards.

These dinky, little cards have a canvas size smaller than an ATC, so filling up the space is a lot easier than when you're designing a traditionally sized card - especially when you have such beautiful stamps to hand.

The first card features one of the suitcase stamps from the A Girl & Her Adventures collection but once again I've used it almost as a background stamp and it's made a plain bit of card into an 'oh so pretty' piece of patterned paper and adds a shabby chic, vintage touch. A couple of stickers and embellishments later and I was done.

For the second, I simple stamped a quote from the delicious All About The Journey collection, added some scraps of paper and a hand rolled fabric rose. All done in less time than takes to make a cup of tea - and just as refreshing!

Two of the easiest cards I've ever made, yet easily two of my favourites. I'm sure my Make The Day Special stamps will be getting a little more use this weekend, as I play around with the big pile of scraps that's accumulated on my desk.

Getting Shifty With My Counterfeit Kit

Last night I sat down in my craft room with only one objective: to make a page for this year's One Little Word. I've definitely had my word - shifty - in mind recently and I'd like to start documenting how it's starting to define me and my choices this year. But first, a title page.

So with this month's The Counterfeit Kit on standby, plus a few of my gorgeous stamps from Make The Day Special, I got a 'shift on'.

I would never have used this Making Memories patterned paper as a background (or possibly, ever) without the encouragement from the Counterfeit Kit Club. It seemed just too damn special. So, in order to make myself feel a little bit better about using it, I pulled the rest of the papers from my scrap stash.

The main focal paper was a practice sheet which I'd tested out my shimmer mists and stamps on and I've only added a couple of pieces straight from the packet - some American Crafts Remarks, Thickers and a little bit of bling.

Here's to shifting some of my stash!

Mini Makes For Valentines

Whilst I was putting together my Counterfeit Kit with The Awesome One, I came across a little bag of sequins in her stash and had a 'eureka' moment. Mel graciously let me steal them on the condition that I share what I did with them. So, as soon as I got home on Friday night, I sat down in my little craft room, pulled out some pieces from my kit and made some mini cards to send to some of my friends - just a little reminder that I love them too!

To make a similar card all you need is a card base, a piece of acetate that matches the size of the card front, stazon, sequins, a sewing machine and, of course, your favourite stamps. Mine are from Make The Day Special.

Stamp your image or sentiment into the middle of the acetate using your Stazon and set it aside to dry for a couple of minutes. When the ink dries, place it onto the front of your card and sew around three edges using your sewing machine.

Leave the needle down, through your acetate and cardstock and carefully stuff some sequins through the open edge of the acetate pocket - make sure that they aren't near the edge. Then sew around the edge of the card a couple more times to finish off. Simple!

I'm sure you could adapt this idea to all sorts of occasions - and all sorts of projects. I'm just glad that for once, I managed to sit down and make something as soon as I thought of it.

It Made My Day Special

I start each and every December in the same way - excitedly planning which festive markets to visit; which carol concerts to buy tickets to and which evenings will be best for a spot of shopping. But, each and every December seems to hit me in the same way - a hugely busy period at work; a killer bug that leaves me feeling rather lifeless and a massive to do list that I need to fit into just a few days. It's almost tradition. *Sigh*

The good news is that I've had plenty of time wrapped up warm, in bed, with copious amounts of tea and - although there's no way I can ever catch up on my Journal Your Christmas project - I've been busy thinking of new projects, promising myself that I'll finish some old ones, and I've been accepted onto the Design Team for Make The Day Special. My fingers are itching to get started on some crafting. (It's not a symptom of the lurgy, I promise!)

One of the gorgeous stamp sets that I've received to play with. Yum!

If you haven't come across Make The Day Special before now, they're the UK's only stockist of Unity Stamps - and believe me the range is stellar. They're perfect for scrapbooking as well as cards because they co-ordinate with some of the better known scrapbooking brands like Echo Park, Websters Pages, Bella Blvd, Jillibean and Melody Ross. I actually did squeal when my first set arrived in the post last week. In fact, it made my day special!