My very first (completed) scrapbook page

I'm very proud of this post! It's my first ever completed scrapbook style project I have ever made. It was one of the projects that I got to make at the Shoebox Swap event I attended, designed by the very talented Lesley Sharpe. She'd done so much hard work before the class for this project, with full instructions given, and lots of the stamping already done for us, to make sure we got it made in 30 minutes. We used the Artistic Etchings and Aviary stamp sets, with the First Edition Speciality DSP, and a colour combo of Crumb Cake and Real Red. I especially liked the distressed effect of this project, as it's something I don't do very often, but will be trying to incorporate the technique into more of my cards and projects. I also liked making the paper roses, and was shown a new way of making them using a quilling tool (not Stampin' Up!). They are just circles punched with the circle punches, and then cut into a spiral, and twisted round.

I decided to make this into a gift for my Mum and Step-Dad Ray, as it was their wedding anniversary a few weeks ago. I bought a 6" square box frame from The Range, so it could be displayed in their house. They were really pleased with it. I'm hoping to try a few more projects like this, they'd make a lovely present or gift for any occasion.

Wedding Banner

This is a very overdue post, from the middle of last summer! I don't think I had my blog set up then, and have always planned on writing it up.  I was asked by two friends, Nev & Kate, if I would make them a customised banner for above a table at their wedding.  I'd made them a congratulations for getting engaged card as a Make and Take card, at the second Stampin' Up! workshop I attended hosted by Gemma Rathbone - check out her blog here (also when I took the plunge and signed up to be a demonstrator!).  They liked the card so much, they asked for a banner in the same style.  Naturally, I thought and planned it for months, and then left it to the weekend before to actually make it! Here's what I came up with.

Don't all those pies and pasties look tasty! Unfortunately, I was in the middle of doing Slimming World in preparation for being a bridesmaid at another wedding a few months away, so I somehow managed to resist!

For the sign, I covered a piece of plywood with Crumb Cake cardstock, then embossed Certainly Celery cardstock with the Perfect Polka Dots embossing folder.  I then cut flowers using the Fun Flowers die from the (now retired) Springtime Vintage paper from the 2011 Mini Catalogue.  I used the Big Designer Buttons in the middle of the flowers.  I used the Beautiful Wings Embosslit die to cut some butterflies, in Baja Breeze, Rose Red and either Pink Pirouette or Pretty in Pink (I can't quite tell from the picture!).   Hearts and flowers were punched using the Heart to Heart punch, and the Boho Blossoms punch and the retired hostess level one set Punch Potpourri. I finished it off with Rhinestone jewels in the centre of the flowers and on a few of the butterflies. 

I received lots of compliments for the sign, and I'm pleased with how it came out.  I did some other crafting for this wedding, but I think that deserves it's own blog post, so keep an eye out!  The wedding itself was lovely, really relaxed and casual, and the speeches certainly brought a tear to everyones eye!