sale-a-bration is here!

Christmas has flown past...  A belated Merry Christmas to you!  I can't believe it's almost 2010.  The whole year seems to have passed so quickly.

A new Stampin' Up! promotion kicks off today and runs until the end of February 2010.  Click here to view the sale-a-bration brochure online via the Stampin' Up! website.  Alternatively, please contact me if you would like a copy of the brochure.  There are four stamp sets to choose from and you can earn them completely free!

There are three ways to earn free stamp sets during sale-a-bration:-

1. Spend

Spend £45 (before shipping and handling) and earn one free sale-a-bration stamp set of your choice.  Spend £90 and earn two...  etc.  There is no limit.

2. Host

Host a workshop of at least £300 (net sales before shipping and handling) and earn one free sale-a-bration stamp set in addition to the existing hostess benefits.  This is an ideal time to host a workshop if you were thinking of doing so anyway!

3. Join

Join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator during sale-a-bration and choose a free stamp set of your choice (excluding hostess sets) from the Idea Book & Catalogue (up to a maximum of £38.95 in value).  Please contact me if you would like more information about becoming a demonstrator and/or if you have any queries about what it involves... you don't need a massive customer base (or, in fact, any customers at all - you can buy for yourself and get a discount on your products).

late...

This is an anniversary card which was made - and delivered - rather late... not ideal, as it was for Ian!  I told him it was better late than never!

I've used the new Love You Much stamp set for the card itself, although the 'happy anniversary' sentiment is from the Cheers & Wishes stamp set.  The base cardstock is Chocolate Chip and the sentiment is stamped with the same colour of ink, so it doesn't show up terribly well in the photo.  There's also a large heart (top left) stamped with Chocolate Chip ink which isn't terribly visible at all.  I really like the Love You Much set... I've been playing with it quite a bit and you can do so much with it.

new blog design!

I'm so glad that my old blog banner etc have exited stage left!  I'm still working on the layout of the new blog, but all of the new bits and pieces have been designed by Veronica McCollum of V K Design Company.  Veronica will use your ideas (if you have any) or give you a push in the right direction (if devoid of ideas!)... she's great to work with and I love the little multi-coloured cow which she has created for me.

As far as I can gather, it seems to be snowing just about everywhere in the UK except my neck of the woods!  It's cold here today, but no sign of snow... albeit it's a nice, bright day (the sky is really white... so perhaps we'll get some snow later?) and that means I've been able to take some decent photos or some of the things I've been making recently.  The Christmas card shown above is the one I've made for Ian this year and I made a similar one for his parents.  I've used the Sparkly and Bright stamp set for the sentiment and the background.  The two tree stamps are part of an American set, though, and are not available in the UK.

freebie!

This is a sneak preview of a card made using two of the stamps from a stamp set which you will be able to earn for free for a limited period commencing on 30th December!   Contact me by email (by clicking here) for more information.  

I've also used the star punch and "To The Nines" designer patterned papers.  It's masculine card for one of my cousins.  Cards for men are often really difficult to make, I think, although I found these papers to be ideal.  I don't like to use ribbon on male cards, so I've used the stars to make it a bit more interesting (and, for the same reason, some of them are overhanging the edges of the card... albeit it still fits in a standard size Stampin' Up! envelope).

Again, apologies for the poor lighting.  It was a case of poor photo or no photo.  Once again, the card had to make a sharp exit before daylight!

alive

Well... once again, I find myself having to confirm that I am alive!  I am pleased to say that I am, indeed, alive.  I don't know how time manages to disappear so quickly.  We were on holiday (we didn't venture terribly far afield... the north east of Scotland!) for a week mid-November and ever since then I seem to have been chasing my tail.  I can't believe it's almost Christmas.

I've got a few cards and other bits and pieces to post, the first of which is shown above... a "new home" card for a friend using the Neighbourhood wheel as the focal image.  Apologies for the shadows/poor lighting; I had to give the card away almost as soon as I'd made it and it gets dark so early nowadays. 

There's a brilliant new Stampin' Up! promotion starting soon.  It kicks off on 30th December.  Please email me if you'd like more information.  Existing customers: leaflets have been posted to you and should be with you soon if you have not already received them.  Details will also be posted on this blog shortly.

Lastly... I'm having my blog re-designed.  Hopefully it'll "go live" soon!