Belated Birthday!

You would think, as my nephew has been in Australia for 3 years now that I would have got the hang of how long the post takes - apparently not this year!!

Here's hoping the worst Auntie in the world can be forgiven?

Although I did use dazzling diamond glimmer for his name and numbers, on a background of It's My Party DSP and Mint Macaron card stock, I tried not to go too over the top, but did use Wink of Stella glimmer pen on the balloons ;-)

Keep on Crafting, GenGen xxxx

Workshop girls and boys

With my regular workshop there is always discussion about how easy it is to make cards for females, but always a challenge to make a male card without going too over the top.

So the Sunburst Thinlit from the Spring Summer catalogue was the inspiration for this card

Stamp set: Starburst Sayings

Inks: Melon Mambo

Cardstock: Shimmer white, Silver Glimmer paper, Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer paper, It's my Party DSP stack

Accessories: Starburst Thinlit, Star Thinlit, Baker's Twine Combo

And at the workshop I did a card in a card that I gave to my brother as felt this design was fairly unisex, with the Mint Macaron inks and In colour sequins.

So with the real challenge of a male card I designed this where the sentiment can be easily changed to a Birthday greeting. I was really taken by the Going Places co-ordinating series, the colours, matching DSP, embossing folders and stamp set.

As my Dad was born in Brazil and worked in Kenya, this set seemed just the thing for a Father's Day card. 

Stamp set: Going Global

Inks: Soft Suede

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Lost Lagoon

Accessories: World Traveller embossing folder, 5/8* natural chevron ribbon, Triple banner punch

With the inside greeting looking like this

Using circle punches - just a shame Britain is too small to translate to the world stamp.

And our final card for the workshop was a quick and easy option featuring the Balloon Celebration Co-ordinating stamp set and punch.

Stamp set: Balloon Celebration

Inks: Melon Mambo, Tempting Turquoise, Silver shimmer spritz

Cardstock: Tempting Turquoise, Whisper White, Melon Mambo

Accessories: Balloon Bouquet Punch

And to illustrate my complete inability to make the same card twice, when I made the card at the workshop I couldn't even follow my own design, but kind of prefer the second attempt ;-)

Keep on crafting, GenGen xxxx

Old and New

I am the worst at letting go of things I love and in the case of stamps use again and again ;-)

I try to make cards that people need for their card stocks too,

and sometimes demonstrating with a stamp set long retired ;-)

Stamp Set: Retired Loads of Love

Inks: Cajun Craze and In Colour Stampin' up markers

Cardstock: Cajun Craze, Whisper White, More Mustard, Perfectly Artistic DSP (SAB)

Accessories: Happy Heart embossing folder

And with wonderful workshops,

customers buy different stamp sets for Sale-A-Bration,

so we get to play around with those too :-)

Stamp Set: Sky is the Limit (SAB)

Inks: Basic Black, Mint Macaron, Soft Sky

Cardstock: Soft Sky, Whisper White, Vellum

Accessories: Tree Builder Punch, Curvy Corner Punch, In colour sequins

And finally a set I thought I didn't need,

how wrong I was once I was able to play around with it at a workshop!!

AND another excuse to make earrings for a friend ;-)

Stamp Set: A Nice Cuppa

Inks: Bermuda Bay

Cardstock: Whisper White, Melon Mambo, Have a Cuppa DSP Stack

Accessories: Cups & Kettle Framelits, Have a Cuppa Embellishments, Bermuda Bay 1/8" stitched ribbon and 1/8" melon mambo ribbon and Curvy Corner Punch

And I liked the earrings so much I made myself a pair too!

Keep on crafting, GenGen xxxx

Catch up - again!

So, as always, I'm trying to catch up before the excitement of the

new Main Catalogue release on the 1st June

(can hardly contain my excitement!!).

So in effort to clear the backlog of well intentioned posts to my blog I'm going to try and post the cards that I've been doing in workshops with Sale-A-Bration events, Spring/Summer catalogue and retiring products, at least that's the plan ;-)

So starting with a Sale-A-Bration themed workshop

. . . some DSP and die inspiration.

Stamp Set: Botanicals for you (free SAB set)

Ink: Cajun Craze

Cardstock: Mint Macaron, Hello Honey, Cajun Craze, Whisper White, Botanical Gardens DSP

Accessories: Botanical Builder Framelit Dies, Metal Rimmed Pearls

An excuse for layered up stamping . . .  

Stamp Set: What I Love (free SAB set)

Inks: Wild Wasabi, Soft Sky, Wisteria Wonder, Blackberry Bliss

Cardstock: Pear Pizazz Whisper White

Accessories: Label punch, Pearl jewels

And of course a little colouring in ;-)

Stamp Set: Flowering Fields (free SAB set)

Inks: Black Staz On

Cardstock: Whisper White notecards and envelopes

Accessories: Pastels and blender pens, Old Olive Organza ribbon.

Keep on crafting, GenGen xxxx

 

Workshop motivation

I would just like to thank G and J for asking me along to regularly meet for a home workshop. Ladies, you have done more than motivate me,

you have given some structure for creativity and an awful lot of laughter and fun!

Just wanted you two to know . .

Thank you!

So I thought I would share some of our workshop creations,

As you can see, some of these creations are directly cased from the Spring/Summer catalogue. Making the most of the Love Blossoms section! The co-ordinating DSP, cardstock and dies make things so easy! Then when you need a card for celebrating love, weather it's an anniversary or just because . . .

Definitely less is more ;-)

And just to finish off, a little foray into the wonderful Rose Wonder/Rose Garden series, which I NEED to be playing with a little more, as Flower based cards are a slight obsession for me.

As this was a workshop card I have kept it simple,
using a little brushed silver card for the die outline and using Aqua painters for the Rose and Leaves in Regal Rose and Mint Macaron.

Think this would work as a sympathy card with the outline in Smoky Slate, that's for another time.

Keep on crafting, GenGen xxxx

Retiring Stock - when it's gone it's gone!

To view the retiring list

click

HERE

Up to date availability can be seen in the Online shop

Keep on crafting, Gen xxxx

April Aready!

Ever get the feeling your always running behind?

So far, 2016 seems to be a serious year of celebrations!

January started with . . .

This is of course the fantastic Sprinkles of Life stamp set, with the co-ordinating Builder Tree punch, and some brights dots used as the sprinkles, the Happy die from the Hello You Thinlit dies and the birthday stamp from the Endless Birthday Wishes set. Somehow I didn't realise the recipient was the big 50! So sent the numbers later!!!!

Inside, it's impossible to resist the Spring/Summer catalogue addition of a pop up greeting with the Party Pop Up Thinlit die, whoo hoo!

Talking of the Spring/Summer catalogue, as you can see it's been quite an influence in my life, here with the Party with Cake stamp set, It's My Party DSP Stack and It's My Party Cardstock Pack, constituting Crushed Curry, Melon Mambo and Mint Macaron, using the Pennant punch for the greeting at the top.

Here the inside is the other Party Pop-Up Thinlit die, a perfect greeting for Birthday wishes!

Then came the first 60th of the year for my Sister-in-law, with some pink Glimmer for the balloon from the Balloon Framelits, and some star sequins for a little extra sparkle.

And most recently, a sixtieth for my brother-in-law, mixing things up again with the bunting from the Balloon framelits in a retired matt gold. The Balloon Celebrations Stamp set and co-ordinating Balloon Bouquet Punch, the banner from the Number of Years stamp set and the greeting from the Something to Say stamp set.

With a retired Pop-up on the inside, which I seem continue using ;-)

Hoping the celebrations were seriously sensational :-)

More catching up soon, honest!

Keep on crafting, GenGen xxxx