Valley Park craft class

Hi All

I hope that you have had a good weekend. 

Yesterday we were joined by a lovely group of ladies for our first class since the summer break. In the morning session the theme was cupcakes and the ladies really enjoyed making the popular card in a box and another card. After a buffet lunch the theme for the afternoon session was punch art. 

Come and have a look at some of the projects that the ladies produced.

These projects make lovely cards and have a real wow factor

The next class will be on 11th October when we will be having our annual Christmas stamp a stack when we will be making 12 different Christmas cards. If you would like to join us please get in touch , we really do have some good fun

Until next time

Paper Pals Art Challenge

Hi All

I hope that you are all looking forward to the weekend. The weather forecast for the South coast is good so will be a good chance to get out and about in the fresh air.

Today I am sharing with you my entry for this weeks Paper Pals Challenge which is this sketch : 

There is a stampset in the new Stampin up catalogue called Kinda Eclectic which I thought I would use . This is what I came up with 

The colours used were Bermuda Bay, Melon Mambo and Crushed Curry. I also used a faceted clear button which I love for the circular element.

Until next time

Paper Players Challenge

Hi All

I hope that you are all having a good day. As I mentioned in one of my earlier post I have decided to enter some new card challenge. Today's challenge from Paper Players is a new one for me and this week is this sketch.( 

http://thepaperplayers.blogspot.co.uk)

I do enjoy making cards with apertures in them so I decided to use the circle part as the aperture for this card.

I will be starting a new venture in the near future and this card seems quite appropriate. I will reveal all about the new venture shortly.

This baby card was a joy to make and came together really quickly . The addition of embellishments such as pearls on the pram, ribbon and clear vintage button adds a finishing touch.

Until next time

Paper Pals Art Challenge

Hi All

I hope that you enjoyed the Bank Holiday yesterday. It rained all day on the South coast but we made the most of it and had a good day. We went to the Solent Aviation museum  which is really interesting, this was followed by lunch at Prezzo and then the cinema in the afternoon . We saw a French film, Two Days , One Night. It wasn't brilliant considering the critics gave it five stars, I found it a bit depressing really. 

I am a bit late posting my entry for the Paper Pals Art challenge as I think the deadline is noon. The challenge this week is a sketch.

I decided to use colours that I would not put together but the Stampin up colour coach has put them together so thought I would give it a go 

The Cardstock is Bermuda Bay and it is teamed up with Calypso Coral and the new colour Mossy Meadow. The stampset used is Too a Kind which is one of my favourites.

The weather forecast for today is wall to wall rain so I think I might stay in , do some baking and design some Christmas cards for my upcoming classes

Hope you all have a productive day

Until next time

Short and Sweet offer

Hi All

I hope that you are enjoying your weekend. Yesterday I promised that I would tell you about the great offer which Stampin up are currently running, and it is a great offer, but it is only running for one week so you need to grab it while you can. 

Now is a great time to become a Stampin up demonstrator. The cost of the starter kit is £99 (you can now choose all the items in your starter kit) and you can currently choose £150 of items from the current catalogue for the price of £99 (usually £130 of kit is available) . So you can get an extra £20 worth of kit but you need to join my team by 29 August to benefit from this offer. 

If you would like any more information please email me on:margaret@margaretjones.net

I am just in the middle of designing a card for another challenge so please pop by tomorrow and take a look

Until next time 

Less is More Challenge

Hi All

I hope that you are having a good Bank Holiday weekend. I have had a busy day stocking up the food cupboard , getting the laundry up to date, doing my routine at the gym and now managing to find an hour or two for some crafting.

I used to do several challenges a week but somehow got out of the routine. I find them really good for pushing myself outside of my comfort zone which has got to be a good thing.

The challenge set this week by the lovely ladies at Less is More is a sketch :

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.co.uk

As I am trying to design some Christmas cards for the parties I have got coming up so I thought that I would incorporate the sketch as well.

So this is what I have come up with:

This card uses the lovely new stampset Seasonally Scattered which includes 3 stamps :

First I  heat embossed the Merry stamp using Pool Party, matted this onto Pool Party Cardstock and used a few rhinestones. Then I stamped the word Christmas using Island Indigo onto Pool Party Cardstock and put it all together.

Please come back tomorrow when I will tell you about a Special offer that Stampin up have , but which only lasts for a few days. You won't want to miss out on it

Until next time

Less is More Challenge

Hi All

Having only just posted a few minutes ago I have just realised that one of the cards that I made for Wednesdays card class would also be suitable for the challenge over at Less is More where the theme this week is for animals.

(http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.co.uk)

This is a very simple card which uses the technique of masking and sponging to create a card which has a very soft feel.

Using paper I made a template which had a square aperture in it. I attached the template to my white Cardstock and using a sponge lightly dabbed and built up colour first using Crushed Curry ink and the very lightly used Basic Grey around the edges. 

Using a Stamp-a-majig for alignment I stamped the birds in Basic Black and then finally the sentiment, again using the Stamp-a-majig for precision positioning.

Hope that you like the effect.

Until next time.

Chandlers Ford card class

Hi All

I hope that you are looking forward to the long Bank holiday weekend. We need to enjoy the good weather whilst it lasts as it is starting to get darker earlier and is starting to feel quite chilly.

I have spent the morning on the golf course which was good and now catching up with the laundry and planning for my classes which I have planned for September. Hoping to start a new venture in the next few weeks which is also undergoing some planning. All will be revealed soon. 

On Wednesday I was joined by 9 lovely ladies  at Chandlers Ford card class which was great fun. The ladies made 7 different cards .

Here is what they took away with them.

These two cards used the new stampset called Traveller which is ideal for male cards.

These two cards used the Hostess stampset Blloom with Hope. This could be yours for free if you host a party with me. I am currently taking bookings for September and October and many of my hostesses have asked for a Christmas themed party. So if you would like to have a fun evening or daytime party with friends and make a start on those Christmas cards please get in touch.

These two cards use the lovely set Wetlands and a masking and stamping technique which is fun and easy and takes no time at all

Finally we made this card using the stampset Kinda Ecletic , another new stampset which is very versatile.

I hope that these cards give you ideas for your own cards.

The next Chandlers Ford card class will be held on Wednesday 17 September from 10 -12.30 with a change of venue to Costa coffee shop on Winchester road, Chandlers Ford. If you would like to join us please let me know

Enjoy your weekend

Until next time

A new challenge

Hi All

I hope that you have had a good day. My day consisted of preparing samples for my next card class on Wednesday and then I went to the gym and a swim . Just need to make sure that I have got together all the materials I need for my class .

I also decided that I would enter a few new card challenges so today I am entering the Pals Paper arts challenge which this week is a colour challenge. (Www.palspaperarts.com),

So the only colours that we can use are the ones above. I recently purchased the stampset Kinda Ecletic so I thought I would use that.

This is what I have produced ; 

I used a basic black card stock for the base , layered it with Strawberry slush and white and then stamped with black, pear pizzazz and a butterfly in strawberry slush, added a bit of bling and it was done.

September is fast approaching which tends to be the month in which crafters turn their thoughts to Christmas and start preparing designs for cards. I have made all my Christmas cards for the last 6 years and I usually get some lovely comments .

My diary for September is starting to fill up with classes and parties so if you would like to get a group of friends together and make some cards, Christmas or otherwise please get in touch

Until next time

Big Shot offers for August only

Hi All

I hope that you are all having a good weekend. I have spent the best of the day revamping one of the borders in the garden . It took me much longer than I thought it would as the soil was very dry and not in very good condition. I have planted a row of lavender at the back, then some lovely burgundy tulips , mauve wallflowers and pink cyclamen. They should look great in the spring.

Stampin up have introduced an offer on the Big Shot which will last for August. Any crafter will know how useful a Big Shot is and I use mine most days so it is money well spent.

Buy a Big Shot and choose an exclusive bundle of stamps and dies completely FREE.  This could save you up to £52.90 (if you went for the stars set) in effect making your Big Shot  £35.05 in price!

Below is a list of the Bundles that you could get your hands on!

If you require any further information please let me know

Until next time

Less is More Challenge

Hi All

I hope that you are all having a good day. I have been keeping myself busy with going to my personal trainer Steve who said that my squats were impressive - what a compliment !! Then I went to the garden centre to get some compost to feed a very dry border in my front garden where I plan to put some new plants. This was followed by some marketing for my card classes, managed to secure a new venue for free and finally making some samples for a card class next Wednesday morning. If you would like to come and make and take some cards with a lovely group of ladies please get in touch.

This weeks challenge over at "Less is More" is foliage . I have made something that is really simple and took no time at all. The technique used was masking and sponging which gives it a real soft feel. Colours used were Soft a Sky and Chocolate Chip. Stampsets used  were Wetlands and the new hostess set Bloom with Hope. If you would like to earn this set then why not host a party for friends, have fun and craft 

Why not pop over to Less is More to see some more lovely creations.

http://simplylessismoore.blogspot.co.uk

Please come back soon to see my designs for my upcoming card classes

Until next time

Chandlers Ford card class

Hi All

I hope you are enjoying the lovely weather.

Last week I held my card class in Chandlers Ford which is held on the 3rd Wednesday every month in the morning.

I have a lovely group of ladies who are all very supportive . We generally make 8 cards which consist of 4 designs in 2 different colours. The class is held at the Age Concern Hall in Brownhill Road from 10:00  to 12:30.

All the classes this month used the stampset Gorgeous Grunge which is extremely versatile and one that I have used time and time again

These are the cards that the ladies made at this class:

Both of these styles would be great for male teenagers cards.

Romsey card class

Hi All

I hope that you are all enjoying this beautiful weather . I have had a great day, flying with my hubby. We flew to Kemble airfield in the Cotswolds, had a lovely lunch and then flew back to Hampshire .

Not a very good photo I am afraid, not very good at taking selfies

Last week I held my card class in Romsey. At these classes the ladies produce 8 cards which they take away. These are the cards we made.

This uses the popular stampset, Perfect Pennants

The ladies enjoyed making these baby cards.

These cards also used the Perfect Pennants set

The ladies also made this card , another one using Perfect Pennants

Tomorrow I am doing a class sat the Age Concern Hall in Chandlers Ford where we will be using the set Gorgeous Grunge amongst several others. Please come back and have a look at the cards we produce.

Until next time

Valley Park craft class

Hi All

Last Saturday we were joined by 9 lovely ladies at our craft class at Valley Park class. In the morning session we made a camera box which was made as a scrapbooking project but could be adapted for a card box or a recipe box.

This is my version using the lovely new In colour "Blueberry Bliss" from Stampin up . Inside the box there were decorated pieces of card for scrapbooking projects.

This was Carols example

After lunch the ladies made some tiered cards which Aly demonstrated. Very effective but not too difficult for the afternoon session.

The Petite Petals stampset and matching punch has been so popular amongst our ladies , again the new In colours were used for these cards

We will be taking a break from this all day class during August, but my monthly daytime and evening classes at Chandlers Ford and Romsey will be held as usual. For more details of my classes please see my classes page and if you require any further information please let me know.

Until nex time 

Craft class

Hi All

Sincere apologies for my lack of blogging but I am back now and I hope to get into a regular schedule of posting once I leave my current job at the end of July

Today I am sharing with you the projects that we did last month at our class at Valley Park Community  Centre where we were joined by 12 lovely ladies. The theme was vintage and Aly produced a gorgeous tea caddy which the ladies enjoyed making.

I demonstrated a couple of vintage cards.

Tomorrow is our July class when we will be doing a scrapbooking project and a card project.

This months class is also our charity event where we will be having a Blooming great tea party for Marie Curie. If you would like to pop in , see our projects and have a cup of tea and cake you would be made very welcome

Please come back in a few days when I will post photos of the projects

Until next time

Demonstrator special offer

If you are thinking of becoming a demonstrator, and would like to join my amazing team, The then Stampin up have introduced an offer which is too good to be missed.

For four weeks only starting today (28th May 2014), you can become a demonstrator for only £50 !!!!!!  You get to choose £55 worth of products, and will receive a stationery starter kit worth £45.

With the NEW Main Catalogue due to launch on the 1st July, we are now entering our pre-order season, which is only available to demonstrators !  Secondly, with the Stampin’ Up! and  Becky Higgins partnership (Project Life), This is very best the time to join the SU! Family.

You can join and be a hobby demo (receiving discounts for yourself and friends), you can join and start your own business (where else can you start your own business for £50 AND receive one-on-one help)?, or whether you want to join just for the kit – NOW is the time !

More information about the benefits of becoming a demonstrator can be found on the demonstrator page

Until next time

Less is more challenge

Hi All

Please excuse my absence from my blog, I have been busy preparing samples for some of my upcoming card classes but can't show you them until after the event.

However, I can share my entry for this weeks challenge at Less is more where the theme this week is flowers. I have got lots of flower stampsets , but one of my favourites is Too Kind from Stampin up.

To make this card you will need the following :

Cardstock : Primrose Petals, Naturals White

Stampset : Too Kind

Inks : Old Olive, Blushing Bride, Primrose Petals

Embossing Folder : Needlecraft

Stamp-a-majig, subtles candy dots, sponges 

Until next time

Same design different card

Hi All, 

Over the weekend I made two cards using the same design but used different colours and sentiments to give them a different feel. I made these cards  for a tutorial which I include in my monthly newsletter which I send to my customers to give them inspiration. These are the finished cards : 

This one uses Cardstock of Bermuda Bay and Smoky Slate, two different embossing folders, a sentiment from the stampset Perfect Pennants layered on top of a rosette made from Designer series paper. It is then finished with a couple of punched Itty bitty flowers with candy dots on top.

This one S you can see is different. The Cardstock is Raspberry Ripple and Smoky Slate. Two different embossing folders from the one above have been used. The sentiment is from the same set with a gem placed on top and it is finished off with two small hearts with gems on top.

If you would like to receive my monthly newsletter to give you some ideas please send your email address to margaret@margaretjones.net

Until next time.