Hi and welcome to the Stampin Stars Spring/Summer Blog Hop.  You may have come here from the very creative Esthers if not don't worry, if you want to join the Blog Hop there is a list at the bottom of this post.

As Stampin Up! demonstrators we get the chance to play with new products a month or so before they come to the public domain and that is Today. Yes, from today 1st February you can order from the new Spring/Summer 2013 Catalogue. There is a link on the side bar which will take you to the catalogue. If you would like a catalogue of your own to browse with a coffee please feel free to drop me an email and I will pop one in the post.

so, what do I have in store for you today....

I would like to start with a gorgeous stamp set which caught my eye when I first looked through the catalogue. Everyone needs a fun set and this is it.

The fun thing about this stamp set Oh Whale is, it has a co-ordinating die to go with it aptly named Happy Whale. I have also used a new Embossing Folder for the clouds, called Cloudy Day. The DSP at the bottom of the card is called Sunshine and Sprinkles and it has the most wonderful colours and patterns. I sponged Marina Mist ink onto white card stock that has been embossed with clouds. This brings the dots where the clouds have been embossed a bit darker, emphasizing the shapes. I used Marina Mist c/s in the Big Shott when I cut out the whale flukes, anchors and fish.

For my next creation I used a stamp set called Collage Curios and some Soda Pop Tops. This is where the Americans should translate better and call them bottle tops!

I stamped and cut out with the 1" circle punch then attached to the tops with a glue dot and then I squashed the lot in the Big Shott. You need to use a couple of old plates for this as after a couple of times they mess them up a bit.  The inside paper part is then covered with Crystal effects to give it dimension.

Wait til dry and then attach a magnet circle to the rear and pop on your fridge!

I was having a play with the new Artisan Embellishment Kit which includes some lace, seam binding, buttons, flowers, ticket stubs, a  heart and round doily and some resin bits. I am not really a vintagey (?) person but this is what I came up with...

and no stamping at all.!! The lovely paper is More Amore DSP which includes a die cut sheet of hearts of which I cut one out and the beautiful background paper. The vanilla c/s is embossed with Stampin Up's embossing folders available in the main Idea Book and Catalogue. The butterflies are a new punch called Bitty Butterfly.

Lastly today I want to share with you a quirky birthday card that my daughter wanted me to make for her friend Emma, whose birthday is today. Happy Birthday Emma.

The pinwheels are new. They are a Sizzlits Die which alleviates all the cutting making putting these pinwheels together a cinch. However they are tricky, but there is a knack to it!

The arrows are from a lovely new stamp set called Oh Hello and the DSP and saying is from Sale-a-Bration freebies!

I hope you have enjoyed my offerings from the new catalogue. Please check back over the next few days as I will be adding new projects and products regularly.

I may also give some hints about those pinwheels.

Now you need to pop over to the lovely Pips blog to oogle her creations.                  



The list of everyone taking part is listed below. If you get lost along the way come back here and find the trail again.



Fiona Whitten 
Louise Sims  
Lesley Gillett  
Esther Boulter  
Nicky Johncock          ***you are here***

Pip Todman
Sarah Piggott
Jan Frances  
Nic Parr 
Natalie O’Shea  
Lesley Lendon  
Jade Stutely 
Cary Buckham
Victoria Rogers   
Kim Gibbons Fee  
Emma Goddard
Di Richardson  
Emma Burgess 
Teej Clout  
Joanne Penny