Stampin Stars Blog Hop

 Stampin' Stars Spring/Summer Blog Hop…

Thank you for joining us on another Stampin' Stars Blog Hop.  We're showcasing lots of gorgeous  products from the NEW catalogue.  If you haven't got your hands on a copy of

 the catalogue, please email me and I'll send one out to you. So, grab a coffee and a cake and enjoy looking at the Stars have been busy doing.

If you have arrived from Cary's blog, Welcome.  I hope you have enjoyed seeing what she has been creating.  Her pop up box is divine! She is so clever and always comes up with something special.

Simply use the buttons at the end of each post to keep hopping.

There is a complete list of all blog participants, so if you get  lost or need to go back, you can.

Love is in the Air
The new Banner Framelits (132173) were a 'must have' on my list when the catalogue came out.

I happened to be wearing a pink Tshirt and jeans when I was creating these, so I put Melon Mambo and Night of Navy together.  My old favourite and 'goto' stamp set Gorgeous Grunge and Off the Grid were the background for the new Language of Love (133077)

Tags were the order of the day.

Language of Love 

 A couple of new products used here. The new Watercolour Wonder Designer Washi tape in Gold!  The arrow is from the Label Card Thinlets Die ( 133459)

I have used Gorgeous Grunge again for the background and the big heart in Language of Love.

and I just had to show a couple more tags.  The one on the right has a heart vellum overlay, making the Melon Mambo muted.  The vellum is NEW…Fancy Foil Designer Vellum comes in hearts, stripes and spots and is available in both silver and gold.  The music dsp is from Modern Medley dsp, available in the main catalogue, punched out with a big and a little heart punch.

  Can you see something else that is new??

Yes…it is the string.  More correctly named Baker's Twine and this one has a gold thread running through it.  It is available in both gold and silver. It is beautiful.

Retro Fresh DSP, Banner Framelits

GG again as the background using the colours from the new Retro Fresh DSP.  The sentiment if you can call it that is from a set called 'Cool Kid' and I have inked it in Tangerine Tango and covered it in Crystal Effects (101055) for effect!

Sweet Sorbet DSP, Banner Framelits

I wanted to show you another one using the papers from Sale-a-Bration.  The sentiment here is from a Hostess set out of the main catalogue 'Banner Greetings'.  

The twine is also from Sale-a-Bration, and I love it , as it is so sturdy.

 I had a bit of fun with the next two projects.  I have used a new embossing folder Arrows Textured Impressions and coloured it with markers in Retro Fresh colours.  Using Cool Kid and a wonderful new set named Just Sayin' which comes in a bundle with Word Bubbles frame lit dies!

Just Kiddin around!

 Everywhere I look recently, these pop up boxes are there!. So I thought I'd have a go.  It was quite easy to do the box, however I struggled getting my design for the dogs and cats together.

Cool Kid Pop Up Box

I love this really cool set so look out for more projects featuring it.  The kite and cat are attached to strips of acetate.  The idea was for the animals to be playing in the park, or box!  The word bubble is from the Just Sayin' set.  I struggled with photographing this, so I apologise. 

A close-up, you can see how it is put together.  Might have to add a few more dogs or cats or kites or paper aeroplanes!

We love getting comments, so please tell us what you think.  Over the next few days I will be posting more fun things from the new catalogue and from Sale-a-Bration, so pop back and take a look.

If you would like a chance to have a look at these projects and more, come along to the Spring/Summer Catalogue Drop-In , which I am co-hosting with Lesley Lendon at the Salvation Army, Sythwood, Goldsworth Park, Woking GU21 3 BE on Saturday 1st February 3.30 - 5.30 

There will be lots of samples of the new products, a Lucky Door Prize and a Make and Take.  You will be given a ticket for the Lucky Door Prize when you arrive and extra tickets if you bring a friend who is new to Stampin' Up, if you book a class, if you place an order or if you book to host a party!  Please let myself or Lesley know if you are coming so we can cater accordingly.

So next stop is Pip's, go and take a peak at what wonderful projects she has been busy creating.   Happy hopping...

List of Stampin' Stars participating, you can click on any of these and check out what the girls have been creating.

Cayleigh May  http://cayleighscards.blogspot.co.uk/
Lesley Lendon   http://lellyjellys.blogspot.co.uk
Cary Buckham   http://2biggirlscrafting.blogspot.co.uk
Nicky Johncock   http://nickyjohncock.blogspot.co.uk  YOU ARE HERE!
Pip Todman  http://www.queenpipcards.co.uk
Christine Widdowson http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/diamondstamping/blog
Joanne Penney   http://www.toocraftyjo.blogspot.co.uk
Emma Goddard   http://coastalcrafter.com
Fiona Whitten  http://oakfieldcrafts.blogspot.co.uk

Thank You Cards, are a bit of a trial in our house.
Sometimes a verbal thank you just isn't enough to express the gratitude to a thoughtful and generous friend or relative.
Here are 4 very grungy and 'in' thank you cards. Some use washi tape.
Tell me what you think, as I appreciate getting comments.

I have used Stampin' Up!'s notecards, I find they are the perfect size for when you want a little note!
Stamp sets used are 'Embellished Events', a very handy set to have around; 'Gorgeous Grunge', 'Chalk Talk' and 'Hello Lovely'

Wishing all my friends, blog readers and customers a Very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year, and all the best for 2014.
These are my quick and easy Christmas Cards that will be going out to my customers and fellow Stampin' Up! Demonstrators in the next few days. Enjoy, have a lovely holiday time and I look forward to catching up with you in the New Year.

A big Thank You to all the ladies who came to our Catalogue Launch yesterday.

We had some lovely Make and Takes from Lesley, Cathryn, Pat and myself. The ladies each took home a little Thank You gift and had a pick at some retiring products.

One of the display stands

Showcasing the new In-Colours

M & T - Pat

M & T - Cathryn

M & T - Lesley

M & T - Nicky

Some of ladies doing their Make & Takes

And the little Take Home Gift, using the Milk Carton die and current DSP 

I hope you are enjoying this beautiful weather. I had a lovely day sitting by the River Thames watching the Kingston Regatta yesterday. Both my daughters row, so a compulsory bit of time out is obligatory. Yesterday was exceptional, I don't like it when the weather is not behaving!
I had a chance to play with the new stamp set 'Perfect Blend' at the weekend. I love this set, it is perfect to give to a friend for a pick me up.

 Using Modern Medley DSP as my background, I stamped some splotches with Gorgeous Grunge, in the new In Colour Baked Brown Sugar. I stamped the coffee cup on watercolour paper in Timber Brown Stazon. I then used my aqua painter to add colour, taking the ink direct from the ink pad. Then I added the sentiment lining it up using my stamp a ma jig on the RHS. The LHS sentiment I stamped and coloured and then cut out to add dimension. Both cups are attached with Dimensionals.  I had an empty coffee cup that I had been using  so I turned it upside down and dipped the rim on the ink pad to get the cup marks. Then some Linen Thread and a Natural Designer Button to finish.

 I added a bit of colour to this one. I love the depth of Bermuda Bay which is an old returning colour and it has joined Stampin' Up!'s Brights collection of colours.  Seam binding ribbon in Crumb Cake and 3 of the new Candy Dots in turquoise finish off this project.

I had some fun with this one. I cut out 2 masks using Post-It notes of the coffee cups. The base is Naturals Ivory card stock with some splotches from Gorgeous Grunge and on the LHS I added a strip from Soho Subway , a new DSP. I took just the word 'coffee' and repeatedly stamped it on the DSP.

I hope you like these projects. If you would like to order this set please email me at nickyjohncock@yahoo.co.uk

Gorgeous Grunge

Just the name is exciting! It is one of the new stamp sets in Stampin' Up!'s new catalogue.

I had a play with these recently and had so much fun. 

I have used some washi tape it 2 and the new set 'Tape It' in 2 of the cards. Can you tell which is which? The top two have washi tape. 

A hint - if you are stamping a sentiment or other on washi tape, it is best to use a Staz-On ink as a normal dye ink will rub off and smudge. The last one might look a bit messy, as the greeting picked up the outline of the rubber. I am sure there is a technical term for it but I can't think of it!. And that is where the grunginess of these stamp sets come into there own, we can stamp a grid or a blob on top of the mistake!