Happy Christmas Blog Candy

I would love to wish you all Merry Christmas with a chance to win this set of 6 stamps from Stampin' Up!

These stamps were only available in the UK as a free gift in last year's Sale-a-bration.

If you would like to win this set of stamps, and live in the UK, please leave a comment on my blog before 31st December.  A winner will be drawn at random. Good luck!

Be quick: Sale-A-Bration ending on Sunday

Just a quick reminder that the Sale-A-Bration promotion is ending on Sunday.

Don't forget these stamps will never again be generally available!

If you just NEED them, contact me: pinkcottagecraft@yahoo.com before 3pm on Sunday 28th February

Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop

Need inspiration? Join the Blog Hop!

I'm one of 15 independant Stampin' Up! demonstrators taking part in a linking of blogs; more inspiration and more techniques using the Sale-A-Bration stamp sets. After reading my blog link to Tracey's blog using the link at the bottom of the page.

The sets come in English, French and German. For the Blog Hop I've choosen sets in French: Ettiquettes d'epoque (Vintage Labels) and Bons moments (Happy Moments). The sentiment can easily be changed to either of the English or German.

Pour Toi (For You)

Gift box and three triangular cards created using the Bons Moments (Happy Moments) Sale-A-Bration stamp set; whisper white craft ink and ribbon; Appricot Appeal, Lavender Lace and Green Galore card; scallop and circle punch.

Bon Anniveraire (Happy Bithday)

Luxury folded card using Etiquettes d'epoque (Vintage Labels) Sale-A-Bration stamp set; Basic Black and Whisper White Craft ink; basic black and whisper white card; 3.2cm striped black grosgrain ribbon; heart to heart, scallop, circle and 1" circle punch.

The Sale-A-Bration stamp sets are part of a one time only offer, the Sale-A-Bration promotion, they will not be available after the 28th February. Click on the pink page image on the right for larger images of the stamps available.

You can get hold of the stamps in three ways:

1. Purchase £45 or more of gorgeous Stampin' Up! goodies. For each additional £45 you get a futher set, so purchases of £90 would achieve two sets of stamps.

2. Host a free workshop, and where the overall sales are over £300 choose one set of stamps for free, in addition to the usual hostess benefits

3. Join Stampin' Up! as a demonstrator, purchase the start up kit and get a free Stamp set worth up to £38.95

Visit Tracey's Blog and Blog Hop....or back to Maggiemae

Some cool inspiration on the way!

From Sunday 24th January members of the In Love With Stamping forum are getting together to set up a blog hop...one blog links to another in a loop...15 blogs worth of inspiration all accessible from here!

Look for the following logo on Sunday...

Live Life In (SU) Colour Swap: Aperture Birthday CArd

Following the January Cup Challenge on ILWS 9 of us loved the colour challenge so much, we decided that we'd swap card fronts on our favorite Stampin' Up! colours. I'm eagerly awaiting the swap, I sent off 9 of the card front below and will receive 9 different ones back, I can't wait until the end of the month!

This is my Barely Banana and Basic Gray combo, using the Sale-A-Bration Vintage Labels set of stamps:

 

 

Materials
Stamp: Vintage Labels
Card: Barely Banana; Basic Gray
Ink: White Craft; Bordering Blue
Dazzling Diamonds glitter
Taffeta Ribbon Basic Gray
Silver Cord

How to
Note these instructions are to make as an A6 card
Make an A6 card base from Barely Banana card stock, ensure that the fold is along the left hand side.
Cut an aperture from the front of the card using the following measurements: 2cm from the top and the left and right side and 2.5cm from the bottom.
Cut a rectangle of Basic Gray card to fit the width of the base card, but cut it 0.5cm shorter.
Cut an aperture from the Gray card 1.5cm in from all edges
On the bottom of the card front pierce a row of holes using a paper piercer and piercing guide (see page 90 and 91 of the main catalogue for details)
Cut a piece of silver cord (page 87) to the height of the card
Stamp the circular lable, from the Vintage Lables stamp set from the Sale-A-Bration set, in white craft ink (page 69) on to Basic Gray card and sprinkle with Dazzling Diamonds glitter. Leave to dry
Stamp 'Happy Birthday' from the Vintage Lables set in Boardering Blue on to Barely Banana card.
Cut out the two stamped images with the scallop punch (page 89)
Cut a 7cm piece of Basic Gray tafetta ribbon, fold in both ends to the middle and glue with a dry glue (a wet glue will seep through and ruin the ribbon - the voice of experience - LOL)
Cut a 3cm piece of the ribbon and wrap around the join of the loop you've just made.

You're now ready to assemble your card
Open out the card base so that the outside of the aperture is on the right hand side.
Glue the two scallops back to back around the cord.
Place glue all around the aperture.
Place the cord vertically across the aperture. Ensure that the gray circular image is facing up.
Place the gray card on top and press down on the top and sides, before pressing down the bottom part, twist the lower section of the cord. (this means that the scalloped embellishment will twist when open, giving movement to the card.)
Finish off with the bow at the top.