Welcome to the Creatin' With Kirsteen stop on the April Stampin Friends Blog Hop!

Weren't Steph's projects awesome? You can navigate back to her blog, or forward to Katja's...by clicking on the previous or next name at the bottom of this post (you are at #4).

The theme this month is...'Spring has Sprung'

Spring time is a time to clean up and clear out right? But for us...because of the Harvey Flood we don't have much to clear out - however Stampin' Up! have published their retiring list - and so I do have to clear out the box I have my stamps stacked in at the moment...and I got a bit of a shock! Lots of my favorite sets are going - but, as I have learnt in the last few months, that means there is room for new. It's time to embrace change and move on to the New 2018-19 catalog! Yes - I have it in my hands and I am so excited by a lot of what's inside it. If you want a new catalog - please complete the registration at the bottom of the page.

So, my 'Spring has Sprung' card and project uses an old/retiring stamp set and LOTS of new stuff!! My preorder arrived and has been sitting at the bottom of the stairs screaming at me each time I pass and since my boss gave me a day off today - time to open up and play.

I am sad to see Watercolor Wings Stamp Set going :( It is a great set and now that I have a Stamparatus it's so easy to repeat stamp! Anyway - I used it today along with the NEW 2018-20 IN-COLORS. Can you believe we are saying 2020 already??!!

For the butterfly I used a base of Pineapple Punch, then the wing edges are Grapefruit Grove, and then the inner wing and spots are Lovely Lipstick. I added some Blueberry Bushel on the body and a strip in the background as well as the sentiment, then Call Me Clover leaf. 

Along with the new In-colors I used the new Detailed Trio Corner Punch, Polka Dot Tulle Ribbon and the Pearlised Doilies.

My 3D project is a little piece of wall art using an embroidery hoop. It did not turn out at all like I had I had in my head. If I made it again I wouldn't add the ribbon - it just got a bit too busy. But I LOVE those Vibrant In colours especially as a contrast to our now very green spring grass!!

Last month we offered a give away of a Stamparatus and a bag for it from our hop group. The winner was Siretta Oltmanns.  Congrats to her!

Thanks for stopping by today!

1. Melissa Tennison

2. Sandra Roberts

3. Su Mohr

4. Tracy Marie Lewis

5. Jackie Lawless

6. Lisa Edwards Kmiec

7. Jacqui Lawrence

8. Cheryl Taylor

9. Cheryl Hamilton

10. Jo Blackman

11. Tricia Butts

12. Laura Kate Mackie

13. Kathy Maurer

14. Alexandra Rauf

15. Amy Grendel

16. Linda Handford

17. Hiske MacKay

18. Rebecca-Jo Unwin

19. Diana Core Tillery

20. Deb Naylor

21. Kirsteen Gill

Welcome to the Creatin' With Kirsteen stop on the March Stampin Friends Blog Hop!

Weren't Kathie's projects awesome? You can navigate back to her blog, or forward to Melissa's...by clicking on the previous or next name at the bottom of this post to hop forward or back (you are at #8).

The theme this month is...no rules! Yay!!!

OR Yay????!!!!

Not having ANY idea where to start can be a hard one for me - and I know for a lot of other people too.

When I get low on ideas,  I head to the catalogs. And, you know what - there are LOTS of ideas in there! The concept designers at Stampin' Up! always do a great  job giving us so many projects between those covers - just waiting for us to use them as inspiration.

When it comes to Card Buffet time I don't have time to design all the cards - so I again I head to the catalogs for help. Last month my Card Buffet had 34 projects on it! Here are a couple of cards inspired by catalog samples using the 'A Good Day' Stamp Set and the Mini Embroidery Hoops - My interpretation is below.

And from those cards came a little Easter themed treat box idea - very simple. Just a 9" x 1" strip of designer paper wrapped around a 2" treat box filled with eggs, finished off with the bunny from the same stamp set.

This month we have an AWESOME giveaway!

Comment on EACH blog with your opinion on the projects and #SFMARCHBLOGHOP and you will be entered into a drawing for a FREE STAMPARATUS!

AND, I will give the winner a FREE personalized bag that you can store that tool in too! (Click HERE to check the bag out!)

So - remember to comment!

Hop forward or back by clicking on #7 or #9
​

I have reopened the ordering for these personalized bags. Click on the order button above to order yours.
These bags fit the Stamparatus PERFECTLY, with a little flap inside to help keep the second plate safe.

I made mine slightly different than the one featured. Whilst it uses the 'Springtime Foils' Paper, it also uses the 'Amazing You' Stamp set, and although mine does too, I decided to add in the 'amazing' from the 'Celebrate You' Thinlits - one of those items Free when you spend $100.

I initially liked the card without colouring it and thought I would leave it alone as it really showcases the Designer Paper with that copper foil on it...but, it sat there shouting at me to colour it, so I opened my Blends and had a go at the flower.

Now I can't decide on which I prefer.

The card is on the whole a bit too fussy for me - so I may try one in the next few days with just one flower.

​Which do you prefer? Coloured or not?

I then tried a simpler card using one of the other designs of the paper. This time I made a Silver Anniversary card. This paper really does sparkle and so is well suited for Silver, Gold or Copper cards - and it's such I shame I couldn't get it to show up in this photo. The card is so much prettier in real life!

Thanks for stopping by this month.
​You can click on the next button to hop on to Alexandra's blog or on the names in the list below.

Melissa Tennison
Amy Grendel
Su Mohr
Becky Browning
Laura Kate Mackie
Tricia Butts
Kathy Maurer
Deb Naylor
Jackie Lawless
Linda Handford
Lisa Kmiec
Kirsteen Gill - You are here
Alexandra Rauf
Nichole Loe
Mary Trautner
Sanda Roberts
Maria Calia
Hiske MacKay
Jacqui Lawrence
Leisa Pedersen
Diana Tillery

Welcome to the Creatin' With Kirsteen stop on the January Stampin Friends Blog Hop!

​The theme this month is 'All about Love'.

Weren't Katja's projects awesome? You can navigate back to her blog, or forward to Lynn's... just click on the previous or next name at the bottom of this post to hop forward or back (you are at #4).

Firstly I have to apologize for the quality of my photos. We have moved back into the upper floor of our house and the light is terrible. Usually I would then head outside, but the last few days in Katy have been cold - we have had snow and ice - the schools, offices and stores have been closed!! And although I love crafting and sharing with y'all, I draw the line at heading out there for better photos! I know - I have Scottish blood running through these veins, but I own one fleecy jacket now - and in the chaos of flood and packing up 3 times - I have NO idea where it is! So - the photos are what they are - you get the idea ;)

My 'All about Love' is Wedding, or Anniversary. This year is our Silver Wedding Anniversary and my Parents Golden Anniversary - big milestones, so I thought I would have a go at a generic card that could be used for Wedding, Anniversary and could have the accent colour changed to match Silver or Gold.

I had so much fun revisiting the tri-fold fancy fold card I did as an Easter Card this week (click HERE to see it) that I decided to do another. This time though I added a place for a gift card on the right hand side. To give the flowers a little boost I coloured them with Wink of Stella.

And for my 3D I decided to make a BIG baggie to match. This one uses 2 sheets of Designer Paper, is 10  1/2" x 12" and is perfect for a piece of wooden/vinyl wall art I made as a gift a few weeks ago that is 10" x10". The flap at the top folds over to keep it closed. I used Tombow Multipurpose glue on the flap - did you know that if you use that glue - leave it to dry completely before you stick it to anything it becomes reposition-able? So this flap can be opened and closed numerous times without it tearing the paper.

I hope you liked my projects....Why not leave a comment to let me know you stopped by? I would love to hear your feedback :)

To hop on click on #5

Welcome to the first monthly 2018 Kre8tors Blog Hop!

We will be hopping each month with a different theme. This first month we are showcasing items from the Stampin' Up! Occasions Catalog.

If you have hopped on over from Maria's Blog - welcome! Weren't her cards great?

Whether you landed here from Maria's blog or if you are starting from here - you can hop on to Amy's Blog by clicking the Next button or on the names at the end of my post.

A few years ago I created a fancy fold card for Easter.

I loved that card but lost the blog post on my old website when it crashed. Every time I went on to my Pinterest boards and was looking through cards I had made for Easter inspiration, I kept seeing it but I never got around to recreating it. 

Well, when I was cleaning out some boxes after the flooding I came across the actual card!

So - I decided to make it for this hop and the perfect stamp set jumped out at me from the Occasions catalog - 'You're Inspiring' on page 31 and I used the Stampin' Blends to colour the daffodils (they're also on pages 30/31).

You can't quite see from the photographs but I used Shimmery White cardstock and so there's a very subtle glimmer which I think really does make this card look special.

The Sentiment on the right side of the card is from Ribbon of Courage - although not in the Occasions catalog, I did feel it suited the card well. I masked off the swirls to give it a little less frilly look. Then added a little Linen Thread tied around the front panel (my go-to embellishment at the moment when I am stuck for a little extra something) and also a bow on the inner panel.

A little tip to make your coloured image pop a little....go around the outside of it with a soft pencil then smudge it a little with a Blender Pen.

To make this card here are a few quick instructions.....
The Card Base (I used Whisper White) is 12" x 5 1/2", score at 2", 4", 8" and 10" along the 12" side.
Turn the card stock around 90 degrees and line up with 1 1/2" on your paper trimmer and cut from the first score line to the bottom score line. Then flip your card base over, line up the other side at 1 1/2" and cut from the top score line to the bottom score line again.

For this card the layers used are:
Daffodil Delight: Two of 1 7/8" x 5 3/8", Four of 1 7/8" x 1 3/8", Two of 1 3/8" x 3 7/8", two of 2 3/8" x 1 7/8" and one of 3 7/8" x 2 3/8". one of 3" x 4", one of 3 1/4" x 1 3/4"
Colour Theory Designer Paper: Two of 1 3/4" x 5 1/4", Four of 1 3/4" x 1 1/4", Two of 1 3/4" x 3 3/4", two of 2 1/4" x 1 3/4"
Shimmery White: one of each 3" x 4", 2 7/8" x 3 7/8", one of 3 1/8" x 1 5/8" and a small scrap for the Happy Easter sentiment.

Thank you for stopping by! 

1. Melissa Tennison
2. Nichole Loe
3. Deb Naylor
4. Lisa Kmiec
5. Tricia Butts
6. Laura Kate Mackie
7. Cheryl Hamilton
8. Su Mohr
9. Hiske MacKay
10. Kathy Maurer
11. Leisa Pedersen
12. Linda Handford
13. Mary Trautner
14. Jackie Lawless
15. Alexandra Rauf
16. Maria Calia
17. Kirsteen Gill - you are here
18. Amy Grendel
19. Diana Tillery

So today I should have been packing - we are moving back into the second floor of the house on Friday! But, in all honesty we don't have that much anyway - so.........I made a personalized bag for my Stamparatus. It arrived last week and I've been excited to start using it.
I was part of the Stampin' Up! L2L group that helped develop the tool and we were lucky enough to be allowed to order and receive ours earlier than everyone else.
​So - here is my bag... The personalization is in White Glitter and the fun text is in white.

The Stamparatus fits snuggly into the bag and there's even a small flap inside to keep the 2nd plate inside. I left the foam insert that came with the bag inside to give some extra padding - but I don't think it is needed really.