Disneyland Paris (Convention to follow..!)

This is an old post that I had saved in drafts. Scroll down to previous post to see Havly workshop details xx

Every time I blog I have to apologise for the long absence of any posts and I'm having to do it again!

It has been a crazy few months since the end of August and I'm finally slowing down (although still with a LOT of Christmassy things to do!)

The biggest event recently was Stampin' Up! Convention in Disneyland Paris!  Which was so good that even though I spent a day and a half on the Parcs, when people ask me about it, I don't even think about Disneyland, it's all about Convention!

I was incredibly excited to be meeting up with the team that I only met for the first time last Convention, but have gotten to know a little through blogs and emails and think they are amazing.  Genuinely lovely, friendly people.  How happy am I that we are in the same team!

So after three flights to Paris, arriving in a closing Charles de Gaulle airport, struggling to find the shuttle to my first overnight hotel and having to lift my heavy suitcases up and down the escalators (it was so late they had been switched off!) I finally got to my first hotel room, incredibly relieved and a little tired!

The next day was back to the airport and then getting the Disney bus to the Sequoia Lodge hotel at Disneyland.  That went very smoothly and I got off the bus only to see Amanda and Elizabeth heading in to Reception to check in!  From there we stored bags and hit the Parcs where I saw all of this...

Had a lovely day and a half in the parcs but it was nothing compared to convention!

Convention post to follow...

Please look at my last blog to see details of my up and coming Havly workshop... Weds 8th feb 7.30pm with lots of freebies! x

Lots of new things!

I'm so delighted that I have an afternoon to blog again!  It's been so busy recently with classes, new book launches and workshops!  I've been desperate to show some of the new things on offer in the fabulous Stampin' Up! catalogue for 2011-2012!

So here goes...  I will do shorter but hopefully more regular blogs, and if you do want to see more projects, please add me as a friend on facebook (and put 'crafts' in the request comment box) and I'll add you and you can see the projects as soon as I upload them!

I have only received my new things from the pre-order so cannot wait for the big order to arrive to show you more, but for now here's a simple card with the Just Eat Cake Designer Series Papers and the new Petite Pennants Builder Punch...

If you use the tiny circle punch from the Itty Bitty Punch Pack you can punch out individual letters from two the Just Eat Cake papers and make your own greetings.  Great!

Now for some news!

I'm opening up a new Hostess Club (for people to earn freebies from the new catalogue!) and have a few places left.  It's £30 a month for five months, and on your hostess month you receive £25-30 of goodies from the new catalogue for free!  You also get a free catalogue and can actually host a workshop in your hostess month to boost your freebie amount.  Also, Stampin' Up! are offering hostesses with sales of £300 or more, half price items from the catalogue!  Big Shot for £44 anyone?!

Please email me at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk if you would like more info or to put your name down to join.  You can pay by cash, credit card or cheque and just simply email me your order and wait for me to deliver your great new things!  Great if you're short of time or just want to build up your stash slowly with some freebies thrown in along the way!

Also,  I will be running Christmas classes through November and the beginning of December.  Please watch out for these...

Look forward to hearing from you and leave a comment if you were here!

Happy Stampin'

Rhoda x

Last Chance List!

I love this time of year!!

So the last chance list is out.  We know what isn't making it into the beautiful new catalogue and some of it is even reduced!

Here it is!

If you would like to order anything from it, please email me, you can get it sent straight to your home or delivered to your door if you live locally.

I'm having two last chance workshops.  One on Sept 8th at 7pm in Brae, one on Thurs Sept 15th in Lerwick at The Havly Cafe.  Please let me know if you would like to attend any of these?  I will also be selling off my own retiring sets at a discount so you don't even have to wait!

Look forward to hearing from you.  I'm at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk or on 01806 522482

Rhoda xx

Photo overload and a Last Chance List!

I'm actually a little scared to start blogging again as I have so much to catch up on it's a little daunting!  And when I went to upload photos to put on here I had 575 on my phone!  Don't worry, I'll only post a few but which ones!?

Well, we have had three weeks of great Summer Camp in Shetland with children from all over the islands.  Then Shetland was host to the Tall Ships, which was really great (although the weather was a little chilly!)

It was then my sister's wedding so a mad preparation week of crafting (who am I kidding?! It was great!  I had to craft through the day, which meant my long suffering and amazing husband looked after our boys for nearly a week!)

The big day was lovely, I got to see all my family at the same time (last time I was on the mainland was May 2010) and got caught up with some great friends too. 

My sisters Lydia and Naomi on the Hen do.

My aunt Esther decorated this cake (my Grandma made it).  Awesome!  She takes orders...

My sister Lydia and I (Grandma made the dresses too!)

(sorry no photos of my fabulous sister and brother in law on my phone, check out my facebook page x)

After that we had some lazy days in Northampton, including a workshop with my first mainland downline Amanda (who is also my cousin's wife) and had a lovely evening, where I was very inspired by so many of her samples and ideas and will possibly CASE several if not all of them!

After that we travelled to York, where we had a few family days together. 

The Shambles...

The Roman walls...

At York Castle Museum, the blade is very old and still sharp! Hmm...wonder if they know what they're doing?!

Jude in the courtyard.

Will doing a bit of archery...

Ethan jousting...

Ethan at Forbidden Corner...

St Cliffords Tower in York...

 Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland...

Then a few days at my inlaw's home near Inverness.

Will and Ethan enjoying ice lollies at the Landmark Centre.

Ethan in the maze

Alasdair jumping of the skydive (with a harness on)

So now I'm back, rested, raring to go with next month's classes and last chance list workshops!  So very exciting.

The Last Chance List is a fabulous list of great sets and accessories from the current catalogue that are retiring on Sept 30th.  They are unavailable after that and sometimes reduced!  It's only for a month so check the website http://www.stampinup.co.uk/ on Sept 1st or email me. 

Also...

I'm planning to hold classes on each Weds evening at 7pm on the following dates:  Aug 31st, Sept 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th (tab at top with more details to follow shortly), with a last chance list workshop on Thursday 8th at 7pm.

Please please let me know asap if you would like to host as I can fit in around you and it means you get all the freebies (and possibly even more goodies than usual as some things may be reduced!)

Contact me at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk or on 01806 522482

Thanks for visiting me, let me know you were here x

Rhoda xx

Scallop Circle Roses

I apologise sincerely for my extreme neglect of my little blog... I'm so sorry, I don't know where the time has gone!  In the last little while we have redecorated our front room and dining room (in a day and a half as my mum and dad were coming to stay and the builders came a week late!) Then we had my lovely parents up for a week.  This is a real treat and we wanted to put everything aside as I hadn't seen them for a whole year!

Then we had end of terms sports days, leaving day and the start of our Summer Camp which lasts for 3 weeks.  It has been busy.

But... in amongst that we have had lovely workshops at Carol and Pamela's as well as at home when my mum was up (first time she's ever been to mine so very exciting!)

So I've decided to show you what I've been making and demonstrating a lot lately.  When I first saw the Scallop Circle die in the Mini Catalogue, I knew immediately it could be used for a flower.  I got the idea from a smaller die that Sizzix do (not SU) but Stampin' Up's one is FAR better!

Here's what we made...

And here is a photo heavy tutorial (as I'm camera shy and not wanting to video it!)

Put your chosen felt through the Big Shot with the Scallop Circle die and draw this outline on it.  (I've shown this part on card as it's easier to see)  Draw the first ring of bumps close to the edge then as you go down a row make the bumps wider (so the petals are bigger on the outside of the flower) and increase the distance between each ring of the spiral (so the petals are smaller in height in the middle and larger at the outside)

 Then cut your felt along the lines until you reach the middle, turn your shape over (so pen marks on the back) and place the cut edge furthest away at the top (as per the photo below)

 Start to curl the felt around in a spiral as loose or tight as you'd like.  If you are unhappy with loose, try tighter and vice versa.

When you have spiraled up all your felt you end up with a circular piece that acts as a flap at the bottom.  I add glue to the edges of all your spirals (as shown below) and also the inside of the flap.  Tombow is great for this unless you are not using wool felt.  The poorer the felt quality, the stronger the glue you'll need.

This is with the flap glued into place, note the pen markings are underneath.

Then hand cut some felt leaves and glue one shorter one on the base of your flower. covering any pen markings.  Then with a slightly longer felt leaf, slide the brooch pin on and secure the pin to the base with the leaf (as per the first photos). 

Voila!   A beautiful brooch!  Carol and Pamela both wanted to try these at their workshops and we added pretty stamped tags and seam binding ribbon as a little extra!  Have a look...

Here were some of theirs.  Utterly gorgeous!  I'm afraid of crediting them incase I make a mistake but I'll try...

Carols

 James'

 Eleanor's

 Pamela's

 Amanda's

 Julie's

Sorry to everyone's who I didn't get on here, they were all gorgeous.

 

And the Nature's Walk card I demonstrated on the night...

Recipes for Roses:  Big Shot!

Scallop Circle Die

Tombow adhesive

Tiny Tags set

Jewellry tag punch

Linen Thread

Baja Breeze Seam Binding Ribbon

extras:  Brooch back

Recipe for card:

Nature's Walk set

Subtles Write Markers

Early Espresso cardstock and ink

3/4" circle punch

Pocket Silhouettes hostess set

Scallop Border Punch

Early Espresso Taffeta Ribbon

Very Vanilla Cardstock

Notecard and envelope

If you would like to order any of these items, or host a workshop and make a brooch for yourself, please contact me at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk

If you get in quick you just may get the £20 extra hostess benefits my last two hostesses got!  Imagine your Scallop Circle die and the Nature Walk set (or whatever you've got your heart set on) for free! Just by inviting people over!  Plus we usually eat a lot of these...

I'll be back tomorrow with a decorated journal and some more recent makes.  Let me know what you think and that you were here!

Rhoda x

Beautiful ribbon brooches

At my workshop on Wednesday we did a Make and Take with a difference!  We made satin ribbon brooches!  The idea is a CASE of my upline Amanda's original, you can see hers here.  I was so delighted with the variety or colours and styles that my attendees made.

Have a look...

Carols...

Amanda's...

 Michelle's...

Rhona's...

My mum's...

Jacqueline's...

Sorry for anyone I've missed as the photos didn't come out well (desperately needing the camera fixed!) 

We changed the original design slightly and cut felt circles with the Big Shot and the Original Circles die.  We adhered the scorched ribbon with sticky tape and super glued the middle and added a pearl or rhinestone.

If you would like to host a workshop and make one of these yourself, please contact me at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk.  All hostesses with sales of £250 or more during June and July will get and extra £20 freebies of their choice!

What are you waiting for?!

Check back through the week for my weekend's makes.

Thanks for dropping by, leave a comment so I know you were here

Rhoda x

More free product!!



I want to say how much I love Stampin' Up! From a demonstrator point of view they are kind, generous and give you all the support and encouragement you could need, and from a customer point of view they work hard for you, bring you the most beautiful things (at amazing prices) and give you so much for free.

But it gets even better..!!!

For the months of June and July, if you host a workshop with sales of £250 or more, you will receive an extra £20 of free products (your choice!) giving you a minimum of £45 to play with, plus a Level 1 hostess set!  See, aren't they great!

So...all you need to do is invite some people over, make a cuppa and invite me to come and share some great tips and techniques to assist you in your creativity, have a try with things before you buy, and choose free things!  What are we waiting for?!?!

Hostess flyer pdf.

If you have never been to a workshop and want to come along first, I'm hosting one at my home in Brae on Wednesday 8th June at 7pm.  Please come along and bring a friend!

You can contact me to book your place at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk

If you are interesting in hosting, please contact me at the above address and we'll sort out a date that suits!

I have a few booked in already so please don't leave it too long...!

Rhoda x

Beautiful Little Lamps!

Well, what can I say?!  I had my last May class last night where we decorated some little cream lamps.  They were gorgeous!  Everyone came up with such different and amazing ideas, I was in awe!

We used the Big Shot (of course!) plus felt and fabrics, the Fun Flowers, Butterflies Bigz dies and Circles and Leaves Originals dies.

What do you think..?

Vicky's bunting inspired lamp (matches the bunting she made at the second class)

Michelle's beautiful lamp (matches her bunting too!)

 Sue's lovely lamp (matches her cushion, using beautiful teal colours)

Aimee's lovely lamp, matches the cushion her mum made for her at last week's class, notice the hanging butterflies...

 Amanda's lovely lamp (matches Aimee's cushion...)

Mhia and Lyn's gorgeous black and red lamp using the Circles die....

 Our Faux Frosting technique card.  Using Cherry Cobbler card and ink, the cupcake image from the retired set Happy Day, watercolour pencils and Blender Pens, Crystal Effects and Clear embossing powder with Pink Pirouette ink.  Mix a drop of ink with a small amount of embossing powder and Crystal Effects until it forms a goop (best word to describe it!)  Add to your image...

Heat with your heat gun, cool for a second or two and repeat twice... Check out the texture (sorry a little blurry, still our old camera in use!)

My lamp...



I had such a lovely evening and was so inspired and amazed by how different they all were!

I also wanted to show you the wedding invitatons I have worked on over the last months for my littlest sister who gets married in Aug.  In the background is a Frost White Shimmer Paint image from the Always Elegant set, with Whisper White satin ribbon and an eyepin straight through. 

 A little album (not Stampin' Up!, one I already had) that I made for Alasdair's nan who has just gone into a Home.  We had a day out with her two years ago at Stratford Upon Avon, so this commemorates that.

 Front cover...

 And a lovely thank you card from Michelle using the Because I Care hostess set, which we both love and some Whisper White satin ribbon along the back.  Michelle has just become my first Level 2 downline! How exciting!

Sorry for the mountains of photos on this post, hope you liked them!  Look forward to reading what you think!

Rhoda x