Thank you for visiting my blog!

I have moved!  You can now find me at http://rhodamacpherson.typepad.com/passion

Thanks for your continued support, look forward to seeing you there with all the latest news, photos, techniques and competitions!

Happy Stampin'

Rhoda xx

New Summer mini catalogue!

For the first time ever, Stampin' Up! Have given us a summer mini which runs from May 1st to August 31st!

And wait until you see what's in it!

There's the Simply Scored board which allows you to score cards, make tile effect backgrounds, boxes, envelopes, easel cards, tri fold cards, rosettes/medallions the list goes on! It comes with its own stylus and markers for keeping your place and a hidden pocket to put extras. You can also order metric and diagonal plates that sit on top and make you board even more user friendly!

I will be experimenting a bit more in the month to follow so watch out for my simply scored post!

As for workshops, I held one in brae last week for my local lovely crafters and we had such a lovely night and I'm holding one on Wednesday in Lerwick at the Havly Cafe. If you'd like to come please email me at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk or phone on 01806 522482 and save your seats. We're going to see some new things and also use The big shot to make a felt brooch.

More news... Stampin' Up! Have changed their starter kit so that YOU can choose exactly what you'd like in it! It costs £99 and you can choose £130 products and also get £45 business supplies! The same great discounts and incentives apply to new demonstrators so it's a great time to start! Plus, anyone who buys the kit in the month of May will receive a free ticket to Convention worth £149! If you're thinking about signing up please don't hesitate to email or phone and ask as many questions as you like!

Back to the mini, I've made a few samples, let me know what you think!

Rhoda x

Havly workshop in Lerwick (with free prizes!)

I'm hosting a workshop at the Havly cafe on Wednesday 7th March at 7.30 pm.

Everyone is welcome to come along for a relaxed evening of crafts where you will see a couple of demonstrations (im looking at heat embossing amongst other things) and then make your own project to take home with you!

There will be tea and cake provided and the chance to enjoy a night out that you can share with your friends and doesn't cost you a penny.

Also for everyone who comes I will enter your name into a hat to win freebies! If you bring a friend(s) you get more entries!

I met some lovely new people at my last workshop and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to meet more!

Please contact me at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk to save your seats (just let me know the number you need and a contact name and phone no) and look forward to seeing you there!

For more info go to www.stampinup.co.uk or view Te catalogues at the top right of the page.

Rhoda xx

Promotions!

Two of my lovely team have been promoted! (Whoop whoop!) Sarah has been promoted to Bronze 2 and Diane to Bronze 3! They have worked so hard, are lovely ladies and I'm so delighted that they are part of the team.

I thought I'd share with you the card I made to congratulate them. They also get a stamp set of their choice from me as a big 'well done'!

I used Island Indigo card and ink, the Flirtatious Suite and Everyday Enchantment sale a bration papers (which are FREE!) the Medallion background stamp with Versamark, Fancy Flower punch and crocheted flower on top fixed with an In Color brad. The greeting was from the free sale a bration set Sprinkled Expressions.

I also wanted to let you know about a hostess club which I have a few spaces for.  This is a great way to earn freebies, get your choice Stampin' Up! goodies and spread the cost out over five months.  You also get freebies from me and of course, all copies of the current catalogues absolutely free!  At the moment with Sale a Bration on until the end of March, I am giving all my hostesses something for free, so how about being a hostess, without having to invite, host or get in any cakes! Bliss for busy women (and men!)

I also have lots of days available in March, April and May for people to host workshops!  It's such a fun monring/afternoon or evening, all you have to do is decide a date and time, tell me what you'd like to see or learn, invite people around using the lovely postcards I give you, and make a cup of tea when we're making the 'make and take' project that your friends will take away with them.  I don't charge you or anyone else a penny for the workshop, and you may earn a huge heap of Stampin' Up! products that you get to choose! So get in touch and let's set a date!

Also new! I have bought heaps upon heaps of beautiful Stampin' Up! ribbons and patterned papers and have cut them up into shares for you.  Ribbon shares of 1m or each colour of each type of ribbon.  Designer Series Paper (DSP) shares are 6 sheets of 6x6" papers, one in each of the double sided designs in a pack.

So rather than ordering 13 metres of ribbon in one colour, grab yourself 10 metres in each of the gorgeous colours available and wow your friends and relatives with beautiful and varied cards.  See tab at top for more details and how to order.

Any wise ladies out there who would like to join the hostess club, host a workshop or buy a share in ribbon or patterned paper, you can email me at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk

Rhoda x

Postage stamp punch and confetti

Another quick post to share with you a card I made for a recent workshop. I used the confetti set which is awesome and the new postage stamp punch. I made it into a rectangle so that it fits onto the curly label punch.

Let me know what you think!

Workshop spaces still available for the end of Feb and through March. Get your freebies while you can!

Also watch this space for new ribbon shares and two hostess club spaces still available! See tab at the top for more details or email me at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk

Rhoda xx

Everyday Enchantment papers = yum!

Just a quick post a photos of the new Sale a bration papers that are free and lovely!

I love these papers but they are only available until the end of March so grab your wish lists and buy it now do you can get these free before they go!

Each card was made with some punches and the papers. Three punches and you can get the papers for free! How about the new cupcake punch, Scallop circle 6cm punch and the You Are Loved set or Very Vanilla card, ruffled ribbon and mini square envelopes? Then choose your freebie!

Email me at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk and get the order delivered straight to your home!

Hope you like these, leave me a 'hi!' I you were here

Rhoda xx

Up and coming workshops! And lots of freebies

This is Sale a Bration time!  The best time of year for Stampin' Up! for three reasons:

1.  As a customer you get a free set or patterned papers from the Sale a Bration flyer for every £45 you spend!

2.  As a hostess, you get a free set or patterned papers from the Sale a Bration flyer when your workshop sales hit £300.

3.  If you buy the starter kit (costs £119) you get to choose a free set from either of the two current catalogues worth up to £44.95!  Making the contents of the kit worth nearly £300!  And, what's more the kit gives you everything you need to start stamping, means you get discount on your orders after that, including 30% off the first one, and... you can personalise it with your favourite card and ink colours and stamp sets.

See the freebies here:  http://www2.stampinup.com/gb/documents/20120124_SAB_en-GB.pdf


On top of all of that...

I am hosting two workshops in the next two weeks.

Thursday 2nd February at my home in Brae.

Wednesday 8th February at the Havly Cafe in Lerwick.

On those nights I will be showing the following card:

This was designed by a French Stampin' Up! employee and I think it's stunning!

And as it's Sale a Bration time, I'm going to give away the following things over the next two workshops:

You are Loved stamp set
Creative Elements stamp set
Soft Suede cardstock
Rich Razzleberry ink
Crumb cake cardstock
Antique brads
Originals Berry Blossom die (for the Big Shot machine)
And anything else that I feel like on the night!

But you have to be there to be in with a chance of winning something!

So please book your free seats with me (places are limited at each workshop and some are already taken so don't hang about!) at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk or on 01806 522482

Look forward to seeing you there!

Rhoda x

All things New!

Hello and Happy New Year!

I've been very lazy and relaxed over Christmas and am very excited to get productive again and starting creating things!  And with that in mind I wanted to show you the brand new things from Stampin' Up!

The amazing people at Stampin' Up! have decided to give us an extra Mini Catalogue this year (yippee!) with brand new stamps, punches, papers, fabrics and...a brand new line of jewellery.  But not just any jewellery, charms that you can customise for family, friends or your favourite outfit! 

You can see the book here or click on the picture to the right.

And I have an extra special one, as during Shelli's presentation onstage in Paris, she showed us European demos a beautiful design, which she then gave away... and I was lucky enough to get one! Will post a photo shortly of Shelli's beautiful design. 
To show all of you the amazing things in the new Mini, and for a chance for you to come and try it out, I'm hosting a workshop on Weds 11th January at 7.30pm at my house.

I would love for you to come and to bring a friend and make something for free that you can take home with you.  Plus a cuppa and some cake with friendly company!

I can't think of anything better when it's so cold and dark out.

Please email me at paperworks@hotmail.co.uk or facebook message me if you would like to come or know more.  You can also order through me from the new Mini, with delivery straight to your door at no extra cost!

I'm also starting a new hostess club shortly where you can order over five months and get a month with freebies worth £30 and all of the current catalogues.  Shout if you'd like to know more.

Rhoda x

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