'TOP TIP TUESDAY'

TODAYS TOP TIP : How many times have you stuck cards together upside down or opening the wrong way ?

If this happens, please do not panic ! Providing you have used ordinary double sided tape (not the red sticky tape), simply heat gently from the back with a heat gun. This will warm the glue sufficiently to let you peel off and reapply correctly.

I've used this tip several times this week to help customers so thought it would be a good one to share for this weeks 'top tip'.

If you have used red sticky tape, all is not lost. Trim at the fold and mat and layer onto another card base !

See you again next week.

Sandra

'TOP TIP TUESDAY'

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Hi again, a bit later than usual !!

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Today's tip is using those fantastic MINI GLUE DOTS. There are various brands on the market but I prefer the Stampin' Up! ones - my regular customers know, I never recommend something just because it's SU unless I truely believe in it - this is one of those products. It took me a long while to become addicted to them but, for those of you who know how tacky the red sticky strip is, then these are just the same.

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They are great for attaching embellishments to cards. I especially like them for attaching small bows to projects. Simply push the back of the bow onto the glue dot on the roll and then gently peel off and then glue comes too !!

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If you have smaller embellishments, why not try rolling glue dot between your fingers to make even smaller !

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Hope to see you back again soon.

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Sandra

S-A-B BLOG HOP - Technique

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I promised to post another colour way of one of my Sale-A-Bration Blog Hop cards from yesterday.

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Here I have used Rich Razzleberry as a base card with Baja Breeze and Whisper White.

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Several people yesterday asked how I had done the colour panels. On these samples I masked off a square or rectangle with Post It notes (however I have now ordered both sizes of square punch so I can just punch out in classes).

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Simply sponge through the hole with the centre colour and then with a contrast either side. The shape can be any size or shape.

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The butterfly from Sale-A-Bration BLISS stamp set has been stamped in Basic Black ink and then stamped again onto scrap of Whisper White, card out by hand (sorry no punch for this one !) and attached just down the centre so that the wings are lose.

The greeting and small butterfly is from Sale-A-Bration SO HAPPY FOR YOU stamp set.

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I hope you enjoyed yesterdays 'blog hop' and have lots of inspiration for your stamp sets.

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Until next time.

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Happy Crafting

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Sandra

Welcome to our

SALE-A-BRATION Blog Hop

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Today, 42 Demonstrators have got together to organise four Blog Hop groups to share with you some inspiration using the 2011 SALE-A-BRATION stamp sets that you can get FREE with every £45 spent in the current Ideas Book & Catalogue, and there are FOUR sets to collect before 28th February 2011.

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Simply follow the links in each blog post, either forwards or backwards and you should start back at where you started. I have included the link to the start of each group at the bottom. So, make yourself a cuppa, forget the housework for a while and sit back and enjoy your tour. I'm sure that that you will soon be thumbing through the catalogue to make your next order and and choosing your FREE stamp sets. (If you don't have a copy there is a link at the top left of this blog).

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Providing all the links have been scheduled correctly for 10am today, you may have just joined me from Emma @ http://emma-daye.blogspot.com and hope you are enjoying all the inspiration your have seen so far on your tour. If you have already been round this loop you may wish to click on the start of one of the other groups listed at the bottom of this post.

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For our contribution today, my downline Emily and I started by designing this cute little set of five 10cm x 10cm cards, going out of our comfort zone and working with colours we wouldn't normally use. Here we used Tangerine Tango and Daffodil Delight with a Basic Black silhouette on each of the designs. We have used all 5 greetings from SO HAPPY FOR YOU stamp set for this collection, one on each card.

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This owl is from PUNCH BUNCH stamp set. Our cute little owl will also be available from 1st April 2011 as a punch in our Mini Catalogue. With one gentle squeeze, you punch all 9 component pieces to mix and match into some delightful characters. I love this little chap and can guarantee you will be seeing lots more of him !!!!

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This scalloped flower is also from PUNCH BUNCH. Every stamp in this set has a co-ordinating punch.

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This card uses Butterfly from BLISS stamp set. Pop back tomorrow to another version of this card in a different colour way that I am sharing in a demo swop today.

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Here again is a wonderful scroll from the BLISS stamp set. This also makes some wonderful background effects for your card.

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The last one in this little set comes from SWEET SUMMER stamp set and again is very versatile.

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We then continued out of our comfort zone to make this little quarter card with Cajun Craze cardstock and Designer Series Paper from the Regals collection. The centre greeting is from PUNCH BUNCH stamp set and has been punched with the Square Scallop punch.

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.... and finally, we continued with our Cajun Craze cardstock and Designer Series Paper to make an owl spinner card. The owl is from PUNCH BUNCH stamp set and greeting from SO HAPPY FOR YOU stamp set. I will show you how to make this spinner card in my all-day workshop in March. Please contact me for scheduled workshop dates for the whole of 2011 in Thetford, Bury St Edmunds, Norwich and Stamford - Tel. 01366 728407 / 07806 616704 or email sroberts07@btinternet.com.

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I hope you have enjoyed your blog hop tour so far and dont forget, you can have these stamp sets for FREE too. Click on this link to go to Gemma @ http://makedoandgem.blogspot.com/ for your next inspiration.

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Group 1 starts - http://sarastamper.blogspot.com/

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Group 2 starts - http://my-next-chapter.blogspot.com/ (I'm in this group)

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Group 3 starts - http://kerenbaker.wordpress.com/

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Group 4 starts - http://www.creatinwithkirsteen.com/

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Thanks for stopping by.
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Sandra

Sarah & Steph's Shaving Foam cards

Tuesday was my monthly girls get together with Sarah and Steph from here in the village.

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I refrained from the red wine as feeling groggy with cough, thumping head and taking medication etc. They had never tried shaving foam technique and I only like to do the 'messy' cards when in is my month to host.
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They enjoyed playing with the retired cardstock colours and re-inkers in Taken with Teal, Regal Rose and Ballet Blue.

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It's amazing the backgrounds that can be achieved. If you haven't tried .... give it a go !

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Sandra

Here's one of the cards Emily, Pat, Angie and I made yesterday at our team meeting.

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It was taking us all out of our comfort zone, using bright colours that we would not normally put together. It wasn't as painful as we all thought either !!

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Here we used Red Riding Hood, Daffodil Delight and Wild Wasabi. The tulips are from Garden Whimsy and were stamped and cut out free-hand, rasing the tulip head of Stampin' Dimensionals.

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Sandra

WOW .... WHAT A DAY !!

Take 2 crafters, add 13 hours, remove sleep (who needs it anyway), children and cats, retire one husband to bed and leave the other back home with baby and dogs and ...............

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That's the way to spend time with your Stampin' Up! downline, having huge amounts of fun and laughter whilst crafting of course !!

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Yesterday Emily came down to Norfolk for our first Krafty C.A.T.S. team meeting today. Unfortunately (!!!) Emily lives too far away to travel today so was forced to stay overnight. As I worked last Sunday, I took Friday as holiday so hey presto ........ instant Craft Marathon !!! Well perhaps half-marathon as 13 hours.

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After my bleary-eyed husband woke from his slumber to say "are you two staying up all night ?" we finally thought we had better retire to bed at 3am. Four hours kip and here we are again !!

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Haven't taken photos yet, but please pop back tomorrow to see some of our creations. Unfortunately many of them are for classes so will have to keep you in suspense a little longer so as not to spoil the surprise. Of course, if you book your classes, then you will be the first to see :-)

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See you tomorrow.

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ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

'TOP TIP TUESDAY'

Welcome to a regular little slot to pass on hints and tips to you all.

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TODAY's TIP : When punching small pieces, either from scrap or to re-punch perhaps for Punchart, use a Post-It note. Attach your piece of card to the sticky part of the Post It note to punch.

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At the weekend, I showed one of my classes how to cut a thin scrap of card neatly in half to make two long thin strips. Being too small to place in the Guilotine or paper trimmer on it's own, simply line up with the edge of the post it note and place in the guiltotine or paper trimmer. Because you have a larger piece it works a treat and leaves you with two straight pieces.

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I know I wouldn't be without Post It notes in my craft tote ! They have so many uses.

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Hope you find this useful and remember to pop back next Tuesday for another 'Top Tip'.

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Sandra

'TOP TIP' TUESDAY

Welcome to a regular little slot to pass on

hints and tips to you all.

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TODAY's TIP : I find especially helpful when working with small fiddly pieces of card, gems etc and sticking eyes & noses on cute little punchart creations!!

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Trim the pointed tip from a cocktail stick. Apply a large 'blob' of Tombow Multi-Purpose adhesive (available from me @ Stampin' Up!) and allow to dry. I insert the other pointed end of the cocktail stick into the top of my kitchen roll and then the sticky bit will dry without getting glue on everything else !

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Once dry, it will remain slightly tacky and is excellent for picking up the smallest crafting items. I use a Pringles lid to rest it in while using so that other materials do not get attached.

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Hope you find this useful and remember to pop back next Tuesday for another Top Tip!

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Sandra