Tremendous Trimmer

Whoops of joy rang out across the crafting community on Saturday! Why? The new Stampin' Up! Trimmer was available and Oh! boy did my fingers fly to the keyboard to place my order just as soon as I heard the news. So today my box arrived - thank you Mr UPS driver for skating down our icy lane to deliver my goodies - and I could hardly contain my excitement to give my new trimmer a work out.

Stampin' Trimmer

Well here she is with the catalogue open at page 180 where all the details can be found.
So this very well designed piece of kit (Stampin' Up! will only put their name on things that are the very best quality) cuts with out mashing, catching, squeeking or tearing. The scoring blade is stored right on the cutting rail (no fiddly changing the blades over) and both blades go right past the 12 inch (30cm) cutting point.
The bed is marked with a grid to ensure everything is straight with both metric and imperial scales top and bottom. The cutting arm locks closed (great for transporting) and there is an extension arm (with its own foot for stability) that swings out to make the whole trimmer over 12 inches square.
Everything has been thought of. There is even a handy storage compartment underneath to take your bone folder, paper piercing tool or embellishments!
This lovely trimmer will make an ideal Christmas present for the crafter in your life or why not treat yourself! Email me to arrange an order and delivery!

 

The picture also shows a new stampset that I ordered at the same time: ready for my last batch of Christmas cards. This one is Snowflake Soiree and I am planning some cards that really show off the precision of the stamps and the beautiful blue inks that I have. Baja Breeze is the palest then Marina Mist and finally a punch of Midnight Muse - this look is inspired by the recent snowfall we have had and seeing the big snowflakes swirling past the outside lights as we watched from the warmth of the settee last evening. Sometimes ideas and inspirations come from the most unexpected quarters.

 

What inspires you? Where do you seek out ideas for new projects? I would love to know.

 

So I am off to the studio (through the snow!) to play with my new trimmer and stampset. I will try to post a photograph of the result tomorrow.

A glimpse of Paris

It may be nearly Christmas and we may be swathed in green, red and glittering gold but the ladies in my Monday class this week requested some girlie cards. This is one of the cards that  we made and it was really nice to get a break from all the seasonal colours for an hour or two.

I apologise for the quality of the picture but hope you can see the gorgeous way that the pink tissue flower ( cut using the Stampin' Up! blossom punch through 5 layers of tissue, fixed with a brad, stuck with a dimensional then just scrunched up) complements the Primrose Petals pink card and our favourite neutral Crumb Cake. The images from the Artistic Etchings stampset were stamped on Very Vanilla card (clearly my second most favourite!) using Sahara Sand and Crumb Cake, edges inked in sahara sand and the whole thing finished off with a ribbon and punched border. Have you used this stamp set yet? I have found it to be very versatile and have even used the crowns and keys in Christmas card backgrounds. it is next door to Established Elegance in the 2012-13 catalogue (pages 124 and 125) and blends with that beautifully. I have my eye on making a series of cards with a dress making theme, using thread, buttons and sewing to embellish the card. What do you think? I love taking from one medium and using it in another! And the whole dress making theme fits in with our romantic notions of Paris, high fashion and elegance.

 

 

 

Maybe if I leave the card out my husband will take the hint and book a romantic weekend break in Paris for a post-Christmas treat!