Hello, it’s July and we have another Stamptastic Friends Blog Hop. This month we are bringing you crafting tools. My must have favourite tool is the Paper Trimmer. I use this for every project I create from cards to a mini album and more.

The trimmer not only cuts but also scores, allowing you to create card bases and more with one tool. The extra-wide 7-3/4″ (19.7 cm) cutting base and extendable 17″ (43 cm) ruler accommodate large paper projects. The base of the paper trimmer includes both imperial and metric measurements, and the base has a midpoint ruler for small paper projects. The ruler and paper restraint snap into place for easy transport. A durable plastic cover protects the ruler and grid so measurements won’t wear off. It comes with 1 paper cutting blade and 1 paper scoring blade. Replacement cutting blades are available (sold separately).

My Mini Album

I created this mini album by accident. I was creating a landscape album and put the covers together the wrong way. Rather than waste them, I decided to create an new album and use it for my recent trip to Rotterdam with Stampin’ Up!

The album contains six base pages, and each base page is created the same and then has flaps and pockets added separately, using different techniques that I have learnt over time. I wanted plenty of space for photos, so added lots of flaps and pockets. The album will hold at least 100 photos.

The front of page one is a lefthand flap with a gate fold that opens to a stacked pocket, containing photomats . The reverse has two side on pockets, containing photomats. When opens reveals a right sided flap, with a side on pocket containing photomats and a blank space to the reverse. Opening the flap reveals a large pocket containing a photomat. The back of page one has two corner tuck spots holding a photomat.

The front of page two has a diagonal pocket containing a photomat. The back of page two has a stacked pocket containing photomats.

The front of page three has a faux waterfall. The back of page three has a top flap with two side on pockets, containing photomats, and a blank space to the reverse. Open the top flap and you reveal two righthand flaps which have side on tuck spots and contain photomats. These two flaps have blank space on the reverse. This reveals a blank space.

The front of page four has a two-thirds righthand flap, which is blank and opens to reveal a left side on pocket containing photomats. The back of page four has a pyramid stacked pocket, each containing photomats.

The front of page five has a top flap with a belly band and pocket, each containing photomats. The reverse is a blank space. Opening this reveals a bottom flap with two side on pockets, containing photomats. The reverse is a blank space. Opening this reveals a small bottom pocket containing a photomat. The back of page five has double righthand and lefthand flaps. Each has pockets with photomats and blank space. When both are opened, this reveals a belly band with photomat.

Watch a Video of my Thoughtful Journey Mini Album

I hope I have inspired you to try creating a mini album, all the products used are listed below and available to purchase from my online store.

Please do continue to hop round for lots more creativity and inspiration. I can’t wait to see what the other demos have chosen to share with you.

Happy Crafting

FREE Tutorial Bundle with ALL orders

When shopping online, receive a free tutorial for 6 cards!

Learn more.

Paper Trimmer [152392] £27.00	Paper Snips [103579] £11.25	Thoughtful Journey Memories & More [163318] £10.75	Adhesive Backed Pearl Trio [163319] £7.00	Thoughtful Journey 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [163303] £11.75
Thoughtful Wishes Bundle (English) [163314] £53.00	Thoughtful Designs 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Specialty Designer Series Paper [163317] £10.25	Thoughtful Journey Suite Collection (English) [163320] £82.00	Alphabet à La Mode Dies [160750] £40.00	Pretty Peacock A4 Cardstock [150886] £10.75
Basic White A4 Cardstock [159228] £13.00	Petunia Pop A4 Cardstock [163802] £10.75	Wild Wheat A4 Cardstock [161734] £10.75	Misty Moonlight A4 Cardstock [153086] £10.75	Boho Blue A4 Cardstock [161733] £10.75
Blackberry Bliss A4 Cardstock [133682] £10.75	Wild Wheat Classic Stampin' Pad [161651] £8.50	Petunia Pop Classic Stampin Pad [163811] £8.50	Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad [147092] £8.50	Misty Moonlight Classic Stampin' Pad [153118] £8.50
Pretty Peacock Classic Stampin’ Pad [150083] £8.50	Mini Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine [150673] £62.00

The post How To Decorate A 7″x 8″ Mini Album. appeared first on Leighsa's Loft.

Hello and welcome. Sorry for the break in posting, but hopefully you may have noticed a new look for my website. I decided it needed a change to better fit with future plans. It took some getting used to, working and learning behind the scenes. I am pleased with what I have achieved, but still have away to go.

For todays blog post I am joining Global Design Project #GDP284 – CASE The Designer. CASE = Copy And Selectively Edit. I hope I have done justice to Krista Frattin’s original design.

To a Friend That Makes Me Smile

Create an A6 card blank, measuring 10.5cm x 14.9cm, from ‘Basic White’ thick cardstock and layer with a piece of ‘Forever Greenery DSP’ (Designer Series Paper), measuring 10cm x 14.4cm. Trim two coordinating pieces of ‘Forever Greenery DSP’, measuring 10.5cm x 2.5cm and 1.5cm x8.5cm. Adhere to your card base, with the smaller piece overlapping the larger piece. Wrap twice with gold trim, from the ‘Forever Greenery Trim Combo Pack’ and tie in a bow.

Die cut several foliage pieces, using the ‘Forever Flourishing Dies’, from ‘A4 Vellum Cardstock’, ‘Garden Green’, ‘Shaded Spruce’, ‘Pretty Peacock’ and ‘Soft Sea Foam’ cardstock. Add in one of the ‘Forever Gold Laser-cut Speciality Paper’ pieces and arrange on to your card front.

Stamp your sentiment ‘To a Friend That Makes Me Smile’ on to ‘Basic White’ cardstock, using ‘Pretty Peacock’ ink. I used the ‘Forever Fern’ stamp set. Die cut using the ‘Stitched Nested Labels Die’ and adhere to your card front using ‘Stampin Dimensionals’. Adhere your foliage into place, using ‘Multipurpose Glue’.

Finish card by adding ‘Gilded Gems’.

I hope you enjoyed my project and it has given you some inspiration. All products used are listed below and available to purchase from my online shop.

Happy Crafting

Leighsa x

Forever Fern Bundle (English)

[154094]

£49.50

Stitched Nested Labels Dies

[149638]

£33.00

Forever Greenery Designer Series Paper

[152492]

£10.75

Forever Gold Laser-Cut Specialty Paper

[152493]

£14.00

Forever Greenery Trim Combo Pack

[152475]

£8.25

Gilded Gems

[152478]

£6.50

Pretty Peacock Classic Stampin’ Pad

[150083]

£7.00

Basic White A4 Thick Cardstock

[159230]

£7.75

Basic White A4 Cardstock

[159228]

£9.00

White Vellum A4 Card Stock

[106584]

£9.25

Soft Sea Foam A4 Cardstock

[147012]

£8.25

Garden Green A4 Card Stock

[108605]

£8.25

Shaded Spruce A4 Cardstock

[147006]

£8.25

Pretty Peacock A4 Cardstock

[150886]

£8.25

The post To a Friend That Makes Me Smile Card – #GDP284 appeared first on Leighsa's Loft.

Hello and welcome to the first Tech 4 Stampers Academy Blog Hop. Our theme for our first ever blog hop together is Welcome. For this, I have chosen to create a Welcome Home Baby card.

You made be wondering who or what is Tech 4 Stampers Academy. This is a monthly subscription group, run by Louise Sims, for Stampin’ Up! demonstrators who need help with tech.

Welcome Home Baby Card

I wanted to create a card where the wording was the negative die cut and due to the size of my cards, I knew it would have to be either home or baby. I thought taking the middle word would work best.

Cut an A6 card base, measuring 10.5cm x 14.9cm, from ‘Thick Basic White’ cardstock. Cover with a piece of ‘Playing With Patterns’ DSP (Designer Series Paper).

Die cut a piece of ‘Basic White’ cardstock, using the largest of the ‘Rectangle Stitched Dies’. Using the ‘Playful Alphabet Dies’, cut the word home from the middle on your rectangle.

From a piece of ‘Night of Navy’ cardstock, die cut the words welcome and baby, using the ‘Well Written Dies’. Adhere these to your rectangle, above and below the word home.

Adhere your rectangle onto your card front using ‘Stampin Dimensionals’. Finish your project by adding a few ‘Playing With Patterns Resin Dots’.

I hope you have enjoyed my project. All products used are listed below and available from my online shop. Please do hop round all participants for lots more inspiration.

Happy Crafting

Leighsa

Playful Alphabet Dies

[152706]

£32.00

Well Written Dies

[151816]

£37.00

Stitched Rectangles Dies

[151820]

£33.00

Playing With Patterns Resin Dots

[152467]

£7.50

Playing With Patterns 6″ X 6″ (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper

[152490]

£10.75

Basic White A4 Cardstock

[159228]

£9.00

Basic White A4 Thick Cardstock

[159230]

£7.75

Night Of Navy A4 Card Stock

[106577]

£8.25

Fine-Tip Glue Pen

[138309]

£6.50

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

[154974]

£4.50

Stampin’ Dimensionals

[104430]

£3.75

Paper Trimmer

[152392]

£23.00

Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

£112.00

The post Welcome Home Baby Card – Tech For Stampers Blog Hop appeared first on Leighsa's Loft.

Hello and welcome to this months Stamptastic Friends Blog Hop – Fabulous Flowers. As sson as I saw this theme I knew I wanted to use the Hydrangea Haven stamp set, as these are my favourite flowers and what else could be fabulous!

Hydrangeas have been a favourite of mine for many years. The variation in colours, from pinks, purples and blues, is so soft and subtle. I adore the shape that is made from lots of small flower heads all clustered together. They look just as fabulous when dried.

Hydrangea Haven Card

Create an A6 card base, measuring 10.5cm x 14.9cm, using ‘Seaside Spray’ cardstock. Layer with a ‘Basic White’ cardstock, measuring 10cm x 14,4cm. Cut a piece of ‘Hydrangea Hill Mercury Glass Designer Acetate’, measuring 9cm x 9cm and adhere central on your card base. Ensuring your adhesive is kept to the centre, otherwise it will show on your finished project.

Die cut a ‘Stitched Rectangle’, measuring 7.5cm x 11cm, from ‘Seaside Spray’ cardstock and adhere to your card front using ‘Stampin’ Dimensionals’.

Stamp your Hydrangea image, using ‘Memento Tuxedo Black’ ink, onto ‘Basic White’ cardstock. Using ‘Stampin’ Blends Old Olive’ combo, colour your stem and leaves. For the flower head use ‘Stampin’ Blends Misty Moonlight and Highland Heather’ combos. Die cut using the coordinating ‘Hydrangea Dies’ and adhere to your card front using ‘Stampin’ Dimensionals’.

Stamp your sentiment and die cut using the ‘With Love’ stamp and label die from the suite. Add a small piece of coordinating ‘Hydrangea Hill DSP’ to the bottom of your label and add to your Hydrangea stem. Colour a piece of white ‘Crinkled Seam Binding’ ribbon, long enough to tie a bow, using the ‘Dark Highland Heather Stampin’ Blend’. Tie and add to the top of your sentiment label with a mini glue dot.

Finish your card by by adding ‘Highland Heather’ pearls from the ‘Pastel Pearls’.

I hope you have found some inspiration from my project.

All products used are listed below and available to purchase from my online shop.

Please hop around for lots more inspiration of Fabulous Flowers!

Happy Crafting

Leighsa

Hydrangea Haven Bundle

[156251]

£48.50

Hydrangea Hill Mercury Glass Designer Acetate

[154574]

£10.75

Hydrangea Hill Designer Series Paper

[154570]

£10.75

Pastel Pearls

[154571]

£6.00

Whisper White 1/4″ (6.4 Mm) Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon

[151326]

£7.00

Old Olive Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack

[154892]

£8.50

Highland Heather Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack

[154887]

£8.50

Misty Moonlight Stampin’ Blends Combo Pack

[153108]

£8.50

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

[132708]

£5.50

Stitched Rectangles Dies

[151820]

£33.00

Seaside Spray A4 Cardstock

[150889]

£8.25

Basic White A4 Cardstock

[159228]

£9.00

Multipurpose Liquid Glue

[154974]

£4.50

Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals

[144108]

£3.75

Mini Glue Dots

[103683]

£5.00

Paper Snips

[103579]

£9.25

Paper Trimmer

[152392]

£23.00

Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine

[149653]

£112.00

The post Stamptastic Friends February Blog Hop – Fabulous Flowers using Hydrangea Haven appeared first on Leighsa's Loft.

Hello and welcome, I am glad you could join me. Have you been amazed by all the amazing products in the new annual catalogue? I know I have. There are so many beautiful things that I really need a bigger craft room to fit them all in. When I first saw the catalogue there was one suite that jumped out to me and I knew that would be my first purchase. The ‘Forever Greenery Suite’. I love foliage and this suite has it in abundance. Lots of lovely leaves and stems. The colour pallet is so soft and natural, as well as being fresh.

The suite consists of a stamp set and die bundle, 12×12 designer series paper (DSP), laser cut foil speciality dsp, embossing folder combo, ribbon combo and gold hoops. All of which coordinate wonderfully.

I showcased this suite at my recent virtual catalogue launch party and found it so easy to create with. The elements of the suite work so well together that whether you use just one or two, or decide to incorporate the lot, your projects will be stunning.

Beginner, Casual and Avid

After much reach Stampin’ Up! found there to be three types of crafter; Beginner, Casual and Avid. All of our products are suitable for each of these and our projects can be stepped up or down, depending on your type of crafting. I enjoy doing a mixture of style of project and never under estimate to beauty of #simplestamping.

For my catalogue launch I demonstrated a #simplestaming, beginner card and went on to show you casual and avid, stepped up versions.

For this card you need an A6 thick ‘Whisper White’ cardbase, measuring 10.5 cm x 14.9 cm and a front layer of ‘Whisper White’ card stock, measuring 10 cm x 14.4 cm. Stamp your foliage image on to your front layer, using ‘Shaded Spruce’ ink, several time to the top left-hand corner and once to the bottom right.

Using ‘Shaded Spruce’ ink again, stamp your sentiment. Adhere your front layer onto your cardbase. This is a #simpletamping beginner card that looks fabulous.

For the stepped up, casual crafter add a piece of the ‘Forever Greenery’ DSP (Designer Series Paper), measuring 4 cm x 14.4 cm. Wrap both ribbon and twine, from the ‘Forever Greenery Trim Combo Pack’, across the centre of the DSP. For the sentiment stamp onto a separate piece of ‘Whisper White’ card stock and die cut using the ‘Stitched Rectangles’ dies and add to the card front with ‘Stampin’ Dimensionals’. Finish with a bow tied with the gold twine.

The stepped up, avid crafter, card uses most of the products in the suite. Emboss your DSP, using the ‘Greenery’ embossing folder and stamp and die cut several of the foliage images, using ‘Shaded Spruce’, ‘Pretty Peacock’ and ‘Pear Pizzazz’ ink. Tuck these in behind the sentiment. Finish off with ‘Gilded Gems’.

Other projects I made for my launch

Here are a few cards I created. I hope you find some inspiration.

Cased from the catalogue.

Sampler

This sampler was CASED from a layout shared on ‘Facebook’, unfortunately I can not find the creators name. It was made using the ‘In Good Taste’ DSP and I edited it for the ‘Forever Greenery Suite’. I do hope you like it.

I hope you found lots of inspiration, please do leave a comment below. All products used can be found here in my online shop.

Happy Crafting

Leighsa X

The post Forever Greenery Suite appeared first on Leighsa's Loft.