Introducing: Christmas Messages

This is the Christmas version of the Mix & Match and Double Sayings set. It contains fourteen messages with small font that can be for the outside or inside of a card, plus the spotty platter image and the little scroll designed to use with lighter inks on the background of the message, just like in the card bellow.

I stamped the spotty splatter image using Memento Summer Sky. The message on top is stamped using a Deep Lagoon Versafine ink. The snowflake is from the Large Christmas set.

This is the inside of the card. The spotty stamp can be repeated to create a bigger splatter image.

Joyful Bubbles tutorial 1

Today I am making a looong post, the first step by step tutorial of the Joyful Bubbles. I hope you enjoy it. Please note that this is just one possibility of what this stamp offers you. You can do so much more!

Stamp the J  Y using red ink. I used Crimson red VersaFine ink pad.

Stamp "to the world" just under the J Y in the Spanish Moss Versafine ink pad.

That is what you have got.

Stamp the circle flower bubble on a separate piece of card of white card. I used Spanish Moss Versafine ink pad.

Punch out using a 1" punch.

All the patterned bubbles are all the same size, just under 1" so they have a white edge around it. 

Attach the bubble in between the J Y using a foam pad. Alternatively  you can stamp directly the bubble on to the gap, I just prefer to do it in a separate piece of card because that way if I mess it up it is only a tiny piece of work that needs redoing.

Now, I have taken the little hanger to create the bubble look.

And this is what it looks like once it has the hanger on. It is optional, in most cases I would not do this step as when it comes down to Christmas cards I am pretty much on the Quick and Easy path.

I used one of Sizzix Tim Holtz Movers and Shapers die to cut the tag. Now, it is much easier with Sizzix dies to cut it before you stamp. However, I left the die on the direct sun for a very long time - a week maybe two while I was on holiday-. I am not sure if that was the cause or it was just a faulty die -which I doubt as Sizzix dies are always top notch- but the truth is that my die now comes off the base making it basically a clear die, perfect to position the stamped card and cut with precision. Now, that is a welcomed fault.

I stamped a dotty design from the Filled with Flowers set -I said it was a really useful one!- and then with a Copic I colored the self adhesive pearls, green for the sides crimson for the centre of the bubble.

And this is the finished card.


And also I would like to share Sara's blog. She makes such beautiful cards with very original colour combos and impeccable style that I am totally in awe of her!

Introducing: Joyful Bubbles

This is another set that I had designed in my head about five or six years ago. Yes, really. I always have liked to make my Christmas cards using a JOY message where the O was a a circular flower or an embellishment rather than the letter. So as soon as my designs got to be stamps I knew that sooner rather than later I would design a set which allowed me to do so. Like this card bellow.

However, this set is so much more. Because you can make hanging bubbles like in the card bellow, or just bubbles floating in the air. Because all elements are separates it has so many possibilities that is really fun.

The message is from Christmas Messages.


Tomorrow, a step by step tutorial on this set.

Large Christmas Tutorial

First stamp the outline the snowflake with Versafine Deep Lagoon.

Then ink the solid snowflake with Memento Summer Sky ink. It is exactly the same size as the outline one, but the solid one being stamped on a lighter color means that the darker outline shows off.

And stamp it inside the snowflake outline.

Here you can see the outline on the left and the stamped outline with the solid one inside, so you can appreciate the difference between the effects. The outline one is ideal to be coloured in with Copics, Promarkers or any other coloring method.

This is the snowflake inside of a 1 1/4" circle punch.

This is how it fits on a 1 3/8".

This is how it fits on a 1 1/2".

Stamp the large New Year on white smooth card. Remember, almost all my stamp designs are very fine detail so the smoothest card is always going to be the best option for stamping them.

This is what it looks like once stamped.

The image stamped punches out perfectly using a 2" circle punch. The other large circle stamp is identical in size, so it can be cut with the same punch, the only thing that changes is the sentiment, Happy Christmas instead of Happy New Year.

And this is a few options that this set offers.

Introducing: Large Christmas

This set offers so many different possibilities that is hard to summarize what you can do.

Fourteen single clear stamps, including messages and six snowflakes. The large circles have a message in each, Happy Christmas and Happy New Year. The solid Message fits on a 1 1/2" circle punch and also fits inside the larger ones, as do the large snowflakes, the 25 and positive messages.

A little simple card that I made using some of the images from from Large Christmas as well as from Christmas Essentials and Joyful Bubbles. The snowflake is the same design that is featured on the Joyful Bubbles and the circle tag that is included in the Christmas Essentials set. However, the one in the Bubbles set is a different size so it can be combined -like in the card above- with the ones included in the Large Christmas.


Tomorrow I will post a little step by step tutorial on how to get the large snowflake two toned as well as punches sizes. 

Introducing: Filled With Flowers

I am really in love with this set, in fact, I have been using it non stop. I have always loved flowers, my first cards that I ever did back in Mallorca were of course Christmas Cards that one way or another featured flowers.

In this set there are three two step flowers, plus seven single flowers and three messages for all year round sentiments. Because all of the flowers are six petals one you can combine them.

What I wanted to do with this set is offer several flowers some of which with a two step option so they can be stamped in two colors, like the card above. The six petal flower can be stamped in one colour and then the leaves can be stamped in green. Because they are clear stamps, it is extremely easy to do.

The red message is from the Christmas Essentials and the circular frame in green is from Large Christmas.

Introducing: Simple Flowers

Although by the image above you could think that all the flowers on the left are part of one single stamp it is not the case. They are all individual stamps, perfect to create you own background and borders in one or multiple colors. In this set you also get three small messages.

This set is designed to coordinate with the Circle Tags and Square Tags as they feature the same flowers although in different sizes.

For this card I stamped several flowers both solid and hollow ones in different colors in a random way. I used a mix of Memento inks - Cantaloupe, Tangelo, Dandelion- and Versafine -Smokey Grey, Habanero, Crimson Red, Satin Red-, my two favorite types of ink pads at the minute for great impressions using clear stamps. The message is from Mixed Sentiments which all fit on the Circle Tags, one of which is used here to house the Thank you.

By the way, as I lent my camera to my best friend, I had to take the photos with the little one, so the quality is more than questionable, and so will be for the next couple of weeks.

The Joy of Rafa

First of all,

How great was Rafa?


I mean, by winning the US Open he is completed the career Grand Slam, something only seven tennis players have ever done. Plus he is got the Gold medal at the Olympics, 18 Masters Series and three Davis Cups. Not bad. At all. 

If you can, listen what he said after winning. Very inspiring to dedicate most of his speech to congratulate his opponent on hi good attitude after defeat. Novak was a true sportsman and so was Rafa. This is the type of behavior that every sportsman should show -at least in public. And yes, I stayed up until the match ended which was late even for my standards.


I realize that I am a repetitive person, I talk about the same things over and over, not only talking about Rafa's successes, but mostly I complain about the same things. Well, today I need to again mention that this last two weeks have been some of the busiest of the year. 
Yesterday I was so tired that I got up really late, even for my late morning standards. But I felt so much better and ready to tidy and do bits and pieces around the house that needed doing. Bits and bobs. The thing about them is that the eat your time and, before you know it, it is time to go to sleep and all those things that I needed to do regarding the blog and photos, well, they remain undone. 
However I managed to update certain pages of my main site which include a Circle Punch chart and a Square one -on the Tutorials and Video page- which tells what punch goes with which circle size and who manufactures that particular size punch. This charts have taken me a long time to make, I did them about three weeks ago but I couldn't put them up until I had tried the new stamps. I have check the charts several times for any mistakes but you know I am only human and do mistakes, so if anything is incorrect please forgive me and, if you are really nice and have got the time, let me know by email.

So, I hope that you still are there. And that you are understanding and patient. And Joyous.
And enjoy Rafa's victory and/or, at least enjoy this little card I made on the weekend while demonstrating.

Yes, Rafa you bring so much Joy.

Muchas Gracias por tu ejemplo y actitud,

Vamos Rafa!

Vintage, clean and simple

Simple but using the new Jovial papers from Basic Grey, which gave me the colour scheme for the card. I used Filled with Flowers stamps for the flowers and then the Christmas essentials for the message that sits on top of a Circle Tag.


I need to get ready to pack up for The Craft Barn, so I am off.

Another quick one

From the Joyful Bubbles set. This weekend I will be demonstrating all the new sets at The Craft Barn.