Busy, busy Bee!

I've been so busy lately that there simply hasn't been time to blog.  Last week I went to the Stampin' Up! European convention and it was in Manchester this year. For Stampin' Up! demonstrators this really is the highlight of the year when we all get together to learn all about latest products, techniques and generally get giddy about stamp sets!!! Part of the preparations includes making swaps. Swaps are usually a card front but can take the form of ... well anything really. We had time during convention to swap our own makes with other Demonstrators and this really gives us inspiration and is a wonderful way to share. So I was really busy making my swaps for this year and I only made 100 - last year I made 200... there will be about 800 other demonstrators there so I know I'll miss out on at least 700 swaps but I only had time this year to make 100. I'll be posting a pic of my swaps later.

In the meantime I'd like to share some recent makes with you they are two very special cards for two very special people.

First up is a 'card in a box', an ingenious design which I have to thank Monica Gayle for. This one was made for my Step Mum Jools for her 60th birthday. If you like this design and want to have a go you can go to Monica's brilliant Youtube tutorial here.  I used a 'hostess' stamp set to make this called Morning Meadow, it's a beautiful set which includes the flower, the spring and the scroll I used for the sentiment and the sentiment is included in the set along with a bird which I didn't use in this project.  I'll also be demonstrating this at my 'escape Christmas' class on 14th December in East Cowick (near Goole in East Yorkshire), so if you want to make one please book your place at this class.

The second card I want to show you is an adorable puppy!  I made this wooftastic card for my scrumptious niece Ashley who was 4 years old while I was away at Convention.
 How cute is this puppy?!!  I love doing punch art cards - it really does show how useful it is to have a selection of punches.  I'm particularly fond of the ears of this pooch, they are made from the modern label punch and I split the card stock to make them tactile and floppy - schweeet!  Of course, no self respecting pup would be seen without a diamante collar - you only have to ask my sister about this one as her blinged up pups are proof!! *winks*.