Linda's Plan B Crafting - Independent Stampin Up Demonstrator

What a wonderful afternoon I just had with a few other Stampin Up demonstrators. Julia Mckenzie-Grant treated us to a ‘Scrap along’ Scrapbooking session. If you live in the Exeter area I would highly recommend you attend a class with Julia.

I haven’t yet added my photos or the titles, but here are my pages so far.

Happy New Year everyone!

I have set a 2022 challenge to raise funds for the 2wish charity who support bereaved families immediately after the loss of a child under the age of 25. You can read more about the charity on my Just Giving page here.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/linda-wardlaw-2wish

During 2022 I will make a greeting card to represent each of the 970 families 2wish have supported so far. Sadly that number will rise as the year goes on so I will make one greeting card for each family devastated by child loss during 2022 also.

How can you help? You can either make a donation now or you can wait for me to create packs of cards that you can receive as a ‘Thank you’ for a donation.

Bring on the crafting!!

Linda is supporting bereaved families by card making for 2wish Help Linda Wardlaw raise money to support 2 Wish

Cute little Jack (Pikachu) in the Box favour boxes for my grandsons 7th Birthday Party.

Poke Ball made in Poppy Parade, Black and White using die cut circles from ‘Layering Circles dies’.

Pikachu made from Daffodil Delight using the Bunny Builder Punch.

And sometimes… less is more!

What great fun we had this afternoon at my 1st Halloween Card Class. Here’s 4 of the cards and my favourite insert.

So I’ve bit the bullet and run a Face2Face card class. We had a wonderful afternoon full of laughter. Here’s the cards made by myself and 3 ladies who have never made a card in their life before!!

What an amazing job they did and all are super proud of their creations!

Would you like to join in a class? Let me know and we can arrange it. Next class to be in two weeks time in Miskin near Pontyclun

When it’s way past bedtime but you can’t resist a 5 minute play with your new toys!

As I'm not yet ready to start classes again I've busied myself making up craft packs for the local children of my new village Miskin to make some Easter baskets and will be leaving them on my driveway for them to help themselves from Friday to Sunday.

For those not living close enough to take part, here is a link to the instruction leaflet. I hope you can enjoy making some for yourself. Video Instruction to follow soon.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/prtg7ov7r4r77a7/Easter%20Baskets
%20Instructions.docx?dl=0

Treasure Hunt: I have a lovely green with trees and shrubs opposite my house so I've also laminate pictures of famous rabbits and things associated with Easter for the kids to find, with one child who finds all ten being lucky enough to win a large Lindt Chocolate Bunny.

There is no charge for either of these but I am raising funds for a wonderful local charity called '2 wish upon a star', a charity dedicated to supporting families who experience loss which has been set up by one of my new neighbours. Hopefully the packs will attract some donations on Just Giving here: https://www.justgiving.com/2wishuponastar

Well it's been a while since I posted a picture of my craft room stacked to the ceiling with boxes after my move. I'm happy to report some progress. It's still a work in progress with much more to unpack but the room is now useable as a craft space so I'm starting to create and also to make plans of how Plan B Crafting will resurrect itself in our new home of Miskin, South Wales.

I've shared a photo of my last craft room and one of my new craft room stacked with boxes in my previous post. Now here's a few photos of the 'During', starting as just a shell, and progressing to being fully fitted out. There will be an 'After' photo when I've finished unpacking (hopefully soon)

If you’ve noticed I’ve been very quiet lately it’s because I have been busy moving from Milton Keynes to Miskin South Wales.

The pictures are a ‘Before the move’ of my beautiful craft room, and ‘After the move’ of my new craft room stacked to the ceiling with my craft cupboard and about 40 boxes of craft stuff.

Tonight I have to empty the room of boxes so that the new Amtico floor can be laid tomorrow... I can’t wait for that to happen as then I’ll be able to put the craft cupboards and cubes back in and start to unpack.

So, we have now finished the third Zoom of Plan B Craftings Busy Bees Box - "15 projects with just 1 punch" and I think everyone enjoyed the Zooms and the projects they made. I thought it might be nice to share what we made one per day during the last 15 days of November. (oops I put this on the wrong page, so I'll catch up over the next couple of days.)

I decided to only make 1 card out of the 15 projects, but I could have thought of 15 different cards to make with the punch too. It's SO versatile. I hope you enjoy seeing the projects.

The class is finished now but I may offer the video tutorials and PDF's for £10 if there is any interest.... let me know if you would like them.

So, we started off with a project based on Plan B's signature colours of yellow and black, and of course had to include a Busy Bee 🙂 This is a little gift that I will be popping in with each Stampin Up order placed from now on.

Project 1: Post it note holder: This was made using DAFFODIL DELIGHT cardstock. The flower is made with 3 sets of the PERENNIAL FLOWER punched in WHISPER WHITE daubed with SO SAFFRON. The honeycomb comes from the DETAILED BEE die set and has been cut in BUMBLE BEE (well, what else), and the bee comes from the retired DETAILED DRAGONFLY die set cut in BASIC BLACK. It is held closed with a magnet on the underside which is attracted to the flower brad in the centre of the flower.
Of course the colours could be changed, and the die cuts could be flowers, or anything that the recipient would like, cars, yachts, dinosaurs, perfume bottle & lipstick to think of just a few of my die sets. 🙂

OCTOBER's CREATIVE CHALLENGE - HALLOWEEN!!

This month's creative challenge is to make something on the theme of Halloween. This could be a card or 3D item, it could be just something which has halloween colours in it, traditionally orange and black, maybe a little purple.... or you could go all out and include bats, witches, skulls, cauldrons, haunted houses, pumpkins, spiders and anything else spooooooky!!!!

Closing date is midnight on October 31st.

There will be a spooky... or magical prize selected at random from all of the entries. Remember, this is not competitive, this is just a prompt to keep you crafting. Every entry is in with a chance of winning.

Please post a photograph below with your creative offering :-)

There will not be a Facebook Live at 4pm this Sunday as I am moving house and events have prevented me from preparing a project. Hopefully next week will be a calmer week. Maybe if you were hoping to watch something today you could go back and catch up with one you have missed? Or even better, why not make an entry to October's Creative Challenge and post it within the challenge post?

Normal service will resume as soon as possible.

Hello all, I will not be able to do the 4pm Facebook Live today as I have to go to Wales to look at houses as we are moving there.

Facebook lives will resume next week. Sorry about that.

I loved showing the ladies on my Tuesday Zoom how to use the spotlight technique in a slightly different way, using one of the hoops from Stampin Up’s Forever Fern Suite to pick out a few of our four legged friends in what I lovingly call my meows and barks tree.

Here are a few cards from Sunday’s Facebook Live showcasing the Emboss Resist Technique. Christmas colours can be contemporary as well as traditional.

I just LOVE the new silver filigree ribbon, so delicate and magical!

What contemporary colours do you think would work for Christmas Cards?

I’m on holiday this week so there will be no Monday Makes. However, the good news is that once my holiday is over I will be starting weekly Facebook Lives on this page. They will be on Suunday afternoons at 4pm with my first one being this Sunday 13th September.

Christmas will be the order of the day... and will continue each Sunday throughout September and October. Here’s a peak preview of the kind of thing we will make. Some will be traditional, some contemporary and others will be something that you may not have seen before.

Each week I will produce a .pdf file of measurements and instructions so you can recreate your own cards copying or changing out as many elements of the card as you wish to make it your own. I will also include a list of all the products I’ve used with a link to my Stampin Up shop should you need any supplies.

Will you be joining me this Sunday?

I can’t believe I’m making Christmas cards on 1st September!!

I’m taking part in Martin’s Mayhem

Here are my takes on
Day 1: Winter Winds
Day 2: Technique Challenge - Paper Piecing

It’s going to be a fun 28 days ahead!!

September’s Creative Challenge

Let’s get started on our Christmas cards this month with a theme of “Snowflakes”.

Closing time: Midnight on 30th September.

Wow! September already, how did that happen!! I’ve decided to run a monthly challenge instead of weekly as I’ve noted some people struggling to keep up with all the challenges out there but I wanted to still have one on the Plan B Crafting page.

This is just for fun, it’s not competitive at all, although a winner will be picked at random and will receive a crafty prize from me in the post.

This week I dipped my toe into the world of Facebook Lives by showcasing how versatile Stampin Up’s Scalloped Tag Topper is.

I made 3 projects, tags, cards and gift pouches. Here are a few versions of the gift pouches using the ‘Nothings Better Than’ stamp set. These make a fabulous small gift to say ‘thank you’, ‘thinking of you’, or ‘just because’. Also great as wedding favours or party bags!

I will be offering a ‘Busy B’s Box’ virtual class entitled “Much More Than Tags” in which we will be making 8 -10 projects including one of these gift pouches, some tags, cards, boxes plus a few surprises. Attendees will be sent a box with all card, ribbon, die cuts and embellishments needed and a .pdf file.

Which format do you think would be better?

a) Box plus video tutorial on YouTube

b) Box plus Zoom virtual class

C) Box plus both Zoom class & YouTube tutorials to follow at your leisure after the Zoom class

Once I have decided upon the format I will price up and upload details. Booking deadline will be 30th September and the class will be in October.

MONDAY MAKES

This week we played with the new Nothing’s Better Than stamp and die bundle. I love this fun bundle, it’s so perfect for ‘Just Because’ cards, which during these strange times I seem to be sending more of.

I let the ladies choose between Chocolate, Cocktails, Cookies or Coffee and then the colours for each and these were their choices. Love them! Thank you ladies.

Now I may be telling you all something you already know... but.... just in case you don’t, this is WAY too good to be in the dark about!

I heard about Tombow Sand Erasers. So I ordered one. It took a while as it came all the way from Japan but SO worth the wait... it is AMAZING!!

You know that moment when you’ve nearly finished a card and some random bit of ink arrives from nowhere and smudges on your card.... well this eraser takes it off like magic!

I smudged this insert just as I was finishing my card.... can you see where that happened? It was a fair size smudge.... ppffttt and it’s gone!!

Can’t resist sharing this photo with you all from the super talented Tara Fowler.

This to me personifies perfection in many ways. The perfect ‘Less is More’ card using the grey fabric effect paper in the ‘Good Taste’ DSP series, what a great unfussy Male card. Then the very delicate, feminine ‘Very Vanilla’ card echoing the grey with the prettiest of tiny flowers so perfectly placed. I just LOVE IT!!!

Creative juices have been flowing! I used the word ‘hooray’ in two ways- I cut out of the paper and layered Ito on the cream card and then created a card using the left overs. Two for one 😊

I used the Well Said Combo 💕

Here are a few cards I’ve made for a Colour Inspiration Challenge. Which one should I submit as my entry? Top, bottom left or bottom right?

CREATIVE CHALLENGE - #10

Card with Matching Decorated envelope
Closing date: Midnight on Friday 31st July.

The 10th creative challenge is to make a card and then to decorate an envelope to match it. As elaborate or as simple as you like.

Please remember, this is not competitive, it is just a way to motivate you to keep on crafting. All those who upload a card and envelope will have their name added to the ‘wheel of fortune’ which will be spun on Saturday 1st August and the winner will receive a crafty gift from me in the post.

Happy crafting!!

MONDAY MAKES

This week I treated my crafting neighbours to a more ‘girly’ style card with lots of bling!

This is using Stampin Up’s ‘Dressed to Impress’ stamp set and coordinating designer series paper.

Sunday turned into ‘Stepped Up Sunday’ this evening when I just couldn’t resist playing with this beautiful stamp set.

Sometimes a set just reminds you of someone in particular and it takes your mind to a different place. I find the best I can do then is just go with it.

Today’s tiles, multilayered stamping onto vellum in Smokey Slate and Gorgeous Grape then double mounted on Whisper White and Gorgeous Grape. Finished off with a little silver and white twine and purple diamanté.

Namaste!

My apologies there has not been a Sunday card or any Monday Makes uploaded, unfortunately I am unwell. Business will resume as soon as possible.

WEEKLY CREATIVE CHALLENGE

This week’s creative challenge is a colour challenge.

Shades of blue and grey.

Please remember that this is non competitive and just for fun, to keep us crafting.... but there will be a prize picked at random just for taking part.

Closing time is midnight on Friday 17th July.
Happy Crafting

You’re prize for last week’s weekly challenge is on it’s way Marie. I hope you enjoy crafting with it 🙂

Don’t you just love the new Misty Moonlight ribbon with the sunflowers!

Now to spin the wheel for this week’s winner.

I loved creating this fancy fold card for a challenge set by the lovely Jenny McCormack. I love the card but then you get an added bonus bookmark pressie. It was made using the Dressed to Impress stamp set and dies. The card is a corner fold card and the bookmark sits on top of the revealed square once you fold the corner back. When you’ve removed the bookmark to use there is a different look to the card altogether.

WEEKLY CREATIVE CHALLENGE - This challenge is now closed.

Last week our challenge was "there's no such thing as too much". I loved the 'over the top' cards you posted. This week we are going polar opposites... the challenge this week is.....

"Less is More"

Looking forward to seeing your minimalistic cards 🙂

Closing time for this week's challenge is midnight Friday and a winner will be chosen on Saturday.

Please remember that this is not competitive, it is for fun and to keep you crafting... the prize is picked at random. I'll share with you that there was a 'win win' situation with the prize for Kim Patten. I wanted two of the masks from Stampin Up's mask set, and she wanted to the other two, so I purchased the pack and split it... now she has a prize that I know she'll love and use, and I get the two masks that I wanted too. Don't you just love a Win Win situation :-)

MONDAY MAKES

Tonight I showed my lovely crafty neighbours how to use the masking technique. Couldn’t resist slipping in a little ink blending though :-)

SIMPLE STAMPING SUNDAY

For this weeks card I’ve made a card that can be made with only card, 1 inkpad and some foliage stamps and a sentiment. I’ve popped on a couple of diamanté but it’s not necessary.

I hope it inspires you to try something similar.