Caramel & Cream

Hi crafters, hope you're having a relaxing Sunday. Just a quick reminder that tomorrow the 30th September 2019 is the last day to take advantage of the 'buy 3, get 1 FREE' on certain papers.  A good time to stock up! You can visit my online shop HERE   Rachael x

I am the first to admit i have an issue hoarding crafting products, especially papers! When they come packaged and look so pretty it's hard to chop them up to use. I always end up with retired papers left over each time a new catalogue is released and they end up sitting in my paper store unused. So with this in mind i decided to start using some of them up and made a start on some Christmas cards. Santa's workshop was such a fun set of papers, especially if making cards for younger members of the family.  I used a larger piece of dsp for the background but then also cut another strip with elves on to use as the main focus of the card. Mounted onto real red card and then some glimmer paper to cut the word 'Christmas' from adds a little bit of festive bling and sparkle. At least if i use up my old stash i have the perfect excuse to buy more of the new products :) If you would like to buy any current products please pop over to my online shop HERE

The nights are drawing in and it's starting to feel much cooler the last few days. Exciting for me as this means it's time to properly start planning my Christmas crafting. From Christmas cards, to gift tags and parcel wrappings there is nothing like getting snug and having a crafting session. Our Autumn / Winter brochure is now LIVE and you can order 24/7 via my online shop HERE Use my blog main page to view the catalogue also...simply click on the horizontal tabs top left and it will bring a drop down panel with the latest catalogue for you to browse through.  Any questions feel free to drop me an email to rachhome@msn.com Happy shopping  Rachael x

I knew when i saw this stamp set and papers that it was going to be one of the first things i ordered from the annual catalogue.  I love how Stampin' up match everything so perfectly.  Firstly i stamped the large flower in 'Early Espresso' ink, i then used our fabulous 'Stampin' Blends' in the dark and light shade of 'So Saffron' to colour in the petals and my aqua painter pen and ink 'Mossy Meadow' for the leaves. I love how this gives the leaves an aged look.  A square of 5x5 'Crumb cake' cardstock was randomly stamped on in 'Early Espresso' ink to create the background. I stamped once with full ink and then again without inking back up so i could get sharper and softer tones. A small strip of dsp wrapped with some ribbon from the 'Magnolia Lane ribbon combo pack' is placed along the bottom of the card to add some interest and texture. The large flower was placed onto the card using dimenionals

Hello all, sorry i haven't posted on here for a while I've been busy with other things and then have just come back from a lovely holiday in France. The weather was gorgeous and sunny, we spent the days fishing, laying in the sun, visiting amazing chateaus and sampling the delicious food! We are already looking at when we can go back again.  So back to crafting....i have a few projects lined up ready to show you over the next few days. If you can't wait and want to take a look now hop over to my facebook page Caramel & Cream HERE   You can also see some of the photos i took whilst away in France! My facebook page is usually the first place projects or new products get posted so it's worth giving it a 'like' so you can see everything before it's published on here.  If there are stamp sets you would like to see used in a card please let me know and if i have the set i will try and design something to show. Happy crafting Rachael x

Wooo at last i am very happy to share our brand NEW catalogue is here!!  Lots of super products, gorgeous papers and don't forget 5 Brand New colours.   You can find the link to the new catalogue top left of my home page, enjoy! Rachael x

My son has returned back to school after his week off, it's the long stretch now until Summer holidays. With that in mind i started creating Thank You cards for teachers. The 'Picked For You' Stamp set is perfect for these types of cards. I love the way you create a textured effect using the 2 (in this case 3) step stamping method. Stampin' Up! make it super easy numbering which stamp to use first.  I chose 'Granny Apple Green' for the apples, stamping off the ink first onto scrap for layer 1 then using straight from the ink pad to the card for layers 2 and 3.  The stalk is inked in 'Soft Suede' and the sentiment in 'Lovely Lipstick' to give a bright contrast.  If you would like to order any Stampin' Up! products please pop over to my online shop HERE   Rachael x

I was so pleased when 'Mint Macaron' made a comeback to the Stampin' Up! colours. It was one of my favourites.  Here i have taken a piece of 4x4 inch Mint Macaron cardstock and used the 'Lovely Floral' embossing folder to create the background image.  A strip of 'Natures Poem' dsp is added to the lower half of the card along with some pretty silver ribbon. The sentiment from the 'Love What You Do' stamp set is also stamped in Mint Macaron and cut out using the 'Stitched Shaped' dies.  A really cute set of cards. If you would like to order any Stampin' Up! products please visit my online shop HERE   Rachael x

The beautiful designer series paper from Stampin' Up 'Petal Promenade' features this lovely marbled effect. So pretty that a simple sentiment is all you need to add to create some delightful cards. 4x4 inches these would make a great note set as a gift. I used 'Petal Pink' ink and cardstock along with the self adhesive sequins to add a little interest.  The sentiment comes from the stamp set 'Abstract Impressions' If you would like to order any Stampin' Up! products i'd be thrilled if you chose to shop with me HERE   Rachael x

How super cute is this little bunny from the 'Fable Friends' stamp set? Brings back childhood memories of Peter rabbit books.  Easy to make, i first took a piece of 'Tropical Escape' dsp to cover my card base. Using the same shade of 'Blushing Bride' cardstock i cut out an oval using the layering oval dies, then a slightly smaller one in whisper white onto which i stamped the rabbit image. To keep a soft tone to the card i coloured in using pencil crayons.  Lastly a little sentiment is added to the bottom corner.   If you would like to order any Stampin' Up! products please hop over to my online shop HERE   Rachael x

This card is perfect for beginners to stamping.  When starting out cardmaking it's easy to get confused with all the products available. You can end up with a big pile of craft goodies and still not know where to start.  Begin with the basics..a stamp set and some ink. 'Abstract Impressions' is a stamp set ideal for basic cards. The 2 step stamping allows you to add layers of ink to give interest without making things complicated. I used 'Old Olive' and 'Granny Apple Green' inks for the grass and the flowers are created using 'Gorgeous Grape' and 'Highland Heather' inks. The photopolymer stamps are clear so you can see exactly where to place the stamps to layer the images.  You can add extra detail by stamping more of the flower heads and cutting some out to add on dimensionals to give more height to your card, scatter a few sequins or even add some ribbon but i have kept this super simple to show how easy it is

I really like this technique of having the image over letters that then pop out on dimensionals. Very easy to do, you simply stamp your image onto some cardstock and then use the Large Letter dies to cut out the wording of your choice. I started with the word WINE so the 'Half Full' stamp set was the obvious choice for the images. I used Stampin' Up! markers in Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green and Daffodil Delight to colour in the stamped images before placing my letter dies on top and running through my cutting machine. Once cut and the main image mounted onto my card base i then used dimensonals to stick the letters back into the cut out spaces. The sentiment is stamped in Cherry Cobbler to match. If you would like to order any Stampin' Up! products to have a go yourself please visit my online shop HERE   Rachael x

With the excitement of sale-a-bration it's easy to forget products in our annual catalogue. 'Climbing Orchid' is such an elegant stamp set, it doesn't need a lot of anything else to make a pretty card.  I've made 2 versions, each one using a different pattern of the larger flower head stamps and then a smaller leaf stamp. Colour combinations are a lovely soft look with 'Soft Sea Foam' and one of my old favourites 'Mint Macaron' A brighter burst of colour comes from 'Poppy Parade' and 'Granny Apple Green' Stamping randomly with the flower head and leaf i created a pretty background. Carefully laying the 'Large Letter' framelits across the top i ran it through the 'Big Shot' until i had the word MUM. The magnetic plate is great for things like this, helping keep the framelits just where you want them. The cut out letters are popped back in but on dimensionals so they stand out. ''Teeny

As you may know my two sons were born in Ireland and as today is St Patrick's Day it seemed fitting that my project today should include green of some sort. 'Call Me Clover' was my colour of choice for the card mount and the little heart on the dogs collar. The 'Happy Tails' stamp set and 'Dog Builder' punch work perfectly together to create quick and easy cards. I used a combination of 'Early Espresso' and 'Sahara Sand' for the dog kennel and footprints.  Mounting the punched out dog on dimensionals helps him stand out more giving the impression the kennel is further away in the background. Super simple. If you would like to order any Stampin' Up! products please visit my online shop HERE   Rachael x

Wow it is incredibly windy where i am today. Rain forecast later too so what better way to spend the day than crafting. The stamp set 'One Wild Ride' is from our annual catalogue and for some reason it's one i kept skipping over. I'm not really sure why because i'm always happy to try out products that i can use for male cards.  I have done 2 cards using the same colours but swapped them around slightly. The DSP is from the 2018-2020 in-colour pack Inks used are Basic Black, Blueberry Bushel and Call Me Clover. Basic Black ink used on the tyre track mark stamp and the 'splodge' look great, i tried to smudge mine slightly and not have it print perfect to give more of an oily / greasy look.  The bike itself i stamped in an ink to match the colour of dsp chosen and then the cardstock in the alternative to make a mount.  Lastly the badge stamp is added using dimensionals to give some lift. If you would like to order any Stamp

I'm always happy to see NEW Stampin Up products geared (see what i did there?) towards our male friends and family. They are the card designs i struggle with the most. This coordinating 'Classic Garage' dsp, 'Geared Up Garage' stamp set and 'Garage Gears' thinlits dies make it nice and easy to create great cards with minimum effort or fuss. I took a piece of  'Basic Grey' cardstock and using black ink i stamped some random oily splodges. A strip of the dsp was adhered across the middle of the card ready for the flashy red car to be added.  I stamped the car image first then coloured in using 'Real Red' and 'Smoky Slate' markers.  The matching dies made cutting out the car image super simple with a quick run through the 'Big Shot'  A simple card that could be adapted using different markers for the car, why not step it up and add some cogs / wheels cut using the thinlits too and add them scattered around

Hey everyone, sorry it has been soooo long since i last posted. I enjoyed a fabulous Safari trip at the end of last year and then Christmas caught up quickly. I'm here today though to wish you all a very Happy New Year and also to announce that from today customers can order from the lovely NEW Spring / Summer 2019 catalogue. Even move exciting is that is also Sale-a-bration time too so you can earn FREE products when you place an order over £45. The more multiples of £45 in an order the more FREE items you can pick.  Just click the horizontal lines top left of my homepage on this blog to see the current catalogues online.  Any question please feel free to comment below or drop me an email to rachhome@msn.com best wishes Rachael x