Oh, So Succulent at Kettering Park

Last weekend I held my first ever Overnight Retreat and at what better place than Kettering Park Hotel & Spa. 

Many of my ladies had pestered me for a while for an overnight crafting session and so I set to work planning and organising ... and our Overnight Retreat was born. 

The ladies had access to the Spa from midday on the Friday and could check into their rooms from 2pm. Many had made use of the pool, some even had booked in for Spa Treatments ... it certainly sounded relaxing. 

We all then met up at 6pm to settle into our Craft Room and set to our first project.

I wanted a fairly relaxed project for the first night. Nothing too precise and certainly no measuring and cutting. 

This Succulent display was what I decided upon. It was lovely to see the various dishes adorning the tables the next day, so they acted as table decorations, which was wonderful. 

Made purely from cardstock, these Succulent flowers are so easy to create and look so very real. 

Once our project was completed, we headed off to our Private Dining Room to enjoy a delicious three course meal and a good few giggles with each other.

The night ended with some special treats and a good night's sleep. 

Celebrating 5 Happy Years with an abundance of Giveaways

Make a Wish and click on the cake to see what's on offer.

Use this Gift Code at Checkout

37EP9WVT

Craft Retreat & Spa

How do you like the idea of heading off to a Spa on a Friday afternoon with friends, staying overnight and combining it with some fun crafting?

Well this is just what's happening today for a group of my ladies and is the very reason I've been somewhat tied up of late. Yes, behind the scenes, I've been busily preparing for this event ... the first of it's kind for me and one I'm very much looking forward to. 

Comfort will certainly be on the cards at Kettering Park Hotel and Spa, Cambridgeshire, where the ladies can enjoy the Spa, take a dip, book a treatment or simply read a book, before crafting and dining with friends. A whole day of Crafting together on Day 2, at a relaxed pace with their own space, I can't think of a better way to spoil yourself. Some much needed ME time, in a hectic world of busy. 

If you would be interested in hearing about a Christmas Themed Overnight Retreat to be hosted later in the year, then be sure to get in contact and I'll happily keep you in formed.  I'd love for you to join us and for you to experience the fun that we'll be sharing. 

Don't forget that we're in the last two weeks of Sale-a-Bration and right now you can still earn yourself FREE Products with every £45 spend (before p&p).

Use March's Club Code at Check out to receive a gift from me

37EP9WVT

The Amazing Joining Offer, where you'll earn two additional Stamp Sets, will also end in two weeks. So don't delay, Sign up for your bumper Starter Kit today. 

Christmas Pines for Elegant embellishment

Christmas Pines is by far my most favourite embellishing Bundle that could have been sold in this year's Autumn/Winter Seasonal Catalogue. 

It may be delicate and need a gentle hand to produce them, but aren't all cards and projects lovingly made anyway?

I just love how a simple sentiment, can be embellished with a few springs of pine for that ultimate lift. I shall be sad to see this bundle leave us. 

If you still haven't purchased this bundle, but would like to, then don't delay. You won't be disappointed with your purchase and if you use this month's Club Code at check out (see the Christmas parcel below), you'll receive a little Thank you gift from me, along with a copy of the the Tutorial Bundles. 

It most certainly is the Season to be Jolly ... 

Candy Cane Lane Designer Series Paper Card

Looking for a card that uses nominal supplies, but offers a real punch? ... Then look no further. 

This pattern within the Candy Cane Lane Designer Series Paper pack just lends itself to be cut and used, just as it is ... which is exactly what I chose to do. 

Using a Red and White matting layer, that I had overhang a base Z fold card base, I had it line up beautifully with a line of washi tape, that looks like a little scallop edge. 

Such a simple addition to this card, but such an effective little addition. 

You probably can't see it here, but I've added a Wink of Stella to the roof tops.

This was another card that we made at this year's Christmas Stamp-a-Stack event, that's my most popular All Day Event of the year. 

I'm currently preparing for my next that takes place at the end of January, beginning of February, depending upon the venue, so if you need to give your partner an idea of what to buy you for Christmas, then why not consider a Gift Voucher for attendance at my next event. 

Send a link to this blog post to your partner and get them to make contact with me to arrange for your special gift to be prepared. You'll be given the gift of not just a full day of crafting fun, but the gift of a hobby that goes on giving. 

Hoping you'll consider joining us. 

Free copy of the Tutorial Bundle with every online order placed during December, as a little Christmas Gift from me. Use my Club Code at check out and you'll also receive another little gift too. It's the month of gift giving. 

Love & Affection Stamp-a-Stack All Day Event

Two weeks ago, I held my quarterly Stamp-a-Stack event. An All Day event to come together and craft at your own pace.

There are six stations where you make duplicate cards using the kit pack included and by the end of the day, the ladies go home having made, or in some cases, prepared … 24 greetings cards. I say prepared as some choose to do all the stamping and die cutting, so that they can have another crafty get together with their friends to do the assembly … this leaves more time for chatting and enjoying delicious cakes.

Each table offers a different design and style to hopefully please everyone with something they will like.

This first table was based on a card from a recent class using the Touches of Texture stamp set. A gorgeous set with some wonderfully simple images that offer a sense of grunge. 

Get Well Soon cards are needed when we least expect them, so to have a few made up to turn to, is always a good thing and this single Wood Stamp is a gorgeous one to change up and down making use of different patterned papers for the bowl. 

Weather together is a stamp set that so many had over looked, but it's versatility is endless and should therefore be allowed house space on your shelf. 

It's not so easy to see here, but I've use a strip of the gold spotty washi Tape from the Love & Affection Suite just beneath the sentiment banner to give a gentle lift. I just adore the sentiments in this set.

Jar of Love is a gorgeous set that reminds me of another set we had a while back. I wanted this card to not be quite so pretty pretty, so that it could be used for a male Birthday, should the need arise. I think I achieved it …. just. 

This next card was inspired by a swap that I received on the Incentive Trip from Susie Wood, a fellow Demonstrator. I loved how she had used a rather bold print that would often put some off, in a small way, giving great clout in colour to this card. 

I saw a card just like this on the swaps board whilst onboard, but sadly have no idea who it was that created it. The person who had previously designed it, had a dark background with the sentiment stamped and embossed with the gorgeous Copper Embossing Powder. I loved the layout of this card. 

I hope you've enjoyed seeing what we recently made. They are fun days shared and I look forward to holding my next, which will be of a Christmas theme on both 24th September and 1st October. You can find out more and RSVP to either of these events HERE. 

All of these products can be purchased through my online store, but remember to use my Club Code at check out to receive a little gift from me. 

Enjoy your weekend

Mikaela x

Endless Birthday Wishes completes my Stamp-a-Stack of Birthdays

With everything else that has been going on, it's taken me until now to share this final card from my Stamp-a-Stack of Birthday's event. 

Suitably named, this card made use of the Endless Birthday Wishes Stamp Set that has an abundance of sentiment opportunities, along with the Birthday Bouquet Designer Series Paper and the Party Pop Up Thinlit Dies.

I wasn't sure about putting the Ice Cream papers with Cake, but then memories of my childhood birthday parties, Ice Cream and Jelly played a very big part before the cutting of the cake. My Birthday cakes were always half blue and half pink, since I share my Birthday with my Brother, who's 4 years older than me.

I felt that the ladies needed just one card using these Pop Up Dies, so they had the option to leave the middle of the card blank, or add this pop up inside.

It's a real celebration card and one I feel sure the recipient would love on their mantelpiece. 

Well there you have it … the abundance of cards that were the Stamp-a-Stack of Birthday's - Six designs,Twenty four cards, a day of crafting fun, materials left over to take home and create yet more and all for just £30!!

If you'd like to hear news of my next Stamp-a-Stack event, so that you have the opportunity to book onto it and join me, then do get in contact. Come with a friend or come to make new ones … you'd be welcomed either way.

Hoping you've enjoyed seeing these shares …. So, Did you have a favourite? 

Mikaela x

Number of Years for both Men and Women

I swear Stampin' Up! knew how much I needed a stamp set like this this year.

Even since my last post using this set, where I mentioned how many Milestone Birthday's that I know of in our close circle of friends and family, it's increased further. I am literally hearing of more day by day. 

This card appeared to be just as popular with the ladies who recently attended my All Day Stamp-a-Stack event. They could tailor the card to whomever they wished it for, making it a Birthday or Anniversary, with or without numbers. 

For those who like a touch more shimmer, I was showing them how lovely the numbers look when a Wink of Stella is added (not that I had added it here).

One of my ladies went home a very happy lady, as we won this entire bundle as part of the Raffle that I held. She was truly delighted, but then I'm not surprised at all … it's a gorgeous Bundle and one that you can purchase with a 15% discount by buying in as a bundle. 

Being predominately floral, I wanted to show the ladies how you could also use the set to create a masculine card also. 

Just use the flower heads on their side and in a line and you have a spotty line … simple effect and something a little different and using the same colours that were on the table for the feminine card too.

I do believe that tomorrow's share will be the last in the line up of Birthday cards that we made, so be sure to pop back and see that final one.

Happy Stampin'

Mikaela x