Thursday 27 September 2007

Photo Cube


This is the last of Roz's work that I have to show you tonight. I might let you see more next week!
The photo cube has been created by attaching photos to cardstock and then using the Bind It All to punch holes along all edges. It has been bound together using cable ties. You could also try this with thread.
For durability you can include a layer of acetate over the photos or laminate before punching and binding.

Tag Book


This book has an acetate cover (snowflakes) over a double sided paper (We R Memory Keepers)

The inside pages are made from 6 x 12 pieces of double sided cardstock folded in half and then one corner is folded in to the center fold and stuck along the bottom edge to create the pocket. This gives you a one page pocket.

On the reverse of the pocket page you can attach photos or embellisments, etc.

The tags are made with cardstock and some have an acetate overlay. On the tags you can journal or attach photos.
We used 3 sheets of co-ordinating cardstock to make this book. It is bound using the Bind It All machine.

Roz's Creations


I know, it is a bit later than I promised but I have been busy getting ready for Alexandra Palace this weekend, we leave tomorrow morning to set up ready for Saturday and Sunday. So finally, here is some of the artwork that Roz created for us using the Bind It All machine. This is an acetate book. As you can see the pages are made by sandwiching the contents between 2 sheets of acetate.


The sheets of acetate are held in place with some eyelets and thread and then the whole book is bound together with the Bind It All.




Some of the embellishments are inside the acetate sandwich and others are on top to give it texture. The possibilities with this are endless.
On this book the acetate sandwich has been machine stitched to hold them together.
More projects to follow . . . .

Monday 24 September 2007

Delivery of stash

We often receive our deliveries from the US on a Monday and today was no exception. We received the latest Stampington (I think it was Stampers Sampler) and a box from Adornit by Carolees Creations containing some Christmas papers and some Halloween papers. Will try and get these up on the shop site tomorrow but if not I will definitely post some pics here.

Talking of Halloween Bailey's outfit arrived today, it is of a skeleton pirate (like the Pirates of the Carribean) and has a funny little hat that he kept putting on his head, he is going to look so cute. The new unmounted pirate stamps are due in next week so I will definitely be needing a set of those.

A lot of today was spent unpacking from Harrogate so apologies if you placed an order over the weekend it might not have been despatched today.

If you didn't make it to Harrogate you missed Roz (Lippy Chick) playing with the Bind It All machine. I will do my best to photograph her creations tomorrow so you can see why you need a Bind It All machine - so I've got quite a few things to photograph tomorrow.

As you can see my blog is quite basic looking so if there is anyone out there that pretty up this site for me it would be much appreciated. I'm not great at this internet technology except for shopping - that I have mastered no problem!

Thursday 20 September 2007

Harrogate

Well, tomorrow we are off to Harrogate so I probably won't have access to the internet over the weekend. Roz from Lippy Chick is demonstrating the Bind It machine for us all weekend and she has made some fabulous things with it so I will post up some pictures for you to look at next week. Hope to see you at the show and if not there is always Alexandra Palace next weekend.

Monday 17 September 2007

Luxe Designs

We have just received our first delivery of Luxe Designs papers, these are fabulous double sided papers. Unfortunately we didn't receive everything we ordered but here is a peak at what we did get. They will go up on the Stamp Addicts website tomorrow.

Pashmina







Hoodie







Cocktail Dress








Classic Black.

This is my boy Bailey noshing on a big piece of Yarg cheese. For the first year of his life he absolutely hated cheese, but now you can see he loves cheese and we had to wrestle it from his hands.

It isn't often we can find Yarg so we do buy a big piece when we can and Bailey helped himself to all of it. We finally managed to prize it out of his grubby little paws so we could all have a piece.

Saturday 15 September 2007

Saturday

Well, it has been an uneventful week, which is good because the next 3 are going to be hectic. I actually have the whole off this weekend off from work but as yet haven't planned to do anything. The kids have swimming lessons this morning so maybe we'll take them to the park and then spend the afternoon at home - family time Annabel calls it.

We finally got our delivery of the new K&Co Peppermint Twist yesterday, you can find it in the 'NewProducts' section. I also have high hopes for several new products and papers arriving on Monday from LA, some of these new products we ordered in July and we are still waiting - there is no sign of the Tim Holtz Crackle Paints yet.

We will spending most of next week getting ready for the Extravaganza show in Harrogate, Roz from Lippy Chick is going to be demonstrating for us so if you are coming to the show stop by and see what she is up to.

The following week is Alexandra Palace, where we have Kay Carley demonstrating on the Saturday.

You might not be able to tell yet, but all week we have been making minor adjustments and improvements to the Stamp Addicts website and increasing the product information wherever we can, these things take so long but we are getting there. Hopefully you will be able to see the improvements soon.

Enjoy your weekend.

Wednesday 12 September 2007

Design Team

Well we are starting to receive lots of lovely cards but not many scrapbook pages. Where are all the scrappers? Deadline is the 21st (next week). If you want to email your layouts please send to vicky@stampaddicts.co.uk. After we have chosen the design team I am planning to feature their layouts on here as well as their information. We are also thinking about setting up a Customer Gallery on the Stamp Addicts (www.stampaddictsshop.co.uk) website so if you want to send in any artwork using our stamps please address it to Vicky and we will try and include as many as we can.

Good luck.

Monday 10 September 2007

Crocs



I have always looked at people wearing Crocs and thought 'do you have any idea how silly you look?'. Well for my birthday back in July, Vicky kindly bought me this pair of Crocs and I promptly put them in the conservatory for use in the garden only.

Two months down the line and I can admit to having worn them out in public, they are sooooo comfortable. They are absolutely brilliant on long flights to the US. Normally I would slip off my shoes and socks and wear the socks provided, my shoes don't fit during the flight and are quite difficult to get back on when we land so I just pad around in airline socks for the duration. But because these are quite roomy and have lots of ventilation it was easy to slip them on and off so I didn't have to worry about getting wet socks from the bathroom floor (don't you just hate that on airplanes!).

So I confess to be a Crocs convert, I've heard they come in different styles, but the boots are only for children. They did feel a little bit strange at first and my husband still find thems uncomfortable but that's a good thing, these are mine all mine!

And the dog hasn't been able to chew through them but he is tempted because they are made of a similar product to some of his toys.

Go on - you know you want them!

Saturday 8 September 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

As September is our 15th birthday month we will be giving away lots of different free gifts, keep your eye on the 'products' section of our website where the free gifts will be featured. More will be added throughout the month.

I can't believe we have been going for 15 years, my 9th wedding anniversary is also next week so this is a celebratory month for me, not that we celebrate much. Over the years birthdays and anniversaries have become just another day but I think it is time to change that, we should celebrate these events in our lives and not just let them pass us by.

On that note we have also decided to make more of an occasion of halloween, it should be fun for the kids to dress up and go to halloween parties. So you will find in our store a small area dedicated to halloween and this includes pirates. Lesley has been making some halloween ATCs so come in and swap at our new ATC Trading Post. If you are throwing a halloween party we have just the stamps to make your invitations. The halloween paper stacks have been so popular we are having trouble keeping them in stock.
All I need to do now is find a good costume. When we had our last halloween party I used my wedding dress and dyed it purple (don't scream, I'm not planning to get married again and I couldn't bear to give it away so at least this way I got to wear it again). But now my former wedding dress is having another transformation for the fashion show so I can't wear it for halloween.
What I need is a quick trip to the US because they have huge stores dedicated to fancy dress costumes, and it just so happens I am going to New York at the beginning of October so I will start planning my shopping now.

Well I could ramble on for ages but I think I will leave it there for tonight.

Friday 7 September 2007

Help - Advice Needed

I need your help. I want to make our website www.stampaddicts.co.uk easier to use and navigate. I think we completely revamped the website about 3 years ago so a lot has changed. When we started the website we were mainly a Rubber Stamp company and this is reflected in the website. Scrapbooking has been a bit of an add on to the website.
We are slowly adding all the scrapbooking manufacturers we stock to our manufacturers list, but how else can we make it easier for you to find things?

I look forward to your suggestions.

Once Upon A Time




This is another layout from the DCWV class, using the Once Upon A Time and Metallic Stacks.
These photos of Bailey were taken while Annabel was at a gymnastics class and he was just running wild in the gymnasium. The tears are because we wouldn't let him climb the bars.

Nana's Kids


This is one of the layouts we made in the DCWV class using the Nana's Kids Paper Stack.
My children stopped in at the shop after swimming one Saturday morning and sat in my office to eat their giant sausage sandwiches.

Book of Boris


This is JKs first ever scrapbook page, the first page in her Book of Boris. Unfortunately little Boris was only with JK for a short time but long enough to have a big impact.

Thursday 6 September 2007

Julie Too (JH)


We have two Julies. You will find this Julie in the store on Wednesdays and Saturday. If you have just applied for membership then it is in the hands of Julie who loves anything Pink (I know not Purple, can you believe it!). She is also an avid stamper and loves ATCs, so much that the two Julies are setting up an ATC Trading Post so come in and swap with them.

Tuesday 4 September 2007

Julie (JK)



I thought you might like to meet Julie, Julie is our new shop manager. So if you phone up to place an order or ask a question it will probably be Julie that you speak to. She is an avid stamper and loves ATCs.

Monday 3 September 2007

Oooooh its Purple


We've had these for a while but today I finally got one out the box to play. And of course I chose Purple. This is a KomfyCush. The idea is if you go to crops with hard plastic chairs then this has built in cushions and the pockets on the side so you don't have to keep everything on the table. Isn't it so annoying when you have to keep moving everything on the table so you can use your 12" trimmer to cut a piece of paper.

We didn't receive anything else purple today but we did receive the new DCWV Rockstar and All Dressed Up paper pads, I haven't got them out of the box yet but once I do I don't think they will make it onto the website, we haven't got a huge stock and I think they will go really quick. I do have some pages I made at a DCWV class in July so on my Wednesday night crop I will add some photos and upload them for you to see. It was an amazing class, we made 11 double page layouts in 2 hours. I have never scrapped so fast in my life.

I'm now going to go and take the dog for a walk before he chews my ankle off.

Saturday 1 September 2007

Too Busy

We were so busy unpacking boxes of goodies today that I didn't get a chance to look through my photos. I keep most of my photos in my office at work because that is the only place I can scrapbook.
But I have planned a scrapbook night on Wednesday so if I don't get time beforehand I definitely have Wednesday night to play.

One exciting thing I did manage to do this week is book a trip for me and my husband to go to New York for 4 days in October - no children. I did go about 4 or 5 years ago on a business trip but this is not business, mainly Christmas shopping hopefully! Thats not to say I won't stumble across a scrapbook store and just have to check it out. One store we did find last time was Kate's Paperie which was filled with beautiful stationery, papers and ribbons but I do believe there are quite a few more stores now. I am already excited and we still have 6 weeks to go.

Hopefully tomorrow will be a fairly relaxing day but with my children I doubt it.