Stampin' Up!

As you know, I love a bit of crafting!  I may not be very good at it, but I like to have a go.  I particularly like to have a go at new activities and learn new skills.

In the past I've shied away from paper-crafts and card making.  I'm not really sure why...perhaps I thought they weren't to my personal taste or that there was too much equipment required.  But Stampin' Up! showed me how wrong I was!

Myself, Sabina, Fi and Jenny were invited along for a 'Stampin Up Day', and got to play with their lovely products AND have expert demonstrators on hand to guide us through some projects.

The first thing I noticed about the ranges of ink stamps and papers was the diversity - there really is something to suit every taste and style.  The second thing I realised was that although it would easily be possible to go a bit mad with the catalogue and buy all the cool tools and bits and bobs, ACTUALLY you can get great results with just some basic kit.  The quality is very good too, so you know that items such as punches and stamps are going to last.

I was pretty proud of my first ever handmade stamped card.  Of course, I'm a sucker for a bit of bunting, so this project was bound to appeal to me, but I also adore the whimsical little woodland creature stamps.

It was great to have an expert on hand to guide us and share little tips and tricks.  There was much concentration in the room, and thankfully the kids were being well looked after and entertained so us newbies could crack on.

Next up we made a greeting card for a new baby - always handy to have some of these at home!  Whilst it's not to my personal taste, I guess it's all about the recipient?

And finally, we all had a group tutorial and made a cute Easter bunny box for mini chocolate eggs.  Just look at him, ain't he a cutie?

Nice little derriere too.

While it was pretty labour intensive and I can't see myself making one for every member of my family, it certainly is a thoughtful way to present a small gift, and it was an absorbing project to make too.

The day has ignited a little spark in me, and I will certainly be hunting down my local demonstrator and buying a few bits of kit.

You can find your nearest demonstrator here or check out the Stampin' Up! Facebook page for lots of inspirational projects shared by their online community.

Special thanks to Stampin' Up and their PR for organising the event.

Disclosure:  I attended the workshop and received a goody bag.  All opinions are my own and are honest.