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Christmas Cards, so easy a four year old could do them!!

These cards were super simple to do and my little boy just LOVES to craft!!

The background is stamped in silver with the gorgeous grunge set.

A piece of red tape was used to make the glittered line (I positioned the tape for him, this stuff is so sticky there's no room for error, when it's down it's down).

Take the plastic off the tape and cover with glitter use a scrap of paper to rub the glitter and make sure it sticks.

A few scrap pieces of silver paper (I cut these for him and he stuck them down).

Paper flower decoration

My poor Nan is in hospital and my little boy and I made this to cheer her up a bit.

The flowers are made with the blossom punch and the bottle is stuffed with some brown packing paper (which we all have loads of) shredded.

I'm not very good at flower arranging so I was very pleased with how this turned out.

Brayered Christmas

A brayered winter scene Christmas Card

This lovely Christmas scene was done using my brayer the lovely as a tree stamp set from Stampin' Up!

I love how it turned out and I made a little how to video which you can watch.

I used midnight muse for the background and chocolate chip for the tree. I used the glossy card stock, which sadly we must say goodbye to. It would work well with whisper white also.

Here is a closer look at the card.

If you want to buy the products to try this one out for yourself please contact me marianardone.mn@gmail.com you can also visit my site Maria Kitching Stampin' Up! where online ordering will soon be available. Woop! Woop!

Elegant Butterfly Card

Super simple card using the love blossoms stampin' around wheel.

The little bow is made from paper strips and it's finished with a pearl. I love the simple look which is emphasised even more with basic colours black and vanilla.

Sheer elegance!!

Bottle Tag

Wine Bottle Gift Tag

So my exam has passed, and hopefully so have I!

I just have to catch up on everything else that I put on hold so I can get some extra study time.

The boys nursery are having a fun day next week and they were asking for donations for a bottle stall and this seemed like a good time to get the ink out.

So I made this quick thank you gift tag to go along with it.

The colours are pool party and whisper white and it has a little brad and some linen thread.

Stamps used were hearts a flutter, En Francais and I also inked up a clear block too and added a few drops of ink. 

The 1 3/4" circle punch made the hole in the top so it hangs nicely over a bottle.

An apology about posts (or lack of them)

I'm so very sorry readers about the sparsity of my posts at the moment.

I'm studying for my degree, through the open university and I have an exam coming VERY SOON.

I will get back to more regular posts once my exam is done. The exam is on the 10th June and I have a lot of studying to do since I have not done very much all year.

Wish me luck!!

Home Decor Item

I loved this top hat but I had no idea what to do with it so I have turned it into a home decor item.

A few months ago I was inspired by an article in Craft Stamper magazine and I made the top hat which you can see in the picture.

I thought about putting a piece of ribbon through it and using it as a Christmas Tree Decoration but the way I had decorated it didn't really say "Christmas" to me.

It did make me think about Alice in Wonderland (and I happened to have a beautiful tea leaf tin) so I took some inspiration from that and this is where it led me.

I hope you enjoy! The pattern for the hat was one which came from craft stamper magazine, I had to alter it a bit but I love how this all turned out.

Please let me know what you think.



Blackboard Technique For Masculine Cards

Feeling Sentimental

The boy's nursery have asked me if I'd like to have a stall at the nursery fun day. So I was looking over what cards I have, trying to plan what I might like to make, and I have hardly any male cards.

I always find male cards so much more difficult to design and I know lots of other crafter's that say the same thing.

I was also shown the blackboard technique a few weeks ago at our Stampin' Up! Team Meeting and I've been itching to try it again. I love when I see a technique that I like and I actually have all the supplies I need so I can try it straight away.

I hope you like this one.

Oh Hello

I love this set!! It's become one of my favourite's and I've been using it quite a bit lately.

This card is using summer starfruit, midnight muse and calypso coral. The itty bitty buttons and some bakers twine.

Hope you like it.

Summer Silhouettes

This card was really easy to make. The colours are midnight muse with pool party, whisper white and natural white.

A bit of paper piercing and embossing with the polka dot embossing folder just adds that little bit more.

Waterfall cards

I had lots of fun making these waterfall cards and they were surprising simple to do.

I first saw these being made at a Stampin' Up! training event but there lots of videos and tutorials out on the net that are easy to follow.

This is the first time I've used Calypso Coral with Raspberry Ripple but I like how they work together. It's nice and vibrant and a change from the usual subtle pink for a new baby.

I also wanted something different since baby Ella is nearly 6 months now and I 've just got round to getting her a gift. My bad!

This is my husbands valentine card which was actually the first one I did and I was so pleased I did some more.

I also find with a new technique or idea that if I try it a few times all at once then the procedure tends to stick a bit more in my little blond brain. 

This one is using the fresh vintage designer series paper which was on offer last year for sale-a-bration. I loved these paper and I still turn to this stamp set often as it is a favourite.

More Direct to Paper Scenic Stamping

Summer Silhouettes

This was some more direct to paper and sponging which was done with the summer silhouettes set.

Colours are pumpkin pie, old olive, pool party and island indigo. The images were stamped using basic black.

The vintage wallpaper embossing folder was used for the background with island indigo card, and naturals white for the card base. The main image is mounted with old olive and there's a touch of pretty in pink in there too.

I really enjoyed making this card and this is a lovely stamp set.

Scenic stamping

Scenic stamping with direct to paper

I've been trying out the direct to paper technique this week. I think I need a bit more practise but I really enjoyed using this technique.

This is something I will definitely try again.



This one I tried using a bit more colour to create a scene. 

This one is done using the stampin sponges, rather than direct to paper. It was really quick and I think it was very affective.

Emboss Resist with Shimmer Paint

Emboss Resist Wedding Card

I'm back to the wedding theme again and this time I've used the shimmer paint for an emboss resist technique.

I stamped with the mixed bunch set in versamark and embossed with white embossing powder onto the bottom half of naturals white card stock.

I used a sponge dauber with the champaigne shimmer paint, applying using small circular motions.

Then I gave it a whisper white mount, a piece of whisper white satin ribbon (sadly that's been discontinued) and a naturals white card base.



The photo's don't really catch the sparkle.

Hope you enjoy.

Butterfly Wedding Invitation

Nice Invitation Ideas

A cute card that I made as some samples for possible wedding invitations.

I did a stepped up version of it too, with some texture on the background and a brad.

The background was done using the simply scored, scoring board so would be a great low budget idea for diy invitations for non crafters. The lovely antique brad makes it a bit more sophisticated.

Make your own wedding invitations

Wedding Invitations

Summer time is the preferred season, here in Scotland, to get married. Most of us Scots much prefer the warmer weather.

If you are having a summer wedding then now is a good time to start thinking about your invitations.

Have you considered making them yourself? It may be easier than you think.

Stamping is a great way to get a very good result with, dare I say it, very little skill. Stampin' Up! range of products make getting a professional finish very easy to achieve just by matching or co-ordinating your ink, paper and accessories your wedding invitations will look and feel professional and luxurious.



You could even hold a stampin' Up! event at home and use your hostess benefits toward the cost of your supplies.

Contact me today for more information marianardone@hotmail.com