Shopping My Stash Sunday #3 - Men!

As I have said a million times I HATE don't like making mens cards! I always end up adding glitter or shimmer or just popping a couple of flowers here and there.

So Today as part of shopping my stash I have focused on making real manly cards. Without bling and glitter and flowers. I know a scary thought!

So I went through my stash. I was given quite a lot from my Auntie who was clearing though her craft room, in this was some outline stickers. I personally have only ever owned words as outline stickers but I think that shapes give the card a very masculine effect, as sometimes I think stamped images are quite typically feminine.

I then found a checked paper pad by paper cellar that I've must have owned for about 4 years so I decided to give it a bit more of a use as it screams masculine.

I also used my new Xcut oval dies, which I am very impressed with they give the same finish as my spell binders round dies but at half the price. (They are also 3 for 2 in Hobbycraft currently).  As well as some solid coloured papers from my stash.

For embellishments I used some Card Candi, some ribbon from The Works and some Paper cellar silver flat backs

This is what I came up with.

Hannah x 

Shopping My stash #2 - Chipboard!

This week I have created 3 more cards. I am still finding items from my 'free gift box'. This is where I store most of the items that are one use items from my Cardmaking and Papercraft Magazine.

I really enjoy the content and the ease of reading this magazine, but they also include some great free gifts!

This week I have incorporated many food based embellishments and papers this week, I found some kitchen style chipboards which came in the second issue I ever brought of the magazine so they are a good 3 years old!

I also used some pre printed images from the magazine and incorporated some papers from The Works ( which is my fast favourite for finding gems!) as well as some Do crafts collections.

Hannah x 

For My Dad...

As it was Fathers day this weekend I obviously made my Dad a Card!

Cards for some of the men in my family are not the easiest because they have no real hobbies! And this makes for a car, gardening or golf card to seem quite out of place, so to overcome this I decided this year I would focus on colour!

This card incorporated many bright colours which my Dad enjoys, I had seen a card almost identical to this but in neutral colours online a little while back, but for the life of me cannot remember who created it, so I apologise if it was you and I can't credit you!

I was so taken with the use of rounded corners combined with squared corners and buttons I knew I had to make one myself. I used brighter colours because I feel this was more fitting for the occasion and to what my Dad enjoys!



Products Used:

• 5x5 Base card
• Pay-per Pack Card
• Do crafts Dots and Stripes 8x8 paper in Festive
• Do crafts Dots and Stripes 8x8 paper in Bright
• Wooden button - from my stash 
• Cut out sentiment - from my stash 
• Corner rounder

Hannah x

Shopping My Stash - Brads!

Ever look at your hoard of craft items and think, some of this stuff I haven't touched in years? Well this is what happened to me. Being the sort of person that doesn't like throwing things away I have made it my goal to use these bits up!

So I started with brads.

This is the first 4 cards of the stash shopping. I also used some older papers and some new stamps and Eclips machine, as I found this was the easiest way to use things up is if you experiment with something new!

As I was a little out of my comfort zone but I don't think they are too bad!

Hannah x

Saving Money shopping - 85% saving

I have a new love in my life... Coupons! I have been hunting them down and looking for the best deals. There is no way I could large shops with tons of them, it would take way too long, but picking the bits up little by little I have made some successful savings. BUT remember its not a saving if it is not something you would not normally use!

Yesterday I went to Sainsburys to pick up a couple bits so here is a break down of what I got and Prices:

• John West Steam Pot - £2.69
• Shape peach and passionfruit yoghurts x2 - £1.50 each 

Total cost - £5.69

Of course I had a few coupons for this and there was some offers too, so these were what I had for savings:

• Sainsburys Brand match from previous shop - £1.32
• Sainsburys Brand match from previous shop - £1.00
• coupon £1 off any two shape yoghurts - £1.00
• Coupon £1 off any steam pot - £1.00
• Two for £2 on shape yoghurts - £0.50

Total of coupons/savings - £4.82

This meant that I got £5.69 worth of goods for a mear 87p! That 9p an item. As you will know I can't eat couscous but this was brought for my dad to try and from the machine I got another 50p steam pots and double nectar points on fuel, which is handy because I need to fill up! 

Why not give it a go

Hannah x 

11th Birthday Card

I had the challenge this week of creating another boy card! I am terrible when it comes to boy cards but I think I kept the ribbon and glitter under control (maybe!).


This card was for my Dads colleagues son, he was turning 11 and my Dad said he was at their house that day so I told him it would be rude not to take a card! (any excuse to get crafty!) I didn't have much time so I decided to spend more time colouring than paper layering but I think I'm happy with how it looks!

This is what I came up with:

Products Used:

• 5x5 Card base
• Paper Cellar 6x6 pad in 'Checks'
• Party Time Cling stamps in 'Cookie'
• A number of pro markers
• purple Card Candi
• stickles in 'Gold'
• Circles and Scalloped circles nestablities
• Blue Cardstock

Hannah x 

How do they do it?

It is a complete mystery to me how Ebay sellers in Hong Kong, China etc. offer products so cheap. I know they ship them straight from the factory but even with shipping these items were 99p each!  (The animal post-its were 4 for 99p). As an online retailer myself it really does amazing me considering how much we pay to ship products in the UK! surely that doesn't cover the costs of the fuel!

Either way why not take advantage of these great deals, particularly when you can collect nectar points too!

I'm not going to tell you everything you buy will be amazing quality but what would you expect really?

I have not yet been brave enough to buy clothes from these sellers but I have brought many stationary and other household items, most of which I've been very pleased with.

Today I wanted to share the post-it notes I purchased for my filofax, after looking for hours in shops I have always thought post it notes were overpriced, I don't like to pay much for paper I write on and throw away, so I gave ebay a shot and this is what I got.

Some of these sticky notes are slightly smaller than I imagined but that is not an issue, the main thing is they stick! I have brought many sticky notes in places such as pound shops and they don't stick to the paper you want them too!

What kind of things do you like to buy on ebay?

Hannah x