Traveler Happy Father's Day Card

by Joanne James11. June 2014 21:17

With Father's Day coming up this weekend, I thought I should share a few more suitably themed cards with you for anyone in need of last minute ideas! Today's card has both something old and something new - here's my card:

I used Soft Suede for my card base, then created a simple central panel by stamping the globe image from the new Traveler stamp set in Versamark and heat embossed in gold embossing powder. I created a mask for the globe using a piece of scrap cardstock, then carefully sponged in the colours on the globe using sponge daubers and Island Indigo, Garden Green and Encore Gold inks. Here's a close up of the central image:

This is one of those cards that looks so impressive in real life and the colours are really vibrant against the gold. I then matted this panel on some brushed gold cardstock and finished the card by stamping the 'Happy Father's Day' sentiment from the Delightful Dozen stamp set (it's on the retiring list) and heat embossing in gold, then stamping it in Versamark again slightly offset to create a shadow and add some depth to the card. I also created a slightly altered version of the same card, this time stamping the sentiment on a piece of Island Indigo to inject a little more colour - browns have their place, but I don't believe that just because cards are for men, they shouldn't have some brighter colours too.

These cards would work equally well for a male birthday or other masculine card with a change of sentiment; or maybe even a graduation or travel-themed card. That's all from me today; back tomorrow with another card. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

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Cards | Stamping

This Week's Wednesday Deals Are Here!

by Joanne James11. June 2014 08:34

It's Wednesday (already!) so that means a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! This week's deals are included below - they will be available for one week only, before a new collection of deals is announced.

As always, if you want to take advantage of any of the deals on offer, you can support my business by placing your order online by clicking here or using the link to my store on the right hand side of my blog page where it says 'Shop Online' or with me in person. Don't forget to add the Hostess Code for June (you can find this under the 'Shop Online' section on the right). 

Here's a summary of this week's one-week only Wednesday deals - click on each item to go to the online store to purchase:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

More lovely Designer Series Paper on offer this week and silver glimmer paper - who can resist a bit of sparkle?!

Back later with today's creative post; until then, happy shopping!

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Promotions | Shop Online

Project Life By Stampin' Up! Is Here and Available From Today!

by Joanne James10. June 2014 20:08

At last - the much-anticipated launch of Project Life by Stampin' Up! is here! You may remember me telling you a while ago that Stampin' Up! had entered into partnership with Becky Higgins, creator of Project Life, to offer an exclusive range of Project Life scrapbooking and journaling products - you can refresh yourself on the content of my previous post here. I'm very excited about this new venture, as it totally suits me and my way of life - I take hundreds of photographs each year and really want to capture my thoughts along with them, but don't have the time to create beautiful and detailed 12" x 12" scrapbook layouts each time. Project Life was made for me - a busy mum of two - and you too!

This pocket-based system of scrapbooking with lots of pre-printed pocket cards and fun embellishments mean that it is really easy to put a page together in super quick time and the Project Life range is definitely leading the way as far as memory-keeping is concerned. As a Stampin' Up! demonstrator I have been able to order these items in advance and whilst I haven't had the opportunity to put a page together yet, I have opened the box of cards and accessory kit already and take it from me, they are gorgeous - I can see lots of cardmaking possibilities with them too!

The new Stampin' Up! 2014 Annual Catalogue available here on 1st July will offer a complete Project Life product line with additional journaling card and accessory sets for every possible theme and life event you can imagine (weddings, babies, children, travel), but the range that has been pre-released today is as follows:

 

To get started

  • Photo pocket pages - a pack of 12" x 12" pocket pages in a variety of layouts, but each with standard pocket sizes to enable easy construction. No cutting, scissors or glue required!
  • Pre-printed designer journaling cards - can be used portrait or landscape and are double-sided; you can create 2 pages at the same time if you want to! They also come in a handy, rather sturdy box that can be used to keep your cards, journaling pens and accessories together and to hand - talk about scrapbooking 'to go'!Corner punch - you can leave your cards and photos square, or round them using the punch - it's entirely up to you
  • Journalling pens - a pair of pens to capture your thoughts, notes and memories as you go - and lots more besides!

To really make your pages unique to you

  • Accessory Pack - lots of stickers and co-ordinating embellishments to enable you to add a little something to your basic journaling layouts.
  • Corner Punch - straight edges or rounded corners for your photos and journalling cards, or mix and match - it's up to you!
  • Stamps - sets of photopolymer stamps that include days and dates and lots of useful shapes and icons to bring your pages to life.
  • Framelits - a set of framelits to enable you to quickly and easily crop both photos, cards and labels in super-quick time.

 

The Project Life system works so well for young and old, novice or experienced scrapbooker and you can devote as much or as little time to it as you want and still be sure of great results: you can create quick and simple layouts or spend more time embellishing to your hearts content with the accessory packs or any other items from the Stampin' Up! range - because these ranges have been created exclusively for Stampin' Up!, you know they will fully co-ordinate with all your other Stampin' Up! crafting products - LOVE that!

I'm really looking forward to sharing my Project Life projects with you; if you can't wait to get started on your own, then click on the links below to purchase any of the pre-released items from my online store today. I've also included the links for a number of themed Project Life downloads that are available already in My Digital Studio. Watch this space for more details on my 'Introduction to Project Life' Classes that I will be running later in the year - you are not going to want to miss them!

Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

 

Project Life by Stampin' Up! Products Now Available to Purchase - just click on the photo to go to my online store:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

 

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Scrap Booking | Shop Online | Project Life

Get Well Soon Dad!

by Joanne James9. June 2014 23:10

Today I'm sharing a card I made using this week's sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch and the lovely colours at Colour Q:

 

 My Dad had a knee replacement operation last week and so I wanted to send him a 'get well soon' card that would brighten his day - here is my card:

I used a base of Night of Navy along with a mat in Tangerine Tango and using the sticking plaster from an old 2013 Sale-A-Bration set, Patterned Occasions (minus the attached sentiment), stamped it in the challenge colours and cut them out and adhered them to my card following the sketch layout. I coupled them with a simple 'get well soon' sentiment from the ever-so-useful Delightful Dozen stamp set (due to retire at the end of this month) and added a tiny Bashful blue heart punched with my trusty owl punch to finish.

I love the look of the stuck-on sticky plasters, which works so well with the get well theme - I'm sure my Dad wishes his knee could have been fixed that easily!

Back tomorrow with another card; until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

Smile - My First 2014-15 Annual Catalogue Sneak Peek!

by Joanne James9. June 2014 11:18

Happy Monday lovely blog readers! Lots to do this week, but the sun is shining so all is good with the world! Today I am sharing my first 2014-15 Annual Catalogue 'sneak peek' with you - yay! Whilst there is some sadness as we say goodbye to the old catalogue - and I'm not done with it yet! - there is also the excitement of the new and today's clean and graphic card contains a little of both.

Today's card is this week's entry for the 'Colour Me...!' challenge where we are working with monochromatic Coastal Cabana:

The card I'm sharing features one of the stamps form the new 'Traveler' stamp set that I was asked to demonstrate recently at the Stampin' Up! UK Regional training event in Telford recently. This set is a collection of old fashioned images with a travel theme and I must confess the first time I saw it I did wonder what I was going to do with it as 'vintage' really isn't my style and this isn't a set I would have selected by choice. Turns out I've had great fun with it, mostly creating unusual cards that are much more in keeping with my style; if you look at today's challenge entry you'll see what I mean:

This card uses a Coastal Cabana base, then the focal panel is a piece of white and Coastal Cabana-striped paper from the Fresh Prints DSP stack, onto which I've stamped the old fashioned camera in black stazon, coupled with the 'smile' sentiment from the retiring Happy Day stamp set - I will miss this stamp set so much! I then rounded the corners and matted onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock before adhering to my base. So a super simple design, but I think quite effective. Quite a modern take on such a vintage-looking stamp and it also makes the DSP look quite different when used in this way. The striped paper so reminds me of deckchairs! 

Whilst I was playing with this stamp and colour, I also created a co-ordinating card using a single central block:

Then inspired by the other striped paper in the Fresh Prints DSP stack, I created the same pair of cards in Real Red:

    

 

I like these too but the Coastal Cabana is my favourite! Hope you like today's sneak peeks - more to come in coming weeks! Don't forget the retiring lists are still active; if you're after the 'Happy Day' set, click on the link to the shop below as it will only be available until 30 June.

Back tomorrow with another 'blast from the past' card; until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

Dad You Make The World A Better Place

by Joanne James8. June 2014 21:36

This has been the busiest of weekends, with so much going on: we bought Ben a new bike as an early birthday present yesterday - it has become quite apparent as we've been cycling since this year that he had outgrown his previous one and the middle of August was such a long time to wait - and he doesn't seem to have been off it since, along with the usual homework, swimming and a special golden wedding anniversary party today. Not much time for crafting although I did make a quick card using this week's Mojo Monday sketch layout and Pals Paper Arts colours, so a really quick post from me to share it with you:

 

I haven't played along with Mojo Monday for a while and saw this sketch and had a few ideas of what to do with it and thought that this week's PPA colours would work well for a brighter masculine card. I must confess that things didn't come together quite how I planned though and with limited time I eventually settled on this card:

Some simple layers and patterns in So Saffron and Baked Brown Sugar and a pop of Pacific Point in the stamp from Starburst Sayings, echoed in the mat for the So Saffron panel with 'Dad' in a double-layer of sketched and outline alphabets. I made this card with Father's Day in mind and the thing I like most about the card is the sentiment - there are two James children in this house who absolutely would agree with this statement.

Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

Springtime Hello Friend

by Joanne James7. June 2014 20:55

Today I'm sharing the original card I designed for this week's challenge over at The Card Concept, which I also adapted for my Springtime Hello card class this week. Here is this week's challenge colour palette:

This card is quite different to my previous entry (you can see that card here); much more 'Classy and Elegant' this time around I think - here's my card:

I used Daffodil Delight for my card base and layered up from there. I dry embossed a piece of Basic Black cardstock with the Honeycomb embossing folder, then layered my main stamped panel onto this. I repeat-stamped the daisy stamp from the 'Springtime Hello' onto a piece of Watercolour Wonder DSP so that the panel would have a lovely washed background, and also stamped the text stamp from the retired 'French Foliage' set in Smoky Slate behind this, having stamped off twice first to give a very faint image. You could substitute this stamp with one from the 'Background Borders' set, which is currently reduced and still available on the retired list. I then stamped the bee and using my aquapainter, I washed white kraft ink over the bee's wings and the daisy flower petals to give a subtle hint of natural colour, whilst allowing the yellow of the DSP to show through. I finished with a piece of Basic Black 3/4" Chevron ribbon and heat embossed my sentiment fro the Six Sided Sampler set in black embossing powder onto a punched hexagon and popped it onto a dimensional.

I hope you like today's card; back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

D-Day 70th Anniversary - So Much To Be Thankful For

by Joanne James6. June 2014 09:00

Today marks the 70th anniversary of the Normandy Landings in World War Two, with the start of the invasion on the 6th June known as D-Day. There are commemorations taking place both at home and abroad today to remember those Allied personnel who lost their lives on this day and to recognise the bravery, commitment and sacrifices of those service personnel who fought during the war to free Europe from Nazi occupation.

So it seemed a fitting day to share with you a recent commission. I was asked to create some cards and gift boxes as thank you gifts for some teachers who had led a school trip to the World War Two battlefields recently. A red poppy, the traditional form of remembrance, is the star of this card:

I chose a simple Real Red background and created a layered border using Modern Medley DSP. I stamped the poppy from the 'Simply Sketched' hostess set in Black stazon onto Very Vanilla, then coloured using Real Red ink and my aquapainter, with a touch of Garden Green for the stem. I added the sentiment directly to the card base, and honestly didn't feel this card needed anything else. I also made a co-ordinating gift box using one of the kraft gift boxes available in the annual catalogue:

I covered in co-ordinating paper and made a tag with the same sentiment and poppy image on Very Vanilla and punched with my Scalloped Tag Topper punch, finishing with a 3/4" Chevron ribbon bow.

A lovely set to show appreciation and appropriate to share it on a day when we should all take time to remember the courage, bravery and sacrifice of our armed forces, of yesterday and today, who give of themselves in order that we may live relatively safe and secure lives. I for one, am thankful for that.

Back tomorrow with another project; until then, hapy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

 

Always and Forever Golden Wedding Anniversary Card

by Joanne James5. June 2014 21:30

Today I'm doing one of those things that is somewhat dangerous if you're a cardmaking blogger and your intended recipients follow your blog - I'm blogging a card before I've sent it! So Barbara (affectionately known as 'Aunty Barbie' to Rebecca!) if you're reading this before Sunday - look away now!!!

Sandie's theme challenge over at The Paper Players this week is to create a card around the theme of love, weddings or anniversaries, and as I made a golden wedding anniversary card this week for a very special couple, I couldn't resist linking it up to share it. Here is my card:

This card is a riot of gold products - 6 to be precise (or 7 if you count the gold Encore stamping inside, but that's mean because you can't see that!) Can you tell what they all are? I used Brushed Gold for my card base, then adhered a piece of Shimmer White cardstock to it, and a piece of gold Fancy Foil Designer Vellum to the top of that. I dry embossed the ampersand out of gold foil sheet and then fussy cut before adhering to my vellum top layer. I then made two flags out of Shimmer white card stock and heat embossed them with 'Always' and 'Forever' in gold embossing powder; these were both partial stamps from the 'This Day Forward' stamp set. I then popped the flags onto dimensionals and mounted them on opposing sides just touching the top and bottom of the ampersand. Lastly, I added a gold baker's twine bow and threaded this with a strand of gold sequins.

I think this card is just lovely - a fitting way to celebrate 50 years of marriage, which is some achievement in my book. Here's to Barbara and Bob and many more happy years together.

Back tomorrow with another card; until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

 

 

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Cards | Stamping

Fresh Prints Mixed Bunch Card

by Joanne James4. June 2014 10:13

Well Sunday's summer sunshine was definitely short-lived; the grey of yesterday has turned into steady and continuous pouring rain so far this morning - yuk! Still, today's card for the CAS Colours and Sketches Challenge will cheer you up I hope; this week it is a double challenge to use both the sketch and colour palette:

Firstly, a quick thank you to the ladies over at CAS for choosing me as one of their winners last week (you can see my winning card here). Someone I asked me recently how I get on with my challenge entries, as I don't often post the outcome here. I sometimes post a win on my Facebook page but the one place I try and keep track of all my wins is my Pinterest board here - so if you're ever interested to see my growing badge collection, pop on over and take a look.

Anyway, onto today's card! I used a piece of paper from the Fresh Prints DSP stack as the inspiration for today's card - these stacks are great and I'm so pleased that there are going to be some new ones appearing in the forthcoming new annual catalogue. Here is my card:

I love this Orla Kiely-inspired pattern - it always reminds me of flower stems, so it seemed appropriate to use a statement flower as my focal point in place of the arrow on the sketch and what better than that old favourite, Mixed Bunch (staying for next year's catalogue - hurrah!) I used Coastal Cabana for my card base and layered my DSP strip on a mat of Real Red cardstock. I then stamped my flower in Real Red ink on Whisper White, punched it out with the co-ordinating Blossom punch (got to love a matching punch!) and backed this with another flower punched from Baked Brown Sugar cardstock, which I offset slightly so that you could see it through the gaps of the petals of the top flower. I finished my flower with an in-colour Boutique Details in Coastal Cabana; it's not often I dip into my pot of these, but it provided the perfect finish to my bold flower here. Lastly, I added my 'Yippee Skippee!' sentiment from the stamp set of the same name in red to the card base.

A clean and simple card that could be used for lots of occasions and brings the challenge colours together nicely. I am also going to link my card up with the challenge over at 'Less is More' this week where the challenge is to use two different stamp sets; pretty good, considering there are only two actual stamped images on the whole card!

Back tomorrow with another card; until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

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Cards | Stamping

Mini Catalogue

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About Me

Hi I'm Joanne and live in Northampton and when I'm not looking after my husband and two beautiful children, am an avid crafter with a passion for all things Stampin' Up!

I must confess that I have never been a big rubber stamper - until I discovered Stampin' Up! that is. I love the fact that I can get such great results with co-ordinating stamps, inks, papers and punches - the possibilities are endless! Join me on my stamping journey as I share the things I love and be inspired to create amazing things yourself!

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This is my personal blog and is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up! I hope you find it a plentiful source of ideas and personal inspiration but please don't copy my designs for contest submission or use for classes, publication or sale without express permission.