Today it's time for a new challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary and this week we have a colour combination for you:

I thought this colour combination was quite an unusual one and I did spend a lot of time working out what to do with it! Eventually there were two things that set me off on the path that led to today's card: one was the desire to use a piece of the coloured Color Me Irresistible Specialty Designer Series Paper and the other was this card by the lovely Connie Babbert! I loved the layout of Connie's card and knew when I saw it that it would be perfect for what I had in mind - here is the end result:

I decided to use Hello Honey for my card base and make a feature panel of the Color Me Irresistible paper - this paper is quite dramatic but the hint of pattern and combination with the other two challenge colours worked perfectly. A few layered Botanical Builder flowers and a happy birthday sentiment from the 'Tin of Cards' stamp set, finished with a black satin ribbon bow, finish my card. I just love the flower combinations that you can achieve with the Botanical Builder Framelit Dies - in addition by sponging the centres and edges and adding feathered lines using the tip of your Stampin' Write marker, as I did on the largest of the blooms on today's card, it's easy to create beautifully realistic and dimensional flowers. 

Here is today's visual summary for easy reference:

Do visit the other Design Team members to see what they did with this week's colours; there's lots of inspiration over on their blogs too!

Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Today I have a card to share for the current challenge over at Fab Friday, where they have a great sketch to play along with:

I decided to use a set that I haven't previously inked up for my card today - the lovely 'Welcome Words' - to make a card that I've always wanted a sentiment for. Take a look and you'll see what I mean:

This stamp can be used for all kinds of welcomes - new homes, new team members, new babies, new year - and also to welcome new neighbours to your street, an idea that I just love! For my card I decided to use the horizontal panel for my 'welcome' and create a custom background by repeat stamping the little trio of houses across my background panel in Memento Black and then colouring them with my Stampin' Write markers. I was somewhat inspired by the colourful houses of Tobermory in Scotland - here's a photo of them, image courtesy of the Cafe Fish that you can see on the right of the picture:

Image courtesy of: www.thecafefish.com

I love those houses painted in bright, primary colours and whilst it's nothing like the houses in my street, decided that this would make a bright and cheerful welcome card for a new neighbour. I added a retired speech bubble paperclip for my embellishment with a little red heart punched from my Confetti Border Punch in the centre. Similarly, I used some retired scraps of Brights designer series paper for the banner flags and I used a metallic doily for the semi-circular element. The colourful outside is then continued onto the inside of my card to complete the sentiment:

This stamp set is one that could be easily overlooked in the current seasonal catalogue, but actually has lots of creative possibilities and is especially useful for clean and simple cards. I especially love the bright primary colours of this card - very me!

Here's today's visual summary for easy reference:

That's all from me today; I've had a day of housework and errands today so am having a quiet evening before getting back to it all again tomorrow. Back then with a card for this week's new challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary where we have a fun colour challenge in store for you. until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Welcome Words Photopolymer Stamp Set	Many Marvelous Markers	Pacific Point A4 Cardstock	Real Red A4 Cardstock	Whisper White A4 Cardstock
Brights Designer Series Paper Stack	Metallic Foil Doilies	Banner Triple Punch	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

It's Wednesday and you know what that means: a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! These offers are valid for one week only. As always, a new collection of deals will be announced next Wednesday.

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 new Hostess Code for March XDZGYVJC if your order is under £150 and be sure to make sure that you don't check the 'no contact' box if you'd like to be kept updated with the progress of you order and receive a little thank you in the post from me. 

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:

Chalk Talk Framelits Dies

Decorative Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

Neutrals Envelope Paper

Perfect Pennants Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Some old favourites here - if you've had your eye on them and been waiting for the opportunity to grab a bargain, this could be it!

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

Firstly, Happy Saint David's Day to any fellow Welsh bloggers or blog readers! I have had a busy day of classes today, with the first of my technique classes this month this morning and my Project Life memory keeping class this afternoon. I'm not so organised that I had an early blog post for you; my card was made,I just fell asleep at my laptop yesterday evening before I could schedule it! Today's card is for the 300th challenge over at Just Add Ink where they have this sketch as inspiration this week:

I saw this sketch and knew it would be perfect for a card that I've had in mind for a while using my Sunburst Thinlits Die - take a look: 

I wanted to create an Easter card with a sunburst behind a cross; how to make my cross though? I decided to try and make one using a sunburst, by squaring up the edges and cutting away the diagonal sections. Here's a work in progress picture that shows you how I cut it:

I hope that is helpful. I ran my cross through my Woodgrain embossing folder to add some texture and make it stand out against my super-CAS background of So Saffron and Pear Pizzazz. I allowed my sentiment strip to overhang the width of my paper slightly and made my own sentiment using the stamps in the 'Crazy For You' stamp set, masking off letters where not needed until I had my phrase. The Alphabet Rotary Stamp would also allow you to create something similar. I added a gold button, a twist of retired Tangelo Twist satin ribbon and a sprinkling of Pumpkin Pie sequins to finish my card. This is a great Easter card that can be made using entirely non Easter-specific supplies, which is always useful. What do you think of my cross idea? I'd love to know whether you think this works - do leave me a comment with your thoughts below. 

Here's today's visual summary for easy reference:

That's all from me today; I'll be back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Sunburst Thinlits Die	Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Big Shot	Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad	Soft Suede A4 Cardstock
So Saffron A4 Cardstock	Pear Pizzazz A4 Cardstock	Pumpkin Pie A4 Cardstock	Brights Sequin Assortment	Crazy About You Photopolymer Stamp Set
Whisper White A4 Cardstock	Gold Basic Metal Buttons