Today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where it's time for a recipe challenge:

I feel like I need to start off with an apology for the sheer amount of different stamp sets and general bits and pieces that I've used on today's card! The truth is, I pulled out everything I had that fitted the recipe ... then used most of it on my card! Take a look:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

Blue Birthday Wishes - I couldn't resist the colours over at Global Design Project #GDP257 this week - they were my favourite colour duo that I used for the last AYSI Challenge, with the addition of Misty Moonlight, so I decided to use them on my card for this challenge, but this time to create a card that was anything but Christmas, even though it does use some seasonal product. I used the sketch at Paper Craft Crew for my layout, where the oval was perfect for showcasing a birthday 'B' from the Monogram Messages set. 

Butterfly Gala Beauty - I originally intended to use the little butterfly in the Monogram Messages set for my butterfly, but it was too small. Instead I went for a layered butterfly from 'Butterfly Gala', with one punched in Balmy Blue Glimmer Paper for a sparkly base and then another stamped in Misty Moonlight and clear embossed on vellum, with the detail coloured with Highland Heather Blends and embellished with a Balmy Blue Gilded Gem - so pretty:

Recipe Check and An Inside Finish - So that has birthday sentiment and butterfly covered, along with both diecut (stitched shapes oval) and punch. The circles were courtesy of the bokeh dots from another butterfly stamp set, 'Beauty Abounds'; I stamped them tone-on-tone in Highland Heather on my card base, and carefully went over each one with my clear Wink of Stella pen for extra sparkle. For my DSP I used a strip of Balmy Blue/Highland Heather watercoloured paper from the Snowflake Splendor pack, and overlaid it with some polka dot tulle ribbon (more circles!). That was my recipe complete - and as if I didn't have enough out on my desk already, I added a sentiment from yet another stamp set, 'So Sentimental', for my inside greeting:

A twine bow and some blue gilded gems as well, I really went to town with this card - you can only imagine the state of my desk when it came to clear up time!!

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

 A pretty result though that show the versatility of these colours I think too. An interesting challenge for me too - I've decided I don't use butterflies much on my cards these days, so I really need to try and use them more often!

Here's a summary of our challenge rules:

• Create any card, scrapbooking page, 3D project or packaging   project that fits the challenge.
• Please include the challenge graphic and link back to the challenge in your blog post. Turn off word verification so we can leave you lots of lovely comments. Make sure you link the post not the whole blog to the Linky. Use #AYSIXXX when uploading to a public gallery.
• If you’re unsure about ‘the rules’, check the details under the Challenge Guidelines tab on the As You See It Challenge homepage.

We look forward to seeing your creations in the AYSI gallery.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

MONOGRAM MESSAGES CLING STAMP SET (£19.00)	STITCHED SHAPES DIES (£28.00)	BUTTERFLY GALA PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (£20.00)	BUTTERFLY DUET PUNCH (£17.00)	BEAUTY ABOUNDS CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (£21.00)
BANNERS PICK A PUNCH (£21.00)	BLUE ADHESIVE-BACKED GEMS (£7.50)	BALMY BLUE GLIMMER PAPER (£4.75)	SNOWFLAKE SPLENDOR DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (£10.75)	WHISPER WHITE 5/8" (1.6 CM) POLKA DOT TULLE RIBBON (£7.00)
WINK OF STELLA CLEAR GLITTER BRUSH (£7.50)	HIGHLAND HEATHER A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	HIGHLAND HEATHER CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)	MISTY MOONLIGHT A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	MISTY MOONLIGHT CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)
WHISPER WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (£9.00)	CLEAR STAMPIN’ EMBOSS POWDER (£5.50)	VELLUM A4 CARDSTOCK (£9.25)	STAMPIN' BLENDS HIGHLAND HEATHER COMBO PACK (£8.50)	FLOWERS FOR EVERY SEASON RIBBON COMBO PACK (£9.25)

Today I'm sharing a card for the current challenge over at Fusion where I used both the sketch and inspiration photo for my card:

Given that it features butterflies, it's also my second link up with Stamp Ink Paper this week. My card turned out to be a more literal interpretation of the Fusion brief than I'd intended - take a look:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

A Quick Butterfly Wreath - My original plan was to create a wreath of layered diecut butterflies using the tiny butterflies in the Butterfly Beauty Thinlits set that I used on other cards that I shared with you earlier this week, however when I put it together the butterflies were a little too small and overwhelmed by the overall proportions of my card. As I was browsing my collection of patterned papers to decide what to use for the horizontal banner, I came across some leftover Botanical Butterfly paper from Sale-A-Bration. I punched out some small butterflies using my duet butterfly punch (this is finally back in stock now in the UK - hurrah!) and they were the perfect size for my project. I love the realistic details on each and because all I did was punch the out the effect took no time to create; perfect! I then used a plain piece of So Saffron cardstock for the horizontal panel to tie in with the colours. 

Wood Textures - I used a piece of Wood Textures designer series papers for my background, inspired by the door in the Fusion photo. I recall when I saw these papers unveiled at an Onstage event a couple of years ago, a fellow demo friend Karen was in raptures about them and all the awesome projects she could imagine making with them. I remember thinking she was mad, as I didn't think they were something I would use much - how little faith I had! As it turns out I've used these papers lots in my crafting and will be sad to see them go when they retire next month - yes, I have stocked up and suggest you do the same too!

Textured Textures - Whilst it's difficult to see in the photo, I added extra texture and interest to my Wood Textures DSP by running it through my BigShot with the Pinewood Planks embossing folder before adding to my card. This is something I often do if I'm using this paper for a background - it adds a lovely tactile dimension and interest to an otherwise simple card.

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another project for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players where I am hostess this week and I have a fun colour palette for you! Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Beauty Abounds Cling Stamp Set (£21.00)	Butterfly Duet Punch (£17.00)	Pinewood Planks Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (£9.25)	Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack (£10.25)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)	Basic Black A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	So Saffron A4 Cardstock (£8.00)

Today I'm sharing a card for the current challenge over at Stamps Ink Paper where they are all about winged things this week:

After I made this card for our challenge over at The Paper Players on Sunday, the frugal crafter in me couldn't bear to throw away the rectangle of foil that I cut my butterflies for the pop-up out of, so I save it, along with the inset pieces, and diecut more black butterflies using the large die in the Butterfly Beauty Thinlits set and created a second card by piecing together my offcuts - take a look:

Once I'd pieced the whole thing together, I added some ribbon and sequins beneath my sentiment banner then decorated the inside of my card with the co-ordinating Beauty Abounds stamp set:

The paper-piecing here was something of a labour of love, but that Lovely Lipstick foil is just too pretty to allow any of it to go to waste!

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Beauty Abounds Cling Bundle (£51.25)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)	Basic Black A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Black 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Satin Ribbon (£6.50)
Lovely Lipstick 1/8" (3.2 Mm) Grosgrain Ribbon (£5.50)	Silver Mini Sequin Trim (£5.50)	Lovely Lipstick Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack (£8.50)

Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's the turn of the fabulous Jaydee to host this week and she has a fun theme challenge for you to work with:

Cards for friends are the best kind to make and I had a few different cards made that fitted this theme, but decided to share a special card that I made for one of my best friends who is celebrating a milestone birthday next month. This card is also perfect for the #SUOC222 celebratory theme over at SUO Challenges this week. My card is is bright, sparkly and features one of her favourite things - butterflies. First of all, here's the outside:

A selection of butterflies, loosely watercoloured in Melon Mambo and Lovely Lipstick and painted with Wink of Stella, along with the bokeh stamp from the Beauty Abounds stamp set, were flicked with ink and white shimmer paint, along with a liberal sprinkle of white metallic sequins form the basis for the background to my extra-large cardfront (it measure 15cm x 21cm) which provide a colourful background for my focal sentiment, which I accented with some layered diecut butterflies cut using pieces of the main large die in the Butterfly Beauty Thinlits set.

The Beauty Abounds stampset has such great sentiments for friendship cards; this one is completed on the inside of my card along with a fun pop-up surprise:

My simple pop-up includes the whole of the large butterfly thinlit, layered in black over Lovely Lipstick foil (ssaved from Sale-A-Bration). Difficult to photograph well, but it's really impressive in real life and I know my friend will love it! I added the second part of the sentiment; ours is indeed a friendship over many years, that started with the birth of our first babies but has grown in to something much more - it is not that one thing but a million little things that keep it going as the years go by.  I included some sparkly numbers (there comes a time when a milestone birthday is worth celebrating but does not necessarily need to be seen on the front of the card in my view!) along with a little more decoration and a birthday sentiment from the 'Beautiful Day' set that the watercoloured butterfly on the front also came from. 

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my Product and 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Before you reach for your ink and papers, check out what our amazing team has created to inspire you this week:

You can see all of my 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Enjoy your day; we had a busy day yesterday with sport and a quick shopping trip for new school shoes for the youngest of the James Juniors who seems to be having a major growth spurt this year, (no blog post as I got too engrossed in a movie about Ted Bundy that I was watching last night and struggled to multi-process) so are looking forward to a slightly quieter one today, which will culminate with the final episode of the current season of 'Line of Duty' on TV tonight; any of my UK readers also looking forward to this 'who dunnit?' finale? We are also lucky to have a public holiday here in the UK this weekend, so will be making the most of the extra day tomorrow even though the weather is no great shakes - it's cold and showery and we even had hail yesterday! I'll be back then with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Beauty Abounds Cling Bundle (£51.25)	Beautiful Day Clear-Mount Stamp Set (£20.00)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)	Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies (£28.00)
Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Melon Mambo A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Lovely Lipstick Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Basic Black A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Metallics Sequin Assortment (£4.75)
Silver Metallic Thread (£3.25)	Watercolor Paper (£4.75)	Aqua Painters (£16.00)

Today I'm sharing a card for this week's colour challenge over at Just Add Ink:

I've not managed to play along with this lovely group for a couple of weeks but when I saw this week's fabulous bright colour palette I couldn't resist! I decided to go for a bold design to really make the most of all that colour and used my Butterfly Beauty Thinlits Dies for the very first time - take a look:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

A Blended Background - I wanted something with lots of colour for my background but not too much detail so as to detract from the butterflies, so decided to use the two lightest colours and apply them using a sponge dauber in a circular motion until the colours were blended and covered the whole layer. I used Shimmery White cardstock for my base; I find this helps the colours blend better and I also love the subtle shimmer it adds to the card. 

Butterfly Beauties Indeed - I loved these butterflies the moment I saw them and I've had them for months, so I'm not sure why it's taken me so long to get them out of the packet as they really are gorgeous and the star of the show for sure on today's card. I used both of the large dies and layered them together, with a smaller layered butterfly to anchor my sentiment; the set rally is choc-full of butterflies in all shapes and sizes though - lots of creative possibilities. I'm so glad these are carrying over into the main catalogue as it will give me lots more opportunities to play with them. Just a quick reminder that whilst both the Beauty Abounds stamp set and the Butterfly Beauty Thinlits Dies are carrying over, the 10% bundle discount price will not, so if you want to take advantage of that you need to order before the new catalogue goes live on 4th June.

Friendship Abounds - The dies in the Beauty Abounds bundle are rather spectacular, but the stamp set is rather special too: alongside some generic sentiments, it has two great pairs of sentiments that are just perfect for that special friend in you life. The one I used on my card today finishes on the inside with '...out of a whole world of people' (I forgot to take a photo so you'll have to take my word for it!!) How lovely is that?

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Enjoy your day. I'm early posting for a change and mine is shaping up to be a busy one. and I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Beauty Abounds Cling Bundle (£51.25)	Blueberry Bushel A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Blueberry Bushel Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Coastal Cabana A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)
Pineapple Punch A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Pineapple Punch Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Sponge Daubers (£4.75)	Shimmery White A4 Cardstock (£8.25)

It's Wednesday and finally I feel like I'm turning a corner and kicking my cold into touch! Onwards and upwards! Today I'm sharing a card for the current colour challenge over at Fab Friday where they have this lovely colour palette that really appealed to me:

I've also been carrying this sketch around in my head for a while (I think it's an old CAS(E) This Sketch layout) which seemed perfect to highlight the floral boughs in one of my new stamp sets - take a look:

Here's the low-down on today's card:

Beauty Abounds - The 'Beauty Abounds' stamp set is bundled with the Butterfly Beauty Thinlits Dies; these are so beautiful, they kind of steal the show as far as this bundle is concerned so I wanted to make a card that deliberately highlights this stamp set, which has so much going for it in its own right. Along with a couple of butterflies (you can see one of them that I used to decorate the inside of my card below), there is this fabulous floral bough that can be stamped on its own or stamped and coloured as I've done on my card here, using a combination of my Stampin' Write Markers and Stampin' Blends in each of the challenge colours, along with some useful background stamps: two sets of bokeh dots and a splatter-type stamp, which I used to add some faux-texture and a hint of Blushing Bride colour to my card base. 

It's A Wrap - I wanted to accentuate the challenge colours and my graphic design so used lots of layers on my card and I could have just left my card with the floral panels as the main focus. I wanted to add the first part of the sentiment to the front of my card, but didn't want to obscure the floral detail. The solution? I stamped my sentiment and heat embossed my sentiment in black on vellum and created a wrap so that it was clearly visible, without detracting from the detail of my floral panels. This is one of my favourite ways to use vellum on a card and since this fits the current challenge over at Stamps Ink Paper I'm going to link up there too.

Thank You For Being A Friend - The other reason I love this stamp set is for the wonderful friendship-themed sentiments that come with it (yes, I hope now you're reading this you are humming the classic Andrew Gold theme tune to The Golden Girls too!) What starts on the front of my card on the vellum band, completes on the inside:

Isn't that just the loveliest sentiment? Perfect for a 'just because' card for your bestie! There are a few other great sentiments in this set too, along with a few generic thanks/hello type greetings that work for other types of card. 

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

You can see all of my 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

It's a lovely sunny day here in the UK so I'm looking forward to going to watch the youngest of the James Juniors play in his hockey match this afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Beauty Abounds Cling Stamp Set (£21.00)	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Grapefruit Grove A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Lovely Lipstick A4 Cardstock (£8.00)
Basic Black A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	In Color 2018–2020 Stampin' Write Markers (£13.75)	Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Lovely Lipstick Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack (£8.50)	Subtles Stampin' Write Markers (£27.50)
Vellum A4 Cardstock (£8.25)	Black Stampin' Emboss Powder (£4.75)	Versamark Pad (£8.25)	Embossing Buddy (£5.50)