I have another post for you today with the details of a whole range of new Online Exclusives that launched last week - and the new kits for November too! Firstly, Online Exclusives! A reminder that you won’t find these products in any catalogue; they are available whilst supplies last - all from the convenience of the online store. 

There are 2 new suites. First up - the Otterly Adorable Suite:

This suite collection has otters, otters everywhere: playful otters on stamps, otter-shaped dies, otters frolicking on patterned paper, plus fun embellishments. It’s what you need to create aww-some cards and scrapbook pages.

The Otterly Adorable Suite Collection includes:

OTTERLY AMAZING PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (10% off)
* 10 photopolymer stamps
* Suggested clear blocks (sold separately): b, c, d, e

OTTERLY AMAZING DIES (10% off)
* 15 dies
* Largest die: 3-1/2" x 1-1/2" (8.9 x 3.8 cm)
* Use with a Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine
* Compatible with the Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine

OTTERLY ADORABLE 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER
* 12 sheets of patterned paper: 2 each of 6 double-sided designs
* Acid free
* Lignin free

LOST LAGOON SOFT CORDING
* Width: 1/8" (3.2 mm)
* Length: 10 yards (9.1 m)

RIVERSIDE IRREGULAR PEARLS
* 120 adhesive-backed pieces
* 40 each of 3 colours
* 5 mm, 6 mm
* Product colours: Gray Granite, Lost Lagoon, white

 

Use the Marbled Elegance Suite Collection for all your love-themed craft projects for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, weddings, and birthdays. Also available in French and German.

The designs in this collection are perfect for card making and gift packaging. Colour your cards with marbled paper or heart stamps. Customise the gift bags for each recipient with the sentiment stamps and add the gold thread for a glamorous touch.

The Marbled Elegance Suite Collection includes:

HEARTS OF ELEGANCE PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (10% off)
* 11 photopolymer stamps
* Suggested clear blocks (sold separately): b, c, d

HEARTS OF ELEGANCE DIES (10% off)
* 10 dies
* Largest die: 4-1/2" x 4" (11.4 x 10.2 cm)
* Use with a Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine

MARBLED ELEGANCE 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) SPECIALTY DESIGNER SERIES PAPER
* 12 sheets of patterned paper: 2 each of 6 double-sided designs
* Acid free
* Lignin free

GOLD TWISTED THREAD
* Length: 10 yards (9.1 m)

ADHESIVE-BACKED HEART SEQUINS
* 120 adhesive-backed pieces
* 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm
* Gold

GIFT BAGS COMBO PACK
* 16 stampable bags, 8 of each colour in 2 sizes
* Large bag: 4-1/2" x 5-3/4" (11.4 x 14.6 cm)
* Small bag: 3-5/16" x 3-11/16" (8.4 x 9.4 cm)
* Food safe

There are 4 new bundles: the Pretty Petals bundle:

 

The Pretty Petals Bundle includes the Pretty Petals Stamp Set and the Pretty Petals Dies.

Stamp, then cut out flowers and more flowers! The Pretty Petals Bundle has stamps and dies for creating small bouquets, big bouquets, and entire landscapes!

PRETTY PETALS PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET
How do you like your flowers? One delicate bunch? Or an entire blooming garden? With the Pretty Petals Stamp Set, you can create what you want! Make a mixed bouquet by stamping the greenery in one colour and large and small flowers in multiple colours. Or stamp images repeatedly to create a card background blooming with colour.
* 6 photopolymer stamps
* Suggested clear blocks (sold separately): b, d, e

PRETTY PETALS DIES
Cut out bunches of blooms without scissors! The Pretty Petals Dies cut out one large floral grouping. The smaller dies cut out individual greenery pieces and flower petals. Combine them to create a single flower, a small bouquet, or an entire floralscape.
* 6 dies
* Largest die: 2-5/16" x 3-1/16" (5.9 x 7.8 cm)
* Use with a Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine
* Compatible with the Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine

Our coordinated craft bundles save you time and money! Buy the bundle and save 10% off the price of buying the stamp and tool separately. Plus, bundles will help you quickly cut out stamped images for a single project or create multiples of the same project with ease.

The Umbrella Days Bundle:

Send sunny thoughts even on rainy days with the Umbrella Days Stamp Set. This stamp set features rain-themed images and thoughtful sentiments for condolences, thanks, and thinking-of-you cards. Lean into the rain theme and colour the line-art images with watercolours or use your favourite colouring technique.

* 7 cling stamps
* Suggested clear blocks (sold separately): b, d, e, h

Cling stamps from Stampin’ Up!
* Are premium rubber stamps.
* Have deeply etched images for excellent detail.
* Are pre-cut so you don’t have to trim them.
* Cling to clear blocks without slipping.
* Are repositionable—temporarily mount on clear blocks to stamp, then remove to store.
* Save space—one set of blocks (sold separately) works for all your cling and photopolymer stamps.
* Have images on the spine of the case for easy storage and quick reference.

The Cake Celebrations bundle:

The Cake Celebrations Bundle includes the Cake Celebrations Stamp Set and the Cake Celebrations Dies. Also available in German.

Celebrate any event in style with help from the Cake Celebrations Bundle! Stamp the glaze and floral decorations on your paper, then die cut using the cake tiers. Make the cake the background to your paper crafts and turn your sentiments into a centrepiece. Or stamp the whole cake on your card and add a banner to the top using the banner die. Whatever your decoration strategy, this bundle will help you make a decadent paper crafting dessert.

CAKE CELEBRATIONS PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET
Create scrumptious cakes with the Cake Celebrations Stamp Set! Whether you go with a one-tier wonder for a birthday card or dress up a wedding invitation with a two-tiered cake, this stamp set helps you decorate your paper crafts with cakes fit for any celebration. Use the fabulous icing details and decorative flora to detail your cake for an anniversary card. Or turn the celebratory sentiments into the focal point of your crafts. However you use it, this stamp set will help you make a card anyone will love. Just don’t forget the candles!
* 23 photopolymer stamps
* Suggested clear blocks (sold separately): b, c, h

CAKE CELEBRATIONS DIES
The Cake Celebration Dies are a great way to get friends and loved ones excited about birthdays, anniversaries, life milestones, and more. Use these dies to make a sweet cake the focal point on your cards. Or build an epic multitier cake—complete with a frosting glaze!—for major event invitations. The banner, cake stand, and floral decorations can help you add that extra special touch for an extra special paper craft.
* 14 dies
* Largest die: 2-3/16" x 1" (5.6 x 2.5 cm)
* Use with a Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine
* Compatible with the Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine

 

The Classic Wedding bundle:

 

The Classic Wedding Bundle includes the Classic Wedding Stamp Set and the Classic Wedding Dies. Also available in French and German.

Create your own wedding scene for all the newlyweds in your life with the Classic Wedding Bundle! Stamp the fun vintage images, then precisely cut them out with the coordinating dies. Customise your cards with different colouring techniques or keep things simple by stamping in a single colour. Your recipients are going to love it!

CLASSIC WEDDING PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET
Celebrate the happy couple with the Classic Wedding Stamp Set! Create a paper craft that celebrates weddings and all other love occasions. Try new colouring techniques with the fun vintage images and then pair them with the coordinating sentiments. It’s the perfect set to have on hand for all your card making throughout the year.
* 14 photopolymer stamps
* Suggested clear blocks (sold separately): b, d, e

CLASSIC WEDDING DIES
Put together your own wedding send-off with the Classic Wedding Dies! In this set, one die cut will cut out multiple pieces, allowing more creativity and versatility. Easily put together your own scene to celebrate any love occasion with vintage paper cut-outs.
* 15 dies
* Largest die: 3-1/2" x 2-5/8" (8.9 x 6.7 cm)
* Use with a Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine

Finally the Happy Hibiscus bundle:

 

The Happy Hibiscus Bundle includes the Happy Hibiscus Stamp Set and the Happy Hibiscus Hybrid Embossing Folder.

Head to paradise with the Happy Hibiscus Bundle! Try different crafting techniques with the coordinating stamp set and hybrid embossing folder. Stamp your image and precisely cut it out with the dies. Add a fun background to your card base and assemble your paper craft that recipients will love!

HAPPY HIBISCUS PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET
Create a tropical, colourful paper craft with the Happy Hibiscus Stamp Set! This Two-Step Stampin’ set is perfect for trying out different colouring techniques. Multiple floral and leaf images can easily be layered for an exotic floral arrangement. Or keep things simple with a single stamp, highlighting the elegant line art. Add one of the included sentiments for the final touch!
* 12 photopolymer stamps
* Suggested clear blocks (sold separately): b, d, e

HAPPY HIBISCUS HYBRID EMBOSSING FOLDER
The Happy Hibiscus Hybrid Embossing Folder is an easy way to get tropical flowers into any paper craft. Emboss your card base for a special background or easily cut out individual flowers. Mix and match the paper you use for a vibrant card front that any recipient will love!
* 1 embossing folder
* Embossing folder size: 6" x 6-1/4" (15.2 x 15.9 cm)
* 11 dies
* Largest die: 4" x 2-1/2" (10.2 x 6.4 cm)
* Use with a Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine

Our coordinated craft bundles save you time and money! Buy the bundle and save 10% off the price of buying the stamp and tool separately. Plus, bundles will help you quickly cut out stamped images for a single project or create multiples of the same project with ease.

 

There are also a number of additional single stamps and accessories - click on 'Online Exclusives' in the online store for more details:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are 2 new kits that have been added to the online collection for November too:

 

Layered Landscapes Kit

 

 

 Do you long for the great outdoors but don’t actually want to go outdoors? Then the Layered Landscapes Kit is perfect for you! DIY lovely home decor with this unique kit that includes four 7-1/8" x 7-1/8" x 3/4" (18.1 x 18.1 x 1.9 cm) frames and pre-cut paper pieces. You can either stand the frames up on their included easels or hang them on your wall. Either way, your houseguests are sure to love your new artwork!

Kit includes:
* Pre-designed projects
* Step-by-step instructions
* Pre-cut pieces (No prep work! Get right to crafting)
* 4 white frames
* Frame size: 7-1/8" x 7-1/8" x 3/4" (18.1 x 18.1 x 1.9 cm)
* Enough adhesive to complete projects
* A 9-7/8" x 6-1/2" x 2-3/4" (25.1 x 16.5 x 7 cm) printed designer box for storage or crafting on the go

Product colours: Balmy Blue, Basic Beige, Basic Gray, Berry Burst, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Gray Granite, Lemon Lime Twist, Misty Moonlight, Mossy Meadow, Night of Navy, Old Olive, Pecan Pie, Soft Sea Foam

 

The second kit is the Nature's Paintings Kit:

 

 

 

Embrace your creative side with the Nature’s Paintings Kit. This unique kit includes everything you need for a fun creative experience: a colouring book, Watercolor Pencils, and a Water Painter. All you need is some imagination and water! Create lovely, picturesque images using advanced colouring techniques with this craft kit. Or make something that’s never been seen before—like green flowers with purple leaves. Keep it realistic or colour outside the lines—it’s up to you. And once you’re done, you can use your finished artwork to create a one-of-a-kind card front!

Kit includes:
* Pre-designed projects
* Line art illustrations
* Step-by-step instructions
* 24 watercolour paper pages, 2 each of 12 designs
* 8 Watercolor Pencils
* 1 Water Painter
* Colouring book: 4-1/2" x 6" x 1/2" (11.4 x 15.2 x 1.3 cm)
* A 9-7/8" x 6-1/2" x 1-3/4" (25.1 x 16.5 x 4.4 cm) printed designer box for storage or crafting on the go

Product colours: Berry Burst, Coastal Cabana, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, Flirty Flamingo, Garden Green, Pumpkin Pie, Red

 

Lots to look over here! Check out my online store for more details and to purchase any of the items above.

It's August and there are some important promotions to bring to your attention! Firstly, we all love gorgeous Designer Series Paper, me especially, and during the month of August you can enjoy a 15% discount on select papers from the current annual catalogue. Now is a great time to stock up and save on some of our most popular paper designs! The papers included in the promotion are detailed below:

A reminder too that August is the month to redeem the Bonus Days coupons you earned in July:

The designer series paper sale is perfectly timed for redeeming those Bonus Days coupons earned; remember the must be redeemed before August 31st, so the sooner the better.

Also this month - we have two new great kit collections that have been released. The first of these is the Haunted Home Kit:

Get your Halloween crafting on with the Haunted Home Kit! This kit costs £17 and comes with all the paper pieces you need to assemble your very own haunted paper house. You’ll start with cardboard walls, pre-cut vellum, and other paper pieces for accessorising. Assemble the house following the instructions then add your own ghostly touch to it. It’s the perfect paper crafting activity for any gathering with fellow crafters, friends, and family during the spooky season!

The second kit is the Christmas Wishes Christmas card kit:

Keep your Christmas card crafting easy AND elegant with the Christmas Wishes Kit! This kit comes with 8 bright red card bases detailed with gold foil and coordinating gold, shimmer envelopes. Create your own Christmas cards using the pre-cut paper pieces, the stamp set, and Stampin’ Spot. Use the included address labels to send your cards to your recipients! This kit costs £22.

All of the above items can be found in my online store by clicking the links below. Happy shopping!

BRIGHT & BEAUTIFUL 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	COUNTRYSIDE INN 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	COUNTRY LACE 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	COUNTRY WOODS 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	FULL OF LIFE 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	LILY POND LANE 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)
MEDITERRANEAN BLOOMS 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	PERENNIAL LAVENDER 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	TAKE TO THE SKY 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	THOUGHTFUL JOURNEY 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	TO MARKET 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	UNBOUNDED BEAUTY 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)
WILDLY FLOWERING 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	WINTER MEADOW 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (9.99)	HAUNTED HOME KIT (17.00)	CHRISTMAS WISHES KIT (ENGLISH) (22.00)

You all know what a fan I am of Stampin' Up!'s kits - they make for a perfect crafty evening in with friends, whether you are a seasoned crafter or have never crafted before and would like to try something new. Kits are fun, quick and easy and all-inclusive so there's nothing to buy and nothing to store afterwards and with so many different styles and types, there's something for everyone. During August you can save up to 30% on all kits - what could be better?! You don't need a code - all kits have already been discounted in the online store - links to each of those currently available are below; I'll be sharing details on some of my favourites on social media during this month, but I just want to draw your attention to some recent new additions, including the Festive Tags kit that launches today:

If you would like to start crafting handmade creations for Christmas and New Year, the Festive Tags Kit has everything you need to create 15 festive gift tags in less than an hour - no stamping required! There are several other Christmas card and tag kits in the online store too, so definitely worth a look.

Another recently launched stamping kit is the Boho Beach kit:

This all-inclusive kit comes with everything you need to make eight beautiful beach-inspired cards. Send a friendly note to the people you love and don’t miss the acrylic-poured paint art style used in this kit for a dazzling marbled colour effect! It’s time to take a well-deserved break, sit back, and take friends and family to the beach from the comfort of your home!

Finally the Blossom Wishes Kit:

Celebrate your friends with special slimline cards from the Blossom Wishes Kit! With vellum blossoms and foiled details, you can quickly put together a fun paper craft! This kit also comes with pre-cut sentiments in Dutch, English, French, and German, so you can send a card and say hello to friends near and far.

Kits make great gifts too - you can make up the projects and then give them away for someone else to use or give them an unopened kit to bring them crafting pleasure of their own and there are some great kits for children, including the fun Love This Memory Notebook - this could be a fun way to record and document vacation activities:

To get your hands on a discounted kit, you can either get in touch to place your order or alternatively visit my online store. Or if you would like to arrange a 'kit together' event with friends for a fun evening out, then do get in touch!

As with all kits, they are available whilst stocks last; the online store will show a full range of what is currently available; to purchase, simply click on the links below. Happy shopping!

FESTIVE TAGS KIT (11.70)	BOHO BEACH KIT (ENGLISH) (18.90)	CONFETTI BIRTHDAY KIT (ENGLISH) (19.80)	FOREVER FRIENDS KIT (ENGLISH) (18.00)	COLORFUL KALEIDOSCOPE KIT (ENGLISH) (19.80)	LOVE TREATS KIT (ENGLISH) (15.40)
TIMELESS GREETINGS KIT (ENGLISH) (17.60)	CHRISTMAS GIFTING KIT (ENGLISH) (16.80)	COZY & BRIGHT KIT (ENGLISH) (17.60)	LOVE THIS MEMORY NOTEBOOK KIT (ENGLISH) (16.80)	THE BEST REMEDY KIT (ENGLISH) (17.60)	A MILLION THANKS KIT (ENGLISH) (16.80)
KINDNESS CARDS KIT (ENGLISH) (15.40)	ROBOT BUDDIES KIDS CARD KIT (ENGLISH) (15.40)	LIGHT THE CANDLES CARD KIT (ENGLISH) (18.90)	LOVE, SANTA TAG KIT (ENGLISH) (14.70)	CHRISTMAS WHIMSY CARD KIT (ENGLISH) (14.70)	SENTIMENTAL ROSE CARD KIT (ENGLISH) (18.90)
A LITTLE SMILE CARD KIT (ENGLISH) (14.00)	YOU ARE MY ANCHOR CARD KIT (ENGLISH) (14.00)	BLOSSOM WISHES KIT (11.70)	WREATH OF BLOOMS KIT (11.70)	SAYING THANKS KIT (11.70)	BIRTHDAY CARD ORGANIZER KIT (19.20)
CELEBRATE TODAY MAGNET BOARD KIT (16.80)	PETAL NOTES CARD KIT (9.10)	NOTES OF CHEER CARD KIT (11.70)	KERCHIEF CARD KIT (9.10)	PRECIOUS PARCEL CARD KIT (9.10)

I'm here with my second card of the day - and on a class day too, go me! And it's only Monday - let's hope that this is a sign of a productive week! This card is one of the ones that we made in my technique class this morning featuring the Painted Poppies bundle and I used this week's colours over The Color Throwdown as my inspiration:

This is the card I came up with: 

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

Painted Poppies and Peaceful Moments - All of our class cards featured the Peaceful Poppies stamps and co-ordinating Painted Labels Dies. Here the poppies were simply coloured using Real Red ink and the watercolour 'splodge' stamp in the set, with a little detailing added with a marker and then diecut. The leaves were stamped in black and some tiny splodges added in Smoky Slate before fussy cutting by hand. We paired it with a sentiment of our choice from the 'Peaceful Moments' set - I chose this one, but everyone in my class used the 'With Deepest Sympathy as they thought this card wold work well as a sympathy card.  

Sweetly Stitched - I used the largest of the Stitched So Sweetly rectangular dies as the mat on my card; these are on page 20 of the Spring-Summer mini catalogue and worth a look if you've passed over them as they are easy to miss, especially if the co-ordinating stamp set is one that doesn't appeal. You're welcome ;-) 

A Pattern Party - I sponged some darker Basic Grey onto my scalloped rectangle piece using one of the Pattern Party masks, graduating the colour outwards from the corner, to add interest and tie in with my flowers. I added some clear sequins and some black pearls (regular ones coloured with a black marker) to the centre of my flowers to finish.

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. 

This was the middle card from my class today and it's fair to say the ladies loved it. I'll share the others another time; in the meantime, if you live in or around Northampton and would like to attend a class, do get in touch - we would love you to join us! The next one features the 'Peaceful Moments' bundle and will be held on Monday 9th March - the day after my residential weekend craft retreat!

Enjoy your evening; I have to go and start on my ironing pile now - I can't put it off any longer! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Painted Poppies Bundle (£48.50)	Peaceful Moments Cling Stamp Set (English) (£20.00)	Stitched So Sweetly Dies (£30.00)	Pattern Party Decorative Masks (£5.50)	Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock (£7.75)
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)	Real Red Dark Stampin' Blends (£4.25)
Pearl Basic Jewels (£4.75)	Basic Black Dark Stampin' Blends (£4.25)	Peaceful Poppies Sequins (£6.50)

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

I have a fancy card to share with you today that is perfect to give someone special for the festive season - take a look:

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

A Card In A Box - Is it a gift? Is it a card? I guess it's a little of both! When closed it looks like a gift box, but undo the ribbon and the top and bottom of the box separate to reveal an accordion-style expanding card:

I made a holly-themed 'card in a box' project at my October Creative Escapes Craft Retreat using the Christmas Gleaming Stamp Set and made a few other versions to show the attendees how they could use the same concept using other papers and stamp sets - this is one of them. They are quite straightforward to make and rather addictive; I've had lots of photos from my retreat weekend attendees after the event showing me more examples of ones they've created too, so it must be catching! One of my top tips when making this type of card is to use temporary adhesive or a couple of glue dots to hold the last panel in place so that you can remove it to write your message to the recipient before gluing it in place; this is much easier than trying to write it when it's already in the box.

Let It Snow - I used the 'Let It Snow' papers for the accordion-fold of my card and the letters that spell out 'snow', which I diecut using the Hand-Lettered Prose dies and I used the adorable Let It Snow Embellishment Kit to dress up the snowman on the front of my box - how cute are those little felt accessories?!

Snowman Season - The sentiment on the front and inside my card are from the 'Snowman Season' stamp set. The 'Let It Snow' stamp was perfect for a partial stamp to then finish the sentiment with the diecut letter panels. I also used the snowflakes in the stamp set with some Stampin' Glitter to add some sparkle to each of the Coastal Cabana panels and a snowman on the first panel that I coloured with co-ordinating Stampin' Blends markers:

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. 

I'm also linking today's project up with the current fancy fold challenge over at Inspire Create.

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; as it's the first of December we are going to begin decorating the house for Christmas today, much to the children's delight! Especially as we have a couple of extra Christmas trees and some new rainbow baubles too. I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Let It Snow Embellishment Kit (£10.25)	Snowman Season Photopolymer Stamp Set (En) (£17.00)	Snowman Builder Punch (£17.00)	Hand-Lettered Prose Dies (£35.00)	Let It Snow Specialty Designer Series Paper (£13.00)
Stitched Rectangle Dies (£33.00)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)	Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter (£5.50)	Coastal Cabana A4 Cardstock (£8.25)
Real Red A4 Cardstock (£8.25)	Shaded Spruce A4 Cardstock (£8.25)	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Real Red 3/8" (1 Cm) Cotton Ribbon (£6.50)

Today I'm sharing a card that I made yesterday for the new challenge over at As you See It using this week's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches, that also works for the challenge over at Just Add Ink this week:

Whilst I didn't set out to combine all three of these challenges this week, with the challenge over at As You See It being speed stamping, today's card was definitely no accident - take a look:

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

It's All In The Preparation - I'll be honest: I rarely make a card in under 10 minutes! For me the fun is in the planning and designing and I often make multiple bits and pieces and 'tinker' with my cards until I'm happy with them. That said, it can be done - the key is in the preparation. Fortunately for me, the AYSI speed stamping challenge requires you to complete a card in under 10 minutes and the clock starts as soon as you put ink to paper; you can decide on your design and gather your supplies in advance. So I grabbed Jen B's FMS sketch (a great go-to design) my co-ordinating shades of purple (Gorgeous Grape and Highland Heather) in cardstock, ink and markers, a Whisper White card base, stamps, dies, Big Shot and got ready to start my timer!

'C' Is For Craft - I decided to base my card around the stamps and dies in the 'Follow your Art' suite. I stamped my ink bottle and clip (and a couple of sentiments to diecut, although I didn't then use these as I stamped directly onto my card base) then ran them through my Big Shot with the purple die cut pieces, making two runs to get the duplicates. I added a quick dash of colour to my stamped diecut pieces, then set about constructing. It was only when I had finished my card that I realised it would be perfect for Just Add Ink this week too; it will a least spare the girls another of my Christmas cards, which I seem to have made for their last few challenges!!

Speedy Indeed - So I did work at fever pace and my desk looked like a bomb had gone off once I'd finished, but I managed to finish my card in 9 minutes and 46 seconds - hurrah! It was helped by the fact that my card base and mat layers were already cut to size - I keep a box of sizes that I use a lot ready prepared so that I can just 'grab and go' - the most time-consuming aspects were poking out the paper clips from the dies without tearing and tying the twine bow. Purple is one of my favourite colours, so this was a fun speed challenge indeed! Lastly, a disclaimer: I decorated a co-ordinating envelope too, but completed this outside of the speed stamping time - I couldn't quite manage this in the time constraints as well!

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 like my finished card so much I think I'm going to create a few more of these and send them to the ladies who are booked to attend my Creative Escapes Craft Retreat in October - this is the perfect time to stay up late and craft together!! I still have a couple of spaces left if you would like to join us for a fun weekend; you can get the full details here.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

It Starts With Art Bundle (£44.00)	Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock (£7.75)	Highland Heather A4 Cardstock (£8.25)	Highland Heather Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Gorgeous Grape A4 Cardstock (£8.25)
Gorgeous Grape Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Whisper White Solid Baker's Twine (£3.25)

Good morning lovely readers! An apology is in order for the lack of blog posts this week. I have been fairly tired following another successful Creative Escapes Weekend Craft Retreat last weekend and whilst I've spent my days catching up on household chores and preparing for next week's card classes, when it comes to the evenings I've been good for nothing; I've fallen asleep in the chair for three nights in a row way before bedtime, much to the amusement of the James Juniors! So today I thought I would make time to blog early so that you didn't miss out!

I'm sharing a card for a couple of challenges this week: The team over at Global Design Project are all about the candy and the folks at Stamps Ink Paper are asking for cards featuring gingham, plaid or stripes:

Not only does my card feature lots of sweet treats and some fetching candy pink stripes, it's a shaker too - take a look:

 Here's the low-down on today's card:

How Sweet It Is -  If you have a sweet tooth, the 'How Sweet It Is' Suite is for you! Bright and fun, with bold patterns of sweets and traditional sweet jars, it's great for cards and packaging alike. The papers, which feature bold stripes and spots in addition to candy-inspired patterns, really are good enough to eat. I used a pink stripe for the front of my shaker and a sweetie print for the inside at the back of my window, I also used the Jar of Sweets Framelits to cut out one of the sweet jars directly from the designer series paper to decorate the front of my card - I love it when dies and paper co-ordinate like this!

Jar Of Sweets - I used another of the Jar of Sweets Framelits to cut out the aperture for the window of my shaker, stamping the same image onto Whisper White and fussy cutting the jar lid to adhere to the top of my window section. I filled my shaker with a selection of sequins and some diecut sweets in bright, co-ordinating colours; you can see from the extras that I added to the front of my card these dies emboss a pattern onto the diecut sweet shape too which adds an interesting textural detail. There's very little stamping on today's card, save the sentiment and jar lid. A little extra stamping on the inside of my card courtesy of the 'Sweetest Thing' stamp set too:

Sweeter Than Candy - The 'How Suite It Is' Suite also includes some fun treat cups, that are perfect for dressing up to contain some sweet treats for your loved ones. I managed to snag these shots with my phone of some of the decorated sweet cups that filled with a selection of jelly beans and gummy bear for the lucky ladies on my retreat as one of their little gifts - I do love to spoil the whilst they are with me! 

I covered the cups with designer series paper and stamped a simple label for each of them decorated with a sweet jar cut from the DSP, and tied the tags to the cups with some of the very yummy Coastal Cabana/Granny Apple Green 3/8" reversible ribbon:

So cute and easy to decorate and I know from the feedback that my ladies loved them!

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. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

How Sweet It Is 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper (£10.25)	Sweetest Thing Photopolymer Bundle (£43.00)	Jar Of Sweets Framelits Dies (£28.00)	How Sweet It Is A4 Cardstock Pack (£8.00)	Rectangle Stitched Framelits Dies (£33.00)
Foam Adhesive Strips (£7.25)	Window Sheets (£4.75)	Sweet Cups (£8.00)	Coastal Cabana/Granny Apple Green 3/8" (1 Cm) Reversible Ribbon (£6.50)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)
Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)

As promised in my earlier post today (you can read that here if you missed it), today I'm sharing something a little different that I gave a sneak peek of on my Facebook page the week before last - a 3D project! Today is the perfect day to share it since it coincides with the launch of the Snowflake Showcase product suite yesterday - you can read all about that here.

The weekend before last I held my second residential craft retreat this year. I love these weekends: they are a great opportunity for me to spend quality time with my customers, some of whom I see at my regular classes but for many who follow my blog and shop with me online and for whom this is an opportunity to get away from it all for some quality crafting time amongst friends. I am grateful that they choose to spend a weekend with me crafting and as such in addition to their goody bags, they receive lots of little pillow gifts and table favours throughout their stay as a token of my appreciation. When they leave at the end of the weekend, I like to gift them a key ring that is unique to that retreat as a reminder of the fun time that they've had. It has to showcase some fabulous Stampin' Up! product too, both on the keyring and the packaging so for this one I just had to feature the limited edition, exclusive Snowflake Showcase products that went live on sale yesterday. So first up here is the packaging for my gift:

I dressed up one of the kraft pillow boxes available in the annual catalogue with some silver-trimmed ribbon and added a sentiment banner stamped tone-on-tone with the border stamp and then heat-embossed my sentiment in silver over the top. I then added the fabulous string of snowflakes diecut to the front of the box for a real 'wow'.

It didn't end there; I continued the snowflake theme inside with a keyring, that had a snowflake tree, a teeny-tiny sentiment and one of my craft retreat logos all stamped onto shrink plastic and reduced in size, along with one of the gorgeous snowflake trinkets that are also part of this suite. I made them in two colourways, Pool Party and Balmy Blue:

Here's a picture of them both together - gift and packaging. What do you think - cute enough to hang your keys from? 

I received such lovely comments from the ladies who attended my retreat, who all said they felt truly spoiled all weekend. Here's one of the pictures I shared over on my Facebook page of us at dinner on the Saturday evening, with some of them sharing another of their table gifts:

Christmas crackers, what else?! I will have more projects using the fabulous Snowflake Showcase in the coming weeks so look out for those and meanwhile do get in touch with me directly or via my online store to order yours whilst supplies last.

Equally, if you would like to be similarly spoiled and enjoy a fabulous crafty weekend away from it all, there are still spaces available on my March 2019 retreat which will be held in the West Midlands on 2-3 March - you can read more about it here and I would love it if you could join me! The dates for next October will be released soon and I already have a waiting list for this event, so if you would like to be one of the first to receive the details as they are published then do get in touch with me via joanne@thecraftyowl.co.uk to register your interest as spaces are likely to be snapped up quickly!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Snow Is Glistening Photopolymer Stamp Set (£20.00)	Snowflake Trinkets (£7.50)	Snowfall Thinlits Dies (£36.00)	Silver 3/8" Metallic-Edge Ribbon (£6.50)	Kraft Pillow Boxes (£4.75)
Balmy Blue Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Balmy Blue A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Versamark Pad (£8.25)	Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder (£4.75)	Rhinestone Basic Jewels (£4.75)

Happy Friday everyone! I've had continuing blog and website issues to contend with this week, so all of my carefully scheduled blog posts have gone awry and you haven't heard from me in the timely manner I had hoped this week! This one should have gone live yesterday, but I'm pleased to be able to publish it finally because this is news of the release of an exclusive limited time collection of products called 'Snowflake Showcase' and trust me you are not going to want to miss it!

It seems following the success of the Blended Seasons stamp set and co-ordinating framelits a few months ago that you love an exclusive, limited offer - so here's another one: two stamp sets, one for Christmas and one all-rounder that both co-ordinate with the Snowfall Thinlits dies - available now until 30 November or whilst stocks last. What's more there are some co-ordinating Snowflake Trinkets and White Velvet paper sheets too. Here's a close up of the products in more detail:

I'm sure this set will be popular and I've taken orders for a few already having given the customers in my Facebook VIP Customer Group a sneak peek a few weeks ago (do get in touch if you would like to know more about the benefits associated with belonging to this group), so don't delay in placing your order - I wouldn't want you to be disappointed. Don't forget if you are placing an order online to also include this month's hostess code RW3QD6VN to receive a free thank you gift from me too! 

For more information on this set, please see today's second post here, which also includes a 3D project made using this gorgeous suite.

If you have any questions on any of the above, then please do get in touch - I am always happy to help!

Back shortly with my second post of the day; until then, happy shopping!

 Links to purchase the above items in my online store:

Snow Is Glistening Photopolymer Stamp Set (£20.00)

Happiness Surrounds Photopolymer Stamp Set (£16.00)

Snowflake Trinkets (£7.50)

Snowfall Thinlits Dies (£36.00)

White Velveteen Sheets (£4.75)

My team and customers know what a fan I am of Stampin' Up!'s kits - they make for a perfect crafty evening in with friends, whether you are a seasoned crafter or have never crafted before and would like to try something new. Today I want to share with you one of the two popular card kits in the Stampin' Up! range that are retiring at the end of May with the end of the current annual catalogue. 

The Designer Tin of Cards Project Kit features on page 160 of the annual catalogue. Here's a picture of everything that's included:

This generous kit contains blanks and envelopes to create 16 cards and comes with a lovely card organiser storage tin and dividers to keep them in when you're done. Add a Designer Tin of Cards stamp set (this set contains some great stamps to decorate your envelopes and the inside of your cards too), a couple of ink pads and some adhesive and you are good to go! Or if you're an existing crafter with supplies, you could use any ink pads and sentiment stamp set to achieve great results. Here's a picture of the finished cards in the set:

First, fiesta-inspired birthday cards:

 Moroccan-inspired thank you cards:

Floral-inspired sending love and best wishes - great for a variety of occasions:

Lastly, some pretty congratulations cards:

Aren't they great? What's more, the kit has been reduced from £24.50 to just £14.70 - that's less than £1 per card and a fabulous tin to store then all in! 

If you would like to order the above kit, please click on the links below to order from my online store or if you live in or around Northampton, please email me or give me a call to get them added to my next order. What's more, if you would like a bargain impromptu get-together with friends where you each get to make one of these kits, then do get in touch and we can book a date in the diary.

That's all from me today; back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy shopping!

Links to my Stampin' Up! Store - Designer Tin of Cards Kit:

Designer Tin Of Cards Project Kit

Designer Tin Of Cards Photopolymer Stamp Set