It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. Deborah is hosting this month and our first challenge is a colour challenge: 

For my card today I decided to make a card to send to my Paper Players teamie, the lovely Anne Marie Hile, who is currently recovering from some serious health issues. It's a while since I sent her some happy mail and whilst her regular Facebook updates are keeping us informed of her great progress, I thought these colours would be perfect for a cute hot air balloon to carry my best wishes across the miles to let her know I am thinking of her:

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

My card really is super simple! I diecut some clouds out of masking paper, then added a sky using Boho Blue ink and a blending brush to my card base, before removing the masked clouds. I stamped a balloon in Melon Mambo and added a decorative panel from Calypso Coral cardstock, before adding to my card using dimensionals:

I almost left it there, but decided to add a trio of Melon Mambo glossy dots for a little understated sparkle - a nod to the lovely Anne Marie herself! I initially struggled with this colour combo, even though it includes my favourite Melon Mambo, but when it came down to it they suited my card perfectly. I can't wait to see how you use these colours!

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. 

As a reminder, for our colour challenges, you must use all of the stated challenge colours. You may also use neutral colours; however, the challenge colours should be the most noticeable ones featured on your card. We use Stampin' Up! colour names for reference, but you are welcome to use any other companies' products as long as you match the challenge colours as closely as possible.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

HOT AIR BALLOON PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (19.00)	HOT AIR BALLOON DIES (28.00)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (10.50)	BLENDING BRUSHES (14.00)	MELON MAMBO CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)	CALYPSO CORAL A4 CARDSTOCK (10.75)
CALYPSO CORAL CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)	BOHO BLUE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)	GLOSSY DOTS ASSORTMENT (7.50)

Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's the turn of the fabulous Anne Marie to host this week and she has my favourite, a sketch challenge for us to work with:

I love the layers on this week's sketch - perfect to showcase some pretty designer papers. I decided to embrace the pastels and showcase some patterns in the Lighter Than Air pack. This is what I came up with:

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

There are so many pretty papers in the Lighter Than Air pack. I chose stripes for my horizontal panel then a balloon patterned piece for my vertical one. I stamped and diecut a single Pool Party balloon as my focal point and added a banner to it for my sentiment. I added a cloud panel diecut using one of the Basic Borders Dies. I added a couple of extra diecut clouds to give further depth to my scene and a trio of rainbow adhesive dots to finish the front of my card:

I couldn't resist a little extra stamping and some stencilled clouds to decorate the inside too:

So many possibilities with this layout - I can't wait to see what you make with it!

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

- to follow - 

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:

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

to follow

Today I'm sharing a card that I made with a a few challenges in mind:

As we approach Valentine's Day next month love is definitely in the air, so I decided to have some fun and grabbed a little 'something old, something new' and set to work. Take a look at what I came up with:

You may be wondering how inspiration can come from a variety of sources - well, read on and all will become clear! Here's the low-down on today's card:

Stencil Times Two - I so wanted to play with the ladies over at Just Us Girls where this week it's anything goes with stencils; I decided to go clean and simple and create a stencilled sky then when I saw the badge over at TGIF Challenges I thought 'why not make my sky heart-shaped?' so it decided me on my layout, a pink sky inset within a heart. These were both stencils I created myself using dies in my collection. Firstly, I placed my heart stencil, then using my Bubble Bath ink and blending brush I overlaid my cloud stencil and working down the heart, added in clouds across my soft pink sky - which is also perfect for the challenge over at Addicted to CAS this week.

Love is ... - I decided to have some fun with my sentiment, so took the 'Love' die from the Love For You Die set, diecut it then snipped the L away from the OVE, and adhered them to my card base, overlaying my stencilled heart sky, leaving space for my hot air balloon in place of the O. I completed my sentiment with a stamp from the old retired stamp set 'Sunshine Sayings'.

...in the Air - Having seen the optional theme of 'Love is in the air' over at AAA Cards, I thought this would be a great time to feature the heart-shaped hot air balloon in the new Hot Air Balloon bundle, which I think worked perfectly in place of the O in the word LOVE. Nothing else needed for my card which, for something so simple, actually involved much thought and was inspired by each of the above challenges in their own way. This sweet card would work perfectly for Valentine's or any time to let someone know you love 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:

HOT AIR BALLOON DIES (28.00)	LOVE FOR YOU DIES (ENGLISH) (30.00)	BLENDING BRUSHES (13.00)	REAL RED A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)	REAL RED CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)	BUBBLE BATH CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)
BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.50)

Today I'm sharing a card for this week's challenge over at CAS(E) This Sketch:

 I needed to make some cards to go out with my In Color Club monthly packs and the sketch was perfect for creating a design that would work in each of the 2019-21 In Colors - take a look:

 Here's the low-down on today's card:

Above The Clouds - I used balloons to represent the flowers of the sketch. They make for easy two-step stamping, are great for multiples and this set has some great sentiments too. I stamped the flags directly onto some gingham in-color DSP and added them to the largest of the balloons, along with a linen bow to compliment the base card colour and the piece of in-color scalloped linen ribbon that I used for my second flag. 

Swirls and Curls - I decided to emboss a panel of Whisper White with the Swirls and Curls embossing folder to represent swirling clouds. I love the finished effect, but in hindsight it does make this card a little less clean and simple. What do think - swirls or no swirls? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

A Parade of In-Colors - I think the Sea Spray cards are my favourite, but I made multiples in each of the in-colors with the exception of Purple Posy (still no ink availability in the UK, but the latest samples have passed tests so Stampin' Up! is at last in a position to begin packaging and preparing ink for dispatch - hurrah!) - here they are together - which one is your favourite?

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 have spent the day today having a major clear out of the toy room. Whilst this was no small task, the results speak for themselves - tidiness at last! Isn't there something so satifsying about a good old clear out? Tidy space, tidy mind as the saying goes!   

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Above The Clouds Bundle (£33.25)	Swirls & Curls Embossing Folder (£7.00)	2019-2021 In Color A4 Cardstock (£8.25)	Seaside Spray Classic Stampin’ Pad (£7.00)	Rococo Rose Classic Stampin’ Pad (£7.00)
Terracotta Tile Classic Stampin’ Pad (£7.00)	Pretty Peacock Classic Stampin’ Pad (£7.00)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Sahara Sand A4 Cardstock (£8.25)	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)
2019–2021 In Color 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper (£10.75)	Seaside Spray 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Scalloped Linen Ribbon (£7.50)	Rococo Rose 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Scalloped Linen Ribbon (£7.50)	Terracotta Tile 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Scalloped Linen Ribbon (£7.50)	Pretty Peacock 1/2" (1.3 Cm) Scalloped Linen Ribbon (£7.50)
Linen Thread (£4.75)