I've been a busy bee this week with not much opportunity for blogging, but never fear! 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 went around the houses on this one for a while before I managed to come up with an idea that incorporated each of the elements, however I got there eventually with the help of the troubled giraffe from the 'Back On Your Feet' set - take a look:

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

Back On Your Feet - I decided to feature the knotty giraffe from the 'Back On Your Feet' set on my card today. Perfect for a get well card, or even someone who's having a rough time of it, this comical giraffe and punny sentiment is sure to raise a smile. A simple stamp and colour with my Stampin' Blends and he was complete. The one thing that I was struggling to incorporate on this week's card was a diecut then I had a lightbulb moment (yes, sometimes it does happen!!) I used one of the dies from the Animal Friends Thinlits to create a giraffe-patterned background to tie in with my tag. Sorted!  

A Delightful Tag - I used the new Delightful Tag Topper Punch to create the tag that features my giraffe today. My trusty Scalloped Tag Topper Punch is one of my most-used punches - great for gift wrapping, customer bag tags and cards alike. Don't worry, this punch hasn't been replaced - I just added to it with another, slightly more fancy-topped one. If you don't have a tag punch, you should really consider investing in one - they will make creating your Christmas tags super quick and easy.

And The Rest Makes Three - Some stamped and punched leaves, Crumb Cake Nature's Twine and my punny sentiment (one the inside of my card it says "Hope things get better soon.") cropped with a rectangle stitched shape finish off this week's recipe board - and my 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. 

I do love giraffes and learned lots about them when I visited South Africa on safari many years ago. Did you know you can tell whether they are a girl or a boy by the amount of hair on the end of their horns? Females usually still have hair, whereas males' horns are usually bare from wrestling with each other for the affections of said females. I wonder if this is also the reason for premature balding in males?! 

On that quizzical note I look forward to seeing what you make with this week's recipe challenge when I visit your blogs. Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Back On Your Feet Cling Stamp Set (£20.00)	Animal Friends Dies (£27.00)	Delightful Tag Topper Punch (£22.00)	Nature's Twine (£8.25)	Daffodil Delight A4 Cardstock (£8.25)
Soft Suede A4 Cardstock (£8.25)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)	Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack (£8.50)	Soft Suede Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack (£8.50)
Smoky Slate Light Stampin' Blends Marker (£4.25)	Crumb Cake Light Stampin' Blends Marker (£4.25)	Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Pear Pizzazz A4 Cardstock (£8.25)	Leaf Punch (£15.00)
Painted Harvest Photopolymer Stamp Set (£20.00)	Stitched Rectangle Dies (£33.00)

It's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! I am your host this week and I have a colour challenge for us to work with:

I took the opportunity to make a fall-inspired thank you card this week that works for a few additional challenges too; I used the sketch over at Just Add Ink, the middle vertical column of the tictactoe board over at Paper Craft Crew and the theme challenge over at Global Design Project:

My starting point for today's card was this gorgeous patterned paper from the Painted Harvest designer series paper pack - take a look:

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

Even More Painted Autumn For Your Pennies - You all know how much I love designer series paper, and the Painted Autumn collection is definitely up there as one of this season's favourites. Bold, watercoloured images in beautiful autumnal colours what could be better? How about more for less? Yes, Painted Autumn is one of the designer series papers that is included in the 'Buy 3, get 1 free' sale that is running throughout October. You can read more about that here or purchase directly from my online store - I for one will be stocking up for sure. 

Give Thanks For Labels To Love - I used the sentiment and border stamp from the 'Labels To Love' stamp set on my card today. This set, on page 45 of the seasonal catalogue, is an additional set that coordinates with the Everyday Label Punch besides the 'Merry Little Labels' set that the punch is bundled with. There are some great sentiments in this set but I think this one is my favourite - we all have so much to be thankful for. I added a couple of the Touches of Nature wooden flowers that I heat embossed with some now-retired Crushed Curry embossing powder to my label, along with some vellum leaves and a leaf-embossed stitched circle behind to create a bit of a collage of my focal point. 

Not Just An Everyday Label - The Everyday Label Punch is proving a very popular choice for many of my customers and it's easy to see why: in addition to punching out the standard shape, there are a number of ways the punch can be used to make either shorter or longer labels, to create layers or even to create different shapes. By shortening my punched label I created more of a square shape for the sentiment on my card today. I love a punch that is versatile and has lots of alternative uses! 

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:

I look forward to seeing what you create with this week's colour palette. Enjoy the rest of your weekend as it will be over all too quickly; my niece is celebrating her 18th birthday this coming week so we are off for a family gathering of 'cake and cocktails' this evening to celebrate, which we are all looking forward to.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper	Labels To Love Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Touches Of Nature Elements	Leaf Punch	Everyday Label Punch
Layered Leaves Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies	Early Espresso A4 Cardstock	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad	Peekaboo Peach A4 Cardstock
Very Vanilla A4 Cardstock	Crushed Curry Solid Baker’S Twine	Crushed Curry 3/8" Mini Chevron Ribbon	Vellum A4 Cardstock

It's Sunday, the start of a new month and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! The queen of beautiful florals, the talented Sandy, is the hostess this week and her passion is reflected in her chosen theme this week:

I had the best of intentions of producing a fabulously over-the-top floral to honour the lovely Sandy today, but the last minute preparations for my stand at the Crafting Live Exhibition at Stoneleigh Park this weekend meant that my time rather ran away with me this week and instead I've resorted to sharing much more of a clean and simple card that I already had 'in the bag' as it were. Today's card uses one the runaway success bundles from the current seasonal catalogue - Painted Harvest. Take a look:

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

Painted Harvest - What can I say other than I LOVE these sunflowers! The sentiments in this set are lovely but it's the sunflowers that get me: it is a two-step stamp set that gives a beautiful watercoloured effect and as they are photopolymer it's so easy to stamp. They are so forgiving - they look great however you line them up! If you're a first-time stamper, this would be a great set to cut your teeth on. 

Add A Leaf - The leaves in the stamp set also match up with the leaf punch which is the other item that can be bought in the Painted Harvest bundle for a saving of 10% - that's why we all love a bundle!

Autumnal Colour Combinations - These sunflowers can be stamped in both traditional and less traditional colours; here is my sample board showing how they look stamped in a number of autumnal coloured floral combinations:

Which one is your favourite? I also made a whole bunch of these cards, minus the twine, to send out to my customers with my seasonal catalogues and as thank you cards to be included with my open house orders - here are some of them up close so you can see the colour combinations in more detail. 

This one is a combination of Crushed Curry and Daffodil Delight:

This one is a combination of Crushed Curry and Peekaboo Peach:

This one is a combination of Crushed Curry and Tangerine Tango:

This one is a combination of Crushed Curry and Cajun Craze:

Lastly my favourite of all, this one is a combination of Crushed Curry and Cherry Cobbler:

This is by no means an exhaustive set of colour combinations. Let me know in the comments below which ones are your favourites or what other combinations you've tried that you would like to share.  

Also, if you live local to me in or around Northampton, I have a class using this set scheduled for Monday 6th November - read more about it here or contact me to book your place! 

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:

I look forward to seeing what you create with this week's theme. Enjoy the rest of your weekend as it will be over all too quickly; I'll be spending a second day at the Crafting Live Show at Stoneleigh Park today - come and say hello to me on stand A10 if a visit is part of your weekend plans. I'll be back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Painted Harvest Photopolymer Bundle	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad	Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad	Wild Wasabi A4 Cardstock
Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pad	Linen Thread	Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock	Everyday Label Punch	Crumb Cake A4 Cardstock