I'm back with my second post today and my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where it's time for a speed stamping challenge with a humorous twist:

Speedy wit - what a challenge! Here's my card:

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

I decided that I would go for some sideways humour and use the Halloween greeting from the 'Well Defined' stamp set. I stamped it in black and cut it out using one of the Hippo and Friends Dies, and paired it with some fun retired Halloween Motley Monsters designer series paper from my stash. I added a ribbon tab to my sentiment to finish 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. 

This really was a super speedy card, largely because the DSP does all the work. My finished time?

3 minutes and 41 seconds - I think this must be a personal speed stamping record! 

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.
• In a speed stamping challenge, please time yourself and say in your post how long your card took to complete. 

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

WELL DEFINED CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (£20.00)

HIPPO & FRIENDS DIES (£33.00)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (£7.75)

TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (£5.50)

Happy Monday everyone! I've had a fun day today: made today's blog card first thing, caught up with a friend who's been away for a while, then spent the afternoon with the lovely ladies that attend my monthly card class - there can't be a better way to start my week! I tell you, those ladies are an absolute hoot and there are some real artists amongst them for sure (yes Chris, the reindeer was inspired!!) Pictures to follow on my Facebook page!

We used the Endless Wishes stamp set in my class today, but today's blog card is back on the theme of Halloween - I need to get the use out of my Halloween sets before they get retired for another year! I took my inspiration from the photo over at Fusion, but didn't double up and use their sketch too (I might have another go at this later in the week) - instead I used the rather interesting layout over at Pals Paper Arts:

I knew I wanted to use orange with a touch of black and definitely needed to incorporate the pumpkin in the photo - this is what I came up with:

I used Sahara Sand for my card base, and used a piece of the Motely Monsters DSP that is covered with happy smiling pumpkins as my first angular layer. For my top piece, I used a piece of Tangerine Tango cardstock and cut out a pumpkin shape using my Fall Fest framelits, so that the DSP beneath would show through. I then stamped another smaller pumpkin is Crushed Curry onto Whisper White, stamped a face in Memento Black, cut this out with a framelit, tied it with a piece of linen thread and adhered to the edge of the open aperture. I popped this whole section onto dimensionals to give a little extra lift and depth. To finish, I stamped my sentiment from 'Good Greetings' in Memento Black onto the base of my card.

I hope you like today's card; back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Fall Fest Photopolymer Bundle	Motlley Monsters Designer Series Paper	Good Greetings Wood-Mount Stamp Set	Whisper White A4 Card Stock
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Big Shot Magnetic Platform	Linen Thread
Sahara Sand A4 Card Stock	Tangerine Tango A4 Card Stock	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad

Happy Monday everyone! It might be raining outside but I guarantee today's card will cheer you up! It's a Halloween card with a difference using this week's sketch over at The Paper Craft Crew:

This sketch is quite similar to the sketch from a couple of weeks ago (you can see my card for that sketch here - and this card earned me a Featured Artisan spot too, so thank you Paper Craft Crew!) and whilst I did choose to use the word bubbles literally, the layout of this sketch was perfect for something that I've been wanting to create for a while - a Halloween joke card! Take a look: 

Fun, eh?! Every time I've looked at using the witch and cat from 'Freaky Friends' together, the witch just looks to me like she is saying something to the cat - so I decided a suitably-themed joke was in order! I made my card 6" square and used a Whisper White card base, covering the entire front section with a piece of Motley Monsters DSP and matting my central Whisper White panel with a mat of Bermuda Bay.

I stamped the witch and cat in Memento Black ink and coloured in the open spaces with my Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, Sahara Sand and Tangerine Tango Stampin' Write marker pens. My joke is computer-generated, which I printed out on Whisper White then inked the borders of the Just Sayin' stamps that co-ordinate with the Word Bubble framelits with my markers and stamped these over the top using my stamp-a-ma-jig for placement before rolling out with my Big Shot. I stamped the alphabet letters from the 'Tap Tap Tap' stamp in the background, colouring the individual letters with my markers, before positioning my word bubbles on top and adhering with dimensionals. To finish, I added a trio of candy dots in the corner.

I think this card is really fun; I made it to give to my 7 year old son, who is and always has been joke-mad. When he saw it he proclaimed it 'definitely funny', so I guess it passed the test. His first and favourite joke of all time is still this one:

Why did the banana go to the doctors?

Because he wasn't peeling very well!

This still sends him into fits of giggles every time he tells it!

Ok enough jokes from me today - before I go, just a reminder that today is the last day to take advantage of 'stamp, stock and save' - selected ink pads, paper, envelopes, and adhesive are available at a 15% discount! There are also a number of select stamps that are 20%! Full details of the products included in this offer can be found in the offer flyer here or you can go straight to my online store here to place your order - don't forget to include October's hostess code SFEXF44E.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Freaky Friends Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Motlley Monsters Designer Series Paper	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Big Shot Magnetic Platform	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad
Just Sayin'	Word Bubbles Framelits Dies	Tap Tap Tap Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Many Marvelous Markers	Card Stock A4 Bermuda Bay
Whisper White A4 Card Stock

It's Sunday and time for this week's challenge over at The Paper Players, where Jaydee has a fun Halloween theme challenge for us this week:

I used the layout over at Freshly Made Sketches again this week for my card (although I'm not sure my card is as 'clean' as is required; the layout was too good to pass up) as I thought it would be perfect to highlight my first Halloween pumpkin - here's my card:

I used a piece of Motley Monsters DSP on a base of Tangerine Tango for the front of my card; I love this paper and the little eyes that peek through between the trees, although I must confess this looks so much better on a sheet of 12 x 12" and it was difficult to take my scissors to it! I used the Halloween sentiment from 'Mingle All The Way', colouring the letters with a Tangerine Tango Stampin' Write marker and mounted this on a circle of Basic Black. This circle was mounted on top of a piece of chevron-embossed Crushed Curry and black chevron ribbon and the card finished with a cute little pumpkin from the Fall Fest stamp set and cut out with the matching framelit. It's tricky to see from the photo, but the pumpkin was then covered in Crystal Effects and allowed to dry, so it has a lovely dimension and shine.

That's my simple Halloween card for today; why not pop over to The Paper Players challenge blog and check out this week's inspiration from the other designers? As always, there are some great cards on show.

Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Fall Fest Photopolymer Bundle	Motlley Monsters Designer Series Paper	Mingle All The Way Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Tangerine Tango A4 Card Stock	Basic Black A4 Card Stock
Card Stock A4 Crushed Curry	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Big Shot Magnetic Platform	Circles Collection Framelits Dies	2" Circle Punch
Crystal Effects	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Basic Black 3/4" Chevron Ribbon	Chevron Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

As promised, here's my second post today as I wanted to share with you the card I made for this week's sketch challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary:

I love a sketch challenge and was intrigued by this unusual layout, which was crying out for the use of some washi tape with those bold stripes, something that is quite under-utilised within my craft stash at times. Anyways this was one of those cards that the minute I saw the sketch I knew what I wanted to do with it, so it took me next to no time to pull this card together. Here's my card:

I used a base of Sahara Sand for my card as this is the colour of the ghost DSP from the Motley Monster set, but as it's quite neutral used lots of splashes of Tangerine Tango to really bring this card together and prevent it from looking washed out. By the way, check out the faces on the ghosts on the paper - how cute are they?! In addition to the mat, I added a strip of Tangerine Tango Retro Fresh washi tape for the vertical band (I love how you can see the ghosts through it - adds to the spooky I think!) and then used a piece of Tangerine Tango cardstock for the horizontal band, onto which I stamped my 'boo to you!' greeting. I bordered this with a piece of thick orange and white two-tone trim (I frayed the ends before adhering to the back of my panel so that it wouldn't have too much bulk). Lastly, I finished with a lovely Dazzling Diamonds sparkly ghost (thank you Mary Brown for the inspiration on a previous card of yours - love it!) I wanted my ghost to look towards the sentiment so cut the paper on the reverse using my framelit so that I could turn him over (hope that makes sense). I used one of the eyelits from the 'Chalk Talk' framelits to create the eyes and punched his mouth using my Crop-a-dile and adhered a piece of Basic Black cardstock to the reverse for definition, before adhering with dimensionsals.

The greeting I used on this card is from the 'Good Greetings' set that is currently available free with qualifying party sales of £200 or more for parties held between now and 31st October. This is such a versatile set - whilst this card has a definite Halloween feel to it, I think the 'boo to you' greeting means it would work as a nice 'Hello' card for this time of year. If you would like to earn this greetings set for free, I do still have a couple of slots available for parties in October so if you'd like one, do get in touch as soon as possible!

If you like this sketch, you should check out the other cards over at Create with Connie and Mary - there are some great interpretations and ideas of how to use it.

Back tomorrow with this week's Design Team sketch for the new challenge over at Colour Me...! and this week's Weekly Wednesday Deals!

Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Fun Fall Framelits Dies	Motlley Monsters Designer Series Paper	White & Tangerine Tango Two-Tone Trim	Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper	Good Greetings Wood-Mount Stamp Set
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Tangerine Tango A4 Card Stock	Basic Black A4 Card Stock	Sahara Sand A4 Card Stock	Retro Fresh This And That Designer Washi Tape
Chalk Talk Framelits Dies

It's the start of the week and I've had such a busy - and productive! - day; I love days like that! I'm late blogging though, so a quick post from me with a card I made today using this week's sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch:

I've been making Halloween card samples for a party that I'm running this week, where the hostess is mad about all things Halloween! This sketch allowed me to make a really quick and simple card using one of the cute monsters from 'Freaky Friends' and probably the only piece of designer series paper in the Motley Monsters DSP pack that I really wasn't sure about. Here's my card:

So my American friends tell me the little triangles on this paper are known as 'candy corn', a popular sweet treat at Halloween. We don't have it here in the UK and wasn't sure how to use it on my card, when it came to me - I could pair it with a stamp that I'm never quite sure how to use either - the 'Om Nom Nom' stamp in the 'Ghoulish Greetings' set and one of the cute little monsters from 'Freaky Friends'. So using the DSP as my starting point, I cut a base of co-ordinating Crushed Curry cardstock and added a pennant banner of the DSP. I stamped my monster in Memento Black onto Tangerine Tango cardstock and punched it out with a 1 3/4" circle punch and mounted this on a 2" circle punched out of Basic Black. I added a decorative twine bow using the extra thick twine in the seasonal catalogue (it comes in Old Olive too) and lastly stamped my sentiment, a combination of two stamps from the 'Ghoulish Greetings' set. I was going to go with the 'Om Nom Nom' on its own - I figured this is what the monster would be saying if he was eating all the candy corn, right? - but then I added 'my little monster' as I think I will use it as a funny card for one of the James juniors - either the one who is often my little monster, or the one who never stops eating - I'll leave you to work out which is which!

Back tomorrow with another Halloween card; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Motlley Monsters Designer Series Paper	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Basic Black A4 Card Stock	Card Stock A4 Crushed Curry	Tangerine Tango A4 Card Stock
Freaky Friends Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Ghoulish Greetings Clear-Mount Stamp Set	White & Tangerine Tango Two-Tone Trim	1-3/4 Inch Circle Punch	2" Circle Punch

Today's card is for this week's challenge over at The Paper Players, where Ann has a 'Happy Fall, Y'all' theme for us this week:

I immediately knew what I was going to do for my fall card this week; I've had my eye on a sheet of the DSP in the Motley Monsters Designer Series paper pack that I thought would be perfect for a fall-themed card, and this week's sketch over at Create with Connie and Mary provided the perfect layout. Here's my card:

This falling leaf paper is actually the top of the sheet that has the little Motley Monsters pattern across the bottom, but by only using the top section this paper is perfect for fall. In fact, of the 12 designs in the pack, half of them can be used for non-Halloween themed projects, so it's definitely worth a look for more than just Halloween. Anyway, I digress!

I took the colours for my card from the DSP, and used Sahara Sand for my base, with a vertical border of Basic Black to edge my piece of leafy DSP. I then cut an oval in Tangerine Tango using my Big Shot and Oval Framelits and embossed this with the Woodgrain embossing folder. I stamped my sentiment from the 'Gratitude For Days' set in Memento Black onto Crushed Curry and layered this on top, then finished with the real focal point of my card, a trio of wooden shapes from the Autumn Wooden Elements set, which I layered and finished off with a black and white baker's twine bow.

A simple card that reminds me of fun afternoons in the park, kicking leaves and collecting conkers on a crisp Autumn day. Do pop by and visit the other Paper Players Design Team blogs - there is some great inspiration for you out there as always this week and they would love you to leave a comment or two.

I'm having a lovely weekend: yesterday Rebecca had a great day in London - Mama Mia The Musical was excellent - and today I am expecting to be truly spoiled as it's my birthday! I am looking forward to a roast dinner with all the trimmings and a day of fun with my family.

Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Motlley Monsters Designer Series Paper	Autumn Wooden Elements	Gratitude For Days Photopolymer Stamp Set	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Ovals Collection Framelits Dies
Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Basic Black Baker's Twine	Sahara Sand A4 Card Stock	Basic Black A4 Card Stock
Card Stock A4 Crushed Curry	Tangerine Tango A4 Card Stock

Today I'm sharing my Design team card for this week's challenge over at The Paper Players. This week Jaydee is hosting and she has the following sketch layout for us:

I love a good sketch layout and this one is no exception - I'd designed 3 cards with it within minutes of looking at it, so don't be surprised if you see this layout inspiring more of my creations in the coming weeks. For today though, I have another seasonal catalogue 'sneak peek' for you (I know, I'm such a tease!) - this time, with a Halloween theme: 

I don't normally purchase any Halloween items as I usually plough straight into Christmas, but this year I couldn't resist - there are some fantastic items to choose from! Today's card features the 'Motley Monsters' DSP and stamps from both the 'Freaky Friends' stamp set (the cat) and the 'Mingle All the Way' stamp set (sentiment). I heat embossed the cat in black so that he would be nice and shiny and coloured in the open letters of the sentiment with marker colours that co-ordinated with the DSP. The banner flag is made from a piece of Tangerine Tango cardstock covered with Retro Fresh washi tape in the same colour.

I hope this gets you in the mood for a spooky spooky halloweeny! Do pop over to The Paper Players to see what the other designers have come up with - there are some amazing takes on today's sketch.

Back tomorrow with a post for Bank Holiday Monday; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

* Motley Monsters Designer Series Paper, Freaky Friends and Mingle All The Way - available 28th August

Basic Black A4 Card Stock	Tangerine Tango A4 Card Stock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Circles Collection Framelits Dies
Card Stock A4 Crushed Curry	Embossing Buddy	Versamark Pad	Heat Tool - Uk Plug	Black Stampin' Emboss Powder
1 Inch Circle Punch	Retro Fresh This And That Designer Washi Tape