Happy Birthday To You With The Party Alphabet Dies JUGS 779

by Joanne James12. June 2025 13:00

It's my second week as Guest Designer over at Just us Girls and this week it's Word Week and the word is 'number':

       

Lots of ways to go with this one! I actually started my card with letters, rather than numbers - take a look and I'll explain more:

 

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

Party Alphabet Dies - I have a whole list of ideas I want to try with those new larger-than-life Party Alphabet Dies and today's number challenge gave me the perfect opportunity to try one! Given the size of the letter dies, there's a limit to how many you can fit onto a standard size card front, so today's greeting is in an easy-to-understand shorthand: HB2U! I diecut the letters from a piece of Basic Black cardstock ready to position some fun patterned paper behind, then used a (retired) Large Numbers Framelit of the number '2' to diecut my number. You could use a number die from the current Alphabet A La Mode Dies, but I wanted something a little more chunky.

Broadway Bound - I have been having fun playing along with the challenges over at TGIF Challenges lately and this week's almost neon colour palette totally caught my eye. It reminded me of the (retired) Broadway Bound designer series paper, covered in candles, cakes and party hats so I decided to hunt some out of my retired stash to use as the backing for my letters. It was then I discovered that my mind had somewhat played tricks on me, as the pink in this paper isn't actually my favourite hot pink, Melon Mambo, but the retired in-colour, Lovely Lipstick. By now I was committed to my idea though, so decided since there wasn't much in it I'd plough ahead - hopefully the ladies at TGIF Challenges will forgive me this oversight ;-) 

A Touch of Glimmer - Since we are all about the numbers over at Just Us Girls this week, I wanted to make mine standout. I popped it up on some dimensionals, overlapping the letters behind it and some Lemon-Lime Twist glimmer paper from my stash was just the thing for added impact:

A few sequins were the only additional decoration to complete my card. I was hoping that the graphic letters and bold colour scheme would make this card suitable for boys as well as girls; a quick consult with the youngest of the James Juniors suggested he would not be offended to either receive or send this card to one of his mates, so I think I'm safe!

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. 

So how do you like to feature numbers on your cards? The Just Us Girls Team have some fabulous inspiration for you too so why not take a look and add your numbered creation to the gallery at the same time?

Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another project for our new challenge over at As You See It. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

Hey Thank You With The Party Alphabet Dies CC561

by Joanne James27. May 2025 12:00

I've had a busy Bank Holiday weekend and not managed to find much time for blogging but now it's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. Laura is hosting this month and our second challenge is a colour challenge: 

      

I wasn't sure what to do with this week's colours, then I saw the challenge over at AAA Cards where they have a fun 'follow the leader' CASE challenge and I was inspired! I grabbed my new Party Alphabet Dies and set to work; this is what I came up with:

 

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

I retained the vertical design and went with a modern block sentiment to create a thank you card with a clean, masculine feel. I colour blocked the diecut letters with strips behind, then added a trio of thank you sentiments - a perfect card when you need something a little less feminine - and another great way to use those Party Alphabet Dies! Here's the card turned around so you can read the sentiment more easily:

 

I really like this design - I might have to have another play with those letter dies and the vertical element - so many creative possibilities!

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! color 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:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

Bee Happy For PP738

by Joanne James18. May 2025 08:00

Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's my turn to host again this week as Stef and I had a swap around to accommodate our respective vacation plans. It's Clean and Simple Challenge Week and this one has a fun theme chosen by Stef too:

    

Things that fly! Lots of options here and whilst I don't have much in my current collection of stamp sets that fit the bill, I knew exactly where I was headed with this one and when I saw Kim's fabulous layout over at Freshly Made Sketches it was just perfect for me to put my ideas into action! Take a look at what I came up with:

 

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

Busy Bees - I chose a bee as my 'things that fly' for today's card - specifically, the little bee in the 'Choose Happy' stamp set. I stamped him all over a white panel and coloured in his yellow stripes with Daffodil Delight Blends markers, followed by a liberal dose of clear Wink of Stella to add shine to their wings. Here's a close up of my full panel as I was constructing my card:

Play On Words With Party Alphabet Dies - Having decorated my panel with bees, I promptly covered much of it up! I diecut a letter 'B' from a panel of Basic Black using my new Party Alphabet Dies - have you seen these on page 86 of the new catalogue? These are larger than life and great for scrapbooking and card making alike and yes, I have lots of alphabets - now I have another one in my collection!! I used the negative space of the 'B' on my card, so that my buzzy friends could be seen through the aperture (remember to keep the two pieces from the inside of the letter too!):

 

How fun is that?! I paired my 'B' with the word 'happy' to make the sentiment 'B/Be/Bee Happy' - do you see what I did there, with my fun play on words?! This 'happy' was from the 'Friends for Life' stamp set and I chose that one because I liked the font, but you could use the 'happy' in the 'Choose Happy' stamp set too as an alternative.

A Philosophical Message - I finished the inside of my card with another simple, yet profound sentiment:

 

With everything going on in the world, it is easy to take a less than positive view; sometimes we need to be reminded that happiness is a choice and one that we, as humans with free will, can make for ourselves each and every day. Even though it can be hard, happiness is ours to cultivate through our thoughts and actions and when we cultivate it for ourselves, it is easier to spread joy and share those feelings with others too. On that note, here ends today's post!

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:

Here's a quick recap of our challenge rules:
 
1.  Create a new paper project
2.  Upload your creation to your blog with a link back to us and provide a direct link to the post featuring your challenge submission.
3.  Please link your card to no more than four challenges, TOTAL.
4.  Have FUN!

Enjoy your day; I shall be spending mine with my nearest and dearest who make me happy - and hoping that the youngest of the James Juniors is not feeling too worse for wear following last night's hockey club dinner - especially since he has to sit his second A level Economics paper tomorrow! I'll be back soon with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

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Hi I'm Joanne and live in Northampton and when I'm not looking after my husband and two beautiful children, am an avid crafter with a passion for all things Stampin' Up!

I must confess that I have never been a big rubber stamper - until I discovered Stampin' Up! that is. I love the fact that I can get such great results with co-ordinating stamps, inks, papers and punches - the possibilities are endless! Join me on my stamping journey as I share the things I love and be inspired to create amazing things yourself!

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