Firstly, I would like to say thank you to everyone who left comments on my blog and Facebook pages in the last couple of days about my new Box Buster from The Crafty Owl tool - I'm so glad that you are all finding this tool useful. Please feel free to share with anyone and everyone you know who likes box making and has an Envelope Punch Board; it takes all the guesswork out of box making! I have another Box Buster video tutorial for you tomorrow, but meanwhile I want to share my card for this week's challenge over at The Paper Players, where Ann's theme challenge this week is to make a 'Thankful for Spring' thank you card. I decided to combine the challenge with the one over at the Fusion Card Challenge, where I used the colours in the photo and the unusual sketch layout as the inspiration for my card:

I've invested in a few new sets of flower stamps lately, so was a little spoilt for choice, but decided that the lovely Sale-A-Bration Petal Parade stamp set would work perfectly with the sketch layout. Lots of my customers have chosen this item as their free Sale-A-Bration gift so I'm keen to share ideas with them on how to use it. Here's my card:

I chose a base od Summer Starfruit, then added a Whisper White layer that I had stamped with the Petal Parade flowers. I then added a top layer in Pool Party with a circle cut using my Circle Framelits to reveal the flowers beneath. I added my simple 'thanks' sentiment to the white layer beneath the curved edge of the top layer and added the Petal Parade border stamp for definition. To finish, I added some of the Summer Starfruit Sale-A-Bration baker's twine, first punching some little notches out of the Pool Party layer with the point of my mosaic punch to ensure the twine sits flat and evenly across the front of my card.

I hope you like my card; check out the links above to see what the respective design teams have created for these challenges for some great inspiration and ideas. Back tomorrow with another Box Buster video tutorial; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Petal Parade Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Sweet Sorbet Accessory Pack	Lots Of Thanks	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Summer Starfruit Classic Stampin' Pad
Summer Starfruit A4 Card Stock	Pistachio Pudding Classic Stampin' Pad	Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad	Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad	Pool Party A4 Card Stock
Mosaic Punch	Magnetic Platform	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Circles Collection Framelits Dies

Good evening everyone! Today I have a video tutorial to share with you that I prepared a couple of weeks ago that shows you how to make an extra-wide pouch using the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch. Here's the finished extra-wide pouch:

Here is a standard size treat pouch made with the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch - you can find my previous video tutorial on how to make this here:

As you can see, when compared to the standard-size punch, the extra-wide version is about 1" or 2.5cm wider and taller. The video tutorial shows you how to adapt your punch and shares my top tip for a smooth punch every time - go and take a look:

Here are the measurements I used in the video in case you didn't catch them:

Cardstock: 2 3/4" x 7 3/4" or 7cm x 19.5cm

Score at: 3 3/4" and 4" or 9.5cm and 10cm

I hope you found this video tutorial useful - this is such a versatile punch with so many uses beyond a standard tag. The treat pouches make great little wedding favours too.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Good evening blog readers! Today I'm going to share a scrapbook page with you that I made at a recent team training event and designed by the lovely Bekka Prideaux. It features a number of the Sweet Sorbet paper designs and the Petal Parade stamp set - both items that can be yours free during Sale-A-Bration with an order of £45 or more - some new Spring-Summer items and a somewhat overlooked item in the annual catalogue (more on that in a moment). So here is my scrapbook layout:

I decided to use one of my summer holiday photos of Rebecca and Ben as the centrepiece; I have so many amazing photographs from our holiday that I have yet to do something with, so this seemed a good opportunity to start. They are participating in one of my favourite activities at a Disney theme park - no not a roller coaster, but the ritual eating of a Mickey ice-cream bar (I am rather partial to these!) - and the concentration on their faces is a concerted attempt to get them eaten before they melt in the extreme heat!

The bright colours and patterns in the papers make a great background for my photo. Did you spot the 'hidden treasure' from the annual catalogue? The photograph is mounted on to one of the Simply Fabulous Simply Sent cards, with another attached to the Scallop tag Topper Punch piece behind for hidden journaling. These cards are great for quick cards but can also be used for journaling or as a photo mount. Lastly, a fringe cut using the new fringe scissors adds texture and draws the eye in to the focal point.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Yay - it's the weekend! We don't have any special plans this weekend, but sometimes that's a nice way to be. Homework, swimming lessons enough of a dry spell to get outside and shoot some hoops this afternoon and some time spent doing jigsaw puzzles - what could be nicer? Today I'm sharing another of the cards we made at this week's card class, featuring the items that can be yours free with a £45 spend. This card uses my favourite of the Sale-A-Bration stamp sets, Petal Parade - here is my card:

This card is a CASE of this one made by the talented Mary Brown; I loved this card when I saw it - the layering and the fussy-cut flowers really make it something special. In addition to which, it features three great Sale-A-Bration items (Petal Parade, Decorative Dots TIEF and some of the lovely baker's twine from the Sweet Sorbet accessory set) and one of my new favourites from the Spring-Summer catalogue - the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch. For my version of this card I wanted to use different colours and a pop of colour on my sentiment banner and offset my tag at a more jaunty angle. I hope you like it!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Pool Party A4 Card Stock	Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad	Pistachio Pudding Classic Stampin' Pad
Summer Starfruit Classic Stampin' Pad	Scalloped Tag Topper Punch	Happy Watercolor	Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad	Petal Parade Clear-Mount Stamp Set
Sweet Sorbet Accessory Pack	Decorative Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

Once a quarter, my wider upline team get together for a team training day. We craft, we share business tips and ideas and we catch up with friends. It's a fun day devoted to our Stampin' Up! businesses and one of the many benefits of being a part of a wider Stampin' Up! team. One of the important parts of these events is the process of 'swapping'. Everyone prepares a card, scrapbook or 3D sample using current products in line with a chosen theme. Today our theme was the forthcoming Sale-A-Bration campaign; as promised, today I'm sharing the swap I prepared:

This card uses three of the products that you can earn free with a £45 purchase: The Petal Parade stamp set, the Decorative Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, and one of the Sweet Sorbet Designer Series paper designs. I used a 1 1/4" circle punch and my circle framelits to cut out the flowers and mounted them on dimensionals for extra interest.

If you would like to make this card, you have only nine more days to go until Sale-A-Bration is live and these products will be available online or through the Sale-A-Bration mini catalogue - not much longer to wait now! I am already taking party bookings for the Sale-A-Bration period; if you would like to host a party during Sale-A-Bration, then contact me to book a slot. Sale-A-Bration is a great time to join Stampin' Up! too; if you would like to know more about the benefits of becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, then check out the link on the right hand side of my blog page or get in touch for an informal chat; I would be happy to share with you the benefits that being a demonstrator can offer.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Card Stock A4 Pistachio Pudding	Card Stock A4 Crisp Cantaloupe	Summer Starfruit A4 Card Stock	Pool Party A4 Card Stock	Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad
Summer Starfruit Classic Stampin' Pad	Circles Collection Framelits Dies	Magnetic Platform	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	1-1/4 Inch Circle Punch

Good evening blog readers! Today I've been busy putting together my swaps for our team training session on Sunday and watching a couple of netball matches at school this afternoon. The theme for our swaps at training this month is 'Sale-A-Bration' and along with my final swap card, which I'll share with you on Sunday, I've made one or two other cards using some of the items you can earn free with a £45 order during the Sale-A-Bration promotion, which starts on 28th January. Here's another card that I made using one of the flower stamps from the Petal Parade set, that also features one of the papers from the Sweet Sorbet DSP pack:

This time I used my Stampin' Write markers to colour the flowers so that I could give them a two-tone look with different coloured centres, and I anchored them to the card with some of the fabby extra-thick baker's twine that is another of the SAB promotional products.

I created a split front to my patterned paper layer and included the 'happy day' sentiment from the stamp set of the same name.

I'm off now to finish my swaps. Back tomorrow with another card; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Happy Day	Card Stock A4 Crisp Cantaloupe	Card Stock A4 Pistachio Pudding	Summer Starfruit A4 Card Stock	Pool Party A4 Card Stock
2013-2015 In Color Stampin' Write Markers	2012-2014 In Color Stampin' Write Markers	Subtles Stampin' Write Markers	Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad	1-1/4 Inch Circle Punch
Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Circles Collection Framelits Dies	Magnetic Platform

Well, it had to happen - I successfully shared my cold with my daughter, who as a result is off school today feeling considerably down in the dumps! Even a bonus dose of 'Animal Rescue' on TV can't make up for missing two of her favourite lessons of the week - Art and PE. I'm sure a couple of days in the warm to catch up on some sleep and get things under control will help no end. As for me - my day is not quite turning out as planned, although this does mean one thing - an early blog post for a change!

The title of my post today is 'Two For One - Time Two' for two reasons: I am entering today's card into two challenges, and I also used two different flower sets to create my pattern. So, here is my card:

My card layout was inspired by this week's sketch challenge at Create with Connie and Mary CCMC285 - here is the sketch:

My colour combination was inspired by the current colour combination over at Dynamic Duos DD#85 - Summer Starfruit and Garden Green:

So here's a confession for you: I've had a Garden Green inkpad for 12 months and the first time I broke the seal on it was yesterday to make this card!! Whilst I use Garden Green card occasionally, I don't use Regals collection ink pads very often at all (Cherry Cobbler being the notable exception, of course). I have one other ink pad in this collection still in it's cellophane too; any guesses as to which one?! For a first time use, I quite like this colour combination. And for my other combination - did you spot which flower stamp sets my pattern came from? The yellow flower is from the 'Petal Parade' set that will be available during Sale-A-Bration at the end of the month and the green one is from 'Mixed Bunch'. I toyed with embellishing my flower centres, but decided against it, instead using three candy dots to 'anchor' my banner in place.

I'm off to replenish the tissue box and hopefully make a start on swaps for team training this weekend.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Lots Of Thanks	Mixed Bunch - Clear-Mount Stamp	Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad	Garden Green A4 Card Stock
Summer Starfruit Classic Stampin' Pad	Summer Starfruit A4 Card Stock	Regals Candy Dots

As promised, I've a change of theme today - I've been having a play with my Sale-A-Bration pre-order and thought I would share one of the cards I made that features a  few of the products that will be available free when you spend £45 or more during the Sale-A-Bration 2014 promotion. Here is my card:

This card features three new products: the lovely Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper*, one of the stamps from the 'Petal Parade' stamp set* and the Crisp Cantaloupe cardstock has been embossed with the Decorative Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder*. All those layers, teamed with the fresh, pastel colours of the DSP and a simple sentiment, this is a perfect post-Christmas card, 'just because'.

More Sale-A-Bration ideas to come, but for now, start making that wish list! Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

* All Sale-A-Bration items - available from 28 January - 31 March 2014

A Dozen Thoughts	2-3/8 Inch Scallop Circle Punch	1-3/4 Inch Circle Punch	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Magnetic Platform
Standard Cutting Pads	Circles Collection Framelits Dies	Card Stock A4 Pistachio Pudding	Card Stock A4 Crisp Cantaloupe	Summer Starfruit A4 Card Stock
Pool Party A4 Card Stock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Basic Black Classic Stampin' Pad	Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad