Today I'm sharing a clean and simple card that uses Donna's layout over at Freshly Made Sketches, along with the colour combination at Color Hues of Fuschia and Navy:

I'd been considering how to use the colour combo over at Color Hues and decided that a swipe-type stamp would make a great background for one of my favourite simple die stems that I haven't used for a while - take a look:

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

Yes, it's those Online Exclusives Friendly Foliage dies! I cut three each of the two short stems in white, double-stacking the diecuts for a little extra impact, adding them to alternative swooshes of Berry Burst and Night of Navy (the background stamp is from the retired 'Friends For Life' stamp set):

I added a simple thank you sentiment and a single sparkly gem to complete my card. I was looking for a 'painted swoosh' type stamp when I found the 'Love You Sew' stamp set which sent me off on another path to make yesterday's card (the painted swoosh stamp in that set was too narrow for the look I was after). I had originally thought I might use the 'painter's tape' technique that my friend Christy has been using to great effect on her cards recently - alas my first attempt was a hot mess, so in the end I went with a stamp for a more accurate design. More practice required there I think!

I'm also linking today's card up over at CAS On Friday where the current theme is 'Botanical'.

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; mine is going to be a restful one, with a few last minute loads of laundry for the James Junior before he heads back to uni tomorrow to start his final term of the year |(where did that time go?!), some book reading and maybe a sneaky hour or two of crafting with the new box of Stampin' Up! goodies that have arrived whilst I've been typing! I'll be back tomorrow with another project for our new challenge over at The Paper Players. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

FRIENDLY FOLIAGE DIES (£23.00)

NATURE'S SYMPHONY PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (£18.00)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (£16.00)

BERRY BURST CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£8.50)

NIGHT OF NAVY CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£8.50)

Today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where it's time for a fun 'fill in the blank' challenge by Heather H:

Completing today's sentence was an easy one: besides Christmas, I definitely mail more thank you cards than any other. I always send thank you cards to customers who place Stampin' Up! orders with me and I love to show my appreciation of anyone who demonstrates thoughtfulness. Now I made a couple of thank you cards with today's challenge in mind - I'll share the first card I made tomorrow; today I'm sharing the 'happy accident' that was my second card that came about as I was rummaging through my stamp sets and found the perfect sentiment for that layout over at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge this week - take a look:

 Here's the low-down on today's card:

Today's card is a celebration of old favourites - the sentiments in the retired 'Love You Sew' stamp set were the perfect shape for the panel in the sketch. I couldn't resist this punny thank you one, so I paired it with a variety of pinks and some Night of Navy of Navy so that I could play along over at Color Dare too. I used Strawberry Slush for my cardbase and added a diecut layer using the Dots & Spots Die (also retired). I stamped some lines in Bubble Bath to look like a notepad using one of the stamp from the retired 'Tap Tap Tap' stamp set, then rounded the corners and used a border punch across the top of the panel before adding my sentiment in Night of Navy and finishing with a bow-shaped paper clip for a touch of fun. That fun vertical element consists of a piece of Pretty In Pink cardstock cut with the Large Scallop Die, a piece of retired Melon Mambo Brights designer paper with a circle pattern and a piece of navy cardstock, tied with some Strawberry Slush baker's twine:

I wouldn't normally mix so many pinks on one card unless I was colour blending, but I think this kind of works and the navy is a great complimentary colour. Whilst this card won't be going to any of my customers - I like to send them cards made with current product for obvious reasons - I am sure I will have a use for this card before too long!

Here's a summary of our challenge rules:

• Create any card, scrapbooking page, 3D or packaging project that fits the challenge.
• For a Fill In The Blank Challenge, please complete the sentence and explain how it relates to your card.
• Please include the challenge graphic and link back to the challenge in your post.
• Make sure you link the specific post and not the whole blog to the Linky. Use AYSI#(insert challenge number) when uploading to a public gallery
• Please turn off word verification so that we can send you lots of feedback.
• You can combine our challenge with up to 3 other compatible challenges. 
• We do reserve the right to delete, or not consider for Top Pick and Featured Artist, entries that do not comply with these guidelines.

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

Today I'm sharing a card that I wanted to share at the weekend, but with the business at Easter and the fabulous weather we've been having here in the UK for the early part of this week, I've been distracted by the outdoors and away from my craft room. So that is why I have a final Easter card for you today that was made with the following challenges in mind:

The team at Inkspirational are all about the Clean and Simple this week, with the option of things beginning with E - which is also the theme over at AAA Cards - so the eggs on my Easter card should be perfect. I'm also sharing my Easter card over at Inspire.Create where the theme is Easter too. You know how much I love the Peekaboo Die from a Pocketful of Happiness, so I decided to make another card with it - take a look:

 Here's the low-down on today's card:

This one is super simple: I wanted to preserve as much white space as possible and keep things really clean and simple, so I cut out the die in white and added it to a white cardbase, then paper-pieced the eggs in the negative spaces in a trio of pastel colours (Pretty In Pink, Peach Pie and Lemon Lolly), alternating each one:

A simple sentiment from the retired 'Welcome Easter' stamp set was all I need to complete my card. 

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

Happy Easter everyone! Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's the turn of the fabulous LeAnne to host this week and she has a fun and seasonal theme challenge for us to work with:

Spring showers - well April is certainly the month for those! I had to dig in to the retired box for supplies for today's card, but I knew I had just the thing. I used the layout over at Try A Sketch on Tuesday and set to work. Take a look at what I came up with:

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

I focused on patterns including umbrellas from the Rain or Shine specialty designer series paper pack for my card today. I used two vertical panels of embossed umbrellas, then from a separate sheet fussy cut a dog with an umbrella and added him to a Stylish Squares diecut square, to which I added some blue ink and stamped raindrops and a couple of fussy cut rainclouds:

A simple sentiment from the retired 'Playing in The Rain' stamp set completes 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 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 hope you take the time to indulge in an Easter egg or two (well, it would be rude not to, right?!) I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

STYLISH SHAPES DIES (£28.00)

BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (£14.00)

BALMY BLUE A4 CARDSTOCK (£14.00)

BALMY BLUE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£8.50)

BLENDING BRUSHES (£14.00)

Today I'm sharing a clean and simple card for the current challenge over at The Card Concept that is also perfect for the spring challenge over at CAS on Friday:

Those cute and colourful wellingtons filled with spring tulips inspired me to dig out a couple of retired sets to recreate them for my spring card - take a look:

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

I stamped the wellington boots from the 'Under My Umbrella' stamp set and them masked off elements of the 'Love is Kindness' set to fill the boots with tulips. I coloured the completed images with my Stampin' Blends markers in the same colours as the inspiration picture, then added them to a Lovely Arrangements diecut and a (retired) Tahitian Tide cardbase to bring out the blue of the boots:

A simple sunny sentiment completes my card. Do you ever combine sets to create something new in this way? Do leave me a comment below - I'd love to hear about any of your stamp set combinations.

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'!

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. We are a (calendar not challenge) day early to keep you on your toes as Deborah is hosting for the month of April and our first challenge is a colour challenge: 

I love this trio of bright colours that Deborah chose and Melon Mambo is one of my all-time favourite pinks - however I did struggle to know what to create today! So it seemed appropriate to make a card ... just because! Here's my card:

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

Do you ever make cards 'just because'? I never under-estimate the joy that an unexpected piece of 'happy mail' can bring and today's card is one of those that is perfect for such an occasion. Using a blending brush, I created a mix of the two greens on a piece of white cardstock then I took that beautiful textured leaf die from Nature's Symphony and cut out a variegated stem. This is such a fun technique as no two diecuts ever look the same. To that I added a simple bold Melon Mambo sentiment using my favourite Words of Beauty bundle:

I couldn't resist adding a trio of pink glossy dots from my stash to complete 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. 

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; it's supposed to be getting warmer here today with temperatures peaking at 17 degrees, which seems balmy compared to the chilly temperatures of late, however I can honestly say it's not looking that promising so far - I'll believe it when I feel it! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

WORDS OF BEAUTY BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£43.00)	NATURE'S SYMPHONY DIES (£31.00)	MELON MAMBO A4 CARDSTOCK (£14.00)	MELON MAMBO CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£8.50)	SUMMER SPLASH CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£8.50)	SHY SHAMROCK CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£8.50)
BLENDING BRUSHES (£14.00)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (£16.00)

Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's the turn of the fabulous Ann to host this week and as it's the 5th Sunday of the month she has a fun tictactoe challenge for us to work with:

I  went across the top row and also down the middle column with diecut/twine/sentiment and twine/flowers/patterned paper and cut into more of my Lovely Blossoms papers for today's card - take a look:

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

I made this card at the same time as I made this one a couple of weeks ago, but for this one went with the pale pink/peach, blue and white colour scheme. I used a white cardbase and a mat of two white dicut circle panels, then created a montage of papers in two different sized squares, cut with the Stylish Shape Dies. I then added a stamped flower and some leaves, and a simple skinny block sentiment, all from the Lovely Arrangements bundle:

A twine bow and some enamel dots complete my card. This one feels cleaner than the last card I made with this set, but still showcases the pretty colours and patterns of those papers. I'm so glad I bought this suite!

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:

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

Today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where it's time for a pretty colour challenge chosen by LeAnne:

I love these pretty pastels that LeAnne chose this week! I decided to create another card using my Flowers Fair stamp, using Amy's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches for my layout - take a look:

 Here's the low-down on today's card:

For today's card I coloured the Flowers Fair stamped florals with my Stampin' Blends in each of the challenge colours, then cropped a portion of it and framed with my Impressions Abloom Dies (the closest thing I have to an oval). I do love the detail on the frame piece, it's subtle but there. I ran my horizontal strip of Pretty In Pink cardstock through my Big Shot with the mini corrugated embossing folder for a little added texture and added a sentiment from the January Product of the Month stamp set, Fabulous Sayings:

I felt like my card needed something more, so before I glued it all together I added a sheet of retired Subtles DSP to my card base. The pattern is very subtle in Soft Sea Foam, but was just what I needed. A trio of Pool Party sequins and some baker's twine complete my card - which is my 'just add 2' for the ladies over at Just Add Ink too.

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. 

Here's a summary of our challenge rules:

• Create any card, scrapbooking page, 3D or packaging project that fits the challenge.
• For a Colour Challenge use all of the given colours and only those colours with these exceptions:
• White and Very Vanilla are free colours.
• In addition, you may use of ONE of these neutrals: Basic Black, Basic Gray, Crumb Cake, Basic Beige.
• Please include the challenge graphic and link back to the challenge in your post.
• Make sure you link the specific post and not the whole blog to the Linky. Use AYSI#(insert challenge number) when uploading to a public gallery
• Please turn off word verification so that we can send you lots of feedback.
• You can combine our challenge with up to 3 other compatible challenges. 
• We do reserve the right to delete, or not consider for Top Pick and Featured Artist, entries that do not comply with these guidelines.

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

Today I'm sharing a card that I am squeaking in for the colour challenge over at Color Dare and I'm playing along over at Time Out and Double D for their current Easter challenge:

I love the bright shades in the Color Dare palette and originally was intending to go in a different direction with some stencilling, but when I saw the photo top left over at Double D of that cute bunny amongst the colourful Easter eggs, I was reminded that I had a pot of 'sprinkles' that were the first 4 colours of the Color Dare palette that would be perfect for a shaker card - my favourite method of incorporating a clear element into a project, so I just had to make one for the Time Out team! Take a look at what I came up with:

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

My card features the Peekaboo Sheet Die from a company called A Pocketful of Happiness that I just couldn't resist when I saw it - how cute are those bunny ears?! I've used a stencil that I made with this die on cards previously, but this is the first card that I've made featuring the whole coverplate. I think this die is really versatile and of course those egg-shaped apertures are perfect for individual shaker elements! I simply cut my die, added a window sheet to the reverse, created a grid with my foam tape sectioning each opening and added a mix of my sprinkles to each. I could have just added a border of foam tape, but by creating sections each egg always has some sprinkles when viewed from the front of my card:

A simple Easter sentiment from the retired Word Wishes set completes my fun shaker card. You may see another card or two featuring this die in the next week or so as I make a few last minute Easter cards, so keep your eyes open!

The sun is shining here today finally after a couple of days of howling winds, rain and hail, so following a visit to the dentists this morning (just a check-up thankfully) I think I might crack on with some outdoor jobs and clean the cars this afternoon! Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Today I'm sharing another Easter card that I made for the Easter challenge over at Festive Friday (I chose rabbit, Easter eggs and easter greeting from the Inspo List) and for Inkspire Me who are also celebrating Easter:

I wanted to make another card using the Easter Time Mix & Match Ephemera pack, this time in blues and yellows. Here's my card:

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

This time I used a Daffodil Delight card base and layered a cluster of blue and yellow ephemera pieces, finishing with my bunny at the centre. I added some brass butterflies and a twine bow, along with stacked diecut sentiment from the retired Word Wishes Dies:

 So many pretty details and chock-full of spring colour!

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'!