Counting down now - only 2 days to go until the new 2017-18 Annual Stampin' Up! catalogue launches!

I have sent out copies to everyone on my catalogue mailing list who has purchased from me in the last 6 months - if you're not on this list but would like to receive one, then do give me a call on 07773 421446 or drop me an email and I will pop one in the post to you.

We are on the home straight for purchases from the current annual and spring-summer catalogue; there will be a full reminder of everything that is closing tomorrow, however meanwhile if you still have an order to place this month, don't forget to use the current online hostess code DXFJQZPN to receive a little thank you from me. This code will close tomorrow afternoon at 2pm, so be sure to have placed your orders online before this to benefit. If you are local to me and wish to save on postage, please ensure you have your order to me by midday tomorrow to be included on this order.

Today I'm sharing a card for this week's challenge over at CAS(E) This Sketch:

This sketch was perfect for an idea I've had in my head for a while using a stamp set from the annual catalogue - take a look:

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

Layering Love - A new catalogue often means much less current stock in the stamp room, as old makes way for new and new consists of some select pre-order items. This has its advantages though - it encourages a look through those stamp sets that are carrying over from one annual catalogue to the next with fresh eyes - and in some instances, as with today's card, results in a set that has been languishing to be inked up for the first time (yay!) I bought the set some time ago because I love the big, bold feature sentiments it contains. The one I've used on today's card was the clincher though - not only is this a sweet sentiment for a new baby card, but is perfect for memory keeping and scrapbook pages or even a framed piece of wall art. I just had to have it - shame it's taken me so long to ink it up! The sentiment stamps are also designed to fit perfectly inside the various layering shapes framelits - bonus!

Sneak Peeks Times Two - I've mixed the old with the new on my card today too: I used the heart from a new set called 'Wood Words' to create a tone-on-tone border along the bottom part of my card using my trusty stamp-a-ma-jig to get my hearts neatly lined up and for my embellishment I added a sweet bunny that I fussy cut from the new Pick-A-Pattern Designer Series Paper. Full of eclectic hand-drawn images and quirky animals - I love this paper!

A Modern Colour Combo - I was tempted to go pink all the way with my card today, but decided to introduce black to tie in with my fussy-cut outlined bunny and I think it makes for a fresh and modern colour combination and tempers the brightness of Flirty Flamingo - feel free to save it if you would like to try it out on your projects:

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'm a little later than anticipated posting today; the joys of having the James Juniors home for the half-term holiday! We spent the day running errands, posting and delivering catalogues and purchasing some things ready for one of them to embark on a Geography field trip next week. I'll be back tomorrow with another project, hopefully posted before our day begins. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Layering Love Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Layering Ovals Framelits Dies	Wood Words Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies	Pick A Pattern Designer Series Paper
Whisper White A4 Cardstock	Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad	Flirty Flamingo A4 Cardstock	Flirty Flamingo Classic Stampin' Pad

I'm late posting today as I've been on the go and just haven't stopped to write until this evening. I'm sharing a card that I designed as a make and take for my team training that I held last Saturday - take a look:

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

Wood Words - I used the large floral stamp from the forthcoming 'Wood Words' stamp set for my background today and stamped it in Versamark then heat embossed it in white onto Shimmery White cardstock, ready for my watercolouring. Wood Words is part of the Wood Textures suite that includes the Wood Crate framelit and some great wood textured papers, yet on today's card there's not a piece of wood in sight. My sentiment is from the same set too and is embossed in white on the new in-colour Berry Burst - I think this is actually my favourite of the new in-colours, a wonderful purple-pink shade that really pops with the copper foil behind too. I also added a coupe of flowers cut with the Seasonal Layers thinlits, one each in Powder Pink and Fresh Fig for added decoration.

In-Colour Watercolour - I used a trio of the new in-colours - Powder Pink, Berry Burst and Fresh Fig to create the watercoloured background for my white embossed flowers, working from one side to the other and fading out. Don't they look pretty together? I'm also linking today's card up with the team over at SUO Challenges this week where their challenge is all about watercolouring.

CASE The Kit - The design of my card was inspired by one of the cards in the forthcoming new 'Hello Friend' heat embossing product kit on page 16 of the new annual catalogue. One of the business topics we discussed at team training was how Stampin' Up!'s kits can benefit your business and our make and takes all included opportunities to practice the techniques and skills required to demonstrate with this kit effectively. There's nothing like being prepared and I'm sure my team would agree that team training is great for this kind of thing. As for me, I love getting together with my team - check out my Facebook page here if you'd like to see some of the other things we got up to last Saturday - we had the best ice-breaker activity I think I've ever participated in!

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'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Wood Words Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Versamark Pad	Embossing Buddy	Aqua Painters	Heat Tool (Uk)
Shimmery White A4 Cardstock	White Stampin' Emboss Powder	Berry Burst A4 Cardstock	Berry Burst Classic Stampin' Pad	Fresh Fig A4 Cardstock
Fresh Fig Classic Stampin' Pad	Powder Pink A4 Cardstock	Powder Pink Classic Stampin' Pad	Whisper White Solid Baker's Twine	Copper Foil Sheets
Layering Circle Framelits Dies