It's Wednesday and you know what that means: a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! These offers are valid for one week only. As always, a new collection of deals will be announced next Wednesday.

If you want to take advantage of any of the deals on offer, you can support my business by placing your order online by clicking here or using the link to my store on the right hand side of my blog page where it says 'Shop Online' or with me in person. Don't forget to add the new Hostess Code for January W2ZHBH2D if your order is under £150 and be sure to make sure that you don't check the 'no contact' box if you'd like to be kept updated with the progress of you order and receive a little thank you in the post from me. 

Here's a summary of this week's one-week only Wednesday deals - click on each item to go to the online store to purchase:

2015-2017 In Color Envelope Paper	Balloon Framelits Dies	Calypso Coral Thick Baker’s Twine	I Think You're Great Clear-Mount Stamp Set
You're Sublime Clear-Mount Stamp Set

Some great bargains to be had, including the 'You're Sublime' stamp set that I used on my card for The Paper Players on Sunday - if you missed it, you can see it here. Also the Balloon Framelits Dies - a good time to purchase, balloons are very 'on trend' at the moment!

Back later with today's creative project; until then, happy shopping!

It's Sunday and you know what that means: time for a new challenge over at The Paper Players! This week it is the turn of my fellow Brit, the lovely Jaydee, to host and she has a fun theme challenge for you:

Yes - square cards! It's always fun to create a square card for a change - when I saw this week's challenge I knew exactly where I wanted to start: the striped paper in the Cherry On Top stack was calling my name! I'm also linking up with the Friday Mashup where the challenge this week is also square cards, although obviously given my paper choice I decided not to go for the 'mashup' and use the colours over there too. Here's my card:

Now the pattern I chose actually has an off-centre point (check out your paper stack to see what I mean!) so I chose to cut my square of DSP square so that the lines all came together in the centre. I chose to use the 'happy' and 'birthday' sentiments from the 'Age Awareness' set as the focal point for my card - I like the contrasting swirls combined with the lined detail, which I infilled with my Stampin' Write markers in the colours that co-ordinated with the striped paper. To balance my sentiment in the square I also included a couple of the swirls across the top, which I joined together using a Crushed Curry Candy Dot. I simply measured my mats and layers and cut them with my trimmer, but you could always use your Square Framelits to make it easier if you prefer. A great clean and layered card and I love the way the striped paper draws your eye to the sentiment. A colourful custom envelope in Watermelon Wonder completes my card!

Before you reach for your ink and papers, check out what our amazing team has created to inspire you this week:

One of the reasons people avoid making a square card is that it often calls for a bespoke envelope. Don't forget about your Envelope Punch Board! Along with the gorgeous new Envelope Paper in the annual catalogue, and my Envelope Expert tool of course, there is no excuse to not make perfectly customised square envelopes (or rectangular for that matter!) every time. No fuss, no wastage, no guesswork required - if you're not already a fan, check out my free Envelope Expert tool today!

I look forward to seeing how you interpret Jaydee's fun challenge and seeing all your square creations in the gallery this week. As you read this I will be flying high somewhere above Europe, on my way back to the rather wetter climes of the UK. Don't worry - I'm doing my best to bring the sunshine back with me everyone! Enjoy the rest of your weekend, however you choose to spend it.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Age Awareness Photopolymer Stamp Set	2015-2017 In Color Envelope Paper	Envelope Punch Board	Cherry On Top Designer Series Paper Stack	Regals Candy Dots
Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad	Bermuda Bay A4 Cardstock	Crushed Curry A4 Cardstock	Whisper White A4 Cardstock	2015-2017 In Color Stampin' Write Markers
Many Marvelous Markers

Today I have a card using the sketch challenge over at Paper Craft Crew and the colours over at Pals Paper Arts as the inspiration for my teacher thank you card:

Now I know I entered a teacher thank you card into last week's challenge over at Pals Paper Arts (if you missed it you can see that card here) but what can I say - I need lots of them! I love the bright colour combination here so took the opportunity to do a little doodling - take a look:

I used Night of Navy for my card base which measures 5 3/4" x 5 3/4" and matted a strip of Cucumber Crush striped envelope paper with a strip of Watermelon Wonder cardstock. For my central panel, I embossed a piece of Whisper White with the large polka dot embossing folder for added texture, although difficult to see in the photograph, and then overlaid this with my circle stencil and used my Watermelon Wonder Stampin' Write Marker to doodle an apple shape. I added my stem and leaves freehand and finished with a navy seam binding ribbon bow, some Cucumber Crush lace trim and a trio of white candy dots. I finished with the thank you sentiment from the 'Tin of Cards' stamp set - this is such a great set, I've used it lots already and haven't even made my tin of cards yet!! - stamped in Night of Navy on Watermelon Wonder, and finished with a juicy green apple punched using my tree builder punch. 

I think the colours of this card really pack a punch and my non-standard card size meant a custom envelope would be the order of the day. What better way to finish than with a co-ordinating envelope made from the gorgeous new Cucumber Crush envelope paper? This lightweight paper makes beautifully crisp envelopes and with the aid of my trusty Envelope Expert from The Crafty Owl it was easy to work out what size paper and punch markings I required (9 1/4" and 4 5/8" respectively, in case you were wondering!)

I hope you like today's card; I'll be back tomorrow with a new set of Wednesday Weekly Deals and another project for you. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Polka Dot Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Dots & Stripes Decorative Masks	2015-2017 In Color Stampin' Write Markers	Tin Of Cards Photopolymer Stamp Set	2015-2017 In Color Envelope Paper
Whisper White A4 Cardstock	Tree Builder Punch	Envelope Punch Board	Cucumber Crush 1" Dotted Lace Trim	Night Of Navy 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon
Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad	Night Of Navy A4 Cardstock	Cucumber Crush A4 Cardstock	Watermelon Wonder A4 Cardstock	1-3/4" Circle Punch
Big Shot

It's Wednesday so that means a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! This week's deals are included below - they will be available for one week only, before a new collection of deals is announced.

As always, if you want to take advantage of any of the deals on offer, you can support my business by placing your order online by clicking here or using the link to my store on the right hand side of my blog page where it says 'Shop Online' or with me in person. Don't forget to add the Hostess Code for January (you can find this under the 'Shop Online' section on the right) and be sure to make sure that you don't check the 'no contact' box if you'd like to be kept updated with the progress of you order and receive a little thank you in the post from me. 

Here's a summary of this week's one-week only Wednesday deals - click on each item to go to the online store to purchase:

2013-2015 In Color Designer Series Paper Stack	Blushing Bride 12" X 12" Cardstock	Book Of Birthdays Swatchbook Template - Digital Download	Envelope Punch Board
Gold Soiree Specialty Designer Series Paper	Mossy Meadow A4 Cardstock	Pear Pizzazz 12" X 12" Cardstock	Typeset Specialty Designer Series Paper

There are some great offers on cardstock and designer series paper this week, but why do I think these Wednesday Weekly Deals are the best ever? Well, because my beloved Envelope Punch Board is on offer - I think it's a steal at its full price of £17.95, but at this week's offer price of £13.46 there really is no excuse for everyone not to own one!!

This really is such a versatile piece of kit and when you combine it with my Envelope Expert and Box Buster tools, the sky really is the limit! Nothing more to say other than get yours today!!

Back shortly with today's creative post - happy shopping!