Balloon Builder Party Animal

by Joanne James7. February 2016 21:23

I have a quick second post today following on from my earlier Paper Players post, to share the 'Wylie Kyote' balloon animal that I created to grace my card using this week's sketch over at Mojo Monday:

My earlier post here explains how my balloon animal came to be; I had a quick 5 minutes this afternoon so decided to through caution to the wind and make him into a card. Whilst I'm still not convinced he looks like a dog, he definitely looks enough like a balloon animal to join this party:

I added some balloon designer series paper from the 'It's My Party' stack (just in case anyone needed some visual association for my stamped animal!!) and the fun sentiment that also features in the 'Balloon Builder' stamp set. In retrospect I think I should have used a patterned paper for my pink layer too as it's a little plain, but there we go - next time! It was fun to try out this little set though - I can't wait to see what other animals I can create.

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.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Cards | Shop Online | Stamping

You Did It! With Giggle Greetings

by Joanne James7. February 2016 09:00

Did you miss me? Apologies for the lack of blog posts over the last couple of days. I've had plenty of projects, just not enough time to write up! However today it's Sunday and time for a new challenge over at The Paper PlayersThis week it is the turn of my talented friend LeAnne to host and she has a fun theme challenge for you to play along with:

    

This proved something of a tricky week for me! As someone known for not being the world's biggest pet lover, I don't have much in the way of cats or dogs in my stamp collection. I'd been thinking about what I was going to do for this challenge all week, wondering whether I should get creative with some punch art, when I had a 'light bulb' moment and thought I would use my Balloon Builders set and build a dog. When I looked at my finished attempt, I wasn't sure about it; my husband poked his head round my office door, looked at it and said "Well, maybe it could pass for Wylie Kyote ... are you SURE you don't have any cat or dog stamps??" and proceeded to go searching along my shelves! So needless to say the balloons got tossed aside in favour of this card, as my dear husband had a 'Eureka!' moment and discovered my long-unused Giggle Greetings set:

 

I used this week's Colour Q palette and coloured my dog with my retired Blendabilities and created some fun layers with some embossing using my large polka dots embossing folder on the top one. I framed my stamped piece using my Circle Framelits, added a few banners from some retired scraps of designer series paper and some thick Cherry Cobbler baker's twine and my card is complete.

A fun puppy dog that as it turns out was perfect for the job and since I needed a few congratulations cards too I got one of those into the bargain! That will teach me to get all creative and not check my collection thoroughly first!! (edited to add: I did decide to put the balloon animal to good use, although balloon dog might be considered a stretch! You can find him here - let me know what you think!)

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

The Paper Players Design Team
 
 
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! 

 

I look forward to seeing what you create with this week's theme. We have a day of sport today, with basketball and hockey in store and then some time this afternoon making Tudor costumes for Ben's current school history project.

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.

Love You Hearts Border Card

by Joanne James3. February 2016 18:00

I had a great day of classes yesterday, with my second 'Love Blossoms' technique class of the month and my Project Life memory keeping class - lots of fun layouts of babies, toddlers, wartime Cairo and sightseeing in New York to name a few! I so enjoy my Project Life class and feel privileged to have my ladies share and document their precious memories with me. 

Today I'm sharing a Valentine's card that uses this week sketch over at As you See It that also fits the colour palette over at Can You Case It: black, reds and white or neutrals. I was also inspired by the photo of the ombre repeated heart biscuits over at The Card Concept to create my 'Clean and Layered' card today:

AYSIChallenge121  CYCI#105

I decided on some layered heart borders for the striped/border elements of my card using a trio of reds and a sentiment stamp I don't use very often - take a look:

 

A trio of Watermelon Wonder, Real Red and Cherry Cobbler panels, layered so that the alternating colours show through, and the hearts that I punched out using my Hearts border punch I randomly adhered, spilling from the sentiment, taken from the 'Friendly Wishes'  stamp set. A Basic Black mat for definition and a double bow of black and white baker's twine finish my card. Hearts and reds - what more do you need for the perfect Valentine?

That's all from me today; back tomorrow with a card for this week's new challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

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

 

This Week's Wednesday Weekly Deals!

by Joanne James3. February 2016 09:00

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 February UYGWGF4W 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:

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

One of my favourite stamp sets, Sheltering Tree, on offer today and some great punch and framelit set offers too! 

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

Playful Pals Jungle Elephant Hello Card

by Joanne James2. February 2016 08:00

I have a day of back-to-back classes today, with my second technique class of the month (I know and only 2nd February!) and my monthly Project Life memory keeping class in store, so a nice early blog post for you today! I have a fun card using this week's sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch and the challenge over at The Friday Mashup to use a zoo animal on your card:

   

I thought the CAS(E) This Sketch layout was perfect for an idea I'd had using the Playful Pals stamp set and co-ordinating Pyramid Pals Thinlits Dies - take a look:

I had this idea of an animal in the bush/jungle peeking out amongst the greenery so I decided on an elephant and having stamped and cut out the elephant pieces in Smoky Slate, I adhered him to my bright orange background before adding my Botanical Builder leaves and my sentiment cut with the Greetings thinlits. Isn't that fun? I have visions of this elephant trampling greenery for miles around as it rampages through the bush. I envisaged my animal as living in the wild, although clearly elephants can be seen at the zoo too. This is my first outing with the Playful Pals set but I know that I am going to use of lots more - there are so many creative possibilities with a set like this! 

That's all from me today; back tomorrow with this week's weekly deals and another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

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

Love Blossoms Bloomin' Heart Shadow Box Frame Card

by Joanne James1. February 2016 21:11

Happy Monday everyone! Today I have a rather special card to share. I made another shadow box frame card using the same tutorial by the lovely Amanda Bates at The Craft Spa as the card I shared previously here  - she is without a doubt the queen of fancy folds in my book! The beautiful Bloomin' Heart thinlit was asking to be made into the centrepiece of a shadow box card I thought. So here's mine:

I made my base out of Whisper White with the heart cut out of Rose Red and embellished with Blushing Bride Glimmer Paper flowers and pearls and decorated my frame with a piece of Love Blossoms designer series paper. The square that I cut out of the centre was used to decorate the box that acts as the 'envelope' for the card:

I think this makes a great 'wow' card for a special birthday, Valentine, wedding, anniversary - and the boxed card can even be sent through the post as a large letter, although I must admit I think I'll be hand delivering mine!

That's all from me today; 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.

Love At First Sight

by Joanne James30. January 2016 20:00

I hope you are all enjoying your weekends. So far mine has been spent doing laundry, assisting the James Juniors with their homework (Ted Hughes poetry and an art project today!) and preparing for my technique classes next week. I did find time to finish a card that I started yesterday though: another Valentine's card, using this week's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches and the top line of the tic-tac-toe board over at Stamps, Ink, Paper and fitting with the 'love' theme over at Paper Craft Crew too.

   SIP Tic Tac Toe 32 800    Love Theme Challenge 179 for the Paper Craft Crew.

In order to fit in my large sentiment, I went with an unusual 8 1/4" x 5 1/2" sized card - take a look:

I stamped the 'l v e' from the 'Larger Than Life Alphabet and Numbers' stamp set in Versamark and heat embossed them in black, then substituted the 'o' from my 'love' sentiment with the heart from the 'First Sight' set, which I stamped in Real Red on Real Red cardstock, then overstamped again in Versamark and heat embossed with clear embossing powder for additional shine. I used a piece of Everyday Chic designer series paper for my border panel and finished off my sentiment inside the card with one of the 'Hello You' thinlits and an outline stamped red heart:

 

I even created a custom envelope with some Real Red envelope paper and the help of my trusty Envelope Expert tool, which I also decorated with a stamped red heart.

I love the layers of this card and the letters shine beautifully; I think this may be one of my favourite Valentine's cards that I've ever made. Today's blog title comes from the combination of one of the stamp sets I've used today and the sentiment and it got me thinking - I remember meeting my now husband for the first time and thinking even then he would be the man I would one day marry; I do believe there is such a thing as love at first sight - do you? Do leave me a comment below today's post - I would love to know what you think.  

That's all from me today; back tomorrow with a new card for this week's challenge over at The Paper Players. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

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

Botanical Builders Purple Flowers Birthday Card

by Joanne James30. January 2016 08:50

It's Sunday and time for a new challenge over at The Paper PlayersThis week it is the turn of the sweet Jaydee to host and she has a tic-tac-toe for you to play along with:

    

When I was considering which squares to use to create my card, I noticed that none of the other girls on the team had used purple. This is one of my favourite colours, so I decided to use this as my starting point. I was also drawn to the black and white striped background and central focal image of Connie Collins' card for 'Case The Designer' over at The Global Design Project, so wanted to combine the two. I settled on the top row - flowers, bling, purple - for my card today:

My background paper is from the 'Go Wild' paper stack - these papers are not just great for animal prints! I used a trio of purples for my flowers, die cut using the Botanical Builder Framelits Dies, and I used them to frame my birthday sentiment from the Tin of Cards stamp set - I just love the fonts in this set. My 'bling' is in the form of a liberal dose of Wink of Stella on my main flower and a scattering of rhinestones across my card. 

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

The Paper Players Design Team
 
 
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! 

 

I look forward to seeing what you create with this week's tic-tac-toe challenge - so many creative possibilities! Rebecca is playing in a hockey tournament today so I shall be wrapped up warm with a mug of tea in hand as I watch and hoping for a little craft time this afternoon. Enjoy your Sunday however you are spending it!

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.

Love You Tilted CAS Card

by Joanne James29. January 2016 22:40

Happy Friday everyone! Firstly, I must say a big 'thank you' to everyone who came by to see yesterday's Mrs Potts and Chip card - I have received many wonderful comments on this card both here on my blog and wherever I've shared it, so thank you all so much! Whereas yesterday's card was a little more involved, today's card is almost as CAS as it get! I managed to snatch a quick 10 minutes at my desk this evening so made this Valentine's card for a few challenges:

SIP Tic Tac Toe 32 800      

I went with the top link of the tic-tac-toe board over at Stamp Ink Paper and red/punch or die cut/heart and also used the tilted sketch over at CAS Colours & Sketches to add a little more red to my sketch, which is the theme over at Addicted to CAS. Here's my card:

A Real Red base, a twisted panel of white and a simple sentiment; I used the heart-shaped 'steam' die from the Cups & Kettle Framelits Dies for my heart, which I cut out of red foil for a little dimension and shine. So clean, so simple - and I love it!

That's all from me today; 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.

 

Serene Silhouettes Pieced Sunset Card

by Joanne James27. January 2016 21:00

Another quick silhouette card from my brayer class today - this one featuring the birds in a tree stamp from the Serene Silhouettes stamp set:

This card uses a similar pieced silhouette technique that I used on yesterday's card, with the sunset sky panel made from a combination of Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango and Real Red inks. I used the sentiment from the 'Wetlands' stamp set again and this time in addition to my black mat and Pumpkin Pie card base, I added a piece of black satin ribbon tied around the bottom of the panel.

A quick post from me today; do come back tomorrow to see what I created for this week's new challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary - I have something rather special to share!

Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

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

 

Mini Catalogue

BROWSE THE CATALOGUE

The mini catalogue is now live! Read and download your copy here.

Shop Online

Access my online shop 24 x 7, 365 days of the year:

Current March hostess code:

S9F2XJJW

Shop Online

Join My Team

It's always a great time to join Stampin’ Up! New team members can get £130 worth of products for only £99 + free business supplies + free shipping + all the fun being a part of Stampin’ Up! Stampin' Up! has something for everyone: join my growing team and benefit from my support to enjoy Stampin' Up! however you choose.

If you're interested, call me for a chat to understand how I can help you realise your goals. Alternatively, if you have already decided to sign up and you just can't wait, please click here for the link to the online form where you can sign up and order your starter kit right away! 

Latest Kit!

Stampin Cut and Emboss

The Rock Legend Kit has all you need to make 8 cards with coordinating envelopes. Along with the new Panda Friends Kit, both are available from January 4th for just £14 each - get yours here!

2023-24 Annual Catalogue

BROWSE THE CATALOGUE

Click on the catalogue for a full list of current SU! supplies - if you would like to order any of the items featured, please drop me a line at [email protected] or give me a call on 07773 421446 - I'd be happy to help.

New Online Exclusives

There will be new products available exclusively in the online store from 5 March - check them out here.

About Me

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!

Follow Me

Monthly Newsletter

Box Builder

Click the button above to use Box Buster to create your custom box design using the Envelope Punch Board!

Kits Collection Now Available!

Stampin Cut and Emboss

The new Kits Collection from Stampin' Up! is now available!

Click here to see the current kits available and order yours online today.

I Design For

 

 

 

Stampin' Up Stuff

This is my personal blog and is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up! I hope you find it a plentiful source of ideas and personal inspiration but please don't copy my designs for contest submission or use for classes, publication or sale without express permission.