Last Chance Products Updated and 2 New Kits

by Joanne James4. June 2025 09:00

It's the beginning of June and there's lots happening here this month so I'll split it into a few separate posts - buckle up!

 

I'm here with a quick post to let you know that the Last Chance Products section of the online store has updated. There are hundreds of new and discounted products from the mini and annual catalogues and online exclusives. You can check them all out HERE; go take a look, there are some great bargains to be had.

There are also two new kits available in the online store:

 The Pop Up Pals Kit

 

Make crafting a wild adventure with the Pop-Up Pals Kit! This kit includes everything you need to create four fun pop-up cards—a playful monkey, mighty triceratops, magical unicorn, and cosy napping pets. With pre-cut pieces and simple instructions, young crafters will love bringing creativity to life!

DETAILS
- Makes 4 cards: 1 each of 4 designs
- Folded card size: 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" (10.8 x 14 cm)
- Kit price £9.50

The second kit this month is the Make A Memory Scrapbooking Kit:

 

Capture life’s moments with the Make a Memory Scrapbooking Kit! This all-inclusive scrapbooking kit makes it easy to document everyday memories with coordinating papers, embellishments, and stickers in a versatile, all-occasion style. With everything you need in one set, creating meaningful pages has never been simpler!

DETAILS
- Makes three two-page scrapbook spreads
- Page size: 12" x 12" (30.5 x 30.5 cm)
- Kit Price £34.00

You can find out more information on any of these kits by visiting the Kits Collection section of the online store - links below.

Happy shopping! 

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

A Suite Deal With 50% Off in June

by Joanne James4. June 2025 09:00

The month of June sees one of the best promotions for this time of year, when wishlists are long and there are lots of new suites to choose from. Starting 3 June, all available suites and suite products from the 2025–2026 Annual Catalogue and Online Exclusives are buy one, get one 50% off! If you’ve had your eye on a new suite from the annual catalogue or you really like the look of a stamp set from an Online Exclusives suite, you don’t have to choose—you can get both!

Details of the promotion are as follows:

  • All available suites and suite products from the 2025–2026 Annual Catalogue and Online Exclusives are buy one, get one 50% off.
  • When you shop the sale, the 50% off discount will apply to the lower-priced item (for example, if you buy a suite collection and a stamp set from a suite, the suite would be full price, and the stamp set would be 50% off).
  • Suite collections are available if all items are in stock; if all items are not in stock, you can still shop the available suite products.
  • You don’t have to buy a suite and suite products all from the same suite collection for the discount to apply. You can buy any suite products from any suite.
  • The discount will appear in your basket once you’ve added two items within the sale parameters to your basket.
  • Products are available only while supplies last.

The suites included in the promotion are as follows: - click on any of the images to be taken to the online store to see the products in more detail:

 

So much to choose from! The important thing to remember though to maximise your savings is - be strategic:

  • The 50% off discount will apply to the lower-priced item.
  • Maximize your BOGO savings! Purchase Bundles or Suites together.
  • If you are buying two Suites, skip adding individual items like Designer Series Paper from a Suite, since the paper may end up being the item that’s 50% off instead of the higher-priced Suite.
  • Place multiple orders to ensure the 50% off is maximized in each transaction - even with multiple P&P it will work out cheaper in the long run.

If you have any questions, do get in touch. Meanwhile, happy shopping!

Celebrate With Celebratory Sips

by Joanne James3. June 2025 20:00

I've had a very indulgent day in my craft room trying to get ahead with a bunch of design projects, but I couldn't resist making something for fun too so I have a quick post to share a card I made for a few challenges:

      

The ladies over at TGIF Challenges have a product spotlight on the Celebratory Sips Suite and what better way to celebrate with the Inkspirational team than with cocktails? The layout over at Just Add Ink was perfect for something I wanted to try with the Celebratory Sips designer series papers (I turned the sketch through 90 degrees) so I grabbed my paper snips and set to work! Here's my card: 

 

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

The Celebratory Sips designer series paper pack is full of vivid, watercoloured patterns featuring blocks, cocktails, fruit, flowers and more - everything you need to get the party started! I fussy cut a quartet of blocks, then layered these with various smaller images of fruit, glasses, bottles and jugs cut from another sheet, co-ordinating the colours for each panel:

 

I used another of the patterns as a matting layer and picked up the Cloud Cover colour to use as the base for my diecut sentiment from the (retired) Wanted To Say Dies, which I popped up on dimensionals and placed across the middle between the blocks. A few co-ordinating sequins from my stash complete my card.

Whilst this post may be quick, the card was a labour of love and did take me a little while - a triumph of fussy cutting, if you will and not a stamp set in sight for this one!

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'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

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

Beautiful Gallery Sympathy Card AYSI349

by Joanne James30. May 2025 12:00

Today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where Jan is hosting and it's time for a speed challenge with an interesting theme:

    

Water - in all it's forms! I don't mind saying, I procrastinated for ages before making my card today; I was convinced I didn't have any current product that would fit the bill, but after a quick conversation with my fellow teamie Jan and a peruse through the Stampin' Up! catalogue, I saw this week's sketch over at Global Design Project and I knew exactly what to do! This is my finished card:

 

But how did I get there? Here's the low-down on today's card:

Beautiful Gallery - I actually had a few items with a water theme - the Otterly Adorable suite and the Waves Embossing Folder to name a couple - and I used one of the seascapes in the Beautiful Gallery pack for my panelled card over at The Paper Players at the start of the week (you can see that card here if you missed it). My conversation with Jan prompted me to revisit the pack to see if there were any other designs that featured water. I found one, so chose a stamp set, gathered the remainder of my supplies and set my stopwatch - go!

I chose Lost Lagoon and Secret Sea as my coordinating colours, and trimmed my DSP and a panel of Lost Lagoon, then split my image into three sections:

 

With Sympathy - I did choose a retired stamp set for my sentiment: a previous Sale-A-Bration stamp set called 'Heal Your Heart', which has some lovely sentiments for sympathy cards. I am low on sympathy cards and thought that the tranquility of this image would work well for this kind of card, especially one with a masculine feel. If you want a current set with similar sentiments, 'The Right Words' on page 89 of the catalogue would be a good choice.

 

A Close Call - Basic card complete in just a few minutes and that's when I decided to go on the hunt for a suitable embellishment - and realised I didn't have any to hand! I filddled with a Mossy Meadow twine bow (nope!) followed by a quick rifle through the embellishment basket let me to a simple trio of Lost Lagoon enamel dots  - better! - to complete my card. Did I get there in time?

At 9 minutes 36 seconds, I was still within my 10 minute limit - phew! The moral of the story though - gather EVERYTHING you need (or might need!) before you start - in a speed challenge, that is most definitely the key to success!

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 Speed Stamping Challenge you must tell us the time it took to make your project and it must be finished in under 10 min.
  • 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.
We look forward to seeing your creations in the AYSI gallery.

Enjoy your day and I'll be 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.

Hey Thank You With The Party Alphabet Dies CC561

by Joanne James27. May 2025 12:00

I've had a busy Bank Holiday weekend and not managed to find much time for blogging but now it's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. Laura is hosting this month and our second challenge is a colour challenge: 

      

I wasn't sure what to do with this week's colours, then I saw the challenge over at AAA Cards where they have a fun 'follow the leader' CASE challenge and I was inspired! I grabbed my new Party Alphabet Dies and set to work; this is what I came up with:

 

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

I retained the vertical design and went with a modern block sentiment to create a thank you card with a clean, masculine feel. I colour blocked the diecut letters with strips behind, then added a trio of thank you sentiments - a perfect card when you need something a little less feminine - and another great way to use those Party Alphabet Dies! Here's the card turned around so you can read the sentiment more easily:

 

I really like this design - I might have to have another play with those letter dies and the vertical element - so many creative possibilities!

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! color 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 and I'll be 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.

Impressions Abloom With Spots AYSI348

by Joanne James16. May 2025 12:00

Firstly, apologies to anyone who struggled to link their project to our last challenge over at As You See It; we experienced some challenging IT issues that took a while to put right. All sorted now though and today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where Jan is hosting and it's time for a fun theme challenge:

          

Spots or stripes - how fun! I added flowers to my choice so that I can also play along in the current challenge over at The Flower Challenge and grabbed the pretty colours over at Hand Stamped Sentiments and the layout at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge, along with some new goodies and set to work. Take a look at what i came up with:

 

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

Embossed Spots - I went with spots as opposed to stripes, and in a nod to Jan's love of all things embossed I decided that I would make a bold feature of mine by embossing my base layer with one of the (retired) 3D Basics Embossing Folders that has a raised spot design. This was the only EF in this trio I have never used, but I really don't know why as I really love the finished effect - especially in that vibrant Summer Splash colour. 

Impressions Abloom - I paired my embossed base with an aperture and flowers from the Impressions Abloom bundle - one of this month's Online Exclusives. The dies have a fabulous embossed diecut detail and I love that the aperture comes with a beautiful framed edge too; you can see both in more detail on the close up below:

 

I inked my flowers for added depth and added lots of tiny Fresh Freesia enamel dots to my sprays of white blossoms for a little added sparkle.

Finishing Touches - There isn't much in the way of stamping on today's card; just the sentiment on the front, which I paired with another in the set, along with a stamped flower, on the inside of my card:

 

The Impressions Abloom bundle, along with the rest of this month's release, is available now in my online store - definitely worth a second look. Click on the link on the table at the end of the post to go and take a closer look.

I wasn't sure about this colour combination when I first saw it, with two pastels and the bold aqua, but I love how it turned out! It really makes me want to use Summer Splash more - I just love the vibrancy of this 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. 

Here's a summary of our challenge rules:

  • Create any card, scrapbooking page, 3D or packaging project that fits the challenge.
  • 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.
We look forward to seeing your creations in the AYSI gallery.

Enjoy your day and I'll be 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.

One More Year CCS560

by Joanne James13. May 2025 12:00

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & SketchesThis week's challenge is a sketch challenge and Laura who is hosting has asked that we create a square card with a quartered centrepiece:

     

Feel free to flip or rotate the sketch when making your card.

For my card today I used the colours over at Color Throwdown and decided to create an Andy-Warhol inspired centrepiece, featuring a comical canine favourite - take a look:

 

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

Yes - it's the dog from the 'One More Year' stamp set - but not quite as you know it! For today's card, I stamped him four times onto white cardstock, coloured with Blends and fussy cut him out, minus his party hat. I backed each image with a square of retired spotty DSP in the challenge colours and mounted each onto a postage die base. I finished with a simple 'hello' sentiment from the new 'Sweet Blooms' stamp set, anchored with an enamel dot:

 

Super simple and a fun way to give this stamp a different look. This card is going in my stash to send to the youngest James Junior when he is living away at uni - I know this will make him smile!

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'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

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

Darling Dinos You're T-Rrriffic AYSI347

by Joanne James2. May 2025 13:00

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

       

I started my card today having chosen dinosaurs as my animal (the 'Darling Dinos' stamp set is great for colouring too!) and armed with the layout over at Sketch Saturday and the bold, bright colours at Color Dare I set to work. Take a look at what I came up with:

 

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

Texture and Shine - Aside from my pair of cute, brightly coloured dinosaurs (the Blends colours I used are listed at the bottom of my post), I decided to go big on the texture/emboss element in this week's recipe. I added a background of heat-embossed footprints, layered in lots of boulders across the horizontal and added two panels of corrugated cardstock in highlighted colours behind each of my dinosaurs. I even added in some pebble-shaped enamels from my stash too! All of these combined add more texture and interest than my usual style and whilst this is something of a departure for me, I really like the effect. Maybe, sometimes more is more! 

Footprints in the ... Plants - Did you notice those oversize shiny, embossed footprints on my base panel? This stamp isn't from the 'Darling Dinos' stamp set; in fact, it's got nothing to do with dinosaurs at all! It's actually the reverse of one of the plant stamps in the 'Planted Paradise' set - I've highlighted it with a red circle below:

 

How clever is that?! I can't take the credit for this idea; the wonderfully talented Brian King made this card a while ago that got me looking at this set in a whole new light - I think I'll probably use this single stamp more than any of the others in this set now, so thank you Brian! Once you've seen it, you just can't unsee it - right? Here's a close up where you can really see the shine of my prints: 

 

And Finally - Just as I thought I was done, I did my finally recipe check - and realised I'd forgotten twine - aarggh!!! I found some that picked up the red and tied it around my panel; it's ok but I think I preferred the card without. Nonetheless, recipe finally complete - phew!

This card is headed to a friend who will hopefully appreciate the sentiment and those quirky little details.

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 Recipe Challenge use all elements of the recipe - the possibilities within those parameters are endless.
  • 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.
We look forward to seeing your creations in the AYSI gallery.

Enjoy your day and I'll be 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.

Grateful Blessing Bluebells With Stampin' Write Markers CCS559

by Joanne James29. April 2025 12:00

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. I'm hosting this month and my final challenge is a colour challenge: 

  

For my card today I used a lovely stamp called 'Grateful Blessing' that I'm pleased to say will be on carryover from the current annual catalogue, because I haven't used it anywhere near enough! Here's my card:

 

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

Today's card really is so simple! The bell floral stamp in the Grateful Blessing stamp is perfect if you want to do just a little colouring with your Stampin' Blends, or if colouring isn't your thing there is an infill stamp so you can simply stamp it instead. I decided to do something a little different with today's card though: I used Balmy Blue and Shy Shamrock to colour my bluebells using my Stampin' Write markers, using just the outline of the stamp:

 

This technique is really easy to do; it works better on red rubber stamps than photopolymer, but if you stamp your flowers using a stamp positioning tool, you can repeat it a few times and increase the depth of colour. I stamped one of the sentiments in the set alongside my bluebells in Night of Navy, then added a simple scored border to complete my card. 

The flowers are so delicate when only the outlines are coloured; do you ever use this technique with your outline stamps? Do leave me a comment below - I'd love to know how you are using your Stampin' Write markers. 

I also made a second card using the same stamp set, layout and colours, but this time heat-embossing the image in white onto Night of Navy cardstock:

 

To colour the flowers, I first painted the flower with diluted white kraft ink to give a base for the colour to key to, then when dry I added the colour on top using watercolour pencils:

 

This gives quite a different look. Two techniques with one stamp set - do you have a favourite? 

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

 

And the second card:

 

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 and I'll be 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.

Free Shipping For 3 Days From 11pm Tonight

by Joanne James22. April 2025 14:00

A second post for today with some hot-off-the-press news! From 23-25 April, there will be free shipping on all orders of £60 or more! Details as follows:

  • All order types qualify for this promotion.
  • Free shipping is for three days only. Orders must be opened and closed during 23-25 April.*
  • Free shipping automatically applies to your basket after the qualifying amount has been met, which is 75 € | £60 (before shipping and handling).
  • Coupon codes and product credits are non-commissionable and will lower your order’s retail amount. Orders must meet the qualifying amount to be eligible for free shipping.
  • The additional cost for expedited shipping is not covered by this promotion.

*Due to the time difference, this promotion will start on 22 April at 11:00 p.m., for Ireland and the United Kingdom.

 

Click here to go straight to the online store - happy shopping!

2025-26 Annual Catalogue

BROWSE THE CATALOGUE

Click on the image to download your copy of the 2025-26 annual catalogue. For a full list of current SU! supplies, go to my online store. If you would like any help or advice, please drop me a line at joanne@thecraftyowl.co.uk or give me a call on 07773 421446 - I'd be happy to help.

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Join My Team

It's always a great time to join Stampin’ Up! Between 6-31 May, new team members can get £170 worth of products for only £99 + free business supplies + free shipping + all the fun being a part of Stampin’ Up! That's an extra £40 of product - FREE! 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 Kits!

Stampin Cut and Emboss

The Sending A Smile Kit and The Beautiful Blues Kit are the latest kit additions to the online store - get yours here!

New Online Exclusives

There are new products available exclusively in the online store from 6 May - 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!

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This is my personal blog and is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up! Stampin' Up! is a registered trademark of Stampin' up! Inc. I hope you find my blog 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.