This is really Saturday’s post, which I wasn’t able to put live as I was away, so it has now turned in to Monday! I used last week's theme over at Global Design Project which was 'for the love of craft' for a last-minute entry to this week's Color Throwdown palette and current CAS Colours and Sketches sketch: 

As soon as I saw the sketch, I knew it would give me the opportunity in combination with the other two challenges to create a card that I’ve had percolating for some time - take a look:

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

Crafting Forever - ‘Crafting Forever’ is one of those sets that is a firm favourite with crafters, especially if you are making cards for other crafters, as we often do! That said, you don’t need to be a crafter to enjoy this set - the sentiments in this set are fun for anyone.

Ombre, Ombre - I decided to create a background of randomly stamped scissors, that I then heat embossed in white so that I could use my sponge brayer to create my bright ombré background. The scissors bring my card together and by brayering all three colours it makes the people on my card really stand out.

A Play on Words - So I haven’t used the sentiment featured on my card before, but I do love a punny sentiment and this one always makes me think of those chains of paper dolls that I used to make as a child. Anyone else spend hours on end cutting out little people and then dressing them and decorating them with different faces? I couldn’t resist creating two paper chain dolls for the elements of the sketch (I used copy paper so that it would have the same look and feel as my paper dolls I made as a child) and adhered them under the sentiment, which I masked onto my horizontal strip to suit the sketch layout. This funny punny card just makes me smile and I already know who I’m going to send it to! 

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Crafting Forever Cling-Mount Stamp Set (£19.00)	Embossing Buddy (£5.50)	Versamark Pad (£8.75)	White Stampin' Emboss Powder (£5.50)	Melon Mambo A4 Cardstock (£8.25)
Daffodil Delight A4 Cardstock (£8.25)	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)

Good morning everyone! I hope you all had wonderful weekends and if you're in the UK are enjoying the glorious weather - long may it last! I have a big news post for you today as it's all happening here at Stampin' Up! during the month of July.

First things first - BONUS DAYS ARE BACK! Do you remember this promotion from last year? It was so successful, Stampin' Up! have decided to repeat it this year. 

For every £45.00 you spend between 1 July and 31 July (before delivery), you’ll get a £4.50 Bonus Days coupon that you can use between 1 and 31 August. Our new annual catalogue has been out for a month now, so I'm sure you will have long wish lists; this is a great opportunity to shop from it and make savings when you shop again in August with your coupons! 

There are some details in terms of small print that you need to take note of, as follows: 

• Promotion period: 1–31 August 2019
• Redemption period: 1–30 September 2019
• An email address is required to participate in this promotion; Bonus Days coupon codes can only be delivered via email.
• If a participant earns multiple codes from a single order, they will receive one e-mail with multiple codes. If they earn multiple codes from multiple orders, they will receive separate e-mails for each code earned.
• It is strongly recommended that you both save emails containing their Bonus Days coupon codes AND write down the coupon codes in a safe place. Codes cannot be resent if the email is lost, and lost codes cannot be recovered.
• Bonus Days coupon codes can be redeemed for any product, excluding Starter Kits.
• There is no limit to the number of coupons you can receive per order or throughout the duration of the promotion.
• There is no limit on the number of coupons you can use on an order during redemption.

As if that wasn't enough, we also have a fabulous recruitment offer - check it out:

Yes, the promotion that is so good, we named it twice! If you've ever considered becoming a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, this is a great time to join. For the next 2 months, from 1 July until 31 August, new demonstrators will receive £25 to put towards bonus products in their Starter Kit - that's in addition to the extra £30 they already receive, so a whopping £155 worth of products of your choice for £99. And that's not all: the following month after joining, you will receive an £8 coupon code to use towards any order placed that month - and that includes items from the Autumn-Winter catalogue which goes on pre-order to demonstrators on 1st August a whole month before it goes live to customers on Wednesday 4th September - woohoo!

There are some details in terms of small print that you need to take note of, as follows: 

• Promotion period:1 July–31 August 2019
• The bonus at initial sign-up allows demonstrators to pick up 32 € I £25 more than usual. They will pay 129 € I £99 to sign up and choose 207 € I £155 worth of Stampin’ Up! products in their Starter Kit.
• Coupon codes will be sent between the fifth and seventh business day of the following month the new demonstrator signs up.
• The e-mail address listed in a new demonstrator’s profile will be used to send the 12 € I £8 coupon code.
• Refer to the Demonstrator Policies document (UK | NL) for more information on recruiting policies.
• Coupon codes may be redeemed only once; they will reduce the commissionable amount of orders.
• Coupon codes expire 31 October 2019; after this date, they will no longer be valid.

There really has never been a better time to shop with or join Stampin' Up! - if you need any additional information on either of these promotions, then please don't hesitate to get in touch. I would love to help you explore a new business opportunity or simply get your hands on some great quality crafting supplies.

I'll be back shortly with today's project (it's a fun one!) but in the meantime you can shop with me online here or click here to sign up and get your hands on a starter kit today!

The wait is over - it's June 4th and the new 2019-20 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalogue is here! I will be updating my links on the right hand side of my blog and you will find a permanent link to the new catalogue there, but for today you need look no further than the picture below which will take you straight to the new catalogue:

The new catalogue is fantastic, with so many great new products to choose from. I've sent paper copies to everyone who has shopped with me in the last 12 months; a digital copy of the new catalogue can be accessed via the image above and it will be permanently linked via my blog on the right hand side if you don’t have a paper copy and wish to browse. If you have your paper copy and just want to go straight to the shop to place your order, click here - ordering systems have now fully transitioned from the old stock items to the new so you are good to go! Also, remember to add the current hostess code for June TBSAWQXE if your order is less than £150 and ensure your preferences are set to 'contactable' to receive a thank you in the post from me.

There are a few items that due to unexpected shipping delays will not be immediately available and the main product I need to flag with you in the new in-color Purple Posy; there have been issues with the quality of the ink and so will be unavailable until these have been resolved. Rest assured I will post more information on this as soon as this comes online. There is plenty that is available though, so you can always add these items to your 'next time' list!

I'll be sharing my favourite items from the new catalogue in a blog post soon. Also, in addition to my Annual Catalogue Open House Drop-in Session tomorrow Wednesday 5th June from 10am-1pm, I have decided for the first time to hold an all-day online annual catalogue launch party on Saturday 22nd June on my Facebook Page. This is a great opportunity for you to see some of the products, take advantage of my BOGOF sale of retired stamp sets, and have some fun even if you don't love in or around Northampton! RSVPs to my online event will be required as it will be held in a closed group so if you are interested and would like access then do get in touch!

I also have a number of classes lined up in coming months featuring products from the new catalogue - the first of which are detailed below:

• 20th June - Bird Ballad Suite
• 8th July -Daisy Lane Bundle

Full details for these classes can be found on my Facebook Events Page  or alternatively under the 'Events/classes' tab on my website.

That's a lot of information for one post; if I were you I would put the kettle on, put your feet up and get comfy and settle down with your new catalogue for a browse and start creating that all-important wish list!

Back tomorrow with a new project; until then, happy shopping!

This is today's second post; if you missed the notification about the discounts on retiring products that Stampin' Up! announced today please click here. Today I'm sharing a couple of cards from a class I held much earlier in the year featuring the Serene Garden bundle. I shared one of the other cards we made here in case you missed it. This bundle is retiring next week so I thought I ought to get around to sharing the other two! Both of these cards were a CASE (Copy and Share Everything or Copy and Selectively Edit, depending on your interpretation of the cards on page 166 of the annual catalogue. Here's the first one:

And here's the second one:

This is such a beautiful bundle; the Garden Scene Framelits allow for some fabulous layering, especially when paired with the Big Shot Embossing Mats - check out the emboss detail on the cards above. It's also a great set if you like to colour, as the second card illustrates.

Here are the visual summaries of the key products used on today's projects 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 evening and I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

(if you need further information on any of the other elements used please leave a comment or email me directly):

Serene Garden Photopolymer Bundle (£39.50)

I'm later posting today - it's been a busy day! I had a class last month featuring the Needlepoint Nook Suite and made a few additional cards featuring these products whilst everything was out on my desk that I've still to share. This suite is retiring with the new catalogue so time to get to it! One of the cards I made focuses on paper piercing (not to be mistaken with paper piecing!). The dies from the Needlepoint Elements Framelits that are just perfect for this - take a look:

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

Paper Piercing - No need for a paper-piercing tool and stencil for this card: The detail of the largest of the Needlepoint Elements Framelits provides easy paper-piercing detail with one roll through the Big Shot. 

A Stitch In Time - I decided to highlight some of the detail on the paper-pierced panel by adding some stitching to the design. I used some copper metallic thread and a needle from my sewing box to outline the main flower and add detail to the centre. When I started out, I had intended to stitch the whole design; the small portion I did achieve took a lot longer than I expected though, so in the end I decided to stop at the flower. I do like the effect; a project for another time, perhaps!

All About Copper - Navy, white and copper is one of my favourite metallic colour combinations. Today's card features a few different copper elements: a copper foil stitched border, copper embossed sentiment, copper metallic thread and a copper sequin to finish my flower. Most of these are carrying over, with the exception of the copper metallic thread - I will miss it!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Needle & Thread Photopolymer Bundle (£43.00)	Needlepoint Elements Framelits Dies (£28.00)	Needle & Thread Photopolymer Stamp Set (£20.00)	Copper Foil Sheets (£3.75)	Embossing Buddy (£5.50)	Versamark Pad (£8.25)
Copper Stampin' Emboss Powder (£4.75)	Copper Metallic Thread (£3.25)	Metallics Sequin Assortment (£4.75)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Night Of Navy A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Be Mine Stitched Framelits Dies (£33.00)

Today I'm sharing a card for the current challenge over at Fusion where they have a great sketch and fun photo inspiration of a hedgehog on a scooter:

Whilst I don't have any scooters, I do have a sweet hedgehog in my collection so I paired him with some retired Painted Seasons Designer Series Paper to create today's card - take a look:

Not much to say about today's card as it's a nice easy make with some layers and a horizontal masked sentiment to show off that pretty paper and sweet coloured hedgehog - a hedgehug to brighten someone's day!

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. 

The James Juniors are on half term this week so we will be hoping for sunshine and looking forward to a week away from the books and some outdoor fun, in addition to the obligatory trips to the dentists and hairdressers! Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Hedgehugs Clear-Mount Stamp Set (£18.00)	Poppy Parade Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Poppy Parade A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)
Crumb Cake Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack (£8.50)	Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies (£28.00)

Today is a two card day!You can see my earlier post here. I'm sharing another card using this week's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches:

This sketch is definitely a 'keeper' - so many possibilities! I made another quick notelet card using some other retiring products - take a look:

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

Farewell Delightfully Detailed - I used one of the Delightfully Detailed Notelets as the base for my card. It seemed almost a shame to cover up some of the beautiful watercoloured front with my piece of Mint Macaron, but I do love the soft washed tones that show through my circle window aperture (punched with my retired 2 1/2" circle punch). These notecards are useful for a standby quick card as the pretty base is ready prepared for you.

...and Delightfully Detailed - The Delightfully Detailed Notecards are designed to work with the Delightfully Detailed Designer Series Paper, a collection of pretty laser-cut sheets that can be cut up to fit your card fronts exactly. I had snipped one of the full sheet designs into smaller pieces to use on cardfronts and had some small pieces unused and these were perfect to place inside my window and also for a couple of leaves/buds to place behind my sentiment.

Petal Palette Wishes - To finish my card, I added a simple sentiment from the Petal Palette stamp set that was the perfect size and fit. Another great set that is heading into retirement with this catalogue end - time to snap it up this week whilst you still can!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Delightfully Detailed Laser-Cut Specialty Paper (£13.00)	Delightfully Detailed Note Cards & Envelopes (£8.75)	Mint Macaron Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Mint Macaron A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Very Vanilla A4 Cardstock (£9.00)
Petal Palette Clear-Mount Stamp Set (£33.00)

Happy Bank Holiday Monday to everyone in the UK and to those celebrating memorial Day in the US I hope your day is a reflective one. Today I'm sharing a card using this week's colour palette over at CAS Colours and Sketches and the sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches:

I love this bright colour palette and combined it with an almost no-stamping card to say farewell to a favourite die set from the retiring annual catalogue - take a look:

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

Farewell May Flowers - The lovely Narelle who designed this week's FMS sketch is famed for her fabulous flowers (check out her card this week and you will see what I mean - gorgeous!) so there was only one way for me to go this week. My single diecut dahlia along with a pair of leaves from the retiring May Flowers Framelits Dies really allows these bright colours to shine. 

A Simple Sentiment - Another retiring set, Thoughtful Banners, gave me my simple sentiment, that I heat embossed in white onto Basic Black cardstock so that it would stand out.

A Trio of Glimmer - To finish my card, I added a simple trio of Coastal Cabana glimmer dots for a little sparkle.

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:

May Flowers Framelits Dies (£29.00)	Thoughtful Banners Photopolymer Stamp Set (£20.00)	Glitter Enamel Dots (£6.50)	Daffodil Delight A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Coastal Cabana A4 Cardstock (£8.00)
Pumpkin Pie A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Basic Black A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Versamark Pad (£8.25)	White Stampin' Emboss Powder (£4.75)	Embossing Buddy (£5.50)

Today extra quick post for a card I made for the challenge over at Inspire.Create Challenge that is about to end this evening:

I love this bright and bold colour palette and had an immediate idea as to how I wanted to use it - it just took me until yesterday afternoon to find the time to make a card! Here it is:

These colours are perfect for some bright and colourful tropical flowers. I layered the square Tropical Thinlit die with Granny Apple Green and Black for contrast, then added a stamped leaf and a couple of flowers to anchor my sentiment, stamping them in Pumpkin Pie and then added some Poppy Parade to the edges using the 'rock and roll' technique.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Tropical Chic Clear-Mount Bundle (£40.50)	Basic Black A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Granny Apple Green A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Granny Apple Green Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Poppy Parade Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)
Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Glitter Enamel Dots (£6.50)	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)

Having shared a couple of Broadway Birthday cards with you last week (you can see those here if you missed them) I promised to share another that I created at the same time that was a variation on the same theme, this time using the gold and black candle designer series paper. Here's my card:

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

The centralised sentiment is still the focal point of my card, with a combination of both a stamped element and the diecut 'Wish' with gold metallic pearls to highlight my marquee-style Wish diecut, but more of the designer paper on show. 

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Broadway Birthday Photopolymer Bundle (£38.50)	Broadway Bound Speciality Designer Series Paper (£13.00)	Basic Black A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Metallic Pearls (£6.50)	Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock (£7.25)
Gold Foil Sheets (£3.75)	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)