Yay - it's Friday! I'm not sure if I should be as happy about this as I naturally feel as I have a ton of work to do this weekend, but hey - I will at least get a cup of tea in bed to start my day as a weekend treat, so that will set me up for the day! I have a busy day today too: we cycled to school this morning, but now I have a spot of housework to do and then hairdressers, more leaflet deliveries for my new catalogue launch party, lunch, afternoon rounders game (Rebecca, not me!) then cycling home and if I'm lucky a spot of crafting before dinner - my UPS man is due today, so all being well I should have more new goodies to play with too! So it's time to show you my card: today I'm sharing another of the samples I made with the Traveler stamp set to take with me to Telford for the Stampin' Up! UK Regional Training Day that I presented at last month. This one features the ocean liner, so is perfect for linking up with the challenge over at The Card Concept, where the theme this week is all things nautical:

I'm also linking up with the team over at SUO Challenges, where their theme is Summer Time - anything from beaches, to ocean to patriotism - so I think my card will fit the bill. This stamp is my favourite in the set; here's just one of the cards that I've made with it:

For this card I've used a base of Night of Navy and stamped the World Atlas stamp in Island Indigo on a panel of the same colour. I stamped the liner in Black Stazon on a piece of Whisper White with my Circle Framelits and coloured with my aquapainter, then inset this circle behind a circle aperture in the Island Indigo layer. To finish, I cut a circle outline using two nested framelits from brushed silver cardstock, then added some mini silver brads to give the appearance of a porthole framing the liner image. A nice clean and layered card.

The front is sentiment-free as I didn't want to detract from my focal image; this also means I can stamp a sentiment on the inside of the card to suit when I'm ready to send it. This set is great for masculine cards - keep checking back as I've lots more to show you where this came from.

Right, I'm off to start ticking off the jobs - back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up Supplies Used:

*Traveler stamp set - available 1st July 2014

World Map	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad	Night Of Navy A4 Card Stock	Island Indigo Classic Stampin' Pad	Island Indigo A4 Card Stock
Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad	Aqua Painter	Circles Collection Framelits Dies	Magnetic Platform
Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Brushed Silver A4 Card Stock	Silver Mini Brads

Today I'm having another of those 'something old, something new' days, which is quite fitting given that my card is being entered for this week's challenge over at The Paper Players where they are celebrating their 200th challenge. I really enjoy participating in this challenge and try to make a card for it each week. I didn't manage it last week (life and birthdays got in the way!) but a quick thank you to Nance for the pick the week before for my Golden Anniversary wedding card (you can see it here if you missed it). This week, each of the designers has chosen a favourite previous challenge and designed a new card around it. I was tempted to go with LeAnne's sketch as I've loved all of the cards she has made with this layout but eventually I decided to use an existing stamp, the large Swallowtail butterfly, (although it's new to me) and combine it with the new in-colours and using Ann's challenge create a one layer card.

So without further ado, here is my card:

There isn't much you can do with this stamp that hasn't been done before, but I've seen so many lovely cards made with it I still wanted to add it to my collection. I used Shimmery White cardstock as my base layer for my card - it's thicker than Whisper White and whilst I didn't manage to get a photograph that captures the effect, it has a lovely subtle shimmer in real life that adds to the finished look. I inked my Swallowtail using the new 2014-15 in-colours, using sponge daubers to apply the ink to the stamp and working from the centre outwards. I started off with Mossy Meadow for the body and antenna, then in turn Tangelo Twist, Hello Honey, Lost Lagoon and lastly Blackberry Bliss. I stamped the butterfly off the page and finished with a simple sentiment from the 'Happy Day' set. Here's a close up of the detail of the stamp:

For a single stamp it has some great detail. There was a time I would have run a mile at a one layer card, but I've overcome my fear now and sometimes it's quite nice to have the challenge of making your stamps work hard for you, which I think they have to when you only have one layer to work with. For my European readers, who are eagerly awaiting the launch of the new catalogue on 1st July and have yet to get their hands on the new colours, what do you think - do you have a favourite yet? I think mine is going to be Blackberry Bliss - I love this deep, rich purple. Don't worry if you haven't made your mind up - you'll be seeing lots more of them in coming weeks I assure you! I'm also linking today's card up with the challenge over at Less is More where they are looking for 'off the edge one layer cards'. Congratulations to everyone over at the Paper Players this week; I haven't been around to participate in even close to all 200 challenges, but I'm looking forward to participating in the next 200!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

*2014-16 In Colours available 1st July 2014 

Swallowtail Clear-Mount Stamp

Happy Day

Shimmery White A4 Card Stock

Back so soon, I know - here is today's creative post! I'm sharing a card I made using the sketch over at Create with Connie and Mary this week:

I decided to use some of my retiring stamps and papers for my card and started out making a birthday card because the cake reminded me of Rebecca's birthday cake at the weekend, but by the time I had everything laid out on my desk I decided that the card would make a nicer wedding card. Here's my finished card:

I made a 5" square card and matted a piece of Quatrefancy paper onto Midnight Muse and a Pool Party base (I know technically the dots on the paper are Island Indigo, but since the dots are so small the whole thing still works, even though I've not followed the colours exactly for the rest of the card - what a rule-breaker am I??!) I then stamped a three tier cake with butterfly decoration from the 'Make a Cake' stamp set, stamping the base section twice, once in Midnight Muse for the stand and then again in Pool Party. I fussy cut the Pool Party cake out and used it to create the base layer for my cake. I used my oval framelits to cut out my framed oval and finished with a Mr & Mrs banner flag from the 'Banner Greetings' stamp set, a couple of double-stamped and punched butterflies to echo those on top of the cake and a strip of silver glimmer paper for just the right amount of sparkle.

I really like this finished card but despite where my mind started out it looks absolutely nothing like Rebecca's kitkat cake that I made for her birthday this past weekend:

If that's not death by chocolate, then I don't know what is - it did taste delicious though!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Make A Cake Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Papillon Potpourri Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Banner Greetings	Ovals Collection Framelits Dies	Magnetic Platform
Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Quatrefancy Specialty Designer Series Paper	Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad	Pool Party A4 Card Stock	Midnight Muse Classic Stampin' Pad
Midnight Muse A4 Card Stock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Silver Glimmer Paper

Today's card is for this week's Pals Paper Arts challenge, where Team 2 have chosen a rather patriotic colour palette this week, with one last opportunity to use Midnight Muse before it retires at the end of the month:

I decided these colours would make a perfect masculine card and so have another sneak peek using the Traveler stamp set, coming in the new 2014 annual catalogue. Here is my card:

I stamped three of the stamps in the set - the ocean liner, the globe and the steam train - in Midnight Muse, then cropped these images and mounted them on individual mats in the same colour, followed by a larger Real Red and Midnight Muse panel. This is then overlaid on a crossways panel finished with some Real Red candy dots and lastly a sentiment stamped in Midnight Muse with one of the Itty Bitty Banners stamps and cut out with the co-ordinating framelit. I even gave the inside some star treatment with a steam train - I don't do this often enough, and even when I do I often forget to share with you: 

I really like this set, having used it so much already. Despite its 'vintage' look, it lends itself to a more modern finish too. I'm also linking my card up to Addicted to CAS where the theme this week is 'transport'. Back tomorrow with the Wednesday Deals and another card. Until then, I'm off to prepare for a private class tomorrow, get on with some admin and then hopefully squeeze in a make or two as well - happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

*Traveler Stamp Set - available 1st July 2014.

Itty Bitty Banners Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Bitty Banners Framelits Die	1" Square Punch	Midnight Muse Classic Stampin' Pad	Midnight Muse A4 Card Stock
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad	Real Red A4 Card Stock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Magnetic Platform
Brights Candy Dots

Today's creative post uses the colours for this week's Colour Me...! Challenge (although I am not linking up this week as the challenge has already closed) and I've used this week's sketch over at CAS Colours & Sketches for my layout:

I decided to get out my 'So Very Grateful' stamp set for this card - I can't quite believe this set will be leaving us at the end of the month, I love it and don't feel I've used it anywhere near enough. This is a good time to point out that whilst there's always lots of focus on those items in the main catalogue that are retiring, we sometimes forget about the lovely stamps that are in the Spring-Summer seasonal catalogue that will also no longer be available after 30th June. If you still have items on your wishlist, you've only got a couple of weeks to find out whether they are being carried over into the new annual catalogue or whether they will be gone for good. So, here is my card:

I used a base of Pear Pizzazz then decided to create three clear panels for my card and stamped the main flower image from the set in the challenge colours on white for the outer pieces, then stamped the same image in Versamark on the central panel of Marina Mist and heat embossed in white. I finished the central panel with a piece of 'vintage' Marina Mist taffeta ribbon and lastly added my sentiment to the bottom panel.

This card makes me think of the old saying 'blue and green should never be seen, unless there's a colour in between' - I have to say, I think this card looks really fresh and old saying or not, I'd have to disagree!

Back tomorrow with a sneak peek; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

So Very Grateful	Embossing Buddy	Versamark Pad	White Stampin' Emboss Powder	Marina Mist Classic Stampin' Pad
Marina Mist A4 Card Stock	Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Pear Pizzazz	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Heat Tool - Uk Plug

Well today might be Father's Day, but in the James household there has been an apparently altogether more important celebration - the oldest of my James Juniors, Rebecca, turned 9 today. Her birthday always falls near to Father's Day, but as they actually clashed today she informed Daddy that every day is Father's Day and you'll only be 9 once - so one definitely trumps the other! My lack of blog post yesterday was due to my sheer exhaustion having held a day of party celebrations at home for Rebecca with a little group of friends - I'll tell you more about this another time as this is a Project Life page in the making! - so today I thought I would share the card I made for her.

I finally had a go at one of the 'card in a box' cards that are currently all the rage in the papercrafting world and decided that mine would feature my favourite DSP for birthday cards, Birthday Basics, and one of Rebecca's favoutie foodstuffs - cake! Well, cupcakes to be precise; here is my card, which is A5 size when folded flat:

I took the opportunity to use my 'Create a Cupcake' stamp set; it's on the retiring list, but the co-ordinating punch is staying and there is more cupcake loveliness just around the corner :-) Now I know this card does look rather on the crowded side with cakes popping out all over the place and nicely wobbly on their acetate supports, but when a card is for a 9 year old, excess is the name of the game - along with a little glimmer. A nice sparkly number 9 and a few sparkly stars complete the card. And Rebecca's verdict: "Perfect!"

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Very Vanilla A4 Card Stock	Create A Cupcake - Clear-Mount Stamp	Cupcake Punch	Label Love	Artisan Label Punch
Birthday Basics Designer Series Paper	Raspberry Ripple A4 Card Stock	Raspberry Ripple Classic Stampin' Pad	Summer Starfruit A4 Card Stock	Summer Starfruit Classic Stampin' Pad
Gumball Green Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Crisp Cantaloupe	Crisp Cantaloupe Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Bermuda Bay	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad
Silver Glimmer Paper	Typeset Alphabet Bigz Die	Medium Window Sheets

Good evening everyone! Apologies for my lack of post yesterday; Rebecca was selecte to compete in an inter-school athletics competition yesterday that unexpectedly took me out of the house for most of the day and then I had a get-together with my lovely team yesterday evening, so I really wasn't at home all day. Today I have been super busy with my preparations for Rebecca's birthday weekend and along with baking and decorating a two tier cake today and finishing off the decorations, this is truly the first time I've sat down all day!

So today I have the last of the cards we made at this month's card class using the Springtime Hello stamp set:

I had a request for a black and white card using the set and this is what I came up with. This is quite different to the other cards we made (you can see the full set below) and the monochrome colour scheme and clean and simple lines of the card make it look quite sharp and modern. Just a simple piece of Modern Medley DSP matted on Basic Black, and then the flower image stamped in black, mounted and positioned at an angle to the DSP, and a central strip to draw your eye to the image, with 3 rhinestones coloured black with a Sharpie marker to add a little accent. I left my card sentiment-free as this is the sort of card you can use for any occasion.

That's all from me; I need to get some sleep before the onslaught of a group of 8 and 9 year olds tomorrow ready to craft and party in style! Back tomorrow with another card; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Very Vanilla A4 Card Stock	Jet Black Stazon Pad	Stazon Cleaner	Springtime Hello	Modern Medley Designer Series Paper
Basic Black A4 Card Stock	Basic Rhinestones Jewel Accents

With Father's Day coming up this weekend, I thought I should share a few more suitably themed cards with you for anyone in need of last minute ideas! Today's card has both something old and something new - here's my card:

I used Soft Suede for my card base, then created a simple central panel by stamping the globe image from the new Traveler stamp set in Versamark and heat embossed in gold embossing powder. I created a mask for the globe using a piece of scrap cardstock, then carefully sponged in the colours on the globe using sponge daubers and Island Indigo, Garden Green and Encore Gold inks. Here's a close up of the central image:

This is one of those cards that looks so impressive in real life and the colours are really vibrant against the gold. I then matted this panel on some brushed gold cardstock and finished the card by stamping the 'Happy Father's Day' sentiment from the Delightful Dozen stamp set (it's on the retiring list) and heat embossing in gold, then stamping it in Versamark again slightly offset to create a shadow and add some depth to the card. I also created a slightly altered version of the same card, this time stamping the sentiment on a piece of Island Indigo to inject a little more colour - browns have their place, but I don't believe that just because cards are for men, they shouldn't have some brighter colours too.

These cards would work equally well for a male birthday or other masculine card with a change of sentiment; or maybe even a graduation or travel-themed card. That's all from me today; back tomorrow with another card. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Soft Suede A4 Card Stock	Very Vanilla A4 Card Stock	Island Indigo A4 Card Stock	Brushed Gold A4 Card Stock	Versamark Pad
Embossing Buddy	Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder	Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad	Island Indigo Classic Stampin' Pad	Gold Metallic Encore Pad

Today I'm sharing a card I made using this week's sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch and the lovely colours at Colour Q:

 My Dad had a knee replacement operation last week and so I wanted to send him a 'get well soon' card that would brighten his day - here is my card:

I used a base of Night of Navy along with a mat in Tangerine Tango and using the sticking plaster from an old 2013 Sale-A-Bration set, Patterned Occasions (minus the attached sentiment), stamped it in the challenge colours and cut them out and adhered them to my card following the sketch layout. I coupled them with a simple 'get well soon' sentiment from the ever-so-useful Delightful Dozen stamp set (due to retire at the end of this month) and added a tiny Bashful blue heart punched with my trusty owl punch to finish.

I love the look of the stuck-on sticky plasters, which works so well with the get well theme - I'm sure my Dad wishes his knee could have been fixed that easily!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Delightful Dozen - Clear-Mount Stamp	Owl Punch	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad
Night Of Navy A4 Card Stock	Tangerine Tango Classic Stampin' Pad	Tangerine Tango A4 Card Stock	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad	3/16 Inch Corner Punch

Happy Monday lovely blog readers! Lots to do this week, but the sun is shining so all is good with the world! Today I am sharing my first 2014-15 Annual Catalogue 'sneak peek' with you - yay! Whilst there is some sadness as we say goodbye to the old catalogue - and I'm not done with it yet! - there is also the excitement of the new and today's clean and graphic card contains a little of both.

Today's card is this week's entry for the 'Colour Me...!' challenge where we are working with monochromatic Coastal Cabana:

The card I'm sharing features one of the stamps form the new 'Traveler' stamp set that I was asked to demonstrate recently at the Stampin' Up! UK Regional training event in Telford recently. This set is a collection of old fashioned images with a travel theme and I must confess the first time I saw it I did wonder what I was going to do with it as 'vintage' really isn't my style and this isn't a set I would have selected by choice. Turns out I've had great fun with it, mostly creating unusual cards that are much more in keeping with my style; if you look at today's challenge entry you'll see what I mean:

This card uses a Coastal Cabana base, then the focal panel is a piece of white and Coastal Cabana-striped paper from the Fresh Prints DSP stack, onto which I've stamped the old fashioned camera in black stazon, coupled with the 'smile' sentiment from the retiring Happy Day stamp set - I will miss this stamp set so much! I then rounded the corners and matted onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock before adhering to my base. So a super simple design, but I think quite effective. Quite a modern take on such a vintage-looking stamp and it also makes the DSP look quite different when used in this way. The striped paper so reminds me of deckchairs! 

Whilst I was playing with this stamp and colour, I also created a co-ordinating card using a single central block:

Then inspired by the other striped paper in the Fresh Prints DSP stack, I created the same pair of cards in Real Red:

I like these too but the Coastal Cabana is my favourite! Hope you like today's sneak peeks - more to come in coming weeks! Don't forget the retiring lists are still active; if you're after the 'Happy Day' set, click on the link to the shop below as it will only be available until 30 June.

Back tomorrow with another 'blast from the past' card; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Stack	Happy Day	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Card Stock A4 Coastal Cabana	Real Red A4 Card Stock
Jet Black Stazon Pad	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	Stazon Cleaner	Envelope Punch Board