An important second post today! For 24 hours only, starting at 11pm UK time this evening, Stampin' Up! are offering FREE shipping on orders of £60 or more.

The key information is as follows:

• Free shipping applies after the qualifying order amount has been met.
• The minimum qualifying amount to receive free shipping is £60 or more.
• Free shipping only applies during the 24-hour period the promotion is live in each market; this means that the order must be opened and closed between 18th April 2023, at 11 p.m. and 19 April 2023, at 11:00 p.m (UK).

This is a great time to stock up on retiring in-colours or stamps, pick up a bundle that you've had your eye on and more! So start making those lists and head off to my online Stampin' Up! store after 11pm - remember to add the current hostess reward code 6CFWAKVR at check out - or message me with your order.

Happy shopping!

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. This week's challenge is a sketch challenge and Valerie has asked that we create a slimline card with a square feature and overlapping sentiment:

Feel free to flip or rotate the sketch when making your card but remember to make it a slimline if you'd like to be considered for the winner's spot for this challenge. 

For my card today I ended up making two cards; I'll share the first one tomorrow as it was a little less clean and simple than I'd have liked. This is the card I settled on to share with you today:

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

This is actually a no-stamping card. I used a piece of the retiring black and white Perfectly Penciled designer series paper and coloured the negative space around the florals using my Mint Macaron Blends, before cutting it out using one of my square Stylish Shapes Dies. I added this to a base of thick Basix White cardstock, and then added a layered thanks sentiment cut with the Amazing Thanks Dies on dimensionals to complete my card:

The Perfectly Penciled papers are great for colouring with your Stampin' Blends markers and this 'reverse colouring' really allows the black and white design to stand out. This paper, along with Mint Macaron and all its accessories and those fabulous Amazing Thanks Dies are all retiring at the end of this month - add them to your shopping basket whilst you still can - or maybe wait until 11pm this evening when the 24 hour free shipping promotion starts - you can read more about the free shipping promotion here!

I'm also linking today's card to the black, white and one colour challenge over at Color Dare and the current 'anything goes' challenge at Less Is More.

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:

AMAZING THANKS DIES (ENGLISH) (10.40)

PERFECTLY PENCILED 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (7.87)

MINT MACARON STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (7.65)

STYLISH SHAPES DIES (28.00)

MINT MACARON A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)

It's Thursday and time for a new challenge over at TicTacToe! It's the turn of Team X to host this week and I am the featured designer this week. This is the fun board that we are playing along with: 

I went across the bottom with floral, embossing and stitching and took the opportunity to work with the current Color Hues palette of peach and kraft and decided to try out a fun technique that I saw on Instagram recently - take a look:

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

Graffiti Art - I saw a reel on Instagram recently by the New Zealand demonstrator, Jacque Williams, where she created a fun graffiti art-style card and I really wanted to give it a go! It's actually not that tricky to do: you choose your background wall colour (I used Crumb Cake) then ink one side of your Bricks and Mortar embossing folder before inserting your card and running it through your Big Shot machine. This gives you your inked 'cement' lines and the base onto which you then stamp the rest of your design. Simple! This embossing folder is great for this technique and makes a great background too. I can't believe it's retiring - if you don't have one, I'd seriously consider adding to your collection whilst you still can!

Floral Art Gallery - I chose to add some bold florals for my wall art, using the large bloom from the Art Gallery stamp set, with a Pale Papaya base and top layer of Calypso Coral for some pretty peachy florals, and I stamped the stems in a neutral brown. I also added some splatters in Crumb Cake randomly across my wall to add to the artsy feel.

Art Gallery is another stamp set I haven't used in ages but is leaving us with the current outgoing annual catalogue. I'll be keeping mine though - these florals are a no-brainer and the simple block sentiments are so useful with all kinds of cards, not to mention the large diecut sentiment in the set too. Pale Papaya is leaving too - so get yours now whilst you still can!

Tailormade Tag - I finished my card with some Crumb Cake baker's twine and a tiny tailor made tag with a simple thank you sentiment. I am sending this card to a dear customer of mine who loves a messy card - mixed media and grunge are totally her thing, so I know she will appreciate my attempt at getting even close to her signature style!!

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 Product and 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

A tictactoe board offers so many creative possibilities - how does this week's board inspire you? Why not have a go? We would love to see you in the gallery and who knows - you might be selected for Designer's Choice and be eligible to be a guest designer on a future challenge. You should definitely check out the design team's cards this week too - they are amazing!

Enjoy your day; I'm hoping to get a few cards made today in between errands and laundry. I'm hopeful to be able to use the washing line today, as right now it's a lovely bright and breezy day. Not sure I'll be still in luck by the time the washing machine cycle has finished - we are experiencing proper April showers here in the UK at the moment. The constant to and fro the washing line is definitely keeping me fit though! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

BRICK & MORTAR 3D EMBOSSING FOLDER (9.50)	ART GALLERY PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (8.40)	TAILOR MADE TAGS DIES (21.00)	BAKER'S TWINE ESSENTIALS PACK (10.25)	PALE PAPAYA A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	CALYPSO CORAL A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)
CRUMB CAKE A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	PALE PAPAYA CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (6.75)	CALYPSO CORAL CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	CRUMB CAKE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	EARLY ESPRESSO CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (9.75)

Happy Easter Monday everyone! Today I'm sharing a card using Jen M's layout over at Freshly Made Sketches that is also perfect for the new 'A is for Adorable' challenge over at the Alphabet Challenge Blog:

As I was making this card the other day I was pondering what to do with the pretty scene on the corner of my sheet of Happy Forest Friends designer paper, and I decided Jen's sketch would be the perfect way to showcase it - take a look:

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

By carefully cutting into four pieces as per the sketch, I could keep the scene whilst presenting it in an interesting way at the same time. I mounted each one on a mat of Grey Granite cardstock and added to a white cardbase, then fussy cut a stamped sentiment from one of my favourite retiring sets 'Simply Fabulous'. This set is currently available at a 10% discount - you can buy it here in my online store whilst supplies last! I stamped it in Night of Navy and positioned it strategically at the meeting point:

Doesn't this bear look just as if he's waving hello to the butterfly as he passes on his woodland stroll? If that's not cute, I don't know what is!  That's all there is to it - super simple today, with the pretty designer paper doing all the work!

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:

HAPPY FOREST FRIENDS 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (11.25)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)

GRAY GRANITE A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)

NIGHT OF NAVY CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)

Today I'm sharing my second card for my Guest Designer spot over at Just Us Girls. This week it's word week:

Sunshine - could this be any more uplifting?! I decided to CASE Ann's card over at Global Design Project #GDP388 and pair a couple of old favourites with a new-to-me stamp from the annual catalogue for my card - take a look:

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

Instead of fussy cut flowers, I flipped Ann's design and used simple white clouds, diecut with my Basic Borders Dies, for the top and bottom elements and saved the detail for my sunny panel behind.

I recently purchase the Rays of Light background stamp and thought it would be the perfect way to show the warm sunshine streaming down between the clouds. In a nod to Ann's card, I stamped it onto a piece of yellow Hues of Happiness designer series paper, inking my stamp in a blend of Daffodil Delight and retiring Mango Melody. The patterned/floral sides of this paper are what you most often see showcased, but the reverse coloured sides are beautiful too. The stamp itself has a lovely textured surface and I think this is enhanced with the faux brushstrokes on the designer paper.

Like Ann I did use the Sending Smiles bundle for my sentiment, keeping with a bold, black diecut 'sending' and then adding a more appropriate stamped element to my bottom cloud in an ombre of the two yellows I used for the sunshine. I added a few adhesive-backed milky dots in Mango Melody to complete my card (these are currently in the retiring sale and available at a discount in my online store here). Mango Melody ink pads are unfortunately no longer available - those departing colours are flying off the shelves!

There is something so cheery about sunshine cards I think - I can't wait to see what the Design Team and JUGS gallery has in store this week!

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:

BASIC BORDERS DIES (27.00)

RAYS OF LIGHT CLING STAMP SET (17.00)

SENDING SMILES BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (46.75)

HUES OF HAPPINESS 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (11.25)

DAFFODIL DELIGHT CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)

Today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where it's time for my favourite, a sketch challenge, chosen by Jan:

I considered how I was going to use that large central circle as my focal point and since I'm in 'use it up' mode with my retiring product right now, I decided to create a little scene using some woodland creatures from the Happy Forest Friends designer series paper in the annual catalogue. After much fussy cutting and arranging and re-arranging, this is what I came up with:

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

Several of the sheets in the Happy Forest Friends pack have printed scenes on them, so having considered how I was going to make the most of each sheet I actually fussy cut some animals, then used my largest circle Stylish Shapes Die to partially cut a circle, having firstly fussy cut the edge of the tree to sit outside of the circle border. I then added an owl, bear, bird and half a fox (good job he was peeking from behind the tree!) and layered them to create my scene. You can see the detailing a little better on the close up below:

I added a couple of panels using another of the patterns in this pack to the background, and a simple bow of Old Olive twine and a stamped and fussy cut sentiment from the 'Lovely You' stamp set that seemed to fit with my scene. The 'Lovely You' stamp set has lots of useful sentiments and is currently available at 60% off - just £9.20. What a bargain - snap one up here in my online store whilst it's still available!

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 project or packaging project that fits the challenge.
• Please include the challenge graphic and link back to the challenge in your blog post. Turn off word verification so we can leave you lots of lovely comments. Make sure you link the post not the whole blog to the Linky. Use #AYSIXXX when uploading to a public gallery.
• If you’re unsure about ‘the rules’, check the details under the Challenge Guidelines tab on the As You See It Challenge homepage.
• In a sketch challenge, you are welcome to rotate or flip a sketch. You can replace shapes used such as substituting a circle panel for a square panel. However, we must be able to still see the basis of the original sketch in your finished product.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

HAPPY FOREST FRIENDS 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (11.25)

STYLISH SHAPES DIES (28.00)

MOSSY MEADOW A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)

MOSSY MEADOW CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. We are in April now; Valerie chose our challenges this month and our first challenge is a lovely bright colour challenge: 

For my card today I wanted to play along with the current challenge of 'Spring' over at Addicted to CAS who are back following their extended break and the layout over at Sunday Stamps was perfect for me to play with some of my favourite retired dies - take a look:

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

I had my 'Simply Fabulous' stamp set out on my desk and was originally going to stamp three squares, but instead used this set just for the sentiment and used a trio of Floral Squares Dies to add some bright pops of spring colour. I added some retired Crushed Curry baker's twine that I had in my stash; these flowers are so easy to layer and great for clean and simple cards:

This card measures 4 1/2" x 8" so is slightly larger than usual, so also needed a custom envelope - long-time retired in-colour designer paper to the rescue for that one too! Can you tell that we are about to transition between catalogues? Trying to have a clear-out always results in the discovery of old favourites - I'm still hanging on to these ones though, I love them and so wish we had more designs of these! Apart from the colours, everything is either retired or on the way - the 'Simply Fabulous' stamp set is on it's way to the retired shelf, although I have a space ready for it as I'm not letting go of mine just yet!

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! 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:

SIMPLY FABULOUS PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (17.00)

MELON MAMBO CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)

MELON MAMBO A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)

CRUSHED CURRY A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)

SHADED SPRUCE A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)

Click here to go right to the the online store to shop your favourite retiring items now!

These are the Last Chance Retiring Products lists updated by Stampin’ Up! on March 31.

Click here to see the retired items list for the 2022-2023 Annual Catalogue in PDF format, including the discounts that will apply beginning on April 4:

You can click here to download the retiring list for the 2022-2023 Annual Catalogue in Excel format so that you can modify and edit it.

Click here to see the retired items list for the January-April 2023 Mini Catalogue in PDF format, including the discounts that will apply beginning on April 4:

You can click here to download the retiring list for the January-April 2023 Mini Catalog in Excel format so that you can modify and edit it.

Stampin’ Up! has put together a quick video showing you the colours that are leaving and the new colours coming in, including the new In Colours!  You can see it here:

Here's a quick list of those colours that are retiring:

• Blushing Bride
• Pear Pizzazz
• Mint Macaron
• Rich Razzleberry
• So Saffron
• Merry Merlot
• Pacific Point
• Mango Melody
• Soft Suede
• Sahara Sand
• Bermuday Bay

I'll have more news with regard to the new in colours in a separate post, but for now - I'll be placing an order first thing tomorrow so if you'd like to take advantage of the bargains on the retiring list, then do get in touch.

Let me know if you have any questions. Back tomorrow with another post; until then, happy shopping!

It's Thursday and time for a new challenge over at TicTacToe! It's the turn of Team X to host this week and the lovely Betty is our featured designer this week. This is the fun board that we are playing along with: 

I took the third column of diecuts, pastel colours and Easter and using the colour palette over at Hand Stamped Sentiments I created an Easter card for the theme at Global Design Project #GDP387 - take a look:

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

The design of my card was inspired by a summer-themed card I'd seen on Pinterest that featured a modern block sentiment when I was looking for ink blending inspiration. I wanted my sentiment to fit inside a square, so used my (retired) Playful Alphabet Dies as they were just the right shape and size. I blended all three colours using blending brushes onto a sheet of white cardstock - once in defined rows (I cut my sentiment square from this piece) and then on randomly on a larger area; I used this piece to diecut my two flower elements using the Penned Flowers Dies. I recommend you colour your cardstock before you diecut the pieces rather than afterwards, as this helps you avoid dark edges. Once I'd coloured my square and cut it out using the Stylish Shapes Dies, I diecut out the letters, then cut the same letters again in white and inset them into the negative space:

 I backed the whole thing onto a panel of neutral Smoky Slate grey and added a few iridescent rhinestones for a little extra sparkle. The letters I diecut from the outside square panel didn't go to waste; I used them for the sentiment on the inside of my card, with an extra diecut piece for decoration:

I also decorated the envelope with the stamp from the Hand Painted Petals stamp set for a little extra detail. Not a bunny, chick or Easter egg in sight, but I think this is a pretty Easter card nonetheless and I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. It just goes to show you don't always need to have themed supplies in order to make a card for a particular occasion - you just have to get creative with what you have in your stash!

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 Product and 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

A tictactoe board offers so many creative possibilities - how does this week's board inspire you? Why not have a go? We would love to see you in the gallery and who knows - you might be selected for Designer's Choice and be eligible to be a guest designer on a future challenge. 

Apologies that it's been a little quiet around here; I've been single parenting this week and so have had very little opportunity to get in my craft room and when I have, my creative mojo has been struggling to craft under pressure! I still feel like I'm catching up on that lost hour from the clocks going back on Sunday; the James Juniors break up for the Easter holidays tomorrow and I have to say, the end of term can't come soon enough! I'll be back tomorrow with another project for our new challenge over at Festive Friday. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

PENNED FLOWERS DIES (28.00)	STYLISH SHAPES DIES (28.00)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)	BLENDING BRUSHES (11.75)	BALMY BLUE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	FRESH FREESIA CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)
PEAR PIZZAZZ CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	SMOKY SLATE A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	IRIDESCENT RHINESTONES BASIC JEWELS (7.00)

Today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where it's time for our monthly speed challenge, this time with a theme chosen by Jan - I also used one of the current Try Stamping On Tuesday sketches for my layout and the fresh colour palette over at Sunday Stamps ( I used dark blue, light blue and red):

The great outdoors! I decided I didn't want to go with anything floral or scenic for my card, so my mind wandered to sport and outdoor pursuits and I decided to ink up a new and as yet unused stamp set called 'Beside Me' and make a Father's Day card; I know Father's Day is still some time away here in the UK (it falls on 18th June) but the 'Beside Me' stamp set has such great images and if not carried over will be retired by then, so I'm getting in on the action now. Here's the card I came up with:

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

It's All In The Preparation - As we always say when we have a speed challenge, the key is to be prepared. Gather all your supplies up front and plan what you are going to do - this can all be done before the stopwatch starts. I decided on my design and colour scheme and got everything ready, including my cardstock, paper, twine, embellishments, Stampin' Blends, ink pads and tools such as mu Stamparatus. My cardbase was already cut as I keep a stack of white ones ready as these are the ones I use most and the large piece of DSP was already cut to size as I had this cut for a previous project but didn't use it. I worked out the sizes needed for my other two layers, mounted my stamps on my platform, then started my stopwatch!

A False Start - The first thing I planned to do was stamp and colour my image. I thought my design would allow me time to roughly colour this small image, but alas - my timer went off just as I finished colouring. Here's the first image I coloured - this alone took me 10 minutes:

I know colouring can be time-consuming, but I clearly under-estimated this one! So I set that image aside, thought about how I could use way less time, got a new piece of black white cardstock and reset the timer. Take two!

Back To The Drawing - or Colouring - Board - I decided that the key to speedy colouring would rely on focusing on the outline of the image along, rather than colouring it, so I changed up the colours and stamped it in Starry Sky instead of black and stamped the sentiment in Sweet Sorbet. This was so quick, I decided to then just add some rough highlighting to the image and scribbled my lightest Balmy Blue Blend around the image to highlight it. No blending, just a rough colour - I think it works though, what do you think?

I then quickly rounded the corners and put the whole thing together, adding my baker's twine and two trios of heart embellishments to finish. I quickly stopped my timer - 9 minutes and 58 seconds, get in! Most of the time was spent trying to get the hearts straight!! This is such a simple way to use a line image designed for colouring and it's perfect for a quick card or if you're just not a fan of colouring with markers or pencils. 

I so love the images in this set - this one reminds me of when my husband was teaching Ben to ride his bike, so I just had to have 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. 

Here's a summary of our challenge rules:

• Create any card, scrapbooking page, 3D project or packaging project that fits the challenge.
• Please include the challenge graphic and link back to the challenge in your blog post. Turn off word verification so we can leave you lots of lovely comments. Make sure you link the post not the whole blog to the Linky. Use #AYSIXXX when uploading to a public gallery.
• If you’re unsure about ‘the rules’, check the details under the Challenge Guidelines tab on the As You See It Challenge homepage.
• In a speed stamping challenge, please time yourself and say in your post how long your card took to complete. 

Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another super clean and simple project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

BESIDE ME CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (25.00)	COUNTRY GINGHAM 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (11.25)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.25)	STARRY SKY A4 CARDSTOCK (8.75)	STARRY SKY CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)	SWEET SORBET CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (7.50)
BALMY BLUE STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (8.50)	2022–2024 IN COLOR BAKER'S TWINE PACK (14.00)