Now is the time to shop! Stampin' Up! is finishing this week's Online Extravaganza with one last offer for Cyber Monday: for 24 hours only, you can receive free shipping on all Stampin’ Up! orders.

Time flies, so don’t wait—the hours will be gone before you know it! Free shipping runs from 26 November 11:00 p.m. (GMT) to 27 November 10:50 p.m. (GMT). Don't forget to add the current hostess code NASJ4PVF for an extra little thank you from me!

Click here to go to my online store

I'll be back later with today's creative project - until then, happy shopping!

It's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's my turn to host this week and I have my favourite kind of challenge, a sketch, for you all to work with:

My card today is all about the snowflakes and uses the Snowflake Sentiments bundle - take a look:

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

Snowflake Inspiration - I used the piece of snowflake patterned paper from the Christmas Round The World DSP pack as the starting point for my card today; the dark grey reminds me of a snowy sky and is the perfect backdrop for those pale blue and white snowflakes.

Swirly Snowflake Border - The paper pairs beautifully with the stamps and thinlits in the Snowflake Sentiments bundle. I used the Swirly Snowflake thinlits to create my layered border and snowflake embellishment. The detail on these delicate cuts makes for some really pretty pieces, especially when cut from Dazzling Diamonds glimmer paper - the snowflakes are so sparkly against the Pool Party layer and the grey of the background paper. The thinlits are designed to cut with a straight edge to one side of the border, but I wanted them to be a mirror image so I snipped away the excess from the snowflakes and cut the background piece in the same way.

Open To Interpretation - I added a ribbon and bow to my sketch as I don't often add bows to the front of my card, yet when I came to make my card, I chose not to add a bow as I didn't want to obscure the detail of those pretty snowflakes, although I did add a strip of ribbon between the border layers. I also moved up the position of my snowflake embellishment to provide a better balance with the positioning of my sentiment. These changes don't make my card 'wrong' - they are just one way to interpret the sketch. I can't wait to see how it inspires you!

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. 

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

I look forward to seeing your interpretations of my sketch in the gallery this week. Enjoy the rest of your weekend as it will be over all too quickly; we are ice-skating later with the swimming squad - our first Christmas party of the season! I'll be back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Snowflake Sentiments Clear-Mount Bundle	Christmas Around The World Designer Series Paper	Pool Party A4 Cardstock	Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad	Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies
Shimmery White A4 Cardstock	Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer Paper	Pool Party 3/8" Shimmer Ribbon	Rhinestone Basic Jewels	Basic Gray A4 Cardstock

I'm finally back with a post today! With my American friends celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow, I thought today a card that expresses gratitude was in order. Today's card also fits for a few challenges that are happening at the moment too (click on the badges to go to the respective blogs):

My card uses an incredibly useful bundle from the annual catalogue - take a look:

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

Be Thankful - I am thankful for many things and I love that the Label Me Pretty set has this wonderful sentiment that is perfect for giving thanks and showing appreciation to others - finished with a teeny, tiny heart - adorable! This is such a great set for layering, with so many options. I created a crib sheet for my open house ages ago which I've been sharing with my face-to-face customers in classes; it has been so well received I thought I would share it here so that you could all save it too:

Details, Details - In addition to my layered label, my card has some other neat details: the tiny scalloped edge on the left is courtesy of the Decorative Ribbon Border Punch and the scalloped edge was cut with the scallop thinlit in the Seasonal Layers Thinlits set; the curved flower detail from the 'Label Me Pretty' stamp set fits it perfectly, how convenient! 

Don't Forget The Pretty - My card has a very feminine feel to it, with the Powder Pink and Fresh Fig in-colours balancing beautifully against the white, along with the tiny florals and pretty detailing, all finished off with a tied Powder Pink ribbon. Not my usual style, yet nice to ring the changes once in a while.

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. 

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Label Me Pretty Clear-Mount Bundle	Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock	Powder Pink 1/2" Finely Woven Ribbon	2017-2019 In Color A4 Cardstock	Fresh Florals Designer Series Paper Stack
Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies	1-3/4" (4.4 Cm) Circle Punch	Fresh Fig Classic Stampin' Pad	Decorative Ribbon Border Punch

Stampin' Up!'s Online Extravaganza is here! Starting tonight at 11pm GMT for one week only, 19-26 November, you can save up to 40% on select products. To sweeten the deals, we will be having 24-hour sales on the first and last day of the promotion, featuring special products available for that day only. 

Our first incredible offering of this promotion will be the 24-hour stamp sale. Select stamp sets will be 20% off for the first 24 hours of the Online Extravaganza. The Stamp Sale takes place on 19 November 23:00 (GMT) to 20 November 22:59 (GMT).

To close out the Online Extravaganza with a bang, there will also be a special 24-hour flash sale on 27 November, after other Online Extravaganza deals end on 26 November. I will be back with more information on this flash sale later in the week. Check back here for the announcement and more details!

Here is the full list of deals this week:

You can download a PDF version of the deals list by clicking here.

Don't forget, the first of the 24 hour flash sales begins tonight at 11pm GMT and includes the following stamp sets each with 20% off:

Some great deals there - plenty of opportunity to grab some bargains to add to your stamp collection or alternatively start your Christmas shopping in earnest! Local customers - I have an order going in tomorrow if you would like to add anything to it to save on postage. If you are purchasing online, remember to add this month's hostess code 2S4X3VQ6 to your online order for an extra thank you from me.

Happy shopping everyone!

It's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's the turn of the super-talented Sandy, to host this week and she has a fun clean and simple challenge for us to work with:

I'm a little late with my post today - I am still struggling to keep up with everything as I am so very busy at the moment - but I couldn't miss the opportunity to join in with Sandy's clean and simple 'warm and cozy' challenge in this week's Global Design Project challenge colours - take a look:

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

Warm and Cozy - When I think of cold winter days, I think of mittens, gingerbread latte and woolly jumpers; so what better than a Christmas jumper to fit with the 'warm and cozy' theme? There are some fun sweaters in the 'Christmas Sweaters' stamp set; I decided to go with the simple striped one with a snowflake centrepiece for my clean and simple card. With a nod to the lovely Sandy who is such an expert colourer, I decided to get out my new Stampin' Blends to colour my sweater. I'm not sure I'm as good as Sandy when it comes to colouring, but it sure is fun and allowed me a peaceful 10 minutes in my otherwise hectic day!

Deck The Halls - I knew I wanted to use a few simple embellishments and I didn't want to add too many layers to my clean and simple card, so I decided to create a little patterned background with my sentiment to sit behind my sweater. I used my stamp-a-ma-jig to line up my sentiment and just stamped it repeatedly in Cherry Cobbler ink. Keeping this detail to one area of the card allows me to preserve the 'white space' that is a key feature of a clean and simple card.

All Good Things Come In Threes - Along with the trio of festive colours that feature on my sweater, I have also used a trio of embellishments: a (retired) wooden snowflake, a Pool party twine bow and some Pool Party enamel shapes for some added fun detail. I tried to keep my embellishments to a minimum given this week's theme but couldn't resist these additional touches to complete my warm and cozy card.

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. 

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

Don't forget the theme is clean and simple this week - so minimal layers and embellishments and lots of white space. I can't wait to see what you create and look forward to visiting your blogs this week! Enjoy the rest of your weekend as it will be over all too quickly; I'll be back later with news of a fantastic week of promotions that will be starting tomorrow and hope to resume something like normal blogging service this week. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Christmas Sweaters Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack	Old Olive Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack
Pool Party Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack	Stampin' Blends Color Lifter	Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad	Subtles Enamel Shapes	Pool Party Solid Baker’S Twine

Today I'm just popping by with a quick blog post to share a quick card with you - the last of my cards from my technique class featuring the Painted Harvest bundle earlier this month. Our final card is a real showcase of the fabulous Painted Autumn designer series papers in the form of a triple fold card - take a look:

Continuing with our 'thankful' theme, the triple fold design of this card showcases the gorgeous Painted Autumn papers, with five different panels of paper on the main Very Vanilla folded section and a sixth on the belly band that holds it closed. There is a hidden circle on the inside of the back panel on which to write your greeting and the belly band is decorated with another of those lovely sunflowers and another of the sentiments in the Painted Harvest set. I can't find my photo of the card when open, showing the inside - if I manage to track it down in my backed up projects I'll come back and update this post. In the meantime, I'm sure you get the idea!

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. 

If you've enjoyed the outputs of this class, I have a similar one featuring the Delightful Daisy Suite on Monday 4th December with a couple of spaces left - you can see the full details here. Contact me for more information or to book your place - I would love you to join us!

Don't forget 9PM tomorrow is the first opportunity you will have to go online and reserve the new Stamparatus stamp positioning tool - you can read all about it here. I'll be back tomorrow with another reminder and hopefully a creative project too. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Painted Harvest Photopolymer Stamp Set	Peekaboo Peach A4 Cardstock	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad	Peekaboo Peach 5/8" Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon	Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper
Very Vanilla 12" X 12" Cardstock	Tangerine Tango Classic Stampin' Pad	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad	Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies	Layering Circle Framelits Dies

Hello lovely readers! Apologies for an even longer blogging absence than usual - as many of you will know if you follow me on Facebook, I was at Stampin' Up!'s #Onstage2017 UK event at Solihull at the weekend, in readiness for the launch of the new Spring-Summer catalogue. Not only did I attend the event, I was one of the Onstage presenters and had the privilege of presenting one of the new product collections to the 480 demonstrators present. This was a great gig for me, as I love presenting and was so excited to share the things I had been working on secretly in the weeks leading up to the event. I will of course be sharing them with you too in due course, however today I have some news that is SO exciting it just can't wait!

It’s big news when something breaks the mould and changes everything. The Stamparatus will change the way you stamp, and before long, you’ll wonder how you ever crafted without it! Why do YOU need one? You’ll fall in love with stamping all over again when you learn everything you can do with it!

• Make multiples with ease
• Consistently stamp crisp, clean images
• If you want a darker impression, apply more ink and restamp—no need to start over
• Make fewer mistakes, saving time and money
• Easily create 2-step, 3-step, and 4-step stamped images using reversible plates
• Develop new and specialised stamping techniques with adjustable stamping plates and precision placement

I am very excited about this product: the idea of a stamping positioning tool was conceptualised, designed and produced in collaboration with a select group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators, of whom I was one. Demonstrator input has been critical to the final design. This is a product that has been designed by demonstrators, for stampers - and it shows.  Here are the crucial details you need to know:

• Compatible with Stampin’ Up!’s red rubber and photopolymer stamps
• Includs a foam mat to use with photopolymer stamps
• Rulers and gridlines for quick measuring
• 2 open sides so you can stamp on larger paper
• 2 reversible plates: a total of 4 surfaces to work with
• 2 magnets to hold the paper in place
• Magnet storage areas on the reverse
• Retail Price: £44.00/59,00 €

 Here are some images of the tool that show these features in more detail:

And this animation shows just how easy it is to use:

Want the scoop on this life-changing tool? check out the 5 things you need to know in this informative video by Carrie at the Stampin' Up! Home Office:

With the launch of this tool, Stampin' Up!  are trying something different too: we are testing a new reservation system. And it acts like a true pre-order. You reserve your spot and we guarantee shipment as soon as the product arrives in our warehouse. Everyone will place reservations and receive their product at the same time. This system will allow us to get the product to market as soon as possible while avoiding backorders and efficiently managing inventory.

The global launch will feature three reservation windows. For each window, please note the following:

• Reservation quantities are while supplies last only.
• Limit is 1 tool per customer per reservation window, however you may participate in multiple reservation windows.
• The 3 reservation windows and approximate delivery dates are as below:

So how can you get your hands on one?

You can PRE-ORDER your Stamparatus in any of the reservation windows over the next few months. The first window will open on Thursday 16th November at 9PM GMT - that's two days from now. To reserve yours then, simply visit my Online Store and log in. If you don't already have an account, set yourself one up. Make sure you see my name as your demonstrator in the top right corner of the screen.

Once you are logged in, visit the STAMPARATUS page and click on RESERVE. You can see more instructions below if you decide to cancel or try to order outside of a reservation window. All the details regarding when you'll receive your Stamparatus and more detail on the points above can be found in the Customer Q&A document that you can read by clicking here. 

What Happens When Your Stamparatus Arrives?

Your Stamparatus will be added to a shopping basket for you, and you will sent an email asking you to complete the transaction and pay. You can add other Stampin' Up! goodies to your basket at that time, so you only pay one lot of P&P. If this is during either of the first two delivery windows, you will be checking out during Sale-A-Bration, so it's worth adding a little something to your basket to take your order over £45 so that you will qualify for a free Sale-A-Bration item too! Also, be sure to add my current HOST CODE for that month if your order is less than £150 - you can always find this in the 'Shop Online' box on the right hand side of my blog. You'll then earn fabulous rewards direct from me - including a free 'Stampin' With The Stamparatus' class to ensure you get the most out of this amazing new tool.

A long post today but there's a lot of information to communicate. If you've any questions or queries, do get in touch with me prior to Thursday.

Back tomorrow hopefully with a creative post! Until then, happy stampin'!

I am off to Solihull today to attend Stampin' Up!'s UK Onstage Event, where demonstrators from all over the UK come together for the launch of the Spring-Summer catalogue - exciting times! The last few days have been busy with last-minute preparations and I am looking forward to a wonderful Centre Stage evening reception today and a jam-packed day of activity tomorrow, lots of which I will share with you in due course.

On my blog today though I wanted to share a new venture with you: I am delighted to announce the first in an ongoing calendar of luxury residential craft retreat weekends, that will be known as Stampin’ Sanctuary Craft Retreats.

Do you fancy a weekend away, full of crafting and good company? Does getting away from everyone and everything and having some 'me' time appeal? How about 2 whole days of crafting and making new projects? If all of this sounds attractive then a Stampin’ Sanctuary Retreat is just what you need.

The Stampin’ Sanctuary is a collaboration between top UK Stampin’ Up demonstrators: myself, Joanne James, and my good friend Louise Sims. We are two Midlands-based Stampin' Up! demonstrators who both run successful all day events and classes have come together to offer you the best weekend of crafting.

The venue for the Craft Retreat is the gorgeous 4 star Macdonald Ansty Hall Hotel, conveniently located just off the M6/M69, near Coventry, Warwickshire.Set in beautiful grounds it is the perfect destination for a getaway; gorgeous surroundings, good food and your own stylish bedroom for the night.Its central location means it has easy access from all parts of the country – making it a perfect destination break for you and your friends from afar.

What is included?

The Craft retreat package includes an overnight stay and all food for the weekend, lunches, snacks, evening meal and breakfast together with unlimited tea and coffee. You have 2 full days of crafting with your own table for the whole weekend – no need to tidy away! Bliss!A goody bag of Stampin’ Up! crafting supplies is also part of the package and will be more than £100 in value. The supplies will enable you to complete the projects for the classes run throughout the weekend and you'll have lots left over to take home too!

The Classes

The Classes offered during the weekend by both Joanne and Louise are optional. The weekend is yours, so you can choose to keep with class pace or do your own thing. There is no requirement to complete everything, you can do exactly what you want – chat, craft, chill … the choice is yours. Choose to craft at every possible moment, or take a break for a walk or a drink in the lounge – it’s all up to you. 

When Will It Take Place?

The first in our calendar of retreats is scheduled for Saturday 3rd March – Sunday 4th March 2018

Fully inclusive price for 1 nights accommodation,  with lunch and a 3 course dinner on Saturday, followed by breakfast and buffet lunch on Sunday. It also includes unlimited tea, coffee or hot chocolate & snacks, 4 crafting classes and a goody bag worth more than £100 full of Stampin’ Up! products. Spaces are limited so book your spot today to avoid disappointment; this retreat is already partially filled, so if you're interested don’t delay!

How do I book?

Sounds like your kind of fun? Register your interest here and and I will contact you to confirm if space is available and payment details. I offer a payment plan so you can split the cost into monthly payments (depending on when you book). Please note there is a cancellation fee should you need to cancel. Book & pay before 20th November and the rates will be as follows:

Single occupancy is £292 per person or
Double occupancy is £272 per person

From 21st November 2017 the price will increase to £325 for single and £305 for double per person.

I would so love you to join me for what promises to be a fabulous weekend! This would make a great Christmas present too, so if you're stuck for gift ideas for yourself or your nearest and dearest, maybe this is the answer.

Back later in the weekend with news from Onstage and a project or two. Until then, check those diaries and get booking! 

The Boring but Important Stuff

A Deposit of £60 is required to guarantee your place on a first come, first served basis. All payment plan instalments must reach us by 1st of each month. If you are late by more than 1 week, we will assume you are cancelling your place and apply the appropriate cancellation fees (see below).The fees are inclusive of VAT, set at the current rate of 20%. Should this change, the final price of the Craft Retreat will also change.The % of your fee that will be forfeit should you cancel within the time periods is shown below. If I can fill your place then the cancellation fee will not be applied. The cancellation fee will be based on when you cancel with me in writing and is to cover outgoing costs to the venue and the product kit ordered prior to the event. You will receive the balance as a refund via a cheque or bank deposit.

Cancellation Notice

% Cancellation Fee: 

• Before the 30th November: 50%
• 1st December to 20th January:75%
• 21st January to 3rd March:100%

Should the Stampin’ Sanctuary need to need to cancel the event at short notice a refund will not be provided. This will only be due to sickness or unforeseen circumstances. You may use the hotel facilities as booked & paid for. Goody bags will be shipped to you at Stampin’ Sanctuary's cost (provided full payment has been received).

I'm back with another of the cards made at yesterday's technique class featuring the Painted Autumn Suite, which also uses the current sketch over at The Paper Craft Crew:

I love the fact that the sketch had lots of bits and pieces which allowed me to use lots of the items in the Painted Autumn Suite:

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

Painted Autumn Patterns - I decided to use the panel to feature a piece of the gorgeous Painted Autumn DSP that I hadn't used previously. I hope you, like me, stocked up on this paper when it was part of the 'buy 3, get 1 free' offer -  the designs really are beautiful. I took my inspiration from the swirly leaves and branches of the paper and using the sketch built my design from there.

All About Texture - This card is full of elements that add texture: ribbon, burlap, enamel dots, punched leaves, touches of nature elements, punched border - all of which add to the loose, collage feel. 

Realistic Planks - The background panel is embossed with the Pinewood Planks Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. This 3D, dynamic folder creates deep and realistic dimensional embossed impressions that look just like the grain of pinewood planks - the perfect way to add interest to my background without detracting from the other elements.

I'm also linking up with the gals over at SUO Challenges today where they currently have a 'thankful' theme going on. 

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. 

I am managing an early post today as I have an all-day Christmas stamp-a-stack and then I'm out talking to a local women's group about festive packaging this evening. I hope you have a great day; I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Painted Harvest Photopolymer Stamp Set	Layering Ovals Framelits Dies	Peekaboo Peach A4 Cardstock	Early Espresso A4 Cardstock	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad
Very Vanilla A4 Cardstock	Pinewood Planks Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Painted Harvest Photopolymer Bundle	5/8" (1.6 Cm) Burlap Ribbon	Touches Of Nature Elements
Peekaboo Peach 5/8" Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon	Regals Enamel Shapes	Soft Sky A4 Cardstock	Soft Sky Classic Stampin' Pad	Wild Wasabi A4 Cardstock
Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pad	Cajun Craze A4 Cardstock	Decorative Ribbon Border Punch	Painted Autumn Designer Series Paper

It's Monday and the start of another week - only 7 weeks to go until Christmas! I'm not counting down today though; Today I'm sharing a card that I made with the ladies in the second of my technique classes this month that also fits a new(ish) challenge that has appeared in blog land - the TicTacToe Challenge:

I went across the top row for my Painted Harvest thank you card - take a look:

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

Large Letter Eclipse - Eclipse cards that use a word raised out of a background are everywhere right now and so on-trend, i thought it was about time I shared one with you. What a great opportunity to use those Large Letter Framelits again - these framelits really are so worth the investment! I went with a wide, thinner card than usual that is just right to fit my 'thanks'.

Painted Harvest - I created my sunflower background using a repeating pattern of bright sunflowers; my chosen colours are Crushed Curry and Peekaboo Peach and I think the latter most certainly adds a vibrancy to this card - the letters really 'pop' against those sunflowers.

A Split Sentiment - I decided to use a split sentiment to really tie my raised letters into the theme of my card: on my small cut oval I partially stamped one of the sentiments from the Painted Harvest set that says 'gather together & give thanks', omitting the 'thanks' and selectively inking the remaining portion, so that my raised letters complete the sentiment. 

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. 

I hope your day was a productive one; the ladies in today's class all produced some fabulous creations! My next class in December is using the Delightful Daisy bundle - for more details check out the event on my Facebook page here and get in touch to book your place. I'll be back tomorrow with another project using the Painted Harvest stamp set. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Painted Harvest Photopolymer Stamp Set	Large Letters Framelits Dies	Layering Ovals Framelits Dies	Peekaboo Peach A4 Cardstock	Peekaboo Peach Classic Stampin' Pad
Early Espresso A4 Cardstock	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad	Crushed Curry Solid Baker’S Twine	Very Vanilla A4 Cardstock