I'm starting my week nice and early with today's post which is a card for this week's challenge over at Freshly Made Sketches:

I decided to stay true to the sketch with my clean and graphic card:

I chose Pistachio Pudding for my base then layered this with a piece of Whisper White down the centre of my card followed by a feature piece of DSP, this time the Gold Soiree Specialty DSP, as the circle pattern echoed my chosen focal point. I stamped the 'Thanks So Much' stamp from the #hello set in Versamark and heat embossed in gold then punched out with my 2" circle punch. I layered this onto a banner of gold foil and popped the whole piece up on dimensionals for added lift. 

This card is conveniently post-friendly and will be heading out to one of my most recent online customers this week to thank them for supporting my Stampin' Up! business. If you would like to receive a card just like this one, all you have to do is place an order in my online store this month and ensure your contact preferences are set to 'contact' and one will be on its way. 

Today is the first day of the Easter holidays for the James Juniors, but for me there is no rest: I am hosting a children's craft class where we are masking Easter treats. I will be sharing photos over on my Facebook page if I remember to take pictures as we go along and will share the projects later in the week. Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

(Hashtag) Hello Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Gold Soiree Specialty Designer Series Paper	Card Stock A4 Pistachio Pudding	Gold Foil Sheets	Whisper White A4 Card Stock
Embossing Buddy	Versamark Pad	Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder	Heat Tool - Uk Plug	2" Circle Punch
Hexagon Punch

This is my second post today - you can see my Paper Players card here - as this should have been yesterday's card, but I was just too tired to type it up last night. I've been so busy and since I did not manage to get ahead of myself this week, tiredness won. Anyway, this is a card that I made for this week's Mojo Monday challenge and the current challenge over at The Card Concept:

I love those swirled cupcakes and couldn't resist creating something pink and a similarly swirled cupcake using the Mojo sketch - here is my clean and layered card:

I used a couple of retired products on my card - some Pretty in Pink cardstock for my base, to tone down the Melon Mambo and the ribbon (it reminded me of the cupcake swirl). On a mat of Melon Mambo, I used Whisper White on the upper portion and a piece of pink ombre Sweet Taffy DSP on the lower portion (even the pattern reminded me of cupcakes!) and I covered the join with my retired melon Mambo ribbon. I stamped my sentiment from 'Something to Say' in Melon Mambo, and decided a stamped and punched cupcake was the perfect embellishment. I stamped the cupcake case in Melon Mambo on Whisper White and coloured the frosting stamp with my Pink Pirouette, Strawberry Slush and Melon Mambo markers before stamping to achieve the swirl effect. Both pieces were punched out using the Cupcake Builder punch. I decided to add a little bling to my cupcake with a trio of in-colour sequins in Strawberry Slush and added a single star in the same colour to the sentiment panel to even things up.

So a very pink card with a suitably pink and swirly cupcake - good enough to eat! I haven't used this punch or stamp set in ages and I like the inspiration photo so much, I might just have to have another go at this challenge but in a different style; watch this space!

Back tomorrow with an altogether more clean and graphic card. until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Cupcake Party Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Cupcake Punch	Something To Say Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad	Melon Mambo A4 Card Stock
Sweet Taffy Designer Series Paper	2013-2015 In Color Sequin Assortment	Whisper White A4 Card Stock

It's Sunday and time for a new challenge over at The Paper Players. There were some great CAS florals last week and this week we have my favourite kind of challenge. My good friend and talented team member LeAnne has a great sketch challenge for us:

I decided this sketch would be great for a DSP showcase, so today I have a very bright and colourful card to share with you:

I covered my entire card front with a piece of one of the 'busy' patterns from the Flowerpot DSP pack then used a piece of vellum to tone down the pattern so that my 'thanks' die cut in Night of Navy would still stand out against the pattern. I wrapped a piece of Tangerine Tango around the vellum in a bow before adhering it to my card base, using glue dots where they are covered by other elements so that they don't show through. I added the second part of my sentiment from the 'Crazy About You' stamp set and layered over my banner trio, punched out of colours I had picked up from the pattern using my banner punch. Lastly, I finished with a bold orange flower finished with a candy dot.

This card has such a clash of bright and bold colours and yet I think they work with the sketch beautifully. There are some great cards from the Design Team this week, all of whom have interpreted the sketch in interesting ways. Do pop by their blogs and take a look:

I look forward to seeing your takes on this week's sketch in our gallery this week. 

No lie in for me as I am off for an early morning of hockey as today is tournament day and then hopefully home again to dinner cooked by the men in our house - this is becoming something of a habit! Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Crazy About You Photopolymer Bundle	Flower Pot Designer Series Paper	White Vellum A4 Card Stock	Tangerine Tango Classic Stampin' Pad	Regals Candy Dots
Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad	Night Of Navy A4 Card Stock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Daffodil Delight A4 Card Stock	Card Stock A4 Blushing Bride
Banner Punch	1-3/4 Inch Scallop Circle Punch

It's time for a new Thursday challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary and this week we have a great sketch challenge for you:

I decided to turn the sketch through 180 degrees for my card - here's what I came up with:

That circle was just asking to be made into a balloon, don't you think? I used a piece of Tangelo Twist for my base, matted with a piece of Night of Navy and a piece of the lovely Balloon Bash DSP - the gold foil balloons in the pattern looked like the little dots on the sketch I thought. I stamped my balloon in Night of Navy on Whisper White and heat-embossed the 'birthday' in gold, cutting out using the co-ordinating framelits, adding a small gold foil bow and a string of gold sequins to finish it off and popping it up on dimensionals.

Such a simple card, yet the DSP really shines and the touches of gold make this card really special. Do check out how the rest of the Design Team have interpreted the sketch - there's some great inspiration to be found!

I'll be back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

It's Wednesday so that means a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! This week's deals are included below - they will be available for one week only, before a new collection of deals is announced.

As always, if you want to take advantage of any of the deals on offer, you can support my business by placing your order online by clicking here or using the link to my store on the right hand side of my blog page where it says 'Shop Online' or with me in person. Don't forget to add the Hostess Code for March (you can find this under the 'Shop Online' section on the right) and be sure to make sure that you don't check the 'no contact' box if you'd like to be kept updated with the progress of you order and receive a little thank you in the post from me. 

Here's a summary of this week's one-week only Wednesday deals - click on each item to go to the online store to purchase:

Argyle Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Card Stock A4 Crushed Curry	Chocolate Chip 3/4" Chevron Ribbon	Crushed Curry 1-1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon
Honeycomb Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Modern Mosaic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon

A feast of embossing folders and ribbons this week - and some cardstock too if Crushed Curry is your thing!

I've had a busy day today with a fabulous group of ladies making spring wreaths which I will share with you later this week so no time for a creative post today. I'll be back tomorrow with this week's new challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary so come back then for a new card. Until then, happy shopping!

This is my second post for today - scroll down or click here for my earlier creative post featuring today's card. Blendabilites may now be discontinued, but today Stampin' Up! has announced a number of additional catalogue products that you can earn for free with each £45 spend until the end of March while supplies last. Here are the details of each of the products that will form part of the offer:

Don't forget if you're ordering online to include the hostess code for March - 4AHTZQVW - and to ensure that your contact settings on the page tab headed up 'My Demonstrator' are set to 'YES', so that I can keep you informed on the progress of your order and send you a little thank you in the post.

That's all from me today; back tomorrow with a new set of Wednesday Weekly Deals and another project. Until then, happy shopping!

Today I'm sharing a card that I'm entering in a couple of challenges:

I'm not normally one for such pastel colours unless it's a baby card, however I thought I would combine this week's colour palette over at Pals Paper Arts with the great sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch this week and create a card suitable for a wedding or engagement. Take a look:

I decided to feature the Congratulations sentiment from 'Your Perfect Day' as the centrepiece for my card, adorned with a couple of the floral flourishes from the 'Flowering Flourishes' set in each corner. I turned the sketch on its side as I needed my card to be landscape in order to fit my sentiment on. I stamped the sentiment in Soft Sky and coloured the flourishes with my Stampin' Write markers in each of the challenge colours, adding a few tiny pearls to the flower stamens. I used a piece of Soft Sky for my mat and stamped the whole card on Whisper White; this card looks more vibrant in real life - I find predominantly white cards so tricky to photograph. 

Short and sweet from me today - lots to do before attending an Easter Concert this afternoon where both James Juniors are singing and performing piano recitals. I will be back shortly with news of some additional Sale-A-Bration items that will be available free with a £45 spend until the end of the month. until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Your Perfect Day Photopolymer Stamp Set	Flowering Flourishes Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Soft Sky Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Soft Sky	Whisper White A4 Card Stock
Subtles Stampin' Write Markers	2013-2015 In Color Stampin' Write Markers	Basic Pearls Jewel Accents	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

Happy Monday everyone! No card today - I'm sharing a little 3D project for a change. Last week I was booked to craft with a local Brownie pack to help them make gifts for Mother's Day. I know a few of the Brownies - and mums! - so couldn't share our little project until today, for fear of letting their secret out of the bag. Now we all know that with a special gift it's as much about the packaging as what's inside, so this is what our gifts looked like from the outside:

Each girl had one of the Tiny Treat Boxes to decorate with papers from the All Aboom DSP stack - so pretty for spring - and one covered, each box was finished with a colour-co-ordinated bow made using the Bow Builder punch. We had great fun making these - and used hundreds of glue dots in the process!! Inside the box, it opened to reveal:

Each of them made a delicate silver necklace using one of the Simply Borrowed Embellishments for decoration, beautifully presented on a co-ordinated cardstock insert. How pretty is that? The girls were so pleased with their handiwork and all smuggled them home to keep them as a surprise until yesterday. I had lots of messages from mums today who were thrilled with their gifts, so I think we can safely say it was a job well done!

I love crafting with children, whether my own, when running children's birthday parties or in larger groups such as this. If you live in or around Northampton and would like more information about children's parties or running a Crafty Owl activity for a larger group such as a Brownie or Girl Guide group, then do get in touch - I would love to discuss options with you.

That's all from me today; back tomorrow with a card for you. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Bow Builder Punch	All Abloom Designer Series Paper Stack	Tiny Treat Boxes	Something Borrowed Embellishments	Mini Glue Dots
Island Indigo A4 Card Stock	So Saffron A4 Card Stock

It's Sunday - my favourite day of the week! Why? Well, I usually get a cup of tea in bed before I start my day (and I definitely will today, as it's Mother's Day here in the UK) and it's time for our new challenge over at The Paper Players. This week the hugely talented Ann has a great clean and simple challenge for us:

I love CAS cards and decided that this week's challenge was the perfect opportunity to use my Lotus Blossom stamp that I received during the current Sale-A-Bration promotion. I also paired it with the colours over at Color Throwdown this week as I just love the purples and green of the inspiration photo - here is my card:

This set has been the most popular of all the Sale-A-Bration promotional items that you can receive free with a £45 spend amongst my customers and whilst I've used mine to demonstrate how to stamp the flower to my customers on a number of occasions, this is the first time I've actually used it to make a card - shocking! It's a great flower and perfect for CAS cards. I stamped the sentiment and my first image of the flower in Elegant Eggplant and the same for the second one, having stamped off first. I then stamped the third solid image in Perfect Plum. I used Old Olive for my stem and then stamped the first image again in Versamark, and overstamped the sentiment in Versamark too and heat embossed both of them in clear embossing powder. Try as I might I couldn't get it to show up in the photo, but this does look lovely in real life with a lovely glossy sheen and it adds a little texture to the flower. I matted my stamped panel on a piece of Elegant Eggplant cardstock and a Whisper White base, which really allows my blossom to take centre stage. To finish, I added a trio of pearls that I coloured with the darkest of my Wisteria Wonder Blendabilities (I'm not ready to part with these just yet, even though they are sadly no longer available). If the Lotus Blossom stamp is still on your wish list, you have until the end of March to receive it free with a £45 spend - 16 days left, so don't leave it too late. 

There are a whole host of amazing floral CAS cards from the Design Team this week; do pop by their blogs and take a look:

I look forward to seeing your floral CAS creations in our gallery this week. 

I am off for a morning of hockey and then hopefully home to roast dinner cooked by the men in our house! Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Lotus Blossom Photopolymer Stamp Set	Elegant Eggplant Classic Stampin' Pad	Perfect Plum Classic Stampin' Pad	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad	Elegant Eggplant A4 Card Stock
Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Versamark Pad	Embossing Buddy	Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder	Heat Tool - Uk Plug
Basic Pearls Jewel Accents

It's the weekend but no signs of my week slowing down yet! I had a great Stampin' Up! party hosted by the lovely Lucy yesterday and today we visited a science fair and Ben played basketball on his school team at the county quarter finals this evening. So just time for a quick post with a card I made for this week's Mojo Monday challenge: 

This is the first sketch designed by Wanda Cullen and I think it's great (go Wanda!) I decided it was the perfect layout for me to cut into one of my favourite pieces of paper in my Painted Blooms DSP pack - here is my card: 

I used Soft Sky for my base and matted my paper on a piece of Blackberry Bliss to give a thin border, then layered a paper pierced circle, a piece of Blackberry Bliss satin ribbon and my layered sentiment circle, where I over-stamped the tulips with my thank you, before finally adding my Crushed Curry thinlit butterfly. I just love the detail of the sentiment and the dramatic bright yellow butterfly on this card - here's a close up: 

Love it! That's all from me today; back tomorrow with this week's card for our new challenge over at The Paper Players. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Painted Blooms Designer Series Paper	Painted Petals Clear Stamp Set	Butterflies Thinlits Dies	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Big Shot Magnetic Platform
Circles Collection Framelits Dies	Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack	Paper-Piercing Tool	1-3/4 Inch Circle Punch	Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad
Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pad	Rose Red Classic Stampin' Pad