Today is a busy day for me: I have my monthly technique class this morning and this afternoon I'm heading to Ikea to stock up on picture frames for a party at the weekend. This month's technique class features the 'Butterfly Basics' stamp set and co-ordinating Butterfly Thinlit Dies, so I have been using them to make lots of samples recently. Today's card is one of the ones I made to show the ladies that are attending my class and works wonderfully with the palette over at Colour Q this week:

The butterflies can be used in a number of ways to incorporate colour into them - having seen some interesting samples using vellum and also colouring with Blendabilites, I decided to have a go at paper-piecing a solid butterfly image. Here is my card:

Whilst this card looks deceptively simple, with its inlaid black butterfly outline and coloured wings, I can assure you it isn't altogether quick to put together! Keeping track of all the tiny pieces from the insides of the four coloured butterflies I cut was something of a challenge, but was well worth it - I love the effect of the solid, brightly coloured paper-pieced butterfly. Here's a close up of the detail:

In addition, I also have the four coloured butterflies to use for other projects - bonus!

That's all from me today. check out my Facebook page if you would like to see the fun that the ladies are getting up to in my class and what this week's cakes look like! Better still, get in touch with me and join me for next month's technique class on 9th March, when we will be using Blendabilities and the lovely Easter stamp set, 'Indescribable Gift'. You can find more details on my class schedule here.  Back tomorrow with another project; until then happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

* Pretty In Pink cardstock - retired

Butterfly Basics Photopolymer Bundle	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Melon Mambo A4 Card Stock	Real Red A4 Card Stock
Pumpkin Pie A4 Card Stock	Basic Black A4 Card Stock

Good morning lovely blog readers! Today it's Sunday and time for a new challenge over at The Paper Players, where this week the lovely Nance has this great colour combination for us:

I also used this week's sketch over at Mojo Monday for the layout of today's card. I was tempted to use the florals in the inspiration photo as the starting point for my card - isn't the badge great? Nance creates all our blog challenge badges and does such a fantastic job, thank you Nance! - but in the end the lure of my 'Stacked with Love' DSP paper stack was too strong and I decided to make another Valentine's card! Come and take a look:

I used one of the large sentiments from the 'Big on You' stamp set as the focal point for my card and stamped it in Versamark on blackboard paper and heat embossed in white. I rubbed a little white kraft ink around the edges to add to the chalkboard look and feel of this panel. The large sentiment allowed me to use a number of the other DSP patterns for the background layers to my card. Red and black are clearly taking centre stage on my card, but there are a couple of pops of Calypso Coral - both the flag banner behind the strip of punched hearts and in the popped-up heart, finished with a Real Red bow cut with one of the Mini Treat Bag Thinlit accessory dies and a rhinestone. I haven't made a card using these papers for over a week and I was clearly getting withdrawal symptoms; having got them back out on the desk I've been creating with them again and I have a few more cards to share that feature them this week, so stay tuned!

Before you reach for your ink pads, do visit the other design team members to see what interesting ideas they've had this week:

I look forward to seeing your projects in the gallery this week. I'm off to hockey this morning and looking forward to an afternoon with a spot of crafting and some fun with the rest of the family before the new week starts again in earnest.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Big On You Photopolymer Stamp Set	Stacked With Love Designer Series Paper Stack	Chalkboard Paper	Versamark Pad	White Stampin' Emboss Powder
Embossing Buddy	Heat Tool - Uk Plug	Basic Black A4 Card Stock	Mini Treat Bag Thinlits Dies	Real Red A4 Card Stock
Calypso Coral A4 Card Stock	Hearts Border Punch	Sweetheart Punch	Basic Rhinestones Jewel Accents

Today I'm sharing a card that I designed for my class next week using the Butterfly Basics stamp set and the co-ordinating Butterfly Thinlit Dies and this week's Freshly Made Sketch as my inspiration:

I created my card in the vertical mirror image as I wanted my ferns to lean into the centre of my card - take a look:

I used Naturals Ivory for my card today - I love the natural feel of this cardstock and it works so well when used in conjunction with nature images. I inked the fern stamp in Baked Brown Sugar and stamped it three times, without re-inking in between to create a graduated effect and some depth to the background. I layered my stamped sentiment banner on a piece of Baked Brown Sugar that I edged with the Large Scallop Edgelit and used the rope stamp for the horizontal element, then added a butterfly, stamped in Bermuda Bay, cut out with the smallest of the butterfly thinlits and finished with a small gold button and a strand of burlap tied in a bow. For the final element of the sketch I added the post mark stamp in Crisp Cantaloupe. 

I hope you like today's card, especially the ladies who are coming to class on Monday and for whom this constitutes a 'sneak peek'! Back tomorrow with our new challenge over at The Paper Players; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Butterfly Basics Photopolymer Bundle	Naturals Ivory A4 Card Stock	Baked Brown Sugar Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Baked Brown Sugar	Crisp Cantaloupe Classic Stampin' Pad
Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad	Gold Basic Metal Buttons	Large Scallop Edgelits Die	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	1-1/4" Burlap Ribbon

I'm late posting today and am just in time to get my card for this week's 'Less is More' challenge in before the deadline. The challenge this week is 'little ones'; I had my card all planned out in my head since the start of this week but despite several attempts, I wasn't able to execute my idea well. So today, I took a break from my preparations for my next week's class and went back to the drawing board and came up with this ultra clean and simple card:

The theme of 'little ones' can be interpreted in so many ways and I had been working with the idea of lots of little things, rather than a new baby theme. On going back to the drawing board, I decided I would try and find the smallest stamped image I had and then I remembered: the Love stamp from the now retired 'Seasonally Scattered' set had some of the most perfect teeny-tiny hearts I ever did see, so decided this would be perfect for my card. I added a punched Itty Bitty Accents heart in Real Red and added the 'You' from the 'Crazy About You' set to complete my romantic sentiment.

That's all for today - short and sweet! Check out the Less is More page for more 'little ones' ideas - there is a ton of great inspiration from the designers and gallery alike. Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

*Seasonally Scattered - retired

Crazy About You Photopolymer Stamp Set

Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad

Real Red A4 Card Stock

Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad

Whisper White A4 Card Stock

I have lots of upcoming birthdays and I am trying to take a much more organised approach to remembering them, at the very least making the cards a little in advance of when I need them, so today I have a bright and colourful addition to the 'ready to send' pile that uses this week's sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch for inspiration:

I started off with the stripes on the background panel - I thought the stripes on one of the pieces of Birthday Bash DSP would be perfect. Here's my card:

I adhered my DSP directly to a piece of Crushed Curry cardstock, as I didn't want a border. For my central panel I used the 'Age Awareness' stamp set to stamp the sentiment and the banner across the top of my card, which I decorated with a row of candles from the same set. To keep my layers to a minimum, I stamped the banner directly onto the central panel and fussy cut around the edge before adhering to a Night of Navy base for added definition. To finish, I added a cupcake stamped with the 'Cupcake Party' stamp set and punched out with the co-ordinating punch. I decorated the inside too and created a matching lined envelope - I'll add a picture of this later! The DSP is quite busy and bright for a CAS card, however the uber-simple central panel balances this out I think.

I hope you like today's card; back tomorrow with another one! Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Birthday Bash Specialty Designer Series Paper	Age Awareness Photopolymer Stamp Set	Cupcake Party Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Cupcake Punch	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad
Card Stock A4 Crushed Curry	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad	Night Of Navy A4 Card Stock	Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad	Calypso Coral Classic Stampin' Pad
Tangelo Twist Classic Stampin' Pad

Today I'm sharing a card I made for this week's challenge over at CAS Colours and Sketches, where they have a double week and we are challenged to work with both colours and sketch:

Now no-one is more surprised than me that I took on this week's challenge; the colour palette isn't a combination that I usually use, however I found myself strangely drawn to it - along with the sketch, although I must confess those two dots in the middle did get the better of me! Take a look at what I came up with:

I decided to make a notelet using Very Vanilla cardstock, and starting with my central panel where I stamped the linked image from the 'Choose Happiness' set in each of the challenge colours, I worked out from there. Some simple layering with panels in each of the challenge colours and the sentiment form the same set, finished with a bird stamped in Baked Brown Sugar, fussy cut and popped on a dimension in the centre of the main panel. I even decorated my Crumb Cake envelope to match. There are minimal supplies required to re-create today's card; you could change out the colours for whatever you have in your stash to create something similar. Don't you just love that sentiment though? Perfect to tell someone just how much they mean to you.

I bought this stamp set a while ago thinking it would be good to explore more collage-style papercraft - whenever I use it though, my cards still look clean and simple! There may be something in there about teaching an old dog new tricks ... oh well! I hope you like today's card regardless. Back tomorrow with a fun birthday card; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Choose Happiness Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Mossy Meadow Classic Stampin' Pad	Mossy Meadow A4 Cardstock	Baked Brown Sugar Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Baked Brown Sugar
Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Pear Pizzazz	Very Vanilla A4 Card Stock	Crumb Cake Note Cards & Envelopes

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 January/February (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:

Fine Print Coupons Swatchbook - Digital Download	Fun Frames Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Gold 1/8" Ribbon	Silver Foil Sheets
Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Wisteria Wonder Assortment	Striped Scallop Thinlits Die	Tag A Bag Accessory Kit	Tangelo Twist A4 Cardstock

Another mixed bag this week, but some definite favourites in there: the striped scallop thinlits die is great for backgrounds and roofs on houses, some gold ribbon and silver foil (I'll definitely be stocking up!), fun frames and another pack of Blendabilities on offer, this time Wisteria Wonder - great if you are trying to build your collection, now you can do it even more cheaply!

Back shortly with today's creative post - until then, happy shopping!

Well, it's Tuesday and we woke to a light dusting of snow outside this morning. Not enough for a 'snow day', much to the children's disappointment and mercifully, unlike last week's flurry, the roads are all gritted so once we were clear of our side street the traffic was flowing freely. It might be winter outside, but today's card is reminiscent of warmer times as I have my card for this week's challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary. This week there is an interesting colour palette to work with, which in itself has a distinct wintery feel:

Before I get on to my card today, I would just like to give a little shout out to both Connie and Mary and the rest of the CCMC design team; they really are a super bunch of ladies and hugely inspiring. I love their weekly challenges and play along whenever I can. I have been lucky enough to be chosen as one of their Top 3 Picks from time to time, which is always nice, however I love the colour combos and sketches these ladies come up with and it's great to play along for fun. I didn't manage last week - I had my card all designed, just didn't get enough time at my stamp desk to put it together! - but yesterday I managed to get a few cards made, including my card for this week's challenge so I'm back 'with the program'! I'm also using the sketch from Lesley Croghan's new challenge over at Always Playing With Paper - another great challenge to play along with! Without further ado, here is this week's card:

I 'stretched' the sketch as I wanted a landscape orientation for my card, as I decided to feature those little waders from the 'Wetlands' stamp set - definitely my favourite in this set, although they are all lovely to be fair. To 'colour' my image, I used a technique I've seen lots on Pinterest and took the large swoosh from the 'Work of Art' stamp set and stamped it once in Sahara Sand, having stamped off once first, and once in Lost Lagoon, having stamped off twice first, to add just a subtle colouring behind the birds. I switched my sentiment for one from the 'Teeny Tiny Sentiments' stamp set as this card is destined for the Head Groundsman at my children's school, who is retiring at the end of next week, following many years of loyal service. I mounted my image on a piece of Basic Grey and kept my Lost Lagoon flag and Sahara Sand base plain, adding a piece of patterned Basic Grey DSP from the 'Moonlight' DSP stack for background interest. I finished with a little grey metal button, double tied with linen thread, and my card was finished.

I hope you like today's card - I'm off to tackle a mountainous pile of ironing and get a few other chores completed before rewarding myself with a catch up over a cup of tea with a friend I haven't seen in a while this afternoon. Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Wetlands	Moonlight Designer Series Paper Stack	Sahara Sand Classic Stampin' Pad	Sahara Sand A4 Card Stock	Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad
Basic Gray A4 Card Stock	Lost Lagoon Classic Stampin' Pad	Lost Lagoon A4 Cardstock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Linen Thread
Basic Metal Buttons

Happy Monday everyone! I have a desk-based week this week and I'm looking forward to getting a headstart on preparation for my next set of classes and getting some projects prepared, following the flurry of classes and parties last week. Today's card is one I made with my Valentine in mind - very masculine and not a heart in sight! - but with a sentiment that I just know will strike a chord - take a look:

Now if you are of a similar age to me (forty-something - I'm saying no more!!) you may well have lived through the era of the American sitcom 'Friends'. My husband and I have watched every episode more times than I can count and still laugh occasionally at the things we say or do that are inspired from this classic television series. One of my favourite episodes is the one where amidst the ongoing drama of the on-off relationship between Ross and Rachel, Phoebe announces that they will get back together again because just like lobsters, who are known to fall in love and stay together for life, Rachel is Ross's lobster. After some drama, it takes a viewing of Rachel and Monica's old prom video tape for Rachel to realise that she does indeed want to be with Ross and Phoebe triumphantly declares "He's her lobster!" I've made lots of cards featuring both the crab and lobster from the Sea Street set and I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a play on words with this one. I chose a simple layout featuring some of the co-ordinating Maritime DSP and used a simple font in Word for my bespoke sentiment. Whilst there's not a heart in sight, mu husband for one will appreciate the romantic gesture of this card!

If you too are nostalgic for some classic TV - or just want to know what the heck I'm rambling on about today! - here is that clip in all it's glory:

On that happy note, I will love you and leave you until tomorrow, when I will be back with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Sea Street Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Maritime Designer Series Paper	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Real Red A4 Card Stock	Night Of Navy A4 Card Stock
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad	Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine	1-1/4" Scallop Circle Punch	1 Inch Circle Punch

It's Sunday and time for a new challenge over at The Paper Players, where this week Claire has the following challenge for us:

I also used Rita's sketch layout over at Freshly Made Sketches for my card this week. Now this week's card caused me some mild consternation, as anyone who knows me knows that I've never really had a pet and so I have been known to get myself into all kinds of trouble with friends for under-estimating the depth of their feelings towards their two-and four-legged friends. I am not intentionally insensitive, it's just that I don't 'get it' - so the idea of creating a Valentine's card for or from a pet sent me into quite a spin! Both James Juniors have had goldfish as pets previously, but since I used fish on my card last week I thought today's card needed an alternative, altogether more fluffy friend - so this is what I came up with:

I created a custom sentiment using my 'Back to Basics' alphabet stamps and added a selection of banners using patterns from the 'Stacked with Love' DSP stack. For the heart-shaped centrepiece, I stamped a pair of adorable bunnies and coloured them in with my Smoky Slate Blendabilities. Do you recognise the bunnies, or should I say, bunny? The bunny on the right is from the 'Baby We've Grown' stamp set. I stamped him once, then having masked him off with a post-it note, I then stamped him again onto a piece of window sheet and using the reflection technique transferred this image onto my cardstock, overlapping the legs slightly. The tiniest drag line on the ear resulted in a cute fold-over look, so I left it, as it made the bunnies a little less symmetrical. Don't they make such a cute pair? I finished this centre piece by framing the bunnies in a Real Red heart-shaped frame cut using my Big Shot and Hearts Framelits and added a tiny punched heart with a rhinestone to the centre. If I had a bunny rabbit, I would be happy to send him this Valentine - job done! I'm also linking up with SUO Challenges today too, where the theme is 'Valentine's Wishes' - very appropriate.

Before you reach for your ink pads, do visit the other design team members to see what interesting ideas they've had this week:

I look forward to seeing your projects in the gallery this week.

I'm looking forward to a quiet day today: the hockey pitch is frozen as a result of the sub-zero temperatures we've been having this past week and poor Ben is struggling to shake his cough and cold that he's had for weeks now, so he is going to have a rugby-free week too, as running around a freezing pitch for a couple of hours is certainly not going to improve things. Rebecca and I will be completing the masterpiece that is her ancient Greek theatrical mask, the result of two weeks of paper mache and modelling clay - all being well it should be dry enough to paint. We may even manage to squeeze in another family movie afternoon; last week we watched Malificent for the first time, which was hugely enjoyable and an interesting alternative take on a classic.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Baby, We've Grown	Back To Basics Alphabet Photopolymer Stamp Set	Hearts Collection Framelits Dies	Stacked With Love Designer Series Paper Stack	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine
Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Real Red A4 Card Stock	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Smokey Slate Assortment	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Cherry Cobbler Assortment	Stampin' Blendabilities™ Markers Calypso Coral Assortment
Basic Rhinestones Jewel Accents	Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad