I have the second of this month's technique classes tomorrow and it features the Bird Ballad suite. As I'm a little pressed for time today, I thought I'd share with you the 'make and take' we made using products from this suite at Stampin' Up!'s Onstage event when the annual catalogue was launched  - take a look:

Super pretty papers and a stamp set that is perfect for colouring, this suite is great for everything from super-simple cards through to more complicated creations. My card class is focusing on fancy folds, colouring and fussy cutting and I'll share these creations with you later thi week. For now though, this card shows how easy it is to create something pretty with some DSP, a little colouring and a lacy bow.

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

 to follow

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

to follow

Today I'm sharing a card with a layout inspired by the current Fab Friday sketch:

I also have a matching gift voucher wallet too - more of that later. First to my card - take a look:

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

Birthday Cheer - The only stamping on the front of today's card is the background, where I added tone-on-tone confetti, and the sentiment. there are some lovely sentiments and bold images in the Birthday Cheer stamp set, but this card is really about the diecut, which takes centre stage. I've used it to make a birthday card but it could be easily adapted for a Christmas card too in an alternative colourway. I did do a little stamping on the inside too, using one of the larger sentiments:

Colouring Options - The diecuts can be used in lots of ways: on their own, paper-pieced, paper-backed, stencilled or coloured with markers to name just a few. On my card, I coloured the presents using a combination of my Stampin' Write Markers and Stampin' Blends using another identical diecut as a stencil guide. On my gift voucher wallet below, I used whole pieces of cardstock behind each present to give more even blocks of colour. I think I prefer the version below, but will definitely be experimenting with these dies a little more to find intersting ways to add colour to them. 

The Perfect Gift - I had a gift voucher wallet to make up for one of my customers who wanted to gift her sister with Stampin' Up! vouchers for her birthday, so I decided to make it to co-ordinate with my card above and send both. I always make my Stampin' Up! gift voucher wallets in a long, narrow design, so I just needed to elongate my diecut and alter the greeting on the front slightly to something more appropriate:

Did you know you can get Stampin' Up! gift vouchers from me for any amount and any occasion? They do make a great gift, either for yourself or others. If you're ever at a loss for what to buy you nearest and dearest, just give me a call and we can take the pain out of gift giving and give the gift of choice!

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:

Birthday Cheer Cling Bundle (£42.25)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Berry Burst Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Berry Burst A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Coastal Cabana A4 Cardstock (£8.00)
Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Petal Pink A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Petal Pink Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Silver Metallic Thread (£3.25)

My cold has really got the better of me these last couple of days, hence the absence of blog posts. Back with it today though; I have a quick share of another card made with a free Sale-A-Bration set that also uses a fun and easy technique - take a look:

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

A Shadow Thank You - I stamped the large thank you stamp from the 'So Very Much' in Blushing Bride then moved it very slightly up and to the left and stamped again in Sweet Sugarplum. A simple technique but effective, don't you agree? The thing that I really like about this stamp set - apart from the fact that it's FREE of course! - is the alternative option stamps to complete the thank you sentiment. The 'from all of us' in particular is an unusual stamp that you don't see very often.

A Teeny Tiny Gift - I decided I would add a little symbol of a gift next to the second part of my sentiment - this is taken from another Sale-A-Bration set, Any Occasion. This set is predominantly a collection of banners that work really well on pocket notelet-sized cards, but includes a few teeny tiny embellishments - the present, two hearts and a tassel - that work really well on lots of projects.

A Playful Palette - My strip of border paper is from the Playful Palette designer series paper stack and was the inspiration for my entire colour scheme. This card design would be a great way to use up odd strips of paper left over from other projects though and would work in lots of different colourways.

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 this week's project for the new challenge over at The Paper Players. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

So Very Much Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Playful Palette Designer Series Paper Stack	Sweet Sugarplum A4 Cardstock	Very Vanilla A4 Cardstock	Basic Black Solid Baker's Twine
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad	Sweet Sugarplum Classic Stampin' Pad	Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad	Any Occasion Photopolymer Stamp Set

Good morning - happy Monday everyone! Today I have a card for this week's challenge over at Freshly Made Sketches where they have a great sketch to work with this week:

I used the sketch as the basis for today's Christmas card, although I did make my card landscape rather than portrait as it seemed to fit my layers a little better. Here's my card:

I decided to use the 'Santa's on his way' sentiment from the Cup of Cheer stamp set for my focal sentiment and stamped it in Archival Basic Black on Very Vanilla, popping up the banner element which I stamped in Real Red. I backed this with an offset piece of red striped paper from the Home For Christmas DSP pack, and used a piece of the snow paper from the same set for my background. I used some retired Very Vanilla seam binding for my vertical stripe and for my second overlaid element I fussy cut one of the adorable Santa figures from the Home For Christmas DSP - I just love these papers, I am on my fourth pack already!

Today I will be putting the finishing touches to the preparations for my children's shaker Christmas Card class tomorrow. I'll be back to tell you all about it then and will have another project to share with you. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Cup Of Cheer Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Home For Christmas Designer Series Paper	Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad	Pool Party A4 Cardstock
Very Vanilla A4 Cardstock

It's Wednesday and you know what that means: a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! These offers are valid for one week only. As always, a new collection of deals will be announced next Wednesday.

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 new Hostess Code for October 9JGQEYWJ if your order is under £150 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:

Banners Framelits Die

Cupcake Builder Punch

Six-Sided Sampler Wood Stamp Set

Only three offers this week, but good ones nonetheless! My favourite would have to be the Cupcake Builder Punch - a 'storecupboard staple' of the punch collection and one that can be used for lots more besides (think clouds, handbags, ice creams ...). Also the Six-Sided Sampler set is a great set for all you quilters out there!

Back later with today's creative project; until then, happy shopping!