You Send Me Soaring Valentine's Card and Technique Video Tutorial

by Joanne James17. January 2016 09:00

It's Sunday and time for a new challenge over at The Paper PlayersThis week it is the turn of the lovely Sandy to host and she has a timely clean and simple theme for you to play along with:

For my card this week I was inspired to use the Sale-A-Bration set ''Sky is The Limit' to create my clean and simple Valentine's card - I was so keen to make a card with a red bi-plane! Here it is:

 

I used a base of Soft Sky and a piece  of diagonal striped black and white paper from the neutrals paper stack for a mat, then took a piece of watercolour paper that I washed with my aqua painter and some Soft Sky and Pool Party inks for a hint of colour. Once my sky panel was thoroughly dry, I stamped the clouds and smoke trail in Versamark and heat embossed them in white, the stamped the sentiment and heat embossed that in black. I then went back to my clouds and smoke trail and used the effect I shared with you previously on this card here, where I filled in the space with Tombo, covered in White embossing powder and then heat embossed until the powder set and the glue bubbled. This effect not only works for snow as on my previous card but for clouds and smoke trails too!

I also added a touch of Melon Mambo within the heart to make it stand out a little. Finally, I stamped my bi-plane in Real Red onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock and fussy cut it out, adding a small piece of window sheet cut using my flower builder punch (the stamen) and a silver mini-brad to accentuate the propeller, before popping it on a couple of dimensionals and adding to my card - here's a close up:

 

Isn't that fun? I hope you like today's card - this is a set with so many uses, not just Valentines. It's a limited time Sale-A-Bration offer and is only available until 15th February. Plenty of time to get it in order to make a love-themed card for a special person though, so don't forget to add it to your next £45 order for free!

I've edited today's post to include a little video tutorial that I filmed this afternoon that shows exactly how I created the effect I described above:

 

I hope you enjoyed that - I haven't made a video in ages but there have to be some advantages to waking up to snow on the ground - more time to craft!

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

The Paper Players Design Team
 
 
Here's a quick recap of our challenge rules:
 
1.  Create a new paper project
2.  Upload your creation to your blog with a link back to us and provide a direct link to the post featuring your challenge submission.
3.  Please link your card to no more than four challenges, TOTAL.
4.  Have FUN! 

 

I look forward to seeing what you create with this week's theme. We have no hockey due to the freezing weather here in the UK and a frozen pitch; in fact, snow on the ground meant that snowball fights even won out over basketball today. As for me - the results of my endeavours are included above!!

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

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

Bloomin' Heart ... it's in the air!

by Joanne James14. January 2016 08:05

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

 

This week's sketch is perfect to showcase the Bloomin' Heart thinlit die. Take a look:

 

For my card I added some of the co-ordinating stamped flowers, also cut with the flower thinlits that come with the heart, and a sentiment from the 'Bloomin' Love' stamp set that can be purchased with the dies in a bundle for 15% off - add in a Big Shot Die Brush and you could get a free Sale-A-Bration gift too - I love this time of year!! I took my Blushing Bride/Rose Red/Whisper White colour combo from the Love Blossoms designer series paper stack in the same product suite. I added a few pearls and a strip of the new Blushing Bride glimmer paper across the bottom of my card for an added touch of sparkle!

Do visit the other Design Team members to see how they interpreted this week's sketch; there's lots of inspiration over on their blogs too!

Enjoy your day; I'm hosting an open house with my customers today so that they can see and touch lots of lovely new product from the Sale-A-Bration and Spring-Summer catalogues. There will be tea and cake too of course!

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

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

  • Bloomin' Love Photopolymer Bundle
  • Love Blossoms Designer Series Paper Stack
  • Blushing Bride Glimmer Paper
  • Love Blossoms Cardstock Pack
  • Whisper White A4 Cardstock
  • Rose Red Classic Stampin' Pad
  • Pearl Basic Jewels

Hello Birthday Girl!

by Joanne James13. January 2016 20:37

As promised on Sunday, I have another card today using this week's colour over at The Paper Players:

I decided to use one of my favourite Sale-A-Bration sets, 'Hello', for my bold and bright, clean and simple birthday card today:

Some simple layers, a banner and a fun party hat topped with a cute Melon Mambo enamel dot - well, hello birthday girl!

I've used this set a couple of times already and I just know I am going to get a lot more use out of it as it's perfect for quick birthday and 'any day' cards. It's a limited time offer though, so if it's on your wish list then don't leave it too late - you have until 15th February to pop it in your shopping basket for free with a £45 spend!

Back tomorrow with a project for this week's new challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary; until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

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Cards | Shop Online | Stamping

New Wednesday Weekly Deals Are Here!

by Joanne James13. January 2016 09:00

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 January W2ZHBH2D 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:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

Some great bargains to be had, including the 'You're Sublime' stamp set that I used on my card for The Paper Players on Sunday - if you missed it, you can see it here. Also the Balloon Framelits Dies - a good time to purchase, balloons are very 'on trend' at the moment!

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

Rose Garden Thinlits Meet Timeless Elegance

by Joanne James12. January 2016 10:41

Good morning everyone! Today I'm sharing a card for this week's sketch over at Pals Paper Arts - I can't resist a good sketch! 

PPA-282-Jan07

I decided to use the Rose Garden Thinlits for the focal point on my card today, but having used lots of pink on my cards lately I decided to veer away from Valentines and make a card for one of my January birthdays whilst trying something a little different - take a look:

I lightly sponged a piece of the rose-patterned Timeless Elegance designer series paper in So Saffron and Daffodil Delight, then in addition to my panel, I took one rose and ran it through the Big Shot with my Rose Garden Thinlits Die and paper-pieced the negative pieces into an outline die cut in Basic Black, having first adhered this to a piece of cardstock to hold everything in place. I then cut the outline out by hand. I stamped my birthday sentiment from the accompanying Rose Wonder set onto Very Vanilla to complete my card. I had originally intended to make a sympathy card, but decided that the paper made this card a little too 'flowery' for the intended male recipient, so instead switched to birthday at the last minute. I think the paper-pieced rose works quite well - whilst the petals don't line up, I think it adds an interesting depth and illusion of texture to this otherwise post-friendly card. What do you think? One thing is for sure, this framelit set is gorgeous and I can see me using it lots more this season for all kinds of cards!

That's all from me today; I'm off to work through more annual accounts (my least favourite job!) and do more preparation for my open house event later this week. Back tomorrow with Wednesday Weekly Deals and a new project. until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

A Calypso Coral Happy Birthday with Wildflower Fields

by Joanne James11. January 2016 12:00

It's Monday and I'm sharing a card for this week's challenge over at Freshly Made Sketches featuring one of the lovely designer series papers in the 'Wildflower Fields' pack, available for free during Sale-A-Bration with a £45 order. Here's the FMS sketch this week:

This is another of these sketches that is great to showcase designer series paper - here's my rather monochromatic Calypso Coral card:

I love all of the patterns in the Wildflower Fields DSP pack and this one is no exception. I matted my card with Basic Black and Whisper White as these are the only neutrals used with the lovely Calypso Coral on this patterned paper and I love the way the dandelion seeds have been highlighted with the white behind. I decided to add a similar effect to my 'Happy Birthday' sentiment, which I stamped in Memento Black and then went over the stamped shadow loosely with my white gel pen to highlight it. This sentiment is also from one of the Sale-A-Bration sets, 'Perfect Pairings', also available free with a £45 order. 

To finish, I added a little black ribbon bow made from some retired ribbon in my scrap bow; I turned it on its side as it wouldn't fit crossways without interfering with the sentiment. Rather jaunty, but I I think I like it!

That's all from me today; back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

Follow Your Dreams Caravan Card

by Joanne James10. January 2016 09:00

It's Sunday and time for a new challenge over at The Paper PlayersThis week it is the turn of my sweet friend Claire to host and she has a great colour palette for you to play along with:

    

I love this bold and bright colour palette and actually created a couple of cards with it. One is very 'me' so I saved that for another day; today's card uses this week's sketch over at Mojo Monday and has a rather different feel to it - I think it's the marbled paper! - take a look:

 

I paired a piece of the Tempting Turquoise Perfectly Artistic marbled patterned paper with some retired heart-patterned DSP, as a backdrop for my colourful little caravan from 'You're Sublime', which I coloured with my inks and an aquapainter (the body is paper-pieced with a piece of the marbled paper on the reverse). A punched heart, some ribbon, sequins and another pink heart topped with an epoxy sticker for added dimension finish my card. 

I love the rather subtle colouring that the marbled paper adds; I am looking forward to experimenting with this paper further. It's available free with a £45 spend until £15th February as one of the Sale-A-Bration 'limited time' offers, so if it's on your list it's one to get sooner rather than later. As for that little caravan - how cute! This card is destined for Gail, one of my team, who is often holidaying to interesting destinations in her caravan. She is about to become an official warden for The Caravan Club so this image is so appropriate and the sentiment perfect.

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

The Paper Players Design Team
 
 
Here's a quick recap of our challenge rules:
 
1.  Create a new paper project
2.  Upload your creation to your blog with a link back to us and provide a direct link to the post featuring your challenge submission.
3.  Please link your card to no more than four challenges, TOTAL.
4.  Have FUN! 

 

I look forward to seeing what you create with this week's colours. We have a day of sport today, with basketball and hockey in store as we fully get back into the new season. I'm hoping to squeeze in a little craft time too.

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

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

A Sale-A-Bration Hello!

by Joanne James9. January 2016 22:20

The days have been running away from me this week, with no-where near enough crafting or blogging time! The nice thing about being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator though is that as my own boss I can work my hours around my family commitments and flex my diary accordingly - it really is the best job!

So a quick share from me today with the cards I sent out last week to my customers with their new Spring-Summer seasonal catalogues and Sale-A-Bration brochures:

I used the 'Hello' stamp from the stamp set of the same name in the Sale-A-Bration catalogue, stamped in Blackberry Bliss on Whisper White and cut out with my oval framelits, along with a banner and a variety of patterns of Wildflower Fields Designer Series Paper for my card. Here's a view of a few of the others too:

All my customers have now have received their catalogues; if you are reading this and you would like your own copy and you don't already have a demonstrator, then get in touch and I will pop one in the post to you. 

Back tomorrow with a new challenge over at The Paper Players; until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

What I Love - Sale-A-Bration Of Course!

by Joanne James7. January 2016 08:05

Today it's time for a new challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary and this week we have a great colour combination for you:

 

My card this week is all about flowers - and Sale-A-Bration flowers at that! Take a look:

 

I used one of the Sale-A-Bration sets, 'What I Love', for my card today. This is a triple-time stamp set featuring this blousy large layered flower that I stamped in Blackberry Bliss, leaves stamped in Pear Pizzazz, a small flower stamped on my card with Bermuda Bay and this wonderful sentiment that I chose to highlight on my split layered panels. I think this adds a nice touch of detail to an otherwise simple one layered card.

This is a set with lots of design possibilities and there is much to love about it; as in my blog post title today though, the thing I love most would have to be the fact that you can get this set for FREE! Yes, it is one of the Sale-A-Bration products that you can choose to receive free with every £45 spend. Free product? Yes please! Just in case you missed my earlier blog post, you can get the full low down on all of the benefits of Sale-A-Bration here.

Do visit the other Design Team members to see what they did with this week's colours; there's lots of inspiration over on their blogs too!

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

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

  • What I Love Photopolymer Stamp Set
  • Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad
  • Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad
  • Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad
  • Bermuda Bay A4 Cardstock
  • Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock

Awesomely Artistic Banner Punch Card

by Joanne James6. January 2016 20:00

I can't quite believe that it's Wednesday already - this week is just zipping by! I've had two days of classes and a great start to Sale-A-Bration. So a quick post from me today sharing another of the cards from my technique card this week using the 'Awesomely Artistic' stamp set:

 

This time with a Mint Macaron base, a little Timeless Elegance Designer Series Paper and a double flagged banner across the centre to draw the eye to the collage panel and trio of dragonflies and add interest to the overall design. More Wink of Stella on the dragonfly wings (clear this time) and a coloured enamel dot to highlight the sentiment completes my card. Oh and a co-ordinated envelope too!

 

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

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About Me

Hi I'm Joanne and live in Northampton and when I'm not looking after my husband and two beautiful children, am an avid crafter with a passion for all things Stampin' Up!

I must confess that I have never been a big rubber stamper - until I discovered Stampin' Up! that is. I love the fact that I can get such great results with co-ordinating stamps, inks, papers and punches - the possibilities are endless! Join me on my stamping journey as I share the things I love and be inspired to create amazing things yourself!

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This is my personal blog and is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up! I hope you find it a plentiful source of ideas and personal inspiration but please don't copy my designs for contest submission or use for classes, publication or sale without express permission.