Today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where it's time for an interesting 'fill in the blank' challenge:

The colour that makes me feel cosy? Hmm, well for me this is closely associated with my chosen theme today: chocolate! I love chocolate of all kinds and am particularly partial to a good quality milk or 70% dark, and there is something about the silky sensation when a square of chocolate melts on the tongue that leaves me feeling warm and cosy inside - or indulged, but either way I'll take it! So my colour today is brown and I decided to pair it with this week's challenge over at Inspired By where they are asking us to feature a quote on our card (I also used their sketch layout this week) - take a look:

 Here's the low-down on today's card:

Nothing's Better Than - The choclates in the 'Nothing's Better Than' stamp set were perfect for my card today. I used some retired cardstock in Chocolate Chip for my cardbase and stamped the outline chocolate stamp all over for a tone-on-tone background. I also stamped a couple of these chocolate trios on some Very Vanilla in Chocolate Chip and outlined in Early Espresso, then trimmed one chocolate from each, and used them to decorate my quote panel.  

Love You More Than - My quotation is made up from a combination of stamps in the 'Nothing's More Than' stamp set and a stacked diecut of the word 'chocolate' for a little added emphasis. I diecut it 3 times and glue them together for added dimension:

I love how this is an 'unfinished' quotation - this really is so me, I mean a day without chocolate?! Something I don't ever like to contemplate!

Chocolate Box Memories - I decided to use a stitched scallop rectangle as the base for my quotation - the shape reminded me of the almost velvet-like top sheet that used to sit in chocolate boxes in years gone by - do you know the ones I mean? I also chose to use Very Vanilla as opposed to Basic White, as a nod to white chocolate, which is more cream than white in colour.

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. 

Here's a summary of our challenge rules:

• Create any card, scrapbooking page, 3D project or packaging project that fits the challenge.
• Please include the challenge graphic and link back to the challenge in your blog post. Turn off word verification so we can leave you lots of lovely comments. Make sure you link the post not the whole blog to the Linky. Use #AYSIXXX when uploading to a public gallery.
• If you’re unsure about ‘the rules’, check the details under the Challenge Guidelines tab on the As You See It Challenge homepage.
• In a Fill in the Blank challenge, complete the sentence in the Challenge Banner with the phrase that is true for you and create your project using the words you used. Tell us what you said in your blog or on your site.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

I've had a few card- and blog-free days as I enjoy time with the James Juniors who are on half-term this week. There has been lots of cooking, walking and cycling and crafting of a different kind (I'll share more about that in a few days time!) I did get a few cards made today though, including this one for the current challenge over at Less Is More:

These kings and queens of CAS are celebrating their 10th birthday with chocolate so as a self-confessed chocolate lover myself, I thought it would be rude not to partake in a little celebration with them! I channelled my clean and simple self and came up with the following #SimpleStamping card using just stamps, ink and paper:

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

A simple base of Very Vanilla, with a border of Early Espresso and some (retired) Chocolate Chip chocolates, with the outline detailing and the 'chocolate' word in my sentiment stamped in Versamark and heat embossed with some (retired) Early Espresso embossing powder for an additional touch of shine and texture:

I finished my greeting on the inside of my card like this and with a few more chocolates:

I'm sure, like me, that there are days when you feel like this too!

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. 

I'm also linking today's card with a new-to-me challenge called The Dream Factory, which uses films as the starting point to inspire our crafty creations - and this month's film is appropriately 'Chocolat'.

Enjoy your evening; I'll be back tomorrow with another project also featuring chocolate - so if you are watching your waistline and would like to indulge in chocolate without the calories, do join me then. Until tomorrow, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. Julie is hosting this month and this week we have a colour challenge: 

The colour palette gave me the perfect reason to break out 'Darling Donkeys' again, which is also perfect to link up with the challenge over at Global Design Project #GDP279 where their theme this week is 'animal' - and mine is ready to party! Take a look:

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

Darling Donkeys - I couldn't resist these sweet little donkeys again for my card, today featuring the frolicking donkey on the front of my card, rather than the sweet seated one that I've used on all my previous cards, although I did add one of those to the inside:

Kick Up Your Heels - I thought this donkey would be perfect for a birthday card, and his happy demeanour reminded me of the zebras in the 'Zaony Zebras' stamp set. So I borrowed a sentiment that seemed equally appropriate for a party-going donkey as a fun-loving zebra, along with a party hat, and got my donkey ready to celebrate!

Circles, Circles - I was really pleased with how I met the 'clean and simple' brief this week - lots of white space, minimal layers and patterns and one main focal point. I did use a circle shape to tie my design together: the stitched circle background for my donkey, the circular pattern on my strips of designer paper and the polka dots on his party hat. A subtle detail but a clever way to create harmony in my CAS design:

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. 

As a reminder, for our colour challenges, you must use all of the stated challenge colours. You may also use neutral colours; however, the challenge colours should be the most noticeable ones featured on your card. We use Stampin' Up! color names for reference, but you are welcome to use any other companies' products as long as you match the challenge colours as closely as possible.

The James Juniors are on half term this week so in an effot to keep them off their screens and give them a proper break from home schooling, I am being a very hands-on parent this week. So not much crafting from me, unless they are in tow! Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

DARLING DONKEYS CLING STAMP SET (£0.00)	ZANY ZEBRAS CLING STAMP SET (£18.00)	STITCHED SHAPES DIES (£28.00)	2020–2022 IN COLOR 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (£10.75)	BRIGHTS 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (£10.75)
TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (£5.50)	FLIRTY FLAMNGO STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (£8.50)	MISTY MOONLIGHT STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (£8.50)	GRAY GRANITE STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (£8.50)	BRONZE & IVORY STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (£8.50)
BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (£7.75)

Today I'm sharing another card using that oh-so-pretty floral die, this time using this week's Global Design Project #GDP278 sketch. Those pretty pink stripes and florals were also inspired by the pastel-striped biscuits in the good-enough-to-eat inspiration photo over at Time Out this week and I'm also having a second entry over at Addicted to CAS where the theme is hearts:

My card is all heart for sure with my white floral version - take a look:

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

I used a few narrow strips cut from some left over pieces of Oh So Ombre DSP (gotta love a Sale-A-Bration freebie!) I decided to make this card a clean and simple anniversary card, so added a silver heat-embossed sentiment to the banner that also comes in the Floral Heart Dies set. I've not used this before but I really like the way it folds and the stitched detailing. A sprinking of Rococco Rose sequins separated from my Woven Threads sequin assortment complete my card:

 I love the clean and delicate appearance of this card, with the soft pinks against the white. Very romantic, don't you think?!

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:

ALWAYS IN MY HEART BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£46.75)

OH SO OMBRE 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (£0.00)

WOVEN THREADS SEQUIN ASSORTMENT (£4.75)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (£7.75)

VERSAMARK PAD (£8.75)

SILVER STAMPIN’ EMBOSS POWDER (£5.50)

Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's the turn of the fabulous Jaydee to host this week and she has a timely colour challenge for you to work with:

I chose red and silver to pair with black and white for my card and since today is Valentine's Day I was also inspired by the glittery hearts in our challenge photo this week to create something using the Fab Friday sketch that also meets the clean and simple 'hearts' code word over at Addicted to CAS - take a look:

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

All Heart - I decided that the Fab Friday sketch panel was perfect to showcase the Detailed Hearts Dies in the annual catalogue. When I went to my dieset I discovered I had one already cut in retired red glimmer paper, as I'd used the heart pieces on a previous project, so rather than cut another in Real Red I thought I would use this one for a sparkly centrepiece.

Love Always - For my focal point I decided to add a layered 'love' diecut using my Always Dies, with a black base and silver foil centre - I just love these dies and it's nice to pair them with an older die for a fresh look. I also added another touch of silver by adding a heart charm to one of the solid hearts on my glimmer paper:

I've been looking for an opportunity to use these on a project and finally today's card provided the perfect opportunity, as the two shapes mirrored each other perfectly. 

And Forever - I finished the sentiment on the ffront of my card by stamping with the 'Forever & Always' stamp set and carried this over to the inside of my card too, and added a few more of those glittery hearts for a simple decoration:

This is one of those cards that whilst it is all love and red hearts, it doesn't have to be a Valentine's card. I will be sending mine to a certain young lady in my house who is something of a magpie as far as glitter is concerned and I know she will love it!

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:

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; are you doing anything special to celebrate Valentine's Day? We had a family Valentine's dinner yesterday evening and will be sharing a special breakfast today, along with a rather elaborate choolate fondue this evening. So it's all about the food in the James household! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

DETAILED HEARTS DIES (£27.00)	FOREVER AND ALWAYS BUNDLE (£43.00)	HEART CHARMS (£7.00)	SILVER FOIL SHEETS (£4.75)	BASIC BLACK A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)
BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (£7.75)	TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (£5.50)

Today I'm sharing a quick card that I made at the weekend for the current challenge over at Inspired By this week where they have the most beautiful vintage linen hearts in their inspiration photo:

Despite my vast collection of patterned paper, I couldn't find anything with a ditsy floral pattern for my hearts in the same colourway as the inspiration photo, so instead I chose a retired pattern (apologies I cannot remember the name) went for a co-ordinating colour palette and built up from there - take a look:

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

I used my Forever and Always dies again and paired them with the hearts from the Stitched Be Mine Dies to create my heart, with a subtle embossed top piece to mimic the linen look of the hearts in the photo:

A few additional flowers, pearls and a double linen bow all add to the vintage feel. A rather unconventional colour palette for a Valentine's card, but this card would work as well to send anyone a heartfelt message at any time, I think.

Here is the visual summary of the key current 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 evening and I'll be back later in the week with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

FOREVER AND ALWAYS BUNDLE (£43.00)	FLORAL HEART DIES (£35.00)	BE MINE STITCHED DIES (£33.00)	SUBTLE 3D EMBOSSING FOLDER (£9.25)	VERY VANILLA A4 CARDSTOCK (£9.00)
CALYPSO CORAL A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	SAHARA SAND A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	OLD OLIVE A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	LINEN THREAD (£4.75)	PEARL BASIC JEWELS (£4.75)

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. This week's challenge is a sketch challenge and Julie has asked that we use the following layout:

Feel free to flip or rotate the sketch when making your card. For my card today I chose to use two of my favourite Sale-A-Bration free gifts - take a look:

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

Darling Donkey - Yes, the sweet donkey is here, this time bearing gifts, or more specifically the gift of love with a single red rose - how romantic! Is there anything cuter than a donkey at Valentine's, I wonder?! With only another 5 days to go until the day itself, I thought I would take the opportunity to make another card for one of my loved ones. I'm also linking up with the ladies over at Just Us Girls again as 'Valentine' is their word of the week.

Oh So Ombre - I backed my oval with a panel of patterned Oh So Ombre paper - another Sale-A-Bration freebie that I can't get enough of! My card today is uncluttered and clean, although the reduction in white space does leave me sailing close to the wind as far as our challenge CAS rules are concerned. So if you are reading this and considering playing along, you have been warned! 

Still Time To Sale-A-Brate - If either of the above products are on your wish list, you still have another 3 weeks to go before the current Sale-A-Braiton promotion ends. That is a month earlier than usual though, so bear this in mind and be sure to place your order in good time. Links to the online store are included below or get in touch if you would like me to place your order for 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 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Enjoy your day; I'm hoping to complete the second room on my current house decorating quest, so that I can spend the rest of the week getting up straight and having a good tidy up. Why is it that the minute I start decorating anywhere, the rest of the house seems to descend into disorganised chaos?! Does that happen in your house too? I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

STITCHED SHAPES DIES (£28.00)	DARLING DONKEYS CLING STAMP SET (£0.00)	OH SO OMBRE 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (£0.00)	TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (£5.50)	BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (£9.00)
BERMUDA BAY A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	SMOKEY SLATE STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (£8.50)	BRONZE & IVORY STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (£8.50)	BASIC BLACK A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	VERSAMARK PAD (£8.75)
WHITE STAMPIN’ EMBOSS POWDER (£5.50)

Happy Monday everyone! I'm still decorating so another quick clean and simple card from me today and another play for the challenges over at Color Throwdown and CASology:

Yes, three for three! My third (and final!) card using this week's pastels over at the Color Throwdown, having decided to use them for my Paper Players card yesterday and my notecard on Saturday. As promised here's the second notecard I made, in a similar vein to Saturday's card, this time featuring the dicut envelope from the Snail Die set:

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

I diecut four envelopes, one in each of the CTD challenge colours, and glued each of them closed. I added them to the edge of my plain white notecard, again stamping my sentiment from the set 'A Little Lace' in Basic Grey. I added a teeny-tiny white resin heart to the flap of each of them for a sweet finishing touch: 

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. 

Another quick and easy CAS notecard! If you like today's CAS creation, do check out both yesterday's and Saturday's cards for a variation on my 'pastels and hearts' theme.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

SNAIL DIES (£28.00)

RESIN HEARTS EMBELLISHMENTS (£6.50)

SUBTLES A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (£7.75)

BASIC GRAY CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)

A LITTLE LACE CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (£20.00)

Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's the turn of the fabulous Anne Marie to host this week and she has a fun theme challenge for you to work with:

I'm not generally into pale colours but I was really drawn to the pastels over at the Color Throwdown challenge this week, and was also inspired by their photo of those old-time Love Hearts sweets to make another Valentine card and create some love hearts of my own - take a look:

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

Today's card has no stamping at all! I decided to use a slimline card layout and create a layered square in each of the CTD challenge colours, using one each of a scallop-edged square, stitched square and a diecut heart from the Wreath Builder Die set. Each square is so simple, yet the detail of each of the diecut pieces is what makes this card so pretty:

A quartet of pastels that look good enough to eat! In additon to playing over at Color Throwdown, I'm also linking up over at Just Us Girls where their word this week is 'Valentine'. 

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:

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; I've been decorating so am hoping to get a little more done today. Whilst the James Juniors are still hoping for snow, it's looking less and less likely. The arrival of the 'Beast From The East Mark Two' is threatening to push daytime temperatures below zero, so unless there's the opportunity to build a snowman, I'll be staying safely indoors! I'll be back tomorrow with another project using these colours. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

WREATH BUILDER DIES (£35.00)

STITCHED SHAPES DIES (£28.00)

LAYERING SQUARES DIES (£33.00)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (£7.75)

SUBTLES A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)

Today I'm sharing a quick clean and simple card for the challenges over at Color Throwdown and CASology:

I was really drawn to the pastels of the Color Throwdown palette this week and having decided to use them for my Paper Players card tomorrow (you'll have to come back in the morning to see that one!) I ended up making two more cards using the same colours. Here's the first one:

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

I stamped eight tone-on-tone envelopes from the 'Snailed It' stamp set and diecut them using the co-ordinating die, then layered them in two columns onto a white raised scalloped stitched rectangle. My sentiment is stamped in grey and from the set 'A Little Lace', where I masked off the last part of the sentiment to suit my card. How sweet are those little pieces of colourful happy mail:

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. 

A quick and easy CAS notecard! Tomorrow's card uses these colours again and I will share my third card that features them on Monday.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

SNAILED IT CLING STAMP SET (£18.00)	STITCHED SO SWEETLY DIES (£30.00)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (£7.75)	SUBTLES A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	BLUSHING BRIDE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)
SO SAFFRON CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)	HIGHLAND HEATHER CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)	MINT MACARON CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)	BASIC GRAY CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)	A LITTLE LACE CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (£20.00)