Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's the fifth Sunday of the month so my fellow Brit-turned Yank, the lovely Jaydee is host this week and she has a fun tic-tac-toe challenge for you to work with:

I always struggle with tic-tac-toe boards - almost too much choice! - so armed with this week's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches and the Hand Stamped Sentiments colour palette I set to work and this is what I came up with:

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

I liked this week's FMS sketch so much I ended up using it for a second time (which is weird, as I hardly ever use ovals on my cards - you can see tomorrow's card using the same sketch here). I thought that the HSS colours were perfect for an autumn-inspired card. I decided on a truck full of multi-coloured pumpkins and gourds, courtesy of the 'Holiday Haul' stamp set, one of the new sets exclusive to hostesses from the Autumn-Winter seasonal catalogue. I inked some of the pumpkins in Grapefruit Grove and added some Terracotta Tile with a sponge dauber for shading, then stamped some of the others in Mint Macaron and Pretty Peacock and fussy cut those and added them in. I created a Pretty Peacock frame for my oval using my Stitched Shapes Framelits and adhered my oval to my layered cardfront. My central panel was stamped tone-on-tone in Terracotta Tile all over with a cluster of leaves from a retired stamp set called 'A Little Something'. I couldn't find an appropriate sentiment in my stamp stash, so decided to leave it blank.

After all my fretting about which line of the tic-tac-toe board to complete, I ended up completing column 1 (fall, orange, leaves), row 3 (leaves, CAS, pumpkin) and the diagonal top left to bottom right (fall, diecut, pumpkin) - go figure!

My card will make the perfect notelet to send to my British penpal friend who now lives in the USA; she loves the way Americans embrace the season and I know she will already have started her collection of pumpkins to decorate her doorstep. If you like this fun set, it could be yours free with qualifying Stampin' rewards when you host a Stampin' Up! party - contact me to arrange yours.

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; we will be finishing our homework, having had a day of sport yesterday. I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Holiday Haul Host Photopolymer Stamp Set (£9.00)	Stitched Shapes Dies (£28.00)	Pretty Peacock A4 Cardstock (£8.25)	Terracotta Tile A4 Cardstock (£8.25)	Grapefruit Grove A4 Cardstock (£8.25)
Pretty Peacock Classic Stampin’ Pad (£7.00)	Terracotta Tile Classic Stampin’ Pad (£7.00)	Grapefruit Grove Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Mint Macaron Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)

Today it's Easter 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 clean and simple challenge for you to work with:

Remember: this is clean and simple week. What do we mean by 'clean and simple' ? Create a card that has:

• Minimal layers and embellishments
• Plenty of open space, also known as 'white space'
• Is simple and uncluttered

I struggled initially with Anne-Marie's challenge this week; I think not getting into my craft room all week hasn't helped! I had an idea for a card and then once I'd made it I really wasn't sure about it; I'll share that card tomorrow and would love you to come by and take a look and tell me what you think. Meanwhile, after a break and a change of stamp set, along with this week's CAS(E) This Sketch layout and the CAS Colours and Sketches colour palette, I created a second card and felt much happier about the whole thing! So here's that card:

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

Paper Piecing - Not to be confused with 'paper piercing', paper piecing is the technique of stamping an image and then stamping either the whole or partial image again on coloured or patterned paper and fussy cutting it to piece it together on the main base image. I used it for both the skirt that my teacher is wearing (Blueberry Bushel in-colour DSP) and the pile of books she is carrying (a mix of Wood Textures DSP and solid colour cardstock). This is a fun way to add pattern to areas of your stamped image and can be used with a wide variety of stamps - those with larger areas suitable for colouring, such as those in the Hand Delivered hostess set, are particularly good. 

Primary Brights - I love this colour combination; the trio of primary colours is very bright and also seemed appropriate for a teacher thankyou card. I added further interest to my books by using a couple of different scraps of Wood Textures DSP for additional subtle detail. 

A Teacher Thank You - The sentiments in the 'Hand Delivered' stamp set suggest that the pile of books is intended to make a graduate congratulations card, yet I think they are perfect for a teacher card too. There is a thank you sentiment in this set, but I opted to use the words from the 'Picked For You' set instead, so that I could use a teacher-specific greeting on my front banner (both of the banner elements come from the Lakeside framelits set) and continued this theme with the wording on the inside too:

This card is sure to brighten someone's teacher's day! Both of the James Juniors have male form tutors this year, but Ben has plenty of female subject teachers who are worthy of a little end-of-year gift, so I think it might be heading to one of those. Both of these stamp sets are so useful for teachers cards, and both are set to retire with the current annual catalogue so if they're on your wishlist make sure you put them in your shopping basket before it's too late.

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; we will be having an Easter egg hunt, followed by a roast for lunch and then an afternoon in the garden making the most of the wonderfully warm weather we have been blessed with the last couple of days - we need to make the most of it as I'm sure it won't last! Wishing you a pleasant Easter bank holiday weekend however you choose to spend it. I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Hand Delivered Photopolymer Stamp Set (£12.00)	In Color 2018–2020 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper (£10.25)	Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack (£10.25)	Real Red A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Crushed Curry A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Blueberry Bushel A4 Cardstock (£8.00)
Ivory Stampin' Blends Marker (£4.25)	Real Red Combo Pack Stampin' Blends (£8.50)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)	Picked For You Photopolymer Stamp Set (£20.00)	Lakeside Framelits Dies (£25.00)

It's Friday 1st March - the end of the week and a Happy St David's Day to all my Welsh friends reading this! Lots of business news today - so get comfy! First up - Sale-A-Bration Co-ordination!

From today until the end of the month, you can choose from a selection of exclusive, limited-time products that have been designed specifically to co-ordinate with existing Sale-A-Bration items - take a look at the items on offer:

If you're not a fan of fussy cutting, there are some super-useful framelits in there! A great stamp set that you'll be seeing me using and an interesting shaped label punch. If these new items appeal to you, just click on the links to these products in my online store  below:

More Than Words Photopolymer Stamp Set (£16.00)	Lily Framelits Dies (£25.00)	Call Me Cupcake Framelits Dies (£25.00)	Hop Around Framelits Dies (£25.00)	Four Seasons Framelits Dies (£26.00)
Story Label Punch (£17.00)

Here's a sneak peek of a card we made in my last Sale-A-Bration class that is a CASE of one of the catalogue samples that shows just what a difference the Hop Around Framelits make - such a crisp, even border:

Next up: you all know that this year's Sale-A-Bration promotion will end on 31st March and in addition to hosting and joining benefits (you can read about those here) you also earn a free product for every £45/90 spend - you can see the existing items here and here.

Good news: from now until the 31st March, you will also be able to choose from a number of other items (you must use the special code as detailed as opposed to the usual item code to get one of these items free with a £45/90 spend):

As you can see, this new selection also includes the gorgeous Painted Seasons Designer Series Paper that is now available minus the stamp set that it comes with in the £90 spend bundle and can be yours free with a spend of £45 or more. 

To make things easier for you, I've created a table linking each of the products directly to the promotional item in my online store - just click on the links below:

Painted Seasons Designer Series Paper (£0.00)	Share What You Love Embellishment Kit (£0.00)	Scattered Sequins Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (£0.00)	Mini Pizza Boxes (£0.00)	Pearlized Doilies (X2) (£0.00)
Rich Razzleberry 1/4" (6.4 Mm) Velvet Ribbon (X2) (£0.00)	Petal Promenade Designer Series Paper (£0.00)	Delightfully Detailed Laser-Cut Specialty Paper (£0.00)

Remember, if you aren't placing your order via the above links, you need to use the special Sale-A-Bration item code for each product - these are different to the standard product codes for these items, which are still available to purchase in the annual catalogue.

If you would like more information or to place an order, either go here to purchase from my online store (don't forget to add this month's hostess code G44UFKHH) or you can email me or telephone me if you would prefer. I'm off to finish packing for the first of my Creative Escapes Craft Retreat which takes place this weekend - so exciting!

Back shortly with a new creative project; until then, happy shopping!

Hello everyone - I'm back! Following a longer than anticipated Christmas break (sometimes, family simply has to come first) the new year brings with it lots of Stampin' Up! goodness: it's time to shake off the January blues, today is THE day - yes, the highlight of the Stampin' Up! calendar, Sale-A-Bration is here! No more sneak peeks - the catalogue is available, the shop is live and from now until 31st March the benefits are yours for the taking. You can click on the catalogue on the right hand side of my blog page or below to access the Sale-A-Bration leaflet to download a copy or click on the icon above or on the right to go directly to my online shop to place an order - we are LIVE!

So what is Sale-A-Bration? For anyone who hasn't come across it before, it's Stampin' Up!'s annual promotion that is loaded with offers whether you shop, join or host:

Earn a free Sale-A-Bration product for every £45 you spend between 3 January and 31 March. There is also the opportunity to earn even bigger rewards with a £90 purchase. It's the perfect time to purchase those products you've had on your wish list and earn more products for free! 

It’s the best time of year to join Stampin’ Up! There are 2 fabulous joining options during this year's Sale-A-Bration promotion: Option 1, you can become a demonstrator for just £99 and choose £71 more of FREE products for your Starter Kit. That's an extra £40 worth of product in your starter kit when compared to the usual £130. Alternatively there is option 2: for £125, you can receive £170 worth of craft items and this exclusive Craft & Carry Tote to carry it all around in too! The tote bag is absolutely fabulous and a must have for all crafters - check it out in this video:

Isn't it just great?! Plus, the whole kit ships for free! There is plenty of choice and flexibility, whether you want to be a hobby demonstrator and just use your discount to enable you to purchase craft supplies more cheaply, or alternatively would like to build a flourishing direct sales business and sell supplies to others - it's entirely up to you. 

Earn an additional £20 in hostess credits when you host a party and have party sales of £200 or more (this also applies to individual orders). So for party sales of £200, that makes a whopping £40 of Stampin' Rewards - more freebies! What's more, you can even apply your Stampin' Rewards to a Starter Kit and become a demonstrator yourself - I would love to welcome you to my team!

If you would like to host a party, real or virtual, please do get in touch; my diary is filling up but there are still lots of slots available and I would love to share these great benefits with you. If you've ever thought about becoming an SU! demonstrator, now is a great time to do so - I would love to have a no-obligation chat with you about joining my team and the benefits.

As if that wasn't enough, today also sees the launch of the new Spring-Summer catalogue - full of gorgeous new products:

Just click on the image above or in the sidebar on the right to browse the catalogue online, or contact me on 07773 421446 if you would like a paper copy posted out to you and you don't already have a demonstrator. If you are as excited as me and just can't wait, here's the link to my online store - everything is available to purchase from today!

If you would like more information on any of the above, please don't hesitate to get in touch! 

Thanks so much for popping by - it's always nice to share good news! Back soon with lots of projects showcasing products from the new catalogue. Until then, happy shopping!

A little later than last year but this day has finally arrived! The new Autumn-Winter Seasonal Catalogue is here - you can download an electronic copy by clicking on the image below:

Physical catalogues have gone out in the post to my existing customers and anyone else who requested a copy; there will of course be a permanent link to the catalogue in the box on the right side of my blog page until 2nd January 2019 when the sales period ends. I've already shared a few sneak peeks and there is so much more to come! For today, put your feet up and browse the new catalogue in all its glory.

And there's more good news! Between now and the end of September, we have a fabulous promotion too - host a party with qualifying sales and you can earn a pack of Dashing Deer Designer Series Paper for FREE in addition to your standard Stampin' Rewards that you will receive.

The exclusive Dashing Along Designer Series Paper is a mix of old favourites and new patterns to bring you a beautiful, traditional Christmas paper. This collection of patterns has an eclectic feel and is perfect for layering, and while the newsprint design isn’t Christmas-themed, it has been selected for its versatility. As a party host you will get this set for free if your party sales reach the qualifying amount of £200. So why not gather some friends, get creative and earn rewards and a free pack of paper into the bargain! I have both daytime and evening party slots available - either call me on 07773 421446 or email me via joanne@thecraftyowl.co.uk to book yours.

Here are some great samples that show off this gorgeous paper:

Aren't they gorgeous? The papers have been paired with the new Dashing Deer bundle that can be found on page 9 of the new catalogue, so be sure to check that out too.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or queries. Don't forget to use this month's current hostess code K6VBCUXK if you are placing an order online to receive an extra thank you from me. Back soon with more creative inspiration for you. Until then, happy browsing and get writing that wish list! 

It's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players! It's the turn of  the lovely Jaydee to host this week and we have something very special in store for you as The Paper Players is celebrating our 400th birthday - how awesome is that?! It is only right therefore that our theme challenge FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS - yes, we are running our challenge for two weeks in total, is all about celebration:

First and foremost, we are celebrating all of the lovely people who play along with The Paper Players challenge each week for 50 weeks of the year - it is for you and because of you that we are still going strong! It is without doubt the best team I have ever worked with - these gals are simply THE BEST! For our special celebration challenge this week, we are also joined by two of the original members of the Paper Players team: Ann Schach and Anne Marie Hile. And there are PRIZES this week - so many prizes!! 40 in fact, from our many generous sponsors across the crafting community - check out our post for more details but here is the full list to whet your appetite:

Listed in alphabetical order:

1. Altenew - $30 gift card
2. Atenew Academy - $20 gift card  - compliments of Jaydee
3. Avery Elle - $20 store credit
4. Butterfly Reflections - Breathe Rainbows Stamp Set (US only)
5. CAS-ual Fridays - $25 store credit
6. Cheery Lynn - $20 gift card  
7. Cheery Lynn - $20 gift card - compliments of Laurie
8. Concord & 9th - $25 gift card
9. Craftin Desert Diva's - $10 store cedit
10. Dies R Us - $15 gift card
11. Ellen Hutson -  20 gift cards - compliments of Annie 
12. Ellen Hutson $20 gift card - compliments of Eliz
13. Happy Little Stampers - $20 store credit
14. Heffy Doodle - Sticky Friends Stamp Sets (exclusive - not available for purchase)
15. Heffy Doodle - Sticky Friends Stamp Set (exclusive - not available for purchase)
16. Heffy Doodle - Sticky Friends Stamp Set (exclusive - not available for purchase)
17. Heffy Doodle - Sticky Friends Stamp Set (exclusive - not available for purchase)
18. Lawn Fawn - $25 gift card
19. My Favorite Things - $25 store credit
20. Neat & Tangled - $15 store credit 
21. Newton's Nook - $20 store credit
22. Pink & Main - $20 store credit
23. Power Poppy - $10 store credit
24. Stampendous - $20 rewards cards (US only)
25. Stampendous - $20 reward card (US only)
26. Stampendous - $20 reward card (US only)
27. Stamplorations - $20 gift certificate
28. Stampin' Up - $20 gift certificates compliments of Nance (US only)
29. Stampin' Up! $20 gift certificate - compliments of LeAnne (US only)
30. Stampin' Up! £20 gift certificate - compliments of Joanne (UK only)
31. Stampin' Up! $20 gift certificate - compliments of Claire (US only)
32. Stampin' Up $20 gift certificate - compliments of Jan (NZ only)
33. Technique Tuesday - $20 gift card
34. The Foiled Fox - $25 store credit
35. Trinity Stamps - Let it Grow and Lady Liberty Stamp Sets
36. Tutti Designs - $15 gift card
37. Uniko - any in-stock stamp set of winner's choice
38. Verve Stamps - stamp & accessory bundle - compliments of Sandy (US only)
39. Verve Stamps - stamp & accessory bundle - compliments of Sandy (US only)
40. Waffle Flower - $15 gift card

Isn't that fantastic?! All prizes will be awarded randomly between challenge participants - so if you enter, you are in with a chance of winning!

Whilst balloons are not mandatory for this challenge, I couldn't help but be inspired by the wonderful badge Nance created for us this week, so I pulled out my Hand Delivered hostess set and set to work on a fun fold for you - take a look:

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

Hand Delivered - I used my favourite of the new hostess sets, Hand Delivered, for my card today. I love the way the pieces of this set mix and match; I've used the balloons again on today's card, but unlike my previous versions, this birthday girl is wearing the flowered skirt - so pretty! This is a great set with lots of variety - I used the birthday sentiments from this set on my card too, as you can see in the picture below. It's worth hosting a Stampin' Up! party just to get your hands on this set, so if you would like to talk to me about hosting one so that you can get your hands on exclusive hostess sets like this one, then do get in touch.

Pop-Up Slider Fancy Fold Card - I decided I would mimic the 'hidden' nature of the young lady behind her balloon with a pop-up slider card. I haven't made one of these cards in ages, but I loved the idea of a hidden message too. When the card is 'closed' it lies flat as in the picture above; when you pull the ribbons upwards, the girl moves into a vertical position and the hidden messages are revealed:

Isn't that fun?! And space still available to write a personalised message too.

New In Colours - I really love the palette of 2018-20 in colours; so much so, since I still can't decide which ones I like best I used them all! They work really well together and the bright colours definitely appeal to me. I used Lovely Lipstick for my cardbase, then used a combination of all 5 colours to colour the lady with my aquapainter. I also used ribbon in all 5 colours to create my pull tassel. Lastly, a liberal coat of Wink of Stella finished my balloons. I'm also linking up my card with the team over at Fab Friday, since they are featuring the new in colours too:

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:

I can't wait to see how you interpret this week's theme and look forward to visiting your blogs this week and next! Enjoy the rest of your weekend - I'll be hoping to have a slightly more restful one than of late, catching up on a few chores and hopefully enjoying some of the lovely sunshine we've been having here in the UK these past few weeks. I'll be back soon with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Hand Delivered Photopolymer Stamp Set (£12.00)	Classic Stampin' Pad Assortment In Color 2018-2020 (£31.50)	Lovely Lipstick A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Lovely Lipstick 1/8" (3.2 Mm) Grosgrain Ribbon (£5.50)	Grapefruit Grove 1/8" (3.2 Mm) Grosgrain Ribbon (£5.50)
Pineapple Punch 1/8" (3.2 Mm) Grosgrain Ribbon (£5.50)	Call Me Clover 1/8" (3.2 Mm) Grosgrain Ribbon (£5.50)	Blueberry Bushel 1/8" (3.2 Mm) Grosgrain Ribbon (£5.50)	Watercolor Paper (£4.75)	Jet Black Stāzon Ink Pad (£9.25)
Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush (£7.50)

Today I'm sharing a card for the current challenge over at Just Add Ink where they are asking us to embrace the eclipse technique. I also used the sketch over at Fusion for my layout and it is perfect for the numbers and letters challenge over at Stamps Ink Paper too:

Firstly, a shout out to the lovely team over at Just Add Ink for choosing this card as the winner for challenge 407 - what an honour and I'm thrilled you liked my delicately different take on the Love What You Do stamp set. I was unable to play along with last week's colour challenge, but was keen to have another go at the eclipse technique this week with a birthday card for a discerning teenager - take a look:

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

A Sneak Peak At Hand Delivered - I decided to give you a 'sneak peak' of a new stamp set today that is actually one of the exclusive hostess sets from the new Stampin' Up! annual catalogue. A fun set that has a selection of items being carried by a young lady, everything from balloons to cakes to message boards, with a variety of different skirt designs and sentiments that offer a ton of creative combinations for lots of different occasions. Best of all, it's photopolymer too, so aligning the pieces is super easy - bonus!

I think this will be one of my favourite hostess sets in the catalogue - I have so many cards in the pipeline for this one, you are definitely going to want to host a party so that you can get your hands on it too. It's worth pointing out I did make a slight modification to my stamped image on this card, in that in order to fully accommodate my numbers within the bouquet of balloons, I added a couple of extra balloons to left and right - this really wasn't tricky though, I simply masked the original image and then stamped again slightly offset on each side (the uppermost green and orange balloons on my card).  

Last Chance For Large Numbers - The eclipse technique is where a word or some element of design is 'hidden' within the broader design and built up in layers so that it stands out in relief and is therefore visible as part of the overall card. I made an eclipse card previously using my Large Letters Framelits - you can see that card here - so today decided to go with the Large Numbers Framelits as I needed a card for a friend of my daughter who becomes a teenager this week. Such a milestone birthday is worthy of a number, so I decided to 'hide' mine in the collection of balloons being carried to the birthday girl, stepped up on three layers of Berry Burst cardstock.

Oh how I will miss these numbers! I can't quite believe they are retiring and they will most definitely be a 'keeper' in my collection. Incredibly, they are still available but be warned - you only have until the end of the month to add them to your crafting arsenal if you would like them; one things for sure, they are a purchase you won't regret and will get loads of use from them. 

Picture Perfect Palette - I used the colours in the Picture Perfect DSP stack that featured in my vertical border as the palette for my card and simply coloured my image with my Stampin' Write Markers, adding a liberal dose of clear Wink of Stella to my balloons. Here is the colour swatch if you would like to save it for your future project inspiration:

Lastly, I finished the inside of my card with this sentiment from the Cake Soiree stamp set:

So what do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts by leaving a comment below. Also, be sure to check out the Just Add Ink designers and gallery for lots more inspiration with the eclipse technique.

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:

Hand Delivered Photopolymer Stamp Set (£20.00)	Large Numbers Framelits Dies (£28.00)	Picture Perfect Party 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper (£9.00)	Berry Burst A4 Cardstock (£7.25)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£8.25)
Tuxedo Black Memento Ink Pad (£5.50)	Many Marvelous Markers (£99.00)	2017-2019 In Color Stampin' Write Markers (£13.50)	Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush (£7.25)

I am a little behind in sharing this one (life seems to be getting in the way of blogging lately!) but I wanted to make sure that you were all aware that new products have been added to the Sale-A-Bration gift list for the final two weeks of this fabulous promotion. You all know that this year's Sale-A-Bration promotion will end on 31st March and in addition to hosting and joining benefits (you can read about those here) you also earn a free product for every £45/90 spend - you can see the existing items here and here.

Good news: from now until the 31st March, you will also be able to choose from the catalogue items below (you must use the special code as detailed as opposed to the usual item code to get one of these items free with a £45/90 spend):

To make things easier for you, I've created a table linking each of the products directly to the promotional item in my online store - just click on the links below:

Color Me Happy Project Kit	Chocolate Chip & Tranquil Tide Stampin' Write Markers	Gold 1/8" (3.2 Mm) Ribbon	Pick A Pattern A4 Cardstock Pack
Birthday Memories Designer Series Paper	Myths & Magic Glimmer Paper 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm)	Just Add Color Specialty Designer Series Paper	6" X 17" (15.2 X 43.2 Cm) Gusseted Cellophane Bags
Scattered Sequins Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Simple Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Petal Pair Textured Impressions Embossing Folders	Cable Knit Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
Sweet Cake Framelits Dies	Petals & More Thinlits Dies

Remember, if you aren't placing your order via the above links, you need to use the special Sale-A-Bration item code for each product - these are different to the standard product codes for these items, which are still available to purchase in the annual catalogue.

One of the new products available free with a £45 spend is the Color Me Happy Project Kit - designed to be used with the Color Me Happy stamp set and launched to celebrate the release of our new Stampin' Blends alcohol markers and as it isn't a set that you can see in either of the current catalogues, I though this would be a good day to share mine here with you so that you can get a closer look. As with so many of Stampin' Up!'s kits, the kit is choc-full of embellishments and high-quality pre-printed card bases, along with foiled envelopes, so that you can stamp and colour to complete 16 gorgeous cards, 4 each of 4 designs - take a look:

Here's the first one, along with its co-ordinating envelope:

Here's the second one - a fun little card to brighten someone's day:

The third design:

And finally the fourth design - some of my customers will be receiving this card this month as a token of my appreciation:

And finally here's a shot of all four card designs together:

Whether you use in conjunction with the Color Me Happy stamp set or substitute with other stamps from your collection, the kit is definitely worth getting your hands on - especially if you pick it up for FREE!

Both the stamp set and card kit are still available to purchase too, at a 10% discount if you buy together as a bundle, whilst stocks last - the links for these are included below. Better still, why not purchase the stamp set and markers that you need and pick up the kit as a Sale-A-Bration item for free? This would also make for a fun crafty evening with friends - please get in touch if you'd like to talk to me about hosting one of these in either April or May - my diary is booking up fast!

If you have your eye on any of the other Sale-A-Bration items, do bear in mind that they will only be available whilst stocks last - it is possible that they could run out before the end of the promotion, so don't leave it to late to place your order. 

I'll be back soon with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Color Me Happy Clear-Mount Bundle	Color Me Happy Project Kit	Color Me Happy Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Pool Party Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack	Night Of Navy Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack
Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack	Pink Pirouette Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack

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

My card was totally inspired by the lovely inspiration photo Nance chose for Jaydee's challenge badge this week: those red tulips are just lovely so I had to feature some on my card today. We have been experiencing sub-zero temperatures here in the UK for the past week, along with significant snowfall and I for one am ready for Spring, even if only with my card today - take a look:

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

Get Tranquil Tulips For Free - Tranquil Tulips is one of the hostess sets in the annual catalogue, that is available exclusive to those that host a Stampin’ Up! party or place a personal order of £150 or more. A gorgeous set with blooms that can be stamped directly or fussy cut and layered as I’ve done here. Sale-A-Bration is the best time of year to host a Stampin’ Up! party, as with qualifying sales you can earn an extra £20 in rewards on top of the usual levels. I’ve had lots of customers take advantage of this and earn this sets and lots of other free produc, whilst having a fun evening with friends into the bargain. If you would like to earn this set for free, then talk to me about hosting your own party - I still have a few slots left this month if you would like to squeeze one in before the end of the month, but you’ll have to be quick!

A Tutti Frutti Pattern - I paired my red tulips with some blue grape hyacinths and that inspired the colour scheme for the rest of my card. The background paper is from the Tutti Frutti paper stack - lots of bold fruit patterns here, but if these are not your thing there are some great patterns such as the one I’ve used today on the reverse of each sheet too.

A Spring Banner - I took the wording for my banner from the current ‘Hello Easter’ set and paired it with the banner from the Bunch of Banners set to fit my theme. Some navy crinkle seam binging ribbon finishes my card.

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:

I can't wait to see how you interpret this week's theme and look forward to visiting your blogs this week! Enjoy the rest of your weekend as it will be over all too quickly.

I am spending today with a bunch of lovely ladies who braved the British weather to join me for my first residential luxury crafting retreat. Yesterday was a craft-packed day and theres just as much fun in store today. Wish you were here to join in the fun too!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Tranquil Tulips Photopolymer Stamp Set	Tutti-Frutti 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper	Hello Easter Photopolymer Stamp Set	Night Of Navy 5/8" Crinkled Seam Binding Ribbon	Lots Of Labels Framelits Dies
Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock	Night Of Navy A4 Cardstock	Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad	Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pad
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad	Bunch Of Banners Framelits Dies	Banners For You Photopolymer Stamp Set	Glitter & Clear Epoxy Shapes

I've started the week with one of the James Juniors home from school with the dreaded lurgy, so no time to craft 'from scratch' today. Days like this are perfect days to work on a kit though, where all the hard work and prep is done for you. So today I'm sharing not one card but 5 - yes the five different all-occasion card designs that feature in the fabulous new 'Lots of Happy Card Kit' - take a look:

Here's the low-down on this kit:

Lots of Happy, Lots To Love - There's lots to love in this all-inclusive kit: with 4 each of 5 designs, you can create a total of 20 all-occasion cards using the included 'Lots of Happy' stamp set and then colour these using the Watercolour Pencils that are also included in the kit. two of the four pencils that are included are exclusive to this kits and not available with the standard pencil set. Here are each of the 5 designs individually:

A Fun Night In - The Lots of Happy Card Kit is perfect for a fun night in with friends - if ever you needed an excuse to get together on a wintry afternoon or evening and have some fun, this is it! No skill or previous experience necessary, so whether you consider yourself a crafter or a complete novice that just loves to send beautiful handcrafted cards, this kit is for you! The theraputic benefits of colouring are well-known (you can read all about that in my previous post here) - add some refreshments - tea and cake or wine and nibbles, either works! - and a fun night is guaranteed! If you would be interested in hosting a fun evening with friends, do get in touch - I would love to help you to host a night to remember! What's more if you invite 7 friends to participate during Sale-A-Bration - each kit costs £31.50 each - as the hostess you can get your kit for FREE!

And There's More - This fabulous kit also has a refill available, so if you enjoyed it the first time around, you can reuse your stamp set, block, ink and pencils and create even more cards! A refill costs just £19 - that's less than £1 per card, bargain!

Also the lovely people at Stampin' Up! have also produced a video showing this kit in more detail if you'd like a closer look:

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. 

I know I often say this when a new kit comes along, but this really is a good one - the end results are so contemporary and pretty, I love it! Contact me to get one for yourself today!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Lots Of Happy Card Kit

Lots Of Happy Card Kit Refill