Hello everyone! I'm starting the week with a couple of news items for you.

Firstly, for papercrafters everywhere, to celebrate World Card Making Day on 6th October Stampin' Up! has a number of products that are available on offer from 1st-7th October with 10% off:

With discounts on cardstock and adhesives, it's a great opportunity to stock up on your cardmaking essentials. There are also some great offers on kits and stamp sets too - why not treat yourself and save a few pennies into the bargain? These offers last for just one week until Sunday 7th October, so get your order in today!

The second piece of news to start off October is that the first wave of Stamparatus accessories is here! The case/bag won't be available until later in the year, but for now you can purchase additional plates, magnets and foam pads, along with new custom-sized grid paper. Here's the complete list:

If you would like to know more about any of the above or would like to place an order, then please do get in touch.  I'll be back tomorrow with a creative post; until then, happy shopping!

Today it's Sunday and time for this week's new challenge over at The Paper Players - yay! It's the turn of my sweet friend, the lovely LeAnne, to host this week and since it is the fifth week of the month she has a tic-tac-toe challenge for you to work with:

The fun thing about tic-tac-toe are the many creative possibilities the board offers and as you will see from the design team cards this week, there is a wealth of inspiration to choose from. 

I decided that I would go down the centre for my card this week - patterned paper, pumpkin, orange/rust (although by coincidence my card fulfils one of the diagonals of diecut, pumpkin, green too) for my card this week - take a look:

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

Inspired By Country Lane - My card today was inspired by the bold repeating pattern on my sheet of Country Home Designer Series Paper. I used the Mint Macaron green to frame my card and colour my milk churn, and paired it with a small panel of Whisper White that has been embossed with the Softly Falling Textured Impressions Embossing Folder too; it's a little difficult to see in the photo but I wanted to keep the balance of colour light and the panel not too busy.

Blended Country Home - I stamped and partially diecut my filled milk churn using my Stitched Shapes circle thinlit, courtesy of the country Home stamp set, then coloured it with similar shades to the milk churns on the DSP using my Stampin' Blends. I'm really pleased that the seasonal catalogue includes additional shades of these marker pens; they give such a smooth finish. I added a small bow of braided linen trim to finish.

Pick A Pair of Pumpkins - To complete the picture, I added a pair of pumpkins from the retired 'Pick A Pumpkin' stamp set. I heat embossed them both in white onto Basic Grey cardstock, and coloured one of them with my Cajun Craze Blends markers - along with the berries in my milk churn and the thankful sentiment, these are my rust/orange contributions to the tic-tac-toe board.

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. I hope you like my Fall themed card today; I'm also linking up with the team over at SUO Challenges where the current theme is Nature/Fall. 

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; having spent yesterday dividing my time between hockey, a swimming gala and a fairly hefty jam making session (raspberry jam and chilli jam, in case you're wondering!) to use up the last of my own garden harvest, I'm hoping today will be slightly less hectic! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Country Home Photopolymer Stamp Set (£20.00)	Country Lane 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper (£10.25)	3/16" (1 Cm) Braided Linen Trim (£6.50)	Blackberry Bliss Combo Pack Stampin' Blends (£8.50)	Cajun Craze Combo Pack Stampin' Blends (£8.50)
Softly Falling Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (£8.00)	Mint Macaron A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Blackberry Bliss A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Whisper White A4 Cardstock (£9.00)	Crushed Curry A4 Cardstock (£8.00)
Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Old Olive Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack (£8.50)	Bronze Stampin' Blends Marker (£4.25)	Mint Macaron Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack (£8.50)	Daffodil Delight Stampin' Blends Markers Combo Pack (£8.50)

What a great start to a new week - I logged on this morning to find a surprise update to the Clearance Rack late last night. There are now lots of new items available, some with as much as 60% off. As is always the case, popular items will sell out quickly, so don't spend too long deliberating - get in there quick! There are some great paper bargains, including many designer series papers, accessories, kits, framelits and even a few punches. The festive Be Merry DSP is there along with the Bell and Holly Builder Punches - perfect for Christmas makes. I could go on, but the best thing you can do is hop on over and take a look.

Click here to go the clearance rack in my online store and grab a bargain whilst stocks last! Don't forget to include the current hostess code B2SWT94R make sure that 'allow your demonstrator to contact you' is ticked in order that you receive your special 'thank you' in the post from me. 

I'll be back shortly with today's creative post, but right now race you to the shop - first one there gets the bargains! 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 [email protected] 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! 

This is my second post today - read all about Bonus Days in my previous post here. As promised, this post has a little more detail about the fabulous new  exclusive limited time stamp set and framelits bundle called the Blended Seasons Bundle that has also been released to customers today, along with a new assortment of Watercolour Pencils. Whilst the pencils will be available in a future catalogue, the Blended Seasons stamp set and Stitched Seasons framelits will not - available now until 31 August or whilst stocks last, you have just one month to get your hands on this exclusive bundle! Here's a close up of the images and framelits in more detail:

We haven't had a set like this since Thoughtful Branches (one of my all-time favourites!) and I'm sure this one will be equally popular, so don't delay in placing your order - I wouldn't want you to be disappointed. If you order the bundle, you will earn yourself a Bonus Days coupon to use in September too - an added bonus indeed! Don't forget if you are placing an order online to also include this month's hostess code K6VBCUXK to receive a free thank you gift from me too! 

Here are some photos from Stampin' Up! that really demonstrate the versatility of this fabulous set:

This really is a set suitable for every season! One of the things I love the most is the framelits, that add a stitched detail to both the label and the negative space. This is something that I've featured on my card today, that features the gorgeous palette of greens with a hint of pink over at Fab Friday currently:

I used an old sketch over at As You See It for my layout to create my aperture and layered label with the Stitched Seasons on the front of my card, and then added some of the little diecuts to embellish the front, along with a banner of the Share What you Love designer paper:

You can just see a glimpse of that fabulous floral that I then stamped and coloured on the inside, using my ink pads and a blender pen:

I really am loving this bundle and can't wait to create more with it this month. If you have any questions on any of the above, then please do get in touch - I am always happy to help!

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: 

Blended Seasons Clear-Mount Bundle (£60.00)	Mint Macaron Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Mint Macaron A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Mossy Meadow A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Tranquil Tide Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)
Tranquil Tide A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Powder Pink Classic Stampin' Pad (£7.00)	Powder Pink A4 Cardstock (£8.00)	Silver Metallic Thread (£3.25)	Pearl Basic Jewels (£4.75)
Share What You Love Specialty Designer Series Paper (£25.00)	Banner Triple Punch (£22.00)

It's the first of August and as the recruitment and designer series paper promotions end, I have news of two more fabulous specials for you for the month of August!

First things first: BONUS DAYS ARE BACK! Do you remember this promotion from last year? It was so successful, Stampin' Up! have decided to repeat it this year.

For every £45.00 you spend between 1 August and 31 August (before delivery), you’ll get a £4.50 Bonus Days coupon that you can use between 1 and 30 September. Our new annual catalogue has been out for a couple of months now, so I'm sure you will still have some items on your wish list; this is a great opportunity to shop from it and make savings when you shop again in September with your coupons! You could even use your coupons to shop from the new Autumn-Winter catalogue, which launches on 5 September - perfect timing!

There are some details in terms of small print that you need to take note of, as follows: 

• Promotion period: 1–31 August 2018
• Redemption period: 1–30 September 2018
• An email address is required to participate in this promotion; Bonus Days coupon codes can only be delivered via email.
• It is strongly recommended that you both save emails containing their Bonus Days coupon codes AND write down the coupon codes in a safe place. Codes cannot be resent if the email is lost, and lost codes cannot be recovered.
• Bonus Days coupon codes can be redeemed for any product, excluding Starter Kits.
• There is no limit to the number of coupons you can receive per order or throughout the duration of the promotion.
• There is no limit on the number of coupons you can use on an order during redemption.

As a demonstrator I am able to pre-order items from the new Autumn-Winter catalogue from today and I am looking forward to collecting some bonus days coupons to make a further dent on my own wishlist in September! 

Today also sees the release of an exclusive limited time stamp set and framelits bundle called the Blended Seasons Bundle and a new set of Waterpencil colours. Whilst the pencils will be available in a future catalogue, the stamp set and framelits will not - available now until 31 August or whilst stocks last, you have just one month to get your hands on this set and its co-ordinating framelits too! Here's a close up of the images and framelits in more detail:

We haven't had a set like this since Thoughtful Branches (one of my all-time favourites!) and I'm sure this one will be equally popular, so don't delay in placing your order - I wouldn't want you to be disappointed. If you order the bundle, you will earn yourself a Bonus Days coupon to use in September too - an added bonus indeed! Don't forget if you are placing an order online to also include this month's hostess code K6VBCUXK to receive a free thank you gift from me too! 

For more information on this set, please see today's second post here, which also includes a card made using this gorgeous bundle.

If you have any questions on any of the above, then please do get in touch - I am always happy to help!

Back shortly with my second post of the day; until then, happy shopping!

Blended Seasons Clear-Mount Bundle (£60.00)

Watercolor Pencils Assortment 2 (£11.75)

Blended Seasons Clear-Mount Stamp Set (£36.00)

Stitched Seasons Framelits Dies (£31.00)

Good morning everyone! Just popping by today to remind you that both of this month's fabulous offers will end today (10.55pm GMT).

Firstly this month's amazing recruitment offer, the best we've had for a while:

Yes - in addition to your standard £130 of products of your choice you can receive a whole family of ink pads, absolutely FREE! You can choose from any of the collections below (please note the 2017-20 in-colour collection will only be available as a bundle as part of this promotion):

If you are a customer who has a long wish list, or are building your collection of Stampin' Up! inks, this is a great opportunity to add to your collection whilst benefiting from an overall saving of £94 (£31 free product of your choice and £63 ink pad collection) - and free shipping - along with an ongoing discount on the Stampin' Up! products that you love. Equally if you are thinking of starting your own Stampin' Up! business, this offer would enable you to get a fantastic bundle of products to get you off to a flying start. This offer has been incredibly popular, and no wonder - it really is a great deal.

There has never been a better time to join Stampin' Up!: we are at the beginning of a new quarter, so you will have a full 6 months before you need to meet your first quarterly minimum. Every sale from the time you join until the end of December counts towards it, so the sooner you join the sooner you will be earning. The run up to Christmas is a great time to build a business if you're looking to earn or boost your income doing something that you love. I am always keen to hear from people thinking about joining my team and am delighted to have welcomed new members already this month - why not give me a call to discuss what it could mean for you? Alternatively if you've made up your mind already and want to start choosing your kit, click here to complete the online form. There is also the prospect of joining my team and I for Stampin' Up!'s Onstage event in Birmingham in November, which promises to be an even more fantastic event than usual since we will be celebrating our Stampin' Up! 30th anniversary - this is a demonstrator-only event that you are not going to want to miss! 

As if the recruitment offer alone wasn't enough, there is also a fabulous customer offer on during July where for every 3 packs of designer series paper you buy from the following selection, you can choose another one absolutely FREE! The papers included in the promotion are listed below:

Whilst there really is no substitute for seeing the papers up close in order to truly appreciate how beautiful they are, rather than show you a collection of stills, it's worth watching this short video from the lovely people at the Stampin' Up! home office who go through each of the papers above and show a full sheet of each pattern:

This offer is a great opportunity to stock up on some of the new papers and decide which ones you love. I have taken advantage and expanded my collection of designer paper - well, you know how much I love it!

That's all for now; I will be back tomorrow with news of an exclusive time-limited bundle that will be available during August and news of the return of Bonus Days too, so come back the to find out more! Until then, happy stampin'!

Good morning everyone! I hope you all had wonderful weekends and if you're in the UK are enjoying the glorious weather we are experiencing right now. I have a big news post for you today as it's all happening here at Stampin' Up! during the month of July. First things first - a fabulous recruitment offer, the best we've had for a while:

Yes - in addition to your standard £130 of products of your choice you can receive a whole family of ink pads, absolutely FREE! You can choose from any of the collections below (please note the 2017-20 in-colour collection will only be available as a bundle as part of this promotion):

If you are a customer who has a long wish list, or are building your collection of Stampin' Up! inks, this is a great opportunity to add to your collection whilst benefiting from an overall saving of £94 (£31 free product of your choice and £63 ink pad collection) - and free shipping - along with an ongoing discount on the Stampin' Up! products that you love. Equally if you are thinking of starting your own Stampin' Up! business, this offer would enable you to get a fantastic bundle of products to get you off to a flying start. 

There has never been a better time to join Stampin' Up!: we are at the beginning of a new quarter, so you will have a full 6 months before you need to meet your first quarterly minimum. Every sale from the time you join until the end of December counts towards it, so the sooner you join the sooner you will be earning. The run up to Christmas is a great time to build a business if you're looking to earn or boost your income doing something that you love. I am always keen to hear from people thinking about joining my team - why not give me a call to discuss what it could mean for you? Alternatively if you've made up your mind already and want to start choosing your kit, click here to complete the online form. There is also the prospect of joining my team and I for Stampin' Up!'s Onstage event in Birmingham in November, which promises to be an even more fantastic event than usual since we will be celebrating our Stampin' Up! 30th anniversary - this is a demonstrator-only event that you are not going to want to miss! 

As if the recruitment offer along wasn't enough, there is also a fabulous customer offer on during July where for every 3 packs of designer series paper you buy from the following selection, you can choose another one absolutely FREE! The papers included in the promotion are listed below:

Whilst there really is no substitute for seeing the papers up close in order to truly appreciate how beautiful they are, rather than show you a collection of stills, it's worth watching this short video from the lovely people at the Stampin' Up! home office who go through each of the papers above and show a full sheet of each pattern:

This offer is a great opportunity to stock up on some of the new papers and decide which ones you love - if you stock up early, it might even give you the opportunity to pick up another few packs of your favourites before the month is out - just sayin'!

I will be back later with news of a designer series paper share that will include a full range of papers from the current catalogue; with so many papers on offer this month, it's the perfect time for a share; not only do you get a little of everything, but the overall price will be cheaper too! For now though, I have a date with the youngest of the james Juniors for my second and final sports day of the year - and I need to go put on some suncream! Until then, happy stampin'!

Public service announcements first today - bear with me, there will be a creative post to follow for those that are here for the pretty stuff! It's sharing lots of new product too, so you're going to want to stay tuned!

Counting down now - only 1 day to go until the new 2018-19 Annual Stampin' Up! catalogue launches!

I have already sent out copies to everyone on my catalogue mailing list who has purchased from me in the last 6 months - if you haven't received one, then do give me a call on 07773 421446 or drop me an email and I will pop one in the post to you today.

This also means the following: 

Today is the last day that you can order from the 2017-18 Stampin' Up! catalogue - this includes any of the 'Bundle and Save 10%' bundles. Even though many of the products they contain are being carried over to the new annual catalogue, they will not be available as a discounted bundle.

It is also the last day that you can order from the 2018 Spring-Summer Seasonal Stampin' Up! catalogue - a number of the products in this brochure are being carried over to the new annual catalogue, however we will be saying goodbye to many items. There are still a few items available at a discount on the Retiring List here - today is your last chance to grab a bargain! 

Today is also the final day to purchase any of the special Share What You Love Suite bundles. You can read more about these fabulous bundles in my blog post here which also contains the link to the store should you wish to purchase any of the bundles. Whilst all of the items contained in each bundle will be available to purchase individually once the new annual catalogue launches, the bundles along with the free gifts won't. So if you what to start Sharing What You Love, get yours today!

If you are placing an order online today, don't forget to use this month's online hostess code T3H6GHNT to receive a little thank you from me. 

I will be back shortly with today's creative post - it's so good, it deserves a post all of its very own, so be sure to check it out!

Today a quick post from me to share something a little different - a 3D framed home decor piece featuring the Statement of My Heart single stamp that is available exclusively this month with the 'Gotta Have It All' Bundle that forms part of the early release of the Share What You Love Suite. 

You can find full details of the bundles that are on offer in my previous blog post here - I was inspired to create this piece, which features the Stampin' Up! Statement of the Heart for my office, using the stamp and some of the fabulous Share What You Love Specialty Designer Series Paper:

I went for something of a vintage theme, stamping my words and then after sponging the edges of my white cardstock with some Crumb Cake ink, framing the verse with the oval piece of Delightfully Detailed Laser-cut Specialty Paper. I backed this piece with a sheet of the Share What You Love Specialty DSP, and to finish, I added some of the lovely pearlescent embossed flowers that I fussy cut from the DSP, some pearls and a little Rich Razzleberry velvet ribbon, before framing in a rather elaborate frame.

A little different in style for me, but so pretty and a great way to immortalise these wonderful words. If you would like to create a home decor piece like this one, you only have until the end of the month to purchase the bundle and receive this exclusive stamp set for free, so hop on over to the online store before it's gone for good.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Gotta Have It All Bundle (£118.75)