Another busy day of crafting today, with additional preparations for Monday's 2014-15 Stampin' Up! Catalogue launch party event - details here - I'm so excited and hope as many of you as possible will be able to join me! If you'd like some sneak peeks of what Monday has in store, do pop over to my Facebook Page and give me a 'like' - I am posting there daily to give you a flavour of the lovely things that you'll be able to see and do. In addition to next week's new annual catalogue launch, there are also 2 other important points of note:

• Monday is the last day that you will be able to order from the Spring-Summer annual catalogue
• Monday is the last day that you can join as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator for the reduced 'sign and save' starter kit entry price of £50

If you've ever considered joining up as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, whether to earn an extra income or simply to purchase discounted supplies to further your papercrafting hobby, this is a great time to do it: whatever your motivation, for just £50 you can give it a go - with the new products on the way, there's never been a better time to see what Stampin' Up! is all about.

There are so many things that I love about being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, but one of the best things is definitely the people you meet along the way. I have met some great people and found some new friends through my role as a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator, both in the UK and abroad, and none more so than the members of my team. We are all different, but we share a common love - for all things crafty and Stampin' Up! - and today's card is one I received from one of the members of my team, Samantha, recently. It was one of those cards that was unexpected but left me feeling so touched and I wanted to share it with you - here is Samantha's card:

Samantha's card is a riot of 'sneak peek' items from the forthcoming catalogue: a new hostess set called 'I Like You', new in-Colours of Blackberry Bliss and Mossy Meadow - check out the gorgeous new satin ribbon! and her delicately stamped and blended paper-pieced flowers are just lovely. Samantha has been crafting forever, but has only recently started an online blog of her own called Stamp Delights - you can find it here if you would like to check it out, I'm sure she would love to see you.

I love managing a team of demonstrators and inspiring them creatively and supporting them in running their Stampin' Up! businesses in ways that suit them. I may never have met Samantha if it wasn't for Stampin' Up! and the same can be said for most of the other members of my team too - how great to be doing something that you love and making new friends at the same time too? If you are reading this and thinking 'that could be me', then give me a call or click here to join my team - I would love to hear from you!

It's Wednesday already so that means a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! This week's deals are included below - they will be available for one week only, before a new collection of deals is announced.

As always, 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 Hostess Code for June (you can find this under the 'Shop Online' section on the right). 

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:

Calypso Coral 3/4" Chevron Ribbon	Champagne Glimmer Paper	Gold Metallic Encore Pad	Petite Curly Label Punch
Silver Metallic Encore Pad	Summer Possibilities Kit - Digital Download	Wisteria Wonder Classic Stampin' Pad

Some great products on discount this week: Champagne glimmer paper and both gold and silver metallic Encore ink pads (the new catalogue will have refills for these too!), along with some MDS, the petite curly punch and the lovely chevron ribbon in Calypso Coral and Wisteria Wonder inkpads - great bargains!

Back later with today's creative post - if you think  today's offers are sparkly wait until you see today's card! Until then, happy shopping!

It's Wednesday and here are this week's Wednesday Weekly Deals! This week's deals are included below - they will be available for one week only, before a new collection of deals is announced.

As always, 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 Hostess Code for June (you can find this under the 'Shop Online' section on the right). 

PLEASE NOTE: There have been some instability issues with the online store for some customers over the last few days - some customers are able to process their orders normally, whilst others are not. This was brought to my attention by one of my online customers yesterday; Stampin' Up! are aware of the problem and are working to resolve it. Meanwhile, if you are having difficulty placing an online order at any time, please give me a call on 07773 421446 and I will take your order over the telephone; the problems that are being experienced are not affecting the demonstrator ordering system so I can still place your order and arrange for it to be delivered to you as normal.

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:

3-1/2 Inch Circle Originals Die	Etcetera Designer Series Paper	Flower Garden Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Die	In Color Dahlias	Sunshine & Sprinkles Ensemble - Digital Download
Travel Journal Stampin' Around Builder Wheel	Very Vintage

Back shortly with today's creative post; meanwhile, race you to the online store! 

Another Monday and the start of a new week! Lots going on in the coming weeks as far as Stampin' Up! is concerned:

• Only 2 more weeks to purchase items from this year's retiring stamps and accessories lists - lots of items have already sold out, but you can find those items still in stock here:

Retiring stamps & Retiring Accessories

• Join Stampin' Up! for just £50 - there are 2 more weeks left of the current 'sign up and save' recruitment promotion, where you can join Stampin' Up! for just £50 and choose a starter kit valued at £55. Read all about it here, give me a call if you'd like to chat to me about joining my team or if your decision is already made sign up here.

The biggest news of all today though is that I've finalised the details for my launch party for the new Stampin' Up! 2014 Annual Catalogue - here it is:

This is the first time that I've held a 'big bash' to launch the new catalogue and I'm very excited about it! I'm keen to spread the word locally about the benefits of Stampin' Up! and to meet more fellow experienced and would-be crafters and this will be a great opportunity for people to come along and see what Stampin' Up! is all about and learn more about hosting a party, my local card and papercrafting project classes and touch and feel lots of new product, including the new Project Life product set for scrapbookers and memory-keeping on the go.

New catalogues will be available for customers to take away on the day and there will be lots of offers and incentives for orders placed and parties booked on the day, as well as a raffle, a make and take project and lots of great new product and inspirational displays. If you live in or around Northampton, I would love you to join me.

If you're not local to me, but would like a new catalogue please call or email me with your details and I would be happy to pop one in the post to you in advance of the catalogue launch.

I will be providing lots of updates and 'sneak peeks' here and on my Facebook page over the next couple of weeks, so do stay tuned to join in the excitement of the build up to my new Stampin' Up! 2014 catalogue launch party.

Back shortly with today's creative post - until then, get the 30th June 2-6pm marked down in your diaries!

It's Wednesday (already!) so that means a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! This week's deals are included below - they will be available for one week only, before a new collection of deals is announced.

As always, 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 Hostess Code for June (you can find this under the 'Shop Online' section on the right). 

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:

3/16 Inch Corner Punch	Adorning Accents Textured Impressions Embossing Folders	Afternoon Tea Ii Kit - Digital Download	Modern Medley Designer Series Paper	Quatrefancy Specialty Designer Series Paper
Silver Glimmer Paper	Vintage Trinkets Accents & Elements

More lovely Designer Series Paper on offer this week and silver glimmer paper - who can resist a bit of sparkle?!

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

It's Wednesday and that can only mean one thing - a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! This week's deals are included below - they will be available for one week only, before a new collection of deals is announced.

As always, 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 Hostess Code for June (you can find this under the 'Shop Online' section on the right). 

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:

3 Inch Circle Originals Die	Card Base Pop' N Cuts	Circles #2 Originals Die	Holiday Ornaments Framelits Dies	Pink Pirouette 3/8 Inch Taffeta Ribbon
Take A Ticket Stampin' Around Standard Wheel	Twitterpated Kit - Digital Download

This week there are lots of dies on special, so if you're a Big Shot owner this is a great time to make some savings whilst adding to your collection. Also some lovely pink ribbon and the Twitterpated DSP MDS download - this is such a pretty floral paper!

Back shortly with today's creative post; meanwhile, happy shopping!

The retiring lists are here! Discover what stamps and accessories, including the 2012-14 In Colours, are retiring at the end of June this year. Retiring products are only available WHILE STOCKS LAST, so if you've still items on your wish list from this year's annual or spring-summer seasonal catalogues, you need to check the retiring lists and if they're on it put an order in pronto!

Please click on the links below to see the complete lists:

Retiring Stamps - available May 30-June 30 (while stocks last)

Retiring Accessories - available May 30-June 30 (while stocks last)

Some of the items on these lists will sell out quickly and once they're gone, they're gone. So what are you waiting for? Don't delay, shop today! Click here to go straight to my online store.

Back later with today's creative post.

It's Wednesday again where did that week go??! Anyway, we all know what Wednesday means - a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! This week's deals are included below - they will be available for one week only, before a new collection of deals is announced.

As always, 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 Hostess Code for May (you can find this under the 'Shop Online' section on the right). 

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:

Eastern Elegance Designer Series Paper	Etcetera Designer Series Paper	Gumball Green 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon	Scallops Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Spring To Life Kit - Digital Download
Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Die	Strawberry Slush 3/8" Ruffle Stretch Trim

More ribbon and designer series paper offers this week, along with an MDS download and an embossing folder and die - lots of interest!

Back shortly with another post - lots going on at Stampin' Up! today, so stay tuned for an even more exciting offer than this week's Wednesday Weekly Deals - I know!!

I seem to be using a lot of my favourite brights this week and today I wanted to share a card that I made using the Colour Q challenge colours this week, one of my favourite colour palettes:

Aren't those trainers so cool?! You wouldn't get lost in the crowd wearing those, for sure! I took the inspiration for my card from their bold, vibrant pattern and this is what I came up with:

I decided to use one of the wave patterns from the Eye Catching Ikat photopolymer set to create a repeat pattern in the challenge colours (I subsitituted Kiwi Kiss with Old Olive as I don't have the former colour in my collection). I went with quite a simple layered layout, because I wanted the stamped pattern to be the focal point. I still can't quite believe just how easy the photopolymer stamps are to align without the need for a stamp-a-ma-jig - this pattern really didn't take long at all to create, so much so that I made two cards in record time, I just couldn't stop stamping! I mounted my patterned layer onto a strip of Tempting Turquoise. I inked my sentiment using my Brights Stampin' Write Markers, picking up the blue and the Melon Mambo of my card base to tie in with the overall design.

Don't forget, if you would like to own the Eye Catching Ikat stamp set, it is available free with a £60 order until the end of May, so you still have a week to get your order placed. Today is a busy day for me - trampolining parties to attend (Rebecca, not me!!) and a swimming gala this evening. Hope you are all enjoying your weekends. I'll be back tomorrow with another card; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Eye-Catching Ikat Photopolymer Stamp Set	Yippee-Skippee!	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Melon Mambo A4 Card Stock	Tempting Turquoise A4 Card Stock
Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad	Tempting Turquoise Classic Stampin' Pad

Just a quick reminder to let everyone know that the Clearance Rack has been updated and there are now lots of new items available, some with as much as 80% off. There are lots of festive papers and accessories and my most favourite ever Expressions thinlits dies too. So if you want to get a very early headstart on your Christmas projects, check it out now - I don't think some of these things will be around for long.

So, what are you waiting for - click here to go the clearance rack in my online store and grab a bargain whilst stocks last!