Today I'm sharing a card I made at the weekend that uses Jen M's great layout over at Freshly Made Sketches this week and also uses the current Color Hues combination of pink and green:

Jen's sketch has a lovely open panel that can be used in so many different ways. I decided it would be a great place to have one last hurrah with my Dandelions 3D embossing folder - take a look:

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

I simply embossed my dandelions on a panel of white cardstock and added Polished Pink to the seed heads and Pear Pizazz to the stems lightly with a blender brush for just a hint of colour to the raised elements. I added them to a base covered with a piece of Polished Pink In-Colour designer paper and added a simple heat embossed sentiment from 'Flowing Flowers' and a trio of iridescent rhinestones for some subtle sparkle:

I think this embossing folder is so pretty and a great way to make texture a feature on an otherwise clean and layered 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 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Just a quick post from me today - I have a long 'to do' list that I'm trying to rattle through and a new annual catalogue pre-order that has just arrived that I want to get the opportunity to play with!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

I have an extra card today to share a card a special card I made for Rebecca and her hockey team mates to say goodbye to one of their members who is leaving at the end of the season to go to university. I thought the motley crew of animals in the retiring 'From All of Us' stamp set would be perfect for a team farewell - take a look:

I used a bright and fun unconventional colour scheme to colour my group of animals and fussy cut them and placed on the centre of a larger A5 card, over a simple scored panel of Coastal Cabana - I needed room for lots of messages inside! I added a 'good luck' message using a retired alphabet set either side of my colourful gang:

I added one other stamp to the inside to finish:

Cute, right?! This is a great stamp if you need a collective card from a group.

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'm sharing this card over at SUO Challenges with the theme is 'animals and critters' and The Alphabet Challenge where their theme is 'A for Animal Antics' - I think my collective definitely look they could get up to some mischief!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

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 bright colour challenge for us to work with:

I love Anne Marie's bright and sunny colours this week and ended up making a couple of cards. First up I used this week's layout over at Hand Stamped Sentiments and went with some florals, care of my Pierced Blooms Dies - take a look:

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

I diecut a trio of layered flowers and leaves and paired them with a piece of Daffodil Delight coloured Hand Penned designer series paper and used white as my neutral. A few polished pink gems add a touch of sparkle to the front of my card:

And a little extra stamping inside completes my card:

I wanted to try and use these colours on something other than flowers, so made a second card using the retiring 'Hippo Happiness' stamp set and co-ordinating Hippo & Friends Dies:

Some simple stamping and diecutting is all there is to it. The best part about this card is definitely the punny sentiment though - Hippo birthday...

... 2 ewe! Isn't that just so sweet?!

I used the sketch over at TGIF Challenges this week for the layout for this card and I am also linking up over at SUO Challenges where they are all about 'animals and critters' for their current challenge.

Two very different cards but I think both work with these colours. Which one do you prefer? Do leave me a comment below - I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's projects 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:

Enjoy your day; we have some chores to take care of and we are out to lunch - should be a good day! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used (where still available): 

It's Thursday and today's card is for a couple of challenges: 

I used the colour palette over at TGIF Challenges (love those colours!) and the new sketch over at Atlantic Hearts Sketch Challenge for a birthday card to pay homage to a favourite retiring stamp set and some of my most favourite ever dies - take a look:

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

Happiest of Birthdays - I used the big sentiment from 'Happiest of Birthdays' front and centre - the size of this greeting really makes a card, with nothing more than some decoration required.

Farewell Pierced Blooms - For said decoration, I used my Pierced Blooms Dies to cut some flowers and leaves and layered them to decorate both the outside and the inside of my card, where I also used another of the sentiments in the set:

Finishing Touches - A strip of contrasting Brights designer paper, some 'retired) sparkly enamel dots and a pair of tiny brushed brass butterflies add some final finishing touches:

Some of my favourite retiring products today though, both of which will be 'keepers' for me; it's not all sad though - I'm sure there will be some great new ones arriving soon!

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. 

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

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

Laughter is the best medicine - so true! I had a rummage amongst my stamps for something funny and using Jen T's sketch over at Freshly Made Sketches this week (it's a keeper!) for my layout I set to work. This is what I came up with:

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

I actually don't have that many stamps that are out-and-out funny, but plenty that can raise a smile and 'Hey Birthday Chick' is definitely one of them! I love that sentiment 'you're still a spring chicken' so I decided to pair it with the chicken in this set that always looks to me like she's dancing! I added some rainbow glimmer bunting and some stamped confetti, and having coloured my chicken decided to add a ribbon ruffle skirt by running a stitch through a piece of Polished Pink ribbon - doesn't it look as if she's doing the can-can?!

Very 'oo la la'!! What do you think - comical enough to raise a smile? It made me chuckle anyway :-) I added another chicken along with another sentiment from this set to decorate the inside of my card to finish:

'Hey Birthday Chick' and the co-ordinating Birthday Chick Dies are on the retired list, so if they tickle your funny bone and you'd like to add them to your collection, they are currently both available at 50% off - a real bargain! Rainbow glimmer paper is also on the retired list - I am so sad to see this go! Here's hoping there is more glimmer paper on the way in the new annual catalogue ... 

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:

Enjoy your day; I am mid-way through a 'Mum and son' weekend with the youngest of the James Juniors: we spent yesterday watching Manchester United play at home in Old Trafford, stayed overnight and today we are doing the stadium tour - so we are all about the football, for sure! A lovely way to start the Easter school break though. I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

HEY BIRTHDAY CHICK CLING STAMP SET (£10.00)	BIRTHDAY CHICK DIES (ENGLISH) (£12.50)	RAINBOW GLIMMER PAPER (£4.40)	DAFFODIL DELIGHT A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (£9.00)	TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (£5.50)
MAGENTA MADNESS CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)	BLENDING BRUSHES (£11.25)	MAGENTA MADNESS STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (£8.50)	DAFFODIL DELIGHT STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (£8.50)	PUMPKIN PIE STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (£8.50)	POLISHED PINK 3/8" (1 CM) OPEN WEAVE RIBBON (£6.50)
SCALLOPED CONTOURS DIES (£33.00)

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. There are 5 Tuesdays in March so we are ending the month with the double: one of our previous sketches and a retired colour combination. For Jeanne's final challenge as hostess she chose the following:  

For my card today I went with a super simple single stemmed flower from the 'In Symmetry' stamp set - take a look:

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

I thought the rather retro design of the 'In Symmetry' stamp set suited this bright, rather retro colour palette! I stamped my flower in Watermelon Wonder and Just Jade (my closest substitute to 'Taken With Teal' which is way before my time!) onto a white stitched rectangle and added a Pineapple Punch enamel dot before adding to my Pineapple Punch cardbase:

A sentiment heat embossed in white onto a piece of Watermelon Wonder cardstock completes the front of my card. I added another flower, coloured with my sponge daubers, to decorate the inside of my card:

And that's my card - done! The 'In Symmetry' stamp set is great for bright and colourful floral cards and I will miss having it in my collection when it retires. If you don't have it and it's still on your wishlist, why not hop over to my online store via the link below and pick it up at a 40% discount as part of the Last Chance Products Promotion whilst supplies last - a proper bargain!

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.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

IN SYMMETRY PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (£9.60)

STITCHED RECTANGLE DIES (£33.00)

VERSAMARK PAD (£8.75)

BASICS EMBOSSING POWDERS (£17.00)

JUST JADE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)

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

LeAnne's sketch is so perfect for a showcase of patterned paper. I decided to go with one of my favourite bright and colourful paper packs, Sweet Symmetry, and used not one but two patterned papers on my card - take a look:

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

I don't often pair patterned papers on my cards, but I loved the combination of the pattern with the shades of blue for the background, with a pop of bright colour from the paper I used for my three panels; the navy stems help tie the two patterns together. I used my Stitched Rectangle Dies to crop both my three vertical panels and my horizontal sentiment. I almost left my card there, but decided to upset the symmetry that I had worked so hard to create elsewhere with the near-perfect pattern alignment by fussy cutting a trio of flowers and using them to accent my sentiment, using colours lifted from the paper pattern:

I can't tell you how much I agonised over that trio of flowers, but I decided I liked the addition so left them in. What do you think - were they a good addition? Do leave me a comment below - I'd love to hear your thoughts! 

I love the colours and bright patterns of the products in the Sweet Symmetry suite and will be sad to see them retire. The good news though is that both the 'In Symmetry' stamp set and Sweet Symmetry designer series paper are currently on the Last Chance Products List, each with 40% off. If you don't have either now is the time to pick them up and grab yourself a bargain before they're gone! Follow the links at the bottom of this post to go straight to the Stampin' Up! store to order 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:

Enjoy your day; it's Mother's Day here in the UK today so I am looking forward to being spoiled and waited on all day long - here's hoping! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

IN SYMMETRY PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (£9.60)	SWEET SYMMETRY 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (£6.45)	STITCHED RECTANGLE DIES (£33.00)	NIGHT OF NAVY A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	VERSAMARK PAD (£8.75)	BASICS EMBOSSING POWDERS (£17.00)
BUMBLEBEE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)	SO SAFFRON A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	CALYPSO CORAL CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)	PETAL PINK A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)	NIGHT OF NAVY CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (£7.00)	MISTY MOONLIGHT A4 CARDSTOCK (£8.25)

It's nearly time to see all of the lovely items that will be retiring from the current 2021-22 Annual Catalogue!  I'm just popping by to let you know that the Last-Chance Products promotion will go live at 7pm this evening, UK time. All items retiring will be available for LAST CHANCE purchase, with some items that can be discounted by up to 50% - yay for a bargain!

As soon as the list is available, I will upload it here on my blog and share in to my Crafty Owl Creatives Facebook Group.

So set your alarms if you want to be at the front of the queue - there will be bargains to be had!

The start of March sees two great promotions that I can't wait to share with you! What are these exciting promotions I hear you cry?! Well wait no longer - they are:

• Waves of the Ocean Collection - another annual catalogue early release with exclusive accessories
• Savings Are In Bloom Promotion - a discount on the Mini Stampin' Cut & Emboss Machine and select co-ordinating bundles

So first up:

Waves of the Ocean Collection

Discover the depths of the ocean—and your artistic abilities—with the Waves of the Ocean Collection! This coastal collection includes an inspiring set of stamps and detailed dies, both early-release products from the upcoming 2022–2023 Annual Catalogue. Plus, a pack of paper made from images of hand-poured paint, blue-hued foil sheets for a sea of shine, and radiant rhinestones for a splash of sparkle—each an exclusive product you can only purchase during the promotion period!

Here's a look at everything that's included in the Waves of The Ocean Collection:

Here's the detail on each product - the items can be purchase individually or as a collection:

Next up:

Savings Are In Bloom Promotion

Meet your mini crafting companion: the Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine! This mini—but mighty—machine is durable, portable, and easy to use. It’s the perfect pick if you’re a budding beginner who wants to branch out, a paper-crafting pro who wants to craft on the go, or someone who’s short on storage space! Make precise cuts and embossed designs for any paper project with one pass. Originally £56.00, it can be yours for only £44.75 between 1 and 31 March! The Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine is compatible with a large selection of Stampin’ Up! embossing folders and dies. Kickstart your collection and combine your Mini Stampin’ Cut & Emboss Machine with any (or all!) of the following stamp-and-die bundles—they’re also 20% off during the month of March!

So two great promotions for March! There are a some great bundle offers here, so if you've been holding off any of these, now would be a great time to pop them in your shopping basket! Direct links to the online store for all of the products above are below - happy shopping!

WAVES OF THE OCEAN SUITE COLLECTION (ENGLISH) (£75.00)	WAVES OF INSPIRATION BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£48.50)	WAVES OF INSPIRATION CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (£22.00)	WAVES DIES (£32.00)
WAVES OF THE OCEAN 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (£10.75)	BLUE FOILS 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 CM) SPECIALTY PAPER (£9.50)	RHINESTONE WAVES BASIC JEWELS (£6.25)

MINI STAMPIN' CUT & EMBOSS MACHINE (£44.75)	ALL SQUARED AWAY BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£36.75)	ART GALLERY BUNDLE (£41.50)	BEAUTY OF FRIENDSHIP BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£42.25)
CELEBRATE SUNFLOWERS BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£42.25)	GARDEN WISHES BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£42.25)	HYDRANGEA HAVEN BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£43.00)	PANSY PATCH BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£42.25)
QUIET MEADOW BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£44.00)	SEASCAPE BUNDLE (£38.25)	SWEET AS A PEACH BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£30.25)	WELCOMING WINDOW BUNDLE (£41.50)
WHAT'S COOKIN' BUNDLE (£37.50)	WILD CATS BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (£32.00)