Eyelet Dry Embossed Thank You Card

by Joanne James1. June 2024 19:55

I managed to grab a little crafty time this morning, so took the opportunity to play with a new embossing folder (perfect for the 'E is for Embossing' challenge over at The Alphabet Challenge blog) and paired it with Rochelle's beautiful warm and sunny colours over at Just Add Ink:

   

I bought this folder because I thought it would be nice paired with other elements in the Country Woods Suite, but wanted to try it out first by making it the feature of my card  - take a look:

 

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

I took a piece of thick white cardstock and using my blending brushes, added the three lightest colours to the front of my card so that each blended into the next. I then sprayed the reverse of my cardstock before putting it in my embossing folder and running it through my diecutting machine. I lightly rubbed the front of my dry embossed cardstock with white kraft ink to highlight the embossed detail, then glue it to my cardbase and trimmed to size. I added a sentiment from the Wanted To Say Dies in Gorgeous Grape, layered on vellum, and added a trio of glossy enamel dots in the same colour to complete my card - you can really see the embossed detail on the close up below:

 

I love the detail and pattern of this embossing folder - I think it's going to prove very versatile.

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 evening; I spent the afternoon watching the youngest of the James Juniors play cricket and was so cold that after a few hours I needed to retreat to the warmth of the car - I feel like I should have dressed in my winter hockey spectator layers! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

A New Thoughtful Wishes Step By Step Class

by Joanne James31. May 2024 08:00

How can it be Friday already?! It's been half term for the youngest of the James Juniors this week so there hasn't been much time for crafting! I'm hoping to get a little time in my craft room tomorrow but until then I do have another card for you featuring the Thoughtful Wishes bundle and Thoughtful Journey papers, along with details of the latest Step By Step Class created with my friend and former Stampin' Up! Artisan Designer Jan Clothier, aka Thinking Stamping.

First up, my card! The Thoughtful Journey papers are so beautiful - even a small amount can go a long way:

 

When paired with the Thoughtful Wishes bundle, especially those fabulous diecuts, along with some dry embossing and the texture and sparkle of tone-on-tone glimmer, there's so much to love! That's why Jan and I chose this bundle and papers for our step by step class:

Our new step by step class features the Thoughtful Wishes bundle and Thoughtful Journey designer series paper. Simply purchase the Thoughtful Wishes bundle and a pack of Thoughtful Journey designer series paper from us and we’ll email you the step by step instructions to make four beautiful projects featuring them. If you already have the suite or bundle, simply purchase something else of equivalent value and we’ll email the class instructions to you.

You can shop with me if you live in the UK and Europe

You can shop with Jan if you live in New Zealand.

If you would like to receive the details for this step by step class, you can place your online order with me by clicking on the direct product links for the bundle and papers needed below; remember to add the current hostess code 3NR3FB9W to your order. 

Back soon with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

Frames & Flowers Simple Frame Card

by Joanne James28. May 2024 17:11

Another dreary day of rain here in the UK, but fear not - I have a card perfect to brighten someone's day that took just minutes to make!

 

I saw the inspiration photo over at TGIF Challenges this week and as I still had my Frames & Flowers papers out, I grabbed them to make a quick card - take a look:

 

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

It wasn't the colours of the challenge photo that inspired me, rather the floral framed border, the friendship sentiment and the single butterfly accent. I used one of the frames from the designer paper pack, adding a couple of panels at each side and stamped my sentiment from 'Something Fancy' in the open aperture:

 

A single brushed brass butterfly completes my card - so simple!

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:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

Frames and Flowers Star Explosion Pop-Up Card PP691

by Joanne James26. May 2024 08:00

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

    

I decided to use Claire's layout today to create a fancy fold card, specifically a star explosion pop up card featuring the Frames & Flowers specialty designer series paper. My finished card measures 5" x 7" and when closed, it follows Claire's layout and looks rather inconspicuous:

 

The central wreath is on a belly band that when removed, allows the card to open and the fancy fold element is revealed: 

 

 The outside panels are layered on Soft Sea Foam, and the inside panels layered with Petal Pink and Pretty Peacock. The inside scored layer lays flat when the card is folded closed, then when opened the central panel pops up and stands away from the card adding a little extra dimension and detail. 

 

The Frames & Flowers papers are really pretty and this is a new kind of paper pack that contains three sheets of double-sided paper and three sheets of pre-cut die cut pieces. I used a couple of the flowers to decorate and one of the foliage squares for the centrepiece of my card, along with a sentiment from the 'Something Fancy' stamp set:

 

The wreath that decorates the belly band is another of the diecut pieces, to which I added a bow using some retired Lost Lagoon velvet ribbon finished with a faceted gem and a few Petal Pink gems. The diecuts make for great quick and easy cards, or equally take all the hard work out of decorating, leaving more time to create a fancy base, as I've done here. 

I'm linking today's card up with the team over at SUO Challenges where they are asking us to use multiple patterns - I've definitely used a selection today!

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:

Here's a quick recap of our challenge rules:
 
1.  Create a new paper project
2.  Upload your creation to your blog with a link back to us and provide a direct link to the post featuring your challenge submission.
3.  Please link your card to no more than four challenges, TOTAL.
4.  Have FUN!

Enjoy your day; I'm hoping the rain stays away long enough to get out into the garden today, however the forecast doesn't look good and since it's a long Bank Holiday weekend here in the UK, I guess I shouldn't be surprised! I'll be back with another project using these papers this week. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

Layers of Beauty Spotlight Wedding Card AYSI 324

by Joanne James24. May 2024 12:00

Today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where Jane has a theme challenge for us:

       

It's that time of year when lots of people are getting married so Jane's choice of theme is a timely one. I decided to use one of my new stamp set and stencil sets to revisit an 'oldie but goodie' technique for my wedding card - take a look:

 

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

Layers of Beauty - The stamp set I featured on today's card is called 'Layers of Beauty' and comes with a set of co-ordinating dies and layering stencils and I think it's going to be a new favourite! The main stamp is a large floral arrangement of roses and can be used in so many ways. I stamped it in black onto my Basic White card base and left it uncoloured, then stamped it again on another sheet of cardstock to create my spotlight. 

Stencilled Spotlight - With my second image, I used my stencils to colour the flowers in Real Red and the leaves in Garden Green. The stencils are amazing - with only 2 colours, it's possible to create flowers that are full of depth. I chose these colours from the Color Dare challenge because red roses are the language of love and romance and whilst I wouldn't normally go so bold on a wedding card, I think it suits a demonstration of this technique. Once coloured using my inks and blending brushes, I used a Stylish Shapes Circle Dies to cut out a circle, then carefully pieced it onto my black and white design, using dimensionals for a little lift:

 

I was reminded of the spotlight technique with Inkspirational's current challenge; I haven't made a card using it in ages so it was a fun one to revisit.

Sentiment Creativity - I didn't have any current sentiments for a wedding card, so I went on a rummage through my retired stash to see what I could find. Interestingly I couldn't find anything that said 'wedding' specifically, although I'm sure I must have some somewhere. There were lots of congratulations and celebrate sentiments though and in the end I settled with a combination of 'celebrate together' from the retired 'Create With Friends' stamp set. I trio of white sequins complete my card.

I really love this set and can't wait to use it more. I'm also linking today's card up over at Just Us Girls where it's 'anything goes stencil week'; so happy to have added this one to my collection!

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. 

Here's a summary of our challenge rules:

  • Create any card, scrapbooking page, 3D project or packaging project that fits the challenge.
  • Please include the challenge graphic and link back to the challenge in your blog post. Turn off word verification so we can leave you lots of lovely comments. Make sure you link the post not the whole blog to the Linky. Use #AYSIXXX when uploading to a public gallery.
  • If you’re unsure about ‘the rules’, check the details under the Challenge Guidelines tab on the As You See It Challenge homepage.
We look forward to seeing your creations in the AYSI gallery.

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

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

Thoughtful Journey U Fold Card

by Joanne James22. May 2024 19:00

Today I'm sharing a card that was inspired by the current challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments:

There were so many great starting points on that inspiration board; I took my jumping off point as that image that features bottom right - take a look:

 

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

I liked the idea of taking a scene and overlaying it with some 'words of wisdom', so I took another of the designs in my Thoughtful Journey paper pack and picked out two of the colours in the paper to build a sentiment using 6 separate sentiments in the 'Unbounded Love' stamp set. This stamp set has so many different possibilities with sentiments that work for lots of specific occasions and also for 'just because' cards too. I chose a scene with some open space in it to accommodate my sentiment, and overlapped the words in each pair slightly - you can see that more closely below:

 

The sentiment stamps are photopolymer so they are so easy to line up and stamp - no platform required. I added a simple stem of diecut foliage using the Thoughtful Wishes Dies, tied with frayed ribbon, for decoration and a couple of Boho Blue enamel dots to complete my card. Once again, I was reluctant to crop my sheet of designer paper too much, so chose a u-shaped card that enabled me to extend the design further to the outer edges too, whilst still enabling it to concertina fold flat and fit a standard C6 size envelope. The card stands up on its own perfectly and I added a decorated panel to the reverse to write my message:

 

I really like the finished effect of this card; there are a few other patterns in the Thoughtful Journey paper pack that lend themselves to a larger/feature sentiment, so I might recreate with those 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 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

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

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

 

Faith Hope Love CCS 537

by Joanne James21. May 2024 13:00

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches.This week's challenge is a sketch challenge and Patricia has asked that we add a panel with 3 banners behind. Feel free to flip or rotate the sketch when making your card.

 

For my card today I decided to do another showcase of one of the beautiful designs in the Thoughtful Journey paper pack on that panel - take a look:

 

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

I used one of the Nested Essentials Dies to cut out my scenic panel and decided to highlight three of the colours in the sky and use those for my horizontal strips. I heat-embossed my sentiment onto each in white and used words from the 'Unbounded Love' stamp set that worked well together. How gorgeous are these papers? 

A trio of co-ordinating pearls complete my card front, with a corresponding sentiment added to the inside of my card:

 

What do you think? This is a great design that is quick to make and really does showcase the pretty papers.

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! colour 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.

Finally, a quick reminder that all orders placed today over £60 are eligible for free shipping - so a great time to stock up on your new annual catalogue favourites.

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

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

FREE SHIPPING - 24 Hours Only

by Joanne James20. May 2024 20:00

STOP PRESS for an important announcement: For 24 hours only, starting at 11pm UK time this evening, Stampin' Up! are offering FREE shipping on orders of £60 or more.

The key information is as follows:

  • Free shipping applies after the qualifying order amount has been met.
  • The minimum qualifying amount to receive free shipping is £60 or more.
  • Free shipping only applies during the 24-hour period the promotion is live in each market; this means that the order must be opened and closed between 20 May 2024, at 11p.m. and 21 May 2024, at 10:59 p.m (UK).

This is a great time to stock up on new annual catalogue items that are on your wishlist, to pick up one of our all-inclusive papercrafting kits or to treat yourself to a bargain from the clearance rack. So start making those lists and head off to my online Stampin' Up! store to place your order. Remember to add the current hostess code 3NR3FB9W to receive an extra thank you in the post from me.

Happy shopping!

CAS Happy Birthday Sweet Peas PP690

by Joanne James19. May 2024 08:00

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

    

You know how I can't resist a sketch by the lovely Cecile over at Freshly Made Sketches, so since this is her week I had to grab her layout and use it for the basis of my clean and simple punny birthday card using a new stamp that I also couldn't resist that is perfect to celebrate all things birthday over at AAA Cards too - take a look:

 

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

HapPea Birthday - what punny fun is that?! The 'Sweet Peas' stamp set is found in the new Stampin' Up! annual catalogue and is choc-full of cute images and punny sentiments for lots of occasions. For today's card I chose the birthday peas, bursting out of their pod and stamped it onto a panel cut with an (elongated) Nested Essentials Die and coloured with three of the new In Colour Stampin' Blends: Shy Shamrock, Peach Pie and Petunia Pop (and a little Shaded Spruce and retired Call Me Clover for good measure). I could have finished there, but decided to create a loose 'frame' behind my panel using one of the long pea shoot stems in the set, adding just a little outline colour and fussy cutting them to allow for some overlap and lift for interest:

Don't you just love those grinning peas?! I added another pea along with a 'let's celebrate' sentiment from the (retired) 'Simply Fabulous stamp set to the inside of my card and repeated this on the envelope flap for a little co-ordinated decoration. Shy Shamrock is such a fresh and vibrant green - I know I'm going to use it a lot. Do you love these new in-colours too? Remember in May you can receive a fabulous bundle of new in-colour products for free when you sign up as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator - you can find the details on this amazing offer here. This stamp set makes me hap-pea (pun intended!) and I just love this clean and simple birthday card. I have lots of birthdays in May and June, and this card will be headed to a dear friend who will I know appreciate the sentiment!

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:

Here's a quick recap of our challenge rules:
 
1.  Create a new paper project
2.  Upload your creation to your blog with a link back to us and provide a direct link to the post featuring your challenge submission.
3.  Please link your card to no more than four challenges, TOTAL.
4.  Have FUN!

Enjoy your day; I don't have anything special planned today, so will be hoping for fine weather and some time in the garden. I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

Thoughtful Journey Square Split Panel Card FMS635

by Joanne James13. May 2024 08:00

 

Happy Monday everyone - welcome to a new week! As promised last week, I have another card showcasing the beautiful Thoughtful Journey papers, this time using Jen B's layout over at Freshly Made Sketches:

I did tweak Jen's layout slightly, making it into a square card because I just couldn't bear to not use the whole of my sheet of designer paper - take a look to see one of the designs in all its uncut glory:

 

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

I split my paper into two pieces, cutting down the front of my card to house the larger portion then adding the narrower piece to the card base so that it is also visible when opened. I added a simple sentiment from 'Thoughtful Wishes' to the front of my card, anchored by a shiny pearl:

 

When the card is open, you can see both the edge of the scene and the insert, which I also decorated with one of the florals in the 'Thoughtful Wishes' set:

 

This card was so simple and easy to create - the Thoughtful Journey designer paper really does do all the hard work.

Here is the visual summary of the key products used on today's project for you to pin for easy reference:

 

You can see all of my 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Enjoy your day; I am starting my week with lots more household jobs to tick off my list. I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Table built using Product Table Builder by The Crafty Owl - Independent Stampin' Up! Demonstrator.

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About Me

Hi I'm Joanne and live in Northampton and when I'm not looking after my husband and two beautiful children, am an avid crafter with a passion for all things Stampin' Up!

I must confess that I have never been a big rubber stamper - until I discovered Stampin' Up! that is. I love the fact that I can get such great results with co-ordinating stamps, inks, papers and punches - the possibilities are endless! Join me on my stamping journey as I share the things I love and be inspired to create amazing things yourself!

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This is my personal blog and is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up! I hope you find it a plentiful source of ideas and personal inspiration but please don't copy my designs for contest submission or use for classes, publication or sale without express permission.