It's Wednesday and you know what that means: a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! These offers are valid for one week only. As always, a new collection of deals will be announced next Wednesday.

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 new Hostess Code for January W2ZHBH2D if your order is under £150 and be sure to make sure that you don't check the 'no contact' box if you'd like to be kept updated with the progress of you order and receive a little thank you in the post from me. 

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:

Color Me Irresistible Specialty Designer Series Paper

Happy Patterns Decorative Masks

Wild Wasabi 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon

Zig Zag Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

A little bit of everything this week! 

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

I've spent a lovely day today teaching a group of ladies how to brayer in a Brayer Technique Masterclass and witnessed lots of lovely sunsets and beautiful colour schemes as they learned the 'do's and don'ts' of perfecting the technique. Today's card is one of the ones we made, practising creating a monochromatic ombre:

We used a small 3/4" circle of post-it note to mask out a moon, then having brayered in the blue sky, I stamped the tree image partially off the panel in Black Archival ink and mounted this onto a mat of Basic Black. I then stamped the tree again on the Tempting Turquoise card base, using my stamp-a-ma-jig to line up with the partial stamped image. I added my sentiment from the 'Wetlands' stamp set to complete my card. 

I'm linking my card up again with the lovely ladies over at Less Is More whose challenge this week is to use a silhouette on your card. I like the way the partial stamping adds interest to the silhouette on this otherwise monochromatic card and this card was a great way to start today's class. Here's a shot of my ladies hard at work and having fun:

Very messy, but well worth it! 

If you would like to join one of my classes, please do get in touch for details of upcoming classes or check out the listings on my web page here. 

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Brayer	Whisper White A4 Cardstock	Basic Black A4 Cardstock	Serene Silhouettes Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Wetlands Clear Stamp Set
3/4" Circle Punch	Tempting Turquoise Classic Stampin' Pad	Tempting Turquoise A4 Cardstock	Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad

The weekend is over and it's Monday again - where does the time go?! I'm finally finding the time today to share a card that I featured in part on my Facebook Page last week. This particular card was a commission for a client - a bride and groom with a romantic sunset of pinks and purples:

This card doesn't have a great deal of stamping, apart from the sentiment from the ever-popular 'Sassy Salutations' stamp set. The bride and groom were cut using my e-cutter having set them into a frame, but the real star of the show for this card I think is the beautiful brayered background. I masked the moon using a piece of post-it note punched with a 1 1/4" circle punch, then brayered the entire background using a combination of Perfect Plum, Rose Red, Melon Mambo and Rich Razzleberry. So very pretty!

I am entering today's card into this week's challenge over at Less Is More where this week the recipe is 'Silhouettes'. I was thrilled to be the LIM winner in December and so far I haven't managed an entry in January due to other commitments. This week I am going to make up for this though with not just one, but (at least!) two entries; I've been making samples for an all-day brayering technique class that I'm holding tomorrow so have lots of silhouettes to share! 

Back tomorrow with one of my basic brayer class cards that is perfect for the 'Less Is More' theme!

Until then, happy stampin!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

1-1/4" Circle Punch	Brayer	Sassy Salutations Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad	Melon Mambo A4 Cardstock
Rich Razzlebberry Classic Stampin' Pad	Perfect Plum Classic Stampin' Pad	Rose Red Classic Stampin' Pad	Whisper White A4 Cardstock	Basic Black A4 Cardstock

It's Sunday and time for a new challenge over at The Paper Players! This week it is the turn of the lovely Nance to host and she has my favourite type of challenge, a sketch, for you to play along with:

For my card this week I was inspired to use my Cups and Kettle Framelits Dies and co-ordinating 'Have A Cuppa' Designer Series Paper Stack for a fun card:

My colour scheme was taken directly from the paper stack and my card is otherwise really quite self explanatory. I added a White Perfect Accent to my teapot lid and some clear Wink of Stella to the steam heart above the spout for added shimmer. I love the bright colours in these papers and the many little elements in the framelit set - endless creative possibilities! 

Before you reach for your ink and papers, check out what our amazing team has created to inspire you this week:

I look forward to seeing what you create with this week's theme. We have a an important day of sport today: Ben is playing basketball this morning and no hockey this week as Rebecca has an afternoon of swimming with County trials today - wish us luck!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

A Nice Cuppa Photopolymer Bundle	Have A Cuppa Designer Series Paper Stack	Have A Cuppa Cardstock Pack	Pool Party A4 Cardstock	Whisper White A4 Cardstock
Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad	Circles Collection Framelits Dies	Big Shot	Banner Triple Punch	Clear Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush
White Perfect Accents

I've had a busy day today with housework and homework, but fortunately a little crafting time too! I made a clean and simple Valentine's card for the following challenges:

Global Design Project, TGIF Challenges and SUO Challenges all have a Love-Valentine's theme and this week's sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch provided me with the perfect layout for what I had in mind:

Using a Pool Party base, I took a piece of Shimmery White cardstock and washed it lightly from top to bottom with my Aquapainter and some Pool Party ink. then stamped a cluster of heart-shaped balloons in Blushing Bride and Watermelon Wonder, with Smoky Slate strings, using the 'Balloon Builders' stamp set. I heat embossed my sentiment in White on a popped up banner of Watermelon Wonder. This card has a wonderful lustre and sparkle in real life as a result of the shimmery white cardstock that is difficult to see in the photo and I just love the soft, almost watercoloured stamp effect of the balloons. One stamp set, one card - what's not to love?!

That's my card for today; come back tomorrow for a new challenge over at The Paper Players when I will be sharing another new set for the first time with you. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Balloon Builders Photopolymer Stamp Set	Pool Party A4 Cardstock	Banner Triple Punch	Shimmery White A4 Cardstock	Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad
Pool Party Classic Stampin' Pad	Watermelon Wonder Classic Stampin' Pad	Watermelon Wonder A4 Cardstock	Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad	Embossing Buddy
Versamark Pad	White Stampin' Emboss Powder	Heat Tool (Uk)

It's Friday - who doesn't love a Friday?! Today I have a rather special birthday card to share that is rather appropriate for this week's Can You Case It? Challenge where they too are celebrating their third birthday anniversary:

We have a choice of 'black, white and elegant' or 'black, white and fun': my project today is definitely the former - a lovely 6" shadow box frame birthday card featuring the Timeless Elegance Designer Series Paper. My papers are black and vanilla rather than black and white, but I'm hoping the CYCI team will allow this! Here's the card:

To make the card itself, I followed this tutorial by the talented Amanda Bates. For the central panel, I used one of the patterned papers and added just a hint of sponged colour in Blushing Bride and I heat embossed my greeting in gold over the top. I then used a co-ordinating pattern for my frame decoration. Isn't that just lovely? I made this card for my mother-in-law who loves a black and white colour combination; I also made a co-ordinating gift bag and tag for her present using my Gift Bag Punch Board and a box to present my card in:

Whilst I'm not a massive fan of black and white as a colour combination, I do love the patterns in these papers and I think the colour combination can indeed look very elegant. More importantly, this card was made more with the recipient in mind rather than the creator and, since she loved it, I guess that's all that counts!

That's all from me today; I'll be back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Timeless Elegance Designer Series Paper	Neutrals 12" X 12" Cardstock	Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad	Sponge Daubers	Embossing Buddy
Versamark Pad	Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder	Heat Tool (Uk)	Happy Birthday, Everyone Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Gift Bag Punch Board
Very Vanilla 5/8" Satin Ribbon

Today it's time for a new challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary and this week we have an interesting colour combination for you:

I struggled a little with this colour combo - having seen Lisa Martz, one of the other Design Team members, adorable chick card I couldn't see how to use these colours for anything else (does that ever happen to you when you see something that was in your mind's eye all along?!) Finally this week's sketch over at Retrosketches helped me out and I came up with this:

I used Lost Lagoon for my card base then covered this with a piece of the raindrop patterned paper from the Sale-A-Bration 'Wildflower Fields' designer series paper pack and a top layer of Whisper White, stamped with my 'hello' greeting in Memento Black. I added a bright red frame cut with my Big Shot and square framelits and a Hello Honey sun, also from the Silhouettes and Script' hostess stamp set, which I fussy cut and popped up on dimensionals. I added an epoxy heart, adhered to Real Red cardstock, as a little embellishment.

A super clean and simple card that brings these colours together in a slightly unconventional way; it might not be that chick, but I like it!

Do visit the other Design Team members to see what they did with this week's colours; there's lots of inspiration over on their blogs too!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

It's Wednesday - hurrah! Today I have a card for this week's challenge over at CAS Colours and Sketches where they have the following sketch to work with:

I turned the sketch through 90 degrees for my card today and used the large sentiment from the 'Botanicals For You' Sale-A-Bration set, paired with some Botanical Gardens Designer Series Paper and yes, another of those flowers made using the Botanical Builder Framelits Dies - I just can't get enough of them! Here's my card:

I just love the different flower combinations you can make with these framelit dies! Whilst I do have something different to share with you tomorrow, rest assured you haven't seen the last of these yet!

That's all from me today; I'll be spending the day in my office - I'm hoping for a productive one! I'll be back tomorrow with a card for this week's new challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Botanicals For You Wood-Mount Stamp Set	Botanical Builder Framelits Dies	Big Shot Die Brush	Botanical Gardens Designer Series Paper	Big Shot
Ovals Collection Framelits Dies	Embossing Buddy	Versamark Pad	White Stampin' Emboss Powder	Heat Tool (Uk)
Basic Black A4 Cardstock	Mint Macaron A4 Cardstock	Hello Honey A4 Cardstock	Cajun Craze Classic Stampin' Pad	Whisper White A4 Thick Cardstock
It's My Party Enamel Dots

It's Wednesday and you know what that means: a new collection of Wednesday Weekly Deals! These offers are valid for one week only. As always, a new collection of deals will be announced next Wednesday.

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 new Hostess Code for January W2ZHBH2D if your order is under £150 and be sure to make sure that you don't check the 'no contact' box if you'd like to be kept updated with the progress of you order and receive a little thank you in the post from me. 

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:

Berry Basket Bigz L Die

Fast Fuse Adhesive Refill

Hamburger Box Bigz Xl Die

Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons

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

Good morning lovely readers! Today I am sharing a card for this week's challenge over at Pals Paper Arts:

I'm not usually one to gravitate towards colour challenges (I'm more of a sketch gal as you well know!) but I thought this was a great colour combo chosen by the equally great Brian King and so that, combined with the fact that he finds my English spelling of the word 'colour' in and of itself rather quirky, I just had to play along! Here's my card:

I decided to make a bold statement using blocks of colour, with Basic Black as my base and each of the other colours cut with both the positive and negative pieces of the intricate leaf framelit from the Botanical Builder Framelits Dies and pieced together for my base. I stamped my sentiment in Versamark and heat embossed it in white on an oval of Basic Black, which I then popped up on dimensionals in the centre of my card. What to use to tie the whole thing together though? I decide to have a go at making a loopy flower out of the new thick baker's twine that comes in the challenge colours; I made a few but decided one was enough to ground my sentiment and bring the whole thing together. If you've never made one of these before, they are really not that tricky when you know how. With that in mind, I made another short technique tutorial to show you how it's done - I haven't yet had time to edit it though, so will share with you later in the week. 

That's all from me today; I have a private class this morning with a wonderful group of seniors at a local residential care home and then a few jobs this afternoon before taking the James Juniors for their music lessons. Another busy day!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Baker's Twine Combo Pack	Botanical Builder Framelits Dies	Melon Mambo A4 Cardstock	Mint Macaron A4 Cardstock	Basic Black A4 Cardstock
Big Shot	Ovals Collection Framelits Dies	It's My Party Enamel Dots	Embossing Buddy	Versamark Pad
White Stampin' Emboss Powder	Heat Tool (Uk)