Today we have a new challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary and this week we are working with the following colour combination:

I decided these colours were perfect for another entry into this week's challenge over at The Card Concept, this time using the current CAS(E) This Sketch for my layout:

This week's colours all feature in the inspiration photo above, and I wanted to create a card with some whitewashed painted wood like the table in the photo - this is what I came up with:

I stamped the Hardwood stamp in Sahara Sand onto a piece of Soft Sky, then 'aged' it by sponging over some Whisper White kraft ink and I really like the look. The combination of sentiments really work for me here too; this is the first time I've used the 'smile' from the 'So You' stamp set and I love it, especially paired with the cupcake one. I have something of a love-hate relationship with doilies (my regular followers will know I don't use them often and even then I'm not sure about them!) but here I felt one would be the perfect background for my cupcake, again, echoing the lace doily in the inspiration photo.

I hope you like today's card and that it inspires you to create something with this colour palette. Do check out the other Design Team member cards - we look forward to seeing you in the Create With Connie and Mary gallery this week.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

It's Wednesday 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 March 4AHTZQVW 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:

Card Stock A4 Crisp Cantaloupe	Card Stock A4 Pistachio Pudding	Envelope Punch Board
Gold Soiree Specialty Designer Series Paper	Regals Designer Series Paper Stack	Rich Razzleberry A4 Card Stock

My all-time favourite product in there, the Envelope Punch Board - an absolute bargain at only £13.46 - and also some great offers on paper. I used the Gold Soiree paper on the card I shared on Monday - see it here - and you can stock up on A4 cardstock in two of the soon-to-be-retiring 2013-15 In-colours. Cardstock, along with markers, ink pads and re-inkers in Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe, Strawberry Slush, Coastal Cabana and Baked Brown Sugar are all set to leave us at the end of May and are usually the first things to run out when the list of retiring products from the current catalogue are announced, so if these colours are favourites of yours, stock up now before it's too late.  

This is the last opportunity you will have this year to place an order where your Weekly Deals purchases can go towards earning a free Sale-A-Bration product with a spend of £45. There are a whole host of catalogue and exclusive products that you can receive free with a £45 order - see them all on the links in the side bar on the right hand side.

Here is a card I made with one of the free Sale-A-Bration stamp sets, called 'A Happy Thing':

This is a card I made a few weeks ago and haven't yet shared with you, which in addition to the lemon stamp also features one of the patterns in the Best Year Ever DSP pack, another exclusive Sale-A-Bration item. If these or any other Sale-A-Bration items are on your wish list, you have only 7 more days to acquire them. So what are you waiting for? I'll be back tomorrow with a card for this week's new challenge over at Create With Connie and Marie. Until then, happy shopping!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

A Happy Thing Clear Stamp Set	Best Year Ever Designer Series Paper	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Ovals Collection Framelits Dies	Whisper White A4 Card Stock
Daffodil Delight A4 Card Stock	Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad	Wild Wasabi A4 Card Stock	Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pad	Blender Pens

I have a quick card to share with you today that I made using the birthday stamp from the 'Oh My Goodies' stamp set:

I used last week's Pals Paper Arts sketch for my layout and took the opportunity to use up some retired Quatrefancy Specialty DSP and my Mosaic embossing folder to echo the pattern on the stamped panel. I cut out the stamped panel and a background layer using the Deco Label framelits, which co-ordinate perfectly with this stamp set. I also stamped the sentiment again in Pumpkin Pie and cut it out and adhered it across the centre, placing a same colour circle behind to add definition.

This is a great birthday card that would work for a male or female and will make a useful addition to my birthday card stash.

Back tomorrow with this week's Wednesday Weekly Deals and another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Oh My Goodies Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Deco Labels Collection Framelits Dies	Modern Mosaic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Circles Collection Framelits Dies	Island Indigo Classic Stampin' Pad
Island Indigo A4 Card Stock	Pumpkin Pie Classic Stampin' Pad	Pumpkin Pie A4 Card Stock	Pool Party A4 Card Stock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock

I'm starting my week nice and early with today's post which is a card for this week's challenge over at Freshly Made Sketches:

I decided to stay true to the sketch with my clean and graphic card:

I chose Pistachio Pudding for my base then layered this with a piece of Whisper White down the centre of my card followed by a feature piece of DSP, this time the Gold Soiree Specialty DSP, as the circle pattern echoed my chosen focal point. I stamped the 'Thanks So Much' stamp from the #hello set in Versamark and heat embossed in gold then punched out with my 2" circle punch. I layered this onto a banner of gold foil and popped the whole piece up on dimensionals for added lift. 

This card is conveniently post-friendly and will be heading out to one of my most recent online customers this week to thank them for supporting my Stampin' Up! business. If you would like to receive a card just like this one, all you have to do is place an order in my online store this month and ensure your contact preferences are set to 'contact' and one will be on its way. 

Today is the first day of the Easter holidays for the James Juniors, but for me there is no rest: I am hosting a children's craft class where we are masking Easter treats. I will be sharing photos over on my Facebook page if I remember to take pictures as we go along and will share the projects later in the week. Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

(Hashtag) Hello Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Gold Soiree Specialty Designer Series Paper	Card Stock A4 Pistachio Pudding	Gold Foil Sheets	Whisper White A4 Card Stock
Embossing Buddy	Versamark Pad	Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder	Heat Tool - Uk Plug	2" Circle Punch
Hexagon Punch

This is my second post today - you can see my Paper Players card here - as this should have been yesterday's card, but I was just too tired to type it up last night. I've been so busy and since I did not manage to get ahead of myself this week, tiredness won. Anyway, this is a card that I made for this week's Mojo Monday challenge and the current challenge over at The Card Concept:

I love those swirled cupcakes and couldn't resist creating something pink and a similarly swirled cupcake using the Mojo sketch - here is my clean and layered card:

I used a couple of retired products on my card - some Pretty in Pink cardstock for my base, to tone down the Melon Mambo and the ribbon (it reminded me of the cupcake swirl). On a mat of Melon Mambo, I used Whisper White on the upper portion and a piece of pink ombre Sweet Taffy DSP on the lower portion (even the pattern reminded me of cupcakes!) and I covered the join with my retired melon Mambo ribbon. I stamped my sentiment from 'Something to Say' in Melon Mambo, and decided a stamped and punched cupcake was the perfect embellishment. I stamped the cupcake case in Melon Mambo on Whisper White and coloured the frosting stamp with my Pink Pirouette, Strawberry Slush and Melon Mambo markers before stamping to achieve the swirl effect. Both pieces were punched out using the Cupcake Builder punch. I decided to add a little bling to my cupcake with a trio of in-colour sequins in Strawberry Slush and added a single star in the same colour to the sentiment panel to even things up.

So a very pink card with a suitably pink and swirly cupcake - good enough to eat! I haven't used this punch or stamp set in ages and I like the inspiration photo so much, I might just have to have another go at this challenge but in a different style; watch this space!

Back tomorrow with an altogether more clean and graphic card. until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Cupcake Party Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Cupcake Punch	Something To Say Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad	Melon Mambo A4 Card Stock
Sweet Taffy Designer Series Paper	2013-2015 In Color Sequin Assortment	Whisper White A4 Card Stock

It's Sunday and time for a new challenge over at The Paper Players. There were some great CAS florals last week and this week we have my favourite kind of challenge. My good friend and talented team member LeAnne has a great sketch challenge for us:

I decided this sketch would be great for a DSP showcase, so today I have a very bright and colourful card to share with you:

I covered my entire card front with a piece of one of the 'busy' patterns from the Flowerpot DSP pack then used a piece of vellum to tone down the pattern so that my 'thanks' die cut in Night of Navy would still stand out against the pattern. I wrapped a piece of Tangerine Tango around the vellum in a bow before adhering it to my card base, using glue dots where they are covered by other elements so that they don't show through. I added the second part of my sentiment from the 'Crazy About You' stamp set and layered over my banner trio, punched out of colours I had picked up from the pattern using my banner punch. Lastly, I finished with a bold orange flower finished with a candy dot.

This card has such a clash of bright and bold colours and yet I think they work with the sketch beautifully. There are some great cards from the Design Team this week, all of whom have interpreted the sketch in interesting ways. Do pop by their blogs and take a look:

I look forward to seeing your takes on this week's sketch in our gallery this week. 

No lie in for me as I am off for an early morning of hockey as today is tournament day and then hopefully home again to dinner cooked by the men in our house - this is becoming something of a habit! Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Crazy About You Photopolymer Bundle	Flower Pot Designer Series Paper	White Vellum A4 Card Stock	Tangerine Tango Classic Stampin' Pad	Regals Candy Dots
Night Of Navy Classic Stampin' Pad	Night Of Navy A4 Card Stock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Daffodil Delight A4 Card Stock	Card Stock A4 Blushing Bride
Banner Punch	1-3/4 Inch Scallop Circle Punch

It's time for a new Thursday challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary and this week we have a great sketch challenge for you:

I decided to turn the sketch through 180 degrees for my card - here's what I came up with:

That circle was just asking to be made into a balloon, don't you think? I used a piece of Tangelo Twist for my base, matted with a piece of Night of Navy and a piece of the lovely Balloon Bash DSP - the gold foil balloons in the pattern looked like the little dots on the sketch I thought. I stamped my balloon in Night of Navy on Whisper White and heat-embossed the 'birthday' in gold, cutting out using the co-ordinating framelits, adding a small gold foil bow and a string of gold sequins to finish it off and popping it up on dimensionals.

Such a simple card, yet the DSP really shines and the touches of gold make this card really special. Do check out how the rest of the Design Team have interpreted the sketch - there's some great inspiration to be found!

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

Today I'm sharing a card that I'm entering in a couple of challenges:

I'm not normally one for such pastel colours unless it's a baby card, however I thought I would combine this week's colour palette over at Pals Paper Arts with the great sketch over at CAS(E) This Sketch this week and create a card suitable for a wedding or engagement. Take a look:

I decided to feature the Congratulations sentiment from 'Your Perfect Day' as the centrepiece for my card, adorned with a couple of the floral flourishes from the 'Flowering Flourishes' set in each corner. I turned the sketch on its side as I needed my card to be landscape in order to fit my sentiment on. I stamped the sentiment in Soft Sky and coloured the flourishes with my Stampin' Write markers in each of the challenge colours, adding a few tiny pearls to the flower stamens. I used a piece of Soft Sky for my mat and stamped the whole card on Whisper White; this card looks more vibrant in real life - I find predominantly white cards so tricky to photograph. 

Short and sweet from me today - lots to do before attending an Easter Concert this afternoon where both James Juniors are singing and performing piano recitals. I will be back shortly with news of some additional Sale-A-Bration items that will be available free with a £45 spend until the end of the month. until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Your Perfect Day Photopolymer Stamp Set	Flowering Flourishes Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Soft Sky Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Soft Sky	Whisper White A4 Card Stock
Subtles Stampin' Write Markers	2013-2015 In Color Stampin' Write Markers	Basic Pearls Jewel Accents	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

It's Sunday - my favourite day of the week! Why? Well, I usually get a cup of tea in bed before I start my day (and I definitely will today, as it's Mother's Day here in the UK) and it's time for our new challenge over at The Paper Players. This week the hugely talented Ann has a great clean and simple challenge for us:

I love CAS cards and decided that this week's challenge was the perfect opportunity to use my Lotus Blossom stamp that I received during the current Sale-A-Bration promotion. I also paired it with the colours over at Color Throwdown this week as I just love the purples and green of the inspiration photo - here is my card:

This set has been the most popular of all the Sale-A-Bration promotional items that you can receive free with a £45 spend amongst my customers and whilst I've used mine to demonstrate how to stamp the flower to my customers on a number of occasions, this is the first time I've actually used it to make a card - shocking! It's a great flower and perfect for CAS cards. I stamped the sentiment and my first image of the flower in Elegant Eggplant and the same for the second one, having stamped off first. I then stamped the third solid image in Perfect Plum. I used Old Olive for my stem and then stamped the first image again in Versamark, and overstamped the sentiment in Versamark too and heat embossed both of them in clear embossing powder. Try as I might I couldn't get it to show up in the photo, but this does look lovely in real life with a lovely glossy sheen and it adds a little texture to the flower. I matted my stamped panel on a piece of Elegant Eggplant cardstock and a Whisper White base, which really allows my blossom to take centre stage. To finish, I added a trio of pearls that I coloured with the darkest of my Wisteria Wonder Blendabilities (I'm not ready to part with these just yet, even though they are sadly no longer available). If the Lotus Blossom stamp is still on your wish list, you have until the end of March to receive it free with a £45 spend - 16 days left, so don't leave it too late. 

There are a whole host of amazing floral CAS cards from the Design Team this week; do pop by their blogs and take a look:

I look forward to seeing your floral CAS creations in our gallery this week. 

I am off for a morning of hockey and then hopefully home to roast dinner cooked by the men in our house! Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Lotus Blossom Photopolymer Stamp Set	Elegant Eggplant Classic Stampin' Pad	Perfect Plum Classic Stampin' Pad	Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad	Elegant Eggplant A4 Card Stock
Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Versamark Pad	Embossing Buddy	Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder	Heat Tool - Uk Plug
Basic Pearls Jewel Accents

It's the weekend but no signs of my week slowing down yet! I had a great Stampin' Up! party hosted by the lovely Lucy yesterday and today we visited a science fair and Ben played basketball on his school team at the county quarter finals this evening. So just time for a quick post with a card I made for this week's Mojo Monday challenge: 

This is the first sketch designed by Wanda Cullen and I think it's great (go Wanda!) I decided it was the perfect layout for me to cut into one of my favourite pieces of paper in my Painted Blooms DSP pack - here is my card: 

I used Soft Sky for my base and matted my paper on a piece of Blackberry Bliss to give a thin border, then layered a paper pierced circle, a piece of Blackberry Bliss satin ribbon and my layered sentiment circle, where I over-stamped the tulips with my thank you, before finally adding my Crushed Curry thinlit butterfly. I just love the detail of the sentiment and the dramatic bright yellow butterfly on this card - here's a close up: 

Love it! That's all from me today; back tomorrow with this week's card for our new challenge over at The Paper Players. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Painted Blooms Designer Series Paper	Painted Petals Clear Stamp Set	Butterflies Thinlits Dies	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Big Shot Magnetic Platform
Circles Collection Framelits Dies	Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack	Paper-Piercing Tool	1-3/4 Inch Circle Punch	Blackberry Bliss Classic Stampin' Pad
Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pad	Rose Red Classic Stampin' Pad