Today I have my card for the new challenge over at Festive Friday Card Making and Paper Crafting Challenge. 

The challenge that we are celebrating this week is 'National Smile Day' which is on 31st May. Remember the fun thing is that at Festive Friday you do not need to actually celebrate the occasion; your goal is to simply use three or more items from the inspiration list on your project. This week I used yellow, joke and pop-up/surprise element and this is what I came up with:

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

Silly Goose - With two children taking major exams this year, there will (hopefully!) be the need for lots of congratulations cards, so I thought I'd use today's challenge to get started! This stamp from the 'Silly Goose' stamp set, with its punny joke 'goosebumps' play-on-words, is perfect for the youngest of the James Juniors, who is a master of the fist-bump and will definitely appreciate the sentiment! I went for a simple stamped image, backed with some retired Sunshine & Rainbows spots and stripes designer paper to add a subtle pop of colour (which also enables me to play along with the team over at Color Dare for their rainbow challenge):

Easiest Ever Pop-Up Surprise - I decided I would create a fun little pop-up surprise inside my card, featuring the banner-carrying duck that is another of the stamps in the 'Silly Goose' set:

 This style of pop-up is so easy to make: I just found the centre of my card fold, then cut two lines measuring 4cm long either side of the mid-point, 1.5cm apart. This section then folds the opposite way to the card fold and your image, in this case the stamped, fussy cut goose, can be attached to the lower portion so he stands up when the card is opened.

Customise Your Sentiment - The eagle-eyed amongst you will notice that the message on the original stamped image is 'thanks' but mine says 'woo hoo', which was more appropriate for a congratulations card. I simply masked out the original words before stamping the image on Pool Party cardstock, then stamped in my alternative greeting from the 'Charming Sentiments' set and fussy cut the banner before attaching to another image stamped on white cardstock. You can see it more closely below: 

This card is so fun - and so easy to make too! I'm sure there are lots of other stamped images you could use in this way - feel free to share your ideas in the comments section below.

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. 

How does our board inspire you? I can’t wait to see what YOU create! For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the Festive Friday Card Making and Paper Crafting Challenge Design team:

I have a busy day planned but the most significant aspect has to be that it is the last day of school for the oldest of the James Juniors - it is officially the end of an era! Where did that time go?! Enjoy your day and I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

SILLY GOOSE PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (24.00)	CHARMING SENTIMENTS PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (22.00)	BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (10.00)	TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (6.25)	DAFFODIL DELIGHT STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (9.50)	GRAY GRANITE STAMPIN' BLENDS COMBO PACK (9.50)
MISTY MOONLIGHT A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)	MISTY MOONLIGHT CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)	POOL PARTY A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)

It's Thursday and time for a new challenge over at TicTacToe! It's the turn of Team X to host this week and the lovely Felicita is our featured designer. This is the fun board that we are playing along with: 

I was a little stuck for current sets that fit the bill so decided to dig into my recently retired stash and use up some of my designer series paper. I decided to go across the top row of the board with masculine, diecut and beer or drink and this is what I came up with, using the current sketch over at Sunday Stamps for my layout:

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

I used two panels of retired He's The Man designer series paper, rotating the pattern on the smaller one to follow the same diagonal lines as the base one (rather than the horizontal/vertical), added a banner of Mango Melody to pick up on the yellow in the diecut that I used as my focal point. This diecut was one on a pre-printed sheet in the paper pack, and I backed it with a scalloped diecut circle in Sahara Sand to neaten the edge:

I added a trio of Mango Melody resin dots to complete the front of my card and added the only stamping with a sentiment from the current 'Charming Sentiments' stamp set to the inside to finish my card:

No visual summary of the key products used on today's project or supplies list as almost everything I used on today's card - except for the Early Espresso ink and cardstock and the stamp set I used inside - is retired. I hope that it inspires you regardless to keep creating with your retired product or gives you an idea of how you can adapt it to work with the new.

A tictactoe board offers so many creative possibilities - how does this week's board inspire you? Why not have a go? We would love to see you in the gallery and who knows - you might be selected for Designer's Choice and be eligible to be a guest designer on a future challenge. 

Enjoy your day; I am heading out to a champagne reception this evening to celebrate the eldest of the James Juniors final formal week of school - something of a milestone! I'll be back tomorrow with another project for the new challenge over at Festive Friday. Until then, happy stampin'!

Today I'm sharing a card that I made for this week's Just Us Girls Challenge - I may no longer be guest designer, but who can resist playing along with this fresh colour combo of pink and yellow that Nancy chose this week? Not me (waves excitedly to all my new JUGS friends!) I used the sketch over at Hand Stamped Sentiments for my layout and having chosen two new pastel shades for my florals I am also linking up with the current Flower Challenge:

To my card! Lots of new things on today's card - take a look:

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

Another Cheerful Daisies card - I am loving exploring the ways that these stamps and dies can be used together. For today's card I didn't stamp the daisies, instead opting to diecut them in 3 layers: the middle layer is the trio of daisies stuck together (leaves snipped away), which I inked with Lemon Lolly in the centres and Bubble Bath on the petal edges, the base layer consists of the three individual outlines in Basic White and adhered behind the middle layer, and this is finished with a top layer of individual pieces cut from vellum. By using all three layers, it creates a beautiful dimensional daisy - add in some texture from some diecut fronds, leaves and a scrap embossed with the timber embossing folder, along with a trio of Lemon Lolly faceted gems and you have a visual feast! 

A stitched square for the diamond, along with a sentiment on the diecut label that comes with the Cheerful Daisies Dies completes my card. This sentiment isn't supposed to fit the label, since it's the wrong shape, however given that I wanted to tuck my label into my arrangement and needed a blank portion, it worked perfectly. I adore this duet of new colours that joined the Subtles family following the colour refresh, so much so I even stamped my sentiment in Bubble Bath pink - I just didn't want black to intrude onto my otherwise wholly pastel 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. 

I am not generally a big fan of pastels, but I must say these two new colours are delightful additions to the Subtles family and I know I'll be using them lots more! Do you have a favourite colour family? Do leave me a comment below - I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Enjoy your day and I'll be back shortly with a quick post for this week's TicTacToe Challenge. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

CHEERFUL DAISIES BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (50.25)	ADHESIVE-BACKED SOLID GEMS (7.50)	LEMON LOLLY A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)	LEMON LOLLY CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)	BUBBLE BATH A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)	BUBBLE BATH CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)
BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (10.00)	TIMBER 3D EMBOSSING FOLDER (10.25)	STYLISH SHAPES DIES (28.00)	VELLUM A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)	BLENDING BRUSHES (13.00)

Today I'm sharing a card for the current CAS on Friday Challenge with the theme of 'New Home' that was inspired by the photo over at Inspired By that you can see below:

I was delighted that this card was chosen as the winner of the last Inspired By challenge and I just had to play along again this week. Aren't those stacking elephants cute?! Now you might be thinking how did the photo inspire today's card to welcome someone to their new home - with not an elephant in sight! Well take a look at my card and I'll explain all - here it is:

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

Ringed With Nature - The sweet little house from the 'Ringed With Nature' stamp set is perfect for a new home card, so I knew I wanted to make this my focal point. The neutral colours of the Inspired By photo were perfectly suited to my house and I liked the idea of blocks of colour. Whilst my blocks of colour are represented by the individual elements of my design - Very Vanilla card base, Basic Grey roof, Crumb Cake walls and Petal Pink heart - rather than elephants, the inspiration is there. In addition to a scored frame, I diecut my heart before adding to my house using one of the Give It A Whirl Dies for a little extra detail:

Sweet Songbirds and Home Life - Both of the sentiments on my set come from other sets, as there isn't one in 'Ringed With Nature' that's suitable. My tiny 'Welcome' is from 'Sweet Songbirds' and the greeting on the inside is from a long-retired set called Home Life (with the stamped heart from Ringed With Nature):

Songbirds Of A Different Kind - I have been having a conversation with one of my Paper Player teamies, the lovely LeAnne, this week about feathered friends of a different kind. LeAnne has many beautiful birds visit her garden feeders all year round (check out her blog here if you're interested - I've linked to Sunday's Paper Players post as it has some fab bird photos!) and I was sharing with her the latest developments on the blue tit family that hatched in one of my birdboxes last week. For any of my international readers who would like to know more about this very British bird, you can read about them here. I have two blue tit boxes on the side of my house that are fitted with cameras, so I am able to see everything that is going on inside them without disturbing the occupants. The current nest was home to 10 birds, although I am currently only counting 8 chicks (it's not unusual to lose one or two within the first few days, as the strongest babies win the battle for food). It's now a week since the eggs hatched and whilst the chicks are still tiny and quite ugly, their wings are starting to develop today and they are growing fast. As a treat for LeAnne, I thought I would upload a couple of short video clips of the activity today; in the clips below you can see both the male and female flying back and fore (the entry to the bird house is at the bottom of the screen), feeding and sitting on the nest. The second, shorter clip shows more of the colouring on the adult bird. Please bear in mind I recorded this video of the tv on my phone, so it's basic at best - the nest is right at the very back of the nesting box, so the video camera does lose a little of the detail at the top of the screen. That said - enjoy!

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; mine has felt a little short as my afternoon school run was brought forward, on account of the youngest of the James Juniors having had two exams today and as such finishing earlier. We are officially one subject down - just 9 more to go!! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

RINGED WITH NATURE PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (22.00)	VERY VANILLA A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.50)	BASIC GRAY CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)	CRUMB CAKE CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)	PETAL PINK A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)	GIVE IT A WHIRL DIES (37.00)
SWEET SONGBIRDS PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (18.00)

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 a fun theme challenge for us to work with:

Claire took her 'rainy days' theme from the saying "April showers bring May flowers"; well here in the UK we have a bank holiday weekend to celebrate the King's Coronation and those showers are continuing with a vengeance, so this theme is perfectly appropriate. I decided to create a fun interactive card using some neglected dies and take the opportunity to use up some of my Rain or Shine designer paper from the Spring mini catalogue too - take a look:

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

I added some of the paper with shiny embossed raindrops to the base of my cardfront and onto a second piece that I diecut with the front plate of the Give It A Whirl Dies, the added a trio of animals snipped from one of the designer paper sheets to the wheel before attaching together with a small brad and adding a sentiment from the Playing In The Rain stamp set and a fox that I diecut from the paper too. The window is cut to the left of the fox so that his friend is revealed:

By rotating the wheel in the direction of the arrow just to the right of the fox's tail, a new friend appears. Here's the second rotation, featuring a pig:

 Finally the third rotation features the turtle, complete with his umbrella too: 

I decorated the inside of my card with some puddles and raindrops to complete my 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 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 a quiet day with nothing much planned. GCSEs have already begun and will soon be followed by A Levels, so the James Juniors are busy studying. Perhaps I'll grab an umbrella and go jump in the puddles - there are many! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

PLAYING IN THE RAIN DIES (33.00)

PLAYING IN THE RAIN CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (25.00)

GIVE IT A WHIRL DIES (37.00)

BALMY BLUE A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)

BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (10.00)

TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (6.25)

Today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where it's time for a timely 'fill in the blank' challenge chosen by me:

It's always fun to be able to play with new craft goodies so this week's challenge gives everyone the chance to do just that! With the launch of the Stampin' up! 2023 Annual Catalogue this week, I have lots of new goodies; I chose to play with my Cheerful Daisies bundle and the new 2023-25 In Colours for my card today - take a look:

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

I still had my Alphabet A La Mode Dies out on my desk still from the cards I made last week so I decided to play with one of my favourite sentiments in the Cheerful Daisies bundle and combine the two. I added a panel of in colour designer paper and diecut the letters to the word 'daisy' and fussy cut 'Oops-a-' from the stamped one and mashed them together, decorating with a stamped and diecut daisy, some foliage and a trio of in colour gems to finish:

I finished the inside with one of the other stamps in the set and another masked sentiment:

The card above features the new in colour Wild Wheat, but I also made one in each of the other in colours too - Pecan Pie, Boho Blue, Moody Mauve and Pebbled Path:

What do you think? Do you have a favourite of the in colours yet? Do leave me a comment below - I'd love to hear your thoughts!

I'm linking today's card collection up with the team over at The Paper Craft Crew who are featuring the new 2023-25 in colours this week.

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.
• In a Fill in the Blank challenge, complete the sentence in the Challenge Banner with the phrase that is true for you and create your project using the words you used. Tell us what you said in your blog or on your site.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

CHEERFUL DAISIES BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (50.25)	2023–2025 IN COLOR A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)	2023–2025 IN COLOR CLASSIC STAMPIN' PADS (38.25)	2023–2025 IN COLOR 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (11.75)	2023–2025 IN COLOR™ DOTS (7.50)	ALPHABET À LA MODE DIES (40.00)
BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (10.00)	TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (6.25)	BASIC BLACK A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)

It's Tuesday and time for a new challenge over at CAS Colours & Sketches. The super-talented Cecile is hosting this month and our first challenge is a colour challenge: 

I love Cecile's colour choices this week and since today is the official launch of the new annual catalogue, it seemed only right that my card features some new product! I took some inspiration from the sketch over at Inspired By (flipped as I need the boxes to be the other way around to suit my sentiment) and the idea of decorated boxes - although instead of white flowers on coloured boxes, I used my 'boxes' to house my sentiments and accented with coloured foliage - take a look:

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

My card features a new bundle called 'Timeless Arrangements' - a lovely set that allows you to build sentiments in one, two or three phrases and decorate them. The die set is truly fabulous - a set of labels with a pretty stitched detail and a selection of dies that both cut out some of the stamped images, and also contain some foliage on horizontal bands, that act as a guide to enable you to align them both with each other for layering and behind the sentiment label perfectly:

I used two sentiments on the front of my card and carried the detail to the inside of my card with a third sentiment and a little extra background stamping too:

This card is for all of you reading this that continue to support my Stampin' Up! business by shopping with me in person and in my online store and comment both here and elsewhere on my social media channels. It means a lot, so a big thank you to you all from the bottom of my heart!

I really love this bundle and know I am going to get so much use out of it, so be prepared to see lots more it over the next 12 months!

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 later this week with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

TIMELESS ARRANGEMENTS BUNDLE (ENGLISH) (51.25)

FLIRTY FLAMINGO A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)

NIGHT OF NAVY A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)

POOL PARTY A4 CARDSTOCK (9.50)

NIGHT OF NAVY CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (8.50)

The wait is over - it's May 2nd and the new 2023-24 Stampin' Up! Annual Catalogue is here! You will find a permanent link to the new catalogue on the right hand side of my blog but for today you need look no further than the picture below which will take you straight to the new catalogue: 

The new catalogue is fantastic, with so many great new products to choose from. I've sent paper copies to everyone who has shopped regularly with me in the last 12 months; if you live in the UK, don't have a paper copy of the catalogue but would like one, then do get in touch and I can arrange to send one to you. A digital copy of the new catalogue can be accessed via the image above and it will be permanently linked via my blog on the right hand side if you don’t have a paper copy and wish to browse. If you've already made your shopping list and just want to go straight to the shop to place your order, click here - ordering systems have now fully transitioned from the old stock items to the new so you are good to go! Also, remember to add the current hostess code for May 7DXKGX9G if your order is less than £150 and ensure your preferences are set to 'contactable' to receive a thank you in the post from me.

What will be first on your list - in colours? New or returning colour favourites? A new stamp set, dies or bundle maybe? I'll be sharing my favourites in the coming weeks.

There is also a new kit launched in the online store today: The Confetti Birthday Kit, the newest addition to the Kits Collection by Stampin’ Up!, comes with everything you need to quickly create confetti shaker cards—a total of 9 cards in 3 lively designs. Celebrate in style with bright, bold colours, confetti, and birthday greetings full of joy!

Here's a link to the unboxing video that shows the kit in more detail:

That's a lot of information for one post; if I were you I would put the kettle on, put your feet up and get comfy and settle down with your new catalogue for a browse and start creating that all-important wish list!

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

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 since it is the fifth Sunday of the month we have a tic tac toe challenge to work with:

I went bottom left to top right diagonal with sparkle, diecut and embossing (dry) and it just so happens that my card also fits the right hand coloumn of embossing(dry), patterned paper and birthday to create the easiest ever number birthday card - take a look:

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

Do you ever need a number card to celebrate a special birthday? I have so many friends and family celebrating milestone birthdays this year that I find myself making lots of this type of card - and I think this must be my most straightforward, easiest yet!

I embossed a panel of Pacific Point cardstock with the birthday embossing folder, then backed this with some (retired gold glimmer paper, having first cut my number 21 out of the centre. I then added a trio of Pacific Point Brights designer paper banners to my card base followed by my rectangle, before finishing with my sparkly number 21 popped up on foam adhesive sheet and a couple of brushed gold metallic dots: 

Not only was this card really quick to make, but this layout would work in any colour, with any co-ordinating patterned paper and glimmer - perfect, I'm off to make a whole bunch more!

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. 

Today's card is also my second entry over at Just Add Ink this week and uses the Try Stamping on Tuesday sketch.

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

Enjoy your day; nothing much happening here today, although it is lovely to know that it's a Bank Holiday weekend - an extra day off is always welcome! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

ALPHABET À LA MODE DIES (40.00)

LET'S CELEBRATE EMBOSSING FOLDERS (7.50)

BRIGHTS 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 CM) DESIGNER SERIES PAPER (7.87)

PACIFIC POINT A4 CARDSTOCK (7.00)

STITCHED RECTANGLE DIES (26.40)

BRUSHED METALLIC ADHESIVE BACKED DOTS (8.50)

Today I'm sharing my final card for my Guest Designer spot over at Just Us Girls. I will be so sad to leave - I've had such a great month crafting alongside these lovely ladies, but I'm sure they have someone wonderful lined up to take over next month. For my final card we have a super fun challenge - CASE a design Team Member:

Now I could have created absolutely anything for my final card this week - but I thought it would be fun if I CASEd one of the Just Us Girls Design Team Members! And it just so happened that I saw this card by the lovely Carol McFarland a week or so ago and actually commented on her socials that I wanted to CASE this card, so I thought today that I would! This is my version - take a look:

 Here's the low-down on today's card:

Whilst I love to colour, I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, so I love exploring alternative ways to add colour to line art images. I took an alternative approach to colouring this rose the last time I used it - you can see that card here. This card gave me another final opportunity to use the Cottage Rose stamp before it retires and also to have some fun with the new 2023-25 In Colours too. I stamped the main rose image around the edge of a piece of Whisper White, then masked off two 'stripes' in turn and blended some Moody Mauve ink first from one edge, then the other. I added a sentiment from the same set and two addition uncoloured diecut roses on dimensionals:

A trio of In Color Dots and black enamel dots complete my card front. I added a little extra detail to the inside of my card too:

I like this card so much, I think I'm going to make 4 more versions in each of the other new in-colours too. CASEing someone else's card can be so much fun - whether you are inspired by the images, colours, layout or technique, there is so much to choose from! I'm looking forward to seeing how everyone is inspired by the JUGS Design Team cards this week and thank you to Carol for inspiring mine! A final thank you too to all the lovely JUGS ladies for their cameraderie this month - you will undoubtedly see me back in the gallery 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 'How To' summaries on my 'How To - Tips and Techniques' Pinterest board in case you've missed any. 

Enjoy your day; I'm off to the hockey pitch this afternoon and looking forward to a long Bank Holiday weekend here in the UK, even if that means it will probably rain!! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

COTTAGE ROSE CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (19.20)

COTTAGE FLOWERS DIES (22.40)

BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (9.75)

TUXEDO BLACK MEMENTO INK PAD (5.75)

BLENDING BRUSHES (11.75)

MATTE BLACK DOTS (4.05)