Today I'm sharing a card that uses this week's sketch over at Just Add Ink and is super clean and simple and also plays to CAS on Friday's current nature theme:

I unfortunately need a sympathy card this week and as I still had the Frames & Flowers papers on my desk from making yesterday's card, it occurred to me that one of the partial wreath diecuts with its simple string of leaves would fit the sketch perfectly:

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

I added my sentiment from the Country Flowers stamp set in Pretty Peacock and added a trio of co-ordinating enamel dots to a Granny Apple Green cardbase:

The leaves in the wreath co-ordinate with a wide range of colours and I chose Granny Apple Green as opposed to Lost Lagoon which has been my 'go to' with these papers up to now, as I wanted something brighter and more uplifting and I really like the effect. The Frames & Flowers papers really do make light work of clean and simple card designs - I love them!

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:

COUNTRY FLOWERS PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (23.00)

GRANNY APPLE GREEN A4 CARDSTOCK (10.75)

PRETTY PEACOCK CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)

BASIC WHITE A4 CARDSTOCK (13.00)

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

I wrestled with this sketch for a while, as I couldn't decide how best to make a feature of the frame - and then I remembered my Frames & Flowers designer papers, and problem solved - my card came together in no time! Take a look at what I came up with:

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

I did take a little liberty with Ann's sketch, in as much as I flipped the layers as I wanted my frame to be the top layer so that the diecut leaf detail was visible. I extended the mat layer and Old Olive strip beyond the frame, the placed my sentiment and diecut circle on top of that:

I went for a simple thank you sentiment from the 'Spotlight on Nature' stamp set onto a pretty circle cut using one of the co-ordinating dies. These circle dies are so useful and all of them have beautiful diecut border details. If you don't have this bundle, it's one well worth adding to your collection this month whilst there's an extra 10% off bundles. A few sequins and a twine bow 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; I am taking the youngest of the James Juniors to Silverstone racetrack today for a driving course for young learners run by our local police force - should be fun! I'll be back tomorrow with another project. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used: 

SPOTLIGHT ON NATURE BUNDLE (44.00)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (10.50)

EARLY ESPRESSO CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)

NEUTRALS ADHESIVE-BACKED SEQUINS (7.00)

OLD OLIVE A4 CARDSTOCK (10.75)

Today I'm sharing my design team card for our new challenge over at As you See It where it's time for our speed stamping challenge - and I chose the theme:

Thank you cards! I use thank you cards more than any other kind of card and it's good to have some speedy designs on hand. I was actually a little short on crafty time this week so speed stamping week couldn't have come at a better time! I knew exactly where I was headed for my quick card - take a look at what I came up with and then I'll fill you in on the details:

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

Ready, Set ... - As we always say with a speed challenge, preparation is key. Think about your design and gather your supplies before the timer starts - this will make for a quicker execution. Mount your stamps, open your ink pads and you will be ready to start with the stopwatch. Here are all my supplies, in addition to my Tombo glue and trimmer, which is just out of view:

For a really quick card think about shortcuts - my shortcut on today's card is the Frames & Flowers designer series paper. The precut die-cut designs in the pack are a huge timesaver - a ready made decoration. I chose a sheet of patterned paper for my background, then one of the co-ordinating large foliage diecuts that had space for a printed sentiment.

Go! - Now to the timed action! I took my card base and added a pieces of designer series paper to the front of it. I then stamped the word 'thanks' in Pretty Peacock across the centre of the diecut (I used the retired 'Biggest Wish' stamp set but I've included a shop link below to a current one that would make a great alternative) the added this to the centre of my card base, using dimensionals:

I finished with a selection of co-ordinating gems to finish my card.

Result - That's all there is to it - a great #simplestamping card where the designer paper definitely takes the strain! How long did it take to make this card? 

Just 2 minutes and 42 seconds - at that speed, you could even make multiples in the space of 10 minutes! The Frames & Flowers papers really are fabulous and great for all kinds of speedy cards; at £9.50 for a pack, they're super reasonable 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. 

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 speed stamping challenge, please time yourself and say in your post how long your card took to complete. 

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Shop link to the Frames & Flowers 12" x 12" Designer Series Paper £9.50: click here

PRETTY PEACOCK CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (10.50)

MY SMALL BUSINESS PHOTOPOLYMER STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (18.00)

PETAL PINK & PRETTY PEACOCK FOILED GEMS (7.50)

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:

SOMETHING FANCY CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (22.00)

BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (10.50)

PRETTY PEACOCK A4 CARDSTOCK (10.75)

PRETTY PEACOCK CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)

BRUSHED BRASS BUTTERFLIES (9.50)

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:

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: 

SOMETHING FANCY CLING STAMP SET (ENGLISH) (22.00)	SOFT SEA FOAM A4 CARDSTOCK (10.75)	PETAL PINK A4 CARDSTOCK (10.75)	PRETTY PEACOCK A4 CARDSTOCK (10.75)	BASIC WHITE A4 THICK CARDSTOCK (10.50)	EARLY ESPRESSO CLASSIC STAMPIN' PAD (8.50)
FACETED GEMS TRIO PACK (7.00)