This week is a busy week for me, with a couple of classes and lots more going on. I held my first class of the week today and we had a lot of fun making cards using all of the items that can be yours free with a £45 spend during Sale-A-Bration. I'll share some of these cards with you later in the week (I don't want to spoil things for those ladies that haven't made them yet!) but today I wanted to share a short video tutorial for the first of the projects I've made using the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch. The Scalloped Tag Topper Punch is new in the Spring-Summer seasonal catalogue and, along with its neighbour the Angled Tag Topper Punch, can be used to make easy gift tags and bookmarks in one simple step, as the top is shaped and the hole punched for you in one easy movement. It is an incredibly versatile punch and can be used to create lots more besides.

I have filmed a series of tutorials that show the versatility of these punches and the first of these shows you how to make a basic treat holder. Here are some of the ones I created:

These were for my children as an after-school treat (they always complain I never greet them with sweets at the school gate, so this made a nice change!) and then I also created this more grown-up version:

I think these would make such lovely wedding favours and are so easy to make you could easily put together large quantities with minimal effort. I was inspired by these treat holders made by Mary Fish and adapted mine to suit the chocolate supplies on hand! Also, I have included both metric and imperial measurements in my tutorial, so you can create this treat holder with ease, whichever method you prefer.

So here's the first in my series of Scalloped Tag Topper Punch video tutorials - enjoy!

I hope you found my video useful; if you would like to purchase any of the items featured, please click on the links below and hop on over to my online store or give me a call if you're local to me and would like to save on postage costs. Back soon with news of some product shares that I've put together for those of you who have now had time to browse the new Spring-Summer catalogue and would like a little bit of everything! Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Scalloped Tag Topper Punch	Cool Kid	Perfect Pennants	Gold Baker's Twine	Whisper White A4 Card Stock
Bermuda Bay Classic Stampin' Pad	Daffodil Delight Classic Stampin' Pad	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad	Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad	Card Stock A4 Blushing Bride
Gold Metallic Encore Pad

Good evening lovely blog readers! A super weekend has been had by all in the James household: lots of swimming and crafting in preparation for this week's classes featuring the lovely Sale-A-Bration goodies. Today's card is one I made earlier in the week using the sketch challenge at Pals Paper Arts this week - here's the sketch:

Whilst I followed the layout of the sketch, I changed out blocks 2 and 4 for heart shapes which I cut with my hearts Framelits - take a look at my card and you'll see what I mean:

I kept my card quite simple and took my colour inspiration from the sheet of paper I used from the new Fresh Prints DSP stack in the Spring-Summer seasonal catalogue. This is a lovely paper stack which predominantly features Real Red, Whisper White, Coastal Cabana and Crumb Cake, but there are a few patterns that include pink too, such as the one I've used here. The sentiment is from the 'Yippee-Skippee!' stamp set and could have several uses: I've used it in the context of a loved one for a Valentine's/anniversary card, but I think it would be great on a baby card to welcome the arrival of twins too. I can also see me using it on a scrapbook page featuring my Junior James' - they are a formidable pair when they get together! Lastly, I embossed the central panel with the SAB decorative dots folder to echo the pattern of the background paper.

I hope you like today's card - if the above sketch layout appeals to you, do pop over to the Pals Paper Arts blog to see what the design team did with the sketch. I have the first of this week's classes tomorrow, but do pop back here for another project - all being well I might even have another video edited for you!

Until then, happy stamping!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Fresh Prints Designer Series Paper Stack	Primrose Petals A4 Card Stock	Real Red A4 Card Stock	Card Stock A4 Coastal Cabana	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad
Hearts Collection Framelits Dies	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Magnetic Platform	Yippee-Skippee!	Decorative Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder

A quick post from me today using more of the Sale-A-Bration goodies that you can receive with each £45 spend. Today I've made a couple of cards featuring the Sweet Sorbet paper and highlighting some of the lovely items in the Sweet Sorbet accessory pack. The pack contains some handy self-adhesive cork embellishments and some super-chunky baker's twine - here's the first of my cards:

I used a simple panel of DSP on a square layered Pool Party base, with a semi-circle cut out around a cork flower, attached above three pieces of co-ordinating chunky baker's twine. I then simply stamped 'thanks' and outlined my DSP with my white gel pen. For my second card I used the same colourway on a rectangular base and cut a larger semi-circle out of the DSP to accommodate a larger flower which is actually pre-painted white, but as you can see from the photo can be coloured - I coloured mine in Crisp Cantaloupe and Calypso Coral using Stampin' Write markers and added a Pool Party Candy Dot:

These cork flowers are a fun embellishment for something a little different, with lots of creative possibilities especially if you colour them. I'm linking the first of today's cards up to this week's Retrosketches card challenge - I used this sketch as the inspiration for both of my cards.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Fabulous Phrases - Clear-Mount Stamp	Sweet Sorbet Accessory Pack	Sweet Sorbet Designer Series Paper	Pool Party A4 Card Stock	1 Inch Circle Punch
1-3/4 Inch Circle Punch	2013-2015 In Color Stampin' Write Markers	Subtles Candy Dots	Subtles Stampin' Write Markers

Another early post from me today - I must be organised, or at least more organised than usual! Today's card uses the sketch over at Create with Connie and Mary for the 2014 Spring Collection Challenge. Here is the sketch:

Having enjoyed the 'reveal' aspect of the hidden message tag card I made for the Paper Players yesterday, I thought I would do something similar with this card - the cut-away and the scalloped edge layer seemed to be calling for a pull-out. So here is my card:

This is the first time I've used the new Retro Fresh Designer Series paper and I love it - the colours are, well retro and fresh!! I made the pattern a feature of my card and embellished with another of the Just Sayin' word bubbles, this time layered and mounted on a base cut with the co-ordinating Word Bubbles framelits - don't you just love a matching framelit?! (and you save 15% if you buy them together) I also created a joining piece from the new Retro Fresh washi tape which I stuck on some Very Vanilla cardstock (I love how the little arrows draw your eye to the speech bubble).

I chose to make a pocket from the top layer so that the scalloped edge section could be pulled out to reveal another of the 'See Ya Later' Sale-A-Bration stamps, that I coloured with my Tangerine Tango, Coastal Cabana and Baked Brown Sugar Stampin' Write markers:

I made this card for a friend of mine who is celebrating a 'significant birthday' this week; I'll spare her modesty by not revealing her age, but let's just say the sentiment on this card just seemed very appropriate! I'm also going to link this card up with Create With Connie and Mary's colour challenge this week, which I didn't see until after I made my card but is featuring the colour palette that I've used this week:

I am loving these colours - might have to try and do another card or two now I've opened that new paper pack!

EDIT: By popular request, here are the dimensions for the above card:

• Tangerine Tango Card Base: 14.9cm x 18.5cm (scored at 8cm)
• Retro Fresh DSP: 10cm x 8cm
• Extra Tangerine Tango Bottom Front Section: 4.9cm x 8cm
• Attach the DSP to the bottom orange front section using the Retro Fresh washi tape
• Attach this panel front to the front card base on 3 sides only with Tombo (the section measuring 8cm x 14.9cm as opposed to the larger section measuring 10.5cm x 14.9cm) - this creates the pocket
• Very Vanilla Insert: 12.5cm x 8cm, edged with the Large Scallop Edgelit
• Adhere a strip of Coastal Cabana cardstock measuring 3cm x 14.9cm to the inside edge of the back panel of the card base

I'm off to watch Rebecca play in a netball match this afternoon - pray for fine weather for me, or at least that the match gets moved onto the indoor court! Back tomorrow with another project; until then, happy stampin'! 

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

See Ya Later Wood-Mount Stamp Set	Just Sayin'	Word Bubbles Framelits Dies	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	Very Vanilla A4 Card Stock
Tangerine Tango A4 Card Stock	Card Stock A4 Coastal Cabana	Retro Fresh This And That Designer Washi Tape	Retro Fresh Designer Series Paper	Coastal Cabana Classic Stampin' Pad
2013-2015 In Color Stampin' Write Markers	Brights Stampin' Write Markers	Subtles Candy Dots	Large Scallop Edgelits Die	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine
Magnetic Platform	3/4 Inch Circle Punch

Today I'm sharing my entry to this week's Paper Players challenge, which has this great sketch by Ann Schach as the starting point:

I love the idea of the 'hidden message' tag on the front of this card. I got out some Sale-A-Bration goodies and another new stamp from the Spring-Summer catalogue and this is the card that I came up with: 

This is the outside of my card, using the alligator stamp from the 'See Ya Later' stamp set - free with a £45 spend during Sale-A-Bration. I chose the bold in-colours of Gumball Green and Raspberry Ripple for my card and I partially inked my stamp using Stampin' Write markers, as I didn't want to include the bottom bit of the sentiment - and this is the reason why:

I made a pull-out tag with the new Scalloped Top Tag Punch and stamped it with one of the Just Sayin' word bubble stamps - how cute is that?! Here's another photo of it sticking out of the card at a jaunty angle (not so sure about this now, but seemed like a good idea at the time!!):

 Some ribbon to pull the tag and a few hearts punched out using my trusty owl punch complete this card. I like this idea a lot and am sure I will be using this layout again. If you like it too, pop on over to the Paper Players page and check out this week's Design Team inspiration; there's some great work there and I particularly love Ann's card - the detail is amazing!

I'm off to get on with the big basket of ironing that I've been putting off for too many days now; still, I'm meeting up with some of my Stampin' Up! team this afternoon, so that is definitely something nice to look forward to.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

See Ya Later Wood-Mount Stamp Set	Just Sayin'	Scalloped Tag Topper Punch	Birthday Basics Designer Series Paper	Gumball Green A4 Card Stock
Raspberry Ripple A4 Card Stock	Whisper White A4 Card Stock	Raspberry Ripple Classic Stampin' Pad	2012-2014 In Color Stampin' Write Markers	Envelope Punch Board
Owl Punch	Raspberry Ripple 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig

Today I have a little project to show you that is based on something I made using my Flowerfull Heart stamp at the beginning of January, but because I didn't have a voice I wasn't able to shoot a video to show you how to make it! Now that my beloved Flowerfull Heart stamp is no longer available to purchase, I decided to modify my original design and make it using one of the stamps in the new 'Language of Love' set that features in the Spring-Summer seasonal catalogue. I used Stampin' Up!'s Simply Pressed Clay to make an ornamental gift tag embellishment that you could use to decorate a card or package. Here's one on a box with a bow made out of some of the lovely Sale-A-Bration Sweet Sorbet DSP:

Here's a close-up of the tag, where you can really see the detail of the stamp:

These tags really are quite easy to make, although you need to bear in mind it's a two stage process, as you will need to allow time for the clay to dry before you can colour and finish it. Here's a link to my video tutorial that shows you how it's done - it also includes some larger ornamental hearts made with my Flowerfull Heart (I couldn't resist!) - and some useful hints and tips for working with Simply Pressed Clay:

These tags would look beautiful attached to a wedding gift, or could even be an alternative wedding favour. I hope you found today's video tutorial useful and it inspires you to make interesting things with Stampin' Up!'s Simply Pressed Clay - leave me a comment and let me know what you come up with, or better still share a photo of your work on my Facebook Page!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Language Of Love	Simply Pressed Clay	Sponge Daubers	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad	Blushing Bride Classic Stampin' Pad
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad	Linen Thread	Pool Party 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon	Pink Pirouette 3/8 Inch Taffeta Ribbon

After all the news-related posts of the day, I thought I would share a quick creative post of a card I made using some of the new products that feature in the Stampin' Up! Spring-Summer catalogue released today. Today's card is my entry for this week's sketch challenge over at Create With Connie and Mary; last week I was delighted to be chosen as one of the 'Top 3 Picks' for the colour challenge with the card I featured here. This week's challenge is to design a card using the following sketch layout:

Here is my finished card:

So if you were expecting spring pastels, I'm afraid you're already disappointed!! This card is something of a departure for me - I don't often use black as a card base, but I was inspired recently by this card created by Justin Krieger (check out his blog here - I love his style.) and decided that black would provide the perfect backdrop to showcase lots of the new gold products that feature in the new seasonal catalogue.

I stayed quite faithful to the sketch and edged my oval in gold foil and embellished with a layered flower using the Flower Shop and Mixed Bunch stamp sets. I embossed the bottom flower in black on Very Vanilla and the top layer in gold on black to give it a luxurious feel - the photo at the bottom of this post really shows the detail. I finished with a vintage button threaded with the new gold baker's twine and some gold foil leaves punched from my two step bird punch. The background banner is made from one of the gold vellum sheets, another new product; each pack contains 3 designs (it also includes a spot and a heart pattern) and I love them! I finished by adding my floating dots of gold sequins, which I removed from the thread so that I could use them individually. Oh and I almost forgot - the 'Live happy' sentiment is one of those included in the Sale-A-Bration stamp set, 'You're Lovely'.

I hope you like my card; if you would like to see what the designers and other participants did with this sketch, pop over to the CCMC page for more design inspiration.

Back tomorrow with a video tutorial for you and an exciting make using a new stamp set from the Spring-Summer seasonal catalogue. Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

You're Lovely Clear-Mount Stamp Set	Flower Shop	Mixed Bunch - Clear-Mount Stamp	Gold Baker's Twine	Gold Fancy Foil Designer Vellum
Gold Foil Sheets	Watercolor Wonder Designer Washi Tape	Gold Sequin Trim	Very Vintage Designer Buttons	Ovals Collection Framelits Dies
Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Magnetic Platform	Bird Punch	Versamark Pad	Black Stampin' Emboss Powder
Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder	Embossing Buddy	Basic Black A4 Card Stock	Very Vanilla A4 Card Stock	Heat Tool - Uk Plug

A quick post from me this evening! With just one more day to go, I had intended to share another card using a Sale-A-Bration 'sneak peek' to whet your appetite for tomorrow, however I've had an idea that I've wanted to try for a couple of weeks with my Flowerfull Heart stamp and since today is the last day you can purchase this stamp, I thought I'd have one last share with you. I decided to use this week's layout at Freshly Made Sketches as my starting point:

As my regular readers will know, I struggle with the concept of 'vintage' (I much prefer clean lines!) but instinctively I thought this was one of the few stamps in my set that might work for the vintage look, so here's my attempt:

I say 'attempt' because whilst I quite like the finished card, I'm not sure it meets the criteria for a truly vintage look. I like the Crumb Cake, the more muted effect by colouring the stamp with markers and the ribbon works. however, not a pearl or doily in sight - think I might have to go off and do a little more research on this one! If anyone would like to leave some suggestions as to how I could improve the vintage feel of this card, do let me know - all comments welcome. Click on the links below if you would like to purchase any of the items used above, including the stamp - last chance today!

Back tomorrow with the start of Sale-A-Bration - hope you're all as excited as I am!! Until then, happy stampin'!

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Flowerfull Heart Wood-Mount Stamp	En Français	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad	Very Vanilla A4 Card Stock	Crumb Cake A4 Card Stock
Primrose Petals A4 Card Stock	2012-2014 In Color Stampin' Write Markers	Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Magnetic Platform
Hearts Collection Framelits Dies	Crumb Cake 1/2 Inch Seam Binding Ribbon

Today's card uses a stamp from another of the forthcoming Sale-A-Bration stamp sets called 'See Ya Later': a collection of 4 stamps each featuring a fun phrase. Today's card seems quite appropriate given the weather that we've been having in the UK this weekend; here's my card:

My layout was inspired by the sketch over at CAS Colours & Sketches this week:

I embossed the Smoky Slate panel with the Cloudy Day embossing folder - this item is retired, but is still currently available on the clearance rack if you'd like to snap up a bargain - it just fits with the sentiment of this stamp. I stamped the sentiment in Versamark and embossed with black embossing powder so that it would stand out on the finished card.  The real star of this card though is the bright sunburst coming out from behind the clouds, which just lifts the subtle grey and Soft Sky blue to another level.

I'm also linking today's card up with CAS-ual Fridays, where the challenge is to use blocks of colour in your design.

With the rain and the almighty storm with thunder and lightening yesterday afternoon, this card is sure to brighten your day!

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Card Stock A4 Smoky Slate	Card Stock A4 Soft Sky	Daffodil Delight A4 Card Stock	Black Stampin' Emboss Powder	Versamark Pad
Embossing Buddy	Stamp-A-Ma-Jig	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Cloudy Day Textured Impressions Embossing Folder	Heat Tool - Uk Plug

Hurray it's the weekend! Don't we all feel a little like that sometimes? We have a weekend of normality in the James household and that's fine by me - I even managed to squeeze in a few hours in my craft room this afternoon, so I'm certainly not complaining! Today I have another Sale-A-Bration sneak-peek for you - this time a stamp from a set called 'Hello Lovely'. I used this week's sketch over at Mojo Monday for the layout for my card - here is the sketch:

And here is the card I created:

I took the colours for my card from the Afternoon Picnic DSP, although I used Smokey Slate as opposed to Basic Grey as I didn't want the grey to overshadow the other colours. The main stamp is shaped and sized perfectly to fit the Deco labels framelits. I cut out my stamped image using the framelits but mounted on two circles in Crushed Curry and Pear Pizzazz to emphasize the central circle shape that is the focal point of the sketch.

Wondering where I got the embossing folder that I used to emboss the grey section beneath the main banner? It's actually the Stylish Stripes TIEF, that I ran through the Big Shot then turned my piece of cardstock through 90 degrees and embossed it again to give me a criss-cross pattern, echoing the background detail of the DSP and the lattice on the stamp itself.

I'll be sharing more cards using this stamp set in coming weeks; meanwhile, only four more days until Sale-A-Bration goes live and you too will be able to get this and many other exciting sets free when you spend £45.

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

Stampin' Up! Supplies Used:

Very Vanilla A4 Card Stock	Card Stock A4 Pear Pizzazz	Card Stock A4 Crushed Curry	Card Stock A4 Smoky Slate	Stylish Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad	Crushed Curry Classic Stampin' Pad	Blender Pens	Big Shot Die-Cut Machine	Magnetic Platform
Deco Labels Collection Framelits Dies	Circles Collection Framelits Dies	Crushed Curry 3/4" Chevron Ribbon