Team Swaps #3...Hive with Daffodils and Honeybees...

Sharing two more gorgeous cards made by some of my very talented and lovely friends and fellow demonstrators in our team... as from time to time... we create a set of cards and then swap with each other to provide each of us with samples to share featuring different products, projects and styles...

Today's cards both feature the Hive embossing folder... 

Daffodil Daydream birthday card by the lovely talented Kylie Henshaw aka Hello Crafter ... 

And "the nicest" Honeybee Home card by the fabulous and inspiring Nathan @nathanstearoom ... 

Thank you both for swapping your beautiful creations with me... 

More on Monday - Hand Penned

Another inspiring creation for you today... using the Hand Penned floral stamp set... 

But before I start... don't forget that the extra free £20 Stampin Rewards Craft & Collect promotion for a £200 + order ends today... and that my double gift value offer (for orders £25 to £150) also ends today at 5pm...

Created by our very talented Barbara Norton (who is currently blog-less as we say in the trade.. but I will be sure to pass on any of your messages... ) Thank you for your gorgeous Happy Mail swap Barbara... 

CLICK HERE for the details on the Hand Penned stamps and all the Suite... And I do have to admit that this bundle and suite is appealing to me more and more every-time I look at it... check out those fabulous Penned Flowers dies... 

Barbara used an Evening Evergreen, Soft Succulent and Pale Papaya colour scheme... with a shiny touch of gold embossing powder to highlight... along with a Happy Thoughts sentiment punched out using the (retired) Story Label punch...

And the Happy Thoughts sentiment stamp set is one well worth checking out... as not only is it only £10 in the Sale... but it has a range of "similar sized" greetings ... so particularly useful for a quick stamp & punch to add to a card as you need it... though it is retiring soon ..so you will have to be quick...

Saturday She Sells....

Seashells on the Seashore... Hope you are busy trying to say that at speed over and over now... one of our classic tongue twisters...!

Isn't she just lovely.... created by my lovely & talented friend, Julie Wade of Create Handmade Happiness blog fame... 

Using Pirates and Mermaids and Friends are like Seashells stamp sets in Petal Pink, Mint Macaron, Soft Succulent and Crumb Cake colours...

And finished off beautifully on the inside too.. 

What a great combination of images and colours... Thanks Julie... love it...

Saturday Simple Swap Share & Kits coming....

The last week has seen the steady arrival of some beautiful inspirational cards through my letterbox... as our Team rallied together to make and exchange swap cards through the post ... to showcase new products and inspire each other... as well as providing a "Happy Mail" experience... which has been truly lovely! Thanks ladies...

So I thought I should share my creative friends' gorgeous creations with you over the next week or so... especially as most of these are using stamps and products that I don't own this time round... as I don't get to buy anywhere near as much as usual with not running classes... though hopefully that will revert some time soon!

But before I share more on today's simple but stunning card... check out the new Kits being released after the Bank Holiday this weekend ie next Tuesday, 1st June ... 

Lots to love... and at such great prices... More information about them on Tuesday... but suffice to say... you get everything in the box apart from the clear block to mount the stamps on... Creativity made Easy....  a lovely crafty fix... in the post!

In the meantime... here's a snapshot of them all... there really is something for everyone... 

And CLICK HERE for the Kits leaflet... I think you will be surprised at the prices! What a great way to update your greeting stamps... and ink spots... Such great value...

So back to today's card... created by the lovely Linda Ellis of Linda's Papercrafting fame... using the gorgeous Colour & Contour bundle... which I really wish I had at my disposal!! As I love "daisy type" flowers... 

Sot Succulent, Polished Pink and  Sahara Sand with Whisper White... 

Finished off with pops of Genial Gems (which are much much nicer than I thought!) A bit of safe and secure coloured glitter in a water-drop effect... 

And not forgetting the inside...

Thank you Linda... a truly stunning simple gem of a card...

Beauty & Joy Thanks

So whilst the Beauty & Joy stamps were still out after my Team Training swap production...

I made it even cleaner.... and even simpler!

Just to say simply say Thanks...

What more do you need!?

And here is a shot of the little duo! Click here for more details on the christmas one...

Recipe - A6 Thick Whisper White card blank with a Shaded Spruce mat 5.7 x 10cm; Thin Whisper White panel 5.25 x 9.6cm

Beauty & Joy Team Training Swap

So on Saturday I spent a lovely Quarterly Team Training day along with fellow Jems and as a first, fellow Passionettes too... as Julie Kettlewell and Monica Gale combined their training days to great effect...

It was really lovely to be able to meet and finally put faces to so many of the Passionettes whose names I recognise from the Team page...

And where there are demonstrators... of course there are swaps... so I made about 30 of these... which I swapped out and came back with about 25 other ideas and samples... featuring many sets I don't (yet!) possess...

So this card is a coppery Beauty & Joy treat for you...

As I wanted to showcase the new Delicata ink pad(s) ... available in Copper, Gold & Silver... and brilliant! A stunning metallic sheen and dry very quickly too! I will be buying all 3...

And the new Star Designer Elements

Clean, simple...but perfectly formed!

Recipe - A6 Thick Whisper White card blank with a Copper Foil mat 5.7 x 10cm and Thin Whisper White panel 5.25 x 9.6cm

On Stage Card Swaps Part 6 - The Final Release!

And the final couple of On Stage swap cards for you today... I hope that you have enjoyed the series and that you have seen lots to inspire you...

I certainly found something inspiring in every swap I received... and for that I thank all of these lovely ladies and gents whose work I have shared over the last week or so......

This amazing One Step at a Time card using Love You To Pieces and Around the Corner ... by Lorraine Streeter (which is inspired by her daughter daily challenges, successes and strength with her grand son's autism)

And lastly... this stunning Butterfly Gala creation by "undeclared"

And I hope to be back to more normal service at some point... 

Life has taken an unexpected turn and become a tad "busy" recently... as my mother has been( and still is!) very poorly and is now in hospital awaiting an essential operation... so a few hours have been (and will be) taken visiting daily... 

As well as just having a few days away dropping son off at university and sightseeing around Wales... Which was fabulous... even if a shorter break than planned in the circumstances...  But Wales never disappoints...

It will be a little while till I can find a balance again... but please bear with me... it will come... In the meantime.... thanks for your continued support...

Amanda's Quick Links

Just click on the relevant pictures below for catalogues and/or more information... 

If you are ordering today... do remember to add the Host Code shown below to earn yourself a gift and help support The Craft Spa at the same time... For orders over £150 you should claim your own Stampin Rewards when ordering... you will still get a separate gift from me... 

Please note that this host code is relevant to today's blog post date... it does expire and change over the months... but the current code is always shown at the top right hand side of my blog...

Current Catalogues & Products

Everything is Rosy...available May only... and only while supplies last

On Stage Card Swaps Part 5 - The Bluey Blues

And so to the penultimate trio...

Starting off with a beautiful Enjoy Life & Butterfly Gala fancy fold card by the lovely Gill Moore...

A stunning Tropical Chic beauty by Lynn Cheesmur...

And finishing off with a super Lovely As a Tree & Hardwood creation by (sadly) unknown... and even more sadly... I still can't believe that the Lovely as a Tree set is finally retiring! It has been with us in Europe since the beginning of Stampin Up!... and it has certainly had a lot of use around here... but more of that on another day! And note... both these stamp sets are now discontinued in Europe... so sadly no more!

Thank you for swapping with me ladies...

Amanda's Quick Links

Just click on the relevant pictures below for catalogues and/or more information... 

If you are ordering today... do remember to add the Host Code shown below to earn yourself a gift and help support The Craft Spa at the same time... For orders over £150 you should claim your own Stampin Rewards when ordering... you will still get a separate gift from me... 

Please note that this host code is relevant to today's blog post date... it does expire and change over the months... but the current code is always shown at the top right hand side of my blog...

Current Catalogues & Products

Everything is Rosy...available May only... and only while supplies last