STILL ON THE CHALLENGE SUBJECT.......

We had a great time at the 'Stitches' trade show at the NEC last weekend, we met lots of our lovely retailers, and took lots of lovely orders - so hopefully our collection of stamps and stuff will be coming to a shop near you soon!!

Just before I crack on with ongoing Challenge inspiration I want to show you a few projects made by the 'Team' with the brand new stamps....

Firstly a pretty pastel affair by Helen using our Royal Bird CI-378 - beautiful! - and Helen has some more CI themed projects on her Blog at the moment.

Effie has been playing nicely with the new Alice Palace stamps which are fun and quirky and you are liking them lots indeed!

Loads of lovely bright colours that will certainly bring cheer to the recipients I'm sure!

And here we have that cheerful goose again on a piece of beer mat bunting by Carol -

And Love Lovely Life again this time by Daniele -

....Now back to the Challenge for February.  We now have 23 stunning entries all displayed for you Here - and lots of blogs with all their hidden treasures just a simple click away.

Brenda has been busily creating this absolutely beautiful book of goodies on the theme of 'For A Friend', using loads of our products (too many to link to before bed).  Have a browse around www.craftyindividuals.co.uk and see how many images you can spot on there.

Brenda has more piccies on her blog showing you how she went about decorating her book, so do have a look Here.

Finally for tonight I want to finish on a hearts theme with a beautiful card by Isabelle Norris (one of many projects by Isa that I have to show you over the next few weeks)...

This has a real 3 dimensional look to it - stunning.

Thanks everyone,

Back soon,

Jean x

ps  If you live in and around the Tees Valley area please make a note that I will be having a table of 'Make and Takes' at Strikes Craft Shop, in Northallerton, on Saturday 16th March.  An event not to be missed of course!!!

NEW STAMPS AVAILABLE NOW.....

If you subscribe to our newsletters at www.craftyindividuals.co.uk you will have seen that we have six gorgeous brand new stamp designs available right now.  Check them out below:

Firstly 3 new Individual Collage Stamps:

And also 3 new Alice Palace Stamps:

We love them all - hope you do too!?

The dancers in silhouette CI-377 is also our new special offer - if you spend over £25 before postage, on our website, you will receive this pretty and very useful romantic rubber stamp absolutely free.  This offer is available only until the end of this month - so do get it quick whilst it is hot!

Here is how Diane (one of my regular class ladies) used the lilies above:

Loving the colours she used here!

Now getting back to the CI Challenge for February I am going to show you a few more pieces of inspiration.  We have nine lovely entries so far, but we are still waiting for you to join in!

Gio has been altering stuff again, which she certainly does so well! Using a variety of CI papers, stamps and images, how fabulous is this little altered clock, in a 'For My Friend' theme?! ...

Thanks Gio!

Daniele has been very busy making this superb little book for her friend:

Lots of Crafty Individuals products are featuring on these pretty pages, and of course CI-052, Friends Calligraphy, is the perfect stamp indeed for this friendly Challenge.

And talking about cupcakes (now who was talking about cupcakes??) - I just looove this very sweet project by Brenda using the Alice Palace cupcakes stamp CI-374..

Just totally yummy, I'm sure you will agree!!

Whilst on the subject of cupcakes I spied this adorable page marker recently by Carol - absolutely perfect to give to a friend who enjoys cooking and cookery books!

Almost good enough to eat!

My final image tonight is by Christa who very kindly sent over a project she had made using one of Sara at Cardmaking Paradise's lovely templates, along with some of our stamps.

Sara and her group of crafty ladies are lovely folk, whom we have met a couple of times at the Craft Barn Extravaganzas.  This year's event is to be held on 1st and 2nd June - and it is a show which is not to be missed!

That's all for tonight, as we are up early and off to set up for the big trade show at the NEC tomorrow!
Back soon though with more stunning crafty stuff!

Jean x

NICE AND BRIGHT..........

Nice and Bright is how Helen Chilton likes it, and I must admit I am a bit of a colour fiend too.  So tonight's post is all very nice and very bright, and to get us off to a good start we will start with a February Challenge themed image by Helen herself.  If you fancy joining in our February Challenge the topic is 'For My Friend', and we are starting to get some beautiful entries now on this theme and you will find them Here .... so do help us out and join in the fun this month.  You will get a 25% discount code to use on our brand new website, just for linking in your entry!!  (Don't forget to email us at info@craftyindividuals.co.uk to get your code once your project is on display!)...

Helen used Picked Raspberry and Festive Berries Distress inkpads to stamp the lovely little hearts in the background (CI-342) on glossy white card.  The ducks (CI-373) and wording were coloured using Squeezed Lemonade, and then she finished off by stamping parts of CI-371 around the edges.  Luverly!!!

And with more red and hearts from CI-342, Paula Tidman has been very bold in her interpretation of the 'For My Friend' theme ...

And then even more bold with this beautiful purse ..

Plus this divine framed heart card..

Stunning Paula!

Effie has been helping us out by making some samples for the new website using some of our older stamps, and here she has been nice and bright with CI-005 'Butterfly Ticket', which also quite nicely fits the Challenge bill too ...

And my last display of the evening is by Sylvie (who is playing one of my favourite tracks of the mo on her blog right now!) - just a click away! Sylvie has also done a bit of a tutorial on this amazing creation on her blog - one super talented lady!

She has used CI-248, CI-277, and CI-220 to help create this recycled beauty!!!

Thank you ladies, and thanks to everyone who sent me Happy Birthday wishes on Facebook this week - much appreciated - and also more thanks for the encouraging comments regarding our very first 'How To' YouTube video.  We are eager to make more, but first we have a trade show at the NEC next weekend to prepare for, and after that hopefully we will be back in filming mode - so do watch this space.  If you fancy checking the first video out you will find it embedded in my last blog post HERE.

Now its time to have a relaxing soak in the bath, then off to watch 'Call the Midwife', followed by 'Ripper Street'.  A little treat after working all day on trade show preparations!

Have a fun week everyone,
chat again soon,

Jean x

OUR FIRST EVER YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL.....

Our first ever YouTube video tutorial is now up, and ready to be watched.  Its not totally perfect but hey ho it is our first ever (and a bit nerve-wracking to be starring in to be honest!).  Because its a first we thought we would start at the very beginning and show you how to mount and stamp our unmounted red rubber stamps - as we do get asked a lot about this.  However if this is a bit too basic for you - lol - we are going to do lots more tutorials on lots of different crafty subjects in the future.  Hope you like it?!

 Jean x

OUR FEBRUARY CHALLENGE BEGINS .....

Thanks from both Gio and myself for all your very nice comments on my last post about Gio's fabulous altered art display.  And now here we are with our first Challenge of 2013, and as always we would just love it if you could join in and add to the fun - plus we will give you a special code just for entering to enable you to get a huge 25% discount on your CI Website orders until the very end of the month - Please email us at info@craftyindividuals.co.uk once you have entered, to obtain your special discount code.

I have chosen the topic for this month, and bearing in mind that it is Valentine's day very soon, I thought it would be a good idea to celebrate friendship in general, and your starting point is the simple title of 'For My Friend' - no other rules on this at all.  Lots of scope there then!

Please Note:  To participate in our Challenges you must include at least one Crafty Individuals product in your entry!

Here are the usual guidelines:

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CHALLENGE GUIDELINES

To enter this month's Crafty Individuals Challenge please put together your project, following the subject material outlined above (your project must include at least one Crafty Individuals produce please), then:

Post your challenge project on your blog, before the end of the month, and include a link back to this blog.
Leave a link in the URL box displayed in this post to take us directly to your challenge project, etc., which will then appear here on this blog as a thumbnail image - so we can all see your wonderful arty work.

At the end of the month the CI team and /or guests will set about choosing five lucky participants, each of whom will win a CI rubber stamp of their choice.  And don't forget you can also claim a lovely 25% discount code to use on anything you purchase from the CI website until the end of the month.

Go for it and enjoy the challenge x

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The Team have been very busy creating beautiful things to wet your appetite for this Challenge and I will keep posting their projects over the next few weeks.  To start us off Lynne has made this oh so very pretty Friendship hanging (I am also delighted to say that Lynne has had a couple of CI based projects published in the latest issue of The Stampers' Sampler - clever girl!)

Perfect for friendship, Spring and Easter, there are those delightful Alice Palace bunnies again!

Next I have two heart shaped ornaments to show you.  The first is by Carol (Ginger), and teams in beautifully with the project above, as the bunnies make another appearance.  Carol's Blog is part of  the Craft Stamper Blog Hop which is taking place right now (there are prizes to be won if you join in!) and you can find the full list of blogs to visit by clicking on the button at the top right of this page.  Whilst talking about Craft Stamper I must mention that we have the latest issue for March in stock as of today, and our Poison Bottles elements stamp features proudly in there (look out for Dr Quack's Apothecary!), along with lots of other good stuff too.

Carol has also used our Friends calligraphy stamp CI-052 on her heart, and if you check her blog again in a week or so I believe she will be doing a tutorial and a giveaway too!

Lucy has got into the hearts frame of mind as well with this beautiful crafty delight ..

More calligraphy stamping with the Love stamp CI-031 setting our hearts all of a flutter in February!

Back again soon with more luscious lovelies,

Jean x