I'm delighted this evening to share a happy, happy blog hop with lots of stamping friends, brought together by our inspiring creative friend Kelly Kent from WA, who celebrated her 5th Stampin' Anniversary in May and wanted to send around some cheer and brightness to celebrate.

It's so nice to just create some really cheerful bright cards to counter this grey, murky Melbourne weather. I have a favourite stamp set for making bright cheery cards, it's a Go To stamp set for me and I'm so glad it is carrying over into our new Annual Catalogue!

Did you guess it is Flower Shop Stamp Set and the matching Pansy Punch?

Ive teamed it with greetings from Best Birds stamp set, Birthday Blooms stamp set and Suite Sayings. And a background stamp from Best Birds and my favourite leaf stamp from Kinda Eclectic, which is sadly retiring with the old catalogue and won't be available to purchase after today 😥

And I've loved using a mix of old and new colours. Did you notice on the 1st card I've used Pear Pizzazz, Old Olive and Calypso Coral, and on the second card I've used the new Lemon Lime Twist, Tranquil Tide and Berry Burst.

The highlights on the first and third black and white cards are Lemon Lime Twist, and the second card features Berry Burst.

These three cheery cards feature some favourite bright colours - Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo and Dapper Denim, and I pulled some rather old Washi Tape out of my collection to try to use up.

Then I pulled an old favourite layout out - this is one I use in EVERY beginner stamping class, because it's so easy but so wow factor, and again mixed old with new colours.

I really love how many different looks you can achieve with the Flower Shop stamp set and Pansy Punch!

Next you are off to Valerie's Blog - click on the "Next" picture to see it! Enjoy the blog hop!

In case there is a broken link, you can come back to this list :

1. Kelly Kent - http://mypapercraftjourney.com/2017/05/31/stamping-with-friends-celebrating-5-years-part-two/
2. Billie Moan - http://ramblingrosestudio.com/kellys-stamping-friends-2/
3. Rochelle Blok - http://rochelleblok.blogspot.com/2017/05/kellys-stamping-friends-blog-hop.html
4. Kayla Renee MacAulay - http://www.stampinwithkayla.com/2017/05/tickled-pink-for-you-kellys-stamping.html
5. Jacqui Crouch - http://crouchingdoggraphics.com.au/2017/05/31/celebrating-kellys-5-years-of-stampinup
6. Tina Gillespie http://scissorspapercard.blogspot.com/2017/05/kellys-happy-blog-hop.html
7. Kathryn Ruddick http://www.katlodesigns.com/stamping_with_kathryn_low/2017/05/kellys-friends.html
8. Valerie Moody - http://www.stampingwithval.com/2017/05/31/happy-anniversary-kelly/
9. Jo Weedon- http://joweedon.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/happy-5th-birthday-kelly.html
10. Danielle Bennenk http://wp.me/p7kGAo-Dc
11. Nikki Spencer http://nikkispencer-mysandbox.blogspot.com/2017/05/kellys-stamping-friends-blog-hop.html
12. Sylvia Verhulst-Batenburg http://mijnfreubelhoekie.nl/2017/05/31/kellys-stamping-friends-blog-hop/
13. Richelle Fletcher - https://stampingwithrichelle.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/kellys-stamping-friends-blog-hop.html
14. Chloe Evans - http://chloscraftcloset.blogspot.com/2017/05/kellys-stamping-friends-blog-hop-happy.html
15. Rachael Lewsley - http://www.mystampinhaven.com.au/kellys-stampin-friends-blog-hop/
16. Lou Kitzelman - http://withabowontopbylou.blogspot.com/2017/05/kellys-stamping-friends-blog-hop.html
17. Courtenay Heuston - http://bagsthatone.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/kellys-stampin-friends-blog-hop.html
18. Denita Wright-Smee - http://denitawright.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/kellys-stamping-friends-blog-hop.html
19. Christine Blain: http://christineblain.blogspot.com/2017/05/kellys-stamping-friends-blog-hop.html
20. Martha Groeger: https://www.cookiescraftco.de/2017/06/01/kelly-s-stamping-friends-blog-hop-celebrating-5-years/
21. Patrice Easton: http://springblossommusings.blogspot.com/2017/05/kellys-stamping-friends-blog-hop.html
22. Sandra Collett: http://sanzstamps.blogspot.com/2017/05/kellys-stamping-friends-blog-hop.html
23.  Cheryl O'Bree - http://nyobre.blogspot.com.au/2017/05/stampin-friends-blog-hop.html

Hey there!

How are you going? If you are like me in Melbourne today, you are probably rugged up inside with the heating cranked up, two jackets and a beanie on, as well as thick socks and slippers, and I'm still freezing!!

Terrific weather for stamping - if you can get your frozen fingers to work!

I have had a busy month or so in the lead up to our Stamping Retreat last weekend, so I'm pleased to be finally back with another Making Merry Monday post.

This past week or so, a customer has been asking me all about the Envelope Punch Board. It's a great tool, and you don't just make envelopes with it!

Apart from making SIXTY SIX different size envelopes, did you know you could also make Christmas Bon Bons with the Envelope Punch Board?

You can make them in various different sizes, and we always have some on display at our Christmas in July events that are coming up soon. If the bon bon in this photo looks familiar to you - I made this one in December 2013 when I was in Tasmania with my sister after a tragic accident took the life of her partner. The funeral was only a few days before Christmas, and we took some time out to make some thank you cards for the well-wishers, and I was asked to show them how to make the bon bon.

Did you notice the matching card has the punched out pieces (the leftover scraps) from the envelope punch board, arranged as Christmas baubles? So clever!

That year we also used the Envelope Punch Board to create cute little snow-men gifts / placeholders.

See how the indent punch from the punch board shapes the snowman's neck as well as the hat? And the leftover pieces have become his big happy smile.

These hold one Ferrero Rocher each - a very cute treat to decorate your Christmas in July table!

I'm so pleased after all these years that Stampin' Up! still has the Envelope Punch Board in their range and carrying over into the new annual catalogue.

BUT . . . did you know . . .

We also have two other punch boards and one of those is retiring and won't be available after Wednesday when the current catalogue finishes.

That's right, the Gift Box Punch Board, which makes boxes up to 4" square will no longer be available after this Wednesday, 31st May.

You can see it, plus all the other retiring products in my online store here.

We are really coming to the end of a great annual catalogue now - just a couple more days to go and some of my favourite stamping items will no longer be available. If you have been sitting on the fence holding off from buying something that's retiring, please don't be the person to email me on Thursday and ask me if you can order one of these or one of those? Or a Gift Box Punch Board. If they are not sold out before, their item code will be switched off at midnight on Wednesday and they will be gone forever.

Check the retiring list here to make sure you don't miss any favourites.

I'll be back with a reminder on Wednesday for those who are happy to order online.