We all need a little pick-me-up on a Monday morning, so here's something lovely we thought we'd share with you - the new range from Papermania. The brand has funked up it's look with a new logo and we definately approve of the latest rather gorgeous designs - check out the owls from the 'Secret Garden' range - swoon! The 'Sweet Nothings' range is highly desirable too - lots of cupcakes and wait till you see what it has lined up for you at Christmas. It's all available from July 2008 at do crafts stockists.

If you can't wait any longer to get your hands on it though, enter our competition! To celebrate the new range, the lovely bods at do crafts have given us five Sweet Nothings sets to give away - click here to enter.

Many thanks to avid You Can Craft reader, Joan Kelly, for keeping us up to date with her crafting shenanigans. We love hearing from you Joan and seeing what you've been up to. We especially like the way you've used elements from your issue 8 kit in these cards and your own stash to create something fresh - well done you!

What elements of your You Can Craft kit have you incorporated into your own card designs? Do you like to mix it all up with other crafty stash or keep your kits separate? Let us know!

Get your craft stash sorted with this massive giveaway! Just click here for the competition.

We love ladybirds on cards! You'll find all you need to make this little online stunner in issue 9, available now!

Lazy ladybird

This simple, graphic shape is easy to create. Simply add red paper shapes to a black paper oval, then top it with black paper spots, made using a trusty hole punch. Cover a square card with black paper and fix an eaten-into green paper shape on top. Use a flower punch or simply cut into the green paper with scissors to make the bitten shape. Back the letters from your embellishment sheet on black paper to accentuate the graphic look of the card, and fix them in the bottom right corner. Stick your ladybird down to finish this all-occasion card!

Show us how you get on by emailing youcancraftmagazine@futurenet.co.uk

Use your issue 9 kit to make this super-sweet tag.

Pretty in pink

Cut a tag shape from pale pink card. Add a strip of pink floral paper to the top and bottom. Cut the flower from your embellishment sheet and attach using sticky pads. Decorate with flower sequins, then finish with a paper bow at the top.

Show us how you get on by emailing youcancraftmagazine@futurenet.co.uk

We have winners for the Fiskars wired pliers competition and they are:

Lorne Cooke from Blackpool; Donna Letheby from Mid Glamorgan; Carol Jenkins from Cardiff; Claire Mainwaring from Whitland; and Jackie Barwick from Cleveland.

Well done ladies, your prize is winging its way to you now!

Issue 9 has hit the shops and we're quite chuffed with it to say the least! In fact, we think it's our best issue yet! We’re struggling to think of how you can get better crafting value than this month’s issue. The craft kit proved a huge hit with our designers – adorable sealife charms, stunning sequins and pearl-effect embellishments to name just a few delights! – and we know you'll love it too.

And with almost 80 great project ideas for you to get busy with, that really is plenty to keep you going this summer! I’m especially loving the juicy strawberry ideas and the bathroom makeover we've featured. Try the fab funky flamingo poroject too, to brighten anyone’s day.

Remember it’ll all be even better value with a subscription – save up to 35% off the shop price. Click here to take advantage of our limited offer.

So let’s bring the sunshine into our crafts, even if it is a bit more hit and miss with the weather!

The office is buzzing as we're celebrating our sister magazine, Papercraft Inspirations' 50th issue!

The PaperCraft ladies have been planning all sorts of crafty celebrations to mark their 50th - which will be in shops on 4th July and jam-packed with extra-special stash and designs. If you love the cards in You Can Craft and you're hungry for more, pick up this special edition of Papercraft Inspirations for more great ideas to get your creative juices going.

Among the highlights will be your chance to enter your very own Craft Room - filled with desk, storage, papers, embellishments and must-have tools worth a whopping £3584! The birthday issue also includes the new look Quick&Easy cards minimag, plus 10 ways with doodling feature, a Scrapbooking Masterclass, bright ideas for new baby cards and wedding cards with an acetate twist! Plus a free birthday card kit, complete with card blanks, gems and gorgeous stickers.

We love this gorgeous card from US based company, Stampin' Up!. Men can be tricky to craft for, but hopefully we've given you plenty of ideas in issue 8 for Father's Day this Sunday! Get some inspiration from this one too – the text background, colours, ribbon and slide are all fab, and you can personalise it easily to show dad how much you care. Try incorporating a photo to capture a special moment you shared or include a meaningful quote inside the card.

Dad in Green

Shopping list:

· Short Order Alphabet stamp set

· Friendly background stamp

· Always Artichoke card stock

· Very Vanilla card stock

· Always Artichoke Classic Stampin’ Pad®

· Close to Cocoa Classic Stampin’ Pad

· Theater Ribbon Originals®

· Pewter Hodgepodge Hardware®

· Crafters’ Tool Kit

- All available from Stampin' Up!

Try stamping! Use the Friendly background stamp to stamp up a panel of Always Artichoke card stock in Always Artichoke ink. Stick a narrow ribbon to a wide one from the Theater Ribbon Originals range, then fix it to a strip of Very Vanilla card stock. Stamp 'Dad' in Close to Cocoa ink on Always Artichoke card stock and stick to the Hodgepodge Hardware label holder. Pierce two holes through the ribbon and card using the paper piercing tool from the Crafters’ Tool Kit, and attach the label holder using Hodgepodge Hardware brads. Fix the ribbon and card panel to the card to finish.

To contact your local Stampin' Up! demonstrator to get hold of the products or for information on how to become a demonstator yourself, just call 01494 616643.

Get wired for craft with a chance to win the pliers featured in issue 8 of You Can Craft. Just click here for the competition.

Got a loved one's birthday coming up? Or do you just want to show someone how special they are? This beaded heart card does the job! It's made in the same way as the beaded light catchers in our June issue.

We heart beads

Simply take a selection of ready-to-go metal hearts, available from Panduro Hobby (see details below) and get right onto the exciting bit – beading! You can use the beads and wire in your kit, or take the opportunity to stock up on extra stash (any excuse…). Wrap your wire around the frame a few times to secure it, then thread it with beads – fill it completely or leave the beads loose depending on your design. Once the beads are in place, wrap the wire around another edge, depending on your design, and cut off the excess. A small pair of pliers will help you twist and cut the wire. Continue until your design is complete and attach a length of ribbon, and tie a bow to go on top. Fix onto your card with double-sided tape under the ribbon only, so that the heart dangles freely.

Shopping list

Heart-shaped wire frames

We used Hearts 6.5 x 8cms (ref 033542) and Hearts 3.2 x 4cms (ref 033578), £1.80 for a pack of 10.

A selection of small beads

A length of ribbon for attaching the wire shape to your card

Both available from craft shops

Show us how you get on by emailing youcancraftmagazine@futurenet.co.uk

We had too many great designs to fit into issue 8 of You Can Craft! Here's an extra tag design to make using your kit.

Punchy petals

Draw a repeated petal design onto a folded square card, then carefully cut the shapes out with a craft knife. Stick plain blue paper to the inside, so that it shows through. Team the petals with tiny strips of paper stems. Cut a circle from your embellishment sheet for the flower centre and attach with a sticky pad to finish.

Show us how you get on by emailing youcancraftmagazine@futurenet.co.uk

We've recently discovered Santoro Graphics' new range of rather fabulous wrapping paper, with motifs that are just the right size for card making. The acid bright colours are bang on trend for summer too and the retro feel - especially on the scooter paper - is particularly fun.

Try wrapping plain brown bags in these designs too to jazz up a gift bag and mix in a few of your You Can Craft embellishments - a bright ribbon trim or die cut tag would do the job nicely!

It's £1.25 a sheet. See the website for further information.