Very Merry Trees

OOOO! I love the sketch on the Freshly Made Sketches challenge blog this week! I had an idea for a fall card, but it's been so cold the last few day and I had a piece of Trim The Tree DSP laying on my desk, so I was destined to make a Christmas card.



Once I had the DSP in hand, I went digging through my scrap box looking for a piece of Cherry Cobbler card stock to use as a mat. While I was searching, I found a piece of Crumb Cake that I used as the card base. These colors together make such a nice vintage card. I embossed the Cherry Cobbler mat with the Stylish Stripes Embossing folder, adhered the piece of DSP, and tied some yummy Cherry Cobbler linen ribbon. 

Next, I grabbed the "Festival of Trees" stamp set and stamped two traditional evergreen trees in Garden Green on Whisper White and punched them with the Tree Punch. I stamped the tree bases in Early Espresso onto Whisper White and fussy cut them. I mounted the trees and bases with Stampin' Dimensionals. For a final touch, I added a banner from the "And Many More" stamp set.

(Stamp Sets: Festival of Trees, And Many More; Inks: Garden Green, Early Espresso; Card Stock: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White; DSP: Trim The Tree; Accessories: Elegant Stripes Embossing Folder, Cherry Cobbler Linen Thread, Tree Punch, Circle Card Punch (for Label Banner)

Old Fashioned Christmas

I really try to avoid using red and green on Christmas cards. It's really, er, "traditional." I like vintage cards, blue cards, and I can even go with Cherry Cobbler and Very Vanilla. But red and green are so "normal." But sometimes the normal, traditional route is the way to go!

This week the Fab Friday challenge is a sketch. It's clean and simple and I had an idea right away...but this time the plan didn't come together. But I worked with the elements and rotated the star and offset it and, voila! I like it. Clean and simple and normal and traditional...and just a tiny bit funky!

(Stamp Sets: Bright & Beautiful, And Many More; Inks: Real Red, Garden Green; Card Stock: Real Red, Garden Green, Whisper White; Accessories: Stars Framelits Collection, Elegant Stripes Embossing Folder, Word Window Punch, Circle Card Framelits (for Banner), Real Red 1/4" Cotton Ribbon, Basic Rhinestones)

A Cheery Octopus

The challenge this week at the Addicted to Clean and Simple blog is a sketch. I decided to use a set that I haven't picked up in quite a while: Sea Street. I've been making Christmas and fall cards for a while, so I wanted a little change of place. This sketch challenge was just the ticket for a change of pace!
 

I really love the colors in the Maritime Designer Series Paper--"classic" Real Red and Night of Navy and an "In Color" Coastal Cabana. I can never quite figure out how to "display" the cute octopus in this set. Fussy cut? Circle Framelit? Square? Ah! I tried the Window Frames Framelit Collection and I like it!!

(Stamp Sets: Sea Street, And Many More; Inks: Coastal Cabana, Real Red; Card Stock: Real Red, Night of Navy, Whisper White; DSP: Maritime; Accessories: Window Frame and Banners Framelits Collection, Real Red 1/4" Cotton Ribbon, Pool Party Candy Dots)

A Yummy Color Challenge

The colors over at the Create With Connie & Mary Challenge blog are so yummy! Look!



I was inspired to use the Blackberry Bliss honeycomb sheet from the Moonlight Designer Series Pack. I love this DSP!! I embossed a Hello Honey card base with the Honeycomb embossing folder to carry that theme through the card. I mounted the Blackberry Bliss DSP on a Blackberry Bliss card stock mat to give it some heft so that I could wrap some Tangelo Twist Stitched Satin Ribbon around it. 

Next, I stamped a sentiment from the Perfect Pennants stamp set and cut it using a Chalk Talk framelit. This card came together very quickly--thanks to the yummy color challenge.

(Stamp Set: Perfect Pennants; Ink: Tangelo Twist; Card Stock: Hello Honey, Blackberry Bliss, Whisper White; DSP: Moonlight Designer Series Pack; Accessories: Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Chalk Talk Framelits Collection, Tangelo Twist Stitched Satin Ribbon, Basic Rhinestones)

Tap Tap Tap

So, my day started out kinda meh and turned way into ARGH!! Life with teenagers. Um, long (long, long) story short: My son "lost" his backpack. We drove all over town revisiting everywhere he'd been all afternoon, trudged through the woods twice--after dark--and it eventually dawned on him that he really hadn't lost his backpack, but he'd left it at his friend's house--half a block away. ARGH!! That's an hour and a half of my life I'll never get back.

Oh, and then when I got home around 8:30, my darling daughter was waiting for me to help her with her homework. Really? You have TWO parents. ARGH!!!

So, my crafting time didn't start until like 10:00. Fortunately, this week's Paper Craft Crew Challenge blog has an awesome sketch to spur on my creativity.



Next, I grabbed a piece of Confetti Celebration DSP which set my color scheme: Basic Gray, Pistachio Pudding, Strawberry Slush. With all the elements on this sketch, I decided it needed a simple, but edgy image and the "Tap Tap Tap" set filled that bill nicely. I think this card turned out pretty well for a "rush job"!!

(Stamp Sets: Tap Tap Tap, Gorgeous Grunge; Inks: Basic Gray, Strawberry Slush; Card Stock: Basic Gray, Pistachio Pudding, Strawberry Slush, Whisper White; DSP: Confetti Celebration; Accessories: 2" Circle Punch, Basic Gray Baker's Twine, Basic Rhinestones)

Stampin' Up's Online Extravaganza Starts Monday November 24!

Wowza! Stampin' Up! is pulling out all the stops for this year's Thanksgiving week deals! There are items for 50% off--including ribbons, punches, and washi tape. The Monday November 24 DOOR BUSTER items are amazing! Most (but not all) embossing folders are only $5. Yes! FIVE DOLLARS. The Gift Box Punch Board is 30% off. And the bundle of the Everyday Occasions AND Hip Hip Hooray Cardmaking kits is only $34.93--that's a 30% savings!!

Shop early--because these items are only available while supplies last. Just click on the "shop here" button over there on the right side of my blog to get started. Or email me by 8:00 Monday evening to take advantage of the Monday only deals!!!

Click this link to view the entire flyer.

Oh, Happy Day! Simply Snowflake Paper Pumpkin

The November 2014 Paper Pumpkin kit is so wonderful!! Everyone should subscribe. These kits are a quick and easy project with beautiful results.

"Simply Snowflake" comes with a 6-piece photopolymer stamp set that is totes adorbs. It comes with a Lost Lagoon Stampin' Spot. And comes with enough supplies to make 8 cards and 24 (TWENTY-FOUR!!) tags...with stuff left over for other projects.

Here is the card and the tag I made with the kit.

(November 2014 Simply Snowflake Paper Pumpkin Kit)

Here's the Stampin' Up video that shows you everything in the kit. I know you're going to want to subscribe so that you don't miss out on any more kits! Just click on the badge on the left-side of my blog to get started today!

 
 

A Little Birdie Christmas

Stampin' Up demo extraordinaire, Ronda Wade, created this cute little card using the "For The Birds" stamp set. This is a versatile set that can be used all year round. I love that it's not a "Christmas set" but it contains a Christmas stamp--and it's soooo cute!!

I used the "On Point" Embossing Folder to add a little dimension in the background--but other than that, this is Ronda's sweet design.

We'll be making this card on Saturday at the last Christmas card-making class! I'm a little late getting this posted because I've been in the "factory" cutting card parts all evening!!

(Stamp Set: For the Birds; Ink: Early Espresso; Card Stock: Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, Baked Brown Sugar, Very Vanilla; DSP: 2013-15 In Color Designer Series Paper Pack; Accessories: Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Hello Honey Stampin' Right Markers, Circles Framelits Collection, Hexagon Punch (for flagging banner), Linen Thread)

 

Letterpress Winter

I loved the "Letterpress Winter" stamp set the moment I saw it...and then I had trouble figuring out how to use it. I've been working with it, but I'm still trying to perfect it. 

In the meantime, I found a lovely card made by Julie Davison. It's pretty close to perfection--so I had to CASE it! Julie used the "All Is Calm" embellishments, but since my Christmas card-making stampers will be making 60 of these, I substituted some basic rhinestones to provide a bit of bling.

(Stamp Set: Letterpress Winter; Inks: Pool Party, Lost Lagoon; Card Stock: Crumb Cake, Lost Lagoon, Pool Party, Whisper White; Accessories: Basic Rhinestones, Whisper White Baker's Twine)

Quilted Christmas

My last Christmas card-making class is this Saturday. I'm kinda sad and kind a glad. It's a LOT of work--but it's a LOT of fun, too. I love being with all my stamping friends and I love seeing them excited about the cards they're creating!!

Sometimes I have great ideas for cards and sometimes I have to "cheat" and CASE someone else's card. I saw this card on Splitcoast Stampers and I had to CASE it because it's totes adorbs!!

(Stamp Set: Project Life Holiday Cheer; Ink: Cherry Cobbler; Card Stock: Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White; DSP: Trim The Tree DSP Pack; Accessories: Postage Stamp, 1" Square Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punches, Banners Framelits Collection, Simply Scored Score Board)

I added a couple of score lines on the right and bottom of the card to balance it out. I love this simplicity of this card!!

Happy Birthday, Grandma!!

My mother-in-law's birthday is later this week. I asked my husband if he'd like me to make a card for her.  He said, "Yes, but please make sure it's a $90 card." What? You ask.

Well, during the #2014InspireCreateShare Stampin' Up convention, one of my absolutely favorite stampers, Lydia Fiedler, gave a presentation in which her premise was "You know you tell your husband that the reason you stamp is because it is so much more economical to make your own cards than to buy them at the store." ;-) Lydia showed three cards at $30, $50, and $90 price points. So, DH wanted the best for his mom!

I was following the Stamp Review Crew's blog hop today where they're featuring the "Amazing Birthday" stamp set. Wendy Wexler made a fabulous card that I had to CASE for Grandma. You should start at Wendy's blog and follow the hop all the way around for some more ways to use this great set!!

Here's my take, a little simpler than Wendy's card.

(Stamp Set: Amazing Birthday; Inks: Early Espresso, Crisp Cantaloupe, Crumb Cake; Card Stock: Crumb Cake, Crisp Cantaloupe, Whisper White; DSP: 2013-15 In Color DSP Pack; Accessories: Decorative Dots Embossing Folder, 1" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Circle Punch, Small Oval Punch)

For the record, if you were starting from scratch--meaning if you didn't have even one Stampin' Up item--this card costs $188 to make (before tax and shipping/handling)! Hey! That's a workshop with some FREE stuff!!

Sugar, Spice & Pumpkin Spice Latte

I needed to make a quick card tonight because I have to get in bed early. We're catching the early bus to New York City and I have to get up way too early in the morning.

I pulled out my "Perfect Blend" stamp set because I haven't used it in a while...and I guess because I'm realizing that I'll need loads of coffee in the morning to get me going! I love this set--it's simply perfect and it's so inexpensive! I also love using this stamp set with Stampin' Up's fall designer series papers. This year's "Color Me Autumn" DSP is no exception. I think these colors and patterns are fabulous together with this set.

What do you think?

(Stamp Set: Perfect Blend; Ink: Cajun Craze; Card Stock: Cajun Craze, Mossy Meadow, Very Vanilla; DSP: Color Me Autumn; Accessories: Oval and Word Bubbles Framelits Collection, Decorative Dots Embossing Folder)

Thank You, Susan

My office administrator is moving on to another job. She's "movin' on up!" And good for her! She's a really sweet person and I'll miss her.

I made this card to tell her just how much I'll miss her. It's all purple because that's her favorite color. Even though I use my stamp-a-ma-jig I can never seem to line up this set--at least it's consistently off-kilter!!

I've been wanting to use the Fun Frames embossing folders for a while. I've seen such cute cards using them. I fussy cut the large frame. I stamped the sentiment again on Whisper White and fussy cut it so that it would fit in the frame.
Finally, I added a corner of bling for balance.

(Stamp Sets: Stippled Blossoms, Really Good Greetings; Inks: Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant; Card Stock: Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant, Whisper White; Accessories: Fun Frames Embossing Folder, Basic Rhinestones)

A Thanksgiving Stuffed with Happiness

This week's Nacho Average sketch challenge is clean and simple--my favorite kind of sketch! I thought this would make a nice Thanksgiving card--using the "Mingle All The Way" stamp set.



I like the simplicity of the sketch, but I also like to add textures to add visual interest. This card uses banner and arrows to draw the eye in various directions.

(Stamp Set: Mingle All The Way; Ink: Cherry Cobbler; Card Stock: Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey, Very Vanilla; Accessories: Arrows Embossing Folder. Banners Framelits Collection; Gold Baker's Twine, Basic Gold Metal Button)

Remember Our Veterans

Today is the day we remember our veterans--past and present--and thank them for all the sacrifices they've made to keep our country safe. We are blessed to live in the relative peace of the United States because of our service members. We owe them our gratitude.

Today's card is an abstract take on the American flag--the stars and stripes; red, white, and blue. Please take a moment to give thanks for our service members and for the great country in which we live.

(Stamp Sets: Work of Art, Perfect Pennants; Ink: Night of Navy, Real Red, Versamark; Card Stock: Real Red, Night of Navy, Whisper White; Accessories: Alphabet Rotary Stamp, Clear Embossing Powder)

In Flanders Fields

Tomorrow marks Veterans' Day in the United States. Our friends in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries have been marking the 2 weeks running up to November 11th--which they call Remembrance Day--by wearing red poppies.  The tradition of wearing the poppy for Remembrance Day comes from a poem called "In Flanders Fields."

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

You can read more about the Remembrance Day poppy here.

I've been thinking of making my own for a few weeks now. Mine turned out bigger than I'd imagined, but I like the way it turned out.

Don't forget to remember those who gave their lives in service to our country--both the living and the dead--on Veterans' Day, Remembrance Day, and everyday. 

(Stamp Set: Flower Patch; Inks: Real Red, Stazon Black; Card Stock: Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White, Daffodil Delight; Accessories: Flower Flair Framelits Dies, Circle Card Thinlit (for banner), Stylish Stripes Embossing Folder, Alphabet Rotary Stamp)

Watercooler Snowflakes

This week's Watercooler challenge blog has a pretty color combination. I thought it would go well with the "Letterpress Winter" stamp set.



I've been trying to find a way to use this stamp set. It's so pretty, but I haven't been able to master this set. I'm still working on it. Here's the card I came up with. (Ii apparently also haven't mastered how to follow instructions 'cause I just realized I used Lost Lagoon instead of Marina Mist--doh!)

(Stamp Sets: Letterpress Winter, Festival of Trees; Inks: Lost Lagoon, Night of Navy; Card Stock: Night of Navy, Lost Lagoon, Whisper White; Accessories: Silver 1//8" Ribbon, Basic Rhinestones)

I stamped a random background in Lost Lagoon ink using the medium sized snowflake. I stamped the smallest snowflake in Night of Navy in the center of each snowflake. To add the silver I added a rhinestone in the center of each snowflake and a double strand of silver ribbon.

Christmas Tree Tag Card

Every Stampin' Up Holiday catalog gives you so many options for Christmas card types--there's clean and simple, modern, humorous, and always--because Stampin' Up! Founder and CEO Shelly Gardner loves it--vintage. The "Under The Tree" specialty series paper paired with Crumb Cake card stock and the "Festival of Trees" stamp set are perfect for a vintage Christmas card!



This week's Addicted to Clean and simple challenge code word is "tag" so I used the Banners Framelits Collection to make a tag out of a scrap of "Under the Tree" and built my card from there. I wrapped the tag in some Linen Thread for a vintage feel. I mounted the punched trees onto an oval
background to give them a bit more separation from the striped banner.

(Stamp Set: Festival of Trees; Inks: Garden Green, Early Espresso; Card Stock: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Garden Green; DSP: Under the : Tree Specialty Series; Accessories: On Point Embossing Folder, Banners and Ovals Framelits Collection, Tree Punch, Linen Thread)

Nacho Thank You

This week's Nacho Average challenge has a set of yummy colors. Lookie!





I remembered that I had a piece of diagonally striped Baked Brown Sugar DSP in my scrap box, so I started with that. I embossed the Pool Party panel with the Stylish Stripes embossing folder. I thought the Watercolor Thank You Stamp would look great in an oval and I really like how it turned out. I added a Very Vintage Designer Button with some Linen Thread, along with a stripe of Pool Party 1/4" Cotton Ribbon.

(Stamp Set: Watercolor Thank You; Ink: Baked Brown Sugar; Card Stock: Baked Brown Sugar, Pool Party, Very Vanilla; DSP: Lullaby; Accessories: Very Vintage Designer Button, Ovals Framelits Collection, Linen Thread, Pool Party 1/4" Cotton Ribbon)

Fabulous Fab Friday

After making a gajillion Fall and Christmas cards, I needed a change of pace. So for this week's Fab Friday sketch challenge, I choose some bright and cheery colors.



I started with a piece of Calypso Coral "Park Lane" designer series paper and that set my color scheme. I haven't used the Brights color collection for a while, so I grabbed the Melon Mambo ink and set to work.  I'm so literal, I interpreted this sketch almost exactly and used the zig-zag stamp from the "Work of Art" stamp set. 

I stamped the watercolor stamp in Melon Mambo and then stamped it off so that it would be a lighter color. I love to use Basic Black with Melon Mambo. I think it makes the colors pop.  Here's what I came up with--bright and cheery and so not Autumnal or Chrismas-y!

(Stamp Set: Work of Art; Inks: Melon Mambo, Tuxedo Black; Card Stock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Melon Mambo; DSP: Park Lane; Accessories: Basic Rhinestones)

Give Thanks

Now that it's November and Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, the "For All Things" stamp set is getting a good workout!! I decided to use it again for this week's Create with Connie & Mary sketch challenge.



I like the way the contrasting panel is mounted a bit askew. And I really love this sheet from the "Color Me Autumn" designer series pack. The dots are just a bit askew, too--not quite round and sort of random. Once I'd put everything together, I thought the card needed a little something, so I used my Simply Scored scoring board to add some scored lines for some added interest.

(Stamp Set: For All Things; Ink: Calypso Coral, Mossy Meadow; Card Stock: Cajun Craze, Mossy Meadow, Very Vanilla; DSP: Color Me Autumn; Accessories: Mossy Meadow Stitched Satin Ribbon, Ovals Framelits Collections, Simply Scored Scoring Board)

Creation Station: Scattered Seasons

Welcome to this week's edition of Creation Station. Our featured stamp set is "Seasonally Scattered" and our theme is gift card holders. If you're starting on my blog, just use the "next" and "back" buttons at the bottom of this post to hop all the way around the blog and see the wonderful creations our design team has come up with. I'm sure you'll find some great ideas to help spur your creativity.

I started with a fall card using the "thanks" stamp from "Seasonally Scattered." I first stamped the image in Cajun Craze on Very Vanilla card stock. I thought that was a bit too bland, so I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to stamp the image again using Encore Gold ink, just a tad off-set from the first image. Finally, I stamped the image again in Mossy Meadow ink and cut it out using the smallest oval from the Ovals Framelits Collection and mounted this on top of my main image. 

I layered the image onto Gold Foil Paper and then on Cajun Craze card stock. The whole assembly is mounted onto a Mossy Meadow card base.

I like the clean and simple look, but I don't like just a plain card, so I always have to emboss the card base. This time I used the Stylish Stripes embossing folder. I finished off the card with a Gold Basic Metal Button tied with Gold Baker's Twine.

(Stamp Set: Seasonally Scattered; Inks: Cajun Craze, Mossy Meadow, Encore Gold; Card Stock: Mossy Meadow, Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla; DSP: Gold Foil Sheets; Accessories: Stylish Stripes Embossing Folder, Oval Framelits Collection, Gold Basic Metal Button, Gold Baker's Twine)

I don't know what's up with my iPhone, but it turned the Gold Foil layer pink--maybe it's the light reflecting. Anyway, here's a closer pic of the main image.

(Stamp Set: Seasonally Scattered; Inks: Cajun Craze, Mossy Meadow, Encore Gold; Card Stock: Mossy Meadow, Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla; DSP: Gold Foil Sheets; Accessories: Stylish Stripes Embossing Folder, Oval Framelits Collection, Gold Basic Metal Button, Gold Baker's Twine)

Next, I started with a Gift Card Enclosure. These come 10 in a package for $5.95. They're pre-cut and pre-scored. All you have to do is decorate and pop in a gift card. Easy-peasy and cute gift idea!!

I decorated my Gift Card Enclosure with a belly band made from the card stock weight "Under the Tree" kraft specialty series paper. Then I made a tag using the "Merry" sentiment from "Seasonally Scattered." I stamped the image in Cherry Cobbler on Very Vanilla and cut it out with a banner from the Banners Framelits Collection. I cut out two more of the same sized banner from Cherry Cobbler card stock and Gold Glimmer paper. I lined them up so that only the tips of the Cherry Cobbler and Gold Glimmer paper show.

I didn't like the plain Cherry Cobbler on Very Vanilla once I'd made my tag--it was too blah.  So I started over. This time I sprinkled some clear embossing powder onto the image and embossed it with my heating tool. Now we're talking! It's bold and shiny! 

I tied some Cherry Cobbler Sheer Linen Ribbon around the Gift Card Enclosure, punched a hole in the Merry tag with the hand-held 1/4" circle punch (an item I thought I didn't need and now cannot live without!), and tied everything together with some Gold Sequin Trim. Beautiful! Who wouldn't want to get a gift card wrapped so beautifully?

(Stamp Set: Seasonally Scattered: Ink: Cherry Cobbler; Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler; DSP: Under the Tree Specialty Paper, Gold Glimmer Paper; Accessories: Gift Card Enclosure, Banners Framelits Collections, Cherry Cobbler Sheer Linen Ribbon, Gold Sequin Trim, Clear Embossing Powder)

Here's a close up of the tag so you can see the shiny and bright embossing!

(Stamp Set: Seasonally Scattered: Ink: Cherry Cobbler; Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler; DSP: Under the Tree Specialty Paper, Gold Glimmer Paper; Accessories: Gift Card Enclosure, Banners Framelits Collections, Cherry Cobbler Sheer Linen Ribbon, Gold Sequin Trim, Clear Embossing Powder)

Next up on the blog hop is the fabulous Cindy Beach. I know she's got something wonderful in store for you. Just hit the "next" button and you'll be taken to Cindy's blog. Or, hit the "back" button and visit Jen Arkfeld! Until next time....