Christmas Fridays in July: Purple Haze

#stampinup   #faithfulinkspirations   I start designing my Christmas cards in July because I hold a Christmas card stamp-a-stack once a month in August, September, October, and November. (Details in the tab above.) It might sound a little strange to start so early, but if you're a procrasti-stamper like me, getting a jump on the card making gives me time for other holiday activities in December, when I'm usually crunched for time.

I like to design cards that use non-traditional colors and I thought Stampin' Up's new Highland Heather and Gorgeous Grape would be fun to work with. What do you think? (Really--what do you think? I'm not so sure....)

I started by randomly stamping a snowflake from the "Snowflake Sentiments" stamp set in Versamark Ink onto a 3-3/4" by 4-3/4" Highland Heather Card Stock panel. I adhered that directly to a Gorgeous Grape Card Stock card base.

Next, I stamped the same snowflake in Versamark onto a 3" by 4" Gorgeous Grape panel, sprinkled on some Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder, and set it with my Heat Tool. I adhered this to a 3-1/8" by 4-1/8 piece of Vellum Card Stock and then adhered these layers to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

I stamped a sentiment from the "Snowflake Sentiments" set in Versamark onto a Gorgeous Grape scrap, added Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder, and set it with my Heat Tool. I punched this out with the Pretty Label Punch. I punched another label with the Pretty Label Punch from a Silver Foil Sheet, cut it in half lengthwise, and then adhered it to the back of the Gorgeous Grape piece. I adhered a length of Silver Metallic-Edge Ribbon to the back of this element and then adhered the element to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Finally, I cut three snowflakes from Silver Foil using the snowflakes dies from the Seasonal Layers Framelits. I adhered these to the card with Fine-Tip Glue. I added a couple of Basic Rhinestone Jewels to finish the card.

So, what do you think? I'd love to know! Please leave me a comment!

And keep reading for Stampin' Up's awesome July specials. You won't want to miss out on either of these!

tams# 24284

Product List 
 

Snowflake Sentiments Clear-Mount Stamp Set [144820] $22.00	Versamark Pad [102283] $8.50	Gorgeous Grape 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146987] $8.50	Highland Heather 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146986] $8.50
Vellum 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [101856] $9.00	Silver Foil Sheets [132178] $4.00	Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder [109131] $5.00	Pretty Label Punch [143715] $18.00
Seasonal Layers Thinlits Dies [143751] $33.00	Silver 3/8" Metallic-Edge Ribbon [144213] $7.00	Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220] $5.00	Fine-Tip Glue Pen [138309] $7.00
Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00	Heat Tool [129053] $30.00

July 2018 Special Offers

 

Wow! Stampin’ Up is pulling out all the stops for the month of July. Please read below for the two FUN specials we’re offering!

You know you love Stampin’ Up’s Designer Series Papers and you know you love getting a bargain. What could be better than getting a FREE DSP package? Contact me for more details!

 

The second special is so awesome I can’t contain myself!! Stampin’ Up hasn’t offered this in a long time. You know you love Stampin’ Up because of the colors. Well, look at this!

Contact me today to get more info on this awesome deal when you join my Stampin' Up team!!

Happy (Almost) New Year!

#stampinup   #faithfulinkspirations   I've been spending loads of time with my family over the holidays. It's great to have all three kids home. The twins did very well during their first semester of college and I can see signs of maturity in both of them. They've been a pleasure to have around. And I've got to say that it was a pleasure opening Christmas gifts at noon rather than 6 AM! Much more civilized that way!

So while I've been cocooning here at home with the family, I've neglected my blog. I've actually been stamping a lot--getting those Christmas cards finished and sent out. I made about 90 this year. I always think I'm going to start earlier, but it never works out. I figure as long as they're in the mail before Christmas, they're on time, right?

I'm hoping to turn over a new leaf and blog more regularly this new year. Not only is it almost 2018--but it's almost time for Stampin' Up's Occasions catalog and Sale-a-Bration (starts January 3, 2018)! I have so many fun things to show you and so many fun products in those catalogs to play with!! But we still have a few days left of the Holiday catalog, so I have one last card using product from that catalog that you can still purchase (through January 2, 2018)--and some product that will be carrying over and some from the annual catalog. This card is a three-fer!

I started by stamping three snowflakes from the "Snowflakes Sentiments" stamp set (carrying over) in Versamark onto a 3-3/4" by 5" Whisper White panel. I added some Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder (annual catalog) and set it with my heat tool. I also stamped a sentiment from the "Teeny Tiny Wishes" stamp set (annual catalog) in Versamark and embossed it with Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder. I adhered a 2" by 3-3/4" strip of Year of Cheer Specialty Series Paper (retiring) and a length of Silver Metallic-Edge Ribbon (annual catalog) before adhering it to a 3-7/8" by 5-1/8" Silver Foil panel. I adhered this panel to a Thick Whisper White Card Stock (annual catalog) card base, cut lengthwise, using Stampin' Dimensionals (annual catalog).

I love how sparkly this card is and I think it's a great blend of Winter and "fireworks"--perfect for New Year's wishes.

tams# 18658

Product List

Snowflake Sentiments Clear-Mount Stamp Set [144820] $22.00	Teeny Tiny Wishes Wood Stamp Set [128748] $37.00	Versamark Pad [102283] $8.50	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $7.00
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.00	Silver Foil Sheets [132178] $4.00	Year Of Cheer Specialty Designer Series Paper [144640] $13.00	Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder [109131] $5.00
Silver 3/8" Metallic-Edge Ribbon [144213] $7.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00	Heat Tool [129053] $30.00

Creation Station: Metallics Gone Wild

#stampinup   #creationstation   #faithfulinkspirations   Hello! It's that time again--the Creation Station design team is back to share another round of fabulous projects that we hope will inspire you.

First, though, I have to give a shout-out to TWO of the Creation Station design team members who were just selected for the Stampin' Up 2018 Artisan Design Team: Liz Price and Linda Van Wely.  If you've been hopping with us for a while, you'll know that these two are fabulous artists and that their place on the SU Design Team is well deserved!!

For this round, we're sharing projects with a metallic theme.  Stampin' Up has so many great metallic products to choose from--metallic-edged ribbon, metallic foil sheets, embossing powders, designer series papers. I had a hard time choosing--so I chose several!!

My first project is fun and easy...the hardest part was waiting in the long line at unnamed box craft store to make my purchases! I bough some mason jars, tea lights, Mod Podge, and a foam brush. The only other ingredient you'll need is some salt, which I'm sure you have in your pantry.

I squirted some Mod Podge onto a paper plate and "painted" the inside of the mason jars with a good coating of Mod Podge. Next, I poured in some salt and swished it around the inside of the jars, tapping out the excess.

Next, I cut some houses from a Gold Foil Sheet using the Hometown Greetings Edgelits and some trees using the Card Front Builder Dies. I adhered these to the outside of the mason jars with Fast Fuse Adhesive and Glue Dots. (You could use Mono Multi-Adhesive or the Fine-Tip Glue Pen.) Then I tied a length of Gold Metallic-Edge Ribbon around the top of each jar. 

Simple, right? Look how pretty they look with the candles lit!

Here's how they look when the candles aren't lit. Still so pretty--and so easy!

Since I had the ribbon and Mod Podge out, I thought I'd make another easy project. I cut about 10" of Silver Metallic-Edge Ribbon and another 10" length of Gold Metallic-Edge Ribbon. I "painted" Mod Podge along the length of each ribbon and then wrapped them around a pencil. 

When the Mod Podge was dry, I slipped the ribbons off the pencils and sewed a loop at one end. Aren't they cute?

For my last project, I wanted to use the fabulous Year of Cheer Specialty Designer Series Paper because it's beautiful! I also wanted to make seasonal thank you cards because we all need to write thank you cards for our holiday gifts, right? I made five of these cards and matching envelopes.

I adhered a length of Silver Metallic-Edge Ribbon to a 3-7/8" by 5-1/8" piece of Year of Cheer Specialty DSP and then adhered this to a Thick Whisper White Card Stock card base using Stampin' Dimensionals.

I stamped a sentiment from the "One Big Meaning" stamp set in Versamark Ink onto Whisper White Card Stock, sprinkled on some Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder, and set it with my Heat Tool. Then I stamped one of the snowflakes from the "Snowflake Sentiments" stamp set in Versamark next to the sentiment and embossed it with Silver Stampin' Embossing Powder. I cut this out with the largest oval Stitched Shape Framelit.  

I adhered half a Silver Foil Snowflake to the card and then added the sentiment oval using Stampin' Dimensionals.

I added a strip of Year of Cheer Specialty DSP to the flap of a Whisper White Envelope--so elegant!

I made five of these cards and envelopes because they fit nicely into an Acetate Card Box!

To make the box extra special, I cut a 4-1/4" by 5-1/2" piece of a Silver Foil Sheet and embossed each edge with the Winter Wonder Embossing Folder and slipped it in with the cards. I made a belly band with the same Year of Cheer Specialty DSP that I'd used on the cards and wrapped a length of Silver Metallic-Edge Ribbon around the box.

Finally, I stamped a sentiment from the "Snowflake Sentiments" stamp set in Versamark onto Whisper White Card Stock and embossed it with Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder. I cut it out with the same oval from the Stitched Shapes Framelits. I adhered a Silver Foil Snowflake to the oval and then used Stampin' Dimensionals to adhere it to the belly band.

I hope you've enjoyed my projects.  Please use the "next" button below to hop along to Sara Nell Langland and continue on through the rest of the hop.

Happy Stampin' and have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We'll see you again on the first Sunday in January 2018 (January 7)!!

tams# 18155 (frosted mason jars)

Product List

Hometown Greetings Edgelits Dies [144671] $32.00

Card Front Builder Thinlits Dies [144674] $30.00

Gold 3/8" (1 Cm) Metallic-Edge Ribbon [144146] $7.00

tams# 18156 (thank you cards)

Product List

One Big Meaning Clear-Mount Stamp Set [139420] $19.00	Snowflake Sentiments Clear-Mount Stamp Set [144820] $22.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $7.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.00
Year Of Cheer Specialty Designer Series Paper [144640] $13.00	Versamark Pad [102283] $8.50	Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder [109131] $5.00	Heat Tool [129053] $30.00
Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies [145372] $30.00	Foil Snowflakes [144642] $6.00	Silver 3/8" Metallic-Edge Ribbon [144213] $7.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00
Medium Whisper White Envelopes [107301] $6.50	Acetate Card Boxes [144628] $6.50