Happy Moments

#stampinup   I haven't played along in the Nacho Average Challenge for a while now. I took a look at this week's color challenge and I immediately knew what I wanted to do.



The poinsettia sheet from the Season of Cheer Designer Series paper has the three challenge colors and the DSP is a work of art by itself! I decided to feature the DSP and add a simple embellishment and sentiment.

I started with the DSP and mounted it onto a Cherry Cobbler mat. I tied a length of Gold Glitter Ribbon around these elements and then adhered it to the Soft Sky card base.

I stamped a sentiment from the "Wondrous Wreath" stamp set in Cherry Cobbler onto a Whisper White scrap and cut it out with one of the Chalk Talk Framelits. I mounted this label to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

This is another quick and easy holiday card--and I love using this DSP as the focal point!

tams# 4962

Product List

Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00	Gold & White 3/8" (1 Cm) Glitter Ribbon [139614] $10.00	Chalk Talk Framelits Die [129983] $25.00	Merry Moments Designer Series Paper [138450] $11.00
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50	Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [119685] $7.00	Soft Sky 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131203] $7.00	Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad [126966] $6.50
Wondrous Wreath Photopolymer Stamp Set [135047] $26.00

Pear Trees

#stampinup   I really love the combination of Pear Pizzazz and Lost Lagoon. I'm surprised I don't use it more often. I'm glad I re-discovered the Global Design Project challenge blog, because this week's challenge also helped me to re-discover the Pear Pizzazz/Lost Lagoon combo!

The challenge this week is to CASE Brian King's card. Usually, "CASE" means to "copy and steal share everything," but for this challenge, it means, "copy and selectively edit." That means we could take inspiration from anything on the card--the layout, the colors, the theme (winter).  I chose to use the layout.

I started with a Whisper White panel onto which I stamped a sentiment from the "Wondrous Wreath" set in Lost Lagoon. Then I embossed the panel with the Softly Falling Embossing Folder.

Next, I stamped two trees from the "Festival of Trees" set in Pear Pizzazz onto Whisper White scraps. I added Lost Lagoon ornaments. So pretty! I punched out the trees with the aptly named Tree Punch. 

I wrapped a length of White Glitter Ribbon around the Whisper White panel before adhering it to a Lost Lagoon mat, and then onto a Pear Pizzazz card base.

I adhered the trees to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. For the finishing touch, I added a Pacific Point Star Sequin to the top of each tree using the fabulous Fine-Tip Glue Pen.

This card was so quick and easy and CUTE that I made several and added them to my Christmas card stack. Some of my lucky friends will be receiving this cards for Christmas!!

tams# 4920

Product List

Festival Of Trees Photopolymer Stamp Set [135059] $16.00	Wondrous Wreath Photopolymer Stamp Set [135047] $26.00	Pear Pizzazz Classic Stampin' Pad [131180] $6.50	Lost Lagoon Classic Stampin' Pad [133644] $6.50
Pear Pizzazz 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [131201] $7.00	Lost Lagoon 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [133679] $7.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50	Softly Falling Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [139672] $8.50
Gold & White 3/8" (1 Cm) Glitter Ribbon [139614] $10.00	Tree Punch [135859] $18.00	Brights Sequin Assortment [138389] $5.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00
Fine-Tip Glue Pen [138309] $7.00

Christmas in August #2

#stampinup  I held the first session of my annual Christmas card stamp-a-stack. We get together once a month in August, September, October, and November to create a stack of Christmas cards. I design 3 cards (or CASE somone else's wonderful card) and my guests make 4 of each card. They leave each session with 12 cards, and by the end, they have 48 hand-stamped cards ready to send--before Thanksgiving!

I CASEd this design by Australian stamper Alison Barclay. I loved it the moment I saw it because it uses the "Build A Birthday" set for a Christmas card, showing how versatile the set can be. I also loved the colors Alison used and the Lost Lagoon Striped Ribbon!

We started with a Whisper White Thick Card Stock card base, cut lengthwise. I cut Real Red, Crumb Cake, and Lost Lagoon layers. We wrapped these layers with a length of Lost Lagoon Striped Ribbon.

We stamped the sentiment from "Wondrous Wreath" in Real Red at the top of a Whisper White panel. Then we added two candles from the "Build a Birthday" set--one in Real Red and the other in Lost Lagoon. We topped the candles with a Hello Honey Flame. We added this to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Next, we stamped some flowers from the "Petite Petals" stamp set in Real Red onto Whisper White scraps and punched them out with the Petite Petals punch. The flowers are added to the card with Stampin' Dimensionals.

Finally, we tied a length of Lost Lagoon Striped Ribbon at the top of the card. Alison made a beautiful bow on her card, which I was unable to replicate.

tams# 4089

Product List

Build A Birthday Photopolymer Stamp Set [138646] $16.00	Wondrous Wreath Photopolymer Stamp Set [135047] $26.00	Petite Petals Wood Stamp Set [133152] $16.00	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [126949] $6.50
Lost Lagoon Classic Stampin' Pad [133644] $6.50	Hello Honey Classic Stampin' Pad [133643] $6.50	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $7.00	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102482] $7.00
Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953] $7.00	Lost Lagoon 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [133679] $7.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $8.50	Lost Lagoon 5/8" Striped Cotton Ribbon [138418] $7.00
Petite Petals Punch [133322] $13.00	Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00

Retro Wreath

Today's card is an entry in this week's Retro Sketch challenge. I decided to use the Wondrous Wreath set on this card. (Say that three times, fast: Retro Wondrous Wreath!)



I liked the Smoky Gray, Basic Gray, and Blackberry Bliss color combination I used on another wreath, so I decided to use it again here. I think it turned out really pretty. What do you think?

(Stamp Set: Wondrous Wreath; Inks: Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Blackberry Bliss; Card Stock: Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Blackberry Bliss: Accessories: Wonderful Wreath and Apothecary Accents Framelits Collections, Elegant Stripes Embossing Folder)

Retro Wreath

Wow! I really went "retro" for this week's Retro Sketch Challenge. I used some more Under The Tree Designer Series Paper and let that choose my color scheme. Since I already had the "Wondrous Wreath" stamp set out, I thought I'd use the same colors on the wreath that I used for the card.

Here's the sketch.



Once I put all the pieces together, I realized the card had a real vintage, retro feel to it.

(Stamp Set: Wondrous Wreath, And Many More; Inks: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler; Card Stock: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Whisper White; DSP: Under The Tree; Accessories: Wonderful Wreath and Banners Framelits Collections)

Wonderful, Blissful Wreath

I've seen some interesting color combinations used with the "Wondrous Wreath" set. There have been some great fall colors and great Christmas colors. I've also seen some unusual colors that have just been WOW! Believe it or not, I really like Basic Gray and Smoky Slate--especially when paired together with another color that makes them pop. For this card, my POP is Blackberry Bliss.

The sketch for this week's CAS(e) This Sketch is simplicity itself--yeah, it's clean and simple. And that can be hard to imagine--or not to actually steal someone's idea. So, I used a number of ideas that I have seen around the stamping blog-o-sphere to create this card. That's what I love about our stamping community--it's a community and we inspire each other!!

Here's the sketch that I've copied and stolen for my card.



Along with this interesting color combination, I wanted to use one of the word Framelits as the sentiment on the card. I think this makes the card elegant. I added two embossed stripes at the bottom, but they're had to see in the photo--so you'll have to trust me ;-)

(Stamp Set: Wondrous Wreath; Inks: Smoky Slate, Basic Gray, Blackberry Bliss; Card Stock: Smoky Slate, Blackberry Bliss, Basic Gray, Whisper White; Accessories: Wonderful Wreath Framelits Collection, Simply Scored Score Board)

Part Three: Christmas in October

This is one of my favorite designs--evah! There's something about it that just calls to me. I think because it's clean and simple and because the colors are so calming. It's stunning in its simplicity!

(Stamp Set: Wondrous Wreath; Ink: Smoky Slate; Card Stock: Smoky Slate, Pear Pizzazz, Whisper White; DSP: All Is Calm Specialty Series Paper; Accessories: On Point Embossing Folder, Apothecary Accents Framelits, Banners Framelits, 1/8" Silver Ribbon)

I love how the sentiment from "Wondrous Wreath" fits into the Apothecary Accent Framelit.

I CASEd This Sketch!!

When I first saw the sketch on the CAS(E) This Sketch challenge blog, I thought, "Wow! That's too hard. I don't have any ideas." Then, as sometimes happens, I got a flash of inspiration, and I knew exactly what I wanted to do! And then I went right to work and put my inspiration onto paper and it turned out better than I imagined it would!! I love it when a plan comes together!



Over the weekend, the Creation Station projects used the "Wondrous Wreath" set and I was fresh out of ideas. I even said that I thought that whatever I would come up with would be derivative of someone else's creative designs. And while my card is inspired by others who have made a fall wreath, on a wooden door or fence, or who have made a garland out of the wreath, I think my design is unique. (Watch. Now someone will say--hey! that's my design....)

(Stamp Sets: Wondrous Wreath, For All Things, Hardwood Background, Gorgeous Grunge; Inks: Crushed Curry, Tangelo Twist, Blackberry Bliss, Baked Brown Sugar; Card Stock: Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla; Accessories: Wonderful Wreath Framelits Collection, Snowflake Card Thinlit--for the banner)

The "Hello Fall" sentiment took a while to dry. I even hit it with my embossing tool before I ran it through the Big Shot. Then when I was applying it to the card, the ink smeared. Really?! Well, there are no stamping mistakes, only stamping opportunities. So I grabbed my "Gorgeous Grunge" set and inked up the dots with Crushed Curry ink and added some more splotches to the sentiment. You know. Like I meant to do that!