CCMC232 - Color Challenge

These are great colors for the winter although we have not seen many blue skies this winter or late fall. Too many clouds and rain for me! In my ideal world, it would rain at night and be sunny every day. I picked an older stamp set to make my card, Greeting Card Kids. I love these little children and they are fun to color too. I did the inlaid embossing for the circles and kept it simple. As you can see, I added a bit of Primrose to make it pop!

Life is a Bowl of Cherries

Well, maybe not all the time but it is a splendid thing. We are all so blessed and sometimes we forget and let all the worries and hassles of the holidays really get to us. I hate for things to get that stressful for me. That is why I am fully blogged now for the holidays. In fact, I blogged ahead in October to get through the holidays with one less stress. I love that the mini catalog is good from August to January so that there is nothing new to have to play with right now! This card was inspired and cased from a Splitcoast stamper. I changed the back layer under my cherries but the rest is the same. It makes a great card for any time of year but the colors holler...FALL!

Merry Christmas...Time to Get Ready for Next Year!

Check out this beautiful project from Stampin' Success 2011. Now that the Christmas rush is officially over, maybe we can sit down and make this for next year! Can your believe that this is paper crafts? Are you ready for the directions???

Stamps Christmas Greetings Set Gifts of Christmas Set Paper Garden Green Card Stock Old Olive Card Stock Real Red Card Stock Soft Suede Card Stock Whisper White Card Stock Ink Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker Stampin' Pastels Accessories & Tools Real Red 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon Linen Thread Rhinestone Basic Jewels Stampin' Dimensionals Color Spritzer Tool Boho Blossoms Punch Dotted Scallop Ribbon Punch Extra-Large Tag Punch Lace Ribbon Punch 1-1/4" Circle Punch Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack Big Shot Flower, Daisies #2 Bigz Die Island Floral Bigz Die Sponge Daubers Floral wire Hot glue gun Pinecones Silver ornaments

Instructions

To decorate box

1. Punch border from Whisper White Card Stock using Lace Ribbon Punch and adhere to box. Wrap Real Red 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon around box and adhere. Wrap Linen Thread around box and adhere.
2. Stamp flower image in Old Olive ink on Whisper White Card Stock. Stamp sentiment over flower in Real Red ink. Punch tag from stamped card stock using Extra-Large Tag Punch.
3. Adhere tag to Old Olive Card Stock and cut out.
4. Punch border from Real Red Card Stock using Dotted Scallop Ribbon Punch. Trim scallop border and adhere to tag. Adhere Rhinestone Basic Jewels to tag.
5. Tie Linen Thread in a bow and adhere to tag.
6. Punch flower from Real Red Card Stock using Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack. Adhere rhinestone to flower and adhere to tag. Adhere tag to box using Stampin' Dimensionals.

To create Whisper White flowers

1. Cut flower petals from Whisper White Card Stock using Big Shot and Island Floral Bigz Die. Layer two sets of petals. Sponge Stampin' Pastels on flower center using Sponge Daubers.
2. Spritz flower using Color Spritzer Tool and Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker.
3. Cut strip of Whisper White Card Stock. Snip card stock every 1/16" and roll into a cylinder. Sponge Stampin' Pastels on snipped card stock. Adhere to center of flower, standing straight up.
4. Attach flower to floral wire.

To create Real Red/Soft Suede flowers

1. Cut several layers of flowers from Real Red Card Stock using Big Shot and Flower, Daisies #2 Bigz Die.
2. Punch a circle from Real Red Card Stock using 1-1/4" Circle Punch. Adhere circle over hole in one flower. Lay flower flat.
3. Curl petals on remaining flowers and fold in half. Adhere folded flowers around center of flat flower, slightly overlapping.
4. Snip Soft Suede Card Stock every 1/16" and roll into a cylinder. Adhere to center of Real Red flower.
5. Attach flower to floral wire.

To create Old Olive/Whisper White flowers

1. Cut flowers from Old Olive Card Stock using Big Shot and Island Floral Bigz Die. Cut one petal from smallest flower and fold the rest of the flower to three petals.
2. Punch flower from Whisper White Card Stock using Boho Blossoms Punch. Scrunch flower and adhere to center of Old Olive flower.
3. Attach flower to floral wire.

To create Real Red flowers

1. Cut flowers from Real Red Card Stock using Big Shot and Island Floral Bigz Die. Layer flowers, removing petals from some layers. Curl petals downward.
2. Fold and distress small piece of card stock and adhere to center of flower.
3. Attach flower to floral wire.

Additional pieces

1. Cut thin strips of Garden Green Card Stock and attach to floral wire.
2. Attach ornaments to floral wire.
3. Attach pinecones to floral wire.
4. Arrange flowers and additional pieces in floral arrangement.

A Deliciously Cute Candle

What is Christmas without cookies and candles and delicious aromas all around? This little candle happens to be Christmas cookie flavored so I just had to put a little Scentsational cookie on the front. What else?

Peaceful Trees

Well, I have had this stamp set since I started in 2003 and I could not neglect it for Christmas this year. I wanted to use it in a way I had not before and made a peaceful tree card with a early sunrise background. Simple and pretty. I don't know if the sparkles really show but I had to add glitter to give it a softly falling snow effect.

Another Snow Man Card

This card was a case mix of 2 cards by Mary Brown. I just love her work. Her style is much like mine in that we like the clean and simple cards (CAS). This one uses the non-traditional colors of the holidays and I like it!

CCMC231 - Sketch Challenge

The challenge is a sketch and I am barely getting mine in (if I do). Playing a little catch-up today. I used a tag I had on my desk for this little card. Enjoy!

Nacho Average Challenges #26

Today is a color challenge and it has been spitting snow all afternoon here in Atlanta. Not a common phenomenon here in Georgia. So that is what inspired me to make a snowflake card. I wanted to do something that would use all the colors but in an abstract way so I did one of the triple stamped cards. It was quick and easy which is just my style. Now the snow will not stick and even if it did it would not count since it is the winter holidays (snow only counts if we get to miss work/school). But anyway...it is fun to think about it!

Snow Much Fun!

I saw this card last year cased it for this year making a couple of small changes to make it mine. I used the Baha Breeze, Island Indigo, and Rich Raspberry. I embossed the snowflakes and added the glitter for a sparkly effect.

Merry Christmas to You!

By the time you are reading this it may be the day after Christmas. I hope your holiday was awesome and that you took some time to reflect what this holiday is all about. It is now time to relax a bit and bask in the satisfaction of knowing that you did not go overboard or go into debt (hopefully) and shared what it is all about...love! So, have a cup of tea or hot chocolate and just enjoy! BTW, this is right from my Christmas activity box as seen on December 1st.

Seasonal Sayings card

My goal was to make a quick and CAS card. I started out thinking a mini card/tag but the sentiment was too large for a 3" tag. I layered with with Riding Hood Red and put it all on a Lucky Limeade card. Well, it was too plain so I cut the end with my Big Shot and them embossed the end, added some DSP and tied ribbon at the end for the final touch.

Not Just for Halloween

I have a few of these little bags left from the Halloween bundle set in the mini and decided to use them for little gifts. I used the Snow Festival tags for the colored label and cut it using the Window Frames collection with Riding Hood Red. The tag is from the Tags til Christmas set. The baggie is filled with yummy red & green m&m's.

Merry Ornament card

I am again playing with the silver glitter paper and colored part of the ornament with Cherry Cobbler. I then cut a 2nd ornament and put them together for this effect. The merry is from the Tiny Tags set. The other color on this card is Wild Wasabi.

Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog Ornament - repost

Front

back side or ornament

Have you seen the latest Holiday catalog from Stampin' Up?! If you have, I am sure you noticed the ornament on the front cover. How could you miss it? It is gorgeous and I just made one for myself! I followed the tutorial from Frenchie. (Thanks for a great job Frenchie). You can make one also or we can make one together. As you can see, I made mine to be a little different! Either way, it works the same.

Christmas Tags and Bag

Well, it is not so much a bag as it is a sour cream container but it is cute anyway. I just wanted the title to rhyme! So, I made these 2 tags as I prepared my Christmas tags and bags class I held on November 3rd and these did not make the cut however, they are very cute and will be used on a package or 2. The sour cream container will be filled with candies and shared with a co-worker. Mmmmm!

Ornaments and Snowflakes

Stamps Joyous Celebrations Stamp Set
Snowflake Soiree Stamp Set
Paper
Gumball Green Card Stock
Summer Starfruit Card Stock
Patio Party Designer Series Paper
Snow Festival Designer Series Paper
Silver Glimmer Paper
Ink
Gumball Green Classic Stampin' Pad
Summer Starfruit Classic Stampin' Pad
Accessories & Tools
Linen Thread
Silver Mini Brads
Paper-Piercing Tool
MDS 2 -optional but you can still get it FREE, ask me how!

A Perfect Punches card

This is an older set but still a good one. Add it to the ever so popular flags on a card and you have a quick and pretty card. The closer we get to the holiday, the quicker the card needs to be!

Glamming It Up with the Silver Glitter Paper

OK, I love glitter of all kinds. I even sparkle on my skin on a daily basis! So, I saw this in the Stampin' Success and saw that it was in colors that SU did not have so I got to wondering...then I saw the quick video they did. Aha! You can color the silver with daubers and ink refills! Eureka! Even as I write this it only October 13th and I am almost finished with my holiday blogs! I usually way behind on reading my Stampin' Success so I am glad that today I was ahead of the game. Now I have a new technique that I can show my stampers and it is a real WOW! I hope you can see the sparkle.

Folded Tree Card

I have seen these trees for the past couple of years and just never have gotten around to trying it. Well, it is very simple, really. You take a circle, cut it in half and fold back and forth. You must use double sided paper or one side will be white. I used the sentiment from Bells and Boughs because I had it out and it fit. This went together really quickly. I used the silver pen to make the design at the bottom and around the sentiment paper. The colors are Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive although the photo came out very dark!

Nacho Average Challenge #24

Another challenge card! I just had a few minutes and thought I would jump right in on this one...blue is my favorite color! The challenge is to use Bashful Blue, Night of Navy and either Basic Gray or Silver (or both like I did). I used an "oldie but goodie" stamp set, Lovely as a Tree for this challenge. I stamped the trees and used the brayer effect for the background (took me 3 tries to get it like this)! Then I embossed the sentiment from Snowflake Soiree with Silver to make it POP! Enjoy!

Merry Snowflake Card

Merry Snowflake Card (4-1/4" x 4-1/4")

Stamps

Border Banter Stamp Set
Joyous Celebrations Stamp Set Paper
Baja Breeze Card Stock
Summer Starfruit Card Stock
Whisper White Card Stock
Silver Glimmer Paper
Ink
Baja Breeze Classic Stampin' Pad
Gumball Green Stampin' Write Marker
Accessories & Tools
Baja Breeze 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon
Linen Thread
Vintage Faceted Designer Buttons
Jewelry Tag Punch
1/16" Circle Punch
Big Shot
Snow Flurry Bigz Die
Stamp-a-ma-jig

CCMC230 - Color Challenge

I have been so busy lately that I have not had time to play with the challenges. I am sure that I am not the only busy one now. So, I got up extra early to play today, I may be late to work but I am playing! I love the challenge of the Glimmer Champagne and Very Vanilla so I quickly put this little card together. Why not play along? See their challenge by clicking here.
BTW, this card also matches The Paper Players challenge for the week.

Peaceful Pink Pirouette

Well, I guess you could say that I am a sucker for the non-traditional colors of Christmas. I mean, what is wrong with veering away from Red and Green every once in a while. Mary Brown made this card and I did not have the same stamp sets so I changed it up slightly to use what I had. The silver glimmer paper is so pretty and I had to emboss the word to go with it. Ahh, it is like a breath of fresh air!

Another Bells and Boughs

I told you I had made 2 with this set recently. This is the 2nd card. I embossed with gold the image and colored it in with my markers using Real Red and Old Olive. I got this idea from Monika Weaver who does all the great things with metal. I didn't have any metal so I just improvised. I think it came out beautifully.

Christmas Cheer Hot Chocolate Pouch

This is just one of the gifts we did in our Gifts Galore class on the 1st. Who would not love a quick and fun gift like this with so much thought and effort put into making and decorating the package. Then, if they want the recipient could refill and pass it to another co-worker or friend and keep it going forward. What fun if it came back to you the original giver. The is a tutorial I got from the Paper Crafter's Library.

Primrose Petals and Early Expresso

I got this single stamp with my first order from the mini and love the sentiment on it. I have made a few cards with it but when I saw this card by Justin at JKcards (design challenge card in October). I knew I had to case it just as it was. Thanks Justin for your talent and inspiration. The DSP is from the Candlelight Specialty paper in the mini now. Oh so pretty!

Bells and Boughs

I bought this set to do my Christmas card last year because I needed that simple and small sentiment. Well, I have basically ignored it since then but pulled it out today and actually made 2 cards using it. This one was inspired by a card I saw on Shelli's blog from last year. Of course, the paper, stamps and colors are different.

Paper Ribbons

Have you ever heard that OLD song called Paper Ribbons? Well, this card was inspired by that song. I kept it very simple and let the bow do all the work. I had not done a paper bow in a couple of years and so the next one might be a little more elegant. I have just pulled out the embossing for Christmas.

Come to Bethlehem

I cased this card from Deb Currier and you can see it on her blog here. She does great work is one of the designers for Create with Connie and Mary. I love this set and I think this is going to be my Christmas card for the year. It is simple and elegant and says it all! Of course, as you can see there are palm trees in the scene and anywhere there are palm trees is all right with me!

Winter Snowman from Stampin' Success

Winter Snowman

Stamps Letter It Set Merry Winter Set Paper Basic Gray Card Stock Peach Parfait Card Stock Whisper White Card Stock Blushing Bride Textured Card Stock White Waffle Paper Ink Baja Breeze Classic Stampin' Pad Basic Gray Classic Stampin' Pad Accessories & Tools Blossom Builders Designer Printed Kit Baja Breeze 3/8" Pleated Satin Ribbon Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine Neutrals Designer Buttons Twitterpated Designer Fabric Stampin' Dimensionals Circle Scissor Plus Doily Punch Full Heart Punch 1/16" Circle Punch Big Shot Paper Doily Large Sizzlits Die Hot glue gun Foam balls

Instructions

1. Attach stick arms to mid-sized foam ball.
2. Punch snow from Whisper White Card Stock using the base image of the Doily Punch. Adhere to foam balls.
3. Adhere foam balls together to form snowman.
4. Punch several additional pieces from Whisper White Card Stock using third Doily Punch image. Adhere randomly to snowman. Save one for hat.
5. Adhere Neutrals Designer Buttons to snowman for eyes, mouth, and buttons.
6. Cut two circles from Basic Gray Card Stock using Circle Scissor Plus. Wrap 2" wide piece of Basic Gray Card Stock and adhere ends to form cylinder. Adhere one edge of cylinder to large circle for hat. Adhere second circle to top of hat. Adhere Baja Breeze 3/8" Pleated Satin Ribbon around hat. Adhere Whisper White punched doily to top of hat.
7. Wrap Twitterpated Designer Fabric around neck for scarf. Tie ends of scarf with Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine.
8. Wrap Peach Parfait Card Stock into a cone to form nose. Adhere to snowman face.
9. Cut six snowflakes from Whisper White Card Stock using Big Shot and Paper Doily Large Sizzlits Die. Cut off outermost portion of image.
10. Stamp "Winter" in Baja Breeze ink on Whisper White Card Stock. Cut out each letter.
11. Adhere letters to White Waffle Paper, then adhere to Doily snowflakes. Thread snowflakes onto Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine. Tie twine to twig arms.
12. Stamp sentiment in Basic Gray ink on Blushing Bride Textured Card Stock. Punch out using Full Heart Punch. Adhere pink rhinestones to heart. Punch hole in heart using 1/16" Circle Punch. Thread Lucky Limeade Baker's Twine through hole in heart and tie to twig arm.

Rudolph card

I think this was a sketch on Mojo Monday's sometime in October so I made a Christmas card with it. I have some of the little tags that are in the mini and I wanted to do something a little different with mine. I punched the deer into a circle and used my Big Shot to cut a framelit to back it with. I used some of the DSP stack in the mini as well and came up with a quick and simple card. The only stamping is the sentiment.

Woven Basket with Tutorial

I found this little basket done by Monica Davis and a tutorial on her blog for it. I think she got it from someone else and so the story goes on and on... Here is a link for her instructions. This was truly quick and simple...the hardest part was trying to get the weave look on the basket! I punched little pieces of DSP and covered the circles on the mints. Mmmm, looks good enough to eat!

Christmas Flag Card shown at Convention

I did not get to go to convention but they do have a great place online for demo's to see some of the projects that were demonstrated at convention. I saw this quick and easy card and well, I had to make one for myself! The DSP is in the big catalog called Be of Good Cheer.

What a Great Snowman

This little snowman will melt your heart but he will not melt. I used the Fancy Favor die and my trusty Big Shot for this box. I added a piece of red and buttons to make a handle and to make it look like ear muffs! I am thinking this will be great for candy or maybe for those little activity cards...hmm, that will really make it simple for the kids!

Pretty Christmas Cardinal

A pretty Christmas Cardinal. I saw this layout on Debbie's Designs in October and decided to do something similar but make mine Christmas. I used a retired piece of hardware and stamped the bird on Real Red using the Language of Friendship bird. It looks enough like a cardinal with the dark shading on it. I used the sentiment from the Greetings of the Season set. I always see Cardinals here in Georgia during the winter and they are a definite bright spot in my day!

Christmas Activity Box with Tutorial

I am currently planning some classes for a local Art Station and I thought it would be fun for the kids to make a Christmas Activity Box. I got this tutorial from Create with Connie and Mary FREE preview craft. It was a little time consuming but oh so worth it! I actually saved time by stamping directly on the activity card instead of stamping and die cutting each little figure. I wanted to make it simple enough for 8-10 years old to do. I am planning to give one to my grandchildren and one to my next door neighbors. What fun, I think they would make great gifts for couples too!