Lucy Tutorial #4/ Vintage Vogue Butterfly

Well, since mom wanted to know what ELSE we can do with Versamark, I broke out my Stampin' Pastels. It had been a while, I'll have to admit. I had already shown her how Versamark can be used all on its own on colored cardstock to do watermark stamping. Now it was time to stamp using Versamark on white (actually Very Vanilla) cardstock. After stamping my images on the strip of Very Vanilla, I chalked over the flowers & leaves using Bravo Burgundy and So Saffron chalks. The result was fun, but not quite all that I wanted. That's the last mom saw of this card since it was time for my parents to head back home (luckily before snow flew). I, of course, kept tinkering with the strip of Vanilla. I decided to stamp over it using Always Artichoke and that was a good start. Then I wondered what it would look like if I embossed the whole deal with Glassy Glaze a couple of times. Bingo! It created just the look I was going for and did great things with the Stampin' Pastels. All that remained was for me to create a card that fit it. :) The whole thing shouted "vintage" at me...and not just because of the name of the set. So, I knew I would need torn edges & my Distressing Tool. A butterfly from Beautiful Wings seemed like a good idea and it was an even better one when sponged with Bravo Burgundy. I got to use my little Jewry Tag Punch again (yeahy) and finally found a good use for the strips of pears on each Basic Pearls sheet. A nice card to end my mother's lessons, don't you think? Especially since it shows how you can start with just one element & end up with a full creation.

Lucy Tutorial #3/ Embossed Tree of Hearts

Next on the list for teaching my mom was embossing. I knew she hadn't done it before and it was what got me hooked on stamping in the first place. I think the whole process is pretty close to magic. I decided to start us off with metallic embossing on dark paper (this time Cherry Cobbler) because it's the most dramatic. So I took out my Valentine Defined set yet again. I'm getting to be dependant on this little gem! Both the tree and the string of hearts look great when embossed. Adding the smallest of the Heart to Heart Punch hearts gave each embossed piece just a little more punch. Once I decided on them for an accent, the Bitty Button had to come next. It's a perfect fit! Add on a little Very Vanilla Satin ribbon and we're all set. Now I just need to decide if I want to use this one or my Love Mingos in class at Lakewood. I can fit both into classes in Longmont, but I'll have to choose for down south. Any preferences out there? Up next, mom wanted to know whale ELSE she can do with Versamark...

Lucy Tutorial #2/ Shimmer Mist Best Wishes

Well, after I introduced mom to the technique of sponging she asked a great question: "What happens when you sponge an embossed image?". So, that was the next mission. To pick out colors we just opened up the Idea Book and Catalog to the designer paper section and picked out a combo that worked for us. It didn't matter that we didn't actually have any of that paper. It was like an instant or "on demand" color challenge. Unfortunately, this card doesn't photograph as well as I would like. You get the idea though. Mom sponged the embossed image and I showed her how it's important to be pretty aggressive when sponging in this situation. You really want the embossed bits to stand out. Then, I introduced her to the 7 Sided Distressing tool & Shimmer Mist (made from a mix of Shimmer Paint and Rubbing Alcohol). As a final elegant touch we added a couple of little Basic Rhinestones. Just right. It would make a great wedding card! Next up for mom was the wonderful world of embossing...

Springtime Vintage Bouquet Squares

While my parents were here for their Christmas visit, I got to give my mom a few tutorials on stamping. She's become quite the card maker herself & just needs to know how to use some of the different toys and where to start with designing. So, while dad, Jeff, and I played pinball, mom and I made cards. This was our first. For Christmas she got a bunch of our Impressions Folders including Elegant Bouquet. I wanted to show her how to use the folder for more that just decorating a card front. Also, I really wanted to use the Springtime Vintage designer paper from the new Occasions Mini (which starts next week!). So, I showed her how to use the color pallet for the paper as a guide when picking what colors to use on your card. It's so handy that Stampin' Up spells it out for you & takes out all the guess work! Mom also was curious about how sponging works, so I had her sponge the Pear Pizazz layer on this card. More on sponging basics in our next card. :) I had a bit of Victoria Crochet Trim around and thought it went great with this card. Oh, and mom also got a Word Window Punch to go with her Teeny Tiny Wishes set (a new stamper must) so I thought I would show her how nicely even one of the longest sentiment from that set fits in her new punch. All in all, a fun first lesson!

Happy Birthday Jeff! / Mojo Monday 171

It's my husband's birthday (we'll leave out numbers for his sake) and so I decided to make my Mojo Monday card for him. There are few things he enjoys more than a good pun. The Pun Fun set was therefore the natural choice. The folks over at Mojo Monday have their monthly "round or square" challenge this week and I picked the square version of this great sketch. If you haven't done one of their sketches before I recommend you pop over there and give it a try. Even if you don't have a way to post it, trying a sketch challenge is a great way to get the stampin' juices flowing! The designer paper for this card is part of the hostess In Color pack. Great fun, huh? Now that I *gasp* own all of the stamp sets for level one, I am collecting some of this great designer paper for us to use in classes. I know some folks would keep this little bird for kid-only cards, but I think that he's great for kids at heart too! Jeff definitely qualifies on that one. Happy Monday!

Cupcake Punch Clouds Valentine

It's been a while since I woke up with a card design in my head & just needed to get it out before I could continue on my day. But, these little balloons were nagging at me before I got out of bed (actually off the air mattress since my parents are staying on our bed :) ). As one of the hidden benefits of being a demonstrator, SU sent us a sheet of the Love Impressions Rub-ons from the new Occasions Mini Catalog. These little hot air balloons are one of the featured images. Aren't they fun? I also used the Build a Cupcake Punch from the new catalog. Granted, there aren't any cupcakes to be seen but one of my favorite things about this punch is just how many other things we can make with it. The clouds came to mind right a way for me. So, I made one and used it to mask parts of the background while I sponged in Marina Mist. Then, I cut a few more to put on with Stampin' Dimensionals. That way there are different layers of clouds for the little balloons to fly through. On the inside, I continued the cloud theme by adding a couple of the little clouds from the rub-on sheet. That way the balloon that peaks through the window to the front (make sure to punch one layer at a time or the punch gets cranky) isn't all alone with the sentiment.

Top Note Elf Shoes

Merry Christmas! It looks like I had one last Christmas card in me after all! I've seen these cute little feet on blogs all over the place and wanted to give them a shot myself. You just cut a Top Note in quarters & then use the Large Oval Punch to make the top of the shoes. I found the remnants of Candy Cane Lane designer paper I had around made for great elf socks! Glue dots are an easy way to make perfect glitter circles for the toes. Great fun! I hope you have a lovely holiday. I'm off to enjoy mine!

Build A Roo Valentine

Again, not very Christmas-y but isn't she great fun? It's been a while since I've used my Build-a-Roo set & I decided it was time to get it out and play. I also haven't made a tent card in a long time and the format works so well with Mrs. Roo. While I decided to make a Valentine with these elements, it could just as easily become a birthday card for a kid or a kid-at-heart. Whimsical and fun can be for anyone! Also, depending on what you put in her pouch, it could become a "get well" or "congrats on the new baby" card too. There are lots of options and plenty of sentiments from Teeny Tiny Wishes to go along with each occasion. The glitter heart at the bottom of the card is thanks to a combination of Heat and Stick Powder and Dazzling Diamonds glitter. I've never used the Heat and Stick Powder before today and I was so impressed! It created a heart completely coated in glitter with no effort and no mess! Just a little Versamark and my heat tool made for a glue free & mess free use of glitter. If you haven't used this product before you're going to love it! I may, at long last, become a true glitter girl! Of course, I want to wish a Merry Christmas & happy everything to each of you...I just might not show it through the card of the day!

Get Well Heart Flowers

I know it's Christmas Eve Eve, but I'm thinking spring thoughts along with festive ones. The spring ones keep coming out in my cards! Today I wanted to show off that the new Valentine Defined set has much more to offer than just cards for February. The little heart flowers make a great centerpiece for a get well card too. Of course, my flower pot turned out to look just a bit too much like a hat, but I'll work on that. :) I tried it first in Cajun Craze since that gives a nice terra cotta feel to the pot, but it just didn't work with the Early Espresso. That's why I settled on Chocolate Chip. It's a little different than the Espresso without standing out too much. My little sentiment fit just great in the Jewelry Tag Punch that I just added to my collection. This is actually the first time I've gotten to put it to use. The little sentiments from the Silhouette Sentiments hostess set also fit nicely in this punch. And, of course, there is a set made to coordinate effortlessly as well. SU would never leave us completely to our own devices. I just haven't gotten the Tiny Tags set yet! Give me time. I hope this finds you all well and ready for the weekend of festivities. My parents arrive early tomorrow morning & I'm looking forward to an excellent Christmas with family and friends. Perhaps there won't be a post every day, but I'll do what I can. Have a Merry Christmas & I promise to be back before the New Year!

Cottage Garden Z Fold

WOW! I just checked the date & today marks this blog's 1st Birthday! A huge thank you to all of you who have checked in to see what I've been up to for the last year. Such fun to have an anniversary. I'll look forward to year two & hope you will all come along for the ride!

I was looking for something new to do for today's card. Specifically, I wanted to try out a new fold and I found a tutorial on Splitcoast Stampers for this "Swinging Z Fold". I've been at it for a couple of hours now... and I'm pretty okay with this one. :) I tried it with three layers for the cut out as shown in the tutorial, but it came out looking like something my 5 year old nephew would bring home from school. Not that he isn't talented, but I was hoping for a little better scissor work than that! So, I created my own DSP instead by stamping both sides of the Whisper White cardstock. Then I added just a touch of the Sunny Garden designer series paper to make things pop. My favorite part of this card is the sentiment though. I just inked a little part of the stamp & punched it out with the little tiny oval punch that was introduced in the Holiday Mini. All in all a pretty simple card given all the experimentation that went into it! It's a good thing I don't post all of my attempts. I think it would scare you all away.

Love Mingos (Take One)

Hello! So sorry for the prolonged & unintentional disappearance. I ended up working five days last week instead of two. That combined with the normal holiday craziness left NO time for stamping. I have to admit that I feel a bit rusty today. There's been a card itching at my brain for about a week though and I just had to get it out. This is the first attempt. Perhaps there will be another. While looking at some of the stamps from Simply Said not too long ago, I thought that one of the "flowers" would make a great palm tree if combined with the stem stamp from Cottage Garden. I knew I would have to give it a try at my next opportunity. What do you think?The card layout is very loosely based on the Mojo Monday sketch from last Monday (the day I intended to make this card!). It was nice to have training wheels of a sort to get me back in the groove! You'll be seeing much more of the Valentine Defined set from the soon to be released Occasions Mini. I think it's a real winner & it has flamingos!!! How can you go wrong with them? I hope you all are getting the itch for card making too. Check out my SU website for January class dates. Such fun we will have!

Build A Blossom Swap/ Color Throwdown #122

It's time for a preview of some of the goodies that will become available on January 4th when the new Occasions Mini Catalog goes live. Also, I wanted to squeeze in the Color Throwdown #122 since it will be the last one for 2010. I know that Laura made the colors to fit with last minute Christmas cards, but I'm ready for something a little different. So, I broke out my toys from the catalog pre-order and started playing. I love the combination of Riding Hood Red, Pear Pizazz, Chocolate Chip, and Crumb Cake for more than just Christmas cards. My assigned set for the Occasions Mini swap is the Build A Blossom set which coordinates with the new Blossom Petals Punch. It made creating this flower & its leaves super easy. Then, I just had to use my new Sweet Buttons embosslit. I know some folks wondered why we were getting new buttons for the Big Shot when we already have the great Buttons die, but look how well they layer with the older buttons and you just can't resist the embossing on them! Speaking of embossing, the boarder for this card was made using the new embossing folder, Framed Tulips. Lots of new and exciting things are headed our way with this new mini. I think you'll have as much fun playing with the new products as I did today! I can't wait to play some more. Then I can pick if this is the right card for swap. Hard to say...

A Little Gift

It's almost class time, but I wanted to take a moment to post this little gem. I saw this idea for a tiny hand sanitizer gift at a class given by my friend, Cindy, and just knew I would have to make one of my very own. So, when I found them on sale at Bath and Body I knew it was meant to be! Such a quick and easy way to spruce up a little gift for teachers, co-workers, and the like. We'll make them at class this afternoon and on Thursday too. Let me know if you would like to come over for Thursday's class. There is still room available! :)

Reinker Ornaments

Over a year ago, I bought a bunch of clear ornaments thinking that I would make a shrinky dink project with them. Well, there were several issues with baking the shrinky dink inside the balls. It was a great idea, but didn't quite work out. So, these little guys have been sitting around waiting for the right opportunity. Well, thanks to some of my teammates on Stampin' Connection (the demo only social networking site through Stampin' Up) I found just the right project. Thanks so much to Keri Young for pointing me in the right direction. All it takes is some reinker & a dab of shimmer paint (other folks used glitter, but that process drove me crazy) to transform a clear glass ball into something special. Then, I ran a little bit of Sticky Sheet through the Big Shot with the Star Die to make an easy embellishment for the ball. The Glass Glitter sticks so well to the Sticky Sheet that it makes working with a round surface no problem. After making one with Baja Breeze, I just had to try it out with a darker color. So, I took out my Bravo Burgundy and give it a whirl!

Two Ball Ornament

This had to be, hands down, the most fun I've had paper crafting in quite a while. It's a super simple way to transform just a little bit of designer paper into a lovely little Christmas tree ornament. It was just so different than anything I've done lately. Making it was so fast & fun that it just made me giddy. I came across a tutorial for making these little gems while browsing through Splitcoast Stampers the other day. You really should check it out! You won't be disappointed. Of course, if you're going to attend one of December's classes we will make them there too. I think I'll make a whole bunch of them to give out this holiday season. I've never been so pleased with a project that took me so little time! Enjoy making them yourself.

Fancy Favor Gift Card Holder

I just love discovering new things to make with some of my favorite toys! I have already made a bunch of little bags with the Fancy Favor die & have decked them out for many different occasions. Then, I found out that the same die makes a great little gift card holder with just a few modifications. Thanks so much to Cindy for passing this one on to me! The outside is very cute with just a little Deck the Halls designer paper & my very favorite stamp from the Tags Til Christmas set. Then you pull out the super cute little card that fits so nicely inside. Finally, you can open up this little number to find your gift waiting inside! Oops, looks like a little free advertising for my favorite cheese shop, huh? Trust me, they are well worth checking out too!

Simply Said Flower Mojo

Huzzah! My back ordered Simply Said set has arrived. I just had to use it for today's Mojo Monday sketch. It's such a cherry group of stamps that I thought this polka dot paper from Woodland Walk was a natural choice to brighten up this Monday. It's one of those wake up with a porcupine in your throat kind of days, so I needed a little perking up. I matched up the littlest heart from the Heart to Heart punch to provide a backing for one of my Bitty Buttons. It fits just right which is why there isn't a tiny heart punch in the punch pack that goes with the buttons and the Itty Bitty Bits stamp sent. Makes sense to me! The only flaw with the large image from this set is that I think all the flowers need defined centers, so I always just add them in using a Stampin' Write marker. Then all is right with the world. If only we could solve all the world's issues that easily! :)

Christmas Matchbox

For classes this month, we are going to make projects that work as great gifts or gift wrapping. This little matchbox is a perfect example. I finally ordered the matchbox die last week while it was on sale for the Online Spectacular and I'm so glad I did! Assembly for this little guy is super easy and doesn't even require any adhesive. How can you go wrong? It would be a great size to fit some earrings or other jewelery or perhaps some little treats. I spruced up the outside by using some of the Candy Cane designer paper which is unfortunately no longer available. SU sold out of it just the other day. I still think we'll use some in class though. I had no idea it would be sold out when I placed my paper order! The little tag for the box is also part of the same die. So, you can make a box, its wrapper, and a tag all with one trip through the Big Shot! You'll be seeing more of these boxes in the future, I promise.

Stampin' Royalty #48 Color Challenge

It looks like this is my week for trying out new challenges. I stumbled on the Stampin' Royalty blog yesterday and saw that they were having a color challenge that really struck my fancy. I almost never use River Rock so it was fun to give it a try mixed in with a bunch of other colors I use all the time--- Rich Razzleberry, Early Espresso, and Marina Mist. I also got to use FIVE new toys on this card! Great fun. The Cherry Blossom Die was on sale last week, so I just had to order that one. Then I just got the 7 Sided distressing tool, so I had to give that a go. The Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack is new to me & I used the 3/8" Circle for the center of my flower. I decided to try Rich Razzleberry wide grosgrain ribbon for a switch. Oh, and the Daisy Dash wheel is new too! Can you tell I went a little toy crazy last order? Just wait til you see my toys from the pre-order from the new Occasions Mini! They should be here soon. :)

Hello Flowers

While this card might feel like a color challenge, it wasn't actually. I started it while I was back in Illinois with only a few bits of paper on hand. So, I started to play with seemingly unlikely color combos like this one: Tangerine Tango, Rich Razzleberry, Garden Green, Tempting Turquoise, and Chocolate Chip. Not a mix I would usually put together, but I do like how they work here. I used both the positive and the negative of my Flower Blossom die to get two for one. Then I realized that the five petal flower from the Itty Bitty Bits goes well with the die. A couple of embossing folders later & tah dah! Must dash off now to rejoin the wonderful world of substituting. Fifth graders today...wish me luck!

My First Color Throwdown! (CTD #121)

Today I decided to branch out and try a new color challenge. So, I paid a visit to the folks over at the Color Throwdown and really liked what I saw. Their colors for this week included: Bashful Blue, Marina Mist, and Chocolate Chip. It's a great group for Christmas cards, but I just wasn't in a Christmas card kind of mood this morning. I decided to go whale instead! I got things started and then felt like the card was feeling just a little too ordinary. Sigh. That told me I needed to try something new! I got out my circle punches & chopped up my sentiment to see what that would do. Kind of fun, huh? YIKES! I just realized that I didn't add the little Marina Mist circles I punched to decorate the sentiment. How silly of me! Have you ever made a card and then forgot to add some of the bits when it came to assembly? This is new for me...I guess I'll add them to my example card, but leave things be here. How embarrassing!

Cindy's Class for a Change

Today I got to be a student in a card class! It had been FOREVER since I was able to attend a class given by my upline, Cindy. So, I took the day off to make it happen! We made four co-ordinating cards to give as gifts. I, of course, had to switch things up a bit. These are the four designs I came up with given the bits and pieces Cindy provided. I fun use of the Elegant lines folder! I really fell for the Vanilla Satin Ribbon too. Look for that to appear at one of my classes soon!!

Gift Card Easel

Sorry there weren't any more posts from Illinois! The lighting thing was just making me crazy. I would have tried out using sunlight, but the sun hid behind a whole bunch of rain for most of my visit. So, I'm back in Colorado and back to making posts! This morning I decided to change the Circle or Square Mojo Monday challenge into an easel card that will make a great gift card holder. There is just the right amount of room to use temporary adhesive to stick a gift card right inside! Perhaps I'm just in an easel card frame of mind after finishing the engagement balloon invites with the bridesmaids yesterday. What great fun that was! An assembly line with a full table of people goes so fast & we had a great time putting them together. It felt like such an accomplishment to see them all completed. I'm running late for the rest of my day (as usual), so I guess I better get a move on!

Christmas Wish On the Road

So, perhaps posting from Illinois is going to be a bit of a challenge. :) Pretend the lighting on this one was better, okay? I did fiddle with things in my photo editor to make it brighter,but it's still pretty dark. I'm invading my mom's stamp collection for this week to bring you posts while I'm visiting. It's a challenge & a fun one at that. I think when I get home I will add some Cherry Cobbler to the bow & some of the balls on this one. That should really make things pop! Perhaps then I will post a new & improved photo as well. Then you will be able to see the colors much better. Maybe tomorrow I will try to take photos out in the sunshine? Never can tell. It's interesting how you find what things you take for granted when you try to do an "ordinary" thing (like posting for me) in a new place. I missed my bone folder, all my makers, and my full spectrum light today. I think it was my place mat I missed most of all! Isn't that silly? I just use a typical Stampin' Up grid paper for my place mat but today I found myself missing the lines & ruler. I guess I really am a creature of habit! More tomorrow...fingers crossed.

Monochrome Mojo

I was feeling in a purple mood today, can you tell? All three of the current SU purples are used in this card including Perfect Plum, Elegant Eggplant, and Concord Crush. I've been trying hard not to limit myself to reds and greens for Christmas cards, but still have been missing parts of my pallet. Time to branch back out!! I also wanted to use some sets that are starting to get a bit dusty on my shelf. :)

Of course, I spent the morning checking out the offerings on Stampin Up's online spectacular. WOW! I put in my own order first thing. There were a couple of bundles I just couldn't pass up! Check out my SU website to see the savings available now through Nov 30th.

I also want to take the opportunity to thank everyone who came to play for my first ever Punch Art class. It was great fun. I want to share one more possibility with you. This one comes from my upline, Cindy. She posted him on her blog yesterday and he's about the cutest moose you'll ever see! Check him out here.

FYI I leave for Illinois this afternoon, but will try to post from there. I'm making no promises as there was VERY little room for stamping stuff in my one carry on. I think the folks at TSA are going to be perplexed by my Sizzlets & punches, don't you?

Punch Art Xmas Tree

Okay, here's the last one for my Holiday Punch Art class. It's super simple, but still really fun. Just take eight hearts & adhere them together to form the tree. Then spritz the whole tree with some Shimmer Mist created from a bit of Shimmer Paint mixed with rubbing alcohol inside a spray bottle. Ta Da! You have a lovely & sparkly Christmas tree. I made little trees out of the hearts from the Heart to Heart Punch last year, but I thought I would go for something bigger this time around. You could always deck out the tree with punched circles etc, but I wanted mine pretty simple. Hopefully this tree & all the other Punch Art friends I've been making lately will be a big hit at this afternoon's class!

Roasted Turkey

I have made several punch art turkeys in the past. Usually they involve the Scallop Circle Punch. However, when my dear friend, Marge, showed me the idea for this roasted little bird I knew I would have to include it in this Sunday's Holiday Punch art class. Isn't he something! the bulk of the bird comes from the XL Bird Punch while the little drumstick bone is from the Owl Punch. They are all still bird parts, so I guess it's not that big of a stretch, huh? My husband thought that the Small Oval Punch made far too small of a platter, so I upgraded to the Large Oval Punch. That way he has plenty of room. It was a little difficult to settle on a color for my little bird, but I found that More Mustard sponged with the same came out a sort of golden brown. Soft Suede or any of the other browns looked like I'd managed to burn the bird. And while that might happen if I were cooking one for real, in the wonderful world of stamping, I can make a perfectly golden brown bird each time! Then I used some of my favorite stamps from the Grateful Greetings set to create sentiments for inside & out. I had a student in one of my classes this week point out that she likes to have as little room as possible to write after she's finished stamping, so I added a few flourishes from the Priceless set too. Now it's just ready to sign & send for the big Turkey Day!

Punched Snowman

It's not usual for me to CASE something pretty completely, but I couldn't resist this little guy. Check out the original on Flowerbug's Inkspot. I only changed a couple of things. I really wanted to use some of the Bashful Blue satin ribbon I have on hand & I tried SEVERAL methods for working with the background. I settled on inking the recessed side of the Northern Flurries Folder using Bashful Blue ink & then embossing. It gives the card a real weather sort of feel. At least I think so. And, of course, I couldn't resist embossing the hat using the Square Lattice folder. This is our third card for Holiday Punch Fun this Sunday. If you want to join in, please let me know. :)

Reindeer Mojo

How about that little reindeer? He just has to make you smile! My second "fun with punches" adventure may be even more cute than the first. I have a soft spot in my heart for penguins (even though one once bit me in the rear), but this little guy has some serious personality. I searched around on Splitcost Stampers to look at punch ideas and found a similar reindeer, so I fiddled with it a bit to make him work for me. I may have gotten a little carried away with his antlers, but I can scale them back next time to fit him into an envelope. I actually used four punches to make Rudolph: his nose is from the Owl Punch, his face is the Designer Label Punch, his ears are from the 5 Petal Flower, and his antlers are from the XL Bird punch. Lots of toys, but super simple to assemble. Oh, and the sketch is courtesy of the folks over at Mojo Monday. Again, I switched things up a bit, but that's part of the fun!

Owl Punch Penguin

And so it begins! This Sunday's theme class is all about having fun with punches & using them to create something other than their intended purpose. I've seen the little penguin folks have made using the Owl Punch and knew I would have to make one of my own. Thanks to Sarah Wills for publishing a step by step tutorial for these little guys. They aren't complicated, but it's always nice to have photos to follow!

My hostess for tomorrow's bag classes also requested a whimsical bag, so I think I'll switch this little card into a bag format for her too. Presents are quick and easy to make thanks to my Square Punches & little bows provided by my Flower Trio punch. The pre-glittered paper from Candy Cane Christmas gives these little gifts a nice extra pop.

Sorry it's not a Mojo Monday for today. I needed to make this one last night so I could post it before work this morning. I'm back in the fourth grade for a day. It was my favorite grade in elementary school growing up, so I guess it makes sense that I keep finding my way back there.

House Warming

Last night was the house warming party for the person who can be credited with starting me on my stamping path. A few years ago she invited me to a party at her home & I decided to go even though "it's not my thing". Little did I know that before long it would very much be my thing! I think she still gets a kick out of the fact that her very non-crafty friend is now a demonstrator for SU and crafting has become a huge part of my life. It just goes to show how one small moment can make such a huge difference and that it's so important to just try new things. You never know where they will lead you. This little guy is just a 3x3 card designed to attach to a wine bottle. That's why I punched a hole in the top corner. Thread a little ribbon though and you're all set. I think the bird house needed a little more decoration near the top, but I couldn't decide on just the right stamp. Maybe next time it will come to me!

Hydrangea Thank You

The first time I saw a hydrangea and

learned its name was on a cold day in Pittsburgh well over ten years ago. My husband (boyfriend then) and I were touring Phipps Conservatory while they had an incredible display of these lovely flowers. We no longer felt the damp chill of outside, but were transported. That's what I thought of when I saw the focal image from the Because I Care hostess set. Fitting then that I haven't used it until this chilly November morning. I paired it up with the PPC Color Challenge choices of the week: Bravo Burgundy, Concord Crush, and Baja Breeze. I also took the opportunity to try some techniques I've been wanting to incorporate for a while. The focal image was an easy fit for making a window of sorts using my 1 1/4" square punch & I practiced with my new Crop-a-dile to add a few little eyelets. Now, I just need to make its twin to send off and one for my display boards!

Just for Fun Bag

This morning I needed a "just because" sort of bag and so I set to work with the image from Cute as an Inch as my inspiration. Nothing too fancy, but fun & the Tangerine Tango is so striking with the Basic Black. Of course, everything is still packed from my class Wednesday night since I've been working ever since. This full time work stuff clearly isn't for me. :) I had such a wonderful time meeting new people and crafting on Wednesday night that I just really only want to stamp from here on out. Is that okay with you guys? Perhaps my bank account won't like it too much. I guess I'll still have to substitute here & there, but it's so lovely to have a job where I get to have great fun and meet such lovely people. Speaking of how much I love what I do... Stampin' Up is offering 50% off their new demonstrator starter kits from Nov 15- 30. That means you too could become a demonstrator for just $87.50! It's an amazing price for the load of goodies you receive (a $310 value). If you've ever thought about becoming a demo, now is the time to do it! I'd love to have you join my team. Contact me today to find out how.

Simple Snowman

Whew! Last card for my adventure tonight. I had another card in mind but it involved punches that were already in use in another card & there's no way I'm going to make a big crowd have to share between tables. So, I came up with something different.

He's super simple, but I do like the set-up. The Northern Flurries folder fits so nicely on the Top Note. It's hard to tell in the photo but the embossed snowflakes are given a little extra pop by the addition of some shimmer mist (small spray bottle of alcohol mixed with a good serving of Shimmer Paint). It really helps them to stand out. I thought about adding some snowflakes to the Razzleberry layer, but in the end simplicity won out. I sure hope the ladies tonight like what I've come up with for them. It's always great fun to meet new stampers!

The Dog Ate My Homework

Wouldn't you know it? I have a big event tomorrow night for which all of the cards were designed & samples ready. However, my dog decided that the Bells & Boughs card I had selected wasn't quite right. Or perhaps she thought it was good enough to eat because that's exactly what she did! Of all things for her to start chewing on, she had to pick cardstock as her new favorite. That means I have to be VERY careful!

Don't tell her, but I'm actually kind of glad I got the chance to redesign this one. For tomorrow's event I'll have about 25 stampers &, since I'm not sure how much experience they'll come with, I wanted to keep the cards simple but with flare. Also, I wanted to feature Bells & Boughs along with the Deck the Halls paper since they are available right now in a bundle for 20%. So I needed to come up with something to fix Maddie's snack attack. I really like the effect created by stamping the holly in Cherry Cobbler on Crumb Cake this time rather than Always Artichoke. It just really pops! And the little bit of Designer Paper means that my remaining page of that pattern will be more than enough for all the stampers. I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone. Now I just need to cut some paper so I can be all ready!

Rejoicing in Christmas Mojo

Another Monday and another lovely sketch from the folks over at Mojo Monday. Thanks again to Sharon for turning me on to that site way back when...it's what helped push me towards creating a blog!

I've been wanting to create something a bit different with the Christmas Blessings set. All I've been able to come up with for it as of late involved big rectangles. The stamp of the Holy Family is great, but super long. So, today I decided to try to fit them into a circle. And I didn't just want to do the normal coloring routine either. I really wanted a stained glass effect. Then I remembered a tutorial I saw forever ago on Splitcost Stampers about using vellum to get the stained glass feel without a ton of extra effort. Perfect.

It's hard to see in this photo, but I also used Smooch Spritz on the Razzleberry paper to provide some context for my brushed gold frame. I never want to put too much sparkle in with a nativity scene, but I think this lends just enough. Hope your week is off to a great start!

A Color Challenge for a Change

It's been quite a while since I tried a color challenge & I was feeling the need to do something other than a Christmas card today. So, I gave PPC a look. Their colors for this week are: Cajun Craze, Basic Gray, Pretty in Pink, & Pear Pizazz.

Once I knew I was going to do a color challenge, I decided to add a little extra challenge by picking out a few toys I haven't used lately to feature in this project. I took out my Movers & Shapers Die, the Hello Again stamp set, & my XL Bird Punch to see where the adventure would take me. I think it may still be missing something, and I'm not wild about the way the stitching around the window kind of disappears when I add texture, but overall it was a fun experiment. What do you think? Leave me a comment and let me know. I would love to hear your input!

Candy Cane Christmas

One of my favorite things about teaching classes is just how much I learn! We were in a bit of an experimental mood at class on Thursday & tried out some things that worked great & others that we won't need to try again. :) These little peppermints are one of the keepers! Laura found that punching the little star/snowflake from Delightful Decorations using the 1/2" Circle Punch creates the most adorable little mints! Once she showed one to me, I knew they needed to be paired up with some of the designer paper from Candy Cane Christmas. Such a match!

I also wanted a sentiment that was food related, so I took out my Tags Til Christmas set & went to work. I don't actually have the Scallop Square punch (GASP! I know...) but the image fits great inside the 1 3/8" Square so all was not lost. :)

The fun with this card makes me want to decorate one of the little houses from the Holiday Mini gingerbread style. Perhaps that's a class in the making for stampers young & a bit less young alike!

Scallop Circle Wreath

This one was so much fun to make! Ever since I saw the idea of making a wreath out of our Scallop Circle Punches I couldn't wait to try it out. My dear upline, Cindy, made a super cute card with the little wreath for her last Stamp-a-Stack class & I really wanted to try my hand at it too. I couldn't decide what I wanted to do though. Then, I took a gander at the Mojo Monday sketch for this week & knew I had my solution. The Christmas Collage background stamp works great. It is like having instant holiday designer paper whenever I need it! Perhaps I could have used a darker ribbon for my wrap around, but supplies are kind of limited in my ribbon drawer at the moment. Of course, I want to use this one in classes this week & next so I didn't want to risk running out of ribbon!

Balloon Invite Take Two

I found it was sort of hard to create a second version of the balloon invite I made earlier. However, I wanted to make sure that my Bride-to-Be had some fairly different options to choose from. There were elements I needed to keep the same, but I made sure not to look back at what I had done the first round before making this one.

It's a totally different card, but includes all of the essential elements. At least this will give her some other ideas of where we could go. Of course, the final option could have bits and pieces of both or be completely different. We'll see! Such fun designing cards for such a specific event. I'm really enjoying this little adventure.