Friday, November 29, 2013

Fun and Festive

I am spending the day crafting today and shopping in my own craft room, from things I haven't yet used! Sounds fun to me!

I had a lot of fun making this card. The Silver & Gold designer paper by Bo Bunny makes it so easy to coordinate papers and embellishments in my stash.
I stamped the sentiment from JustRite Clear Stamp - Christmas Vintage Labels Four with VersaMark ink and then embossed with Ranger Super Fine Embossing Powder - Gold


I pleated the May Arts 3/4" Sheer w/Gold Band Ribbon under the second panel and then added a row of Snow Pearls along the edge. I made an "embellishment cluster" with a corrugated heart, Tulle Bow, chipboard glittery snowflake and a Rouge Sparklets from Kaisercraft, along with a swirl of pearls and rhinestones from Prima. Festive and fun!

I hope all of my U.S. friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving! My two dogs were asking for tidbits all day:
Fiona
Lucy - on my knee!



ALL Christmas paper collections have been reduced!

Challenges:

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Black Friday Sale at i {heart} papers!

Today's little giftie is super quick and easy with Lawn Fawn's Winter Gifts stamp set and Tag, You're It coordinating dies.
I stamped the large tag with Memento Tuxedo Black on Echo Park's So This Is Christmas 6x6 and then colored in the edge with a Copic marker (G28). The small tag was also stamped in Tuxedo Black on Ultra Smooth White Cardstock, with the sentiment stamped using Rhubarb Stalk. I colored the holly with Copic markers (G28 and R29) and then popped up using Zva Dimensionals. I tied a little bow with Natural Twine String Thread through the hole in the small tag. Both tags were cut with the coordinating dies.
A rhinestone covers the tag hole where I didn't want to tie anything this time. The tags are backed with a Kraft doily die cut and burlap ribbon. I added some yummy Andes Peppermint Candy and my cute little gift sack is ready to give!  I used 1/4" Scor-Tape to hold everything together. Linked supplies available at i {heart} papers!   

IHP is celebrating Black Friday and Cyber Monday with a 20% off store-wide coupon (in stock items only and not valid on gift certificates) on all orders $50 or more, valid through 12/2, Cyber Monday. Use coupon code Black20DT13 at checkout. All orders will ship on Tuesday December 3! Happy Thanksgiving!
Challenges:  
Ribbon Carousel Challenge - RCC87 Holidays & Celebrations 
Shopping Our Stash - Holiday Or Winter 
Sweet Stamps - The Holidays 

Sunday, November 24, 2013

I Love Playing Paper Snowmen Dolls!

Well, I can't get enough of these cute little snowmen from Lawn Fawn's Making Frosty Friends!
Today's SCS Featured Stamper Challenge inspired me to make this. For Featured Stamper Challenge 355....Congratulations to Julie! What a FUN gallery to browse! I finally settled on this adorable tag but turned mine into a card.

I kept her basic layout and theme, but subbed in a few different elements: designer paper instead of icicle die, chipboard snowflake/twine instead of ribbon and twine bow, snowmen instead of a girl, glitter paper instead of spray for glistening snow, and a banner cut from DP instead of a stamped greeting.

Although only two are really visible in the photo, there are three layers of snow cut from the glitter paper. The snowmen are in front of the back two. I LOVE this stamp set and the matching dies. It is so much fun to decide what elements to use (hats, gloves, scarves, arms, muffs, buttons, etc.)! Stamps are dies are available at i {heart} papers!

I stamped on Ultrasmooth White CS with VersaFine Onyx Black ink and then embossed with Clear Detail embossing powder. I colored in their noses with a YR68 Copic marker. I used a variety of some of my favorite 6x6 pads for the background and clothes. Two are out of print now, but the RSVP pad, for the ear muffs, is available at IHP. I tied some Blueberry Baker's Twine at the top and finished it off with a chipboard glittery snowflake.

I used Zva Dimensionals and 1/4" Scor-Tape to hold everything together. Linked supplies available at i {heart} papers



A fun award for my baby card at Card Crafter's Circle!
Stamps: Making Frosty Friends (Lawn Fawn) - available at i {heart} papers
Paper: Ultra Smooth White CS (Crafter's Companion), Christmas Glitter Stack (DCWV), Winter Fun (Carta Bella), Winter Wishes DP (Echo Park), RSVP DP (Basic Grey)
Ink: VersaFine Onyx Black, Copic marker
Accessories: Mambi Chips Glitter Snowflake (Me & My Big Ideas), Baker's Twine (Divine Twine), Making Frosty Friends dies (Lawn Fawn), Clear Details EP (Ranger)
Techniques: embossing



COMING SOON! Watch for it.....
Other challenges for this card: 
A Gem of a Challenge - Sparkles 
Allsorts - Bring on the Bling 
Crafty Calendar - All Things Christmas 
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas - For a Child 
Time 4 Scrap - All I Want for Christmas 
Totally Gorjuss - Child's Christmas 
Word Play Saturday - Snowman 
Crafts 4 Eternity Recipe Challenge - Glitter and Sparkle 
CCEE Stampers - Embossing and Glitter 

Friday, November 22, 2013

Yummy Holiday Treats

Here are a couple of treats I found today on Pinterest that I am definitely making. Will post pictures when I do to show you that it isn't a FAIL (I hope!)!

White Chocolate Popcorn - from The 36th Avenue
With Sixlets candy!! Yum!

and......





 








Oreo Balls - Could not find a credit! But recipe below. Let me know if this is yours or you know whose it is so I can credit them!

Oreo Balls

Ingredients:
1 package Oreo Cookies
1 block cream cheese, softened
1 pack Cooking Chocolate (Hershey's Semi sweet chocolate chips the best)

Method:
1. Place Oreo Cookies in a bag/blender and smash/blend until it is the consistency of dirt.
2. Mix the softened cream cheese into the smashed oreos.
3. Roll the mixture into balls.
4. Melt chocolate in the microwave.
5. Cover balls in chocolate then leave to set in the fridge.

Stamp Simply for an Elegant Christmas Greeting!

Our first snow of the season is out of the way now. BRRR. Yesterday the wind chill was 4 degrees and we had 45 mph wind gusts, so I stayed inside with my pups and made some cards to send out after next week!

It is so easy to create beautiful and elegant Christmas greetings using Kaisercraft's papers. This particular pad, Christmas Carol, comes with beautiful punch out tags and borders, and that is where my sentiment came from, as well as the red scalloped border below the ribbon.
I started out by cutting my folded cardstock with Spellbinders Labels Eight, using the largest die. I left space at the top, where the fold was, and then cut another single piece for the front of my card. That piece was embossed with Spellbinders Regal embossing folder.  I cut the shiny specialty paper from the Christmas Carol pad using the next smallest Labels die.

I love doing fun things with ribbon, so today, I twisted some gorgeous 1.25" Ivory Silk across my card and tied a bow. I love how this ribbon moves and lays. It is so soft and supple. It comes in a lot of beautiful colors too! A few Sweet Pea rhinestones and a Rouge Sparklet for the bow, and all done! Very quick and easy for such an elegant card!

All linked supplies are from The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store.

Be sure to have a visit to see what other wonderful things Sharon carries! So many fabulous things on sale >here<.
No Time To Stamp?
Challenges for this card:
Brown Sugar - Anything Goes 
Jingle Belles - Holiday Thank You Card 
Totally Papercrafts - Add a Bow

Thursday, November 21, 2013

Friends in My Heart


It's Thursday and that means a new sketch
Here is this week's sketch #128!


I love this sketch and will be using it a lot! Today I took a few liberties, and made the circle a chipboard heart, and the smaller circle my snowman. The banner turned into my ric ric "snow." For my card I chose Lawn Fawn's super cute Making Frosty Friends and coordinating dies - available at i {heart} papers!
I stamped my snowman on Ultrasmooth White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored in the nose and hat brim with a Spectrum Noir marker. This is like playing paper dolls -- all of the dies make it so easy! The hat and scarf were stamped right on the designer paper, and then I cut it all out with the coordinating dies.

I stamped the background on SU! Crumb Cake using the snowflake stamp and white pigment ink. My chipboard heart has been sitting on my desk for literally a year, waiting to be used! So I thought it would be cute with the sentiment! It was stamped with Versamark Strawberry pigment ink, and then embossed with a glittery red embossing powder. My snow is a glittery ric rac from my stash of oodles of ribbons and trims. I used Zva Dimensionals and 1/4" Scor-Tape to hold everything together.  My designer paper is Echo Park's So This Is Christmas 6x6. The total card is 5" square.
Linked supplies available at i {heart} papers!

To play along, here’s the scoop on what you need to do:
1. Use the sketch up top to make a project, any kind you like using any image you like. Use the sketch to inspire your own creativity. Feel free to substitute shapes for what you have available and mount tags and circles to a card base if you’d prefer.
2. Post it somewhere on the internet (your blog, SCS, Flickr, etc). Use keyword DS128 if you post to an online gallery like Splitcoaststampers.
3. Link back here to Inlinkz at the bottom of the post HERE.
4. Be sure to stop back by in two weeks to see if you are one of the featured projects!
5. Prizes!!! This week Jen has three wonderful prizes to give away!! Be sure to find the details HERE.
6. We’ll be using this week’s sketch for the next TWO weeks to give everyone amble time to join in over the US Thanksgiving holiday!

To play along, link up HERE.
Be sure to check out the rest of the fun inspiration from my teamies!
 COMING SOON! Watch for it.....

Other challenges for this card:
CCEE Stampers - Embossing and Glitter 
Creative Knockouts - Snowflakes

 

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

It's a Birthday Hop with Flourishes!

Today is a special day for the Flourishes Family to celebrate our Birthday Girl - Julie Koerber! And Julie is definitely worth celebrating!  She's the right hand on so many levels of what's beautiful about Flourishes, and we're so grateful for her and blessed to also call this lovely lady friend. You can read all about Julie's "Princess" status at the Flourishes blog :)

We invite you to hop along today with many of our Flourishes Family to see our pretty Princess and Birthday inspiration, and join in on our wishes for Julie! 

My sentiment is from Flourishes' In And Out You stamp set. I used distress ink on all my cardstock and designer paper edges.  A princess has to have a frame for her mirror to look in, and pearls and jewels (Kaisercraft Latte Pearls and Jenny Bowlin stick pins) to wear. :)
Thanks for taking a peek!

Comment along the way and you could be entered to win any Birthday set of your choice from the Flourishes Store!  Winners will be chosen and announced on Saturday November 23rd on the Flourishes Blog.

I also want to send birthday wishes to my sweet friend, Tosha Leyendekker, who is hopping along with us, as it is her birthday too! Happy Koalas, Tosh! What a great celebration for both Julie and Tosha! Tosha's blog is listed below, so be sure to stop by and wish her a happy day! And don't forgot to drop by Julie's place to send her your Happy Birthday wishes too!
Stamps: In And Out You (Flourishes) 
Paper: Lost & Found DP (MME), Poptone Whipped Cream CS
Ink: Rose Red (SU!), Victorian Velvet Distress (TH)
Accessories: bird punch (MS), crinkled Rose Petal seam binding (RRR), label punch, frame, silk flowers, stick pins (Jenni Bowlin), Kaiser Latte Pearls



Tuesday, November 19, 2013

A Winter Scene for Timeless Tuesday

 
This week’s Timeless Tuesday challenge #247 is brought to us by Hostess Deborah:
Oh my goodness, 2013 is flying and December is almost here! Hard to believe. I suppose it would be more believable to me if we had typical Nebraska weather right now. But it is unseasonably warm. Unfortunately, I am sure winter is coming (I am a summer girl)!
 
I used one of my favorite winter sets - images from Flourishes' Snow Day. I stamped them on white cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and then colored in a bit with Copic markers

I added Clear and Pink Spica Glitter pen to the pom poms and laces.
The cute mini pom pom trim is perfect since the skates have pom poms too!

Be sure to check out what my team mates have created because they do amazing work! And come play along!

Stamps: Snow Day (Flourishes)
Paper: Whisper White, Pink Pirouette
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black, Copics C1, C3, C5, R81, R83, Clear/Pink Spica Glitter
Accessories: chipboard glitter snowflakes (WM), pink rhinestone gems (Studio G), Cuttlebug embossing folder, Spellbinders dies, white pom pom trim (Really Reasonable Ribbon) 



Friday, November 15, 2013

Vintage Baby Buggy

It's Friday, and that means something fun from The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store! Today's sweet greeting comes from Just Rite's Bundle of Joy Vintage Labels Five stamp set.
I love all of the different images and sentiments with this set!
I stamped my buggy with London Fog ink and the sentiment with Tuxedo Black. My designer paper is Anna Griffin's Olivia 6x6 paper. I used Spellbinder's Circle and Scalloped Circle dies for the main image and I added a few tiny Kaisercraft Pearl pearls as accents. The Baby Pink Seam Binding was the perfect bow. I used a flower button with some Cotton Candy Baker's Twine in the center. As always, I love Scor-Tape and Foam Squares for my adhesives.

All linked supplies are from The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store.
Be sure to have a visit to see what other wonderful things Sharon carries! So many fabulous things on sale >here<.
No Time To Stamp?

Challenges for this card:
Card Crafter's Circle - Thread Lightly - Pastel Colors
 

Thursday, November 14, 2013

So Thankful For You


It's Thursday and that means a new sketch
Here is this week's sketch #127!


For my card I chose Lawn Fawn's cute So Thankful stamp set - available at i {heart} papers!
I stamped on Ultrasmooth White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored in with Spectrum Noir markers. The sentiment is stamped with Memento Rich CocoaBrown Sugar Baker's Twine ties it up nicely. I used Zva Dimensionals and 1/4" Scor-Tape to hold everything together.  My designer paper is Doodlebug's Happy Harvest. 
Linked supplies available at i {heart} papers!

The Deconstructed Girls have some amazing eye candy for you 
so have a visit at my teammates' blogs too! 
To play along, link up HERE.

Other challenges for this card:
Delightful Challenges - Thankful 
Shelly's Images - Give Thanks
 

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Timeless Tuesday #246

 
This week’s Timeless Tuesday challenge #246 is brought to us by Hostess Allison:
 Aren't they fabulous?
I chose the second sketch and Autumn Blessings for my card today. 
I stamped my wheat with VersaFine Sepia on Classic Ivory cardstock and then embossed with Clear powder. I colored in the bow with a Copic marker (BG72) and then tied some twine around the middle. It is layered on to the Victorian Ovals large die. 

My sentiment is also stamped with Sepia and then cut out using a Spellbinders banner die. I added a button and twine for embellishment. My designer paper is by Authentique.
I hand cut my wheat but there is a fabulous SVG file available if you have the right machine!

Be sure to check out what my team mates have created because they do amazing work! And come play along!

Other challenges for this card: 
Going Grey With Scrap-Creations - Give Thanks 
Party Time Tuesdays - Use Twine Or Hemp 
Ribbon Carousel Challenge - Holidays & Celebrations (Thanksgiving)
Tuesday Throwdown - Gratitude

Saturday, November 9, 2013

Moxie Fab Thanks to Cath!

It's a Moxie Fab Thanks Blog Hop - with a HUGE thanks to Cath Edvalson for all she has done for stampers and crafters everywhere to inspire us to be our own kind of FABulous! You may have read Cath's post here, about her departure.

If you arrived from Linda's amazing blog (that woman rocks!), you are in the right place (I am #131) in our FABulously long list! So cool that so many are taking part in this hop to honor Cath! Otherwise, START HERE!

So today, I give Cath a high five!
My images are from kirstin2love by The {Stamps} of Life. I cut my frame using Sizzix Framelits dies and then stamped the flowers around the edge of the front. 

The inside was stamped with VersaMark ink and then heat embossed and colored with Copics. 

Cath, I wish you the very best for your future endeavors, and thank you for all the inspiration over the past many years.
My card today was inspired by this sweet Tuesday Trigger:
Image Credit
I loved the colors and sweet little flowers. And although I have no feathers, my girl's "wing" is up flying high in her high five for Cath!

Keep honoring Cath by hopping on to my sweet friend, LYNN'S BLOG, where I know she will have something you will love!

Stamps: kirstin2love (The {Stamps} of Life by Stephanie Barnard  
Paper: Poptone CS  
Ink: Stephanie's Premium Green Apple, Copic markers and VersaMark  
Accessories: Black Detail EP (Sparkle N Sprinkle), Sizzix Framelits dies

Friday, November 8, 2013

The Elegance of Velvet

I love velvet ribbon. It adds such elegance to any project. Sometimes I start my designs with an image, sometimes with a particular paper that I want to use. Today's design started with this elegant and gorgeous 3/4" Burgundy Velvet ribbon from The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store. Sharon carries a wide variety of colors and widths HERE. I wanted my card to look like a fancy wrapped package.

The Spellbinders Persian Motifs dies work well for the illusion of snowflakes. I chose a patterned paper to coordinate with the Burgundy ribbon -- Kaisercraft's Christmas Carol 6x6 pad. My sentiment, stamped in Memento's Rhubarb Stalk ink, comes from Just Rite's Christmas Vintage Labels Four stamp set. It was cut out using Spellbinder's Classic Circles dies. I added a few tiny Kaisercraft Pearl pearls as accents.

To finish, I added May Arts Gold Wired Beads and a pretty White Prima Le Mia flower for my "package's bow."

All linked supplies are from The Stamp Simply Ribbon Store.

Be sure to have a visit to see what other wonderful things Sharon carries! So many fabulous things on sale >here<.

No Time To Stamp?
Challenges:
Crafty Little Fairies - Christmas
Crimbo Crackers - Christmas Words