A Winter Wedding...

One of my colleagues at school is getting married tomorrow evening.  She is a wonderful teaching partner and friend and I am so excited and honoured to be attending her wedding.  I was also very honoured when she asked me to help her design her wedding invitations last spring.  She came over one afternoon and we played with some ideas until we came up with something she liked.  She then went off and made ALL of her invitations herself.  At the time she was a novice stamper but has certainly earned her stripes with this undertaking!  Check out this gorgeous invitation:

Winter wedding invitation using the Medallion background stamp.

Reverse side with reply cards and event information tucked neatly in.

Embossed snowflake from the retired Patterned Pines hostess set.

Didn't she do a terrific job on these?!?  I was so proud of her!  Her wedding colours are Soft Suede, Crumb Cake and Very Vanilla, so, knowing this, here is the card I made for her big day:

Wedding card using the Style Beautiful set

Close up of sentiment from Occasional Quotes Hostess set.

Close up of focal image and background.

Close up of vanilla rosettes and crumb cake seam binding ribbon (available Jan. 4th in the Occasions Mini!)

Inside of card

Close up of sentiment from a retired set I can't remember the name of right now!

So, I wanted this card to be as special as the recipients.  I started by creating the background for the focal image.  I basically followed the same technique as for the faux-mother-of-pearl technique in my previous post, but used champagne shimmer paint instead of white.  I sponged crumb cake and soft suede ink over the dry shimmer paint.  The result almost looks like marble, though the photo doesn't quite capture that!  I then stamped two of the images from the Style Beautiful set using timber brown Staz-On ink and layered it on a piece of brushed gold cardstock.  I added some pearls to give it that wedding-y elegance. I adhered that to a piece of very vanilla that I had embossed using my Big Shot and a texture plate from the Backgrounds #1 set and then lightly sponged with crumb cake ink.  Before adhering the whole thing to a textured soft suede card base, I wrapped some crumb cake seambinding ribbon and Chantilly Lace trim around opposite corners.  The sentiment is stamped in soft suede ink on very vanilla cardstock, punched out with the wide oval punch and then layered on a decorative label punch in brushed gold.  It is adhered using dimensionals and embellished with more pearls.  The final touch on the front of the card is the cluster of vanilla rosettes I embellished with still more pearls.  They are adhered using Tombow.
For the inside of the card, I used a piece of Elegant Soiree DSP and sponged the edges.  I then stamped one of the flourishes I used on the front of the card in soft suede.  The sentiment is stamped in soft suede on very vanilla cardstock and then punched out using the decorative label punch (can ya tell I REALLY like that punch?!?) and matted with two more decorative labels in brushed gold and soft suede.  Because I am addicted to embellishments, I had to add a few more pearls inside the card too.
I hope she likes this card and understands how much care went into it.  She will be a beautiful bride and I know it is going to be a great evening.  What a way to say good-bye to 2010!

Oh, what fun it is to play...

...with my stamps on Christmas Day!
Merry Christmas everyone!  I hope your day has been filled with loved ones, good food and good company.

Christmas in the Girsa household is a day I look forward to all year.  We are as low-key as it gets.  Our 3 year-old is  still working on unwrapping his presents...and it is nearly 6 pm!  He just has to play  with every single thing he opens and there is NO rushing him!  We've been asking him all afternoon if he'd like to open some more presents and we keep getting a polite "no thank you" in reply.  We will be unwrapping presents on New Years at this rate!  None the less, we have had a quiet day at home, no one has gotten out of their jammies and it has been absolute heaven!  No place to go, no one expecting us, just a calm, relaxing day at home.  Ahhhh....

And then there's the stamping...

Today was the first time in months that I have been able to just sit and play and boy, did I have fun!  While my son and husband played air hockey (one of many gifts Santa brought) behind me, I played with some of my neglected and unloved stamps.  I completed a few projects but I have to save some for later.  Here is my favourite of the bunch...

Card using faux mother-of-pearl technique

Close-up of new trinket keys from the Occasions mini...oooh I love 'em!

Close up of mother-of-pearl background and my fudged embossing that I actually kinda like!

Inside of card with sentiment from the Notably Ornate set.

Close up of inside sentiment

Ok, so remember how I mentioned my stampin' buddy Christine came over to play last week?  Well she showed me this cool technique that apparently is "everywhere" but I somehow missed.  It is called Faux-mother-of-pearl.  It looks so cool IRL, the photos just don't do it justice.  Here is how to create it:
Start with glossy white cardstock.  Using a bunched-up piece of plastic wrap (the kind you wrap your leftover turkey in) dab white frost shimmer paint randomly all over the cardstock.  Let the paint dry COMPLETELY and then sponge your choice of classic ink all over.  You can also use a brayer, but mine is currently dirty, so I used a sponge!  For this card the ink colours I used were Bashful Blue, Pretty in Pink and Perfect Plum (in that order).  I love the soft, aged look that results. 

For this card I did a 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"  mother-of-pearl panel and then stamped the flourish image from a new set available FREE during Sale-a-bration called "Bliss".  I have to say that I am in L-O-V-E with this set!  Anyhow I digress...I stamped the flourish in Versamark and then embossed it with silver EP.  I forgot to use my embossing buddy (REALLY important because the shimmer paint is quite tacky and the EP sticks to it!!).  I tried to brush off as much as I could and then went ahead and heated it.  The result was a less-than-perfect image I actually quite like.  I think it works quite well with the background.  I mounted that on a brushed silver cardstock mat.  To put the card together I used Concord Crush cardstock and the DSP that comes in the Level One hostess pack.  The little flourishes on the Concord Crush at the bottom are from the Tiny Tags set and are stamped using White Frost shimmer paint again.  I like the way they tie in with the focal image.  My favourite thing about this card are the embellishments.  I love the shimmer brad (from the subtles set, available in the current and the up-coming Occasions Mini), the Basic Gray satin ribbon (retired from last summer's mini) and most of all, the trinket key (also available January 4th in the Occasions Mini.).  The keys are beautiful and so detailed...a truly lovely addition to any project.
As most of you know, I like to make the insides of my cards as pretty as the outside, so I stamped the same flourish vertically in concord crush that I had stamped off once.  The sentiment is from the Notably Ornate set and is stamped in full-strength concord crush, punched out with the modern label punch and then layered on a wide oval and a decorative label.  To add a bit of sparkle to the inside I added a couple of basic rhinestone gems. 
Not exactly a quick and easy card, but one I would love to give (and receive!).

Tomorrow we are heading to my parents' place up north for a couple of days, celebrating a belated Christmas with family.    No boxing day sales for me this year! 

Season of love...

As we finish last-minute preparations for the BIG day tomorrow, I have a card for the other season of love...Valentines Day!  This was made with more items from my Occasions Mini pre-order...check it out!

Valentine's Card made using the new Love Impressions DSP & Valentine Defined set from the Occasions Mini

Close up of the sentiment...I love this 'cuz its perfect for just about anyone.

Close up of inside sentiment

Full view of inside of card

Isn't this cute?  I am not big into Valentines Day...beyond making a card for my hubby and my son, I really don't do much.  But the new Valentine Defined set may just change that!  I like that this set has something for everyone, making it easy to create cute Valentines projects for friends and family.  This set and the coordinating DSP go on sale January 4th when the Occasions Mini goes live.  This mini is full of great new products.  If you still need a copy, drop me a line and I will send you a copy for FREE!

In the meantime, good luck finishing that last-minute wrapping and have a wonderful Christmas Eve!

Plays well with others...

One of the things I love most about this hobby is the social aspect and the opportunity to just sit and play with ink and paper while hanging out with  friends.  Today one of my stampin' buddies came over to play and we had fun experimenting with my Occasions Mini pre-order stuff.  She also taught me a cool new technique that I used to make a wedding card for a colleague who is getting married next week.  I can't post that card till after the wedding to ensure she doesn't see it before her big day, but I do have a card that my buddy Christine made using some of my new stamps.  Check this out!

Pretty vintage style birthday card using a new set called "Bliss" available for FREE during Sale-a-bration.

Close up of the sentiment from the retired Watercolour Trio set.

The butterfly is stamped in Bravo Burgundy and then sponged lightly with Champagne shimmer paint...unfortunately the sparkle doesn't show up in the photo!

Isn't this such a pretty card?  Christine is not an embellishment kinda gal...I, on the other hand, can't seem to stop adding stuff to my cards.  So I just kept suggesting things she could add and ways she could layer.  She certainly was pushed out of her comfort zone, but I think she was happy with the end result!  Thanks, Christine,  for an afternoon of stampin' fun and for the sweet treats too!

Last day for Holiday Bundles!

Tonight is our Christmas concert at school, so I am completely swamped, but I just wanted to post a quick reminder that today is the last day to take advantage of the holiday bundles offer.  Click here to go to my website and enter my online store to save 20% on selected holiday products.

One more day till the Christmas break...I'm counting the hours...

Woohoo...my pre-order has arrived!

Buh-bye Christmas cards...hello Occasions mini!  I am so done with Christmas and ready to move on to new and exciting things...like my pre-order stuff from the Occasions mini and Sale-a-bration!  Mr. UPS dropped a big box of goodies off on Friday and I was so busy with Christmas baking on the weekend my poor box sat unopened until today!  (A crying shame, I know!)  When I finished with dinner tonight I wasted no time in getting down to my stamping corner and inking up some of the GORGEOUS new stamps from the upcoming mini and Sale-a-bration.  Check this out!

Ooh...so pretty!!  I am in L-O-V-E with the new DSP

Close up of focal image.  Stamps are from Clearly For You and Bliss sets.

Inside of card.

Close-up of inside sentiment

Well, where do I start?  The new mini is full of terrific new products and I've used many of them on this card!  Here is a list of some of the new goodies you have to look forward to:
Clearly For You stamp set, Bevelled window panes (coordinate with images in Clearly for You set), Nature Walk DSP, Crumb Cake seam binding ribbon (yes, same stuff as is in the Holiday mini but in fresh, new spring colours!), ribbon rosettes.  The butterfly image is from a Sale-A-bration set called Bliss.  This set is so beautiful I actually paid to get it on pre-order (even though I will most certainly earn it during SAB!!) 

There is just so much to love in both the upcoming mini and Sale-A-Bration, you won't want to wait to receive your catalogues!  If you'd like me to send you one of each for free, drop me an email with your contact info and I will put one in the mail!  Don't forget, the last day to order from the Holiday mini is Jan. 3rd and the Occasions mini goes live Jan. 4th.  Sale-a-bration starts Jan. 25th, so call and book your workshop early before my calendar fills up!  You could earn all of the great products I used in the card for free!

 

Wow...a non-Christmas card!

It has been so long since I've done a card that isn't for Christmas I was afraid I had forgotten how!  I was looking through some old posts and realized I've been doing Christmas since AUGUST!!  Time  for a change, folks!  Today's post is a cute birthday card I made for a friend of my son's.  She is turning two and I had fun making this girlie little card!

This is the first time I've use my number dies with my big shot!  LOVE how easily it cuts chipboard!

Close up of that slick chipboard number and the polka dot embossing.  I love my Big Shot!

Finally some stamping!  The Happy birthday image is from a retired set called Say it with Scallops.  The sentiment is from the current level one hostess set called Birthday Bakery.

Isn't this sweet?  I broke out my virgin blushing bride ink pad for this card.  I've had all of the in-colour inks since the summer but haven't even used most of them yet!  I kept the colour scheme very feminine...just pink and white.  The patterned paper on the front of the card is from the 6x6 DSP stack  level one hostess option.  I love that there is the option to get the DSP for the in-colours this way.  I raided my button stash for this card as well.  They are a cute little addition to the flower border at the top and bottom of the card.  The recipe for this one is pretty simple...just get in touch with your girlie side!

Quick and Easy Deck the Halls card

Simple holiday card using Deck the Halls DSP and Perfect Punches stamp set

 Today's post is a quickie I made last weekend from scraps that were left on my stamping table after I finished prepping for some classes.  I was determined to use up some of my huge scrap pile and I'm happy to say I was successful!

Inside of card.  Sentiment is from the Many Merry Messages set.

Close up of the embossed focal image

This card was really quick and uses a minimum of layers.  I started with a 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" piece of crumb cake cardstock to which I adhered the poinsettia printed DSP piece.  I layered two more smaller pieces of the holly print DSP at right angles to eachother.  I tied some very vanilla seam binding ribbon over the holly DSP and tied it to look like a gift. 
For the focal image, I stamped the Joy at Christmas sentiment in versamark on very vanilla cardstock and then heat embossed it in gold.  I punched it out using my 1 3/4" scalloped circle punch.  I layered it on a 2" circle in brushed gold and a 2 3/8" scalloped circle in early espresso.  I adhered it to the card using dimensionals.  I then adhered the whole card front to an early espresso card base.
The inside of the card uses another piece of the poinsettia print DSP.  I stamped the sentiment in early espresso ink on very vanilla cardstock.  I punched it out using a 2" circle punch and then layered it on a 2 3/8" scalloped circle in brushed gold and a 2 1/2" circle in early espresso.  I added a little elegance with three little pearls...I love using embellishments INSIDE a card!

That's it...quick and easy.  The gorgeous paper does all the work on this card.

Dasher-ing towards Christmas

This time of year is busy for we crafters...so many great holiday craft and gift ideas and so little time to complete them!  As this is my first Christmas as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator, I had no idea just how crazy things can get with clients and new customers wanting to hold workshops and Stamp-A-Stacks.  I have been spending all of my crafting time cutting paper and prepping for various events and have had almost no time to create anything for myself!  If only I didn't have a full-time teaching job during the day!  Ah well, the Christmas break will be here soon and I'll have a full week off to get my Christmas crafting done!

Today's post is a card I created for one of the Stamp-A-Stack classes I held last week.

Simple card using the Dasher a la carte stamp.

Close up of Dasher...isn't he a handsome fella?

Sentiment is from the Contempo Christmas set.  I used one of the big designer buttons in Baja Breeze to embellish it.

Inside of card.  Snowflake images are from Serene Snowflakes.  Sentiment is from Christmas Greetings.

This card came together as I was prepping for my SAS and realized I was out of Cherry Cobbler cardstock!  I didn't have enough to do the card I had planned to, so I had to think fast and come up with something that used the supplies I had enough of on hand.  I was quite happy with the way it turned out and my SAS guests liked it too!  Here is what I did:

I started with a 5 1/4" x 4" piece of baja breeze cardstock.  I stamped the snowflakes all over the top half using baja breeze ink.  I adhered a 3" x 4" piece of Candy Cane DSP to the bottom half of the baja breeze piece.  I then punched a 4" wide piece of whisper white with my dotted scallop ribbon border and adhered it over the seam.  I added a piece of 1/8" taffeta ribbon in real red and adhered it to the back of the cardfront.  I adhered the whole thing to a real red card base. 
For the focal image I stamped Dasher in baja breeze on whisper white cardstock, punched him out with a 2" circle punch and then sponged the edge with baja breeze ink.  I layered this on a 2 3/8" scallop circle in baja breeze and a 2 1/2" circle in real red and adhered the finished piece using dimensionals.  I added a little rhinestone gem to one of the snowflakes for some sparkle.
For the sentiment I coloured the Merry Christmas from the Contempo Christmas set using my baja breeze and real red markers, stamped it on whisper white and then punched it out using my decorative label punch.  I layered this on another decorative label in real red and adhered it to the cardfront using dimensionals.  I threaded some 1/8" taffeta riboon through a big designer button in baja breeze and tied it in a knot.  I adhered it to the upper right corner of the sentiment using glue dots. 
The inside of the card is fairly self-explanatory.  I stamped the snowflakes in baja breeze and sponged the edges of the white before I adhered the white piece to the inside of the card.  The sentiment is from the Christmas Greetings set and is stamped in real red and then punched out using the decorative label punch again.  It is sponged using baja breeze, layered on another real red label and then adhered inside the card using dimensionals.
A cute card using one of my favourite holiday images!

SPECTACULAR Online Sale at Stampin' Up!

Yes, I know it's been a while...life just gets in the way sometimes, you know?  I did want to take the time to let you all know about an amazing sale happening RIGHT NOW over in my online store.  Stampin' Up! has put some great, current product on sale at never-before-seen prices but only until November 30th.  You NEED to click HERE to enter my online store and check out the deals.  My Digital Studio at 50% off!  Bigz XL dies for your Big Shot at 30-40% off plus FREE SHIPPING on orders over $200.00.

Don't wait...these deals go away at midnight on Nov. 30th.  GET SHOPPING!

Playing with the Bag with Scallops die

Last month during the Clearance Rack Blitz I bought the Bag with Scallops die for a steal of a deal.  I finally pulled it out and tried a project with it on the weekend.  It sure makes doing little gift bags easy!

This cute little bag uses the Bag with Scallops die, the Tags till Christmas set and some Candy Cane DSP

This little bag is perfectly sized to fill with sweet treats for Christmas!  It was a snap to put together....here's what I did:
I started by running the die through my Big Shot with Baja Breeze cardstock.  Be sure to use the crease pad so that your score lines show.  I then assembled the bag using sticky strip to adhere it.  I then cut a small piece of the striped Candy Cane DSP, layered it on a larger piece of Real Red cardstock and adhered it to the front of the bag.  I stamped the Dec. 25th image in real red and baja breeze on whisper white cardstock.  I punched out the red image using my decorative label punch and then punched the Dec. 25 using my large oval punch.  I also punched out extra decorative labels in baja breeze and layered them behind the red image.  I adhered the whole thing to the front of the bag using dimensionals.
For the front flap, I stamped the snowman image in baja breeze on whisper white cardstock.  I punched it out using my 1 3/4" circle punch.  I then punched a 2" circle from baja breeze cardstock and a large 2 3/8" scalloped circle in whisper white.  I layered the baja breeze behind the snowman image and then mounted that to the large white scalloped circle using dimensionals.  I adhered it all to the front flap using sticky strip.  I punch two holes in the flap using my crop-a-dile and threaded 1/8" taffeta ribbon in Real Red through and tied it in a bow.  Once again, this was faster to make than to write about!  I can see myself doing LOTS of these as the holidays approach!

Yes...TWO Posts in One Day!

This post isn't to share some amazing project with you.  It IS to share an amazing DEAL with you though! 

Starting on Monday, Stampin' Up! is offering the Demonstrator Starter Kit at 50% off.  The starter kit is already a great deal at the regular price of $215.00; at the promotional price of $107.50 it is an absolute STEAL!  I did some math and to purchase all of the items in the starter kit at regular retail prices would cost $383.00, including shipping and HST.  During the next 2 weeks you can get it all for $121.48, including HST (there is no shipping charge on starter kits!).  Sound too good to be true?  It IS true!  The best part is that you do not have to sell a dime of SU product once you receive your starter kit.  No one will hassle you and after 6 months your demonstrator-ship will just lapse.  You get to keep your starter kit with no obligation whatsoever.

Here is a chart showing the starter kit breakdown:

Item	Retail Price (incl. shipping & HST)
Stamp set:  Fun & Fast Notes	$52.14
Stamp Set:  I {Heart} Hearts	$28.53
Stamp Set: For All You Do	$44.69
A La Cart Stamp:  Many Thanks	$14.85
Std. Wheel:  Fast Flowers	$9.88
Clear Block C	$11.12
Patterns DSP Stack	$31.01
Asst’d Smooth Card Stock	$10.57
Whisper White Card Stock	$11.50
5/8” Satin Ribbon	$15.23
Versamark Pad	$12.37
4 Classic Ink Pads	$36.05
2 Stampin’ Write Markers	$11.19
1 Classic Ink Refill	$6.53
1 Snail Adhesive	$12.12
Stampin’ Mist Cleaner	$6.84
Std. Stampin’ Around Wheel Handle	$6.15
Std Uninked Stampin’ Around Cartridge	$8.08
Blender Pen	$5.37
Stampin’ Sponge	$1.77
Stampin’ Scrub	$26.04
Dimensionals	$6.53
Décor Elements & applicator tool	$15.16
Total Retail Cost:	$383.72
Regular Price of Starter Kit |(incl. tax):	$242.95
Promo Price incl. tax (till Nov. 30th):	$121.48
YOU SAVE:	$262.24

All of the items highlighted in green can be substituted for other product of equal or lesser value, so the kit is completely customizable.

Call or email me for more information or to get your password to order your kit.  Don't delay as this offer is only available until November 30th.

Long time, no post!

I always have the best of intentions...I wake up each day with a plan for everything I have to get done in the 24 hours I have till the next morning and part of that daily plan is always to create and post something for this blog.  Unfortunately, my plans this week haven't done me much good!  I just haven't had time to stamp between parent meetings at school and workshops for Stampin' Up!, my poor stamping corner has been sadly empty.  I did manage to get down there last night for a bit but was struggling to come up with something worthy of a post.  I think I was just too tired to be creative!  Here is the card I did, though I'm not thrilled with it...I just couldn't seem to get it right!  See what you think...

The image on this card is from a retired set called "Wandering Words".  The sentiment is from the current Just Believe set.

I've had the idea to use this sentiment with a Santa image for a while...I think it is very appropriate!

The snowflake is from the Merry Details sizzlet.

Clean and simple inside of card.  The sentiment is from the Christmas Greeting set.

So...not the greatest thing I've ever done, but its ok.  I started by sponging the entire card front using Marina Mist, Not Quite Navy and Night of Navy ink.  Then I did direct to paper with my Versmark pad over the entire thing.  I sprinkled Iridescent Ice embossing powder over it all and heat embossed it.  I was going for a glistening-snow-Milky-Way-kinda thing.  Then, on a separate piece of white cardstock I stamped the Santa and his reindeer image in Versamark and heat embossed it using silver embossing powder.  I cut it out and then sponged it using Night of Navy ink.  Then I sponged it again with champagne shimmer paint, so that it would blend against the sky a bit better.  I adhered it to the background using dimensionals.  For the snowflake, I ran the merry details sizzlet through my Big Shot with whisper white cardstock.  I sponged the snowflake with champagne shimmer paint to give it some life and added a rhinestone in the centre.  I adhered it in the upper left corner using a dimensional.  The sentiment is stamped using Night of Navy ink.  I then embossed the word "believed" in silver.  I punched it out using my decorative label punch and matted it with another decorative label in brushed silver.  I added some rhinestones to highlight the sentiment.  Before adhering it, I wrapped a piece of silver tinsel (yes, its back!) around the card front and adhered it using sticky strip and glue dots.  Then I attached the sentiment using dimensionals.  The whole card front is adhered to a Night of Navy card base the edges of which I sponged with champagne shimmer paint.  Because of the weight of the embossing, I adhered the cardfront to the base using sticky strip to ensure it stayed in place.
The inside of the card is straightforward and simple.  I sponged the edges of a piece of whisper white cardstock using marina mist ink.   I stamped the sentiment in night of navy on a separate piece of white cardstock and punched it out using the decorative label punch.  I matted it on another marina mist decorative label and adhered it inside the card using dimensionals.  I stamped the Santa image in versamark along the bottom edge.
As I said, its not my favourite card ever, but it was the best I could do after a long and busy week.  I'm looking forward to the weekend and some time to recharge my batteries!

Workshop Make 'n' Takes

November is a busy month in so many ways...report cards at school, lots of rehearsals in preparation for lots of Christmas concerts (I am a music teacher...have I mentioned that before?) and tons of holiday card and project classes and lots of workshops!  I have another workshop this week on Thursday and I spent this evening prepping for it.  We are going to do 2 make 'n' take projects:

The package of tags on the left contains 15 simple tags.  The project on the right is a gift card holder.

Gift card holder made using the table setting die and the Dasher A La Carte stamp.

Back of the gift card holder.

Tags using the Gifted and Tags Til Christmas sets.

Both of these projects come together quickly and easily...just perfect for a workshop make 'n' take!  The little bag of tags uses the Noel stamp from the Gifted set.  I stamped it in Real  red on Whisper White cardstock and punched it out with my 1 3/4" circle punch.  I layered it  over a 2" circle punched from Candy Cane DSP.  The other two tags, not visible in the photo (sorry...I had sealed the bag before I remembered to take a picture!) use the snowman and the pine bough stamps from the Tags  til Christmas set.  They are stamped in Baja Breeze and Wild Wasabi respectively and are also punched out and layered on coordinating patterns of Candy Cane DSP.
The second project is a little gift card holder I made using the table setting die and my Big Shot.  I folded the die cut and wrapped some brushed silver card stock around the fold to hold the pocket together.  I stamped the Dasher image in versamark and embossed it using silver embossing powder.  I then punched it out using a 2" circle punch and layered it on a large scalloped circle punched from brushed silver.  Prior to adhering the image I wrapped a piece of Marina Mist satin ribbon around the pocket and secured it with SNAIL adhesive.  I then adhered the Dasher image using dimensionals.  I added a single little rhinestone jewel to the antlers for some sparkle.  To add a little more sparkle and  to facilitate hanging it on the tree I created a loop with the wired silver tinsel and adhered it to the top of the tag using another piece from the table setting die and a shimmer brad.  The back of the gift card holder has a little tag to address to the recipient.  This is another example of a project that took much longer to explain than it did to make!  I'm hoping my guests at  my workshop will like these fun projects!

My baby bro's Birthday

My baby brother turned 35 on Saturday...I was shocked to realize he is that old...and then realized I'm gonna be 40 next June!  How the heck did we get so darned old?!?
Anyhow, he has his own exterior home renovation business called Aluminate and he drives a black pick-up truck.  Here is the card  made for him...

I used the Loads of Love stamp set and the Welcome Neighbour set from last year's Sale-a-bration.

This is a slider card...when you pull the tab, the sentiment appears and the truck drives down the road.

Here's a close-up of my brother in the truck (except he doesn' t really have that much hair!!)

I had fun with this card.  It involved lots of colouring, cutting and using my Stamp-a-ma-jig and took over an hour to make, but it was worth it.  My brother loved it!   I wish I had the energy to give you a step by step guide to making it, but it is now 10:22 pm and I have to be up at 5:00 am for a band practice.  I NEED to sleep.  I just wanted to get this posted because I said I would!  I'll check in tomorrow with a more informative post!

MIA

I've been MIA for the past few days...sorry about that!  Sometimes having a full-time teaching job, plus 2 part-time jobs, plus the responsibilities of being a mom and wife get the better of me!  I have to prioritize my family and there are days when I just can't get down to my stamping corner to create something to post.  I did manage to find a few minutes last night before I started prepping for this week's workshop and, as seems to be the case when I am pressed for time, I reached for my vintage Christmas supplies again.  Here is what I came up with...

Another Vintage Christmas card using Deck the Halls DSP

This is my first attempt at using Waffle Paper for a project...I like the way it highlights the focal point.

Still loving the seam binding ribbon and those Antique Brads!

Inside of card...sentiment free!

So, last week I mentioned I cleaned up my stamping table and found some goodies buried beneath the mound of scraps.  The red DSP circle with the distressed music notes was one of those little goodies.  I had started to create something with it but gave up when it wasn't going so well.  I decided to try again...and managed to come up with a design that used that earlier element.  Here's what I did:
I started with a 5"x5" Always Artichoke card base.  I cut a 4 7/8"x4 7/8" piece of Cherry cobbler cardstock and then a 4 3/4" x 4 3/4" piece of DSP.  I trimmed the corners with my tag corner punch (retired), added a metallice brad in each corner and layered them onto the card base.  For  the focal point, I cut the circle using my clear circle die and my Big Shot.  Then I cut a 1" wide strip of Newsprint DSP (the music notes pattern), which I promptly distressed and crumpled.  I sponged some soft suede and cherry cobbler ink on it to soften the brightness of the paper.  I also distressed the edges of the circle piece and sponged it with soft suede to age it.  I adhered the music note strip to the circle.  I then gathered some always artichoke seam binding ribbon and adhered it above and below the music note strip using SNAIL adhesive.  I tied a bow with another piece of ribbon and attached an antique brad at the centre.  I punched a hole with my 1/16" hole punch and put the brad  through the DSP to secure the bow in place.  Then I took 3/4" strips of Waffle Paper and adhered it around the back edge of the circle using SNAIL, gathering and scrunching as I went. (I have to say this stuff was pretty darned easy to work with!  I think I'm gonna use it more!)  I then trimmed the waffle paper to a uniform width all the way around the  circle.  I adhered the whole focal element to the cardfront using sticky strip...it was  a little heavy and I wanted to make sure it stayed put!  The sentiment is from the Bells and Boughs set and I stamped it in Early Espresso ink on Crumb Cake cardstock (hmmm...this is making me hungry!), punched it out with my scalloped oval punch and sponged the edges.  I adhered it to the card using dimensionals.  For the inside, I stamped the holly image from the Bells and Boughs set in early espresso again on crumb cake.  I trimmed the corners with my tag corner punch and sponged the edges.  I decided not to include an inside sentiment because there are times I have a lot to write and I wanted to leave lots of space for that!  This afternoon we are off to celebrate my brother's  35th birthday.  I have a card for him that I will post tomorrow!  Have a happy Sunday!