Merry & Bright Wishes

Happy Black Friday!  Thanks for taking time out from shopping to stop by!  Be sure to check out the amazing deals Stampin' Up! is offering this week.  Click HERE to see what is on sale.
Today I have another sample from my Last Chance Christmas card buffet that is happening tonight.  It features the Endless Wishes stamp set and LOTS of stamping!

Christmas card featuring the Endless Wishes, Good Greetings (retired), and  Gorgeous Grunge stamp sets.

This one is really quick and easy to put together, but does have a lot of stamping on it.  I started by stamping the three sizes of snowflakes from the Endless Wishes set in Cherry Cobbler ink on the Cherry Cobbler card stock panel.  Then I sponged the edges of the panel all the way around in Cherry Cobbler ink.  I stamped the splatter image from Gorgeous Grunge in Metallic Silver Encore ink.  Once that was dry I heat embossed more snowflakes in white...love the way they pop against the red background!  The panel is then matted on Whisper White before being mounted on a Cherry Cobbler card base.

The sentiment, from the Good Greetings (retired) Hostess set, is stamped in Cherry Cobbler on Whisper White card stock.  I added a bit of bling with a silver metallic bow and some Frosted Sequins.

Inside view with sentiment from Endless Wishes.

On the inside I stamped the sentiment from Endless Wishes and then added a couple of small snowflakes in metallic silver.  The finishing touch was a few more Frosted Sequins.  Voila...quick and easy!  Have a wonderful weekend...and happy shopping...may the odds be always in your favour ;)

A Non-Traditional Christmas Card

Earlier this week I showed you a very traditional Christmas card.  Today I have one that uses non-traditional colours...

Non-traditional Christmas card featuring the Endless Wishes stamp set.

This one is super-quick and easy if you have to mass-produce a lot of cards.  I used a colour scheme of Pistachio Pudding, Crisp Cantaloupe, silver and white.  The result is a crisp, clean and simple design that is a little bit unexpected.  The large snowflake, from the Endless Wishes stamp set,  is stamped in Pistachio Pudding ink and the small one is in Crisp Cantaloupe.  The medium snowflake and the sentiment are both heat embossed in silver.

I added a Vintage Faceted button in the centre of the largest snowflake and a thick baker's twine bow in Crisp Cantaloupe.  Since every Christmas card requires a bit of sparkle, I added a few silver Frosted Sequins.  I matted the front panel with brushed silver card stock and mounted it all on a card base in Pistachio Pudding.

On the inside I stamped the snowflakes again several times and added the sentiment from the Christmas Bliss photopolymer stamp set.  A couple more sequins and that's it!  Quick, easy and a break from the traditional red-and-green Christmas card :)

Merry [Friday] Wishes

TGIF!!  I am SO glad the week is nearly over...I'm so ready for a weekend!
Today I have another sample from the Holiday Head-start card buffet, happening tonight and tomorrow...

Christmas card featuring the Endless Wishes and Gorgeous Grunge stamp sets.

I am so happy with the way this one turned out!  I love the pop of red agains the otherwise cool colour scheme.  Here is a quick run-down of the products I used:

• Endless Wishes stamp set
• Gorgeous Grunge stamp set
• Christmas Messages stamp set (retired)
• 1-3/4" circle punch
• 2-1/2" circle punch
• Snowflake Card Thinlits Dies 
• Decorative Dots TIEF 
• Snowburst TIEF (retired)
• All is Calm Specialty Designer Series Paper
• Real Red card stock & ink pad
• Coastal Cabana card stock & ink pad
• Brushed Silver card stock
• Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer paper
• Whisper White card stock
• Real Red 1/8" taffeta ribbon
• Smokey Slate ink pad
• Metallic Silver Encore ink pad

Here's a closer look:

 

...and here's a look at the inside:

Inside view with sentiment from Christmas Messages (retired)

 Have a fabulous weekend!!

Kits-to-go, Take Two

Happy Friday!!  TGIF!!  This week has been nuttier than last week was...I didn't think that was possible!  I am SO ready for a weekend!!
Today I have my second Kit-to-Go to show you.  This one features the Endless Wishes stamp set...one of my fav's from the Holiday catty...

Christmas Card featuring the Endless Wishes stamp set, one of four designs in my Endless Wishes Kit-to-Go

In addition to the Endless Wishes stamp set, two ink pads and a marker, this kit also includes a pack of All is Calm washi tape.  I used Pear Pizzazz, Lost Lagoon and Smokey Slate ink on this one.  It is really quick and easy to put together.  Here is a sampling of the other projects in the kit:

For ordering information for this kit click HERE.  This kit is available for order now until mid-November, but order early...remember how crazy life gets as the Holidays approach?  Get your cards done and in the mail before the insanity begins! 

Have a great weekend!

I'm Baaack!

Did you miss me?  Wondering where I've been for the past week?  I wish I had an exciting tale of exotic travels to share with you, but alas, I've just been uber busy!  It is Concert Season for us band directors, which means extra rehearsals, performances and lots and lots of schlepping equipment.  This week promises to be just as nutty, but I have some projects done that I've pre-posted, so hopefully I won't leave you hanging again!

Today is the first day of a brand-new month, which means it is time for a brand-new challenge over at The Technique Twist.  This time we are Double Stamping.  Now I have only ever heard of this technique referred to as masking, but now I've learned a new name for it!  Here is my card:

Wintery card featuring the Double Stamping technique using the Best of Snow and Festive Flurry stamp sets.

I have to admit, I had some trouble getting this to work...I've been away from stamping so long it took me several tries to get my creative Mojo working again!

 Here is a quick how-to for this card:

• starting with a 4" x 5-1/4" piece of Whisper White card stock, I stamped the Let It Snow label using Bermuda Bay ink.
• I punched a bracket label (the same shape as the stamped image) out of a post-it note and stuck it over the stamped label to mask it.
• I stamped the larger snowflake in Pool Party ink randomly over the card stock.
• I stamped the smaller snowflake in Coastal Cabana randomly all over the card stock
• I stamped the larger snowflake again using Versamark ink and then heat embossed with Irridescent Ice embossing powder.
• At this point I remove the post-it note mask.
• I sponged along the edges of the stamped card stock using Pool Party ink.
• I layered the stamped card stock on a piece of 4-1/8" x 5-3/8" Bermuda Bay card stock and then adhered the whole thing to a Smokey Slate card base.
• I die cut a snowflake frame from Silver Glimmer Paper using the Festive Flurry framelits and adhered it over the label using Dimensionals.
• I added a little red bow made from 1/8" Taffeta ribbon in Real Red.
• I added a little extra bling with some strategically-placed rhinestones.

Here is a shot of the inside of the card...it is pretty self-explanatory:

Inside view with sentiment from the Endless Wishes Photopolymer stamp set (sadly no longer available!)

 Give this technique a try this week and link up over at The Technique Twist...we'd love to see what you come up with!

Now I need to take care of some business!  Yesterday I held my annual Customer Appreciation Open House.  I had a wonderful afternoon visiting with some of my favourite people.  It give me great pleasure to annouce the winners of my door prizes (drawn by my expert impartial judge, Max!)...

Winner of the Pop 'n' Place Tags Kit:  Pam Radtke

Winner of the Build a Banner and Accessories Kit:  Connie Renna

Winner of the Big Shot Magnetic Platform:  Chris Light

Congratulations to all!!

One more bit of news...be sure to check back tomorrow for some 24-only Cyber Monday deals from Stampin' Up!  There are some fantastic items on sale for tomorrow only.  Also, don't forget that tomorrow is also the final day of the Holiday Sale.  Don't miss out on the great sale prices!

A Day to Remember

Today we remember and honour those who sacrifced so much, that we may enjoy the freedom and peace that we so often take for granted.  Lest we forget...