Finally...a family day!

Today has been the BEST day!  It is the first day in weeks that I have been able to spend entirely with my family.  I got to sleep in until 10:00 (!!) am this morning and then we took our little guy to see The Backyardigans Live this afternoon.  It was so good to just spend time together without feeling like I am on a deadline.  This is what every Sunday should be like!  I actually (almost) feel ready to go back to work on Monday.  
Today's post is a card I designed for the Stamp-A-Stack I did on Wednesday.  It was the only card that wasn't chosen ahead of time by the ladies.  They requested a snowman card using traditional Christmas red and green.  See what I came up with:

Holiday card using the Snow Much Fun set and Frostwood Lodge DSP

Inside of card with sentiment from Many Merry Messages

You know, when I first saw this snowman set in the new catty it really didn't do much for me.  Perhaps it was because I was in the midst of planning swaps for convention during the heat of July, but whatever the reason I just wasn't all that excited about it.  I am happy to say that I was DEAD WRONG about this set!  It is just the cutest and all the many amazing designs I have seen featuring these images are just so inspiring!  In designing this card I tried to keep it simple, knowing that my ladies would be doing three other designs in the same evening.  In the interest of time, I avoided watercolouring the snowmen, though they would look even cuter with a little colour added.  The early espresso baker's twine wrapped around the cardfront and tied in a bow with the tiny little jingle bell as the perfect finishing touch reminds me a little of a package wrapped up ready to go under the tree.  I actually used this design as the inspiration for a card I designed for another SAS I did yesterday afternoon.  I'll show you that one later this week.  In the meantime I'm going to go spend some more quality time with my family!

The end is in sight...sort of...

Well, I am nearly finished my biggest chunk of swap cards.  It is for a WOW swap that has 120 participants!  Yep, that means I am making 120 cards for just this swap!  Can you see now why I've been neglecting my poor blog?!?  Tonight I am posting one of the cards for this WOW swap.  It is a centre-step card.  I decided to do a funky fold as my wow...plus I had a bunch of basic gray 12 x 12 cardstock to use up!  Conveniently, the challenge over at Just Add Ink this week is to do a fancy fold so I'm going to enter this card for that challenge.  Since I made it a Christmas card (can't start too early!!) I am also entering it in the Christmas in July challenge over at the Paper Players too!  So, here is my twofer challenge-convention WOW-swap card:

Christmas Centre-Step card for JAI 74 and PP54 using the Serene Snowflakes stamp set and Northern Flurries embossing folder.

Sentiment is from the old-stand-by stamp set Sincere Salutations...gotta love something that stands the test of time!

Waffle Paper detail...I often have customers ask me what to do with it and I figured my fellow swappers likely have the same questions...so here is an answer!

So...can you believe I am making SIXTY of these things?????  Yep, I'm nuts, I know.  It was one of those "It seemed like a good idea at the time" kinda things.  Thankfully I've had a little help.  My stamping buddy Christine helped me out yesterday doing all the tearing and sponging of the focal image layer.  Thanks Christine...it was a HUGE help!  One less step for me to have to do!  I honestly don't have the energy tonight to post the instructions for this card...it is a bit involved.  You can find the tutorial for how to make a Centre-Step card here.  It from Splitcoast stampers and is the one I used to design this card.  The colour scheme is basic gray, pool party, whisper white and just a hint of island indigo.  I also used irridescent ice embossing powder on the side panels and vanilla shimmer smooch spritz on the centre focal image.  Its not very visible in the photo, but this card is very pretty and sparkly...very festive!  Tomorrow I'll try and post the other design I did for this swap.  I had to split the 120 into two designs of 60 each or I'd go completely bonkers!!!  For now its off to bed...I have another long day of stamping tomorrow!!

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!

Another over-the-top Christmas card

Today was not a good day at work.  First of all it was Monday which is always a downer.  Secondly it was the day after Halloween.  Now you wouldn't think that teenagers would be affected by the tons of candy consumed on that particular holiday, but let me assure you THEY ARE!!  My students were out of control today...sugar highs all around.  This made for a long, frustrating and exhausting day.  I also had some professional news that was a shock and not in a good way.  So by the time I got home at 5:30 I was done.  I related my tales of woe to my husband over dinner who listened with the appropriate amount of empathy and indignation and then, instead of heading for the TV I headed to my stamping table to try to "stamp out" my crappy day.  I'm happy to say that a little paper and ink therapy really helped and that I am very pleased with the card I created.  See what you think...

I love this card...it is so pretty...much better in person than in the photo!

Is it wrong that I counted the pearls?  There are 45 of them, in case you're wondering.

The sentiment from the Bells and Boughs set in the Holiday Mini.

Inside of card...sentiment from Snow Swirled set

See what I mean by over-the-top?  I don't think I could have used more pearls if I tried!  This card weighs about half a pound...definitely will require a padded envelope and extra postage!  But I have to say...I don't care!  I really am happy with the card and I can honestly say it has been a long time since I've been able to say that.  That's one of the things I love most about this hobby...you can have the crappiest of days at your day job, come home and create something really beautiful.

So...how did I do it?  I started with a 5 3/8" x 4 1/8" piece of Very Vanilla cardstock.  I randomly stamped the images from Serene Snowflakes in Bravo Burgundy ink all over it.  I then took a same-sized piece of vellum and randomly stamped the images again using Champagne shimmer paint.  The key here is that I didn't clean the stamps between the burgundy and the shimmer paint.  What I wound up with was a shimmery, lighter shade of Bravo Burgundy for my snowflakes on the vellum.  I layered the vellum over the vanilla piece, adhering with glue dots along the top and bottom edges.  I then took two 1 1/2" x 5 3/8" pieces of Very Vanilla cardstock and ran them through my Big Shot with the Elegant Details impressions plate.  Then I sponged the same shimmer paint all over the embossed pieces, again with a hint of the burgundy ink still left from inking the stamps previously.  I layered the two embossed pieces over the vellum along the top and bottom edges.  The vellum layer will show in the middle.  Then I took 2 pieces of Bravo Burgundy grosgrain ribbon (retired...I bought this during the Clearance Rack blitz!) and adhered  them along the rough edges of the embossed pieces.  Over that I layered 2 pieces of Chantilly Lace  trim.  The whole thing was then adhered to a piece of 5 7/16" x 4 3/16" bravo burgundy cardstock.  That was then adhered to a very vanilla card base using Tombow glue (it is pretty heavy by this point...but I'm not done!).

This is when the fun begins!  I grabbed my sheet of pearls and went to town.  I used the smallest size on the embossed pieces.  Then I took one of the big designer buttons in very vanilla and adhered 1 large pearl in the centre and then added six more around that.  I adhered the button, along with a scrap of  Chantilly lace, to the card using Tombow.  For the greeting I stamped it on very vanilla in Bravo Burgundy ink and then sponged the whole thing with shimmer  paint. I punched it out using my decorative label punch and then sponged the edges using bravo burgundy ink.  I layered that on another bravo burgundy punch out and then adhered it to the card with dimensionals.  I added a few more pearls (so it wouldn't feel  left out!).
For the inside I stamped more snowflakes in shimmer paint, stamped the sentiment in bravo burgundy and sponged it in the same way I did the greeting on the front.  It is also layered on burgundy cardstock and adhered with dimensionals.
Since I was on a roll, I made another project that I will save until later.  Tomorrow night is my team meeting, so I don't know if I'll have time to post...if I do, I'll show you my other creation.  Here's hoping tomorrow's a better day!

Tin o' Tags - vintage edition

Today, as promised, I have photos of the Vintage Tin o' Tags I promised yesterday.  Again, this will be offered as one of the options as part of my Dec. 4th class.

Vintage-style tin covered with Deck the Halls DSP.

Again, I covered the sides of the tin with DSP and the edges of the lid with 1/8" taffeta ribbon.  The faux closure on the front is a piece from the Table Setting die with a couple of Very Vanilla buttons glued on...a cute little detail.

Close up of focal image.  Christmas Postcard stamped on water colour paper and then coloured using a blender pen and ink pads.  The bells are coloured using Gold Lamme smooch accent ink.

Tin o' Vintage tags!

Tag #1 cut using the Two Tags die. 

Tag #2 - another version of the above tag.

Tag #3 also from the Two tags die

Inside of Tag #3

Tag #4 using the Table Setting die

Inside of Tag #4

Tag #5 using the Scalloped Circle and Snowflake #2 dies

Tag #6 using the Top note die

I can't believe that there was a time I never considered doing anything in a vintage style...it just comes so naturally now!  I really enjoy layering and distressing to create that soft, worn look I have grown to love.  I have to say that it is thanks to this Holiday Mini and all the gorgeous vintage Christmas items in there!  If you haven't ordered your handmade holiday supplies yet you are in luck!  Starting tomorrow Stampin' Up! is offering some fantastic items from both the mini and the main catalogue as bundles that are discounted 20%!!  I will have more information to post on these fantastic deals tomorrow, so be sure to check in to learn the details.

Winter Wonderland

Man, this has been one LONG week!  Why is it that 4-day weeks feel like 6?  I am soooo glad it is the weekend!  I am ready for a nice long nap and some stamping fun!  Today's card is one I did last night along with yesterday's post.  I was just experimenting with the White Frost shimmer paint to see how it would look stamped on dark cardstock.  I was thrilled to discover it looks pretty darn good!

Single layer card stamped using Serene Snowflakes set and White Frost shimmer paint.

This card is a BIG departure for me.  My designs usually have lots and lots of layers with various textures and embellishments.  This card only has one layer!  I stamped it using the shimmer paint and boy, does it look great!  I am definitely going to make use of this technique more often.  After allowing the paint to dry I just added a strip of Whisper White satin ribbon and then layered some Marina Mist 1/8" taffeta over top.  I adhered the snowflakes (they are coated with Dazzling Diamonds glitter, but don't show so well in the photo) using dimensionals.  The little bow on the middle snowflake was adhered using a glue dot.  The sentiment is from the Bright Christmas set.  I stamped it in Night of Navy and then trimmed the cardstock following the shape of the text.  I notched the ends to give a banner effect.  I sponged the edges lightly in Marina Mist ink and then mounted it using a double layer of dimensionals so that it would pop up above the snowflakes.  I was actually pretty pleased with the way this came together really quickly and easily.

I forgot to take pictures of the inside...sorry!  I'll do better next time!!  Have a great weekend, everyone!

Merry and Bright...

I appear to be on a Night of Navy kick this week.  Today's post (and tomorrow's too!) features that colour as a key component.  Today I used my colour coach to create a combo suitable for a frosty, wintry-type card...

Wintry Christmas card featuring the Serene Snowflakes stamp set.

Focal image with sentiment from the Bright Christmas set from the Holiday Mini.

Inside of card sentiment is from the Occasional Quotes hostess level 3 set.

I am really liking today's card (unlike yesterdays tinsel nightmare!).  I started by stamping the various snowflakes all over a piece of Whisper White cardstock  in both Marina Mist and Night of Navy ink.  I then sponged Frost White shimmer paint all over to give it a frosty shimmer (DUH!).  I tore the edge and then sponged Marina Mist and Night of Navy around the edges.  I adhered this piece to a piece of Marina Mist which I had also torn and sponged lightly with Night of Navy.  I wrapped a piece of Whisper White satin ribbon around the cardfront and then layered a piece of Marina Mist 1/8" ribbon over top and tied a little bow.  The sentiment was stamped in Night of Navy and then punched out using the 2 3/8" scalloped circle punch.  I notched the scallops and added a couple more snowflakes in Marina Mist.  I also sponged it with shimmer paint so that it would match the background.  I mounted the scalloped piece to a 2 1/2" circle of Night of Navy and added a large square Ice brad.  The inside is pretty easy to figure out from the photo...I have to run and tuck my son into bed!  See you tomorrow with more wintry navy-ness!