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!

Not sure how I feel about this one...

Have you ever created something you weren't too sure you like all that much?  I have (all too often!) and today's post is a perfect example.  From the get-go I wasn't really sure where I was going with this card.  I knew I wanted to use the Welcome Christmas set (it just came on the UPS truck last week!) but other than that, I really had no direction.  When all was said and done, I still am not sure I like it, but here it is, none-the-less...

I love this stamp set...have since the new catty came out in July.  Just not too sure I like what I did with it...

Close up of the sentiment from Welcome Christmas.  I popped up the Season's Greetings with dimensionals.

I think its the tinsel that makes this card iffy for me.  I'm not really a tinsel kind of gal, but wanted to try to incorporate it in a project...not too sure I succeeded!

Inside sentiment from Occasional Quotes Level 3 Hostess set.

So, I showed this card to my husband and he liked it....didn't even notice the tinsel.  I, on the other hand, can't STOP noticing it.  I think I may have to redo this card and leave the tinsel off...not that I dislike tinsel in general...it just isn't my style.  Anyhow...enough second-guessing myself!  This card is pretty straight-forward.  I started with Very Vanilla cardstock and stamped the wreath image (in Old Olive) off the top edge to create a garland-like effect.  I then coloured the berries using my Cherry Cobbler marker.  Then I added that darned tinsel and the little bows using glue dots.  The focal image is stamped in Early espresso.  I added a little rhinestone jewel to the star to make it shine.  The sentiment was stamped once in Old Olive and once in Cherry Cobbler.  I cut the Season's Greetings out of the Cherry Cobbler and popped it up on the Old Olive image using dimensionals.  I layered the whole cardfront to an Old olive mat and then to a Cherry Cobbler card base.  The inside sentiment was stamped and punched out with the 1 3/4" circle punch.  I stamped the wreath image in the centre of the inside panel and then layered the sentiment over top using dimensionals.  We'll have to see if this one makes the Stamp-A-Stack line-up...

Swap Inspired Christmas Card

Last month I attended my first ever Stampin' Up! event.  It was the Hamilton Regional seminar and I had a great time.  One of the best things about getting together with other demonstrators is the swapping!!  I am always thrilled to see the amazing things my fellow demonstrators come up with and draw inspriration from their creativity.  Today's post is an example of a card that was inspired by a swap card I received at regionals.  You can see the original card here.  I loved the colour combination in this card.  the Night of Navy, Old Olive and Whisper White are just a great, unconventional combo for Christmas.  So, with this in mind here is what I came up with (along with the help of my 3-year old son who was "helping" Mommy "do stamps" yesterday!)

Another CAS holiday card!

The snowflakes where created using the Northern Frost decorative strip die from the Holiday Mini.

The sentiment is from the Word Play stamp set in the main catalogue.  LOVE this set!

Inside sentiment from Occasional Quotes Hostess Level 3 set.

Isn't this a great colour combo?!?  I love how the Old Olive just pops against the Night of Navy.  The snowflakes are just gorgeous.  I don't know if it shows in the photo, but I covered them in Dazzling Diamond glitter and they just sparkle like crazy.  I coloured the two-tone sentiment using my markers in Real Red and Old Olive.  Besides the glitter, the only other embellishment on this card is the Old Olive satin ribbon...so rich looking.  The snowflakes inside the card are from the Snow Swirled stamp set and are stamped in Night of Navy.  I layered the sentiment on top and in the bottom corner to allow lots of space to write a greeting. 
I'm not sure why I love this card so much...but it is certainly another Stamp-A-Stack candidate!

Still looking for the perfect Christmas card...

Last night I posted one of the projects I was working on after our day at the Rockton Fair.  Here is the second.  It's just  a clean and simple (CAS) card, but let me tell you, it took me FOREVER to get it right!  I really struggled with getting the sentiment on straight!  Normally this isn't a problem for me, but last night, after a day of rides, sun and junk food, I was having trouble seeing straight!  After MANY tries, here is what I finally came up with...

CAS card using the Peaceful Season Level 2 Hostess Set from the Mini.

Close-up of sentiment...I love this script!

Inside of card.  Sentiment and snowflakes are from the Snow Swirled set.

I am still trying to come up with a line-up of cards to use in my first Christmas Stamp-A-Stack class in November.  I have a hard time keeping cards simple...I just can't seem to stop adding embellishments and using various techniques.  The problem with that is they tend to take a while to create.  If we were only doing one card it wouldn't be a problem, but the fact that we are making 12 cards in one night means I have to keep things relatively simple.  This card shouldn't have taken me as long as it did to get right.  I just embossed the background with my Petals A Plenty folder, spritzed it with Vanilla Shimmer Smooch and then layered it on brushed gold cardstock.  I stamped the earth ornament image in Crumb Cake ink on Whisper White cardstock and then stamped the sentiment right over top in Cherry Cobbler.  I punched the corners with my ticket corner punch and then layered it on brushed gold and cherry cobbler cardstock.  I wrapped a piece of Cherry cobbler seam binding ribbon around the background layer and then adhered the focal image using dimensionals.  The whole thing is mounted to a cherry cobbler card base.  For the inside I stamped the sentiment on whisper white in cherry cobbler ink and then punched it out using my decorative label punch.  I layered it over another label in cherry cobbler.  I stamped the snowflakes in crumb cake, stamping off first for the images on the sentiment piece.  I adhered the sentiment to a whisper white layer and then a brushed gold layer which I then mounted inside the card.
I really like this card.  The combination of cherry cobbler, gold and white is very appealing to me.  It is definitely a candidate for my class.  I have a few others that I came up with this afternoon that I will share with you later in the week.  In the meantime, HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all you fellow Canucks out there and Happy Columbus Day to our friends south of the border.  I think I'll go nibble on some turkey leftovers...

More Mini Milk Carton Fun!

Today was the perfect day.  The weather was absolutely gorgeous and I spent the day with my family at the Rockton World's Fair...a Thanksgiving Weekend tradition I've participated in since birth (literally!).  My son had a blast on all the rides and we got to spend some time with my brother and sister-in-law, who just returned from 2 weeks in Europe.  I topped off my day with some stamping this evening and was quite productive!  Here is one of the projects I put together...

"Milk Crate" holds four mini milk cartons.  I punched circles in each one and covered them with acetate so the treats inside would be visible.  (I need to go buy some candy!!)

They fit just perfectly and make the cutest little Halloween treat for someone special!

Smilin' Jack!

This little crate and the four mini milk cartons are one of the projects I am doing with my Inky Paws class this month.  I wanted to do something for Halloween that anyone could use...even those who don't have children who are trick-or-treating.  This project is perfect for anybody...just fill the cartons with the recipient's favourite candy and voila...you're a Halloween hero! (I am working on a tutorial for the crate and will post it on the Tutorials page once I get it finished.)

Holiday Mini Album

One of the many things I love at Stampin' Up! is the fact that they are about more than just stamping.  Scrapbookers can find wonderful products to create beautiful projects too!  I can honestly say I would never have even tried scrapbooking were it not for the wonderful ideas I have seen in the Stampin' Up! Idea Book and Catalogue.  Today's post is a perfect illustration of this point...

6x6 Mini Scrapbook created from the Christmas Cheer Simply Scrapping Kit

Inside cover of album

Another page layout

And another

The centre of the album opens up to 30" wide and has space for 7 photos and/or journalling.

I love the colours in this kit:  Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke and Marina Mist

Centre of album

Pocket with room for a photo and journalling (and a secret message too!)

Very inside page of album.

I love these mini albums because they make wonderful gifts.  I have made several for various friends and relatives...a birthday album for my nephew, a wedding album for my brother and sister-in-law and a Baby's first Christmas album for my son's grandparents.  No matter what the occasion or who the recipient, everyone loves photos that have been carefully and creatively presented and preserved.  The original design for the structure of this album is by Andrea Walford, a fellow SU demonstrator.  I've used that basic design to create this Christmas-themed mini-album from the Christmas Cheer Simply Scrappin' Kit.  There are actually enough materials in one kit to create two of these little albums...and by little I mean dimensions...they actually hold up to 14 photos!  These albums also come together quite quickly...in a little over 2 hours you can have a wonderful keepsake.
Last night I held a class on how to create these albums.  Guests could choose the theme for their album and we created one at the class and then they could go home and create a second from the other half of the kit, if they desired.  I would be happy to hold a similar class again if there is sufficient interest.  If you would like to attend a mini album class either in my home or yours, send me an email indicating your interest.  If I get 3 or more people who would like a class we'll make it happen!  Don't forget...Christmas is only a couple of months away and will be here before you know it!