Merry Christmas (in August!)

Happy August! I don't know where July went, but the calendar says August, so it must be true. I am fresh from a fabulous girls' weekend with my Bestie. We attended a leadership seminar hosted by the amazing Connie Heisey and had a blast. We learned a ton and came back with loads of ideas. The best part was spending time just hanging out together. There might have been wine and shopping involved ;)

With the start of the new month comes a brand-new promotion. The uh-mazing Carols of Christmas pre-release has begun, which means anyone can now order these fabulous new products from the upcoming Holiday Catalogue. Here is a project I designed using the Card Front Builder Thinlits, which are part of the pre-release...

I used the Card Front Builder dies to create the beautiful border from Cherry Cobbler card stock. It is quick and easy to do and is such a fantastic touch when layered on the front of a card. Here I layered it on a piece of Garden Green card stock. The DSP is from the Be Merry DSP pack in the Annual Catalogue. I think this will be my go-to red-and-green Christmas paper this year!

I added some Cherry Cobbler 1/4" stitched ribbon before layering it on my die-cut card front. The sentiment is from the Merry Mistletoe stamp set and is heat embossed in gold. I added the garland image, which is also from the Merry Mistletoe set, in Garden Green ink. I die-cut the sentiment using the Stitched Shapes framelits and layered it on a Cherry Cobbler scalloped oval, die-cut using the Laying Ovals framelits. Now, how about those trees?? They were die-cut using the Card Front Builder dies as well! I used both Garden Green and gold foil card stock. The only embellishment is a little gold metallic star at the top of one tree.

On the inside of the thick Whisper White card stock base, I stamped a sentiment from the Merry Mistletoe stamp set in Cherry Cobbler ink as well as more garland in Garden Green.

These Card Front Builder Thinlits are FABULOUS! What's even better is that you can use your Bonus Days coupons that you earned in July to purchase them! For more information on this amazing pre-release check out this video...

Aren't they fabulous? Ready to order? Click the image below for more information:

Product List

Merry Mistletoe Clear-Mount Stamp Set [143655] $25.00	Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [119685] $10.00	Garden Green 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102584] $10.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $9.25
Gold Foil Sheets [132622] $5.25	Be Merry Designer Series Paper [144111] $14.50	Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad [126966] $8.50	Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad [126973] $8.50
Versamark Pad [102283] $11.25	Embossing Buddy [103083] $8.00	Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder [109129] $6.75	Heat Tool [129053] $40.00
Big Shot [143263] $136.00	Card Front Builder Thinlits Dies [144674] $40.00	Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies [145372] $40.00	Layering Ovals Framelits Dies [141706] $46.00
Cherry Cobbler 1/4" Double-Stitched Ribbon [144117] $9.25	Metallic Enamel Shapes [141678] $9.25

Square Wishes for Sunday Stamps

Happy Sunday! I hope you are enjoying your weekend. I am having a blast hanging with my Bestie this weekend...it is soooo good to spend quality time with a dear friend!

Today marks the start of a new sketch challenge over at Sunday Stamps...and we're going square!

Now, I have to admit, I can't remember the last time I made a square card...but here is my project:

I just can't seem to stop playing with the new Carols of Christmas bundle! It will be available to order this week on Tuesday...so exciting! Here I stamped the sentiment in Early Espresso ink on a piece of Wood Textures DSP and then die-cut it with the Layering Squares framelits. I layered it on a slightly larger Early Espresso card stock square and a scalloped copper foil square. The Very Vanilla background panel is embossed using the Woodland TIEF.

For the horizontal element in the sketch I used some burlap ribbon and layered some 1/4" copper trim on top. The little banner elements became pine boughs and I added a little copper trim bow. I also couldn't resist adding a little, long-retired, wooden snowflake which I brushed generously with Wink of Stella.

On the inside I added a Very Vanilla panel, some die-cut Garden Green trees and an Early Espresso deer, both of which were cut using the Card Front Builder Thinlits. I skipped a sentiment on the inside because the smaller 4-1/4" square size didn't really leave much for one.

You are definitely going to want to order this fabulous bundle during the month of August...and don't forget to redeem your Bonus Days coupons! In the meantime, be sure to check out the rest of the Design Team's awesome projects and then have a go yourself. We'd love to see what you create!



Product List

Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [119686] $10.00	Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [101650] $11.25	Garden Green 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102584] $10.00	Copper Foil Sheets [142020] $5.25
Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack [144177] $12.50	Big Shot [143263] $136.00	Woodland Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [139673] $10.50	Layering Squares Framelits Dies [141708] $46.00
Pretty Pines Thinlits Dies [141851] $34.00	5/8" (1.6 Cm) Burlap Ribbon [141487] $9.25	1/4" Copper Trim [144179] $8.00

It's Christmas in July!

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. I was busy prepping for my Christmas in July event tomorrow evening...I even baked Christmas cookies! I have to say, Christmas baking is much more enjoyable when it isn't done in 30+ degree humidity!
This is also the week that we demonstrators get our first peek at the upcoming 2017 Holiday Catalogue, so in honour of that, I thought I would showcase some holiday projects to get you in the festive mindset. Not only that, but today's project features a bundle that you'll be able to order starting August 1st (or TODAY if you purchase the Starter Kit!)...

How fun is Lemon Lime Twist for Christmas?? I love the funky, contemporary pop it gives and combined with the vintage-style font of the greeting, I think it really works. I stamped the greeting from the Carols of Christmas stamp set in Real Red ink...isn't it cool the way it almost looks 3D? I love the shadow effect on the letters. I highlighted the greeting by inking just the word "the" with a marker and stamping it again and then punched it out using the Classic Label punch. I popped it up using Mini Dimensionals. The circles for the greeting are die-cut using the Layering Circles Framelits.

That fabulous background paper is from the Foil Frenzy Specialty DSP pack. I added a strip of Eastern Palace DSP behind the greeting as well as some (retired) Real Red Stitched Satin ribbon. (Can't WAIT for more Real Red ribbon in the Holiday Catty...I'm missing it BIG TIME!). The trees peeking out from behind the greeting are die-cut from gold foil card stock using the new Card Front Builder Framelits. These awesome new dies and the coordinating Carols of Christmas stamp set will be in the Holiday Catalogue, AND will be available as part of a special sneak peek promo starting August 1st. The only embellishments on this card are some iridescent sequins.

On the inside I added a Whisper White panel on which I stamped a sentiment from the Merry Mistletoe stamp set in Real Red ink. I added a 3/4" strip of the DSP from the front of the card as well as another die-cut gold foil tree. Here's a paper-saving tip: When cutting card fronts from a sheet of 12" x 12" paper, cut six 4" x 6" panels. Then trim each one down to 4" x 5-1/4" and you'll have a perfect 4" x 3/4" strip left. Using the panel on the front of the card and the strip on the inside. Voila...no waste!

Now, I couldn't resist trying this project in another colour scheme...check this one out:

Here, I substituted the Lemon Lime Twist for Tranquil Tide...and I love it too! The DSP behind the greeting is from the Coffee Break DSP pack.

So now, the question is which do YOU prefer: Lemon Lime Twist or Tranquil Tide? Leave me a comment and cast your vote. Then be sure to stop by tomorrow for more Christmas in July inspiration. Have a great week!


Product List

Lemon Lime Twist 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [144245] $10.00	Tranquil Tide 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [144246] $10.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $11.25	Gold Foil Sheets [132622] $5.25
Silver Foil Sheets [132178] $5.25	Foil Frenzy Specialty Designer Series Paper [144125] $17.00	Eastern Palace Specialty Designer Series Paper [144147] $17.00	Coffee Break Designer Series Paper [144155] $14.50
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [126949] $8.50	2016-2018 In Color Stampin' Write Markers [141393] $20.50	Big Shot [143263] $136.00	Layering Circle Framelits Dies [141705] $46.00
Classic Label Punch [141491] $23.50	Real Red 3/8" (1 Cm) Stitched Satin Ribbon [141693] $12.00	Tranquil Tide 1/2" Finely Woven Ribbon [144136] $9.25	Iridescent Sequin Assortment [144212] $6.75