Friday, November 30, 2012

Holiday Frame Embossing Folder

 
The Holiday Frame Embossing Folder is large enough to be the main focus of your card, and makes it really easy to make a few cards in no time at all.
 
My card base is Real Red Card Stock and then a piece of Whisper White that I embossed with the Holiday Frame Embossing Folder.  I sponged some Garden Green ink over the raised images to let the wreath stand out.  In person the cards looks much prettier.  The only other additions to the card were my ribbon, sentiment, and brad.  Sometimes simple is still pretty!
 
The following were used:
Card Stock:  Real Red #102482, Whisper White #100730
Ink:  Real Red #126949, Garden Green #126973
Stamp Set:  Petite Pairs #122495 w or #122497 c
Ribbon:  Real Red 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain #126875
Embellishment:  Brights Glimmer Brad #121006
Tools:  Big Shot #113439, Holiday Frame Embossing Folder #127820 (Holiday Mini), Sponge Daubers #102892

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Quick Gift Boxes


 
If you have a little gift and need a way to dress it up, decorate a Fancy Favor Box with some pretty Designer Series Paper, add your favorite sentiment, and you are ready to spread some Christmas or Holiday cheer.
 
In addition to the candles purchased at a local store, I also made bookmarks to add to my gift.  Some shredded card stock in holiday colors was added to the inside of the box to add a bit more embellishment.  I made 20 of these in no time, and they make great teacher and parent gifts.
 
The following were used:
Card Stock:  Cherry Cobbler #119685, Whisper White #100730
Designer Series Paper:  Snow Festival #126908 (Holiday Catalog)
Ink:  Cherry Cobbler #126966,
Stamp Sets: Snow Swirled #111690 w or #127799 c, More Merry Messages #126400 w or #126401 c
Tools:  Big Shot #113439, Fancy Favor Box Bigz XL Die #115965
Punches:  Large Oval #119855, 3/16" Corner #119871




Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Autumn Accents Birthday

Autumn Accents Bigz Die leaves make a nice accent for a Fall birthday card, and with the addition of the Woodgrain Embossing Folder on Early Espresso Core'dinations Card Stock you get a nice background to go with them.
 
My card base is Early Espresso Card Stock which I layered with a piece of the Core'dinations Card Stock that I sanded to get the distressed look.  I cut my leaves with the Autumn Accents Bigz Die with fall colors, tied on my ribbon, and added my sentiment.  If you like the Core'dinations Card Stock in the Holiday Catalog, you might like what is in store in the next mini coming out after the new year.
 
The following were used:
Card Stock:  Early Espresso #119686, Very Vanilla #101650, Early Espresso Core'dinations #127848 (Holiday Mini), Cajun Craze #126965
Designer Series Paper:  Orchard Harvest #126895 (Holiday Mini)
Stamp Set:  Perfect Punches #117022 W or #120516 C
Ribbon:  Very Vanilla 3/8" Taffeta (retired)
Punch:  Extra-Large Oval #119859
Tools:  Sanding Block #129367 (Holiday Mini) or #124304 (Annual Catalog), Big Shot #113439, Autumn Accents Bigz Die #127812 (Holiday Mini)
Ink:  Early Espresso #126974
 
 
 

Monday, November 26, 2012

Silent Night


 
Silent Night has always been one of my favorite Christmas songs, and I think that is one of the reasons I was drawn to the Evergreen Stamp Set.  I love that the words are shaped like a Christmas tree, and you can either stamp them alone like I did in my card, or stamp them on top of one of the two other trees that come with the set.  A great set to heat emboss too.
 
My card base if Very Vanilla Card Stock, and I added a layer of Snow Festival Designer Series Paper before adding my stamped and die cut Silent Night.  For embellishment I tied an Old Olive bow at the bottom, and added some rhinestones.
 
The following were used:
Card Stock:  Very Vanilla #101650
Designer Series Paper:  Snow Festival #126908 (Holiday Mini)
Ink:  Basic Black #126980, Basic Gray #126981
Stamp Set:  Evergreen #127970 W or #127973 C (Holiday Mini)
Ribbon:  Old Olive #119256
Embellishment:  Basic Rhinestones #119246
Tools:  Big Shot #113439, Apothecary Accents #127003
 
 

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!


I just want to say Happy Thanksgiving to all of my blog readers.  I am happy to be spending the day with family, and taking the day off from stamping.

I hope you all have a wonderful day! 


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

French Foilage Sympathy Card


 
When you stamp your images from the French Foilage Stamp Set you get nice, subtle images on your card or project.  It makes it easy to mix a lot of different colors together since none of the images come out really bold.
 
For my sympathy card, I started with Very Vanilla Card Stock, and then added a layer of Perfect Plum, and then another stamped and embossed layer of Very Vanilla.  My stamped images are a combination of Perfect Plum, Crumb Cake, and More Mustard.  My sentiment was layered on with punches, and a piece of 3/8" Taffeta Perfect Plum ribbon finished the card.
 
The following were used:
Cardstock:  Very Vanilla #101650, Perfect Plum #101889
Ink:  Perfect Plum #126963, More Mustard #126964, Crumb Cake #126975
Stamp Sets:  French Foilage #120845 W or #121166 C, Love & Sympathy #122795 W or #122797 C
Punches:  Decorative Label #120907, Extra-Large Oval #119859
Ribbon:  Perfect Plum 3/8" Taffeta #122987
Tools:  Big Shot #113439, Square Lattice Embossing Folder #119975

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Dog Treats


 
I don't own a dog, but I know people who do usually like to give treats to their little friends over the holidays.  I didn't have any made at my last craft fair and had several people ask if I had any.  So I thought I better get busy and get some made for my next few events. 
 
I placed the Milk-Bones into a 4 x 6 Cellophane Bag, and created the top of the bag by cutting Chery Cobbler Card Stock with my Big Shot using the Top Note Bigz Die.  I then embossed the Top Note with the retired Snow Burst Embossing Folder.  To dress them up, I stamped my large Ribbon using Old Olive Ink, and added the little dog from the Every Little Bit Stamp Set.  I then added my Merry Christmas and Seasons Greetings sentiments and added them to either the bag or the ribbon.
 
I found a nice trick for punching out the Scallop Ribbon. If you trim the bottom ribbons and one scallop up on each side of them you can them slip this into your 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch and punch the rest of the stamped image out.  I didn't discover this on my own, but read it on a Stampin' Up! site, and this really does save a lot of time.
 
The following were used:
Card Stock:  Cherry Cobbler #119685, Whisper White #100730
Ink:  Old Olive #126953, Cherry Cobbler #126966, Basic Black #126980, Chocolate Chip #126979
Stamp Sets: **Blue Ribbon #125979 W or #125981 C, Every Little Bit #117096 W or #120558 C, Snow Swirled #111690 W or #127799 C, Delightful Decorations #116517 W or #127787 C
Punches:  2 3/8" Scallop Circle #118874, Scallop Oval #119856, 3/4" Circle #119873
Tools:  Big Shot #113439, Top Note Bigz Die #113463, 4" x 6" Cellophane Bags #102757
 
**The Blue Ribbon Stamp Set is one of the products now on sale during the Online Extravaganza!!!
 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Paper Doily Thank You


 
It probably is hard to tell, but my Paper Doily was cut using a piece of Orchard Harvest Designer Series Paper.  It is the one that had apples all over it, and it was not one of my favorites.  However, when I cut it with the Paper Doily I really liked how you lose the apple images and just get a nice variety of color.  My original thought was to use the other side because I liked the Raspberry Ripple color and pattern, but once I saw this side cut out I decided to use it instead.
 
My card base is Raspberry Ripple Card Stock.  I added a layer of Very Vanilla that I embossed with the Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder, and then my cut Paper Doily.  I added some stamped flowers from the Perfectly Preserved Stamp Set to the center, punched them out with the 1 1/4" Scallop Circle Punch and placed it onto the Doily using a Bright Glimmer Brad.  My thank you added to the bottom was punched out with the Small Oval Punch and placed onto my card using Dimensionals.
 
The following were used:
Card stock:  Raspberry Ripple #126842, Very Vanilla #101650
Designer Series Paper:  Orchard Harvest #126895 (Holiday Mini)
Ink:  Raspberry Ripple #126859
Punches:  1 1/4" Scallop Circle #127811 (Holiday Mini), Small Oval #120908
Stamp Set:  Perfectly Preserved #126690 W or #126692 C
Tools:  Big Shot #113439, Paper Doily Sizzlits L #125592, Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder #127819 (Holiday Mini)
Embellishment:  Brights Glimmer Brad #121006
Adhesive:  Dimensionals #104430, Snail #104332
 

Friday, November 9, 2012

Simple Color Blocked Card



I went back to a technique I haven't used in awhile, color blocking.   It is such an easy technique to do, and I needed a simple masculine themed card and I thought this did the trick.

I started the card with a card base of Crumb Cake Card Stock, and then added a layer of Riding Hood Red.  Next came my layer of Very Vanilla and to do the color blocking, I punched a 1 1/4" Square onto a piece of scrap paper and sponged Basic Gray ink in the opening the punch created onto my Very Vanilla layer.  I then punched a 1 3/4" Circle and sponged Riding Hood Red in the opening, and finally I used my Big Shot to cut my Scallop Rectangle Clearlit and sponged Not Quite Navy into the opening. 

You can create any type of design, just make sure to use a large enough piece of scrap paper so that when you are sponging your ink into the opening you don't get any ink into areas you don't want covered. 

The following were used:
Card Stock:  Crumb Cake #120953, Riding Hood Red #111348, Very Vanilla #101650
Ink:  Riding Hood Red #126968, Not Quite Navy #126971, Basic Gray #126981
Ribbon:  Not Quite Navy 3/8" Taffeta #122978
Stamp Set:  From My Heart #126555 W or #126557 C
Punches: 1 1/4" Square #119865, 1 3/4" Circle #119850
Tools: Big Shot #113439, Scallop Rectangle Clearlit #118872

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Gently Falling Thanks


 
When I started this card, I really didn't plan on stamping the leaves, but when I stamped on my large background stamp I didn't press hard enough in the center and some of the images didn't appear.  So, instead of starting all over, I decided to stamp some leaves from the Gently Falling Stamp Set in an assortment of fall colors to fill in the blank spaces.  You can usually find a way to fix your mistakes, and sometimes the outcome is better than the original plan.
 
My card base is Bravo Burgundy Card Stock, with a layer of Whisper White that was stamped with the large En Francais Stamp using Bravo Burgundy Ink.  I stamped my leaves with Crumb Cake, More Mustard, and Bravo Burgundy ink.  I also embossed a piece of More Mustard Card Stock using one of the Delicate Design Embossing Folders, and added some More Mustard 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon and my Thank You that was punched out with the 1/1/4" Scallop Circle Punch.
 
 
The following were used:
Card stock:  Bravo Burgundy #105123, Whisper White #100730, More Mustard #100946
Ink:  Bravo Burgundy #126967, More Mustard #126964, Crumb Cake #127975
Stamp Sets:  En Francais #109521, Gently Falling #123802 w or #123804 c, Day or Gratitude #120835 w or #121148 c
Punch:  1 1/4" Scallop Circle (Holiday Mini) #127811
Ribbon:  More Mustard 1/2" Scallop Dots #124140
Tools:  Big Shot #113439, Delicate Designs Embossing Folders #127023
 
 


Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Thanks Is For Giving


 
The Thanks stamp used in todays card is one of the single stamps you can purchase for a limited time.  I had enough Thanksgiving stamps already, so being able to purchase just this one single one was really a nice option.
 
To make my card I ran the card front of Crumb Cake card stock through my Big Shot using a framelit from the Apothecary Accents set, an then embossed the front with the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder.  I layered a piece of Very Vanilla card stock to the back of the card front, and stamped my sentiment.  I stamped and then cut out a few leaves from the Gently Falling Stamp Set and placed them around my cut framelit opening. 
 
You can go to my online store to see all of the single stamps that are for sale, but remember, this is a limited offer and good until January 2, 2013.
 
The following were used:
Card stock:  Crumb Cake #120953, Very Vanilla #101650
Ink:  Crumb Cake #126975, Cajun Craze #126965, More Mustard #126964
Stamps and Stamp Sets:   Seasonal Sayings - Thanks #132312, Gently Falling #123802 W or #123804 C
Tools:  Big Shot #113439, Apothecary Accents Framelits #127003, Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder #120175

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

More Snow Festival Christmas Cards


 
I posted two cards about a week ago that were also made with a piece of the Snow Festival Designer Paper.  By cutting out the pre-designed squares and adding a few layers and strips of more Designer Series Paper from the pack, you can make a really cute set of cards that would be nice to send out or give as a gift for someone else to use.
 
It is hard to believe that we are already almost through the first week of November.  So many projects to do and things to take care of.   And, if you are pressed for time, but still want to make nice cards, you can get 12 cards from this one sheet of paper in no time at all.  A time saver, without sacrificing your design.
 
The following were used:
Cardstock:  Cherry Cobbler #119685, Gumball Green #126840, Baja Breeze #111352, Whisper White #100730
Designer Series Paper:  Snow Festival #126908
Stamp Set:  Petite Pairs #122495 W or #122497 C
Ink:  Cherry Cobbler #126966
Punch:  Large Oval #119855

Monday, November 5, 2012

Santa Jars



 
Want a quick and easy idea for a Christmas gift, and recycle at the same time?  These Santa Jars  filled with candy are made out of recycled Snapple Ice Tea bottles and decorated to look like Santa.  I saw a similar one last year, but never got around to making any, so I don't remember who gave me the inspiration, but I knew that they would be a fun and easy gift to make.
 
To decorate the bottle, I cut Real Red Cardstock so it would cover  the roundest part of the jar, and used Sticky Strip in several places to give it a good hold.  My white strip measured 1" x 4" and my black strip was also 1" in width, and cut long enough to wrap around the whole bottle.  My buckle was created by stamping a piece of Silver Glimmer paper with my 1" Square punch, and then I centered my 1 1/4" Square Punch around the square that was punched out of my glimmer paper and punched again.  I also decorated the lid with with a small strip of Real Red Designer Paper from the Brights Collection Paper Stack, and added a Real Red and Garden Green circle to the top of the lid, along with my stamped and punched Santa.  Some retired Real Red Satin Ribbon was tied around the neck of the bottle, and I added my stamped and punched sentiment and tied it to the bottle with a piece of Real Red 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon.
 
The following were used:
Cardstock:  Real Red #102482, Whisper White #100730, Basic Black #121045, Garden Green #102584, Silver Gimmer Paper #124005
Punches:  1" Square #124094, 1 1/4" Square #119865, Scallop Square #119884, 1" Circle #119868, 1 1/4" Circle #119861, 1 3/8" Circle #119860
Stamp Sets:  Jolly Bingo Bits #120857 wood or #121187 clear, Tags til Christmas #120847 wood or #121169 clear
Ink:  Real Red #126949, Garden Green #126973
Ribbon:  Real Red 1/8" Taffeta #119251
 

Friday, November 2, 2012

Getting ready for Craft Fair


Sorry, no new posts for a few days.  I am busy getting caught up and trying to get everything ready for my big Craft Fair at Northampton Community College.  The fair is tomorrow, Saturday, November 3rd from 9 AM - 3 PM.  If you live in the area, stop by.  I will have two tables set up with a large display of Thanksgiving and Christmas items for sale.  Great teacher gifts, stocking stuffers, coworker gifts and so much more.

My power is back on again - it was off for a day and a half, came back on Wednesday, then went back off yesterday.  So, I figure I just better keep working while there is light because there are still people in my area with no power, and I'm not too confident it is on for good.

Hope to see some of you  tomorrow.  Stay safe and warm everyone!

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Fan Fair Card Gift Set

I took one of the papers from the Fan Fair Designer Series Paper Pack and cut out some of the great images to make a box of cards that would be great for any time you want to send a special message.




I added all five cards to this gift box that was made using card stock and designer paper.

 
 
The cards were all made with a card base of Soft Suede card stock.  I then cut some of my favorite images from the Designer Paper and layered them on with coordinating card stock.  Some ribbon, a few punches, and embellishing of the card stock, and I created this box of note cards that were kept simple because I think this makes a nice gift box of cards that can now be used for many occasions.
 
To make the box which fits these five A2 sized cards I used the following dimensions:
 
For the bottom of the box - Card stock was cut to measure 8 3/4" x 7 1/2" and scored at 1 1/2" on all sides.  I cut a slit on each corner so I could fold in the edges and adhere them to make the box.
 
For the top -  Designer Series Paper was cut to measure 7 7/8" x 6 5/8" and scored at 1" on all sides. 
A slit was cut again in each corner to make the fold to create the box. 
 
I used Sticky Strip to keep my corners together.
 
The following were used:
Card Stock:  Soft Suede #115318, Very Vanilla #101650, Island Indigo #122923, Riding Hood Red #111348, Basic Gray #121045
Designer Series Paper:  Fan Fair #126918
Punches:  Scallop Trim Border #118402, 3/16" Corner #119871, Curly Label #119851, Decorative Label #120907, Postage Stamp #122344, 1" Square #124094
Ribbon:  Soft Suede 3/8" Taffeta #122967, Riding Hood Red 3/8" Taffeta #122988
Tools:  Big Shot #113439, Square Lattice Embossing Folder #119976
Adhesive:  Sticky Strip #104294, Snail #104332