Tag Archives: Christmas

Poinsettas a Plenty

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‘Twas the night before Christmas…and the elves they ‘twer flying!

A quick post and a quick card for a busy day…I think this one could use something more, but everything I tried annoyed me.  My creative muse is a fickle creature (no relation to me, of course) and cannot be rushed.   I’ll leave this one as a simple card and be satisfied with that.

Poinsettas a Plenty

  • Berry Christmas stamp set
  • Real Red, Glorious Green, Brushed Gold and Whisper White card stock
  • Real Red Classic ink pad and Encore Gold ink pad
  • Scallop Trim punch
  • Big Shot and Petals a Plenty Embossing folder

Just one more sleep ’til Christmas!

Earning their keep

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I really like stamps that earn their keep.  If they’re going to stay in my stamp room f0r very long, they need to be either versatile or extraordinary, and preferably both.  When  I first saw this Autumn Days stamp set as a demonstrator sneak peak,  I dismissed it because I thought I wouldn’t use a fall-themed stamp set very much.  In Hawaii, we mark our seasons not by the standard set of four, but in recognition of what is plentiful:  Mango Season, Whale Season, and of course, Tourist Season.  Well, we used to have that last one, but the Hawaii Visitors Bureau has done such a fabulous marketing job that we don’t seem to have a Tourist Season any more – we always have lots of visitors.

Ah, back on topic…Autumn Days.  I borrowed it from Crystal and was pleasantly surprised to find it inspired me in many different ways.  Today’s card is a variation on THIS card.

Autumn Days Christmas Wreath

  • Autumn Days, Woodgrain, and Christmas Punch (Level II Hostess) Stamp sets
  • Real Red, Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss and Whisper White card stock
  • Old Olive, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke and Real Red Classic Ink pads
  • Petals-a- Plenty embossing folder and the Big Shot
  • Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint and  Sponge Daubers
  • Red Gingham Ribbon, and the Double Rectangle punch

    Do you have the Double Rectangle punch (105088)?  It’s only $5.95 and I’m telling you, it’s a workaholic.  When I add a knot or a bow to ANYTHING, I punch a double rectangle and tie through the openings.  It’s much more secure than a glue dot.  It’s the perfect stocking stuffer.

    Who’s that in my Pear Tree??

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    Yesterday I had a big ol’ lightbulb go on.  I was playing with Cheep Talk and thinking about some submissions I’d seen in response to this week’s Color Challenge at SplitCoastStampers.  One card in particular kept coming to mind – I liked the geometry and the color balance.  Suddenly, it got really, really bright inside my head:

    • Cheep Talk and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
    • Old Olive, Pretty in Pink and Bermuda Bay Classic ink pads; Encore Gold ink pad; Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint
    • Whisper White, Pretty in Pink, Old Olive and Bermuda Bay card stock
    • Pretty in Pink Taffeta ribbon, Clear Embossing powder and heat tool, and the Stamp-a-ma-jig

    I gotta tell you, there is no way I could have done this without the SAMJ.  I ruined my first attempt because I stamped a pear the wrong color and that was enough for me.  It makes me cranky to make a mistake like that at the end of the process, which of course is the logical time for that to happen.  It’s just paper though – I say that often.  Stamping is so forgiving that way.  Make a mistake and start over.  No big deal.

     

     

    An elegant package

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    Here’s a gift bag worthy of royalty, in my humble opinion.  I am really pleased with the elegant simplicity of this stencil – and I am really pleased that Stampin’ Up!’s Decor Elements line has introduced stencils as a design option.  They’re easy, they’re fun, and they can be so much larger than stamps!

    • Vintage Ornaments I Decor Elements Stencil
    • Always Artichoke and Ruby Red Craft ink pads, Encore Gold ink pad
    • Stampin’ Sponges
    • Very Vanilla and Always Artichoke cardstock
    • Purchased kraft bag, gold wire ribbon, and tissue

    I used a sticky note to mask off the top of the ornament in order to make it a proper gold hanger.  This image is equally beautiful using Classic ink, with a softer, more vintage look.

    I’m looking forward to stenciling some canvas bags with this image.

     

    Sometimes simple is best

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    I’m a huge fan of the Clean and Simple (CAS) look…I just can’t seem to pull it off myself.  I come from the “More is More” school of card design, finding it hard to hold back from adding just one more ribbon, brad, or texture.

    Today’s card is more of a CAS style than anything I usually do, although it still has more layers than a purist would use.  It’s a pretty card, and an easy one to make in quantity.  (Did I mention I haven’t made my cards yet?  Are we wondering where all this recent discussion about “production” has originated?  No mystery there.)

    Clean and Simple Petals a Plenty Tree

    • All Holidays stamp set
    • Shimmer White, Brushed Gold, Real Red and Always Artichoke card stock; Vellum
    • Real Red Classic Ink pad; Champagne Mist shimmer paint
    • Big Shot and Petals a Plenty embossing folder
    • Small star punch; 1/16″ hand held circle punch; gold brads; sponge dauber

    You can stamp on vellum with Classic ink – just be sure to give it plenty of time so it doesn’t smear.  The Plenty Petals on the tree are brushed with my favorite Champagne Mist Shimmer paint and a sponge dauber.

    To create the tree, cut your triangle piece first, then run it through the embossing folder.  You’ll get a cleaner edge than if you try to cut that heavily embossing paper with your paper trimmer.

    And that Petals a Plenty folder is GOING AWAY, girls and boys!!!  That’s a mini-catalog item and if you want one, you’d better get yourself to my Online Store and click that Shop Now! button and order one!  Pronto!

    Another dashing reindeer

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    If you’re like me, you’re suddenly looking at the calendar and saying “DANG!  I need to get my Christmas cards made!”   (I am the Queen of the Last Minute.  But that’s a story for another time.)  Just flip open the back of your catalog and check out Mr. Dasher on page 208.  Well, it could be Ms. Dasher, but frankly, with those antlers, I’m thinking we’re looking at the male of the species.

    There are so many ways to use this great image.  Today’s card is one that could easily be made in quantity, with steps that are easily broken down for assembly line production.  Just the thing for someone who needs a heap of cards in a hurry.Easy Dasher in artichoke

    • Dasher and All Holidays stamp sets
    • Always Artichoke, Real Red, Brushed Gold and Whisper White card stock
    • Soft Suede Classic Ink pad; Whisper White Craft ink pad
    • Texture Jumbo Wheel; Always Artichoke jumbo ink cartridge
    • White embossing powder; Heat tool; Real Red stitched grosgrain ribbon

    I’m a big fan of diverse greeting sets.  All Holidays and Teeny Tiny Wishes are always close at hand when I’m designing cards.  They’re higher priced sets, but the cost-per-use is very low and I consider them a great investment.  I’m also a big fan of white craft ink and white embossing powder – you can emboss pretty quickly when you’re in production mode, and the results are always eye-catching.

    What would be on your “Marooned on a desert island” list of supplies?

     

     

     

    A Christmas Topiary

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    This is not an original design, and I am thrilled to be able to remember that THIS card is the source of my inspiration.  I’m embarrassed by the number of times I’ve used someone else’s work as a starting point, but can’t remember the crafter, website, or anything else that would allow me to give credit where credit is due.  It’s a very clever use for these images, and I really enjoy finding ways to expand the use of a stamp set.

    Berry Christmas Topiary Crop

    • Berry Christmas and Holiday Best (Hostess Level I) stamp sets
    • Big Shot and Stampin’ Up! Perfect Details Texturz plate
    • Old Olive, Ruby Red, Very Vanilla, Really Rust and Brushed Gold card stock
    • Old Olive and  Ruby Red Classic Ink pads
    • Scallop Square punch, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Iridescent Ice Stampin’ Emboss Powder and Heat Tool

    The sentiment is trimmed from the Holiday Best Christmas image.  This is a pretty simple card – no ribbons, no brads, nothin’ – and it relies on the texture from the Big Shot and the bit of sparkle from the embossing powder to set it apart.  We sure do love our embellishments, but if you don’t have much, you can still make an appealing card.

    To get all of this lined up, you really need to get out the SAMJ or you’ll waste a lot of paper.   Trust me on this.

    Build-a-Santa-Bear

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    Last weekend was the final class in Anne and Crystal’s fantastic Holiday Series.  This bag definitely got high marks in the cute department, and would make any boy or girl – big or small – anxious to get a look inside.  We all agreed that you couldn’t put a gift for Just Anyone in such a cute bag…it would have to be a special someone, a someone who would appreciate both the Cute Factor and the effort that goes into attaching all the little pieces that make this bear so darn…well…cute!

    BAB_bag

    • Big Shot, Stampin’ Up! Bear die, Stampin’ Up! Beary Merry die
    • Stampin’ Up! Pawsitively Embosslit, Stampin’ Up! Backgrounds 1 Texturz plate
    • Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White, Basic Black, and Summer Sun cardstock
    • Many Merry Messages stamp set
    • Scallop edge punch, 1 3/4″ circle punch,  Gold Elastic cord, Old Olive 1/2″ striped grograin ribbon
    • Purchased kraft handle bag

    I’m a big fan of gift bags.  In addition to being the easiest wrapping job you could imagine, they’re re-usable.  I’ve noticed a big difference in the amount of trash we collect on Christmas morning since we’ve started using more bags.  They’re not peek-proof, though, and I usually have all the gift bag gifts hidden (and hidden well, I might add) to be placed under the tree on Christmas Eve.  Just because my kids – and dear husband – are mostly grown up is no assurance that they won’t peek.  They all like to poke, prod and shake, and gift bags are just too great a temptation.

     

     

    Dasher in the Holiday Lounge – MojoMonday113

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    I am SO excited I’m going to have to disable the Caps button on my keyboard so I don’t just shout this entire post!  (Perhaps I’ll disable the exclamation mark, too.)  This is such a late post for me today…all day I’ve tried to get to the Mojo Monday sketch, and all day there have been other things that got in the way.  I’ve been thinking about what I wanted to do, and Heaven help me, when I finally sat down to put it together it was even better than I imagined!  (OK.  Breathe here.)

    So, what do YOU think??Mojo Monday 113 Dasher in the Holiday Lounge

    • Dasher and Holiday Best (Hostess Level I) Stamp sets
    • Whisper White, Taken with Teal, Brushed Gold, Sahara Sand and Ruby Red cardstock; Holiday Lounge Designer Series Paper
    • Encore Gold Pad; Taken with Teal and Ruby Red Stampin’ Write Markers
    • Whisper White taffeta ribbon; Piercing tool and template; Stampin’ Dimensionals; Clear Detail embossing powder and heat tool

    I’ve had so much trouble with the Mojo Monday sketches in the past…this makes me really, really happy.  I hope you like it too.

    Shimmery pines

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    It amazes me how quickly days pass by.  It’s always been that way for me.  I’m sure  I thought Christmas or my birthday or whatever longed-for day in the future would never arrive when I was small, but I don’t remember that.  I just know that every day I wake up thinking “How am I going to do everything I want today?” and every night I wonder where the day went.

    This card has been waiting patiently in the To-Do list of my mind for a while.  A few days ago, it actually made it to the paper To-Do list, which is a significant step on the road to “git ‘er done”.  This was going to be a Dasher Snow Globe, because I had a lovely comment which put that idea into my mind, but Dasher is off visiting Crystal and his Snow Globe Debut will have to wait.

    Shimmer_Pines_Snowglobe

    • Patterned Pines and All Holidays Stamp sets
    • Whisper White and Brushed Gold cardstock
    • Old Olive and Tempting Turquoise Classic Ink pads; Chocolate Chip Stampin’ Write Marker
    • Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint, Old Olive wide grosgrain ribbon, Irridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Stampin’ Sponges

    Cards are SO difficult to photograph!  You can’t see the Shimmer mixed in with the Tempting Turquoise sponged on as background, but I promise you it’s there.  The First Star just to the left of the center Pine is stamped in Shimmer Paint too.  And the base of the globe is gold, not olive.   Really.

    I’m working on posting the template for the Snow Globe card since so many of you are interested, but for now, leave me a comment with your email address if you would like a copy.   The template is now available HERE

    If you’re interested in an Over-The-Top Snow Globe, check out THIS tutorial over at SplitCoastStampers.  But don’t say I didn’t warn you.  Your To-Do list will languish for days if you get hooked on those.