Saint Nick’s little bag of tags

Posted on November 10, 2010 by mauistamper

We made the cutest tag pouches at convention last July, and I kept mine out where I could see it to remind myself to make it again. A week or so I found the opportunity:

Jolly Old Saint Nick and Fabulous Phrases stamp sets
Riding Hood Red textured card stock; Whisper White and Old Olive smooth card stock
Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper
Basic Black and Riding Hood Red Classic ink pads
Riding Hood Red and Blush Blossom Stampin’ Write markers
Frost White Shimmer Paint
Jewel tag, Scallop circle and word window punches
Old Olive Striped Grosgrain ribbon and Linen thread

Did you know we still sell the Blush Blossom Stampin’ Write marker? The card stock, ink pad and all that are retired but the marker is still available and it’s perfect for faces.

I’m rather fond of these. November hostesses get one of these and I need to get busy and make a few more. Here’s what’s inside:

I used the Tags for Christmas stamp set from the Holiday Mini catalog to make little gift tags. The small cello tag is attached to the inside of the pouch with a couple of rows of Sticky Strip, and the little tags fit perfectly inside.

Turning lemons into lemonade

Posted on November 8, 2010 by mauistamper

One more for the tag stash – and this one will fit in a mini envelope:

Jolly Old Saint Nick and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set
Whisper White, Basic Black and Always Artichoke card stock
Basic Black and Cherry Cobbler Classic ink pads
Cherry Cobbler, Basic Grey, Blush Blossom and Crumb Cake Stampin’ Write markers
Basic Rhinestones

I don’t like to color in large areas, and Santa’s suit gave me fits, but that weird pink spot is from my poor, weary camera. The sack o’ toys was doing the same thing til I decided to make the lines perpendicular and create a woven pattern. BFO, as Jan Wakeland says – Blinding Flash of the Obvious. Lemons to lemonade and all that.

Rub his belly for good luck

Posted on November 7, 2010 by mauistamper

The Snowman from Jolly Old Saint Nick had to make an appearance at ACACCE. I struggled to come up with a card that made me happy but that would satisfy the needs of a range of stampers from veterans to newbies:

Jolly Old Saint Nick stamp set
Baja Breeze, Pear Pizazz, Soft Suede and Whisper White card stock
Baja Breeze, Soft Suede and Basic Black Classic ink pads
Baja Breeze, Pear Pizazz and Soft Suede Stampin’ Write markers
Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dot Textured Impressions Folder, and Tasteful Trim Bigz die
Bitty Buttons and Bitty Circle Punch

I really like this guy. Jean Fitch commented that he almost looks like he’s hangin’ ten on a board and maybe that’s what makes me so fond of him, although I’ve yet to see a surfer in a top hat. I think it’s his ample belly – and the way he smiles when he pats his belly – that makes me smile. He knows it’s there and he just doesn’t care.

Building up the tag stash

Posted on November 5, 2010 by mauistamper

I like to have a healthy stash of gift tags long before I start my Christmas shopping. You could consider it a security blanket; if I have the tags, the packages will follow. I mail a lot of gifts (thank you USPS for Flat Rate Boxes!!) and they need to be purchased, wrapped and tagged before they’re mailed.

I had a few extra tags from the Two Tags die sitting on my DISASTROUSLY messy desk and started to play with the Tags Til Christmas stamp set:

Northern Hearts, Jolly Old Saint Nick and Tags Til Christmas stamp sets
Riding Hood Red and Naturals Ivory card stock
Vellum and Deck the Halls Designer Series paper
Riding Hood Red and Early Espresso Classic ink pads
Always Artichoke Stampin’ Write marker and Frost White Shimmer paint
Ornament and XL Decorative Label punches; Blender pen
Hemp twine and Linen thread

I inked “Merry Christmas” on the sentiment from Saint Nick and stamped it on the vellum, then set it aside to dry for a while. For some reason I find the red inks take longer to dry – must be something to do with the pigment – and the vellum makes them slower still. I trimmed it to a long strip and then set it in place over the Designer Series paper before I punched the ornament shape. A couple of drops of Tombo the Wonder Adhesive hold it in place.

On the inside…OH! Here:

As I was saying…on the inside I just stamped a few more of those cheery little snowflakes from Northern Hearts and added that snazzy XL Decorative Label. I inked the stamp in Espresso and Blender penned (yes, it’s a word, I just made it up) the ink off the branches so I could marker it back in Artichoke. I painted the tops of the pine cones with lots of Frost White to look like piled up snow. We do have some pine trees (and cones) growing on Maui, but snow – well, not so much. You have to imagine that part.