Blue Christmas

Hi stampers!  I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving!  I actually managed not to stuff myself silly this year!  And remember all that cream cheese that was in my fridge last week?  The cheesecakes were SOOOO good!  I forget every year how good my pumpkin cheesecake is!  We had two meals in about four hours time so I made sure to go lighter at lunch (than normal anyway, lol) and all I had for "dinner" was some green bean casserole (because it was the one thing I really like that we don't usually have at my mom's family) and TWO slices of my cheesecake, lol!  Quite a balanced diet, no?

And sorry for not having more to share with you over the "long weekend" but it's never a long weekend for me, it's usually a short one as I always have to work the day after Thanksgiving and on Saturday as well at a basketball tourney.  So sadly, stampy time was limited!  BUT I declared yesterday Sweatpants Sunday and got to stamp quite a bit!  I've got a lot of projects due this week so I mainly worked on them but I did get one "for fun" card done.

I combined the Create With Connie & Mary color challenge with the Inkspirations sketch challenge. 

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Petite pairs
Paper:  Night of navy, lucky limeade, river rock, 2011-2012 in-color DSP stack
Ink:  River rock, lucky limeade, versamark
Accessories:  Scallop circle & circle punches, petals-a-plenty & stripes embossing folders, lucky limeade ruffled ribbon, polka dot brads, pewter embossing powder, basic rhinestones, silver smooch spray

This one turned out better than I thought it would while I was working on it (love that).  I have to say that night of navy is one of my least used colors.  Not sure why but I just don't use it much so it was fun to challenge myself to make it work, especially with this rather unique color combo.  I also took a little liberty with the sketch but the basic idea is pretty much the same. It's hard to see in the photo but I sprayed the navy CS with the silver smooch for a little sparkle because it looked kind of flat.  Sponging on the "wreath" really made the embossing pop as well.

Thanks for a fun challenge ladies!

Happy stamping!

Ornamental

Hi stampers!  It's Tuesday which means it's time for another challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I can't believe it's going to be December this week!  I got the tree up on Saturday before I had to go to work.  We had a "wee" bit of trouble with the lights this year and after TWO trips to the store I gave up so I'll have to fix the tree later this week.  We didn't get the lights up outside and I wish we had as Saturday was nice and warm!  And I still have some more decorations to put up inside as well.  What about you?  Have you decked the halls yet?  Well, if you have or haven't we have a fun challenge for you this week!

You can make an ornament or use ornaments to make your project.  It's up to you:-)  Wanna see what I made?

Stampin' Supplies:
Stampin' Up Designer series fabric, coordinating ribbons, elastic cord (retired), Styrofoam balls, ornament hanger thingies (technical term right there)

Aren't they cute???  I don't sew but I was "SEW" excited (sorry, hehe) when SU started carrying fabric last year because there are "my thing".  I make them every year for Christmas.  It all started back when I was in grade school and my dad wanted to make Christmas ornaments for the kids choir at church that he was (and still is) in charge of.  He found these and he taught me how to make them too.

They are super easy (I'll try to shoot a video soon, I just didn't have time with the holiday and having to work over the holiday weekend too).  Basically all you do is take squares of fabric and a Styrofoam ball and stuff the edges down in the ball with a dull edge.  We use a butter knife (haha).  It works well and is kid friendly!

So, start decking the halls and show us what you come up with!

Happy stamping...I mean ornamenting:-)

Gobble gobble!

Happy Thanksgiving stampers!  I managed to fit one more Thanksgiving card in this week but can I tell you a little secret?  I totally forgot to send any!  Well I remembered on Tuesday that I hadn't gotten them all ready to mail on Sunday, which was my plan.  Well by then I didn't have time so I think I'll just hand deliver some today and that will have to be good enough:-)  I'm really terrible about actually MAILING the cards I make, lol! I think it's an affliction that affects a LOT of stampers;-)

And I'd like to take a minute to say that I'm thankful so much for this hobby and Stampin' Up as well as all of you, my friends and blog readers.  I read every comment that you leave and they really brighten my day!  I seeing an email come through that says new comment!  I love having a creative outlet and a hobby to keep me from being bored!  I have also met so many wonderful friends thanks to stamping and Stampin' Up!  My life would not be the same without it and all of you!

Ok, sappy-fest is over:-)  On to the main course....which is fat and calorie FREE around here (too bad my lunch and dinner within four hours of each other today will NOT be, lol).  Probably high in fiber too since it's made of paper!  ;-)

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Falling leaves, warmest of wishes
Paper:  Very vanilla, island indigo, more mustard, lucky limeade
Ink:  More mustard, island indigo
Accessories:   Houndstooth and stripes embossing folders, gold and illuminate smooch inks, circle and scallop circle punches, modern label punch

The color combo for this card is right from the color coach, love that thing!  I also wanted a lot of texture since I knew I was keeping the layout fairly clean and simple.  I couldn't decide if the gold smooch or the illuminate smooch would look better on the leaves so I did one card with each!  I like them both!  Which one do you like better?

Anyway, I hope you all have a great Turkey day!  I'm trying to decide if I want to go shopping at midnight.  I have to say I'm not keen on the idea.  I've always liked getting up early to go so this feels like cheating and I feel bad for those who have to work at midnight!  I feel like we skip over Thanksgiving too much by starting Christmas too early and I really feel like this is moving in on Thanksgiving!  Don't get me started on all the decorations out before today either, hehe!  Maybe I'll stay home and stamp;-)

Happy stamping

Winter Wonderland

Hi stampers and Happy Tuesday!  Is everyone ready for turkey day yet?  Know how you can tell that it's Thanksgiving time at our house???  Because there are SIX packages of cream cheese in the refrigerator!  LOL!  I always make this awesome pumpkin pie cheesecake for at least one of our dinners so that's two packages and now my hubby has this obsession with red velvet cheesecake he found and it takes FOUR cream cheeses between the cake and the icing, hahaha!  He's totally stealing my cheesecake thunder as it's my THING for family dinners but whatever.  I told him I WAS doing the pumpkin cheesecake no matter what:-)

Anyway, since it's Tuesday that means it's time for a new challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  This week's challenge is WINTER WONDERLAND! 

This one is right up my alley!  I can't wait to break out the tree and decorations of Friday! I have to work Friday and Saturday but I hope I can find the time to deck the halls!!!  So, break out all your glitter and bling and make your own winter wonderland!  Here's a little bit of inspiration to get you started:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Sweet Snowglobe, Christmas greetings, distressed dots
Paper:  Whisper white, garden green, real red, bashful blue
Ink:  Garden green, real red, bashful blue
Accessories:  Circle punches, scallop circle punch, dotted scallop border punch, window sheets, basic pearls, snow burst embossing folder, mica flakes, vanilla smooch spritz, dazzling details, shaker frames

The snowglobe stamp (um, which I totally forgot was in the current catalog, duh) is just perfect for a winter wonderland scene AND to use with the shaker frames!  I've been wanting to make a card using these things for a while!  Just be careful not to over fill with the mica flakes, a little pinch goes a long way!  It won't look right or shake well with too much "snow".  My embossed panel is smooched although it doesn't show up in the photo and I outlined all the scallops with dazzling details.  This was a little trick I saw in my plus fun class at convention and need to do it more often!

So, now head on over to HSS and check out the rest of the winter wonderlands and then put the turkey preparations aside for a few and play along with us! 

Happy stamping!

Black Friday....er, I mean Black Monday

Hey stampers!  Big stuff going on in my online store!!!!  SU has some black Friday deals TODAY for 24 hours only!  Hurry over to my online store and beat the crowds and grab some great deals!  Up to 60% off on some items!

CLICK HERE TO START SHOPPING!  Remember, this sale ends at midnight tonight so don't forget!  So head on over and get a head start on black Friday shopping!!!!

Happy shopping and happy stamping:-)

Free thinking

Hi stampers!  I hope you're having a fabulous weekend!  I can't believe that it's going to be Thanksgiving in a few days!  I haven't had a whole lot of time to stamp lately and yesterday was no exception as I had a continuing ed class all day but I got some inky time today!  I also stayed up late stamping on Thursday night.  If you follow my blog you'll remember me posting that my great aunt was in the hospital that night (she's fine and thanks to all who left kind notes and prayers for her:-) and I was worried about my parents driving back home so late.  So, what's a stamper to do?  Stay up late and make cards until you know the parents are home a-ok:-)  I got a few cards done even with the "late start" that night and the card I have for you today is a bit of a special one. 

I made it for my cousin and her husband who was just diagnosed with cancer and starting chemo this week.  And I don't usually ask much of my blog readers but I'd really appreciate it if you could keep them both in your thoughts and prayers!  Now, I have a LARGE stockpile of cards all ready to go but I didn't seem to have any "manly" thinking of you cards.  I know a flowery card would have been appreciated just as much but I'll always take any excuse to make a new card!  I kept it pretty simple both because of time and the tone of the card. 

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Lean on me, borderlines
Paper:  Watercolor, crumb cake, river rock, marina mist
Ink:  River rock, marina mist, stazon
Accessories:  Circle punch, dotted scalloped border punch

I haven't used this set much yet but I really like it and it's nice to have when I need it.  I used my simply scored to make a couple of score lines under the river rock strip although they don't show well in the photo, they add a little more interest to the card.  Other than that I kept it very simple.

Enjoy what little is left of the weekend before the chaos of Thanksgiving week starts!  I've got to cram some stamping in before Wednsday to get my hubby's birthday card done:-)

Happy stamping!

The best laid plans

Hi stampers!  Well I'm actually surprised to say that I have something to show you!  As I may have mentioned, I have not been in the mood to stamp much lately and then I took Friday and Monday off to go help my mom with her new house (I will be happy to NEVER hang another curtain rod, lol) so I knew I wouldn't get much stamping in over the weekend.  And then of course things took more time than I had anticipated so I stayed until Monday morning when I was planning on coming home Sunday afternoon.  That's how things go right?  But I have to say the house looks AMAZING!  My mom has finally learned to listen to me about home decorating, lol! NOW, if I could just get them all moved in there which they still are not:-)

So, I sat down last night and vowed I was going to stamp...I even skipped my workout which was not a good thing:-)  I did get one card done (I cased it which I don't normally do but sometimes doing that helps me get back into the groove) but then my mom texted me and was sad because she was with my great aunt in the ER in town (I knew they were coming since my aunts son was out of town and my mom is "next on the list" and of course offered to come but mom said I didn't need to) and said she was sad because it brought back sad memories of all the time she spent with my granny in the hospital:(  Well, I couldn't let her sit there and be sad, especially when I live like less than five minutes from the hospital AND since she moved away I never pass up a chance to see her (even though she'll be in town today through the weekend, hehe).  I spent about two hours there and was glad to be able to support my mom and help explain all the medical mumbo jumbo.  My aunt is ok for the time being, has a blood clot in her arm they are trying to dissolve.  But it just figures that the night I am resolved to stamp that my aunt would fall and her son would be out of town and we'd be on call:-)

So by the time I got home it was late and I "should" have gone to bed but I was kind of keyed up and also worried about my parents driving back to the farm so late.  My step dad gets kind of sleepy since he gets up around 4 am (which is just plain NUTS for a retired person if you ask me, lol).  I wanted to make sure they made it home ok so I stayed up and stamped!  I'm paying for it now (sleepy) but I did get a couple of cards done!

The one I have to show you today combines two challenges again.  I have a bunch that I want to do again this week and am again short on time with working late Friday night and then having a class all day Saturday!  I really wish there was a pause button on the clock and or calendar this time of year!!!!  So, I used the sketch challenge from Mojo Monday this week and the color challenge from The Paper Players.  I have to say that I LOVE both of these challenges and will be used again and again!!!!  I'm in a rush to get to the gym early for once today so I don't have time to post the pics of the challenges but click on the links to hop on over and check them out!

  

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Bright Christmas (retired), distressed dots, music notes wheel
Paper:  Very vanilla, river rock, always artichoke, riding hood red
Ink:  River rock, always artichoke, riding hood red
Accessories:  Neutrals buttons, basic pears & rhinestones, petals-a-plenty embossing folder, northern flurry strip, linen thread

You'll have to forgive my use of another retired stamp but I have SO many that I love so I have to pull them out from time to time and seemed like last year's holiday mini had so many wonderful stamps!  And you all know my love for word stamps:-)  The card is pretty straight forward.  I did do some sponging on the two colored strips.

So, thanks for sticking with me this morning....was a bit chatty wasn't I?  And now you know more about my life than you probably want to:-)  But at least I finally have a card to share!  Happy stamping!

Bargello

Hi stampers!  It's Tuesday again and time for another fabulous challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments.  This time it's a technique challenge: 

This was a fun challenge and also another new technique for me!  If you're new to bargello as well there is a great pictorial over on Splitcoast.  Basically, you just cut strips of paper (usually DSP) and glue them down in random patterns to a base.  Then, you cut that into strips and then line those strips up in any pattern you want. 

I thought that the spice cake DSP would be just PERFECT for this technique and very timely since it's just about Thanksgiving...which I don't even want to to talk to think about since I cannot BELIEVE it's the middle of November already!  Where does the time go, especially between Halloween and Christmas!!!?????  Anyway, here is my card:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Gently falling, tiny tags
Paper:  More mustard, pear pizzazz, soft suede, very vanilla, spice cake DSP
Ink:  More mustard, pear pizzazz, soft suede
Accessories:  Scallop circle and circle dies, jewelry tag punch, linen thread, gold smooch spray

Since the bargello is pretty geometric I wanted to use a different shape so I cut the whole thing out of a circle when I was done.  I also sprayed the whole thing with the gold smooch spritz.  It's very pretty and shimmery in real life!  Other than that it's pretty self explanatory!  Now, I have ONE tip....make sure you glue down the ENTIRE strip when you are laying down your DSP layer....I wasn't thinking and didn't and when I went to cut my sheet apart tiny pieces went EVERYWHERE!  LOL!  It was kind of like putting a puzzle together!!!!

Now head on over to HSS using the link at the top of the post to see what else the DT came up with and to play along! 

Happy stamping!

Keepin' on!

Hi stampers!  Well, my mojo seems to be sticking around!  Today's card is for the KAPOW Kreative Challenge.

Isn't it pretty?  I think this is one I'll have to file away for future use as well!  And I did a holiday card but I think this one would be great for a patriotic card too but everyone knows I'm in full holiday crafting swing:-)

So I thought the little chubby snowman from Snow Much Fun would look great all decked out in these colors.

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Snow much fun, petite pairs
Paper:  Sahara sand, whisper white, baja breeze, not quite navy, real red, watercolor
Ink:  stazon, sahara sand, baja breeze, not quite navy, real red
Accessories:  2.5 inch circle punch, northern flurry embossing folder, basic pearls, holly berry bouquet buttons, dazzling details, smooch accent ink, crochet thread

So I have heard some talk lately about this set and how about how snowmen don't have feet....so I cut his poor legs off, lol!  Most of this card is pretty basic but I did make the "snow" my punching out a few circles and just free-handing some drifts which I outlined in dazzling details and then scribbled on a bit with the smooch accent ink for some extra sparkle.  A button and a few pearls and I called it a day!

Happy stamping!

Found my mojo!

Thank goodness I've found my mojo!!!!!  I've had a serious lack of crafty ideas the past week and a half and was about to lose my mind.  My husband even asked if I was "ok" because he didn't hear "stampy noises" coming from my studio and he said that I just kind of wandered around the house looking dazed and lost and came downstairs and "bothered" him, lol!!!  I guess that's when you know it's serious!

I wanted to stamp last night but ended up with a terrible headache and then actually got sick in the middle of the night.  I even had to skip the gym today as it always takes me about a day to recover from one of my headaches.  I was willing myself to feel better by lunch because I had a date with one of my best friends (I've known her since pre-school!) today and didn't want to miss it!  Luckily I felt good enough to go and it felt good to get showered and get out and we had a great two hour catch up!  So, since I was feeling good from that I decided I'd try to stamp and it worked!

In celebration of getting my mojo back I made a card for not one but two challenges!  Sometimes I have an idea for a color challenge but then have a hard time putting together a sketch or the other way around....so I used the color challenge from the Colour Q Challenge and the sketch from the aptly named Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge.

 I don't like to combine too many challenges into one card BUT I like to double up when I'm drawing a blank on one or the other elements.  And I really liked both of these challenges and thought they would work together seamlessly.  What do you think?

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Day of gratitude, distressed dots, netting
Paper:  Whisper white, soft suede, peach parfait, dusty durango (regular and textured - retired), spice cake DSP
Ink:  Soft suede and peach parfait markers, dusty durango (retired), soft suede, peach parfait
Accessories:  Dusty durango polka dot ribbon (retired),  5/16ths brads

I don't know what it was about this color combo but I'm in love and plan to use it many times with many stamp sets.  It's a great fall combo although I may switch out dusty durango for cajun craze since it's retired.  I know I try to use mostly current products but it can be fun to go back and get old stuff out and play around with different color combos!  It sure helped me out of my funk/slump!  I think the sketch was super fun too and works great with DSP!

Anyway, thanks for stopping by today!  I hope I can keep ahold of my mojo for a while so I can crank out a lot of stuff to show you!  Happy stamping!

Over the top!

Happy Tuesday stampers!  It's time for a new challenge over at Hand Stamped Sentiments!  Make sure you click on over there when you're done here so you can check out all the fabulous-ness that the DT has in store for you!

This week was a challenge right up my alley.  The challenge is to create an over the top card, a card that you wouldn't want to make more than one of! 

 Well, I always jump at the chance to cram as much on a card as I can and especially if it revolves around my favorite holiday.....Christmas!  Just looking at that challenge image makes me want to put up the tree and go drive around looking at decorations!  We used to have a lot of really over the top houses but seems like there aren't as many the past few years:-(  I wish I had the time and patience to really make my house a holiday showplace but then when would I stamp???  :-) 

So, here is my card:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Merry & type
Paper:  wild wasabi textured, very vanilla, real red, first edition DSP, subtles stack
Ink:  Real red
Accessories:  Decorative label punch, scallop circle punch, real red striped grosgrain ribbon, 1/8th inch taffeta ribbon real red, linen thread, jumbo brads, 5/16th brads, glimmer brads (subtles & brights), basic pearls and rhinestones, holly berry buttons, dazzling diamonds, crochet thread, spray adhesive (whew!!!!)

Well you can see I took this challenge quite literally, lol!  And I must confess I did not make a card.  I started too but then I decided that this would look amazing in a square shadow box frame as a Christmas decoration (now to figure out where I hid those things) so I sliced off the back panel before I ruined it with all the glitter:-)  So please forgive me!

So, there's a lot going on.  There is a paper lollie (which I have a tutorial for here on my blog).  The ribbon flower with the crochet flower was made using a circle of sticky sheet and I just coiled the ribbon around.  The DSP flower was made with 3 or 4 (is it bad that I can't remember, lol) scallops and I just stuck the brad through and scrunched it up.  Some more brads, buttons, and embellies round it out and of course a ribbon with the brad in the center.  To finish up I lightly sprayed the whole thing with spray adhesive and sprinkled some dazzling diamonds over.  I'm still working on this as I haven't yet got the "sprinkling" I want on any project but it takes practice. 

Now it's your turn!  Head on over to HSS and get crazy and go waaay over the top!!!!

Happy stamping...or should I say embellishing today?:-)

Bah Humbug!

Hi stampers!  So why the bah humbug you say?  Well because I have not been able to or felt like stamping much in the past week or so which is probably evident in my lack of posting this week!  Booooo hoooo!  Not sure what's wrong with me although I haven't felt quite up to par and am tired after work so maybe that's part of it.  And the part of my brain that comes up with fab stampy ideas has seemed to take a vacation as well.  I was planning on stamping tonight after dinner but I've just sat here and stared at the computer so far and now it's probably time for bed!  I'm hoping for some quality time in the stamp room tomorrow after I work out, clean the house which so badly needs it, grocery shop and all that other fun stuff....

I'm quickly running out of saved up things to show you but I still have a few up my sleeve.  So, with the title of my post I thought a quick Christmas card was appropriate:-)  This card was inspired by a card from another company that I saw on Pintrest.  Maybe I will head over there tomorrow (dare I, lest I get lost for the rest of the day in the land of Pintrest) to check out some things I have saved for inspiration).

Stamps:  Pennant parade, grateful greetings
Paper:  whisper white, river rock, pool party
Ink:  Wild wasabi, real red
Accessories:  Pennant punch, basic rhinestones, tasteful trim die

I love the simple layout of this card and the muted yet kind of bright color pallet.  I should totally use river rock a LOT more.  I LOVE it with pool party!  It's also slightly retro/vintage which I'm totally into right now, especially for Christmas.  Oh the ideas I have for retro themed crafts...oh you'll see!  I thought the greeting worked really well for my overall theme and with the pennant set as well!

Well I should head to bed.  My 8:30 AM double step class that I haven't been able to make for a looong time will be here soon.  I'm hoping I don't fall over since it's been so long, hehe!  And be on the lookout this month for the rest of my Creative Crew projects!

Happy stamping

A Catalog Case Challenge

Hi stampers!  Yesterday was November 1st which means the Creative Crew gallery over on SCS went live!  You can see all the great creations the crew came up with and play along in the challenges!  You should head over and check it out BUT before you go I'll show you one of my projects, mmmk?

For this challenge we were to case a card from the catalog AND because this month was all about fancy folds we were to choose a long card.  You've seen a few of these from me recently and really like this size!  All it takes is a 6x6 square of paper!  We were also supposed to change a couple of elements in our cards.  So, I chose a card on page 37 that used the polar party set.  I didn't have that set (but you can bet I will soon, lol) so I chose to use snow much fun.  To fit the tree stamp I had to rotate the layout like this:

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Snow much fun
Paper:  watercolor, whisper white, real red, old olive, brights DSP stack
Ink:  Stazon and various for watercoloring
Accessories:  Tasteful trim die, dazzling details, brights buttons, crochet thread

I really liked the simplicity of this layout and the tone one tone with the plain CS and then the polka dots.  I didn't do any stitching like in the catalog but let my tasteful trim die take care of that!  This challenge just goes to show what a great inspiration and recourse the Idea Book & Catalog can be!  Sometimes it's hard to remember that you can make ANY card in there with ANY set you have!  It's a great place to find color combos and general layout ideas too!  Now head on over to check out the CC gallery and play along!

Happy stamping!

Christmas Colors

Hi stampers!  It's Tuesday, time for a new challenge over at HSS.  This week is a color challenge which are always my favorite!  Check out these fab colors:

I love them and of course I HAD to make a Christmas card with them!  I'm pretty traditional so I just couldn't NOT make something Christmas here!  I know that being on a design team is supposed to make me think outside the box BUT sometimes I like the box and we all know I love Christmas. Plus, now that Halloween is over I pretty much make Christmas stuff for the next two months anyway!  I'm a seasonal stamper, lol!

It was also the perfect time to break out my stiched stockings set and punch which I had gotten and not used yet.  Anybody else buy stuff and then it sits on the shelf and stares at you for a while? ;-) 

Stampin' Supplies:
Stamps:  Stitched stockings, hand penned holidays
Paper:  Very vanilla, wild wasabi, real red
Ink:  Versamark, real red, wild wasabi, cherry cobbler, silver glimmer
Accessories:  Pewter EP, stocking punch, snow burst embossing folder

I kept the card pretty simple because I wanted the stockings and glimmer paper to really stand out and shine.  I colored my stockings with markers and then added my glimmer paper accents.  I also really love the new snow burst embossing folder...of course I haven't met a folder I don't like, lol!  The sentiment is from Hand Penned Holidays and I finally had to break down and get it after not liking it initially.  I thought it was hard to read and still do but it's elegant...I'm such a sucker, lol!  I embossed it with the new pewter EP to keep with the silvery theme.  Anyway, I hope you like it and I hope you go check out what the DT has come up with and play along with us!  You know you want to:-)

Happy stamping!