Merry Little Christmas - In a Jiffy!

Have you seen the Merry Little Christmas Simply Created Card Kit in the Holiday Catalog? Let me help, it's page 27 :) What a fantastic idea! All the pieces you need to whip those Christmas Cards out in a flash...no designing, measuring or cutting! Even pre-cut envelope liners, and don't those look snazzy! Whoo Hoo!

Here's a closer look:

Coastal Cabana, Real Red, and Gumball Green make for a delightful Christmas color combination, crisp and hip! And just look at what I was able to accomplish in just one lunch hour yesterday at work!

You could easily hand craft your entire season of Christmas cards in one afternoon! And I have an afternoon set aside for you to do just that!

Mark September 28th on your calendar and pop on over here for all the details and to sign up for my class! Or make your own at home and simply pop on over here to order your supplies! 

Stampin' Supplies:

Bundle: Merry Little Christmas Wood Stamp Set +Merry Little Christmas Simply Created Card Kit (133286)

Ink: Real Red (126949), Coastal Cabana (131175), Gumball Green (126861) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: SNAIL (104332), Stampin Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments:  Included in Kit!

August Pals Blog Hop - Holiday Catalog Favorites

Thank you for joining us for the August Pals Blog Hop. Even though it's only August we want to provide some inspiration for your upcoming holiday projects. This month's blog hop will showcase new products from the 2013 Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog. We hope you enjoy seeing how we use the new stamps, new punches and other accessories! 

You should have just left stop number 12 on the Pals Hop - Amy Williams at Stampin' on the Range. If so, you are in the right spot.  If you get off track, the full blog lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing creations.

Today I have a simple Christmas card to share with you:

The products in the Holiday Catalog really make creating handmade cards quick and easy! This card features a wonderful dove image from the Calm Christmas stamp set. I admit, when I first went through the catalog I passed right over this set. Several weeks later, no kidding, I work up in the middle of the night with an image in my head of this card stamped using the silver glitter also found in the Holiday Catalog. I got up and ordered the set...who am I to argue with inspiration, right?

In the end, because of the beautiful details in the dove, I chose to go with the new Silver Metallic Encore Pad, also found in the Holiday Catalog. It has SUCH a beautiful and elegant finish to it, I really, really love it! I also sponged the edges of the Island Indigo cardstock using the Silver Metallic ink, it just softens it up and adds a nice touch! A simple rhinestone adds a nice detail too!

A bit of linen thread showcases the absolutely beautiful Frosted Finishes Embellishment. These embellishments are a must have!

Here's one more angle to show off the sparkle of these embellishments! And please look at the pattern in the dove and then look at the pattern in the Winter Frost Specialty Designer Series Paper that I used to line the envelope with...they coordinate! How awesome is THAT?!? I can't say it enough, the coordination of Stampin' Up! products continually amaze me!

I am loving getting my Christmas cards early...have YOU started yet?

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Calm Christmas (132739)

Paper: Island Indigo (122923), Smoky Slate (131202) Cardstock; Winter Frost Specialty (132341) Designer Series Paper 

Ink: Silver (132142) Metallic Encore Ink Pad

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Envelope Liners Framelits Dies (132172), Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stampin Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments:  Frosted Finishes Embellishments (132150); Linen Thread (104199)

The next stop is Nicole Watt at Pixel Maven's Retreat, stop number 14 on the Pals Blog Hop! Thanks for visiting – and I hope to see you next month!

1. Colleen Mollema at My Crafty Habit
2. Peggy Noe at Pretty Paper Cards
3. Lisa Ann Bernard at Queen B Creations
4. Angie Blake at Angie's Musings
5. Debbie Mageed at Secret Stamper
6. Diane Roberts at Score at Four and a Quarter
7. Barb Furlong at The Love of Stamping
8. Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty
9. Debra Simonis at Deb's Stampin' Grounds
10. Laurie Chilton at Stampin' Ink
11. Penny Nichols at Sierra Stampin!
12. Amy Williams at Stampin' on the Range
13. Shannon Jaramillo at Ezpeasycards
14. Nicole Watt at Pixel Maven's Retreat
15. Nancy Gleason at MyStampinSpace
16. Beth Beard at My Little Craft Blog
17. Linda Callahan at Stampin' Seasons
18. Patti MacLeith at Papercrafts by Patti
19. Sherrie Gross at Stampin' Sunshine
20. Kerry Willard Bray at Stampgoodness
21. Brian King at Stamp With Brian
22. Nicole Picadura at Scraps & Stamps
23. Kim Czenszak at Live Love Stamp
24. Rae Harper at Wild West Paper Arts
25. Michelle Gleeson at Stampin Mojo
26. Shannon Hokanson at Paper Works
27. Dawn Tidd at Tiddbits from Dawn
28. Lynn Kolcun at Stampin with Avery's Owlery
29. Susan Itell at Simple Stampin'
30. Martie Pollard at The Crafty Bandit

Merry Little Christmas...in August!

In honor of the Holiday Catalog release I want to share a card with you that has me humming Christmas carols!

The inspiration for this card came from a delightful sketch over at The Paper Players. I just love clean and simple so this spoke to me immediately! I also decided to play along with the Merry Monday "Month Long-Anything Goes Christmas" Challenge.

My goal this year is to create my Christmas cards beginning NOW and continuing through the fall with the goal of having them complete and ready to mail by Halloween...I will keep you posted on my progress:)

The Designer Series Paper I have used here can be found in the "Season of Style" Designer Series Paper pack. The colors featured here are classic Christmas all the way...Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler! The stamp set is called "Merry Little Christmas" and has three stamps that coordinate beautifully. I have stamped off on another piece of Whisper White card stock in Old Olive to add a little banner for contrast. Three Candy Dots in Old Olive add the perfect finishing touch. Candy Dots have become a staple around my crafting table!

I featured the Envelope Liners Framelits Die again today. I can't tell you enough how easy it is to add a HUGE touch of elegance to a card with this simple tool. It is so easy to use and not only is it beautiful to look at, it also adds a heft to the envelope that just screams "style"!

So...one Christmas card down and a stack to go...who's with me to get started and finished and enjoy a more stress-free holiday this year?

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Merry Little Christmas (131829)

Paper: Whisper White (101730), Old Olive (100702) Cardstock; Season of Style (132340) Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cherry Cobbler (126966), Old Olive (126953) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Envelope Liners Framelits Dies (132172), Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049)

Embellishments: Brights Candy Dots (130931)

Thanks for stopping by! 

Hoppy Easter!

I couldn't resist sharing this ADORABLE little bunny with you today. My bunny is inspired by a card I saw recently by Debbie Henderson. So cute! I CASEd the bunny exactly but changed up the layout to suit my taste.

Isn't that little tail the cutest ever?? This little guy comes together very quickly with the 1 3/4" Circle Punch and the Large Oval Punch. His paw pads are punched from the confetti in the Cupcake Builder Punch. Add just a bit of a cotton ball, mushed together into a ball and you have a delightful little cotton tail! And the Sunshine & Sprinkles Designer Series Paper is the finishing touch for a cheerful holiday greeting!

I hope you have enjoyed my little bunny and that you have a wonderful holiday!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Delightful Dozen (122652)

Paper: Whisper White (100730) Cardstock, Sunshine & Sprinkles Designer Series paper (126922)

Ink: Regal Rose (126947) Classic Stampin' Pad 

Tools: 1 3/4" Circle Punch (119850), Large Oval Punch (119855), Cupcake Builder Punch (121807), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Stampin' Trimmer (126889)

Embellishments:  None

Thanks for stopping by! 

Easter Blessings

Good Morning and Happy Saturday to you! I am delighted to participate in an Pals Easter Parade going on today over at Mary Fish's Stampin' Pretty website!

What do you think? I have to admit that when I saw the Secret Garden bundle of Framelit Dies and coordinating stamp set I was underwhelmed. I just passed right over it but over time as I saw projects created with it, it started to grow on me until one day this Easter card popped into my head so I finally broke down and placed an order! I think the only way to get card out of my head was to create it (!) and now that I have, I can see many possibilities for this set so look for more projects to come!

Do you just LOVE the color combination I used here? I have to give a big shout out to a fellow "Pal" Kerry Willard Bray over at Stamp Goodness for her Five on Friday post listing some fab color combinations! If you would like to see the full post, please click here. The colors used are Pink Pirouette, Wisteria Wonder, and Midnight Muse. I would NEVER have come up with this combination on my own but I think the colors together are just divine!

 

I enjoy the clean look of the white background, I believe it really allows the other elements to take center stage and shine. I love that the lattice pattern in embossed Whisper White cardstock adds to the spring'y' (is that a word?) feel of the card...and just a few pearls for jewelry. So easy with all the coordinating products that Stampin' Up offers!

Just a note on the embossing...I have found that with my particular Big Shot (and every one is slightly different) when I emboss Whisper White or Very Vanilla that the tension is so tight, frequently the embossing will crack. Flipping the tab from Tab 2 to Tab 1 reduces the tension just enough to give me a perfect embossed image. Experiment with your own Big Shot!

Of course Easter wouldn't be complete without treats so here's a idea for a little treat holder...

I ran a piece of Pink Pirouette DSP and the Clear Oval Accent Bigz Die through my Big Shot and then scored at 2 2 1/4" from each outside edge to create a 1" base. I 'imagine' it filled with a chocolate bunny...please 'imagine' that with me as the store is OUT of chocolate bunnies! You could also add a little box in there as well with a few chocolate eggs (mmm)...

I think these little treats would sit perfectly on an Easter dinner table as well as being wonderful treats for co-workers. They come together perfectly with the Secret Garden Bundle as well as the Itty Bitty Banners stamp set and coordinating Bitty Banners Framelits. And of course a pearl...

I hope you have enjoyed these projects and are inspired to pull out those supplies and get creative!

Please pop on over to Stampin' Pretty for more inspiration from the Pals!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Easter Blessings (129183), Secret Garden (129144), Itty Bitty Banners (126257)

Paper: Whisper White (100730) Cardstock, Pink Pirouette from the Subtles Designer Series Paper Pack (117152)

Ink: Midnight Muse (126860), Pink Pirouette (126956), Wsteria Wonder (126985) Classic Stampin' Pad 

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Ovals Collection (129381) Framelits Dies, Secret Garden Framelits Dies (129372), Square Lattice Embossing Folder (119976), Oval Accent Bigz Clear Die (127005), Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309),   Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309), Stampin' Trimmer (126889)

Embellishments:  Pearl Basic Jewels (119247), 5/8" Organza Ribbon (114319), Wisteria Wonder Baker's Twine (125576)

Thanks for stopping by!