Tags 4 You - Halloween

Hello there and happy Monday to you! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I was feeling crafty this weekend and I am excited to share my creations with you! I recently purchased the Tags 4 You stamp set from the Holiday Catalog and decided to create four cards with it, which I will share with you over the next four days.

Here's the first one!

Do you like it?!? This was super fun to put together so let me share some of the details...

•  I used the Bitty Butterfly Punch and then used the circle punch from the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack to snip off just a bit of the bottom butterfly wings to turn it into a bat (thank you Jason Loucks for the idea) 
• I covered the bat with 2-Way Glue and then sprinkled liberally with Black Stampin' Glitter (which can be found on pg 20 of the Holiday Catalog)
• Stampin' Up! doesn't carry orange glimmer paper so I made my own using adhesive sheets and Orange Stampin' Glitter (sold as a set along with the Black Stampin' Glitter)
• The wavy line on the piece of black cardstock peeking out from underneath the Witches' Brew Designer Series Paper was created using the new Stampin' Trimmer Rotary Arm and Small Scallop Rotary Cutting Blade. I love the understated effect. 

 

How fun and easy is that! I hope you liked this first card...please be sure to stop by tomorrow to see the next card in this series! Here is a sneak peek of tomorrow's project:

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Tags 4 You (131820)

Paper: Very Vanilla (101650), Basic Black (121045) Cardstock; Witches' Brew (132185) Designer Series Paper

Ink: Jet Black Staz-On (101406) Ink Pad

Tools: Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stampin' Trimmer Rotary Addition (129407), Small Scallop Rotary Cutting Blade (129410), Label Bracket Punch (132153), Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: Black & Orange Stampin' Glitter (132206), Basic Black 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon (119261)

Heartfelt Thank You - PPA171 Color Challenge

I'm here with another challenge, this one from the Pals Paper Arts design team but first I would like to thank them for selecting my submission as an Artist "Pick" last week! Whoo Hoo! You can see the card that was picked here

I had an idea in mind for this challenge but it got swept away by another idea and then...I had NOTHING, NADA, ZILTCH. Just could not come up with anything that pleased me. FINALLY, last night, it came to me...

I decided what I had been stuck on was having Very Vanilla as one of my colors. I kept wanting to add another color to the Baked Brown Sugar and Calypso Coral. Once I got past that block, the card came together very quickly. 

I used my Stamp-A-Ma-Jig to place the flowers exactly where I wanted them and stamped once with full ink and then stamped a second time without re-inking (just huffing on my stamp to remoisten the ink) to acheive a variation in color. The sentiment comes from "Another Thank You", one of Stampin' Up! new photopolymer stamp sets. It is the first photopolymer stamp set I have owned and I LOOOOOVVVVVEEEEE it..sorry to shout, but really, really enjoyed using it!

I added just a bit of color to the center of the flowers using Calypso Coral ink and a Blender Pen. Then just a touch of 2-Way Glue and some Dazzling Diamonds for a bit of sparkle. I stamped a little heart from the Another Thank You stamp set, fussy cut it out, popped it up with a Dimensional and added a bit of sparkle to it as well for the jewelry.

I hope you have enjoyed today's project and are inspired to get crafty!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Secret Garden (129144), Another Thank You (133454)

Paper: Baked Brown Sugar (131296), Very Vanilla (101650) Cardstock; Subtles (130135) Designer Series Paper Stack

Ink: Baked Brown Sugar (131174), Calypso Coral (126983) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049), Blender Pen (102845), 2-Way Glue Pen (100425), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430)

Embellishments: Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter (102023)

Snowflake Season - Freshly Made Sketches #103

This sketch by the crew over at Freshly Made Sketches has me humming Christmas carols again with this sketch...

But this time I am "Dreaming of a White Christmas"...

Because as long as I live in Southern California, dreaming of a white Christmas is all I can do!

I digress...

This turned out to be a fun and fairly easy card to put together. I embossed the greeting in Smoky Slate to give it some dimension. I stamped the snowflake in Smoky Slate and then again with Versamark so I could emobss it with Clear embossing powder mixed with just a touch of Dazzling Diamonds for some shimmer.

A bit of the Silver 1/8" Ribbon and a Frosted Finishes Embellishment from the Holiday Catalog are the perfect shimmery finishing touches! I can't quite capture the sparkle of these embellishments, trust me, they are just fabulous...and the paper...well, I love paper but this particular one is just soooo pretty!

Are you humming Christmas carols yet? Lol. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Greeting of the Season (128033), Festive Flurry (131781)

Paper: Whisper White (101730), Smoky Slate (131202) Cardstock; Winter Frost (132341) Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Smoky Slate (131179) Classic Stampin' Pad, Versamark (102283) Ink Pad

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Envelope Liners Framelits Dies (132172), Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049), Festive Flurry Framelits Dies (132193)

Embellishments: Silver 1/8" Ribbon (132137), Frosted Finishes Embellishments (132150)

Gently Falling in Fall - PPA170 Color Challenge

Hello there and Happy Fall to you! Officially anyway...in my neck of the woods it was over 100 today and fall weather is still months away! Still...when the kids go back to school my mind automatically turns to decorating for Fall and Halloween (when we finally have some leaves and cool weather) and preparing for Christmas, but shhhh...we won't go there right now :)

Today I used a wonderful color combination from the design team over at Pals Paper Arts.

I love, love, love this combination and immediately had a card in mind for it...

 

What do you think? Hmmm...that Crushed Curry looks awfully BRIGHT to me! Well, this is what I came up with:

What do you think now? I'm lovin' it! I took the colors of the challenge and put them on top of a Sahara Sand card base. I chose to highlight Early Expresso and just use small doses of Midnight Muse and Crushed Curry. I used the Autumn Accents Bigz Die to die cut my leaves and then stamped onto the die cuts using the Wonderfall Stamp Set (and my trusty Stamp-A-Ma-Jig).

Once I started layering my elements onto the card I HAD to add the Woodgrain Background Stamp Set. Then I HAD to use the Stampin' Distress Tool to rough up the edges of the cardstock. Then I thought...maybe I can distress the leaves too? So I picked up the distressing tool and just kept right on distressing! I was so happy with the result...but wait, I wonder what it would look like if I sponged the edges??? Loved that too! So I kept right on sponging everything that would stand still :) 

I added some twine, but still...something was missing! So I looked and looked and found the new 1 1/4" Burlap Ribbon from the holiday catalog and knew that was the missing element! I snipped and tugged at the threads until it looked right...and then realized that it HAD to be sponged too...lol. Whew! I thought the Early Expresso button with a twine bow was the perfect final touch. 

I chose not to add a sentiment so that this card would be ready at hand for whatever the occasion calls for...

So what about you? Are YOU ready for fall? Have you decorated? I think, after this card, the juices are flowing and it's time to dig into those decorations!

I hope you have enjoyed my post...thank you so very much for stopping by!

Stampin Supplies:

Stamps: Wonderfall (128087), Woodgrain Background Stamp (128763)

Paper: Sahara Sand (121043), Early Expresso (119686) Cardstock

Ink: Sahara Sand (126976), Early Expresso (126974), Crushed Curry (131173), Midnight Muse (126860) Classic Stampin' Pad

Tools: Big Shot (113439), Autumn Accents Bigz Die (127812), Stampin' Trimmer (126889), Stamp-A-Ma-Jig (101049), Stampin' Distress Tool (127562), Glue Dots (103683), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Stamping Sponges (101610)

Embellishments: Linen Thread (104199), Neutrals Designer Buttons (130031), 1-1/4" Burlap Ribbon (132140)

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