September 16, 2011

HOLIDAY MINI SPOTLIGHT SERIES - DAY EIGHT

Happy Friday!!! At least I hope it is :-) I actually have been sick and had a horrible headache yesterday, so it was all I could do to take care of the absolute priorities yesterday so sorry I missed ya here!! BUT, I do have a card to share today that uses the fabulous Holiday Mini fall product line :-) This was actually another workshop card that I did this week - I love the Gently Falling stamp set, these leaves are just sooooo pretty! I have to say, it was a VERY big hit at the workshop too :-) Everyone seems to love fall, and we are definitely ready for it here after all this 100 degree weather!!!! This card screams fall with all the colors and pretty leaves falling down :-) The base of the card is Pool Party card stock and I have to say, I would have never thought to use this color for fall, but it works soooo well, and I am hooked on it! It's a very versatile color, and definitely my favorite (this week anyway, heehee!).  The outline of the leaves are stamped on Naturals Ivory card stock in Soft Suede classic ink, and then stamped again using the full leaves in Pool Party and then More Mustard ink to give that pretty fall coloring.  I love two-step stamping and I think that is why this stamp set appeals to me so much! You can do sooo many different things with it!! The patterned paper along the bottom is from the Spice Cake Designer Series paper pack, and is punched using the Eyelet Border punch. I lined it up on the bottom edge to give it the look of double bordering  with the edge of the Pool Party card stock. So cool!! Then, I layered a piece of More Mustard Scalloped Polka Dot ribbon right over the top! The sentiment is actually from another Holiday Mini set called Always Thankful, another fabulous fall set that makes me happy! I stamped it in Soft Suede on Naturals Ivory, then punched it out using the Modern Label punch.  Lastly, I layered the sentiment over a piece of River Rock card stock that is punched out using the Designer Label punch, then popped the whole thing up on dimensionals. And of course, no card is complete without a little bling so I added two small rhinestones to my sentiment to make the whole card pop!! This card makes me happy - the colors are a great mix and have quickly become a favorite for me! If you are in love with these products and want to have them for your very own (and you know you do *wink*) you can order them in my online store or contact me and I will be happy to place your order for you! So, today I am finishing prepping for my mini book class tonight, which I will share with you all tomorrow! Tomorrow I have Scrap Club as well, so a busy couple of days here :-) I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!!!!
Card Recipe:
Paper - Pool Party, Soft Suede, River Rock, Naturals Ivory card stock, Spice Cake Designer Series Paper
Inks - Soft Suede, Pool Party, More Mustard classic inks
Stamps - Gently Falling, Always Thankful
Tools - Eyelet Border Punch, Designer Label Punch, Modern Label Punch
Accessories - More Mustard Scalloped Polka Dot ribbon, Basic Rhinestones

September 14, 2011

HOLIDAY MINI SPOTLIGHT SERIES - DAY SEVEN

Hi everyone!! I can't believe I am up to day seven already - I am having a ball playing with all these fun new projects from the Holiday Mini :-) I have been stamping away in my craft room as I have several events coming up, starting with a workshop tonight! I am excited to see this group - I know some of them, and they are so fun to stamp with! And, I am excited to meet some new stampin' friends - that is RIGHT up my alley, lol!!!  I wanted to share a quick card I made today with the Out On A Limb stamp set from the mini - super cute and fun! I am not a huge Halloween fan (I know, I know) BUT this set is really cute and the images appeal to me. So, let me tell you what I did!! The base of this card is Cajun Craze card stock, one of my absolute favorite colors so I love that I can use it for fall projects. I layered the base with a piece of Basic Black card stock that I embossed with my Big Shot using the Spider Web embossing folder.  I paired this with some of the fabulous Frightful Sight Designer Series Paper, which is found in the main catalog.  The images are so fun, aren't they?? I had to use those bats and spiders, so I decided they needed to "carpool" together, lol! The "moon" behind them is sponged in using a finger dauber - I got it by punching out a circle and then using the outline of that punched circle, I sponged all around it! Perfect circle every time :-) I also sponged in the grass using a mix of colors to show the fall season. The Sentiment and the bats are actually from a different stamp set called Wicked Cool, and it is found in the main catalog as well! The ribbon is Grey satin ribbon, and totally yummy! See, I told you this one was nice and simple, lol!! I love how it came out - it is a fun Halloween card and I know JUST who to send this one to :-)  If you like the products you see here, you can order them in my online store or you can contact me and I will be happy to place your order for you! Just think, you can have this adorable Out On a Limb stamp set in your hands and stamping in just a few days :-) Now I am off to prep for my workshop tonight, and work on my class stuff for tomorrow!! I just love my job :-) Have a wonderful day and I hope you take some time out to create!!
Card Recipe:
Paper - Cajun Craze, Basic Black, Whisper White card stock, Frightful Sight Designer Series paper
Inks - More Mustard, Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Peach Parfait classic inks
Stamps - Out on a Limb, Wicked Cool
Tools - Big Shot, Spider Web embossing folder, Scalloped Oval punch, Extra Large Oval punch, 1 3/4 inch Circle punch, Sponge Daubers, Sponge
Accessories - Gray Satin Ribbon

September 13, 2011

HOLIDAY MINI SPOTLIGHT SERIES - DAY SIX

Happy Tuesday!!! Well, I hope it will be anyway, lol!!! I got up this morning in a kind of funk - I am missing my oldest son!! I know it probably sounds silly, he has not lived at home for four years, BUT he has also lived across the country, and seeing him only twice a year doesn't seem quite fair! Hopefully I will get to see him at Christmas in between his training tracks.  Now that he is on Active Duty, we never know when we might see him *sigh* This getting older is not quite what it seems - I like having my kiddos at home :-) So, I am stamping today and listening to upbeat music, and making myself get out of the funk, lol!!!! Stamping REALLY makes me happy; I consider it my therapy - each box that comes in the mail is one of my sessions, lol!!! And, I have been having a LOT of sessions lately because I am IN LOVE with the Holiday Mini products and keep ordering more :-) Especially the Spice Cake Suite - YUMMY!!! So, I am sharing that AGAIN today - no worries, you get something different tomorrow, heeheee! However, I have been working on my Fall FoliageMore Mustard, Pool Party, Soft Suede, Mini Book Class for this Friday so I wanted to give you a sneak peek at that book - I can't show you the whole thing until after the class in deference to those who have paid to take it :-) It is a 6x6 Accordion Mini book, and sooo cute and full of fall goodness.  It is my favorite time of year so I have enjoyed stamping with all the new fall products! This picture is of the cover of the book!! I think is screams fall, don't you??!! I used the Spice Cake Designer Series paper to create the border around the outside.  I made this using the Scallop Square die on my Big Shot - this is the outside once the square is cut out! And, of course I used the leftover square elsewhere *wink*  The center square is Naturals Ivory.  I cut out the square, and then used my corner rounder on the edges, sponging it with Soft Suede classic ink.  The sentiment is from the Hostess Stamp Set Faith in Nature and can be found in the Main Catalog.  See that giant button??!! Isn't the biggest button you have seen for scrapbooking or cardmaking?? It is for me!! I love buttons of all shapes, sizes, colors - you name it! Soooo, when I saw these in the Holiday Mini, I just knew I had to have them! They are called Spice Cake buttons and you get 16 of these beauties in four different colors that all coordinate with the beautiful patterned paper - YUMMO!!! And, at $7.95, you CANNOT beat that bargain :-) I used the Pool Party button and laced it with some of the Spice cake fabric - Looooove it!!! I adhered the button to the cover over the French Foliage background words - this set is also super cute and can be found in the Main Catalog as well! Lastly, the leaves! I am really having fun with the Gently Falling stamp set from the mini - I have made lots of leaves in different fall colors - they never turn out the same! I stamped these on Naturals Ivory card stock, then used  and Cajun Craze, More Mustard, Soft Suede, and Pool Party  classic inks to make the beautiful color mix you see on these leaves.  Then, I just cut them out and adhered them to the cover using a mix of snail and dimensionals so the leaves look like they are scattered on the cover. As you can see, the book is held together using More Mustard scalloped Polka Dot ribbon - soooo pretty!! The pages inside this beautiful mini are full of mini goodness, and lots of our fall products from the main catalog as well! If you are interested in taking this class, please contact me ASAP as I still have a few seats available!! Not local, but want the kit?? The kit is available for $49 plus shipping, and all the cut work and stamping is done, you just assemble the book using the full color directions that will come with it!!!  This is a GREAT value as this mini book has over 10 pages!! For information on purchasing the kit, please contact me and I will send it to you!! And, if you want to order the products you see here, you can do so using my online store, or by contacting me as I will be happy to place your order for you!  So, I am spending the day getting ready for a workshop tomorrow - so excited to stamp with this group of ladies because I only know a few of them, and that means, more stamping friends, whoohooo!!! I will be back tomorrow with my next installment of the Spotlight Series featuring some uber cute projects! Until then, have a fabulous day and take some time to create!!!!
Mini Book Cover Recipe:
Paper - Soft Suede, Naturals Ivory card stock, Spice Cake Designer Series Paper
Inks - More Mustard, Soft Suede, Pool Party, Cajun Craze classic inks
Stamps - Gently Falling, French Foliage, Faith in Nature (hostess set)
Tools - Big Shot, Scallop Square Die, Corner Rounder
Accessories - Spice Cake buttons and fabric, More Mustard Scalloped Polka Dot ribbon

September 12, 2011

HOLIDAY MINI SPOTLIGHT SERIES - DAY FIVE

Good morning!!! Here it is, Monday again - the weekends seem to go by sooooo fast!! I had a very busy weekend so that does not help, lol! I took my daughter and her friend shopping for their Homecoming Dresses (her first one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and that was really fun! They both got beautiful dresses, and they are sooooo excited - and so am I! I can't wait to take pictures of them all dressed up :-)  Then, yesterday I taught my Fun with Punches class, which was a blast! I don't teach this class very often, so I really enjoy it when I do! We had a great time!! This week will be VERY busy as well as I have two workshops, a mini book class, Scrap Club, and Stamp Club - WHEW!!! Lots of stamping going on around here :-) I have busily stamping holiday things already so when I walk outside and the heat hits me, I get startled back into reality, lol!!! One of those projects is the fifth in my Holiday Mini Spotlight series I want to share with you today! I stamped this project using the Stitched Stockings stamp set and the Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Series paper!! I love the bright, Christmasy (is that a word??!!) feel this patterned paper has, it makes me smile!!! I used three different patterns of the paper here and just cut them into long banners as my background.  The base of this card is Wild Wasabi card stock and I actually embossed the base front with my Big Shot using the new embossing folder from the Mini called Snow Burst - isn't it pretty??! I added a piece of card stock to the inside flap of the card to give it some stability since the embossing tends to change the texture of the paper a bit.  The circles were also cut on my Big Shot using my 3 and 31/2 inch Circle dies.  The smaller circle was stamped in Wild Wasabi using the Netting background stamp (found in the main catalog) which is definitely a favorite of mine. The stockings were stamped in Garden Green classic ink and then punched out using the fabulous new Stocking Builder punch in the mini!!! LOVE this punch - you can see the heel and toe are actually Real Red - I just punched those out too! So fun!!
And, check out the top of the stockings - that soft, beautiful ribbon you see there is another great new product called Very Vanilla Velvet stitched ribbon and it is totally YUMMY! It is really soft, thick, and will be soooo pretty on packages and, well, stockings, lol! I just cut a small piece off and snailed it to the top! It added dimension to the stockings, and then I popped them both up on dimensionals to give it just a little more *wink* The stocking with the snowflake in the middle is sporting a little rhinestone to give it just a little bit of bling :-)

See this pretty snowflake? It is also from the mini and is part of a super cute package of felt shapes called Stitched Felt - it comes with 4 different shapes, and 16 pieces in all for less than $10 - GREAT deal!! The snowflake has some blue stitching on it that I wanted to dull a little bit for this project, so I used the new Dazzling Details liquid glitter.  It really makes the snowflake stand out! I added a Real Red Designer button to the center, with Whisper White bakers twine threaded through it and tied in a bow! I think this snowflake is a wonderful little embellishment that not only dresses up cards, but would look fabulous on the top of a little gift box or bag! It's like getting two presents in one, lol! The last thing on this card is the sentiment and it is part of the Petite Pairs Stamp set found in the main catalog - I love this stamp set, and find myself using it over and over again because it has such wonderful sentiments in it! I stamped it in Garden Green classic ink, punched it out using the Large Oval Punch, then layered it on the Extra Lunch Oval punched out of Real Red card stock.  Then, those two pieces are layered on a piece of Early Espresso card stock punched out with the Curly Label punch.  The whole thing is popped up on dimensionals and then I could not help myself, I had to add some rhinestones, lol!! I had a great time making this card, and I used a TON of new product from the Holiday Mini! If YOU love these and want to have them for your very own (and you KNOW you do, lol) you can order them in my online store OR contact me and I will be happy to place your order for you!  I will stamping the day away getting ready for all my fun events coming up this week, so lots of fun for me!! I will be back tomorrow with the sixth in my Holiday Mini Spotlight Series - I hope you are enjoying them as much as I am enjoying sharing them :-) See you tomorrow!!
Card Recipe:
Paper - Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla card stock, Holly Berry Bouquet designer series paper
Inks - Garden Green, Wild Wasabi classic inks
Stamps - Stitched Stockings, Petite Pairs (main catty), Netting Background stamp(main catty)
Tools - Big Shot, Snow Burst embossing folder, 3 and 3 1/2 inch circle dies, Curly Label Punch, Large and Extra Large Oval punches, Stocking Builder Punch, dimensionals
Accessories - Whisper White bakers twine, designer buttons, Dazzling Details liquid glitter, Basic Rhinestones, Stitched Felt, Very Vanilla Velvet stitched ribbon