A Challenge!

A Saturday post...woo hoooooo!!  Actually I'm trying to be brave in my old age and do a "Make it Monday" challenge from Paper Trey Ink for the first time, and it needs to be posted no later than this Monday at 7:00AM.  So anyways, here's my take on the Make it Monday #89 "Creating Windows for Floating Images" challenge:

If you look at the example on Nichole's site (Capture the Moment), her image definitely "floats" a lot more than my pinecones, but I didn't want to cover up the "Winter Wishes" (PTI - Winter Hills set) sentiment.  I used the Pillow Box die from PTI with kraft cs and then cut out an oval using Spellbinders oval set.  I then stamped the pine boughs from PTI's "Peaceful Pinecones" set with SU's Always Artichoke ink.  On some scrap pieces of kraft cs, I stamped the pinecones with Brilliance Cosmic Copper pigment ink (kind of hard to see in the photo, but this ink shimmers a little and makes the pinecones "pop" a bit more) and then used a pop dot to adhere them to the pillow box.  Before I assembled the box, I stamped the "Winter Wishes" on the inside in SU's Early Expresso ink and then attached a small piece of acetate to the backside of the oval to create the window. I added a small piece of grossgrain ribbon and the box is done.

Wellllllllll...not quite done!  About a week ago, one of PTI's designers, Dawn McVey (My Favorite Things) showed how to make a "Gift Tags Gift Set", and I fell in love with the idea!  So I made a few gift tags using the same stamps as the Pillow Box to make my own gift set.  Have a look:

Now who wouldn't love to receive a little gift like this?  Perfect for friends, hostesses, school or Sunday school teachers....really anyone on your list! :0)  I don't have any of the tag dies, so I simply cut my tags at 2" x 3" and they fit perfectly into the Pillow Box die.  I stamped them the same as the box (stamped the pinecone right onto the tag rather than cutting out first and attaching like I did with the outside of the Pillow Box) and just added a piece of bakers twine (The Twinery) to each corner.  Quick and easy and a very nice gift.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your weekend! (I'm actually seeing a few snowflakes right now in "my neck of the woods" ...yikes! I guess winter is coming!!)

Heart 2 Heart

Good morning friends.  Today I'd like to share a simple Fall card that is similar to some of the kraft card stock cards I showed you the beginning of October:

I had made a bunch of these cards more geared to "guys", but had to do a "girlie" one too cause I just love flowers!  This card was made using Paper Trey Ink's (PTI) "Heart-2-Heart #7" stamp set, and I had to get this set because 1- it was cheap ($5), 2- I LOVED the leaves, and 3- it is so easy to use and just plain cute! :0)  I started this card with kraft card stock and embossed it with the "Blessings" embossing folder (Provo Craft).  I lightly sponged over all the words with SU's Soft Seude ink to give a little more definition to the words.  For the actual stamped area, I used SU's Soft Seude ink (can you tell I LOVE this color?!!!) for the stem and leaves, and then SU's Really Rust and Summer Sun (both retired colors) for the flowers.  The center (heart shape) of the flower on the left was stamped with Really Rust that had been stamped off once to create a lighter shade than the other flower.  I added a small rusty red colored dot to the center of the flower on the right to add a little bling.  I tore the bottom edge of the card stock on an angle and then layered it with a piece of SU's Soft Seude, which I also tore at an angle at the bottom.  After tieing a piece of grossgrain ribbon (Michael's) near the bottom of this part, I attached it to the base card.  Simple and easy!

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend...I'm thinking I need to get some turkey decorations put out or it will be time to put up the Christmas tree before I know it!  Seriously, someone in my town already has their tree up and lit in their front window!  I can't wait to put mine up too, but in October?  Really?  Oh well, each to their own!  Thanks again for stopping by and I'll be back next Monday. :0)

Goin' Huntin"

Good morning friends and happy November!  It's hard to believe Thanksgiving is only 3 weeks away and Christmas a month after that!  Are you a "planner" and have everything under control, or do you wait till the last minute to get holiday things done?  I have always been a planner, with most things bought, and some things even wrapped by now (old habit to keep Caitlin from peeking!!).  Last night though, it hit me I haven't done much of anything but make cards...oh well, at least I've been happy! (a true stamper would totally understand this! :0)

Anyway, on to today's card.  I totally wish I could take credit for this card, as I just love it and can't even bear to send it to someone, but the credit goes to my SU demonstrator Stephanie.  It really is one of the most beautiful fall and "male" cards I have ever made:

It's been over a year (maybe 2??) since we made this, so I'm guessing at the colors here, but I think the base of the card is SU's Really Rust, then a Very Vanilla layer, and then Early Expresso before the actual stamped image.  The set we used is SU's "Autumn Days" (which hadn't even been on my "wish list" to buy, but totally had to buy that night after making this card...thanks Steph!!).  We placed a circle near the upper right hand corner and then started spongeing from light to dark (I think...a year's a LONG time ago!).  I'm guessing again here, but I think we used SU's So Saffron, More Mustard, & either Really Rust (which is retired) or Cajun Craze. The pheasant and sentiment were stamped with Early expresso and the wheat with either Soft Seude, or Early Expresso stamped off once before stamping on the actual card.  The berries were done with Cherry Cobbler.  A little hole punching in the 2 corners and a Antique Brad, and the card was done.  Isn't it Beautiful?!!!  I just LOVE the colors!

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll be back with a few more fall looking cards before we start in on more Christmas again. 

Little Pumpkin

Happy Halloween friends!  Today's card was made for the 2 smallest pumpkins in my family: Parker and Robbie! :0)

I started with a half sheet of SU's Only Orange card stock (retired color) folded in half, and then cut with Spellbinders largest circle die.  I layed the very top of the die over a little bit of the fold, so it wouldn't cut that edge in my Cuttlebug.  I did this so that there would be the 2 circles attached at the top and so it would open like a card.  The smaller circle at the bottom is just a single cut of card stock.  Next I took a piece of scrap cs and cut out a large oval (Spellbinders die).  I placed this oval on the circle at intervals, starting at the outer edge and working in on both sides, and using a sponge with SU's Only Orange ink to sponge around the edge of the oval.  This technique creates the depth of the pumpkin.  I used PTI's "Halloween Treats & Sweets" stamp set for the faces on both pumpkins and tag (Stazon black ink).  For the stem on the pumpkin, I used a small piece of kraft cs, ran it through my crimper to create the ridged look, and then glued to the back of the larger pumpkin.  For the leaves, I used SU's Green Galore cs (retired color) and oval punch.  I folded the cut ovals in half and ran these also through the crimper to achieve the lines, and then sponged with Greeen Galore ink to give definition.  I also used the oval punch for the tag and attached to the stem with a piece of baker's twine in orange and white from The Twinery.

I also had to make a few treats too...I mean what is Halloween without sugar, right?! :0)

 

I love making these pretzel rod treats at Halloween with a Wilton "Mummy" mold.  They are easy to make, and look great once you slip it into a clear pretzel bag and add a tag.  The tags were made with SU's "Tags So Much" set and tag punches with more Only Orange and Kiwi Kiss card stock to match the colors of the candy melts I used to mold the mummies.  Simple AND yummy! :0)

Hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween and I'll see you back here tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by. :0) 

Boo!

Good morning friends.  Watching unbelievable pictures on the news as I type this from the wrath of storm "Sandy"...my heart and prayers go out to all those who've been impacted by this storm!  Halloween will be pretty scary for many this year, so as my mom used to say..."we'll make inside sunshine!"  I have 2 cards to share with you today and here is the first:

This is a card that was very popular last year on all the stamping blogs, and I couldn't even begin to tell you who came up with the original idea, but it is definitely a C.A.S.E.  This would be a fun card for kids to make (and easy!).  There is literally no stamping involved with this one!  You simply tear strips of a cream colored card stock, sponge the edges (SU's Soft Seude), and glue down on a black card base.  I glued my googly eyes down first, and then put the torn strips down next.  Very simple and definitely a card that makes you smile! :0)

My next card was playing with Coordinations card stock (card stock that can be sanded to give a distressed look) and SU's Spider Web embossing folder:

My camera really didn't do justice to this card, but hopefully you get the idea!  I started with SU's Only Orange (retired color) card base, and then added a piece of black "Coordinations" card stock that I embossed with the spider web folder.  I sanded it down with a very fine sandpaper (from my husbands stash), and then cut off the lower right hand corner, and punched a hole in the upper left hand corner.  The spider is from SU's "Cute as a Bug" stamp set, and I stamped her in black on white cs, and then cut her out and attached from behind with glue on the tips of her legs.  The mummy was also stamped in black on white cs (stamp from Michael's $ bin), cut out and attached with pop dots on the exposed orange corner.  I also added a couple googly eyes and then misted the whole card with Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist in Iridescent Gold! (gives it a subtle sparkly look) :0)

Thanks again for stopping by and sharing a part of your day with me...I LOVE it when you do! :0)

Sarah's Card

Good Monday morning friends...hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  We had a wonderful weekend celebrating my niece Sarah's wedding and here is the card and gift card holder I made for her and Eric's special day:

I've been on a real PTI "Wreath for All Seasons" kick lately (Fall card, 50th Anniversary card, and I even did one of my Christmas cards this year with this set), and decided this set would work great for Sarah's card too!  Her colors were navy blue and silver, so that's what dictated my color choices. If you click on the picture, you'll get a closer view of the detail.  I stamped the wreath in silver and also the "love" (SU) sentiment at the right edge.  I then used SU's "Midnight Muse" ink and stamped off several times all the way around the wreath with the little flower stamp (retired SU "Watercolor Garden" set) to achieve the different shades of blue.  On the card, I layered the wreath with a piece of American Crafts POW glitter paper in silver, and also used a little heart punch (Marvey) with the glitter paper for the center of the wreath.  I added a white ribbon and little silver heart charm (both from Michael's) and then sponged the torn edge of the card with the silver ink to finish the card.  The gift card holder (PTI die) I made very similar to the card to match, but stamped "best wishes" (PTI's "Tiny Tags) in the center of the wreath. 

Thanks for stopping by, and I'll be back tomorrow to share some more Halloween with you. :0)   

Graphic 45 Class

Good morning friends.  Today I'd like to share a set of cards I made at my local scrapbooking store (Scrap, Scribble, N Stick).  There was no stamping involved in these cards, but the DP is so beautiful, it didn't need anything but a few simple embellishments.

I know it's a little hard to see them all in one picture (click on photo to enlarge), but I wanted you to see what could be done with just a few pieces of coordinating DP, and kraft and black card stock!  Renee Potgeter (owner of Scrap, Scribble, N Stick) designed these cards and I think she did a great job!  Every one of them is beautiful and SO easy to make.  So even though I'll be a stamper to the very end, I think these cards are a great way to show that there are many different avenue's available to create a "handmade" card.

I hope you all have a great weekend, and I'll be back on Monday to share my niece's wedding card and gift holder that I made for her big day tomorrow! :0)  (can't wait to see how beautiful she'll look in all her finery!!)  Thanks for stopping by...I love it when you do!