Christmas

Snowman Tag

Whimsy N'ice Friends Snowman tag colored with Copic markers, added ribbon, punched snowflakes and some bling.

Thanksgiving

Muslin Gift Bags

I found these little muslin bags on clearance at Michael's Crafts each bag was pre-printed with "Give Thanks", I used several Stampin' Up stamp sets to embellish each bag.  I also die cut some leaves in various colors and added them to some "Bread Tags" cut at 2 1/2" found on the Walk in My Garden Cricut Cartridge.  Each stamped image was colored with Copic markers and gold Stickles.

Stamped with:  Autumn Harvest

Stamped with: Autumn Days 

Stamps with: Fall Favorites

Island Bay Cabana Christmas Wreath

I submitted this card over at Split Coast Stampers for thee challenges:

1.  Color Challenge CC452 using Stampin' Up Island Indigo, Bermuda Bay, and Coastal Cabana

2.  Ways To Use It Challenge WT453 Lovely Wreaths

3.  Technique Lovers Challenge TLC456 Wreath Building

I started with a base by stamping the Close To My Heart Remarkable Wreath stamp onto Stampin' Up Whisper White, then built my wreath using two greens punched out with the Martha Stewart Pine Sprig punch.  A 3/4" circle punch was used to punch out all three blues to make little ornaments which were dipped into Stampin' Glitter.  A tiny piece of Smoky Slate was used as the top of each ornament.  A satin bow in Island Indigo was added to the top of the wreath and the sentiment is by CraftSmart.

Christmas Cards 2013

Spellbinder branch die cut, with a brown star and red ribbon

Three trees each embossed with a different design and topped with a silver star

Stampin' Up Warmth and Wonder stamp set and Winter Frost paper pack

Spellbinder's Branch and Pinecone die cuts

Cricut ornament cut out backed with Stampin' Up Warmth and Wonder paper pack dotted with silver Stickles

Stampin' Up Bootiful Occasions stamp set on Cricut cut out tag

Spellbinder's branch die cut with 3D ornaments punched out of Stampin' Up 2012 christmas paper with Build A Flower Petal Punch dabbed with Stickles, Martha Steward edge punch

Spellbinder's Poinsettia die cut flowers, Poppystamps Gentle Leaf die cut and Cricut cut leaves layered over Stampin' Up linen thread and Stampin' Up Simply Sketched stamp set

Two Gift Card or Money Holders

Made with Stampin' Up Winter Frost Designer Paper, Winter Post snowflake stamp and Island Indigo ribbon.  SU Envelope Punch Board.  MS Snowflake punch.

Envelope made with Stampin' Up Envelope Punch Board, sealed cut 1" off the top, stamp sentiment and design then crimp the bottom.  The envelope finished size is 3 1/2 x 5 1/2

Christmas Card Workshops

November Card Club

We will be making four cards of your choice plus a gift card/cash holder all for $15 per person

Dates:  

Wednesday, November 13, 2013 at 9AM til Noon

Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 2-5 PM

Contact me today to sign up and hold your space as seating is filling up fast:

I will also have a workshop to create one of these lovely Tea Bag/Gift Card/Photo pocket booklets on
Saturday, November 16 at 1PM at The Creative Stamp or on Thursday, December 12 at 2PM in my studio.  More details will be posted on The Creative Stamp website and/or on this blog later.

Halloween Treat Boxes

Spooky Origami Treat Box

 I followed the directions at Stampin' Up demonstrator site to make this origami treat box for Halloween.  Overall finished size is 3x3 just right for a few treats.  I love the way the box folds shut.
The video tutorial can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I0Fi6vjLOw&list=PL8D643D96422809A3&index=6

This next box was made using the Envelope Punch Board and by following the great video tutorial by Jen at Stamped Silly which can be found here: 

 http://stampedsilly.blogspot.com/2013/10/more-treats-go-from-blah-to-hoorah.html#.UnAkspSxN8s

This box holds a full sized candy bar.

Happy Halloween and thanks for looking.

BoBunny Fall Apple Cider Scrapbook Pages

Papers are BoBunny and Bazzill, 3D effects on scarecrow, pumpkins, cat and birds were accomplished by embossing the back of the paper and popping up with pop-dots.  Branches are Memory Box and leaves are Sizzix die cuts.  Brads and raffia straw added to the scarecrow.

Wedding Scrapbook Pages

Scrapbook Wedding Two Page Layout

Purple, White and Silver Theme

Papers used Bazzill, My Little Yellow Bicycle and Teresa Collins

Stamps by American Crafts and Inkadinkado

Spellbinders, Die-namics and Cheery Lynn die cut leaves

Stampin' Up, Martha Stewart, Punch Bunch and Studio G flower punches

Tag For Gift Package

Julie Nutting Doll Stamp colored with Copics, dressed in glitter paper white dress and shoes.

 Vail made with small piece of netting.  

Sentiments are computer generated.  

Martha Stewart edge punch and die cut doily.  

Papers Bazzill, My Little Yellow Bicycle and Stampin' Up.

Pearl trim piece and Seam Binding ribbon.  

Halloween

Ghostly Bats 

I made my own stencil by punching some bats out of a piece of transparency film and inking them with Frost White ColorBox ink on a sponge, then used Derwent Inktense pencils to outline and shade the bats.  The moon and sentiment were stamped using Eek & Shriek stamp set by Close To My Heart.  I added some netting and string to add a bit of texture and interest.  Papers used were Stampin' Up Smoky Slate, Whisper White and Gumball Green.

Halloween

Boo Brew

Halloween Boo Brew

Taking inspiration from Dina Kowal, I crafted this card following her instructions for painting on paper and adding tissue paper (in my case silk paper from China) lightly gluing over the top.  I love the way it turned out and will certainly play along again.

The stamps used on this card are Stampin' Up Perfect Blend and Mixed Medley along with a Ghost by Inkadinkado.  Papers are Stampin' Up Early Expresso and K&Co. designer mat pad.

This card was crafted using instructions by Dina Kowal and can be found on here on her blog:

http://mamadinis.blogspot.com/2013/09/mix-ability-pass-tissues.html 

Going Batty

This card was made following the sample on page 72 of the 2012 Close To My Heart Idea Book and Catalog.    The piece that is stamped with the graveyard background is cut out using the Cricut Art Philosophy cartridge and embossed.  Some of the bats were cut out with an EK Success bat edge punch and embossed and layered onto the card.  Black netting, buttons and black thread were used to embellish the card.

Cupcake Liners

Booglie Eyes Bat Card and Dracula Pillow Box Treat Holder

That's right cupcake liners and picks from the dollar store were used on these two items.  First is Dracula featuring a purple Stickled suit with a piece of a cupcake liner fanned out behind him, the second is a Stampin' Up Booglie Eyes bat card which also features the cupcake liners and a bat pick.

Thanks for looking over my newest Halloween additions.  Have a great week.

Pet Sympathy Cards

Over the years, and back in my painting days, I was often asked to paint pet portraits for friends and family.  After reducing my art to card making, I am now called upon to draw a pet's likeness on sympathy cards.

This is Theo, a rather large Staffordshire Terrier (Pit Bull) lover of a boy.  Theo used to let me sleep with him when I visited my good friend and his master (of sorts) Laura.  Her only live in companion for many years she was lost and heartbroken when he passed away.  She framed this card and has it hanging on the wall next to a portrait that I painted of Theo when he was a younger pup.

This is Zeus a sheep dog and dear friend and sometime playmate of Theo. Zeus passed away a few years after Theo. 

I never met Squirt "Little Miss Squirty Pants" my granddaughter asked me to draw up a likeness of Squirt from a cellphone photo.  I believe that little Squirt was a Rat Terrier.  Another dear devoted little friend.  Farewell Squirt.

Beautiful Treasure Box

Treasure Box

Isn't this just beautiful.  Another project that I knew I had to make it after viewing the original boxes online.  This box was made for an upcoming baby shower to hold a gift for the new little one.

I followed the instructions for Marianne Skjelstad's Gift Box found on Tracy Mac Donald's website found here:

http://iwannabuildamemory.blogspot.com/2012/02/treasure-box-tutorial.html

Thank you Tracy, your instructions made it easy to follow along and figure this one out.  I loved this box so much that I made a total of three in different papers and it will be my go to box for future gift giving.  The completed box size is 3" square base with the tied top adding to a height of 4 3/4".  Made with Stampin' Up's great 80 lb. card stock this is a sturdy box that will last a long, long time.  The designer paper is from Pressed Petals called "Baby Girl" and the ribbon is sheer pink, 6 yards for a $1...at the Dollar Store.

Pasture Birthday

Belated Birthday

I have a dear friend who I usually only get to see once a month and this month it will be past her birthday, so I made her this cute quilted animal card, she is a quilter and I hope she will like it.

I used a retired Stampin' Up set called "PASTURE BIRTHDAY" the papers are Coastal Cabana, Marina Mist and Rich Razzelberry, colored with SU watercolor pencils and a blender pen.

Gift Card Holders

COFFEE AND FRIENDS

Here are couple of ideas for the coffee lovers in you circle of friends and family.  I have made two very different gift card holders, both simple and easy using two Stampin' Up stamp sets:  PERFECT BLEND  and GORGEOUS GRUNGE (Pages 37  and 109 of the 2013-14 Catalog).

The first card is a piece of Crumb cake card stock cut at 3 1/4 x 8 1/2 and scored at 5 1/4 and 5 1/2, folded up and secured with two small brads.  The dp is from some scrap and cut at 3 1/4 x 5.  I wrapped a 3/8" ribbon around the card and used the 7/8" scallop punch to cut out the sentiment and tied it to the ribbon with a piece of linen thread.  This card can hold a gift card and a few packets of the VIA coffee.

For this card I cut a piece of the Crumb Cake at 5 1/2 x 11 and scored it at 3 3/4, 5 1/2, and 7 1/4.  I glued the outside edge of the "W" shape to hold the gift card and used the Word Window Punch to cut out the center of the fold 1" from each end.  I stamped the coffee cup twice and cut out the lid and 

band after stamping the band with the OFF THE GRID (page 108) stamp in Coastal Cabana and brushed the edges of the lid with brown ink and attached them to the cup.  Off the Grid was also stamped in Versamark and white embossing powder.  The half doily is a pre-cut from Martha Stewart.

Thanksgiving Cards

Not everyone can get together at Thanksgiving to celebrate and enjoy a wonderful meal together.  For those relatives that are far away, here are a few card ideas to send them greetings and blessings.

These cards were made using two stamp sets that can be found in the Stampin' Up Holiday catalog on page 19, "Harvest of Thanks" and "Truly Grateful"

Harvest of Blessings All Season Long made with these papers:  SU Chocolate Chip, Soft Sky and Everyday Enchantment.  The background piece is from Recollections Today-Tomorrow-Forever paper pad.

Gratitude papers are SU Chocolate Chip, Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Soft Sky and the striped paper is by Canvas Corp "Chocolate & Kraft Ribbon Stripe.

Thankful for... papers are SU Crumb Cake, Soft Sky and Very Vanilla.

Truly Grateful papers are SU Soft Sky, Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, and Everyday Enchantment.  A small strip of orange glitter paper was added under the scalloped edge of the Chocolate Chip.