Season to Season Wreath

I had a companion all day today while I was working in my craft room!  Sammi likes to get on top of my shelving unit and watch me work.  So, yesterday, I put her a little blanket up there for her.  Today she jumped up there and stayed there all day!!

Don't look too closely on my messy shelves!!

I ordered the Season to Season Wreath kit from the Holiday Catalog (pg 6) and made this wreath a couple of weeks ago.  It was really easy to make.  The kit includes materials to make three interchangeable banners.  All the "leaves" are precut so all I had to do was use my bone folder to curl the and I was able to curl several at one time.

Here is a close up with the Halloween and Fall elements on it.  I used the coordinating stamp set, Cheer All Year.  I have not stamped the Christmas / Winter pieces yet.  They will replace the fall ones after Thanksgiving.

I decided to hang my wreath inside so the humidity from outside wouldn't affect it. 

It adds a little bit of festivity in my kitchen!

Black and Gold .... no not Steelers - Christmas projects!!

I had a really busy day yesterday.  I left the house at 9:30 a.m. and returned at 10:30 p.m.!  I had bridge in the morning and from there got my nails done.  Then over to meet Marianne and we headed to Concord.  First a stop at Vera Bradley.  With my birthday in a couple of weeks, I received my birthday coupon from Vera (which I forget & left it at home but they were nice and gave it to me anyway.)  I ended up with a new purse and wallet.  Everything in the outlet store was 50% off and then with my 25% discount, it was a good deal!  From there, we had dinner and then a quick stop at Target before heading over to Allison's for her demo meeting.  She is so sweet to include us in her group.  When we got there, Marianne realized her wallet was missing!  So she drove back to Target where she had it last.  Turns out she dropped it in the parking lot while getting in the car and some good samaritan found it and turned it in to Customer Service in Target.  So, there are some nice honest people out there!

Allison had some cute projects for us this month with a great black and gold theme!  Let me know what you think.

This cute little triangle box is a "blast from the past."  When I first started with Stampin' Up, this was always a great little project to make when I had my workshops.  But back then, I used it to demonstrate the roller wheels that Stampin' Up used to sell.  It has a whole new luck with this Winter Wonderland Specialty Paper (pg. 23 Holiday Catalog).  It holds a bunch of Hershey Kisses .... but don't tell my husband!!

Another "golden oldie" is the little coffee cups but with a new holder for the single cup.  And a great look with the Winter Wonderland DSP!  I've just ordered 100 of those cups and lids!!  I actually made a few Halloween ones last night and took them to my dentist office this morning when I had my teeth cleaned but can't believe I forgot to take a picture of them!  Darn!

Here is cute box PLUS a gift card holder - dual purpose for a great Christmas gift!  If you want to make this, check out the video blow.

Hope these projects will bring you some inspiration!

Swap Cards

I can't believe I have only posted one update on my blog this week!  I have been busy trying to get all my swaps ready for the NC Quarterly in Wilmington.  Got 'em ready but ..... Quarterly has been canceled!  Mother Nature has a hurricane party planned for Wilmington instead.  Not so sure whether Joaquin will actually hit Wimington but they are calling for a LOT of rain all weekend.  The gals planning the Quarterly didn't want to take any chances.  I really feel for them as a lot of work goes into planning a Quarterly and then having to cancel at the last minute.  But, they are going to reschedule and hopefully, it will be a weekend that will work for both myself and Marianne. 

In the meantime, thought I'd share a few more of the swap cards I received from the Holiday catalog.

Reason for the Season

We had a fun weekend despite the fact that it rained all weekend, but we really need the rain so I am not complaining!.  We went out with friends to American Ale House in Hickory on Saturday night and of course on Sunday went to Big Al's to watch the Steelers game with friends.  It was an ugly game but we came away with a win.  The bad thing is Big Ben (our quarterback) was carted off with an injury to his leg.  Looks like he might be out 3-4 weeks ... not good!

I have a few other swaps to share with you to give you some ideas for your own card making.  These cards all use the Reason for the Season stamp with the Fancy Flower punch.  These come as a bundle.

Delicate Ornaments

I have been working fast and furious on my swaps for Quarterly.  I have a little over a week to get them all done!  I signed up for: 3x3 card (11), full card (25), 3D project (15), tags (16) and the shoebox card (31)!  Plus someone had to drop out this week & I volunteered to be a "swap angel" and do another 16 tags!  Right now, I have completed all except the 3D and the extra tag swap so I am doing ok.  

The Southern Living Group that is part of Newcomers is hosting a tea and fashion show next Wednesday.  I was honored to be asked to be one of the models.  I went for my fitting yesterday at Chicos.  I have never shopped at Chicos - mainly because of the price of their clothes but I also find their sizing system very confusing!  They don't size their clothes the standard way, like 10, 12, 14, etc. but instead they are size 0, 1, 2, 3!  Very confusing for an old person like me!  I was a bit leary that the clothes were going to be too "hip" and young for me but I was pleasantly surprised.  I ended up buying a pair of jeans even though I don't usually pay big bucks for jeans!  But they fit so well I couldn't resist.  Everything in the store was 40% off so the $90 jeans were just over $50 after tax.  I will be modeling them next week.    (Pictures to follow!)

OK - I have more swap cards to share.

I loved this card using the Delicate Ornaments Thinlet Die (pg 15)  It also uses the new Curvy Corner Trio punch,   The pictures below show the unique fold of this card.

Another great card using the Embellished Ornaments stamp set and Thinlets with the Season of Cheer DSP and another unique fold.  But .... can you spot the mistake on this one?

Just the center panel opens.  The sentiment is punched out with the new Washi Label Punch (from the main catalog.)

OK - the mistake that I see is the DSP on the left side is upside down!

Halloween and Fall Cards

Here are a few more of the swaps I've received highlighting cards from the Holiday Mini Catalog.

Fall Card Swaps

Today was a good football day!  The Steelers played their first home game and won big time!  I don't know if I am going to hold on to my first place in the Football Pool.  I did ok with the early games, but lost all 3 of the late afternoon games.  Now I am trying to pull Green Bay through and tomorrow night will be rooting for Indianapolis!  We'll see!  Right now I am 22 (wins) and 8 (losses) and the closest to me (4 people) have 19 and 11.

Sonny and I went to the movies yesterday and saw Walk In the Woods.  It was so funny plus the scenery was beautiful!  Robert Redford and Nick Nolte were the two old men who tried to walk the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine.  Their banter back and forth had me laughing out loud.  I recommend you see it is you want a few chuckles.  I have heard mixed reviews but my review is a "thumbs up."

I recently participate in a couple of swaps using sets from the Holiday Mini Catalog.  Thought I'd share a few of them with you.

This is the card that I made.  I used the Woodlands embossing folder for the trees in the background and used a dauber with white craft ink to highlight them.  Then I stamped the spooky eyes (or are they bats?) and birds in the background.  I cut a Spider Web Doily in half and adhered it under the burlap ribbon that I had cut in half and pulled a few threads out of it to tie in a knot on the side.  I used the Lots of Labels framelits and cut one of the labels in half.  I got the plaid design by using one of the stamps from Your Presents.  I stamped the diagonal "present" in one direction and then turned it sideways and stamped it over the first one.

This card uses the Acorny Thank You set (pg 45).  It is a really cute set but not one I bought this time so I am happy to have this card to share.

This is one of my favorite cards!  It also uses the Woodland Embossing Folder in the background - it is very subtle.  She used the branch (sideways) in the Among the Branches set and hung leaves from it.  But my favorite part is the Glitter Splatter Technique that we learned at convention.  I had forgotten about it but I love it!  You dilute a little bit of Tombow liquid glue with water, making it pretty runny using your Aqua Pen.  Then get some of the glue on your Aqua Pen and tap it with your finger to spatter the blue all over your card stock.  Then sprinkle Glitter over the glue!  Let dry and voila, a sparkly card.

Hope you have a great week!

Christmas cards

I have a few Christmas cards to share with you.  Yes, I said Christmas - it's not too early to start.  If you do a few each week, you'll be ready when the hectic holidays arrive!

This card is so simple to make.  I did a watercolor swish on a panel of watercolor paper.  I watered down the ink from my reinkers and used my Aqua Pen to paint the 3 colors.  I stamped the ornament from Sparkly Seasons onto Vellum paper and punched it out.  Next the "falala" was punched out from the thinklets in red glitter paper and applied over the ornament.  The final touch was the Red Pom Pom trim stapled in the corner.  Really easy!

This is a set we received at convention - Your Presents.  

Another card using Sparkly Seasons stamp set but this time as a snow globe with a snowman inside.  The DSP is from the paper stack, Merry Moments.

This card uses the Woodlands embossing folder.  I love it!!  This time I embossed onto Smoky Slake and used my dauber to highlight the trees in white craft ink.

September Fall Stamp Club

Loving this week's weather!  Sonny just told me it is supposed to be down to 50 this morning!!  Time to turn off the A/C.  Cool fall weather plus NFL football makes this gal happy!  I am in a fun football pool and picked pretty good this week I guess.  I am FIRST right now with 14 wins and 1 loss.  One game left to go - I'm watching it now but about to go to bed so I'll have to wait until the morning to see if the Vikings pull it out against San Fran. (Updated - Vikings lost so I tied for first place this week.)

I had time yesterday to do a new blog header for fall - using My Digital Studio.  I haven't used MDS in a while and need to get busy and start on my 2016 calendars.

I attended a Holiday Stampaganza Saturday and made some really cool projects.  We also did a swap card.  Plus I recently did a swap with the NC demos so I have a lot of great samples from the Holiday Catalog that I will be sharing soon.

This week is Stamp Club and we are going to be using some of the Bundles from the Holiday Catalog.  Thought I'd share the directions I give my club gals if you would like to duplicate these cards.

HALLOWEEN CHEER ALL YEAR (pg 6)

Supplies:

·        Cardstock:  Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Happy Haunting DSP, Hello Honey

·        Ink:  Black, Hello Honey

·        Accessories:  2” Circle Punch, Spider Web Doilies (pg 47), ¾” Circle Punch

·        Stamps:  Cheer All Year

Directions:

·        Adhere spider web DSP to black card.

·        Adhere orange “pumpkin face” DSP to 3 ¼” x 4 ¼” panel of Black card stock.

·        Use Fine Tip Glue and adhere spider web doilie  to top left of panel.  It will hang over – cut that part off & save for inside of card.

·        Punch out 2” circle from Hello Honey card stock & adhere to center of doilie.

·        Stamp bat in black ink and adhere to circle with dimensionals.

·        Cut 1” strip of Tangelo Twist & cut end into flag.  Adhere to back of black panel so the flag part is sticking out.

·        Adhere panel to card in top left corner.

·        Stamp Happy Haunting onto strip of Very Vanilla and “flag” ends.  Adhere to panel with dimensionals.

·        Stamp “BOO” in black ink onto scrap of Vanilla, punch with ¾” Circle Punch and adhere to card.

·        Decorate inside of card!

This is not from the Holiday Catalog but I wanted to demonstrate how easy these flowers are to make from the Cotton Paper.

 THANKS CARD W/FLOWERS

Supplies:

·        Cardstock:  Bermuda Bay, Whisper White, Cotton Paper (pg 148)

·        Stamps:  Endless Thanks, Gorgeous Grunge

·        Ink:  Bermuda Bay, Watermelon Wonder, Crushed  Curry

·        Accessories:  Twine, Corner Rounder, Lovely Lace Emb. Folder, Paper Piercing Tool w/mat, brads

·        Punches:  Corner Rounder, Pansy, Petite Petals, Festive Flower Builder Punch

Directions:

• ·        Emboss white panel with Lovely Lace folder.  Round corners.
• ·        Tie twine around card & tie.  Adhere to Bermuda Bay card.
• ·        Stamp sentiment (Endless Thanks) onto 3” x 2” white panel at bottom right with Bermuda Bay ink.
• ·        Stamp dots from Gorgeous Grunge in Watermelon Wonder & Crushed Curry – STAMP OFF FIRST!!
• ·        Adhere panel to card with dimensionals.
• ·        Punch flowers: 

o   8 from Petite Petals Punch from Crushed Curry Cotton Paper;

o   4 from Pansy Punch from Watermelon Cotton Paper;

o   4 leaves from Festive Flower Builder Punch (use smaller leaf) from Green Cotton Paper 

• Place the flowers one on top of another and pierce the center with your Paper Piercing Tool.  Put a brad through the center.
• Crumble and fluff the layers and adhere them to the card w/glue dots.
• Tuck the leaves under the larger flower and adhere them to the card.

HAPPY SCENES BUNDLE (pg 11)

Supplies: 

·        Cardstock:  Mellow Moss, Black, Vanilla, Happy Haunting DSP

·        Ink:  Black, Mellow Moss, Soft Saffron, Pear Pizazz

·        Stamps:  Happy Scenes, Cheery All Year

·        Hearth & Home Thinlits Dies

·        Accessories:  Markers, Square Pillow Box Die (for leaves), Postage Stamp Punch (retired), Mellow Moss Ribbon (retired), sponge daubers

Directions:

·        Adhere ribbon to bottom of Polka Dot Happy Haunting DSP.  (I used glue dots to pleat edge.

·        Adhere polka dot paper to Mellow Moss card

·        Use Hearth & Home Thinlit to cut out window & window sill parts.

·        Stamp scene on 2 ½” x 3 ¼” piece of Very Vanilla.

·        Use markers to color pumpkins.

·        Lightly sponge sky with Soft Saffron & grass w/Pear Pizazz

·        Adhere “scene” behind window die.

·        Adhere window to card on right side with dimensionals.

·        Stamp sentiment onto Very Vanilla scrap and use edge of Postage Stamp Punch on edges.

·        Punch out leaves using Square Pillow Box Die and adhere to front of window.

·        Decorate inside.

AMONG THE BRANCHES BUNDLE (pg 39)

Supplies:

·        Card Stock:  Very Vanilla, Delightful Dijon

·        Stamps: Among the Branches

·        Ink:  R.Razzleberry, D.Dijon, Tangelo Twist, Sahara Sand

·        Accessories:  Dijon Dotted Lace Trim, Punches – 2” Circle, 2 3/8” Scallop Circle, Sponge Daubers

·        Woodland Embossing Folder

Directions:

·        Emboss Very Vanilla with Woodland Emb. Folder

·        Use daubers to softly daube Sahara Sand ink onto trees.

·        Stamp leaves in different colors onto branches

·        Stamp on scrap Vanilla cardstock “AUTUMN WISHES” with R.Razzleberry ink.  Punch out w/2” Circle Punch

·        Mount onto 2 3/8” Dijon scalloped circle.

·        Tie Dijon Dotted Lace Trim around card and tie.

·        Adhere whole panel to Dijon card.

·        Adhere “AUTUMN WISHES” to bottom left of card with dimensionals.

Remembering 9-11

In remembrance of 9/11, I thought I'd post some pictures from my visit to the 9-11 Memorial last November.

We will never forget.