A Little Inspiration

Merry Christmas (WSC109)

I bought a flower arrangement for a holiday get together with friends last weekend and was so thrilled to see that the tightly closed lily buds were opening this week.

 So, I put this card together for the Weekend Sketch Challenge (109) using this sketch, inspired by this gorgeous lily.  There's one more bud and I really hope it opens too.

It took a while for this paper to grow on me.  The Damask print is felted giving it a nice, soft, fuzzy feel.  Now that I've used it a couple of times, I just love it.

Flower:

• The flower was made with the scallop circle punch.  I punched two circles and cut the first scallop every two scallops about 2/3 of the way into the circle

• The second circle, I cut in half and then into pieces (little heart shapes) and bent the petals at the base and layered them on the first scallop.

• A small heart punch would work too.

A couple of red beads from some garland, leaves from the Sizzlits "Little Leaves" and the swirl from the Sizzix "Festive Christmas Set" completed the flower.

All Supplies Stampin' Up! Except where noted:

Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Cocoa Specialty DSP (Holiday Mini Catalog)

Ink: Real Red

Punches/Shapes: Eyelet Border Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Sizzlits Little Leaves

Other: Sizzix Festive Christmas Set, Ribbon, Beads from Local Craft Store

Happy Friday!

Make Merry (PPA19)

This week's Pals Paper Arts Challenge (PPA19) is to use this photo as inspiration to get us in the holiday spirit.

(I must admit - I have been for months.  I just skipped Halloween and headed into Christmas!)

I just can't seem to make cards fast enough!  I am having so much fun today with my Whisper White Craft Ink...I used it on Real Red with the Patterned Pines and was really pleased with how it turned out.  (Just give it plenty of time to dry.)

I needed a sentiment to fit the Modern Label punch, so I used my red marker on the text of a tag stamp and added a little red marker dot on each end along with some 'faux' stitching.

The brad was perfect for the center of the flower (punch) and the swirls/flourishes from the Sizzix Festive Christmas Set.

Well, I have hats and scarves to knit, pillows to sew, and so many more final holiday touches that I better get to work!

Have a great day.

Supplies:

Ink: Real Red, Whisper White

Stamps: Patterned Pines (Hostess Level 2 Holiday Mini Catalog), Tag??? I can't find the name SU! from 2006 - WOW!

Paper: Old Olive DSP (so glad I got this - should have gotten Real Red too), Real Red, Whisper White,

Other: Modern Label Punch, Red Marker, Ribbon (stash), Circle Brad, 5 Petal Flower Punch, Sizzix Festive Christmas, Dimensionals, Circut (Plantin Schoolbook for Oval)

To place an order, click here.

Whisper White Snowflakes

I finally added Whisper White Craft Ink to my collection of inks and I love the results!  It's a little tackier and stickier than the Classic Ink but it is white!

I used the snowflakes from Patterned Pines and then layered the Large Snowflake from Serene Snowflakes in Not Quite Navy on Kraft card stock.  A little crop of the lower corners, some ribbon, and little white dots from my stash...and then the inside.

The sentiment is from All Holidays and the Snowflake is the same as the front just in Not Quite Navy.  I think it needs a little white dot too.  Don't you?

Supplies: 

Paper: Not Quite Navy, Whisper White, Kraft

Ink: Whisper White, Not Quite Navy

Stamps: Patterned Pines (Hostess Level 2) & Serene Snowflakes - Both from the Mini Holiday Catalog 2009 and All Holidays

Other: White dots & ribbon ??? in my stash - maker unknown.

Thanks for stopping by. 

There's still time to place an order from the Holiday Mini Catalog and the Mini Occasions Catalog is now available - orders begin in January - sneak peeks soon to come!  I can't wait to start playing with the new clear stamps!  Hurrah!!!

Have a great day!

Simple Snowflake (PPA18)

In line with this past week's Pals Paper Arts (PPA18) Challenge, I did my best to "Keep It Simple Sweetie" (KISS) with white card stock, a few Sizzix Snowflakes and a sweet sentiment.

What you can't see in the photo is that I embossed the white background with small dots from the Sizzix Texture Plate (Stampin' Up! Exclusive).

All Supplies Stampin Up!:

Paper: Whisper White Cardstock, Real Red, Cocoa Specialty DSP

Ink: Real Red

Stamps: Cold Play 

Other: Sizzix Small Dots Texture Plate, Sizzix Snowflakes, Modern Label Punch

Have a great day!  

Felted Snowflake (MOJO115)

Welcome back!  I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  After a couple of days off to enjoy some time with friends, I was ready to get back at it today.  And then, it turned into one of 'those days', where I struggled to get anything to work right. 

I was so excited when I saw the MOJO Monday Sketch (MOJO115) and the samples and new that I would use my scallop circle and thought white on white - perfect!  But it wasn't.

How about white with pink? Nope.

White with soft suede (nope - I'm out! - yikes!)

I wanted simple, I wanted the snowflake, and I struggled and struggled with the coordinating color and how to do the sentiment.  What background paper?  What color ink on what color of paper?  Emboss?  Paint? or Ink?

While none of them seemed to work, I have given in and succumbed to Platinum Shimmer Paint on Real Red - I just wish it had filled in a little better.

And, now, looking at it on the screen, it looks crooked. 

*Sigh*

Well, dinner is calling, there is laundry to fold, and there is always tomorrow - besides, I like the color combo!

LOL!  (what else can you do?)

You can almost see that I stamped inside too (Serene Snowflakes with Shimmer Paint)

Supplies:

Stamps: All Holidays, Patterned Pines (Hostess Level 2 Holiday Mini Catalog)

Ink: Platinum Shimmer Paint

Paper: Cocoa Specialty DSP, Whisper White, Real Red

Other: Sizzix Large Scallop Circle, Brads, Ribbon

***Last chance to save on Cyber Specials at Stampin' Up!***

 Get up to 50% off stamps, supplies and kits. 

Click here to place your order.

A Trio of Triangle Boxes

As you know, I love things mini and I also love boxes, trinkets, and well, I guess that's part of the reason I love to stamp (even though I didn't use any stamps in this project).  Anyway...

Here they are with little name tags attached for gifts, favor boxes, place settings, Secret Santa, stocking stuffers, oh the list goes on!

They are big enough to fit jewelry, candies, and plenty of pretties (not to mention a little Christmas Cash).

 Wouldn't they look cute decorating your tree?  You could easily hand them out on Christmas or even as surprise gifts (my hubby loves to hide things in the tree on Christmas Eve).

I used the Specialty Designer Series Paper from the Holiday Mini Catalog and this Triangle Box Template.

Just print, cut, score, fold, adhere and ta da!

I punched two holes on the tab with my Crop-a-Dile

The poinsettia on the front is made with the five petal punch (two punches layered), a flower in Kiwi Kiss from the Trio Punch and white gel dots.

This one has a longer ribbon to hang on the tree, a doorknob, the mantle, or ???

Supplies:

Paper:

• Specialty DSP (Holiday Mini Catalog)
• Real Red
• Kiwi Kiss (In Colors 2008-2009)

Other:

• Ribbon (stash)
• White Gel Pen
• 5 Petal Flower punch
• Trio flower punch
• Crop-a-dile 

So many fun ideas for the holidays and these are quite easy!

To place an order, click here and take advantage of the Thanksgiving Holiday savings!

Christmas Place Cards in Holly

Over the weekend, I started to play with some ideas for Christmas Place Cards.

I started with a soft, rustic yet elegant card using the Sizzlits Leaves (exclusive to Stampin' Up!) and liked the result of the flat card, but I felt it wasn't very 'Christmasy'.

So, inspired by my gift bag that I posted the other day, I pulled out the Specialty Designer Paper from the Holiday Mini Catalog, found some holly leaves, and came up with this.

I also had some 'berries' from decorative garland on hand and the leaves are by Sizzix (although Martha Stewart also has this nice template too).

BTW: They measure 4" wide x 3" high

Supplies:

Paper: Soft Suede, Real Red, Cocoa Specialty Designer Series Paper, Whisper White, Hunter Green

Other: Sizzix Festive Christmas Set, Holly Berries, Oval Punch, Oval Scallop Punch, & Eyelet Border Punch

To place an order, click here.  Would you like your own set of place cards for your table, just let me know or shop my Etsy store.

Mini Tag Bag

In my love for all things mini, I found this great little bag on my Cricut Cartridge (Plantin Schoolbook) and just had to make a mini bag with a matching tag.

The bag is so easy (especially when the machine does the cutting).  I wrapped the bag with a little bit of "Cottage Wall" Designer Series Paper, stamped Santa in Real Red on Whisper White card stock, punched him out and layered him on the Real Red Scallop Square (also punched).  With so many tools to use, everything is so much easier.

Then I made this little tag to go inside.  I stamped the poinsettia from Patterned Pines on Whisper White and cut it out with the punch.  I punched another in Real Red and one in Whisper White. 

Then, I cut the red one in half and adhered it to the stamped piece and put the second piece of Whisper White on the back with the red and the ribbon 'sandwiched' between.

A little ribbon to go on a package and it is finished.

Supplies:

Paper: Old Olive, Cottage Wall (DSP), Real Red, Whisper White

Stamps: Christmas Punch & Patterned Pines

Ink: Real Red

Other: Curly Label, 1 1/4" Square, and Square Scallop Punches, Ribbon (stash), Cricut (Plantin Schoolbook)

By the way, if you would like some small bags, I have them available in my shop - all kinds of sizes & colors and good prices too.

Have a great day!

I'm dreaming of a blue Christmas (MOJO113)

Oh, yeah, that's supposed to be a 'white' Christmas.  Well, my MOJO hit on blue this morning - soft vanilla, a touch of sparkle, a little antique linen distressing ink, and a not quite navy "blue spruce" (ha ha)...

I love this stamp set "Lovely As A Tree" and thought it would be a great focal point for this MOJO Monday Sketch (MOJO113). 

And, since every tree needs an ornament, this card was adorned with "Delightful Decorations".

Supplies:

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Antique Linen (Ranger), plus Platinum Shimmer Ink

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Delightful Decorations, Serene Snowflakes (for the top of the tree)

Paper: Bella Bleu Designer Series Paper, Very Vanilla, Not Quite Navy

Other: ribbon & glitter from my 'stash'

So fun to make.  Questions?  Just let me know.  Thanks for stopping by...

A Little Christmas Cheer for the Table (PPA16)

Have you missed me?  I sure have missed you and being crafty in my little room.  This past week has gone by in a blur.  The good news is, I have so many new ideas to try out.

I had so much fun with my pumpkin place cards for Thanksgiving, I couldn't wait to get started on place cards for Christmas.

This is my first Christmas (Holiday) Place Card for this season and is perfect for the Pals Paper Arts Challenge (PPA16) "Christmas Cheer".

They are giving away "Blog Candy" so be sure to stop by.

The base is a 3 x 3.5" Soft Suede folded card, layered with Damask embossed Very Vanilla and edged with eyelet border in Real Red.

The stamps, from Patterned Pines are in Real Red and Old Olive cut out and placed with dimensionals.

Thanks to punches, this little tag was so easy and a little eyelet and red ribbon finishes the little place card.

Supplies:

Paper: Old Olive, Soft Suede, Real Red, Very Vanilla

Stamps: Patterned Pines

Ink: Real Red, Old Olive

Other: Damask Texture Plate (BigShot), Tag Punches, Eyelet Border Punch, Ribbon, Dimensionals, and Eyelet & Crop-a-dile