And the Winner is.....

Debadoo left comment number 14, so she's the winner!  Congratulations, Deb!!!  Please let me know your snail mail address, so I can sent the goodies to you.

Busy day today, so I'm just posting the card recipes.

First card

Stamps: Pines & Poinsettias (gold heat embossed), greeting from Bells & Boughs

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Mocha Morning Specialty DSP

Ink: VersaMark, Cherry Cobbler Classic, plus Cherry Cobbler, Pretty in Pink, and Chocolate Chip markers

Accessories: Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat tool, Very Vanilla ribbon, Glimmer Brad

Second Card

Stamps: Pines & Poinsettias, Four the Holidays

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Silver Glimmer Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, plus Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, and Always Artichoke markers

Accessories: Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon, Snowflake punch, Blender Pen, Snow Burst embossing folder, Big Shot, Shimmer spritz

Stampin' Addicts 2011 Holiday Mini Hop

Welcome to the Stampin' Addicts Holiday Mini Blog Hop! This weekend we have 19 stampers who have created fabulous projects using products from the upcoming Stampin' Up! 2011 Holiday Mini Catalog. Can't make it through all 19 blogs in one sitting? No worries! We'll be here all weekend long. If you've been following the links in order, you just arrived from Holly's blog, showcasing the Always Thankful stamp set. Wasn't that wine holder cool?! Click the banner above for a list of all the blogs.

I am featuring the Pines & Poinsettias stamp set, but I have a couple of other goodies to share, too!  With Christmas sneaking up on us quicker than you think, now is a good time to get started on those holiday cards and gifts.  So up first is a card, of course!

As always, you can click on the pics twice for extra close-up views of my mistakes. :-)

See that beautiful velvet ribbon? That's the Very Vanilla ribbon in the Holiday Mini, colored (on the back, non-fuzzy side) with a Stampin' Write Marker! You can make it any color you want! A Glimmer Brad makes the perfect cinch for the bow.

The second card is a variation of one made for a Stampin' Addicts swap. (I love swapping with other SA members, because they make the BEST cards!) The background patterned paper was made by repeatedly stamping the scroll image in Crumb Cake, then lightly coloring with a blender pen. And the lovely embossed background behind it is the new Snow Burst embossing folder!

Notice the glittery snowflake? In the Holiday Mini there is some beautiful Silver Glimmer Paper, but the silver just didn't look right on the Very Vanilla/Crumb Cake/Cherry Cobbler background. So, I colored it, too! This can be done carefully with the side of a marker, or with an Aqua Painter and Classic ink refills.

Now Christmas wouldn't be complete without a little gift, so I made a trinket box, decorated it, and added a tag that uses the "Christmas" banner in the stamp set.

The 3"x3"x2" box was a piece of cake to make with the new Simply Scored Tool, which is also in the new catalog. Wait until you see how useful it is....it is AWESOME!!!

And last, there's a little something to put in the trinket box. The holly leaves are also in the Pines & Poinsettias set and were the perfect size for the Simply Adorned Charm insert.  I'm new to making charm inserts, and the tiny "canvas" was a fun challenge! You can get an idea of the scale by the little image with the quarter down in the corner.

Well, that's all for my projects this time! Be sure to stop by Stampin' Addicts and see what they're about! Their motto is "Positively Creative! Positively Stampin' Up!"  Membership is free and you'll have access to a gallery FULL of great ideas like the ones you've been seeing on the hop, along with a friendly group of creative people!

Next blog on the hop is Shelley's blog, where she is featuring The Sounding Joy stamp set.

 Hey, you're still here? Why aren't you hopping? Oh, I get it.....maybe you were thinking there might, perhaps, just maybe be some blog candy down here.  Heh-heh, you clever thing, you!  Well, there is a little something.  Just leave a comment about which project you liked the best, and if you are chosen, you'll win that little decorated trinket box, the charm insert (but not the charm itself!), and instructions on how to make the box using the Simply Scored Tool. (U.S. residents only, please!)

Come back Tuesday, when I'll announce the winner and list the materials used in the projects above.

Slider for Mom

We just had our monthly Fancy Folds class, and one of the cards we made was this double slider card. It's got an extra surprise when you pull the out slider on top - another slider comes out of the bottom! This card was the inspiration, but I wanted to keep it a standard A2 card size, and a little less "busy".

This one is going to Mom, who just had her third chemotherapy treatment (of eight). The shot they give her to boost her white blood cells makes her ache horribly, and the pain killer for that has undesirable side effects, too.  I hope the "surprise" she gets when she pulls the tab brings a smile to her face.

Don't forget to come back this Friday for the weekend-long Stampin' Addicts Holiday Mini Blog Hop! There will be lots of inspiration for using the new goodies coming in the Holiday Mini!!!

Stamps: Nature Walk, Pocket Silhouettes, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: Whisper White, Basic Black, Soft Suede
Ink: Pear Pizzazz, Soft Suede, Riding Hood Red, and Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pads, plus Regal Rose, So Saffron, Rose Red, Basic Black, and Peach Parfait Stampin' Write Markers
Accessories: Soft Suede 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon, 1-3/8" Circle Punch, 1-1/4" Square Punch, Round Tab Punch, Sticky Strip, Blender Pens

My Big News

I didn't think I was supposed to announce this until tomorrow, but I see it's already up on the SU-Only Challenges blog, so here goes....

I'm a SUOC Design Team member!

Woohoo!!!  This is a first for me, so I really feel honored.  Boy, what a week, huh?  Featured Friday Cardmaker on OWH Stars & Stamps, and a few days later, DT on SU-Only Challenges........Life is good!

This invitation for the SUOC26 challenge was made in anticipation of my daughter and son-in-law finally closing on their house, hopefully this week!  Once they are moved and settled, it's party time! I combined two of the stamps in the Party Time set to get the "housewarming party time".  And see that lovely ribbon treatment with the teeny tiny linen thread bow? My friend Jennifer Timko (the Queen of Lovely Bows) did it on her card here, so I just had to CASE it! Hers looks way better, of course, 'cuz she IS the Queen, after all.

Stamps: Aviary, Party Time
Cardstock: Island Indigo, Whisper White, Pocketful of Posies Designer Series Paper
Inks: Island Indigo, Baja Breeze, Real Red, Basic Black
Accessories: Island Indigo 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon, Basic Rhinestone Jewels, Linen Thread, Decorative Label Punch

Be sure to check SUOC every other Tuesday for a new challenge, and upload your creation there! The main rules are easy-peasy....only Stampin' Up! items may used on the project (hence the name of the challenge blog), and the project must be posted within time frame of each challenge. (Check "About" on the SUOC left sidebar for more details on the rules.) If your project is one of the three winners, you get a fab blinky to proudly display on your blog!

Okay, now get busy making an invitation so we can see the fabulousness! It can be any kind of party invite.....in fact, the baby booty shower invitation from a couple days ago was going to be my project, but I changed my mind. It happens a lot these days. The mind-changing thing. Some call it old age indecision. I call it coming up with a better idea. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

Baby Shower Invite

The new Holiday Stocking Bigx L Die can be used for more than just a Christmas stocking, ya know! (It's on page 24 of the Holiday Mini. If you don't have yours yet, send me a message with your U.S. address and I'll get one to you!)   It can be turned into a cute baby shower invitation by folding a sheet of 8-1/2 x 11 cardstock in half and laying the fold about one inch below the top of the stocking.  (The excess CS was trimmed off before running it through the Big Shot.)

After cutting the Designer Series Paper toe and heel pieces with the die, they were adhered with Tombow Mono Multipurpose adhesive and the front of the card was embossed with the Square Lattice folder.  The cuff  was cut from 1-1/2" x 3-1/2" CS (with DSP adhered) and trimmed to mimic a cuff, then embossed with the Snow Burst embossing folder (pg. 33). After adding the Very Vanilla Velvet Stitched Ribbon (pg. 22) and a Square Ice Rhinestone Brad, it was adhered with Sticky Strip.

Too bad I don't know anyone who needs some cute baby shower invitations!  My parasite child-bearing days are long over, lol.

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend!  It's a Goldilocks kind of day here....not too hot, not too cold, juuusssst right!

Stamp: Baby Bundle
Cardstock: Wisteria Wonder, Very Vanilla, Concord Crush, Wisteria Wonder Designer Series Paper
Ink: Concord Crush Classic Stampin' Pad, Wisteria Wonder Classic Stampin' Pad
Accessories: Blender Pen, Very Vanilla Velvet Stitched Ribbon,Square Ice Rhinestone Brad, Big Shot, Square Lattice e.f., Snow Burst e.f., Decorative Label Punch

A Warm Howdy!

Today I am honored to be the Featured Friday Cardmaker over at the OWH Stars and Stamps blog! So, if you are visiting from OWH, I'd like to extend a happy welcome!!!

The theme of OWHtv Episode 24 was clean and simple (CAS) cards, which inspired me to make these. I'm pretty sure Sandy, Dixie, and Kris can never have too many "Miss You", or "Thinking of You" cards, so these will be added to the box! In fact, I just checked the Current Needs page, and all three need 'em!

Thank you, Paula, for asking of I'd like to be a Featured Cardmaker. Um, let me think about that for a sec.... YES!!!

And thank YOU, visitors,  for stopping by my humble blog today! I hope you found something to inspire you here.  (Check out the Christmas cards posted the past couple of days.)  If you are new to Operation Write Home, please be sure to check the Card Guidelines and Shipping Deadlines before sending cards to the shippers.  Oh, and if you can Prepare the Cards before you send them, it would save our shippers tons of time, too!

And finally, most of all, THANK YOU 

to the men and women who work so hard 

and sacrifice so much to ensure our freedom. 

Thank you from the bottom of my heart....

YOU ROCK!

Very Merry Stockings

Gosh, I love this time of year.....the days are getting shorter, and the evenings are getting cooler.  The sun takes on a special slant and golden light. That means Fall is right around the corner, and with it all the great holidays through the end of the year. Yup, it is definitely my favorite time of year......right alongside Winter, Spring, and Summer.

More holiday loveliness going to Operation Write Home. And speaking of Operation Write Home, I'm going to have a special post up tomorrow.

Stamps: Stitched Stockings (Holiday Mini), Short & Sweet
Cardstock: Shimmery White, Whisper White, Garden Green, Wild Wasabi DSP< Silver Glimmer Paper
Ink: Basic Black, Garden Green, and Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pads
Accessories: Snow Burst embossing folder, and Stocking Builder Punch (both in Holiday Mini), Big Shot, Cherry Cobbler 3/8" Quilted Satin Ribbon, Basic Rhinestone Jewels, Stampin' Dimensionals

Christmas for the Troops

If you've been following me for a while, you'll know two things about me....well probably way more than two, but these are the ones we're addressing today. 1)  I am a horrible procrastinator, which is what led me to making a few Christmas cards every month so I wouldn't bring embarrassment and shame upon my family would be ready to mail them early in December, and 2)  I make cards for Operation Write Home for our deployed heroes to send home to loved ones.

The deadlines for OWH holiday cards, and this applies to all holidays, whether Mother's Day, Christmas, Valentines, whatever, is usually about two months before the actual holiday. This gives the shippers time to sort, pack and ship them out in time for the heroes to send them back home.

Anyhoo, to make a short story long, NOW is the time to be making those holiday cards (see deadlines below), so I've been working on a few.

The words in the greeting from Short & Sweet were inked separately with Stampin' Write Markers so they could fit on the Jewelry Tag. The holly berry cluster was also inked with markers for the third tag, and then used with VersaMark on the Garden Green panel.


Stamps: Pines & Poinsettias (Holiday Mini), Short & Sweet
Cardstock: Shimmery White, Garden Green, Poppy Parade, Confetti White, Holly Berry Bouquet Specialty DSP
Ink (Stampin' Write Markers): Poppy Parade, Calypso Coral, Garden Green
Accessories: Poppy Parade 1/2" Poly Stitched Ribbon, Vintage Trinkets, Jewelry Tag Punch, Basic Rhinestone Jewels, Perfect Polka-Dots embossing folder, Big Shot Die-Cut Machine, Linen Thread

OWH deadlines:

Sept 16 - Halloween

Sept 30 - Thanksgiving

Oct 31 - Christmas

Nov 30 - AnyHero Christmas

Gentle Thoughts

This card was made using this week's sketch and challenge #69 from A La Card Monkey - what a fun layout to play with!  The theme is sympathy or thinking of you cards, which also just happens to be this month's theme for the So Shelli Creative Challenge, AND this is one of my favorite new stamp sets, so it meets the SUO Challenge 25, as well! *Whew!*

If you click on the image twice to enlarge it, you may notice the maple seed pods were stamped on the More Mustard panels before it was embossed with the Perfect Polka-Dots folder.  I wanted it subtle, but I think maybe it's a little too subtle.  What really stands out IRL is that maple leaf. It was sprayed with the Gold Glow Smooch Spritz and looks fabulous!  The photo really doesn't do it justice.

Stamps: Gently Falling, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Cardstock: River Rock Textured, Very Vanilla, More Mustard, Basic Black, Cajun Craze, Spice Cake Designer Series Paper
Ink: Basic Black, Cajun Craze, and Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pads
Accessories: Big Shot Die-Cut Mchine, Perfect Polka-Dots Embossing Folder, Hemp Twine, Linen Thread,Word Window Punch, 1/16" Handheld Punch, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals

Painting Silver Glimmer

After discovering how well the Stampin' Write Markers work for tinting the Silver Glimmer Paper (hang in there, you can order it September 1st!), I thought about trying it with an Aqua Painter and Classic Ink Refills.  The Glimmer Paper is quite sturdy, almost like it has a plastic or waxed paper base, so it was a fairly certain bet that it could withstand getting wet.

Here is what I observed.......start with a color much darker than you want to end up with. The Heat Tool was used to speed drying time, and as the paper dried, it got remarkably lighter, as shown below. The first image shows the left side already dried, and how dark the right side is before drying. The second image shows both sides dried.

Materials used: Silver Glimmer Paper, Pool Party Classic Ink Refill, Aqua Painter, Heat Tool

I LOVE Stampin' Write Markers! (Plus SUO Challenge 25)

Why, you ask? Well, besides the fact that I can color on stamps, and dye ribbon with them, I figured out that the new Silver Glimmer Paper (coming in the Holiday Mini) can be colored* as well!  Waaaa-hoootie! Now I can make GOLD Glimmer Paper, or Island Indigo Glimmer Paper, or Early Espresso Glimmer Paper!!!  On the card below, the snowflake was colored with More Mustard to give it a warm glow and tone it down to match the card.  Isn't it gorgeous?

This stamp set is called Pines & Poinsettias, and is also in the Holiday Mini, as is that wonderful new Snow Burst embossing folder.  Oh, there are so many wonderful things coming September 1st!

The challenge this week at SU-Only Challenges is to make a card using a favorite new stamp set, and this certainly qualifies as one of my favorites. Good thing I don't have to choose just one favorite - that would be impossible!

My experimentation with the markers - soooo yummy!

* Note: I used the SIDE of the brush tip of the marker, rubbing gently on the Glimmer Paper. 

Stamps: Pines & Poinsettias, Four the Holidays
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, Silver Glimmer Paper
Ink: Crumb Cake and Cherry Cobbler Classic pads, plus Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, and More Mustard Stampin' Write Markers
Accessories: Crumb Cake 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon, Snowflake Punch, Snow Burst embossing folder, Big Shot Die-Cut Machiine, Stampin' Dimensionals

More Velvety Goodness

Stampin' Write Markers ROCK!  I wanted to see if I could dye the new Velvet Stitched Ribbon to match a card I was working on, and it works!  All you have to do is flip the ribbon over and, using the side of the marker's brush end, slide it along the ribbon to color it.  Easy-peasy awesome-sauce!!!

Stamps: Lovely As A Tree, Three Little Words
Cardstock: Shimmery White, Calypso Coral, Basic Black
Ink: Jet Black StazOn, Daffodil Delight, Calypso Coral, Bashful Blue, and Wild Wasabi Classic Stampin' Pads, Calypso Coral Stampin' Write Marker
Accessories: Square Rhinestone Brad, Very Vanilla 3/8" Velvet Stitched Ribbon (available 9/1), Stampin' Sponges

Velvety Vanilla!

One of the new items in the upcoming Holiday Mini catalog is the gorgeous Very Vanilla 3/8" Velvet Stitched Ribbon.  It is so soft and yummy-licious and will be the perfect addition not only on Christmas cards, but on Fall cards, baby cards, you name it!

Stamps: Christmas Collage, Bells & Boughs
Cardstock: Real Red, Shimmery White
Ink: Crumb Cake, Real Red, Old Olive, Basic Black, and Sahara Sand Classic
Accessories: Very Vanilla 3/8" Velvet Stitched Ribbon, Round Rhinestone Brad, Gold Waffle Paper, Blender Pens, Stampin' Dimensionals

You Don't Always Have to Stamp!

Sometimes, the designer paper can speak for itself, as shown on the card below.  The only thing that was stamped was the little greeting.  Embossing the background adds some interest, too.

Now go drag out that pretty patterned paper you've been hoarding and see if there isn't a lovely design waiting to be highlighted on your next card!

Stamp: (greeting) Pennant Parade
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Basic Black, Flirtatious Designer Series Paper
Ink: Basic Black Classic
Accessories: Elegant Lines Embossing Folder, Big Shot, Basic Pearls, Pretty in Pink 3/8" Taffeta Ribbon (retired), Stampin' Dimensionals

Autumn Thanks

This was one of the cards we made in my monthly stamp club today. The ladies LOVED it! It was made for the Dare to Get Dirty Challenge by CuttersCallous (DTGD11cutterscallous) over on Splitcoast Stampers.

Stamps: Autumn Days, Thank You Kindly
Cardstock: Shimmery White
Inks: Basic Black, So Saffron, More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Cajun Craz
Accessories: Stripes embossing folder., Big Shot, Stampin' Sponges, Basic Rhinestone, Basic Black 1/4" grosgrain ribbon

Monochromatic Doily

Just a quick post today....have to prepare for the meeting with my stamping team tonight!

This card uses the Rolling Marble technique on the background of the doily.  It produces such a cool effect!

Stamps: Hello Doily, Oval All
Cardstock: Pretty in Pink, Melon Mambo, Whisper White, Glossy White
Ink: Melon Mambo Classic pad, Pretty in Pink and Regal Rose reinkers
Accessories: Melon Mambo 1/2" Scallop Dot Ribbon, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, marbles, plastic stamp case

Get Well Wishes

One of the things we do in the monthly meetings with my team members is two techniques, with an instruction card/sample and card front using the technique.  This goes on a large ring for them to use as ideas for workshops and classes. This week we're doing the Rock & Roll technique and Baby Wipe technique. This is the Rock & Roll sample card front they'll make to put on the ring:

Since it is a Get Well card, I'm going to enter it in the SU-Only Challenge 24, Get Well Cards.  Be sure to check their blog for fun inspirational challenges!


Stamps: Day of Gratitude, Thoughts & Prayers
Cardstock: So Saffron, Pool Party, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White
Ink: VersaMark, Pool Party and Not Quite Navy Classic pads, Not Quite Navy and So Saffron Stampin' Write Markers
Accessories: Big Shot, Finial Press embossing folder, Pool Party 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon, Boho Blossoms Punch, Clear Rhinestone Brad, Stampin' Dimensionals