Saturday, December 30, 2023

CCM Saturday Blog Hop - Bringing in the NEW YEAR!

Today's Create With Connie & Mary Saturday Hop theme is the NEW YEAR! 2023 sure flew by, and now here we are on the cusp of 2024 already. I know, in my family at least, there are big changes coming in the new year, and I can't wait to see how it all plays out!


I was very happy to see that the Light the Sky stamp set and dies will be carried over as Online Only products, so they will still be available after the Sep-Dec mini ends on Jan. 3rd. I like that it's not just for New Year celebrations, but for birthdays, Fourth of July, and any other occasion that calls for twinkly fireworks.


This card started with a 4-1/8" x 5-3/8" piece of Night of Navy cardstock. I used the large fireworks burst to cut it, then added the smaller die (which makes me think of the little fireworks that all pop at once with a crackling sound). The smallest burst was heat embossed in white on the corner and the largest burst heat embossed on a scrap, die cut, and popped up on dimensionals.


Behind this panel that was popped up on the Night of Navy card base is a piece of the champagne colored More Dazzle Specialty Paper for that sparkly look. The greeting was also heat embossed and popped up. It's really a relatively simple card, with lots of sparkle and pop! (See what I did there? 😁)

That's all for today - see you next Saturday! Up next is Libby Fens at Libby Stamps. Or click the "back" button to go back to Lori at Loritamarie Crafts.


Stampin' Up! products used:

  • Stamps: Light the Sky
  • Paper: Night of Navy Cardstock, More Dazzle Specialty
  • Ink: VersaMark
  • Accessories: Light the Sky Dies, White Stampin' Emboss Powder, Heat Tool



Thursday, December 28, 2023

CCMC798 - Color Challenge


Happy Thursday, y'all! I hope you had a nice holiday, and are getting ready to ring in the new year. Geez, 2023 sure flew by, didn't it?

Today's challenge is a fab color combination. As soon as I saw it, I thought Ruby-throated Hummingbird. The hummers are long gone now, but they'll be back about April. I enjoy watching the fiesty little things fight over the feeders!

Notice the little bit of shimmery Wink of Stella on his throat?

I stamped the floral image in Thoughtful Expressions on the background using Pecan Pie stamped off twice. The die cut behind the bird was cut from Pecan Pie Glorious Gingham DSP. Bird and flower were both colored with Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler Blends (with some Light Crumb Cake on the bird's torso).


The greeting was stamped in Cherry Cobbler and cut with one of the fancy label dies in the bundle. Bird and flower were popped up on dimensionals. Everything else was adhered to the Cherry Cobbler mat and then to the Pecan Pie card base. (Mmmm, cherry cobbler and pecan pie sounds really good right now!) Oh, and some Festive Pearls were added for good measure, lol.

The Thoughtful Expressions bundle will be available to order in one week! And if you order the bundle, you'll qualify for one of the free Sale-A-Bration items!!!

Thursday, December 21, 2023

Exciting New Journey!

Our daughter has been a high school teacher for fifteen years, and during that time has continued her education, including two Masters degrees - one in Education and Learning, and one in Mathematics Education. She is a year away from receiving her PhD in Leadership with a Mathematics Specialization (busy writing her dissertation now). She was just offered, and accepted, a position as a Mathematics Professor at a private college! No more dealing with smelly, mouthy teenagers, lol.


Needless to say, we are so very proud of her. Her love of learning and love of teaching were evident from a very early age. I remember her lining up her stuffed animals and dolls and playing school when she was very young, and it warms my heart to see her following her passion and excelling at it!


I made this card for her using the new Everyday Details bundle coming January 4th, along with an embossing folder from Sale-A-Bration. Her favorite colors are green and yellow, so.... Mossy Meadow and Granny Apple Green along with Lemon Lolly and Daffodil Delight were the chosen colors.

Monday, December 18, 2023

Stamp Review Crew - Christmas Classics

Welcome to the Stamp Review Crew's CHRISTMAS CLASSICS edition! The "Crew" is a group of Stampin' Up! demonstrators from around the world who pick a stamp set or bundle to highlight on the first and third Mondays of each month, with a bonus hop if there is a fifth Monday. There are five of us today, so this should be fun!

Christmas Classics is one of the stamp sets that is retiring, so if you want it, better grab it NOW! It was part of the Joy of Christmas Suite and is a 15 piece photopolymer stamp set with 13 coordinating dies.


Is everyone finished making their cards? I thought I was until I got to the end of my list and realized I needed eight more. OOPS! So this bundle and the coordinating DSP and Specialty DSP really helped me whip out some in a hurry.


I split the DSP diagonally and covered the seam with gold ribbon then added a bow beneath the greeting.


On this card I randomly colored some of the holly leaves on the DSP with a dark Shaded Spruce Stampin' Blend.


If you look closely, you can see I used some of the gold leftovers from the previous die cut to fill in the Shaded Spruce die cut on this card. I little paper-piecing adds a nice touch. So there I have two quickie cards....just need six more!

That's all I have to share for today, so click "Next" to see what Deb created, or "Previous" to visit Jay. Thanks for stopping by!





Saturday, December 16, 2023

CCM Saturday Blog Hop - Non-Traditional Christmas Colors

Today's Create With Connie & Mary Saturday Hop theme is Non-traditional Christmas colors, and I think I nailed it with this card. 😆 Black, Berry Burst, and Granny Apple Green is about as non-traditional as it can get, right?


I started with a Basic Black 4" x 5 1/4" piece embossed with the Merry Melody 3D folder and adhered to the black card base.


Using the Christmas Classics dies, the holly leaves were cut from Granny Apple Green and the looped leaves from Berry Burst White Center Specialty Paper and adhered to the card. The greeting was stamped in Berry Burst and die cut/adhered with dimensionals. A Light Berry Burst Stampin' Blend colored the Silver & White Sheer Ribbon for the bow, and Berry Burst Sequins were added for a bit more sparkle.


That's all for today - see you in TWO weeks! Up next is Libby Fens at Libby Stamps. Or click the "back" button to go back to Lori at Loritamarie Crafts.


Stampin' Up! products used:

  • Stamps: Christmas Classics
  • Paper: Basic Black, Basic White, and Granny Apple Green Cardstock, White Center Specialty Paper
  • Ink: Berry Burst Classic Ink, Berry Burst Stampin' Blends Combo
  • Accessories: Christmas Classics Dies, Merry Melody 3D Embossing Folder, Silver & White Sheer Ribbon, Adhesive-backed Sequins Trio



Thursday, December 14, 2023

CCMC797 - Sketch Challenge


Happy Thursday, stampers! Can you believe Christmas Eve is only ten days away? Are you ready? I am, almost. 😁

Today's challenge is this sketch:


As you can see, I'm past Christmas projects now, and onto new goodies coming in next month's Jan-Apr mini catalog. Woohoo! This bundle is called Everyday Details, and includes a seven piece stamp set and eleven piece dies that are to DIE for!


In addition to the bundle, I used some Poetic Expressions DSP, which is part of a gorgeous new Suite Collection. But you'll have to wait to see it until a little later. 


The greeting is from the always-useful Go To Greetings and was cut with a Nested Essentials die.

Our next challenge will be in two weeks. The design team are taking the holiday off to spend time with family. Wishing you and yours a joyous holiday!

Product List

Saturday, December 9, 2023

CCM Saturday Blog Hop - Red & Green Christmas

Today's Create With Connie & Mary Saturday Hop theme is RED & GREEN CHRISTMAS. It's the color combination when you think of Christmas! The Joy of Christmas DSP is the perfect background, with classic greenery, berries and poinsettias.


I cut the fancy background in Shaded Spruce and added some gold cord behind the greeting for a little pizzazz. 


The greeting is Cherry Cobbler, and Cherry Cobbler Festive Pearls added a bit more interest.


That's all for today - see you next Saturday! Up next is Libby Fens at Libby Stamps. Or click the "back" button to go back to Lori at Loritamarie Crafts.


Stampin' Up! products used:

  • Stamps: Christmas Classics
  • Paper: Basic White, Shaded Spruce, Joy of Christmas DSP
  • Ink:  Cherry Cobbler
  • Accessories: Christmas Classics Dies, Simply Elegant Trim, Festive Pearls