Northwest Stamper

Tag: christmas card

  • All About Carols of Christmas – a blog hop

    All About Carols of Christmas – a blog hop

    Carols of Christmas blog hop banner
    I’m back and sharing today another fun idea using the fabulous Carols of Christmas sneak peek bundle!  If you have stopped by my blog recently, you saw my totally different Carols of Christmas card, and that is why I love this bundle – you can make such a wide variety of cards and styles of cards with the same stamps and dies!

    *** Don’t forget, you have until Monday night (7/31) to get this stamp set & essentials pack FREE when you purchase the demonstrator starter kit or anyone can purchase the stamp set and dies as a bundle starting August 1st as part of the Holiday Catalog early release sneak peek! ***

    Tips for making this Carols of Christmas forest scene card:

    Last post I focused on the card front edge dies, so this time I wanted to play with the scenery dies instead.  I came up with a fun forest scene for you to use as the highlight of your card.  Its so easy to pull together with just a few pieces, so you could totally mass product the scene for multiple holiday cards.

    • Stamp and die cut all the pieces you need first and then quickly assemble them with your basic tape runner and Stampin’ Dimensionals!
      Here are all the pieces you need to put together the forest scene:
      Carols of Christmas die cut forest scene pieces neededYou’ll notice the wavy stitched circle on the right.  That is just the same stitched circle die from the Stitched Shapes framelits (largest circle), only cut out from the edge of a piece of scrap paper.  Then I took my paper snips and cut a wavy edge, similar in curve to the bottom of the double tree die cut.  You’ll layer this over the full circle to create a snowy hill.
    • Make it POP! Adhere the double trees directly to your large stitched circle, then add the wavy circle with Stampin’ Dimensionals.  Then add in your single tree and deer, and any other elements you want to add.
    • Don’t stop with the die cuts! I added Clear Wink of Stella to the wavy circle to make it like twinkling snow.  I also used the Chalk Marker to add dusting of snow onto the tops of each of the branches on all the trees.
      Carols of Christmas die cut forest scene christmas card detail view
    • Mini Stampin’ Dimensionals are perfect! They are exactly the right size for holding up the body of the deer and the top of the single tree.  No needing to fuss with cutting up edges or larger standard dimensionals.
    • How to easily adhere skinny ribbons – I really wanted to add a touch of color and a border to my patterned paper.  I love this plaid pattern from the Merry Little Christmas designer paper in the Holiday Catalog but wanted more than just green and neutrals.  I was looking at my ribbons and the Fresh Fig 1/8″ ribbon was perfect!  The only problem?  How to glue it down!
      Check out my solution:
      how to cut tape to use with skinny ribbonI tried liquid glue, but it would leak through the ribbon and make an ugly dark circle.  So I knew I needed a tape.  I reached for my Tear & Tape and it hit me! Just trim off a very skinny piece from the end of the tape spool and it fit perfectly onto the ribbon.  I added 4 pieces of tape  along the ribbon and it held great.
    • Sentiment doesn’t fit? Cut it up! Finally, I wanted to use a sentiment from the stamp set, but the blocky sizing just didn’t fit my card.  So what’s a stamper to do?  Why cut it up, of course!  I stamped the sentiment on scrap paper and then trimmed each piece out.  Tape it down and it can now fit wherever you need!

    Carols of Christmas die cut forest scene christmas card nt

    Then I just added some pearls for snow and a bit of the burlap ribbon for the finishing touches.

    Check out more great ideas on the Carols of Christmas Blog Hop

    Thanks for checking out my project and taking part in our blog hop! If you want to try this at home – and I encourage you to do so – card dimensions and supplies are listed for you at the bottom of this post.

    There are so many more amazing ideas and inspiration you don’t want to miss. Remember that currently you are at my blog – Jennifer Blomquist – Northwest Stamper, so check the blog hop line up list to see who is next in the list.

    Don’t forget! If you’ve been thinking of giving Stampin’ Up a try, I’d love to help you order your kit and get in on this awesome Starter Kit BONUS deal!
    Join my Fun n’ Crafty Stampers group by Monday night (7/31) and you’ll not only get the regular kit but also $72 in bonus items including this Carols of Christmas stamp set! Plus you’ll be all set to get in on the Holiday Catalog preorder that kicks off for demonstrators on Tuesday. 🙂
    Get the scoop here

    Make this project at home! Here is what you’ll need:

    • Whisper White cardbase – 4 1/4″ x 11″
    • Merry Little Christmas designer paper (plaid) – 1 1/2″ x 5 1/2″
    • Whisper White cardstock – scraps to cut out your large circle (3 1/2″x3 1/2″), 1/3 of a large circle, and sentiment (3″x3″)
    • Old Olive cardstock – scraps for as many trees as desired
    • Soft Suede cardstock – scraps for as many deer as desired
    • Fresh Fig 1/8″ ribbon – 6″
    • Burlap ribbon – two 2″ pieces

    Product List

  • SNEAK PEEK! Carol of Christmas and a Blog Hop! [VIDEO TUTORIAL]

    SNEAK PEEK! Carol of Christmas and a Blog Hop! [VIDEO TUTORIAL]

    Fun n Crafty Blog Hop Team BadgeWoo hoo!  I’m back from the Stampin’ Up Incentive trip to Thailand – feeling refreshed (once the jet lag wore off! 😉 ) and excited for the upcoming Holiday catalog!  Winter is my favorite season, filled with twinkly lights, beautiful scenes, and an extra bit of kindness to go around.  Before I left for Thailand, Stampin’ Up announced an amazing starter kit promotion that gives you an extra $72 in bonus goodies when you join in July!  One of those items was the sneak peek stamp set “Carols of Christmas”.  So, when it was time for our Fun n’ Crafty Stampers group blog hop – and the theme was Christmas in July, I knew what I wanted to play with!

    Holiday Catalog Sneak Peek – Carols of Christmas

    Our team also did a fun swap using this stamp set this month (since we were able to preorder it), and so this was my swap card.

    Deck the Halls Carols of Christmas card sneak peek

    It was easy to put together thanks to the Carols of Christmas stamp set and Card Front Builders framelits (yes, they will be available as a bundle as part of an early release starting August 1!).  In fact, I created a video tutorial at the end of this post to show you how to put it all together!

    But in the meantime, let me show you some of the fun parts of this card – Decorative edge for card front using card front builder framelits

    It all started because I really wanted to play with these border dies that come in the Cart Front Builders framelits.  I was thinking they would look cool, but I really wanted them to POP!  So I got the idea of layering them with a dark color behind the holes.  Thankfully, the die is sized to fit perfectly in a 4″x5 1/4″ layer on your card front, so I could make my matting just a smidgen larger to get that extra border of Old Olive.

    Once I had that in place, I focused on my sentiment. In this case, the ‘Deck the Hall” from the Carols of Christmas stamp set.  It was a cool bold sentiment, so I didn’t want to mess with it too much, so instead I looked for ways to highlight it from behind.

    Fabulous Foil acetate card mat with metallic edge ribbon

    First I knew I wanted to add some designer paper behind.  I loved the new specialty paper from the Holiday Catalog that is all music sheets and music notes, and the contrast of the black with so much white in the card was perfect!  (This paper is thinner like the newsprint specialty paper, and so you get half a pack with a black background and white print, and half a pack of white background with black print – for a total of 24 sheets in the pack!).  But it still needed something, and gold was the perfect touch with the new Metallic Edge ribbon from the annual catalog.  It is satin with that metallic stitching on the edge… soooo pretty!

    Fabulous foil acetate and holly berry card accent

     But I couldn’t stop there… seriously, sometimes I think I have a problem calling a card done!  ha ha ha!

    So, to get a little more gold without overwhelming the card, I added a small mat behind the sentiment using the Fabulous Foil designer acetate.  Each pattern can be used either as gold (on one side) or silver (the other side).  Of course, I used gold here, but I love the versatility.   Then for a little pop of color, I stamped the holly from the same stamp set and cut it out and popped it up on a mini-dimensional.

    So, lots of little pieces, but nothing hard to do!  Don’t believe me?  Check out the video tutorial below!

    Get more holiday ideas on the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop!

    We have more amazing holiday cards lined up for you, so I invite you to hop along and check them all out!  We all would love to hear what you think too.  Next up is Stacey, and she never disappoints!

    *** Please leave a comment at the end of this post and on the blog hop stops, and let us know what you think!***

    1. Christine – Artful Musings
    2. Kathy – Stampablog
    3. Merit – MB Squared Designs
    4. Susan – Stampin’ By the SF Bay
    5. Jennifer – NW Stamper<—YOU ARE HERE
    6. Stacey – A Work of Carte

    Fun N Crafty Blog Hop - Visit Previous Blog
    Fun N Crafty Blog Hop - Visit Next Blog

    VIDEO TUTORIAL – Carols of Christmas Classy Card

    As promised, check out this video to learn a little more about the starter kit promotion in July and how to make this card! (Hop to 1min 40sec to get to the start of the card tutorial).

     

    Card Measurements

    • Whisper White cardbase – 4 1/4″ x 11″
    • Old Olive cardstock – 4 1/8″ x 5 3/8″
    • Whisper White cardstock – 4″ x 5 1/4″, 2 3/4″ x 2 3/4″
    • Fancy Foil Acetate – 3″ x 3″
    • Music designer paper – 1 1/2″ x 4″
    • Metallic Edge Ribbon – 5″

    Card supplies you will need:


  • Paper Piecing with the Detailed Santa Thinlit for Christmas

    Oh my goodness people!  We are officially less than 10 days until Christmas!!!  I was thinking I had all my shopping done and was totally on track for the holiday and the kids to be out of school for 2 1/2 weeks…..

    NOPE!

    I remembered some gifts I still need to get, my Christmas cards need to go in the mail, and I’m still cramming for the kids joint birthday party tomorrow instead of doing last minute prep before chaos descends on the house. Smile  And while I could spend Sunday trying to get caught up, its my birthday and I told my family that what I want to do for my birthday is to sit in my craft room and play!  I’m going to catch up on some scrapbooking, play with my new preorder stamps, and generally ignore chores and responsibilities for one day!

    But while I’m madly making cookies and party cupcakes today, I thought I’d share this fun card.

    (more…)

  • Simply Elegent Emboss Resist Christmas Card with Totally Trees

    Its been a busy holiday season around here!  My kids are in full swing of school and extra-curricular activities winter performances.  Between last week and this coming week, we have something happening every day.  But I still love the season and all the opportunities to see everyone and see the joy in my kids faces as they get to perform and show us what they have been working on! 

    Well, let me share a little of my joy… one of the holiday cards I’ll be sending out this year to send some cheer.  This was a card I created for one of my holiday card classes and it uses the awesome Totally Trees stamp set (it’s retiring this month, FYI!) and the great emboss resist stamping technique.

    Tips for making this card:

    • Heat emboss your tree image onto a piece of Whisper White cardstock using White embossing powder AFTER cutting out your oval!  Normally I advise folks to stamp first and then die cut, but in this case, because you want to make sure your trees are spaced so they will all fit in your oval, it works better to stamp after cutting out the shape.
    • Use the yellow Stampin’ Sponges for smooth color coverage over your embossed images.  Once you have done your heat embossing, you can sponge color right over the top of them to create a colored background.  The ink won’t stick to the shiny embossed areas, so you get color in between the tiniest of details.  And the yellow sponges give you a much smoother color coverage than sponge daubers and makeup sponges!
    • Add some sparkle and color shading with Wink of Stella.  If you look at my trees, you’ll notice that the blue looks a little darker around the tree branches.  That is because I colored with the clear Wink of Stella after I was done sponging the background.  The glitter paint darkened the background slightly and adds lots of shimmer to the card in person!

    I had been using my layering ovals for the blue scalloped background and then wanted to add a little more detail so I ran some SNAIL adhesive on the back of the blue oval and created loops out of the Silver Metallic Thread and just pressed the loops into the adhesive on the back of the oval to hold them in place.  I also layered everything over some of the Loose Burlap Ribbon to add a rustic or natural touch… and to keep the card from drowning in blue. Smile

    Change the colors and the sentiment and you could use this for a sympathy, masculine birthday, or thinking of you card any time of the year!

    Christmas is coming!  Make sure your holiday orders will arrive on time!

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    Stampin’ Up has said that the deadline for orders to arrive before Christmas is December 15th.  If you are on the west coast, you may have a little more time, but don’t add stress this holiday season.  I know I’m trying to wrap up my holiday shopping lists…so get those last few gifts (for you or for a friend!) and then kick back and enjoy not having to worry or stalk the delivery man. Smile 

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    Project Measurements
    • Soft Sky cardstock – 5 1/2” x 8 1/2”
    • Island Indigo cardstock – 1 3/4” x 5 1/2”
    • Whisper White – 1/2” x 3 1/2”

    Product List

  • Three types of Sparkle- One Card! Merriest Wishes Silver Sparkle Card

    Welcome!  Today is another blog hop and I am hoping with my team… yay!  The Fun n’ Crafty stampers have pulled together some projects to share that is all about sparkle and shine.  So we are posting ideas for using those glimmer papers, glitter ribbons, foils, etc.  In fact, today I have 3 different sparkly products in 1 card so you can see how well they mix and match too!

    I mean, lets be honest… we all have our favorite way to put glitz on our projects,  Some folks LOVE their glimmer papers, others LOVE their rhinestones, still others it is all about the Foil sheets.  Personally, I collect shiny things but always am so hesitant to use them up that I use just a little on this project or just a touch here.

    EMBRACE THE SHINE!  

    I’m just going to say, trying mixing and matching and you’ll end up having a lot of fun!

    So, this all started with the Merriest Wishes stamp set and coordinating framelits.  I had been playing around with different combinations of layering the stamp images.  I ended up with misc pieces and decided to turn this ornament into a less traditional combination for a Christmas card!  I used the 1 3/4″ and 1 1/4″ circle punches to cut out the Navy 25 circle and the Smoky Slate detailed circle… and they layered perfectly onto the ornament die cut from the Merry Tags framelit set.

    But where is the glitz in that?  Well, let me tell you!

    1. Tie on some sparkle!  I added the Real Red and the Red Tinsel Baker’s twine from the Candy Cane Lane baker’s twine pack as a bow at the top of my ornament.  The red tinsel in the red/white twine is subtle, but cute.
    2. Grab some glimmer paper! Then I wanted to add some extra round shapes to balance the ornament, so I stamped and cut out a Real Red circle image and then went straight to the Silver Glimmer paper and cut out the same sized circle.  In both cases, I used the circle framelit from the Merry Tags die set.
    3. Stretch your sparkle with Glitter ribbon!  I had used a piece of the Fancy Frost embossed designer paper as my big white strip (I just loved the subtle embossing), but thought one more bit of shine was in order, so just grab some of the great glitter ribbons (like this 3/8″ glitter ribbon combo pack in the Holiday Catalog) and wrap it around your designer paper piece before gluing it to the card front.

    So, it was a fun way to play around and mix and match my sparkle.  I would say, if you are going to try to mix them up, pick one as your main focus… in this case, it was the Glitter Ribbon that was the big in-your-face shine.  And then use the other pieces more as accent pieces.  So a small touch of glimmer paper, and a bit of the baker’s twine… or maybe a couple rhinestones or sequins.  Play with it and see what you get!

    Now, if you are looking for more ideas, check out more ideas as part of the Fun n’ Crafty blog hop

    Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop stops:

     

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    December Hostess Code – FUYTBWNK

    Use this month’s hostess code when you shop with me and receive a cute thank you card in the mail. Plus get the current Premium Tutorial Pack FREE with your $50+ purchase! Learn More
    December’s pack is all about using those Holiday Catalog stamps for NON-Holiday projects!  Stretch your stamps for more versatility!

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    Project Measurements

    • Night of Navy cardstock – 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
    • Fancy Frost designer paper – 2″ x 5 1/2″
    • Whisper White cardstock – 4 1/4″ x 1″
    • 3/8″ Glitter Ribbon (silver) – 6″
    • Scraps – Night of Navy, Real Red, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer paper

    Project Supply List

  • ICS Blog Hop – White Woodland Embossed Christmas Card

    ICS Blog Hop – White Woodland Embossed Christmas Card

    white-on-white-woodland-reindeer-christmas-card
    Hello!  Welcome to this month’s Inspire Create Share blog hop. 🙂  This month our theme is I am Dreaming of a White Christmas and we’re showcasing ideas using a white on white! We hope you enjoy this beautiful hop and will become inspired to give the white on white look a try!

    Now, first up, let me just say that it is SUPER HARD to photograph a whilte on white card and so I’m just going to say, that this looks way prettier in person!  But it was fun to play with ideas that didn’t have to use lots of color and supplies.  When you go White on White you can focus on a couple details and let the card be elegant in it’s simplicity.

    white-on-white-woodland-reindeer-christmas-card-close-up

    When I knew we were focusing on white, I knew that the best way to get the most bang for your buck is to add texture!  This lets your card be really interesting without needing to add lots of colors.  I knew I wanted to use the Woodland Embossing Folder, because it is perfect for a snowy wintery scene.  I just ran a partial strip through my Big Shot and added my main hint of color by adhering on some of the 3/8″ Glitter Ribbon from the Holiday catalog to the bottom.  This is the Sweet Sugarplum ribbon, which struck my fancy more than the silver did.  (Love it?  You can get it for 40% off while supplies last.  Woo hoo!)

    And to balance all the stamping and ribbon below the embossed strip, I cut a White Doily in half and adhered it to the TOP of the embossed piece, so you had kind of like snowy mountains balancing it out.

    white-on-white-woodland-reindeer-christmas-card-glitter-ribbon-close-up

    I did all my stamping in Sahara Sand, to keep the ink from looking too heavy.  The reindeer and the sentiment are both from the Santa’s Sleigh stamp set (don’t miss out!  The discounted price on the bundle ends January 3rd, so if you like the die to go with the stamp, get them and save now!)

    Well, to pull it all together, just go a little crazy with your Stampin’ Dimensionals!  Add some behind the embossed piece, then add more behind the reindeer!  More texture and more layering to keep the white from blending together.

    Finally, add a few of the Fancy Frost sequins and you are good to go!
    (tip – I recommend using glue dots to adhere them to your card)

    So I hope you’ve enjoyed this project – make sure to check out more in the Inspire Create Share Blog hop!  Next up is Deb with a Flurry of Wishes idea for you… should be cute!

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    December Hostess Code – FUYTBWNK
    Use this month’s hostess code when you shop with me and receive a cute thank you card in the mail. Plus get the current Premium Tutorial Pack FREE with your $50+ purchase! Learn More
    December’s pack is all about using those Holiday Catalog stamps for NON-Holiday projects!  Stretch your stamps for more versatility!

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    Project Measurements:

    • Whisper White cardstock – 8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ cardbase, 2 1/2″ x 4 1/4″, scrap for the reindeer
    • Sweet Sugarplum glitter ribbon – 4 1/4″

    Project Supply List

  • Reindeer Merry Christmas Card with Foxy Friends

    Just popping in for a quick share today!  If you didn’t see yesterday, quick reminder to check out the Year-End Closeout List and Sale.  Many items are while supplies last and I’ve seen a couple updated clearance rack items sell out already.  So, you want to make sure you check it out sooner rather than later!

    OK, PSA done, now back to the card. Smile  I love the Foxy Friends stamp set, but I especially love how you can make it something different than a fox!

    This reindeer was just easy to put together rand I just used Crumb Cake for his body and Soft Suede for the antlers and feet.  Isn’t he cute?  Then just pair it up with one of the patterns from the Presents & Pinecones designer paper and some of the holiday ribbon.

    One tip, when you are looking at adding embellishments and accents to your cards, if you are like me… you tend to get hung up looking at stuff that is marketed as the theme of what you are doing.  So the ribbons that come with the birthday suite, or in this case, ribbons from the Holiday Catalog.  But don’t forget your other supplies you have gotten other times of the year!  I had this Gold trim ribbon from the annual catalog that was just the perfect touch to go with my gold word (from the Christmas Greetings thinlits)

    A little bit of sponging… I’m slightly addicted to my sponge daubers… using Crumb Cake ink around the designer paper and the white cardstock, and you have a simple but sweet card.

    A Tip about Bundles from the Holiday Catalog

    Holiday Bundles

    Just a heads up since I’ve seen some confusion from folks.  Stampin’ Up has changed how they offer discounted bundles (where a stamp set is sold with the coordinating punch or framelit).  When they come out, you can get them on sale for 10% off both, but once the catalog containing the bundle ends, the discounted prices go away too!

    For example:

    •  The Santa’s Sleigh bundle is available at a discount in the Holiday Catalog
    • When the holiday catalog ends January 3rd, the stamp set and the framelits will continue to be available
    • But, starting January 4th, you will not be able to buy them together at a discount

    So if you wanted any of the bundles from the Holiday catalog, I recommend getting them now while you can still get the sale price!  Email me at jennifer@nwstamper.com if you have any questions or need help!

    December Hostess Code – FUYTBWNK

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    Product List

  • Vintage Christmas Card with Clear Block Stamping

    Vintage Christmas Card with Clear Block Stamping

    lovely-as-a-tree-clear-block-stamping-christmas-cardI have totally had a crafting-crush on these Mini Pinecones embellishments since I first got a chance to play with them.  They are so little, but oh so details and super cute!  My biggest challenge was actually getting them out of the container and onto my projects.

    Between the “don’t want to use them up” and trying to figure out where to put a 3D embellishment (though it is little so, it is still possible to mail), I just kept admiring them on my desk.  Come on, admit it… you have something like that in your craft goodies too. 🙂

    Well, as I was working on my Christmas card stamp-a-stack class, I found a way to break them out and I love it!
    lovely-as-a-tree-christmas-card-mini-pinecone-accent

    Thread a piece of linen thread through the top of the pinecone and tie a bow… then just attach to your project with a glue dot.  It couldn’t be cuter!

    It also pairs perfectly with my FAVORITE ribbon from the Holiday catalog – the Real Red Stitched Edge Ribbon.  I discovered a trick last night that let me see if certain items are going to be discontinued after the Holiday Catalog ends and *sniff* *sniff* both the pinecones and this ribbon are on this list.  So, I’m just going to snuggle this card, and then make a bunch more to enjoy the heck out of them. 😉

    Clear Block Stamping Backgrounds

    So, I realize I’ve been going on about the small embellishment piece in the corner of my card, but need to talk about the fun background image – that Sahara Sand square behind my tree!  It is so easy to do and adds a cool look to your cards.lovely-as-a-tree-clear-block-stamping-christmas-card-close-up

    • Pick the perfect shape for your background – its as easy as pulling out your clear blocks and setting them on your project (or over the stamps you plan to layer with) so you can decide which size is the right one for you.  Since the blocks are clear, you can easily tell which size will look the best for what you want.
    • Foam ink pads work best – now you can do this technique with the older linen ink pads, but I find that I like the look better with the foam ink pads.  (If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, Stampin’ Up changed the actual pad that holds the ink a few years ago – the new style are a smooth-topped squishy foam pad.  The old style look more textured and aren’t shiny as they are a linen material.)
    • Gently tap the clear block onto the ink pad to pick up the color – you will find that you see a pattern in the ink on the clear block.  If an area didn’t get covered or you don’t like the pattern, just keep tapping!  Each time you tap you will get a slightly different look, so just go until you like what you see.
    • Use a foam or pierce mat under your paper – since the clear block is all acrylic, it doesn’t have any give if there is any uneveness in your table.  So, you will get a more solid image if you place a piercing mat under your cardstock so that when you stamp with the block, the foam can cushion as necessary to make sure all parts of the block make contact.

    I loved the background stamped in Sahara Sand and then layered with the tall tree from Lovely as a Tree, but I’m sure you can imagine a bunch of other combinations too!

    I’d love to hear what you think we should try next with this technique!

    And just a reminder, you have TODAY and TOMORROW to take advantage of the 25% off stamp sale.  Then December 1st the official retirement list is coming out for the Holiday catalog and the Year-End Closeout sale items will be announced.  So, lots to look forward to. 🙂 25% off Stampin' Up Stamp Sale

    UPDATED November Hostess code – FUYTBWNK

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    Project Measurements

    • Old Olive cardbase – 4 ¼” x 11”, score at 5 ½”
    • Soft Suede cardstock – 4″ x 5 1/4”
    • Real Red cardstock  – 3 3/4″ x 5
    • Very Vanilla cardstock – 3 1/2″ x 4 3/4″
    • Real Red ribbon – 3.5″
    • Linen Thread – 8″

    Product List

  • Clean and Simple Vintage Christmas Card with Stitched with Cheer

    If you are like me, you love making those beautiful holiday cards with all the details and the fun pieces and touches.  However, I can’t imagine mass producing a TON of cards like that.  So, I have fun making onesies and twosies of the time consuming cards and then fill in the gaps when I start running out of time with simple but classy cards that I can turn out a bunch in a short amount of time.  Now, I LOVE the Paper Pumpkin kit we got this month for that sort of thing (and in fact, I plan to order a refill pack so I can make more this year… LOVE THEM!)

    But I wanted to share another idea with you – this was one of the make and takes for my Northwest Crafty Escape Weekend this year – using the FABULOUS Stitched with Cheer stamp set!

    It starts by creating some fun layers on the card base.  I stamped the knitting image from the Stitched with Cheer set about 2/3rds of the way down from the top of the card base in Memento Black ink.  Doesn’t it look awesome all by itself?  Then add a strip of Garden Green cardstock, then we start getting fancy!

    • Use the Banner Triple punch to create easy banner edges for your designer paper strips.  Since the punch is designed to make it easy to punch 1”, 1 1/2”, and 2” strips, you can mix and match patterns and sizes for great layered looks.
    • Make it a little vintage by sponging the edges of the paper using a soft brown (my favorite for this is Crumb Cake ink) and a sponge dauber. It makes it look a little older and more rustic.
    • Texture made easy – I used the This Christmas Specialty paper so it is a little bit thinner/lighter weight than your typically designer paper.  Which means it is perfect for crumpling up and then smoothing back out again.  It adds texture and looks great on your vintage style cards!

    PS – did you see, I’ve started adding measurements for my cards at the end of my blog posts?  Makes it easy to recreate at home!

    Then I made the sentiment the focal point and used my Layering Squares dies to really help it pop out!  But just to add the touch of love, I stamped the heart from the same stamp set in Cherry Cobbler and hand cut it out.  It is small, so it trims out in no time!  Sponge the edge of the Vanilla square sentiment to keep up the vintage feel and glue together for easy peasy done!

    BONUS – The Stitched with Cheer stamp set is on sale with the Online Extravaganza too!  Save 10% off the stamp set this week Smile   Check it out here

    November Savings and Specials

    November Hostess Code – DSUGDGH4

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    Project Measurements

    • Very Vanilla cardbase – 4 ¼” x 11”, score at 5 ½”
    • This Christmas specialty designer paper
      • Music notes paper – 1 ½” x 4 ¼”
      • Red designer paper – 1” x 4 ½”
    • Garden Green cardstock – ½” x 4 ¼”
    • Cherry Cobbler – 2 ¼” x 2 ¼” (die cut with layering squares framelit)
    • Very Vanilla cardstock – 1 ¾” x 1 ¾” (die cut with layering squares framelit), scrap for little stamped and cut out heart

    Product List

  • Beautifully Simple Christmas with Ton of Texture–on sale too!

    I have a fun Christmas card idea for you today… and I realized that a bunch of the items I used for it are 25-30% off with this week’s sale to boot!  Sweet!  This was a card I created for my Fun n’ Crafty Team swap.  We always do a card swap when a new catalog comes out to help give us all samples to share at our events and to inspire each other for projects to try out too!  So, I had pulled out a couple of the new items I was excited to play with – the Christmas Stocking bundle and the Fancy Frost specialty paper – for mine.

    One of the things I really wanted to try out was using the Dazzling Diamonds glimmer paper as a background for my stocking.  Thanks to the Christmas Stockings dies, it made it super easy because there is one die to cut out the swirly stocking shape (from Real Red cardstock) and then I had another die that would cut out the solid background stocking shape, so I could easy peasy layer them!  And don’t they look so perfectly cute over the leafy embossed pattern from the Fancy Frost Specialty paper?  That paper comes pre-embossed (as if the whole 12×12 paper had been run through a giant embossing folder!).  I wanted the stocking to stand out and so the simple and subtle embossing was perfect for a background.

    I did do a little bit of stamping on this card – even though the Noel sentiment was a die from the same Christmas Stocking set.  I used the Hang Your Stocking stamp set to stamp the holly berries and leaves along with the top of the stocking before cutting them out with the matching framelits.  It was almost a no-stamping card, but I liked the little details. Smile

    Oh, and TIP- the Noel sentiment cuts out a long skinny bar under it (basically like a cardstock underline to hold the letters together) but it isn’t long enough to stretch across the whole card front.  So I cut off the extra on one side and glued it to the edge of the red cardstock, and the NOEL to the other side of the red cardstock – so there was a gap with no soft suede cardstock in between.  Then I just covered up the gap with my stocking!  You’d never know the difference and I didn’t have to futz with trying to cut an extra tiny strip of cardstock.

    It really came together quickly and easily, so you should give it a try too!  Plus, if you need anything, you can save big on some of the main items!

    See everything that is on sale as part of the Online Extravaganza here

    Online Extravaganza promo

     

    November Savings and Specials

    November Hostess Code – DSUGDGH4

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    Product List

  • Sweet Christmas Card with Suite Seasons for the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop!

    Today is a fun post for me because not only am I going to share the swap card that I created for OnStage Local in Vancouver, BC last weekend – but it is also the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop!  That is right!  Some of the stampers from my group have gotten the band back together again and we are showcasing some holiday project ideas including many using the stamp sets that are in the 25% off sale this month!  So, make sure to check them all out.

    Keeping it Simple with the Suite Season stamp set

    So, for OnStage this year, I made the poor choice of not working on my display board project particularly early, which meant as we were getting into the last week before the event, I still needed to finish up display board projects AND create a card to bring as a swap card.  Thankfully, the Suite Season stamp set and the Candy Cane Lane designer paper made it easy for me to pull together a cute card with time to spare!

    Now, I’ve had some people ask where the house came from, and if you missed it, it was cut straight from the Candy Cane Lane designer paper!  And before you start thinking “oh man!  That is a pain to cut”, let me tell you, it goes WAY faster than you might think!  I thought that was going to be the thing that was going to be the biggest pain for me with this card, but nope!  Turns out, trying to pick up and glue the little hearts were a more tedious challenge than cutting. Smile  I cut for 20 cards out of a sheet of the designer paper.

    The houses were a great balance for the size of the sentiment from the Suite Season stamp set.  I wanted the sentiment to hold it’s own and then just decorate up the other side of the card as an accent to the saying.

    And speaking of accents, if you do cut these houses out – make sure to grab your Clear Wink of Stella!  I painted it onto the snow topped portions of the house and it was super cute!

    Then it was as simple as layering over the fabulous stitched edge Real Red ribbon and one of the White Doilies (cut in half) to finish out the card.  Oh and before I forget the other touch… that little red heart at the bottom of the sentiment.  Can you guess where I got that from? huh? huh?  Smile

    It is from the Hearts Confetti Border punch!  How fun is that?!  I punched out some hearts from scrap paper and then just glued them down over the stamped heart in the sentiment.  That little extra touch of red on the right side just finishes it off, don’t you think?

    Now, like I said, this stamp set is one of the 9 sets that are available for 25% off in the month of November.  Stampin’ Up picked stamp sets that would coordinate with the NEW Stitched Edge Framelits and makes it easy to create cute projects!  They are featured in this blog hop as well as in the Premium Tutorial Pack for November!  See what stamp sets made the list:

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    Get even more great ideas with these stamps on the Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop!

    Ready to see more project ideas with these stamp sets and other great holiday sets?  Well, hop along to the blogs below – the links will take you directly to their post highlighting a great project using one of these sets.

    Don’t forget to leave comments along the way!  I’d love to hear what you think of my swap card or just to hear you say hello. Smile

    Fun n’ Crafty Blog Hop stops:

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    Enjoy the hop and if you’d like to join us next month on the hop, consider joining our fun group of Stampin’ Up demonstrators by purchasing the Starter Kit!  You’ll not only get to see the Occasions Catalog NOW, but you’ll get to order from it in December… and best of all, you’ll be part of our awesome crafty community and we can’t wait to welcome you there.  Then you can join us and be featured in our blog hop next month!

    Have questions?  Just let me know or get started here.

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    Premium tutorial pack hostess code_thumb[1]

    Get your free exclusive Tutorial pack from our amazing International demonstrator design team featuring the stamp sets that are on sale this month!  You can get your free copy of this SET of great project ideas by either:

    Placing a $50 Stampin’ Up order with me (either directly or in my online store using the hostess code above) in the month of November
    Join my Fun n’ Crafty Stampers!  My team gets a copy of this Tutorial Pack for FREE!

    Project Measurements:

    • Sahara Sand cardstock – 5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
    • Early Espresso cardstock – 3 3/4” x 5”
    • Very Vanilla cardstock – 3 1/2” x 4 3/4”

    Project Supply List:

  • Stampin’ Up OnStage Local Recap–November 2016

    Stampin’ Up OnStage Local Recap–November 2016

    2016-11-04 14.51.35I’m back after an amazingly inspiring and refreshing weekend up to Vancouver, BC Canada for the November OnStage Local event by Stampin’ Up!  This is the new event that replaces the traditional convention and happens every 6 months around the world.  This time, the closest location was up in Canada for the one day regional style event; and since that is only a few hours away, I just had to go!  I love these events because not only is it a chance to get my creative batteries recharged, but I always get to meet wonderful new people and reconnect with friends I don’t get to see very often because of distance.  And getting free stuff and a copy of the upcoming Spring (Occasions) catalog doesn’t hurt either! Winking smile

    So, now that I’m back, I thought I’d share a little bit from the event – and don’t worry there are lots of sneak peeks to come during the upcoming weeks!  And if you’ve been considering signing up as a demonstration – you know you can see the Occasions and Sale-a-Bration catalogs NOW on the demonstrator website, right?  Just saying, you wouldn’t even have to wait to see all the peeks.  Plus I’ve posted every picture I took at the event to my team page to help them get inspired and planning for the new year.  So, if you are on the fence, consider hopping off and joining my Fun n’ Crafty Stampers!

    OnStage (November) 2016 – Celebrating You

    Each event we get a back and this was the cutest one yet since they started the OnStage events!  I LOVE the Hot Air Balloon motif (a sneak peek of things to come!) and the colors were oh so cute.

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    The theme was Celebrating You because this was the time of year where they did recognition for achievements by demonstrators for the 2015-2016 SU year.  So, things like folks who recruited and had the team members successfully get started with their demonstratorship, folks who had a number of title promotions in their team, yearly sales, personal promotions, anniversaries with SU, etc.  One piece of recognition was a nice sit down dinner and training on Friday night (before the event on Saturday) for anyone with the title Silver Elite or above.

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    Thanks to my awesome team, I was able to attend and really felt spoiled! Plus we got a super cute bag as a gift to boot –

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    Then it was back to the hotel room to hang out with the gals from the Fun n’ Crafty Stampers group for a while before heading to bed… and by heading to bed, I mean staying up super late because I hadn’t finished gifties for everyone yet and I wanted to have something special for them the next day when the event kicked off!  I think they turned out super cute and the ladies seemed to like them too.  Each one had a card with a personal note inside, a pen decorated with Candy Cane Lane paper, and some chocolate.

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    Then it was time to finally get some rest before getting up WAAAY too early to get in the room and get ready for the presentations.  Isn’t the notebook they gave us super cute?!?

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    We started off with a video presentation from Sara Douglass with such a great message that wasn’t about how we can sell more Stampin’ Up product or build our team… but instead, about how we can become better people and have happier lives by focusing on what makes us unique and great and finding our success in being the best we can be.  I always come away from these events feeling like the company really cares about us as people, not as selling robots.  <3 this company!

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    Of course, there was the catalog reveal, and lots of stamping presentations and tips for the new dies, stamps, accessories, and more from the upcoming Occasions Catalog.  Eeek!!!!  Can’t wait to do my preorder on December 1st!  But I was lucky enough to be asked to be a display board stamper for the event as well, which meant I got my hands on some new product in advance and start working on a bunch of ideas with it.  We put them up the night before and it was so fun to watch everyone check them out.  2016-11-05 10.06.51

    I also had to laugh because one of my projects that I wasn’t sure if I should even put it up on the boards turned out to be one of the favorites!

    2016-11-04 16.08.34

    And I’ll give you one more sneak peek today and tell you this is one of my FAVORITE suites coming out in the new catalog.  Those are STAMPS!  and dies of course, and those sequins…squee!  I’m so ready to order them now, but I guess waiting until December 1st will have to do.

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    I was honored to get to walk across the stage for recognition three times – for recruiting, for team title promotions, and earning Thailand.  The crazy thing though, was learning that those were only achieved by a small percent of the almost 50,000 demonstrators!  See those numbers, that is the number of demonstrators ACROSS THE WORLD who achieved that.  Makes me even more appreciative of my tribe – my friends, family, customers, and Fun n’ Crafty Stampers team!

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    OnStage Local Swapping!

    And of course, while you are at events like this, you have to swap!  It is always incredible to see what others come up with.  Especially with stamp sets or accessories that you didn’t think you liked all that much or had no idea what to do with.  I’ll be sharing more of the swap cards this week, but thought I would share a few of my favorites with you today –

    Like this awesome card that mixes and matches from a few different stamp sets and die sets.  I love how products you don’t think of as being at all related can go together so fabulously.

    Or talk about an amazingly elegant Christmas card that is so simple to pull together!  You just need some glimmer paper, basic cardstock, and one framelit set!

    And this card was just so adorable I couldn’t get over it!  Wouldn’t this make such a perfect birthday card for that sweet girl in your life?  I have often passed this cupcake set by, but it looks so fabulous in the Sweet Sugarplum colors!

    Well, I hope this gave you some fun ideas to try and gave you a little bit of a glimpse into the new OnStage events.  They are wonderful to attend and always exciting.  The next OnStage events are coming up in April and while I haven’t decided which location I may be attending, I know I have folks from my group planning on going to at least a couple of them.  So if you would like to join us – let me know!

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    Plus, if you join my Fun n’ Crafty Stampers team now, you’ll still be eligible to attend in April!  Since you have until then to meet your first minimum sales goal to stay active.  Sweet!

    NWstamper signature_thumb[9]

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    Premium tutorial pack hostess code

    Get your free exclusive Tutorial pack from our amazing International demonstrator design team featuring the stamp sets that are on sale this month!  You can get your free copy of this SET of great project ideas by either:

    Placing a $50 Stampin’ Up order with me (either directly or in my online store using the hostess code above) in the month of November
    Join my Fun n’ Crafty Stampers!  My team gets a copy of this Tutorial Pack for FREE!

    Save 25% on Selected Stamp Sets plus get the NEW Stitched Framelits!  Click the image to get yours!
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