Northwest Stamper

Tag: christmas card

  • 3 Ways to Play with the Season of Cheer Designer Paper–Plus a Note about the Woodland Embossing Folder

    I know, I normally try to share one project in a post at a time, but today I had 3 projects that all used the retiring (and discounted!) Season of Cheer designer paper and since it was going away in a couple days, I figured why not share them all so you could see some different ways to use the paper in that pack!  You see, I tend to get into the trap of thinking a paper is just for the holiday it is sold for; so when I discover all-year ideas, I get really excited.  I think this paper pack especially lends itself to the all-year idea and so that is extra awesome.

    So, for example, this card…change out the sentiment and it could be thinking of you, thank you, miss you… absolutely anything you want!

    Missed the Woodland Embossing folder?  It’s coming back!

    And while we are here talking about retiring items.  I wanted to do a quick PSA about the Woodland Embossing folder… Stampin’ Up heard us, they realized this embossing folder was so stinkin popular and not everyone had a chance to get it before it sold out.  So they are working with their manufacturer and the embossing folder WILL BE BACK with the Annual Catalog in June.  So, don’t pay obscene amounts on Ebay for it.  Just hang tight and you will be able to get it again soon!

    Ok, now back to the card… Smile

    I love this technique with the Woodland embossing folder – brayer ink on the side of the folder where the trees are indented, then BEFORE you run through your Big Shot, stamp your background image on that same side.  THEN run your paper through the embossing folder.  It gives you color behind the trees along with pretty background images peeking through.

    Retiring (and discounted) products in this card:

    Colors used:

    • Very Vanilla
    • Soft Sky
    • Pear Pizzazz
    • Early Espresso

    Now, the next question is… what to do with the definitely holiday/seasonal themed papers in the pack now that December is pretty much gone.  Well, I shared this card in class a couple days ago to share the idea that you can still use them – turn them into holiday thank you cards!

    I really wanted to play with my love – the wooden snowflake elements – and I realized it fit really well in the Flower Medallion punch!  So we punched out the flower from a 3 1/4” x 3 1/4” piece of Very Vanilla cardstock.  And THEN punched out the flower shape using the 2 1/2” Circle punch.

    You can layer this over a piece of Whisper White cardstock that has the Winter Wonderland washi tape stretched across for a cool peek-a-boo technique.  Then just add your snowflake to the center using the Fine-Tip glue pen or a couple of glue dots.  I especially love the added touch by my friend Tanya Cabral who added the White Perfect Accent to the center of the snowflake!  Really centers it, don’t you think?

    Retiring (and discounted) products in this card:

    Colors used:

    • Very Vanilla
    • Whisper White
    • Crumb Cake
    • Night of Navy

    Finally, what if you really don’t want to look at another holiday card for a long while?  Like you’ve made and sent your tons of holiday cards and you are ready to move on?  How about a birthday card?!

    Yup, totally same paper pack!  Just flip over some of those patterns to see great anytime designs.  I used these to make a cheery birthday card that is great for any guy or gal in your life.  We mixed the Tin of Cards stamp set for the sentiment with the Be the Star stamp set for the star accents.  Then used the star punch to punch out the shapes, especially from the Gold Foil that is oh so snazzy.

    Sponge your edges with Soft Suede and a sponge dauber; tie on some linen thread, and you have a fun pulled together card.

    Colors used:

    • Whisper White
    • Crumb Cake
    • Hello Honey
    • Lost Lagoon
    • Soft Suede (sponging)
    • Early Espresso (cardstock)

    So hopefully this gave you some ideas for this fun paper – whether you already have some in your stash or if you are doing one last run through the Year-End Clearance sale and are looking for a great deal!

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    Use Hostess Code BEFX37ZS at check out to get a special thank you from me!

    NEW ITEMS ADDED – BIG Year-End Clearance Sale!  See what is on sale here.

    See all the tutorials & classes by mail here

    Check out the Holiday Catalog Retiring List & Sold Out Updates

    Save 25% on the Latest Weekly Deals

  • Penguin Christmas Wishes with Snow Friends

    Can you believe we are now less than a week out from Christmas?!  Yesterday was my birthday and that always means we are getting into the home stretch!  We’ve had my daughter’s birthday, school has just finished up for 2015, and I got to have lots of fun relaxing for my birthday.  Now things actually get quiet around here until the evening of Christmas Eve arrives and we begin the excitement for Christmas.

    And by the way, thank you for all the amazing notes of birthday wishes yesterday!  I spent the day relaxing and picking and printing photos for my December Daily Project Life album.  (Which I plan to start working on today!  I can never seem to do the plan my pages ahead thing)  But I was surrounded by family as we went out to dinner at California Pizza Kitchen.

    2015-12-18 19.20.58

    And seriously, the surprise sundae they brought me was sooooooo good!  Vanilla Ice Cream, just a little bit of Chocolate Sauce, whipped cream, candied nuts, and a cherry.  Yum!2015-12-18 19.37.53

    And then after the kiddos were in bed, my parents, the hubby, and I went off to see the new Star Wars!  (Don’t worry, the other grandma was at home with the kiddos Winking smile)2015-12-18 21.51.14

    Now, I thought I’d share a card with you that we made in Stamp Club this month that just makes me smile.  It was inspired by an idea by Patty Bennett with the two penguins peeking out but I put my own twist on the card!  What do you think?

    Tips for making this card:

    • The Snow Friends Bundle is like paper dolls!  Have fun dressing them up!  I love the Snow Friends stamp set because it is filled with Snowmen and Penguins and all the accessories you could want.  You pick out your animals and their accessories and then just have fun dressing them up.  It is like being a kid again and playing with paper dolls.  In this case, I made a Mr and Mrs Penguin to spread the holiday cheer.
    • Yes! There is a framelit for that!  The Snow Play framelits are awesome because they have a framelit for EVERY shape in the set.  So no need to hand cut a thing!  Just stamp the different elements you want and then you can run them through your Big Shot at the same time.
      image
    • Use circle punches to create windows for your images – We used the 2” circle punch to create windows for the Penguins.  Put together your penguins FIRST, then punch two holes into your designer paper for windows.  Glue them to the designer paper and trim off any parts that are hanging out.
    • Add festive cheer with holiday ribbons – I used two fun ribbons, the gold 1/8” ribbon and the Real Red pom pom trim (ON SALE with the Year-End clearance sale!)  I wrapped and adhered the gold ribbon to the front panel of the card.  Then I stapled the red pom pom trim to the card front using the mini stapler from Stampin’ Up.  It is just the perfect size for reaching wherever I need on my cards.
    • Give it layers and dimensions for the final touch – I layered my penguin/designer paper with Stampin’ Dimensionals onto a piece of Real Red cardstock to make the penguins pop, then glued it all flat onto a Smoky Slate card base.
    • Get the Supplies on SALE!  Both the Real Red Pom Pom trim and the Merry Moments designer paper stack are discounted right now.  So grab them before they sell out.

    There is still time for a last minute gift!  Everyone loves a Gift Certificate

    Don’t forget to tell your friends and family to email me a jennifer@nwstamper.com or shop on my Gift Certificates page to get you the perfect gift or stocking stuffer!  Or pick one up yourself as the perfect gift for that crafty friend… or just for Santa to put under the tree for you. Winking smile


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    Use Hostess Code BEFX37ZS at check out to get a special thank you from me!

    BIG Year-End Clearance Sale is on NOW! See what is on sale here.

    See all the tutorials & classes by mail here

    Check out the Holiday Catalog Retiring List & Sold Out Updates

    Save 25% on the Latest Weekly Deals

  • Christmas Card Joy with Peaceful Pines

    I really did have grand plans this year to get all of my Christmas cards out early.  After years of being terrible about NOT sending out cards at all, last year I sent out around 70 holiday cards and it felt great to be putting a little cheer out through the mail.  So, I was all gung ho that I was going to be all organized this year and get them in the mail at the beginning of December.

    But then suddenly, I turned around and here it is December 16th and they have yet to hit the post office!  Anyone with me?  How many times do we have grand plans but one reason or another keeps us from making it happen?  Well, I’m here to say, it is never too late!  In this case, there is still time to make and send Christmas cards (or send the cards you have!)  Today’s share is a simple card idea that you can pull together quickly for those people who need some holiday cheer from you.

    I actually made this card as a swap for the November OnStage Local regional event.  I decided the day that we were leaving that I wanted to make swaps after all and so I pulled these together.  They are clean and simple, and easy to pull together!

    Tips for making this card:

    • Keep it simple and cost effective by choosing ONE color plus white – I picked Always Artichoke because I had an almost full pack on my desk and thought the muted color would be good for this design.  Use that color for your card base and for your smallest layer.  Then just use Whisper White cardstock as your matting layer to create a nice border around your stamped images.
    • Use heat embossing for an easy-to-create WOW – I kept in the deep green theme by stamping a tree and my sentiment in Mossy Meadow ink, but added layers and dimension by stamping one tree in Versamark ink and then covering it in White embossing powder.  Heat set for a snowy tree that really catches your eye.
    • Make your embossed images more interesting with sponging – I sponged over my white embossed tree with Always Artichoke ink to give the tree some depth.  This is a great technique to use on any project you are heat embossing though.  Just match the ink color with the color of the underlying cardstock for a rich addition to your image.  You can also make your central cardstock have more dimension with the same trick only by sponging the edges of the cardstock with the same color ink.
    • Try out different size banners! – I had left over Always Artichoke cardstock strips after cutting for the smaller piece on this card.  So I decided to use them by cutting them in half and stamping my sentiment (the Joy from the Your Presents stamp set).  I normally do longer and skinnier banners, but this smaller size was just right for this card.
    • Make banners more easily with the Banner Triple Punch – The best part about adding banners is that I don’t have to try hard to make the ends look even and nice thanks to the Banner Triple Punch (I still want to call it the triple banner punch!)  Even if your piece is small, you can slide it in to this punch and with a press, you have perfect banner ends!  Easy Peasy!

    So, if you still have Christmas cards to make, you still have time!

    And if you need to order some extra supplies, you still have time for that too!  If you are on the west coast, orders typically come in about 2-3 days.  If you are on the east coast… well, orders will arrive before Christmas if you order by tomorrow, so you can still make “thinking of you at Christmas” cards. Smile  Have questions or need help?  I’m here for you!  Email me at jennifer@nwstamper.com

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    Use Hostess Code BEFX37ZS at check out to get a special thank you from me!

    BIG Year-End Clearance Sale is on NOW! See what is on sale here.

    See all the tutorials & classes by mail here

    Check out the Holiday Catalog Retiring List & Sold Out Updates

    Save 25% on the Latest Weekly Deals

  • Festive Christmas Card with Wonderous Wreath

    Festive Christmas Card with Wonderous Wreath

    While I have some friends who have finished up all their holiday crafting and are so ready to move on from Christmas stamping and head into spring; the holiday bug has gotten to me and I am so in the mood to create for Christmas!  So, in case you are too… I’m going to be sharing more holiday ideas including this Christmas card we made recently in a class using the lovely Wonderous Wreath stamp set!

    Wondrous Wreath Christmas Card

    I had to play with a few of my favorite sparkle and shine papers and loved pulling out this this classic stamp set that looks so great cut out with the coordinating die.

    Oh, but before I get to far into talking about this card… I wanted to make sure you saw that the BIG Year-End sale started yesterday!

    Stampin' Up year end sale

    There are a ton of awesome deals… including Holiday Catalog items NOW DISCOUNTED!  Everything is while supplies last, so check it out and score some great deals for you and a friend!

    >>> See what’s on Sale <<<

    Tips for making this card:

    • Festive Wreaths made easy!  Pull out that Wondrous Wreath stamp set and the matching wreath framelits  (still available in a discounted bundle when you buy both together!) and have fun making cute and easy wreaths!  Once you’ve stamped your wreath, you can cut it out by using the inside & the outside of the wreath dies at the same time!
      wondrous wreath bundle
    • Stamping the Wreath is as easy as 1-2-3 
      1.  Start with your lightest color (in this case, Old Olive) and stamp the full wreath image.
      2.  Then add in your darker leaves by stamping the sparse leaves stamp with Mossy Meadow.  You should be able to line up your leaves by lining up the “handles” of photopolymer that are on stamps 1 & 2.  The leaves should overlap exactly.
      3.  Finally add in your berries, stamped with Real Red.  The leaves should line up but the berries have no right or wrong placement, just wherever you like!
      Mix and match your colors to make fall, spring, Valentine’s, or Christmas wreaths.  Good anytime of the year!black glimmer paper noel
    • Black Glimmer Paper = Anytime Sparkle! I think a lot of people missed the Black Glimmer paper because it was placed in the Halloween section of the Holiday Catalog.  But it is amazing stuff and perfect for any time you need an elegant card.  Like here we used it for our Noel greeting!  Just the right touch!
      PS – It is on sale for only $3.50 a pack in the Year-End Sale while supplies last
    • Wide Ribbons make great backgrounds – I love this Very Vanilla Subtle Striped Ribbon (also on sale in the year-end sale) and it’s wider size makes it perfect to be soft, shiny background elements for my cards.  Like here where it goes behind the Home for Christmas holiday designer paper…. which btw – don’t you just love those musical notes pattern?!
    • Red Foil makes it shine!  Just because you used glitter paper doesn’t mean you can’t add a little shine too. 🙂  I love my Real Red foil and it makes just the perfect bow… the bow and the hanging ribbon are dies that come with the wreath die.red foil bow from wondrous wreath
    • Don’t forget the finishing touches  Once you’ve made a card and have all the big elements figured out, don’t forget the little touches that really put the finishing polish on your card.  From sponging the edges of the card base (I used a sponge dauber and Old Olive ink) to using the Banner Triple punch to make two sizes of banner ends for my papers in the middle of the page, to popping some elements up on foam Stampin’ Dimensionals.  Each little touch is what helps bring your project to life!

    Need a last minute gift?  What about a Stampin’ Up Gift Card?

    Stampin' Up Gift Certificate

    Have a friend or loved one that loves crafting as much as you do?  Let them have the fun of a shopping spree for the holidays!  I can get you a gift certificate by email in as little as 24hrs from when you first contact me!

    Get the scoop and get your Gift Certificate here


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    Use Hostess Code BEFX37ZS at check out to get a special thank you from me!

    See all the tutorials & classes by mail here

    Check out the Holiday Catalog Retiring List & Sold Out Updates

    Save 25% on the Latest Weekly Deals

    Don’t miss up to 60% off in the online Clearance Rack!

  • Sparkly Sleigh Scene with the Sleigh Ride Edgelits

    I remember when I first saw the Jingle all the Way stamp set and Sleigh Ride edgelits, I wasn’t sure what I thought about them.  But after playing with them a bit, I think they can pull together rather stunning cards and projects… don’t you agree?

    PS – these dies & stamps are on the Holiday Catalog retiring list, so make sure to grab them before they are gone!

    I wanted to use these dies in a project for my Stamp Club but wanted to do something a little bit different than the normal, 3 strips of paper across the full cardfront with the die cut edges.  So I got the idea in my head to go for a snowglobe effect and this card started coming together!  Let me share a little about how I made it:

    • I started by cutting out a circle using the Circle Framelits to use as my background piece on which I would be layering everything else.  I also used that same sized circle to cut out a piece of Crumb Cake cardstock, but when I cut the Crumb Cake cardstock, I also layered the NEXT-SMALLEST circle framelit inside so that I was cutting using 2 framelits at the same time, both nested together when cutting.  This gave me the brown frame to go around the outside of my snow scene.
    • Then it was just cutting the pieces for the different layers.  You need:
      – a piece of Dazzling Diamond glimmer paper
      – 3 strips of Very Vanilla cardstock: 2 with the edge cut using the tree edgelits & 1 with the edge cut using the sleigh edgelit
      – 1 strip of Crumb Cake cardstock with the edge cut using the sleigh edgelit.
    • TIP – Use the Precision Plate when cutting out your sleigh ride edgelits!  It makes them come out of the dies so much easier and WITHOUT breakage of skinny pieces of paper!
    • Trim off the sleigh and horse from the Very Vanilla piece and then start layering your strips onto your Very Vanilla circle you cut out in the beginning. Trim the parts that hang over the edge of the circle and then glue the frame down!
    • Then I just used my Hardwood background stamp to give a pattern to the circle I cut out from the middle of the Crumb Cake cardstock and cut it in half to place behind my main circle.
    • Add the retiring Snowflake elements piece with an Iced Rhinestone in the center and you have a gorgeous scene!

    If you were at the OnStage event in Vancouver, I had this card up on the almost artisan display board.  And you’ll agree it is even prettier and more sparkly in person!

    So, don’t forget to get the Sleigh Ride edgelits on your wishlist before they are gone!  Smile  Or bump it up to the bundle and save with the Jingle All The Way bundle that includes the edgelits and coordinating stamp set!

    Get your Wishlists Ready! The BIG Online Extravaganza is Coming!

    I just learned the details of the big “Black Friday” sale that Stampin’ Up is holding this year.  They will be starting Nov 23rd (Monday) and going through Nov 30th (the following Monday) with One-Day Doorbusters each Monday!  Plus lots of awesome items for 20-50% off!  I’ll be sending out email with more details and easier ways to look (not on the mailing list? join here!), but you can get a peek now using this SALE LIST:

    2015 Online Extravaganza – See What’s On Sale! pdf

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    Use Hostess Code PU2EYZJY at check out to get a special thank you from me!

    Through 11/18 – Get a free Class by Mail tutorial with every $35 purchase! See all the classes by mail here

    Check out the Holiday Catalog Retiring List & Sold Out Updates

    Save 25% on the Latest Weekly Deals

    Don’t miss up to 60% off in the online Clearance Rack!

  • Inspiring Weekly Deals & save on the Flurry of Wishes Class by Mail!

    When I woke up this morning and checked out the weekly deals, I was expecting one or two cool things and a couple that I could take or leave… but man was I pleasantly surprised to see a lot of awesome up this week! 

    Check it out and if you aren’t inspired by something… well, you will have to tell me what DOES inspire you.Smile 

    11201941_10205590681675469_3676096873224387746_n

    So, lets break it down… shall we?

    Festive Flower Builder Punch… cute for Holiday Pointsettias or just make cute flowers for any time of the year!

    image

    Want to see how to make this Pointsettia?  Check out this video to show you how!

    I also love this White version created by Peggy Noe!  You can check out her beautiful card on her blog post here.

    Metallic Foil Doilies… Can I just say I’ve already gone through at least 2 packs of these Smile  LOVE them!

    image    Though, embarrassingly, I just realized that apparently I haven’t photographed my recent pictures with the doilies so I’ll have to get on that! 🙂  I did use them though for a recent Project Life album I was working on!

    metallic doilies in Project Life scrapbook albumPerfect Pines Framelits… Good with or without the stamp set!  (if you want to see the coordinating stamp set, you can see it here in a bundle)
    Like this with card that was from my Holly Jolly Greetings Class by Mail!

    Or check out this cute card made by Jennifer Frank at our recent Northwest Crafty Escape Weekend as an entry into one of our challenges!

    Perfect Pines christmas card challenge card

    Snow Flurry Punch… this is one of my FAVORITES!  I love it alone but again, especially with the coordinating stamp set.  You can see the bundle here. 

    I also did a class by mail using this punch, and so I’ll pass the savings on to you!  Purchase the punch as part of the Flurry of Wishes Class by mail and I’ll give you $4.50 off the class fee!  Just sign up here and I’ll refund you the $4.50 after either seeing your purchase of the Snow Flurry punch or when you sign up for the best value class bundle!

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    But use Hostess Code PU2EYZJY to get a special thank you from me!

  • Christmas or All Year Cards with Season of Cheer Designer Paper

    At the Northwest Crafty Escape Weekend last month, I gave everyone who was attending on Friday a goodie bag that included a number of items including the Season of Cheer designer paper pack and some of the Old Olive Baker’s Twine (which is one of the weekly deal this week – booyah!)  I used this paper for their make & take projects and had fun designing 4 cards – 2 of which were Christmas Cards and 2 which were anytime of year cards!  Because I loved how even though this paper is in the Holiday Catalog and shown doing lots and lots of Christmas projects, it has patterns that are great for after the holiday season is over as well!

    image

    I tried to make that graphic so you could more easily see the patterns in the pack.  As you can tell, there are definitely “Holiday” patterns – from the hand painted ornaments or colored lights, to the holly berries and pointsettias.  So, you can make fun cards like this one:

    I just mixed two of the patterns and a little bit of coordinating cardstock to create a quick holiday card.  I just love the hand painted look of these ornaments.  Just makes it feel cozy and homey to me. Smile  Want to make your own?  Here are the dimensions for the paper for this card:

    • Whisper White cardbase – 4 ¼” x 11”, score at 5 ½”
    • Old Olive cardstock – 3 ¼” x 4 5/8”, 1 ½” x 2 7/8”, ¾” x 5 ½”
    • Snowflake paper – 3 1/8” x 4 ½”
    • Ornament paper – 1 3/8” x 2 ¾”

    But like I said, this paper pack doesn’t have to be just for Christmas.  Check out this Birthday card that we made using the same papers!

    I just used some of the more generic patterns and mixed in some stamps from the Tin of Cards stamp set (see it is awesome even outside of that cute project kit!)

    We cut bigger pieces of paper and adhered them onto our card front at an angle to get the look that we wanted.  Then just trim off the parts of the paper that hang over the edge to clean it up!  I also wrapped more of the Old Olive baker’s twine and added a little cardstock star using the Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack.  See, fun Birthday card you can use for anyone at anytime of the year!

    Want the dimensions for this card too?  You got it!

    • Whisper White cardbase – 4 ¼” x 11”, score at 5 ½”
    • Multi-colored Hexagon paper – 3 ½” x 5 ½”
    • Yellow diamond paper – 1” x 5”

    In the Seattle area and want to come stamp with me?

    I regularly host events and classes in the Bellevue/Redmond/Seattle area and would love to have you join me!  Stay up to date on the latest events and classes by joining my Meetup Group – the Bellevue/Redmond Card Makers!  We always have a great time and would love to have you join us!

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  • Fun Ideas with the Flower Medallion Punch–part of the Weekly Deals!

    It’s Tuesday which means new Weekly Deals!  And I just love the punch that is on sale this week, so I thought I would take time today to share a couple different types of ideas with it!

    But first, here is what is on sale this week:

    12189070_10205560290435707_5024214854627555697_n

    For real, I love them all.  And I have some samples to share later this week with the Old Olive Baker’s Twine since that was one of the goodie bag items from my recent Northwest Crafty Escape Weekend and so we had make & takes with it!  But today, I’m focusing on the Flower Medallion Punch.

    This punch is a perfect match for the flower in the Crazy About You stamp set, and doesn’t it look so cute on this quick and easy treat bag?

    image

    But it isn’t just for flowers… did you know?  It also is designed to fit with one of the snowflakes from the Flurry of Wishes stamp set?  I used it here in my Flurry of Wishes Class to Go (kits are still available here!)

    Or just use the punch to punch out your favorite pattern paper or pretty background designs to create your own custom flower or shape!

    Like these ideas?  Check out the Weekly Deals online here and grab your favorites.

    Last week for Extra Hostess Benefits too!

    Just a reminder too that next Monday is the last day to earn the extra Stampin’ Rewards for personal or group orders of $300 or more!  Get some friends together, plan your holiday cards while looking at the Holiday Catalog and then place all your orders together in one order and you can earn an extra 3% in free credit on your order.  That gives you 15% Stampin’ Rewards on that order – that’s $45 in free products of your choice!  Email me at jennifer@nwstamper.com to get all set up or start shopping in my online store for your own personal order!

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    Price: $4.50

    Price: $5.25

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  • Happy Scenes Wonderful Winter Window Christmas Card

    I hope you don’t mind me sharing another Christmas Card with you today! I know, I know, Halloween has only just passed us by and we still have some time in Fall and Thanksgiving before Christmas time really hits… but well, I just loved this card and since I have it all edited and ready to go, I thought I would share it today instead of making you wait while I work on editing my other card pictures. Smile  Because more craft ideas are better than none, right?  Always so many fun idea to try and to share!

    So, I absolutely loved this card.  It was cased from Amanda Bates (her card is here) but I just loved it so much I had to make it and share it with my folks in class recently.

    Tips for making this card:

    • Start by stamping your background image of the trees using the trees from the Happy Scenes stamp set.  This set is awesome because it perfectly fits with the Hearth and Home thinlits to create the window frame.  From the spiderweb or frost for the corner of the window, to the fall and winter scenes to fit behind the window frame. image
    • But don’t feel like you have to keep your background constrained to the window!  Let them break free and stretch across the page!  In this case, I stamped the trees three times to make it reach all the way across the card front.
    • Add the falling snow using smoky slate ink and the snow fall stamp in the same Happy Scenes stamp set.
    • Add some color by sponging with Soft Sky using a yellow Stampin’ Sponge over the background to really set the scene.
    • Finally I added a little of the Dazzling Details glitter glue to the snow on the trees and along the black lines of my snowy hills.
    • Did you notice?  The “let it snow. let it snow. let it snow” is the exact right length to fit below the window frame?! 
      Tip – since this stamp set is in Photopolymer, so you can see right through it.  Adhere your window frame FIRST using Stampin’ Dimensionals and THEN stamp your sentiment below.  That way everything lines up all nice and pretty. Smile
    • I needed a little more though, so we added the Wooden Snowflake Element to the corner of the window frame with the rhinestone in the center.

    Easy, peasy and oh so pretty!  I think I may be making a bunch of these for my holiday card!

    PS – don’t forget! you can get the stamp set and the window frame die together in a bundle and save 15% off both!  And who doesn’t love a good deal? Smile 

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  • Vintage Santa Cozy Christmas Card

    Happy yesterday Halloween!  I don’t know about your part of the woods, but even though it was blustery and rainy most of the day, we still went out and had lots of fun!  Not a lot of trick or treaters in our neighborhood, but I’m doing my part to help keep the tradition alive by taking my family around.  They are just getting old enough to really start getting having a lot of fun with it – and still small enough that everyone loves seeing them. Smile  And now today, with the start of November, I’m seeing lots of people posting and talking about their 30 days of gratitude and sharing each day something they are thankful for.  It something that I think is so good to do these days when we get caught up in what is frustrating or hard in life, or just being way to focused on ourselves!  So, I figured I’d kick off the month sharing something I’m thankful for…. my family!

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    I’m so grateful for my awesome kiddos and that they love to craft with me!  My mom who is as much of a craft-a-holic (or even more so than me!) so we can share fun projects and ideas whenever we are together… and my dad who is always so supportive and fun, even if it is putting up with mom and I going on and on about some new technique or project. Smile  And my hubby, who makes it possible to not only have these amazing kids, but supports me running my Stampin’ Up business and staying home to be the mommy I want to be! 

    What are you thankful for?

    Well, as Halloween has gone by and we are gearing up for Thanksgiving and Christmas, I thought I’d share this fun Christmas card that I made based on an idea shared at Convention this summer using the Cozy Christmas stamp set  and Home for Christmas designer paper.

    So many fun layers and textures, it is a sweet little card that uses the heck out of your designer paper!

    Tips for making this card:

  • Start by picking your favorite patterned paper.  This one is fun because all the designs come from the same paper pack – Home for Christmas.  Grab two different patterns to create you background layers and cut one rectangle and then cut the second piece to be 1/2” longer and 1/4” shorter than the first piece to give you the look on this card.
  • See that santa?  Isn’t he fun?  No, I’m not some amazing colorer (yeah, I know you didn’t think so, but I’m going to pretend you were thinking I colored him in anyway Smile), he is from one of the patterns of designer paper in the same Home for Christmas pack!  It is a full 12×12 sheet of vintage santas!  Just pick your favorite and cut him out – yes you have to cut him out by hand! – and then just plop him down on the front of your card using a dimensional.  Quick and cute!
  • Add in some of the neat embellishments from the Holiday Catalog to go with your santa including the beautiful subtle striped Vanilla Satin Ribbon.  I just folded over one end of the ribbon piece and used my SNAIL tape runner to hold it in place behind the Whisper White cardstock.  Then cut a banner end out of the dangling side of the ribbon.
    Pro tip – Fold the top of the ribbon FIRST and then ADHERE the ribbon to your white cardstock.  THEN, trim the end of the ribbon (or even wait until then to cut your length of ribbon off the spool!).  That way you can see how much ribbon is showing below the cardstock.  If you cut your ribbon end too early, it may not look as nice when you go to adhere it to the back of your cardstock only to discover you cut your ribbon just a little too short!
  • Grab one of the Pointsettia buttons from the Home for Christmas designer button pack – it even has etching on the top to look like a flower – and run your Old Olive baker’s twine through before tying into a bow and adhering to your card front with a glue dot.
  • Hate trying to thread twine through button holes?  You can always cheat!  Tie your bow first and then just use a glue dot to adhere the twine to the front of the button over the holes!  Most people won’t even notice the difference. Smile
  • Adhere your layers with Stampin’ Dimensionals and then stick to the front of a Garden Green cardstock base that you’ve embossed with the Decorative Dots embossing folder and you are done!

    • So, thank you again for stopping by.  Like what you see?  Please leave me a comment and letting me know!  Or swing by my Facebook page and say hello there!  I always love hearing from you!

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  • Have a Holly Jolly Christmas–Fun Card with Foiled Vellum, Glimmer Paper, and More!

    So, yesterday I was (correctly) chastised for getting behind on posting on the blog. Smile So, I had to hop-to and get another one of my recent favorites up to share with you.

    Today I have another card from my Holly Jolly Greetings Class by Mail, it has lots of little details but I love how they come together!

    A few tips for making this card:

    • The candy cane striping is from the Holiday Fancy Foil designer vellum.  You get 3 patterns in the pack – green foiled christmas trees, silver foiled snowflakes, and red foiled stripes.  I wanted the red color for this card, but also wanted it to be striking!  So, all you have to do is layer a piece of Whisper White cardstock behind your vellum and you get a bold POP of contrast between the foiled pattern and plain vellum!
    • Layer your foiled vellum onto an accent piece of the full sheet of Red Foil sheets for even more shine!
    • Help your sentiment stand out by popping it up on a plain white 2 1/2” Circle punch.  Want to take it a step up?  Grab the Updated Essentials Piercing Pack and use the circle template to pierce holes all the way around the circle.  Then grab your Tip Top Taupe marker and connect the dots to create a fun Faux Stitched look.
    • And since I’m so onto red right now.  Why not add in more sparkle with the GORGEOUS Red Glimmer paper?  Perfect for the “Jolly” from the Christmas Greetings thinlits that are bundled with the Holly Jolly Greetings stamp set.
    • Add some pearls in different sizes on your card to bring it all home.  See those 3 pearls by the Jolly?  Those are part of those strands of connected-together pearls that are always left over on your pearl or rhinestone sheets… Smile  Cut a few off and they are perfect here!

    See, totally fun and don’t you love the texture that White Jute ribbon gives to the card too?

    Want to make this at home?  The class kit is still available!  I’ll be mailing more out this weekend, so make sure your name is on the list.  You’ll get pdf instructions for this and 4 other cards along with supplies to make 2 each of all 5 cards.  Here are all the cards:

    Sign up for your Holly Jolly Greetings Card kit here

    Oh, and I almost forgot!  Today is Tuesday which means there are NEW Weekly Deals!

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    Check out these deals in the online store here

    So, thank you Heather for the kick in the pants to get a fun new card up on the blog.  Now to get the rest written and posted to share!  Guess I know what I’m doing this week. Smile  I really do appreciate you taking the time to check out my posts and I love the feedback you share in comments, on my facebook page, and in email!  Keep it coming!
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  • Gold & Burlap Rustic Christmas Card from the NEW Holly Jolly Greetings CLASS BY MAIL!

    I have been having so much fun creating for my Holiday Card Series this fall and when I put the finishing touches on the Holly Jolly Greetings class, I couldn’t wait to share it with everyone.  This was one of my personal favorites from the class, but you’ll have to tell me which is your favorite! Smile

    I had a heck of a time photographing it because one of my favorite touches was the subtle sparkle on the trees from where we lightly painted on Dazzling Details glitter glue!  You can kind of see it in this picture… it is only on the raised parts of the trees.  We ran a thin line of Dazzling Details down the center of each tree and then smeared it around with our finger to make a lightly sparkling tree and something that would dry quickly too!

    We used a few stamps from the Holly Jolly Greetings stamp set (which was the focus of the class) but added lots of neutral touches like the different browns in the cardstock (Crumb Cake & Early Espresso with Very Vanilla) along with the strip of Burlap Ribbon which I’m just loving this year.

    But we also needed some glitz and cheer for the holidays too!  You can’t have Christmas without a little sparkle, right? Smile  So I added some of the Gold Sequin trim along with that Dazzling Details schmear. A full strand of sequins below the embossed paper and then individual sequins for ornaments.  And I had to continue the tree theme between the Woodland embossing folder and the Perfect Pines framelits!

    A little bit of sponging with Garden Green ink, some stamping and layering and you have yourself a fun card!

    I ran this first as an in-person class, and everyone made 2 of this card and the other 4 cards, and if you sign up for this class by mail, you’ll get supplies to make 2 each as well – for a total of 10 cards!  Like I said, this probably was my favorite, which of these cards is yours?

    Sign up for the class by mail and you’ll get:

    • Precut supplies & accessories for 10 cards – 2 of each of the 5 designs
    • Pre-punched & embossed elements for the cards
    • Holly Jolly Greetings Stamp Set (clear mount)
    • PDF instructions walking you step-by-step through how to complete each of the cards
    • Priority shipping of your kit to you
    • (optional) Add on the Christmas Greetings thinlits (what we used to create the “peace”, “jolly”, and “merry” for only $16.  That is LESS than the catalog price!  <— BEST VALUE ADD-ON  — 

    Live outside the US or don’t need the kit – PDF instructions ONLY option is also available


    Kit choices



    >>> See all the classes in the Holiday Card Series here <<<

     

    Don’t forget about the Big Stamp Sale too! —TODAY IS THE LAST DAY!  —

    So visit the online store or grab your catalog and wishlist and let me know by 10:30pm PST/11:30pm MST what you want and we’ll get you that 15% off savings!

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