The Stockings Were Hung...

I'm just loving the new "Stitched Stockings" stamp set and builder punch.  Here's a card I did for my SAS a couple of weeks ago.

I used Wild Wasabi and Real Red for this one.  To create the "quilted" or "tile" pattern I used my Simply Scored tool.  I place the paper on an angle with one corner at 2 1/2" and scored every 1/2".  Then I turned the paper 90 degrees (with the same corner now at 4") and scored again every 1/2".   While it's hard to see here, I also sponged the card stock with ink to give it some more texture.

I used "Stitched Stockings" and "Four the Holidays" stamps sets.  The puncehs used are the Stocking Builder Punch (from the Holiday Mini) and the Dotted Scallop Ribbon edge punch.

It's a little time consuming but not too bad and I really like the overall look.

Happy Stamping!

Celebrating Light....

....on a dreadfully dreary day!  It's been pouring rain here all day and it is so dark I was glad to have an excuse to get out some sparkly paper and a Hanukkah stamp this afternoon.  I've come up with a couple of cards for tonight's CHW Zippora Chapter's 2nd Annual Card Party.  The first is a case of Nance's card from Canopy Crafts and the second is my own creation.



Hanukkah Card

 I really like this colour combination for a clean and simple card.   I used Night of Navy, Whisper White and Silver Sparkle card stocks.  The ink is also Night of Navy.  Super simple but a really classic look I think.  I started by scoring the card stock with my Simply Scored tool at 1/4" in and then at 3/8" in to form a frame around the edge of the card.  Simply Scored is FABULOUS and great for so much more than just scoring fold lines for cards or medallions.

Hanukkah inside

I used the sentiment from the "Bright Hopes" set on the inside of both cards.  I really like the generic sentiment in this set...it is very versatile.

For this card I used Pool Party, Island Indigo, Whisper White and Silver Sparkle papers.  I used my 1/2" circle punch to highlight the dredyls in the Hanukkah stamp and added some texture by using the Snow Burst embossing folder.

Happy Stamping!

Bright Hopes Sparkle

Firstly, I must acknowledge my friend, Leena, over at A la Cards for her inspiration of this card.  She did 2 beautiful examples using these same colours, techniques and stamps that I completely copied for this card.  Please go and check out her blog if you haven't already, she does fabulous work!  Thanks Leena for the inspiration!!!! 

I was looking through a Bay (Hudson's Bay Company) flyer the other day and saw a layout of a house all done up in whites, light blues and light turquoise for Christmas and I thought...."I really would love to do a card using those colours"....and then I read Leena's blog that evening and it all clicked : )

So here is my version of this "Bright Hopes" card:

Bright Hopes Sparkle and Rock and Roll

 Isn't this a great colour combination?!  Pool Party and Island Indigo are quickly becoming a couple of my "go to" colours.  I love them together.  With Whisper White it creates such a nice, clean look.   To get the double colour on the "Bright Hopes" wreath I used the "rock and roll" technique.  First, ink your stamp with Pool Party (or another light) ink.  Second, "roll" the edges in the Island Indigo (or darker) ink.  Super easy and really pretty!

Dazzling Diamonds everywhere!

 I used Dazzling Diamonds (careful, they get EVERYWHERE) as part of some double embossing on the strip of Island Indigo.  I first ran it through the Big Shot in the Snow Burst embossing folder, then applied Versa Mark ink and Heat and Stick powder.  Finally, a touch of Dazzling Diamonds finished it off.  I'm going to try this again but on a piece of Whisper White....looking at it now I don't think there is enough contrast between the "Bright Hopes" wreath and the Island Indigo strip.  Stay tuned for more variations on this theme.

Happy Stamping!

Hobby Horse

I was taking some time to surf around the blogging world today and I came across a REALLY cute idea using the Stocking Builder Punch that is in the current Holiday Mini catalogue.  Sarah, over at Sarah's Stamping Style, used it to create a hobby horse baby card.  SO CUTE!!!!  My neighbour had her baby about a week ago and I was needing a card to give to her....here's my hobby horse:

Hobby Horse using Stocking Builder Punch

So sweet!

Isn't that just so sweet?!!!  The new baby is sweet and itty bitty (at least compared to my bruiser of a son when he was born).  I thought it was just perfect...and funny timing because my son just received his first hobby horse yesterday : )  So thanks Sarah for sharing the idea with the blogging world.

All supplies are Stampin' Up:
Card stock:  Lucky Limeade, Island Indigo, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Crumb Cake
DSP:  Pool Party
Ink: Island Indigo
Punches:  Stocking Builder, Modern Label
Stamp Sets: Teeny Tiny Wishes
Accessories:  Lattice Textured Embossing folder, googly eye (not SU)

Happy Stamping!

Serene Snowflakes for Monkey Challenge 80

Well with Halloween behind us, now I'm in full-on Christmas mode.  I know I complained about Christmas marketing starting too early in an earlier post, but it seems that this year all I can think about is Christmas cards.  Maybe that's because my calendar has quickly filled up with Christmas workshops!

So, with weeks of wanting to do the A la Card Monkey challenge but just never getting around to it in time....here's another entry.  I actually made this card a few days ago, but this is the first time I've had the energy and time to sit down and do a blog post.  It's been hectic around here lately as I am getting a "new" home for my stamping corner in what was the spare bedroom....lots of moving around going on in my house to make room for our new arrival in March : )

Without further ado (and rambling) here is this week's Monkey sketch:

Monkey Challenge 80

Here is my take on it:


Serene Snowflakes with a Snow Burst backing

 I knew immediately when I saw this week's sketch that I wanted to do something with the "Serene Snowflakes" set and creating a  "broken" image.  Thanks to Leena over at A la Cards for the colour inspiration (I've been using it a lot lately) of Rich Razzleberry, Lucky Limeade and Marina Mist.  It is a really simple concept but takes some concentration to pull off.  I began with a 3 3/4" square of Whisper White card stock which I stamped randomly using the "Serene Snowflakes" and chosen colours.  Then I cut that square into 9 smaller 1 1/4" squares....and here's the tricky part....keeping them in order and adhering them onto a Lucky Limeade matte.  I had a lady on Tuesday evening mix up her pieces (she had stamped on both sides to boot).  It was like putting a puzzle back together with no guide : )

The Marina Mist matte was run through the Big Shot using the Snow Burst embossing folder.  I think it would look just as nice unembossed though. 

Merry Christmas sparkle

I used Lucky Limeade 3/8" ruffled ribbon taped behind this time rather than tying a knot.  The sentiment comes from "Teeny Tiny Wishes".  I have been coveting this set for a couple of years now and finally got it.  It's great because this card can be made into a birthday card or thank you (Happy Mother's day...) whatever you want : )  I finished the sentiment and snowflakes with Dazzling Details....I really can't resist this stuff, it's fantastic (and cheap)!!!!

More cards to come soon.  Happy Stamping!