Inspired wrappings

I am basically done with the Christmas cards! I cranked out ten last night (I'll share those later) and did this one tonight. I might need one or two extras later, but I think I am finished for now! Woohoo! I think I made 52 cards in all this year, which might be a record!
This card was made for this week's Inspiration Challenge on SCS. The inspiration piece was wrapping paper with mittens on it; I don't have any mitten stamps, so I substituted the snowflakes from Snowflurries. I used blue bayou, soft sky and real red inks and paper, and some white craft on the blue bayou piece along the left. I used a shimmer outerwear notecard from Paper Salon - they are super shimmery, and hard to photograph! They come pre-scalloped (is that a word? It's late and it's Friday after a long week!) Anyway, I won a set of eight of these notecards, which come with red envelopes, and a Tailored Tin of Christmas stamps called Season's Greetings, in Paper Salon's World Cardmaking Day contest. The sentiment, stamped in real red and embossed with clear EP, is from the set. This is the first chance I've had to pull them out since I received them several weeks ago. I added some red organdy ribbon and some metallic blue snowflake brads to finish the card off. I'm really happy with how this one turned out!

Cuttlebug Christmas

I'm trying to finish up my Christmas cards this week, and I needed a change from the assembly line, so I grabbed a couple of winter-themed Cuttlebug backgrounds my friend Joni sent me and got to playing. I love this winter embossing folder, but it's too cute to really cover up. The embossed piece is CTMH white-core cardstock, which I corner-rounded and layered on soft sky and bayou blue from SU. I added a strip of white organdy ribbon and silver cord, then added the holiday tag stamp from Too Terrific tags, stamped in bayou on shimmery white. Using my SU tag punches, I layered the snowman tag on a piece of soft sky. I used the horizontal slot punch and word window punch to make the hanger, then attached a paper snowflake and bling brad from Making Memories to the top. I'll share some more of my CB Christmas cards tomrrow! Right tow I have to get to work on the remaining cards!

A secret ELF

An SCS ELF sent me this fun package of goodies! It was waiting for me when I got home tonight, and was such a nice treat after a long Monday! There's a little game going around - it's kind of like Boo-ing at Halloween - where someone sends you a fun little holiday goodie or two, and then you send goodies to two more people. I was notified when my name was selected, so I sent goodies out on Friday to two more people.
This collection of goodies came from a stamper in Michigan - and I might just know who, though I haven't received confirmation yet! I love the Santa card - that is such a clever idea. And the giant clippie bookmark is so cool! I might have to make some of those now that I have the SU scallop punch. Thank you again to my Elf!

Peace to the world

Tomorrow is Craft Day at my boss's house! A bunch of us crafty types are going to get together to work on our holiday craft projects. I think I am the only papercrafter in the bunch - there are a couple of knitters and beaders, and I'm not sure what all else. We're going to craft the afternoon away over drinks and snacks. It should be fun! I needed to come up with a couple of projects I could work on without taking my entire craft closet with me. So I cut cardstock for about 15 of these Christmas cards. I need to make 25-30 more cards, so this will get me about halfway there. Besides, after about 15 cards all alike, I get bored and need to switch it up a bit. I'm taking another project, too, but I'll probably have to wait until after the holidays to share that one.
The stamp set for this card is Stampin Up's Peace to the World. It is the only new holiday set that really spoke to me this year. (I might be the only one; it hasn't proved to be a very popular set on SCS!) I'm a sucker for holiday messages of peace - I have no greater wish for my family and friends than peace in their homes, their lives, their communities, and especially the world. The set arrived a few weeks ago, and I played around with it quite a bit, but struggled to come up with a card design I liked and felt was Christmas-y enough. This is not the design or color scheme I had in my head! But since I was struggling, I fell back on my favorite, tried-and-true color scheme - blue and silver. I've been making my own holiday cards for about 8-9 years now, and I think for at least half of those years, my cards were some variation of blue and silver. I like it, it's pretty, and it works for me!
The card base is brushed silver, with a layer of night of navy over the top. The NON is ticket corner-punched, and the star image is stamped in Colorbox silver ink. I tied a silvery-gray organdy ribbon around the NON layer also. The main image was inked in NON and stamped on whisper white cardstock, with the sentiment stamped in bordering blue. I layered that image on bordering blue and NON, then adhered it to the card base using dimensionals.

Mmmmmm!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all had a wonderful day filled with food, fun, friends and family. I made two of these apple pies to take to dinner at some coworkers' home. They invited some of us "orphans" over for the holiday. Nearly all of my family is 1,000 miles away, and it's too hard to get away for the Thanksgiving holiday. We all had a great time eating, drinking and laughing. It was a beautiful afternoon, so we had dinner on the patio and finished just as the sun was setting. There was about half a pie left over, so I know what I'll be having for breakfast in the morning!

Secret stuff

I've been doing some stamping the last few days, but nothing I can share! I have a few secrets up my sleeve this holiday season! In the meantime, though, I'm sharing this RAK I received a few days ago from my VSN secret sister. I love the colors on this card - it's such a crisp and clean look! I hope to have some shareable stuff later in the week!

Girly girls!

I did a little impulse shopping a few days ago at Eclectic Paperie, and my order arrived Saturday! I had to play with the new stuff right away, of course, so I stamped a few images of this new Girly Girl stamp from Inky Antics and got to work last night. I love champagne, and thought this stamp and sentiment were just fabulous! The first card was made using Beate's weekend sketch challenge. The base is chocolate chip, with layers of blush blossom and very vanilla, each ticket corner-punched. I lightly spritzed the blush and vanilla layers with my new bottle of iridescent gold Glimmer Mist (another EP purchase) but you can't really see it in the photo. This was my first time using Glimmer Mist and I think I will need some practice! I think my biggest pet peeve about it right now is that it curls the paper. But I love the overall effect, and it shows up even better on darker paper. Anyway, back to the card - I stamped the sentiment on the base layer, then added the vertical strip and the image, which was cut out using my Creative Memories circle cutting system. I colored a little bit of the image with my blush blossom marker, and added diamond stickles to the champagne and its bubbles. I finished the card with a bit of chocolate organdy ribbon.
The second card is actually the idea that first popped in my head when the stamps arrived. The image is stamped on shimmery vanilla cardstock from PaperZone. I paper-pieced the skirt using my retired SU Au Chocolat paper (love that stuff!) and again added diamond Stickles to the champagne. The card base is chocolate chip with a layer of vanilla and more Au Chocolat (the reverse of the pattern from the skirt). I used the same chocolate organdy ribbon to finish the card off.

The virtual party continues ...

There's still one more week to play the November VSN mini challenges! You can find all the details HERE! I haven't had any time to stamp this week, so today I'm sharing some more cards I made for this round of challenges. The first card was for deipara/Sara's Splitcoast Enabler challenge, which was to use products or supplies you purchased because you saw them on SCS.

Here's how this card was enabled:
Celery color: SCS is where I found out SU was changing up its colors.
Shimmery white paper: this is where I found out how to use this, and that it was so pretty! Prints dp: bought the 6 x 6 pad because I found out about the special here.
Ribbon: I had about 5 rolls of ribbon before SCS. Now I have 3+ boxes of it!Fabulous flowers Stamps: I liked the set in the catalog, then I saw what Jenn Balcer did with it! WOW!
Pearl brad: I used to be an eyelet girl, until I came here!
Plate stand: Everybody else was using them, so I needed one, too!
The card is 4.25 inches square, with a base of shimmery white. I stamped the image off once, then spritzed with water and stamped on the shimmery white cardstock. I'm loving that effect with this flower.

The second challenge card uses the faux linen technique; the challenge was hosted by Bonnie Biggs. To make the faux linen look, you use sandpaper or a sanding block on glossy paper, then sponge ink over the top. This card starts with a rust card base; the long narrow panel of faux linen uses really rust and pumpkin pie inks. That panel is layered on CM patterned paper and pumpkin pie. The scallop-punched linen pice is ruby red ink, with the leaves from Artfully Asian stamped in chocolate chip over the top. It's layered on circles cut with my CM circle cutter in ruby red, really rust and chocolate chip. I finished the card with some pumpkin grosgrain and the Michael's $1 sentiment stamped in chocolate chip.

Turkey day is near!

One of the mini-VSN challenges posted last weekend was to make a table setting, including menu, place card and napkin holder. Since Thanksgiving is coming, I made a Thanksgiving place setting. I used the leaf stamp from artfully Asian and colored the leaves with blender pens and ink from my pad lids. I punched the leaves out using the SU scallop punch and layered them on circles cut from my CM circle cutting system. For the napkin ring, I used my horizontal slot punch to punch holes for the ribbon, which is tied in a knot. The menu uses the line stamp from Just Journaling and a Marcella K acrylic alphabet from Target. I also made a 2-4-6-8 box which I filled with Hershey kisses. The ink colors are really rust, ruby red, pumpkin pie and chocolate chip. I used those papers along with shimmery vanilla paper from Paper Zone and patterned paper from Creative Memories. Ribbon is from Michaels.
I had some scraps and punched pieces left over so I turned them into a couple more Thanksgiving cards. The sentiment on the cards is from Hero Arts; all other supplies are the same as the set above. There's still plenty of time to play the VSN challenges - they'll be open until Nov. 24. For more information, visit THIS thread on SCS. The more the merrier!

Weekend sketch #27

I had a fun and busy weekend that included lots of stamping! I spent Saturday doing chores, visiting a local holiday bazaar (found a couple of goodies for the holidays and even won a cute snowman doorprize!) and then had the November mini-VSN last night. I hosted one of the challenges, but had plenty of time to do the other three, too. There's plenty of time to play if you'd like to join us!
On to the card - I actually made this Friday night for Beate's weekend sketch challenge; I hadn't stamped in more than a week so I felt like it was a bit of a warm-up card. The card base is soft sky, and I stamped it with a circle sentiment and flourishes from the CTMH set Free Spirit. The main image is fabulous flowers which I stamped in soft sky and rolled the edges in blue bayou. I stamped a couple of other flowers to layer and attached them together with a sparkly bread. I also added some diamond stickles. The image is layered on blue bayou and all the corners rounded. I added some wide grosgrain ribbon and popped the top layer on dimensionals.
I made the card to give to a friend from work who is leaving for a new job. I'm going to miss her. So when I sat down to write in the card (after photographing it), I decided I wanted to add the word "friend" from Noteworthy on the main image. I stamped it, but messed it up! So I ended up re-doing the main image of the flower. It actually turned out better the second time, but I didn't take a new picture.

Totally tubular challenge!

It's another Girls' Night Out in the Virtual Stamp Night forum on Splitcoast. I'm hosting one of the challenges for this mini-VSN, and it's called Totally Tubular Color! Here's the challenge as posted on SCS:
One of my favorite things about Girls' Night Out is getting all dolled up for a night on the town, trying new makeup, spending extra time on my hair and outfit – after all, our girlfriends are the ones who appreciate that kind of effort, not the guys in our lives!
For me, the key to "putting it all together" is lipstick. I could never go out without it, always carry it in my purse, even share it with my friends if they need some color!
For this challenge, use your favorite lipstick colors on your card – corals, pinks, reds, burgundies, bronzes, if it comes in a tube at the drugstore, you can use it on your card or project! You can use a neutral or two if you need to, but the card should scream color.
There is still plenty of time to play if you'd like to join us for the mini VSN. There are no time limits for making your mini VSN creations, but submissions must be uploaded by Saturday, November 24th, at 11:00 PM EST. Here's a LINK to the forum for more info.

Now for the card details! Since I'm a redhead, pink lipstick is out of the question. So the first card uses the warm tones of ruby red and really rust. Card base is ruby red, and the first layer is really rust cardstock under patterned paper from Creative Memories. The top layer is the image from Artfully Asian stamped in chocolate chip on shimmery vanilla cardstock from Paper Zone and layered on chocolate chip. I painted Ranger perfect pearls in blush and rust in the centers of the leaves to mimic the shine and sparkle of lipstick or lipgloss. All the corners are rounded with my new SU corner rounder. I finished the card with a Hero Arts sentiment and some ribbon from Michael's.

The second card is for the cool-tone girls out there. I inked the image from Fabulous Flowers in pomegranate ink and stamped it off once, then spritzed it with water and stamped on shimmery white cardstock. I added the sentiment, then layered on pretty in pink and basic black. Under the image is a layer of prints dp in rose red, layered on black and pomegranate. Card base is pink with more flowers from FF stamped on the bottom in pomegranate. I finished the card with more rounded corners and a piece of shimmery white organdy ribbon.

Catching up!

It's been a super busy, long week here, and I've had no time for crafting or blogging, it seems. But tomorrow is going to change all that, I hope! It's time for another mini-Virtual Stamp Night on Splitcoast. The mini VSNs were designed to tide us VSN junkies over until the real thing comes in January. Four challenges will be posted at 7 p.m. EST/4 p.m. PST and you will have two weeks to complete and upload your card. And unlike regular VSN, which has a 45-minute time limit per challenge, there are no time limits for these cards. I'm hosting one of tomorrow's challenges, and would love it if you could stop by and play. You can find all the details HERE.

On a sort of related note, my friend Ann of Ann's Creative Nook, said some nice things about me, then tagged me! Ann is a sweetheart - in more ways than one! We were VSN "sweethearts" or hostesses together a few VSNs back, and have managed to stay virtual friends ever since. She's a beautiful cardmaker, so stop and visit her blog if you get the chance. She also sent me a RAK-back the other day which I will have to photograph and post soon!

So just for you, Ann, here are seven random things about me:

1) I love Thai food. My favorite dish right now is Pad Kee Moa, which is spicy noodles with veggies and meat (I usually get chicken.)

2) I've always loved the water - walking in or near the ocean, swimming in the pool or soaking in a tub are some of my favorite ways to relax.

3) My astrological sign is Pisces, and while I don't take a lot of stock in that kind of stuff, I think my love of water is connected to my star sign.

4) I've lived in Southern California for seven years and I've never spotted a celebrity. My friend and I did drive to what we thought was Rob Lowe's house one time, but all you could see was the gate.

5) I always buy a new book before I fly anywhere, even if I'm in the middle of something at home.

6) I don't consider myself a reality TV junkie, but two of my favorite shows are reality shows: the Amazing Race, which started Sunday, and Project Runway, which starts Wednesday! Woohoo!

7) I heart George Clooney. I just saw his latest movie, Michael Clayton, and highly recommend it. He's in nearly every scene!

I don't think I'll tag anyone else this time, but if you've shared seven things about yourself on your blog already, I'd love it if you'd post a link here so I can check them out!

Another gift set

I made this set of thank you cards over the weekend; they'll be a Christmas gift. I love the simplicity of these cards and they were made using some of the recipient's favorite colors. I used cool caribbean, cameo coral, certainly celery and creamy caramel (which I just realized all start with Cs - weird!) ink and cardstock, along with whisper white. The ribbon is from May Arts. I used each of the four images in Nature's Wonder, a retired SU set that I love. The various thank yous are from several different sets, including Artfully Asian, Short and Sweet, Small Script and Noteworthy.
The colors were partially inspired by this box I found on clearance at Borders. These boxes are awesome because they are in great colors, nicely finished, and nearly the perfect size for cards (just a little long, but they still work!) The box came with a blank tag, which I stamped with some snowflake images and embossed, partly in pretty pearl EP (which hardly shows) and partly in white EP. I tied the box with an organdy ribbon so now I not only have a gift taken care of, but the wrapping, too! Woohoo!

Inspired

Today is the 100th inspiration challenge on SCS - so Karen challenged us to make a card for and inspired by someone who inspires us personally. I won't reveal who the card is for, but since they're an occasional blog reader, they'll probably figure it out quickly if they see this post! I used Jen del Muro's (I heart to stamp - link at left) weekly sketch challenge sketch for my layout, since she's a stamper who inspires me. The card base is brocade blue; I stamped a CTMH swirl along the bottom to look like waves. I also used whisper white and bashful blue paper and brocade blue and bashful blue ink. The main image is from SU's retired Nature's Wonder. I doubt I will ever part with this set, or the Stipple shells, which are used on the narrow vertical blue strip. I distressed the edges of the white paper with my Heidi Swapp edge distresser. I finished the sanddollar off with some diamond stickles.

Happy winter!

I'm trying to get a head start on the holidays, but now that the calendar has turned over to November, I'm losing hope that is actually going to happen! Tonight I'm working on a card set that will be a Christmas gift; I also have a bunch of other stuff waiting to be tackled. Right now I'm hoping if do a couple of projects each week, I'll be okay to be finished by Christmas! Anyway, one of the ways I'm getting a head start is by getting some holiday cards out of the way. I'm going to do about half of my cards with this year's official "Christmas" set, which I finally received in my last SU order. But before it came, I worked on some cards using Lace Snowflakes, a retired and very pretty set I borrowed from a friend. The card bases are brushed silver and the snowflakes are stamped on whisper white. The colors are burgundy and pretty in pink, hunter and sage shadow, and navy and bashful blue. Each card is tied with organdy ribbon and silver cord, and all have the same sentiment from Savvy stamps. I made two of each color and I have a couple of other color combos I'd like to try. The great thing is they are fast and simple to put together! I'd love to hear about your holiday projects, if you'd like to share!

Candle and card

I made this little candle - $1 from Michael's - for a friend who had a birthday recently. I made it to match the card, which I made, then modified slightly later, at a shoebox swap I attended earlier this year. The card uses perfect plum, pale plum and celery, and I believe the main set is Natural Beauty. I added the small script sentiment. I don't have the stamp set from the card, so I used delight in life, also in pale plum, perfect plum and celery, on tissue, then adhered it to the candle, before adding the cardstock and ribbon. I wrapped the candle in matching stamped tissue and a clear cello bag. It was a fun, simple and inexpensive gift that worked perfectly for the occasion!