3x3 cards

There is a cute stamp set in the sale-a-bration catalog named Punch Bunch. It has 5 stamps and each coordinates with one of SU's punches. These little 3x3 gift cards were made using some of the stamps in the set. I am loving the color combination of Marina Mist and Chocolate Chip. By the way, sale-a-bration runs from January 25th-March 31st and this is one of the many stamp sets you can get for free when you spend $50. Have a great day and find yourself a little stampin' time!

Valentine Class

Time to make Valentines for the special people in your life and I am having a class to do just that! Mark your calendars for January 8th from 1-3 PM. We will make a few cards and a little something--just not sure what at this time. The fee is $12 which covers the cost of supplies. For sure we will be making the cards posted here and a trifold card similar to the one posted in an earlier post. Give me a call to reserve a spot and so that I have ample product ready. Remember, too, that your friends are also welcome. Again, I will just need to know ahead of time for project supplies. Have a nice rest of the day!

Putting Away Christmas Stamps, Paper, etc.

Here is hoping that you all had a wonderful Christmas. Our Christmas Eve was absolutely wonderful. Sydney received a microphone, so our shy little granddaughter sang her heart out along with me, her mom and her Uncle Matt. (None of us really sing, but we try to anyway--LOL!) Her grandpa and Daddy were setting up Grandpa's new computer. We all had a lot of fun. We spent Christmas Day with our dear friends playing games, eating and laughing. For the past week or so, each time I go into my scraproom, the first thing I see are my two tables covered with wrapping supplies. My scrap room was the designated Christmas wrapping area. So when I went down this morning I was on a mission: clear off the two tables and put everything away for next year. And I was able to accomplish that. As soon as I was done, I went to my island to start thank you cards, but I was momentarily distracted. When I preordered from the occasions mini, I bought the stamp set that contains stamp images of game spinners. This is a very cute set and you can even purchase the spinners/brads/washers so the recipient can spin and play with his/her card. So I quickly made this card and then continued with my thank you cards. Today was a very productive day--and I even found myself a little stampin' time!

Merry Christmas! May the peace and joy of this wonderful time of year be yours today and always.

We had a great time with Sydney. She has grown so quickly. Grandpa took her home this morning and it was time for me to finish up all the Christmas wrapping, preparing, etc. I came down to my scrap room and I got sucked in again! So instead of progress with Christmas activities, I made another valentine. I used Stampin' Up and Quikkutz dies, SU's embosslit heart, SU punches and even a SU rub-on. And now I really am going to wrap gifts. Have a nice evening!

Snow Fun--You have to see to believe!

So we have our darling granddaughter for a couple of days. Since she is on Christmas break, she is here to bake and decorate cookies and to give her Mommy some peace and quiet. We got about 4 inches of snow last night, so today Sydney and Grandpa went outside to play in it. She is all bundled up and they were building a fort--I'll go take my shower while they are out having so much fun. Just as I am finishing up my hair, our Cody (a chocolate lab) is going crazy in the house. I run to the kitchen to look out the patio door and here comes John & Sydney carrying a--YOU WON'T BELIEVE THIS-- A DEAD GOOSE! Yes, a dead goose. Actually a freshly shot dead goose. We live in an area where houses have lots of at least 1 1/2 acres. In between there are cornfields and one is in our backyard. Locals sometimes hunt these fields. And this morning, the field was being hunted. But the hunter couldn't find his catch, so John took Sydney on a goose chase. They were able to locate this goose and bring it home. She is now in the house with me--her hands washed and rewashed while her grandpa is going to find the hunter to give him his goose! On that note, I am going to have her wash her hands one more time before we start the baking--LOL! Only my John could entertain his granddaughter in this way! There is now probably going to be a pink shotgun under the tree for her this Christmas! Have a wonderful day!

OWH Valentine

I am working on Valentines for Operation Write Home and I want the cards to be pretty yet simple enough that I can make quite a few to send to OWH. This particular card is 5 1/4" x 4" and then matted on a 5 1/2" x 4 1/4" base of real red cardstock. The stamped heart and greeting is from the Filled With Love stamp set and adhered to a heart from the embosslit heart die. I accented the little solid heart within the heart using Crystal Effects. I used the full Heart Extra Large Punch for the stamped heart and the little hearts are from the Heart to Heart Extra Large Punch. I am liking this stamp set. Actually, I am liking the Filled with Love bundle SU is offering. I will be posting other Valentines I am making for OWH, so check back when you have a chance. Have a great evening.

Filled With Love

Even though most of us are in the midst of Christmas preparations, Stampin' Up has a great promotion for your Valentine projects. SU is offering the Filled With Love Wood Bundle Item No.124380 for a price of $32.90. The Filled with Love Wood-Mount Bundle includes the Filled with Love Wood-Mount Set and exclusive Love Patterns Designer Series Paper Pack. Plus, you'll get a FREE package of Bitty Buttons--a $4.95 value--when you order this bundle! Bitty Buttons will be added to your order at checkout. I already purchased this item and I really and truly think it is a good bundle to invest in. If you want to learn more about this promotion, click on the picture. If you want to order it, head over to my Stampin' Up website. Have a nice day.

One More Favor. . .

...which will also be my place cards for Christmas Day dinner. Some pretty double-sided paper, ribbon and a Ghiradelli chocolate will make a festive additon to your dinner table. This favor with a baby diaper pin would be perfect for a baby shower! I have been so busy lately. I finished my Christmas cards and most of my Christmas shopping. I will wrap presents over the weekend and on Monday my little cookie decorator will come over for a couple of days. I like when Sydney has days off from school as that gives me and John the opportunity to spend extended time with her. And, her mother loves it as Jen gets a little extended "me" time--LOL! Have a great day and keep warm.

Another Product Sneak Peek

When I saw the First Edition specialty designer series paper in the new Occasions Mini, I wanted it. I think it was the color combination of Black and Very Vanilla that first caught my eye. So now I have it and I am not so sure about what I want to do with it. I did come up with this card. I distressed the First Edition paper with some tearing and Crumb Cake ink, but after that I am lost. I will be waiting to see card/scrapbook page samples other people create so that I can make good use of this very nice paper. Have a great day and find yourself a little stampin' time.

Definitely Winter

Snowy, cold and windy~~definitely wintertime in Chicago! And in keeping with the snow theme, I made this card. I stamped with versamark on glossy white cardstock and then sponged with Not Quite Navy, Concord Crush and Bashful Blue inks. The Shimmery white snowflake is one of the many that are on the Sizzix Northern Frost Decorative Strip. And now that I am looking at the card, I think the center of the snowflake needs a little gem or some dazzling diamonds glitter. Have a nice evening and keep warm!

First Letter Press Cards

Here are two quick cards I made using the Lots of Love letterpress plate. A lettepress plate is similar to the SU texture plates for the Big Shot, but it debosses rather than embosses. You apply ink to the plate prior to layering the cardstock on it, use the proper sandwich and run it thru your Big Shot. This particular letterpress plate is available in the current Holiday mini and will also be available in the new mini which will be effective beginning January4th. On the first card shown, I used Pink Pirouette Ink on the plate and then debossed on white cardstock. On the second card, I used versamark ink on the letterpress plate and debossed on Melon Mambo cardstock. I need to make a few more items using a Letterpress plate before I decide that the Letterpress plates are something I definitely need more of, but so far I am rather liking it. Keep warm and find yourself a little stampin' time.

Happy Birthday, Mom

Today's card was made for a very special person in my life--my mom. She is 80 years old--which is unbelievable. I used retired paper which I stocked up on when it was first introduced as I couldn't get enough of this particular Baja Breeze pattern paper. And I used the cute little scalloped envelope die which I sometimes forget I have. So, Happy Birthday, Mom--and have a wonderful day.

New Cupcake Punch

Today's card was made using the new Create-a-cupcake stamp set and Build-a-cupcake punch which will be available in the Occasions Mini beginning January 4th. Each piece of the cupcake is punched separately. Very cute, the cupcake can be topped with a candle, a cherry or a heart and then add some sprinkles. There are a couple of sayings, along with a cute little "Happy Birthday". I will definitely be creating many cards using this set and punch so look for more creations in the future. By the way, if you are on my mailing list, you will be getting a copy of the Occasions Mini mailed directly to you. Have a great Sunday!

A Snowy Morning!

Here is the perfect card to show you on this snowy morning. Earlier this week I challenged myself to make a holiday card using Concord Crush. I use Elegant Eggplant very often, forgetting that Concord Crush is a beautiful deep purple/blue. The tree images are from the Lovely As A Tree set (pg. 114). The single tree was stamped with White Craft Ink and then covered with Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter. The background trees were stamped on Shimmery White cardstock using Concord Crush ink. The sentiment on the front of the card is from Sincere Salutations (pg. 155), while the sentiment inside the card is from a retired set. Coming soon: sneak peeks at some cards I am making using products that are in the new mini which begins January 4th. Have a wonderful day!

A Holiday Card

After my last post, I went downstairs to clean up my scrap room. Guess what? I got nowhere cleaning, but I did make this card. You see, the card that I posted on my Stampin' Up website was Marina Mist and the background I had chosen for this month was green and red. For the last couple of days I have wanted to put up a new card that would coordinate better. I used the Gifts of Christmas set (on pg. 43 of the Idea Book), a texture plate and my Big Shot, and a couple of the half pearls from the Pretties Kit. This is one of those rather easy cards which only looks like a lot of work. Not having a sentiment makes it a card that can be used as a general holiday card for friends, neighbors and business associates who do not celebrate Christmas. And now the card on my DWBS coordinates with the background colors and I am going to call it a night.

Oh Christmas Tree!

Today we put up and decorated our Christmas tree! Every year after the tree is up, I say the same thing, "Our living room looks so pretty when the tree is up!" And it really does. It is kind of like when you make a card and you look at it knowing it needs just a little something more. That's what the tree is--the one more needed embellishment in our living room. Now I definitely sound like a paper crafter--describing our Christmas tree as an embellishment--hahahahah! Tomorrow I will work on the mantle and the railing. And in the meantime, I am going to find myself a little stampin' time. Have a peaceful evening.