News here! Fresh off the press!

I am so excited to share with you some of the new things I will be offering in 2010. I can feel it in my bones that it's going to be a fun year ahead! Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about any of the following. I'm going to try to keep things brief, but I encourage you to contact me (by leaving a comment to this post with how I can reach you, or contacting me through my Stampin' Up website)if you want more information about a specific opportunity.

Monthly Swaps:
If you want to increase the number of cards you have on hand, either to use or to inspire you, then join in on the monthly swaps. Each swap will have a theme which will be explained at the beginning of each month. To participate, you simply let me know you would like to take part. You create a specific amount of cards, all of the same design, and then you send them to me by the deadline for the month. In return you get cards from other stampers that you can use. If you make 10 cards for the swap, you would send to me 10 of the same cards that you made and get 10 different cards in return! It's a wonderful way to stay connected with your hobby, to challenge your creativity, and share your creations. The swap for January is "It's an Occasion." Please contact me if you're interested and I will send you the specific information for this swap. I will also post the swaps on my blog for all to admire!

Stampers Ten Club: (For the hobbyist who's on a budget but wants to keep active and earn free things!)
This is an opportunity to increase you supplies on a low budget, get/make a card (it'll be your choice) and receive hostess benefits. This is a club for those who can't make it to a monthly club, but would like to receive a level 1 hostess stamp and $15 in free merchandise. To join the club, you commit to purchasing $15 a month in merchandise for 10 months in 2010. One of those months you will be the "hostess" which means you receive the free stuff! No need to leave the comfort of your home. You can participate in the club at 3:00 a.m. while in your PJ's!

The Fab Five: (For the more serious stamper)
This is a traditional club which will meet in March, May, July, September, and November only. The commitment for this club is $100 each meeting. You will make 5 projects each time as well as enjoy a meal. When it is your turn to hostess, you receive multiple free hostess stamp sets plus $65 in free merchandise of your choice. This club is limited to five members.

Quarterly Potpourri:
Come and spend some time at my home making projects of your choice. I will have samples to copy and pre-cut card kits available. The $5 cost reserves your spot and lets you use my stamps, punches and My Digital Studio. In addition, you pay for the consumables you use during the time. You will be able to purchase by the piece papers, ribbon, embellishments, etc. Only 16 spots available for each Potpourri. This is a time to make more of something that you made at an event or workshop or maybe just a sample that you see that day. You can also bring your own project to work on and just enjoy the uninterrupted creative time. The $5 cost is waived for any order placed of $50 in merchandise.

I will also be taking part in or hostessing other larger events throughout the year. I will let you know about these events, such as stamp camps and stamp-a-stacks as they are planned.

It's all going to be great! And I can't wait to start!! Sale-a-bration begins January 5th. It's like getting Christmas presents again! If you need anything, have a question, or just want to have something clarified, please contact me!

Thanks for reading the whole post. You're super.

Kristine

Color Inspiration Challange #103

This is one of my first challenges. And it was tough for me. These are not the colors that I gravitate to. But it ended up being so much fun! I was working out of my stamping comfort zone, using the In Colors and doing it all just for the heck of it!! You all need to check out Stamping 411 blog. They have an online sketch book and now the color inspirations. So here's the card I designed for the challenge. Whatcha think?

I took the picture so you can see the inside of the card as well.

Well, that was my fun for Christmas Day. I love just puttering and playing on Christmas day. Everyone is enjoying new toys or gadgets and I enjoyed playing with my stamps and listening to carols. I hope your day was just as enjoyable.

Stamping supplies:
Stamps: Chit chat rub ons
Paper: Melon Mambo, Rich razzleberry, Pumpkin pie, Whisper white, Cottage Wall DSP
Inks: White gel pen
Accessories: Rich Razzleberry ribbon, 5/16" Neutral brads, Modern label punch, word window punch, 1/2" circle punch, Large and small star punches.
Thanks for stopping in today!
Kristine

Merry

Merry Christmas! All the presents are wrapped, and the festivities planned and now I just get to enjoy! Ahhhh.

I'm still learning about blogging. I continue to forget to take pictures of what I create. That is something I need to remember! But I remembered a couple of times, so here is a little of what I have created in the past few days.

My friend asked me to make some thank you notes for a Secret Santa exchange she was participating in at work. Her person likes angels, green and spring, and "could I come up with something incorporating those things?" I do not have an angel stamp (that's odd huh?) and so I created my angel out of punches. Her skirt is the scallop circle punch, her arms are from the 5 point petal punch and her wings are the butterfly punch. Her head and hair is just circle punches. I embossed the vellum before punching out the shapes, so it looks like her skirt and wings are swirling! I think she is adorable! I forgot to take pictures of the cards up close before I had all tucked away in the box I made. There are 8 cards in the box...all different layouts of the same colors with the angel as the focus. Dang I need to remember to take photos!

Next is a card I made for my trainer. She works me hard, but I love her dearly. I made her cards out of tempting turquoise since that is a favorite color of hers. I used half-back pearls and stickles to add a little bling and sparkle. A girl's gotta have a little sparkle and bling!

I made five of the same design for her and then wrapped it all up in box to match.


I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with love filling your hearts, good food filling your bellies, and laughter filling your days.
Thanks for stopping in today.
Kristine

A big Christmas wish in a little tiny box

The count down to Christmas has officially started at our house. The kids had their last day of school yesterday and the excitement is high! I remember those days. Now it seems that it was Christmas just a blink of an eye ago. Someone once told me that it makes sense that the time is faster. When you are 5, one year is 1/5th your life time. When you are 50, one year is 1/50th of your life, a much smaller chunk of time. So, from that perspective, each year is faster. It's kinda like watching a movie with time travel. It makes sense until you stop and try to analyze it. But, onto the project.

I saw this project at first on Gretchen Barron's blog. She is so kind and always provides directions. Then, I saw a very old-fashion version of the tree in a box on Carla's blog. I loved it! I HAD to replicate it. No, it wasn't that I wanted to...I HAD to. (This is why I refer to my "hobby" as an addiction! The rest of you out there waiting for that box to arrive from Stampin' Up and who know the sound of the UPS truck, and who know the name of your driver...you too, my friend, have an addiction. Ain't it great!!!) Here's my box.



The bow was made out of the same paper as inside the box. Go to Splitcoast stampers and look for Paper Bow tutorial and you can make them too. They are easy-peasy. When you pull the lid off the box....wa-laaaa!



I know! Beautiful! Carla did a great job. I just copied hers with a little variation. I made four boxes all together. I made one and had to make more. Yes, HAD to! Each one was different inside. Here's a picture of the other three.



All four boxes were made out of ONE Simply Scrappin' kit. Yes, I did say all FOUR! Those kits are the best deal out there. This kit is called Christmas Jingle and is $19.95. That's $5 a box. Super deal! I still have stickers left from the kit plus some paper. Enough to make a scrapbook layout.

I must thank my friends...Nancy Wong who loaned me the Christmas Tree Die, and Mary Cargill, who is a fellow nut...uhh,... I mean demonstrator, for loaning me the clear cutting pads. I have to pace myself in ordering, or I'll be broke. So thanks for making this happen for me gals!

Thanks for stopping by!
Kristine

Holiday Bustle

It has been a fast week. I have been creating and cutting and making my fingers sticky and inky. And it was all glorious! All gazillion and one of my Christmas cards has been sent out! Whew! I made a few designs since after a little while, I didn't want to make one more of the same card!
Card #1 used the very elegant Scenic Season stamp set. This was one of the first sets I bought when the catalog came out. It appeals to the traditionalist in me. The picture doesn't show it well, but I misted the paper with the frost white shimmer paint, so when the card is tilted, it looks like it's snowing!


Card #2 looks like a quilt in person to me--and it happens to use my favorite color combo--red and white (must be the Danish background!) I REALLY do try to use colors other than red, but it seems to sneak in there on me frequently. The main white panel is embossed using the Holiday mini embossing folder Petals a plenty.




Card #3 was probably the most time consuming of the three. Using the large and small tag punches, you punch out and adhere the paper to vellum to create the star. I LOVED the look, but was cross-eyed and sticky after making the stars. It was like looking at the 3D books where you're suppose to see something in the picture. After awhile, I couldn't see the star in the pattern! There is a great tutorial on how to make these punch tag stars on Splitcoast stampers. In the tutorial they show how to make a double star. I decided to stick with the single layer because I felt like the card already had enough goin' on. I used my much missed Red Riding Hood on this card. I so miss that color! {sniffle}. It's still an "IN Color" in MY heart!




I have also been working on some 3D projects which I'll share in a separate post.

Thanks for stopping by today.
Kristine

Tile work

Today school was canceled and I had a wonderful time playing with my papers and my latest SU delivery. Poor Mr Brown out driving and delivering in this snow. I was glad that he stopped at my house! I got my new pre-order for the Occasions Mini and some decor elements. I saw a tile done up on the Stampin' Addicts website and since I have leftover tile from my kitchen, I decided to make a tile of my own for Christmas! This was such an easy peasy project! But it's really pretty. The tile is a 20x20, and the decor element takes up the whole thing. I think it has a definite WOW factor to it.

Isn't it pretty? This is the black color of the decor element "Season of thanks." I wrapped some of the 1 1/2" stripped chocolate chip ribbon around the tile and then made two ornaments and a snowflake using my punches and dolled them up with items from my Pretties Kit. Here's a closeup of the ornaments and snowflake.



I'm hoping for another canceled school day tomorrow. The older I get, the less I like getting out and driving in snowy conditions.
Thanks for stopping by today.
Kristine

A splash in the Bermuda Bay

The days are just speeding by! I feel like I'm not going to get everything done that I want to get done before Christmas arrives. I do this to myself every year. Someone remind me to breathe! (That makes me think of the movie "The Mask" with Jim Carey and the cartoonish character's line "Somebody stop me!") I feel a little cartoonish. I need the speed of the Road Runner this time of year. "Beep, beep!"

But you all didn't come to my blog to read my ramblings. So...onto the card.

This card is my attempt to add a splash of color, other than holiday colors, into my cards. I have to admit that I am not the biggest fan of the current In Colors. Lord I'd love it if they brought back Pacific Point, Baja Breeze and Red Riding Hood. I LOVEEEEED those colors. {sigh}. So I picked Bermuda Bay and did a very simple card since I was already out of my comfort zone. (This is a CASE of a card I received as a swap from convention by MICHELLE BROWN. Thanks Michelle!)Put too many new things on my plate and I'm libel to run around like chicken little. So here's the card....



What ya' think? I have inked up this Medallion stamp set a couple times, but I always seem to forget it's in my stash. Yeah man, my stash!

Well, thanks for stopping by. I'm glad to have shared some time with you.
Kristine

Pumpkin patch and some overdue scrapbooking

It's been a wonderful day. I did most of my chores yesterday, so today I had some time to stamp! I spent time making Christmas cards. I'm not gonna show you those, though! I want the recipients to see those first. But, I do have two things to share today. Olivia and I made desserts for Thanksgiving. We made two pumpkin pies, one cherry (with cherries from our tree!), one apple (with apples from our tree!) and some pumpkin cheesecake squares. We felt the need to doll up the cheesecake squares, so we made pumpkins using the wide oval punch, some chocolate ink sponged for dimension, a wee little stem and a leaf (a Martha Stewart punch). It kinda looks like a pumpkin patch! Olivia was tickled with the results. I have to admit that I was smiling too!


As I was making Christmas cards, I came across a Simply Scrappin' kit that still had some stuff. So I made a double page spread for last year's pictures. (Sad isn't it that I'm still working on last year's pictures!) This is what I call very simple. That's the best thing about the kits...the pages almost put themselves together!





Here are the pages individually.





I still need to work on my photography. I had to use the stove light to get it so you can even see these! lol. But, I'm learning. I marvel at some peoples' blogs. OMG, they must spend hours!

Tonight is movie night at our home. Tuck Everlasting is showing. Do you suppose I'll cry? Yup, probably.

Take care, and thanks for stopping by today.
Kristine

A time for friendship and gratitude

Happy thanksgiving All!

I have two things to share today. Many of you have met my wonderful, furry companion, Simon. He is my Standard Poodle who shares my days, my walks and (if he had it his way) my food! He is my constant reminder to live in the present moment. Dogs have a way of exuding joy. He's always ready to play, but just as ready to take a nap in the sun. Today he reminds me that we don't need much to be happy, and I have so much for which to be grateful. Simon loves his friends! In the picture is Simon with his favorite friend, Ada, the boxer. Simon and Ada have weekly play dates. Aren't their faces just the best reminder that friendship is THE BEST!

I also have a beautiful card made by my very talented friend, Lynnette Parker. Her cards always inspire me. This card was made with a stamp called Wandering Words from the SU Holiday Mini catalog. Dangnabit, because of her talents, I do believe I must purchase that stamp set as well!

My mojo happened to be working last night and I came up with this card. I love it! Rarely can I sit down and come up with a card that I love on the first try. I should have stayed up all night to see what else I could come up with! lol I was inspired by two things, the designer paper and a technique I saw on Jan Tinklengerg's blog with a glitter window. The heart on the inside smells like peppermint! (This makes me smile!) If your a member of the Magnificent Ten Club, this is one of the cards you'll be making at the next club!

Let me know if you have any questions.
Kristine

Side step glittery Christmas card

Although it took me some time to get the measurements right for this card, I like the end result! I added some dazzling diamonds to the "hills" to add that touch of bling I like so much. The tree image in the back is on a removable tag so a short Christmas message can be written. I think I might make make this my seasonal go to project. Can't you just see eggs on the steps and a cute bunny?

A Christmas Easel card

I love the way this card sets itself up! It is so simple to do, but is unique. This is the card that I demonstrated at the Holiday Stamp-a-stack last weekend. Good times.


Stamps: Patterened Pines and Four the Holidays
Paper: Real red, old olive and whisper white
Ribbon: Sleigh ride (from the holiday mini)