A time for some gratitude

Whew.  I have felt like a hamster on a wheel as of late.  I am grateful that the wheel is slowing and I'm preparing to climb off the wheel and work toward more "normal"... if there is such a thing in Life.  One of the things that I am grateful for are the customers who have decided to stick with me as their point of contact for Stampin' Up merchandise.  I made this card for those that ordered from me this month. It's a simple card.

 

This is my version of a vase full of mums.  Ever since being back east during the fall color change many moons ago, I have adored mums.  If you're wondering, the vase is punched out using the owl builder punch!  Clever eh? 

 

Thanks for continuing to stop in and visit.  I am grateful for your support!

 

Kristine



 

 

Recipe:

Stamps: Apothecary Art

Inks:  Soft Sky (retired), Bravo Burgundy

Paper: Watercolor paper, Bravo Burgundy, Apricot Appeal (retired), Really Rust (retired), Creamy Caramel (retired)

Punches: Owl Builder Punch, Triple flower punch (retired)

Fun tools and embellies: Aqua painter, basic rhinestones (colored with a orange and yellow Sharpies)

Everyday Enchantment

Good morning Stampers!  I really have a back log of projects to show you.  My bad. 

Today are two very simple cards which use my favorite DSP, Everyday Enchantment.  The card on the left uses my favorite pattern from the stack.  I really like the delicate look of the pattern.  I made two different versions of the card.  A change of paper and the whole feel of the card changes!  I think the blue/green gives a soft feel and the orange and blue says, "Hey y'all, let's have fun!"  Okay, maybe not the southern accent, but it is definitely more BaZing! Pop!  The orange and blue card is a close CASE of a card done by Dawn Olchefske.  The blue/green version is my personality speaking.  The Perfectly Penned sentiment finishes the card nicely.   

If you have questions of anything used, shoot me an email!

There are only 5 days left of Sale-a-Bration 2012!  If you want some of the delish DSP, place a $50 order with me, and it's yours FREE! Just click the link on the right sidebar to order.

Thanks for stopping in.
Kristine

Some rosettes to celebrate

The last couple of weeks have flown by in a haze--both literal and figurative.  I spent some time in Portland with my BFF mid month and had a wonderful time getting reacquainted with her almost 2 year old son.  My kids are 11 and 13.  I have forgotten how much energy is needed to keep up with a 2 year old! 

Then the day after I came home, a wildfire happens and we end up having to evacuate our home!  I know, wildfire in January?  Yup.  Anything is possible in Northern Nevada.  We did not have much time to get out, so all of my stamping things were left behind. Only what could fit in the back of my mini van and my husband's civic was taken.  Honestly, when I looked around to decide what to take, there was not a lot that I "needed."  We have a comfortable home, but I have never been a "big ticket item" kinda gal.  It was such an eerie, surreal feeling driving away from our home.  The smoke was so thick that I could not see the road well, but the orange glow of the fire was there.  A frightening experience.  Driving away knowing that there is a good likelihood that when you come back the home will be gone...well, that is hard.  My children were understandably upset, but the whole experience has been a good lesson in gratitude. Sometimes it is good to be reminded of the blessings. We have been blessed again, and for us, all has ended well and we are home.  The fire was very close, but no damage.  Some friends were not so lucky and lost everything.  It just breaks my heart.

So when the clamor of getting back in the house was over, and some tears of gratitude and exhaustion were shed, I had to sit with my stuff and create.  I bought the new Rosettes Die from the Occasions Mini catalog and decided to make myself a paper flower bouquet.  It is a celebration of life.

The die creates almost any size rosette you want.  I made all of the pictured rosettes using the one die.  The largest rosette you can make is 12" across.  It's huge!  I made another project with that rosette that I will share later. You could also cut off the edging of the rosette before you fold it and edge punch the paper with another design if you desired.

I used my paper shredder and shredded paper for the "grass."  You can see in the above picture one of the smaller rosettes.

Can you see the butterflies?  I punched out some butterflies with the Butterfly punch in Silver Glimmer Paper and then used Window Sheet strips to make them "float" above and around the bouquet.  It turned out just right.  It is happy and playful.  Olivia, my DD, did all of the folding of the rosettes as well as gave me embellishment ideas. 

Thanks for visiting my blog.  If you are of the mind, please include in your prayers the families in Northern Nevada who lost their homes in the fire.  Unfortuately, there are more than a few of them.

Stay safe.

Kristine

Quilted Christmas Cards

I have been on a kick as of late using the same layout and creating multiple cards with varying materials.  For these cards, I went to my stash of Christmas Designer Paper.  I think each card has a different feel based on the DSP used as well as the ribbon.  I used the technique of embossing over the DSP to give the look and feel of a quilt.  I really like this technique!  I used the new Snowburst Embossing Folder on each of the cards.  You can really see it in the first and third samples.  I think the colors and design overwhelm it a bit on the middle sample.  I also used the White Gel Pen to create faux stitching on the card.  The Snow flake punch, a Rhinestone brad, and Basic Pearls embellish each card.  When I showed the finished cards to my family, my daughter Olivia and I both liked the first one best.  My son, Thomas, like the second one best, and my husband, Mitch liked the third best.  These cards will be sent as my contribution for the Open Swappers swap this month.  Each swapper will receive a different card!  I hope they like the one they get!

Christmas is coming

Last year I managed to have three different Christmas Card Stamp-a-stacks.  This year...well, I managed to have a class where I offered three cards.  Something is better than nothing!  I am considering moving into my van with all of my crafting supplies.  I spend  A LOT of time in the transport of my children.  Maybe I'd get more done if I just set the back up with supplies? Hmmm.

Anyway, the three cards below were the cards we made two weekends ago.  (Golly, I am far behind in posting!)  I had a lovely group of ladies join me for the day.

This card used the Stiched Stocking stamp set as well as lots of bling.  I was going for the idea of a mantel with the stockings hanging and some silver garland (I used Crystal Effects and Silver Glass to make the faux garland) across the top.  The DSP is from the Frostwood Lodge collection.  L-o-v-e that paper!  Add some Jingle Bells with some of the Cherry Baker's Twine and it is darling, even if I do say so myself.

This card is not my design.  I love the work of so many other paper crafters, and sometimes I want to make something I see.  So I make it and I love it even more, and it becomes a project in a class!  This traditional, country card is the brain child of Lee Conrey.  Beautiful, yes?  YES!  The DSP at the bottom of the card is once again my beloved Frostwood Lodge DSP.  Notice the stripe embossing behind the pinecone panel.  (Kinda hard to see in the picture, dang it!) How easy is that step up on the card to add the Stripped Embossing Folder! It just adds the right, finishing touch.  The ribbon is the Espresson Quilted Satin Ribbon from the Holiday Mini.  Yummy stuff!  You know when you put espresso, quilted and satin together the result is gonna be good. :-) Makes me think of a comfy bed with a cup of yummy coffee reading a wonderful book.  

The final card for the class is also a copied card.  My upline, Jill Olsen, made a card using the Silver Glimmer Paper but instead of leaving it silver, she used reinkers to make it pink!  I think that is just too cool for school!  I like using the blues and white in Christmas cards, so I used Tempting Turquois reinkers and painted the silver glimmer paper with the ink and an Aqua Painter.  When it dries, it is a very close match to Baja Breeze Cardstock, which is what is used as the main card.  This is just such a happy card! Think of all the colors you can use to make Silver Glimmer Paper into something!  How about pink hearts for Valentines, or a shimmery green shamrock for St Patrick's Day.  The hint with this technique is using the darker colors--think Concord Crush rather than Wisteria Wonder.  The inks do dry much lighter.

I have other items to post, but I have run outta time! I'm thinking I need to call my mom and thank her for all the transporting she did for me as a child. 

Kristine

Hello Again

Sorry to be MIA for a little time.  My husband had the last three weeks off, and we have been enjoying time together as a family.  Blogging didn't make it into the timeline!

This is a card whose color palette is different for me.  I started with the DSP paper Berry Blossom and then went to my Color Coach to coordinate some card stock.  The colors used are Calypso Coral, Baja Breeze and Daffodil Delight along with the basic Whisper White.  I think it's a happy card!  A customer of mine, Kimberley, gave me a subscription to Better Homes and Gardens Magazine this past Christmas. After making this card, I realized that the color combo is used in the magazine as a room makeover! How cool is that! This will be my order thank you card for August.  I thought it would be a quicker card, but it took me and my daughter, Olivia, some time to run all the pieces through the Big Shot and to punch the Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border punch for each.  There is a learning curve on that punch--at least for me. :-)  The original design came from a convention card swap made by Arlene.  (Her last name has been smudged, and I cannot read it!  No blog address to refer you to. Sorry.)

One of the reasons I decided to CASE this card is the use of the Ornament Punch used as the vase.  I have seen this idea before, but I have not used it.  If you look closely at the flower, you will see that it has been run through the Polka Dot Embossing Folder.  First I adhered the flower pieces together and then ran them through together.  The littlest part of the flower, punched out in the Baja Breeze, is the flower punch found in the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack.   The card also uses one of the new triple punches Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer Punch. Finally, the sentiment is from the set Curly Cute. I masked the thank you to make it run vertical rather than horizontal.

Next up is a card we did at the class I held on August 13th to show how to convert wood mount sets to the clear mount style.  Man, did we get sticky!  This is a card that came from Convention, too. Stampin' Up in their +One program gave each convention attendee not only the Make and Takes that we could complete during a workshop time there, but also gave us a gift bag filled with materials to do a workshop at home, including a hostess gift, a demonstration card, and 10 make and takes. We did the make and takes at the class. I think they're pretty cute! Very simple, but I like that.

What I like about the whole thing is the use of the open envelope with the circle cut out of it.  I also like the ribbon tied around the envelope and not the card.  Makes it feel like a present!  One of the new items SU will have available in the new Holiday Mini Catalog is dazzling diamonds in a little bottle.  I love adding shimmer and bling to cards, but it can get messy.  This new product works like stickles and putting it on a card ain't nothin' but a thing!  Can you see that the frosting is glittery as well as the pompoms on the platter?  The coloring of the image was done with a blender pen and classic inks.  One thing I have to mention is that this stamp set is really a great one.  It is called Easy Events and it was one of the FREE sets given to convention attendees.  (Aside: One thing I really like about SU is that there are always opportunities to get free things as a demonstrator.  Since I joined SU I have received more than 100 sets free. That's a conservative guess.  It could be more than that.  Isn't that cool?!)  If you want to buy one stamp set that will cover many occasions, put your money in Easy Events.  It's worth your money.

Alrighty all.  I should be back to my weekly postings now.  Thanks for sharing some of your time with me.

Kristine

Top Fold with an inside slider

Today's card is another card with a different fold for the opening.  It is a card I made for my Swap Group. 

(Side note: If you like making cards, and want to be a part of my Swap Group, please contact me.  We use SU only materials, but the materials do NOT have to be current.  It's a wonderful way to get usable cards for giving, and at the same time enjoy your hobby and share some of your own creativity and skill!)

Here is the front of the card...

Stamps: Perfect punches, Live like you mean it

Card stock: Close to Cocoa, Whisper white  DSP: ? I can't remember it's name!

Inks: Chocolate chip, blushing bride, Certainly Celery, Bashful blue

Ribbon: Blushing bride 1/2" poly twill

Punches: Decorative label, Wide oval, Curly label

Isn't it pretty!  A couple things I want to point out.  See that delicate edge on the blue stripe border?  I made that using the Curly Label Punch!  I LOVE it when a tool or stamp set can be used for more than its intended purpose!  More bang for the buck!

It's easy to make this border.  Draw a pencil line where you want the edge of the border to be.  Then line up the punch on the pencil line and punch!  I slipped my paper into the punch only about 1/4" .  Below is a sample of how I did the punching, but I'm using the Decorative Label Punch in this sample.  . 

As you can see, I used the points on the punch to line up against the pencil line.  I also used the Decorative Label Punch to mat my sentiment, which I think makes a nice continuity on the card front.  To open the card, the decorative lip lifts and... 

a little note, which is adhered under the ribbon, slides up!  The DSP makes the pocket for the slider note-card.  Cute huh?!  I copied this fold from a card that came from convention.  I thought it too clever!

 Thanks for sharing a few moments of your day Inking out loud with me. :-)

Kristine

Sweet Summer and a Tidy Tip

I recently helped to host a multi-demonstrator Sale-a-Bration event.  It was a lot of fun!  One of the cards that I had for the ladies to do used the Sweet Summer Sale-a-Bration set.  It is an outline set, which means it works well for coloring!  I used to love to color as a child.  I still do.  For awhile when my daughter was younger and all I ever colored were princesses from Disney, the love of coloring disappeared.  I enjoyed watching my daughter color, but could not muster the excitment to color one more ball gown.  But now that I'm back to coloring with wonderful Stampin' Up markers on my cards, the love has returned. Here's the card.

Stamps: Sweet Summer, Teeny Tiny Wishes

Embossing folder: Tulips

Card stock: Whisper white, Blushing Bride

Inks: Blushing Bride marker, Pear Pizazz  marker, Daffodil Delight marker, Stazon Jet Black

Ribbon: Blushing Bride Poly twill

Punches: Scallop Oval, Medium Oval

It's a super simple card, which is why I think it ended up being such a hit!  It is also the kind of card that will work for many occasions, I used one of the stamps from the set Teeny Tiny Wishes for the sentiment.  That brings me to today's Tidy Tip.  I have to admit that I am one of those people who likes everything neat and tidy.  I cannot create in chaos.  I must have all chores off my mind before I can settle into the right side of my brain.  So, something that was driving me ab-so-lute-ly NUTS was the stamp set Teeny Tiny wishes.  Love the set...hate how the blocks refused to stay neat and all standing up so I could easily read the sentiments.  Because this was the set I used at the Sale-a-Bration event, I spent a lot of time helping guests find a sentiment.  By the time I got home, I wanted to chuck the whole thing!  Urgh!  Then a thought dawned from my weary mind.  It said, "Make ledges."  It wasn't a voice like Kevin Costner hears in Field of Dreams, but I did hear it.  So I took a piece of scrap Window Sheet and began making mountain and valley folds.  Mountains were taped together and valleys were about 3/4" wide.  I then taped the valleys to my plastic case and placed my stamps into the valleys with the mountains becoming the ledges the stamps could rest against.  And it happened...that sigh escaped my lungs as I smiled and felt all neat and tidy!  Look!

Okay, it may not look like much, but those stamps do not slop around in the case anymore.  I can put a sentiment back exactly where I left it last.  No other stamp has slid into it's place or flopped over and messed up the arrangement.  And when I close the lid!!!...Yes... NOTHING changes. Makes me all emotional.  I tried to get a picture of the mountain and valley folds inside the case.  Dare I say this might just be genius!?

 

Just look how that line of stamps stays so soldierly on their ledge!  It's a little slice of heaven for a neat and tidy chic.

Okay, go tidy up your own Teeny Tiny Wishes.  You can thank me later. :-)

Kristine

Cheers!

I have a class this coming Friday.  I wanted to give little, fun gifts to my guests.  So I decided to make paper mugs!  The original idea came from a fellow blogger, Lisa Young.  She is wonderful, and provided instructions for the cup.  I have gads of DSP, so I picked bright colors and started cutting and assembling...and cutting and assembling...and cutting and assembling...and I realized that I had undertaken (again) a project that did not seem so large in the inception, but got a bit overwhelming in the production.  But I am pleased with the results.  The mugs will not hold water--being that they're made of paper!--but they are the perfect containers for chocolate!!  The tube sticking out of each cup is rolled waxed paper.  Did you know that to keep your punches working well, every so often punch them through some heavy tin foil followed by wax paper?  The foil "sharpens" and the wax paper "oils."  Nifty huh!  Most ladies have foil on hand, but not all have wax paper in the cabinet.  I think the rolls look a bit like a straw sticking out of the cup.  I'll go with that.  In fact, would you believe I planned that?  No?  Me neither.  Have a look!

And a close up...

The tag is made with the Scallop Oval Punch, the Small Oval Punch.  The sentiment is from the Occasions Mini set You're a Gem--a fave of mine from this mini.

And a sampling...

I can't wait to see the project tables set with all the mugs!  If you're coming to class, act surprised when you see them. :-)

Remember to be grateful for all your blessings.  Thanks for sharing some time today with me.

Kristine

Inspiration and another scrapbook spread

It is rare that I create a card that I instantly like.  But the card in this post is one of those rare gems.  Stampin' Up has some new cork sheets (119819, 9.95 for 6) and when I saw them, the first thing I thought of was the bulletin boards at schools.  Must be the former teacher in me.  So, of course, my card ended up with a school theme.  When I designed the card, I had two things in mind.  First, a customer, Susie (Hey Susie!) liked this kind of fold for a card, so I wanted to incorporate that.  Second, I wanted to use the Define your life Stamp set.  Take a look...what'cha think?

Here's the inside of the card.

I used the spiral border punch to make it look like a sheet of binder paper.  My daughter wondered where I got the small piece of paper.  :-)

I also created another scrapbook spread for Kyle.  I am really enjoying making this book for him.

Isn't he a doll! 

Here's closeup of each page.

He's not even a month old in these pictures.  Such an alert boy!

Thanks for spending some of your time with me today.  Hope your day ends up being a lovely one.

Kristine

A poodle punch card

For awhile, punch art cards were all over the blogs.   I think they are ever so clever, so I wanted to be clever too!  I have a wonderful Standard Poodle named Simon, and so in his honor, I created a punch art poodle! Since Simon is a male, I proably should have used a blue bow and backdrop, but...well I like red better!  I really enjoyed making this card and I do feel rather clever in how it turned out!

Isn't he just adorable!  It's hard to see in the picture, but I ran the whisper white through the big shot with the swirly texture plate.   It makes his fur look curly!  Makes me smile.  Simon actually never has had a poodle haircut, so he's not so elegant looking.  He would never put up with a bow, either. People ask me all the time if he's a labradoodle.  "Nope," I say, "He's just Simon."  That says it all in my mind. :-)

Here's the real Simon with his friend Ada, the Boxer puppy. 

Too cute, huh?  They make me laugh when they play.  Simon is six, and Ada isn't even a year yet, but they have the BEST time.  Hard not to smile when watching their antics.

Thanks for popping in today.
Kristine

Just in CASE cards

For one of the last workshops I did, my mojo just was not in working order.  Do you ever have those times when the creative juices seem to have just dried up?  Poof...not one idea in the head.  So, when that happens to me, I go to my picture files and copy someone else's creativity!  One of my new favorite sites is the Stampin' Addicts.  All the cards are SU only, which is great for my purposes.  Unfortunately, I do not know who designed these cards originally, so if they are your designer, please let me know and I will gladly give you credit!

The first is simple and eye-catching in white and Bermuda bay. The embossing on the middle white strip adds some easy class.  A quick card that can easily change colors and be just as striking.

I really like the look of the SAB free scallop border punch.  I may like it even more since I got it FREE! lol.

Supplies:

Stamps: Picture this (hostess set from the Occasions mini), Backgrounds I texture plate

CS: Shimmer white, Soft suede, Bermuda Bay

Inks: Soft suede and Bermuda bay markers

Tools: Scallop border punch (SAB choice) white jumbo grommet, Bermuda bay polka dot ribbon, paper piercing tool

This next card is sup-a fast.  Glue, layer, waa-laaa!  The Chocolate and pink make a great color combo. This is also the sketch from mojo122 sketch challenge. Love that sketch!

Supplies:

Stamps: Warm words

CS: Chocolate chip, pretty in pink, Sending love DSP

Inks, Chocolate chip

Accessories: Pretty in pink satin ribbon

Tools: Oval Scallop punch, Large and small oval punches

And the final card was a punch art , very cute, kangaroo for the Valentine card.

Isn't she cute!  Each person at the workshop ended up with a different kangaroo just because of the placement of the pieces.  It was fun to watch all the variety!

Supplies:

CS: Whisper white, basic black, real red, creamy caramel

Accessories: real red striped ribbon, natural twine, black brads

Punches: Wide oval, large oval, trip flower, 5-petal, heart to heart, 3/4 circle, word window.

And finally I'd like to share two swaps from my swap ladies.  Thanks Jo Lawrence (1st card) and Ingrid Allen (2nd card). I told them I'd post them, so here they are:

   

Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog today. 

Kristine

A few things

I have been a little busy lately.  It's always nice to have workshops! Unlike many in the blogging world, I don't seem to be able to prep for workshops and blog at the same time!  Ah well, "we all have our strengths" as my daughter (a very wise 9 year old) likes to remind me.

I want to share a bunch of things today.  First is something that just made me giggle.  I love to laugh, and this was too cute not to share.  I had a huge order come from Stampin' Up!, and on the top of the largest box is this Caution notice.  I thought, "Gee, I wonder why the caution notice?  Is there something flammable in there?"  Then I took a closer look, and started laughing right there on my porch.  I love the sense of humor!

It's true.  I love getting my deliveries.  I like seeing all the stuff that others have ordered and if the box is full of my stuff, well,... it's just like an extra birthday! 

This card was part of a club workshop.  It is an easy peasy card.  Great way to use up extra scraps of DSP.

I really do like the Well Scripted stamp set.  As a young girl I used to experiment with different types of writing.  Curly, really straight, hearts for an "i", etc.  This reminds me of those times when I wrote with a very curly, flowing writing.  When I was teaching, I noticed lots of girls experimenting with their writing.  Always good to know I'm not alone in a strangish behavior. :-)

The next card is also from the club workshop.  It uses a technique called colorwash batik.  The card design is a direct CASE from Lisa Sommerville.  She uses lots of techniques in her work, and this set, Friendship 24-7 is one of my favorites.  Many times I have wondered what's up with all the birds and butterflies in the SU catalog, but I like this bird. 

It's hard to see in the picture, but the flourish on the left side has an old olive color to it.  Batik is an art form, generally using cloth, in which color is added in steps, using wax to block color from covering an area of cloth already dyed.  So, using watercolor paper, you wash a mix of water, alcohol and reinker to create a color spray.  Spritz the watercolor paper and let dry.  Then, using versamark and clear embossing powder, add an image. The embossing powder acts as the wax.  Then the next color is added--in this case regal rose.  Then the Friendly words wheel is rolled over that using Chocolate chip ink.  You could continue adding images and embossing powder, but I did just the three colors.  When everything is as you like, you melt the embossing powder off using clean copy paper and a craft iron.  The color comes through from underneath and without the shiny embossing, it gives it a really cool look.  But, I warn you, it is a messy technique.  (If you want more specific details on colorwash batik, leave a comment with your email and I'll send some directions to you.)

Here is the same card using Bravo Burgundy and So Saffron.  The bird is stamped once on the oval and then again on a scrap piece and popped up on a dimensional.

The final project I have to share is made by my daughter, Olivia (same wise soul as mentioned above).  When I went back to North Carolina, I picked up this quilting square for her.  This is her first try at sewing.  I think she did great!

 

That's it for now.  I have a few more things to share, but I'll post those separately.  Thanks for popping in today.

Peace.

Kristine

A Valentine for you

This is a great little Valentine holder.  It's sorta a mini book, note card and treat holder all in one.  I adore things that are versatile (see my other posts to prove this point.) The heart is inked in white craft and then embossed with white embossing powder so it really pops.  It's cute right now, but open it up and....

waa laaa!....there's a little place to put a love/friendship note and another pocket to put a tea bag or maybe some chocolate (Maybe both!). The person I made this for is a tea drinker, so the tea bag works for her.  I used the Sending Love Specialty DSP, so there's a little sparkle on the papers, too. (Yes, this has two of my favorite things--red and sparkle.)  Interesting thought: I hardly ever wear red or bright colors, and the only jewelry I wear is a simple wedding ring, my grandmother's ring and simple earrings.  I'm a pretty neutral gal in real life, but I go for red and bling in my creations. One of the main colors in my house is a deep maroon color. What would Freud say?  hmmmmm?

If your interested in the dimensions and the supplies for this, leave me a comment with your email address and I'll send them to your email.

Thanks for taking the time to see what I've been up to! :-)

Kristine

Two, Two, Two challenges in one!

I'm really enjoying participating in swapping and some of the challenges out in stamping land.  Today's card is for a swap for my swap group (Love the SSUS ladies!) and for the Mojo Monday #120.  I love this sketch.  It's a keeper!  The swap had to be a birthday card, and with all the hype about the Disney movie, "The Princess and the Frog" (well I should qualify that with the statement that the hype is in my home), I figured I'd do something along the line of kissing a prince as a birthday wish.  Okay, it makes me giggle to see the frog in this stamp.  He looks so darn happy to be sittin' with the flowers, and I'd bet he's a prince of a frog.

It was also nice to get some happy spring colors out.  Love red.  It's my favorite color, and usually shows up somewhere on most of my cards.  But there is not even a dot of it on this card! With all the cold and the slushy snow and the gray skies, this card is just the ticket for a happy birthday wish.

Thanks for popping in today. Stay Warm!
Kristine

Supplies:
Stamps: Heard from the heart, Circles Scallops #2 Die, A flower for all seasons
Inks: Craft white, Pretty in pink, So Saffron, Certainly Celery, Almost Amethyst
Card Stock: Tea Party DSP, So Saffron, Certainly Celery
Tools: Big Shot, Perfect Polks Dots Texture Impression folder (Occassions mini) 3/4" square punch, Circle Scissor plus

Love swap

This is going to be a short post.  How do I let myself get so overwhelmed!?  Huh!?  I have more tile being put into the house, and I hate, hate, hate the mess it makes.  Love the easy cleanup of tile once it's in, but the actual job of laying it is messy, messy, messy! 

This card was made for a swap of a group to which I belong.  The stamp set, Season of Friendship, is one of my favorites.  A person can do just so doggone much with it!  Is it a Christmas set, winter, spring, Valentine set?  Yup!  It can be all!  Gotta love a set that is that versatile.  I hope you like the card.

Supplies:
Stamps: Season of Friendship, Well Scripted (Occasions Mini)
Papers: Choc. chip, whisper white, real red, pretty in pink, Cottage Wall DSP
Inks: Choc chip, Real red, old olive, white gel pen
Accessories: Red gingham ribbon
Tools: Wide oval punch,  Three heart punch, 1" circle punch, 1/8" circle punch, dimensional, paper snips

Thanks for popping in today.
Kristine

New Stuff!

I think 2010 is going to be a great year. I can just feel it in my bones.  Can you feel it too!?

I have a swap to share with you today. This card uses the new DSP from the Occassions Mini that customers can start buying  beginning on Tuesday the 5th. (See the link on the left if you want to view the catalog from my website.) This paper is GORJUS baby! It sparkles! Yes, SU added the bling for us bling happy lassies. :-) I cut out some of the flowers on one sheet of the DSP for the sparkly lovlies in the top left corner.  The sentiment is also from the new mini.  The set is called Well Scripted.  It's flowy and curly and pretty, yes?  I bought mine in the new acrylic block form just to see what they are like. (SU is going to offer all new stamps sets in both the wood block or for use with the acrylic blocks.) They're pretty cool, I have to say. The stamp is still rubber, but SU designed a sticker that adheres to the part that would normally stick to the wood block. So you put the sticker on and then that sucks onto the clear block. Technically, you cannot see through the stamp---well, because it's rubber---but you can get a very good idea of where you're stamping because of the sticker. Ingenious I say! I really don't like acrylic stamps (Sorry for all you lovers out there) but they just don't clean up well and the image isn't as crisp. (The see through stamps just move too easy and smudge and then I'm upset and....well I just want to throw them across the room.) So you can understand why I love the compromise SU came up with. Yup...love it. Sign me up to be a demonstrator! Ooops, I already am...heheheheh. :-) 

Notes for the card.  It's hard to see in this picture, but the apricot paper is embossed and then I traced the emboss with a white gel pen to make the pattern pop.  There is also embossing on the main background piece of regal rose to match the curly forms of the sentiment stamp.  The sentiment was stamped in versa mark and then embossed with a mixture of black and irredescent ice embossing powders so it shimmers as well.  What looks like brads in the upper right corner are 1/4" punched circles.

Supplies:
Well Scripted, Texturz Plates Backgrounds 1 (floral and swirl images)
CS: Regal rose, apricot appeal, basic black, whisper white, Sending Love Specialty DSP
Inks: Versa mark and white gel pen
Accessories: Black gingham ribbon, black embossing powder, irredescent ice embossing powder, dimensionals.
Tools: Heat gun, 1/4" circle punch, Big Shot

Thanks for popping in today.  Leave a comment.  I so love reading them!
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