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

Simply Sent Christmas

One of the promotions right now through Stampin' Up! is to buy two Simply Sent Kits (page 192/193 in the main catalog) and get a coordinating stamp set from those same pages FREE!  Since I am in the Christmas mode, setting up for a Holiday Stamp Camp, I decided to make the Simply Sent Kit Everyday Elegance into Christmas cards.  I think they turned out great!  And seriously, they were fast!  I'm talking making 8 cards in less than 30 minutes! Yeah, that fast.

Here they are!

A closer view of the Cherry Cobbler card--blinged out with Basic Rhinestones.  I just noticed my ornament is a little lopsided.  Ooops.  Just pretend it's perfect. :-)

And the Baja Breeze card softened with those wonderful Basic Pearls and some Velvet Ribbon.  I did not design this card.  It is a CASE of a wonderful demonstrator Sandi MacIver's card.  She is very inspirational for me!  I loved it so much I HAD to make one too!

If you'd like to make some of these cards for Christmas, and you do not already have a demonstrator, please visit my Online Stampin' Up site to place an order.  The link is on the right side bar. (The little computer mouse pushing a shopping cart.  Isn't that a great picture!)

I've listed below everything I used to make these cards. You can, of course, substitute in any sentiment sayings you already have.

Stamps:
Tree Trimmings 116722 $14.95
Christmas Greetings 115448 $10.95
Stiched Stockings 123784 $19.95

Inks:
Cherry Cobbler Classic 119669 $5.95
Baja Breeze Classic  111833 $5.95
Craft White 101731 $7.50

Punches:
Stocking punch 124095 $16.95

Embellishments:
Basic Pearls  119247 $4.95
Basic Rhinestones  119246 $4.95
Jingle Bells  124116 $2.95
Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine  123125 $2.95
Very Vanilla Velvet Ribbon 125637 $7.95

Thanks for stopping by.  Maybe you can take some time over the weekend to get your fingers inky! Yeah!

Kristine

The last of summer

There are snow flurries today in Reno.  Crazy weather.  It is truly fall.  In honor of summer fading, I made a last summery card for my Open Swappers group.  I used a set that I bought because I think the images are serene and beautiful.  It's called Plant Hope. That is a good directive too...plant some hope somewhere.  Maybe someone's heart, maybe in your own heart.  Here's the card.

Stamp: Plant Hope, Line Background, French Script

Paper: Crumb Cake, Barely Banana, Mellow Moss, Always Artichoke, Very Vanilla

This is a CASE card from an older SU IBC.  I used almost all retired items on this card.  The nifty thing about my group, the Open Swappers, is we can use retired items.  We are "Open" to using ANY SU merchandise whether it be brand, spankin' new, or from the first years of the company's production.  There's no themes mandated, no musts.  It is for pure fun and enjoyment.  Use what ya want 'cause you want to use it! 

To see what the other members of the group designed, click on the picture of the white Alpaca on the right sidebar.  If you would like to join in the swap, send me an email and I'll get you the details of the swapping.

Thanks for stopping in.

Kristine



Mojo #208

This is a quick post.  I've had this card to post all week, but finding the time to sit and post was not possible until now.  Busy week.  For this card I used two things I had not opened yet from my stash, the stamp set Tagtastic, which is a hostess set, and the DSP Just Add Cake.  You know what, most of life would be better if we followed the advice of that DSP...Just add cake...and waalaa wouldn't life be sweet...literally.  Okay, here's my interpretation of the Mojo Monday #208 sketch. 

Happy card, no?  Yes!  I like the colors in the DSP.  I actually bought the paper for a baby scrapbook I'm making.  But, it's good for a card too. ;-)

Thanks for stopping in today.  If you still have a little time, and a fresh cup of coffee or tea, stick around a bit and putter through my blog.  I hope you find something that inspires you to pick up your own supplies and get a little inky.

Kristine

A little swishy dress

There is one thing that has always appealed to me...light, swishy, classic dresses.  Alas, I do not have the body build to wear them, but I love them.  Do you remember the dress Julia Roberts wears in the movie Pretty Woman?

She is at the race track and has on a brown and white, spotted dress along with a wonderful floppy hat.  I love that dress!!  My daughter and I were at Stein Mart Department store last week, and they have a wonderful breezy dress with this same color and pattern.  It was a filmy material in a shirt waist style.  Oh, if I only had the kind of figure that could pull it off, I would have bought that dress!  {sigh}  I have thought about that dress ever since seeing it on the rack. 

Then as I went through my DSP, I came across the polka dot pattern in the Mocha Morning Specialty Designer Paper.  It was kismit!  It was a way for me to express my love of the dress!  So, long story shorter...I made a card.

I wanted to keep the card clean and simple, and I wanted that polka dot design to be a main focal point.  I blinged up the card just a smidge by adding some Champagne stickles to the flower centers. (Didn't Julia's character sip champagne in the movie?) The flowers come from the Posey Punch set.  A piece of Espresso Satin Ribbon to cinch the card's "waist", and a Curly Cute sentiment finishes it off. 

Maybe not as glam as Julia Roberts in her dress, but I likey.  Plus, it's easier to make this card than shed the 30 pounds needed to fit into the dress at Stein Mart! lol!

Still for sale:

I am still taking orders for this Christmas Card/Tag workshop.  The next order will be placed on October 1st and will ship to you by mid October.  Please click HERE to see the full details.

And a final note:

I have added a few items for sale in my Selling Spot Blog.  Click on the link on the right side-bar with the For Sale sign to see the retired items I am selling!  Thanks!

Thanks for spending time with me today.

Kristine





Another Christmas Card

I seem to find myself with more time this fall than I have had in falls past.  I am putting that time to work by joining in on some of the wonderful challenges out there.  Last week I did the Color Throw down and a sketch from the Stampin Queens Sketch challenge.  This week I selected the Paper Players Challenge #63  (because I saw a beautiful card made by Ann Schach and decided I needed to play too!)


and paired it with Create with Connie and Mary Sketch #166.



 I think the colors of the Paper Players Challenge speak Christmas!  So I made a Christmas card using one of the sets I received free at Convention called Warmest of Wishes.  This is a hostess set, so to be able to get it, you have to hostess a workshop.  However, if you buy $150 worth of merchandise, this set can be your freebie choice until the Winter Mini ends on January 3, 2012.

Here's my interpretation of the challenges.

 I like this card so much that I used up all of the DSP (The DSP is retired and is called Cottage Wall.)  I had and made 6 more to send out at Christmas!  I feel so ahead of the game!  This card was the first time I used the new Stripes Embossing Folder.  What a simple way to add a little something.  The ribbon is the Basic Gray Taffeta which I made into a double bow and secured with a Clear Rhinestone Brad.  That is the only bling on the card. 

When I showed my husband this card, he really liked it, but then said, "What does No El mean?" I was baffled by his question.  Then I realized that his mind is not in Christmas mode like so many of us crafters, and I laughed.  He did not see the letters as belonging to one word.  So I jokingly said  that it translated to "No the."  He was even more baffled as to why there was a stamp for this saying. I could have teased him more, but when I told him to think about Christmas, he got it. 

I hope you enjoyed the card.  And, thanks for stopping in.  Please leave me a comment.  I love those!
Kristine

A Challenging Day

As kids grow up, it's hard to find something that the child still likes to do with the parent.  Thank heavens that my daughter Olivia (who's 11) likes to stamp.  Since she comes home earlier from school than her brother, we found ourselves with some time this week.  We decided to challenge ourselves and find a sketch challenge as well as a color challenge and each create a card.  For me, the idea for the sketch came easily.  Working with the colors...not so easy.

Color Throw Down #158.  The sketch challenge came from a new place. This is only the third challenge, but I like the design! The site is called The Stampin' Queen's Sketch Challenge.

And here are the cards that Olivia and I made.  I decided to go with a square card.  I had a REALLY hard time with the colors.  Peach Parfait didn't seem to go with the other colors.  But the more I look at the card, I'm not hatin' it as much.  I do like the ribbon.  It is the first time I have worked with the new 3/8" Ruffled Ribbon.  Yup, I likey it!

Stamps:French Foliage, Petite Pairs

And here is Olivia's card.  She was speedy with her card.  She was done in 30 minutes.  I dragged along trying to make myself like the colors!

She said she didn't notice the other layers in the card, but was happy to keep hers clean and simple.

And a reminder...

I am offering a virtual workshop using the stamp set Christmas Lodge.  Here's what it entails...

If you would like to make all the cards in the picture, click here for more details.

Thanks for stopping in.  I would love a comment.  They make my day!

Kristine