Happy New Year!

This is the time of year that many people reflect, set goals, and make resolutions so I thought I'd share this card.  I didn't make it, someone at Stampin' Up! did.  However, I was the receiver of this card with a personal note congratulating me on a milestone I hit in sales over the last 10 years and signed by the CEO of SU.  I was pretty excited and also loved the card using a favorite color combination of mine:  Calypso Coral, Pool Party, and Tip Top Taupe.  The pennants are from "Banner Banter" and the words are from "Bravo".  Here's to a great 2016!

Random Christmas Pictures

Four little reindeer filled with treats greeted the darlings as they arrived:

The hats I knitted for my little elves:

A not so great picture of the boys who are wearing the hats:

Two of the boys Christmas morning (and the loot):

Just part of the boxes from our "shopping" this year:

Merry Christmas!

Sneak Peek

The Occasions Mini Catalog starts in January and here's a sneak peek from it.  I used the new stamp set called "Party Wishes" and stamped it in Melon Mambo and Mint Macaron.  I embossed the Whisper White card stock with the coordinating Confetti Embossing Folder.  The background paper is from the It's My Party DSP Stack.  Last, I punched the little candles out with the Party Punch Pack (which also includes a cupcake and a balloon) and added some new Two-tone Baker's Twine.

Snow Globe

Here's a fun one using the set "Sparkly Season".  It has 15 different stamps including words and is such a versatile set.  See another card I made from this set here. I stamped the snowman in Night of Navy and the snowflakes in Going Gray.  The words are from "Happy Scenes" and I stamped those in Whisper White.  I made this into a "shaker card" by layering it using a Window Sheet, Dimensionals, and Whisper White card stock all mounted on Shimmery Silver card stock.

Happy Scenes

This pretty card makes you think you're looking out a window.  I stamped the trees from "Happy Scenes" in Garden Green, sponged Soft Sky on the top part, and then ran it through the Big Shot with the Sofly Falling Embossing Folder.  I made the window with Tip Top Taupe card stock using the Hearth & Home Thinlits Dies.  The background was made with the Boho Chic Embossing Folder on the top and the Stylish Stripes Embossing folder on the bottom.  The words are also from the same set and cut out with the Bitty Banners Framelits. 

Sparkly Seasons

This fast and easy card was made with the "Sparkly Seasons" stamp set.  It has 15 different stamps and a coordinating Thinlits set which includes words and a die to cut out the ornaments or a snow globe.  I stamped the ornaments in Cucumber Crush and mounted them on Real Red. 

Holly Jolly Greetings

I stamped this card in Versamark using the snowflake and snow from the "Holly Jolly Greetings" set.  Then, I heat embossed it using White Embossing Powder.  I cut the card front in three pieces and sponged it (from top to bottom in Soft Sky, Marina Mist, and Island Indigo).  I stamped the "NOEL" from November's Paper Pumpkin Kit and popped it up with Dimensionals.  I mounted the card on Whisper White and then on Island Indigo. Last, I added some Metal Rimmed Pearls.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I recently saw on a blog how to make your own embossing folder and that's what I did here.  I cut out a couple of maple leaves on my Big Shot with the Leaflets Framelits using a piece of cardboard.  Then, I put the leaves I had made below the background piece, added another piece of cardboard to the top and ran it through the Big Shot.  It's hard to see, but there are raised (embossed) leaves in the background.  I cut one more leaf out and stamped "thanks" on it from "Cottage Greetings" and the little leaves are from the "Among the Branches" set.

Reindeer

Don't you just love these Reindeer Paper Clips?   I stamped Whisper White snowflakes on a Cherry Cobbler background and stamped the words from "Jolly Christmas" and cut them out with the Lots of Labels Framelits.  I made a banner from the Merry Moments DSP Stack, added the reindeer, and some Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine.

Home for Christmas

I just love this set "Jingle All the Way" and the coordinating edgelits "Sleigh Ride".  There are so many things you can make and here's an easy card using this combo and the background was made with the Softly Falling Embossing folder.  I topped it off with some Garden Green 1/8" Striped Ribbon. 

Peaceful Pines

I just love the versatility of this set called "Peaceful Pines".  It comes with 17 different stamps including differens trees and words and coordinates with the Perfect Pines Framelits.  I used an Aqua Painter to watercolor the background on the trees on Crumb Cake card stock.  Then I stamped them in Versamark and heat embossed them with White Embossing Powder.  The background was made with Whisper White and the Softly Falling Embossing Folder and then I mounted it on Lost Lagoon card stock.

Something Different

This pretty cardinal is from the set "Joyful Season" and has two-step stamps for both the bird and the tree.  I used the Boughs & Berries Embossing Folder to make the background and added some 1/8" Real Red Striped Ribbon.

To You & Yours

This adorable shaker card kit called "To You & Yours" from the Holiday Mini contains all the supplies (card bases, envelopes, sequins, glitter, foil stickers, metallic baker's twine, dimensionals, and more) to make 18 cards (six of each of three different designs).  It coordinates perfectly with the "To You & Yours" stamping set and Real Red and Cucumber Crush ink.  If you're in the area, be sure to order this set by this Thursday and attend the class to make the cards on November 21.

Merry Moments

This cute paper comes in a 6" x 6" Paper Stack called Merry Moments which contains 48 sheets.  There's one more not shown in Old Olive with white ornaments on it.  I made the tag with the Scalloped Tag Topper Punch and the tree with the Perfect Pines Framelits.  It coordinates with the "Peaceful Pines" set--see a card from that set I'm posting in a few days.

Snow

Here's another card using the Woodland Embossing Folder.  I used a Sponge Dauber with Whisper White ink to color the trees.  I made the birds using the Tree Builder Punch and the snow and words are from the set "Jingle All the Way".

Hello Autumn

This card was made using the "Cheer All Year" set.  It contains stamps for fall, Halloween, and Christmas.  I stamped the acorn in Tangelo Twist and cut it out with the Acorn Builder Punch.  The background was made with the Brick Wall Embossing Folder and the middle piece with some Kraft Corrugated Paper.  I made the tag using the Triple Banner Punch, looped some Tangelo Twist 5/8" Striped Cotton around it, and tied it off with some Very Vanilla Thick Baker's Twine.

Go Green!

All I wanted for my birthday this year was to march with my Alumni Band in Muskegon and attend an MSU game in East Lansing.  This is what greeted us on the way into the campus I miss so dearly.  There were literally hundreds of tailgating tents everywhere.  How fun it was to see everyone dressed in green and white.

When we arrived at Spartan Stadium and climbed over 60 rows up, we realized we were seated almost under the big scoreboard in the end zone.  However, we were in the shade and it was around 80 degrees and would have been pretty hot in the sun.

Then, the best part of the game began--pregame!  We sang the fight song oodles of time.  We yelled "Go Green Go White"!  There's nothing better than watching the "S" march across the field.

 Here's Sparty with a flag and Sparty with the band.

 

Oh, and at some point we did watch the football game and won!  Did I mention we also beat Michigan this past Saturday in the last 10 seconds of the game?  Happy birthday indeed!

I'm a Nut

This is the cutest acorn ever!  I stamped it in Crushed Curry and Cherry Cobbler and punched it out with the coordinating Acorn Builder Punch.  The acorn pieces and words are from the "Acorny Thank You" set from the Holiday Mini. 

Joy

Isn't this set just darling?  It's called "Your Presents" and has 11 different stamps.  You can even use the "kissing technique" like I did with the tree present below.  I stamped the presents in Real Red and Garden Green.  Then, I used the Holidays Fancy Foil Designer Vellum for the background and added 1/8" Striped Ribbons on the presents.

Watercolor Wishes

This adorable, cute, awesome kit called "Watercolor Wishes" contains all the supplies to make 20 cards.   It has an exclusive stamp set, two ink spots, card bases, embellishments, washi tape, three sizes of cards,  matching envelopes, and colored pictures/directions for each card.  I made them all (below) in just under two hours.  I'm holding a class this Saturday to make these fun cards--contact me if you haven't yet signed up and/or would like to order this kit.

Autumn Wishes

Happy Fall!  Even though it's still 95 in Arizona, I'm hoping cooler temperatures are on the horizon.  Here's a card from the set "Among the Branches".  I used the Woodland Embossing Folder and then Sponge Daubers with Soft Suede ink to color the trees.  The leaves were stamped in Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, and Rich Razzleberry.

Sleigh Ride

And here it is again--the Softly Falling Embossing Folder on Night of Navy card stock.  Doesn't it look like a pretty yuletide evening?  I made the figures on the snow by using the Sleigh Ride Edgelits Dies and I added some Dazzling Diamonds glitter along the top of each layer.  The words are from "Sleigh Ride" and there are 12 more pieces to this set.

Lighthearted Leaves

It's hard to tell from the picture that I used a Gold Foil Sheet and embossed it with the Woodland Embossing Folder.  I used Sponge Daubers with Cherry Cobbler, Crushed Curry, Old Olive, and Tangerine Tango ink on this intricate leaf from "Lighthearted Leaves".  Then I cut it out with the Leaflets Framelits and tied a bow on on the stem with some Gold Cording Trim.

Flurry of Wishes

This pretty set called "Flurry of Wishes" has a coordinating punch.  I stamped the words on Whisper White card stock and then layered with vellum.  I ran the vellum through the Big Shot using the Softly Falling Embossing Folder.  I also rain pieces of Whisper White card stock and Silver Foil through this embossing folder before punching out the snowflakes.  The top one was done with Pool Party card stock and ink and the bottom one with Mint Macaron.

 

New Vellum

This is my favorite new paper from the Holiday Mini.  It's called Holidays Fancy Foil Designer Vellum and has three sheets of green trees, three sheets of red candy cane stripe, and three sheets of silver snowflakes.  The trees, stripes, and snowflakes are made of foil and embossed on the vellum.  I put a Whisper White piece of card stock under the vellum which was layered on a Real Red card base.   I used two different stamps from the "Jolly Christmas" set (there are six more).  I used the Tags and Labels Framelits on the top one and the Lots of Labels Framelits on the bottom one. I finished it off with the 1/8" Striped Ribbon (it also comes in green).  Only three months until Christmas!

Acorny

How I love this cute little set called "Acorny Thank You".  I can see lots of possibilities with it in many different color combos.  The best thing is--it has a coordinating two-piece punch!  I used Soft Suede for the card base and tops of the acorns.  The acorns were stamped in Mint Macaron, Daffodil Delight, and Pumpkin Pie.  I mounted them with Dimensionals on half of a Tea Lace Paper Doily and tied some Linen Thread around them.  I made the background of the card using the Woodgrain Embossing Folder and cut out the words with one of the Banners Framelits.

By the Sea, By the Sea

This is what I've been up to lately--first a stay in Muskegon, then a jaunt to Newport Beach on the other side of the country.  I know I've posted pictures of this lighthouse before, but we saw some especially great sunsets on Lake Michigan this summer.  I was walking on on the pier one night with my brother and he said, "This is my favorite lighthouse in the whole world!"  I said, "Really?  This is MY favorite lighthouse in the whole world!"  I actually got to climb up into this lighthouse two summers ago.  Apparently they hadn't opened it up to the public for almost 50 years.  

 

This is exactly how I would decorate my front porch if I lived on the beach.  If you look carefully you can see the reflection of the beach on the windows.  One chair for each of my grandsons.  Where will we put the new baby?

 

And this cutie is my grandson running across the top of a sand hill at the Pacific Ocean tonight.

Zippy Zebra

This cute card was made using "Zoo Babies" for the zebra and "Barnyard Babies" for the words.  I used Melon Mambo and Basic Black.  The background paper is from the Go Wild Designer Stack and I tied some Melon Mambo 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon around the bottom.

A World of Thanks

I stamped this card in Tip Top Taupe using the new background stamp "A World of Thanks".  I mounted it on Melon Mambo and Daffodil Delight card stock and then added a bow and some brads.  I just love all the thank yous in different languages.  Change up the colors and take off the bow and you have a great masculine card as well. 

Sneak Peek

Here's my very first card from the Holiday Mini Catalog which starts September 1.  This set is called "Your Presents" and contains 11 different stamps.  I stamped the ornaments in Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive, punched them out with the 1 1/4" circle punch, and popped them up with Dimensionals.  The hangers were made with Basic Gray on Whisper White card stock under the ornaments.  I used the Triple Banner Punch and the new Merry Moments DSP from the stack to make the banners at the bottom.

Bouncy Balloons

This quick little birthday card was made using the Cherry on Top Designer Stack.  I stamped the words in Watermelon Wonder from the set "Big News", mounted it on Cucumber Crush card stock, and popped it up with Dimensionals.

Stripes

I saw something similar to this in the new catalog and have been wanting to make it for weeks.  I used the "Brushstrokes" background stamp and colored it with Wild Wasabi, So Saffron, Melon Mambo, and Marina Mist Markers. I punched out a little white star with the Corrugated Paper and layered some Whisper White Baker's Twine underneath it. The words were stamped from "Silhouettes & Script", cut out, and adhered to the little star.  

 

Vintage Leaves

Here's a little fall preview using the set "Vintage Leaves".  I stamped them in Cherry Cobbler, Crushed Curry, and Old Olive and cut them out with the coordinating Leaflets Framelits.  The strip was made with Kraft Corrugated Paper and the background was made with the "Watercolor Wash".