Skating By

I loved Maile Belles' card a while back with cut out ice skates dangling on the front. Seen Here  I thought I'd try my own version.  I cut mine out of glitter cardstock with my Cricut.  I used some downloaded Color Couture paper from PTI, along with a Color Couture card template.  First time I've used either.

Cherry Cobbler Thank You

I was SUPER excited when PTI released the stamp set that coordinated with their Mat Stack Die 1.  I'm looking forward to all the other releases to follow!  I'm in love with labels, Just like the rest of the stamping world, I suppose.  I like the look of white stamped on Cherry Cobbler, so I decided to try it again, with the Delightful Dahlia stamps.  I added tiny pearls under the sentiment, medium ones on the smaller flowers, and large pearls on the big flowers.  I really love the simplicity and beauty of this one.

Felt Christmas Tree

I loved the idea of the green felt Christmas tree and different colored buttons that Maile Belles used on her blog back in Sept.  Now that I finally have the tree die, I decided to try my own version.  I used buttons from an Autumn Leaves Bag o Buttons (I loved the Christmas color combo).

Then I mounted the tree to a piece of Baja Breeze cardstock that was embossed with Elegant Lines.

FTL 117

I am so happy with how this card turned out.  I have been wanting to experiment with white dots on Cherry Cobbler paper for a while.  I cut the snowflakes with my Cricut from white glitter cardstock.

Pretty Paper

Eek!  Are we REALLY more than half way done with November???!  Where did the time go?  I have been super busy the last couple of weeks and haven't updated.  But today I HAD to share this card because of the gorgeous paper!  It almost felt immoral to cover it up.

I used the new Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Up! paper for the card base, and Victorian scalloped circle.  As well as the ink to stamp the Holiday Tags 2008 (PTI) center.  I added glitter to my star with a two way glue pen.  The sentiment was stamped and embossed with a mixture of white detail embossing powder and glitter.  I added some Aqua Mist ribbon to accent the mat of Aqua Mist.

FTL #114

I  used some spare maple leafs I punched from a previous card.  I used those to make my flowers, and a flourish from PTI's Fancy Flourishes. The sentiment is from Everyday Button Bits.

Mummy Oreos

I found this idea when someone on the PTI forum posted a link.  I HAD to try these.  Here's the link: Halloween Cookie Suckers 

The website with the instructions even has a free downloadable PDF for the bags.  I used the snapshot tool on Adobe to only print out the front of the bag (I'm stingy with my colored ink) and added some orange stickles to the center of the circles.  I made the box out of Basic Black and added the spider web stamp from Spooky Sweets II (PTI).

The mummies are wrapped in sucker bags I picked up at Michael's, and super thin orange ribbon.  I stamped little tags from the retired SU! set Boogily Eyes.  I used a watercolor pencil and blender pen to add some color to my mummies and topped them off with teeny tiny googily eyes.  I matted the mummy image with Rich Razzelberry scalloped circles.  On the back I stamped 'Happy Halloween' and a little pumpkin.

Some tips - my 'Boo Box's were a little top heavy from the suckers, not sure what would work best to keep these upright.  That's why they're photographed laying down.

FTL112

I have more ideas for this layout, but here is what I came up with yesterday afternoon.  Stamped the text style stamp on Barely Banana in So Saffron.  The sheer ribbon I picked up at Mike's and it's a perfect match to Rich Razzleberry.

Christmas Card Caddy

I saw this idea a couple of years ago in Holiday Cards and More (Vol.3) and wanted to try it.  This year I was able to find the caddy at Hobby Lobby and finish it off with some of the Holiday paper I had left over from my other Christmas crafts. (see original post December 6,2009)

I began by sanding and then painting the inside of the caddy with two coats of Santa Red paint.  After tracing each section with a pencil, I cut out my patterned paper.  I assembled the front section complete with label and Pointsettia before attaching the panel.  I brushed a thin layer of Modge Podge onto the wood and then placed my paper.  I chose the 'Holiday Wishes' sentiment instead of simply stamping 'cards' on the front.

Cinema Saturday #98

I haven't participated in this challenge in some time, but thought I'd give it a try this week.  I remember seeing this movie in the theater, and I loved it!  I think it's one of Robin Williams' best performances.  I admit I was a little stumped with the felt challenge.  I added the lines on my maple leaf with a marker, but later thought maybe I should have stitched the lines.  Not my most favorite work - but I gave it a try.

Glitter Maples

I love the colors of the leaves in fall.  I used Martha Stewart Glitter in three colors to create this card.  I cut the squares to 1.5 inches.  I ran the backing through the sticker machine and coated it with glitter.  I used chocolate bakers twine and a Harvest Gold and Orange Zest button.  The sentiment is stamped in Really Rust.  My favorite is the orange glitter.

Maple Leaf Gratitude

I've seen Maile Belles do this a lot (and Arielle Gordon as well) and thought I'd try it on my own.  As I was testing out the idea, I realized that I needed to place my buttons on a piece of paper that matched the color of the buttons in order to allow the gaps between buttons to go unnoticed.  I covered my orange square with Extra Wide Tacky Tape and placed my buttons.  Then, I thought, maybe I could fill in the gaps by pouring glitter in instead.  Since the tacky tape already covered the area, the glitter sticks like a charm.  I like the tiny bit of extra glitz when the light hits it (even if you cant see it well in this picture).

Happy Fall Teacher Gift

I know it's a little ambitious, but I plan on giving my boys' teachers a little something papercrafted every month.  I can't seem to resist with fall upon us.  This month I have these little jar candles I bought for their 1st day of school gift, but forgot about.  So I included those with some new Hershey's Pumpkin Spice Kisses.  These things are DELICIOUS, in case you haven't tried them yet....

I used some Doodlebug paper I've had for the last couple of falls.  I just love it!  Stamped the label with Rich Razzleberry and the leaf with So Saffron.  The rhinestones were only 99 cents at Mikes (a great assortment of Halloween colors in various sizes).  I think they add a lot to the finished project.  I also think the strip of paper added to the top of the gable box makes the project look polished.  Such a simple addition - but it adds so much.

PTI September Blog Hop

This is the first time I've entered the blog hop for PTI.  The challenge was to showcase something you've learned from other bloggers.  As simple as it might seem, I hadn't tried using a layer of patterned paper behind my felt flowers until I saw the wonderful things Geny Cassady had done on her blog here.

Here is my version done up this morning:

I used Basic Grey paper with PTI Harvest Gold felt and new Fine Linen satin ribbon.  The soft yellow cardstock was from my stash, Bazzill basics, I think.

Color Couture Fall Birthday

I love the Color Couture from the August release at PTI.  I used a sentiment, flower, leaf and boarder from the color collection.  I did all the background stamping in versamark - leaves for the label and flourishes for the card.  I threaded the buttons with twine, but I wonder how cute that would be with chocolate baker's twine.  Hmmm.... something else to add to my order.

Easy Card Front

I'm having some problems with my photo software, but I wanted to get something new up.  I found these flocked stickers from Making Memories in the clearance bin at Michael's and thought I'd try them.  This one was a square frame with flocked lines.  I mounted the sticker on Chocolate cardstock.  I know it's hard to make out, but I also stamped the Rich Razzelberry card base with Bella Toille in Versamark.

I added a felt flower and Lemon Tart button with a small sentiment tag.

New Color Combo

I know the flash from this photo makes it a little hard to see, but the color of the card base is a soft aqua.  I really wanted to experiment with this color combination.  I love it!  I embossed the flowers with white detail powder, and embossed the sentiment with Carnelian Pearluster embossing powder.

Beautiful Leaves

I used a strip of some Christmas paper from last year, although I don't think anything about it screams 'Christmas only', to add some gorgeous green color to this card.  I stamped my leaf background in white on kraft cardstock.  For the buttons, I prethreaded each one before adhereing them with glue dots.  The sentiment is from Lily of the Valley and stamped in Garden Green.  I actually had this card in my head for a long time and finally got the idea to paper yesterday.

Non-Traditional Christmas

I think this will be the second card for our Christmas workshop.  I used a piece of pink patterned Christmas paper and embossed the Medallion using some white detail powder mixed with prisma glitter.  I think it turned out great!  I added a label cut from the Storybook Cricut cartridge.  I used stamps from the Tree Trimming Trio, clear epoxy stickers and SU! dye ink in Certainly Celery, Pink Pirouette and Rose Romance.

I love this card!

First Christmas Card

I know, I know, it's only September 1st, but I'm already prepping for the Christmas craziness.  Some of my friends, who attended a big Christmas workshop last year, want to do a cards only day this year.  This is the first style card they chose - my take on a Christmas mini-bag from the new Stampin' Up! Christmas catalog.  This one I used Certainly Celery and Garden Green.  The patterned paper is left over from a few years ago - Foof-a-la-la-la (no kidding!).

I cut a circle using my Mervy (purple) circle punch.  I'm not sure, I think it's 3 inch diameter.  I used a pencil to trace the circle in the center of my vanilla cardstock.  This was my guide for making my wreath.  I cut about 20 circles of each: 3/4 in and 1/2 in.  I just glued each circle individually in a pattern I liked.  No real method to it.  After I was happy with my wreath, I added three buttons and a pretied bow.  I think if I do it again, I might change the color of the modern label I punched for the sentiment.  I would also make the vanilla 'center' 4in x 4 1/4 in (instead of the 4x4 I did here).

Fall on the Brain

I can't help it, I LOVE fall!  I love everything about it - pumpkin patches, changing leaves, cooler weather, cinnamon in the air, apple pie.  It's all so wonderful!  That said, I couldn't help making a fall color inspired birthday card.  I loved the ombre look of Maile Belle's card from this months Papercrafts magazine, so I decided to do my own version.  I used Harvest Gold, Orange Zest, Terracotta Tile, and Dark Chocolate. 

I stamped and used clear embossing powder on the leaf background.  Then, I cut a mat stack 2 die in Dark Chocolate and added a Harvest Gold center.  At first I was stumped - I don't own the Fall Tags set - which would have gone perfectly inside the mat stack.  Then I decided to glance over what I had and see what would work - bingo!  I used a stamp from the Spring Tag set and heat embossed it in clear.  The sentiment I stamped in Really Rust ink.

Back to School Goodies

I have been busy this week.  School starts on Monday and things in my house have been a little crazy (but when aren't they, with three little boys running around?).  I have finally completed the back to school gifts for the teachers and I'm so excited to share. 

I used the Let's Do Lunch template from My Timeless Templates from PTI.  This year, I used a strip of ribbon, which I folded near the end for extra strength, and secured with a bronze large brad.  I also added a bow and school themed button to the front.  These were both secured with hot glue after the box was put together. 

I actually punched two of the file tab punches in red, one for the bottom, and one for the lid.  Then I used velcro dots to keep the top closed.  I think this method works the best. 

Inside each box are 4- 4x4 note cards, a pillow box with beaded lanyard inside, and a matchbox with 4 Hershey's nuggets inside. 

I used the Holiday Treats set by PTI to stamp the labels of the nuggets.  I hand wrote "Welcome Back" with an Old Olive SU! marker.

One set of notes was a simple Thank You from Simply Stationary - I added a dry embossed line around the edge, 1/2 in from all sides.

For the other teacher I included monogrammed thank you notes from Simply Stationary.  This time I used my black pen to add a line around the edge (1/2in from all sides).

Finally, I added beaded lanyards.  I thought I was done last night, but I had no idea for packaging the lanyards to look cute.  This morning I thought about a small pillow box.  I dug through my patterns and found one the perfect size.  I added a tag and some ribbon to the front.