322- Ornament Gate Fold Card

This is a very simple card using the delightful decorations set, ornament punch and gate fold technique. It is a great card if you need to make a lot of Christmas cards because you can make it really fast and it's a fun fold.

This is a different gate fold than I have ever used- usually they are vertical cards but this time I made it a horizontal gate fold. I really like it- I will use this layout again soon I think.

When I was first designing this card I was actually going to use more paper to add 2 layers behind the ornaments but in the end I decided to keep it simple. It is actually harder for me to keep the card simple- I always want to add more. But I was inspired by so many of my friends who enjoy simpler cards and just left this alone. And I'm really happy I did- I think the finished product is nice and clean looking.

Recipe:

Stamps: Delightful Decorations

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, Whisper White, Holiday Treasures DSP

Ink: Old Olive, Ruby Red

Accessories: Ornament Punch

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321- Jolly Tree Card

I am trying to use up my holiday DSP from last year before I open up this year's pack. I love the finished product- it just screams Christmas! This layout is from the Mojo Monday challenge this week (MOJO114).

I didn't have any ruby red ribbon but riding hood red was very similar and I still had some of this taffeta ribbon left- I definitely think the colours went together well and it looked seamless.

I have been doing craft fairs recently and have learned that most people enjoy traditional holiday colours (I'm not one of them). That was the inspiration for this card and the next few that I will be posting- I'm trying to go back to basics.

On the image I added dazzling diamonds on the "snow" to add some shine and I lit up the balls on the tree with crystal effects.

Recipe:

Stamps: Jolliest Time of the Year

Paper: Holiday Treasures DSP, Whisper white. Old Olive

Ink: Old Olive, Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip

Accessories: 1/4" riding hood red taffeta ribbon, dazzling diamonds, scallop edge punch, crystal effects

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320- Happy Holidays

This was a difficult challenge for me because I wanted to use it in a Christmas card. In the end I do like the card- I wouldn't necessarily use the shimmer paint again but I was trying to find a way to bring some shine to the card. However, you can't see the pink snowflakes that I rolled onto the whisper white anymore- they are very faint. Next time I would probably use Dazzling Diamonds

Recipe:

Stamps: Big on Christmas, Bold Snowflakes wheel

Paper: Whisper White, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink

Ink: Bermuda Bay, Old Olive

Accessories: Frosty white shimmer paint, crystal effects, tag corner punch, big shot, petals a plenty embossing folder

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Open House This Sunday!

I will be holding an Open House on Sunday, November 29th from 1-5pm. If you are in Mississauga or the GTA please stop by anytime to make a fun project and enjoy some holiday treats- be ready to stamp and have fun with all the tools in my stamping room. There will be prizes and lots of other fun surprises!

Please RSVP by Friday, November 27th.

Holiday Extravaganza Sale!!!

For the second year in a row Stampin' Up! is having a Holiday Extravaganza sale!!! There are package deals and also up to 50% off certain items like embellishments and punches- how fantastic is that?!

The sale will last for one week- please make sure to place your orders before midnight on November 30th. You can order directly through me or if you live in Canada you can order online in my store 24/7 at the link below

http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/CategoryPage.aspx?categoryID=462

Last year these bundles and items sold out quickly so make sure to get your order in as soon as possible!

319- Accordion Card

I was asked to make up an accordion card for a woman who is opening a kennel. It was made on coasters to keep it sturdy and opens up and she can put pictures inside it.

Recipe:

Stamp Set: Schoolbook serif alphabet

Paper: Holiday Treasures DSP, Soft Suede, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Accessories: 1/2" soft suede ribbon, coasters

318- Christmas Trees

This was one of my first attempts at blank embossing for a splitcoast technique challenge (http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=466417). I wanted to make a two tone card with some shine and I think I accomplished that. I definitely need to practice more to get a perfect blank embossed card- I need a thicker blocker.

I first gold embossed the sentiment- I'm not sure if it would look as good if I dry embossed the paper then tried to put on the sentiment. It might get bumpy and jagged but I've never tried it.

I used my coluzzle to cut an oval in a coaster- thicker than cardstock but thinner than chipboard. I used the masking technique on the very vanilla to stamp the trees in the oval. I then used dotto on my oval and put it on top of the masked image and ran it through my big shot in the plenty of petals embossing folder. If all had worked out well the area under the oval should have stayed smooth and the area around it would have been embossed. Well as you can see that didn't really happen- those folders just really give a deep impression!!

I left the oval on and brayered Handsome Hunter over the dry embossed area- it's a great way to colour the image you've embossed. I ended up using my frost white shimmer paint on the centres of the flowers but I knew I needed to still pop out my central oval. So I used the shimmer paint to colour in the whole oval. I have to say this is motivating me to buy the champagne shimmer paint but I used what I have

So I tried it again a second time- this time I still used an oval out of the coaster but I put one on the front and on the back. I definitely got a better window this time but there is still the faint impression. I think next time I'm going to have to suck it up and use my chipboard to do this.

I need your opinions- do you like it better when I use the shimmer paint in the oval or can it stand alone? Let me know!!

Recipe:

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Snow Swirled

Paper: Handsome Hunter, Very Vanilla

Ink: Handsome Hunter

Accessories: Petals a Plenty, Big Shot, Coluzzle, Gold Embossing, frost white shimmer paint, brayer

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317- Square Santa Card

This card was definitely inspired and cased from this card by Mary Fish at stampinpretty.com

As soon as I saw it I thought it was just so pretty with the black and white. I knew I wanted to do my own interpretation as a Christmas card

Recipe:

Stamps: A Holly Jolly Christmas, Fundamental Phrases

Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Real Red textured paper

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: Black embossing, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" square punches, word window punch, modern label punch, brad punch, vintage brads, 1/4" basic black grosgrain ribbon

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316- Hanukkah Card

I did a children's event at the Chabad Jewish Discovery Centre here in Mississauga where we made Hanukkah cards. Here is the one that I made that is a bit more whimsical than the other one I designed.

This stamp is one that you can buy individually from the mini occasions catalogue- it's a great way to get a stamp one occasion.

Recipe:

Stamp Set: Let there be Light

Paper: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Bashful Blue DSP

Ink: Bashful Blue

Accessories: Whimsy Wheel, Corner rounder, 1/4" bashful blue grosgrain ribbon, dazzling diamonds

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I'm Back!

Hi everyone- sorry that I haven't posted in a while. As a lot of you know I was off for a few weeks due to an accident but my physio told me that the best way to exercise my arm is to stamp so...I'm back!! I have been getting back into it this weekend so I hope to get back to posting everyday!

I did a craft sale yesterday and made quite a few projects. This a gift tag box that i made- quick and easy and a great hostess gift for the holidays.

The tags were made using punches and the Deer Friends set from last year- I know it's retired but I adore it. Making tags is a great way to use up retired scraps- I got to use up my Pacific Point with these. And you just use a brad punch and elastic cord to finish them off.

The boxes are soooo easy- you just need some paper and your scoring blade. Decide what size item you are putting in your box- aka gift tags or cards. Add 1/4" to make some rude and 1" for each side. You then cut two pieces that are the same size. Score the first piece at 1" on each side. Score the second at 7/8" so that it is a bit bigger- this is so the lid can fit on top. Decorate the lid then use sticky strip to assemble the box. Quick and easy!

Recipe:

Stamp sets: Deer Friends, A Holly Jolly Christmas (for the To/From on the back)

Paper: Whisper White, Pacific Point, Crushed Curry, Pacific Point DSP

Ink: Pacific Point

Accessories: Brad punch, gold elastic cord, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches, scallop punch, sticky strip, dazzling diamonds

Craft Show this Saturday!

Time for another craft show! This Saturday from 9-4pm I will be at Thomas Street Middle School in Mississauga selling my cards and demonstrating a fantastic Christmas card. As always if you stop by my table I will have a special treat for you. The address is:

2640 Thomas Street in Mississauga off Erin Mills Parkway

315- Medallion Bell Card

I am continuing with my nontraditional Christmas cards. I combined two splitcoast challenges to make this card- colour challenge CC242 and the sketch challenge SC253.

It's hard to see but both the back piece of Melon Mambo and the Kraft cardstock were run though the big shot on a texture plate to give them a damask embossed image.

Recipe:

Stamps: Medallion, Heritage Holiday

Paper: Basic Black, Melon Mambo, Kraft

Ink: Basic Black

Accessories: Gold embossing, big shot, texture plate, brad punch, gold brads, 1 3/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches

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Thank You!

A special thank you to everyone who visited my table today at the White Oaks Craft Fair- I had an amazing time meeting so many fantastic new people! I hope that you can all make it to my Holiday Open House on Sunday, November 29th from 1-5pm.

Special thanks to my Aunt Connie who stopped by to help me out and was such a great advocate of my cards!

314- Joy Ornament Card

This is a card that I designed for a craft show in Oakville ON- anyone who comes by my table will be able to make it. I hope they like it! If you in the area please stop by White Oaks Secondary School to make one yourself!

Recipe:

Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Sassy Sparkles Wheel, A Holly Jolly Christmas

Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White, Rose Red

Ink: Night of Navy, Silver, Rose Red

Accessories: Petals a Plenty Impressions Folder, Scallop Oval punch, Large Oval Punch


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Order A Set of Cards

You can stock up on cards for the year at any time For $30 I will send you 10 assorted cards with envelopes. Once I receive payment I will email you to find out which cards you would like- they can all be the same or it can be a mixture. I can also do custom orders- it is entirely up to you.

Craftapalooza 09

This is a craft fair that I am participating in on Saturday in Oakville- click here for the directions. I will be at table 31- please stop by and say hello! If you mention that you saw this on my blog I will give you a special treat for visiting me!