Stamps, Paper, and Ink

And a Merry Christmas to all.....

My cards are stamped and ready to mail, I am recuperating from gallbladder surgery done on Wednesday of this week. My family is gathering in today and over the weekend. I love Christmas!! I love the time to remember that Jesus came - a baby born to be a King, named Immanuel . "God with us."

We will bake cookies and wait for an avalanche of deliveries from Amazon via UPS to our doorstep today. How about you? I'll bet things are hopping at your house too!

Here's the easel card I mass produced for mailing this year with the Christmas Lodge stamp set. The scored panel, rhinestone jewel and scallop glimmer paper oval show up much better IRL. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and holiday!

Apothecary Art

Dear blog friends,

It's the time of year when we hear this often but I'm wondering where all the month of December has gone!

I had some time to stamp last week and LOVED trying out some of the new products coming in the Occasions Mini (available for sale on Jan.4). The Apothecary Art set is full of old-fashioned loveliness and I was so inspired to use this set with the new Labels Collection Framelits Dies.

I was also inspired by this month's muse at CASE Study Challenge, the wonderfully talented Amy Sheffer. I have admired her fabulous work for a long time and humbly jumped at the opportunity to play along in the challenge this week.I learn so much from studying and playing in challenges! What I love about stamping is that there is always some new twist, new thing to learn, or ... new products!

Here's Amy's gorgeous card:

I especially liked her bold use of neutrals with just a splash of another color, her beautiful flourish patterns, and her gorgeous ribbon treatment.

I began by stamping the image on Crumb Cake card stock using Basic Brown ink. I chose this because it stays colorfast when you color over it. I used the white gel pen, adding highlights with my markers, and shading the leaves in Pear Pizzazz.

I stamped the sentiment inside the banner from the Take it to Heart set, and cut it out. The DSP is from the beautiful Attic Boutique Product Suite. I cut the Crumb Cake layer with my snips and die cut the Pear Pizazz card stock with the next size Labels Collection Framelits Die. I added a mat of Early Espresso card stock and tied a bow in satin ribbon.

Hope you've enjoyed the array of sneak peek goodies!

 

Boutique Birthday - sneak peek!

 Hi there!

I did get a chance to break into my new Occasions Mini supplies a few days ago and I decided to just PLAY! I'm happy to give you a sneak peek of what's fresh, new and coming soon!

Instead of beginning with a sketch or specific theme, I began with a fun product in a new color - Smooch Spritz spray in Blushing Bride. I got it right out and spritzed away on Very Vanilla card stock. I liked the soft spattered background so much that it became the basis for my whole card. What looks like pink card stock in this close up is actually the Very Vanilla cs with sparkly Smooch Spritz sheen!

The sentiment and flourish image (stamped in Riding Hood Red) are from a darling new stamp set called Elementary Elegance which will be available during Sale-A-Bration. Then I used the Framelits Labels metal die to cut the panel. The sentiment on Very Vanilla was punched with the Curly Label Punch and pairs perfectly with the image.

I LOVE the new Attic Boutique DSP!!! It is so gorgeous I had to use it as soon as I opened the pack. Each pattern is beautiful but this one is my favorite. A few pearls and Riding Hood Red Pleated Ribbon wrap this up in classy style.

 

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps:  Elementary Elegance

Paper:  Very Vanilla, Attic Boutique DSP, Soft Suede, Blushing Bride

Ink:  Soft Suede, Riding Hood Red

Accessories:  Smooch Spritz (Blushing Bride), Labels Framelits, Lace Ribbon Border Punch, Curly Label Punch, Basic Pearls

Here's a glimpse!

Here's a glimpse of a work in progress. Not a card!

Yesterday my dear friend Donna and I came up with this for my dining room...

We were shopping together in October when I saw the gorgeous display featuring the silver reindeer and an array of products in silver and aqua/turquoise. I had not updated my Christmas decorations in  quite some time  years, and with Donna's help, the vision came to life yesterday after I had whipped up the table runner.

Here's a close-up of the sideboard display.

The twinkling lights under the snow are my favorite part.

Now I'm wondering if my dining room is too pretty to eat in, lol!

Hope you enjoyed this personal glimpse of my other-things-in-life besides stamping. <g>I really am in the mood to get my Christmas shopping and other holiday stuff done so there may not be much stamping over the next day or two. I do hope to dig into my box of Occasions Mini goodies soon!

Enjoy!

Pretty in Pool Party for Christmas

 Just when I think that I've made enough Christmas cards, I find one more set or idea that I want to try. I've got quite a little stash now. That's just what happened today when I realized that I haven't used the Bells & Boughs stamp set yet and made just one more card.

When I saw Nance Leedy's fun challenge for this week at The Paper Players to use non-traditional Christmas colors, I immediately thought of my favorite In Color this year: Pool Party. Can you imagine Pool Party evergreen branches?

Well, now you can!

I used markers in Pool Party and Melon Mambo to ink the floral spray image and stamped on Whisper White card stock. I used Pretty In Pink pastels to color the flower petals, and to shade the inside of the circle panel. The DSP is Domestic Goddess, I love how these patterns work together!

Embossed detail on the white panel is from the Snowburst embossing folder. I added pearls to the centers of the poinsettias and to the card front at the bottom. Pretty in Pink satin ribbon and a tag, and it's all wrapped up!

Ready to add to my stash.

Many thanks to another great layout from my favorite place to play, Sweet Sunday Sketch Challenge.

Hope you like this unconventional color combo for Christmas. Won't you please take a moment and let me know what you think of today's card?

 

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

I can't make up my mind!

Greetings on this Thursday!

I have not one card to share, but two different takes on the same card. It all started with this scrap on my desk - and Lesley's great sketch at The Paper Players. I had a panel of watercolor paper which had been imprinted with the Letterpress design and thought it would look good as a tag in the sketch. Step one: I took a deep breath and die cut with the Two Tags die.

Here's the sketch.

Here's the first card I made using the Holly Berry Bouquet DSP and the Pines and Poinsettias stamp set.

The whole time I was photographing it - and during the night apparently - I kept thinking it was too busy.

So, what do you think I did? First thing this morning I ripped it apart, that's what, and remade it this way. I am funny about ripping up my cards - I'm sure I'm not the only one, right?

This time the tilted panel is Real Red card stock, embossed with the delicate floral spray with Cherry Cobbler DSP. 

Now my dilemna is: which one to enter in the challenge?  How about sending me your ideas while I think about it for awhile?  Which one do you like best? Would you take a minute to let me know what you like by commenting? Thanks in advance for helping me out!

  All supplies by Stampin' Up!

Stamps:  Pines and Poinsettias

Paper:  Real Red, Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Holly Berry Bouquet Specialty Designer Paper

Ink:  Real Red Craft, Versamark

Accessories:  Two Tags Die, markers, Linen Thread, Cherry Cobbler EP, Festive Finishes Letterpress Plate