Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Christmas Coffee

Today's card is another one of my December stamp a stack cards.  I thought it would be fun to use the set Perfect Blend to put on a winter/Christmas card.  If you need to give a gift, but don't want it to be too expensive this card is the perfect way to do it.  Just slip something like a Starbucks or Biggby gift card in one.  My design was inspired by this week's Mojo Monday sketch challenge #323.





Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

Stamp Sets:  Perfect Blend & Teeny Tiny Wishes
Card Stock:  Early Espresso & Very Vanilla
DSP:  Season of Style
Classic Stampin' Pad:  Early Espresso
Punches:  Word Window & Modern Label
Embossing Folder:  Northern Flurry
Jewels:  Basic Rhinestones
Sponges


Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Elegant Evergreen

Hello, Everyone!  Today's card is another pretty clean and simple card using this week's Try Stampin' on Tuesday's sketch challenge #146, and the twist is to use gold on your card.  This was a nice and simple sketch that you can do so much with.  Check out all the other great cards the designers made for this week's challenge HERE.



Since I didn't have enough champagne glimmer paper for all of my stamp a stack cards I had to make a few with the silver glimmer paper.  What do you like better?  My husband and I don't agree! lol



Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

Stamp Sets:  Evergreen & Simply Sketched
Card Stock:  Naturals White
Glimmer Paper:  Champagne
Classic Stampin' Pad:  Pool Party
Embossing Folder:  Delicate Designs
Ribbon:  1/2" Seam Binding in Pool Party
Smooch Spritz:  Vanilla Shimmer
Sponges


Sunday, December 8, 2013

Festive Snow Day

Another quick post for today.  I need five winter cards for my three December stamp a stacks this week, so I looked through a few sketch challenges and used Freshly Made Sketches 115 to come up with this card.  I don't usually make my cards so simple, but I really like how this one turned out.  I need to do some clean and simple cards more often!


Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

Stamp Sets:  Snow Day, Festive Flurry & Teeny Tiny Wishes
Card Stock:  Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi & Whisper White
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Soft Sky, Wild Wasabi, 
Real Red, Basic Black & Tangerine Tango
Framelits:  Festive Flurry
Smooch Sprtiz:  Vanilla Shimmer



Saturday, December 7, 2013

Lovely as a Tree Gift

Just a quick post today...I sponged and brayered (is that even a word? lol) this scene as a gift at our annual Red Hot Stampers Christmas party.  We had to bring a $5 gift for our Bingo game.  Since I HATE to shop (except at Hobby Lobby occasionally) I figured I could make a pic to put in a frame.  I actually bought three and the colors I used went best with this frame.  Guess I'll need to come up with pics for my other two frames.  


This is the gift I received...A beautifully decorated bag using the Festive Flurry Ornament kit and a candle with another ornament on top of it.  What scent was it???  Spiced Cranberry, and it smells wonderful!  Thanks, Melinda! :)  Yup, always a fun night with the Red Hots!


Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

Stamp Sets:  Lovely as a Tree & Everything Eleanor
Card Stock:  Naturals White & Whisper White
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Wisteria Wonder,
Perfect Plum & Elegant Eggplant
StazOn:  Black
Sponges
Brayer

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Lovely as a Tree - Winter Anniversary

Today's card is for my sister-in-law and brother-in-law's anniversary...and it's late!  I have SO many cards I need to make and get out there soon.  Anyone else feel that way?  I really need to learn to speed up my card making process and plan ahead...months ahead! lol  Yeah, I'm laughing because I know that's never going to happen!  


I've been trying to put something on the inside of my cards.  It doesn't always happen, but I'm sure giving it a try. :)


Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

Stamp Sets:  Lovely as a Tree & Express Yourself
Card Stock:  Pool Party, Island Indigo,
Basic Black & Whisper White
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Pool Party, Island Indigo
& Midnight Muse
StazOn:  Black
Sponges
Brayer


Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Safari Zoo Review

Yup, I'm posting in the evening instead of early in the morning today.  I had a pretty big order come in on Monday and I wouldn't stamp anything until I had everything taken care of.  That means sorting all my customer orders, and me putting my paper and accessories away, getting my stamp sets put together and all my new ink pads marked and labeled...and that was after I did all the laundry and cleaning and straitening up and prepping for my two sponging classes on Friday.  Let's just say I had plenty of time to think of what I wanted to work on first with one of my sets...Zoo Review.  Yup, I just bought that set believe it or not.  I've got a few more ideas going through my mind too, so we'll see how long it takes me to get them together.  At first I was going to sponge all of this, but I just didn't want to do that much sponging.  Ever since I posted Sunday about me and my brayer not getting along I've been working on it.  I'd have different ideas pop into my head on how to use that thing without leaving streaks, but could never figure it out until last night.  I have to say it is finally my friend after thinking it would never learn to like me...or me like it!!!  I still did plenty of sponging on this card and plan to keep on doing it, but I'll be adding the brayer now on bigger areas.  Like I was saying I had an idea in my mind and the Hand Stamped Sentiments Color Challenge #174 fit the colors I was thinking of perfectly!


Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

Stamp Sets:  Zoo Review & Wetlands (wheat stamp)
Card Stock:  Baked Brown Sugar, Cherry Cobbler,
Daffodil Delight & Very Vanilla
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Baked Brown Sugar, 
Cherry Cobbler & Daffodil Delight
Stampin' Write Marker:  Daffodil Delight
VersaMark
Stampin' Emboss Powder:  Clear
Punch:  1 1/4" Circle
Brayer & Sponges


Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Ornament Gift Tags

Yikes!  I almost forgot to finish my post for today.  I always schedule my "Try Stampin' on Tuesday" posts early, but remembered just before I went to bed that I had it scheduled with pictures, but didn't actually type anything for you to read! lol  So today I want to show you the gift tags that I made for this "challenge", which was also one of the projects the ladies made at my open house in November.  Yes, these are simple gift tags and that's why I love them.  After I looked at all the other designers' tags I started to worry because theirs are all SO beautiful!  I actually feel kind of lazy with these, but I'll explain why.  I guess I'm just a bit of a Scrooge, or maybe a Grinch.  Don't get me wrong...I love Christmas, but I HATE to shop for it and HATE wrapping presents.  Yes, I like the tree and all the present wrapped beneath it, but wish I could just snap my fingers and have the shopping and gift wrapping done!  Thankfully I have two daughters who LOVE to shop and know how to get a bargain (even when it's not black Friday! lol).  They are my Christmas shoppers, especially my oldest.  She has done it for quite a few years (thank you, Erica!!!!).  So how do gift tags fit into this.  Well without gift tags (and sometimes notes on them) I would have NO idea whose gift is whose, so I have to use gift tags.  These are so easy to make and you can make them in any color you want.  You can even check out the wrapping paper you have and match it to that.  So on to the pics and a few quick instructions on how to make these easy gift tags if you're not sure (and I even made a handy little box to store them in using the Envelope Punch Board. :)





To make the box you cut a piece of card stock at 4 1/2" x 4 1/2".  Run it through the Big Shot in an embossing folder (I used Pretty Print).  Then punch and score with the Envelope Punch Board at 1 3/4" on all four sides.  Repeat that step again, but you punch and score at 2 1/2" on all four sides.  Fold along all the score lines, snip the top corners out completely as shown, but only slit the bottom corners as shown.  Tape it all together except the top which you can tuck beneath the band that is wrapped around the box and finished off with another punched out ornament.  And now you have a small mini box to store your gift tags in.






Here is a collage showing the steps of how I made these simple gift tags if you're not sure how I did it.  First stamp your ornament at the bottom of a small piece of card stock.  Next fold the card stock in half just above the top of the ornament and use a bone folder to crease it well.  Then slide it into the ornament punch, but leave just a bit of empty space at the top of the punch.  If you don't leave the space you'll lose your fold and punch out two pieces of paper instead of one that's folded.  Last is your cute little ornament gift tag.  Simple right? :)  Now head on over to Try Stampin' on Tuesday to see the gift tags the other designers made.  Then show us what you came up with.


Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Sara

Stamp Set:  Christmas Collectibles
Card Stock:  Whisper White
Classic Stampin' Pads:  Strawberry Slush, Crushed Curry,
Gumball Green, Perfect Plum & Island Indigo
Punch:  Christmas Ornament
Embossing Folder for box:  Pretty Print
Envelope Punch Board