More Cute Christmas

Stamp sets and designer paper are to me a bit like clothes.  Have you noticed there are things in your clothes closet you wear time and again and then there are things that just hang there never quite right?  Either the item doesn't fit, doesn't match, is too dressy, too casual, or my typical - I don't have the right shoes for it.  And it is usually some top or jacket I just fell in love with in the store.  Yet, apparently it doesn't love me and all the other things in my closet.

I find that sometimes with designer paper and stamps, too.  I fall in love with a new kit or stamp set only to have to sit in a drawer because it is never quire right.

This most often happens when I deviate from my style.  I want to try new things.  It's more fun and it is good to stretch ourselves.  Yet there are drawbacks.

This fall I fell in love with Stampin' Up!'s Candy Cane Christmas designer paper in the fall mini catalog.  I'd never bought an entire pack of Christmas paper before but the patterns were so pretty and it has Baja in it.  I just had to have it.  Then I saw the Cute Christmas stamp set that matched.  Plus their were buttons that even matched.  So eventually I got it all.

The challenge for me is that those cute little stamps are -well - little.  And I'm not a cutesy sort of person.  I wanted stamps to color but these are so tiny, precision definitely counts.  As I've mentioned in earlier posts, the paper patterns are great yet everything seems out of proportion - the stamps very small, the paper in various size prints and then those huge buttons.

But the big thing this collection had going for it was it is Christmas.  I ordered it to do my cards and if I wanted to get my money's worth, I had to make it work.  I kept the paper out on my table until I'd made enough cards. You've seen several cards already using this collection.  This week I'll show a couple more and that will wrap it up.  I am saving the cutest one for last.

I still have some paper left though I did a pretty good job of working through it.  I'll probably do some OWH cards later in 2011 and then this stamp set may go up for sale on E-bay.  It's cute but it just isn't me.

Ingredients:  Stamps:  Cute Christmas by SU!
Cardstock:  Real Red, Whisper White
DSP:  Candy Cane Christmas
Buttons:  Blushing Bride Stampin' Up!
Twine:  Martha Stewart

DSP Day - Favorite Paper

Of all the pretty papers in Stampin' Up!'s Candy Cane Christmas paper pack, these trees in the background of the card above were my favorite. No big surprise.  I love leaves and trees and these in lovely Baja are just extra special.  Yet how to use the paper on a card and still show of the pattern was a problem for me.  When browsing galleries over the last couple of weeks, I saw a card that had a snowflake in one corner and some other embellishments on top of the snowflake (unfortunately I can't remember where I saw this - I promise I'm going to get better at noting my random browsing).  I don't remember the background of the card at all yet I knew that layered snowflake idea was perfect for this wintery tree paper.

To make the most of the designer paper background, I

• kept all the other elements stacked in one corner.
• used a semi-opaque organza ribbon.
• cut the snowflake on the Cricut using a built-in image in SCAL, accented with diamond stickles (an idea from Kwernerdesign.com)
• edged the designer paper with a light coat of white paint for emphasis and softening.

White paint worked better than white craft ink in this case.  The craft ink just wasn't showing up.

This card is perfect for today here in the NC foothills as we are having some snowy trees of our own.  It is supposed to be mostly flurries with maybe an inch of snow this afternoon.  Yet this morning, it is already snowing pretty hard.  A good day to stay home and catch up.  I've started a new on-line class on blogging and scrapbooking and am very excited about the projects.  More later...

Ingredients:  DSP:  Candy Cane Christmas

Cardstock:  Baja Breeze

Paint:  White by Anita's

Diamond Stickles and Glossy Accents by Ranger

Organza ribbon from Hobby Lobby

Renaissance day and a love of hats

Normally, I'm not much of a festival goer.  Mostly they seem to be craft fairs with a little music in the background and odds and ends food stuff. 

I'd heard about the Renaissance festival years ago when a friend and I took a landscaping course at our local community college.  The instructor was a passionate participant in the festival which runs several weekends in a row.  He described his costume in detail and made it seem fun.  Still we never went until this year.  The Charlotte Rennaisance Festival is definitely way above other annual Fairs I've been too.  They have permanent buildings set up, about a dozen stages with something going on all day, dozens of people in costume, and actually very good food. 

Here's my journaling for our outing:

Oh, come Ye and turn back time about 500 years or so at the annual Renaissance Festival near Charlotte.  Pick a sunny Sabbath and bring along your merry wench.  It is alright if ye are a bit confused by the speaking and dress of those around you.  They are all just dressed up and having fun.  The Sword Swallower is great entertainment though it does take him a while to get along to the main event.  He’s a charming and rowdy fellow.  If the jugglers are not your cup of tea, try out Zilch the Torysteller.  He tells traditional fairy tales in a silly language and leaves everyone in stitches and a few dollars short of what was in their pockets when they arrived.  Be sure to try the smoked turkey leg which is a mighty handful or a breadbowl of beef stew.  Both are delicious fare.  If you hear a bird calling while you have your dessert, don’t be surprised if it isn’t a manmade bird call.  You can even buy one to bring home and try to fool your completely disinterested feline into thinking there is a bird in the house.  The Jousting tournament will no doubt be last on your agenda.  It is very hot and crowded there in the bright sunshine and pay no never mind to the irritating lass trying to get you to clap and cheer for such nonsense.  Enjoy your full day of fun in the Middle Ages and do not forget to visit the millner before your leave  There just may be a hat in it for you. 

Peachycheap.com sold the entire Fancy Pants Road Show products as a kit a few weeks ago.  The colors and tags were great for these pages.  I used one of the journaling tags for my photo below.  I cropped the photo with a circle cutter and put it over the journaling. 

I'm a little wary of posting this photo of me in the witches hat.  I mean, what if I should run for political office some day?   For the record, I just tried it on.  I did no spells or mixed any potions, just posed for a photo.  I didn't even buy it.  (I got a cute 1940's style hat instead.)  So we're clear.  I'm not a witch; I'm just a hat fanatic who has never found a millner she could resist. :-)

I took a lot of photos that day.  Several are displayed in this mini album to resemble a merry-go-round.  I worked and fussed trying to get a cute top cut out and then remembered, duh!, I have the Storybook Cartridge for the Cricut.  So I used a crown image.

Thanks for visiting the 'Renaissance' pages. If you live anywhere in the Charlotte area, I highly recommend this as an outing.  It is on several weekends in October and November each year.  It's fun, the food is good and I loved seeing all the costumes.

Ingredients:  DSP, Stickers, Tags, Ribbon, Brad:  Road Show by Fancy Pants
Cardstock:  Red Riding Hood, River Rock by SU!; Aqua Mist by PTI

Ribbon and Twine

The color challenge Mary has for us this week at Splitcoaststampers is Real Red, River Rock and Old Olive.  They seemed the right colors for the Home for Christmas set. 

I was just making some 6 1/2" x 3 1/4" cards for those small open end envelopes and used Real Red cardstock as my base for both cards.  Usually a 6 1/2" square really wastes a lot of paper; however the leftovers are perfect for a small square card that fits into a standard A2 envelope.

To jazz this simple card just a little, I tried a border of intertwined twine and red ribbon.  It is ziz zagged in place.  I like the casual effect, just not sure if this was the right card for it.  Anyway, it was a fun experiment.  If you try this, leave extra of the ribbon at the starting and ending points to tie a bow.

Thanks for stopping by!

Ingredients:  Stamps:  Home for Christmas
Ink:  Old Olive and Real Red; Vintage Photo from Ranger for distressing.
Cardstock:  Very Vanilla, Old Olive and Real Red
Ribbon:  Offray; Twine from jewelry department at Hobby Lobby

TIPsy Tuesday - Shopping List Clipboard

For today's tip, I'm sharing my latest stab at shopping lists for my scrap items.  I've tried a notebook, little notes that inevitably get lost on my desk and end up as scrap glue paper, and other strategies where I always forget things or end up with so many lists I don't know where to start.

Finally this weekend, I took a small clipboard and turned into a list gathering place for needed items.  Will it make me more efficient in using those Hobby Lobby coupons for needed adhesive rather than a fun embellishment?  We'll see.  Hopefully it will make shopping as quick and easy as this project.

These matching papers from October Afternoon match my bedspread and coordinated for a quick job. 

Project Notes:

• Since the paper matched the clipboard, I didn't worry about covering the top near the clip.
• I cut the papers close to the size of the clipboard and adhered them with spray adhesive.
• Then I sanded the edges with an emory board.
• The flower is a white Petaloo flower dipped in diluted Baja Breeze classic ink.  I added several coats to get it the desired color.
• To adhere the flower, I drilled two small holes and ran a thread all the way through the chipboard and ribbon.
• The other buttons are adhered with glue dots.
• The ribbon on the clip covers up the names "Staples" on the clipboard.

Now the clipboard hangs by the door of my guest bedroom/craft room.  I have notes on it already with things I need to buy or add to my next Stampin' Up! order. 

How do you keep up with your craft shopping wish list?

Thanks for visiting today!

Ingredients:  DSP:  October Afternoon Farm Fresh 8" paper pad
Flower:  Petaloo
Baja button:  Stampin' Up!
Ribbon:  Dear Lizzy from American Crafts; Old Olive by SU!

Video - Package with Tag Card

Welcome to my second video!  We made this card in our last stamp class at my house.  I don't make many tags and wanted to give a little more life to this tag stamp that was part of a hostess set from Stampin' Up!  You could use any tag stamp or small image stamp.  You could also change the colors of the "package" and theme of the tag and make this into a birthday card. 

Here's the video or watch at Youtube: 
Watch at Youtube



Paper Dimensions:
Cardstock base:  5 1/2" x 8 1/2"
Scrap cardstock:  3 3/4" x 5"  and 2 1/2" x 3 1/4"
Designer paper for package:  2 1/2" x 1 1/4"  and 3" x 2"

Hope you enjoy.  Thanks for visiting!

Ingredients:  Stamps:  Christmas Punch by Stampin' Up!
Cardstock:  Bashful Blue, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink:  Bashful Blue; Markers:  Real Red, Only Orange
Designer Paper:  Garden Green and Real Red
Ribbon:  Stampin' Up!

DSP Day - No Stamping Card

Here's an all Designer Paper card using the Candy Cane Christmas designer paper from Stampin' Up!  I fell in love with this paper and got the matching stamp set and the buttons, too.  I've had some issues though using all three together as the elements don't seem to be in proportion.  The stamps are small designs, the papers kind of medium to large and the buttons seem really huge.  Since I need to make myself about 15 more cards I'll be tackling this problem in the coming days.

In the meantime, this card just uses the paper with the trees cut and and some color added with markers.  I also went over a few of the dots with Ranger's Glossy Accents.  The star is SU! chipboard colored with Crushed Curry ink and more Glossy Accents.  Even the sentiment is cut out of the paper and gone over with a Zig marker which has a thinner line than SU! markers.

Coloring, cutting and punching are just other ways of using our pretty designer papers.

I just filmed a new video for another Christmas card yesterday.  Hope to have it up and posted no later than Monday.  Thanks for visiting!

Ingredients:  DSP:  Candy Cane Christmas by SU!
Cardstock:  Baja Breeze, Choc Chip
various markers
Ribbon:  Offray

One batch done

Mother's holiday cards are finished!  Yippee!  I really enjoyed making these and I was equally glad to get them wrapped up and handed over to my Mother yesterday.  I posted a similiar card as this a few weeks ago.  The background is from Jennifer McGuire's Holiday Thinking Inking class at http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/.   I believe this was week 3 or 4 of her videos.  All are still available.  Currently we are on the last week of the class.

For the foreground I stamped and embossed the snowflakes in silver and then added some Stickles also in silver for the centers. 

When I showed Mother the first one, she exclaimed, "where did you get that button?"  It's a Build-a-Brad from stamping up.  I'm loving these more and more because they are very easy to make and you always get a matching brad since you stamp your own center.

Now on to my holiday cards.  I've made a lot of them in ones and twos for challenges and stuff.  Now is time finish up because it will soon be time to mail them!

Hope you are having a great holiday weekend!

Ingredients:  Stamps:  Serene Snowflakes and All Holidays for greeting from Stampin' Up!
Cardstock:  Elegant Eggplant from SU!
Ink: Dusty Concord and Tumbled Glass from Ranger; Versamark
Powder:  Zing from American Crafts
Stickles:  Silver from Ranger
Brad:  Pewter Build-a-Brad from SU!
Ribbon: Organza from Hobby Lobby