Three Notebooks

Supplies:
Stamps: Polka Dots & Paisley
Inks: Always Artichoke, Mellow Moss
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Le Jardin Designer paper, Almost Artichoke
Also: Apricot grosgrain ribbon, Mead notebook from Staples

Every Boxing Day we go and hang out with some  friends of ours at their Open House.  We enjoy meeting up with their extended family again and just having a relaxing time with them.  They have three girls ranging in age from ten to eighteen so I thought notebooks would be an appropriate gift.  The youngest is getting the pink one, she is a pretty in pink girl!

Supplies:

Cardstock: Berry Bliss Designer paper
Also: White, Chocolate and Light Pink  grosgrain ribbon, Mead notebook from Staples

I carefully took off the covers as I had seen LeAnne do here then decorated each notebook with designer paper and ribbon.  I left a narrow border on each notebook which dictated the colours of paper I used.  After stamping the sentiments I distressed the edges and dragged them across the stamp pad.  All the ribbon is stuck on with sticky strip.  I repunched the holes with a single circle punch and then reassembled the notebooks.

Supplies:
Stamps: Ageless Adornment
Inks: Ruby Red
Cardstock: Garden Green, d.p. from an old slab I got at Michaels years ago
Also:  Mead notebook from Staples

Beyond Quick

Sharon’s challenge this week is exactly what I was doing anyway, so it just spurred me on.  I dropped in on the her guest designers too and picked up more ideas.  Her challenge was to make a card so simple that you could make six in 30 minutes.   I didn’t time myself but I made eleven last night, some like the ones above and some like the Wintergreen I posted the other day.  I haven’t used Sage Shadow in ages, but I really like the crisp, snowy look the card has.  But rather than make them all the same I pulled out my favourite Christmas combination Cerise designer paper, with vanilla and red!

The punches are the key to making this card quickly.  The designer paper squares are punched with the 1¼” and the mattes with the 1 3/8″ punch. For the stars I used the SU small star punch. That’s it.

Supplies:

Stamps: Best Yet
Inks: Sage Shadow, Real  Red
Cardstock: Whisper White, Sage Shadow, Wintergreen d.p., Very Vanilla, Real Red, Cerise d.p.
Also: square punches, star punch

Wintergreen

Just a quick easy card for you tonight.  It will be quick to reproduce, which is what I need to do at this stage.  It wasn’t that quick to make but that is because I couldn’t decide on the orientation, then I couldn’t decide on the stamp!  All you need for this one is two strips of co-ordinating designer paper, a stamp small enough to punch out, a greeting and a piece of cord.

Supplies:

Stamps: Winter Post
Inks: Sage Shadow
Cardstock: Whisper White, Sage Shadow, Wintergreen d.p.
Also: silver cord

Gingerbread Creations

I mentioned a while ago that my dining room table and kitchen counters were covered in gingerbread creations in their varying states of completion.  Well, all have been competed and  carted off to the competition at a local museum.  Several people asked to see them so I have a picture of each of the designs my children had a part in making.

The village below was made by my son (centre) and his two eight year old buddies.  Each child made two houses and they landscaped together.

My younger daughter(centre) and two friends designed and created the country church and surrounding yard.

My eldest (left) and two friends designed, assembled and decorated the dollhouse replica.

If you would like to see more there are some details and close ups on my family blog

the wondrous gift is given

Last night I sat down and wrote in most of my Christmas cards, discovering in the process that I needed a few more.   The inspiration for this one was a picture I saw on a friend’s blog yesterday.  This kind of scene  can be seen around here quite often at sunset or sunrise.

To make it I tore a piece of card to place across the bottom to mask my snowy area.  I positioned it  at the bottom before stamping the trees in versamark.  I embossed them with black and then positioned the masking strip a little higher before sponging my sky, first in Pretty in Pink, then Almost Amethyst,  Going Gray and Bashful Blue.  I sponged a little Amethyst behind the trees and stamped some background trees in Going Grey.  To give the foreground snow a bit of definition I tore tiny strips out of a piece of paper and sponged through the holes.

Supplies:

Stamps:  Lovely as a Tree, Wondrous Gift
Inks: Almost Amethyst, Pretty in Pink, Going Gray, Bashful Blue, Versamark
Cardstock: Whisper White, Almost Amethyst, Basic Black
Also: black e.p.

Stamp Simply Celebrates Day 12

It is Day 12 of Stamp Simply Celebrates! The party’s almost over, but it has been so much fun.  If you are new here, check out Party Central for a full rundown of our 12 day schedule.  Feel free to jump in anytime at all!!!

Anyone can play ANY of the challenges by ANY of the hostesses during our 12 days of Stamp Simply Celebrates!!! You DO NOT need to have a Blog to play — uploading your project to SCS (Splitcoaststampers.com) is not only permissible, but HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.  When doing so, use the KEYWORD SSC08.  Thanks!

Barb Schram - Explore. Dream. Discover. - Today for Barb’s Featured Project she has created a useful Holiday Home Decor item for YOU if you please, or it makes a fabulous gift item that will knock the socks off your friends!  It comes completely packaged with a card to match!  I KNOW you won’t want to miss out, so be sure to visit today over at Barb’s place and lap up the inspiration!!!

Sharon Johnson -No Time To Stamp? – Me again.  It’s my regular Stamp Simply Challenge today, and it promises to result in some great layout options for you to use for quick projects.  Hope you can play!  All you have to do is scroll up as it is the post uploaded just above this one.

Some great samples for the Stamp Simply Challenge today can be seen on these blogs:  Julie, Janine, Jennifer, Tammy, Dee, Becky, LeAnne,  AJ, Jerri and Darlene.

Leslie Miller - Running with Scissors – Leslie has some BLOG CANDY for you today!

Sharon Johnson -No Time To Stamp? – Me again with more BLOG CANDY, and it’s right here, so just scroll down.

Simple tags

It’s  Day 11 of Stamp Simply Celebrates!  If you are new here, check out Party Central for a full rundown of our 12 day schedule.  Feel free to jump in anytime at all!!!

Anyone can play ANY of the challenges by ANY of the hostesses during our 12 days of Stamp Simply Celebrates!!! You DO NOT need to have a Blog to play — uploading your project to SCS (Splitcoaststampers.com) is not only permissible, but HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.  When doing so, use the KEYWORD SSC08.  Thanks!

AJ Otto - The Willow Garden - Are you wrapping gifts yet?  Probably!  I’ll bet you need some pretty tags to dress those packages up — well, be sure to check in on AJ’s Featured Project today to see all her Gift Tags.  And then play AJ’s Challenge so you, too, can have some nice gift tags on hand!!!  Be sure to stop in at AJ’s today!

You can see more tag samples by checking out the Blogs of:   Janine, LeAnne, Jerri , Sharon and me!

Jerri Jimenez - A Touch of Grace - Today Jerri will grace us with her Featured Project which is a beautiful 6 x 6 Scrapbook she made, which is certain to be a real treat for the eyes.  Jerri also has BLOG CANDY to offer today (think scrapbooking made easy), so be sure to stop in to see Jerri!!!

Other scrapbook samples can be seen by checking out:  Barb and Jennifer

Deb Saaranen - Dream in Color – Deb has an offering of BLOG CANDY for us today!

Jerri Jimenez - A Touch of Grace -  Jerri also has BLOG CANDY to offer today so be sure to stop in to see Jerri!

To make my easy tags I cut a strip of Old Olive and stuck on a piece of designer paper which was a little narrower so the olive showed at the top and bottom of each tag.   I cut vanilla pieces all the same and then punched different corners on a few.   All the stamping was done using the very useful little stamps from Holiday Sampler and the To/From out of Winter Post.  I drew all my stitching lines on with a fineline pen.  When I started these I didn’t even know if I would like them, I don’t usually reach for Old Olive, but I surprised myself and had a lot of fun creating a different design on each one.

Supplies:

Stamps: Holiday Sampler, Winter Post
Inks:  Old Olive, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Always Artichoke
Cardstock: Old Olive, Very Vanilla,Petals and Paisleys d.p.
Also: Hemp twine, slit punch, burgandy fineliner

Celebrate with candles

Day 10 of  Stamp Simply Celebrates!   I have a candle and matching box to share today, but first  I’ll let you know about all the celebrating going on elsewhere:

Leslie Miller – Running With Scissors - Today we are treated to the beauty of Leslie’s work with her Featured Project where she is showing us how to Alter Food Packaging to turn it into a wonderfully warm, cozy, and sweet gift item that anyone would love to receive!  And it’s something we can all easily do!  I know you won’t want to miss this, so be sure to visit Leslie today.

You can see more great samples of Leslie’s Project by:  Dee, Jennifer

Joan Fricker - Joan’s Garden – Joan offers us a beautiful Featured Project today — who doesn’t love beautifully presented Soap and Candle Gifts!  Well, especially these soaps and candles!  And you can make your own as a part of Joan’s Challenge, with inspiration from many.    Be sure to check out this sweetly scented event!

And there are many more samples of Joan’s Challenge.  Check out:    LeAnne, Dee, AJ,  Barb, Darlene, Janine, Sharon and me!

Anyone can play ANY of the challenges by ANY of the hostesses during our 12 days of Stamp Simply Celebrates!!! You DO NOT need to have a Blog to play — uploading your project to SCS (Splitcoaststampers.com) is not only permissible, but HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.  When doing so, use the KEYWORD SSC08.  Thanks!

Tammy Hershberger - Stamp Happy – Tammy is offering BLOG CANDY today!

LeAnne Pugliese - Wee Inklings - LeAnne also has a BLOG CANDY offering today!

It is great to be playing along in the Stamp Simply Celebrations.    I enjoyed decorating a candle and matching box for Joan’s challenge today.  I stamped three navy trees on tissue paper then used wax paper and a heat gun to melt them onto the candle.  I have a tutorial explaining how to make a box and candle  HERE.  The trim on the box and candle wrapper were made with the retired Pine Bough roller from Stampin’ Up.  The box and lid were made from night of navy cardstock, with panels of vanilla stuck on the sides of the box.

Supplies:

Stamps: Pine Bough roller, Lovely as a Tree
Inks: Night of Navy
Cardstock: Night of Navy, Very Vanilla
Also: Navy grosgrain ribbon, pillar candle (IKEA)

Stamp Simply Celebrates day 9

It’s  Day 9 of Stamp Simply Celebrates!  If you hadn’t heard there is a party going on, check out Party Central at No Time to Stamp for a full rundown of our 12 day schedule.  Feel free to jump in anytime at all!

Anyone can play ANY of the challenges by ANY of the hostesses during our 12 days of Stamp Simply Celebrates!!! You DO NOT need to have a Blog to play — uploading your project to SCS (Splitcoaststampers.com) is not only permissible, but HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.  When doing so, use the KEYWORD SSC08.  Thanks!

Jennifer Buck – The Buck Stamps Here – Time is moving on and I think we all need some Quick Cards about now, agreed?  You’ll enjoy Jennifer’s Featured Project today where she also Challenges you to create some quick cards, qualifying you to enter her BLOG CANDY drawing.

You can see more great Quick Card samples by checking out Jennifer’s designers:  Janine, Julie, Tammy, AJ and Sharon

AJ Otto - The Willow Garden - How about a game?  I LOVE games!!!  Check out the DT Trivia Game AJ is hosting over at The Willow Garden!!!  And AJ has some BLOG CANDY to offer to the winner!!!

Jennifer Buck – The Buck Stamps Here -  Jennifer is offering BLOG CANDY in conjuntion with her challenge listed above.

Sharon Johnson - No Time To Stamp?- has some  SU BLOG CANDY today.

I hope you enjoy all there is to see on the blogs of these amazing stampers.  I’ll be back tomorrow with a project to share.

Stamp Simply Celebrates Day 8

More candy and more great ideas are being offered today by:

Julie Koerber – Out to Impress -   Julie is out to impress you with her Small Gift Ideas today!  Play her Challenge to have some small gifts on hand yourself, and be eligible to enter her BLOG CANDY drawing!  You won’t want to miss all the fun at Julie’s today!

Sharon Johnson - No Time To Stamp? - Our wonderful hostess, has  more BLOG CANDY today!