MM #83: STAMPIN' UP! ORNAMENT KEEPSAKES

I've made a card for this week's Merry Monday challenge ... and I REALLY had to think on this one, with so many elements to be included!  I have managed to miss the cut-off for the challenge, but will share it with you anway.

My natural tendency, when I'm challenged to use a few different elements, is to completely "overdo" the card and end up with something so busy that it gets thrown away.  I've gone in quite the opposite direction today, managing to keep it simple!

Last night I had a wonderful time playing with my Envelope Punch Board, from Stampin' Up!, making cute paper bows.  Here's a link to the fabulous tutorial that introduced me to this fun, addictive pastime:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwMv0zo9vJ8

My card evolved once I decided to use the cute stripey bow:

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, Sassy Salutations

Card: Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White

DSP: Season of Style Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip and Crumb Cake stampin' pads

Other: Cherry Cobbler stampin' emboss powder, Holiday Ornaments framelits, Small Heart punch, Owl Builder punch, Basic Rhinestones, Stylish Stripes embossing folder, Envelope Punch Board, sponge dauber, multipurpose liquid glue

 

 



MERRY MONDAY #75, TAKE TWO: STAMPIN' UP!'S ORNAMENT KEEPSAKES

Today my sons are not home, and hubby is holed up in his study, so I am "getting my craft on"!  I've managed to put a few loads of washing on and change bed linen as well, so a pretty productive day all round.

I shared earlier today a card I'd made, using Stampin' Up!'s Ornament Keepsakes, for this week's Merry Monday challenge.  I had a couple of extra ornaments stamped, embossed and die cut, so will make some more cards.  One of them has found its way onto a card that I am also going to enter in Merry Monday Christmas Card Club #75.  Here's the brief:

.. and here's a cleaner, simpler, card that I came up with:

Here is a closer view of the shimmery centerpiece on the ornament:

 

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, Delightful Dozen

Card: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla, Champagne Glimmer Paper

DSP: Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper (retired)

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Early Espresso stampin' pad, Crumb Cake stampin' pad

Other: Holiday Ornaments framelits, Ovals Collection framelits, 7/8" Scallop Circle punch, 1/2" Circle punch, Metallic brad, sponge dauber, Stylish Stripes embossing folder, Cherry Cobbler stampin' emboss powder

STAMPIN' UP! ORNAMENT KEEPSAKES FOR MM #75

Check out the beautiful challenge from Lesley for Merry Monday this week:

My first thought was to use the luscious Champagne Glimmer Paper from Stampin' Up!, but my card went in a completely different direction to my initial plan!  There's LOTS of embossing on this card, which I think gives a rather regal effect. 

I inked up my Beautifully Baroque embossing folder with Gold Encore ink, and ran it through my Big Shot with Very Vanilla card in the folder.  I liked the look of that, but decided I wanted a bit more 'random' coverage, with shimmer ... so I sprinkled gold embossing powder over the embossed card, and heat set it.   You can see the shimmer in this close-up shot:

..... and here's the card in its entirety.  The ornaments, background and sentiment are all heat-embossed; I really went to town with this technique today!

 

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, Merry Little Christmas

Card: Early Espresso, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Encore Gold inkpad, Gold Stampin' Dazzle marker

Other: Beautifully Baroque embossing folder, Holiday Ornaments framelits, Chalk Talk framelits, Gold stampin' emboss powder, Early Espresso stampin' emboss powder, Cherry Cobbler stampin' emboss powder, Regals brads, paper snips, Early Espresso stitched grosgrain ribbon, Gold Glimmer brad (dipped in Versamark, and gold-embossed)

 

 

 

JAI #144 : JUST ADD MUSIC

Trish has set the challenge at Just Add Ink this week, to "just add music" to your papercraft project.  I love the variety of samples our Design Team have made, and am sure you will too - be sure to take a look.  We hope you'll play along with us!

When I set to making a card for this challenge, I knew I wanted to use my Natural Composition Specialty paper - there are two sheets in the pack, that have music clear-embossed on kraft card.  Perfect!!  I've used the paper on the main panel, as well as for the centre ornament, on which I stamped the sentiment in Staz-On ink.  In keeping with the music theme, I also used my Music Notes wheel and Cherry Cobbler ink on the base card.

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, More Merry Messages, Music Notes stampin' around wheel

Card: Cherry Cobbler, Whisper White

DSP: Natural Composition Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Cherry Cobbler and Crumb Cake stampin' pads, Crumb Cake marker, Jet Black Staz-On inkpad

Other: Holiday Ornaments framelits, 3/4" Circle punch, Cherry Cobbler scalloped tulle, Cherry Cobbler baker's twine, Linen Thread, Festive Piercing Pack, Stampin' Pierce Mat and Paper Piercing tool, Brushed Bronze designer buttons, sponge dauber, Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details, Basics Glimmer brad, stampin' dimensionals, Finishing Touches edgelits, glue dots

 

 

 



CHRISTMAS CLASS CARDS

Try saying that title three times quickly!!  I thought I'd share with you a couple of the cards we made in my Christmas card classes this month.

This first one was a bit time-consuming, but well worth it; I'm pretty sure everyone who made it was happy with it.  I love it!  Stampin' Up!'s Ornament Keepsakes bundle makes it very easy to make great Christmas cards.  This is the front view, when the card is closed .....

 

 

....... but when opened, you can see it's an easel card:

 

 

 

 

Here's a full shot of the inside of the card:

 

 

 

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, Delightful Dozen

Card: Midnight Muse, Whisper White, Brushed Silver, Bashful Blue

Ink: Versamark inkpad, Midnight Muse stampin' pad

Other: Holiday Ornaments framelits dies, Finishing Touches edgelits die, Silver Sparkle Dazzling Details, Basics Glimmer brad, White baker's twine, Midnight Muse stitched satin ribbon, Silver Stampin' emboss powder, Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack, Stampin' Pierce Mat and Paper-piercing tool, Lacy Brocade embossing folder, stampin' dimensionals, glue dots

 

 

 

 

The second card I have to share with you was made using the gorgeous Evergreen two-step stamp set.  We stamped the solid tree design in Crumb Cake ink, then gold-embossed the script overlay.  Lots of new bits and pieces on this one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

..... and a close-up of the gold-embossing on the tree:

 

 

 

 

Stamps: Evergreen, Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Card: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler smooth, Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations

DSP: Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper stack, Champagne Glimmer Paper

Ink: Crumb Cake and Cherry Cobbler stampin' pads, Versamark inkpad

Other: Gold Stampin' Emboss powder, Labels Collection framelits dies, Holiday Collection framelits, Festive Paper-percing pack, Stampin' Pierce Mat and Paper-piercing tool, sponge daubers, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Lacy Brocade embossing folder, Woodgrain embossing folder, Dotted Scallop Ribbon border punch, Scallop Edge border punch Designer Sanding Blocks, Bitty Banners framelits dies, stampin' dimensionals, sticky strip

 

 

 

 

 

JAI #140 : JUST ADD CHEVRONS

This week's challenge at Just Add Ink, thanks to our lovely Trish, is to use chevrons on our papercraft project.   I'm not entirely sure what the difference is between zig-zags and chevrons, but think chevrons might be a repetition of zig-zags?  Whatever - they're very "on trend" in the papercraft world right now!

In an effort to gradually build up my stash of Christmas cards, to avoid the perennial last-minute-rush in December (happens every year, despite my best efforts!), I have created another Christmas card.  You'll be seeing quite a few from hereon in - just warning you.

LOVING Stampin' Up!'s Midnight Muse, and it goes so well with Very Vanilla and Crumb Cake.  These colours give a bit of a vintagey look to my card, I think.  I have included a length of stamped cotton ribbon (it's on p.20 of the Holiday Catalogue, if you're looking for it); the ink colour is muted, but I like that.

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, Mixed Medley

Card: Crumb Cake, Midnight Muse, Very Vanilla

DSP: Comfort Cafe Designer Series Paper

Ink: Midnight Muse and Crumb Cake stampin' pads
Other: Holiday Ornaments framelits dies, Basic Pearls, Delicate Designs embossing folder, Large Scallop edgelits, Basic Pearls, Chevron embossing folder, 7/8" Cotton Ribbon, Midnight Muse stitched satin ribbon, sponge daubers, glue dots, 3/4" Circle punch

SU! ORNAMENT KEEPSAKES ON NATURAL COMPOSITION DSP

I have, for a few months, been wanting to recreate this stunning card by Yvette Ashe - it is one of my all-time favourites, using Stampin' Up!'s Ornament Keepsakes stamps.  Until now, though, I haven't had the Natural Composition Specialty Designer Series Paper.

Well .... I now have the paper, and I just had half an hour free, so I set to work.  I have added a couple of different touches (ribbon treatments, glimmer paper behind the buttons, and Early Espresso ink on the sentiment), but hope I've done Yvette's design justice.  I don't normally blog cards that I have CASEd, but this one has to be an exception because I just LOVE it!!!

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, More Merry Messages

Card: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla, Champagne Glimmer Paper

DSP: Natural Composition Specialty Designer Series Paper

Ink: Pool Party, Island Indigo, Crumb Cake and Early Espresso stampin' pads

Other: Holiday Ornaments framelits dies, Victoria crochet trim, Pool Party seam binding, Linen Thread, Very Vanilla 1/8" taffeta ribbon, Vintage faceted buttons, glue dots, Itty Bitty shapes 3/8" circle punch, sponge daubers

DD #21 : STAMPIN' UP! ORNAMENT KEEPSAKES BUNDLE IN REDS

This week's "mix and match" challenge at Dynamic Duos is to use Cherry Cobbler and a colour of our choice on a card/scrapbook page.

 

 

I consulted my trusty Stampin' Up! Color Coach for inspiration on this one, because I wanted to move away from my usual choices!  Apparently Riding Hood Red is a complementary colour to Cherry Cobbler - granted, not terribly different, but all the same that's what I chose! 

 

The colour differences on my card (injections of neutrals notwithstanding) are subtle, so I thought I'd point out what's different about the two Christmas ornamments.  The left one (with the bow) is embossed in Cherry Cobbler on Whisper White card.  The right one (mounted on the circle) is white-embossed on Riding Hood Red card. 

 

 

Stamps: Ornament Keepsakes, More Merry Messages

Card: Riding Hood Red, Basic Black, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler Core'dinations

Ink: Versamark inkpad

Other: Holiday Ornaments framelits dies, Lacy Brocade embossing folder, sanding block, 2 1/2" Circle punch, Basics Paper-Piercing pack, Finishing Touches edgelits die, Vintage faceted buttons, Cherry Cobbler scallop dots ribbon, Cherry Cobbler baker's twine, stampin' dimensionals, glue dots