Poppystamps: Dear Santa

I'm on the Poppystamps blog today with a Christmas card for my 20-year old son. There was little doubt in my mind that a card with this sentiment and the moose with his cute expression would be just perfect for my son.  He's enjoying his college life away from us, perhaps a little too much. So wondering if he's good enough for "Santa" is a valid question!!

LOVE that look on the moose's face - you can just see that he's trouble!

This is just right for my son!  He'll groan but he'll understand.  And perhaps I can add a little lecture too given he'll be 21 just 4 days after Christmas. Ugh!

Check out all of the details on the Poppystamps blog.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Poppystamps Christmas Fun

Dies: Poppystamps Evergreen Trio, Whittle Hearts, Whittle Snowman, Whittle Moose and Whittle Mounds, Memory Box Stitched Rectangle Trimmings

Paper: Memory Box Dashing Holiday 6x6 Paper Pack

Freshly Made Sketches: Peace

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jennifer Timko and here’s what I did with it

   

My card started with me raiding my Christmas stash for things that hadn't been used.  I came up with the Peace Die and Alexis Snowflake from Simon Says.  My plan was to keep it mostly white with a splash of colorful patterned paper for the highlights on the side. You can see I ended up in a different direction.  The first paper I saw in my stash was a very old paper with these wintery trees.  The whole idea came together instantly.  That doesn't happen often for me but I'm thrilled when it does!!

I hope to see you playing along with us at Freshly Made Sketches! You have a number of weeks on this one as we are taking a holiday break. This challenge will stay open until January 4th.

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Simon Says Stamp Peace Dies and Alexis Snowflake, WPlus9 Folk Art Florals (the bird)

Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle (I don't see a name on it but I've had it forever)

Other: Stampin' Up Winter Snow Embossing Folder

Color Throwdown: Snow Much Love

 I have exactly three more Christmas cards to make - my 21-year old son and my two tween/teen nieces. I have to admit to being somewhat out of ideas for all of them.  For one of my nieces, I wanted to use the Mama Elephant Snow Much Love die but I wasn't sure what to do with it.  They are both too old for cutesy, but too young for serious.  When I saw this week's challenge at the Color Throwdown - specifically the colorful graphic - a light bulb came on.

I did get carried away because the challenge was really only three colors from the graphic - and I kind of used them all.  I probably shouldn't be posting, but this was definitely my inspiration and I always try to give credit!

It's such a terrible time to take photos.  The sun is too low in the sky to hit my craft room window and although I have a decent artificial light, it can wash out the detail.  The sentiment on my card is actually very glittery paper. The glitter and the colors will be just perfect for teen/tween niece!!

I have so many more Christmas stamps and dies to use, but I'm kind of burning out.  It's getting time to relax and enjoy the peace of the season.  I do have a start on a card for my 21-year old and I have a stamp picked out for my other niece so I'm almost there!!  It is fun that Christmas card challenges run all year long so I'm not putting those unused stamps and dies too far away.

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Mama Elephant Big Snow Much Love, Honey Bee Stamps Layering Snowflakes, Trinity Stamps Wonky Stitched Wilderness

Paper: Stampin' Up Granny Apple Green, Coastal Cabana, Lemon Lime Twist, Mango Melody and Flirty Flaming, Taylored Expressions Toffee and Cupcake, the glitter white is from Michaels

Poppystamps: A Magical Holiday Season

I am on the Poppystamps blog today with a very clean and fresh Christmas card. This card is all about the gorgeous sentiment.  I love the words and I love the fonts!!  It's a big set of sentiments and although I've used a number of them on the inside of my cards, I decided I needed to showcase them!

I added a stitched frame, then decorated with a poinsettia, the little birds and some berry branches. 

All the details are on the Poppystamps blog. Check it out here.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Poppystamps Joyous Christmas Wishes

Dies: Poppystamps Small Blooming Poinsettia, Whittle Birds, Garden Leaves and Berries, Memory Box Stitched Rectangle Trimmings

Paper: Memory Box Polished Foil

CAS(E) this Sketch: Nordic Stars

 I fell in love with Catherine Pooler's Nordic Stars set - maybe it's my Scandinavian heritage!!  I can cook lefse and krumkake and rosettes - but I won't touch lutefisk.  True to our heritage, my son is actually going to get a Swedish minor to go with his Accounting major??!  

Whether or not it is the "nordic" part, this stamp set is unique.  There are three-sizes of stars with different stamps you can use for the inside include snowflakes.  The set pairs well with Catherine Pooler's All Around Wishes - I love the look of the coordinating die.

A big thanks to CAS(E) this sketch for giving me the layout of my card!  This is their 400th sketches - wow!!  Congratulations!!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Catherine Pooler Nordic Stars, All Around Wishes

Dies: Catherine Pooler Wishes Word Die

Cardstock: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, Granny Apple Green, Coastal Cabana

Other: Pretty Pink Posh Holiday Mix and Sea Glass jewels

Freshly Made Sketches: Hey You Be Merry

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Jacquie and here’s what I did with it! 

Having three men at home, I am always on the lookout for Christmas stamps/dies that will work for them, particularly since the oldest of the "men" is a complete grinch (not about the true meaning of Christmas, but about everything else).  My card started by seeing the Spellbinders rectangle dies in my stash.  The "hey you" and "be merry" fit perfectly on a tag.  The Merry Misfits set by Tim Holtz is a perfect for my guys - it's cute but not cutesy!   There's a reindeer that's my favorite, but Santa fit better.  

I googled sample cards for this set and saw a number adding dots for the eyes (the stamp itself has totally open, kind of glazed-over eyes.)  Although my guys despise bling of any form, once I put the glittery eyes on, I threw caution to the wind and added glitter paper behind the sentiment and a variety of sequins.  I guarantee they will notice there is bling - but tough - I like this card!!

I hope to see you playing along with us at Freshly Made Sketches.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Tim Holtz Stampers Anonymous Merry Misfits

Dies: Spellbinders Even More Sentiments, Taylored Expressions Tag Stacklets 2 and Tag Reinforcements

Paper: Stampin' Up Poppy Parade, Bazzill Basics Licorice 6x6, Red Glitter from Michaels

Other: Doodlebug Beetle Balck Glitter Sprinkles, Hero Arts Snow & Berry sequins

Festive Friday: Winter Solstice

 I love every word on the inspiration list for the current challenge at Festive Friday: Winter Solstice.  Not to mention that I picked up a set of snowmen at a Black Friday sale that I think are amazing!

For the challenge, I used blue, purple, snowflakes, enamel dots and trees.  I used a trio of glittery enamel dots around the sentiment to make it stand out.  My two little snowmen have successfully found their tree from the forest of glittery trees behind them!

The snowmen and the background stamps are from WPlus9.  I hadn't seen them. I popped over to WPlus9 when I saw they were having a great sale and there they were!  I love the detail on them.  I have so many plans for them but this was a quick lunch break card so I was happy.  (My crafting lunch breaks are my favorite part of working from home!) 

You should check out the sample cards at WPlus9 - they are amazing!!  The set comes with the two snowmen and all of their accessories, the little tree, a beautiful little bird and some wonderful sentiments. One I decided to get the Most Wonderful set of snowmen, I had to get the Snow Scenes set for behind them.  I used the ground cover and a couple of the tree stamps but just done with glitter embossing on white.

Thank you to Festive Friday for the inspiration!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: WPlus9 Most Wonderful, Snow Scenes

Dies: WPlus9 Most Wonderful

Other: WOW Ultra Shimmer Embossing Powder, Your Next Stamp Rainbow Sparkle Enamel Dots

The Greetery: Birthday Blooms

I have been in love with the font in The Greetery's Birthday Blooms set and I finally got the set on their recent sale.  Don't get me wrong - the flowers are gorgeous - but it came home to my stash because of the font!!  I decided to use the entire set on a birthday card for a dear friend.  And I'm quite certain you'll be seeing the sentiments on many future cards!

I have a new camera (more commonly known as a phone!)  For my card photography, I have been using my very old, but very high-quality DSLR camera.  It doesn't even have an automatic focus lens - nor does it automatically transfer photos.  So I'd take a number of pictures (because maybe 1 out of 10 was in focus), pull out the memory card, stick into the SD card attachment of my computer. The computer isn't as old as the camera, but it's not new. It's quite shocking it's still working and actually not too badly except for a few things, like loading photos!!  So after I'd insert the SD card, I'd go shower - or cook dinner - and by the time I was done, the photos were loaded so that I could see if there was at least one clear photo that I liked.  If not, I'd start the whole process over.

Now I have a new phone that I picked specifically for the quality of its camera. Plus the fact that I take the photo and - poof - it's on my computer.  Dealing with the photos on this post didn't lessen my enjoyment of the entire cardmaking process as it had been beginning to prior to the new phone!!!  I still have some playing to do.  I'm sure by setting a few defaults on the phone or adjusting the lighting in my photo area, etc. - it will all get even easier!!

LIFE IS GOOD!!!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: The Greetery Birthday Blooms

Dies: The Greetery Birthday Blooms, Sentiment Suite: Basics

Paper: Stampin' Up Shaded Spruce, Terracotta Tile

Ink: Stampin' Up Shaded Spruce, Mint Macaron, Terracotta Tile, Calypso Coral

Other: Studio Katia Persimmon Pearls, Stampin' Up Brick & Mortar Embossing Folder.

Freshly Made Sketches: Sending Joy

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Judy and here’s what I did with it!

   

 

The dies in the my little scene are from my most-used set from last Christmas. It's Honey Bee Stamps Winter Bouqet. I hadn't pulled it out yet this year so it was overdue.  The candle is actually taller - I cut it and moved the die to cut again so it was shorter and more in line with the squares of the sketch.  The sentiment is new this year from Honey Bee.

I'm not 100% true to the sketch. My candle should be to the right. I just mis-remembered the sketch as I was adhering things. I was a bit sad when I looked at the sketch again and realized that because I had been fairly thrilled with the way I came up with doing the sentiment.  I remember that it was to the left and I was struggling with that.  Then I saw the stamp and die combo and realized I could put it to the left but have the weight of it under the candle. 

Plaid has been so trendy this year and I really hadn't used any (not that I use a lot of patterned paper anyway!!) I originally was going to doing my usual white and sponge on a golden glow for the candle.  I still like that idea - but I had a paper pack out on my desk from doing this card and the plaid caught my eye.  I love happy accidents (or messy desks!)

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Honey Bee Stamps Joy

Dies: Honey Bee Stamps Joy, Winter Bouquet, Simon Says Stamp A2 Thin Frames

Paper: Moda Scrap Sudtirol Origins 12x12, Taylored Expressions Cherry Pop, Mushroom, My Favorite Things Natural

Color Throwdown: Happy Holidays

I love the fresh Christmas colors at the Color Throwdown. I created a slimline background of snowflakes using the colors and added the sentiment with the silver.

The snowflakes are a set from Simon Says.  I got it a while back just to have a wide variety of stamped snowflakes - I have plenty of snowflake dies but not big sets of stamps.  But then I noticed that there were dies in the same shape - not to cut out these snowflakes but to coordinate.  Being an obsessive full-set kind of person, I bought all of the snowflakes on the recent Simon Says sale. Sad, but true - and I bet you can all relate!

For this card, the stamped snowflakes were what I needed because I wanted to use this slimline sentiment stamp from Impression Obsession.  It's a set of five Christmas sentiments.  I purchased it to go with the slimline trees that I used on this card, but that particular card needed a bigger sentiment. I wouldn't let myself tuck the sentiment stamps into my stash without using them - so here it is!  I did have to do some card surgery to make it work.  I originally silver-embossed directly onto the snowflakes but the part on the red snowflake didn't show up unless it was in exactly the right light so it had a shine on it.  First I tried cutting out the sentiment strip and popping it - obviously it didn't change the red snowflake, I just thought it would make the sentiment more prominent.  Then I decided to emboss on vellum and cover the original sentiment.  That works, except I really prefer the crisp white, vs. the muted vellum. Oh well.  I was not going to start over with the snowflakes - not because I didn't want to stamp them, but I had already deep-cleaned the red ink off of them!

Thank you to the Color Throwdown for the inspiration.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Simon Says Stamp Lots of Snowflakes, Impression Obsession Winter Greetings

Dies: Mama Elephant Slim Card Basics

The Card Concept: Sketched Trees

 I love the current graphic at The Card Concept. It's such a classic Christmas look!  I thought about pulling out a chair die and using the inspiration quite literally by creating that charming scene, but I have so many unused Christmas stamps and dies so I went in a different direction.

I was inspired by the plaid in the photo and the fresh white and green.  I also saw my layout in their photo with the plaid at the bottom and the white/green at the top. 

The stamp is a new stamp in Impression Obsession's slimline series.  The stamp covers an entire slimlime and has a wonderful curved and graceful look which you can't see well on mine with the big sentiment. The die is from Trinity Stamps; I love the font and how it pops with the backer die. 

After I stamped the trees, I stamped again with the tops of the trees colored with a Versamark pen. Then I embossed some heat and stick powder and added glitter.  I had some snowflakes that matched perfectly then added red tree topper gems to a few of the trees. 

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I've always liked The Card Concept's style definition of Clean and Layered. I never felt I was a Clean and Simple creator mostly because I don't find any card "simple"!  But I definitely like clean so since I first saw their definition I have called my style "clean and layered".

Thanks so much to The Card Concept for the inspiration.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Impression Obsession Sketched Trees

Dies: Trinity Stamps Scripty Christmas

Paper: Moda Scrap Sudtirol Origins 12x12

Ink: Stampin' Up Just Jade

Other: Pretty Pink Posh Holiday Mix gems, Stampin' Up Adhesive-Backed Snowflakes

CAS on Friday: Snow

 I am thrilled to be a guest at the CAS on Friday challenge which starts today!  The challenge is "snow". When I sat down to make this card, I had just gotten the sentiment die so I had a starting point!

This card took a hard left turn halfway through making it.  I actually got the die to use for my young nieces and that was the intent when I started this card. But after I pulled out bright colors and glitter paper and bling - I realized I couldn't do a CAS card for my nieces. Their cards need to be full of color.  But as I was staring at the die, I started to realize that this was the message that I wanted to send to both of my 21+ year old sons.  I usually go funny for them, but this year is different. 

I switched directions and found a wintery plaid.  I cut the die in white and in gray - then layered with the gray slightly showing as a shadow.  I trimmed out the "O" in "SNOW" and added a snowflake and a dapper little snowman.  As much as I love dies, I'm going to have to start re-thinking which dies I buy.  I recently picked the snowman set up on sale at Hobby Lobby and I do love it.  But those itty-bitty pieces are becoming more and more difficult to see and to handle as the years go by!! 

"Snow Much Love" to each of you!  I hope my American friends are having a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday - even while social distancing!!

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Mama Elephant Big Snow Much Love, Sizzix Tiny Snowglobes (the snowman), Sizzix Mini Paper Snowflakes

Paper: Lawn Fawn Perfectly Plaid Winter, Stampin' Up Balmy Blue, Gray Granite, Poppy Parade, Mango Melody

Other: Studio Katia Red Hearts

Sales at Poppystamps and Birch Press!

 To all my U.S. friends - Happy Thanksgiving!!

I don't know about you, but it looks very different this year.  Instead of starting all of the cooking, cleaning and other preparations - I'm sitting here in my PJs, with a warm cup of coffee, doing some shopping!

Here's two good sales.  I LOVE when the entire site is on sale

Poppystamps

Birch Press

Have fun!

Freshly Made Sketches: Holiday Blessings

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Amy and here’s what I did with it!

I was flipping through dies that I had never used and saw the Paper Smooches snowflake that I got as they were closing.  Then I saw the 'holiday blessings' by Paper Rose which was a recent purchase - and I like how the two of them had a chunky rounded look.  I knew it was all meant to be when I saw this older paper by Lawn Fawn that also included hearts and the "blessings" of peace, love and joy!!  I love it when a card comes together like that!!

I applied a heavy coat of sparkle to the snowflake. My original intent was to use black behind the sentiment to balance the black patterned paper but it just seemed so heavy - so the three little glitter dots gave me the black that I needed!!

One last post about the Colorado wildfires.  It might surprise you to know the big ones are still burning although mostly contained.  The biggest fire ripped through the high mountain church camp that our family has gone to for 30 years. For weeks at a time, no one knew whether it stood or not. The fire would blow towards it, then it would shift, then it would head back, then an early snow slowed it and on and on.  At the beginning, the firefighters had used it as a base (to eat, shower, and sleep) and when they were taking a "break" from fighting the fire, they spent a lot of time trying to mitigate the danger. See that big orange thing by the cars, that's a big water-filled bladder - they placed them all around the camp.  

They saved the main lodge although you can see it was close.  (Pictures by Sky Ranch staff.) 

The high ropes course and much of the land, including most of the sites for youth campers, were damaged.

But I think this is the most amazing view. This is the outdoor worship space and the font.  Changed forever, but still standing. 

Praise God!!

I hope to see you playing along with us this week.

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Paper Smooches Lovely Snowflake, Paper Rose Holiday Blessings

Paper: Lawn Fawn Peace Joy Love, Taylored Expressions Watermelon, Stampin' Up Lost Lagoon

Other Sparkle Sheer Shimmer Stix, Doodlebug Beetle Black Glitter Sprinkles

Poppystamps: A Snowy Christmas

 I love the sparkle of Christmas!  Lights and candles inside. Snow outside. I'm on the Poppystamps blog today and I just had to use the Snowy Merry Christmas dies with a forest of snowy, sparkly trees.

I went with very traditional colors but this could work in frosty blues or purples and lavenders. Or you could go elegant with white trees and a golden Merry Christmas. Or what about cutting the trees in plaids. There are so many options with just a few basic dies.

There are more details and pictures on the Poppystamps blog!

SUPPLY LIST

Dies: Poppystamps Snowy Merry Christmas, Evergreen Trio, Snowflake Tall Curve Border

Freshly Made Sketches: Sending Love

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Narelle and here’s what I did with it!

  

 

I was flipping through my dies looking for something square that would give me an idea.  I didn't find "square" but this mini envelope caught my eye.  I'm still sending so many cards of encouragement, I thought that a card with hearts popping out of envelopes would be just right.  I spent much more time looking for papers - they had to be two-sided and I had to like both sides since they both showed.  That was amazingly hard.  As I was looking through my paper pads, it seems that many companies put dramatically different patterns on the two sides - probably so you might like one and not the other and when you use one side you aren't sad about the other side.  That's my theory!

I just going to do a sentiment strip but I saw that all the busy-ness at the top overwhelmed a small strip so I put together the sentiment that I wanted using a Building Blocks set from Taylored Expressions. 

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Taylored Expressions.

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Taylored Expressions Building Blocks - Be Bright

Dies: Taylored Expressions Building Blocks, Fun Stampers Journey Baby Envelope, Simon Says A1 Thin Frames, misc hearts and leaves

Paper: Honey Bee Stamps Autumn Afternoon

Other: Stampin Up Tasteful Textile Embossing Folder, Studio Katia Apricot Glace Pearls

Poppystamps Challenge: Colors of Autumn

This is a reminder that the current challenge at Poppystamps is Colors of Autumn!  I will always play along with any challenge named the "Colors of Autumn". I love everything about the fall; it is absolutely my favorite season.  For my card I used the Bird House Pop Up Easel set that was part of the Poppystamps Christmas release - but I did not use the dies that cut snow for the roof.  Instead I used a variety of autumn colors and leaf dies, and I changed the Christmas cardinal to a blue jay.

Poppystamps has a number of easel dies, but I had not used any yet.  It turns out it's very straight-forward to create this dimensional project using their dies. I posted my progress pictures on the Poppystamps blog today. 

This bird house folds up flat so that it perfectly fits in a regular card envelope and can be easily mailed.  

I hope to see your "Colors of Autumn"!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: Poppystamps Birthday Blowout

Dies: Poppystamps Bird House Pop Up Easel Set, Whittle Oak Leaf, Garden Leaves and Berries, and Orchard Leaves

Freshly Made Sketches: Happy Holidays

It's time for a new sketch at Freshly Made Sketches! Today we have a sketch by Karren and here’s what I did with it!

   

I've used that border die a number of times now - here and here - so many different looks with one die set!!  The sentiment is one of the Easy Expressions sets from The Ton.  I fell in love with the basic Easy Expressions set - used here - when one of my teammates used it (looking at you Linda). And now I've added the Holiday set to my collection. They also have a "Thanks" set which I think I'll manage to avoid but the Birthday set is calling my name!  I adore sentiments - if I could only buy one thing going forward - definitely sentiments!!

On a side note, the Easy Expressions stamps come in two large stamps so for this card I stamped all of the black words at once, then the second stamp lines up perfectly and stamps the blue (then the die cuts them all at once). I've also purchased a few slimline stamps recently.  Unfortunately I cannot find my large Misti anywhere.  I would not have thrown it away but I've searched my craft room from top to bottom and it's missing.  So I needed an alternative to be able to use all of these stamps.  I did find a slimline acrylic block at rubbernecker.com but then I browsed Amazon and came up with an alternative - the Bira Craft Easy Stamp Platform. It's less than half the price of the Misti and gets good reviews that look legit.  I'm not here to formally promote it - I've only used it a couple of times - but I am excited by it. For those that just can't find room in the crafting budget for the Misti, it could be a good alternative. It's a spring loaded platform that's held by magnets. You line up the stamp on the paper, add the cover, push down to pick it up - ink it and push down to stamp.  The little pink things in the picture are magnets - they have a lifted edge so it's easy to pick them up!!!  (You can buy them separately at the link above - and I'm getting a few more for my other tools!)

As you read this, I'm actually off to visit my home state of South Dakota - I should be in Wyoming when this posts! Just a mini vacation in the Black Hills.  My husband wants to try some fishing spots and I'll drive around and probably get lost in the memories.  It's a beautiful area - somehow most of it has managed to stay simple and just a bit old-fashioned. It will be a very relaxing trip.

I hope to see you playing along with us this week at Freshly Made Sketches!

SUPPLY LIST

Stamps: The Ton Easy Expressions Holiday

Dies: The Ton Holiday Border dies

Paper and Ink: Stampin' Up Coastal Cabana, Michaels silver glitter paper

Other: Stampin' Up Enamel Dots, Pretty Pink Posh Sparkline Clear Snowflakes, Trinity Stamps Silver Stones