Ready!

Tags are done and gifts are wrapped. I even have a few left to add to a stash for next year. Hope all your Holiday plans are proceeding smoothly!

We wish you....

I finally finished my Christmas cards. It was rough going as I just had no idea what I wanted to do. Since getting into the Holiday spirit has been difficult, I decided to go very simple this year. So, I used some pre-cut card kits (leftovers from Club Scrap kits) and stamps from Close to My Heart:

The nesting dies are by Stampin' Up! Not one of my more spectacular efforts, but at least they are done!

Gift Tags

I think I've made enough gift tags for Christmas. My goal to use my stash of patterned paper has worked well. I have also been using die cuts quite a bit. For the gift tags below, I folded patterned paper in half and positioned in in the Sizzix/Tim Holtz ornament die so that the fold was below the to cut line. Thus, it makes a mini ornament card. I ran a complimentary paper through the die again to cut out the top of the ornament.

I stamped and punched put the center circles. Super easy! I made the tag below similarly using the Sizzix/Tim Holtz dwellings die:

You can see the top is a bit flat due to the fold. Take a look at your dies - there may be some that would make a perfect fold over card.

Tuesday's Tag

For today's tag, I took out (of the package) a couple of new stamps. The background is by Hero Arts - love it!

It was stamped in Distress ink, but seemed a bit too dark for what I wanted to do. Enter Distress Stain in Picket Fence - it toned it down a bit. I stamped the bird (My Mind's Eye from the Merry and Bright collection) onto the tag in black. I then re-stamped it on a separate piece of card stock in Barn Door Distress ink. I cut out the bird and mounted it over the black image with mounting tape. The flowers were also re-stamped onto white card stock, cut out and mounted over the original image. I added some Straw Distress Stickles to the center.
From a scrap of Merry and Bright paper, I die cut the lace edge on the left. I used the same print to punch out different size snowflakes. I added a smear of glitter glue to the snowflakes. Here's a close up:

Last of all, I stamped the sentiment (My Mind's Eye Merry and Bright) and cut out the banner. It was also added to the card with mounting tape. Finally, I stained some cream ribbon with Stormy Sky Distress Stain. I did use the papers and tag from my stash, only the stamps were new!

Some Favorites

A few years back, I was debating about getting a Big Shot by Sizzix. After all, I didn't like to use die cuts. I had steered clear of them for decades. But, I did like embossing folders, so I figured why not get the Big Shot. One of the best tools I ever bought. I think this is pretty funny since almost all the cards and tags I have been making use a die cut!
I made the card below for a friend. The snowman in the fold-over card. I folded white card stock in half and the put the fold just below the top of the hat. That way, it doesn't cut through:

After die cutting, I opened the snowman up and placed the front into a snowflake embossing folder. I slightly inked the raised snowflakes and smeared on a bit of glitter glue. The photo below shows how the snowman opens. The banner is made from a SimonSaysStamp thin die (a new favorite!). I mounted the snowman to the card with mounting tape.

                                          

Sweet Treats

I had invited my gym buddies over for a lunch, a thank you for all the support they have given over the past half year. I was thinking of making a cute holiday favor for them to take home. Opening my drawer of dies, I embarrassingly recalled that I had bought the Stampin' Up matchbox die and never used it! No time like the present...
I used a couple of patterned papers, instead of card stock. I wasn't sure how sturdy they would be so I did make a test box. Thankfully, they worked beautifully:

I made the lid from printer transparencies. It was thin enough that I didn't need to score it to wrap it around the little box. I used my ATG gun to adhere it together. Since you can still see a bit of the glue line, I placed the ribbon around the box at the seam and tied a bow. Below is the bottom view, you can see I still needed to adjust the ribbon:

They were a big hit, thankfully. And, I stayed with my resolution to use my stash - including old "new" dies!

I was originally going to post this tag on Tuesday, but jumped the gun and posted a card instead. This tag was made while I was playing with my new falling stars die. I added the row of house (Sizzix/Tim Holtz)  and couple of Stampin' Up tag images. At the bottom. I made a mixture of white flocking and glitter to imitate snow. All tied up with homemade twine!

                                                         

Falling Stars

I recently purchased a couple of new dies, mainly for backgrounds. I love the Falling Stars thin die made by Memory Box for SimonSaysStamp. I decided to combine it with another die I bought some time ago (and never used!)

After assembling the pieces, I decided to add my "homemade twine" and a mini tag (from Stampin' Up). I added a bit of glitter glue -

Loved the way this card turned out. It may be a future Christmas card...

Since I pretty much missed October, I decided to use a few new items that I purchased to make Halloween cards. At least it's still Fall!

The latest journal page for my swap with Kate. Stains, sprays, inks used with stencils and stamps. The fun Halloween saying is from Artistic Outpost. I had "Nightmare Before Christmas" playing in the background - the three fellows in the circle (Stampotique) reminded me of Oogy Boogy's henchmen!

Cheer

I was playing with the Holiday Card Kit from SimonSaysStamp. Included with the papers, card stocks and other goodies, is an adorable little wafer die of a gift. Had to try it out! So, I ran it through my Big Shot using print, solid and white papers. Love the way packages turned out - so quick and simple!

Just for Fun

I am trying out ideas for possible Christmas cards. I had been thinking of using my ornament die from Sizzix as a focal. After die cutting the shape, I decided to punch an oval and insert a mini tag I was making. This definitely sparked some ideas of pairing punches and die cuts!

Tuesday's Tip

With all the family issues and travel, I have not had much time to create. However, I have been able to cruise around the web for ideas. I found a fun stencil/mask idea on the Paper Crafter's blog. Did you know you could use your thin dies as masks? Nestibilities dies would be great for shapes in different sizes!

So-So

I was inspired to use my Inktense watercolor stick by a card made by my Squirelly (Art) friend, Nancy. I scribbled, painted with a water brush, die cut, and stamped. Not sure I like the results. I was not going to post, but I think it is good to show your art in different incarnations. Sometimes, things work out well and other times, not so well. We all have these experiences, even some of the captains in the industry. I remember watching a demonstration by Kevin Nakagawa (Stampscapes) - he ended up with a funky thumb print in the middle of the card. Others have tried a new color combination in a demo, and ended up being less than happy with the result. So...here is my "less than thrilling" card:

It could be better...and it could be worse! What has been your experiences?

Merci

I bought the Simon Says Stamp June card kit - love it! The pattern papers are from a line I just love - London Market by Pink Paislee. I thought this would make a fun thank you card for friends. I also was able to use some of my most recent die purchases. The circles and scallops are from Lifestyle Crafts. But, my favorite was a local find from the "Memories Live On" scrapbook store - an Eiffel Tower die!

The white flower is part of a Stampin' Up doily die that I cut apart.  The little doily stamped around the top and bottom edges is from a Prima set - and stamped in Distress Spun Sugar and Iced Spruce. The stamp is a very old unmounted - not sure where it came from! Mint ribbon from my stash is behind the dies and banner.

Camp Scrap

I will be participating in May Flaum's Camp Scrap. It is a free summer camp of ideas for scrapping and card making and what ever else! I am hoping to jump start my use and paring down of my stash.
Monday's post discussed clustering of embellishments on a scrapbook page (but can be used on any project). Perfect timing! On June 20th, I will be teaching a layout class using this very technique.

The lower right hand corner contains my cluster of stars, gems, pearls, and punched circles. I usually lay them out to get an idea of placement - the larger sizes first. Then, I glue those down with dots of glue on the background. I add the smaller sizes to fill in and stretch out the design. Your turn to give it a try!

More Paper Play

I used the same Pink Paislee line as yesterday's card. Parts of the paper were a bit on the busy side, so I cut the main body out of the center of a 12 x 12 sheet of patterned paper. The pink swirls and flowers along the top were from another part of the same 12 x 12 sheet of paper. I cut them out and added them. I used the Stampin' Up butterfly embosslit for the small butterflies (and a bit of acrylic paint).
Remember, you can use any part of a 12 x 12 design and re-arrange it as you see fit. You just have to cut it (and I know sometimes that is NOT easy!)

Paper Play

I have fallen in love with patterned paper. Yes, it has been around for many years - and I had a lot at one time. It was mostly 8 1/2 x 11, and pretty basic. So, I stopped buying it and starting making my own with rubber stamps and inks. Then, I could customize each page as needed.
Jump ahead: there are so many wonderful themes and collections available. I resisted for a while - mainly purchasing (and hoarding) Basic Grey. Then, came all the Graphic 45 collections....sigh. So, I have not only embraced patterned paper, and bought patterned paper, I have been using patterned paper. The above card is all Pink Paislee except for the stamped message. I cut (and die cut) portions of a 12 x 12 sheet - making a pretty little card.

In The Neighborhood

I completed a double page spread for my journal exchange. I thought I would use the background I made with paint and plastic wrap, adding some new purchases. It is a bit less busy in person as the pen work did not photograph well. I used one of the new Hero Arts stamps (large house) and paired with Basic Grey's Out of Print paper. I used the On The Edge houses from Tim Holtz/Sizzix to die cut the patterned paper. A few stickers and punched circles were added.

Dies for Guys...

I am still playing with die cuts. It is pretty easy to make feminine cards - there are a lot of fun flower and butterfly dies available. I decided to work a masculine card into my collection. The tree and deer dies are Sizzix/Tim Holtz. I "Distress Inked" the background of the blue panel and stamped the same colors onto the white fold over card. The punch is by Stampin' Up and sentiment is Hero Arts.

For Mom...

This weekend, I am teaching a boxed card class - just in time for Mother's Day! I really love the Core d'nations texture card stock for the box and card embellishments.

These are the cards we will be making - there will be 2 of each type. The teal and fuchsia are from Core d'nations. All stamps are Penny Black and Hero Arts. The box was previously shown on my blog, but here it is below:

Enjoy your weekend - whether you are celebrating National Scrapbook Day or Cinco de Mayo!