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Flower Fest Poinsettias

Well, it's Tuesday already and this is my first post of the week!  I was looking around for a challenge to do, because I know you all MISS me posting, right?  I came across a pretty color combination from The Paper Players…and then a very neat sketch from Mojo Monday!  I don't know when was the last time I played along with Mojo Monday!

And here is my card using the combination of both challenges!

Yes, I made up some more of my Flower Fest stamp poinsettias!  Funny how changing the colors out on the card and a few details can make the card look totally different!  (If you want to see the last one I did with Poinsettias…you can see it HERE!)  On this one I started with a base of Always Artichoke and layered on River Rock that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Stripes Impressions Folder.  I lightly sponged River Rock Classic Ink across the raised areas for a weathered panel look.  I added the front layers  of Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red and Very Vanilla according to the sketch.  I stamped Merry Christmas from Stampin' Up!'s Christmas Greetings stamp set in Always Artichoke on the front and added a stripe of Red Glimmer Paper.  I also punched along the bottom with the Pinking Hearts Border Punch. 

The Flower Fest flowers were stamped in Riding Hood Red and Always Artichoke and then punched with the 5 petal punch.  I added pearls to the centers, then popped them up on the front of the card.  I like the simple elegance of this one!

Christmas Flower Fest Punch Art

I'm SO excited that I was asked to do a sample card for Splitcoaststamper's Wednesday Sketch Challenge #SC357!  I'm in the midst of cleaning out my back storage room and my actual stamping studio is holding all the things I pulled out.  Can you say big MESS!!!  I had to clear out an area just in order to stamp!  lol!  So, here was the SCS sketch for this week.

I was also excited to use my Stampin' Up! Flower Fest stamp set again, this time to make Christmas Poinsettias!  It worked perfectly!

This would be a great card to mass produce for your holiday cards!  I started with a base of Cherry Cobbler cardstock, and used a long base of 4 1/4 x 11, then folded it in half with the fold on the left side for something a little different..  I used the Petals A Plenty Impressions Folder on 2/3 of the Whisper White layer, leaving room at the bottom to stamp my greeting, Merry Christmas from Four the Holidays, in Cherry Cobber.  I covered the seam with Basic Gray Satin Ribbon and layered it on Basic Gray cardstock.  I stamped the flower from Flower Fest in Cherry Cobbler on Real Red four times and punched them out with the 5 Petal Flower Punch.  I then stamped the same flower again with Garden Green on Garden Green cardstock and punched them out for the leaves behind the red flowers.  I adhered them together, then pierced a hole in the center of the flowers and placed the Gold Glimmer Brads.  They were popped up on the front of the card with Stampin' Dimensionals. 

I think that the card has a quiet elegance that was quite easy to achieve!

25 & Counting

Good morning (or whenever you are reading this!)  It is a gorgeous SUNNY day…definitely feels like fall, though!  This will be a QUICK post because I have two classes coming in today!

The Paper Players has a Clean & Simple Christmas Red & Green color challenge for today that I decided to play along!  I wanted to fit in the Freshly Made Sketches challenge, but ran out of time because of my sinus headache this morning…just didn't feel like getting up earlier than I needed to…lol!

I used Stampin' Up!'s 25 & Counting stamp set!  It is a fun set that can be used for something OTHER than an Advent Calendar!  It is one of the sets we are featuring this week on Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition, our second full week of Christmas!

I started with a 6×6 base of Real Red, folded in half to 3 x 6.  I added an Old Olive layer on top, stamped with Merry & Bright from Merry & Type Stamp Set in Basic Black in the lower left corner.  I LOVE the typeset greetings in this set!  I added a strip of Letters to Santa DSP across the top and then covered the seam with some Cherry Cobbler Quilted Ribbon.  I love how Real Red and Cherry Cobbler blend so well together!  I stamped the Sant from 25 & Counting in Real Red on Whisper White, then colored in parts with the Basic Black Stampin' Write Marker.  I also colored in the 24 with Old Olive and Blush Blossom for the face.  I punched with the 1 1/4" Circle Punch and layered it on a Real Red 1 3/8" Circle.  I used the Crop a Dile for the hole in the top and added Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine to tie on the ribbon.  I added a little bit of bling by adhering a Rhinestone Jewel to his belt buckle for some bling!

So, that's my Red & Green Christmas Theme Clean & Simple Color Challenge card for The Paper Players!  Enjoy!

Another Folded Tree

I can't believe the popularity of these Folded Trees!  Thank you to all who left such nice comments on my card from two weeks ago you can see HERE.  I also have the FREE TEMPLATE for the larger one I did last year HERE.  Since each circle makes two trees, I had a few of them on my desk left over from a couple weeks ago (messy desk!).  When I saw SCS sketch challenge today,  it looked like a frame to me, so I had the idea to "frame" one of my folded Christmas trees!

This card came together pretty easily!  The base is Real Red cardstock.  I ran the Wild Wasabi layer thru the Big Shot with the Snow Burst Impressions Folder and layered it on Early Espresso.  I cut a stripe of the glittery red dots in Stampin' Up!'s Holly Berry Designer Paper.  I hand cut the embossed Rectangle Frame Folder from Early Espresso cardstock and layered the rectangle of Real Red inside.  I added one of the Folded Christmas Trees and topped it with the small Silver Glimmer Star from the Stars Die.  I also added a little tree trunk of Early Espresso.  The Rectangle Frame is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals.  Finally, I stamped the word Merry from Stampin' Up!'s Pennant Parade stamp set, then punched with the Small Oval Punch.  It is popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals, too.

It came together really quickly because I already had the Folded Tree done.  I just took my colors from the Designer Paper.  Enjoy!

It's not too late to join the Holiday Edition of Create with Connie and Mary!  This week we are featuring the Card Keeper…in ways that aren't made for cards!  It is FUN to see all the different uses we've come up with for the Card Keeper box!  You won't miss a thing if you sign up now, you can refer back to all the projects we've already made using products from the Holiday Mini…and you'll see new ones EVERY DAY throughout October!  A total of 36 step-by-step tutorials!  Join us…there are chances to win prizes, too!  At $34.95 US, that is less than $1 per tutorial.  Check out the Preview Projects at Create with Connie and Mary to see what our tutorials are all about!

Gently Falling – FMS4

I wanted to try the Freshly Made Sketch (FMS4) again this week…I liked the tag element in the background.  However, it wasn't as easy to use as I thought! 

One of the things my Stamp Club did last week was the Baby Wipe Technique with the Gently Falling stamp set.  Since I had the "ink pad" made up, I went ahead and stamped a bunch of leaves in Pool Party, More Mustard and Soft Suede Classic Inks.  You'll probably be seeing a LOT of them over the next few weeks.  This card I made for a very special online friend.  We've met several times at various Stampin' Up! functions and she truly has a kind heart!

I started with a base of Early Espresso.  I added the Pool Party print from Spice Cake Designer Paper, then a strip of the stripe design in Spice Cake, too.  I cut the Two Tags die from Confetti Cream cardstock and place it on top.  I cut out two of my leaves and adhered them over the tag and wrapped some Early Espresso Quilted Ribbon around and tied a knot.   I stamped the acorn in More Mustard with Early Espresso two-step on top, then punched with the 1" Circle punch and layered it on  1 1/4 punch of Early Espresso.  I added the Thinking of You Curly Cute greeting in Early Espresso on Pool Party cardstock.

Another busy week for me!  I have a lot of "partially started" projects that need to get finished up before my husband is off on vacation next week.  I know I won't get much stamping stuff done when he is home.  I'm going to try to get him to do some of those "honey do" projects like cleaning carpets and closets!  What FUN!  lol!  Plus, we may just take off for a couple days to go see some pretty fall leaves.

Have a great week!

Gently Falling

WOW…October 1st!  Where did the summer go?  Well, it certainly feels and looks like Fall today.  Cooler, rainy and the leaves are dropping quickly!  Just starting to turn the lighter yellow colors and a few reds.  Football weather!  So, my card reflects the "falling" leaves.  Although, I really do not notice any "blue" leaves hanging around, I still love the colors in the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition Saturday Challenge for subscribers this week!  Every week we have a challenge where subscribers who play along are entered into a drawing with win one of TWO $75 gift certificates or one of two free subscriptions to the next edition of Create with Connie and Mary!

Here is my card using Soft Suede, Pool Party and Pear Pizzazz:

I used a sketch from The Paper Players a few weeks ago.  The base of the card is Pear Pizzazz and I layered on Soft Suede.  I used the Pool Party print from Spice Cake (what else???) and wrapped the Crochet Trim around it to tie a knot.  I placed the panel of Pear Pizzazz off center on the front and added a layer of Soft Suede and three leaves from Gently Falling stamp set.  I used the Rock N Roll technique…stamping in Pool Party first and rolling in Pear Pizzazz…love that look.  What you CAN'T see is the Champagne Shimmer Paint that I touched on the leaves…gives them a nice sparkle!  The greeting, So Very Sorry, is from Three Little Words.

Well, stay warm this weekend…it is supposed to continue to be cool and rainy here!  Make sure to check out what the rest of the Create with Connie and Mary Design Team did this week!

Gently Falling & Spice Cake

I checked out The Paper Players sketch this week (PP65) and decided it would be perfect for a Spice Cake Fabric Flower I made when I was playing around last week prepping for a class. 

Here is my card, using some of my favorite colors this fall!

I cut a large scallop circle with the Big Shot, then gathered the fabric in the center and stitched a Spice Cake Designer Button in the center with White Bakers Twine.  I layered it with Stampin' Dimensionals on a Very Vanilla 3" circle cut with the Big Shot.  The base of the card is Pool Party with a layer of Soft Suede over it.  I added three different patterns of the Spice Cake Designer Paper on top…what a great way to use up those scraps!  I decided my flower needed some leaves, so added two More Mustard and Early Espresso leaves stamped from Gently Falling (LOVE IT!) along the side.  The greeting, Thanks, is from Kind Thanks Stamp Set by Stampin' Up! and punched with the Large Oval Punch.

Now, you'd definitely need to send this in a padded envelope, or give it in person…it is quite bulky with the button on there, but I really like how it turned out and my mom's birthday is coming up soon!  I know she'll like it!

Create with Connie and Mary has just started the six weeks of the Holiday Edition 2011!  Make sure you sign up…we have some fabulous projects by some FABULOUS designers!  Join us!  You have access 24/7 and we leave our site up for over a year so you can refer back to the projects we've done!  Click on the Buy Now button on my right sidebar!  At a price of $34.95 US for over 36 step-by-step tutorials of FUN projects you can use in your classes and stamp camps or to make gifts for the Holidays, you can't go wrong!

Gently Falling

I've been trying to do the FMS3 sketch challenge over on Freshly Made Sketches all week.  I thought that Stampin' Up!'s set, Gently Falling, would be perfect for it!

I changed mine up a little bit…I used the big panel for my Give Thanks sentiment panel instead of placing it under the panel.

I started with a base of Soft Suede cardstock and layered on Crumb Cake.  I used my Color Spritzer and Soft Suede Marker in the corners and added a strip of Spice Cake Designer Paper with a Scallop Border Punch of Early Espresso. I stamped GIve Thanks in Early Espresso on Very Vanilla cardstock and stamped off with a few of the leaf images in Gently Falling in the opposite corners.  It is layered on Early Espresso.

For the leaves, I did the Rock & Roll technique.  One is Pumpkin Pie with Old Olive edges, the other is More Mustard with Cherry Cobbler edges stamped on Very Vanilla.  Then I stamped the two-step outline stamp over top in Early Espresso and cut them out.  I tucked them behind a Spice Cake Designer Button that is tied with Spice Cake fabric.  I LOVE that look!  The Gently Falling stamp set makes stamping leaves SO easy!

Hope you like it…I thought it turned out nice!

Folded Christmas Trees

When I saw the sketch challenge today over on SCS, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.  It is also for  the Paper Players Challenge #64 for plants or animals. 

I've been wanting to do a variation of the Folded Christmas Tree card that I originally made last year.  You can see it HERE.  That card is the MOST viewed card over the past 4 1/2 years that I've had my blog.  Even in the summer I get at least a dozen hits on it a day.  There is a FREE TEMPLATE over there, too, for the full sized one I did on that card! 

For this card,I used 3" circles of Holly Berry Designer Paper to make the trees and folded them according to the template.  I layered them onto the three Real Red panels that I ran thru the Big Shot with the new Snow Burst Impressions Folder in the Holiday Mini.  I added tree trunks and a small star from Silver Glimmer paper for their tops.  The red panels were layered on Early Espresso cardstock, then placed on a layer of Very Vanilla.  I stamped Season's Greetings from Stampin' Up!'s Curly Cute stamp set in Real Red along the bottom.  I wrapped the Old Olive Dotted Scallop Ribbon around and tied a knot.  Everything was layered on the base card of Pear Pizzazz.

Now, that was Version TWO.  Here is Version ONE that I started with.  This one was a little more streamlined.  I used the Very Vanilla in the background behind the trees and the Real Red for the panel behind them.  At the bottom, I left off the bow, but added score lines to dress it up a little.  The base on this one is Wild Wasabi.

So…what do you think?  Which one do you like better?  Would love to hear your comments!

We're just getting started with the Holiday Edition of Create with Connie and Mary!  It's a perfect time to join!  This week we've been working with the Halloween products…next up is our Fall/Thanksgiving week!  Our Design Team and Guest Designers have been working hard on some VERY creative projects that you won't see anywhere else!  Nope…not even previews!  They are exclusive to Create with Connie and Mary subscribers!  These make great class projects AND great gifts!  The step-by-step photo tutorials stay up until next year so you can refer back to the projects over and over again.  Join us…you'll be glad you did!

Pick Your Poison Quick Accents

I've been wanting to play along with the Freshly Made Sketch Challenge (FMS2) ALL week and finally had time to sit down and design something for it!  My mojo left the house for a couple days last week…think I was working her a little too hard!  Today, I spent most of the day on the computer doing "paperwork" type stuff and then running errands with my husband.   Here is the sketch I used:

And here is the card I did using the Pick Your Poison Quick Accents that I had left over from a Create with Connie and Mary project.  This week, this is one of the products in the Holiday Mini that we are featuring!   Now, normally I would convert this sketch to a rectangle type card, but something inspired me to go ahead and leave it as a square.  I plan on sending this to my mom and dad for Halloween, so I don't mind paying the extra postage for them.  Or…maybe it will go to my son, Adam and his wife, Beth…decisions!

I started with a base of Pumpkin PIe cardstock in a 5 1/4 x 10 1/2 size.  I added the Basic Gray cardstock after I roughed up the edges with my Cutter Kit distressing tool and inked with Basic Gray.  In the center is a layer of Pick Your Poison Designer Paper layered on more Pumpkin Pie and the edges all distressed.  In the center is the Poison Quick Accent adhered to a piece of Basic Black that is distressed, too.  I cut the Basic Black 1 1/4 Striped Ribbon and frayed it, then adhered it ruffled on the front of the card with Sticky Strip.  There is a Rhinestone Jewel to dot the i in Poison.  I spritzed the entire thing with my Color Spritzer Tool and Basic Gray.

Finally, I decided it needed a little feminine touch.  I cut the flower from the Blossom Party Die with Pumpkin Pie cardstock.  I added a Basic Black 1/2" Circle punched from Black Faux Diamond Dust cardstock that I made with Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder.  I rolled down a couple of the corners for a little added texture, too!  So…even though the "message" is kind of scary, the flower saves it from being TOO spooky, I think!

We announced the winners of the blog candy from the past couple weeks…did you win?  Create with Connie and Mary has just started the six weeks of the Holiday Edition 2011!  Make sure you sign up…we have some fabulous projects by some FABULOUS designers!  Join us!  You have access 24/7 and we leave our site up for over a year so you can refer back to the projects we've done!