Bells & Boughs

Bells and Boughs

November 16, 2010 By Connie | 3 Comments

I designed this card for my Stamp Class last month. They wanted to see the Omit Impressions technique that Patty Bennett made famous! For this one, we cut the oval out of two pieces of chipboard backing (from our DSP packages) and then used the Petals A Plenty Impressions Folder.

If you like the Bells & Boughs stamp set, but don't want to color in all the Poinsettias, this is a perfect way to use that stamp set! I stamped the Bells & Boughs Poinsettia image inside the oval with Soft Suede Classic Ink on Crumb Cake cardstock. Then I stamped Merry Christmas from Stampin' Up!'s Many Merry Messages stamp set in Cherry Cobbler Classic Ink over top. I added some of the mini adhesive backed Pearls to the centers of the flowers. The Crumb Cake is layered onto Cherry Cobbler cardstock for the base card.

My class members had the option of adding the Champagne Glass Glitter around the edges. I just added a line of Tombow Monoadhesive Glue around the edge, then sprinkled on the Glass Glitter shook it off and let it dry!

Really…this is a easy card, but it has a lot of impact! You could easily make this YOUR Christmas Card this year! Bells & Boughs stamp set is in one of the Bundles (along with Deck the Halls Designer Paper) going on now with a savings of 20%! Contact me today to place your order. Or order online at my WEBSITE! Place a $40 or more online order before the end of the month and I'll send you one of these cards!

I'm off to do some Christmas shopping with my mom today! Yikes! I'm SO not ready! lol!

Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Challenge

October 23, 2010 By Connie | 1 Comment

It's time for the Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Challenge (CCMC-HM4)! This challenge is for our subscribers to participate and earn a chance to win one of two $75 gift certificates or one of two free subscriptions to the next Edition of Create with Connie and Mary. This week is a DOUBLE challenge…one using a color combination in Deck the Halls…Early Espresso, Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede and Crumb Cake AND making it a One of a Kind Card…one that you'd probably only make one of for a special person. I know I had fun with it…I think our Guest Designers did, too!

This week on Create with Connie and Mary, we've been focusing on Bells & Boughs, Christmas Collage, Christmas Postcard, Bell Wheel and Vintage Frames from the Holiday Mini Catalog. A big selection to choose from! It's not too late to join this 8 week subscription! We are just getting started. You'll have access to all the previous posts and tutorials long after the session is over!

So here is my card using these colors…a little of the Deck the Halls Designer Paper in the background and one-of-a-kind elements.

I started with a base of Always Artichoke cardstock and layered on Cherry Cobbler cardstock. I ran a piece of Very Vanilla thru the Big Shot with the Finial Press Impressions Folder, then sponged on Crumb Cake Classic Ink on the highlights with a sponge dauber. I added the holly pattern from Deck the Halls DSP in the upper left corner and tore the edge…sponging it with Soft Suede Classic Ink. I used the Distressing Tool on the edges and wrapped the Always Artichoke Seam Binding Ribbon around and tied a bow. It was adhered to the base card. Then I added the largest Pearls to the ribbon.

I took my 5 petal punch and punched out two Cherry Cobbler and one Real Red flower for EACH flower, sponged up the edges with Soft Suede and made "veins" with my Stylus. I adhered together and put in a Gold Glimmer Brad in the center of each flower. They were placed on the front with Stampin' Dimensionals. I punched out another flower with Always Artichoke, made the veins again and sponged with Soft Suede, then cut them up to use as the leaves under the flowers.

I stamped Merry Christmas in Early Espresso on Very Vanilla and punched with the new Decorative Label punch, then sponged the edges with Soft Suede. I punched the Decorative Label again with Early Espresso cardstock. Then cut it in half and put one half under the top half and the other behind the bottom half for a layered look. I placed it on the front with Stampin' Dimensionals. I thought it made a very elegant looking card and I love the punched poinsettias!

Check out what the rest of our Design Team Members have done this week with the sketch challenge:

Mary Brown – StamperCamper's Corner

Cristena Bagne – Gettin' Crafty

Rochelle Gould – I stamp, I create, I have fun!

Jenn Picard – A New Ink on Life

If you haven't checked out the Create with Connie and Mary site yet, now is the time to do it! We feature new Holiday Mini products every week. There is a new project posted every day and there will be an average of two fabulous tutorials each and every week. NEW is a project sheet for every project not having a tutorial! We like to have lots of fun so we have challenges and prizes for our subscribers. Our sites stay up long after the session is done, so you will always have access to the site and the tutorials. For more information and to see our Preview Week projects please visit at Create with Connie and Mary!

Create with Connie and Mary Saturday Challenge

October 16, 2010 By Connie | 5 Comments

Time for another Saturday Challenge for subscribers of Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition CCMC-HM4! We offer prizes to those who participate…another great reason to join! It's not too late…you still have access to all the past projects! This week we have been featuring the Design-A-House…lots of FUN ideas have been shared! To carry on the theme, this week's challenge is a small hostess gift…you know…something you'd take to someone's house that is hosting a dinner or other event! Just a small thank you gift. The Design Team has come up with some great ideas!

My idea carries out the theme of "houses"…a bird cage…a house for birds! Well, yes…it is a stretch! So…on to my hostess gift! I found these bird cages at the local craft store in the $1 bin. They were all different colors, so I spray painted it gold to start.

I used the Two Tags Bigz Die with Crumb Cake cardstock and cut out the larger tag. I stamped Stampin' Up! Bells & Boughs image TWICE in Stazon Black Ink on Shimmery White cardstock and colored with Poppy Parade, Real Red, Wild Wasabi and Old Olive Stampin' Write Markers. I cut it out, then cut out the larger poinsettia from the second image and added it on top with Stampin' Dimensionals. I stamped Merry Christmas with Versamark on Shimmery White and embossed with Gold Embossing Powder, then cut into a pennant shape. I added the Tasteful Trim XL Diecut in Early Espresso along the bottom, then a Vintage Brad (I love these brads!). In the center of the Poinsettias, I placed small half backed Pearls. Then I colored the Pearls with my More Mustard Stampin' Write Marker. It isn't a permanent color because it will wipe off, but I didn't think people would be really touching it anyway. At the top, I tied on the tag to the bird cage with the Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon.

Something fun, is that the top lifts off the bird cage so you can place something in it. I found these votives in the same $1 area with snowflakes on the side and gold and silver colors. It fits perfectly inside. I added a couple Stampin' Dimensionals on the bottom to help hold it in place. Then I put in a Votive Candle inside. WARNING: I'd take off the tag before lighting the candle!

Wouldn't these be cute hanging on your tree or as a little decoration on your table? A sweet little hostess gift!

Make sure to check out the rest of the Create with Connie and Mary Design Team to see what they have done this week! Their projects are awesome, like usual!

Mary Brown – StamperCamper's Corner

Cristena Bagne – Gettin' Crafty

Rochelle Gould – I stamp, I create, I have fun!

Jenn Picard – A New Ink on Life

Supplies:

Stamps: Bells & Boughs

Cardstock: Crumb Cake, Shimmery White, Early Espresso

Inks: Black Stazon, VersaMark

Accessories: Vintage Brads, Gold Embossing Powder, Pearls, Tasteful Trim XL Bigz Die, Two Tags Die, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon

Bells and Boughs

September 8, 2010 By Connie | 4 Comments

I love the old fashioned look of this set! Poinsettias and holly are just favorites of mine during the Christmas season. I always hate putting them away, although I'm always ready for less "clutter" when I finally do put away all the decorations.

This is my Control Freaks Swap card for the Holiday Mini!

I started by using Always Artichoke for the base. I layered on Cherry Cobbler cardstock that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder. I cut a piece of Deck the Halls Designer Paper (my FAVORITE design in that package!) and angled the bottom edge. I adhered it to Very Vanilla, then ran it thru the Big Shot with the Top Note die. I used the Scallop Edge punch on a piece of Early Espresso cardstock and adhered that to the bottom of the Designer Paper. I stamped A Merry Christmas from Stampin' Up!'s Bells & Boughs stamp set in Cherry Cobbler. I added a strip of Sticky Strip, then the WONDERFUL Champagne Glass Glitter! Wow…I seriously LOVE this stuff! So easy to work with, doesn't make a mess, but adds a lot of sparkle to your project!

Finally, I stamped the bells from Bells & Boughs on Watercolor Paper with Black Stazon and used my AquaPainter along with Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake Stampin' Write Markers to watercolor it. Then it was cut out and popped up with Stampin' Dimensionals (30 of them in total!!!) I was happy with how they turned out!

New Designer Paper and Ribbon Shares going on now! Find more information HERE!

With the new catalog, Stampin' Up! has introduced a lot of new ribbon colors! So, I thought it was time for more Ribbon Shares. Each Group of Ribbon will be wrapped around 1-2 pieces of cardstock so your ribbon arrives wrinkle-free and organized.