Stampin' Up!

Christmas Flower Fest Punch Art

November 1, 2011 By Connie | 8 Comments

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!

Always Thankful

November 1, 2011 By Connie | 12 Comments

This card is one that my Clubs did in September but haven't shown here. It meets The Paper Players theme of FALL this week for Challenge #70 and I wanted to include it.

I think Stampin' Up!'s Always Thankful stamp set is beautiful and very easy to color! I used a past Create with Connie and Mary Challenge sketch for my starting point and took my colors from…what else?…Spice Cake Designer Paper! I'm going to MISS that DSP when it goes away!

I started with a base of Pool Party and layered on Soft Suede cardstock. I used three different patterns of Spice Cake DSP in varying widths under the front panel. I stamped the urn of fall grasses with Black Stazon on Very Vanilla and used my Stampin' Write Markers and the AquaPainter to color the image. I layered the Very Vanilla on Early Espresso cardstock. I added a piece of Crochet Trim with the mini safety pin from Vintage Trinkets in the lower right corner. Then I added three of the mini brads from Vintage Trinkets in the upper left corner. Finally, I added the greeting Kind Thanks from Stampin' Up!'s Thank you Kindly stamp set in Black Stazon Ink.

Hard to believe it is November 1st already! Wow! Today is gorgeous…sunny and a high in the 60s! Wish it would stay like this all winter! lol!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

October 31, 2011 By Connie | 3 Comments

I'm hoping my girlfriend doesn't see this card before it arrives in her mailbox. I meant to send it off earlier than I actually did! She loves witches and decorating for Halloween. I was inspired by a card I saw from LeAnne Pugliese (I think!) to create this one using Wicked Cool Stamp Set and Pick Your Poison Designer Paper!

I liked the "play" of images to make it Halloween with a nod to hanging stockings for Christmas…just struck my fancy, I guess! The base of the card is Pumpkin Pie and I layered on Basic Black cardstock and Pick Your Poison Designer Paper on top of that. I "built" the fireplace with another pattern in Pick Your Poison…I was thrilled to see it had a "brick" pattern to it. I made the mantle from Basic Black cardstock that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Impressions Folder. I stamped the boots from Wicked Cool stamp set three times and cut out only the right one, then attached it to the fireplace with Pumpkin Pie Mini Brads. I cut a Basic Black rectangle for the fireplace and rounded the corners, then added flames with the Two Step Bird Punch (wings) from Daffodil Delight and sponged with Pumpkin Pie. There are Early Espresso logs cut to place the flames on.

At the top, I stamped Even the Naughtly Deserve Something Nice from Tags til Christmas stamp set in Basic Black on Very Vanilla and punched with the Curly Label Punch, then highlighted a couple words with the Pumpkin Pie Marker. It is popped up on top with Stampin' Dimensionals. I also decorated the inside, but I'll leave that as a surprise for my friend just in case!

Have a wonderful Halloween!!!

Santa Gift Box

October 29, 2011 By Connie | 7 Comments

The last of the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition challenges is to design a Gift Box or Bag with matching tag! I knew immediately that I wanted to make one of the hexagon boxes from the Milk Carton Die, using a Santa Suit motif! I haven't seen one done like this! When making it for this challenge, I had the "brainstorm" to use it for my Clubs this month, too! I think it turned out CUTE…and my Clubs like it!

Putting the two Milk Carton die containers together isn't hard…the most difficult part is learning how to fold the top. Once you make one, the rest would go very quickly. I love how the 1/8" Basic Black taffeta is tied thru the top. I used the Crop a Dile to punch the holes. Although you can't appreciate it in the photo, the Silver Glimmer Paper looks great on the belt buckle and with the Postage Punch behind the stamped Tags Til Chrismtas greeting (punched with the 1" Square Punch)! I also used the Dotted Ribbon Punch with Whisper White for the fur trim on the front. CUTE, cute, cute!!!

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition Design Team did with the challenge this week!!! We are sad to come to the end of the Holiday Edition…but it is not too late to sign up! You still need great ideas for the holiday gift giving season, right? We have them for you!!!!

Stitched Stockings

October 26, 2011 By Connie | 2 Comments

Well, I'm SO sorry! I never intended to not post for this long! I had my friend come in on Tuesday morning last week and another on Thursday morning. We left on a 4 day stamping retreat on Friday afternoon. I thought I would get some computer time while they were here, but we had too much fun catching up. Plus, I was busy packing my ENTIRE studio up to take with us. We got back Monday evening too tired to unpack it…then I made runs to the airport on Tuesday morning. Got back and started to work on it…but since everything is pulled out already, it is always a good time to clean and purge. My room is STILL a mess and not very conducive to being creative! I have Stamp Clubs tomorrow, so it HAS to get cleaned up today!

Still, I managed to make up this card for today. Yeah! I used Stitched Stockings, one of the sets we are featuring this week on Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition! I can't believe we are getting ready to finish up this Edition, but it still is not too late to join! You have access to all the past projects we've done…and you KNOW you are going to need some great Christmas gift ideas. We have them!!! Our designers have outdone themselves this session with some FANTASTIC projects! Click on my right sidebar to join! It's only $34.95 for over 36 projects with FULL tutorials! That's less than $1 each!

So here is the card:

I started with a base of Poppy Parade cardstock and layered on Whisper White that I ran thru the Big Shot with the Snow Burst Impressions Folder. I added a 3 1/2" Circle of Lucky Limeade on top. I added a polka dot Stitched Stocking stamped in Poppy Parade and punched with the Stocking Builder Punch. I added the Silver Glimmer Paper on the heel, toe and cuff. I looped a 1/8" Old Olive Tafffeta Ribbon at the top and then added a bow of Early Espresso Quilted Ribbon, held with a Poppy Parade Glimmer Brad. I stamped Merry & Bright from Merry & Type Stamp Set in Poppy Parade on Whisper White and punched with the Decorative Label Punch. I layered it on a 2" Circle of Poppy Parade. I added some more bling with two Rhinestone Jewels on the greeting. Very clean and crisp looking card…and deceptively simple…it really isn't! lol!

Have a wonderful day! I'll be back tomorrow with the Thursday Challenge on Create with Connie and Mary!

CCMC-HOL5 Bright Hopes

October 22, 2011 By Connie | 1 Comment

It's Saturday and time for the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition Saturday Challenge. Our subscribers can enter their design and have the chance to win prizes! It's not too late to join…we will be starting our last week, but you can see all the fabulous projects we've done so far, and our site stays up a year after we are done for you to refer back to it 24/7!

Again with the diagonals (thanks, Mary!)…lol! Here is my card using this sketch.

My card has a very clean and simple design to it this week. I started with a base of Bashful Blue cardstock. I stamped on the right side of the Whisper White layer with the snowflake design from Bright Hopes randomly in Bashful Blue ink. This is one of the sets we've been featuring this week on Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition! Then I ran the Whisper White thru the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Impressions Folder. On top, I used a piece of the plaid Letters to Santa Designer Paper and layered it on Early Espresso. Then I stamped Merry Christmas from Petite Pairs in Early Espresso on Bashful Blue and the snowflake again in Bashful Blue, then placed a Rhinestone jewel in the center. It is layered on Early Espresso, too. Those were placed on the front of the Whisper White, and I did a double bow of Early Espresso Quilted Ribbon to go across the front.

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Design Team has done this week over on Create with Connie and Mary! There are some fabulous ideas using this sketch!

CCMC172 – Bright Hopes

October 20, 2011 By Connie | 6 Comments

Today is a sketch challenge for you over on Create with Connie and Mary Thursday Challenge that ANYONE can play along. I must admit…I'm not a fan of the "diagonals" on cards…this one took me THREE tries before I was finally happy with how it looked! But, the rest of the Challenge Team didn't seem to have any trouble!

And here is my card. I used Bright Hopes, one of the sets we are featuring on Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition this week!

I wanted to use the Frostwood Lodge Designer paper and took my color scheme from it. I cut a piece of the Designer Paper for the diagonal and layered it behind the Cherry Cobbler piece. At the bottom I used the Eyelet Border Punch and Early Espresso cardstock and hid both the seams with the 1/8" Early Espresso Ribbon. I stamped the tree from Bright Hopes stamp set in Garden Green on Whisper White, then layered it on Early Espresso. I punched the Decorative Label punch from Red Glimmer Paper and cut it in half to place behind the tree element. Merry Christmas was stamped in Early Espresso and I added a red Holly Berry Decorative Button with Early Espresso Bakers Twine tied inside. The base of the card is Garden Green.

Make sure to check out what the rest of the Challenge Team did this week over on Create with Connie and Mary, then grab your Stampin' Up! stamps and play along! We look forward to seeing what you create!

October 2011 Tour de Freaks

October 19, 2011 By Connie | 14 Comments

It's time!!! It is the monthly Tour de Freaks brought to you by the Control Freak Swappers! As usual, we have a wonderful lineup of blogs for you to tour…only 11 stops this month, so it won't take you long at all! This month's theme is Wrap it Up! Boxes, bags & bows for your holiday gift giving. You've probably arrived from Lisa Martz's blog…weren't her projects FUN…love that elegant stocking!

I have two boxes for you to see…both are complete different! First the more "elegant" one!

This one reminds me of a wine box, but…of course…much smaller. It might fit a small personal sized bottle of wine or Bailey's, though! lol! It is quick and easy to put together, too. I took a regular 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of cardstock, score it at 2 1/2, 5, 7 1/2 & 10 on the long side and 2 1/2 on the short side. Cut slits up on the score lines to the cross line and remove the small tab. Add Sticky Strip Adhesive to the long tab and put it together. Fold up the bottom and adhere. Oh, before you put it together, I added the Holly Berry Designer Paper on each of the sides.

The lid is the Scallop Square, scored at 7/8" all around. I embossed it with the Snow Burst Impressions Folder. Again, cut up the score lines on opposite sides, fold in the tabs to form the lid. I punched holes in the sides of the box with the Crop A Dile, then fed the ribbon thru the sides and up around the top of the lid to tie a knot. You'd have to untie and pull out the ribbon to get to the goodies inside, but that just makes it a little more special…takes more time to savor the anticipation of what is inside! lol! The tag I made with the Oval Frame Folder out of Wild Wasabi and cut it out. I inked up the stamp from Pines & Poinsettias with my Stampin' Write Markers, stamped on Very Vanilla, then punched with the Extra Large Oval and adhered it inside the frame. I stamped Christmas with Early Espresso on Real Red and cut out the banner, the placed it at the bottom of the oval. I used the Crop a Dile to punch a hole at the top, then tied it on the bow with Bakers Twine.

My next one is whimsical…I hope you can tell that it is a ELF hat…and not a Jester Hat. I added the Jingle Bells because they just seemed like SO much fun on this little box made from the Petal Cone and Perfect Pennants Dies! It was REALLY easy to put together, too. I had the idea in my head for a while…I'm amazed that it worked out like I thought it would! lol!

I used the Petal Cone Die, one in Poppy Parade and one in Lucky Limeade and put them together, folding the bottom flaps together to hold anything inside (see photo below.) Then I cut six of the medium size pennants from Perfect Pennants Die, three in Poppy Parade and three in Lucky Limeade. I adhered them with Sticky Strip to the base of the Petal Cone, curling the tops outward. I added the Jingle Bells with Mini Glue Dots. Here is the bottom of the Petal Cone Elf Hat box.

I think they would be FUN party favors sitting at everyone's place setting for the holidays!

Hope you enjoyed my two box projects today! Continue on the Blog Tour with the FABULOUS Mary Brown at StamperCamper's Corner! I know you will LOVE her projects using the Winter Wishes Stitched Felt!