Autumn Build a Banner

  I've had this Build a Banner Simply Created kit (page 31 Holiday Catalog) since the Holiday catalog was previewed for us demonstrators way back when in the summer.  I thought back then that it would be fun to create a banner for the fall and another for Christmas to hang in my front entry way.  Well, I finally got around to making my autumn banner last weekend.

  I really like this kit because you get 18 banners in 3 styles as well as the pattern and alphabet stencils so you can make any kind of banner you want.  You can also use the stencils on cardstock when making cards and scrapbook pages and you know how much I love double duty supplies!

  Here it is on the floor of my stamp room after I finished it.  I used Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Soft Sky and Chocolate Chip for my colors.  Instead of using the Spritzer included in the kit for applying the colors I used sponged daubers so I could get a more saturated color.  First I did the background patterns then I did the letters.

  In between each letter I made a mini banner out of Sweater Weather DSP and added an Autumn Accents leaf.  I alternated the leaf color and shape as well as the embossed pattern.  Some are embossed with the Perfect Polka Dot folder and the others are embossed with the Woodgrain folder.  I tied a piece of linen thread around each leaf stem.

  Since my banner was quite long and I didn't want to use up all the jute twine that came with the kit I cut smaller lengths and just knotted the ends to link my banners instead of having the twine threaded through the back.  This also kept the banners from sliding around.  The smaller DSP banners are attached with sticky tape for a secure hold.  I just folded over the top of the DSP around the jute twine and adhered.

  And one final (giant) photo showing the banner hung up in my front entry.  It add some nice fall color to a very bland wall.  I'm looking forward to enjoying this banner through Thanksgiving and for many more fall seasons to come.

  It was really easy to put together and fun to add the extra accents.  What do you think I should make for Christmas?  "Merry"?  "Joy"?  I still  have 12 banners left so I could do both if I wanted to!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: none

Ink: Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Soft Sky, Chocolate Chip

Paper: Sweater Weather DSP, Crushed Curry, Tangerine Tango, Soft Sky

Accessories: Autumn Accents die, linen thread, Perfect Polka Dot e.f, Woodgrain e.f., sponge daubers, Build A Banner Simply Created kit

Clean and Simple Snowflake

 I'm trying to get this posted so I can enter this card in the CAS(E) this Sketch challenge for this week before it ends tomorrow morning.  It is such a fun sketch I just had to try it over the weekend and I'm just now getting a chance to edit the photo and get it posted.  It is cold so I think this is fitting right?  Not quite 'snow' cold but cold for Richmond in October!  I've busted out the wool socks and sweaters!

  Here's the sketch.  And remember it's trying to keep the card clean and simple, lots of open space.

How'd I do??

I pulled the color combination right from the Color Coach.  It was kind of winter-y I thought.  I didn't even notice it was the same color scheme as the challenge logo until just now.

I stamped off once before stamping the small splatters in Bermuda Bay, then I stamped the snowflake in Smoky Slate and finally the "Believe" in Stazon right over the top.

I paper pierced around the edge and added a few rhinestones to finish it off.  I think I will be making some more of this design to add to my Christmas card stash.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Gorgeous Grunge, Snowflake Soiree

Ink: Bermuda Bay, Smoky Slate, Black Stazon

Paper: Bermuda Bay, Smoky Slate, Basic Black

Accessories: paper piercer, rhinestones

Summer Field Flowers

  I guess now that it actually feels like fall here in Richmond I'll show a card we did over the summer at stamp club.  So backwards huh?  I'm still cleaning out my projects folders so you'll probably see some more older projects over the next few weeks.  Once I'm caught up I'm actually going to have to stamp for something new to show you!  What a hard life right?

  I don't think you can go wrong with the Field Flowers set….it is just so elegant and timeless, you can color it in or leave it, go vintage or clean and simple, pastels or brights.  So many options!

  The base is Wild Wasabi with a scored border using the Simply Scored tool…so easy!  Next is a layer of the Natural Composition Specialty paper.

  For the flower panel we did the stems in Wild Wasabi and then the blossoms with 2 step stamping.  First was Crisp Cantaloupe then Calypso Coral for the second layer.  This was my sample card and I think the Calypso Coral looks a bit bright so you might want to stamp off once for the CC layer for a more subtle look.

  The little embellishment is a Very Vintage Designer button with a wee bit of linen thread tied through the holes.  To make the cute bit of ruffle around the button cover the back with a few pieces of sticky strip being sure to keep them from hanging off the edge.  Next take a piece of Ruffle Stretch trim (I used Crisp Cantaloupe here) and just press it into the sticky strip all the way around slightly overlapping where you started.  Trim any extra ribbon.  Attach it to the card with more sticky strip, a dimensional or glue dot.

  I'll be back in a day or 2 with a more seasonal project that I finished over the weekend!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Field Flowers

Ink: Wild Wasabi, Crisp Cantaloupe, Calypso Coral

Paper: Wile Wasabi, Very Vanilla, Calypso Coral, Natural Composition Specialty paper

Accessories: sticky strip, Ruffle Stretch trim, Very Vintage Designer button, linen thread

Quick Sweet Treat

  The project I'm sharing today goes to show you how unorganized my summer was.  We made this project at my new catalog open house over the summer to introduce new products.  Yikes!  Summer was a long time ago!

  Anyway I thought it was a good one to share to not only tidy up my project folders but also because we're getting to the seasons of sharing little treats and goodies with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas coming on fast.

  To make this tag we embossed the Chalk Talk stamp in white on black cardstock then cut it out with the matching framelit.  Next, the sentiment was stamped in Island Indigo on Whisper White and then punched out.  It's attached to the tag with a dimensional.

  The tag is tied to a small cello bag filled with Hershey kisses.  We used the new (well now not so new!!) chevron ribbon to tie everything together.

  Now to be more fitting with the season can't you see this in some pretty fall colors (think Sweater Weather DSP colors), with the fall Hershey kisses inside the bag.  Wouldn't that be a perfect table favor at Thanksgiving?

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Chalk Talk

Ink: Versamark, Island Indigo

Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White

Accessories: Chalk Talk framelits, white embossing powder, dimensionals, oval punch, chevron ribbon

Simple Tree - Fab Friday 29

  And we're back again for another great challenge at Fab Friday!  Make some time in your weekend schedule and play along with us!  It a sketch this time around.

  So many possibilities!  Since I went for completely obvious on the last challenge with the Halloween colors I changed up some of the shapes this time but I hope you can still see the bones of the sketch in my card.

 I decided to go with a simple punched Christmas tree presented on an oval backdrop.  I've got some rustic/vintage type touches as well as some modern bling-y ones too…Hopefully they don't compete but compliment each other!

  The card base is Sahara Sand, then a layer of Soft Sky embossed with the Chevron embossing folder. I've detailed this panel with some vintage trinket brads with rhinestones added to the centers.

  The ovals are cut with the oval framelits.  The smaller one is cut from one of the Sweater Weather DSP patterns (see not just for fall cards!) and I stamped some Serene Snowflakes on it in Sahara Sand.  I used the chalk marker to do some faux stitching around the outside of the larger oval.

  The tree is punched with the Pennant punch out of Epic Day DSP and popped up with a dimensional.  The base is stamped in Sahara Sand, cut out and sponged with Soft Suede.

  I stamped the "merry" from Pennant Parade right onto the natural trim with Soft Suede ink.  I was surprised that the trim took the ink so well since it's fairly textured.  I will definitely be doing that again in the future!  To finish off that horizontal detail from the sketch I punched out some silver Glimmer paper stars and adhered them across the top of the trim.  Not that I don't love chevrons and all but I liked the stars for a Christmas card!

  I hope you'll head over to Fab Friday to see the rest of the design team's awesome projects!  They are Fab!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Serene Snowflakes, Pennant Parade

Ink: Sahara Sand, Soft Suede

Paper: Sahara Sand, Soft Sky, Sweater Weather DSP, Epic Day DSP, Whisper White

Accessories: vintage trinkets, rhinestones, chevron e.f., oval framelits, pennant punch, star punch, natural trim, dimensionals

Autumn Give Thanks

  I hope everyone had a nice weekend!  The boys and Matt had the day off yesterday so we enjoyed our 3 day weekend.  I kept thinking that it was still the weekend so I missed the deadline to enter this card into the challenge at Freshly Made Sketches but it's still a cute card; simple and square.

  The lesson at church and Sunday school this week was the story of the 10 men healed and only one man returned to thank Jesus for healing him.  Our pastors sermon was based on giving thanks so I wanted to make a thank you to send to him to say thanks for all he does for our congregation.

  I used that fun Sweater Weather DSP again!  And the Gorgeous Grunge stamp set again….see it stamped right on the DSP?

  The acorn is cut from Champagne Glimmer paper and tied with some linen thread.  It's adhered to a small Very Vanilla scallop circle with a dimensional.  The scallops are pierced and then lightly sponged.  I used the stamp-a-ma-jig to line up my sentiment from Lots of Thanks.  I inked the "give" and "thanks" separately with my Chocolate Chip marker and then stamped onto Soft Sky.  Instead of the typical banner that I'm obsessed with and probably overuse I make a little scroll by rolling the end of the strip around my paper piercer.  I sponged the sentiment scroll as well.

  So who do you need to give thanks to?  Put a card in the mail today!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Lots of Thanks, Gorgeous Grunge

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla, Sweater Weather DSP, Soft Sky, Champagne Glimmer

Accessories: Autumn Accents die, small scallop circle punch, paper piercer, line thread, dimensionals

Cantaloupe Christmas

  So much for my "every other day" posting goal!  We've had a busy last few days but I did get some stamping time on Friday and after some photography woes I think I have a decent enough photo to share.

  When I sat down to stamp I had a few challenges that I was looking to join and the one at CAS(E) this Sketch caught my eye.   I thought the 3 shapes could be fun to work with so I pulled out a color combination that I had seen a while ago on Pinterest and decided a non-traditional color Christmas card would be cool.  Here's the sketch:

  I had some fun with my Ornament Framelits and first cut out the larger ornament from the middle of a piece of Whisper White.  Then I backed the opening with a piece of Crisp Cantaloupe embossed with the Chevron embossing folder.

 I stamped the small ornament in Crisp Cantaloupe ink.  I cut it and another small ornament out of the Winter Frost DSP.  Doesn't that Smoky Slate look great with the Crisp Cantaloupe and Black?

  I popped the small ornaments up with dimensionals; the Smoky Slate using one dimensionals and the CC one with 2 stacked up so it would sit a bit higher thank the other one.

  I embellished the large ornament with a black taffeta knot, the CC one with a black Glimmer brad and the SS ornament with a silver punched star and a black candy Dot.

  The sentiment is stamped in black and then I added a few rhinestones to sides.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Keepsake Ornaments, Sweet Essentials

Ink: Black, Crisp Cantaloupe

Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White, Crisp Cantaloupe, Winter Frost Specialty DSP, Silver Glimmer

Accessories: Ornament framelits, black taffeta ribbon (retired), glimmer brad, candy dot, star punch, rhinestones, dimensionals

Sweater Weather Thank You

  I'm just in under the wire here to try to keep up with my every other day blogging plan!  I better type fast right?  =)

  Here is another card that we did last month at Stamp Club.  I wanted to show off more of the Sweater Weather DSP and since I couldn't decide on just one pattern for the card I used 3!

  The base is Sahara Sand with another Sahara Sand layer embossed with the the Woodgrain folder.  Then the 3 panels of Sweater Weather DSP. 

  The leaves were cut with the Autumn Accents die.  The orange leaf is another Sweater Weather DSP pattern!  The oak leaf is from the Wonderfall set and inked up in Sahara Sand.  Quick tip for stamping on the Autumn Accents die cuts…ink up your stamp and turn it so the rubber is facing up.  Line up the leaf shape with the stamp and lay your cardstock onto the stamp and press lightly to transfer the ink.  This way is so much easier thank trying to line it up the other way.  Both leaves are sponged with a bit of Chocolate Chip ink.

  The sentiment is from Lots of Thanks inked with Chocolate Chip and punched out with the scalloped circle punch.  It is layered on a Crushed Curry punched circle and both are sponged as well.  A linen thread bow is adhered with a glue dot.

  Don't forget to check out my Stampin' Up! online store for the fun new Weekly Deals every week.  Great products at great prices for just a week at a time.  Every Tuesday there will be a new batch of items.  If I didn't already have most of those items I would be putting in an order myself!

  Also, for the month of October Stampin' Up! will have a Thank You Thursday discounted item announced on the Stampin' Up! blog.  The item will only be available for one day and while supplies last.  Check it out on Thursday!  

  And last but not least... Have you ever wanted to get some of the great perks of being a Stampin' Up! demonstrator?  Do you like the idea of a 20% discount on your favorite products? How about a chance to earn extra cash, along with tons of exclusive creative ideas at your fingertips? For two weeks only, you can join the Stampin' Up! family for just $25 and experience all this and more.  To celebrate Stampin' Up!'s 25th anniversary a special Starter Kit is available until Oct. 21.  For just $25 get $26.95 worth of product of your choice and all the business supplies you need to get started.  And you get to use your demonstrator discount to order more of your wish list!  Contact me if you want all the details!

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Wonderfall, Lots of Thanks

Ink: Sahara Sand, Chocolate Chip

Paper: Sweater Weather DSP, Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, Crushed Curry

Accessories: Woodgrain e.f., Autumn Accents die, linen thread, scalloped circle punch, circle punch

Color Block Birds

  I hope everyone has had a great weekend so far!  We've been busy but without a lot to show for it.  Our backyard camping didn't happen on Friday night much to the boys' dismay.  We live in a subdivision and some of our neighbors backyard spotlights were never turned off and then another neighbor sat on his deck smoking cigars well into the night…yuck!  So with the brightness of daylight and the stink of cigars in the tent it just wasn't going to work out.  I guess I'm just picky or something with my sleeping conditions!  =)  Luckily we have a camping trip planned with Cub Scouts soon.

  Today I'm sharing a card that my club ladies made last month.  This is a quick card that looks like it takes more time than it does.  And it's a good way to use up some paper scraps that you have laying around and that's always a bonus!

 First, we layered some of our colored cardstock strips across a panel of Whisper White.  The overhanging edges were trimmed off to match the Whisper White panel.  Next, using one of the Chalk Talk framelits we cut out where we were going to stamp.  Without adhering the color block layer we lined it up on the Whisper White base and then stamped right through the opening.  That way if you mess up the image or the coloring you don't have to start fresh by making a new color block panel or try to rip it off to re-use it.

  The image was stamped in Stazon (aren't those birds sweet?).  We used ink pads and blender pens to color in the birds and heart.  Isn't this a great combination of 4 of the 5 newest set of In Colors?

  Once we were finished coloring we added dimensionals to the back of the color block panel and adhered it to the base lining up the birds in the center of the cut out.  A Whisper White stitched bow is the final touch for this card.

 Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: For the Birds

Ink: Stazon, Pistachio Pudding, Coastal Cabana, Baked Brown Sugar, Strawberry Slush

Paper: Whisper White, Pistachio Pudding, Coastal Cabana, Baked Brown Sugar

Accessories: Chalk Talk framelits, stitched grosgrain ribbon, dimensionals, blender pen

Spooky Spider

  This is going to be a quick one for today.  I have a busy Friday ahead of me…first a private stamping lesson, then some volunteering at the boys school, then getting geared up for some weekend fun.  Matt and the boys want to "camp" in the backyard tomorrow night…and as I was told by Alex, "Mommy you can sleep in the tent with us now since we got you a sleeping bag last Christmas!".  Oh joy!  =)  At least I think I can sneak inside to my own bed once they are all asleep since they are all quite heavy sleepers!

  To start the day off right we have another great challenge at Fab Friday!  Check out these colors!  Are they Halloween or what?  I'm actually curious to see what kind of non-Halloween cards you all come up with.  Halloween was all I could see when I pulled the colors out to start my card and I just couldn't get away from that idea!

  I didn't get a new Halloween stamp set this year since I've finally come to terms with the fact that besides maybe one project for stamp club I don't really make Halloween projects.  So when lacking in the themed stamp set department I turn to punch art.  Check out this creepy crawly!

  I played around with the color combos a lot for this one and I'm still not perfectly happy but it is what it is.  I do like how the spider came out though.  Do you recognize his legs?  Hello hexagon punch!  Isn't that just another fun use for that punch?

 I did cheat a little and there is some Basic Gray in the DSP but it was the only DSP that I had that would work for a spider body and I didn't want to make him too life-like with a black body!  Ew!

  I hope you will go check out the all star design team creations at Fab Friday and then play along!  Will you go Halloween or not with these colors?

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Designer Typeset (photopolymer)

Ink: Versamark

Paper: Basic Black, Rich Razzleberry, Old Olive, Howlstooth & Scarringbone DSP (retired), Whisper White

Accessories: 1 3/8" circle punch (body), 1" circle punch (head), Owl punch (eyes), Hexagon punch (legs), candy dots, white embossing powder, edgelit, Pefect Polka Dot e.f., stitched ribbon, baker's twine, dimensionals

Retro Birthday Cake

  Here is a card that came together quickly using the Color Coach and a sketch challenge for inspiration.

  I thought the current challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments was a fun layout and that circle panel was just right for a cake.  Once I decided on my stamp set I wanted to find a color combination that worked for this sweet treat.  Hello Color Coach!  Always a great combination to be found in it!

  I stamped the cake and then cut out and popped up the layers on the circles.  I added the fun ruffled stretch ribbon on the backside and then layered 2 pieces of ribbon underneath.  I adhered the whole thing on 2 panels of Winter Frost Specialty DSP.  Calypso Coral candy dots finish off the corners.

  Thanks for looking!  Did you stamp today?

Stamps: Make a Wish

Ink: Coastal Cabana, Calypso Coral, Crushed Curry (marker for the candle flames)

Paper: Coastal Cabana, Whisper White, Winter Frost Specialty DSP

Accessories: circles framelits, chevron ribbon, ruffled stretch ribbon, ruffled ribbon (retired), candy dots, dimensionals