Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge #8: Miracle on 34th Street

Happy Sunday! Have you guys checked out the Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge blog by Brooke and Sankari? Well, it's really cool, especially if you watch a lot of movies while you stamp! I've been meaning to play along for awhile and when I saw this week's movie inspiration was Miracle on 34th Street, I knew I had to join in! **Edited to add: I picked the right week to join in, they are even offering a Blog Candy drawing for participating! You have until Thursday, December 4th at 9 p.m. PST. to post your card, so go get busy!

I knew I wanted to do something with "I believe" and Santa Claus, but I could barely find a Santa Claus stamp! I dug around and found one that had been a $1 stamp from Michael's, several years ago I think. See, it does pay off to save everything! lol! I knew I might use it...someday! I think the Santa would have been cute with a brown scallop circle behind him in the chocolate chip polka dot Bella Rose paper, but I was too lazy to do one the old-fashioned way (making a Coluzzle circle and punching around it with the Slit Punch). See, this is why I need the Scallop Circle Nestabilities next! hee! hee! The finished card size is 3 1/4" x 6 1/2".

Hope everyone has a great Sunday! I can't believe the Thanksgiving week went by so fast, sigh. Back to school tomorrow, but only 3 more weeks until Christmas vacation! Yippee! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!

Recipe
Stamps: Classic Alphabet (retired); Santa $1 Michael's stamp.
Cardstock: Red Riding Hood, Kraft, Whisper White, Bella Rose DSP.
Ink: Staz-On Brown, Craft White, Red Riding Hood.
Accessories: Blender Pen, Aquapainter, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Alpine striped ribbon originals.

Kazan's Sketch #14: Glad Tidings

Happy Saturday! Dh just went to make us a salad for lunch so I snagged his computer to make a post...my desktop is too slow for my impatient self! And yes, we're back to salads after our Thanksgiving feast of the last two days! Although there is a wee bit of pumpkin pie left that I cannot let go to waste! lol!

I took a break from working on my bazaar/bizarre crafts earlier to make a card for Kazan's Sketch #14, always love doing the sketches over at 2 Sketches 4 You. I had been using a stamp from the retired Glad Tidings set, and I had some extras punched out in circles already, so I decided to use it. I love that "Cheers" part. For the Baja Breeze piece I used my new rectangle Nestabilities dies...I picked it up at Hobby Lobby with my 40% off coupon when I caved in yesterday and hit the craft stores! hee! hee! I'm fighting the urge to go back today for more, ouch!

While I was out hitting Michael's and Hobby Lobby (got tired out before making it to Joann's!), I also checked out the Stamp Asylum, a local stamp store in Plano. I try to go there a few times a year and see what's new and do my part to help them stay in business (hee! hee!), but the exciting part...I ran into Suzy and Tina!! It's so cool to meet blogging friends in real life! Waving "hi" to you, girls!

Okay, better dash, dh says the salad is ready, sigh. lol! Hope you are having a good holiday weekend! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!

Recipe
Stamps: Glad Tidings (retired)
Cardstock: Red Riding Hood, Kraft, Baja Breeze, Bella Rose DSP.
Ink: Ruby Red craft.
Accessories: Red/Vanilla Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Linen Thread & needle, Paper Piercer & Guide, Dimensionals, Foofala buttons, Nestabilities Large Rectangle Dies.

A Very Merry Christmas hanging

Happy Friday! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Dh, Nick the dog, and I had a very peaceful, restful day. It's the one time a year I promise to cook a *real* meal for dh, including 5 pounds of mashed potatoes, his favorite!


I've been trying to work on some projects for the Christmas Bazaar (or Christmas Bizarre as Robyn likes to say!) I'm participating in on December 13. I just haven't been coming up with things I love, although this project looks better to me today than it did last night. Do you ever find that? Sometimes your projects look better after you've stepped away for awhile?

Anyway, most of the paper I used was from the Festive & Frost paper stack by My Mind's Eye that I picked up at Michael's with a 40% off coupon. I know, I had sworn no more paper stacks, but I loved the vintage feel of these papers and knew they would be perfect for some of the 12 Days of Christmas projects in Lisa Pace's class. Plus, it was a smaller stack, not a gigantic one. Like the way I can justify anything?!

A few other details, the stamped "A Very Merry Christmas" is from the SU Punches Three stamp set stamped on Confetti Cream cardstock. The 1 1/4" circle behind it is from Parisian Summer DSP, and the scallop circle is Not Quite Navy with Crystal Effects around the edges with White Chunky Glitter. I also broke out my retired All in a Row stamp because I didn't want to risk messing it up if I tried to sew real zig-zag stitches! lol! Not sure who makes the ribbons, they are from my stash that I bought here. The finished size is 4 1/2" x 6"...I glued the paper to a piece of scrap chipboard to make it more substantial. Here is the whole thing, although this picture didn't turn out great, sorry:

If I missed anything or you have any questions, feel free to comment or email me and I'll get back with you! Are any of you braving out into the shopping world today?! It's been rainy and yucky here, so I think I'm staying in. But who knows, maybe I'll give in to the pressure later! lol!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!

Recipe
Stamps: Punches Three, All in a Row (retired).
Cardstock: SU Not Quite Navy, Confetti Cream, and Parisian Summer DSP. Festive & Frost by My Mind's Eye.
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Chocolate Chip.
Accessories: Scallop Circle Punch, 1 1/4" and 1/8" Circle Punch, Crystal Effects, White Chunky Glitter, Dimensionals & Glue Dots, ribbon & jingle bell unknown, vintage buttons.

A few tags...

Thank you to some fabulous ladies that I received tags from recently!


First, I received the Kreativ Blogger award from Chloe at Chloe-Jill Designs and Kathleen at My Happy Place and Brandi at The Squareheaded Stamper. Thank you! If you haven't been there yet, be sure and check out their blogs for some fantastic artwork!



Thank you to Marilyn at Stamp with Marilyn for the I Love You Blog award. She has some really cool flip albums she just posted here that you must check out!


Lastly, I just received from Brooke at Designs by Brooke a challenge tag to post the 4th photo in the 4th folder on your computer. Kind of fun, right? It was fun for her, check out her cute family photo here. Well, my photos are mostly cards! But this one is pretty, it's a door prize (if you made this, let me know so I can give you credit!) that was being offered back at the Splitcoast Arlington Shoebox Swap that I went to in the spring. But I'm glad I did this because I realized I never posted all of my photos from that event, so I uploaded them here on my Webshots page if you want to check them out. They are mostly pics of the beautiful door prizes and a few people (like Jenn, Sharon, and Bev...yes, I'm shamelessly name-dropping!). I posted the cards before here if you want to see those.

I snuck back in to add this Inspiration Award that I received from Brooke at Designs by Brooke and from Megan at Well Dunn Ideas, thank you ladies! I find them both very inspiring as well, so I give it right back to them! I only found Megan a few months ago and I *love* her style, check her out. Also, Brooke co-hosts a Cinema Saturday Creative Challenge blog with the fabulous Sankari, it's very cool, go check it out if you haven't already!


Okay, I'm sneaking in one more time because Amy at Tsurata Designs gave me these two awards. Thank you, Amy, you're so sweet and you know I adore you and your artwork!

If you're reading my blog, I nominate you for these awards too! There is so much awesome talent out there, I know it inspires me everyday! Thank you to all of you stampers and artists out there who share with us everyday!

Thanks ladies for thinking of me! Hugs and happy stamping!

Holiday Extravaganza Sale!

Wow! Check out this flier for super special sales from Stampin' Up! (Click it to see it larger.) There are lots of goodies grouped in bundles up to 50% off! Don't miss the Curly Label Punch bundle at 30% off for only $23.77!

The sale runs November 26 - December 1 and items are limited, so hurry! You can place your order online with me here or email me, either way is fine! For every order of $25 or more that you place, I will send you 12 hand-stamped cards from my collection!

Let me know if you have any questions! Thanks for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!

Kristina's Color Inspiration #32: Always

Happy Tuesday! It's so great to be on Thanksgiving vacation already! Yesterday I had to finish up reading Breaking Dawn, the 4th book in the Twilight series (I did NOT like it although it got a little better half way through) then I went to see the Twilight movie with some non-Twilight reader friends. The movie was TERRIBLE, in my humble opinion, bad acting, bad directing, etc. and now these friends will never understand how good the book is, sigh. Oh well! But if you liked the movie, I'm happy for you, I wish I would have!

Anyway, finally cleaned up the stamp room a little bit today and made this card for Kristina's Color Inspiration #32. Again, I would never have put these colors together, but I loved them (I always love the more monochromatic look): Red Riding Hood, Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, and Whisper White. This turned out a little plainer than I had hoped for, I think I should have stamped the bird on Red Riding Hood designer series paper instead of solid cardstock maybe? The bird is from the Always set, you might remember when I made him a solid color back from this post.

Well, I just worked out (I know, a miracle! Trying to make the most of this vacation and start back on some good habits), and now I better clean up and run a couple of errands before some stamp club girls come over tonight. Hope you're all having a great week and having fun getting ready for Thanksgiving. Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!

Recipe
Stamps: Always
Cardstock: Red Riding Hood, Sahara Sand, Very Vanilla, and Notebook DSP (retired).
Ink: Versamark.
Accessories: Old Saint Nick Rub-Ons, White Embossing Powder, Versamarker, Heat Tool, Spiral Punch, Vanilla Grosgrain Ribbon, Red Riding Hood Designer Button, Dimensionals, white thread.

Laura's Sketch #13: Mark the Date

Happy Saturday and Happy Birthday to my dh! I took him out for brunch and shopping for some new shirts (his choice of birthday plans!) and on the way back home I said, "Wow, you've spent half your life with me now." Then he replied, "Yeah, the best half." Awwww, isn't that sweet?! Hope that wasn't too much *cheese* for ya, but sometimes he has a little "Edward" in him! hee! hee!

Anywho, this is the card I made for him using the Mark the Date and Full Calendar stamp sets. I was worried it seemed a little unpersonal, but I wrote some romantic stuff inside! lol! I used Laura's Sketch #13 and it came together very quickly! The size is 5 1/4" square, and I even used my envelope template to make a homemade envelope for it because I'm out of square envelopes. If you have any questions about any other parts, just let me know!

I went to a crop last night with some girlfriends and had a great time. I didn't take much to work on, just my computer and some die cuts to play with, mostly I needed some girl time, and I left feeling so much better than when I got there, as is always the case, so thank you girls! And...I have to admit...I stopped on the way there and bought the 4th Twilight series book. Since my Thanksgiving vacation has officially began (whoo! hoo!), I can read guilt-free now! lol!

Hope your weekend is off to a good start! Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!

Recipe
Stamps: Mark the Date, Full Calendar, All Holidays, Take a Number Wheel, and Straight Up Alphabet & Numbers (retired).
Cardstock: Old Olive, Not Quite Navy, Whisper White, and Pumpkin Pie.
Ink: Old Olive, Staz-On Brown.
Accessories: Silver Brads, Clips Assortment, 1/2" Circle Punch, Dimensionals, Old Olive Twill Ribbon (retired).

Peace Gable Box

Happy Wednesday! Thank you for all of your comments and well wishes on my last post. My, I never dreamed I would have so much competition for my Edward though! A few replies on some of your comments: Megan, yes, they are VERY addicting, so don't start reading if you have anything else you might have to get done (like feed your children or take a shower!)...Jen made the comment about using a receipt for a bookmark and I used a Marshall's one, glad I'm not the only one!...Chelle, I agree, book 2 was a little boring to me too because it had a long, lack-of-Edward part in the middle and it was making me SO mad!...and the rest of you, I will be the only one running away with Edward! hee! hee!

Okay, back to stamping...sorry for the detour (well, not really!). This little gable box I started on last night for our 2nd stamp club project. It's not *exactly* like I had envisioned, but I hope the girls still like it. I had a bunch of these gable boxes left over from when SU sold them, and they really do make nice gift boxes, this is the largest one. I stamped some several years ago for famly members, and it's nice to see them get reused and passed to someone else every year.

I used the Ski Slope DSP and the Join in the Cheer die with the Big Shot (Vina's request!). I bought the snowflake dies last month with the intention of using them, but it didn't end up that way, sigh. Maybe next month, right?! I just couldn't resist using the BIG felt flurries, they were perfect for this box. I find the big ones a little hard to use on cards, they're probably best for scrapbook pages and gift packaging or home decor projects. Have you made anything with the big ones yet? Do share!

Okay, I'm off to blurf a bit, I'm still way behind and I'm dying to check out some super cute stuff out there! Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!

Recipe
Stamps: Best Yet level 1 hostess set.
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Red Riding Hood, Whisper White, Ski Slope DSP.
Ink: Red Riding Hood.
Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Small & Large Tag Punch, 1/8" Circle Punch, Red Riding Hood 5/8" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Join in the Cheer die, Big Shot, Large Felt Flurry, Jumbo Eyelet, Crop-a-Dile, Vintage Brad, Glue Dot, Dimensionals.

Organic Outlines Bookmark

Happy Tuesday! Sorry for my prolonged absence, it's been such a bummer. I've been sick, nothing major, just one annoying thing after another that's kept me from sitting up at my stamp table. Grrrr! I did manage to spend 2 hours there this evening, yay!, and I came up with this little bookmark that we'll be doing for stamp club this month. Thank you to my wonderful stamping friends in the club who are flexible when we meet, love you girls!

Anyway, I saw this precious bookmark idea on Jen Del Muro's fabulous blog, you can see hers here. She used the rectangular Nestabilities, but I made do with the Scallop Border Punch, and made mine a little bit longer than hers.

I started with a piece of Baja Breeze cardstock cut 2 7/8" x 8 1/2" (I practiced with a piece of copy paper first to get it right.) I used the Border Scallop Punch along both long sides, then did the short ends across last. When I finished that, I folded it in half and scored with a bone folder, then put a piece of Sticky Strip tape inside about 1" down from the top, so that it will slide over your book pages and stop. Jen shows a picture here showing how it works, I should have done that, sorry! This picture below shows the side view and you can see better how it will slide over your pages. Wouldn't these make cute little Christmas gifts?


This project also ties in with how I spent a lot of my time these last few days while lying around sick and not stamping...I joined the cult of people reading these little books. I'm pretty sure it's a sin for a 42 year old married lady to be in love with a young vampire named Edward (he is an old soul though!), but heaven help me, we are meant to be together, maybe even more than Mr. Darcy and me! lol! Yesterday at the doctor's office, the nurse saw me reading the book while waiting and we had a 15 minute discussion about Edward and Jacob before we even started discussing medical issues, and the office was packed too! Yikes! I guess that makes it sound like I wasn't that sick, but I think the *love* (or *lust*!) endorphins were actually helping with the pain and sickness! Okay, I better stop now...hee! hee! Oh, I haven't read the last one yet, so don't give anything big away!! hee! hee!

Hope you all have been doing well! Thank you so much for all the sweet comments on the last few posts and for bearing with me during my absence. I have something else almost finished to post tomorrow night and a plan to get caught up on 300+ posts on Google Reader! lol! Hugs and happy stamping!

Recipe
Stamps: Organic Outlines, Best Yet hostess level 1 set.
Cardstock: Baja Breeze, Old Olive, Whisper White, and Patterns Pack level 1 hostess DSP.
Ink: Real Red, Baja Breeze (stamped off once).
Accessories: Scallop Border Punch, 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Jumbo Eyelet, Old Olive 5/8" Grosgrain Ribbon, Crop-a-Dile, Sticky Strip.

Kristina's Color Inspiration #30 Trio

Happy Wednesday! I *loved* Kristina's Color Inspiration #30 this week and could not stop making cards with it! What a relief, because I haven't felt very creative lately with all my sinus crap and headaches. For this first card I made above, I pulled out the butterfly stamp from the retired hostess set Cause for Celebration. I love that butterfly and have never used it, so I decided "Use it, girlfriend!" I was stuck at first, so I fell back on an old crutch...the circle design card! Whenever you're stuck, use circles...you can't go wrong! I also pulled out a much ignored set, Sweet Sampler, and used it for the other two circles.

This next card below I found the Certainly Celery card 6 1/2" x 3 1/4" already cut and ready to go in my stash, and I really wanted to use some rub-ons since they are on special this month. See here for more details. I used a stamp from Sweet Sampler again and embossed it with Winter White Embossing Powder. It started out as a square, but I decided it needed to be a circle too. I LOVE that new 1 3/4" circle punch! The background was too plain, so I also dug out my much ignored Baroque Motifs set (I dropped it first and it landed on the still spilled buttons, pretty much
finishing them off!) Lastly, I added the "congratulations" rub-on from the level 3 hostess Holiday Happenings Bundle on the satin ribbon (old, from the Michael's $1 spot).


Then this last card, I ended up loving! I had the Ski Slope Old Olive patterned paper frame left over from a Top Note die cut and I had to save it because it was so perfect (that's rare for me!). I thought it would make a perfect picture frame for a holiday card. I also have some old envelopes from somewhere that fit a 5 x 7 card, so that's the size I made this. I put a thin row of dimensionals (you know, the edge piece) on three sides of the frame and left the top open to slip a picture in. That's my cousin's little girl, Sydney, isn't she a doll?! She's not camera shy at all, can you tell? That runs in our family.


I embossed the snowflake from Winter Post with Winter White Embossing Powder, then punched it out with the fabulous Curvy Label punch. I added the white "celebrate" rub-on from the retired SAB rub-on set, Love & Happiness.

So that's it for my trio! Don't you love these colors together, Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Sahara Sand, and Whisper White?! I never would have thought of them on my own, especially that Sahara Sand, I always forget about it!

Hope your week is going well out there! We're on the downhill stretch now. I'm attending a workshop Thursday and Friday, so it sort of feels like being off work!

Thanks so much for stopping by! Hugs and happy stamping!

Recipe #1: Butterfly Friend card
Stamps: Cause for Celebration (retired), Sweet Sampler.
Cardstock: Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Sahara Sand, Whisper White.
Ink: Old Olive, Certainly Celery, Sahara Sand.
Accessories: Circle Punches (1 3/4", 1 3/8", 1"). Ribbon from Michael's $1 Spot, polka dot brad from Target $1 Spot last year, white flower from a RAK.

Recipe #2: Congratulations card
Stamps: Sweet Sampler, Baroque Motifs.
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Old Olive.
Ink: Versamark, Certainly Celery.
Accessories: Winter White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Pretties Kit pearl, Mini Glue Dot, Dimensionals, Holiday Happenings Hostess Bundle rub-on. Ribbon from Michael's $1 Spot.

Recipe #3: Celebrate picture frame card
Stamps: Winter Post.
Cardstock: Certainly Celery, Old Olive, Sahara Sand, and Ski Slope DSP.
Ink: Versamark.
Accessories: Winter White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Curvy Label Punch, 1/16" Circle Punch, thread, Love & Happiness rub-on (retired), Dimensionals, Big Shot, Top Note die. Ribbon from Michael's $1 Spot.