Manly Man

For as long as I can remember, my aunt has sent the coolest care package and little goodies to different people.  She pays such attention to the littlest details.  She has been ordering my paper purses for the many people she works with and it seems, they've all loved receiving them.  I've included a picture of the latest order, all coordinating but different.  These little cuties are so much fun to create and dress up.  Last week she brought me a new challenge:  a gift for a man.  At the company she is at, there is one lone man.  What can I do for him?  Well a traditional brief case of course!  I know these are all over the internet but I didn't have my laptop handy so I just did my own thing.  The supplies for this are simple:  Chocolate Chip card stock, Hodgepodge Hardware and the white gel pen.  (Paper cutter and hole punch too)  I did decide to add some depth to the briefcase by adding some sponging in Early Espresso to darken the edges and show some "age" to it.  There are 4 mini brads on the bottom, too. There is a little velcro dot so the case can open.  This would be adorable for a gift card or business card holder for a desk!

Thanks for checking in!  It's good to be back creating and posting!

Christmas Card Club #2

Cherry Cobbler...it just sound scrumptious doesn't it?  I can just smell the holidays!  For the next two cards in this year's Christmas Club, Cherry Cobbler was paired with Always Artichoke for a warm, fuzzy look and then with Baja Breeze.  This made for a crisp, clean card that really highlighted the Dasher stamp.  Something else that adds some texture to the cards is using the Naturals Ivory and Naturals White Card Stock.  There is a speckled look about them and a really heavy feel.


Greeting Card Kids Card:
Supplies:  Naturals Ivory, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke
Aqua Painter with Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke and Crumb Cake Classic Ink
Lace Ribbon Border Punch, sponge

Dasher Card:
Supplies:  Naturals White, Cherry Cobbler and Baja Breeze Card Stock
Versa Mark Ink, Cherry Cobbler Embossing Powder, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine
Season of Joy Stamp Set

 Really excited for the next installment of our Christmas Card Club Cards!  I think there is some Designer Series Paper in store! 

On a side note, I would love to get to 100 followers!  I would love if you could help by passing my blog on to your friends!  Thanks everyone for listening to me ramble this week.  It's so great to be back...

Christmas Card Club: Part One

I know, it's only September but...the holiday season gets so crazy that I thought this year I'd do my Christmas Card Club beginning in August.  By the time November rolls around, cards will be done and you'll have extra time for Thanksgiving prep and gift making!  I've decided to try a variety of techniques and looks for this years card selections.  I started with a traditional card using punches and dry embossing.  By turning the triangle upside down from the Pennant Parade Stamp Set, a Christmas Tree emerges!  This card is clean and simple.  Now, if you wanted to dress it up, a little ribbon tied on the tag, embossing the sentiment and adding some rhinestones as ornaments would do the trick.  The new dotted scalloped ribbon is really adorable.  I'm anxious to get a few more colors of it.

Frosty cold snowflakes make me love winter.  I'm sure there are other parents out there who remember the first time your children tried to catch a snowflake on their tongue.  My son, Dakota, would get upset that the snowflakes would melt before he could show me.  Love, love, love memories like that!

As always, I love shimmer paint and a bit of bling.  This card is about layering.  The Crumb Cake layers are sprayed with a bit of Log Cabin Smooch Spritz.  The top Bashful Blue layer is sprayed with the solution of rubbing alcohol and shimmer paint.  Although it is hard to see in the picture, this solution gives the card a soft, irridescent look.  Then I painted straight shimmer paint onto the snowflake, added a rhinestone and we're done.  A simple card with room for a note inside.

I've already done the samples for September's Christmas Card Club and am excited to share!  Stay tuned...

Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini

It's here!  One of the best mini catalogs I think Stampin' Up! has ever released is here!  The fabric is beautiful, the stamp selections are amazing, Big Shot accessories are to die for...
I always go through a new catalog and make a wish list right away.  Then I'll go back and do a little editing and revise my list to be a bit more affordable.  Well.  That's really not working this time.  I just love the new Stocking Bigz Die...can you imagine making a little Merry Christmas banner with that?  And how about the the Stitched Stockings stamp set?  Did you see the coordinating punch?  I can't wait to get my hands on that too!  I've already ordered the new Designer Series paper, Frostwood Ledge, which has a whole suite of products to go with it.

I certainly don't mean to skip over the Halloween and Fall/Thanksgiving options...they are just as beautiful.  I tend to decorate in fall colors so the Spice Cake paper is on it's way to my house too!

Well, how could I forget the new Simply Scored Scoring Tool!  Stampin' Up! thought of everything with this new treat.  There is a stylus, place markers and built in storage.  I've always used the scoring option on my Paper Cutter so I didn't think I needed this but...it's really fantastic!  What a time saver!

Contact me today to get your copy of the Holiday Mini, orders and project ideas! 

A Little Bit Spooky

Well, well, well...is it really September already?  This has been the craziest summer ever and fall is off to a funny start.  Hurricane Irene delayed the start of school 2 days.  The kids finally went back on Wednesday only to have Friday and Monday off.  I know I'm ready for the school/work routine!  I can't wait to get back to stamping and creating on a regular basis!

I did have a Clearly Creative meeting a couple of days ago and we changed up our swap a bit so...a gate fold card it is!  For some reason I was in the Rich Razzleberry kind of mode and this is what came out of it.  What do you think?

The shimmer is the Vanilla Smooch Spritz.  I really love how it looks, hopefully it won't clog like the Log Cabin Spritz.  Wicked Cool is the stamp set used with lots of Chocolate Chip sponging.

I'm off to create a couple of cards for Inkspirations and Create with Connie and Mary challenges.  I promise (really this time!) to post a few times a week...Coming up tomorrow are the first Christmas Card Club cards.  Friday, September 9th is the next club date...Kits are still available for $15 if you are not able to attend.  Contact me today!