Christmas is Coming!

Christmas is coming, Christmas is coming! I love this time of year, but there never seems to be enough time to do all of the things I want to do for Christmas! This is the card we made for November club. We will be having club on Thursday this week for December and I can't wait! More fun with the girls!!

I had just gotten Merry Winter when we had club this month and I couldn't wait to use it. Those little snowmen have been working hard for me too :)

• Stamps: Merry Winter, Borderlines
• Paper: Naturals White, Poppy Parade, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
• Ink: Poppy Parade, Early Espresso, Whisper White, Poppy Parade DSP
• Other: Scallop border punch, Doily triple punch, 1" circle punch, 2½" circle punch, 2-3/8" Scallop circle punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Dazzling Details glitter glue, Paper Piercer and Mat Pack

 Love hoe the snowmen sit on the sled! And the polka dots work jsut beautifully on the Crumb Cake strip! I used the Dazzling Details in the centers of the snowflakes, the buttons on the snowmen, and the dangly ends of the snowmens' hats. And of course, I inked all the edges with an Early Espresso marker!

Now, don't forget to come back tomorrow for the UStampwithDawnandFriends Blog Hop. You will not want to miss the fun!

Summer! Matchbox Mini Album

I have a bunch of awesome pictures from a visit with my niece and nephew this summer and I wanted a fun way to share them with their mother. I saw this style mini album on the Workshop Wow DVD I bought at convention this year and it fit the bill.

These colors are just perfect for luscious summer memories :) This one is sized for wallet sized photos, but you could really make it any size. Plus, I just used a leftover from a different project to make the main body of this mini album :) The leftover was 3¼"x11"

1. Score the 11" piece at 4¼", 4½", and 9½".  
2. Stamp with the Woodgrain background stamp.
3. Use the Scallop border punch on the the bottom flap and 1" wide x 3¼" long strips of coordinating colors. Adhere strips to flap.
4. Cut a 3"x3½" piece of Early Espresso. Then a 2¾"x3¼" piece of Naturals White. Stamp the white piece as shown. Adhere this to the front of the matchbook, allowing room for the part that will tuck under the flap.
5. Cut a 1-1/8"x2-3/8" piece of Early Espresso and a 15/16"x2-3/16" piece of Naturals White. Punch corners with Corner Rounder punch. Stamp your title on the white piece and adhere to the Espresso piece. 
6. Punch out 2 of the 4 petal flowers with the Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack 4 petal flower punch. Set flowers on mat pat foam and push down in the centers with the handle end of your paper piercer to add some dimension, adhere to each other offset. Punch out 2 leaves/branch shapes with the Build A Bird punch, trimming off or not punching out most of the long part of the branch. Adhere to the back of the flower. Apply a Rhinestone to the center of the flower. Adhere to the title piece. 
7. Adhere title piece to the mini album cover with Stampin' Dimensionals.
8. Cut out desired number 2¾"x4½" pages, I used 6. Embellish as desired.
9. Fold bottom flap up, insert pages, and tie a ribbon around the flap to secure the flap closed. I then used a little Sticky Strip under the ribbon to ensure it does not slip off. Now you can tuck the cover into the flap!

This will even fit into an A2 envelope! I am sure it will cost extra to mail though :)

Here are all the pages tucked into the mini album. I call this picture Shake Your Booty!! Fun with the Slip-N-Slide.

I did put pictures on both sides of these pages, so there are 12 in this little album. I like it so much, I may have to make one for me! I did have to get 2 of each print, cuz that's how they sell wallet size pics where I get my pics processed. 
Wouldn't this make a wonderful Christmas card for someone special? Different colors and theme of course, lol

• Stamps: Borderlines, Woodgrain BG, Season to Season (retired)
• Paper: Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Poppy Parade, Early Espresso, Naturals White
• Ink: Calypso Coral, Lucky Limeade, Poppy Parade
• Other:  Scallop border punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, Build A Bird punch, Corner Rounder punch, Mat Stack and Paper Piercer, Lucky Limeade Ruffled ribbon, Basic Jewels Rhinestones, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals.

USWDAF Knock Out Punches- To Go Punch Kit

I am excited to share my next project for UStampwithDawnandFriends! It is a really fun and useful project if I do say so myself :)

I frequently bring stamping supplies with me when we go out of town for the weekend to visit family. I do projects with different family members and I just can't stand to be idle, so it gives me something to do while everyone else is taking naps etc :) But I always want punched shapes and punches take up so much space and weight so much! I came up with this solution. I bring pre-punched shapes in neutrals and the colors I am most likely to use and put them in small containers all ready for me to use! I even recycle by reusing existing containers. And there is a gift bag to put them all in if you want to give these away to a crafty friend.
The event this is for is the Knock Out Punches event and it is going full swing right now! My project is being featured today, so if you want the details of how to do it, head on over and get signed up for the Knock Out Punches Event.

Grateful Leaves Tag

As promised, another tag! My hubby says this is too detailed to be just a tag, that it should hang on a banner or something, so that you can use it all season. Wasn't that sweet of him?! It was another use of scraps from my scrap bins, and I thoroughly enjoyed creating it, even the fussy cutting :) I think if I could get away with it, I would probably use the Woodgrain background stamp on every project I ever create. I just get such a warm cozy feel from it! I live in a log house, we have two woodstoves to heat our home, and I grew up in a woodworking household, so it is "ingrained" in me! Get it? Ingrained! I know, I am so corny, but hey, this is my blog. I can be as corny as I want!

The more Mustard shape is actually from the Peekaboo Frames die, and I love that shape. You don't have to use the door :) I am so happy this leaf stamp set made it into the main catty. But I would not be surprised if it retires this year to make room for some other fantastic leaf stamp. They must know by now that I will buy every leaf and snowflake stamp that Stampin' Up! creates. I just cannot help myself! 

I used my blender pen to color the leaves with More Mustard and Cajun Craz and there is still a little bit of Champagne Shimmer Paint on my blender pen from a previous use and it added a touch of shimmer to the leaves that is just perfect in its subtlety. I did not manage to catch it with my camera though.

• Stamps: Autumn Splendor, Grateful Greetings, Woodgrain BG
• Paper: Naturals White, More Mustard, Cajun Craz
• Ink: Early Espresso, Sahara Sand, More Mustard, Cajun Craz
• Other: Scallop Trim border punch, 1¼" Square punch, Corner Rounder punch, Big Shot with Peekaboo Frames die, Sponges, Signo White gel pen, Stampin Dimensionals, Blender Pen

Frosty Pinecone Tag

Almost time to start cranking out those Christmas tags! It is so fun to add a gorgeous tag to a gift to jazz up your presentation and it uses up lots of scraps :)

It's so satisfying to reach into my scrap bin and start pulling out pieces to use on a project, and when they work so well together. And through the magic of punches, this came together VERY quickly. The pinecone image is inked up with markers and a little "snow" was added with the Illumination Top Coat Accent Ink.  I am never so glad for my stash of stamps as Christmas time :) The hole in the top is the circle punch from Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, which really is a must have.

• Stamps: Pines & Poinsettias, Christmas Greetings, Winter Post
• Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Naturals White, Red Glimmer paper
• Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Chocolate Chip
• Other: Scallop Trim border punch, 2-3/8" Scallop punch, 1¾" circle punch, Scallop border punch, Itty Bitty Shapes punch pack, Stamp-A-Ma-Jig, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Stampin' Dimensionals, Illumination Top Coat Accent Ink

I tried to catch the shimmery snow on the pinecones, but it looks so much better in real life. There may be more tags making appearances here soon ;)

Tea Stains and Leaves

Playing with leftover buttons, I had to make some birthday cards for this month. I have, sadly, still not sent any of them out...must do that! I also finally started to play with the Distressing Kit. Love It! Knew I would, just didn't pull them out until now :)

I think I may have overdone the distressing ink, and I used the Tea Stain and the Mahogany. Had fun with the different punches too :) How fun is it to find new ways to layer them together for a great focal point?!

This is the inside of the overly distressed one :) I believe I used Bring on the Cake and I think it fits really well.

This is the less distressed version. A little clearer and crisper. I might have to keep one of these to pet :)

Inside is a little more simple too, but I still like it. Really like it! It is not always about the layers :)

•  Stamps: Gently Falling, Bring on the Cake, Happiest Birthday Wishes
• Paper: Naturals White, Soft Suede, Pool Party, River Rock
• Ink: Soft Suede, More Mustard, Pool Party, Pear Pizzazz, Tea Stain, Mahogany
• Other: Big Shot with Buttons #5 die, Designer Label punch, Doily Triple Layer punch, Distressing Essentials kit, Early Espresso Baker's Twine, Stampin' Dimnesionals

Dem Bones, Dem Bones!

Another spooky card for you, since Halloween is almost upon us! I am especially drawn to this skeleton guy, maybe it is my career as a nurse, or the macabre sense of humor I was born with that makes me fit in perfectly with my fellow ER nurses and cops, lol! Just ask us about full moons! Or not ;)

This card was the first one I made with this set. I made it blank so I can use it for whatever I want. Over the Hill birthday, Halloween, or just themed to the season Thinking of you.

I dressed it up a little with the Dazzling Details on the spider web and the Baker's Twine. I cannot believe I lived this long without Baker's Twine! It adds such a great touch without the bulk!!!

• Stamps: Piece of Poison, Wicked Cool
• Paper: Peach Parfait, Soft Suede, Whisper White
• Ink: Peach Parfait, Soft Suede, Early Espresso
• Other: Big Shot with Spiderweb embossing folder, Dazzling Details, Signo white gel pen, Early Espresso Baker's Twine, Champagne Shimmer Paint, Sponge, Stampin' Dimensionals