Joyful Animal Stories

I'm joyful because I had a chance to stamp and create a card AND because I've had time to update my blog AND because this card uses my new punch!  I love punches...they make things soooooo easy!  Look how perfect the ornament is!!  We still have plenty of time before Christmas is actually here, but it's never too early to get started on creating your cards.    This month I'll be starting my Christmas stamp a stack classes where we'll be making 12 cards (3 each of 4 different designs) each month.  By December you'll have a nice stash to send out to all your family and friends!  :-)  See my calendar for dates.  In fact, a card very similar to this one will be one of the cards we make this month!  Here are the supplies I used:

Stamps: Delightful Decorations (from the Holiday Mini); Paper:  Whisper White, Real Red, Kraft Cardstock; Ink: Real Red and Whisper White Craft Ink; Accessories: Ornament Punch (from the Holiday Mini), Pretties Kit, Real Red Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Elastic Cord (from the Holiday Mini), Perfect Details Texturz plate, stampin' dimensionals, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Glue Dots, Stamping Sponges

 

 

Animal Stories is one of the new stamp sets in the new Idea Book and Catalog.  It has adorable matching designer series paper - Tall Tales.  We made these cards at the open house and at a recent club get-together.

 

 

Stamps: Animal Stories; Paper:  Whisper White, Rose Red, So Saffron Cardstock, Tall Tales Designer Series Paper; Ink: Brilliant Blue Classic Ink; Accessories: Ornament Punch, Pretties Kit, Rose Red Double Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon,  Backgrounds 1 Texturz plate, stampin' dimensionals

 

 

 

 

 Stamps: Animal Stories; Paper:  Whisper White Texture, Old Olive, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry Texture Cardstock, Tall Tales Designer Series Paper; Ink: Dusty Durango Classic Ink; Accessories: 1" Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, Modern Label Punch, Circle Scissor Plus, Movers and Shapers - Holiday Windows, Dusty Durango Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon,  stampin' dimensionals

The Movers and Shapers Punch makes window cards easy schmeasy!!  Position the die where you want the window, run the cardstock through your Big Shot and voila....a window that coordinates perfectly with one of our punches.  The designers at Stampin' Up! are just BRILLIANT!!

 

This card was made by my friend and downline, Jenise Schnell:

 

Stamps: Animal Stories; Teeny Tiny Wishes Paper:  Whisper White, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry Cardstock, Tall Tales Designer Series Paper; Ink: Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango Classic Ink Refills; Accessories: Modern Label Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Crushed Curry Polka Dot Grosgrain Ribbon,  Basic Small Grommets, stampin' dimensionals

 

Jenise used the baby wipe technique to create the giraffe image.  Come join me on Technique Tuesday to learn fun new techniques like this one!

 

 

Happy Stampin' everyone!  I've missed you!

Joyful Mail!

I'm sure most of you feel the same way...any time I receive mail that is not a bill, I am so thrilled!  It is even more joyful when I receive a handcrafted card!  This time of the year is especially fun because it is the one time of year that many actually use the US Postal Service!   Here are some of the beautiful handmade greetings we've received this year.  Aren't they inspiring??

More Holiday Cards

We made these cards in October at the Stamp a Stack!  Sorry the pictures are a bit shadowy.  I have to pay attention to what time I take pictures.

Stamps: Snow Swirled; Paper:Bashful Blue, Night of Navy, Whisper White, Brushed Silver Cardstock; Ink: Versamark, Bashful Blue, Night of Navy Classic Ink; Accessories: Silver Embossing Powder, Pretties Kit, Whisper White Taffeta Ribbon, Elastic Silver Cord, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Double Rectangle Punch, Snow Blossom Punch

Stamps: Holy Triptych; Ink: Stazon, Versamark; Paper: Elegant Eggplant, Shimmery White, Brushed Gold Cardstock; Accessories: Gold Embossing Powder, Watercolor Wonder Crayons, Aqua Painter.

Stamps: A Cardinal Christmas; Ink: Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red Classic Ink; Paper: Always Artichoke, Confetti Cream, Riding Hood Red Cardstock; Accessories: Riding Hood Red/Very Vanilla 1 1/4" Grosgrain Ribbon,  Big Shot, Top Note Die, Chunky Essentials Glitter, Tombow Multi Purpose Adhesive.

Stamps: Jolliest of Holidays, Season of Joy; Ink: Basic Black Classic Pad, Real Red, Basic Black, Blush Blossom, Pretty in Pink Stampin' Write Marker; Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Basic Black Cardstock; Accessories: Vintage Brads, Hodgepodge Hardware (retired), Chunky Essentials Glitter, Black Grosgrain Ribbon.

Bonus card: I made this one as part of a swap with some of my favorite demos!:

Stamps: A Cardinal Christmas; Ink: Stazon, Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Chocolate Chip Reinkers; Paper: Chocolate Chip, Shimmery White Cardstock, Ski Slope DSP; Accessories: Alpine Ribbon Originals, Big Shot, Scallop Circle #2 Die, Stampin Dimensionals, Stampin' Sponge

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We've been busy!  Here are the cards from the Stamp a Stack in November:

Stamps: Punch Pals, Best Yet; Paper: Bashful Blue, Close to Cocoa, Whisper White, Tangerine Tango Cardstock, Frosty Day DSP; Ink: Close to Cocoa, Bashful Blue Classic Ink, Tangerine Tango, Kiwi Kiss Reinkers, Basic Black, Bashful Blue Stampin' Write Markers; Accessories: Key Tag Punch, Large Tag Punch, Small Tag Punch, Soft Subtles Brads, Alpine Ribbon Originals.

Stamps: Winter Post, Holiday Collection, Heard From the Heart; Ink: Chocolate Chip Classic Ink, Whisper White Craft Ink; Paper: Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip, Kraft Cardstock; Accessories: Riding Hood Red Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Designer Label Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Scallop Edge Punch, Stampin' Sponges, Stampin' Dimensionals.

Stamps: Many Merry Messages, Winter Post; Ink: Baja Blue, Chocolate Chip; Paper: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White Cardstock, Ski Slope DSP; Accessories: Big Shot, Top Note Die, Join in the Cheer Decorative Strip Die, Build a Brad, 1/2" circle punch, Little Felt Flurries.

Stamps: A Christmas Cardinal; Ink: Black Stazon Ink, Not Quite Navy, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red Reinkers, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Chip Stampin' Write Markers; Paper: Not Quite Navy, Baja Blue Cardstock, Watercolor Paper; Accessories: Baja Blue Striped Grosgrain Ribbon, Little Felt Flurries, Ice Circle Rhinestones, Large Oval Punch, Aqua Painters, Stampin' Dimensionals.

Here's a bonus card that we made at Stamp Club.

Stamps: Holiday Collection; Paper: Whisper White, Bashful Blue, Night of Navy Cardstock; Ink: Night of Navy Classic Ink; Accessories: Ticket Corner Punch, Filigree Brads, Circle Ice Brads, Big Shot, Snowflake #2 Die, Sparkly Felt from Hobby Lobby.  The Big Shot cuts through FELT!!!!  Very exciting!

I just realized I haven't posted the holiday cards from October's stamp a stack.....boy you have missed out on a lot!  Coming soon...more holiday cards and the Gift Camp projects!

More Christmas

I promise to get back to the upcoming holiday, but I wanted to share the other two cards from September's holiday card stamp a stack.

Stamps: Season of Joy, Swirl Wheel; Ink: Handsome Hunter, Kiwi Kiss Classic Ink; Paper: Handsome Hunter, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White Cardstock, Haiku Designer Series Paper; Accessories: Jumbo Wheel Handle, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Rich Regal Brads.

I was so excited to use the Haiku paper on this card. It makes the assortment so versatile. If you want to see other cards I made using Haiku DSP look back here and here! You know I just love it!!!

Stamps: Big on Christmas; Ink: Basic Black Classic Pad, Kiwi Kiss Classic Ink Refill; Paper: Riding Hood Red, Kiwi Kiss, Whisper White Cardstock, Riding Hood Red Patterns Designer Series Paper; Accessories: Riding Hood Red ribbon, silver brads, blender pen, Zig metallic pen.

I copied this card from one I saw on SCS and was inspired to gather the ribbon from a tip they shared with us at convention. You can only do this with sheer ribbon like the taffeta ribbons from Stampin' Up! You find a vertical fiber and gently pull and gather. It's pretty easy to do once you've actually found the fiber!! Also, did you know that even though the in-colors do not come in a marker, you can create your own marker with a blender pen and classic ink refill? It's so easy and it coordinates!!

I'm Dreaming of a Fall Christmas...

On Sunday I'm having a Christmas Card stamp a stack. Each month we get together and stamp 12 Christmas cards. This helps us get a head start on making our holiday cards and gives us a variety of cards! I hold this class once a month until December. It always seems a bit weird to be thinking about Christmas the first few months I have these classes, but now-a-days the stores encourage me think I'm way behind!! They have all sorts of winter holiday items out sooooo early! Here are two of the cards we made in September.

Stamps: Cute and Curly, Seasonal Icons; Ink: Pacific Point, Baja Breeze Classic Ink; Paper: Pacific Point, Baja Breeze, Whisper White Cardstock, Muirfield Designer Series Paper; Accessories: Curly Label Punch, Small Oval Punch, Pacific Point Double Stitched Ribbon, Chunky Essentials Glitter

Stamps: Deer Friends, Canvas; Ink: Real Red; Paper: Basic Black, Real Red, Whisper White, Brushed Gold Cardstock; Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1 1/4 " Circle Punch, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter

The first cards uses a layout I often rely on. It is so versatile! The second card is a nearly exact copy of its inspiration which came from a fellow demonstrator! It is just so cute I couldn't change it up!

Let me know if you want to join us on Sunday. Check out my calendar for other Christmas stamp a stacks or other classes I'll be holding the next few months.