HSS #95 - Anything BUT a card, ORNAMENTS

This week at Hand Stamped Sentiments...it's all about decking the halls, trees, mantels, door ways, pretty much anything you can get your sparkly paws on! Create anything BUT a card and use a festive ORNAMENT theme! 

HSS#95

I started off cutting the same width of stripes I used for my Bargello card and after layering them in a patterned stack, I cut a hole in one end with my Crop A Dile. I threaded a piece of Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon through and tied a knot at one end. After punching another hole through the opposite side of the strips and threading through the ribbon, I squished the top papers down to bit to create more of a rounded look, you can play with yours, if you want it more elongated or round.

I've made these ornaments in the past and didn't like how my pieces would fan apart, so this time I used a mini glue dot towards the top of each piece as I fanned them out in order.  A loop of my ribbon, a knot and then I added a bit of pearly bling with some baubles from my old Pretties kit.

Check out what the Design Team has whipped up this week HERE. We can't wait to see what you create with this fun challenge, the sky's the limit! You have until Monday, December 5th at Noon to link up your creation, now go get some sparkle on! (don't forget the Christmas music)

 SU! products used:

Paper - Red glimmer, Holly Berry Bouquet

Ribbon - Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, retired Silver Cord

Other - mini glue dots, Pretties Kit retired

Merry Monkey

This is my first go at trying out a sketch over at Stampin' On Tuesdays and I've been itching to ink up my cute little monkey, so I decided to give it a whirl.

Stampin' On Tuesdays #42

OCC

I paired this sketch with the challenge over at Our Creative Corner and monkey see, monkey do, here's my bit of Christmas warmth and cheer!

The sunshine was playing tag with my sparkles, so I snapped a pic then stuck my card on my Christmas tree for the rest of the photos, before hanging the decorations.

My background trees were already so beautiful on the Frost Wood DSP, so I just cut them out and layered them on this fun flannel looking red and green DSP from the same pack. I stamped the sentiment in black and then just the Merry in Versa Mark, hitting it up with a fun Cherry Cobbler embossed shine. The little monkey has bits of Crystal Effects on all his furry white accessories to add a bit of shine since I already had quite a bit of sparkle.

SU! products used:

Ink - VersaMark, Basic Black

Paper - Whisper White, Frostwood Lodge

Other - Cherry Cobbler Embossing Powder, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Crystal Effects

"Silver and ???"

 I don't know about you but with that title, I've got the song "Silver and Gold" running through my head with Frosty the Snowman twirling round in a pile of fresh white stuff! This week over at The Paper Players, however, they are switching it up a bit from gold to silver and Night of Navy (or blue). I've paired these fun holiday colors with this weeks simple but stunning sketch over at Sweet Sunday Sketches. 

I used a snowflake EF on a piece of Night of Navy and then sponged on Shimmer Paint to create my silver background. The silver cord is hard to see on the front of my card but it's tied between the two pieces of Blue Jean Ribbon. The inside sentiment says, "Giving thanks for God's Gift of Love and the joy we share through Christ the Lord". 

Challenges I'm entering this card into:

click on photos below to be taken to each challenge

SU! products used:

Stamps - Come to Bethlehem

Paper - Night of Navy, Whisper White

Ink - Versa Mark, Night of Navy

Die - Bigz Oval Scallop Frame (I left off the scallop portion)

Other - Silver embossing powder, Frost White Shimmer Paint, Blue Jean ribbon and Silver Cord retired

Pastel Christmas

Happy Thanksgiving everyone, only one more month till Christmas!!! This month my SAS (San Antonio Swap) girls and I are making pink and green Christmas cards which I paired with the awesome sketch over at The Sweet Stop. I loved my little pastel cards so much I made up another 1/2 dozen for my ETSY shop! 

SSS135

The polka dot DP is from my stash...love the soft fuzzy touchable texture of the circles, it makes for a warm and pastel Christmas! 

SU! products used:

Stamps - Snow Swirled, Come to Bethlehem 

Ink - Versa Mark, Basic Black

Paper - Certainly Celery, Pretty in Pink, Crumb Cake

Punch - Scallop Edge, Modern Label 

Other - a mix of 50/50 Heat & Stick Powder and Dazzling Diamonds, Pretty in Pink ribbon, Jewels

Angry Birds (part 3)

The Birthday party was a success! My four year old was over the moon and all the kids seemed to enjoy playing all the Angry Birds games we had set up, even the cake was a big hit! (although I'm no master cake decorator)

Happy Angry Birdsday Banner

 Blue Bird Cake

 First the kids built pig towers and colored angry bird coloring pages I had printed off the internet, while they waiting for everyone to arrive.

 I found these cute little angry bird and pig erasers at "5 below" and the kids had fun tossing the birds at the cups to see who could knock off the most pigs, we just used bathroom kid paper cups as the pigs tower.

 Pin the nose on the pig

Angry bird bowling...I snagged 4 ball pit balls from the baby's room and painted bird faces on them for the kids to use at bowling balls. We already had the pins from an indoor game but you could use empty plastic water bottles too.

 King Pig tag...who ever wore the crown (free from Burger King) was the tagger...

 The kids made these cute pig plates, which I had pre cut sticky back foam pieces, so all they had to do was stick their faces on, attach a popsicle stick to the back with a glue dot and draw on the black nostrils and eyebrows with a marker...a quick inexpensive craft!

We printed off this awesome FREE angry bird balloon printables HERE, cut them out, scotch taped them on and hung them from the door ways.

Now to start planning for the next Birthday party!! :)

Hand Stamped Sentiments #94 - Winter Wonderland

This week at Hand Stamped Sentiments, we are asking you all to knock our socks off (or put an extra pair on) and show us your interpretation of a WINTER WONDERLAND in your projects....I know North Dakota winters pop into mind for me, brrrrr!

HSS #94

Christmas just wouldn't be the same without the cold sparkly white stuff, so I made sure to add a TON of extra frosty goodness on my card and coordinating tag. After embossing my snowflake background, I sponged on a bit of Frost White Shimmer Paint. My Scallop Circle got a dusting of Vanilla Smooch Spritz. The skating couple is forever captured in a solid silver sheen with Silver Embossing Powder and they are skating on a fine dusting of Dazzling Diamond Glitter!

Check out what the incredible design team has whipped up this week, get your glittery frosty snowflake sparkle on, Christmas tunes on your ipod and join in...we'd love to see your beautiful winter wonderland creations! I'm going to fetch my slippers...

SU! products used:

Stamps - Snow Swirled, Winter Post

Ink - Versa Mark

Paper - Crumb Cake, Whisper White and Bashful Blue

Punches/Dies - Decorative Label, 1-1/4" Circle, 2-1/2" Circle, Bigz Scallop Circle #2

Other - Crumb Cake Ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Silver Embossing Powder, Vanilla Smooch Spritz, Frost White Shimmer Paint

Nuts for YOU

Since I had all of my supplies out covering our dining room table last night...I was determined to make one last card before stashing away my sanity to make room for dinner! So I meshed this weeks Freshly Made Sketches #11 sketch with the Woodland Animals challenge over at Wee Memories.

 FMS#11

WMC77

I was hoping I had a large acorn stamp in my stash for the circular element on the sketch but alas, no...then I got to thinking with all of the punch art I've been doing recently...I went to the drawer where I keep my punches and wouldn't you know it, the ornament punch and the large oval make a PERFECT acorn! I was thrilled! I added a bit of brown fluff to the squirrels acorn top, he looks so fat and happy like all the squirrels in our neighborhood!

SU! products used:

Ink - Basic Black

Paper - Crumb Cake, Whisper White and Soft Suede

Punches - Ornament and Large Oval

EF - Square Lattice

Hot Holiday Deals!!!

It's HERE...stay in your jammies, browse the deals and enjoy a cup or two of coffee as you shop, all from the comfort of your own home!

Click HERE to check out all the sale and discounted items...

or 

Click HERE to go directly to my demonstrator website...

Happy Shopping!!!

Online Extravaganza is BACK!!

If you haven't already finished your holiday shopping, now's the time to kick start Santa's helper during Stampin' Up's! Online Extravaganza, which was a HUGE hit last year. Running MONDAY, November 21st - Wednesday, November 30th. Check out my online store starting Monday, November 21st to take advantage of great savings, like FREE digital downloads valued at $40, when you buy My Digital Studio Express... 60% off select Designer Fabrics and 30% off an exclusive ribbon bundle!! 

In addition, there will be TWO items on sale for 24 hours ONLY (Nov 21, 12:01 AM-11:59PM mountain time) it's a secret to me too, so make sure you don't miss out!

Angry Bird Pigs

And so continues the Angry Bird Saga in our home...Here are the promised Pigs, that I made to serve as favor bags for all the little party goers. I stuffed them with some brown 'grass' and they will also house some Angry Bird stickers, home made puzzles and candy. If it were closer to Easter, I'd have some golden eggs too...bummer!

Instead of trying to glue or draw on tiny black circles, I used my Crop A Dile, punched a hole in the white of the eyes and then adhered a small strip of black to the back. I like the clean crispness of the circles, vs. drawing them on. After cutting out the helmets with my Big Shot, I inked the edges and bits of the middle with a small white chalk ink pad from my random stash. Popping the nose up with some HUGE dimensional stickers, also from my stash gives the little pigs an awesome snout!

SU! products used:

Paper - retired in-color (not sure of the green but I think it's Kiwi Kiss), Basic Gray, Whisper White, Basic Black, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive

Dies - Bigz Clear Circle, Bigz Fancy Favor

Punches - XL Oval, Small Oval, 1" Circle, 1/2" Circle, Word Window

Other - Crop A Dile, Sticky Strip

I'm entering these bad boys over at Wee Memories for their Birthday challenge which is still going on this week...

Angry Birds Birthday

This week at Wee Memories, they are having a Birthday challenge and this fits the bill for me since I've been working on an Angry Birds Birthday party for my soon to be 4 year old son! 

I searched the web, Pinterest and other blogs for inspiration and found some 

angry birds punch inspiration HERE and HERE.

Wee Memores #76

After whipping up a dozen of these angry little guys, I needed to take a creative break for a day and cleaned house but stay tuned, more angry birds party stuff is in the works, including some super cute PIGS, which I'm making for treat bags!

 sorry for the photo quality, it was windy and the sun was almost gone but I wanted to snap a photo of the whole lot together!

Here are some puzzles I'm putting into the little treat boxes for the kids. They can color them and put them together at home!

SU! supplies used:

Paper - retired Soft Sky, Real Red, Lucky Limeade, Yoyo Yellow, Chocolate Chip, Whisper White, Basic Black

Punches - 2-1/2" Circle, 1/2" Circle, 5-petal Flower, Heart to Heart (I used the tall large one for the beak)