Classic Season of Joy

Here is the second card we made in a recent class using the stamp set Season of Joy. It has a nicer finish in real life as the glitter on the tree and rhinestone at the tree top didn't seem to photograph well - or perhaps it's just my photography skills! 

Stamps: Season of Joy

Card stock: Always Artichoke, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla

Ink: Always Artichoke, Riding Hood red

Accessories: 1/4" Old Olive Grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Trim Border punch, Oval XL punch, Oval 1 3/4" large punch, Stampin' Sponges, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, 2-way glue pen, basic rhinestone,  SNAIL.

So you can see Christmas card production is starting to increase of late, I do have some more plus the Breast Cancer Fundraiser updates to share with you, so hopefully I'll get those posted in the next few days. What do you think - do you prefer the classic Christmas colours and stamps or different colour combinations and maximising the use of non Christmas stamps for all occasions?

Distressed Season of Joy

Well since it is only just over 9 weeks until Christmas I thought it was time to start posting some more of the cards I have been making. I thought I would use one of the sets that is being featured in the current "Dress Up Christmas" promotion and chose the Season of Joy set to make a couple of cards in a recent Christmas card class (if you are interested in attending or hosting a class contact me).

The first is a distressed card, I aged this using sponges, the paper cutter and some faux stitching using the paper piercer and a white gel pen.

Stamps: Season of Joy
Card stock: Crumb Cake, Whisper White & Old Olive
Ink: Old Olive, Real Red & Crumb Cake
Accessories: Stamping Sponges, Paper cutter, paper snips, Basic Pearls, Hemp Twine, Dimensional, paper piercer, white gel pen

I love the new basic pearls - don't you? Fantastic value and they add real class to a card in my opinion. I'll post the second card I made using Season of Joy tomorrow, if you want more Christmas ideas sign up to my monthly newsletter by emailing me, as there will be more ideas in there as well as what is here on my blog.

Dress Up Your Christmas!

December 25 is rapidly approaching and there is no better time to get organised for making Christmas cards, table decorations and gifts and the current special from Stampin’ Up! makes it an even better time to start your Christmas crafting!

From now until November 30th , you can score yourself some FREE, exclusive and not-available-in-the-catalogue rolls of ribbon in one of two ways (or both!)

The first way is to purchase one of the Christmas Gift-Giving Bundles below…

Description	Wood-Mount Item/Price	Clear-Mount Item/Price
Gifted Bundle Gifted Set and Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper	124041; $66.90	124042; $56.90
Welcome Christmas Bundle Welcome Christmas Set and Christmas Cocoa Specialty Designer Series Paper	124045; $69.90	124046; $59.90
Season of Joy Bundle Season of Joy Set and So Swirly Stampin’ Around Wheel	124043; $67.90	—
Delightful Decorations Bundle Delightful Decorations Set and Ornament Punch	124044; $72.90	—

and for each bundle you purchase, a roll of ribbon is yours for the choosing for FREE!

The second way you can score yourself your choice of these gorgeous ribbons is to host a workshop of $550 or more during the promotion period.

If you’re wondering about the Christmas Cocoa Specialty DSP listed in the second bundle and are not sure where to find it here is a closer look at it - what you can't see is that the top two designs has the extra special dimension of being flocked! Those two are single-sided designs and the rest are double sided.

Contact me today to place your Christmas bundle order, make a booking for a party workshop or book a Christmas Class for either card making or 3D items. 

ARRRR Beware Pirates!

Ever since I first got hold of the new catalogue I have been waiting impatiently to use the stamp set Beware Pirates - not everyone's cup of tea I know - but I love it! I had my first opportunity to ink it up recently and made a relatively simple card for a sketch challenge. I love how well it comes up with the black embossing powder and I think for male cards and for the teenagers this will be a very useful set. You can't quite see from the photography but the dotted line and "x" marks the spot behind the skull are actually coloured in real red as well.

Stamps: Beware Pirates
Ink: Real Red, Versamark, Basic Black
Card Stock: Basic Gray, Basic Black, Whisper White & Real Red
Accessories: Black Embossing Powder, Stamping Sponges, SNAIL

Rated 18+ Bra & Panties Card

From babies to well umm boobs!!! Apologies if this card offends it was made in jest as we had a friends 45th birthday to go to recently and I wanted to make him a stand out card that would definitely get a laugh so I found some inspiration on Vanessa Webb's blog.

It was an interesting card to make as it was double sided - I free cut the pattern onto blush blossom card stock (retired - sorry it was made in the hiatus between blush blossom retiring, but my new blushing bride card stock not having arrived) so the back was suitably decorated as well - although his wife did tell me the heart tattoo was on the other cheek!!!!!!!!!!! After seeing how well the Baroque Motifs came out on the card stock, I am thinking Stampin' Up! should release a lingerie line!

Stamps: Baroque Motifs

Ink: Versamark

Card stock: Real Red, blush blossom (retired), basic black

Accessories: Heart to heart punch, Paper snips, Black embossing powder, heat gun, powder pal, SNAIL, Boho blossom punch, Scallop edge punch, 1/16" handheld punch, basic black 1/4" grosgrain ribbon, clear rhinestone brad.

Pink Baby Butterfly Card - Big Shot style!

Well my friends babies are all coming thick and fast at the moment - one gorgeous little boy and three adorable girls in the last fortnight (all to separate parents I should add - not quads!). I made a card using the Big Shot and the new Beautiful Wings embosslit die - it's so nice, it cuts and embosses 5 butterflies all in one go. So thus inspired I made a clean and simple card using them.

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Sentiments

Paper: Very Vanilla & Pretty in Pink

Ink: Elegant Eggplant & Pretty in Pink

Accessories: Big Shot, Textured embossing folder Perfect Polka Dots, Beautiful Wings embosslit, Timeless Type Junior Alphabet, Scallop Oval punch, Window Word punch, Basic Pearls, SNAIL, Dimensionals, Stamping sponges

I don't own the modern label punch (yet) so I cut the scallop oval punch down on either side to create a boarder for the window word punch. Here's a close up of the very cute embossed butterflies:

Doesn't the embossing on the card stock make it look fantastic? I only adhered the centre of the butterflies down as I wanted to leave the wings free to give the impression of flight.