Gift Makeover... for the Teachers!

Gift Set Make Over

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

As some of you already know... I am a total Flybaby! I don't know where I would be without the Holiday Cruising Missions, definitely not ready for Christmas by December 1st (this was my goal). My Christmas shopping is winding down with only a few gifts to purchase to complete ALL of my holiday shopping, I am so excited to have everything done early.

In planning for holiday shopping, I always include a little something for the kid's teachers. This year I picked out this little lotion set shown above. I removed the shrink wrap packaging and began looking for ways to spice this up..... to turn a lotion set into a pamper yourself spa set. I love all the varieties of lotions etc that you can get around this time of year.... but I hate the gift packaging.

I began by looking at each of the pieces individually. I tied various pieces of ribbon around each piece and added "a gift for you" tag to the shower gel. I took a piece of Purely Pomegranate Designer Series Paper and cut it to fit the front panel of the tin, added some layers of paper.. faux paper piercing... and a cute little "Merry Christmas" tag. After putting all the accessorised products back in the packaging I realized that it needed a pretty bow around the tin to balance all the fun ribbons up top... I used the Satin Ribbon from Stampin' Up! with some scraps of Chocolate Chip Grosgrain, silver cording and some organdy ribbon from May Arts.

Everything was starting to come together but it was still missing something... I kept the card board insert because I liked the presentation but you could see some of the white cardboard despite all the ribbon. I created some paper filling using my Table Top Cutter and a few scraps of the designer paper... I cut thin strips and curled them around a pencil.

Final Touches... I used some left over Halloween body glitter over the entire package to add a little glitz and dazzle. I am tickled with the way this project turned out, so tickled in fact that I have decided to make one for myself :)

The coordinating card is not as stunning as the gift... but coordinates using the same designer paper as the tin, the same tag and ribbon (body glitter too). I was surprised at how cute the card turned out using only words and no stamped images (see today's challenge). As much as I love the way this one turned out I think I will spice up the other two with a different look for each.... one down... two to go!



Project Details

Stamps: Holidays and Wishes

Cardstock: Rose Red Designer Paper, Chocolate Chip, Very Vanilla

Ink: Purely Pomegranate and Chocolate Chip

Other: Scalloped Circle Punch, 1/4" Circle Punch, Key Tag Punch, Spotted Organdy Ribbon (May Arts), Satin Ribbon (SU), Silver and Chocolate Grosgrain Ribbon (SU), Silver Cording (SU)

Holiday Hedgehogs.... Be Merry!

Be Merry

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

I love creating cards with sketches, but it has been a while since I created anything. This card was designed based on SC#150, for more details about this sketch click here. To see what others have created using this sketch, visit the gallery by clicking here.

Project Details

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Warm Words, Holiday Hedgehogs, Background Basics
Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss, Real Red, Whisper White
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Mellow Moss, Real Red, Whisper White and Bordering Blue
Other: White spotted Organdy Ribbon (May Arts), Silver Cording, White Glitter (unknown), Silver Brads, 1/4" circle punch and Large Oval Punch.

More Project Details

To create the background paper I stamped the holly from Background Basics and then colored in the images with marker. The hedgehogs were stamped and colored on a scrap of paper, cut out and popped up in front of the trees

Holiday Hedgehogs.. Skaters Pond

Holiday Hedgehogs

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

I borrowed this set from a very good friend of mine, I loved this set but decided not to keep it when it retired. (Now having second thoughts) I love the skating hedgehog and wanted to create a pond for him to skate on. My mom loves the Lovely as a Tree stamp set and hates that we don't use it more than we do for stamping... so mom... here ya go :).

I am doing one of a kind Christmas cards this year for all of my family and friends so check back for more holiday fun.

Project Details

Stamps: Lovely as a Tree, Punch Pals, Holiday Hedgehogs, Background Basics

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Mellow Moss, Real Red, Whisper White

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Creamy Caramel, Close to Cocoa, Mellow Moss, Real Red and Bordering Blue

Other: Red Grosgrain Ribbon, White spotted Organdy Ribbon (May Arts), Silver Cording, White Glitter (unknown), Silver Brads, Giga Scalloped Circle and Circle punch (Marvy Uchida), 1/4" circle punch.

Wondrous Gift!

Wondrous Gifts

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

This is one of the first stamp sets to make my wish list after the release of the new Fall and Winter Collection. I thought it would make the most elegant Christmas Cards. It also happens to be one of the featured sets for the Holiday Hooha class. I created an elegant card for the class and then another variation with all the trimmings.

Project Details

Stamps: Many Merry Messages, Wondrous Gift

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Blue Bayou, Soft Sky

Ink: Versmark, Blue Bayou, Whisper White Craft

Other: Silver Brads, 1/4" Circle Punch, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Ivory Narrow Organdy Ribbon, Vanilla Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Cording. liquid applique (snow)

Technique: Heat Embossing with Classic Ink

Technique Tip: To emboss with classic ink, begin by inking stamp with versamark ink, for best results you want a think layer of versmark. Then in the stamp with classic ink. Heat set as you normally would. You can re-ink with just classic ink several times before having to re-apply versamark.

Festive Favorites... All Decked Out!

All Decked Out for the Holidays

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

I had so much fun playing with the Festive Favorites stamp set that I decided to include a few more layers and extras. I added a few extra snowmen, some paper curly ribbons and some extra liquid applique for snow. This card is definitely more my style, keeping it simple is something I have a hard time with... this seems more like me (lots of details and lost of glitter).

Project Details
Stamps: Festive Favorites

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Purely Pomegranate, Blue Bayou and Soft Sky
Ink: Basic Black, Purely Pomegranate, Soft Sky
Other: Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Purely Pomegranate Double Stitched Ribbon, Black and White Polka-dot Ribbon (May Arts), 1/4" Circle Punch, Liquid Applique, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder.

Holiday Hooha... Many Magical Moments

Many Magical Moments

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

The holiday hooha class is just around the corner... I received all the stamps and goodies for this month's class today. Most of the demonstrators I know design their projects before they order their supplies... I have a more backward way of thinking. I pick the colors, supplies and stamp sets and then I design the projects when they get here. I tend to see a stamp set and instantly start seeing cards, color combination etc..

Here is the card designed for the girls who picked the Festive Favorites stamp set. I tried to keep the card fun, and simple since the girls have only a few hours to create 20 of these. I am hoping to design a few samples to show using this set, check back throughout the week to see more fun samples with this set as well as the hooha sets for this month.

Project Details

Stamps: Festive Favorites
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Purely Pomegranate, Blue Bayou and Soft Sky

Ink: Basic Black, Purely Pomegranate, Soft Sky

Other: Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Purely Pomagranate Double Stitched Ribbon, Black and White Polka-dot Ribbon (May Arts), 1/4" Circle Punch, Liquid Applique, Iredescent Ice Embossing Powder.

Punch Pals Craze

Punch Pals Craze

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

I have to admit, despite my recent lack of motivation to stamp, I have actually enjoyed playing with this stamp set. I have a tag class coming in November and is one of the sets featured in the class. I wanted some card samples for each of the sets to show during Tool Time. For those who attend my stamping classes, sorry for the spoiler... but no worries... I am not posting all the samples before the class so there will be plenty of new surprises.

Tis the Season

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

Project Details

Stamps: Punch Pals

Cardstock: Basic Black, Naturals, Soft Sky, Blue Bayou and Soft Sky Designer Series Paper

Ink: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Purely Pomegranate, Certainly Celery, Soft Sky, Blue Bayou, Whisper White Craft, Basic Black

Other: Marvy Uchida Giga Scalloped and Mega Circle (all other punches SU), Scalloped Circle ,Word Window Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1/4" Circle Punch, Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Cording, Black Polka-dot Ribbon (May Arts), Silver Brads, Liquid Applique, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Crafter's Tool Kit, White Gel Pen

More Project Details: The white dots around the largest scalloped circle were created using Liquid Applique and Iridescent Ice embossing powder. For tips on creating the penguin's scarf, click here.

Happy Holidays

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

Project Details
Stamps: Punch Pals
Cardstock: Basic Black, Naturals, Soft Sky, Blue Bayou and Soft Sky Designer Series Paper
Ink: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Purely Pomegranate, Certainly Celery, Soft Sky, Blue Bayou, Whisper White Craft, Basic Black
Other: Word Window Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, 1/4" Circle Punch, Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Cording, Black Polka-dot Ribbon (May Arts), Silver Brads, Liquid Applique, Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Crafter's Tool Kit, White Gel Pen

More Project Details: For tips on creating the snowman click here.

*Let it Snow*

Let It Snow!

Images © 1990-2007 Stampin' Up!

My dear friend Gina Pacheco and I challenged each other to do some stamping, both of us have suffered a lack of stamping time. This was a fun sketch, glad I took the time to play! To see Gina's creation, click here.

Sketch Challenge #146 for details about this sketch challenge, click here.

Project Details
Stamps: Punch Pals
Ink: Basic Black, Soft Sky, Blue Bayou, Purely Pomegranite, Appricot Appeal, Creamy Caramel, Certainly Celery
Cardstock: Blue Bayou, Soft Sky, Basic Black, Whisper White, Soft Sky Designer Series Paper
Other: Black Brads, Black Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Cord, White Narrow Organdy Ribbon, White Polka-Dot Ribbon (May Arts), Liquid Applique, Irredescent Ice Embossing Powder, Crafter's Tool Kit, 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Word Window Punch, Scalloped Circle Punch

Christmas Past..... Couple of Flakes

Last year I created a more simplistic version of this card to send to friends and family.... the card shown is a view master card.... the wheel spins to say "Some of my... best friends.... are flakes". The card that was sent to friends and family did not have the view master portion, but a popped up phrase (same as above) that was matted on real red cardstock similar to the Happy Holidays instead. If you would like more information on creating a view master card, visit the tutorial I did for SplitCoastStampers for complete step by step instructions. If you have questions after reading the tutorial, please feel free to post them here and I will check back with help.

The Stampin Write Markers used to color in the snowmen are: More Mustard, Real Red, Night of Navy, Sahara Sand, and Handsome Hunter. The snowflake background was stamped with Whisper White craft, Navy Grosgrain and Reg Gingham ribbon tie the knots and a sprinkle of dazzling diamonds to finish the card.

Click here to visit the SplitCoastStampers View Master Tutorial. They also have a special gallery set up full of other view master cards to inspire your creativity!

Christmas Present... Oh Christmas Star

I know stampers who create a large stack of various Christmas cards to send out to friends and family each year as they celebrate the holidays... I am one of the stampers who typically pick out only one design to send each year. I thought it would be fun to share Christmas cards from present and past, it is always fun to look back at our creations and see the strides we have made. This is our family card for the 2006 Holiday, I will be posting cards from Christmas past over the weekend so be sure to stop by.

Every year I send a fast, fun Christmas card to friends, family, and of course my stamping customers. When it comes to creating Christmas cards I tend to keep it simple, as I usually send between 50-100 cards a year. This card has been tweaked a little from the original design that was mailed to friends and family.... as Jana has already noticed this card is not an easy card... it is really not in me to keep it simple most of the time... so just to clarify the letters were not cut out on the cards that went to family (sorry for the confusion, it seemed clear as mud yesterday LOL). The images are all heat embossed with Winter White embossing powder, and sprinkled with dazzling diamonds. The letters spelling P-E-A-C-E have been cut out and popped up for some fun added dimension. The top and bottom of the card are pierced. This has to be my favorite Christmas stamp set, running a distant second to last year's Silent Night.

My digital camera did not do a great job with this card, I may try to get a better image over the course of the weekend so check back.

~Happy Holidays