Thursday, October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween

Just wanted to celebrate the day with you by posting some photos of past pumpkin carving adventures:

This was last year's, carved by my supportive hubby:



Here's the 2010 pumpkin I carved when I had too much time on my hands:



And here's one from 2009:  a pirate/skeleton pumpkin!



Stampin' Up is offering Thank You Thursday deals every Thursday in October and this is the last installment:



THE FINAL THANK YOU THURSDAY!

We hope you have enjoyed the last month of our Thank You Thursday's, we sure have loved saying thank you! For this last one, we wanted to put a pretty little bow to wrap up them up and we thought what better way then with our Chevron Ribbon! Below you will find a few of our favorite colors, all 25% off.


Basic Black 3/4" Chevron Ribbon
Item # 130010 

Regular Price: $12.50
Discounted Price: $9.37  
Calypso Coral 3/4" Chevron Ribbon
Item #130018

Regular Price: $12.50
Discounted Price: $9.37 


Crushed Curry 3/4" Chevron Ribbon
Item # 130019

Regular Price: $12.50
Discounted Price: $9.37 


Island Indigo 3/4" Chevron Ribbon
Item # 131151

Regular Price: $12.50
Discounted Price: $9.37 


Smoky Slate 3/4" Chevron Ribbon
Item # 131152

Regular Price: $12.50
Discounted Price: $9.37 

Happy Halloween!

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Staples

We had a challenge to do at our Creative Escapes retreat last weekend and I was not into it at all.  It was a "How do you use it" challenge or something like that.  And the thing that we were supposed to showcase was ... staples. Hunh.  I've seen them used from time to time on other blogs, and I've never really liked them. I don't know why.  Maybe because they seem so random and out of place.  Kind of like the torn edges on washi tape.  But they are an element of grunge so I guessed I'd better get with the program.  I decided to go for the gusto and add some staples to my project.  Here it is:


  • How did I do?  Random? Check. Shiny? Check. Out of place....well, no. Oddly they seemed to fit on this card. Weird.
  • I did get some flak for the birds from the Modern Medley DSP.  They are meant to be silhouettes of flying doves.  Everyone else seemed to think they were crows, in which case the sentiment would be a plea! Then there was my hubby, who soothed my hurt feelings by saying, "No, dear, I don't think they're crows!"                                                                                                                       "Thanks, hon!"  I sighed with relief.                                                                                                     "No, actually, that looks more like a flock of seagulls!  Ha, ha, ha!"  Smack!
  • As always, that burlap ribbon makes the card.  LOVE it!  And that little pop of Cherry Cobbler.  The Cherry Cobbler flag is embossed with the Pretty Print Embossing Folder.
  • The sentiment is from the Calm Christmas stamp set, which does have a dove image in it, but a lot bigger than these pigeons.
  • A little sponging just adds to the rustic look I was going for.  Soft Suede is always my ink of choice for sponging.
  • The more I use framelits, the more I appreciate Apothecary Accents.  They give just the right touch for sentiments and labels.  Although there is just one size of each shape, you can matte them easily by die cutting a second in another colour, preferably darker and cutting it in half vertically.  I cut off the little knobs at the top so you don't see the separation where the cut is and then I glue each half extending beyond each end.  Ta da!
Okay, I've mastered staples!  Now, on to ripped washi tape.  Might have to grit my teeth for that one, though.

Here's a new promotion from Stampin' Up, in case you were getting bored:
Click on the photo above to find out the downloads on sale and the print products as well.

Stamps:  Calm Christmas (w132736; c132739)
Paper:  Modern Medley DSP (126926); Basic Black (121045), Crumb Cake (120953), Cherry Cobbler (119685) and Very Vanilla (101650) cardstock
Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pad in Soft Suede (126978) and Cherry Cobbler (126966)
Accessories:  1 1/4" Burlap Ribbon (132140); Staples (yeah!)
Tools:  Stapler; Apothecary Accents Framelits (127003); Pretty Print Textured Impressions Embossing Folder (132175); Big Shot (113439)
Apothecary Accents Framelits

Big Shot

1 1/4" Burlap Ribbon

Modern Medley Design Series Paper

Pretty Print Embossing Folder

Calm Christmas Embossing Folder


Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Deck the Doors

I want to show you my favourite project from my craft retreat this weekend.  It is not my design.  I found it on Pinterest, designed by Lynn Pratt, but it was so much fun to make and I love how it turned out.  Here's my version:


  • I used Cherry Cobbler cardstock for the door, but some of the panels you can see are sponged with Cherry Cobbler ink, making them darker.  The back panel is sponged around the edges, but the second panel is sponged all over.
  • Cut the cardstock at 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", score it at 2 1/8" and 6 3/8", and fold the sides in on the score lines to make a gate fold card.
  • The curve of the top of the door, I achieved with my second largest Oval framelit and I used that to help me make the curves on the top panels of the door the same as the top of the door.
  • The wreaths are made from Old Olive cardstock on top and Always Artichoke cardstock underneath. I punched two 1" Circles on each colour, then centered a 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch over the circle and punched it out to make the wreath shape.
  • The door handle panels are cut using the Word Window Punch on some Gold Foil sheets then repunching it shorter.  The handles are cut from Champagne Glimmer paper using the Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack circle shape.
  • I added Rhinestone Basic Jewels coloured with a red Sharpie to make berries or ornaments on the wreath and tied some 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Real Red in a small bow, attached with a glue dot to the bottom of the wreath.
  • Inside is some Very Vanilla cardstock stamped in Cherry Cobbler with the Deck the Halls image from the Christmas messages stamp set and the little fir bough from Special Season inked up using Always Artichoke and Early Espresso Stampin' Write markers.

I'll give you the approximate dimensions of the door panels.

Bottom of the door - 4 panels:                        Top of the door:   Panel        Base      Short side    Tall side
     Largest: 1 5/8" x 1 1/8"                                                Largest panel:      1 5/8"   1 3/8"           2 1/4" 
     Middle:  1 1/4" x 3/4"                                                  Middle panel:       1 1/4 "  1 1/8"           1 3/4"            Smallest: 1" x 1/2"                                                       Smallest panel:      1"         7/8"              1 1/4"      
Have fun with this.  You can also make a rectangular shaped door and make the top panels equal to the tall side measurements.

WEEKLY DEALS!

Great news! During this festive week, there are no tricks here, only treats! Make sure you head over to the store to get your deals before they run out.


Secret Garden Framelits Dies
Item #129372 

Regular Price: $30.95
Discounted Price: $23.21 
Stampin' Pierce Mat Item # 126199
Regular Price: $5.50
Discounted Price: $4.12 
7/8" Scallop Circle Punch Item # 129404
Regular Price: $15.95
Discounted Price: $11.96 
Ovals Collection Framelits Dies
Item #129381

Regular Price: $32.95
Discounted Price: $24.71 
Paper Snips Item # 103579
Regular Price: $14.95
Discounted Price: $11.21 
Baker's Twine Island Indigo Item # 125575
Regular Price: $3.95
Discounted Price: $2.96 
Blossom Petals XL Punch Item # 121808
Regular Price: $9.19
Discounted Price: $6.89 
Keep This Memory Photobook Template
Item # 129879

Regular Price: $21.95
Discounted Price: $10.97 


Thanks for dropping by my blog today.  Have a lovely Tuesday!         

Stamps:  Christmas Messages (w131790; c131793); Special Season (w131766; c131769)
Paper:  Champagne Glimmer Paper (127885); Gold Foil Sheets (132622); Cherry Cobbler (119685), Old Olive (100702), Always Artichoke (105119) and Very Vanilla (101650) cardstock     
Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pad in Cherry Cobbler (119681); Stampin' Write Markers in Always Artichoke (131262 - as part of the Regals collection) and Early Espresso (119680); red Sharpie marker
Accessories:  Rhinestone Basic Jewels (119246), 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon in Real Red (119251)
Tools:  Stampin' Trimmer (126889); Ovals Collection Framelits (129381); Word Window Punch (119857); Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack (118309); 1" Circle Punch (119868); 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch (119854)
1" Circle Punch

Champagne Glimmer Paper

Christmas Messages Stamp Set

Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack

Ovals Collection Framelits

Stampin' Trimmer
1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch

Special Season Stamp Set

Word Window Punch

Monday, October 28, 2013

All Good Things Must Come to an End

I got home yesterday afternoon from our Creative Escape Papercrafting Retreat.  Rockridge Canyon proved to be just as beautiful as the pictures and the food....Oooh, la la!  It was a location very nurturing to one's creativity and I got a lot done.  Here's a photo of the gang:

I got quite a few cards made, but can't show you too many now because some are top secret!  I will show them to you when they are declassified!

I will show you a couple though, because they are for some challenges.                                                                                                      

The Paper Players Challenge #169 is a sketch by Anne Marie Hile.  And Dynamic Duos has a colour challenge this week for Challenge #76

I had some glittery fun with this one:



  • I think that the Silver Glimmer paper adds just the right touch with these two shakes of purple.
  • I went back to an old favourite stamp set, Lacy and Lovely for the doily in the 2 1/2" circle.  The silver matte is the next biggest Circles Collection framelit.
  • The sentiment is from Loving Thoughts.  With the concentric circles above it, it's almost like your being hypnotized.  Look at the middle of the circle.  You are getting sleepy!  You will go immediately to my on-line store and purchase the 25 stamp sets that are on sale now for 25% off.  When I snap my fingers, you will awaken.  You will remember nothing!
  • I really like the border of Scallop Border Punched silver glimmer paper with the Delicate Details Lace Tape underneath.
One of the challenges we competed in over the weekend at the retreat was a colour challenge, that I found out later was from a Challenge Blog I'd never heard of before, ColorQ Challenges.  Here's their challenge logo:
Obviously, I've been hiding my head in the sand, because they've been around for a long time.  This is their 212th Challenge!

Here's my card:

  • Since we no longer have Kiwi Kiss, I used Pear Pizzazz instead.  
  • The starburst that is supposed to represent fireworks on Halloween night, is made with a stamp I don't own, but was able to use at the retreat - Betsy's Blossoms.  I will say that when it first came out last year, I grew to dislike it intensely because everyone and his dog was using it and I got pretty tired of seeing it on every blog.  Since then, I've grown to like it, especially this particular image.
  • I was happy to be able to use more of my Witches' Brew DSP on this project, because it's almost Halloween and I have a heck of a lot of it left!
  • The sentiment is from Seasonal Sayings, and LOOK!  I used WASHI tape, which I don't do very often, if at all!
Anyway, I'm happy to be home and back to work, brimming with lots of new ideas for you and a couple of new techniques to show you!  Have a great Monday!

Stamps:  Lacy and Lovely (w132025; c122887); Loving Thoughts (w128436; c125845)
Paper:  Subtles Designer Series Paper Stack (130135); Silver Glimmer Paper (124005); Perfect Plum (101889), Wisteria Wonder (122922) and Whisper White (100730) cardstock
Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pad in Perfect Plum (126963)
Accessories:  Silver Mini Brads (122941); Delicate Details Lace Tape (130966)
Tools:  2 1/2" Circle Punch (120906); Circles Collection Framelits (130911); Scallop Edge Border Punch (119882); Paper Piercing Tool (126189)

Stamps:  Betsy's Blossoms (w131955; c126006); Seasonal Sayings (w131937; c128009)
Paper:  Witches' Brew DSP (132185); Basic Black (121045), Whisper White (100730), Pear Pizzazz (131201), Wisteria Wonder (122922) cardstock
Ink:  Classic Stampin' Pads in Basic Black (126980) and Wisteria Wonder (126985)
Accessories:  Neutrals Designer Buttons (130031); Witches' Brew Designer Washi Tape (132156)
Tools: 2 1/2" Circle Punch (120906); Circles Collection Framelits (130911)

2 1/2" Circle Punch

Circles Collection Framelits

Delicate Details Lace Tape

Lacy and Lovely Stamp Set

Witches' Brew Designer Series Paper

Witches' Brew Designer Washi Tape

Betsey's Blossoms Stamp Set

Seasonal Sayings Stamp Set