Twelve Weeks of Christmas Week 7

How was your Black Friday?  Hope you didn't take part in any of these kinds of crazy scenarios!

When we start giving higher value to getting a good deal over a human life, we should all give our heads a shake!  Really???  I mean, these people didn't even skip a beat when they heard someone had been killed!  It sure made me wonder about where we've come.  We get all hot and bothered over someone saying, "Merry Christmas!" or professing to be a Christian, but we think nothing of trampling someone to death, just to get a bargain on some piece of inanimate junk!!?!  I know that's a huge generalization and not everyone is like that, but I see more and more evidence of twisted values these days.  I wish we could all see ourselves from a different perspective from time to time.

Sorry for the rant, but this article really threw me.  Let's get on to a more pleasant subject.  If you remember, I shared the Thankful Tablescape Simply Created Kit with you at Thanksgiving, but a little too late for you to do anything with it.  I told you then that I could see it being used, with a few modifications, for a lovely Christmas table setting as well.

So today, I got the kit out again and this time created a Christmas table scape, using the same kit, but adding some Christmas touches.  Here's how it looked:

Would you like to receive instructions for making all these elements for this festive table setting?   It's as easy as sending me an email, with your email address, and I will send you a copy of the tutorial.  It's all complete and ready to send out in two parts:  one, with the napkin holders and table tents; and the other with the candles.  Let me know if you would like me to add you to my mailing list for more projects like this one.

And if you would like to do some crafty Christmas shopping but want to avoid the zoos of the stores and malls at this time of year, why not sit back in the comfort of your own home and browse my On-Line Store.  There's huge sale going on now, but only until Monday night, so it's a great time to satisfy your stamping cravings and save up to 50% off.

Leave me a comment and tell me what you think of the incident I linked you to at the beginning of my post.

My Favourite Stamp Set from AYSI Challenges 013

Well, hey!  Welcome to Black Friday!  But even more significant than that, it's As You See It Challenges 013!  And this time Amanda has challenged us, the Design Team to come up with two projects using our current favourite stamp set!

Well, my current favourite set is Joyful Christmas, with that gorgeous poinsettia, and so I came up with a card and an 8 x 8 scrapbook page using this set.

• I previously used this stamp set to create a silver and black card, so I wanted to try it with gold and black.  
• I love the Brushed Gold cardstock from Stampin' Up and decided to combine it with one of the Gold Foil sheets to give a matte/shiny contrast.
• I stamped the image in StazOn Jet Black ink, but another alternative would have been to emboss it with black or gold embossing powder, like I did with the sentiment.

• The center of the poinsettia was embossed with Gold Stampin' Emboss powder.  To accomplish this, I used a cotton swab to put a dot of VersaMark ink for each stamen in the middle.  I then covered it with the embossing powder and heat set it.  I added a little black Sharpie maker around each one to increase the contrast. (Our Stampin' Write markers are water based and wouldn't stick to the embossed surface without smudging off.)
• The Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon adds a splash of colour without taking away from the golden overall appearance.

• Joyful Christmas Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Joyful Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Brushed Gold 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Gold Foil Sheets
• Basic Black 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Jet Black StazOn Pad
• Versamark Pad
• Gold Stampin' Emboss Powder
• Cherry Cobbler 1/2 Inch Seam Binding Ribbon
• Mini Glue Dots
• Stampin' Dimensionals
• Paper Snips
• Heat Tool

This is my second project, an 8" x8" scrapbook page.  Now that I've tackled a couple, I may do them more often.  I like the 8" x 8" format.  You can fit more on it than on a standard sized card, but it's not as overwhelming trying to fill up the space as a 12" x12" format.

• It's a photo of my daughter, many years ago, dancing her dream role of Clara in the Nutcracker.  It was such an exciting year for her and for us.  I used the Season of Style DSP as a background on Early Espresso paper.  I picked up the Old Olive and the Cherry Cobbler in the background for my images.
• I stamped the poinsettia on some Whisper White and cropped a square with the largest Square Collection Framelit die; the one with the scalloped edges.  I then cut out some of the petals of the poinsettia, using my Paper Snips with the sharp point to start inside the square rather than cut away any of the  Whisper White.  I also stamped and fussy cut the three leaves on the bottom right and adhered them together and on to an Antique Brad.
• The Joy to the World sentiment is from the stamp set of the same name and it fits this style perfectly.  I cropped it using the Chalk Talk Framelits.

• The bottom seemed the perfect spot for some more of that Burlap Ribbon, layered with some Cherry Cobbler 1/2" Seam Binding Ribbon.

So there you have the two projects and I hope you will enter your favourite creation with your favourite stamp set in our Challenge this week at As You See It Challenges!

• Joyful Christmas Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Joyful Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Joy To The World Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Joy To The World Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Season Of Style Designer Series Paper
• Early Espresso 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Old Olive 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad
• Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad
• 1-1/4" Burlap Ribbon
• Cherry Cobbler 1/2 Inch Seam Binding Ribbon
• Neutrals Candy Dots
• Antique Brads
• Squares Collection Framelits Dies
• Paper Snips
• Chalk Talk Framelits Dies
• Mini Glue Dots

And it's BLACK FRIDAY today!  Have you started your Christmas shopping yet??  Why not let me be your source for all the crafting supplies you want to give and get?  I gift wrap!  December 10 is a good date to aim for to get your orders in so they will be on time for Christmas!  Here's the link to my On-Line Store.

Talk with you again soon!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

One thing I really like about the Holiday Catalogue is all the great kits and bundles that make it easier for new stampers to know what to order and to experience success in their crafting.  At a recent vendor fair, I had a number of Simply Created kits for sale and I decided to demonstrate some things you could do with them.  I picked Merry Little Christmas Simply Created Kit to work on while I was there, and I had some interested people try it out.  It is great for having all the paper cut and ready to go, including envelope liners. Here are three of the designs:

• For this card, I used one of the photopolymer stamps from the Pop & Place Bundles, Christmas Tagables.  It has such cute sentiments!  
• I also used some of the envelope liners for another layer on the card.

• Here I used the stamp set that coordinates with this set, Merry Little Christmas.  I inked it up with Real Red and Gumball Green Stampin' Write Markers, the colours in the paper used in this kit, along with Coastal Cabana and Whisper White.
• I arranged all three stamps on one acrylic block, so that I could, if I wanted create multiples of this card without trying to duplicate the arrangement each time, a definite plus of clear mount stamps.

• Here I used only a Classic Stampin' Pad in Real Red to ink up the same arrangement of stamp images.
• You can see the envelope liner used to do what it was created for, line an envelope!

Here's what you get in the kit:  Elements to make 8 cards: cardstock cards, envelopes, envelope liners, die-cut Designer Series Paper and cardstock accents, buttons, Baker’s Twine.

If you need a few cards for Christmas and you don't have much time, this is the kit for you.  You can bundle the kit with the stamp set, either wood mount or clear mount and save a bit.  You can purchase the kit in my on-line store.  Just click on the links below!  Thanks for dropping by today!

• Merry Little Christmas Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Merry Little Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Christmas Tagables Photopolymer Stamp Set
• Merry Little Christmas Simply Created Card Kit
• Merry Little Christmas Wood-Mount Bundle
• Merry Little Christmas Clear-Mount Bundle
• Real Red Stampin' Write Marker
• Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad
• Gumball Green Classic Stampin' Pad
• 2012-2014 In Color Stampin' Write Markers

November Paper Pumpkin - The Sequel

Usually sequels are never as good as the original, but I'm hoping that won't be the case here.  I have two more designs to show you from my November Paper Pumpkin pack.  It was so much fun to put them together and usually I don't have much time to just play.  With Paper Pumpkin, though, everything is cut and ready to go, so it gives me the time I need to play with them.  This month's kit had so many awesome elements as part of it.  Here are the last two cards I made with it:

• This one reminds me of the American Stars and Stripes a bit!   I went a bit crazy with the star stamp that comes with the kit,  stamping it in Real Red and Smoky Slate.  
• I added some Real Red cardstock flags on the right side.  One piece is slightly shorter than the other.
• I used some of the star banner on the left side, popping each star in the chain up on a piece of a dimensional and then adding Rhinestone Basic Jewels to accent them.

• On this version, I added a Tea Lace Paper Doily and ran the NOEL banner through the Big Shot using the Stylish Stripes Embossing Folder.
• I added the star garland down each side of the  NOEL banner, using Glue Dots.

That's about all there is to it!  Fun, quick and simple! 

The first week of the Holiday Sale is over and the first Mystery Hostess winner is Eunice Stoneman. Congratulations to you, Eunice!  I will contact you to find out what you would like your free products from Stampin' Up to be.

You still have one more week to take advantage of all the deals.  I also want to give you a heads up that Stampin' Up! is planning one more 24 hour sale on the last day, Cyber Monday, December 2.  Check back here Sunday, December 1 for the deets.

Here are the products I used for today's samples that you won't find in the Paper Pumpkin Kit.

• Real Red 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad
• Tea Lace Paper Doilies
• Stylish Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
• Basic Rhinestones Jewel Accents
• Big Shot Die-Cut Machine

November Paper Pumpkin, You're the Star!

A little over a week ago, I heard the doorbell ring.  When I went to answer it, there was a package on the doorstep!  It was my November Paper Pumpkin!  Excited, I took it down into the Craft Cave to open it up!
With deliberate care, I broke the seal and slowly lifted the lid.  There was the familiar Thank You card.

I folded back the tissue paper wrappings and....there it was!  So cute!  I immediately put the original sample together and here's what it looks like:

• Look at that adorable star garland!  Real Red, Smoky Slate, Silver Glimmer Paper and Polka Dots!
• The stamps that come with the kit are the little star you see in the  "O" of Noel and the sentiment with the awesome font!
• The striped paper is printed on only one side, so the inside is perfect to write on.  The preprinted banners all have NOEL on them.
• I'll show you two designs today and the other two cards tomorrow.

• Here's one of my designs with the kit.  I added a piece of Very Vanilla to cover up the letters on NOEL and then a Vanilla Tea Lace doily.  To the center of the doily, I added a piece of Real Red punched by the 2 3/8" Circle Punch.  I added a smaller circle in Very Vanilla stamped in Smoky Slate with the star.                                                         

These were lots of fun to put together and only took about half an hour for all three.  What did you do with Your Paper Pumpkin this week?  Not a subscriber, but thinking you might like to be?  Follow this link!

I'll show you the other two designs tomorrow.

Today is the last day for the first Mystery Hostess contest.  I will be drawing one name tonight!  It's also the end of the first week of the Holiday Sale.  Don't leave it too late to get in on some of these amazing deals.

Shop Today!!

Here are the products I used besides what was in the Paper Pumpkin box:

• Real Red 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Very Vanilla 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Tea Lace Paper Doilies
• Smoky Slate Classic Stampin' Pad
• Mini Glue Dots
• Stylish Stripes Textured Impressions Embossing Folder
• Basic Rhinestones Jewel Accents

Here are this week's Weekly Deals:

WEEKLY DEALS

	Floral Frames Framelits Dies Item # 127012  Regular Price: $32.95  Discounted Price: $24.71     25% off
	Peekaboo Frames Bigz Large Die Item # 124587 Regular Price: $40.95  Discounted Price: $30.71    25% off
	Soft Sky Classic Stampin' Pad Item # 131181 Regular Price: $7.25  Discounted Price: $5.44   25% off
	Regals Stampin' Write Markers Item # 131262 Regular Price: $37.95  Discounted Price: $28.46   25% off
	1" Square Punch Item # 124094 Regular Price: $21.95 Discounted Price: $16.46   25% off
	Cherry Cobbler 3/4" Chevron Ribbon Item # 130012 Regular Price: $12.50  Discounted Price: 9.38    25% off
	Beautifully  Baroque Textured Impressions Embossing Folder Item # 130917 Regular Price: $9.95  Discounted Price: $7.46  25% off
	Compilation of Recipes Designer Template Item # 127755 Regular Price: $16.50 Discounted Price: $9.90   40% off

Dynamic Duos' Trio

Hey, what's up with Dynamic Duos?  They have a new challenge with a TRIO of colours!  I'm not one to quibble about minor details though, so I gave it a try!

Here's the results:

• I'm sure hoping that Santa brings me a new camera for Christmas, because this lack of quality in my photography is driving me bananas!  I have been a good girl, Santa!
• I played around with a lot of different watercolour techniques for this card, but nothing worked to my liking, so I resorted to a double stamping method.  I inked up the stamp using Stampin' Write markers in Blushing Bride and  Pear Pizzazz and stamped on the Whisper White paper.  Then I reinked the blossom using Raspberry Ripple, but not the whole blossom.  I just put it where I wanted some depth, making sure some of the Blushing Bride was visible.  
• The stems were not reinked, but gave a shadow effect with what ink was still left on the stamp.

• I added the White Paper Lace Tea Doily and some Stitched Grosgrain ribbon in Blushing Bride, tied in a tidy little bow.
• Three rhinestones in the upper right corner ad the final touch.

Click on the banner above to see all the super deals!

Week One of the Mystery Hostess Contest and the great Holiday Sale ends on Nov. 26.  I will draw a winner and place the first order on Tuesday!  Make sure you take advantage of the great deals at Stampin' Up as well as the chance to win all the Hostess Benefits from this past week's orders!  Shop online or email me and I will add your orders to the rest!  You get extra entries for every $50 you spend!  Ask any of my past winners and they will tell you how worthwhile it is to take part!

Also, today is the last day to shop for this past week's weekly deals!  Same procedure - call or email me with your orders, or go on-line yourself!  If you have some crafting buddies or family that you need to buy for, this is a great way to get that shopping list complete!  Don't wait too long!

• Love & Sympathy - Clear-Mount Stamp
• Raspberry Ripple 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock
• Blushing Bride 8-1/2" x 11"" Card Stock"
• Pear Pizzazz 8-1/2" x 11"" Card Stock"
• Whisper White 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Raspberry Ripple Classic Stampin' Pad
• Raspberry Ripple Classic Stampin' Pad
• Pear Pizzazz Stampin' Write Marker
• Blushing Bride Stampin' Write Marker
• 2012-2014 In Color Stampin' Write Markers
• Tea Lace Paper Doilies
• Basic Rhinestones Jewel Accents
• Blushing Bride 1/4" Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon

As You See It Challenge American Thanksgiving Card and BLOG CANDY!!

It's time again for a new As You See It Challenge, #12 this week.  I have so many readers from our neighbour to the south that I wanted to honour them with a Thanksgiving card, as American Thanksgiving is coming  up next week.  In Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving in October, so I wondered why there was that difference. A little research found that the first Thanksgiving in North America was actually celebrated in Canada.  The English explorer, Martin Frobisher, celebrated it in Newfoundland in 1578, in gratitude for having survived the long trip over the Atlantic Ocean, as he searched for the Northwest Passage to the Orient.

Canadian Thanksgiving follows a European focus of giving thanks for the harvest, and in the north, harvest comes a lot earlier than it does in the US.  Thanksgiving was declared an official holiday in Canada in 1879 and celebrated in early November.  After the two World Wars, however, that date often interfered with our Remembrance Day, so it was changed to the second Monday in October in 1957.  So now you know!

Here's the AYSI Sketch for this week:

How cute is this??  So creative, Amanda!  And what's even cooler is that this week there is BLOG CANDY to win!         The Stampin' Up! Pop & Place Holiday Gift Tag Bundle!!

                                   

We figured it might be handy for you to have a stash of handstamped tags for the upcoming holiday season.  This bundle includes the Pop & Place Holiday Gift Tags Book (which includes 70+ tags in five paper designs, 2 pages of each design) plus the coordinating Christmas Tagables Photopolymer Stamp Set. These gift tags are perfect for making cute tags for any gift this holiday season.

Create a project, upload it (pinterest, public Facebook pages, Splitcoast stampers, or your blog are all great options) then click the LINKY button on the ASYI Challenge Blog and paste the web address of your project.  Just like that, you are eligible to WIN the Pop & Place Holiday Gift Tag Bundle!  *Only residents of North America are eligible to receive the prize.*

We hope you will enjoy playing along with our challenge!! Can't wait to see what you come up with!! 

This is what I came up with:

• I've been missing my Sweater Weather Design Series Paper, so I got that out and used some of the same colours that are in those designs.  Soft Sky is the card base and Crushed Curry and Chocolate Chip make up the rest of the palette.
• I used the Harvest Blessings Stamp set with some Chocolate Chip ink for the image and sentiment on the main panel.  The sentiment on the card base is from Truly Grateful.

• I didn't have anything to make rickrack borders, so I was idly searching my supplies for something that would work, when I spied my Chevron Border Punch!  Aha!  I punched out a few of those bad boys and lined them up across the bottom of the card.  Then, just for the heck of it, up the left side of the image panel as well.
• I love the little random placement of the Chocolate Chip candy dots!  Just adds to the charm of the design.  

Here are the supplies you need to create this card.  Just click on the links which will take you directly to that product in my online Stampin' Up! Store, where you can shop 24/7.

• Harvest Blessings Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Harvest Of Thanks Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Truly Grateful Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Truly Grateful Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Sweater Weather Designer Series Paper
• Soft Sky 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
• Crushed Curry 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock
• Chocolate Chip 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Very Vanilla 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Chevron Border Punch
• Neutrals Candy Dots
• Chocolate Chip Classic Stampin' Pad

Thanks for dropping by, and Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers.

MOJO Monday Elegance

It's been awhile since I've done a MOJO Monday sketch, so when I needed one more Christmas card design for my Christmas Stampers' Dozen, I turned to this challenge for my layout.  It's a fairly simple sketch, but lends itself nicely to some elegance!

I decided to turn it on its side, since I already had two vertical designs for my class.  Here's how it turned out:

•  Do you see a baby Dasher?  Yes, it is a scaled down version of one of everyone's favourite reindeer!  (Not counting Rudolph!)  It is part of the Best Of Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set  from the series Best of 25 Years!  If you want it, just click on the link that will take you right to my On-line Stampin' Up Store to purchase it.  If you buy any 6 of the Best of 25 Years series, you can get a free stamp set from Stampin' Up! worth up to $17.95 CD.
• I used all my favourite paper with this one:  
• Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Brushed Gold 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Season Of Style Designer Series Paper - the beautiful cherry cobbler plaid design.

• The sentiment is from  Christmas Messages Wood-Mount Stamp Set and it's one that has been getting a lot of use this fall.  It's stamped in Cherry Cobbler ink.  
• I wanted a rich looking ribbon for the bow, and turned to Summer Starfruit 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon
  with all its shiny goldness!  Summer Starfruit is the  ink colour I used to stamp Dasher as well.
• Over all, it is a simple card, which is important for a class where you're making 12 cards, but it doesn't skimp on richness.

Thanks for dropping by today!  Leave me a comment about how your Christmas cards are coming along, or do you send cards at Christmas?

Here are the products I used:

• Best Of Christmas Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Christmas Messages Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Christmas Messages Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Season Of Style Designer Series Paper
• Brushed Gold 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Very Vanilla 8-1/2X11 Card Stock
• Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad
• Summer Starfruit Classic Stampin' Pad
• Summer Starfruit 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon

Just follow the links to my On-line Stampin' Up Store to purchase any of these products 24/7!  So convenient!

Magical Season Candle and the Holiday Sale Starts Today!

Wow!  Everything is getting so exciting!  We have weekly deals and now the Holiday Sale has started!  And I have a really cute candle project to share with you.

But today only, for 24 hours there are some special Door Busters!  Did you know that for today only you can get the Stampin' Trimmer for only $29.37?  That's 30% off!  And it's the best trimmer I've ever used, and I've use a lot!

Also 30% off is Many Marvellous Markers - that's ALL the Stampin' Write Markers - ALL the colours for just $95.17 (normally $135.95)!

Then there is the Simply Scored Diagonal Plate on sale for $11.17, normally $15.95, also 30% off!

These three items are available at sale prices until 11:00 pm PST.  Make sure you contact me before 9:00 pm if you want one of the three!

And there are many, many more marvelous deals that will be available for the next two weeks until Dec. 2. You can check them all out here.  Don't forget that there will be TWO  Mystery Hostess Contests, one for each week.  If you order on-line, use the special Hostess Codes.  See this post for details.

Do you know how easy it is to create a specially decorated candle for someone for a gift?  I just emailed out the directions to those on my mailing list.  Did you just miss that?  You were going to add your email address to my mailing list, but it slipped you mind!  Well, don't worry.  Just send me a quick email and I'll add you to my list and sent out a special copy of this tutorial to you.

Thanks for dropping by today, and for keeping your enthusiasm and excitement contained!

• Snowflake Soiree Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Snowflake Soiree Wood-Mount Stamp Set
• Magical Season Clear-Mount Stamp Set
• Jet Black StazOn Pad
• Heat Tool
• White Tissue Paper
• Wax Paper