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Saturday, October 31, 2009

Sweet Stop Sketch #28 - Cruisin Santa



Isn't this week's The Sweet Stop sketch a fun one? I don't normally do tall cards, but this was a good way to break out of my normal A2 card size. :-)

This card actually measures 6" x 4" but you can make yours any size you need as long as it follows the sketch. You should see what the other Sugar Babies did with this week's sketch over on the Sweet Stop blog. You'll find loads of inspiration!

My mom gave me this fun stamp set from Our Craft Lounge called Holiday Cruiser. I love this image of Santa driving around in a convertible. Such a fun departure from the traditional Santa images. LOL I stamped it with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored this with copic markers.

For the snowflake, I wanted it to show up better, and with it being clear, it just wasn't working. So I painted the back of the snowflake with some white paint, let it dry, then covered the front with Star Dust stickles. I've been using a lot of stickles this holiday season! :-)

Why don't you play along with this sketch today? If you upload this to SCS or PCP, please use keyword SSS28. Don't forget to enter your link into the Mr. Linky widget over on The Sweet Stop blog. Have fun playing!


Stamps: Our Craft Lounge - Holiday Cruiser
Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black
CS: Real Red, Real Red textured, White, Basic Black, Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses dp
Other: copic markers, white ribbon, red button, Star Dust Stickles, ghost snowflake, Making Memories Spotlight paint

Friday, October 30, 2009

Caardvark Holiday Hop reminder




Creative Cuts and More has partnered with Caardvarks for this special Holiday Hop which begins this Sunday. You'll see lots of inspiration for your holiday crafting over three days from November 1-3. Start at the Creative Cuts and More blog and follow the directions to see all kinds of delicious eye candy. Come hop along with us! :-)

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Season's Greetings House



I have been so inspired by the A2 Four Pane Window cards from Creative Cuts and More, I just couldn't resist trying to create a house with this. The four pane window card is die cut from Carob Cream Bazzill Smoothies cardstock, and I also asked for a snowman die cut (using Glass Slipper Bazzill Bling Cardstock). I have had such a great time being a Guest Designer for Creative Cuts and More this month.

You would not believe how easy and how fun it was to put this house together. For the roof, I punched out some small circles from an olive cardstock and glued them down on a triangle of cardstock. I wanted some snow on the roof, so I smooshed a white inkpad across the little circles. I added the sentiment with a little cluster of holly leaves and berries. The little red berries as well as the black buttons on the snowman are some cute little skittles that Creative Cuts and More sent to me with my order.

For the snow down on the ground, I tore some white cardstock, and applied stickles to the upper edge of each snow layer before gluing the layers together. The snowman's hat was colored with a black copic marker, and I dotted in the eyes and mouth with the marker.

Inside the window, I adhered a tree that I stamped and cut out of designer paper. I used a red designer paper that sort of looks like wallpaper behind the tree for a festive and Christmassy feel. The star is just freehandedly cut out with scissors and then covered with yellow stickles. The tree needed some ornaments, so I used some tiny little rhinestones so they look like little glass balls on the tree.

Why don't you go check out Creative Cuts and More to get started on your Christmas cards? They have all kinds of different die cut cards to inspire your creativity. I hope this Holiday House card has inspired you today. :-)


Die Cuts: A2 Four Pane Window card, Snowman (not on the website - email me if you would like to order some and I'll put you in touch with the owner)
Stamps: sentiment from Verve, tree from Winter Trees at Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Ruby Red, Old Olive, white craft
CS: Olive, Yellow, white, Ruby Red, retired SU designer papers
Other: Star Dust Stickles, Yellow Stickles, tiny clear rhinestones, skittles (red and black) from Creative Cuts and More, circle punch, nestabilities, holly leaves, sponge

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Belli Challenge #77 - Sherrod Studios and raffia



Today's Belli Challenge is all about raffia and these great images from Sherrod Studio. I chose this row of pumpkins and the sentiment from Sherrod Studio's Harvest Blessings set for my Belli card.

The pumpkins are colored with copic markers, and then I sponged some green on the bottom, some pale blue on the top, and some brown around the edges. I cut out the sentiment with an oval nestability and sponged some of the same brown ink on the inside over the sentiment. The striped designer paper is from SEI - I won this at a recent shoebox swap and these papers are just yummy! (Thanks, Tex!!!!)

Go check out Sherrod Studio to see all the sweet stamps they offer. I love these pumpkins and all the gorgeous sentiments that go in this Harvest Blessings set.

Wanna play along with our Belli Challenge? Create a card or project with raffia and share it with us HERE in the Mr. Linky widget. I can't wait to see how you incorporate raffia in your projects! :-)


Stamps: Harvest Blessings from Sherrod Studio
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Celery, Bashful Blue, Walnut Stain distress ink
CS: Chocolate Chip, White, Bashful Blue dsp, SEI dp
Other: sponge, raffia, nestabilities, copic markers

Saturday, October 24, 2009

SSS27 - Glittery Stocking



I loved the sketch that Korin drew up for this week's Sweet Stop sketch. The offset angled piece just tickled me; it really grabs your attention. I decided to go with some non-traditional colors for a Christmas card - pink and light green.

I stamped the stocking with a pink color, and stamped it again in a light green color. I cut out the heel and toe of the green stocking and glued them over the pink one. The pink part just need a little something, so I added my favorite Star Dust stickles all over it. I used the same Star Dust stickles on the acrylic snowflake in the corner.

I picked up that striped designer paper from the clearance section of a LSS. I loved the colors in this paper and I probably bought every last sheet of it. LOL Now I need to go make about 40 more cards with this paper. :-)

Go check out what the other Sugar Babies have created with today's sketch on The Sweet Stop blog. I hope you play along with this sketch after you drool over the eye candy. :-)


Stamps: Stocking Prints (PTI)
Ink: Celery, Archival Jet Black, Pink Petunia VersaMagic
CS: Celery, White, Pretty in Pink dsp, K & Co striped dp
Other: ghost snowflake, Star Dust Stickles, May Arts white dotted ribbon

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Snowflake Sleigh



Here's another Christmas project for you today. :-) I used the Sleigh from Creative Cuts and More and stamped snowflakes all over it with a white craft ink. After the white ink dried, I dotted some of the snowflakes with some stickles glitter glue, and set it aside to dry. It was a snap to assemble this sleigh using the Killer Red Tacky Tape available from Creative Cuts and More. The hard part is deciding what to fill the sleigh with. I filled this one with some silver wrapped Hershey's Nuggets - mmmmmmmm. :-)

These would make great snack holders when you host Christmas in your home. Stamp and assemble four or five of these sleighs, fill them with little snacks or candies, and place these around your home. What guest wouldn't love to find a sleigh full of yummy snacks??

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Distressed Santa box




Are you ready for Christmas yet? Here's an idea for a vintage Santa box for packaging up your gifts with. I used the Gable Box - Tall in a dark chocolate color and assembled it with the great Killer Red Tacky Tape.

I got found this Santa stamp that I've had for years hiding in my studio. It was the perfect size for this box, so I inked it up with a dark brown ink, and then colored in just the face with a copic marker. The edges were sponged with more of the same dark brown ink, and then I used a distressing tool to rough up the edges of both the image and the white cardstock layer behind it.

This box needed just a little something more with a touch of color, so I used some holly leaves and some red dew drops in the corner on Santa's hat. This box will be a lovely way to present a gift to someone for Christmas this year. :-)

Die Cut: Tall Gable Box from CC&M
Stamps: St. Nicholas by Stampington & Company
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Old Olive
CS: White, Olive
Other: sponge, copic markers, distressing tool, holly leaf punch, dew drops

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Sweet Stop Sketch #26 - Merry Christmas



This is my take on the Sweet Stop sketch - #26. I had a blast putting this card together. Since this sketch has a twist to use something recycled on here, I found some punched snowflakes that I had glittered earlier, but were all wrong for a previous project. So they had been set aside for a couple of months, and I saw them again and I knew they would be perfect for this sketch. Serendipity, right??

Another part of this card that is sort of recycled is the little white strips with "Merry Merry Christmas" on them. You know how you cut your cardstock and you have those tiny little half-inch strips left over? Well I have a huge stash of those and I never seem to use them. So how perfect are those for this sketch???

Check out what the other Sugar Babies have created for this fun sketch challenge over on the Sweet Stop blog. I hope you play along too - can't wait to see what you create!


Stamps: Christmas Cheer (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Ink: Red Riding Hood
CS: Red Riding Hood, White, Holiday Treasures dp, Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses dp
Other: Red Riding Hood ribbon, snowflake punch, Star Dust Stickles

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Creative Cuts and More Blog Hop - October

Welcome to the Creative Cuts and More blog hop! I am a guest designer for Creative Cuts and More this month, and I am so excited to show you my projects!

If you didn't arrive here from the Creative Cuts and More Blog, you don't want to miss what the whole design team has in store for you! The Creative Cuts and More Blog Hop starts at http://die-cut-diva.blogspot.com. Be sure to go there first so you don't miss out on any of the great projects today.

For my first project, I started off with a clean and simple Christmas ornament. I used the Christmas ornament #01 die cut in a burgundy cardstock and transferred a large rub-on directly to the front of the ornament. To continue with the frosty look of the ornament, I sponged some white craft ink all around the edges, and adhered a large white organdy bow to the top. I used the same white organdy ribbon to tie a loop on the ornament so I can hang it on my tree.



For my second project, I used another Christmas ornament #01 die cut in the same burgundy cardstock color. This time, I covered a chipboard bird and his wing with Picket Fence distress crackle paint and sponged some dark brown ink on it. I stamped the "Peace" with a burgundy ink, sponged the edges, and layered it with burgundy and kraft cardstock ovals. This ornament has a warm country feel to it, and it is my favorite project. I can't wait to make some more of these for my Christmas tree!



For my third project for today's blog hop, I decorated the Box with Handle Set. The box is red, and I asked for the little square panels that come with this box to be gold. I needed just one more layer to help the poinsettia flowers pop, so I added the black cardstock layer.

I covered the buttons (in the center of the poinsettia flowers) with Gold stickles, which gives this a sort of retro feel. I made the tag from some scraps of cardstock and adhered it with some gold stretch cording. This box is very easy to put together, and the Killer Red Tacky Tape is perfect for adhering the edges.



When you follow the directions on the Creative Cuts and More Blog Hop, you will have a chance to win a FALL ALL OCCASIONS CARD KIT. You will also get a 15% discount off any orders that will be available for one week. To find the coupon code, please go to the Creative Cuts and More blog.

I hope you enjoyed the projects I showed you today. Now it's time to go to Pam Smerker's blog for the next stop on the blog hop. Have fun hopping! :-)

Be sure to come back for the Caardvarks Holiday Hop on November 1, 2, and 3 - you will love all the different ideas for Christmas cards, packaging, and decorations. We are also doing an awesome Mega Recipe blog hop on November 9 and 10 - you don't want to miss that!

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Belli Challenge #76 - Leaves for Fall & Thanksgiving

This week's Belli Challenge is all about leaves for Fall and Thanksgiving with Creative Cuts and More die cuts. Creative Cuts and More is generously sponsoring the Belli Challenge this week, and our Belli Girls have all kinds of different projects to show you.

I chose to do a card using the A2 Four Pane Window die cut and a Peek a View box filled with yummy chocolate nuggets.




For this window card, I stamped the fall trees scene and colored it with copic markers, and then cut it down to fit inside the card. To give the sky that warm autumn glow, I sponged on several layers of color. I made sure it was centered so you could see the fall colors on the trees. Then I stamped the sentiment, cut it out with an oval nestability, and sponged the same colors that I used in the sky inside the window. To give the sentiment a little oomph, I added a couple of punched leaves and a button in the center.




This Peek a View box is the easiest one to put together. All I had to do was fold, apply some Killer Red Tacky Tape to the tabs, and then press the edges together. I asked Terry, the owner of Creative Cuts and More, to send me some of the Mini Leaves #03 set in four different colors. I love these leaves! All I did was sponge some color on the edges of each one, and then I simply glued the leaves down on the top and bottom of this Peek a View box. So quick and easy and fun!

Check out what the other Belli Girls have created over on the Belli Challenge blog and leave them some love. Please go check out our sponsor's website, Creative Cuts and More, and see all the different die cuts that they have to offer. You can purchase cardstock (the metallic & shimmery cardstocks are divine!!!), die cut shapes, die cut cards, and die cut bags and boxes for all your crafting needs.

Now it's time for you to create your own Belli project. Just create a card or project with a Fall or Thanksgiving theme AND with at least one leaf on there, and post your link on the Belli Challenge blog's Mr. Linky. Our sponsor is giving away a special prize to a lucky someone who plays along with our Belli Challenge - a Halloween Castle Kit!!! Extra points go to those of you who use die cuts from Creative Cuts and More! :-)


Details for the card:
Die cut: A2 Four Pane Window card using an artichoke cardstock
Stamps: Scenic Sentiment Sheet #1 & Autumn Bank (Right) from Stampscapes
Ink: Mustard, Rust, Pumpkin, Walnut Stain distress ink, Memento Rich Cocoa
CS: White, Rust, Artichoke
Other: sponge, copic markers, linen thread, button, Martha Stewart leaf punch, nestabilities

Details for the box:
Die Cut: Peek A View box using a cocoa cardstock & clear acetate; Mini Leaves #03 set using mustard, rust, olive, and ruby red cardstocks
Stamps: none
Ink: Mustard, Rust, Olive, Ruby Red
CS: Mustard, Rust, Olive, Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa
Other: sponge, twill tape, Killer Red Tacky Tape, kraft shredded paper, chocolate nugget candies

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

MOJO108 Spirit of Christmas



This is my take on the Mojo Monday sketch that was posted yesterday. I'm in the mood for Christmas cards, so I pulled out the Christmassy papers and stamps and put this together.

The snowflakes are die cut with a Spellbinders die, and I covered them with Picket Fence distress stickles (my favorite bottle next to Star Dust). After the stickles dried, I sponged the snowflakes just a bit with some chocolate ink. I love making these vintage-y distress-y snowflakes!

The sentiment is from Cornish Heritage Farms' Christmas Expressions set, and it is stamped on the white designer paper from the Basic Grey Wassail collection. The othe papers are also from the Wassail collection. Yeah, I'm just a little addicted to the Basic Grey papers. Hee hee!


Stamps: Christmas Expressions (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Ink: Dark Chocolate (PTI)
CS: Dark Chocolate (PTI), white, Basic Grey Wassail dp
Other: sponge, Picket Fence distress stickles, large brad, snowflake die cut, chocolate satin ribbon (May Arts)

Saturday, October 10, 2009

SSS25 - Autumn Wishes



Today is Saturday and that means it's time for a new sketch from The Sweet Stop! Korin came up with a fun sketch for today, and I hope you play along with us.

I chose to make mine a fall themed card, and I went with the darker fall colors of Chocolate Chip, Dusty Durango and Crushed Curry. The background designer papers are from Basic Grey's new Indian Summer collection, and I picked my cardstock colors to go with these papers.

The stamped leaf was inked with Crushed Curry, and then I dabbed some Dusty Durango on the edges just to give that "leaves changing color" look. Then I stamped the sentiment over the leaf instead of finding a separate place to stamp it. I like the look of stamping sentiments over an image. :-)

Now head on over to the Sweet Stop to see the sketch and to check out what the other Sugar Babies have created. You're going to love the eye candy!


Stamps: Verve-Harvest Blessings
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry, Walnut Stain distress ink
CS: Chocolate Chip, Dusty Durango, Vanilla, Basic Grey Indian Summer dp
Other: sponge, nestabilities, Crushed Curry ribbon, dew drops - Men's

Monday, October 5, 2009

MOJO #107 Harvest Wreath



This is my entry for the MOJO 107 Challenge. I thought this was a fun sketch, but it was challenging to balance the colors just right. I darkened up the Kraft circle to try to make it stand out from the background. Chocolate Chip was just too dark, and none of the other colors I tried looked right. I was trying to keep this sunny and light instead of a dark and sinister autumn look.

Stamps: Verve Harvest Blessings, SU Sanded
Ink: Artichoke, Dusty Durango, Old Paper distress ink
CS: Dusty Durango, Vanilla, Kraft, Autumn Abundance dp from PTI
Other: copic markers, sponge, dew drops, twill tape, nestabilities

Saturday, October 3, 2009

SSS24 - Autumn Friend



Have you checked out The Sweet Stop sketch challenges? I'm an official Sugar Baby for the Sweet Stop challenges. :-) This is my take on sketch #SSS24 that is posted today.

I love the fall season, and this image and designer paper fit this sketch nicely. I colored the image with Copic markers, and added a nice warm yellow glow around the vase and the bottom of the leaves. The sentiment is from Sweet N Sassy's Autumn Blessings set and I thought it would be a nice card to mail to a sweet friend this week.

Let's go check out what the other Sugar Babies created with this sketch over on The Sweet Stop blog. I hope we've inspired you to play along with the challenge.


Stamps: PTI Autumn Abundance, SU Sanded, SNSS Autumn Blessings (sentiment)
Ink: Memento Rich Cocoa, Dusty Durango
CS: Chocolate Chip, Naturals Ivory, Dusty Durango, PTI Autumn Abundance dp
Other: Men's dew drops, copic markers