Cardabilities Sketch #18

It's time for another Cardabilities sketch today. Here is sketch #18:

You can see that this sketch is simpler than the one we had for #17. There are so many possibilities with this sketch. Here is what I created:

You're probably thinking that Christmas is over, why would I be posting another Christmas card?? This is actually a thank you card that I am sending out. We all need to send thank you cards to the folks who gave us Christmas gifts, don't we?

I used the Cuddlebug Highlights technique on the background and then simply stamped and cut out the stocking. I wanted the stocking to really pop out, so I used a bright pink color. It stands out from the blue and green background, doesn't it? :-)

There are more cards on the Cardabilities blog to inspire you today. Go check out what the Design Team gals have created using today's sketch and then pull out your supplies and create your own card. Maybe you will be inspired to get your own Thank You cards in the mail today? :-)


Stamps: Stocking Prints (PTI)
Ink: Versamark, Celery, Belle Rose (Palette)
CS: Celery, Aqua Mist, White, Eskimo Kisses dp (Basic Grey)
Other: Holly impression plate (PTI), nailheads (Mark Richards), scallop edge punch (SU)
TJ Technique: Cuddlebug Highlights

A Dear Friend

I've been itching to try out my new deer Sizzix die, so when I saw this sketch challenge on SCS, I just had to try it out. I pulled out the Pyrus papers from Basic Grey and cut out a deer from the greenish paper in the collection. Then I ran it through my machine with a music texture plate and did the Cuttlebug Highlights technique on it (from Technique Junkies). Yeah - AFTER I did all that, I realized that the notes are backwards and upside down. OY! Hee hee hee!

I couldn't resist using this sentiment from I Brake for Stamps with this - it's just too perfect! You can find this sentiment on the Every Day Phrases sheet LOL I needed a little extra something, so I used Holly's Tattered Background, also from I Brake for Stamps. I stamped that on the sentiment strip and on the whitish designer paper on the right side of the card. It's subtle but just the right touch I needed.

When you go shopping at I Brake for Stamps, remember to use this coupon code - SAVE10HOLLY - to save 10% off your order. If you haven't ordered Holly's Tattered Background yet, what are you waiting for? This is the best and most versatile background stamp I have ever used. :-)

Faux Tile Birthday

A few weeks ago, I saw a challenge on SCS to create something using a Faux Tile technique, and I just had to try this out. I pulled out my old CHF backgrounders and sentiments and put this card together.

This card was mailed to a friend who actually shares the same birthday as mine - my "twin!" We've never met, and we are a few years apart in age, but we are still birthday twins. :-) I didn't want to post this until well after she had received her card, and I know it is safe to post it now.

Stamps: Vintage Chintz backgrounder & Thomas Kinkade Birthday - Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Wild Plum Adirondack
CS: White, Artichoke
Other: prima flowers, Martha Stewart punches, Orchid dew drops, sponge, scor buddy

SSS88 Distressed Papers

I needed to play with some non-Christmassy papers today, and the first package that jumped into my hands was October Afternoon's Thrift Shop papers. These looked like they would be fun to pair up with the Sweet Stop's sketch, so all I needed to do was find a stamp to fit with the papers and the sketch. This sentiment from I Brake for Stamps was perfect.

These papers reminded me of my grandmothers, and I wanted to convey a distressed, old-timey feel without sponging a lot of brown inks over these gorgeous papers. I found the Distressed Papers technique from Technique Junkies and that was the exact technique I needed. Once I made that decision, this card came together in less than ten minutes. Don't you just love it when the mojo hits ya? :-)

Don't forget - when you order from I Brake for Stamps, use coupon code SAVE10HOLLY to save 10% off your order. Happy Monday!


Stamps: I Brake for Stamps
Ink: Soft Suede, Antique Linen distress
CS: Soft Suede, Thrift Shop (October Afternoon)
Other: sponge, Bazzill Half the Edge strips, prima flowers, button (PTI), linen thread, Soft Suede ribbon, oval dies (Spellbinders), sandpaper
Technique: Distressed Paper

Pocket Jester Bear

Did you all have a nice Christmas? I hope you enjoyed your time with your family and friends, and that Santa brought you everything you wanted. :-)

I created another pocket card just like the one I did in the post before this one, except this is a non-holiday card. I colored the adorable little Jester Bear from I Brake for Stamps with Copic markers and I paper pieced his hat and collar. I then decided to do the same thing for the little jester-on-a-stick so it looks just like the big bear.

The little bells are colored with a silver glitter pen and they match the silver brads that I used on the pocket. This card is one of the techniques, called the Attached Pocket Notecard, on the new Fancy Folds & Motion CD from Technique Junkies. You can click on the button in the upper right area of my sidebar to order this fabulous cd. There are so many fun new ways to create cards and boxes on this cd!

I'm hoping to find some time to play with more of the fun techniques on the cd. I haven't made a New Year's resolution yet, so I should think about that this week, huh? Should my resolution be to make more time for my stamping habit? :-)

Don't you just love these adorable little bears that I have been posting? When you place an order at I Brake for Stamps, use coupon code - SAVE10HOLLY - to save 10% off your order. I would love to see what you have created with these adorable bears from I Brake for Stamps.

Belli Challenge #107 - Merry Christmas!

Today is the last Belli Challenge of the year. Can you believe this year is almost over? Where did the time go??

The Belli Girls want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, and we are showing off our Christmas cards today. There is no "official" challenge this time around - just share your Christmas/holiday cards with us and spread the Christmas cheer.

This card is one of the techniques, called the Attached Pocket Notecard, on the new Fancy Folds & Motion CD from Technique Junkies. You can click on the button in the upper right area of my sidebar to order this fabulous cd. There are so many fun new ways to create cards and boxes on this cd!

I stamped this gorgeous pine tree image from Paper Bag Studios with green ink and then sponged and distressed the edges. This image just screamed for some rustic plaid papers and I added in some hemp twine for that country feel.

You can see more Christmas cards on the Belli blog, and while you are there, feel free to share a link to your own holiday card/project. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and join us for our first 2011 Belli challenge in January!

New Calendar Kit from Creative Cuts and More

I wanted to pop in and let you know about a great new kit in the Creative Cuts and More store - the Calendar Kit. This is a GREAT idea and perfect for getting ready for the new year!

This kit comes with a blank calendar and all the fun die cuts, cardstock, and diva drops that you would need for making each page. Noelle has done some fun pages here:

Go check out the Calendar Kit at the website HERE. There is a list of all the fabulous die cuts and cardstocks and diva drops that you will get with this kit.

Go order this kit today and you will have plenty of time to work on this after the Christmas festivities are over. Want to save 10% off your order? Use this coupon code - CC&M10Holly - when you place your order and you can save money and have a fun project to work on while your kids are playing with their new toys. :-)

Baby Blue Hugs

This is for my niece who is in the hospital waiting to find out what is causing her pain. Her favorite color is baby blue, so I used that color for my inspiration. The sketch is from the Sweet Stop Sketch blog - #87, and I used faux stitching cuz I don't sew at all. LOL

The flower is punched out and covered with Baby Blue Stickles, then layered and stacked on top of each other (3 flowers total). The main image is stamped with Versamark and then colored with pale blue shimmery chalk. Here's hoping this will put a smile on my niece's face and that the docs can fix her up lickety split before the Christmas festivities begin.

Stamps: All Holidays (SU), Serene Silhouettes (SNSS)
Ink: Brocade Blue, Versamark
CS: Bashful Blue, White, Brocade Blue
Other: Martha Stewart flower punch, Baby Blue Stickles, Hero Arts rhinestones, shimmer chalk, circle punches, white tafetta ribbon, white gel pen, hole poker thingie, Rusty Pickle button

Lady of Winter - IBFS

Have you seen the "Ladies" over in the I Brake for Stamps store? There is a lady for each season, and they are all gorgeous! I bought all four of them and after coloring this Lady of Winter, I can't wait to color the other three.

I used Copic markers to color in the flowers, leaves, pinecones, lady, and the tiny little birdie in her hand. I also used some Creative Inspirations Paint - Sunshine (yellow) in the centers of the flowers and Garnet (bright red) for the berries. Look over in the lower left hand corner at that poinsettia. I used the Paper Tole technique (from Technique Junkies) on that flower for a little dimension.

When you place an order at I Brake for Stamps, use coupon code - SAVE10HOLLY - to save 10% off your order. I'd love to see your creations with these "Ladies" from I Brake for Stamps.

Joy Christmas Flower

I gave this card to my Mom for Christmas this year. She loves flowers and ribbons and fancy, feminine, detailed cards like this, so I knew this would be perfect for her. :-)

The sentiment, JOY, comes from the Every Day Phrases sheet at I Brake for Stamps. I love this versatile sheet of sentiments - it makes my cardmaking so easy. The rest of this card uses patterned paper from Memory Box and May Arts ribbon and a glittery Prima flower.

When you place an order at I Brake for Stamps, use this coupon code - SAVE10HOLLY - to save 10% off your order. Merry Christmas!

Cardabilities Sketch #17

Today is the reveal day for Cardabilities' Sketch #17. This sketch is more detailed and fancier than the previous sketches, and I had a great time adding these fun elements to my card. First up, here is Sketch #17:

Cool sketch, right?? Love that banner across the top left corner! Here is what I created for this sketch - I stretched it out to fit a normal A2 sized card (5.5" by 4.25") instead of a square:

I needed that extra room on the right side so I could tie my ribbon into a bow without it covering up the cardinal. The stamps are from Flourishes (Christmas Classics), and I colored the cardinal with Copic markers. I used the Wisped Frames technique on the circle around the cardinal.

The banner is actually some Jenni Bowlin stickers that I bought about 5 months ago and never used. It was great to pull those out and use em here.

There are more cards on the Cardabilities blog to inspire you today. Go check out what the Design Team gals have created using today's sketch and then pull out your supplies and create your own card.

Stamps: Christmas Classics (Flourishes)
Ink: Rich Cocoa Memento, Chocolate Chip, Antique Linen distress
CS: Choc Chip, Real Red, Vanilla, Olive, Garden Green, Merry Moments dp (SU)
Other: Copics, circle dies, Label 3 Nestabilities, Red Banner Stickers (Jenni Bowlin Studio), sponge, dotted scallop edge punch, Martha Stewart branch punch, May Arts ribbon
TJ Technique: Wisped Frames

Paper Pieced Stockings

Are you freaking out yet?? We have 15 days til Christmas!!! I really don't know where the time went - wasn't it summer just a few weeks ago??

I wanted to play with these cute stockings from Flourishes, so I pulled out some Basic Grey Jovial papers and mixed and matched until I got a combination that I liked. I paper pieced the stockings and colored the stocking stuffers with Copic markers. The bright turquoise ribbon really brings out that color in the background paper - love that!

Have you mailed out your Christmas cards yet? Don't feel bad - I haven't either!! LOL I'm hoping to work on that this weekend and get them in the mail on Monday.

Enjoy your weekend!!

Valentine Heart Bear - IBFS

Have you seen these adorable new bears over at I Brake for Stamps? I'm in love with every single one of these.

This card is actually the fifth one I was working on, and I just wanted to see how this sweet bear looked in white instead of the browns I had been using on the other bear cards. I shaded here and there with a pale gray Copic marker and gave her a little blush in her cheeks. The cape and hearts as well as the larger heart brads are all colored with Creative Inspirations paint. After I cut out the bear, I added some tiny pearls to the top of her crown.

The layout is from the What If sketch challenge #D110, and I used the Mono Dies technique from Technique Junkies on the background.

When you go shopping at I Brake for Stamps, be sure to use this code - SAVE10HOLLY - to save 10% off your order. I'll have some more bear cards to show you in the coming days, so you will definitely want to go order all of these adorable bears right now. :-)

Belli Challenge #106 - Christmas Embellishments

Today's Belli Challenge is to create a card or project with your Christmas embellishments. Don't we all have ribbons, buttons, chipboard, glitter, and designer papers that we bought for making our Christmas cards? Pull them out and use them up!

I bought this Penny Black pine branch stamp last year and never got around to inking it up. So this year I was determined to get this stamp inky, and I ordered some Christmas Ornaments #02 - Mini from Creative Cuts and More. I ordered these mini ornaments cut from tacky tape, which meant that these ornament die cuts will be sticky on both sides.

I peeled the wax paper off just one side of each ornament and poured some Martha Stewart glitter on them. After I stamped my pine branch, sentiment, and sponged the edges, I peeled the wax paper from the back of each ornament and stuck them down on the cardstock. Quick and easy! :-)

The layers needed a little extra distressing, so I used the Torn Frames technique from Technique Junkies on the white and brown layers. I love the contrast of this rustic, tattered feel with the elegant, glittery ornaments.

Come play along with us at the Belli Challenge blog. Check out what the other Belli Girls have created and leave them some love. By the way, when you enter in your order at Creative Cuts and More, use coupon code CC&M10Holly to save 10% off your order.


Die Cuts from Creative Cuts and More: Christmas Ornaments #02 - Mini cut from tacky tape
Stamps: pine branch from Penny Black, sentiment from Cornish Heritage Farms
Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU), Meadow (Adirondack)
CS: White, Brown
Other: Martha Stewart glitter, sponge

Sneak Peek - New Year's Bear!!!

How adorable is that teddy bear???? Awwwwww....... this is a special sneak peek of what is coming to I Brake For Stamps. You are going to LOVE what Della will have available in the IBFS store very soon. :-)

I used today's Sweet Stop Sketch #85 for this card along with some yummy papers from Bo Bunny. The New Year's Bear is colored with Copic markers and then I used the Wisped Frames technique around him. I didn't have any dark blue rhinestones, so I colored some clear ones with a Copic marker and attached them to some teeny little snowflakes and added those to the corners.

When you go shopping at I Brake for Stamps, use this code - SAVE10HOLLY - to save 10% off your order. This New Year's Bear will be up in the store soon along with some more adorable stamps. Stay tuned for more eye candy! :-)

Stamps: New Year's Bear - I Brake for Stamps
Ink: Tuxedo Black & Summer Sky Memento
CS: Night of Navy, White, Midnight Frost from Bo Bunny
Other: copic markers, sponge, oval dies, Half the Edge cardstock strips (Bazzill), May Arts ribbon, snowflake punch, rhinestones

Cardabilities Sketch #16

It's time for another Cardabilities sketch. This was a totally FUN sketch to work with, and I really enjoyed creating this card. First, here is sketch #16:

Aren't those trees a fun feature on the sketch? You don't have to use trees - just use something tall and skinny. I liked the trees, though, so I created a winter scene for my card.

I went outside my normal colors and played with pink and purple and aqua trees. There is some Stardust stickles on each tree as well as along the snowbanks. To complete the frosty feel, I swiped some white ink along the edges of the Kraft cardstock. Brrrrrrrrr!

Check out what the other DT gals have created over on the Cardabilities blog. You will love all the fabulous eye candy, trust me. Maybe you will see something to inspire you to create your own card using this sketch. Add the link to your creation on the Cardabilities blog so we can all check it out. :-)


Stamps: Trees with Trimmings (PTI), Snowflakes (retired SU)
Ink: Aqua Mist (PTI), Fresh Snow (PTI), Versamark, Lavender Sachet (Palette), Toile Pink (Palette)
CS: Kraft, Aqua Mist, White
Other: sponge, Star Dust stickles

Christmas Berry Milk Carton

I got together this afternoon with a girlfriend, and we both decided to just stamp for fun. I pulled out a new stamp set, and I just happened to notice a white milk carton die cut from Creative Cuts and More on my table. Hmmm........ let's see what happens!

I ended up stamping this silhouette floral sprig all around the milk carton, and then I sponged along the edges with some Antique Linen distress ink just for a little depth. To make this Christmassy, I added some little dots of Creative Inspirations Garnet paint. To my surprise, this paint took less than five minutes to dry and the color is still bright and vivid and shimmery.

I assembled the milk carton die cut with some Killer White Tear-able Tacky Tape, punched some holes at the top, tied a red ribbon through the holes, and added the Merry Christmas tag. This is going to be a fun gift - just fill it with candies or some other small gift for a loved one.

When you place an order with Creative Cuts and More, please remember to use this coupon code - CC&M10Holly - and you will get 10% off your order. This savings will come in handy for your Christmas shopping! :-)


Die Cut: Milk Carton
Stamps: Larger than Life, Friendship Jar Holiday Fillers - Papertrey Ink
Ink: Meadow Adirondack, Pure Poppy - Papertrey Ink, Antique Linen distress
Other: linen thread, red twill ribbon - May Arts, paintbrush, sponge, Garnet Creative Inspirations paint

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is going to be a very quick note today, but I just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! We woke up this morning to find messages on our cell phones from a good friend, and he is in the hospital getting his appendix out. Fun way to celebrate turkey day, huh?

So we rushed to throw some clothes on, drove to his house to pick up some things he needed, and stayed in the hospital til he made it through surgery and moved to a recovery room. Now we are showering and will go back to check on him, then we will stop by my mother's house for a quick bite to eat and head on back to the hospital.

I thought I would share a quick card with y'all - it's my Warhol Orange Note. The shades of orange seemed perfect for today, and the silhouette floral stamp and the sentiment are from I Brake for Stamps. When you shop at I Brake for Stamps, be sure to use this coupon code - SAVE10HOLLY - to save 10% off your order. There is a fantastic sale going on over there right now for Black Friday, so go check it out.

One more sales note - Creative Cuts and More has two special coupons to use for your orders this holiday weekend: One is for 20% off anything in the store and the code is cybermonday. The second coupon is for free shipping in the US with a minimum order of $25.00. That code is blackfriday. Both coupons are good through Monday. Only 1 coupon can be used per order. This is good timing for all the die cuts you need for your Christmas gift giving. :-)

Here's hoping your day is full of love, fun, laughter, and good times. Happy Thanksgiving!

Bo Bunny & Cardabilities

Today is a special post. Our very own Karan from Cardabilities was invited to create a special sketch for the Bo Bunny blog challenge! How cool is that? Karan came up with a great sketch with lots of ways to use Bo Bunny papers.

I found a sheet of Bo Bunny's Love Bandit Stripe paper, and the colors looked like they could work for Christmas as well as Valentine's cards. With that in mind, I added an ornament to my card to make it Christmassy. See the little fringe above the sentiment? That was a fun little experiment using Martha Stewart fringing scissors. :-)

Check out the Cardabilities blog to see what our other designers have created with this fun sketch, and then head on over to the Bo Bunny blog to see what they have planned today.

Stamps: Vintage Ornaments (PTI)
Ink: Basic Grey, Chartreuse, Belle Rose
CS: Basic Grey, White, Love Bandit Stripe from Bo Bunny
Other: Basic Grey ribbon, ornament die (PTI), Embossed Curve Edge Punch (EK Success), Martha Stewart Fringe Scissors

Walnut Ink Resist Joyeux Noel Collage

I used the Walnut Ink Resist technique from Technique Junkies but morphed it by using Glimmer Mist instead. The collage image is from I Brake for Stamps' new Christmas Collage sheet. The little red strips in the background are also sprayed with the same Glimmer Mist for a coordinated look. This is another card for my "mail-able" Christmas cards box. :-)

Have you been shopping at I Brake for Stamps yet? You can save 10% on your orders just by using this code - SAVE10HOLLY - in the coupon code box when you check out. Happy Shopping!!

Pyrus Pieced Pumpkins

Just a quick post as it is way past my bedtime. I paper pieced these adorable pumpkins (Pumpkin Harvest) from I Brake for Stamps, with some papers from Basic Grey's Pyrus collection. The papers just scream "fall" to me, and they work beautifully with these pumpkins. The sentiment is from the Every Day Phrases sheet at I Brake for Stamps. I colored in the leaves and stems with some Copic markers, and I added a bit of shading all around the image.

When you go shopping at I Brake for Stamps, be sure to use this code - SAVE10HOLLY - when you check out so you can save 10% on your order.

CC&M Christmas Ensemble Blog Hop

Welcome to the Creative Cuts and More CHRISTMAS BLOG HOP! Yes, we are all showcasing Christmas ideas today to get you ready for the upcoming holiday. If you have arrived here from the Die Cut Diva blog, you are on the right track. If not, please start by going to the Die Cut Diva blog to start the Christmas blog hop.

I wanted to go with the classic red and green Christmas colors, with just a touch of rustic country thrown in, so I ordered all my die cuts in Kraft cardstock. The die cuts that I am using today are: Christmas Ornament #01 - Large, A2 Card, and Square Bag #01 - Large.

I stamped snowflakes on the kraft cardstock of all three die cuts. Then I used some scraps of white cardstock and cut them so they curved slightly, and trimmed the edges so they fit each die cut. The red and green trees were stamped and cut out. I wanted some tiny red ornaments on my green trees, so I ordered some Ruby Red Rhinestones from Creative Cuts and More and adhered them to my trees. I just love these rhinestones - they are the perfect size for these tiny trees!

I also ordered some Clear Rhinestones and used them on the tree in the center of this card. Just a little ooomph to set the card apart.

One lucky hopper will win a fabulous prize from Creative Cuts and More. Leave comments on each blog along this Christmas hop, then go back to the Die Cut Diva blog and let us know that you left comments on each blog, and your name will go into the hat for the drawing. You could win this wonderful Christmas Card Kit which includes several adorable stamps that coordinate perfectly with the papers in the kit!

Are you ready to hop to the next blog? You are in for a real treat when you see what is coming up next! Time to hop on over to Dawn Lusk's blog - don't forget to leave comments on each blog for a chance to win the Christmas Card Kit!

Die Cuts: Christmas Ornament #01 - Large, A2 Card, and Square Bag #01 - Large.
Stamps: Trees with Trimmings, Holiday Spirit Sentiments, Inside & Out Holiday (PaperTreyInk)
Ink: Pure Poppy, Ripe Avocado, Fresh Snow, Summer Sky Memento
CS: white, Kraft for the die cuts
Other: sponge, red twill ribbon, Ruby Red Rhinestones, Clear Rhinestones

Cardabilities Sketch #15

Are you ready for the next Cardabilities sketch? Here we go with Sketch #15:

I loved the simplicity of this sketch, and I tried to stay true to the few elements here. I didn't add a bunch of extra layers or embellishments; it's a nice CAS (clean and simple) Christmas card.

I stamped one of the ornament stamps from Just Rite and colored it with Copic markers before cutting it out. I wanted the ornament to really pop out against the background paper, so I added the pink colors to the ornament. The sentiment is from Cornish Heritage Farms (now retired), and I used the Wisped Frames technique around it. The corners just screamed out for a little extra decoration, so I added some punched corner pieces and pearls to complete this card.

Check out what the other DT gals have created over on the Cardabilities blog. You will love all the fabulous eye candy, trust me. Maybe you will see something to inspire you to create your own card using this sketch. Add the link to your creation on the Cardabilities blog so we can all check it out. :-)

Stamps: Christmas Expressions (Cornish Heritage Farms), Christmas Ornaments 3 (Just Rite)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento, Bashful Blue
CS: White, Olive, Eskimo Kisses dp (Basic Grey)
Other: Copic markers, Offray ribbon, pearls, corner punch (EK Success), oval die (Spellbinders), Labels 4 die (Spellbinders), sponge
Technique: Wisped Frames (Technique Junkies)

Aged Tiles Poinsettia Collage

I have some exciting news! I have been asked to join the I Brake for Stamps Design Team! How cool is that? There are so many stamps at IBFS in so many different styles that there really is something for everyone in that store.

For my very first card, I created this card with the poinsettia collage from the new Christmas Collage sheet. There are four gorgeous images on this sheet, and you'll be seeing more of my work using these collages in the weeks to come. You just saw one last week with the Torn Frames Peace Bird Bag post. :-)

I stamped the poinsettia collage with a red ink, let that dry, and then used the Aged Tiles technique (from Technique Junkies). I distressed the edges of the layers for a more rustic look, and then adhered that to a kraft card base. This is a perfect flat, mail-able card for the busy holiday season. We all need flat cards that only use one PO stamp to be mailed, right? :-) Come on back next week to see another flat and mail-able card with another Christmas Collage image.

I know you will love the gorgeous stamps over at I Brake for Stamps, so browse around and drool away. You can save 10% on your orders just by using this code - SAVE10HOLLY - in the coupon code box when you check out. Happy Shopping!!

Prince Poppycock

Here's the other clown card I promised you. Quite a different look from yesterday's Sepia Clown, huh?

I used the Bingo Blast technique from Technique Junkies on the background, and I colored the harlequin clown with Copic markers. I didn't want to add a lot of extra stuff because I really wanted the clown to take center stage here.

You can order these clowns from I Brake for Stamps by clicking on THIS link. You can also save 10% on your order by entering in code SAVE10HOLLY when you check out. Happy shopping!

Sepia Clown

There is a brand new sheet of rubber at I Brake for Stamps featuring some wonderfully drawn clowns which you can see HERE. This is just one of the clowns on the sheet, and I kept thinking how vintage and old-timey these clowns look. So I used the Sepia technique from Technique Junkies here to give my clown an old-world feel.

The colors were inspired by this week's Color Throwdown challenge #118 - Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler, and Kraft. Ooooohhhhhh yeah, I like these colors together. I just added in a touch of white to complete this card. Oh, and I just had to add the little pom poms - after all, no clown is complete without his pom poms.

You can order this clown as well as four others from I Brake for Stamps by clicking on THIS link. You can also save 10% on your order by entering in code SAVE10HOLLY when you check out. I have another clown card to show you on Friday, so come on back to see what I've done with the harlequin clown. Happy shopping!

Belli Challenge #104 - Candy Cane Sleigh

Are you ready for today's Belli Challenge?  Today we have a very different kind of challenge.  The theme of our challenge today is "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue."  Sounds like a wedding, right?

You are more than welcome to create a wedding themed card/project if you choose.  Our take on this theme is more literal - use new papers, old embellishments, borrowed stamps, or even just make it all blue if you choose.  It does not have to be wedding themed.  For my project, I picked the "NEW" aspect of the Belli Challenge theme.

I ordered a NEW sleigh die cut from Creative Cuts and More, stamped on it with a NEW stamp set, and filled it with NEW mini candy canes from Walmart's Christmas section.  That adorable candy cane stamp is from Flourishes' newest stamp release called Sweets of the Season. 

Check out what the Belli Girls have created with this fun challenge over on the Belli blog.  Come play along with us and add your link to the Mr. Linky widget so we can all see what you have created!  :-)


BTW - if you want to order that awesome sleigh die cut, click HERE.  Use coupon code CC&M10Holly to save 10% off your order at Creative Cuts and More!  Happy Shopping!

Torn Frames Peace Bird Bag

Creative Cuts and More is sponsoring the Caardvarks challenge this week and I wanted to play along. The challenge is to create a holiday card/project using die cuts, so I pulled out this versatile Square Bag #01 - Large that was cut from Kraft cardstock.

I stamped the bag with Holly's Tattered Background (my favorite background!) from I Brake for Stamps and set that aside. A green paper from Basic Grey's Wassail paper collection was stamped with the "peace bird" image from the Christmas Collage sheet, also from I Brake for Stamps. The collage image was too large for the bag, so I cut the sentiment off and trimmed down the bird image just a tiny bit. I distressed the edges, and then adhered them to some Torn Frames layers. Then I adhered the sentiment below the bird.

To finish off this bag, I punched a couple of holly leaves from a darker green paper (Basic Grey Wassail collection) and added some red buttons for the "berries." Once the stamping was complete and the embellishments were adhered, I used some Killer Red Tacky Tape to assemble the bag.

I love keeping a few of these bags on hand for quick little gift bags. Kraft is such a versatile color, so these bags can be used for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and birthdays. Don't forget to use coupon code CC&M10Holly to save 10% on your order from Creative Cuts and More.

When you purchase Holly's Tattered Background and this gorgeous Christmas Collage sheet from I Brake for Stamps, use coupon code SAVE10HOLLY to save 10% on your order. There are tons of stamps at the IBFS store, so grab some hot cocoa and enjoy your visit.

Wanna be a Belli Girl??

CREATIVE BELLI CHALLENGE DESIGN TEAM CALL!

We are looking to add some talented stampers to join our team for the first 2011 term, which runs January 1-June 30, 2011. ANY stamper, scrapbooker or papercrafter is welcome to apply!

Requirements:
~ You must be able to follow instructions on time and work well with others.
~ Check out the participants blogs and comment please.
~ Post your work with the weekly code to other Forums you are participating in and comment in those areas too.
~ You may "miss" 3 challenges out of the 6 month commitment.
~ Participate in each Bi-weekly Challenge and upload your project to the Belli blog no later than the Sunday evening before the Challenge Week.
~ Post a permanent DT banner on your blog
~ Join the DT Yahoo Group (our sole means of communication)
~ You MUST have a blog and be posting regularly.

To Apply:
Please create a card for your favorite challenge in your best work and send it (100kb or less each) to chrissyd723@gmail.com by December 15th. Please use BELLI DT CALL as your subject line. You may use any stamps and supplies you have. Be sure to include your full name, address, email address, and a link to your blog.

PLEASE NOTE: previous DT experience is not necessary.

We will not be able to respond to each submission. If you are chosen, you will hear from us by December 16. We will post the NEW members of the Design Team on December 20th.

If you have any questions please email me at chrissyd723@gmail.com with BELLI DT CALL Question in the subject line. I will do my best to get back to you within a day or two.

Cardabilities Sketch #14

Are you ready for the next Cardabilities sketch? I had an absolute blast creating my card with this sketch - just wait til you see it! First, here is Sketch #14:

I had just purchased the Cosmo Cricket Mitten Weather 6x6 paper pad as well as the coordinating chipboard pieces. They were just begging to be used, and this came together SO quickly. Wanna see??

Isn't that a cute and fun card? The only stamping that I did was the sentiment. I pulled out my beloved retired Cold Play set (Stampin Up), stamped the sentiment, and cut it apart. After rooting around a bit, I found a piece of purple fiber and I just couldn't resist giving this snowman a fuzzy little scarf. LOL

Check out what the other DT gals have created over on the Cardabilities blog. You will love all the fabulous eye candy, trust me. Maybe you will see something to inspire you to create your own card using this sketch. Add the link to your creation on the Cardabilities blog so we can all check it out. :-)


Stamps: Cold Play (retired SU)
Ink: Plum
CS: Vanilla, Plum, Mitten Weather (Cosmo Cricket)
Other: Mitten Weather chipboard (Cosmo Cricket), snowflake punch (Martha Stewart), buttons (PTI), oval dies (Spellbinders), purple fiber

Belli Challenge #103 - Flocking or Flower Soft

Today's Belli Challenge is all about flocking and/or Flower Soft. You've probably got a jar of flocking hiding somewhere that you've forgotten about, or maybe you have a new and unopened jar of Flower Soft that you bought and never got around to using. Pull them out, join our Belli Challenge, and have fun creating with them. :-)

For my card, I stamped a tree from Flourishes that was just bare branches, and then I applied glue and Autumn Flower Soft to all the branches. I added a little extra Flower Soft along the "ground" by the tree to show all the leaves that have fallen off in the crisp fall air. I picked some papers to match the Flower Soft colors, and I used the Torn Frames technique (from Technique Junkies) on the two ovals.

Check out what the other Belli Girls have created today over on the Belli Challenge blog and leave them some love. They have been working hard to inspire you with their creations. Play along with us and leave a link with the Mr. Linky widget - we love to see your creations!

Creative Cuts and More Autumn Blog Hop

Hi blog hoppers! Weren't Melisa's projects beautiful? If you didn't arrive here from Melisa's blog, you don't want to miss what our designers have in store for you! The CC&M Autumn Blog Hop starts at http://die-cut-diva.blogspot.com/. If for some reason one of the links is broken along the hop, just go back to the Die Cut Diva Blog where the complete list will be.

For my projects, I decided to focus on some quick and easy, mass-produced, mail-able cards. When you are making 50 to 100 Christmas cards, you need something fast, and you want to keep your mailing costs down by using only one 44 cent stamp for each card. These two cards are nice and flat and they only take a few minutes to create.

For my first card, I used the Oval Window A2 Frame with Mat & Card Set. The card and the frame are cut from Typhoon Bazzill Canvas cardstock, and the mat is cut from White cardstock. Ordering the mat in white cardstock is important as this is the piece I stamped the Thomas Kinkade image onto. After the ink was dry, I adhered the white mat to the card, and then centered and adhered the frame over the mat.

The owner of Creative Cuts and More, Terry, has decided to add an option to order 5.25"x4" mats so that people like me can have all the cardstock pieces ready to go. All I had to do was stamp this sentiment on the inside and my card is done. (As an added bonus, if you mess up on stamping your main image on the front of the card, you can order extra mats.)

Since the first card is classic and elegant, I decided to go with a fun red and green theme for my second card. I ordered some Christmas Stocking #02 - Small dies cut from white and red felt.

As you can see in the picture below, I cut the cuffs off each stocking.

Then I adhered the white cuff to my card, and positioned the red stocking directly below the white cuff.

How is that for a fun and quick Christmas card? You can mix it up with all sorts of different colors - Terry has 26 different colors of felt in the store. Another fun option would be to order the stockings in Velvet paper! How cool would that be??

I hope I was able to inspire you with my quick and easy and mail-able cards today. Order your supplies today and get a jump start on your Christmas cards before December rolls around. Can you believe we only have two months til Christmas??

Now it is time to hop on over to Debbie's blog. Debbie is such a sweet gal, and she does some awesome work! You will love what she has in store for you today.



Blue Card details:
Oval Window A2 Frame with Mat & Card Set- Typhoon Bazzill Canvas cardstock for card and frame, White cardstock for the mat
Stamps: Stonehearth Hutch & A Merry Little Christmas (Cornish Heritage Farms)
Ink: Denim Adirondack
Other: brayer, stampamajig

Red & Green Card details:
Christmas Stocking #02 - Small dies cut from white and red felt
Stamps: Stocking Prints (PaperTrey Ink)
CS: Kraft, Really Red, Cottage Christmas dp (Imaginisce)
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento