Pretty Packaging- CCMC-HM8

It's week 8 over at the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition and that means that last week :( and that means this is the last Saturday Challenge for me too. I have really enjoyed my time as a Guest Designer for their Holiday Edition. Thanks to Connie and Mary for asking me to be apart of their Design Team. If you have not checked out their blog, do so now!

This week we have been creating using the Tags will Christmas, Calendar Kit, Jolly Jingles, Designer Fabric and the level 2 hostess Peaceful Seasons stamp set and the Saturday Challenge is for the Design Team only this week is Pretty Packaging.

Here is what I made, my own wrapping paper using the Tags till Christmas stamp set! I stamped my images on Kraft Paper (you know the stuff that comes in a roll like wrapping paper but is not pretty until you make it that way!) and then tied it up using some raffia and added a stamped tag to to package.

I used Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive and Early Espresso ink to stamp on the Kraft paper with. I also sponged a little bit using Soft Suede ink. Making the paper really did not take that long, I was surprised how quickly it was done! Here is a picture so you can see the paper better.

Here is a close up of the tag I made for the top of the package. You can also see that I sponged the edges of the package using the Soft Suede ink. I think it gave it a vintage-y look.

Making your own wrapping paper is a very easy way to make you gift unique and impress the person who is receiving it before they even open it! Give it a try this holiday season!

Be sure to check out the other design team members "pretty packages" this week too:

Connie Babbert- Inkspired Treasures
Cristena Bagne- Gettin' Crafty
Jenn Picard- A New Ink on Life
Mary Brown- StamperCamper's Corner

Thanks for looking!

Cute Gift's- CCMC-HM7

It's nearing the end of Week 7 over at the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition and it is time for our Saturday Challenge! Do you want to be entered into a drawing for one of two $75 Stampin' Up! merchandise gift certificates or two FREE passes to the NEXT edition of Create with Connie and Mary? If so, then head over to the Create with Connie and Mary blog and subscribe to the Holiday Edition and play along with us in the Saturday Challenges! It is never too late to join...but you better hurry, because next week is the last week....you will have access to all the past projects and tutorials for a long time after we stop creating no matter when you join us!

Ok on with this week's Saturday Challenge! This week we have been creating using A Cute Christmas, Merry Crittermas, the Builder Wheels, Candy Cane Rub-Ons and the Decor Elements. The challenge for this week is a color challenge using Garden Green, Baja Breeze, Blushing Bride and Real Red. I decided to use the A Cute Christmas stamp set for my card.

Here is what I came up with! I had fun wrapping up all the presents on my card and even un-wrapping one of them! :) I used the Candy Cane Christmas Designer Series Fabric on my card as well as the stamp set, because I couldn't not resist using it, it matching the A Cute Christmas set perfectly!

I made my presents by cutting appropriate colors of card stock for the boxes and then wrapped them up using small strips of the Designer Series Fabric. I attatched "to: from:" tags (made using the "to: from:" stamp in the A Cute Christmas stamp set) to each gift. The last gift has already been ripped open to expose the greeting "have a cute Christmas!"

The Whisper White background on my card was sent through the Big Shot with the Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder and then mounted onto a Blushing Bride card base.

Be sure to check out the other design team members cute creations this week too:

Connie Babbert- Inkspired Treasures
Cristena Bagne- Gettin' Crafty
Jenn Picard- A New Ink on Life
Mary Brown- StamperCamper's Corner

Thanks for looking!

Rudolph the Gift Card Holder- CCMC-HM6

It's nearing the end of Week 6 over at the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition and it is time for our Saturday Challenge! Do you want to be entered into a drawing for one of two $75 Stampin' Up! merchandise gift certificates or two FREE passes to the NEXT edition of Create with Connie and Mary? If so, then head over to the Create with Connie and Mary blog and subscribe to the Holiday Edition and play along with us in the Saturday Challenges! It is never too late to join...you will have access to all the past projects and tutorials no matter when you join us!

This week we have been creating using the Jolly Bingo Bits, Bingo Card, Sweet Snowglobe and the Jolly Old Saint Nick stamp sets in the Holiday Mini Catalog. Our Saturday Challenge this week is a sketch challenge! As soon as I saw this sketch, I knew I was going to make a gift card holder!

My gift card holder measures 2 1/2" x 3 3/4". The colors I used were Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso and Wild Wasbai.

I used the reindeer stamp in the Jolly Bingo Bits stamp set as a template for my reindeer on my gift card holder. Here is how: I stamped him using Early Espresso ink onto Early Espresso card stock and then cut out his head. Then I used the Extra Large Snowflake punch to give him some bigger antlers that would tie into the sketch this week.

The sentiment is from the Fabulous Phrases stamp set and was simply stamped on to Whisper White card stock and then cut out and glued to the Crumb Cake card stock.

I finished off the gift card holder by tying a piece of the 1/2" Cherry Cobbler Seam binding around the whole thing to create a closure.

Be sure to check out the other design team members creations this week using this fun sketch too:

Connie Babbert- Inkspired Treasures
Cristena Bagne- Gettin' Crafty
Jenn Picard- A New Ink on Life
Mary Brown- StamperCamper's Corner

Thanks for looking!

Frosted- CCMC-HM5

This week over at the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition we have been creating using the Angelic Joy, Rejoicing in Christmas, Fireside Christmas and Northern Hearts (hostess) stamp sets and for the Saturday Challenge this week the theme is All the Glitters!

I decided to use the Northern Hearts stamp sets and focus on the snowflakes in the set, because snowflakes are always glittlery! Here is what I came up with, Frosted. I do not use glitter very often, but had fun making my card fit the theme All that Glitters!

I started by stamping all three different snowflakes from the set onto Whisper White card stock using Versa Mark ink and then embossed them using a mixture of half Clear Embossing powder and half Dazzling diamonds. In real life this gives the snowflakes a real glittery look.

The bird and the leaves were punched out using the Two Step Extra Large Bird punch. Then I covered them in Multipurpose TomBow Adhesive and sprinkled the Silver Glass Glitter over them. (The TomBow Adhesive works GREAT to make the Glass Glitter stick to anything!)

The sentiment, from the Curly Cute stamp set, was stamped onto Whisper White card stock and then mounted onto Vellum card stock and given a little dimension using the bone folder.

I added a little White Satin Ribbon to finish the card off!

Do you want to play along this week with us? Head over to the Create with Connie and Mary blog and subscribe to the Holiday Edition and play along with us and when you do you will be entered into a drawing for one of two $75 Stampin' Up! merchandise gift certificates or two FREE passes to the NEXT edition of Create with Connie and Mary. It is never too late to join...you will have access to all the past projects and tutorials no matter when you join us!

Be sure to check out the other Design Team Members Glittery creations this week too:

Connie Babbert- Inkspired Treasures
Cristena Bagne- Gettin' Crafty
Jenn Picard- A New Ink on Life
Mary Brown- StamperCamper's Corner

Thanks for looking!

A Classy Christmas- CCMC-HM4

It's Week 4 over at the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition and it is time for our Saturday Challenge! Do you want to be entered into a drawing for one of two $75 Stampin' Up! merchandise gift certificates or two FREE passes to the NEXT edition of Create with Connie and Mary? If so, then head over to the Create with Connie and Mary blog and subscribe to the Holiday Edition and play along with us in the Saturday Challenges! It is never too late to join...you will have access to all the past projects and tutorials no matter when you join us!

This week we have been creating using the "Vintage Christmas" suite in the Holiday Mini Catalog. Our Saturday Challenge this week is a double challenge! Part one is using the colors Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Always Artichoke and Crumb Cake and part two is to make a "one of a kind" (a card that you will probably only make one of!).

I decided to use the Bells and Bough's stamp set and the Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper for my card this week and here is what I came up with, A Classy Christmas! I had fun adding layers and embellishments this card!

I started with a Soft Suede card base and then added a piece of Soft Suede card stock that I sent through my Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing folder and then used a Sponge Dauber and Soft Suede ink on it to help the texture pop. Then I added a small piece of Designer Series Paper from the Deck the Halls pack, that I also sponged on, to make a base for main image on my card.

Next I stamped the Poinsettia stamp all over a small piece Water Color paper and colored it in using Cherry Cobbler and Always Artichoke ink and my Blender Pens. Then, after all of that coloring, I covered it up with a piece of Vellum to give it a softer look and mounted it onto a piece of Cherry Cobble card stock.

Next I wheeled the Music Notes Wheel over a piece of Very Vanilla card stock using Early Espresso ink and then sponged Soft Suede on it and crumpled it up to give it more texture. Then that piece was mounted onto the Poinsettia/Vellum piece.

Next I took the large scalloped circle from the Scallop Circles #2 die in Always Artichoke and crumpled it, sponged it and added paper piercings to the scallops. That was mounted on top of the music paper in the center of the card.

Then for the main image on the card, I stamped the Bells images onto Water Color paper using Black StazOn and then colored it in using my Blender pens and the Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede and Early Espresso ink. Then I punched it out using the 2 1/2" Circle punch and added some Champagne Glass Glitter to the edges using Multi-Purpose Tombow glue. That piece was mounted to the scalloped circle and the sentiment was cut out and mounted to the image.

I finished off the card by adding a few Crumb Cake brads.

I absolutely LOVE the way this came out, but I do not think this will be our Christmas card this year....maybe a simpler version of it though! :)

Be sure to check out the other design team members "One of a Kind" card too:

Connie Babbert- Inkspired Treasures
Cristena Bagne- Gettin' Crafty
Jenn Picard- A New Ink on Life
Mary Brown- StamperCamper's Corner

Thanks for looking!

Foliage Birthday- CCMC-HM2

It's Week 2 over at the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition! Do you want to be entered into a drawing for one of two $75 Stampin' Up! merchandise gift certificates or two FREE passes to the NEXT edition of Create with Connie and Mary? If so, then head over to the Create with Connie and Mary blog and subscribe to the Holiday Edition and play along with us in the Saturday Challenges! It is never too late to join...you will have access to all the past projects and tutorials!

So this week we have a great color challenge to go with the stamp sets we have been focusing on, Day of Gratitude and French Foliage. The colors are Cajun Craze, Old Olive, More Mustard and Early Espresso. Perfect colors for fall!

Here is what I came up with! I used the French Foliage stamp set with a few other accessories to make this masculine-ish birthday card!

I Stamped the leafs onto the card stock colors for this week using the Early Espresso classic ink, then cut them out and crumpled them up to give them texture. Then I mounted them onto the punched out 2 1/2" Circle that was stamped and dirtied up with the Early Espresso classic ink. Then I wrapped the image in Hemp Twine.

I gave a piece of Early Espresso texture by sending it through the Big Shot with the Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder, punched a dirtied piece of card stock using the Eyelet Border punch, stamped the sentiment from Sincere Salutations, added a few brads and mounted it all on the Early Espresso card base.

Be sure to check out the other design team members creations this week:

Connie Babbert- Inkspired Treasures
Cristena Bagne- Gettin' Crafty
Jenn Picard- A New Ink on Life
Mary Brown- StamperCamper's Corner

Thanks for looking!

And I hope you see you over on the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition blog soon!

Sweet and Spooky Halloween- CCMC-HM1

It's time for the first Create with Connie and Marythe Holiday Mini Edition! Woohoo! This challenge is for the subscribers to the Holiday Mini Edition to participate in and earn a change to win one of two $75 gift certificates or one of two free subscriptions to the next Edition of Create with Connie and Mary. If you want to participate, it is NOT to late to subscribe to the Holiday Mini Edition! You will still have access to all the previous posts and tutorials and have access for a long time after the session is over! What are you waiting for...come join us!

This week on Create with Connie and Mary, we've been focusing on the Dark and Dreary stamp set, Midnight Musings Jumbo Wheel and the Spooky Nights Rub-ons from the Holiday Mini.

I used the Dark and Dreary stamp set and the Midnight Musings Jumbo Wheel on my card for week 1's sketch.

Here is what I came up with, a Sweet and Spooky Halloween card! I call it Sweet and Spooky because it has a "spooky" image and a "sweet"little bow! The colors I used were Basic Black, Basic Grey and Very Vanilla. I had a lot of fun with the sketch!

I stamped the candle image from the Dark and Dreary stamp set onto Very Vanilla card stock using Black StazOn and then used my blender pens to get a little color and color it in very lightly. The sentiment comes from the stamp set Teeny Tiny Wishes and was popped up using dimensionals.

I wheeled the Midnight Musings Jumbo Wheel using Basic Black ink onto the Basic Grey card stock and then used the So Saffron Stampin' Write marker to highlight the words a bit. The bow is 5/8" Basic Black Grosgrain ribbon.

I mounted the Basic Black panel on the the Very Vanilla card stock base and it was done!

Thanks for looking!

I hope you decide to join us over at the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition...if you haven't already!

Be sure to check out what the other Design Team members did with the sketch this week too:

Connie Babbert at INKspired Treasures
Cristena Bagne at Gettin' Crafty
Jenn Picard at A New Ink on Life
Mary Brown at StamperCamper

(Sorry my post spacing looks so wopper-jogged today, but I can not fix it!)

Paisley Turkey & BLOG CANDY!

!!BLOG CANDY ALERT!! read on to find out what it is....I was playing with the new Paisley Prints stamp set from the Holiday Mini and got the idea to make the leafs from the stamp set into some feathers for Mr. Turkey!

I stamped the leaf image onto Very Vanilla card stock using Pumpkin Pie, Tangerine Tango, Rich Razzleberry, More Mustard, So Saffron and Cherry Cobble classic ink and then cut them all out.

I made the body using the 1" and 1 3/8" circle punches (Early Espresso), the vest (More Mustard) and feet (Basic Black) from the Owl punch, his "arm's" (Early Espresso) were from the Scalloped Oval punch and I made his beak using Pumpkin Pie card stock. I arranged the leafs into a feather shape and added them to the back of his body using dimentionals to give them a little depth.

I sponged some Early Espresso classic ink on to the Crumb Cake card stock to give him a little something to stand on. The Sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.

Thanks for looking!

Ok, onto the Blog Candy! You may know that I was asked to be on the Design Team for the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition and I am super excited to share some fun 3d projects and the tutorials to go with them, but you have to subscribe to the Create with Connie and Mary Holiday Edition to take advantage of my projects plus the other talented members projects! Here are a few options on how you can do that:

- Sign up before September 25 to get the "Early Bird" special...a saving of $5! ($34.95 US)

- Wait till after September 25 and pay the regular price! ($39.95 US)

- Or leave a comment HERE on my blog TODAY for a chance at winning a FREE subscription! (check the Create with Connie and Mary blog on 9/25 noon EST to see if you are a winner!)

Make sure you are checking out the Create with Connie and Mary blog in the next week or so, that is where you will find out who the next FREE subscription hostess will be! And while you are there you can check out the great preview projects Connie and Mary are posting!

Good Luck and I hope to see you over at the Create with Connie and Mary blog soon!

Dad's Brand New Yellow Four-Wheeler

Here is the birthday card I made for my Dad! My Mom and Dad have just gotten a new four-wheeler and it is yellow, so that is where my inspiration came from for this card!

The Woodgrain background stamp was stamped on to Sahara Sand card stock using Early Espresso ink. Then I cut it in to four equal chunks and sponged all the edges and put them on to the chocolate Chip card base.

I stamped the four-wheeler from the set Loads of Fun on to Water Color Paper in Black StazOn ink, colored it in using markers and my Aqua Painter Pen and then used the making technique to stamp the trees behind it in Always Artichoke classic ink and then blended them in a bit using my Aqua Painter Pen. I added a little Crystal Effects to the four-wheeler so it would shine.....remember....it is brand new! :)

Then I used the new 2 1/2" Circle punch from the Holiday Mini Catalog to punch put the four-wheeler and then popped it off the card using dimensionals. The sentiment is from the Fundamental Phrases stamp set.

Thanks for looking!