Encre, papier, ciseaux

A Boxful of Cheer

I had been meaning to use my newly acquired Gift Box Punch Board to make a tag box. The inspiration finally came when I got a Lawn Fawn 6 x 6 paper pad that had a page at the end with eight rectangles that were just the right size to cut apart and make eight tags with. After getting that idea, the rest of the whole project came together really fast (and it was late at night on a week day, so I had to work fast to go to bed, but the inspiration kept coming and I couldn't put the project down so I just kept going until it was done). I was also inspired by the Color Throwdown challenge #322, which matched the colours in the paper perfectly!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Supplies
Cardstock: Pool Party
Patterned Papers: Wild Wasabi Designer Series Paper, Lawn Fawn
Accessories: Embossing Folder, Scallop Tag Topper Punch, Ruffled Ribbons (Strawberry Slush,
Coastal Cabana), Eyelets, Gift Box Punch Board, Silver Glimmer Paper,
Star Punch from Itty Bitty Accents Punch Pack, Circle Punch, Lace Trim, Holly Epoxy Stickers,
White ribbon, Green Buttons, White needlepoint floss, Silver Foil Paper

 

Retro Fabulous

This card came together really quickly. I thought the ColourQ combo #271 had a certain retro flair, which prompted me to get my retired She's All That stamp set out. I picked out the pregnant lady image because I need an English baby card in my collection and I used the Dot Dot Dot stamp (sadly, also retired) to add polka dot in the background, to keep with the retro theme. Pairing the colour challenge with the sketch from Create with Connie and Mary #333 helped design the card really quickly.

The idea to mat the image with the Top Note die was a happy coincidence, as I found a Top Note die-cut in my Cherry Cobbler file while looking for cardstock in this colour. I think it looks even better than a rectangle mat would have. You'll notice the image in the sketch is not a perfect rectangle, and that shape worked perfectly with the retro theme, so I played on this when cutting around my image. To add the black mat, I pulled out a long-retired tool that I've always loved: the Perfect Layers rulers. I allowed me to get a perfect 1/16-inch mat around the main image even though it's not a traditional shape (it would have been harder to create a perfect mat using the paper cutter). The rounded Bermuda Bay strip is also a coincidence - I wanted to use textured cardstock in my file and found a piece that had been cut in a wave pattern. I liked the look so instead of cutting it straight, I kept the paper scrap as is to use on my project. A lot of happy coincidences made this card come together really quickly today and I'm really happy with the end result.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Color Combo: Cherry Cobbler + Bermuda Bay + Hello Honey + Crumb Cake +
Basic Black + Whisper White

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: She's All That, Dot Dot Dot, Fine Flourish
Cardstock: Hello Honey, Cherry Cobbler, Bermuda Bay, Basic Black, Crumb Cake
Ink: Bermuda Bay, Hello Honey, VersaMark
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Brights and Regals Designer Buttons,
Top Note Die, Black Stampin' Emboss Powder, Stampin' Dimensionals,
Perfect Layers Tool and Craft Knife, White Medium Envelope

 

Simply Sympathies

I was leafing through old Stampin' Up! catalogues and stumbled unto a simply and elegant card that really caught my eye. I thought it would make a great addition to my sympathy card collection, so I put this card together in all of ten minutes. It uses some retired elements mixed with current ones. The card base was stamped with a beautiful background stamp that is now sadly retired, that was called Brocade.

 

 

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Pensées empathiques, Brocade
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, River Rock
Ink: River Rock, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Vintage Faceted Button, Jumbo Pearl Basic Jewels, Vanilla Medium Envelope,
Project Life Corner Rounder Punch, Chocolate Chip Satin Ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals

 

And Some Tags to Finish Things Off

I was saying in my last post I had only a few scraps left from my Christmas Cheer Simply Scrappin' kit and that maybe I could turn those into tags. Well, I did! I think they turned out pretty cute considering I didn't have much left to work with.

On a side note, have you looked at the Clearance Rack section? SU! has updated it with lots of fabulous new items added at equally fabulous rebates. Make sure to check it out and e-mail me if you want to place an order!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: christmas Bliss, Chalet enchanté (Christmas Lodge)
Cardstock: Marina Mist, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler
Simply Scrappin' Kit: Christmas Cheer
Ink: Always artichoke, Marina Mist, Cherry cobbler
Accessories: Stampin' Write Markers, Scallop Circle Punches, Stampin' Dimensionals,
Scallop Tag Topper Punch, Quilted Cherry Cobbler Ribbon, Scallop Polka Dot Cherry Cobbler Ribbon,
Vanilla Satin Ribbon, 7/8" Natural Ribbon, Gold Metal Button, Baked Brown Sugar Thick Baker's Twine.
Festive Details Sizzlits Die, Dazzling Details, Neutrals Buttons, Ticket Corner Punch,
Project Life Corner Rounder Punch, Wide Oval Punch

 

Sitting Pretty

Yup - got one more done with the Christmas Cheer SS kit. The inspiration behind this one was the discarded frame from my previous project. The frame was too big for the first card, but as it sat there unused on my desk, it inspired me a different design. This time, I used the Berry Christmas stamp set (another set I hadn't purchased for myself, received as a freebie from SU! and that I still pull back out every single year since). The design is pretty straightforward. I used the matching Festive Details Sizzlits die to cut out the bird and snowflake.

I found while working on my series of card that having the matching cardstock, papers and embellishments all laid out help you create a series or projects much, much faster. I've always known that but I'm still amazed at how much I got done this week and I think I used some of my embellishments more efficiently by working this way. The problem is that I usually get bored with working with one colours scheme for too long and need to alternate. This time, what kept me going was that I didn't want to pull the rest of the kit back on the shelf and use it down to the last bit to reach the satisfaction of having used it all. I think I'm there - the last few pieces are too small for a card, but I'm thinking, maybe one last Christmas tag for good measure?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Berry Christmas
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Marina Mist
Simply Scrappin' Kit: Christmas Cheer
Ink: Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, Marina Mist
Accessories: Vanilla Velvet Ribbon, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, On Film Framelits Dies,
Stampin' Dimensionals, Regals Brads, Jumbo Pearl Basic Jewels, Festive Details Sizzlits Die,
Vanilla Medium Envelope

 

Over Hot Cocoa

Oh my goodness, this Christmas Cheer just keeps on going! I swear there wasn't much left of it when I got started with my series of cards... I sure hope my family and friends like this color combo because all of the cards I'll be sending out this year will have those colours on them!!

I didn't want to put the Wonderful Winterland stamp set away just yet and used the little girl and bunny image this time around. I framed the watercolored image using the smallest frame from the On Film Framelits dies (I started with the bigger frame, but it was too big to match the design I wanted, based on the Sweet Sunday Sketch #247). A little snowflake was die-cut using the Northern Frost die and I added a knot made out of Cherry Cobbler quilted satin ribbon. Unfortunately, pretty much all I've used on this card is retired, except the ink, cardstock and On Film Framelits, really.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Wonderful Winterland
Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Marina Mist, Watercolor Paper
Simply Scrappin' Kit: Christmas Cheer
Ink: Jet Black StazOn, Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Marina Mist, Baked Brown Sugar,
Blush Blossom, Soft Sky
Accessories: Northern Frost Die, Cherry Cobbler quilted satin ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals,
On Film Framelits Dies, Blending Pen, Vanilla Medium Envelope

 

Winterland Skating

I'm down to a few last scraps in my Christmas Cheer Simply Scrappin' kit but still had enough to male am additional card. Looking at online challenges, I found a Viva la Verve sketch that I liked (November #4) and I looked in my Christmas stamps collection to select a stamp set that could work with it. One of my favorite sets from last year (or was it two years ago? I'm losing count...) was Wonderful Winterland, which I didn't have time to play a whole lot with before it retired so I pulled it out again. I think it might be the first time this little skating kiddo is seeing ink, and I paired it with the Belles Fêtes stamp set that was part of the hostess promotion this fall.

I needed something to mat the image with and remembered the Delicate Doilies Sizzlits die, which almost looks like a snowflake paired with the winter elements. At top, I added a piece of Vanilla velvet ribbon, which adds a nice wintery texture and tied a Cherry Cobbler baker's twine bow over it. I really like the mix of darker colors with the winter image, I think it works nicely. The little guy was stamped in Jet Black StazOn ink and watercolored using Stampin' Write markers and a blending pen. I simply used the markers to add color in the darker areas and pulled the color in using the blending pen. I usually simple use my ink pads, but that technique works well for smaller images like the one I used here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stampin' Up! Supplies
Stamps: Wonderful Winterland, Belles Fêtes
Cardstock: Marina Mist, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler
Simply Scrappin' Kit: Christmas Cheer
Ink: Marina Mist
Accessories: Delicate Doilies Sizzlits die, Stampin' Write Markers (Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke,
Marina Mist, Blush Blossom, Soft Suede, Soft Sky), Rhinestone Basic Jewels, Dazzling Details,
Blending Pen, Circle Framelits dies, 1-3/4-in. Circle Punch, Stampin' Dimensionals, Regals Sweet Dots,
Vanilla Velvet Ribbon, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine