31 Dec 2012

Calypso Coral Roses

Today's card features my favourite Designer Series Paper from the new Spring Mini (Tea for Two) which goes live on January 3rd! I love the colours, the designs, and the romantic/comfortable/vintage feeling it gives to cards.


The sentiment is from the Sassy Salutations stamp set, and the roses on the same sheet were cut from the DSP. The cardstock is Calypso Coral, Soft Suede, and Very Vanilla.

And that beautiful background embossing is from the new Honeycomb Embossing Folder. I've also done some paper piercing.

The inside sentiment is from the new Feel Goods stamp set in the Spring Mini - lots of 'feel good' sayings!!


These are only a few of the new products that I'll be using in my upcoming classes. I hope you can join us!

Cutting Directions:
 
The dimensions of the card are an overall 5 1/2 x 4 1/4. The Soft Suede base is cut 8 1/2 x 4 1/4 and scored at 5 1/2 leaving a short flap for the front of the card.

The Calypso Coral for the front of the card was cut at 4 x 2 3/4. The DSP for the inside of the card is cut at 4 x 5 1/4.

The second piece of Soft Suede is cut at 8 1/2 x 3 1/2, scored at 4 1/4. The Very Vanilla for the verse is cut at 4 x 3 1/4. This section of the card is centered on the DSP with the flap folding over the front.


Happy Stamping!
Carol

29 Dec 2012

Upcoming Classes & Events

Wow - Christmas Day has come and gone and now we're quickly coming up to a brand new year! I wonder what 2013 has in store for us?

Well, I can tell you a few things - my classes and events!

JANUARY

Wednesday, January 16, 7 pm - Wednesday WOW! 
A Valentine project that will WOW you!
Fee: $15
Registration Deadline: January 2nd
Register here

 
 (similar to, but not exactly as shown)

Sunday, January 20, 2-4 pm - Sympathy Selection
A set of four Sympathy Cards
Fee: $20
Registration Deadline: January 2nd
Register here

Tuesday, January 22, 6:30-8:30 pm - Hostess Club


FEBRUARY

Sunday, February 3, 2-4 pm - Valentine Suite
A fancy Valentine for someone special, a miniature box of candy, and a vintage tag/book mark to give away or keep for yourself.
Fee: $20
Registration Deadline: January 14th
Register here

Tuesday, February 19, 6:30-8:30 pm - Hostess Club


MORE WILL BE ADDED AS SOON AS DETAILS ARE CONFIRMED

Happy Stamping
Carol

24 Dec 2012

All Those Christmas Cliches

Does Christmas make you sentimental and nostalgic, wishing for the perfect Christmases of long ago, even though they weren't perfect? Well here's another new find for me, although the song, All Those Christmas Cliches, was released in 1994. From now on it will be a regular part of my Christmas music list. Please take the time to listen, and I hope you enjoy!



And to you and yours



Carol

A no peeking Gift Bag Topper

I just learned of this style of Gift Bag Topper last month, but I guess it has been around for years... you know the saying: "Everything old is new again", and so it is!

This information comes from one of the Stampin' Up! Regional Meetings, which is a wonderful place to get new (and old) ideas!

Here it is, and it is so quick and easy:


Cut your cardstock the width of your bag (mine was eight inches), and use the same size to make the back and front. So cut a piece 8" x 8", and score in the middle. Then place it across the top of the bag and mark the distance at the outside of where the handles emerge. Keeping the cardstock folded, use your scissors to cut a slit in the cardstock as shown below:


Decorate the cardstock, fill the bag, and pop the topper over the handles, and glue to the sides of the bag - or leave unglued if you trust the recipient! I love it!

Now, let me know if this is old to you or if you've seen it for the first time? Thanks!

Happy Stamping
Carol

22 Dec 2012

Vintage Style

I have to say Vintage is my favourite style, and while I'll take some tiptoes into other styles I always come back to Vintage. So after I made the first calendar card (here) I decided this would be the card I would use for my Hostess Club ladies, in Vintage style of course!

They look so nice all together...


The background card stock is Riding Hood Red, the DSP is Fan Fair, and I stamped the sentiment with a stamp from the Elements of Style set.

If you look really closely you might notice a new butterfly punch... And of course a little bling!

Sure hope the ladies like them.

Happy Stamping
Carol

19 Dec 2012

The finished Christmas Tree

I can't believe it's only a week until Christmas Day, but most of all I can't believe that I'm pretty much ready! Except for the things you can't do until the last minute anyway.

The temperature is +2C and the ground is green and brown, which has become what Christmas looks like in Nova Scotia in the early 2000's. When I was growing up (a few decades ago, OK several decades ago) we usually had about 2 feet of snow for Christmas. Sleds and toboggans were getting their workouts. A green Christmas was unusual and quickly remedied within a day or so!

This is the way winter used to be:


But I digress. I want to show you the Christmas tree!

All of the decorations are made with Stampin' Up! papers, ribbons, tools, embellishments (with the exception of the angels heads).







I had lots of help with the decorations - Linda, a member of our ASI team made all the gorgeous bird houses, little purses, and most of the Elegant Ornaments.

We chose to use a whole variety of colours - although the Real Red is most prominent. But the same thing could be done in blue tones, or jewel tones... Imagine a display of Stampin' Up! trees - all with a different theme!

Hope you enjoyed the tree, and maybe even got some inspiration for your own!

Happy Stamping!
Carol

17 Dec 2012

Sneak Peek of new supplies!

I've finally had a chance to play with some new supplies from the upcoming Spring Mini, so of course I want to show it off!

Though not a Christmas Card this is sort of like a Happy New Year's card because of the calendar:


I chose fun, happy colours because I want to start the new year off on a bright note! The DSP used here is actually from the Sale-a-bration items.

See those beautiful flowers? They are stamped with a new stamp set and cut out with - yes! - new framelits.


And I especially love the sayings in this new stamp set. I thought this one was appropriate for starting a new year, blank page, and all that! Note also the ovals!!


And this is just the tip of the iceberg!!

Happy Stamping!
Carol

15 Dec 2012

December Tutorial for Sale

Just a quick post to let you know that I have a tutorial available for the Triple Easel Card. There are 10 pages with 21 photos of step by step instructions on how to put the card together. This project requires one sheet of 12"x12" cardstock.


Simply click on the PayPal button below and the tutorial will be sent to you within 24 hours. Thanks!

Triple Circle Easel Tutorial  $5.00

12 Dec 2012

"WOW!" Wednesdays

I want to let you in on a new monthly class I will be offering. It's called "WOW!" Wednesday because it will be held once a month on a Wednesday... (figured that out yourself I bet), and they are cards that make you go WOW!, or OOOOOH!, or THAT's SO CUTE!

In order to get this reaction the cards will be over-the-top gorgeous, or contain a surprise, or be an interesting style creation.

My first class is tonight, and this is the card we are making:


This is a triple easel card and I hope you can see it has lots of bling!!! And you can be sure no one is getting a card quite like this for Christmas this year.

Please let me know what you think - is this something you would like to make?

I'll be holding another class in January featuring a very special Valentine card. Check back for more details!

Happy Stamping
Carol

Pathfinders, Pajamas, and Projects

Remember I told you about visiting with a Pathfinder group to make Christmas projects? Well I want to show you some photos of this Guiding group. They wanted to relax after a busy day so they voted this meeting to be a fun pajama meeting where they could make crafts!


The girls were great to work with, and they did a beautiful job on their projects.


I hope they invite me back again!

Happy Stamping
Carol

10 Dec 2012

December Club Cards

As promised here are the close-ups of our December Hostess Club cards.

The first can be a masculine card with the woodgrain and trees. I used the Early Espresso Core-dinations cardstock and put it through the Big Shot using the Woodgrain Embossing Folder. The trees are done in Lucky Limeade, and the matting is Soft Suede. The Bakers Twine is Lucky Limeade and the card base is Crumb Cake.



The next card is a Sandi MacIver creation - I love her work! The colours are Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede, and Lucky Limeade. Champagne Glimmer paper cut with one of the Apothecary Accents framelits, and gold embossed snowflakes. The Cherry Cobbler has been embossed with the Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder making it look like velvet!

The final card is a fun one, but I don't know the proper name for the technique - can anyone help me? I received it from  a friend last year and used hers to figure out the dimensions. The colours are Baja Breeze and Marina Mist. The snowflakes were embossed with White Embossing Powder. I used two stamp sets: More Merry Messages, and Snow Much Fun.

I stamped the message on the back of the snowman...


And when the snowman is tucked down into the box, the card can fit into a regular A2 size envelope.


Hope you liked them!

Happy Stamping!
Carol

5 Dec 2012

Fun at Hostess Club

We held our monthly Hostess Club last night, and if noise level is any indication, it was very merry! Background Christmas music (what background Christmas music??) was totally superfluous.
What a pleasure to work with this group!


We made our usual three cards (close-ups next post), talked Christmas and ideas for the New Year!


Marsha provided yummy snacks and drinks (very yummy!).


Merry Christmas everyone - can't wait to see you again next year!

2 Dec 2012

Beautiful Christmas Trees!

Today I went with a few friends to an Open House hosted by Forest Glen Greenhouses, a Poinsettia grower in our area. They provide thousands of plants to Superstore & Sobeys to name but two of their buyers.

This was just a small section of their poinsettias!


This is a family-owned business, and one of the owners is mega-talented in decorating. Every year she decorates trees in different styles and themes. I have only a few of them here - I guess I was too busy admiring to remember to take photos!

Doesn't this one look magical!


And this one is so elegant!

This one is very natural...


Berries and Burlap and Birds - my favourite!


A children's tree - for the child in all of us.


Red and Green - TRADITION!

I love this one too - I think it looks like a Wedding Tree...


They had a beautiful display of handmade sleighs and greenery arrangements.


What a lovely way to spend an afternoon! I hope these photos inspire you as much as the tour inspired me!

Happy Stamping
Carol

29 Nov 2012

So Cute!

 
November 29 – January 2

Are you looking for cute ways to package little treats and gifts for co-workers, teachers, neighbour, and friends? At 20% savings, holiday packaging bundles are an affordable and adorable solution.
Simple add a treat or gift and assemble. 
Lighten your holiday load without emptying your wallet!

Order on-line or contact me to place your order.

28 Nov 2012

Christmas Tree Angels

I remember making angels like this a few decades ago (I won't mention how many...), but they were never as pretty as these!

With the beautiful Designer Series Papers overlaid with the lace doily die cut, they are lovely. I searched our town for wooden balls to use as heads, but there were none to be found, so my angels have lovely painted round bells for heads, and their halos are made from Glimmer paper.


The blue angel has Vellum Card Stock as the base for her wings, while the red angel's wings are DSP.


This little treat box was inspired by one from Sandi MacIver's blog. It uses our kraft boxes, Cherry Cobbler Tulle, and Glimmer Paper stars.  The Gumball Green holly leaves are embossed with the Lacy Brocade Embossing Folder.


I still have more ornaments to prepare, so stop back soon!

Happy Stamping
Carol