Gratitude and Thanks

Time to Play at PPA. Todays PPA challenge is a theme: Gratitude and Thanks. 'Tis the season of thankfulness and I thank God every day for all my many blessings.

I started this card with a new set I rec'd at Fall Fest, Wandering Words, from the Holiday Mini. The words that are wondering through the breeze all function to describe gratitude, so this was the perfect set to start my card.

Using SU Markers, Choc Chip, Creamy Caramel, Dusty Durango, Crushed Curry and Rich Razzleberry, I colored directly onto my stamp. A huff of breath to remoisten the ink and then stamped onto Very Vanilla

Ran my image through the Big Shot with the Top Note Die (with my image toward the top of the die). Then ran Crushed Curry through with the Top Note too.

Took my Crushed Curry Top Note and ran it through the Big Shot again with my 'swirly/breezy' Background Texturz Plate.

Distressed my entire top note using Soft Suede ink and my dauber in light circular motions to add some color. Edges were given a darker distressed look.

Added the Crushed Curry Polka Dot Ribbon (where are the dots you ask? Reversible ribbon, such versatility!!) to hide my seam and matted onto a Soft Suede standard card base.

Using my Large Oval Punch with Dusty Durango, I kreated my pumpkin with 5 ovals. The Boho Blossom Punch and some Old Olive scrap kreated my leaves. And with a snippet of scrap and my Paper Snips(scissors), I kreated my stem.

Since my Snips were out, I inked up the leaf from the Autumn Days set in the same ink color as paper and stamped out a few Crushed Curry, Dusty Durango and Rich Razzleberry leaves. Snipped them out and placed them around my card with glue dots. I'm still not sure this was the best idea? Too busy?? Anywho...

I'm thankful that you dropped by to see my kreation :) for it would be no fun without YOU :)

Don't Miss
~You can NOW order Stampin' Up!s My Digital Studio
~Stampin' Up! has launched a new section of the online store called the CLEARANCE RACK. The purpose of the Clearance Rack is to clear out the inventory of surplus items that have been retired. Many of these retired items will be offered at a substantially reduced price (think b-day gifts, upcoming holidays...). To see available items, visit my online store, click on Shop Now to view online catalog. Items are only available while supplies last. Check back regularly for new items being added!
~Hostess Promotion - through Nov 30th, host a $250 workshop and choose any item* from the Holiday Mini for $10 (*excludes My Digital Studio and hostess sets)

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Fashionista

Is she stylin' or what? This is another card I made at Fall Fest and glamored her up a bit more when I came home. Can you see what I added? Click to enlarge to have a better look. Do you see her faux pearls on her shirt, cuffs, shoes, and purse? (you can see how below). TIP: A little 'wow' accent can do wonders to a simple card!















So many demonstrators showed off their amazing talent at Fall Fest and here at the Build a Bear station, where we kreated our own beary cute bears, were some fun displays to look at. Kristin Kortonik designed our card and created this fun board with all these cute outfits. And one of her downline (I believe) made this adorable little corkboard, matching pencil holder and a cute card to gift it with. So cute for a childs room!! Oh, the possibilities :)














Now back to my fashionista... The design of the card was done by Kristin, our Build a Bear table demonstrator, and we were able to dress up our bears however we'd like. Since I have 2 little girls it was easiest to pick out a 'girly' outfit from the Pawsitively Prints Paper (all Build a Bear Big Shot dies and accessories can be found in the Holiday Mini Catalog). I dressed her up and popped her up on dimensionals. But she was missing a few accessories.
I now own the Beary Girl Sizzlits dies :) so I wanted to doll her up a bit more when I got home. I gave her a matching bow and purse. She needed a little bit more, so I added some faux pearls to her shirt collar and sleeves, as well as her cuffs, shoes and closure on her purse.


How you ask? I dipped the end of a thin paint brush (you could use your stylus or even a toothpick) into the new Frost White Shimmer paint and dabbed it onto her beary cute outfit and accessories - now even cuter I might add!
Who else wants her shoes? :)
Any questions, I'm a click away!





Don't miss this:
Stampin' Up! has launched a new section of the online store called the CLEARANCE RACK. The purpose of the Clearance Rack is to clear out the inventory of surplus items that have been retired. Many of these retired items will be offered at a substantially reduced price (think b-day gifts, upcoming holidays...). To see available items, visit my online store, click on Shop Now to view online catalog. Items are only available while supplies last. Check back regularly for new items being added! Happy Shopping!!

Shop ALL product orders online with me.

Fall Fest 09

Saturday I attended Fall Fest, a wonderfully fun day of stamping with approx 100 other SU demonstrators. Make and Takes, card swaps, inspiration galore, fabulous demonstrations, amazing displays AND 2 SUPER talented INKsisters, that I am so happy are in our group, Karen Barber and Michelle Zindorf!! Karen and Michelle came out to NJ from their busy lives in Ohio to spend the day stamping with us and each teaching us one of their stamping techniques/styles. Thanks so much to them both! I am busting a gut to show you what we made with them, but I will save the best for last. So you'll have to continue to pop back in to see. I had a great time with my table mates and new stamping friends Debbie J, Debbie M, Lorraine, Natalie and Stasia and I can't wait ladies until Spring Fling :)



This was our first Make and Take...Isn't this little photo cube, designed by Tina Rosenkrans (our INKredibles 'leader'), adorable! So 'simple' too (although we did have a few laughs in our assembly of this one didn't we girls!)
Decor Elements Blocks, found in the Holiday Mini pg30, some 3x3 DSP(we used Tall Tales here)/decorate your own cardstock squares to adhere to each side, a wire and Library Clip and some extra embellishments and you have the makings to this fun little photo cube!! Cute right? Great little gift idea too!! Just wait until you see what else :) ....


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Autumn Days

From the PPA9 'inspiration photo challenge' emerged this Fall 'Thinking of You 'card.
I'll get right to it...
* The short vase was kreated from the honey pot in the 'Just Buzzin By' set. I used my Black SU Marker to isolate just the part of the pot I wanted, and stamped onto Watercolor paper, viola' my first vase.
* The second vase was kreated after popping out Large Oval Punch, snipping off the top to kreate a base and than tracing it onto my Watercolor paper. A bit more labor intensive, but I had nothing else that appeared vasish. Well worth the effort!
* Using my Aquapainter and Always Artichoke ink, I colored in both vases.


* From the Autumn Days set, I inked up the various branches with SU Markers and stamped them multiply times in their respective vases (re-coloring each time). Hint: I masked off each vase with scrap paper to avoid my stems appearing on the outside of the vase. Now that would not work :)
* Added some colorful foliage around each vase and snipped out one Ruby Red leaf for some dimension.
* Matted the focal image with Really Rust and sponged the edges with Soft Suede. I kept the rest of the Always Artichoke standard card base relatively simple. Just a strip of this gorgeous new 1-1/4" Pumpkin Pie Striped Grosgrain ribbon and a Choc Chip corduroy button for an accent. And a little more Soft Suede sponging around the card base. Hint: Sponging adds great depth with little effort!
* 'Thinking of You' from Sincere Salutations was inked with VersaMark. Tip: VersaMark kreates a great tone on tone look.

Hope you are inspired to go kreate! Any questions, I am only a click away :)

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Supplies:
Stamps: Autumn Days (115452), Just Buzzin By(113228), Sincere Salutations (115068)
Paper: Watercolor (105019), Always Artichoke, Really Rust
Ink: VersaMark (102283) SU Markers: Always Artichoke, Really Rust, Ruby Red, Pumpkin Pie, Soft Suede, Creamy Caramel, Choc Chip, Close to Cocoa, Basic Black
Accessories: 1-1/4" Pumpkin Pie Grosgrain Ribbon (115616), Choc Chip Corduroy Button(114339), Linen Thread (104199)

I'm Wishing...

My 2 year old daughter is dancing around singing 'I'm Wishing...' from Snow White and I thought how fitting 'cause I am wishing you could see the effect of the Champagne Shimmer Paint on this card - it is SO pretty!! I couldn't get a good photo :( I started my inspiration with the MOJO Monday sketch and off I went. I originally placed my order for the Forest Friends set when it first debuted because I couldn't wait to turn my deer into Rudolph. The time has come :)
* Standard Soft Suede card base, edges sponged with Soft Suede ink
* The snowflake designer paper comes from the new Christmas Cocoa Specialty DSP found in the Holiday Mini and again edges accented with Soft Suede ink
* A recycled red stitched ribbon I've held onto since last Valentines was the perfect pop of color with Rudolphs nose. (lucky for you and I, new in the catty is 1" Real Red Stitched Grosgrain 115607)
* Scallop punched 2 Soft Suede circles and cut them in half to line 3 under my ribbon. Each was sponged with Soft Suede ink and then each were given that holiday sparkle with Champaign Shimmer Paint. Tip: Shake up your shimmer paints, remove the cap, and using your dauber that fits perfectly into your cap, ink up your dauber and apply using a light hand. A little goes a long way!
* My Forest Friend, Rudy was inked in Soft Suede onto Whisper White, sponged edges with Soft Suede and mounted on Soft Suede.
* Rudy wouldn't be Rudy without his red nose, so I took the smallest Circle Fire Rhinestone Brad and opened up the prongs on the back to 'release' the red rhinestone. Applied his nose with just a dot of Crystal Effects.
* Added a touch more Champaign Shimmer Paint to my Dauber and applied over the entire card, edges, card front and even the ribbon. WOW, wish you could see the before and after. Unfortunately what you see is probably more of the before as it was difficult to capture the shimmer, but trust me on this one friends. If you click on the photo you may see a touch more... oh, just go try it!!
Hope you like it, leave me a comment and let me know, love it when ya do :)

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Supplies:
Stamps: Forest Friends(113748)
Paper: Soft Suede, Christmas Cocoa Specialty (Holiday Mini 116770)
Ink: Soft Suede, Champagne Mist Shimmer Paint (Holiday Mini 116806
Accessories: Scallop Punch (109043), Daubers(102892), Circle Fire Rhinestone Brads(109110)

Good Cheer Mojo

Where does one's week go???? Started my Mondays Mojo104 on Monday and what happened from there...life! Can anyone else relate? But here it is, better late than never.
I have enjoyed using my Circle Scissor Plus on this Santa-Reindeer image from the Good Cheer set, click here to see another card, so this was the perfect sketch to do it again.
* Standard card base of Real Red, distressed with a dauber and Soft Suede ink
* Image inked with Basic Brown with a dauber to avoid inking up sentiment(ink is waterproof - image won't bleed when using your Aquapainter). Any small amt of ink on the sentiment in Santa's whiskers was removed using a Blender Pen and scribbling ink off onto scratch paper until completely clean
* Stamped onto Shimmery White cardstock - I selected this paper instead of Watercolor paper because I wanted Santas beard to stay white (not the off white/vanilla of our Watercolor Paper) and this is a bit easier to watercolor/use blender pens on than Whisper White.
* Used my inks, Aquapainter and Blender Pens to color in my image. Then guess what...I added 'Ice' to his whiskers :) If you follow me, you know I love a touch of sparkle, my 'ice'. Click on photo to enlarge image - you may see the sparkle better!
* Using my VersaMark Pen, I 'colored' in his beard and sprinkled on my Iridescent 'Ice' Embossing Powder and with my Heat Tool set the sparkle ('melting' the powder through heat setting, insures that your recipient won't look like a glittered Diva after handling your card )
* Using my Circle Scissor Plus, I was able to cut out the perfect circle around my image - which such ease!! And with a slight adjustment of my dial, a perfect Old Olive circle to layer behind it. Each circle again distressed with Soft Suede ink
* Punched out an Old Olive Scallop Circle - again distressed with Soft Suede ink
* My horizontal strips were kreated with a piece of Soft Suede and holly leaves from the Christmas Cocoa Specialty DSP in the Holiday Mini. When you view this paper, you will see it is holly leaves on white - well, white was too stark with this card, so out came the dauber again to distress the edges and lightly over the entire strip.
* The Choc Chip Brads finish off my Mojo!

For someone having a hard time saying good bye to summer, I've jumped full throttle into Christmas cards lately! LOL

Its that Holiday Mini I tell ya, you can't help but be inspired by all the holiday goodies. If you would like a copy mailed to you, email me and let me know.

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Supplies:
Stamps: Good Cheer (115326), A Cardinal Christmas (111760)
Paper: Real Red, Soft Suede, Old Olive, Shimmery White(101910), Christmas Cocoa Specialty DSP(116770)
Ink: Soft Suede, Close to Cocoa, Real Red, Old Olive, Blush Blossom, Pretty in Pink
Accessories: Circle Scissors Plus(112530), Scallop Circle Punch(109043), 5/16" Neutrals Assortment Brads(112534), VersaMarker Pen(100901), Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder(101930),Heat Tool(100005), Blender Pen(102845), Sponge Daubers(102892)

Ice Ice Baby

Are you ready to play at PPA? This weeks challenge, PPA8, is to KISS - Keep It Simple, Sweetie. Lately, I am finding it more difficult to find the time to sit in my craft room and get in a zone. So I've been a little less than impressed by some of my more recent simple cards, BUT this one I really like. And it is SO pretty in person with all the sparkle, true holiday card. And as many of you know, I love my 'Ice':) I hope you enjoy this simple kreation as much as I do.

* Standard card base of Handsome Hunter

* My pine cones from Autumn Days, are inked up with my SU Markers in Handsome Hunter, Choc Chip and Close to Cocoa - given a huff of breath to remoisten the ink and stamped onto Very Vanilla. I am able to eyeball things pretty well and was able to stamp the pine cones again and 'connect' my branches. The Stamp-a-mi-jig is a great tool to use if you want precision and aren't so good at eyeballing things. It will be well worth your investment.

* Merry Christmas, from the All Holidays set, is inked in Handsome Hunter.


* The beauty of this card came after pouncing my VersaMark pad directly onto Very Vanilla and then covering it with Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder and using the Heat Tool, setting a stunning sparkle over the entire card. I think the angle of this photo may show a bit more of the sparkle TIP: This step could be eliminated an still be a pretty card with once less step

* A tiny Real Red ribbon adds a pop of holiday cheer :)

Go ahead, Keep It Simple, Sweetie! Have a wonderful day. Any questions, I'm a click away!

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Supplies:
Stamps: Autumn Days (115452), All Holidays (114916)
Paper: Handsome Hunter
Ink: SU Markers Handsome Hunter, Choc Chip and Close to Cocoa, VersaMark
Accessories: Iridescent Ice Embossing Powder, Heat Tool, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon