3-D Christmas gift

I am a Stampin'UP! demo and my upline, upline holds a demo camp every month that I try my best to attend. Since Christmas is coming up, we decided to have a 3-D Christmas gift swap with the item being $5.00 or under but we have to use Stampin' UP! stamps/ink/cardstock/ribbon on whatever we do.

The meeting is next Tuesday night and I have been racking my brain trying to come up with something. My mom happen to show me something that she had and I knew that it would work! On the clearance rack at Joanns were the following Letter Holders for $3.87 (regular $12.99! Ouch!):

Big deal, right? Well....... I sanded the flourish off and repainted the entire thing with white acrylic paint. I put on at least 3-4 coats of white. Then I had to decide what I was going to STAMP on it!! I finally went with Blossoms Abound. I had to try my idea on a piece of paper first as I didn't want to mess up the holder and have to repaint it! Plus there is a lot of masking going on so I used my "sketch" as my masking pieces.

So.... here is the Letter Holder AFTER I got done with it!! Now this I might pay $12.99 for!! lol


Stamp sets: Blossoms Abound, Baroque Motifs; Ink: Craft Perfect Plum, Pale Plum, Always Artichoke, Old Olive, Creamy Caramel

Side view, vine is on the other side too.

Close up of the lilacs.

Close up of the 'letter box'.

Sliver Snowflakes

I now have the song Silver Bells stuck in my head even though I used snowflakes on my card! I've been wanting to make a silver and blue card for awhile now and today's Limited Challenge on Splitcoaststampers presented the perfect opportunity to do so.

Jen gave us a list once again to follow for the limited supply challenge: Mini Main Event.
Small stamps (1.5 x 1.5 or smaller) were to be the focus point of our card with a sentiment optional. Also layers were to be limited, up to 2 specialty tools, any coloring tool and ONE type of embellishment. (I capped one as I have a hard time remembering that when I go to make the card!! Always want to add brads or eyelets too!! lol)

My layout came from Card Positioning Systems #41. A fun site to go to if you are in need a layout idea.

I used Rubbernecker's Snowflakes (there are actually 3 sizes in the set, so I used the two smallest ones) and the text Joy for my card. I stamped in silver metallic (be careful, it does smear as it takes a few to dry). I pulled out my Silver leaf pen and used that on white cardstock to make it look like silver paper underneath my blue layer. (I don't own any silver carstock! how sad is that?) I wanted to add another layer to the 'Joy' piece but since we were on limited layers, I did a faux layer using the silver leaf pen. I did pop it up on dimensions. A little paper piercing, some silver cord and my card is ready to go!

Stamp sets: Snowflake set, Joy text - Rubbernecker Stamp Co.; Paper: Blue, white; Ink: Metallic Silver; Acces: silver cord, silver leaf pen, dimensionals

Metallic what??

I have no clue why this took me all day. Guess you just have to be in the mood to stamp! lol For me that is usually early in the morning but today it wasn't until an hour ago!! I had the idea all day long, it just took longer to come out of my fingertips!

Lo and behold the Ways To Use It challenge was Metallic Papers! I sat here scratching my head as I couldn't think if I had anything metallic or not! While doing the dishes, I noticed something still on my counter that I had yet to throw away. The protecting cover to a can of coffee!! I had literally opened a new can of coffee this morning even before the challenge on Splitcoaststampers was posted.

It looks like an ornament.... I could make it into an ornament on a card!! So I thought on it all day long.... I even went to the gallery to look at the WT142 cards. Big mistake as there was a card by a good friend, papermoon04 /Shelly, that also used a coffee covering. So now the question was, do I still go with my idea or scratch it and come up with something else? I didn't want it to look like I had cased Shelly. So I thought long and hard and decided to still go ahead with my plan but change it to be a real ornament/gift tag.

First I stamped the little guys on a post-it note and cut inside the black outline as i didn't want that to show. I used that as my mask and stamped them on the white cardstock. I blocked the area again so that trees wouldn't cut into their space. I used watercolor pencils on the trees and markers on the snowmen's scarves. I used a paint brush to stipple white craft ink all over and then embossed it with white embossing powder to make it look like snow. There is silver cord on the back for hanging and the red ribbon is held on by a glue dot. It turned out so cute that I don't want to use it as i had planned... a gift tag for a Christmas 3-d Swap! (That will be coming in a day or two.. still working on it!)

Stamp set: Flaky Friends; Paper: Real Red, White; Ink: Black Stazon; Acces: watercolor pencils, white embossing powder, stippler brush, red ribbon, silver cord, coffee protector; markers: real red, ballet blue, mellow moss, only orange

I made this for Kim's sketch over in the My Favorite Things thread on Splitcoast. I watercolored the images with ink on watercolor paper. The little lady is on dimensions and the wavy look is actually a vine stamp in the set that I cut around after it was stamped. The Miss you is from Kim's set called Essential Sentiments that fit perfectly in the word window punch!

Stamp set: It's A Jungle Out There, Essential Things; Paper: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Going Gray, watercolor; Ink: Black Stazon, Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Going Gray; Acces: brads, SU word window punch, dimensions

Blocked sketch

I dislike doing block cards. Rox claims she puts them up just for me as she knows I don't like them! What are friends for?? lol (No, she doesn't claim that but we do have fun pm'ng each other back and forth about them) Anyways I tried my hand at the sketch today (I did flip it though) just to make Rox happy. No, really the sketch challenges on Splitcoaststampers is my favorite challenge of the week. Rox works hard giving us a different sketch each week that pushes us to create. We love her for it and all the other hostess too! I would not be the stamper I am today if it was not for the weekly challenges and the time the hostesses spend on them. Thanks girls!


I decided to use a Rubbernecker Christmas saying for my focal point. (are you surprised?) And I wanted to cut into my big DCWV Christmas Stack design paper too!! So I decided to combine the sketch with Sharon's blog challenge of using only pattern paper and sentiment.


This card would be so easy to mass produce as all I stamped was the saying and then sponged scattered straw and vintage photo. Add a couple of brads and layer everything and you have Vintage Christmas card! (my card base is vanilla cardstock but it is hard to see with the white background)



Stamps: Celebrate saying - Rubbernecker Stamp Co.; Cardstock - vanilla, chocolate, DCWV the Christmas stack (i got mine at Joanns); Ink: Distress vintage photo, scattered straw; Acces: brads

5 years in the making!

Had to share another card I made for Rubbernecker Stamp Co. But first the story behind it.

When I started stamping 5 yrs ago, my first stamp set had a stocking in it (that I have since passed on to another loving home). I wanted to make my Christmas cards with a fireplace and the stockings hanging off. I looked high and low for a fireplace stamp but couldn't find what I wanted. Fastforward to last month and meeting Dave the owner of Rubbernecker and getting asked to design cards for him. Guess what he has?? A fireplace/log/garland set!! He also has a 3 stockings but I only used one so there would be no fighting over who got which stocking!

I did faux woodgrain for the floor by swiping the distress ink Vintage Photo over the cardstock until it got as dark as i wanted it. Using a ruler, I drew on the lines for the wood planks. The wall is actually designer paper, Pointsettia from Flurries & Frost. All the images are watercolored with distress reinkers and then cutout! Yes, cutout! I wrote our names on the stockings all the way down to the youngest. (whew, we barely fit on there!!) The stockings and logs are on dimenesions.

For five years in the making (at least in my mind!), this card didn't turn out too bad!!

Stamps: Rubbernecker Fireplace/logs/garland set,Warm and Wonderful text; Cardstock: White, Flurries & Frost "Poinsettia" design paper, Inks: Black stazon, distress reinkers Vintage Photo, Scattered Straw, tattered rose, peeled paint; Acces: brads, aquapainter, dimensionals

Today's card:

Emily picked some yummy colors; Basic Gray, Bashful Blue and Certainly Celery. I still haven't ordered any Basic Gray so I used Going Gray instead. I also decided to try Sherry's JBWW challenge sketch that she had up. What an interesting sketch! If you haven't checked out Sherry's and Jeanne's sunday Challenge, head on over. They take turns hosting.

Back to my card. I just had to use a stamp from Rubbernecker Stamp Co. because as you know, their site just went live last night! (Yes, not all of the images are up and running but keep checking back as he is working on it. I do know that these are the stamp images up so far: Holiday in both Rubbernecker & Stamp Oasis; Rubbernecker Old Characters, Fishing, Dogs and Sunny Days.)

okay, okay, back to my Color challenge card!! I pulled out some designer paper that was very close to Bashful Blue and Certainly Celery. I even pulled out my poor unused Fiskar circle cutter to cut my circle! That thing has been collecting dust for ages!!

Using the Going Gray watercolor crayon, I colored in the kittie. I used the inks for the Christmas lights as i wanted a stronger color than what the crayons gave me. I added a little glitter pen on the lights and then wanting a clear look to the lights, added some Crystal Effects over top of them. My distressing tool jumped into my hands this morning and I just couldn't ignore it! But my images looked so white sitting there on the white cardstock that I had to added some sponging too.

Stamps: Tangled Kittie, Purrfect Christmas text - Rubbernecker Stamps; Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Certainly Celery, Going Gray, Design paper; Accs: Crystal Effects, Watercolor Crayons, distresser tool, glitter pen

My big Secret!

Rubbernecker Stamp Company's website is finally live.

Which means I can finally tell my BIG SECRET! I'm a guest designer for Rubbernecker!

Here are a few items that I have made so far:

I stamped on tissue paper with black stazon ink. I then decided to color everything in using H2Os. The pictures are sparkly but that is hard to tell here. I then adhered the tissue paper to the candle by melting it with my heat gun. (tutorial coming soon)


Stamps: Kris Kringle, Still Believe, Ink: Black stazon, Twinkling H2Os


This card is would be very easy to mass produce as there is only one item stamped! The snowflake background is actually double sided Designer paper from Rubbernecker and so is the ribbon. I cut the circles out of the paper but flipped the paper to show the other side! Embossed the snowflake in white. Card layout came from Card Maker's Sketch Book by Annie's Attic.

Stamp: Snowflake, Cardstock: Designer paper Reindeer Games FF-108, Ink: versamark, Accs: white embossing powder, Rubbernecker Ribbon



Be sure to check out Sherry and Jeanne's blogs to see who is all on the Design Team.

Sympathy card

Sympathy cards are the hardest to make. On Thanksgiving day, a mother and a father were 5 mins behind their only daughter's car. We still don't know all the details but the daughter crashed and was killed instantly. She was only 23/24 yrs old. The family goes way back with my family as the kids (there is still a son) were in the same grades as my brothers and the mom is a teacher. In fact she is my daughter's teacher.



I used Sunday's Featured Stamper, TexasGrammy, card Sympathy in Blush to case and make my own sympathy card.



We have to change a few things from the original but still keep the layout the same if possible. I changed the colors, ribbon, saying and used mini scallop scissors on the layers.

I hope my card brings the family a little comfort in this time of grief.

All materials used are Stampin' UP! unless noted otherwise.
Stamp sets: As Close To A Memory, Floral background; Cardstock: Night of Navy, So saffron, Very Vanilla; Ink: Night of Navy; Acces: So Saffron & Mellow Moss markers, ribbon, Kraft Edgers mini scallop scissors

Chocolate snowflakes

So did you get up early today and catch the deals?? I didn't but hubby did. He went and got our family Christmas gift, a new tv!! And yes, we are using it already.. not going to make the kids (or ourselves) wait until Christmas. He also got a new vaccum cleaner as ours died a few months ago (don't worry, we borrowed one to use!!). When he was bringing it in, 5 yr old DS said "YES!! A new Vaccum cleaner!! woohooo" Our poor deprived kids!! lol (I am adding a button to the side for Gift donation fund for our kids if you would like to donate some mula so our kids can have something really fun to get excited about! bawhahahaha)

Today's card is for the Limited Supply challenge, which was Sensational Snowflake. Basically we had to make a card using snowflakes and nuetral colors! Only a hint of color was allowed as was limited layers and one embellishment.

I went with Snow Flurries, brown for my neutral and my splash of color was pink. I added some pink glitter to the middle of the snowflakes. I also did faux stitching which tied in with the Ways To use it challenge on Thursday! The finished card measures 4''x9''. The layout comes from the book CardMaker's Sketch Book that you can get at Annie's Attic.

Stamp set: SU Snow Flurries, Merry Merry Christmas, Ink: SU chocolate chip, versamark, Cardstock: SU Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Acces: paper piercing tool, marker, glitter, SU 2-way glue pen

Happy Turkey Day!

To all my American friends, Happy Thanksgiving! This is for all of you:





So what are you doing this year? We are doing something a little different this year. We are spending Thanksgiving with some friends instead of family. BUT the dish I am taking has not changed. Every year I make Sweet Potato Souffle. I just have to and if you try the recipe, You'll see why I have to make it!



Sweet Potato Souffle



4 c mashed sweet potatoes

1 c sugar

2 eggs

1/2 c milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 stick butter, melted

1 tsp vanilla



Mix well. (I like to do it all in my mixer) Pour into a buttered pan. (fits in a 9x13)



Topping:



1 c brown sugar

1/2 c flour

1/3 c butter, melted

1 c pecans (I chop mine)



Crumble topping evenly over potato mixture. Bake at 350 for 35-45 mins uncovered.



The recipe comes from a dinner theater here in Ohio that is known for their signature Sweet Potato Souffle. They have been so kind as to put it up on their website for everyone to enjoy. If you are ever in Springboro, Ohio (or close by), you have to check out La Comedia Dinner Theater. I guarantee you will have an awesome time!

On that note,

That dress is how OLD??

My littlest one (21 months old) is wearing MY DRESS!! (yes, it is a girl.. poor thing will get more hair one of these days! lol) My grandma made it for me when I was 2 (I think, so that makes me how old??? lol). The dress has been worn by myself, my sister, an entire family of 5 girls and then it came back to me when I had my firstborn little girl! I have pictures of each one in this dress plus a picture of myself that I intend to scrap. If I can find them, I'll post the pictures. So far I have only found my oldest one's picture.



Here is my card for today's Sketch challenge. Rox took pity on us Americans getting ready for Thanksgiving and gave us an easy sketch. Easy, yea, right. I got up at regular time today even though the kids are out for Thanksgiving break. I knew what stamp I wanted to use but had the hardest time getting that next to last layer. Don't ask me why, I just did!

I had to get this stamp from High Hopes because it has piggies!! All I saw was pigs in the bathtub. What my mom saw was my four kids! LOL Maybe that is what drew me to the stamp... 4 pigs... 4 kids... No I'm not calling my kids pigs! lol (but I did color the brushes in their favorite colors!)

I stamped in stazon and used SU watercolor crayons to color the piggies. On the bubbles is Bashful Blue and then Crystal Effects to give a clear look. To me, the image calls to be cutout of the box when being layered. So that's what I did. The pattern paper is from a DCWV Christmas stack that I just got last night and just had to cut into today!

Stamp Set: Hog Wash and saying - High Hopes; Ink: black stazon; Cardstock: SU pretty in pink, black, watercolor paper, DCWV designer paper; Acces: Crystal Effects

A Pink Christmas card

Once again I have managed to combine two challenges in one card! On the My Favorite Things thread on Splitcoast there is a challenge for Celebrating MFT in Nov. using MFT sets of course! The color challenge for today is to use Pretty in Pink, Wild Wasbi, Whisper White or/and Shimmer White. Emily suggested trying a Christmas card with the colors so I listened to the boss and made a Christmas card!

I've been wanting to case a card that I got at a Shoebox swap in Oct. Today seemed to be the perfect time to do that. I just love this card. It is bigger than the normal size I am use to making. Size runs 5 1/4 x 11.

I had some white cardstock that I had run through mom's cuttlebug with the snowflake folder that I pulled out for my background. I stamped Linen in Pretty In Pink on the Shimmer White and then sponged more pink on for a shadow look. The words are stamped in Wild Wasbi and come from the Home for the Holiday set by My Favorite Things. Merry Christmas is stamped on the word window punch that was made a little longer.

The flower, from Build a Bouquet by My Favorite Things, is actually 3 different flowers stamped and cut out and then layered! I didn't like the look of it being all pink so I stamped 2 of the flowers again in Wild Wasbi and layered those on. Perfection! I put the flower on a dimension so it sticks up a little. And don't you just love those little baby brads?? Too cute and the green is so close to Wild Wasbi that I had to use them!

To finish of the card and to hold the flap closed, I tied some wasbi grosgrain ribbon around a papercilp and attached it to the card.

Stamp Sets: Build a Bouquet, Home for the Holidays by My Favorite Things, SU Linen; Ink: SU Wild Wasbi, Pretty In Pink; Cardstock: SU Shimmer White, White, Pretty In Pink, Wild Wasbi; Acces: brads, grosgrain, paperclip, glitter pen

Open view.

Happy 40th Birthday, Tosh!

I'm a day late in posting the Splitcoaststampers Sunday challenge. As I took my time with the challenge for I wanted to play with some other stamps first.

Sunday's Featured stamper was Papermoon04 aka Shelly. She is a wonderful friend (even if she lives in Michigan!! lol Yes, she is the one that sent my daughter that jersey she is wearing in the post below!) I picked this card of Shelly's to case. But before I started it, I decided to check out Jeanne S and BadSherry's blogs for their Sunday challenge and to see if I could combine the two! And I could!! It was Jeanne's turn to pick the challenge and she wanted to see cards using only black and white with a splash of color. As it happens, I have been wanting to make a black and white card so this was perfect.

Plus it was perfect as Tosh aka stamps4funinCA turns 40 tomorrow! (yes, I know my card will be late. It's the thought that counts, right??)

I used You Take the Cake by My Favorite Things. I watercolored the dress and cake icing with a black watercolor crayon. The candles were watercolored then I added some yellow stickles to give them a sparkle. The Happy Birthday is embossed in white. If you check out Shelly's card that I cased, you can see the differences right away! But the layout is still the same so I am good to go.

Happy 40th Tosh, I was nice to you!!! :)

Stamp set: You Take the Cake - My Favorite Things, SU cardstock - black, white, SU word window punch, Ink: Black Stazon, yellow, blush Acces:brads, white embossing powder, yellow stickles

Go BUCKEYES!!!

Saturday was the "BIG" game! Ohio State verses Michigan! For some reason our oldest is a Michigan fan!! Thought I would share a picture of 3 of my kids ready for the big game! (Missing middle daughter as she was at choir practice!) Of course Ohio won 14- 3!!! Long live the Buckeyes!!



My little cheerleader!!




Hubby wanted an Anniversary card for his boss, so I made this quick but elegant card with Boho Blossoms from My Favorite Things. Hard to see but I used a Sarku Stardust gel pen to outline the entire heart. It really sparkles in real life!

Stamp sets: Boho Blossoms by My Favorite Things, Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy, Vanilla, ribbon, Sukra Stardust gel pen

Hogs & Kisses Pick me up!

Soo-eet Petunia and Audrey sharing a hug! When I saw this at High Hopes, I had to get it. I love pigs! (Collect them, raised them when I was younger in 4-H, even have clothes with pigs! Guess you could say I'm a little "hog" wild!!) My order just came Thursday so the Limited supply challenge was perfect excuse to try them out! The challenge was to make a "Heartfelt Pick-Me Up" card with the following directions:

A) Use 2-3 stamps - one should be a heart image or sentiment. I used a saying and image from High Hopes and a little heart from Boho Blossoms, My Favorite Things.

B) Choose one designer paper pattern OR one embellishment. I picked grosgrain.

C) Choose one specialty tool. (Optional) Couldn't think of anything!

D) Limit the layers. The white scallop cardstock actually has the image stamped on it. The top white layer and pink layer were all cut with the coluzzle. For the scalloped edges, I used a pair of decorative mini scallop scissors.

E) Use any coloring tools I pulled out my SU watercolor crayons that haven't seen light for a while! I like to watercolor with them by picking up the crayon with my aquapainter and applying it to the cardstock.

I added a little bit of glitter to Audrey's hair bow with my Sarku Stardust clear gel pen.

Stamp sets: Boho Blossoms - MFT, Soo-eet Petunia & Audrey, Hogs & Kisses all by High Hopes, Cardstock: Pretty in pink, White, Distress reinkers, Grossgrain ribbon, dimesionals

Luckily I was able to throw this card together pretty fast as i cased the layout idea from a card that had been sent to me by none other than Kittie and I need to leave for the day!

I have to head out to school today to help my 3 grader's class sew patchwork pillows! Should be fun, what with 25 kids having needles and thread!! The fun part about this is the teacher my daughter has, was also my oldest daughter's student teacher! I had to help him sew his pillow then and now he is teaching my middle daughter!! How cool is that??? I go back on Monday to help them stuff and close up the pillows.

Please fill free to sign my guest book/map at the bottom of the page. Also feel free to sign up for email notices as I just added that tab. (Thanks Frances for your help!!)

My tribute to one of the greatest stampers

Sorry for no post yesterday. Wasn't feeling the greatest and had no mojo whatsoever!! Today has been tons better and I think I found my mojo hiding under the table!

It snowed today!! Been snowing on and off since this morning. Nothing staying, melting as soon as it hits but it is so lovely to see. And guess what?? The radio station we listen, starts their Christmas music today at 5!!! WOOHOOO!!! We love Christmas here. So much so that when my 5yr old son saw it snowing, said we need to put the tree up cause it's almost Christmas!! lol Next week it goes up!!

Okay, on to today's card and the challenges from Splitcoaststampers.

Today's card combines a few challenges, the sketch challenge, Ways to Use challenge and the 100th Inspiration challenge.

For the Ways to Use it, we were suppose to use Unique brads. Well... I really don't have unique, unique as I'm a big SU girl (I'm trying to step out of that zone). In looking through my accessory drawer, I came across some Christmas brads! So I figured, Why not? I haven't ever used the trees so what better excuse to use them then today?

The 100th Inspiration challenge was to make a card for a person who inspires you. If you haven't figured out who inspires me then you need to check out Kittie747! She is always doing awesome scenes. She likes to cover her snow scenes in White craft ink and then add white embossing powder and heat set. Well... I tried that, Think I need more practice still. Even my watercoloring is better because of her help. (that and I did get to see her show how she watercolors in person!!) I rubbed shoulders with her in hopes that her talent would transfer over some. (and Sherry and Jeanne too, so they don't feel left out! Love you, girls!) Here is my tribute to her:


All SU unless noted. Stamp set: Merry & Bright, Cardstock: Always Artichoke, Bravo Burgundy, black, watercolor, Ink: stazon black, bravo burgundy, creamy caramel, distress reinker peeled paint, Accessories: white ep, tree brad, star brad, liquid applique, aquabrush. Snowman and deer are on gluedots to give some dimension.


Kittie has also started a blog! You can find her in my list of favorite blogs to read.

Chocolate, Cranberry & Oat Bars

,This week is parent/teacher conferences at our elementary school. The PTO is putting on a meal for the teachers with parents and PTO members providing different dishes. I volunteered for a dessert. I was thinking of making a yummy Pumpking dump cake but then got my copy of Kraft food & family magazine in the mail. On the cover was Chocolate, Cranberry & Oat Bars! Yummmmm So that is what I decided I would make. A snap to make and taste oh, so yummy!! They aren't too sweet at all. Infact, I could eat the whole pan. (Okay, so I had to taste test one bar or was it two? Maybe it was three. I don't know I lost count!)

I mean come on... doesn't this look good??? Chopped Chocolate??

Dried cranberries????

Welll, okay, maybe not the cranberries but you can't tell me that the finished product doesn't look good at all???

Here is the recipe so that you may make your own because I am not going to share! Darn it, now what am I going to take to school in 5 mins?? Guess I am making a stop at the Dollar store first!! bawahahahhaha

Chocolate, Cranberry & Oat Bars

prep: 15 min, Total:37 min

1 c dried cranberries, 1/4 c orange juice, 1 1/2 c flour, 1 1/2 c quick-cooking oats, 1t baking powder, 1/4 t salt, 3/4 c (1 1/2 sticks) margarine/butter, softened, 1 1/2 c brown sugar, 2 eggs, 4 squares Semi-Sweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped, 1/2 c pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine cranberries and orange juice in microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 30 sec. Let stand 10 min. Menawhile, combine flour, oats, baking powder and salt; set aside. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in cranberry mixture, chocolate and pecans.

Spread dough into 13x9 inch baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake 20 t0 22 min. or until center is set. Cool completely on wire rack before cutting to serve.

Makes 32 servings, 1 bar each.

Substitute: Try swapping in raisins for the cranberries.

How in the world...

Am I going to watercolor with Purely Pomegranate being the only "ink"?? Today's color challenge on Splitcoast is Purely Pomegranate, White and Kraft. Okay!! I already knew what I wanted to do as there is a sketch in the My Favorite Things thread that I wanted to try. But I wanted to WATERCOLOR!!! The color challenge was posted last night but instead of doing it, I went to bed and dreamt about it. And let me tell you, that worked!! I got up this morning and was ready to go.

I swiped the bottom half of the card with White craft ink to make the floor. Added a piece of purely pomegranate paper for the baseboard and stamped the little thing from Boho Blossoms on the wall in white. Chair is paper pieced and flowers are watercolored with white gel pen used for center.

Window scene is stamped on white and layered vellum ontop to make it look like glass. Scored curtains. Top piece used the corner rounder punch to make the scallops and on dimensionals.

Front





Inside

Stamp sets: Boho Blossoms, Baby it's cold outside, How sweet it is, Cardstock: SU Purely Pomegranate, White, Kraft, Vellum, Ink: Purely Pomegranate, stazon black, creamy caramel, White Craft ink, Acc: dimensionals, white gel pen, glitter pen

Embossing Marker Tutorial

I decided to pull out my Marvy Embossing Markers to use on today's challenge. No, embossing wasn't the challenge. Japanese Stab Binding was today's Try a New Technique! I know, I should be showing you how to do the Binding instead of Embossing. When I perfect it, I will. lol

I decided to use Home for the Holidays by My Favorite Things and picked out the Christmas tree. The lights are a seperate stamp which I placed on the tree using stazon black ink. (It doesn't matter what ink you use with the markers, I just like stazon)

I colored in the lights with an embossing marker that was close to bravo burgundy. The marker stays wet long enough to pour on clear (or metallic) embossing powder.

Here are the lights with clear embossing powder just sprinkled on. Heat with a heating gun to a raised, shiny finish.

Here the first string of lights have been embossed while the second string awaits the heat gun.

All the light have been embossed. I then took a clear marker and went over the strings so that I could emboss those. Here you can see the clear embossing powder on the strings in need of the heat gun.

I added a star, colored it in yellow and embossed it in clear.

I watercolored my tree in with peeled paint distress reinker. Distressed the entire cardstock with distress ink vintage photo and used a distresser tool on the sides of the cardstock to give it a worn look. I went back over the edges an sponged on more vintage photo distress ink. Merry Christmas is embossed in gold embossing powder on a long word window tag. The Japanese Stab Binding is on the side, looks close to a blanket stitch.
All items SU unless noted otherwise. Stamp sets: Home for the Holidays by My Favorite Things, Linen, Cardstock: Bravo Burgundy, Always artichoke, vanilla, Inks: Vintage photo distress ink, peeled paint distress reinker, Bravo Burgundy, Acc: Marvy Embossing Markers, clear embossing powder, ribbon, brad, word window punch, distresser tool

Whooooo Could it be?

Sunday on Splitcoast is one of my favorite challenges; Featured Stamper! It is always fun to see who Beth will pick for us to case a card from their gallery. Sometimes it is someone I "know", other times I have never heard of the person. Today I can say I "know" the Featured Stamper! I have chatted with her and have even received a card from her. Today is Frances aka StampOwl's turn to shine in the spotlight!

Beth posted the challenge early enough last night that I was able to get a card done before I went to bed! (Don't worry, I have plenty more of Frances' that I want to case still!) I chose to case this card of Frances as I liked the layout. I changed the colors, stamp sets (except for Well-Worn Words as I haven't played with that stamp in ages, Thanks Frances for making me get it out!) and used hodgepodge. I colored in the flowers by squishing the ink onto the lid and picking it up with a aquapainter. I did use watercolor paper for the flowers.

All products are Stampin' UP! unless noted otherwise.

Stamp sets: Well-Worn Words, French Script, My Favorite Things - Bundles of Bouquets, Cardstock: Purely Pomegranate, White, watercolor, SU Inks: Purely Pomegranate, River Rock, Garden Green, Close to Cocoa, Chocolate Chip, Stazon Black, Acces: SU Hodgepodge

Coming soon: Tutorial on.......

Whew! What a Saturday! I had to go grocery shopping this morning and hubby had to run dd#2 to her choir practice. She has joined the Community Youth Choir this year and they practice every Saturday morning.

I had started my card for the Inspiration challenge on Splitcoaststampers but left it as I had to get going. Let me tell you, the Inspiration challenge has to be the hardest challenge for me. I just can't get inspired by a photo of something. But I have decided to try. Today's inspiration was an ecard with colors that screamed Fall. To me, Fall is leaves, pumpkins, Thanksgiving and that much closer to Christmas! So I decided to go with a Thanksgiving theme card.

I looked through the CardMaker's SketchBook to see if there was a layout that would jump out at me and say "make me, make me"! And there was one! Well actually there was two but I have yet to make the second one. Looking through my stash, I found a scalloped circle that someone had sent me that would work perfect for the layout.

I tried to stay true to the colors in the ecard. So I went with Close to Cocoa, Cool Caribbean, Pumkin Pie & Chocolate Chip. Stamped the turkey from I've Fallen for You by My Favorite Things on watercolor paper. I combined SU ink Pumpkin Pie and Ruby Red on his feathers and sponged the edges with vintage photo Distress Ink. The acorn, leaf and Give Thanks saying are all part of the set too.

Notice my rick rack?? Isn't that cool? It's actually a stamp from the set It's Elemental by My Favorite Things. I just stamped the rick rack in Pumpkin Pie on Pumkin Pie and cut it out! Too cool!!


Stamp sets: Falling for You, It's Elemental by My Favorite Things, SU paper: Pumpkin Pie, Cool Caribbean, Chocolate Chip, Close to Cocoa, Watercolor, Inks: Black Stazon, Distress ink vintage photo, SU Pumpkin Pie, Ruby Red, Close to Cocoa, Versamark

No embellishments??? Yikes!!

I have an hour in between getting kids ready for their buses in the morning that is "Me Time". I'll stamp if the challenge is up on Splitcoast or I'll catch up on a TV show via the internet.

Today's Limited Supply challenge had me going "Yikes"! We are suppose to "Follow the List #5" : stamps could be animals/critters, background and/or sentiment, 2-4 layers with solid or patterned paper, coloring tools, punches or any other quick tools. WHAT??!! NO EMBELLISHMENTS?? I really like my brads/eyelets/ribbon. But for Jen, I will do the challenge right.

But what to do? My coffee hadn't sunk in yet so my brain wasn't working at full speed. Looking around the dark room (as everyone but the oldest is still in bed so it's best to keep the lights off but a tiny one for me to see my stamp supplies) I spotted a card I just received this week from Carolyn King better known as Cammie. "Lightbulb!" I could case her card but with my twist. So here is my card for today's Splitcoast challenge. (All supplies are Stampin' UP! unless noted)

Stamp set: Wildlife Reserve, Warmest Regards; Paper: Very Vanilla, Bashful Blue, Creamy Caramel, watercolor paper, Ink: stazon Black, Ranger Distress ink vintage photo and scattered straw, Acc: Watercolor crayons, aquapainter, sponge, white gel pen


Carolyn King sent me this card that inspired the card above.

My oldest likes to stamp and even does the challenges sometimes. She hasn't stamped for awhile but was bored the other day and happen to see Say Charge by My Favorite Things on the table. Here is her card:

Stamp set: Say Charge by My Favorite Things, Paper: White and blue, ribbon, paperclip, handwritten sentiment

I've joined the bloggin' world!

Okay, so the peer pressure was getting to me! I have decided to join the blogging world! I am still under construction here and there until I get things exactly how I want them so please bear with me! So what will I be blogging about you ask? My kids, my cake decorating, scrapbooking and of course my rubber stamping!

Every day on Splitcoaststampers there is a challenge posted that I try to do. I have been doing these challenges for close to 2+ years! The challenges have really helped me grow as a stamper. And for that I am thankful to the hostess of each challenge. Thursday's challenge is Ways To Use it and today's was Very Velvet. Meaning we had to use some kind of velvet.

I knew I had velvet paper as I had gotten some a while back from a friend. And I even knew what set I was going to use! I couldn't have planned it any better if I had tried. BUT.... I forgot one little detail! My 20 month old daughter, who decided she was going to stamp with mom too!

I think she has seen me watercolor one too many times! Look at that smile on her face!

Perfect placement! Yes there is a stamp on the block but no ink! I realized today that she has watched me very closely when I stamp. I wasn't able to get a picture but she picked up my SU sponge and proceeded to sponge the edge of the cardstock! It was too cute and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get her to do it for the camera!

So there you have it! Maybe an hour card took me all day because I had a helper!

I loved Wednesday's Sketch Challenge so much that I decided use it for my layout today! I paper pieced the dresses and the bags. Meaning I stamped the image on 3 different papers and cut out the dresses and bags. The girl in the middle changed her dress quite a few times before I was satisfied! Even the flower is paper pieced and I added a rhinestone in the middle to give it a sparkle. The bags on the side are on dimensions to give them more of a 3-D effect. Paper pierced the bottom sqaure.

Stamp set: Say Charge by My Favorite Thing, SU designer paper, white, basic black, misc. blue cardstock, white organdy ribbon, black stazon ink.