Mixed Up Scandinavian!

Yes, if you didn't know this before, I'm here to admit that I am one mixed-up Scandinavian.  It's Halloween tomorrow, but since I don't do cards for that holiday I'm posting a Christmas card instead!

A few weeks ago the country church I attend held a Lutefisk Supper, complete with all kinds of Scandinavian goodies and a Scandinavian Gift Shoppe. I made these Christmas cards for the gift shop and was quite pleased to have people ask me how I made them; apparently they were a big hit with those craving all things Scandinavian! I tried to keep the embellishments to a minimum in order to keep the postage cost down for those sending these out for the holidays.

Recipe

Stamps: Scandinavian Season (retired)

Paper: Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive & Shimmery White CS

Ink: VersaMark, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Night of Navy & Old Olive stamp pads; Old Olive marker

Accessories: Black embossing powder, blender pens, Basic Rhinestones, paper piercing tool, Stampin' Dimensionals

I stamped the tree with VersaMark on the Shimmery White CS and then heat embossed it with black embossing powder. I colored in the tree using ink pads and blender pens. Since the Olive coloring turned out so light, I used the marker to add some shading. (Be sure to carefully blot the embossed parts after using the marker, as it tends to smear.) I added some rhinestones for sparkle, and then finished it off by piercing my paper to give it a Hardanger crochet look.

Well, that's it for tonight. Hope I see some trick-or-treaters tomorrow night...I DO have some sweet treats!

It's a Wrap Card!

Last week I posted a cute little Halloween treat box that used the stamp set "It's a Wrap Holidays" from the Holiday Mini Catalog. I stamped the "EEK!" from that stamp set on a mailing label and wrapped it around a Hershey's Nugget candy. Well, that set is not only for stamping on mailing labels - you can also use the images to make backgrounds or really sweet cards, like this one!

Recipe
Stamps: It's a Wrap Holidays (mini catalog)
Paper: Soft Suede, More Mustard, Pool Party & Very Vanilla CS; Spice Cake Designer Series paper
Ink: Soft Suede, More Mustard & Pool Party stamp pads
Accessories: Scallop Edge border punch, 3/4" circle punch, Glimmer Brads Basics, Spice Cake Designer Fabric, Stampin' Dimensionals

Have I mentioned yet how much I love the color combinations in the Spice Cake papers? And the matching fabric makes the perfect bow! I did the bow the Mary Brown (aka stampercamper) way and double-folded it, then clinched it up in the Glimmer Brad. I put the brad through a circle of Soft Suede and mounted it to the card front using a Dimensional. Isn't it cute?

Well, that should wrap it up for tonight...have a sweet one!

Sweetly Scary

I have a confession to make: I'm not a big fan of Halloween. Yeah, I like handing out candy to the neighborhood kids when they come by in their scary-cute costumes. But as for making cards celebrating the holiday? Nope, just don't see the reason. But since I do like to hand out candy, it stands to reason that I like to come up with interesting ways in which to wrap that candy!

This is the last of the three projects made by my Stamp Club last week. It's a simple Halloween treat box filled with Hershey Nuggets. Of course I didn't have any Halloween Designer Series paper, but the Well Worn packet had the perfect substitute.

Recipe

Stamps: Grateful Greetings, It's A Wrap Holidays (mini catalog)

Paper: Basic Gray, Cajun Craze, Well Worn Designer Series paper, mailing labels

Ink: Basic Gray, Cajun Craze

Accessories: Big Shot & Bitty Box die, 8-blossom punch from Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack

"There's Always Something...

for which to be thankful." I love that quote by Charles Dickens, and it's the main reason (well, okay, I loved the images too!) that I ordered the Always Thankful set in the Holiday Mini Catalog. Being the parent of a special needs child means that your whole concept of a normal life changes. You learn that even though there may be things your child is unable to do, there are so many others that he excels at. You learn that you don't need all those things you once thought you needed in order to be happy. You celebrate the small victories, and you realize that each new day brings another opportunity for growth. Yes, Jayson has Asperger's, but he doesn't have brain damage. We are all healthy. I have three different jobs, and I love them all. I have family and friends that I know I can count on to be there when needed. There is ALWAYS something for which to be thankful!!

This is the other card that my Stamp Club made last week. In keeping with the theme that "It's All About the Paper!" we used two more of the patterns from the gorgeous Spice Cake patterned paper. We also incorporated the matching Spice Cake fabric into the card - love that stuff! It's so easy to work with, and you get quite a bit of material in 3 different patterns/colors - those fat quarters are pretty fat!

Recipe
Stamps: Always Thankful
Paper: Spice Cake Designer Series paper; Soft Suede, Pool Party & Vanilla CS
Ink: Basic Black, More Mustard & Pool Party stamp pads; River Rock & More Mustard markers
Accessories: Spice Cake Designer Fabric; Scallop Oval, Modern Label & 1-3/8" Circle punches; Mini Library Clips; Blender Pens; Stampin' Dimensionals

The wheat image was stamped with Basic Black. I then made a "pool" of color on the inside top of my stamp pad case by repeatedly pressing the top down into the pad and then opening the case. I used a blender pen to pick up ink from that pool to color the image, which enables you to shade the image as you desire. I used the MM marker add some deeper shading to the wheat, and colored the grass with River Rock. The quote was stamped on vanilla CS, then punched out with the oval punch. I punched a circle out of Soft Suede and adhered that to the back of the oval. I punched another piece of Soft Suede with the Modern Label punch and then cut that piece in half, and adhered one half to each side of my quote behind the circle. I finished it off by clipping a short piece of fabric in the Library Clip and clipping it to the quote, then added Dimensionals to the back and adhered it over the fabric strip running along the right third of the card. To adhere the fabric strip, I simply ran adhesive from top to bottom along the right edge of the brown patterned paper, then simply stuck the fabric to the adhesive. Easy peasy!

Well, I'm thankful that I finished this post and can now go to bed. What are you thankful for? Remember, there's always something!!

BTGO!

I bet you're scratching your head, wondering what in the world that means! That's what I did the first time I saw BOGO on a sales flyer. It took me a while (don't forget I'm a 50+ blonde Norwegian) to figure out it meant Buy One, Get One! Well, Stampin' Up! has a great deal this month on the Simply Sent Kits: Buy Two, Get One coordinating stamp set free!!

The kits are found on pages 192-193 in the big catalog, and the coordinating sets are right next to them. You can order two of one kit plus the coordinating stamp set, or mix and match different kits and one stamp set. The Simply Sent Kits offer a variety of basic themes, so it's easy to create cards for any occasion. This is the perfect option for beginning crafters, as well as those of you who think you have no time to make your own cards. You can grab any Simply Sent kit, some adhesive and your scissors, and have eight cute cards in a short amount of time. Imagine getting a bunch of cards done while you're waiting at the doctor's office! Scout troops and other organizations would also benefit from a quick and easy craft project. These kits also make fabulous stocking stuffers (hint, hint)!

While the kits make 8 cards each, you'll have the stamps and leftover embellishments (Stampin' Up! is very generous with the supplies in these kits) to use on other projects. AND you can purchase "refill" kits any time throughout the catalog year. It's all about convenience!  To order, just click on the link on the right side of the page to go to my shopping website. While you're there, check out the holiday items on the UPDATED Clearance Rack - there's some great bargains to be had! But hurry, things are selling out fast!