Merry Monday Poinsettia Greetings

Again, Lesley has a great sketch for Merry Monday!

I had just got this poinsettia die that I'd been wanting for at least a year.  DH says if you've wanted something that long, you probably should get it.  He didn't have to tell me twice!  So guess what I used for that little circle?

And what a perfect use for some snippets of that pretty decorative paper I've been enjoying. So over to Pixie's Crafty Workshop I go.

And I also want to honor Shadow's Mom (Lee-Anne) who is the Featured Stamper at SCS this week.  She did a beautiful punched poinsettia card last year.  Congratulations, Lee-Anne! Enjoy your week.

Be sure to check out the rest of the Design Teams cards.  I've had a sneak peek and they are gorgeous!

Lesley Croghan

LeAnne Pugliese

Bonnie Klass

Nina Forsyth

Wendy Aungst

Narelle Farrugia

Allisa Chilton

Sue Joyce

Sherry Eckblad

Margaret Moody (FD)

We'd love to have you join us.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Many Merry Messages (retired)

Ink:  Cherry Cobbler

Paper:  Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Be of Good Cheer and Snow Festival Designer Papers

Other:  Snow Flurry EF (retired),  Ap0thecary Accents Die, Poinsettia Nestie (Spellbinders)

Tiny Gold Beads (my stash)

Thanks so much for the visit!  

Enjoy!

Hark the Herald

This card started out as a Merry Monday card for this week, but I decided to go another direction for my Design Team card.  Here's the runner up.  (If you want to see the Merry Monday card, scroll down to the last post.)

When I was visiting blogs, I saw a couple few other challenges that this would fit and thought I'd play along with them.

Christmas Stamping All Year Long - Anything Goes
My Mum's Craft Shop Challenge - Christmas in August
Christmas Card Challenge - Texture
Winter Wonderland - Inspiration photo

Merry Monday #28 - Sketch

I used the Essentials Paper Piercing Pack to do all that fancy piercing.  The templates have lots of designs to choose from.  The new SU Paper Piercing Tool is easy to hold and works wonderfully.

All supplies are Stampin' Up! (unless otherwise noted)

Card Recipe

Stamps: Rejoicing with You, Many Merry Messages

Ink:  VersaMark

Paper:  Very Vanilla, Brushed Gold

Other:  Essentials Paper-Piercing Pack, Paper-Piercing Tool,  Large Scallop Edgelit, Delicate Designs EF, Gold Embossing Powder, Scallop Trim Corner Punch

I hope you've enjoyed the Christmas posts today.  I've sure enjoyed your stopping by.  And thanks so much for commenting. I really enjoy hearing from you and seeing what you're doing too.

Enjoy!

Guest Designer

It's Merry Monday time and this go round I'm so excited to be a Guest Designer.   I am so honored and love this week's sketch.  I'm sure I'll be using it a lot!

Here's the card I came up with.

Super easy with a base of Very Vanilla and a scrap of Cherry Cobbler and some Christmas DSP edged with the Adorning Accents Edgelit & Embossing Folder.  Then it was all wrapped up with a Christmas bow.

Be sure to go over to Lesley's blog to check out the Merry Monday #12 challenge.  I hope you will join us and get a head start on your Christmas cards.

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

Card Recipe
Stamps:  Many Merry Messages
Ink:  Cherry Cobbler
Paper:  Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, DSP
Other:  Big Shot, Adorning Accents Edgelit & EF, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding, Corner Rounder Punch


Thanks so much for the visit and welcome to my new followers.

Enjoy!

Golden Bells

Another Christmas card thanks to the Merry Monday Challenge.

This week Torico gave us this sketch.

Torico does the most adorable digital stamps.  She is celebrating her birthday and, until March 3rd is offering her digital stamps for $1.00 each.  If you visit her blog, Birdie Brown you can find the link to her Etsy store.  Before you leave her blog, scroll down to see her freebies and the beautiful samples made from her stamps.

I didn't use one of her stamps this week.  I'm just starting on the digital stamps and need some more practice. I have found out that I can print and heat set the images so I can color them with the SU Markers and a blender pen without smudging.  They would be great for watercoloring too if I could put the watercolor paper through the printer.  My printer is challenged with card stock. (I appreciate your suggestions and hope to find a new printer soon.)

For this card I used the Bells and Boughs set and stamped the image with Jet Black StazOn on Shimmery White then colored with markers.  I colored the bow with a gold glitter pen that I've had for years.  I can't believe it hasn't dried out yet.  Here's a closer view.  Maybe you can see the sparkle.

The hammered gold paper is some I've been hoarding for ages.  It's too pretty to use and too pretty not to use.  Do you understand that thinking?

I added some gold flat back beads that have also been in my stash for a while.

Card Recipe
Stamps:  Bells and Boughs, Many Merry Messages
Ink:  Jet Black StazOn, Encore Gold, SU Markers (More Mustard, Garden Green, Old Olive, Real Red, Cherry Cobbler)
Paper:  Whisper White, Shimmery White, Gold
Other:  2 3/8" Scallop Circle, 2 1/2" Circle, 1/8" Circle, and Scallop Trim Border Punches, Gold EP, Organdy Ribbon, Gold Glitter Pen, Gold Flat Back Beads


This is one of those cards that didn't end up at all like it started.  Over the course of 2 or 3 days, it evolved.

I'm glad you could stop in.  I hope you have a great weekend.

Enjoy!

Merry Messages

Another Christmas card for the stash.

This is the sketch for Merry Monday challenge this week.

I used one of the new Framelit Labels dies to cut the design.  After I cut it, I left it in the die and traced around the edge with my red marker.  To make the narrow mat, I cut 2 pieces of green with the same die.  I cut both in half; one the long way and the other the short way and pieced them to the back of the design.

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

Card Recipe
Stamps: Many Merry Messages, Bells and Boughs
Ink:  Garden Green, SU Markers (Garden Green, Real Red, Crumb Cake)
Paper:  Whisper White, Garden Green
Other:  Labels Framelits, Square Lattice EF, Blender Pen, Real Red 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon


I'm glad you stopped to visit.

Enjoy!

Another Merry Monday

Yep, I know it's Thursday.  As much as I want to keep up with this challenge, I seem to have trouble keeping getting it done on Monday.  I think I am a day earlier than last week though.

Lesley, over at Always Playing with Paper, gave us a wonderful sketch for the Merry Monday challenge this week.

I've used a similar sketch before and had to fight the inclination to do the same thing.

I tried a couple of different things with no success.  Then I pulled out an envelope with some UFO pieces left over from last Christmas, saw this ornament and went from there.

All supplies are Stampin' Up!

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Many Merry Messages

Ink:  Basic Black

Paper:  Whisper White, Basic Black, Real Red, Silver and Red Glimmer Paper

Other:  Big Shot, Elegant Lines EF, Simply Scored, Ornament and Boho Blossoms Punches, Basic Rhinestone

It's been another beautiful day in Carolina.  The groundhog predicts 6 more weeks of winter.  I wonder, does that mean 6 more weeks like we've had?  In that case Spring is here!

I'm so glad you stopped by.  Do come again soon.

Enjoy!

Holly, Jolly Christmas

I love this Jolly Bingo Bits stamp set.  The images are tiny and a bit challenging for a card, but I've enjoyed playing with them.

I think they are well suited to these 3 1/4" x 6 1/4" cards and it couldn't be easier.  I inked the image with markers and stamped on a scrap of Whisper White 3 times, punched them out with my 1 1/4" Square punch, punched 3 scallop squares from scraps of Garden Green, adhered the images and stamped the sentiment. Rounded corners mimic the scallops.

There are 24 images that can be mixed or matched.  Quick, easy and uses scraps... What fun!

I think I'll enter this in the SU Only challenge this week to make a card using our favorite Christmas colors.

All supplies SU

Card Recipe

Stamps:  Jolly Bingo Bits, Many Merry Messages

Ink:  SU Markers (Real Red, Garden )

Paper:  Whisper White, Garden Green

Other:  Scallop Square, 1 1/4" square, Corner Rounder punches

I'm so glad you stopped by and I love hearing from you.

Enjoy!

 

Baby It's Cold Outside

This is a quick card made from pieces tried and discarded for a later date.  They didn't even make it into my UFO (UnFinished Objects) box.

Can you see the rhinestones in the centers of the lacy flowers.  And I love to thread ribbon, or in this case, Baja Breeze Seam Binding through the lace.

The sentiment is one word from the Peace on Earth stamp in the Four the Holidays set.

I don't know if you can see it or not, but the snowflakes are wearing a little Dazzling Details.  I do love sparkly snow!

And this is from another experiment.  I first embossed the card front with the Northern Frost Embossing Folder, then covered the snowflakes with Dazzling Details.  I love the sparkle, but the moisture from the Dazzling Details made some waves in the design piece.  I can still see the waves so I'm thinking I should have used more adhesive on the back.

Card Recipe (Card 1)

Stamps:  Northern Hearts (Retired), Four the Holidays

Ink:  Baja Breeze, SU Marker (Baja Breeze)

Paper:  Whisper White, Marina Mist, Baja Breeze

Other:  Dazzling Details, Lace Ribbon Border Punch, Baja Breeze Seam Binding, Basic Rhinestones

Card Recipe (Card 2)

Stamps: Many Merry Messages

Ink:  Cherry Cobbler

Paper:  Basic Black, Whisper White

Other:  Big Shot, Northern Frost EF, Dazzling Details

Yesterday it was almost 80 here and the temperature has dropped to 46 this afternoon and supposed to keep going down.  It's a good day to think about Christmas and snowflakes!  I hope you are enjoying the weather wherever you are.

Thanks for the stopping by.  I really appreciate your comments.

Enjoy!

 

Seeing Stars

The Less is More challenge last Saturday set me thinking.  Well, the more I thought, the less I knew what I was going to do.  Finally, I was able to get to my stamps and play a bit and now have a few minutes to share with you.  The challenge is
 

*STARS*

I only have one star stamp of any size and it's a long retired stamp from Stampin' Up!'s Ornate Ornaments.  The date on the stamp is 1997.

Using my Stamp-a-ma-jig, I stamped with VersaMark ink and heat embossed with Cherry Cobbler Embossing Powder.  The sentiment is from the Many Merry Messages and I inked the noel without the tails with my Cherry Cobbler Marker.  A bit of Linen Thread finished it off with a Folk Art feel.

Then I went glitzy and punched an ornament out of some silver Glimmer Paper and a small star from the red Glimmer Paper.  This paper is wonderful.  The glitter stays put so I don't have sparkles all over the house.  That's a basic rhinestone in the middle.  The embossing is with the Snow Burst folder that is in the Holiday Mini catalog.

The last card was made from the stars I punched to do a wreath that just didn't work out.  I think this card needs something else but I haven't decided what.  Maybe you can give me some suggestions.

Thanks so much for visiting today.

Enjoy!

Catching Up

I didn't get to stamp at all yesterday.   Other things seemed to keep interfering with my fun.  I did get some Christmas decorating done.  My goal is to have it done by Saturday when my girls all come to bake cookies.  I think it's our favorite time of the year!

My card today is for the Color Challenge at SCS this week to use River Rock, Old Olive, Real Red and Neutrals of Choice.

I stamped the whole design in River Rock, then I used the blender pen dipped in the Whisper White ink pad for the berries.  I did use a little Garden Green with a blender pen on the leaves so I guess this is not completely within the challenge.

So, here's another card for this challenge and the CAS95 challenge at SCS to use flower accents.

No cheating on this one!  I had a piece of Real Red that I had embossed with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder.  I punched three 5 Petal Flowers out of it.  (I cut down the one I used on top.)  Then I cut two flowers out of Old Olive for the leaves.

There's Dazzling Diamonds on the lattice and around the sentiment.  It doesn't show up very well in the photo but it sparkles IRL.

Card Recipe (Mistletoe)
Stamps:  A Cardinal Christmas
Ink:  River Rock, Whisper White, Garden Green, Real Red
Paper:  Whisper White, Old Olive
Accessories:  Blender Pen, Real Red Grosgrain Ribbon

Card Recipe (Poinsettia)
Stamps:  Many Merry Messages
Ink:  Real Red
Paper:  River Rock, Whisper White, Real Red, Old Olive
Accessories:  Big Shot, Lattice die, Square Lattice EF, 5 Petal Flower Punch, Dazzling Diamonds, Basic Pearls

Now to get a few more things out to decorate for Christmas.

Thanks for the visit.  I hope you will come back soon.

Enjoy,
Bonnie 

Northern Noel

I love this Northern Flurries Embossing Folder!  It gives such a crisp emboss!  And I have some friends who are very fond of a black and white scheme.  So another Christmas card is done.

The color scheme was really inspired by the CAS challenge today on SCS to use checks or gingham.  The only gingham I have is ribbon in red or black.  And I hadn't done anything in black and white for a while.

This embossing folder made the card super simple.  Once the embossing was done, all I had to do was stamp the sentiment, tie on the ribbon and mount it on a black card.  A few of the SU Basic Rhinestones finished it off.  It's probably one of the quickest cards I've ever made!

Card Recipe
Stamps:  Many Merry Messages
Ink:  Basic Black
Paper:  Basic Black, Whisper White
Accessories:  Big Shot, Northern Flurries Embossing Folder (p. 26 of the Holiday Mini), Black Gingham Ribbon (now retired), Basic Rhinestones

Enjoy!
Bonnie

Peaceful Noel

I am really enjoying this Peaceful Season stamp set!  It's a Level 2 Hostess Gift and it has so many possiblilities!

I used the holly today to do a card for the CAS challenge over on SCS.  It was a sketch challenge of this card .

I know it's early for Christmas cards and I hope you won't tire of seeing Christmas too soon.  With so many cards to make, I feel like I need to get an early start. Even then, I'll probably not be ready on time.  I'll try to fit in something else once in awhile.

This card was pretty quick and easy.  I inked the stamp with markers and stamped it on a Natural White card base then used the markers to add some veins in the leaves and darken the berries a bit.  I masked the holly and stamped a few more leaves to fill it out.  I love the way this stamps because it makes it look frosty without adding any glitter.

By the way, thanks for all the positive comments about my very glittery card.  I'm glad I posted it and didn't trash it because it seems that many of you enjoyed it!

A clear block works well as a guide for the lines.  Unfortunately, I didn't have a block the right size, so I had to carefully slide it over as I drew.

Card Recipe
Stamps:  Peaceful Season, Many Merry Messages
Ink:  Cherry Cobbler
Paper:  Naturals White
Accessories:  Soft Suede, Garden Green, Cherry Cobbler SU Markers

I hope you found some inspiration here tonight.

Enjoy,
Bonnie

Step it Up with Holly

Last week I showed you a good workshop card then stepped it up a notch.  I'd like to do that again.

This is a card that we did in Sarah's workshop last weekend.  It was very quick and fun and seemed to appeal to all the stampers.

Then I stepped it up a bit to this.....

I used the Square Lattice Embossing Folder on the green, added a punched layer, used the blender pen to pull some color into the leaves and rounded the bottom corners.

I think it made a prettier card.  Only problem is that it didn't leave room for the Season's Greetings on the front.

Card Recipe
Stamps:  Bells & Boughs, Many Merry Messages
Ink:  Garden Green, Early Espresso
Paper:  Whisper White, Garden Green, Real Red
Accessories:  Real Red SU Marker, Blender Pen, Big Shot, Square Lattice EF, Scallop Trim Border Punch

Have a wonderful weekend.  I hope you get to stamp something fun.

Enjoy your blessings,
Bonnie

Vintage Season's Greetings

I know it's Thursday, but this is for Simplicity's One Layer Wednesday Challenge. I did one like this yesterday and learned a lesson. You can't paint the rhinestones with markers. Well, you can, but the color rubs off on the card! I wish Stampin' Up! had Cherry Cobbler rhinestones or pearls.

One layer cards are a challenge because they can look so flat and plain. It's amazing though, what some lines or scoring can do to finish off the cards. Susan, aka lateblossom of Simplicity fame, often adds good advice to help with making a one layer card look as elegant and finished as a layered card. She has really inspired me and I have learned a lot from her through her blog.

This week's challenge was to use a border stamp. I used the border stamp from the Vintage Vogue set. It wasn't hard to get it straight since I have the clear mount set. I don't know about you, but I love being able to see where I'm stamping! Of course you do have to position the label straight. There's the challenge there! Anyway, I inked the stamp with markers and stamped it along the side.

After stamping the sentiment, I used a ruler and, holding my breath, drew lines around the sentiment to give it some dimension so it wouldn't look like it was just plopped down.

Instead of the colored rhinestones, I used some gold gems to dress up a couple of corners.

Card Recipe:
Stamps: Vintage Vogue, Many Merry Messages
Ink: Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Naturals White
Acc.: Cherry Cobbler & Old Olive SU Markers, Ruler, Gold Gems

It was quick and easy. It's a good thing since I had to make two. Remember the first one smeared.

Now go on over to Simplicity to see lots of other One Layer cards. There's lots of inspiration there.

Hope you found some inspiration here too.
Bonnie

Unexpected Tree Trimming

This weeks One Layer Wednesday challenge at Simplicity is to use Unexpected Colors and of course only one layer. Wow, what a challenge.

I"m not going to tell you how many times I tried this. Am I the only one that struggles with the Stamp-a-ma-jig? Ugggh!

I've been thinking about cards to do for the Christmas Card Class, so I had Christmas on my mind. I stamped the ornament first, then laid down a large oval cut with the BIG GUY and sponged all around. Then I spritzed all around with Melon Mambo to give a little bit more color.

I don't know that I would do more Christmas cards in pastel colors, but this was an interesting challenge.

Card Recipe
Stamps: Tree Trimmings, Many Merry Messages
Ink: Marina Mist, Pear Pizzazz
Paper: Whisper White
Acc.: Big Shot, Original Ovals die, Stamping Sponges, Color Spritzer Tool, Melon Mambo SU Marker, Rhinestone

I really like the sponged look, especially with the color spritzing. It adds dimension without the layers.

Hope you've had a wonderful day.
Bonnie

Season's Greetings

Another easy peasy card! Seems to be my favorite kind these days. I used the Many Merry Messages stamped in Handsome Hunter and matted in Real Red. Merry Moments DSP fills the background and Real Red grosgrain ribbon with a Vanilla Ribbon Slide from the Hodgepodge Hardware finishes it off. I'm really glad I bought the Many Merry Messages stamp set. It has 4 greetings for the fronts of cards and 4 sentiments to stamp on the inside.

Thanks for stopping by. Let me know what you think. I welcome your comments.

Bonnie