Ship in a Bottle

I realize that I often use the word "cute" to describe stamp

sets, but I can't help it.  There are a ton of

CUTE sets in the annual catalog.  Message in a Bottle,

on page 52 is one of them.

The images and coordinating sentiments in this set make

it quick and easy to create a card for ANYBODY.

I layered the focal image on card stock that I had run through 

the Garden Trellis Textured Impressions Embossing Folder.

It was fun to make and will be a great card for a

birthday dude in my life. 

Cookie Cutter Eskimo with Swirly Snowflakes

As I've mentioned, making Christmas cards just makes me happy.   I put effort into them because hand made Christmas cards

bring joy to friends and family.

Stampin' Up offers so many wonderful Christmas products.

You can pick a cute/sweet card making product,
 or a traditional theme.

The Cookie Cutter Christmas set on page 116, with 

coordinating Cookie Cutter Builder Punch (p 208) is one

of the CUTE product suites.  The images are so darling to

color (with the new Stampin' Blends), or you can stamp them

and avoid coloring altogether.  

In this example, I added

the lacy border from the Swirly Snowflakes Thinlits Dies

on page 35 of the Holiday catalog.  The snowflakes come from 

the Seasonal Layers Thinlits on page 216.  The eskimo is

layered on an Always Artichoke oval created with the

Stitched Shapes Framelits on page 214.

Color Me Happy with Butterfly Basics

Recently I mentioned that Stampin' Up! will be releasing

a line of alcohol markers.  Well, the arrival date has been

announced!  On November 1st, the Stampin' Blends

will be available, as individual markers, in coordinated color 
pairings, or a complete set!

 In addition to the new Stampin' Blends alcohol markers,

a new set is being offered.  The Color Me Happy

set includes birds, lanterns (above), a flower and 4 sentiments.

In this example, I paired the new Color Me Happy set

with Butterfly Basics on page 149.  Given the pattern of

lanterns that I stamped, I really liked this sentiment.
Stampin' Blends used on this card include Pool Party,
Daffodil Delight and Calypso Coral.  As recommended,
the images were stamped with the Tuxedo Black
Memento Ink Pad, and then colored in.

For more information on the new Stampin' Blends,

please check out this video!

Stamp Off Woodland Folder with Seasonal Layers Thinlits

Check us out, it's another Stamp Off Challenge!

We have all kinds of good things happening,

so Buffy, Susan and I are glad that you are here.

Today, our challenge is all about using your favorite

Textured Impressions Embossing folder.

These folders are found on pages 210-11 in the annual

catalog, plus others scattered throughout the Holiday catalog.

This was a difficult challenge because I LOVE the
SU Textured Impressions Embossing Folders.  ALL of them.
I just kind of picked one that called to me in the moment.

This card looked very different in my head, but that is

sometimes the way it goes.  I wanted to place a stamped

image behind the trees from the Woodland Textured Impressions
Embossing Folder, but it did not turn out as I pictured.

On to plan "B"!

Instead, I took leaves from the Seasonal Layers Thinlits
Dies on page 216 and placed them behind the stamped
sentiment from Painted Harvest (Holiday catalog p 49).
Leaves with the Woodland folder were a natural fit.
Besides, the leaves are falling outside, so raking
season has begun.  

Thank you for checking out our challenge.  Now please
click on over to find out which Textured Impressions
Embossing Folders Susan and Buffy selected this week.

Happy Painted Harvest

The Painted Harvest set is a real utilitarian product, in that

it can be used as a focal image or background.  In this example,

it is kind of both.

First, I used the Celebrations Duo Textured Impressions Embossing

Folder on page 211, to create the "Happy" impression.

Then I simply stamped the sunflowers over top.  

I added a bit of Pear Pizzazz Ribbon and Curry Baker's 

Twine and that is pretty much it!

Hearts Come Home

The Hearts Come Home set and Hometown 

Greetings Edgelits Dies

(on page 34 of the Holiday Catalog) harken back to some

previous edgelits, that enabled creation of beautiful scenes.

The "old time" buildings are a lovely Christmas traditon.

It is also very simple to layer these buildings to make a

basic cards, shaker cards, candles and other creations.