For a Friend

This card was inspired by Mary Fish's layout for the Mojo Monday sketch challenge.  Our design incorporates the I {Heart} Hearts set along with some of the Poppy Parade In Color Patterns DSP.  The hearts are punched using the full heart and heart to heart punches.  The large heart is then layered on a 2 3/8" scallop and a 2 1/2" circle. 

Wish Big Cupcake Card

Like yesterday's post, this card was also made with the Big Shot, and will be one of the projects for January's Big Shot Club.  The Bigz XL die cuts the cupcake card, the wavy bottom holder (complete with score lines), the cherry, and a candle (not pictured).  We used the new red glimmer paper from the Stampin' Up Occasions mini catalog (which starts TODAY!) for the cherry.  The glittered paper only comes in red at this time, but it is awesome because it doesn't come off (mess-free glitter...WOOHOO!), and it's sold in a package of two 12"x12" sheets.  What a great way to add shimmer to your die-cut and punched images! We also added extra shimmer to the edge of the cupcake frosting with silver glass glitter, a treasure that originally appeared in the Holiday mini and has been carried over (with additional colors available) to the Occasions mini!  The "Wish Big" sentiment is from the Word Play set and the inside sentiment is from the Full of Life set.  The bottom holder and red inside cardstock layer were run through the paper crimper.  We wrapped a piece of Real Red 1/8" taffeta ribbon around the bottom holder.    

We "LOVE" Movers & Shapers Dies

This is another one of our January Big Shot Club projects - it was made using the heart-shaped magnetic Movers & Shapers die for the Big Shot.  The heart can be cut out from any position on the front of the card when used with the Movers & Shapers card die.  The beautiful letters are from the Jayne's Type Alphabet set, and then they were punched out with the coordinating heart punch.  The edge of the Early Espresso border was punched using the Pinking Hearts border punch.  It is accented with some of the Chantilly 1/2" crochet trim.

Critter Thank You Card

Once again, we are so sad to see the Merry Crittermas stamp set retiring along with the Holiday mini catalog on January 3rd.  This simple thank you note incorporates some of the Jolly Holiday DSP along with the cuddly critter image from the set.  The critter was colored with a blender pen and coordinating classic ink pads.

Love Is In The Air

This is one of the cards we'll be doing for January's Big Shot Club.  The front was done using the Lots of Love Letterpress plate in the Big Shot.  Full disclosure: after trying the letterpress plates initially the way that Stampin' Up! recommends (using Craft ink and brayer for application), we vowed never to demonstrate them to our customers.  Luckily, one of our fellow demonstrators shared with us how he had used one with a Versamark pad and the tackiness of the ink helped it adhere without slipping.  So we tried it, and were pleased with the results (although we would still recommend using repositionable adhesive to stick the cardstock to the top cutting plate).  Out of all the texture plates, this one is our favorite, as the design of the different fonts really creates a beautiful background, or the words can be cut or punched out and used alone.  The colors are hard to decipher in the photo - we used Pretty In Pink for the card base and layered with Rich Razzleberry and Melon Mambo.  The ribbon is 5/8" Rich Razzleberry satin with 1/8" Pretty In Pink taffeta on top. 

Cheers to 2011 and to YOU!

We don't ever make New Year's cards, but the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set has this "Happy New Year" stamp, so it was begging us to use it!  And, of course, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to toast all of you and wish you a happy and healthy 2011!  We look forward to sharing creativity with you in the New Year and beyond!  The clinking champagne glasses image is from the Cheers to You set.  And, YES, there are a bunch of rhinestones on this card!  More like "BLING in the New Year!!"  The scallop oval frame and DSP oval inside were cut with the Bigz die in the Big Shot.  Holes were punched around the oval with a 1/4" punch and then the rhinestones were placed inside, leaving a slight Peach Parfait border.  The champagne was colored using a Peach Parfait classic ink pad and blender pen.  However you choose to celebrate, have fun and be safe - HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Holiday Mini Catalog Ends Soon!

It's always bittersweet when our mini catalogs transition.  It's exciting because that means that FUN, NEW STUFF is going to be available in the next one (Occasions mini catalog starts 1/4/11); but it also means that our favorites in the current one will no longer be available.  The images (large and small paisley hearts) used in this card are from the Paisley Prints set, which we received at Convention this past summer, and we admit was not initially one of our favorites.  However, it has grown on us, and we were hoping to use the leaf and tree images during the holidays (but those came and went in a hurry), and now the hearts would be ideal for Valentine's Day, so we thought ahead, since this set is only available through January 3rd.  The sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set.  It's tough to think about Valentine's Day already amidst the lingering Christmas decorations, but it will be here before we know it and gone in a hurry, so plan ahead!  

She's Having a Baby!

Our niece, April, and her husband Justin are expecting a baby girl in January!  This card was made for them, and was based on a card originally designed by our friend Kevin.  The stamped images are from a few sets - the bottle is from Tag Alongs (our annual Ronald McDonald House set from which $2 from the sale of each one goes to RMHC), the letters are from Monogram Sweet, the inside sentiment (except for congratulations) is from Full of Life, and the rest are from Baby Bundle.  We are thrilled for them and wish them all the best!

Time for Thanks

These quick & easy thank you notes were made with left over 3 1/2" square Candy Cane Christmas DSP scraps.  The wavy DSP on the bottom was cut using the Big Shot with the Tasteful Trim die.  The sentiment if from the Occasional Quotes level 3 hostess set and then punched with the large oval punch. 

Customer Appreciation Event



Reception Table



Luanne, Brenda, Kathie, & Cheryl



Tasha, Diane, Merna, Carolyn, Randi, & Stacy



Tasha, Stacy, Randi, & Diane





Tiffany, Diana, Bobbi, & Nancy



Tiffany, Judy, & Scot

We hosted a customer appreciation night on Monday, December 13th (yes, it's been a while), but it was so much fun!  We truly wish that ALL of our WONDERFUL customers/friends could've attended!  The photos above are from that evening, and we hope they had as much fun as we did!  We are so grateful for our amazing customers and their friendship!  We look forward to making this an annual tradition!  

Merry Crittermas!

Although Christmas has officially come and gone (sniff, sniff), we wanted to share a couple of projects that were done using the Merry Crittermas stamp set, which is only available for a little more time in the Holiday mini catalog.  Kira made the treat holders above for the kids when we got together for our Christmas celebration last night.  The chocolates are wrapped with Celebrations DSP, and as you can see, the image on top is stamped with the Merry Crittermas set.   

The card shown above was sent to us from our friend Patty.  We think it would make a perfect Christmas thank you card, by just changing the sentiment.  The card is embossed with the Northern Flurry folder, the snowflakes are from the Northern Frost Decorative Strip die.  The rabbit image has a coating of glitter over the top of it.

We hope you and your families had an enjoyable and memorable Christmas!  We look forward to sharing ideas and creativity with you in the New Year!

Merry Christmas to All!

Scot reporting here...it is our tradition for my wife and I to host our families (those who are available) for Christmas Eve.  Well, last night, Kira presents me with this AMAZING gift!!!  The reason why it's so amazing is because it's the chorus from the song "Believe" by Josh Groban (from the movie Polar Express), and she knows that it is one of my favorites - I LOVE the message!  She used a cookie sheet that's painted black and adhered pieces of Jolly Holiday DSP to it.  The letters are die cut vinyl (that she had cut at the sign business where she works).  She has made so many wonderful holiday gifts for us that we cherish through the years.  I love, love, love it!  THANK YOU, Kira!!!

We wish all of you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a New Year full of happiness, good health, and stamping good times with friends!!  And a SPECIAL THANK YOU to all of you who support us and share our love of stamping and crafting!!!

In case you can't read it in the photo, here are the words to the chorus of the song:

“Believe in what your heart is saying

Hear the melody that’s playing

There’s no time to waste

There’s so much to celebrate

Believe in what you feel inside

And give your dreams the wings to fly

You have everything you need

If you just believe”

Happy Birthday Pocket Portfolio

Happy Birthday to Kira's husband, Mark, today!  This is the pocket portfolio that she made for him using the Celebrations DSP and lots of other fun stuff!  This is the same design as one that was posted a couple of weeks ago using the Autumn Spice DSP.  The outside is decorated with the DSP cut using the Top Note die for the Sizzix Big Shot.  The scallop envelope die was used for the inside pockets and the Tasteful Trim die was also used for the scalloped accents above and below the envelopes.  A variety of stamp sets and puches were used for the greetings and star accents.  We wish Mark a very Happy Birthday, and MANY MORE!

We apologize for our absence lately, but hopefully we'll soon be posting some fresh projects as soon as the "holiday rush" has passed.  We wish all of you and your families Happy Holidays and all the best in the New Year!  And of course, happy stamping in the New Year too!

Ghiradelli Chocolate Holder

This idea came from Jill Hilliard, such an easy treat holder!  This was also a great use for our leftover scraps of Candy Cane DSP (which is unfortunately sold out).  As you can see, we tried a it a couple of different ways using each side of the paper, tilting the sentiment and spacing the ribbon holes differently.  The measurement is so easy and you can get 3 of them out of an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of cardstock, and save time by scoring the full sheet first.  Cut the full sheet into 9" x 8", score along the 8" side at 3 7/8" and 4 1/8", then cut on the 9" side into three 3" pieces.  The sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set.

Peace on Earth Card

This card is very similar to one that we recently posted; however, we used the embossed frame for the stamped image.  The "frame" was embossed using a thin wood oval frame and the Petals a Plenty embossing folder.  The pine tree is from the Lovely as a Tree set.  It was stamped in Wild Wasabi and then "thumped" with the Garden Green Stampin' Write marker.  The tree trunk was colored prior to stamping using an Early Espresso Stampin' Write marker.  We finished it off with a piece of 1/8" taffeta ribbon and a stamped sentiment from the Four the Holidays set inside.

Fancy Favor Christmas Boxes

Here's another Big Shot Club project we'll be doing in this week's workshop.  This month we are focusing mostly on the Sizzlits Decorative Strip dies, so we've decorated these fancy favor boxes with the Join In The Cheer Sizzlits Decorative Strip die (it wraps around the whole box).  We've added a couple stamped holly images from the Tags Til Christmas set .

Big Shot Birthday

This is one of the cards that we'll be doing in Big Shot Club this week.  We used the Basic Birthday Sizzlits Decorative Strip die to create a "drop shadow" (Kira and her big graphic designer terms) with Pacific Point first and then Bashful Blue on top.  We thought it created a cool effect.  The Celebrations DSP at the bottom was cut using the Tasteful Trim die.  And how about the pinata, isn't a fun touch?!?!  This is an image from the Cumpleanos set, which is out of the Spanish Idea Book & Catalog. 

Save 20% on Great Holiday Bundles

This is another version of a card that was previously posted.  It includes the two items from the Contempo Christmas bundle, which can be purchased for 20% off during our ABC's of a Perfect Handmade Holiday promotion.  The two items are the Contempo Christmas stamp set and the Jolly Holiday designer series paper pack.  The card was cut out using the Movers & Shapers die and the elements on the front were done with the Tasteful Trim die, both for the Big Shot. 

Treat Portfolio

Although Thanksgiving is past, I (Scot) had to share this wonderful treat portfolio that Kira made and brought to McCall and I as a Thanksgiving host gift.  It can easily be adapted for other holidays to include the same delicious Ghiradelli chocolate squares and Starbucks VIA coffee, or whatever treats you decide on!  The Day of Gratitude stamp set and Autumn Spice DSP were used as the primary elements, along with a variety of other stamps and accessories. 

Scallop Circle Gift Card Holder

This gift card holder starts with a 6" x 12" piece of cardstock, and is then folded and cut using the Bigz Scallop Circle die.  After it's cut, it was embossed using a folder.  The sentiment on the front is from the Grateful Greetings set and punched with the tag punch.  They are an easy way to personalize a gift card!