Have a Ball!!!

Here's Marti all ready to ring in the New Year! Or, you could use this as a birthday card, since it has a balloon! In Style Stamps has asked me to stay on as Guest Designer for January as well, so you will be seeing more of Marti, I think!!

A funny thing about this card: I made it open the wrong way! The last time I did this was five years ago when I was GREAT with child and couldn't sleep. I was up stamping in the night and when I went into my stamp room the next morning to examine my handywork, I noticed that every single card opened the wrong way! I could pry it all apart, but I'm not going to. I'm a human being. This is a handmade card. Humans make mistakes. I'm cool with that!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Tenth Day of Christmas

This is the tenth little trinket holder I've made for Lisa Pace's Twelve Days of Christmas workshop. I still have a few more entries for this workshop. I know Christmas is over, but this workshop is, "bought and paid for," so I'm going to do every one of Lisa's projects!! The base of this is a Blitzen tag, and the tiny box is a handmade box with an iris fold flower on top. A friend of mine made the box and the flower. I have tried iris folding, and I swear it is TOO HARD FOR ME!!!!

Jasmine Gift Box

This is Jasmine from In Style Stamps. I thought she would look pretty on this retired SU! box. This can be used as a combination centerpiece and gift box. I was thinking about what kinds of things would fit in here, and I thought of pacifiers, rattles, silverware, or other small toys. I thought of rigging a gift card hanging system, but I didn't have time for this box. I thought it would be fairly easy to do, I just didn't have the time to figure it out for this project. This is another scheduled post. We are back in CO at DH's parent's house. We'll be back by the 30th, I think.

Happy New Year to you all if I don't post again before then!!

Hugs!

Carla

Blog Candy Alert

Over at Whimsical Thoughts!

Ninth Day of Christmas!!

I ran out of time to finish my Lisa Pace workshop before Christmas, but I still plan to do every project!! This is the Ninth Day, and this is perfectly sized for a Hershey bar to slide right in. Lisa embroidered her example, and it's so pretty! I did not want to embroider. I used to do it all the time, but I'm just not in the mood these days, I guess. The large snowflakes are by Little Yellow Bicycle. I got mine from Mothers and Daughters Creations. There are also snowflake punches from a retired SU! punch, a tin snowflake, and snowflake sequins. I also used a silver and a white snowflake brad. I added some M's gems and a big sequin for the tag. I finished it off with a few good shots of silver glitter spray. Yippee!

Just so you know, Lisa is also doing a Valentine's workshop! I have already paid my class fees and am finishing up the Christmas one so that I will be all ready for Cupid's Workshop!!

Tomorrow I hope to have another project from In Style Stamps ready to post. I think I'll do something else with the sweet baby holding Jasmine!!

Ginger Gardening Gift Set

This was an awfully fun gift set to create, and easy, too! I stamped Ginger from In Style Stamps on the largest of the Marvy Scalloped Ovals and colored her in. I added some sponging, and lots of Cotton Candy Stickles. Then I picked out a pretty seed packet and mounted her on top. I added lots of Stickles and some sponging to the seed packet, and used a SU! punch to cover up the part of the label that wasn't pretty. I put one of my big silver eyelets in the corner and attached it to the Paperwhites kit with raffia to match the raffia already on the sign. So that's two gifts, the seeds and the pot of bulbs.

Then I altered a tin sign I picked up at Hobby Lobby. I took an American Crafts chipboard butterfly and pressed the back of it into a Pink Passion ink pad. The right side was bright green, and not the color I wanted, so I changed it. Then I went over the now pink butterfly with Stickles. I also added dots, outlined the letters and certain parts of the tin butterfly. That's three quick gifts!! Now this little sign looks like a gift from me-it has sparkle!!

Artistic Outpost Vintage Circus

I used one of the rosette boxes SU! used to carry for this. I just stamped a bunch of images from the Vintage Circus plate and rummaged around in my stamp room for some ephemera. I worked on each panel individually while trying to wind up with a cohesive finished product. Of course I added lots of Magenta Stickles for some bling. The gorgeous ribbon is by Basic Gray. Those of you who are ribbon afficianados probably already know that!! I put a making memories rub-on right on it, it worked beautifully.

The Crush cap I probably found in a parking lot somewhere. I'm always picking up rubble in parking lots. I think I recently embarrassed a girlfriend half to death by actually prying a button out of the asphault on our way out of a craft fair. I had to get a pen out of my purse to dig it out, and I regret it not one single bit! It's a fab button, and I'd pry it up again if I had to do it over! so now you know!!

Merry Christmas from Pam & Buster!!

Pam and Buster are from In Style Stamps! I just want to go on the record as saying that I always look this good when I walk my dogs. I never wear those weird sweats I have with the legs that, oddly, are not the same length. My labs walk sedately along, just like Buster, here! Actually, my Chocolate Lab weighs more than Pam, which is why she has a small, well behaved and well dressed dog.

I mixed Daisy D's and Blitzen here. Added a little Blue Boy Art Glitter on the Prima, one of those tags from the retired SU! tag sheets, a big gem and some ribbon. I will have these tag sheets forever. Is there anyone who ever used one of these up? That's why they retired. There are so many in there, not one person ever re-ordered!!

Merry Christmas!

hugs!!

Carla

Fortune Teller

More stamps from Artistic Outpost's new release, Fortune Teller. This card has a lot going on. I sewed the pocket on and the fortune teller comes out of the pocket. You could write on the back of it, and a gift card would fit well in there, too. It's hard to see in this picture, but I sprayed Black Cherry Glimmer Mist all over this, so it has a pretty shimmer.

Merry Christmas!!! This is another scheduled post. We're still in Denver. I figure DH is ready to have a nervous breakdown. He's probably read six or seven books by now. He usually finds a corner, crosses his long legs and reads a book. Hopefully he hasn't escaped to a music store and bought another instrument. I really must keep a closer eye on him. All this instrument buying sure does put a dent in my papercraft budget! I figure he'll start edging his way to the door shortly after we open stockings. By now, we are writing sonnets in our head about our Sleep Number Bed!!

Hugs!

Carla

Introducing Marti from In Style Stamps!

Now here's Marti, she knows how to have a good time! I colored her dress to match Basic Gray's Blitzen. I've used Blitzen about eight thousand times this Christmas, and I still have tons of it left. I'm still not tired of it, though!! I went over Marti with my Niji paints, they give everything such a beautiful shimmer, and I guess we all know how I feel about shimmer!

This is another scheduled post. This means I have been in Denver for one night and two days. I predict that at this moment my sister have abandoned our children with the husbands and are out spending money hand over fist. This is our usual routine, I don't see any reason to change it. Also, I will need some new pants. Stretchy ones. My second oldest brother is a great cook.

More Artistic Outpost Cutie Pie!!

Have I mentioned how much I adore this stamp set? It's just so sweet, I almost can't stand it! It's one of Artistic Outpost's three new releases. You can get them bundled or individually, and there is free shipping with any $50 purchase. Also, I think I've mentioned before that AO is very good about posting customer artwork on the AO blog. Ask Lisa Somerville, our DT Coordinator and she'll get you all taken care of.

This is a scheduled post. God willing and the creek don't rise, I'm happily ensconced in Denver, surrounded by my loving family and wondering why I don't just take up drinking. Just kidding. Sort of. It does get even louder and more chaotic than I'm used to when you cram so many people into one house. How I can even think of complaining I can't imagine. As I write, my 17yods is practicing his bass. Loudly. Luckily, he's actually talented, so it's music, not just noise. 15yods has his music blaring in his room. Not the same music as 17yods. Different. Also loud. 5yods is watching some kind of movie with lots of super heroes. Also loud. With crashes and lots of earnest shouting. DH has his headphones on and a world band radio by his side. I have no idea what he's doing. I just thank the Good Lord that I can't hear it!

Here's to family (raises Diet Coke), they may cause permanent hearing loss, but you wouldn't want to be without them!

Merry!

Carla

Merry Christmas Creative Cuts and More!!

Thanks so much for letting me design for you!! This is the sleigh die cut from Creative Cuts and More. I have seen so many completely different and beautiful styles made with this die. Here I used a Flourishes stamp and LOTS of silver glitter. Too much, maybe? NAAAHHH!!! There's also tinsel, silver bells, SU! silver cord, thin organdy ribbon, and a tin snowflake. I did both sides identically so it looks the same from every angle. I got the gorgeous little balls from M's. I have no idea whatsoever what they are for, but they were irresistible!!! The birds are from M's as well.

Merry Christmas Creative Play Stamps!!

Thank you so much for letting me design for you!! If you have not had the pleasure of checking out Creative Play Stamps, please stop by! They pretty much have everything and always have sales going on something or other. This set is called Snowflakes, and it comes with twelve different snowflakes! This set will never go out of style and will work for Christmas and winter cards. I also used Silver Stickles, which I simply can't get enough of this Christmas!

Today I am trying to catch up on laundry and generally get ready to leave town early Monday morning. I have six more cookie mixes to make for Sunday School teachers and youth group leaders. I have a book that has the labels pre-made, all I have done to gussy up the tags is emboss a Christmas stamp, sponge the edges, and add an eyelet to string the ribbon through. These are some of the easiest gifts I've ever made. I know they were really popular about five years ago, but I'm not ready to let the trend die. I've made Cowboy Cookie Mix, Chocolate Cookie Mix and today I'm making Sand Art Cookie Mix. Do you have any idea how hard it has been to resist the two large bags of M & M's that are hiding in my cabinets?

Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you get to spend some time with family and friends this holiday season-that's what I'm going to do!!

Hugs!

Carla

Introducing JASMINE from In Style Stamps!

This is my favorite of the seven In Style gals! I absolutely ADORE the blissful look she has on her face! Isn't this overwhelming joy exactly what it feels like? Honestly, does it get any better than holding a brand new piece of God's work? (HEY GOD, GOOD JOB ON BABIES!!!)

I know I mentioned this when I introduced Ginger, but aren't these happy stamps fun? With the way things are going in our world today, isn't it nice to see such beautiful smiles? It would be hard to be depressed for long if you were stamping with these sweet girls.

I hope you are lucky enough to find something that makes you happy today! I know that my stamping and through that, every single one of you, makes me happy! We have so many reasons to be grateful!!

Your Future Looks Bright

Here is another offering from Artistic Outpost's new release called Fortune Teller. This plate is HUGE! It is 8 1/2 X 11. A lot of stamps fit on a sheet that size. I'm finding this set to be very versatile. If you'll scroll down a few days you will see the one with the man on it, that's from this set as well.

Well, I've had a function almost every night this week, as I'm sure you have! Tonight we get to go watch our kindergartner's Christmas program, you know those are always a scream! Then I'd like to get some quick gifts made. If I come up with anything good, you'll be the first to know!

I should be back tomorrow with another In Style offering. If I don't see you again before Christmas, I hope it's a MERRY one!

PEACE!

Carla

Introducing In Style Stamps!!!

This is Ginger!! As soon as I saw these happy images, I knew I wanted to work with them! The smiles these girls sport just make me happy. Wait until you meet Ginger's friends, you are going to love them, too!! In Style Stamps are the new kids on the block, why don't you go check them out? I hope you love them as much as I do! There are seven girls to choose from, and I don't envy you having to make a choice! As December's Guest Designer, I got to choose four, and it was no easy task! These sweet retro stamps combine cute and sophisticated. I don't know how that's possible, but it's true!

I apologize for the poor pictures. I am just not getting home from school in time to use natural light. I've held this card for days, and today I finally just went ahead and took the picture in my dark little house. I couldn't wait any longer, I wanted to share!!

Supplies:
Stamps: In Style: Ginger
Paper: Making Memories, Canson
Extras: Raffia, M's Gems, SU! Chipboard, Stickles, SU! oval & ticket corner punches, junkitz rub-ons, markers

Admit One!

Well, I hope the brightness of this isn't too jarring! I think this is the brightest card I've ever made, but let's face it, Circuses bring bright colors to mind! This is one of the images from Artistic Outpost's brand new Vintage Circus plate. It's a lot of fun to work with, of course that's nothing new for AO stamps!!

I hope you will excuse me for being extremely brief, but I doubt there's a person reading this who doesn't have a holiday to do list at least as long as mine!

Two notes about AO: First, you get free shipping with any $50 purchase!! Second, they are very good about publishing customer artwork, so please go to the blog and find out how you can get your cards on the Artistic Outpost blog!!

I hope you are enjoying the holidays and not getting too stressed about things!!

Hugs!

Carla

Artistic Outpost~Fortune Teller

Fortune Teller
To tell the future, a gift exploited for fun or fortune, has had its place in the folklore and legends of most of the world's cultures. In this full 8.5" x 11" collection, we feature images of this "gypsy" art including a large background vintage almanac, a fun crystal ball with words sized to fit just right in the middle, and many mystical elements and words. Entire collection comes in both unmounted red rubber OR mounted on EZMount cling foam, trimmed closely, and "mounted" onto a clear plastic printed index sheet.

Special price: $20.00 - unmounted, $30 - mounted

Special bundles on UNMOUNTED stamps collections ONLY:
Cutie Pie & Vintage Circus - $18.00
Cutie Pie, Vintage Circus, & Fortune Teller - $36

For this card, I tried to go with the lush exuberance I think of when I think of Gypsies. I don't know a lot about Gypsies, I know they are frequently stereotyped in literature and the media, but it seems clear enough that like me, they love shiny things. Based on their wagons and wardrobes, I would also guess that they have no fear of rich, saturated color. That's where we part ways, I have a hard time working with lots of color, but I tried to do so anyway with the cards I made with this plate. My first stop when looking for color is usually Basic Gray. I love the rich texture and aged patina of BG papers so much, I'm not as afraid of the color. Here I used Ambrosia, my latest BG love.

This is a standard A2 card, and wonder of all wonders, I added some SU! Classy Copper ep and some Copper Stickles. I used Antique Linen and Brushed Corduroy inks, some string and RETIRED SU! copper cord. (What is the MATTER with them retiring my favorite cord?)

This stamp set is HUGE! It comes on an 8 1/2 x 11 if you order it unmounted! That's a lot of stamps! Please stop by the Artistic Outpost store to see the other new releases and the blog to find links to the fab work by the other DT members!

Cutie Pie***SIGH***

Cutie Pie
Adorable images inspired by children's Valentines from the 1950's including a majorette, a football player, and a beauty queen. The three main images average three inches in height and are perfect for your cards, ATCs, or other mixed media projects. The entire collection comes in either an 8.5" x 5.5" unmounted sheet of red rubber OR mounted on EZMount cling foam, trimmed closely, and "mounted" onto a clear plastic printed index sheet.

Special price: $10.00 - umounted, $18.00 - mounted

I simply cannot tell you how much I adore this stamp set! Every single one of the images is absolutely precious!! They stamp beautifully and are so quick to color. Plus, they make whatever your project is just irresistible!! Looking at these images from the 50's reminds me that there really is nothing new under the sun-do these big eyes remind you of anime or manga? They do me. These are sweeter and more innocent, but still same old same old! For a view of this entire set, visit the Artistic Outpost store here. For views of the other design team projects, visit the Artistic Outpost blog here.

New Rubber from Artistic Outpost!!

Vintage Circus
Everyday is a circus in the Artistic Outpost studios. All we are missing are the wild animals and the three rings. This collection features vintage images from circus posters and advertisements from the 1900's. For our cardmakers, the main circus collage measures 3.75" x 5", a large stamp perfect for creating backgrounds. The entire collection comes in either an 8.5" x 5.5" unmounted sheet of red rubber OR mounted on EZMount cling foam, trimmed closely, and "mounted" onto a clear plastic printed index sheet.

Special price: $10.00 - umounted, $18.00 - mounted

Did you notice that you can now get AO stamps mounted on EZMount? How cool is that, I ask you?! For this card I had to use Basic Gray's Color Me Silly paired with Real Red-it's a match made in heaven! I used three SU! punches and a Marvy punch, Ranger Tinsels ep in red, a vintage paperclip and some M's gems to top it off. The trim is also CMS and the button is vintage. Working with AO stamps always makes me want to get out my treasured old goodies. They're worth it!

This happy stamp set will be available for purchase on the 15th-get in line, it's going to be a popular one!! Also, don't forget to sign up for the AO newsletter! It will keep you informed of all the latest AO news! AND, please son't forget to stop by the AO blog and click over to see what the other designers are up to with all the new stamps, this isn't the only new set!!

MORE Creative Cuts and More Gingerbread Men!

These are the big guys, they stand five inches tall. I had these cut out of medium weight chipboard at Creative Cuts and More. They are very sturdy and will last for MANY Christmases! I started by mixing some white pearl acrylic paint with Chocolate Chip re-inker and a bit of water. This made the most beautiful shade of hot cocoa, honestly, I wanted to drink it! Or wear it as eye shadow. I resisted the urge to do either, thinking they would be bad health moves. (You can tell how much I'm into my health by watching me try to button my jeans.)

Then, I got out my trusty CAD and punched the holes and added the wonderful washer eyelets by Creative Impressions. They are nice and soft, like SU!'s. Not all of them are you know. I have some making memories eyelets that I have to run over with a truck to set. This usually ruins my project. Unless I'm going for a real grunge look. Which sometimes I am.

Then I did all the drawing with my Liquid Applique, sprinkled on Angel Dust Art Glitter and let dry overnight. The next day I puffed up the LA with my heatgun and added all the ribbon. This is a SUPER EASY project, and you could easliy do it with an interested five year old. I know because I have my very own five year old, and I have the attention span of a five year old, so I feel I'm somewhat of an expert.

Creative Cuts and More Gingerbread Men

Aren't these little guys sweet? They are from Creative Cuts and More. I had them cut out of Bazzill Bling, so they have a beautiful shimmer. Each one did not take more than five minutes, and I think they would be darling as gift tags or Christmas ornaments. You could even make a garland with the little guys. They are three inches tall.

So, how did I do it? FIRST, set your eyelets! It's much harder to do it after their beady little eyes are glued on! SECOND, apply Liquid Applique. THIRD, sprinkle Angel Dust Art Glitter on the wet LA. FOURTH, apply red Stickles-mine took two coats to look good. TOMORROW heat LA and add cord. So easy, you could make 100 of them, except if your hands are like mine, squeezing the LA gets hard after a while!

Better not pout!!

I think of that song, "Santa, Baby" when I see this card. You know the one from the fifties that Madonna covered? I think that when you look like this, you can get pretty much anything you want from Santa, pouting or not! This is Bombshell Stamp's Bombshell Angel-she's my favorite bombshell. The little Santa is one of the free downloads Lisa Pace posted for those who took her Christmas workshop. The paper is Basic Gray, the rub-on, making memories.

REMINDER
Bombshell is looking for designers! The call is open through December 31st! Click on the link, then click on the Design Team Call post! Come on and join the fun!!

Seventh Day of Christmas~Lisa Pace Workshop

This is my Seventh Day project in the Lisa Pace Class I am taking. I started this workshop later than everyone else, but Lisa is leaving the private blog up for a full two weeks after she posted the last project, which I think is really nice! I hope I have time later this evening to make another project. It has been an effort to get my design work completed and take this class, but I am so glad I am doing it! I've had a lot of fun! I love being on design teams, but all the projects for my Lisa Pace class are for ME! I get to keep them! I don't have to send all these little paper children off in the mail!! Stay tuned for the Ninth Day of Christmas-hopefully tomorrow!

Wisemen & Eighth Day of Christmas

Well, if you can count, you will notice that I went from six to eight. You might be suspicious that I, being an English teacher, can't count and you wouldn't be too far off. I can count to seven though, I just got confused and made Day Eight before I made Day Seven. I should have Seven ready for tomorrow. I sprayed the inside of this little pocket with Caspian Sea Shimmer Mist. I make my own shimmer mist by pouring one container of Radiant Pearls into four ounces of hair spray.
I got this beautiful Stampabilities stamp at Creative Play Stamps. I used SU! Detail Silver ep & cord, satin ribbon from Flourishes, and a metal star. The edges came about in an interesting way. I wanted to use my Very Vanilla pad and it was dry as a bone. I so rarely use my SU! pads, I think it has been two years since I had this pad out. I could not find the re-inker anywhere, so I just put some Frost White ColorBox re-inker on it since I threw that pad away yesterday anyway. Well, it would not soak in, so I just dabbed the edges of the cardstock onto the pad and then embossed with Holographic ep. It's dimensional and beautiful IRL.

PS. When you click on the CPS link, don't forget to click on their "ON SALE" link. This stamp is 20% off right now!!

Peace

I made this for High Hopes Challenge 10. The challenge was to use metal somewhere on your card. I used a metal star and a metal eyelet. I love this stamp. I get all sappy this time of year when I think of my Savior's birth. What I don't get sappy about is my painting skills. I wish they were better. I spent a lot of time fooling around with this image, I'm lucky the paper held up I had it so wet! I don't get angry or frustrated with my lack of skill. I have just as much fun painting badly as those who paint well, I think. Perhaps they are more satisfied with their final image;)

As I painted, repainted and painted again, I pondered my complete lack of frustration. I can honestly say that whatever patience I have these days can be attributed directly to my salvation. I used to have kind of a hair trigger temper, but when you have Jesus at your side, things are a little easier. They go a little smoother. I still misbehave, but not as often. Things like making a greeting card is no cause for anger or frustration. This is an example of the PEACE that comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you don't know Him, or if you have any questions, or if you could use a little more peace in your life, feel free to ask. I'll answer if I can, or direct you to someone who has more answers than I do.

I do wish you much peace throughout the holidays, and all of your days.

Cup Cozy~Lisa Pace

Well, it's supposed to be a cup cozy! I don't have any cool coffee houses in my town, and I'm not a big fan of gas station coffee, so the cup cozy wasn't the perfect idea for me. The felt flowers that Lisa made as one of the projects in her Twelve Days of Christmas workshop were so pretty, I wanted to do something similar. This turned out pretty big, just bigger than a cd. I thought I could use it in several ways. My first idea is to make five more and sew them to curtain tie backs I could use every Christmas. Another idea was to glue a magnet on the back and use them as cookie mix toppers. Wouldn't this look pretty on top of Chocolate Chip Oatmeal or Blondie mixes? My final ideas are to make bands and wrap them around container or big pillar candles. the last idea might be a bit of a safety issue. If I used velcro or a magnet on the band, it could be taken off BEFORE lighting.

What do YOU think I should do?