Decorated CD Tin

Just a quick post -- still need to do some more Christmas shopping, if you can believe it!!

I decorated this tin for my mother-in-law and filled it with some thank you cards she can use after Christmas. Rub-ons and Felt Flurries made it a snap, and I used my white Signo pen to make a faux grosgrain ribbon. As you can see on the edges of my Ski Slope designer paper, I had a battle with my scalloped edge punch and the punch won, LOL...

Merry Christmas!!

Love You Much!

Get ready for Valentine's Day with the exclusive Love You Much Bundle (item 115405). You can order it online and have it delivered right to your front door. FREE SHIPPING is available today only (Dec.23rd) on orders over $70.

The Love You Much Bundle includes the following:

• Description	Retail Value
  Love You Much stamp set	$25.95
  Candy Lane Designer Series paper (Close to Cocoa, Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Very Vanilla)	$9.95
  Heart To Heart punch	$15.95
  Bundle Retail Value	$51.85
  Love You Much Bundle (20% off; item 115405)	$41.48

Think of all the neat ways you can use these cute stamps -- and the whimsical punch that comes with the set:

• Little candy containers using the Candy Lane Designer Series paper.
• Handmade Valentine's Day boxes for school or home.
• Candy bouquets with stamped accents.
• Candy jar with a Designer Series paper belly band and stamped tag.
• Sweet words jar: Take a glass jar and decorate it with paper and stamps. Then put a bunch of slips of paper into the jar that say why you love the recipient. The recipient takes out one slip of paper each day.
• A decorated photo frame.
• A Valentine's gift wrapped in Candy Lane Designer Series paper.
• Confetti made from punched out hearts; good for putting on tables or beds, or in a cello bag as filler.
• Place settings (napkin holder, name tents, etc.) for a special Valentine's dinner.
• A 50 Reasons I Love You book.

Cool Gift for a Fisherman

A Secret Santa swap at work created the necessity for something "fishy" for my co-worker. Anybody can get a guy lures and worms, but who can give him something like this beauty?

It's a plastic cutting board from the Dollar Store, spiffed up with stamping, blender pen watercoloring, paper, ribbon and some cute silver fish charms from Michael's.

I presented it to him this morning. For somebody who is completely non-crafty and definitely not in touch with his feminine self, he sure seemed to like it, LOL.

I'm patting myself on the back with this one. :-)

Red, Green & Gold Challenge

Just in time for another batch of Christmas cards, the Stamp Something ladies came up with this challenge. I pulled out my Dashing designer paper and went to town. I just went over a few selected areas of my stamped image with a gold pen to add some shimmer.

Thanks for looking, and happy stamping!

Retiring Stamps

Some of my favorite stamps sets are retiring! Take a look. I especially like stamp sets that can be used throughout the year for a variety of situations and these are some of the sets I reach for time and again. Now's you chance to save 10% from now until December 23, and if you order over $70 (think restocking paper, ink pads, markers, adhesive) you'll get free shipping. Who doesn't like that?! And remember you can order online 24/7 on my Stampin' Up! website here. Just click on the "Shop NOW" button in the top right corner.

Sketch Card

Just a quick post, still recovering from a head cold (which explains why it took me a week to make one dang card!), but wanted to share this Christmas card based on SCS Sketch Challenge #204.
It's a fairly straightforward sketch, kicked up a notch by the luscious "Purely Pomegranate" satin ribbon (retired, but I hoarded it and have quite a bit to use up). Love the combo of Always Artichoke with Purely Pomegranate, so rich and regal together. The simple tree stamp from "Holiday Tag Team" adds a little whimsy to keep the card from getting too serious, as some cards do... ;-)
Thanks for looking!

Saturday Sketch Card

Just a quick post today, my laundry is beckoning. Made this colorful card based on Lauren Meader's Saturday Sketch, using Shimmer White paper, Baja Blue cardstock, and Ski Slope designer paper. My cute little "Punch Pals" snowman is glittered up with a glitter pen, as is his fine top hat, but it's hard to tell in this photo. I'm loving all my fun Stampin' up! designer papers this season, so bright and cheerful.

Thanks for looking and Happy Stamping!

StampMom's Own "Bring It On" Challenge

When I saw this sheet set in a catalog from Williamsburg, I was immediately inspired to make this Christmas card.

So I thought to myself, "Self" -- quietly, so my kids didn't think I was wierd -- "if *you* were so inspired by this, maybe someone else will be, too!"

So here it is, my first official StampMom Bring It On Challenge. I hope you enjoy it. Would love to see what it inspires from you -- post a comment with a link so I can see your handiwork.

Thanks for looking, and happy stamping!

Stamp Something Black Friday Challenge

In honor of Black Friday, the Stamp Something blog challenged readers to use black somewhere in a card. I used the branches from my retired "All Season Wreath" to make a Christmas wreath, then hand-cut flowers from the Holiday Treasures designer paper and scattered them around the wreath. A bow of Riding Hood Red, with silver "sleigh bells" made from Holiday Treasures DP (punched out the snowflakes) and silver brads, adds a whimsical touch. My sentiment is a Season of Cheer rub-on (note: still on sale until Sunday!).

Thanks for looking!

Holiday Extravaganza Sale!!

Forget Black Friday and Cyber Monday! Why wait? StampMom's got you covered RIGHT NOW on some great shopping deals from the comfort of that chair you're sitting in. :-)

From now until December 1, get up to 50% off select Stampin' Up! products. Find the perfect present for all the stampers and paper crafters in your life--or just stock up for yourself!

Everything from stamp sets (family, manly, seasonal, alphabets, backgrounds) to chipboard to punches and powders. Order online 24/7 from me.

Don't worry about any Doorbuster 4 am wake-up time. Sleep in -- I'm here when you're ready! :-)

Beate's Weekend Sketch Card

Making progress on my Christmas cards, one sketch at a time, LOL. This time I turned my mistletoe into a blueberry bush in honor of my Mom in Maine (waving hi down here in VA, Mom!). This is based on Beate's sketch, with Baja Blue snowflakes and wide ribbon, offset by Night of Navy in my berries and oval sentiment. The Designer Paper is a combo of "Holiday Treasures" and "Ski Slope". Here's Beate's sketch if you want to give it a try over the holiday:
Thanks for looking and Happy Thanksgiving!!

Christmas Rub-Ons Rule!

Wading through my scrap pile of designer paper yesterday, trying to avoid laundry and whiny kids, I came up with this Christmas card -- no sketch, no color challenge, just fooling around. The Season of Cheer rub-ons are at the top and bottom.

From now until Nov. 30th, spend $20 on any Stampin' Up! products and you can get 20% off Rub-Ons. Perfect for cards, gift tags, scrapbooking, cookie tins, votive candles... the list goes on and on. Shop online 24/7 via my Stampin' Up website!

Snow Sketch Card

Snowflakes galore on this one -- ran it through my Cuttlebug snowflake embossing folder, touched up the flakes with a glitter pen, then used layers of last season's "Wintergreen" designer paper to create this card based on Jen's Sketch for You to Try. I added a rub-on sentiment to my ribbon, so easy and a neat and different way to express your thoughts (without the stress of centering a stamp, LOL!)

My other one is a simple card based on Julie's Color Concoction 26 of using white plus only one color (except... gasp... I used black as well...). The half-pearl from my Pretties Kit was the perfect center for my felt snowflakes (from the Mini-Catalog, in Baja Blue just like my ribbon). It's a take-off from a sketch I saw on the Prairie Paper and Ink blog.

Thanks for looking, and hope you're enjoying some Sunday Stamping, too!! :-)

Christmas Color Challenge Card

The SCS color challenge this week was Real Red, Basic Black and Kraft (or Creamy Caramel) and I knew I needed to get started on some Christmas cards so I came up with this. It's based on the sketch for Our Creative Corner, except I changed the placement of both the sentiment (above the ribbon instead of below) and the ribbon.

I like the look of my new Hodgepodge Hardware in Vanilla against the black, don't you? My main panel looked a little plain so I used my stipple brush to stipple some Creamy Caramel and Real Red over it to add dimension. I used the Curly Label Punch to make my opposing corners.

Here's the sketch:


Thanks for looking!

CORRECTION re: cards for soldiers

Holiday cards should be mailed to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD. 20791-5456

All cards must be postmarked no later than Dec. 10. Cards should not be mailed or delivered to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

For more information, visit www.wramc.amedd.army.mil or www.redcross.org/holidaymail for Holiday Mail for Heroes program guidelines.Walter Reed is not accepting mail addressed to "A Recovering American Soldier."

Thanks to Suzanne for correcting this info!

Cards for Recovering Soldiers

GREAT IDEA!! When doing your Christmas cards this year, take one card and send it to this address. If we pass this on and everyone sends one card, think of how many cards these wonderful special people who have sacrificed so much would get.

When you are making out your Christmas card list this year, please include the following:

A Recovering American Soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue,NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

If you approve, please pass it on.

A card for the bride

This isn't a stamped card but will hopefully be meaningful in years to come for my co-worker, Jennifer, who just got married last weekend.

I took bits and pieces of her program, table place card, some ribbon from her invitation, and even the matchbook cover, de-constructed them and then reconstructed them into a card which will include a gift card from Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Happy Stamping!

Holiday Specials for Everyone on Your List (Including YOU!!)

Are you looking for unique holiday packaging ideas this year? Stampin' Up! has the perfect solution!

Two of their tins are available for purchase. The turquoise Punch Box tins are perfect for holiday treats and the silver skinny Accents & Elements tins make great CD or gift card holders. Each tin is sold individually so you can buy the exact number you need. These items are only available while supplies last, so place your order for this great packaging idea today!

114673 -- Turquoise Tin, $3.95
108333 -- Silver Skinny Tin, $1.95

And there's a new Rub-Ons promotion that just began, perfect for decorating those spiffy tins!!

Spend $20 and qualify to purchase any Rub-Ons assortment at 20 percent off:

Item #	Page #	Rub-Ons Description
111416	178	Chateau Bella
111417	178	Word Flurries
111414	178	Hidden Garden
111277	178	A Perfect Day
110283	179	Take Note
111806	179	Chills & Thrills
111804	179	Chit Chat
111415	179	Greatest Moments
111805	179	School Days
110282	179	Anchored
112844	11*	Old Saint Nick
112843	17*	Season of Cheer
112735	39**	Hidden Garden Blossoms

*From Holiday 2008 Mini Catalog

**From Celebrando Creatividad

Stampin' Up! has created a fabulous new online gift-giving (and, let's face it, getting!) guide with price ranges. Why not create your own Wish List? Your family and friends can order online with me 24 hours a day from the comfort of their own home, get it delivered directly to them and be all set for Christmas. It's never too early to start browsing!

Another sketch challenge card

I'm having such fun playing with the beautiful poinsettia print that's part of the Holiday Treasures Designer Series Paper. This time it's part of a card based on Jen Del Muro's Sketch for You to Try. There are lots more layers than I usually do but I got a little carried away.

What do you think?

RECIPE
Stamps: A Tree for All Seasons, Punch Pals
Ink: Ruby Red, Chocolate Chip, Basic Black
Paper: Holiday Treasures DP, Riding Hood Red, Kraft card stock
Tools: Word Window Punch, Scallop Square Punch
Embellishments: Felt Fusion snowflakes, Ruby Red button, American Crafts glitter marker, SU! dimensionals, glue dots, SNAIL adhesive

Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge

Used my scallop circle punch to create this super easy, high impact sunflower based on a tutorial I found by Chat aka nitestamper on her blog Me, My Stamps and I. The colors are from the Color Challenge on SCS.

Keywords: CC190 WSC64

Stamps: Beautiful Borders, Eastern Blooms

Paper: Kiwi Kiss, Tangerine Tango, Very Vanilla, Pixie Pink

Ink: Old Olive, Pixie Pink

Accessories: Cuttlebug & Swiss Dots folder, Scallop Circle punch, Boho Flowers punch, Filigree brads, Old Olive ribbon, Scallop border punch, paper piercer & Mat pack

Thanks for looking!

Modern Bamboo Concoction

Julie's Color Concoction recently was perfectly matched with this week's Inspiration Challenge on SCS. The JCC25 colors were riding hood red, always artichoke, chocolate chip, and very vanilla.

I used the bamboo stamp from the beautiful "Embrace Life" set, stamped in Always Artichoke and then used my blender pen to add a bit more color to it. I sponged a bit of Very Vanilla craft ink along my panel of Riding Hood Red card stock before adding the ribbon over it. My stipple brush worked great to use Chocolate Chip for a bit of dimension all over the background panel. My sentiment is from the "Best Yet" Level 1 Hostess Set (p. 18 of the Fall/Winter 2008 Idea Book & catalog)

And this is the artwork ("Modern Bamboo") that I took my inspiration from:

Another TO DO List

My DH and I have begun a "Christmas Challenge" to get fit and lose a few pounds. Time to break out a list to keep track of weight loss, workouts, meals, etc. A perfect excuse to whip up another one of Julie's TO DO Lists.

I used my Flower Power Simply Sent Card Elements kit, which has awesome designer paper and textured card stock in the kit, along with self-adhesive die cut flowers. A half pearl from my Pretties Kit adds a little somethin'-somethin' to the center.

The sentiments in my "Live Like You Mean It" stamp set were so appropriate for this list. I mean, that's really what we should all try to do, live with purpose every day. I added a scrap of leftover Elegant Eggplant ribbon, and used my Large Oval Punch and Designer Label Punch to mat my large "Life".

Thanks for looking!

My favorite trick-or-treaters!

Triple Challenge Card, not bad for a Monday...

This is a triple challenge card focusing on three major requirements:

1) a leaf image as a focal point with pink for breast cancer awareness (Limited Supplies Challenge "Leaf if to Me, Baby" on SCS)

2) Sketch Challenge on SCS

3) Color Challenge to include Pink Pirouette & Kiwi Kiss from the new In Colors, plus Chocolate Chip

I still love my first hostess set from this seasons catalog, Organic Grace, with this beautifully detailed fern frond (which I'm counting as a leaf, LOL). My sentiment is from the "Hidden Garden" rub-ons, as are the little brown dots, and I accented the card with Felt Fusion flowers, a vintage brad and some scraps of ribbon from Michael's. The Designer Paper is Urban Garden. I ran my base card through my Cuttlebug to emboss more flowers in the background. Thanks for looking, and Happy Stamping!

Mojo Monday Sketch, just a tad late...

This holiday card has an old fashioned feel to it, courtesy of the designer paper and the new In Color "Riding Hood Red" (card stock and ribbon) which goes so wonderfully with Pink Pirouette (I usually don't find combining red and pink very appealing, but these two work well together). I used my scallop edge punch to quickly fashion a nice border at the bottom of my wide panel. My sentiment is from the stamp set "All Holidays". The sketch is Julee's Mojo Monday 57.

Julie's awesome note pad

I found the template for this project on Julie Buhler's incredible blog, Paper Pleasing Ideas. I had a few challenges floating around on my brain and they came together in this cute little "To Do" list. If I have to be in the office, I should have something pretty to look at, right? So I dug into my new "Afternoon Tea" designer paper and beautiful "Eastern Influences" stamp set to come up with this. In the process, I met the Stamp Something challenge "Something For the Birds" (to use a bird image, obviously!) and the Ways to Use It challenge of having only one word on my project. I really was in desperate need of a way to gather all my random notes together in one easy-to-refer-to spot, so this might just do the trick. What do you think?

A Spooky Sketch

Isn't this little guy cute? He's headed out for some trick or treating fun, just like my 4 year old who definitely wants to be a ghost for Halloween this year too. This card really is a mixed bag of things, including last year's halloween designer paper, the corner vine and happy spider from "Autumn Apparitions" and ghost from "Booglie Eyes". Tangerine Tango adds a pop of bright color to the background and I used the new Wide Oval Punch to double-mat my ghost. It's hard to tell in the picture but I added Crystal Effects to my spooky little guy to make him stand out a bit more. The card is based on a sketch at Prairie Paper & Ink. I wanted to be able to see all the words on my DP so I got some spare super-skinny white ribbon (leftover from my wedding, of all things -- I think we wrapped it around mini bubbles) and just colored it with my SU! basic black marker. Worked like a charm!

Thanks for stopping by. :-)

Gently Falling Snowflakes Sketch

Lauren's sketch for this week provided a great jumping-off point for this winter card. I used the new Little Felt Flurries and Ski Slope designer series paper from the Holiday Mini Catalog. My sentiment is from "A Cardinal Christmas", stamped in Chocolate Chip. My Scallop Circle punch created a nice dark background to highlight the larger snowflakes. Both of my flakes are anchored with a rhinestone brad from my Pretties Kit. Sadly, the satin ribbon is from last year's holiday collection and no longer available... but it just pulls all the colors together here, doesn't it?

Here's her sketch if you want to try your hand at it:

Gotta Love the Dollar Store

When you can take a $1 cutting board and turn it into a timeless gift of memories, you just gotta do a happy dance. I matted all my photos, rounding the corners. Added some Crystal Effects to my berries and flower centers, snipped out one of the poinsettias and made it 3-D with the help of my SU! dimensionals.
RECIPE
Paper: Holiday Treasures DP, Old Olive & Ruby Red cardstock
Stamp: A Cardinal Christmas
Ink: Ruby Red, Old Olive
Tools: Wide Oval punch, Paper Distressor, Corner Rounder, Paper snips
Embellishments: Crystal Effects, Old Olive ribbon