Some Hambly End-of-Year Blog Candy

When I went to Hambly Studios in early December, Allison had a cute tree decorated with all Hambly embellished decorations. All the presents were wrapped in Hambly papers and she had the greatest gift tags. She used her rub-ons on acetate tags. I loved the look so much, that I had to create my own. I bought some Clearly Heavy Overlays and got to work. I didn't read instructions and thought I could use Nestabilities to cut out some shapes, but the Clearly Heavy Overlays are too thick for them when using a Big Shot. You have to use a heavy die. In this case, I traced a design I liked from my Silhouette and cut the tags out with sharp scissors. The Crop-a-Dile is perfect for punching holes in this material.

What's Up for Grabs?

This is open up to all you (even international) paper crafters.

Here's the list:

• Clearly Heavy Overlay (half of a 12x12 sheet in order to fit into mailing envelope...not pictured here) 
• Kraft Cardstock Stickers - Vintage Journal Bits 
• Kraft Cardstock Stickers - On Edge Borders 
• Clear Stickers - Pattern Butterflies & Florals 
• Rub-Ons - Hearts 
• Rub-Ons - Lime Green Antique Frames 
• Overlay - 6x8" Black Doily
• Overlay - 6x8" lime green Sewing

To enter, leave one comment on this post from now until Monday, January 4th 11:59 PM PST. I'll use Random.org to choose a winner. Thanks for stopping by. Have a good one!

A Collage of Christmas Cards

The other day, I promised to show the variety of photo cards I made. I didn't intend to make 15 variations of our Christmas card, but since I was trying to use up mainly older supplies, it just happened.
 

I ended up mailing 40 cards. Last year, I sent out 60. I ran out of time and energy to create 60 of them.
 


I made some cards with "Feliz Navidad", so you'll notice #14. My favorite is still #7. Do you have a favorite?
 

Hope you have a great day today with the people you love.
 
Photo Card Ingredients
Stamps: Felicidades Siempre (SU!), Medallion (SU!) Holiday Button Bits (Papertrey Ink)
Paper: Kraft, Real Red, Riding Hood Red, Sahara Sand, Baja Breeze, Kiwi Kiss, Tempting Turquoise, Taken with Teal

Ink: VersaMark, Riding Hood Red (SU!), Brilliance Moonlight White (Tsukineko)

Tools: Scallop Edge punch (SU!), Threading Water punch (Fiskars), Corner Chomper (We R Memory Keepers), hole punch, Photoshop Elements, Paper Crimper (Fiskars), heat gun

Other: Corduroy buttons (SU!), Felt Flurries (SU!), brads (Making Memories), nail heads (Michael's), buttons (Papertrey Ink), silver twine, Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue, clear embossing powder, linen thread

Sending Holiday Cheer

I love Hambly Screen Prints! I got to visit their studio a few weeks ago for a make-n-take. That reminds me, I didn't post a picture of the items I got to make.

Allison and her staff are so sweet. I used a Hambly overlay on this card. The paper and ribbon is all Stampin' Up and the sentiment is from Papertrey Ink (Holiday Button Bits).

Have a good one!

Silhouette Print & Cut Feature

It's almost Christmas here in California. Still wrapping presents. I feel like I have had the same wrapping paper for years. I use it and use it and it never runs out. What is it doing in the garage during the rest of the year, mating? Seriously, I want new wrapping paper next year! I'm bored with what I have.

I made this card a few weeks back and had forgotten to post it. The Silhouette has several designs that you can print out and then use the Silhouette to cut. Registration marks print out which help the Silhouette cut out the design. I print and cut this simple design out twice and then trimmed the Merry Christmas sentiment and used mounting tape to give it some dimension. I punched out a snowflake with my Martha Stewart punch and added a red gem to finish it off. I also added a strip of Tangerine Tango paper and cut some scallops from Real Red paper.

I'm going to give out some blog candy very soon. Stay tuned.

Our Annual Photo Christmas Card

Time is flying quick these last few days. Christmas presents have been mailed out to family. For out-of-state family and friends, our annual Christmas cards won't arrive on time, so I'm showing it here. I had such a hard time designing the card this year. I couldn't decide on what papers I wanted to use. I decided to create cards using scraps and embellishments I had since last year. I landed up creating almost 12 versions of this card. I'll show those later this week. This particular version of the card is my favorite.

I love this photo of K! He had asked me to take pictures of his latest Lego creation, SpongeBob DroidPants. He merged a Lego SpongeBob with a Star Wars Droid body. While I was photographing it, I started taking his picture. He happened to look over and I got this great shot. He's wearing Darth Vadar pajamas.

Only the stamp is new from Papertrey Ink (Holiday Button Bits). In my continuing love for the Stampin' Up Medallion stamp, I used it here on the base of the card. I stamped it with VersaMark ink and embossed it with clear embossing powder. I created the border on the card using Photoshop Elements (thanks, Cathy Zielske for this tutorial). I used Brilliance ink to stamp on the photo; love that ink! I used my scallop border punch and a great button to finish off the card.

In exciting news this evening, I won a $250 Amazon gift card from the amazing Pioneer Woman. So fun. I don't know what I'm going to buy with the money.

Well, I better get downstairs and continue writing out cards to mail them out tomorrow. Have a great day and thanks for your support and encouragement this year! It's been fun.

My Dear Kind & Wonderful Friend

Are your days as crazy as mine? I'm so behind these days. I feel like I'm moving in slow motion and the rest of you are going at full speed. Only 8 more days until Christmas! Tomorrow is the last day of school before the winter break. The Little Guy is excited. I've asked Santa to buy me better lighting for my picture taking. I still haven't finalized my Christmas card design! I did received my paper order from Stampin' Up today...yeah!

I don't own the Top Note die by Stampin' Up, but this is my fake version I cut using my Silhouette. I love the SU! butterfly die, and I don't get to use it enough. I ran some thin strips of chocolate chip card stock through my paper crimper to give my butterfly some antennae.

Have a good one!

Card Ingredients

Stamps: All Holidays (SU!), Polka Dot Basics (PTI)

Paper: Chocolate Chip, So Saffron, Pink Flamingo DSP, & some retired polka dot paper

Ink: Chocolate Chip (SU!), Vintage Cream (PTI)

Tools: Silhouette, Big Shot, paper piercer, paper crimper (Fiskars)

Other: Very Vanilla ribbon, chocolate chip button, pearls (Michael's), foam tape

Holiday Wishes - Sketch Challenge

Hi everyone! I had typed up this blog entry when my PC decided to suddently take a little nap. Can you say re-type?

I'm back for my second week as a Guest Designer for Inkspirations by Makeesha Byl; the fabulous paper crafter from Australia. This week, we have sketch challenge #17. I tend to follow a sketch very closely. It bugs me that the sentiment on my card is larger in proportion than Keesh's sketch. See, I'm a little obsessive!

Well, my Sweetie is downstairs with "Glee" on pause (love that show!), so I'll make this quick. Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

Card Ingredients (all SU! except where noted)

Stamps: Season of Joy, Celebratio

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Real Red, Certainly Celery, Merry Moments DSP

Ink: Chocolate Chip, Real Red

Other: ribbon, pearls (Martha Stewart & Michael's), foam tape

Happy Holidays - Toothpick Challenge

I hope you are doing well. Life is a little busy right now (I just got home from a meeting at school), but I wanted to particpate in the toothpick challenge over on the Everything but the Kitchen Sink blog. I haven't designed our annual Christmas card yet. Yikes, I'm in trouble!

I've haven't participated in their challenges yet, but I thought this would be a fun one. We had to use at least 1 toothpick. A while back I used a toothpick on this card, but this time I used several! Actual bought a box today to replenish our kitchen supply. I saw what the team (Kelley, Winter, Kelly, Lynnette, & Courtney) produced for their samples and then I was intimidated. I couldn't figure out what I wanted to create. I had to think about it for a few days. I love my Silhouette, so I downloaded these new ornament designs and cut them out on some BasicGrey Eskimo Kisses paper (Thanks, Sarah!). I used Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue to adhere each toothpick to the backs of the ornaments. I never get tired of kraft cardstock, so I used it here. I used a paper piercer and went around the perimeter of the cardstock.

My style is clean and simple, so I like what I created. Thanks for stopping by! Kelley, I'm thinking about you...

Card Ingredients

Stamps: Holiday Button Bits

Paper: Kraft & Certainly Celery (SU!), Eskimo Kisses (BasicGrey)

Ink: StazOn Jet Black

Tools: Silhouette, paper piercer, Modern Label Punch (SU!)

Other: linen thread (SU!), decorative pearls (Joy Crafts), foam tape, toothpicks, Tombow Mono Multi Liquid Glue

Con Inmenso Agradecimiento - Very Thankful

Hi everyone. I love the internet! I've loved getting to know so many talented designers from all over the US and around the world: Australia, New Zealand, Morocco, Pakistan, and Mexico, just to name a few.

Last month, Makeesha Byl, a Stampin' Up demonstrator from Australia asked if I would like to be a guest designer on her blog for the next several weeks. I was so thrilled to be asked. She offers weekly challenges (inspiration, color, and sketch).

Please join in this week for Inkspirations Inspiration Challenge #16 based on this photo of some very comfy-looking bedding. I was inspired by the colors and the heart designs. I'm not totally in love with my creation (I glued a piece down before I was ready...sigh), but I love the color combination.
Edited to Add: This was my attempt at the layout used in the current Stampin' Up catalog for the Out of the Box hostess level stamp set.

Card Ingredients

Stamps: Agradecimiento (SU!), Love You Much (SU!), Background Basics: Text Style II (PTI)

Paper: White (PTI), Real Red, Pink Pirouette, retired designer paper (SU!)

Ink: StazOn Jet Black

Tools: 2" circle punch (Fiskars), 1 3/8" circle punch, Modern Label Punch (SU!)

Other: Kiwi Kiss ribbon (SU!), silver brad (Making Memories), Kiwi Kiss button (SU!), foam tape