{capture the moment}

Senior Design Team Challenge: Stir, Sip & Enjoy

October brings those cool crisp autumn days that make us dig out those warm wooly sweaters and savor a warm cup of coffee, tea or cider between our hands! The challenge I issued this month was to create a project that incorporated giving the gift of a hot beverage. It could be as simple as a unique card design that holds a tea bag or a single serving of coffee. Or a bit more in depth by decorating a coffee mug or a Timeless Template to hold all the necessary supplies for the recipient to stir, sip & enjoy!

I opted to create a special tri-fold card that would house pockets capable of holding a few teabags.

I kept everything real simple, true to my style.

First, I thought I would provide you with the specifics of the card base...

You can create the tri-fold card base from a single sheet of 8.5 x 11 cardstock.  The finished card is 3.5" x 5" with a 1/4" spine, so it's a nice little size.

The focal point was created using our Tea for Two set along with a border from the new Vintage Labels set.  Both stamped with Melon Berry ink.

There is actually a window cut in the cover of the card using a Labels 1 die (Spellbinders).  The interior of the card features a Vintage Cream cardstock panel.  Once the card is opened you can see how the focal point is accented with a strip of Melon Berry In Bloom patterned paper.

Back to the outside cover, the In Bloom paper is carried all the way around to the back of the project.  Along with the border I created with one of my handy dandy Martha Stewart Border Punches and Vintage Cream cardstock.  I love adding little finishing details like that.  It makes everything more polished!

When you open the card completely, it exposes two pockets holding teabags. 

The "flaps" that adorn the pockets were created with one of the borders from Vintage Labels, diecut with the coordinating Labels 1 die, then cut in half.

The pockets are created with 2.75" squares of In Bloom patterned paper.  I used 1/4" ScorTape on three sides to adhere them in place.  Then simply added the Vintage Label halves to the top of each pocket!  Super easy!

I designed a matching envelope that accommodates the thickness of the teabags once they are inserted into the pockets.  I lined it with more of the Melon Berry In Bloom paper.

Here is a FREE print & go download I created for you to create your own matching envelope for this card.  You want to print it directly onto 8.5 x 11 cardstock, score on the dotted lines and cut on the solid lines.  I used a corner rounder punch on the corners of the top flap, which you can do too if you wish.

Download Trifold tea card envelope template

To inspire you even more today, the design team gals have hit it out of the park and put together amazing projects to meet this challenge!  

CLICK HERE to read more from Becky.

CLICK HERE to read more from Heather

CLICK HERE to read more from Lisa.

CLICK HERE to read more from Michelle.

CLICK HERE to read more from Lauren.

CLICK HERE to read more from Teri.

Now that you've absorbed all of this creativity involving these cozy gifts of warm goodness, take a moment to think about who you know, who you see everyday or maybe even someone you haven't seen in a while, that would appreciate receiving a small act of kindness & thoughtfulness.  The gift of ten minutes to sit back and enjoy that warm cup between their hands.  Make something fun today!

Stamps: Tea for Two, Vintage Labels

Ink: Melon Berry

Paper: Vintage Cream, Classic Kraft, In Bloom Paper Pad(melon berry)

Other: Rustic Cream Button Twine, Labels 1 dies (Spellbinders), corner rounder punch, Martha Stewart Border Punch

Finished Size: 3.5" x 5"

P.S. Still a few finishing touches left to do with my "blog construction".  I hope to have all of the links and archives back in place by the end of the week!  Thanks for your patience and encouragement!

World Card Making Day Blog Tour

Hello and welcome to all of you that may be stopping by for the first time via the 2009 World Card Making Day Blog Tour!  I am very excited to be involved with this year's upcoming holiday, a special day dedicated to my greatest passion, making cards!

If you are unfamiliar with World Card Making Day, it is taking place this year on Saturday, October 3rd (be sure to mark your calenders and program reminders in your cell phones!).  Paper Crafts Magazine has put together a special website on it's behalf which you won't want to miss!

visit the WORLD CARD MAKING DAY WEBSITE here!

In lieu of the holiday, Paper Crafts has also established a list of talented particpating bloggers HERE that you will definitely want to check out!  They even have a special Mister Linky List up where you can add YOUR blog as part of the tour!  Super, super fun stuff!  All surrounding this little hobby that we all love!

(click on the above photo for a larger view)

I have a special card to share with you today as part of this momentousness occasion.  It's a little something I created a few weeks ago when my dearest friends Dawn, Mish & Wendy were visiting for a special girls weekend.  We wanted to play with Copics, so we got out a few of our favorite "coloring" sets and went to work.  I ended up deciding on In Bloom, one of my all-time favorite sets that I've designed.

For this particular card, I knew I wanted to create the tone-on-tone polka dot background with Versamark ink and also use the large flourish from Fancy Flourishes, but sometimes the Versamark ink can cause a bit of "resist" when another ink is stamped on top of it.  So I was sure to stamp the flourish in Ripe Avocado ink FIRST and then stamp the polka dots (Polka Dot Basics II) with Versamark on top of it, all onto Aqua Mist cardstock.  The flower was colored with Papertrey's Ocean Tides Copic Trio and cut out.

The left side of the card had quite a bit of empty space that needed to balanced out with something, so I create this border to help give weight to the sentiment.  The sentiment is from Cupcake Collection and is stamped in True Black ink.  The border was create with my Apron Lace border punch with Spring Moss cardstock and stitched in place with my sewing machine.  A few blue rhinestones were added along it's length to add a bit of shimmer & shine.  I just love the way this project turned out and I have just the person in mind to send it to!

Do you love stamping as much as I do and you're ALWAYS looking for inspiration specific to this side of the paper crafting industry?  Paper Crafts magazine puts out an annual issue of Stamp It! Cards which is the number one stamping reference I look forward to each year!  It's wonderful to flip through it's pages and see every single project dedicated to this art form!  They just make you want to get out all your supplies and get inky!

There's also some SUPER duper holiday special issues that I love to gain inspiration from for quick & easy Christmas cards!

If you don't yet own any of these fabulous idea references in your arsenal of inspiration, today is your lucky day!  I've got a special coupon code to share with you that you can use in the Paper Crafts/CK Online Store (valid from midnight on 9/21/09, MDT through 11:59pm MDT on 10/12/09)!!!

Here's a coupon code for 25% off your ENTIRE purchase!!!

XNNG-7V33-WYRZ

Happy Shopping!  You can't beat 25% off your entire purchase!!!  So, how are YOU planning on celebrating World Card Making Day?  Did you celebrate last year?  I would love to hear about it!

Stamps: In Bloom, Polka Dot Basics II, Fancy Flourishes, Cupcake Collection

Ink: Ripe Avocado, True Black, Black Noir, Versamark (Tsukineko)

Paper: Aqua Mist, Spring Moss, Ocean Tides, Stamper's Select White

Other: Apron Lace border punch, Rhinestones (KaiserCraft), Ocean Tides Copic Trio, Spring Moss Copic Trio, sewing machine & thread

Finished Size: 4" x 8"

September Honorable Mentions

Well, the September edition of our monthly Guest Star Stamper Contest has now come to a close and I am proud to introduce to you the winners!  As always, it was such a *tough* choice and I have also included a few of my other favorites in each category, making up the Top Trio picks!  Enjoy all of the inspiration that these folks have put together for you today!

Linda W. cleverly used a frosting bag to hold festively colored candy and represent the top point of a witch's hat!  That ingenuity paired with the adorable creepy accents from Spooky Sweets II made this an unforgettable project!  I especially loved the clear spider charm hanging from the top of the hat!  Such a simple yet stunning finishing accent!

Valerie Johnson created an adorable trio of spooky creatures using the Fold 'n Go template.  By adding some simple accents made with punches and border details, she was ale to transform the rectangular boxes into something especially ghoulish.

Melanie Speelman made some of the popular brown lunch sack broomsticks, holding some special Halloween treats.  She used the witch image from Spooky Sweets II to decorate a special tag for her adorable creation!

Carol Royer used the Fold 'n Go template as well, only she transformed hers into a haunted house.  I love that by just making the addition of the point at the top it totally became a house!  The moon, bats and glittered siding on the house all combine for a spectacular haunted house!

Janelle Hayes combined 2009 Autumn Tags with a few bits of twine and buttons to make these quick & easy Thanksgiving Dinner place cards!  The wheat image from that set was one of my favorites and I think that it paired with Simple Alphabet makes the perfect elegant table decor!  I am definitely making these myself this year!

Sharon Harnist created some amazing textural leaves to accent her stamped pumpkins from Fall Elegance.  I also loved the unique shape of her card.  So pretty!  So autumn!

Beth Wilson Added a few small, perfectly placed paper crafting accents to some candles that she has, making them a perfect centerpiece for her holiday table.  I loved the way she curled the word banner slightly to give it dimension!

Daniela Hendea used the Recipe Wrap-up template to hold her menu plans for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.  I really like the way she used some green in her project to add a contrasting color to the usual autumnal mix.

Cindy Holshouser pulled some bits and pieces from several sets to create an elegant lamp post on her card cover.  A bit of sponging with some yellow ink created a soft glow from the light fixture to illuminate her chosen sentiment from Fall Elegance.  Some pumpkins from the same set were added underneath the post, making it a warm and inviting autumn project!

Julie Cameron combined several small pieces from our Borders & Corners sets to create this beautifully festive wreath!  I imagine that anyone could take Julie's idea and adapt it to any of the four seasons!

Vanessa Menhorn gave the large flower from In Bloom an autumn twist by coloring it with some classic earth tones.  The dark background allows the flower to take center stage.

Cam added some beautiful tags to this autumn wreath using Fall Elegance.  I love the way that these small additions make the wrath seem so boutique and one-of-a-kind.

Laurel Seabrook put together a Boo Kit using our From the Desk Of template.  By adding a nugget clear top tin full of chocolate nuggets in custom wrappers and a few other treats & goodies she put together a collection that any neighbor would be thrilled to receive.  I love the patterned paper she created for the front of the template using 2009 Halloween Tags.  And you can't top that trendy color combination either!

Mona Pendleton used Pack a Picnic to put together an amazing array of apple themed gift items!  The buttons tied with twine that she used to attach the handles are such an adorable touch!

Julie Batta put Tucked Away to work for these cute little stacked favors.  I just ADORE the way she stacked the two sizes on top of one another and added the little ribbon handle!

Gabs used Pack a Picnic as well, but didn't fold over the top flap, giving it a completely different look and making it nice and deep to hold several special spooky sweets!

Another fabulous month of fabulous entries!  Thank you to each and every one of you for combining your talents with our products!  We'd love to see YOUR entries next month!  You can visit THIS PAGE on our website to see this month's categories!  You have until October 13th to enter, so you have plenty of time to put together something amazing and win a free stamp set!  We look forward to all of your submissions!

P.S.  Did you get a chance to check out the guest blog post I did over on the Creating Keepsakes Blog?  They've announced the winners of the prizes we gave away HERE!  Congratulations to all five of the lucky gals!

*Official* September Release Party Contest

We are SO thrilled that you are joining in on the party tonight!  As a special treat for those of you who took the time out of your busy schedule to join us (and sacrificed some sleep!) we are offering up an amazing prize package to one of you!

The September "I Want It All" Package (a $168 value)!!!

All you have to do to be entered to win is answer the following question:

"What part(s) of this month's holiday countdown did you find the most helpful or inspiring in planning your own holiday projects & purchases?  What types of presentation & ideas would you like to see next year?"

We want to gather all of your input so we can apply it to plans for next year!  You have until 11:30pm EST to leave your comment here to be entered to win.  One comment will be randomly chosen shortly thereafter and posted here, on this post.  The winner is responsible for contacting Customer Service to claim their prize!

Good luck to everyone and thanks again for joining in the fun!

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED!

 

Congratulations, Denise!  Please be sure to contact customer service with your shipping information so we can get your package out to you!

And a special thank you to all of you who shared your input with us regarding next year's holiday releases!  It certainly is appreciated and it helps us to serve you better!  Have a wonderful night and happy shopping!

Introducing Winter Swirls

...........................................................................................

When I first saw Beth Silaika's Winter Swirls stamp designs, I instantly knew that it would be a fantastic basic to use for the holidays!  Containing several popular holiday motifs, all featuring a coordinating "winter swirl" pattern, it is easy to use and can be adapted to almost any style of project.

The details.

• Winter Swirls will be available for purchase September 15th (tonight at midnight EST).
• It will retail for $15.
• Winter Swirls contains a total of 23 images (16 images and 7 sentiments).

I have four projects to share with you today, continuing with the theme of quick & simple cards that I've focused on all week!  Let's get started!

 

This first card uses the ornament image from Winter Swirls.  Isn't it the cutest thin ever?  I love the pattern that Beth applied to it (and all the other images in Winter Swirls for that matter)!  Subtle, yet so much character and style!

 

After a bit of wandering through my stamp collection, I decided that the ornament would pair beautifully with the branch image from Beyond Basic Borders set.  I was just tickled pink when the scales of the two images worked out perfectly!  The branch is stamped in Ripe Avocado, the ornament hook in Dark Chocolate and the ornament ball in Pure Poppy.  I found that a 7/8" circle punch (EK Success) is the perfect size for punching the ornaments out.  The sentiment is from Winter Swirls as well, and it is stamped in Dark Chocolate.

 

To add a bit of fun detail to my project, I created a border from Ripe Avocado cardstock using my EK Success Apron Lace Border Punch.  I followed up by adding a 1/4" strip of Spring Moss cardstock above it.  To add a bit of sparkle, I ran my 2-way glue pen down the length of the Spring Moss strip and sprinkled it with Prisma Glitter.

 

For the interior of the card I lined it with more Rustic Cream cardstock, adding the branch in Ripe Avocado again.  I picked a few snowflakes from Winter Swirls and inked them up with Pure Poppy to accent the branch.  The interior sentiment is from Signature Christmas and is stamped in Dark Chocolate.

 

The Rustic Cream envelope was stamped in the same manner as the interior accent above.  It will look so pretty when the address is added beside it, don't you think?

 

This project comes in at 40-cents each, not including a single foam dimensional (cost depending on the brand you prefer) or the glitter.  I assure you that one container of glitter will allow you to complete at least 100 cards if not more, so the cost is almost insignificant!  I had SO much fun with this card, I decided to make another one that somewhat follows along with the same concept!

 

(click on photo above for larger view)

This card uses the long leaf border from Beyond Basic Borders rather than the branch.  The length of it allows space for at least three ornaments, making it fun to mix & match different colors.  I stamped the border with Spring Moss ink.
 

I added a bit of Stardust Stickles to the leafy border and I love the way it sparkles!  The ornament hooks are stamped in Smokey Shadow and the ornaments in (from L to R), Hibiscus Burst, Berry Sorbet and Raspberry Fizz.  The "Deck the Halls" sentiment is from Stocking Prints stamp set, stamped in True Black ink.

 

The interior features the same leaf border, stamped again in Spring Moss ink.  The sentiment (from Holiday Wishes) is added with Hibiscus Burst ink.  I love the clean simplicity of it!

 

(click on photo above for larger view)

The coordinating envelope I designed is super fun & funky!  I stamped the leaf border again in Spring Moss, and then added the little snowflake ornaments from Tree Trimming Trio in the three pinks I used on the cover of the card (Berry Sorbet, Hibiscus Burst & Raspberry Fizz).  I think it's so fresh and colorful!  I'd love to get something like that in my mailbox!

 

This card has a few more layers than some of the others, but still comes in at 45-cents each! Fun, fun, fun!

 

This project is a little something that just made my heart all *aflutter* when it came together!  I hope you'll agree!  It uses many of my favorite things!

 

After stamping the nesting Vintage Labels borders on the cover of my Scarlet Jewel card using Vintage Cream ink, I knew I wanted to fill-in the center with a pattern, so a mask was in order.  I stamped the smallest border I used onto regular computer paper and cut out the center with a craft knife.

After laying the mask I made over my stamped borders, I was able to stamp Background Basics: Text Style through the opening with Versamark ink.  The great thing about this is that after making one mask, you can use it over and over again, even if you're making 200 copies of your card!

The star image in this set is the same shape & size as the stars in Star Prints, so it too coordinates with the star punch we carry in our store.  I love coordination like this because it makes it quick and easy to complete this step in the process!

 

When you remove the mask and add the punched star, it's like magic!  The borders & text background add so much without any extra bulk!

 

The sentiment is from Tree Trimming Trio and is stamped with Scarlet Jewel ink.  I flanked each side of the sentiment with small snowflakes from Winter Swirls.  I liked the embossed stripes on yesterday's project so much, I decided to make the same application to the bottom of this project too. (Uses the Stripes embossing folder from QuicKutz).

 

The interior of the card features one of the borders from Vintage Labels stamped in Scarlet Jewel and die cut with one of the Labels One dies.  The sentiment is from Holiday Wishes, one of my personal favorites from the set.

 

The envelope is stamped with the same border in Scarlet Jewel and accented with some of the small snowflakes from the Winter Swirls set.  I love the way Scarlet Jewel looks when stamped on any of our Vintage Cream products!  Especially the envelopes!  So elegant!

 

This project is nice and affordable, at only 30-cents each to create.  Quick, easy, inexpensive & fun!

 

This last card is a bit of a nod to the rustic style that is so popular right now.  It's a bit different than the normal style I stick to, so it was fun to challenge myself and branch out!

 

The background of this card looks so rich (and perhaps even complicated to some of you!), but it's really quite simple!  The detail & texture Beth designed into the stamps takes all of the work out of it!  I simply placed several of the individual snowflakes from Winter Swirls onto one block together, then stamped away, filling the card front.  If you haven't tried it yet, Pure Poppy is SO pretty on our kraft cardstock!

 

The tree from Winter Swirls has a fun whimsical look to it.  It is stamped in Ripe Avocado, with the sentiment underneath it (also from Winter Swirls) is stamped in Pure Poppy.  I knew I wanted to add splashes of bright red to the tree and ended up using the small circular pieces that are the remains of using a 1/8" hole punch.  I simply punched several of the small dots from Pure Poppy cardstock and adhered them in place using a 2-Way Glue Pen.  They add a lot of color pop, but are still nice and flat.  And best of all, they're practically free!  If you wanted them to have a bit more sparkle, you could always add a dab of Stickles to them as well!

 

Our signature twill tape (shown here in Pure Poppy) is the perfect ribbon for borders.  On this project I used 1/4" ScorTape to adhere two pieces of the twill across the cover.  The texture compliments the rustic style of this card perfectly!

 

I made a fun discovery while coming up with a concept for the interior of this card.  One of our very first Christmas stamps sets, Snowflake Serenade, has two interior card sentiments that have a "fill in the blank" format using the large swirly words "Peace" and "Joy".  Well, wouldn't you know, Winter Swirls ALSO includes the single words "Peace" and "Joy" in it's own signature font!  So, I inked up the Snowflake Serenade sentiments in Ripe Avocado and stamped them on the interior of my card.  I then added the word "Peace" from Winter Swirls in Pure Poppy ink.  I love how these two sets will work together for future applications!

 

The matching Kraft envelope simply has the same snowflake clusters that were used on the card cover, stamped up the side using Pure Poppy ink.  That small detail really helps to bring the whole ensemble together!

Since this card uses a bit of ribbon, it come in a bit higher than some of the others, at 55-cents each.  Still a bargain in my book, though!

Isn't the diversity of projects you can create with this set AMAZING!  From bright & bold, to rustic, to modern... that's what you can achieve with a great basic like this!  I'd love to hear about your first impressions of this set!  Are you gonna be adding it YOUR cart tonight?   Just for leaving a comment today, you can have a chance at a fabulous prize package!

• Winter Swirls stamp set
  
• Beyond Basic Borders stamp set
  

You have until 11:30pm EST Monday, September 14th to leave your comment to be eligible to win.  One winner will be randomly selected at that time.  The winner will be announced before the release @ midnight EST on our September Release Winners Page.  Please play nice, only one comment per person.

Well, it's been a whirlwind of a week!  I hope to see all of you at the release party tonight with bells on your toes!  Don't forget the hot cocoa and peppermint sticks!

 

Becky Oehlers has even more to share with you using Beth's new Winter Swirls set!

Melissa Bickford has even more projects to share using Peaceful Poinsettia.

Dawn McVey is highlighting her new set, Signature Christmas, AND offering up a giveaway!

Beth Silaika shares another project with us using her set.

Lauren Meader is sharing even more sneak peeks at this months new templates.

Teri Anderson has three projects to share with you today, using some of the new releases!

Complete shopping & cutting lists for all of today's projects can be found HERE.

Introducing Orange Zest & New Vintage Buttons

You got to see quite a bit of this color collection during last month's release projects and now we have everything ready and in stock for you to purchase tonight!  We have the cardstock, NEW! formula pigment ink pad and all six ribbons, along with the vintage buttons!

(click on the photo above for a larger view)

Along with the Orange Zest products, we are also rounding out the very last missing color for our vintage button collection, Ocean Tides!

(click on the photo above for a larger view)

Introducing Holiday Cheer

We are proud to introduce another patterned paper collection by young designer Liz Deardorff.  Holiday Cheer is a collection of bold patterns that can be combined or used separately for a variety of holiday (and non-holiday) projects.  With nuances of Scarlet Jewel, Raspberry Fizz, Ripe Avocado and Spring Moss, the combinations are fresh and fun!

Introducing Vintage Labels & Signature Christmas

I've got not one, but two AMAZINGLY versatile sets to introduce to you today!  Both of which I am extremely excited about showcasing! 

First is Vintage Labels, a set that is hinged upon the ongoing popularity of vintage label shaped embellishments that are available throughout the industry.  The stamp set we are bringing you allows you to create four different sizes in any color you desire.  All you need to provide is the cardstock, ink and a little creativity!  As an added bonus, to make it quick and easy to cut out any of these Vintage Label images, they were designed to coordinate with Spellbinders Labels One die collection!

The details.

• Vintage Labels will be available for purchase on September 15th.
• It will retail for $24.
• Vintage Labels contains a total of 15 images (9 label images and 6 decorative companion images).

The second set is a little something by our very own Dawn McVey.  You all let us know how much you enjoyed using her contributions to Handwritten Notes, so now she has put together a beautiful Christmas sentiment set that will compliment any holiday project.  With the whimsical loops that are integrated into the graceful flow of her penmanship, you'll instantly fall in love with the easy style that can now be integrated into all your projects.


The details:

• Signature Christmas will be available for purchase on September 15th.
• It will retail for $15.
• Signature Christmas contains a total of 14 sentiment images.

I've created three unique projects today to showcase this duo together, although keep in mind that they can work well with almost anything even separately!  Onto the projects!

 

(click on above photo for larger view)

This is probably my favorite card out of the bunch because it has a bit of a unique layout for a one-layer card.  This is a monochromatic design, done all in Enchanted Evening.  Blues of this shade always remind me of the beauty of winter, especially when paired with crisp white!  It also uses images from the new Tree Trimming Trio, which is another one of my new favorites!

 

Here's a close up of the label I created using the largest dotted border from Vintage Labels paired with it's coordinating die.  The "Joy to the World" sentiment is from Signature Christmas.  To make your custom labels go twice as far, especially when die-cutting for mass-production, try cutting them in half.  They can have just as much impact, if not more.  The embossed strip at the bottom of the cover is a separate scrap of cardstock embossed with the QuicKutz Stripes embossing folder.  I love the way that this little strip grounds everything.

For the trees, I stamped the flourished tree twice and varying heights in the background of my Enchanted Evening card base using Versamark ink.  I then stamped the tree one more time (in between the others) using Fresh Snow ink.  I used solid ornaments to fill the trio of ornament openings there on this tree.  On the white tree, I used a the snowflake ornament.  A small single rhinestone finishes off each of them.

I kept the interior quite simple.  I used the same border & die from the cover, except leaving it whole.  The sentiment is another example from Dawn's Signature Christmas set.  I used the small snowflake ornament that I had used on the tree on the cover as a decorative accent here, stamped in Enchanted Evening.

The white A2 envelope features the same border again, this time as a frame for containing the address of the recipient.  Once again, I used the snowflake ornament as a complimentary accent.  Such a wonderfully beautiful & simple complete package!

 

And to top it all of, it comes in at only 53-cents each to make, including the envelope!  At that price, you can afford to give everyone on your list an *extra special* card this year!

(click on above photo for larger view)

I wanted to create a project that used the new Vintage Labels set without the coordinating die, and this is what I came up with. This card is literally one layer, with no other cardstock except the Rustic Cream that makes up the card base!  The Vintage Labels border is stamped in Sweet Blush.  The poinsettias (from Melissa's new set, Peaceful Poinsettia) are done in Hibiscus Burst, followed by the leaves in Ripe Avocado. 

To add a bit of depth an dimension to this one-layer project, I outlined the flower and leaves with my T1 Copic marker.  Just that little touch really helps to set everything off.  A small rhinestone was added to the flower centers for a bit of sparkle.  The sentiment, from Signature Christmas, is stamped in Smokey Shadow.

The interior of the card is very similar to the cover, just a bit simplified.  The same border is stamped in Sweet Blush, but this time just the small flower is added as an accent.  The sentiment (from Peaceful Poinsettia as well) is stamped in Smokey Shadow.  I am totally LOVING this ink lately.  It is a perfect alternative to black when you need something a bit more understated.

The Rustic Cream A2 envelope has the same treatment as the interior of the card, allowing the border to serve as the future boundary of someone's mailing address.

 

With this being a one-layer card, it comes in at only 36-cents each for the consumable supplies!  Now, you gotta love that!

(click on above photo for larger view)

Last, but certainly not least, is a quick little card I designed using one of the smaller scaled borders from Vintage Labels. 

The border is stamped with Spring Moss ink, which frames the beautiful snowflake from Beth's new set, Winter Swirls.  The snowflake is stamped with Ocean Tides, a perfect color for something so majestic.  A strip from Background Basics: Text Style acts as a border behind the focal point.  This is a great little tip for those of you who are trying to stick with more mailer friendly cards.  Use a stamped border in place of an extra layer of cardstock or ribbon.  You achieve similar results with less bulk.

The sentiment was once again stamped in Smokey Shadow ink AND it too is from Dawn's new set.  I love the way that the last letter "n" leads your eye off the page.

The interior features a block of Rustic White cardstock, stamped with a sentiment from Holiday Wishes using Spring Moss ink.  The same snowflake from Winter Swirls is used again with Ocean Tides ink.  I just LOVE those two images paired together!

The Rustic White envelope features the same images that were used on the focal point of the card.  They are positioned just right so that they will appear next to where the address would be filled in later.

 

these simple cards finished up to be only 40-cents each, again WITH the elegant matching envelope!  Talk about easy peasy!

 

Before I sign off, there are a few small tips I wanted to point out involving the Vintage Labels stamp set.  One is, that because of the large size of the images in this set, there are two borders that "nest" within each other in the case.  As you can see above, the smaller one is actually directly on top of the lip of the larger border. 

Just a heads up that it was planned that way to avoid having the set divided into two cases just for that one image.  You can still shut the case easily and the slight overlapping during storage will not affect your stamps performance in any way, shape of form.

Secondly, to fit as many stamps as we could within this set, we nested some of the images inside others during the manufacturing process.  This means that some of them are literally frames and have open middles.  (Many of our Borders & Corners sets are like this as well).  To avoid any skewing of the image when placing it on a block, just lay the stamp, image side DOWN, on your table top.  As it is lying there freely, it will maintain it's natural, original shape.

 

Next, simply lay your block on top of the image to pick it up.  You will get perfect mounting every time this way!

So, are all of you now DYING to get these two sets into your cart?  I know I couldn't live without them!  Any particular uses for either of them pop into your head?  I'd love to hear your initial opinions of both the sets!  Just for leaving a comment today, you can have a chance at a fabulous prize package!

• Vintage Labels stamp set
  
• Signature Christmas stamp set
  
• Labels One Die Collection
  

You have until 8am EST Monday, September 14th to leave your comment to be eligible to win.  One winner will be randomly selected at that time.  The winner will be announced before noon EST the same day on our September Release Winners Page.  Please play nice, only one comment per person.

Well, enjoy the rest of your day and I look forward to seeing you back here tomorrow for more sneak peeks of what's to come!  Thank you so much for stopping by!

 

Michelle Wooderson has a few more fun tips to share with you in regards to using both of these new sets, Vintage Labels & Signature Christmas.

Melissa Bickford has even more projects to share using Peaceful Poinsettia.

Dawn McVey is highlighting her new set, Signature Christmas, even more.

Beth Silaika shares another project with us using her new set, Winter Swirls.

Lauren Meader is sharing even more sneak peeks at this months new templates.

Did you see the blog post I did over at Creating Keepsakes the other day?  There is a tutorial there about changing the Vintage Labels into journaling blocks.

 

Complete shopping and cutting lists for today's projects are available HERE.

Introducing Tree Trimming Trio

One of the very first holiday themed stamp sets that I designed a few years ago was Take a Bough.  A fun little set that allowed you to decorate a limb with different shapes & sizes of ornaments.  While preparing for this holiday release a few months ago, it occurred to me how fun it would be to have entire trees that you could decorate in the same manner.  This is how Tree Trimming Trio came to be!

Tree Trimming Trio contains a total of three large-scaled trees that each have three openings for ornaments to be added.  The ornaments can be stamped directly into place or punched out and added in with foam dimensionals.  You can even use buttons or rhinestones too, if you prefer!  Many of the ornaments feature design elements from some of your favorite sets, such as Background Basics: Retro and Beyond Basic Borders.

The details.

• Tree Trimming Trio will be available for purchase on September 15th.
• It will retail for $24.
• It contains a total of 28 images (3 trees, 15 decorations for the trees, 3 tree bases and 7 sentiments).
• All of the ornaments coordinate with a 1/2" circle punch, which we will also have available for purchase September 15th.
• The ornaments also coordinate with 1/2" epoxy dome stickers, which will be made available too.

Now let's get to some projects, shall we?  As I told you at the beginning of countdown week, not only would we be highlighting some quick & easy holiday cards, but also gifts.  Today's post will be full of easy, economical gift ideas that you can start on NOW in preparation for December!

To begin, I'll start with the card portion of my ensemble.  I decided to use the polka-dotted tree as my focal point, so I stamped it onto Vintage Cream cardstock using Hibiscus Burst ink.  Notice the "empty" spaces that are designed to allow future placement of ornament images without requiring any masking.

Next is the actual addition of those ornaments.  The ornament images are each separate, so you add three different ornaments to the trio of spaces, or repeat the same design in each space.  I chose to repeat the same design, but rotating them just a bit each time to provide a little contrast.  It is SO fun to go through and pick out which ornaments to use!

Here's the tree mounted on my card front, which is simply created with Hibiscus Burst & Spring Moss cardstock along with a center border of Raspberry Fizz Grosgrain Ribbon.

 

Here, if you look carefully, you'll notice the addition of Sweet Blush cardstock.  The smaller dots that make-up the polka-dotted tree coordinate with 1/4" hole punch.  All I did was punch a few circles from the Sweet Blush cardstock and adhere them into place using a 2-Way Glue Pen.  It's such an easy way to integrate another color without having to try to ink some of the circles separately or even masking.

 

Lastly, I added the 1/2" epoxy dome stickers to the Spring Moss ornament images I stamped earlier.  That addition makes them really pop and adds some interesting contrast and texture.  You'll notice that there's no sentiment on the cover.  I thought about adding one and tried a few different things, and finally decided that I would leave it as is.  It just allows more focus on that beautiful tree!

 

 

*sigh*.....Don't you just LOVE that little tree!  These little cards come in at only 57-cents each, including the envelope!  While I was designing them, I kept in mind to make them mailer friendly.  that's why I love the epoxy stickers so much!  They add such great dimension & detail, but are inexpensive and flat!  If you weren't mailing these and just hand-delivering them with your gift, the addition of glitter, rhinestones, pearls would also be a fun way to take it to the next level!!!

Now, earlier I promised you a quick & easy homemade gift idea.  I chose an ensemble that is truly a gift of relaxation & comfort, something I am planning on making for all of my girlfriends this year.  A Flannel Blanket & Heat Pillow Duo.  If you can sew a straight line on your SewMini, then you can create this inexpensive and well-loved project!

What you will need:

• 5 yards of flannel (I got 2.5 yards each of two contrasting colors/patterns)
• grosgrain ribbon
• rice
• sewing machine & thread
• iron & ironing board

You will want to wash, dry & press your flannel before starting on your project to ensure there is no significant shrinking later when you wash the completed pieces.

 

Let's start with the easiest part, the blanket!!!  To begin, cut 1/2 yard from each color of flannel (setting the small pieces aside for later), leaving you with two 2-yard pieces. Place them RIGHT sides together on the floor, pinning the edges randomly around the perimeter to hold everything in place.  Use the sewing machine stitch around the outside perimeter, keeping about a 1/2" seam allowance. 

The solid dots on the diagram above show you where to stop and start.  You will notice that you will want to stop & start on an end, leaving an opening that is not stitched shut.  This space will allow you to turn the blanket right side out. 

After turning it right side out and pressing all of the edges crisply, you will want to stitch around the perimeter one more time as a finishing stitch, using about a 1/4" seam allowance again.  Stitch right over where the opening was earlier and you won't even be able to tell where it was, as shown above.

You want to repeat the same steps as above only on a smaller scale for the heat pillow.  The two flannel pieces should measure 8" x 20" (taken from the leftover flannel you set aside earlier), placed right sides together and stitched around the perimeter leaving an opening.  Turn right side out and press.  Do the finishing seam everywhere EXCEPT where the opening is.  Use a funnel and fill the pillow with about 40 oz. of rice (I used two 20oz. Dixie cupfuls to measure accurately).  After the rice is added, you can go ahead and finish the seam on that end of the pillow.  SUPER easy!!!

 

(click on above photo for a larger view)

Here's the completed ensemble, totaling about $15 in quality materials.  There is even enough fabric leftover from the five yards to create a little drawstring bag (threaded with grosgrain ribbon for the drawstring) to store the blanket & pillow in.  If you aren't familiar with these heat pillows, you throw them in the microwave for about 2-3 minutes and then place them on any areas of your body that you want to relax, such as your neck.  They retain the heat forever (nearly an hour!) and they can be used over and over again for years.  I can just picture my friends all cozy with their blankets and heat pillows, curling up with a good book on a chilly winter day!

(click on above photo for a larger view)

One last detail that I forgot to mention is the handmade label I created.  I stamped the "handmade by" image from Quilter's Sampler onto muslin fabric with Raspberry Fizz ink.  I trimmed the edges with pinking shears and stitched the label onto the corner of the blanket.  I love the personal "designer" feel it gives to the project!  I am SO excited to give these gifts to all my friends!  I know it is something they will enjoy using throughout the year whenever they want to take a few moments out of their busy schedules and get cozy!  And you just can't beat the price!

I challenged the design team to create a holiday card with Tree Trimming Trio and also share some of their plans for homemade holiday gifts this year.  September is a great time to plan ahead so you can get an early start and have a stress-free holiday!  Enjoy!

CLICK HERE to read more from Debbie!

 
CLICK HERE to read more from Mish!

 
CLICK HERE to read more from Lisa!

 

CLICK HERE to read more from Heather!

 
CLICK HERE to read more from Niki!

 

CLICK HERE to read more from Dawn!

 

CLICK HERE to read more from Lauren!

 

CLICK HERE to read more from Becky!

 

CLICK HERE to read more from Geny!

CLICK HERE to read more from Melissa!

CLICK HERE to read more from Betsy!

If you don't feel inspired to get a head start on your holiday projects after all of that eye candy, I don't know what will!  I am so thankful to be surrounded by so many talented women!  It certainly makes things easier when you have such amazing people to be continually inspired by!

So, can you tell how incredible excited all of us are about Tree Trimming Trio?  Can you see all the possibilities for the ornaments and mixing & matching?  Just think!  Buttons, Epoxy stickers, giant rhinestones, large adhesive pearls!  The sky's the limit!  I'd love to hear your initial opinions of the set!  Just for leaving a comment today, you can have a chance at a fabulous prize package!

• Tree Trimming Trio stamp set
• package of 75 Epoxy Dome Stickers
• 1/2" circle punch

You have until 8am EST Sunday, September 13th to leave your comment to be eligible to win.  One winner will be randomly selected at that time.  The winner will be announced before noon EST the same day on our September Release Winners Page.  Please play nice, only one comment per person.

Well, enjoy the rest of your day and I look forward to seeing you back here tomorrow for more sneak peeks of what's to come!  Thank you so much for stopping by!

 

Melissa Bickford has even more projects to share using Peaceful Poinsettia.

Dawn McVey is highlighting her new set, Signature Christmas.

Beth Silaika shares another project with us using her new set, Winter Swirls.

Complete shopping & cutting lists for my project are available HERE (also featuring a little tutorial on how to construct the coordinating drawstring bag!)

Introducing Stocking Prints

With the popularity of both Heart Prints and Star Prints, I thought it would be fun to incorporate the concept of multiple patterns into something for the holidays.  After analyzing a few different themes that you might not see much in the stamping industry, I decided to focus on the classic holiday icon, the Christmas stocking.

Stocking Prints is a collection of mix & match stockings and cuffs, with the stockings featuring two different sizes along with a variety of patterns.

The details.

• Stocking Prints will be available for purchase on September 15th.
• It will retail for $24.
• It contains a total of 27 images (12 stockings, 5 cuffs, 1 decorative loop and 9 sentiments)

Now, how about we continue where we left off yesterday!  More quick & simple holiday cards!

(click on above image for larger view)

This striking Pure Poppy & true Black combination is so vibrant & festive!  I just love it!  The focal point uses one of the small stockings and the stitched cuff, both stamped in Pure Poppy.  The sentiment is stamped on top of the stocking using True Black ink. 

Now, did you notice the framed label I stamped everything on?  I actually made it from scratch myself using another one of our new releases, Vintage Labels.  It's a border set designed to coordinate with the Labels One dies from Spellbinders.  I will go into more depth about them later this week, but if you still yearn for a bit more, you can stop by the Creating Keepsakes blog today where I am being featured as their guest blogger.  My post with them outlines a couple quick & easy tutorials using Vintage Labels that I think you'll want to check out!

Underneath the focal point, I layered True Black Stitched Ribbon underneath True Black Gingham Ribbon.  Both layers were adhered with Scor-tape and trimmed evenly with the edge of the cover to avoid bulkiness.  Many of our ribbons are of such a great quality, they won't fray when trimmed this way!

(click on above image for larger view)

For the interior, I stamped a sentiment from Holiday Wishes using Pure Poppy ink.  I added two small decorative flourishes from Vintage Labels on either side of the sentiment using True Black ink.

The borders included in Vintage Labels are perfect for adding to the front of an envelope, framing where the address will be written.  This white A2 envelope was stamped with the same dotted border that I used on my card using Pure Poppy ink.

Not only do the cute little cards above come together quickly, they are also budget friendly, coming in at only 50-cents each for the consumable supplies! 

 

(click on above image for larger view)

This project uses a color scheme that is a bit more nontraditional for a holiday card.  Smokey Shadow, Aqua Mist & Fresh Snow.

This particular card is SUPER easy to mass produce because you can assemble all of the stocking images on one block together.  This allows you to stamp the entire cover with one impression!

The sentiment, also from Stocking Prints, is stamped in Smokey Shadow ink.  I like how it nods slightly to the popular silver metallics that are so popular during the holidays, without having to go to all the trouble of actually heat embossing.

Just like the card above, I cut this Fresh Snow Velvet Ribbon so that is even with the front of my card.  The 1/4" Scor-tape we carry is perfect for adhering the ribbon into place securely.

(click on above image for larger view)

The interior uses another sentiment from Holiday Wishes, stamped in Smokey Shadow.  The upper portion of the interior block is stamped with Polka Dot Basics II using Aqua Mist ink.  A bit of the same Fresh Snow Velvet Ribbon is adhered in place as a border.

I stamped a single stocking with Aqua Mist ink in the the lower right corner of the coordinating white A2 envelope.

This card is bit more pricey than the others I have shown this week because of the elegant addition of velvet ribbon, but still comes in way under a $1!

(click on above image for larger view)

I've always loved plum & cream together and I thought they would be perfectly suited for a holiday card.  Plum Pudding, Vintage Cream & Classic Kraft.  To start, I stamped the large flourish from Fancy Flourishes three times on the kraft card cover using Vintage Cream ink.  I rounded the lower corners using a corner rounder punch.

The stocking was stamped using Plum Pudding ink on Rustic Cream cardstock.  I paired the small striped stocking and the star cuff to build the image. The stripes looked as though they needed a little something, so I added some Stickles to give the project a bit of shimmer & shine.  After the Stickles dried, I gut the stocking out.  I purposely made sure the exterior outline of these images were kept simple so they would be easy to cut out.

(click on above image for larger view)

The interior uses, yet again, Holiday Wishes.  This time stamped in Plum Pudding on Rustic Cream cardstock.  I stamped some of the star border from Around & About Sentiments on either side of it using the same ink.  Small dabs of Stickles finish it off.

For the coordinating Rustic Cream A2 envelope, I carried the stars & Stickles over to the flap of the envelopes.  I think it's such a nice touch!

This project is super economical, only requiring 35-cents worth of product.  Perfect for those who make dozens upon dozens of cards!

Last, but certainly not least is one last project that uses a single stocking as it's focal point.  I figured with so many nontraditional color schemes floating around, I would get back to the basics with this project.

The base of the stocking is stamped with Scarlet Jewel (sigh......don't you LOVE the pattern on this stocking?!?!)  with the cuff being stamped in Ripe Avocado.  The sentiment is added underneath in Dark Chocolate. 

Instead of ribbon, I added a strip of Ripe Avocado cardstock that features a score line down the center as an accent.  The Scarlet Jewel background mat was embossed with a new QuicKutz Embossing Folder entitled Retro Diamonds, which I love!

The interior features one of Dawn's new sentiments from her set, Signature Christmas.  It's stamped in Dark Chocolate ink.  I added the punched leaves (Martha Stewart) and berries (1/4" hole punch) underneath the sentiment as a pretty accent. LOVE THIS!!!!

For one last finishing touch, I stamped the large flourish from Fancy Flourishes onto the matching Vintage Cream A2 envelope.  I love how the flourish seems to *creep* up the back and onto the front of the envelope. 

This card worked out to be another bargain at only 35-cents each to create! 

So, are you as excited about this set as I am?!?!?!  Are you starting to see all the possibilities?  What kinds of memories does the image of a Christmas Stocking bring back for you?  I'd love to hear from you!  Just for leaving a comment today, you can have a chance at a fabulous prize package!

• Stocking Prints stamp set
• Fancy Flourishes stamp set

This prize pack has nearly a $50 retail value, so be sure to play along!  You have until 8am EST Saturday, September 12th to leave your comment to be eligible to win.  One winner will be randomly selected at that time.  The winner will be announced before noon EST the same day on our September Release Winners Page.  Please play nice, only one comment per person.

Well, enjoy the rest of your day and I look forward to seeing you back here tomorrow for more sneak peeks of what's to come!  Thank you so much for stopping by!

Heather Nichols has some additional projects using Stocking Prints that you won't want to miss!

Melissa Bickford has even more projects to share using Peaceful Poinsettia.

Lauren Meader is showcasing her second new template for the month, It's on the House!

Dawn McVey is highlighting her new set, Signature Christmas.

Beth Silaika shares another project with us using her new set, Winter Swirls.

Kelly Lunceford has a sneak peek of one of the new templates for you as well.

Don't forget, I am a guest blogger over on the Creating Keepsakes Blog today!  My post with them includes some additional sneak peeks of our new Vintage Labels set along with some fun tutorials!!!  Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the BIG contest there too!  Be sure to stop by and tell 'em Nichole sent you!!!

 

Complete shopping & cutting lists for all of today's projects can be found HERE!