Last Christmas in July

Yes, I have just enough time to squeak in one more Christmas idea for you before the end of the month. This is another one we'll be making on Tuesday to send to "From Our Hearts" for our soldiers. I love the simplicity of this card and it's one I will probably make more of to send myself. Hope you like it too.

Stamps: Bells and Boughs, and (retired Hostess set) Peaceful Season

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke

Ink: Always Artichoke, Cherry Cobbler, and Crumb Cake

Accessories: Mat Pack and Piercing Tool, Cherry Cobbler Seam Binding Ribbon, Sponge Dauber, and Dimensionals

The bold Merry Christmas stamp from the Grateful Greetings stamp set also works very nicely with this card. I've made it both ways for the ladies to work on and I'm really not sure which one I prefer. The sponging with Crumb Cake gives the card more of a vintage feel to it that I like. The corner piercing opposite the Cherry Cobbler ribbon work nicely to give the card some extra interest too.

Like I said, it's a very simple card, but I think that makes it look more elegant. And that's good for a card with not a lot of doo-dads and ribbons to make it stand out. And just think how quick this card can be put together when you're doing lots of multiples!

Thanks for stopping in today. Hope you're enjoying your Sunday evening and getting geared up for the week ahead.

Happy stamping - Sharon

Another Christmas in July

Today's post is another one of those easy Christmas cards for our soldiers. I love what the group "From Our Hearts" is doing to preserve morale for our troops. The idea of having quality, hand-made cards to send home to help keep a connection to those far away is a very important one. It's such a small way to give back to those that put their lives at risk by going to war and to say thanks to their loved ones waiting back home. If you're interested in learning more about this worthwhile cause, be sure to click on the button on the right. OK, that's enough preaching from my soapbox. I'll get down now and get on with the card! grin


Stamps: none, can you believe that?!
Cardstock: Whisper White and Real Red, and Garden Green from the Regals Collection Patterns Designer Series Paper Stack
Ink: Garden Green and Real Red
Accessories: Big Shot with Finial Press Embossing Folder, Ornament Punch, Mat Pack and Piercing Tool, Sponge Daubers, Dimensionals, Mini Glue Dots, and a retired skinny silver cording


This card has wonderfully clean and simple lines to it. Very classic looking. After the ornament was embossed, I added a tiny smudge of color to enhance the embossing and make it stand out. There is also sponging around the edges of the Garden Green layer. The card is cut a little smaller than the regular size. The size is 5" x 4 1/4", because I liked the look of the layering dimensions for this card better this way. Adding some piercing in all four corners of the Real Red layer gives this simple card just a little bit more textural interest.

Thanks for stopping by again. Hope this gives you some ideas towards making your own cards for Christmas this year. This would be a great modern looking card for you to try. Hope to see you again soon! Comments are always welcome...
Sharon

Christmas in July

This past week I've been working on getting cardstock cut and designs finalized for next Tuesday when we get together to make cards for the soldiers. The deadlines are starting to loom ahead, so this week I've been only planning Christmas cards. The one I'm sharing with you today has all current stamps and cardstock, but the ribbon used is a retired one that I've had on hand for awhile. Since we'll be making 50 of this one card, I needed to cut expenses back just a little by using a retired ribbon. There are so many possibilities of ribbon that would work with this card. Just use your imagination and choose something like the new 1/2" Scallop Dots Ribbon in Cherry Cobbler. Wouldn't that look great? Unfortunately I don't have mine just yet, so I'm going with what I have available.

Stamps: Season of Joy and Christmas Wishes

Cardstock: Whisper White, Garden Green, and Real Red

Ink: Garden Green and Real Red

Accessories: Paper Snips, Dimensionals, and retired Polka Dot Ribbon in Real Red

Because of the numbers of cards we make in one evening, I have to cut back on the layers used and/or the amount of cutting required. I had seen a card with 2 of these cut out trees that I really liked, but time-wise it wouldn't have been a good idea for us.

So here's one of the cards we'll be making next Tuesday. Very traditional colors and style. Hope there are some service personnel that think this card is just right to send home to their family! I'll have another Christmas card to share with you tomorrow. Actually now is the best time to get going on planning and making your Christmas cards instead of waiting til 2 weeks before Christmas like I usually do! Maybe this year I'll get them made and sent out a bit sooner than normal. Then again, maybe not - I wouldn't want to shock anybody too much!

Thanks for spending some time with me today. I look forward to reading your comments, so don't be shy. Come again soon ya'll.

Sharon

Pennant Birthday

Ok, I've become totally hooked on the new Just Add Cake Designer Series Papers. The colors are bright (but not too bright), and very festive. Just right for those birthday cards that can't be too frilly, but not too babyish either. I think it's just right. So, that means I've been busy making cards using these papers. Here's one to share with you today...

Stamps: Pennant Parade, and Bring on the Cake

Cardstock: Wild Wasabi, Daffodil Delight, Early Espresso, and Baja Breeze with Just Add Cake Designer Series Paper

Ink: Early Espresso pad and marker

Accessories: Petite Pennants Builder Punch, 3/4" Circle Punch, Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, and Dimensionals

The choice of colors for the card came directly from the Designer Paper. You can't go wrong when you use the colors Stampin'Up! has already put together for you! I must admit I changed the yellow from So Saffron to Daffodil Delight. I liked a bigger punch of yellow on the card. Either way works depending on the look you like.

The most fun making this card was making the pennants! With the stamp and punch combo, they come together in a snap. Way cool! I'm sure I'll be making more of this type of card in the future. It's just too fun not to make again!!

One little pointer I learned with this card, stamp the pennants inside the card before using the marker to 'hang' them. On this card I added the line first and then stamped. Not pretty. The left one isn't exactly attached to the line - bummer! But the next one turned out just fine. I guess practice makes perfect, or at least better!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by to see what I've been doing. Get out those stamps and have yourself some fun!

Sharon

Another CASED card

I think I've mentioned the fact that I've been struggling to get some inspiration lately. That hasn't changed yet. So instead of doing nothing with my stamps, I've been doing a little CASEing with a tiny twist of my own added. Today's post is inspired by Kristen Kortonick who posted a lovely card on Stampin' Connection here (not sure if this will work!). Her card is so lovely and soft looking that I fell in love with the total look. But I didn't have enough of the DSP print that she used, so I adjusted the layering to use what I had. Also changed up the yellow used to be a softer look. Here's what I came up with...

Stamps: Fabulous Florets and Happy Greetings

Cardstock: So Saffron, Pacific Point, and Whisper White with Beyond the Garden Designer Series Paper

Ink: So Saffron and Pacific Point

Accessories: Mat Pack and Piercing Tool, Subtles Mini Brads, Dimensionals, and a retired So Saffron Ribbon

Here's the inside of the card. I can't begin to tell you where the sentiment came from as it's an unmounted stamp I purchased years ago. The font and the words seemed to fit nicely with the card, so why not use it.

With the change in the color of the cardstock and ink, and DSP print, the whole card seems to have a bolder look to it. It wasn't my goal, but now that it's finished I really like how it came together. Who knows, if I keep up this CASEing and changing, maybe my mojo will creep back in with a vengeance and I'll be staying up all night stamping again!! Well, that was fun. Let's see what else I can find to stamp.....

Sharon

Cards for Soldiers

Last week our small group of ladies got together to stamp cards for our soldiers as usual. What wasn't usual was that right before we got to church to do this, the power went out! We decided to go with the flow and worked on the cards anyway. Let me tell you, it was quite interesting! We moved the table so that the sun was shining on it so we could see what we were doing. Sort of anyway. We weren't able to get as many cards made as usual, but we sure had fun trying! Here's one of the cards that we made that night...

Stamps: Autumn Harvest (retired) and a nonSU word stamp

Cardstock: Old Olive, Whisper White, and Dusty Durango (retired) and Dusty Durango Pattern Designer Series Paper

Ink: Basic Brown (retired), Watercolor Crayons

Accessories: Aqua Painter, Big Shot with Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Dusty Durango Polka Dot Ribbon (retired)

Love all the layers on this card. Especially how they are all assymetrical. I think it makes it a little more interesting. Don't you? And yes, almost all of the supplies here are retired! You're not imagining that at all. I think this is a great way to use all my retired supplies that I can't use at my workshops anymore. 'Cuz I'm sure not going to throw them out. They're still good and I really miss some of the colors and stamp sets. So today is a short walk down memory lane just remembering some of my old favorites. I'll work on getting back on track with current products right away!

Have a lovely Sunday. Rest, relax, and rejuvenate! Spend some time with family and friends like we'll be doing later! It's the best way to spend the weekend. We're running up to Frankenmuth shortly to celebrate a few birthdays and have a yummy chicken dinner. Doesn't that sound like fun? (Happy Birthday Heather - in case you're checking this!!) Enjoy the day...

Sharon

CASE from Mary Fish

Don't know if you've ever checked out Mary Fish's blog, but she's a fabulous stamper. I love the clean lines and pops of color she employs in her stamping. So today is a CASE from her lovely, serene card here. If you check her card, you'll see exactly what I mean. Now, I love the blues she used, but I was in a more hot frame of mind so I made a few changes. Here's what I came up with using her idea...


Stamps: Flower Fest and Happy Greetings
Cardstock: Whisper White, Real Red, Tangerine Tango, Daffodil Yellow
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: Big Shot with Top Note Die, Circle Fire Rhinestone Brad, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, Paper Snips, and Dimensionals

As you can see, there's not a hint of blue anywhere, just bright, sizzling hot colors. Don't those yellows, oranges, and reds just heat you right up? Whew - it's almost getting steamy in here! With the weather really hot outside, I thought I'd bring it inside to share with you.

I love the shape you get when you make the Top Note diecut, then flip it on it's side and run it through again. Just the right size for layering. The chrysanthemum-style flower was stamped 2 times on Daffodil Delight and once on Tangerine Tango. One of the yellow flowers gets punched out with the scallop circle punch - easy peasy. The other two layers need to be cut out, but that goes quickly and the finished flower is so worth it!

Hope you like my take on Mary's card. It was fun heating it up! Thanks for stopping in. Have a terrific weekend.

Sharon

In a slump

Yes, I guess that's what I'd call it. A slump, a funk, or maybe even just a dry spell. Seems I've been avoiding my stamping table lately so there's really not much to show anybody at all. What a bummer. Truthfully, I'm missing being with my good friends at the SU! convention this week. Maybe I've been having a pity party lately because of this and I need to get on with it! So, today I actually have a card to share - nothing too special. But I finally did get into the stamps and ink again. Looks like I'll have to work my way back to interesting again! Here's a really simple card...

Stamps: For All You Do, Teeny Tiny Wishes, and retired set Itty Bitty Backgrounds

Cardstock: Very Vanilla, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight

Ink: Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait, and Old Olive

Accessories: Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch, Corner Rounder Punch, Basic Pearls, and Dimensionals

Like I mentioned before, this card is very simple. I used a 'rock n roll' technique on the butterfly to change things up. There was a bit of sponging added to the sentiment also. And again I dragged out my old standby - Itty Bitty Backgrounds - to add a little interest to the plain background. It just looked too bare and I wasn't sure what else I could use to brighten it up. That's a problem I have when I don't get 'inky' on a regular basis. So here's to stamping and getting creative as often as possible! It really helps keep those creative juices flowing when you find time to just play with the stamps and tools you have. And it's even better when you can get some new 'stuff' to play with!

Hope my friends are all having a fabulous time at convention. I can't wait to hear all you've been seeing and making!! Have fun!

Sharon

Stylish Blogger Award

I guess this is a 'better late than never posting'. My fellow blogger Tory Bray was kind enough to award me with the Stylish Blogger Award last month. Wow! Thank you Tory for the vote of confidence in my blog! It means so much to me to have another stamper appreciate my work. You can find Tory's blog called "If I can stamp, you can too! here and see what cute ideas she has to offer.

The only stipulation for the award is to list 6 other blogs that I visit and find inspiration when I visit them. Here's my list of blogs:

1. Ilina Crouse - My Creations

2. Janine Tinklenberg - Stamps, Paper, Scissors

3. Lee Conrey - Stampinglee Yours

4. Mary Fish - Stampin' Pretty

5. Sarah-Jane Kale' - Janeybell Designs

6. Dawn Griffiths - DOStamping with Dawn

Each of these ladies' blogs are fun and inspiring, and their styles of stamping are entirely different! But that's what makes it fun - to see what others are making and getting out of your own comfortzone to try something new. Hope you take some time to check out each one of these blogs and see for yourself how talented these ladies are!

Thanks for stopping by and I'll be getting back to my regularly scheduled card postings soon - hopefully tomorrow! Sharon