Halloween Medallions

How strange it is when creative minds are thinking alike!  The past 2 weeks I'd been playing around making some new Halloween decorations.  You have to understand about this.  You see, Halloween isn't my favorite holiday, but I have an evergreen swag with twinkle lights draped on the top of my entertainment center that stays up all year.  I just change out the little treasures that are nestled or hung from it every season.  And it was getting to be time for the ghosts and goblins to come out, but the old ones were looking a little droopy and faded.  So I've been working on new DSP medallions to go up there.  I wanted them two-sided so they could be for Halloween and the rest of fall too.  They were about finished with just a few fall ideas for the back to finish when the latest "Stampin' Success" came in the mail.  Imagine my surprise when I saw exactly what I'd been working on featured in the magazine!!  Wow!  Deja vu and all that, you know? 
Anyway, here are mine - a little bigger, but very similar!

 

I've no idea why 2 of the pictures flipped sideways and can't get them to behave themselves.  What a hassle!  Anyway, you can see just how cute they turned out and I can't wait to get them hung upstairs.   After seeing the layout in the magazine, I made the little one like one that was pictured there.  It was made with black cardstock that was cut 1" wide.  All the rest were made with Howlstooth and Scaringbone Designer Series Paper that was cut 2" wide.  I also used the Silver Glimmer paper to add some glitz to them because most of them looked on the dark side.  As you can see from the back of one, I added pumpkins and/or fall-toned leaves, so I can just flip them over to the backside and they'll do double duty through November.               These are so easy to make using the Simply Scoring Tool.  The larger ones were all scored every 1/2" and the little black one was every 1/4".  All the embellishments were stamped and punched with whatever seemed to fit nicely with the paper colors and prints.  I think my favorite is this one here to the left with the Tangerine Tango and Black striped DSP.  Love how it turned out with two layers of scallop punched circles layered on under the stamped bat.  (After I saw the magazine, I added a rhinestone to the bat like they had done.)

I can't tell you how much fun these are to make.  You can use any paper, in any color, for any holiday or special theme.  I'm already thinking up ideas to update my Christmas danglies (that's probably not a word, is it?).  Anyway, it's lots of fun, so give it a try. 

tip:  With the Silicone Craft Sheet in the mini catalog, it's so easy to glue these medallions together with your hot glue gun without worrying about sticking to everything.  You can even squeeze out a glob of glue right onto the sheet and work from there to put the medallion together!  Easy peasy for sure!

Okay, I'm done fussing with this post.  The entire layout has gotten jazzed and I'm too tired and frustrated to figure it out.  I am soooooo not computer literate!!!   Arrrrgggghhh!  Oh well, at least you can see the pictures and get and idea what I did.  Have fun stamping!  Sharon

Blue Delft Tile Style

Last month at convention, I saw a fabulous card that my friend Michelle Breton had made.  It was simple, but gave me a very old-world feel.  I totally forgot to get a picture and was trying to remember what it looked like.  I remembered she has a blog so checked it out and luckily found her card here.  You know how everyone's stamping looks different, even when you're copying someone else's idea.  So, of course my version looks a little different from her original card.  Check her's out and then here's mine...

Stamps:  Everything Eleanor, and Petite Pairs
Ink:  Midnight Muse
Paper:  Midnight Muse and Whisper White
Accessories:   Simply Scored Tool and Diagonal Plate, 2 3/8" Scallop Circle Punch, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, White Organza Ribbon, Sponge Daubers, and Dimensionals

Because of the total blue and white look, along with the diagonal scored lines, this reminds me ofblue delft tiles surrounding an old fireplace.  I just love the crisp look of this!  And it's so easy to do.  Just do your stamping, get out that diagonal plate and the Simply Scored Tool and go to town with it!

I thought of sponging the outside edges of the main white layer, but I refrained and kept it looking as crisp and clean as possible.  I chose a different ribbon than Michelle used, because I wanted it to be white.  Could have used the new Stitched Satin Ribbon in the Midnight Muse color too, but liked this better. 

Hope you love this card as much as I do.  Thanks for sharing your lovely card Michelle!  I really appreciate it!!  Think I might make up a few more for my stash and just change out the sentiment.  Ok, that's it for today, lots of stuff to do.  See you soon...    Sharon

Pines and Poinsettias

Where does the time go? I can't believe how I'm getting farther and farther behind already this month! Sometimes I think extra days slide by when I go to sleep at night and when I wake up it's three days later or something like that. It couldn't possibly be that I'm just unorganized and things all start ganging up on me. Or maybe I just get myself involved in too many things. Whatever it is, I'm way behind the eight-ball already and it's only the 7th of December. I think I'll be ready for Christmas sometime mid-January if that's all right with you. Anyway, I do have a card to share with you today. It was made a couple weeks ago, just not posted yet. It uses both the Pines and Poinsettias stamp set and coordinating Holly Berry Bouquet DSP which I just love!
Stamps: Pines and Poinsettias, and Petite Pairs
Cardstock: Early Espresso, Wild Wasabi, Real Red, and Whisper White with Holly Berry Bouquet Designer Series Paper
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Real Red, and Early Espresso markers
Accessories: Scallop Border Punch, Large and Extra Large Tag Punches, Oval and Scallop Oval Punches, Simply Scored Tool, 1/16" Circle Punch, Linen Thread, Real Red Satin Ribbon, and Dimensionals

I had seen a couple similar cards on the Stampin' Connection (a sharing web sight for demonstrators). I sort of combined the ideas, but had to make a few changes as usual. Did you notice the grid-style of embossing on the Early Espresso layer on the left? It's done with the Simply Scored tool and is so very easy to do. But it adds so much texture to an area that looked a little bare. It was the perfect touch!

Next I have to mention how great this stamp set is! The elements all look so natural and nicely snow-covered without having to add anything extra to it. Of course, a little sprinkle of glitter to the 'snowy' areas would always work out nicely too.


Hope you enjoyed this idea and try it out for yourself. Thanks for stopping in and not giving up on me! Have a great day! Sharon

Happy Holidays

Finally getting back here with another Christmas card idea. I've been seeing so many nice ideas using printed paper pleated on cards to look like fabric ruffles. So I thought why not give it a try. Now first of all, you have to understand that anything to do with math is totally foreign to me. It's been a major struggle since grade school. And let me tell you, that was a heck of a long time ago!!! So after struggling with this idea for a good long while, I've finally got a card to share. Now, that ruffle/pleated thingy is not perfect, but it's going to have to do for now until I can figure out an easier way to make this. Any math brains out there that want to share the secret for doing this right??? If so, please take pity on me and give me some pointers. TIA

Stamps: Christmas Lodge
Cardstock: Cherry Cobbler, Garden Green, Early Espresso, and Very Vanilla with Frostwood Lodge Designer Series Paper
Ink: Early Espresso and Garden Green ink pads and Whisper White Craft Pad
Accessories: Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Big Shot with Snow Burst Embossing Folder, Cherry Cobbler 3/8" Quilted Satin Ribbon, Sponge Daubers, and Dimensionals

I simply love all the textures on this card! Along with the pleated paper, you have the new quilted satin ribbon that is really gorgeous! Then add the embossed and sponged layer of snowflakes and it really stands out. Not glitzy at all, but more country chic with the colors and little bit of plaid.

Like I mentioned earlier, I really struggled with the paper pleating. I couldn't get it to fit across the card the way I wanted with the pleats ending the same on both sides. Other than that little factor, I really liked making the pleats and will definitely give it a go again soon. Any pointers out there???

Hope you had a lovely weekend. I really should have been outside raking, but was just too cozy inside to bother. That just means there'll be many more leaves to rake later on, right? Here's to cozy afternoons inside just relaxing (and doing a little stamping too!). Sharon

Last Halloween Card

Last night I finally finished up the last of the Halloween cards I'm sending out. Ladies in class made a version of this card earlier this month as one of the projects. It just took me a little while to get around to making mine up to send out. This card is pretty much copied from "Stampin' Success" which is Stampin'Up!'s magazine for demonstrators. They showed a card using the new Simply Scored Scoring Tool which I totally luv!! Of course I changed it so I could use what I had on hand to give me a similar look. This is the finished card...

Stamps: Batty For You and Grateful Greetings
Cardstock: Concord Crush, River Rock, Old Olive, and More Mustard with Brights Pattern Pack of Designer Series Paper
Ink: Basic Black
Accessories: Simply Scored Scoring Tool, 1 3/4" Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Paper Snips, Sticky Strip, and Multi-Purpose Glue


I just love the color combination of purple and orange. They are just perfect foils for each other. And the River Rock is a good accent color instead of either White or Vanilla.

I think I've mentioned how easy and fun the Simply Scored Tool works. Using the stylus does a great job of keeping the lighter weight DSP from tearing through when you score. I've found that using the smaller end for cardstock and the larger end for all your lighter weight papers works just right. This piece was scored every 1/4". For larger medallions, it's fun to score every 1/2" for a much more substantial piece like ornaments or extra bling for your gift packages. Just something to think about since Christmas seems to be just around the corner and creeping up fast. (now that's scary!)

Have fun putting the final touches on your Halloween decorations and costumes. If the weather is cooperating, we'll be joining our kids taking our grandson out for trick or treating this year. Doesn't that sound like fun? Spooooky greeeeetings! Sharon

Gently Falling Again

Goodness! I just can't leave this stamp set alone! It keeps calling out to me that Christmas can wait just a little bit longer and I can play with my leaves just one more time. Or maybe two, um, or even three more times. Who knows, I'm just not ready to move on yet!

Stamps: Gently Falling and Grateful Greetings

Cardstock: Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze, Very Vanilla with Well Worn Designer Series Paper

Ink: Not Quite Navy, Cajun Craze, More Mustard, and Early Espresso

Accessories: Simply Scored Scoring Tool, Big Shot with Square Lattice Embossing Folder and Scallop Squares Duo Bigz Die, Stamp-a-ma-jig, Scallop Oval Punch, Large Oval Punch, and Sponge Dauber

Have I mentioned the Simply Scored Scoring Tool yet? Well let me tell you - it's simply fabulous! I can't tell you how many gate-fold cards I've made since getting this tool. It makes it so easy to do any scoring you need, whether it's just scoring the fold on a regular card, a fancy fold card, or one of the fan-fold paper medallions that are so much fun to make! This is one of the best purchases I've made in a long while! Hmmm, I wonder if SU! might come out with a certain addition to this tool (hint, hint) that I'd love to have. We'll just have to wait and see.

Back to the card now. I just love the Well Worn DSP with these leaves. I've used a couple of different prints from this paper pack with the leaves and different inks. All I can say is 'yummy'! So many great prints in this pack and they are perfect for those masculine cards you always need. It's a good DSP pack to have on hand.

If you look closely, you'll see the outlines of the leaves shows up rather lightly. I didn't add it until after the cardstock had been put through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Embossing Folder. That way the details only showed up on the upper texture of the cardstock. I chose to use a Stamp-a-ma-jig to get them lined up just the way I wanted. And then adding the sponging over this just enhanced the detail of the embossing perfectly.

Hope you enjoy the latest in the never-ending usage of my Gently Falling stamp set. Yes, right now it's at the top of my absolute favorite stamp list. Wonder what's going to push it out of the top spot? You never know! Stay tuned for the continuing saga, blah, blah, blah.

Sharon