THINKING OF CHRISTMAS 2018

It's that time of year when I start thinking of getting ready for Christmas -- my favorite holiday of the year!!  A couple of weeks ago I started using some of the new stamp sets and product from the 2017 Holiday Catalog (another awesome catalog full of product I just have to have!).  Here are a few of the cards I came up with so far:

This card uses the new Carols of Christmas Bundle (stamp set and Thinlits Dies).  A very quick and easy card, but beautiful in person.



This is my version of an old-fashioned snow globe.  I got this idea from Pinterest and just changed it up a bit.  It uses the new Night in Bethlehem Bundle (stamp set and Edgelits Dies).  The base of the snow globe uses the new Everyday Label Punch on a piece of the new Champagne Foil Sheets (after punching, just cut it in half).  I also used the foil sheet to cut the Edgelits Die for the town.

Another quick and easy card using the new Everyday Label Punch and the Lots of Labels Framelits layered behind the punched sentiment.  I love the new Christmas Around the World Designer Series Paper and new Real Red 1/8" Solid Ribbon goes perfect with this paper.  And an old favorite from last year, the Sweater Embossing Folder to make this card look all warm and fuzzy!

And for all of you who like to send a picture card, this card will really bring it up a notch!!  Again I used the new Carols of Christmas Bundle (stamp set and Thinlits Dies).  Simply use the Thinlits Dies to cut the vellum frame to layer on your picture and stamp the sentiment -- how easy is that!!  You only apply glue dots to the top of the vellum so it can be lifted from the bottom to view the photo.  This makes a "really personal card" that you can write a nice note inside for the family that is receiving your treasured memories.  Something about getting a handwritten note versus a printed picture postcard really warms my heart.

Until next time,
Sandi

"Every good and perfect gift is from above." -- James 1:17

CELEBRATING VALENTINE'S DAY WITH STAMPIN' UP!!

Yep, Valentine's Day is just around the corner!  Next to Christmas, Valentine's Day is my next favorite time to make cards.  And let me tell you, Stampin' Up came out with so many awesome stamps and accessories in the Spring Mini Catalog that I had a hard time coming up with just one card design for my class this Saturday.  If you haven't received your catalog, you absolutely must contact me so you can see for yourself. 

Today I am featuring one of my cards for class on Saturday.  I have a lot of Valentine's Day samples but I always seem to end up creating a "me" card.  Don't know why I do that because I could save myself so much time when preparing for my classes.  I do have one card (received as a swap card at leadership) that I plan on copying for class as it was so cheerful.  I'll show pictures of the other cards in my next post.


Yep, had to do a little Shabby Chic for my card.  I'm in love with the new More Amore Speciality Designer Series Paper!!  This card also features the new Hearts A Flutter Framelits Die, Hearts Collection Framelits, Delightful Dozen Stamp Set, Mini Heart Punch, Champagne Shimmer, and new Natural Trim Burlap Ribbon.

 

These other three cards were designed by Ronda Wade, which I made at her Baggie Book event last month:

Designed by Ronda Wade, using the new Hearts a Flutter Stamp Set, Polka Dot Embossing Folder, and new Paper Doilies.

 

Designed by Ronda Wade, showcasing the new Henry Says Stamp Set.

 

Designed by Ronda Wade, using the new Honeycomb Embossing Folder, Hearts A Flutter Stamp Set and Framelits Dies, and Pool Party Core'dinations Card Stock (love all of the Core'dinations Card Stock!!)

Until next time,
Sandi

“At that moment I experienced the presence of the Divine as I never experienced Him before. It seemed as though I could hear the quiet assurance of an inner voice saying, ‘Stand up for righteousness, stand up for truth; and God will be at your side forever.’ Almost at once my fears began to go. My uncertainty disappeared. I was ready to face anything.”

 --  Martin Luther King, Jr.

CHRISTMAS MEETS STAMPIN' UP!!

It's been a very busy week for me in my studio.  Lots of stamping and paper cutting getting ready for my classes this month.  It has been fun, but today I had to return to reality and clean my house.  Actually that was fun -- but only because it had been a week since I had done any wify duties. 

Today I'm posting the cards we will be doing tomorrow at my regular monthly class.  Out of all the cards I do, I have to say that my very favorite are Christmas cards.  Every year I say I'm not going to buy any new Christmas stamps -- but that never happens because Stampin' Up keeps making such awesome new stamps every year.  So this is what my ladies will be doing tomorrow:



This is my favorite card!!  I saw this somewhere (sorry I don't have a name  Update:  Design by Marie MEYER), and loved how the Tulle was added with the Word Window Punch.  I did change quite a few things, but ended up using this product:  Ornament Keepsakes Stamp Set; Champagne Glimmer Paper; Soft Suede, Crumb Cake, and Early Espresso Card Stock; Holiday Ornaments Framelits; Snow Flurry Bigz Die; Cherry Cobbler Tulle, Sanding Block, Dimensionals, and Word Punch.

This beautiful card is a CASE of a card Ronda Wade demonstrated at our last RubberQueen meeting.  I did change just a couple of things but stayed with her colors and layout.  Supplies used:  Snowflake Soiree Stamp Set; Pretty in Pink, Basic Gray, and Whisper White Card Stock; Silver Glimmer Paper; Illuminate Pigment Ink; Basic Gray Taffeta Ribbon (retired), and Basic Jewels Rhinestones.

This is a card I CASEd from Annette Sollner.  Supplies used:  Jolly Bingo Bits and Teeny Tiny Stamp Sets; Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper; Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, and Lucky Limeade Card Stock; Silver Glimmer Paper;  Snow Burst and Polka Dots Embossing Folders; Word Window, Modern Label, 1 3/8" Circle, and 1 1/4" & 1 3/4" Scallop Circles Punches; and Basic Jewels Rhinestones.

Another beautiful card in my favorite colors, using Stampin' Up product:  Greetings of the Season, Winter Memories, and Heart of Christmas Stamp Sets; Staz On Black, Island Indigo,and Baja Breeze Ink; Baja Breeze and Very Vanilla Card Stock; Festival of Prints Designer Series Paper; Cherry Cobbler, Island Indigo, Gumball Green, Baja Breeze, and Basic Gray Markers; Apothecary Accents Framelits; Ovals #2 Bigz Die; Cherry Cobbler Ribbon; Brights Glimmer Brads; and Sponge.

Hope you like these as much as I do!!

Until next time,
Sandi

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." -- Matthew 5:3

STAMPIN' UP: SUMMER SMOOCHES

What an awesome week it has been!  It started out Sunday with the celebration of Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead (Easter) and a celebration of the birth of my youngest daughter, Tricia, who was born on Easter Sunday (4-11-1971).  Family and friends were invited over for dinner, which started out with 9 guests, and ended up with 12 arriving!!  If I do say so myself, I prepared a delicious feast (took me 2 days to prepare, but thank goodness I always make too much food and I was prepared for the extra guests).  I made name-tag gift boxes for table decorations -- so cute (see pictures below).  Thanks to my middle daughter, Deborah, who ran down to my studio to make extra boxes for my surprise guests, everybody went home with an Easter treat. 

Monday my granddaughter came over to do a school project:  sew a stuffed "mole."  Yep, I don't have a clue why she picked me to help her as I DO NOT sew, but I did know that she had to cut her pattern out as the first step.  She accomplished that and then decided it was best to come over again tonight to use the sewing machine after we spent a half-hour trying to figure out how to sew the pattern pieces together and another half-hour trying to cut out feet for her mole!!!  I now know why young girls centuries before were always brought up spending hours every day learning needlepoint and sewing.  What happened to the days when girls were taught sewing in middle school???  Of course I took it, and barely passed -- but I do know how to thread my sewing machine!!!  The good news is that I got some bonding time with my granddaughter to add memories.

Tuesday night was Ronda Wade's RubberQueen meeting.  We received lots of business-booster tips, awesome make'n takes, tons of project ideas from the WOW table and swap cards, and (my favorite) the opportunity to visit with 40+ RubberQueens!!  Of course I was too busy visiting and had to take my make'n takes home to complete; so that is on my agenda today along with finishing my gifts for this weekend. 

And last but not least, to top off the week, I am leaving for Ronda's Creative Escape Weekend Retreat tomorrow!!!  Wahoo!!  I have lost count on how many years I have been going to the semi-annual Retreats, but it is always one of my very favorite events to attend.  So today is also packing day -- after I finish all my stamping projects.

Wow, don't you agree that I have had an awesome week so far??  And it's only going to get better.  Before I leave, here are pictures of my celebration boxes (to celebrate Easter and Tricia's Birthday):

Name Tag Treat Boxes (filled with yummies).  Stampin' Up Product:  Kraft Gift Boxes; Summer Smooches Designer Series Paper; Summer Smooches Designer Brads; Daffodil Delight Seam Binding; Bright Blossoms Stamp Set; and Big Shot Framelits Label Collection. 

Close up of the box tops.  The designer paper, stamp set, ribbon, and brads are sneek peek products from Stampin' Up's Summer Smooches product line that will be in the new 2012-13 Catalog -- which you can purchase until the end of  the month!

Until next time,
Sandi
"Let them give thanks to the Lord for his kindness and his wondrous deeds . . ." -- Psalm 107-31
Thank you Lord for all the blessings you have bestowed upon me.