Thursday, October 31, 2019

Stampin' Up! Making Christmas Bright for the Happy Inkin' Thursday Blog Hop


I used the Stampin’ Up! Making Christmas Bright Stamp Set and Holly Jolly Christmas Stamp Set to create my card for the Happy Inkin’ Thursday Blog Hop. We’ve got a color challenge this week...
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and here is what I created for it ...



My card base is Thick Whisper White. I cut a piece of Real Red card stock 5 1/4" x 4" and embossed it with the Brick & Mortar 3D Embossing Folder. Then I smeared White Embossing Paste across it with one of my palette tools. I removed much of the paste and let it dry over night. 

When I went to adhere the brick to the card base, I didn't like how it looked so I cut down the sides so it became a 4" x 4" panel. Then the light bulb came on to make it look like a fireplace! I cut an opening that is 2" x 1 1/2" and stamped the sentiment from Making Christmas Bright in Shaded Spruce.

So, the fireplace needed a mantle, right? Yes, a piece of 3 3/4" x 1/2" DSP from Pressed Petals. I took a piece of 3 3/4" x 3/4" Whisper White and stamped the string of lights with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink. I colored them in with my Light and Dark Real Red and Shaded Spruce Blends. I colored some with my Coastal Cabana Stampin' Write Marker.

I had already stamped the stockings from Holly Jolly Christmas and colored them with the same Blends and Marker. I fussy cut them even though there is a Jolly Season die set that goes with the stamp set. Truth be told, I forgot that the stocking die was in that set! I liked less white along the edges. I used Dimensionals to raise them up and I hung them on the mantle with care, hoping that St. Nicholas...well, you know the story :-)

For the inside...



I cut a mat of Real Red 5" x 3 3/4" and adhered it to the card base with liquid glue. Then I cut a piece of Whisper White card stock and punched the corners with the Detailed Trio punch.


With more stamps from Making Christmas Bright I stamped the string in Shaded Spruce and the three bulbs in the challenge colors. The top of the bulb is a separate stamp and I tried to line it up the best I could with the bulb and the string. The Coastal Cabana is a little off but hopefully it won't cause a short in the lights :-) 

I'm not a fan of so much white space so I did a smattering of Shaded Spruce dots from the Waterfront Stamp Set.

I hope you enjoyed my card today and thank you for joining the hop. Clicking on the "next" button will take you to Eva Dobilas. Clicking on the names below will take you directly to the other team members and their projects.


Karen Finkle - you are here!
Karen Ksenzakovic

I'm playing at a new-to-me challenge site today, Fab 'n' Funky #455, as the design team's theme is Christmas.
Fab 'n' Funky Challenges

Partial List of Product Used:

Monday, October 28, 2019

Stampin' Up! Waterfront Thank You Card

Did y'all have a great weekend? I certainly hope so. Mine went by like a blink of an eye. I got back into the craft room yesterday and I couldn't even remember where half my stuff was! What will it be like when I'm away for a month? I've already told my son to make room for stamping supplies in the truck. I can't possibly create cards a month ahead! So, in any event, this is what I created to share with you today...


I used the Waterfront Stamp Set to create my autumnal scene. It reminded me of where we had been and it's for the people who rented us their house. I'm playing at International Art & Soul Challenge #70 and Stamping Sensations October Trees/ Leaves/Autumn.

My watercoloring skills are quite rusty but it is what it is! The mountains were done in Gorgeous Grape, some were stamped off once. I used my aqua painter to go over them. Then I used Stampin' Write Markers (Cajun Craze, Merry Merlot, Crushed Curry and Shaded Spruce) to create the foliage.

The sky was done in Balmy Blue with my aqua painter. The river was done in Pretty Peacock. I sponged the land in Crumb Cake and stamped the trees in Shaded Spruce. 

My card base is Very Vanilla with a mat of Shaded Spruce on which I stamped the sentiment from the retired By the Bay Stamp Set. I stamped it with VersaMark ink, sprinkled it with Gold Emboss Powder and heat set it with my heat tool. I adhered it to my card base with liquid glue. Then I adhered a mat of retired DSP. I mounted the art panel with Dimensionals and I bet Mary can guess how many I used!

The inside is blank because I will write a note of appreciation.

Speaking of appreciation, that's how I feel about you hangin' with me during my vacation. Now it's back to being retired and making a card each day! It's great exercise for the brain! Have a great Monday, peeps and thanks for stopping by.

Card Cuts:

Base - 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"
Shaded Spruce Mat - 5 1/4" x 4"
Wood DSP - 5" x 3 1/4"
Watercolor Panel - 4 3/4" x 3

Partial Product List

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Good Bye NC and GA

I knew I wouldn't have time to make a card for you today so I thought I'd share the final photos of my vacation.

Chester loved being on the Nottely River for two weeks (can you see the smile on his face?) and he was such a good boy riding to and from our rented house (third pic). Since we were in the mountains, he decided he wanted to be king of the mountain (second pic).


We stopped in Blairsville, GA at Jim's Smokin' Que. I thought I had taken a pic of the ribs and cheese grits (best ever), but I guess I pushed the wrong button. You can eat inside or out so I did get pics while we were ordering.


From there we took a drive to the Chattahoochee National Forest. We took the shuttle to the top of the mountain and I could almost see my upline and team members in GA!



It was a very educational trip, not only one for the beauteous foliage. You can find out more here.

For a perfect ending to a perfect vacation, my son built us a fire.

Thank you for sharing my vacation with me. We are renting the same house for the month of May and October 2020. It was difficult to leave 60 degree weather to return to 90 degrees. Ugh! The good part, though, is my craft room was happy to see me return!

See you tomorrow folks and thanks for stopping by.




Saturday, October 26, 2019

Stampin' Up! Paper Pumpkin Christmas

Another card class project for November inspired by Jenny Hall, using the November 2016 Paper Pumpkin kit.



I'm on my way back to FL from NC so that's all folks! Thanks for stopping by!!

Friday, October 25, 2019

Stampin' Up! Christmas Gleaming

My card today was inspired by Diana Gibson.


Wrapped In Plaid DSP
Pretty Pines Thinlits Dies (retired) and Gold Foil for   bows 
Gleaming Ornaments Punch Pack 
Gold Metallic Pearls
Christmas Gleaming Stamp Set for the "hangers"
Sentiment - So Many Stars Stamp Set
Tufted 3D EF partially embossed
Night of Navy Card Stock and Ink

I stamped the three "hangers" on the Whisper White before I hung the ornaments, so you need to do a dry fit. I stamped the sentiment and then I embossed the top 2/3 card.

The inside is very plain as I was in a hurry to get two week's worth of cards done so I could post while on vacation. When I get home, I'll probably stamp additional ornaments.




Crane Creek Vineyards has three beautiful maples in their parking lot. Our vehicle is "Big Red". 


We only have today left of our NC vacation. It went by so quickly. I will admit I miss the mountains but have no desire to spend the winter here. The palm trees are beckoning on Saturday!

I am so happy how my card turned out and I thank you for turning out for me today!





Thursday, October 24, 2019

Stampin' Up! Perfectly Plaid Christmas Card for the Happy Inkin' Thursday Blog Hop




I used the Stampin’ Up! Perfectly Plaid Bundle to create my card for the Happy Inkin’ Thursday Blog Hop, along with the Holly Jolly Christmas stamp set. We’ve got a sketch challenge this week...

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and here is what I created for it ...



We've added two new hoppers for our Thursday hop...Karen K. and Akiko. Welcome!

Cherry Cobbler Card Base - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2"
Wrapped in Plaid DSP 3" x 5 1/2" 
Whisper White Layering Circles Die 3"
Ho Ho Ho - Perfectly Plaid Stamp Set (I cut off one      "Ho" to stamp the sentiment three times) 
Pine Tree Punch - Wrapped in Plaid DSP

For the inside...




Santa & "Love,Santa" Sentiment - Holly Jolly     Christmas Stamp Set
Cherry Cobbler Light and Dark Blends for suit
Ivory Blend for face
Smoky Slate Light and Dark Blends for belt buckle
Light Crumb Cake Blend for gloves (should have used Black!)
Light Black Blend for belt and boots

I didn't color the bag nor the presents because the recipient loves to color!

Today I'm playing at Time Out Challenges #147 as Santa gives real belly laughs!



I hope you enjoyed my card today and thank you for joining the hop. Clicking on the "next" button will take you to Eva Dobilas. Clicking on the names below will take you directly to the other team members and their projects.



Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Stampin' Up! First Frost So Many Stars Hanukkah Card

The gals who will be in my class in November also asked for a Hanukkah card. I think they'll enjoy this one. I was inspired by Carla Bosselaar.


Sentiment - Seasonal Lantern (retired)
Softly Falling EF (retired)
Tailored Tag Punch
Gold Foil 2 1/4"  5 1/4"
First Frost DSP 2" x 5"

For the inside...


Menorah - Seasonal Lantern stamp set (retired)
Sentiment - So Many Stars

I apologize for the briefness of telling how I put the card together but you know if you have questions, you can leave me a comment. I just didn't want to stop blogging for two weeks as I'm out and about too much!


I'm playing today at 

WWC244 - Helen's "All About Occasions" Challenge


https://watercoolerchallenges.blogspot.com/2019/10/wwc244-helens-all-about-occasions.html


and last, but not least, at ModSquad's "Sentiment Says it All" challenge.

Yesterday we went to Vogel State Park in Blairsville, GA. The views were spectacular. Here's a few pics I took. Of course, we had to stop at Crane Creek Vineyards again. The last photo is a tree in their parking lot. I will take another photo next time we are there so we can see if the color changed.








Thank you for stopping by today and I hope you'll return tomorrow for our Happy Inkin' blog hop. 

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Stampin' Up! Dashing Deer Christmas Tag

This is a tag I will be doing at my class in November. The gals requested a tag so this is what they'll do. Hope they like it! My inspiration came from Tina Zinck. I'm entering it in the challenge at Art Impressions Challenge #268 Tags or Ornaments.


I stamped the Sentiment - Merry Little Labels - in Night of Navy and punched it out with the retired Curly Label punch.

The gold embossed little deer is from the Dashing Deer Stamp Set. I punched it out with the Everyday Label Punch.

I used the Scalloped Tag Punch on the top of the tag and ran some Real Red 1/8" Striped Ribbon (retired) through it. 


I adhered a piece of Christmas Around the World DSP (retired) to a piece of Shaded Spruce card stock. The Old Olive sprigs are die cut with the Frosted Bouquet Dies. You could easily use the Sprig Punch, which I will order when I get home. Amazingly, I have not seen a big brown truck in this area and we are staying off the beaten path.

We had a very rainy, cold day and decided to tour northwest GA. We went to Alexander's which is a department store like back in the day. Furniture, clothing, guns, knives, ammunition, accessories, and shoes, oh my!


Then we went to Odom Springs Vineyard, Blairsville, GA, which on a sunny day would have been great. We did enjoy some wine and views. One of the pics is of the lodge you can rent. Others are the inside of the ladies room...it was so cool. I fell in love with the giant tree by the deck. All the tables had gourds on them with one word painted on them. 











We finished off the day with pizza at the Village River Brewery. 



Justin, our server, was very helpful in having me decide I didn't want any beer. I'm not a fan of IPA's or Porter and they were out of what I do enjoy. The pizza was excellent and we have left overs for lunch today. 

Thanks for stopping by and I hope to see you tomorrow.





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