Winter Wonderland in Blue

Here's some food for thought.....if you have a stamp set that you haven’t used at all or maybe just one time and it's been retired but you still REALLY LIKE it, don’t sell it or give it away, keep it somewhere out of sight so you can’t see that you still have it. Then when a catalog comes out that has a set similar (I’m convinced that they discontinue stuff so they can bring it back in a couple years "changed" just a little bit), get your hidden set out and you’ll be set! Then you can use the money that you saved by not buying another similar set, to buy something else that you really need/want.

I was inspired to make this card because of the Sleigh Bells Ring set that was in the Fall/Winter catalog. I KNEW I had a set similar to that one but couldn't remember if I still had it. Fortunately, I DID.

This color/paper combination seemed to lend itself well for a masculine card. It’s hard to see but I used the crystal Stickles on part of the skating rink and also on the road. I SO like how it turned out!

Recipe:
Stamp Set: Winter Wonderland
Paper: Four Seasons DSP (ret.), Night of Navy, Whisper White
Ink: Night of Navy
Accessories: Navy grosgrain ribbon from Michael’s, crystal Stickles

Winter Wonderland in Red

Have you ever had a stamp set that you bought because you really liked a sample that you saw made with it, but when you got the set you couldn't find the sample and you couldn't figure out what else to do with it? Or else the sample didn't look as good as it did the first time you saw it? You let the stamp set sit around forever, and then decided you were going to try to sell it?

Well, that's what went on with this set, except that I wasn't able to sell it. Boy am I glad I didn't!

In the Fall/Winter catalog I saw the Sleigh Bells Ring set but didn't buy it. Had too many other things on my list that I wanted first. But I still liked that set. Then I got to thinking "Oh, Oh, Oh! I HAVE a similar set somewhere, now where the heck did I hide it??" So, I went looking and DID find it!

I really like how this card turned out. The Ski Slope Designer Series paper really added a nice touch, and we do need bright cheery cards in this drab, dreary winter, don't we? I started out with a Riding Hood Red card base (because I was out of Real Red which is actually the color in the designer paper) and the Whisper White as a mat, then the designer paper. The image is stamped on WW in Riding Hood Red, and matted on Riding Hood Red. It’s hard to see in the picture but I used the crystal Stickles on some of the snow around the skating rink and along the road. The seam of the two papers is covered by the ribbon.

Recipe:
Stamp Set: Winter Wonderland
Paper: Ski Slope DP, Riding Hood Red, Whisper White
Ink: Real Red
Accessories: Blue Bayou double stitched ribbon, crystal Stickles

I'm Back.....sort of

Dear Friends,

I could not BELIEVE it when I checked this blog and it's been almost THREE MONTHS since I posted something! I knew that I wasn't going to be able to get to this for a while, but wow. I don't know what happened to November, and then we were out of town twice in December for extended periods, and I've been dealing with year end financial stuff at my church because I'm Financial Secretary.

I have several cards to share, but it takes time to write up the directions and the recipe, plus posting them on SCS so that folks have a link back here.

I apologize to those of you who have been checking back in hopes of seeing something new. I'll try to get something posted here very soon. We had snow here this morning so I've been inside. As good an excuse as any for getting something posted here, huh?

Thanks for checking in!
Kathy

Takin' a Break

Dear Friends,

This is just a note to let you know that I'm taking a break from blogging for a little while. I'm going to be leaving my job at the end of October and before that I'm going to be out of town for a few days. I find that I just don't have the time to sit and be inspired to create. Things are going to be a bit hectic until the middle of November or so (our church has their holiday bazaar on the 9th and I need to get stuff going to sell there) plus I'm going be helping a friend of mine at a card stamping extravaganza around the same time and I have a Red Hat event on the 15th of Nov.

So, check back around that time if you're still interested, to see what's new. This has been great fun but I've run out of archived ideas for the time being.

Enjoy fall!
Kathy

I'm Back

I realize that it's been a while since I last posted but that's because I was out of town last weekend and am still recovering. We did a lot of driving in the 4 days we were gone and I'm tired and sore now.

I haven't had the energy to sit down and be creative lately. So sorry to those of you who have been following my blog. I don't know how people do it when they create a new card and post it every day.

Stay tuned.

Christmas Scallop Tins

I’ve seen these all over the place. I made some of these up for family around Easter and figured that they would be a hit at my church’s holiday bazaar and bake sale in November. Just the right size for stocking stuffers or table favors.
I filled them up with Christmas M&M's.

On the blue one I used white embossing powder for the scallop.

Stamp Set: So Many Scallops
Paper: Night of Navy, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White, Four Seasons designer paper (blue), Dashing designer paper (green/red)
Ink: Night of Navy, Purely Pomegranate, Versamark (for navy one)
Accessories: Candy tins from Michael’s craft store (in the bridal section), Scalloped Circle Punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, white embossing powder (for navy one), gold brad, glue dots

HOLY CATS!!

I just checked and my last post was on September 25th!! Over a week ago!!!! SO SORRY everyone, but days have gotten away from me. I was reading another blog tonight and that woman said she'd had her car in the shop for some repair which turned out to be major. The same thing happened to me, although my repairs were a bit more expensive than her $400 repair, by about 1200 dollars! The list was long but now the car runs well and looks almost like new which is remarkable since it's a 10 year old car. A good detailing job can subtract YEARS from the look of your car. It was a hundred dollars well spent. Since we don't have a garage, a triple coat of hand applied wax will help protect it this winter.

I got my new stamps from the 15% off promotion, last weekend. They'd come in while I was on vacation and then I just couldn't seem to connect up with my demo. to get them. I still haven't used any of them although they're all mounted. Die cuts make that SO easy, I almost felt guilty getting them put together so soon. Maybe I'll have a chance to put rubber to paper this weekend. It was funny, when the new catalog came out I came up with a list of 6 immediate "must haves" and three of the sets were on the 15% off sale list. Hoopla!!

One of the other items that I got was the Simply Sent card making kit called Flower Power. That's the one that comes with the paper and embellishments, but you have to buy the stamp set separately if you want some stamped images too and use your own ink and dimensionals. (Now where did I put my craft knife?) I also got the Wow Flowers stamp set that coordinates with the kit. The colors were bold and bright, not my usual color combinations but I like how they turned out. Just like the picture which is not always the case with me. It was a quick and easy way to get 9 cards. I did 6 up as birthday cards and left the other three blank so that I can use an appropriate saying later. I had them all done in an afternoon and another part of an evening. Again, not usual for me since it sometimes takes me all evening to come up with ONE card!

Anyway, that's my excuse this week for not posting anything new. I'm going to have to really get on the stick and make something. I don't know how some folks find the time to create a new card and post it every night. I know they're out there because I read their blogs almost daily and there's always something new there! Guess I have to be more diligent about putting aside time to stamp.

See ya!