Time for Swaps, and Time for Cheer

I love Christmas! Right up until about December 15 or so, and then I'm done. LOL But in October and November, Christmas is at the top of my list! So of course, I couldn't resist joining Jami's Christmas Swap! And who doesn't love a Christmas pocket card???



I cut out the holly stamp and covered the "berries" with Real Red brads. Then the holly is popped up with dimensionals on the tab. On the pocket, I used Jumbo Brads and then secured the flap to the pocket with dimensionals.


Stamps: Christmas Classics
Paper: Baja Blue, Real Red, Old Olive, Whisper White, Ski Slope DSP
Ink: Versamark, Old Olive
Accessories: Silver EP, Scallop Edge punch, paper piercer, Jumbo Brads--pewter, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain, silver cord, silver brads, Real Red brads, Round Tab punch, corner rounder, dimensionals

Star Light, Star Bright, first ornaments I see tonite . . .

Have you checked out the Star Bright Ornament kit??? It's very fun! The members of my stamp club got to make at least one of each ornament, just for fun! There are different sizes and shapes of stars, which I plan to use to decorate presents. They are so easy--just fold on the score lines, and you're ready to go. The other ornaments are just as fun. Give this kit a try! It would make a great ornament party for kids or adults!

Autumn Tiles

We're making these tiles for my November Card Buffet. The one on the left is stamped in Black Staz-On and colored with Sharpies. The one on the right is stamped in Stampin' Up craft inks and baked dry. They make great Thanksgiving hostess gifts!

Stamp Club Fun

Oh, I KNOW! It's gorgeous! I can say that because I basically copied it from my good friend Rhonda! :-) When my stamp club ladies saw her swap card, they just *insisted* that we make it. Since I love 'em, I gave them a technique card to go with it! The tree panel is popped up on dimensionals.

Stamps: Snow Swirled, Christmas Classics
Paper: Riding Hood Red, Old Olive, Whisper White
Ink: Whisper White, Old Olive
Accessories: Riding Hood Red 5/8 grosgrain, Designer Brads--Star Assortment, Stampamajig, dimensionals

Using Hodgepodge Hardware

I would like you to celebrate with me--I actually used my new Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware! Not the big tin, you understand. Yikes--don't go overboard! This frame is from the bulk hodgepodge order a few months ago. And of course, now I won't be able to give this adorable little pillowbox away, because it has hodgepodge on it! Are you frightened that you understand where I'm coming from? You probably should be.

This pillowbox is my version of Shelli's that she did for a Utah morning show! Isn't it cute? And thanks to my hoarding disorder, I had some thick acetate just sitting in my file cabinet, absolutely WAITING for this project! {I knew I'd need it someday. I've had it for about 10 years. LOL Inherited it from my Dad's endless office supply stash after he died. See? It's not my fault!} Don't use regular transparencies, by the way--too flimsy.

I know, I know, the Ski Slope red is Real Red, and I used Riding Hood Red grosgrain. So sue me. :-) I really wanted that stripe in there, and plain wide red grosgrain just wasn't cutting it. After I cut the acetate, I folded it on the score lines. This is kind of important, because the acetate isn't as flexible as cardstock. The curvy lines for the end folds are a little bit tricky. I used Sticky Strip to adhere the flap on the envelope.

I stamped the Merry Christmas in Riding Hood Red (let it go, already!) on Very Vanilla cardstock and layered it over the ribbon. I used the brads to attach the frame to the ribbon. This pillowbox is filled with Christmas peanut M&Ms. These make a great little project!

This picture shows my other sample--I used the gold cord to make it more of an ornament or a little purse. {Cute!} This one is filled with gourmet jelly beans! I kinda made it to see if I could get it to work, so it's just thrown together from stuff that was sitting out on my stamp table.



Stamps: Party Punch (hostess 2007, retired)
Paper: Very Vanilla, Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, Ski Slope DSP, Christmas Treasures DSP
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red
Accessories: Big Shot, SU Pillowbox die, Designer Label Punch, 1 inch circle punch, Riding Hood Red 5/8" grosgrain, Gold cord, Vanilla HPH, Sticky Strip, glue dots

Swappers Anonymous Christmas

I love swapping with my SA sisters! Their cards and projects are top-notch, and they have all become dear friends.

I worried about this card, I tell ya. I fell in love with this set when I first saw it in the catalog at Convention! But then, when I had it in my hands, I couldn't figure out a layout. I thought about separating the smaller sentiment, but then couldn't do it. I thought about changing sets for the swap. LOL But I took it as a personal challenge to make this a card my SA sisters would love! And really, what is the secret ingredient????? You all know.

GLITTER! Red Chunky glitter to be exact. And I used almost the whole container on this swap. LOL

My beloved Big Shot came to my rescue. That Top Note die rocks! It was the perfect size! Do you think they planned that???? Anyway, I layered on some of the gorgeous Holiday Treasures DSP, which I think makes it look richer. The corners are punched with the Ticket Corner punch to make way for the gold brads. The striped Riding Hood Red grosgrain is accented with little twists of elastic gold cord (yay to have it back in the Mini Catalog!) to pull it all together. Merry Christmas, Swappers Anonymous Sisters!

Olive You

This simple card really took me a long time to create. Isn't that just the way it goes???? I couldn't get the focal image quite right. The table was littered with cast-offs and disasters. LOL I really wanted to use my new large oval punch, and I couldn't seem to get the look I was after. So I left it overnight. :-)

When I came back, the idea had apparently cooked long enough in my brain, because this is the result! I am really happy with it. We'll be making this at Card Buffet next month! You can't quite see it in the picture, but the scallops are all pierced in the center. If you wanted to make this card more masculine, you could just leave off the scallop-ing (is that a word???) and the felt flower. It wouldn't be NEARLY as cute, but it probably wouldn't offend the man in your life.

Stamps: A Little Birthday Cheer
Paper: Old Olive, Haiku DSP
Ink: Old Olive
Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Large Oval Punch, Flower Fusion, Vintage Brads, Corner Rounder Punch, paper piercing tool, sponge

It's beginning to look a lot . . .

It can't really be time for Christmas yet! But it is! Time to get those "Grandma presents" ready! This is an album I copied from my dear friend Kathy. Isn't it cute? It's made from two business sized envelopes! And of course, any time I can use my Bind It All, I'm *very* happy! Each page is decorated, and each "pocket" has a tabbed insert, too! This would be so cute filled with holiday recipes or pics of cute offspring. :-) There are lots of yummy felt snow flurries scattered throughout this album, too! I just neglected to take a picture of one of those pages.



Paper: Ski Slope DSP, Baja Breeze, Real Red
Accessories: Chipboard, Bind It All, Old Olive 5/8" grosgrain, Real Red 5/8" Grosgrain, Round Tab Punch, Snow Blossom Punch, Button Bouquet, Small Snow Flurries