Last Minute Holiday Gifts!!!

It's that time of year again!  Almost Christmas, and if you're anything like me, scrambling at the last minute for gifts!!  I try very hard each year to give handmade gifts, because what else would all this stamping and scrapping stuff be for??

I made up this cute, and quick, gift to have on hand for a last minute gift.  I took one of the many empty jars I have and created this candle in a jar.

I simply wrapped a piece of burlap around the middle of the jar, fraying the edges just a bit.  I used the Watermelon Wonder lace to tie over that for added color.  Then using the Flurry of Wishes stamp set, I stamped the large snowflake in Blushing Bride and the medium snowflake in Calypso Coral.  Now the medium snowflake you can punch out with the coordinating punch, but yes I did fussy cut the large snowflake.  It really didn't take that much time to cut them out.

Using double layer dimensionals I adhered the snowflakes either together, or directly onto the jar.  Once I had the snowflakes on, I placed an Ice Rhinestone in the center of each snowflake.  And for just a bit of added texture, I tied some of the extra burlap strings around the front bow.

I need to put a bit more sand in the jar, but the candle is hot glued to the bottom of the jar for stability.

Quick and cute gift for someone!!

To see the next blog in the lineup click here Audra Monk or click on the graphic below.

Enjoy the tour everyone and I hope we have inspired you on last minute gift ideas!!!

Happy Stamping!!

Ann  :)

Project Life - Seasonal Snapshot 2015

Have you tried Project Life yet???  I have to admit that I was a bit hesitant, scared and intimidated when Stampin' Up! first started carrying Project Life. I was used to, and comfortable with, scrapbooking in the "normal" way!  But once I started playing with the awesome kits that SU! carries for Project Life, I was hooked.

Last month I was chosen by my upline, Janet Wakeland, to be a display stamper using the Seasonal Snapshot 2015 kit.  This kit is in the current 2015 Holiday catalog and covers all fall/winter holidays!!  When you purchase all of the coordinating products:  the stamp set, card collection and accessory pack, you can do so much!

I love the versatility of this kit.  From school days to Christmas, you can do so many different things! The projects I have here give you a sample of what can be done!

The first project is a Halloween card using the popped out pieces from the pumpkin wood shape.  The pumpkin was cut with the 3" circle framelit and ran through the big shot with the Woodgrain embossing folder.  I wanted to mimic the texture on pumpkins.  The bats are in the stamp set and were stamped in black Staz on on Blackberry Bliss.  A piece of the corrugated Crumb Cake paper for the stem and Old Olive leaves punched from the Builder Bird punch.

I used the new Whisper White thick cardstock for the base, spritzed some Pumpkin Pie color on the background and accented it with the fabulous Black Glimmer paper!   Perfect Halloween card!


My next project shows a traditional Project Life page.  I used our wedding pics since we did get married in September, which technically is in fall!

But what this really shows, is how super easy it is to complete a page using the Project Life kits.  I used items from all the items available with the bundle.  The Project Life cards make it quick and easy to assemble your page and then using some specialty paper adds to it.  It's hard to see in the picture, but the black piece was embossed with the Woodland embossing folder.  Wooden leaves adhered to the outside of the pages just enhance the dimension of the page.

Hope you enjoyed your stop on my blog during this month's tour!!  Up next on the tour is Audra Monk!  You can click on the icon below to take you there.

Happy Stamping!!!

Ann

Peaceful Pines for Christmas

Hello everyone!  I'm glad to have to have you stop by as part of the RemARKables "Home for the Holidays" blog tour!  This is my first time participating in a blog hop, and I'm super excited to be a part of it and to share my projects with you!!

The blog hop is showcasing the various bundles available to you in the new SU! 2015-16 Holiday catalog and the 2015-16 Annual catalog.  For my projects I have used the Peaceful Pines bundle. With this bundle you receive the stamp set and the matching framelits for $45.  Quite the deal as it saves you a ton of time from cutting out all the trees and smaller, intricate add ons.

My first card uses one of the large trees (there are 2).  I just love the saying on this tree!  The Crumb Cake circle was a scrap, as was the Real Red background piece.  The designer paper is from the Merry Moments paper stack and cut with the new Triple Banner Punch.

The Real Red background as well as the circle are popped up with dimensionals.  The tree is popped further with more dimensionals.  Some gold sequin trim and white organdy ribbon finish it off! Stapled on with our awesome stapler and colored with a gold sharpie to help it "match"!

My second card uses the medium and large trees for a layered look.  The medium tree was stamped in Real Red and layered with an Old Olive tree cut with the large framelit.

Again, this card was made using mostly scraps that were laying on my craft table!  Love I can put a card together like this using my scraps!!  Another Crumb Cake circle as the "background" for the tree popped up with dimensionals.  I used a strip of non SU! off white burlap under the Real Red and Old Olive banners.  The burlap loops are from leftover pieces off the strip.

The snowflake was stamped in Crumb Cake.  I love the feel it gives of snow falling.

Well, I hope you have enjoyed my projects and I hope they inspire you to get your Christmas cards started!  Christmas will be here before we know it!!

Click on the button below for the next blog on the tour - Audra Monk!

Happy Stamping!!!

Ann

Up cycled chunky picture frame!!!

Made this awhile ago and realized I haven't shared it!!

I bought the frame a LOOOONG time ago, intending on doing something with it! It originally was pink with brown crowns all over it. I painted it a soft ivory with paint I used in my living room paint job. It's a nice chunky wood frame. Once it was painted, I covered the front in a piece of off white burlap, adhered with spray adhesive.

The flowers were made with the now retired Amore fabric from SU!. The three small flowers are rolled and topped with a gold metal button. The larger flower was made using the 3 inch circle die and then folded over and hot glued to a piece of felt. The leaves are made from the Mossy Meadow satin ribbon. The ruffled burlap ribbon came from Hobby Lobby.

I love how it came out and how it really makes the photo pop! That is a picture of my husband and I on our wedding day, riding off after we were officially married!!

Thanks for looking and Happy Stamping!!!

Ann

A Hoot of a Halloween!!!

Hello all!!

With fall, and Halloween, fast approaching I've been playing around with some ideas for it.  My stamp club gals are not always into investing in Halloween specific stamps, so I wanted to come up with some alternatives using other items.

This card uses everyday stamp images/punches, but in a Halloween way!  I was playing around with my Sprinkles of Life set and coordinating punch, and this idea just kind of popped into my head!

I haven't played with my owl punch in a looooong time, but I love how he fits in beautifully with Halloween.

Since I was just playing around for me right now, some of the items on here are retired now.  The base card, and top layer, are using Confetti Cream.  I ran the top layer through the Big Shot using the Woodgrain embossing folder.  Finished that off with some sponging in Early Espresso to give the look of a tree.  The circle was punched using the 2 1/2" circle punch.  I wanted the owl to appear as if he sitting inside the tree.  The branch he is sitting on is from Sprinkles of Life.  Stamped in Chocolate Chip onto Chocolate Chip card stock.  I used two.

My idea for the clouds was to give them a "dark night" look.  They were stamped in Smoky Slate ink and then I used Marina Mist and Basic Gray stampin' markers to give them  the dark night look.  I blended the colors with a blender pen.  For a little added punch I put crystal effects on the colored parts.

The sentiment comes from Teeny Tiny Wishes.

So, what do you think?

Happy Stamping,

Ann

Sprinkles of Life - Stampin' Up!'s 2015-16 RMHC set

WOW! is all I can say for how long it's been that I posted on here.  A LOT has happened in my life over the past 2 years.

First, I got married in September 2013 to my best friend, lover and soul mate!!!  One of the best things to happen to me in a long time!!

Second, my son and his girlfriend, gifted me with another grandchild!!!  That make 4 from him alone!!!  My husband also has 3 children, 2 girls and a boy.  The girls each have children of their own, a total of 4 with a fifth one due October 14th 2015.  After that bundle of boy joy arrives, we will have 9 grandchildren between us!!!  Crazy!!

Third, we have moved from Jackson to Kalamazoo, MI.  The move was for my job and I love living in Kazoo!!

I am still an SU! demo, 10 years this year!  Still love what I do with this and hope to keep doing it for a while!

Now on to the stamping!!!  The new SU! catalog for 2015-16 boasts some awesome new products. From stamp sets, to card stock to embellishments, I"m not sure where to start on my verrrry long wish list!

One of the first sets I wanted was the new Ronald McDonald set.  In past years I've been on the fence with these sets, but this year I was pushed over it, in a good way!!  Not only does this set offer multiple possibilities for creating, but it has a coordinating punch!!!  Eeeck that is just so cool and makes using this set so much easier!!!

The two cards I have for you were created with the PROVERBial Stampers August 2015 Color and Sketch challenges.  The first is the color challenge using Tangelo Twist, Old Olive and Crushed Curry.  I also used the Sketch & Stamp sketch - SB#116.  Quick and simple sketch!

Using the coordinating punch makes it simple and easy to create a quick card.  I also used the bolder splatter stamp from Gorgeous Grunge on the Whisper White panel.  (I stamped off several times to tone down the Tangelo Twist.)  The designer is from the new DSP stack - Cherry on Top.  The tree trunk is done with one of the new 2015-17 In Colors - Tip Top Taupe.  I pulled apart some burlap for another project and the leftover strands make the fiber accent.

My second card uses the PROVERBial Stampers sketch and the same colors.

On the little flowers and bird, I put Crystal Effects on them to help give the card an extra little pop.  Also, the sentiment was colored with my markers, individually in sets, to get it to fit onto a circle piece.  More leftover burlap strands too!  The background panel doesn't show as well as I hoped, but it was done by using SU! markers directly onto my clear block "E"  spritzed about 10 times with water and then stamped onto watercolor paper.

Hope you like these samples and can't wait to inspire you with more creativity now!!!

Happy Stamping,

Ann