Floral Medallions Thank You

My creative mojo seems to have taken a holiday, so I'm trying to regain a hold on it with just a quick/easy thank you card for a neighbor for a Christmas gift. Simply ran the embossing folder through my Wizard, lightly sanded same, and added a bit of Stickles and Dew Drops. Stamped a scalloped floral medallion twice, cut out each medallion, stamped my phrase & attached both with pop dots. Short and sweet. Think I'm going to need a bit more creative fairy dust sprinkled my way very soon!

Paper: Double-sided white-core cardstock from Costco; white cardstock from stash

Stamps: Inkadinkado's Round Frames

Ink: PTI's Pallette Noir

Embellishments: Christmas Stickles; Dew Drops

Tools: Spellbinder's Wizard

PTI's Blog Hop December, 2008

I felt this beautiful Noel Christmas card we'd received would make a gorgeous wedding or anniversary card. I also knew that PTI's Shimmer cardstock would be a perfect compliment to this patterned paper. After backing a 1 1/8" strip of Shimmer with black glossy cardstock, I added the sentiment from Heartfelt Basics in Pallette Noir ink and a tiny red heart from a dollar store purchase.
For the "ribbon candy" I started with approximately 48" of sheer 5/8" black ribbon. I simply began with the tail at center back & folded my 5 loops, decreasing in size with each succeeding loop while holding the ribbon in the center. When I had my 5 loops done, I merely folded the ribbon diagonally at the center front, secured with a tiny glue dot and looped it around twice to cover the fold, secured it again on the back with another small glue dot and then a large glue dot to attach it to my card. Quick, simple and ready for a future recipient's enjoyment!
Waste not; want not - except we'll always want more PTI!!! ;~)
Paper: PTI's Shimmer cardstock; black cardstock scrap
Stamps: PTI's Heartfelt Basics
Ink: PTI's Palette Noir
Embellishments: Ribbon & heart from stash

Merry Christmas Future Neighbors!

We've been house hunting for dear friends of ours from MN, who had hoped to close on a winter home near us before Christmas. As I was driving into our little town recently, I noticed the sign to the neighborhood they'd hoped to buy in had been decorated for the holidays! I thought a photo card would be perfect for them. Alas, due to the ridiculousness of our current banking industry, they still don't know if their offer on the home will be accepted, but the holidays being upon us, I HAD to get a card off to them. I decided since they should eventually close on a home in this same golf course community, I'd go ahead & send it. Who knows, maybe they'll be lucky enough to have a positive answer by the time my card gets there -- here's hoping!!! ;~)

Paper: Bazzill
Punch: Martha Stewart's Embossed ZigZag
Embellishments: Krylon Gold Leafing Pen; Gold Cord

White/Silver Elegance

I just loved this elegant Papertrey Ink card when I saw it and I spent hours trying to find the website where it was originally posted. Finally went back to the Design Team's blogs & it's here on Lauren Meader's post! You do have to scroll down about half way, as it's a long post! Why it doesn't show up on the Papertrey Gallery for Silent Night, I'll never know, but I just loved her design! So I totally cased it once I received my Silent Night set from PTI and wanted to share it with those who may have missed it! I certainly had a very diffficult time re-finding it!!! It's very pretty in real life, but if you click on it and enlarge the photo, I think it helps! I ended up only making one of this exact card since I cut my list down this year, but may make more next year!
Paper: PTI's Shimmer (white) & silver cardstock scrap; vellum from stash
Stamps: PTI's Silent Night
Tools: Wizard & Nestabilities

SEI's Holly Lane Christmas

I used some SEI Holly Lane Christmas paper for the scalloped border on this card and then laced gold cord through the holes in the scallops. The PTI Merry Christmas sentiment was stamped on Bazzill & added over a chipboard tag from the paper pack and secured with velvet brads. I felt it needed more, but couldn't decide what from my stash that should be. Do you ever start out with an idea and end up not quite sure how to proceed? I often wish I had someone here who could make a suggestion or two when I'm stuck on what to do with a card; four eyes would certainly be better than my two!!! Fortunately, my sons's GF received this card, and she's always gracious!
Paper: SEI's Holly Lane "Sugarplum" & Bazzill Cardstocks
Stamp: PTI's Silent Night
Embellishments: Gold cord & velvet brads from stash

Spellbinders' Design Team Contest

Okay, all you very talented crafty ladies. . . here's your big chance to become a Design Team Member for Spellbinders -- you know, the creators of our fav tools, Nestabilities, etc.!!! Click here for the important necessary information!!! Good luck to all!!!

Birthday Definition Card

This card was cased from one I saw on the Hero Arts blog here posted by Kelly. Her color combination is perfect. To go with my dotted flower, I used handmade paper and the birthday definition stamp from Hero Arts. I also accidentally discovered that PTI's Shimmer (white) cardstock I stamped my definition on is a perfect complement to the Bazzill Bling white in my background! Going to need more of that Shimmer real soon -- LOVE it!!!

Paper: Bazzill Bling, PTI Shimmer & Black cardstocks; Pink handmade

Stamp: Hero Arts

Tools: Fiskars Threading Water Punch; Nestabilities

Oh Holy Night!

Another Papertrey Ink Christmas card partially cased from Debbie Olson's creation here. I have the same stamps, but cased her star idea for my previous Christmas card, so changed the star on this one, mainly for simplicity sake! I really like this star a lot though!!! It's actually from the Stampin'Up set I used on the PTI Christmas card I posted 12-11. I totally love the swirl on this card - it could be used in so many ways for so many occasions!!! So delicate!
Paper: PTI's Vintage Cream & Cream Linen Cardstocks
Stamps: PTI's Silent Night & Stamin'Up's Nativty Silhouette (Retired)
Ink: Tsukineko's VersaMark & Encore Gold
Embellishments: Gold Ribbon form stash
Tools: Stampin'Up's Ticket Corner Punch

The Eagle Has Landed!

I've finally got the family birthdays for this year done (just need DDs created/mailed by mid-Jan.), so I feel great! This eagle is going to fly off to Tulsa to my stepson in the near future!!! I "accidentally" rediscovered him stamped and embossed in copper on a piece of cork paper. He's been laying around for a long time, as I don't even own this stamp. I'm quite sure I probably intended him for my stepson in the first place, as his home out in the country is decorated in red/white/blue & eagles, which is why I think he's perfect, even though not red, white or blue! His Dad liked the card, so that's the true test! Now to get those Christmas cards signed, addressed & sent!!! ;-)

I'm ready to do anything BUT a Christmas card right now!!! Christmas tins or something like that's okay, just not cards -- I might consider one or two that are unique & not to be repeated over & over!!! Hee-Hee!!!

Paper: PTI's Kraft Cardstock; cork, velvet & copper metallic papers from stash

Embelllishments: Copper Metal Corners & brads from stash

Wise Men Still Seek Him. . .

This is the "main" Christmas card I've decided to mail this year. I just love Papertrey Ink's gold cardstock; it has just such a subtle shimmer! I just felt the Wise Men phrase needed to be paired with the Wise Men and my friend, Ilene, had this Stampin'Up stamp, which perfectly fit the bill! I just love this star and all the phrases in PTI's Silent Night clear acrylic stamp set; such a very beautiful set that can be used in so many ways!!!

Paper: PTI's Vintage Cream and Gold cardstocks

Stamps: PTI's Silent Night; Stampin'Up's Nativity Sihouette (retired)

Ink: Tsukineko's VersaMark & Encore! Ultimate Metallic Gold

Tools: Wizard Nestabilities

Free-Standing Pop-UP Birthday Wishes

I'm struggling to come up with masculine birthday cards for our son & my stepson, who were born on the same day in December, sixteen years apart! I resorted to my favorite pop-up card. My husband's comment on this card was that it was "kind of juvenile", so I guess I'll give it to our son, who's sixteen years more juvenile than his older brother -- LOL!!! We have 4 kids between us, his daughter & son & our son, all born in December and our daughter in mid-January, so I struggle each year at this time to come up with cards for them, along with getting my Christmas cards mailed "in a timely fashion"! Sigh! Luckily, none of the kids are very picky, so it's really my issue, not theirs! Actually, the card we sent 10 days ago to my husband's daughter has never arrived, so I'm really frustrated this year! Hopefully, this won't become a trend!!!
Paper: WeRMemoryKeepers Coppered Out - Rivets, Tiles & Corks

Stamp: Hero Arts
Embellishments: Making Memories Metal Washers; Tandy Leather
Tools: Stampin'Up Punch

"Festive" Seasons Greetings

This DP from the Festive line by My Mind's Eye reminded me of this previously uninked holly/berry stamp on the left that I got several years ago on a clearance rack! I'm afraid the subtle Perfect Pearls on my holly leaves won't show well in my uploaded photo. Some cards are just so much prettier IRL, aren't they?

I'm so thrilled that Michaels is now carrying paper by My Mind's Eye and Basic Grey, because I don't already have enough paper - LOL!!! Ironically, even after the 275 sheets of Bazzill I got at their warehouse sale, I struggled to find colors to compliment this DP! If I could figure out how to get paid for the time I spend searching for papers that coordinate, I'd be a wealthy woman!!! ;~)

Paper: Bazzill Green & PTI Vintage Cream CS; My Mind's Eye Festive Line DP

Stamps: Rubber Stampede (holly); Annette Watkins (greeting); Inkadinkado (small holly)

Inks: VersaMark & PTI Ripe Avacado

Embellishments: Ranger Perfect Pearls; Stickles; ribbon from stash