Tip of the week – curling waxy flax

Waxy flax is so easy to work with.  I reach for it every time I need to thread a button.  I prefer it over embroidery floss or even hemp because it doesn’t shred when you start working with it.  Plus we have 11 beautiful colors that match our cardstocks and inks perfectly.  For this card I tied two of the HeartFelt die-cut wonder shapes together with waxy flax.  I left the ends rather long – 1 1/2 inch or so.  To give the waxy flax a different look I twisted it so it started curling on itself.  Just keep twisting and twisting to get the achieved look.  You might have to snip a tad bit off the end that didn’t curl. 

Recipe:  Heartfelt Wonder Die-Cut shapes, Many Thanks stamp set, Back Country paper pack, Love Letter rub ons, Chocolate cardstock, brads and stamp pad, Crystal blue cardstock, sandpaper, stipple brush, Olive stamp pad and Bamboo waxy flax

Christmas card poem

For your amusement here is a little spoof about the midnight stamper making her Christmas cards going around on the internet a few years ago.

“Twas the Week Before Christmas” by Sherri Campbell
(who has WAY too much time on her hands *Ü*)

‘Twas the week before Christmas
and the house was a hush.
Save the stamping of rubber
in a last minute rush.

The cardstock was cut
with precision and care,
In hopes that a greeting
would soon be stamped there.

The children were tucked in
their beds around eight,
but now it’s 10:30–
How’d it get so late?

And I in my PJs
with blurry red eyes,
had finally arranged
all the stamping supplies.

It started out simple
(it does every year)
just make a few cards
for friends who are dear.

Nothing too fancy–
just an elegant touch
A gold embossed image,
some ribbon and such.

I pressed ink to paper
(it looked crisp and clean)
a sprinkle of powder,
then heat for a sheen.

When what on my green Christmas
cards should appear?
Why a tiny gold Santa,
with sleigh and reindeer!

But with little stray flecks,
and some missing spots, too,
I knew in a moment
this one wouldn’t do.

Then I tried it again,
once more, and another.
“I will get this right!”
I said to no other.

On pigment! On powder!
On heat from a gun!
Now ribbon! And envie!
Can I make fifty-one?

“I can do it!” I said
with all of my might.
And looked at the clock–
’twas well past midnight.

I went straight to stamping
out card after card.
“This might take all night,
but at least it’s not hard.”

But after I finished,
they looked a bit lame.
I didn’t want fancy,
but these were too plain.

And then in a twinkling
a thought came to mind.
“I’ll just dress them up
and then they’ll be fine.”

So I went in my craftroom
and looked all around.
Then back to the table
with all that I’d found.

My Fiskars I brandished
(I wasn’t a quitter).
And soon I was covered
in EP and glitter.

A bundle of papers
I spread on the table
to find the right background
(quite sure I was able).

With fibers that sparkled,
a mulberry sheet
was just the right choice,
my card to complete.

I started to smile
when the cuckoo came out.
“It’s now 3am!”
That bird left no doubt.

The cap of a marker
I held in my teeth.
I’d lay in some color,
or maybe gold leaf.

My broad little face
was all beaded with sweat.
But I wouldn’t give up!
Well, not at least yet.

There was glue on the table
and ink on the floor.
I laughed at the site,
though my fingers were sore.

I did not complain,
just kept up my work.
When more things went wrong,
I did not go berserk.

When I finally finished,
one card, around six,
it looked pretty good
after all of my tricks.

“I’m keeping this one.
My work on it shows.”
So clutching my card,
up the staircase I rose.

I crawled into bed
at the first crack of dawn.
Creativity spent,
motivation all gone.

But make no mistake!
I promise one thing–
“You’ll all get your cards!
But you’ll get them next Spring!”

Christmas Card Countdown – just 2 more weeks!

Hope you made some great progress on your cards this past week.  I did!!  But I still have soooooo much more to do. 

 

Your assignment this week is to: 

 

#1) Finish your cards!!!

#2) Stamp a sentiment on the inside (or hand write a note),

#3) Sign your cards

#4) Stamp a “Hand stamped by…” or some other sentiment on the back of your cards.  Include the year also as a lot of people will save your cards for years and it’s nice to see which year they are from.

#5) If you are including a photo, label (with a photo safe pencil) the names and date.  Include ages for your kiddos too!

 

Now, if you are already ahead of the game and want to mail your cards this week, here are next week’s tasks for me:

2) Address envelope

3) Add a Christmas theme postage stamp

 

If you are mailing in a clear envelope make sure you take these to the Post Office and ask them to hand-cancel them for you.  Some of the PO’s are picky about the clear envy’s and might send them back to you if you don’t have them hand-cancelled. 

 

Ok, now what to do if you haven’t even started your cards yet.  DON’T WORRY!!  There is still time to make your own cards.  Place an order today for the Around the Holiday’s Card Kit.  These cards go together so incredibly quick and they are CUTE!  If you want, add some brads to dress it up a bit.  They are just $14.95 (+tax & shipping) and you get the envelopes too. 

 

 

December Stamp of the Month Blog Hop

Welcome to our Blog Hop featuring the December Stamp of the Month – Notice the Details.  If you came here from fancyMelissa’s blog you are on the right path.  Please follow along below to continue our blog hop. 

 This set of 41 stamps will help you record all the special days in your life.  With phrases like “Marvelously Ordinary” and “Celebrate the Everyday” even your most simple days take on special meaning with this stamp set.  I created a birthday card with the SOTM and also featured the stamp set, Delightful Things.   I particularly like the center of the flower which demonstrates a pewter brad threaded through a button hole. 

Now head on over to Misty’s blog to see what she came up with for the December Stamp of the Month.

Don’t forget the December Stamp of the Month is only available this month.  You can even get one for free with a $100 order.  Or get 25% off with a $25 order, 50% off with a $50 order, 75% off with a $75 order. 

Christmas Card Countdown – week 3

 I’m sure you were all busy beavers working on your Christmas cards, right? 

 

 Over the past two weeks we were to get several of the processes done on our Christmas card.  Possible steps on your card might be:

• Cut and score your card bases
• Cut your layers of paper for the cards
• Stamping/Embossing the image(s)
• Coloring in the images if necessary
• Attaching layers
• Adding embellishment(s)
• Stamp the inside of your card with message
• Stamping the back of card with “made by…”
• Sign your card

I don’t know about you guys but I have about 10 piles laying on my stamp table of cards in progress and really, really, REALLY want to move on to something else.  So I’m going to work really hard this week to get the majority of my cards done.  Here’s to a really productive week of card making!

Tip of the week – Circle Cards

In the new card pattern book from CTMH, Wishes, there are a lot of card bases that are circles.  I think these are so unique and really make a card stand out.  I also think they look especially festive this time of year – especially when you add an ornament “top” to it and a ribbon, like I did on this first card.   To make these cards I cut my cardstock into 5 x 10″ strips and scored at 5″.  So you have a 5″ square.  Then I used the 4 1/2″ circle on the (retired) coluzzle to cut my circle.  I laid the template over the card and then moved it a bit so there was at least 1″ for the fold and then cut my circle.  It fits beautifully in an invitation envelope. 

If you don’t want to go that route, there is a CD included in the Wishes book that has all sorts of templates, including a circle!

Recipe:  Jingle paper pack, Holiday Jingle stamp set, Holiday Trinkets stamp set, Just for the Holidays stamp set, Creme Brulee stamp pad, white daisy stamp pad, silver embossing powder, Tulip stamp pad, Twilight stamp pad & cardstock, Green embroidery floss, Twinkle brads, white eyelets & ribbon, sandpaper, circle punch & corner punch.

Christmas Card Countdown – 4 more weeks!

Hello!

 

How’s the progress coming on your Christmas cards?  I made great progress on my cards!! Our assignmeent last week was to get at least two steps done on your cards.  Mine was to get the cutting and scoring of the card bases done.  I did that (while watching the Nebraska game.  Go Huskers!) and kept going to cut some of the layers on my card done too.  Yipee for me!  But I did realize that I need to get some more cardstock too so it was good I made this much progress.  I need to place another order soon.  Might have to get some more stamps too since this is the last week of Stampaganza!  Purchase 2 stamp sets and get 1 free!

 

Here are some possible steps you might need to take to complete your cards. 

 

~Cutting the cards
~Scoring the cards
~Cutting the layer(s)
~Stamping the image(s)

~Embossing the image(s)
~Coloring in the images
~Attaching layers
~Adding embellishment(s)
~Stamping the back of card with “made by…”

 

Your mission this week is to get two more steps done. 

Good luck guys!  It’s getting to be crunch time here. 

Same pattern, two different looks

  I made these cards awhile ago and forgot to post them for you.   Duh!  I used a pattern from the book Wishes for these cards.   Obviously one friend had a baby boy and the other had a baby girl.  The boy card looks so whimsical with the Animal Crackers paper and the girl card looks so elegant with the That’s Amore paper pack. 

Boy card Recipe:  Animal Crackers paper pack, Sweet Baby stamp set, white ric-rac, Dutch Blue textured cardstock, brads & stamp pad, foam die-cut numbers, scalloped circle punches (non-CTMH), Summer craft buttons & colonial white waxy flax.

Girl card Recipe:  Tha’s Amore paper pack, Sweet Baby stamp set, Colonial white ribbon rounds, Blush  textured cardstock, brads & stamp pad, foam die-cut numbers, scalloped circle punches (non-CTMH), Clear craft buttons & colonial white waxy flax.

Happy 1st Birthday to my sweet niece

Yipee!  It’s Rachel Rosalie’s birthday!  The theme is cupcakes (and of course, I just happened to have the perfect stamp set for it.)   I hope I get a nice face-full-of-frosting bday picture.  It’s so fun to have a baby in the family.  Wish we lived closer though…

Receipe:  Cupcake Sprinkles, More to Adore paper pack (Retired), Blush stamp pad & brads, Hollyhock stamp pad, Chocolate stamp pad & ribbon, framed fun dimensional elements and corner rounder

Christmas Card Count down – 5 weeks to go!

 How’s your progress coming along on your Christmas cards?  We just have 5 weeks left until our target mailing date.  Time to get busy!

 

Now we need to break your prototype card down into steps. My card has 12 different steps. And I’m not going to tell you what they are cause if you are reading this it is very likely you will be getting this card and I want you to be surprised.  But some possible steps your card
might have are:

• Cut and score your card bases
• Cut your layers of paper for the cards
• Stamping/Embossing the image(s)
• Coloring in the images if necessary
• Attaching layers
• Adding embellishment(s)
• Stamp the inside of your card with message
• Stamping the back of card with “made by…”
• Sign your card

This week your goal is to get two of the steps done. Mine will be cutting
the card and scoring the card.