Happy Thanksgiving and a PPA Challenge (#121)

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving.  We had family in town all week and really enjoyed our time visiting.  One of my visitors was interested in stamping and begged me to get out some of my stuff.  I, of course, was happy to oblige and tried to only bring out a few things so I wouldn't overwhelm her.  (I know all of you stampers/scrapbookers know that this hobby is at least 50% collecting pretty things to someday use on some project).  We had a mini-challenge session.  I had her choose a stamp set, a color of card stock and I knew I wanted to use pearls to play along with this week's PPA challenge.  After I had all of the elements I thought for a bit and came up with this card...     

She chose The Sounding Joy stamp set and Concord Crush paper.  I love the rich look of the card.  It was a fun night stamping and I think she really enjoyed herself and was so proud of her cards.  Thanks for stopping by.

PPA 119- Christmas inspiration

This week is a great challenge over at the Pals Paper Arts.  It's Christmas!  I can't believe it's the middle of November all ready.  Where has the time gone?  I'm really looking forward to Saige's first Christmas (but I could use some fall weather- it was 83 degrees in Texas today!)  Here's a Christmas card idea for the challenge.

 Thanks for stopping by.  Let me know if you have any questions about supplies used.

November Pals Blog Hop

Welcome to the November Pals Hop!  This month, we're featuring Winter, Christmas, and Hanukkah inspired cards and projects!  Enjoy the hop and the amazing creations that the Pals have come up with.  You've likely hopped over from Mikki Sarkisyan, I'm stop number 10 on the Pals Hop and I'm glad you hopped in!  I'll help you "hop along" from blog to blog where you'll find great ideas for Winter, Christmas, and Hanukkah paper projects from the Stampin' Pretty Pals!  Should you hop off course, simply click on any of the links in the Pals Hop Line-up below and you'll be back on track!

 This is the new stocking sizzix die with the stocking accents sizzix die.  I plan to use this as an accent on a Christmas scrapbook page for Saige.

 This is a CASE from the Stampin' Success magazine (a perk of being a demonstrator).  They did it in Pool Party, but I didn't have any DSP in that color yet.  I switched it up with Poppy Parade.  I added a glimmer brad and a mini jingle bell to take it up a notch.

This box took about 3 minutes to create!  Retired Riding Hood Red ribbon, Tags til Christmas stamp set, the tag punch and some linen thread.

These are gift card holders made with the scallop envelope sizzix die.  I cut my paper to 5x5 and folded it in half.  Lay it on the die with the fold in the center and you'll have an envelope big enough for a gift card to fit in.  I used the Tags til Christmas set, 1 inch square punch, postage punch and some mini jingle bells.  They add just the right amount of bling to a project.

Hop along for more inspiring ideas from Mary Fish, stop number 11 on the November Pals Hop! Thanks for "hopping" by!  I hope you enjoyed the projects.  Now is a great time to join my Stampin' Up team.  Join by 11/11/11 and get a free Big Shot!  Ask me how.

1. Nina Dee at http://www.deesignsbyninadee.blogspot.com/

2. Julie Trevett-Smith at http://www.thestampinaffair.com/

3. Maxine Conrad at http://www.stamptothemax.com/

4. Jessica Ying at http://www.yoyostamping.com/

5. Mike Funke at http://stampin-style.typepad.com/stampin-style/

6. Jennifer Takacs at http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/jenntakacs/blog

7. Nancy Gleason at http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/mystampinspace/blog

8. Nicole Watt at http://www.impressionsbynicole.com/

9. Mikki Sarkisyan at http://www.mikkiscreativecorner.blogspot.com/

10. Kylie Nicolosi at http://www.kyliescraftycorner.blogspot.com/

11. Mary Fish at http://www.stampinpretty.com/

12. Barb Furlong at http://www.theloveofstamping.com/

13. Ann Schach at http://www.stampinchic.com/

14. Linda Fisher at http://lindas-stampinloft.blogspot.com/

15. Sandie Conner at http://www.prettyprovisions.com/

16. Cindy Hall at http://prettyimpact.com/

17. Rae Harper at http://wildwestpaperarts.com/

18. Angie Blake at http://www.angiesmusings.com/

19. Kris Kilcoyne at http://kweenbee.typepad.com/

20. Camila McManus at http://www.obxscrapbook.wordpress.com/

21. Leah O'Brien at http://www.leahsstampincorner.com

Here are some recent photos of my little pumpkin!

Here's Saige with Matt on his birthday last week.  See a resemblance? I can't believe that she's 7 months old today!

Pals Blog Hop

Welcome to the October Pals Hop! This month, we're featuring Thank You cards and Thanksgiving inspired projects! Enjoy the hop and the amazing creations that the Pals have come up with.
You've likely hopped over from Cindy Hall at http://www.prettyimpact.com/, I'm stop number 4 on the Pals Hop and I'm glad you hopped in! I'll help you "hop along" from blog to blog where you'll find great ideas for Thanks and Thanksgiving paper projects from the Stampin' Pretty Pals! Should you hop off course, simply click on any of the links in the Pals Hop Line-up below and you'll be back on track!

This card uses the Gently Falling an Days of Gratitude sets.  It also uses the yummy Spice Cake DSP!  I am in LOVE with this paper.  The color combos are just beautiful.

Here are a few fall votive holders decorated to go with my table scape. I finally found a use for those giant buttons in the current mini catalog!  I also used up some of the Spice Cake Fabric.  I love how they all coordinate. 

This votive holder was painted with Cajun Craze Modge Podge.  It's another way to use your re-inkers.  You add a few drops to a little bit of modge podge and stir it up really well.  It works better with darker colors (i.e. yellow probably won't turn out so well).  Just keep adding drops of color until it's what you want.  I used a foam brush to apply it and I only did one coat.  If you have any questions feel free to leave me a comment and I'll respond.   

Hop along for more inspiring ideas from Nina Dee at http://www.deesignsbyninadee.blogspot.com/, stop number 5 on the October Pals Hop! Thanks for "hopping" by!

Line-Up:

If you prefer to show the actual links, here is the post line-up:
1. Nancy Gleason at http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/mystampinspace/blog

2. Sandie Conner at http://www.prettyprovisions.com/

3. Cindy Hall at http://www.prettyimpact.com/

4. Kylie Nicolosi at http://www.kyliescraftycorner.blogspot.com/

5. Nina Dee at http://www.deesignsbyninadee.blogspot.com/

6. Leah O'Brien at http://www.leahsstampincorner.com/

7. Jason Casper at http://www.stampindad.com/

8. Barbara Chatzkel at http://www.takeoutpaperarts.com/

9. Mike Funke at http://stampin-style.typepad.com/stampin-style/

10. Mary Fish at http://www.stampinpretty.com/

11. Nicole Watt at http://www.impressionsbynicole.com/

12. Barb Furlong at http://www.theloveofstamping.com/

13. Jennifer Takacs at http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/jenntakacs/blog

14. Mikki Sarkisyan at http://www.mikkiscreativecorner.blogspot.com/

15. Patti MacLeith at http://papercraftsbypatti.blogspot.com/

16. Rae Harper at http://wildwestpaperarts.com/

17. Camila McManus at http://www.obxscrapbook.wordpress.com/

And, here are a few photos of what I'm thankful for this year!  Saige turned 6 months this past weekend.  I can't believe how fast the time has gone by.  I'm also thankful that she's sleeping pretty good so I'm getting more sleep :)

 I hope she'll be daddy's photo assistant one day!

 Cutest Pumpkin in the patch

 LOVE!  This was taken on her 6 month birthday.

I just love the look on her face in this photo.  I had to get a picture of us in the same shirt.  Her's is a hand-me-down and mine was given to me back in 2007 for a work thing.  How funny that we had the same one.

Fall and Halloween Pals Blog Hop

Welcome to the September Pals Hop! This month, we're featuring Fall and Halloween inspired projects! Enjoy the hop and the amazing creations that the Pals have come up with.  You've likely hopped over from Barbara Chatzkel's blog, http://takeoutpaperarts.com, I'm stop number 14 on the Pals Hop and I'm glad you hopped in! I'll help you "hop along" from blog to blog where you'll find great ideas for Fall and Halloween paper projects from the Stampin' Pretty Pals! Should you hop off course, simply click on any of the links in the Pals Hop Line-up below and you'll be back on track!

 

Here are a few Halloween projects I've managed to put together.

This one is a CASE of Shellie.  My demonstrator friend, Kathy, saw it and brought me the pieces to put it together.  It uses the pennant die and the cone die.  I added the sparkles with the new Dazzling Details from the Holiday mini.  I love the dazzling details product!

Here are the new cellophane treat bags from the Holiday mini.  They are so easy to put together and look so cute with the Batty For You stamp set as the topper.  Just think about how cute it would be to have a vase or a treat basket full of these for your trick-or-treaters (side note, I'm so excited to put Saige in a costume for her first Halloween.  I promise to post pictures later)

Here's another option for your Halloween treats.  This uses the treat box die.  The orange one is the regular size and the green one is an example of how you can fold your paper to extend the die and fit a regular sized candy bar inside of it.  Aren't they cute?!  (another thanks to Kathy for helping me with these as well).

 

I hope you've enjoyed my Halloween projects today.  Please hop along for more inspiring ideas from Cindy Hall at http://www.prettyimpact.com, stop number 15 on the September Pals Hop! Thanks for "hopping" by!

 

1. Jeanne Norris at http://www.mycreativeimpressions.com

2. Patti MacLeith at http://papercraftsbypatti.blogspot.com

3. Melanie Collins at http://oopsadaisy.typepad.com

4. Ann Schach at http://www.stampinchic.com

5. Mikki Sarkisyan at http://www.mikkiscreativecorner.blogspot.com

6. Leah O'Brien at http://www.leahobrien.com

7. Mary Fish at http://www.stampinpretty.com

8. Barb Furlong at http://www.theloveofstamping.com

9. Linda Fisher at http://lindas-stampinloft.blogspot.com

10. Mike Funke at http://stampin-style.typepad.com/stampin-style

11. Nancy Gleason at http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/mystampinspace/blog

12. Joan Norris at http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/clearlycreative/blog

13. Barbara Chatzkel at http://takeoutpaperarts.com

14. Kylie Nicolosi at http://kyliescraftycorner.blogspot.com

15. Cindy Hall at http://www.prettyimpact.com

16. Nina Dee at http://www.deesignsbyninadee.blogspot.com

17. Sandie Conner at http://www.prettyprovisions.com

18. Nicole Watt at http://www.impressionsbynicole.com

19. Rae Harper at http://wildwestpaperarts.com

20. Debbie Pierce at http://www.stampinsunshine.com

21. Camila McManus at http://www.obxscrapbook.wordpress.com

22. Jason Casper at http://www.stampindad.com

PPA110- A spooky CASE

I've managed to work ahead and get a few things together for my next Card Club (starting 9/18 if you're interested, there are 3 more spots open!).  It's nice to have stuff done and not to have to worry with it at the last minute.  It also lets me play along with challenges like this weeks' PPA Halloween challenge.  Here is a card that we're going to make at the next Card Club (Sunday 9/18 and Tuesday 9/20).  It's a direct CASE from the Idea Book and Catalog (proof that it really is an idea book and shouldn't be recycled just when the catalog year is over, he he.)  If you're looking for a hobby now is the time to try out card making.  We have a few more spots open in our card club and would love to have you join us!

PPA 107...late, but worth the wait

so.... I tried to get my PPA card done in time, but I just kept waiting for some of my Holiday mini catalog products to arrive and ended up missing the deadline.  (If I could just get the UPS man to deliver my packages earlier in the day!)  We'll be making this card at my card club this Saturday.  I'm really happy with the way that it turned out and I think it was worth waiting on the UPS man.  I used the Pretty Postage stamp set and coordinating punch from the summer mini and the new 1" square punch from the upcoming holiday mini.  I also used the new houndstooth embossing folder and I brayered it with perfect plum for more contrast.  I just bought a brayer for that one purpose and I love the effect.  Without further ado...

(special thanks to Ann Schach of The Stampin' Schach for the video tutorial on the bow)