Christmas Blessings

Today's project is a trio of Christmas tags I created for the  Ellen Hutson Calling All Artists Pin-Sights Challenge. Unfortunately, my photos are a bit dark. It's gloomy here!

I used the largest die from the Paper Smooches Gift Tags 2 set to cut two tags from white linen and a third one from kraft cardstock. I stamped the same sentiment from the Paper Smooches A Blessed Christmas at the bottom of each tag. I then used the Essentials by Ellen Laurel Wreath die to cut wreaths from Green Parakeet, Pinefeather and gold mirrored cardstock. I cut additional ones from plain white cardstock in order to layer the wreaths for dimension and stability.

For the "glamour" tag, I added a metallic red bow using a die from the My Favorite Things Blueprints 3 set and gold and red metallic stars cut with dies from the Essentials by Ellen Home & Hearth set. Some gold metallic thread in the tag hole finished it up.

The "rustic" tag includes a small house cut with a die from the Essentials by Ellen Home & Hearth set and a small plaid bow cut with the Mama Elephant Dainty Bow die. Natural cord was threaded through the tag hole.

For the "clean and simple" tag I stamped the dove from the Paper Smooches A Blessed Christmas set onto Copics X-Press It cardstock and then cut out with the matching die from the Blessed Icons set. After coloring with Copic makers, I threaded lime green cord through the tag hole.

Products: Essential by Ellen dies, Paper Smooches stamps and dies, Bazzill and PTI cs, Michael's mirrored cs, Hemptique cord, MFT ink, Copic Markers
Copics: W00, E81, YG0000, YG01, YG03

Just like the tags I made earlier this week, these will most likely be placed on cards. It's been fun getting back to crafting this week. We are have a busy weekend ahead with my granddaughter's birthday party and an open house. I need to do some shopping and get this house cleaned for it. Have a great weekend.

From Our Home to Yours

Today's project is Christmas card #5 for the year. I only have 55 more to go!

I combined stamps and dies from the Essentials by Ellen Cozy Christmas and My Favorite Things Winter Wonderland sets for the Ellen Hutson Calling All Artists Pin-Sights Challenge. I started out my cutting a circle from Sno Cone cardstock using an MFT Pierced Circle die and then added the "snow banks" cut from white linen cardstock using My Favorite Things Stitched Valley dies. I stamped two of the smaller images from the My Favorite Things Winter Wonderland, cut out with the matching Winter Wonderland dies, coloring up both with Copic Markers. I cut the pine trees and houses from gray, white and red card stock scraps using the dies from the Essentials by Ellen Home and Hearth die set. I assembled all the elements onto the circle panel using a combo of glue and foam tape for dimension. I stamped the sentiment from the Essentials by Ellen Cozy Christmas stamp set directly onto a white linen card stock background which was cut with a MFT Wonky Stitched Rectangle die and attached to the card base with a layer of craft foam.

Products: Essentials by Ellen and My Favorite Things stamps and dies, MFT and PTI cs, Memento and PTI ink, Copic Markers
Copics: Snowman-C00, C1; Tree-G21, G24, G28

Phew! Do you think I mentioned enough products?!

Hello

Today's project is a tag that I created for the Tag You're It #53 Challenge.

I loved the featured tag and was especially inspired by the flowers and the embossing in the background. I have had the never before used My Favorite Things Fall Florals set for several months and this challenge gave me an opportunity to pull it out. I stamped the various flowers and stems using Pure Poppy, Bright Buttercup, Blueberry Sky, Green Parakeet and Black Licorice, cutting them out with the matching Fall Florals Die-namics. I used the Papertrey Ink Basic Bookmark 2 die to cut the tag from plain white cardstock and then embossed it with a MFT Wonky Stitched Circle die. I stamped the sentiment from the WPlus9 Doodle Buds set onto the tag and then attached the stamped floral pieces with a combination of glue and foam dots. I topped the tag with a red topper cut with a die from the Reverse Confetti Hang Ups die set. I prepared the card base with a bit of patterned paper and textured cardstock and then attached the tag using a small brad.

Products: My Favorite Things stamps and dies, WPlus9 stamp, Doodlebug dp, Bazzill cs, PTI cs, die and ink, My Favorite Things ink

Although I have so much tumbling through my mind right now, it makes my heart happy to be crafting again.

In the Lane

I am trying to catch up on the number of Christmas cards I normally have completed by this time of year. I have a long way to go considering it is August already and this is only card #4.

After seeing several cards using the Pretty Pink Posh Storybook dies, I decided I needed at least one to try. I think I'm hooked. I combined it with another stitched die to make the cover, stamping the sentiment from the Mama Elephant Winter Wonderland set using Pure Poppy ink. I completed the base with a combo of Sno Cone cardstock to represent the sky, stamping the trees from the same set using Smokey Gray ink and then the bird and nest. I added the snowy hills cut from white textured cardstock using My Favorite Things Stitched Valley dies. After securing the storybook and background pieces together I stamped the deer from the same stamp set and cut out with the matching Winter Wonderland dies, attaching with foam tape. Lastly, I added the Essentials by Ellen Prize Stag cut from kraft cardstock and a couple of enamel dots.

Products: Mama Elephant stamps and dies, PTI, Bazzill and MFT cs, Doodlebug Enamel Dots, MFT, Pretty Pink Posh and Ellen Hutson dies, PTI, Simon Says and Versafine ink

I am submitting this for the Ellen Hutson Calling All Artists Pin-Sights Challenge.

I hope your week is off to a great start. Thank you for stopping by my humble little abode here on the 'net!

Gift Tags

Today's project is a trio of Christmas tags for the CAS-ual Fridays (CFC153) Gift Tags challenge.

I first cut the tags from Pure Poppy and Green Parakeet cardstock and then used stitched rectangle and circle dies to create cutouts. I stamped various sentiments and snowflakes from the CAS-ual Fridays Snowflake Greetings set onto white cardstock cut outs using Pure Poppy, Green Parakeet and Smoke ink.  I added small stitched snowflakes topped with pearls on each tag and inserted baker's twine in the tag holes. Very simple and totally my Christmas tree colors.

Products: Cas-ual Fridays stamps, PTI cs, Kaisercraft pearls, The Twiner twine, Lawn Fawn, PTI, MFT and Simon Says dies, PTI and Simon Says ink

I not sure if these will wind up being gift tags. It's possible I will add them to card bases since I have made exactly three Christmas cards so far. At this point in the year, I usually have 15-20 in my stash. 

Thanks for stopping by.

A Beautiful Soul

It has been crazy busy around here. We have literally been working since January to get our house on the market. We finally did last month but after all that frantic activity, it's been unnervingly quiet. I think we missed the hot selling period unfortunately.

Since I craft out of my dining room it was necessary to do a deep detash and get organized. I sold a ton of stamps and dies and donated some other stuff. Plus I made some hard decisions about what could be boxed away for the time being. So the ribbon, felt, buttons, Silhouette and a myriad of other things were packed and reside in an upstairs closet. I also have my holiday stamps and paper upstairs. There isn't a stamp or die that is not in a labeled storage pouch so I can easily get to them. Plus I have a rule that I have to clean up after myself after each project - something that I have never been able to do before!

So obviously it has been a long time since I have had the time and energy to just sit and create. That is why my blog has been so very quiet this all of 2016. Since things have settled down, at least for a little while anyway, I hope to be more creative. I know that I have missed it.

Today's card is for the Viva la Verve August Sketch 1. For the strips in the background, I stamped an image from the the Verve Better Together set three times using Hibiscus Burst, Bright Buttercup and Hawaiian Shores ink and then layered over it with a strip of patterned paper. The sentiment from the Beautiful Things set was stamped onto a stitched circle then matted onto a larger circle using a layer of craft foam. I used dies from the matching Beautiful Flowers set to cut the two leaf branches from patterned paper and then attached them plus the sentiment piece onto the background. A few enamel dots finished it up for a clean and simple design.

Products: Verve stamps and dies, My Mind's Eye and Doodlebug dp, PTI cs and ink, Doodlebug enamel dots, Lil Inker Designs die, Simon Says ink

Thank you for stopping by and have a great rest of the weekend!

TCP Tuesday #320 Challenge

It's time for another TCP Tuesday at The Cat's Pajamas with a challenge to use something that represents"water" on your project. The challenge runs for two weeks and The Cat’s Pajamas products are not required although we do love it when you use our products.

It was kind of hard to find products that represented water because every stamp I turned to I found that our fabulous customers bought them all up during the summer sale! Even the one I used today is out of stock, Just Chillin' which represents some ice fishing on a frozen lake. I stamped the image and then used a Spellbinders Nestie to cut out with a bit of "out of the box" action. I colored with Copic markers in festive Christmas colors and then matted onto another circular layer of Green Parrot cardstock. I stamped a partial sentiment from the Joy to the World set using Versamark ink directly onto the patterned paper background and then white heat embossed. I finished the sentiment with another partial one from the Merry Everything stamped onto a Green Parrot cardstock banner shape. I used two stitched dies to cut a frame from white cardstock, layering over the red background. The image and one of the sentiments were attached with craft foam. 

Products: The Cat's Pajamas stamps, Doodlebug dp, PTI cs, Doodlebug enamel dots, Memento ink, Copic Markers

Copics: Bunny-C00, C1, E81, R22, R24, R27; Water-B0000, B000; Shadows-BG0000, BG000, BG70

Here are the details:

1. Every other Tuesday a new challenge will be posted on The Cat's Pajamas blog and our Facebook page.
2. If you want to play along you just upload your design to The Cat's Pajamas blog page using the InLinkz button by the Monday, 11:55 EST before the next challenge.
3. You are not required to use a Cat’s Pajamas stamp or die but if you have them we would love to see them.
4. On the following TCP Tuesday, the winner will be chosen from the previous challenge and will receive a Cat Cash Voucher for $10 or $15 if a TCP product is use.