Thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving! For me, Thanksgiving is a time to count my blessings! I have so much to be thankful for this year. New family members and being able to see family I haven't seen in awhile. Family is the most important thing God has given me, so I thank Him every day for those that surround me and those further away, too!

This first card has a lot of colors in it, and that is why I chose these papers from the Orchard Harvest designer series. I like the harvest scene and the cross stitching print, too.

I used "So Grateful" from Apothecary Art and stamped it in Gumball Green into the Cajun Craze Four Frames image. I punched it out using the Decorative Label punch. Underneath the popped up frame, I tied a knot using Certainly Celery 3/8" Taffeta ribbon.

The second card is simple. Especially when I already had this leftover "bow" sitting on my desk! I added the sentiment from Day of Gratitude, stamped in Cajun Craze and punched out using the Decorative Label punch. The background paper and the bow paper are prints from the Comfort Cafe Designer series paper.

I hope you enjoyed my cards. Please have a safe holiday celebrating all of life's blessings!

For all of your Stampin' Up! supplies, please use my Website.

Also, check my Promotions Page for all of the latest offers, sales and freebies!

Pals Fall Flair Hop

(Blog Badge designed by Nicole Watt)

Thanks for joining us for some fun Fall crafting with the Stampin' Pretty Pals! You've probably hopped over from Kerry Willard Bray at Stampgoodness. I'm stop number 17 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 Stampin' Up! Fall projects. 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.

I've made a wallet that holds place cards for Thanksgiving Dinner. Thanksgiving will be here in no time. This would make a fantastic hostess gift for your family gathering. Just let the hostess know ahead of time that you will provide the place cards. I chose to decorate my wallet using the Comfort Cafe designer series paper and the colors Midnight Muse, Summer Starfruit and Soft Suede. I stamped the "thanks" sentiment onto Naturals Ivory card stock using Midnight Muse ink.

Inside you see I made place cards by cutting card stock into 2-1/2" x 3-1/2" pieces, scoring them at 1-1/4" and folding. I stamped the flower image from Day of Gratitude, then wrote the names using a Soft Suede Stampin' Write marker. I tucked four of these into each of the three sections of the wallet.

You can find instructions to make the wallet here. (I altered the width of my card stock from 10-3/4" to 4-1/2").

Supplies for Wallet:

Card Stock: Naturals Ivory, Midnight Muse, Soft Suede, Summer Starfruit

Designers Series Paper: Comfort Cafe

Stamps: Day of Gratitude, Perfect Punches

Ink: Midnight Muse, Soft Suede

Punches: Scallop Oval, Large Oval

Embellishments: Midnight Muse 3/8" Stitched Satin Ribbon

Adhesives: Snail, Sticky Strip, Stampin' Dimensionals

Now hop along for more inspiring ideas from Peggy Noe at Pretty Paper Cards, stop number 18 on the Pals Fall Flair Blog Hop! Thanks for hopping by!

1. Nicole Watt at Impressions By Nicole
2. Beth Beard at My Little Craft Blog
3. Maxine Conrad at Stamp to the MAX
4. Claire Crotteau-Hutt at stamppaperscissors
5. Susan Lankford at Stamp and Scrap With Susan
6. Nicole Picadura at Scraps and Stamps
7. Bobbi at My Therapy
8. Mary Fish at Stampin' Pretty
9. Barb Furlong at The Love of Stamping
10. Rae Harper at Wild West Paper Arts
11. Sherrie Gross at Stampin Sunshine
12. Lynn at Cattaildesigns
13. Dawn Tidd at Tiddbits from Dawn
14. Kim Czenszak at Live Love Stamp
15. Naki Rager at ...notes from Naki
16. Kerry Willard Bray at Stampgoodness
17. Patti MacLeith at Papercrafts by Patti
18. Peggy Noe at Pretty Paper Cards
19. Kim Luithle at Kim's Stampin Stuff
20. Lori Martin at The Rejoicing Papercrafter
21. Diane Roberts at scoreatfourandaquarter
22. Maggie Mata at Maggie Made Cards
23. Kris Kilcoyne at Kween Bee Kreations
24. Julie Trevett-Smith at The Stampin' Affair!
25. Jennifer Takacs at Stamped in Full
26. Katy McGloin at Just Fun Stamping

PPA 142 Color Challenge

PPA142 is a Color Challenge. Use the colors above to create your card or scrapbook page or 3D item and then upload to the Pals Paper Arts Challenge blog and you are playing along! Be sure to use a direct link to upload to be eligible to be an Artist Pick of the Week!

I used Black Embossing Powder with Versamark to stamp this image from the Day of Gratitude stamp set. Then I dipped a sponge dauber into the ink on the cover of my Elegant Eggplant and Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Pads. By gently rubbing the ink on in circles, I colored in the image. The embossing helped me blend and stay inside the lines. I cut the image out with my Paper Snips. I also embossed the leaves using my very juicy Gumball Green Stampin' Pad and Clear Embossing powder and I cut those out as well.

My background is Pumpkin Pie card stock that I embossed using the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder and my Big Shot. The cute acorn stamp was colored using Early Espresso and Crumb Cake Stampin' Write markers. The sentiment used Elegant Eggplant ink. I finished my sentiment panel by backing it with Basic Black card stock and wrapping a piece of Basic Black Scallop Dots Ribbon toward the top.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my creation and that you will leave your comments below.

To order your Stampin' Up! products, please use my Website.

Gratitude Card Supplies:

Card Stock: Lucky Limeade, Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Very Vanilla

Ink: Versamark, Elegant Eggplant

Stampin' Write Markers: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake

Big Shot: Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder

Extras: Black embossing powder, Clear embossing powder, sponge daubers

Embellishments: Basic Black Scallop Dots Ribbon

Embellished Thank You

Happy Monday! I finally got around to using some of my products from the Holiday Mini! Here you will see a peek at the 3-1/2" Scallop Tulle in Cherry Cobbler (a very teeny piece, cut free-hand into a circle), and one of the Designer Natural Buttons. 

This card actually began with a long, thin scrap of Comfort Cafe designer series paper and a stray 3/4" Circle punched from Summer Starfruit. Now, Summer Starfruit has not been my favorite new In Color so far! But last week for the PPA Challenge, I had to use it, and I must admit, it is growing on me! And, although one of the colors that coordinate with Comfort Cafe designer series paper are listed as Cajun Craze, I chose to use Cherry Cobbler, because it matched the tulle!

The "ribbon" is made by folding a long piece until I got the desired shape/size and then I hand-cut a little rounded portion where the button would go. I tied my button using two pieces of Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine. I free-hand cut the ends of my paper "ribbon" into points.

This ribbon and button sits on top of a Peek-A-Boo Frames window die cut from Natural Composition Specialty designer series paper that I ran through my Big Shot. The sentiment and stamp are from the Day Of Gratitude stamp set.

To order YOUR Holiday Mini items, please use my Website any time.

Day Of Gratitude Card Supplies:

Card Stock: Summer Starfruit, Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso

Designer Series Paper: Comfort Cafe, Natural Composition Specialty

Stamps: Day of Gratitude

Stampin' Write Markers: Summer Starfruit, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso

Big Shot: Peekaboo Frames, Textured Impressions Lattice Embossing Folder

Punches: 3/4" Circle

Embellishments: 3-1/2" Scalloped Tulle-Cherry Cobbler, Designer Naturals Buttons, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine

PPA120 - Sketch

Good Thursday to you! Thanks for visiting. At Pals Paper Arts the challenge this week is this lovely sketch by Margaret Moody.

I began by knowing I would be using this CUTE pie idea! I saw it on Lorri's Stamping Addict blog.

Here is what I used to make my card:

Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Pool Party, Soft Suede, Pumpkin PIe

Designer Series Paper: Spice Cake

Stamps: Day of Gratitude

Punches: Scallop Circle, 1-3/8" circle, 1/2" circle

Extras: Stampin' Write Markers in Pool Party and Early Espresso, In Color Printed Designer Brads, Big Shot, Stripes Embossing Folder

Fall Trio #2

I promised you a second Fall Trio, and here it is! I hope you enjoy looking. Let me know if you like these!

The first one was started with part of a Scallop Square Bigz Die. I ran a piece of Autumn Spice Speicalty Designer Series Paper through my Big Shot and cut off one strip. You may remember I already used the strip on another card from Monday's post. Also, on top of my sentiment (from Day of Gratitude), you will see the strip of the Top Note "square" I used on another card from Monday's post. I stamped the leaves from the same stamp set individually onto Very Vanilla using the Rock N Roll technique. This is a simple and fun technique where you stamp the image on one ink pad, then choose another color (usually darker) to rock just the edges of the image. This leaves you with a lighter color in the middle and a darker edge. I tied each leaf with a piece of Linen Thread and popped each up with Stampin' Dimensionals.

This could be my favorite! Another Top Note square in More Mustard highlighted with a Lattice Bigz Die Cut. I added a stamped and cut out acorn from Day of Gratitude to the bottom center. For the sentiment, also from Day of Gratitude, I stamped it onto Whisper White, then punched it out with the Decorative Label XL punch and used a sponge dauber and Early Espresso ink to rub some color onto the edges for a little bit of contrast.

Lastly, this simple card with one matte of Autumn Spice print. I made a banner of the Grateful Greetings sentiment and then stamped another image from Day of Gratitude using my Stampin' Write markers for several colors. I punched it out with my Square Scallop punch then matted it with a circle punched from Old Olive. To the side, for some interest, I used another strip from a Top Note Die square in More Mustard.

I really hope you enjoyed my two trios this week. We are having weather that is weird--in the 90's, so I am hoping that the cooler weather is on it's way!

I invite you to use my Website to order your own Stampin' Up! supplies any time.

Fall Trio #1

Today I'm showing the first of two trios of fall cards I recently created. I used Day of Gratitude, Grateful Greetings and Thank You Kindly stamp sets and the Autumn Spice Specialty Designer Series paper. What makes this paper special is that it's thicker than Stampin' Up! every day Designer Series Paper, and it has a texture to it. It's a delight to work with! It coordinates with the card stock colors Cajun Craze, Old Olive, More Mustard and Early Espresso.

I only have half a pack of this paper, since I shared it with others, but I was able to make these six cards plus more cards! You will see the second trio on Friday, so stay tuned!

On this one I used an Old Olive base and colored in the leaves from Day of Gratitude. For interest, I used my Big Shot to cut a Top Note Die from Cajun Craze, then sliced it free-hand with my paper snips. I put two other strips of Autumn Spice paper together, one being a strip from a Square Scallop Die cut piece. I paper-pierced around the edges and I put my sentiment right onto the Designer Series paper, then matted it with another design. I finished it off with a button "tied" with Linen Thread.

This card is bold and beautiful! I used my Top Note die again, but this time ran it through the Big Shot a second time after turning it. On top of that I stamped the large medallion style stamp from Day of Gratitude, but instead of using an ink pad, I colored it with three different Stampin' Write Markers. In the center, I popped in an Antique Brad. The sentiment was stamped on a scrap of More Mustard leftover from a Top Note Die cut. I finished it off with some faux stitches, using a Stampin' Write marker.

For the last card in today's trio, I used scrap strips. These made a simple matte for the "Grateful Greetings" in More Mustard. It's cut into a banner that is anchored with a retired antique brad. I love how these patterns go together so well.

If you have any questions, please email me! I'd be happy to help you create your own set of Autumn cards using Stampin' Up! supplies, which you can order HERE.

PPA66-SKETCH

Hmmm. My card matches the Pals Paper Arts Challenge badge! I didn't plan it, but I like it! Black, Red and neutral are always a good bet!

This week's challenge is a sketch, provided by our own Margaret Moody. Margaret cannot actively participate in PPA at the moment, due to a family illness, so if you could say a little prayer for her and her sister, I know she would appreciate it. I'm sure she will be back as soon as possible to play along with us.

For this card, I used the Fancy Flower XL punch, then cut the flowers into pieces for the large scallop border. I got his hot tip from my friend and upline, Mary Fish.

Also, for the sentiment, instead of stamping it the way it is laid out on the rubber, I used my Stampin' Write marker to color and stamp only "THANK", then separately color and stamp the "YOU" underneath. Using clear mount stamps, I just eye-balled it and it came out perfectly!

Here are my card particulars:

Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Cherry Cobbler

Designer Series Paper: Newsprint

Stamps: Day of Gratitude

Extras: Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Write Marker, 3/4" and 1" circle punches, Fancy Flower XL punch, Chantilly 1/2" Crochet Trim, Stampin' Dimensionals

If you are in need of any Stampin' Up! supplies, please use my Website to order. Don't forget about our special Bundles--you can check those out HERE. So many ways to save through December 16th!

Pals Paper Arts #64 Fashion Inspiration "Fall"

Play along with us at Pals Paper Arts! Celebrate fall with this inspiring photo. Here in perpetually sunny Southern California, we don't really see a whole lot of fall leaves, but we still pretend it's getting chilly! Won't you play along and post a fall-themed card or project?

Card Supplies:

Card Stock: More Mustard, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso

Designer Series Paper: Autumn Spice

Stamps: Day of Gratitude

Ink: More Mustard

Extras: Blender Pen with inks: More mustard, Cajun Craze, Old Olive, Early Espresso, Twill ribbon

(all supplies Stampin' Up!)

For your very own Stampin' Up! supplies, please use my Website to order.