Getting in the Spirit at Holiday Hoopla!

I think I have something special to share that will hopefully inspire you to start thinking about your holiday crafting projects for the upcoming holidays - if you haven't already!  I don't know about you, but I never seem to be ahead of the game when it comes to getting ready for Christmas!  I put a note in my calendar this year that I will be done by December 1st this year and I think I got a good bump in that direction at Holiday Hoopla!!


One of my Uplines, Marlayne, organized this wonderful event and I went with one of my stampin' buddies, Stephanie!  We were up really early (for a Saturday) and spent the day learning about so many wonderful ideas and there were so many great projects we got to see and try!  I took lots of pictures of the Share Boards of my fellow demo's ideas, cards, scrap book page layouts and 3d items for the holidays - what great inspiration!! My mind is still whirling with ideas!  I don't know where to start *chuckle*


These are the projects that we got to make and take home!  Marlayne swears by kits and these projects were all assembled from the kit with a few stamps, embellishments and some ribbon.  We got to "make-and-take" them home!! Marlayne is brilliant and in organizing her Holiday Hoopla event, she saved herself some stress by using the Christmas Cheer Simply Scrappin' Kit (Item #117401) and shared a good amount of Marina Mist 1-1/4" Stripped Grossgrain Ribbon (Item #119772) with a couple buttons from the Candy Cane Big Designer Button Set (Item #121718) to make all of the goodies you'll see below! 

this is a box about 6"x6" made with designer paper from the kit as well as the snowflakes die cuts (stickers) layered with circle of marina mist cardstock - doesn't the ribbon just look wonderful with it?  And all the projects we made fit neatly inside once it was all done!

And here are all the projects from inside the box!  

6 projects all together some more complicated then others.

Isn't that banner lovely!   Imagine it on an office door or cubicle at work or hanging in a place of honour just inside the front door to greet your holiday guest?!  Did you notice that each letter is set on a different textured piece of card stock?  It was so easy to zip them through the Big Shot in the different folders to add that extra bit of pizazz!

Neat little mini 'album' made with a note card and envelop with pull out pages for pictures, comments and more - wouldn't grandma/mom/auntie just love to whip that out of her purse at book club?

 Or give the gift of cards?  3 sweet card that all tuck into this adorable top note card holder with gift tag label!

This is a sweet gift card holder.  Boarder Punch and the window is punched with the new label punch and the pine cone stamps from the new stamp set!

 Have you ever thought to use stamps on textured card stock?  Why not!  Give it a try and add another dimension to your projects!

 Use the window you punched out on the pocket inside the card holder - waste not want not - right!?  (I tucked a magnet into the pocket so you can see it better - that's what that black square is *laugh*)

This was so quick and easy, it's almost embarrassing!  Why not jazz up some simple treats with a pretty little pocket!  You don't even need glue, just tie the ribbon around to hold it together and attach a sweet little tag!

This one was not one of the Make-n-Takes - but I had to show you anyway!  This is Bitty Box made with Real Red Card stock with one of our our Big Shot dies (Item #115967), embellished with snow flakes in Whisper White Card stock and the  Northern Frost Decorative Strip Die (Item #120901) - one of the Demo's from Demonstrator Theatre not only had 2 great projects to show us but she also made a bunch of these mini boxes to give out at her demonstration station filled with treats - so sweet!

I am seriously trying very hard not to go nuts buying all the neat little box dies they have but this one might just have to be next on the list!  So many things you can do with it!! Imagine sneaking little notes/treats into your hubby/kid's lunches? Turn it into gift/ornaments on your tree - just add a bit of ribbon! Or for the gang at the office?  Neighbors? Teachers? The Paper Boy/Girl?  The Post Carrier?  etc. etc.

Here is another look at all the projects all laid out!   What a wonderful day!  I'm so glad that I went and got to spend a fun day with a good friend and get inspired for the holiday season that's fast approaching!  Are you thinking about what you are going to do for the holidays yet?  Maybe some of these ideas have inspired you too?  Feel free to send me an email for more information about the projects displayed on this page or any other questions you might have! 

Now, why not pull out your crafting supplies and give some of these ideas a try today?

Until Next time ...... *HUGS!!*

Fun, Furry Friend!

It was my Dad's birthday Oct 26th and I decided to use my Sock Monkey stamp set (Item #111550) to make his card.  The senement is from Heard From The Heart Stamp Set (Item #111644).  The Card stock I used was was 8-1/2x11" Card stock in the following colours:  Early Esspresso (Item #119686), Poppy Parade (Item #119793) and Very Vanilla (Item #101650), the grey is retired.  I used a mini library clip (Item #109857) and a bit of red gingham ribbon (Item #104827) which is a clearance item so will only be available while supplies last.  You could also use the new 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon (Item #119251) in Real Red or a co-ordinating colour of your choise.

This is the inside cover - to add some interest I also stampped the balloon from that Sock Monkey set, and used the banana as a background stamp along with some of the scraps I had left over to layer and create another image.  The string is hand drawn using Early Esspresso marker as well as the personal message on the small piece of Poppy Parade "On Your Birthday"

This card is great for a man, young or young at heart, with a sense of humour or nastalgia.  It could easily be adapted for just about anyone!  Change up the colours and add a border punch to give it a more feminie touch?

If you are interested in any of the items I've used to create this card, click on the underlined link to see an image of the item or go to the Stampin' Up! Costomer page and punch in the code to see more information about the item.  And of course, you can always give me a shout if there is anything you'd like to order *wink*!!

Why not pull out your crafting supplies and try a card like this today!  And please, snap a shot and email it to me!! I love to see your work too!

Until next time .... *HUGS!!*

More Punch Art ... Pretty Purses!!!

I've been sitting on this sweet little project for a while too and finally I'm sharing it with you, I hope you give it a try!  I have a friend who has passion for purses!  One of my favorite story about her was her trip to New York and the adventure she had shopping for "discount designer purses"!  With this in mind, when her birthday rolled around I knew I just had to do something with a purse!  Fortunatly for me, there are lots of creative people out there that already figured out how to use punches to make some adorable purses and I used their tips and with a few of my own to create this card for my friend!

The body of the purse is made with the Round Tab Punch (Item # 119864).  If you just cut your punched image in half then turn it on it's side you've got the body for the punch - I bumped it up a knotch by mixing and matching my purses by turning my 1/2 tab punched purse in half and used the curvy part to punch out the top to give my purse that 2 toned look - kinda looks like there's a leather flap at the top, don't you think?  Then use the 2 oval punches (Large Oval Item #119855 & Small Oval Item #119863 )to create the handles and the word window punch (Item #119857) to create the flap (held in place with a heart brad - not SU).  The designer series cardstock was Cottage wall, which is now retired.  You can use any combination of DS paper and card stock that appeals to your eye!  I layered the purses with a small square of designer series paper on a coordinating square of cardstock and using the Corner Punch (Item #119871) on only 2 oposit corners of each square, created a pin wheel design to add some interests.  For the sentement I used the small ovals I punched out fo the centers of the 4 hand bag straps to layer my greeting to add a little pizazz to my card front!

Plain and simple or with a bit of a twist - these little purses can jazz up any project from a card to a scrap book page!  Add some couture to your next project with a hand bag or two!

TRY IT TODAY!!