Stamps and Whiskers

A&M Wednesday - Mini Clothespins

This week's accessory challenge are the cute little clothes pins!  I used them here to hold up this line of little hearts. 

Stampin' Addicts 2011 Holiday Mini Blog Hop

Hey, ya'll!  Welcome to the next stop on the Stampin' Addicts 2011 Holiday Mini Blog Hop where yours truly is featuring a cute new set called Festive and Fun.  If you are working your way forward through the hop, you will have just come from Paula Wright's blog where she featured the awesome 25 & Counting set.  And if you are working backwards through the hop, you will have just seen Yapha's digital handiwork with some of the digital downloads available in the new mini.  Either way, if you get lost, you can always start over by clicking here to access the entire list of demos and blogs on the hop.

Now, on to Festive and Fun!  This new set has three images that are ideal for creating Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's projects.  They are line art images that work well with Stazon or other waterproof ink.  At $19.95 for wood mount or $14.95 for clear mount (US), you can have a ton of fun coloring in these images however you want. 

Naturally, being the engineer, I have to do things in order, so we'll start off with Halloween.

Lookie!  All your favorite Halloween images in one word!  Of course, I'm kinda partial to the cat at the front of the line-up.

And next is Christmas.  This card features not only the Jolly Christmas image from the Festive and Fun set, but also features the new Frostwood Lodge Designer Series Paper.  The Frostwood Lodge suite of products reminds me of Christmas up north with its mountain lodge images and plaid patterns.  And if you look closely at the "O" in "JOLLY", you will notice something a little special!  I've used the new circle shaped Shaker Frames out of the new mini to create a small window filled with glass glitter for a fun detail.  And below the sentiment, I've added one of the new mini jingle bells, also in the new mini, tied up with some baker's twine.

And last, a Valentine's card, which is my favorite of the three designs I made.  I like this one most because it is a little different than most Valentine's cards I see - a little Lucky Limeade, a lot of Rich Razzleberry, but still a little touch of Pretty in Pink on the side with the ribbon and patterned paper.  All the scallops and dots just add to the fun look of this card.

We always try to do something a little out of the box on these blog hops - a 3D, a scrapbook page, home decor - you get the idea.  Well, these images said "charms" to me, so here are three 1.5" x 2" charms that I made with each of these images.  These use a number of fun papers including Mocha Morning with its flocking, more of the Frostwood Lodge DSP and, yes!  New SILVER glimmer paper - also available in the upcoming mini catalog!

I hope your upcoming holidays will be Festive and Fun and that you have been inspired to create some wonderful projects with this set and many of the other products in the new mini.  So, off  you go to the next blog, but leave a comment before you go telling me about any inspirations you have for this set.

 

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Coming Soon - Stampin' Addicts 2011 Holiday Mini Blog Hop

Here's a little sneak peek at one of my projects that I'll have on my blog this weekend for the Stampin' Addcits 2011 Blog Hop!  Come back at Noon Eastern on Friday, August 26 to see all the wonderful stuff we've created with products from the upcoming Holiday Mini!

 

A&M Wednesday - Embossing Folders

So, today I'm showing off a swap I created last week using two of the Big Shot embossing folders.  I know it's WAY early for Easter, but I've been working on Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine's so much that I decided I needed a little break.  Or it that wishful thinking that this winter won't be so bad as last winter?  Hmmm...  Anyway, here's the sample:

The white background is embossed using the NEW Snow Burst embossing folder from the upcoming 2011 Holiday Mini.  The bunny and egg image is also out of the upcoming mini and are from a set call Gift Givers.  I highly recommend this new set as it features 6 holidays and all the images fit in Stampin' Up!  punches which makes creating cards like this so easy.

I also used the oval frame from the Designer Frames embossing folders available in the new catalog.  And see how lovely it coordinates with the egg image?  That's because this folder was designed to coordinate with Stampin' Up!'s Wide Oval punch.  Isn't that neat?  Contact me soon to get your first look at some of the new Holiday Mini projects.

Oh, and stay tuned for a few more projects out of the upcoming Holiday mini.

 

 

Operation Write Home Results!

Wowie!  Look at all the beautiful cards we made at the Operation Write Home event this past weekend!  We made cards for four of the upcoming holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Valentine's.  These cards will be sent to overseas military posts or US Navy ships at sea for our heros to use to write home.  Thanks to all my friends for helping with such a great cause.  

For those who couldn't make it this time, I'll be doing this again on October 1 for World Card Making Day!  Stay tuned for details.

A&M Wednesday - Perfect Pennant Die

One of the most odd things about a Stampin' Up! convention  - at least to me - is the fact that I never make the Make and Takes AT convention.  I think it has an awful lot to do with the amount of gabbing going on!  But never fear, I usually end up making them at home with all the wonderful supplies Stampin' Up! provides to us.  

This year's Make and Takes were much different than in years past.  Instead of just making a handful of cards, we got to make 2 decorative items.  I'll share the first one with you today.  Stay tuned for the other one!

And here it is - a banner which features the Perfect Pennant die - and the three Make and Take cards we got to make.  With the three cards, that's really 5 projects in all.

I like this die because it has not only 3 pennants on it, but a couple of medallions, too.  You can see the pennants in this photo quite easily.  The medallions are stacked on top of the pinwheel over toward the left.

Of course, these pennants and medallions are not just for making banners.  A lot of projects are being posted in the current Stampin' Addicts Accessory Challenge thread showing off these die cuts on cards, etc.  Go take a look and enjoy!

 

 

 

A&M Wednesday - Double Taffeta!

This week's new Accesories and More challenge over at Stampin' Addicts is to use some of each type of taffeta ribbon on a single project - extra kudos if you use a new ribbon in this year's Idea Book and Catalog.  Here's the sample I created using a set I got at Convention - Easy Events.  The Designer Series Paper and the border beneath it are both from the new Country Club Simply Scrappin' Kit - my favorite in the new catalog.

 

New Catalog Blog Hop - Many Mustaches

How about all the new goodies?  Lovin' the new ideas as much as I am?  I hope so!  If you are following the Stampin' Addicts New Catalog Blog Hop in order, you will have just come from Debra Burgin's blog where she featured the versatile Triple Treat Flower.  I think it's a fun set and I already have some inspiring samples from Convention!

There's also a huge 5th Saturday Stamp Jam going on over at Stampin' Addicts in conjunction with this Blog Hop.  Feel free to check it out and join in the fun!

For this blog hop, I'm featuring a set that may have some of you a bit puzzled - Many Mustaches.  Well, it puzzled me and quite a few other demos until we were clued in to how trendy mustaches are these days.  I've seen a few samples on the internet showing ways mustaches are being used in today's crafting and the ideas just started popping into my head.  Here are just a few photos of what I've been able to do with this set in the short time I've had to prepare for this blog hop, along with a list of additional ideas around each sample.  I think everyone can have a lot of fun with this single image set that is only $9.95 (Item no. 122917, page 18). Enjoy your stay here and post a comment letting me know if I've convinced you to reconsider this set or any ideas you have for using it!

My first photo features a couple of cards using Many Mustaches.  You'll notice that I cut my stamp apart into the 4 different images.  This is totally optional but has increased the overall versailtiy of this stamp for me.

The "Be Yourself" card is a total CASE of a swap I received from my friend Kim Bolzenthal who is featuring the new set Raining Flowers on this very blog hop!  The little 3x3 Love Note is my design using the new S.W.A.K., another a la Carte stamp set in the new catalog.  I knew I'd have a winner here when I saw these two in the catalog.  How about that brad as a mole beauty mark (I stand corrected!)?

Inks:  Basic Black, Real Red, Cajun Craze

Pool Party DSP, Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon, Black Satin Ribbon 

My next samples feature some fun you can have with holiday decor.  I've concentrated on Christmas, but this idea can be used for any holiday!  I can just see it now - mustaches on Jack-o-Lanterns, cupids, bunnies!  Of course, I think the most hysterical idea would be for Santa to have a Mustache-on-a-Stick, too!  

 

I used the Stampin' Up! Candy Cane fabric to cover the snowman and added some buttons, a hat, a nose and of course, the mustache.  Using this set does not have to be difficult, either.  Just stamp out a 'stache, cut it out, and adhere to your reindeer or favorite photo of your annoying brother!

This photo features the mustaches used as name tags of a sort.  Just stamp them out, cut them out and adhere to drink glasses so everyone knows who's glass is which at your next impromptu get together. Of course, you can always step this idea up with place names, napkin rings, etc. for any little party you may be planning - birthday, girl's get together, whatever!

And last, but not least, you can always use these mustaches to torment the cat.  I've always wondered what Pepe' would look like with a proper mustache and now I know!  Kinda cute even if he is a bit annoyed with me.  I did try to adhere the 'stache to Pepe', but he was more interested in chewing it up than letting me get his photo with it!

Well, I hope you've enjoyed your time here.  Be sure to hit Rhonda's blog next where she's featuring Polar Party (psssst, cause it features penguins).  Can you imagine mustaches on penguins?  I can!

        
         

One More Swap - Wisteria Wonder Again!

Well, this is the last full day of Convention and we're all on pins and needles to find out all the last surprises (and prizes) Stampin' Up! has in store for us!  In the meantime, here's one more swap I created using the Pursuit of Happiness stamp set.  I created this using Wisteria Wonder and Elegant Eggplant, knowing full well that I'd have to hold on to a couple of these for two friends that adore purple!  And the little sprig of pale lilac adds just the right finishing touch to this design.

 

 

Stay tuned for Digital Sunday where I'll share the hybrid MDS Project I did at Convention.

Convention Swaps - A New Hostess Set

Hey, everyone!  I'm probably in classes as this posts today - learning how to be a better leader!  But you came here to see something artistic, didn't ya?  Well, here ya go - one of my Convention swaps made with one of the new Hostess sets - Faith in Nature.  The set also features a "Thank You" sentiment and has pear and flower images similar to the leaf image I used on this sample.  The colors I used are Concord Crush, Pear Pizzazz and Cajun Craze on Confetti White.  The watercoloring was done with ink and blender pens.

And if you haven't heard, the hostess benefits have been completely reworked by Stampin' Up!  You can earn more dollars for the same workshop total and have the whole catalog to choose hostess bennies from.  You don't have to select hostess sets if you don't want to!  Contact me today to find out more!

More Convention Swaps!

Hey, there!  I'm really in General Session hoping to win Prize Patrol (free Stampin' Up! goodies), but I thought I'd share another of my swaps with you.  This design features the new Pursuit of Happiness stamp set.  Of all the new sets in the new Idea Book and Catalog, this one set really spoke to me.  There are lots of little reminders in this set that I needed to bring back into my life.  

And it seems I use every punch in the catalog on my designs!  Well, why not?  Punches are such an easy way to add interest to a card in no time at all.  I really had fun with this one, too.  The color combo is not really "me", but I think it works great for a Western theme.  So, I just sorta ran with the theme and this is what I came up with.  The medallion is made with the Doily Triple Layer punch, of all things!  Add a little hemp twine knot, and it's rugged enough for any cowgirl out there.