Our Next Scraps and Prayers Project

I just can't wait to share today's post with you.  This is our next project for my Scraps and Prayers class.  I just love it.   

I'm having a lot of trouble believing it's now November.  Even though I've been working like crazy on Christmas projects for over a week now, my phone says it's supposed to be a high of 80 today --- in Illinois!  I will say though, I do LOVE it!!!

I tried to get all the shimmer from the beautiful poinsettia, but it's difficult to capture it in a photo. 

I glued double layers of CS for each layer of the poinsettia, so it would still hold its shape when I added on lots of shimmer.

I love how this project turned out!

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Pink and Black Froggie Card

I'm not a huge pink lover, but I love our bright, fun Melon Mambo and, if you put it with black, it just pops!  How about a pink and black froggie card?!!! 

I added a solid black layer behind the top DSP layer and I added a stirp of DSP to the inside.  

I still love my little froggie. 

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Three Days of Peach, Day One

Here we go again, with a little series of one of our new In Colors ... this time, Peekaboo Peach.  Today's card has a nice little sparkle to it, too. 

I have embossing inside and out and on the coordinating envelope, as well as some sponging.  

Sponging over the raised embossing really brings out the beautiful pattern. 

I think that Flirty Flamingo and Peekaboo Peach make an interesting color story.

Be sure to come back to check out my next two days of peach! 

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All Ye Faithful, Version Two

Today's card is a second version of my previous post.  They're very similar and use the same stamp set. 

In today's card, I've used ovals again, but in a slightly different way and I've added an embossed (and shimmer spritzed) layer beneath the ovals.

Which version do you like the best?

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All Ye Faithful, Version One

Today's post is for sharing another Christmas card.  I'll show Version one in this post and Version two in my next post.

Combine Silver Glimmer Paper, Night of Navy CS and silver embossing and you're off to a great start.

I lightly sponged around the image.  I love the little sheep on the envelope.

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OSW Tutorial Series, Part 5

For today's OSW card, I have another Christmas card for you.  This one uses DSP from one of our 6 X 6" Paper Stacks.  With a couple of simple cuts, you can really get a lot of cards from a Paper Stack. 

This is cut from our Merry Moments Paper Stack.  It is full of great DSP for Christmas.  However, many of the papers could be used after is Christmas is over, as well.
Tips:
Cut the 1/2" strip off the top of the sheet first.
Then cut the sheet in half.
Notice that I've used the 1/2" scrap for part of my card.  I just turned it over to the reverse side.

I also added a tiny sliver of Silver Glimmer Paper.  With strips this thin, you can get a ton of them cut from one sheet of Glimmer Paper.

I added a silver star at the top and then attached sequins and pearls over each of the dots on the Christmas tree stamped image.  The folded doily just adds a nice finishing touch.  Once again, this is a pretty card that's pretty quick to make and looks great for Christmas.
Tips:
Instead of the Christmas tree, you could easily add a non-Christmas image and have a great card design for other occasions.
Changing the image but not the paper will change the feel of the card completely.

I have yet another part to this series, so be sure to come back to see it.  Leave me a comment if you have questions or suggestions. 

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Happy 4th!

I need to interrupt my little series I started a couple of posts ago to wish everyone a Happy Independence Day!  In honor of our red, white and blue, I have a patriotic layout for you today.  This is actually the layout we'll be making at my July 14 Scraps and Prayers class.  Enjoy and have a wonderful day!

 

Come back soon and we'll get back to my techniques album for part 3, as our series continues.  Have a great day. 

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Silver Glimmer, Part 2 ... and Some Creating Tips

Put you sunglasses back on today for more silver glimmer trees.  These were also made with strips of our silver glimmer paper.  I started with 2 styrofoam cones that were about 12" tall.  To create them, I cut my silver glimmer strips (lots!!!) and then gave them a little curl, using my bone folder.  Each strip is 1" wide.
Tips:
-Start at the base of the tree, having pre-cut a lot of strips.
-It takes about 7-10 strips for each row, tapering down to about 5-7 by the top row.
-Place hot glue just on the top edge of a strip.
-Attach it to the 'tree' with a slight overlapping of each strip.
-Stagger strips above previous row, for more interest and fullness.
-Add a little circle at the top of the cone to cover the top of the cone.
-Attach a beautiful bow with long, flowing sreamers.
-Curl the streamers a little, for a beautiful look.

I made some decorative gift boxes with our beautiful silver glimmer paper and red ribbons.  I just love some bling and sparkle for the holidays.

After seeing a lot of my projects from this year, here's how it all came together.  Sorry I had to get back so far to fit it all into the photo.  I think you get the idea.

In my next post, I'll share more of my decorating projects from this past Christmas and that should wrap up my Christmas projects for a while.  In keeping with my New Year's Resolution to make a little Christmas all year, I will continue to make Christmas projects throughout the year and I will share more as I have them.

Don't forget to mark your calendars for some stamping fun!  
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Silver Glimmer, Part 1

Grab your sunglasses and check out my latest tree creations, made with silver glimmer paper strips.  I found some old, wooden candlestick holders on one of our antiquing outings last summer and spray painted them an off-white.  I love how the little trees look attached to them.  I had actually bought them with a totally different project in mind, but love this marriage of the little trees and the candlestick holders a lot.  I guess I'll have to look for more candlestick holders if I ever decide to make my other project idea.

Notice the box in the background?  If you've been following my blog for a while, you know how I love old wooden boxes.  I decorated a couple for Christmas this year --- one tied up with our holiday red ribbon and one tied up with burlap ribbon.  Love them!  The decorations are actually just odds and ends of sprigs of holiday decorations.

Here's a close-up... and, below... the burlap ribbon box with another glimmer tree.

What have you been making lately?  While I'm catching up on showing you the rest of my Christmas projects (got behind with my knee surgery), I'm actually spending my days making up banners, layouts and cards using new kits and products from our Occasions Catalog.  I'll be sharing those soon, so be sure to come back often, so you don't miss a thing.

I'm still having quite a lot of trouble with my knee -- both knees, actually, so I can only spend a little while at a time stamping.  It is saving my sanity from TV.  I can only take so many police dramas and home decorating shows.  I'm about ready to take a sledge hammer to a wall from seeing them do it on so many shows.  We've caught up on all the old Downton Abbey episodes and are now watching all the Big Bang Theory episodes.  Thank God for Netflix.  I'd ready more, but it's difficult to juggle a book and ice packs at the same time.

Up next, some taller silver glimmer trees.  Wear your sunglasses for my next post, too.  Ok, you can take them off now.  I don't recommend stamping while wearing them:)  Have a great day!

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Stars and Snowflakes Wreaths

With my knee surgery taking place in December, I didn't get to share all my Christmas projects with you before Christmas.  I am going to go ahead and share my projects over the next several posts, so you won't miss out on them.  Tuck them away for ideas to make for next Christmas OR, follow my New Year's Resolution for 2014 and make some Christmas projects all through the year.  We'll have the best decorated homes ever for 2014!

Today, I'll share a couple of smaller wreaths I 'remade' for Christmas.  These wreaths started out with a styrofoam base wrapped in burlap.  They originally had fabric flowers on them.  I removed (and saved) the flowers and turned them into Christmas wreaths by adding silver snowflakes and stamped/embossed stars, then finished them off with tiny punched stars hanging in the center.  I really enjoyed decorating with them for the holidays.  You could actually leave them up all winter.

TIP 1:
Punch 2 of the tiny stars and sandwich linen thread inside them, with the stars back to back.  Make at least 3 to 5 like this to hang inside each wreath.  Vary the lengths of linen thread for artistic interest.

TIP 2:
Score the stamped stars on each of the lines in the design.  Fold as shown in the photo above, with mountain and valley folds.  This really makes the stars look elegant.  Attach all the stars and snowflakes using a glue gun.

TIP 3:
Using an idea I got from Pinterest, I mounted removable hooks on the inside of my cabinet doors and looped the linen thread around the hook and over the door to hang the wreath.  I love this idea and have used it a lot!

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Guessing Game, Part 3

Today, we continue my little guessing game with another card that was inspired by a previous project of mine.  One look and I'm sure you can guess how I came to be inspired for this card design, too.  This card has a special feature to it and lots of gorgeous glimmer.

Did you guess?  This card design was inspired by my Winter Frost framed project, shown in the last photo today. 

... ready... set... open...  The special feature for this design is a card that is attached to the top flap and slides up when you open the flap.  There is room below the stamped message to write a note and sign the card.  Love it!

 ... and my previous card...

Did you guess yet?  My design inspiration came from the lower left square.  Even when you design something yourself, it can still guide your design inspiration for future projects.  Fun, right?!

Thanks for stopping by today.  Come back soon for more design inspiration.

- Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the blogging world. 

- Click on the tab at the top of the page to see my class schedules and registration policies or click on the left for sneak peeks. 

- Come back soon and come back often for more creative inspiration.