Merry Christmas with a Dasher of ribbon

 Last minute christmas and gift cards are being made for Sunday... 25th.

Presents being wrapped and put under the tree.

I  made a few extra cards to put gift cards in and thought I might need to dress up a few of these Dasher cards to make them a little bit Special.

 Ta Da!!

A piece of rufffled seam binding and a perfectly tied Pear Pizzazz bow.

As soon as I clean off my table for Christmas I find another christmas card or gift card that needs to be made.

When does it ever end?

Knitted Santa Tree Ornament

Isn't he cute?

Santa was the last of my Christmas tree ornaments to arrive and he inspires me to get the knitting needles out and make something. 

 Tracy Grant made this and he is going straight on to our little tree that we bought  yesterday.

This weather being so cool is actually knitting weather I think...

Perhaps Barbie could do with a small knitted dress to wear on xmas day?

If I have time between shopping for a turkey, groceries, and the last minute gifts that I have yet to buy. 

Christmas Tree ornament inspiration

This card is inspired by one of the Christmas tree ornaments I received from my Crafters Anonymous swap. The two tag die, the sentiment punched in green and white and the bauble in 3D at the bottom.

 I have used the flocked Mocha Morning Specialty papers for my ornament.

 And tried to stick with Red and green ( Real Red and Lucky Limeade ) to keep the Christmassy feel going in contrast with the black and mocha colours.

For texture I placed a piece of whisper white through the Big shot machine with the houndstooth embossing folder and edged the bottom with the eyelet border punch. Enjoy!!!

Quick and simple Christmas card

 I needed an extra card to send overseas and came up with this one for simplicity.

The Christmas tree from "Snow swirled" is stamped in lucky limeade ink on white cardstock.

I have layered it onto Pacific Point cardstock and put one of the two tag dies behind it.

Then stamped Merry christmas on the frilly bit.

There is a Merry Christmas star at the top punched out with the 3/4" circle punch and thats all the stamping done.

"

Lastly I cut a layer of whisper white and ran it through the big shot on the Square Lattice embossing folder  and that is that... this one is already in the mail.

Star ornaments for the tree

 Since I received this beautiful Christmas star ornament from Daryl Clapham. I have been working on a CASE (copy and share everything).

I have worked out the basics and am now making a few to give as gifts or as decorations.

 Here is my first one stamped in Poppy Parade ink - I have stamped the Contempo Christmas tree, cut it out with my sharp snips and pasted it on a piece of square embossed cardstock and the ribbon is Calypso coral ruffled. I think it complements it nicely.

 Here's the other side with the words and some snow flakes.

And here is the star ornament opened.

 Its made with five squares of patterned paper. Each one is only 3 inches square and you need some ribbon and a bead with a large hole or a ring like I have used here.

 Here it is in Concord crush stitched ribbon, patterned paper and ink.

 I mixed up the patterned paper squares to get a more decorative star ... if you have lots of christmas patterned paper you could decorate a whole tree.

Quick Christmas tag

 Needing a quick christmas tag to hang off a gift I came up with this one.

1. Fold a piec of cardstock in half

2. Put the folded edge inside the two tags die and run it through your Big shot machine.

3. Voila! you have a tag card that opens and you can tie a piece of ribbon through the top to attach to a present.

This two tag set just amazes me with it's versatility.

I have decorated my tag with a punched circle of Not Quite Navy cardstock which I have embossed with the wreath from "Welcome Christmas" stampset.

Then, I stamped Merry Christmas from the Contempo stampset on to the Lots of  Tags die with some real red sponging. Just a little bit too easy I think! 

Christmas Tree ornaments part 2

Crafter's Anonymous group have sent me some of the most inspirational christmas tree ornaments.

The folded Christmas tree is from Shari Lankveld.

It seems to be made up of folded squares... so clever.

 This beautiful ornament by Angie Jones is made with the two tags die and also the flower builder punch with beads dangling on the end... I am inspired to make a few of these.

 And check out the very creative ornaments by Deb Speijers.

The bird and bauble are cut out of metal shim (silver flashing I believe) and embossed with the Big shot machine. And how gorgeous is the reindeer and snowflake too.

I have one more to photograph to show you. But will have to leave it for another day...
All these ornaments are handmade and mostly from stampin up supplies, so if you are feeling inspired and want to learn how to make them, send me an email and we can get together to decorate your tree.

Christmas tree ornaments

When you are addicted to stamping and all things art and craft you join a group called

Crafters Anonymous

I 've been going there for a while now and can I say they haven't helped.

They just keep sending me more ideas to further my addiction...

But it's all good - take a look at the lovely gifts I have received.

 This star ornament is by Daryl Clapham.

I might be making a few of these to decorate the house this year.

 This cute little snowman is by Dannii Sholz.

 And here is the Angel ornament I sent as my christmas tree ornament.

 It is one of my favourite punch art angels that I have made before

 but for these I was able to make the angel's skirt with
 Stampin' Up fabric
 and I used a square ice brad in her hair to hold the ribbon and wings on the back.

 A host of angels ready to be sent ....

In this photo I think you can just see the shimmer paint that I have sponged on the angel's hair.

And the wings are made of velum punched out after I'd run it through the Big shot with the Elegant lines embossing folder.

Last chance before Christmas!

Just a very quick post to let you know that tomorrow Friday 16th is probably the last day to order any Stampin' Up! products to guarantee a delivery before Christmas.
I will be placing an order on Friday afternoon, so if you have any last minute Christmas orders for friends, family or you ... then send me an email message and I will ensure you get your goodies under the tree or in the post in time for the big day.
Order tomorrow and I will throw in a special gift from Stamping Joy!

Anything ordered off the December Frenzy list will get another 5% off, too. Thats free shipping for this weeks order.

Glimmering Christmas ornaments

 Let me show you a new product fresh out of the Summer mini catalogue.
It is called Glimmer paper (it comes in silver and Red) but don't despair you can colour the silver glimmer any Stampin' up ink colour that you like....
Can you imagine that with a sponge, a dauber, or an aquapainter, an inkpad or a reinker bottle any of these will create glittery paper in any of the colours of your dreams.

 The photo above shows the original silver glimmer paper and the one below is sponged with Melon Mambo ink. Isn't it just gorgeous?

Hint: the more ink you apply the deeper the colour, and if you make it very inky - you can always dry it off with your heat gun.

 On this card I have sponged one of the ornaments with Concord crush ink and attached them both with dimensionals.

 I have tilted the card to the side so you can see this lovely glitter in the light - it's quite amazing!

For the rest of the card I have used my big shot for texture, the petals-a-plenty embossing folder, and a piece of square lattice embossed cardstock too.

The tag is from Lots of tags, some sponging, twine, and ruffled ribbon to complete.

Enjoy!!!

Stocking Tag builder punch

 This card is going out to a friend with three boys... one stocking each.
A part from the fact that I got a bit happy with the Dazzling diamonds and 2-way glue pen, I like the bright colours and simplicity of the Christmas stockings hanging on a string.

 I didn't think we needed the fire place below as most of us here don't have mantle pieces to hang them on.
Layed on the floor under the tree will be fine for us or on the curtains in the dining room.

 I have simply punched out 3 stockings from Cherry cobbler and Lucky Limeade cardstock, mixed them up a little and placed them on the white cardstock.

I have successfully attemped an embossed frame on this card using my big shot machine and a "frame" of petals a plenty embossing folder.

The Stocking builder punch coordinates with the Stitched stocking set (both from the Summer mini catalogue that we can order from now until end of March).

The Merry Christmas is from the Contempo Christmas set - I love the mix of printing and script.

Just a dasher of Mocha

 Keeping it simple I have created a gate fold card in real red cardstock and stamped "Dasher" in Early Espresso ink on some shimmer white cardstock.

 The Merry Christmas stamp is from "Contempo Christmas" and is cut out with the Big shot 4 tags die.

Both shapes are sponged with a little bit of champagne shimmer paint and the sponge dauber has a little bit of Early Espresso ink on the edges.

Now for the dash of mocha morning designer series paper (DSP).

I wanted  a little glint of gold to wrap around my card and this patterned paper has just the right amount of lush depth to make my card a little bit special.

Then I have tied the centre with a piece of Baker's twine (new in the Summer mini catalogue).

The background stamping that you can hardly see is the Welcome Christmas wreath.

Don't forget the Welcome Christmas stampset is on sale this month!

Have you seen this list?

You can get up to 50 percent off some great Stampin' Up! products during the December Frenzy !

 Welcome Christmas Clear-Mount Set is 50% off NOW $19.98

Welcome Christmas Wood-Mount Set is 50% NOW $24.98

I {Heart} Hearts Wood-Mount Set is 40% NOW $25.77

For Everything Wood-Mount Set is 40% NOW $28.77

Every Moment Wood-Mount Set 40% NOW $19.17

Awash with Flowers Wood-Mount Set is 40% NOW $43.17

Friends Never Fade Wood-Mount Set is 50% NOW $15.98

Friends Never Fade Clear-Mount Set is 40% NOW $15.57

Ornate Blossom Wood-Mount Set 40% $11.97

Clearly For You Wood-Mount Set 40% $28.77

Poppy Parade 1/2'' Stitched-Poly Ribbon is 30% NOW $11.87

Blushing Bride 1/2'' Stitched-Poly Ribbon is 30% $11.87

Regals Flower Brads 30%  $11.87

Neutrals Flower Brads 30% $11.87
Distressing Essentials is 30% off was $37.95 NOW $26.57
* All items are limited quantity at the discounted price and the discount will be removed once the limit is reached.

Time for a Teacher's gift

This  year we had one of the only male teacher's in Jessie's school so no flowers and butterflies on the teacher's gift this year...

 I thought about boxes of chocolates and christmas ornaments,

then we decided on a pen and note pad holder to put on his desk.

 The stampset is

 "Zoo Review".

There's a lion, giraffe, zebra, penguin and polar bear so we went for an African animal theme, with lots of mud splatters and script on the background from the

 "French folliage" stampset.

My favourite set for making a vintage style in Early Espresso and Soft Suede inks.

The only pen I could find was bright orange so I have attached it with a piece of Pumpkin Pie Wide grosgrain ribbon and a silver brad.

And for the frame in the background I have used "notably ornate" in Early espress ink.

The arrow shaped post-it notes are stuck on the clear acrylic photo frame that I picked up for $2 each at a stationary shop.

Now to make a matching Thank you card...