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2011 Favorites Part 3 and Winner Announced...

Hi there!  Sorry I'm posting so late today...B had a Dr. appt earlier and I didn't get a chance until now.  I thought I would wrap up my favorites for 2011, as well as announce the winner for the giveaway I posted about last Saturday!

In September, I created this bookmark.  I used the Words of Wisdom and Graph Paper Plain Jane sets along with the Rounded Rectangle Die (all from Verve Stamps).

For October, I have two favorites.  First, I created this simple Christmas card using the Candy Jar Christmas set from Waltzingmouse Stamps.

My second favorite from October is this vintage card featuring papers from Glitz Design!

For November, this paper pieced Christmas card was hands down my favorite!  My card was created using the Bright Spirits stamps set and the Winter Tree Plain Jane (all from Verve Stamps).

In December, I created this soft Valentine's card using the Smoocheroos set from Paper Smooches.

Well, that wraps up my favorites from 2011!  Thanks SO much for stopping by and sharing your thoughtful and sweet comments with me last year!  Here's to a creative 2012...

Before I go, I want to announce the winner from my giveaway!  According to Random.org, the winner is....

 

Congratulations Peg Smith!!  I will be in contact with you via email soon!! 

 

Huge hugs to all of you!!  ~Laurie

 

Christmas Greetings...

Happy Christmas Eve!  I thought I would be able to sneak in here yesterday to post this, but time got away from me again.  All of our gifts are wrapped, and now I get to spend the day with my family!  Before we head out to the Christmas Eve service at our church, we will get in as much eating, playing games, sledding, and watching movies as we can!  :-)

Before I go, I want to share with you the last couple of Christmas cards for this year.

This first one features some quick chipboard pieces, patterned paper (both from Echo Park), and an elegant sentiment (from Verve's Bright Spirits stamp set).

My next card features some beautiful patterned paper and sticker pieces (from Melissa Frances) as well as another sentiment from Verve's Bright Spirits stamp set.

Well, that's all from me!  I hope you and your families have a VERY Merry Christmas!!  I will be back after Christmas to share some fab new goodies with you!  I've been holding on to them for a while and I definitely think it's time for some blog candy! 

Lots of hugs!  ~Laurie

Non Traditional Colors, but Festive as Ever...

Good morning!  It's my turn again to share some Holiday projects featuring Glitz's beautiful papers and embellishments!

For both of my projects today, I used papers and embellishments from the Dance in Sunshine collection!  I thought the soft purple and teals in this collection would look so pretty all dressed up for the Holidays!  :-)

For my first project, I created a soft and festive bag...perfect for tucking a small gift or card set inside!  Along with the papers (all from the Dance in Sunshine collection), I used a heart garland Whatnot to further embellish my bag.

For my next project, I created a matching card using many of the same papers and embellishments!  The focal image on this card is the Peek-a-Boo frame with the stamped sentiment.  I just love how all of the elements in this collection works so well together!

Thanks so much for joining me here today!  Hugs, Laurie

Merry Christmas Bag
Glitz Design Dance in Sunshine Papers: Stripe, Floral, Polka, Damask
Glitz Design Beautiful Dreamer Paper - Polka
Glitz Design Dance in Sunshine Whatnot
Glitz Design Dance in Sunshine Trim
Other: Bright Spirits stamp set (Verve Stamps), Ribbon, Flower, Rhinestones, Buttons, Sewing machine, Glitter

Jingle Bells Card
Glitz Design Dance in Sunshine Papers: Stripe, Floral, Polka, Damask
Glitz Design Beautiful Dreamer Paper - Damask
Glitz Design Dance in Sunshine Peek-A-Boo
Other:  Bright Spirits stamp set (Verve Stamps), Ribbon, Buttons, Rhinestone, Glitter, Jingle bells, String

Goodwill...

Good Monday morning!  How are you?  I'll bet you're just as busy as we are here in our house!  With only 6 days until Christmas there seems to be so much to do! 

I have just a few more Christmas cards that I finished up this past weekend and I will be sharing those in the next couple of days.

The first card I created was a more modern one.  Normally, I am drawn to the vintage, shabby-chic kind of cards (especially for Christmas) but I had this Teresa Collins paper and really couldn't wait to use it.  :-)  I combined several of the patterns with an image from Waltzingmouse's Seasonal Remedies set.

Well, that's all from me today.  Thanks for joining me!  ~Laurie

Rustic Christmas Greetings...

Hi there!  Wow!  It's been so long since I've stamped!  LOL!  I've been busy in my stamp room...just not stamping.  I've decided it was high time I learned to sew...so I have started taking sewing lessons!  Yay!!  I made our family some brand new stockings!!!  Wooohoooo!  Yeah, I am that excited about them!  I used burlap for the stocking part and then lined them with muslin and gave them a rustic yet elegant topper.  To finish them all off, I cut out large chipboard letters (the first letter for each of our family's names), painted them cream, and then glittered them up!  I hung each of the letters from the tops of each stocking!  I LOVE how they turned out!  Ok, I normally don't brag about something I've made like I am now, but if you would know my history with sewing...or err, attempting to sew (Mom, you definitely understand LOL!) you would definitely believe in miracles! Teeheheee!

Okay...enough babbling.  I do have a card to share with you today!  After quite a break from stamping, I got a little inky yesterday...

To create my card, I used the Compliments of the Season and the Musical Backgrounds sets from Waltzingmouse Stamps.  For the focal image, I used a chipboard sticker from Echo Park and embellished it with some ribbon and rusty jingle bells.  Sigh...  I absolutely adore making Christmas cards!  They are just so happy, don't you think?  :-)

Well, I'm headed back to my stamp room to sew some more projects!  I'm on such a roll...  LOL!  I will try and take a picture to share with you later.

Hugs, Laurie

Glitzy Shaped Christmas Cards...

Hi there!  With the Holidays fast approaching, I have kicked my Christmas card and gift making into high gear!  :-)  One of my favorite kinds of Christmas cards to make are shaped cards!  I think they are both unique and fun...perfect for the Holidays!

For my first card, I used some of Glitz's beautiful Vintage Blue papers to create a stocking shaped card!  While they are not meant to be Christmas papers, I think they work wonderfully!  I used the Glitz Vintage Blue Clear Stamps to ad some texture to the yellow parts as well as stamp the background for the focal image.

My next card features some of Glitz's Beautiful Dreamer papers.  Again, the non traditional colors of this lovely collection lend themselves perfectly for the soft Christmas cards I had in mind!  I embellished my tree shaped card with a die cut felt bird, ribbon, a puffy flower, and an epoxy sentiment!

Thanks so much for joining me here today!  Hugs, Laurie

 

Stocking Card
Glitz Design Vintage Blue Damask Paper
Glitz Design Clear Stamps - Vintage Blue
Glitz Design Teeny Alpha - Pearl
Glitz Design Vintage Blue Trim
Other:  Christmas Shaped Cards SVG file, Ribbon, Flower, Rhinestones, Sewing machine

Christmas Tree Card
Glitz Design Beautiful Dreamer Papers: Houndstooth, Damask, Polka
Glitz Design Beautiful Dreamer Peek-A-Boo
Glitz Design Beautiful Dreamer Epoxy Words
Other:  Christmas Shaped Cards SVG file, Felt, Flower, Bird & Branch die set (Sizzix), Ribbon, Rhinestones, Paper piercer

Handmade Felt Ornaments...

Good morning!  Okay, morning is almost over.  Sigh...  Is it just me, or are all of you really busy also?  Between school functions and fund raisers, birthdays, remodeling, and the everyday kind of stuff (like my mountain of folded laundry that needs to be put away), I feel like I am always on the go.  I am so determined to not let that happen next month!  I know what a busy time the Holidays are, but I really am going to try to make it special and fun...not just a whirlwind of to-do lists!

I mentioned here before that I have been working on making Christmas gifts whenever I get a spare minute.  Several of you agreed that you are also working on the same thing!  :-)  Well, today I get to show you one of the projects...

Today, I am kicking off the Verve Holiday Diva Dare (hosted over at the Verve Blog)!  This month's theme is A Handmade Christmas!  Perfect theme for me to not only get a kick-start making my gifts and cards, but to gather ideas as each of the Divas post their creations!  YAY!!

I created these little felt ornaments using just felt, dies, a sewing machine, and minimal embellishments!  Not only are these guys quick and easy to make, but also inexpensive!

The only thing these little 2 1/2" in diameter ornaments need are some cute packaging...

To create the packaging, I started with some mini notebook printed paper bags. I then stamped three different sentiments as well as the star image from the Bright Spirits set. The label was created by using the Curved Bookplate die to cut around the stamped sentiments.

To make the little stars, I stamped them, colored them in with Copics, then used the Winter Fun Die Set to cut them out!

Not only were the ornaments quick and easy to make, but I kept the packaging simple as well! Perfect for mass production!

Before I go, I want to tell you that there are two ways you could win some brand new Verve!  If you play along with our Dare, you will be entered to win a $30 gift certificate to the Verve Store!  You could also win by leaving some comment love on each Holiday Diva Dare post (over at the Verve Blog)!

Have a great day!  Laurie

Peace...

Happy, happy Monday to you!  All of our boys have the day off from school (our high school aged daughter is not so lucky) so I plan on spending the day hanging out with them!  We remodeled their bedroom this weekend (painted and put in new flooring and light fixtures) so a little break will be good for all of us!  :-)  They are so excited about their room, though.  DH is in the process of building them a lodge pole triple bunk bed (a regular bunk bed with a loft bed attached in a L shape).  After our trip to ikea next weekend to pick up new dressers, a shelving unit, and some storage bins their room will be finished!

Enough of my rambling...you probably came here to see something stamped, right?  Well, you're in luck!  Teeheee!

Over at the Verve Blog, the Divas are sharing their favorite card made with the newly released stamps today!  I thought I'd share mine here as well...

My card was created using the Bright Spirits stamps set and the Winter Tree Plain Jane.  I made the little winter scene using the Season's Greetings collection by Echo Park.  I just love, love, love the colors in this paper collection!  LOVE them!  And I thought they would be perfect for Julee's fun and whimsical Winter Tree PJ!

Is anyone else excited for Christmas?  I just cannot wait to start decorating our home this year!  I've been busy in my stamp room making all sorts of gifts (some of which I will share with you soon) and it has just made me even more anxious for the Holidays!  :-)

Well, that's all from me today!  Make sure to pop on over to the Verve Blog to see all of the other Diva favorites!

Hugs, Laurie

 

Verve Holiday Hops - Day 3

Welcome to day three of our Holiday Spotlight Hops! Hop along with the Divas over the next few days as we share our first looks at a few of the new products releasing from Verve this Friday night! One lucky commenter from each day's hop will win the sets and dies featured that day, so be sure and leave a little love in the Divasphere! Check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize details and deadlines.

Eeeeek!  You are going to absolutely love Santa's Helper set!  How CUTE is that reindeer??  He's just so darn cuddly looking...I mean, I just want to pick him up and squeeze him!  LOL!

With this card, I went in the opposite direction from my card yesterday!  Instead of clean lines, I distressed and inked them!  I guess I am just drawn to the warm, down home feel of it all.  I even added some muslin with distressed edges to the background!  :-)

You won't want to miss out on all of the eye candy that awaits you!  Check out the list below...

1. Julee 8. Sankari 2. Andrea 9. Teresa 3. Vickie {Guest} 10. Charmaine 4. Amy 11. Tosha 5. Maureen 12. Wanda {Guest} 6. Laurie 13. Jackie 7. Gretchen {Guest}

 

Don't forget, that TONIGHT is the big night!  All of the new sets and dies will be available for purchase at 11 pm EST!!  For even more fun, come and join us at the release party, which happens from 9-11 EST over at the Verve Forum!

Thanks so much for visiting today!  Hugs, Laurie

Verve Holiday Hops Day 2...

Welcome to day two of our Holiday Spotlight Hops! Hop along with the Divas over the next few days as we share our first looks at a few of the new products releasing from Verve this Friday night! One lucky commenter from each day's hop will win the sets and dies featured that day, so be sure and leave a little love in the Divasphere! Check out the Verve Blog today for all the prize details and deadlines.



When I was thinking about creating my card for today's hop using the Bright Spririts set, my thoughts gravitated towards designs that would lend themselves to mass production.  After deciding that I wanted my card to be more on the simple side, I then tried to decide which images to use...which became quite a problem!  I wanted to use them all!  I finally chose this design for my card.  While it doesn't actually use all of the images included in the Bright Spririts set, it does use all of the hanging images!  :-)

Each of the hanging images were paper pieced to add a pop of color to my all kraft background.  For embellishments, I added some rhinestones and a gingham ribbon.

Well, there is still PLENTY of Holiday inspiration in store for you!  Make sure to check out each of the Diva Blogs below...

 

1. Julee 8. Andrea 2. Jackie 9. Vickie {Guest} 3. Teresa 10. Amy 4. Charmaine 11. Laurie 5. Maureen 12. Gretchen {Guest} 6. Tosha 13. Sankari 7. Wanda {Guest}

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope your day is filled with all sorts of happiness!  ~Laurie

 

Stamps: Bright Spirits (Verve Stamps)
Paper: Kraft, 25 Days of Christmas patterned paper (Simple Stories)
Ink: Versamark
Accessories: Black detail e.p., Rhinestones, Copic markers, Sakura Glitter pen, Ribbon, String, Corner rounder punch