Just Give Me Stamps...

A Card and a Gift All in One...

Happy Monday!  In keeping with my recent "Christmas card spree" (LOL!!), I have two more items to share with you today! 

These "cards" are a little different...in that they could be cards, or ornaments/wall hangings by adding a ribbon or string to the tops of them.  For that matter, they would make wonderful toppings to gifts as well!  At their widest points, they both measure 4 inches.  I haven't decided how I'm going to use them yet...but suspect that they will be ornaments/package toppers given away with gifts.  I will add the string/ribbon as I need them...

 

For this circle card (that I created using my the largest circle Nestabilities dies) I stamped this fun little dog (Spot from Rubber Soul) onto white c.s. and cut him out.  I mounted him onto a piece of Riding Hood Red c.s. that I had already stamped tone-on-tone with my Winter Flake Trio stamp.  He wasn't looking festive enough, so I gave him a fun Santa Hat to wear (complete with a fluffy trim made with a Puffy Velvet Marker)!!  For the finishing touches, I stitched around the patterned paper (from Basic Grey's Figgy Pudding collection), added some Dew Drops, and hung a little Joy tag from the ribbon.

For this square card, (made using my largest square Nestabilties), I kept my design fairly simple and I chose a pretty bold piece of patterned paper (also from Basic Grey's Figgy Pudding Collection).  For my focal image, I embossed my the Joy to the World sentiment onto White Linen vellum, and cut/embossed them with some circleNestabilities.  For embellishments, I added some Riding Hood Red satin ribbon and a Snowflake ghost shape (I added some Stickles to it for some fun sparkle) with a Dew Drop in the center.

Thanks for stopping by today!  I hope you have a wonderful Monday (and no, that is not an oxy-moron)!!  LOL!  ~Laurie

Recipe (circle card)   Stamps:  Spot, Joy (Rubber Soul)   Paper: White c.s., Riding Hood Red c.s., Basic Grey's Figgy Pudding   Ink: Versamark, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip craft ink   Other: Circle Nestabilities, Circle punch, Riding Hood ribbon, Linen Thread, Dew Drops, Puffy Velvet Marker, Stickles, Copic Markers, Piercing Tool

Recipe (square card)   Stamps: World Joy (Rubber Soul)   Paper: White Linen Vellum, White c.s., Kiwi Kiss c.s.   Ink: Versamark, Kiwi Kiss, Riding Hood Red   Other: Square and Cirlce Nestabilities, Clear detail e.p., Riding Hood Red satin ribbon, Snowflake ghost shape, Dew Drop, Piercing tool

Sometimes, Less is More...

I don't often subscribe to the "less is more" way of thinking...at least not in paper crafting LOL!!...but sometimes I surprise myself!  When I was sat down to stamp, I was so taken with the gorgeous Night Sky Shimmery cardstock (by Papertrey)  that was sitting out on my stamp desk.  The subtle shimmer is absolutely breathtaking...and I just knew I had to use it!  I didn't want to cover it all up, so I needed to keep my design simple.  I then thought of my We Three Kings set (from Our Daily Bread Designs) and decided to pair them together! 

My absolute favorite stamp in this set is this large star!  Don't get me wrong, I really love all of the images, but this one in particular is just amazing!  Again, it's sometimes the "simple" things that can speak volumes...like this star.  I love the design of it...and I love what it symbolizes!!  A star on a Christmas card can speak as much as any detailed manger scene! 

I embossed the large star with Silver detailed e.p. and added a medium crystal rhinestone to the center.  I used some metallic silver c.s. to mat my focal image...as well as add an embossed scallop border to the bottom.  I then embossed the sentiment (using Silver detail e.p.) on the bottom.  For the ribbon, I used some Papertrey Silver ribbon and added this GORGEOUS decorative silver brad that my very sweet friend Tosh gave me a little while ago (what can I say...I've been hoarding them :-).

I hope you all enjoy the rest of your weekend!!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: We Three Kings (Our Daily Bread Designs)   Paper: Metallic Silver c.s., Night Sky Shimmery c.s.   Ink: Versamark   Other: Detail Silver e.p., Silver ribbon (Papertrey), Rhinestone, Decorative Silver brad, Embossed Scallop border punch (Martha Stewart), Ticket Corner punch

Think Pink!

Julee is having a SALE over at the Verve Stamps store!!! 

Family Traditions Recipe Book...

Happy Saturday!  I have to tell you how glad I was to see that today's Our Creative Corner challenge was to make a homemade Holiday gift!  You see, I've been "meaning" to make this little Recipe Book ever since I first saw these fantastic Recipe File Folders!  This was the perfect "push" I needed!

  

I started by covering the front and back of each of the six recipe file folders with Prism c.s..  I then added some Basic Grey's Wassail paper to the cover and decorated it with some stamped images from the Pink Paislee Tinsel Town set (and of course I added a bit of "bling"...I couldn't help myself!).  (I have only recently "discovered" Pink Paislee stamps...and I have to say I looooove them!!)  I embossed sentiments (from the Stampendous set "From the Kitchen") on the first three dividers, and hand wrote cookies, drinks, & breads on the last three.

   

Instead of adding a bunch of recipe cards before I bound my book (I used my Bind-it-all and 3/4" Brown O-Wire Bindings), I created pockets to hold 3 x 5 index cards.  This way, I can add  (or take away) from my recipe collection when ever I want to!

    

I included one of my family's favorite Holiday cookie recipes, "Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies".  (I actually baked these cookies, and filled a decorated jar with them for my first month on the Dirty Dozen - you can see them HERE if you are a Fan Club member). 

 

 

I haven't yet decided if this is a gift I will actually give away or keep for myself!!  As easy as this was, I may just keep this one and make more to give away!  LOL!

You can see more gorgeous handmade gifts over at the OCC blog...the OCC designers really out-did themselves this week!!  :-)

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Tinsel Town (Pink Paislee), From the Kitchen (Stampendous)   Paper: Prism c.s., Shimmery White c.s., Basic Grey Wassail paper   Ink: Riding Hood Red, Always Artichoke, Sahara Sand, Versamark   Other: Clear detail e.p., Nestabilities, Recipe File Folders, Designer Buttons, Sewing Machine, Stampin' Up! ribbon, Bind-it-all

I'm Late, I'm Late...

...for Beate's Weekend Sketch Challenge!!  Today is the first day that I'm able to be at home in quite a while!  I'm not sure exactly what it is about the cooler weather...but it usually means things get busier for us!  :-)  The sketch this week was just too good not to use it...so as soon as I had a minute, I ran to my stamp room!

   

I pulled out my Autumn Harvest set and paired it with some patterned paper from Autumn Vine to create a super simple Fall thank you card!  I am in love with the double stitched brown felt ribbon from the New Ribbon Originals Alpine Collection...and if truth be told, created this card just so I could use it!  LOL!

As always, Beate,Cambria,Charmaine, Jenn, Lori, & Sharon have created some amazing cards using this sketch!!

Thanks for stopping by today!  ~Laurie

Recipe   Stamps: Autumn Harvest,Thank You Kindly (Stampin' Up!)   Paper: White, Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Autumn Vine DP   Ink: Chocolate Chip craft   Other: Clear detail e.p., Flower Fusion Too, Paper piercer, Dew Drops, Sewing Machine, Wire, Ribbon Originals Alpine Collection