CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Christmas in July Release Party Day 2

Happy Monday everyone!!! Are you ready for a little sparkle and shine?

Today I am showing you some tags I created using CAS-ual Fridays Stamps new "Christmas Sparkle" stamps and "Tag Ornament Fri-Dies."

Isn't this stamp set so fun? I knew exactly what I wanted to do when I saw it!!

At Christmas, I wrap each person's presents in a specific wrapping paper and then add home made tags. So, for example, all Charlotte's gifts are wrapped with the same wrapping paper and then each gets matching bows and tags made especially to go with the particular paper. I knew that I wanted to use this set to start making some of my tags for this Christmas.

I started off by stamping the large circle from "Christmas Sparkle" in Delicata "Silver" pigment ink and heat embossing using WOW silver embossing powder.

I then stamped the sentiments using the same technique. However, for my first tag, I stamped the sentiment right on the tag. I thought it looked boring so for the other two tags, I stamped the sentiment on a separate, die cut circle and adhered them to the tags using foam adhesive.

After all the embossing was done, I then added Stickles in different colors in the middle of the circles that were not fully embossed. I die cut the circles using the matching "Tag Ornament" Fri-dies.

Next I die cut the ornament tops out of silver glitter paper. I die cut two for each tag, with the total of six. I adhered the top on both the front and the back of the tag.

I then adhered the "to/from" onto the back of each tag. I LOVE how they came out!! I will be making more of these as the month goes on in different colors to match the different papers I have.

This stamp set and ornament dies will be available at the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Store starting on Saturday. Be sure to use the code nora2016 to get 15% off your total order!!

For more beautiful sneak peeks of this stamp set, be sure to hop on over to CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog for links to the Ink Squad's blogs. Be sure to comment on all the designers blogs. Three random prizes will be taken from the comments on the blogs.

I appreciate you stopping by. Have a FABULOUS day!!

CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Christmas in July Release!

Happy Sunday everyone. It is steaming hot outside and to cool you down, I am giving you a sneak peek to some new winters stamps from CAS-ual Fridays Stamps. These particular stamps will be available in the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps store TONIGHT. They were previously released in a limited quantity for Catherine Pooler's Stamp of Approval box but now they are available for everyone!!

For my first card, I used all of the products above and some patterned paper for a festive creation.

I started off by trimming a piece of patterned paper from Fancy Pants "Wish Season" collection into a 4" by 5 1/4" piece. I then cut a piece of pink paper, also from "Wish Season" into four strips and notched the end with scissors to create banners. I adhered the banners, overlapping them a bit, onto the front of the wood patterned paper. Next I stamped and heat embossed a sentiment in silver from the "Snowy Sayings" stamp set onto the pink banners.

I stamped and embossed snowflakes from "Bringing on the Snowflakes" set onto vellum. I then die cut the snowflake parts out with the "Funky Flakes Fri-Dies." I tied silver DMC floss around the patterned paper, tied a bow and then adhered the vellum snowflake over the bow. I added a rhinestone in the middle of the snowflake for a bit of shine. Next I adhered the patterned paper card front over an A2 top folding card using foam adhesive. 

I then used "Walnut Stain," "Picket Fence" and "Tumbled Glass" Distress Stain over the front of the card. I added random rhinestones and some vellum left over from die cutting the snowflake over the banners for a bit of whimsy. 

I decided that I wanted to create a second card since I had so much making the first card. Instead of using primarily patterned paper, I decided to make the stamps my focal point.

I stamped the small snowflakes from "Snowy Sayings" onto a white A2 top folding card base with Hero Arts "Soft Pink" and "Tide Pool" dye ink. I then stamped the sentiment in Ranger Archival "Black" ink from the same set.

I added a scrap of pink from Fancy Pants "Wish Season" collection at the bottom and American Crafts glitter tape in blue. I then adhered random sequins in blue and white to complete the card.

Remember, these stamp sets and the die set will be available tonight in the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Store. Want a deal? Use the code nora2016 to get 15% off your total stamp order!!!

I thank you for stopping by. Be sure to check out the CAS-ual Fridays Stamps Blog for links to the other designers blogs. There projects are fantastic!! Have a fabulous day!!

New Home Card

Happy July 4th!! I hope everyone is enjoying their day. We are just chilling here at my house, with Chris working on getting up more trim around the windows.

I am stamping away, attempting to get some images to color in for the 30 Day Color Challenge. Who will be joining me?

I also wanted to pop in and show you a "Happy New Home" card I created but never posted. I used Sunny Studios "Backyard Bugs" set for my adorable mushroom images

I colored these in with Copic markers and enhanced with some Nuvo drops.

The little ladybug I covered in crystal effects ti give it some shine!! The sentiment is from an old Stampin Up! set.

I created the background blending Distress Inks. I then layered everything over heart patterned paper.

I thank you for taking the time to stop by today. Have a Happy Holiday!!

My Favorite Things Sketch #287

Hello everyone!! It has been a beautiful weekend weather wise here. Sunshine in the low to mid 80's and NO HUMIDITY!! I will take that any day. It is the humidity that kills me every time.

Chris and I walked to breakfast this morning it was so nice. Our usual place was closed for vacation, unbeknownst to use, so we went to a hole in the wall that I don't remember ever being there. Apparently we had eaten there when we first moved to this town nineteen years ago and after today, I know why we didn't go back. Not only was the food not great but for a hole in the wall, it was expensive!!! I cannot figure out how it stays in business. Anyway, we will NOT be going there again!

Today I am posting two cards that I created for the My Favorite Things Sketch Challenge #287. Again, I am playing with the MESS ON MY DESK. (I really, really need to clean it up but am waiting until the carts I want are in at IKEA in the color I need them to be.)

My first card I used patterned paper that was left over from my SJ Kit Club Kit that I die cut using My Favorite Things "BluePrints Die-namics #13".

I then die cut a sentiment block out of white card stock using MFT's "Cross Stitch Rectangle Stax" and stamped a sentiment from a retired set.

The blooms are from MFT "Fall Florals," which is one of my favorite floral stamp sets right now.

The second card I created I like a lot better then the first.

I die cut some Fancy Pants Chevron Paper with one of the MFT "Blueprints #13" dies and adhered it to a top folding, white A2 card base. I then placed a banner that I had die cut from a piece of MFT  "Dots and Stripes Fresh" paper over the chevron.

On the circle, which was a scrap on my desk, I blended "Spun Sugar" Distress Ink and then misted Heidi Swap "Primrose" Color Shine and "Picket Fence" Distress Stain on top. I adhered it onto the card front with foam adhesive.

I then layered images from MFT's "Sweet Succulents"set that I had stamped, die cut and colored in with Copic markers.

I used "Clear" Wink of Stella over all the succulents and a bit of "Icicle" Stickles over the flower. The sentiment, also from "Sweet Succulents" was stamped on piece of white scrap and adhered with foam adhesive.

That is all from me today. I hope you have a FABULOUS rest of the day. I thank you for taking the time to stop by.

P.S. As I am writing this, my husband is outside working on putting trim around our windows. He is swearing, which he rarely does, so that is not good!!!

Freshly Made Sketches #243, As You See It Challenge #138 and SJ Card Kit "Extras"

Hello everyone! Was able to get into my craft room today after a very long week.

My stepmother lost her mother this week. It was very sad all around, though a blessing as well. My stepmother is a fabulous person and I just hated to see the pain she was going through. I cannot say that she was not prepared as her mother was 93 and had been ill but I don't think that you ever are fully prepared for a death, especially your mother.

On top of that, I have been searching for a dress to wear to a wedding next week. Nothing I try on is doing it for me. Hate shopping but I have been more then I like to this week!!

So today I am showing you a card that I created for "Freshly Made Sketches Challenge #243" and "As You See It Challenge #138," which was to use the colors red and white. I have played with the "Freshly Made Sketch Challenge" before but this is a first for me to enter the "As You See It Challenge."

This is the card I created for both challenges:

I had a picture in my head of how I wanted this card to come out but could not execute it. I knew when I saw the red and white challenge that I wanted to use my My Favorite Things "Etched Flower" stamp and heat emboss it with my American Crafts Zing embossing powder in "Rouge." 

My first three tries at doing this were not so hot-even though I did all the correct steps. It was MADDENING!! I finally switched the ink I was using from Versamark to Hero Arts Pigment Ink in "Unicorn White." It made all the difference! I then die cut my panel using an Avery Elle "Wonky Stitched" die and adhered it to my card using foam adhesive.

I die cut a leaf out of vellum using PaperTrey Ink's "Turning a New Leaf" die and a butterfly out of patterned paper using Memory Box's "Pippi Butterfly." I then adhered them to my card front.

I embossed a sentiment from My Favorite Things "About Sympathy" stamp set in white on a strip of "Red Hot" card stock. I then adhered it to my card front  using foam adhesive to finish it off.

I really like how it came out but am not happy that it took me so long to do. I am not a huge fan of heat embossing so just doing that technique stressed me out! Who wants to stress when they are supposed to be having fun?

Again, I am entering this card into "Freshly Made Sketches # 243", as well as "As You See It #138."

 

On another note, I created three cards out of extras that I had left over from my card kits. I was supposed to blog them on Thursday but could not due to searching for that dang dress and the wake. Better late then never I guess!!

The first two are very similar. Everything came in the kits with the exception of the teal card stock. 

I wanted to jazz up the card front a bit so I used my Martha Stewart mini scorer to score some lines on this card.

My second card I did some die cutting for the oval and on the sentiment, and layered everything in a cluster.

This card is my favorite. I did some ink blending behind the deer, as well as some stenciling. I then blended the same ink on the sentiment block.

I had colored the deer with Copics and layerd that over the sentiment.

My last step was to adhere the sun, which was a die cut scrap that I already had in my stash.

That is all for today. Hope you have a fabulous night!!