Blog Candy Winner

Thank you to everyone who participated in my Blog Candy contest!  I thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every post about your first visit with Santa.  So many of you said that when you were small, there were no malls around---that is just how it was in my area, too!  No Santas in our farm community, we had to go to the "city" to see him!  It was so nice of you to share a little bit about your childhood with all of us!  So on to the candy--- my "random picker" family member picked a blog candy winner for me last night:  LindaS!!!  Here is her comment:
"I don't remember going to see Santa as a child. I do remember my children being afraid the first year they saw Santa."  Linda, I have already emailed you, but if you read this first, contact me with your info to get your candy!

I had some unused paper & scraps laying around my (messy) table and I threw these together to make another really quick Christmas card.  I punched a star from Real Red cardstock and covered it with MS Garnet glitter--wow, that really added some pep to the tree--too bad it doesn't shimmer in the photo like it does IRL!  I love these sentiments from Flourishes--they stamp so nice & cleanly!  TFL and have a great day!  Today is my marathon card-sending day.  I hope I have enough!!!

• Stamps:  Holiday Greetings, Flourishes
• Paper:  WW, Real Red, Holiday Mat Pack, Provo
• Ink:  Real Red
• Acc:  Nesties, CB folder, Star Punch, MS Glitter, Dimensionals

Day 12 of Stamp Simply's Celebration!

Well, today marks the last day of Sharon's No Time To Stamp? Celebration! I hope you had as much fun as we did!! Remember that anyone can play ANY of the challenges by ANY of the hostesses during our 12 days of Stamp Simply Celebrates!!! You DO NOT need to have a Blog to play — uploading your project to an online gallery is not only permissible, but HIGHLY ENCOURAGED. When doing so, use the KEYWORD SSC08. Thanks!

Here are some challenges for you today:

Barb Schram - Explore. Dream. Discover. - Today for Barb's Featured Project she has created a useful Holiday Home Decor item for YOU if you please, or it makes a fabulous gift item that will knock the socks off your friends! It comes completely packaged with a card to match! I KNOW you won't want to miss out, so be sure to visit today over at Barb's place and lap up the inspiration!!!

Sharon Johnson -No Time To Stamp? - It's Sharon's regular Stamp Simply Challenge today, and it promises to result in some great layout options for you to use for quick projects. Hope you can play! Check out Sharon's blog for all the details. Some great samples for the Stamp Simply Challenge today can be seen on these blogs: Julie, Janine, Jennifer, Tammy, Dee, Becky, AJ, Jerri, Darlene and me! I am the Featured Stamper for the month of December!

Leslie Miller - Running with Scissors and Sharon Johnson -No Time To Stamp? both have BLOG CANDY today, too!

So today's Stamp Simply Challenge #65 is to make a Christmas card using only one piece of 2" DP on your card--you can use any other cardstock and embellishments, but only a 2" piece of DP! I don't know if I was just having a bad mojo day, or a glutton for punishment, but I made three cards before I got one I really liked! And I am not even sure it qualifies as a "Christmas" card--maybe a winter card! Oh well! So here's my favorite:

All my DP is from the same sheet of BG's Wassail. I used the little snowman and sentiment from Whippersnapper's Winter Schminter set. He is grunged up a little and has some SU Dazzling Diamonds for some sparkle, which really looks better IRL. This is simple but still kinda cute!

Number two:

The ribbon and embossing on the deer are actually Always Artichoke, not brown as it looks here! I used Confetti White for my tag which now looks speckled. Grrr. And number three:

Oh dear, this card just got more complicated and elaborate the longer I worked on it! I used my Christmas JustRite set, some stars from Holiday Blitz and a sentiment from Snowman for Peace by Whippersnapper. In fact, I CASE'd Anna's little banner after seeing her snowflake posts here. (Of course, hers is much cuter than mine! ) Then I added some snowflake punches like Peanutbee did and added some MS glitter and it just went on & on. I finally just stopped! So create your own masterpiece and play the challenge too! Remember, my blog candy goes until 9 pm tonight!

Day 11 of SS Celebrates!!!

Welcome to Day 11 of Stamp Simply Celebrates!  I hope you have been inspired by these last few days of celebration!  Remember, anyone can play ANY of the challenges by ANY of the hostesses during our 12 days of Stamp Simply Celebrates!!! You DO NOT need to have a Blog to play — uploading your project to any online gallery is not only permissible, but HIGHLY ENCOURAGED.  When doing so, use the KEYWORD SSC08.  Thanks!

Here are our challenges for the day:

AJ Otto - The Willow Garden - Are you wrapping gifts yet?  Probably!  I'll bet you need some pretty tags to dress those packages up — well, be sure to check in on AJ's Featured Project today to see all her Gift Tags.  And then play AJ's Challenge so you, too, can have some nice gift tags on hand!!!   You can see more tag samples by checking out the Blogs of:  Heather, Janine,  Jerri , Sharon and me!!  Mine are below!

Jerri Jimenez - A Touch of Grace - Today Jerri will grace us with her Featured Project which is a beautiful 6 x 6 Scrapbook she made, which is certain to be a real treat for the eyes.  Jerri also has BLOG CANDY to offer today (think scrapbooking made easy), so be sure to stop in to see Jerri!!!Other scrapbook samples can be seen by checking out:  Barb and Jennifer.

Also, Deb Saaranen - Dream in Color - Deb has an offering of BLOG CANDY for us today! 

 
I don't spend a lot of time making tags because they only end up thrown away with the wrapping paper and ribbon!  But I do think they're fun to make and they make your package look extra special! So I've got a few different ones, ranging from fast & easy to a little more elaborate.  So let's get started! 

I love peel & stick tags, so I took a sheet of 1x3" address labels, cut a couple rows apart and went to work:

These just used images from Holiday Blitz and Punch Pals--easy!

I used the Soft Holly wheel and marker and again, Punch Pals on this set.  

Here's a hint:  you can use your SU gel pen to write your color on your ink cartridges!  Makes them much easier to find in your case!

 

 

I brayered some Ballet Blue ink on to these labels, and then wheeled the snowflakes over top. 

My next set just used scraps of DP I had left over from other projects:

I cut some 2x 2.75" strips of cheapie Walmart cardstock for my tags, and began covering them with strips of the DP.  I cut off the top corners to make the tag shape; I rounded some bottom corners and used a border punch, just played around and had some fun!  I punched holes, but haven't added string yet (too lazy, too late!)

And finally, I found these tags at a stationery store:

 

And I brayered them with some More Mustard and Creamy Caramel ink, then stamped some vintage images from Crafty Secrets:

 

Of course, these took the most time, but they are the prettiest!   Thanks for visiting and I hope you'll be inspired to make some cool tags of your own!

Sweet Scents to Celebrate Day #10

Today is Day 10 of Sharon's Stamp Simply Celebrates! Let's see what's going on! (Another long post, but lots to look at!) Remember, anyone can play ANY of the challenges by ANY of the hostesses during our 12 days of Stamp Simply Celebrates!!! You DO NOT need to have a Blog to play — uploading your project to any online gallery is not only permissible, but HIGHLY ENCOURAGED. When doing so, use the KEYWORD SSC08.

Tammy Hershberger - Stamp Happy - Tammy is offering BLOG CANDY today!

LeAnne Pugliese - that's me!!! I have a BLOG CANDY offering today, too! I recently hit 50,000 on my counter! Thanks so much to everyone who visits -- your comments mean a lot to me! Here is my offering:

Snowman not included! I am giving away a Patterns Hostess pack of 6x6 paper, and a 14-piece Occasions Celebration Stampin'Up! stamp set--these can be seen on pages 19 & 21 of the current catalog. (Click the link on the sidebar to go to the catty). Here's what you need to do to win: Post a comment and tell me how your first meeting with Santa Claus went! The first time my mom took me to our little local Newberry's to see Santa, I took one look at him, burst into tears, and ran the other way. I guess he knew I had been naughty and I was afraid I would get nothing but coal in my stocking! So let's hear your story! I will draw a winner Friday night at 9 pm EST, so you have until then! If you don't have your email address linked to your name, please make sure you leave me a way to contact you!

Leslie Miller - Running With Scissors - Today we are treated to the beauty of Leslie’s work with her Featured Project where she is showing us how to Alter Food Packaging to turn it into a wonderfully warm, cozy, and sweet gift item that anyone would love to receive!!! And it’s something we can all easily do! I know you won’t want to miss this, so be sure to visit Leslie today!!! You can see more great samples of Leslie's Project by: Dee, Jennifer.

Joan Fricker - Joan’s Garden - Joan offers us a beautiful Featured Project today — who doesn’t love beautifully presented Soap and Candle Gifts! Well, especially these soaps and candles!!! And you can make your own as a part of Joan’s Challenge, with inspiration from many!!! Be sure to check out this sweetly scented event! And there are many more samples of Joan's Challenge! Check out: Dee, AJ, Heather, Barb, Darlene, Janine, and Sharon!

My take on today's challenge was to package up some sweet-smelling candles to give as a gift. I had lots of candles, but no soap, and lots of ideas, but not much time! My first project was just to alter some small jar candles I purchased very reasonably at my grocery store. These are scented Baked Apple Pie--yum! I simply decorated the front with the little tree image from Holiday Blitz--a wonderful, all-around set to have! It was mounted on some punched cardstock and the stripe from Ski Slope DP, and accented with some gold brads:

Of course, the lid has to be decorated too! Did you know that you can remove this label by heating it with your heat tool? It will bubble up, and you can peel it right off. Be careful, it's hot!

This is what is underneath: nice, sticky residue!

Slap down your paper of choice and it's stuck there good! No additional adhesive to deal with. Now put the lid back on-NOW-before you put the embellishment on. That way you can be sure it will be aligned correctly with the embellishment on the front of the jar! (Ask me how I know about this!)

Another little image from Holiday Blitz, some ribbon & glitter and your candle is done! This is the gift I gave to all my Stamp Club members this year!

This next project has got to be one of my favorites! I adapted Jen DelMuro's Pizza Box to fit a little candle tart. The Brushed Gold cardstock measures 8 x 4 1/2"; score along the 4 1/2" side 1" from each side. Score the 8" side at 1" and 3 1/2"; turn and do the same from the other end. Cut the side slits, assemble the top & bottom of the box and you have a little pizza box! This was decorated with some BG Wassail DP, on which I stamped the holly image from Sleigh Bells Ring. I watercolored the image, highlighted it with a gel pen and added some Gelly Roll glitter. The tag is a tiny CB diecut; "Joy" is PTI's Mixed Messages. A little bling embellishment on the corner punch adds a little interest.

I wrapped some satin ribbon around the front. You don't even have to untie the bow--it stays with the lid!

And here's the inside! I added some sparkly shreddie and a little candle tart. Who wouldn't love to get this!? I hope this inspires you to decorate something sweetly scented too!

Color Throwdown #23

Wow, week 23 of the Color Throwdown! Today, Kim has chosen Pink Pirouette, Riding Hood Red, Chocolate Chip and Kiwi Kiss (or Old Olive) as her colors!

These colors just reminded me so much of the beautiful SU designer paper, Bella Rose, so I pulled out some scraps and some matching buttons and made a simple little card:

It took longer to tie all the little strings on the buttons than it did to make the card! The rub-on was colored with a blender pen and ink (hard to see the flower, but it is pink!) just to give it a little more "coordination"! I hope you can use this combination to make something beautiful for a special someone! Just post a comment at the Color Throwdown blog linking your creation, or post it on an online gallery, using the keyword CTD23. Now let's see what our other designers made this week:

• Broni - Splashes of Watercolor
• Tammy - Stamp Happy
• Cathy - Crafty Thoughts
• Kimberly – For the Love of Paper

Now, don't forget that I have BLOG CANDY today! Wanna see it? Here it is:

I am giving away a pack of Patterns DP and a 14-piece stamp set, Occasions Collection, both SU! Even if you've left a post on the Stamp Simply Celebrates post above, you can leave another post here and have an extra chance to win!!!! Thanks for visiting me today! Also, the CTD girls will be taking a break until January 7! Have a blessed holiday!

• Stamps: None!!!
• Paper: Pink Pirouette, Bella Rose DP, Holiday Treasures DP
• Ink: Pink Pirouette, Kiwi Kiss
• Acc: Cherished Memories Rub-Ons, Blender Pens, Button Bouquet & Earth Elements Buttons, String, Mini Glue Dots

Celebrate Stamp Simply Day #9

Welcome to Day 9 of Stamp Simply Celebrates! Only a few more days to go! Have you enjoyed all the projects, challenges & candy? Remember, anyone can play ANY of the challenges by ANY of the hostesses during our 12 days of Stamp Simply Celebrates!!! You DO NOT need to have a Blog to play — uploading your project to any online gallery is not only permissible, but HIGHLY ENCOURAGED. When doing so, use the KEYWORD SSC08. Thanks!

Jennifer Buck - The Buck Stamps Here - Time is moving on and I think we all need some Quick Cards about now, agreed? You'll enjoy Jennifer's Featured Project today where she also Challenges you to create some quick cards, qualifying you to enter her BLOG CANDY drawing.

You can see more great Quick Card samples by checking out Jennifer's designers: Janine, Julie, Tammy, AJ, Sharon and I have a few, too!!

AJ Otto - The Willow Garden - How about a game? I LOVE games!!! Check out the DT Trivia Game AJ is hosting over at The Willow Garden!!! And AJ has some BLOG CANDY to offer to the winner!!!

Jennifer Buck - The Buck Stamps Here - Jennifer is offering BLOG CANDY in conjunction with her challenge listed above.

AJ Otto - The Willow Garden - AJ has some BLOG CANDY in conjunction with her DT Trivia Game listed above!!!

Sharon Johnson - No Time To Stamp?- Sharon has some SU BLOG CANDY today. Be sure to check her blog out!

So here are my "Quick Cards". I call these "Cheater Cards" because I used images from a Melissa Frances 12x12 page of

vintage Christmas advertising labels I had been hoarding for about two years. I saw the cute tag that Darlene used on one of her projects and thought this would be a perfect time to break that hoarding habit! Since Jennifer's challenge was to make a quick set of cards, these were perfect. Once I got the basic design, I just made an assembly line and put them all together! They all use the same background stamp (Leaves Backgrounder #3, from CHF) on the same card stock (Kraft), same color combos (Bravo Burgundy, Always Artichoke and Creamy Caramel), same ink and same sentiment set (Flourishes' Holiday Greetings). I added some lace & ribbon from my stash as well as embellished each design with a Gelly Roll pen. Now all I have to do is add an inside sentiment! (If you'd like to get a better view, click on the photo for a close-up). I hope this inspires you to make some quick cards too!

Thanks for visiting! Remember--tomorrow is Color Throwdown Challenge, AND I will be offering some blog candy to celebrate my 50,000 hits! BE THERE!

A Plethora of Projects

I spent a good part of my morning stamping a few quick items.  It has been a lot of fun to see what the other Stamp Simply Celebrate designers have come up with, so I thought I would attempt some of the challenges and projects.  But first, tomorrow is my baby brother's birthday...I can still remember how excited my two sisters and I were when we heard we had a brother--this was way before ultrasounds!  He is still very special and of course, he knows it! 

I wanted to make a birthday card using Sharon's beautiful two-colored embossing technique shown here.  Now, mine is nowhere near as beautiful as hers (I said mine were quick!) but I think he will like this!  He is an engineer and sometimes he's pretty hard to impress!

I used an image from Flourishes' Forest of Trees, and a sentiment from Winter Schminter by Whippersnapper.  They are embossed in copper and silver on Shimmery White cardstock from SU; the inside is also embossed in silver, just a birthday sentiment.   Hopefully you can see the silver embossing at the top and ends of the branches!

Yesterday, Dee had a challenge to incorporate some stamping into some food gifts.  I had just bought a tin of Cappucino Cream Wafers at the Dollar Store, just to have on hand for a quick gift.  I covered it with some paper from a Holiday Slab by Provo, added a tag using my new JustRite Christmas Stamp Ensemble and added a big honkin' bow.  The JustRite ensemble was a gift from JustRite themselves--an awesome company and a very generous gift, to be sure!  I am still learning how to use them, but I am having lots of fun!

I used some Old Olive twill to tie the tag on, then just stuck the bow above it.  There is a little twinkly bling on the tag, too!

 

For Susan's challenge to make a gift holder, I had to laugh when I saw hers.  I had actually stamped these a couple days ago, but didn't want to post them yet, and I laughed when I saw the similarities!  Of course, she has those gorgeous bows on hers and mine are, well, just plain!  Have a look:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I made my entire holder from a piece of BG Fruitcake and added a scalloped border in Cranberry Crisp.  I stamped the image on Confetti Cream and colored it with markers and blender pens, then "distressed" it by stamping over it with Sanded.  I added a little Baja Breeze strip and added some punchouts that had also been stamped with Sanded. 

A simple sentiment on the inside from Flourishes' Holiday Greetings finished it off.

 

 

And of course, while I had that fun paper out, I made a card as well with some elements I was working with, but hadn't used on the gift card:

  Finally, I found the inspiration for this fun little felt gift card holder/purse at Lisa Johnson's Poppy Paperie:

I have several big chunks of felt that I have been hoarding (not just limited to DP!) so I gave it a shot.  I tried stamping on it, but the ink just soaked in, so it is a tad bit plain!  I'll have to experiment with that some more.  The Cosmo Cricket chipboard scallop holds the flap down, and it fastens with an adhesive Velcro piece.  I think my niece will like this!

Well, thanks for hanging in there with me!  I will have some more to post tomorrow---now it's off to bake some cookies!  If you have any questions on any of the above projects, shoot me an email!  Thanks for all your kind comments!