Candle, Candle Burning Bright....

I was contacted a week or so ago by the local Cub Scout Pack Mother. We had worked together last year to create Christmas cards for the local nursing home residents and she was wondering if I could come up with a simple card design so the boys could repeat the service project this year. I set to work to create something simple, yet eye catching.

While sifting through my papers and stamps I remembered a card concept that I had seen before and decided to create my own "twist". I cut some 1 inch strips from some of the Merry Moments designer paper and decided to use those as candles. Then I needed a flame for each of the candles. My creative mind set to work as I opened drawer after drawer and searched for just the right stamp or stamps. Finally, I saw it....

Take a good look at those flames..... Don't recognize them??? They are the 2 buds from the "A Rose is a Rose" stamp set. We stamped the flame first in More Mustard and then topped it off with the second stamp in Ruby Red. A greeting was added on the front and inside using Garden Green ink and the wicks were drawn in with a Stampin' Write marker.

Now just imagine 10 to 12 Cub Scouts, ranging in age from second grade age through fourth grade age, ink all over their fingers, glue sticks in hand, gathered around 3 or 4 tables.... You get the picture! It took a while, but by the end of the evening, the boys had created 100 handmade cards that they will deliver personally to nursing home residents. It is being part of projects like this one that make me so glad to be a Stampin' Up Demonstrator!

Last, But not Least....

Alas.... all good things must come to an end. With that said, I post Card number 4 of my Stamp a Stack event.

This card features the "Dasher" stamp. I LOVE this stamp! The card base is chocolate chip and just for kicks, I had it open vertically instead of horizontally. The front of the card lifts up. The card front is Kraft paper. I stamped the Dasher image in chocolate chip on Whisper White paper and then punched it out using a VERY LARGE circle punch that I own. I punched a VERY LARGE 3 inch scalloped circle from Ruby Red cardstock and mounted the Dasher circle on it. To add a little depth to the card, I used dimensionals to adhere the finished image to the card front. I added some ribbon down the side, stamped a greeting, and mounted the whole thing to the card front. To add a little extra "sparkle" to Dasher I adhered some red rhinestones in various spots on Dasher's horns.

I hope that everyone has enjoyed seeing all of my Christmas Stamp a Stack cards. I hope that it has helped to get you into the Christmas spirit too! Remember that if you like anything that you have seen, you can always purchase Stampin' Up! products through my demonstrator website. Just click on the catalog image in my sidebar and it will take you directly there.

Card Number 3

Card number 3 for my Stamp a Stack is a simple little card, but I really like the way it turned out. (I always try to include at least 1 card that is basically a stamp and glue type design. That helps those first time stampers feel comfortable.)



The base for this card is a plain old Whisper White. I cut a piece of our Merry Moments designer paper to cover the bottom 2/3 of the card front. I used our scallop border punch to add a little detail to the pine print. I tied a piece of red ribbon around the designer paper before adhering it to the card front. A piece of Real Red cardstock is topped off with yet another block of Whisper White onto which I stamped the Patterned Pines trees in Old Olive.

It's a simple little design, with a cute, old fashioned kind of look.

Card Number 2

Today was an unexpected day off from work, so I thought I would grab a few minutes and post the second card from my upcoming Stamp a Stack.


This card uses one of my new favorites for its base, Kraft paper! I love the casual down-home look that it offers, while still providing the opportunity to jazz it up.

I used Whisper White for the card front itself. A small strip of Merry Moments Designer paper tops the card. Then I stamped one of the ornaments from the Tree Trimmings stamp set. I used my Stamp-a-Ma-Jig to help position the "bow" above each ornament. I stamped a greeting from the Four the Holidays stamp set in our Holiday mini and then added a strip of brown felt ribbon for the perfect accent. It's really a VERY easy card to make, but looks quite nice when completed.

Christmas is Coming!!!

While out shopping this past weekend for my Halloween costume, it seemed that in every store I was reminded that Christmas IS coming....and sooner than we would like to admit. One store flashed a reminder that Christmas was only 60 days away.

I figured that the time had come for me to truly begin thinking about the upcoming holiday comings and goings. One of the things I enjoy the most is my annual Christmas card Stamp a Stack event, so I thought I would take an opportunity to begin posting some of the cards that I am featuring this year.

Card number 1 uses one of my favorite stamp sets from last year's Christmas sets, Season of Simple Grace. Happily for me, it made a return in our catalog this year. I went a bit non-traditional with the colors and papers, but I really like the finished product.

This card is styled a bit different than my regular cards as well. I started with a sheet of cardstock that was 5 1/2 X 12 inches. I scored at 4 inches and 8 inches to create this 3 panel beauty. The images are stamped with chocolate chip ink on kraft paper and matted with Whisper White. The patterned paper at the bottom is from the Bella Bleu collection. I'm loving the look! The greeting was stamped with chocolate chip ink also and then punched out with our scalloped oval punch. I really like the finished card, simple, but a great way to remind everyone of the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

Friends Rock!!

I feel like I've been neglecting this little corner of my world. I promise to make a better attempt to update my blog in the coming weeks. It shouldn't be too difficult to find some GREAT stuff to share with you all, considering that I've discovered so many GREAT things that Stampin' Up! has to offer!

One of my recent purchases from the catalog has been the stamp set, "Friends Rock" and its coordinating wheel, "Rockin". When I saw them in the catalog I had to share it with my daughter, who is 12. She was in LOVE with them, so I knew I had to buy them. Well, today I finally dug them out and created a layout.

I stamped the title and the images with Basic Black ink and rolled on the wheel with Basic Black too. Then I used my Stampin' Write Markers to color in some of the images. Here is a closeup of some of it.

Don't those images just SCREAM, "TEENAGER!!!" I love them! I know that both my daughter and I will be using these images frequently. We're already tossing around ideas to use the stamps on some Christmas gifts for her friends. (I'll be sure to post pics when we do....minus the recipients' identities of course.)

Another GREAT Blog!!

I just discovered another great blog that I am making one of my regular visits. If you're like me and you have TONS of supplies stashed back, this blog is for you! Visit Practical Scrappers...they have challenges plus lots of ideas on how to actually dig out those old supplies and USE THEM on beautiful layouts!

http://www.practicalscrappers.blogspot.com/