I've Been Playing...

Happy New Year! I finally got the courage to play with my new CLEAR MOUNT STAMPS from the Occasions Mini and Sale-A-Bration! They looked so pristine in their little cases, I just had to look at them for a while. You know how that is...don't you? I think I was a bit scared of the unknown. I had never used clear mount stamps and was a bit unsure about them, but I'm hooked!!! *grin*

In addition to new stamps, I got new DSP, punches (seriously LOVIN' the new punches!) and some new embellishments. You guys are going to love all the new toys...and you only have to wait a few more days to order! If you're Canadian, you're definitely going to want to log onto my website on Jan 5 and place your order. You deserve new toys too!!!

So I bet you're dying to see what I made with my new stuff, eh? Your wish is my command...

Supplies: Whimsical Words stamp set (SAB); Cardstock-Real Red, Pretty In Pink, Chocolate Chip & Very Vanilla; DSP-Sending Love Specialty DSP; Stampin' Write Markers-Real Red & Chocolate Chip; Ribbon-Real Red Satin; Punches-1 1/4" Square; Paper Piercer; Mat Pack; Stampin' Dimensionals

Love it!!! I made a Christmas card very similar to this one a couple years ago (I think!). I came across it the other day when I was cleaning up my craft room and going through old cards. I thought it would work well as a Valentine's card, so I changed it up a bit and voila!

The squares of DSP are punched with the 1 1/4" Square punch from the Sending Love Specialty DSP. It glitters!!! *huge grin* Sadly, no matter what I tried with the camera, I couldn't get a good glittery picture...so you'll just have to take my word for it! Hee, hee!

The ribbon is so yummy! It's the new Real Red Satin. I'm gonna miss those ribbons in the Holiday Mini, but I think all the colors of Satin Ribbon in the Occasions Mini will make up for it!

Check out the stamped sentiment. It's one of my new Clear Mount sets and is also a set that you can earn FREE!!! Yes, FREE!!! Sale-A-Bration starts on Jan 5, and the Whimsical Words set is one of your free choices when you order $65 (before shipping & tax). YAHOO!!! I'm just a teeny bit excited! I love word stamps that mix fonts, and I think the sentiments in this set are fabulous.
Anyway, to get two colors on the image, I colored it with Stampin' Write Markers. And, to finish it off, I did a row of paper piercing. The picture doesn't show that the block where I stamped the sentiment is popped up with some Stampin' Dimensionals.

And now, a little word about the Clear Mount stamps. The blocks are clear and the stamps are still rubber. The blocks are awesome. So smooth and clear! They have the same groove for your fingers to grip as the wood blocks do, only the clear blocks have it on all four sides. It's great! There is also a foam layer between the rubber and block (the foam layer has the cling coating on it). So you will still get the awesome crisp stamped images you're used to with Wood Mount SU stamps. And, if you like, you have the option of applying a label on the foam so you can see your image through the block. I think it's the best of both worlds. I love the cheaper prices and smaller amount of space these stamps take up on my shelves. I'll try and take some pictures of them tomorrow in the daylight!

Have a wonderful night everyone (or day if you're reading this during the day)!

All About the Cake!

My youngest son is all about the cake! I think when he turned 2 he was more excited about having cake than his presents! My layout this week honours his love on cake and how he savoured it on his birthday!

The base of this page is Brilliant Blue stamped with a circle design from the Priceless set using Brilliant Blue classic ink. The pictures are mounted on Ruby Red cardstock and I used Crushed Curry as an accent color. The Crushed Curry Polka Dot Ribbon was the perfect, fun accent for a birthday cake page!

The title was cut out with the Big Shot. I used the Billboard Alphabet with Ruby Red cardstock and the Go Go Boots Alphabet with Crushed Curry cardstock.

I love how the accent turned out on this layout! I used the large cupcake from the Crazy for Cupcakes set and added a second candle to it since he was turning 2. I omitted the candles when I stamped the cupcake, but them stamped just the candle twice on some scrap cardstock. I colored the candles and the cupcake, then made a little slit in the cupcake (where the original candle would have been) and slipped the two candles into the slit. I made a ring with my Circle Scissor Plus and Crushed Curry cardstock. And I finished it off with a chipboard 2, which I colored with Brilliant Blue Classic ink and a Sponge Dauber.

You can go shopping for any of the products I used on this layout 24/7 on my website, or by contacting me!

Until next time my friends!

The Twelfth Week of Christmas-Simple Christmas Thanks

I'm back! I decided to take a few days off and enjoy some family time over Christmas. We had a houseful! My mom and dad came down as well as my brother and his family. Their baby is 7 months old and it was so cute to watch him at his first Christmas and I'm honoured that they chose to spend it with us!

Kevin and I have started quite a few holiday traditions with our kids over the years. We watch Polar Express every Christmas, we wear Santa hats while decorating the tree, we always drink hot chocolate after all the decorations are up and so on. I think my favorite is our Christmas Eve traditions! We all get new PJ's, and we open all our family presents (so the focus on Christmas morning is Santa!). Here's what it looked like this year...

My little nephew is missing from the picture...he was so tired, so he went off to bed before we started the present thing. And, I'm not sure where my youngest child is in this picture! I think he may be behind the pile of big presents by the dog (yes that pile of presents was for him and it was taller than him!). No worries, he was only momentarily lost in all the paper, boxes, bow and excitement!

Christmas morning we have a big brunch and get to cooking dinner. We had a YUMMY meal...turkey and all our favorite side dishes. My grandma even sent some yummy treats down with my mom and dad for us to enjoy...that dish at the bottom of the picture is my absolute favorite, and I was so excited she sent some for us! Someday soon I will have to get her to teach me how to make it! We made a good dent in the food, and were stuffed at the end of the meal, but we do have quite a bit of leftovers to clean up! Here's our table! I totally wanted a before and after picture, but forgot to get the after picture. Oh well! Maybe next year. It's not a fancy table, but I'm so thankful for good food, good company and all the wonderful memories we created as a family this year.

So, onto my last project for the Weeks of Christmas! I feel it's so important to thank people for their generosity. Obviously it's important all year round, but especially at Christmas. So, my last project is a simple thank you card. It's easy to reproduce and very easy to mass produce! I have a pile made up ready for some heartfelt thank yous for everyone who gave to our family this year.

I used the Note Cards & Envelopes and scalloped the edge. On the inside of the card I attached a strip of Christmas Cocoa DSP so you can see it behind the scallop edge when the card is closed. The focal point is a snowflake stamped with Whisper White ink on Sahara Sand. I punched some circles with my Crop-A-Dile (Soft Suede) to make Faux Brads, and mounted that piece on a piece of Soft Suede cardstock. I finished it off with a sentiment stamped with Soft Suede ink.

For my cards, I used a variety of scraps from the Christmas Cocoa DSP and just adjusted the focal point colors to match the DSP.

Go shopping to get the products I used on my website or by contacting me!

Until next time my friends!

Let It Snow

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! As I type this it's snowing outside. It's a pretty snow this time. You know, the kind of snow that swirls gently down from the sky. The big snowflakes that cover everything with a fluffy, white layer of snow. And, as much my arms are already hurting just thinking about having to shovel more snow, I can't help but enjoy the beauty of it this morning! I'm excited that we're going to have a white Christmas this year...we've had lots of brown Christmases in the last 10 years!

Anyway, on to the project today! I have the latest Mantle Messages project...Let it Snow!

Supplies: Calendar Alphabet & Numbers and Best Wishes & More stamp sets; Bashful Blue & Brocade Blue Classic ink; Whisper White Craft ink; Brocade Blue Stampin' Write Marker; Bashful Blue, Brocade Blue, Whisper White, Basic Black & Pumpkin Pie cardstock; Punches-1 3/4" Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, 1 1/4" Circle, 1/2" Circle, 3/4" Square, Word Window, Jumbo Snowflake; Big Shot Dies-SU Simple Alphabet & Snowflakes #2; Ribbon-Bashful Blue Taffeta, Bashful Blue Double-Stitched; Dazzling Diamonds glitter; Stampin' Sponges; chipboard coasters

I went back to the chipboard coasters for the base of this project. They are covered with Bashful Blue cardstock which was stamped with the snowflake from Best Wishes & More in Whisper White Craft ink. To create the snow, I tore some Whisper White cardstock and glued it along the bottom of the covered coasters. I also put some Dazzling Diamonds along the tear to create that "snow sparkling in the sun" look.

Here's a close up of the cute, but mischievous, little snowman! He's made with circle punches, which were sponged with Bashful Blue ink. The nose is cut freehand from Pumpkin Pie cardstock. The buttons, eyes and mouth were punched with the Crop-A-Dile from Basic Black cardstock and the hat was also punched from Basic Black cardstock (3/4" Square & Word Window). His arms are my favorite part! I used the Jumbo Snowflake punch for them and punched it out of Close to Cocoa cardstock.

And, the pile of snowballs! I love the pile of snowballs! I used the 1/2" Circle for them and they are also sponged with Bashful Blue ink. The mischievous part is the one that he is throwing! So cute!

The letters were cut with the Big Shot from Brocade Blue cardstock. I used the SU Simple Letters Alphabet dies for the letters and the Snowflakes Set #2 Sizzlit dies for the O. I freehand cut a "splat" of snow...that snowman is trouble, throwing his snowballs...and stuck it on the N. And, the W has a piece of Bashful Blue ribbon tied around it.

The coasters are held together with pieces of Bashful Blue Double-Stitched ribbon.

Any of the products (except the coasters) I used for this project can be ordered through my website or by contacting me.

Until next time my friends! Have a wonderful day!

Best Wishes Hearts

Good morning! My day got away from me yesterday and I didn't even get a chance to stamp! We had a super busy day picking up some groceries, cooking and baking and then we had company. It was a fun day with friends and family. But, I didn't get a chance to sit down and blog or even make my simple card. Good thing I found pictures of this card on my computer! It's super simple and cute.


Supplies: Best Wishes & More, Kind & Caring Thoughts stamp sets; Chocolate Chip, Cameo Coral & Whisper White cardstock; Cameo Coral & Chocolate Chip ink; Double-Stitched Ribbon-Chocolate Chip; Button Latte-Whisper White flower button; Eyelet Border Punch


I made this card for a friend last summer when she got married. I went with her wedding colors...Cameo Coral and Chocolate Chip. This card is a standard quarter-fold card and the base of the card is Chocolate Chip. On top of the Chocolate Chip, I layered a piece of Cameo Coral which I punched with the Eyelet Border Punch along the bottom. The stamped image is done in Cameo Coral ink. I used the heart from the Best Wishes & More set. I stamped it twice, once full strength and then again without inking it, on Whisper White cardstock. The Best Wishes greeting is from the Level 3 hostess set, Kind & Caring Thoughts. I stamped it over the hearts with Chocolate Chip ink.


To finish it off, I tied a Whisper White button (from the Button Latte set) around a piece of Double-Stitched Chocolate Chip ribbon with a piece of Linen Thread. I love the way this looks and do it on lots of cards. I love the way the ribbon gathers when you tighten the Linen Thread and it's an easy way to attach a button without adhesive!

I even took a picture of the inside of this card! I put a piece of Whisper White cardstock inside so it would be easy to write on and then I stamped the hearts (Camel Coral; Best Wishes & More) and sentiment (Chocolate Chip; Kind & Caring Thoughts) on it.


There's my simple card for the week. As always, any of the supplies I used for this card can be ordered through my website or by contacting me.


Until next time my friends! Have a wonderful day!