Saturday, December 26, 2009

One Sheet Wonder

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This was a quick and easy card to mass produce.  I stamped a half a sheet of Whisper White card stock using Serene Snowflakes and various shades of blues.  There’s some Platinum Shimmer Paint in there too (smile, I love that stuff!).  The sentiment is from the Christmas Greetings set.  The ribbon is from the Mistletoe Ribbon Originals.  I scallop border punched the edge of a strip of Kraft cs to layer onto the Night of Navy card base. 

Super, super simple!  Yet those snowflakes and that shimmer paint have a big, big impact! 

Have a great day!  God bless!

Hugs,

~Leslee~

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Finishing Up

I’m sure you’re glad to hear that I’m putting the final finishes on my Christmas projects.  These were designed to get my cards done and out the door (several days ago).  Yes, I’m just getting around to posting them.  Originally, I had envisioned an all white card.  However, the Platinum Shimmer Paint worked its way onto the stamp and this is what I ended up with…

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Not bad, but I had to give it a go with some colorful ornaments…

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Check out the close up…

I really liked this one.  It’s crisp and clean with lots of embossed white space.  I used the Big Shot and the Backgrounds #1 Flourish Texturz plate.  I added a little Shimmer Paint over the raised embossing by lightly dragging a sponge across it.  The sentiment is from Christmas Greeting.  Ornaments use Delightful Decorations stamp set and the coordinating Ornament punch

Then the card morphed into these cards…

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These colors are Garden Green, Real Red and Brilliant Blue.  They are the same thing only the layout is a tad different.  I love how one idea will morph into more designs!  I love my job!!

Now, with all the family festivities, I don’t know how soon I’ll be able to post again, but I do have lots to show.  Thanks for stopping in today.  I hope you have a blessed Christmas!

Hugs,

~Leslee~ 

As always, you can purchase any of these supplies by clicking HERE!

    

 

Friday, December 18, 2009

Keepin’ it simple

Yep, I’m keeping it simple from now until all of my Christmas cards are completed, addressed and out of my house!  Here’s one I made last week.  I cased the Tea Time Tea Bag Holder from this post, It’s Tea Time.100_9296  The Real Red card base was run through the Big Shot (can you tell I’m lovin’ my Big Shot?) using the Eyelet Backgrounds #1 Texturz plate.  The panel is Whisper White on Old Olive and stamped in Old Olive with the pine tree, from Lovely As A Tree, turned on its side.  The ornament from Delightful Decorations is stamped in Real Red with Frost White Shimmer Paint sponged on top.  It is punched out using the Ornament punch.  I’ve used this punch quite often this season.  It is topped off with a square Fire rhinestone brad.  The ribbon is from the Mistletoe Ribbon Originals and the sentiment from Christmas Greetings (another I’ve used quite often).

NOTE:  Check back soon for some mass produced cards I did using the new Delightful Decorations set and coordinating Ornament punch.

ANOTHER NOTE:  Due to the overwhelming response to the new Shimmer Paints found in the Holiday Mini Catalog, Stampin’ Up! will now include them as a Write-In to the Idea Book and Catalog.

I’m so glad you stopped by today.  I hope you’ve been inspired to think outside of the box and use your stamps in a new ‘direction’.

Hugs,

~Leslee~

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Another Christmas Card

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Yes, I’m still working on Christmas cards.  Actually, I’ve had this card done for about a week and I’m just getting around to posting it today.  I’m so behind and I wanted to be so much further along by now.  Oh well, I’ll just roll with it.

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This pretty little card is pretty simple to make.  The base is Whisper White.  I ran the Real Red layer through the Big Shot with the Damask Background Texturz Plate.  The panel is a strip of Whisper White that I Eyelet Border punched and topped with a strip of DSP from the Cast A Spell Designer Series paper package.  The poinsettia flower is finished off with a stickles center.  You can see how to do the flower in this post, Quick Holiday Set.  Like I said, pretty simple!

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you are where you want to be today :)

Hugs,

~Leslee~

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Stampin’ Up!’s 12 Days of Holiday Sales

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You must check out the items that Stampin’ Up! has discounted for the 12 Days of Holiday Sales!  You can check them out by clicking the link Here!  The link will take you to online ordering.  Or, call me and I’ll get your order placed for you.  Sale prices only good through Dec. 22nd.

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Merry Christmas!

~Leslee~

Friday, December 11, 2009

Serene & Sweet

This sweet treat is sure to please both young and old.  It’s so simple to make.  Little hands can do it.  It would make a nice classroom project. 100_9160Here’s the deets:

Trim approx. 2 inches off the open end of a standard sized lunch bag.  I’ve used a white bag here but you can use any color to coordinate with any theme or occasion (what fun!).  Fold bag in half.  I randomly stamped the Serene Snowflakes (love this set) in Soft Suede ink.  I, also, sponged on some ink randomly as well.    100_9164The inside greeting is from Christmas Greetings (it’s seen its share of ink this season).  Insert single packet of instant hot cocoa mix into back, open end of bag.  Tie a 15” length of ribbon around bag/card.  I’ve used the solid side of the Soft Suede Polka Dot ribbon.   Layer a panel onto the front of the bag.  The snowflake is a die cut from the Snowflakes Set #2, a brad and the sentiment is from Teeny Tiny Wishes (another favorite).

I did a simplified version of this to hand out at our PTA board meeting today.  I made 14 of them in just under 40 minutes.  When I say ‘simplified’, I simply omitted the front panel and inside greeting layer and stamped a sentiment directly onto the paper bag…no layering involved that way.  The ladies just loved them!  Who wouldn’t?

I can’t take credit for this project.  I found it on the Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator’s website.  Stampin’ Up! gives us all kinds of project and card ideas.  It’s just one of the perks of signing a demonstrator’s agreement.  If you’d like to do what I do, call me or check out more info. on my website, Start Your Own Business.

I hope you’ll give one a try.  If you have any questions on how to make one of these, just leave me a comment or drop me an email.  I’m always happy to share.  

As always, thanks for stopping by.  I hope you’ve been inspired.

Hugs,

~Leslee~

Most supplies can by purchased on my website HERE.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Bows & Baubles

Since most of my family live in other states, gift cards have become the gift of choice.  They are easy to mail and the recipient can get exactly what they want with it (or, at least, apply it to what they want).  I still want them to be able to have something to “open” though.  So, I am always on the lookout for special gift card holders.  Small decorated boxes and pretty handmade cards have been the normal…until I came across Carolina’s blog post, Seasonal Saturdays: Ornament Money Holder.  Well, I took her basic idea and enlarged it to accommodate a gift card instead of money.

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Isn’t this the cutest darn gift card holder you’ve ever seen?!  I LOVE how this project turned out!  100_9258It really is quite simple and Carolina has a fabulous video tutorial on how to make the money holder.  The gift card holder is the same concept only larger.  My finished package (Holiday Treasure DSP ret.) size is 5-1/2” x 5-1/2” which will accommodate the large Sizzix Scallop Circle (Riding Hood Red).  I used the Circle Scissor Plus to cut out two Very Vanilla circles that are 4-1/8” in diameter.  One of them I cut in half and adhered over the other using TomBow Multi Liquid Glue (just along the outside edge).  I placed my pocket along the side so that the printed pretties showed nicely on the gift card itself.  100_9279The baubles are picked up from the gift card.  I used various sized circle punches and the scallop circle punch in Soft Suede, Old Olive and Riding Hood Red.  The sentiments are from a retired set, Fancy Flexible Phrases (an all time favorite of mine).   The tab punch and Gold Elastic Cording (found in the Holiday Mini) was used for the ornament top. 

The bow on the front of the “package” is my favorite!  Yes, it is a ‘cheater’ bow!  You don’t think that I could actually 100_9257make a real  bow look so nice, do you now?  Here’s how I did it…I took about 18” of the striped wide ribbon and folded it into thirds accordion style.  I then took the large button, threaded it with gold cord and tied it tightly around the middle of the folded ribbon.  I then pulled at the ribbon ends to get a nice look.  Looks great!  One of my best yet!  And anyone who knows me knows how bow challenged I am.  I my opinion though, seriously, I think it’s the little sprig of holly and berries that make this bow.  Without it, it would be a nice bow but the holly adds the “WOW” factor to it!  Yes, I’m pleased with this bow and overjoyed with this project.  I wish I could be there to see his face when he opens it!  But (sigh) I can’t.  I trust that he’ll love it!  I know I would! (smile)   

Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you’ve been inspired.  Inspiration can come from anywhere.  I found mine at Carolina’s Creative Pad.

Come back soon!

Hugs

~Leslee~

Most items can be purchased from my website by clicking HERE!

Friday, December 4, 2009

Grateful Design

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I’m finally getting around to posting a card I designed before Thanksgiving.  I wanted to use up some elements that I had laying about my workspace for the past year.  The elements available were as follows:

  • One Top Note die cut in Close to Cocoa 
  • One stamped sentiment layered on Barely Banana cs
  • One Old Olive Little Leaves die cut
  • Tri-grouping of punched flowers
  • Certainly Celery cut and scored card base

I fussed over the placement for about ten minutes and decided that it was missing the Old Olive ribbon (from the Mistletoe Ribbon Originals in the Holiday Mini).  I kept it simple, trying to utilize only scraps.  I settled, quiet happily with this layout.  What do you think? 

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The flower trio was Rock-N-Rolled on Barely Banana cs using So Saffron and Pumpkin Pie ink and the flower from Best Wishes & More.  Centers markered with Chocolate Chip.  You can see just how they were made by visiting this post, Double The Fun.  As for the sentiment, it’s a retired SU! set but for the life of me I can’t remember the name.

I love this layout and have since decided to build upon it.  Here is the Christmas card I ended up with.

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It is still a simple layout but looks more embellished with the use of the Serene Snowflakes and the Platinum Shimmer Paint.  The sentiment is from All Holidays and the snowflake is die cut from Snowflakes Set #2.  Some silver elastic cording and a swirl from the Priceless set finish the card off.

100_9110 I’m really pleased with the outcome of both of these cards.  This is a layout that I may return to time and time again.  And why not?  It’s simple yet it allows room for plenty of embellishing.

As always, your comments are welcome.  I hope you have been inspired to use up some of your scraps with a great design!

Hugs,

~ Leslee ~

All supplies are Stampin’ Up! and most are available for purchase by clicking Here!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Easy tree…

Ever need a kick-in-the-pants to get going?  That’s so what I’ve been needing lately.  So, I turned to SCS’s weekly sketch challenges for a starting point.  I found this challenge SC#254.  The center panel just beckoned for the tall pine from Lovely As A Tree.  Here is what I came up with…100_9090 I began with a Rich Razzleberry card base.  I stamped the small pinecone and bough across the top and bottom of the base in VersaMark ink.  The two squares in the middle are Always Artichoke that I ran through the Big Shot using the Flourish Background #2 Texturz plate.  The main panel is Naturals White.  I stamped the tree in Chocolate Chip on the panel.  On another piece of Naturals White, I again stamped the tree in Old Olive with Frost White Shimmer Paint sponged on top.  This tree was cut out and adhered using dimensionals onto the main panel.  The panel was edged using a gold pen.  IRL, this tree really shimmers!  It’s gorgeous!  If you haven’t tried the new Shimmer Paint, you must!

Simple!  I’m going to have to keep it simple from now through Christmas.  Oh, and it’s not enough that I get the cards made, I have to mail them out too (smile)! 

Have a great day!  I hope you’ve been kicked, I mean, inspired to get started on your projects.

Hugs ~Leslee~