Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Hopping With Really Reasonable Ribbon!

Welcome to the December Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop! If you arrived here from Ginny's blog, you are in the right place! If you just happened along, be sure to start at the beginning at the RRR Blog (I am the fourth stop, so you don't have far back to go!) so you don't miss out on the awesome projects, fun news, and a prize from Really Reasonable Ribbon! Our hop goes live at 6:30 AM Central.
I just adore this little snowman from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps'  Warm Hello. He is so sweet and has all the perfect "snowman elements": hat, carrot nose, buttons, and twig arms! Plus a cute scarf to color or paper-piece. I used one of the sentiments from another snowman set, Snowy Hello.
I added some different "white" sequins (Doodlebug) and a snowflake die cut (Mambi) for my embellishments. The designer paper is from the Jack Frost Collection by American Crafts. This guy is all decked out and ready to greet Christmas with a smile!

Each 13th of the month it's the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog hop where we highlight the Ribbon Club! I LOVE Bonnie's choices for the December ribbon club package. The beautiful combination of silvers and blues, are perfect for those chilly winter cards. If you really love ribbon and would like to have a wonderful assortment of ribbons sent to you automatically each month, just join the Really Reasonable Ribbon Club! Monthly ribbon club assortments are selected and pre-packed to reflect a specific theme, color, or holiday season.
For this month's card I chose the gorgeous Off White Shimmer Satin (on the left above). This ribbon has a beautiful shine to it, and is so easy to work with. I made half bows under my snowflake, and added a Wild Orchid Silver Spiral Stamen for added interest. All of my layers are held together with Scor-Tape.

Now off to Cheryl's blog, where you will have a feast for the eyes!

Challenges:
613 Avenue Create #192 – Anything Goes  
Word Art Wednesday #260/261 – Anything Goes 
Christmas with the Cuties - Anything Cute and Christmassy Goes
Dragonfly Journeys #81 – Snow Day
Glitter n Sparkle #218 – Anything Goes

Cutie Pie Challenge - Cute + A Day in the Snow
Die Cut Divas – Layer It
A Bit More Time to Craft #33 – Anything Goes
Connie Can Crop #53 – Baby it’s Cold Outside
Crafty Purple Frog – Winter Blues
Not Just Cards #39 – Anything Goes
Brown Sugar #228 – Anything Goes
PDE Linky Party #150 – All Cards
C.R.A.F.T. #393 – Winter

 

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Beautiful Blooms for December

One week gone from December already! Wow! I know that as I get older, I surely feel like I am on the fast train :)

I love seeing poinsettias all over town in stores and friends' homes. The deep red is such a beautiful color, and the white such a contrast. My favorite, though, are the pink poinsettias. Pink is my favorite color for anything, really, and I love the light pink petal blooms.

My card today is my submission for the Really Reasonable Ribbon Winter Holiday Challenge. This is our last challenge for 2016, so I hope you will play along!
I stamped the poinsettia image (Penny Black) using VersaColor Sand ink, and then embossed with White Detail Embossing Powder (Sparkle n Sprinkle). I colored the poinsettia with Copic markers R83 & 85, RV02, and added Kaiser Latte Pearls to the center. I stamped and colored another poinsettia to layer the middle on top.

I chose the beautiful RRR Pearl Pink Grosgrain and pleated it for an elegant look, then lay some trim from my stash on top, and added more pearls. The sentiment is from Inky Antics and is stamped with Soft Sky (SU!) ink. Everything is held together with Scor-Tape.

I hope your December days are filled with beautiful blooms! 

Monday, November 28, 2016

Pie......or Cake?

Happy Thanksgiving to all my U.S. friends! It's a few of days after, of course, but we enjoy our family time and meal times for longer than just one day. We like to slow the Christmas rush as much as possible!

On Thursday we enjoyed a bountiful meal, and were so thankful for it. And it seems that while other holidays might have cake taking the lead, this one seems to be a pie holiday! So... GET YOUR PIE ON!
Isn't that the cutest image? It's from Art Neko, and called, believe it or not, Get Your Pie On! I think it's so fun! I decided to jazz it up with my colored sequins, as if they were the sugar on top of the pie crust, and made a shaker card.
I stamped with Stampin' Up!'s Chocolate Chip dye ink, and then colored in the pie using Distress and Zig markers. I added some wheat die cuts from Reverse Confetti, and topped it off with a beautiful satin ribbon from the Really Reasonable Ribbon November Ribbon Club - Crosshatch on Copper Satin:
This ribbon has such a gorgeous sheen to it! I added some Ivory Burlap String over the top of the ribbon and die cuts and tied a simple bow. 
I hope you all have a wonderful week for the rest of November, celebrating your blessings no matter where you are!

Sunday, November 27, 2016

Jolly Jingle

This little guy is so adorable --and brings a jolly jingle to the recipient! The little deer is actually cut from patterned paper -- don't overlook those designs in your papers to use as main images! (Yes, the fussy cutting was a nightmare, but worth the effort, I think!)
The large and small dotted backgrounds are embossed, after being stamped with white pigment ink. The large is just a sponge dauber, randomly stamped on pink cardstock. The small dots are actually an embossing folder, with the ink lightly applied, and then run through a Big Shot. Three different glitter papers add pizzazz to the sentiment, and the sparkly Silver Twine from Really Reasonable Ribbon is a perfect trim for my jingle bell!

This is my submission for the Silver & Gold Challenge happening now at RRR! You have until November 30 to enter! There aren't many submissions this time - probably due to the busy holiday season, so chances are good to win Bonnie's awesome prize! Check it out!

AND --

 Now through midnight Eastern Time on TONIGHT, 11/27/15 RRR has a terrific SALE going on.
** All orders over $10 **
SAVE 15% using code TURKEY15

Don't miss out!

Sunday, November 13, 2016

Just For You!


Welcome to the November Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop! If you arrived here from Ginny's blog, you are in the right place! If you just happened along, be sure to start at the beginning at the RRR Blog (I am the fourth stop, so you don't have far back to go!) so you don't miss out on the awesome projects, fun news, 
and a prize from Really Reasonable Ribbon! 
Our hop goes live at 6:30 AM Central.
Each 13th of the month it's the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog hop where we highlight the Ribbon Club! I LOVE Bonnie's choices for the November ribbon club package. The beautiful combination of colors, so different and so gorgeous together, are perfect for fall and holiday creations. If you really love ribbon and would like to have a wonderful assortment of ribbons sent to you automatically each month, just join the Really Reasonable Ribbon Club! Monthly ribbon club assortments are selected and pre-packed to reflect a specific theme, color, or holiday season.
 
The assortments vary from month to month, but an average assortment has 7-9 different ribbon styles and consists of 10-15 yards of ribbon.This one has even more! It contains 9 styles and a total of 18 yards. You will love it! For today's card I chose to make a tag card, using a sentiment from Sweet 'n Sassy's Christmas Tag Sentiments.


I watercolored a pink background on my tag, using my Kuretake paints, and added a die cut tree out of glitter paper (The Paper Studio). I stamped the sentiment in VersaFine Onyx Black ink.
I layered 5/8" Light Celery Crochet Lace and the Wild Rose Swiss Dots Grosgrain (from this month's Ribbon Club) for my tag topper. A button completed the look. On the main panel, I used the same two trims, and added the Rosewood Satin Swirls (also from the Ribbon Club), but turned it over for a solid look (it's like getting two ribbons in one!).
I added two beautiful pink Apple Blossoms and a bit of Raspberry Baker's Twine, as well as a touch of the Rosewood Satin Swirls (pattern showing this time!) to accent the flowers. I used 1/4" Scor-Tape to hold everything together.  

Now off to Cheryl's blog, where you will have a feast for the eyes!
Challenges:

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Advent Calendars

When my kids were little, I made them each (I have two) a miniature felt Christmas tree - a styrofoam cone covered in felt and glittery trims. Each day of Advent, they would receive a little ornament to hang on their tree with a cute straight pin. They outgrew their trees (they were getting crowded anyway!) and we moved on to different kinds of Advent celebrations. 

Today I want to share a little treat bag with you that can be used for any age - including children who are now grown with families of their own.
I used a die cut treat bag (Sweet Treat Tent) from Reverse Confetti, but you could cut your own just as easily without a die. The inside has a flat bottom for your treats to sit on in a little Ziplock bag. I decorated all 25 bags with little number tags from some Doodlebug designer paper. The tree tag is part of a set called Triplits Tag Die Set by the Stamps of Life. I embossed the bag die with a snowflake embossing folder, and then assembled the bag using Scor Tape of a couple of different widths.
I finished it off with some cute festive and fun trims: Mini Ric Rac and Cherry Baker's Twine. It would also look super cute with Christmas Baker's Twine (below).
I used pearls for my embellishments, but there are many other things you could use to decorate as well. Take a peek at all the new embellishments in the RRR Store! 

Untie the twine and you have a cute Advent Calendar in a Treat Bag! These were fun to make, and are a great way to use small pieces of trims, as well as patterned paper scraps!

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Heated Copper Accents

A couple of weeks ago I hosted the Splitcoaststampers Technique Lovers Challenge. I tried a new-to-me technique that has awesome results: Loll Thompson's awesome Heated Copper Accents Tutorial.
I used the Wrinkle Free Distress technique to make my watercolor background with Distress Inks, then stamped my sentiment using my Mini Misti with VersaFine Onyx Black ink. I cut a frame (All Framed Up by Reverse Confetti), and then added an Earth Tone Cottage Rose Mulberry Flower from Really Reasonable Ribbon (so many gorgeous flowers HERE). The copper background was done following the Heated Copper Accents Tutorial, and using the variation given for running it through a die cut machine. 

I would have liked more variation in the colors, but I don't have a blow torch! I'm not sure a heat gun is hot enough. I did get some blues on the left and reds on the right! I think I love some of the other looks from samples in the Gallery so much that I want to get one of those little Creme Brulee torches!


Saturday, October 22, 2016

It's The Little Things

I was so excited to get these new Reverse Confetti stamps and dies in the mail this week in time to play with the October Sketch For You To Try #41.
I chose Happy Harvest stamps and Happy Harvest Confetti Cuts for the cute acorn, and added several Wheat Confetti Cuts in various papers, including Copper. My background paper is from the Very Merry 6x6 pad, and some acorn patterned paper from my stash. I also used the Two Way Stripes Tag Layer Confetti Cuts to ground my acorn and wheat stalks.
My trims and embelllishment are from Really Reasonable Ribbon. I chose 1/4" Turquoise Twill (50% off through October 31!) for the middle of my card and top of my tag, and a Vintage Glass Cabachon for the corner. Here is the sketch:
I love how this turned out! Thanks for taking a peek!

Friday, October 21, 2016

"Orange" You Glad It's Autumn?

It's Challenge Day at Really Reasonable Ribbon! 
Challenge #151 is all about orange, 
and autumn, and ribbon and trims!
I chose a rather busy patterned paper for my background (Doodlebug Happy Harvest - it's so cute!), so kept the rest of the card fairly simple. I chose Lawn Fawn's So Thankful For You stamp set and matching dies for my images. I used Brown Sugar Baker's Twine from RRR for my trims.


Other Challenges: 
Brown SugarAnything Goes 
Cut it Up - Pumpkins

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Christmas Pines

 I grew up in Northern Arizona, where the pine trees are abundant -- and the smell of the pines always changed just slightly for each season. I miss that in the Central Plains, where I live now. Give me a pine image, though, and that scent comes back in a moment!

Today's card uses images from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps' Christmas Pine clear stamp set. 
I stamped my image in Mossy Meadow ink (Stampin' Up!) on Arches watercolor paper. I took an Aqua Brush and pulled some of the color out and around the pines, and left some open spaces to give the impression of snow on the branches. The sentiment was stamped with VersaFine Onyx Black ink. I added some splatters around the edges with the Mossy Meadow.

I punched two small round holes up in the corner and tied a bow with my favorite Natural Burlap String. I added a little sparkly burgundy embellishment on top of the knot. 

Behind the main panel, I cut and adhered a length of Burgundy Netting for texture and added interest.  It was a perfect match with my cardstock! Both the netting and the burlap string come in a wide variety of colors for all sorts of occasions!

All panels are adhered together with 1/4" Scor-Tape.

 Enjoy your weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Challenges: 
Challenge Up Your Life-Natural Materials
Crafty Hazelnut's Christmas-Cute or Anything Christmas Goes 
Crafting With An Attitude-Always Anything Goes 
Moving along with the Times-Trees and/or Leaves
Crafting By Designs-Add a sentiment 
A Snowflakes Promise-Anything Goes with optional theme of Twist of the Seasons


Thursday, October 13, 2016

Snowman Friends


Welcome to the October Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop! If you arrived here from Ginny's blog, you are in the right place! If you just happened along, be sure to start at the beginning at the RRR Blog (I am the fourth stop, so you don't have far back to go!) so you don't miss out on the awesome projects, fun news, 
and a prize from Really Reasonable Ribbon! 
Our hop goes live at 6:30 AM Central.
Each 13th of the month it's the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog hop where we highlight the Ribbon Club! I LOVE Bonnie's choices for the October ribbon club package. If you really love ribbon and would like to have a wonderful assortment of ribbons sent to you automatically each month, just join the Really Reasonable Ribbon Club! Monthly ribbon club assortments are selected and pre-packed to reflect a specific theme, color, or holiday season.
 
The assortments vary from month to month, but an average assortment has 7-9 different ribbon styles and consists of 10-15 yards of ribbon.This one has even more! It contains 9 styles and a total of 17 yards. You will love it! I love all of the fun patterns and traditional Christmas colors in this assortment! For today's card I chose the 5/8" Plaid Ribbon Red Bold Check and Lawn Fawn's super cute Making Frosty Friends.

I stamped the background on SU! Crumb Cake using the snowflake stamp and white pigment ink. My chipboard heart has been sitting on my desk for literally a year, waiting to be used! So I thought it would be cute with the sentiment! It was stamped with Versamark Strawberry pigment ink, and then embossed with a glittery red embossing powder. My snow is a glittery ric rac from my stash of trims. 

I tied a simple bow using the beautiful checked ribbon from RRR and added a sweet Dotted Wave Red Rhinestone in the center. I stamped my snowman on Ultrasmooth White cardstock using Memento Tuxedo Black ink and colored in the nose and hat brim with a Spectrum Noir marker. This is like playing paper dolls -- all of the dies make it so easy! The hat and scarf were stamped right on the designer paper, and then I cut it all out with the coordinating dies.






I used 1/4" Scor-Tape to hold everything together.  My designer paper is Echo Park's So This Is Christmas 6x6. The total card is 5" square.



Now off to Cheryl's blog, where you will have a feast for the eyes!




Challenges: 
Christmas at Sweet Stampin' - Glitter and Sparkle 
Crafty Sentiment Designs - Anything Goes 
Creates and Makes - Anything Goes with optional: Use a Die
WordArt Wednesdays Anything Goes 

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

September Hop with Really Reasonable Ribbon!

Welcome to the September Really Reasonable Ribbon Blog Hop! If you arrived here from Ginny's blog, you are in the right place! If you just happened along, be sure to start at the beginning at the RRR Blog (I am the fourth stop, so you don't have far back to go!) so you don't miss out on the awesome projects, fun news, and a prize from Really Reasonable Ribbon! Our hop goes live at 6:30 AM Central.
Each 13th of the month it's the Really Reasonable Ribbon blog hop where we highlight the Ribbon Club! I LOVE Bonnie's choices for the September ribbon club package. If you really love ribbon and would like to have a wonderful assortment of ribbons sent to you automatically each month, just join the Really Reasonable Ribbon Club! Monthly ribbon club assortments are selected and pre-packed to reflect a specific theme, color, or holiday season. The assortments vary from month to month, but an average assortment has 7-9 different ribbon styles and consists of 10-15 yards of ribbon. This one has even more! It contains 10 styles and a total of 20 yards. You will love it! Take a peek:
 
I love all of the fun patterns in this assortment! I chose three designs for today's card: 3/8" Spider Webs on Black Satin, 5/8" Shimmer Tangerine With Gold, and 3/8" Wonky Squares on White Satin.
My images are from Stampin' Up!'s Mr. Funny Bones, a super cute set with lots of pieces ( I used 15) to create different kinds of skeletons, with fun (and humerus!) sayings and sentiments. 
 I stamped in VersaFine Onyx Black Ink, and then added my ribbon "half-frame" and bows. There is a black spider web doily (SU!) behind the card for interest and a few sequins for some sparkle.

Now off to Cheryl's blog, where you will have a feast for the eyes!

Thanks for stopping by today!