Ornament Challenge

It's time to get out your Christmas decor....if you haven't already.  I haven't yet, but I will, hopefully this weekend.  We celebrated baby Travis's First Birthday on Sunday, it was so fun and now it's time for Christmas mode.  :)

The challenge this week at Hand Stamped Sentiments is to create an ornament....of any kind.  Check out our Design Teams ideas, WOW....so stinkin' cute!!!

I have been so busy with the baby's Birthday party that I didn't have any time to create an original ornament.  So I used an ornament that we made at my last class.  I got this idea from Kimberly VanDiepen.  She has an awesome tutorial that you can see here.
It's actually easier than you think it is to make.  What a great way to use up all of your scraps, too!!!

I know what you're thinking....and yes, I did use retired DSP!!!  It's from 2 or 3 years ago.  GASP!!!  But I liked the colors in it....kind of monochromatic....kind of.  :)

Ingredients:

Colors:  Sage Shadow (retired), Certainly Celery, Soft Sky (retired), Always Artichoke, Whisper White

Stamps:  Bells and Boughs

Accessories:  Northern Flurries Die Cut, Paper Trimmer, White Satin Ribbon, Glimmer Paper, 1 3/4" Circle punch

I'll be posting pics from the baby's b-day party soon!  

Happy Stamping,

Krista

Oh The Weather Outside Is Frightful....

Okay, so the weather outside isn't "frightful" but it is getting a little chilly here in So. Cal.  It's a nice break from the HOTness we had been having.  I used that title because it's the first line of one of my favorite Christmas songs.  I've been listening to Christmas music for the past several days and I am so excited for Christmas this year....I'll actually be able to enjoy it more since I don't have a newborn.

ANYWHO....This week's challenge at Hand Stamped Sentiments is Winter Wonderland.

My friends Carin and Brianna hosted a Christmas tag class last week and this is one of the projects we made:

It's a cute winter-y, shaker ornament tag that can be turned into a tree or door knob ornament after it's gifted.  The shaker was made with a treat cup.  I've had those darn treat cups for eons now and I couldn't justify giving them to my kids' classmates filled with candy.  I just know they'd get torn open and thrown out.  What better way to use them then these cute ornament tags?!  :)
Here is a close up shot:

I'm sorry to say that this cute little snowman is from a retired stamp set called Just Celebrate.  I know, it's so cute, but we do have some super cute new snowman stamps.  :)

Ingredients...
Colors: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Black Stazon, Tangerine Tango Marker
Stamps:  Just Celebrate, Loads of Love
Accessories:  Clear Circle Die, Large Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/4" Circle punch, Tab Punch, Treat cup, Dazzling Diamonds, Snowflake embossing folder, Silver Cord

Happy Stamping,
Krista

Bargello, Bargello

Join us at Hand Stamped Sentiments for a Bargello Challenge!!  What is Bargello you say?  Well, it's a technique where you take strips of paper, cut them the opposite direction then place those strips in an offset pattern on another piece of cardstock.  Okay, it sounds hard, but once you have your vision, it makes such a huge statement.

I have to admit I looked it up on Splitcoast and had to watch the video and then I sat and pondered it for quite some time.  But I have to say, I think it adds such a nice touch of color, texture and pattern to my scrap book page.  The little guy isn't so bad himself either.  :)

Here is a close up shot so you can see the patterned paper and the offsets in more detail.

We will actually be making this page along with another page for our November scrapbook layout.  Here is the other page....

Ingredients:
Colors:  Soft Suede, More Mustard, Pool Party, Pear Pizzaz, Wild Wasabi
Stamps:  Gently Falling
Accessories:  Spice Cake DSP, Pool Party Ribbon, Soft Suede Wide Striped Ribbon, Spice Cake Button, Linen Thread, Lattice Border Punch

Happy Stamping,
Krista

Over The Top Card Challenge

Oh my gosh.....I realized this week what a simple stamper I am.  I cannot bring myself to OVER THE TOP a card.  It's not necessarily a bad thing, but for this challenge it was.  Join us at Hand Stamped Sentiments this week, I want to see what you come up with.

I actually made THREE different cards and finally chose this one....

Is it OVER THE TOP enough?  The card actually measures 3" x 5 1/4" crazy, huh?!  Let me tell you what I did here....I embossed the tree in Wild Wasabi, and the star in gold.  Cut them all out individually, including the Real Red and Espresso trunk and base.  I made my favorite flowers and finished them off with a Basic Pearl.  I stamped the 2 1/2" Circle with the Stripes Stamp.  Whew, I'm exhausted just typing this. :)  The rest you can figure out....here are the ingredients:

Colors:  Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Whisper White
Stamps:  Pennant Parade, Petite Pairs
Punches:  Scallop Trim Border, Word Window Punch, 2 1/2" Circle, Pennant
Accessories:  Red Glimmer paper, Basic Pearls, White Taffeta Ribbon, Real Red Marker

Happy Stamping,
Krista

Blocks For All Seasons

I have always wanted to make a decoration for my home that I can use year around.  I had seen these blocks all around the Stampin' Up website, so I thought I'd make my own version.....

At my last "Stamp-a-doodles" downline group meeting we made those blocks.  It was a super fun project to make with them!!  At our meeting we discussed our business, shared stamping ideas and did a swap, too.   They are an impressive group of ladies.  So talented and artistic.  Here is a photo of the swaps I received that day:

If you would like to make the blocks pictured above, contact me for more info.

Happy Stamping!!
~Krista