Merry Christmas and some Stampin' Up Holiday cards!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas celebration with family and friends!  I also hope that you all have a New Year filled with joy and good health.  As I look to next year, I pray that I can handle the challenges ahead; this past year and a half have truly been difficult for me.  Since my husband passed, I feel like half of me died with him; I now understand how Humpty Dumpty can't be put back together again. 

I know that all of us face some kind of challenge daily, so I pray for all of us.  Living is hard, but have faith that you will be guided to a better place and given the strength to deal with whatever comes your way. 

So, for now, let's stamp and think about pretty things!  Here are some cards I've made the past couple of months.  A couple were inspired by cards I saw on our Demonstrator website made by fellow demonstrators Dee Slater, Kay Kaltoff, and Lorri Heling (thank you fellow demonstrators!), a couple are from Kits in the Holiday Mini Catalog, and a couple are from my imagination!  

Also, I want to give you all a heads up that tomorrow Stampin' Up is going to add more goodies to the Clearance Rack, so click here on Dec. 27th to take a look.  Hope you like the cards and Happy New Year!

Sour Cream Container "Countdown to Christmas" idea using Stampin' Up's Morning Post Numbers stamp set

This post is from today's Stampin' Up blog here.  I love the idea of using these cute sour cream containers in a new way!

"Countdown to Christmas"

Got someone in your house who just can’t wait for Christmas? Help them count down the days by making this fun project.



The design/layout of the numbers and tags is from page 13 of the holiday catalog (US/CA); the stamp set can be found on page 36 of the holiday catalog.  The tags were die cut using the Deco Labels Framelits.

 The containers were made using the Season of Style Designer Series Paper Stack. So easy—no cutting necessary!

To make the containers, apply the adhesive like this. (I recommend using Sticky Strip.)


Roll the container into a tube, then pinch one end closed. Add candy (or whatever you want to put inside), then pinch the other end closed in the opposite direction.


Attach the tag using a stapler, then adhere the button using a Glue Dot to hide the staple.

Twelve containers will fit nicely inside the Extra-Large Gift Box. To make the box look a little more festive, I wrapped Season of Style Designer Washi Tape around it.


 

Stampin' Up Christmas Card using Expressions Thinlets Dies

This trendy and elegant Christmas card was designed by Sharon and Holly at Stampin' Up.   Shelli Gardner, Stampin' Up Cofounder, featured it on her blog at SoShelli.com; you can read the article here.  Have a great week!

Christmas Card using Stampin' Up's Santa's List stamp set

Here's a card made by Mercedes Weber that was on the Stampin' Up Blog; Mercedes is another member of Stampin' Up's Artisan Design Team and she is a great talent too!  I'm so glad SU gets a group like this together; the designers give us great ideas and motivation!

Supplies used:    Santa's List Stamp Set, Black Stazon Ink and I think Cherry Cobbler ink (Santa's coat) and Crumb Cake ink (for sponging around the snowflake), Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Festive Flurry Framelits, Big Shot, and Delicate Designs Embossing Folder.   Thanks for visiting!

Stampin' Up's NEW Festive Flurry Ornament Kit and NEW Weekly Deals!

Starting today, you can purchase this great Festive Flurry Ornament Kit!  It contains enough supplies to make 10 beautiful ornaments you can use to top presents, embellish cards, create a wintery garland, or trim the tree!


The kit includes everything you need (minus adhesive) to create 10 snowflakes, including

• 10 feet of Soft Sky Ribbon
• Printed cardstock - die cut and scored, ready to be assembled (Soft Sky, Crumb Cake, Whisper White Cardstock and Silver Glimmer Paper)
• Large Rhinestone Basic Jewells (40)

Product name:	Item #:	Price:
Festive Flurry Ornament Kit	135813	$14.95

These are only available while supplies last, so get your orders in early so you have plenty of time to make them for Christmas gifting-or for your family tree!  And when you go order Online here, don't forget to check out this week's AWESOME Weekly Deals here!        

Watch the video below for instructions on making these ornaments.

Stampin' Up Holiday Table Decorating Ideas

Here are some table decorating ideas from the November/December 2013 issue of Stampin' Success (our Demonstrator magazine):

Gift Boxes

Paper
Season of Style Designer Series Paper
Stamp a Tag Kit
Kraft Gift Boxes
Decorative Window Gift Boxes
Ink
Whisper White Craft Stampin' Pad
Crumb Cake Stampin' Write Marker
Accessories & Tools
Cherry Cobbler 1" Stitched Edge Grosgrain Ribbon
Build a Banner Kit (Stencil)
Sponge Daubers

Silverware Place Setting

Paper Season of Style Designer Series Paper Ink Old Olive Classic Stampin' Ink Refill Accessories & ToolsMini Muslin Bag Build a Banner Kit (Stencil) Big Shot Gift Bow Bigz L Die Sponge Daubers Food Picks Stamps A Banner Christmas Stamp Set Tags 4 You Stamp Set Paper Old Olive Cardstock Whisper White Cardstock Season of Style Designer Series Paper Silver Foil Sheets Silver Glimmer Paper Season of Style Designer Washi Tape Ink Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad Old Olive Classic Stampin' Pad Accessories and Tools Stampin' Dimensionals Label Bracket Punch 1-1/4" Circle Punch 1-3/4" Circle Punch Craft picks

Stampin Up "Merry Little Christmas" Simply Created Card Kit Tutorial

Below is a tutorial showing you another way to use the Merry Little Christmas Card Kit Bundle - be sure to click on the image to view it enlarged.  The bundle includes the Card Kit and the Merry Little Christmas stamp set; you get a 15% discount when you buy the 2 together (wood mount item #133286 $19.95 or clear mount #133287 $17.95)!    Thanks for stopping by and have a great week!



Stampin' Up Muslin Bag Halloween Tutorial

Here's a tutorial Stampin' Up put together using the new muslin bags in the 2013 Holiday Catalog.  These bags are great for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other occasions!  Don't forget that you can click on the image to view it enlarged and thanks for stopping by!

Stampin' Up Decorative Window Box with the Halloween "Best of " Stamp Set

The below Article was posted yesterday (August 7th) on the stampin' up blog; it was written by Stampin' Up concept artist, Christina N - I LOVE the boxes she made!

Give the Littles Something Sweet!

Every year at Halloween I love to give all of my nieces and nephews a treat, and it’s always wrapped up especially for them. Since the August “Best of” stamp set is “Best of Halloween,” it’s the perfect opportunity for me to get started early this year.

I love that there are three main images, a border, and a greeting in the stamp set. Since the main images are about the same size, it was easy to come up with a design that worked for all of them.   I used the new Decorative Window Gift Boxes since they are small and all of my nieces and nephews are still very little.




Thanks for stopping by and Happy Halloween!

Stampin' Up Videos: Gift Bow Die and Holiday Journal

The new Gift Bow Bigz Die in the Holiday Catalog is awesome! It makes a great double-layer bow, single bow, and other many shape bows! The video below shows you a couple of ways to use the die:

 

 

 

 

Gift Bow Bigz L Die

 129977        $32.95
Makes bows in 2 sizes. Large bow: 3-3/4" x 1-3/4".
Use with Big Shot and Standard Cutting Pads

Or if you don't have a Big Shot or don't want to die cut your bows, you can purchase the Pretty Presents Designer Bow kit that has die cut bows of various sizes that you just pop out and put together!

Pretty Presents Designer Bows
132186     $3.95

Light-weight, printed, die-cut pieces.
10 bows: 5 ea. of 2 sizes in 2 double-sided
designs. Largest bow size: 4-1/2" x 3-3/4".
Gumball Green, Real Red, Whisper White 


And here's a video about the new Season of Style "This and That" Holiday Journal; it will help you organize the season in a beautiful way!  Happy Wednesday and thanks for stopping by.

Season of Style This and That Journal 
132277        $10.95
Debossed chipboard cover. 6-3/8" x 8-1/16".
60 total printed sheets (30 coordinated spreads) 

2013 Holiday Catalog Snowflake Framelits Video, Expressions Thinlets Video, and Envelope Framelits Video - so much GREAT stuff!!

The Festive Flurry Framelits video below shows you how to assemble the great snowflake tags shown here.  Carrie Cudney at Stampin' Up gives you a great tip on how to make the snowflake have dimension; you'll love watching the video!

Festive Flurry Framelits, Item # 132193 $24.95 or buy them
as part of a Bundle with the Festive Flurry Stamp Set
(wood) Item # 133284 $54.95
(clear) Item # 133285 $46.95

Here's a Stampin' Up Video showing how easy it is to use the Expressions Thinlets Dies.  I tried using them before watching this video and I wish I hadn't!  The wax paper and tapping are great ideas that I didn't try.  But I can tell you that the die cut words are beautiful and graceful; you'll really love them!

Expressions Thinlets Dies  Item # 132171    $24.95

And finally, below is a video showing you how to use the new Envelope Liner Framelits.  These framelits were designed to work with Stampin' Up's medium envelope, note card envelope, and small 3x3 envelop.  You'll notice that the liner doesn't go all the way to the top of the envelope, that's because they were designed to not cover up the "lick strip" to seal the envelope.  I can't remember what that strip is really called!

Envelope Liner Framelits   Item # 132172    $26.95

Don't forget to click over to my blog to watch the videos if you're an email subscriber.  Have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Stampin' Up Holiday Catalog Banner Videos, NEW Thinlets Video, and August "Best of 25 Years" Stamp Set!!

OMG! I can tell you honestly that I've never really been a "banner" person, but when I saw these banners at Convention, I changed my mind! The Halloween Banner is AMAZING!! And the Christmas Banner is BEAUTIFUL!! The pictures in the Holiday Catalog  really don't do these banners justice. The black glitter on the parts of the Halloween Accessories Kit are AWESOME and have a great shimmer! 

Watch the 2 videos below to see how Stampin' Up assembled the Halloween Accessory Kit and the Christmas Accessory Kit.  The Holiday Catalog starts today YIPPEE - see the front cover on my sidebar-and click on it to view the catalog!  You can order any of the products you see by clicking HERE.  Be sure to choose me as your Demonstrator when you order ONLINE to take advantage of my Frequent Shopper Rewards Program!



ALSO, available starting today are these great NEW thinlets dies!!  Watch the video below to see how they work and how cool they are!

FINALLY, here is the "Best of 25 Years" August Stamp Set.  I am soooo in a Halloween mood; this heat is killing me!