Amaryllis Christmas

Hello, hello!  I hope your Christmas was wonderful -- wherever you are!

This was my Christmas card this year.  This flower reminded me so much of an Amaryllis -- yes, I do know that an Amaryllis has six petals, but I just had to somehow make the process of punching enough petals for 40 cards a little less tedious, so I created my own 5-petal version!

This flower is made using the new "Build A Blossom" stamp set and matching punch from the upcoming Occasions mini catalogue.  As soon as I saw this set and punch, I knew I HAD to get it!  It is so elegant and reasonably easy to use.

A few tips for making this card -- first, make a strip of cherry Cobbler card stock about 2 1/4" wide -- stamp your petals, then punch your petals -- holding the punch upside down and feeding your strip in from the left hand side into the punch.  Next, use a bone folder to "curl" the petals.  Lay your petals out on some scratch paper, and spray them liberally with shimmer mist to give them a gorgeous sparkle.  To make the shimmer mist, put some rubbing alcohol into a little misting bottle -- using a dropper, add a couple dropper fulls of champagne shimmer paint -- shake well to distribute, then mist onto project.  Be sure to wash your dropper quickly in water so that the paint won't be stuck inside of it.

Supplies list:
Card stock:
Cherry Cobbler (8 1/2 x 5 1/2") + scraps for punching #119685
Very Vanilla (3 3/8 x 4 5/8") and (4 x 5 1/4" for inside panel) #101650
Old Olive (3 1/2 x 4 3/4") + scraps for punching leaves #100702

Ink:
Cherry Cobbler #119669
Old Olive #102277

Stamps:
Build a blossom #121923
Baroque Motifs #113490

Accessories:
Blossom petals extra large punch #121808
Big Shot plus petals-a-plenty (#116824) and square lattice (#119976) embossing folders
Old Olive Satin ribbon #117292
Basic pearls #119247
shimmer spray -- made with rubbing alcohol and champagne mist shimmer paint #116806

I hope this inspires you to make something beautiful with this stamp set and punch!

Wow! project of the month

This is a custom order for a friend.  I love how it turned out.  The color scheme is Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, and accents of Kiwi Kiss.  It's hard to see in the photo, but the little flowers are texturized as well.

Supplies:
Card Stock -- Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip, Kiwi Kiss (retired), and Whisper White
Ink -- Baja Breeze, Chocolate Chip
Accessories: Big Shot and Flower Folds Die, SU little leaves Sizzlet, Birds and Blooms sizzlet dies, Polka dotted and square lattice embossing folders
Small oval punch
Crimper
Kiwi Kiss corduroy buttons (retired)
Sherbert buttons
Linen Thread
10x10" shadow box frame

I printed the saying onto Whisper White using a really dark chocolate ink.  Then, cut it into a circle, mounted it onto the Baja Breeze 10x10" square, and then arranged the leaves and flowers on top.

Happy crafting!

Beth

Tin O' Christmas Tags Class

Tags, tags, and more tags!  I got a bunch of these tins from the SU clearance rack a while ago, and decided they would be perfect to make a little Christmas tin full of tags!  So, there you have it -- this is my next class -- scheduled for Dec 11th at 10:30 am.  I thoroughly enjoyed stamping all these cute tags with the "Tags Till Christmas" stamp set from the Holiday mini.  LOVE that set! and I know it will come out this time of year for years and years to come!

Supplies:
Card Stock:
Jolly Holiday DSP 
Cherry Cobbler
Old Olive
Whisper White
Very Vanilla
Marina Mist
Chocolate Chip
Real Red

Inks:
Cherry Cobbler
Old Olive
Marina Mist
Real Red

Accessories:
Linen thread
Vanilla, black, ans white 1/4" grossgrain ribbon
Punches: -- Decorative Label, Tag punch, large tag punch, scallop oval, Ornament punch, 1 3/4" circle, 2 3/8" scallop circle
2-way glue pen
Dazzling Diamonds glitter
Rhinestones -- and a black Sharpie to make the Santa buttons black!

Tags Till Christmas -- card

Cherry Cobbler is my new absolute favorite color!  It is so versatile -- great for Christmas -- paired with Old Olive, birthdays, or even paired with Pretty in Pink for a birth announcement!  It is rich, warm, and deep -- and I can't get enough of it!

This is the 3rd card we will be making at my Christmas Card Extravaganza class.

Supplies:
Card Stock:
Old Olive -- 8 1/2 x 5 1/2" (100702)
Jolly Holiday DSP -- 2 x 5 1/4" (117159)
scraps of Very Vanilla for punching

Stamps:
Tags Till Christmas (Holiday Mini)

Ink:
Cherry Cobbler (119669)

Accessories:
Big Shot and Petals a Plenty embossing folder (116824)
Cherry cobbler seam binding (Holiday Mini)
1/4" Old Olive grossgrain ribbon (111368)
Glue dots (103683)
Scallop Trim border punch (118402)
Ornament punch  (119847)
2-way glue pen (100425)
Dazzling Diamonds glitter (102023)

Serene Snowflakes Christmas card

Here is another card we are making at my Christmas card extravaganza class -- a simple, yet elegant, card using the Serene Snowflakes stamp set.

Supplies:
Card stock:
Baha Breeze -- 8 1/2 x 5 1/2"
Early Espresso -- 4 1/8 x 5 3/8", strip 1 x 5 1/2"
Shimmery White -- 4 x 5 1/4" plus scraps for punching

Ink:
Early Espresso
Baja Breeze

Stamps:
Serene Snowflakes
Perfect Punches

Accessories:
Dotted Scalloped Ribbon border punch, scallop circle punch
Basic Pearls

Norther Flurries Christmas card

This is one of the cards we are going to make at my Christmas Card Extravaganza class.
Supplies list:
Card stock:
Not Quite Navy -- 5 1/2 x 8 1/2"
Whisper White -- 5 3/8 x 4 1/8" plus scraps to stamp sentiment on
Marina Mist -- 5 1/4 x 4"
Ink:
White craft and Not Quite Navy
Stamps: Tags Till Christmas
Accessories:
Big Shot and Northern Flurries embossing folder
Sponge Dauber to apply white craft ink to embosses snow flakes
silver glass glitter
Mono Multi glue
rhinestones
stampin' dimensionals
White organdy ribbon
Decorative Label punch

This is a super simple card -- simply emboss Marina Mist panel with Northern Flurries embossing folder.  Use a sponge dauber to add white craft ink to the embossed snow flakes.  Tie a knot in your pc of organdy ribbon and secure to back side of Marina Mist panel on lower third, as shown. Add rhinestones to the center of each snow flake. Layer to white panel then to folded Not Quite Navy panel. Stamp sentiment on whisper white scrap -- punch out with Decorative Label punch.  Attach to card front using Stampin' dimensionals.  Add Mono Multi glue in a fine line around sentiment -- dump silver glass glitter over, and shake off excess.  Set aside to dry

Christmas Card Extravaganza

Join me for my next class -- Christmas Card Extravaganza.

When: Sunday, Nov 14th at 2:00 PM
Where: My Home: 33 Grizzly Way, Kalispell, MT 59901

Enjoy an afternoon out with some crafty friends, and get a head start on your Christmas cards. We will be making three Christmas cards at this class, featuring several simple stamping techniques. I will have lots of Holiday inspiration available, as well, to help you on your own Christmas card designs.  Don't worry if you don't feel all that crafty -- I will have all the supplies cut and ready to stamp -- and will demo each project for you, so no stress -- only fun!

Class fee is $10. Want to make more than 3 cards? Stamp some extras for $1 per card -- just let me know ahead of time which cards you would like to make.  I will have lots of yummy snacks and drinks, so come on out for a stampin' fun afternoon!

Friends are always welcome -- just include them in your RSVP.

Join my meetup group, Flathead Valley Stampers, to keep up to date on what we're making next and when.  It's free to join, of course :)  here's the link: http://www.meetup.com/Flathead-Valley-Stampers/
Stampingly,

Beth Anderson

Stampin' Up! Demonstrator
33 Grizzly Way, Kalispell, MT

(206) 661-0093

Jack O' Lantern Madness

I recently saw this idea -- where you use strips of tissue and Mod Podge to cover the outsides of various sized mason jars to make adorable Jack-o-lanterns.  Well, I couldn't find suitable jars, so I found these cheap vases at the $ store and they worked just great.  The look is slightly different because they don't go in at the top (as in the neck of the jar), but they were still fun.  I used crepe paper instead of tissue strips -- no cutting involved!  And various SU punches to make the faces.

Supplies list:
glass vases (from the $ store) or a variety of canning jars
Mod Podge
foam brush
Orange, purple, and white crepe paper
Basic Black card stock
SU punches -- large oval, small oval, wide oval, star, 1 1/4" round, 1" square

Instructions:
Using a foam brush, paint mod podge on the outside of your vase -- in a stripe slightly wider than your crepe paper.
Apply a strip of paper letting some hang off the top and bottom -- you will trip it later.
Pat the paper down with your fingers.
Apply more mod podge to one edge of the strip you just put down (to secure it well) and make another stripe of glue immediately adjacent to the strip you just added.
Add your next strip of crepe paper -- overlapping it with the previous strip.
Again, paint more glue on this strip to hold it in place, and keep the edges from sticking up.
Repeat above steps until entire jar is covered.
Let dry overnight.
Add the faces using various punches and scraps of black card stock.  Adhere them in place with Mono Multi glue, and paint over the tops with more mod podge.  Let dry.  Put candles or flameless tea lights inside.

These jack-o-lanterns and owls and pumpkins were all centerpieces for the Harvest Carnival at my son's school.  A lot of work, but also a ton of fun!
Enjoy!

My take on the paper strip pumpkins!

Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere!

I love this time of year -- beautiful fall leaves, our annual trip to the pumpkin patch, Thanksgiving plans, fall decor, Halloween...  I've seen several versions of these paper strip pumpkins, and had to try them out for myself -- with my OWN twist.
1) Cut your pumpkin pie cardstock vertically at 6" (so your pc measures 6x11").
2) Emboss the entire pc, one section at a time, using the Big Shot and polka dotted, vintage wallpaper, and the square lattice embossing folders.
3) Use a direct to paper technique to add pumpkin pie ink to the embossed pattern -- i.e. rub your ink pad all over your paper!
4) Cut your finished piece into 3/4" strips.
5) Stack all your strips together into a neat little stack -- use the Crop-o-dile to punch a hole through the entire stack at one end.  Carefully turn it around and punch through the entire stack at the other end -- keeping it all even, if possible.  Make this second hole a little bigger by punching twice right next to the first hole.
6) Put a brad through the bottom set of holes to secure that end.
7) Fan out the little strips to create a symmetric "spokes on a wheel" kind of look.
8)  Loop a pc of Early Espresso 5/8" satin ribbon (or any chocolate ribbon you have on hand) in half and tie a knot at the end -- then thread the ribbon loop through the top holes in your pumpkin strips, one by one until they are all threaded on.
9) Cut a 1/4" strip of Old Olive cardstock and curl it around a pencil -- attach to the ribbon loop for your vine.
10) Cut leaves out of Old Olive card stock with the Leaves #2 die and Big Shot -- emboss the leaves, if you wish -- and attach with glue dots to top of pumpkin.