Occasions Mini/Sale-a-Bration Open House!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday with your family and friends... I did! I've been having fun playing with new products from the Occasions Mini and Sale-a-Bration catalogues. This card uses the Scallop Trim Border punch which you can get for FREE during Sale-a-Bration (January 5th - March 31st, 2010). It is the only product in the Sale-a-Bration flyer that will be available in the next Idea Book & Catalogue, but it's always better to get things for free, right? I also used Vintage Vogue (in the Occasions Mini) to stamp the vines. The new Clear Mount stamps make it so easy to postition the images when I'm stamping! Another favourite new item from the Occasions Mini is the Beautiful Wings Embosslit... I love butterflies, and these embossed ones are a great accent for any card.

If you'd like to make this card (and another using Sale-a-Bration free stamps) and use the new Clear Mount stamps, you're welcome to join me at my Sneak Peek Open House this Sunday (January 3rd) at 1:00pm or 7:00pm. It's free and I have lots of prizes (it's a Mystery Host party too)! My e-mail is in my sidebar if you're interested...

Twelve Weeks of Christmas - Week 11

I did get my 11th e-mail off last week, but haven't updated my blog until now. I'll be back soon with the 12th week of Christmas post (I need to get my e-mail off first). I also received my pre-order for the Occasions Mini Catalogue and Sale-a-Bration flyer and I've put my new Clear Mount stamps together (very excited about this option) but haven't had much time to play yet... hopefully I'll have something new to share soon! Anyway, here's the card for Week 11:

I love the Ornament Punch from the Holiday Mini... here's hoping it will make it into the next catalogue! The punch and the Four the Holidays stamp set as well as the Christmas Cocoa paper are only available for sure until January 4th, so if you want them and haven't got them yet, make sure you order by then...

Instructions:

1. Use the Ornament Punch to punch the Kraft card base (4 1/4" x 11"). Temporarily adhere the Whisper White cardstock (3" x 5 1/2") to the Kraft Card base. Line up the Ornament Punch over the ornament hole punched in the card base, and then punch again (going through the Whisper White).

2. Use the Ornament Punch to punch flocked paper from Christmas Cocoa damask paper. Put Stampin' Dimensionals on the back and adhere to the inside of the card (with the card closed, line up the Christmas Cocoa ornament in the hole).

3. Carefully peel Whisper White cardstock off card front. Stamp with ornaments from Tree Trimmings stamp set with Real Red and Old Olive ink.

4. Stamp ornament strings onto Whisper White cardstock with Chocolate Chip ink.
5. Adhere Whisper White cardstock onto card front.
6. Use the Scallop Edge punch to punch one side of the Old Olive cardstock (2" x 5 1/2"). Stamp sentiment from Four the Holidays onto Old Olive cardstock with Chocolate Chip ink.
7. Adhere Old Olive cardstock over string ends on card front.
 

Supplies:

Stamps: Four the Holidays (item #116921) and Vintage Ornaments (item #116722)

Christmas Cocoa Designer Series Paper (flocked damask) - item #116770

Ornament Punch (item #116794)

Kraft Cardstock (item #102125)

Whisper White cardstock (item #100730)

Old Olive Cardstock (item #100702)

Scallop Edge Punch (item #112091)

Inks: Chocolate Chip (item #100908), Old Olive (item #102277), Real Red (item #103133)

Twelve Weeks of Christmas - Week 10

I'm back with a card using one of my favourite stamps... Dasher! Dasher looks great embossed or with a little Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the antlers. Because it's a single stamp, you can use any other Christmas stamp sets you have to finish the card.

Instructions:

1. Stamp the Kraft card front with a swirl stamp from the Priceless stamp set and Sahara Sand ink.
2. Stamp 'Merry Christmas' from Four the Holidays with Rich Razzleberry ink at the bottom of the card.
3. Stamp 'Dasher' on the Very Vanilla cardstock with Chocolate Chip ink.
4. Trace the antlers with Two-Way glue and shake Dazzling Diamonds glitter over them.
5. Adhere the Very Vanilla cardstock onto Rich Razzleberry cardstock.
6. Punch a Curly Label from Old Olive cardstock. Fold the label in half and put it around the edge of the Rich Razzleberry cardstock. Use a little adhesive to keep in place.
7. Fold the Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot grosgrain ribbon and attach to the Curly Label with a staple.
8. Adhere the stamped Dasher Panel onto the card front.

Supplies:

Dasher Stamp - item #116816

Four the Holidays - item #116921

Priceless stamp set - item #115052

Kraft cardstock - item #102125

Rich Razzleberry cardstock - item #115316

Old Olive cardstock - item #100702

Very Vanilla cardstock - item #101650

Rich Razzleberry Classic ink pad - item #115658

Sahara Sand Classic ink pad - item #105208

Chocolate Chip Classic ink pad - item #100908

Two-Way Glue - item #100425

Dazzling Diamonds glitter - item #102023

Rich Razzleberry Polka Dot grosgrain ribbon - item #115613

Retiring Dormant Stamp Sets

These sets were in the last catalogue, but have been on the Dormant List (not in the catalogue, but still available to order). They will be retiring January 4th, so if any of these are on your wishlist make sure you get them before they're gone forever! I can place the order for you if you contact me, or you can do it yourself in my online store (http://www.lizgoldhawk.stampinup.net/ - "Shop Now").You can click on the name of the stamp set below to see the stamp images.

Item #      Stamp Set

113407    Back Woods  - $28.95
114492    Beautiful Baby - $9.50
114486    Birthday Wish - $8.25
113200    Branch Out - $26.95
114496    Celebrations - $9.50
113732    Central Park - $18.95
113206    Classic Sketches - $26.95
113226    Classy & Fabulous - $22.95
114498    Flowers in Silhouette - $9.50
113405    Font of You - $29.95
113216    For the Bride - $26.95
114494    Forever - $6.95
109425    Friend by Definition - $20.95
114488    Fun Flowers - $6.95
113716    Garden Greetings - $25.95
114490    Glad Friends - $6.95
111580    Grand Soiree - $29.95
113242    Hit the Road - $23.95
113710    Lexicon of Leaves - $30.95
113236    Man's Best Friend - $23.95
114423    Ocean Commotion - $20.95
113728    Playful Petals - $33.95
109276    Polka Dot - $20.95
111544    Putt Putt - $29.95
113240    Quilt Quips - $26.95
113754    Really Retro - $17.95
113403    Sip by Sip - $28.95
113726    Sweet Stems - $19.95
113250    That's Funny - $28.95
113688    Wonderful Watercolors - $47.95

Delightful Decorations Gift Card Holder

This gift card holder fits in a standard envelope, and I really like the way it flips open to reveal the gift card. This is one of the gift card holders we're making this weekend in my Christmas Gift Card Holder class (5 different gift card holders for $10.00). There are still spots available if you'd like to come!

Supplies (all SU!): Stamps (Delightful Decorations, Christmas Greetings), Inks (Old Olive), Cardstock (Whisper White, Real Red, Soft Suede), Christmas Cocoa DSP, Clear Crystal Brad, Ornament Punch, Corner Rounder punch, Word Window Punch

Twelve Weeks of Christmas - Week 9

This idea could be used as a gift, or you could use it to decorate your home for the holidays. You can customize the colours to co-ordinate with your home or the colours you use to decorate you tree, and you can get it out year after year. It's quick and easy too, so it's perfect for this time of year!

Supplies:
Small Chocolate Vintage Ornament Decor Elements (item #117966)
Decor Elements Applicator (item #114285)
Stretched and primed canvas from a craft store (mine is 16"x20")
Acrylic paints--you can just use one, or add a few like I did
ribbon (optional)

Instructions:

1. Paint the canvas. I do the bigger areas first... I dribble the paint directly onto the canvas and brush it across the canvas. Between colours, I wash out the brush. While the paint is still wet,  I drip small, random drops of other colours (the dark brown and the dark pink) over the painted stripes, and just brush back and forth until I like the result. I did wavy stripes with this one.
2. Let the canvas dry completely (I wait overnight).
3. Cut apart the ornaments and strings (they all come on one sheet) and figure out approximately where you want to place them.
4. Use the Decor Elements Applicator to rub gently over the ornaments (grid paper up). Gently peel back the adhesive layer (feels like masking tape). The ornament should be on the sticky side. If it's not, gently rub the applicator over the grid paper side again.
5. Place the ornament and sticky paper onto the canvas. I pile two SU! Idea book and catalogues under the canvas (inside the wood frame) so I have something to push against. Starting in the middle, rub the applicator to the edges of the ornament.
6. Slowly peel back the sticky paper. The ornament should now be on the canvas. If it's still sticking to the sticky paper, just press it back down onto the canvas and rub again with the applicator.
7. Repeat for all ornaments and strings.
8. If you'd like, you can use a glue gun to adhere ribbon around the edge of the canvas. You could also paint the edges if the staples are not showing.

I hope you try this... I love my Decor Elements art, and it's so easy. The key is that you don't have to push as hard as you think you do (I was trying too hard at first). A gentle rub is all it takes.