FESTIVE FLURRY WREATH - BONUS CRAFT PROJECT CENTRAL PROJECT

Nothing brings in the holidays like snowflakes and glitter.  Highlighting the wonderful Winter Frost designer paper and the Festive Flurry bundle, brighten up your door with a shimmery, glimmer wreath.

Isn't this a beautiful wreath????  I have resisted Stampin' Up!'s Festive Flurry bundle, and I know that this project is going to try to twist my arm.  Lauri Ingram, the designer of this project, did a great job, all the way down to the pretty snowflake in the center!  The tutorial for this project--a BONUS tutorial--can be found at Craft Project Central.  Qualifying for the bonus tutorial is easy . . . just subscribe to two or more months in a row, put the Craft Project Central badge on your blog, or refer a friend to the site.  When your friend subscribes, just let us know!

"FREESTYLE FRIDAYS"

Happy Black Friday!!!  It's Julie's turn to share a little inspiration today, and she has this pretty card with a die-cut dress form, buttons, lacy trim, and a little thread!  How cute is this?!?!  I love the spool with actual (what looks to be) linen thread, which is a Stampin' Up! product that I use a lot.  Take a few minutes to hop over to Julie's blog to get all of the details about her card, and don't forget to leave a little comment.  Sorry to keep this post short and sweet but, as of this writing, I'm contemplating running out for a little shopping.  ;-)

ENVELOPE PUNCH BOARD PHOTO HOLDER

This photo holder is designed to hold 4" x 6" photographs but, with the Envelope Punch Board, you can adapt it to any size you want.  Pair this cute photo holder with your favorite designer paper, and the possibilities are endless.  Instructions are also included on how to make the pocket-style file folder card.

The Envelope Punch Board is one of my most favorite tools these days, so I'm excited to make this ensemble, which was created by Laurie Zoellmer.  Her tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.

UPRIGHT DIAMOND FOLD

A few months ago, my sweet friend, Laura, was working on a tutorial for SCS and asked me to follow her written instructions to see if I could end up with a card that she named the Upright Diamond Fold (see the now-published tutorial HERE).  I'm almost always up for the challenge of learning a new "fun fold" technique, and it was exciting that Laura had shared instructions and a photo of her completed card.  If you've ever worked with "text only" instructions, then you know that they can be a real doozy, especially for a very impatient someone who is eager to see how the finished card will turn out and has trouble focusing on all of the details in between.  Ha!  I would never claim to be the smartest cracker in the box; however, when I first started stamping, the internet was NOT abundant with photo and video tutorials like it is today, so I had to learn to follow written instructions if I wanted to learn new techniques and fun folds for cards, boxes, etc.  Many times, it came down to me, a paper trimmer, a project photo, and the desire to figure out how something was made.  While I prefer photo and video tutorials today, I have a great appreciation for having to back my way into many, many projects in the past.  I think of it now as digging a learning and training "well" from which I still draw to help me understand a lot of tutorials today that either barely exist or aren't as explicit as they could be.  Laura's written instructions were very good, but things can get confusing (almost scary) when anything diagonal is thrown into the mix.  Circles and diagonals always make me cringe.  I bumped into a few stumbling blocks and do-overs, but I think my card turned out okay.  Actually, I like it a LOT!  Once I sat back and studied the finished card, I thought that it would make such a nice photo card with all of those fun pop-out, expanding panels but, since there were no photos on my card and the busy center didn't have a specific purpose, I decided to turn it into a gift card holder. 

Even though those fun triangular sections on my card are still blank, I am sure this would make a perfect birthday (or graduation) card--complete with a gift card--to send to someone and include photos of them at various stages in life.  Or a retirement card.  Maybe an anniversary.  Maybe just about any occasion!  Laura has a fantastic tutorial, complete with photos (woohoo!!!!), so give it a whirl!

"FOGGY MORNING IN A BURNED OUT FOREST" FOR MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY

When all was said and done and I looked at this card from a distance, I realized that it didn't quite turn out the way that it looked in my head.  It reminds me of a scene from Duck Dynasty, and I think it's the one where Phil is patiently following Ms. Kay, hoping that she will sooner-than-already choose the "right" Christmas tree.  I was going for a natural, woodsy Christmas card, but this one is probably more like foggy morning in a burned out forest.  I was determined to use Stampin' Up!'s Stamp a Tag Kit, and I am pleased with the tag, which was sponged with Crumb Cake and Soft Suede ink.  It's hard to tell from the photo, but there's Cherry Cobbler Dazzling Details on the red heart (yes, that's a heart beside the "to:" on the tag).  I stamped the tree image from Warmth & Wonder with Always Artichoke ink, and the fringe/grass is covering a little boo boo--because tree trunks don't hover, you know?  I'm glad I ended up with the fringe, though, because it lent the perfect place for the stamped sentiment.  You know, the more I look at this card, I realize it looks nothing like Christmas.  Why don't we just consider it a card to never, ever make?  Since you took the time to visit my blog today--and I really appreciate that--let me share two great cards made by my stampin' friends:

Debbie surprised me with this sweet card.  I hardly ever receive cards, but I love it when I do!  And wouldn't you know it . . . that Hello, Lovely stamp set is once again tempting me!  Great job, Debbie!

Tracy made this awesome card for my Inkerbelles' October swap.  It's impossible to tell from the photo, but she used the Stripes embossing folder on the card front.  Love the distressed edges on the layers! 

Have a stampin' good week!!!

GREETING CARD SET

Make this all-occasion greeting card set with a matching decorative box.  It is the perfect present for anyone, and it is easy to make and can be mass produced with ease.  The box, with its magnetic closure, can be used over and over.

This is truly one of those great projects that has perfect details!  Monika Davis did a great job designing this ensemble, and her tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.

FREESTYLE FRIDAYS

First of all, today is my sister's birthday so . . . HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Renee!!!  We're not quite a year apart--she was born on November 22nd one year, and I was born on November 8th the next year--so we're the same age for two weeks each year.  For many years, people thought we were twins because we were pretty much the same size--until my vitamins worked and her's didn't.  You would think that being born so close that we would have been really close growing up, but we weren't.  I'm glad that we're friends now, but I suppose it's because opposites attract.  We are as different as night and day.  So there's your shout-out, Renee.  Wishing you not only a blessed and happy day, but blessed and happy EVERY day!

Before I share my Freestyle Fridays project, I must share the awesome mail that I received yesterday.  Remember the card and muslin bag that Julie shared last week?  They are now in my possession, and you should see what was in that cute little bag:

 

Aren't those necklaces FUN?!?!  Julie girl knows exactly how to spoil someone.  I felt like the birthday girl all over again when I emptied that pretty bag to find not one--but TWO--necklaces!  The tissue paper got the first "wow".  Just look at it!  And those adorable charms on the tails of the seam binding which, by the way, she threaded through the top of the hand-stamped muslin bag.  I wasn't sure which photo I wanted to share, so I'm sharing both of them because the second one shows off the card, which is worth seeing again.  And yes, she stamped the envelope, too.  If Julie had bags under her eyes for a week or so, then I feel responsible because I'll bet she spent many late nights thinking up and adding so many details to this sweet birthday gift.  Julie, THANK YOU so much for sending a huge amount of birthday happy to my house!

And now that I've covered everything else, let me tell you about my Freestyle Fridays project.  Of course, it pales in comparison to Julie's, and it just barely satisfies the mission that she set forth for me.  I was missing My Digital Studio, so I decided to use the program to create the focal point for my card.  At some point in the week, I was thinking that I was supposed to use Crumb Cake and Baja Breeze, and I began my design with those two colors.  Then, as if I couldn't hop over to Julie's blog to verify, I decided that I had been confused and that I was supposed to use Baja Breeze and pink.  Fortunately, I kept some of the Crumb Cake on my design, although I would have used it more heavily if I'd been doing the right thing.

After printing the design on Whisper White card stock, I trimmed it to size, adhered it to a Whisper White mat, which was adhered to the Baja Breeze card.  This digital design features several of my very favorite MDS embellishments . . . Taffeta Trimmings, Baker's twine, Mis-Stitched (I think I use something from this embellishment kit on every digital design), and Staples & Stitching.  Other MDS products featured include Artistic Etchings and Adventure Awaits stamp brush sets, and the Follow Your Bliss kit. Julie Beaulieu, thank you again SO VERY MUCH for such a sweet and generous birthday gift!!!!

SEASON OF STYLE ENSEMBLE

It's time to deck the halls and wrap the gifts.  Why not make some cute decor and great packaging to match?  This ensemble includes an upcycled project - a wall-hanging from old CDs - plus some adorable gift boxes and a festive jar to use for holiday giving.

Having recently acquired Stampin' Up!'s Gift Bow die, I am excited about this pretty project which was designed by Jen Arkfeld.  Her complete tutorial can be found at Craft Project Central.

FROSTED HOLIDAY DECOR

If you love decorating for the holidays, you'll love creating this fun and frosty tree and wreath to add to your holiday home decor.  Make several to give as gifts.

I am in love with this project--especially the wreath--which was designed by Gayle Smith.  Her tutorial for this frosty ensemble can be found at Craft Project Central.

"MAKE-IT-SNAPPY-MONDAY"

For today's MISM project, I've got a quick card to share with you.  I can remember trying to decide if I "needed" Stampin' Up!'s Blooming with Kindness stamp set.  I seem to have a debate with myself every time I'm smitten with a new floral stamp set because I already have sooooooooooo many of them!  But you know what?  They're all unique and have a claim to fame--and reason to be in my collection, even if one stamp set shares the same claim to fame as about 15 others.  What really sold me on Blooming with Kindness was the fact that the floral image could be used to create a gorgeous background, used as a monochromatic focal point, it could be colored and fussed with, used to decorate just a corner of a project, etc., but the bonus selling point . . . the sentiments!  Besides the fact that they are a wonderful size and simply pretty, they fit several punches and dies and are perfect for a stamper's "go to" stamp set.  With one embossing folder and two punches, you can see how two images from Blooming with Kindness turned into an easy peasy pretty card.  Stampin' Up! products used to create this card include Wisteria Wonder, Whisper White, and Pear Pizzazz card stock, Pear Pizzazz marker, Wisteria Wonder and Black ink, Artisan Label punch, and Beautifully Baroque embossing folder.