The Create with Connie and Mary Challenge is back with a new color challenge.  

Isn't this a striking color combination?  One of the reasons I enjoy being on the Create with Connie & Mary Challenge design team is it forces me to stamp outside of my comfort zone, I love these colors but am not sure I would have put them together.

These butterflies were cut using the Butterfly Beauty thinlits.  I love these thinlits!  I think they are one of the many must haves in the new upcoming Occasions catalog.  I added the "amazing" from the Celebrate You thinlits in the Stampin' Up!® Annual catalog.  The Blueberry Bushel card stock was texturized using the Subtle embossing folder.

What would you make using this vibrant color combination?  Be sure to check out what the other members of the design team created for this week's challenge.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!  

Ready for a sneak peek?  You know I love black and white patterned paper.  Well, Stampin' Up! has a most incredible pack of paper for Sale-A-Bration.  If you are not familiar with Sale-A-Bration it is one of the best times of the year.  Starting January 3-March 31 2019 every time you place a $50 order (before tax and shipping) you get to choose a free gift from the Sale-A-Bration brochure.  I think you will find that there are SO many great choices.  If you forced me to choose just one, I would have to choose the Botanical Butterfly DSP.  I am a lover of paper and this pack checks off all the boxes for me.  One side is black and white designs (gingham check!!) and the flip side is beautifully colored designs.  It is fitting that my first sneak peek features this paper.

I used two of the designs from the Botanical Butterfly DSP.  Love the butterflies and will have to fight my hoarding instinct when it comes to the black and white gingham!  

The sentiment is from the Butterfly Gala stamp set which will be featured more prominently in another post.  The ribbon is the Poppy Parade 1/2" Textured Weave Ribbon in the annual catalog.  The little heart is a Heart Epoxy Droplet (Occasions catalog page 5) colored using a Dark Poppy Parade Stampin' Blend.

Hope you enjoyed this sneak peek.  I will be focusing on more sneak peeks especially thank yous since we will all need them soon!

Here's another quick and easy gift card holder.  This one is perfect for those coffee cards that are a nice little treat anytime.  

I used the Envelope Punch Board to create the gift card holder.  I started with a 5-1/8" x 5-1/8" piece of Wood Textures DSP.   The first measurement is to punch and score at 2-1/4", then simply turn and punch and score lining up with the previous score line.

I made a belly band that fits around the envelope. I attached the largest snowflake (from the now retired limited edition Snowfall thinlits) on to the belly band and attached the coffee cup on to the snowflake.Don't you love the plaid cup?  I used the Festive Farmhouse DSP for the cup and wrap.   This gift card holder comes together quickly and the hardest part is figuring out what paper to use to make those cute cups from the Coffee Cup framelits.

Product List

Takeout Treats Clear-Mount Stamp Set [147858] $22.00	Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad [147083] $7.50	Wood Textures Designer Series Paper Stack [144177] $11.00	Festive Farmhouse 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [147820] $11.00
Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [101650] $9.75	Cherry Cobbler 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [119685] $8.50	Old Olive 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100702] $8.50	Old Olive 1/8" Sheer Ribbon [144171] $6.00
Coffee Cups Framelits Dies [143745] $30.00	Layering Circle Framelits Dies [141705] $35.00	Snowfall Thinlits Dies [149692] $39.00

Be sure to check out the Clearance Rack.  There's new product in the Clearance Rack and it's going fast!  The Year-End Closeout is still going strong until January 2nd so check that out also.

Are you like me and still working on Christmas gifts?  Here's a quick and easy gift card holder/ Christmas card.   I am using the Vertical Greetings stamp set, All is Bright DSP, and sentiments from Signs of Santa and Dashing Deer.

I was looking through my stamp sets and the very last set ( I store mine alphabetically) was Vertical Greetings.  I thought I could dress up one of the topiaries for Christmas.  What do you think? 

Here's how you make this easygift card holder.  

Card base: 4-1/4" x 11"  scored at 4-1/2", 10"

Inside of card: 4" x 4-3/4"

Adhere the inside of the card to the card base.  Use two 1" strips of Tear & Tape adhesive and  create a pocket by securing the 1" sides to the card base.  This shallow pocket will hold the gift card.  The card fits in a medium envelope (A-2) and comes together very quickly.  Perfect way to package some last minute gift cards.

Product List

Vertical Greetings Clear-Mount Stamp Set [141876] $19.00	Dashing Deer Clear-Mount Stamp Set [147728] $22.00	Signs Of Santa Photopolymer Stamp Set [147690] $21.00	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad [147114] $7.50	Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad [147089] $7.50
Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [147084] $7.50	Garden Green 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102584] $8.50	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102482] $8.50	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.75	All Is Bright 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [147892] $11.00
Gold Glimmer Paper [146958] $5.00	Stitched Shapes Framelits Dies [145372] $30.00	Layering Ovals Framelits Dies [141706] $35.00	Apron Builder Framelits Dies [145661] $29.00	Red Rhinestone Basic Jewels [146924] $7.00

Time for me to get back to Christmas list!

Welcome to the Stamper's Dozen Blog Hop!  We have some special sneak peek projects featuring the 2019 Stampin' Up! Occasion catalog to share with you!  It was very difficult trying to decide what products to use to share with you.  The 2019 Occasions catalog is a great one and my list is very long.  

Finally, I decided to share with you this card using the Needle & Thread bundle.  I am  not very talented when it comes to needle crafts but with this stamp set I can create projects that look hand embroidered.  

This stamp set has fabulous images and great sentiments.  You know I love it when it all comes in one set.  The Framelits are also very special in this bundles.  There is one die that just creates a beautiful design with little holes.  You can see I used it behind the flower images.  Let's be honest this really sold me on the set.  I love that die and it just adds so much to a project.  I also had to buy this bundle because it coordinates with the Pretty Label punch.  There is a framelit that creates stitching lines that line up with the Pretty Label punch.  I love the crossover and coordination between products in the Seasonal catalogs and the Annual catalog.

There is a lot to see on the hop so be sure to check out what everyone has created.

Stamper's Dozen December 2018 Blog Hop

1. Patty Chenail – Stamping In My Flops
2. Bonnie O'Neill – Bonnie Stamped
3. Joanne Cantrell – Keep It Simple, Stampers
4. Carol Payne – Carol Payne Stamps
5. Rachel Yurkanin – Stamping with Rachel
6. Sharon Hashimoto Burkert – As the Ink Dries
7. Debbie Naylor – Unfrogettable Stamping
8. Jodi Reinert – Stamp with Jodi
9. Kelly Acheson – A Stamp Above
10. Judy Garza – Creativity Released
11. BJ Peters – Stampin' BJ
12. Laura Milligan – I’d Rather “Bee” Stampin’

Next week I will be mailing out the 2019 Occasions and the Sale-A-Bration catalogs.  If you are not currently working with a Stampin' Up! demonstrator and would like to receive the catalogs,  let me know and I will send them to you.

There were so many fabulous stamp sets and bundles in the 2018 Stampin' Up! Holiday catalog.  So many sets I am going to miss.  I had so much fun with the Signs of Santa stamp set and the coordinating dies and wanted to play with them for this week's Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.

I saw the long strip behind the oval and immediately thought of the North Pole sign in the Signs of Santa stamp set.  The rest of the card just fell into place after that.

Unfortunately it appears that the Santa's Signpost framelits are no longer available.  I used them to cut out the pole and Santa.  Fortunately, most of the images  in this stamp set are not very intricate so it wouldn't be too difficult to cut them by hand.  The patterned paper I used is the Santa's Workshop Specialty DSP. I cut out the scallop from one of the designs to use as a border.  The Poppy Parade polka dot is also from the Santa's Workshop paper pack.

This challenge is for 2 weeks so the design team will have a little break to prepare and enjoy the holidays.  This will also give you a little extra time to check out what the other designers created for this challenge.

I promise this is the last Peaceful Poinsettia post...for this week at least!  On my stamp table I have a box where I keep bits and pieces of things.  I went through the box to see if there were any treasures I could use for today's post.  I found a sparkly poinsettia.  Now I have already shown you sparkly poinsettias with the Buffalo Check,  sparkly poinsettias with DSP here,  here, and  a sparkly poinsettias on a box,  What was left to do?  A sparkly poinsettia on a sparkly background.

The beautiful Blizzard thinlit is also on the Year End Close-Out and discounted!  Don't delay shopping, items on the Year End Close-Out are only available while supplies last.  I wish you could see all the sparkle of the snowflakes and the poinsettia.  I am definitely making more of these for my Christmas cards.

Product List

Peaceful Poinsettia Clear-Mount Bundle [149962] $48.50	Versamark Pad [102283] $9.00	Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102482] $8.50	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.75
Sparkle Glimmer Paper [146957] $5.00	Blizzard Thinlits Die [147902] $28.00	White Stampin' Emboss Powder [109132] $5.00	Red Rhinestone Basic Jewels [146924] $7.00

I hope you aren't tired of the Peaceful Poinsettia bundle!  I found another card that I forgot to share with you.  

I made this card for the November Stamper's Dozen blog hop which was a color challenge using Powder Pink, Merry Merlot and Silver. I ended up not sharing and chose to share this card instead.  So, what do you think of Powder Pink for Christmas?  I used my favorite 6" x 6" DSP.  I'm sure you have noticed that I am a big fan of polka dots and stripes.   The poinsettia swap is embossed with silver embossing powder and then colored using an Aqua Painter and Powder Pink and Merry Merlot ink refills.  

Product List

Peaceful Poinsettia Clear-Mount Bundle [149962] $48.50	Itty Bitty Greetings Clear-Mount Stamp Set [146667] $36.00	Merry Merlot Classic Stampin' Pad [147112] $7.50	Powder Pink Classic Stampin' Pad [147147] $7.50
Versamark Pad [102283] $9.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $7.75	Merry Merlot 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [146979] $8.50	Subtles 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [146966] $11.00
Silver Baker’S Twine [145569] $4.00	Silver Stampin' Emboss Powder [109131] $5.00	Aqua Painters [103954] $17.00

The Peaceful Poinsettia bundle is on the Retiring Products list.and is only available while supplies last.  I found one more sample to share with you using this bundle and will share that with you tomorrow.

I was cleaning up my computer files and came across this card using the Peaceful Poinsettia bundle and Sparkle Glimmer paper.  I made this card when I first received this bundle and it made me fall hard for the bundle.  I did a quick search and I don't think I have shared this one with you before.   Maybe I just missed the post where I shared this but it is among my favorite cards I made using this bundle so humor me.  

Cut the Whisper White card stock using  the Detailed Poinsettia dies and then stamp the sentiment using Real Red ink.  Use the Multipurpose Liquid Glue to adhere the Whisper White card stock to Sparkle Glimmer paper.  To help the Whisper White card stock adhere to the Glimmer paper, I put it under a book for a few minutes which helps the glue get into the irregular surface of the Sparkle Glimmer paper.  I wanted to add some sparkly berries so I embossed a piece of Real Red card stock inked with VersaMark sprinkled with a mix of Dazzling Diamonds glitter with Clear embossing powder aka Glittery Goodness.  

Product List

Peaceful Poinsettia Clear-Mount Bundle [149962] $48.50	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [147084] $7.50	Versamark Pad [102283] $9.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [140272] $7.75	Sparkle Glimmer Paper [146957] $5.00
Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102482] $8.50	Dazzling Diamonds Stampin' Glitter [133751] $5.00	Clear Stampin' Emboss Powder [109130] $5.00	Liquid Multipurpose Glue [110755] $4.00