The Nuts About Squirrels  stamp set debuted in the 2021 July-December Mini Catalog.  I was tempted to get it but never did.  When I saw that it was being carried over (see page 75 of the 2022 J-J catalog)I knew I had to get it.  

This card was made for the Festive Friday Challenge #FF102.  What is the Festive Friday Challenge?  The Festive Friday Challenge is the challenge with the Inspo List.  The Inspo List is a list of 10 items that were inspired by a festivity.  You need to use 3 items from the Inspo List on your project.  Here's a link to all  the info on participating in the challenge.

I used Red, Pink, Sparkle, Ribbon, Hearts, and Cute.  I am not sure the sentiment I used would be considered romantic but maybe?

The paper is from the Sweet Talk DSP pack.  Such a cute pack of paper that can be used beyond Valentine's Day.  The ribbon is the Real Red Faux Linen and it is a dream to tie bows with. I confess that I had to dip into my stash of retired Glimmer papers for the Real Red Glimmer paper used for the heart and the scallop around the circle.  The heart die I used to cut the glittery heart is from the Give It A Whirl dies. 

Inside I added a strip of the DSP and another red glittery heart.  

For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the  Festive Friday Challenge Design team.

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert you are here!

Melanie Hungerford

Helen Jennings

Stephanie Lanzalotto

Melva Peters

Jaydee

Diane Evans

Joanne James

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out what the rest of the design team crated for #FF102.

Product List

Nuts About Squirrels Photopolymer Stamp Set (English) [156475]	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [147084]	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad [147114]	Soft Suede Classic Stampin' Pad [147115]
Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [102482]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Sweet Talk 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [157616]	Give It A Whirl Dies [154336]
Layering Circles Dies [151770]	Real Red 3/8’’ (1 Cm) Faux Linen Ribbon [158129]	Rhinestone Basic Jewels [144220]

Registration is open for the next Creativity Abounds Stamp Camp featuring the Symbols of Fortune Suite.  The  stamp camp will be on April 29th and 30th (North America).  If you are interested in attending please contact me for more information.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas to you and yours!

It is hard to believe that there are just 9 days left until Christmas!  This is about the time I start cutting down my to do list and accepting not everything I want to do will get done.  I wish I could say I was all done with my Christmas cards unfortunately that is not the case and now I am thinking about what kind of New Years cards I can make.  

One more card made and ready to send!  I made this for the Create with Connie & Mary Challenge #CCMC695.  I used the Be Jolly  Santa and colored him with Stampin' Blends.  The DSP patchwork in the background are pieces from the Heartwarming Hugs DSP.  Unfortunately the DSP is no longer available/sold out.  

This is the sketch for the challenge.  I love to mix and match the DSP patterns so this sketch was a fun one for me.  

Inside I added a sentiment from the Christmas to Remember stamp set.  This stamp set will be carried over but it will no longer be available as a bundle.  The tree is also part of the Be Jolly set and also colored with Stampin' Blends. 

Thank you for stopping by and may your to-do list be short!

Check out the Creativity Abounds Tutorial Bundle

Place a $50 order through my online store and receive this bundle (14 tutorials!!)  as a thank you.  You can also purchase the tutorial bundle for $15.00.  Please contact me ([email protected]) if you would like to purchase the tutorial.

Welcome to the Stampers Dozen Blog Hop!  We are a group of Stampin' Up!® demonstrators who hop together on the 14th of every month.  This month our theme is Winter Wishes.  

I decided to use the Classic Cloche bundle which I am sorry to say has sold out and is no longer available.  Just a  note that things are selling out quickly so if there are thing you want from the July-December Mini Catalog do not delay and order sooner than later.

Instead of putting my winter scene in a cloche I decided to frame it with this cutout created using a die from the So Many Snowflakes dies.  I cut the die from the Whimsy & Wonder DSP, which has also sold out.  The pretty silver striped DSP behind the is also from the Whimsy & Wonder DSP pack.

Can you see the rhinestones on the snowflakes?  These are the Iridescent Rhinestones and they are featured in the upcoming 2022 J-J (January-June) Mini Catalog.  I love them!  They are one of my favorite embellishments.  These rhinestones have their own special shine and seem to reflect the colors around them.  Seriously, I will be stocking up on these.

The sentiment is a shortened version of the sentiment in the set.  I carefully inked up just the Joy & Happiness part of the sentiment.  This is something I wish for everyone this Winter season.

Now it is time for you to hop on over to see what the talented Carol Payne has create for you!

Here's a list of all the stops on the hop!

Stamper's Dozen December 2021 Blog Hop

1. Jodi Petersen – Jodi’s Card Designs
2. Rose Grunewald – Country Cards by Rose
3. Patty Chenail – Stamp-Patty’s - Stamping in My Flops
4. Judy Garza – Creativity Released
5. Sharon Hashimoto Burkert – As the Ink Dries
6. Carol Payne – Carol Payne Stamps
7. Joanne Cantrell – Keep It Simple, Stampers
8. Rachel Yurkanin – Rachel’s Stamping Place
9. Bonnie O'Neill – Bonnie Stamped
10. Kelly Acheson – A Stamp Above
11. Donna Burk Schneidtmiller – Donna Stamps

Thank you for stopping by and enjoy the hop!

What is your favorite Christmas color combination?  That is the focus of this week's Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  I am a fan of lots of different color combinations for Christmas and in my mind most combination can work for Christmas.  That being said I am going old school and traditional for my card for the challenge.

I chose Real Red, Shaded Spruce, with a touch of Bumblebee.  I love the clean, richness of this combination.  I also used Sahara Sand and Basic White as my neutrals. 

This is the Merriest Moments bundle which includes the Merriest Moments stamp set and the Merriest Frames Hybrid Embossing folder and coordinating dies.  Love the embossing folder that coordinates with the dies and adds texture and elegance.  The stitched rectangle that nestles nicely into the frame adds even more texture and interest.  

The pretty Sahara Sand and Basic White patterned paper is from the Tidings of Christmas 6" x 6" DSP found in the 2021-22 Annual catalog.  The designs on one side of the paper skew Christmas but the flip sides have more all occasion designs, making this a versatile pack of paper in spite of the name of the paper pack. 

The sentiments in this stamp set are so lovely.  I like the words themselves which are made better by the font.  I also added berries and leaves to the inside of the card to dress things up a bit more.  

Thank you for stopping by and be sure to check out what color combinations the rest of the design team loves for Christmas,

Product List

Merriest Moments Bundle (English) [156783]	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [147084]	Shaded Spruce Classic Stampin' Pad [147088]	Bumblebee Classic Stampin' Pad [153116]
Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [102482]	Basic White 8 1/2" X 11" Cardstock [159276]	Tidings Of Christmas 6" X 6" (15.2 X 15.2 Cm) Designer Series Paper [155718]

It is Thursday and time for the Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  This week it is a sketch challenge.  I couldn't resist using some sneak peek products from the upcoming Jan-Feb 2022 Sale-A-Bration  and the J-J (January-June) 2022 Mini Catalog.

The DSP is called Sunshine & Rainbows and is one of the Sale-A-Bration choices.  This pack of paper is free with a qualifying purchase and coordinates with the Brilliant Rainbow Dies in the J-J Mini catalog.  The rainbow is also cut from the Sunshine & Rainbows DSP using the Brilliant Rainbow Dies. I mounted the rainbow on a piece of Foam Adhesive Sheet and then cut it out with the dies.   The scalloped Polished Pink border was also cut using the Brilliant Rainbow Dies.

The Polished Pink happy was cut using the Christmas Cheer Dies.  I am sad that these dies are retiring.  You can see the Last Chance list HERE..  I have really enjoyed using the Christmas Cheer dies especially the words.

The little heart underneath the rainbow was cut using the Messages die.  It is just the perfect size for the rainbow.

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out what the rest of the Create with Connie & Mary team created.

It is Thursday and here in the US it is Thanksgiving.  Today it is also the Create with Connie & Mary Challenge day.  This week it is a color challenge.

Beautiful, rich colors perfect for this time of year.

I think the Nature's Harvest bundle is the Bundle I used the most from the July-Dec 2021 Mini Catalog.  The flowers were colored using Watercolor pencils and the cut using the coordinating Harvest dies. The Watercolor pencils Assortment 1 has both Rich Razzleberry and Early Espresso pencils,  there is no pencil for the Cinnamon Cider since it is an In Color (2020-22).  

The background was created using a Water Painter, ink refills (Rich Razzleberry, Early Espresso, Cinnamon Cider) on  watercolor paper.  I diluted the ink refill with water and then brushed it on the watercolor paper.  Once the paper was dry I did some splatters using Early Espresso ink diluted with water and the Water Painter.  

The sentiment is from the Color & Contour set.  It is a fun font and a perfect sentiment for today and well anytime.  

The Very Vanilla twine was added to the panel once it was dry.  Do you see those tiny butterflies?  This is a little sneak peek of something that is coming in the J-J (January-June) 2022 Mini Catalog.  They are the Brushed Brass Butterflies and you will be seeing them a lot.  The butterflies come in 2 sizes-tiny and teeny tiny.  I used both sizes on my card.  The butterflies are pretty thin and flat which makes them easily mailable.  Since they have a brushed finish they are not super shiny but add a subtle shine.  I am a big fan and look forward to ordering more of them.

Happy Thanksgiving and I am grateful you stopped by,

Place a $50 order through my online store and receive this bundle (14 tutorials!!)  as a thank you.  You can also purchase the tutorial bundle for $15.00.  Please contact me ([email protected]) if you would like to purchase the tutorial.

Welcome to the Stampers Dozen Blog Hop.  This month our theme is Thankful.  It is a perfect theme for this month when we celebrate all the things we are thankful for.  

The lovely flowers are from the Nature's Harvest bundle colored using watercolor pencils.   The flowers are on a scalloped label (Scalloped Contour dies) embossed with the Stitched Greenery die.    The DSP strip is from the Harvest Meadow DSP.

The ribbon is the Bumblebee Gingham Ribbon and the pretty metallic accents are the Brushed Metallic Dots.   It is hard to see but the Early Espresso CS is  embossed using the Tasteful Textile 3D folder.  This is one of my favorite embossing folders, it  creates a subtle  lovely texture.

The sentiment on the outside and inside of the card is from the Ornate Thanks set.  This is a great set that I do not use often enough.  It is full of great words that can be combined to express your gratitude and thanks.

Time to check out what Carol Payne has created for you.

Stamper's Dozen November 2021 Blog Hop

1. Donna Burk Schneidtmiller – Donna Stamps
2. Jodi Petersen – Jodi’s Card Designs
3. Rose Grunewald – Country Cards by Rose
4. Patty Chenail – Stamp-Patty’s - Stamping in My Flops
5. Judy Garza – Creativity Released
6. Sharon Hashimoto Burkert – As the Ink Dries
7. Carol Payne – Carol Payne Stamps
8. Joanne Cantrell – Keep It Simple, Stampers
9. Rachel Yurkanin – Rachel’s Stamping Place
10. Debbie Naylor – Unfrogettable Stamping!
11. Bonnie O'Neill – Bonnie Stamped
12. Kelly Acheson – A Stamp Above

Thank you for stopping by,

Product List

Nature's Harvest Bundle (English) [156813]	Ornate Thanks Photopolymer Stamp Set (English) [149471]	Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad [147114]	Watercolor Pencils [141709]
Pool Party Stampin' Blends Combo Pack [154894]	Very Vanilla 8-1/2" X 11" Thick Cardstock [144237]	Early Espresso 8-1/2" X 11" Cardstock [119686]	Harvest Meadow 12" X 12" (30.5 X 30.5 Cm) Designer Series Paper [156494]
Stitched Greenery Die [155451]	Scalloped Contours Dies [155560]	Tasteful Textile 3 D Embossing Folder [152718]	1/4" Bumblebee Gingham Trim [153658]
Brushed Metallic Adhesive Backed Dots [156506]

Time for a new Festive Friday Challenge!  What is the Festive Friday Challenge?  The Festive Friday Challenge is the challenge that has an Inspo List aka Inspiration List that is inspired by a festivity.  This challenge the festivity  is National Cookie Day.  What a fantastic festivity!  I am always up for a good cookie!  

To play along with the challenge you need to pick 3 items from the Inspo List and use them on your project.   You can always use more than 3 items from the list.  Your project doesn't have to be based around the festivity but it can.  

I was surprised to find that I didn't have a cookie image among my stamp sets.  Cookies are among my favorite baked goods and I thought for sure I would have a cookie stamp somewhere.  I found cakes, cupcakes, and even figgy pudding but no cookies.  I chose from the Inspo List circle, brown, ivory, and swirls.  

The circle is the piece of wood that is the base of the tag.  The brown is the fabulous acorn made using the Christmas Season stamp set.  It is a 2 step stamp and I used Early Espresso and Soft Suede ink and cut it out using the Seasonal Labels Dies.   The ivory is represented by the Very Vanilla CS that all the images were stamped on.  Finally, the swirls are a little hard to see but they are in the background cut from white glitter paper.  The die is a retired Stampin' Up! die set,  Swirly Scribbles.  I was also going to also list cookies but since these are store bought shortbread cookies and the only thing I did was put them in a plastic sleeve, I decided it might not really count.   

Once the cookies are consumed the tag can be used as an ornament.  

For more inspiration, be sure to visit the rest of the  Festive Friday Challenge Design team.

Ann Schach

Beth McCullough

Sharon Hashimoto Burkert you are here

Melanie Hungerford

Helen Jennings

Stephanie Lanzalotto

Melva Peters

Jaydee

Diane Evans

Joanne James

Thanks for stopping by!

It is Thursday and time for another Create with Connie & Mary Challenge.  This week it is a color challenge.

Isn't this a happy color combination? 

I colored the  cupcakes from the Sweets & Treats stamp set using Mint Macaron and Polished Pink Stampin' Blends.  I wanted to make these cupcakes extra sweet so I cut little Blushing Bride flowers using the Peach dies and added a Polished Pink gem to the centers.  The sentiment is from the Biggest Wish stamp set.  I stamped on Blushing Bride CS and embossed the sentiment using Black Emboss Powder. The sentiment is fussy cut, it was a little more time consuming to do but worth it.  Love the black & white gingham ribbon.

I also embossed the Basic White CS layer with the dots folder from the Checks & Dots. The folder is narrow 3-3/8" but it is easy to reposition it to cover a quarter sheet of cardstock.   I had an extra cupcake cut and colored so it was added to the inside of the card along with a strip of Blushing Bride CS.  

Thanks for stopping by and be sure to check out what the rest of the Design Team created.