The Stamp Doctor

Good morning!  I hope you're having a wonderful holiday season.

So I was supposed to create something for The Stamp Doctor that pertained to holiday or winter and to tell you the truth, I just couldn't bring myself to make one more Christmas card and I don't have the snowman stamps from TSD in my collection just yet, so it really presented a dilemma for me.  What to make?

Unfortunately, a friend of mine just recently lost his father and I realized that I do not have any sympathy cards in my stash.  So I created this card using the Rose Bouquet and the Dove & Peace die.  The background lattice is very similar to Spellbinders Grateful Lattice (S5-164) but was cut using a cut file by Echo Park available in the Silhouette online store.

Now, this particular card isn't appropriate to give to my friend since I chose to use pink, but I still think it turned out lovely.

Have a fantastic day and Happy New Year!!

Tuesday Morning Sketches #230 and 12 Days of Christmas - Day 12

Good Morning!  As I promised for the 12th day of Christmas I'd show you super easy last minute gift giving project.  It's also Tuesday so there's a new challenge up on Tuesday Morning Sketches - Anything Goes.  Yes, that's me coughing, sputtering and gasping for air.  Me of all people said it's an Anything Goes challenge, but it's our one and only annual challenge that is a free for all!

So here's my project that ends this 12 Days of Christmas series.

With this project you have the card, the gift wrapping and the gift all in one.  I used my Silhouette to create the 3D bow, but you know that there are many companies out there with dies available, too.  MFT is one of them.  This bow is so darn cute!

Look at the 3D coolness!  Then using my very old small and large tag punches from Stampin' Up! I made a little gift tag and added a sentiment that's from CC Designs.

Stick a gift card inside and there you go - instant present!

I hope you've enjoyed my 12 Days of Christmas series, I have certainly enjoyed making these projects and sharing them with you.

12 Days of Christmas - Day 11

Good Morning!  Can you believe it?  Christmas is 2 days away.  Are you ready?  I think I am, a trip to the bank will wrap things up for me.  My kids' dad took care of the "big" gifts this year, so I bought the boring clothes, the ornaments I give them every year and I'm handing them some cash.  I think they'll be pretty happy with that.  But I needed something for presentation.

I was looking at the Silhouette Online Store and saw this really cute money card.  It's on sale for 75 cents but I got to looking at it and figured I could make it without needing to buy the cut file.  So I thank the artist for the idea, but I did it with minimal use of the Silhouette.  I did get a border file that I'll be able to use more than I could the money envelope and it, too, was on sale for 75 cents.

So I started with a piece of red card stock and cut it down to 7" x 10 3/4" - then on my Scor-Pal I scored at 4" and at 8".  On the section that measures 2 3/4", put Scor-Tape along the two sides, don't adhere just yet, but this will create your pocket.  Fold along the scored lines and with a bone folder sharpen those folds.  Position an oval punch about half way in the center of the pocket part (refer to picture below) and punch.  This creates a notch so it's easy to see there is money in there and to take it out.  Now you can adhere to create the pocket.

I cut the white border that creates the white fur of the coat using the Silhouette.  Glue that onto the front of your card and trim as needed.  Using the Labels One die from Spellbinders, cut out using glitter paper (or metallic paper).  I used a craft knife to cut out the center, but if you have a punch, that would work to.  This will create Santa's belt buckle.  Cut a piece of black card stock 1 5/8" x 11".  My glitter paper has an adhesive back so I scored the protective backing with a craft knife at the top and bottom of the opening on the buckle to expose the sticky part that will be on the black band and adhered to the back piece of card stock.

Punch out 3 circles (5/8" used here) for buttons.  Then you can decorate the inside if you'd like.

I got a set of Christmas phrases for 35 cents at Miss Kate's Cuttables.  In hindsight, the words would've looked better in black, but I was trying to be festive.  Tuck your monetary gift inside.  Close and wrap the belt around the card to create a belly band.

The measurements provided will work for a check, too.  Have fun!

12 Days of Christmas - Day 10

Hello.  I hope your weekend is going well.  I am so excited that I don't have to go to work tomorrow!  I cannot believe that my 12 Days of Christmas series is about done either.  I have a super easy idea to share with you.

We've all altered something, right?  Whether it be a notebook, a frame or paint bucket - we've all done it.  Well how about doing the same to an ornament that cost under $2 (and you'll score even better with the after Christmas clearance sales).  I found this ornament and dressed it up a bit....

So here's what a I did:  I cut the "Peace" out of white glitter paper (I wanted to use the silver that I have, but that wasn't happening.  Note to self: NEVER buy self-adhesive glitter paper.  Nothing cuts it!).  I used a die from The Stamp Doctor.  Then I created the bow by following a great how to video on You Tube and attached it to the ornament with a glue dot.  I then added the ribbon for the hanger part and viola!  An inexpensive ornament that's a little festive.

Enjoy your Sunday.

12 Days of Christmas - Day 9

Hello - Happy Saturday and Happy Christmas vacation!! Whoo-hoo!!  I am basically off the next 2 weeks, I do have work on Tuesday in the upcoming week and Thursday the following week.  I like it!

So I'm busy putting the finishing touches on Christmas and that will include getting the tree decorated this evening.  It's been out of the box for about 2 weeks now - we should probably decorate it and get gifts wrapped and put them under the tree.  So, every year I give the kids a new ornament and found these super cute, set of 3, ornaments on Amazon and they arrived in just bubble wrap.  THAT is no presentation at all but this is....

So I recently bought this box for 75 cents in the Silhouette Online store and this really beats what I was going to do.  I have realized that my 12 days of Christmas was going to be sort of lame without this handy dandy machine. This is super cute and is going to be a great way to give the ornaments.

Have a super Saturday, I am off to bake cookies.  Can't wait to show you that presentation.

12 Days of Christmas - Day 8

Hello!  We're half way thru my take on the 12 Days of Christmas and today I created a card that I am so excited about, I almost peed my pants!  So, I think everyone in the free world knows that my sister spoiled me this year and sent me a Silhouette Portrait.  Because it arrived when it did, it made me change the direction of how I thought this series would go.

I have absolutely loved getting know this machine and getting cut files for it.  I liked that I was able to buy some cuts before I got the machine and take advantage of Silhouette Online store sale.  I can't wait to see what the sale is going to be on subscriptions. That starts on 12/26 - they let the cat out of the bag, not me.  Anyway, what I've not loved about the online store is that they don't {yet} tell you which files are not compatible with the Portrait.  I bought a file and then wished I hadn't because it's sized for the Cameo.  I'll continue this story in a minute.

Here's the front of the card, featuring an adorable digi from Deedee's Digi's.  This is from the set called Christmas Cutie.

And now to continue my story.  So I decided to play with the file anyway.  I re-sized to fit the mat and cut it out.  Well, I took one look at it and "YES!  I can use this!!"  I went back to the Silhouette software and un-grouped the file and deleted the piece that is meant to the the base of the card or the outside.  Then it sort of re-grouped itself because I didn't have to do it, and moved it over and re-sized again.  The result is an inside that just needed to be trimmed 1/8" on each right and left side.  Ta-da......

Now do see why such excitement.  The easiest, the coolest, the funnest pop-up ever!  Happy happy happy!!

12 Days of Christmas - Day 7

** Please scroll down for the Delightful Challenges post **

Hello - this is the 2nd post for today.  So I'm sharing a little packaging fun.  I can't show you what's inside because it'll give a present away, but I had to show off this gorgeous poinsettia I made the first night I got the Silhouette Portrait.  It's adorning the package of one of my sister's Christmas gift.

So here's the present.  Now I admit, the paper is a bit more whimsical for the flower, but I think it's pretty.  I just wanted to share an idea with you on how easily you can dress up a package.  It sure beats them nasty bows that come in a bag that so many of us tend to lean on each year.

Here's the flower up close.

The flower is an SVG cut created by Penny Duncan.  I am so thrilled that I can use her cut files once again.  She's created some pretty things and she's showcased a few of my projects on her blog.  So it's a happy thing to have "joined" her again.

Have a wonderful day and be sure to scroll down for the Delightful Challenge post.