I just noticed that it's been awhile since I posted something! Just a quick post today.  I have stamp club tonight and I need to get ready for that!

This is a journal I made as a hostess gift.  It uses the Cottage Wall designer series paper with the Great Friend stamp set. 

I really hope to have some time over the Christmas holidays to do some stamping "just for fun" (not that it all isn't fun, but it seems I'm always stamping for workshops or clubs!), so I'll post those over the holidays.

If I'm not back before next week, have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Blessings to you,
Shannon

Keep Praying for Diane

Just found out that the liver Diane was supposed to get wasn't good.  Very disappointing for her and her family.  Please keep praying that they get the one she needs soon.

Prayers for Diane

My blog-friend, Diane (ddnjoys2stamp) has finally received word that she will be getting a liver transplant!  She has been waiting for a loooooong time for this, and I'm so thrilled for her that she will soon be in much better health.  Please pray for her as she is on her way to London, Ontario, to have the surgery.  From what I understand, her niece, Shannon, will be updating us on Diane's blog.  I'm sure many of you are familiar with Diane - she is an avid crafter, blogger and encourager.  She is just an amazing person, and I'm so happy for her!

Stamp-a-Stack Cards

I've been pretty busy this November with lots of different activities, including some stamp-a-stacks!  This is the time of year people want to book a party where they get to make a bunch of Christmas cards to send out.  Here are some of the cards I've done at my stamp-a-stacks so far.

This one uses the Petals-A-Plenty Impressions Folder and the Season of Joy stamp set.

For this one, I stamped the Patterned Pines stamp in Soft Suede and dabbed Champagne Shimmer Paint over the trees.  I also used the Christmas Cocoa designer series paper.

I totally CASEd this snowman card - I forget who from, so if it's you, please let me know and I'll give you credit!  Below, I adapted it to use the Cold & Cuddly stamp set (less colouring!).

For this one, I used the Delightful Decorations in Glorious Green, Real Red and Crushed Curry.  The red decoration is punched from the flocked paper in the Christmas Cocoa designer series pack.  I also used the Sparkle & Shine jumbo wheel.

November Scrapbook Club Layout

Look how on the ball I am this month: I actually have my Scrapbook Club layout planned and posted more than a week before our club meeting! 

We will be making this Christmas layout using the Christmas Cocoa flocked snowflake designer paper.  I added some Real Red as a complementary colour.  On the first page, I used the eyelet border punch to make fancy corners on the red mat piece.  The title piece is the "Join in the Cheer" decorative strip die.  On the second page, I used the Snowflake Stampin' Around wheel with Whisper White craft ink on the border piece at the bottom.  I stamped some snowflakes from Serene Snowflakes in the top right corner to balance out the flocked snowflakes on the first page.  I added some chunky glitter in the centers of the stamped snowflakes.  Then I used the Snowflake punch with Brushed Gold, Soft Suede and Vellum cardstock to make the other snowflakes on the page.

November Stamp Club Projects

This month's Stamp Club is all about Christmas!  I am so excited to be making Christmas cards again, and I have to share the excitement!

This first card uses some non-traditional colours (Bravo Burgundy, Pretty in Pink, Shimmery White).  I CASEd it from a card made by Lorna Raczynski.  I also used Frost White Shimmer Paint on the snowflakes (which are made with the Snowflakes Sizzlits 4-Pack and my Big Shot) and around the edge of the pink part.  The center part of the card has a snowflakes window sheet and some snowflakes from Christmas Punch stamped behind it in Bravo Burgundy.  I also wrapped some silver elastic cord around the card.

This second card is one I've already posted, but I wanted to make it at Stamp Club as well.  It uses polished stone technique with Brocade Blue, Bashful Blue, Pale Plum and silver reinkers.  I embossed the snowflakes from Serene Snowflakes on the polished stone background in silver.  To finish, I used the Snowflake punch to make a vellum and silver snowflake and attached those with a clear rhinestone brad.  There's also some Whisper White organdy ribbon wrapped around and the sentiment from Four the Holidays stamped in Night of Navy.

This final card is another CASE, this time of a card by Christy Harsch.  The photo is doesn't quite show it properly, but the poinsettia is made of two Ruby Red and one Garden Green 5-Petal Flower punches.  I didn't notice that the green one had turned before I took the photo, so you can't really see it!  It's supposed to be offsetting the flower so it looks like leaves in the background!

Anyway, I also used the Scallop Edge punch and the Heard from the Heart stamp set for this one.

I'm looking forward to getting together with all my Stamp Club ladies on Monday and Tuesday!

Thanks for reading!
Blessings to you,

November Big Shot Club Projects

The Big Shot Club is a new club for me this year.  Lots of ladies have the Big Shot and want to know what they can do with it or they want to buy the Big Shot on a payment plan so they don't need to spend a whole bunch of money at once.  So this year, I am offering the Big Shot club over five months.  The ladies get to choose whether they are buying the machine or not.  If they do, they get hostess benefits for one of the months.  If not, they pay a class fee to cover supplies.  This month, we will be making these two projects.

This leaf card uses the Leaves #2 die with our new Wood Sheets.  I love the earthy look of these sheets!  To finish the card, I used Autumn Meadows designer series paper with Chocolate Chip and Really Rust cardstock and ink.  The stamps are from Harvest Home and Thank You Kindly.

This second project is a Christmas tree made using the Pennant Bigz XL die.  I used Old Olive, Very Vanilla and Merry Moments designer series paper for this one.  The "ornaments" are 1" and 3/4" circles of Ruby Red, Old Olive and Very Vanilla.  I also added a few buttons here and there.

Can't wait for tonight!  It should be lots of fun!  Thanks for reading!

Blessings to you,

Deal of the Week #4

Plan the perfect children's party with Stampin' Up!'s party kits, now on sale!

• Princess Party Kit - $13.99 (regularly $21.95)
• Pirate Party Kit - $13.99 (regularly $21.95)

Check out my website for more details.  If you'd like to order any of these items (or others!), feel free to contact me or order from my website.

This is the last week of deals from Stampin' Up! for now - stay tuned for more specials coming up in November!

Blessings to you,

October Scrapbook Club Layout

 

This is the layout we will be doing at my Scrapbook Club on Monday.  I can never get a good photo of my layouts!  Oh well.

Those of you who are Stampin`Up! demonstrators may recognize this from the September 2009 issue of Stampin`Success magazine.  I CASEd the first page of the layout and added a second page.  I love all the cute punch creations on this page! 

The grass is made with the Scallop Edge punch; the ladybugs are made with the Large Oval, 3/4" Circle and 1 3/8" Circle punches; the mushrooms are made with the 1 3/8" Circle and 1" Circle punches and the daisy is made with the Scallop Circle and Large Oval punches.

Blessings to you,

Alex Has Blog Candy!

I've been following Alex's blog (California Stampin') almost since I started blogging.  She is a wonderfully creative Stampin' Up! demonstrator from California, and she is one of the most generous, kind people I have come across.  Well, she is being generous once again with some seriously amazing blog candy to celebrate 100 000 hits.  If you haven't visited her blog, make sure you do - not only for the chance to win, but to check out her gorgeous creations and congratulate her!  I get a lot of inspiration from her, both for my paper crafting and for being a good person.

Click here to check out her blog candy offerings!

Congratulations, Alex, on all your hits - very well -deserved!  Thank you for inspiring us all with your creative, generous spirit. 

Blessings,