Snow and Gift Card Sets

Here it is November 30 and we received our first real snow fall last night.  I love it when I wake up in the morning and the sun is shining upon the fresh, new snow.  I just had to take a few pictures and share them with you.

This is our view from our dining room window looking toward the east.  The snow was so heavy the pine tree branches were touching the ground.  Typically, we have a good 8-10 foot clearance to walk under this beautiful tree.

This is the same pine tree from a different angle and that is our barn.  The snow is quite deep in front of our sliding door!

I took this photo from my stamp room window, which is a view out toward our front yard and the road.  The snow built up a bit on the window sill and screen.

Here's another view of the snow in our backyard  from my living room window.

 Here's another shot of the pine tree branch hanging to the ground.

As I was taking the photos this morning, this doe came walking out of our woods.  She's headed toward the apple tree where the deer love to feed. 

Okay...so on to a peek of what I have created for my weekly posting on the Rubbernecker Stampin' Sisterhood blog.  I'd love it if you popped over there to see my entire project and leave a comment!

It's part of a gift card set.  I've actually been working on several sets for a customer.

Update:  Here are two other gift sets I made using Stampin' Up's Flight of the Butterfly and A Tree for All Seasons.  I'm entering the Butterflies set into the Just Us Girls challenge to create such a gift set.

Thanks for stopping by!  I always appreciate your visit and comments!  Have a terrific day!

Peace on Earth

I didn't get a chance yesterday to upload this card I made in honor of one of my friends, Dawn (DawnL on Splitcoaststampers) who was named Queen for the Day this week as we were busy celebrating a second Thanksgiving dinner with my husband's family yesterday.  Dawn's creations are always so beautiful.  I chose to case her Peace on Earth card you can see here.   Below is my case of her original card.

While my cardstock may look like Kraft in my photo, it is not; this is a beautiful brushed Gold cardstock by Stampin' Up.  I heat embossed the Peace on Earth sentiment with black embossing powder.  Why so much black on a holiday card, you may be asking?  That, too, was part of the Free for All challenge on Splitcoaststampers (SCS) to use black for a holiday card.  I also took the opportunity to try my hand at spirelli for the first time, using this beautiful gold crochet thread around a lacey circle Nestability.  It was so easy to do following this tutorial on SCS!  I was going to put a button in the center, but didn't like what I have on hand and then I stumbled upon this jar of little gold jingle bells in my stash.  I attached them with Aleene's Tacky Glue.

Dolce Stamps & Cards, CCEE Stampers & Pals Paper Arts Challenges

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends!  I, like many of you, will be enjoying time with my family today.  However, I do have a couple posts to share with you beforehand.

First up, Edna from the Dolce Stamps and Cards Design Team challenged us to make a center step card.  You, too, can join us in this challenge and enter your card on the Dolce blog for a chance to win a gift certificate!!

I did mine using this adorable Merry Mouse image by Impression Obsession.

I colored this adorable mouse image with Copic markers.  I added lavender glitter to the small stripes on his scarf and dots of champagne glitter on the tree.  After I embossed the blue panel with a dotted swiss embossing folder, I went over the raised dots with a sanding block to whiten the dots so they appeared to be falling snow. 

Here's a list of the supplies I used:

Stamps:   Merry Mouse and May Your Celebrations sentiment by Impression Obsession

Ink:   Memento Tuxedo Black

Paper:  White, We R Memory Keepers dp

Embellishments:   lavender and champagne glitters, white snowflake brads

Tools:    Copic markers, Big Blossoms and Classic Square Nestabilities, dotted swiss embossing folder, 3D Dots, sanding block

Next is my weekly CCEE Stampers challenge card.  Tosha has been doing a 4, 3, 2, 1 countdown for the challenges in November, and we are now on 1.  Tosha asked us to make a one-layer card.  I kept mine VERY clean and simple with this cutie-patootie snowman image from Close To My Heart, their So Sweet Seasons stamp set.

I heat set the image with white embossing powder.  Then I colored the image with light shades of gray on the snowman's body, blue for the sky, red for his scarf, and black for his eyes and buttons.  I used my Copic markers which did not resist the white embossing!  Cool, huh?  I framed the image with the rectangle frame from this same stamp set and then added the little "brrrr" sentiment.  Lastly, I put some Star Dust Stickles on the snow on the ground.  You can't see the sparkle in my photo, but it's there!

We'd love it if you joined us in our CCEE Stampers challenge.  Just go to our blog to get all the details and check out the fabulous one-layer creations from Tosha, Cindy, Frances, Shirley, and Joanne!

Last, but not least, is my submission to this week's Pals Paper Arts challenge to use pearls in our design.  I used pearls for the center of my poinsettia.  I also made this card for the Ways to Use It challenge on Splitcoaststampers to use ribbon in a fancy way.  I did a ribbon weave around very vanilla cardstock.

I used Cherry Cobbler for my poinsettia (Spellbinder's die) and River Rock for the holly leaves and card base.

Thank you for stopping by and blessing me with your cyber friendship and comments!

Lazy, Lazy!

I must admit to laziness occasionally when it comes to posting my creations to my blog.  I'm pretty good about uploading them to my Splitcoaststampers' gallery.  Sometimes it's all about lack of time to keep up with both and sometimes I honestly wonder if it's worth all the work to maintain a blog.  My days just get away from me with all the things to do, and I just don't get all the time I'd like to visit and comment on the blogs of my stamping friends.  If I've missed yours lately, I do apologize.  Too bad I don't have a Mini Me who I could assign this task to---ha!  ha!  Seriously, I know how much I value the input I receive, so I really do try to support my blogging friends as much as possible.  Anywhooo, here are three creations I've made in the past couple days.  I've also been designing some clean and simple gift sets for a customer that I'll share with you soon.

First up is a very clean and simple (CAS) card I made for submission to the Winter CAS design team.  Our challenge was to use designer paper and ribbon.  I stamped my butterfly onto this pretty polkadotted designer paper and punched it out with my butterfly punch.  I added the 1/8" black/white tafetta ribbon for it's body and silver cord for the antennae.  This card is actually one of five that I made for one of the gift sets I referenced above.  (Stamp set used is Flight of the Butterfly by Stampin' Up).

I love the challenges at Splitcoaststampers as they help to get my creative juices flowing.  My friend, Joan, challenged us technique lovers to make a card using snow.  I went with a gray tone card with just the one splash of color for the tree in front.  In real life, it sparkles and has a soft glow to it.  I stamped the images in Going Gray and sponged Going Gray and Basic Gray for the sky.  I used Martha Stewart Tinsel Glitter for the snowy hills, and added red stickles for the ornaments on the green tree.  I also used icicle stickles for the roof top and some of the falling snow in the sky.  (Stamps used are The Moose is Loose Kittie Kit and Christmas Phrase Set by Rubbernecker).

My third card is one I made as a guest designer for the color challenge on Splitcoaststampers.  We were given the colors of Marina Mist, Pear Pizzaz, and Blushing Bride with a dessert option to make a Christmas card.  Well, I obviously forgot about the dessert option, but I suppose I could still use this for a non-traditional Christmas card.....maybe????   I had to substitute Blush Blossom for Blushing Bride. I did add just a hint of Pink Pirouette to my Blush Blossom watercoloring because Blushing Bride looks like it has more of a pink cast to it. I also don't have Pear Pizzaz so I used a mixture of Certainly Celery and Old Olive to get as close to Pear as I could. I used Glossy Accents on the Embrace bloom after I was done watercoloring.

You may have noticed that these cards are all pretty clean and flat.  I'm trying to be better about not adding too much bulk to my cards because they are easier (and less expensive) to mail that way.  (Stamp set is used an oldie, but goodie called Embrace Life by Stampin' Up).

That's it for now as I need to get some beauty sleep.  Thanks for visiting and your comments.  I really do appreciate them!

Sisterhood Sunday

Happy Sunday and welcome to Sisterhood Sunday!  Today kicks off the first of the weekly Sisterhood Sunday challenges by the Rubbernecker design team members.  We were given the following photo as our inspiration piece.

I drew upon the rich colors from the photo seeing Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler, and Gold for my design.  I used this beautiful poinsettia image, coloring it first with Ranger's Fired Brick and then sponging Stampin' Up's rich Cherry Cobbler in the center for depth. I stamped it twice, cut it out, and separated with dimensionals.   The center of the poinsettia is a Candi gold embellishment that looks like a brad but isn't (they are cool!)  I used brushed gold cardstock for my leaves and then crimped them.  I also used the Pine Sprig in the background stamping it first with Soft Suede and then heat embossing it with metallic gold.

I also used a Sizzix Flourish embossing folder on the Soft Suede panel.  I topped it off by adding touches of gold with my gold leafing pen and then spritzing champagne shimmer mist over the entire piece of cardstock.  I felt my gold organdy ribbon needed a little something extra, so I added what was originally gold cord that I colored with a Cardinal Red Copic marker.

Please visit the Rubbernecker blog to see what my other sisters from the Stampin' Sisterhood have created for your viewing pleasure and also for details on how you can win a prize!

Punchy Die Time with the CCEE Stampers

Tosha challenged the CCEE Stampers---and you, too---to use two punches or dies in our creations.  Since I really need to get moving on my Christmas cards, I made one using Stampin' Up's The Sounding Joy stamp set with this word star.  I used my Big Blossoms Square and Classic Circle Nestabilities for my two dies.

I used my Old Olive and Cherry Cobbler markers to color the words on the star and then sponged Old Olive on the star tips and So Saffron on the center of the star.  I love this Christmas designer paper from Stampin' Up that I got last year, I believe (I'm sure one of you SU demos can correct me if I am wrong.)  I hope Stampin' Up never retires Cherry Cobbler as I just love the richness of this red!

Be sure to swing by our CCEE Stampers' blog to see what Frances, Joanne, Shirley, Cindy, and Tosha made this week and to get the challenge details, if you'd like to play along with us!

Have a grrrrrreat day!

Holiday Hop

Hello Rubbernecker Sisters!! HOP day has arrived!! The Stampin’ Sisterhood has LOTS to share today!! Thank you for joining us! We all thought it would be a great idea to share some of our holiday images. So, sit back and enjoy. If you leave some LOVE at EVERY stop along the way, you will be entered into a random drawing for your choice of one Rubbernecker Stamps stamp SET!! Yes, you read that right:   a SET, not a single image!! Now, how AWESOME is that?! Mr. Rubbernecker wants YOU to be able to choose, so you will LOVE what you get!! 


I chose to use this framed holly image for my holiday design.  I first watercolored the holly with Garden Green and then went over that with Oregano Twinkling H20.  I colored the berries with Red Jasper Twinkling H20 and then went over those with deep red stickles for some sparkle.  I used Garden Green to sponge the outer edges of my frame.  I really try to keep my holiday cards to a minimum in terms of layering and bulky embellishments to help keep down the mailing costs.

(click on photo for larger view)

Here's a complete list of the supplies I used:
Stamps:  Holly Frame (SKU #1596SO)
Paper:  Whisper White, Cherry Cobbler, Christmas dp
Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Stampin' Up Garden Green, Twinkling H20s in Oregano and Jasper Red
Accessories:  red brads, embossing folder, sponge dauber, red velvet ric rac, dimensionals

OK, we know that you are busy, so you will have until THURSDAY 11/17 to HOP!  Our WINNER will be announced on the RUBBERNECKER BLOG, on FRIDAY 11/18!!  Good luck!

But wait, I have some other exciting news to share, too!!  Beginning Sunday, November 20, we will be having weekly Rubbernecker challenges called SISTERHOOD  SUNDAYS!  We hope you'll join us as we are going to have a blast!  Who knows?  You could win a prize on SUNDAYS too!!! 

Here's the blog list of all the Rubbernecker Stampin' Sisters for ease of your hopping! 

• Bev Gerard
• Charlene Driggs
• Charlene Merrick
• Frances Gumprecht
• Holly McMillen
• Jacquie Peifer
• Jen Charboneau
• Jennifer Cuthbertson
• Joan Ervin
• Judy Rozema
• Julia Aston
• Juliana Swanson
• Karen Hunsaker
• Kecia Waters
• Kittie Caracciolo
• Maria Gurnsey
• Rubbernecker Stamps

Happy hopping!

Pals Paper Arts Inspiration Challenge

This photo is the inspiration challenge hosted by Pals Paper Arts this week:

Her bodice made me think of velvet.  Therefore, I used this Flocked Accent Poinsettia designer paper for my punched ornament, as well as for the background on my Christmas card.  I punched the ornament three times out of this beautiful paper and stacked them together with dimensionals.

The sentiment circle is also popped up on dimensionals.  The cord is actually silver, but I colored it with a Copic marker to fit in with my color scheme.

Supplies I used include:
Stamps:  Delightful Decorations
Paper:  Crumb Cake, Black, Little Yellow Bicycle designer paper
Ink:  Bravo Burgundy, Old Olive
Accessories:  Stampin' Up ornament punch, zig zag border punch, 3/4" circle punch, dimensionals, silver cord, Cardinal Red Copic marker

Dolce Stamps & Cards and CCEE Challenges!

It's time for yet another Dolce Stamps & Cards challenge! I am the challenge hostess for this challenge, and I challenged the team to make their own designer paper by using all or a portion of their main image.

For my card, I used this beautiful poinsettia image by Stampendous.   I stamped the poinsettia image twice; first on white cardstock with black ink and then on vellum cardstock with gold ink.  I heat embossed the image on the vellum with gold and colored the image from behind and in front.  I cut out the vellum poinsettias and layered them on top of the white cardstock with dimensionals.  I also gold embossed this same image on the background white cardstock.  I used my "Joy" sentiment Sizzix die on gold glitter cardstock and looped it over these fun Candi brads.

I hope you'll join us in this challenge!  You can get all the challenge details at the Dolce Stamps and Cards blog, as well as see the creations the design team made!  The winner of the challenge will receive a $10.00 gift certificate to the Dolce Stamps and Cards online store which is full of all kinds of awesome stamping goodies. In addition, any order over $40.00 from a challenge winner will be credited back shipping fees!  Be sure to read all the challenge rules on the left sidebar on the Dolce Stamps and Cards blog so that you're eligible to win the prize!

Next up is my weekly CCEE Stampers challenge.  Tosha challenged us to use three different shapes on our card.  I used my classic circle, lacey circle, big scalloped square Nestabilities and Stampin' Up's Peekaboo die.  I used this week's MoJo sketch for my layout, and I used Verve's Petals & Stems stamp set. 

Here's a closer view of the cute little peekaboo window.  I made the little door handles by stamping the smallest dotted circle from Verve's Petals & Stems set three times, gluing them together, and then covering them with Glossy Accents.

Here's yet another closer view with the doors of the window open so you can see the sentiment inside.

I'm so glad you stopped by, and, as always, I appreciate your comments!  Have a SUPERB day!

Heartfelt

Vicki (vdutchr on Splitcoaststampers) gave us a beautiful color combo for this week's color challenge: Tempting Turquoise, Cajun Craze, and Kraft. Here's my design using these colors.

I stamped the image onto kraft cardstock three times, watercolored and cut each one out, and popped them up with dimensionals.  Here's a close-up of the dimension.

I like how watercoloring directly on the kraft toned down the brightness of the turquoise, which I thought blended better with the more earthy colors of the kraft and rust.  I added a few white dots with a Signo gel pen on the flower center.

Wallpaper Inspired

Happy Saturday, friends!  It's a beautiful, sunny day here and we still have some beautiful fall foliage upon which to gaze.  I love it!

My inspiration for this masculine card came from a website called Wallpaper Collective hosted by Splitcoaststampers.  I love the gradient inks in the Lucky Stripe, Mica on Gold Mylar paper.  I'm also entering this into the Pals Paper Arts challenge to use River Rock, Soft Suede, and Early Espresso inks.

I gold embossed the Rubbernecker Petitite Folk Art Maple Leaf and then sponged the three inks over them with sponge daubers.  Since I wanted to keep this card masculine and simple, I only added dark brown ribbon and gold brads as embellishments.

Lotsa Patterns

Tosha is the CCEE Stampers hostess for the month of November, and she's indicated that we're going to be doing a countdown this month!  For this first Thursday in November, Tosha asked that we use four different embellishments (buttons, rhinestones, lace, twine, flowers, etc.) in our design.  I used olive green brads, ivory pearls, ivory lace, and a poinsettia flower as my embellishments.

I believe this is the Jolly Holiday Christmas paper that Stampin' Up came out with last year (or maybe the year before).  I love the colors!  It is a challenge for me to coordinate more than two designer papers into my card, but I did use four patterns from this set of paper.  The reason I mention this is because this is also for Lydia's Hope You Can Cling To challenge on Splitcoaststampers to "wear a costume," that is, design a card that is not typically our style.  I also don't typically use different Nestability shapes with one another either, so I challenged myself to do that with these Big Blossoms Square and Petite Scalloped Oval dies.

The cute little tree is a die by Sizzix.  I made the poinsettia with the Layered Poinsettia die by Spellbinders.  I used a stylus in the center of the poinsettia to help give it some depth and then I shaped the end of the petals by rolling the ends of them around a skewer.  The wavy-like border on the striped designer paper is a Tim Holtz alterations die called Brackets.

Wanna play along?  Check out the details on our CCEE Stampers blog.  You can also see what Tosha, Joanne, Shirley, Cindy, and Frances came up with, too!