Countdown to Christmas!

Another fun project you might like to make at my upcoming Bountiful Buffet. This great coaster countdown calender was invented by Kim Bolzenthal and her calendar may be seen here: http://stitchinnstampinonpaper.blogspot.com/2009/09/over-10000-visitors.html My calendar begins on December 1 and has just 25 days (I guess you could begin at 29 technically.)

Christmas Gift Tag Tin

Today's post is of the assortment of gift tags I'm offering at my Bountiful Christmas Buffet on October 22, 23 and 24. (See my events blog for details.) The tin below has the lovely Christmas Cocoa Designer Series paper and is $3.50.

As you can see a complete set of all the tags I am offering fit in the tin. You could also just store other gift tags you may have in it. (Currently mine are in a zip lock bag, so I really needed one of these.)

Set #1-Merry: Unfortunately the picture turning is still my nemesis on blogger! I received these great swaps at Stampin' Up! convention from fellow Stampin Addict member Cris1467...she's my friend Stacy's mom :). I think they are so classy...go ahead-turn your head and see if you don't agree! :) 5 for $2

Set #2-Sweet: The tags below are a combination of the gift tag make and takes from Convention after a bit of stirring in my mind. They fold up and the "to: from:" is inside. 4 for $1.50

Set #3-Cocoa: I combined Cris's great design with loops and the Christmas Cocoa designer series paper for these cuties. 4 for $2

Poinsettia Lattice Ornament

When choosing an ornament for my upcoming Bountiful Christmas Buffet, I found this adorable creation by Kristin Moore. http://sunshinesmilesstamps.blogspot.com/2009/08/hanging-lattice-ornament.html I gave it a color scheme I hope you will enjoy with the Berry Christmas set and Merry Moments Designer Series paper with Very Vanilla, Real Red, Old Olive and More Mustard and finished it off with Stampin' Up!'s Real Red Polka Dot Ribbon.

Teacher Gifts

I made these frames for my daughter's teacher who likes red and black and Gerber daisies. I used the new Night and Day designer series paper and the Daisies #2 Big Shot Die. The flower pot card is small and uses Patty Bennett's pot tutorial, but I put the flowers in and made it a pocket card like the cards that were so popular this summer. Easy and inexpensive...I like that!

Stampin Addicts Technique Challenge

This week's Stampin' Addicts Technique Challenge was Cracked Glass. My sample had the Good Cheer Santa and Reindeer stamped in Bravo Burgundy and smudged. Then I added my three layers of Versamark, placed it in the freezer, took it out and cracked it. I used Paula's SASC24 sketch, and this is a very close CASE of her card (different set, colors and some embellishments).

Build A Bear Workshop Paper Bear Magnetic Tins

Here's the first project that will be available at my Christmas Project Bountiful Buffet (times available on October 22, 23 & 24). The bear has a magnetic sheet on the back, and everything can be stored inside the carrying tin. There are four shirts, three skirts, a pair of jeans, a pair of pants, a cheerleading outfit, pajamas, a teddy bear, 3 shirt decorations (flowers and heart), a purse, three hair bows and four pair of shoes. The idea for this came from Patty Bennett's blog, but I'm not sure hers had magnets?

This would make a great little stocking stuffer type gift or a cute little gift for a niece or neighbor's daughter over 3 years in age. (We help Santa with the stockings at our house, but not everyone does I realize.)

edited to add (eta): Binky is fully magnetized and can be removed and stored inside the tin with her clothing.

Here's Binky Bear dressed for a day of shopping:

The contents of the tin (not including Binky herself):

Binky modeling her cheerleading regalia:

Concurrent enrollment:

Hot Cocoa Mug Card

This Cute and Cuddly stamp set Cocoa Holder can be considered a card or a 3-D project. I made this project smaller in both directions that the original, so that it would fit in a medium SU! envelope (Very Vanilla shown), but it was based upon this cute creation I found on SCS: http://kjskorner.blogspot.com/2009/08/cold-and-cuddly-meets-warm-and-yummy.html

I used the snowflakes from Branch Out with White Craft Paint, stamped Percy the Polar Bear in Versamark and heat-embossed with White embossing powder, and painted the ice with Stampin' Up!'s Frost White Shimmer paint from the Holiday mini catalog. The snowflake die cut is from the Merry Details embosslit.

A place for you at the table....

I thought it might be nice to have an example of a napkinring and placecard that my customers could make even if they don't have the Big Shot and/or the Tablesetting die. I really enjoy the Autumn Meadows designer series paper, and I accidentally used it with Dusty Durango cardstock instead of Really Rust. Oh well, I don't think it looks bad at all. I used the Eyelet Border punch and then punched holes in the oval scallop and scallop circle to coordinate the pieces even more. The leafs was cut out from the Autumn Meadows paper, and the acorns are real.

Build A Bear Big Shot Dies

I finally ordered the Stampin' Up! Big Shot Dies, and they arrived today. The girls made their first paper Build-A-Bear Workshop Bears tonight....Sara had to have hers glued together....She couldn't stand the paper doll idea! Her clothes were falling off!

Emma's is ready for bed, and Sara's is ready for church. Emma had the idea to add the bear from All in the Family Accessories, so they could have a snuggly. I cut out the bears for them by request.

Stampin' Addicts Sketches

I finally got around to taking pictures of some cards I made for the SA sketch challenges. I love having a starting point for cards sometimes! Here's a link to the SA challenge forum: http://www.stampinaddicts.com/forums/challenges/ Every SU! fan is welcome to play of course!

This card uses the new Christmas Cocoa Specialty Designer Series paper from the Holiday Mini...The snowflake sheet at the top has a metallic glossiness which is so pretty I think. The Merry Details embosslit snowflakes covered with Dazzling Diamonds add a simple trio focus for a simple but cute card.

I love these colors for baby girl cards, and I think this Hostess set (Love Bugs) makes such sweet baby cards!! (The Hello Baby sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set.)

Votive Shield/Lantern

First cut your Real Red Cardstock to 8-1/2 X 5-1/4 inches. (Cutting from 5-1/2 to 5-1/4 inch allows the top note die cut to be more placed evenly on the cardstock.)

Next, score at 2-1/8 (flip & repeat on other side) so that the center panel is 4-1/4 wide and will fit in a medium SU! envelope. I trimmed about 1/16 inch off each side so that the gates met evenly, but you may not need to do that. You definitely don't want to trim first because that would affect your center panel size.

I just placed the cardstock on the top note die by eyesight. Of course the die is placed with the long side with the short side of the paper. I just made the top and bottom edges of the die even and the side scores the same distance from the edge at top and bottom. I didn't have a problem with sliding as it went through the Big Shot, so hopefully, you won't either.

Next, I inked the edge of the sentiment panel and the inside of the top note hole in the cardstock with Versamark ink and embossed with gold embossing powder. For the inside of the top note, I used the Versamarker with extra ink from the Versamark reinker.

I completed the sentiment panel by layering an embossed gold on Real Red on top of the vellum. I attached gold cord to the inside side edge of the top note hole with a mini glue dot and took it out the front and around to the back on each side. I used half of a mini glue dot under the cord at the edge where the Real Red gates meet to hold the cording neatly. Then, I tied it into a bow and added knots in each end of the cording.

Next, I added the gold brads and embossed the main image in gold onto the vellum. I embossed the star separately, cut it out and attached it with a mini glue dot. (I often mistake proof my projects by doing these types of things. :) ) Finally, the vellum image panel which measures about 5-1/8 X 4-1/8 inches is attached to the inside of the open lantern using a mini glue dot in each corner.

Below are pictures of it with full/too bright flash and then with natural light and a candle in a jar glowing behind it.

Easy Gold-embossed Candle

I did something just a little different for this simple Holy Family Candle. First, I stamped in Versamark, added Gold embossing Powder, and heat embossed the images as usual.

Because I was afraid that the image/gold embossing powder might stick to the waxed paper during the heating of the candle to melt the tissue paper onto the surface, I flipped the image over onto its face.

Then I just placed the tissue onto the candle surface, held it on with waxed paper and heat embossed just until the wax was slightly visibly melted on the surface.

Completed project