Festive Fridays Snow Swirled Wonderland

Its that special Friday again -- a FESTIVE FRIDAY! Festive Friday is a Blog Hop happening every other Friday, showcasing Christmas projects. The goal is to work on a few Christmas Cards a month! If you're joining me directly, you will probably not want to miss the beginning of the hop over at Terris blog. If you've joined me from Brendas blog, You're hoppin' along just fine! A full list of blogs is at the end of this post. Please enjoy your tour of the festivities this week!

I have to share with you today a One-Sheet wonderland... er, two sheet wonderland. Two sheets and card bases wonderland.

Anyhow!
Follows the layout principal of a One-sheet Wonder set of cards, but with a dash of contrast.

Here are 8 simple card designs you can make from one sheet of designer paper, one sheet of coordinating card stock, and some simple card bases. You'd make two of each design - measure twice, cut once! Hah! - so from two 12x12 sheets, you can get 16 cards done. The embellishments can go from as plain-jane as mine, to blingapalooza depending on your taste or time constraints.

One Sheet Wonder is a fabulous technique, economical and a time-saver. Excellent for large sets of cards, and depending on the stamps and embellishment, you can create a super matched theme set (Holidays, Birthday, Thank You, Announcements, Invitations) or a very widely varied group (emergency office stash, gift sets, fill up that card box).


Also nice, try using BOTH SIDES of your designer paper - you can have 8 made with one design, and 8 made with the other side. Two sets of 8 cards - perfect for gift giving! *wink*


Preparing for the holiday card rush doesn't have to be a week-long frenzy of midnight crafting, join us twice a month as we stock up! See ya back here in two weeks for another Festive Friday!

You're here at #8 (that's me - Angela :-) next you're off to see #9 Yolanda at http://craftyscentiments.blogspot.com/2011/04/festive-friday-blog-hop-week-8.html where she will amaze you with the Cricut Cuteness!

 

I wish you all the best this Holiday weekend!

Blessings to you and yours, and may your crafting be Happy!

~angie

For these cards I used Cherry Cobbler 12x12 Textured Card Stock (#119610); Jolly Holiday Designer Series Paper (#117159); Old Olive 8.5 x 11 Card Stock (#100702); Cherry Cobbler Classic Stampin' Pad (#119669); and Snow Swirled stamp set (#111690). All card bases are 8.5 x 5.5" folded to 4.25 x 5.5".

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Q&A - Spring Decorating

	Q: I love spring and I want to create some décor items. What do you suggest? A: If you still have Valentine's Day or even Christmas décor still hanging out in your home, it's time to pack them away and bring the joys of spring into your home! When I think about décor items, my mind immediately goes to the Big Shot. I love how it lets me create boxes, table settings, and banners for anyoccasion. Read on for some great spring décor ideas! Boxes & Baskets You can bring the happy colors of spring into your home with little baskets and decorated boxes. The boxes can be placed throughout your home to add splashes of color, or group them on a hutch, table, or mantle to create a colorful focal point. Make little decorative boxes quickly with the Fancy Favors Bigz XL die (#115965). Fill them with a bit of Easter grass and candy or paper flowers and decorate with flowers from the Blossom Party Originals die (#115971), butterflies from the Beautiful Butterflies Bigz die (#114507), or spell out "spring", "Easter", or "bloom" with letters from the Alphabet Simple Letters Bigz dies (#115960). Table Settings Forget expensive formal napkins and table settings and don't settle for dollar store paper plates and cartoon napkins. Make your Easter table or spring get-togethers memorable with custom table décor that is fast and affordable. When you use the Table Setting Bigz XL die (#116819), you can create table settings that match your décor or theme to your event. From the one die, you can make napkin rings, place tags, tags, paper roses, pinecones, bag toppers, leaves, and so much more! You'll be amazed at how many projects you can use this die for beyond the obvious. Banners & Pennants Create a festive feeling of spring when you welcome your family and friends with a banner hanging on a hutch, above a buffet, over a window, across a mantle, or above a doorway. Pennants can be simple or elaborate and can be used year after year. Use the Pennant Bigz XL die (#113483) to die cut card stock, Designer Series Paper, or fabric. With this versatile and fast foundation you can create pennants and banners for any occasion. Decorate a banner with the same flower, butterfly, and alphabet dies you used for the boxes and you'll have beautiful coordinating décor to brighten your home this spring! Summary The Big Shot can be your best friend when it comes to creating beautiful home décor to use season after season or to create quick gifts and treats to give to guests. Pick a favorite Designer Series Paper, coordinating card stock, a couple of dies, and embellishments, and you'll be on your way to creating spring décor that you'll love to come home to! Have questions? Let me know - I'm here to help!
© CraftyPerson Production. Images © Stampin' Up!

QandA is a regular section of my monthly newsletter,
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Have a Question? Contact me or
leave it in the comments section below.

To order any of the items listed above,
please visit my Online Store.

Happy Crafting!

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Festive Fridays - Shake it Up!

Its that special Friday again -- a FESTIVE FRIDAY! Festive Friday is a Blog Hop happening every other Friday, showcasing Christmas projects. The goal is to work on a few Christmas Cards a month, so when crunch time rolls around come November, we're all not too weary to get cheery! If you're joining me directly, you will probably not want to miss the begining of the hop over at Terris blog.  If you've joined me from Brendas blog, You're hoppin' along just fine!
 
If you gasped at the mess on my desk from Wednesdays post (Come on, you've seen worse...right?), you probably got a peek of this little shaker card. Yes, top of the pile because its the one I wanted to share with you today. Its made from retired items, but I figure the more I use up, the more the hubby will allow me to purchase! Hahaha! Or should I say, HoHoHo! - as it will be these mountains of Christmas cards that get me room for my new toys! Anyhows, THIS is the card for this week:



Tags Til Christmas / Tiny Tags / Holiday Lounge

This card really begins at the Scrapbook Expo last month. I took a class in techniques, and got a free box of Mica flkes. As you all know, I dislike beyond all reason the glitter (said with a sneer)!! SO I was not keen to try this stuff out - big chunky glitter! But I will admit that its not all bad, and not much like glitter. "Flashy Fishfood" was how my instructor phrased it, and that about sums it up. The small 1oz box I have will probably do me fine for the next 5 years, unless I go crazy with the snow globe cards for Christmas... but they require extra postage to mail, so that unlikely! The mica makes for some Perfect snow in the snow globe though! I've always wanted to try this style card.

For info on this card, keep reading... if you'd like to be sure to get to everyone on our Blog Hop please continue on to the wonderful Yolanda over at Crafty Scentiments.

Here is a list of my Festive Friday Friends,





If you're still with me, I continue blabbering away -
To make this card yourself you will need:
base cardstock 5.5 x 8.5" folded in half
layer of solid card stock 5.25 x 4.0"
layer of Designer Series Paper  5.0 x 3.75"
Design/Stamp for inside of "globe" approx. 1.5" diameter, stamp and punch out
Sweet Treat Cups #116802
layer of solid card stock 3.0 x 3.25", punch hole for globe - leave room for "base" layer
odd scrap of solid cardstock 3x3", punch hole and hand cut outer ring for globe, draw & cut "base"
1 3/4" Circle Extra Large Punch #119850
Mica Flakes - optional, also can use punched paper bits from your hole punch etc.
adhesive

Layer your bases and center your globe design punch where you like, I tried to center mine. Adhere.
Punch your "outer rim and base" paper and craft the globe stand. They make stamps for this I'm sure, I have to get one...layer the centered base outline on your solid layer and punch again to make another matching hole, if you'd like to try both layers be my guest - but I will tell you that your probably going to break your punch!
Now, tip a bit of your Mica or confetti into your Sweet Treat Cup and remove the adhesive protector strip. These cups are self adhesive, and strong! Holding the cup so as not to dump mica on yourself, line it up with your design on the card and stick it. Then add your covering layers - the cardstock, and then "base". If you're adding a cute embellishment - ribbon, twine, tags - do it before you adhere that "base" on.  Then dust yourself off, make sure all that darn fishfood heads to the cleanup bin, and enjoy your card.

This is not a 10 minute card, and may be a frustrating 30 minute card depending on your dexterity with the snow globe layers. But, it is a cute idea and can even be done so that your reciepient can Open the treat cup. Then you could fill it with treats (hah!), or a little gift or something.

I've seen these cute cups filled with goldfish, buttons, gumballs, and chocolate! This could make cute stocking stuffers filled with mints or candy.

Its also a versatile card layout, as you can see by the number of stamp sets that match these cute treat cups:
Something Sweet #118589
Sweet Centers #116251
and for the Heart Treat Cups #120435
Sweetheart #120780
(coordinates with the Full Heart Extra Large Punch #119883)

Enjoy and see you back in two weeks for another FESTIVE FRIDAY!
Happy Crafting,
~Angie

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Four Cards for Fab

Found a new Christmas Card Challenge blog today, and I just so happened to have Christmas Cards running through my mind as I prepped my post for Festive Fridays event coming up! These cards are from the "No, Not that one" stack on my mess of a desk. And I kid you not, MESS is being kind:

But, from Chaos comes Christmas:

A couple of these look mighty familiar, if you have read my Celebrate More

 Birthdays post. I love the versatility of this card layout. Christmas is only ONE of the many occasions we give gifts - mix and match your Designer Paper set and you've got a whole lotta cards to be made in no time at all... For all of these cards I stuck to one set of Designer Paper which is actually Retired, Holiday Lounge. But I had a bit of scraps to play with and I liked the colors together. The stamp sets used on all these is Retired as well, Tags Til Christmas #121169. A nice assortment of Christmas tags, that coordinate with several punches.

 I used the "Do Not Open Unitl Christmas" stamp on a Small Tag Punch. Sorry its Cheers to the Retired Stuff tonight, but the stash must be cleared!! (and cheered, I did actually like this paper alot!)

The other two, are simple ornament cards, made with the same paper and stamp set, I used the Ornament Punch (NOT Retired, get this baby - as they keep making cute sets for it and there are tons of uses for it, # 119847).

The theme of Fabs Challenge this month was two fold: Make cards using Ribbons

and/or Baubles, and since it is the Fourth month in the year as we work our way to Christmas, make Four cards. He is actually joining the Festive Friday team, and this week will be his first spin. I hope you'll visit his site and check out some of his challenging ideas, and be sure to visit the archives - lots of gems scattered throughout.  Fabs Big Christmas Cards Challenge

And if your feelin' the Christmas cheer warming you up, stop back by here Friday for the latest in the Festive Friday saga.

*gleefull laugh* My box of Christmas cards will be outrageous come December! I will have to do a count at the years mid point to see where its at...

Happy Crafting, 

~Angie

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Free Stamp Set For April 2011

I will be giving away a Free Stamp Set this month
to one of my online customers. 

Each order placed by Saturday April 30th
at my Online Store

 automatically earns you one entry into the drawing.

For more details visit my Win Free Stamps page.

The sweet free set this month is
Birthday Bakery

This is a Clear Mount Set, new and unmounted,

a Hostess Level One set from our current 2010-2011 Idea Book & Catalog.

Ready to sweeten up a few cards

or a scrapbook page or two with its cute cakes?

The set of 5 stamps includes

Two sentiment stamps:

 "if you are what you eat, eat something cute" (2.5" x 0.25") 

and "This is no day for just a sliver!" (1. On5" x 0.25")

One cute bag stamp with "your birthdays in the bag"

underneath (1.5" x 1.75");

One scrumptious row of six cakes on pedestals (3.5" x 1");

 and One cupcake tag with "for you" on it (1.375" x 1.125")

The "For You" stamp coordinates with

the Stampin' Up Large Tag Punch (item #119876 - not included)

 to make tags for gift bags or giftable sweet snacks.

I'd love to pick you to win this sweet set!

Don't Delay - Order Today

Happy Shopping!

Winner will be drawn Sunday May 1st

and published to this blog shortly thereafter.

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