Festive Fridays Branching Out

TGIF - yes, I am SO thankful it is Friday!
Thank you for hopping by on the Festive Friday Blog Hop! Terri Sproul hosts the hop the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month to showcase Christmas Cards. There is a list of the participating blogs at the end of this post, I hope you'll take the time to visit and enjoy the festivities!

This week I am sharing a card that I think would be good for the holidays, but also great to send in the winter - unless you don't care for the snow! Then, maybe it would be good to send in the summer... when its hot. And you wish it would snow, but you have forgotten how much you really don't care for the snow. Or something like that....

This card is made using the emboss resist technique. I stamped the Branching Out tree in Marina Mist and Versamark on White cardstock, and embossed with Clear embossing powder. The snowflakes from the same set (Branching Out, retired) were stamped in Craft White ink and also embossed with Clear embossing powder. I used a sponge to apply Bashful Blue ink to my scene, and then stamped the Real Red bird image (also from that set). Then the tree scene was mounted onto Marina Mist and Bashful Blue cardstocks, rounding the corners on all layers.
Whew! And that was just the center of the card!

The same snowflake stamp was used with the Craft White again, to stamp across the Marina Mist cardstock on the card base, and embossed with Clear powder. I stamped the sentiment from the Punch Pals set onto the bottom of the card, and added some white accents with a Signo Gel Pen.

And then I called it Done!

This set is retired, which is a shame - its quite lovely I think! However, you could use this fabulous technique with any of the available winter sets, it makes for some striking snowflakes!

Please continue to add to your inspiration as you hop along with us, and visit all the lovely blogs participating! Next on the path is BRENDA. Enjoy!!
Happy Crafting!
~angie



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Whatcha Workin' On? ~ Wednesday



Well, I guess we know what my summer project is: refinishing that table!

Everyday Enchantment...

I just can't get over how pretty this paper pack from Sale-a-bration is! I think I find something new to love about it every time I look at it. The color combos are so fresh and bright, yet feminine and soft, and goodness! Versatile - I can see the colors lending  themselves to some nice masculine cards as well!  

Everyday Enchantment #126154 - just a great pick, when you get to choose your Sale-a-bration FREE product...

More information on the  Sale-A-Bration event HERE.



This week was my moms birthday and I was searching for ideas for a good card to make her, when I ran across this beautiful layout over at http://www.cardsscraps.com/. I shamelessly CASED the card. I made an matching envelope for it. And wouldn't you know it?! I put the card in and sealed it before I took any pictures... as they say on Twitter: SMH!

At least my Mom liked it.

So today I used my crafty hour to make a couple more cards. And lucky you, I took photos!!

Here they are:

Sale-a-bration 2012 Everyday Enchantment and Outlined Occasions

The card base is Pool Party, the Designer Series Paper is the beautiful Everyday Enchantment pack, and I accented it with some Cameo Coral card stock. The Flower is from the Blossom Bouquet Triple Layer punch #122464 and the brads are from the Everyday Enchantment Ribbon and Brad Pack #127279 - also another Must Have from the Sale-a-bration brochure! The second card is almost identical - I used a different brad for the center of the flower:

SAB 2012 Outlined Occasions and Everyday Enchantment

The sentiment is another SAB (Sale-a-bration) set Outlined Occasions # 126016. I stamped it in Black and then used my Blender Pen #102845 with the Pool Party, Calypso Coral, and Lucky Limade ink pads to color in the letters and confetti. I still buy some markers, but usually I will just buy the ink pad and use my Blender Pen to color images. On one hand this is very economical, but the real truth is I am just not that good at coloring and I do not do it very often, thus my lack of a marker collection. One of those things I would like to work on, but probably won't make it to the top of the list. Now you know.

I also have a couple more projects I'm working on, the first in que being my card for Festive Friday this week - hope you'll come back and see that one on Friday. And I will be adding the refinishing of my craft tables to the list for the warmer weather. Haha! I suppose I should add to the list the "reveal" of my craft room - I don't think I ever posted any photos. It is still a work in progress, but at least after a year in the works it can now host visitors! 

One thing I really liked about the original card was that the complete design includes decorating the inside of the card. That really finishes a card off, in my opinion, adding a small coordinating design element to the inside. For these cards I will be making the matching envelopes and adding a flower or a strip of the DSP to the inside of the card.

But that will have to wait for after dinner and baths and story time and bedtime for those little crafters of mine... back to Mama mode! 

Happy Crafting!

~angie 

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Sale-a-bration Time, Come On!

Did you know Sale-a-Bration has begun? It is our most anticipated sale of the year. What makes Sale-a-Bration so great? Stampin’ Up! and I want to show you our appreciation by spoiling you with extra products. Sale-a-Bration is all about that something extra. This sale offers three easy ways to earn · · { free products } · · I invite you to Sale-a-Brate with me by downloading the Sale-A-Bration Brochure (PDF 3.3mg), making your wish list, and contacting me today to attend or schedule a workshop. Happy Crafting! Angela Bodas Your Stampin' Up! Creative Coach · · { three easy ways to earn free products } · · ORDER Spend $50 and earn one free Sale-A-Bration product of your choice. SHOP ONLINE HOST Host a qualifying workshop and earn Sale-A-Bration products plus hostess benefits. LEARN MORE JOIN Join Stampin' Up! and receive our starter kit and BONUS BUNDLES for only $125. WHY JOIN STAMPIN' UP!

Festive Fridays 2012 Quilting

Welcome to the 2012 edition of the Festive Friday Blog Hop hosted by Terri Sproul. This year, as we did last year, we are hopping the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month to share Christmas Cards we've made. Hopefully we'll inspire you  -- to keep Christmas in your heart all year, AND build up a nice stack of cards you can use when it comes time to celebrate the holidays!

To start the year off, I am sharing this faux quilted card:

I made this card using the Postage Stamp punch on a scrap of retired Designer Paper. I punched 6 squares, then cut one square into 4 triangles. I positioned the punched and cut pieces onto another scrap of coordinating retired DSP creating the look of a Quilt, and then mounted all that onto a piece of Old Olive Card stock. This "quilted" piece was then mounted onto a Real Red card stock base that I had stamped Merry Christmas in Chocolate Chip Ink, from the Hand Penned stamp set. I finished off the card with some white accents using my uni-ball Signo Gel Pen, and a Real Red button from the Designer Button - Brights collection. The bow is scrap embroidery floss.

This is an easy card to make using scraps, but also would make beautiful coordinated sets for gifting, using your favorite patterned papers. You could also use it year round - change your color scheme, and swap your sentiment to Love, or Missing You, or Thinking of You... even Welcome Baby! To me, the quilt says home and comfort, making for a card with a lot of warmth.

Add this quilted piece to your Scrapbook page, and you've added a special warmth to your layout. Versatile - use it on holiday or baby pages. You can use it as presented here - about 1" squares, or up-size it and create spaces for photos using 4x4" squares. Embellish with faux or real stitching, buttons or bows.

Please continue to add to your inspiration as you hop along with us and visit all the lovely blogs participating, but next on the path is BRENDA. Enjoy!!



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Q&A Where to Begin

	Q&A Q: I have a friend who would like to start stamping with me and I’d like to give her a gift to get her started. What are the best things for a beginner stamper to have? A: Sharing the fun of stamping with a friend is one of the things that Stampin’ Up! is all about. There is nothing like the joy of seeing the sense of accomplishment and joy that a new stamper feels when she first discovers the art of stamping. What a great thing for you to experience with your friend! Some of the basic supplies a new stamper needs are stamps, ink, card stock, and tools. Stamps As much as we may want it all, we have to start somewhere! For new stampers, I suggest a versatile set, like the Easy Events (#116958 wood-mount, #123225 clear-mount) stamp set. It includes images and greetings for a variety of occasions. Plus, the Easy Events stamp set is ideal for your friend to test out simple techniques like coloring, or stepped-up techniques like watercoloring. Ink New stampers don’t need the full spectrum of colors in order to get started. A couple of ink pads in versatile colors or favorite colors are a great place to start. One of the ink pads I recommend most is Jet Black StazOn (#101406). The quick-drying, permanent black ink is versatile for many images and perfect for a variety of techniques that new stampers will want to try. Another great ink pad to consider is the VersaMark pad (#102283). Since VersaMark is a clear ink, it creates a slightly darker watermark-type effect when stamped on most any color of card stock. A Color Collection of Stampin’ Spots is another budget-friendly option for beginning stampers who like a lot of color options. Each Stampin' Spot Color Collection includes anywhere from 8 to 11 ink pads that are 1” square in size. Card Stock Not all paper is created equal! Most of us have learned by trial and error that there is a difference. Help your new stamping friend avoid the frustration and expense of poor-quality card stock. She’ll appreciate the crisp images she can achieve with our ultra-smooth Whisper White (#100730) or Very Vanilla (#101650) card stock. Pair the Whisper White or Very Vanilla card stock with an assorted pack of card stock from one of the Color Collections and the Neutrals Collection, and your friend will have the basis for many beautiful creations! Tools It seems obvious, but it is important not to forget the basics like a Paper Cutter (#104152) and a SNAIL adhesive (#104332) along with a couple of refills (#104331). Once you have those basics, consider fun and functional tools like our great punches. A couple of circles that can be layered together are a great place to start because circles are a very pleasing and versatile shape that you can't cut by hand without making yourself crazy! (You know what I mean if you’ve tried it!) Got to have it all?! Do you know the best-kept secret deal in the Stampin’ Up! catalog? It’s the Starter Kit. Yep - with stamps, ink, card stock, and basic tools, the Starter Kit is valued at $345, but only costs $175, making it a steal-of-a-deal and an ideal way for new stampers to get all the basics in one affordable bundle. Plus, when new stampers join Stampin’ Up!, they’ll have a whole host of great online resources, including an amazing online community of demonstrators for training, ideas, and support. Talk about having it all! Contact me today to find out more about the Starter Kit, including the limited-time extras and discounts available only to new team members who join during Sale-A-Bration!
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33 Birthday cards on the wall...

33 Birthday Cards... Take one down, pass it around.... well. Something like that! :-)
My friend and I got cahrayzee in the craft room today while our kids played. It was fun, I am cleaning out all my folders and keepers, and came across these One Sheet Wonders that had all the DSP paper cut - just had to get some card bases, coordinating card stocks, and the white part to stamp. So I put my friend to work {LOL} and we stamped and assembled this fine group of cards! We had to break for husbands and dinner and that sort of thing, so I finished hand coloring the cards and doing the final assembly by my lonesome, but I am pleased!

Bam! Thats how you get a crafty year rolling! I believe this will take me halfway to my OWH goal for the month, and I still have time to get crackin' on the slew of Birthday cards I need for personal use!

It was a bit tricky finding ink and coordinating paper to match this retired Designer Series Paper, (I'm sure my friend thought I was bonkers) and then deciphering my notes on how all the pre-cut strips actually assembled into cards... well, thats what friends are for, right? They still like you, cahrayzee and all! 

Happy Crafting!
~angie

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Birthday Mojo

I've penned all the birthdays of my friends and family into our calendar this year with the intent of actuallymailing their cards this year! (we'll just forget about last year, now shall we...) Looking out just to June, that means I am in need of 40 cards so far. And... that doesn't even include the ones I'd planned to make for Operation Write Home! Or to just have on hand in my card stash!! -gulp-

Even ((ahem)) re-purposing some cards I may have on hand, that still leaves quit the pile of Birthday cards I need to make! So I think I will declare January to be Birthday month, and get to making!

For this card, to get the "mojo flowing" in the craft room, I played along with the Mojo Monday sketch. What do you think of the results?



Mojo Monday #222 - Fabulous Birthday

I used Daffodil Delight, Rose Red, Early Espresso, and Regal Rose card stocks; some Rose Red Designer Paper; and the sentiment and cupcake are from the Create a Cupcake stamp set #121982. A fun little set for birthdays. The sentiment reads "There's something fabulous about your birthday {must be you!}" Sweet, huh? The bling was from the kids stash. ((Hahaha - yes, my kids have a stash!)) This one is an OWH card, but I like the layout enough to try it again, so perhaps some lucky calendar date of mine will get a card just like this!

Mojo Monday Sketch Challenge #222

If you'd like to play along with the crowd at Mojo Monday, or just want to see what everyone else made of the sketch, go visit them at mojomonday.blogspot.com  Every Monday they offer a different challenge sketch, and the first Monday of the month they offer prizes for playing along!

Hope you're having a super start to the week,

Happy Crafting!

~angie

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Holiday Mini 2011 Last Minute Must Haves

Its about to disappear!!
That mini catalog we've loved since September!
The last day to order from the Holiday Mini Catalog 2011 will be tomorrow January 3rd, 2012!!!
There are a few awesome items that will carry over into the next mini catalog (the simply fabulous Simply Scored Scoring Tool #122334 and accessories - see page 7) but for the most part, you need to get your order in STAT to get these items!
If you'd like to download a copy of the Holiday Mini, please click on the image in my left sidebar.
You can also see all the items in my online store, click on the Shop Now link at the bottom of this post and then click on the Holiday Mini link in the left column there.

My top 10 items to get before they're gone:

It's a Wrap Holidays (wood mount: #122770 or clear mount: #122772) page 14


Its A Wrap Holidays

A set of 7 adorable stamps to decorate your mini-chocolate candies, or to add borders to scrapbook pages or cards. Versatile, includes any-time "4 You" or "Love" - great for weddings, shower favors, or teachers gifts; as well as St Patricks Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas. There are a dozen tutorials for cute candy gift boxes, baskets, and bags - these would add a great finishing touch to your project.

Mica Flakes (#124115) page 21

The Shaker Frames (124155 pg 38 - CARRYOVER!) will still be around, but the mica flakes may not be. These are delicate and shimmery, perfect for the ideal snow globe effect, and really a very optimal alternative to glitter ((you know how I am about glitter!! :-/ )) I suggest a little tub or two of these to keep on hand.




Holiday Damask



Decor Elements Holiday Damask (#125635)

and Happy Holidays (#124153) page 25
Tuck these pretties away and be ready to decorate next year. Easy to use vinyl pieces, and I think these are really beautiful designs. I would also like to point out the red of the Damask print would be amazing for Valentines Day, if you wanted to have a transitional piece to stage your decorating on. It would be beautiful on an old window, handing behind your entry table, or added to canvas - very mobile. It could be the backdrop for your Christmas, New Years, and Valentines displays.

Stampin' Card Keeper (#124107) page 35
This was a great gift idea for the holidays, for sure, but you know it would make your life easier through the New Year too! Perfect to get organized for the new year, or an amazing gift to make and keep on hand for birthdays, thank you gifts, or teachers gifts. Very customizable, you can dress it up or down according to your need. Also good to store cards wrapped with ribbon, or color samples, or scraps of paper.

Designer Printed 6x6 Ring album Cherry Trim (#124008)
and Simply Scrappin Kit Christmas Lane (#124008) page 26


Cherry Trim Album

Perfect time to grab a couple of these to save all those memories of the past holiday! You could also get a book ready for next year, and be ahead of the game on your scrapbook - or use it as a guest book for all those parties? Lots of options... Also to note, the Album would make a delightful Valentines offering, or to save those sweet memories of how you've celebrated over the years. Its a great color that works well for masculine gifts, but you could also dress it up to be a bit frilly and girly.

Mini Jingle Bells (#124116) page 30
Dashing all the way! How adorable and precious are these little jingles?!? A really special embellishment to any page or card, the bells really ring. Use them on paper crafts, or add them to your sewing projects or home decor crafts. Just unique, and so very tiny!



3/8" Quilted Satin Ribbon (Cherry Cobbler #124105 or Early Espresso #124104 sorry - sold out!) page 30


Cherry Cobbler Quilted Satin Ribbon

 I love to get ribbon from the mini catalogs because it is so unique, this ribbon is just deluxe! Great colors for those masculine cards, and a really elegant finish make it definitely one of my favorites. Edited to add: The Early Espresso is gone already, grab some of the Cherry Cobbler - you won't be disappointed!

Hand-Penned Holidays (wood mounted: #124310 or clear-mounted: #124312) page 15
A set of four sentiments, with beautiful flourishes that will add elegance to any project. Great versatile set, it does include "With Love" and "Give Thanks" that you can use all year long for birthdays, anniversaries, thank you cards, and notes. A really stylized "Happy Halloween", and a sweet "Merry Christmas" round out the set and will work well on cards or scrapbook pages or gifts during the holiday seasons.


Hostess: Warmesst Of Wishes


Hostess Set Warmest of Wishes page 5
(with qualifying $150 purchase of Stampin' Up product,
see page 4 for details:
 #122670 wood mount or #122672 clear mount)
I hope you'll get the chance to get this adorable set, I love when the stamps coordinate with punches and this one is a set of 5, where 4 of the 5 stamps coordinate with a punch! Wheee!! The pennant is a perfect addition to the pennant collection, and the wreath is just adorable, and how on earth can you pass up the sweet little trick-or-treat owl!?! Great Hostess set, as usual, but it will be gone soon!

To get these products from the Holiday Mini Catalog, you must place your order before 11:50 PM Mountain Time, Tuesday January 3rd. If you are waiting till the VERY last minute, be aware that there is always a mad rush at the end... and possible sell-outs on some of these great products - don't say I didn't warn you! If you would feel more comfortable placing an order with me personally instead of using our easy online ordering, please don't hesitate to contact me - I am happy to help you, and we still have a little bit of time! My info is on my store page:

Shop Now  at my online store

Items that will carry over and be available in the future:

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Birthday Celebrations

New Years Day is actually my half-birthday (does anyone celebrate those?! I believe in celebrating :-) so my card today is a Birthday card. And really, there is always a need for Birthday cards, isnt there?

This card is easy, but full of texture and warmth. I used the Build a Cupcake punch to make the cupcake, candle, and "confetti". I also used the large Scallop Circle punch for tha background, and then used a technique called "Embedded Embossing". I layered all the punch pieces onto cardstock, and then used an embossing folder on the whole thing. I used the Square Lattice Embossing Folder for this card.
The sentiment is stamped before embossing, and is from the Upsy Daisy stamp set. I used Black, White, and Pool Party card stocks and Pool Party ink.

I hope the new year brings you many days to celebrate!
Happy New Year & Happy Crafting!
~angie

Linking up to Operation Write Home Sketch Challenge #102

and ColorQ Challenge #117 - thank you for the inspiration!

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