Holiday Tags

I know, it's only the end of October, but if I don't start thinking about the holidays now, it will come and go before I know what hit me! LOL!

When I received the new Stamp a Sweet Impression sets by Taylored Expressions, I knew these where going to be the perfect stamps to use for gift giving. I used the wonderful papers and ribbons that come in the Christmas Key Ingredient kit, along with white Tag Treat tags, to make tags to tie onto homemade treats.

I covered a metal tin that I found at Michaels and then created the Holiday Tags label using an oval Nestability and JustRite Stamps Curlz font. Once I stamped the words in red Memento ink, I used my trusty Copic Airbrush System to add some green shading.

Now for the tags. My favorite part! :)

I covered each of the white tags with various papers and cardstock from the Key Ingredients kit, added a happy little Holiday Cuppie and a yummy sentiment and then finished each with buttons and bling and either a ribbon or embroidery floss for tieing to the homemade treat.

These came together so easily! Plus, I have enough paper in my Kit to make a bunch more!

I wonder if my family and friends will love the tag more than the treat? LOL!

Supplies

Stamps: Home Sweet Home, Season's Sweetings, Tag Treats (Taylored Expressions)

Paper, cardstock, ribbon, red glitter are from the Christmas Key Ingredient Kit

Ink: Memento, Copic markers

Misc: glitter (Martha Stewart), Nestabilities, Copic Airbrush System, tracing wheel, buttons (JoAnn), snowflake punch (EK Success)

It's a Cookie Exchange Party!

Is there ANYthing better than a platter full of fresh baked Christmas cookies? I certainly don't think so! Especially when that platter is filled with all different kinds of cookies! lol!

This year, I'm going to have a Cookie Exchange Party and I made up some special invitations to send to friends using stamps from Taylored Expressions new release (TODAY)!

The Tag Treats set is filled with all those sayings you want in a stamp (like the one on my invitation), but can never find!

I made a pocket card using papers from the Christmas Key Ingredient kit. Before taping the sides shut, I cut a circle out of the center using a scallop circle Nestability.

I put a piece of transparancy sheet in the inside of the pocket to make a window. The adorable Holly Cuppie (from the Season's Sweeting set) is attached to the front of the transparancy. *You're invited to a Christmas Cookie exchange* is stamped on white cardstock, cut out with an oval Nestability and then edged in Fire Red glitter (which also comes in the Key Ingredient kit!).

The inside of the pocket is a recipe card (you can see the stripes of the card through the window!) and I've asked each person to write the name of their cookie on the card.

When they get to the party, they will put their recipe card in this adorable Gingerbread House holder. The gingerbread house, from the Home Sweet Home set, is stamped on white cardstock, colored with Copic markers, highlighted with glitter and bling, cut out and attached to a simple wood photo holder (it was actually a Halloween ghost that I broke the ghost off of). I used papers from the Christmas Key Ingredient kit to cover the base and then glitterfied the edges.

I think it's gonna be a great party! We'll see if the family gets any of the cookies! ;o)

You are gonna LOVE every stamp in these 3 (yes, THREE) new sets! You can find them, and the Christmas Key Ingredient kit at Taylored Expressions!

Supplies

Stamps: Tag Treats, Season's Sweetings and Home Sweet Home (Taylored Expressions)

Paper, cardstock and glitter (Christmas Key Ingredient kit by Taylored Expressions)

Ink: Memento, Copic markers

Misc: green glitter (MM), Nestabilities, tag punch (SU!)

Let it snow * Let it snow * Let it snow

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

LOL! You thought I meant winter didn't you! Nope! It's time for a new release from Taylored Expressions! I am SO excited about this release, not just because they are so adorable, but because I LOVE to make holiday cards and the ideas are endless with the stamps in these sets.

I created this card using the Home Sweet Home set along with the Key Ingredient kit that Taylor has available in her store. What could possibly be easier than having everything you need to make adorable holiday cards all in one kit!?!

I stamped and embossed the Let it Snow sentiment 3 times with white embossing powder. I did the same with the snowflakes and then added a drop of Crystal Stickles in the center of each one.

The snowman cuppie is sitting on a pile of *glitter snow*. His scarf and the band of his hat are paper pieced and the rest is colored with Copic markers.

The cool ribbon is also from the Key Ingredient kit. Don't you just love the swirls in it?

My pics have a little bit of blue tint to them. That's what happens when you live in two places and do the best you can with what you have. LOL! Maybe we can all just think it looks frosty cold! :o)

Be sure to check out what the rest of the Baker's Dozen Design Team has created! OMGOSH they are all FABULOUS!!! You'll find the links to their blogs over on the side =>

Supplies
Stamps: Home Sweet Home (Taylored Expressions)
Paper, cardstock, ribbon (Key Ingredients by Taylored Expressions)
Ink: Memento, Copic markers

Halloween ATC

My friend, Stevie periodically hosts an ATC (Artist Trading Card) swap. I love these because of the size (2.5 x 3.5), but they are really no easier to create than a full card! LOL!

For this Halloween swap I reached right for my Frightful Night set by Taylored Expressions. The tree in that set will be a forever staple in my Halloween card making, and the house is just so adorable.


I stamped the house on a sheet of Halloween paper by Making Memories that is filled with spooky words and cool script. After trimming it out, I colored the roof with a rust marker (Marvy) and the chimney with a Warm Gray (W10) Copic marker, going over it again with a black glaze pen to give it a shiney look.

The windows are cut out with a craft knive. I stamped the center of the house on a scrap of white cardstock and colored the windows with Y21(Buttercup Yellow) Copic. I attached this piece to the back side of the house with tape and then filled in the windows with Glassy Accents.
The round window is colored with the same Y21 marker, with a little clear glass bauble over the top.

The door is way cool in real life. I used a Stampology frame stamp that has a spider web on it. I stamped it on a scrap of white cardstock, went over it with Antique Linen Distress ink (direct to paper), then stamped the door part of the house over the top. I cut out the door, attached it to the house and highlighted the door nob with a dot of the black glaze pen.

The tree is stamped in black directly on the purple background. The moon is stamped in black and then filled in with yellow/gold glitter.

The *grass* is from the Halloween Key Ingredient Kit by Taylored Expressions. It has white polka dots on it, which were a tad too bright, so I ran the Antique Linen pad over the paper.

Once everything was put together, I ran my trusty tracing wheel around the edge to finish it off.

I can't wait to see what the other girls created. They are all fabulous stampers and it's a challenge to take things to the next level with each swap we do! LOL!

HB

Supplies

Stamps: Frightful Night (Taylored Expressions), Stampology

Paper: SU!, Neenah, Making Memories, Little Yellow Bicycle

Ink: Tuxedo Black (Memento), Antique Linen (Ranger), Gelly Roll glaze pen, Marvy marker, Copic markers

Misc: Glassy Accents (Ranger), glitter (Martha Stewart), glass bauble (Darice Lustre Gems), tracing wheel

More thanks

My supply of Thank You cards sure has been depleting lately. There are so many people who have helped me transition to my new job and I like to make my Thank You's personal.

Here is a quick and easy one using one of my favorite Whipper Snapper Designs stamps.

I stamped the birdhouses on white cardstock, colored them with Copic markers and then added blue sky with the Copic Airbrush System.

Some cute pattern paper, a little ribbon, a button and you're done!

Speaking of Thanks!... thank YOU for coming to visit!
HB

Supplies
Stamps: Whipper Snapper Designs, Papertrey Ink
Paper: Neenah, BoBunny, SU!
Ink: Noir, Burnt Umber (Palette), Copic Markers
Misc: Copic Airbrush System, ribbon (JoAnns), button (Foo fa la), scallop border punch (Martha Stewart)

A cup full of thanks!

My wonderful girlfriend gave me the Coffee with Friends set (Flourishes) for my birthday recently. I've wanted this set FOREVER, but I just hadn't gotten around to ordering it.

So, I sat down last week with the set, a 12x12 piece of gorgeous paper and a drawer full of scraps. (ok, I had to reach out to my Nestabilities, some PTI sentaments and a few 'bellies too. lol) The result was these three cards. Don't you just LOVE when things come together easily?

Here are the individual cards:

I think a set of these will be perfect in a gift basket with a new coffee cup and some flavored coffee! hmmm... now the wheels are turning! lol

HB

Supplies

Stamps: Flourishes, Papertrey Ink

Paper: Scribble Scrabble, BoBunny, SU!, Neenah

Ink: Noir, Burnt Umber, Aqua Mist (Palette), Antique Linen (Ranger), Copic markers
Misc: Nestabilities, swirl embossing folder (Cuttlebug), ribbon (BoBunny), buttons (Foofala), oval punch, word window punch (SU!), glitter (Martha Stewart), brad and brad flower (?), tracing wheel

It's Your Day!

I've been seeing some fantastic creations using clear acrylic (or transparancy) sheets out in blogland lately. I just love the look and I've been on the hunt for a product that was sturdy. The ones I've gotten at the office supply store are ok for a layered look, but not for a card. Well, I was in Archivers last week and they carry cardstock weight now! Shout Hurray!

I knew my first creation was going to use the Sweet Celebration set by Taylored Expressions.


I found this adorable paper by Scenic Route on the same shopping trip. With the cute party hats on one side, and polka dots on the other, it was just made to be! And, it's a heavy enough weight that I didn't need to use cardstock. The base is 5x5, with the party hats on the back. I then layered a 4.5 x 4.5 piece over a mat of Bazzill cardstock. This layer is the hats facing forward.

The inside sentiment is stamped on a circle of the polka dot side and taped in the center.

I stamped the cupcake on white cardstock cut with a circle Nestability. I stamped it again on a scrap piece of white and then just the bottom on the green polka dot. Once I paper pieced everything together, I colored the frosting and the hat with Copic markers. I went over the frosting with Matte Accents by Ranger. It looks like chocolate ganache in real life! YUM!

I added some green glitter to the polka dots on the hat (ya gotta have sparkles!).

Needing just the right sentiment for the outside, I reached for my JustRight Stamps. It is so easy to create the sentiment I want... especially since I wanted it to curve!

This last pic shows the back of the card. I cut the transparancy sheet with my scallop blade so it went down the back of the card just a couple inches. This gave the card stability, without having to have it fully cover the back.

Thanks for stopping by!

HB

Supplies

Stamps: Sweet Celebration (Taylored Expressions), JustRite Stamps

Paper: Scenic Route, Bazzill, Neenah

Ink: Black Soot Distress Ink (Ranger), Copic markers

Misc: Transparancy, Nestabilites, Cindyribbon (May Arts colored with a Copic marker), Matte Accents (Ranger), glitter (Making Memories), tracing wheel

Happy Times!

Remember in my last post (ya, the one that was over a week ago!) I told you DH and I were going to spend a few days playing with our granddaughters? Well, we survived (and so did the girls! lol). We played, and read lots and lots of books, and cooked, and rode bikes, and played some more. Do you know that an 18 month old never, ever stops moving? LOL!

It was my birthday during this visit, so we took the girls to Ruby Tuesdays for dinner. Our youngest DD, Amanda, works there. After dinner, Amanda came out with a cake and some of the other waitstaff and they sang me happy birthday! I was so impressed that she had baked, and decorated, the cake herself (although she could have put a few less *51*'s on it!!!)

This is Gracie, me, Amanda and Elise with the cake. DH is taking the pic. Why don't I ever think to have someone else take the pic so we can all be in it?

Gracie is in kindergarten this year and her school was having homecoming festivities. This pic is of her on Crazy Hair Day. She is a HOOT!

And this is Elise, in one of her non-moving moments. She's a little pipsqueak who loves the book Mrs. Wishy Washy (we read it at least 50 times while we were there). I think it's because it has a duck in it and she loves to say *duck*!

I really miss these little ones and envy those of you who have your grandbabies in the same city.

Tomorrow... back to our regular scheduled programing. (cards!)

HB