THE STUFF DREAMS ARE MADE OF

I'm apparently OBSESSED with stamping. Does anyone else out there dream about designs for cards???? I hope someone says yes - because I don't really want to think I'm the only one that's gone off the deep end.

I dreamed THIS card last night - or at least I dreamed PART of it. What I could remember when I woke this morning was the stamped image across the bottom, the layout and that it was Navy Blue and White layers. I couldn't remember th main image or any other accents. The card in the dream also had piercing in various places -- but when I started putting this together decided it really didn't work with punched holes all over it.

My friend, Cindy, is having her family Thanksgiving tomorrow and has really gone all out with her decorating to make her home and her table beautiful. One of the things she wanted to do was create name cards for each place setting using Stampin'Up! Sweet Treat Cups. She looked online and found a few ideas then chose bits and pieces from each one to create some adorable Tom Turkey Place Card Sweet Treats. She also added the name tab as a pull tab to release the candy so her guests wouldn't destroy all of her hardwork when it came time to eat the candy.

My version is basically the same as Cindy's. The only changes are the addition of designer paper to the front of the place card and the "stitching" to give it a homespun look. Hers have bigger eyes too - which I prefer - but since I didn't have the big eyes I used the little ones. Isn't he cute??????

Thanks for visiting -

Until next time -

Happy Stamping!

Jill

POINSETTIAS, HOLLY SPRIGS & GOLD

I'm still trying to decide on a design for my Christmas cards this year and spent HOURS this morning putting this together. I had remembered seeing a card online a few weeks ago that used a poinsettia stamp and this Holly Embossing folder together and thought it was beautiful. So I found my poinsettia stamp, embossing folder, gold embossing powder, heat gun and went to work.

My first attempt was on a 4.25"x5.5" vanilla cardstock base. I stamped the poinsettia's in Versarmark and heat embossed with the detail gold embossing powder. I added tiny gold half beads to the centers and made sure they would stay in place by adding a drop of crystal lacquer to the top. I remembered the card I had seen used the MS branch punch to punch little gold branches - but I didn't have any gold paper and since I am home with a sore throat today really didn't want to go out to the store to get some. Did you know you can MAKE YOUR OWN GOLD METALLIC PAPER???? All you have to do is take a piece of white cardstock, stamp your versarmark inkpad all over the surface, apply gold embossing powder and heat. I made just enough to punch about 8 branches and added those to the Poinsettias. I layed the flowers in place in the corner of the embossed cardstock, and while it was very pretty in it's monochromatic theme and simplicity - it still needed something to make it a "WOW" card. So I tried ribbon, then heated ribbon, then a greeting - and decided it just wasn't working so I should start over.

I saved the Poinsettias - after all that work I wasn't about to pitch them. I decided I should try a larger card base so I could have a larger canvas to work with - and after a couple more "FAILURES" came up with this as my end result. I wish the photo looked as elegant as the card does in real life - but the metallic portions of the card reflect the color of the walls and overhead light so that they look orange in the photo. In reality, the gold embossed metallic branches and Poinsettias appear several shades darker than the River Rock cardstock and blend beautifully.

I'm still thinking I might add a ribbon across the bottom of the embossed cardstock and tie a bow in the right-hand corner.

Hope you enjoyed the card and the babble -

thanks for visiting

and until next time -

Happy Stamping!

Jill

SNOWFLAKES AND DOUBLE BOWS

For those of you who came to last night's technique's class, you can stop reading now - unless you just like to read my chitter-chatter. If that's the case keep reading - otherwise today's post will simply be a review for you.

For some of the rest of you - you might have seen these ideas recently as you've been browsing through different blogs and websites - as both have been posted as tutorials recently. But I liked the ideas and techniques so much I had to try them out myself and I have to tell you - I LOVE them both.

The first project is a card using the 'MAGIC SNOWFLAKE' technique which uses glossy cardstock, white craft ink and white embossing powder. The mottled background was created using rubbing alcohol and SU! Soft Sky and Not Quite Navy reinkers. The really NEAT thing about this technique is that you create the background OVER the embossed image of the snowflake. The cardstock is Not Quite Navy and Chocolate Chip layered on Chocolate Chip and white polka dot designer paper. The double bow was created with the BOW EASY.


The second project is a LUMINARY. This was quick and easy to make and looks beautiful with the flameless tealight glowing from the vellum windows. I have plans to make several and either line the top of my piano or set in among evergreen boughs in my bow window. I'm soooooo getting in the mood for Christmas decorating now. LOL!


I used Bordering Blue Cardstock for this and randomly stamped one of the snowflakes from a retired set all over in Craft White Ink. The trees are from the Season of Joy stamp set and are stamped in Bordering Blue Ink and accented with Stickles. I used the beautiful scalloped border punch from Martha Stewart to create the topper and added a snowflake button for some dimension. Looking at it now - it still needs a little extra ooomph. I think I might go back and add some liquid applique or flower soft to make snow along the branches and maybe make a second tree and pop it up on dimensionals.

I'm off for now -
hope to be back in a day or two with another Christmas project or two to share.

Until then -
Happy Fall Y'all.
Jill

SWEET TREATS

I needed some party favors for an upcoming holiday party and thought these little treat pulls would be perfect. This particular one has a Ghiradelli Chocolate - but I think I might substitute that with a wrapped chocolate after-dinner mint and set them at each place setting.

These are very quick and easy to make - and in my opinion - pretty darn cute.


The cardstock is cut to 3.5" x 5" and scored at 2", 2 1/4", 4 1/4", and 4.5" and is stamped in Craft White Ink using the trip snowflake stamp from Definitely Decorations.


The ribbon hole is made with the Stampin'Up! Slot Punch.

The paper is SU! Christmas Cocoa Specialty Designer Paper and is cut to 2" x 2.5 ".

I used the SU! Scalloped Border punch to create the Whisper White top and bottom borders. The ornament is from the Delightful Decorations Stamp Set and is stamped in Real Red on Whisper White then punched with the coordinating Ornament Punch.

1/4" Red Grosgrain Ribbon, Silver Twine and the Ghiradelli Chocolate finish off one YUMMY treat.

Thanks for visiting today -
and until next time -
Happy Stamping!

Jill

HOSTESS GIFT - SIMPLE & SWEET

I've been busy in my studio - but none of you would know it because I haven't had time to post anything - including my monthly Digital FREEBIE! I will make up for it I promise!! In the meantime I wanted to show you a hostess gift I gave at a workshop yesterday. Who says the nicest gifts and cards take the longest to make. A little ribbon, a button and a sentiment - and you have a sweet little gift. The angle of the photo makes the actual candle color difficult to see but it is a deep Saffron - similar to the "thank you" medallion in the center and it has a rich, spicy scent. The button also has a lovely embossed design adding a little bit of extra interest (and also difficult to see from the angle of the photo).


I used Chocolate Chip and So Saffron cardstock cutout with circle Nestabilities to cover the top of the candle and stamped the sentiment in Chocolate Chip. The stamp I used is one of the under $10 items in the current SU! Catalog - although if you look for it, it's in the main pages and not the back with the others. The ribbon is a rich brown textured satin and of course the bow was created using that wonderful little gadget - THE BOW EASY! It's one of my favorite tools!!!!

Quick, easy and sweet. Wouldn't these be lovely at each place setting on your Thanksgiving table? Of course I'm not having a thanksgiving table myself - so I'll have to settle for making another and giving it to my wonderful SIL - who provides not only the location for our family dinner but ALL the food as well!!!!

Thanks for visiting and taking the time to read my 'BABBLE'.
Enjoy your day - whatever it brings -
and until next time -
Happy Stamping.

Jill

BEING BUSY WITH BABIES AND BELLIES

My niece's baby shower is quickly approaching and I've been busily working away on shower decorations.

I showed you the gift bag/centerpieces in my last post - but the newest additions are the name blocks and cupcake picks. I purchased 2" square wood blocks from a local hobby store and covered them with designer paper in the colors of the nursery. Once the glue was dry, I sanded the edges of the blocks and glued white chipboard letters to each one spelling out the baby's name.

The cupcake picks were made using Stampin'Up! Scalloped Circle punch to make the bonnet and their 1 1/4" circle punch for both the face and the bib. The picks are wooden toothpicks and were simply glued to the back of two "babies" - making the front of the pick and the back the same. The ribbon below the pick is an extra I will be using when I make the card.

I was also privileged to get to take the maternity photos today for my niece and her husband. This was my favorite of all the photos because it really captured the tenderness between my niece, her hubby and the new life waiting to spring forth.

Hope you enjoyed the photos -

Until next time -

Happy Stamping!

Jill