Inexpensive Christmas gifts to make 'em say "Wow!"

Are you sitting down for a bit?  I've got a photo-heavy Christmas gift post to share.  Would you believe that each of these gifts cost me no more than $3.00 to make?  Granted, I have many, many (many) supplies on hand already -- like the paper, ribbons, pearls -- that I'm not adding in to the cost.  Each beautiful candle ring cost no more than $2.00 on sale, and the wooden frames were each $1.00.  

Each frame started off looking like this:

I'm in all things miniature (check out my Pinterest board, "Miniatures") and these candle rings just grabbed me by the heartstrings.  They're only about 3 3/4" wide, and, well, I just love 'em!

The next one has Champagne Metallic craft paint by Martha Stewart on the frame.   You can't see the pretty shimmer it has here.

I used Light Gold Metallic craft paint, also by Martha, on the following frame.  It's got a terrific pearly shine, but so hard to photograph!

The next two frames were primed with white craft paint first, and then washed with Heavenly Hues Gold paint wash by DecoArt, and wiped off.

You can see the gold better here:

Stampin' Up! lovers will recognize this retired flocked patterned paper from several years back.  It makes a dramatic piece, doesn't it?

Similar to the one above, the frame below has a slightly different 'wreath' on it.  It doesn't have white berries.

I lined the recessed part with metallic gold ribbon.  Can you see it?

Of all the frames, I fell in love with this modern one below, destined for my mother.  She loves black and all things contemporary.  Something about the simple lines and clean palette appealed to me.

I used another piece of retired Stampin' Up! designer paper (a wedding set...forget the name) behind the wreath.  It's got stripes of matte and glossy black.

Lucky me....these projects fit in the City Crafter challenge:  Wood + Frame.  It's like it was made for me!!  I'm also entering at The Paper Players -- theme is "Evergreen."  These wreaths are definitely fitting in. :-)

I'm glad you stopped by!  Which one is your favorite?

Silent Night

Here's a Christmas card that was passed up for publication earlier this year, and I've kind of given up on submitting to pubs for now.  So...I get to show it to you!

I glittered up some snowflakes, used a bunch of rhinestone bling, and a pretty flair sticker from K & Co.

I hope we get some REAL snowflakes here in New Jersey this winter.  I miss snow!  Seems whenever the East Coast gets snowstorms, our little area always get passed up.  Just one, big, wonderful storm would make my snowflake-loving heart happy.  :-)

Paper:  white - PTI; Patterned Paper: (green, ice blue – Holly Jolly) My Mind’s Eye Accessories & Tools: (Himalayan, Snowflake punches) Martha Stewart, (Organic Flourish embossing folder) Cuttlebug; (bird sticker) K & Co, (iridescent glitter), (clear rhinestones) Queen & Co.

Golden Snowflake Peace

I believe it's the first time I've inked up snowflakes from Verve's Glad Tidings set.  (ahem, it takes me a while to get around to showing all my stamps some love)  They are SO pretty! I'm a sucker for beautiful snowflakes.  :-)

These deserve some gilding with gold embossing powder.  The sentiment is Verve Bright Spirits.  Papers are a combo of Basic Grey Wassail (the main panel), deep red from Stampin' Up!, and green flourishes from Anna Griffin.

No particular sketch used here....just let all the elements flow together.  

Have a beautiful day!

Stamps: Bright Spirits, Glad Tidings - Verve Paper: Sahara Sand, Mellow Moss, red pattern - SU; green flourish - Anna Griffin; white - PTI; floral - Wassail - Basic Grey Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Antique Linen - Ranger Fibers: twine - Creative Impressions Accessories & Tools: snowflake die - Verve; circle die - Spellbinders; pearls

Tiny Houndstooth Christmas Trees

I love seeing possibilities - beyond the obvious - in stamp sets.  Take Whimsical Banners by Inspired By Stamping, for example.

It's a set with cute little flags and banners, and one day, an aha moment:  little trees!  A strip of brown cardstock became tree trunks.

Red Liquid Pearls were all the decoration these little guys needed.

Love the different sentiment from Christmas Greetings by IBS.  It's not one you usually see on holiday cards.

Thanks for dropping in today!  :-)

Stamps: Whimsical Banners, Christmas Greetings - IBS Paper: white - PTI; Close to Cocoa - SU  Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Always Artichoke, Old Olive - SU Accessories & Tools: Ruby Red Liquid Pearls - Ranger; Romantic Rectangles die - Spellbinders; pearls - Queen & Co.

Time For Change

A friend of mine asked if I could make a card for her niece, who recently got engaged.  As always, when I receive a custom order, I ask about the recipient's style, fave colors, or any other tips that help me get a feel for that person.

The young lady and her fiance got engaged surrounded by nature, overlooking a lake.  Sounds dreamy, doesn't it?  She also favors purple, so this idea sprang into my mind:

The "Happily Ever After" paper from DCWV's Once Upon A Time stack sat waiting for the right occasion.  Those pretty butterflies came off a Mother's Day card from Hallmark.  They were attached to clear fishing line and meant to be a decoration.  I hung them for months in my window, but when autumn came, these little 'flies said they wanted to grace my cards instead.

We all know butterflies are the "Poster Children" for change and metamorphosis.  Change is happening in my life right now, pointing me in a positive, well-deserved direction.  I stepped down from my design team recently, to make more time for family, church, job hunting, and creating cards for sale.  You'll still see plenty of posts here on my blog, so I hope you'll hang in there with me.  :-)

Paper: Lovely Lilac, Whisper White - SU; Once Upon A Time patterned paper - DCWV Ink: white opaque, Walnut Stain - Ranger Accessories & Tools: Oval die - Spellbinders; butterflies - removed from store-bought card; Floral Frame embossing folder - Sizzix; Elegant Scrollwork die - Memory Box; corner rounder punch - Fiskars

Yellow Roses, Because I'm Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends, and hello to the rest of the world!  Today, I'm revisiting a couple of sets that came out earlier this month at Inspired By Stamping on this non-traditional Thanksgiving card.  

The November release featured so many lovely vintage images and digital papers, my romantic heart was in heaven!  On an already-beautiful digi paper, I stamped a bird from Vintage Pieces alongside a yellow rose.  They look like they belong together!  At the bottom right corner, I adhered two stamped, trimmed banners from Garden Seed Packets  and topped them with pearls.

The punched-out blue butterfly is part of the Vintage Digital Printables pack.  I raised it up on a foam sticker.   I joined together elements from Just Because Sentiments, which is one of the things I love about this set.

Enjoy the time spent with family this holiday, and if you shop on Black Friday, good luck!!

Apple Of My Eye

I love apples!  Especially Honeycrisp and Pink Lady.  What's your favorite kind?

Who couldn't love an apple with an adorable face?  Lawn Fawn's My Silly Valentine guy makes me smile.

This card is a publication reject.  :(  Guess I can give it away now to someone special!

Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your day!

Stamps: My Silly Valentine - Lawn Fawn Paper: white - PTI Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko Fibers: white satin ribbon Accessories & Tools: Copic markers; Scallop Dot punch - Martha Stewart

Wedding Hearts

Black, white and red weddings never seem to go out of style.

When I was in my 20s, I was a bridesmaid in a friend's wedding, and these were her colors.  The bridesmaids wore custom-made (by the bride herself) short red satin dresses, with big, wide-brimmed black hats, black stockings, black shoes and long black gloves.  Definitely the most dramatic wedding I've ever been in!

You know how there are so many shades of black?  Well, you can see several here on this one card.  Not a good match, now that I see it in a photo.  There are mini rhinestones around the Inspired By Stamping Fancy Circle frame and Verve Best Wishes sentiment.

Version 2:   I like the satin ribbon much better, but the glitter on this heart is less red, more toned down.

Hard to see, but there are silver Liquid Pearls around this framed sentiment.

Answer to a question asked by reader Paulette Manion:
Paulette asked how I get my Liquid Pearls formed in a very rounded way, instead of tipped like the frosting on a cupcake.  I am ashamed to say I do not know how to put into words my 'technique', which has a lot to do with the pressure of squeezing on the bottle, and knowing when to pull the bottle away from the paper.  Instead, I found this excerpt from a blog that may help answer the question:

Working with Liquid Pearls

Always make Liquid Pearls the last step in your projects because of the long drying time (at least 1-2 hours, more if you apply it thickly). I can’t tell you how many projects I have ruined due to impatience.

Liquid Pearls has a tendency to apply to paper in a pointy cone shape when you separate the product from the applicator tip. To prevent the pointy look of the Liquid Pearls when it flows from the nozzle, apply then gently flick the back of the paper until the Liquid Pearls is rounded. Try this on copy paper first as you need the right pressure. Make sure to hold the paper evenly as well; if it is tilted the Liquid Pearls will move in the direction of tilt.

Control the size of the dot/thickness of your line by squeezing the bottle: the more you squeeze the greater the flow. Always start on copy paper – sometimes a thick glob of the Liquid Pearls comes out at first. To avoid my bonehead move that I do ALL THE TIME, throw away that darn copy paper or cover it with another sheet of paper. I always end up ruining the back of my card by placing it on copy paper that has the slow to dry Liquid Pearls on it. @$*&(*% AHHH every time!

A final tip to remember is that the applicator tip can become clogged. This is easily fixed by inserting a pin down the tip carefully and wiggling it around (not too much as you can stretch/tear the tip easily). Usually I can just pull the dried Liquid Pearls straight out of the tip with my fingers – it has an elastic quality that holds together when you pull it out.

I hope this helps!

Stamps: Best Wishes - Verve; Fancy Circles - Inspired By Stamping Paper: (stripe) Harper's Boutique - The Paper Studio; (damask) Best of Damask - My Mind's Eye; white - PTI Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: sheer/stripe black ribbon - Offray; black satin ribbon - Michaels Accessories & Tools: Garnet glitter - Martha Stewart; dark red glitter - Creative Impressions; Heart to Heart punch - SU; silver Liquid Pearls - Ranger; pearls - Queen & Co.

Sweet 16

Hello!  It's my turn to share an Inspired By Stamping creation with you, and I have just the thing.  Well, I'm a little ahead of the game, and not trying to rush time, but I've got a Sweet 16 birthday card all prepared for my daughter...for next year.  I was playing around with my stamps, and thought this was a "sweet" combination.

I stamped 'sweet' from Cross Stitch, and used a '1' and a '6' from Fancy Alphabet to make the sentiment.  There are doilies on here, too, from Delicate Doilies -- a set that still captures my heart.

The cupcake paper is so cute, and really makes this a sweet Sweet 16.

That's it for me!  Thanks for coming by, and I'll see you soon.

Mr. & Mrs.

Hello there!  Had to make some wedding cards for the shop recently, and this is one I delivered over the weekend.  Keeping this post short on words, but here are the pics:

Thanks for coming by!  Hope you are well today.  :-)

Stamps: Best Wishes - Hero Arts Paper: white - PTI; damask - Best of Damask/My Mind's Eye; stripe - Harper's Boutique (?) - The Paper Studio; cereal box chipboard Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko Fibers: black rosette ribbon - American Crafts Accessories & Tools: Full Heart, Heart-to-Heart punches - SU; red glitter - Creative Inspirations

Beautiful Violette

Hello everyone!  A vintage, shabby chic vibe was in me on the day I created this card.  It also gave me a chance to ink up a new-to-me (and now discontinued) Pink Paislee set, London Market.

A sweet, lacy design from Vintage Blue (Glitz Designs) was stamped along the bottom of the striped patterned paper (My Mind's Eye).  The apothecary jar and label are from Graphic 45's Olde Curiosity set.

I stamped various images from London Market:  a crown and a flourished label.  On a white scrap, a banner and the word 'beautiful' from the same set were stamped, trimmed, then added to the card base.

Life is still running full-steam ahead here in various ways, and I'm trying desperately to keep up with it.  My mom told me that Dr. Oz did a segment on an herbal remedy called Passionflower that helps with anxiety.  I bought the tincture form at my grocery store recently, and am going to give it a try.  ;)  I'll let you know if it is worthwhile.

Thanks for dropping in today!



Stamps: London Market Vintage Impressions - Pink Paislee; Olde Curiosity - Graphic 45; Vintage Blue - Glitz Designs Paper: Lost & Found - My Mind's Eye; white - PTI Ink: Memento Tuxedo Black - Tsukineko; Crumb Cake - SU Fibers: white seam binding - Hug Snug; vintage cotton thread Accessories & Tools: pearls - Queen & Co., button from stash; doily - Wilton; Copic markers

Birthday Hop For Joanna

The Inspired By Stamping Design Team has gathered together to surprise our friend and owner of IBS,  Joanna Munster!  It's her birthday today, and we've put together a little hop full of good wishes for her, and invite you to come along.

My card uses Delicate Doilies II and Fancy Circles for the sentiment.

My card inspiration:  Joanna lives in Australia and sees the most amazing, interesting wildlife.  She shares photos of insects and animals on Facebook and Instagram and sometimes on her blog.  I chose glittery butterfly paper and stickers that give a nod to the creatures Joanna shares with the world.

Thanks for coming by today!