Inspired By Stamping - October Sneak Peeks!

Hi friends!  Welcome to the October Sneak Peeks for Inspired By Stamping! This month IBS is introducing 5 new Christmas stamp sets, 3 Christmas ribbons, 3 Christmas glitter tapes and 2 poinsettia flowers! This month is extra special.  It's their anniversary, and they're giving away lots of goodies!

During the month of October, (3) $100 gift certificates to the store will be given away, and there are different ways to win:

• Like the IBS Facebook page and you're entered in a $100 gift card drawing.
• Sign up for the IBS newsletter and you're entered for another $100 gift card drawing.
• Another chance to win $100 for wearing the NEW IBS blinkie on your blog.  

For every $50 purchase in October, you receive a FREE stamp set!  Check HERE for all the details.

Blog candy is up for grabs, too.  Head over to Joanna's blog both today and tomorrow and leave some love for chance to win a $30 gift card to the IBS.  There will be two winners, one on each day.

There's FREE shipping at IBS on Friday and Saturday only, with a $25 minimum purchase.  No code necessary.  ;)

 I've got a parade of Christmas projects to show you today, all using new goodies from Inspired By Stamping's October release.  Grab your favorite beverage, sit back and enjoy the show!

Up first, a clean and simple card using traditional holiday colors of red and green.

The wreath is made with a Memory Box die, and those little ornaments are from IBS's new set, Holiday Ornaments.

I used a sentiment from Festive Frames and some scrumptious new satin ribbon in a rich burgundy tone, also from IBS.

Do you like pastels for Christmas?  Pink and sage make a beautiful combo in lieu of the classic red and green.  I stamped my own fancy pink patterned paper using Vintage Background, and fashioned a window from more Memory Box dies.

These dangling decorations come from the set, Holiday Ornaments.  I topped each with a small silver half pearl.   The trimmed sentiment is from Festive Frames.

The new green seam binding is soft and holds shape beautifully.  It matches my sage ink and cardstock really well, too.

One of my husband's hobbies is wine-making.  He's got a nice little set-up in our cellar, and usually makes around 25 bottles of a particular variety.  He's made a chardonnay, a pinot grigio, a Valpolicella, and more over the years.  We've never gotten around to developing an official label for "Dietrich Cellars" wines, but I made something extra-special for one lucky recipient:

Sitting atop a stack of four die cuts are a sentiment and flourish from the new IBS set, Festive Frames.  The dainty poinsettia is also new to the store this month.

Taking my cue from the icy blue chevron stripe and warm red snowflake papers, I played with a fun label from the set, December 25th Labels.

I stamped it three separate times on a scrap of white cardstock, using blue ink, black ink, and red ink.  I trimmed portions of each and reassembled together, using foam dimensional stickers for a little lift.  The white seam binding is a dream to work with, and topped the label in such a pleasing way.

My final project, and one of my favorites, is a faux vintage postcard in a real, honest-to-goodness vintage frame.  This frame belonged to my beloved grandmother.  I have not had it on display in recent years, but it proved the perfect size for this Romantic Rectangle-die cut.

I mounted the rectangular die cut to a piece of black cardstock, then lightly adhered them to the glass front of the frame.  This white poinsettia received a little shabbying using light brown ink, and I glued it on top of a burgundy satin double-loop bow.

The die cut was pure cream cardstock before I stamped and distressed it.  I paired the Vintage Postcard stamp set with the new Christmas Postcard Add-On and Holiday Expressions sets on here, and did plenty of ink distressing.  It looks kind of old, doesn't it?

Here is today’s amazing design team featuring their gorgeous projects and cards! Please leave them some blog love. 

Joanna Munster

Kendra Sand

Liz Weber

Don’t forget to leave a comment at Joanna's blog for a chance to win some blog candy!

Thanks for hanging in there for such a long post!  You're the best!



Wreath card:
Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Festive Frames, Holiday Ornaments - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: white - PTI; Basic Black, Old Olive - SU
Ink: Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko; Riding Hood Red - SU
Fibers: Scarlet ribbon - IBS
Other: pearls - Queen & Co.; Big Shot; Wreath die - Memory Box; Labels Fifteen die - Spellbinders; Starry Night embossing folder - Sizzix 

Window card:
Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Holiday Ornaments, Vintage Background, Festive Frames - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: white - PTI; Sage Shadow - SU
Ink: Sage Shadow, Pretty In Pink - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: Sage Seam Binding - IBS; white cotton thread - SU; lace
Other: button; silver half pearls - Recollections; Big Shot; Window and Shutter dies - Memory Box; pearls - Queen & Co.

Wine bottle:
Stamps: Festive Frames - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: Very Vanilla, Basic Black, Riding Hood Red, green pattern - SU
Ink: Riding Hood Red - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: red velvet ribbon (repurposed)
Other: Poinsettia - IBS; White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger; Fancy Tags, Labels Four, Labels Thirteen, Scalloped Circle dies - Spellbinders

Blue & Red card:
Dimensions:  4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: December 25th Labels - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: Soft Sky, Whisper White - SU; patterns - Be Merry - My Mind's Eye
Ink: Soft Sky, Riding Hood Red - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: White seam binding - Inspired By Stamping
Other: pearls; Big Shot: Labels 25 die - Spellbinders


Framed Postcard:
Dimensions:  5.25" x 7.25"
Stamps: Vintage Postcards, Christmas Postcard Add On, Holiday Expressions - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: Very Vanilla, Basic Black - SU
Ink: Riding Hood Red, Soft Suede, Not Quite Navy, Crumb Cake - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: Scarlet Satin Ribbon - IBS
Other: vintage metal picture frame; Poinsettia flower - Inspired By Stamping; Big Shot; Romantic Rectangles die - Spellbinders

Shabby Chic Anniversary

Hello!  I've got an anniversary card to show you today, but this one is not for my hubby (our anniversary was yesterday).  It's going to the boutique for sale, hoping to attract a customer who loves the shabby chic style.

I used a beautiful frame and sentiment from Vintage Frames, by Inspired By Stamping.  This set is free with a $50 purchase during the month of October, to celebrate IBS's anniversary.  Click HERE for all the details.

I absolutely love the free stamp sets that IBS-owner Joanna is offering this month.  Love, love, love!  I've always liked ornate frames, and, well, I swoon over hydrangeas.  :-)

Tomorrow I'll be back with a bunch of creations to show for the IBS October release party!  Just hear those sleigh bells ring-a-ling, jing-jing-jingling, too.....



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Vintage Frames - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: white - PTI; Very Vanilla - SU; London Market - Pink Paislee
Ink: Crumb Cake - SU; Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: striped ribbon - SU
Other: doily - Wilton; white flower - IBS; heart die cut - K & Co.; pearl; champagne stick pin - Jenni Bowlin

Heartfelt Thanks Hydrangea

Happy Monday!  Today happens to be my 18th wedding anniversary.  :-)  A restaurant dinner is how we're celebrating, in a low-key way.  Our big 'gift' was the Hawaii trip a week ago.  What a fabulous place to visit and be pampered!

While we went to the island of Kauai, our girls visited my mom in Texas.  As a small token of gratitude, I made this for my mother:

She loves anything black and white, and I happen to love hydrangeas (I think you all know that by now ;).

I used a set called Graceful Hydrangea from Inspired By Stamping.  It's free with any $50 purchase during October, in honor of IBS's Anniversary.  Click HERE for all the details.  Here's the set -

Both crochet trims are available at IBS, too.  I love 'em, and think they pair well with this book page I used as a background.

I'll be back tomorrow, showcasing another set that's free with a $50 purchase.

During the month of October, (3) $100 gift certificates to the Inspired By Stamping store will be given away, and there are different ways to win:

• Like the IBS Facebook page and you're entered in a $100 gift card drawing.
• Sign up for the IBS newsletter and you're entered for another $100 gift card drawing.
• Another chance to win $100 for wearing the NEW IBS blinkie on your blog.  

I'm entering this in a new-to-me challenge, Crafter's Corner.  The October challenge is "Celebrate With Flowers."

Thank you SO much for dropping by today!



Dimensions: 4.25" x 5.5"
Stamps: Graceful Hydrangea - Inspired By Stamping
Paper: Basic Black, Whisper White - SU; book page
Ink: Crumb Cake, Whisper White - SU; Memento Tuxedo Black and Versafine Onyx Black - Tsukineko
Fibers: Victorian Crochet Trim, Scallop Crochet Trim - Inspired By Stamping
Other: White Opal Liquid Pearls - Ranger; Copic markers; Big Shot; Ornate Flourish embossing folder - The Paper Studio; Lattice Edge punch - Martha Stewart; pearls

Aloha!

Aloha!  We got back from our 10-day vacation late this past Sunday, and we all had to hit the ground running on Monday morning with school and work.  (Our schools were open on Columbus Day)  It was a busy week, and I needed to get my house clean and other boring stuff like that.  ;-)

My husband and I were part of a large group of other employees from his company, and we were all treated to a 6-day stay on the island of Kauai.  (Our girls were not allowed on this trip, so they stayed with my mom in Texas) We stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Poipu, and what a gorgeous hotel it is.  The grounds and the views are beyond breathtaking!  At the resort, the air is positively perfumed with exotic flowers and plants, and photo ops are literally around every corner.

We traveled all day to get to Kauai, and by the time we checked in it was dark.  Though it was only about 7:30 in the evening, our bodies were on Eastern Standard Time, so it felt like 1:30 AM to us.  Talk about tired!!  This is what we saw while walking to the public areas to grab a bite to eat:

The moon was full that night.  The grounds are lit so beautifully, and torches are everywhere.

The next morning, we saw this sunrise from our balcony.  We could see the ocean from there.  It's just beyond the palm tree line to the right:

I walked around with my camera that day, snapping shots here and there and everywhere.  It's a slice of Heaven.

Looks like a golf course, but it's not.  It's a lawn on the Hyatt's property.

Looking up at a Plumeria tree.

Plumeria blossoms on my pool lounge chair.  They look fake to me, they are that perfect.

Stephanotis, the wedding flower.  Smells absolutely heavenly.

This is a tree whose name I do not know, but love the interesting pendulous flowers.

The above two flowers are hibiscus.  The bushes are everywhere you look.

When we arrived the first day, we each received an orchid lei, and a kukui nut lei too.

This is Duke, and he lives in the Hyatt's Lobby Atrium along with many other birds.  Duke's 18 years old.

We took a helicopter ride of the island.  It's magnificent, and hard to describe completely in words.  

Famous movies were filmed here, such as Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, The Descendants, South Pacific, and more.  We flew over many of those areas.  These photos were taken from the helicopter:

The next day, we took an ATV tour of a working ranch.  It was interesting, and DIRTY!  LOL  The red dirt of Hawaii gets EVERYwhere while you are riding, and even after showering, it still rubbed off on the towels.  :-)  Our guides joked that the spray tans are free with the tour.  ;)

I'm afraid to ride my own ATV, so my husband drove the Rhino, while I took pictures.  Here we are, posing in front of our vehicle:

Because we drove in a bigger vehicle, it meant that we needed to be at the tail end of the group, with a guide behind us.  The dirt kicked up by so many ATVs and blown back toward us made us dirtier than anyone else, I'm convinced!  LOL  I also asked for three bandannas to cover my face, instead of the customary one.

This is a driveway lined with ironwood trees.  They have an interesting shape, rather like a bottlebrush.

Several times during the tour, we'd all park our vehicles, get out and take pictures and hear a bit about what we were seeing.  This is a view from further up the mountain.

Can you see the ironwood tree-lined drive way out in the distance?  A road lined with trees in this manner is a sign that you are on royal property.  This cattle ranch was once owned by
 Princess Ruth, the great granddaughter of King Kamehameha I.  

My 'spray tan'.

During our tour, we stopped along a riverbank where Raiders of the Lost Ark was filmed.  Indiana Jones himself swung on this rope swing.  This is my husband taking the plunge.  I stayed onshore.  :-)

This was our final sight on our ATV tour.  It's also where they filmed part of The Descendants.

My husband's company entertained us each night, with lavish dinner parties.  One night, we were asked to dress up for a Masquerade.  They supplied the masks for us, too.

See the Tree Man behind us?  He was in costume, on stilts.

Another night, there was a living statue to behold while we had cocktails and hors d'oeuvres:

Her lips were glittered red, and water streamed from her fingertips.  Fascinating!

Each morning, we had breakfast at the Tidepools restaurant, overlooking a man-made lagoon.  Pure tranquility!

Boy, if only I could see this every morning of my life, with the koi fish swimming in the water beneath my feet.  Sigh.

There were many pools for swimming at the Hyatt.  One of our favorites is a saltwater lagoon.  Its bottom is  part-sand, part-lava rock, and is located closest to the ocean.  See the red flag in the photo below, on the far right?  We saw that red flag every day, which meant swimming in the ocean was not safe.  :(  That's okay, because the pools were incredible.

The pools are all located on a slope, and it's laid out so nicely.  Here's a view from up top, where the Adult Pool and Winding River are located:

One day, while my husband played golf with his co-workers, I went to the spa and had an acupressure massage in an outdoor room like this one, overlooking a private garden with lava-rock outdoor shower:

Of all the places I've had massages, this one tops them all.  What a treat.  The whole spa experience there is indescribable.  A girl can get used to this life!

This is me and my favorite guy, dressed up for the last evening event:

On the beach, one last time:

Thank you SO much for letting me share my vacation with you.  The beauty of Hawaii is so unique, and it's all in technicolor.  I hope you've enjoyed my pictures.  Hugs!