Running With Scissors...

Wally's First Snow!

What's he waiting for?  He seems to be expecting something. . .

 

Oh!  There it is!

Wally had his first encounter with snow last Tuesday.  It snowed off and on in the morning, not much more than you see here, but it was quite a surprise for us so early in the year.  Naturally, the priority of the day was to get Wally outside to play in it.

What kind of ball is this that feels so cold and wants to fall apart when you catch it?  He learned right away that he had to be extra gentle with these balls.  He'd jump up to catch them, but rather than chomping down on the snowballs, he'd cradle them carefully in his mouth before laying them at his feet to wait for more.  Turns out snow is pretty awesome!

By the next day it was nothing more than frozen clumps of white plopping from the overhead branches.  It was sure fun while it lasted!

I hope you're staying warm and making the most of whatever comes your way.  Take care!

Simple Sympathy

Once again I find myself in need of a sympathy card and I've stamped it in the simple style I lean toward on these occasions.

I've not even used any ribbon or hardware this time; just some layered papers and stitching.  This will be sent to a girlfriend whose mother passed, but while I was at it, I stamped a duplicate for my $2 card basket at work.  It's quick and easy, requires no extra postage, can be either masculine or feminine, and is one of the most frequently requested cards (sympathy).  The other top seller is birthday.  I know, $2 isn't much for a hand-stamped card, but I do this for the joy of stamping and, in a sense, it's a gift to my coworkers who are also some of my best friends. 

I've used Flourishes' Ferns and Fiddles, and Thinking of You (sentiment).  There's something very calming and restful about ferns.  I'm not sure why that is, but I do know that I feel peaceful when surrounded by the greens of the forest and garden.

Thank you for joining me today.  Wishing you good health and happiness!  

Stamps:  Ferns and Fiddles, Thinking of You (Flourishes -- see links, above)  Paper:  Flourishes Classic Ivory, Bravo Burgundy, BasicGrey Perhaps (retired?)  Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, Bravo Burgundy,  Copics for coloring  Accessories:  None other than machine stitching

Happy Black Friday!

Get those Shopping Bags Ready!  Because Flourishes is having a...............

 

That's right... everything in the store is now 15% off -- EVERYTHING!  To shop, simply use the code SAVINGS4U at the time of check out in the promotional code box.  Stock up for yourself or think of those crafty folks in your life who might like some Flourishes goodies under the tree.  And remember, if you can’t think of what to buy the crafter who has everything, we have gift certificates, too!

So, enjoy your shopping!  This BLACK FRIDAY sale ends when Friday comes to a close -- 24 hours only!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  I set a few days aside to enjoy some family time, but I'll jump back into blogging again next week.  See you then! 

He's Back and He's Loaded for Bear

One more card this season with my Whipper Snapper "Bear"ing Gifts.

 

He's living in Eskimo Kisses country today (of the BasicGrey persuasion), standing on a drift of chunky glitter snow, his gifts froufrou'd up with fun fibers.  A click on the photo will give you a closer look, and everything I used is listed in the recipe, below.  This is one of those days I have lots to do and... well... you know the story.  No time to linger since I spent all my spare time stamping.    Always time well spent, though, isn't it?

Since this will be my last post until after Thanksgiving, I'll leave you with a wish for many blessings and a happy day.  I'll see you again soon!

Stamps:  "Bear"ing Gifts (Whipper Snapper), Glad Tidings (Stampin' Up!)  Paper:  Flourishes Classic White, BasicGrey Eskimo Kisses designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Real Red, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Baker's twine, fun fibers, button, rhinestone, chunky glitter, 3/4" circle punch, Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, Martha Stewart edge punch, Spellbinders Labels Seventeen Nestabilities, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Spellbinder's Holiday Hoppin' Blog Hop

 
 

Welcome to the first day of the Spellbinders™ Paper Arts Holiday Hoppin’ Blog Hop!  Spellbinders, along with Flourishes are showcasing their newest products just in time for your Holiday crafting and gift giving.  Lots of creative ideas are in store, as well as prizes galore!  Each participating company has generously donated toward the prize package listed on the Spellbinders Blog.  A total of two identical prize packages, one for each day, November 18 and 19, will be given away!  To enter, just leave a comment on a participating blog.  Comments in the first 48 hours of the post are eligible.  One commenter each day will be randomly selected as the winner.  Winners will be announced on November 22, on the Spellbinders Blog.

Be sure to see all of tomorrow’s Holiday Hoppin’ blogs for inspiring projects and another chance to win!

Visit all of today’s Holiday Hoppin’ blogs:

Latisha Yoast

Judy Hayes

Kazan Clark

Ashley Cannon Newell

Holly Simoni

Debbie Olson

Heidi Blankenship

Sherry Cheever

Linda Duke

Laurie Schmidlin

Cheryl Marie Walker

Jill Jacobsen

Jennifer Priest

Christina Klauer

Jodi Sanford

Leslie Miller

Mimi Leinbach

Robyn O'Crowley

Sharon Harnist

Liz Hicks

Sarah Hamer

Christie Bryant

Wendy Sue Anderson

Anary Baumgarth

Jenifer Dove

Gina Krupsky

Today I'm using Spellbinders S4-285 Nested Mittens die template and Flourishes' Vintage Postcard.  I've made an ornament and a box to keep it in:

 

The box is a department store jewelry box which I covered with BasicGrey Jovial designer paper from the 6x6 pad.  Here's a closer look at the Vintage Postcard image:

 

I stamped in Memento Rich Cocoa on one of the less patterened sheets of Jovial paper and colored very lightly with Copic markers.  I then painted over the image with Ranger Distress Crackle Paint in Rock Candy (clear), which gives it a crackly gloss finish.  The box is wrapped diagonally with gold elastic cord tied through the mitten embellishment, which was made from the smallest of the Nested Mittens.  I sponged through the die in such a way as to make them appear to be the top side of one mitten and the palm side of the other.  As you can see, they are also glossed over with crackle paint.

 The ornament is made from the largest die in the set, and I made it quite sturdy by adhering three layers -- designer paper, cardstock, and lightweight cardboard.  Again, a crackly gloss finish was applied.  I pierced around the edge of the mitten and hand-stitched through the piercing with gold cord.  The cord ties in the back and forms the hanger.  A plaid ribbon bow and some glittery Christmas ornamentation finish it off with festive flair.

I hope you enjoyed my project as much as I enjoyed making it!

Simply leave a comment on my blog to be eligible to win the Spellbinders Holiday Hoppin’ Prize Package!  One winner will be chosen from all the comments on all the blogs participating today.  Comments made in the first 48 hours of this post will be eligible to win.  Winner’s names will be published on the Spellbinders Blog on November 22, and they will have 48 hours to reply to Spellbinders to claim the prizes.

Good luck to everyone and happy hoppin'!  Have a wonderful day!

I Baked a Cake!

I made this card just so I could stamp something besides a Christmas card, but I'll file it away for later use.  There is, of course, another perfectly good reason for making this card, and that would be simply because I find this image so adorable!

 

The stamp is by Lili of the Valley, called I Baked a Cake.  I colored with Copics and dotted the bear's apron with a white Sakura Souffle pen.  I thought she'd look cute with these BasicGrey Green at Heart papers, and all the color choices stemmed from that.  The little flowers are felted brads which I picked up at Archivers.  I can't seem to resist cutie pie embellishments, have loads of them, and then I hardly get a chance to use them as I don't often make this type of card.  I'll have to work on that...  The scalloped edge was made with an EK Success punch which punches and embosses at the same time.  Love that!

The sentiment is one of the JustRite Birthday Centers.  I accented it with Cotton Candy (pink) Stickles glitter glue.  Stardust Stickles (clear) light up the candles.

That's it for today.  I have just a few more Christmas cards to make and then it's anything goes!  Have a happy day!

Stamps:  I Baked a Cake (Lili of the Valley), Birthday Centers (JustRite)  Paper:  Kiwi Kiss, classic white, BasicGrey Green at Heart  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Rich Razzleberry, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, felted flower brads, Stickles glitter glue, EK Success scallop punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, Spellbinders Scalloped Circle Nestabilities

Warm Winter Wishes from a Very Cool Guy

 

Hello, everyone!  I'm popping in with one more sample from this month's Flourishes release.  Warm Winter Wishes is a darling snowman set, and I'm feeling very happy about all its pretty snowflakes and those cute mittens, too.

Oh, my goodness, where to start?  I should let the image speak for itself, but I will mention that this is one of those cards I had a lot of fun with.  The mitten cuffs are flocked, and I added a mixture of
flocking and chunky glitter at the base of the snowman.  There's flocking on the sentiment circle, and a mix of flock and Stickles glitter on his stick arms and hat.  I let the Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly paper guide my color choices.  The coloring was done with Copic markers.

I stamped snowflakes on the white panels.  I mounted all the larger snowflakes on one acrylic block and I haven't taken them off since.  I've been using them to decorate envelopes and the insides of my cards.  There's a wonderful collection of snowflakes in this set!

Have you seen the cards the team created with Warm Winter Wishes?  If not, you're in for a treat:
 

Christine Okken

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Julie Koerber

Laura Fredrickson

Stacy Morgan

I hope you've enjoyed release week with Flourishes.  You can leave a comment on the Warm Winter Wishes post on the Flourishes Newsletter if you'd like a chance at winning this set.  Also, just a reminder that you can get a 10% discount when you order all three sets in the New Release Bundle.  That offer is good through Friday, Nov. 19th.

Wishing you all a happy weekend doing whatever you love best!  See you next week!

Stamps:  Warm Winter Wishes  Paper:  Sage textured, Flourishes Classic White, Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Pink Passion, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Ribbon, silver cord, scalloped paper trim, flocking, glitter, Spellbinders Labels Seventeen, Large Scalloped Ovals, Classic Ovals, 1" circle punch, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Flourishes' New Sets Revealed

How about a full view of the stamp sets Flourishes has been showcasing this week?  We are happy to report that the sets are now live and ready for the picking in the Flourishes Store! 

Paperwhites Vintage Postcard Warm Winter Wishes

Keep in mind, if you buy all three in the New Release Bundle HERE, you get all three sets for 10% off! This offer is only good through November 19th!

Happy Stamping!

Flourishes Preview, Day 2: Vintage Postcard

Today we're previewing another absolutely wonderful stamp set from Flourishes -- a winter scene which will take you into, through, and beyond Christmas.  Where I live, our winters look nothing like this.  It's a wonderland fantasy, the type I love to play in, though I'm sure there are drawbacks to actually living in it.  Nevertheless, it looks like a dream to me, and it sure makes for a beautiful card!

 

Today's set is called Vintage Postcard.  I've used the one large stamp and a sentiment, but there are other stamps, as well, which can be used to make it into an actual postcard, or to decorate the inside of the card.  Go with the vintage look, or whatever look your heart desires.

I used Copics for coloring on Flourishes Classic White cardstock, then added lavish amounts of glitter.  Oh, I wish you could see the sparkle in real life!  This card currently sits on the secretary in my dining room, and you'd believe it was lit from within the way it illuminates it's little corner.

Here's a quick lineup of release details you won't want to miss:

1)  Leave a comment on the Flourishes Newsletter Vintage Postcard post for a chance to win this set.    2)  Join the Pre-Release Challenge through Friday and you may be the lucky winner of the entire November release.    3)  Preorder Vintage Postcard here.    4)  The New Release Bundle will include the three new sets we're showcasing this week and can be purchased at a 10% discount (limited time offer).    5)  Join us tonight (Thursday) for the Power Hour Release Party on SCS, 9 pm central, for games, prizes, chat, more samples, and a full reveal.  Sets will be available in the store immediately after the party.

The team has some gorgeous samples to share with you, each unique.  I know you'll find something you'll love:

Christine Okken

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Julie Koerber

Laura Fredrickson

Stacy Morgan

You may be missing our team member, Cindy, during this release.  She's having internet issues (we know how frustrating that is), but we can count on looking forward to seeing her guaranteed gorgeous samples soon.

I'll pop in tomorrow to show you something from the final new set.  Till then, happy everything!

Stamps:  Vintage Postcard  Paper:  Flourishes Classic White, PTI Sweet Blush  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Regal Rose, Copics for coloring  Accessories:  Silk ribbon, pearls, Cuttlebug embossing folder (name unknown), glitter, Scotch brand foam mounting tape

Flourishes Preview, Day 1: Paperwhites

 
Ooooooooh, flowers!  Isn't it wonderful to see Paperwhites blooming in the middle of winter?  All the promise of Spring is packed into that little bulb, and when its blossoms, delicate as snowflakes, fill the windowsill in our coldest months we feel just a little bit warmer inside.

This can be a Christmas set and, in fact, I've used it as such because I love this particular sentiment.  However, the flower lover in me won't stop there.  They don't have to be white, either.  When we call them Jonquils, they can be yellow, or a combination of yellow and white, or maybe even a little orange thrown into the mix.

I've used soft chalks for coloring today, and maybe if you click for a closer look you can see the sparkle of glitter I added to the blooms.  Though most of the team will be showcasing this larger image for starters, there's more to the set in the way of images and sentiments.  In due time I hope to be making cards with them, as well.

Release details:

• Leave a comment on the Flourishes Newsletter Paperwhites post for a chance to win this set.
• Join the Pre-Release Challenge and you may be the lucky winner of the entire November release.
• Preorder Paperwhites here.
• The New Release Bundle will include the three sets we'll be showing you today through Friday and can be purchased at a 10% discount (limited time offer).
• Join us this Thursday night for the Power Hour Release Party on SCS, 9 pm central, for games, prizes, chat, more samples, and a full reveal.  Sets will be available in the store immediately after the party.

Now, you really must see the beautiful samples the team has prepared for you today:

Christine Okken

Cindy Lawrence

Danielle Kennedy

Dawn Burnworth

Julie Koerber

Laura Fredrickson

Stacy Morgan

I'm so glad you could stop here today.  Flourishes release week is always an exciting time for me and I hope you can come back tomorrow and Friday to see more.  I've been having such a good time creating with the new sets, but then, aren't new stamps always wonderful?  Have a great day!

Stamps:  Paperwhites  Paper:  Flourishes Classic White, BasicGrey Figgy Pudding designer paper  Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black, burgundy  Accesories:  Soft chalks for coloring, organdy ribbon, Stickles Stardust glitter glue, Spellbinders Labels Seventeen Nestabilities, Scotch brand foam mounting tape