Monday, October 17, 2011

{12 Weeks of Christmas}: Week 3 -- Mise en Place: Updating the Address List

Hello, and welcome to Week Three of my series, {12 Weeks of Christmas}!  Today's post is a quick one, but it's about something that I need to do early (before things go nuts).  I like to check the address list I used last year for any possible updates.  For example, a couple of friends have moved and I need their new addresses.  Better to fire off a quick email or Facebook message to these friends now, instead of realizing (with T-Minus two days until Christmas) that I don't have their addresses...

A word about my address list...  I use mailing labels for my envelopes.  With so many family and friends living out-of-state, we send a lot of Christmas cards (and we're old-fashioned -- we like to send them through the post, rather than over the Internet).  Labels help to free up precious time (and I can print them off super-early); I'd rather write a personal message in my cards than an address on the envie.  Anyhoo, my list is actually the labels document I've created in Word.  I just skim through it, double-check to make sure it's current and make necessary changes.  I also get a good count of how many cards we'll be sending (so that I can order supplies later -- that'll be its own post).

I'm not that organized, but this is something that helps me in lots of different ways.  Happy {Monday:  Mise en Place}!  I hope this was useful to you!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

{12 Weeks of Christmas}: Week 2 -- Keep It Scrappy, Santa!

Hello, and welcome to Week 2 of my series, {12 Weeks of Christmas}, where I try to give some tips and inspiration (early) so that making goodies for celebrating the fabulous Winter holidays like Christmas is easier and less stressful!

Today's project was created using the Snow Swirled set, which is one of my favorites.  I've simply inked the tree image in Pear Pizzazz (In Color) and then bedazzled it with snowflakes punched from scraps of Rich Razzleberry and Tempting Turquoise card stock.
The snowflake is inked with VersaMark on the Rich Razzleberry and with Tempting Turquoise Classic Ink for the top of the tree.  I popped them up using Stampin' Dimensionals and then added a bit of sparkle with a Basic Rhinestone.
I used more scraps and my Scallop Edge Border punch to make the treatment along the bottom, above the sentiment.  I inked the sentiment with Pear Pizzazz Classic Ink and used my Stamp-a-Ma-Jig to make it straight.  A Basic Rhinestone jazzes it up...
Placing all of these components on Whisper White card stock gives it simple, but effective, WOW.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:


Stamps:  Snow Swirled (#111690)

Papers:  Rich Razzleberry, Tempting Turquoise, Pear Pizzazz and Whisper White card stocks

Inks:  Pear Pizzazz and Tempting Turquoise Classic Ink and VersaMark

Accessories:  1 1/4-inch and 3/4-inch Circle and Scallop Edge Punches, Stampin' Dimensionals, Jewels, Stamp-a-Ma-Jig

Where to shop?  Click on the link in the upper left corner of this page to be taken directly to my Stampin' Up! website, where you can shop 24/7.  Have you got questions?  Please click further below on the left on the "Email Sara" button and I'll be happy to help!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

{12 Weeks of Christmas}: Week 1 -- Keep It Simple, Santa!

Wait, wait!  Don't go away!  I know it's a long time until Christmas, but I thought I'd provide one post each week between now and Christmas to give a little bit of inspiration and advice to help fend off the craziness.  Before you check my math, I'm actually one week late in getting this post published (long story...).

I thought I'd start with a relatively simple card.  This one uses one piece of card stock for the body and one for a mat to back it on.  There are two stamps involved, both from the Season of Joy set.

The most complicated part of this card is the two colors used in the inside image.

To do this, you can use Stampin' Write Markers and/or a Classic Stampin' Pad.  I carefully inked up the majority of this stamp in Classic Cherry Cobbler, avoiding the snowflake in the center.  I colored the snowflake using my Baja Breeze Stampin' Write Marker.  To make the image stamp well, I huffed (breathed hard) on the stamp before stamping...

The next step is the 3/4-inch Circle Punch.  I punched a circle from scrap and then holding the card closed, I loosely adhered* the scrap over the snowflake as I held it up to the light (the stamped image from the inside is easy to see through the front).
*To do this, I took a piece of double-stick tape, stuck it against my jeans a few times to lose some stickiness and then adhered it to my scrap.
Finally, I tied a snippet of Cherry Cobbler Baker's twine around the hole and the edge of the Whisper White card body and then adhered it all to a quarter-sheet of Baja Breeze card stock.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:


Stamps:  Season of Joy (#110384)

Papers:  Whisper White and Baja Breeze card stocks

Inks:  Cherry Cobbler Classic and Baja Breeze Stampin' Write Marker

Accessories:  Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, 3/4-inch Circle Punch, Stamp-a-Ma-Jig (I'm a klutz, so I need this to make my images straight), scrap paper

Thank you for your visit!  I hope this series of posts will provide you with some inspiration as we begin to prepare for the Christmas holidays.

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Double, Double Toil and Trouble...

...Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. (MacBeth, Act 4, Scene 1)

Happy October!  I am thrilled to have a new look for Studio Sara.  I've recently purchased some fun downloads for My Digital Studio (Wicked Fun Kit, for one).  I love the witch's hat and her funny stockings and boots!  The background papers are spook-tacular, too!

I'm working on my non-digital Halloween projects this week, so I'm showcasing my Button Buddies vase card right now. This new set incorporates uses for all sorts of sizes and shapes of buttons (or its images are cute by themselves!).  I used my Circles 2 Bigz die for the Big Shot and punched circles out on every other scallop. 
I also used Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine to finish it off.  A thin border of Early Espresso using my Scallop Trim Border Punch makes for quiet texture when layered over the Early Espresso card body.

Stampin' Up! Supplies:

Stamps:  Button Buddies

Papers:  Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler and Whisper White card stocks

Inks:  Marina Mist, Certainly Celery and Cherry Cobbler Stampin' Write Markers

Accessories:  Big Shot (ask me about how to get one FREE), Circle #2 Bigz die, Handheld Circle and Scallop Trim Edge Punches, Bitty Buttons, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Paper Snips, Stampin' Dimensionals