Monday, October 27, 2014

Happy Halloween with Holiday Home

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I was finding myself short-handed on Halloween cards to mail out this week, so I made up a batch of these clean and simple cards with the Holiday Home bundle. 
The house was heat embossed with Smoky Slate powder, die cut with the coordinating Framelit, and then I also die cut the white cardstock and inlaid the house so that it's flat on the card.  I think it looks more CAS this way, and the stars add texture.

Isn't that spider web cute?

The "Happy Halloween: sentiment is cut from one of the Apothecary Accents Framelits, and cut about 2/3 up. 
That orange ribbon? It's very retired Sycamore Street from a past Sale-A-Bration. Using the stash!  
Have a blessed and creative day! ~ Erika

Supply List:
STAMPS:  Holiday Home, Delightful Dozen (Ret)
INK:  Memento Tuxedo Black, Blackberry Bliss, Tangelo Twist
PAPER:  Moonlight DSP Stack, Whisper White, Basic Black
EMBELLISHMENTS:  Basic Rhinestone, retired orange ribbon
BIG SHOT:  Lucky Stars embossing folder, Homemade Holiday Framelits, Apothecary Accents Framelits

Monday, October 20, 2014

Terrific Trendy Sketch - 2 Ways! HSS197

Pin It Now! I was thrilled to be able to work with this lovely sketch at Handstamped Sentiments, courtesy of the talented Elizabeth Price!  Very fun.

I love the offset panel trend.  It lends an unexpected element to the typical rectangular greeting card.
The cut background is a nice way to break up a pattern.  I added gold embossing to an Autumn Wooden Element.  I hugged the tiny package of these when they arrived in my Stampin' Up! order. They are endlessly cute.  Much thinner than the big box craft stores' wood embellishments, so they're much better to use on a card that you're going to send.
I originally created the stamped strip panel at 4" x 5-1/4" out of habit, and realized the sketch called for a shorter one.  So I used the extra to decorate the inside.  
I was so crazy about this sketch, that I made a second card. While cleaning up from the first, I noticed my washi tape stack, and thought it would work great for a quick, clean card.  This was easy!  I cut the angled panel twice, stamped the greeting on the bottom piece, and used the large oval punch on the top panel to make a window.   A little sequin trim and linen thread bow, and it's simple, sweet, and ready to send. 
Head on over to Hand Stamped Sentiments for more inspiration on this fabulous sketch!  I'd love to see what you're inspired to create!

SUPPLIES:
STAMPS:  For All Things, Petite Pairs,Hardwood 
INK: Cherry Cobbler, Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey, Always Artichoke, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Gold Embossing, Early Espresso
PAPER:  Cherry Cobbler, Mossy Meadow, Very Vanilla
EMBELLISHMENTS:  Gold Sequin Trim, Autumn Wooden Elements, Linen Thread, Gold 5/8" Satin Ribbon, Gold Washi Tape
PUNCHES: Large Oval


Saturday, October 18, 2014

For All Things

Pin It Now! Today, I'm giving thanks for this sweet new stamp set, and an hour to play with it.

I love stamping scattered leaves!  I never get tired of a nice autumn set.

The sentiment is die cut with Chalk Talk Framelits, and backed with a couple of punches cut in half. 

And check out that acorn wooden embellishment! I painted it with some old Smooches I keep close by. It's super sweet plain, too. 
Inside, a little extra stampiness.

I was inspired by the color combo of this beautiful dish from the VIETRI site, found on the Saturday inspiration challenge at Splitcoast Stampers. Cute!  

Have a blessed and creative day! 

SUPPLIES:
STAMPS: For All Things
INK: Cherry Cobbler, Mossy Meadow, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Hello Honey
PAPER:  Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla
EMBELLISHMENTS:   Autumn Wooden Elements, Filigree Frames embossing folder, Cherry Cobbler seam binding ribbon, Baked Brown Sugar thick twine, Chalk Talk Framelits
OTHER: Gold Lame' Smooches paint

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Batty Punch Art Circle Flip Card - Halloween!

Pin It Now! A fun idea that I discovered from last year on Pinterest from Susan Campfield.  My layout is updated a bit with current supplies from the catalog and the Holiday Mini 2014...new DSP, the cute Lucky Stars embossing folder, and tiny bats from Holiday Home.

Check out this wide eyed punch art bat!
Peek-A-Boo!
The bat wings are made with the smallest butterfly from the Beautiful Butterflies Bigz Die, and the silver Glimmer bat punch is retired. 

I like this little ticket (That's the Ticket stamp set)!  I found it by accident rummaging for Halloween themed stamps :). The Blackberry Bliss ticket is stamped with Hardwood, and sponged around the edges. The bat (Owl Punch) hangs off the edge of my Hello Honey moon, and a flurry of bats fly off into the night (Holiday Home). On the flip side, a Halloween greeting, and more bats!
Have a blessed and creative day! ~ Erika

SUPPLIES:
STAMPS: Holiday Home, That's the Ticket, Delighful Dozen (Retired), Hardwood
INK:  Jet Black Staz On, Hello Honey, Black Stampin' Emboss with VersaMark.
EMBELLISHMENTS:  Hello Honey Stitched Satin Ribbon
PAPER:  Moonlight DSP Stack, Basic Black, Hello Honey, Whisper White
PUNCHES:  Bat (Retired), Owl Builder, Bird Builder, Ticket Duo Builder, 1/2" Circle (bat wings), 2-1/2" Circle (moon)
BIG SHOT:  Circle Thinlits Flip Card, Lucky Stars TIEF, Bigz Beautiful Butterflies Die (Ret.)

Monday, October 6, 2014

Happily Haunted House!

Pin It Now! Here's a cute little haunted house, complete with batty chimney and a ghost coming through the walls!
The color combo is a fun one from Hand Stamped Sentiments.  I used coordinating strips of patterned paper at 3/4" and 1/2" by 1-1/2" and pulled them all together with a black satin ribbon.  The house is colored with the same combo.  I love this stamp set!  There are so many little details you can add to the house.  Here, I've spooked it out with the Halloween stamps - ghost, tree, bats, and that tiny spider web in the corner of the door.  Such fun to build a scene! 
A little close up of the house. I keep a curved mask of paper in the stamp box to make grassy hills out of with a sponge wedge.  I outlined the house lightly with pencil after die cutting it with the matching framelit to place the bats, ghost, and tree correctly.  Then simply erased the lines and popped the house up with Dimensionals!  

Check out this sweet stamp set for all the wonderful ways you can dress up the houses!
Click the pic to visit SU's site -
pick me as your demonstrator to order!
Head on over to Hand Stamped Sentiments and join in the fun!  The challenge goes on for two weeks, and I would love to see what you do! 

Have a spooky cool day! ~ Erika

SUPPLIES:
STAMPS: Holiday Home
INK:  Pear Pizzazz, Blackberry Bliss, Jet Black Staz On, Basic Grey, Smoky Slate, Hello Honey
PAPER:  Typeset Specialty DSP, Subtles DSP Stack, Basic Black, Very Vanilla
EMBELLISHMENTS:  Black Satin ribbon
BIG SHOT:  Holiday Home Framelits


Saturday, October 4, 2014

World Card Making Day! White on white card for a friend.

Pin It Now! Happy WCMD!   This one is for you!  I hope you're going to take some time out for yourself to make something that warms your heart.  There truly is nothing quite like a handmade greeting. Your expression and effort is appreciated, and hey, it makes you feel good!
I've done a lot of white on white for this card, and was inspired by this photo on Splitcoast Stampers for their Saturday challenge.  Who wouldn't be inspired by this, really?
I picked up this lovely fabric on my trip to Ireland last month. It was from a sweet little shop in Derry in the Crafter's Village...right up my alley! Here's a look at it...

I'm tearing it into ribbon strips to make knots and flowers for my cards. It really makes me happy :)
Don't know if you can see it, but I used the smallest oval punch to cut notches in the sides of the front panel to hold the ribbon in place. 
I'm loving the iridescent shine in the vintage button. 
My layout was inspired by this sketch from Case This Sketch.
Have a perfectly wonderful WCMD!  Blessings, ~erika

SUPPLIES
STAMPS:  Peachy Keen
INK: Rose Red, Gumball Green
PAPER: Whisper White
EMBELLISHMENTS:  Bitty Punch Pack (flowers), basic pearl
BIG SHOT: Chalk Talk Framelits, Lovely Lace embossing folder
OTHER: Floral fabric, white embroidery thread, stray button, Martha Stewart leaf punch


Wednesday, October 1, 2014

O Holy Night - Upscale Chalkboard Art

Pin It Now! I thought I'd take the chalkboard style and amp it up a bit for today's Christmas card. Gold embossing gives this cool graphic stamp a whole new look!  Are you anything like me, do you try something new but have no idea what the end result might be?  Some of you card geniuses have such vision and know just what your technique will bring. Not me. But I did like this one!
I like the green with the vintage looking gold.   Reminds me of the shop fronts in the little towns in Ireland! 

Happy October 1st!  84 days till Christmas, you know!  

~ Erika