It's Beginning to Look a Little Like Christmas!

It's beginning to look a little like Christmas...if you're a crafter that is!

Stampin' Up's Holiday catalog goes live for customers on September 1.  As a demonstrator, I was able to order at the beginning of August.  And unfortunately for my check book, order I did!  This catalog is amazing!  There are so many wonderful products.  I felt inspired.

I am really making all my Christmas cards this year!  There it is, I've said it.  I've never done this before.  I maybe even attempted to make them all last year?  I made a few, but not all.  I love Christmas and I love getting Christmas cards in the mail (even if they're not handmade).  So, to make about 100 cards, I need to get started now.  I mean, a little bit at a time seems to be a good idea.  As I'll still be making other cards over the next few months too.

And just a note, all the products used are from Stampin' Up!  Why?  They are really the best, everything coordinates, and I just like them.  If you want to shop online, you can: audramonk.stampinup.net. If you want a catalog, let me know.

Here are my first designs:

This Jolly card has some back story.  I had not made a card with this technique before.  I watched a quick tutorial by Brian King, but really the key is 3/4" strips and making a "T" and alternating the direction of the strips.  He has a video, but I'm thinking I might give a go at making one myself.  If I do, I'll come back and add it here.

This is what the strips look like coming together.  I really had fun with this part.

****Video is now here!****

I hope you enjoyed it and that you now can make lots of cards (for all seasons even) using this technique.

And this is what it looks like when you take all your card "parts"  out of town with you.  You chill at the Starbucks for awhile and put them together.

Well, thanks for checking in.  If you need more info on anything, let me know.

Stay Crafty!

Remarkable Blog Hop, Any Choice Bundle

This month for the Remarkables Blog Hop, we are sharing items made with any bundle in the annual catalog from Stampin' Up.  The catalog has lots of bundles and the awesome thing about a bundle, besides that the items go together is that they are discounted 15% and really, who doesn't like a discount?

I have a bunch of the bundles, and they're all pretty awesome.  How to pick one to feature here?  I went with the "cards I need to send" inspiration.  Last month we had a family reunion at my brother's house in Utah.  We're in Maryland, so it was quite a trip.  We had 24 of 25 family members there (Although a few of his college age kids were only there for part of the time).  We all stayed at his house which fortunately had enough room for us all.  My husband and I stayed in the "princess suite" also known as my niece Amy's room.  So, I have been planning for a few weeks to make her and my niece Rachel (my daughter and Amy slept in her room) some thank you cards.

With this blog hop coming up, inspiration struck in the form of the Watercolor Wings bundle and the color purple (Amy's room was purple).  Now, I'm gonna throw it out there, that I think the catalog is a bit heavy on butterflies this year.  And, I like butterflies ok, but not that much!  BUT, when I saw this set, it went on my first order!  Crazy, I know.

So, the cool thing is I made the three butterflies the same.  Soft Sky, Sahara Sand, and Wisteria Wonder, all spritzed with water and stamped on our watercolor paper (you might need to dry them a bit between colors).  Then I just started playing around!  It's pretty cool how different the cards came out.  It's all about the embellishments!  I also used a few stamps from the Tin of Cards set, but if you've been reading my blog, you already know that I love that stamp set.

I ended up with three cards, the last one is going to my other niece who will be starting 3rd grade this week, and she LOVES butterflies! Let me know which one is your favorite.

Amy's Card

Rachel's Card

Brooke's Card

We hope that we have inspired you to check out all the great bundle deals in the catalog.
Stay Crafty!

Click here to see what Maria has to share!

                                           You can check out the whole lineup here:

Nancy Amato - http://stampinallnight.blogspot.com/2015/08/remarkable-stampers-blog-tour-bundle-up.html

Melissa Bolinger - http://creativeblessingsbymissy.blogspot.com/2015/08/remarkable-blog-tour-watercolor-wings.html

Tamra Davis -  http://www.thecardladies.com/remarkable-blog-hop-ready-for-fall/

Anne Matasci - http://wp.me/pCcBw-1Vk

Heather Mathieson - https://inkyladybug.wordpress.com/?p=187

Audra Monk - http://thecraftyyogi.blogspot.com/2015/08/remarkable-blog-hop-any-choice-bundle.html  YOU'RE HERE!

Maria Pane -http://stampinandscrappinwithriri.blogspot.com/2015/08/remarkable-blog-tour-su-bundles.html

Michele Reynolds - http://inspirationink.typepad.com/inspiration-ink/2015/08/bundle-blog-tour.html

Pam Staples - http://wp.me/p3p2VA-14W

Janet Wakeland - http://wp.me/pHIQD-7m8

Better Get Better

I have a few extended family and friends dealing with some medical issues.  I'm pretty sure they'll be feeling better soon, to cheer them up,  I thought I would send them a card to encourage them and let them know I'm thinking of them.

I used the As You See It Challenges sketch to come up with this sweet little card.

I am a big fan of Smoky Slate with So Saffron.  I think the colors are divine together.  This card has lots of fun elements to highlight the sentiment set at center stage.

Here's the sketch:

You can find more info on their site.

http://www.asyouseeitchallenge.com

Stay Crafty!