Skipping Stones Simple Snowflakes

Hello there, 

Today, I wanted to share with you a super simple design for your holiday cards using just cardstock, ink and a few gems. 

When I make holiday cards, keeping my design simple is a must, especially if it is something that will be mass  produced.  Through the use of color, even a simple card can pack plenty of visual punch: 

Using snowflakes from  Skipping Stones Victorian Christmas and Sassy Snow, I created this scene of colorful snowflakes on a piece of white cardstock trimmed to 3.75 x 5".  The sentiment is from Victorian Christmas, and I stamped it in black ink.  A few gems and a rounded corner keep the design interesting. I then attached the stamped panel to a A2 cardbase made of red cardstock which provides a strong visual border for the design.  

This card would be very simple and post-office friendly of you are looking for clean and simple designs for your holiday cards.  If flat cards are a must, you could also skip the gems. :o)

That's all for me today.  Thank you so much for stopping by!

Katie

Neat and Tangled Tag Hop

Hello there!

Did you hear the news? Neat and Tangled has received Moxie Fab Stamp of Approval!  We couldn't be more excited and decided to celebrate by doing a little tag hop.

I have a confession, I am not much of a tag maker.  I usually resort to the adhesive variety that you can purchase at Target, so this was a bit of a stretch for me. Funny thing though about tags, once you start, it's kinda addictive.  You know, like potato chips, and it's hard to stop at one, so I created four to share with you today.

First up is a tree tag that I created using Little Bear, Elves at Work and the little Star is from Sweet Home.

I added some googly eyes and a smile using a 3/4" circle punch to animate the tree.  He's happy to be a Christmas Tree after all! 

Next up is a Santa Bear tag using Little Bear.  The Santa Hat is from Hey Cookie.

Again, I added googly eyes and a bit of baker's twine to make a scarf for the little guy- hey, it's cold outside! 

Now, a super simple tag using Santa's Notes. 

I stamped the Naughty or Nice frame onto the tag and then again on white cardstock that I trimmed and adhered to the tag.  I thought the red checkmark would be most visible on a plain background. Some red gems accent the frame.

Finally, and elegant tag using Fresh Blooms and Elves at Work: 

One of the things I love most about working with Danielle's stamps it their versatility.  Stamped on red cardstock and doubled up, the blossoms from Fresh Blooms positively look like poinsettias.  The sentiment is from Elves at Work that I stamped onto a Martha Stewart doily die cut.

All of the tags today were made with circle dies from Spellbinders.  I cut two circles for each tag, the second circle is to write the recipient's name without marring the tag.  The patterned paper is from the Winter Wonderland Collection by My Mind's Eye.

Well that's it for my team of holiday tags today.  Here's one more group shot. 

Hope you decide to treat yourself to a little holiday fun and try your had at making some tags!  If you haven't already, stop over at the Neat and Tangled blog to the fabulous tags the other girls created. Thank you for stopping by!

Katie

SSD Blog Hop: Tag Trio!

Hello and good morning!

Today, I am playing along with the Skipping Stones Design Blog Hop. You should have arrived here from the fantastically talented Glenda's blog.  If not, please visit the Skipping Stones Design blog and pick up the entire hop order there.

Kelly Schirmer designed a fabulous tag sketch for us this week, and I couldn't resist making a few tags with some of my favorite festive Skipping Stones sets.

First up is this colorful tag featuring Grunge 2 and Christmas Swirls.  I die cut a stocking and stamped the chevrons from Grunge 2 and accented the stocking with green cardstock toe and heel and a washi tape cuff. The background of the tag was made by layering a few strips of washi tape.

Continuing with the Grunge 2 chevrons, this tag features the martini glass from Cheers!  Wouldn't a tag like this be perfect for adorning a host gift for a swanky New Year's party?

Finally, here is a more elegant tag using Christmas Song and Damask Darling.

Here is Kelly's sketch:

Well, I am the last stop on the hop today, and now it's your turn!!We would love to see what you create with this week's sketch.  Don't forget to return to the Skipping Stones site and link up your take.

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great day!

Katie   

Washi Holiday Fun

Good morning,

Just popping in to share a couple projects I created with my newest addiction, washi tape! This low tack tape is so fun to work with. I am amazed that what started off innocently enough as a couple rolls of tape, grew, seemingly overnight, into quite the collection!

First up is this little musical number:



The pink florals and green stripe boarders are all washi tape.  I covered strips of cardstock with the tape and even die cut one strip to make a sweet scalloped border.  The stamp is from Amuse Studios and some twine and a few Jingle Bells finished off the card.

I also found that washi tape is fantastic for quick and easy gift wrapping.



I wrapped a plain white box with several strips of washi tape.  I didn't want to detract from the Washi stripes, so I die cut a tag from vellum, stamped the sentiment (PTI) and hid the adhesive behind the stars and snowflakes.

I am sharing both of these projects for Paper Crafts Magazine November 2012 gallery challenge. Take a minute to check out the amazing projects that some very talented crafters shared.  Lots of fun ideas to perhaps make a dent a growing horde, I mean stash, of washi tape.

I will be back tomorrow and every day this week with lots of fun holiday projects to share.  Hope to see you then!

Katie

Skipping Stones Sketch Challenge 155

Hello friends,

Today, I am playing along with another sketch challenge with Skipping Stones Design and it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here!  All of the fabulous sketches this month we are using at Skipping Stones Design were designed by Kelly Schirmer.  Ivanka Lentle and Jennie Harper are joining us this month as guest designers.

Using one of our featured sets this month, Christmas Song and this week's sketch, I created the following  card:

I die cut a frame from cream cardstock and stamped the tree image from Christmas Song in light green ink and outlined it with clear stickles.  What is it about this time of year that just begs for a dusting of glitter?  A banner  with the sentiment in a gorgeous font grounds the tree and buttons act as both accents and ornaments.  

The patterned paper is from My Mind' Eye that I picked up at Michael's a few weeks back. As much as I love the traditional red and greens for Christmas, pastels for the holidays stir something deep within my girly, shabby chic soul. 

Here is look at this week's sketch: 

Be sure to stop by the Skipping Stones blog to check out the other fantastic cards that our guests and design team created with this week's sketch.  While you are there, link up your own take on this week's sketch challenge! 

Thank you so much for stopping by today and have a lovely Tuesday!

Katie

I'm honored!

Good morning!

I woke up yesterday morning to some exciting news...  A few weeks ago, I sent in a few cards for Paper Crafts Magazine's World Card Making contest.  I found out that one of my cards was selected as an Honorable Mention in the Hello/Thinking of You category.

This was my favorite of the four cards I mailed in.  True confession: I was so last minute with my entries, that I didn't even get a chance to snap pics of the cards before I shipped them off to the Paper Crafts office. (Picture Sunday night before the Monday deadline, very late, yours truly hunched over the coffee table typing supply and instruction lists... good times, good times....) Needless to say, I am thrilled to have this photo and my big thanks goes to the Paper Crafts editorial team for highlighting my card!

The patterned papers are from the Sn@p Collection by Simple Stories and the stamps and die are from Simon Says Stamp's line.  Washi tape by Target. :o)

Please vote!

Here's an opportunity to let your voice be heard! Paper Crafts Magazine is asking for your help to pick a favorite Honorable Mention card to win a really fun prize. Click here to check out the other four fabulous cards in the running and click HERE to cast your vote! 

Thanks for stopping by!  Hope today is a great one!

Katie

Skipping Stones Sketch Challenge 153

Good morning,

It's Tuesday and that means it's time for another Skipping Stones Design sketch challenge!  All of our sketches this month were designed by the fantastic Kelly Schirmer.  Ivanka Lentle and Jennie Harper are joining us this month as guest designers.

I flipped Kelly's sketch upside down and interpreted Kelly's sketch as an ornament.

I die cut 2 large snowflakes and stamped the music image from Timeless Textures on the die cuts and adhered them together with foam tape.  I topped a rosette with a scalloped circle stamped with another pattern from Timeless Textures. The star was stamped with the text pattern from garden stamp kiss and the banner was stamped with a sentiment from Christmas Song.

Lots of inking around the edges and some twine and pearls finished off the ornament. It's ready for hanging on a tree branch or garland of your choosing.

Here's this week's sketch: 

Be sure to stop by the Skipping Stones blog to check out the fantastic projects this week by our amazing Design Team and our guests. 

Well, that's it for me today.  Thank you so much for stopping by!

Katie

Hello, Little Tangles!

Good morning!

Today, the Neat and Tangled and Little Tangles design teams are teaming up to say "Hello" to Neat and Tangled's challenge blog, Little Tangles. You should have arrived here from the talented Tracy's blog.  If not, please visit the Neat and Tangled blog when you can pick up the entire hop order. :o)

To say hello, I combined Little Bear and Just Hello to create a card with a decidedly fall feel.

I just couldn't resist the fox asking what's up to the owl perched in the pine tree.  

As part of Little Tangles' debut, Danielle is giving away two fantastic prizes. Winners will be selected from comments on all the blogs, so the more blogs you visit and leave comments, the better your chances are to win!  Comments must be received by Sunday, November 4th at 11:59 p.m. to be eligible for the prizes. 

Little Tangles will kick off it's first challenge on Thursday, November, 15.  To help folks play along, Danielle is offering a free digi stamp on the Neat and Tangled blog.  

That's all for me today, but your next stop is the fabulous Linda!