The Stocking is hung...

Hi Everyone! 

It was such a crazy week.  Attended an all day training on Monday, a 2 hour staff meeting on Tuesday night, and a 2 hour First Aid class on Thursday night. In between all of that I taught preschoolers and did the usual day to day stuff. 

There are 17 days left until Christmas.  I have gifts to buy and wrap, cards to make and send, cookies to bake and deliver, a tree to buy and decorate..the list is too long.  By now we usually have more than 500 cookies in our freezer, but there are only about 100. The oven temperature was fluctuating so we waited until the repairman came before we continued to bake.  It was fixed on Friday and now we can get back to cookie baking.  Tomorrow. 

Worked on school stuff off and on today.  My kids LOVE to sing so I made some song props for them and worked on my lesson plans for this coming week.

Wasn't in a card making mood today.  Or a baking one either.  But I have a couple of cards to share with you.

I like the way this one turned out. I might like it even more if I had embossed the layering paper.  Too late for that now!  I die cut a stocking twice-once in red, and once in green.  Then I cut the toe, heel, and cuff off of the green stocking and glued the rest of it onto the red stocking.  Used foam tape to adhere it to the layering paper.  Added a braided thin gold ribbon to the paper along with some holly stickers.  Added some ribbon to the paper too before I attached it to a blank card.  The candy cane is a foam sticker that was in my stash. 

 

 

Bet you can guess what kind of gift card is enclosed in this card.  It was pretty easy to fussy cut the cups.  The stamps were from a mini set from PaperTrey Ink at this link.  The sentiment is a rub-on.

 



This was an easy one too.  The layering paper is from Lawn Fawn.  Paper punched a white circle and stamped Santa's sleigh on it.  Added the text rub-on and the card was done!  Doesn't get much easier than that.

And that's all of for today!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Carol

Snowmen Christmas Cards

Hi Everyone!

Today I have some snowmen cards to share with you.  Here's my favorite.

 

The stamps I used for this card are from Lawn Fawn.  I love Lawn Fawn stamps!  I fussy cut the hat, scarf and mittens and added a glittery edge to the snowbanks. 

 

 

The snowman on this card was created with a Great Impressions stamp.  I've used this stamp probably more often than any of my other winter stamps.  The layering paper is from Teresa Collins.

 

 

I love the black and white layering paper on this card.  I used a Hero Arts cling stamp to create the snowman.  The text is from Lockhart stamps.  Think about this...you can use that sentiment at any time of year.

 

 

I used a die to create this snowman.  I cut a white snowman, a red one, a black one, and a brown one.  Then I cut off the parts I needed and adhered them to the layering paper on my blank card.  

 

Have a great day!

Carol

 

 



Peas on Earth

Hi Everyone!

I am writing this post before I go to work so there's just time to share one card today. 

The layering paper is from Lawn Fawn's "Fa-La-La" paper collection.  You may not be able to tell from my photograph, but there are doves on that paper.  As you know doves are a sign of peace.

The "peas" were created with a Lockhart stamp and the message was created with a stamp from Inky Antics.  Cards with puns are fun to create and receive.

Have a great day!
Carol

Welcome Christmas

Hi Everyone!

In October I found just one package of dimensional Pebbles "Welcome Christmas" stickers on a shelf in Marshalls.  I decided they belonged in my stash, purchased them, brought them home and put them in my container of Christmas embellishments.  Last weekend I used them to create some cards.

I cut up a piece of SEI paper for the layering paper on 3 of my cards.  I used a PaperTrey Ink stamp to stamp the message "'Tis the Season" on those papers.  Then I ran 2 of the papers through a snowflake embossing folder and the third one through a Christmas tree embossing folder.  I added some ribbons from my stash to each of the papers before I adhered them to blank cards.  Then I added 2 of the dimensional stickers to each card.

 

 

 

 

I used a paper from "Christmas Home" from Teresa Collins for the layering paper for the next card.  I added some ribbon and rhinestones from my stash along with the remaining stickers from the package of "Welcome Christmas" stickers. 

 

 



Have a great night!

Carol

 

Christmas Cards

Hi Everyone!

I am finally taking the time to share some Christmas cards with you.  I didn't start to make these cards until last weekend so I decided to make some clean and simple ones so that I will actually get them done and in the mail before Christmas. 

I used paper punches to create the cards that I am going to share with you today.  Punches are a quick way to get an image.  I love using up scraps for those images.

 

 

The mug was created with a Martha Stewart punch.  I punched the mug from patterned paper and then punched a second time from white glittery tag for the whipped cream.  The steam was created with strands of tiny pearls from Recollections.  The mugs are attached to the card with foam tape.  The text is a stamp from PaperTrey Ink.

 

 

 

 

The jingle bells and the bows on the bells were created from Martha Stewart punches.  I used a silver tag to create the bells.  The branch was created with a PaperTrey Ink stamp as was the text on the green polka dotted card.  The text on the second card was created with a rub-on that I found in my stash.

 

 

 

I used a Martha Stewart holly punch to create the sprigs of holly on this card.  The berries on each sprig were created with red Stickles.  The ribbons were in my stash.

 

 



 

The door on this card was created with a die.  The wreath was created with a Martha Stewart wreath and bow punch.  I put a piece of clear transparency behind the door to make it look as if there were glass windows in the door.

 

That's it for today!  Would love some encouragement to post more cards. 

 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend. 

Carol

 



 



Blog Break

Hi Everyone!

I am finally taking the time to write to all of you.  I know by the e-mails that I have received from some of you that you are wondering where I have been. 

Many of you know that I lost my job about 2.5 years ago when the store I had worked at for 13 years suddenly closed.  I started my blog a short time later and had more than enough time to create and post each day. 

For the past 2.5 years I have presented early childhood trainings and done consulting work which kept food on our table and papercrafting supplies in my craft corner, but I needed something steadier to do. 

Happily early this September I was hired to teach preschool.  I hit the ground running and haven't stopped yet.  I have 17 students who range in age from 2.9 to 5+ years old.  Some of them do not speak or understand English.  All of them are adorable and a lot of fun.  They burst into the classroom each morning with huge smiles on their faces and eagerly look to see what I have for them to do.

Throughout September and October all of my creative time and energy has been invested in my classroom.  My papercrafting tools and supplies now serve a new purpose.  I use my Crop-a-dile to punch holes in my vocabulary cards: my Xyron machine to make magnetic puzzles, to laminate, and to apply adhesive; my punches, dies, and patterned papers to create manipulatives and props. 

Instead of creating cards I have become a scrapbooker of sorts. I take lots of pictures of my students and display them in photo sleeves or in an album for them to "read".  I use my patterned paper, borders, dies, punches, markers, adhesives, and stickers when I create my pages.  The children love seeing their pictures and spotting the "spider" stickers, the "pumpkin" cutouts, and the "apple" borders.

I am still planning to create holiday cards and gifts so I hope you'll continue to stop by to see if anything is new. 

Hope to talk with you soon.
Carol

Denami Design Halloween Blog Hop

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the Denami Design Halloween Blog Hop.  Here are the details for the hop. 

When: The blog hop starts on October 14th at 6 AM, PST. However, you have until October 15, 2012, 11:59 pm PST, to leave comments on all the blogs (to be eligible for a prize).Why: To be inspired by fun DeNami Design creations and also the chance to win mini shopping sprees on the DeNami Design website!

Prizes: We are giving away THREE $20 gift certificates to our website! We'll be giving away one gift certificate to a random participant (DT members not eligible) and then we'll also be giving away TWO gift certificates to TWO people who comment along the hop!

 

If you started at the beginning of the hop you have arrived here from
Linda Munroe's creative blog.  If you get lost along the way you can always start at the beginning at the Denami Design blog.

 

You are now at Carol Hartery's blog.  I put together something that is quick and easy and would make a cute treat holder for adults and children.  I used the downloadable Denami Design gift bag template to create my bag.  I printed the template on patterned paper. 

 

  

The Denami Design stamps I used for my project were

Friendly bat

Friendly ghost

Happy Halloween text

Three Houses

one jack o'lantern from the Jack o'lantern trio

 

Now before you hop on over to Barbara Murphy's amazing blog, be sure to leave a comment at this blog. 

 

Have a great day!

Carol
 

 

 

Denami Design's Back to School Blog Hop

Good Morning Everyone!

Welcome to Denami Design's Back to School Blog Hop.  Here are the details.

When: The blog hop starts on September 9th at 6 AM, PST. However, you have until September 10, 2012, 11:59 pm PST, to leave comments on all the blogs (to be eligible for a prize).

Why: To be inspired by fun DeNami Design creations and also the chance to win mini shopping sprees on the DeNami Design website!

Prizes: We are giving away THREE $20 gift certificates to our website! We'll be giving away one gift certificate to a random participant (DT members not eligible) and then we'll also be giving away TWO gift certificates to TWO people who comment along the hop!

If you started at the beginning of the hop you have arrived here from Barb Murphy's ALWAYS so inspiring blog.  I am happy to say that Barbara and I have become Internet friends and she is so much fun to "talk" with.  I love to study her cards and watch her videos on youtube.

I decided that an easel card would fit in perfectly with a "Back to School" theme so that's what I made for today's hop.  If you like easel cards, but aren't sure how to make them you can find instructions and videos on Split Coast Stampers. 

As you will see in the photograph below I stamped a Denami Design sheep onto a piece of chalkboard tag and embossed it with white embossing powder to make it stand out.  I used a white colored pencil to write on the board.  My chalk is a piece of a Q-tip.  I wanted my Denami Design Chickie Teacher to stand out so I stamped her on white tag, colored her in with markers and then used an oval punch to cut her out.  I created the sentiment on my computer.

Next you will be heading to Tenia Nelson's AWESOME blog.  I am a huge fan of Tenia's creations and I know she'll have something fun to share with us.  Before you leave my blog please stop and leave a comment so that you might win a prize from Denami Design.  Hope you'll also become a follower of my blog.

Have a great day!

Carol

A Couple of Cards

Hi Everyone!

I have a couple of cards to share with you.  First up is a clean and simple birthday card.

All of the papers are from Martha Stewart as is the paper ric rac strip.

The next card is just a fun one that I created for one of my aunts.

The edges of the hills are inked.  The tree is a Memory Box stamp.  I used some of my Memento markers to add colors to the stamp.  The sentiment is a rub on.

I am one of the participant's in tomorrow's Denami Design's Back to School Blog Hop.  Hope you'll stop by to visit and leave a comment. 

Have a restful day!

Carol

Halloween Cards

Hi Everyone!

I have more Halloween cards to share with you.  I fussy cut the potion bottles and used foam tape to adhere them to the background paper.  Both papers are from Martha Stewart.  The bats were cut from a K&Company border and are attached to the card with foam tape.  The sentiment and patterned strip are Washi tape from Martha Stewart.

I stamped some tall grass along the bottom of some Martha Stewart paper.  I stuck identical bat stickers back to back and then used pop dots to adhere just the center of their bodies to the card.  I fold the wings slightly to give them dimension.  The sentiment was created on my computer. 

I punched out a glittery spider to use on another card and then used the remaining paper to create this card.  Added some Martha Stewart Washi tape and some SEI spider ribbon and the card was done!

That's it for today!
Carol

More Halloween Cards

Hi Everyone!

I have finally been doing some much needed cleaning, but have also managed to create more cards.  The paper on this first card is from last year's dcwv "The Midnight Spell matstock" small paper pad.  I fussy cut 3 skeletons from a second sheet of the same paper and used foam tape to layer them onto the skeletons on the first paper.  Even in the photograph you can see how they pop off the page.

The spider web paper on the first card is from a Martha Stewart 12" x 12" Halloween pad.  The other papers are from "The Midnight Spell matstock" from dcwv.  The spiders are Favorite Findings buttons.

 

 

 

Have a wonderful day!

Carol

 

 

Halloween Bingo Cards

Hi Everyone!

I found a package of mini Halloween BINGO cards from Jenni Bowlin in my stash and decided to use them on some cards.  I pulled out some Halloween papers, stamps, and buttons and got to work. 

Have a great day!
Carol

Halloween

Good Morning Everyone!

I could easily get carried away creating Halloween cards.  Not sure why I am so drawn to this holiday.  Maybe it's because we celebrate it in the middle of my favorite season.  Maybe it's because I love all of the shades of orange and how black makes orange pop out even more. 

I have a stash of Halloween papers that are left over from last year or maybe even longer.  I decided to play with them last night and quickly created a stack of cards. 

The background paper on this first card is from the dcwv "Midnight Spell" small paper pad.  The lime green, the haunted house and swirls, and purple edging are all part of the paper.  I used my craft knife to cut slits in the house and then slid some Martha Stewart ghost stickers into those slits.  I placed some glittery Martha Stewart bat stickers in the lime green sky.  Then I stamped the Denami Design Pumpkin Trio onto a scrap of orange paper, fussy cut each pumpkin and adhered them to the card with foam tape. 

For my second card I cut out a scene from some K&Company Halloween paper and adhered it to a blank black card.  I fussy cut a monster from a second sheet of paper and used foam tape to layer him onto the monster that was already on the card.  Then I stamped the sentiment onto a scrap of orange paper, used a circle punch to cut it out, and adhered it to the card with foam tape. 

I used an AccuCut Zip'e Slim die to cut out the pumpkin for today's last card.   (Janet that pumpkin die is the one I told you about the other day.  The circular opening is 2.5" wide.)   I created the sentiment on my computer and used a circle punch to punch it out.  The ghost is from SEI. 

That's it for today.  I plan to share other cards with you tomorrow so I hope you'll stop by again.  Would love some comments too.

Have a great day!

Carol

Halloween Test Tube Holder

Hi Everyone!

I decided to share another creation before I stepped away from this table to do some cleaning.  In a previous post I mentioned all of the Martha Stewart Halloween products I found at a discount store about a month ago.  I was especially excited about the test tubes. 

I found instructions for creating a test tube holder at Split Coast Stampers at this link,
right here.   I found the video at that same link to be especially helpful. 

Here are some pictures of my project.

My test tubes are tall so I plan to cut future papers for them so that they measure 4" x 12" instead of at 4" x 11" as suggested in the tutorial.

Okay, now I must do some major cleaning.  I will also take some pictures of other cards I created this weekend and will share them with you during the week.

Enjoy what's left of this Labor Day weekend!
Carol