Home for the Holidays

This is the time of year when holiday travel looms, schedules overflow and stress levels are a little too high.  Which is a shame, since that makes it hard to enjoy the best thing--being home for the holidays, with family and friends whom you don't see enough.

I'm staring at a lot of travel and unusual schedules over the next month, but I can't wait.  Just like I couldn't wait to CASE this card when I saw it on Connie Babbert's blog.  It's just so perfect!  I love the glowing windows, the sparkly frame, and of course, the promise of Santa landing on the roof.

I had everything cut to make two of these at once...but then I couldn't stamp the sentiment straight--even though I tried twice and photopolymer is see through!--so I had to improvise.  I like this version as well, and was happy to use that script sentiment from Greetings of the Season.  In fact, I can't say which card I like more, so both are headed into my growing pile of cards to mail.  Another thing that makes this time of year hectic, but so much fun.

Cheers, and safe travels!
~Melanie

Stamps: Holiday Home, Greetings of the Season
Ink: Tuxedo Black Memento, Bermuda Bay, Cherry Cobbler, So Saffron, Crumb Cake, Garden Green
Paper: Pool Party, Bermuda Bay, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer, All is Calm DSP
Extras: Big Shot, Homemade Holiday frailest, dimensional

Simple Snowflake Greetings

This week's sketch at Clean and Simple Stamping is just fantastic, and called for me to use more of my DSP.  Out came my All is Calm DSP, and the circles framelits to crop the snowflakes out of the foil sheet.  I also used my favorite retired sentiment, from Greetings of the Season.  And that's it!  Which is why I love Clean and Simple sketches--go check them out.

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Greetings of the Season
Ink: Lost Lagoon
Paper: Lost Lagoon, All is Calm DSP, Whisper White
Extras: Circles framelits, Big Shot, Corner Rounder punch

Project Winter Card

I entirely forgot to post this yesterday, but it's even more appropriate today because baby, it's cold AND windy outside!  I love that song, and had fun assembling this card from some Project Life supplies.

Everyone has been buzzing about Stampin' Up! carrying Project Life, and it looks like a great way to scrapbook to me...except that I now do my scrapbooking exclusively with My Digital Studio.  So I haven't purchased any of the cards, and saw them in person for the first time when I was at my aunt/upline's Stampin' Loft.

Stampin' Up!'s Project Life cards are just lovely, and make holiday (or anytime) card making quick and easy.  I picked out this "baby it's cold outside" card, choose to pair it with Crumb Cake and Coastal Cabana, and quickly had a card to mail.

That said, I hope it's warmer where you are.
Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Holiday Home
Ink: Silver Encore, Coastal Cabana blendabilities
Paper: Crumb Cake, Coastal Cabana, Seasonal Snapshot Card Collection
Extras: Frosted Sequins

Sparkly Stars

Since it seems I've had a theme going this week, I decided to round it out with some sparkle for your Friday too.  This is another of the card's I made in my aunt and upline's Stampin' Loft, just so I could play around with this great stars set from the Holiday Supplement.

I didn't have a plan, but can't complain about how this card turned out.  My favorite thing is how well the stamps layer--each of the stamps on the big star is separate, so you can use them together or individually as you like.  Those dots and lines have lots of uses after Christmas is over (and snowflakes are good for at least half of the year in Massachusetts!), so I've ordered Many Merry Stars for my collection.

My other excitement was the extra sparkle provided by those silver sequins.  Did you notice them in the Holiday Catalog?  You get a variety of sizes and some snowflakes, and they're so fun to scatter over your cards, plus flat for your mailing pleasure.

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Many Merry Stars
Ink: Silver Encore, Coastal Cabana, Smoky Slate
Paper: Coastal Cabana, Smoky Slate, Silver Glimmer, Dazzling Diamonds Glimmer
Extras: Stars framelits, Big Shot, Itty Bitty punch pack, Frosted Sequins

Sparkly Trees

I really loved the Freshly Made Sketches layout last week (#160), and so I had to make a current version.  This card came together so easily and I just love it!  My favorite aspect is those decorations on the tree--I colored my rhinestone embellishments with the medium shade of the Coastal Cabana blendabilites...you can color anything with those, and I intend to!

See how they shine?  Everything else for this card was really straightforward and simple, especially with the magnetic platform for the Big Shot.  You get perfect framelit placement that way, and what could be better?

I wasn't planning to design a single Christmas card for everyone this year, but this might be it.
Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Good Greetings, Festival of Trees
Ink: Coastal Cabana, Pear Pizzazz
Paper: All is Calm DSP, Pool Party, Coastal Cabana, Whisper White
Extras: Rhinestone Embellishments, Tree Punch, Bitty Banners framelits, Banners framelits

Sparkly Santa

I had to do some traveling last week, and only part of it was planned, so everything has been up in the air.  But a great thing was that I visited my aunt and upline in her Stampin' Loft (aka, my stamping heaven!) and got to play with some fantastic stamps that I don't have.  I also got oodles of inspiration from all the things she's been doing to get ready for the holidays, so stay tuned.

I just love this fun card that we made.  More fun with blendabilities!  Santa looks so real, and so cheery with his rosy cheeks, not to mention all that snow in his beard.  It's a pretty simple card to make, and I'm sure it will be lots of fun to receive.

Two quick notes before you make your own:

• Remember that Dazzling Details needs time to dry!  I didn't have a lot of time, since I had to get back on the road, and his beard is a little smeared.  Still cute, but not as perfect as when I made it.
• To only use the borders from Just Sayin', you'll want to put a piece of scotch (or wash) tape over the sentiment and use markers to do the inking.  That way you won't get any shadow stamping from leftover ink, and have the perfect space to insert your own greeting.  

That's all you need to know.  Go have some fun with your own Christmas card making!

Cheers!
~Melanie

Stamps: Santa Stache, Just Sayin', Good Greetings
Ink: Memento Black, Blendabilities in Cherry Cobbler, Skin Tones, and Calypso Coral
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Glimmer White, Whisper White, Silver Glimmer
Extras: Mustache Framelits, Word Bubbles Framelits, Silver Sparkle Dazzling Details, Itty Bitty Accents punch pack