Brrrr...It's cold outside!

Hope everyone is having a marvelous time over the holidays, I know I have been loving having all my kids with me! The weather has definitely changed to remind us that it is winter and not still fall. Brrr...it has gotten cold!

Our weekly theme for the Stampendous Design Team is  "Baby It's Cold Outside!", and it fits the season to a tee! I'm always amazed when I see birds still flying around in this cold, cold weather. They're so small, but they seem to survive just fine despite only having a nest for protection! Today I'm sharing a card I created a while back, but haven't had a chance to share with you yet. It features our sweet Dreamweaver Chickadees stencil. It would make a lovely winter birthday card.

"Winter Birds"

Stampendous:EP113 Ruby Red Embossing Powder

MG08-B Lime Micro glitter
GX220U Crystal Ultrfine glitter

Dreamweaver:
DWLG708 Chickadees Stencil
DWLJ891 Holly Swirls Stencil
DWDMBP Dreamweaver Matte Black Embossing Paste
DWDEP Dreamweaver Regular Embossing Paste

Plus:
Neenah Paper Classic Linen Cover  Epic Black 80# 08126
Neenah Paper Classic Crest Cover Solar White 80# 04701
Neenah Paper Classic Linen Cover Red Pepper 80# 
Double-sided tape

Step 1:  Fold a 6 1/4" x 10" piece of white cardstock in half to form a 5" x 6 1/4" card

Step 2: Tape a 5" x 6 1/4" piece of black cardstock to the front

Step 3: Paste emboss the Holly Swirls stencil on black cardstock with Regular Embossing Paste, remove stencil, sprinkle the wet paste with Crystal glitter, let paste dry, clean stencil

Step 4: Trim Holly piece to 2 7/8" x 5" and tape a small strip of red cardstock to the top edge before taping the Holly to the bottom front of the card

Step 5:  Paste emboss the Chickadees stencil on white cardstock with Matte Black Embossing Paste, remove stencil,  carefully sprinkle the leaves with Lime micro glitter and the berries with Ruby Red embossing powder, clean stencil, let paste dry, then tap off any extra glitter and powder and heat set the powder

Step 6:  Trim the Chickadees with a Deckle scissors to fit on a 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" black mat

Step 7:  Tape Chickadee layer to a white mat and then to the card front

Next week I'll be heading to southern California for the big CHA Show in Anaheim. We have so many new things to share with you! Here's a little sneak peek at something I created for the January 2016 Stampendous Catalog!

Our other team members are shivering with more great ideas for you!

Stampendous Blog

Laura Drahozal

Lea Fritts

Pam Bray

Pam Hornschu

Louise Healy

Tenia Nelson

Until 2016....wishing you and yours HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Louise

Christmas, It's a Wrap!

Well, here it is, Christmas Eve! 

Each year seems to go faster and faster, which is sometimes good, but sometimes I just want it to slow down a little. This year we are so blessed to be able to share the joy of Christmas with all of our children and, best of all (sorry kids, it's just a fact!), our two beautiful granddaughters!

Grandma and Papa had to make sure all the halls got decked, well, not with holly but with lots of decorations. We'll go to midnight mass to celebrate the incredible birth of our Lord, then home to prepare for Santa! I can hardly wait for Christmas morning.

Here are a few of our ways to "wrap" Christmas:

Still using my beautiful candle holders made several years ago using the beautiful
Dreamweaver Bare Trees Stencil (see the original post here)

Another use for my cake pedestal.

Have to decorate the dining room too!

Liz and I had a fun project this year, new "stocking bags", they turned out so cute.
Pinterest idea of course!

Dreamweaver Pine Cone Stencil on an IKEA lantern.
Black Matte Embossing Paste and Metallic F/X powders
Here's the original post with directions.

Standing guard until the girls are here!

Who has more?

I may go a little overboard when it comes to presents!

Lots of cookies are a MUST!

Head over to the Stampendous Blog for a complete list of who else is sharing Christmas wishes today:

Stampendous Stamps

Wishing you and yours a VERY MERRY Christmas!
Louise

A Child is Born!

The Stampendous Design Team this week has a theme of "A Child is Born". Stampendous offers so many beautiful stamps and stencils to fit this Christmas theme. Check them out at the Stampendous  website.

Here is a simple Christmas card I made for the July 2015 Stampendous Catalog. The gold manger scene lends an elegant touch, yet the burlap ribbon and metallic embossing enamels remind us of the rustic side of this blessed event. You might be surprised how I got the gold Manger! Read on...

Supplies
Stampendous
FREG023 Frantage Embossing Enamel aged silver
FREG025 Frantage Embossing Enamel aged copper
EP102 Metallic Embossing Powder Pirate Gold

Dreamweaver
DWLL334 Manger
DWDEPT Dreamweaver Translucent Paste
DWDPK Dreamweaver Palette Knife
DWLM2010 Paste Spreader

Plus
May Arts Burlap ribbon (red edge pulled off)
Neenah Papers Classic Linen Cover Red Pepper 80#
Neenah Papers Classic Crest Cover Classic Cream 80#
Double-sided tape
Foam mounting tape

Instructions

Step 1:  Fold a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" red card in half to form an A2 card

Step 2:  Tape a 4" x 5 1/4" piece of cream cardstock to the front of the card

Step 3:  Pull the finished edge off both sides of a burlap ribbon and place near the left side of the card

Step 4:  Sprinkle some aged copper, aged silver, and Pirate Gold embossing powders randomly down the burlap, heat from below to set the powders

Step 5:  Paste emboss the Manger stencil on cream cardstock (3" x 3") with Translucent Paste using a Palette Knife and Paste Spreader, remove stencil and place in water for cleaning

Step 6:  Sprinkle the wet paste with Pirate Gold Embossing Powder, tap off extra, let paste dry, then heat set

Step 7:  Tape the embossed Manger to a red mat (3 1/4" x 3 1/4") and attach to the front of the card with foam tape

Here's our list of designer's sharing today:

Stampendous Blog

Laura Drahozal

Lea Fritts

Pam Bray

Louise Healy

Pam Hornschu

Happy Creating,
Louise

Remember the Reason!

This week the Stampdenous Design Team is sharing creations with the theme "A Child is Born". What better way to  express this than with the beautiful Joseph and Mary stencil (DWLL3019) from Dreamweaver at Stampendous!

Joyful, joyful

Supplies

Stampendous:

SSC1233 Joyful Phrases Perfectly Clear Stamps™
SSH38 Small Perfectly Clear™ Acrylic Handle
SSH57 Jumbo Perfectly Clear Acrylic Handle

Dreamweaver:
DWLL3019 Joseph and Mary Stencil
DWDGP Gold Embossing Paste
DWDPK Dreamweaver Palette Knife
DWLM2010 Paste Spreader

Plus:
Cardstock by Bazzill Basics Paper® Chocolate
Neenah Papers Classic Crest Cover Classic Cream 80# 04594
Memento Ink Desert Sand, Rich Cocoa
Ink blusher
Zip Dry™ Paper Glue by Beacon Adhesives

Instructions:

1. Step 1:  Fold a  4 1/4" x 11" piece of cream cardstock in half to form an A2  top fold card
2.  Step 2:  Tape a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of chocolate brown to the front of the card
3.  Step 3:  Use the Jumbo Acrylic Handle to create a collage of the sayings from the Joyful Phrases set, ink with Desert Sand and stamp on a  4" x 5 1/4" piece of cream cardstock, repeat on a smaller  1 1/4" x 1 1/2" piece, then stamp the Joyful, Joyful saying with Rich Cocoa ink on the smaller piece
4. Step 4:  Use an ink blusher to rouge a little Desert Sand ink around the edges of the background and saying
5.  Step 5:  Tape the stencil over the stamped background (near the bottom) and apply Gold Embossing Paste using a Palette Knife and Paste Spreader, remove and clean the stencil, let paste dry
6.  Step 6:  Attach the pasted layer to the card front
7.  Step 7:  Mount the saying to a dark brown mat, then to the front of the card toward the upper right side

For more ideas stop over at these designer's blogs:

Stampendous Blog

Kristine Reynolds

Louise Healy

Happy Creating,
Louise

Birthday Wishes!

Today I am participating in a very special Hop. It's a Birthday Hop for our fabulous Stampendous Team Leader, Laura! 

Thank you Laura for all you do for us and for doing it with a great sense of humor! Here's wishing you a wonderful birthday and blessing for many more to come.

Birthday Wishes for Laura!

Janelle Stollfus

Alison Heikkila

Pam Hornschu

Laura Drahozal

Kristine Reynolds

Pam Bray

Wendy Price

Jamie Martin

Lea Fritts

Tenia Nelson

Amy Hurley-Purdie

Happy Birthday Laura!

Louise

Christmas Carols!

Celebrate the Season is this week's theme on the Stampendous Design Team. To me, a major part of celebrating the season is listening to and singing Christmas Carols!  This beautiful French Horn from Dreamweaver reminds me of all the wonderful carols we hear throughout the season!

Christmas Music

Supplies
Stampendous
MG08 Lime Micro Glitter
EP113 Ruby Red Opaque Embossing Powder

Dreamweaver
DWLG676 French Horn Stencil
DWLG731 Holly Flourish Stencil
DWLL332 Picasso Stencil
DWDGP Gold Embossing Paste
DWDPK Dreamweaver Palette Knife
DWLM2010 Paste Spreader

Plus
1/4" Stencil Brushes
Brilliance Inks - Pearlescent Thyme, Rocket Red
May Arts Ribbon
Neenah Papers Classic Linen Cover 80# Red Pepper
Neenah Papers Classic Crest Cover Natural White 80#
Double-sided tape
Heat Embossing Tool

Instructions

Step 1:  Fold a 7" x 10" piece of Red cardstock in half to form an A7 card

Step 2:  Stencil the Holly Flourish image around a 4 3/4" x 6 3/4" piece of Natural cardstock using 1/4" stencil brushes and Brilliance ink, use the Picasso to keep colors clean

Step 3: Attach a piece of sheer gold May Arts Ribbon around the Holly Flourish layer, then attach that layer to the front of the card

Step 4:  Paste emboss the French Horn stencil on Natural cardstock (3 3/8" x 4 1/2") with Gold Embossing Paste using a Palette Knife and Paste Spreader, remove stencil and place in water for cleaning

Step 5:  While the paste is still wet, cut a straw at an angle and use it to carefully apply Lime Micro Glitte to the pasted holly leaves, and Ruby Red Embossing Powder to the berries, apply only a little at a time to prevent it from getting on the French Horn, don't try to tap off any extra yet, let paste dry

Step 6:  Tap off any extra glitter and powder, use a heat tool to set the powder, be careful not to heat too long

Step 7:  Tape the French Horn layer to a red mat (3 1/2" x 4 5/8"), then to the front of the card

Check out how my team members "Celebrate the Season"!

Stampendous Blog

Laura Drahozal

Kristine Reynolds

Lea Fritts

Louise Healy

Pam Bray

Pam Hornschu

Happy Creating,

Louise

Celebrate the Season!

The Stampendous Design Team is "Celebrating the Season!" this week by sharing some of the beautiful Stampendous and Dreamweaver designs released in the July 2015 catalog. There are so many wonderful images, it's hard to choose!

This beautiful stamp is call Magnolia Rose (W149) and would make a fabulous Christmas card this season! I kept my card very simple so the image would really shine.

"Christmas Bouquet"

Supplies
Stampendous
W149 Magnolia Rose
MPW811 Mixed Media White Paper

Plus
Bazzill Pink cardstock
Bazzill Lime Green cardstock
Chameleon Color Tones - GR3, OL3, YG3, RD4, YO3, BR5, CB
Double-sided tape

Instructions

Step 1:  Fold a 5" x 10" piece of pink cardstock in half to form a top-fold card

Step 2:  Stamp the Magnolia Rose on a  4" x 4" piece of white cardstock and color with Chameleon pens

Step 3:  Tape the image to a pink mat (4 1/4" x 4 1/4")

Step 4:  Attach two small squares (2 1/2" x 2 1/2") of lime green cardstock to two opposite corners of the image

Step 5:  Tape the image to the front of the card

For more celebrations of the season, see the Stampendous Blog each day:

Stampendous Blog

Louise Healy

Alison Heikkila

Pam Hornschu

Janelle Stollfus

Happy Creating,

Louise

Angel Kisses

Welcome to Dreamweaver Thursday and our weekly theme of "Sugar Plum Wishes and Angel Kisses". The Stampendous Design Team has been busy this week sharing not only ideas for our weekly theme, but hopping with the folks at Patty Pop Ons too!  Be sure to check out all the different ideas!

Yesterday I shared a cute little House Mouse design for the Sugar Plum Wishes side of our theme. Today I showing you a beautiful stencil from Dreamweaver.  It's a simple, but elegant card using our Shadow Technique.

Stampendous:

SSC1231 Holiday Expressions Perfectly Clear Stamps™
SSH57 Jumbo Perfectly Clear™ Acrylic Handle
GM220U Crystal Ultra Fine glitter

Dreamweaver:
DWLJ871 Angel Stencil
DWDPP Pearlescent Embossing Paste
DWDPK Dreamweaver Palette Knife
DWLM2010 Paste Spreader
DWNHB-12 1/2" Brush #12 Natural Handle

Plus:
Cardstock by Bazzill Basics Paper®
Zip Dry™ Paper Glue by Beacon Adhesives
Neenah Papers Classic Crest Cover Solar White 80# 04701
VersaFine Majestic Blue
Double-sided tape
Foam tape

Instructions:

Step 1:  Fold a 7" x 10" piece of blue cardstock in half to form an A7 card

Step 2:  Tape the stencil to a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of white cardstock and use a 1/2" stencil brush to brush Majestic Blue ink over the whole design, remove the stencil and clean it

Step 3:  Place the clean, dry stencil back over the design, then shift it up and to the left about 1/16", tape in place

Step 4:  Apply Pearlescent Embossing Paste using a Palette Knife and Paste Spreader, remove stencil and place in water for cleaning

Step 5:  Immediately sprinkle Crystal glitter on the wings, halo, bird, and star, carefully tapping off extra away from the rest of the image, let paste dry thoroughly

Step 6: Mount the Angel to a 4 1/2" x 5 3/4" dark blue mat, then to the front of the card toward the left side

Step 7:  Stamp the saying, from the Holiday Expressions set, on white cardstock ( 1 1/2" x 1 1/2") with Majestic Blue ink, mount on a dark blue mat (1 3/4" x 1 3/4")

Step 8:  Attach the saying to the lower right side with foam tape  

For even more great ideas, stop over at the Stampendous Blog for a complete list of today's players.

Stampendous Blog

Jamie Martin

Louise Healy 

Laura Drahozal 

Pam Hornschu 

Kristine Reynolds

Pam Bray

Happy Creating,
Louise

Visions of Sugar Plums!

Oh dear! Can you believe it's December already!!! I really need to get moving on my Christmas shopping and decorating. I probably should get busy making my Christmas cards too! Time flies when you're having fun and this week I'm having LOTS of fun helping take care of my granddaughters! So I guess I won't get much accomplished this week, oh well, it's worth it!

Our Stampendous Design Team theme this week is "Sugar Plum Wishes and Angel Kisses!".

This sweet House-Mouse Design called Nestled in Bed fits the theme perfectly. Can't you just image the sugar plums dancing through their dreams! 

Supplies:

Stampendous:
HMR39 Nestled in Bed
CRS5073 Cling Filigree Set
PW811 Mixed Media White Paper
MEM01 Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink by Tsukineko®

Plus:
Cardstock by Bazzill Basics Paper®
Memento™ Bamboo Leaves Ink by Tsukineko®
Kraft Cardstock
Chameleon™ Markers (RD4, NU1, PK3, YG3, BG4, OR4, YO3, BR5, CG8, BR2, NU3, CB)
Ribbon by May Arts
Double-Sided Tape
ZipDry™ Paper Glue by Beacon Adhesives™

Instructions:

1. Fold a 7" x 10" piece of blue cardstock in half to form a top-fold card.
2. Stamp the Filigree on the top of a 4 3/4" x 6" piece of white cardstock with Bamboo Leaves, use a 1/2" brush to add more green to the background.
3. Tape a 2 1/4" x 6" piece of kraft cardstock near the bottom of the filigree and color with BR2 and BR5 to look like a wood floor, add a strip of blue cardstock across the middle, then two pieces of Yellow May Arts ribbon across the blue, add to the front left of the card.
4. Stamp the Peace On Earth on a  4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of white cardstock and color with Chameleon pens, trim to 4" x 5 1/4", mat on a blue mat 4 1/8" x 5 3/8".
5. Use foam tape to add the image to the front add a small yellow bow on the right hand side.

Today's team members have lots more wishes for you, just click over to the Stampendous Blog for a complete list.

Stampendous Blog

Pam Hornschu

Amy Hurley-Purdie 

Louise Healy 

Happy Creating,
Louise

Puzzle on This!

The Stampendous Design Team is having fun this week playing with foam puzzle pieces provided to us by Patty Pop Ons. These fun pieces can be used individually or together to form a whole picture and come in different sizes. Check out their website for more info about these great products. A portion of all sales of this product benefits Cornerstone for K•I•D•S a non-profit charity.

Prize
– it’s a box of 12 pieces plus velcro dots to hang them and a flyer of ideas. (expertly packaged by adults with special needs)

The BACK side is the loop side of velcro applied in their factory. The front side is a foam surface that will accept acrylic paint, permanent markers, stamping, stencil paste, etc. You can heat it to press a stamp in for a pattern. Alcohol sprays should work on it as well. When you've finished decorating the piece, just use a velcro dot to adhere it where you want it.  I was thinking about gluing a magnet to the back and putting mine on my refrigerator.

Here's how I decorated my first piece:

• I used a combination of Deco Art Media Fluid Acrylics to paint the background (1 drop Prussian Blue, 3-4 drops of Titan Buff, lightened up with a little Americana Decor Chalky Finish everlasting). 
• After the light blue was dry, I used my finger to wipe a little more of the the everlasting Chalky Finish over it to give a more "frosty" look. 
• The little snowflake is from the Build a Snowman set (SSC1184) and is stamped with Memento Bahama Blue.
• While all that dried well, I stamped a snowman from the same set on Mixed Media White Paper using Memento Tuxedo Black, and colored him with Copic markers and cut him out
• I used ZipDry from Beacon Adhesives to add the snowman to the puzzle piece, then stamped the "arms" using Memento Rich Cocoa.
• The snow at the bottom is Dreamweaver Regular Embossing Paste applied with a palette knife and swirled around a little to look like drifts.
• While the paste was still wet, I sprinkled it with Stampendous Crystal Snow glitter. This takes a little while to dry completely, but if you're careful, you can keep working.
• I painted on dries clear glue to the snowman's body using a small brush and working in sections, then sprinkled the glue with Stampendous Crystal UltraFine glitter. I really gives him a Frosty look!
• My final step was to paint each edge with the glue and sprinkle it with the Crystal UltraFine glitter.

I just love the glitter on the Snowman!

They are very light weight so I've been thinking about looping a thin ribbon around the top knob and using it as a tree ornament! 

See what the other Designer's have puzzled out for you today:

Stampendous Blog

Kristine Reynolds

Louise Healy

Be sure to stop by the Stampendous Blog each day this week for a complete list of who's hopping!
Happy Creating,
Louise

Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I hope you are having a relaxing day with family today. The Stampendous Design Team is reflecting on Family and Friends this week and I personally want to thank you for all the support you give me throughout the year. Your comments mean the world to me and I truly appreciate the time you take to read and comment on my blog. I LOVE sharing with you!

Today I have chosen the Fall Borders stencil (LJ874). It's a gorgeous stencil with two different corner images on one stencil.  You can use both of them, or one at a time. I just love the pumpkin corner, and paired with a great sentiment from the Friendship Assortment Set, it makes a wonderful Thanksgiving card.

Supplies:

Stampendous:SSC1116 Friendship Assortment Perfectly Clear Stamps™ Set

Dreamweaver:
DWLJ874 Fall Borders Stencil
DWLL332 Picasso stencil
DWDEP Regular Embossing Paste
DWGHB-6  1/4" Brush#6 Gold Handle
DWDPK Dreamweaver Palette Knife
DWLM2010 Paste Spreader

Plus:Cardstock by Bazzill Basics Paper®
Neenah Papers Classic Crest Cover Classic Cream 80# 04594
Neenah Papers Classic Linen Cover Epic Black 80# 08126
Brilliance Inks - Sunshine Yellow, Pearlescent Orange, Pearlescent Thyme, Pearlescent Ivy, Coffee Bean
Versafine Olympia Green
ZipDry™ Paper Glue by Beacon Adhesives™
Foam Mounting Tape

Instructions:

Step 1:  Fold a 5" x 10" green card in half to create a 5" x 5" card

Step 2:  Tape off the corner of the stencil across from the pumpkin, then tape the stencil to a piece of cream cardstock 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" lining up the pumpkin in the lower left corner

Step 3:  Paste emboss the image with Regular Embossing Paste using a Palette Knife and Paste Spreader, remove and clean the stencil, let paste dry

Step 4:  Return the clean, dry stencil over the dry paste, and use 1/4" stencil brushes and ink pads to add color to the design

Step 5:  Stamp the saying on a small piece of cardstock with VersaFine™ Olympia Green ink, layer on a small black mat

Step 6:  Layer the pumpkin on a black mat, then to the front of the card

Step 7:  Add the saying using foam tape for dimension

More Family and Friend creations await at these designer blogs today!

Stampendous Blog

Laura Drahozal

Louise Healy

Pam Bray

Happy Creating,
Louise

Family Roots

This week is a time to focus on family and friends, being thankful for each person, and taking the time to let them know how much they mean to us.  Nothing is more important to me than that!

I created this card for the Stampendous October 2015 Catalog and really meant it as the perfect wedding, anniversary, or "congrats you're pregnant" card, but you could do it up in fall colors and it would be a wonderful card to give your parents for Thanksgiving too! Sadly, I no longer have my parents to give it to, but maybe you do! Although I may make one up for my 94 year old father-in-law. He loves getting mail!

Supplies:

Stampendous:
R243 Roots of Love
SSC1224 Forest Sayings Perfectly Clear Stamps™
MPW811 Mixed Media White Paper
SSH57 Jumbo Perfectly Clear™ Acrylic Handle
MEM01 Memento™ Tuxedo Black Ink by Tsukineko®

Plus:
Cardstock by Bazzill Basics Paper®
Zip Dry™ Paper Glue by Beacon Adhesives
Copic Sketch Markers - RV00, RV02, RV04, RV09, E01, E31, E33, E37, B0000, B00, YG03, C1, C2, C3, 0, 100
May Arts Ribbon
Glue Dots
McGill Sm Heart Punch
Double-sided tape
Foam tape

Instructions:

1. step 1 Fold a 6" x 9 1/4" piece of Light Pink cardstock in half to form an A6 card
2. step 2 Stamp the Roots of Love stamp on a 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" piece of white Mixed Media paper
3. step 3 Color with Copic markers then trim to 3 1/2" x 5" and edge with a black marker
4. step 4 Mount the tree on a 3 3/4" x 5 1/4" piece of Dark Pink cardstock
5. step 5 Wrap a piece of green and white May Arts ribbon around the front of the tree and hold in place on the back with glue dots, then attach to the card front with double-sided tape
6. step 6 Stamp the saying from the Forest Sayings on a 1 3/8" x 1 7/8" piece of white cardstock, edge with a black marker
7. step 7 Mat the saying on a 1 1/2" x 2" piece of Dark Pink cardstock and add to the card with foam tape
8. step 8 Tie a small pink bow from May Arts pink sheer ribbon and add to the card with a Glue Dot
9. step 9 Punch two small hearts and attach them to the upper left corner of the saying

To see who else is playing along today, head over to the Stampendous Blog.

Wishing you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving week, and for those of you not in the US, I still wish you a wonderful week!

Louise