Criss Cross

Can you all believe it is November already? Wow, this year has just flown by me. Won't be long and the snow will be flying here in MN. And Christmas isn't far away.

I found and easier way and a less expensive way of making the Criss Cross card so had to try one. This one only takes a 1/2 sheet of cs instead of a whole one. I like that much better and is so much easier on the budget don't ya think?
So without further ado here is Joyce's blog that has the tutorial on it for making this inexpensive way of making this card. Follow these directions and you can make a card like mine shared here. They really are simple to do. Thanks Joyce for making a tutorial on this and making it so easy to follow.
For my card I used Lavender Lace although it looks darker in the scan. I think I need to adjust the colors on my scanner to SU colors. On the scan it looks more like Lovely Lilac which would have worked also I guess. The part that pulls out is Basic Black and has Very Vanilla layered on that.
The designer paper I bought some time ago and don't know where I got it or when. LOL, must be getting old my memory fails me sometimes. Anyway on the side of it, it said Hydrangea's. And what pretty paper it is. I just love the colors. If you noticed I used this paper for the card before this one. I only have scraps left now. :(
Stamp set used is a retired one again. I have a few angel stamps and love using them. This one worked perfect for this card. I love the angel at the top of the inside piece. The set is called Renaissance Angels. Image was stamped in Basic Black and colored in with chalks. The verse also stamped in Basic Black.
I used the tab punch to punch the tab this also was done with the designer paper. You use the tab to pull the message out of the criss cross.
Hope you enjoy and thanks for stopping by.

Angel Wings Sympathy

Thought I would do something different today. And I found this sketch on SCS. I am a person who loves angels as I have one in heaven. I have collected angels since the death of our first child in 1985. She was perfect in every way, but, god needed a beautiful little angel to help him out. Love and miss ya Lacey Jo.

Holly's Mom, had this set and I asked Holly, to stamp me some images of the angel, so thanks Holly and Mom. I love this set so much and just haven't been able to afford it although it is on my wish list.

So while the kids are out trick & treating. My oldest son and niece took Travis and my nephew out tonight. I figured I might as well stamp and update my blog. And hopefully get some of the goodies when they get home.

I used Textured Purple card stock for the base of the card.

Holy Triptych stamped angel in black. Colored in with chalks. And layered her on some black card stock.

I got some pretty patterned paper one time when I was out shopping and just love this paper. It is purple hydrangea. So pretty and seemed to be calling that it wanted to be with the little angel.

Inside is stamped with a verse a friend gave me.

For he shall give his angels

Charge over thee,

to keep thee in all thy ways.

91:11

I hope who ever gets this card brings them peace of mind. And the strength to move on.

Here is the sketch incase you couldn't find it.

Hope you all had a great haunting of a Halloween. Make sure and check our kids candy to make sure it is safe. We don't want to spoil the fun for them and have them get sick or hurt from the candy.

Skating Hedgie

Have you ever done a kickstand card? I think these are fun to make and are different than the norm. I don't know about you but, I get sick of the same ole style all the time.

With this card I used Holiday Hedgehogs it is retired but such a cute set. No matter what you set is this design will work with them.

I used Night of Navy (NON) cs, for the base of the card and for the base of the kickstand, also used it behind the Happy Holidays. To do the card base cut cs at 4 1/4 x 11. Fold in half and open up. You will need to cut 1 3/4 inches off the top piece. This will make it so you can add your kickstand.

Next I used SU Designer Paper that is retired. It has the pretties snowflakes on it. I trimmed that down to size and cut ribbon to go around this snowflake paper and tired a bow then I mounted on the NON base. Stamped Happy Holidays on WW with Basic Black ink and layered it on a piece of NON. Mounted this to the card at top.

I used a punched out scalloped circle that I got from a friend Sandy Scott. This is your kickstand part, on the WW one I stamped my hedgehog skating in Basic Black and colored him in with chalks. On the bottom of this I colored with chalk in lt. blue but it don't show well in the scan. On the upper half of this I used a darker blue for the sky. Mount this piece to the NON scalloped circle.

Now with the card closed you will add the kickstand as you don't want your kickstand to short or to long or it won't stand right. So put the kickstand on the card and lightly mark with a pencil so you know where it will be. Make sure it is lined up on the bottom evenly. Put adhesive on the back of the scalloped circle, just the upper half remember you don't want adhesive on the bottom or it will stick to the inside of the card and your kickstand card won't work. Once you have that mounted your done. Stand it up and see how you did.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

Frosty Returns

I found Frosty! I am so happy, he turned up missing in my collection of rubber stamps and he remade his appearance this weekend.

I got this sketch from Maria I just love her sketches she does. And she has such talent, she is a great inspiration to me.

I did change a few things about the sketch when I did my card. I did it in reverse to what Maria did, because my snowman was facing the opposite direction. And I used Frosty for my image. I couldn't find my Lovely as a tree stamp set so I had to use a different stamp for that. And I was in a hurry to get it done so didn't look real hard. The snowy tree's stamp is from Hero Arts, my best friend got it for me before I became a SU demo. I think it worked well with the scene. And instead of the round eyelets I used star eyelets I got in a kit. With knowing this here is my card and Maria's sketch. Even the sketch it's self is cute don't ya think?

I am going to play penny bingo tonight so thought I would get my blogging done early today. Wish me luck on bingo! Should be fun and relaxing to get out and be among friends. I don't get out to often with my kids.

Snowflakes Polar Style

Here is another sketch challenge card I did. This one I used SU silver paper and embossed it with the snowflake cuttlebug. It makes it look cold to me. Again and for the last time for awhile I used the polar bear. I know you are all getting sick of seeing him. But he is so cute! I stamped in basic black on ww card stock and colored in with markers on the image. For the saying I stamped in basic black again on ww and layered both these pieces of black card stock. Then layered them to the silver embossed card stock. On the bottom half I did another piece of the silver embossed cs and cut about 3/4 to and inch of that and layered that on the black and mounted it to the silver again. All of this is then mounted onto black and it really makes it stand out. The silver cs looks so nice done with the cuttlebug snowflakes.

I really hope these sketches and cards are giving you some ideas for your own Christmas cards for the year.

This past week it has been chilly in MN. Having our furnace on at night. It won't be long and that white stuff called snow will be falling.

Santa Ornament

How about something different than a card for a change. I have been doing some ornaments or you can also use them as a gift tag. Which ever you do they go quickly.

For this ornament I used scalloped circle punches. On the white one I stamped Santa from the retired Old Fashioned Christmas stamp set. The Santa face in this one make perfect for this ornament. I stamped him in black and colored him in with chalks. This has a Santa on both sides so when he is on the tree he is seen on both sides. You can whip these up so quickly and have something cute to adorn your tree or packages. Punch a hole in the top making sure that your Santa's are upright and close to the same. Add some cord for you hanger. I am thinking to add some more to the ornament is to add some white gel pen dots to each of the scallops on the red piece.

Gazing Snowmen

I made this card the other night. I got the idea from a friend Shelly Anderson, thanks Shelly. She had sent me a card about a year ago already. Wow, time flies! Anyway, I loved it and had to try my hand at it. I used Night of Navy card stock and stamped craft white snowflakes. Then I tore some water color paper so my snowmen had texture and placed them in the corners on the bottom of the card. I tore out some orange for the noses and used a black marker for the eyes. Then I stamped brrr... in light blue on white and layered that on Bashful blue and layered this on the card. This card is so easy you really need to try it. The best part of all is it uses up those small scraps we have. So dig in those scrap piles and make yourself one or a bunch for your Christmas Cards this year.

Thanks for stopping by.

Going Kimono

I also got this card in the shape swap, this one is made by Elizabeth Kratzer. It is so cute. I have never made one of these before and will be making one soon. I have scanned the front and back for you to see. She did an awesome job on this one. The white on the leaves is embossed and really adds to the design. Love the ribbon. Think I might just have to order some of that soon.

You can find the template for making the kimono here. Thanks for joining the swap Elizabeth. This is the last of my shares on the swap. There was a couple more cards but I hadn't gotten permission to post. Hope you all have enjoyed the cards I have shared from the swap.

Polar Surfing

I created this sketch myself. Aren't you all so proud? LOL I thought it would make a neat design to work with. I didn't draw one out just created the card so you will have to go by the picture of the card to get the idea.

I used again Polar Express and used markers to color him. I used retired snowflake paper from SU. I love this paper and wish I had more. To bad they retired it. The basic card is done on lt. blue textured paper and you can't see it in the scan but it has snowflakes stamped on it with white craft ink. For the circles I used the coluzzle and used the second to last line for the snowflake and for the black I used the last line.

If you make a card using this sketch please share with me by putting it in the comment area if posting your blog. Or if you give the link to it on SCS. I would really like to see what everyone does with this sketch.

Starting tomorrow I will be using a different stamp set. I know I can hear you all going WooHoo! So check back tomorrow and see what I have in store for you.

Last of the Swap

Hope you are all enjoying these. This one is flying high! Ginny Smith made this really neat kite card. The monkey is having fun flying around. He can see the world from way up high. Ginny used the slot punch to make the scalloped circle the monkey is on. Here you see the kite closed. You unwrap the kite string and inside is a surprise. This is such a cute idea, I am sure I will be making these for Birthday cards for the kids. What kid wouldn't like this as a card?

Instead of Thanks a bunch put in Happy Birthday. I love that monkey stamp and now have another reason to use it. Thanks Ginny for joining the swap and for all you girls letting me post them on my blog to share for all to see.