Well stranger things have happened, right?  Like 80 degrees in NH in March!  Yup, that's how our weather has been lately.  I'll take it!

Tonight was the first meeting of my Christmas Card club, so yes, we made Christmas cards on the first day of Spring!  Ahead of the game this year…. that's my mantra… we'll see if I can stick to it and maybe, just maybe, apply that mantra to other parts of my life.

Here's one of the cards they made tonight…

This one has a nice vintage, oh-so-me, feel to it!  I wish I could take a lot of credit for it but I really can't.  Here's why…

The layout came from Mojomonday.blogspot.com… it was sketch #227.  I loved the sketch so went searching for fun samples.  There were plenty to choose from but the one below caught my eye.

So as you can see I didn't change too much.  The color scheme of course is different completely.  Where this stamper used Calypso Coral, Soft Suede, Crumb Cake and Pool Party, I used Read Red, Early Espresso, Confetti Cream and the Berry Bouquet DSP from the last Holiday mini.  I also used Very Vanilla seam binding instead of the Crumb Cake one.  I believe this stamper has another oval punch and put on the designer frame where I just stamped inside the designer frame.  But clearly, the inspiration lies here and I'm so grateful because I really love both cards!  Hope you do too.

I have a last minute offer for you!

Do you have the Northern Flurry embossing folder?  You should!!  Check out these cards we made the other night at our final Christmas Card Club meeting.  Not only did members make 3 each of the following cards but they also received the Northern Flurry embossing folder for free with a a $50 order.  Now all of them loved the folder so much that they each took advantage of the free Northern Flurry embossing folder deal!  So I thought I would pass the same deal on to you as well!  This special is a 24 hour only special and will end Tuesday, December 13 at 8:00 EST.

Spend $50 on any Stampin' UP! merchandise and receive the Northern Flurry embossing folder (or another of equivalent value) for FREE!

On this card we added a little Smooch Illuminate Top Coat to make the snowflakes stand out even more.

A little bling anyone?

I wish I could take full credit for this cutie patootie but I cannot.  I found him on our Demonstrator Web site!  Here the snowflakes are the background, not the main focus.

And I don't know if you can see it but the snowflakes here were embossed on Shimmery White card stock.  So pretty!  In case you can see it better here's a closeup.  And a few pearls is just enough to finish these snowflakes.

i just love this technique – stamping on your designer series paper!  I then colored in the poinsettia petals with a belnder pen and Cherry Cobbler ink.  It's a pretty simple card – especially if you take away the watercoloring portion.

And who doesn't love Cherry Cobbler and Crumb Cake together??

Wow it's been a long time since I've posted anything!  Life has been busy!!

So, here are some Christmas cards my Christmas Card Club members made this month…

So most of these cards were inspired by or CASEs of cards I found on our Stampin' Up! demonstrator web site. 

Some of my favorite items used on these cards are:

Real Red and Silver Glimmer Paper both as gifts and the single star.

The Triple Treat Flower punch was used to make the bows on the gifts. 

Good old Lovely as a Tree stamp set was used to make the Christmas Tree branches. 

The Big Shot was used three times to create three different embossed backgrounds – the Stripes on the "star" card, the poinsettias, and the background behind the single tree.

The Cherry Cobbler baker's twine.

The Merry and Bright stamp from my new favorite Christmas set "Merry & Type".

The list goes on and on… hopefully you see some of your favorite items on these cards and find some inspiration as well!

So, just so you know… just because there aren't posts here on my blog doesn't mean I haven't been stamping!!  I've actually been able to do quite a bit of stamping lately, just not a lot of blogging!

So, I have a few minutes before I run out for the evening so I wanted to share one of my most favorite cards right now.  I just LOVE it! It uses a bajillion new things from the Holiday mini and it makes me happy!  I hope it makes you happy too!

I actually had this card as one of the Make and Takes at my last Team Meeting.  Do you see all the NEW things?  Check out the supply list below.  And because it's been a while, I included all the dimensions and some tips on how to make the card as well!  Hope you enjoy!

•Base cardstock: Confetti Cream (8.5” x 11”)

•2nd layer: Early Espresso (5 1/8” x  3 7/8”)

•3rd layer: Garden Green (5” x 3 ¾”)

•4th layer: Holly Berry Bouquet DSP (4 ½” x 3 ¼”)

•Stamp Set: Warmest of Wishes

•Inks: Early Espresso

•Embellishments: Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine, Jingle Bells mini, Very Vanilla  Velvet Ribbon

• Accessories:  Stocking Builder Punch, Big Shot, Square Lattice embossing folder, stampin’ sponge,  mini glue dots, paper piercer, dimensionals

Tips:
Run some scrap Early Espresso Card stock through the Big Shot with the Square Lattice embossing folder. Punch out with the Stocking Builder Punch.
Punch out the stockings from the embossed Early Espresso.
Punch out the toe, heel, and trim from scrap Cherry Cobbler card stock.
Sponge the edges of the Cherry Cobbler CS and Garden Green CS.
Adhere the DSP to the Garden Green CS.  Use the piercer to pierce all along the edges.  Adhere to Early Espresso layer.
Wrap the ribbon around the layers with mini glue dots.
Finish assembling card. 
Stockings get attached with dimensionals..
Cherry Cobbler Baker’s Twine gets attached with a mini glue dot.

I've been doing a lot of playing with my new goodies!!  Here is a card I made using the "Snow Much Fun" stamp set. Does it look like a snow globe to you?  I certainly hope so!  

Supplies Used:

Stamps: Snow Much Fun, Bells & Boughs, Serene Snowflakes

Inks: Jet Black Stazon ink pad, Craft White

Other: Watercolor Crayons with aquapainter, Circle Scissors Plus, Iridescent Ice embossing powder

Here are two of the three tables stamping some Christmas Cards with us last night!

My super fun guests made 12 cards (3 each of 4 designs)!  All in about 2 hours!

Speaking of Christmas… Look at this sneak peek into the New catalog!

Isn't that snowman adorable?  I love him!  He has a shorter, squatter snowman friend too.   This NEW set is called "Snow Much Fun."  In this card I paired it with some old, retired striped ribbon.  I used the Perfect Polka dot embossing folder and modern label punch and watercolored with the Watercolor Crayons and Aquapainter. 
As much as I love looking at this card and stamp set, I'm in NO hurry to look at snow outside!!

Christmas???  Thank goodness it's really not, but we are doing the first Christmas Stamp a Stack of the season tomorrow!

Here's one of the cards my guests will be making…

So the best thing about this card is that my pool is in the background!  LOL  No, but seriously, I love this card!  The inspiration came from this card here.  It's basically the same, just different colors and a different sentiment.  Hope you like it!

Stamps:
Word Play
Delightful Decorations

Big Shot with Vintage Wallpaper background

Scallop Trim border punch

Ornament Punch

Rich Razzleberry 1/4" grosgrain ribbon

Card Stock:
Early Espresso
River Rock
Very Vanilla
Rich Razzleberry

Here are the Christmas cards we made last night.  It's hard to choose which one is my favorite.  I love the Deck the Halls designer paper and the vintage feel to the Cardinal card… I like the ease that the snowflake card comes together yet still looks well put together…of course I love the ornaments, the details in the ornaments just make it… and who doesn't like the crispness of Real Red, Basic Black, and Whisper White together along with some glitter on Santa's hat??

Do you have your Christmas card designed?  If not, I'd love to help you!  Just shoot me an email or give me a call to help you design Christmas cards perfect for you!

This past week I had my 2nd Christmas Card camp of the year.  (Can you believe it?  It's not even September yet and some of my customers are done their Christmas cards! Woop, woop!)  So here are the cards they created the other night.  4 designs, 3 of each.

Supplies Used:

STAMP SETS:
An AMAZING set from the upcoming Holiday mini called Bells & Boughs
Delightful Decorations
Baroque Motifs
Snow Swirled

DESIGNER SERIES PAPERS: (both from upcoming mini!!)
Candy Cane Christmas
Deck the Halls

COLORS USED: (card stocks, inks, marker, etc)
Cherry Cobbler
Crumb Cake
Bashful Blue
Marina Mist
Elegant Eggplant
Real Red
Wild Wasabi

OTHER SUPPLIES:
2 3/8" scallop circle punch
ornament punch
Illuminate Top Coat
Champagne Glass Glitter (from upcoming mini!)
Half back rhinestones
blender pens
Aqua painters
ticket corner punch
Scallop trim border punch
Big Shot and Petals a Plenty embossing folder