Non-Traditional Christmas Stamper's Dozen Blog Hop

Hello Stamping Friends,

It's time for another great blog hop with the Stamper's Dozen. This month's theme is non-traditional Christmas. That means absolutely NO RED OR GREEN. Not an easy task but definitely a run challenge. I selected basic black, whisper white and berry burst for my colors. I really like how my finished card turned out. You know, that doesn't always happen.

I used the awesome sheet music designer series paper as my background and built the card up from that. I stamped the ornaments from the Carols of Christmas stamp set directly on the designer paper and also on a scrap piece of whisper white so I could cut them out and put them on dimensionals while still having the strings flat. Yes, I purposely cut the designer paper so that you can see the title of the song.

I also used a stampin' sponge to edge the sides of the paper with black ink to distress it a bit. The berry burst ribbon gives the appearance of holding all the ornaments together. Or so, I think anyway. I also stamped the little dots (berries???) randomly on the sheet music paper to just add an extra little touch. I also love how the black and white striped ribbon is the top of the card. 

Thanks for stopping by to visit. Don't just stop here though, continue on the blog hop to see all the other great non-traditional Christmas cards and goodies.

Be sure to click the button below to head over to Bonnie's Blog 

Visit Judy's Blog if you are just coming here.

Just Be You

Hello Stamping Friends,

How many times in life have your heard, just be you? We raise our children to be the best that they can be. Don't try to be someone else. Our parents did the same with us and I'm sure their parents and so on. We all want the best for ourselves and our kids but the important thing is that we all  need to just be us. We are all individuals with different like, dislikes and strengths. It's not worth focusing on things that we can't do, we need to spend our energy on the things we can do and do those things well.

Today's card is a card to let someone know that they just need to be themselves. It could serve as an inspiration to someone who may be struggling emotionally with where they are in life. It will let them know you are there for them for the person that they are, not someone they are not.

This card is a fun little twist on the traditional 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" card. It is that same size, the only difference is that the front half of the card is cut down 1 1/4" and then a circle punch is used to notch out a piece to fit the flower on the inside of the card, yet still be able to see it on the outside. Of course, you can change this card layout to fit any occasion. A cupcake for a birthday, a baby stamp for a new baby, any of the masculine stamps for the perfect card for the guy in your life and the list goes on. Have fun with it and the possibilities will just keep coming. 

Product List

Crazy About You Clear Stamp Set [138859] $39.00	Festive Birthday Designer Series Paper [141630] $11.00	Melon Mambo 1/8" (3.2 Mm) Stitched Ribbon [141650] $6.00
Brights Enamel Shapes [141680] $9.00	Tempting Turquoise 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102067] $8.00	Daffodil Delight 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [119683] $8.00
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.00	Melon Mambo Classic Stampin' Pad [126948] $6.50	Garden Green Classic Stampin' Pad [126973] $6.50
Stampin' Trimmer [126889] $30.00	SNAIL Permanent Adhesive [104332] $7.00

Time to Copy

Hello Stamping Friends,

How are you today? Have you ever heard of CASE in the crafting world? I've heard two different meanings; copy and share everything or copy and steal everything. I prefer the the first definition of the acronym. Stealing just isn't very nice. So today with the Sisters in Stamping we are CASEing cards right from the Stampin' Up! catalog.

Now, my interpretation of CASEing my be a bit different than some others because I usually end up changing the layout a bit. Just need to add my own touch to kind of make it mine. I decided to use the card on page 29 of the Holiday catalog that uses the Jolly Friends stamp set for my inspiration. I didn't order that set but I loved the cards shown with the moose. I did however order the Cookie Cutter Christmas stamp set that has an adorable reindeer that I was able to swap in the moose's place. Here is the card from the Holiday catalog.

Very cute, isn't it?

And here is my take on the same card using a different stamp set and adding a banner for the greeting. See the similarities? But yet, I bet you can see how I still copied but added a touch of my own to my card, right? I added some basic pearls for the eyes after I colored them with a black permanent marker. It really adds so much to the card when you see it in person. The red nose is also on with a dimensional.

Don't forget to head over to the Sisters in Stamping for more card ideas that are CASEd right from the Stampin' Up! publications.


Product List

Cookie Cutter Christmas Photopolymer Bundle [143493] $35.00	Candy Cane Lane Designer Washi Tape [141985] $8.00	Gold Wink Of Stella Glitter Brush [141898] $8.00
Pearl Basic Jewels Embellishments [119247] $5.00	Neutrals Designer Series Paper Stack [138435] $22.00	Chocolate Chip 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102128] $8.00
Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.00	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [126949] $6.50	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad [126975] $6.50
Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00	Crumb Cake 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [120953] $8.00	SNAIL Permanent Adhesive [104332] $7.00
Paper Snips Scissors [103579] $10.00

Time for Christmas?

Hello Stamping Friends,

Yippee! Hooray! Woohoo! Yep, that's my excitement that it's Friday. Such a good day of the week. Last day of school/work and the weekend begins. Good times, good times. Of course, it's Fall soccer season and that means a lot of soccer for the Yurkanin's. All this soccer is finally paying off, mom (aka me) finally has a tan. If you know me, you know I'm a very white girl and I don't tan. I burn and return to the crisp white color. This year, I've spent so much time on the soccer fields watching practice and games, I have a really good tan. I think driving in my car also helps. I drive with the convertible down as much as I can, especially because the weather is changing and soon I won't be able to enjoy that. I look down at my hands and wonder whose hands they are because they are so dark. I think I can get used to being tan. I just know that it won't last so I'll enjoy the color while I can. (LOL)

I will definitely be back to the almost porcelain look by Christmas, that's something I can count on. Yep, see the peppermint candies on my card, that will be me again very soon. We are all about Christmas cards over at Sisters in Stamping today. I love sending Christmas cards and receiving them too. It's always nice to receive the cards with pictures of friends and family that you haven't seen in a while. I am still working on last year's cards. They WILL go out this year. Time just got away from me.

I probably shouldn't have made a card that I absolutely loved but had SOOOOOO many steps to it. Oh well, the stuff is ready to go, so I need to finish them. (You can see the card, HERE) This gingerbread card would have definitely been a better option for me. It doesn't have nearly as many steps as the one I'm working on from last year.

There are several layers which really add to the card but there isn't a lot of cutting and the punch makes it very easy to get that cute gingerbread man ready to put on your card.  It's kind of difficult to see in this picture, but the white layer is embossed with the Cable Knit Dynamic textured impressions folder (remember, you only need one clear plate when using this folder, not the two you usually use to emboss).

Want more Christmas card ideas? Head on over to Sisters in Stamping.

Product List

Cookie Cutter Christmas Photopolymer Stamp Set [142043] $21.00	Cookie Cutter Builder Punch [140396] $18.00	Cable Knit Dynamic Textured Impressions Embossing Folder [143537] $10.00
Big Shot [143263] $110.00	Candy Cane Lane Designer Series Paper [141981] $11.00	Whisper White 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [100730] $9.00
Real Red 8-1/2" X 11" Card Stock [102482] $8.00	Crumb Cake Classic Stampin' Pad [126975] $6.50	Real Red Classic Stampin' Pad [126949] $6.50
Basic Black Archival Stampin’ Pad [140931] $7.00	SNAIL Permanent Adhesive [104332] $7.00	Stampin' Trimmer [126889] $30.00
Stampin' Dimensionals [104430] $4.00