Merry Christmas

Color Dare #123 - New England Ivy & Ruby

Welcome to the weekly Color Dare Challenge from Color My Heart.  Each Friday the design team announces a color palette for you to use to create your project.  You can create any type of project you'd like, as long as you use the chosen colors.  If you don't have the actual Close To My Heart colors, just use a similar substitute!

Color Dare #123 - New England Ivy & Ruby

The My Crush Holiday Happenings Book (Z2098) is a great book to in which to store all your holidays memories.  It comes with pre-printed and pocket pages, as well as this fun tree printed on the front.  I love the tree, but felt it needed a little dressing up, so I decorated it!

• The star is a Color Ready Wooden Shape, colored with the Gold Metallic Marker (Z1768).
• The garland is Gold Shimmer Trim (Z1985).
• The ornaments are Durables Triangle Studs (Z1928).
• The Love banner is from the My Crush Holiday Happenings Assortment (Z2062).
• The holly leaves are cut from White Daisy (1385) cardstock with the Art Philosophy Cricut Collection (Z1686).  The coordinating stamps are from the A Holiday (A1115) stamp set and are stamped with New England Ivy (Z2135) ink.
• The holly berry is a Gem colored with a Carmine ShinHan Marker (Z2448).
• The trunk made from four Wood Buttons.

How will this week's color combination inspire you?   Visit Color My Heart for more information about the challenge, get inspired by the design team, and upload your project.  I hope you'll join the Color Dare!

PPA Team Blog Hop - Gift Giving

The Pineapple Paper Artists are showing off all the beautiful new paper packs, stamp sets, and embellishments of Annual Inspirations with a great new blog hop.  Whether you are just beginning your journey or you came here from Amy, the Pineapple Paper Artist, I hope you will continue on until you are inspired by everyone's gifty projects.

Each year I hope to make one of a kind tags for all of my gifts, but rarely does it happen. So to get me inspired, I decided to make a few for this blog post.  I had so much fun I made more than I had planned.  And they were so quick and easy, I'm sure I could whip out a dozen or more in no time!

• The Noel, Christmas Cheer, and Joy elements are all cut out from the new Artfully Sent Cricut Collection (Z3017).  These elements were designed to be pocket cards used in our Picture My Life scrapbooking system.  But as you can see, they have so many other uses!  I cut them smaller than you would to use in pocket pages and they look great on the tags.

• The Holly and Gold printed square cards come from the Holiday Happenings Assortment (Z2062).  This assortment can be used with the My Crush Holiday Happenings Book (Z2098), but can also be used in any of your holiday projects.  The Peace sticker also came from the pack.

• The paper used, including the lovely background, all came from the Yuletide Carol Paper Pack (X7187B).  The paper in this collection is so versatile it can be used for almost any occasion, not just for Christmas.

• Don't forget to use Metallic Baker's Twine (Z1921) when tying up your tags.  The extra sparkle makes all the difference!

I hope you are inspired to make some gift tags of your own. Next, hop on over to what fun project Martha created!

Albums for All

Check out these beautiful new albums!

Totes to Go

You'll definitely want to ask Santa for these great totes!  Shop Now!

BLOOMFIELD HOLIDAY CRAFT BAZAAR 2014

December 14, 2014

Noon - 5:00 p.m.

6680 Routes 5 & 20

Bloomfield, NY 14469

(Doug Turnbull Restoration)

Stop by and visit!  I'll have many one-of-a-kind gifts, my reader pillows, scrapbook layouts, cards, and gift boxes.  And there will be many other artists and vendors.  

PPA Team Blog Hop: CTMH Seasonal Expressions--Hostess Sets

At this month's team meeting we were presented with a challenge.  We were to create a project with each of the new Hostess Rewards stamp sets from the Season Expressions Idea Book.  All we were provided were a few pieces of B&T, ink, cardstock, and adhesive.  Quite a challenge when you usually create in a room full of supplies!  But it was fun to see the different projects created with a limited number of supplies.  And now you can enjoy them too.  Whether you came from Amy's blog, or are starting here, I hope you'll enjoy viewing all these quick and easy projects.

Variety of Thanks (B1471)

Hostess Reward Stamp Set ... Only $6!

• I stamped the 'Merci' from the stamp set onto a piece of White Daisy (1385) cardstock with Black (Z2105) ink.  I added it, a few strips of Snowhaven (X7188B) paper, Cranberry (1272) cardstock, and Sparkles (Z1752) to a White Daisy (1385) card.
• There are several more 'Thank You' stamps in this set, but I only made the one card!

A Thing Well Done (C1606)

Hostess Reward Stamp Set ... Only $8!

• I repeatedly stamped the gears from the stamp set onto a White Daisy (1385) card with Black (Z2105) ink.
• I added strips from the Chalk It Up (X7184B) paper pack.
• I stamped the sentiment into a piece of White Daisy (1385) cardstock with Sorbet (Z2164) ink, then sponged the edges and added brushes of color by swiping the ink pad across the cardstock.  I attached it to the card with 3D Foam Tape (Z1151).
• I stamped the butterflies with Sorbet (Z2164) and Black (Z2105) ink, and Lagoon (Z2195) and Black (Z2105) ink.  I cut them out and attached them to the card with 3D Foam Tape (Z1151).

Love This Story (B1472)

Hostess Reward Stamp Set ... Only $6!

• I cut different width strips from a 6" x 12" piece of B&T from the new Heartstrings (X7193B) paper pack.  The two colored patterns, Cranberry and Lagoon, are the two different sides of the same paper.  I attached the strips onto a White Daisy (1385) background.
• I added squares of Hollyhock (1246) and Crystal Blue (1292) cardstock.
• I stamped the sentiment into a piece of White cardstock with Cranberry (Z2116) and Lagoon (Z2195) inks, cut them out, and attached them to the layout with 3D Foam Tape (Z1151).
• Yes, it's a little plain right now, but after I add some pictures I can pick coordinating embellishments and it will look great!

Hostess Rewards stamp sets are significantly discounted and ONLY AVAILABLE for purchase with hostess credit. There are ten of these sets in Annual Inspirations and three more in the current Seasonal Expressions (available from December 1st, 2014 through March 31st, 2015).  Contact me to schedule a gathering so you can earn Hostess Rewards credit to buy these fabulous sets!

Next, visit Martha's blog to see her take on this challenge!

Color Dare #121 - Cranberry & New England Ivy

Welcome to the weekly Color Dare Challenge from Color My Heart.  Each Friday the design team announces a color palette for you to use to create your project.  You can create any type of project you'd like, as long as you use the chosen colors.  If you don't have the actual Close To My Heart colors, just use a similar substitute!

Color Dare #121 - Cranberry & New England Ivy

If you haven't finished your Christmas cards yet this year, you're in good company.  But don't despair, there is still time.  I hope this quick card full of holiday spirit will inspire you to start stamping!

• All stamps are from the Merry & Bright (C1510) stamp set.
• I stamped the wreath on a piece of White Daisy (1385) cardstock with New England Ivy (Z2135) ink.
• I stamped the flowers, the bird, and the sentiment with Cranberry (Z2116) ink.
• I edge the stamped panel with New England Ivy ink, attached it to a panel of Cranberry (1272) cardstock, then layered it onto a White Daisy (1385) card.
• I finished with one Sparkle (Z1752) in the middle of the bow.
• On the inside, I stamped the sentiment with New England Ivy (Z2135) ink and the bird with Cranberry (Z2116) ink.

How will this week's color combination inspire you?   Visit Color My Heart for more information about the challenge, get inspired by the design team, and upload your project.  I hope you'll join the Color Dare!

Triple Pocket Album Video & Tutorial

Check out my new YouTube video featuring my Triple Pocket Album.  Photos just don't do this kind of interactive album justice, so this video will give you a better look.  Please feel free to go to my YouTube channel and leave lots of positive comments.  Comments will help my video gain more visibility, so I appreciate your help.

Once you view the video and decide you'd like to make one of these great albums for yourself, you can purchase the tutorial or project kit at my Etsy shop, G. Eileen Studios.

Thanks so much for your support!

Holiday Cards Super Workshop

Saturday, December 6th
12:00 p.m.
$35

It's time to celebrate this special time of year with beautiful handmade cards.  In this special extended workshop you'll make 14 gorgeous cards that are sure to impress your friends and family. (The above picture highlights just a few of the cards you will create.)

BONUS:  If 14 cards are not enough for you, I am offering bonus kits to all workshop participants for $25.  You'll get the supplies and cut-to-size papers, cardstock, and envelopes to make an additional set of cards.  Stamp the images during the workshop and assemble at home.  That will give you a total of 28 cards (or more)!  You must let me know BEFORE the workshop if you would like additional kit(s).

Are you interested in making the project but can't make the above date?  Contact me to purchase a kit!

December’s Deal of the Decade

Here's your chance to get UNLIMITED C- or D-size stamp sets for only $10 each!

This year marks the 10-year anniversary of Close To My Heart’s revolutionary My Acrylix® clear polymer stamps—and we can’t wait for you to celebrate with us! With a qualifying purchase of $50 during the month of December, you will be eligible to purchase ANY C- or D-size stamps from the Annual Inspirations 2014–2015 idea book for only $10. 

That’s up to $7.95 USD / $9.75 CAD of savings on a single stamp set! Plus, once you achieve the qualifying order total, there is no limit to the number of eligible stamp sets you can purchase at this discounted price.

Remember, a purchase of $50 will also qualify you to receive the December Stamp of the Month, Cutie Pie,  for only $5, so if you purchase both the discounted Stamp of the Month and additional stamps at this special campaign pricing your savings will compound! It is truly the deal of the decade.

SHOP NOW!