Strawberries

I found this strawberry image in an old Stampin Up retired set called "Nature's Sketchbook". I loved them when they came out, yet haven't really used them a lot until now! I've been using them quite a bit this week, and this set is becoming one of my favorites! Sort of a sleeper hit for me.

I paired these up with some Daisy D's Beacon Hill paper, which I love also. Wait until you see the Daisy D's Christmas patterned paper that they're coming out with. They are TO DIE FOR!

Crankin' Em out!

Christmas paper of the day: Basic Grey's "Blitzen" collection, "Jingle Bells". Also, the green background paper is Stampin Up double sided Christmas paper from last year. The reds and greens looked "appley" to me, so I paired them up with the bucket of apples from Stampin' Up's "Give Thanks"set. I bought that set specifically for that bucket of apples!

Yippie! Louise at KARD Krazy is playing along with me! Check out her 3 non-Christmas, Christmas kards! :)

Everything is colored in with ink and my aquapainters! Are you sick of Christmas yet? !!!

Fruitcake Bees

The beautiful thing about these Stampendous Bees is that I can use up a few of the MILLION prima flowers that I have in my stamp room.

Still playing Christmas in August; this paper is from Basic Grey's "Fruitcake" Collection, called "Sleigh Bells, Pine.

I decided that when I go to purchase Christmas patterned paper this year, I'm going to choose patterns that can be dual purpose, used for both Christmas cards and all-occasion! Listen to me. I can't use up the patterned paper I have, yet I'm planning ahead for another purchase! DOH!

I thought that this paper looked honey-combish, and gives a different twist to the bees. I'm amazed that it doesn't look Christmassy at all! :)

I am on a mission now.

So today was supposed to be my cleaning day. Ahem. What cleaning? I did a half hearted swipe across the rugs with a vacuum and called it good. So then I felt guilty because I was in my stamp room stamping all day, so I attempted to organize my paper stash in a last ditch effort to feel like I was productive. I am officially now on a mission. I'm taking my own challenge VERY seriously. LOOK AT ALL THIS XMAS PAPER I HAVE! WHAT WAS I THINKING? Does a person really need that much xmas paper?

This is all going to get transformed into birthday & thank you cards this week. I originally was just going to do a few posts using my Christmas paper challenge, but it feels so good to use this paper up, I'm going to stretch it into this week. Stay tuned, we're USIN' IT UP, GIRLS!

If you want to play along, here's the rules. 1. Go through your stash of Christmas patterned paper, and pick out the patterns that can be used on regular cards. Make as many Birthday, Thank You, Thinking of You, WHATEVER theme you want, just use up your Christmas paper!

2. Post a link to your cards in my comments. I'll post your link so everyone can see your non-Christmas, Christmas paper cards!

Still on Christmas!

I'm still playing Christmas in August! This Paper Adventures "Holiday Joy Multi Stripes has a cute sparkly stripe throughout it. Can you believe it matches the new Stampin Up Wasabi green paper PERFECTLY? Samm has been playing with her Christmas papers too...check out the BABY card she did with some blue polka dot xmas paper! Cheri found some Christmas argyle that she's using with a Papertrey set, too! Check 'em out! :)

The cat in the present stamp is called ("Neighbors") , and is from my Eclectic Paperie order that I just got on Friday. Thanks Joy & Daisy!

It's a Penny Black stamp with a series of 3 cats. I thought it would be fun to ink them each up separately to have 3 different images. I also got a new cuttle bug "Textile" embossing folder from them, because I'm having so much fun embossing corners right now & dirtying them up with distress ink. My Stampin Up photo corner punch is on its way, I broke down and bought it because I can never get the little notch straight when I make my own.

I used the same layout from my last post, where you trace a plate and interchange the patterns. I'm having fun with that layout, it seems different every card I make! I decided I need to play with that layout and make other shapes. Stay tuned for more on that later.

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Christmas in August again!

Keep on using up that Christmas paper! Look at the fun card that Mum on the Run did! STINKIN CUTE! Leave a link in my comments if you take me up on my challenge to use Christmas patterned paper in a non-christmas way, and I'll post your blog address so that everyone can see the fun cards you come up with!

I was playing with this Paper Salon Christmas paper from last year, "Dazzle Multi Dots". Never touched it when I made my xmas cards.

I bought the "kissin & tellin" stamp at Michael's for a buck, because I thought it would go great with Cosmobella! The little weiner dog is from Penny Black, from Joy and Daisy at Eclectic Paperie.


So is this a new layout? I cut 2 pieces of coordinating paper to measure 4" x 5 1/4. Then I laid them on top of each other, and took the the lid off of a jar that holds my ribbon. I traced the lid off center, then cut along the trace marks. I then interchanged the 2 patterns and made 2 opposite card layouts with the paper. Make sense?

Christmas in August!

I decided that since I never issue challenges, I'm going to throw one out there today.
It's the beginning of August, and after CHA, I'm revved up to clean out my stash of paper, in preparation for all the new fun designs and patterns that will be coming out in the scrapbook stores shortly.

My challenge to you is this. You've got a wad of Christmas paper jamming up your patterned papers, right? I challenge you to pull out those Christmas patterns that can double as regular paper. Pull it all out, and make as many thank you, birthday or all occasion cards that you can with it. USE IT UP! GIT R GONE! Open up some space so that when those yummy new papers come out, you'll have room to put them.


There are no rules, use whatever stamps you want, whatever Christmas paper you want. I've used old Basic Grey patterned paper on these thank-you cards. So old, in fact, that I have no clue what pattern it is! The stamp set is "French Mail" by Crafty Secrets.