Making Merry Monday 2011

I think it is time to make a start on some Christmas Cards ... so here goes with Making Merry Monday for 2012.  I'm joining in with Ros Davidson who is far more organised than me ....she started weeks ago.

Apothecary Art might not necessarily be the stamp set you immediately think of when you think of Christmas cards but its amazing how versitile it is isn't it.  I've used the sentiment from Welcome Christmas, using marker pens to stamp just the words of a much larger stamp as I liked the style of the writing and thought it went well with the image of the flowers.

The colours are Cherry Cobbler and Old Olive - such traditional colours.  I am going to 'try' to see if I can make some cards in less traditional colours this year.

Hope you are having a Merry Monday, if you are going to be joining me on this quest to make a start on your Christmas cards early, leave a comment and link to your blog, I'd love to cheer you on.

 

Making Merry Monday

A friend told me this weekend just past that there are 8 weeks until Christmas.  Is anyone else as shocked by that little gem of information as I am?  OMG - that's not long is it.

Without further ado, here's a card that I was going to teach in a Glitter class.  Yes I am going to say WAS because this class is doomed I think!  I've had to cancel it so many times for all sorts of reasons, so I am thinking it is a sign - this class isn't meant to happen :o(

Here's a close up of the sparkliness (yes a new word for the 2011 festive season). And how do we do that?  

Well you stamp your image first.  Then take your Versamark pad and stamp this over the image - straight onto the cardstock - not onto the stamp - you need to cover the cardstock completely.  (Tip: I tend to stamp several images on one piece of cardstock and then Versamark and glitterise (not sure that is a real word either) the whole lot at the same time).

Cover the whole piece of card with some Heat and Stick powder - use a heat gun to melt this.  When the powder is moulton, sprinkle over Dazzling Diamonds.  Tap off the excess and heat again.  (Tip:  just a little flash of the heat gun this time - we are just setting the Dazzling Diamonds not melting it).

Hey presto you have some lovely sparkly pieces to make into cards.

This card uses the Delightful Decorations set and matching Ornament punch. Using a matching stamp and punch means you can churn a few of these out in double quick time - just what we need with only 8 weeks left to go!  The swirl is from Baroque Motifs.

Happy Making Merry Monday.

Nikki

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Making Merry Monday

Welcome to another Making Merry Monday.  I have been wanting to make these lovely flowers for a few months now.  So I 'invested' in a couple of punches and here's my first attempt.  I love it!

Who would have thought that wetting and scrunching cardstock would have resulted in such a lovely shabby chic flower?  Yes it really is just water and cardstock!  And when you've finished scrunching and squeezing you just add a spritz of Shimmer Mist and leave the whole lot to dry overnight - amazing.

So today's Christmas card is made with Cherry Cobbler cardstock, Mocha Morning speciality papers (this one is flocked and is lovely), and a piece of Whisper White which has been run through the Vintage Vogue folder.

Happy Stampin'

Nikki

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Making Merry Monday 2011

With it being October now - I thought it would be a good time to bring back Making Merry Monday. MMM was invented by Anita Meade a few years ago and the idea is that you post a Christmas idea every Monday (or you could reword that last sentence to read 'Nik is going to be super organised and have all her cards made in good time this year' LOL).  Here's the first one.

When I saw this set in the new catalogue it was top of my 'had to buy it now' list.  Beautiful Season is great for watercolouring and the little bird can be made into a little robin very easily.  The little sentiments in the set fit perfectly with some of the punches too, this will make it easy to mass produce cards if you need to - I'll have a sample or two to show you very soon.

Have you seen the new sparkles in the catalogue this year?  Glass Glitter (page 145) is so lovely, and I've used Sticky Strip to glue it into place.  And isn't the new Stripes embossing folder lovely - very Christmassy I thought.

What this space for more Christmas card ideas - this is the month to make a couple extra and donate them to a good cause - I make and collect cards the Defence forces serving overseas - if you have any cards you'd like to donate also please get in touch.

Happy Stampin'

Nikki

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Making Merry Monday Strikes Again

I was so excited when I saw that Dasher was in the new catalogue - I had been eyeing him up in the US catalogue and keeping my fingers crossed that he'd make an appearance in sunny Australia.  Dasher is one of the 'a la carte' range of single stamps .... you'll find them on the inside of the back cover of the new catalogue - he's $14.95.

This is the card we will be making during the classes in November - the one on 5 November is full but there is still places left on Friday 19 November if you are interested in coming along and having a play.  Check out the CLASSES page for more information - there's a tab at the top of this page at the very top - click on it to find out more.

The cardstock is Riding Hood Red from the Regals range, teamed up with Certainly Celery and the spotty paper from the Love Letter Designer Series paper pack. The sentiment is from the Perfect Punches stamp set ... I've used a marker pen to highlight just the wording.  Lots of sparkles too - Stampin' Up! have just this year included self adhesive Jewels (page 140) .... they are faceted and very sparkly :)

Oh and did I mention it is now 9 weeks until Christmas ..... aren't I naughty to you!  If you know me well I am only bragging cos I am ahead ... that's unusual for me (isn't it mum) ... if you need help making your cards let me know .... I'm here to help :)  And don't forget if you want a seat at the next class get in touch.

 

 

It's another Making Merry Monday and a JAI Challenge

Shall I scare you and tell you that there are 10, yes TEN, more Making Merry Monday's before Christmas ..... OMG!  

So now that I have been mean, I thought I'd show you a very quick and easy card. Marina Mist is the new blue in the Subtles collection and perfect for the latest Just Add Ink challenge to 'just add blue'.

I ran the Very Vanilla cardstock through the Big Shot using the Vintage embossing folder.  I then sponged the edges with Marina Mist ink and a dauber, ran the Two Way glue pen around and dipped them into some Dazzling Diamonds.

Perfect Punches (page 93) is such a versatile set - I am finding it very handy for easy and quick sentiments.  I stamped the image twice and punched one with the scallop circle punch and the other with the circle punch - layering the two together with a Stampin' Dimensional - too easy as they say!

The lovely striped grosgrain ribbon is lovely and soft - so you can 'pinch' it together with a brad - here I have used a Filigree brad and a Rhinestone brad to match the blue theme.

That's it from me today - if I have scared you and you are thinking you must make a start on your cards and fancy coming to a class - sign up for the newsletter ... I'll be setting all the dates for the classes between now and Christmas - November's newsletter will contain all the details and all the sneak peeks - and don't forget to check out the Dress Up for Christmas promotion if you are wanting to buy a new festive stamp set (click on the link in the side bar on the left hand side for more info).

 

Making Merry Monday

Oh it's been a while hasn't it ... Monday's have become the new SAM Challenge day, or my day for showing a design on another site ... or just a bad day altogether LOL

I recently took part in a Christmas swap with some other Stampin' Up! demonstrators ... and here's my swap idea.

I've used the new Jolly Holiday paper and created a stripy Top Note die cut which I have then trimmed and wrapped with a piece of Very Vanilla grosgrain ribbon and an embellishment made from the Perfect Punches stamp set.  I used the little snowflake stamp from the Punch Pals set with some Versamark ink to create the pattern on the Old Olive cardstock and daubed the edges with the matching ink.

A really quick and easy card, one that you can knock out a few of in a short space of time ... just what we need if we are making cards during the silly season isn't it.

Back with more Christmas inspiration very soon - I won't say next Monday cos you know me ... something else will happen on that day LOL

 

Making Merry Monday

This is such an easy card to make - it uses up scraps of patterned paper and makes something very special. I've really enjoyed using the I Wish Scrappin Kit (about to be retired at the end of this month and currently reduced to just $27.71) - and I have hardly any of it left.  This card has meant that I have been able to use every last piece.

Use any square punch that you have and punch out as many squares as you can from scraps of patterned paper, adhere these to a base piece of cardstock and run it through the Big Shot using a die of your choice - hey presto a cool piece to make a card with.

I attached a piece of Real Red ribbon, a Real Red button attached with Hemp thread and a tag from the I Wish kit ...card finished - scraps put to good use.

I've also used this example to make something special for the Helping Hudson blog - if you want to see what I've done then you'll need to buy the scrapbooking tutorial pack that is on sale on the Helping Hudson website - ten unique tutorials for $10!  If you haven't taken a look at the templates that are available to help this really good cause, check out all that has been happening here.

And don't forget - cards are still be collected for the Christmas Cards for the Troops campaign - check out the details here.

Enjoy.

 

 

Making Merry Monday

I got a bit inky making this one!  In fact I made 11 of them for a team swap so I was very inky indeed! 

Using the Tiny Tags and Tiny Tag punch these cards were quick to make.  Colours are Baja Breeze and Confetti White card stock with Basic Grey.  The little snowflake is from the Winter Post set.

Back this week with news of a special offer.

 

Making Merry Monday is BACK!

Oh yes, after a little break .... I am back in full Christmas card making swing again (and supporting the Cards for the Troops campaign) .... and to help with my inspiration for a layout I used the latest challenge over at Just Add Ink.

The first of the two cards I made using the sketch from the JAI girls is made with Melon Mambo and Elegant Eggplant.  I've used the beautiful tree from the Lovely as a Tree set and embossed it in silver.  I ran a two way glue pen around the edge of the top note die cut and added some dazzling diamonds and finished it off with the little post mark image from the Winter Post set.

The background is the snowflake from the Winter Post set too - I used a Versamark ink pad first but then thought I would add some snowflakes in craft white ink also.

And this is the second version ... my tree looks a little crooked doesn't it but it isn't I promise :)  This is a Rich Razzleberry and Kraft version.

July is such a good time to make a start on your cards .... just one a week will give you a great start - and whilst you're making one you might as well make two!

 
 
 

Making Merry Monday 2010 # 3

Morning, and welcome to another Making Merry Monday .... today's offering is a little gift ... everyone needs a gift tag or two at Christmas time so why not make a couple of these packs to give away as pressies.

Four handmade tags would make an idea gift for a teacher (along with choccies of course), or to send in the post with a card - everyone needs gift tags!

The bag topper is a top note die cut which I have ran through the Polka Dot Impressions folder and then folded in half - such a cute touch.

I'll be using one of the tags to create a matching card .... so quick and easy.

 

Making Merry Monday # 25 - On a Tuesday!

Oh dear in my excitement about our Life Saver (read the post below if you missed it) I forgot all about Making Merry Monday. 

I do have an excuse though ... As this is the last MMM for 2009, I wanted to show you my favourite card for the year ... but I have sent it to my mum and it hasn't arrived yet!  Don't you just love postal strikes right before Christmas - between the ones here in Australia and then the English ones I do hope it arrives before Christmas day!

As my mum reads my blog, (mum even left me a comment for a post a couple of days ago - I am so chuffed), I can't show you the whole card until she lets me know it has arrived - so I thought I'd show you a sneak peek.

I started it at Claire Daly's house - she demo'd the reverse masking technique and I knew then that this would be winging it's way to Mum - it is such a beautiful stamp, the card is so beautiful ... I know Mum will love it.

So that's me wrapping up Making Merry Monday for this year. Thanks to Anita Meade for creating the idea. It's been great fun and for the first time ever, everyone I send cards to got a different one!

It's been fun posting a themed topic every Monday and so I am going to have a ponder over the holidays and decide on another - Making Merry Monday will return too .... but I think we all need a break from Christmas cards don't we :o)

I'll be back again soon to show you the whole card ... it's very sparkly!

 

Making Merry Monday # 3

Nearly ran out of time to upload this post today - forgot all about taking photos in the daylight, so I am sorry for the photo ... I've been busy getting myself organised for a Ladies Night at my son's school ... it's on Wednesday night and it will be the first time I have attended as a exhibitor ... so I am a little nervous and I am working hard at making sure everything is just right!

No excuse though, so without further ado here it is .... just a quick card this week, completely cased from the I Wish scrapbooking kit - this was so easy as most of it was made using the die cuts - I not really a fan of die cuts but I must admit the scrapbooking kits in this year's catalogue are making me think again ... they really are a speedy way to put a card or page together.

I added a little bit of Crystal Effects to the Merry & Bight circle so that it looks a bit like a button.

Hope you like it.

Happy Stampin!

Nikki

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