Art Impressions Top Ten of 2016

 It's my favourite post... as I literally review every Ai card that I made throughout the year.  I love the trip down memory lane, so here is what I've chosen as my Top Ten of 2016:

Using In The Air Set (Sku #4753):

Using Birthday Fairy Set (Sku #4730):

Using Mini Squirrel Spinner Set (Sku #4735):

Using Lifetime Set (Sku #4728):

Using Duck Stackers (Sku #4738):

Using Old Bat Set (Sku #4784):

Using Punkin Pie Set (Sku #4520):

Using Terrier Stackers:

Using Quivery Mini Shaker (Sku #4793):

Using Dairy Christmas (Sku #4789):

Wishing you all a lovely holiday season, no matter what you celebrate - and all the best for a crafty 2017!  Thank you for visiting us here on the blog throughout the year, and for leaving such sweet comments - we really appreciate you!

Inspired By All The Little Things #37

I am the hostess this week at Inspired By All The Little Things - with my wonderful guest designer, Natalie Murdock!  Here is our inspiration photo:

 I knew that I had the perfect set from my days selling Close To My Heart - it's called Around The Block, and the houses have a bit of a gingerbread feel to them.  I white embossed the house onto watercolour paper, then tried to paint it to look like a gingerbread cookie.  I used my masking fluid to add some falling snow before I painted:

I hope you'll play along with us this week!  The design team have some gorgeous creations to share with you.  This will be our last challenge until the new year.

Coffee Lover's Card #3

And my final effort for the Winter Coffee Lover's Blog Hop!  Another Verve digi sentiment, and cup from Verve's Holiday Treats:

Patterned papers are Comfort & Joy, My Mind's Eye; Verve Holiday Cheer digi set & Holiday Treats stamp set; Cardstock is White Daisy & Garden Green, Close To My Heart; Let It Snowflake die, MFT; Spellbinders Oval die.

Coffee Lover's Card #2

It's the last night of the Winter Coffee Lover's Blog Hop, so I managed to sneak in a couple more cards.  Here is my second one for the hop, using Verve's latest digi set:

 I'm not sure that my photo editing was bang on tonight, it's a fairly subdued card, the reds turned out a lot brighter in the photo!  I used the cup image from Verve's Holiday Treats to go along with the sentiment.

Patterned papers are Comfort & Joy by My Mind's Eye; Stitched Oval STAX die, and Let It Snowflake die MFT; Spellbinders label die; Cardstock is Ruby, White Daisy & Olive by Close To My Heart.

A little reindeer

Another quick Christmas card to share... I think I've been able to make about eight cards out of this polka-dot paper!  It really inspires me.  Here is Holly Jolly set from Art Impressions:

Ugly Sweater Time

This is such a fun set from several years ago - this is Ugly Sweater Time by Art Impressions:

 Patterned papers are Very Merry Christmas by Echo Park; Stamp set is Ugly Sweater Time by Art Impressions; Inks are Tuxedo Black by Memento and Onyx Black by Versafine; Gumdrops by Your Next Stamp; Copic Markers.

Art Impressions Fabric

Hello Ai fans, and welcome to a new mini feature here and on the Ai blog!

Did you know that Art Impressions has a line of quilting fabrics?  They shipped out this November through Henry Glass & Co. to a quilting store near you!  The collection is called "Shop Hop" - all your favourite Girlfriends images combined with a sewing/quilting theme are featured in 18 wonderful 100% cotton fabrics. (To see the entire collection, click here!) Once a month on my regular Tuesday post, I'm going to feature "a little something" to show off this fun collection.

Now, these aren't exactly holiday fabrics, but 'Tis the Season, so I'm kicking off the new feature with a little gift giving idea and a matching card:

If you like to give a jar of something homemade to friends and neighbours, how about sewing a little elf shoe to put it in?  This is one of the subtle patterns in the collection, and it worked perfectly in this bright green paired with a black lining and bright pink ribbon.  I made a matching card using Ai's Christmas Wreath Set (Sku #4791) to give along with it.

 I'll give you a few quick instructions on how I made my shoe, and if you scroll down to the end of the post, I've included a pdf file with the pattern if you'd like to make your own.

I cut out two of the elf shoes in the green fabric, and two of the lining pieces from some plain black fabric.

I sewed around the shoe using 1/4" seams, leaving the top open, and clipped the seam allowances around the curves.  I did the same with the lining, leaving about a two inch opening, as this is how I'll turn it inside out.

  The toe of the shoe was lightly stuffed with batting that I carefully poked right in to the curled point, up to where I've indicated with the stick.  With right sides together, I attached the lining to the shoe by sewing the top edge together, and then turned it inside out through the opening that I left in the lining.

After a little light pressing, I added the ribbon and buckle to the shoe with some glue dots, and tied on a little tag.  In went my jar of jam, and voila!  My gift is ready for giving.

Click here to print out the elf shoe pattern: elf shoe

I'll be back in January with another fun sewing project!

Santa

In my flurry of card making over the last two weeks, I got two of these cute little Santa cards made up.  This is one of the images from Art Impression's Holly Jolly set (Sku #4667) from last year's holiday release:

Patterned papers are Tis the Season by Echo Park; Stamp set is Holly Jolly by Art Impressions; Joy die by Memory Box; Stitched STAX die by MFT; Copic markers.

One Crazy Stamper December Challenge

I am playing along with One Crazy Stamper's December challenge, and I'm using the sketch that they've provided!  My image is Down The Chimney (S292) from High Hopes Rubber Stamps which you can purchase on the HH website, or through the OCS store.

Patterned paper is Here Comes Santa Claus by Doodlebug Designs; Cardstock is Ruby, Crystal Blue & White Daisy by CTMH; Dk grey is Bazzill Basics; Baker's Twine from The Twinery; Snowflake dies are Art Impressions; Verve sequins; Copic Markers.

2016 Winter Coffee Lover's Blog Hop

It's back!  The 2016 Winter Coffee Lover's Blog Hop is underway... and I was able to get a card made tonight using the wonderful new digi set from Verve Stamps - I really adore this sentiment!

Patterned papers are Christmas Delivery, Carta Bella; Cardstock is White Daisy & New England Ivy from Close To My Heart; My Cup to Yours digi stamp set by Verve; Verve Sprightly Sprigs dies; Snowflakes are Art Impressions; Stitched Square STAX die is My Favorite Things.

Plaid Snowman Mini Shakers

I've been on a major roll for the last few weeks, managing to get quite a few Christmas cards made up!  Here are four cute snowmen cards using the Snowman Mini Shaker from Art Impressions, and my favourite Lawn Fawn Christmas plaids:

Mojo Monday #477

I know you've seen this gal on my blog several times... but she just doesn't get old?!  I've used one of my all time favourite Art Impressions stamp sets - Reindeer Games for this week's Mojo Monday sketch.

Patterned papers are Christmas Delivery by Carta Bella; Cardstock is Olive, Black & White Daisy by Close To My Heart; Stamps are Reindeer Games by Art Impressions; Copic Markers; Inks are Tuxedo Black by Memento & Onyx Black by Versafine.

Shake a Little

The Art Impressions design team are all sharing projects made with the 2016 non-holiday shakers (you've seen the cute Halloween & Christmas ones already!), so today I have a 3-dimensional card using Rock & Roll Mini Shaker (Sku #4795):

 This set is designed to go with the Mini Action Wobbles - and one is included with the set!  I first stamped the base image on my cardstock, and then stamped just the upper body & leg, which is a separate stamp, and there is a die to cut it out.  Then I mounted the die cut onto a Mini Action Wobble and attached it onto the base image so that she wiggles and shakes on her rollerskates!  There are two sentiments: "It's your Birthday!" and "Rock & Roll" which I stamped on the inside of the card.  **Also included in the set are the three small star dies and the "Zooom!" word die!  I love these - the perfect finishing touches.  I cut out a cloud die, added the zooom & a star, then popped it up on a pop dot behind her skate.

 Head on over the Ai blog to see what the rest of the team has created, and while you're there, you can link up your project with our latest challenge which is "Shake a Little" we want to see your cards with movement!

Copics used:  E37, E34, E31, E18, E07, E02, B95, B93, B91, BG18, BG15, BG13, BG11, R59, R35, R32, R30, C5, C3, C1, B0000

More Creative Scrapbooker

I was fortunate to have four cards published in the current Winter edition of Creative Scrapbooker magazine.  The first two were in yesterday's post, and the others are shown below.  Both of these were from Art Impressions Southwest Christmas set - such great images!

Dairy Christmas & Some Publications!

 The Art Impressions holiday stamp sets are outstanding this year!  I think Dairy Christmas (Sku #4789) is my favourite... here are a couple of cards that are featured in the Winter edition of Creative Scrapbooker magazine:

 I love the cow!!  He is quick and easy to colour, too!  I fussy cut him and popped him & the sentiment up with pop dots, and added some sparkles and glitter trim for some bling. Here's another quick-colour card!  I love the little egg six-pack!

 And here is a coordinating card featuring images from Merriest Christmas (Sku #4790).  I decided to have the snowmen on the inside of the card, and used the Window Die (Sku #4619) on the outside, so that you could peek in to see them.  I fussy cut around the image, keeping a bit of a snow bank at the bottom for them to sit on, then mounted them on a square of patterned paper.  I made sure they were centered behind where the window opening would be.

 Copics used: B07, 05, 02, 00, 000, 0000, 97, 95, 93, 91, C7, 5, 3, 1, 00, R32, 30, Y23, YR16, 15, E43, 41.

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