Kimono Kids thank you

You can never have enough thank you cards on hand, especially after the holiday. I have a stamp that says Arigato on it and it would have been perfect for this design but I was unable to locate it. Time for a New Year's clean up and organization of the old stamp area, I guess. The paper "lanterns" were made from origami, a circle punch , and a paper crimper, added some borders of Champagne glitter paper and gold cording for garland. Used the Stampin' Up! Kimono Kids girl and colored her to match, added thank you sentiment from Postage Due. Both sets are retired but keepers!

Merry Christmas!

Best wishes for a Merry and beautiful Christmas! Hope Santa brings you lots of crafting goodies :)

I made this first Christmas Collage card for the mixability challenge #204 called the Shibori wrap. Pretty easy using Riding Hood Red and Garden Green inks on folded paper. Embossed the collage in gold and added a poinsettia spray from Bells & Boughs.

I needed some extra gift tags, and these were super simple using the Cookie Cutter Christmas set. I think this was my favorite SU set of the holiday season, so much fun to work with!

Virtual Stamp Weekend

It was Virtual Stamp Night (Weekend) over at Splitcoast, I found out about it a bit late so I didn't get to do all of the challenges. Here are the few that I did manage, adding some more to my holiday stash!

Dove of Peace

I really love this Dove of Peace stamp from Stampin' Up!, it's a timeless beauty with a perfect scripture for Christmas time. I just discovered the mixed media challenges over at Splitcoast and am starting from the beginning of those challenges. I am about 200 behind so it may take a while to bring me up to speed here. This first Mix challenge called for the use of a shiny and a matte medium. I used acrylic gesso over the sheet music paper (I think this was Graphic45) for the matte portion. Stamped the dove in Versamark and embossed with Espresso powder for the shiny part. Colored with Stampin' Up! markers in pastel shades. Added a little Soft Sky and Sage Shadow ink to edges. Adhered to a Confetti White base. Nice and flat for easy mailing.

Peace On Earth

Stampin' Up!'s World Map embossing folder was the base for this card design, embossed on Glossy White card stock. Colored with watercolor paints, spritzed with some water and dabbed with paper towels to blend. Mounted to Whisper White A2 card base. For the rosette I used an old map, scallop circle die, SU glimmer paper, and the Peace sentiment from Greetings of the Season. Added silver cording and attached to card with a removable pop up adhesive square.

Celebrating One Million visits!

I am so thrilled that my Sleepy in Seattle card making blog has just hit one million views! Thank you for stopping by to visit me, it means a lot to me if I can inspire or motivate you in some small way to go and create something. It always brings me peace and joy to work on any kind of craft, and has ever since I was a kid. I would say it is cheaper than any therapy but if you could see my craft room you would know that is not true! So, go and make something pretty today. Especially if you have children at home that can craft by your side, you are also making memories that will last a lifetime.

Snow Mojo

For this week's Mojo Monday sketch challenge I used a mix of Stampin' Up! supplies with this unmarked rubber only snowman stamp that I had in my holiday supply bin. The card stock colors were Tempting Turquoise, Cool Caribbean, and Whisper White, embossed with SU's snowflake folder. Added some glitter paper and a white organdy ribbon to embellish, colored with Derwent Inktense pencils. The jury is still out for me on whether I prefer these or the Prismacolors. They are both great for coloring and blending so I'll try them on various papers for further comparison.

Snow Globe Village

I really love this new Tim Holtz Sizzix snow globe thinlits die cuts set. The pieces are a little small to work with, especially if you are sponging the edges. Be prepared for inky fingers! I pretty much copied the sample on the package for colors and placement, adding a few touches of my own. The background was done on glossy white card stock used the salted watercolor technique to make the winter sky. Added some Stampin' Up! snowflakes since it is a snow globe, after all. The fancy embossed paper was on sale at Hobby Lobby. May have to go back and get more of this, it is even prettier in real life and adds a little touch of elegance to a card.

Die Cut Wreath 3 ways

You can use any of the new swirl or wreath die cuts here, Stampin' Up! has some really pretty ones that would work perfectly. I have always been a "one and done" kind of stamper. As soon as I get a new stamp set, die cut, or embossing folder I make one card and then move on to the next thing. Lately I've been trying to make at least two or three things before I move on so I don't feel so guilty about not getting enough value and use out of each purchase. I've always loved to see how I can make a seasonal product work for other occasions as well.

This pretty wreath is from Darice. The first uses Stampin' Up! glimmer paper. I cut one from this and added two more of lightweight cardboard to give it more stability and just added a little hook at the top to hang from the tree. Catches the light so nicely!

The second card uses SU Basic Black, Riding Hood Red, and Whisper White card stocks, little rhinestones to embellish and a holiday greeting from my general craft stash.

Not sure who made the designer paper on the third project (you could even use sheet music for this), Garden Green and Riding Hood red card stocks, mini pearls and sentiment from unknown. Sponged the edges in Tim Holtz "Old Paper" distress ink.

Book Page Floral

Stampin' Up! Peaceful Petals stamped on a book page with Tim Holtz butterfly. Riding Hood Red card base. I played in SCS's Featured Stamper (Precious Kitty) challenge and was inspired by one of her cards that showcased a stamped flower scene on book page background. Loved this idea!

Santa's Sleigh

Stampin' Up!'s Santa's Sleigh framelits die embossed in gold powder with deer in Close to Cocoa. Red cording for reins and bow, white mosaic embossed paper is from Hobby Lobby.

Well, Hello Dali

Today's one layer, clean and simple challenge over at SCS was to be inspired by a Dali work. Perfect timing on this challenge for me, we just saw some Salvador Dali art pieces in Maui this week and I thought they were so cool. I always picture the melting clocks first, whenever I think of Dali's work. I chose one of his many clocks to try and reproduce for this challenge, using my new Derwent Inktense pencils. Love them! The sentiment was the only timey wimey one I had that I could think of :)

Scrapling Bookmark

I am always on the search for new gingerbread person stamps, I love anything gingerbread around the holidays. This new set is from Power Poppy by Marcella Hawley and is really adorable and lots of fun if you enjoy coloring. I made a bookmark out of the gingerbread cookie image stamp, embossed sides with SU scallop folder and added Whisper White taffeta ribbon. Colored in Copics and added some sparkle with Stickles Star Dust. It is easily removable since I used bargain brand pop ups that never stick as well as the SU ones :). Candy Cane Lane designer paper and a Crumb Cake base, measures 3" x 6" folded card style.

Cookie Tags

Gingerbread cookie bag tags were easy to assemble and are all set for holiday baking gifts. Stampin' Up! Cookie Cutter Christmas stamps with Candy Cane Lane designer paper. Sentiment from Power Poppy.

The second card uses Teresa Collins Christmas designer paper and Stampin' Up! Cherry Cobbler card stock, holly embellishment and ribbon.

Ornament Keepsakes

Lots of various Stampin' Up! supplies were used to create this card for today's Featured Stamper Holly Brown, over at Splitcoast. Ornament Keepsakes in copper with some older retired sets for sentiment and holly border.

Home SWEET Home

The candy house was made with lots and lots of multi-colored rhinestones (Hobby Lobby) and the Home Sweet Home thinlits dies from the Stampin' Up! holiday mini.

Branch punch tree

Following the Splitcoast evergreen tree tutorial to make this Christmas tree, lots of punching with the Martha Stewart punch in Garden Green and a lighter weight pine card stock. Card size is 5 1/4" x 5 1/4", SU card stocks were Real Red, Black, and White. Porch stamp is by Art Impressions, colored in Copic markers. Added holiday lights, rhinestones, and a felt snowflake to decorate tree, added Stickles Star Dust and Stampin' Up! white chunky glitter for snow accents.

This card was fun to make using various yellows and oranges that were sponged and brayered onto the Whisper White card base. I masked out the circle for the moon before adding those colors, stamped some spider webs in Versamark Champagne Dazzle, stamped Inkadinkado? witches silhouette and the sentiment and tree are from Stampin' Up! sets, bat from a Darcie Heater Batman set.

This will be my husband's anniversary card. We are planning a trip to Maui to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary soon so I wanted to make something that captured the aloha spirit. The sea turtles, or Honu, are one of my favorite symbols from Hawaii. I've been reading up on Hawaiian history and culture and can't wait to be there and explore this paradise some more.

My card uses the salted watercolor technique. On glossy cardstock I sprayed well with water and then added some drops of Bashful Blue and Almost Amethyst re-inkers and dabbed and spread with a paintbrush. Added kosher salt and let dry. Removed salt, stamped Seaweeds and the turtle from Hero arts that was popped up on dimensionals. Added some bubbles and sea glass beads. 

Snowman Tea Light

Super fun and easy to make using a tea light , circle punches, various embellishments and a great tutorial found in the SCS tutorial list.

Gingerbread Star Ornament

Embossed Stampin' Up!'s  Pines and Poinsettias swirls and Inkadinkado gingerbread man on Creamy Caramel cardstock using Versamark and white embossing powder. Added to chipboard star and embellished with SU Sweet Home dsp and die and punch cuts. Added white stitched ribbon to hang. Sentiment and banner are unknown makers. I have a gingerbread man tree in my kitchen at Christmas so I think this may be the topper this year. Let the holiday crafting begin!!

Snowmen gift tags

I worked assembly line style to create multiple gift tags with a snowman theme. Lots of fun and I have a pretty good head start on my holiday tag making with this session. I love to give bunches of these to my sister for their kids and grandkids. A mix of supplies were used: Stampin' Up! Real Red, Whisper White, Garden Green, and Bashful Blue card stocks, new Sweet Home (holiday mini) dsp. Hero Arts/Sizzix snowman and matching dies for the other design. Various twines for tying.

Bow Die Pumpkin

I made a pumpkin out of the Marianne bow die and some embellishments from Hobby Lobby. I love how this turned out!

The second picture features the "felted cardstock" technique and uses a paper napkin. There is a great tutorial over on SCS for this, it is really quite simple. So easy in fact that I went over to Pier1 to stock up on some more holiday napkin designs!

More Christmas cards!

For the pink Christmas challenge at Splitcoast Falliday Fest, I used the new October Christmas kit of the Month Snow Globe (with coordinating dies). The paper is Stampin' Up Perfectly Artistic, embossing folder us a Cuttlebug one. 

I love this beautiful Christmas Victorian house, an old one from PSX. I want to live in it. I embossed the image in silver and colored in markers. Added Stickles Star Dust, and two different chunky SU white glitters. Embossed with an SU folder and cut a label shape out of card front for window.

Popped this up on dimensionals.

Another new set from Hero Arts is this Coffee Cup tags. Love this one and it is perfect for the many Starbucks gift cards I give during the holidays. Christmas dsp by Teresa Collins, cardstock Cherry Cobbler.

Patriotic Thank You

A patriotic thank you card to go to Operation Quiet Comfort, a card drive and challenge over at Splitcoast. Stampin' Up! star and sentiment, paper by Teresa Collins, card stock is Night of Navy.

Starry Night in Seattle

I started with wet watercolor paper and mixed in some blues and greens. Dried. Stamped the Starry Night stamp onto this but it did not take at all because the paper had so much texture to it. I could kind of see where the circular parts of the night sky were so I highlighted them with white craft ink first and then shaded them in with yellow and orange chalk pastels.

The Space Needle die is by Savvy, watercolor paper is Daniel Smith, SU chalk pastels and Just Believe sentiment, mini SU silver brads, card stocks of Not Quite Navy and Basic Black. Starry Night by Technique Junkies.

Cable Knit Sweater

I was trying to make a twist gate fold and scored in the wrong place, ended up with what looked like a sweater. So I just rolled with it and embossed the whole thing with the new Stampin' Up! cable knit folder. Added a slide out tag with a sentiment stamped in Basic Gray and some snow flakes embossed with silver tinsel embossing powder. Embellished with a large half pearl and white fibers. You could very easily attach a gift card to this

 

Ornament Garland

More cards and projects for the Falliday challenges at SCS, I don't know how much longer I can keep up multiple ones each day! The first card uses House Mouse "Sitting in the Rain" and is perfect for the kind of day we are having here. Was in my pajamas for most of it!

The second was a great tutorial for the ornament garland which is much easier than I thought it would be. Uses all Stampin' Up! supplies, some retred.

Snowy Glitter Owl

This is so sparkly in real life!! It's a gray, gloomy day here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest so I had very little sunlight for my picture today. I silver embossed the Hero Arts owl, cut it out and mounted to a piece of silver glimmer paper which I cut out also. The silver embossed branch is from the holiday mini set Cozy Critters from Stampin' Up! Added clear faceted buttons for eyes and silver embroidery thread bow to embellish. The sides were embossed with a Tim Holtz folder.

Cookie Cutter Christmas Cuties

This card uses all Stampin' Up! supplies. New holiday paper from the mini catalog, Cookie Cutter Christmas stamp set, Real Red satin ribbon, Real Red and Espresso card stocks. Made this for the joy fold challenge at SCS today.

Beautiful Season

Stampin' Up!'s Beautiful Season colored in markers and accented with the SU chunky glitter, twine and the pine cone embellishment. Paper is Graphic 45 "A Christmas Carol", base is Cranberry Crisp.

Pumpkin Box

This was fun to make! They have a great tutorial over on Splitcoast for this. I used Stampin' Up! Crumb Cake and Pumpkin Pie card stocks, Cuttlebug embossing folder with Dusty Durango ink to highlight, and some silk leaves and a floral spray from Hobby Lobby.

Inspired By Nature and Bench

More challenge cards. The first is for a birthday with wrinkles. I used mulberry paper for that part of it with an older, retired Stampin' Up! image colored in markers.

The second one used a Martha Stewart A6 sized card base with SU's Inspire By Nature stamp set. An oldie but goodie!

Angel Ornament

A little angel ornament made with Whisper White, Blush Blossom, and Brushed silver card stocks, glimmer paper for wings. Retired wheel was embossed in silver. The bow is made with the silver card stock and waxed paper and a bow die from Marianne. Silver tinsel garland for halo is by Tim Holtz. Silver brads are SU

Falliday Fest!

Some cards and projects for the Falliday Fest challenges going on over at Splitcoaststampers. It's great to be back stamping every day and the challenges really help me to focus.