12 Kits of Christmas - May 2012

 Are you ready for another edition of the 12 Kits of Christmas?  Just to refresh your memory, this is a group of 12 designers. Each has been assigned a month to provide the Christmas crafting supplies to the other 11 members. We all receive the same supplies and post our creations on the last day of every month. It's interesting to see how we all come up with something different with the same kit of supplies

Our hostess this month is Joyce from cards-by-the sea.  Joyce has stepped in and introduced our "First Kit of Hanukkah".   Chanukah, also spelled Hanukah, or Hanukkah, celebrates the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem.  It is also known as the festival of lights and is celebrated by lighting candles on a Menorah, playing dreidel, and of course opening presents!  I was excited to receive this kit because now I will be prepared for my Jewish friends this holiday season.


I am going to keep the rest of this post short because it is so photo heavy.  I don't know how or why, but since January I have been adding a card or tag each month.  May is no exception - I came up with 5 creations.  Here they are:

If you like these, why not see what the rest of the team came up with for this months challenge? Here's a list of the designers with links to their blogs!

Joyce May (Our Hostess this month)

Amy June

Christina July

Kim August

Kara September

Jessica October

Jeanne (That's Me!) November

Sharron December

Renee January

Cathy February

Suzanne March

Marybeth April

Thanks for having a look! Join us next month to see the latest in the 12 Kits of Christmas!

Jeanne

Supplies Used: 
Menorah Card   - Finished Size 5" x 7"
Stamps:  PTI Mazel Tov, Impression Obsession Jewish Greetings
Paper:  Pattern Paper Digital Kit from Etsy, Solid Paper:  Papertrey (PTI) Ink Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky, Enchanted Evening, Stampers Select White, Gold Foil AC Specialty
Die Cuts:  Spellbinder Postage Stamps, Classic Squares, PTI Double Ended Banner
Extras:  Gems, Seam Binding Hug Snug Blue Jay

Dreidel Card  - Finished Size 5" x 7"
Stamps:  PTI Mazel Tov
Paper: Pattern Paper Digital Kit from Etsy, Solid Paper: Papertrey (PTI) Ink Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky, Enchanted Evening, Stampers Select White, Gold Foil AC Specialty
Die Cuts:  Border:  Spellbinder Persian Accents, Romantic Rectangles, PTI Limitless Layers Ovals, Tag Sale #3, Double Ended Banner
Extras: Button PTI, Seam Binding Hug Snug Blue Jay

Wine Bottle Tag
Stamps: PTI Mazel Tov, Tranqility Trilogy
Paper: Pattern Paper Digital Kit from Etsy, Solid Paper: Papertrey (PTI) Ink Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky, Enchanted Evening, Stampers Select White, Gold Foil AC Specialty
Die Cuts: Memory Box Whimsy Circle, PTI Triangle, Limitless Layers Circles, Wine Bottle Tag
Extras:  Gold Gems, 1.5" wired ribbon - Costco
Border Punch EK Success Zig Zag Stitch

Gift Box
Stamps:  PTI Tranqility Trilogy
Paper: Pattern Paper Digital Kit from, Impression Obsession Jewish Greetings
Etsy, Solid Paper: Papertrey (PTI) Ink Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky, Enchanted Evening, Stampers Select White, Gold Foil AC Specialty
Die Cuts: Memory Box Whimsy Circle, PTI Triangle, Favor it #3, Fillable Frame #10, Spellbinder Damask Accents
Extras:  Twinery Denim Twine, Border Punch EK Success Dotted Scallop

Gift TagStamps: PTI Tranqility Trilogy, "For You" From Waltzingmouse Nutcracker Sweet
Paper: Pattern Paper Digital Kit from, Impression Obsession Jewish Greetings
Etsy, Solid Paper: Papertrey (PTI) Ink Spring Rain, Blueberry Sky, Enchanted Evening, Stampers Select White, Gold Foil AC Specialty
Die Cuts:  Spellbinder Ironwork Motifs, Labels 17, PTI Button Card Die Collection, Limitless Layers Ovals, Tag Sale #6, Quickutz Star of David
Extras: Twinery Denim Twine, Border Punch EK Success Dotted Scallop , Buttons PTI, Ribbon

Ribbon Reel #29 Use a Die Cut - Roses in Jade

Hi!  It is really starting to feel like summer here.  The weather is warm and the kids will be out of school soon.  My daughter had her last day at college a week ago and my son will be out of high school on Friday!  I'm looking forward to the lazy days of summer - which to be honest aren't always so lazy.  There is still a bit of running around, but I'm looking forward to it being a little slower around here.  There's nothing better than sitting in the yard with a big glass of ice tea and a great book.

Today I'm playing along with the Ribbon Reel Challenge #29 "Use a Die Cut".  They are also asking that you create a card /project using the COLOURS from the inspiration photo
(CORAL, BRIGHT/CHARTREUSE GREEN & BLUE)
plus use a DIE CUT/PUNCH plus RIBBON & FLOWERS!
Here's the inspiration photo selected by Helen Berry.  If you love lace and doilies, and beautiful accents, the Ribbon Reel is just for you!  If you feel inspired and would like to play along you can see all the other submissions, and gt all the details here.   Helen along with the other DT members at RR will have you drooling!  Here's my take on the inspiration photo...
I used the Waltzingmouse Roses in Bloom set and colored them in with Copic markers.  I used a Spellbinder Tea Cup die for the base and added the bough from the WM Nutcracker Sweet for the pretty swag on the base.   I hope you like it and thanks for having a look!

Jeanne

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 6" x 6"
Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Roses in Bloom, Nutcracker Sweet, Fancy Phrases
Paper:  Pink Paislee Nantucket Collection "Crab Cakes"
Papertrey Ink Vintage Cream
Markers:  Dies
Die Cuts"  Spellbinder Nested Tea Cups, Nested Lacy Pennants, Cheery Lynn Swedish Spring Oval Frame
Ink:  Stampin' Up! Tempting Turquoise, Momento Tuxedo Black, New Sprout
Extras:  Twine, Seam Binding, Button, Gem, Flower

Operation Write Home Memorial Day Bloghop

Welcome to the Operation Write Home Memorial Day Blog Hop!  Operation Write Home is  made up of thousands of cardmakers who care about our military, and want to support them through creativity and encouragement. Many thousands of crafters of all ages and levels of experience have participated since 2007! Care packages filled with hundreds of handmade cards are sent to troops so they can write home to their loved oness.  If you'd like to get involved in mailing some of your own hand crafted beauties you can get more information here.   

To go to the beginning of this blog hop to see the other participants please click here.

Today we are remembering lost loved ones and honoring troops who have died in our nation's service.  My thoughts are with those who currently have family serving in our military and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our liberty.

OWH places a few limitations on cards they forward to our troops (size, embellishments, etc.)  They want to get as many cards in the hands of our troops as possible.  Today I've used two beautiful stamps from Serendipity - the American Eagle, and the Porch Flag.  Both are heat embossed in gold.   I made the folded flower embellishment.  It is simple and lays very flat for easy mailing.  You can see a short tutorial here. 

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you have a beautiful weekend!

Jeanne
Supplies Used:  Finished Size 5.5" x 4.25"
Stamps:  Serendipity Eagle, Porch Flag, Love You Small, Miss You Small
Paper:  Authentique Glory Collection 6x6 Bundle
Dies:  Spellbinder Petite Ovals, Petite Scalloped Ovals, Nested Lacy Pennants, Nested Pennants
Border Punch:  Ek Success Dotted Scallop
Gold Embossing Powder ZING!
Ink:  VersaFine Onyx Black, Ranger Distress Antique Linen

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge 99 - Spring Pansies

Welcome to your weekly fix of Waltzingmouse goodness!    I want to thank all of you for being so kind in welcoming me as the newest Mischief Maker this past week!  I am blessed to count you as my friends and appreciate your enthusiasm and encouragement!  I love seeing your creations and look forward to sharing my excitement with you!

This week's challenge sketch is from the talented Lynn Mercurio.  Lynn is a fabulous artist and always impresses me with how she gets all the details down just right.  The embellishments are always perfect for the theme and nothing is overlooked.  This sketch is no exception - check out the three tiny embellishments under the sentiment! 

Spring has hit the midwest!  I am feeling safe that the threat of frost is gone and am itching to get my garden going.  The first flowers you see in flats in my area (near Chicago) are Pansies.   I thought I'd take my gardening into my craft room and make my thoughts of pansies a reality!  I colored mine (from the Afternoon Tea Sentiments set) in orange and apricot.   I stamped and colored two sets of the flowers. Next, I fussy cut them (removing the leaves from one image) and stacked them with pop dots in between for added dimension.   I embossed the background with flowers and sprinkled a dusting of gems and pearls to satisfy the magpie in me!   I stamped the sentment from Cameo to Go on a pennant and tucked it behind the flowers that are raised.  I really love how I can pick up three different sets of stamps and they all work together beautifully.   Thank you Claire!

Almost makes you want to go buy some flowers doesn't it?  Thanks for having a peek!

Jeanne

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 5 x 7"

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Cameo to Go, Afternoon Tea Sentiments, Vintage Labels 18

Dies:   Spellbinders Classic Decorative Inserts Three, Classic Scallop Edgeabiliies, Labels 18, Nested Pennants,

Cheery Lynn Lace Corner Deco D

Markers: Copic

Embossing Plate:  Sizzix Texturz Flower #3

Paper:  Papertrey  Ink Summer Sunrise, Orange Zest, Vintage Cream

Seam Binding:  Hug Snug Cream

Twine My Mind's Eye Line Twist Fly A Kite "Everyday" (THANK YOU CATHY)

Pearls & Gems

Square Folded Flower Tutorial

A few weeks ago I did a folded flower tutorial of a circular flower.  One of the comments I got mentioned this same type of flower but as a square shape.  This got me thinking about what it would look like.  So I made a few dozen and wanted to share this tutorial with you.

Here's what you'll need:
Two Sided Paper
Square Punch - Any Size - this will be the size of your finished flower.
Glue
Brad or Button
1.) Cut 5 squares from two sided paper.

2.) Fold 4 squares in half. The patten on the inside will be the pattern that is revealed when your flower is complete.  I drew where the folds should be on the sample square next to the folded sample.

 3.) Fold in half the again the opposite direction.

 4.) Fold a third time from corner to corner to form a triangle.

 5.) Fold in the two opposite sides of the square to form a small folded square.  It should look like this.

 6.)  Fold back the top corner of the quare to reveal the paper patern on the inside.  Do not fold all the way back  Leave a slight edge of the outer paper showing  If you fold all the way back the flowers will be hard to open after you've attached the brad.

 6.) Glue the four squares on to the last square.  Make sure the folded down corners all point to the center.  It should look like this.

 7.)  Pierce a hole through the center and add a fancy brad or button.

You can use these for scrap booking, card making, or even simple magnets for your fridge. The hardest part is deciding which side of your pretty paper you want to show! And now - do I want to make circles or squares? Have fun!
Jeanne

Supplies Used for instructional sample   (all others scraps)
Brad:  K&Company
Paper:  My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Two Collection.  Blush "Sweet" Bouquet Paper

Waltzingmouse Blog Party - Cozy Fabrics - Pinwheels

Welcome to the Waltzingmouse Blog Party!  This month we were challenged to work with felt or any other cozy fabric.  I admit I had to put my thinking cap on for this one.  I wanted to do something "fun" with a little nod to the old blog waltz days where we'd have a party and everyone had to bring something.  I already had felt on hand but was uninspired.  What a great excuse to go to the craft store and shop!  As soon as I saw this hounds tooth felt I knew I had to have it!  So as a little shout out to Anya I made these fun pinwheel decorations!  

These were really inexpensive party decorations - just a few sheets of felt, twine, and wood skewers and you're good to go!   I had to do a little experimenting to figure out how to get the two layers of fabric to lie together flat.  My words of wisdom... "DO NOT TRY TO GLUE THEM TOGETHER".  Unless of course you want to go to the craft store again to buy a few more things!!  You all know that the sewing machine and I are not on speaking terms, but I can work an iron - thank you iron on adhesive!  I just ironed the adhesive on one sheet, peeled off the paper and iron on the top sheet of felt.  Then I trimmed off the edge to get it nice and straight and cut 6" squares.  To keep with the Party theme I cut and pasted the sweet Waltzingmouse from the WMSC blog page.

I wrapped twine around regular wooden skewers that you would use for cooking and hot glued them onto the back of the pinwheels.  I cut the sentiments into pennant shapes and hot glued these along with the pinwheel centers for added stability.  Here's one last photo of all three together.  I stuck them in a jar full of colorful marbles to hold them in place for the picture. 

I hope you like them - they are really colorful and promise a fun time for all!  Thanks for stopping by!  I can't wait to see all the other cozy creations you've made!

Jeanne

Supplies Used: 

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse Large Doily, Fancy Phrases

Felt:  Hobby Lobby

Twinery Charcoal & Lilac, My Minds Eye Lime Twist Life of the Party "Happy Day"

Dies:  Spellbinders Nested Lacy Pennants, Nested Pennants, Standard Circles, Big Scalloped Circles

Ink:  Momento Onyx Black, grape Jelly and Rosebud.  Stampin Up! Tempting Turquoise

Serendipities Dies Release - Butterfly & Dragonfly

Welcome to another Serendipity Stamps blog hop!! I am so excited to show you something new today. If you know me or my blog you know that I am totally nuts for die cuts! Lucky me! Serendipity started making coordinating stamp/die sets earlier this year and today we are featuring the newly released Floral Butterfly and Floral Dragonfly sets. Previously released sets include a scroll heart and egg. 

You can order the stamp, solid die, and floral die individually or together as a coordinated set.  The solid die can be used to give your stamped image a clean cut finished look, or you can place it behind the intricately cut die to show a contrasting background.  Here are photos to show you exactly what each of the sets look like.

Enter for your chance to win your choice of either of the two new die sets by leaving a comment on each of the design team member blogs by Friday May 25!!

My two cards feature the fancy cut die backed by the solid die on a trellis background to give a "garden" look to my cards.  I used foil paper for my dies because I wanted to showcase those fancy, intricately cut images.  They are really exceptional and will give any creation a touch of elegance. 

The base of my card is embossed vintage cream paper.  I added a few die cut frames and then my Serendipity Floral Butterfly, and Butterfly Outline.  I topped it off with a sprinkle of gems, a pretty flower, and a bow topped with a button I've had in my stash for years.

I hope you will visit the other Serendipity Design Team blogs and see the other beautiful creations they've made with this beautiful set of stamps and dies.  Just click on their names listed below in alphabetical order to jump to their blogs.

Kathie Bailey

Kris Breach (Our Spring/Summer Guest Designer)

Amy Cokley

Sue Eldred

 Miriam Napier

Remember, stop by all the blogs and leave a comment on each one to be entered to win your choice of either of the two new stamp die sets!!

Thanks for having a look - have a beautiful day!

Jeanne

Supplies Used:  Finished Size 6x6"

Die Cuts:  Serendipity Floral Butterfly, Butterfly Outline, Floral Dragonfly, Dragonfly Background, Cheery Lynn Dutch Scallop Square Frame, Spellbinder Lattice Motifs

Paper:  Gold AC Specialty, Silver Graffix, Vintage Cream and Sweet Blush 

Seam binding Baby Pink, Lilac Hug Snug

Flower:  Wild Orchid Crafts

Embossing Plate:  Sizzix Texturz Elegant Designs

Extras:  Button, Gems

Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge #98 - Save the Date

OK.  I think I am dreaming... but it is a good dream - so NO PINCHING!    But if you are reading this, maybe it is real!  Did you hear the fantastic news?  I've been appointed a Mischief Maker for Waltzingmouse Stamps!  That means I get to display my work along with the other Mischief Makers on the Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge Blog every week.   The Waltzingmouse Sketch Challenge Blog is a great place where you  can showcase your favorite Waltzingmouse stamps, have a bit of fun, and perhaps win a prize along the way! I've made so many friends playing along every week that I am just delighted!  I am always amazed by all the beautiful creations I see there created by other people just like me who love Waltzingmouse Stamps!

The sketch this week is by Lynn Mercurio.  It looks a little tricky, but not to worry.  There are lots of great examples posted to inspire you - from clean and simple to over the top fancy!  I saw all those squares as a great opportunity to add lots of embellishments to my "Save the Date" card.  I like to bounce ideas off my family who tolerate my mood swings as I focus on my crafty mojo.   Sometimes it just feels like a collaboration.  My 19 year old daughter chose the purple and approved the design.   I added all the silver, flowers and lace.  Any you just have to love all the little details Claire (the owner of Waltzingmouse) adds herself - like that little accent stamp I put over the sentiment!

Because I am so excited to be the newest Mischief Maker for Waltzingmouse and to tie in with my blogversary celebration I'm giving away this stamp set to one random commenter on this post.  You have until May 26 to enter, and this will still qualify you for my blogversary candy... So Leave a Comment!!   Thank you for having a look - I can't wait to see what you created! 

Jeanne

Supplies Used:  Finished size 6" x 6"

Stamps:  Waltzingmouse  Cameo Creations, Big Day Essentials, Faux Fun Circles

Dies:  Spellbinder Standard Circles, Petite Scalloped Circles, Fancy Tags Trio, Labels & Tags, Cheery Lynn Francesca Border, Wedding Garter Border, Nautical Wheeler Doily

Ink:  Momento Grape Jelly

Solid Paper:  Papertrey Ink

Foil Paper Grafix Foil Board

Flowers:  Ribbon Reel

Extras, Pearl Circle, Seam Binding Hug Snug Lavender