12 Kits of Occasions - It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Hi friends!  I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving weekend. It's great to be back together with family and friends - and the weekend seemed to go on forever.  Time to get back to business right?  Actually I am a day late posting this one and I hope you will forgive me.    Weekends are usually family time and I don't spend much time on line.      I'm posting today for the 12 Kits of Occasions.   We're a group of 12 crafty friends who take turns putting together a kit for the rest of the group.  We each receive the same kit and on the last day of the month we post what we made.  It's so fun to see how our designs are so different, and sometimes so similar. 

This month's hostess is Kim Heggins from Cupcakes Cards and Kim.  You might also know Kim from Simply Create Too, Colour Q, and Get Creative Challenge.  She is a real sweetie and has been a blessing in my life.  I'd love to meet her some day.  I imagine her bright and bubbly spreading smiles wherever she goes.    She provided a wonderful kit with a fabulous Santa theme.   So many yummy goodies... Die cuts, Ribbons, Jingle Bells, a big Tim Holtz red embossed Santa, and even a decorated envelope to mail off one of your sweet cards!!  I kept my designs simple and didn't add much of anything to this kit - some sequins, a little washi, and glittery accents.   Four cards for you so ... here goes!! 

Want to see what the rest of the ladies did with this beautiful kit? Just click on their names below, or to get monthly updates (and get complete ingredient lists) check out the 12 Kits of Occasions blog!

Renee - It's a Patchwork Life

Marybeth - It's Time For Paper

Joyce - Cards By The Sea

Cathy Weber - Empty Nest Crafter

Kim - Cupcakes Cards & Kim

Kara - K & R Designs

Jessica - The Paper Parade

Sharron - On Papillon Wings

Tracey McNeely - In My Creative Opinion

Kellly Schirmer - Gingham Girl

Lindsey Larsen - Occasional Crafting

Thanks for stopping by for a peek and have a great day! 

Stamps - PTI - Santa Stationary, Serendipity Stamps - Santa Face and Santa's Cookies, Flourishes - I Believe, Reverse Confetti - Tinsel and Trim, Fresh Squeezed - Inside Scoop - Holiday.
Tim Holtz - Jolly Santa, Lawn Fawn - Snow Bunny and Winter Owl, CAS-ual Fridays - Naughty or Nice
Solid Card Stock: Michael's - White and PTI - Pure Poppy and Black, SU - Cherry Cobbler
Patterned Paper: Little Yellow Bicycle - Making Merry
Dies Cuts: PTI - Wet Paint Text Box Merry Christmas, Lawn Fawn - Snow Bunny and Winter Owl
Lucy (Silhouette): Santa's Sleigh and Let it Snow
Ribbon,Twine and Jingle Bells: My Stash
Embossing Folder: Sizzix
Ink: VersaFine - Black, VersaMark and SU - Real Red
Embossing Powder: Ranger - Red Geranium

CASE Study #202 - Cherries

Hi and thanks for stopping by!  Another busy posting day for me so please look around.  I bet you've been wondering what I've been up to!   Now you know!!  LOL!  I'm feeling better from my dental implant and getting back to normal.  The hint of fall is in the air - or maybe more in my head since the kids are buzzing about what classes to take and school actually starts in August... GASP... that's tomorrow!!!  Time is flying!  Moriko is getting big and turning into a moocher!  

I'm playing at CASE Study today. It's our last challenge this month with our muse Shari Carroll. She's been lots of fun to CASE and I'm going to have to start stalking her blog now. I've been introduced to so many wonderful designers though CASE. So what does Shari have for us this week? Oh.. look at this beautiful red flower on the kraft background. Did you notice the stamping on the background? How about the colored stripes on the flower? The little banner peeking out both sides of he flower? Well now it's time you take it, make it your own, and own it!

What did I see? At first I was captivated by that flower - but then how to make it mine?  Would it just look like another flower?  I knew I wanted to keep the red so I went for some cherries!!    I added the double ended banner sentiment, and lots of color with a layered patterned paper background.

Now it's your turn! Or are you looking for a little more inspiration? Check out projects from the design team and our special guesties Amy Tsuruta and Tenia Nelson!
Amy and Silke are on Summer break but the rest of the ladies are ready to wow you!

Chupa - Iwona Palamountain

Tasnim Ahmed

Jill Foster

Gayatri Murali

Anja Curvers

Anna Kossakovskaya

Julia Stainton

Michelle Williams

Annika Lerche

Don't forget that next month marks CASE's 4th Anniversary.  Every Thursday we will be having special blog hops and lots of prizes.  

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!











Supplies Used:  Finished Size 4.25 x 5.5"
Stamps:  Flourishes Cherries & Peaches
Pattern Paper:  October Afternoon "Farm Girl"
Card Stock:  PTI White, Aqua Mist, SU! Pretty In Pink
Twinery Twine Caribbean 
Border Punch:  EK Success Double Embossed Dotted Lace, Cheery Lynn French Pastry, Paper Smooches Flag Tags
Ink:  Memento Rich Cocoa, Tuxedo Black, Copic Markers
Enamel Dots

CASE Study Challenge #156

It seems like this week is flying and in my mind I am a day off - I know its Thursday but my mind is saying that it's Wednesday.   I've got to get it together!!  It's time for a new challenge at CASE Study and since it is a brand new month we have a brand new muse for you.  Did you guess who it was from the sneak peeks at CASE?  Kathy Racoosin from The Daily Marker Blog.   Her blog is gorgeous with lots of wonderfully colored designs and creative ways to use die cuts.  You have to check her out!


Check out the inspiration photo!  Let's see.. things I love here.... 
the shaped card, the fab bright coloring, the ribbon going across the design.....    I tried to pick up on all those things including a bit of twine and a button on my bow.  I think this one is easy to see where I drew my inspiration from.  Oh but how to make it mine???  Well you know I do love red...  and maybe an extra layer?  I knew I had to get the markers out to pay homage to Kathy and here's what I made!!

Need a little more inspiration ?  Why not visit the rest of the design team.  They'll be sure to get you off in the right direction!  Oh and our special guestie is Amber Hight!  Tell her hi when you get a chance!

Chupa - Iwona Palamountain

Amy Wanford

Andrea Ewen

Clare Buswell

Debbie Hughes

Jean Martin

Maureen Plut

Tasnim Ahmed 

Maureen Merritt

Silke Ledlow

Some sad news on the CASE Study front.  Teneale Williams is leaving the group.  I hope you will wish her well!  Her beautiful creations always inspire me and I will continue to stalk her from a respectable distance : )

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope I see you over at CASE!  Have a beautiful Wednesday !  Just kidding  - I know its Thursday!  HAHA!!


Supplies Used: 
Stamps:  Flourishes Cherries & Peaches
Dies:  Spellbinder Standard Circles, Tag Back to Basics, Grand Big Scalloped Circles, Lifestyle Crafts Nesting Doily Circles
Ribbon:  May Arts 5/8" Sheer Ruffle Edge Turquoise,  5/8 Lace / Pearl Center White,  Ivory Button Twine 
Card stock: PTI Pure Poppy, White, Hawaiian Shores
Ink:  Copic Markers, Rich Cocoa, Versafine Onyx Black
Button, Twinery Maraschino Twine

TRR#58 Rose Cottage

I know it's been a while since I told you everything going on in my world.   I'm missing in action for all sorts of reasons lately - probably number one is summer time.  I'm spending more and more hours out doors - watering the garden, swimming in the pool,  and sneaking off to the theater with my kids - something I NEVER do. Yes I feel guilty and don't ever think that I take you for granted for even a minute.  

I really just wanted to say thank you to my friends - you are a blessing in my life and I am ever so glad you are in my corner and I am in your thoughts.   I don't know if I should name names to protect the innocent but  I feel like the luckiest girl in the world lately.  Once in a while one of my friends will tell me there is a design team call out  that I would be "just perfect" for.  While they have the utmost confidence in my abilities, I've been turned away more than a few times and wonder if my heart can take another rejection sometimes.  I always promise I will try because they believe in me more than I believe in me.   SO where am I going with this right?    I made the Poppy Stamps Design Team!   Sigh... Some times I am my own worst enemy.  You can meet the rest of the team here.

I also got a few projects accepted for the December CARDS - and silly me - I already gave them away!  That means - recreate them or don't get published right?  Well here's the problem! I couldn't find the pattern paper I used anywhere.  Have you ever tried looking for Christmas paper in July?  No?  Me either.  So what did I do?  An all points bulletin  - and can I just say the best friends are crafty friends!  And it isn't just about crafting and design teams - they are there when I need to talk through problems that seem over whelming - my psychotic dog, my son's girlfriend, my aging parents...  You are the real prize in blogging my friends.  How can I ever thank you?   You mean the world to me!  You have my back and you bring out the best in me. 

I guess I should get down to business now.  Today I'm sharing the latest inspiration photo from the Ribbon Reel Challenge.  It was chosen by  sweet and talented Tammy Hobbs from Creating Somewhere Under The Sun!  You are instructed to create something using the colors in the photo (pink and white)  and add flowers, ribbon and lace.  That shouldn't be too hard with all the goodies at the Ribbon Reel Store!  

If you need a little more inspiration from the design team just click on their names to jump to their blogs.  
Keilly Mulvihill, Debbie Marcinkiewicz, Helen Berry, Lenet Moss,
Zuzana Obert, Pauline Pollington, Michelle Bala, Tammy Hobbs, Sarah Ingle

I hope you will join us at the Ribbon Reel Challenge.  Thanks so much and have a beautiful day!!

Supplies:  Finished Size:  6.25 x 4.5"

Ribbon Reel:  Button, Crochet, Charm, Roses, Twine, Grosgrain, Seam Binding

Pattern Paper:  Pink Paislee Butterfly Garden Collection  "Flower Blooms" and "Botanical Gardens" 12 x 12

Stamps:  Flourishes Angelic Love

Dies:  Cheery Lynn French Flair Stackers, French Flair Doily, Marianne Creatables LR0241

Card Stock:  SU! Pink Pirouette, PTI Vintage Cream

Ink:  Versafine Vintage Sepia

RRC #45 - Feel Better

I'm so happy to introduce you to the latest Ribbon Reel Challenge for this fortnite.  I was so lucky to be able to chose the inspiration photo this time with a little help from my friend Renee Lynch - who is a  Pinterest junkie.  Check out this yummy photo full of color and texture - don't those apples look yummy?  All I've been hearing about on the news is the flu - seems like we've all had some version of the flu this winter so I thought I'd make a get well card.   An apple a day and all that right?

I colored up this yummy stamp from Flourishes with Copic Markers.  I wanted to makes sure to pick up some of the texture from the photo so I added a wood panel print across the bottom, some burlap ribbon, and burlap cord.  

So you don't have an apple stamp - you don't need one - you can be inspired by the colors in the photo, the textures, the glass bottle the basket.. doesn't matter.   If you need a  little more inspiration check out what the design team came up with - I'm sure you'll be amazed!  Just click on their names below to jump over to their blog.

Debbie Marcinkiewicz - Simple Treasures
Helen Berry - Helen Berry Designs
Keilly Mulvihill - Keilly's Little Blog
Lenet Mos - To Scrap or Not To Scrap
Michelle Bala - My Passion for Crafting
Sarah Ingle - Lazy Daisy
Tammy Hobbs - Creating Somewhere Under The Sun
Zuzana Obert - Jelly Welly

I hope I see you over at the Ribbon Reel!  Just make a project inspired by the photo and be sure to use some ribbon and a bit of burlap and link it up here!  You might win a little shopping spree of some fab goodies over at the Ribbon Reel!

Jeanne


Supplies Used: Finished Size 5" x 7"
Trims: The Ribbon Reel - 50 mm Wired Brown Burlap, Red Twisted Burlap Cord, Brown Button Twine, 12 mm Red Gingham Button
Stamps: Flourishes Apple of my Eye
Pattern Paper: SImple Stories Summer fresh Collection "Summer Quilt", My Mind's Eye Miss Caroline Collection 6x6 pad
Card Stock: Papertrey Ink Pure Poppy, Kraft, Vintage Cream
Copic Markers
Ink: Momento Tuxedo Black, Versafine Onyx Black
Dies: Spellbinder Grand Ovals, Grand Scalloped Ovals, Lil' Inkers Bitty Banners