Are you on my mailing list?
Did you know that I've been sending out a new free project idea once a week leading up to the holidays?
I send these free project ideas by email, so make sure that you don't miss out....sign up for my mailing list by using the sign up box at the top right side bar of my blog.
The next free project idea goes out TOMORROW around noon!
I'll also be sending out a Black Friday special this weekend through my mailing list - sign up so don't miss it! I'm always looking for ways to reuse things around the house and also for unique ways to create invitations. I'm so tickled at what I came up with for this blog hop!
I've been looking for ways to use these little bottles up that we get our Elderberry syrup in. I thought it would be fun to create an interactive invitation to a cookie exchange. I filled the bottle with some chocolate chips and then decorated the outside with some patterned paper and a strip of white cardstock stamped in Teal and Ruby Red with the small snowflake image from Tami Mayberry's Calendar Bits & Pieces set. I created a tag to go around the neck of the bottle using more images from the set and tied it on with a piece of Red organdy ribbon (from the Holiday Assortment).
I created the invitation using white cardstock and sponged Teal ink around the edges, which I rounded the corners of. I stamped more of the snowflakes and then used the invitation images and "Please Join Us" image to create my invitation. I used a marker to write the black words in.
I added some gingerbread cookie images from the Have a Cookie set (by Melanie Muenchinger) to go along with the cookie exchange theme. I rolled the invitation up and slipped it inside the top of the bottle opening. Now I just need to come up with a date for my cookie exchange! Wanna come???
For more inspiration, please visit Calendar Bits and Pieces' illustrator, Tami Mayberry, then to the following Blog Hop Participants from the GinaK Designs team:
Make sure you stop by Gina's blog to leave your comment for a chance to win this amazing stamp set for free! Remember to check our Idea Center for even more samples, tutorials, and links! LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST TO WIN THIS DOWNLOAD FOR FREE!
SIMPLY SCRAPPIN' KIT OPTION: Choose a Stampin' Up Simply Scrappin' Kit and get the sales tax for FREE and also get the download for FREE!
Choose from 9 different Simply Scrappin' Kits found on pages 166-169 of the Stampin' Up Catalog.
Please specify which Simply Scrappin' Kit you'd like when checking out on Paypal. There are a few items you'll need for your album that don't come with the kit and you'll receive a list of those when checking out.
- $20.00 (plus $6.95 direct shipping)For any questions, please email me (Erika Martin) at erikaerin2001@yahoo.com
Two lucky winners will receive a FREE dowload of this project!
*** This Give-Away is NOT limited to where you live.....so even if you are outside of the US or Canada, you can still participate.***
Leave a comment on this post for your chance to win this download for FREE!
I'll pick the winners with the random number generator on Wednesday (11/25) at 11 am Eastern Time and announce them here!
Spread the groovy love and send your friends over to enter, too! And while you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for my mailing list (which is that little box ALL THE WAY at the top of my blog, on the left side of my side bar), pop your email address into that box so that you don't miss out on any of the fun stuff I have going on outside of this blog, along with newsletters and more!
Get select products up to 50% off from Nov. 23rd - Nov. 30th!
You can place your orders by calling me at 802-877-2296, emailing me at erikaerin2001@yahoo.com or shopping right on MY WEBSITE.
Item |
Description |
Regular Price |
Discounted Price |
|
120280 |
Framed with Love Bundle
|
$43.90 |
$21.95 |
|
120281 |
Thank You Kindly Bundle
|
$29.90 |
$14.95 |
|
120976 |
Thank You Kindly Bundle (French)
|
$29.90 |
$14.95 |
|
120282 |
Animal Crackers Bundle
|
$25.90 |
$12.95 |
|
120283 |
Corduroy Button Bundle
|
$49.75 |
$24.88 |
|
120284 |
Game Night Bundle
|
$40.90 |
$20.45 |
|
120285 |
Four Square Bundle
|
$30.90 |
$15.45 |
|
120286 |
Heart to Heart Bundle
|
$49.85 |
$24.93 |
|
120310 |
Heart to Heart Bundle (Spanish)
|
$49.85 |
$24.93 |
|
120311 |
Heart to Heart Bundle (French)
|
$49.85 |
$24.93 |
|
120287 |
Chipboard Letter Bundle
|
$25.90 |
$12.95 |
|
120288 |
Double-Stitched Ribbon Bundle
|
$17.90 |
$10.74 |
|
120289 |
Ultimate Stampers' Starter Bundle*
|
$127.70 |
$76.62 |
|
120290 |
Build-A-Brad Bundle
|
$40.85 |
$24.51 |
|
120291 |
Enjoy Every Moment Bundle
|
$43.85 |
$26.31 |
|
120312 |
Enjoy Every Moment Bundle (French)
|
$43.85 |
$26.31 |
|
120292 |
Cheep Talk Bundle
|
$42.85 |
$25.71 |
|
120293 |
Sock Monkey Bundle
|
$58.85 |
$35.31 |
|
120313 |
Sock Monkey Bundle (French)
|
$58.85 |
$35.31 |
|
120294 |
Alphabet Bundle
|
$87.90 |
$52.74 |
|
120295 |
Simply Said Bundle
|
$52.85 |
$31.71 |
|
120314 |
Simply Said Bundle (French)
|
$52.85 |
$31.71 |
|
120296 |
On Board Bundle
|
$42.85 |
$25.71 |
|
120927 |
Christmas Décor Bundle #1
|
$74.85 |
$44.91 |
|
120298 |
Christmas Décor Bundle #2
|
$74.85 |
$44.91 |
|
120299 |
Christmas Décor Bundle #3
|
$74.85 |
$44.91 |
|
120300 |
For All You Do Bundle
|
$36.90 |
$25.83 |
|
120315 |
For All You Do Bundle (French)
|
$36.90 |
$25.83 |
|
120316 |
For All You Do Bundle (Spanish)
|
$36.90 |
$25.83 |
|
120301 |
Striped Ribbon Bundle
|
$47.73 |
$33.41 |
|
120302 |
Bling Bundle
|
$43.80 |
$30.66 |
|
120303 |
Fresh-Cut Bundle
|
$37.85 |
$26.50 |
|
120317 |
Fresh-Cut Bundle (French)
|
$37.85 |
$26.50 |
|
120304 |
Pendant Note Bundle
|
$39.85 |
$27.90 |
|
120318 |
Pendant Note Bundle (French)
|
$39.85 |
$27.90 |
|
120319 |
Pendant Note Bundle (Spanish)
|
$39.85 |
$27.90 |
|
120305 |
Sporting Bundle #1
|
$67.90 |
$47.54 |
|
120306 |
Sporting Bundle #2
|
$67.90 |
$47.54 |
|
120307 |
Sporting Bundle #3
|
$67.90 |
$47.54 |
|
114864 |
Ginormous Flowers I Décor Elements |
$39.95 |
$27.97 |
|
114863 |
Ginormous Flowers II Décor Elements |
$39.95 |
$27.97 |
|
112534 |
5/16" Neutrals Jumbo brads |
$7.95 |
$5.57 |
|
112533 |
5/8" Neutrals Jumbo brads |
$6.95 |
$4.87 |
|
112081 |
Scallop Square punch |
$15.95 |
$11.17 |
|
113693 |
Full Heart punch |
$15.95 |
$11.17 |
|
113694 |
Heart to Heart punch |
$15.95 |
$11.17 |
|
112091 |
Scallop Edge punch |
$15.95 |
$11.17 |
|
112571 |
Circle Designer brads |
$5.95 |
$4.17 |
|
112579 |
Flower Designer brads |
$5.95 |
$4.17 |
|
112572 |
Star Designer brads |
$5.95 |
$4.17 |
|
114785 |
Small Wonderful Flowers Décor Elements |
$39.95 |
$27.97 |
|
114786 |
Medium Wonderful Flowers Décor Elements |
$69.95 |
$48.97 |
|
114791 |
Small Wonderful Leaves Décor Elements |
$39.95 |
$27.97 |
|
114792 |
Medium Wonderful Leaves Décor Elements |
$64.95 |
$45.47 |
Thanks for all the comments on my Give-Away post for the Compact Fold-Up Photo Album Tutorial.
The winners are:
Erika, this is a super project.You are really clever. Thanks for the chance to win!
Sarah
sarah@stetelerarts.com
Posted by: Sarah Miller | November 18, 2009 at 01:10 PM
and.....
This is such a great idea. We are having a family picture taken at Thanksgiving for my Dad's upcoming 80th Birthday. This will be great for the grandkids pictures. Hope I win!!
Posted by: BETH B | November 18, 2009 at 04:30 PM
If you'd like to purchase this tutorial, you can check out all the information about here:
Have a happy and creative weekend!
-Erika
My daughter has been busy making soap for the upcoming craft fair in town the first weekend of December. This is her first time setting up at the fair. She's really excited about it. She's also going to have some other items available and we've been coming up with creative ways to package what she's selling. The soaps are especially fun to package. This is one of the boxes that we created to package 3 little heart soaps in pearlescent greens.
We used Chocolate Kiss cardstock for the base of the box and decorated it with patterned paper trimmed with a scalloped edge punch. The top of the box was made from acetate (also know as transparencies or window sheets).
A little bit of tissue paper and the soaps were put in the box based and then the acetate top was placed on top. The acetate top rests inside the Chocolate Kiss box base.
I wrapped a piece of Red organdy ribbon (from the Holiday Organdy ribbon assortment) around the box and adhered the ends underneath the box. A piece of patterned paper was adhered across top of the acetate and then layered with a piece of Rocket Red cardstock. I stamped the ornament image from the Vintage Borders across a piece of white cardstock with black ink and colored them in with Copic markers and stamped the word, "peace," underneath (also from the Vintage Borders set).
How about some more inspiration with the Vintage Borders stamp set? First, check in with the Illustrator of this versatile stamp set, our Senior Designer Nina Brackett and her friend Lisa Hjulberg joining in the blog hop tonight.
Then, stop by these GinaK Designer's & Center Stage Spotlight blogs for even more samples:
LEAVE A COMMENT to win this tutorial file for FREE!
If you're looking for a clever way to give the gift of photos, this Compact Fold-Up Photo Album will give you the space to include 8 photos while showcasing them in an easy-to-carry and beautiful hand-made photo album. They're great to give as gifts and also to carry around in your own purse as little brag books.
You can now purchase the tutorial file for this amazing project as a single file!
The tutorial file includes:
* Full color photos
* Step-by-step instructions
* All cutting and scoring dimensions
* Full supply list
Compact Fold-Up Photo Album Tutorial file -$4.95
(Please allow 24 hours for email delivery of file. If your regular email address is different than the one you use for Paypal, please indicate this when sending payment to ensure proper email delivery- thanks!)
Two lucky winners will receive this file for FREE (or a file of their choice).
This give-away is not limited to where you live so if you're outside of the US, you can still participate.Simply leave a comment on this post and I'll pick two winners with the random number generator on Friday (11/20) and announce the winners here.
I don't know what is up with me lately, but I just can't get my mind off the sweets! As long as I'm not eating them all or gaining back the pounds I've lost lately, that's a good thing. Thinking about them is satisfying enough. Well, sometimes. *wink*
These little gingerbread cookie images make me think of a house full of the scents of ginger, molasses, cloves, cinnamon.....all those luscious wintertime baking smells. I love to make baked goodies for the neighbors and many people ask me for my recipes so I thought it would be fun to make some recipe cards to go along with the cookie tins I make as gifts. I got this recipe from All Recipes and created a file that prints out with 4 cards on a sheet of cardstock. I formatted the file into a PDF so that you can download it here and print them out for yourself.
Download Gingerbread cookies - PDF File
What better cardstock to print these off on than Kraft cardstock. I stamped the gingerbread couple from the First Christmas set on white cardstock with black ink and colored them in with Copic markers. I trimmed them out and adhered them on the recipe cards and mounted the recipe card on top of Fresh Asparagus cardstock. I punched a strip of Sweet Corn cardstock with a scalloped edge punch and layered that across the bottom of the Fresh Asparagus. This all got mounted on top of a piece of Rocket Red cardstock. The finished card is 4 1/4 x 5 1/2 inches, the same size as a quarter-fold card. The Kraft cardstock was cut at 3 1/8 x 5 inches.
Are you ready for some more Eye-Candy tonight!? Stop in at Asela Hopkin's blog (our featured Illustrator tonight) and see what she has prepared for us.
Then, check out these GinaK Designer's blogs for their projects:
It was so much fun to read all about your favorites and sentimental pieces of jewelry. Thanks for sharing with me!
I have two winners to announce.....and they'll each get a FREE tuition to the Blowing Baubles Online course starting on November 23rd!
Oh my word! These are so beautiful! I would love to win this tutorial!We have 2 in college this year and I just had to have a major surgery and things are pretty tight financially this Christmas.Making some of these beautiful pieces using supplies I already have would be wonderful! Thanks for the chance to win!
Inky hugs,
Janet
Posted by: Janet Swofford | November 10, 2009 at 10:12 AM
I think your jewelry is beautiful & oh so awesome! I love learning new things, I have been searching & searching for something different to do for a change of pace. I just found it. I sure hope I win this, I am so hungry to learn this!!
Posted by: Ret | November 10, 2009 at 09:52 PM
There's still plenty of time to sign up for the course....so if you'd like to take part, you can check out all the info here:
My family is known to have a sweet tooth. Every one of us. Maybe that's why I'm on such a sweets-kick lately. Yesterday it was the cupcakes. Today, it's the jelly beans. This time of year really seems to bring out the sweet tooth in me. I'm also always looking for little hostess gifts, teacher's gifts, etc. I'm also a collector of bottles and tins if I know they can be re-purposed for gifts.
We've been chugging the elderberry syrup lately to boost our immune systems for the winter and when we're done, I take the label off and run the bottle and caps through the dishwasher and I've got the perfect little bottles for filling with little treats. They're great to decorate and give as gifts.
I cut a strip of white cardstock and punched the edge with a scalloped edge punch. I then stamped it with the little trees that come in Tami Mayberry's new set, Calendar Bits & Pieces, and adhered it around the bottle. I love Tami's clean and simple style, so I went with clean and simple decorations for this bottle.
I stamped the frame image (from Tami's set) on white cardstock with Black ink and then stamped some more trees and the words to make my greeting (all from Tami's set - this set is HUGE!). I trimmed around the frame image with my scissors, mounted it on top of Rocket Red textured cardstock and trimmed that, as well. I used a Black Sakura Glaze pen to do the "&" sign (and then realized I did it backwards as I typed that out just now - haha! I bet no one would have noticed if I hadn't said anything). The glaze pen gives some shine and pop.
I punched a hole at the top of the frame with a 1/8 inch hole punch and threaded some hemp twine through it with a slip knot and tied it around the bottle. I also tied some gold edged white organdy ribbon and stitched red grosgrain ribbon (both from GinaK) around the top of the bottle.
I wanted to show that these two new stamp sets by Tami could be used for so much more than just making calendars. These are such versatile sets and the sky is the limit when it comes to the possibilities with them!
In case you're wondering, there were a few extra red jellybeans that just wouldn't fit in the bottle. I didn't want them to be lonely or feel like they weren't good enough to go in the bottle with the rest of the jellybeans, so I gave them a good home in my belly. *wink* It also helps to have "quality control" as well as "quantity control."
For some helpful tips on how to use the Calendar Bits & Pieces and Calendar Grid stamp sets, please be sure to check out Gina's blog and StampTV for a helpful video on just how quick and easy it can be to use! Both of these sets as well as the PDF version of the Calendar Grid image will be available for purchase tonight over on our online store. After that, stop by our Illustrator's blog - Tami Mayberry for some projects with her timely stamp sets. Here are the GinaK Designer Member's links who are joining us in the preview tonight:
You'll also want to check in on these CenterStage Spotlight Designer's blogs for more ideas:I'll be completely honest with you and tell you that I had ulterior motives for these cupcake toppers. I WAS HUNGRY FOR CUPCAKES! *wink*
I have a soft spot for sweets and especially for cake. Yellow cake, to be exact. Doesn't matter the type of frosting. Yellow cake is like a neutral color of clothing. It goes with anything and I made sure that one of these went right into my belly with a glass of skim milk (which I think cancels out the calories in the cupcake - hey, it works for me).
Why buy cheap looking cupcake toppers at a party store when you can get creative, save money and make your own with your paper crafting supplies! If you're like me, you probably have a boat load of stamps so you can most likely make a cupcake topper for any occasion.
There's quite a few of us taking part in the Festive Frame blog hop and I wanted to do something different AND yummy so cupcake toppers were a perfect fit. Plus, I found these gorgeous shiny red cupcake liners at the discount store the other day so it was meant to be! (BEHIND THE SCENES: Can you believe that my 9 year old daughter wanted to keep the cupcake liner off her cupcake? I told her it would get moldy and she assured me that she could lick all the cupcake "residue" from the liner. I told her she could have a clean liner, as I had more, but she was quite insistent. I wonder how long it will be till it starts growing things on it....maybe I can throw it away before she wakes up and notices it's gone.)
I stamped one of the greetings from the Festive Frame set onto white cardstock with black in and then stamped one of the little decorative swirl images (there's two in the set) underneath the greeting with red ink. I used a gold paint marker to paint an edge around the white cardstock and then mounted it on top of All Spruced Up cardstock. I then mounted this on top of Rocket Red cardstock with pop-dots. Both of the cardstock have a beautiful texture to them. The All Spruced Up has a linen texture and the Rocket Red has a lined texture.
I taped a green toothpick to the back of each topper and then stuck them in the cupcakes. It's as easy as that! They make a great addition to a plate of holiday cupcakes and I didn't even have to leave the house. AND I got a cupcake to enjoy after I was done! Your kids can even help you make a bunch for the holidays, school parties, birthday parties, etc. You can match your cupcake toppers to the invitations, party decorations AND the thank you cards!
Melanie Muenchinger, the Illustrator of Festive Frame has invited a couple of her friends to join in on the blog hop tonight, so click on their blog links to see the projects they've created for us: Then, check in on these GinaK Designer's participating in the Blog Hop tonight:
With the holidays right around the corner and the economy making us tighten our holidayspending, many of us are looking to create beautiful and meaningful handmade gifts. Are youlooking to "go beyond" this year and create amazing gifts and use what you have right in yourpaper crafting stash? Then the "Blowing Baubles" online course and tutorial CD is just what you need tohave you creating gifts that your loved ones and friends will be able to show off andtreasure for years to come. Turn your paper-crafting stash into jewelry!
Two lucky winners will receive FREE tuition to this course!
*** This Give-Away is NOT limited to where you live.....so even if you are outside of the US or Canada, you can still participate.***
Leave a comment on this post for your chance at winning a FREE tuition to this course! Tell me what your favorite piece of jewelry is!
I'll pick the winners with the random number generator on Friday (11/13) at 11 am Eastern Time and announce them here!
Spread the groovy love and send your friends over to enter, too! And while you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for my mailing list (which is that little box ALL THE WAY at the top of my blog, on the left side of my side bar), pop your email address into that box so that you don't miss out on any of the fun stuff I have going on outside of this blog, along with newsletters and more!
Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments that were left for the Whimsy Canvas Tutorial and Kit give-away!
The random number generator picked this comment:
Love your new canvas projects!! Would love to have a tutorial.Congratulations, Connie!
Tutorials and Kits are still available....you can find out all about them here:
Whimsy Canvas Tutorial and Kits I am totally addicted to the ornament image from the First Christmas set. When I realized what could be done when you stamp on patterned paper with this image, I got really excited about it! Especially when the image is embossed!
This is such a simple card to create, but it's the patterned paper that really makes it pop and look like you worked on it forever.
I used Taken With Teal as my card base. I then stamped the ornament image on patterned paper with Versamark ink and embossed them with black embossing powder. I cut the image outs carefully and cut the the hole in the tops.
My top two layers of cardstock are Ruby Red layered with the new Silver Lining cardstock. This cardstock has such a pretty matte shimmer to it. I wrapped a piece of organdy ribbon (from the Pure Luxury Organdy ribbon collection) around my layers and then adhered them my card base.
The greeting also comes from the First Christmas set and was embossed with black powder.
To hang the ornaments, I used some turquoise craft wire and threaded it through the tops of the ornaments, then twisted the end up and hooked the top of the wire around the back of the Ruby Red/Silver cardstock layers. The ornaments were adhered to the Silver Lining cardstock with pop-dots.
So simple, but those colored papers really make everything pop. I think I might just have stumbled onto my holiday card for this year!
I'm going to try this with some photos to see how they turn out. I've also got some other fun patterned paper that I think would be amazing with this simple technique.
These ornaments would also make fantastic scrapbook page embellishments for holiday pages.
Have a happy weekend and happy creating!
-Erika(Stampin' Mama)
LEAVE A COMMENT TO WIN A FREE KIT! (see below)
My canvases and canvas classes have been a huge hit! Now you can take a
basic class for a small and easy piece that will open a whole new world of crafting for you!
Please email me at erikaerin2001@yahoo.com with any questions.
One lucky winner will receive a FREE Kit!
*** This Give-Away is NOT limited to where you live.....so even if you are outside of the US or Canada, you can still participate.***
Leave a comment on this post for your chance at winning a FREE kit!
I'll pick the winner with the random number generator on Monday (11/9) at 11 am Eastern Time and announce them here!
Spread the groovy love and send your friends over to enter, too! And while you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for my mailing list (which is that little box ALL THE WAY at the top of my blog, on the left side of my side bar), pop your email address into that box so that you don't miss out on any of the fun stuff I have going on outside of this blog, along with newsletters and more!
