Recycled Product

My creative juices have been flowing nonstop over the past few days. I have made 8 cards and started working on my newest kits which will be available very soon. These are mini kits-so much fun. Watch for the MyShare Mini Kits coming in January!

Today's share is made almost entirely from a recycled Basic Grey catalog! I was flipping through it, looking at layouts and cards, when it dawned on me that the samples and images were too pretty to throw in the recycling bin. So, being the cheap...I mean frugal...girl that I am, I grabbed my little scissors and began snipping away. I lifted a card design from Betsy Veldman (you can see Betsy's original card HERE) and began using my little recycled bits. The result: sweet Thank You and Happy Birthday cards feautring Basic Grey's images in sizes that are appropriate for my little cards.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas-we certainly did. Now for some much deserved rest!

Santa and Reindeer

These little images by Studio G are just too cute, don't you think? I would LOVE to find this set for myself-these were my mom's. The set also came with a little snowman. What a steal for $1!

As with a lot of my stamped images, I paper-pieced the santa and reindeer. First, however, I stamped both images on the white background, then ran it through my Sizzix Big Kick with a Cuttlebug embossing folder (Swiss Dots.) That way, I didn't have to try to cut out the little antlers and feet. I just colored them in on the white base, then stamped each image on colored cardstock. Since I don't have Copic markers (yet!) I find that I get the cleanest, boldest results from paper-piecing. Stickles add a little sparkle to the images. To finish the card, I stamped "Be Merry" with a Hero Arts stamp, and tied on some ribbon and buttons.

Very simple, but I have to say, this was one of my favorite cards this year.

My first tri-fold card...

and I am so happy with the way it turned out! Anybody who knows me knows that I just adore the little Hero Arts owls, anyway, but I especially love them on this "scenic" card! I saw a similar card created by Kelly Booth posted in the Hero Arts Flickr group. (For some super-cute card ideas, visit Kelly's blog-the link is over on the right.)

Lots of paper-piecing and stickling on this one-two of my favorite stamping techniques. Donna Mikasa (her blog is also linked on the right) has done some cute birthday tri-folds, too. That may be the next one that I try. One thing that I would change next time: I made this card using a 6 x 11" piece of cardstock. Not quite long enough to make the "easel" back to help the card stand up. Next time, I will use a 6 x 12" piece and score at 1", 2", 4", 6", and 9". Does that make sense? If you'd like more detailed instructions, please email me or leave a comment here and I will try to do a better job. ;)

Christmas Gift Card Holders

Here are some gift card holders that I made using Hero Arts stamps. The card design is one that Jennifer McGuire featured last year on her blog. The gift card slides right into the front of the card (you can see mine-it's light blue) into a sleeve. The sleeve is machine-stitched and adhered to the card front. Finally, you add a punched circle to the front of the sleeve and embellish as desired.

I chose to use these adorable little critters from Hero Arts. I love the owl-how cute is he in that little sweater?! I also embossed the white circles with my Cuttlebug Swiss Dots embossing folder, just to make the critters stand out a little bit.

This design is so versatile-you can personalize it for any holiday. Just think of all of the gift cards that you give in a year-birthdays, thank you's (I have some coffee stamps that would be so cute with a Tim Horton's card tucked inside!)

If you haven't checked it out already, you should head over to the Hero Arts blog this week and also check out the Hero Arts Flickr group. They are hosting a two-week contest for cards that hold gifts (including gift cards.) There are some really cute projects there!

Some holiday cards at last!

I have several Christmas cards to share with you! I know I should have posted them sooner, but life has been really crazy here for the past two weeks. My semester is over (hello, Dean's List) and my dad is recovering as much as can be expected from his recent health issues. (More on that later.)

This first card is a fun little card featuring the Penguin Chick stamp from Imaginisce. This was a summer stamp, but I got some more mileage out of it by using it for some whimsical holiday cards. Last Christmas, I received a card from my friend Lana in Hawaii, and it had a hula dancer on it. So, when I got this stamp this spring, I immediately wanted to use it for a Christmas card! So cute, don't you think?

The sentiment is from a set I got at Walmart last year. It went so well with the hula theme.

Thanks for looking, and I will post more later this afternoon!

Holiday Card Trio at Scrapbooking.com

Please check out my latest article at Scrapbooking.com! It features a set of three holiday cards using some of my favorite little Hero Arts critters and snowmen. Click HERE to see the article.
Also, please remember to visit my table at the Bloomfield Elementary Craft Fair tomorrow, which is part of the Holiday Stroll. I have been making TONS of cards, and I have several designs available. I'll still be cranking out cards tonight and finishing up some cute ornaments and tags for the sale. I'm so excited! Hope to see lots of you local girls there. It is at Bloomfield Elementary from 9-2.
Have a great weekend all!

A link to share with you...

I know I said last week that I would be sharing some holiday cards with you, and I promise that I will very soon. I have been making a TON of holiday cards for the Bloomfield Elementary craft fair this Saturday. I just haven't had a spare minute to photograph and post them! Soon, I promise.
In the meantime, I wanted to share a link with you that not only has lots of great papercrafting ideas, but also a great giveaway this week! Over on the right, you'll see that I have links for some of my favorite papercrafting blogs. Jenn Biederman is a stamper who has some adorable cards online, and I check them out frequently. She has an awesome giveaway in THIS POST. Please check it out!