Christmas is my favorite holiday! I enjoy nothing more than decorating the tree with heirloom ornaments that have been passed down through the family. Although I admire trees with newer ornaments, my trees have a penchant for the vintage. And vintage is the look I attempted to achieve with this card! I love this sentiment from the Good Cheer stamp set, and even though its size did not quite fit with today’s Mojo Monday sketch, I just adjusted the rest of the sketch and made it my own! The Real Red and Soft Suede hues of the Christmas Cocoa Specialty Designer Series Paper (available September 1st) contribute to the vintage aura that I was hoping to achieve. Enjoy a serving of Christmas Cocoa in August! Here’s the recipe:

• Prepare a 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ card base from Real Red. Layer with the Stripes pattern from Christmas Cocoa Specialty Designer Series Paper which has been matted onto Soft Suede. (Tip: What makes this collection “special” are the two flocked patterns and the metallic touch!)
• Prepare two vertical mats from the “Circle Snowflakes” and “Soft Suede Subdued Stripe” patterns from Christmas Cocoa. Each of these have been matted onto Real Red. Position and adhere to the paper as illustrated in the photograph.
• Zip a piece of Real Red through the Big Shot, using the new Petals-a-Plenty Textured Impressions Folder (available September 1st). Mat this onto Soft Suede. Prepare a rosette from Real Red 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon and Sleigh Bells Cotton Ribbon (also available September 1st). (Tip: Both the Impressions Folder and cotton ribbon add texture, texture and more texture! I love them both!) Adhere to the card base with Stampin’ Dimensionals.
• Punch two snowflakes from “Stripes” Christmas Cocoa using the new Snowflake Punch, and adhere to the textured mat with Mini Glue Dots.
• Ink the “At Christmas” sentiment from Good Cheer with Soft Suede, and stamp onto Very Vanilla. Mat onto a strip of Soft Suede card stock and adhere to the textured mat with Stampin’ Dimensionals.

There are so many elements that I love about this card. The Christmas Cocoa paper is just phenomenal, and I have never used a Textured Impressions Folder that possesses as much depth as Petals-A-Plenty. The Sleigh Bells Cotton Ribbon was just made for this paper with its Real Red and Natural colors! If it sounds like I am gushing, I am…with good reason!

If you like sneak peeks like these, remember that pre-orders are just one of several perks of being a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator. Please click here to learn how you can become a demonstrator for only $85! I would love to have you join my ever-growing group! One of the things that I enjoy the most is helping my new recruits as they discover everything that being a demonstrator has to offer.

As the final days of my summer vacation come to an end, I find it bittersweet. I have enjoyed the luxury of being able to blog and create on an almost daily basis. I know that as I begin the new school year on Monday, that my time will be at a premium as I get back into the routine. I will miss spending my days with Missy the Boxer and Brady the Boy…although Brady will be headed back to Western Illinois University’s School of Music. On the other hand, I have missed my “kids”. As rewarding as it is to create a card from paper and ink, it will never compare to the reward I receive from preparing my students for their futures. I have been blessed in the fact that for thirty-three years, I have been employed in a profession that I truly love!

As always, your comments are important to me! Please leave me a comment, or if you have questions, send me an email! Until next time…

Please Click to Order Stampin’ Up! 24/7!
Stamp Set: Good Cheer (115326)
Inks: Soft Suede (115657)
Designer Paper: Christmas Cocoa Specialty (116770—Available September 1)
Card Stock: Real Red (102482), Soft Suede (115318), Very Vanilla (101650)
Tools: Big Shot (113439), Stampin’ Up! Textured Impressions Petals-A-Plenty Folder (116824—Available September 1), Jumbo Snowflake Punch (116628)
Embellishments: Sleigh Bells Cotton Ribbon (116795—Available September 1), Real Red 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon (109052)
Other: Stampin’ Dimensionals (104430), Mini Glue Dots (103683)

I received this image from Friends Rock as part of the recent Pretty Pals image swap. Kris Kilcoyne of Kween Bee Kreations was the Pal responsible for this particular set, and she did a great job of stamping it. Of course, now that I have used it, I want it! As a high school teacher, I think that I could get a lot of use from it stamping up motivational cards for my students! This particular card will be given to my son, Brady, as he leaves for college in a few weeks. Since he is a trumpet performance major with an emphasis on classical music, I added the “In a Classical Way” to personalize it. I know that it looks a little feminine, but I wanted some wilder paper for it. Well, you have seen the cards that I create. I really do not own any paper that is too wild except for the Kaleidoscope Designer Paper. And, I probably would not have purchased it if my friend Krista had not pointed out that this was the only new release paper that I had not added to my collection. (You know me and my Designer Paper addiction!) The added bling can be attributed to my mentor, Mary Fish. Mary’s Pals Paper Arts inspiration card for this week’s sketch challenge featured this image with Circle Fire Brads. So thank you Kris, Krista, and Mary! If not for you three, I would not have been able to create this card which is so different from what I usually create. But you know what…I still got to use my beloved Blender Pens!

• Prepare a 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ card base from textured Whisper White.
• Stamp the “You Rock” image from Friends Rock with Basic Black and stamp onto Whisper White. Color using Blender Pens and the following inks: Pink Passion and Tempting Turquoise. Accent the “O” in Rock and the exclamation point with Pumpkin Circle Fire Brads.
• Mat onto Basic Black, followed by Tempting Turquoise.
• Select the “Only Orange Floral” pattern paper from the Kaleidoscope Designer Series Paper collection. Layer this onto Tempting Turquoise, and add a snippet of Basic Black 5/8″ Grosgrain Ribbon. Adhere to the card base.
• “In a Classical Way” was printed in Black onto Whisper White card stock and matted with Basic Black followed by Tempting Turquoise. I used 22 point Scrap Twirly font.
• Position and adhere the image and sentiment mats.

I love this card! The nice thing about image swaps is that they are like test-driving a car! Would I have purchased this stamp set just by looking at it in the catalog? No. Will I buy it after creating this card? Yes!

Remember to participate in the Pals Paper Arts sketch challenge this week! You have until Noon Tuesday (CST) before Mr. Linky closes. Who knows? You could be one of this week’s Pals Paper Arts “Artist Picks”! So far I have viewed everyone’s cards. Let me tell you…there are many talented card makers who are playing at the PPA!

Remember to leave me a comment before you go! They are important to me, and I read each and every one of them. And, if you have a question, don’t hesitate to ask! My email button is located on the right sidebar. Until next time…

Click to Order Your Stampin’ Up! Supplies 24/7!
Stamp Set: Friends Rock (113816)
Inks: Basic Black (101179), Pink Passion (101212), Tempting Turquoise (100814)
Designer Series Paper: Kaleidoscope (115680)
Card Stock: Whisper White (100730), Whisper White textured (108693), Basic Black (102851), Tempting Turquoise (102067)
Tools: Blender Pens (102845)
Embellishments: Circle Fire Brads (109110), Basic Black 5/8” Grosgrain Ribbon (115605)