Merry Monday Challenge

Lesley over at Always Playing with Paper has weekly "Merry Monday" challenges to get people motivated on making Christmas cards each week so there is no last minute panic. Well I am having a last minute panic because I did not participate in enough of her challenges this year! Here are my entries for this week's sketch. Both are done with black Elizabeth Craft Design Peel Offs and both were colored on top of Glitter Ritz Warm Highlight with my Sakura Glaze pens and Copic markers. The tree card has some red Mirror cardstock behind the trees and a SRM sticker at the bottom of the card. I used my Sakura Glue Pen to add some Fire Red Glitter Ritz in each scallop of the card.

The poinsettia card is also Peel Off stickers. For this card I masked off a strip on my main cardstock and stippled Peeled Paint and Gathered Twig Distress ink then stamped my Hero Arts cling Holiday Background stamp also with Peeled Paint ink. I removed my mask then stamped my Hero Arts sentiment with Fired Brick Distress ink and added my ribbon and cut out poinsettias.

Thanks everyone for stopping by!

Joy!

On a mad scramble to start/finish my Christmas cards! This one came together pretty quick so will probably be making a few more of these. I began with some gunmetal Stardream cardstock I embossed some Hero Arts snowflakes on the main card with Crafty Capers Silver Dollar embossing powder. I stamped a Art Stamp (Glitter Ritz) Joy stamp with Versafine Deep Lagoon ink then embossed it with some Stampendous Stamp and Bond embossing powder. This powder turns sticky after you heat it so you can add glitter over the image. In this case, I used Mistique Glitter Ritz glitter over top of the joy word. I thought the O need some more color so I used my Quickie Glue pen and added some Fire Red Glitter Ritz "berries" . I used my new Impression Obsession snowflake to cut out a silver snowflake for an embellishment at the upper left corner of my card.
I am not happy with my vellum adhesive so will play with that a bit for the next card(s).
Thanks everyone for stopping by!

Happy Birthday BJ!

Today is my sister's 40th birthday! We had a nice party for her over the weekend and here is the card I made her. I colored the kitty image (Penny Black's Cat on Moon) using my Tombow markers on watercolor cardstock after I embossed the image with gold embossing powder. The pattern paper is by My Mind's Eye. I stamped the sentiment (Flourishes Taglines) on the smallest die from the Spellbinder Romantic Rectangles set. The button is from the Memory Box button die set. I finished off the card by poking some holes around the outside of the pattern paper and adding some Yellow Stickles to the stars.

Happy birthday BJ! Hope you have a great birthday and just wanted to remind you I look MUCH younger than you! Hee hee!!

Impression Obsession New Arrivals

Received a bunch of new Impression Obsession stamps and dies in yesterday. Here are some of the highlights:

Seashell Collage. Gender neutral!

This gorgeous classic set is back in stock. Kathy did an amazing card with the lighthouse image earlier in the year. Will have to dig it out.

This set is always very popular and is back in stock.

This image is probably our best selling Impression Obsession stamp! I bought mine years ago and still love it!

Gorgeous hummingbird image

A new image from Impression Obsession. It even has a black kitty in it so I should buy it! LOL

Last but not least we received some of these fabulous new Impression Obsession snowflake dies! LOVE 'em!

Happy Birthday Kim!

I have 2 sisters and both have their birthdays near the end of November so I am in birthday card mode. Here is the card I made for my youngest sister Kim. Her birthday was last week but she did not get her present/card until over the weekend.
A fairly quick card but I managed to impress her never the less! The black panel is the Burnished Velvet technique using the Glitter Ritz Microfine colors Black, Rose, Yellow and Celadon. I also used the Memory Box Flower Square die as my mask. The embossing folder I used is by Hero Arts/Sizzix and the sentiment is from a Hero Arts clear set. I finished off the card with some Black Enamel Accents in the flower centers.

Just a reminder today is the first day of Crafty Capers Coffee and a Card Mondays. Drop in between 10:30 am - 1:00 pm with your basic class kit (scissors, adhesive, craft knife, paint brush etc) and for $2.00 make a project. Coffee and a Card session will be running Nov 26, Dec 3, Dec 10 and Dec 17.

Small Business Saturday

Today is Small Business Saturday and to celebrate Crafty Capers has all in stock papers and cardstock 15% off. Sale ends 4 pm today (Nov 24) so don't delay!
Here is a quick card I created for a class I taught earlier this week. Fairly quick and easy but looks striking. I began by stamping the Hero Arts stamp Holiday Background on a piece of watercolor cardstock with Seafoam white embossing powder. I then took 3 blue Tombow markers and scribbled all over the watercolor cardstock then I took my water brush and blended all the colors together to make the holiday words really pop! I took a piece of white Stardream cardstock to act as my snowy ground. I embossed this cardstock with a Sizzix embossing folder to add some extra texture. I finished off the card by cutting a Dee's Distinctively snowy tree die out of Pacific American Craft Glitter paper. I added some True Blue Stickles to the background for even more pop! Thanks everyone for stopping by.

Memory Box and Spellbinder dies!

Got a big batch of dies in the store today. LOTS of Christmas dies this will probably be the last Christmas shipment before the new year so hurry in for best selection!

Memory Box Country Landscape die

The extremely popular Memory Box Frostyville border is back in stock!

NEW Spellbinder D-Lites die - Cattails. The first batch of these sold out in 3 hours!

Another of the new Spellbinder D-Lites dies this one is Window 1.

Spellbinder D-Lite Flower Burst (first time in stock!)

Spellbinder Layered Poinsettia

Sizzix Snowflake Frame

Dee's Snowy Tree dies are back in stock!

Memory Box snow globe die

Lots more in stock. Hope to see you soon!

Loads of cards!

Just a quick heads up this year Crafty Capers will be having a "Crafty Corner" starting Tuesday until Christmas. We will have a small display of handmade/local gifts so if you are looking for a unique gift stop by the store beginning on Wednesday and check it out. You will be supporting a local crafter plus you won't have to fight the crowds at the malls!


I have a load of cards to make this week - 3 birthday and 1 anniversary plus one more class card then I really must get cracking on my Christmas cards!!! Yikes so much to do!
This card is for my inlaws 48th wedding anniversary. I looked up what the 48th anniversary is represented by hoping for inspiration however year 48 is represented by get this... optical devices!!! I quickly scratched that idea! REALLY who would want an optical device as a gift!!!
I decided to make Shimmer Sheets and one of the newly arrived Craft Concept embossing folders from the Thoughtful Collection. I ran the Shimmer Sheet through my Big Shot machine and the embossing folder. I then pulled out my Ranger Cranberry and Gold alcohol inks and daubed the entire piece. I trimmed the sheet to size and rounded two of the corners. I matted the Shimmer Sheet on a piece of Black cardstock then went to work on my sentiment. I do not own a Happy Anniversary stamp but found a black Peel Off in my stash. I applied the sticker to a piece of Be Creative tape that I had put on a scrap of cranberry cardstock then I poured some Glitter Ritz warm highlight glitter over the sticky tape. I rounded the corners on this piece as well. To finish off the card I stamped 2 Hero Arts stamps from the Untitled Hearts set with Versamark and Ranger Cranberry dye ink then heat embossed the pieces with clear ink and mounted them as shown.
Thanks everyone for stopping by.

Look what Cheryl did!

Cheryl got bored while she was in on Saturday and reorganized all the 12x12 cardstock! Doesn't it look great now it will be easier to find the perfect shade! Hope everyone's holiday projects are going as planned! I will be back tomorrow with a card to post provided we don't lose power!

New Arrivals

Just a quick note to let you all know that we have had a bunch of orders arrive this week: Hero Arts, Memory Box dies, Spellbinder dies, Dee's Distinctively dies, Bazzill 12x12 cardstock to name just a few of the items. LOTS has already sold out! Here are a few of the items still left in stock:

Hero Arts embossing folders

Hero Arts Sparkle with Happiness set - Love it!!

Craft Concepts Love Birds embossing folder

Crafty Concepts Yves embossing folder

Mystik adhesive dots are back in stock! Super popular right now!

Craft Concepts Celine Embossing folder

Hero Arts winter moon stamp

Dee's Christmas Tree Overlay 1. We have a few others as well.

Of course we also have an excellent selection of Stickles glitter glue, Glitter Ritz Glitter, Liquid Pearls, Be Creative tape, Pearls and rhinestones to finish off all your Christmas projects!

Hero Arts November Challenge

I got a few minutes to participate in Hero Arts November contest. This month's theme is "bring on the bling" and also a color challenge. I think this side step card would fit into either category.
I used 2 Hero Arts stamp and die cut sets Holiday Cheer and Joy Snowman. I colored the reindeer with my Prismacolor pencils and gamsol. The pattern paper and gems are by Hero Arts (both pool color). I added some Stickles glitter glue to bump up the bling just a touch more and had to add some Red Liquid Pearls to the reindeer noses!
Thanks everyone for stopping by! I hope to get some time to play tomorrow so I can participate in another challenge!

Here is another card I got made over the weekend. Quick and easy! Oh and not sure if I mentioned this or not but I bought a Big Shot machine back in September (my Cuttlebug blew up) and I am finding I rarely have to use a metal shim to get "lacy" dies to cut properly! The Big Shot seems to have much more pressure than the Cuttlebug! Love that!
Dies used: Spellbinder Poinsettia & Memory Box Amira Flourish
Embossing Folder: Craft Concept Hexagon Illusions
Stamp by Stampendous embossed in gold.
I added a bit of Hero Arts pink ink to the white poinsettia flower to add a bit of "jazz" and the card was done. Might make a few more of these since they are so quick to make.

Candy Canes and Epic Fail!

Had a play day over the weekend. It was loads of fun to just make whatever card I felt like making. I began with this card because someone had prestamped this image on watercolor paper and put it in my stash so thought I would pull out my Tombow markers and use it! Once I had finished coloring I cut out these guys using my scissors and craft knife. I took a piece of white cardstock and cut a Spellbinders Labels 1 window out of the middle and added a scrap of Graphic 45 Nutcracker Sweet paper behind. I used a SRM sticker leftover from my class on Friday night (I am soooo in LOVE with these stickers!! They look amazing on cardstock and not at all like a sticker). I used my black Tombow marker to add a black squiggly border around the edge of the cardstock then matted it to my main cardstock. I finished the card off with some Stickles around the window opening and some Glossy Accents on the Mice tongues. Super cute! Now comes the epic fail part! I had an already made card sitting on my table and somehow, I have no idea how this happened, I mounted the mice to the back of the already made card so this card does double duty - it is a thankyou card on one side and a Christmas card on the other!!! Very efficient of me!! Not! Of course I noticed this just as I was leaving the store so will have to fix this when I get back to the store Monday or maybe I will leave it and try to start a new trend!!
Thanks everyone for stopping by.

Mark Your Calendars!

Once again Crafty Capers will be participating in the annual Hero Arts Debut party. This year the party will be Saturday Dec 15. We have preordered many of the new 2013 Hero Arts stamps in clear, cling, wood and their new Valentine collection.
Hero Arts will be having sneak peaks every Friday on their blog here is the link http://heroarts.com/blogs/club/ to check it out! I have not seen the new stamps so I am eagerly awaiting the posts as well to see some of the new items.
I will post more Crafty Capers party details as they become available but in the meantime mark your calendars!

Snowflake Wreath

Seems kind of strange to be posting a snowflake card today when it is beautifully sunny here on Vancouver Island but I MUST get cracking on my Christmas cards only about 55 or so more to make in the next 2 weeks - no problem! LOL
This card was really quick to make and looks much nicer in person. I used the Sizzix Snowflake frame die to cut out 2 frames one out of Silver Stardream cardstock and the second out of blue Mirrorcardstock. I layered them on a 5.75x5.75 white card. I stamped a Penny Black sentiment and embossed it with Silver Dollar embossing powder then hand cut the banner. I wanted to add some pop to the banner so edged it with Adirondack denim dye in. I popped the banner up with foam tape then added a bunch of gems on the snowflakes. Card probably took 10 minutes to complete. I should have had Ginny (who was watching me) time it!
Just a reminder that Crafty Capers will be closed on Sunday Nov 11 for Remembrance Day but we will be open on Monday Nov 12. Please take a few minutes over the weekend to remember our veterans.

Thanks everyone for stopping by. Have a great weekend.