Sites of the week

Hi Stampy Friends! It’s time for another VERVE DIVA INSPIRATION HOP! We’ve switched things up just a little. Last year we hopped on the 1st of each month, but this year we are moving it to the 5th of each month. That darn 1st of the month just sneaked up on us too quickly!

Like I mentioned above, this is a HOP! If you didn’t come here from Jackie’s blog, take a moment to rewind to the start of the hop HERE on Betty’s blog, where there is also a full list of today’s hoppers!

Back in October and November, I made some 3D pumpkin and ornament tags using a circle punch along with stamps and dies from Verve. I have had a blast making those tags, so I thought why not do some in a Valentine theme!?! Instead of circle punches, I used the Jotted Heart Die as my 3D element…

THE HOW TO:
Each 3D heart is created from four die cut hearts. Since the shape is not symmetrical and I wanted each heart cut from the same pattern paper, I cut 2 from one side of the pattern paper then flipped the paper over and cut another 2. Of course, you can make them with different pattern on each heart, which would be lots of fun for school or wedding colors, etc. Then score each one down the center and adhere the reverse sides to each other.

Detail of the lace ribbon, tulle and button combo on each. I used different thread/cording/twine on each one. This one shows my favorite of all time Linen Thread…

Tag #1, using stamped hearts from the Love Notes set {stamped on all the tags} and a sentiment from the Happy Phrases set…

Tag #2, stamped with the same hearts and a sentiment from the Love Notes set…

And finally, tag #3 with a sentiment from the Heart’s Desire set…

Verve is releasing some fun new stamps and dies on January 13th. Once you see those, I bet you can guess what my next 3D tag set will be!

Now, it’s time for you to keep on hop, hop, hopping along to Jen Tapler’s blog where she has some more great Verve inspiration for you!

We finally go the rest of the Christmas decorations down last night! I am trying to make a point of all the Christmas decor being put away before Nic’s birthday so that he feels that there is a clear separation between birthday and Christmas. Any of you December/January moms have advice on this subject? My mom has a December birthday and growing up none of the Christmas decorations made an appearance until after her birthday, so I am trying to go along with that way of thinking in hopes that his birthday will be a celebration all by itself. I know my “thoughtfulness” on this will be lost on the 2 year old, but I know that I am putting the effort forth…at least.

It’s tough to be in a birthday frame of mind when all I have piled on my desk is pink, red and white. If Halloween is my favorite holiday to create for, I must say that Valentine’s is a super duper wuper close second! I love all the girly colors and details and there are so many cute puns to work with, too! I already have the stuff for Nic’s shovel “I Dig You!” Valentines…so cute {and totally not my original idea!}.

Of course, I will be sharing pics of those once they are all made, but today I have something better to show you…more NEW stamps and CutUps dies from The Cat’s Pajamas! Today is Day #2 of Sneaky Peek Week and it’s beginning to look a lot like Valentine’s with this new bunny set, Feelin’ Cupidy…

It’s been a while since I created a large-ish 3d paper project, but I was inspired by the shadowbox that Amy Rohl {my Christmas Secret Sister} gave me. You can see pics of her project HERE on her blog…so cute, right? I am one lucky chickie to have that in my possession! I was about to turn it into a Valentine’s shadowbox when…lightbulb {said in Dr. Gru’s voice}. Why don’t I make my own shadowbox from paper!?! With a little trial and a little more error, this is what I came up with using the new Feelin’ Cupidy set {along with some other new stuff!}…

The sides aren’t as super straight like I wanted them, but it works for me. I’ll try to perfect the design in the weeks to come, though! Let me walk you through each of the boxes for now, though.

Cupid himself mounted on the new Heart Rosette CutUps die…

Sentiment from the Feelin’ Cupidy set, along with a heart from the Heart Trio CutUps die set and a Bingo card that will be discussed a little more in detail as Sneaky Peek week continues {wink wink!}…

Banner on the top left box, using sentiments from the Feelin’ Cupidy and Gimme Some Sugar {peeked yesterday} sets…

Banner on the opposite side with hearts cut from the Heart Trio CutUps die set and adorned with a button tied off with new Peppermint Divine Twine…

****Pennant banner created by cutting the new Queen of Heart CutUps scallop die in the center of the scallops and mounting the sentiment letters {from Gimme Some Sugar set} on circles…****

Lots of hearts cut from this CutUps die set…

Want more peeks at all the new goodies coming out next Tuesday? Check out Alma’s blog daily for a full list of Cat Packers posting their creations.

Before I break the record for longest blog post, I am going to cut myself off here. Well, almost here. Don’t forget to check out the IN IT TO WIN IT thread on The Cat’s Pajamas’ forum on Splitcoast each day for a chance to win the set being sneak peeked that day. You gotta be IN IT TO WIN IT!

I’m running a wee bit behind on last week’s challenge for The Cat’s Pajamas…sorry! I usually am stamping right along with my calendar, which has been packed lately. Unfortunately, that kind of scheduling doesn’t allow for me getting food poisoning and puking for 10 hours straight. Good thing is that I am all better now…6 lbs lighter even! Next time I’ll take 10+ grueling hours at the gym to lose that weight!

Last week’s challenge was to use any TCP Christmas/Holiday stamps in your card/project, along with the Big Scallop CutUps die. I made homemade peppermint bark for Nic and Ellie’s teachers this year and packaged them in clear paint cans…

The can topper is created from the TCP Easy Rosette and Snowflake {cut from felt} CutUps dies. I used the “Merry Wishes” sentiment from the Merry Wishes set…

Detail shot of the bottom of the can using the Big Scallop CutUps die…

Tag I printed from the computer…

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Susan is your Hipster Hostess with the Mostess this week and you can see her creation HERE. To upload your creation, please see THIS POST on Alma’s blog.

**I am taking the next 2 weeks off from blogging except for a couple of posts previously committed to and, of course, the Christmas Day SFYTT giveaway.**

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! I started the decorating at our house the other day and I hope that I can get it finished this weekend. While I was hoping that the lights would get hung outside, the weatherman is predicting stay indoors or freeze your rear end weather…with some rain mixed in. I guess we’ll just have to get cozy while Clarice Pumpernickel watches over us. Clarice Pumpernickel is the name of our elf that comes each year to watch the kids and report back to Santa. Yesterday she landed in the small basketball hoop atop our gameroom door. Ellie whispered to her that she thought that might be a little bit too dangerous of a place and that she should probably find a safer place to hang out tomorrow {she’s in the sleigh now}. Gotta say that was pretty cute!

As for what’s been happening in the craft room…

You might remember THESE FALL TAGS that I did a little while ago. I mentioned at the end of the post that I thought they might be cute ornaments, so that’s the spin I did on these cute paper balls.

Detail shots of each tag…

I used sentiments from the new Verve set, BRIGHT SPIRITS. Oh, how I {heart} this font! The base these tags is the TAGGED RECTANGLE DIE, also from Verve. The tag die is probably one of my faves of all time! I see a whole bunch more tags cutting cut in the very near future to put on all my Christmas gifties!

Speaking of gifties…I gotta run and make some! Have a great day!

Say it ain’t so! I don’t want sleep in mornings and lazy pajama days to go away! Now, those couple holiday pounds that I am sure have taken residence in each hip, I feel a little differently about! Hiho, Hiho…it’s off to the gym I will go! This morning is going to be brutal, I am sure. Hopefully Pandora will play me some good jams to get me going.

After the gym, I think I will need to squeeze in a little crafty time! Over the past week or so, I have had a lot of fun playing with my new stamps {that are being released TONIGHT!} from The Cat’s Pajamas. When I got the new ANYWHERE RIBBON SLIDE CutUps die, I knew I wanted to use it for something holiday and something other than a ribbon slide on a card. How about an ornament…

This ornament consists of 12 pieces of cardstock measuring 7″ x 7/8″, each die cut with the ANYWHERE RIBBON SLIDE from The Cat’s Pajamas. The pattern paper that is slid through the slides measures 6″ x 9/16″. They are then all stacked on top of each other and holes are punched at either end {I used my Crop-o-dile so that I could punch through all the pieces at once}. Large brads are put through the holes and then the strips are spread out until they form a ball.

The top of the ornament is adorned with a triple bow created from the new Cranberry seam binding ribbon and button that is strung with silver cording. The tag, which is part of the stack that is bound with a brad, was created using the new J*lly H*oliday set…

This set is a lot of fun and coordinates well with many of the previously released Circus Panels and Big Ticket CutUps dies, as well as the Stamp Trio stamp set from The Cat’s Pajamas. Gotta love being practical and the many more ways to get creative!

One more shot, so you can see how it’s put together {the top looked the same before I hot glued the heck out of that bow!}…

I hope you have enjoyed my TCP Sneaky Peek week sneak peeks! Be sure you don’t miss what all the other girls have come up with, too! Alma has been posting special previews and links each day on her blog.

Tonight is the release party in our forum on SCS. Hope to see you there for fun, prizes and more!