Merry Magnolia Gift Card Holder

Stamps: Magnolia 'Tilda Picking Peaches', Papertrey 'Limitless Labels'. Cardstock: Bashful Blue, Daisy D's 'Paisley Sugarplums', Papertrey white, Doodlebug glitter white. Ink: Memento black, Copics. Accessories: Vellum tag, red gems, Stardust glitter pen, American Crafts ribbon.

Only 9 more crafting days until Christmas! This is the time of the year when all those good intentions for major handmade gifts transform into less dramatic projects. Gift cards are a lifesaver (and I know I love receiving them, regardless of what the critics say!), but I still like to dress them up with a handmade holder.

This pop-up holder is based on the template by Jane (Whoopsie Daisy) and is quick and easy, more prerequisites for those last-minute gifts.

Sparkle from our KLSNS Design Team gave me the great idea of increasing this Tilda's versatility by coloring the peaches as apples in her fun card HERE. I like how the colors on my 'apple' came out, but next time I'll try to mask off the inner line for a little less of the peachy look.

The recipe for this holder was inspired by Tuesday Morning Sketches Challenge #24 which called for:

* 1 Tag
* 1 Hidden Message
* Lots of Glitter

The tag is a vellum version and here is the hidden message which still leaves space for our daughter's signature:

As for the glitter, I used glitter DP, glitter pen accents on Tilda's dress and the tag sentiment, and gemstones. It's always tough for me to take a photo that really captures the sparkle, but here's a little better detail view:

Now it's time for me to stop blogging and get busy on the rest of the gift card holders I need to finish before the Christmas party day!

Midnight Madness Gold Star Award

Isn't it pretty? It's my first major award (anyone else a 'Christmas Story' fan?) which I won for the 'Sing Like No One Can Hear You' card below.

Talk about making my day sing!

Saturday Spotlight With Hidden Potential #11: The Music of Your Soul

Stamps: Stampendous 'Two-Part Harmony 02', Stampabilities 'Composer's Dream', Penny Black 'Dance, Sing, Love', Papertrey 'Signature Christmas', It's Snow Time. Cardstock: Brocade Blue, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue Printed Pattern, Papertrey white. Ink: Memento, Copics, Certainly Celery, Bashful Blue. Accessories: Rectangle Nestabilities, Celery twill, CM circle cutter, Dazzling Diamonds, Stardust glitter pen.

Are you ready to rock? Or are you a fan of something more mellow, more alternative, more classical? This week's Saturday Spotlight with Hidden Potential #11 is 'The Music of Your Soul':

The Spotlight Divas would like to challenge you to create something with the music in your soul! What do we mean? What is your favorite style of music? Is it country, rock, opera, Christmas music, or the oldies? Whatever your "music style", show us what it is on your creations! eg: Use a cowboy image for "country music", etc. Perhaps you can just create a "musical masterpiece"....just get creative with it!

I'm a fan of many different styles of music (it might be easier to mention which styles I'm not a fan of), but the ultimate to me is the music of nature. I'm not quite sure what a singing mouse sounds like, but Amanda House Mouse is just too cute acompanying her blue bird buddy!

Sketch inspiration this week is Midnight Madness Sketch #31. I didn't realize until after completing the card that the challenge also included the bonus challenges of using a winter theme and creating a coordinating ornament. Lucky for me, the 'Let it Snow' theme also fits with this week's Simon Says Challenge! So, I went back to the image, stamped in snowflakes (highlighted with my trusty glitter pen) and added Dazzling Diamonds for an icy effect on the stump:

The ornament is actually a modified version of a freebie from Archiver's. It was passed through a Wizard with an embossing plate to create the swirl texture, then sprayed with Glimmer Mist. I added the center with sentiment on the same musical background used on the card:

Our sponsor for this week's Spotlight challenge is Paper Garden:

Everyone is a winner because Cathy from Paper Garden is offering all the Spotlight participants a store discount! Be sure to stop by Saturday Spotlight challenge #11 to pick up your discount code and admire all the ways that music moves the Spotlight Divas!

One lucky winner from our challenge in Mister Linky this week drawn from random.org will recieve these two fabulous images from the store:


Rock on!

Show Us Your December SheetLoad!

It is time for one final round of Show Us Your SheetLoad and two lucky winners this month will receive free digital stamps from our December sponsor - Doodle Palace!!

Head on over to the SheetLoad blog today and find out how you can be entered to win.

Here's my second card based on the December sketch:

Stamps: Doodle Palace (Penguin Snowball); Patterned Paper: DCWV (Winter Mat
Stack); Cardstock: Stampin' Up (Real Red), Georgia Pacific (white 110);
Markers: Copics; Ribbon: Bazzill (white dotted organdy); Brads: unknown
source; Glitter: Stampin' Up (Dazzling Diamonds); Die Cut: Spellbinders
(Nestabilities Label One).

I rotated the sketch and popped up the glittery snowballs for a little extra dimension:

Wishing you snow fun this season, too!

DRS Christmas Showcase Sneak Peek!

Isn't this an adorable Christmas critter?

Be sure to stop by the DRS blog to view the full card and other holiday favorites in my DRS Christmas Card Showcase!

SheetLoad Blogaversary!

Want to find out how you can win the following goodies?!?!

Four (4) Assorted Clear Stamp Sets by Three Bugs in a Rug

(actual sets shown)

&

Nine (9) Assorted Packages of Thickers

(Image above is for illustration only and does not show actual assortment.)

Head on over to SheetLoad of Cards today. They are celebrating their 2nd Blogaversary, and you may be getting the presents.

Quick Gifts Are My Cup of Tea!

Stamps: Basic Grey 'Cup of Tea Bitsy Stamp set'. Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Basic Grey 'Sugared'. Ink: Old Olive, Chocolat Chip, Copic W3. Accessories: Making Memories 'Paperie Greenhouse' organdy ribbon, Kaiser gemstones.

I'm a big fan of quick and easy homemade gifts and this time of year, the quicker and easier they are, the better!

Inspiration for the cover is Tuesday Morning Sketch #23; the only variation besides being in a miniature scale is the ribbon tie closure.

Beate's Tea Bag Holder tutorial on SplitCoast Stampers is the template. She actually includes two versions, but I went with the second in the interest of time. This version has a diagonal pocket to hold the tea bag while leaving space on the opposite side for a personalized message:

Now it's time to tackle some of the larger gift projects like creating family calendars. Maybe next year I should actually use one of those calendars to plan an earlier start date!