Silver and Gold...

Yep.  Kinda hung up on the song and the colors lately.  I am loving the deep discounts and coupon action I am finding recently (well, in the month of December) both online and in  brick and mortar stores.  It allows me to make some purchases that would not otherwise find their way into my cart due to them being to seasonal.  I like to stretch my crafting products but sometimes it is nice to get items that are solely and completely for a particular holiday or season.  And sometimes some products, like dies, are too difficult to find very deeply discounted during the season.  But this year I found several and today I used a Tim Holtz die that would have never ever have found it's way into my basket had it not been very deeply cut in price.  I mean, it is gorgeous and all but reindeer are really pretty limited to Christmas and the Christmas season!  I love the graceful lines of this die however and when JoAnn's had it sooooo cheap that I would be a FOOL to pass by the savings.....(hehehehe) I decided to add it to my cart .  Sticking with my current silver/gold obsession, I made two cards for today.  Both are a little over the top....and actually I am not sure that I really care for either too much!  I think I need to straighten and clean my craft room in order to unearth some other papers and colors!  But, crafting is an experiment right? And with that in mind I decided to experiment with "excess".  Enjoy!

At JoAnn's, and I am sure other stores....they have wedding sections and in those sections they have pearls.....so much cheaper than the pearls that are in the craft/scrapbook section of the store.  This particular bit of pearls is from an entire sheet of pearls that can be wrapped around a candle or other item.  I like it because it is on a slightly glittered background and all the pearls are obviously in perfect little rows that can be cut and adhered as I want.  Also, they can be individually cut and used also.  I find this to be MUCH cheaper than buy the pearls from the various craft companies.  Here are the pearls....basically 792 pearls for $10 before coupon....

http://www.joann.com/david-tutera-4-mm-self-adhesive-pearls-792pk/zprd_10664860a/

And they also have "gems" in the wedding dept....

http://www.joann.com/david-tutera-self-stick-oval-rhinestones-98-pk/zprd_11312717a/

as well as other sizes and shapes.  I find that these all color up beautifully with copics if you want to customize your pearls and gems.  And if you are anything like me and enjoy  embellishing with  bling this is really a huge cost savings! 

Here is my second card.  I was able to find some foil paper on deep discount too and here I cut and glittered both silver and gold foil after first die cutting it.  I wanted to try a shaped card.....especially working with  a partial die cut.  Not too sure if I like it or not.....although, I will say it does look TONS better in real life than it does in this photo.  We are under a blizzard watch so lighting is a bit off I think.

Well, the blizzard is supposed to hit starting tonight and through tomorrow....anywhere from 6-16 inches.....seems like quite a safe spread for the weather man to make!  Anyways, I need to make several errand runs.  My husband is supposed to come home tomorrow night from China and we both have a sinking feeling that his return might be delayed.  Friday we were planning to pick our daughter up from college together and Saturday we have my husband's family's Christmas about three hours away so I need him to be home!  Thank you for stopping by and take care!

Be well,
Sheila

Moxie Fab....

I just love the current Tuesday Trigger Inspiration picture for Moxie Fab Challenge. It's called Shimmer and Shine and it is just gorgeous!  I love the combination of gold, silver, crisp white and a bit of sparkle.  Here is the picture we were to work with this week.

Isn't it just wonderful?  I had this idea in my head from the minute I saw the inspiration photo and the problem was just trying to find time to sit down and create it!  I used Spellbinder's dies for the shapes of the card as well as a Spellbinder embossing folder.  Then I created the wreath and flowers from two different Martha Stewart punches.  The wreath is lightly brushed with Delicata Gold ink and then both the wreath and the flowers are glittered with "Glamour Dust"  I wish the shine and sparkle photographed better.....in real life the card is really so pretty....

Thank you so much for stopping by and I hope that you all are having a wonderful week....Remember! It is "hump" day and that means the weekend cannot be too far off!

Be well,

Sheila

Blue Christmas.....

Fast and glittery....this card was fun and just really easy-peasy to make.  I happened to have been sent 3 triangle shaped dies a few years ago from Spellbinders.  They were a thank you for an order and they were not in any sort of packaging or anything....and I have never used them.  I mean really, unless you're Telly from Sesame Street whatever are you going to use triangles for?  Except for the day that you look at the triangles and think....aha!!!  CHRISTMAS TREES!  So, with a bit of scrap patterned paper, stickles and an embossing folder here is my Blue Christmas!

For the tree trunks I used some scrap kraft paper....I crimped it then lightly distressed it with brown ink. Thank you for stopping by!  If you are like me it is a very busy time of year for you!  I hope you get everything done today that you need to get done!

Be well,
Sheila

Inspiration....

comes when you least expect it.  I was playing around with the Spellbinders Holiday Tree die recently and was trying to think of different ways to use it.  It is a big die....app 4 1/4  by 4 1/2 inches.  So, although it is a beautiful and intricate die I kept thinking very basic layouts with it.  Until I saw this card online at this site.....wow.     http://downunderdirectinspiration.blogspot.com/2012/09/holiday-tree-2012-cards.html    I never would have thought to go this direction with this die....and I just love the result!  How clever to use the die in a pair as a large, extended flourish.  I then went to work making a suitable center for this lovely flourish and, of course, came up with my favorite poinsettia die.  This time I decided to go with a selection of patterned papers and then distress them for a somewhat vintage look and I think that it worked out alright.  I probably will play with this idea a bit more before the end of the season!  The picture isn't that good....for some reason no matter what  picture or angle I took of this card it didn't turn out right!  Anyways, the site I listed above, down under direct has really beautiful cards and you all should def check it out if you love working with die cuts the way I do.  I think this idea with the Christmas tree is just genius and and could also see using a beautiful Christmas tree stamp that way also!

Thank you for visiting today!

Be well,
Sheila