The Other White Meat

I love this card and I think it is hysterical! Do you get it? The turkey is saying to not eat him for Thanksgiving and to eat the cute pig instead.
"If you are what you eat, eat something cute!" On the inside it says Happy Thanksgiving.

So this card is half punch art and then just some cut shapes since I didn't have any
punches that gave me the head and feet shapes I wanted.
The paper is Woodland Walk DSP and the stamp is from the Birthday Bakery stamp set.

Here is how I did it:

The body of the turkey is the bird punch out of Soft Suede card stock. Then I just trimmed the head off.

The wings are the bird punch wings but the head is cut freehand with a scissors out of Crumb Cake card stock.


The beak is from two bird wings overlapped and trimmed off.


The gobble is Red Riding Hood paper cut out with the leaf from the branch on the bird punch. The eyes are using the medium and small circles from the Owl Punch.


The pig is Pretty in pink card stock. The body is the 3/4" circle punch and head is the 1/2" circle punch. The ears are the middle circle from the owl punch trimmed a little and feet are the heart from the owl punch. The tail is a spiral cut out of the big circle on the owl punch and nose and eyes are the two smaller ones. The tail of the turkey is the wing from the bird punch cut in half with the ends rounded. I used two of them to get all four feathers.

Hope you think my card is as funny as I do! Ashley did not think it was funny and did not want anybody to eat the cute little pig!

Three Pumpkin Snowman Tutorial!

As promised, here is the snowman tutorial!

CLICK HERE to see the original pumpkins where I got this idea from.

There are three sections and here is what you need for them:
small - (11) - 4" x 3/4" strips
medium - (14) - 6" x 3/4" strips
large - (21) - 8" x 3/4" strips

First you are going to take your small strips and punch a hole in both ends using the Crop-a-dile. I used a 15" piece of 1/4" white grosgrain ribbon, put a jumbo brad through one end and stuck it through the end hole in one side of the small strips. I then put the other end of the ribbon through the other side. Then I put the ribbon through the middle sized strips.

Tip: If you want each section to be a certain height you can tie a knot in the ribbon before you put it through the other end hole on the small strips. Then put one end of the medium strips on and tie another knot. This will keep them from sliding up and down on the ribbon. This step is not in my photos.

Put the largest strips on and then use another jumbo brad through the end of the ribbon after cutting it the right height for your snowman.


Now you can spread out the bottom and top strips to form the ball. I used black pipe cleaners and just bent the ends to look like fingers. I would suggest dividing the middle strips in half and putting the pipe cleaner on before you expand them.
Tip: Once I had all the sections on, before expanding them, I put a wooden skewer through the center holes to keep the snowman from being too floppy. Or else you just have to lean him against something when you display him.


The hat is a 2 1/2" circle and 1 3/4" punched circle. The center part is a 6" x 2" strip scored 3/8" in from both long sides and then those edges are cut into little tabs like shown below.


Using Tombow glue you can roll the center strip and glue it to the inside of the small circle.


Then put glue on the other tabs and stick it to the center of the larger circle. Then I used red grosgrain ribbon and snail adhesive to wrap around the base of the hat. I put this on the snowman with Dimensionals. I used more ribbon to tie around the neck for a matching scarf.


Hope you have fun with it!

Three Pumpkin Snowman

I made a previous post with a pumpkin made out of strips of paper. I decided to take it one step further and make a snowman out of three different sized pumpkins!

Check back soon for the tutorial!
CLICK HERE to see how I made the pumpkin.

Fall Pumpkin Swap

Stamping Demonstrators are the Best! Because of everything that has been going on with Ashley I was not able to attend my Addison stamping meeting that I go to every month even though I had already replied that I was coming and swapping. Something last minute had come up so I emailed to say I couldn't go. My wonderful upline, Jen Heffernan, collected all the swaps from the ladies for me and mailed them to me and I will give mine out at the next meeting! So even thought I couldn't go I am still able to share some of the swaps because of the wonderful ladies that are in this group!

This swap is by Heather Seeley

One of the swaps was this great pumpkin (above) which I just had to try right away! (My pumpkin is at the top of this post.) My version of it is using the Sweet and Sour Specialty Designer Series Paper and the Leaves#2 Die for the Big Shot. I used (14)- 3/4" x 6" strips of DSP to make this. I used the crop-a-dile to put holes in both ends and used a jumbo brad to hold it together.

First cut your 3/4" x 6" strips of DSP. Using the crop-a-dile punch holes in both ends of each strip. Use a jumbo brad and a piece of grosgrain ribbon through one hole. Then tie a knot about 2 1/2" down the ribbon.


Thread the ribbon through the other hole and then tie a knot on the outside also.


Spread out your strips to make the pumpkin and then add your leaves!

Thanks for sending the swaps Jen!

If you want to be a part of this wonderful group of ladies CLICK HERE for more details to join my team!

French Foliage Gift Card Holder

I finally took a minute to look on some other blogs and found a great blog by Tessa Wise. I saw these two cards, this one and this one and thought I would use elements from both to make my card. I loved the way she tied the end of the ribbon with the button on the first card and loved the mini (3"x3") envelope in the second one! I folded my envelope a little differently so I could fit a gift card in the pocket.

I used the Just Believe and French Foliage stamp sets to make this card. The leaves are stamped in Early Espresso on Very Vanilla card stock and then sponged with More mustard and Cajun Craze. I cut them out and then used Crystal Effects to go over them. The card size is 5 1/2" square and does not open, you just flip open the front tab (4" square) to get the gift card.
For the mini leaf I just stamped the leaf stamp again and then cut out the shape with scissors. I think the little guy is so cute!

I put a small piece of Cajun Craze card stock over the sticky part of the 3" x 3" envelope so it would not seal the top flap shut by accident.
I love this 1 1/4" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon and the new Deck the Halls buttons! Can you tell?!

French Foliage Flower

I liked my poinsettia flower so much I just had to try it with some other colors too!
Here it is in Daffodil Delight card stock for the flower with Whisper White craft ink on it. The background paper is So Saffron since the white ink lightened the Daffodil petals so much.

You can see how I made this flower HERE!

Ashley Update

I just wanted to let you know that so far together we have raised over $1,700.00 for the American Diabetes Association through your generous donations in Ashley's name. Thank you so much for all of your support! Don't forget to keep telling people about how to get the purse. We are going to keep raising money until they come up with a cure!
I hope you are all enjoying your purses! I would love to see some pictures of what you have done with them!

If you have no idea what I'm talking about CLICK HERE for all the details!

I am also happy to say that Ashley is doing better and better every day. She is getting great at doing her finger pricks and she is getting much better about the insulin shots. I am thankful to say that this disease has not dampened her cheerful disposition and wonderful outlook on everything that she does. She is truly a special little girl.
Thank you for all of your wonderful emails and donations. You are a spectacular group of people.

Miniature Christmas Stockings

Here are my Miniature Christmas Stockings that I gave you a sneak preview of the other day! I made these to give out to future hostesses with a gift certificate in them. Each stocking is approximately 7" tall by 5" wide. They would be perfect for gift cards, money or gift certificates. They are also just the right size to fill with candy canes or other goodies.
It would look really cute as an ornament on a Christmas tree filled with mini presents or to be used as home decor on the mantel!

CLICK HERE to get the FREE template to make these!

Here are the instructions:
Print out the template and cut out two stockings exactly the same. I used a sewing machine to sew the two layers together but you could also use a thin line of Tombow adhesive and just use the white gel pen to draw faux stitches on.


Out of very Vanilla card stock I cut a 7 1/2" x 2 1/4" strip and folded it in half. I used the scallop edge punch starting at the crease so when you do both sides they will line up. I then stamped the leaves from the Peaceful Season stamp set on the edges.


Using Tombow you are going to glue the Vanilla top onto the stocking. I used the Crop-a-dile to put holes in and twine to keep the Deck the Halls button on.


Here is the finished button so the twine goes through all the holes. Now I used a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol and srayed only the red stocking part. This makes the paper pliable and easy to puff open the stocking so you can shape it. I used my bone folder to stick inside and open it up while its wet. It dries fast so work quick and don't get the stamped top wet or it will run. Once it's dry its easier to fill!

Here is another version using the same stamp set.

Hope you like them!

Stocking Sneak Preview

I am participating in a Homegrown and Handmade Festival tomorrow morning at one of the area schools. If any of you are close by it should be a really great event!

It's at Mettawee Elementary School in West Pawlet, VT at 9:00 AM tomorrow.
If you are in the area, stop on by! I am giving away these little stockings filled with a $10 gift certificate for anyone who books a stamping party tomorrow!
The tutorial and template for these will be up Saturday night or hopefully by Sunday so check back soon!

French Foliage Poinsettia

I saw a card with a poinsettia in the Stampin' Success magazine (Stampin' Up Demonstrators get this magazine each month full of great card and project ideas as well as new techniques and business info) this month that used the pearls for the middle and I got inspired. This is my version of that idea!

To make this card I used the Just Believe and French Foliage stamp sets. For the leaves of the Poinsettia I used the leaf from the French Foliage stamp set in Very Vanilla Craft ink on Cherry Cobbler paper with not too much Vanilla ink on my stamp. When you first stamp it on the paper it is comes out looking like Vanilla ink. If you give it a little time it will turn a light pink color and looks softer. Then I just cut out the leaves and used Dimensionals to put them together.
For the main part of the card I used Very Vanilla paper stamped with Early Espresso ink with the cursive words and then sponged with Soft Suede ink around the edges. I also used Early Espresso paper for the outline of the Vanilla pieces.
The "believe" sentiment is from the Just Believe stamp set and is inked with the Cherry Cobbler marker and stamped on the 1/2" wide strip of paper.

I love this card.

Halloween Witch

Here is my punch art Halloween Witch! You can see below how I made her!
This is a 5 1/2" square card.

head- large oval punch in wild wasabi
nose- owl punch, the ear cut off the top of the owl body in wild wasabi
eyes-owl punch, medium and small holes, so saffron and black
chin- owl punch, medium hole cut in half
neck- word window
hair- wide oval punch with bottom cut flat
hat-brim and top part, large oval punch. triangular scrap for part that is folded over.
broom- crumb cake large oval cut in half for top
body-wide oval in concord crush, the skirt is just a scrap cut out
arms- modern label punch folded over
cauldron-2 1/2" circle in black. top and bottom done with 3/8" strips put in word window punch
flames- wide oval with flame part cut out.
smoke- black rhinestones

Here is just the face put together and the hair goes behind.


For the brim of the hat I traced it from behind and then cut out the center so it fits over the head and hair.


Here is the top oval put on and then the small triangle piece to make it look like it bends over.


Here is the wide oval punch re-punching to make the top of the body. Then just cut the triangle out at the neck.

Hope you like her!

Diabetes Purse Success!

I want to thank you all so much for the great success that the Diabetes Purse has been to raise money for the American Diabetes association in my daughters name. Together we have raised over $1500 so far! This is beyond my wildest dreams of what could be raised and I hope you know what wonderful kind hearted people you all are.
So many of you wrote me wonderful emails wishing us luck with this new wrinkle in our lives and also sharing stories and offering support. I wish I could email each one of you back but the response has been so overwhelming I am sorry but I just don't have enough time in the day! Please know that I have read every email and also shared many with my husband and your kind words have touched my heart.
I also want to say a special thank you to all of you who have put the purse photo and link on your own blog so it can reach as many people as possible. You are truly wonderful.

The purse will stay up on my site and will continue to be available so anyone else who would like the tutorial CLICK HERE for all of the details!