Hand-Penned Holidays - Sketch Challenge

Good evening!  I simply can not believe how quickly this month is going, Christmas is less than two weeks away and my to do list seems to be growing faster than I can check things off.  I must admit that with all the Chrismas projects I've been working I was very excited to take a break to try out items from my Occasions mini catalog preorder items and make this beautiful Valentine's day card for this weeks Stamping 411 challenge. 

The stamp set for this weeks card is Hand-penned Holidays from the mini catalog but I used lots of goodies from the upcoming mini catalog, including:  Twitterpatted designer series paper, Twitterpated designer buttons, Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Fashionable Hearts Embosslit die, the fabulous Adorning Accents edgelit dies, and the Adorning Accents textured embossing folders. 

These edgelits were so fun, first I used the edgelit and ran it through the Big Shot to cut the paper, then I used the coordinating embossing folder to emboss the mirror cut along the edge, so fun and easy!

I love how this card turned out it's absolutely beautiful!  It was also very refreshing to change things up a little.  Hope you enjoy and just think, you can get your hands on the items in the new mini catalog in three weeks!

Enjoy,

Diana

December Stamp-a-Stack

Good morning!  I'm so excited to share with you some of the cards for this months stamp-a-stack class.  To change things up we're going to do a One Sheet Wonder class where we use on sheet of paper with the same design and colors to create 8 different cards.  The great thing about this is the veratility to create cards for any occasion.

There's still time to register for this Sunday's class so I hope to see you there.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Diana

Petite Pairs - Sketch Challenge

Good evening friends.  I don't know about you but this week has definately gotten away from me.  We have activities everynight and on top of that I've had some really hot items at work.  Despite all of this I really enjoy participating in the Stamping 411 challenges each week and I loved this weeks sketch since it was clean and simple and a great opportunity to spotlight some of our great designer paper.  This card uses the Berry Blossoms DSP which is bright and cheery and great break from all the Christmas projects I've been working on.   

This card also uses three of the new fabulous in colors:  Lucky Limeade, Wisteria Wonder, and Calypso Coral, as well as the fun new ruffled ribbon.  This card is really straight forward, the greeting is from the Petite Pairs stamp set and uses the small oval punch (retired) and oval punch.

This card is so bright and cheery it will definately brighten someone's day. I hope you enjoy the card and feel free to have fun playing with this sketch yourself.

Happy stamping,

Diana

Bells and Boughs - Sketch Challenge

Good evening!  I hope you all had an enjoyable holiday weekend.  We had a fantastic time visiting friends and Aidan had a great time playing with his "cousins" and was sad when it was time to go.  We were also able to be out for Black Friday shopping and had a great time nabbing some great deals in the middle of the night.  I was very excited when I saw this weeks Stamping 411 challenge, not only is it pretty simple, but I'm known for keeping my designs pretty straight and inline and this card was fun to be a little "off kilter." 

This card uses the Holly Berry Bouquet Speciality DSP as the focal point and to draw all the colors used.  I also used the new Houndstooth embossing folder with the Big Shot on the Early Espresso layer for texture.  The greeting is from the Bells and Boughs stamp set.  I also used the Pines and Poinsettias stamp set and Wild Wasabi ink to stamp the background on the tag before punching it out with the Decorative Label punch.  I used the Modern Label punch and the same DSP to punch out the backup tag and cut in half so I could extend them to show behind the greeting.  The final touch is a small bow with the Real Red 1/8" taffeta ribbon.

This card is so pretty and simple that it would be great to make multiples and show off some of our fabulous designer series paper.  I hope you enjoy and have a great week.

Happy stamping,

Diana

Gently Falling - Sketch Challenge

Good evening!  I hope you had a good weekend.  I had a great time at a team meeting on Saturday and stamp class today as well as starting to put up Christmas decorations (I'm happy to report our tree is up, decorated, and beautiful).  I saw a sample of this emboss resist technique at my meeting yesterday and knew it would be perfect for this weeks Stamping 411 challenge once I saw the sketch. 

The card base is Crumb Cake with a piece of Spice Cake designer paper.  The main focal image started with a piece of Very Vanilla cardstock.  I used the En Francis stamp set and Crumb Cake ink to stamp the background words.  Then I stamped the solid leaf image from the Gently Falling stamp set with Versamark ink and embossed it with Whisper White embossing powder.  Then I used a stamping sponge to add Pear Pizzaz and Early Espresso ink around the leaf.  I also sponged the edges with Crumb Cake ink. 

The finished image was matted on an Early Espresso scallop square piece that I cut out with the Scallop Square Duo die and the Big Shot.  The ribbon is Crumb Cake 3/8" taffeta ribbon and I used one of the Antique Brads in the center.  The greeting is from the Petite Pairs stamp set, which is quickly becoming one of my new favorite greeting sets,that was punched out with the oval punch and sponged with Pear Pizzaz ink.

I love how this card turned out!  It has so much dimension and texture.

I hope you enjoy and happy stamping!

Diana

Online Extravaganza - STARTS TOMORROW!!

Online Extravaganza, Stampin' Up!'s annual sale to kick off the holiday shopping season, will begin TOMORROW, Monday, November 21, 2011, and run through Wednesday, November 30, 2011.  You may place orders either through my Online Store or by e-mailing me directly at cdeichfeld@msn.com.

You'll want to be sure to log in to my Online Store on
Monday, November 21, to take advantage of great savings!

-FREE digital downloads valued at $40 when you buy My Digital Studio Express,
-60 percent off select Designer Fabrics,
-30 percent off an exclusive ribbon bundle!

And WOW - look at this!
There will be two items on sale for 24 hours only (November 21, 12:01 AM - 11:59 PM [MT]) That's 2:01 AM - 1:59 PM EST
-so make sure you don't miss the first 24 hours of Online Extravaganza!

I know I'll be setting my alarm for early tomorrow to make sure to check out this great sale!

Please let me know if you have any questions or need assistance.

Christmas Stamp-a-Stack

Good afternoon!  I wanted to drop by to share with you the projects for this weekends Stamp-a-Stack.  You are going to LOVE this class, there are so many fun techniques, folds, accessories, and stamp sets and I can't wait to share them with you.  Since this is a Christmas class we still have the add on option but will be making three everyday cards (they use the Spice Cake fabric which is so beautiful).  Check them out below....

There's still time to register, but contact me soon to reserve your spot.!

Hope to see you Sunday,

Diana

Gently Falling and Spice Cake Thanksgiving Creations

Good morning.  As I've shared with you previously I have absolutely fallen in love with the new Gently Falling Stamp set and Spice Cake DSP.    Today I have two things to share with you.  The first is a thanksgiving card.  I stamped the Very Vanilla cardstock with the different leaf images.  Then I stamped the greeting from the Hand-Penned Holidays stamp set on a piece of vellum paper that I tore along the bottom.  The final touch was a strip of Spice Cake DSP and then an Early Espresso 1/8" Taffeta ribbon bow.  I made a whole batch of these cards so we're all set to send thanksgiving greetings.

The second project I have to share is a box I decorated for a thanksgiving gift using the Kraft boxes and Spice Cake DSP.  I cut several pieces of DSP and mounted them on Soft Suede cardstock and added them to the sides and top of the box.  Then I took a 2" x 12" strip of DSP and used the Simply Scored tool to create a lolly rosette.  On top of that is a small scallop circle punched out of DSP and added a ribbon with a Very Vanilla 1/8" Very Vanilla taffeta ribbon knot.

These  boxes are so easy and pretty I've made several other's for christmas gifts to be prepared for those last minute christmas gifts (the great thing is that the small Bath and Body Works candles fit perfectly in the box (easy peasy!)

Hope you enjoy,

Diana

Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps

Good morning!  So I wrote this weekend that we used Stampin' Up's new Sweet Pressed Cookie Stamps this weekend and thought I would share some pictures and tips.

I used the Sugar Cookie receipe that was included with the stamp set.  In the first batch (pictured below) I split the dough and colored half blue for the snowflakes.  I stamped the dough balls right after making them.  Making them this way they tended to spread more and have cracked edges.

This next picture is of a package I created with the cookies just to show a simple way to present them as gifts.

Saturday morning I made a second batch of dough and refridgerated the individual dough balls so the kids to stamp them during class.  We also used a biscuit cutter to trim the edges to make them smooth.  Both versions turned out great and taste great, like shortbread cookies.

These were fun to make and the kids had a blast.  I preferred the cookies using the refrigerated dough and will definately be making them again.

Don't miss out on getting your cookie stamps, perfect for the upcoming holidays!

Enjoy,

Diana

Easy Events - Sketch Challenge

What a beautiful weekend!  I had a great class Saturday morning for kid's and had a great time making holiday gifts and cards (I think the chocolate was one of the highlights).  We also got to make cookies with the new cookie stamps and have them for snack, yummy!  I decided to carry on with the kids theme for this weeks Stamping 411 challenge  and since we have two friends who had babies recently I thought baby cards would be perfect.

This card uses the Easy Events and Baby Bundle (greeting) stamp sets.  The designer paper is Nursery Nest and I used it to get the color combination.  The card is pretty straight forward, I used the 2 1/2" circle punch for the accent circle and Marina Mist 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon for the bow.  Now check out the sketch we were provided...

Since I needed both a girl and a boy baby card I made two cards, and here's the boy version.  These cards cards turned out so cute, I know the families will really enjoy them.

Hope you enjoy and have a great week!

Happy stamping,

Diana

Halloween Treats

Happy Halloween!  I wanted to share with you two of the treats we made for the kids this Halloween.  The first is a "smore" kit that has graham crackers, chocolate bars, and ghost Peeps.  The toppers were quick and easy using the Warmest of Wishes and Teenie Tiny Wishes stamp set and the owl and moder label punches.  The designer paper is Frightful Nights.  These are going to be handed out to some of our neighbor friends.

The next treat is what we made for Aidan's classmates.  The idea came from Monika Davis, see hers here.  It recycles the brown packing paper that comes in our Stampin' Up shipping boxes and the clear scallop square die and Big Shot to create an envelope.  After gluing the sides I ran each side through the crimper and then punched out the moon and bat.  The owl is from the Warmest of Wishes stamp set and is then punched out with the owl punch.  The final touch is the greeting from the Teenie Tiny Wishes stamp set.  There's plenty of room in the packet for an eraser, pencil, and a couple pieces of candy (sure to have something for everyone to enjoy!)

Hope you have a fun and safe day!

Diana

Wicked Cool - Sketch Challenge

Good evening!  We had another weekend packed with family fun which included a rare October snow on Saturday (thankfully it didn't stick around but boy was it cold!)  Tonight I had to finish up the last minute Halloween projects for tomorrow so I thought I would use this weeks Stamping 411 challenge for the last card I needed.  This sketch is nice and easy which makes it easy to make multiple cards quickly and can be adapted for any occassion. 

This card uses the Wicked Cool stamp set, Frightful Sight DSP, Basic Rhinestones, Old Olive 1/8" Taffeta Ribbon, Basic Black 3/8" Polka Dot Scallop Ribbon (using the reverse side), 1 3/8" circle punch, and the scallop circle punch.

Hope you enjoy and have a happy Halloween tomorrow!

Happy stamping,

Diana

Fun Little Spider Halloween Greetings

Good morning!  We're just a couple of days away from halloween, where has this month gone?  Today I want to show you another halloween card I made for our family.  When the new catalog was released in July I immediately knew I had to have the Kidoodles stamp set.  The images are so cute and perfect for little ones and this spider in particular makes me giggle everytime I see it. 

This card is pretty straight forward, here's a list of items I used:

Kidoodles Stamp Set

Big Shot

Spider Web Embossing Folder

Frightful Sights DSP

Whisper White, Cajun Craze, Old Olive, and Cherry Cobbler Cardstock

Basic Black 3/8" Polka Dot Scallop Grosgrain Ribbon

This card is sure to please.  Hope you enjoy!

Happy Stamping,

Diana

Fun Little Spooky Bingo Bits

Today's an exciting day, Aidan has his first 1st grade field trip and is heading to Belvedere Plantation to learn the life cycle of pumpkins.  The funny thing is that I think he's just as excited to the bus to the plantation than the field trip itself (he told me this morning the bus is really cool because it has a bathroom, I guess it's the little things!)  Anyway, today I wanted to share the card I make to give my little pumpkin on Halloween.  Aidan loves getting handmade cards and is so appreciative of the effort people go through to make him something (soo sweet!) and I knew he would love some of the cute images from the new Spooky Bingo Bits stamp set.

This card came together really easy with the new 1" square punch and coordinating postage stamp punch.  In addition this card uses the Frightful Sight DSP, Old Olive Satin Ribbon, and the ruffle is made with Cajun Craze cardstock that was punched with the eyelet border punch and then I ran it through the crimper a couple of times to help break down the fibers.  Then I just folded the cardstock over to make the pleats.  The final touch was a greeting from the Wicked Cool stamp set.

I love how cute this card turned out and can't wait to see Aidan's reaction.

Hope you enjoy and happy stamping!

Diana

Welcome Christmas - Sketch Challenge

Happy Sunday!  I had a great crafting weekend.  I spent the last three days at the RemARKable Hot Retreat hosted by Janet Wakeland and loved spending time with some fabulously creative women and getting lots done (and very little sleep).  One of the things I had to do was make my card for this weeks Stamping 411 challange and what better thing than having the option to use a stamp set that I don't own for this challenge, in this case Welcome Christmas.   

The main image is stamped in early espresso, then I stamped the "Joy" saying over top with Wild Wasabi ink (which was stamped off first) to create a subtle effect.  The DSP is Holly Berry Bouquet and I used some of the yummy Early Espresso 3/8" Quilted Satin Ribbon.  The greeting is from the Perfect Punches stamp set and is punched out with the scallop circle punch.  For the accent behind the greeting I punched out a snowflake using the snowflake punch and red glimmer paper.  I had to cut apart the snowflake and attached the individual pieces behind the scallop circle so it would show up.

I love this card, very classic and so pretty in person with all the texture.

Hope you have a great week.

Happy stamping,

Diana

Merry & Type - Sketch Challenge

Good evening!  Where has the week gone?  We have been running non-stop and Chris has been in California this week so we're really excited for him to get home tomorrow night.  I've spent so much time making fall cards lately I was determined to make something different for this weeks Stamping 411 challenge.   I loved the new Merry and Type stamp set since the July and I just received it in my last order and have been anxious to break it in.
I got the color scheme for the card from the Letters to Santa DSP (love it!) which includes Marina Mist, Old Olive, and Early Espresso. I also used the Big Shot to emboss the DSP strips into the Old Olive cardstock with the Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder.

I also used Marina Mist 1/8" taffeta ribbon and the Basic Pearls to accent the greeting. The greeting uses the Petite Pairs stamp set and the decorative label punch to cut out the cute greeting tag. I saw this great technique on Patty Bennett's website check her video out HERE! What a fun way to use this punch!

This card is very pretty in person, love it!

Happy stamping,

Diana

Kid's Holiday Class - There's Still Time to Sign Up!

This is a reminder that there is still time to sign up for the upcoming Kid's Holiday class.  Check out the flyer below for all the details and contact me soon to reserve your spot!

Fall Picture Frame - Simply Scored Style

 One of the great new items that Stampin' Up! released with the Holiday Mini catalog was the Simply Scored Board.  Now I will admit I have a score board from a competitor but never really used it since it didn't seem to work quite right.  After seeing Stampin' Ups board at convention this summer I new I had to give this one a try and I have to admit, I love it!  It seems like everywhere you look people are making wreaths with these pleated circles (called lollies) so I set out to make one of my own to get used to the board.  After making about a dozen of these, which were a breeze I decided to make something different, so I decorated a picture frame which will match the grapevine pumpkins I made, check them out HERE!

Here are some close ups of the lollies and decorations (lots of buttons and ribbons!)

Here's a closeup of the greeting (uses the Day of Gratitude and Gently Falling Stamp sets, along with the decorative label punch).

I love how this frame turned out, now it's time to find the perfect picture.

Enjoy!

Diana

Gently Falling - Sketch Challenge

 Happy Sunday!  What a beautiful weekend, I hope you were able to enjoy it.  I must admit, I've definitely am in the mood for fall and can't stop using the Gently Falling stamp set so when I saw this weeks Stamping 411 sketch challenge I knew this would be perfect.

This card is pretty simple because of all the punches used but is beautiful in person.




So here's a list of what I used:
  * Stamp set(s):  Gently Falling, Teeny Tiny Wishes
  * Paper:  Very Vanilla, Pool Party, More Mustard, Early Espresso, Spice Cake DSP
  * Ink:  Early Espresso, More Mustard, Pear Pizzaz
  * Accessories:  1/8" Early Espresso Taffeta Ribbon, 1 1/4" Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, Modern Label Punch, Basics Brads and Vintage Wallpaper Embossing Folder.

This card sketch is so versatile and can be used for any occasion.

Have a great week!

Diana

 

House of Haunts - Sketch Challenge

Happy Tuesday friends!  Things are happy in the Eichfeld house tonight, Aidan is in bed and we just watched the Phillies win (one more to go, whoo hoo!)  I'm back again with a card for this weeks Stamping 411 sketch challenge and decided to focus on halloween this week. 

The cardbase is Old Olive and has a piece of Frightful Sight DSP on top which has been sponged around the edge with Cajin Craze classic ink.  The main stamped image is a piece of Whisper White cardstock cut into an oval and is stamped with the haunted house from the House of Haunts stamp set and is stamped with Basic Black.  Then I used a 1 1/4" circle punch to create a mask to sponge the moon image and house windows with Peach Parfait ink.  Then I took the circle cut out and covered up the moon to sponge the rest of the cardstock with Peach Parfait, Old Olive, Cajin Craze, and Concord Crush inks.  The border was created by using the eyelet border punch on a strip of Cajin Craze cardstock and then I ran it through the paper crimper multiple times to help breakdown the fibers.  Next I ran a border of sticky strip around the back of the oval and started pleating the strip around the back of the oval.  

The ribbon is Basic Black 1/8" taffeta ribbon that was wrapped around the DSP and then used for the bow as well.  The words are from the new Spooky Bingo Bits stamp set that was punched out with the 1" circle punch and then matted with a 1 1/4" circle.

Such a fun card and so spooky for the holiday, hope you enjoy.

Happy stamping,

Diana