12 Kits of Occasions: Baby Edition

Christmas has come and gone and the new year is almost here...time for our monthly 12 Kits of Occasions blog post and after waiting almost a year...it's finally my turn to play hostess.  Our "baby" month theme could not be more perfect for me, while I was waiting for our first grandson to be born I have been collecting all kinds of papers, stamps and dies for my kit with almost "zero" guilt involved.  I am sure I can use every item I bought later on when I make baby scrapbooks...right?  I am sticking to that rationale!  I started my kit off with digital patterned papers from Echo Park, Bundle of Joy boy/girl editions and built the rest of the kit from there.  As always, a complete list of kit ingredients can be found on our 12 Kits of Occasions blog under the tab titled 2014 Monthly Kit Ingredients.

December Kit Ingredients:

Photo courtesy of Kara

I made seven cards this month...my favorite one up first:

I always tuck a gift card into nearly every baby card I make...the little envelopes in the kit are perfect for adding a gift card.  This is the boy version.

Of course I had to make a Baby Girl edition of the same card...loved that pink elephant!

Wouldn't this be a sweet mobile hanging over a baby's crib?

 This piece of patterned paper made it easy to complete a card...just add a die cut sentiment.

The Bundle of Joy digital elements kit has lots of cute little images that match the patterned paper.

I used my silhouette to turn a cute train image into a Print/Cut image...I could never have cut that train out so perfectly on my own!

I loved the sweet duck image and added a pinked rectangle cut from some of the matching patterned paper.

That's enough from me this month, but there are 12 other designers who have also made fun baby cards with our December kit.  This month, we have a special guest joining us...Lynn Mangan of The Mango Boys & Me.  I have always loved Lynn's cards and the fun blog stories she tells about those four boys of hers!  Please be sure to stop by her blog and see what she has made from my kit this month.

Lynn Mangan

Jeanne Jachna

Joyce Mehrberg

Kim Heggins

Renee Lynch

Tracey McNeeley

Marybeth Lopez

Kelly Schirmer

Lindsey Larsen

Sharron Gregory

Kara Vrabel

Jessica Davis

Top Dog Dies: Vintage Alphabet Christmas

Last night I finally had a little time to catch up on holiday card posting...I got to babysit our sweet baby Jaxon for a few hours this weekend.  You can't do much else when you are holding a cute little baby in your arms, so here's a card I made using Top Dog Dies Vintage Alphabet Die Set.

I die cut a great big stack of red letters using Top Dog Dies Vintage Alphabet Die set...it's very easy as the dies are altogether on one die.   Then, the hard part, trying to think up as many six letter holiday words as I could come up with!  I admit I cheated and did a google search.  The letters were run through my Xyron and arranged in as straight a line as I could come up with and still have them fit on an A2 card base.  The final row was cut in black and was my attempt to make this card look a bit like Santa and his black belt.

Top Dog Dies has lots of holiday dies available in their store...here's a link to their store for a little last minute craft shopping!

Here's my favorite photo of Jaxon...so far!

12 Kits of Occasions: November with Kim

This may just be the quickest post I ever will write...I will show why I was preoccupied at the end of the post.  This month's edition of 12 Kits of Occasions is hosted by Kim of Cupcakes, Cards & Kim.  Kim sent our whole group a gigantic package of all kinds of Christmas ingredients and I am sure you will love what everyone in our group has made with them.  Here are the kit ingredients:

Photo courtesy of Kara

I made three cards with Kim's kit...I loved the die cuts!

Like I said, this post will be short but for all the details about Kim's kit and to see what the other members of the 12 Kits of Occasions have come up with...please visit the 12 Kits of Occasions blog.

Thank you Kim for a great November kit!

Here's why I was a little pre-occupied and was in such a rush to write up my post:

My first grandson, Jaxon Weber, born on Saturday Nov 29th at 6:33 am after a "quick" 20 hour labor and eventual C-Section.  Adorable and well worth the wait!

The Card Concept and 25 Tags of Christmas

 

Welcome to the Card Concept Challenge!  This week we have some extra-special fun for you...The Card Concept is joining our good friend Tracey McNeely for her annual holiday challenge, The 25 Days of Christmas Tags!

For specific details, you can check out Tracey's blog...but in a nutshell, there are lots of PRIZES available from companies we all know and love just for leaving a comment on Tracey's blog here...but all of the designers for the entire 25 days are each drawing a name from their blogpost for an additional chance to win one of these great prizes...so, PLEASE leave a comment for me!

  

 

   

How do you participate?  First, take a look at the inspiration photo for the challenge:

All you have to do to participate for the Card Concept challenge is make a tag...or a card with a tag that has a snowman on it in one of the Card Concept Design styles:

Clean and Simple

Clean and Layered

Clean and Graphic

Freestyle Collage

Shabby Chic

Classy and Elegant

 I can not imagine any crafter not having at least one snowman image or die...if not, what a good excuse to go out and get one! Here's the tag I made:

I used some new dies from Top Dog Dies for my tag, lucky me that there was an adorable snowman die just released.  I used Top Dog Dies Snowman Globe Die Set as well as a brand new Top Dog Dies Gift Tag Die Set .  I especially love the cute to/from diecuts...so easy now to make a very quick and easy gift tag!

You have a lot of work to do now!

Leave a comment on my blog for a chance to win a prize.

Leave a comment on Tracey's blog for a chance to win a prize.

Leave a comment on all of the other Card Concept Design Team Members posts for yet another chance to win a prize!

Finally...get busy making your own tag with a snowman and link it up over at the Card Concept Challenge Blog...I can't wait to see all the fabulous snowmen you all create!

Thank you Tracey for including me in your annual 25 Days of Christmas Tags!

This weekend I needed a fun birthday card for a 4 year old boy and my first thought was the cute Top Dog Dies Dragon die...what little boy wouldn't love to see a "friendly-looking" dragon on their birthday card?  My little nephew is quite the talker...very funny and always says the cutest things, so I love the fun sentiment dies included with Top Dog Dies Thanks A2 Mat Die set.  The "You rock" sentiment seems like it was made for the dragon die...don't you think?

I also added some cute banners (Top Dog Dies Banners #1 Die Set) along the top attached with a staple and a bright red #4 using Top Dog Dies Vintage Numbers Die Set.

Top Dog Dies has just released a whole bunch of new dies, some for the holidays and some all-occasion dies too.  If you haven't seen them yet, here's a quick link for you to follow...you are going to want to see them!

Top Dog Dies November Release: Thanks A2 Mat Die

The Top Dog Dies Design Team has been very busy the last few weeks and the day we have all been waiting for has finally arrived.  Top Dog Dies is releasing six brand new dies which will be available in the Top Dog Dies Store today!  The Design Team will be sharing cards made with the new dies all week long, and today I am sharing my favorite die...Top Dog Dies Thanks A2 Mat Die.

The Top Dog Dies Thanks A2 Mat Die cuts a perfect frame making it very easy to create a quick and easy Thank You card that really packs a punch.  It's also detailed, yet makes for a nice, flat easy to mail card.  My daughter-in-law has been receiving so many presents for our soon to be born grandson and she asked me to make a few extra special thank you cards for some of the handmade blankets and quilts she received.  I also used the Baby Stroller from Top Dog Dies Baby On Board Die Set which looks super sparkly with the rhinestone star embellishments.  Now that you have seen my favorite die of the release...here's a picture of the other dies being released today at Top Dog Dies.

Be sure to go check out all the other projects using the new November dies...here's a link to make it extra easy for you to jump right over to the store.

Top Dog Dies: Naughty or Nice?

Have you ever had an idea for a card that is way outside of your comfort zone?  Did you end up making it?  That was how I felt a few days ago when I had a card idea using the Top Dog Dies Corset Die.  I decided to go ahead and make the card that I envisioned even though I am not exactly sure when I will actually use this card.

Top Dog Dies Corset Die is going to be the die I always think of when I need to make a bachelorette or bridal shower card.  I love all the intricate details on the die and today I added some white pom-poms to turn it into a holiday corset...not sure Mrs. Claus could fit into this one...I know I sure couldn't!  I used Top Dog Dies Scalloped Frame and Mat Die Set for the base of my card and added some embroidery floss stitching through the scalloped openings.  I thought it was a nice contrast against the red and white.  The sentiment is digital and is printed on vellum so the candy cane print can shine through.  This card would be perfect for a bridal lingerie shower that falls near the holidays, so I'm going to tuck this one away and wait for just that kind of occasion.  

12 Kits of Occasions: October with Jessica

After today's post, I know it is officially Fall, not only the much nicer weather, but also time to start creating some fun, Autumn-themed cards.  I am extra lucky this month that Jessica of The Paper Parade is our 12 Kits of Occasions hostess and she sent us a fabulous package of goodies to play with.  Jessica's kit really put me in the Fall spirit!

Here's what I made with Jessica's kit:

 Jessica included some beautiful patterned papers and cute script die cuts...this card is my favorite!

 I almost cut this subway panel apart to use separately...but I could just not make myself take the scissors to such a perfectly stamped panel.  I used it as patterned paper instead.  Isn't that a cute turkey?

Once again the patterned paper shines...and I loved the wooden leaf that Jessica included with our kit.

For complete details on the stamps, papers and die cuts included in our October kit, just check out the 12 Kits of Occasions blog...all the details will be at your fingertips.  In the meantime, check out what the other members of our 12 Kits of Occasions group have created for Fall.

Joyce

 Jeanne

 Jessica

 Kara

 Kelly

 Kim 

Marybeth 

Renee

Sharron

 Tracey

Lindsey

 

Card Concept Challenge #22: Thank "fall"

The weather is definitely changing...even in California we are having some comfortably warm days with nice, crisp nights.  It definitely is Fall...which brings me to this week's Card Concept Challenge #22.  This week's theme is Thank"fall" and wait until you see the photo we had to work with...so cozy and definitely perfect for Fall.

It's a no-brainer that the colors were beautiful this week, but it was the beautiful texture of the cream colored siding on the house that inspired my card representing the Freestyle Collage design style.

In addition to the embossing folder to mimic the siding, I used lots of coordinating bits of patterned paper to die cut my banners, leaves, acorns and hexagons.  Freestyle Collage is such a fun design style to use...there's almost nothing you can't add to your card and have it still fit that category...a great time to use up all those little pieces and extra die cuts you have lying around.

Since we've almost reached our one year anniversary for the Card Concept Challenge, I am sure you all know how to play along by now...just make a card using the theme and in one of the six different card making styles.

Clean and Simple

Clean and Layered

Clean and Graphic

Freestyle Collage

Shabby Chic

Classy and Elegant

You have two weeks to play along...the contest ends on Monday, November 10th at noon, PST.

Top Dog Dies: My Happy Place

Being a cat lover...I have watched many times as my cats stared intently through our windows watching birds fly in and out of the trees outside our home.  When I got my Top Dog Dies Cool Cats Die Set, I set out to re-create the scene I have seen over and over.  I used Top Dog Dies Scalloped Frame and Mat Die Set to create my window scene.  This die creates the most perfect cutout for a window with a really cute scalloped detail.

I stamped a tree outline, added a bird's nest and some eggs to further tempt my sweet kitty silhouette made from Top Dog Dies Cool Cats Die Set.  I love the two cats in this set, and the banners are also part of the Top Dog Dies Cool Cats Die Set...notice the cute little mouse cutout?  

If you don't already have this die set...you NEED it and there are lots of ideas of how to use them in the Top Dog Dies gallery...take a look here.

Top Dog Dies Fall Foliage Birthday

I am writing this from vacation in Montana...and finally, I am really able to see some beautiful Fall colors!  Brown, and more brown leaves are all I have been seeing at home, so what a welcome sight!  Today I am sharing a birthday card I made using some very colorful Top Dog Dies Fall Foliage leaves.  Top Dog Dies has just released some beautiful Fall, Winter and Holiday dies.  If you haven't seen them yet...get on over there!  Nine new dies have just been released just in time to help you get busy on your holiday cards.  Here's a link to the Top Dog Dies Store.

My task this week was to make a "colorful" card...I think the shiny bright foil leaves quality as colorful...don't you?  I used origami paper to die cut the leaves with Top Dog Dies Fall Foliage Die Set and layered them all on top of each other.  The foil really shows off the embossed detail on the leaves.  I also used Top Dog Dies Vintage Numbers Dies for the "29".  My daughter-in-law was a very good sport when I gave this card to her...I'm not sure how many more years I will be able to get away with putting the numbers on card...I'm thinking 30 is about as high as I should push it!

Please stop the by the Top Dog Dies Store and check out our new dies...you will love them!

Fall Foliage October Birthday

I needed a birthday card in a hurry yesterday...had to get it in the mail or else I would need to use a belated birthday sentiment, so I used one of Top Dog Dies recent release dies as the focal point of a very CAS card. 

Top Dog Dies Fall Foliage Die Set includes two leaves and a cute little acorn that have such beautifully embossed details to them...I am thinking these leaves could be used all year long.  I made my leaf a bright red to give it a nice contrast to the white card base.  Wouldn't this simple design make a quick and easy set of "All Occasion notecards"?  

A Lab for All Seasons

Just a heads up...today I am sharing a project on the Top Dog Dies Blog...and for anyone who is a dog lover (especially Labs),  I hope you will stop by and see what I have made!

Here's a sneak peak (They are refrigerator magnets):

Follow this link to the Top Dog Dies Blog