Halloween Recap Part 1

I guess this is actually part two - since I already shared our pumpkin carving with you!  I hope that you had a wonderful Halloween weekend!  We had a fabulous weekend - carving pumpkins, a birthday party, Trick or Treating and more.  Lots and lots of beautiful memories made!

For the little ones in my life - I put together some Halloween gift bags with tags.  I had the best intentions for the longest time to SEW the bags themselves out of felt - I have all the supplies and everything - but time got away with me and lots of exciting changes have been happening in my life this past week (more on that to come later this week...) and I just ran out of time.

I used the Fang-Tastic stamp set from the Holiday Mini Catalog.  I love this set and have used it more than anything else in the mini catalog thus far.  This set will only be available until December 31.  Visit my online store today if you'd like to pick up this set for yourself - it's so cute!

The vampires were the boys' bags and the witches indicated the girls' bags...

I inked the edges of the white cardstock using a Pumpkin Pie ink pad for an extra spooky effect...

I have a thing for curling ribbon.  Putting these together got me excited about Christmas wrapping.  I LOVE to wrap Christmas gifts!

I thought they turned out really cute - and the kids certainly enjoyed them!  I filled them with sweet treats (of course!), plus a Halloween book, some play doh, and more.

More Halloween recaps and Trick or Treating photos tomorrow!  Happy Monday!

Hello, Baby!

I put together yet another baby gift this weekend - and while I can't share what's inside this bag (which is a simple drawstring bag I sewed myself with some wide ribbon as a closure) since its recipient may very well be reading, I can tell you about the tag I made for it.

In fact, I liked the tag so much that I used the entire Animal Stories stamp set to create a set of tags to stash away for the next baby gift.  Because you know there's lots more to come!

Gift tags are such a useful thing to have a stash of, don't you think?

The ink colors I used for the images were More Mustard, Pumpkin Pie, Old Olive, Pacific Point.  I inked the sentiment and edges of the circles in Early Espresso, and used the 1 3/4 inch circle punch and the XL scallop circle punch with some hemp twine to create the tags.  The "hello baby" sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set.  Purchase all of these products and more on my Stampin' Up! website.

Quick Birthday Card & Wrapping

One of my customer's and friends, Kim, had a birthday party for her daughter Zoe this weekend.  Zoe comes to stamp a stacks with Kim and loves to stamp - so I thought it was only fitting that I sent a little hand stamped card and gift over for her.  It was a great excuse to play with a pink and girly design!

I used the Birthday Bakery stamp set, which is a level one hostess set, on pretty in pink cardstock with melon mambo ink.  I colored in the cupcake with blender pens and of course, some glitter applied with a 2-way glue pen.  To finish, I used some raven lace trim from the Holiday Mini Catalog.

I stamped an image inside the card, in the bottom right corner.  I almost never stamp images or sentiments on the inside of a card, I just leave it blank.  I think I was having too much fun and wanted the opportunity to add more glitter!

I had a lunch sack style pink paper bag that I put some little treats in and used the same lace ribbon and stamps (and yes, more glitter!) to coordinate it with the card.

It's not often I get to design a card for a child - so this was extra fun.  Come to think of it, it's not often I get to design a card that's not for a workshop, stamp a stack, or other stamping event.  This was a lot of glittery fun!  Happy Monday!

To order any of the Stampin' Up! products shown here, head to my online store and click on "Shop Now"  To find out how you can earn the Birthday Bakery hostess set for FREE, contact me about hosting a workshop at joanneroehm@yahoo.com

Christmas Stamp A Stacks / Open Studios

It's never too soon to be thinking about Christmas Cards! I'm hosting four Christmas card making events in November and December to help you get your cards done before the holiday madness sets in.

Each event will last four hours (come for some or all of the time), I'll have snacks and beverages on hand - and you have two card assembly options:

1) Stamp A Stack: Create 16 cards for $20 or double up and make 32 cards for $35 - envelopes included. I'll have four sets of four designs of cards for you to choose from ahead of time, and everything will be cut and prepped ready for you to stamp and assemble. Bring your own adhesive, everything else is included.

2) Design your own cards: Order your Christmas card materials ahead of time and come use my space, Big Shot Machine, inks etc. to make your own. I'll be on hand to help with design ideas and choices. Bring your own cardstock, accessories, and adhesive.

Let me know if you have any questions.  Early RSVP's are very much appreciated to joanneroehm@yahoo.com. Group orders with FREE SHIPPING will be going in every two weeks or so between now and the holidays if you need me to order anything for you.

I'd love to help you create beautiful handmade cards that will be the envy of your friends and family! See you soon!

• Stamp A Stack 1 - Grand Rapids - November 6th from 10:00am to 2:00pm
• Stamp A Stack 2 - Tecumseh - November 19th from 6:00pm to 10:00pm 
• Stamp A Stack 3 - Grand Rapids - November 21st from 12:00-4:00pm
• Stamp A Stack 4 - Grand Rapids - December 3rd from 6:00-10:00pm

Stamp Set Option 1:  Northern Flurry

Stamp Set Option 2:  Cute Christmas

Stamp Set Option 3:  Sparkly & Bright

Stamp Set Option 4:  Season of Joy

 

Handmade Holiday Promotion

Attention Stampers!  Today is the launch of Stampin' Up!'s Handmade Holiday Promotion.  Lots of 20% off deals on Holiday stamps, paper, and more.  This is a perfect opportunity for those of you who want to make your own Christmas cards, but don't know where to start!

ABC Holiday 1010 US

You can view all of the bundle items individually in my online store HERE.  Drop me a note at readysetcraft@yahoo.com if you have any questions or would like to take advantage of this great promotion!

Happy Tuesday!

Flowers & Glitter

Quick post today - it's been a busy start to a busy week.  But I am feeling lots better - thanks for all the get better wishes!  I took a break from Halloween and Christmas projects to make a couple of sets of cards with the Flower Fancy stamp set.  Please excuse the kind of dark cell phone pictures! 

I'm obsessed with glitter on my projects lately, and used Dazzling Diamonds on both these card sets.  I used a two way glue pen to adhere the glitter, it's fabulous because it's permanent, goes on blue and dries clear and has a narrow marker-like tip, so you can see exactly what you're doing and place the glitter exactly where you want it.

I made one set to give as a gift...

and one set to send out to some customers...

Happy Monday!  Have a creative week!

Christmas Cards - Phase 1

Happy Wednesday, friends!  How's the weather where you are?  It can't make its mind up here in Michigan.  One day it's 80 degrees and sunshiney and the next day there's a crisp Fall chill in the air!  I'm not wishing for snow or anything, but all the ups and downs are wreaking havoc on my joints and sinuses - that's for sure!  Consistency would be nice!

Anyhow, with the holidays (ever so quickly) approaching, I'm giving Christmas cards more and more thought.  In addition to my own, and helping my customers and friends pick out theirs, I've got several custom orders I'm working on for people - which is great fun!

I wanted to make sure I got my customer Christmas cards done first, so I can get them out with my events calender and Stampin' Up! promotion info by November 1.  I loved using the new 1/4 inch taffeta ribbons and some basic rhinestones to add a little bling on top of the Christmas tree on these cards.

And I am incredibly excited about custom thank you cards for my dear friend Meg (remember her baby shower?)  I've designed Christmas thank you cards for her lovely little gal, Ellie, and Meg and I will assemble them.  I'm loving the girly pink and glitter!

I'm sure Ellie would help too, if she could, but for now she'll just provide the cuteness inspiration!

(Yup, she's wearing one of my bibs!)

Have you started thinking about your Christmas cards yet?  Or other handmade gifts?  I'd love to know what you're working on!  

Tutorial: Halloween Treat Bags

Halloween Cards

Thinking about making Halloween cards this year?  I've had a great time designing and making Halloween cards for my stamping events and to send to family and friends, and have found lots of inspiration from customers and fellow demonstrators (some of their ideas, and/or variations of them, are featured below.)  Making Halloween cards is so easy with all of Stampin' Up!'s cute supplies!  Here are some ideas, and the products I've used to make them.

Stamp Sets: 

Fang-tastic, Batty for You, Teeny Tiny Wishes, Seasonal Sentiments, Web Stampin' Around Wheel

Inks: 

Cajun Craze, Basic Black, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Jet Black Stazon

Cardstock: 

Cajun Craze, Basic Black, Old Olive, Rich Razzleberry, Whisper White

Punches: 

1 3/8 Circle Punch, 1 3/4 Circle Punch, 1 3/4 Scallop Circle Punch, Scallop Edge

Accessories: 

Raven ribbon, White 1/4 inch grosgrain ribbon, Wicken Fun designer series paper, White satin ribbon, Stampin' Dimensionals, Snail monoadhesive

Tools: 

Big Shot Machine, Spiderweb Embossing Folder, Aqua Painters, Scallop Envelope Die 

Purchase any of these products and more 24/7 at my online store!

And for all you Michiganders - we'll be making some of these cards at my Halloween Stamp A Stack this Saturday, October 9 at 9am at my home in Grand Rapids.  I still have spots open in class so drop me a note if you'd like to join us!  Happy Halloween!

Halloween-themed First Birthday Party Invites

This week I had the pleasure of working with fellow blogger, friend and crafty gal Arwen (catch her guest post on RSC here and check out her mommy blog here,) on some first birthday invitations for her little boy.  She's doing a Halloween themed birthday party and it's going to be so very cute!

We used the Spider Web embossing folder for the Big Shot machine (seriously my favorite holiday product thus far!) and cardstock in Tangerine Tango, Basic Black and Whisper White.

The little vampire stamp is from the Fang-tastic stamp set.  So very cute!  Arwen did a great job watercoloring all of the images using an Aqua Painter and inks in Tangerine Tango, Old Olive, Basic Black and Rich Razzleberry.
On the inside we used the spider from the Batty for You stamp set to create a spooky effect.

Thanks so much for allowing me to help you create these invitations, Arwen!  Can't wait to come up with some equally cute thank you cards for you!  Have a great birthday party!