Weekly Challenge #2 - Anything Goes Winter

It seems like most of the country is covered in snow right now, so we're having a challenge creating projects relating to winter. We've been working with the Bo Bunny Winter Wonderland collection, as well as stamps from the Paper Smooches "Fresh Snow" stamp set.

 

 
My card uses four different patterns of paper using a technique called "Sunburst". The scallop beneath the Sunburst panel is from the Bo Bunny Noteworthy paper embellishment pack. If you're curious about the "Sunburst" technique, you can search the term on YouTube for lots of video tutorials.  It's surprisingly simple.
 
Now's your change to to create something about winter and enter it in this week's challenge. You can enter here.
 
Happy Stamping!

Simplicity With Washi Tape

I'm a big fan of washi tape.  In fact, I purchased a new storage system for my tapes today (thanks, Erica, for the idea!), which is much better than the plastic shoebox I was using.  It's a Christmas-time "Snapware" container.  It has 4 trays that snap together, and each tray holds three rows of washi tape.  So nice to be able to see my collection.  This container is on clearance at JoAnn's right now, making it under $10.  Very useful!  I have what I consider to be a large washi collection, and I've only filled the top two layers.  Well, and maybe part of a 3rd layer since I purchased a bunch today, also at JoAnn's.  They had two-packs for $1.79, and some really cute combinations.

Anyway, what really sparked my washi tape post today is this post over on Susan Raihala's blog:  What to Do with Washi, Part 3.   You see, I'm a follower of Susan's blog, and let out some sort of squeal/shriek thing when I saw my card (which was published in one of the magazines) called out as an example:
   

 

  
Susan really improved upon my one-layer example, and showed a cool way to trim down Washi tape that's too wide.  You'll be inspired by her post!

Happy Stamping!
 

Weekly Challenge #52 - Anything Goes Using Something New

#52

Challenge: Anything Goes Using Something New
  

December 31st - January 6th, 2014

     

Last week was "Something Old" and, since this week holds the promise of the new year, we're doing "Something New".   I'm excited because I am in love with cupcakes, but haven't used one of my Paper Smooches cupcakes yet.  How did that happen?

 

 

This card includes a paper-pieced cupcake from the Sugar Rush stamp set.  (I've used this set quite a bit -- especially the ice cream cone -- but never this adorable cupcake!)  I double-mounted it with scalloped circles cut from various Bazzill Basics Smoothies pinks.  I cut out a banner from one of those pinks and embossed Happy Birthday with clear EP.  The sentiment was from the Digits stamp set. 

    
So how about it?  Please join us in celebrating the NEW YEAR by using something new to you!  It's a fun challenge -- use a new stamp, new paper, new tool, new technique -- and share it with us!

    

Please link your projects HERE.

    

Happy Stamping & Happy New Year!

  

Weekly Challenge #51 - Anything Goes Using Leftovers

#51

Challenge: Anything goes using your Leftovers

December 24th - 30th, 2013

'Tis the season of leftovers, am I right?  Leftover stuffing, leftover turkey, leftover everything, it seems!  This year, I made my very first post-Thanksgiving turkey casserole.  I'm pretty excited by how it turned out.  I used two different recipes and used what I liked from each one.  We had some of the fresh sage & thyme leftover from making the gravy also, so I was able to add those to the casserole, too.

In addition to saving food leftovers, I save a lot of crafty leftovers.  Even things that started out as food containers or junk mail are crafty leftovers for me.  I've used chipboard from cereal boxes, plastic from product lids, etc.  I've got a project to show you today that I made from paper leftovers.   

The three adorable patterns I used were Christmas paper from the Bazzill Basics "Nordic Pines" collection, and the two solids are from Bazzill Basics, too.  I think I might keep working on this card and add some leftover ribbon and leftover buttons, too.

   

So here's your challenge: create something made from leftovers.   Anything goes, so it could be leftover fabric, leftover paper, leftover embellishments... whatever you find.
  

Please make sure your creation post has a link back to Cuttin' and Stampin'.  

You can link your projects HERE.

  
Winners will be announced on January 3, 2014.  Thanks for playing along!
 
I wish you all Happy Stamping and Happy Holidays!  :)
 
  

Growing in Unity - Friday

Well, everyone, this is it!  I can't believe it's Friday already, and time to share my last post as this week's Growing in Unity Gal.  

Since we started the week with a couple of {itty bitty} stamp projects, I wanted to end with one too.   The stamp talks about strength, and I thought that a paper depicting tree trunks would be appropriate.
  

 
The patterned paper is from We R Memory Keepers, and the solid is Pear from Bazzill Basics.   Then I tied a ribbon around the center panel and affixed a button.  Any other embellishments seemed superfluous.  The edges were inked with ClearSnap chalk ink in Chestnut Roan.


It's been a great week!  Thanks so much for joining me.  Please don't forget to post a comment on today's post and on the other posts this week.  Each comment will be entered into tomorrow's drawing for a pair of {itty bitty} stamps of the winner's choice.

Happy Stamping & Happy Holidays to all!