Purple Sage Creations

Taking a Short Break...

Hi folks!  I just wanted to let you know that I am going to take a short break from blogging this week and next week.  But I won't take a break from stamping (LOL).  The kids are on their winter break and I want to spend some quality time with them.  But I will return after the new year's celebration to participate in some great challenges I have found.  I am also going to add some things to my blog, get a new photo editing program (hate the one I have), and many other new year goals.  I am totally looking forward to the new year!!

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season and a very Happy New Year!!

Hello Baby (TESC #95)

Hello all!!  I must have babies on the mind today:)  As soon as I saw the sketch at Taylored Expressions a baby card popped into my mind.  Honestly, I think I am thinking babies because two of my sisters-in law are both due pretty soon.  It would be nice to have a cute little something for them.

Here are the details:  All the paper is from Papertrey.  The card base is Spring Moss.  Then I used white cardstock and Summer Sunrise for the scallop.  I made the scallop using my scalloped punch from SU!. I just punched both sides of a strip of cardstock.  The designer paper is Bitty Baby Blessings from PTI.  I made the baby buggy using various circle punches and the scalloped circle punch.  Then I hand cut the handle to the buggy.  I stamped the sentiment with Chocolate Chip ink from SU!  The sentiment is from the Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp set (SU!).  I doodled the border with Chocolate Chip marker.  The buttons are from PTI.

 

Hope you have a wonderful Saturday!!  Thanks for stopping by!

Great Christmas Gift Idea - Thanks Michelle

Ok...I have had about a gazillion gift ideas in my head these past few weeks.  But I have not made any of them!!  None of them have really gotten my juices flowing.  That is until I happened across Michelle Wooderson's blog.  She had a positively adorable tutorial about her Clipboard Notepad Organizer.  When I saw that I thought it would be the perfect gift for my mom and dad and sister.  So my  juices finally started to flow.  

Michelle's clipboard was primarily centered toward Christmas organizing.  I wanted my clipboards to match the decor of my mom and sister's homes.  I also wanted them to be available to them all year long.  I looked through all my designer papers and chose to use my Stampin' Up paper.  I covered the notepads and printed the labels on the computer.  I don't even remember what font I used, but I really liked it because it looked stamped.  The labels say; Honey Do, Shopping List, and Things To Do. 

 

The two gifts really didn't take me very long to create.  Now I just need to hurry and get them in the mail before it's too late!!

The Details:  Clipboard 1 - I painted the clipboard with an off white acrylic paint.  The notepads are from PTI and are covered with Not Quite Navy cardstock, Bella Bleu DP, and Kraft Cardstock.  The labels are stamped with Vintage Labels (PTI) in Chocolate Chip ink.  Then it was diecut with my nesties. The ribbon is Very Vanilla from SU!  The buttons are from PTI.  I used Not Quite Navy cardstock to hold the notebooks.  The ribbon on the top is from my craft room stash.

Clipboard 2 - I painted the clipboard with a chocolate color to match the chocolate chip cardstock holding the notepads.  The notepads are covered in Chocolate Chip cardstock, Sahara Sand cardstock, and To the Nines DP from SU!  The ribbon is Chocolate Chip grosgrain from SU!  The labels are stamped with Vintage Labels stamp set (PTI) in Chocolate Chip ink. Then cut with my nesties label.  The ribbon on the top of the clipboard is Whisper White. 

I LOVED making these and think they are just darling.  I need to make one for myself.  Thanks so much Michelle for this awesome idea!!

Two Challenges in One - Sparkle n shine

Good Morning.  I am sitting here, enjoying some hot cocoa.  It's just me and my 2 year old daughter today.  I want to spend some time with her so this will be brief.  Yesterday we all enjoyed a snow day.  Temps got below -20 so they canceled school...hooray!  We had fun just hanging out.  Today the kids are back to school and the house is quiet again.  I usually babysit two or three little ones during the week, so a quiet house is odd.  It just worked out that today I didn't have any little ones to babysit.  So now it's just me and my daughter.  Time for some quality time.

Today I entered two challenges...although I think one of them might be a stretch.  What I mean by that is I don't know if I officially qualify for the Limited Supplies Challenge at SCS.  The challenge was to use a star in my creation.  I thought the little sparkles in this designer paper looked like stars.  I was to limit the layers and only use ribbon.  Well, I used gemstones.  The card just needed some more pink!  I hope that doesn't disqualify me:)

 

My next challenge was at Treehouse Stamps Thursday Challenge #027.  This challenge simply said to make a tag.  I just decided to add a tag to this card.  The card is pretty simple, but quick and easy.  I like that:)

The details:  The base layer of the card is made with SU! Whisper white cardstock.  The designer paper is Holiday Lounge from SU!. The stamp for the tag is from PTI called Vintage Labels. I stamped it using Tempting Turquoise ink.  I actually cut around the stamped image instead of using my nesties die. (I was in a hurry and I couldn't get to my die cutting machine at the time.)  The sentiment is stamped with StazON with the SU! Warm Words stamp set. I cut out the tree from the designer paper and added a tiny gem from Hero Arts.  Then I used a corner rounder tool to round the corners at the top. The pink gemstones are from PTI and the ribbon is Pink Pirouette from SU!. 

Well, my daughter is sitting on my lap waiting for me to finish so I must go.  Thanks for stopping by!!

Cards of Mass Production (CMP's)

Very corney I know...For some reason as I was working on my Christmas cards this year I had that phrase going through my head.  I sure don't know why the term "weapons of mass distruction" is going though my head...weird.

Anyway, I hope all of you had a fabulous weekend.  I know the week is just about over, but it has been so long since I have blogged.  The week started out soooo busy!  Today I want to share the cards I made this weekend.  They were pretty quick and easy.  This card was totally inspired by the card in Papercrafts Magazine (my fav!!).  You can find the inspiration piece on page 37 of the December issue.

The Details:  I started with Whisper White cardstock.  Then I cut a strip of Hunter cardstock and Merry Moments designer paper from SU!.  I added Taylored Exprglitter to my white felt flurrie with Taylored Expressions glitter.  I also added the glitter to the edge of the designer paper with Tombo Glue.  The sentiment is from Snow Swirled SU! stamp set.  It was stamped with Chocolate Chip ink.  Then I used jewels or buttons from my stash for the center of the snowflakes.

 

Thanks for stopping by.  I sure hope to see you again soon...

Gotta busy day ahead...I will try my best to get a post up today. I have some fun things to share. But if I do not, I will get it done tomorrow.

Talk to ya' later...

Treehouse Challenge #026

TGIF!!!  Today my husband and I are celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary.  My DH is planning a surprise for me...woohoo!  So this post is going to be pretty short so I can get ready...gotta make myself look hot (LOL).

This is my official first challenge entry for The Treehouse blog.  I have been eyeing it for some time, but today I decided to become active and participate in a challenge.  The challenge was to CASE Cathleen's work from her Splitcoast stampers gallery. Here is the card I decided to CASE.  And here is my card:

  

 
  

I decided to get out some of my old designer paper from SU!.  I also played with my felt flurries from SU!.  I have tons left over from last year. 

Here are the details:  I started with Whisper White cardstock and then layered Old Olive cardstock and the designer paper (I can't remember the name of the DP).  I glued the felt flurries on the Old Olive squares with Tombo Glue.  Then I used Vintage Buttons from PTI on the flurries with Tombo glue.  I die cut the white cardstock with my nesties and stamped with Vintage Labels (PTI) and stamped the sentiment with Chocolate Chip ink (SU!).  The stamp set I used for the sentiment is To You and Yours from SU!(retired).  Last I added Whisper White taffeta ribbon to the edge.

 

I really liked all the creations in Cathleen's gallery.  Thanks for the inspiration:) and thanks for looking.

Jen

CASEing Andrea

Hello all!!  I have been looking around the internet for an easy card layout.  I have fallen WAY behind in my Christmas card making this year.  I normally begin in October, but I was busy this year helping my sister with her fabulous wedding.  I really feel so blessed to be able to travel to Florida and witness such a joyous even.:)

Anyway, now I wanted to find a quick and easy card design so I can make mass quantities of them.  But I don't want them all to look exactly alike.  How boring would that be?  Each of my friends and family deserve individually created pieces of art, right?  In my quest to find the perfect, yet easy, card layout I happened upon this darling creation made by Andrea.  She is a SU! demonstrator.  I love her clean and simple creations.  And the punch pals are absolutely adorable.:)  Thanks Andrea for all the inspiration and time you put into your blog.

 

So using Andrea's creation and inspiration I made a simple, yet striking card that can be duplicated with ease.  I found as I created them that I can change up the focal point and the sentiment quite easily...but I ran out of time to really get into it.  After all, I have four kids and finding just a moment to stamp is incredible (LOL). 

 

Here are the details: Some of the supplies are from PTI, and some are from SU!.  The card is made from Pure Poppy cardstock (PTI).  I stamped one card with snowflakes from the SU! stamp set Snow Swirled with Versamark and one with Ridinghood Red ink (SU!).  Really I can't tell the difference.  Then I cut Vintage Cream (PTI) and rounded the top edges.  I cut a piece of Merry Moments designer paper from SU! to fit half of the Vintage Cream.  I used Real Red (SU!) grosgrain ribbon for the center.  The sentiment is just a dollar stamp from Michael's stamped with Chocolate Chip ink (SU!).  Last I used vintage buttons from PTI and natural embroidery thread for the centers. 

 

Now I would like to share a funny story:  The other morning I was getting ready for the day while my youngest daughter who is about to turn two and our six month old puppy played in the living room.  This Christmas is especially fun for both of them.  Last year my daughter was very young and we didn't have the puppy.  So as soon as the Christmas tree was lit and decorated I soon discovered that it is the new plaything for both of them.  I now have the daily routine of picking up ornaments that have been played with by my daughter or eaten by the puppy (don't worry, all the ornaments are made of fabric and a little stuffing - homemade).  Slowly the bottom of the tree is becoming bare as I move ornaments to the top of the tree before they mysteriously disappear.

But this particular morning would make me realize that there are other temptations around our tree besides the ornaments...the presents.  After getting ready I ventured into the living room to find that my daughter was playing with one of the gifts...it was unwrapped.  How did that happen?  I didn't see any wrapping paper around.  I walked around the room, but I still didn't see anything.  Then I went toward the front door (looking some more).  That is where I found the puppy laying on the floor with ripped up wrapping paper around her.  She was looking at me as if she were thinking, "What? I didn't do anything."  All I could do what laugh.  Now I believe the baby and the puppy are teaming up.  I better keep a closer eye on those presents (LOL).

Thanks for stopping by today,

Jen

A Stocking Gift Card Holder

Happy Tuesday all!! 

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend.  Today I would like to share this adorable idea from Clair Brennan at Walzing Mouse Stamps.  This little stocking gift card holder is soooo easy to make and it makes such an impression.  I made one up in under an hour...and it took me that long because I made a mistake (LOL).  You can get Clair's template and her instructions HERE.

 

 

The Details: My gift card holder was primarily made from Stampin' Up! materials.  I used designer paper that had retired a while ago (I can't remember the name of it).  The toe and heel are made with old olive textured cardstock and them faux stiched with Chocolate Chip marker.  Then I added a scallop at the top with the same textured cardstock.  The inside was lined with Chocolate Chip and Whisper White cardstock.  Then I stamped the sentiment with Chocolate Chip ink.  The stamp is from the dollar bin at Micheals.  For the tag I used my nesties die and stamped a boarder with the Vintage Labels stamp set from PTI (I just got it...can't wait to play with it some more:).  I stamped off snowflakes on the stamp with the SU! stamp set Snow Swirled.  The colors I used were Riding Hood Red ink and Baja Breeze ink (both retired). The TO and FROM are from the SU! stamp set Winter Post.  Then I added a Felt Flurry snowflake and Old Olive grosgrain ribbon.  I used my Crop-a-dile to make a hole in the corner for the ribbon.

 

Thanks for lookin'!!

Jen