Final Holiday Mini Post 2011

We had a few cards that Nanci did this fall that we did not get around to sharing with you!  Hope you enjoy them!   

You cannot go wrong with the Top Note die!

I love this combination - Natural White, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso card stock with Cherry Cobbler accents!  It's absolutely gorgeous!

Punches add dimension and whimsy to your cards and they are quick and easy!

A vintage Christmas combo!

These cards and matching envelope were part of  a free class we offered with the Simply Scored Scoring Tool!  Have you tried the water color paper from Stampin' Up? 

 We will post pictures from our retreat last weekend soon!  Our guests created a scrapbook layout for each month of the year complete with photos and embellishments!  

It was unseasonably warm last weekend in Michigan.  Nanci spotted some Pansies blooming in the flower bed at the front entrance to Lake View Lodge.  

Yes, pansies in January, in Michigan!  Last Monday we had a snowstorm and this Sunday we have pansies! Even odder  . . . here is a photo of the same flowers with some of the leftover snow!  A little bit of spring in winter!

Quilt Much?

My grandmother made us quilts when we were little.  I still have mine.  I enjoy quilting and have seen several quilted top note cards on different blogs and wanted to try my hand at quilting a card. 

I used DSP Patterns Stack Regals Collection and the 1 1/4" square punch to make my squares.  I adhered my squares to a piece of cardstock and then ran it through the Big Shot with the Top Note die.   I used my paper-piercing tool and mat pack to create the pattern for my stiches.  Luckily, I had some gold embroidery floss that matched the More Mustard ribbon.  I used a cross stich to add stability to the paper pieces (some of them ended up quite small) and to add more texture to the quilted layer.  The card base is Night of Navy card stock layered with More Mustard DSP Patterns Stack Regals Collection and Very Vanilla.  The senitment is from Inspired by Nature and stamped in Night of Navy Ink.  I used the cutter kit distressing tool to distress the edges of the Very Vanilla and Night of Navy layers of the sentiment.  I loved making this card.  I hope you will try this technique too!