Quick and Easy Holiday Crackers

                   I filled these crackers with Hershey Kisses

These are really cute and easy to make.  Using Hershey Kisses I was able to buy a large bag and make them for lots of people to give as a thank you or just as a "sweet treat".

All you need is a 6"x 6" piece of Designer Paper for your cracker, A sheet of Designer paper (12" x 12" Home for Christmas #139952-$11.00).  Of course, I used Christmas and Stampin' UP! products.  I cut out the Santas by hand.  You get quite a lot from one sheet.  In this Designer Paper pack you also get 2 sheets of an adorable baby deer as well as 2 sheets of Santa with 8 other double sided sheets of beautiful Christmas designs.

Other Supplies:

Ribbon - 1/4" Real Red (retired), but you can use any ribbon as long as it is not too wide, and soft to tie easily.

Small scrap of Whisper White cardstock for wording.  I used the stamp set Oh, What Fun #140386 - $21.00

Rhinestone #119246 - $5.00

Dimensional to attach Santa #104430 - 4.00
Strip of Tear and Tape #138995 - 7.00

* The Designer Paper and Stamp Set is still available and can be purchased until January 4th, 2016.    

I have not had the nerve to try videos myself yet.  Maybe a News Year resolution!  But you can find several videos on You Tube as well as different sizes to make the crackers.

Thank you for visiting!

Tip Tuesday

The Embossing Buddy

Do you use the Embossing Buddy?  (#103083 only $6.00!)  Most of us know that we should use it before we emboss to prevent static and clean the card so we don't have emboss powder where we don't want it.  How many of us forget it half the time?  ME!  To help me remember to use it when embossing, I get it out after I made a supply list and sit down to do my project.

I also keep it right in front of me at my stamping desk along with my "products I use constantly" because it has sooo many uses.  Yes, here are some other uses I have found.  I hope these ideas are helpful for you too.

1.  You know how that really sticky glue stays on your thinlits when you buy them?

Take your Embossing Buddy and rub over them to stop the stickiness.  If there is a large amount of glue left on the thinlit when you peel it off the cardstock sheet, I use my Embossing Buddy take off the stickiness, then remove the glue , or most of it with  the Adhesive Remover (#103684  and only $3.50)  If the thinlits are very small just use the Embossing Buddy.

2.  You know how if you use too much Tombow or other liquid glue and it squishes out behind your layers or small pieces?

Rub the Embossing Buddy over the excess glue, then use the Adhesive Remover and it comes off much easier than if you just used the Adhesive Remover alone.

3.  Doesn't it annoy you when you get glue on your Grid Paper (#130148 - $11.00) or the paper you choose to do your projects on?

The best way to avoid this is to use the Silicone Craft Sheet # 127853 - $6.00) but if you don't have that Stampin' UP! product, Yup, wipe your Embossing Buddy over the glue and you can keep on working.  It will be no longer sticky!

4.  Did you put adhesive on a spot on your cardstock, ribbon,  or an embellishment you didn't intend to?

No worries, just wipe across the adhesive or (glue after it dries) and Wa La, not sticky any more!  Now put the adhesive/glue where you intended.  You can remove the glue with the Adhesive Remover, or simply re-glue where you want.  No one is going to see it on the back of your cardstock or embellishment.

Bottom line is ----- any thing you don't want to stick ----- use your Embossing Buddy.  It is a very inexpensive tool with lots of uses!!!  I hope this helps you with your creating.  And as always, please contact me if you have any questions.

Stampin' Up! is clearing out inventory, check out these great offers!!

MASCULINE MONDAY

Hello stamping friends.  Thank you all those who kept Wayne in your thoughts and prayers.  It was a long scary couple months, but he is doing much better now.

Here is a cute Christmas card.  I used Whisper White card stock, but apparently my light was not bright enough because it looks dull, sorry about that.  I love this stamp set from the Holiday catalog "Snow Place".  It is so versatile.  You could use it all winter, not just for Christmas. I added the large Snowflake element from the package of 24 which is also in the Holiday catalog, and added a large rhinestone.  This is not really a masculine card, but the penguin looks like a guy to me.  (smile).



Here is the inside of the card.  I like to dress the inside and the envelope too. I just stamped the penguin and used a 1/4" piece of Season of Cheer Designer paper from the Holiday catalog. It gives your cards that "extra special touch" to make them special.

Thanks for stopping by.  I'll be posting more Christmas cards and Stocking Stuffer ideas the rest of this week.

Delay

Hi Stampers.  I'm so sorry I haven't been able to post for a bit, but I had to bring my husband into the ER yesterday and he will be here several days.  I will be back soon.  Thanks for understanding.  Here are the TUESDAY SPECIALS for the week:

Save 15% for 5 days

WOW! In my almost 10 years as a demonstrator, I have never seen this. Now is a good time to get those Stamp Sets on your wish list!! All regular priced stamp sets are 15% off for 5 days. This Special BEGINS Monday October 19th and ENDS  Friday October 26rd.


Here are the weekely deals until end of day Monday October 19th:

Thank you so much for stopping by.

Tip Tuesday

Hi Stampers!  Today's Tip is a great help when using glue dots.  I learned this a while back from  a fellow demonstrator Linda Heller's stampingschool.com.  If you tie a ribbon over the roll (firm but not too tight),  you will expose one glue dot at a time by folding the paper back.  This has helped me tremendously especially with classes I teach.  Some of us have a hard time seeing the glue dots and keep unrolling and tearing off the paper.  Of course, this leads to glue dots all over you, and exposed glue dots with no paper to protect them.  And, the ribbon makes it pretty too!  LOL

I'm sorry for the blurry photo.  The second photo shows one glue dot exposed while the ribbon protects the rest of the roll.  I don't have a great camera or special set up.   Just trying to share the best I can.

Thanks so much for visiting.  Have a wonderful day.

Masculine Monday

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

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Hello Stampers.  I made this card for my son's birthday.  He loves wildlife and lives on almost 6 acres in Elkins WV.  This is the perfect set for the guys in your life.  I brayered the Woodland emboss folder with soft suede.  The card is 4 1/4 x 11 with a side fold.   Above the photo are the products I used.  Also used were the Tangelo Twist and Basic Black markers.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Have a great day.

This weeks Weekly Deals

Tuesday is Weekly Deals Day! Check out this weeks Stampin' Up! Weekly Deals: October 6, 2015 to October 12, 2015

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Anyone ready for some sunshine?

We are up on a mountain in West Virginia so we have been fortunate as far as the flooding has been. The sun is trying to shine, but rain continues in a heavy constant drizzle. I pray you are safe and warm where ever you are. Here are the supplies I used for this card:

Built for Free Using: My Stampin Blog

Coloring Designer Paper

Hello Stampers.  Here are a couple cards I made using the Beautiful Designer Paper 

TIMELESS ELEGANCE

The first card folds is on the side and the second card fold is at the top

I used a little glitter to highlight the colored roses and used the tiny pearl for the center of the dark small flowers and the heart.  This technique makes a simple, yet elegant card.  

Have a great day.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

TIP TUESDAY

Hi Stampers.  Today's tip is on a very tiny, but useful,  tool in Stampin' UP's annual catalog - the Adhesvie Eraser.  This tool  is over looked by so many of my customers.  It is  very inexpensive 
(only $3.50 and found on page 156).  It has many uses.  

1. Removes glue and dimensionals off  your cardstock

2. Removes glue and residue from your scissors.  

3. Removes glue from your stamp table.

4. Removes glue from Stampin' UP! apron, pants, other material.

5. The eraser works best when you continue in one direction to get the glue off.  I find that if I pull it towards me a few times, everything comes off.  When I clean my scissors I rub the blades with alcohol.  

6. Make sure glue is dry before trying to remove.

7. The glue will stick to the eraser and ball up.  Simply pull it off or trim off with your scissors.  One eraser will last almost forever.  LOL

I hope you find this tip useful.  Have a great day.  Thanks for visiting!

Masculine Monday

Hello Stampers.  I thought a good posting for Mondays would be Masculine Monday.  That seems to be the number one card  my customers want ideas for.  Here is a card using "The Open Sea" stamp set from the annual catalog.  

Products used:

Stamp Sets: 

 The Open Sea - wood 128454 ,  clear 123032

Teeny Tiny Wishes - wood 128748, clear 127802

Cardstock: 

 Very Vanilla 101650

Early Expresso 119686

Soft Suede 115318

Ink Pad:

  Early Expresso 126974

Accessories:

Big Shot 113439 

 Circles Collection Framelits  130911 # 5 & 6 

starting with #1 in the center

 Tiny Triangle Folder 133740

Word Window Punch 119857

Dimensionals 104430   Glue Dots106683

2 3" pieces of 1/8" striped red ribbon (Holiday Catalog) 139615

(square knot)

Thanks so much for stopping by.  

Hello Stampers.  Thank you for visiting my new blog.  I hope you will return often to see what I have to share with you.  I am a Stampin' UP! demonstrator and all my projects will be made with Stampin ' Up! products.   Thank you Heather for designing my beautiful blog.  It was completed some time ago, but due to family illness and caregiving, I have not been able to begin.  If you are looking for a talented, patient blog designer and more, Heather is the girl for you.  Check out her blog here:
 Heather's blogging blog 

Hello Stampers.   Heather is in such demand she is a little behind on designing my blog, but good things come to those who wait.  With that said, we will see you soon.  Hope you keep checking back.
Thank You

Hello Stampers.  I have decided to have the wonderful Heather Wright-Porto design my Blog.  She will be working with me Friday June 12th to make sure I have a beautiful, working blog with all my Stampin' UP! catalog and Special offer buttons for you to use.  I hope you will come back and see what I will be sharing on my blog.  Thank you so much for stopping by.

Welcome!

Welcome to my stamping blog.  I will be setting it up in the next few days.  Please check back June 1st, 2015 and visit for tips and ideas to help you with your creativity.  I am a Stampin' UP! demonstrator and all projects in this blog will be using Stampin' UP! products.   Thank you for visiting.