Peonies and Paper Chains: Blog Hops

Blog Hops

12/14/2014

Stamp Review Crew: Mixed Bunch

Hello Mixed Bunch! The Stamp Review Crew is at it again this week and we are thrilled to share ideas for the Mixed Bunch stamp set! You may be starting here or perhaps you've just come over from visiting Heidi Baks...she always has delightful work to share!

The Mixex Bunch stamp set that can be used for either traditional paper crafting or for digital and hybrid projects...I am sharing the latter!

The Mixed Bunch stamp set is part of Designer Kit that includes some premade templates. Much as it would have been easy to just tweak an exisiting item, I decided to create something brand new. When I sat down to do so, my daughter Brooklyn was right nearby and she was very interested in what I was doing so I decided to create something for her.

What you are seeing is a printable that is intended to be a door sign for Brooklyn's room. It would also make a wonderful binder cover or a memory keeping page. The large emblem at the top is from the Mixed Bunch stamp set.

The first step was using the coloring tool to change the colors for the flower. After doing so, I mounted a circle punch (that I elected to change black) behind the flower image.

The colors used on the flower were echoed in Brooklyn's name...this ties the project together beautifull.

Knowing that Brooklyn loves to send notes to her little friends, I thought that some note cards were in order! Creating these was a breeze! To do so, I:

Exported the original printable as a PNG file (a JPEG would also work).

Created an 8-1/2" x 11" document and inserted the PNG file.

After guestimating the best size, I copied and pasted the image a few times...I created one file that was "4-up" and one that was "6-up".

Once I got the placement down, I printed the sheets, cut apart the pieces and then made cards in no time flat!

I've saved the extra pieces for Brooklyn to use herself. I'm excited to see what she chooses to create!

Frankly, I love this little design so much, that I am thinking I may design some cards in MDS with it and have them printed professionally using the Stampin' Up! print vendor!

Be sure to hop along and see what else everyone has created! I always love the diversity of projects and I am sure you will too! Next up is Ann Schach and her project is sure to "wow" you!

You can use the next and previous buttons below to navigate the hop!

Happy hopping!

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Posted at 09:00 PM in Blog Hops, digital designing / mds2, stamp review crew | Permalink | Comments (12)

12/10/2014

Pals December Hop...Kit Crazy!

Welcome to the last Pals Blog Hop of 2014! This month we want to help you start your holiday wish list by sharing projects featuring our favorite Stampin’ Up! papers, stamps, tools and accessories. Get your wish list ready as you move along through the blog hop!

You may just be starting the blog hop or may have come from Lisa Ann Bernard at Queen B Creations, stop # 28, on the Pals Hop. If you get off track at any time, the full lineup below my "signature" will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the projects!

It was impossible for me to choose a single item to feature...it just could not be done! So today, I'm featuring two products (beyond paper, stamps, and ink), that I think should be on everyone's wish list. Can you take a guess what those might be from the image above?

First up is punches! Circle punches are the most used punches in the house. They are great for card-making and memory keeping. My favorite, though, is for stitching up paper chains. Super quick and easy to do! While the Circles Framelits are another fabulous choice, the speed at which I can hand punch circles is definitely preferred for a project like this.

It was lots of fun making this chain out of Real Red and Naturals White Card Stock, along with the Kraft Paper.

My Kraft Paper is not just any old Kraft Paper -- it is from the extra space when I punched my stars out of the Many Merry Stars kit!

Lesson to be learned? Save those scraps!

Up next is wish list product #2...

There are two correct answers for this...

Celebration Basics Kit
Kits, kits, kits (including Paper Pumpkin)

I'm a really big fan of kits because they make paper crafting quick and easy...a big plus in my book these days! You can jazz up kits as much as you want or keep them precisely as the Stampin' Up! designers created them...the choice is yours!

The addition of the red, white, and Kraft paper chain makes the celebrate banner take on a festive look for the holidays. So glad I had the opportunity to share with you today!

For those reading along for the first time today, what you do not know is that this celebrate banner has been hanging up in our home since January 2014! Yes, the entire year!

Here is how it looked in January 2014:

In late March, it looked like this:

Beginning shortly before Memorial Day and through September, it looked like this:

And for October and November, it looked like this:

There were a couple other looks as well...bits of Daffodil Delight Chevron ribbon tied between the letters for a sweet and cheery image, DIY tassels made from old sheets and spritzed in Old Olive. So many fun looks during the year!

The Celebration Basics kit cost just $14.95...it was worth each and every penny and it has brought us tremendous cheer throughout the year!

Stampin' Up! has so many other incredible kits -- Undefined for stamp carving, Paper Pumpkin for monthly creativity delivered direct to you, Hip Hip Hooray and other card kits. They are all incredible options!

Again, kits are definite wish list item in my book!

There's one more project that I pulled together using both my circle punches and a kit:

Some sweetly wrapped presents! This wrapping was a perfect way to use up my extra paper garland and some extra pieces from my Many Merry Stars kit. Here's a closer look:

If I've not convinced you that you punches are awesome and kits are too, perhaps one of my fellow Pals will do so! And, if you love the wrapping paper, be sure to order yours today...it is on sale in the clearance rack!

The next stop is Rae Harper-Burnet at WildWestPaperArts.com, stop #30, on the Pals Blog Hop! Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you during our next Pals Hop in 2015!

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Final Line-Up:

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11/16/2014

Stamp Review Crew: Amazing Birthday Edition

Hello! Thanks so much for stopping by Peonies and Paper Chains! The Stamp Review Crew is bringing a brand new hop to you and this time we are featuring the Stampin' Up! set, Amazing Birthday! It is a fabulous set for creating birthday cards and more! You'll finish the hop with lots of fresh and fun ideas!

The other day I made some gratitude journals for my girls using card stock in Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, and Tangerine Tango. You may be asking what that has to do with the the Amazing Birthday stamp set...well, the tie in is that the scraps were still out on my desk. I had a choice to make -- I could put them away in with my other card stock or I could use them for this hop. I opted for the latter and I exclusively the scraps that were on my desk and to cook up the Amazing Birthday projects for you:

Can't get much more fun that a little 3 x 3" mini card -- it is one of my favorite sizes! A little stamping, a little paper snipping, and then a little assembly and voila, I had a sweret little mini card in minutes! Some Stampin' Dimensionals were used to pop up the sentiment -- these are most definitely my favorite adhesive.

Since I still had additional scraps to go, I made another layered card and this next one measures 4-1/4" square:

While the many layers, the stamping, and the embossing provide lots of interests, this card was quick and easy to make! All elements on this card had a cheery feel to them and that includes the pennant stamped images from the Amazing Birthday stamp set. It is different a fun twist to stamp them upside down!

If you have scraps lying around, I hope these projects encourage you to pull them out and get creating!

Be sure to hop on along for all of today's fabulous creations! The full blog line-up is below my signature or you can use the buttons below to navigate.

Enjoy the hop and a little creativity today!

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Amazing Birthday Edition Line-Up:

Posted at 09:00 PM in birthday, Blog Hops, stamp review crew | Permalink | Comments (8)

11/12/2014

Truly Grateful - Pals November Blog Hop!

Welcome to the November Pals Blog Hop, we are thankful you stopped by. This month we are showcasing projects that show our thanks, including both thank you and Thanksgiving themed projects.

You may just be starting the blog hop or may have come from Martie Pollard at The Crafty Bandit on the Pals Hop. If you get off track at any time, the full lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing projects.

As we approach Thanksgiving, I like to create a project/activity that will allow Brooklyn and Britt to think about the things for which they are thankful. Last year we used this gratitude jar and the girls enjoyed having little notes written on a slip of paper and then placed in the jar. We read them aloud at Thanksgiving. Knowing how much they both love to make little drawings, and, in Brooklyn's case, to write, I knew thin slips of paper would not work. Here's what I put together:

What are they?

Gratitude journals! There is one for each girl and...

a page for every letter in the alphabet! I have no doubt they can come up with something for each and every letter. We'll start to fill out the journals this week and you'll find the supply list at the very bottom of this post.

The gratitude journals are the second Thanksgiving project that I have completed this year. On Friday, I shared the first one -- sweet and simple place settings -- and you can see the two projects together here:

When I shared the place setting idea and asked if anyone wanted to know the secret behind it and a few people wrote to me asking for the details. As a result, I created a free tutorial for these sweet and simple DIY place settings.

click here to download the PDF instructions

One of the things I am grateful for each day is the two little "wonder bugs" in my house...one of whom had to get in on the action of creating the gratitude journals:

She had so much fun counting the letter stamps! And she was moving quite quickly...I snapped several images and this is the only one that was not blurry! Again, so thankful for my two sweet girls.

What is something you are grateful for today?

The next stop is Katy McGloin at Just Fun Stamping on the Pals Blog Hop! You can use the next or back buttons below to navigate and you can access the full line-up below my signature. Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you next month!

Enjoy the hop and a little creativity today!

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Pals November Blog Hop Line-Up:

Supply List for Gratitude Journals:

Cardstock in Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, Naturals White, Sahara Sand, and Tangerine Tango

Early Espresso Classic Stampin' Pad and Early Espresso Stampin' Write Marker

Truly Grateful stamp set (wood | clear), Alphabet Rotary Stamp, and Larger Than Life Alphabet and Numbers photopolymer stamp set

Autumn Wooden Elements, Woodgrain Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, and O-rings (from an office supply store)

Posted at 05:30 AM in Blog Hops, thanksgiving | Permalink | Comments (9)

10/08/2014

Getting Ready for the Candy Witch!

Welcome to the October Pals Blog Hop where we are celebrating an early Halloween and Harvest season. This month we are sharing Halloween and fall projects using our wonderful Stampin’ Up! supplies.

You may just be starting the blog hop or may have come from Amy Hoptay at Inking of You!, stop #26 on the Pals Hop. If you get off track at any time, the full lineup below my signature will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing creations.

With Halloween approaching, I knew it was time to swap out the decor on the celebrate banner that hangs in our main living area (it still had up the pinwheels that I added over the summer). And, I decided to keep things really sweet and simple:

All I did was to cut some 1" to 1-1/4" wide strips of Motley Monsters Designer Series Paper along with cardstock in Bermuda Bay and Tangerine Tango. I folded in half, made flag ends, and attached to the banner with standard clothespins. Super easy and adds a nice bright pop of color! Here's a closer look:

Again, super easy! And we are now up to 10 consecutive months that the celebrate banner from the Celebration Basics Kit has been hanging in our home. It has held up beautifully and was definitely worth every penny of the $14.95 that it cost. Giuven the sturdiness of the pennants, I think it would do well if stored and taken out on birthdays and other special occassions.

To add to the decor in the room, I also put together a little sign to greet "the candy witch" should she choose to visit us this year:

The witch was snipped from the Motley Monsters Designer Series Paper and the two sentiment stamps come from the September 2014 Paper Pumpkin Kit...Paper Pumpkin to the rescue as I am (or rather was) light on Halloween themed stamps!

This litte piece of decor is now nestled on a shelf with some other Halloween themed items that I made last year:

For those who are curious about "the candy witch", she started visiting us a couple years ago. She swoops in after Halloween and takes all the candy away while leaving behind a small gift such as a book or toy. I had seen her mentioned on a few blogs and was thrilled that she came to our home. After doing a little research I found that there was a book about a candy witch that was published by Scholastic back in the late 70s...it isn't one that was in our library at home but I suspect that this book is what inspired the whole candy witch concept.

The next stop is September Gray at septembergray.com, stop #28 on the Pals Blog Hop! Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you next month.

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The Pals October Blog Hop Line-Up:

P.S. How gorgeous is this month's badge? Nicole Watt always does an amazing job with these and this month is no exception. The hop badge has me wanting to read Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven!

Posted at 05:30 AM in banners, Blog Hops, halloween, home decor | Permalink | Comments (11)

09/22/2014

Tag! I'm It!

Friends, I've been tagged! If you follow Dawn Tidd's Tiddbits from Dawn blog, you know that she tagged me for the Creative Blog Hop. Thank you, Dawn, for tagging me!

You may have seen others post about the Creative Blog Hop. If not, it's a way for us to tell you a little more about ourselves and make some new friends as we do. You'll find Dawn's post here. Dawn and I met virtually through the Stampin' Pretty Pals group, serve on the Pals Paper Arts design team together, and Dawn also suggested me as a member for the Stamp Review Crew. She's an incredibly talented stamper and I love how she always finishes the inside of her cards!

As a participant in the Creative Hop, I've been asked to answer a few questions for you...

1. What am I working on now?

Right now, I'm working on this blog post of course! However, I am sure what you want to hear about is what I am crafting! Believe it or not, I do not have a single project that I am working on right now. I'm a "start to finish" crafter and finish nearly all my projects in one sitting.

I can tell you what I will be working on this week...

projects my October paper crafting class
new Five on Friday color combos and a little something to show this week's combo in action
additional goodie bags from the September Paper Pumpkin kit so I can get Halloween treats in the mail to our nieces and nephews

2. How does my work differ from others in my genre?

One thing that I hear from others is that my projects are so different from many that they see online. I think this stems from the fact that I do lots of projects beyond cards. While there is nothing at all wrong with making cards, I simply am not as great of a letter writer as I once was. Making little paper crafts to give away and putting together home decor is much more my speed these days.

In addition, I do not have a single style that I am known for using. There some individuals who are known for their clean and simple look, others who are gurus of the vintage style, and others who fall in between. My projects fall all over the map, though when I am working towards vintage, I think I usually end up with a grungy look...and I'm okay with that!

3. Why do I create what I do?

I'm a lifelong crafter. As a child I watched my mom get together with a monthly crafting group , I took art lessons one afternoon a week all through elementary school, and I started stamping my own Christmas cards about 20 years ago. For me, creating is a fun outlet and can be a great stress reliever at the end of a busy day. These days, I also want to share my love of crafting with my girls. Sometimes it is so hard not to jump in as they are doing something they way I envision it, however, I do my best to stand back and let them create their little masterpieces. Even when that masterpiece is inking up their hands and stamping their handprints onto paper!

4. How does my creative process work?

There is not a whole lot of consistency when it comes to my creative process. Sometimes I am inspired by a sketch or color combo, other days it is based on soemthing that I've seen. If the girls are around when I am crafting, they might provide a starting point by suggesting a color or stamp to use.

When I comes to putting projects together, I gather all the pieces and then assemble. I try not to glue anything down until I have all the pieces ready. I've also been known to pull out my phone or iPad to take a picture of what I am creating...this allows me to pull part a more complex project and have a guide for re-assembling it.

Enough about me! Hope you've enjoyed these insights and the photos I added along the way!

I now get to tag three other individuals who will share their responses to these questions next week! The individuals I've chosen to tag are Lisa Harlow at Dwell Delightfully, Delaney Martin of Swish and Stamp, and Elizabeth Volker with Willow Tree Papercrafting. These three talented Stampin' Up! demonstrators are ones that I have gotten to know through Instagram. By way of introduction, I'm sharing a glimpse at their Instagram feeds and you'll understand why I enjoy seeing their creations:

Lisa Harlow

Follow Lisa on Instagram: @mrslisaharlow

Delaney Martin

Follow Delaney on Instgram: @swishandstamp

Elizabeth Volker

Follow Elizabeth on Instagram @willowtreepapercrafting

Aren't they amazingly talented? Just wait until next Monday when you get to visit their blogs and learn more about them!

And, thanks again, Dawn for tagging me!

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09/10/2014

Pals September Hop - A few of my favorite things!

Welcome to the September Pals Blog Hop! This month we are showing off our favorite new products from the new Stampin' Up! Holiday Catalog. We hope you enjoy our projects!

You may just be starting the blog hop or may have come from Nancy Gleason at My Stampin Space, stop #27, on the Pals Hop. If you get off track at any time, the full lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing creations.

I'll admit that I love just about every single item in the Holiday Catalog...there are so many amazing products packed into its 52 pages! However, when it came time to choose which favorites to share today, the choice was easy!

My choices? Why they would be...

Gift Box Punch Board -- the best $19.95 that that I spent lately!

Under the Tree Specialty Designer Series Paper -- just the right weight for beautiful boxes!

Note Tag Punch -- such an adorable punch shape and fabulous for gift tags!

The box on the left is 4 x 4 x 4" and the one on the right is 4 x 4 x 2.5"...I love the ability to easily make boxes of different sizes!

I especially love the little 1.75 x 1.75 x 1.75" boxes...you can make 4 of them from a single sheet of 12" x 12" paper and they would be perfect for a single Lindt chocolate ball!

And the little Note Tag fits on top of the little box beautifully!

If you don't yet have the Gift Box Punch Board, Note Tag Punch, and Under the Tree Specialty paper on your wish list or in your crafting space, do consider adding them!

The next stop is September Gray at SeptemberGray.com, stop #29, on the Pals Blog Hop! The full line up is beneath my signature should you need it!

Thanks so much for visiting and I hope to see you next month!

Wishing you a creative day!

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Pals September Hop Line-Up

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08/03/2014

Stamp Review Crew: Flower Patch Edition

The Stamp Review Crew is at it again! We are sharing ideas for the Flower Patch stamp set this week...what a perfect set to share here on Peonies + Paper Chains! This is a fabulous set and I am really having fun using it. If you have yet to use it, this hop is sure to inspire you!

For the hop, I have created three projects -- a card, pinwheel, and box. Take a look:

The pinwheel was made from my own custom patterned paper using a little "three step stamping" to apply a floral image usingthe Flower Patch stamp set along with Pink Pirouette, Melon Mambo, and Old Olive ink on Whisper White cardstock.

The center of the pinwheel is a single stamped image atop a piece of Melon Mambo cardstock that I cut out with my 3/4" Circle punch.

The pinwheel made its way onto a belly band to adorn the little box I made with some Daffodil Delight card stock that had been stamped up with a flower and Melon Mambo ink. The box was created using the Gift Box Punch Board Box that will be available for customers to purchase as of August 28, 2014 (the day the Holiday catalog goes live).

And, finally, there is the card. You can see some Flower Patch stamping peeking out from behind the Ampersand embossed Melon Mambo card stock and a little more nestled atop the ampersand itself. The 3/4" Circle punch was just the right size for the job!

Put everything together for a pretty little gift that any recipient smile!

For those of you who love to pin ideas to save, the image below is just for you:

Be sure to hop along for more Flower Patch fun!

Have a creative day!

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Posted at 09:00 PM in Blog Hops, everyday, stamp review crew | Permalink | Comments (12)

07/09/2014

It's a Stampin' Up! New Hue Review!

Welcome to the July Pals Blog Hop! This month we are featuring a New Hues Review. Let the new Stampin' Up! In Colors for 2014-16 inspire you - Blackberry Bliss, Lost Lagoon, Mossy Meadow, Hello Honey, and Tangelo Twist. We hope you find great inspiration from our creations.

You may just be starting the blog hop or may have come from Martie Pollard at The Crafty Bandit on the Pals Hop. If you get off track at any time, the full lineup below my signature will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing creations.

I decided to use this month's hop as a great opportunity to put together a set of note cards with coordinating envelopes that I'll be giving away later this week. Every color in the 2014-2016 In Color Collection is featured, as is the High Five stamp set. That set is definitely a fave of mine...how about you?

After making 5 cards that measure 3-1/2" x 5" (I used the Whisper White Note Cards & Envelopes), I knew I wanted to make a little something for wrapping them up. The Tag a Bag Gift Bags are perfect for this. I created a 1-1/2" wide belly band in Blackberry Bliss and topped it with a hand stamped pinwheel.

Want to know how to make pinwheels of any size? Visit this post from July 4 for instructions.

A little card stock embellishment for the center, a couple of long and narrow flags, and the "high five" sentiment completed the pinwheel in style!

For those who like "behind the scenes" tours, this last photo is for you...

My note cards were photographed on my dining table. Here I am -- up close to the table edge taking the photo from above. The bright green you see is a chair from Ikea that the girls use. And those are my toes painted in a shade that is awfully close to Rich Razzleberry.

If you fall in love with the In Colors during this hop (it will be hard not too), my recommendation to customers is always to purchase the Cardstock and Ink Pad Kit. For $29.95, you receive the Classic Stampin' Pads in all five In Colors plus a pack of 8-1/2" x 11" cardstock (20 sheets total) for just $29.95. The five ink pads alone are typically $29.75 and that means you are paying just 20 cents for the pack of card stock...can't beat a penny a sheet!

The next stop is Maggie Mata at Maggie Made Cards on the Pals Blog Hop! Thanks for visiting and have a creative day!

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Pals July Blog Hop Line-Up

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05/14/2014

Pals May Hop: So Long and Farewell!

Welcome to the May Pals Blog Hop. This is the first hop on our new day - the 2nd Wednesday of the month. Before we celebrate the release of the new Stampin' Up! catalog next month, we want to take time to say goodbye to our favorite retiring products. This month we are showcasing projects that feature stamps or accessories that are retiring along with the 2013-14 Idea Book & Catalog on June 4th.

You may just be starting the blog hop or may have come from Dawn Tidd at Tiddbits from Dawn on the Pals Hop. If you get off track at any time, the full lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog.

As you can see from the image above, I'm busy gearing up for summer holidays! This DIY curled paper wreath is perfect for the summer. It is hanging next to our front door and it will stay up for awhile. I'm thrilled to have it up before Memorial Day and it will stay up past the 4th of July.

The wreath is made using the retiring 2012-2014 In Color Designer Series Paper Stack and I used strips of paper that measure 1" x 6". A bone folder is an absolute must for this project.

The Cherry Cobbler Chevron Ribbon is not on the retiring list...I'm very excited to see it stay! As you may have noticed, I knotted a length of ribbon around the wreath and then I tied a bow beneath the knot -- this dresses up the look and helps to hide the nail or hook that you use for hanging the wreath.

You also need a wreath form (mine is a 12" green form one) and some T-pins for this project. I literally pulled pieces off a wintertime curled paper wreath and used the T-pins for this new patriotic wreath!

Did you notice the star garlands? They are from the December 2013 Paper Pumpkin Kit -- with the holidays being busy I never got around to assembling it!

Orginally I draped the garlands across the wreath but as I kept adding the curled paper, I just was not loving it so I pulled out a pennant shape from the Paper Pumpkin kit, backed it with some Midnight Muse cardstock, and decorated it as you'll see below:

The garland is held in place with Stampin' Dimensionals and I did have to cut those in two pieces to fit on the tiny stars.

The flags are ones that I picked up from the dollar spot at Target and they will likely get pulled off the wreath to bring to our local Memorial Day parade. It will be easy enought to tuck them back in when we return...they are simply nestled amongst the paper curls!

Here's one final look at the wreath and a fond farewell to these papers...

In total I think I used 4 sheets from the In Color Designer Series Paper Stack for the wreath. With 40 sheets in the pack, you could make a whole lot of wreaths! Be sure to place an order with your Stampin' Up! demonstrator before this paper is gone for good.

The next stop is Wendy Klein at Doggone Delightful Stampin' on the Pals Blog Hop! If you need the full line-up, you'll find it below my signatre. Thanks for visiting and I hope to see you next month!

Wishing you a creative day!

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Pals May Blog Hop Line-up: