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Aloha, from Robin’s Craft Room, where it’s just a gorgeous day in Hawai’i!  No snowflakes here! 

Well, that’s actually not true.  There’s a snowflake right here in this blog post as there was in yesterday’s post.  Today I’m showing off the other side of the snowflake ornament on which I started working yesterday.

And, yes, there are Little Felt Flurries (113697) on this side, too!  The green print is on the other side of the blue Designer Series Paper that I showed yesterday. 

I hope that you’ve noticed with all my postings about the Little Felt Flurries snowflakes, that there are tons of different designs!  There are 23, in fact, with a great mix of 3 sizes and 3 colors in the package of 69 pieces.  It’s almost as if there are no two alike, just like in real snowflake land! 

To finish off the accents on this side, I added a Rhinestone Brad, but this time from the Circle Fire Collection (109110).  I’ll bet by the time I’m finished with this year’s Christmas ornaments, I’ll have run out of the Rhinestone Brads!  I’m not so sure about the felt snowflakes, though.  The pile doesn’t seem to be diminishing at all!

My next project with felt won’t be with the Little Felt Flurries, though.  Today I brought home a nice pile of felt from our local craft store, and I’m going to try out my Sizzix Snowflake die to make REALLY BIG felt flurries of my own! 

Stay Tuned!!

Aloha, all!  The computer in Robin’s Craft Room is back up and running!  Hooray!!  But having no access to a computer for a few days gave me more time to play with all my fun Stampin’ Up! Christmas "stuff."  I’m still playing with the materials from the Country Living Holiday Collection Stampin’ Kit (114447 if you’d like to order it online).  And my favorites continue to be the ornaments.  Would you also be surprised that I added some Little Felt Flurries (113697) to my ornaments?  Not if you’ve been reading my blog the last week or so!

I started with one of the chipboard snowflakes from the Country Living collection.  Each of the chipboard pieces is die cut and comes with two pieces of die cut Designer Series Paper to match.  The DSP pieces are double sided, so you can choose which color you’d like to use.  With my ornament, I chose to use one color on one side of the snowflake and the second color on the other side.

In a few days, I hope to have a video showing how I attached the DSP to the chipboard.  Meanwhile, let me just say that I really like using the Anywhere Glue Stick (104045), especially with detailed chipboard elements such as the snowflakes, because I can slide the DSP around a bit until I get it just where I want it. 

To embellish this side of the ornament, I added a circle chipboard element (also from the Country Living set) and covered it with a contrasting piece of DSP.  On top of that I layered two Little Felt Flurries, and added a Rhinestone Brad from the Circle Ice set (109111).  Finally, I used the Crop-a-dile (108632) to punch a hole in the finished chipboard snowflake and attached some Silver Elastic Cord (109866) for hanging.

Tomorrow I’ll show off the other side (different colors, and I’ll leave you guessing as to whether I added some of the Little Felt Flurries!).  Meanwhile, as always, you can shop Stampin’ Up! 24/7–or call (808.854.6145) or e-mail me if you have any questions or if you’d like me to place an order for you!  It’s getting late in the season–got to get those ornaments started now!!

When one deals with the Internet one MUST have a computer.  Unfortunately, the computer in Robin’s Craft Room has some serious issues, and is in intersive care in the local ‘puter hospital.   So those Christmas ornaments on which I have been working since the weekend will have to wait for their unveiling in the blogosphere!

But even while Robin’s Craft Room may be out of commission for a few days, my Stampin’ Up! website isn’t!  It’s there 24/7 for online ordering.  And, of course, you can call (808.854.6145) or e-mail me any time if you have questions or want to place an order!

 Who knew that, today, I’d actually see Riding Hood and the Handsome Hunter right in my own craft room?!  Well, here it is - a great combination if I’ve ever seen one:  Stampin’ Up! colors Riding Hood Red and Handsome Hunter in a Christmas Card!

I’ve been playing with this stamp set, Sleigh Bells Ring (109483), for the last two days, and this is my favorite card so far.  Marcie, one of my Stamp Club Members, bought this stamp set last year and asked if I could come up with a project to use it for December’s club meeting.  She actually brought a sketch to my Craft Room yesterday, and I’ll be sharing what we did with that tomorrow.

For this card, I stamped the main image, using Versamark (102283), then embossed it with White Stampin’ Emboss Powder (109132).  This color embossing powder seems to me to coordinate better with Very Vanilla accent paper than with Whisper White.  So the smaller stamps are on Very Vanilla card stock, with Styled Vanilla Hodgepodge Hardware (112454) brads in the corners.

And, finally, here’s a video to show how I made the Faux Bow on the right.

 I promise!  Next week we’ll get into some of the OTHER wonderful products that Stampin’ Up! has provided for us for our Holiday Card and Gift Making pleasure!  But I have to show off the last of my Little Felt Flurry Flourishes (don’t you just love alliteration?!)

This is the second of the "Trios" that I made with the smallest of the Little Felt Flurries.  This time I set the Baja Blue Flurries against some Whisper White card stock, and I used Designer Series Paper from the Ski Slope set (112994), all with a Night of Navy accent.

What really sets the Felt Flurries off is the Dazzling Diamonds glitter (102023) that I applied before I affixed them to the card stock.  Just a little bit of Tombow Adhesive (110755) dotted on, then a sprinkle of Dazzling Diamonds, and they’re, well, um, Dazzling!  I did let the adhesive/glitter dry before I glued them onto the card stock.

The stamp is from the Level 1 Hostess Set, Best Yet.  Now I know why Stampin’ Up! gave this set it’s name!  I think it’s the Best level 1 hostess set Yet!  You, too, can get this set with just a $150 workshop or order.  Even if you’re not in my neighborhood, get a few friends together to look over our catalog (you can download a copy by clicking to the right), then just put in an order online!  Or I can place the order for you to make sure everyone gets the correct shipping and sales tax costs applied to her (or his) order, and then have it shipped directly to you!  Just send me an e-mail or give me a call (808.854.6145)

Hey–December is only 2 weeks away!!!  Times a-wastin’!

 I just can’t keep my hands off the Little Felt Flurries (113697).  Besides the fact that they feel so soft and fluffy, they are dynamite to work with!  I may have to start using my Sizzix for some felt cutting.   Hmmmmm. 

But before I get too distracted with what I PLAN to do, let me show you another card I’ve made with these little gems. These snowflakes are shown in the Baja Blue Color, and the Designer Series Paper is from the Holiday Happenings Bundle Level 3 Hostess set.  The background paper is Riding Hood Red card stock, edged with the Scallop Edge Punch and the stamp, also in Riding Hood Red, is from the Heard from the Heart set.

Now how to make those 1-3/8" circles punched in the Designer Series Paper all line up.  There are lots of ways, but this is how I do it:

1. First punch three 1-1/4" circles out of scrap paper.  Using the smaller punch for this part of the process will help you line up the 1-3/8" punch for the final step.
2. Cut a piece of card stock the size of the paper with which you’ll be working.
3. Lay the 3 punched circles out on the card stock until they are where you will want to punch them.  Use a small piece of removable tape to keep each one in place.
4. Trace lightly around the circles and then set them aside. 
5. Center each drawn circle in the opening of the 1-3/8" punch and punch each of the three circles.

That’s all there is to it!  If you want to be really precise, or if you are going to be making lots of this kind of card, you can download a one-sheet set of instructions for the measurements for a reusable template.

 As always, if you have any questions or if you need some help with any of my templates or tutorials, just let me know!  And if you’d like to buy some supplies to make any of my projects, remember that you can order online any time of the day or night!

Like yesterday’s Christmas Card, today’s uses the Little Felt Flurries from Stampin’ Up!’s Holiday Mini Catalog.  Today, though, I really added the embellishments big time!

For starters, I used the lovely background paper from the Ski Slope Designer Series Paper pack, accented with some Riding Hood Red card stock.  On top of that, I layered some Baja Breeze 1" Double-Stitched Grosgrain Ribbon (111847) and Riding Hood Red 5/8" Striped Grosgrain Ribbon (111374). 

The large medallion features several layers:

First, there is a layer made with the Sizzix Bigz Die, Scallop Circle #2 (113469), made with chipboard and Riding Hood Red card stock.  I accented the scallops with a bit of Tombow Glue and Dazzling Diamonds (I am so not a glitter person–but Dazzling Diamonds has been my downfall!!!).

The next layer is not one but TWO Little Felt Flurries, again accented with the Dazzling Diamonds.  Finally, there is a Riding Hood Red button from the Designer Buttons pack (112092), tied with a bit of Silver Elastic Cord (109866). 

The final accent is a tag made with both the Tag Punch (105934) and Small Tag Punch (108264), with the small tag stamped with a greeting from the Level 1 Hostess Set, Best Yet, in Riding Hood Red ink.

What a CARD!!!!  Once I finished this card, I wished I’d made an ornament out of the embellishments.  Hmmm.  I think I see a theme for next week’s blog entries!!!

As always, call (808.854.6145) or e-mail me if I can order any of these wonderful Stampin’ Up! products for you!  Or order online at your own convenience, 24/7!

With my Thanksgiving cards and decorations all made, I can now turn most of my attention to getting ready for the Christmas Season!

When the Holiday Mini-Catalog first came out, I shared this card with you.  It uses the Little Felt Flurries (113697) and the Heard from the Heart Stamp Set (111644), along with the Holiday Happenings Designer Series Paper, featured as a Level 3 Hostess gift in the Fall/Winter Catalog and Not Quite Navy card stock to set it off.  Finally, I added some Dazzling Diamonds to make everything sparkle!

Once I started using the Little Felt Flurries, it was hard to stop!  So I’ll be sharing more of these little lovelies as the week goes on.  Come back and see!!  And if you just can’t wait to get your hands on some Felt Flurries, just call (808.854.6145) or e-mail me and I’ll order some for you.

Aloha, all!

What better way to start a Holiday Wish List than to start with–YOU!!

OK, I know that  you and I were both brought up to think of everyone else first.  But how are we going to get all those cards made for everyone in 2009?  How are we going to get all those scrapbooks of important events made in 2009?  How are we going to get all those wonderful gift bags and folders done for everyone else in 2009?  UNLESS—

We have the tools and resources to make them!!!!!! 

SOOO–start letting those significant gift givers (aka "Santa") in your life know that you’d like HELP this holiday season–help being in the form of all that you need to make those cards, scrapbooks and gifts!  I can get you started right now in four easy steps:

1. Download this Wish List form
2. Go through your Fall/Winter 2008 Stampin’ Up! catalog and find all those "must have" items  (don’t have a catalog?!  Just call (808.854.6145) or e-mail me, and I’ll make sure you get one right away!)
3. Write the "must haves" on the Wish List form
4. Place the Wish List in a strategic spot for "Santa" to find!!

That’s all there is to it!!  Once "Santa" gets in touch with me, I’ll be sure to get that order in for him or her right away.

If YOUR Santa gets a paid order to me before December 1, 2008, I’ll include a surprise for both of you in the order that Santa (or you) will receive!  (The surprise will differ depending on the amount of the order.)

If your Santa places an order of at least $100 online, I’ll send you two (2) sets of instructions for Valentine gifts right after the New Year!

Happy Shopping!!

And a B I G  thanks to Super Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator Patty Bennett for this Wish List form!!

My late grandfather, William McDermott Smithhisler, served in
World War I.

My late father, Henry Smithhisler, served in World War II.

My husband, Harold Messenheimer, is a retired Coast Guard officer,
and served during the Vietnam War. 

My humble civilian salute to all of them this Veterans Day 2008.