Sneak Peek: "Hip to Be Square" and "Lord of the Season"

Eeek, I get to show you my newest set today!! This month includes a new frame I've designed with your square cards in mind (or a smaller focal point on a A2 size), called "Hip to Be Square"! This new grid has a symmetrical layout (one of my favorite layouts for square cards actually) that is perfect for framing up images, greetings, buttons, flowers.... anything you like! It has some similarities to the popular "Inspiration Mosaic", and will be a must-have add-on to that set, or a terrific stand alone. I'm also happy to report, a smaller grid this month allowed room for even more images and greetings to go with (or use as tags), and they fit all occasions! You'll love all the new little borders like the stars you see below (think new "stitches" too!) and "stamp embellishments" (this time they look like eyelets!) that you can mix and match with the original mosaic set. Fun, fun!!Here I stamped the new grid onto Cosmo Cricket Jolly by Golly DP, using the 6x6 grid line block made it easy to center it over the candy cane pattern. Then I colored the border with a Copic. This card is just two layers, plus the popped up images, and all the images and greetings you see here are included in this set! The circles can double as snowmen, ornaments and much more(see below). It's wonderful to be able to stamp the faces and nose in separately this way, see how you can "turn their heads" just by stamping to the left or right flipping the carrot nose? :) Card base is the new Pure Luxury Fresh Asparagus. Last I added some tied craft thread (thank you, Donna!) to the ornament toppers (I'd punched through with my Cropodile) to make it look like they are tied to the top of each frame.
This "Christmas quilt" above looks pieced, but it's not, and only uses a few layers. Using Vivid Inky blue, I stamped the "Hip to Be Square" frame onto Basic Grey JuneBug DP and then stamped out four of the smaller square outline image from the set on 3 different prints from the same Basic Grey pack. A 1 1/4" square punch or die is a perfect fit for this little squares, you'll love how fast these go!! Now, if you turn each punched square at a 45 degree angle before adhering them in each larger square, the 4 simple panes becomes a beautiful quilting block with triangles in each corner! I stamped "Very Merry!" in the bottom one, and cut out the little ribbon image from the set I'd stamped in Vivid inks on Pure Luxury White for the other three to make them look like gift boxes, you like? (Change up the color and patterns and the Christmas presents magically turn into birthday gifts LOL!) Centered this way it leaves a "5th box" in the middle, I colored the corners next to each of the green squares red as well as the double border to make the pattern a little more complicated. Last I mounted it onto the new Gina K Pure Luxury All Spruced Up and White. Stitched trim around the edges is an embossed Cuttlebug border.

I had to share just a simple few projects without the frame, too! Above are some more circles I stamped to make some holiday goodies. Punch them with a 1 3/8" circle and layer onto scalloped punches and you have these easy lollipop or peppermint patty favors! You can also make pumpkins or kids or baby faces. TIP: Make striped knit caps for these round faces by snipping off part of a punched circle of DP and adding a button to the top, isn't that sweet? The buttons and ribbons you see here are from the new Gina K companion collections coming out this month! And, these Hinged window tins can be purchased from Gina K, they will fit 6 decorated patties, and make a wonderful and inexpensive gift!

Last, I have a few suckers I put in a paper Halloween cup with some raffia and jelly beans(because Halloween IS up next LOL!) , there are little bits in the set you can substitute for the eyes, mouths and noses, have fun "carving" your own pumpkins! (stamped in Vivid Butterscotch and Memento Tuxedo Black) pumpkin carving tips to come, stay tuned!! Be sure to join us for our release party Thursday night to see lots more unique layouts and uses for this set! :)

Want to win "Hip to Be Square"? Leave a comment on this post with your guess of what else you think you'll find in this set or holidays you'll have covered I have not shown here! (or if you think you may have found all of them going through the hop, tell me what type of occasion card or project you would make with it first?) I will announce a winner tomorrow night!

Next, Nina's newest set "Lord of the Season" includes topiary for all seasons, and a holiday one has this beautiful wreath topper, but I just couldn't resist "pulling it out of the pot" and hanging it from her "Elegant Post" from a couple months back, isn't that perfect? (Just carefully ink up the wreath only, omitting the pot and stamp!) After coloring it with Copics, I added some accents with my Stardust Glitter pen and covered the fruits with Crystal Lacquer. Card Stock is all Pure Luxury: White, Rocket Red, Fresh Asparagus (base) and All Spruced Up. I inked up just part of one of the greetings to frame it on a Fancy Tag die cut. Ribbon is from the the new kit and I also added a punched Large Flourish and some adhesive nail heads. I created the border with some decorative scalloped scissors, Cropodile and some punched fern sprigs.

Don't forget to head over to GinaK's blog to add your comment to her blog entry for another chance to win the new stamp sets being previewed tonight our blogs!
Be sure to check out Nina Brackett: Lord of the Season
and Design Team Members participating in the hop tonight:
Carolyn King
Cathy Tidwell
Cindy Lawrence
Donna Baker
Emily Giovanni
Erika Martin
Jessica Fick
Kurtis Amundson
Lee Murphy
Lynn Mercurio
Theresa Momber
CenterStage Spotlight Designers:
Giovana Smith
Janice Melton