Dressing a Festive Table

Today I have a project I came across on StampTV from the lovely and talented Brenda Turner , she used "Festive Frame" to make this gorgeous luminary! I love her 3 sided design, I have never tried that for a candle, but want to now! This could be easily put together with very minimal supplies (Pure Luxury Rocket Red, White and Vellum) to add real "wow" to your holiday tablescape, just had to share with all of you!

As you can see from this view she cut out an oval slightly larger than the window in the Festive Frame image from all three panels of the red, then cut out the oval in the image stamped on white and sandwiched some vellum in between the layers. The little metal dots adhered to the poinsettia centers are the perfect touch! Brenda, I'd love to see how pics of how that looks lit up, maybe on your table in a few days??

Thanks again Brenda for today's inspiration! :) (I''m off to make you know what!!) ;)

Things That Make You Go Mmmmmm!

The following recipe is THE BOMB!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My mom made this a few years ago and I thought I died and went to heaven, went back for thirds, and i believe I may have also eaten this for my dessert instead of pie! The pineapple, cheese and Ritz create the most delectably sweet and savory dish, that is just as yummy hot out of the oven or chilled next morning for breakfast after unwrapping the gifts, so you can call this a side or dessert. Not to mention it's totally cheap and easy to make! Can't miss!

Pineapple Cheese Casserole

2 – 20 oz cans crushed pineapple (drained)
1-1/2 C. sugar
¾ C. flour
2 C. shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 stack Ritz crackers
1-1/2 – 2 sticks butter

Put pineapple into casserole dish. Mix together flour, sugar and cheese, then mix into pineapple. Crush Ritz crackers and spread on top. Melt butter and pour over pineapple.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Can be served hot or cold.

My husband and I both made this for separate potlucks we attended for Thanksgiving and the pans were just completely cleaned out! I mean to post it for Thanksgiving, but the night of I realized was just too late! So I was determined not miss the opportunity to share it before Christmas so none of you would miss out on this!! Yeah, I know last week would have been better, but I'm sure many of you (not namin' names!) have not yet bought all the ingredients yet for your holiday meals!! ;)


You may want to add a recipe card (the 10 I printed out were all gone when I came to retrieve the pan) or a little note saying what it is next to the dish; to some it might look like scalloped potatoes! (Boy, were those people surprised when they bit into it! LOL!) Please enjoy!

So what are you making for your big holiday meal, do tell!!

Keeping up with Blogging Buddies

Okay, I am already planning some new years' resolutions, to do a better job of staying in touch, and to be more organized, specifically, keeping all my snail and email addys in one place so I don't have to keep emailing more organized friends for others addys!! SO I altered this little address book I found at the dollar store with my "Tech Talk" set, because I want to keep this specifically for addresses (email, snail and blog) and birthdays for those friends that I keep in touch with by computer.
It had a striped purple and white binding and I thought it would be much easier not to have to cover that part since it will be opened and closed a lot, but I had almost no DP with purple in it!! So I found some Basic Grey prints (the front of the album is 6x6 so it was the perfect size) that had light pinks and greens in the patterns to complement the purple.

I wanted to use purple somewhere to tie it in though, so I grabbed one of my trusty white paper flowers and colored it with a Copic, although it looks brighter in this pic than the binding they really do match, I promise! I had fun stamping the different techie greetings all over the front and adding all the envelopes to get me in the snail mailing spirit!

Inside I stamped some different images and greetings onto the purple liner that came inside the cover to coordinate with the front.

It has a ton of lined pages in the back too for journalling, this was perfect for adding all the birthdays. I stamped the month on top of each page using Calendar Bits & Pieces and then numbered the lines accordingly.


This project went really fast and it takes up very little room on my desk, I am excited to fill it up and then put it to good use! :)

I am linking today's project in our customer blog hop for all our new Gina K release sets from this month, if you would like to play along for a chance to in a free set create your December Blog Hop project or use one that you've already created with these new sets:
Tech Talk
Life is Good
Lovely Shelf
Warm and Wonderful
Sweetest Memories
or
the StampTV Holiday Cheer Kit

and add the direct link to your project in the Mr. Linky on GinaK's blog. Then, on your blog entry, refer people back here toGina's blog so they can hop to the next name on the list. Read the full details over at Gina's! Hope you'll play along!

Week 2 with Lee Murphy: Out the Window!

Another brilliant "Tech Talk" project from the incomparable Lee Murphy today, when she sent me this card yesterday, I was a little slow on the uptake, even when she wrote it was inspired by the dreaded "blue screen of death"( if this has never happened to your computer (consider yourself fortunate!) , it basically means your computer is beyond help) Even reading that, I was so busy admiring her cracked glass technique, noticing the little ribbons on the side, totally" got" that the computer was just messed up so it had a broken screen..but then I wondered , "hmm, why did she only do the cracked glass on one side....?"

OHHHHH! because she threw it through the ("Hip to Be Square") window, bwahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhahaha! so then I really "got it", hee! Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) or not, I'm sure you can all relate to feeling like hurling your 'puter through the window when it's not cooperating with you! Too clever of her, once it "clicked", I can't stop hearing the glass shattering! ;) Looks like she did the right side of the computer stamped over the window before cracking the glaze, then just cut out and popped up the left side of the computer before it passes through, I love it!!

Inside of course it was imperative she stamped lots and lots of (((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))! :) You need 'em when that happens!

Let's go see another "Tech Talk" project from Lee!

Blog Candy Winner

Wow, I gotta hand it all my ladies who totally rocked the "Tech Talk" Blog hop on Friday night, every project was so unique and creative, I had a wonderful time hopping around! I know I was totally indpired, i'm sure were too! :)

The winner of the drawing for my blog candy is
Becky said...
wow..this is fabulous, I just love this pop up..YOu are just so creative. And thanks for the freebie

December 19, 2009 12:00 AM

Congrats Becky, please send me your snail addy and I will put the "Tech Talk" set in the mail to you ASAP!

For those of you who have not yet downloaded my desk template, it is still available in this post, as well as in the Idea Center on STV! please enjoy!

Tech Talk Blog Hop

Are you ready to hop with "Tech Talk"?? I've got candy tonight, plus an original template I've designed as a free gift for ALL of you, free, come look!
Here is a card using Pure Luxury Creme De Menthe as base and the cover of my Cosmo Cricket Boyfriend pack, I was able to get all these swatches from the front piece and then just flipped down the corner to cover up the little price! :) I stamped "hello" from the set in the corner and held it down with a paperclip, in keeping with the office theme and "you've got mail!" greeting (stamped and punched out with 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circles). I folded up a tiny envelope from Pure Luxury White and stamped my little heart on the flap, then added a few pieces of notebook paper I cut out from the same patterned pack.

Now for the really fun part, a pop up desk inside!!! Do you LOVE it?? Check out the little dotted drawer pulls, these are part of the pattern and can be left as is like you see here or used as a guide to cover with nail heads, adhesive pearls, rhinestones, etc! This desk is SO simple to make when you download my pattern for free at the end of this post. Instructions for assembly are included along with ideas for how to modify and decorate it, and I am just SO excited what a great complement this is to the "Tech Talk" stamps!! :)

First, line the inside of your card with mats 4"x 5 1/4" (you don't have to, but adding carpet and wallpaper will really complete your scene), these are two more prints from the DP pack.

Here you can see my desk cut out and scored along the front and back edge as well as the flaps. The back flap will be secured behind and below the desktop, but you can also flip it up like a bulletin board or back splash, I will show examples of this later.

Now open your card flat and cover just the back flap of the desk with adhesive and press onto the top inside of the card, with the bottom edge meeting the inside score of your base.

Push the desk back and add adhesive or Scor-Tape to the little flaps.

Press the inside bottom of the card against the desk. This method for adhering the desk ensures that the desk surfaces will be at right angles when you open it and the card will shut properly, closing flat.

Open up, and voila! You're ready to decorate your desktop! :) I kept today's simple just adding the computer stamped on Moonlit Fog and a few more sheets of the notebook DP. Here without the accessories, I hope you can begin to imagine the possibilities for this template that go beyond a desk: kitchen counter, workshop, vanity etc. Of course I'll be back to show more of these options! ;)

Download the free template here. Please remember this is a copyrighted pattern, no selling, submitting for contests or publications, etc and please be sure to give me credit when posting pics of creations made with it. Thanks, I hope you enjoy it!

Please leave a comment below if you would like to win a signed copy of the "Tech Talk" set! I will announce a winner tomorrow night.

For more inspiration with Tech Talk tonight, check out these links:

Melanie Muenchinger {Illustrator}
Jessica Fick
Donna Baker
Lee Murphy
Lynn Mercurio
Nina Brackett

Theresa Momber
Sankari Wegman

Melissa Shultz {CSS Designer}
Peggy Wainman {CSS Designer}
Tina Gilliland {Guest Designer}
Karen Knegten {Guest Designer}

The Tech Talk discussion on the StampTV Idea Center is a very valuable resource filled with tips, sample projects, and tutorials. My tip sheet, this free PDF template as well as the Card Kit is available in the discussion as well.

If you haven't already, stop by GinaK's blog today to leave your comment on her blog for your second chance to win today's featured stamp set or any other stamp set valued at $23.95 of your choice!

Following

Just wanted to let you know about another option (and many of you already know how this works) about keeping up with me when I post on my blog: following. I already have some followers without advertising that but hadn't added the widget because the first time I tried it wasn't working properly, but that's fixed now. I hadn't gotten it up because I have Feedburner and Feedblitz subscribing options that should send out notices instantly when I post, but I've been getting a LOT of feedback these have not been coming in a timely manner, rats! I don't have any control over what that hiccup is that's causing the delay, so following maybe be your best option if you have a blog of your own. Just click on the "Following" widget in my sidebar and my posts will start updating to you automatically. With the Blogger Reading List, you can read all of the latest posts from your favorite blogs right on your Blogger Dashboard. Your Blogger Reading List, conveniently located under your list of blogs on your dashboard, enables you to subscribe to any blog with a feed. It will update instantly each time a new post is published on any blog in your Reading List.



Some people like following their favorite blogs this way, please let me know in the comments if you already do this for some blogs and how you like it/its working out for you!



If you can't follow, my normal schedule of loading to my blog is every day at 10PM CST , just makes it easier to stay consistent with our other Gina K releases and blog hops, as well as giving people a full 24 hours to view a post, however, there are sometimes exceptions to this, when an announcement needs to be made, or someone is sick around here LOL, you know, when life happens...! Hope you will add me, I don't want you to miss anything! Thanks for reading!

Life is Good Blog Hop

Welcome to another mid month blog hop, this time featuring Theresa Momber's "Life is Good". I'd already given the cabin from the set a lot of love, and couldn't think of any new colors for a sponged sunset Theresa hasn't already dazzled us with LOL!, so it was time to see what I could do with the deer! I had a few last minute Christmas cards that needed making, so this simple design filled the bill quite nicely!
I started with a Pure Luxury White base and stamped out nine reindeer (8 plus Rudolph) in Vivid Coffee Bean, stamping off every other deer before re-inking. I added a little adhesive rhinestone I'd colored red for the nose and stamped this greeting from "Seasonal Sayings" underneath in Vivid Brick. Last some holiday ribbon and a jingle bell attached with a glue dot and it's done!

For even more inspiration tonight with the Life is Good stamp set, check out these links:

Theresa Momber {Illustrator}
Jessica Fick
Nina Brackett
Melanie Muenchinger
Lee Murphy
Erika Martin
Emily Giovanni
Colleen Schaan


Cheri Weston {CSS designer}
Melissa Shultz {CSS designer}
Peggy Wainman {CSS designer}


Geri Utterback {guest designer}
Brenda Turner {guest designer}
Linda Payne {guest designer}

The Life is Good discussion on the StampTV Idea Center is also a valuable resource for tips, samples, and tutorials. Theresa's tip sheet and the Card Kit is available in the discussion as well.

And, finally stop by GinaK's blog today to leave your comment on her blog for your chance to win today's featured stamp set or another stamp set valued at $23.95 of your choice!

Great Teacher

The computer and other techie elements from "Tech Talk" blend beautifully with Rupa's "Back to School" set , perfect for a great teacher OR great student!

Only the mug (stamped with "A+") and round teacher label are popped up. I used a grey Copic to make the shadows under the paper clips and other objects. The pencil cup is paper pieced with Basic Grey Junebug, card base is Pure Luxury In the Navy. I stamped the little heart from set onto Kraft CS and then popped it up over the little apple on the label.

A very special teacher in our life this year is Ms. Daphne, William's preschool teacher. She really notices every little thing he does throughout the day and tells me all about it when I come to get him, and really appreciates what makes him unique and special. I tell you she dotes on him like he is her own grandchild! We love you, Ms. Daphne!! (She is getting a candle this Christmas!) ;)

Lovely Shelf Blog Hop

Hello! I have a sample using Nina's "Lovely Shelf" set, no shelf tonight, just lovely!

At first glance it might look like I used two images here, but I actually used 4. My arrangement was shabby chic inspired: putting the flowers into the teapot as an unconventional vase and creating a lamp with a tea cup base is a style of decorating I love! Little unexpected things like that are just the spice of life, ya know! It would be fun to swap these around and have the flowers in the cup and lamp made from the pot as well! Just thought it would be fun to share even more elemental possibilities, you can omit inking up part of the stamp to put the different images together (which is what I did here) or just cut your stamped images apart and piece them together, whatever is easiest for you. I paper pieced the pot, shade and cup with Basic Grey Lemonade DP, and used a coordinating paper from the same pack as mat over the Pure Luxury Creme de Menthe and Black Onyx. I embossed a piece of Cranberry Tart with Victoria, such a pretty pattern to go with these prints. Next I used a die cut fancy tag an punched large flourish to bring attention to those beautiful flourishes on the shade and china pattern. Last I popped up a little button onto a white paper flower I colored with Mimosa Yellow Copic. I left the greeting off so this can be a pretty anytime card I can stamp my sentiment into later.


For even more inspiration with the Lovely Shelf stamp set, please visit these designer's blogs:

Nina Brackett {illustrator}

Jessica Fick

Donna Baker

Emily Giovanni

Lee Murphy

Peggy Wainman {CSS designer}

Cheri Weston {CSS Designer}

Vanessa Menhorn {Nina's Guest Designer}

The StampTV Idea Center is also a valuable resource for tips, samples, and tutorials on how to use all of GinaK's stamp sets. Check out the Lovely Shelf stamp set discussion HERE. The Lovely Shelf Card Kit information can be found there as well.

And, finally remember to check in on GinaK's blog tonight to leave your comment on her Lovely Shelf post so that you can be entered to win Nina's stamp set or any stamp set valued at $23.95 or less!

Mosaic Monday

Hello! Today I used the "Inspiration Mosaic" frame to improvise a very modular looking shelving unit, and snuck a few key images from other GinaK Designs sets to fill it out: computer mug, picture and pencil can from "Tech Talk", and made a nature photo and screen saver from "Life is Good". Instead of masking the trees into each, I just stamped them and then stamped the screen and picture over them, and cut out the rectangle to mount on top like I was piecing. the pencil cup is pieced with Basic Grey Granola. Card base is Pure Luxury Kraft. it still needed one small something so I added the little baseball from "Sporty Accessories" into one of the nooks. Oh! and I replaced the heart on the keyboard witha smiley! TIP: An easy way to do this instead of omitting inking up the ehart is to cut out the button and then turn it aorudn and tamp the face on the bck, the piece is symmetrical so you can glue it onon the keyboard that way. :o)

Have a great day, blog hop tonight! :)

Card Kit Blog Hop

Welcome to our very first GinaK Card Kit Club blog hop!

Jessica and GinaK have added a new facet to our design team. They have assembled an amazingly talented group of designers who will be sharing cards based on Jessica's Card Kits. they are all Rock Star Designers and we are so excited to have them on board!

For this month's hop, Jess asked them to design their projects using the same basic sketch and measurements of the class card that she designed, but to put their own personal touches on them adding whatever embellishments, patterned papers, etc. that they would like to use!here you can see the "starter card" from the kit that each designer was assigned to and link to their blogs so you can see what they've created for us!

Each of the designer's cards will be added to the StampTV gallery and the GinaK Idea Center over the next few days.

Life is Good {stamp set by Theresa Momber}
CKC Designer: Colleen Schaan

***************************

Tech Talk {stamp set by Melanie Muenchinger}
CKC Designer: Sankari Wegmen

************************

Warm and Wonderful {stamp set by Rupa Shevde}
CKC Designers: Bev Gerard
and Suzanne Dean

************************

Lovely Shelf {stamp set by Nina Brackett}
CKC Designer: Valerie Stangle

Happy hopping, Leave some love on their blogs for them, welcoming them to the team, won't you?

I'll see you back here tomorrow night with another GinaK blog hop featuring Nina Brackett's "Lovely Shelf" stamp set. Later in the week, hops for "Life is Good" and "Tech Talk"!

Life is Good

Here is a very simple window card I made with "Hip to be Square" frame and Theresa's "Life is Good" . I just love making window cards, it involves the recipient in such a different way, like they are really there peeking out or in rather than just holding a piece of art. :) Card base is Pure Luxury Ocean Mist, I used aqua ink to sponge in to complement the base and colored the border brown to match the cabin. TIP: Sponge over a punched circle to make the perfect sun or moon behind the cabin. Keep the inky patchy, allowing white to show through for the clouds. The sentiment is framed up in a large and small oval punch and adorned with adhesive nailheads.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Guest Designer: Lee Murphy

Everyone knows Lee right??? Yeah, I know she's on our design team now, she found a permanent spot with us before I got to pic her, but I'm so glad I waited for the "Tech Talk" set because it is just soooo LEE!!!!!!!!!!!!! ;) She is just one of the bestest blogging buddies around, and such a talented stamper!

Lee has a blinged up shaker to share with us today, these little stars she found to put inside the screen are so cute! :) I hope you all saw the totally over the top pop up she created for the party, I am still hyperventilating over how fabulous that was, look!!!!! Just gotta share it again in case you missed it!!

Here are her answers to some craft questions about Lee:
FAVORITE TECHNIQUE: I do enjoy so many techniques.......but I have to say one of my favorites is Copic coloring.......although I still have a lot to learn.........I just love coloring and blending!!! And layers........I ADORE layers with lots of bling!!! Is that a technique??? Well, I'm calling it one!!! LOL

COLORS/COLOR COMBO: I will always enjoy Pink & Brown......it was an early favorite of mine!!! But I've expanded and now I'll take PINK with pretty much anything!!!! LOL

FAVORITE GINA K SET BY MELANIE: Seriously??? DUDE!!!!! I have to choose??? There is NO way I can pick just one.......I probably can't pick just 2 or 3 either!!! LOL Well, Just So Sporty with the hoodie is definitely one of my faves.......Little Tees.....OMGosh it's just precious!!! I reach for Festive Frame a LOT!!!! And this new Tech Talk is sooo fun!!!! Ya know.....I could go on..... Sorry.......can't pick just one!!!!

FAVORITE GINA K SETS (FROM ANY ILLUSTRATOR) Again with the impossible questions!!!! LOL I will always just adore Warm & Cozy Christmas with those precious little ones!!! That was my first stamp set I got to use when I was asked to be a Guest DT over a year ago!!!! Okay, NO......I seriously will not allow myself to mention any others because then I really won't be able to stop!!!!

CRAFT SUPPLIES I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT: Everyone.......all together now........BLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep........y'all know it!!!!!!!!!! LOL

I’VE BEEN STAMPING FOR (HOW LONG): I officially have been stamping for 3 years now!!!! But I'm telling you my first 6 months I was LOST!!!! So much to take in and no idea where to start!!!! Thank GOODNESS I found the Gina K. forum on Splitcoast!!!!!

I GET MY INSPIRATION FROM: Honestly.....living in the mountains all I do is look out my window........in any season........I am truly blessed with scenery, nature and, of course, my amazing family!!!!

THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS I’VE LEARNED ABOUT STAMPING/CARDMAKING ARE: One: to do what I love and not what somebody decides what's "in" or "out" of style!!!! Two: to share with others what I create from my heart.....a handmade thinking of you can be so powerful!!

SOME OF MY STAMPING/CRAFTING GOALS ARE:

1. To finally get my entire stamp room organized!
2. To get over my cowardice and actually submit something!
3. To try some new techniques.
4. To send out more of my cards.
5. To make my first Tutorial.
6. To really learn how and get my zillion photos scrapbooked!

FAVORITE THING TO MAKE THAT AREN’T CARDS: Treat holders......of any kind!!! They're such a great, inexpensive, special little hostess gift or thinking of you gift!!!

SOME OF MY STAMPING/CRAFTING ACCOMPLISHMENTS: I have enjoyed being a part of a lot of wonderful companies and challenge blogs.......and for now being on the Gina K. Designs DT is just me living my dream!!!! I feel so blessed and honored!!!! And a big HUG to Melanie for believing in me long ago and reaching out to me when I didn't really know what I was doing!!! LOL Thank you so much!!!!

I'll be writing more about how I came to know Lee and share more projects of hers next week, for now let's go see what she's got on her blog, have a great weekend everybody!

Farewell So Sketchy

If you've been following my blog awhile, you'll remember me sharing samples with new sketches designed by the lovely and talented Allison Cope of So Sketchy. Allison will be closing the doors on So Sketchy at the end of the month, so she invited all her past designing Sketchy Sistas to help it go out with a bang, with new samples and sketches all month, so be sure to check the out! Today's card uses a sketch she designed especially for me, you can see it here.
I substituted the big poinsettia from "A Year of Flowers" for the star (since I still need to make more Christmas cards!!) embossing it in gold onto Pure Luxury Mother of Pearl CS twice, and then cutting them out and layering some of the leaves from the second one on top. I used just a bit of Copic Mignonette to shade and add color to the back leaves. The middle is accented with colored adhesive rhinestones. I popped it up over a piece of white CS for contrast. I embossed more Mother of Pearl with the Snowflakes folder and the green you see is the new Pure Luxury Creme de Menthe. (BTW, if someone can tell me how to type the accent over the "e" in creme I would be much obliged!) The gold lined organdy ivory ribbon was perfect for the strip in the sketch and brings out the beautiful gold undertone and shimmer of the Mother of Pearl. I'm so pleased with all these colors together, it makes for such understated holiday elegance.

Best of luck and prayers, Allison, in all you new ventures and adventures! Thank you for providing all these inspiration these past years with your sketches! :) Don't be a stranger! ;)