The Outlawz Monday Greeting Challenge

This is my first entry, of many I hope, for the Outlawz Monday Greeting Card Challenge.  This week they asked for a greeting card, which must have a sentiment on the front, and they also chose BLING needs to be in the mix somewhere. 

For my entry I decided on making a Thank You card.  Simple and sweet.  I'm using a 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" card, embossed it through the cuttlebug using the swirls folder.  I used the flower cut from Sweet Treats at 4" and used stickles for the outer edge of the flower.  The circle was too perfect, so I broke out my 'shaggy' scizzors and just barely trimmed the edge off.  I stamped "Thanks" and added some bling. I used runner tape to adhear the center of the flower, the petals kind of stand up on their own, and looks 3D.   Tah Dah!  This is my entry:

Gift Cards Sets for the Office

I can finally share my BIG project I've been working on for the last few weeks.  I made gift card sets for the office.  I made 13 sets, 8 cards in each set...do the math, whew!   Everyone loved their sets.  It all started last year, when I would collect my Starbucks coffee sleeves....I made the office all "Thanks a Latte" cards.  Well, what the little monster I created, because low and behold, all throughout this year I'd find a sleeve or two on my desk....was that a HINT OR WHAT that they wanted more again this year??!!

So away I went, and began the mass production of Thanks A Latte cards.   I also wanted  to add a few of my other cards this year, so I added a few of the "Sending Some Sunshine, Laughter, and Hugs cards.

And last but not least I added a Christmas Card

Then I wrapped the set all up into a nice wood box with some raffia ribbon. I think they turned out to be a nice gift card set.

Hostess Gift #2

I was invited to another Christmas Party, and my hostess doesn't drink.  I wanted to give her a hostess gift made from me, and the decor'd wine bottle I'd been making just won't do.  Linsey's site had a great idea a while back.  She put a stamped image on a candle

This is what she did, as I'm doing now:   Stamp any imagine onto plain white tissue paper and cut it out. Cut close to the image as possible, this will be very helpful when it comes time to adhere it to the candle.  You'll also need a heating tool and a Popsicle stick or something of the sorts to hold onto the stamped image...the heating tool gets hot. 

You'll want to set your candle down and make sure it doesn't roll.  Place  your stamped imagine where you'd like it and hold it with the stick. Turn on your heating tool, let it warm up for a few seconds before pointing it to the stamped image.  Then point it towards the stamped image, moving it back and forth across your image.  You don't want it aimed at one spot for too long, the candle will melt too quickly and begin to drip. You want the candle to melt so the image will stick, and blend in so all you'll see is the image.  If you have bling to add, just warm up the candle with the heating tool and press your bling onto the candle.   Tah Dah!   I now have a nice three piece candle set to give my non-drinking hostess. 

Simply Crafts December Challenge

Alrighty then, and you thought I wouldn't do another Christmas card again this year, much less do another one tonight...I lied, just a little white lie.  My friend Cassandra, whom has helped me soooo much here in the blogosphere world answering all my questions and  pointing me in the right direction and encouraging me to do blog hops and challenges, Thank You Cassandra! Today, she posted her card for a new challenge for Simply Crafts a fairly new blog that has a new challenge monthly.  So I thought what the hey, why not. 

This is my submission for December

I used pink card stock for the size A2 card. The swirl back ground is white cardstock ran through the cuttle bug swirls and then I inked the layer (first time I did that, not too bad, looks better in person)  I didn't have the Jolly Holidays Lite Cartridge, and Simply Crafts challenge allowed any stocking from any cartridge so I cut my stocking from Doodle Charms at 4 1/2"  and I raised it with pop dots for the 3D effect  The paper is from Recollections pads, added some stardust stickles to the outter edge of the stocking, and a satin ribbon to finish.  I don't know what it's missing....although maybe I could have done something with the edges on the white card stock...anyways, I had fun making this card and joining the challenge.  

That's it for tonight.  Chao for now!

Additional Christmas Cards "Affair"

Yes, I guess you could say I've been having an affair with Christmas Cards.  I had to make about 10 more to finish off my list.  So of course, I had to make a new design...here it is. 

The card is from Sweet Treats - at 5 3/4"   I used open stock paper for the back ground,and if you look closely you can see December 25  in one of the circle windows.   I stamped in silver ink, and used some ribbon to soften the edges.  The green card stock is a glossy textured paper.  Ta Dah!

That's it for today...I'm hoping to enter a few challenges, now that I have most of my own Christmas projects out of the way...but guess what, it's almost 70 degrees here today, and we're headed out on the Harley for a short ride....ahhh, to smell the fresh crisp air as we ride down the road, there's nothing quite like it!

Chao for now!
Have a great Monday!!!

Sweet Yummy Treat

Well I've been trying to finish getting my Christmas Cards out in the mail...I ran out of cards...can you imagine that!  I needed to make more cards...oh darn...LOL (I'll add another post with my new design for my "need more cards" affair.  Ran out of stamps as well....so off to the post office tomorrow morning to mail the final few cards.  But in the mean time I had to try and make this thought I had....I hadn't seen it anywhere, although I didn't look it up, just hadn't seen it out there....well, you know how the cake pops are in 'season', we had gotten a sample of a few different cake pops to try and one of them said "S'more".   I looked at it and it didn't look like a S'more, then I bit into it and it certainly didn't taste like a S'more...so I thought that I could create a "S'more on a Stick"  Yes, you read that right folks....S'mores on a Stick.

So this is what I did, I took straws and cut them into three even lengths (or as close as can be to even) and I stabbed them into the LARGE marshmellows.....they stick really nice once the straw is inserted, it takes some pushing, so if you smash your marshmellow a bit, just reshape it.

Then in a double boiler - well, this is my double boiler a pot and a bowl....fill the pot with water so that the bowl is sitting in the water.  Turn on the heat and add your DARK chocolate chips (milk chocolate will do too) let them melt, stirring occasionally and keeping an eye on your water, don't let it run out, nor let it boil over.

When your water really starts to boil, turn it down to simmer....if your chocolate begins to thicken, just turn the heat up a bit and re-melt, then turn the heat back down when you have the correct consistency you want for your chocolate.

While your chocolate is slowly beginning to melt, take a few graham crackers (depending on how many you plan on doing, I'd say start with 3 big slats, and place them in a zip lock bag, seal it, and press on the graham crackers so they are small pieces or crumbles....you can make them really small, but I wanted to leave a few small pieces to give them the 'look'.  What look, I have no idea, as this was a total test kitchen recipe!!! LOL  Place your graham cracker crumbles onto a plate big enough where you can roll your chocolate covered marshmellow in the crumbles.  (this pic was an after thought...so there is some chocolate in the crumbles)

** Have a pot holder handy in case your bowl moves around when you begin to swirl your marshmellows...you can hold onto the edge of the pan with your pot holder. **
Your chocolate should be melted by now, stir it up a bit and if it's the right consistency for you to dip your marshmellows in, Go For It!   I swirled the marshmellow around, I didn't have to worry about the marshmellow falling off into the chocolate, it clung nicely to the straw.  I used the side of the pan and rolled/swirled the marshmellow up against the pan, so the excess chocolate came off.  Then I rolled the chocolate covered marshmellow in the crumbles...on the sides first, then dipped the bottom.  I set them up right on a waxed papered tray. 
Place in the fridge for about a half hour or so, just enough for the chocolate to set....then bring out and place in an air tight container...that is if you don't eat them all first. :-)  Enjoy!   If you try this, please let me know how yours turned out...I love to hear your comments and emails.

Gotta Love Those Toe Socks!

Everyone should have at least one pair of Toe Socks!
Don't you just love these!!!

Holiday Party Hostess Gift

I'll be heading out to Holiday Parties this week and I can't wait to attend. I definitely don't want to go to a Holiday Party without a Hostess gift. I usually give the norm, a bottle of wine stuffed into a wine bag with some tissue paper. But this year, I put a twist on an idea I got from one of the design team members over at Emma's My Creative Time and their 12 Days of Christmas which gave me so much inspiration this Holiday Season. Emma made one w/ mittens and a face to cover microwave popcorn. It was Oh So Cute!!!

The items you'll need are a bottle of wine, printed paper 12x7 7/8 inches, depending on the height of your bottle. Character cut to 6 inches high and a pair of socks or mittens. I found these socks at Wally World (Walmart) for $3.00 I also cut a scrap piece of white paper to look like snow and added some glitter and snow stamps. A bell and two small safety pins (match your bell and safety pin colors to match)

Once you have your character cut out and glued together, you're going to glue him to your main printed sheet, with his head at the top of your page, and let dry really good. Then you'll take your page and form it to the bottle so you can see where it needs to bend. Take the page and roll it between your two hands (like you have a ball and your rolling it up and down your hands, alternating left up and right down) You want the bend to be round, not bent with a crease.

Secure the bell on the toe of one of the socks using the safety pin. Then I used double sided tape to adhere the paper onto the bottle and then rolled the bottle so the paper is tight, and straight, around the bottle, then I zipped another two sided tape to adhere the other end.

Take the sock without the bell attached, and wrap it around the neck of the bottle and secure it with a safety pin, don't use tape or adhesive you might ruin the sock! Then slip the belled sock over the neck (now covered with the other sock), slip over to the heal so that it hangs over, and the sock is over the top portion of the paper to make the sock look like your characters Santa hat.

         Tah Dah!   I think he turned out pretty darn cute. And I hope the hostess of the party tomorrow night enjoys her little 'friend'.

Brighten Up Your Day

This post doesn't have anything to do with the Holidays....but as you might know I bought a Cuttlebug on Black Friday, and can you believe it, I hadn't broken it out of it's box until this last weekend.  I know, What's Wrong With Me?  LOL  I had so many other projects going on that I needed to finish before I started another one (am I the only one who has this problem?)  Any hoo, I finally opened up the box...and I just bought the one folder, thus far, the DOTS, I love dots....So what did I make for my first time use of the Cuttlebug, I made a Brighten Up Your Day card.  I used regular blue card stock for the sky and 'dotted it up' using the bug, and then used Create a Critter for the Sunshine.  On the inside I have a stamp I've had for several years, "Sending Some Sunshine, Laughter, & Hugs" from D.O.T.S. Dozens of Terrific Stamps (not sure if they're still around, this was one of the frist stamp sets I bought years ago)  I also put this on a square card that will fit in an A2 envelope so no extra postage is needed.

Receipe as follows:

Card Size 4 1/4 x 4 1/4  fits into A2 envelope no extra postage :-)

Sky background cardstock 4 1/8 x 4 1/8 

Create A Critter Sunshine key # 29 @ 3" for all three layers

Stamp sentiment inside

Have A Great Day   Chao for now --C

A LIttle Holiday Humor

Hello, I just have to share some of my holiday humor with you.  Sometimes I just crack myself up! And other times, writing it out just isn't right....like one of those "had to be there in person" things.  But oh well, here goes:



Santa asks a Blonde to name all the reindeer. The Blonde proceeds to name them.....Rudolph, Comet, Olive....
Santa immediately stops the Blonde and asks "Olive?!  I have a Rudolph and a Comet, but no Olive.  Where did you come up with Olive?"
The Blonde begins to sing..." Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer, had a very shining nose. And if you ever saw it, you would even say it glows." (are you ready? Here it is)  "OLIVE the other reindeer, use to laugh and call him names......"

Ok, ok, I thought it was pretty funny and had to share it!
Have a great day.  Chao for now --C

Gift Tags

I made these oh so cute (if I don't mind saying) gift tags.  They turned out really good for my first try. Although  I have to say I had LOTS of inspiration from over at  Emma's My Creative Time 12 Days of Christmas.  And it's only DAY 5 and I can't even begin to tell you how great ALL the projects have been...and there's still SEVEN MORE DAYS!!!!     As for these gift tags, I used regular white stock paper for the base, red textured paper and I used stickles around the edge on the white area and on Rudolphs nose.  They're 4 inches long, so it gives plenty of room to write in the name of the reciepient and yours.

Receipe as follows:

Elegant Edges Snowflake key #27 @ 4" @ Oblong & Shifted

Then again for the second layer but @ 3 3/4" @ Oblong & Shifted

Create A Critter Reindeer very last key @ 2 1/2" for each layer

Stickles for the edges and the nose

Ribbon

TO & FROM stamp (I used silver ink)

Thanks for looking - Chao for now --C

Invitation

My sister in law wanted me to design an invitation for her dad's 60th bday party.  I wanted to do something unique (or at least unique from my standpoint of what I've created thus far).  I created an invite that is envelope-less, that's right no envelope.  I took a 5 x 7 white card stock as normal, then used the Elegant Edges cartridge and used the book style to create the flap and inside of the card.  I used a piece of ribbon with black and white to smooth out the bottom to a graceful  end.  The outside front of the card, I couldn't find and CELEBRATE paper  BnW that I liked so I made it from my printer on regular paper. Then on the outside of the flap I stamped in silver Celebrate in script.  I have put all the info inside printed from my printer as well and cropped the top edges.  Now for the closure, I am going to use two sided craft runner tape on the three scalloped edges for closure.  Then all my sister in law has to do is address the card on the blank white side add her return address and put a stamp on it. 

I'm mailing one to my sister in law and one to myself to see how it holds up in the postal system.

I hope you enjoyed my project for today. Well, it's not the only thing I've been working on....Christmas is just around the corner and there's still so much to do!

Chao for now --C

Blog

Well after a few blog hops and can see my blog is totally boring.....and still only one follower, but I'm hoping that will change soon.  I can't expect to have hundreds in just two weeks....hmmm, but it would be nice to have a few more. However, I DID get one comment on my card entry for PKS.  Whoo Hoo....someone is watching......ha!

Chao for now--C

Anniversary Card & PKS Sketch Challenge Entry # 66

My 15th Wedding Annivesary is just around the corner.  My hubby and I use to send cards to each other all the time.  I had mentioned this to him the other week that we don't send each other cards anymore. So this year, being our 15th anniversary, I thought I'd do the 14 days of anniversarys, ours is Dec 14th.  So for each day I made a different card for him that I'll leave in different places in the house each day....I just love the idea and I hope he does too, because these cards are made with Loooovvvvve! I know I got a little carried away with the glitter glue on this one, but he makes my heart "sparkle" :-)

I also entered this card into the Peechy Keen Stamp (PKS) sketch challenge # 66  This will be my first challenge....we'll let me rephrase this, I'm hoping to enter the card...I'm not sure how to upload onto their site yet...I'm sure I'll figure it out.  Wish me luck!

Card Receipe as follows:

Card Size: A2

Background Paper (your choice) is also cropped on one corner of each side (kiddy corner to each other)

LOVE is from the Tie the Know cartrige at 4"

Cut background textured paper to fit LOVE

Tied ribbon on the top for flare

Chao for now --C

Update: Yea! I was able to link up my card onto PKS challenge...woot woot!

Christmas Card #3

This is my husbands favorite card. So I'm making most of the cards this style. I have to say, it did turn out pretty darn cute. And the little 'bald' snowman, I call him that since he doesn't have a hat on is just adorable.

Receipe as follows:

Card Size: A2

I used textured solid green and a printed paper for the other 3/4 of the front and glued them together

I used ribbon to cover the seam and then a tie to pretty it up

I stamped Winter Wishes

and for the cute bald snowman I stamped with black in and then used a red gel pen to color in the dots on his scarf

Chao for now --C

Christmas Card #2

This is Christmas Card #2 - I had this idea in my head for a while, it didn't turn out too bad,  but I thought it would be a lot different.
Receipe as follows:
Card Size: A2
Background your choice of size to fit
Accent Essentials - Snowflake 3 1/4 plus one for the shadow
Bling for the center
Two strips of garland or fuzzy yarn taped crosswise to the back of the snowflake
One pop up dot to enhance to 3D

Chao for now --C

Christmas Card #1

I couldn't decide on just one style of Christmas Card this year.  So I'm making three different ones. Although the households I send them to, will only get one (sorry) but you can view them all here. :-) .  This snowflake card I had originally made for a friends holiday party invite, but I liked it so much I thought I'd make a few for myself to send out. 

Receipe as follows:

Card Size: A2

Background cardstock Elegant Edges "Loop" @ 5 1/4"

Snowflake Accent Essentials 3 1/4"

And a little bling (optional) or you can use glitter glue, what ever suites your fancy!

Stay tuned for Christmas Cards #2 & #3 coming soon. 

Chao for now --C

Black Friday

Ok for those of you who know me I DO NOT do Black Friday...in fact, I do not like to do much shopping at all. That is of course, if it's at a craft store.  I just couldn't help but to get up at 6am (I'm usually up anyways) get dressed put on a ball cap and headed to Joann's to buy..........the CUTTLEBUG!!   Got the last one too!
I'm so excited to break it out of it's box....but I have a busy weekend at work so I'm not sure when I'll get to play with it.  But I can't wait.....weeeeeee weeeeeee!
Chao for now --C
P.S. For those of you who are making your way through Black Friday, bless you! I passed Kmart parking lot and the parking lot was a mad house, can't imagine what it was like on the inside.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone (or at least to my one follower)  I'm hoping this blog grows and grows as the days pass. 
I'm so thankful for my wonderful husband and our healthy lives. I'm thankful for my very close friends whom I know I can always count on no matter what. I'm thankful for having a wonderful job. Not many people can say they have a job they enjoy. Many are forced to take a job for their own circumstances.
I'm thankful for a great family and a brother who plays WORDS with me LOL
I'm thankful to live in a beautiful and great country that allows me the freedom to write a blog and make creative cards!!!
I wish you and your family and friends the very best this Thanksgiving. Let your family and friends know you're thankful for them!
Chao for now --C

My First Picture Posting

Good morning, welcome. This is my first picture posting of an anniversary card I made. I actually wanted to post it the other day, however my good friend whom I made it for wanted to check out my blog. Now that wouldn't have been a surprise if she saw it already, right.
I'm also posting, for the first time, from my iPhone. I seem to be able to take better pictures on my phone than the camera, go figure. So once I post this from my iPhone I'll take a look at the computer blog and see how it came out. I'll let you know too incase any of you are thinking about posting from your smart phones.
Update: Yea! The posting from the iPhone works great!

Welcome

Welcome to Christine's Creative Cards.  I'm going to stumble through this first post just trying to gather my bearings with the whole posting & blog thing.  I did my first blog hop last night, thanks to Peechy Keen Stamps and I think Emma from My Creative Time had something to do with the blog hop too. I think that's who it was for, sorry if I'm incorrect - I get corn-fused at times with these kinds of things :-)  After stumbling through the hop (yes I got lost a few times lol) and after 19 hops I finally made it all the way through. It only took me two hours....is that why they set them up for a few days....? Hmmm, I'm thinking so, a little here, a little there.  Needless to say, I really enjoyed my first blog hop I was able to check out all the great cards and projects everyone made AND was able to take a look how everyone set up their blogs. I just love all the creativeness!!!
I hope you'll join my blog and enjoy the cards and projects I have to share.
Chao for now --C