Winter Cards

It's amazing how fast time flies this time of year! I thought I'd better post a few of the holiday cards I've done so far before Christmas gets here! :)

I was inspired by the colors in the Candy Cane Christmas papers... they are so pretty together! I also made another cute penguin guy...hee!





I'm going to keep it short so if you have any questions, please ask...
Hope you are enjoying the last few days before the holiday season really starts going fast! Thanks for stopping by to peek!

-tessa

Christmas Treats- Penguin Style!

I loved the design of Allison's treats and have been wanting to CASE them for some time now. Here is my version of her great idea:



Stamps: Christmas Greetings
Ink: Basic Black
Paper: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie cardstock
Accessories: Top Note die, Owl Punch, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, Real Red polka-dot grosgrain ribbon.

Aren't they fun? Hee! I've seen these darling penguins popping up on Splitcoast and on other blogs I read lately and had to make some of my own! It's my first try at punch art and they were super easy to do- they only extra cut you have to make is to trim the owl's ears off- everything else is the punch as is!

Hope you enjoy your day!

-tessa

Sweet Little Boo Card

Hi! I thought I'd pop on really quick and post a fun little card that includes a gift I made yesterday:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up! (except for the felt)

Stamps: Tiny Tags, Woodgrain
Ink: Pumpkin Pie, Basic Black, Crumb Cake classic inks
Paper: Crumb Cake cardstock; Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie textured cardstock; In Colors DSP
Accessories: Sanding Block, Jewelery Tag punch, Linen Thread; white felt and black DMC thread

While perusing through my blog reader yesterday I found this write up about a fun book called Witch Craft. I thought the little ghostie pin was too cute so I decided to give it a try! And of course, when I was done with it, I had to put it on a card! :) Hee! It has a pin, too so that when I give it away, the recipient can wear it.

I love it when I'm inspired to try something new! How about you? Have you ventured into new crafts on a whim lately?

Hope you are enjoying your day!

-tessa

A Fun Felt Flower

Hi!

Today is rainy and gloomy outside so my girls and I are getting our craft on! Nat and Zoey have been busy creating play-doh treats and boy is it keeping them busy- they've been at it all afternoon! Since they were having so much fun, I sat down and made a fun card to play along with the latest Embellish Magazine Challenge. Here is what I made:



All Supplies by Stampin' Up! unless otherwise noted

Stamps: Baroque Motifs, A Word for You
Ink: Early Espresso classic ink; Versamark
Paper: Very Vanilla cardstock; Pink Pirouette textured cardstock; Playdate DSP
Accessories: Subtles designer buttons, Clear embossing powder, paper piercer; baker's twine and felt- craft supply

I created the flower by hand. I started by cutting five ovals out of the felt. I folded each of them in half and ran a running stitch through the folded side. When they were all finished, I knotted the ends of thread together tightly to create the flower shape. It didn't take too much time and I think it turned out pretty cute!

I wanted to keep the design simple so that the flower would really stand out. I added a few swirls using the Baroque Motifs set to the background and heat embossed them with clear powder.

OK! I better get dinner started- I'm going to make curry so I have lots of fresh veggies to chop. Hee! It's all worth it though- curry is my favorite! Hope you are enjoying your day! Thanks for popping in to check out my card.

-tessa

A Christmas Swap

Hi!

One fun thing about winning the Artisan Award has been swapping with the other winners! They are so talented and it is such a treat to receive such great cards from them all! Our swap this season was for winter or Christmas cards using a Clean and Simple design. Here is what I came up with:


All products are by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Cute Christmas set; Four the Holidays set
Ink: Wild Wasabi, Garden Green, Perfect Pear, Real Red, Basic Black classic inks
Paper: Real Red, Whisper White, Wild Wasabi cardstock; Candy Cane Christmas DSP
Accessories: Linen Thread, Pretty in Pink satin ribbon, Dazzling Diamonds

I tried to keep it Clean and Simple but added a little envelope on the front for a picture, money, or a little love note.



I had lots of fun playing along! Hopefully the other girls and Richard will post their cards soon because they are beautiful! I've got links to all of their blogs over ----> on my sidebar.


Hope you enjoy your day! Thanks for stopping by!

-tessa

A Sympathy Card

A friend called and asked me to make a sympathy card for her. I don't know the person it's going to but I wanted to create a pretty and soothing card for them. I automatically thought of the Just Believe set and the watercolor technique that was used in the SU! convention make and takes. Here is what I came up with:

All products are Stampin' Up!

Goodies:
Stamps: Just Believe set, Thoughts and Prayers set
Ink: Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry, Crumb Cake classic inks
Paper: Pink Pirouette, Rich Razzleberry cardstock; Soft Suede textured cardstock; watercolor paper; Parisian Breeze DSP
Accessories: Color Spritzer, Scallop Edge punch, Decorative Label punch, Linen Thread, Paper Piercer

I hope this card lets the recipient know that her friend is thinking of her!

Thanks for stopping by,

-tessa

Autumn Thank You Card

Hello!

Hope you've had a great week! I'm up early today so I thought I'd pop on and update while my girls are still asleep! I've been busy creating lately so I have lots of cards to share- I've been very busy with life, too, so getting on the computer has been a little tricky! Hopefully I can add them all in the coming days.

Anyways, today I thought I'd share this simple card I made last week:

All products by Stampin' Up (except for the thread :))

Goodies:

Stamps: Day of Gratitude set; I {Heart} Hearts set
Ink: Early Espresso, Cajun Craze, Crumb Cake classic inks
Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White cardstock; Play Date DSP
Accessories: Build-a-brad, Paper Piercer, Play Date Quick Accents, DMC Thread

My daughter had a shirt on that totally inspired the layout of this card. I loved the stitching intermixed with the patterns and am very happy with how it turned out.

Are you ever inspired by things you see on clothing?

Have a great weekend!

-tessa

Christmas Swaps for Regional!

Tomorrow morning I'm on my way to the Stampin' Up! regionals in Baltimore, MD! I'm excited to spend the day with lots of people who are just as excited about stamping as I am! Hee! Of course, with all those stampers gathering, we bring lots of swaps! Here is what I created for mine:

All products by Stampin' Up!

I did the faux letterpress design on the background piece by brayering Whisper White craft ink onto one side of my Vintage Wallpaper embossing folder and then running it through my machine with Crumb Cake cardstock. It is really pretty and adds a whole new dimension to the texture.

Well, hope you are enjoying your evening! I'm off to gather all my goodies together for tomorrow...

-tessa

First Christmas Card of the Season...

I decided to break out the Christmas goodies finally... I've been looking at them for months now, and even though it's a hot 70 something degrees outside, I felt like making something for the holidays. I seriously think fall is going to skip us this year!

My inspiration for this card comes from the most recent Just Add Ink sketch challenge. Isn't it a great one? Here is the card I made:

All products by Stampin' Up!

I realized with this card that I don't have any nice sized snowflake stamps. I've added them to my wishlist- it would have been nice to have a few different sized flakes going on with this card.

OK! Off to make something yummy for dinner! Hope you are having a great day!

-tessa

Simple Apple Blossom Card

Hello!

Today I'm sharing another card using the Apple Blossom hostess set. I just love it! It has become my favorite go-to stamp set of the moment and it's easy to see why! Pretty focal point stamps; great background stamps; and heartfelt sentiments, too! What more could a girl want out of a stamp set. :)

All Products by Stampin' Up!

I opted for a simple look with this card and only added the patterned paper at the bottom when I stamped my first attempt at a sentiment lopsided... hee! Thank goodness for happy mistakes, right?

I hope you are enjoying your day!

-tessa

A Fall Card

Hi! I made this card awhile ago but thought I'd share it today- I was waiting for more fall like weather but where I live it's still 90 degrees outside! Now, I'm not complaining... I'm not looking forward to winter being here yet but it does seem a little weird being so nice outside!

Anyways, here is my nice, fall-like card:


All products by Stampin' Up!


This one was a lot of fun to make! I stamped the leaves onto Crumb Cake cardstock and heat embossed them with white powder. Next, I watercolored the entire background with my favorite fall colors. I love how it looks!

Well, I hope you are all enjoying Autumn wherever you live! Thanks for stopping by today!

-tessa

Little Witch Card

Good Morning!

Today is Zoey's 3rd day of kindergarten and she is loving it! I am still getting used to the new routine... and Natalie is still getting used to not having her big sister around all the time! Hopefully by next week it will be a little easier for us. :)

With school starting, I've been thinking about fall (ha! the weather here is a little behind- it's been in the 90s still!) and Halloween, too! I made this cute card over the weekend:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Greeting Card Kids, Tiny Tags, Paisley Party Wheel
Ink: Pear Pizazz, Rich Razzleberry, Peach Parfait, Soft Suede, So Saffron, Basic Black, Basic Grey, Blush Blossom, Blushing Bride classic inks; Jet Black Staz On
Paper: Confetti White, Rich Razzleberry, Peach Parfait, Pear Pizazz, Early Espresso, Crumb Cake cardstock; Blushing Bride textured cardstock
Accessories: Decor Elements Applicator tool, Scallop Edge punch, Jewelery Punch, Linen Thread, Aqua Painter, Blender pens

This little cutie is painted using my Blender pens and residual inks from my ink pads. I tried to use my aqua painter first and some spots were so tiny, it was much easier for me to just use the pens. I traded for my painter though in some of the larger areas.

Also, I want to point out that if you haven't used your Decor Elements Applicator tool in your card making, try it! I used it on this card to curl up the edges of my background strips. I love how soft it makes them! You could probably use your bone folder to get the same effect as well!

Well, I hope your week is going well! I am thankful mine is going by fast and that the weekend is almost here! I've got some stamping planned for Saturday night and I can't wait!

Thanks for stopping by today!

-tessa

Cowboy Card

Good morning! I am so excited that today is Friday! My hubby has an extra-long long weekend, too so I can't wait to relax!

Today's card was inspired by the cross country trip we took over the summer- Wyoming and South Dakota, in particular... These were two of my favorite states that we visited. The scenery was amazing- painted deserts, beautiful mountains, prairies... and in some spots, it still felt like the wild west. The archeologist/ historian in me would love to live there but, being married to a guy who loves the city, I know it will never happen! Hee! So, when I got home and put in my giant SU! order, I had to add this cowboy to my list:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Out West, Style Beautiful
Ink: Soft Suede, Early Espresso, Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy, Going Grey classic inks; Jet Black Staz On; Versamark
Paper: Dusty Durango, Marina Mist, Early Espresso, Confetti White cardstock; Newsprint DSP
Accessories: Clear embossing powder, Hemp Twine, Aqua Painter

I used one of the stamps from the Style Beautiful set in the background- they kind of remind me of the west, too... maybe a belt buckle or something? I watercolored the main image using residual ink from my stamp pads and an aqua painter. I also pulled apart the strip of Early Espresso to give it that soft suedey look- have you tried that yet? Such a fun way to make texture for your card!

I love the simplicity of this card and now, I can't wait to make more using this set! I may have to order the In Wilderness set next... I found a new love for buffalo, too while driving through Yellowstone!

Thanks for visiting today!

-tessa,

New Glittery Paper!

I always love Stampin' Up!'s Holiday Mini Catalog... and this years is the best yet! I seriously want everything inside it! Hee! One of my favorite things is the variety of patterned paper they are offering. I couldn't resist and ordered two of them already! Today's cards are made with the Candy Cane Christmas DSP pack- it is a specialty DSP so there is beautiful red glitter added to some of the designs! Here are my cards so you can take a peek:




Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Teeny Tiny Wishes, Sock Monkey
Ink: Crumb Cake, Real Red classic inks; Jet Black Staz On
Paper: Whisper White, Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Baja Breeze cardstock; Garden Green textured cardstock; Candy Cane Christmas DSP
Accessories: Scallop Edge punch, paper piercer, Candy Cane big designer buttons, DMC thread

Can you tell I'm not in a Christmas mood yet? I thought these papers could work for a variety of occasions- not just Christmas! I love the look of this paper pieced little monkey! Also, can you tell how big those buttons are?? They are big and hearty!

The next card is a mini card using a new set out of the mini- Paisley Prints:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Paisley Prints
Ink: Blushing Bride classic ink; Versamark
Paper: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Blushing Bride, Wild Wasabi cardstock; Garden Green textured cardstock; Candy Cane Christmas DSP
Accessories: Clear Circle Rhinestone brads, Clear embossing powder, Scallop Edge punch, Decorative Label punch

I had lots of fun playing with these new goodies! I think the buttons and the new Decorative Label punch are going to be my favorites this season...

If you haven't taken a peek yet, sneak over to the Stampin' Up! website to check out this years holiday mini! I'm sure you'll love everything in it just as much as I did!

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

-tessa

A Trio of Projects

Hello there!

Well, I made it across country for the second time this summer and I'm finally home and getting back into the swing of things! Today I thought I'd share a few little projects I've been working on this week.

My mojo is still on vacation so this first one is a CASE of Twila Mooningham's card- I think her designs are so clever and cute! Here is my card:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Artistic Etchings, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Crumb Cake
Paper: Chocolate Chip textured cardstock; Whisper White, Crumb Cake cardstock; Greenhouse Gala DSP
Accessories: Certainly Celery satin ribbon, Scallop Edge punch, Curly Label punch, Basic Pearls


Since I liked how that one turned out, I decided to keep the color scheme and make a few other things with it! Next up is a hand sanitizer holder- my sweet friend Kiesha brought me these last year and I loved the idea! I think she got the tutorial here, from Natasha Zandbergen- isn't it a great idea! I think it will be the perfect little gift for Zoey's teacher on her first day of school!



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Apple Blossoms
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pear Pizazz
Paper: Chocolate Chip, Whisper White cardstock; Greenhouse Gala DSP
Accessories: Whisper White 1/2" taffeta ribbon, Decorative Label punch, Basic Pearls
Other: Foaming hand sanitizer from Bath & Body Works

I was tickled with how that one turned out!

I've been wanting to scrapbook lately, too so I thought I'd have a go at a page using this color scheme, too! Here it is:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Artistic Etchings, I {Heart} Hearts, Lovely Letters Alphabet
Ink: Chocolate Chip, Pear Pizazz
Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Chocolate Chip cardstock; Greenhouse Gala DSP; Newpsrint DSP
Accessories: Scallop Edge punch, Top Note die, paper piercer, White Signo gel pen, Chocolate Chip satin ribbon, Decorative Label punch

I love this picture of my dad and his brother and sisters when they were young! I wonder what was making them laugh? I was picturing my Grandpa Herman standing off to the side doing something silly... hee!

For the title and journaling, I printed the text first and then stamped in the 'young' part... I had to make a few test prints to get it how I wanted it but I love how it turned out!

Well, I hope your week is off to a great start! I'm expecting a HUGE package from UPS today so I'll hopefully have lots to share this week!

Thanks for stopping by!

-tessa

Play Scrapbook Page

Here is my last entry for the Artisan Award Contest! It is a scrapbook page of my daughter Zoey. She was playing at the park when I took this photo so that is where the inspiration for my title came from. Here it is:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: I {Heart} Hearts
Ink: Ruby Red classic ink; Versamark
Paper: Whisper White cardstock; Chocolate Chip textured cardstock; Sweet Pea DSP, The Write Stuff DSP, Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Accessories: Dimensionals, Photo Corner punch, On Board chipboard alphabet, Crystal Effects

I wanted to piece together the panel at the bottom sort of crazy like a quilt. I loved putting all of the patterns from my left over DSP together to create the look. I left the chipboard letters in thier original color but added a little Crystal Effects to each one to make them glossy. I also originally didn't put any stamping on the page and then had a second thought about adding some- I mean really- the contest is for a stamping company after all! Hee! I love how it turned out though!

Don't forget to stop by the other Artisan's blogs as well:

Heather Van Duker
Elizabeth Price
Renee Ballard
Angela Timms
Jodie Olver
Becky Cowley
Andrea Munro
Richard Garay
Tessa Wise (you are here)

Thanks for hopping with us for the last two weeks! I've had so much fun and it's really kept me on my toes with blog posts!

-tessa

A Recycled Cereal Box

Who knew an old cereal box could turn into something so cute! Hee! I created this magazine holder with a recycled cereal box for my last 3-d project for the Artisan Awards contest. Here it is:





Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Fifth Avenue Floral, Vintage Vogue, Always, Hope Happens
Ink: Versamark; Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry, Pale Plum classic ink
Paper: Crumb Cake, Old Olive, Whisper White cardstock; Rich Razzleberry textured cardstock
Accessories: Soft Suede polka-dot grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Edge punch, Clear circle rhinestones, Hemp Twine, Circle Punch, Dimensionals

It's pretty easy to make at home- I just used a marker and a ruler to draw the lines where I wanted to cut the box and then cut it out. Then, just decorate and you've got a fun, cute place to put all your Stampin' Success magazines! I think I might make another one of these for my studio area... I did a lot of hand cutting for the front of the box. I wanted to add a pretty detail that framed the quote. I love how pretty the branch flowers from the Always set turned out.

Don't forget to checkout the other Artisan Award winner's blogs! We've got a few more days on our blog hop!

Heather Van Duker
Elizabeth Price
Renee Ballard
Angela Timms
Jodie Olver
Becky Cowley
Andrea Munro
Richard Garay
Tessa Wise (you are here)

Thanks for stopping by today!

-tessa

Birthday Wishes Card

Here is the last card I made for the Artisan Awards contest. I love the bright colors with the Soft Suede and Crumb Cake... don't they just pop? Here is the card:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: A Little Birthday Cheer, Crazy for Cupcakes
Ink: Soft Suede, Basic Black classic ink
Paper: Soft Suede, Real Red, Bermuda Bay, Crushed Curry, Whisper White, Crumb Cake cardstock
Accessories: Polka-dot Impressions folder, Bermuda Bay Polka-dot Grosgrain ribbon, Crystal Effects, Scallop Edge punch, Dimensionals, Hemp Twine

This one was fun to do- I actually made it for someone's birthday but since I was down to the wire for the Artisan Award deadline, I decided to send it in instead. Hee! The shiny balloons are my favorite!

Here are the links to the rest of the Artisan Award winners who are participating in the blog hop:

Heather Van Duker
Elizabeth Price
Renee Ballard
Angela Timms
Jodie Olver
Becky Cowley
Andrea Munro
Richard Garay
Tessa Wise (you are here)

Thanks for stopping by today!

-tessa

Grow Scrapbook Page

Today's post is a scrapbook page of my daughter Zoey. I wanted to create a bright, graphic type of page that showed off the picture more then anything. Since the picture was of Zoey in the fall, I grabbed Season of Friendship yet again for a fun fall tree:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Season of Friendship
Ink: Soft Suede, Pumpkin Pie, Rich Razzleberry, Crushed Curry classic ink
Paper: Very Vanilla cardstock; Very Vanilla, Rich Razzleberry, Soft Suede, Pumpkin Pie textured cardstock; Razzleberry Lemonade DSP
Accessories: Scallop Edge punch, chipboard letters, dimensionals

I'm loving this color scheme! I'll have to make some fall cards when I get home...

Here are the links to the rest of the Artisan Award winners who are participating in the blog hop:

Heather Van Duker
Elizabeth Price
Renee Ballard
Angela Timms
Jodie Olver
Becky Cowley
Andrea Munro
Richard Garay
Tessa Wise (you are here)

Thanks for stopping by today!

-tessa

Simple Birds Card

Hi!

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend! I've got a full day of driving ahead of me- we should be in Bismark, ND for dinner tonight. My mother in law and I are heading to the Mall of America for a couple of days and then down to my house in Virginia... I can't wait to be home! Hee!

I'm participating in the Artisan Award blog hop again this week. Today's card is probably the simplest one I did but I loved how it turned out! Here it is:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: The More the Merrier, Woodgrain
Ink: Not Quite Navy, Melon Mambo, Pretty in Pink, Pumpkin Pie classic ink;, Versamark; Jet Black StazOn ink
Paper: Whisper White, Pretty in Pink cardstock; Not Quite Navy, Melon Mambo textured cardstock
Accessories: Corner Rounder punch, Scallop Edge punch, Latte' button assortment, Hemp Twine, Aqua Painter, Dazzling Diamonds glitter

The birds are watercolored and I added a little glitter to thier hearts for some sparkle but really, that is it! Really simple!

Be sure to check out the rest of the Artisans who are hopping with me this week!

Heather Van Duker
Elizabeth Price
Renee Ballard
Angela Timms
Jodie Olver
Becky Cowley
Andrea Munro
Richard Garay
Tessa Wise (you are here)

Enjoy your day and thanks for stopping by!

-tessa

Little Dress Forms Card

Good Morning!

We had a great time in Forks yesterday. The drive was so pretty and there was more to see there then I remember as a kid. It was fun!

Today's card is another Artisan Award winner. Here it is:



I am a little busy today and the computer I'm borrowing doesn't seem to like me so I'm going to keep this short and leave out the details for now.

Here is the list of the Artisan Award winners participating in the blog hop:

Heather Van Duker
Elizabeth Price
Renee Ballard
Angela Timms
Jodie Olver
Becky Cowley
Andrea Munro
Richard Garay
Tessa Wise (you are here)



Thanks for stopping by today!

-tessa

Spring Birds Banner

Hello!

Today I thought I'd share one of my 3-d items from the Artisan Awards... I think it was my best project. It turned out just as I was hoping. But before I show you it, I have to brag a little... I'm vacationing on the coast in Washington State and I know a few of you will be jealous... I'm heading to Forks tomorrow! Hee! I know... dork! I'm so team Edward! My mom and I are taking the long way home just so we can get a peak at Forks high school and Bella's house. We are hoping to see just a few crazy fans who visit dressed up in thier vampire finest. Hee! OK... here is my banner:



And some closer shots of the pieces:





Most of these supplies are retired so I'm not going to list them all. If you have questions, just ask.

The idea for this came from a project I made for a crop I attended in January- I made giant lollipop flowers for a display and thought "wow! wouldn't these make a great banner?" The lollipops are easy enough to create- I cut various widths of 12" strips and accordion folded them at 1/2". After they were folded, I glued the ends together and flattened them out. I used a lot of chipboard for the embellishments. I covered them with ink, paper, glossy accents, and glitter. It was a lot of fun to make!

Anyways, if you haven't been to the other Artisan Award winner's blogs today, check them out. I'm sure you'll be inspired by each and every one of them!

Heather Van Duker
Elizabeth Price
Renee Ballard
Angela Timms
Jodie Olver
Becky Cowley
Andrea Munro
Richard Garay
Tessa Wise (you are here)

Hope you have a great day! I'll try to report back tomorrow about Forks and all the vampires we see... hee!

Thanks for stopping by!

-tessa

Distressed Dream Card

Good Morning!

I'm back today with another one of my Artisan Award entries. Today's card was the last piece that I made to send in. It was done pretty late on the night before it was due and I just kept adding to it until it looked right. I used more of my favorite stamp sets and one of my favorite color combinations, too! Here it is:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Medallion, En Francais, Dreams Du Jour
Ink: Soft Suede, Old Olive, Pretty in Pink, Pumpkin Pie, Rose Red classic inks; Whisper White craft ink
Paper: Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Soft Suede cardstock; Pumpkin Pie textured cardstock; Thoroughly Modern DSP
Accessories: Pretty in Pink satin ribbon, Hemp Twine, Pretties kit, Aqua Painter, Signo White gel pen, paper piercer, Scallop Edge punch

This card feels like there is a lot going on, doesn't it? You can't even see where I used the En Francais stamp in the background but it could just be the picture. I distressed the whole thing with lots of Soft Suede classic ink.


Don't forget to check out the rest of the Artisan Award winners projects:

Heather Van Duker
Elizabeth Price
Renee Ballard
Angela Timms
Jodie Olver
Becky Cowley
Andrea Munro
Richard Garay
Tessa Wise (you are here)

Hope you are enjoying our little blog hop! Isn't everyone's work amazing!!

Enjoy the rest of your day and thanks for stopping by my little blog!

-tessa

Peek-a-boo Scrapbook Page

Good Morning!

Today I'm sharing another one of my Artisan Award projects. It's a scrapbook page featuring my daughter oldest daughter Zoey:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Circle Circus, Vintage Vogue
Ink: Rose Red, Old Olive, Soft Suede classic inks
Paper: Rose Red, Old Olive, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla cardstock; Very Vanilla textured cardstock; The Write Stuff DSP
Accessories: Scallop Edge punch, 1 3/8" Circle punch, Sweet Pea felt flowers, Hemp Twine, paper piercer, White Signo Gel pen, On Board chipboard pieces (alphabets)

I used the faux suede technique on the letters and on the banner. They all look soft and fuzzy in real life! I was trying to create different textures and not make it too busy. This is probably my favorite of all my projects, only because it's one of my favorite memories of Zoey- we brought Natalie home from the hospital the day before these were taken. She was playing peek-a-boo with her Nana.

Don't forget to check out the rest of the Artisan Award winners projects:

Heather Van Duker
Elizabeth Price
Renee Ballard
Angela Timms
Jodie Olver
Becky Cowley
Andrea Munro
Richard Garay
Tessa Wise (you are here)

OK! Hope you enjoy the rest of your day! I'll be back again tomorrow with another project.


-tessa

Artisan Award Winning Projects...

Good Morning!
I'm off enjoying the beach this week but thought I'd prepost my Artisan Award projects for those of you who weren't able to see them at convention. All of the Artisan Award winners will be posting projects this week as well- gotta love a blog hop!

So, when I was putting these projects together, I automatically went to one of my favorite stamp sets first. Can you guess which set I used?? Hee! Season of Friendship, of course! Here is my card:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Season of Friendship, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Crushed Curry, Soft Suede, Bermuda Bay, Old Olive
Paper: Soft Suede, Whisper White, Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay cardstock; The Write Stuff DSP; Thoroughly Modern DSP
Accessories: Scallop Edge punch, Soft Suede polka-dot grosgrain ribbon, Scallop Edge punch, Dazzling Diamonds glitter, 1 3/8" Circle punch, paper piercer, dimensionals


This was one of the first projects I did for the Artisan Awards and it is also one of my favorites... I did this one before the mad rush to the end and I think I put a little more thought into it. I added lots of little details to this card to make it extra special... Dazzling Diamonds to the centers of all the hand cut flowers... DSP peaking out from underneath the focal point... cutting out the tree leaves so it looks like they're hanging over.

I don't have very good pictures of my projects. I wasn't able to take pictures of my projects before I sent them in and I haven't been on my own computer to use the editing tools I'm used to. So, you get snapshots from convention- sorry!

Now that you've seen one of my projects, go and check out the rest of the Artisan Award winners:

Heather Van Duker
Elizabeth Price
Renee Ballard
Angela Timms
Jodie Olver
Becky Cowley
Andrea Munro
Richard Garay
Tessa Wise (you are here)

Sarah Sergent is the only one among us who doesn't have a blog. Bummer, right? Her work is really great so hopefully she'll be able to upload them somewhere for everyone to see!

Thanks for stopping by today!

-tessa

Artisans Swap

Hi! I'm still on vacation... only a week left and then I'm heading home to Virginia. We've had such a great time visiting our friends and family in Washington but I've been missing my home, too... hee! I can't wait to sleep in my own bed again!

Today I'm sharing a swap card I made for convention... this one was for the other Artisan Award winners, along with Shelli, Brent, and two other concept artists that went to dinner with us all. So, obviously, they had to be perfect! I worked on putting them together before we left VA and cut out all the intricate little leaves on our drive across country. Here it is:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin Up!

OK... I'll add these later (I AM still on vacation ha ha!)

I had to use the Autumn Splendor set because I was so happy it had made its way into the big catty! Such a pretty one, right! Instead of adding the clear top to my build-a-brad, I used Crystal Effects to cover them. I also added a little bit of Dazzling Diamonds glitter to each to give it a nice, glittery look.

I had a great time at convention, too! It was a little weird going by myself, not knowing anyone, but I think I did OK... I ended up tagging along with all sorts of people I met and had a great time doing it. I made some great friends, too! If you are afraid to go because you'll be all alone, don't worry- you won't be! There were 3,000 other people excited to talk about the same things you like! Hee! I'm so glad I decided to go.

OK! We are off to the Pacific Ocean today! Enjoy your day and be sure to stop by tomorrow for my Artisan Award winning projects! We are having another blog hop...

-tessa

Wow!

Well, I'm here wandering around the convention center!  I picked up a bag full of goodies and strolled the display area... so many cute things!  I thought I would share a quick picture of my Artisan Awards project display- I till can't believe that I am among the winners!  Wow!  All of the projects are so creative and well done.

Ok... better go!  I just walked in to Memento Mall!

-tessa

Little Bird Card

Hello!

Today I'm finally on my way to the Stampin' Up! annual convention! Hee! I'm so excited to experience it first hand! I'm one of those people who lurk online during convention time in hopes that someone will post about all the fun they're having and the exciting announcements being made... I can't wait to be there in person this year!!

I created some swaps to share with some of the people I meet this week- I guess swapping is quite the thing but since I've been travelling, I've only been able to make about 30 swap cards all together and 14 of those are for the Artisan Award winners swap... (I'll post that one after our dinner!).



Goodies:
all products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Artistic Etchings, Fifth Avenue Floral, Hope happens
Ink: Crumb Cake, So Saffron, Early Esspresso classic inks; Versamark
Paper: Crumb Cake, Rose Red, Confetti White cardstock; Pumpkin Pie textured cardstock; Greenhouse Gala DSP; Newsprint DSP
Accessories: Pretty in Pink satin ribbon, Two step bird punch, Curly Label punch, Champagne Shimmer paint, Scallop Edge punch

I tried to keep this one simple but add lots of different textures at the same time. I added shimmer paint to the center dots of the flowers with a tiny paint brush for a little bit of glitz and also distressed all of the edges with a little Crumb Cake ink and a sponge dauber. They were fun to put together, especially since I've been having withdrawls from my craft room! Hee!

OK! Hope you are enjoying your day! I can't wait to see what Stampin' Up! has in store for us this year!!

-tessa

More from our cross country trip...

We've been enjoying our trip so much! We arrived in Washington State a few weeks ago and have been spending our time camping and visiting friends and relatives all over the state. I love it! Hee! Here are a few pictures from our trip...

Farmland in the Skagit Valley, WA

Desert landscape in Wyoming

Mount Rushmore

My family at the Badlands National Park in South Dakota

Zoey by the prairie lands in South Dakota

Isn't it amazing how beautiful America is? I don't think I truely appreciated our country until this trip. I really loved seeing the rolling praries, mountains, and farmland between the coasts. And the people? We've met so many nice people along the way! Telling us what to do and see... visiting with us like we were old friends... it really has been great!

Up next is my first Stampin' Up Convention! Yahoo!! I'll post my swap cards in the next couple of days and hopefully I can take some pictures of my Artisan Award projects to share with you, too! All of the winners are planning a little blog hop when we get back from convention so don't worry if you aren't going- we should have plenty to share! Hee!

Hope you all are enjoying the summer as much as I am! It truely is one to remember!

-tessa

Hoppin' with the Artisan Award Winners!

Hello!

I am so excited and honored to be part of the 2010 Artisan Award winners! With convention still so far away, we thought it would be fun to do a hop now so you can get to know some of the winners beforehand... a couple of the ladies aren't bloggers but most of us are! Hee! Everyone is super talented and I'm sure you will find inspiration on each stop along the way...

Heather Van Duker is our hop hostess this time. Thanks Heather!

We all stuck with a patriotic theme this time around- and since I'm camping this weekend, that is what I used as my inspiration to make a quick card:



Goodies:
All products by Stampin' Up!

Stamps: Under the Stars
Ink: Cherry Cobbler, Not Quite Navy, Marina Mist, Crumb Cake, Early Espresso, Soft Suede; Versamark
Paper: Confetti White, Crumb Cake, Marina Mist, Cherry Cobbler cardstock; Not Quite Navy textured cardstock
Accessories: Hemp Twine, Aqua Painter, Signo White gel pen

I'm very happy that this little set made it into the new catalog- I've only used it twice! Hee! Now I have a whole year to get my money's worth out of it! I thought it was so fun and different from other stamp sets I have but I think it's a little hard to pair with sentiments... any suggestions? Maybe I'll try something with the mosquito next time...

Incase you are popping in mid point in our blog hop, here are the other stops along the way:

Heather Van Duker
Andrea Munro
Elizabeth Price
Jodie Olver
Renee Ballard
Richard Garay
Tessa Wise (You are Here)
Angela Timms

Be sure to check out everyone's blog! If you are hopping in order, you've got one more stop to go- Angela's blog is next!

Thanks for stopping by today! I am usually a pretty regular poster but right now, I'm trekking across the country with my family- I'll be back with my regular postings after Convention!

Have a great day!

-tessa

Hello from Sioux Falls, SD!

Just a little update from our summer vacation... We left Wednesday morning on our cross country road trip and we've been enjoying every minute of it so far! We've made four stops already- camped in thunderstorms for 3 nights and hit a hotel for 2 nights... It's fun to camp but I'm loving the free wi-fi at the hotel tonight! Hee!

Our favorite memories so far...

Watching our girls learn the ropes of camping... ha ha! My hubby and I had to relearn them, too! I bet it's been 10 years since our last camping trip!



Eating at fun, new restaurants along the way- Mmmm! Who knew Cheese Curds tasted so good!




Hot, sunny days... Cool, rainy, LOUD nights! I've never slept outside during such horrendous thunder and lightning! It is so much louder in Wisconsin then at home in Virginia...



We've got a few more nights and some fun sights to see before we meet up with our family in Washington state... I can't wait to see them!

Hope you enjoyed your weekend! Be sure to stop by on the 30th- I'm participating in the first 2010 Artisan Award winner blog hop.

-tessa

Something Different...

Well, I'm heading out to a going away party for one of my favorite people, Andrea, who is moving to L.A. in a few weeks... I will miss you! She is a crafty girl, too and blogs about what she makes. I think that will make me feel a little more connected, even if she is all the way across the country! And, we are facebook friends so that helps, too.

Anyways, I thought I'd share what I made for her- it's a little different from the normal things I make. Andrea and I always joke about cards and scrapbook pages that are intentionally empty and artsy- sometimes we get what that style is about and other times we don't! I made her this intentionally and I'm sure she'll get it! Hee!



Goodies:

Paper: Confetti White cardstock by SU!
Ink: Electric Blue Glimmer Mist
Accessories: Retro Diamonds embossing folder by Quickutz


I also tried my hand at making a necklace out of Sticky Back Canvas. I recently took a class from Claudine Hellmuth and it was so much fun! I was really inspired by her and her products. I got this idea straight from her- a video about how she made her own can be found here.

Here is my necklace:



I know, a little different from my normal but I had so much fun making these for Andrea! I hope she likes them!

OK! Off to say good bye and work on my Convention swaps some more!

-tessa