Learn to Stamp and Scrap with Lynn Larson

Countdown to Christmas - Week 2

Welcome to Week 2 of my Countdown to Christmas.  This week, it is time to start to do the following:

• Finish making your holiday cards if you haven't done so already
• Start writing out your holiday cards or at the very least, take your address books and envelopes with you during the day so that when you find yourself with a few extra minutes waiting for the kids or at a doctor appointment you can start addressing your envelopes. 
• Finish making up your Christmas gift lists.  Who do you have on your list to give to?  Who do you need to add that you might have forgotten?  How about your children's teacher, your co-workers, a neighbor or someone who you just want to do something special for?
• Begin your crafting of holiday decorations and gifts.  Would you like to make ornaments this year?  How about stockings for the kids or gift items for that special someone?  Begin thinking projects you would like to make, check out what supplies you might need and then start your creating!

I think that is enough to get you started this week.  I will see you back here next week with more Countdown to Christmas ideas and tips.

Thanks for stopping by!

Lynn Larson - www.learntostampandscrap.com

Countdown to Christmas - Week 1

I am excited to announce my "Countdown to Christmas" program that I will be offering for the next 6 weeks.  This week, I am suggesting that you get started on the following:

• Update your holiday card mailing list
• Start your gift list (if you haven't already done so) - remember your service people on your list like your faithful UPS man, your newspaper delivery person, waitstaff in your favorite restaurant, postmaster, teachers, neighbors and hostesses whose houses you are going for that special holiday party.
• Start making some of your gifts for people on your list.  How nice would it be to receive a gift like this frame or this journal or even this treat holder (tutorial included) for example.
• Be on the lookout for early holiday sales.  They seem to be bigger and better this year and some of the Black Friday specials started early.  There is less pressure and it is easier to spread out your spending if you do a little shopping each week.
• Mark your calendars for my Holiday Sale and Open House scheduled for Saturday, December 12th from 10 am - 4 pm and again on Sunday, December 13th from 10 am - 3 pm.  I will have TONS of handmade and other gift items for sale as well as retired stamp sets, scrapbooking kits, Designers Series Paper and other crafting accessories.
• Start making your holiday cards.  You might be interested in a post like this one that features quick and easy card variations so you can whip those cards right out and still have them look elegant!

I hope you enjoyed Week 1 of my Countdown to Christmas.  i will be posting Week 2 on Monday so stay tuned!

Happy stampin'

Lynn Larson - www.learntostampandscrap.com

Snow Buddies Christmas Card Sample

Sometimes it is fun to think out of the box and create a card using non-traditional colors for the holidays.  This Christmas Card uses the Snow Buddies stamp set which is a Level 2 Hostess Stamp Set shown in the Holiday Occasions Mini.

Since I was using Ballet Blue cardstock, I decided to check out the Color Wheel to find a different color than I would normally choose to create my card.  When it showed Pumpkin Pie as a complementary color, I knew that I wanted to use that color as my accent for this card.  It makes the focal point on the card just pop and shows off his carrot nose.

I used Frost White Shimmer Paint to paint a shadow on the left side of the snowman and also on the ground.  It is hard to see the shimmer in the paint in this photo, but it is there.  I also stamped a second top hat, colored it in and cut it out so I could add a Stampin' Dimensional and give some added dimension and interest to the card.

Here are the supplies used:

Stamp Sets:  Snow Buddies (Level 2 Hostess set) and Four the Holidays (both sets from the Mini Catalog)

Cardstock:  Ballet Blue, Whisper White and Pumpkin Pie

Ink:  Ballet Blue and Basic Black Classic Stamp Pads; Ballet Blue, Pumpkin Pie and Basic Black Stampin' Write Markers

Accessories:  Stampin' Dimensionals (behind entire layered center piece with snowman and also behind the second cut out hat on snowman's head)

Thanks so much for stopping by today.  Be sure to stop by tomorrow when i start to share some fun gift ideas.  Don't forget to sign up for my Holiday Stamp-a-Stack Card Class on Tuesday, December 1st or one of my other classes found on my calendar.

Lynn Larson - www.learntostampandscrap.com

 

Scenic Season - Holiday Card Variations

Here is another card that I have been doing at my workshops lately.  I have been focusing on simple, yet elegant, holiday cards that you would be proud to make and give to your family and friends during the holiday season.  The holidays can be a busy time of year and coming up with a simple holiday card design is really appreciate by many people.  So here is a simple holiday card using the Scenic Season stamp set that can be made in a variety of ways by using a package of Rich Regals Assorted Cardstock and some Whisper White Neutral Cardstock...

This first card started out to be a simple card for some beginning stampers that I had at a recent workshop.  I didn't want to overwhelm them with multiple layers, color inks, stamp sets and embellishments.  This is a great stamp set for both the beginner or for the seasoned stamper.  It has the tree image and the "Season's Greetings" wording all on one stamp set and also has a stamp to put inside your card that says "May the peace and joy of the season be with you throughout the new year."  It is simple, yet elegant using strips of contrasting cardstock to go across the card for a hint of color.  You could also add some faux stitching wiht a white gel pen for added detail if you desire, but certainly isn't necessary.

This next card is just a little step above the first card.  Instead of using strips of cardstock, I added some burgandy grosgrain ribbon, some Tombo Multi All-Purpose Glue and some Dazzling Diamonds Glitter to the trees and to the snow mounds.

This variation uses Handsome Hunter ink and cardstock along with the burgandy grosgrain ribbon, Tombo multi purpose adhesive and Dazzling Diamonds glitter.  With a couple different ink pads and cardstock from the Rich Regals color assortment you could create a beautiful card in Night of Navy, Eggplant Envy or Brocade Blue (to name a few).

If you are interested in making some holiday cards, be sure to register for my Holiday Stamp-a-Stack on Tuesday, December 1st from 6-8:30 pm.  You can check out my calendar of events HERE!

I hope you enjoyed these Christmas card samples.  I will have another great card to share with you tomorrow using the Snow Buddies stamp set which is a Level 2 Hostess only set from the Holiday Occasions Mini Catalog.

Lynn Larson - www.learntostampandscrap.com

Punch Art Frame

Today I hosted a holiday party for my Stampin' Up! downline.  We have a pot luck dinner, a Yankee Swap and a small, individual gift that we make for each person attending.  Today I made a ham and the girls brought things like scalloped potatoes, green beans, fruit salad, brown and serve rolls along with pumpkin and apple pies for dessert.  De-lish!!

For our Yankee Swap, we each bring one handcrafted, wrapped gift (valued at approximately $10).  I assign each package a number and then we draw numbers from a basket to see which gift we are lucky enough to take home with us. 

I wanted to share the gift that I made for my Yankee Swap...

 

How cute is this punch art altered frame?  The frame is a pretty good size - approximately 7" square with the hole for the picture about 3.5" square and is made from wood.  The wood was unfinished so I painted it twice using white acrylic paint and let it dry before embellishing it.

The background uses Bashful Blue cardstock for the sky and Whisper White cardstock for the snow.  I tore strips of Whisper White cardstock to make the snow look uneven and like there were hills.  Sponging the edge of the torn cardstock in Bordering Blue ink added some dimension and depth to my "snow hills".

As you can see in the photo, I made the blue cardstock more modulated and uneven looking by sponging on and also spritzing on some Ballet Blue ink.  I also added a little blush to my little guy's cheeks by patting my finder into some Pretty in Pink ink and dabbing the ink onto his face.  

The snowflakes are from the Serene Snowflakes stamp set (my favorite snowflake stamp set of all time!) and white craft ink.  Once the snowflakes were stamped, I added some Winter White Embossing Powder and heated them up to make them stand out a little more.  Faux stitching done with white gel pen around the inside frame window and the outer border completed the look of my frame. 

Each of the elements on the frame were inspired by different projects I have seen.  The kid with the snowball was an idea that I got from Jackie T (I don't remember her last name....sorry!).  She also had the cool idea for the faux snow that is made from rolling up a scrap of white cardstock so it is thin like a pencil and then grating it on a cheese grater to create your own snow.  I added some glue to my project, sprinkled on the faux snow and then added a touch of Dazzling Diamonds glitter to finish it off.

If you are interested in attending a Punch Art Class, I have a "holiday" punch art class scheduled for November 29th and another Punch Art Class scheduled for December 29th.  You can check out my class schedule or contact me for more information. 

Happy stampin',

Lynn Larson - www.learntostampandscrap.com

 
 

Build A Bear - Pumpkin

For my workshop this week, I wanted to do something fun for our Make & Take project.  This group loves Halloween and because there were 10 people making this project, I wanted to keep it fairly simple while still having it be cute. 

Isn't this bear adorable?  I can't stop using it in my projects.  I will share more of them with you in future posts, but right now, here are the supplies used to make this project:

Cardstock:  Very Vanilla, Garden Green, Only Orange, Close to Cocoa, Creamy Caramel and Basic Black

Stamp Set:  Holiday Best (Hostess Level 1 Set) - words "Trick or Treat" stamped inside card using Dusty Durango ink

Ink:  Close to Cocoa and Dusty Durango (for sponging the edges)

Accessories:  Big Shot, Sizzix Bigz Beary Essentials Die, Originals Kooky Spooky Die, Stampin' Sponge wedge, Close to Cocoa and Garden Green Stampin' Write Marker, 1 1/4" and 1 3/4" circle punches

I hope you enjoyed today's project.  Be sure to stop back tomorrow for another cute Halloween "treat"!

Lynn Larson - www.learntostampandscrap.com

 

National Scrapbooking Month - FREE Scrapbooking Crop

If you have never attended a scrapbooking crop before, feel free to come and check it out on Saturday, May 9th from 10 am - 4 pm at my house. 

The supplies that you will need to bring include photos, paper to create your pages, embellishments of your choice, scissors, paper cutter and adhesive with a refill.  If you have been to a crop before you can bring whatever additional items you normally take with you to a crop.

If you don't have a lot of scrapbooking supplies but would still like to attend, I will have paper cutters, scissors, ink pads, rubber stamps, my Big Shot and Dies available for you to use. 

You will also get the supplies to create your own 6x6 scrapbook page to take home with you at no additional charge. 

I will be available to help you out if needed.  This will be a fun day to get together with other scrapbookers an create special memories of family and friends to pass down from generation to generation.

Space is limited so please be sure to RSVP to reserve your seat by Thursday, May 7th. 

Hope to see you there!

Lynn Larson - www.learntostampandscrap.com  - Email - lynn@learntostampandscrap.com

Today's Demonstrator Class Meets the Big Shot...

Today was my quarterly demonstrator class that I hold for the girls in my group.  We have so much fun when we get together to stamp and today was no exception.  We did a total of five projects today and 3 of them used the Big Shot.  We used every thing from the new Texturz Plates, Bigz Dies, Decorative Strip Die and even a Sizzlits Die.  One project alone used three different types of dies.  I wanted to incorporate different projects using different sized dies and let the girls know which "sandwiches" to make for which dies since they all vary.  I even typed up all of the project instructions and listed which sandwiches to use for which die as a reference since we have a couple of new demonstrators in our group.

Here are some of the highlights of the day...

 

This is Carol "B" reading the instructions on one of the projects.  I know that her mom, Carolyn is a faithful reader of my blog, so this one is for you Carolyn!  (Hi there in Florida:))

 

Here are two more of my girls.  Jacquie is on the left and Carol "M" is on the right.  Both Jacquie and Carol and been demonstrators with me almost since I started.  These are two very talented ladies right here!

 

Next we have Tina who started out as a customer and became not only a dear friend, but one of my downline recently.  She and Carol B are from nearly two hours away and drive to my classes and events at my house.  I have become very close to each and every one of my downline.  They are truly very special people to me.  

 

We were even joined by Jacquie's daughter Natalie who was "Stampin' Up!" a storm of her own in the sunroom just quiet as a mouse.  She actually made a card, a gift bag and an entire handmade scrapbook on her own while we did our class!  I hope her mom plans on signing her up as a demo in 8 years when she is old enough:)) 

So do you want a sneak peak of one of the projects from today?  Well, here it is.  I will showcase this project around midweek so stay tuned.  Tomorrow I will feature a Big Shot project to share with you.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Be sure to pop back tomorrow for our Big Shot project!

Lynn Larson

Holiday Stamp-a-Stack with Holiday Treasures and Punches Three

Here is a card that I have been using at my beginner classes and events.  This week I used it for my Holiday Stamp-a-Stack class #2.

 

This is a quick, but elegant card to give someone for the holidays this year.  I used the following supplies:

Stamp:  Punches Three (Stampin' Up! Level 1 Hostess Set)

Ink:  Riding Hood Red

Cardstock:  Riding Hood Red, Whisper White, Pink Pirouette, Chocolate Chip and Holiday Treasures Designer Series Paper

Accessories:  Scallop Square Punch, Wide Oval Punch, 1/4" Circle Punch (to create faux brad look) and White Gel Pen

I hope that this card inspires you to make your own holiday cards for your loved ones this year.  'Tis the season for giving and for spending time with family and friends.  Take advantage of the opportunity to slow your life down, stay home and save money by making your own holiday cards and gifts this year. 

If you need to stock up on any supplies for your holiday projects, you can either order online 24/7 by clicking "SHOP NOW" in the upper right corner or contact me directly by calling 802-380-0222 or email lynn@learntostampandscrap.com.

Happy stamping,

Lynn

Did you know that it is "NaBloPoMo"?

What in the heck is NaBloPoMo?  Well, it is National Blog Posting Month and guess what?  It is my goal to post every day this month starting from today right on through the end of the month.

Today I would like to share a project that was made at my Holiday Stamp a Stack class this evening.

 

Tonight's class was a full class so I designed some quick to stamp and assemble cards since we were making multiples of each card. 

The supplies used on this card are as follows:

Stamp Sets:  Deer Friends and Best Yet (Both Stampin' Up! Level One Hostess Sets)

Cardstock:  Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red and Whisper White along with Ski Slope Designer Series Paper

Inks:  Basic Black and Pumpkin Pie Stampin' Write Markers; Baja Breeze Classic Ink Pad

Accessories:  Punches - Scallop Circle, 1 3/8" Circle, 1 1/4" Circle and 1" Circle; Stampin' Dimensionals and White Gel Pen