To flash or not to flash? and a house-shaped tag.

Hi friends!

I had bigger plans for the PTI blog hop, I really did, but things (read: basement renovations and a packed weekend) interfered.  Nonetheless, I managed to print out the template and use part of it to create a Christmas tag.

Now, here's the question.  Do you like the photo better without flash:

or with:

they are both taken within about 5 minutes of each other, in daylight and without any different lighting, save for the bounced flash.  I'm trying to decide which version I like better.

Without flash, the photo is softer and more moody - which is almost always my preference, but the with-flash photo is so bold and bright.  As the days become darker in the winter months, I may have to resort more and more to using my flash.  It happens every year.

If you are curious about my gear, here is a link to my (rolls eyes) huge splurge - the lightscoop.  A real bounce flash was not in my budget, but I have used and loved my 25$ lightscoop for years now.  If you have very large rooms, or extremely high ceilings, this is not the product for you, but it works perfectly fine for me.

The tag came together very simply: I printed Nichole's template and chopped off everything but this one shape.  You are supposed to fold in the corners to make a pointy roof, but I kept it even less fussy by refusing to add extra steps.  A few scallops for a roof, a rectangle of red cardstock for a door, a stamped sentiment (from Bells & Boughs) and a Christmas wreath (from Clear and Simple's Rag Doll House.)

I hope you like it!

♥.

wrap it up! {CSS new color release}

CSS is releasing brand new colors of cardstock, ink, and even gift wrap!  (click *here* for a pdf of all the pretty colors!)

Here's the official blurb:

"Clear and Simple Stamps has made the choice to "go green" and revitalize the CSS current color line.  You will see a few new colors and some vintage colors no longer being offered, in an effort to provide product made from renewable contents.  All of the color coordinated products are made in the USA.  The paper comes from mills that practice responsible, sustainable forestry while manufacturing the highest quality paper products on the market.  These mills are powered by renewable energy sources, and our paper products are made of 100% recycled content with 30% PCW (post-consumer waste.)  We are very pleased to announce our commitment to incorporate environmental practices into our daily crafting."

And what better way to show it all off than to have a designer blog hop?  Each designer has a special gift for you...

I created a card, envelope (with a gorgeous liner!) and a wrapped gift... all using the fabulously new "i steel got it" color.  It's a beautiful light grey neutral that I know I'll be reaching for all the time.

My card features over-sized ornaments, masked to sit as a trio onto a beautiful cake stand.  The sentiment creates a frame around the ornaments, and the whole thing rests on glitter and a strip of stamped striped grey paper.

The envelope liner was stamped with the same wreath image as the ornaments, and each bow was colored with the same metallic mauve pencil, to tie it in with the card.

A silver glimmer die cut echoes the glittery strip on the card, and I created a little tag to announce what's inside my wrapped box...

An assortment of Christmas cookies, from me to you (or really, from me to me... I may have eaten a few already, hee hee.)

Keep on hopping!  On each designer's blog is a new gift ensemble in a brand new color, perfect for inspiring you if you like to DIY your holiday presentations...

Lori ♥ Jaclyn ♥ Denise ♥ Jennifer ♥ Amber ♥ Kim ♥ Dana ♥ Tracy ♥ Laurie ♥ Laura ♥ Stephany ♥ Debbie Hughes (guest designer) ♥ CSS

Supply list (all CSS unless noted)

stamps: sweet sentiments holiday, rag doll house, rag doll scenes 1, cake decorating, cookie bake

inks: i steel got it, crayola metallic colors pencil crayons

dies: wrappers

paper: a blanc check, i steel got it

CSS: holiday in July group post.

Are you ready for a little winter holiday fun?

I'll bet the rest of the design team has wowed you with Christmas projects... but as soon as I had the rag dolls in my hands, I already had a Valentine's Day project in mind... hey! it's totally a winter holiday :)

I used the new Jake rag doll, and the rag doll house: stand to create this sweet Valentine's day lunch for my 5-year-old-Thomas.  

Since it was for Thomas, I had to make his usual "pb&j" sandwich (the kid is obsessed)... but, since it was a special occasion, why not make it heart-shaped and put it in a cute wrapper?  I found a template, and embellished it with a stamped "PB {heart} J" banner.  The letters are from the alpha duo set, and the heart is from the new "wrap a round" set.

And he'd need something to wash down that sandwich, right?

milk - it does the body good ;)  And why not make it look good too, with a striped straw and an adorable favor flag.

So, after he ate his sandwich, and had his little strawberry-and-banana-fruit-kebab (I stuck little chunks through a lollipop stick), I could offer him his special treat:

a "kissing-booth" box, full of hershey's kisses :)  I paper-pieced the stand, printed the "kisses" via my computer, added the 5-cent stamp (the kid gives them away super-cheap - what can I say?  hee!) and the little love speech bubble (from taglines: critters.)

Here's a side-view so you could see how I closed up the party favor 3 die (don't you love how the stand die-cut fits right on the front?)

I scored the side so that I could pinch it closed.  I cut 2 tiny holes at the top and threaded some twine to keep it shut.

I hope you like what I've created!  Click on over to see what the other designers have for you:

Lori

Jaclyn

Kim

Tracy

Dana

Laurie

Jennifer

Amber

Laura

Suzanne (guest)

CSS

CSS release day 7 - rag dolls

I am so excited to get to share today's projects - I'm in love with this line of rag dolls!

Everything about it reminds me of the handmade dolls I lovingly created for my kids last Christmas :)

But since we're in the dead heat of summer right now, what's better than ice-cold lemonade?  I created a gift ensemble of a stand-shaped card, a stand-shaped notepad, and a mason jar filled with.... what else than lemonade sachets?

For my lemonade-stand notepad, I cut a stack of computer paper with the rag doll house die.  I then die cut a cover and end stand out of kraft cardstock.  I stamped the rag doll house: stand, and created a lemonade stand (if you'd rather, there are images to create a produce stand instead!)  I masked off the "fresh squeezed daily" sign to be able to stamp a row of lemonade glasses in behind.  After some light coloring, I took my unbound notepad to my local office supply store and let them do the rest :) 

I created a little card to go along with the notepad.  I die-cut a full stand, and then created a folded white card-base that was slightly shorter than the height of the stand.  By passing it through my die-cutter, but not allowing it to cut at the top, I ended up with a perfectly-shaped card base.

And the little guy manning the lemonade stand?  His name is Jake, and he usually sits on a fun greeting, but I cut him out and popped him into the stand.  Isn't he so cute??  I can't stand it.  I will buy all of your lemonade, little boy.... and keep the change...

I paper-pieced the lemonade stand, but colored Jake and the lemonade glasses in with copic markers.

To complete my ensemble, I had the hubs drill a hole through the top of a mason-jar lid.  I crammed as many lemonade sachets as I could into the jar, and topped it off with a stripped straw, a favor flag and image from the favor flags set.  This mason jar is the perfect way to enjoy a tall glass of cold lemonade without the summer bugs getting inside :)

I hope you enjoyed what I've created!

Click over to see what the other girls have made with these adorable rag dolls!

Laurie

Kim

Tracy

Lori

Dana

Laura

Stephany

Amber

Suzanne (guest)

Ryann (guest)

Virginia (guest)

CSS