Mocha Memories

Happy Thanksgiving from My House to Yours

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I hope each one of you has a wonderful day surrounded with family and friends.  It is one of the few days of the year that we as a society finally slow down (much to the chagrin of our teenage children) and enjoy time for there is always tomorrow.........

THE CRAZIEST SHOPPING DAY OF THE YEAR!

Check back tomorrow at 9 am EST for MY Black Friday Special!

(I made sure to make it after ALL of the in store deals will already be gone - LOL)

This will be in ADDITION to the incredible on-line special that Stampin' Up! has going on right now.

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A VERY important note to anyone interested in the Candy Cane Christmas Designer Series Paper:

Candy Cane Christmas Designer Series Paper (#120809)

Stampin' Up! has notified all demonstrators that they are on schedule to deplete their supply of this items some time next week.  So make sure you get your order in early for this amazingly cute paper.

 

Until tomorrow,

Thanksgiving Thoughts

As the election frenzy draws to a close, I noticed that the holiday season has snuck up on us.  Thanksgiving is less than three weeks away..... Christmas will be around the corner.....then the New Year!  I know....I am getting ahead of myself, but you know what I am talking about. 

I decided that I would devote one more post to Thanksgiving before the Christmas mania starts.  We all love the Decor Elements and have seen wonderful examples of framed pieces that have been created using this very item.  The only problem I have is finding the correct size frame that I need and I do not want to pay too much for a custom created frame.  Don't fret!!

Always remember that you do not have to use the full Decor Elements piece.  I loved the Season of Thanks piece from Phase 2 Decor Elements, but I wanted to use a 12" x 12" shadow box so that I could have a wider selection and spend less.  To accommodate the Small Decor Element, I simply cut the flourish away from the bottom of the sentiment and repositioned part of it on the upper-left hand corner of the frame.  I then filled the shadow box with berry vines and leaves that were on sale at my local craft store.

Now I have a wonderful holiday decor piece for my mantel without the custom price.  So take a second look through your Decor Elements brochure and see what piece you need to use this holiday season.

Be Inspired by Life,

Placesetting Complete - 3D Thursday #12

Well, Happy Halloween everyone!!  I am so glad that you came by before you set out with the kiddies for some Halloween fun.  I finally finished my Thanksgiving 'tablescape'!

I had picked up some VERY inexpensive spice jars at Wal-Mart a month or so ago and saved them to be altered.  As I was going through my 'alterable-items' bin, I came across them and decided that these would make the perfect favor for the table. 

Luckily chocolate makers are as crazy as crafters about having their candy color coordinate with the holiday.  I simply filled the jars with the fall colored Kisses, and decorated the top to match the other pieces in my place setting.  The top is decorated with ribbon, punched paper and one of the images from the Hostess Fall Flair set.

I wanted the bold part of the image to have a more blended, watercolored look.  To achieve this, I inked the image with my More Mustard pad and then tapped my Really Rust marker on the center of the leaf and stem.  I then sprayed a mist of water over the image and stamped.  Watercoloring without the brush!!

To create additional lighting for the table, tie some of your coordinating ribbon (chocolate chip) around a votive holder.  Add all of the pieces together (place card, napkin rings) and you have a 'Molly homemaker set-up' in no time.  Now what am I going to do with all of the spare time that I have?  HA! HA! HA!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

• Stamps: Fall Flair (Hostess)
• Ink: More Mustard, Really Rust, Chocolate Chip
• Cardstock: Sage Shadow, More Mustard Designer Print Paper (Hostess), Whisper White
• Accessories: 1 3/4" Circle Punch, Scallop Circle Punch, 1 3/8" Circle Punch, Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon, Sticky Strip, Spice Jar, Spray Mister

Pick your Place Card

I created two place cards that could be used for my Thanksgiving table this year.  The first place card was inspired by an amazing 3-D pumpkin that I noticed on SCS. 

The pumpkin is created by punching 4 wide ovals out of Pumpkin Pie Designer Print Paper included in the Hostess Print Pack.  The ovals are folded in half, adhered together and then to the card.  The name was printed on vellum cardstock using my ink jet printer.  To hide the adhesive on the vellum, the vellum is actually wrapped around the Pumpkin Pie Designer Print cardstock and adhered on the back.  It makes quite an impression.

After much deliberation, I decided that I wanted something that tied all of the colors together a little better.  I also found the perfect 'extra piece' for my place setting and I really needed to use a circle motif to really make it flow. 

So simplicity ruled the day.  I used some of the Autumn Vine Designer Series Paper as the main background.  I then added concentric circles to play up the colors that I used for my napkin rings.  Add the monogram of the guest and it is complete.

My 'tablescape' is coming together!  See the final product and my secret 'extra piece' on Thursday.  Until Tuesday...

Be Inspired by Life,

 

Pumpkin Place Card

Cardstock: Chocolate Chip (102128), Always Artichoke (105119), Garden Green (102584), Vellum Cardstock(101856), Hostess Print Pack (112474)   

Accessories: Wide Oval Punch (112082), Boho Blossoms Punch (110711), Swirls Scirrbles Sizzlits (113441), Big Shot (113439)

Monogram Place Card

Stamps:  Lovely Letters (111099)

Cardstock: Whisper White (100730), Chocolate Chip (102128), More Musturd (100946), Sage Shadow (101563), Autumn Vine DSP (112995) 

Ink: Really Rust (102549) 

Accessories: 1 3/8" Circle Punch (104401), Scallop Circle Punch (109043), 1 3/4" Circle Punch (112004), Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Coluzzle Cutting System (102264)

Napkin Rings in No Time - 3D Thursday #11

I know I have missed the past 3D Thursday, but I hope this past week has made up for it. 

I am still in the Thanksgiving mood, so I am already thinking about my table for that special meal.

I love the time that we have together as a family during Thanksgiving and I am always looking for ways to personalize the table.  I love the Autumn Vine DSP so much that I already have the Thanksgiving favor designed for this year.  So that everything coordinates, I will base everything on the Autumn Vine color theme.

I next turned my attention to my place settings and what I could use to tie the colors together.  The chipboard leaves from the On Board Something Seasonal were the perfect pieces to use for ..... color coordinated napkin rings.  I colored the chipboard leaves with Really Rust, More Mustard and Sage Shadow craft ink.  Once the ink dried, I punched a hole in the center of the chipboard with my Crop-a-dile. 

To give the chipboard a more substantial feel, I then embossed the pieces twice with my Glassy Glaze Embossing Powder.  Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelets give the rings a more sturdy feel and classy look.  A beautiful Chocolate Chip bow is the finishing touch.

WOW!  I am on my way to a great table.  These are sooooo easy to do and the sky is the limit.  Check out the next part of my tablescape on Saturday......the place cards.

Be Inpsire by Life,

 

• Ink: Really Rust Craft (102437), More Mustard Craft (103092), Sage Shadow Craft (103251)
• Accessories:  On Board Something Seasonal Chipboard (112086), Antique Brass Jumbo Eyelets (108431), Crop-a-dile (108362), Glassy Glaze Embossing Powder (100477), Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon (109051)

Thanksgiving with my Big Shot

My hostess gals and I had a blast this past week sharing ideas for Thanksgiving.  It may sound early, but planning really helps keep the holidays under control.  This month, we created one of those cute scallop envelope boxes that I have seen floating around.  Place a stack of cookies in the box and you have the perfect snack box for your guests.

 

Start by cutting 4 scallop envelops out of Sage Shadow using your Big Shot.  I found that I could only cut out 2 envelops at a time to ensure that the creases did not cut through the card stock.  Using the Premium crease pad also helped (Bottom to top: clear plastic, 2 shims, die, cardstock, premium crease pad). 

I punched holes into 3 of the 4 envelope tops using my double rectangle punch.  Since I am OCD, I decided to mark my punch with a marker so that my holes and ribbon would be the same height all the way around the box.

Don't fret - rubbing alcohol takes these marks right off.

Using Sticky Strip on the side flaps of the envelopes, adhere the four envelops together.  I found that laying them on a flat surface and lining up the side flaps gave the best results.

I also used Sticky Strip on two opposite bottom flaps to create the bottom of the box.  The biggest challenge here is to keep the box square.  Not a problem if you have your handy dandy SU! grid paper.  I simple lined up the sides with the dark center lines of the grid paper as I pushed the bottom down to seal.  PERFECT SQUARE!

I adhered alternate patterns of Autumn Vine Designer Series Paper to the sides.  I then thread the ribbon through the holes and tied to the front of the box (unpunched flap).

The sentiment was created with the Cute & Curly Stamp bundle and the Best Yet hostess set.  I used my Chocolate Chip marker to ink up 'to You'.

Punch out, adhere with Stampin' Dimensionals and you are ready to make someone's Thanksgiving a little more special!

Be Inspired by Life,

 

Stamps:  Cute & Curly(112966), Best Yet (111604) 

Cardstock: Whisper White (100730), Sage Shadow (101563), Autumn Vine DSP (112995) 

Ink: Really Rust (102549), Chocolate Chip Marker(100071) 

Accessories: Stampin' Dimensionals (104430), Chocolate Chip Grosgrain Ribbon (111367), Scallop Envelope Die (113462), Curly Label Punch (112966), Big Shot (113439), Premium Crease Pad (113476), Double Rectangle Punch (105088), Sticky Strip (104294)