Nichol Spohr LLC

Simon Says Stamp January 2013 Card Kit | I Birthday Card + Video

Happy New Year's Eve!

Today I'm sharing another card created with the January 2013 Simon Says Stamp Card Kit + a video!

Here's the card I created using components from the kit plus additional exclusive SSS Stamps & Dies:

I used the hearts and coordinating dies from the Lots of Hearts Stamp Set to create this pretty layered floral for my mama's birthday card. :) I love stretching my stamps to work "outside the box".

The greeting was embossed with two colors of WOW embossing powders. I love the WOW embossing powders and will be adding more of these to my stash ASAP!

P.S. Looks like someone needed to redo her manicure before this video was filmed! Whoops! ;)

HOW TO

LINKED SUPPLIES:

InLinkz.com

Don't forget to leave a comment on THIS blog post by 11:59 CST tonight for a chance to win the January 2013 Simon Says Stamp Card Kit.

Happy New Year!

Top Ten Cards/Projects of 2012

Hello again freinds!

I had intended to share another card (and a video) today but I had forgotten about a little family get together that was planned today with extended family so I will instead be sharing that project tomorrow and sharing another 2012 project recap today!

Yesterday I shared my favorite layouts of 2012  [ see post HERE ] and today I'm sharing my favorite cards and/or projects of 2012.

Enjoy!

My Top Ten (or so...) Favorite Cards/Projects of 2012

Valentines inspired hearts and tags. I want to make similar designs for every holiday. I need to remember that for 2013!

[ click HERE to see original blog post ]

* * *

Addicted to stamping my own journaling cards for Project Life. It allows me to be creative but still add inserts to my PL album quickly and easily!

[ click HERE to view the original blog post ]

* * *

Even more stamped journaling cards for Project Life...

[ click HERE to view the original blog post ]

 * * *

 I think I may have mentioned once or twice how much I love the Simon Says Stamp exclusive stamps and dies.... here is just one card created with exclusive SSS products from this year that I love, love, love...

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

Kerri Bradford Studio digi die cuts + Hero Arts Stamps = another fun [sun-themed] card!

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

This little summer fun folder was a just for me project that made my creative self happy. That's always a good thing.

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * * 

A single layer card. Simple. Bright. And oh so happy.

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

This one was inspired by the hanging hearts. And there's a how-to video too...

 [ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

Discovered and quickly became addicted to Saturated Canary Digital Stamp images. This one is my favorite card created so far...

Another favorite thing to note? It's not bulky. Only a couple layers with minimal embellishments. Easy to create. Easier to send through the mail.

I love to color.

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

Oh, and I sort of loved coloring this one for my Project Life album as well...

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

Pink + Red + White + Hero Arts Goodies = happy card!

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

New Christmas ornaments made with die cuts and dimensional pretties...

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

Come back tomorrow for a new card share! Goodnight!

Top Ten Layouts of 2012

As 2012 draws to a close I was looking back at the layouts I've created this year and these are the 10 that I've shared here on the ol' blog that are super special to me for one reason or another.

Looking back at layouts is what it's all about.

Remembering.

Re-living.

And enjoying. 

My Top Ten Eleven Layouts of 2012

The woodgrain background splattered with white Mister Huey, the large die cut title, Ali Edwards Studio AE stamping embossed with white powder, ribbon die cut hearts and of course the photos... happiness.

[ click HERE to view the original blog post + video ]

* * *

This is my mostest favoritest layout of.... ever. Not just 2012. The colors, the design, the die cuts, the embellishments. I wish every layout made me this happy when complete. This one just is totally and completely everything I love in scrapbooking.

[ click HERE to view the original blog post + video ]

* * *

A 2-pager. And oh the layers. Lots of fun stuff going on here that makes me giddy.

[ click HERE to view the original blog post ]

* * *

 I love adding to my "Christmas Cards from Friends and Family" album every year and this page is my favorite addition. I love the cluster of die cuts and the "hanging sign" title. :)

And, hey! It's another 2-pager! Go me!

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

The title page for my 8x8 recipe album featuring a huge collage of die cuts....

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

Remembering my first fur-baby...

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

New page addition to our family's "Halloween Costumes" mini 8x8 album...

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

Stamping + die cutting + fun patterned paper and a pieced background = pure delight!

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

Vintage photo + using a card kit to create a layout...

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

A layout about me (these don't happen very often!)...

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

Polaroid frame layout. I. Am. Addicted. Happiness.

[ click HERE to view original blog post ]

* * *

I also created a lot of layouts for classes and such that couldn't be shared on my blog. Here sneak peeks at my favorites and where you can find them:

From Ella Publishing Scrap Chic Book:

[ click HERE to purchase this eBook]

* * *

Some new all-time favorite layouts from True Scrap 4: The Art of Layering...

[ click HERE to purchase the a la carte class, The Art of Layering ]

* * *

And some favorites from True Scrap 3, More Scrapbook Stamping:

[ click HERE to purchase the a la carte class, More Scrapbook Stamping ]

* * *

Favorites from Diary of a Scrapaholic class...

[ click the banner below to purchase Diary of a Scrapaholic ]

* * *

Favorite layouts I created for Kerri Bradford's Just Add Color class...

[ click HERE to purchase Just Add Color by Kerri Bradford ]

* * *

Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend!

I'll be back tomorrow with another card share from January's Simon Says Stamp Card Kit!

Until then....







 

 

Simon Says Stamp January Card Kit | I Zig, You Zag... card + a GIVEAWAY

Hello card-making friends!

Today I'm sharing my first card share using the January 2013 Simon Says Stamp Card Kit and it showcases a lot of stamping. I absolutely adore the exclusive Simon Stamps & Dies!

I used the zig zag border from this month's card kit stamp set (also sold seperately, see below) to create the background of my card. I used 4 shades of shadow ink from Hero Arts and I love, love, love the result.

I used a greeting also from this month's card kit right on the background using black ink and added some tiny tiny heart stamping on either side from one of Simon's other exclusive stamp sets.

Don't you just love mixing and matching your stamps?

I sure do!

Finally I die cut some hearts using one of Simon's newest exclusive die & stamp collections and stamped the hearts with the same colors of ink I used for the background, then I adhered them to my card with some twine/string or foam adhesive.

I thought the card needed just a little something else so I stamped several buttons from this month's card kit stamp set, punched them out with a circle punch and adhered them with foam adhesive. Easy peasy!

LINKED SUPPLIES:

InLinkz.com

OTHER SUPPLIES:

• circle punch

More Simon Says Stamp EXCLUSIVES that I'm crazy about:

InLinkz.com

Simon Says Stamp has generously offered me the opportunity to give a January Card Kit away to one lucky recipient!

Please leave a comment on this blog post in the "Comments" section below today's post by Monday, December 31st, 2012, 11:59 p.m. CST for a chance to win this amazing kit!

 

 

KBS | Letters To Santa Mailed Here (a layout) + Shopping Links

Happy Christmas Eve (or Day) depending on where you are located. We are enjoying a lazy late morning getting ready to frost some sugar cookies in the hopes Santa will visit sometime tonight!

Speaking of readying for Santa, a couple of weeks ago my kids put together their wishlists for the big man and I loved their individual styles for the letters to Santa and I loved all the new individual die cut shapes Kerri Bradford has been offering up in her online store! I thought it would be fun to combine the two, along with quite a few other digi die cut shapes (you know me... if one shape is good, twenty is better! Ha!) and here is what I came up with to share both here and on Kerri's BLOG...

Both the penguin [you can purchase it HERE] and the mailbox [purchase it HERE] were designs I had suggested to Kerri at one point and it delights me to no end to see her bring the concept in my head to life with her awesome vision and design!

Here's a list of all the shapes/kits I used in my page design:

• Letters To Santa (mailbox & title)
• Star Background (12x12)
• Penguin
• A Dog's Life (fire hydrant)
• This & That Winter (sled, stocking hat, envelope) 
• December Additions: The Extras (envelope)
• This & That: Christmas (Santa hat, stack of gifts)
• Christmas Countdown (bird)
• Here Comes Santa Claus (hanging star)
• Snapshots #1 (photo strip)

I only used the penguin design "as is" for one of them on my page. For the other two (my boys), I chose to replace the earmuffs with stocking caps from other die cut kits for added interest to the design border/scene.

The title is from the mailbox kit [ found HERE ]. The star background is also from one of Kerri's new individual design kits [ found HERE ]. It's available in a couple of sizes for maximum versatility!

This awesome envelope design of Kerri's is perfect for storing the letters to Santa originals. They are tucked away so my little guy who is still a true believer won't be upset but yet accessible so that someday we can all look back and enjoy reading their wish lists!

I tucked a contrasting patterned paper print behind the cutout on the envelope and dropped splatters of Mister Huey Mist here and there to "distress" the die cut a bit.

LINKED SUPPLIES:

InLinkz.com

OTHER SUPPLIES:

• Doodlebug White Glitter Cardstock
• Making Memories Black Metallic Paper
• Makign Memories Silver Metallic Paper
• Martha Stewart Red Baker's Twine
• White String
• 7Gypsies Photo Turn

Be sure to check out the deals and new products at:

If you love Thickers, you will love the Glitter Foam Stickers!

If you love LOVE-themed product like I do, check out what American Crafts has for us this year:

My personal favorite new love-themed collection? Fourteen from Crate Paper!!!! Oh Crate Paper... I love you!

Just look at all the yummy Crate Paper goodness...

InLinkz.com

Hearts and love from Imaginisce...

Neon Washi Tape? Yes, please!

How about new Fiskars Squeeze Punches from Jenni Bowlin Studio? Awesome!

My new favorite from Pebbles, Family Ties (plus if you grew up in the 80's like me just saying Family Ties makes me sing the Family Ties theme song in my head... or out loud.... ;)

Don't let the family theme throw you... most of the elements are extremely versatile and the colors are super awesome for BOY pages. I have plenty of those to scrap! ;)

And the journaling cards? Just right for Project Life!

InLinkz.com

Studio Calico fans will love the new goodies from their Darling Dear Collection:

If you haven't picked up any of the individual classes from True Scrap 4 yet, now is a great time to do so!

When you purchase any of the classes through tomorrow, December 25th, you can save $3 a class! The regular price on these classes is $12.95 but if you purchase before 12/25 each class is only $9.95! 

Click any of the banners below to purchase the an individual True Scrap 4 Class!

My class, The Art of Layering:

and sneak peeks...

Jennifer Gallacher's class is perfect inspiration if you have lots of boy pages to scrap:

Kelli Crowe's class made me laugh until my sides hurt and then she inspired me to make something right then and there! If you want to be entertained and be inspired I highly recommend checking out Kelli's class:

Photography classes to help me improve my photo-taking skills?

How about TWO photography classes?

Yes, please!

Heidi Swapp always inspires!

Learn hybrid scrapbooking tips & tricks with Jennifer Wilson:

Check out all the True Scrap 4 individual classes available right HERE!

Wishing each and every one of you a very magical, merry and blessed Christmas Eve....

KBS | Dimensional Ornaments

I created these ornaments for Kerri Bradford's Blog today showcasing some of her die cut designs used in an untradtional way. These ornaments were inspired by the cover of this year's Stampin' Up Seasonal Holiday catalog. Instead of stamped/die cut ornaments, I chose to use ornaments from Kerri Bradford's die cut kits to create mine from die cut patterned and specialty papers (and lots of fun embellishments from my crafty stash!).

These are the KBS shapes I used:

• This & That Christmas Past (ornament)
• Christmas Countdown (ornament)
• Here Comes Santa Claus (snowflake)
• Holly Jolly Christmas (snowflake)

Here's how I made my ornaments:

1. Cut 20 ornament shapes. Adhere 5 of them to a punched circle (doesn't matter what color since it will be covered up but I punched mine from leftover coordinating patterned paper. 

2. Take the remaining 15 ornament shapes and score each of them down the middle, getting a nice crease. Glue 3 together to make 5 petals. You won't glue all sides together because you want this to lay flat against the oranment attached to the punched circle.

3. Glue each dimensional ornament to the flat piece from step 1.

4. This is what the base of the ornament should now look like.

5. Use glitter or glitter glue to add sparkle (pllus it helps cover up any imperfections where you might not get the ornaments lined up perfectly!). Let dry completely.

6. Use hot glue gun to adhere ribbon scraps in between ornaments shapes.

7. Here's what the ornament looks like once the ribbon scraps have been added. (Ignore that polka dot ornament piece....I got ahead of myself while creating!).

8. Cut 15 ornament shapes using another ornament design. I cut mine slightly smaller than the first. Score each down the center.

9. Glue 3 scored ornaments together like you did before. 

10. Hot glue the smaller ornaments in place. On this ornament I placed the smaller on inside the larger on but on the other ornament, I placed them in between. Do whatever looks best to you! Add glitter glue like you did before and let dry.

11. Hot glue some pretties to the center...

12. Hot glue some more prettiness....

13. Die cut some snowflakes from glitter paper (or glitter your own after they are cut out!).

14. Adhere and layer glitter snowflakes with hot glue to the center of ornament. So pretty!

15. Make a bow from some twine and hot glue tot he center of the snowflake.

16. Add a pre-made floral to the center with hot glue (or make your own floral from fabric, ribbon, paper, whatever! There's no judging here! hee!). I removed the ugly pearl from this pre-made because my ornament needed more bling than the pearl provided!

17. Ah....so much better!

18. Spritz the whole thing with Studio Calico Blizzard Mister Huey Mist....it gives the whole ornament a lovely shimmery sheen!

19. Stamp a phrase or greeting (if you're giving as a gift or using as a tag on a package), punch out and cover up that circle on the back of your ornament.

And enjoy!

LINKED SUPPLIES:

InLinkz.com

OTHER SUPPLIES:

• Making Memories Gold Dot Glitter Paper
• Making Memories Mistletoe Flocked Snowflake Paper
• Pink Paislee Love Potion Paper
• MME Lost & Found Two Rosy Remember Dots Paper
• Ribbons, trims, florals and other goodies from my stash!

To see the creation of the Stampin' Up ornament that inspired these I shared today, click HERE.

Happy Holidays!


















 

New Hero Arts Stamps + Discount Code!

Last Friday, Hero Arts had a Blog Hop featuring some of their new 2013 stamps that I was lucky enough to take part in (check out my cards HERE).

Today I thought I'd share another little stampy project I created with one of the tag stamps they sent me to play with. Because it's Christmastime and I'm beginning to wrap some gifts, I wanted to share a super quick and easy gift tag idea!

And tags are a great way to just play with your stamps. I've been a tag-girl for years and years. You could even use these for Project Life instead of for packages or stick them on the front of a card or a layout.... maybe even hang them on your tree! I love, love, love tags. 

Thank you, Hero Arts for all the amazing tag stamps this release!

These are the fun and bright gift tags I created using this awesome new tag stamp from Hero Arts:

To create my tags, I cut 15 strips of Neenah White cardstock to 2.25 x 3.75". Then I stamped each strip with the tag stamp (linked below) using 5 of my favorite colors of Hero Arts Shadow Mid-Tone Inks. I trimmed the top 2 corners to create the tag "shape", then used a hole punch to create a hole in the center of the stamped "reinforcement". Then I threaded some divine twine through and embellished! Easy peasy!

For some of the tags, I used one of Hero Arts holiday stamp sets to create additional stamped tags (die cut with the coordinating Framelits die).

This gorgeous little tree die from Simon Says Stamp is perfect die cut from silver metallic paper and adhered to the gray stamped tag!

LINKED SUPPLIES:

InLinkz.com

OTHER SUPPLIES:

• Making Memories Silver Metallic Paper

Loving the new Hero Arts stamps and want to know where you can buy them?

Here are my favorite online stores for purchasing Hero Arts stamps:

These are some of my favorites available at Ellen Hutson:

InLinkz.com

Be sure to use the coupon code in the banner above for 13% off your order!

New Stamps, New Colors of Shadow Ink & the 2013 Catalog at Simon Says Stamp:

InLinkz.com

Don't forget to pick up the catalog (linked above under Simon Says Stamp) for all kinds of inspiring stamping examples by the incredible Hero Arts gals!

True Scrap 4 Individual Classes are now available for purchase!

Check out my post earlier today HERE or click the banner below to purchase any of the classes from TS4 at the discounted price of $9.95. (Price goes up to the regular price of $12.95 after the 25th of this month!)

True Scrap 4 | Individual Classes NOW FOR SALE

Good Monday Morning paper crafting friends!

I've got a little early Christmas gift for you....

True Scrap 4 Classes are now available for individual purchase right HERE!

Even better..... if you purchase between now and December 25th, you can save $3 a class! The regular price on these classes is $12.95 but if you purchase before 12/25 each class is only $9.95! 

If you have been waiting for the individual True Scrap 4 Classes, they are here!

You can grab my class or any of the other amazing TS4 classes by clicking the banner below, or the one in the sidebar to the left (sorry the graphic in the sidebar is wonky, I'll be fixing ASAP!) All fixed!

Here's a peek at the projects from my class, The Art of Layering:

This class contains some of my most favorite layouts ever and they will never be shown anywhere else! Get them HERE now!

Now, back to the holiday baking, shopping and wrapping! Happy Holidays!

Hero Arts 2013 Catalog Blog Hop

Welcome the reader to the 2013 Hero Arts Catalog Blog Hop. 

Is there anything better than brand new stamps? 

How about brand new Hero Arts stamps?!!!

One of my personal favorite things about the month of December is the new release of fabulous Hero Arts stamps. Makes my ink-loving heart go pitter-patter.

Speaking of hearts, I thought to look ahead to February and Valentine's Day with my card shares today. Although both cards feature hearts and a pink/red color scheme, these cards could be used at any time!

My first card features the Number Pattern Cling Background stamped in Versamark on Neenah White Cardstock and embossed with white powder. I used painter's tape to mask off the design diagonally and then applied Distress Inks with the Inkssentials Ink Blending Tool. The painter's tape doesn't ruin the design and gives the inked background nice crisp lines from one color to the next.

 

I stamped the jar from Hero Arts Love Jar Set on both Neenah White Cardstock and Vellum. I added Pumice Stone Distress Ink to the jar stamped on cardstock and cut just the lid from the paper. Then I adhered the lid to the vellum jar and cut it out, wrapping red/white baker's twine around for decoration.

I stamped a bunch of hearts from the Love Jar Set in a variety of pinks and reds and then used the coordinating outline to give them definition before cutting out and adhering to the inked background. I added the jar over the hearts to make them appear to be "inside" the container.

 

I stamped the greeting from the new Hero Arts Thanks a Bunch Stamp Set and then embossed the front of the card with the Hero Arts Dot Swirl Embossing Folder.

LINKED SUPPLIES for Thanks a Bunch Card:

InLinkz.com

This next card also features the hearts from the Love Jar Stamp Set but these sweet hearts are hanging from the "branch" from the same stamp set.

Twine and rhinestones dress up the design. I popped the hearts up with foam adhesive and secured the twine at the top with Glossy Accents.

I used a new favorite greeting from My Favorite Stamp Set. I love the "torn" bottom edge and "washi tape" look. I stamped the design several times on different sheets of patterned paper and pieced the greeting block back together.

LINKED SUPPLIES for Thank You Hanging Hearts Card:

InLinkz.com

OTHER SUPPLIES:

• Crate Paper Paper Heart 6x6 Paper Pad

Hero Arts will be giving away several prize packs, with winners randomly chosen from ALL of the blog hop comments received by midnight PST on Monday, December 17. So leave a comment on each of the blog hop participants blogs for more chances to win! *NOW CLOSED*

Your next stop on the Hero Arts 2013 Catalog Blog Hop is the amazing and talented stamper...

Lisa Spangler

Remember, if you find a link that doesn't work, you can always hop back to the Hero Arts Blog for a list of direct links to all the blogs in the hop.

Project Life | Week 48

*This is my second post of the day. If you're looking for the "For Sale" items, check out THIS post.

I am feeling completely re-energized and inspired to work on my Project Life pages for 2012.

Maybe it's because it's crunch time and I really, really want to be successful in finishing 2012 in 2012.

Or maybe it's because I re-vamped my process, simplified my approach to my weekly spreads and it's making it easier than ever to complete the page spreads and add creative touches.

Whatever the reason, here's my Week 48!

Here's the thing about this week's spread: I took ONE photo the whole week. 

One.

That is just.... sad.

It was week's like this that caused me to go off track in the first place.

However, I've come to realize that just because I didn't take as many photos as I would like, I still have a story to tell.

I simplified my page spread and condensed it down a bit to accomodate less "stuff" (photos) but still added lots of journaling, lots of stamping (to make it interesting) and even a Copic colored digital stamp image to add that creative element that I love so much. I never seem to get to "keep" my Copic colored images.... they almost always are mailed off to someone I love on a card but I adore these Saturated Canary images by Krista Smith and thought to myself, "Why not create a 4x6 insert card showcasing the image all colored up pretty with some favorite stamps?". I love it. You're going to see more of that because not only do I love how it looks but I love how relaxing it is to just sit and color. It's almost like including an art journaling type element to Project Life.

Is it bad that I almost love this size of spread more than the 24x12 size?

There's something about that 1/2 page on the left that I think is so fun.

Closer look at the left side of the spread:

This ended up being mostly my title card, some journaling and a pre-printed 4x6 Pebbles card that I "dressed up" with some additional stamping.

Closer look at the right side of the spread:

I had actually stamped 7 (a week's worth) of similar styled journaling cards using Ali's Life Circles Stamp Set and her journaling background but pulled some out when I downsized the page. I can include them another week. I also stamped a similar card using the "hello december" arrow phrase to include for the 1st day of December. It was similar in style and flows nicely with the rest of the spread.

This week's page highlights:

I love how well this Sn@p! 4x6 card coordinates in style and color with the Pebbles elements and Ali's handwritten stamps.

I added some simple stamping and the dates for the week and the title was done!

This week had a lot of challenges. I love how this 4x6 Pebbles insert reminds me to enjoy life's journeys no matter whether they are good or bad. The addition of some of Ali's handwritten stamped greeetings reinforces the theme.

I am really, really loving the look of coordinated stamped journaling cards. This is something I can see myself doing a lot of. It it creative, customizable and best of all, it looks good. ;)

When I saw this Pebbles 4x6 insert card I knew it would be perfect for a week where I needed to fill in plus it gives good insight into life right now.

I added the stamped phrase (Studio Calico) as it reinforces this week's theme and it's one of my favorite lines from the movie Ferris Bueller! ;)

Loving the addition of some art journaling type inserts in my PL album.

This one features a new favorite digi stamp from Saturated Canary, [ Belle ]. 

Here's the colors I used to bring her to life:

 

I added lots of stamping to my image to reinforce the accompanying journaling card. (Stamps are from Ali Edwards, Studio Calico and Technique Tuesday).

PROJECT LIFE 2012 | Week 48 Linked Supplies:

InLinkz.com

Other

• Studio Calico Adventure Stamp Set ("Week")
• Studio Calico Good Stuff Stamp Set ("like it, love it, over it" & check mark)
• Stampin' Up Sahara Sand Ink
• Stampin' Up Raspberry Ripple Ink
• Stampin' Up Summer Starfruit Ink

PROJECT LIFE 2012 | FULL LISTING

• Title Page
• Getting Started. December 25-31, 2011
• Week One
• Week Two
• Week Three
• Week Four
• Week Five
• Week Six
• Week Seven
• Week Eight
• Week Nine
• Week Ten
• Week Eleven
• Week Twelve
• Week Thirteen
• Week Fourteen
• Week Fifteen
• Week Sixteen
• Week Forty-Nine

Project Life is a memory keeping system by Becky Higgins. Click HERE to learn how you can start recording your family memories with Project Life.