December 2020

A Berry Simple Thank You!

Paper Crafting Ideas, Thank You / December 31, 2020 / Berry Blessings, Sale-A-Bration, Strawberries

Today’s card is a sneak peek at the NEW Sweet Strawberry stamp set featured in the JJ2021 mini catalog and the Berry Blessings stamp set featured in the Sale-a-Bration brochure. Berry Blessings. The Berry Delight Designer Series paper pack and the Berry Blessing set is FREE with a $100 purchase beginning on January 5, 2021.

I created this card for my daughters totally “sweet” roommate to thank her for some delicious homemade granola. It is always a blessing with your children have great friends!

Begin with a Pacific Point card base 5½ x 8½”. Score in landscape position at 4¼”.
Cut a 2 x 5½” strip of the Berry Delightful Designer Series Pack and cut again at 1½”. You should have a 1½” and a ½” strip.
Flip the ½” strip to coordinate with the larger strip and adhere across the center of the card.
Using the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine and the Layering circle dies, cut a scallop circle from Night of Navy cardstock and a plain circle from White cardstock. Adhere the white circle to the Night of Navy.
Using the Sweet Strawberry bundle stamp the strawberry in Real Red, the outline of the strawberry and the leaves in Memento Black and the solid leaves in Granny Apple Green and punch out using the Strawberry Builder Punch.
TIP: I made a template for the Strawberry Builder Punch and placed the template in my Stamparatus. Then I matched up the desired images using the template. Once I had my stamps aligned with the template, I used a piece of white cardstock to punch out all images. Then one at at time I placed my punched images back into the template and stamped with the desired color. I found this method easier and quicker the traditional stamp and punch. Another advantage to stamping this way is that you waste less cardstock every time you punch.
Layer the strawberries and leaves on the white circle and the circles onto the strip of designer series paper.
Stamp the Thank You sentiment in either Night of Navy or Memento Black ink.

For the inside add a 4 x 5 ½” layer of white cardstock and stamp the sentiment in Pacific Point ink.
Using the berries from the Berry Blessings set, stamp the outline in Memento Black and the solid in Pacific Point ink.

This was a very easy thank you card that took no time at all. I love the way these two sets pair perfectly together. The Sweet Strawberry set will be available for purchase beginning January 5th. Also start making you list, for those FREE Sale-A-Bration sets! If your online order is less than $150, please use the Host Code: SM7SJPZZ

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#149653 $120

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Happy Birthday Mary!

1 Comment / Happy Birthday, Paper Crafting Ideas / December 30, 2020 / Forever Greenery, Happy Birthday, Tailored Tag Punch

Today is the birthday of a very special friend and member of my Stampin’ Up! team…..Happy Birthday Mary! I hope your day is filled with many wonderful surprises and that you have a chance to relax and of’ course create cards!!!! Here is a very special birthday wish just for you!

Mary’s card features the Forever Greenery Designer Series paper pack and the Tailored Tag punch featured on page 166 of the annual catalog.

Begin with a Just Jade card base 5½ x 8½”. Score in landscape position at 4¼”.
Layer a 4 x 5 ¼” piece of Basic Black onto the card front.
Cut a 4¼ x 5½” piece of White cardstock. Using the Tailored Tag punch, punch out several tags from the Forever Greenery Designer Series Paper pack, several Shaded Spruce tags and several Pear Pizzazz tags. Layer tags randomly on white cardstock leaving a small border around each piece.
Cut the newly created paper design down to 3¾ x 5” and layer onto the Basic Black panel.
Using the Stamparatus, stamp the birthday greeting from Best Year (pictured on page 133 in the annual catalog) on a scrap of Just Jade cardstock and cut out with the Tailored Tag Punch.
Adhere to the card front using Stampin’ Dimensionals.
Stamp the greeting on a 4 x 5 ¼” piece of White cardstock and layer inside the card.

Thanks for stopping by today…..Mary have a great birthday. Can’t wait to see you at stamp camp next year! Feel free to leave a comment and/or wish Mary a Happy Birthday.

Forever Greenery Designer Series Paper
#152492 $11.50

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Arrange a Wreath-Happy Anniversary!

Anniversary & Love-Weddings / December 29, 2020 / Bundle for all Seasons, Happy Anniversary

Today’s card features the Arrange a Wreath Bundle pictured on page 127 in the annual catalog. What a great set to be able to use year round and each wreath turns out so different….love it!

Begin with a White card base 5½ x 8½”. Score in landscape position at 4¼”.
Layer a 4 1/8” x 5 3/8” piece of Misty Moonlight cardstock onto the card front.
Use the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine to dry emboss a 4 x 5 ¼” piece of white cardstock using the Subtle Embossing folder and layer it onto the Misty Moonlight panel.
Use the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine to cut a wreath from Misty Moonlight and Just Jade cardstock.
Layer the Misty Moonlight wreath on the bottom and add the leafy looking wreath in just jade.
Cut out a bow and two hearts from Blushing Bride cardstock. Glue the hearts in the center and put the bow somewhere on the wreath (I placed mine at the bottom).
Stamp Happy Anniversary in Misty Moonlight ink on White cardstock, cut out and layer onto some Misty Moonlight cardstock.
Glue sentiment to the card front, under the wreath image.

Whether you are celebrating an Anniversary, a Birthday, need a quick Wedding card or just want to send someone a special card, this is a great set. If you would like to add this to your collection, don’t forget to use the Host Code: SM7SJPZZ

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Life’s Too Short, Buy the Shoes!

1 Comment / Paper Crafting Ideas / December 28, 2020 / Sale, Shopping

This year’s after the holiday shopping looks so much different than last Christmas! It seems that many of the stores are not stocking their shelves, I guess that is a result of online shopping. Gone are the days of Mom and Pop stores and decorated store front windows, but hey there are still some sales to be had, especially in the shoe department because really who doesn’t need another pair of shoes? Even if you are still working from home……. Right?

Today’s card is all about the shoes and features the All Dressed Up Bundle!

Begin with a White card base 5½ x 8½”. Score in landscape position at 4¼”.
Layer a 4 x 5¼” piece of Night of Navy cardstock to the card front.
Stamp the shoe from the Dressed to Impress stamp set in Memento Black on Bumble Bee cardstock and using the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine cut out with the shoe die from All Dressed Up. Repeat for second shoe.
To create shopping bags cut Crumb Cake cardstock and layer with any coordinating designer series paper or solid cardstock.
For the handles cut two pieces of linen thread approximately 1½” and adhere to the back of the shopping bag. Decorate with a small amount of tissue paper.
Stamp sentiment in Night of Navy ink and layer on White cardstock, layering on a piece of Bumble Bee.
Arrange shopping bags, shoes and sentiment on card front.

Don’t forget about all the awesome sets on sale from the Aug-Dec. catalog, just a few more days to get those favorite sets.

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The Holy Family – Sunday Wisdom

Sunday Wisdom / December 27, 2020

Today is the Feast of the Holy Family and what a great time to give thanks for our own families. Sure we have all had our share of happy and sad times, but I think that is what makes a family holy, the ability to offer love and understanding in good times and in bad.

Even the Holy Family had it’s share of struggles, but they never gave up. They had to deal with Herod’s jealous and murderous rage, the secret flight to Egypt, that could not have been easy, and the resettlement in Nazareth, away from family and friends! But again, they never gave up and they persevered in love.

No family is perfect and all families face hardships, but it is how we handle these things that make the difference. It is how we draw strength from our Heavenly Father that gets us through the tough times. So let us all pray to be more kind and loving this year. Let us practice that selfless love that bears all things, hopes all things and forgives all things.

And on this Feast of the Holy Family, let us pray for all families to be united God’s perfect love and give thanks for one another as we humbly accept the mercy of our Lord and pray for peace this coming year.

Have a Blessed Sunday, I hope you will stop back tomorrow for some more crafting fun!

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Sneak Peek: Sweet Strawberry

Happy Birthday / December 26, 2020 / JJ2021, Punch Bundle, Sneak Peek

As promised, here is a look at the future-a sneak peek from the JJ2021 mini catalog that will begin on January 5, 2021. Today’s card features the NEW Sweet Strawberry Punch Bundle.

Begin with a White card base 5 ½ x 8 ½”. Score in landscape position at 4 ¼”.
Using the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine and the Best Plaid Builder Dies, cut the larger square plaid die with Basic Black cardstock and the thinner die with Real Red cardstock.
Layer the black plaid onto the white cardstock using liquid glue. Next adhere the red plaid on top of the black layer.
Using the Sweet Strawberry Bundle, stamp the strawberry in Real Red and the leaves in Granny Apple Green on white cardstock and punch out.
Cut the largest circle from the Stitched Shapes die from white cardstock and layer to the upper left of the card base.
Adhere the two strawberries and green leaf tops to the circle.
Stamp the birthday greeting on white cardstock and cut out using the Stitched Rectangles Dies and layer this white onto a 1 x 3” piece of Real Red cardstock.
Adhere two leaves to one side of the greeting and one leaf on the other. Secure to card using Stampin’ Dimensionals. Place three Red Rhinestones randomly on card front.

This Sweet Strawberry Bundle will be available to purchase beginning January 5, 2021.

I hope you enjoyed today’s sneak preview and will stop back tomorrow for some more crafting fun.

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Merry Christmas Everyone!

Christmas 2020 / December 25, 2020

Merry Christmas to you all! I hope your day is filled with love, fun and laughter. Whether you are gathering with friends or spending a quite day alone, I wish you many blessings for a perfect day.

Since it is Christmas Day and I have been posting a lot of Christmas cards from the PRESENT, I thought it would be fun to feature some cards from the PAST. Regarding the FUTURE, stop back tomorrow for a sneak peak preview from the JJ 2021 mini catalog, which will begin on January 5th.

If you are a preferred customer, you should have already received your copy in the mail, if not, please reach out to me!

Enjoy this parade of cards, who knows maybe you will recognize some of these retired sets and perhaps you even own a few. LOL Merry Christmas!!!!

Christmas Past Challenge! Can you name any of these retired sets? Send me an email at blessedbycards@yahoo.com with your answers and put #ChristmasPast in the subject line. You could be the winner of the Christmas Past Challenge! Challenge ends on Monday December 28th.

One winner will be chosen randomly and receive a Mystery Package of PAST goodies from me! The winner will be announced on my December 29th blog post!

Again, Have A Very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! And don’t forget to join in on the Christmas Past Challenge-email me before midnight (CST) December 28th. You never know, you just might be the winner! Let me know what you think of the challenge, comments a are always appreciated and welcome!

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Spread Some Christmas Cheer!

1 Comment / Christmas 2020 / December 24, 2020 / Northern Lights, video

Merry Christmas Eve and of course it is never to late to spread some Christmas cheer! And just how do we do that? Well, there is a great quote from one of my favorite Christmas movies…..can you guess which one! Today’s card features Christmas Means More and it will give you a clue to the movie!

Begin with a Crumb Cake card base 5 ½ x 8 ½”. Score in landscape position at 4 ¼”.
Layer a 4 x 5 ¼” piece of Cherry Cobbler on the card front.
Cut a 2 ¼ x 5 ¼” strip of the Crumb Cake stars from the Classic Christmas Designer Series paper pack and layer it across the middle of the Cherry Cobbler panel.
Stamp the sentiment in Cherry Cobbler ink on Whisper White cardstock and cut it out using the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine and the Layering Square Dies.
Using the Layering Square Dies, cut a scallop square from Cherry Cobbler and Crumb Cake cardstock. I love how easy it is to build layers with these dies. You might want to check out the Layering Circle and Ovals in the annual catalog as well. They really do take the guess work out of layering.
Place a Stampin’ Dimensional on all four corners and adhere to the Crumb Cake strip.
Add three Gold Metallic Pearls to the Cherry Cobbler panel.
Stamp your favorite Merry Christmas sentiment on the inside using Cherry Cobber ink. I used the Merry Christmas from the Tag Buffet stamp set. I added a Gold Metallic Pearl to the “i” in Christmas.

Have you guessed the movie yet? If you guessed ELF, then you would be correct. Give yourself a Gold star, or better yet, reward yourself with a pack of Gold and Silver Metallic Pearls.

So it turns out that I prepared this blog post ahead of time and now the Christmas Means More stamp set is sold out! So if you have this set, enjoy the card idea. If you don’t have it, keep reading, there is another Christmas card for you using the Snow Wonder Bundle, which is still available!

The technique that I used for this card is called Northern Lights and it is sponging of colors!

Begin with a Gorgeous Grape card base 5 ½ x 8 ½”. Score in landscape position at 4 ¼”.
On a piece of Whisper White cardstock cut at 4 x 5 ¼” sponge your color of choices to create the Northern Lights. Below is a video on the technique. I prepared this video for a virtual event, but the technique is still the same.
Before laying your “Northern Lights” panel, tear a few strips of Whisper White cardstock to create snow drifts and adhere them to bottom of your Northern Lights scene.
Stamp the sentiment in Memento Black ink in the snow and layer onto the card front. I used the greeting from Itty Bitty Christmas featured in the annual catalog. Stamp can cut out the snowman from the Snow Wonder Bundle and add a splash of color (as much as you like) using the Stampin’ Blends. I used Shaded Spruce and Real Red.

Stay safe, enjoy your loved ones and Have a Very Merry Christmas!

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Classic Christmas Paper Pack
#155969 $11.50

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Everything Essential for the Holidays!

Anniversary & Love-Weddings / December 23, 2020 / Be Mine, Bundle, punch

Today’s card feature the Everything Essential Bundle. This cute little set will be retiring soon and include a tag punch that is great for Halloween, Christmas and even Valentine’s Day! Yes, that holiday will be coming up soon enough. You can find this set on page 61 of the Aug-Dec Holiday mini catalog.

Begin with a Melon Mambo card base 5 ½ x 8 ½”. Score in landscape position at 4 ¼”.
Using the Essential Tag Punch included in this bundle, punch out 3 tags from the Plaid Tidings Designer Series paper pack and 4 Whisper White tags. On 3 of the Whisper White tags stamp the little hearts stamp in Melon Mambo and Seaside Spray ink.
On the 4^th Whisper White tag, stamp the Be Mine image in Melon Mambo Ink and punch it out with the Essential Tag punch.
Adhere the punched tags to the Melon Mambo card base with Stampin’ Seal and place the Be Mine image in the middle using some Stampin’ Dimensionals.
Here is another version of this same card using the Plaid Tidings DSP pack.

Here is another card version just in case you do not have any of the Plaid Tiding Designer Series paper.

Begin with a Melon Mambo card base 5 ½ x 8 ½”. Score in landscape position at 4 ¼”.
Using the Essential Tag Punch included in this bundle, punch out 3 tags from Whisper White cardstock and stamp the little hearts stamp in Melon Mambo and Seaside Spray ink randomly on tag.
Stamp the Be Mine stamp in Melon Mambo ink onto some Whisper White cardstock and punch out using the Essential Tag punch. TIP: Pay attention to how you stamp these out as two of them will need to have the fancy part of the tag at the bottom of the image and you want to be sure that your heart is not upside down.
With the same “Be Mine” stamp, ink only the wording in Memento Black ink and stamp on some Whisper White scraps.
Using your paper snips, fussy cut the black “Be Mine” out and adhere it to the original wording stamped in Melon Mambo.
Color in the flowers on the Be Mine tags using the Seaside Spray Stampin’ Blends.

And if you like 3D projects, try out this cute little treat box is perfect for any occasion.

To create this little box begin with a 5 ½ x 6 ½” of Rich Razzleberry cardstock and along the 6 ½” side, score at 2”, 3”, 5”, 6”. Rotate the cardstock clockwise and score the 5 ½” side at 1, 4, and 4 ½”.
Remove the smaller rectangles sections from both side of the box. Cut vertically up to the first full score line on each side of the box and angle cut the small tabs. Two of the small tabs will be quite long, so you will need to remove approx. ½” from these tabs.
On the box front and back with the taller flaps, corner round both sides as this will be the top portion of your box.
Cut a 1 7/8 x 2 7/8” piece of Plaid Tiding Designer Series paper (or DSP of your choice) and adhere to the front and back of the box panels.
Stamp the “You & Me” Birdie stamp in Seaside Spray ink onto some Whisper White cardstock and punch out using the Essentials Tab punch. Adhere to the front of the box.
Place the box face down (design will not be showing) and fold back the left side of the box. Apply liquid glue or tear and tape to the long skinny rectangular tab and bring the right side of the box over to meet this section and adhere along this rectangular tab.
Next, fold the bottom flaps in and adhere the base of the box using liquid glue or tear and tape.
Fill your box with treats or a small present and fold top flaps in and up to meet. Put a small piece of tear and tape inside this flap and wrap with Linen Thread and tie to close.

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Snow Many Trees, So Little Time!

Christmas 2020 / December 22, 2020 / Snow Wonder Bundle

Or should I say, so many stamps, so little time! LOL Today’s card features the Snow Wonder Bundle and although the Aug-Dec Holiday mini catalog is coming to a close, this set will be back next year!

I just love the look of fresh fallen snow, especially when it is a thick enough blanket to cover all the fall leaves. I am not sure if we will have a White Christmas here is St. Louis, so this Whisper White snow may have to do, but hey a girl can dream!

Begin with a Whisper White card base 5 ½ x 8 ½”. Score in landscape position at 4 ¼”.
On a 4 x 5 ¼” piece of Whisper White, stamp the trees randomly in Shaded Spruce ink.
Using the Stampin’ Cut and Emboss machine, dry emboss this layer with the Winter Snow embossing folder and adhere to the card base.
Stamp the greeting in Shaded Spruce ink on a scrap of Whisper White cardstock and cut it ous using the Stitched Rectangle Dies. Attach the greeting to the card front using some Stampin’ Dimensionals.
Add a few Basic Rhinestone Jewels to the front of the card and you have the perfect winter snow scene.

Ho Ho Ho Christmas is just a few days away and if you are like me and hoping for snow, then I wish you a Very Merry White Christmas!

Winter Snow Embossing Folder
#153577 On Sale $3.75

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A Berry Simple Thank You!

Happy Birthday Mary!

Arrange a Wreath-Happy Anniversary!

Life’s Too Short, Buy the Shoes!

The Holy Family – Sunday Wisdom

Sneak Peek: Sweet Strawberry

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Spread Some Christmas Cheer!

Everything Essential for the Holidays!

Snow Many Trees, So Little Time!

Renae's Stampin' Studio 8244 Glen Echo Drive St. Louis, MO 63121

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