Merry Christmas from Creative Impressions!

Hello Everyone!  I would like to start off this last blog before Christmas by wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas from all of us at Creative Impressions!  We so appreciate all of your comments as well as  your business!  For our last blog, we would like to feature some beautiful cards from our fabulous guest designer, Jan Francis!  Love your work, Jan!

Love how Jan used Creative Impressions  Lime Web Ribbon (70183) on the diagonal!  Never thought about that before, but love the look!  CI's Felt Holly from the Christmas (63120) set and a die cut "Merry Christmas" are perfect on the front - love the simple elegance of this card!

Next we have a creative card in which Jan cut around the letters spelling out "Merry Christmas" for the card front.  She then wrapped a length of Snowflake Printed Ribbon (80117)  around the words and added a Felt Christmas Ornament from the Christmas Ornaments (63121) set, attaching it with a Brown Safety pin ((84567).  Beautiful!

Thank you again to everyone!  Cheryl and I, along with some Guest Designers, look forward to creating lots more inspirational projects to share with you in 2019!

Simple, Special Creative Impressions Christmas

This year I needed a SIMPLE yet special card to send to family & friends for Christmas.  Easy to achieve with Creative Impressions ribbons & brads!

I positioned the words "Merry Christmas" on a page on the word processing program on my computer.  I created two columns and the words are about 3 1/4 inches from the bottom of the page.  Print onto simple white card stock and cut in half lengthwise.  Fold and you're to complete the cards.

Cut 4 1/4 x 2 1/2 inch panels of decorative Christmas paper.  Cut a length of coordinating ribbon and attach to top of Christmas paper.  Affix Christmas brad and adhere panel to the card stock base.

Lots of variations on the design using different ribbons and brads.

Every morning, I complete 6 or 8 cards for mailing.  Super easy and not too time consuming, which was GREAT.  Just what I needed this busy Christmas season!

Even when you've got a lot going on, 

you can come up with simple cards to remember all the loved ones on your list!

Winter Wonderland

Today I am featuring two cards using some beautiful Creative Impressions Metallic Embellishments along with die cuts in a whimsical way:

First up I  used Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous deer from the Winter Wonderland die set.   I die cut the deer from cream card stock and colored them with soft foams and Antique Linen and Vintage Photo Distress Inks.  I watched a tutorial by Kittie Caracciolo to learn this technique. Then I created the snowy background using the "snow" die from the same Winter Wonderland die set along with some "snow" I created by cutting some extra white card stock in a curvy pattern.  I used foam tape to adhere one of the snow mounds so that I could tuck in some Creative Impressions Metallic Green Tree Brad (90641)along with two of the smaller deer.

I wanted my larger deer to look like "Rudolph", so I added a Red Metallic Round (90670)                         to his nose.  Finally, he was placed on my panel along with some Creative Impressions Snowflake rounds (brads) from the White Snowflake Combo (90650) to add interest to the sky.

After the addition of one more GreenTree Brad, I adhered the panel onto a card and used some Diamond Stickles for some sparkle.

Here is the second card:

I used the Tim Holtz/Stampers Anonymous Woodlands die and cut the two trees from dark green  card stock.  The center of both trees pops out so that when they are placed on a white background it looks like snow on the trees.  I wanted the snow effect to be much more dramatic, so, after adhering the trees to a background panel prepared with blended Tumbled Glass Distress Ink, I added white gesso with a paintbrush.

As you can see from this close up photo, I added some Metallic Mini Rounds in red from the Metallic Mini Rounds Assortment (90193) and some Red brads from the Metallic Rounds Assortment (90670) to the trees to serve as ornaments.  I then brushed a little gesso over the tops to make it look more natural.

Lastly, I stamped "Joy to All", an old Hero Arts stamp, at the top of the card panel and adhered the panel to a red card stock panel and then to a white card.

Hope your holidays are wonderful!
Susan

Fun Christmas Card Embellishments!

Is everyone ready for the holidays?  I always think I have lots of time to get things done and then I find that the time has passed too quickly and I'm not prepared!  I still need to work on Christmas cards.  I know those of you who have waited will want to see something quick and easy, so here is one of a series of cards I have created using Creative Impressions embellishments:

Using red card stock, I die cut "Merry Christmas" from the Merry Christmas die by Tim Holtz and Stampers Anonymous.  The Pine Bough is from Impression Obsesson.  I die cut it three times from scrap green card stock.

After adhering the words to a white card, I edged the piece with Barn Door Distress Ink and adhered it to a Bo Bunny patterned piece from my museum of paper.  (I call it that since I have so much! Time to use it!).  Then I adhered the die cut pine boughs.

You will notice that I have added some beautiful Creative Impressions Metallic Christmas Light Bulb Paper Fasteners (90655) to my card design.  I adhered some Evergreen/White Bakers Twine (80718)  to the pine boughs to act as a"light strand".  Then I poked some holes in different areas and added the beautiful brads.  I really felt the addition of these brads made the entire piece "pop"!  Love them!  Here are some close-ups:

Can you see the metallic shine on these close-up photos?

Hope this card design gave you some ideas for some since last-minute Christmas cards!

Susan

Creative Impressions - Funky Art

Funky flowers continue for fall!!

Jumbo rick rack makes a little green leaf for the Ruler flower.

This Funky Art tag uses Creative Impressions twills to create funky fall flowers in pretty fall colors.  "funky art" is embossed with Wendy Vecchi's black embossing paste and scrolling and tic marks around the border are hand drawn with a black sharpie.

Natural Twill Base, Web Ribbon Circle and Ruler center for this whimsical fantasy flower!

Last Minute Halloween Treat Bag Ideas

Halloween is almost here!  I have some darling treat bags I would like to share with you for those special little trick-or-treaters!  Easy and fun to make using Creative Impressions embellishments:

Here are all three bags.  I used bags purchased from my local supermarket.  After filling them with some candy corn and miniature candy bars, I used two different Creative Impressions Halloween printed Twills to tie bows on the bags for closure.  For some added fun, I threaded some orange and white Baker's Twine through the loops on some Halloween Felt Shapes and then around the Halloween Twill closure to secure it.  Here are some close-ups of three different treat bags:

Hope you enjoyed this idea!  Happy Haunting!
Susan

"Woven" Autumn Leaf card

Hello Everyone!  We are so pleased to feature a fabulous card by our guest designer, Jan Francis!  Jan is a super talented artist who will be sharing her talent with us from time to time.  I think you will really like this creative card:

Jan wove different textured Creative Impressions ribbons and twills together,  including our Gingham and Organdy Swirl Ribbon along with several colors of Twill.  Placing this behind the negative of a die cut autumn leaf was so clever!

I loved the way Jan carried the Gingham Ribbon through the card by wrapping some small pieces around another piece of kraft cardstock which fit perfectly along the width of the card.  What a great way to use up small pieces of ribbon!  A lovely sentiment finishes the card off nicely!

Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful card, Jan!  We look forward to seeing more of your beautiful work in the future!

Susan

Fall Birthdays - Crazy!!

Love my fall and winter birthday cards!  So fun to customize these birthday greeting for the season.  I've got a TON of October & November birthdays to remember.

Creative Impressions fall leaf brads are great to bring in that feeling of leaves randomly floating to the ground.  I even dressed up the hat with a leaf instead of a flower. 

What a simple, quick way to add a special dimension to your fall greeting cards, for whatever occassion!

Scary Spider Tag!

Hello Everyone!  Just a quick blog post today to feature a spider tag I created with lots of Creative Impressions embellishments:

I thought I might use this tag to attach to some treat bags for some special children in the neighborhood.  I think they will love it!

I used some orange and spider web paper I had on hand to cover a basic manila tag.  You could also use a spider web embossing folder or stamp.  After layering the spider web paper onto a slightly larger black mat, I adhered a piece of Creative Impressions Orange Glimmer ribbon to the back of the tag.  Then I adhered a piece of CI's Orange/White Baker's Twine over the Glimmer Ribbon to look like the silk to which I would attach my CI Spider Felt Shape (from the Halloween set).

I adhered a piece of Ribbon Expressions "Trick or Treat" Grosgrain Ribbon to the tag as well as the top of the tag.  The ribbon was threaded through the hole at the tag top.  Finally I used another piece of Orange/White Baker's Twine to tie a bow at the bottom of the ribbon.

Hope you like the tag!  Happy Halloween everyone!
Susan

Is it Really October?

Oh my!  I am still in a state of shock that October is here already!  I'm sure you all know that the beginning of October means that Halloween is right around the corner!  Yikes!

I sat down in my studio to create some Halloween cards that would be fast and easy - and most of all fun - so that I didn't have an excuse not to send out some fun cards.  Here they are:

I really wanted to incorporate Creative Impressions's Halloween and Cat Felt Shapes into my cards.  Those bats are just too cute, especially with the addition of some tiny google eyes, so they made an appearance on all three cards.

I created "Moons" on all three cards.  On the first two  I die cut the moons using a circle nesting die.  I wanted to add some texture to the moons, so I used a small piece of Orange Web Ribbon behind the circle opening.  Loved the result!  For the their card I punched out a white circle.

The first card uses the Felt Bat Shapes exclusively.  The second one I added the Felt Ghost Shape sticking up behind a stamped image of a graveyard.  I created another moon the same way as the first and finished off the card with some black Organdy Bow Cord, also from Creative Impressions.

Finally, the last card uses the Black Cat from the Cat Shapes Felt.  I wanted it to look like he was climbing along a wire, so I used the same Black wrapped around a piece of 1/2" Orange Grosgrain Ribbon which was wrapped around a narrow piece of purple card stock.  A google eye makes it look like he is afraid of the bat.

Hope you are inspired to make your own Halloween cards using Creative Impressions Felt shapes and embellishments!

Susan

Welcome to Autumn Splendor - Creative Impressions!

This is a glorious time of year here in Colorado.  I wake up to the sound of elk bugling and go to bed at night hearing the same calls.  Its enough to inspire one to create!

We have some guests arriving today and I wanted to make a quick little welcome tag for them.  I made a couple and wanted to show you both.

I cut off the bottom 1 3/4" of a #8 size tag so my elements would all fit on nicely.  I used an Art Impressions elk stamp, aspen leaves from B Line Designs and a Hero Arts alphabet set and Creative Impressions ribbons & brads.  I colored the aspen leaves with Fossilized Amber and Ripe Persimmon Distress inks.  I love the how the touches of Ripe Persimmon give the beautiful apricot color so prized in our fall color.

How to Trick Out Your Bell Bottoms

I'm playing with Creative Impressions Embroidery Template again today.  I have some favorite, comfortable old bell bottom jeans and was in a 70s kind of mood.  I stitched my jeans back in the day but I don't think I ever added metal embellishments!  I used the Fan Stitch and added Creative Impressions antique copper photo holders and brads for a little fun metal fringe.  

I think I'm going to add this to the back pockets, too!

A Fun Fold from Creative Impressions

Hello Everyone - Susan here with three new cards featuring a variety of Creative Impressions embellishments, including our beautiful Blossoms and Snowflakes.  I saw this creative fold done somewhere on Pinterest I believe and thought that it would make a beautiful setting for a flower and large snowflake.  Here they are:

I also used sentiments from B Line Designs on a piece of white scrap, punched a hole in the left side and added a piece of Crepe Ribbon knotted at the end.

To create the little "box", I started with a 4 inch square of double-sided patterned paper.  I marked the center with a pencil and then brought the four corners to the center, folding as I went.  All that is left to do at that point is to fold back each point.  Here is an example of how it was done on a card I just created using a Creative Impressions snowflake instead of a flower:  First, here is the card:

"Let it Snow" is a sentiment from B Line Designs.  Then I used Creative Impressions "Winter Wonderland" Printed Ribbon on top and below the sentiment.

Since the patterned paper I used for this little "box" is only one-sided, I cut an extra 2.75" square of the same paper to adhere to the inside.

These are such easy cards to create.  Pull out your paper scraps and add Creative Impressions Embellishments to make the perfect and unique cards!

Susan

Ladybug Greeting

Hello Everyone:

I know it seems to be cooling off around here in Colorado and Fall is on it's way, but I am not quite ready to give up on some of my favorite things about Summer - including ladybugs.  That little insect makes me happy!  As a matter of fact, it makes me happy year round!  Why not create a cute little card using dies and Creative Impressions Ladybug Ribbon and Leafy Vine?

A friend of mine gave me this die awhile ago, so I apologize that I don't know who makes it.  However, I'm sure there are many available.  Also, I previously made another ladybug card using just round circle punches in different sizes.  Easy!

I  loved being able to use some leftover pieces of white, red and black card stock.  I layered three small squares to a slightly larger square of red and finally a larger black square.  I then added a small length of Celery Leafy Vine across each square and adhered a ladybug over the vine using a small piece of foam tape.

I used a leftover piece of polka dot design paper to attach to the bottom portion of a white card.  Before placing at the bottom, I adhered the paper to a slightly larger piece of black card stock and wrapped a length of Ladybug Ribbon around the top of the piece.  I added two ladybug squares to the bottom piece and one to the top, leaving a bit of room to stamp "Happy Birthday" right under the top piece.

Hope this card puts a smile on your face as it did mine!  Have a great week!

Susan

Happy Day to You!

Happy Day!  This little guy makes a super cute, whimsical birthday card for men of all ages.  Its loaded with Creative Impressions embellishments and features a new Embroidery Stitch Template!  More about that below.

I wanted to create a frame with folded margins on a panel of cotton broadcloth.  I folded all four sides and ironed them down.  I was going to make french knots in the corners with Creative Impressions organdy 1/8" ribbon, but.....

I ended up liking the knots on the other side better.  Here you can see the pencil marks created with the Embroidery Stitch Template.

The template sheets are made to be cut apart, which I obviously haven't done yet.  I lined up and marked the template on all four sides.  I came up with a stitch pattern and went to work.

Here is the detail of my stitches using embroidery thread.  I added CI micro brads at selected points and stacked CI buttons tied with CI twine.  

This are the brand new Embroidery Stitch Templates.  Very cleverly designed, you can use these on paper or fabric.  You can see all the templates and the great variety of stitches you can make below.  To order, contact Creative Impressions in Colorado Springs at 719-596-4860.  They'll take good care of you!