I am expecting a big box of sneak peek products from the new Stampin’ Up! catalogue today and I am so excited!!! I’ve already had a chance to peruse the whole catalogue – which will be available June 1st! – and I am in love with just about everything in it!!

So while I sit here impatiently waiting for the big brown truck to arrive, I thought I would share my card for Merry Monday with you.

This week’s Merry Monday challenge:

My card: 

I am starting to run out of Christmas themed stamp sets to use for these challenges, a problem I plan to rectify with the new catalogue! But it certainly hasn’t stopped me from participating in this fun challenge, and in fact, has forced me to be a bit more creative!

I am sad to see the Dasher stamp retiring at the end of the month, as it’s one of my favourites, but I know it will be replaced with something as equally amazing. I wonder who the lucky person on my Christmas card list will be getting this card, come December?

Thanks for taking a look!

Here’s what I used:

Card stock: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Chip

Ink: Chocolate Chip

Stamp Sets: Dasher and Sincere Salutations

Tools & Embellishments: Big Shot, Perfect Polka Dots Embossing Folder, Snow Burst Embossing Folder, Scallop Edge Punch, Cherry Cobbler Bakers Twine, Basic Rhinestones, Stampin’ Dimensionals

I have to admit that at first, I found making Christmas cards in the spring a little odd.  But I am having so much with this, and by the time Christmas does roll around, I’ll have all my cards done and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

This week’s sketch at Merry Monday:

My card: 

Thanks for taking a look!

Here’s what I used:

Card Stock: Very Vanilla, Real Red, Holly Berry Bouquet DSP

Ink: Real Red, So Saffron, Wild Wasabi, Chocolate Chip

Stamp Set: Pines & Poinsettias

Tools & Embellishments: Big Shot, Petals-a-Plenty Embossing Folder, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Basic Pearls, Stampin’ Dimensionals, Extra Fine Glitter (non SU) and Oval Cutter (non SU)

Every Christmas I struggle to come up with new ideas for gifts for the kids teachers. And every year, I usually leave things to the last minute and end up buying a gift card. Sure it is practical, but this year I was determined to give each of them something a little more thoughtful.

We absolutely adore each of the kids teachers and assistants and since they have 6 between the two of them, buying gift cards would have been a bit pricey!! So I got busy crafting with paper and I (and they) loved the results.

First I created six different sets of 5 3X3 note cards and envelopes, individually created with the personality of the teacher in mind.

Masculine Note Cards

Multi-colour Flower Note Cards

Elements of Style Note Cards

Triple Treat Flower Note Cards

Mocha Morning Note Cards

Next I created matching post-it note holders for each set of cards.

Post-It Note Holders

This is what a complete set looked like

Triple Treat Flower Matching Set

And I wasn’t done yet. I had watched a tutorial on YouTube on how to create these adorable gift boxes out of paper and knew they would be the perfect size. So this is what I came up with.

Christmas Gift Boxes

Then I threw in some chocolate,

Total Package

And tied it all up with a pretty bow and beautiful gift tag.

Christmas Gift Box

Christmas Gift Boxes

These were so fun to create and I am thrilled with how well they were received. I have been told I should be selling these note card sets, so look for an upcoming post on that. Everything I used was from Stampin’ Up and I would be happy to share which I products I used, if anyone is interested, just leave me a question in the comments.

Thanks for taking a look.