It’s here… it’s here… it’s really, really here!  The Stampin’ Up! 2013 Holiday Catalog and it’s filled with all sorts of wonderful stuff!  As part of the Stampin’ Pretty Pals, I am participating (for the first time) in their Blog Hop with my Deer Hunting Masculine Card to help showcase all the wonderful new products and some fabulous ideas from my Stamping Sisters.

Thank you for joining us for the August Pals Blog Hop. Even though it’s only August we want to provide some inspiration for your upcoming holiday projects. This month’s blog hop will showcase new products from the 2013 Stampin’ Up! Holiday Catalog. We hope you enjoy seeing how we use the new stamps, new punches and other accessories!

You should have just left stop number two on the Pals Hop – Peggy Noe at Pretty Paper Cards. If so, you are in the right spot.  If you get off track, the full blog lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog so you see all of the amazing creations.

I have not been able to purchase anything from the new Holiday Catalog yet, but lucky for me Stampin’ Up! is awesome and had LOTS of give aways at convention!  All consultants in attendance were given the “Gorgeous Grunge” set (the blotches) and I won “Remembering Christmas” (from the Holiday Catalog) as a prize patrol!

OK – here is where I have to be honest with you people.  I was really disappointed with both.  Well, I was until I started seeing them used in cards.  Sometimes, what we see in the catalog as just the stamps, does not do a set justice.

It’s been said that “Gorgeous Grunge” is the new “Itty Bitty Backgrounds”.  They can be used as all sorts of fun, random patterns that can be used as backgrounds – or as in the case of my card here: camo.  (This card is a CASE from a fellow demo (Stacey Lisk) – as I said before, I really didn’t see the possibilities of this set until others started showing me the possibilities. Thank you Pals!)

The deer head is from “Remembering Christmas” – the holiday set I am featuring in my post.  Here it is used a a deer in the woods, but I have in my head a card where we give him a red nose… hum… who would that be?

Card Recipe:

Cardstock:

• Early Espresso card base
• Old Olive layer 5.25″ x 4″
• Early Espresso for the tree
• Old Olive for the bushes in front

Stamp Sets:

• Remembering Christmas
• Gorgeous Grunge
• Take Care (the tree limb)

Ink:

• Old Olive
• Early Espresso

Accessories:

• Clear Embossing Powder (on the deer)
• Woodgrain embossing folder (used on the tree)
• Deckle Scissors (cut along the top of the bushes)

So, there you have it.  That’s my card.  Gifted stamps and a borrowed idea.  I just LOVE Stampin’ Up! and my Pals!!

The next stop is Angie Blake at Angie’s Musings, stop number four on the Pals Blog Hop! 

Thanks for visiting – and I hope to see you next month!

Happy Hopping, 

Lisa