Welcome to the August Control Freaks Blog Tour!

Hello everyone and welcome to the Control Freaks August 2010 Blog Tour. This month we are focusing on new Stamp Sets and products from the amazing Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini Catalog! This newest catalog will be available for customers on September 1st and it is filled with the most wonderful new stamp sets, papers, embellishments and so much more for Halloween, Fall, Thanksgiving and of course, Christmas! Contact your demonstrator to reserve your copy - you won't want to miss it.  And just to make you drool and get you excited about the great new things to come, hop on the bus, put up your feet and enjoy the ride on this tour!

If you're already taking the tour, you must have arrived here from Janine Tinklengberg's amazing blog. I know you enjoyed her fabulous projects! She always has a surprise up her sleeve!!!

I am absolutely ga-ga in love with the new Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper that you will find in the new catalog and so I decided to make all my projects for this tour highlighting this wonderful new double-sided paper. Coordinating with the colors of Cherry Cobbler, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Early Espresso, Always Artichoke and Crumb Cake, it is perfect for beautiful, traditional and victorian holiday cards and projects.

Look at this centerpiece I created, perfect for your holiday table or as the focal point on a mantle or other display! The darling 3-D bird is made entirely of the Deck The Halls Designer Series Paper. This is the same pattern for the birds that I shared with you a week or so ago and guess what, I have a FREE tutorial and pattern for you. Click HERE for the original post or click on the image in my right side-bar!

To make this festive holiday bird, I embellished him with a bit of Cherry Cobbler 1/2" Seam Binding and some Basic Adhesive Pearls for his eyes. He's also spritzed with a bit of Gold Glow Smooch Spritz for a touch of extra shimmer and bling!

The candle is easily decorated by cutting out just a portion of the DSP and attaching it to a common pillar candle using Sticky Strip Adhesive. Again, I embellished with a Seam Binding Bow and spritzed it as well for a little extra something.

Immersed in a stylish glass dish, surrounded by color coordinated glass marbles and sitting on an inexpensive charger plate, this dynamic duo looks like a million bucks. It's guaranteed to bring you complements at all your holiday gatherings!

Last, but not least, I have an equally glimmery card for you. This could be used as a Christmas Card or an invitation to the stylish holiday gatherings that you're going to have!

I used a card base of Always Artichoke with a layer of Cherry Cobbler and then another with DSP. This is embossed with the Petals A Plenty Impressions Folder and the Big Shot and once again, spritzed with the Smooch Spritz for extra glimmer and glow. I created the gold poinsettias using the 5 Petal Flower Punch and Cherry Cobbler Cardstock along with Metallic Gold Waffle Paper. The centers are new 3/8" Gold Glimmer Brads. Again, the bow was created with 1/2" Seam Binding. The sentiment is embossed with Versamark Ink and Gold Embossing Powder and is from the All Holidays Stamp Set. The frame around the sentiment is punched from Brushed Gold Cardstock and punched with the new Decorative Label Extra Large Punch.

So what do you think? I think it's going to be a fabulous Christmas with Deck the Halls Designer Series Paper and all the great new products from the Stampin' Up! Holiday Mini Catalog!

It's time to move on to the next tour stop and hold on to your hats because the fabulous Dawn Olchfeske is next! Have fun and enjoy the ride!

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by on the tour today! I hope I've inspired you!

Comments

[Connie Babbert]

Just one word...STUNNING! Love the tablescape!

[Cindee Wilkinson]

WOW! Your projects are GORGEOUS! I never knew you could use sticky strip on a candle. Going to have to give that one a try. And your birds, with that dsp, beautiful!

[LeeAnn Greff]

Beautiful projects Gretchen - all of them.
Love, love your bird!! I'm thrilled you're sharing the pattern & a tutorial!

[Rhonda L]

Love the waffle paper flowers and all the bling!

[lisa808]

Wow, love your centerpiece. The bird is gorgeous in the new DSP.

[Cheryl M]

Your center piece is gorgeous and the card is fantastic!!!

[Gwen Mangelson]

fabulous! love the candle best!

[Jennifer S.]

Wow beautiful!

[Denise]

This project is GORGEOUS. Will definately be back for tutorial. TFS!!

[Wendy W.]

OHMYGORGEOUS!!! EVERYTHING Is BEAUTIFUL, Gretchen!!! I soooo wanna make one of those candles now, too!!! :)

[Susan Erickson]

I love the Deck the Halls DSP and you made a stunning centerpiece out of it. I would not have thought of using the DSP on a candle. All of your designs are gorgeous!

[Marge]

Gretchen, love it all. the centerpiece with the 3-D Bird is stunning. Must have the directions for it. I agree the new DSP are gorgeous. Thanks for all you do.

[Becky G]

WOW! The bird is fabulous! Can't wait for the instructions. So kind of you to share.

[Lisa Young, Add Ink and Stamp]

Stunning projects Gtetchen! LOVE the bird!

[Melissa]

OMGoodness Gretchen! All the projects are great but the bird is my absolute favorite...just gorgeous! TFS
Melissa

[denise]

your projects were so beautiful.

I would love the tutorial for the bird.

Thanks
Denise

[Mary Brown]

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO truly elegant! FABULOUS!

[Alissa Weaver]

These are elegant and gorgeous!

[Jeanne Nielsen]

Gretchen, I'm looking at your gorgeous projects here at work and I'm dying to make the bird now with the tutorial! Wow! I'm going to recreate the whole thing for my Christmas open house if you don't mind ... TFS!

[Jan Carlson]

WOW!!! Very beautiful projects. Love the Candle how you decorated it. Thank you for sharing.

[Laurie Zoellmer]

Stunning projects!!!!

[Paula Curtis]

Oh...Ahhhh...Wow Gretchen!!! Now I have to deceide what I'm going to do with my one and only pack of Deck the Halls DSP...birds, cards, candles, or swaps!lol Your Holiday card is very elegant. Thanks for Sharing, have a Great day!

[debhorst]

gorgeous centerpiece....put me in the holiday spirit!!

[Jessica Howe]

So elegant! Great Job!

[Dawn Olchefske]

Absolutely awesome projects Gretchen. They show off the Deck the Halls DSP perfectly. As always...great job!!

[Terri T.]

Love the centerpiece. Great job!

[Steph Atterbury]

What lovely projects! Lots of texture and elegance.

[Brenda H]

Lovely Gretchen -- your tablescape is gorgeous.

[Wendy J.]

Such beautiful projects, Gretchen! Love that bird and the candle together!

[Marian]

Thank you VERY much for sharing the instructions!!! I follow your blog on my feed and you always have the best ideas. Thank you for the inspiration!