Of course it's hard to believe that 12 short (very short) months ago we were welcoming 2008.
My husband, cousin and I drove 4 hours from our home in the California mountains to my sister's home in the California wine country (both great places) to spend New Year's Eve with them and some friends. Janet, my sister, came to my early November stamp-your-brains-out weekend and, rather than making Christmas cards like most of the rest of the gals, she began working on her red/white/black New Year's Eve invitations and other ideas for table décor. Here are the results:
The table scape:
Several of the ideas on the table were inspired by Stampin' Up!'s founder, Shelli Gardner, in a holiday video several months ago. Scalloped circle punched pieces were scattered around the table; we used Real Red Print Pattern Designer Series Paper. Napkin rings were made using the Big Shot Top Note Bigz Die, exclusive to SU!. 3 boxes were created using the Big Shot Scallop Envelope Bigz Die, also an SU! exclusive.
Napkin rings:
The napkin ring uses Basic Black, Real Red, and Whisper White cardstocks and Basic Black and Real Red Classis inks. Stamp Set/Accessory: Curly Label Punch Bundle. Other Accessories: Small Oval Punch, Dimensionals, Silver Eyelets, retired silver ribbon. She left these for me to assemble once I arrived yesterday afternoon: Tie just the Big Note Basic Black piece around the folded napkin. Work the punched label (that already has the 'celebrate' oval attached with a dimensional) back and forth with you fingers so it has a curve in it. Then attach to the Big Note with a single dimensional. You're done. And my job was done 17 napkins later! I chose to bring only my small digital camera and the quality of the photos isn't quite what I'd hoped for. Also, my battery was dying and I only had a few opportunities to get the shots I wanted. Moral: always bring the more versatile, especially in low light, camera. It only takes up a bit of space in the car!
These votive candle 'boats' were made 5 years ago I'll bet, so the stamp sets are definitely retired now.
Ingredients: Cardstock weight Vellum (101856), solid color CS (Real Red in our case), eyelets, stamp set, Versamark or other pigment based ink, embossing powder, heat gun. Cut your vellum cardstock at tall as the votive candle holder, usually around 2". For the length, you need to be able to wrap across the front and back of the votive hold and have little extra ends where you place the eyelets holding the front and back together. Use Snail Adhesive to attach the contrasting cardstock to the vellum. Stamp and emboss before assembling.
Below is a close up (lousy lighting again) of one of the scallop envelope boxes. Please check out my blog entry here for assembly instructions.
Better light for the envelope box---still not the best. I've learned!
Our favors, below, were scattered around the table top. These were mega-simple. Select a piece of cardstock or DSP large enough to cover up your candy of choice. Janet's choice was Girardelli Chocolate squares, laid side by side. Wrap your DSP around the goodie with enough to overlap 1/2"; secure with SNAIL adhesive. Seal the ends with adhesive as well and then crimp with the crimper (101618, $19.95) Wrap with a solid piece of cardstock about 1" wide and long enough to wrap around the favor. Our decoration used the Scallop Circle and the 1-3/8" punches. With the exception of the one guest who was a dentist, all candy was devoured.
This banner hung from the crossbeam over the table and it conveys my greeting to you:
Typepad is outsmarting me again and I cannot seem to skip two lines and then