Anything But a Card Challenge #9- Sisterly Love...

It's time for week 2 of Challenge #9 at Anything But a Card.  We've made it so easy for you to play along with this challenge! The challenge is Anything Goes or Your favorite project from 2012. Now how simple is that! I hope that you will find time to link up a new or favorite project this week.  The design team has done a wonderful job with their submissions as well, so be sure to stop by and check them out.

I had something of a crafter's block going on the week before Christmas.  I managed to complete all of my projects but kept putting off my gift for my sisters.  I really wanted these to be special and was hoping my mojo would return before Christmas day.  I finally broke down on Christmas eve and decided these had to be finished one way or another.  I printed out the pictures I wanted to use and noticed that red was a focal color in both photographs.  Then I started the daunting task of choosing papers.  After discarding several options, I settled on the retired Sending Love DSP. I love the glittery accents on this specialty paper! Apparently this was just the jump start I needed. As I played with the paper patterns I started visualizing each little frame and the whole project fell into place.

I even manage to squeeze some sneak peeks of new products onto this! Of course, using the retired paper helped reduce my growing stack of DSP, and that's always a good thing. Gotta make room for new stuff!

The flower trim in this picture is one of the new products

available in the spring catalog, available January 3rd!

Vintage yumminess!!

I used three glimmer paper hearts symbolizing the 3 sisters.

Another new product-Real Red Core'dinations paper!

Well that's it for me!  I'm off to do a little more organizing of my crafting table (imagine an explosion in a paper crafting store...)  and then hopefully work on a few ideas that have been floating in my brain.  I hope you had a wonderful December and managed to share some crafty goodness with others!  May your new year be filled with happiness, health, and peace! 

Project Recipe: Cardstock-real red core'dinations, very vanilla, Sending Love DSP (ret), red glimmer paper, Stamp Sets-Joyous Celebrations (oval frame), Fabulous Phrases, Ink-real red, chocolate chip, Accessories-frame from Hobby Lobby (1/2 price sale!!), full heart punch, large oval punch, Holiday Frame embossing folder, sanding system, vanilla flower trim, Victoria crochet trim, 'sisters' metal embellishment from my stash

Anything But a Card Challenge and another little gift

I am such a naughty design team member! With all of my Christmas preparation, I completely forgot to post the new challenge at Anything But a Card!!  I know everyone is still reeling from all of the festivities, so this is a super easy one that all of you can join in!

Anything But A Card Challenge 9- anything goes OR Your Fave project from 2012

This two-week challenge we have an easy one for all of you- Anything Goes OR Show us your Fave Project (non-card) from 2012! 

 So, even if you don't have time to create anything new, you can still play along!  I will be posting my new creation for this challenge on Sunday, so be sure to pop back in and check out what my absolutely wonderful sisters received for Christmas! Here's a hint... it's not a card!! Hee! Hee!

The design team posting this week have some wonderful projects as well and I hope you find some time to check them out and leave them some love!

I also wanted to share another little gift that DD#2 and I made for her classmates.  Instead of a gift exchange, they were asked to bring in a little something for each child.  Since DD#2 loves to read, she really wanted to make some bookmarks for her friends.  These were super easy to mass produce and a lot of fun for both of us to put together (my favorite part!).

I used the Two Tags Bigz die for the bookmark form and then added some Christmasy images using the Scentsational Season stamp set.  We came up with the 'punny' sentiments on our own and typed them up and printed them out using the computer. I had to resist blinging up the gingerbread man and tree, since they were bookmarks!

Project Recipe: Cardstock-gumball green, real red, whisper white, Stamp Set-Scentsational Season, Ink-real red, garden green, soft suede, Accessories-Two Tags Bigz, Holiday Collection framelits, 

Merry Christmas! Even if it is a little late...

I had every intention of setting up a few posts on my blog to magically appear on Sunday and Tuesday, but somehow in the life of a procrastinator, there were other things that managed to take precedence over my blog.  You know silly things like making sure I hadn't forgotten anyone's gifts, wrapping til the wee hours of the morning, making special dishes of food, taking a nap... Important things!

So here is my Christmas post a day late, but still filled with the holiday spirit!

This is a picture of the Nativity scene at our church. No matter how much (or little) Christmas spirit I seem to have, taking a moment to remember how it all began really sets everything right for me.  After all, if Jesus can be born in a barn among the animals to bring new life to all the world, then does it really matter if I've found the 'perfect' gift or managed to finish my 'to do' list?  Food for thought...

So for all of you who celebrate with me, Merry Christmas! And to all of my blogging viewers and friends, I wish you peace, happiness, and all the love your hearts can hold!

**On a side note, I have many blogging friends in the south and in other parts of the world who were wanting snow for Christmas.  This is what we woke to early this morning...and it's still snowing!

So to all of you 'warm weather' friends, here is your snow!! From our home to yours...  No, really...feel free to come on over and scoop up all you want!!  I'll have the hot chocolate and coffee waiting for you!

Flashback Friday- Naughty? No problem!

Do not adjust your screens! Yes, it is a Flashback Friday!!  After a super crazy month filled with family in the hospital, and preparing for Christmas, on top of the normal chaos that is my life, I am finally managing some time to tend to my very neglected blog!  Bring on Christmas break!!!

I generally do not spend a lot of money at Christmas and prefer to share my holiday spirit with little handmade gifts.  Now granted, my paper crafting supplies are not free, but when I don't have to go out and buy something specific, it doesn't really count as a purchase in my book.  I work with a wonderful group of ladies at the daycare and I always give them a handmade Christmas card.  This year has been a bit crazier than normal and I wanted to do something a little more special.  I found these adorable little chocolate dipped candy cane stir sticks at Big Lots and had to buy them.  I thought they would be especially yummy in hot chocolate.

*Time for a little background information.  I am a die hard coffee drinker.  I will drink the occasional cup of tea, but usually my morning drink is a nice big mug of java. This is not the case with most of my co-workers.  In the winter months, the coffee pot downstairs is usually filled with hot water for tea and hot chocolate (good thing the coffee drinkers have their own coffee maker upstairs!).  So I thought a packet of hot cocoa and a stir stick would make a cute little gift that everyone would appreciate.

This also gave me a chance to use quite a bit of my 'stash', which is always a good thing!  I'm not sure why, but I had a ton of 12x12 paper in various shades of green.  This were quickly put to use by cutting them in half and then scoring each 6x12 piece at 2" and 6".  I stamped the holly leaves, then folded the paper at the score lines.  I also found a spool of Christmas tree ribbon that had never been used, so I adhered that to the 2" strip.  Then I sealed the edges using sticky strip.  A long time ago, I had bought a package of various glitter glue bottles and I pulled out the red to make some glittery berries.  Of course, me being me, I had to add the fun little sentiment to finish it off properly.  These were super quick and easy, and best of all, everyone loved their little gift!

Well, lots to do in the last few days before Christmas! I still have a few last minute gifts to buy and also need to get some groceries (silly family thinks they need to eat during our Christmas break...).   Be sure to stop by to see the new ABAC challenge on Sunday! Have a wonderful weekend and I hope you find some time to be crafty!

Project Recipe: Cardstock-real red, whisper white, Ink-crumb cake, black stazon, Stamp Sets-Tags til Christmas, Bells and Boughs, Accessories-1 1/4" square punch, scallop square punch, Flashback Items-green paper, ribbon, red glitter glue

A Special Teacher Gift (that's not a candle!)

Hello! I am squeezing in a few moments to post on my blog!  My life has been a bit busy lately and while I have be making things, there hasn't been much time to blog.  But it is almost Christmas and I thought I would share a special little gift idea.

I have been a preschool teacher for over 15 years.  In that time I have accumulated more than a few mugs, ornaments, apple decor, candles, and bottles of hand lotion. Don't get me wrong, I am ever so grateful that my families choose to add me to their gift giving lists and I really appreciate their kindness.  But after a while, I started cleaning house on all of the 'teacher gifts'.  They were either regifted or donated to a charity thrift store.  So when my girls entered school, I tried to make the gifts for their teachers a little more personal and practical.  The girls always make a card thanking their teacher and we usually make a tin full of goodies and store bought chocolates for the teachers to share with their families.  I often include a little hand made gift like post it note holders, or bookmarks.

This year, there were two people that really spent a lot of time working with my daughter and I wanted to make them something extra special.  DD#1 is in her second year of choir and was chosen for Circle the State with Song last year.  She also tried out for the state's Honor Choir, but didn't make it.  This year, her choir director and assistant (who also worked with me for a short while at the preschool) worked with her quite a bit to get her ready for her audition.  All of the extra work paid off and she was accepted to both the Honor Choir and Circle the State this year.  To show our appreciation, I made some personalized wall hangings for them. It's a little hard to see the paper, but when I tried for an overhead shot, the glare from the glass was horrid!

Vintage looking sheet music dp and the director's name

A gorgeous vintage piano was on the flip side of the sheet

music dp, perfect since Lauren is also their accompanist 

for concerts and contests 

I bought the frames at Wal-Mart and I LOVE this size! The opening is 5x12 when you remove the matting that is included, and I loved the antiqued look.  The music paper was purchased at our LSS and I thought it was perfect for this project. I managed to make both frames using the one page! BONUS!  I used my cricut to cut the letter for the names and these literally came together in minutes!  I think I spent more time wrapping them than I did making them! I am hoping they will really like these and if all else fails, I know they won't be regifting them to just anyone! :)

I hope this inspires you to bypass the mega-stores for all of your holiday shopping and create some hand crafted goodness instead! Have a terrific rest of the week and be sure to take a break from the madness and do some craft therapy! It's good for the soul!!  Happy crafting!

**PS-If you are looking for other teacher approved gift ideas, here are a few suggestions...

--gift certificate to a teacher's store, discount store, or book store (We often spend a lot of personal $ on our classrooms and this helps a lot!)

--gift certificates to restaurants

--a card with a heartfelt note. I don't always keep all of the cards I receive, but I do save the ones with special notes written inside. It's a great 'pick me up' and reminder of why I love what I do.

--a gift hand made by your child.  Again, a wonderful reminder of the joys of teaching! Plus it teaches your child that you can spread love without spending money! I have to admit to saving every hand-made ornament with the child's name recorded on it somewhere.  I even have a special little tree for them!

--a favorite treat. Coffee, tea, hot cocoa, candies or chocolates, etc. are very practical, and a family specialty can be a wonderful surprise. You might want to check for food allergies first!

--ask the teacher if you can purchase something for the classroom.  This is actually my preferred gift! I post a 'wish list' of new and gently used items we can use in the classroom to give the parents some ideas.

--Unless you know the teacher loves a particular scent, you may want to stay away from candles, lotions, and other scented gifts.  This can be particularly bad if there is an allergy or sensitivity.  I have a sensitivity to most floral scented items and had to immediately pass on many bottles of lotion and candles to prevent a migraine from occurring.

--Of course, if you know that your child's teacher loves candles, or lotion, etc., then by all means this can be a wonderful gift!

Project Recipe: basic black and cherry cobbler cardstock, dp from LSS, frames from Wally World

Anything But a Card Challenge #8- Frosty the Glowman

Hello and welcome to week two of the current challenge at Anything But a Card.  We are celebrating the light or Seasonal Holiday.  You are free to interpret light however you like, as long as it's not a card.  We would love it if you would join in our challenge!

I am neck high in planning and making gifts for Christmas and knew that I would combine my design team project with something that would make a nice little present as well. It's multitasking by only doing one thing!! Gotta love that!!

I have been on an ornament kick lately and enjoy giving them as gifts because most people have a Christmas tree and who doesn't love a gift made with love?!  I first saw a snowman using a tea light, at Stamp & Scrap with Frenchie and thought it would make a cute idea for a little gift.  Then I saw another version that had a body as well.  Debbie's snowman is part of her 12 Days of Christmas Ornaments and she has a great tutorial, and some absolutely wonderful creations displayed on her blog!  I loved the hat on France's snowman and decided it had to go on my snowman too.  Of course, I took a little artists inspiration to change things around a little and make this guy my very own...

This was so easy to put together that I made 6 of them using up the tea lights I had left over from DD#1's birthday party a few years ago.  My girls liked them so well, they immediately laid claim to them as gifts for their teachers.  Good thing I made six of them!!

If you would like to recreate my little snowman, he really is super simple to put together.  Just layer the two larger circles and then use the 3/4" circle punch to make a hole for the switch to fit through. A little sticky strip around the base hold the ribbon in place and also attaches the tea light to the circles.  The eyes, buttons, and mouth are pearls that I colored with a black sharpie.  If you need a more visual description, I suggest a visit to Debbie's blog.

Well, that's it for me today! Only three more school days until our Christmas vacation begins.  Woo! Hoo! I am planning on doing a lot of crafting during my break and am looking forward to some 'not busy' time with my family.  Have a wonderful week and happy crafting!

Project Recipe:  Cardstock-basic black, whisper white, red glimmer paper, Ink-Baja breeze, whisper white, black sharpie, Punches-2 1/2" circle, 3/4" circle, Boho blossom, modern label, word window, Accessories-3" circle die, basic pearls, neutrals brads, old olive grosgrain ribbon (ret), sticky strip

Clearance Rack Blitz!!!

Just in time for your holiday shopping, Stampin' UP has added lots of goodies to the clearance rack, including retired stamp sets!!  Usually, the goodies added go pretty quick, so be sure to pop over to my online store and check out the special deals!!  Have a great weekend!!

Anything But a Card Challenge #8-Let there be light!

Hello! Long time no posting... Tis the season!  I decided to take a bit of a hiatus from blogland for a little bit, but now I am feeling recharged and ready to be crafty again!  Which is perfect since there is a new challenge at Anything But a Card!  I really love that while there is an obvious purpose to each challenge, there is always the underlying ability to take this in a completely different direction than expected.  This week is no exception.

Anything But a Card Challenge 8: Celebrating the Light or Seasonal Holiday

You can take the Challenge's light aspect and do something that represents light- candles, fire, sun, etc. lights, lamps, etc or do something related to a Winter Holiday- Channukah, Yule, Christmas, Kawanzaa.  The choice is yours! 

Be sure to check out the design teams inspiration for this wonderful challenge!  There is such a variety of ideas from the typical (Christmas) to the unique (an actual light bulb!) and all of them are wonderful!!  I hope you find time to play along and link up your de-light-ful creation too!  I will be there next week with my version of light.  

Until then, happy crafting!!

Anything But a Card Challenge #7 By the Sea

Deck the halls with sailboats and sunsets! Fa la la la la la la la! What?! You've never heard that version???? While others are dreaming of a white Christmas, I'm sharing visions of sunsets and sailing for the current challenge at Anything But a Card.  We are challenging you to share a creation with the theme By the Sea.  This can be anything sea or ocean related, the colors of the sea, marine life, beaches... get the picture? 

I originally thought about doing a vacationing Santa theme, but that lent itself more to a card, which would have been a BIG NO-NO at Anything BUT a Card...  My inspiration came as I was looking for a sentiment stamp for another project and I spied my Sail Away stamp tucked in the 'retired' tote.  I LOVE this image and have always dreamed of spending a day on a sailboat soaking up the sun.  I decided that this image would work well for a little gift for my DD's teacher, who happens to be a man.  Every year we pack tins full of homemade cookies and treats for the teachers and I like to include a little handmade gift as well. I always struggle with the male teachers' gifts and what makes it even more difficult is that this is the same teacher she had in 3rd grade,so I can't 'recycle' my idea from the last time...  I finally decided on a desktop post it note holder and thought the sailing image would work well to dress it up.

 

It was a lot of fun to pull out my pastels again to create the scenery for the sailboat.  This was a pretty simple little project and I enjoyed using some supplies that had been sitting idle for a while!

I hope I have inspired you to join my by the sea and share your creation with us!  Be sure to sail by and check out the rest of the team's fabulous projects too!!

Project Recipe: Cardstock-sahara sand, baja breeze, whisper white, Ink-black stazon, pastels, Stamp Set-Sail Away, Extras-post it notes

Color Me Beautiful Challenge #14-Holiday Tints and Goodbye...

Hello! I'm running a little behind on today's post, but I do have a good report on my Dad! His carotid surgery yesterday was successful and he is already resting comfortably in his recliner this evening! We knew he was going to be OK when he complained about his clear liquid diet for dinner last night. Seems the ICU unit frowns upon steak and potatoes after major surgery...

On a sad note, I am posting the very last challenge for Color Me Beautiful.  I have really enjoyed being a part of the design team and the ladies are absolutely fabulous!  It has also made me step out of my comfort zone several times as I used colors I don't normally gravitate towards.  The good news is that everyone who plays along this time is a winner (not that you weren't already winners in my book!).  So without further ado, here is the last inspiration photo...

and the lovely Stampin' UP colors...

I fudged the rules just a bit and added quite a lot of silver glitter and shimmer.  I really was drawn to the silver trim on the ribbon and thought my Christmas card needed that special touch.

The swirly tree just cried out for a bright silver star and some silver dazzling details, and my layered snowflake (leftover from my ornaments!) really needed a silver brad to bling it up a bit.  Of course when I was almost done, I just HAD to put a few spritzes of vanilla shimmer over the whole thing! My picture does nothing to show the shimmer and shine that really appears on the card! I could use this baby to guide Santa in for a landing!! Hee!Hee!

I really would love to see you play along with our final challenge and link up your own version of Holiday Tints!  All of the team members have made some amazing things and would love if you popped in for a little visit!!

Well, that's it for me tonight!  The girls and I are going to get some much needed cleaning done tomorrow so we can start decorating for Christmas.  I'll be back on Sunday with my Beside the Sea project for ABAC that doubles as a little Christmas gift!

Card Recipe: Cardstock-primrose petals, baja breeze, crumb cake, sahara sand, Ink-rose red, Stamp Set-Snow Swirled, Accessories-snow flurry die, silver glimmer brad, rose red seam binding, silver dazzling details, vanilla shimmer smooch spritz

Glitter and Framelits, and Folders...OH MY!

So, are my fellow American crafters still eating turkey?  As much as I love Thanksgiving, I think I've had enough turkey to last me till next year!! 

I'm busy trying to get our house ready for Christmas and the girls are 'working' on cleaning out their closets and reducing their inventory of stuff in their room!  Not sure they will be finished by Christmas eve...

Today I'm sharing the last card from my stamp club.  What would a Christmas card be without glitter, framelits, and embossing folders?? The colors are not what I would normally use, but I decided to use the color coach to add some variety!  I really like the colors together!

When the Holiday catalog came out, I was instantly drawn to the set Evergreen.  I love the two step stamping giving so many options!! I spritzed the main image with vanilla shimmer smooch, but of course that doesn't photograph nearly as shimmery in person.

I was having some trouble with the bottle of smooch trying to clog up and stick.  It was getting quite frustrating trying to use it, but then I remembered the new Stampin' Spritzer bottles that were waiting for a purpose.  I emptied the contents of the vanilla smooch into the spritzer bottle and it worked like a champ! Now I have to be careful not to saturate my card when spraying...

I hope you are still managing to find plenty of crafting time during this busy season!  I'm sure trying to squeeze in as much time as possible!!  Have a wonderful rest of the week and happy crafting!

Card Recipe: Cardstock-pink pirouette, soft suede, whisper white, Stamp Set-Evergreen, Ink-certainly celery, soft suede, Accessories-dazzling details, vanilla shimmer smooch, perfect polka dots folder, Petals a Plenty folder, Labels framelits, big shot

Anything But a Card Challenge #7

Hello! It's time for a new challenge at Anything But a Card! It was not at all what I was expecting for this time of year, but I have to say that I really love that it is so 'out of the box' for my end of November crafting!!

Anything But a Card Challenge 7: By the Sea or Inspiration Picture

Hello everyone!  We are moving to the sea for inspiration for this Challenge- you can use anything sea/ocean related- colors, marine life, mermaids, beaches, sand, etc. and/or let the picture inspire you!

Isn't this fun?! Now I realize that in other parts of the world, a day at the beach would be perfect right now, but in Southern Indiana, it's a little chilly to be sporting a swimsuit and catching some rays...  So I am imagining that I'm elsewhere and working on a piece for next week!

 I hope you will join in the fun and link up your creation too!

On a side note to my blogging buddies, I have not fallen off the face of the earth!  I am WAY behind on commenting, but things went crazy insane over the holiday weekend.  We already had two Thanksgivings and a wedding planned, but my Mom's trip to the ER and being admitted overnight for atrial fibrillation was not in my plans.  Fortunately, she is fine now and after several lectures from her daughters to get her feet up, she is resting comfortably at home again.  I am sure that all of you can understand that blogging was the very last thing on my mind at the time!

I would also appreciate it if  everyone to keep my Dad in thought and prayer.  He is having one of his carotid arteries cleaned out on Thursday and will be spending several days in the hospital after the procedure.  We are hoping that the procedure will prevent a future stroke and possibly help him feel a bit better with the increased blood flow.  So if I am missing from Blogland, don't think it's because I don't love seeing your wonderful blogs, just a bit busy and hectic right now... I promise I will be popping in soon!

Have a wonderful week and happy crafting!

Color Me Beautiful Challenge #13 Christmas Sweets

Hello! I hope all of my blogging buddies in the US had a wonderful Thanksgiving and didn't overindulge too much!! We are back, a day late (took a holiday!) with a new challenge at Color Me Beautiful!

**Warning!  The next part of my post relates to my creation for the design team.  It is a little lengthy... If you want to bypass the back story and scroll down to the challenge and my project, I will not be offended!** 

On Thanksgiving day, my Mom and her sisters gathered their families together for our traditional dinner.  It is A LOT of people, A LOT of food, and A LOT of fun!  When I was little, we would also get together for Christmas, as well, and draw names for a gift exchange.  As the families grew and our lives grew busier, we stopped doing the Christmas celebration but kept the Thanksgiving dinner.  About 15 years ago, we decided to add a bit of fun and festivity to the celebration with an ornament swap.  Each person wanting to play along brought an ornament (or two) and then played the Sneaky Santa game (nothing like stealing gifts to put you in the holiday spirit!!) to see which ornament would go to each person.  After a few years, I stopped participating because I already had so many ornaments, and being sentimental, couldn't part with the ones that were special and from family...  Fast forward to 5 years ago and my girls REALLY wanted to be a part of this.  So we went out and bought ornaments and they played along.  It was a lot of fun for them and they wanted to continue the tradition. 

Now, anyone that knows me, knows that if I can take something simple and make it more difficult, I usually do! So the next year, I suggest that instead of 'buying' their ornaments, we could 'make' them.  DD#1 already had better sewing skills than me so I thought this would be a fun thing for us to do.  So we searched online and in books for the perfect ornaments and found some very simple felt ornaments that the girls could make.  My aunts and cousins went crazy! As soon as they found out the girls made their ornaments, the battle to go home with the handmade ornaments was on!! So unwittingly, I started a tradition for my girls and a bit of a headache for me...  With each year, the girls would find a fabric/felt ornament to create, get supplies, and then torment me to 'help' them finish the ornaments on time.  Well, this year, I had a brilliant idea!  DD#1 was getting tired of sewing every year, and DD#2 (who has skills like her mother) was frustrated that her stitches never looked as nice as #1.  Enter brilliant plan...  If you have seen the Holiday catalog for SU, you have seen the beautiful paper ornaments shown in the photos.  Now THIS was right up my alley!  So we decided that this would be the ornament design for this year (not the really fancy one on the front, but the more simple ones inside...) and tried to decide on a color.

Now... If you are still with me, Bless You! Because this is where the CMB challenge finally comes into the story.  I wanted to play with these colors as soon as I saw the fabulous inspiration photo.  I mean, who doesn't love a box full of gorgeous, yummy cookies????

And I just knew these colors would make something equally fabulous and less fattening!

So without further delay, here is the ornament that I made as part of my girls' ornament exchange gift...

and the back w/ a picture of the lovely sisters...

AND... Drum roll please................................................................... From the 2012 collection of C&C Creations, I present to you....... The Paper Ornament!!

They each made one, but silly Mom only took one picture, so I will be trying to pass this one picture off to both of them as their ornament! Quite honestly, I don't remember which one I used for the picture, so technically it could be either one...right???? 

If you are wanting to recreate these, I must give you a tip.  They are NOT difficult at all, very easy to put together as a matter of fact.  After all, if a 10 year old can do it, so can you!!  However, if you are looking for something really quick to throw together, this is NOT your project!!  The cutting alone took quite a while and then we scored the middle of each ornament to make folding easier.  But it was a lot of fun and my girls enjoyed playing with my toys for a change!  The assembly was a matter of looking at the picture and copying it for me, but if you want details, please leave a comment and I will share the 'how to'.  There are three stamped images for each petal and six petals on each flower.  If you want the back to look more 'finished, add an unstamped ornament image as the base for each petal.

We would LOVE to see what you can do with these colors, so please feel free to link up your creations!! The other ladies on the design team have done some fantastic things with these colors as well (even a super cute card for a boy!!!), so be sure to stop by the blog and leave them some love!!

Thanks so much for visiting my blog today and especially for sticking it out through my long winded post!! Have a wonderful weekend and amid all of your shopping, find some quiet time to be crafty!!

Project Recipe:  Cardstock-primrose petals, crumb cake, wisteria wonder, Stamp Set-Ornament Keepsakes, Ink-basic gray, Accessories-old olive button (brights collection), snow flurry die, linen thread, Holiday Ornaments Framelits, 2 1/2" circle punch, 2 3/8" scallop circle punch, Tombo glue

Happy Thanksgiving!

The whole month of November, I have been reading the lists of things that others are thankful for this year. There are so many things that we all are blessed to have- family, home, health, a job...  While I love reading these lists, I resisted making my own because everything seemed so redundant to what had already been said.  So I decided that I would use my blog on Thanksgiving day to share some 'unique' things I am thankful for.  These things may seem minor, silly, or petty to some, but in the past 3 years, I have learned that there are many things that we take for granted until they are no longer there... You will not find family, home, health, work listed in a general sense, even though I am incredibly blessed to have all of these!  I also did not specifically name God, however, since I believe He created all that is good and gave me these blessings, He will also know that I credit Him for my blessings.  After all, He made me and if He can't figure me out then no one will!!

Here are my Top Ten Thankful Thoughts (in no specific order)...

1.  I am thankful that I grew up in a home where people argued A LOT!  I learned to say my piece, listen to others who had different viewpoints, and forgive.  I learned that even though boys are bigger and stronger, that doesn't always work in their favor and a girl with quick wits can hold her own.  I also learned that it's next to impossible to be more stubborn than two German/American parents...

2.  I am thankful I grew up on a farm.  I tested my limits doing insanely crazy dangerous things, developed a deep seeded love of nature and solitude, learned that sometimes no matter how much you try and want an animal to live they don't, and that life goes on in spite of it.  This was also when I learned that sometimes Daddies cry too.

3.  I am thankful for coffee and chocolate, simply because I REALLY like both of them and they are a more socially acceptable form of 'drug' than a bottle of wine...especially at work...

4.  I am thankful for paper crafting and all the supplies that go with it!  While I can't say it's 'cheap' therapy in my case, it is still a wonderful way to unwind and destress! Plus there is the bonus of making others happy too!

5.  I am thankful for a husband who is not afraid to argue with me (Are you seeing a trend here? Maybe I should have been an attorney...)  It keeps me grounded and humble to know that despite my best efforts, I am NOT always right.  Of course, he has A LOT to learn about my required supply for paper crafting...

6.  I am thankful that sometimes when I have big plans to do a lot of outdoor work, or run errands, a huge rainstorm or snowstorm occurs and forces me to spend the day inside instead.  This also applies to days that I have grand plans to work indoors, and the glorious weather beckons me to go out and play.  Sometimes we have the most fun just going with the flow of nature...

7.  I am thankful for a sense of humor, and a rather warped one at that.  Especially when life is at it's darkest and the most ridiculous thing strikes me as humorous.  Of course, I would be even more thankful if everyone shared this trait instead of looking at me like I've lost my mind...  I am also thrilled that most young children share this talent.  It makes my job so much more enjoyable!!

8.  I am thankful for a handful of family and friends that REALLY get me.  I'm not talking about just love me, but truly understand my screwy thought processes and embrace all the oddness that is me.

9.  I am thankful for the following TV shows- Once Upon a Time because it has guaranteed a block of 'girls time' every Sunday night while DH watches The Walking Dead in the other room, Warehouse Thirteen and the lengthy discussions DD#1 and I have about the characters and artifacts, and The Big Bang Theory because it is REALLY FUNNY!

10.  I am thankful for my Mom's AWESOME dressing that she makes every year.  Not only does she make a huge roaster full for the big family dinner, but she also makes a smaller pan to be baked on our private Girls Cookie Day.  While my sisters and I have helped make it and have the recipe, there is nothing like Mom's...

As I made my list, I realized that I could have easily turned this into a mini series!  Perhaps one day I will start that Favorite Things scrapbook I have been planning for two years..

I hope all of my US friends have a wonderful Thanksgiving and find time to reflect on the little things that make us so blessed every day.  And to all my 'worldly' friends... I know it's not technically Thanksgiving for you, but I am counting you among my blessings today as well!  Have a wonderful weekend!!

I'll be done in 'snow' time...

It is almost Thanksgiving!! I can not wait!! Spending the evening with my wonderfully fun, ginormous family, and lots of wonderful food! Dressing and pie, here I come!!   Then Friday brings another smaller Thanksgiving with DH's family.  Still plenty of food and fun though!!  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, but amazingly enough, I do not make cards to send out.  Might have to add that to the list for next year!

I do however send out a ton of Christmas cards and usually am still making the last few during the final week before the big day! But not this year, I am almost finished making my stash of cards!!  Hopefully this will give me time to make some of the gifts I have pinned...

Today's card is another card from my stamp club.  This is also an easy card to put together, but looks so pretty!

I inked the raised embossed snowflakes with whisper white craft ink and finished off the centers with rhinestones for a little shine!

Well, that's it for me!  I have some desserts to make!! Hope all of you in the US have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Card Recipe: Cardstock-whisper white, bashful blue, Stamp Set-Bells and Boughs, Ink-chocolate chip, whisper white, Accessories-Northern Flurry embossing folder, basic rhinestones, big shot

Anything But a Card Challenge- 'Time' for Fall...

Hello! It is time for week two of the Stitch in Time Challenge at Anything But a Card .  Here are the details about the challenge...

A Stitch in Time- and you can use any element that represents time- watch, clock, 

clock parts, stopwatch, hour glass, calendar, dates, postage stamps,  etc  

AND/OR stitching- real or faux!

I have to admit that this one took me FOREVER to start.  I kept getting hung up on the word 'time'.  Did I want to do a clock theme, a calendar, a seasonal scrapbook page?  Nothing seemed to spark my creative bug.  Inspiration struck when I was cleaning off my table and came across my quotes journal that I made for my first challenge. Hmmmm... I also had my most recent purchase, the Gently Falling stamp set on the table.  Fall was a 'time' right?  Then I pulled out my ink pads and sponge daubers and began to sponge the page, but I wasn't getting the intensity of fall colors that I wanted.  I recklessly grabbed an ink pad and smeared it on the page. Ohhhh... I think I'm on to something here!  By the time I finished my hands looked like fall exploded all over them, but I loved the inky streaks and smears.

Inspiration hit again as I was stamping the maple leaves and 'helicopters'.  I stamped one of the seed pods and it didn't stamp clearly.  I knew I couldn't 'eyeball' it to line up and didn't feel like pulling out the stamp-a-ma-jig.  So I purposely shifted it slightly and surprise! Double stamping the seed pods gave the impression of fluttering to the ground!  The whole time I was working on this, I kept thinking about an old Byrds song "To every thing, turn, turn, turn, there is a season..." (it was the Time magazine theme song for a while too I think).  I knew the song was based off of a verse in the Bible and after a little hunting I found it in Eccl 3:1.  It seemed like the perfect quote to go along with the time theme.  It wasn't until after I took the picture and started to upload it on the computer when I remembered the 'stitch' part of the challenge. Oops!  Well, there is a little bit of sewing if you count threading the corduroy button... and if you know me at all, you that is pretty much the extent of my sewing skills anyway!!  So without further ado, here is my journaling page...

Unfortunately, I was forced to take the picture inside and the lighting wasn't the best, so the bright fall colors don't appear quite as bright as in real life, but you get the gist of the project!

You still have some time to join us and share your take on 'A stitch in time'.  We would love to see your creations!

Have a wonderful week and happy crafting!!

Project Recipe: Journal (ret), linen thread, pumpkin pie corduroy button (ret), Inks-daffodil delight, cherry cobbler, pumpkin pie, soft suede, Gently Falling stamp set, daffodil delight leaf was cut with the little leaves sizzlit and embossed with the woodgrain folder

Color Me Beautiful Challenge #12 Ornamental Greens

Hi there! It is time for a new challenge at Color Me Beautiful.  This week has one of the most beautiful color combinations using lots of green, and the team has made fabulous creations showing the colors off!  I am taking the week off, but promise to come visit and comment on your card if you link up! Pinky promise!!

Here is the beautiful inspiration photo (although it doesn't have to be Christmas)...

And the wonderful featured Stampin' Up colors...

While the colors would most definitely make a gorgeous Christmas card, I think they would be perfect for a masculine card too!  We would love it if you would play along this week and show us what these colors inspired you to create!

Have a wonderful weekend and happy crafting!!

Oh, scrap! It's a Christmas card!!

Well, hello there! Yes, I'm posting on a Wednesday! Shocking!! I've actually had some cards ready to post, but needed to wait until after my club met to share them with everyone.

I am normally a true blue procrastinator.  Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow? Or for all the Gone with the Wind fans... I'll worry about that tomorrow...  But somehow, the most unusual thing happened this year! I decided to use up some of my older Christmas DSP and also found some wonderful Christmas card sketches to use and the next thing I knew, I had quite the stash of cards ready to be mailed!!! As a courtesy to my fellow procrastinators, I will not rub in their faces reveal how many cards are in said stash, but I am quite confident that I just might be finished by Thanksgiving!!  Now, shopping on the other hand is not quite so finished...um...like barely begun... But hey! What would the week before Christmas be without a few panicked shopping trips?!

I designed 3 Christmas cards for this month's club because the ladies love getting some ideas a little earlier so they can order their goodies for their cards.  I went with one incredibly simple card and two that had a little more detail.  This way they could decide how much time they wanted to invest in their card making.  I borrowed the design for this card from Amanda.  Pretty much CASEd it actually... But hey, why change a great thing?!

This card came together so quickly, it was almost ridiculous! Like, 'you could make all your cards in one day', ridiculous!! While I used the new Be of Good Cheer DSP, this would be a fabulous design for using up those scraps! Hence the title of the blog post...

Well, that's it for me today! I am looking forward to our annual Girls Day Out at the Christkindlemarkt (a local arts and crafts festival) this weekend.  Lots of shopping, laughing, eating, and wine tasting! Woo! Hoo!  

Happy crafting!!

Card Recipe: Cardstock-whisper white, gumball green, Be of Good Cheer DSP, Stamp Set-Teeny Tiny Wishes, Ink-cherry cobbler, Accessories-postage stamp punch

Color Me Beautiful Challenge #11-A Christmas Flashback

Is it really Friday?! This has been the craziest week and I don't feel like I have accomplished anything, even though I have been running around like a chicken!!  I also realized that the annual arts and crafts festival that we attend is in a week!! That means Christmas is WHEN?!  I am not going to count the days because then I would really start to worry!!  But enough of my whining...

The challenge at Color Me Beautiful, this week, is sure to inspire the Christmas spirit!  Although... if you are not moved by the Christmas spirit, you could easily use these colors for any other project as well!

Try as I might, I could not get primrose petals to cooperate with the other colors.  Who knew it could be such an anti-social color... :p   But I DID use some Spice Cake DSP!! Go figure! 

I'm not sure that I'm finished tweaking this card... A little too much 'space' for my liking, maybe another stocking? The other ladies on the design team managed to succeed where I struggled and are sharing their fabulous creations at the challenge blog, so be sure to go visit them. And if you are so inclined, we would love to see what you can do with these beautiful colors!!

I managed to pull out some retired goodies for this card and it's Friday, so I'm calling this my most recent Flashback Friday card!

Today I am baking cookies for DD#2's fall festival, but I'm hoping to multi-task and get some creating done as well!! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and find some time to be crafty too!

Card Recipe: Cardstock-sahara sand, real red, soft suede, very vanilla, red glimmer paper, Spice Cake DSP (ret), Stamp Set-Bells and Boughs, Ink-soft suede, Accessories-1 3/8" circle punch, scallop oval punch, stocking punch (ret), linen thread

Anything But a Card Challenge 5 and Bunny Trails

There is still a week to play along at Anything But a Card Challenges.  Our theme is so simple- BLACK.  It doesn't get more basic than that!!  Here is my design team creation...

I often use black as an accent color in my scrapbooking, but I think this might be the first page I've made where it was the primary color.

If you are just visiting to see my layout, I will not be offended if you decide to skip the rest of this post.  But, if you would like to take a little walk around my brain and get a glimpse of what my family lives with on a daily basis, read on!

Now, if you are looking at my layout and wondering what in the world this could possibly have to do with bunnies, don't feel bad.  You are not losing your mind and I promise I haven't either (well, at least not about this!).  This page came to be as a result of what I refer to as bunny trails.  Still don't understand? Let me explain exactly what a bunny trail is...

Many years ago, I worked for a great director who was incredibly organized.  I mean REALLY organized.  For the record, by nature, I am not... at all!!!  It was a great working experience because she kept me on track and I learned to be a very effective teacher with her help. We invented the term 'bunny trails' for those times when I would set out on one project and end up somewhere completely different.  You know...like bunnies hopping all over the place and not really going anywhere. You can see where their trails are, but can't seem to locate a definite destination.  Often, my bunny trails were a good thing because I would be working on something and end  up with a solution to a different problem that had been weighing on my mind.  While there are times that I have to stop my bunnies from running rampant, I have learned that most of the time I am better off just going with it and seeing where it leads me.

So how does this relate to my page? This is the end of my bunny trail which started as a page for the last challenge.  I was planning to do a Halloween layout and wanted to use one of my left over pieces from the Ghoulish Googlies treat kit.  I started out trying to use the colors in the circle tag, but none of them went with the pictures I was scrapping.  So I decided to pull out the Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP and see if any of the patterns would work.  I really liked the herringbone pattern and dots, plus they went with my pictures so I was set.  I found an old Page Maps sketch and got busy.  About half way through the page, I realized this would work much better for the next challenge 'using black'. Hmmmm...  Would I really find a better project than this one to display the color black?  Probably not!  So I finished this page and then started from scratch on a new page for the Fall/Halloween theme.  Did it take me twice as long to get that challenge done? Yes!  But now I am a project ahead and have more time to play around without ANY requirements!! Gotta love those bunny trails...

I am sure I am not the only one who does this and I hope this encourages you to let those bunnies run free and see where they go!  Have a wonderful week and happy crafting!

Page Recipe:  Cardstock-whisper white, basic black, Howlstooth & Scaringbone DSP, Stamp Set-Googly Ghouls, Ink-whisper white, basic black, Accessories-scallop circle punch, tag from Ghoulish Googlies kit, white letter stickers from stash

Color Me Beautiful #10 I like it a latte for Christmas!!

It is Friday and that means it's time for a new color challenge at Color Me Beautiful.  I REALLY love these colors (must be the coffee junkie in me) and had a card in mind shortly after putting the papers together.  I saw a really pretty card on pinterest using the woodgrain folder and the coredinations paper and really wanted to pull that element.  That card also had a pine tree branch, but since there is no green in this week's challenge palette, I decided to change things up a little bit!! So here are the wonderful inspiration photo and color palette...

and here are my 'Country Christmas' cards...

At first glance, they appear to be the same, but I left the pearls off of one and only sprayed the ornaments with the smooch spray on that one.  I can't decide which version I like better!

There are so many possibilities with the wonderful earth tones.  It amazed me how different all of the fabulous design team cards were! I hope you find a little inspiration and I hope to see your creations linked up at the challenge blog!

Have a fabulous weekend and happy crafting!!

Tiffany's Challenge-October

Happy Halloween! Hope your evening is full of treats and trick-free!! We visited family last night and got the trick-or-treating finished a night early. So tonight we will just be hanging out (after church and choir practice) and snuggling in to watch some television.  The Great Pumpkin will be on and while we do have this on DVD, we still feel the need to see it on tv as part of our Halloween tradition!!

I do have a card to share with you, but it is not Halloween.  I don't usually make many of those and don't mail any.  I actually am sharing a card that has been finished for a few weeks, but I never got around to taking a picture.  I received the cardstock and DSP as part of our October challenge from our team leader, Tiffany.  I didn't make it to our meeting, but still wanted to play with the beautiful colors. Can't let those wonderful supplies go to waste!!

I stuck with a pretty simple design since the patterns were a little on the busy side.  I think the ornament balanced the two patterns pretty well.  Of course, I had to add some vanilla shimmer smooch spray to make it all sparkly.  I originally had not planned on ordering the Festival of Prints DSP, but after seeing all of the great patterns and the price (only $6.95 for 48 sheets of 4 1/2 x 6 1/2 paper), I went ahead and bought it.  The great thing is that the patterns aren't technically Christmas so they can be used for just about anything.

I am determined to make some time to do some major crafting this next week!  I am doing some fall cleaning this week and seem to be making more of a mess than tidying up, but hopefully by the end of this week, there will be a lot less clutter around here!! Wish me luck!!

I will leave you with a couple of pictures of my favorite ghouls!

They are such polar opposites and the funny thing is, the tomboy is dressed as the princess and my little diva chose to be a zombie bride! Have a wonderful Halloween!

Card Recipe: Cardstock-cherry cobbler, early espresso, lucky limeade,very vanilla, Festival of Prints DSP, Ink-cherry cobbler, Stamp Set-Ornament Keepsakes, Accessories-Holiday Ornaments framelits, rhinestones, vanilla shimmer smooch

Anything But a Card Challenge #5

Hello! So glad you popped in to visit me again! It must be getting close to Halloween because things have been completely 'batty' here!! A full moon two days before Halloween is not conducive to teaching a roomful of preschoolers...  But hey, things will settle back down shortly after Christmas, so I only have to survive for two whole months... Wish me luck!!

There is a new challenge up at Anything But a Card Challenges and it is so open to interpretation that I am sure you will find something that you can share with us!!  Here are the details lifted straight from the challenge blog...

"Hello everyone!  It's time for another Anything But a Card Challenge!  Challenge 5 is to incorporate the color BLACK into your project.  It doesn't have to be the only color, but it should compromise a good portion of it.   It does not have to be spooky! "

That's it. Black! Come on...you know you wanna join in and play along!!  The ladies on the week one design team have once again shared some absolutely amazing creations and be sure to check back in on Sunday when my project will be shared.  There's also a bit of an odd story to go along with my creation so you can always come back just to gain a little insight into my warped way of creating!

Well that's it for me today! I apologize for my lack of posting, and promise that I will have some fun things to share very soon! Have a wonderful week!!

Color Me Beautiful #9-Fall for fabric

Fall is in full swing in Indiana!  The leaves seemed to explode in color about two weeks ago and now, just a short time later, many of the trees are bare.  While I am sad that the gorgeous color show is coming to an end, I am thrilled that our unbearable hot and humid temperatures are a thing of the past.  In case you haven't picked up on it yet, fall is my absolute favorite season! Time to pull out the sweatshirts and sweaters, build campfires for family cook outs, go on hikes in the woods without being eaten alive by bugs, and snuggle in on the couch with a cup of coffee and a good book.  And don't get me started on the joys of Thanksgiving!!

It's no wonder that this week's challenge at Color Me Beautiful made me so happy!  Just look at those gorgeous leaves  inspiring us to use the wonderful Stampin' UP colors!!

When I saw the In Colors for the first time, Summer Starfruit was probably my least favorite...for about a week.  Then I started combining it with other colors and realized that it was incredibly versatile, picking up shades of orange, yellow, and even brown, depending on what was next to it.  As a matter of fact, when I saw the challenge colors, I looked for my source of Summer Starfruit first and then built my card around the beautiful strip of fabric I rolled into a flower (have I mentioned how addictive these things are??).

While it's not really a 'fall' card, I think it still has the feel, if that makes any sense!!  Plus, it uses all of the colors.  As much as I would love to take credit for the layout, the original design for this card can be found here.  Sandy also has a great tutorial on how to make these flowers at the same spot.  Be sure to visit her blog, and check out the gorgeous creations made by the design team at CMB!  Who knows?  Maybe you will be inspired to share your own creation with us!!

To help put you in the fall mood that currently surrounds me, I'm sharing a few pictures I took last weekend while the girls and I went for a walk.  The leaves were already beginning to fall, but there was still plenty of color.

I hope this has put you in the mood for fall and maybe even to play along with our color challenge! Have a wonderful weekend and happy crafting!

Card Recipe: Cardstock-chocolate chip, crumb cake, very vanilla, Orchard Harvest DSP, Subtles Stack DSP, Stamp Set-Wacky Wishes, Ink-chocolate chip, Accessories- Comfort Cafe fabric, Jumbo Sticky Rounds, Framed Tulip embossing folder, Little Leaves Sizzlit, Big Shot