Friday, December 31, 2010

thankful...

I have decided to choose a word this year to try to keep me on the straight and narrow, as I was thinking of different words that I could use I kept coming back to THANKFUL...I have so so much to be thankful for in 2011...I hope to do a layout soon to represent my thoughts on this.
Being a new year and new month there is a new challenge up at Show us your Stuff. There is a sketch we had to follow created bythe fabulous Michelle and of course use a hand made item, We were lucky enough to receive some lovely handmade flowers from Pretty Petals who are a sponsor this month.
I decided to create a card instead of a layout, something that I am starting to enjoy doing. I hope you can join in the fun with me.
If you are after a bargain head on over to Handmade by Suzanne who has 30% of most items in stock, papers, embellishments, embossing powders, glitter, stickers , thickers...the list goes on, the only things not on sale are punches and papers that were new in December...what a bargain, I'm off to check it out my self!
I hope everyone had a wonderful New Year and I look forward to sharing and gaining some inspiration from everyone out there in the coming year!
Till next time...

2011 Show Me The Free Reading Challenge. Let the Games Begin!!

Hi There!

2011 Show Me The Free Reading Challenge. That is the link to something new that I am trying. I follow a blog called The Unread Reader she is running a few reading challenges this year (2011) and I am participating in one of them...this one seems like it will be fun! As a Kindle owner I am offered free books quite often and so this is a challenge to see just how many of those free books that I download over the course of the year, I actually read...Fun right? I can't wait to get started because as, some of you may know, and any of you that actually know me do, I am a voracious reader. I do actually read those free books that Amazon offers me! In fact I have to say, that Amazon, through Kindle Nation Daily, (a blog) offers some pretty sweet free and very low cost reads!
I do have to admit that having read said free items that this has then led me down the path of the "the rest of the NOT FREE series", but "Se la vie" No? Pardon my French...I may know the phrase, but not how it is spelled...Any one want to join in the fun?

Happy PINK New Year!

Celebrating Resolutions

For today's SplitCoast Free For All challenge, we were to "celebrate those resolutions".  I actually hadn't thought much about next year's resolutions as I am still frantically finishing up this year's!!  So, I sat back and quickly realized that I needed to chill!! 

I can turn anything into work.  I even do it with my card making.  I LOVE to make cards and I am thrilled to do it as a fundraiser for my church, but I am well-known for stressing over it.  After each monthly card gathering - our card sales racks are full.  A week later, I realize that the racks are half empty and, instead of rejoicing that the church has made some money and that the card recipients are going to be thrilled, I get all stressed that there are empty spots.  I run home and quickly produce some cards.  It becomes work instead of a hobby. 

So...I am going to take time in 2011 to "smell the flowers"!


Set 317 - Mostly Flowers

  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Mostly Flowers, The Angel Company Dance Yourself Silly
  • Ink: black
  • Paper: white
  • Accessories: Best Occasions rhinestones (from Walmart), Offray ribbon, Stampin' Up embossing folder

I do have multiple posts today so keep scrolling down!!

FOUR Birthdays, FIVE SU sets

Here's a batch of birthday cards.  I have quite a few more to make - so no chatting on this post!


Set 312 - Birthday Bakery

  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Birthday Baker
  • Inks: Stampin' Up Chocolate, copics
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Regal Rose, Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate, Sweet Always dsp
  • Accessories: Stampin' Up Cupcake Sizzlits, tag punches, and chocolate grosgrain; Fruit Punch Stickles, Creative Impressions brads

Sets 313, 314 - It All Adds Up, Riveting

  • Stamps: Stampin' Up It All Adds Up, Riveting
  • Inks: black
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Black, Old Olive, Newsprint dsp
  • Accessories: Stampin' Up corner punch and Old Olive grosgrain; misc circle punches

Set 315 - Lexicon of Love


  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Lexicon of Love
  • Inks: Stampin' Up Pacific Point
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Pacific Point, Daffodil, Good Morning Sunshine dsp
  • Accessories: Quickutz balloon dies, Cuttlebug number embossing folder, white floss, Ranger Glossy Accents

Set 316 - Love Ya Bunches

  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Love Ya Bunches
  • Ink: black
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Black, Vanilla, Fall Flowers dsp
  • Accessories: Nesties labels, Crystal Stickers pearls, SU crochet ribbon, Posh Impressions music punch

I'll be back later with more birthday cards!!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

FOUR Sympathy, FIVE SU sets

I went through my remaining stamp sets and found some that work well for Sympathy cards.  Remember...I make these for the church card ministry, so I truly am not having this much tragedy in my life.


Set 307 - Serene Spring


  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Serene Spring, Verve sentiment
  • Inks: Memento Brown, copics, SU Baja
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Baja, Pear CS, Pear dsp, Espresso
  • Accessories: Stampin' Up Oval and Scalloped Oval Punch, Scalloped Border Punch, misc ribbon
  • Challenges: Curtain Call Color Challenge



Set 308, 309 - Label Classics, Sweet Stems


  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Labelicious, Sweet Stems, CD Stamps Heartfelt Sentiments
  • Inks: Memento Brown, Prismacolor pens
  • Paper: White
  • Accessories: pearls from Michaels

Set 310 - Longtime Friend


The layout of pearls and buttons comes from a card in Paper Crafts Card Creations Favorite Occasions, Vol. 2.
  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Longtime Friends
  • Ink: Memento Brown
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Barely Banana, K&Co Susan Winget Nature
  • Accessories: misc buttons and pearls, embroidery floss, Nesties oval and scalloped oval

Set 311 - Drawing on Nature


Edited to Add: After I got this card posted here and on OLW and on SCS, I realized that the OLW challenge said absolutely no embellishments.  "Oops" on the silver pearls.  But I do think this card would work without the pearls.
  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Drawing on Nature, Simply Stamped sentiment
  • Inks: Stampin' Up Perfect Plum
  • Paper: white
  • Accessories: Cuttlebug Embossing Folder (from a set of four folders called Give a Hoot), SU Shimmer Paint - on outside frame of butterfly, silver pearls from Michaels
  • Challenges: One Layer Wednesday Boot Camp, SplitCoast Stampers Ways To Use It: Silver

------------------

Yesterday I talked about the large quantity of cards that I have been making and posting on various challenge sites.  The "quantity" worked in my favor again!

I was a Just Add Ink Top Pick for Sketch 48 with this boxed set!!

Another Happy Day!!


Wednesday, December 29, 2010

A very good day!

Set 305 - Smarty Pants

I only have two cards to post this morning - I should have many, many more if I am going to complete my 2010 goal of using all of my Stampin' Up sets.  My mojo disappeared for awhile yesterday and I took a little break...but....it's back!!  (More on this later.)

The first card is for today's SplitCoast Sketch Challenge.


These owls are absolutely darling (and totally goofy!!)  I love the look of this punch, but I have to tell you - I am seriously counting the days to Stampin' Up's Sale-a-Bration as there is a set with an owl stamp to match the punch.  It will be SOOOO much easier than sitting, hunched over, with a tweezer, trying to get all the small punched pieces on the owl!  (And I'm old enough that my eyes just don't work well with tiny pieces!)



Set 306 - Weather or Not

The paper on my owls is an older Stampin' Up dsp (East Coast Prep).  I was totally enjoying the colors so made a second card.

This card was supposed to be a "retail therapy" card but it turns out that I don't have a single stamp about "retail therapy" or "shopping".  I don't know how that could be.  I have stamps that say "Cow's It Going?"and "Just Sittin' Here Thinkin' bout ya (with an outhouse!), and "You know it's going to be a bad day when you put your bra on backwards and it fits better" - - - but nothing about shopping!   I am definitely going to have to remedy that situation.

My mojo IS back and I am going to have to brag for a minute!  It turns out that there are advantages to stamping my fingers off to finish my goal.  As you know, I play a lot of challenges because I like the starting point of a sketch or colors.  So the more cards that I make, the more challenges I enter...and the more chances I get to be recognized.  I was mentioned THREE times in the last two days!!  Yippee!

  1. Top Three for Sketch 153 at Techno Stamper for my Peas on Earth card (Yes...I spelled "peas" correctly!)
  2. Super 6 for Sketch 95 at CardPatterns for In-Country Christmas (although I have to admit that this selection was likely for the amazing sentiment stamp on this card!)
  3. Courtier for colourQ Challenge 64 at colourQ for Punch Potpourri.  (This is actually my personal favorite card that I have made recently.)

Then, I woke up this morning to even more exciting news.  My blog friend, Andrea at EnchantINK, is part of INKspirations 4U - a series of online classes, challenges, chats, etc.  The upcoming series is Valentines and Birthday.  There is actually a small fee for all the fun - but I WON A FREE PASS!!  I never win anything - and what a better thing for me to win than a pass to classes, challenges and chats!!  Check out Andrea's blog (click above) to see the quality of her work and you can see how amazing this event will be.  This post has all the details on INKspirations 4U!

Happy Day!!

Now an admission...I am NOT going to make my 2010 goal by end of day on December 31st.  I realized that I was getting very snippy at my family ("No, I do not have time to make you dinner or tuck you in!") - so I gave myself permission to finish by end of day January 2.  That actually feels like the end of the year since my kids go back to school the next day, Christmas is over, and my life feels fresh and new!

Goofy Stuff:
  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Smarty Pants
  • Inks: Stampin' Up Wild Wasabi
  • Paper: Stampin' Up East Coast Prep, More Mustard, Wild Wasabi, Tempting Turqoise, Chocolate
  • Accessories: Stampin' Up Owl Punch, Cuttlebug Embossing Folder, Creative Impressions brads
  • Challenges: SplitCoast Sketch Challenge











Purseonally You're the Best:
  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Weather or Not, Framed Greetings (Framed Greetings has been counted previously)
  • Inks: Stampin' Up Real Red, Wild Wasabi, Tempting Turqoise, More Mustard
  • Paper: Stampin' Up East Coast Prep, WIld Wasabi
  • Accessories: Quickutz Purse Die, PaperTrey red felt, Michaels rhinestones, rectangle and oval nesties
  • Challenges: Stamping 411 Sketch Challenge and Our Creative Corner Felt Challenge

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

My Little Athlete is 11!

Set 304 - Have a Ball

I was so glad that the SplitCoast Color Challenge today could go masculine!  I needed a birthday card for my youngest son's 11th birthday tomorrow.  I had set aside the Stampin' Up set Have a Ball for this occasion. 



I am hoping he has a better day today because yesterday started with the death of his pet hamster, Charles.  Part of Erik's Christmas present was a "palace" for the hamster.  The comment was made (not in Erik's hearing) that it would be just our luck if the hamster died right after we set up the palace.  Go figure.

Erik and Charles in happier days.

  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Have a Ball, Stampendous sentiment
  • Ink: Stampin' Up Night of Navy, Crumb Cake
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Night of Navy, Old Olive, Daffodil, Crumb
  • Accessories: Cuttlebug embossing folder, Stampin' Up Navy grosgrain

SIX Valentines, NINE SU sets!

I am on a roll!  I have put together 10 Valentines using 12 Stampin' Up sets so that I can meet my goal of making sure that all of my sets see ink during 2010.  Some are pretty good.  Some probably wouldn't be published on my blog if I weren't trying so hard to meet my goal.  You decide...

Set 295 - Loving Hearts

  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Loving Hearts
  • Ink: Black and Only Orange markers
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Melon Mambo, Only Orange, black
  • Accessories: EK Success border punch, heart punch, Quickutz Goosebumpz embossing on the heart, ribbon from Michaels. Cuttlebug Embossing Plus folder

Set 296, 297 - A Little Love, Itty Bitty Bits









Set 298 - A Little Bit of Happiness


  • Stamps: Stampin' Up A Little Bit of Happiness
  • Inks: Stampin' Up Rose Red, Regal Rose, Pretty in Pink, Pink Pirouette, Staz-On Black
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Rose Red, Bo Bunny Press dsp
  • Accessories: Fiskars border punch, Stampin' Up Vanilla Taffeta, aquabrush
  • Challenge: Lord Have Mercy Sketch Challenge











Sets 299, 300 - Smorgasborders, Lots of Thoughts


  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Smorgasborders, Lots of Thoughts
  • Inks: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Poppy Parade
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake CS, Poppy Parade dsp
  • Accessories: Cuttlebug Embossing Folder


Set 301, 302 - Doodle That, A Light Heart


  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Doodle That, A Light Heart (sentiment)
  • Inks: Memento Black, copic
  • Paper: Stampin' Up black, Blushing Bride dsp
  • Accessories: 1 3/8" and 1 1/2" circle punches, EK Success border punch, Mark Richards black nailheads
  • Challenges: clean&simple Fall-To-Layout












Set 303 - Cheep Talk


  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Cheep Talk
  • Inks: Stampin' Up Cool Caribbean, Kiwi Kiss, Rose Red
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Rose Red, Kiwi Kiss, MME Alphabet Soup dsp
  • Accessories: Stampin' Up Bitty Buttons, EK Success border punch, circle nesties, dew drops
  • Challenges: Lord Have Mercy Sketch Challenge  (this is the last Tuesday sketch challenge ever - major bummer)













-------------------------

Whew!  This is it for the Valentines that I am making using Stampin' Up stuff.  I'll have more Valentines next week using other stamps.  It does seem early to be doing Valentines, but that is our focus at January's church card gathering.  Be sure to stop back for more!

Monday, December 27, 2010

CAS with Punch Potpourri

Set 294 - Punch Potpourri

For this last week of my goal of using all of my Stampin' Up sets, I decided to first do a bunch of Valentines.  I was planning one big SU Valentine's post but then I realized that the colourQ Color Challenge ended pretty much right now so I must quickly post and link!


NOTE: This is actually a white card.  I deliberately shadowed it so you could see the nice embossing folder.

I have favorited and bookmarked many cards that use all the stamps in this set in a grouping like this.  I thank each of you for the idea!

  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Punch Potpourri
  • Inks: Stampin' Up Real Red, Regal Rose, Pink Pirouette
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Pear Pizzazz, Pink Pirouette
  • Accessories: Stampin' Up punches matching the stamp sets, Sizzix embossing folder, Stampin' Up rhinestones
  • Challenge: colourQ #64

TWO SplitCoast Challenges

Having the children home from school is a love/hate thing with me.  I am actually a much better mother if they are gone all day and I finish all my chores and girl-time.  On the other hand, when I don't have to get up on Monday morning and rush around trying to pack backpacks, deposit lunch money, find missing homework and bus passes - I actually get to do BOTH Monday SplitCoast challenges!


Set 291, 292 - Garden Collage, Burst Into Bloom

Today's Clean and Simple challenge on SplitCoast is a color challenge: Chocolate, Crumb, Wasabi and White:

This didn't turn out as exactly what I personally call CAS.  To me, CAS is a layer or two and a lot of white space.  But everybody has VERY different definitions of CAS so I went with it.  I love this small bird - I can't believe that I had never used this set.


Set 293 - Elegant Inspirations

Todays' technique challenge at SplitCoast was to make a ribbon bookmark.


I really never branch out into other paper crafts besides cards...not that I wouldn't want to but there are always cards to make for church.  This was a fun change for me...and I liked it...I might have to "branch out" more often!

Gentle Thoughts
  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Garden Collage, Burst Into Bloom (the small flowers on the kraft strip)
  • Ink: Stampin' Up Chocolate, Crumb Cake
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Chocolate, Crumb Cake, Wasabi, White, Chocolate dsp
  • Accessories: Punch Bunch leaf punch, colored pencils
I Can Do All Things bookmark
  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Elegant Inspirations
  • Ink: Stampin' Up Chocolate
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Chocolate
  • Accessories: Stampin' Up Riding Hood Red ribbons, nestie squares, unknown charm

Blooming with Health

I LOVE this sentiment by DRS Designs.  We do a lot of Get Well cards for our church and this sentiment is so easy to use because ALL of us have too many flower stamps (or Cuttlebug folders!)  It works with any of them.


This is actually a CASE of myself so I didn't think that I would waste your blog reading time with it.  But..I really wanted to show the sentiment because it is a very handy one to have.  And...I wanted to show what a small color change would do.  Here's the original in red - it's an entirely different mood!



  • Stamps: DRS Designs
  • Inks: Black
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Crumb Cake, Black, PaperTrey Aqua Mist
  • Accessories: Cuttlebug Border Folder, misc ribbons, Stampin' Up rhinestones (colored with Copics)

My single...

With the release of the Masters edition for Scrapbooking Memories magazine I was very chuffed to receive two Honourable mentions for my double and my OTP. Ironically my favourite didn't get a mention, this was the one project I loved the most... at the beginning of the year we went to Maloolaba on the Sunshine coast to see Jessica Watson return home after her epic voyage. I wanted to use this layout to inspire Addison to always dream big!
Till next time...

Sunday, December 26, 2010

She is beautiful...She is love...

Hi Everybody!
Merry Christmas! I hope you all had a special one...I and my family had a special one...although I am not sure exactly how to describe it...I have thought long and hard about this. I really don't want to put a damper on anyones's spirits. I mean after all, pink is a happy color, at least it is for me...

I love the holidays. I love the music, the decorations, the PINK decorations, if you live in our house...lol...I love the fact that the days are filled with happy thoughts and that people are generally in good moods and are more friendly with each other...

It's just that this year has been a different one for our little family. My daughter is in school and for the first time is not living at home. The happy part of that is that she has come home for the holidays and that has made them truly special!

My husband's parents live in Florida and right after Thanksgiving he went down to see them...alone...I worked through the entire thanksgiving holiday, including the weekend, which meant that I worked the entire time that my daughter was home from school. During that time I had to have my reviews done for the Komen panel that I am an advocate reviewer on. Work that is close to my heart, but work none the less...

So, my husband heads to Florida, and our beautiful little American Eskimo named Lily becomes ill again...she was sick with a urinary infection in the summer...so while he is dealing with an incontinent father...I am dealing with an incontinent Eskie...OK, mine was cuter...I took her to the vet and we got medicine...the vet was afraid that there might be a tumor but it turned out to be bacteria...whew...

So, Kirke comes home, and he and his brother make plans to move his parents into an assisted living facility near my brother in law in Atlanta and this is to happen the week of Christmas...we live in Maryland(can you say bad timing?)... but it had to be done...Kirke once again travels to Florida by way of Atlanta, He leaves on the 17th of December and returns on the 22nd. In the meantime he misses the wedding of our nephew on the 18th and all of the preparation for whatever Christmas celebration we may be able to plan...Me? I shop, and give the dog medicine and whine and feel like crap for complaining...because, after all...he can't help it...

Turns out he could have left a day later and attended the wedding...his brother is not a good communicator...however, the move goes well, my sister in law is a wonderful woman that deserves all the credit in the world for pulling this off so close to the Holiday and so smoothly!

I continue to shop, do grant reviews...I have received yet another set for yet another panel...

Lily seems to get a little better...while Kirke is home he takes over the medicine...I am a rookie when it comes to that...he laughs at my efforts...by the time he leaves town again she is done with it and is still going a lot and may not be better...

Kirke returns , Caitlin is home and has been for a while! She came home the afternoon of my work Christmas party and joined me there! It was a great time! Someone there actually noticed that I have lost weight! A minor miracle! (the fact that someone noticed, not the loss)

Lily seems to get worse...we decide to take her back to the vet on Christmas Eve...Kirke comes home with Lily and asks us all to gather in the living room...not good...our Lily is very sick...the x-ray showed about 4 tumors in her lungs and judging by the look of her urine, it has metastasized... So...we will watch her breathe and love her and make her comfortable and just hope that we will know when the time is right ...and not hang on too long...she is very sleepy all the time...she is beautiful...she is love...

We find ourselves spending our time with her or looking for her...lol...I am sure she is confused by all of the attention!

That was Christmas Eve...We had our Christmas, It was subdued, but fun. It was already a kind of strange Christmas for us, this just sort of capped it...

Here is a  picture of our girl...As I sat on the couch holding my daughter in my arms with Lily next to us, I told her this...I said, "Caitlin, this is how I try to deal with these situations..."They never live long enough (pets), you have to think about all of the love that Lily has given us all these years and all we have gotten from her, all the joy and love...in order not to have this pain when the end comes, you would have to give up all of that...and I would never choose that... I know some people can't deal with it and choose to never have pets because of it...but I couldn't do that, I thought it was worth it, all of that love..." I told her that I hoped that would help her get through. I don't know if it will, but I hope so...You see, she is afraid she will be back at school when the end comes. But, I can see that Lily is fading fast and I don't think that that will be the case...poor Lily...

It is true, I meant what I said! What love! Just look at this...I took this last night...I captioned it with "This is Love"

I am very sorry if this brought you down. It is really a love story of sorts. It is not over, not yet...we all go through it...would we change it? Not if it means losing the love...not me...not my daughter, I hope...

Stay Pink...Stay Happy...and Merry Christmas!

Noble Deer

Set 290 - Noble Deer

Today's Featured Stamper at SplitCoast is absolutely awe-inspiring.  Each card in her gallery is a work of art.  I simply do not have the artistic ability to even CASE her cards, so I went a different direction.  I selected this card that uses Stampin' Up's Noble Deer, a set that I need to use before the end of the year to meet my goal.  The first thing that stands out on her card is the amazing color, but as I looked closer there were lots of little details that made this card so gorgeous.  So my card removed the color, but kept the details:  the strip of trees, the blue contrasting with the browns, the angled panel, the ribbon "tabs", the woodgrain.


I'll be doing a lot of posting this week as I only have these few days to complete my 2010 goal of making sure that all of my SU sets see ink.  I hope you'll check back often and be sure to look past the first new post that you see - there are probably many more each day!
  • Stamps: Stampin' Up Noble Deer, Teeny Tiny Wishes
  • Inks: PaperTrey Dark Chocolate
  • Paper: PaperTrey Dark Chocolate, Kraft, Ocean Tides
  • Accessories: Tim Holtz wood embossing folder, Stampin' Up label punches, Creative Impressions brads

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Breakfast Enchiladas and Christmas Wishes

I hope that all of you are having a wonderful Christmas!  My family and I are having a relaxing and fun day.  For the first time in many years we woke up to a White Christmas.  After opening up the presents, we bundled up and went outside.  The kids couldn't wait to try out their new mini four wheeler.  
After a long morning and lots of time out in the cold, we were all really hungry and enjoyed these Breakfast Enchiladas.    
The enchiladas were like a heartier and ultra-comforting step up from a breakfast burrito.  Ground sausage, eggs, green onion, cilantro and a green chile-pepperjack cheese sauce are enveloped in a flour tortilla and topped with more green chile-pepperjack cheese sauce.  This was the perfect, indulgent, and satisfying breakfast treat!  You can find the recipe HERE at Food.com.  This is a great breakfast if you need to feed a crowd of hungry people. 

I had a few recipes planned that I hoped to fit in before the holidays, but I ran out of time.  Tomorrow afternoon we are headed to Ohio to visit with my Dad and some friends.  I won't be able to visit or comment much, but wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  Looking forward to seeing all of your tasty recipes next year!

Christmas Blessings

Today in the city of David
a Savior has been born to you;
He is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11

I hope your Christmas has been merry!

Christmas Eve is always very busy for us.  My oldest son and I were involved in all three church services last night.  I played organ/piano duets and in the bell choir.  My son worked in the sound booth taping the services and then he was a little "elf" helper for the bell choir.  Between services, all of us who were there for the evening were served a wonderful lasagna dinner.  My husband and youngest son came for one of the services and then they hung out at home eating leftovers!!

I love all of the the church services but I am exhausted!  After all the rush of this month and our busy Christmas Eve, the "peace" of Christmas is finally descending on me this morning. I am sitting here on Christmas morning in complete surprise that my children are not up yet for presents.  So I am enjoying a cup of coffee and reading blogs.  What a wonderful way to start my day!

I have a few last Christmas cards to share. 

For my husband - I'm not saying he's overweight...
OK, maybe I am.  He is also totally scruffy as he
participated in No-Shave November and hasn't
shaved it off yet!

For my youngest - Erik is my stubborn and
opinionated child so we tend to regularly
find ourselves at odds.  I'm hoping he
is amused by this instead of thinking I'm
making a statement!

For my oldest - Andrew is my teenager, with the typical
teen sense of humor.  I thought that he would
appreciate this odd little play on words

I also made sets of cards as a Christmas gift for our bell choir director and for our church pianist/organist. 

This was for the bell choir director for all of us to sign.






As much as I love Christmas colors and papers and glitter and beautiful stamps, I am glad to be done with all of the cards.  I'm going to spend tomorrow getting them all put away and then I need to get back to my goal of using all of my SU sets!!  I only have one week to finish.  Watch for lots and lots of posts!

Four Stages of Life Santa
  • Stamps: Darcie's Clear Set
  • Inks: Memento black, copics, Stampin' Up Creamy Caramel (on edges)
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Bashful Blue, Garden Green, unknown dsp scrap
  • Accessories: Stampin' Up Poppy ribbon, decorative label punch, Cuttlebug snowflakes, Martha Stewart white flock

Is It Too Late?
  • Stamps: The Cat's Pajamas (Note: the sentiment is actually computer generated because I seem to have lost the actual stamps)
  • Inks: Memento Black, copics
  • Paper: PaperTrey Ink Ripe Avocado, Scarlet Jewel, Basic Grey dsp
  • Accessories: PaperTrey Scarlet Jewel ribbon, EK Success border punch, various stickles
  • Challenge: Pals Paper Arts sketch challenge












Peas on Earth
  • Stamps: Penny Black
  • Inks: Memento Black, copics
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Dashing, Real Red, Old Olive
  • Accessories: Stampin' Up Old Olive satin, decorative label punch
  • Challenges: Technostamper sketch challenge










God Bless Us Everyone
  • Stamps: Impression Obsession
  • Ink: Stampin' Up Always Artichoke, Creamy Caramel on edges
  • Paper: Stampin' Up Cherry Cobbler, Always Artichoke, Deck the Halls dsp, misc scrap of gold on bell
  • Accessories: Stampin' Up Artichoke seam binding, Cricut Quarter Note cartridge
  • Challenge: Lord Have Mercy sketch challenge










Musical Gift Sets
  • Stamps: Verve thank you and birthday, H&M Stamps friend, PaperTrey May the Lord, Stampendous musical background
  • Ink:  Stampin' Up Celery, Saffron, Rose Red, Baja
  • Paper: Stampin' Up CS and dsp in Celery, Saffron, Rose Red, Baja
  • Accessories: Cricut Quarter Note Cartridge, misc black satin
  • Challenge: same as previous card (looks really different, doesn't it?)