back in the days when I updated this blog regularly, I might have a post per card created! well, now that I've reached slacker status, here's the latest quarterly update, and Christmas cards I sent this past year! back in the days when I updated this blog regularly, I might have a post per card created! well, now that I've reached slacker status, here's the latest quarterly update, and Christmas cards I sent this past year!

one was purchased from a store where I regularly purchase bird seed and some garden supplies... the blackbird with the snowflakes 2nd from the left in the middle row. I thought my niece Jessy would like it! some were made at my fav SU rep's classes (starting from left, the first 3 in top row, the first and last in middle row, and the first in the bottom row).

I HOPE to return to regularly posting... time'll tell whether that turns out, eh?! I like Clean And Simple cards most!

O Christmas Tree 2014

I love Christmas. Love wreaths (does it show?! LOL!) - we have two that match - one over the garage and one on our front door. I prefer white lights and have those over the garage, my DH prefers multi-color lights and has those on the door with ornaments I'd hung. Love the tree, admit I keep it up WAY too long. I promise my DH that we'll have it down by my eldest son's b'day (early Feb) and there have been years it's been close! I keep thinking that one of these years we'll get it put up soon after Thanksgiving and take it down soon after Christmas, but we often put it up Christmas week and this year was no exception.

This year's tree is almost all red ornaments ... there are a few Christmas sentiments (iron word stampings I'd picked up at a craft show years ago which the artist painted white and frosted w glitter ... so pretty, and this year I put up the believe, joy, Merry Christmas, noel, and peace sentiments), my fav of the needlework ornaments (most I made, some are from friends in my needlework guilds), some crystal snowflakes (I'd picked up a few in recent years and my family got me the latest Swarovski one for Christmas this year. They're BEAUTIFUL and reflect SO much light ... awesomeness!), a set of metal curly-q twirled ribbon-look ornaments, and just a couple of my favs ... a great rocking horse and a great bird's nest one. Then we tossed on only our red ornaments. We have mixed ones, then a set of ivory, and a set of red ones. This year I found a couple deals at dollar stores so picked up more red ones ... some tiny ones I put on the kitchen table tree that you can spot on the mantle in the pic, and some more different-shaped reds - in assorted ornament shapes, different finishes - some mat, some sparkly, some dusted w glitter.

We broke down in 2002 and went with a pre-lit fake tree for our great room, then when lots of the lights quit on us replaced it in 2010 ... and I'm noticing that some of its lights are now quitting on us. I'd picked up multiples of cranberry/peppermint candy strands years ago that I strung together and that goes on first, followed by lots of glass icicles (thanx, Bronner's, as we've picked up multiple packages of various sized ones over the years from our main supplier), then the sentiments, and lastly, ornaments. Ta da! OK, so I just wrote a whole post about our tree!

Besides the main and kitchen trees, we have another one that's only about 4' tall that's by the entry to the kitchen that we leave up year-round. It's decorated in acorns, ribbons, berries, and assorted tiny kitchen-y ornaments - whisks, baskets, milk cans, flour sifters, strainers, muffin tins, aprons - thanx to Hallmark for this tree! I remember I'd originally ordered it for the kitchen table, but hadn't realized the proportion would be way too large for the space ... so it got relegated to the entry which is about 4' wide as well.

Other than that, we have a few wall hangings here and there, and a pre-lit holly-look vine across the mantle, small cranberry/twig wreath, wicked cool stained glass cardinal (my Mom and I have collected cardinals over the years), and some candles and metal snowflakes on the mantle.

So, how'd YOU decorate this year? Thanx for stopping by! We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

I'm channeling my Dad today. He used to almost always end his phone conversations with "Peace!" - especially so this time of year - and every time I pick up this die it makes me think of him. Gone 10 years last month ... hard to believe but true! Love you, Dad!

I tend to make more cards than needed; then the last couple years even participated in a class where we made 4 cards of 4-5 designs! I don't send out all that many cards these days, so I've got a supply to last me ... but then, what holiday do you suppose I can't seem to stop myself from purchasing additional supplies for??! You guessed it! Christmas! I've got stamps and dies I haven't even used yet!

stamps: unsure of the inside sentiment's origin; ink: Ranger's black soot distress ink; paper: Bazzill Palo Verde and Neenah Solar White card stocks; accessories: white string; tools: Cuttlebug w PTI holiday word die, Sizzix Tim Holtz Festive Greenery die and Holly Swirls embossing folder, unknown crochet thread

CASe it simple!

I'm addicted to Pinterest! There! I admitted it; I admit it freely! I ended up reviewing my Papercrafts Pinterest posts (in that folder alone I'v amassed 3,558 posts to date ... see what I mean?!) to gather some inspiration, and found it from the lovely and talented Linda Callahan of Stampin' Seasons blog fame.

I Googled "free Christmas music" and downloaded this ivory sheet, then used one of my word dies in the same color as the background ... and voila! It'd make a quick to reproduce card in case you mass-produced them, but I typically don't. Thanx for stopping by!

stamps: SU's Holiday Home (inside sentiment); paper: Neenah solar white, HPC's Dark Red, and downloaded freebie music sheet; ink: Ranger's black soot distress ink; accessories: Technique Tuesday's Say It - Noel die

SYSC#4 merry Christmas!

I seem to be on a red and white kick lately! I recently got together with a few friends for dinner where we exchanged cards; the first one to open one of my cards received one that was a white background with red ornaments ... and my stamping buddy kimR, who sat across from me, commented, "I like cards that are all white with pops of red!" Well, good thing, 'cuz that was the theme for the evening! And it appears I'm still on it! I'm playing with the folkes at the SYSC#4 showCASe your style blog challenge. Thanx for stopping by!

stamps: SU's Holiday Home; paper: Neenah solar white, and HPC's Dark Red; ink: Ranger's black soot distress ink; accessories: Spellbinders' layered poinsettia, SEI's Chalet sundries' bling, and unknown red/white washi tapes which are a very glisten-y red IRL. 

a CASE of season's greetings

Inspired by the lovely and talented Erin of Erin Taylor Designs blog fame, I made this card initially thinking of it for a thank-you but it's been called into service as a New Year's card. When I went to upload it on the Wplus9 challenge site I saw there was one almost exactly like it from one of their design team already?! Such is life. Methinks I'll still upload it ...

stamps: AmyR Stamps Snowflakes, PTI's Signature Christmas, TPC Studio Winter Collage; paper: Neenah Solar White card stock; ink: SU's Cherry Cobbler

I like red and white for a Christmas theme, as evidenced on my Pinterest Christmas board! I'd fully intended to hang red and white on my Christmas tree this year, but went w mainly red at the last minute. There are a small flock of cardinals nesting in the tree as well. Then there are half the glass icicles, and less than half the home-made (mainly needlepoint) ornaments that I normally put up too. We were definitely in a pared-down design mood when we put the tree up this year! But I like it! Sometimes I don't know when to stop myself, y'know what I mean?! And I haven't made it to Hallmark to pick up any ornaments this year (yet) either!

Speaking of which ... tonite I went to Home Depot w my DH looking at potential replacement kitchen faucet and main bathroom's toilet when I spotted some Martha Stewart pine cone ornaments now half off that I may have to head back for. At the time we didn't have anything in our cart and I thought we'd be walking out empty handed, but while I was calling in an order to Applebee's for supper my DH was still browsing and picked up some channel locks ... and by the time we hooked up together again, the pine cones were a distant memory. I DID get one new ornament this year, tho' - it's pictured here, and from a good friend of mine. We generally have a "gals nite out" and exchange presents and this was my uber cool cardinal present. She knows that my Mom and I collect them. Sweet, eh?! I love it!

JOY wall hanging

I don't make many home decorating pieces but mainly papercraft cards lately, so this was a nice change of pace. I participated in a wall hanging workshop held Dec 12th at my local papercraft store, Capture-A-Memory (link at right), where we used chipboard, DP, and letter dies to create our wall hangings. Many made multiples, and that was a good idea. Some made wall hangings using the words "HOPE," "SNOW," or "WISH," but for my first attempt, I made a single "JOY" wall hanging using the letters and some holly and berries from another die the store had on hand. It's currently gracing the inside of my front door. This was FUN and I'd like to make more though - maybe for gifts for next year!

stamps: n/a; paper: mainly Kaisercraft Twigs & Berry Collection DP; ink: Ranger asst'd distress inks; tools: asst'd store dies

The Day After

The Day After

Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house,
Every creature was hurting, even the mouse.
The toys were all broken, their batteries dead;
Santa passed out, with some ice on his head.

And I in my t-shirt, new Reeboks and jeans,
Went into the kitchen and started to clean.
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the sink to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the curtains, and threw up the sash.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a little white truck, with an over-sized mirror.

The driver was smiling, so lively and grand;
The patch on his jacket said "US Postman."
With a handful of bills, he grinned like a fox
Then quickly he stuffed the into our mailbox.

Bill after bill, after bill, they still came.
Whistling and shouting he called them by name:
"Now Dillard's, now Broadway's, now Penny's and Sears
Here's Levitz's and Target's an Mervyn's - all here!

To the tip of your limit, every store, every mall,
Now chargeaway-chargeaway-chargeaway all!"
He whooped and he whistled as he finished his work.
He filled up the box, and then turned with a jerk.

He sprang to his truck and he drove down the road,
Driving much faster with just half a load.
Then I heard him exclaim with great holiday cheer,
"Enjoy what you got, you'll be paying all year!"

~author unknown

on a red theme

Here's this year's Christmas tree. I realized recently that I'd not used these red ornaments from my initial trip to the local IKEA (maybe not SO local, at that! it's about an hour south of me) since 2008 so went in search of them this year. They were elusive but I remembered that the last time I'd used them I'd repackaged them into their original IKEA clear plastic 6x6"- 8x8" clear acrylic square box  and set them on top of the hutch to my computer table. Apparently they got nudged behind a row of books and were lost to me since 2008. So, here they are, unearthed at last! In keeping with the red theme, I added a few ornaments but kept it to those that are mainly red and white/ivory. I love these "word" pieces that I found a few years ago (tho' I can't remember where) - and have them in joy, Noel, peace, believe, it's all GOOD, and Merry Christmas. It was hard knowing when to stop ... (insert grin here) ...

It's strange, but I'm reading a novel on my nook lately where the main character's nickname is "Red" ... it was the past Free Fridays offering - From Notting Hill with Love...Actually by Ali McNamara. A nice read; I'm about halfway thru it now. I liked both those movies and the book's a romantic comedy about a gal named Scarlett (hence the nickname) with something of a movie obsession.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas! Here's wishing you and yours a merry Christmas and t'riffic New Year!

I made this card from a recycled store-bought one I'd received in years' past. I cut out the Santa from the card, then cut a couple of trees in similar shapes from some DP I had on hand, and just cut a couple of wavy snow mounds to layer the trees between and voilà! Easy peasy!

stamps: PTI's Signature Christmas; paper: Carta Bella's Christmas Day, and SU's Old Olive card stocks; ink: Ranger's black soot distress ink

a cuppa Christmas joy

Happy Monday!

Here's an other-than-a-card that I made at a recent SU Stamp Camp outing. I opted to give it to a coworker this past week, but it would be a cute teacher present as well! I took a couple of pics so I could share w my stamping buddy Pat as she was busy with wrapping up the last of her Christmas presents. Me?! There's always time until the recipient is pulling into the driveway!

There's a couple of glassine bags inside the cup - one filled w hot chocolate mix, and the other filled w mini marshmallows - and a couple of candy canes tied up in soft Cherry Cobbler yarn. It really is soft delish stuff.

I love that SU's begun to package dies to coordinate with their stamp sets, a very welcome trend in the industry, don't you agree?!

fleas navidad

I'm just making a quick stop to share a card that I mailed to my brother this past week ... hoping that he doesn't think that I think that his pup's got fleas! I'd seen the sentiment stamp and couldn't pass up the opp to make a card casing it! My sentiment's PC-generated using one of the fonts from a set of 7 Kim Hughes fonts I'd purchased back in August from the kind folkes at scrapNfonts. I'm a professed fontaholic and probably have WAAAY too many on my PC, LOL!

Anywho, this card's winging its way to my brother, who just happens to have a pet mini dachshund named Pippin.  The DP's from a recent sketch workshop held at CAM (link at stores on right), and I'm not sure what the pup stamp is from ... and too lazy to go dig it up right now too!

Thanx for stopping by!

It's a CAS199 Christmas

I don't think I've ever made a card in stages as this one ... first used the Cuttlebug, embossing folder and word die on Thursday before heading to work, then located my string on Friday and cut out the holly ... and finally assembled it today! Lovin' the mainly white on white! This is my latest embossing folder and I got the coolest storage notebook for them at a Deer Hunter Widow scrapbook show at the Birch Run Expo Ctr recently!

I wonder how many crafters have their Christmas cards prepared and/or already out the door. I'm woefully behind this year, and don't even know for sure how many cards I've made this year! How about you?

stamps: n/a (haven't selected the inside sentiment yet tho); ink: n/a; paper: Bazzill Palo Verde and Neenah Solar White card stocks; accessories: white string; tools: Cuttlebug w Sizzix Holly Swirls embossing folder

the die-namic duo

my latest die purchase was the words collections from PTI - both last year's holiday stamp set, and this year's count my blessings set. as luck would have it, every time I logged in to the site to purchase the holiday set this year and last, they were sold out of either the stamp set or the dies of one or the other ... except for last week! let's have a shout out for perseverance! YAY!

today's duo CAS post is that of a positive/negative space one. I used the word piece popped out from the die for the first card, then used its negative space for the second one. voilà! easy peasy, and here's my first two cards of December!

stamps: PTI's Holiday Stamp Set; ink: SU's Not Quite Navy; paper: Neenah's Solar White, SU's Not Quite Navy card stocks; tools: Cuttlebug w PTI's Holiday Die Collection

SCS' CAS weekly challenge card

This week's challenge card is inspired from the written word ... the following quote from Galileo: I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night. - Galileo

... and it inspired me to use a couple of Memory Box stamps I'd acquired a little over a year ago to make this CAS one-layer card! 'Nuff said! A quick post tonite as I'm off to enjoy a cuppa coffee w my sweetie. Possibly the CAS-est card I've made in quite a while ... maybe this one was CAS-er, tho'?!

stamps: Memory Box's All is calm/bright, Tree Silhouette; ink: CTMH's Outdoor Denim; paper: The Paper Company's cards & envelopes pkg

xmas card class fav

a first for me - I attended a mass Christmas card-making class this month led by the lovely and talented Angie (link at right). I generally just make single versions of cards and accumulate them 'til Christmas, and MOST of the time have enough to send out by the time the holiday approaches. not so this year. I've been on a reading kick lately (blame Barnes & Noble, as I picked up a nook last year) and not making many cards. NOT that I'm leaving the fold ... I could start a small store from my supplies in here ... but I digress.

here's a card I'd meant to post early in November as the class was held on the first! due to the existence of scheduled posts some of you may think I've posted this Nov 1st, lol!

no deets today as all supplies were provided in class. I'm lovin' this 2-step tree stamp, aren't you?!

I believe ... it's Christmas in July!

"I believe ... "

I'm a huge fan of the movie Miracle on 34th Street, and love the scene where Natalie Wood's mom tells her that faith is believing in something when common sense tells you not to, so I took that part from a longer sentiment (originally from a mini KaiserCraft set that read "I believe in you") to use on my SFYTT July sketch. I've made a few Christmas cards this month, having been prompted to do so by my favorite local stamp store, Capture-a-Memory. It's a good idea to make a few each month so that the need for Christmas cards doesn't sneak up on you in November, don't you agree?! I've never liked to pick one design and assembly line make multiples of that one design. "Christmas in July" was CAM's ongoing theme this month, for the most part!

stamps: KaiserCraft's Proud mini stamp set; paper: Authentique's Wonder DP, SU's Cherry Cobbler, Crumb Cake, and Vanilla card stocks; inks: Ranger's antique linen and black soot distress inks; tools: Creative Memories' circle cutter, SU's stocking builder punch (BTW, have you seen SU's mitten bulder punch in the holiday catalog?!)

Jesus is the reason for the season

merry Christmas, everyone!

I'm relaxing w my sweetie after having had the family up for Christmas dinner, and wanted to share a pic of this year's tree. A good time was had by all.

dinner w friends

I met up with friends for supper recently where we exchanged cards and gifts with each other. Two read my blog so I'd held off posting their cards 'til now. Here's Pat's one - she's all about pinks and I had this pretty DP with some non-traditional colors used in its Christmas trees ... perfect! And a perfect evening w friends!

stamps: SU's Christmas Greetings; paper: My Mind's Eye's be merry trim the tree DP, A1 neenah nat'l white, Su's regal rose card stocks; ink: Ranger's antique linen distress ink, SU's rose red; accessories: The Twinery's Pink Sorbet twine