First off, I want to wish all of you and yours a very Merry Christmas! Hope you all are enjoying the season and being together with family and friends, 'cause isn't that what it's all about after all?

While I love where my husband and I have settled, there really is no place like home during the holidays, with family and friends. 

And on that note, here's a card I made prior to heading out on vacation and gave to my parents for Christmas. I thought it was really appropriate as we were all heading home for Christmas :)

I can't tell you how much I love Boards and Beams (this stamp set from Papertrey Ink)! *Sigh*. It's fun to color and with the additional Home for the Holidays set, it's great for Christmas.  I sponged around the edges using Chai vintage ink from Papertrey Ink - and I really like how it turned out! I've been "sponging-challenged" on projects I've tried in the past but I think I've got a come up with a technique that seems to work now so maybe I'll try it a bit more. I used red stickles on the tree, wreaths and garland. Then I used a bit of ripe avocado ribbon and pure poppy buttons to finish it off :)

Thanks for stopping by for a looky-loo :) Merry Christmas!

TTFN,

Hi ya! Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays - I know I am :)

Just wanted to share another quick project while I'm on my vacation. These are a few of approximately 24 quick holiday cards I made to cover my card deficit :) I used a few scraps left over from making gift boxes for the folks at work.

It's a pretty simple and easy-to-mass-produce layout. There are 4 of each color variety. The image is from Stocking prints (Papertrey Ink) and the sentiment is from an acrylic stamp set from Michael's (can't remember name). Boy, did they come in handy too :) The card base is stampers select white and the colors are enchanted evening, berry sorbet, ripe avocado, ocean tides, raspberry fizz and scarlet jewel (not shown) all from Papertrey Ink. I used a damask Cuttlebug embossing folder on the base. 

Now I'm gonna sit me down and watch "A Christmas Carol"... I sure do love this time of year :)

Thanks so much for stopping by!

TTFN,

Howdy all. Happy holidays!

In a previous post, I mentioned I would share the gift boxes and coordinating cards I made for the folks at work. They were a lot of fun to make and came together really quickly. I LOVE this timeless template by the talented Lauren Meader - it's called Tucked Away. It really does come together so FAST. Great for mass production. Please ignore the "backdrop" for the picture of the boxes :)

I filled the boxes with Lindt candies - YUM-MY! Hope they like them :)
I was also so excited to be awarded Chic of Week over at the Just Us Girls site for last week's challenge (#11). I really love their challenges and all the super talented and wonderful ladies over at that blog so it truly was an honor for me to be chosen :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! I appeciate any and all visits :)

TTFN,

Good evening folks :)

This weekend's been a busy one - we're preparing to leave for Christmas vacation on Wednesday! I literally CANNOT WAIT!!!! We are heading to my parents home in Eastern Canada. It's been a year and a half since I've been home and I'm super excited. I love being home for the holidays :) So in preparation, we've been cleaning, doing laundry, and a variety of other chores. I'm almost done sending Christmas cards and my little gift packs for the folks at work are almost completed. Still a few other things to do... No matter how hard I try, it seems that things always end up coming down to the last minute. And, I've decided I'm OK with that :)

But notice that I did have time to prepare one last project for a few challenges. I've got my priorities :)

This card is for Dawn's Raspberry Suite Color Challenge and the recent Just Us Girls technique challenge hosted by Kristin.

The background was stamped with white pigment ink using Turning a New Leaf (from Papertrey Ink) onto Terra cotta tile cardstock. Then I sponged on brown chalk, wiped off the excess with a cloth and, Voila! A bit of the white still shows through a bit but I'm really happy with the result for my first shot. And I didn't even ruin a piece of cardstock trying the technique first (which is pretty much the norm for me :)). I used dark chocolate and kraft cardstock (Papertrey Ink) for the scalloped pieces, which were then wrapped with aqua mist ribbon. The flower was cut from aqua mist cardstock (Papertrey Ink), stamped using Background basics: text style (Papertrey Ink) and the same chalkboard technique used here as well (brown chalk). I was going crazy with it 'cause I loved it so much :) The sentiment is from Birthday Basics (Papertrey Ink) and was stamped in terra cotta tile (also from, you guessed it, Papertrey Ink - Love their stuff!!!). 

I'll absolutely use this technique again! It's so easy and SOOOO versatile - as I was applying the chalk to this card, a million other ideas were going through my head. This will definitely be a favorite. Thanks Kristin!

So my posts for the remainder of December will be sparse. Unfortunately I won't have access to crafting supplies while at my parents but there will be lots to do, loads of people to visit and, of course, a cornucopia of things to eat! I will share my gift boxes for my coworkers in a few days just so my blog won't be totally abandoned :)

Thanks so much for stopping by! Have a great start to the week. I know mine will start off right given the fact I've got vacation in 3 short days! Oh yeah, I'm also excited because my dh gave me an early present - a espresso machine. So I get to have a homemade cappuccino tomorrow morning. Life is good :)

TTFN,

 

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...for relaxing :) Had a fun afternoon shopping then a lovely dinner with my hubs. Now we're chilling. It's funny how the definition of a great Saturday night has changed throughout the course of my adult life. No longer is it a night on the town - it's relaxing at home with the family. Boring, perhaps; but I'll gladly take boring :)

I have another card to share for Mercy's Tuesday Sketch Challenge. I used the really wonderful digi stamp designed by the lovely Kristin over at Just Us Girls. It was given to each of the participants of one of their weekly challenges. 

I colored the image with my copics. I used the copic airbrush system to color the background - have to practice with it a bit more as it turned out a little splotchy (splotchy...is that a word?). I think I was a bit too close to the paper as I sprayed. But even the mistakes are fun with these markers :)

Well, that's all for tonight. Hope all of my friends in blog-land are having a great weekend. There's another challenge over at the Just Us Girls site I can't wait to take part in. It's a technique challenge - the chalkboard technique. I've never used it but am excited to try it out. Thanks a bunch for coming by!

TTFN,

 

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'Cause I think I could win one :) I can't believe it's been 6 days since my last post - where does the time go? The start of this month has been slow form me creatively. But, like everyone else, it's a-go, go, go in terms of other aspects. That beings said, I do LOVE this time of year so I really don't mind the hustle and bustle :)

I had time this evening to head to the ol' craft room. And, boy, did I make use of it. Got glue on my fingers and I'm COVERED in glitter from all the furious crafting :) Fun, fun, fun! So hold on tight 'cause I have a few projects to share tonight.

The first card I'm sharing is for Mojo Monday #116. I wasn't sure if I'd get to this one or not but, yay, I managed to fit it in!

I think it tuned out ok but it's a far busier card than I normally create. There's lots going on :) If I had it to do over again, I'd likely tone down the guide lines background for something a bit simpler given all the other patterns I have on here. I did use one of my fav seasonal color combos - raspberry fizz and new leaf (Papertrey Ink). I also used vintage cream and spring moss. The poinsettia is from the Papertrey Ink Peaceful Poinsettia set - I stamped it on some DP from DCWAV several times, cut them out and layered with dimensionals. The guidelines background would have been pretty all on it's own without the stuff over top. Ya live, ya learn...

The next project is for Annabelle Stamps weekly sketch challenge.

TTFN,

It's really starting to seem Christmas-y - snow, music on the radio, decorations..... bring it on!

We just returned from a weekend in VA with family - it was so nice. Relaxing, great food, family and friends - what more can you ask for? On Saturday, there was a beautiful snowfall; actually about 6 inches of snow accumulation.

And, of course, we had to play a bit in the snow.... (picture shows Spencer, Freya and Dallas - he's proudly owned by my in laws)

Since the snow was a tad wet, this is what happens to pups with longer hair! The fun was worth the de-snowballing :)

Since we don't get snow like this in East TN, we had to take the pups out to play some more. Being originally from Canada (Spencer) and the northern US (Freya), I think they miss the snow sometimes so I like to indulge them a bit on occasions such as this.

I cut the Christmas light bulbs with my cricut (Christmas cheer cart). I covered the surface with glue and added Martha Stewart glitter. I also added a touch of gold pen to the cardstock under the ribbon and above and below the sentiment. Very little stamping on this one.

I just love Christmas lights - my Dad always put up those large, mutlicolor bulbs on the exterior of the house. I still remember the glow coming through the window at night, gently illuminating the bedroom. There is still something just so comforting about that memory :) Love this time of year!

That's all for today. Hope you all had a great weekend! Thanks so much for stopping by!

TTFN,

 

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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated):
Stamps: Stocking prints (sentiment)

Ink: New leaf

Paper: Pure poppy, stamper's select white, plum pudding, DCWAV patterned paper and gold metallic paper
Other: cricut, Christmas cheer cartridge, new leaf ribbon, gold paint pen, rectangle nesties, glitter

Still recovering from my cold but at least felt like stamping a little today.

 Just Us Girls is challenging us to go 3-D this week; in other words, make a project from a template.

I haven't tried many of these yet although I have purchased a few of Lauren Meader's absolutely fabulous timeless templates. I really wanted to use the Tucked Away template (which I had bought a long time ago and have not used) as it is a perfect, small gift box. Actually, I wanted to play around with it to come up with a design to mass produce for the folks at work to give as little Christmas gifts (filled with candy:) ). Actually, I got a bit carried away and made two boxes..... :)

First up is my Christmas-y take;

Although I like how this turned out it was a bit more labour intensive that I would like for mass production so I'll re-think it a bit :)

Next is a set I plan to use for a friend - I have a bracelet for her birthday next year so it'll go really well in the petite version of the Tucked Away template. This set also qualifies for Crazy for Challenges week 13, which is to use punches on a project.

I had forgotten how addictive these templates were to make!!!! I have to make more. I really like the samples of the Fold n' Go template I've seen too so I may have to add that one to my next purchase.

Hope you're having a great beginning to the week. Thanks for stopping by!

TTFN,

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Ingredients (all Papertrey Ink unless otherwise stated):

Christmas Gift Set

Paper: vintage cream, pure poppy, sweet blush

Ink: Sweet blush, vintage cream, memento lady bug

Stamps: Just Rite Stampers Merry Little Christmas Borders & Centers Round 1-5/8”, Polka dot basics, faux ribbon

Other: Cricut, nesties, pure poppy and sweet blush buttons, candy cane ribbon (Walmart), twine

Daisy Gift Set

Paper: Terra cotta tile, dark chocolate, summer sunrise

Ink: Terra cotta tile, dark chocolate, chai 

Stamps: Turning a new leaf, Background basics: retro, Garden of life (sentiment)

Other: New leaf ribbon, fiskars apron lace border punch, fiskars flower punch, nesties, clear embossing powder, twine