Little Letter Thinlets

I really like Stampin' Up's Little Letters Thinlets.  They are easy to use - especially with the Magnetic Platform and the Big Shot.  And they are a good size without taking up the whole card.  They are just 3/4" high.  I used them to make both of the cards below.

For this card, I used the negative are of the letters to spell out JOY.  The DSP is from the stack of decorative paper that is in the Holiday Catalog and the little pine cones are from Lovely As A Tree. The embossing folder is actually one I've had before SU came out with their Stylish Stripes.  They are both almost exactly alike.  I really like the traditional red, white and green in this card.

For this card, I embossed the white card with the Stars embossing folder (Holiday Catalog).  I punched the star using the Itty Bitty Accents Pack.  The word "season" is from Everyday Occasions Photopolymer - one of my "go to" stamps for Christmas.  The strip of DSP is from the stack in the Holiday Catalog.

Suspended Festival of Trees

Whew!  Just finished pulling the Steelers through to a Monday Night win against Houston Texans.  We didn't look so good at the beginning of the game and let Houston score on us twice right off the bat with a touchdown and a field goal.  Even the fans at Heinz Field were booing their team!  But then the Steelers woke up and got three touchdowns and a field goal in less than three minutes at the end of the second quarter to turn a poor start and a 13-0 deficit into a 24-13 halftime lead.  I was whooping and hollering with Sammie trying to sleep on my lap.  She didn't know what was going on!!  We ended up winning with a score of 30-23.

Here is another "suspended" card using the Festival of Trees this time.  You can get the directions for the basics to making the card from yesterday's post.

Don't let my husband tell you he doesn't like cats!  Check this out:

Suspended Stars

Happy Monday!  I had a nice relaxing weekend.  Sonny and I went to the movies on Friday and saw The Judge.  It was very good - I would recommend it.  Saturday night we went to some friends house and played cards.  And Sunday, I got a lot of Christmas cards made.  I still have a lot to go but at least it is a start.

This is a fun card.  I guess you could call it Suspended Stars.  The starts are suspended between the top and bottom pieces of cardstock (which is covered with DSP). This card uses the stamp set, Bright and Beautiful.

Suspended Star Card

Inside of card

You cut your card base at the normal 5.5" x 8.5"; then trim it down to 5.5" x 5.75" and score at 4.75".  From the piece that is left over, cut a strip at 1.5" x 5.5" for the bottom.  Stamp your star and adhere it at the top to the top piece of cardstock and to the strip that you cut for the bottom.  The star holds the top and bottom together.

I have made a similar card to this one using Festival of Trees which I will share with you later.

Christmas Fun Fold

Brrr was what we were saying this morning!  A cold front moved into our area Friday night.  Yesterday was a beautiful fall day - crisp and cool!  Loved it!  We opened all our windows and about 5:00 pm, we were shutting all of them because we were both really cold!!  This morning I think it was in the 40s when we got up and the temps were in the 50s all day.  But I think it is going to be short lived.  The rest of the week I think it will be in the 70s which is ok with me.  We are going to Pittsburgh later this week and I'm sure it will be pretty cool there too.

Saturday was National Cardmaking Day.  I tried to get Sonny to come up and make a card with me but I wasn't successful!!  But I made several cards.  I found this fun fold card on Sandy Hancock's blog.  It was made by Cheryl LeFore.  She used All Is Calm DSP and I changed it up and used the Trim the Tree DSP stack.

Here are the instructions if you want to make one:
Cut base cardstock (Real Red for mine) 8"x 8".  Use the Simply Scored Diagonal Plate and score all four sides at 3".  Cut out the small triangles where the score lines criss-cross.  Flip the cardstock over.  Use the regular Score Board and score at 1" on all four sides to the triangle.  Fold the large flaps in toward the center and fold the small flaps in the opposite direction.  Decorate with DSP.  Trim one end of DSP diagonally and adhere to the small flap.  Close the card clockwise and place the fourth flap under the first flap.  (Note:  I may have done mine backwards because I had to close the card counter clockwise to get it to work.  Just try it and see what works for you.)

Belly Band:  3/4" x 9 3/8" cardstock.  Score at 1/2", 5/8" and 5-1/8".  Decorate.  (since the DSP stack is not long enough to go around the belly band, I cut two pieces and put one on top and one on bottom.)


I found out today that the vintage scrapbook page I made this week for MDS Monday was selected as a challenge winner.  I loved that page with the picture of my mom.  Check out the nice comments and the other challenge winner HERE.

Our house guest is still entertaining us!  Sammie loves my Stampin' Up boxes and I always keep one in the family room for her to curl up in.  Well, of course now Bogart wants the box and I know if I put another one out, they wouldn't have anything to do with it.  So they just have to take turns!

Whose turn is it?

Where are you Sammie?  Lookie - I'm in your box!

I'll show that white cat whose box this is!

 Today I caught them exchanging cat kisses!!

Just hanging out!  Bogie thinks he's king of the mountain on the scratching post!

I really goofed up this week though!  When I cleaned out the litter box on Thursday, I mistakenly put the lid on backwards .... the lid with the hole that they go in to do their business.  Sonny noticed it Friday I think and fixed it.  He told me about it and we checked around but didn't find any surprises UNTIL I was folding the laundry on Saturday.  The laundry basket had been in the laundry room and I carried it up to our room to fold the clothes.  Normally, I just dump it out on our bed.  Well, glad I didn't this time!  Guess where they did their business?   As I was reaching in to pull some clothes out, my fingers touched something squishy .... ugh!  I couldn't blame them but I did wonder why they were both sniffing around the laundry basket when I brought it upstairs!  So, yesterday I got to do the laundry all over again!  Never a dull moment with these cats!

Watercolor Winter Kit

I have found the best deal ever in the SU Holiday Catalog!  It is the Watercolor Winter Simply Created Kit (page 37).  With this kit and a few stamps (that you might have on hand or you can purchase), you can make at least 20 cards.  I made a lot more than that and just used additional card stock that I had on hand for the card bases.  The kit includes 20 cards, envelopes, die-cut letters and shapes, linen thread, watercolor brush and cardboard accents - all for just $24.95.  

At Convention this summer I attended a specialty class where we were able to play with the new Card Kit.  I loved this class and getting to work with the watercolor projects.  (I used a few drops of reinkers mixed with water to do the watercoloring.)  When I came home, I just had to finish all the cute cards.  The kit has enough stuff to make 5 each of 4 different card designs.  However, I didn't want the same cards so I decided to see what else I could make with it. As you can see (below), there is so much you can do with this kit and I still have stuff left over!!  These are the different cards I made with the kit.  I think I have made a total of 30 cards with the kit.  I also used the stamp set, Watercolor Winter Too.  (pg 37 - $11.95).

Stamp Club Cards

I had Stamp Club this week and we made these cards:

Our first Christmas card!

This was such an easy card to make!  The sentiment is from Everyday Wishes which will be available to order from the Holiday Catalog in about a week.  It was offered last year and I purchased it then so I was happy to see that it was carried over to the Holiday Catalog.  The strips of DSP and the yarn are retired.  The Cherry Cobbler Sweater Trim has been on the Clearance Rack for a long time.  But I just checked and this color is gone but Gumball Green is still available for $3.59.  First I used the Mosaic Punch to punch the ornament shape into a piece of Silver Glimmer paper and then used the 1 3/4" Circle Punch to punch out the circle shape.  The pretty Cherry Cobbler 1" Sheer Linen Ribbon is also from the Holiday Catalog.  It ties like a dream!

Flower Frenzy Die

 I won this Flower Frenzy Bigz Die at the Late Night Stampers event in Salt Lake City.  It makes a really cute flower.  The dots are stamped in white ink with a stamp from Kinda Eclectic.  The "happy birthday" sentiment is from another photopolymer stamp - Endless Birthday Wishes.  It is not in the catalog but is available for sale for $13.95.  It is a very versatile stamp for birthdays.

Endless Birthday Wishes - #137553

Kinda Eclectic

I was given this stamp set at Convention - Kinda Eclectic.  I have seen a lot of cards made using this stamp.  I used all the new In Colors on this card!  And the inside .....is a detachable bookmark!

Kinda Eclectic card - opened to reveal a bookmark

I cut the Mossy Meadow card stock 5.5" x 10.5".  Score it at 4.5".  Perforate a score line at 8.5".  Click HERE to watch a video showing you how to make a similar card:

I had a Card in a Box planned for us to make but one of the gals who wanted to do that card was unable to attend so we will do it next month.  Instead I substituted the next card.

The final card we made uses a darling hostess stamp set Hello Love.  You can only get this set by being a hostess at one of my clubs or by hostessing your own workshop.  (I would love to do a workshop for you!)  I try not to purchase many of the hostess sets each year for my own use but this year, I will be breaking that rule for sure!  I already have two of them and have my eye on a couple of more!  They are so cute.  Another feature of this card is the DSP.  I used Back to Black  (pg 187) and used my Blendabilities to color the DSP.  It is so cool and you can coordinate your DSP to your card!

This is the front of the card with a 1 3/4" circle punched so you can see the bird.

I used the lightest Melon Mambo Blendabilities to color the DSP.

This is the inside of the card.  This is a small 4" x 4" card with Melon Mambo as the backing for the white card.

Here are two strips of Back to Black DSP - one is colored with the dark Melon Mambo Blendability and the other with the light Calypso Coral.

Ode to my Wife funny poem

Finally a day I didn't have to go anywhere!  I actually got a lot done today - most of my presents wrapped, most of my Christmas cards mounted onto card stock, cookies made for my luncheon on Thursday, December blog header made and uploaded (like it?) and I even cooked dinner tonight!  Wow!   I'm really lucky that Sonny doesn't want a full cooked dinner every night.  How times have changed.  I'm pretty sure we usually had a full dinner every night when I was growing up.  Now we may have a full dinner a couple of times a month!  We usually have something light - sandwiches, soup, home made pizza, eggs, tacos, salad and we are both ok with that. 

I received a beautiful Christmas card today from a local friend and fellow SU demonstrator.  Not only did she send this beautiful card but on the inside was a funny poem that I want to share.

"Ode to My Wife"

"She learned to stamp on Monday

Her embossing was quite fine.

She forgot to set out dinner,

So we went out to dine.

 

She brayered backgrounds Tuesday

She says they are a must.

They really were quite lovely

But she forgot to dust.

 

On Wednesday, it was birthday cards

She says that chalking's fun.

Shading, blending and watercoloring -

But the laundry wasn't done.

 

Her card swap was on Thursday

Using green and blue and red;

I guess she really was engrossed.

She never made the bed.

 

It was shaker cards on Friday

Using techniques she just adores,

But she never seemed to notice

The crumbs on all the floors.

 

I found a maid on Saturday!

My week is now complete

My wife can stamp the hours away;

The house will still be neat.

 

Well, it's already Sunday,

And my forehead's feeling damp.

I cursed, I raved, and I ranted -

The MAID has learned to stamp!!"

Vicki used a favorite retired set and some non-SU DSP on the bottom.  But isn't this a great card??  Love it!
 

Paper Craft Card #71paper

It's time for the Paper Craft Crew challenge this week.  MDS to the rescue again!  I have been super busy trying to get my Christmas shopping done in time for our family party on Sunday.  I think I finished today!  I'm even going to use My Digital Studio for my Christmas cards this year.  I printed out a design today and took it to Staples to have it copied (4 to a page).  Tomorrow I hope to do some sponging and mount the image onto cardstock to finish them.
 
Without further ado, here is Challenge #71:

Are you making the rounds of all the Christmas parties and eating too much???  Well, I am.  As I'm writing this, I'm still stuffed from my neighborhood bunco Christmas party tonight.  I had actually forgotten about it as I don't usually play bunco during the year.  It seems I go a couple of times a year.  Anyway, about 6 pm, I'm checking my email and there's the reminder of the Christmas bunco party.  We were supposed to bring a gift ($20 range) and pot luck dinner.  I always have a few spare gifts in my "stash" so that was not a problem but my cupboards are rather bare.  But I was able to find an unopened pack of cream cheese and I had a jar of jalepeno jelly and some crackers, so, voila! I was in business!  My luck at the bunco table was not great tonight - I only won 2 games out of 6!  We only played one round after we ate and then did the Chinese gift exchange where you can steal a gift or open a new one.  My luck is never good although yesterday at bridge, I ended up with a very nice set of little Christmas dessert dishes that I really like.  I thought I was home free tonight. I was #11 (out of 22) and I stole a really cute stuffed snowman and held on to it until the very end.  Then the gal that was #1 got to have one last steal before the night was over and she took my snowman and I got her present which was the same gift I had brought tonight!  So guess that gift will be traveling to another Christmas party in the future!!

More Christmas Card SAS

I've been working fast and furiously on my Christmas Stamp a Stack for Saturday and Monday.  I have the cards made, the packages bundled up and I am now working on some great door prizes!  I love giving my customers and friends special hand made gifts.   Here are a few more of the cards we will be making on Saturday.

Christmas tree from Lovely As A Tree

Gift Card Holder - Starbucks anyone?

Cute little elf shoes made from the Top Note Die!!

Christmas Stamp a Stack

My Christmas Stamp a Stack is this Saturday and the following Monday evening.  If you live in the area and are interested in joining us, please call me or email me.  I will have door prizes and lots of fun is in store!!

This card uses Festive Flurry stamp in two different shades of green.

The cardinal is North Carolina's state bird so it is only fitting that we include him on a Christmas card!

Die cut the "J" and "Y" and use the Ornament die for the "o" - add a little washi tape and bakers twine and you have a JOYful card!

Snowflake Mittens

Yesterday was Ashley's birthday. I got her age right this year (37) of which she was glad.  She and Sonny went out early to finish up their Christmas shopping.  When they got back home, Ashley and I went out to finish up the loose ends in our Christmas shopping and baking.  We met Sonny for lunch at Purple Garlic (yummy meatball sandwich!!).  Sonny and Ashley did their annual baking of sausage balls while I made some chocolate pretzels and marinated mushrooms.  We went out for dinner at Josephine's for steaks.  So it was a pretty quiet day but we squeezed a lot into it!

Our cats are still taking a wide berth but they are tolerating each other at least and we are not having to keep them shut up and separated any more.  Here is a video I took today of them that is really cute!

And a little more Christmas trivia for you .....

There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas? 

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember. 

• The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ. 
• Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
• Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
• The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
• The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
• The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
• Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit--Prophesy, Serving, Teaching,Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
• The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
• Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit--Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
• The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
• The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
• The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles' Creed.

 So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol...so pass it on if you wish.

OK - now for a card I made: 
I love the Perfectly Preserved set and how versatile it is!  Here is a Christmas card I made using the set.  I stamped the jar with Bashful Blue ink on vellum and stamped a snowflake in the center with White craft ink and embossed in white.  The mittens are cut out with a die that I have had for several years (Spell-binders I think) but SU has a mitten punch that could be used also.  I stamped and embossed the snowflake onto the mittens as well. 

Joyous Celebration

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETARY

Rest easy, sleep well my brothers.

Know the line has held, your job is done.

Rest easy, sleep well.

Others have taken up where you fell, the line has held.

Peace, peace, and farewell

The wreaths on the graves -- some 5,000 -- are donated by the Worcester Wreath Co. of Harrington, Maine . The owner, Merrill Worcester, not only provides the wreaths, but covers the trucking expense as well. He's done this since 1992. A wonderful guy. Also, most years, groups of Maine school kids combine an educational trip to DC with this event to help out. Making this even more remarkable is the fact that Harrington is in one of the poorest parts of the state.

Here is a Christmas card I made.  I used the embossing plate on a piece of DSP and sanded it slightly. 

Doilies and Christmas Ornaments

Just a quick post today.  I'm busy getting ready for ..... my Christmas Stamp a Stack, Stamp Club next week, Ashley's visit next 2 weeks, Thanksgiving ..... the list doesn't stop!!  Now I know why we had ham sandwiches for dinner tonight!!  No time to cook!! 

So, I had this card on my desk and forgot to share with you.  It came together really simply.  I haven't used the Doily Die much but I think I've figured out the trick so I'll be using it more often.  I was having a hard time getting it to punch out and then had all those little "chads" to punch out.  But I've discovered that If I use 3 vellum shims when running it through the Big Shot, I don't have too much trouble with it.  Every machine is a little different so you might have to experiment to see what works for you.  Anyway, back to the card ... the red circle is punched out and embossed with the Polka Dot embossing folder.  The ornament is from the Delightful Decorations stamp set (before I bought the Ornament Keepsakes).  Season's Greetings is from Curly Cute.

Have a great weekend!  I probably won't be posting since we are driving to Atlanta Saturday to pick Ashley up after her conference.

Holiday Ornaments

I told myself I didn't need any more holiday stamp sets but I just didn't listen to myself.  When Stampin' Up had the bundle on sale last week, I just couldn't resist.  And I've had fun making cards with it and will probably use it at stamp club next week. 

this one is my favorite!

close up of the ornaments

I had a busy day yesterday.  I left the house in the morning at 9:30 and didn't return until almost 6 pm!  I visited with my friends at the Newcomers meeting first.  Then I headed to Mooresville and did a little Kohl's shopping.  I have not been to that store in a long time until I went on Monday.  I bought some slacks and a top but when I got home, I had a 30% coupon in the mail from Kohls but the sale didn't start until Wednesday.  Well, I didn't need those clothes that bad.  So,  I took the items back, got credit and bought them again plus a couple more things using my coupon plus getting Kohls Bucks to use next week.  Then it was time for a haircut.  Boy, did I need one!  Although afterwards, she was sweeping up the hair she had cut and there was a lot of gray hair on the floor - don't know whose hair THAT was!!  Surely, not mine!  My next stop - after grabbing a bite to eat - was Dollar General.  Love that store!  Our Newcomers group collects baskets at Christmas for the Christian Missions Group.  They give the baskets to the elderly in our town who are in need.  So, I filled my basket with soap, hand cream, puzzle magazines, pencils, candy, etc.  We also donate a child's gift to the Christian Missions.  While I was at Kohls, I picked up the cutest Velveteen Rabbit along with the book for a child along with a few clothing items for a child.  Sure makes you feel good to do something like that.