Whew am I tired! Marianne, "Girlfriend" (her friend, Sharon) & I spent ALL day at the Southern Living Christmas Show today. It is a tradition with Marianne to attend the Christmas show every year. She used to take our Mom, but she is just not able for us to drag her around that place. She wants to stop in every booth and "touch & feel"!! We arrived at the Merchandise Mart at 10 a.m. and left around 5!! Boy, do my feet hurt - that darned old plantar fascitis is acting up again and that concrete floor did not help it! But, I got a few items toward Christmas - a few things for Ashley and my grandkids. I got Jayce a book that will be written with his name in the book - all about animals. Can't wait to see it - they were out of it at the show and will mail it to me.

Speaking of Jayce, Darcie had the funniest story on her blog this week. It seems whenever Jeff goes out of town, something seems to happen to her. They live in Tucson so it usually has something to do with the animals in their area. This time, she was jogging with Jayce in his jogger stroller & he spotted a snake. Turns out, it was a baby rattler ... fortunately, a dead one. But, Darcie thought if theirs a baby, there's probably a mama around somewhere close. Later in the day, she was returning from taking Cassidy to school on one of the desert backroads she has to take & a "cat-like" creature crossed in front of her car. She stopped and saw it staring back at her in the woods (or I guess there it's the cactus!). She thought it might be a bobcat. When she got home, she googled it and it didn't look like a bobcat, so she googled another animal, and guess what it was!! A baby Mountain Lion!!! Seems she's always telling Jeff she's afraid to jog in the morning alone in case a mountain lion gets her and he laughs at her and tells her they don't have mountain lions in their neighborhood, but she better watch out because the sky might fall on her. Guess who's having the last laugh this weekend????

Tomorrow, I need to finish up the Calendars I'm making for the gals for Thanksgiving - 3 down & 5 to go!! And next week, Marianne & Sharon will be coming over for Cardmaking 101 so I have to come up with a few projects for them. PLUS .... get working on my Thanksgiving placecards & napking rings, PLUS my menu & grocery shopping.

Have a wonderful weekend!

These cute little boxes are easy to make. Here's the pattern to make the box. Wouldn't they be cute with some little Christmas candy in them? What are you waiting for? Get busy - select your paper - cut out your pattern!!!

Christmas Cards, Part 3

Well, I had my Christmas Card class tonight and I think it was a big hit to the ones who were there.  I had 3 "no shows" - they just don't know what they missed!!  But, I still had a good manageable crowd - about 12 gals and only 1 "newbie" stamper.  My sister took her under her wing and helped her with her cards.  Thanks Marianne!! 

Here's a couple more of the cards we worked on.

 

This one was just not a hit!  I don't think anyone did this card and I like it because it is different.  Judy helped me clean up and commented on it at the time, saying it was really cute in person.  The "pot" is made with punches (square and word window) and I used the star punches for the tree.

 

 

 

 

Believe it or not, but I got this reindeer stamp on Saturday at Michael's in their Dollar Bin!  I liked the reindeer in the SU set, Winter Post, but just wasn't sold on the whole set.  So, when I saw this little stamp, I grabbed it!  It had "Bliss" on the stamp also, but I used my Exacto Knife and cut the word off and put it on the side of the stamp. 

I used the scallop punch for the silver paper and the Curly Label Punch for "Merry Christmas"

Enjoy!

Sharon

More Christmas Cards

My Christmas Card workshop is tonight and so far, my count is for 14 ladies!!  Woo Hoo!! 

Here's a couple more of the cards we are going to be making.

 

This card uses Season of Friendship from the Holiday Mini.  The darker tree is embossed with Copper Embossing powder.  "Merry Christmas" is a rub-on (on sale!!) and the designer paper is from Ski Slope in the mini.

 

 

 

 

 

I think this may be my favorite!!  This card also uses the Ski Slope designer paper.  I used my Top Note die for the white & Baja Breeze piece and embossed the saying in the corner.  I punched out a Sizzix snowflake and put a crystal in the center.  The ribbon is some I found in my stash and I used a little gold cording to gather the ribbon in the center & wrap around the ribbon also.

Sharon

Let's Make Some Christmas Cards!

I've been busy all day getting ready for my Christmas Card Class I am having for my neighborhood on Tuesday night.  Are you coming? Whaddya mean you don't want to hop on a plane, fly hundreds (if not thousands) of miles, rent a car, get a hotel room, just to come?  Oh, well...I know you can't all make it, but a girl can try, can't she? 

I've made 10 different cards to pick from and I'll be posting them this week for you to drool over!  I'll even give you directions if you want to make some of them on your own.  The gals will be making 7 cards out of the 10 so I've tried to do some different things.  It's always so hard to decide!  I've done a lot of the stamping and cut everything out since I don't know what level some of the ladies are on with Creativity!!  Better to make it easy than to spend the night at the Clubhouse!!

This first card I'm sharing with you is actually using retired colors and paper with the little Christmas tree from Punch Pals.  The circle actually swings free (just a glue dot right below the knot so it can be used as a little Christmas ornament for the receiver!  Cute, huh?  I used my Nestabilities to cut the Cranberry circle; my Scallop punch for the green circle; and my 1 3/8" punch for the River Rock (tree) circle.  The holly leaves are actually one of my clear stamps.

 

Sharon

The Swap Nazi!

I used to be the Queen of Swaps!! I loved making cards and swapping them with fellow stampers - usually on Splitcoast. But, since I have hundreds of cards that I need to weed through, I have really cut back on my swaps. The only one I do anymore is with Jami Sipley from Splitcoast. She was a Dirty Dozen gal at one time and she is a strict swap hostess. I always hated it when there was a deadline and the hostess believed all the excused participants would give her and grant them a few days leeway. We refer to Jami as the Swap Nazi!! They are due when they are due and no doubt about it! Another good thing about Jami's swaps are that you don't have to make a whole bunch of cards - usually 8-10 which is not bad. Plus, she does not post the swap on Splitcoast before privately inviting swappers who are really good. I feel priviledged to be included in her group. She recently hosted a Christmas swap and these are the group of cards that I received.

Monday Mailer- Nov #1

This is the Monday Mailer I received from Lynn Griffith when I returned from my trip. Isn't it great!!

I got another one this week but haven't had time to take a picture.

Lynn used the stamp set "True Friend". Our theme this month is Thanksgiving or Thank You cards.

Touring Charlotte

Tuesday Sonny and I went to the Levine Museum of the New South in downtown Charlotte with our Newcomers & Golden Boys Groups. Sonny was not too thrilled to have to go to a museum but I think he changed his mind by the end of the day. I would highly recommend this museum!! You will find Charlotte's heart and soul in the museum's current program, New South for the New Southerner. Historian Dr. Tom Hanchett led a lively educational discussion on Charlotte's history and its future, covering topics as varied and colorful as why so many streets are named Sharon, what business was like in Charlotte before interstate banking, and what food and drinks were originated here (am I the only one who likes livermush???) This lighthearted lesson in local history is ideal for newcomers and natives (such as me). I feel like although I was born and raised in Charlotte, I really don't know her! I left for college in 1966 and basically, never returned except to visit. So, I get very lost in the city and don't recognize anything downtown!!

After the lecture and seeing some of the exhibits (hands on) in the museum, Dr. Hanchett led us on a walking tour of Charlotte. We went into the Bank of America building which houses an impressive traveling art exhibit which is open to the public. We visited the Mint Museum of Craft and Design where I had to fight back the tears. In my day, this building (Mint) housed Montaldo's department store. My grandmother and great-aunt, Love, both worked there. When I was young (12-13 years old probably), every Saturday, my girlfriend and I would take the bus downtown (today, it is referred to as UPtown). We would go to Montaldo's and visit my grandmother & aunt, go to Woolworth's to buy some Tangee lipstick (remember that???), down to Trade Street where my grandfather worked at Stein's Men's Clothing and he would always give me some money and take us to lunch (probably Tanner's hot dogs) and then we'd go to the Carolina Theatre to watch Elvis gyrate!! Such wonderful memories plus Montaldo's is where my wedding dress was purchased!! The walking tour was quite interesting though and we saw things that I wouldn't normally see and learned a little history about my hometown.

If you have guests visiting, I would highly recommend the Levine Museum!! Even if you don't have guests, go yourself! I know I will go back. And, perhaps take a little walking stroll myself to see what else I uncover down .... opps, UPtown!

SheetLoad's Blog Candy Blow Out

Want to win this stash????? If so, go to Sheetload of Cards website and check them out. Every month there is a free downloaded magazine with card samples and sketches. I'll be posting a card soon using one of their sketches.

Gift Giving Guide

Getting in the Christmas spirit yet? Stampin' Up! offers products that make great gifts, whether they're intricate projects for dearest family and friends, or smaller gifts such as party favors or gifts for neighbors. Our products offer you endless options--for any budget or recipient.

Here is a Gift Giving Guide for you. Contact me to order any of these items to make your gift giving easy!!

Use this list to find gifts in your budget, whether it's less than $10, $25, $50, or $100.