Happy Mail

Don't you love getting mail this time of year?  The good usually outweighs the bad!  All the beautiful Christmas cards and newsy letters and pictures of little ones that come in the mail at Christmas ... if we could just do that all year, wouldn't it be nice?  I used to always do a Christmas newsletter and my family would just groan.  My intentions have always been good to do one the last couple of years, but just haven't gotten around to it.  I was really planning to do it this year, but since I've been sick all week, I just sealed the cards and stamped them and had Sonny take them to the post office today.  Maybe next year!!!  Here are a couple of hand-made Christmas cards I've received this week.

This one is from my friend, Jennifer, who lives in Gig Harbor (where I moved from).  She has come a long way.  She was in my Stamping Club when I lived there and always did beautiful work but she wouldn't go "outside of the box".  She always wanted my sample card right in front of her so she could do every detail exactly like I did.  I'm so glad she is still stamping.

This one is from my good friend and neighbor, Judy.  She stopped by yesterday to give me an order before leaving for Florida for the holidays.  This card is just gorgeous!  The pine needles look so real I had to touch them to make sure they weren't.  And ya gotta love that Big Note die!! 

Deck the Halls

(Deck the Halls)

Deck the halls with foils and glitters,
Fa la la la la, la la la la.
Tis the season for us stampers, Fa la la...
Don we now our inks and powders, Fa la la...
Troll the heatguns and embossers, Fa la la...
See the card stock blank before us, Fa la la...
Strike the ink and join the chorus, Fa la la...
Follow me in merry masking, Fa la la...
Join us in some Yuletide stamping, Fa la la...
Faint away with chalks & markers, Fa la la...
Hail the new, ye rubber stampers, Fa la la...
Stamp with joyous all together, Fa la la...
Heedless of the times that's passed us, Fa la la...

Christmas is all about the little ones!

These pictures tell it all - Christmas is for the kids.  Aren't they precious???  My daughter in law is very anal but allowed the kids to make this gingerbread house this week.  I just wonder how much of the candy (that they usually are not allowed to have) went in their mouth instead of on the house!!  Wish I could have been there to help.

Scrapbook Wonderland

(Scrapbook Wonderland)
Author: Erin Kilmer

Shakers rattle, are you listenin'?
In the aisle, beads are glistenin'!
A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight!
Walking in a scrapbook wonderland!
Gone away is my money
Here to stay's my croppin' buddy!
We're singing a song
As we shop along
Walking in a scrapbook wonderland!
In the workroom we can build a layout
Using diecuts, Punches, fibers too!
We'll have lots of fun making our layout
And they have just the right shade of Stampin’ blue!
Later on, we'll conspireAs we crop by the fire
To bring all our pics and our hermafix
Walking in a scrapbook wonderland
In the workroom we can build a layout
With our eyelets, stickers, tags and Brads.
We'll have lots of fun making a layout!
All those Patterned Papers make me glad!
When we crop, ain't it thrillin',
Though the shop's makin' a killin'?
We'll frolic and play the Scrapbooking way
Walking in a scrapbook wonderland.
Walking in a scrapbook wonderland.
Walking in a scrapbook wonderland!

Dashing to Mooresville to the stamp store!

This one is for Brenda - owner of Stampers Alley in Mooresville!! Go visit her today!

(Jingle Bells I )

Dashing to Mooresville,
I hear the stamp store call.
I must get there today!!
So, things will have to wait,

Like household chores, I fear.
I'm driving thru the blinding snow
To purchase Christmas cheer!!

OH!!...Rubber stamps, rubber stamps,
Be a friend to me!
Jump into my shopping cart!
Bring others Christmas glee!

Oh!!...Rubber stamps, rubber stamps,
You can do the trick!
Christmas joys for girls and boys
Just like dear ole Saint Nick!!

So now, with stamps in hand,
My mission's plain to see
From "Rubber Stamp Command"

"May all your days be bright,
Your New Year full of worth!.
And may your blessed Christmas night
Be filled with peace on Earth!!

" OH!!...Rubber stamps, rubber stamps,
Be a friend to me!
Jump into my shopping cart!
Bring others Christmas glee!

Oh!!...Rubber stamps, rubber stamps,
You can do the trick!
Christmas joys for girls and boys
Just like dear ole Saint Nick

Christmas Crud

I've been sick all week and haven't gotten ANY decorating done as planned!  I went to "doc in a box" on Sunday because I had a really bad sore throat and figured it was a sinus infection.  They gave me a Z Pack which I finished today, but my throat still hurts!!  I've also got a cold, I believe.  I've been blowing my nose so much, I look like Rudolph!! 

Tomorrow is my Mahjong Christmas party and I hope to be able to go.  We are supposed to take a dish (luckily, I still have bourbon balls and pizzelles I can take!) and a present for the Chinese auction.  Here is what I am taking -

My daughter, Ashley, made this necklace for me.  She made several for me to give as gifts.  I picked out the piece and she put it together with beads, etc.  It's really quite pretty in real life!!

This is a set of note cards I made using Inspired by Nature and the Curly Punch set.  I love these colors together - kraft, kiwi, and Baja Breeze with some designer paper.

A close-up of one of the cards -

And of course, one of my calendars:

Everything will go into this box which is gorgeous on it's own.  I didn't make it - bought it last year at Home Goods.

12 days of Christmas

This one's for my sister, Marianne. This is what she wants for Christmas (a heat gun!!)


(12 Days of Christmas)

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
12 rubber stamps,
11 handmade papers,
10 embossing powders,
9 duel tip markers,
8 paper edger's,
7 assorted ink pads,
6 funky stickers,
5 exotic glitters,
4 brass stencils,
3 craft punches,
2 paper crimpers,
and a brand new embossing heat tool.

A Rubber Wonderland

Rubber Wonderland(sing to tune of Winter Wonderland)

Rubber calls . are you listening?
Glitter falls . bright and glistening.
We're happy tonight,
Our stamping's so bright . . .
Wading through a Rubber Wonderland.
In the craft room we can stamp a snow card,
send it on its way to a friend.
They'll say did you make it?
You'll say "Yeah, man . and you can stamp one too, yes you can!"
Later on, we'll conspire, as we sit, by the fire,
to face unafraid the mess that we made .
wading through our Rubber Wonderland

Grandma got run over ......

Grandma Got Run Over by a Brown Truck
(Written by: Denise Wenzloff)

Grandma got run over by a brown truck
Going to a stamp camp Christmas Eve
You can't understand why she's addicted
But she buys more darn supplies than you'll believe

She'd been cutting all her paper
all her inkpads were just so
She packed it all inside her caddy
And she left with all her things to earn her dough

When they found her Christmas morning
The brown truck had not come back
There were tire marks on her forehead
And a ups symbol on her back

Grandma got run over by a brown truck
Going to a stamp camp Christmas Eve
You can't understand why she's addicted
But she buys more darn supplies than you'll believe

Now were all so proud of Grandpa
He's got all her things to sell
Little beads and all her punches
Some cutting thing and some stamp says wishing well

All the boxes still come to Grandma
filled with tons of her cardstock
If UPS wont stop those orders
We'll be forced to make those cards around the clock

Grandma got run over by a brown truck
Going to a stamp camp Christmas Eve
You can't understand why she's addicted
But she buys more darn supplies than
you'll believe

Now the glitter is on the table
Right beside her big RED hat
I bet she really really needs them
Cause she can't get them where she's at

I've called all her friends and stampers
Better watch out for that man
They should never give a license
To a guy who never stamps and drives a van

Grandma got run over by a brown truck
Going to a stamp camp Christmas Eve
You can't understand why she's addicted
But she buys more darn supplies than you'll believe

Christmas Buckets

My sister, Marianne, has been a busy beaver!  She has a full schedule anyway - 2 teenage boys with active soccer schedules plus she works full time.  But she has been an angel in making me these Christmas buckets to send to my step-granddaughters.  I am going to fill each one with goodies that I have collected.

I bought Marianne one of these buckets last May at a stamp store in Shallotte, NC and she has been reproducing them like crazy.  They are great for holding your crafting supplies and have pockets all around the outside and on the inside.  She has sold a bunch of them.  I think she charges $20 for the bucket & insert, but she will just sell you the insert if you want to buy your own bucket.  She gets plastic buckets & metal paint buckets at a local hardware store.  So if you are interested, let me know!

This one uses Wall-E material and is for Cassidy who is 9.

This one is for Torri who is the oldest - 14.  Her room is decorated in a jungle theme so thought this would be cool for a teenager.  It is actually our favorite!!

This is for Kennedy, who is almost 11.  As you can see, it is Tinkerbell.  These gals love Disney!

And here is my bucket - stuffed!!