Muffin, Muffin, Who's got the Muffin?

I made a couple of Advent Calendars from Mini Muffin Tins!  What fun they were.  I originally had just made one but the gal who bought it wanted another one for her other grandchild.  So I improved on the original!

I got the tins at Walmart.  The red and green paper is cut to 1 1/4" square.  Layer on those squares, the large scallop circles.  Then punch designer paper in 1 3/4" circles and layer them onto the scallops.  Then I just typed 1-24 on my word processing program in a font I liked, printed them out onto white cardstock, and punched them out with the 3/4" punch.  On the back of the red and green squares, I glued think magnets.  The magnets were a real find!  A few years ago, Ashley was cleaning out her desk and had about 100 of these refrigerator magnets she'd gotten from a drug rep or something.  Anyway, I don't like to throw anything away so I took them.  It's amazing how often I've used those little magnets.  They have been a real find!

I played bridge today .... and actually had the top score which was surprising because my hands pretty much sucked!  But that just goes to show how bad everyone's hands were.  I won't be able to play Mahjongg on Friday due to going to Pittsburgh which made several of the gals happy since I have been winning big time the past month and taking their money!  (We only play for $2!)

Fall Back - Calendar Time

Did you remember to "Fall Back" last night and enjoy that extra hour of sleep?  I did while snuggling under my down comforter.  I like it cold when I'm sleeping so I can snuggle down under the covers.  It's putting my foot outside of those covers when I have to get up that I don't like.  Sonny and I enjoyed breakfast this a.m. at Bob Evans since we wouldn't be headed over to the Steeler bar at noon for the game.  (They are playing Monday night so we'll be watching them from home this week.)  I've had to satisfy my Sunday football fever with watching the Ravens play Miami and New Orleans beating up on the poor Panthers.  Next week though .... I'll be watching the Steelers from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh Sunday night!!!  Can't wait!  Plus, we also got tickets for the Penguins hockey game on Monday night! 

I started working on the calendars that I do for friends and family each year.  I finished the first one today.  It is a CD calendar.  I was working so hard, I burned a hole in my embossing tray! 

 It happened while I was making these fall leaves.  I love this technique but don't do it very often.  I stamped the leaves (from French Foilage - SU holiday mini) in a variegated stamp pad (Big & Juicy pad) and cut each one out.  Then squoosh them into Versamark.  Holding the leaf with tweezers, dip each one in Extra Thick Embossing Powder and heat with heat gun.  Dip again into embossing powder while still hot & heat again.  Repeat this 3-4 times.  You end up with leaves that you could actually use for a piece of jewelry (with a pin on the back).  

 I glued the leaves onto this page using Glossy Accents.

 Used the apple from the hostess set, Apple Blossoms; punched the star & added a button.

 The trees are from Tropical Party and the dog is from a retired set that I don't remember the name of.

Purple flowers are from Awash With Flowers and the daffodils are from Abundant Hope.

Christmas girl is from Greeting Card Kids and October is Wicked Cool.

Melting snowmen - aren't they cute?  It's a Northwoods stamp.  The girl is a Magnolia stamp.

Love birds are from a hostess set in the holiday mini - Northern Hearts.  The shamrock stamp is an old Michael's Dollar stamps.

Playing Catch Up

I had to share this beautiful tree!  This was taken right outside our bank last Saturday.  The fall colors here came in a jiffy this year.  If you weren't in the right place at the right time, you missed them.  We had hoped to go to the mountains to see all the beautiful foilage but never made it this year.  Hope next year is better.

I haven't stamped anything in three days!  Wow!  I've just been doing nothing.  I think I burned myself out getting ready for that craft fair and now I have to find my mojo again.  I've got to get my butt in gear and get to work on Christmas cards and calendars.  I've got ideas in my head by they haven't reached my fingers yet.  I forgot to mention last week that I won some blog candy!  It was my first time to actually win AND receive it.  A couple of years ago, I won some blog candy but never received it so that didn't count.  This time, I won from Nancy Dawson over at Paper Dreams & Creative Wishes.  She sent me Technique Junkie 2010 Edition CD!  So, I'll be learning some new techniques soon.  I used to subscribe to Technique Junkies newsletters (for several years).  It is a great resource.  If you are interested, check it out HERE. 

So .... back to playing catch up.  I have several cards I have received in the past few days / weeks that I have not shared.  So, here you go!



Halloween Card from Margaret



Sonny's birthday card - from Margaret

Monday Mailer from October

Monday Mailer from October

Whew!

Whew!  I'm done with the Craft Fair!  It went pretty well.  I sold some things but brought some things back home with me too.  It's funny - you just never know what people are looking for.  The items I thought would have been the big sale items weren't.   Oh well .... I have quite a few Christmas gifts now!   I'm just ready to make cards and other things for fun now - starting tomorrow!  After the show was over, I went to lunch with a group of ladies, had a couple of margaritas and relaxed.  Tomorrow I'll tackle the unpacking and maybe make a start on getting my craft room back in some kind of order!  Yesterday, you couldn't even walk in my room without stepping on something. 

I thought I'd share a few pictures of some of the things I had for sale today.

Tealight candles that I stamped on (about 50!)

Candles in Slide Open Boxes

Gift Box with notecards inside

Notecards inside box above

Magnetic box that I got off Clearance.  I decorated it and put candles, and note cards inside

Inside of Magnetic Box (above)

Metal Box with candles (I think this is an empty embellishment box)

Accordian Fold Holiday Planner

Slit Latch Gift Card Holder - directions on Splitcoast Stampers

Inside of Gift Card Holder (above)

Another Slit Latch Gift Card Holder - fun & easy to make IF you follow video tutorial!

I am going to Statesville tomorrow evening to a Christmas Open House at a nursery/gardens there.  Please keep your fingers crossed that it won't be rainy!!  I know it will be cold but I can dress warmly.  We finally got out the down comforter last night and slept under it all snuggly and warm!   Sonny broke down today and had to turn the heat on while I was gone this afternoon.  Let me tell you, if he turns the heat on, you know it's cold in the house!  He said he'd been outside doing something and when he came inside, he realized it was much colder inside than outside.  He checked the thermostat and it was registering 58 degrees!  (Ashley - you would have icicles hanging off your nose!)  So .... I am headed to bed now to get under that warm down comforter! 

Good night.

Happy Halloween!

Today was Sonny's birthday.  We went to Daveste Vineyards with some friends for a Halloween party.  Sonny doesn't drink wine but I gave him a chance to go somewhere else!  It worked out good though - our friends brought him a mini keg of Heineken in a cooler so while Cathy & I drank our wine, the guys trekked over to the car and poured themselves the beer!  We did not dress up but there were quite a few people there that were in the Halloween spirit.

The "undressed" crew!!

Minnie Mouse



Psycho Movie - The Bates Motel crew!



This couple were really cute!

The band was really good - glad it wasn't raining though!

Pretty Spooky!



Chile Mine Worker - he had a sign on his back that read:  "I love my wife girlfriend.

Speaking of birthdays, I found a website full of Birthday Freebies!  Who doesn't like FREE!!  Go HERE and check it out.  Sign up for the restaurants that are in your area.  This is when I wish we were back in Texas - a lot of the restaurants are there.  But, I did make sure I signed up for Blue Bell.  That is our favorite ice cream!!  We can only get it here at Walgreens in Mooresville.  Which reminds me, Sonny ate the last bit of it last night so guess we'll be going to Walgreens tomorrow.  On their website, I found a $1 off coupon so I will be using that also.

Hope you are pulling for the Rangers in the World Series!  They won tonight at home.  My nephew and his wife got tickets and were at the game tonight.  It was a good one.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Holiday Purse

I have made the cutest holiday purse with a set of cards and note paper to go inside.  Yes, all paper!  I love Becky Roberts' work on Inking Idaho.  She did a 12 Days of Christmas (like just about everyone else!) and when I saw the purse she did, I knew I had to purchase her tutorial.  They were such fun to make!! 

Here's my version:

Cardinal Cards for the purse

Note card for purse

Purse made with Deck the Halls DSP

Snow Swirled cards for Deck the Halls Purse

Snowman (Cute Christmas) note card for purse

I was finally able to talk to Ashley today.  Her internet has been down since Sunday.  She went out yesterday with a group to check out the medical facilities at a base a couple of hours from her.  I don't know all the specifics of why she went or who she went with as I came in the room on the tale end of the story as she was telling her Dad (probably didn't want me to know!).  Anyway, they went out in a type of Humvee vehicle and she was sitting in the back seat just taking in the scenery.  She said the guys up front had headphones to communicate with each other.  The colonel asked her if she'd like to put his headphone on to hear what was going on and she told him no, she was just enjoying the scenery.  When they reached the base, the people there told them they were glad they arrived safe and had listened to their directions.  Evidently, while Ashley was "checking out the scenery", an IED (explosive device) had been thrown at the humvee in front of them but it was faulty and didn't explode.  The colonel told her he figured if she didn't want the headphone, there was no reason to tell her about what was happening!  She said it worked out ok for her - she  didn't have to get stressed out!  Really brings it home that this is a WAR she is in and not just a vacation.  All I know is, it's going to be a long year!

Ashley is very thankful for the cards you have been sending to her!

Birthday and Sympathy .... what a combo!

Whew .... we've had some bad weather here the past two nights.  Last night there were tornado warnings all over our area from about 7 - midnight.  There was a lot of destruction last night around Lincolnton which is where my sister works.  And, it looks like they are in the path again tonight.  Sonny was so mad because he couldn't watch his recorded programs on tv!!  May have the same problem tonight.  As I am typing this, I am listening to all the tornado warnings in our area.  The storm is supposed to be over Sherrills Ford and Mooresville in the next hour.  It has been hot and humid the past two days - great conditions for that bad weather.  I finally turned our A/C on today and closed my windows.  Hopefully, it will cool down again tomorrow.

I received a few more birthday cards that I want to share with you. 

from Brenda

from Joyce

This is actually Sonny's card - from Ashley

from Ashley



from Margaret - love that bow tying!!

 Tomorrow my Stamp Club gals are coming over.  They requested sympathy cards so I have a few for them to pick from.  We are going to do it a little different this time.  I have 4-5 cards made up and I am going to let them pick the ones they want to do - kind of like a smorgasboard.

 This one was CASE'd from one that was sent to me for my birthday.  I love the simplicity of it!  
• Run white card base (5 ½” x 8 ½”) through Big Shot with Finial Press folder.
• Stamp flower (in black) from Awash With Flowers twice onto white CS (4 ½” x 3”). Stamp stems.
• Color in leaves & flower centers with markers.
• Mat onto black cardstock (4 ¾” x 3 ¼”)


• On Glossy White paper, adhere 1 3/8" circle mask. Sponge Artichoke ink around the top and then sponge Mustard & Caramel as desired.
• Remove circle mask & stamp flowers so that the tallest flower is inside the white circle.
• Trim white card at bottom of flowers (about 3 ¾” square.) 
• Stamp “Thinking Of You”
• Mat onto Artichoke paper (4” x 4”)
• Trim about ½” off the front of the Dusty Durango CS. Use scallop punch to scallop the front of the orange card.
• Tie seam binding ribbon around the card.

 

• Crumb Cake is the base card – cut 5 ½” x 8 ½”

• Confetti White (5” x 3 ¾”) – stamp leaves all over in Crumb Cake, Pear Pizazz & Peach Parfait ink)
• Sponge edge of leaf stamped piece with Crumb Cake & dauber. Adhere to card.
• Stamp tree from Thoughts & Prayers w/Crumb Cake ink onto 3 ½” x 2 /3/4” Confetti White piece. Stamp sentiment in bottom corner.
• Color some of the leaves of the tree with markers (Pear Pizazz & Peach Parfait)
• Sponge edges of tree piece with Crumb Cake & adhere to Crumb Cake piece (3 ¾” x 3”)  Adhere to card.

Which will you pick?