Both of my clubs met last week for a little tag making party. It was my gift to my club members - they didn't have to order anything and I made Christmas tag and gift card samples for them. They had fun making the projects. We are going to start making Christmas tags earlier next year - maybe do one each month so when it's time for Christmas, we'll have enough. Of course, if they were procrastinators like me, they wouldn't have their presents wrapped early and doing the tags a couple of weeks before Christmas would work!

Aren't these little guys cute?  Made with the Owl Punch!

This little Angel Ornament is made using the Pennant Die and the Big Shot and LOTS of glitter!

This is mhy favorite!  I didn't kiss it either - it's a lips stamp!

You can use the pull out part for a greeting or adhere a coffee gift card inside .... or even a tea bag!

This is a gift card holder.  It swings open with the glitter brad at the top and there is a pocket inside for the gift card.

Clearance Rack Blitz Begins Today

	From December 15, 2011, through January 5, 2012, nearly 200 products are being added to the Clearance Rack in the Online Store--with some discounted up to 80 percent!  Visit the Online Store to take part in the savings! (Within the Online Store, in the Clearance Rack Blitz category, there will be some identical punches that have two different item numbers; this is because SU is using inventory from both their American and  European warehouses. We will indicate which punches this affects in the product description.

Wednesday Stamp Queen's Sketch Challenge

Doesn't that little box up in the corner scare you????  11 DAYS TILL CHRISTMAS!  I'm not ready!!

As usual, I am late in posting this sketch challenge for the Stamping Queens Challenge.  But My Digital Studio rescued me once again!  The sketch this week was fairly simple so I kept the card pretty simple also.

I used elements for several sets for this card.  Sometimes I think simple is best!

Check out the other Queens take on the challenge HERE.  If you get a chance, try out the sketch for yourself!

We are making progress with getting the whole house painted!  Sonny has moved upstairs and has finished painting our bedroom and bathroom (blue).  He still has some trim work to do in the bathroom but will do that after Christmas.  Today he is doing our guest bathroom (Lemongrass - a pale green).  He will finish up in 2012 and paint both our guest bedrooms in pink.  What's so great is he also vacuums the rooms and baseboards when he's finished before putting all the furniture back!!  He's a keeper for sure!

Peekaboo Tags

I finally had a little bit of time yesterday to play with my new Peekaboo Frames die.  I know a lot of people ordered this die to make Advent Calendars but that was not my intent.  I wanted to make tags and cards with it with hidden messages.  So yesterday, I set out to make a bunch of tags.  My Stamp Clubs are meeting this week on Tuesday and Thursday and we are making tags and gift cards.  Here are my samples using the Peekaboo Tag Die which is on sale now in the Winter Mini Catalog!

Tags - closed view

Tags - open view

Aren't they cute?  I used Real Red and Glorious Green (retired) cardstock and various Christmas stamps that I had.

Penguin Babies

While Ashley was visiting over Thanksgiving, a good friend of hers from DC had twins!  They were very early - not due until March and weighed about a pound each.  But they are doing ok I believe.  So she made a cute baby card to send.  The babies room theme is penguins.  I didn't think I had any penguin stamps but then we found this cute penguin in a retired SU Christmas set, Cold & Cuddly.  I thought the card turned out really cute!!

So, you need to look at your stamps and use them for all occasions .... you never know!!

I have super busy as I imagine everyone is at this time of the year.  Every year, I tell myself to start doing things earlier so I won't get so behind, but do you think I listen to myself????  Nooooo!  I had one free day this week.  I had 3 parties to go to during the day that I had to take food - bridge, mahjong and Newcomers.  And tonight is our couples Newcomers Christmas party.  Luckily, it is one where they will serve me!  That is a real party to me!  We are having it at Queens Landing (but not on the boat).  I do have today free (unless I've forgotten to go somewhere!) so I plan to making use of the time and finishing my Christmas cards and work on some of my projects.  Because next week is just as bad - I think I have one free day next week too.  So, if I don't blog too much, you will know why!!

Last night we had to go to Big Als in Mooresville to watch the Steeler game.  They were on the NFL network and we don't get that channel at home.  They were playing the Cleveland Browns in what should have been an easy game.  Well, don't count your chickens before they hatch!  It was a nail biter.  In one play during the second quarter, Cleveland fumbled the ball, we picked it up and got to the 5 yard line with it when we fumbled.  Cleveland recovered and a few seconds later, we intercepted their pass!  Right before the half, Ben (quarterback) got injured and was taken away to the locker room.  That is never a good sign.  He had a high ankle sprain but he thought at first his leg was broken.  There is no doubt - he is one tough guy.  He ended up coming back the second half with his leg taped.  He didn't have any mobility but he was determined to finish what he had started.  And he did!  They won 14-3!

Tomorrow Marianne and I are driving to Blowing Rock to do some shopping.  Hope to see some snow but not get stuck in it!!

Stamping Queens Sketch 16

I JUST DISCOVERED THIS IN MY DRAFTS!  GUESS I NEVER POSTED IT.  I AM POSTING IT NOW SO YOU CAN SEE THE CUTE CHRISTMAS CARDS MADE WITH MDS.


It's time for the Wednesday Sketch Challenge.  Today's sketch is pretty easy.  I ended up doing two cards because I couldn't decide!!  I think the second one is my favorite though.  I did the cards on My Digital Studio (of course!!)

Why not make a card and try the sketch for yourself???  Check out the other sketch cards HERE.

Are you having trouble pulling up my blog?  I have heard from a friend that she has had problems.  Her grandson checked it out for her and sent me an e-mail.  He found out this:  There is a problem with blogspot.com and internet explorer. You can add my blog URL to the restricted sites in internet explorer. To do this, you go to tools, internet options, security tab, restricted zone and hit the sites button.  Add my blog url to the sites and then press ok. There is a javascript that runs by default on blogspot.com.  By putting my blog url in the restricted zones area, it disables the script from running and allows my site to display as it should. Also, you could just useFfirefox which is not affected by the issue.

I have Firefox on my main computer and have not had any problems.  BUT, I have Internet Explorer on my laptop and I am having problems.  I can get my blog to come up but my Christmas background is not there and a few other sidebar items are missing.  I will play around with it when I get time and send a message to Blogger to see if there is a permanent fix and to let them be aware of the problem.

Sorry!!



Magic Birthday Card

I made this card last week for a friend's birthday.  I don't know what the technique is called and I can't find the website that I got the directions!!

This is the front of the card.  I used Creative Elements stamp set (one of my favorites!!).  The colors I used are Pink Pirouette and Regal Rose.  So you can see the flower through the circle when the card is closed.

Here is the card open - now you see "Birthday Greetings" through the hole.  It's magic!!

Here is what it looks like as you are opening the card.  The "birthday greetings" slides into place over the flower!

You make two folded cards and adhere them together.  The dimensions of the two are:  5 1/2" x 11" (scored at 3 1/2" and 7") and #2 is 6 1/8" x 5 1/2" (scored at 4 1/4".)  If I can find the video that I watched to make it, I'll post it later.  I first saw the card on Splitcoast and followed a link.  I thought it was on Dawn's blog but I can't find it now!

EDITED TO ADD:   (I FOUND THE LINK!! - Check  HERE)

I really liked how the card turned out and I hope Brenda does too.

Today was a good day for football!  My Steelers and the Panthers both won today.  Marianne joined us at Big Al's to watch the game.  It was pretty much a blow out - Steelers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 35-7!  Ashley was pretty bummed out today.  She is taking a two week Army career course and thought they would be done by noon so she could get home and watch the game.  Several of her friends were coming over who are in town taking the course also.  She had already told them that her big TV would be on the Steeler game but that she had a couple of other tv's in the bedrooms they were welcome to watch other games on.  Well, she called me about 11 am and was still in class and it looked like she was going to be there until 3:00.  She has Direct TV and I was able to go on the internet and log into her account and set the Record button for her!  Isn't modern technology great??!!!  Well, when she got home to watch the game, she was able to watch it until the middle of the 3rd quarter. The score was such a blow out that the station changed the game to another one!!  Glad that didn't happen at our house - afraid Sonny would throw a brick through the tv.  On second thought, maybe that would be a good thing since I have been bugging him for a while to get a new tv!!  Hmmmm ....

Thanksgiving pictures

Thought I'd share some of the pictures I took last week.  I didn't take as many as I wanted to - seems I kept forgetting to take my camera with me when we went out!!

Taken Thanksgiving Day on my deck of us gals!  Ashley, me, Sharon (Girlfriend), Angela, Marianne and Mom.

My dining room table all set and waiting for the hungry family!

We finished painting the dining room and it looks great!!  This is one side of my family pictures.

This is the other side of the room.  I have old pictures of my family hung on both sides. 

Harrison and Derek - Marianne's boys on Thanksgiving.

Mom and Ashley taken at the Waffle House Tuesday morning before she headed to airport.

Ashley and Angela (who hates having her picture taken!)

Last Saturday night Sonny, Ashley and I took a Haunted tour of downtown Charlotte.  It was great fun!  I had bought the tickets several months ago on Groupon to use when Ashley came to visit.  We learned a lot of history about Charlotte that I didn't know.  Whether you believe in ghosts or not, it was very informative.  So, if you live in this area, I would highly recommend Carolina History and Haunts tours.

On Monday, we drove to Kannapolis to the North Carolina Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Everyone I have mentioned this to has said, I didn't know there was such a place.  I had read about it a couple of years ago in the Charlotte newspaper and kept the clipping for "some day."  It was free which is always a good thing but it is very well done.  I was surprised by the number of artists which have roots in North Carolina.  Museum exhibits include Charlie Daniels, Nina Simone, Chairman of the Board, Clyde McPhatter, Donna Fargo, Thelonius Monk, and Victoria Livengood.  Another good place to visit and take your guests to.

So Sorry!

So sorry I've been MIA for almost a week!  Just been busy and didn't get pictures downloaded earlier!  Ashley left yesterday and I stopped off at IKEA on the way from the airport.  I was real proud of myself - I bought about 6-7 items but my total was only about $35!!  That place really has some interesting things and I love to wander around in the store and look at all their neat organizing ideas.  After that, I stopped at Kohl's and picked up a sweater and a top (for me of course!).  Ashley made it safely home.  As it turned out, our friends, Don and Sharon were in San Antonio for a few days and picked her up at the airport. 

Today is Wednesday which is the Sketch Challenge over at Stamping Queen's.  I did my card in My Digital Studio again using some of the new downloads that were made available on Tuesday. (see two of them at end of post)  I have been wanting this stamp set for a couple of years now.  It is available only in the Spanish SU catalog.  I just love the butterfly in the set.  There is also a very pretty flower and a bee along with a text stamp (which I used on the white circle.)

Here are two of Tuesday's MDS downloads that I used in creating my card:

Today is the last day for the Online Extravaganza.  If you have been "on the fence" about some of the items, this is it!  If you want me to order any of the sale items for you, let me know ASAP!!

Happy Thanksgiving 2011!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I am thankful today to be spending the day with my family .... including my daughter.  This year we are not having to "Skype" her on the computer to wish her a happy day.  We can hug her and love her in person! 

As I type this, Marianne is downstairs making the dressing and sweet potatoes; Ashley is making her deviled eggs; and "Girlfriend, aka Sharon R" is peeling the apples for me to make the apple pies.  The turkey is in the oven; the mashed potato casserole is made; the cranberry salad is made (thanks to Darcie for the recipe!); the pumpkin cheesecake is made; green casserole is made and we are waiting for the rest of the family to arrive.  We will have appetizers first - warm brie, buffalo chicken dip, pineapple cheese ball, pepper jelly over cream cheese and onion dip and chips (for Sonny who is too picky to try the other stuff!!)  

Hope you enjoy your family and give thanks for all the freedoms we have in this country!

These are the little turkey favors I made for everyone's place.

These have little chocolate nuggets inside.