Something We All Need - A Gift Card Holder!

I have been on the go so much this week I don't know if I am coming or going!  I went to a Christmas party every day last week except for Wednesday.  Monday was bridge where I too a squash casserole, gift for our exchange as well as a little hand made goodie for all 17 people that were there; Tuesday was Bunco in our neighborhood - again I took a dish for dinner and a gift for the exchange.  Thursday was Southern Living - this time I made Ambrosia Macaroon Cookies and a gift for the exchange.  Friday it was Mahjong - again, a gift and I took sausage and biscuits for our brunch.  Saturday was a cold dreary day here and I was glad to spend it indoors working on my Christmas projects for the following week and my Christmas cards.  Today in between football games, we had our family Christmas.  Luckily, we gathered at Marianne's house.  I took my gifts for all the family and my requested potato casserole (a favorite of Marianne's boys); squash and zucchini and an apple pie.  Monday I go to my other bridge group and take my gift and a corn casserole.  Afterwards, I have an appointment for a massage ..... much needed!!  Tuesday I am getting my hair cut in the morning and then coming home to get ready for my Stamp Club Christmas gathering.  We are going to make gift cards on Tuesday plus I have some goodies for the gals.  So, please forgive me for not blogging much last week .... and possibly next week.  We will be leaving for Texas on Wednesday hoping to make it to San Antonio by Friday.  I am hoping I am going to find some time to pack!!  Plus, I need to pack for New Zealand since I will be leaving from San Antonio for New Zealand on the 28th.  I don't think I will have any trouble sleeping on that flight after the hectic weeks I've had.

My brother and sisters

My nephew, Derek and Mom (resting her eyes)

Niece and nephew (my brother's kids)

Marianne and Lee - my baby sister and baby brother!

My nephew, Harrison and Mom

I have been working on a few gift card holders.  These are something I think everyone could use this time of year.  This one is a super simple one.

I made the smallest envelope using the Envelope Punch Board in red card stock.  Then make a belly band with black card stock.  I used the Curly Label Punch for the silver glimmer paper and cut a rectangle out of black card stock for the center of the glimmer "buckle". 

Here's another easy gift card using the Bigz Bow Die to decorate it:

Gift Card Holder "present" open

gift card open - you can just barely see the brad on the left side I used to attach the top to the bottom.

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!!

Clearance Rack Blitz!!

 

 

 

Who doesn't like a great deal?  Especially on some old favorites!

 

Buy yourself a Christmas present!!

Stampin' Up! is going to be filling the clearance rack with never before posted retired items.  Up to 80% off!  They are clearing out the warehouses and YOU are going to benefit.
  

If it's your first time online shopping you will need to create your profile,
you may want to take care of that now, so you are ready to shop later.

If you do not shop online, you may call me or e-mail me
and I will place your order for you. See info in the blog header to contact me.

 Remember this sale is "WHILE SUPPLIES LAST".

 

Click on CLEARANCE in the tab above.

Time for another CLEARANCE BLITZ!

Clearance Rack Blitz:
A new Clearance Rack Blitz begins December 10.  Retired products-up to 80% off-will only be available while supplies last.  If you place an online order, please use the Hostess Code when prompted - RADZVCQJ
Also, Sara Douglass filled in for her mom, Shelly, on the Today show last week.  You can see the video HERE.

I realized I did not share the Thanksgiving pictures that I took.  Unfortunately, none of us took too many pictures .... too busy visiting and eating!!

Ashley, Grandmom Betty and Girlfriend (Sharon)

Sharon gave me this Friendship Basket with a few adult beverages in it for Sonny and I.  Isn't it beautiful?

Marianne and Sharon made the candle decorations and place cards. 

Plenty of food for everyone!!

Girlfriends!

The table is set.

I made these a year or two ago and just "spruced" them up a bit this year.

Place settings on the table made by Marianne and Sharon

thank

Yummy Cookies!

Ashley and I usually make sugar cookies at Christmas.  We have tried many different recipes with good and bad results.  I have a new recipe to try this year that I got from a DIY website.  Maybe you'd like to try it too.  If so, here it is - put it in a safe place so you can find it!!

SUGAR COOKIES

Dry Ingredients:
6 cups of Flour
2 teaspoons of Baking Soda
1 teaspoon of Salt

(mix together is small bowl)

Wet Ingredients:
1 cup Shortening
2 cups Sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup Sour Cream

(Blend wet ingredients until smooth in large bowl)

Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

Cover and place in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Roll out cookie dough. Use your favorite/festive cookie cutters.

Bake at 400 for 7-8 minutes.  Let cool.

 In the meantime, make the frosting.

Blend all together:
1/2 cup Shortening
1/2 cup Butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups powder sugar
2 Tablespoons milk

Dye the frosting whatever color your heart desires.. and taste the beaters if you like :)

Where Does the Time Go? Paper Craft Crew Challenge #70!

Wednesday already and I haven't posted yet and Wednesday is going fast!  Where is the time going??  My December is going by and according to my date book, will be going by in a flash!  I think I only have about 4 days free until we go to San Antonio Dec. 18.  I had to make an unexpected dentist visit and was lucky to be able to schedule it in the late afternoon after my bridge party next week.

Today was our Newcomer's Christmas party and, WOW, was there a lot of food.  But not as much as in the past.  Usually everyone brings a dish and it is overwhelming with about 100+ people all bringing food!!  This year the alphabet was split in half.  The first half brought a dish to share and the second half brought a bag of canned goods for the Soup Kitchen.  I was in the second half but I took pity on one of my friends who doesn't cook and volunteered to make a dish for her.  Another gal was supposed to do it but she wasn't able to come today.   We loaded three cars up with food to take to the Soup Kitchen pantry!!  Along with the food we took, we also made baskets for the seniors in the community who are not as well off as some and we brought toys and/or clothing for the children who are in need.  These items were loaded on a Christian Missions truck for distribution at Christmas.

Toys for the children

Children toys

Some of the clothing for the children

Senior baskets

More Senior Baskets - think we counted 68!!

Starting to load the items onto the truck - a really foggy day!

Plenty of food for everyone and more being brought in!

OK - on to my Paper Craft Crew creation for this week.  I turned to MDS and Season of Style Pocket Card kit to create this festive card:

More of Ashley's Creations

Thought I'd share the rest of the cards Ashley made while she was here.  Not too bad considering we were only in my craft room a day and a half!!  Wish I could say I got this much accomplished!

Framelit Card she made for a friend who is getting out of the Army in a few days trying to decide what is next in her life.

Framelit card closed

Simple card using Apothecary Accents sizzlits

She had a hard time with this one but finally got the rectangle cut out in the center with my exacto knife.

Very similar to the previous card - just didn't use the knife!!  Uses Delicate Doilies stamps.

Ashley's Creative Cards

Ashley was here for a fast week and we stayed pretty busy, as usual.  We stayed home on Friday and most of Saturday and played around in my craft room.  Ashley made some great cards and I managed to take pictures of them before she packed them up.

Beautiful Butterflies!  She got the inspirations from this framed picture.

This is a mask Ashley used to make the flames on the card below - Gorgeous Grunge stamp

Candles and flames using Gorgeous Grunge

A simple but elegant wedding card for one of Ashley's best friends from medical school.

Paper Craft Challenge

This was my sketch challenge for last week's Paper Pals Challenge.  I decided instead of doing a card this week, I would do a scrapbook page to represent fall and our recent trip to Greenville.  I used the Wonderfall kit for this.