Merry Christmas To You & Yours

Merry Christmas! I almost forgot that I'd uploaded these cards to share with you on Christmas. I made this first card earlier this month with the Shimmerz I won as blog candy (thanks Stacey!). I used the To You & Yours stamp set (SU) and painted on some Sky Blue Shimmerz. It's really easy to use and the results are so pretty (you can double click on the photo to see the shimmery details). The simple, elegant sentiment is from the All Holidays set (SU). Here's another card made with the To You & Yours set ~We are so grateful to our family & friends for their faithful prayers & encouragement as we've spent the past 8 days in the NICU and Pediatric ICU. God has answered those prayers and Chloe is getting stronger everyday!! Here she is, 8 days old, celebrating her first Christmas! She's showing off her beautiful hat, made with love by our special friend, Nancy Littrell :)Experiences like these make you remember what's really important...and it's not the stuff under the tree, that's for sure. It's the love of family & friends and the gift of salvation that baby Jesus brought to this world. We've enjoyed a wonderful Christmas day & I hope you have too. Santa visited the PICU today bringing joy & toys to all the kids...even the youngest little patient...baby Chloe :) !

Peace, Love & Joy to you & yours

from Chloe, Katie & Santa

And the Winner is...

Chloe's smiling 'cause we get to pick a winner for some blog candy today! I'm happpy to report that Chloe had her heart surgery yesterday and it went very well. She's recovering in the pediatric intensive care unit and receiving excellent care. Mommy & me spent the night in the room with her and she had a rough night, but much better this morning. I had my Katie pick a number for the random drawing and that winner is....(drum roll please) ~

okienurse , who said...
Awesome baby girl! Everything will go well with the surgery tomorrow and she will be much stronger for it. I really love all the stamps available but my favorite is the treemendous set.Merry Christmas!

Congratulations Okienurse, you're gonna love your new OCL stamp set! Please email (youcanstamp@hotmail.com) me with your snail mail address & I'll make sure that you get your So In Love set asap! I have to agree, Tree-mendous is one of my favorites too! And another favorite that got mentioned a lot was the new Love Bug set! Here's a card I made with that set ~

and a closeup of that adorable little bug!

And here's my favorite little love bug...Chloe, hanging out with some of her new friends!

I have MORE BLOG CANDY coming up real soon :) and a few projects to share with you including scrapbook pages! And, of course, updates and photos of Chloe. Thank you so much for the sweet comments and prayers...we appreciate it more than words can express :)

And remember...today's the last day to take advantage of FREE shipping with SU on all orders over $70 and the first day to order the brand new sneak peek Love You Much bundle at 20% off. All those details can be found right HERE!

Welcome Chloe!

I have something VERY very special to share with you...pictures of Chloe Kate Thurman, my very first grandchild! She arrived via c-section, at OHSU, on December 17th, 18 1/2" inches long, 6 pounds 2 ounces. She's soooo beautiful!!! Mommy, Chloe & Daddy are all doing well.

As we anticipated, Chloe has two problems that will require surgical correction. Her first surgery will be to repair Coarctation of the Aorta and that will take place on Monday. When she is recovered from her heart surgery, she will have surgery to repair her Opmphalocele. Other than that, she is perfect and gorgeous :) ! Here's another look at her with her eyes open (the photos are a little marginal but they're completely unedited...I'm just excited to have the laptop here at the hospital and have the ability to take photos and email them to friends & family!)

It's snowing and beautiful in Portland! Sounds like we're going to be here for a month or longer, so we're getting settled into our routines and I've located all the good coffee shops here at the hospital :) ! If you haven't signed up for the Valentine Blog Candy yet, there's still time. I planned on selecting a winner on Monday, but it could be later, since Monday is surgery day. You can get yourself signed up by clicking HERE!

Here's a great photo of mom & dad having one of their first visits with Chloe in the nicu earlier this week. Thanks for stopping by. I have several projects uploaded and waiting to show you over the next few weeks, along with more updates and photos of Chloe :) !!!

hugs...from "grandma" nancy :)

Baby It's Cold Outside!

I thought I'd be away from the computer for several days...but due to the weather, I find myself having a little time this morning. Baby it's COLD in Oregon ;) ... woke up to 10 degrees in Corvallis today. We're heading to Portland in a couple hours. Waiting for it to "warm up"... upper 20s is the best we can hope for today, but we're also waiting for better road conditions. In the meanwhile, I wanted to show you the very last Christmas card that I made before leaving home. It's a warm, wintery scene accented with the hearts from the upcoming Love You Much stamp set & coordinating punch (available December 23rd). This card and the candle were for a very special lady named Anita :) ! Like so many of my friends, her life is a beautiful expression of love and warmth, so this card and candle were the perfect Christmas gifts for her! You wouldn't believe how yummy this candle smells! My friend Tonya hand pours these soy candles (click HERE to visit Tonya's blog). The Little Felt Flurries & the Button (from the Button Bouquet collection) were quick & easy decorations for the lid :) !! The Holiday Treasures DP and Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon provided just the right amount of decoration for the tin.

Okay, I guess it's time to shower and head for Portland. It's warmed up to a whopping 12 degrees outside! Don't forget to sign up for my Valentine Blog Candy...click HERE for all the details. One lucky duck will win that brand new So In Love set from OCL :) !!!!!

Also wanted to remind you of several $$$ saving specials going on at SU. I know it's a busy time of year to be keeping track of all this, so I'll recap for you ~

10% off ALL retiring stamp sets

20% off sets from the Sampler Catalog (when you spend $20)

FREE Shipping on all orders over $70

Love You Much Bundle sneak peek 20% off beginning Dec 23rd!

Keep in mind, December 23rd is the last day to take advantage of the Free Shipping offer...so if you were to place an order on the 23rd, you could take advantage of ALL 4 specials on that day !! I know all you smart, savvy shoppers will appreciate that tip ;) ! You can always find details on the current specials right HERE and place your online order too!! When you designate a demonstrator (hopefully me) you always get the lowest possible price!

Thanks for stopping by...have a warm, cozy, happy week!

Supplies for the card (size 4 1/4 square) ~ Stamps: To You & Yours, Love You Much (hearts) Paper: Riding Hood Red (regular & textured), Chocolate chip, Ski Slopes DP, Neenah White Ink: Ranger Distressed Black Soot Tools/Accessories: Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon, Love You Much triple heart punch, Kaiser self adhesive pearls, Copic Markers, Crystal Effects, Chunky Glitter, Oval/Scalloped Nesties with CB

Valentine Blog Candy !

I know, I know...it's December & you're still working on your Christmas cards ... but Valentine's Day really is just around the corner, and I'd love to spread a little Christmas joy by giving away one of the newly released sets by Our Craft Lounge! I'm going to be away from the computer for a few days, so I thought this would be a great time to do a little blog candy! I'm giving away the brand spankin new OCL set I used to make today's cards..."So In Love", and you can find it right HERE! I heat embossed Brilliance Graphite Ink with Clear Embossing Powder...I LOVE how the embossed black pops agaist that Just Dreamy 2 DP (My Minds Eye). There are 3 new sets being released today...you've got to check out the card Cami made with the new Love Bug set... it's right HERE! Isn't that adorable? Here's my second card...using pretty much the same supplies as the first, similar layout, but no DP on this one ~

More embossing on this card plus I used a Copic Marker to color in the tiny red hearts and a clear Spica glitter pen to add a little sparkle to the open hearts on the borders :) ! Have you seen the specially packaged assortments that OCL is offering? You can check 'em out right HERE! Copics make great Christmas gifts...my family totally surprised me last year with my very first set of Copics for Christmas! It's hard to take me by surprise, but they did it. I've thanked them about a million times...I LOVE my Copics!

This year, I'm expecting a gift that's even more special. I'm about to become a grandma for the very first time :) !! Baby Chloe is scheduled to arrive this Wednesday (the 17th) & will need surgery & some special care, so we're traveling to a hopsital where a team of specialists are ready to give her all the help she needs. We'd appreciate your prayers and I will update you when I can. In the meanwhile...how about some blog candy?

To get your name in the drawing for the Blog Candy just leave a comment and tell me which of the OCL sets under the category of Love & Such is your favorite...you can find 'em right HERE. I'll leave the blog candy open for 1 week and random.org will pick a winner on December 22nd. One entry per person please. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your week :)

I used similar supplies for both cards...so I'm going to combine the supply lists. The only real difference is the first card has DP and the second card has Copic markers and no DP...

Supplies ~ Stamps: So in Love Paper: Real Red, Pink Pirouette, Basic Black, Just Dreamy 2 DP Ink: Brilliance Graphite (with clear embossing powder & heat gun) Tools/Accessories: Ticket corner punch, Scallop edge punch, Small & Large Oval punches, Black Brads, Black American Crafts ribbon, R46 Copic marker, Clear Spica glitter pen, Sakura clear glaze pen,

Easy Gift Card Holders

It's getting to be that time of year when quick easy gift ideas are appreciated...so I'm doing a little re-run of a project I created last year. It's a classic, simple, super easy little Gift Card Holder and it's one of those projects I use all year long. I thought you might enjoy it too!! You can find my tutorial right HERE! I start with the gift card when deciding which colors and stamps to use. I think it's fun to make it all match :) ! This first one is a gingerbread theme. Here's the inside ~ Here's a gift card I made with the Holiday Lineup stamp set~Instead of adding Eyelets, I just wrapped the Silver Stretch Cord around the finished/closed gift card, tied a knot and secured it under the image piece. Here's a peek at the inside ~As I was reading through my tutorial, I thought of one step that might need to be clarified. When you're finishing your gift card (step #8), you'll close the gift card all the way up, then wrap the cord (or ribbon) around the gift card. The eyeletes (or image piece) just anchor it into place. Also, you'll want to pull the stretch cord just a little bit tight, so there's enough tension to hold the gift card closed, but leave enough slack, so it can be opened too. That part is really easy....just a little tricky to explain.

If you prefer to use ribbon, you can do that too! Your gift card holder becomes a little package that gets untied to reveal the gift :) !! Here's a special treat that would be fun to give AND fun to receive!! I used the Sweet Treats set from Our Craft Lounge :) ~ And here's how it looks when partially opened ~ And all the way open, to reveal a special treat...a yummy Starbucks giftcard! Speaking of yummy, OCL is now carrying some specially packaged assortments of Copic Markers. You can check it out right HERE!And my last gift card idea ... create YOUR OWN customized gift card ~I made a Stampin Up gift certificate, but you could make custom gift cards for any occasion. A "Dinner & Movie" certificate for the hubby. "One free carwash", "Dog wash" or "Babysitting" certificate. A "Mommy & Me Afternoon" certificate for the kids. Lots of possibilities. To make your gift card, just cut a piece of cardstock 2 1/4 x 3 1/2 & use your 3/16" corner rounder to punch all 4 corners. I printed mine on the computer. Here's what the outside of that gift card holder looks like (I used the Holiday Lineup set, again!)~

Whew...this is oneLONG post, but I hope it was helpful. Thanks for stopping by, let me know if you have any questions and HAVE an AWESOME weekend!!

Supplies for the Gingerbread gift card ~ Stamps: Deer Friend (hostess level-2) & Best Yet (hostess level-1) Paper: Old Olive, Real Red, Whisper White, Ski Slopes, DP Ink: Chocolate Chip Tools/Accessories: 3/16" corner rounder, Slit Punch, 1 1/4, 1 3/8 & Scallop Circle punches, Silver Stretch Cord, Silver Eyelets, Cropadile, Red rick-rack, Sakura clear glaze pen, Spica red glitter pen

Supplies for the Reindeer card ~ Stamps: Holiday Lineup Paper: Garden Green, Real Red, Neenah White, Ski Slopes DP Ink: Ranger Distressed Soot Tools/Accessories: Scallop Edge Punch, Slit punch, Silver Stretch Cord, Copic Markers, Spica Clear & Red glitter pens, Sakura clear glaze pen, Red rick-rack

Supplies for the Sweet Treat card ~ Stamps: Sweet Treats (Our Craft Lounge) Paper: Pretty in Pink, Chocolate Chip, Neenah White, Sweet Always DP Ink: Ranger Distressed Soot Tools/Accessories: Slit Punch, 3/16" corner rounder punch, 1/4 & 1/2" circle punches, Nesties circle & oval/scallops with CB, Copic Markers, Spica Pink & Clear glitter pen, Crystal Effects, Dazling Diamonds glitter, Sakura clear glaze pen, Pink Taffeta ribbon

Supplies for the Snowman card ~ Stamps: Holiday Line-up, Merry & Bright Paper: Baja Breeze, Real Red, Neenah White, Ski Slopes DP Ink: Ranger Distressed Soot Tools/Accessories: Slit Punch, 1 1/4, 1 3/8 & Scallop Circle Punches, Silver Stretch Cord, Silver Eyelets, Cropadile, Copic Markers, Spica glitter pens, Sakura clear glaze pen

Congrats!

I'm a pretty big Anya Fan...for those of you who may not be familiar with Anya, she's a line of stamps that Marie (aka Pink Poison...soon to be The Greeting Farm) has created. You can find 'em right HERE. This is a very special month for Anya because she met the man of her dreams, Ian, and they got married :) ! Their wedding set is called Cake Topper ... perfect for Weddings & Anniversary cards. In fact, this card is for my daughter and son-in-law's upcoming anniversary!! You'll be seeing more of Ian...soon! I also played the Our Creative Corner's Sketch Challenge and I really like how the sketch worked with these images. Great stamps, great sketch...a perfect pair :)!

Anya's dress was outlined with a C1 Copic marker, covered in Crystal Effects and Sprinkled with Dazzling Diamonds glitter! She's gorgeous!! Ian got a little bling of his own thanks to my Black Spica glitter pen and Clear Sakura glaze pen. He looks handsome in his tux..doesn't he? You can double click on the photo if you're interested in seeing any of the details up close. Just don't look too closely at my coloring of their faces...my E00 was running out of ink and it shows. I was just too excited about coloring and glittering, I didn't want to stop and re-ink. My bad, lol :)

This week has been such a treat for me. I've enjoyed some unexpected, extra stamping time. I'm taking advantage of some free time while I can...in a few days I'll be packing up and heading out of town (for Baby Chloe's arrival!). I do have a few more projects uploaded to show you while I'm gone. And...a fun and easy gift card holder coming right up! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have an awesome day :)

Supplies for the card (Size 5 1/2" square) ~ Stamps: Cake Topper Paper: Pretty in Pink, Going Gray, Basic Black, Neenah White Ink: Ranger Distressed Soot Tools/Accessories: Word Window Punch, Copic Markers, Crystal Effects, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Sakura clear glaze pens, Spica black, pink & clear glitter pens, crystals, Paper Tray silver ribbon

Retiring Sleigh Bells

I finished up a few more quick cards last night and got them in the mail today. I used Crystal Effects and Chunky Sprinkles on the image and the snowflake, so the card pretty much looks like it just had a little sprinkling of snow :) !

Hey, have you seen the Stampin' Up's retiring stamp list? Lots of great sets on that list including this one, Sleigh Bells Ring (the "Merry Christmas" sentiment is from the Holidays & Wishes and it's not retiring). And the really special part ... SU is offering 10% off all retiring stamps ... plus FREE shipping on all orders over $70 (December 9-23rd)! That's a pretty good deal. To check out those retiring stamps just click HERE. After January 18th, the retiring stamps are gone for good and you'll pay WAY too much if you try to get 'em on ebay :) ! I don't mention this very often, but if you're interested in ordering SU supplies, you can do so anytime, (24/7) on-line (click HERE) and when you designate a demonstrator (hopefully me) you always get the discount price. Okay, now I sound like a commercial so that's enough about that :) ... if you have any questions, just email me (youcanstamp@hotmail.com).

It's late, so I'm gonna keep this short :) ... thanks for stopping by! To hear the classic song, Baby It's Cold Outside, click HERE. Love that version :) !!!

Supplies for the card (size 4 1/4 x 5 1/2) ~ Stamps: Sleigh Bells Ring, Holidays & Wishes Paper: Baja Breeze, Basic Black, Ski Slopes DP, Paper Trey 110# white Ink: Ranger Distressed Soot Tools/Accessories: Crystal Effects & Chunky Sprinkles (on the image and the snowflake too!), Felt Flurries, Silver Brad, Copic Markers, Oval/Scalloped Nesties with CB,

Let it Snow!

I've been working on finishing up a few more Christmas cards before I leave AND I hope, hope, hope to have a easy gift card holder to share with you in the next few days too! Today's card is from the Big On Christmas set! Great image for a quick card. I colored the "Snow" in with a Copic BG72 (good match for Baja Breeze) the hat with E25, nose YR07 & the cheeks with R81. I colored over everything with a Clear Spica glitter pen then added glossy highlights with a Sakura clear glaze pen. I used the Ski Slopes DP for a lot of my cards this year and as my color inspiration too. If you need a little color inspiration try mixing and matching these: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Real Red & Old Olive!

Here's the inside, nothing fancy, but it works :) ... I used the sentiment from the retired "It's Snowtime" set ~

How about a classic Christmas carol to brighten up your day? Click HERE to enjoy Let it Snow by Dean Martin : ) ! Thanks for stopping by, have a great day!!

Supplies for the card (finished size 5 1/2 x 4 1/4) ~ Stamps: Big in Christmas, It's Snowtime (retired) Paper: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Neenah Classic Crest White, Ski Slopes DP Ink: Distressed Soot & Chocolate Chip Tools/Accessories: Copic Markers, Spica & Sakura glitter & glaze pens, CB with Snowflake EF, Photo Corner Punch, Silver stretch cord

December Divine Design

It's December 8th... time to post our Divine Design monthly projects :) ! Hard to believe but this is our 12th and final project for 2008. Seems like just yesterday that I got an email from Lori Craig (Make a Difference) asking if I'd like to join her & a few other girls in doing monthly scripture based projects...and now we're posting our final projects for the year. It's been a rewarding challenge and one I plan on continuing in 2009!

It's my my honor & priveldge to be a part of the Divine Design team this year! The girls on the team are truly amazing and have inspired me all year long, not only with their creativity & talent, but even more with their love for the Lord! Scripture plus stamping really is a match made in heaven :) ! Here are the links to their blogs so you can check out their December projects: Lori Craig ~ Make A Difference, Angel Wilde ~ Angelosity, Jami Sibley ~ More isMore , Taylor Van Bruggen ~ Taylored Expressions

This month I made a bookmark to tuck into my bible & take with me. I'm packing up & preparing to spend several weeks with my daughter and son-in-law as their baby is born and undergoes a series of surgeries. Baby Chloe will be born in Portland on December 17th ... I'm gonna be a grandma :) ! As I was praying and asking God for a scripture to focus on, I went back to one of my favorites (Phillipians 4:6-7), and found a new version (NLT) that I really liked! (Biblegateway.com is a great online resource). My bookmark is 3 x 6". I stamped the sweet little flowers from the OCL set, Tree-mendous onto some brand new (soon to be released) SU Valentine DP and colored them in with Copics & Spica markers. They look so pretty irl, but the sparkle & shine didn't show up in the photo...you can double click on the photo to see more detail, but the sparkle just didn't show up...you'll have to trust me on that one :) !

And...Here's a fun little project my daughter Megan made ~

Meg was diagnosed with a pituitary autoimmune disease earlier this year, so a scripture that speaks about weakness and exhaustion...she can relate to that. As she returns to college and starts classes next month, she chose this to be the scripture she'd focus on. Yep, we've had our share of challenge this year, but I bet a lot of you are dealing with struggles of your own. The reality is, struggles and challenge are a part of life. Whew, I'm just glad this scripture reminds us that those who trust in God WILL find new strength...we could use a little of that! Megan started out thinking she might frame this, but decided to laminate it instead. She has a wall of inspiration cards and quotes at her apartment...it will probably find a home there :) ! Finished size is 5 3/4 x 7 3/4" and she used the "For Peeps Sake Chick" stamp and the row of heart flowers are from the SU set, Happy Heart Day. She LOVES her Kaiser self-adhesive rhinestones...uses them on almost every project she makes :) ! And I LOVE what how used those rhinestones to make swirls...such a clever girl!!

I hope you'll play along with Divine Design this month and maybe even think about making a commitment to make monthly projects in 2009! If you upload your project to SCS, be sure to use the keywords BVC08. Thanks for stopping by :) and have a great day!

Sleigh Bells Ring

Happy Friday! Quick post to show you one little card today. It's from a set in the holiday mini, called Sleigh Bells Ring. Beautiful image (you can double click on the photo if you'd like to see more detail) and with just a few touches of color with Copic markers, some sparkle & shine with Crystal Effects and Chunky Sprinkles and it was ready to be die cut with Circle Nestabilities and mounted on the card! The Riding Hood Red Taffeta ribbon is so pretty...and just the right finishing touch :) ! I used some left over DP that was given to me as an elf gift last year. Hey, that reminds me, wanna hear a fun song? Click HERE to hear the Mercy Me remix of Sleigh Bells Ring! Isn't that great? I love music so normally when I'm creating a card I have a song running around in my head! It rarely snows here on the Oregon Coast, so songs and cards like these just help me to pretend what it would be like to live in a winter wonderland.

Guess what? My friend Cami is giving away some COPIC BLOG CANDY! No kidding!! Hop on over to check it out and get yourself signed up right HERE!!!

Thanks for stopping by... hope your Friday is Fun & Festive!

Additional supplies used for the card (size 4 1/4 square...my favorite): Cardstock: Chocolate Chip, Baja Breeze, Riding Hood Red, Neenah White Ink: Ranger Distressed Soot Copic tip: B72 is a good match for Baja Breeze & R37 looks great with Riding Hood Red! I also used E31, E34, E25, W3, B00, G72, N1 & N3

Holiday Lineup Elves

At our monthly stamp meeting this week I had the opportunity to stamp off a few images from set I don't have (thanks girls!) and MUCH to my surprise...this one ended up being one of my favorites! How did I miss this in the catalog? What a fun, fun set! It's called Holiday Lineup and you can find it right HERE. If you like to color as much as I do...you will LOVE this set :) ! I have a couple other projects to show you with the other 2 images that come with this set, but for today, it's the Elves :) . I colored them with Copics, added a few touches of sparkle with Spica Red & Clear Glitter pens, Touches of shine with Sakura Clear glaze pen and the finishing touch....a line of Crystal Effects covered in Chunky Sprinkles! The Very Merry sentiment (and the snowflakes on the inside of the card) is from the Short & Sweet set. I'm down to just scraps of my Ski Slopes Designer Paper...I love those colors (Old Olive, Real Red, Chocolate Chip & Baja Breeze).

Here's a peek at the inside (that sentiment is from a retired SU set) ~

What did we ever do without that Scallop Edge Punch? I use that punch constantly...it's one of my favorite tools!

I've been tagged and honored with a few awards these past 2 weeks....and I DO appreciate it! I sure plan on getting to those very soon. I'd love to pass them along and share the blogs of the great girls who passed those awards along to me! Soon....hopefully :) ! Thanks for stopping by...have a GREAT day!

Supplies for today's card (size 4 1/4" square): Stamps: Holiday Lineup, Short & Sweet, It's Snowtime (retired SU) Paper: Old Olive, Real Red, Neenah white, Ski Slopes DP Ink: Ranger Distressed Soot Tools/Accessories: Copic Sketch Markers, Spica glitter pens, Sakura clear glaze pen, Amuse ribbons, Kaiser self adhesive red pearls, Scallop Edge punch, Crystal Effects, Chunky Sprinkles

Quick & Simple Color Challenge Cards

I looked at my to-do list this morning and then I popped over to SCS to see what the color challenge was and I was delighted to see that Emily had picked some great colors that would help me with 3 manly Christmas cards I needed to make for the hubby to give to his work associates! The challenge was to use Sahara Sand, Basic Black & Very Vanilla (CC195). I made 3 very similar cards, I'll show you 2 of those today. My 2nd challenge was that my stamping time was very limited today, so I had to keep the cards simple...and that's just what I did. I used my Lovely As A Tree set...it's such a classic!I used Graphite Brilliance ink with clear Embossing Powder for all the images and sentiments on today's cards. Embossing only takes a second and the results add a lot to an otherwise simple card. I love how that Graphite Brilliance ink just pops...it's SO black...I love it!The final touches for first 2 cards was just a touch of Crystal Effects with Chunky Sprinkles (glitter) ! You can double click on the first photo to get a closer look at the snowy details :) .

And here's another little card made with a stamp set (deer friends...SU hostess level-2 set) that was out on my workbench. This one isn't for the guys...but it is kind of sweet, don't you think? It went together super quick. Gotta love those circle and scallop punches...they really help with making quick cards and tags!!

Thanks for stopping by! If time allows, I hope to share a fun tutorial with you later this week...for a SUPER simple little gift card holder!

Supplies for all 3 cards (I used such similar supplies...I'm going to combine): The first 2 cards are 4 1/4 x 5 1/2" the last card is 4 1/4" square ~ Stamps: Pine Tree (Lovely as a Tree-SU), Merry Christmas (Hero Arts), Warm Wishes (Hugs & Wishes-SU), O Holy night (Deer friends, SU Hostess level-2) Paper: Basic Black, Very Vanilla, Sahara Sand Ink: Graphite Brilliance with clear Emobossing Powder Tools/Accessories: Heat Gun, Embossing buddy, Crystal Effects, Chunky Sprinkles, Black & Gold Brads, 1/4" black gg ribbon, Paper piercing tool/mat pack, 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/8" circle punch, Scallop circle punch, Gold Stickles, Black/white stitched Amuse ribbon, snowflake cb embossing folder

Lil' Pea-Nut Birthday Wishes

Another quick post (it's that busy time of year!) to show you a card with the Lil, Pea-nut set from OCL! So many fun pieces with this set...the flowers, the grass, the birthday hat & gift...just a few of the fun ways to accessorize sweet little Ellie! I don't know about you...but we have a lot of family & friends who have December birthdays, so it's time to make some birthday cards! We're celebrating an extra special birthday today ...it's my Mom's 72nd birthday :)! Here's a close up of Ellie ~ Do you like her orange toe-nail polish? It looks great on her but I could never pull it off ;) . I colored the image with my Copic Markers, added some shimmer with my Spica Clear glitter pen (parts of the grass look white in the photo, but it doesn't irl...it was just a lighting thing with the camera) and added some shine with my Sakura clear glaze pen! That DP is more of the Just Dreamy 2 (My Mind's eye). I'm a pretty big fan of the SU DPs, but I have to admit, this paper is running a very close second! The Markers, Pens, self adhesive rhinestones & DP can all be found over at Eclectic Paperie!

Thanks for stopping by! I better get back to work on my to-do list :) ... it seems to be growing rather than getting shorter, lol! Enjoy your Monday!!

Supplies for the birthday card (size 4 1/4 square): Stamps: Lil' Pea-nut Paper: Baja Breeze, Tangerine Tango, Chocolate Chip, Neenah Classic Crest White, Just Dreamy 2 DP Ink: Distressed Soot Tools/Accessories: Self-Adhesive Kaiser rhinestones, Circle/Scalloped Nesties with CB, Dimensionals, Sakura clear glaze pen, Spica clear glitter pen, orange striped Amuse ribbon

Sweet Stamping Deals!

Just a quick post to update all you Stamping Shoppers on some great deals going on this weekend! First off...the SU Holiday Extravaganza Sale is ON :) ... hop on over HERE to check out all the details. But don't wait too long...you only have till Dec 1st and quantities are limited! When you order online and designate someone (hopefully me!) as your demonstrator, you'll get the lowest (discount) price. And right now if you place on online order with me, I'll send you a refund check for your shipping cost...so shipping will end up being FREE between now & December 1st!! Woo-hoo...let the shopping begin :) !! Any questions...just email me (youcanstamp@hotmail.com). That free shipping offer is on ALL purchases you place with me online between now & December 1st!

Next, OUR DAILY BREAD DESIGNS is also offering FREE shipping PLUS some sweet blog candy! Check out Kelley's BLOG for all the details...right HERE!!! I placed an order last night and took advantage of that free shipping :) !!! Besides for selling beautiful Scripture stamps, Kelley also offers a wide selectin of stamping products including my favorite new ink, Ranger Distressed (soot)!

And...it's Double Pink Ticket weekend at Our Craft Lounge! Double tickets included with each stamp set. That's 2 chances to win with every set you purchase!! Check it out right HERE!!!

AND last but not least, there's a SALE on Shimmerz plus a chance at some blog candy this weekend too! I just placed my very first order today. My friends Cami & Kisa keep raving about it, and I'm a huge fan of shimmer, so I decided to give it a try! You can find all the details about the sale prices and some sweet blog candy right HERE!!!

Those are all the specials I know about...hope those tips help you save a little $$$ and maybe win some sweet candy!!! I've been gone for a few days, so once I get a little catch up done around the house, I hope to do a little stamping & have a few things to show you :) !!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! Big hugs to everyone...hope your day is filled with love, laughter and yes...Turkey!! This year has been a challenging one for me and my family, but God's been faithful to provide all that we've needed, one day at a time. Part of that provision has been flooding my life with amazing friends who have been an tremendous source of love & support. I really do have so much to be thankful for today and everyday :) !!!

My first card is sweet little Anna Mae from Our Craft Lounge...reminding you to SMILE :) !!! To fully appreciate the OCL stamps, you HAVE to see ALL the pieces included in the sets. Anna Mae & Lola Mae are paper dolls for grown ups :) ... SO much fun... you can check out those sets right HERE!!! I intentionally left Anna Mae's dress plain in this image, because I covered it in Spica Red Glitter pen (after coloring it with Copic Marker R37)... it has this wonderful shimmer irl that you just can't see in the photo. I also used a Clear Spica glitter pen to add shimmer to other parts of the image and to the DP too! Anna Mae's little dress is a great space to paper piece in some DP or stamp hearts or stripes with the stamps that are included...lots and lots of options. The OCL girls created these sets to be VERY versatile!!! I've been sharing a little bit about my favorite Copic Markers and the Anna Mae card includes some of those favorites including...E25 & 27 (brown hair & shoes), E00 (skin tone) R81 & 83 (rosy pink) & R37 (really close to Riding Hood Red). I also used BG11 & 13 (blue/green). I outlined her with my must have C1!

This next card features the Lola Love set & several of the same Copic colors, R37, BG 11 & 13, but I also used Y35 & 32 for Lola's blonde hair. Plenty of sparkle on this card too...you can see it best on the heart, its covered in the Red Spica Glitter pen (just like Anna Mae's dress)! As you can tell, I'm a big fan of sparkle!!! If you haven't tried the Spicas and want to see what they're like, I recommend starting with a Clear Spica. For about $2.50, it's a great way to add shimmer to your projects! Oh, and for any of you who are still trying to figure out which ink to use with your Copics...I've been using Ranger Distressed Ink (Soot) and LOVE it! It dries instantly and doesn't bleed with the Copic Inks. Just stamp & color...no patience needed...now that's my kind of ink :) !!!

The girls at OCL have started picking winning PINK TICKETS from their premier weekend celebration. If you have a pink ticket, be sure to check HERE to see if you're a winner!!

Supplies for today's cards (for the sake of time, I'm going to combine supplies, because they're so similar) ~ (Anna Mae card 4 1/4 square, Lola Love card 5 1/2 x 4 1/4) ~ Stamps: Anna Mae & Lola Mae Paper: Chocolate Chip, Riding Hood Red, White, My Mind's Eye Just Dreamy 2 collection Ink: Ranger Distressed Soot Tools/Accessories: Copic Sketch Markers, Spica Glitter Pens, Petite Circle, Oval & Long Rectangle Nesties with CB, Janome Sew mini, Riding Hood Red Taffeta Ribbon

May God bless you with a grateful & satisfied heart today!!!

Desk Calendar Tutorial

I'm so excited to share this tutorial with you today! My good friend, Nancy Littrell, introduced me to this project and I'm SO glad she did!! She has a great photo of all 4 sides of her calendar HERE in her SCS gallery. My calendar has Winter & Spring on the outside, Summer and Fall on the inside. When you're ready, you just untie the ribbon, flip the inside to the outside, re-tie the ribbon and you're set for the next 6 months! This is a surprizingly easy project ... one that we made at my workshop this month. All supplies are SU with the exception of a Sakura clear glaze pen & Spica clear glitter pen that I used to accent the image pieces and the calendar, which was printed on the computer. I used the Tree For All Seasons set to represent each season. It's currently on the dormant list, so you won't find it in your catalog, but it IS available and you can see it online right HERE. Before moving on to the tutorial, I want to show you all 4 sides of my calendar and a close-up of the image pieces that represent each season.

Winter (Riding Hood Red with Holiday Treasures DP)~Spring (Pink Pirouette with Pink Pirouette Patterns DSP) ~Summer (Old Olive with HolidayTreasures DP) ~

Fall (Pumpkin Pie with Pumpkin Pie Patterns DSP) ~ Okay, are you ready to make one of your own? Here's how :)

Supplies

Cutting/Scoring tool
Basic Black & Whisper White cardstock

4 Colors of card stock with coordinating DP
Tree for all Seasons Stamp set

Black Stazon Ink

SU Markers & Sakura clear Glaze pen
1 3/8" Circle Punch & Scallop Circle Punch
Cropadile

Black Gingham Ribbon

Roll-on adhesive & Dimensionals

Step 1: Print a Yearly Calendar...go to:
http://www.printfree.com/Calendar_files/Yearly/2009printable.htm
Right click on the calendar & Select All
Right Click on the calendar & select Print Preview
Go to the “Shrink Down” drop down menu, select 80%
Print onto Whisper White Cardstock

Step 2: Cut, Punch & Score the following pieces:
Cut Black Cardstock 5 ½ x 8 ½” and Score at 4 ¼ “ ( just like you would for a cardbase)

Cut Black Cardstock (4) 5 x 1 5/8”

Punch (4) Black Scallops

Cut 4 pieces of *Cardstock & coordinating Designer Paper:
Cardstock: 5 ¼ x 4”
Designer Paper: 5 x 2 ½”

Cut Calendar strips (finished size should be 4 7/8 x 1 ½” each)

For each “season” complete the following steps:

Adhere DP onto the coordinating colored cardstock.
Adhere the black matting to the white calendar strip.
Adhere the matted calendar strip to the colored cardstock (the bottom edge of the black mat should be approx 3/8” from the bottom of the colored cardstock..to allow room for holes that will be punched).
Adhere Black Scallop above calendar strip.
Stamp & color image. Punch out with 1 3/8” circle punch.
Place (2) dimensionals behind the image circle & adhere to the black scallop

Next, you'll want to think about which 2 seasons you want on the outside and on the inside of your calendar then adhere each onto the black calendar base. For instance, you could put Spring & Summer on the outside, Fall & Winter on the inside. Just make sure your seasons go in sequence. If your layers are heavy, you may want to consider using sticky strip or whatever strong adhesive you prefer. For my calendar, my standard monohesive worked just great! I made this one about a month ago and it's still in perfect shape...no signs of lifting.

Use your Cropadile to punch two 1/8” holes (for the ribbon) on the bottom edge of both sides of the calendar (approx 3/8” up from the bottom edge). Thread gingham ribbon through and tie in a loose knot or bow.

Wasn't that easy? This is basically just a standard black card base with layers on all 4 sides and it fits inside a standard SU Medium or Translucent Envelope! You can customize this SO many ways for gifts. Just look through your stamps and papers & I bet you'll find something that would work for each season. Add Scriptures, Quotes, family Photos...the possibilities are endless! If you have any questions about the project, just email me (youcanstamp@hotmail.com).

I'm headed out of town for the Thanksgiving Holiday. Happy & Blessed Thanksgiving to my US friends and a Wonderful week to my friends abroad! HUGS to all :) !!!