A different craft...

I am the kind of person who likes to make gifts, rather than buy the latest junk at the store. I also have a small obsession with photos. So when I can combine the two, and please any age, that's the ideal gift for me to give, right? So when I saw THIS idea a few months ago, I started gathering photos of a few family members to put it together!

For my little nieces, I picked pictures that were mostly just themselves, with a sprinkling of family members. I made photo placemats, just like I saw on the other blog, heavily laminated, and big enough for a table setting. But I also told my SIL they could easily be hung on their bedroom walls!

(this one thought it was 'so funny' that there was a picture of her and Grandma)

My sister had asked me to print off "a bunch of photos of her and other people". Um... She's spent the autumn away at college, and most of us know how friendships can fade and change after leaving high school. I thought it would be best to use photos of family members, because like it or not, those relationships are here to stay, lol. So I created a poster for her, same size as the placemats, full of pictures with her and her parents, siblings, nieces and nephews, grandparents and cousins.

I did one for my brother too, but don't have a decent picture of him... here's his poster tho:

Anyway, when it came time to wrap these posters, my husband suggested a frame would make it easier. Soo I ran to Walmart, the afternoon of Christmas Eve, to get frames for their gifts! LOL!

And there you have it, some quick and pretty easy photo gifts! ...for next year! :)

The Next Calendar

This calendar I printed two copies of, one for my parents house and one for my grandmother. For that reason, the pictures feature my parents entire family of 4 children and 5 grandchildren. Again, I just picked pictures I liked and put them with the month they fit best. Tho I did make a point to have a picture of the person who's birthday or anniversary was that month. And with this one, I've only shared April (and most of December there too) and then November is the open page on the finished calendars post! So here's a bunch of pages for your inspiration!

January...

 February...

 March...

 May...

 June...

 July...(non-traditional July colors, but the pink worked well, I think!)

 August...

 September...

 October...

 December...

Now, are you ready to kick your scrapbooking goal into high gear??

One Complete Calendar

I am home and getting back to the daily grind, minus school. How is your Christmas break going?

I was going thru the calendar pages I have shared here and I'm surprised how few there are! I'll do this in two shifts, since I made two calendars. So tonight, these are the unseen pages from my in-laws calendar, and again, I just used random pictures of our family throughout the year, mostly based on color, LOL! And theirs is the calendar with the blue cover...

January...

 February...

 March...

 April...

 June...

 July...

 August...

 October...

 December...

and for the entire project in one shot, you can find May, September and November by clicking on those month names!

The finished calendars!

Did you have a Merry Christmas? We had a wonderful holiday weekend, full of family, fun and food....and I took nearly 300 pictures JUST on the 25th! I did a few photo gifts this year that I'll be showing here in upcoming days.

First, the calendars....! Were you hoping to see the completed project? LOL! Between waiting for the big reveal to stay quiet until they were given as gifts, and traveling for the holidays.... but here you go!
So they come shrink wrapped...

and then they look like this!
I love that my daughter kept trying to feel the ribbon on the page. It looks totally realistic! I am VERY happy with how they turned out, and the recipients LOVED them, of course!

In the next few days I'll make sure each page is on here for your entertainment.

Decking the Halls....

I have not gotten any new crafting done at all!
Christmas is a very busy time and since I've started working late nights, any "spare" minute I get I try to take a nap! But now, the shopping is done, the cards are sent,

I got some wrapping done while the kids were in school today (while watching The Bishop's Wife), Wednesday and Thursday we'll be baking, Friday delivering.....and then its Christmas!

So today I'll share the festive things in my house as holiday inspiration for any crafting you have left to do..!

 I see a color theme in the gift wrap we purchase...... hmm.....

 cute new sign my friend gave me...and probably made....

Are YOU ready for Christmas yet?

Simple cards!

Yes, I needed some super duper simple cards! Beautiful (albeit old!) designer paper helps that a lot!! First I used this lovely poinsettia corner to use the Stamping 411 sketch:

Supplies:
Stamps: Come to Bethlehem
Ink; Early Espresso
Paper: Always Artichoke & Crumb Cake card stocks, Old DP
Accessories: Early Espresso quilted ribbon


And then I used this corner from another sheet in the same package as the entire focal point of the card...

Supplies:
Paper: Crumb Cake card stock, Old DP

Simple and still very pretty! And almost done...!!!

Mojo Monday #219

While looking for sketches yesterday, of course I stopped to check the Mojo Monday sketch. Here's what I did with it, with a big square in place of the circle...

Supplies:
Stamps: Dasher
Ink: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake
Paper: Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla card stocks, old DP

How about you? Are you totally ready for Christmas?
or did that question make you laugh yourself silly?
hee hee hee!

Sketches for Christmas!

Its the final card push (yes, half way thru the month...but I blame the people who refuse to respond with their new addresses...LOL!) and I am relying on sketches to help me use up the last of the old paper packages and create something different!

First up, I went to Jen's blog, looking for her final SFYTT of the year. I was not disappointed and I love how the card turned out!

Supplies:
Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Come to Bethlehem
Ink: Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Whisper White, Soft Suede, Cherry Cobbler card stock, Old DP
Accessories: Regals Brads, Mat Pack

Before finding the SFYTT, I came across other sketches on her blog that I decided to use! This sketch was on Jen's blog as the Skipping Stones design sketch. It worked for me, and this is what I did with it:

Supplies:
Stamps: Delightful Decorations
Ink: Soft Suede, Real Red
Paper: Whisper White card stock, old DP

This also comes from Jen's blog, another Skipping Stones design sketch:

Supplies:
Stamps: Jolliest Time of Year, Come to Bethlehem
Ink: Old Olive
Paper: Real Red, Old Olive, Very Vanilla card stock, Old DP
Accessories: Red Taffeta Ribbon

More Old & New!

I have to say, it's been fun clearing long-retired items out of my stash and making some fun Christmas cards at the same time! This is basically the very same design as one of the cards in my class this year, but with different colors and DP, oh and I added the ribbon. I like this one better, lol....

Supplies:
Stamps: Welcome Christmas, Heard From The Heart
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Paper: Very Vanilla & Early Espresso card stock, retired DP
Accessories: Espresso Quilted Ribbon

Sparkly Snowflake Reindeer!

Yep, how's that for a fun combination? This DP is also quite old, but I made two of this design, and am really happy with it. The DP is shimmery, and like a muted Soft Suede shade, so I used Suede card stock and Crumb Cake ink. Very happy with it!
How are your Christmas cards coming? Or are you more on top of things and have them all sent out? (if that's you, you're my hero!)

Supplies:
Stamps: Dasher, Come to Bethlehem
Ink: Crumb Cake
Paper: Whisper White & Soft Suede card stock, retired dp
Accessories: White Organza Ribbon

Duplicate Santa!

The other night I really did work hard trying to whittle down my card list, hee hee. I made four of this one. It uses some very old DP, from a Stampin' Up! Christmas kit, and the brand new Dazzling Details, haha!

Supplies:
Stamps: Jolliest Time of Year, Come to Bethlehem
Ink: Basic Black, Real Red
Paper: Whisper White card stock, retired DP
Accessories: 1/8 inch red taffeta ribbon, Dazzling Details, colored pencils

The Christmas Scramble

It feels like I haven't had any time for crafts lately. But then I look at this blog and my posting really hasn't slacked off much more than usual! haha!
I got a "real" job that has kept me busy between training and then working.
The week of Thanksgiving we rearranged half the house...we split the office (craft room!) around the house and gave the kids their own bedrooms. That was a huge project and it eliminated my easy crafting space. That's really just fine, I hadn't spent a lot of time in that room for the past year...but it was so handy all in one spot.
Thanksgiving itself took some time, we spent a few days away from home enjoying lots of family. And now getting everything ready for Christmas...! Of course the holiday season is always busy, no matter how simple I try to make it. and I'm a really simple kinda girl. hee hee! But last night I discovered that I need to make 41 more Christmas cards.... whoa! So I started by making 8 of this card....

Supplies:
Stamps: Welcome Christmas, Occasional Quotes (retired)
Ink: Night of Navy
Paper: Whisper White & Night of Navy card stock, misc unknown super old DP
Accessories: White Taffeta Ribbon

December!!

I can hardly believe it is already December! of course the weather isn't helping...the wind is unusually crazy, the leaves are still falling and the sky has been mostly blue today. And right now there is no snow on the ground, which only helps the disbelief that it could be December...
I have wanted to post this project for a few weeks now, but I only got it finished tonight, which is later than it should be! LOL! I found a really great idea HERE and absolutely loved it! I thought it would be tons of fun to do with the kids too. I wanted to surprise my husband with his (he knew about the kids getting this) and he just might choose to read this blog the day I announce a surprise for him...hee hee

So, here you have it, three Christmas Countdowns! (husband's hanging over our bed, kids' hanging near the front door. and now you know why it took me til tonight to complete it........LOL!)

Here it is, as a work in progress, plus a closeup on the stamped images. I tried to use a variety!

This project could have been made simpler with say, single-sided DP folded in half instead of stamped card stock notes, but this was the cheapest way I could think to make it. I used non-SU 12x12 card stock that came from random scrapbooking kits and who knows where, but it was stuff I wasn't intending to use in my scrapbooks, so that's handy. And with stamped images, I didn't use up other product! Then I bought the wide holiday ribbon and clothespins at walmart.
Some notes held a surprise such as a family activity for that day (special movie, drive to see the lights, baking treats, game night, etc), lots were little love notes full of praise and thanks. I think it will make for a fun December and keep the excitement of the holidays going!

Welcome Christmas!

December is almost here! Are you ready?? I'm sure not... I have a lot to do still!
Here are three cards from my Christmas card class that I have not yet shared. They all come from the same stamp set. Its always nice to show how much you can create out of one stamp set. I really love the vintage, silhouette images found in this set.
This sledding children image must always be done with blue to show the cold, happy feeling, LOL! And the new quilted ribbon? Love!

Supplies:
Stamps: Welcome Christmas
Ink: Early Espresso
Paper: Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Early Espresso
Accessories: Espresso Quilted Satin Ribbon

These new Holly Berry buttons are fun. I love new buttons!

Supplies:
Stamps: Welcome Christmas (wreath), Come to Bethlehem (words)
Ink: Always Artichoke, Real Red Marker
Paper: Very Vanilla, Always Artichoke
Accessories: 1/8 inch Red Taffeta Ribbon, Holly Berry button, Glue Dots

This card is not my favorite. I liked the idea of this old-fashioned style DP*, but I think it overwhelmed the sweet stamp image - which I LOVE by the way. And I had my class attendees use a darker ink for the words than I used.
*want to hear something funny? I didn't love the Christmas DP Stampin' Up! offered this year so I didn't get it. But I used several other types of DP in my Christmas cards!

Supplies:
Stamps: Welcome Christmas, Heard from the Heart
Ink: Crumb Cake, Early Espresso
Paper: Cherry Cobbler, Very Vanilla card stock, Timeless Portrait DP

November Page

This page is for my in laws calendar, for the month of November. The best part? all of these photos were taken this month and three of them were taken this week, one was last night! Have you ever made a page with photos taken that quickly? Digital scrapbooking is so handy that way!

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving weekend, spent with lots of fun family and really great food. I hope you enjoyed yours as well. And if you want the My Digital Studio software for Christmas, you know how to get it! *grin*

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today will begin at my parents house, where my little family will enjoy Thanksgiving with two of my siblings, and most of my aunts family. Later we'll go to my niece's house and share pies and desserts with my husbands parents and sister and her family.

I am thankful to have such a large and truly wonderful family. I am thankful for my faith in God and the freedoms I have been blessed with. I am thankful for the little things that bless my life-warm home, enough for our needs, enough for some wants, and enough to share with others. I am thankful for a season that motivates us to remember the things we are thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Online Extravaganza!

Stampin' Up! kicked off their holiday shopping season with the Online Extravaganza, at midnight this morning. The 24-Hour exclusive deals only last until 11:59PM (tonight!) but there are bundles, various discount levels and even Digital Downloads you can get until November 30! The items listed at 20%-60% off can be ordered like always, get a check to me, let me know what you want, it'll be on its way. But the 24-hour deals and digital items will need to be ordered online. Simply go to http://www.stampinup.com/, click the "Shop Now" image and just before you are ready to pay for your order, there is a reminder that you can save a little more if you select a demonstrator! Pick my name and you save money and I earn commission, and your order is on its way!

Here's a quick digital calendar page to start your day!