Teacher Gifts

Since Christmas break started this week, the kids needed to have a gift for their teachers! We had made some fudge but I needed a secure way of getting it to school, better than a little paper plate covered in plastic-wrap! I gave away all our holiday tins last year but I found these two boxes and thought I could make something cute!
So here's the before....

 and here's the after!

You know, the trouble with me and gift giving is that by the time I get the second package started, I'm too darn tired to care...can you tell which one was created first? mmhmm...I promise to work on that. How's that for a new years resolution?
ANYWAY, I pulled out my stash of retired Christmas paper and found some things I liked. I did the little brown box first, and then found this very pretty pattern to dress up the clear box all on its own! The boxes are filled with treats, a card from the kiddo, and a little note letting them know what the food is, haha!

Supplies:
Stamps: Greetings of the Season, Delightful Decorations
Ink: Real Red, Old Olive
Paper: Vanilla card stock, RETIRED Deck the Halls DP, Dashing DP
Accessories: Ornament Punch, Linen Thread

Christmas Cards #3

Well my cards are finished- addressed and everything, just waiting for me to drive to the Post Office and get postage! How are your holiday cards coming along?
Here is the third installment of my Christmas Card class, just in case you're still looking for ideas! *grin

You can see many of these are the same card, they just look different with the variation of paper. Sometimes we drew the "string" or "hook" and other times I used actual Baker's Twine!

Supplies:
Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Greetings of the Season, Come To Bethlehem (words over tree)
Ink: Basic Gray, Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive
Paper: Very Vanilla, Cherry Cobbler, Basic Gray, Old Olive, Simply Scrappin' Kit
Accessories: Ornament Punch, Cherry Baker's Twine, Crochet Lace Ribbon

Tags for Christmas!

I must apologize for not posting more, blogger has been giving me issues and ya know, the holidays are busy!! Anyway, back to the projects! *grin

Remember a few weeks ago I had a workshop? My friend, the hostess, is interested in making tags for Christmas gifts. I demonstrated one and brought some other very quick tags to show. (They also made a nice little hostess gift for her!) My mom had attended a stamp camp several years ago now, and I was inspired by what I remembered from those tags, especially the cute candy one!
Tis the season for gift-giving, maybe you'd like some ideas for very quick, simple tags to attach to whatever it is you're giving! Also, it gives you a reason to stamp while crossing off that holiday to-do list!

Supplies:
Stamps: Greetings of the Season, Delightful Decorations, Sweets for the Sweet, Frosty Friends
Ink: Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabi, Lucky Limeade, Real Red, Basic Gray
Paper: Bashful Blue, Wild Wasabi, Real Red, Baja Breeze, Whisper White, Very Vanilla
Accessories: Whisper White & Cherry Cobbler Baker's Twine, Designer Label Punch, Ornament Punch, Tag Punch, Dazzling Details

Upcoming Card Classes!

I just needed to announce my upcoming Christmas Card class, for anyone interested! I made this flyer using My Digital Studio software. Click on it to see it bigger, but the details are also found below.

We'll be using the Simply Scrappin kit found in the Holiday Mini. We'll make 25 cards for $25 and I don't expect it to take more than 2.5 hours. I'll be holding my event on Friday, November 30th, from noon-3pm. And because I need to order the kit and prep the supplies for you, I'll need your RSVP and fee by November 25th. My friend Ellen will be hosting the same class the night before, in case you needed more information on that event.

And! Because I am enjoying the chance to show other ways to use your products, and because you'll take home some left over kit (if you choose to) here is a page I made with some of what was left over from my kit! These photos are from last Thanksgiving Day.

Supplies:
Ink: Bravo Burgundy Marker (coordinates nicely)
Paper: Simply Scrappin Kit, Very Vanilla & Basic Gray card stocks
Accessories: Cherry Cobbler baker's twine

Christmas Sketch!

Today I have a Christmas card, because I realized that the days are going much faster than I think and very soon I'm going to want a stack of these handy!! Plus while thinking of what I could do with Susan's September Sketch, I saw this stamp set and knew it would fit! Yeay!

Supplies:
Stamps: Delightful Decorations
Ink: Real Red, Wild Wasabi
Paper: Real Red, Wild Wasabi & Whisper White card stocks
Accessories: Bitty Buttons, thin Real Red Taffeta Ribbon, White Organza Ribbon, Dimensionals

Snowy Day!

Here is the final layout from my scrapbook class last week! Can't do a "winter" scrapbooking class and not have at least one layout involve snow!
Last winter the snow just dumped for a full day and well into the next morning. It was wet, heavy snow that knocked power out, which is why school was cancelled - the day before Christmas break began! Of course all the kids got bundled up to play outside, and of course I had to get pictures of the deep snow too! I haven't come up with a title yet, because it wasn't "record" snow, but it was a LOT!

Supplies:

Stamps: Delightful Decorations (falling snow), Welcome Christmas

Ink: Versamark, Not Quite Navy

Paper: Whisper White & Not Quite Navy

Accessories: White embossing powder, Heat Tool, Dimensionals (to pop up square of sledding kids image)

Scrapbooking!

I set a goal to get some scrapbooking done and have hardly had a chance to do so! This layout was actually 95% done last year so I'm not counting it for this year's goals. It is a really simple layout but that allows the photos to be the focus. The photos are actually of Christmas 2010, lest you think I am *always* on top of the latest photos being scrapped, haha!

Supplies:
Stamps: Delightful Decorations
Ink: Soft Suede, Real Red
Paper: Always Artichoke & Real Red card stocks
Accessories: Real Red thin taffeta ribbon, Ornament Punch

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

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!

Sparkly Christmas Card!

Here is a simple, and yet -I think- beautiful remake of cards I've made with this set and punch before. I love the sparkly red ornament, peeking behind the embossed white ornament on red card stock. This is definitely one we'll make at my Christmas card class. I think there will be a fair amount of embossing going on...!

Supplies:
Stamps: Delightful Decorations
Ink: Versamark
Paper: Whisper White, Always Artichoke & Real Red card stocks, Red Glimmer Paper
Accessories: Ornament Punch

Christmas Planning...!

Yes, it feels early to see Christmas things at the store, but, if you're anything like me and have dozens (...and dozens and dozens...ahem) of holiday cards to send out, its never too early to start creating for Christmas! Right now I am in the process of making the projects for my upcoming Christmas card class!

This card is one that we'll make for sure! It is based entirely on a card shared on the demonstrator side of the Stampin' Up! website. (you know you CAN still sign up with that awesome Big Shot promotion and have access to all these ideas...!) I just swapped out the DP, the punched image and how the greeting was. The only difference is that we'll use the white bakers twine, instead of the white/cherry cobbler. But for this sample, that's okay! Did you notice the DP? it comes from the Spice Cake package, which is my new super-favorite...!

Supplies:
Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Teeny Tiny Wishes
Ink: Soft Suede
Paper: Pear Pizazz, Soft Suede, Whisper White card stock, Spice Cake DP
Accessories: Ornament Punch, Word Window Punch, White/Cherry Cobbler Bakers' Twine

Three favorite colors!

These use my newest favorite color combination and they all are based on Julee's Mojo Monday sketch from two Mondays ago, (some come a little closer to the sketch than others...) My favorite is the first one. *love!

Supplies:
Stamps: Delightful Decorations
Ink: Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Crumb Cake & Very Vanilla card stock, Deck the Halls DP
Accessories: Ornament Punch, Early Espresso taffeta ribbon, Regals Brads, twine

 Supplies:
Stamps: Delightful Decorations
Ink: Always Artichoke
Paper: Always Artichoke & Very Vanilla card stocks, Deck the Halls DP
Accessories: Ornament punch, Crochet ribbon, Vintage Trinkets

Supplies:
Stamps: Dasher, Sincere Salutations
Ink: Early Espresso, Crumb Cake, Cherry Cobbler
Paper: Crumb Cake, Very Vanilla card stocks, Deck the Halls DP
Accessories: Oval punch, Early Espresso taffeta ribbon

Christmas Card Class

Yep, its a liiiittle early for a Christmas Card class, but this is for church, what can I say? I have designed and and am teaching a bundle of five Christmas cards. What do you think? This one is my favorite. I adore these silhouette images. So perfect for the holidays! (yes I KNOW the ribbon and the DP on the red card are retired....but I'm clearing out my stash)

Ornament Cards

Here are two quick ideas with the ornament punch...
first, to emboss the stamped image, and then punch it out!
Supplies: Stamps: Delightful Decorations, Warm Words Ink: Versamark, Real Red Paper: Night of Navy, Whisper White & Real Red card stocks Accessories: Ornament Punch, White Embossing Powder, Heat Tool
Next, to stamp an unrelated image in the middle! (this set is long retired, but plenty of others would fit!)

Supplies: Stamps: All Gods Children (retired) Ink: Soft Suede Paper: Old Olive, Whisper White card stocks Accessories: Markers, Ornament Punch

Little more Christmas...

Did you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving? (...American freinds!) We sure did! Fun family, great food, it rocks. However...I am now telling myself I am not actually sick....darnit.

But since I've been away a few days, here's some more cards we did at the Christmas card class, incase you need some ideas!

A Calendar

This weekend my mom and I worked on a scrappy calendar for a Christmas gift. Stampin' Up! no longer carries these calendars, but the new My Digital Studio software has the ability to create calendars...! Or, you can make your own pages, write up or print off a blank calendar, and then bind it yourself! Anyway, the calendar wasn't 100% done when I had to leave, but I photo'd what we got... The emphasis of the photos was based on the birthday of the month, or the anniversary, and the stamps we chose was based on the month itself. I'll share half of it right now: July: Stamps: Stars & Swirls (retired), Scouts At Play (retired), Land That I Love (retired)
August: Stamps: Scene in a Garden (retired) September: Stamps: God's Beauty (retired) October: Stamps: Haunting Halloween (retired), Hey Ghoul Friend (retired), Bitty Boos (retired) November: Stamps: Pocket Silhouettes December: Stamps: Delightful Decorations

Christmas Card Class

I have two sessions of my Christmas Card Class coming up. We'll be making 50 cards, using mostly new products from the Holiday Mini! Here are just a few of my favorite cards that we'll be doing....

Real Red & Soft Suede is my new favorite color combination!!!