Mint Basket - a tutorial!

Remember that mint basket I posted a while ago? Well, I shot the tutorial for it last night. Please bear in mind this is my first tutorial! This design isn't even my own - for the original tutorial and another idea of what you can do with this, please visit Kimberley Morris's website! Don't forget: if you need to see more detail, just click on the picture! If you run into trouble, please don't hesitate to email me at poohisstampin@aol.com!

What you will need:
paper cutter, one sheet of card stock, 8.5"x11", coordinating designer paper, paper snips or scissors, adhesive, 1/16" hole punch, brads, bone folder, ruler.

1. Cut card stock to make a 8.5" square - in other words, cut off 1.5" from the long side.

2. Now, cut that square in half - at 4.25".

3. Now, cut those in half, at 4.25".

4. Take the 1.5"x8.5" piece you cut off the bottom, and cut into 5/8"x8.5" strips, so you get 4 strips out of the piece.

5. Next, select one of those squares.

6. Score in at 1-1/4" from all four sides. Use your bone folder and ruler - or, use your bone folder in the channel on your paper trimmer.

This is what it should look like when you're done scoring.

7. I've made dashes and lines in white gel pen, so you can see what I'm doing. :) Using your paper snips or scissors, cut up to the fold line on two OPPOSING sides. Now, on Kimberley's original, she cut the side tabs, too. When we've done these at a class, we DON'T do that; it's completely up to you. The advantage of doing so: it looks more finished on the inside. The disadvantage is that the brads on the handle don't come in contact with the sides, so the only thing holding it together is adhesive.

This is what it should look like when you're done cutting.

8. Fold on all score lines; this is what it will look like when you do so.

9. Flip over; put adhesive on all four cut tabs.

10. Bring tabs together; adhere side to back of tabs.

Look! You've got a little box! :D

11. Cut a strip of DSP 1"x8".

12. Curl around your finger, or over the edge of the table. This will make it easier to adhere to the box.

13. Put adhesive in several places on the back of the strip of paper; start on one of the sides you adhered the tabs to.

Wrap around your box completely!

14. Take one of your handle strips - the 5/8" wide ones - and put adhesive on each end. See the X? :D

15. Adhere to the insides, where you brought the tabs together. Do both sides! :)

Awwwww, isn't it CUTE??????? Just one more thing to do!!!!!

16. Punch holes on either side through the handles - and I hope you're better at "straight" than I am. OI!

Put coordinating brads through those little holes!

You can use your basket for anything you want! We used them to put mint patties in; the scallop punch is PERFECT for a York snack-size! :) The front one uses TAGGER'S DOZEN to decorate; the ones in the basket I used the small flower outline from POLKA DOTS & PAISLEY, but you can really get creative!

PHEW!! :D I hope you enjoyed my first tutorial - if you have ANY questions, email me! :)

Time for a card :)

Hi, everyone! This is a card from my Advanced Techniques class Tuesday night. It's called brayered sky, and you can combine just about any colors you'd like. This one uses bashful blue, brocade blue, and bordering blue. I really like this card! It's so simple! That's probably why I enjoy it so much; it makes a huge impact without a lot of work. :)

I hope you'll email me at poohisstampin@aol.com, and sign up for my enewsletter. I put my class schedule in there, and I'd love to teach you some new techniques! I have already started planning for February's class! :)

Have a WONDERFUL day - and please, take the time to STAMP something! You'll feel better! :D

Still More Scrapbooking!

Good morning - barely. :) I decided I was going to show you more scrapbooking - and this time, I'll show you the 12x12 layout, then the 6x6 layout that's the same color scheme.

This 12x12 layout is very simple, as you can see; the set is a level 3 hostess set, TIME WELL SPENT, that Stampin' Up!® gave us for a Christmas present. We embossed the flowers in white EP, and colored JUST the outer petals with a Regal Rose Stampin' Write Marker. The journaling box, we took the same marker and drew the lines after stamping the saying in the corner. Simple and easy. So's the 6x6 - look!

The color looks a little different, because of the scanner vs. camera, but they're the same. The outer rim of the petals on this flower - from the same hostess set - wasn't big enough to color, so we used the color on the mats. Fun, quick, and EASY! :)

Stay tuned! I still have some more scrapbook pages to share, AND cards from my advanced techniques class last night - we had a great time!

For those of you who've asked, here's the link to my Proverbs 31 blog! Hope to see you over there. :)

Have a WONDERFUL day - and be sure to take the time to STAMP something! :)

More scrapbooking!

Hi! :) How ARE you?? What are you stamping these days??

This is from the scrapbooking class last week, and these are 12x12 pages. This is probably my favorite layout from that one; I have Amy to thank for loaning me her CARTE POSTALE set that this is done with. :) She loves fleur de lis, and so she inspired this layout. :)

The colors are Taken With Teal, Basic Black, and Whisper White. The fleur de lis are embossed with white craft ink and white EP. We dragged a Taken With Teal ink pad along the base card stock to give it some texture. So, what do you think??

ARE YOU STAMPING???? Are you OUT there? LOL!! I'm still waiting for the counter to hit 10,000 for the next giveaway! :) I'd love to hear from you; what are you making? How are you blessing other people with what you're doing?

OK! Time to start winding down. Please, take the time to STAMP something! :) God bless you!

PARTY IN A PACKAGE - would you like to purchase the directions?

This was my class on Saturday, and we had a wonderful time. Now, YOU get the chance to "attend" one of my classes without being here!

For only TWENTY-FIVE dollars, I will send you the written directions, along with a sample of each thing - done with retired papers, etc., but samples you can hold, and figure out anything "tricky".

There's a flip flap fold card (design courtesy of Technique Junkies), a treat bag, a regular card, a gift card holder with a signable card inside, and a candy bar slider. Everything was made with a Simply Scrappin' kit - with LOTS left over. I'll be glad to order one for you, too! :)

Just email me at poohisstampin@aol.com to order yours today!

Wow! We FINALLY broke 9000 hits! :D

Just 1000 more, and we'll do a new blog candy! :D

So, this is another 2-page 6x6 layout. It's done with the pear from the Level 2 Hostess Set, INFINITE GOODNESS. I did a technique called "masking": stamp your image on a post-it or on typing paper, then cut out closely. If you did it on typing paper, put a bit of 2-Way Glue on it and allow it to dry - so it's repositionable. Next, stamp an image on your card stock - here, I used So Saffron. Place the cut-out image over top of the one you just stamped, and stamp another image - so it looks like it's going BEHIND the first one. You can cut out several images, so you can mask multiple images at once. It's a great way of getting depth to your stamping!

The other colors are Always Artichoke and Very Vanilla. Super-simple, again, but I like the vintage feel to these pages. :)

What do YOU think? What are YOU working on??? Well, darlin', take the time to STAMP something, will ya? :D Have a wonderful, blessed day!!!!!!

Scrapbooking class was last night!

Wow, have we ever been busy around here. :) Yesterday we had TWO types of scrapbooking going on: 6x6, and 12x12. I'm going to have to figure out how to shoot the 12x12 pages, so I'll show the 6x6 first. :)

I tried to keep this month's pages non-seasonal, so that almost any photo would work with these. The colors are Basic black, Whisper White, and Taken With Teal; the stamp set is CARTE POSTALE (Thanks, Amy! :D). Both accents were done using punches - the 1-3/8" square punch and the key tag punch. Super-simple, went together REALLY quickly, and the 6x6ers were done with their pages - all eight! - in an hour.

Keep watching for the other three sets! :) And for goodness' sakes, take the time to STAMP something!! :)

I'm still here, honestly!

It's been a ROUGH week, though. Through it all, I managed to do two parties, a read-thru for my new cast of OUR TOWN, and plan and teach a scrapbooking class. PHEW. Kenn's sick again, so prayers would be great. I'm starting to feel better, finally, and would really LOVE to get better and STAY better! :D

ANYWAY. Enough about boring ol' me. I want to share the projects we did at the parties over the weekend! Super-simple and easy!

This is a REALLY easy get-well card. The Designer Series Paper is Bali Breeze; the other card stock is Taken With Teal and Whisper White. Ink is Taken With Teal; stamp set is SINCERE SALUTATIONS. How much quicker could a card get?!?!??!

This one's just as simple, just a little more detail added. We rolled the So Saffron card stock with the So Swirly Jumbo Wheel in VersaMark, and embossed it with clear embossing powder to give it a special look. The "celebrate" is from the new set, CELEBRATE EVERYTHING. The rest of the wording is from EVERYDAY FLEXIBLE PHRASES; Saturday's hostess wanted a "new grandbaby" card. :) My hostesses get what they want! The color is a little funky on this scan. The ink and dark card stock are Perfect Plum, and the brads are simple gold ones. We used the ticket corner punch to notch just the Whisper White corners, then mounted the saying piece with dimensionals.

And finally, our 3D project - I choose more difficult projects for my hostess club parties, as a way of thanking them for always following through on their purchasing requirements, etc. :) This one's not HARD, just a process. I'll try and put together a tutorial of how to do it in the next week or so.

SO. What are YOU stamping these days? Have you blessed someone with your talent lately???? I'd LOVE to hear your story!

Isn't this CUTE?!?!?!?

Hi, everyone! This is going to be pretty quick again - I have a workshop here this afternoon, and I'll show you those projects on Tuesday, after we've done them at my Monday workshop, too. :) Both of these are hostess club workshops, so one of the projects is a little more detailed for them. It's cute! :D

Anyway. This is the hostess gift for each hostess. I LOVE HOW EASY THIS WAS!

I picked up this little bucket at an after-Christmas sale for a few pennies. The Crop-A-Dile punched the holes for the ribbon AS EASILY AS THROUGH CARD STOCK!!! It was AMAZING!!!!!! Of course, that's our red gingham ribbon. Just a bit of whimsy. :)

The wording is our new CHERISHED MEMORIES RUB-ONS. They are SOOOOOOOO easy to use, stick down quickly, and are really classy. It's much easier than trying to stamp on the bucket. ;)

So, tell me what you think - then take the time to STAMP something!!! :) Have a wonderful weekend!

I'm sick, but I'm still stampin'! :D

Good afternoon!!! I hope you're feeling well today - I'm not. LOL! I've got the respiratory CRUD again, and I'm soooo tired of coughing!!!! But I'm STILL stampin' my little heart out when I can hold the stamps! :D

These are the bags that I finished stamping for Angela and Abby. Aren't they CUTE?!?!? They're going to hold lip gloss, and fingernail polish, and a disposable camera, and maybe one or two other things. :) Each girl will be getting a photo album like the one we made at the Open House - so the background color of those albums will match their goody bag. :)

If YOU would like me to custom-make some goody bags for you, please email me at Poohisstampin@aol.com, and for $2.50 each - including first-class mail - I'd love to do so!

If you're more interested in learning HOW to do this, stay tuned! Before the end of the month, I'll have a great offer for you! :)

OK. I'm going to go cough and wheeze some more. :) Have a WONDERFUL evening - and, for Pete's sake, if I can take the time to STAMP something, so can YOU! :D

A quickie for you! :)

Hi, everyone! Here's another quickie from the Quick Card Class. Easy and cute, I think. :D

Oval punch and circle punch make the flower; add a quick ribbon and a sentiment, and voila! A cute, cheery card to send out! :)

I love our gingham ribbons. They add a splash of fun AND texture. :)

OK, I'm off. I'm sick again, and have a medical appointment this afternoon. I'm off to see the wizard...! :)

Have a WONDERFUL day - and please, take the time to STAMP something!!!

OK, so the handle's a little rough....

Otherwise, what do you think???

My friend, Ang, is having a party for her daughter, Abby - you'll remember seeing Abby's picture several times on this blog last year! :D - with four other little girls. They're going to spend some time getting pampered and fussed over, and Ang has asked me to make the favor bags.

So, this is my prototype. I'd love to hear what EVERYONE thinks!

The color is Orchid Opulence, with a bit of Basic Gray and Pink Passion thrown in. I didn't realize my key tag punch would have some trouble with the thicknesses, so I'm going to have to work on that a bit.

I hope you'll tell me what you think - and show me what YOU are stamping! You're NOT?!?!? Well, go take the time to STAMP SOMETHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A thank-you card for Melissa

Hi, everyone!!!! Boy, it's going to take us a LONG time to get up to the next BLOG CANDY level - I've decided at 10,000 hits - but it's CREEPING along. Pass on my blog to everyone you know, so we can get this show on the road! :)

ANYWAY. Here's a thank-you card I did for my downline, Melissa. She gave me a great Christmas gift, which you saw on the blog in December. She does AWESOME cards, so I wanted to do something a little out of my comfort zone for her. So I COLORED. :D

This is the Level Three Hostess Set, TIME WELL SPENT. I colored everything with Stampin' Write markers, and did the center with a 1/2" circle punch. I coated it with VersaMark, and embossed it with Irridescent Ice EP. It's on the center of the flower with a dimensional. The card stock colors are Whisper White (sponged with Tempting Turquoise), Purely Pomegranate, and Certainly Celery. The ribbon is Purely Pomegranate double-stitched ribbon.

So, what do you think? What are YOU stamping these days???? Show me! :D And if you haven't been, TAKE THE TIME TO STAMP SOMETHING!!!!

Another card from the Easy Card Class!

I really like this card. It's SO simple, but elegant.

That's LOVELY AS A TREE, one of my favorite all-time stamp sets. I'll be SAD when it retires!!!!

We stamped the inside with one of the verses from CLOSE AS A MEMORY, so it's a sympathy card without being so in-your-face.

Colors are So Saffron, Handsome Hunter, and Very Vanilla. We sponged around the Very Vanilla with Handsome Hunter. Nice, huh? :)

If you'd like to see a few more projects, get the measurements, etc., for them, you can check out my new Stampin' Up! website! I'm still working to get more information up there, but you can check it out whenever you'd like.

Go look at it, get inspired, and GO STAMP SOMETHING! :) Have a wonderful day!

Easy Card Class was last night!

Good morning! We had a great time last night at class; you'll be seeing the cards a little at a time this week. :)

Here's the first one! The card base is Pink Passion, and it's rolled with the Watercolor Joy Standard Stampin' Around Wheel. The strip and mat card stock are Pretty In Pink. We stamped the "Happy Valentine's Day" from HOLIDAYS & WISHES in Pink Passion on the strip, then used the double rectangle punch to do the bowless tie with Pretty in Pink ribbon.

The matted stamp is from TIME WELL SPENT, a level 3 hostess-only stamp set. We colored it in with Pink Passion and Pretty in Pink Stampin' Write markers, then used a 2-Way Glue Pen to put Dazzling Diamonds glitter on the flower. :) We notched the corners of both layers with the ticket corner punch, and voila! A pretty, simple Valentine's Day card!

What are YOU stamping???? And when are you going to show ME?? :D Have a WONDERFUL day!!!!

Projects from the Open House

Good Monday Morning! I hope you had a great weekend, and got lots of rest - or, if you're like ME, got everything done you needed to!!!!! Whew, was I busy!

<------- This is the card that we made on Saturday morning at my New Idea Book & Catalog Kickoff. The base card stock is Groovy Guava, as is the ink on the medallion. The flowered designer series paper is from the BALI BREEZE collection. The strip of card stock is Tempting Turquoise, embossed with the Crop-A-Dile. The medallion is stamped with the A BEAUTIFUL LIFE stamp set, as is the inside. Then, it's punched out with the scallop punch and stuck onto a post-it note, which was punched AGAIN with the scallop punch, rotated just enough so that the "valley" of each scallop on the punch would disect the "mountain" of the scallop on the white punch. :) Easier to show than to tell, but that's all there is to it! The medallion is on a Dimensional. We took a Cameo Coral Stampin' Write Marker and colored in JUST the "friend" part of the "friendship" stamp from WONDERFUL WORDS.

What do you think? :)

This is the second project. --------------------->

It's a mini photo album; inside are five clear envelopes, stuck together and adhered to the inside of the Basic Gray card stock. The front is stamped with a flower from the Level 3 hostess set, TIME WELL SPENT, in Purely Pomegranate. Purely Pomegranate and Whisper White card stock, both notched with the ticket corner punch, make the front plate for the larger saying from the stamp and some little flowers from it, too.

The "binding" is done with jumbo eyelets and Purely Pomegranate double-stitched ribbon.

This project got lots of rave reviews! :) It makes easy gifts, table favors, or even easy inserts into your 12x12 scrapbook to hold more photos.

So, what do you think of this one???? I'd love to hear from you! :) What are YOU making? I hope you're taking the time to STAMP something!!!!!!!! :)

Wow! What a fun open house we had!!!!

This was the calm before the storm. :) Let me tell you: it was AMAZING how many people showed up today! It was wonderful to see everyone; I think we all had a good time catching up, looking at the new Idea Book & Catalog, placing orders, setting up parties, and, OF COURSE, making the projects! :) I'll show you those either tomorrow night or Monday - BUSY day tomorrow! - but I think you'll be sad you couldn't be here. :)

We really did have a good time. I was truly blessed to see many of my friends here! If you didn't make it in today, I'd still like to get you on my calendar while I have time and opportunity to. Please email me as soon as you can, or call me if you've got my number. ;D I can't wait - Monday is the Easy Card Class, and tomorrow is jam-packed with activities, so I've got to run! :) Have a WONDERFUL Sunday!

I'm stampin'! I promise! :)

See??? :) I'm altering a tin to hold an accordian photo book, and this is the cover. Don't you love the new DSP, Bali Breeze??? The colors are fun and fresh, and the design allows your stamping to be SO simple!

The stamps are from the new set, CELEBRATE EVERYTHING. The font of the "celebrate" is different from the "happy", but the smaller stamps are the same font - so it doubles what you can suggest celebrating or being happy about! :D

I haven't heard from too many of you this week; are you taking time to get into the swing of things again?? I know a few of you still have little ones at home until next week. :) How's the cabin fever??? :D

If you haven't checked out my new blog, please feel free to do so!

OK, off to do some more getting-ready for tomorrow! I hope you're coming to the Open House - I can't wait to post pics of the projects! :) GO STAMP SOMETHING!!!

Another sample from A BEAUTIFUL THING!

This was my FIRST card with my new set, and I wasn't crazy about it - but it's growing on me. :D It looks too SIMPLE to me. What do you think?

Colors are Groovy Guava, Chocolate Chip, Old Olive, and Very Vanilla. (Notice the ticket corner punch? :D You KNOW I love that thing...!)

That's it for today; I'm trying to be creative around the mess in my room, so I'll be ready for Saturday. I think those of you coming to the Open House will enjoy the projects we're going to do! :) It's been tough creating in this environment.... LOL!!!!!!

Don't forget!! The NEW IDEA BOOK & CATALOG IS HERE!!!!!!!! Go here to browse!!!

So, what are YOU stamping today???? And who are YOU sharing it with???? :D

Wow, I can't believe I never showed you this set of pages!

These were the last of the layouts from the November 6x6 scrapbook class; one of my regulars who had an "incident" and couldn't come asked me for the pics I promised her from the class she had to miss - Hi, Donna! :D - and I realized I hadn't posted my FAVORITE!!!

Of course, all the stamps on this layout are now unavailable. :/ This was the snow jumbo wheel from the Holiday Mini - I LOVED that wheel, so classic! - and the small snowflakes on the journaling tag were from the PERFECT PRESENTATION level 2 hostess set from the Fall/Winter Idea Book. I loved that set, too. SO sad to see it go - but WAIT until you see what's new!! WOW!!!!! :D

Colors used were Not Quite Navy and Bashful Blue card stock, white craft ink or VersaMark, and white embossing powder. :)

Here's to MORE scrapbooking this year!

Tomorrow's the day!

Happy New Year!! And welcome to a NEW Idea Book & Catalog from Stampin' Up!® There's not even a picture of it I can show you yet, but there will be tomorrow - you can start ordering from it tomorrow! :) If you don't have your retired stamps, there's still time today - but you have to do it NOW!!!!!

ANYWAY. :) this is a super-simple card made from "all-new ingredients"! :D The designer paper is BALI BREEZE, and the stamp set is A BEAUTIFUL THING. It's a great, versatile set, and one we'll be using at my New IB&C Open House on Saturday. We'll also be using some of the DSP, and another set or two, also. :D I can't wait to show everyone everything!

What are you waiting for???? Contact me today - and find out how you can get a set that was in the Preview Brochure for FREE when you host a party this month!!! (Did you know you're WELCOME to have your party at my house????)

Here's to a GREAT 2008!!! Go STAMP something!! :D I'm going to!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE!

WOW. Where DID all that time go??

Actually, in retrospect, a LOT has happened in my life in the past 12 months. Personally, physically, spiritually, emotionally, "stampingly" - lots of changes, setbacks, and growth.

I look forward to 2008 with you, my dear friends. This is a thank-you card from Melissa, my dear friend and downline, but it says it ALL. I cherish each one of you! Thank you for being a part of my life in 2007; I can't wait to see what 2008 brings us!

Whatever you're doing to celebrate - or not celebrate :) - may you enjoy your time with friends and loved ones, be SAFE, be happy, and know that you are cherished.

God bless you, my friend. Auld Lang Syne!

Supplies are Stampin' Up!...

But the stamps sure aren't! :) This is a thank-you card for my stepdaughter and her husband; they gave this Pooh alphabet set to me for Christmas. :) I embossed all the letters with black EP, and just chose select things on each image to color in with Stampin' Write markers. They're big stamps - this card is 6" long! - but I couldn't NOT do this card! :)

I need to get some more thank-you notes done, but my room is full of furniture from the flooring going in, so it's hard to move around....

Starting January 1, I'm going to begin another blog, called "Musings of a Proverbs 31 Wannabe". I hope you'll check it out; I won't be posting lots and lots over there, but there are days I want to talk more than craft....:D

SO. Go stamp something, and then BLESS someone with it - or get started on next year's birthday cards, or gifts!~ :)

Another gift for my sister and BIL!

One more project to share with you; I guess this was the REAL winner. :) I'd had the idea for LAST Christmas, but needed some other people to stamp the letters for me! (In case you're wondering, these capital letters are RETIRING, and you only have until MONDAY to order them!!!!)

The background is So Swirly jumbo wheel in VersaMark and embossed with gold EP on Very Vanilla, and the letters are Not Quite Navy on Very Vanilla. The little "sign" is a piece of Hodgepodge Hardware, actually held ON with the brads from the hardware set, and it says, "est. 1999" - obviously, the year they got married.

My sister told me that her husband opened it, and it got passed to everyone ELSE before it got to her; there were exclamations, and wondering what it was made of. She told me she said, "I think it's STAMPED, but I don't know if I don't get to see it!" :D

I'm glad it is going to be enjoyed. I never know if things like this are going to be hits or misses - glad I "knocked it out of the park"! :D

What about you? What did you stamp this year for gifts? And what are you working on right NOW? Seriously! GO STAMP SOMETHING!!! :)

Good morning!

Things are going to get interesting around here today; we're replacing our front door, and getting most of the rest of the carpet in the house taken out, Pergo going in. It's going to be noisy for about a week or two.

1. Anyway. :) This is another project I did for my sister; I found these long note cards with envelopes at Goodwill, and altered them for her for Christmas. There are two of each design; from left to right, clockwise:

1. SPOT ON jumbo wheel in Night of Navy, "celebrate" from WONDERFUL WORDS in Green Galore and embossed.

2. SPOT ON jumbo wheel in Versamark and embossed in gold, "NOEL" from HEADLINE ALPHA in Versamark and embossed in black.

3. Striped designer paper from Holiday Mini; "Happy Everything" from HAPPY EVERYTHING in Always Artichoke, swirls from ELEGANT GREETINGS on Whisper White in Always Artichoke, punched out and matted on Always Artichoke punched squares.

4. Purely Pomegranate designer paper from Holiday Mini, Wintergreen designer paper, verse from ELEGANT GREETINGS in Purely Pomegranate, matted on Basic Black.

5. "Thank" from BIG DEAL ALPHA, "you" from HAPPY EVERYTHING - both in Purely Pomegranate - hearts and envelope from "GREETINGS GALORE" in Basic Gray, colored with aquapainters in Purely Pomegranate, background sponged with Basic Gray.

6. Envelopes all stamped with the beginning "N" from one of the verses in ELEGANT GREETINGS, because my sister's last name is NOEL. :)

And this is the tin that they all go into; I used a pencil eraser to make the polka dots with Timber Brown Stazon.

Kelli told me she's going to take the whole kit & caboodle to work and keep in her desk, for those unexpected card needs. :)

What have YOU been stamping lately???? Show me! :)

Time to start showing you what I was so busy doing!

OK. So, you know I took December "off" from teaching classes, so I could spend time with my family and doing things I wanted? Well, I was so busy - and SICK - that MOST of the month just wasn't fun. I did get lots of crafting done, however. :D And since it was for gifts, I couldn't show you before.

Since the gifts are OPEN now, I can start showing you. :D These picture frames were for my sister and BIL's fur-babies, Trixie and Bailey. I saw these frames SOMEWHERE and grabbed them - I can't remember if it was a dollar store or a garage sale - because I KNEW I could alter them. They were just white. So I took my Timber Brown Stazon pad and a sponge and got to work, making Bailey's darker - since he's the BOY. :D I made the dog tags, and individualized them, too - Trixie's has glitter on hers! - and put them on with different stuff. Trixie's uses the gold cord that was in the Holiday Mini, and Bailey's is done with natural hemp. Aren't they fun??

What did YOU make for gifts???? Show me! :) And take the time to STAMP something today!! :) (I hope you had a WONDERFUL Christmas!!!)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you BELIEVE it's here already??? It's Christmas Eve!! For our family, this day is really just as fun as Christmas Day. The guys go out and get the perishables for tonight's cold buffet dinner, and Mom sleeps as long as she needs to (She works the graveyard shift as a CNA, in case y'all didn't know. :)) while I putter around the house, getting non-perishable cookie plates and other stuff assembled for tonight, finish wrapping, etc.

Once the guys return home with the groceries, they head back out to "people watch" at a mall, and pick up any last-minute things they feel they need. Later in the afternoon, the girls will put together the rest of the cold buffet, and we'll sit down in the early evening with loaded plates and talk about Christmas, family, plans, things we're grateful for, etc.

The next part of the evening is very special; my dad reads the Christmas story from Luke out of our big family Bible - while I sit there and lip the words. :D It's tradition - he always asks me if I'd just like to recite it. :D Then we'll talk about how incredible God's grace and mercy are, and how awesome our God is. Then, we'll open ONE present. :D

Tonight, we're going to go to the late candlelight service at my parents' church, since our church doesn't have one, so there will be some napping on SOMEONE'S part here this evening. :D Kenn and I also have a delivery to make to a dear couple from church, and Dad will deliver the neighbors' gift baskets - Mom's starting to bake the bread right now, and it smells SO good!!!

ANYWAY. All this to say, I'm never as content as I am when I'm at home, surrounded by the ones I love, with our traditions and our unconditional love for each other. One of the things I'll mention tonight is how grateful I am for YOU. THANK YOU for being a part of my life - even if you've never left me a comment, JUST by coming by to read about my life, you've become a part of it! So THANK YOU.

The card above is the card I would have sent out for Christmas this year, if I'd ended up with enough time to dedicate to it. :) Consider it my card to YOU, dear reader.

Merry Christmas! May you be surrounded by light and laughter, warmth, love and joy - and be reminded of what an incredible act of grace Jesus's birthday is. God bless you!

Come on over!

What do you say?? Give me a buzz tonight, and say, "I want some of that beautiful cake!" :D Kenn requested a pineapple upside-down cake, and here it is, fresh from the oven. I didn't get it centered on the plate, and tried to push it over - that's why you can see a huge crack up the left corner. OH, WELL. :D

I'd love to sit down and chat with each one of you, to enjoy the person YOU are, and to develop our friendship. If you get a chance to meet me in person (if you don't know me already!:D), I'd SO love to do that!!! If you're one of my dear friends/customers already, I'd love to spend some one-on-one time with you. Just drop me a line, and let's get it on the calendar! I want to spend 2008 enjoying more of life, instead of wondering where it went! :D

That's a GOAL for me. I don't do resolutions; there's nothing to say it's what I want to accomplish. So, what do you want to accomplish in 2008? Let's hear some ideas; there might be a prize in it for someone.... :)

Thank -you notes are already arriving!

Can you believe it?!??! Melissa, dear friend and downline, already sent me my thank-you note for her Christmas present - and SHE was getting ready to leave for her Christmas trip! AUGH! I'm so far behind, I'm just giving up and getting an early start for NEXT year. :D

Isn't this pretty? The white card stock is shimmery white, and it's showing through the Purely Pomegranate ink - SO pretty IRL! Melissa does incredible things with lots of layers and punches. Drool all you want; it's MY card! :D

Have a WONDERFUL day! Happy Christmas Eve Eve! :D