November 19, 2024

Greetings of the Season

Today, I am sharing one of the Christmas cards everyone stamped with me yesterday got to make.

The Season of Green and Gold products are part of the On-Line Exclusive stamps on the Stampin' Up! website.  They are not in any print catalog or brochure, and can only be seen online.

These cards were designed primarily to be Christmas cards, but only one person made them into Christmas cards last night.  We had winter wedding cards, thank you cards, thinking of you cards, and, without the bells, a sympathy card.  The greenery was either die-cut or fussy-cut from the matching designer paper, as were the bells.  I will be posting the other three cards people made last night later this week.

Today started with a physical therapy appointment.  There is not much else on the agenda today other than maybe a nap and a little cardstock cutting.

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 18, 2024

Halloween Scrapbooking---Day 2

Here is the second 2-page spread from my Halloween scrapbooking.  It uses some more of the products in the scrapbooking kit.

I am not sure they are what I would call "spooky" but they certainly made some Halloween memories!!

Each two-page spread in the kit has the exact measurements to follow if you want to.  I adjusted my measurements to fit the pictures I wanted to use.

This kit would have been great to have last year when one of the kids was Spiderman!!  But this year we had three Darth Vaders and a character from Bluey.

What a rainy morning.  It will be a good day to stay inside and craft.  I have a couple of people coming this afternoon to make some holiday cards and another one tonight.  I may cover up with a blanket in between and read.

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 17, 2024

Back to Scrapbooking

Last week, I took a day to do a couple more double-page scrapbook layouts.  These pages are taken from the scrapbooking kit that is in the On-Line Scrapbook Brochure.

It definitely makes it easier to scrapbook when you have such cute subjects to feature.  These are the photos Hanna sent me from the kids' Halloween Night.

There is no stamping on any of these pages.  Everything is taken from the sticker sheet that comes with the kit.

Although it is a little different than the other scrapbooking I was doing, I like it just as well.   And the most important thing is that it is done!!

Come back tomorrow and see the second Halloween layout!!

We had a great weekend in Des Moines, celebrating fall birthdays and getting family pictures taken.  It was a little chilly and windy for pictures, but we all survived.  I am anxious to see how they turn out.  John and I left early this morning as the kids were getting ready to go to church and got home about 9:00 AM.  The rest of the day will be spent resting and getting ready for an In-Person Christmas card class tomorrow afternoon and evening.

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 15, 2024

Birthday Weekend

This weekend is fall birthday celebration weekend.  Since 7 put of 10 of us have a fall birthday and there is also one anniversary, we just get together and celebrate it all at once.

For the kids' birthday, John and I helped to provide extra funding for some extra-curricular activities they wanted to participate in.  Gigi being Gigi thought they needed something to unwrap instead of just being told we had given their parents some money.  So I turned to my favorite store . . . The Dollar and a Quarter store and found enough of these.

My friend, Peggy, and fellow stamper, is also a Dollar and a Quarter Tree enthusiast and decorated the frames she bought.  Mine are not nearly as cute as hers turned out to be, but they are in each of the kids' favorite colors, and with their names on them, there can be no arguing.   Each frame has a picture of them participating in their activity.  Johan is in the band, Juli and Shayra taking tumbling lessons, and Adrian playing basketball.  I will update his picture when basketball starts later this winter. 

We aren't leaving until this afternoon but I still have to pack, go to the bank, and get the adults cards ready!!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 13, 2024

Wrap up the year—and kickstart the next—with a steal of a deal on paper crafting products! There’s no better time to stock up and save from the 2024–2025 Annual Catalog. 

Here’s what you’ll save when you shop during the sale: 

• 10% off ink, including pads, refills, markers, and Stampin’ Blends. Ink pad bundles and third-party ink pads are NOT included. 
• 10% off cardstock.
• 20% total off all stamp and die bundles and stamp and punch bundles. (Stamp bundles are normally 10% off. With this sale you get an additional 10% off.)
• 20% off all Designer Series Paper.

 

Build up your collection of crafting supplies and prepare for another year of projects! 

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 12, 2024

Sweet Days of Autumn Designer Series Paper

Yesterday, I finished up these nugget holders . . . FINALLY!!   I started these before going to the stamping retreat in Lockridge and got frustrated because I couldn't tie the ribbons around the handles (I know it's a simple thing, right?).  Anyway, I finally finished them up yesterday . . . so we are going to give them to the people that deliver John's meals at noon.

Although it might look a bit tricky, the base of this project is actually just one piece. The cutting, scoring, and folding of the carrier gave me no trouble what so ever. Just the ribbon tieing!!

Wrapping Hershey's Nuggets seems to have become somewhat of a Thanksgiving and Christmas tradition.  I seem to always make some type of project that uses them.  I had several sentiments sitting on my table by my recliner leftover from other projects, so instead of stamping new ones, I decided to just use those.  

Today starts with a mid-morning Physical Therapy appointment, and then I may run up to Iowa City to pick up some photos. This afternoon, I hope to finish up the scrapbook pages I started yesterday and also finish up the kids' birthday presents before we head to Des Moines on Friday.

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 11, 2024

Regal Floral

I spent the bulk of yesterday getting this week's Cards in the Mail ready.  This is one of the cards you will be making when you get this packet.  It uses the gorgeous paper in the Regal Winter Suite.

As with most Cards in the Mail cards, the designer series paper does most of the work.  Add some ribbon, a sentiment, and some other embellishment, and your card is done.

What a gorgeous day . . . at least it looks that way when I am looking out my living room window.  I have a pretty busy week this week with appointments and a VERY busy weekend coming up with the kids in Des Moines, so I am stocking up on my rest.  I may try and do a little scrapbooking this afternoon.  

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 10, 2024

Deckled Circle Dies

Back in September, when a friend and I attended Holiday Hoopla, planned and hosted by the Stampin' Sisters, I saw a project that I just knew I wanted to try.  Since I could tell it was made with Dollar Tree (or Dollar and a Quarter Tree as I now call it), items I knew it would not be too pricey to make.  I can describe the lady that made it but her name is escaping me totally!!

 

I thought I had one of these trays left over from a couple of years ago projects, but I put them away so well I can't find them!!  Yesterday when Luetta and I went to lunch and were out and about we stopped at a Dollar Tree and they had the rectangular trays that I needed so I picked one up.  Of course they did not have ModPodge or candles so we had to go back to Walmart so I could get the rest of my supplies.  I die cut everal sizes of circles out of the Season of Elegance Specialty Designer Series Paper and adhered them to the tray.  I used Tombow Green Glue to adhere them but if I were going to do another one I would use Adhesive Sheets to adhere the circles.  I then applied a thin layer of ModPodge to the tray.  I think we decided that it had been over fifty years since I had decoupaged anything.  I am still not sure that I have a thick enough layer on my tray but when I look at the picture at took in Septemeber and compare it to my picture today they look very similar.

  
Add some LED candles and you are done.  I am trying to decide if I should tie some gold ribbon around the candles but for now I think I will leave it as it is.  What do you think?

This probably took me about 30 minutes from start to finish on this project.

Today looks like another cold and windy day when looking out my window.  It is actually pretty warm for this time in November . . . it just looks cold.  I am hoping to get a couple of classes planned out today in addition to watching some football this afternoon.

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 9, 2024

Christmas Framed Art

Today I have a piece of Christmas Framed art that I made with the Stampin' Sisters back at one of their events in September.

This piece of framed art is super simple to make and uses one of the Ephemera Kits in the Holiday Mini Catalog and the peppermint embellishments.  The hardest part of making this project is finding a reasonably priced 12" X 12" frame and securing the stamping products from Stampin' Up!.  They had been in the non-orderable status for quite a little while.

The background paper is part of the Ephemera Kit so the onlu other things you really need is some red and white cardstock.  You will not use all of the printed paper or all of the ephemera pieces so you will have plenty left over to make other things!!

I thought it was supposed to be rainy today but so far the sun is shining brightly through my living room window.  I am certainly going to miss it shining on the colorful tree in my neighbor's yard in the mornings when all of the leaves are gone.  Right now it is a bright and cheerful way to start my days.  I was actually sitting here reflecting on last year and how most of my days started in a hospital environment.  I am making the most of this holiday season by being out and about and enjoying the sights and sounds!!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 8, 2024

Splendid Autumn

Today I am sharing another one of the cards we made last weekend . . . this one brought by Julie.  It uses the beautiful fall sunset pattern of the Splendid Autumn package of Designer Paper.

This is a fun fold center latch card opening from both sides on the front.

The card is kept closed by a latch that looks like this.

The latch slides up to open the card.

To close the card for mailing simply push  the latch over the opening with the sides of the card in-between.

Today is a doctor's day for John right after lunch.  I hate to get started on anything and then have to quit in the middle of it but if I don't do that I will not get anything accomplished today at all!!

And of course there is the Hawkeye football game tonight.  

GO HAWKS!!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 7, 2024

Snowy Wonder

Today, I am sharing one of the projects we made last weekend at the stamping retreat.  My friend Christy designed and provided this frame project.

She had most things stamped so all we really had to do was make the sky background and adhere the pieces together.  At least I think we made the sky background . . . someone might have made it for me as well!!  The frame ends up being about 4" X 4".  It could hang on the wall but is also wide enough to be free-standing.  As far as I am concerned, this is all the snow I need to see this year!!!

Today is the only day this week where either John or I don't have an appointment.  I am sitting here right now listening to the man put new dryer vents in for me.  Hopefully, the metal vents will make my dryer more efficient.

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 6, 2024

Autumn To Remember

Three weeks ago, I went to a Girls' Weekend, and we were supposed to take a small favor. I decided to resurrect these maple cookie favors from several years ago, only with a new stamp set, An Autumn To Remember.  I got the original idea from my friend Dawn about seven or eight years ago. I was surprised that Aldi still had the leaf cookies, and they hadn't even increased in price all that much.

They are super simple to make . . . just take a piece of cardstock, fold it in half, and decorate as you wish.  I put two cookies in one of our clear envelopes and then adhered the topper on top of the envelope with Tear and Tape.

I made about thirty of these but forgot to take a picture with all of them.  I only have four left, as shown below.  They make a great easy favor or gift if you are in a hurry!!

It surely is good to see the sun after so many rainy days in a row!!  Today is another appointment day with a mammogram and a massage.  As often as I have been scoped, scanned, and x-rayed, I don't really think i need a mammogram, but my doctor seems to think I do.  Since i am a ruler follower, usually, I will do as she says.  I hope to get some stamping or scrapbooking done when I get home.

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 5, 2024

Autumn Expressions

Back again with the last of last week's Cards in the Mail.  I just can't seem to get past posting fall cards.  Maybe it's because I know what comes after fall, and I am trying to postpone it as long as possible. 

This card was made with the other half of the Designer Series Paper that I used in a card I posted last week.  You can see that card here.  The rest of the materials are exactly the same, except the DSP is on the right-hand side of this card instead of the left-hand side.

Today is going to be a busy day . . . a physical therapy appointment, delivering some stamps, a nail appointment, and voting.  It would have been nice if the rain would have held off, but at least it is not snow!!!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 4, 2024

Sweetly Scripted

Another day . . .another fall Cards in the Mail card.  This one is a little different as you can see.

I started with a 3.5" square of the designer series paper and cut it into four strips . .. each one .25" wider than the last.  The first strip on the left was .5" and I went from there.  They were layered onto a piece of Cajun Craze cardstock.  That was then adhered to the card front with dimensionals as was the sentiment strip.  Add some embellishments and you are done.  The hardest part for me was deciding which designer series paper I wanted to use.

Today is starting out with yet another doctor appointment . . . .I thought I was done with them for a while but it turns out I am not.  We are going to see if we can figure out why I am having headaches and neck pain.  I think it is just arthritis, but they want to make sure that is the source of the headaches and nothing else creeping in. 

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!

November 3, 2024

Autumn Leaves

With all the rain we have been getting, it won't be too long before we see leaves only on the cards we make! This pretty leafy card is one of this week's Cards in the Mail.

This is a layout that I used a couple years ago, and I thought I would try it with different fall leaf paper.  I think it worked well with the new paper and would be a great card if you wanted to make a lot in a hurry!  All it takes is a 1.75" strip of designer paper so you can get three cards from a 6" X 6" piece of paper.

We had a great time stamping and visiting at the retreat this weekend.  There were only 7 of us there so it was easy to visit with everyone.  We made some cool cards and projects, and I will be sharing some of them in the coming days.  

Today is going to be a day of rest!!

Every day is a gift . . . make the most of the gift you have been given today!!

Happy Stamping!!