Merry Christmas

The Cutting Cafe has some new images out, and I wanted to put together a Christmas card using some of the papers.

I've used CTMH cranberry cardstock as the base, and the printed paper is from The Cutting Cafe's Christmas Fudge set.  The banner is from the Christmas Colored Banners set.  You really have to see that set - banners made from stockings, bells, stars and snowflakes - cute!!  Finally the trees are from the Christmas Mini Colored set.  I've added some icicle stickles to the trees and prisma glitter to the "ground."  The ribbon is CTMH.

I have to show you the view from my craft room window this morning.  I hope this picture captures some of the beauty for you!  I am a born and raised Minnesota girl, but I still don't like the winter so much.  However, when God landscapes in this way, there's just no denying that this is a wonderful place to live!

Happy

Party Time Tuesdays has a 1-2-3 challenge this week.  This is the birthday card I am entering in the challenge!

I plan on catching up on blog reading and commenting this week.  I have been adjusting to my work schedule - I think when I wasn't working on Black Friday weekend, I was sleeping!  Jerry and I snuck away last night for a getaway.  We had a hotel certificate to use before the end of year.  The 21st anniversary of our blind date is on Thursday, so it was a nice time to spend some time together.  But it dawned on me as we were returning home that I am behind on Christmas!!  The weather outside is frightful today, and my warm sweater is so delightful (image the music in your head...), so I am excited to get going on the decorating, etc. 

Hope you're having a good start to the week!

Head over to Sassy Lil Sketches!

It's time for another design team reveal at Sassy Lil Sketches!  Here's Cherie's sketch for the week:

Pretty awesome sketch, don't ya think?  We have two generous sponsors for the month  - Paper Wishes and Sassy Studio Designs.  Look on my right sidebar for links to their fabulous sites!  Each time you play during the month, you gain an entry into drawing.  Sketches are released on the 7th, 14th, 21st (that's when I reveal), and the 28th.  Now you don't have to finish them before the next one is revealed .  Just have them done by the end of the month and link them up.  So easy to play!!

O Christmas Tree

I lvoe to play along at Keep it Simple!  One of the reasons is because it's a true challenge for me to keep my paper crafting simple.  I just always want to add that little bit more!  The challenge this week is evergreen, and here is my card using a lovely stamp from Penny Black.

I used Bo Bunny Noel papers, and I embossed the tree.  It really is very easy to get two different embossing powders on one stamp such as I did here.  First, stamp with Versamark.  Then pour one color at a time.  On this image, I poured CTMH Olive embossing powder on the tree and tapped it off.  Then I poured Judikins tinsel embossing powder on the flying snow.  The sentiment is from CTMH's Evergreen set.

Yippee!

Just had to share that I was in the Top 3 at Frosted Designs!  I so enjoyed making this card for the entry!

Thanksgiving Wishes and a New Challenge at Sarah Hurley

First of all, I want to wish all my blogging friends in the United States a very blessed Thanksgiving!  I hope you are celebrating a warm and wonderful day with family.  We are at home today - our little family of 3 - and we are about to start our Thanksgiving meal.  First, I will get the turkey in the roaster (lots of little secrets to keep it moist!).  My family's favorite part of the day is when I start my cranberry-walnust stuffing in the fry pan.  A little butter, celery, and onions all sauteed with sage.  Yummy - that sure makes the house smell good!  Then I'll get to my deep dish apple pie.  Yes, I know that pumpkin is traditional, but my hubby wanted apple this year!  I am quite sure we'll all have had plenty to eat by the end of the day!  Have I told you what time I have to be at work on Black Friday?  Well, think of me when you go out shopping because I have to be at work at 3:15 am!  I think I'll be napping Friday afternoon!

Well, on to Sarah Hurley's challenge this week.  The challenge is masking, and here is what I came up with using Sarah's digi images:

I cut the banner from the December Daily/Christmas Journal digi kit, and laid them out on white cardstock.  Then I sprayed some pretty green Christmas green spray over the banners to mask the images.

Now, I want to share a Thanksgiving poem that I really love.   My wishes are sent to you for a lovely day!

Thanksgiving Day Prayer

Lord, so often times, as any other day

When we sit down to our meal and pray

We hurry along and make fast the blessing

Thanks. Amen. Now please pass the dressing.

But Lord, I'd like to take a few minute more

To really give thanks for what I'm thankful for.

For my family, my health, a nice soft bed

My friends, my freedom, a roof over my head.

I'm thankful right now to be surrounded by those

Whose lives touch me more than they'll ever possibly know.

Thankful, dear Lord, that You've blessed me beyond measure

Thankful that within my heart lives life's greatest treasure.

Thank you, dear Jesus, as you reside in that place

And I'm ever so grateful for Your unending grace.

So please, heavenly Father, bless this food You've provided

And bless each and every person that we have invited.

Amen! - by Scott Wesemann

A Little Midnight Frost for Christmas

When I went to the store to pick up some paper, Shane actually picked this paper up from Bo Bunny and said it was the most beautiful paper he has seen.  WOW, I knew I had to grab some and make a few cards!  Discount Cardstock is asking people to post some different Bo Bunny work on their wall, so it was the perfect opportunity for me to grab a couple sketches from CPS and Card Patterns and get to work.

CPS sketch:



Other than my white Bazzill card base, I use all Bo Bunny Midnight Frost paper for this card.  The ribbon is May Arts, the buttons and brads are CTMH, and the stamp is Penny Black.

Card Patterns sketch:

I flipped this one on the side.  Again, all but the card base is Midnight Frost.  The ribbon is May Arts, and the other embellishments are all CTMH.

For both cards, I used pop dots to make the snowflakes stand up a little.  The snowflakes were cut with my Slice FaLaLa design card.



Thank You

This is such a good week for giving thanks!  That's why I was so glad to see so many challenge blogs having "thank you" as their challenge.  I so enjoyed making this card!!  Here is my entry using all CTMH product:

The challenges I'd like to enter this card into are:
Heart 2 Heart Challenges - thank you
CARDS - thank you
Sentimental Sundays - thankful with a sentiment
Frosted Designs - distressing

Christmas Ornament

I wanted to make something for our tree this year rather than buy a new holiday ornament.  Now mind you, this won't guarantee that I won't stop at Starbuck's for this year's ornament!! 

The ornament I made is relatively easy, just a  little time consuming.  I was thinking that the materials would be a great thing to prep and then put together while watching your favorite tv show or movie.  Maybe a Christmas movie?  Anyway, I cut 2-1/2" strips of CTMH cranberry and colonial white ribbon.  I hot glued them onto a styrofoam ball.  I added a touch of Martha Stewart gold ribbon, and it was done! This week, Really Reasonable Ribbon is asking for a Christmas theme, and Our Creative Corner is wanting a 3-D Holiday project.  This works great for both of those!

Happy Birthday!

Party Time Tuesdays has a great challenge this week - easel cards!  They are so much fun to make - really addictive!!  Of course, I couldn't help but participate as I love growing my stash of birthday cards.  That is what Party Time Tuesdays is all about - making your birthday cards one week at a time!

Here's what I came up using Fancy Pants It's Your Day:

This is such CUTE paper, it was easy to create something festive!  I fussy cut those flowers from a sheet of paper.  The scalloped border holding the card up is a border sticker from the collection.  The Happy Birthday is also a sticker. 

Make a card today.  It does your soul good!!

It's the 21st - Sassy Lil Sketches Reveal!

I absolutely love the sketch that I worked with this month for Sassy Lil Sketches!  It is so much fun, and I had so many ideas for it!  Sassy Studio Designs so graciously offered digi images to the design team, and one of them in particular worked perfectly for my layout!

We had a cookie bake day at one of my sister's houses earlier in the month.  Oh my goodness, did her oven ever work overtime!!  I had pre-made my doughs so all I needed to do was roll and bake.  Shane came along and helped me roll, so you'll see him in the picture, too!  When all of us completed our many, many cookies, we counted and divided them up.  What a fun, fun day - and lots of new recipes!  My sister Patti is so generous to open her house like this!  I had never been to cookie bake before, and I didn't know there were games and prizes, too!!  This was a fun, fun day - and I am already thinking of games that I can do next year!!

Okay, now I suppose I should tell you a little about my layout.  I used my Slice Bon Appetit design card to cut the apron - so cute paired a little ribbon and chipboard from Cosmo Cricket, huh?  And now that you've looked at that the layout, doesn't that domestic diva image work perfectly?  This is Grace paper from Close To My Heart.  I've used Bazzill flowers, CTMH twilight buttons, brads, and swirl clips.  The gems are Imaginisce. 

If you have time this month, play along for your chance to win a prize from either Paper Wishes or Sassy Studios Designs.  You will have until the 5th of December to get any of work in for the month of November.  I'd love to see what you come up with!!