Holiday Planner

I made this holiday planner for my MIL, Shirley. She asked if I was trying to tell her she needed to be more organized (as if I, of all people, could suggest that!), but I really just thought she would like it. She's the kind of person who actually keeps all of her receipts in an envelope, and she writes out her holiday menus.

I got the idea from JanTInk here on her blog, and she originally got the idea from Blue Moon Stamping here. I've also seen ones that have been made into information for babysitters. The possibilities go on and on!

For mine, I used the leftovers from the Winter Bright SS kit that I used to make my Christmas cards. I do have a tip for you for scoring and folding the folder into the 4 pockets. Make the two outer pockets slightly smaller (In mine, that would be List and Calendar pockets.). I found that by scoring exactly in half, it didn't close properly and bulged a little. I used the five-in-one envelope template from SU to make the receipt envelope.

Hopefully, I will be doing some stamping today. I have 2 sets that have not even seen ink yet!

Embellished clipboard

This is the clipboard I made for my SIL Angela. It's the smallest chipboard clipboard in the SU catalog. I think it's 4 1/2 X 9. I used So Saffron and Certainly Celery Prints designer paper. The ribbon around the clipboard is from Fairy Tale Ribbon Originals, and I tied Certainly Celery and Apricot Appeal narrow grosgrain onto the clip. I put magnet tape on the back so she can put it on her fridge.

Hope Santa brought you what you wanted; he was good to me!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Yesterday, I was able to get all of my Christmas projects done. Hooray! I'm usually very last-minute (like with my mom's present last week!), so it felt good to get them done. Of course, I did put off wrapping everything today, but nobody's perfect, right?

I feel pretty safe posting this gift for my SIL because I don't think she reads my blog. This frame started life in the dollar spot at Target (see photo below). Quite a difference! I decided to use the Apple Cider designer paper because I wanted something masculine to go with the photo of my nephews, and also because Loretta's favorite color is green so I knew Wild Wasabi would be perfect. I measured the frame and then cut the two pieces of paper. To cut out the inside part of the paper, here's a great tip that I got from Emily Giovanni's tutorial on SCS: Take out the paper and glass from the frame opening. Then lay the frame upside down over the paper and trace the opening to make the perfect template for you to cut. I used sticky strip to adhere the Wild Wasabi double-stitched ribbon.

To all of you who are so faithful to read my blog, thank you! I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! I'll be back in a couple of days to show some more projects I've gotten done.

I've got talented friends and family

Here are 3 Christmas cards I recently received. The card on the left is from my mom, Pat. (Hi, Mama!) Love the chipboard star! The middle card is from my friend and fellow demonstrator Carol. She is scgustaf on SCS and has great things in her gallery there! Her card came with a loaf of homemade cinnamon bread; can't wait to dig into that. The card on the right is from my friend Rhonda. The berries are glittery!

It's a good thing they are stamping, because I am not! I spent tonight poring over my NEW catalog. I went through it twice to make up for the fact that I've hardly had a chance to look at since it arrived on Tuesday. I can't have it feeling neglected!

Stamping class tonight!

Tonight was Sandi's monthly stamp class. She always has the prettiest projects! Tonight's set was Heartspeak, which is retiring after this month. We did a lot of coloring! The bird card was stamped on watercolor paper with Black StazOn and colored in with watercolor pencils. That was tough for me. The amethyst card was stamped with Basic Brown and colored in with markers. It's hard to see in the photo, but the photo corners and the strip of brown cardstock were stamped with En Francais also. I really like the green card! The image was stamped with Timber Brown StazOn and colored in with ink and blender pen. That one worked the best for me.

Instead of a stamp set, I decided to get the neutrals markers and Build-a Brads. Can't wait to play with those; they look way cool!

Well, I've been a very good girl tonight. I got my mom's Christmas presents ready to mail AND HAVEN'T EVEN OPENED MY NEW CATALOG!!!! It came today, and I'm off to check it out now. Happy stamping!

Look what Rhonda gave me!

It's called a vertical album, and it holds a scrapbook page. Isn't it cool?? We both saw it on Sharon Harnist's blog here: http://paperfections.typepad.com/paperfections/2007/09/desk-calendar.html . Clever Rhonda got her husband to help her make some! Now all I have to do is figure out what to put in it... That'll definitely be a post-holiday project.

Sorry, I haven't been stamping. I got my Christmas cards finished. Now I have to get them in the mail. If only they would mail themselves! I do have several projects to complete for Christmas giving. I'll only be able to show a few as some of the recipients read my blog. Hope your projects are going well!

Monochromatic Z Fold Card

Today's challenge on SCS was a monochromatic card. I automatically thought of Basic Gray since it's my FAVORITE! I decided to do a Z fold card. Basically, you just fold the card front back on itself. I also used my new set from the upcoming Spring/Summer catalog, A Beautiful thing. I stamped the solid flower in silver and embossed with clear EP. Then I used my Stamp-a-ma-jig to stamp the outline in Black StazOn. (The EP was slippery, so the images smeared a bit. I'll try to do better next time.) I wanted to add my taffeta ribbon, but I couldn't figure out where to put it. Let me know if you have a suggestion on where it should go.

Supplies (all SU): Stamps: A Beautiful Thing; Paper: Very Vanilla, Basic Gray (both regular and textured), Charbon; Ink: silver, Black Stazon; Accessories: clear embossing powder, ticket corner punch

Stampin' Up has mailed our free catalogs, and some lucky demonstrators in Canada have already gotten theirs! You can catch a glimpse here: http://paperpleasing.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/12/nothing-like-a.html

Also, I've gotten a look at the upcoming Sale-a-bration sets, and THEY ROCK! There's a set for the scallop circle punch, and there's also a set of rub-ons IN 4 COLORS!!!

It's a Beautiful Thing!

Getting new stuff, that is. Whoohoo! My preorder came yesterday. I was VERY good, though. I didn't get hardly anything. I just love the new stamp set called A Beautiful Thing. I made the border using one stamp that has 4 flowers in a row. The centers are 4 in a row too. I got the color combo from the new Bali Breeze paper. It's not one I would come up with on my own, but I like it! I'm looking forward to playing more, so stay tuned...

Supplies (all SU): Stamps: A Beautiful Thing, Celebrate Everything; Paper: Confetti White, Old Olive, Bali Breeze ds paper; Ink: Old Olive, Pumpkin Pie, Taken with Teal; Accessories: ticket corner punch, Always Artichoke narrow grosgrain ribbon, cutter kit

The Last of the Christmas Cards

Here's the last of my cards from the Simply Scrappin' Kit. I really like the one in the upper left corner. I made it a gatefold card and cut the snowflake sticker in half.
Tomorrow, I get my pre-order from the new catty!! So I should have some purty new stuff to post soon.
Also, the retiring accessories list is being released tomorrow. Out with the old, in with the new!

More Christmas Cards

Here are more cards made with the Simply Scrappin' Kit. I just love the card with the double star on it. I got that great idea from Caroline at www.craftincaro.ca . She is so talented!

On Monday, my preorder from the new catalog arrives. Whoohoo! Some people have already gotten theirs, so check out the gallery at SCS.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

Last Saturday, we had a big storm that definitely made it look like Christmas outside. So while the storm raged, I watched my all-time favorite Christmas movie, White Christmas, and made Christmas cards.
This year, I'm using the Winter Bright Simply Scrappin' Kit to make my cards. By cutting the cardstock into 4 X 11 pieces, I can get 24 cards from the kit. I made a few a while back, but I was able to make 13 more while I was watching the movie. Easy peasy! I'll have 2 more photos to post as the week goes on, so check back. (You can also subscribe to my blog using Feedblitz over on the right. You'll get e-mail notifications letting you know when I have a new post. Thanks, Crystal, for the idea!)

The Winner Is...

Random.org generated the number 9. The winner is Jan Scholl, who said, "the only set on the list I wanted, I just ordered last week, so I wasnt disappointed at all. I am suprised at how fast the monograms came and went-in stamps, magazines and stuff like that. I got 6 of them. "
Congratulations, Jan, and thanks for all who commented!

5,000 Hits! Time for some blog candy

Wow! I can't believe I've already had over 5,000 hits on my blog. Thanks so much to all of you who keep coming back, and special thanks to those of you have commented or e-mailed me. It really means a lot to me!

To celebrate, I am giving away a flip book that is ready to be altered. It has an easel attached. And you need to decorate it, right? So I'm including a Just Delightful Simply Scrappin' Kit from last year's Sellabration.

To be entered to win, leave a comment by 6PM Central Time on Tuesday, December 4. In your comment, please leave your name and e-mail address so I can contact you if you win. Please tell me what set you are most disappointed is retiring or what you most hope to see in the new catty.

I will be leaving this post at the top until Tuesday, so please scroll down to see new posts.

Debbie Olson's Sketch

If you are one of the five stampers on the planet who haven't visited Debbie Olson's blog, get over there right now!! (The link is over on the right.) She is one of the most talented stampers around. And she's modest and sweet too! (Not that I've actually met her, but she has responded to comments I've left on her blog.) WARNING: She is a great enabler for lots of products!

This past weekend, she came up with a great sketch for Lisa Strahl's birthday celebration on the Cornish Heritage Farms website. Her cards used some beautiful Thomas Kincaid stamps, but when I saw the sketch, Easy Elegance popped into my head right away. I LOVE this set (Why, oh why couldn't SU have kept it around??), and I'm happy with the card too.

If you see this, Debbie, thanks for all of the inspiration!

Supplies (all SU): Stamps: Easy Elegance, Floral; Paper: Shimmery White, Basic Gray, Wild Wasabi; Ink: Basic Gray, Purely Pomegranate, Wild Wasabi; Accessories: Purely Pomegranate satin ribbon, 3/4" circle punch

I've Been Elfed!

Splitcoaststampers had this great program going for a while where you could "elf" someone. That means sending them a Christmas gift, sort of a Pay It Forward program. It grew way more than expected, and the coordinators got overwhelmed. But over 700 people were elfed, and I am one of the lucky ones! It can be anonymous, but my elf outed herself. It was Peggie Sue, AKA craftidomesticdiva. She sent me this super cute card as well as an EXTREMELY generous bag of goodies! I already ate the chocolate!
You can check out Peggie Sue's blog here: http://fabricscraps.blogspot.com/ . She lives in Georgia. Go Dawgs! (That's my alma mater. University of Georgia) Peggie Sue, if you see this, please tell me what you used to make that background paper. It looks like coffee filter but it feels thicker than that, like interfacing or something similar.

It's Retired List Time Again!

I can't believe another new catalog is already just around the corner! WHOOHOO! That will really help me through the after-Christmas letdown. I'm happy to report that I only have 10 sets that are retiring. The big disappointment for me is they are retiring Bodacious Bouquet! I LOVE that set.
Here is a link to the list: http://www.stampinup.com/us/documents/US_Retired_List_PGNUM_1207.pdf
Also, SU has recently redesigned their website, and it looks sharp! Check it out here: http://www.stampinup.com/us/enu/default.asp