Christmas Cards for the Boy's Families

Hi you all :) Any crafty plans today? or over the next few days? It sounds like a good way to ring in the New Year! Right now my craft desk looks like it threw-up Christmas :) Oh my just paper, stamped sentiments, ribbons, and glittered items all over the place! Will need to corral that a bit before I get started crafting today. I have made quite a few cards for giving out at Christmas time this year and quite a few more this month as I found out I didn't have near enough made. So that will be a focus for next year and a goal that I atleast get one done a month and work on them during Christmas in July :) But I do want to get a few done while I have so much Christmas stuff out crafting layouts and my Dec Daily next month. On to the cards:

 I made this card for Albert and his family. I really like the small cut up pieces that you receive in the 6X6 paper pads lately. The reindeer came from one of my paper pads I had out for Christmas crafting this month with my December on the Go counterfeit kit. I have found the lots of words paper makes a great background for cards. I got this paper pack just about used up and see it getting finished up by the end of Jan when I put away majority if the Christmas paper :) Will keep the scraps separate to use on cards throughout the year. (Tina note this :) Funny how we think of things as were typing up the post :) The snowflake is a die cut from my cameo that I made a bunch for the layout I did this month, yep using up those scraps :)

The inside of the card, I used some of the striped paper from the same pack as the word paper. Banner piece from CTMH pack and the sentiment is from SU using the Christmas Red ink from CTMH.

 This is the card I made for Brad and family. I used 2 different 6X6 paper pads for this card and the paper from the Christmas pack that I have been using this month. I found these fun bows upstairs in a drawer unit I got at an auction long time ago, just went through it one day looking for something else and came across this bag of bows and lace :) A good find for Christmas crafting. Added some glitter tap to cover the joined spots of the different papers to give a much smoother look to the card.  This card was inspired by the sketch over at Mojo Monday #428 challenge:

It was a good one to use for this time of the year and I love the tag aspect of the sketch. Sketches do make it easier and faster to come up with an idea for cards when you are mentally crafty drained out :)

I brought in more of the paper on the inside of the card too. Same sentiment in both cards were used. Thank you for stopping by today to see what I'm up too in my little corner of the world...... Don't be surprised if you see some more posts today as I'm doing layouts for challenges before they end for the month :)

Merry Christmas 2015

Merry Christmas 2015 :) Oh just a wee bit late I guess :) Really got busy at our house and the festivities still continue :) How was your holiday? Was there any fun scrappy treats under the tree this year? I found a few in my Christmas Stocking :) and in the bag that the hubby got for the extras that didn't fit the stocking :) I have big plans next week of a scrapathon while the hubby is away working I'll be scrapping away, trying to catch up on some of the scrapping from the holiday and before the holiday :) Even get ahead on some DT projects :) Thinking about my goals for the year ahead, too.
I made a couple of cards Christmas Eve for the hubby. One from Buddy our dog and one from me.

I used the graphic pen effect in Photoshop Elements for the picture. Used some fun Merry Christmas paper that was in my Counterfeit Kit that I got at a yardsale a couple of years ago :) Just about used this paper up.

 brought in a little of the paper and added a few verses from a few different place (mainly paid card spots) to create this for Dave from Buddy. Buddy is very lost when Dave isn't here, he's happy to be with me but it's just not the same as Dad being here.

The card I made for Dave. I have an abundance of these trees I'm using up that I cut for some cards I made for someone at work :) I wanted to make sure I had enough (looks like I had way enough) and I use to different color backgrounds. I chose the white for her cards so now I have lots of the green :) Will get them used up with the MO cards though :) I used my cricut for these cuts off on The Art Philosophy cartridge and the CTMH Holiday Wishes stamp set using CTMH Juniper ink. I also did the stamping with my printer through Photoshop Elements it was something new I tried and it worked out great. Just had to print on paper first and then added removable tape and taped it in place and reprinted, just about perfect placement. The inside was off just a wee bit but stilled turned out great.
So 2 cards done in the wee hours of Christmas Morning :) I look forward to sharing more of the card I made this month throughout the week. Thank you for stopping by today and seeing what I'm up too Wishing you all a fantastic holiday season :)

1st Snow Day (Lasting Memories Challenge)

Good Morning :) Happy Christmas rush week! Oh my lots to do yet on my list, how is yours coming along? Cookie backing this weekend is taking place and I got some of the hubby's Christmas shopping done :) With just a few more things to get should be done and wrapped by Tuesday night :) That is a tight schedule but easy enough to get done. How you all made out with Christmas Card sent out ? I found that I didn't make enough and had to send out (the dreaded word :) a few store bought cards. Yes Christmas in July this coming year will be dedicated to Christmas Cards making :)  Now on with the crafty challenge product :)
This weeks challenge over at Lasting Memories is National cut out a Snow Flake Day w/optional Holiday twist! When : Always December 27 Make Cut Out Snowflake Day is  here and now. Here's a day to show your crafty skills, as you make paper snowflakes. Making cut out snowflakes is a great project for kids. However, you don't have to be a kid, to have fun making paper snowflakes. It's a skill that is practiced by many people. They say no two snowflakes are alike. It shouldn't come as a surprise, that there are seemingly countless different snowflake designs. Templates abound, from fast and easy patterns, to intricate time consuming designs to challenge the most practiced "snowflaker". So, if you like snow...bring it on! Bring out the paper and scissors, and cut out some paper snowflakes on this very special  Make Cut Out Snowflake Day. "Make a Cut-Out Snowflake" - Scrap about Snow, Snowflakes, Winter etc... Or Switch: Holiday Winter Wonderland This will also be our last challenge of 2015! Can you believe another year has gone by! All the links to Decembers challenges are listed on the sidebar over at Lasting Memories, so please join in if you have some time to sneak away to your craft room. We will leave the challenges up till Wednesday, December 30 and then we will close and the voting will take place after the challenge has ended till Saturday, Jan 2. We'll be kicking off a new year of challenges on Sunday, January 3!

My layout for this challenge :) My great granddaughter experience snow for the 1st time almost :) It snowed the day they brought her home, but to me when they are playing in it then it's their 1st time :) So these pictures came off of Facebook of her, they live in South Dakota and had snow in November. I used the sketch over at the Memory Nest for my inspiration for the layout:

 I thought it was perfect for the photos and the journaling block. Here are some close ups of the layout:

 I played around with cut files of snowflakes from my Silhouette, punch snowflakes from a MS punch: Alpine Snowflake and a Creative Memories sticker pack: Chalet. The background paper was also snowflakes.

 The date added to a sticker from the CM Chalet sheet and added some silver and snowflake sequins

The journaling came from the conversation I had with our Granddaughter Jessica about Emily :) Love to include these kinds of conversations from Facebook on layouts :) I hope to see your fun creation up on the Lasting Memories Scrapbook Challenge blog :) Have a great day :) I'm off to finish up my cookie baking.

 

Box Full of Treats for Funday Friday Challenge

Hello :) How is your Christmas list coming along? Mine, well lets say the cards are mailed and there is how many days left till Christmas?!! Oh my! yes I'm a bit behind but I'm staying in good spirits what happens, happens and I have no control over it. Being back to work this month was a blessing and with that I'm happy no matter what happens :) Yes we are indeed hosting the Christmas Eve dinner this year so just a little prayer that I may get the day before Christmas Eve off of work to get the house cleaned up for company other than that we should be good on everything else falling into place even if we are still wrapping some gifts after Christmas :) for the ones we see after Christmas :) But I did get to do some Christmas crafting over the past couple of weeks when I can squeeze the time in :)
So this is the last Funday Friday Challenge for the year and we will resume the challenges on January 8, 2016. We have had some fantastic sponsors this year, thank you :) It's also been fun to see your creations for the challenges :)  This week's Challenge over at Jo's Scrap Shack is:

"Christmas Treats"

Create a card, layout or project with

this week's theme!

I created a fun little box to hold some Christmas goodies:

Our sponsor this week is Little Blue Buttons Stamps: I made this box and decorated the front with LBBS digi art files: Christmas Journaling tags

You can beat getting these art files this year for any style Christmas crafting you got going on:

 

These are perfect for some many different things: Dec. Daily, Christmas tags, Christmas cards just to name a couple of uses. I used the one with the wreath for my project:

 I used a 2" circle punch to punch out the wreath and popped it on the project with foam tape.

 I created the box from watching this youtube video: 12 Days of Christmas 2013 Day 2 - YouTube

A fun little gifty to add to the grandkids gifts :) 

Thanks for stopping by today and seeing what I got going on in my little corner of the world :) I've got to go and get some more crossed off my list to do, but will be back sometime this weekend with one more post before Christmas takes over my life for a week atleast :) 

Starts: Friday, Dec. 18th 12:00AM

Ends:  Friday,  Dec. 25th  6:00PM

(Eastern time)

What do you need to do to enter?

Challenge Rules

1. Please post a direct link to your card/project post that includes your challenge,

using the linky tool below.

2. Be sure to include a link back to our challenge

3. THREE entries per person and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4. All entries must be NEW and created for the current challenge.

5. You may combine with other challenges as long as you link back to us in your post.

 * All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements

Will not be eligible for top 3 or random wins (optional from sponsors prizes)

Any random wins will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

You have until Dec. 25th by 6:00PM (eastern) time to link up.

All winners will be announced during the week of Dec. 28th.

Have fun and we look forward to seeing what you create!

 

Holly Jolly card for Funday Friday

Hi you all :) Yay Friday! Were busy getting ready for the holidays, lots of Christmas shopping to do yet, but hope to get the family's shopping done this weekend :) I'll be doing the hubby's next week while he is out of town. Today's Funday Friday challenge theme is Anything Goes over at Jo's Scrap Shack and the sponsor this week is Bugaboo Stamps. This is the card I created:

I used the Bugaboo Winter Circle Sentiments - Merry Christmas digital stamp. I colored it up with my bic markers and used both Christmas Red stickles and Crystal stickles. The border behind the sentiment is washi tape. I used my current counterfeit kit, December on the Go for the card papers.
I used the sketch at Mojo Monday for my inspiration:

 I also did the inside of the card:

I did the stamp with CTMH barn red ink and the stamp is from Stampin Up. A little washi tape on the inside for the final sentiment of Merry Christmas

Thanks for stopping by today :) Have a fantastic weekend and enjoy!

Our Sponsor this week is:

 

The winner will win 7 digital stamps of their choice!!!! 

 

 So make sure to play along this week~

    Starts: Friday, Dec 11th 12:00AM

Ends: Friday, Dec 18th  6:00PM

(Eastern time)

 

What do you need to do to enter?

Challenge Rules

1. Please post a direct link to your card/project post that includes your challenge,

using the linky tool below.

2. Be sure to include a link back to our challenge

3. THREE entries per person and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4. All entries must be NEW and created for the current challenge.

5. You may combine with other challenges as long as you link back to us in your post.

 * All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements

Will not be eligible for top 3 or random wins (optional from sponsors prizes)

Any random wins will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

You have until Dec 18th by 6:00PM (eastern) time to link up.

All winners will be announced during the week of  Dec. 21st

Have fun and we look forward to seeing what you create!

Stick It Down Guest Designer

Hi you all :) Exciting day today as I was chosen to be the Guest Designer over at Stick It Down for their single page sketch last month:) So this is the single sketch for this month, a very interesting sketch too. This is what I did with the sketch:

 and the sketch:

 This is a picture of my husband, taken at the antique tractor show at Penns Caves in the spring. I don't know how I got the picture I got, but I did. It was such a fun pose that it was like he was ready to take on anything so it made for a great title to the layout. I used part of my Counterfeit kit last month for the layout and so specific pattern papers. I love the frame that I used and some fun word strips :)

My journaling. I'd like to give a huge thank you to the ladies at Stick It Down for having me as their guest designer!

Live Laugh Love Everyday

Good Morning and welcome :) Today I have another week done in my 2014 project life album, I'm not out of January yet, but I got another week done :) Maybe in the New Year I can really get active with this and get 2014 finished and in the books :)
This week over at Sketches in Thyme Project Life Style we're to use Sketch #5 for our page:

This week's sketch had that fun banner that I created with some CTMH product and some letter stickers. Lots of fun sequins and some washi tape too. The sketch:

Sketch #5 by our one and only, Shawn Lahr.....

Here is the page that I used my card on:

 The left side:

 The right side:

Some close ups:

 Cute picture of Tristan, so small then :)

 My week in review

not a great way to start the week or the new year as a matter of fact. This ended up being the beginning of a very rough year, one full of new changes in my life.

 The old recipe swap club getting together for some fun crafting each month.

More pictures of the boys together 

Me and Buddy just kicking back, the week was to bad. 

Thanks for stopping by today :) I hope to see your creation over at Sketches in Thyme Project Life Style

real soon :) There is a fantastic prize giveaway this month too :)

 

This sketch is just perfect for December Daily albums. How will it inspire you to create, today?

Your prize for December is....

White Pines Assortment.....

 and....yes...AND....White Pines Complements.....

You have until December 31, 2015 to add your cards to our link ups to be entered for a chance to win! We can't wait to see what you create!

Christmas Cookies for a Lasting Memories challenge

Hi you all welcome to my blog :) Today is the new challenge over at Lasting Memories and it's a good one! Get out those pictures of the Christmas baking that you will be doing this year aor maybe some from last year for this fun challenge or maybe you have a Brownie in your family you would like to highlight :) It's all good for this challenge.

LMCB # 271 

"National Brownie Day."

Scrap about brownies, brown things, brownie troop etc...

Or switch:                           Scrap about Holiday Baking.
I scrapped about the cookies I made last year for Christmas and I put it on Brown paper :)

I usually spend one day making cookies for Christmas and I like to try a new recipe each year. This particular year I tried a recipe from the 1972 Grange recipe book: Celebrity Cookie Bars, a really great bar cookie. My inspiration for the layout came from the sketch over at ScrapMuch?

   I had fun with some gold trim I had in my stash using my December on the Go counterfeit kit for the month.

 The new cookie got the top picture, a picture of oatmeal scotchies on the backing sheet and a tray full of cookies. I used the Dazzles Kitchen stickers for the little cookies scattered about and the cookie jar. I also used some candy cane stickers scattered about to bring in more of the red and green for Christmas colors.

 From an old recipe paper kit I found the cookie and the measuring cup diecuts and added those too the layout. some kitchen SU paper for the pennants to finish off the layout and a great spot for my journaling. I hope you will join us for this fun challenge this week. 

 

National Brownie Day 

When : Always December 8

National Brownie Day celebrates chocolatey, chewy brownies.

Brownie lovers, love chocolate. Conversely, chocolate lovers, love brownies. Therefore, its only natural, that we have a special day to celebrate brownies. It's fun and easy to enjoy this special day. First, select your favorite brownie recipe, and bake a batch of brownies. You can add nuts, if you prefer. Topping the brownies with chocolate frosting is a good thing, too. Finally, eat them! You can have them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a snack.

P.S. Don't forget the glass of milk!  

Happy National Brownie Day.

 

Merry Christmas for a Funday Friday Challenge

Hi you all :) It's been a busy week :) I got called back to work so all my extra crafting time went right straight out the window. But, I have been working on a few things that you will see this coming week. But today is Funday Friday over at Jo's Scrap Shack and today's challenge is "Christmas Joy", you can create a card, a layout or a project with that theme. Our sponsor this week is Little Blue Buttons Stamps: I made a card with LBBS digi stamp: Miss Lilly Holiday

 Isn't she just the cutest little digi stamp. I colored her up with some tombow markers. I added some white liquid applique and sprinkled it with gold glitter, used my heat gun to make the magic of the puff and gives it a fun puffy look like a Santa hat. I fussy cut her out and popped her up on foam so she didn't looks flat against the background paper. I added some CTMH sparkles Flourishes that was in my Dec Daily kit this month. The paper for the card also came from the same kit, from the 6X6 paper pad Let it Snow from American Crafts.

Brought the 1 long piece of paper that was left into the inside for a border and added the sentiment, a CTMH stamp using Juniper ink. The ink color is a really close comparison to the green in the paper. Another Christmas card to get out this week. Thank you for stopping by today. Can't wait to see what you create and link up. The details you need to know:

    Starts: Friday, Dec. 04th 12:00AM

Ends:  Friday,  Dec. 11th  6:00PM

(Eastern time)

What do you need to do to enter?

Challenge Rules

1. Please post a direct link to your card/project post that includes your challenge,

using the linky tool below.

2. Be sure to include a link back to our challenge

3. THREE entries per person and you must post a separate blog post for each entry.

4. All entries must be NEW and created for the current challenge.

5. You may combine with other challenges as long as you link back to us in your post.

 * All entries that do not meet the challenge requirements

Will not be eligible for top 3 or random wins (optional from sponsors prizes)

Any random wins will only be mailed within the US and Canada only.

You have until Dec. 11th by 6:00PM (eastern) time to link up.

All winners will be announced during the week of Dec. 14th.

Have fun and we look forward to seeing what you create!

Home is Where The Heart is for a LM challenge

Today is the beginning of the new challenges over at Lasting Memories for the month. We are having some fun with the challenges this month using some Unique National Holidays. Today's challenge is honor of Dec 3rd: National Roof Over Your Head Day :) Scrap about your home or someone elses home or any home in general. Or switch: Scrap about your home during the Holidays. Seeing Christmas lights would work.
 Hi you all, this maybe troubling for some and that is not the idea for this layout. When the rain washes away and you take a look at what is left.... In 2004 we had to deal with Hurricane Ivan, he came in a week after Hurricane Jean came in. It wasn't a Katrina, but for this girl it was the worst flooding I have physically faced since I was a youngster seeing Agnes in 1972 and that was a flood that just rocked our area to a core that I still remember, even though our house didn't get flooded that year, we know of many that did. The  prompt on LOAD10: Story: Tell of what you hold fast to for security Product/technique: Use a bold paper as a background frame revealed at the edge of your page Image: A photo that includes a house. This prompt I thought about and thought about and then it just came to me about doing a layout/theme album that I have been wanting to do for a long time: You don't know how secure you feel in your home until something devastating happens to it. Nature has a way to destruct your secured feeling. Thank you for this prompt, you got me going on a project I wanted to do for a long time:

This will be my title layout to a themed album that I want to do. I used my October counterfeit kit for my layout and this layout was based on a sketch challenge last month on a Facebook group.

The top two pictures hold 2 tags that hold the journaling for the layout. Both pictures were taken from the railroad tracks, the only way to see anything during that time as the river filled up our little community area, the rest of the borough was secured by the dike. When they built the dike years ago it didn't extend this far and that is just another long story for another layout :)

 The left tag shows the vital statistics and the right tag shows the journaling of what took place that day for us.

The bottom pictures show the house after we were able to come down from the tracks and to check out the damage. There was still lots of water in the yard and the driveway that we weren't able to come up to the house that way. After the holidays I would like to work on this album quite a bit so a large focus for me in the new year. Not always protected from the elements, but it's always a roof over our head. Thank you for stopping by today and seeing what I'm up to in my little corner of the world....
National Roof Over Your Head Day. It is a day of appreciation for the things we have, starting with the roof over our heads. For most of us, a roof over our head signifies living in a house that protects us from the elements, keeping us warm, dry, and cozy. Unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky as you and I. There are many homeless people right here in our country. Some people live in a cardboard box on the street...... literally. There are millions of people around the world who live in poverty or disaster areas, and do not have a home to keep them comfortable and safe. Spend a few minutes  being thankful that you are not homeless, and appreciating your roof and home today. Also make a contribution to a homeless shelter, so others can come in out of the rain.
Happy National Roof Over Your Head Day!

Use Orange: Celebrate card

Yes the end is near :) This is the last posting for tonight, but for the lateness it is it'll probably show up as tomorrow morning ( only a quarter of an hour left for tonight ). This card came about with some fun elements in my stash. The card came from the PI crop challenge (Donna's Orange Challenge) to use orange. So came in a orange tag and an orange bottle cap:

I used the sketch over at Sketch N Scrap for my card, sketch #61:


What a perfect sketch for my card.

I  used seam binding to make my bow that I hot glued to the hole in the tag. I also hot glued the bottle cap to the doily and added the vellum sentiment to the bottle cap. Finished it off with the glitter tape in a coppery color. The inside of the card was done too, but I guess I didn't get a picture of it before it got sent out for the holiday. The background paper, the tag, the doily, the glitter tape and the bottle cap came from my Feast of Fun counterfeit kit.
Thanks for stopping by today and seeing what I have been up to in my little corner of the world, that I've been crafting this past month :)