Thomas Kinkade cards for my mommy...

I got 3 Thomas Kinkade stamps last August to make some cards for my Mom...it took me forever to get up the nerve to try to color them. I just couldn't get them the way I wanted them, so I took the easy way out!!! (hehehe) Bambi64 on SCS was my inspiration for these. Yup, those are monogramed envelopes made with 2 great sets from Papertrey Ink, Ambassador Monogram Edition and Borders & Corners Monogram Edition. And, yes my mommy loved her cards!!

Secret Hot Cocoa recipe!

My boys LOVE their hot chocolate, and boy are they picky about how you make it and what goes in it!! So they found a "secret, special recipe that is all theirs"... so, we thought it would be cool to make these "Hot Cocoa" sets and attach their special recipe for "the Gramma's". I have been dying to use my very first stamp set from Papertry Ink, Holiday Treats and this project was perfect for them!! I also used my favorite Wintergreen DP (I just can't get enough of this paper!!)

A Christmas Prezzie for Gramma

I took a break from my 'Thomas Kinkade card making' to make this altered clipboard as a gift for my Gramma! The red check paper matches her room where I'm guessing she'd put this (the 'Utility Room/Computer Room'). The calendar and notepad came as a set in the 'Dollar Area' at Michaels, Gramma loves chocolate, so these have M&M's on them! The sentiment is from Verve Visual Starlight Starbright set: I stamped the background stars in Morning Marigold by Stampin Up! and then stamped the phrase right on top of it in Cranberry Crisp (these also fit perfectly in the oval punch by SU!). The clip is for holding a picture or something, I'll put a little note in it for her! The 3 red buttons above the note pad came from a big tin full of buttons that my Gramma gave me years ago (I just LOVE old buttons), some of these were from her collection and some were from my Great Gramma's collection...I thought they were perfect! The colors even matched perfectly!! The gold flowers are Primas. The Gold ribbon is from Michaels. This was a real mish-mash of what I found in my stashes, but I really love the way it came together and I hope Gramma loves it too!!! My Gramma & Grampa used to make my hubby & I something every year for Christmas (Grampa would work on 1 part and Gramma would work on the other and the gift was for Jeff & I), I really miss looking forward to our "homemade gift" now, but I really enjoy making things for my Gramma & my parents...maybe this can be my way of carrying on that 'tradition' (for lack of a better word). Sorry for the sentimental mush, but it is that time of year! I hope you all cherish every moment this holiday with your loved ones!!

My last Christmas card - hopefully!

Just when I think I can't ink up another Christmas image without going crazy, I think of a super cute card to make (and yeah, it normally includes an image from the Jolliest Christmas set by Stampin Up!). I truely love this set, but I think my real weakness is the Wintergreen DP (of course by Stampin Up!). I stamped this super cool dude on Shimmer white paper, the good thing is that it is gorgeous with a perfect amount of shimmer, the bad thing is that with this picture you can't see the Dazzling Diamonds because the paper looks so shimmery! I colored him in with Copic markers, used Fun Flock on all of his fur and Dazzling Diamonds on all the snow flakes and snow areas. He is mounted on Black cs and then again on Sage Shadow cs. This is raised on Dimensionals. The sentiment is also stampind in Brilliance ink on Shimmery White paper mounted on black cs. I also used the Sprial punch across the top of the DP...now I bought this punch to use on a planner I was going to make, I couldn't imagine what else I'd use it for...well now I've used it more than a dozen times and still haven't made that planner, lol!! Enjoy the card and thansk for looking! Comments are always welcome and appreciated!

Supplies

Stamps: Santa and sentiment are both from the Jolliest Christmas set by Stampin' Up!

Ink: Brilliance in Graphite Black, Copic markers for coloring Santa & my spica Silver Glitter pen for the buckle

Paper: Black cs, Shimmer White cs, Sage Shadow cs and Wintergreen DP all by Stampin Up!

Accessories: Fun Flock, Dazzling Diamonds, Spiral punch, dimensionals, photo corner punch (all by Stampin Up!), Rhinestones were a gift from Cherri Furr (a wonderful SCS friend)!

Goodies from across the pond!

These are pics of 2 goodies boxes I got from my Bella Sistah, Janette (she is from the UK, the other side of the pond). The bottom picture is of package number 1 I got on Monday. There is a Clickabella, and there are some awesome embellies in the bag. I also love the darling card!! She is funny, wonderful, and a great card maker!!

The top picture is from a box I got today!! There were (I saw 'were' because most of them are gone now, yummy) some yummy Chocolates!!! These super cute sparkly brads, snowflakes, acrylic pieces (I have fallen in love with using these things!!!) and a super cute card! I almost bought this stamp, but didn't because as it was I already had mor Christmas stamps than I was able to use!! There was also a yummy smeling candle that made my whole package smell Christmas-y!! I am a HUGE Yankee candle fan!

Janette has been such a great friend! I was very lucky to get paired up with her, I have loved getting to know her! She's definitely a keeper! Too bad she lives so darn far away!!! Love ya Janetta Bettah!!! Thanks for the goodies!! Can't wait to play!!

Guest Designer...Me?!?!?!?

A couple of weeks ago I got the sweetest email from Miss Korin Southerland, owner of Sweet & Sassy Stamps. She asked me to be a Guest Designer for Sweet & Sassy, I had to read this email several times because I was sure it couldn't have said what I was reading, but it did! I am sooo very excited and honored, thank you Korin!!!!!!! (oh yeah, of course I said yes!!!!!!).

This isn't even the BIG news, the BIG news is that Korin has just released a new set called "Doodle Flowers". She will also be releasing several new things in the coming weeks, so add her blog to your google reader and you too can be "in the know" lol. Sorry can't write any more, I need to add a "Guest Designer" line to my blog!! hehehehe~!!

Thanks for looking, and keep your fingers crossed that I don't fall flat on my face when it's my turn to "Guest Design"...lol!

BB7 JammyBella

This layout was Challenge #7, by Gina K (yup, that Gina K from Gina K stamps). I love thed the layout! I have used a similar layout to this before, and as soon as I saw this one, I knew I needed to try it! And yes, if you can count and add and remember you will notice that I completed all 7 of the challenges (Challenge #3, was a questionnaire that I participated in , but won't post here)!! YEAH!!!! I did it!!!!! Yeah, yeah, yeah deets later!

BB6 Christini

Here is my entry for Laura's challenge (llevans on SCS). The challenge was for a NadaBella card. I started coloring this and didn't like, but I kept going and now I love this card!! It turned out so great! All deets later...

BB5 JammyBella

Here is my card for Shannan's Challenge. I like this card, but as I was about to take the picture I thought it would look great with some pink fiber type ribbon (which of course I didn't have), so then I was no longer satisfied with the card, darn it!! Will add the deets, later.

BB4 Stamping Bella

Here is my entry for Challenge #4 from Jamie (Jamerz on SCS). I was trying to beat the clock, determined to complete all 7 challenges on the SCS forum and the Bella Challenge on the Yahoo group, so I decided to combine two challenges! This one is also the color challenge from Jill on Bellaholics. This card is sooooooo much prettier IRL, it's kinda ugly on here (shhhh, don't want to hurt her feelings, lol). I'm way behind and too tired to post deets now, will post later. Thanks for looking!

BB2 SnowbunnyBella

I just love this Bella! (and I don't even own her, how crazy is that!). THis is my entry for the Bella Ball Challenge #2 by Amy Rysavy. Thanks Amy for the fun challenge! Sorry, no deets right now, I'll add them later!

I've Been Tagged!!

My friend Miss Katie Tagged me! So now it's my turn to share 7 things about myself.

1. I have a huge soft spot for guys that look hot in a pair of jeans (yup, this is how I found my hubby, lol)!!!!
2. I have locked my keys in the car..while it was still running...3 times in the same week!!!! AAA just laughed at me on the 3rd call!
3. I would love to have a huge house someday and open a Bed & Breakfast somewhere. I would decorate the whole house myself, and do most of the cooking!! I would also LOVE to have a huge garden where all the kids from the neighborhood (and the guests' children) could come and help me harvest the veggies, etc.
4. I love to take drives down Pacific Coast Highway, in our Jeep with the windows all zipped off...bundle up, turn up the heater and the radio and just drive!!!! With a Starbucks of course!!
5. I love quilting.
6. I love Bubble Baths!!! In an claw footed bath tub, extra deep with a huge garden window next to me...
7. I love to color!!!!!

Now to tag a few more.....
Janette Morrison (my wonderful Bella Sistah!)
Korin Southerland (she is a great lady with an awesome stamp store!!)
Cresta Woodruff (I love her stuff)
Caz (lots of creativity here!!)
Patsy (very, very cute stuff)
And you too...if you want to play! Just let me know and I'll visit you!!

Havein' a ball at the Bella Ball

We're havin' a ball at the Bella Ball!! The Bella Ball on SCS!! You can go here for a list of all the challenges from the Ball. This was so much fun! Here is my entry for the first challege...it was for a trifold card and MerryBella from Stamping Bella is embellied to the max!!! The tutorial is here on Beate's blog. For the front I stamped my Christmas greeting in True Thyme and layered it on my Figgy Pudding DP, and layered that on a scallop circle of Cranberry Crisp. The card is tied closed with ribbon (adhered on the back and between the scallop and the card). Now on to the Bella!! She was way to fun and quick to decorate...I colored her dress, Santa hat and the bow on the pot in my atYou spica glitter pen in red, colored her boots and belt with a Sakura Black glaze pen . The long ornaments are colored with misc. Silver & Gold glitter pens, the round ornaments are Decorative Pearls by Joy Crafts. The fur on her boots & hat is Fun Flock. The rest of the coloring was done with Copics. Thanks for looking & have a great weekend!!! Happy stamping!

HuggyBella RAK & a story...

I was invited to a Girls Stamping Night out this last weekend with some amazing stampers!!! Now mind you I have NEVER been to anything but an SU Card Camp, SU Open House, etc. My new friend Joy (Eclectic Paperie) told me who was coming, I was totally intimidated because OMG, these are "amazing stamper ladies"!! Yes, my hubby laughed at me because I told him I wasn't going to work on anything in front of them for fear of looking like a horrible stamper next to them! Well, I kinda got over that and planned out what I was gonna work on (I'm not good at this, I need everything including the kitchen sink around me at ALL times), bagged everything for each card and packed up my little box. I got this whole card on the left all ready to go, and DIDN'T have the right blue to mat it with!!!!! I finally got enough courage to make a card in front them and I couldn't even begin to put it together!! I was totally bummed! So I moved on to coloring some Frosty's and Jolliest Trees & Santas...I colored several, but I still didn't get any cards put together! Go figure!! Anyway, I had to leave the party early to do some "Mom things" at home. I finally found the right blue and put this card together in about 2 minutes this afternoon! This Bella card is a RAK card, hopefully going out tomorrow. Can you see the baubles on the flowers on the right side of the card? I don't really like the Blue Prima, there doesn't look quite right...oh well!

Thanks for looking and a bigger thanks for letting me ramble. Have a great week all!

Supplies used:

Stamps: Huggybellas by Stampingbella

Paper: Chocolate Chip, Cool Caribbean & Whisper White cs by Stamping Up!, Misc. Dp from unknown

Accessories: Baubles by Stampingbella, Chocolate Chip Tafetta ribbon & Antique Brad from Stampin Up!, Prima Flower

My DSS Rocks!

These last 3 months I participated in a round Divine Secret Siblings on SCS. This is my reveal gift from my Big Sis...isn't it amazing!!! Look at all these goodies!! Ribbons and Primas and Bling, oh my!!! Stickers and eyelets and brads oh my, oh my!! Thank you so much Cheri Furr for all my amazing goodies and for making this a really great round!!