Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas a little late and Happy New Year a little early!

 

I've been so busy I haven't taken the time to post anything here- sorry! Hopefully you've been busy spending time with family and friends so you didn't notice!

 

This is our new Christmas tree- all 9 feet of it! I've always wanted a really tall tree, and with the vaulted ceiling in the new house this was the first time we've had a place for one. We had to buy a new tree and decorations since our old ones were all lost in the fire. I used to love unpacking them each year and remembering where they came from or why we got them. It just wasn't the same starting over with new ones this year.

 

 

Here it is with the lights on:

 

 

Whoever came up with the idea for pre-lit trees should win a medal or something! SO much easier!

 

I wish you a healthy and happy New Year!

 

Candy Cane Elves

Aren't these adorable? I love punch art projects and Jackie Topa is the Punch Art Queen! She shared these little guys and the directions on her blog. Sandy, who is in my downline, made these as her swap at the November Stamp Share. I had to make them be a project for the December Stamp-A-Stack, even though there was no stamping invloved.

 

 

Jackie has a video on her blog that shows how to make these and what punches you need for the pieces. When I was getting everything ready for the S-A-S, I decided to lay out all the pieces and take pictures so everyone would know what pieces go where.

 

Boy Elf

 

Girl Elf

 

Of course I forgot to put the red circles for the top of their hats in the pictures!

 

Colors: Real Red, Garden Green, Daffodil Delight, Pink Pirouette, Whisper White

 

What are you waiting for? Go get some candy canes and make these! And I hope you'll join us for a Stamp-A-Stack some time! Or join my team and become a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator so you can attend a Stamp Share!

 

Fancy Santa Favor Box

Here's a cute little open-topped box to hold candy or a small present. Nothing like a non-stamped project at a Stamp-A-Stack, huh? :)

 

 

Colors: Real Red, Basic Black, Whisper White, silver

 

Accessories: Fancy Favor Die, Silver Glimmer Paper, 1" Square Punch, Neutrals Button

 

I suggest using Sticky Strip to put the box (and most 3D projects) together.

 

The belt is a 3/4 x 12" strip of Basic Black card stock wrapped around the box. I should have put some adhesive on the sides to hold it better so you wouldn't see the bowed out sides! The belt buckle is a 1" square of Silver Glimmer Paper with a 3/4" square of Basic Black card stock centered on it. Any time I layer glimmer paper I use Sticky Strip to attach it. That stuff holds everything together! 

Snow Festival Pocket

It seems like you always need a gift card holder for the holidays. I like to make my own so they're cuter than the ones most stores offer with their cards. This version was CASE'd from Becky E. The pocket is just wide enough for a gift card.

 

 

Color: Cherry Cobbler

 

Accessories: Petite Pocket Dies, Snow Festival Designer Printed Tags, Baker's Twine

 

I suggest using Sticky Strip to hold the pocket (and most 3D projects) together.

Scentsational Tags

I decided to mix things up a little and do some projects that weren't cards at the December Stamp-A-Stack. One of them, which I will share later in the week, is quite putzy, so this one is really easy to balance everything out!

 

 

Stamp Sets: Scentsational Season & Owl Occasions

 

Colors: Garden Green, Real Red, Marina Mist, Soft Suede

 

Accessories: Holiday Collection and Apothecary Accents Framelits

Sparkly Shaker

One of the things I love most about being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator is getting together with my upline Betty's group for a Stamp Share. We do a card swap and take turns doing a demonstration and make-n-takes, so we get lots of great ideas! When we got together in November, Jen did a demo on shaker cards using the Shaker Frames (page 177 of the Catalog). Wow! So cute and she made it look so easy! I CASE'd one of the cards she showed us for the December Stamp-A-Stack:

 

 

 

Stamp: Frosty Friends

Colors: Bashful Blue, Crumb Cake, Whisper White, Silver

Accessories: Shaker Frames, Northern Flurry Embossing Folder, Silver Glimmer Paper, Silver Sparkle Dazzling Details, Window Sheets, Dazzling Diamonds Glitter, Scallop Circle Punches, Organza Ribbon

 

Here is an ornament, also CASE'd from Jen, that shows another way to use the Shaker Frames:

Twisted Christmas

Saturday was the December Stamp-A-Stack. I'm so glad it fit in between snow storms! Friday afternoon we got a couple inches and the roads were slippery in spots. Saturday evening it started snowing again and we woke up to about 6". It snowed all day, then the wind picked up and the temps dropped. I haven't heard an official total, but I would say there's close to a foot. Merry Christmas!

 

The first card I'll show you is a "Twisted Greeting" card. Something different that can be used to hold a gift card, money, etc.

 

the front

 

the inside

 

how it's folded

 

The card base is the normal 4 1/4 x 11, It's folded diagonally, then folded in half. This created a pocket on the front and the inside. For the Designer Series Paper, I cut a piece that was 2 1/8 x 5 1/2 and then cut that in half diagonally. Just watch which way you cut it so you get your triangle going the right way for the side of the designer paper you want! Ask me how I know that! :)

 

Stamp Set: Delightful Decorations

 

Colors: Cherry Cobbler, Lucky Limeade, Very Vanilla

 

Accessories: Festival of Prints Designer Seeries Paper Stack, Ornament and 1" Circle Punches, Labels Collection Framelits

 

Puppies - 6 Weeks Old

The puppies were 6 weeks old yesterday! I took these pictures on Wednesday, but haven't had time to post them until now. I was busy getting everything ready for the Stamp-A-Stack today! Pictures of the projects will post soon- I have to take them first!

 

 

Laynie

 

 

Lenny

 

 

Lex

 

 

Link

 

 

Loki (he never holds still!)

 

 

Lola

 

 

Watercolor Winter

 

This is the last card from the November Stamp-A-Stack. It's CASE'd from LeeAnn G. Look! I even tied a bow! It even looks like a bow!

 

Stamp Sets: Watercolor Winter, Greetings of the Season

 

Colors: Always Artichoke, Bravo Burgundy, Very Vanilla

 

Accessories: Petals-A-Plenty Embossing Folder, 3" Circle Die, Scallop Trim Border Punch, Seam Binding, Basic Pearls, Dimensionals

 

 

Snowflakes With Bling!

 

Oh, sparkly! This card is CASE'd from Andrea W. except I changed the colors. I've seen it in several different colors and they are all pretty!

 

Stamp Set: Snowflake Soiree

 

Colors: Elegant Eggplant, Very Vanilla, Champagne (Glimmer Paper)

 

Accessories: Champagne Glimmer Paper, Circle Punch from Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack

 

Christmas Mittens

 

We did a card with the Make A Mitten stamp set for the September Stamp-A-Stack, so this time I decided we needed to use the Mitten Builder Punch. This was CASE'd from Lynda on Stampin' Connect, which is a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator only website.There are thousands of ideas on there! just another perk of being a demonstrator! If you're thinking about signing up, this would be an awesome time to do it! New demonstrators get a free collection of ink pads!

 

Stamp Sets: Make A Mitten, More Merry Messages

 

Colors: Primrose Petals, Lucky Limeade, Early Espresso, Very Vanilla

 

Accesories: Candlelight Designer Series Paper, Mitten Builder and Dotted Scallop Ribbon Border Punches, Window Frames Framelits, Festive Paper-Piercing Pack, Baker's Twine

 

 

Frosty Friends Greeting

 

More Snow People today! This was card #2 for the November Stamp-A-Stack. It is based on a really cute tag I saw made by another demonstrator, but her name isn't on the picture I saved. I CASE'd the colors, the stamps, and the shape of the Island Indigo piece- this is made by inserting one end of the card stock into the 2 1/2" Circle Punch.

 

Stamp Sets: Frosty Friends, Greetings of the Season

 

Colors: Pool Party, Island Indigo, Real Red, Whisper White

 

Accessories: Delicate Designs Folders, Adorning Accents Edgelits, 2 1/2" Circle and Corner Rounder Punches,

Stylin' Snowfolk Christmas

 

Card #1 from the November Stamp-A-Stack

 

Isn't she cute? This was a card we made at my upline's Stamp Share. We take turns bringing the make and take projects, doing a demonstration, and bringing things to eat. Holly brought this one and had most of it prepped for us. One of my customers saw it and asked if we could make at the SAS, despite my warning that it's kinda putzy. Everyone thought it was cute, but not something you would want to make a lot of. I had the snowflakes and the "snow bank" cut out and the snowperson stamped, so everyone had to finish stamping the snowperson and accessories, cut them out, emboss the snow bank and assemble. I did make a couple changes- we used Bashful Blue instead of Pool Party and rhinestones instead of the Silver Glimmer Paper circles for the buttons.

 

Stamp Sets: Stylin' Snowfolk, More Merry Messages

 

Colors: Pool Party, Whisper White, Jet Black (Staz On)

 

Accessories: Snow Flurry Die, Adorning Accents Edgelits and Embossing Folders, Circle Punches from Itty Bitty Shapes Punch Pack and Owl Builder Punch

 

Happy Thanksgiving & The Puppies First Meal

I hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving! We had everyone here so we didn't have to leave the puppies. It was a nice afternoon with way too much food, followed by some huge snowflakes that turned into a mini-blizzard. The wind was really whipping! Guess winter is coming!

 

 

The puppies are 4 weeks old today! It was time for their first taste of puppy food. It's mixed with water in the blender so it's all liquid- easy for them to eat and digest but very messy! I poured it onto a small cookie sheet so there was plenty of room for everyone to get their share. They weren't sure about it at first, but once one started eating they all had to check it out. The little licking noises and burps were cute! And of course they had to get it into it so there were little puppy mash paw prints!

 

 

 

Puppy Update!

The puppies eyes are open! It's going to get interesting around here since they are starting to motivate, too! It's so funny watching them try to walk on those stubby little legs!

 

I just took these pictures this afternoon. It's hard to get them to hold still and get good pictures. I've also been changing some settings on my camera- the first batch I took did not turn out at all. These are better, but still not great. Guess I need to break out the big camera.

 

 

Here's a shot of everyone with Keetah so you can see how big they're getting

 

 

A close up of everyone nursing

 

 

Laynie (black rickrack)

 

 

Lenny (short for "Lenneman", orange rickrack)

 

 

Lex (white rickrack, he's the biggest now)

 

 

Link (green rickrack)

 

 

Loki (brown rickrack, he's the smallest)

 

Lola (yellow rickrack)

 

 

Hi! This is Loki- he didn't want to be in the basket anymore!

 

 

Miss Keetah, being a good mom!

 

Keetah's other four puppies are also doing well! You can find out more about all of the puppies on their blog: www.candopuppies.wordpress.com

 

I need to do some stamping! Stamp-A-Stack is on Saturday- sign up by Wednesday if you would like to join us! We'll be making Christmas cards (2 of 5 designs, 10 cards total for $20).

 

The Building Is Starting To Look Like A Building Again!

 

All the outside tin is up!

Next week it gets insulated. Doors soon after that.

We're making progress!

Introducing The Fancy Friends Kit & Pictures Of The Re-Building

Remember the "Pick a Kit" survey from our October 1 Facebook post?

The results are in and your "likes" have been heard.

Introducing the first viewer's choice kit (drum roll, please) . . . Fancy Friends!

Get everything you need to make six cards for only $15.95 (item 132319)! If six isn't enough, add Note Cards to your order (item 107311)-we've already included extra rhinestones in the Fancy Friends kit.

To assemble the cards:

1. Stamp the doily image in Daffodil Delight or Old Olive ink three times on the card and once on the envelope, re-inking between uses.
2. Stamp "Friends" in Daffodil Delight or Old Olive ink on the front of the card.
3. Adhere the flowers to the card. Adhere Rhinestone Basic Jewels to the center of the flowers.

Click HERE to order!

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John took some pictures of the Building with his phone- it took awhile to get them from his phone to my computer! And then for me to remember to post them!

Here is the Building in the morning, with the tin on the roof of the office:

And here it is later that day, with all the tin on the roof!



 The next day they started putting the tin on the sides of the office: 

What do you think of the color? We were bored with the tan and decided to change things up a little! The sides are Hunter Green and the roof is Antique Bronze. They're almost done with the sides, so I'll get some new pictures soon.

Happy Halloween!

This is the first year we've lived in a neighborhood (rather than the farm that was on the highway) so I'm kind of excited about actually getting some trick-or-treaters! I decided to buy the Ghoulish Googlies Bundles and two more Ghoulish Googlies Designer Kits (page 27 of the Holiday catalog) so I could make 30 special treats for tonight. Here are all the tags stamped:

 

 

And all the bags assembled, with candy inside!

 

 

Check out this post for close ups of how I embossed the bags.

The Puppies Are Here!

Sorry I haven't shared any stamping projects the last few days. I've been busy getting things done around the house and keeping an eye on Keetah. I set up the air mattress downstairs last night and it was a good thing. She had the first puppy at 12:35 this morning! The last one was born at 8:25. At one point she had 3 of them within 20 minutes. It was a busy night and I got no sleep whatsoever. But all 10 puppies are healthy and doing great! 

 

 

 

The whole litter- 6 boys and 4 girls

 

 

Look at her little tongue! This is one of the girls.

 

It's hard to get good pictures of them in the whelping box without getting into it! I'm sure there will be lots more!

 

For more info about Can Do Canines, please check out their website: www.can-do-canines.org

 

Googly Ghouls Treat Bags

I finally had some time to make some of the cute little Googly Ghouls treat bags. I love those eyes!

 

 

The little witch. Cute, but what if...

 

 

I emboss the bags? WAY cuter! I used the Houndstooth folder for the bat...

 

 

the Striped folder for the mummy...

 

 

the Spider Web folder for the spider (of course!)...

 

 

the Chevron folder for Frankie...

 

 

and Perfect Polka Dots for the "BOOOO".

 

 

Here's a group shot. Aren't they cute? Now I have to make the rest and fill them for Halloween.

 

Stamp Set: Googly Ghouls

 

Colors: Basic Black, Pumpkin Pie, Lucky Limeade, Whisper White

 

Accessories: Ghoulish Googlies Designer Kit, embossing folders, hole punch

 

The stamp set and kit can be purchased in a bundle- check out page 27 in the Holiday Catalog.