Saturday, December 22, 2012

Naughty or Nice...


In the top spot on my "NAUGHTY" list...
The Discovery Channel Store.
Do not attempt to order anything from them
that claims to be in stock
a month before Christmas
and expect to get it.
Never mind that their site promises
your order to go out
within 2-3 business days.
It won't.
And don't expect polite service
when you call.
I lost my serenity.
'Nough said.
 
On top of my "NICE" list
Amazon.
AMAZING....Amazon!
Everything I ordered
came quickly.
In fact
I ordered a book yesterday morning
and by mid-afternoon
I had an e-mail confirming
it had shipped!!!
 
I got another NICE surprise yesterday...
I had made a quick stop at McDonald's drive thru
and when I got to the window to pay
I was told the driver in front of me
had paid for my meal and said
Merry Christmas.
I was able to then pay
for the person behind me.
As luck would have it
all three of us ended up waiting on our orders
and some waving and hand shaking went on.
Some CHRISTmas cheer was spread through the
drive thru yesterday---
even the window worker was smiling!
I wonder how many times
it went down the line...?!
Nice.
 
Time for another cup of coffee
maybe a little more shut eye
and a day of odds and ends of
cleaning and organizing.
At a relaxed pace.
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,
 
 
 
 


Saturday, December 15, 2012

The Elf Has Been Busy!

Not many posts of late...
and probably not a lot more in the near future...
but I have been busy, busy, busy!
 
First up...
making goodies for the preschoolers!
 
I try and give them something "Santa-ish"
along with something to bring the
Jesus is the reason for the season
emphasis as well.
Using a CTMH stamp set--
I created these little tags to go on
little goodie bags.
 
 
For the girls...
 I colored their elves in pink and green
and the boys in red and green...
The "treats" are Christmas wrapped Hershey Kisses...
ELF KISSES of course!
I work in the church office
and the kids come to visit me
so I thought the reference to Santa's
Special Office Elf might be fun...
after all---my goddaughter still believes
I am a REAL flower fairy--
that's my story and I am sticking to it!
 
All the tags...
hand-stamped and hand-colored with Copics
Yep.
All 21 of them!
And of course...pop-dotted onto the top of the tag!
 
Onto the
"Jesus is the reason" part of my gift...
again...

21 hand-stamped, hand-colored with Copics

ornaments.
 
They are plastic--
I stamped the image on vellum,
put it inside with some silver and blue glitter,
used super sticky double-sided tape to tape that top on
and then hot-glued the bow on
when I discovered that the little metal loop
to hang them with
pulls right out of that top!
Hot glue stopped that-literally!
Given one youngin decided to eat the
birdseed treat I gave them a year or so ago to give to the birds...
I'd rather be safe than sorry!


 After that...
came their teacher gifts...
 
My friend Theresa had made these adorable
pocket Kleenex covers (bottom right)

and I decided on a bottle of hand sanitizer
to go with them...
preschool---germs---Kleenex and germ killer
who can't use that?!
Of course the hand-sanitizer bottles I found
were bigger than what all the templates out there called for
and of course even tho Theresa made those too,
I didn't get the bright idea to add them until last minute.
So then I needed something to put them in.
I started at Splitcoast...and ended at Splitcoast!
What I ended up with is called
a box in a bag
and you can find the how-to here

They are super-super easy
and one can be made with one double-sided
piece of paper!!!
The bottom is a mm, 3 1/2x 3 1/2 " box
that is only 1" deep
and then you attach the paper to it
to make it like a gift bag!

There are mainly women teachers
but we do have a dad who subs from time to time
so I made one for him just in case...
looks a little more manly--a lot less fru-fru...!
And, for my groupies who think everything
Theresa and I do comes out perfect the first try...
that band around the top...
was because in trying to set the eyelets with the Crop-a-dile
I accidentally punched two holes on the front AND the back
of the bag!
Grrr!
Plan B.
No one knows the difference...well--
not 'til I told, anyway! 

 
Last but not least today
is the infamous Christmas card for our vet's office.
(I am told they fight over who gets to open the Russell card!)
I was really in a quandary this year
as my "kids" were exceptionally good this year...
Poppa Cat didn't break any equipment
or run off with the thermometer cover in his butt,
Inky didn't have to be chased and corralled by
two vet techs and the vet
nor did he eat anything he wasn't supposed to
(namely Christmas tree, bushes, etc);
Ms. Dolly was purrfect-don't think she even had to go this year
and Bad Cat
(who is really the GOOD Russell cat...!)
was good, too.
Whew!
So there were no antics to write about...
and no groveling I had to do
(trust me, I've been afraid they'd ban us from the practice!)
and I was just stumped.
Until I started cleaning the craft room
and I found the little CTMH spring things...
that I used to make wobble head cards.
BINGO!
 
Here's what I came up with...
First up-Bad Cat----

followed by Poppa Cat and Inky
next Ms. Dolly on the left
and Moe (our outside feral cat) and us on the end.
As you can see---
I printed their photos twice...
layered one on card
and trimmed the head out on the other.
Added the little spring mechanism
and each of their heads now wobble
as they you imagine they warble
We Wish You a Merry Christmas!
I tried to add a video---Blogger not cooperating...

I will hand-deliver it on Monday
with something sweet to go with it.
 
Whew!
I am worn out just from blogging about all that!
 
Thanks for looking.
Not sure what I will be cooking up next-
oh-wait--cooking?
Did I ever post my recipe swap pages?
Hmm...have to check on that.
 
For now,
I need to go get ready for my date with hubby
to the Christmas musical at the Amuzu.
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,

 

Thursday, November 29, 2012

I Just Gotta Vent....Please rethink Christmas Giving...

I don't mean to sound
ungrateful.
But...
as I sit here with yet another  FOUR more scented candles
(unlit, in a completely different room)
that is driving my allergies nutso...
I just want to scream...
 
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE
DO NOT GIVE
ALLERGY-SCENTSITIVE FRIENDS...
body lotions, bath oils, perfumed ANYTHING!
THIS INCLUDES CANDLES!
 
I'd much rather have
a handmade card-or even a plain store bought card...
than something I cannot use at all
and have to pretend yet again
that I am gracious about receiving.
 
Those that know me...
know...
those that don't and pretend to...frustrate me.
 
If you have someone on YOUR LIST
that you aren't sure about...
but want to give something to....
a generic gift card
no matter how large or small
would be MOST APPRECIATED
over something that reminds us
yet again
that we are overly-sensitive to things
and we lose out...both on the gift
AND by having our feelings hurt.
 
And for me...it's not just perfumes.
I cannot eat wheat.
And by wheat...
that means
ANYTHING with "traditional" white flour...
not a lot of people (including dieticians!) get that....
but yet
I graciously accepted the poundcake
a friend brought after my surgery...
and I will NEVER turn something down
the preschoolers offer me...
they are too young to understand and I would not
hurt their feelings for anything.
 
What to get?
A gift card.
A promise to get together to do something fun
(ie TIME together...)
I scrapbook-buy me GLUE STICKS for God's sake!
Just don't give me perfumed stuff!
My eyes are itching, my head is killing me
and I can't breathe.
Beginning to wonder--
is this friend wanting to do something nice---
or trying to kill me?!!!
 
If you care enough about someone
that you want to give them something....
then please please please
take the time to find out what they'd care to receive
and make it count!
Are they not worth that much and, if not...
why are you even bothering?!
 
End of rant.
Unfortunately, not the end of the headache
or the allergy attack.
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,




Saturday, November 24, 2012

Sunday Showcase

A couple of weeks ago
my goddaughter was delighted
that she finally got to deliver to me
a piece of art she had made for me
sometime ago.
 
She had posted a pic of her doing this--
or one that she saw and wanted to try--
and I commented on it
so she made me one!
I took it with me to our groupie meeting to show it off...
did I think to have anyone take a picture of us with it...
or even her with it...of course not!
 
She started her art career young...
here she's colored herself with markers...!
I cannot find the photo
of her with the slinky on her head
while we were supposed to be working on a project...
but since she's a cool official TEENAGER now...
 
I better be careful what I post! Lol!
 

She even signed the back!

So here's the thank you card & enve I made for her...
This awesome stamp set is by The Stamps of Life.
There's a stamp to go with the yellow crayon that says
"yellow, my friend",
one that says "I'm red in the face"
and of course the "i'm blue without you"
among others.
Inks are Close to My Heart.
And please note---not a pop dot in sight!
I learned today that there are color charts out there
for Copics and Close to My Heart colors
I also learned today...
that Santa better bring me more Copics
as very few of mine matched my CTMH inks...
Oh well.
 
Until next time
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,




Two for One...



Today's post
has not one but TWO projects!
Hmm...Super Saturday maybe?!
 
I have to admit that neither one of these cards
were what I had *planned*imagined*
when I started!
Our "groupies seem to think
that the things Theresa and I create
come out exactly right on the first try-
HA!
So doesn't happen most times!!!
 
First up is a postcard for my friend who winters elsewhere.
She usually includes a card telling her friends
where she will be when and how to reach her.
I saw a postcard embossing folder and I knew it would be perfect.
Then I went in search of a vintage
Sunshine State postcard photo to use.
No luck.
Plan B involved a stamp of a scallop shell
but
it was too overwhelming.
Plan C was the winner!
I pulled out my Close to My Heart summer stamps
and found the
Perfect Day stamp set...
I added image with the fence and sea oats first
stamped in chocolate
and then decided the seagulls on the top left
balanced everything perfectly...
what do you think...
These are oh so pretty in person---
I even wrapped them in a paper doily
and since I don't have parchment paper
(note to self-get some!)
I used waxed paper for the see-through factor
and tied them with twine.
I need to make some of these for myself!
And maybe an Etsy shop, too...
been kicking that around for awhile now.
 
My energy didn't stop there!
I moved on to a sample of Christmas cards for her.
I had envisioned this card
with a Christmas tree embossed on that far left-hand side.
Not happening.
I got a new die from a new (to me) company.
It's awful.
That pretty postcard embossing folder
came with another one that has these
beautiful corner designs that fits almost perfectly
when the flip  card when folded
so I just ran it all through at once.
The sentiment is from the CTMH Pear & Partridge Cardmaking Kit.
There is room on the backside of that flip section
to put whatever sentiment she desires.
We'll see if she orders them...or not.
 
Today I need to run a few errands
and then make a thank you card
(I have THE PERFECT stamp set for it--can't wait!)
for a beautiful gift my goddaughter gave me
a week or so ago...
Think I will save that for Sunday's post.
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,


 


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Bon Apetite!


I know---you think I fell off the planet...
or abandoned my blog!
Not the case!
I've been working my little fingers to the bone
and I am
SOOOO EXCITED
about my finished project--I just can't wait
to show it off.
My groupies tell me they don't look at my blog
and this is one time
I hope they are telling the truth
or they won't be surprised at our next meeting!
 
In December
Theresa (aka my partner in crime)
and I usually do a little make and take project
for them
and they have decided they want to
do another recipe swap this year
instead of the cards we did last year.
Well...there's only one problem with that...
I don't cook...much.
Unless I absolutely have to.
My other half does
(and yeah, my late husband cooked too---
I know-you hate me!)
So my repertoire of recipes is
mighty slim.
But ---wait!
I had a brain fart  storm...
and I knew what I wanted to do...
 
So I started scouring blogs to find a template
for an apron pattern.
I got my mail idea here...
Andrea did a great job....
but it wasn't in English (and trust me, it lost something in the Google
translator and with the measurements being metric...oy vey!
 
But I used it as a spring board...
 
I found another template 
and cut and pasted and altered it
to make it work for something similar to Andrea's apron...
and this is what I came up with...

I had a helper...

I had to do six of these
and each apron color and pattern were different--
the stamped images are from
Crafty Secrets (lady) and Artful Impressions (kitchen).
They were all hand-colored with Copics
and then fussy cut
(I can hear Theresa screaming from here! lol!)

 
 
"It depends on who you decide on calling!"
that I printed on a doily
(I just decided on my font and size,
printed it on cardstock,
then layed the doily over that where I wanted it to print,
taped it down on 4 sides with plain old Scotch tape
and ran it through the printer!)
The phone image is a clip art from I am not sure where...
and the silverware is Crafty Secrets again...

as are the  images on the front of the little "favorites" book
 
It's what's inside that little book that  is important...
since I don't cook---but I can call for take out...
instead of a recipe book---I made a mini phone book
with all the names and numbers of our local restaurants,
well most of them anyway!


 
 



I decorated the inside pages---again all colored with Copics
that was the easy part---
laying it out to print right was a pain in my royal
ah-hum yes well...
I needed to mount my "recipe" apron on something
so I searched ebay for vintage kitchen or some such under
scrapbooking--the paper I picked was from
Ruby Rocket--
a paper company I had never heard of
(imagine!)
and I had quite a pleasant surprise
when it came yesterday---
I knew it was double-sided...
but it wasn't paper--
it is a very nice heavy double sided cardstock
that I got for a song!
It's AWESOME stuff!
And carries through that vintage theme perfectly!
So--I just stuck a recipe and clip in the pocket to show you
it's a pocket!
I have tried that chicken recipe once upon a time tho---
Back to my pocket...
So I cut a 6x12 piece...
I scored on the 6" mark
then on one of the 6"x6" sides I cut a slit to the score line
at 3"
Follow me?
Then...I adhered the top 3"x6" panel to the top of the opposite side
and then taped the other 3"x6" panel on 3 sides---to make a pocket!
I am sure that's as clear as mud-but it worked! 
I got the benefit of having the pretty retro images visible
on both sides and the bottom inside pocket is the burlap image
that was on the backside of the paper
that was ok but not awesome.
 
This project took some time-
as I am sure you can tell!
Days. Actually.
More time that I have put into any one project
in a very long time.
But I did it slowly---small bits and pieces
and I had a great time playing.
Thank God hubby cooks---or I would have been calling
for lots and lots of take out!
The measuring spoons in the photo shoot
were my grandmothers.
The little red apron in the photo shoot
is mine from childhood.
It has a terry cloth pocket
and another that is a little hand towel stitched to the apron itself.
It graces my church pew that we use
as a bench to our table
and the former hymnal racks hold cookbooks!
Speaking of cookbooks...
The Good Housekeeping Cookbook
was one my late husband gave his mother some years back...
the binding is tattered and peeling...
but it's a precious keepsake.
And yeah, when I need to know how to cook something
I've been known to take it out a time or two!

 I will be assisting my husband/chef tomorrow
with anything he decides to trust me with...
dish detail for sure.
Hope everyone has a happy and blessed
Thanksgiving.
Me?
I'm thankful for a husband who cooks!
Bon appetite! 


Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Successful Show!

Many many thanks
to all who shopped at our
Holly Days Craft Show
yesterday
and to Theresa and her helpful family
for all their hard work
in helping us set up, unpack, repack
and tear down.
It's a lot to do in one day
(and it begins in the dark!)
and I honestly don't think
I could do it without them.
Thanks to hubby, too, who did what he could
to help even when it came to the catnip fishing pole crises
the evening before he was due to leave...
 
 
Theresa and I met  at Holly Days
some years back---
we swapped phone numbers and became fast friends.
Here she is with her side of our "store"...
She keeps me laughing!
 
My space looked better in personthan it does from the pics I took!
Ugh!
Looks way to cluttered to me  --  must be the angle...

 
I was trying to set up a "dry run"
the day before to figure out
what to and not to take for displaying my goods...
the one out of 4 cats who doesn't like catnip
took over "catnip corner" of my table...

 good thing I was just trying to get an idea of
what I wanted to do!
 
My goddaughter showed up...

look at those hoopy earrings!
 
We have some great ideas for next year...
and, inbetween time
I am seriously thinking about
an Etsy shop--
even though I've had issues with them
over my (shop) name that we can't seem to resolve.
I may bite the bullet and pick a different one anyway.
We shall see.
I would appreciate any suggestions, pros, cons,
helpful hints from anyone whose got some experience
with Etsy or even e-bay...
 
A coworker shared her germs on Thursday
then getting overheated loading up in the cool weather on Fri
left me with a scratchy throat and snotty nose
and by last night
well, I really didn't feel well.
SOOOO thankful
for that extra hour sleep...
and I played hookey from church
as I didn't want to make anyone else sick.
 
Time to repack, inventory, and restock.
One more show for the season...
right after I take another nap...!
 
Oh-
Theresa pointed out that I had that hateful word verification thingy
on my blog---
I apologize--and I *THINK* I have taken it off...?!
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,


 

Friday, November 2, 2012

It's the day before Holly Days...


and all through the house...

peace prevails...
 
Wait--
 PEACE?
Calm?
 
the DAY BEFORE HOLLY DAYS?
 
Never before heard of here.
I've not lost my mind.  I am not dead...
And yes,
I will have the usual booth
with my great friend Theresa
tomorrow.
I had prepped for another craft show
in September that I didn't get to do
because I was sick.
So in between then and now
 I finished a few more projects
and all I had to do yesterday
was have hubby help me bring my baskets
down from the attic.
The "stock" boxes are packed, inventoried and ready.
The display baskets are lined up.
I may do a dry run layout today to see how I want to set up
since I have some new items this year.
Oh-and go to the bank.  I need to get change.
And load the truck.
Other than that...I am ready to go.
I did discover---
I only have one catnip fish fishing pole---
so I may put some of those together.
May not.  We'll see.
 
I am loving it!!!
And I am feeling a real need
to do some serious FLYLADYING of this house
after tomorrow
and in between prep for the last show of the year.
 
If you are in  my area---
come shop at HOLLY DAYS tomorrow
from 9-4.
We'll be right outside the main doors
and we have lots of great things at great prices!
 
For now
I think I'll have another cup of coffee...and relax.
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,


Sunday, October 21, 2012

My TRICKS and Their TREATS!

Today
didn't start off on a good note
one of the cats
decided when Poppa left for Wal-Mart
at 7:15 AM
(don't ask me why!!!)
Momma needed to know about it.
Not much sleep after that.
Did I mention...
I could have slept until 8?
Projects today
went down hill
after I had to go to the same store
husband was at earlier
and they didn't have what I needed.
I just had to make do.
Not enough sleep-having to "make do"
did not make Momma a happy camper.
 
After a almost 2 hour MUCH NEEDED nap...
I decided to try one more thing.
And that put a smile on my face!
 
Halloween is upon us
and I am sure that I will have
20 little 2, 3 and 4 year olds
knocking on my office door!
What to do that's not too scary?
 
I thought about the "Pumkin Teeth" holders
and candy corn

but again, they are 2, 3 and 4
and the correlation would be lost on them--
and all they are REALLY going to care about
is the candy inside!
 
So...
I applied the KISS principle---
Keep it simple, Sharon!
And---no POP DOTS are needed!
lol!
(Theresa's in shock right now...!)
 
So-here's my TRICKS to make these...
gather your tools and supplies--
you will need:
cardstock or designer paper
adhesive
crimper
paper cutter (not shown)
stamps and ink (if not using dp)
and of course --CANDY!
(not sure why the empty glass is there-?!)

Now, I needed to maximize my paper
as my supply was limited---
I cut my paper at 5 1/2" x 4" so I could get
an extra one or two out of a 12x12 sheet...
This is probably the absolute smallest you can go
and get a fun size package of M&M's in there!
I'd recommend if you have enough paper
cutting it at 5 1/2" x 4 1/4"!

I then stamped my design and added
To: You
From: Ms. Sharon
(I am not one of their teachers-
I work in the church office and
thought parents would want to know
where it came from)

Next put adhesive on ONE SHORT end
and BOTH LONG SIDES

Roll the short end around and make a tube...
(think toilet paper roll here...)

smoosh the bottom together

stuff your candy in

and smoosh the top together in the opposite direction
of the bottom...
(think the sour cream holders Wendy's used to have....)

Next stuff one end into your paper crimper
and roll it one or two turns
flip it to the other end
and do the same thing again.
This just gives it a little extra "oomph"
and staying power to keep it sealed
(it looks cool, too!)
Here's what they look like all done...

I did 30 in about one hour
I was stamping the "Boo"
and "To/From" on each one as I went
otherwise it probably would have been quicker
if I had stamped all images
and then assembled.
I was going to add a ribbon
but remembered
KISS...
and  I left well enough alone!
 
So-
there you have it-
my TRICKS to make their TREATS!
 
BTW
the little black cat
highly approved of the stamp selection!
 
Until next time,
happy stamping and scrapping!
Blessings,