The Pink Elephant Challenge #47 and a Sneak Peek!

Over at the Pink Elephant, they are hosting a sketch challenge this week.

I couldn't resist playing along with some scraps I have leftover from a "secret" project (a new catalog swap- more on that to come!).

For my card, I used the new Topstitch paper pack and A Paisley stamp set (both available 1/1/10). (At left is a peek at the adorable A Paisley stamp set, which now sports the price of only $7.95!).

The colors of the Topstitch paper pack are Vineyard Berry, Baby Pink, Heavenly Blue, Chocolate, and Colonial White. I had fun "stitching" with my Vineyard Berry marker. I may have gone a little overboard, but it was fun to do. I embellished my card with a Baby Pink brad, Heavenly Blue designer ribbon, and a Heavenly Blue button. BTW, to get the Vineyard Berry flower in the middle of the Heavenly Blue large paisley, I just stamped the center of the paisley on scrap paper in Vineyard Berry, cut it out, and adhered it to the card front. Also, the colors match much better IRL!

If you haven't gotten your advance copy of the Spring 2010 Close To My Heart Idea Book, let me hook you up! You do NOT want to miss out. Each time I ask how can they get any better? But they do! Local gals, let's get together soon.

Finally, be sure to stop back by on January 1 for a rockin' New Year's blog hop featuring the Close To My Heart January stamp of the month, True Friends. (My creation uses the gorgeous new Veranda papers you can see on the cover of the new catalog. Hop on by!)

Christmas 2009 Recap

Christmas Eve:
Children's Pageant at Church (the angel Gabriel and Mary)


Christmas Eve dinner and opening presents (at Aunt Amy's instead of Grammie & Grumps' since they were just getting in from their South American cruise)

We went back to church for the 11:00 service because Ansley sang a solo! She sang the first verse of the processional (Once in royal David's city...) a capella, and as Father Yeary said, it was the voice of an angel.

Christmas Day after the Santa presents had been opened

Daddy's favorite movie



Christmas evening at Uncle Reid's for dinner and MORE presents

Avid Reader

You may have noticed in my profile that I claim to be an avid reader, yet have never posted anything here about reading (except for my reading endorsement class). I truly LOVE to read! I read for pleasure; it is one of the ways that I decompress and destress. I love how a book can take me places I've never been or would never go.

I just finished reading the 6th Women's Murder Mystery (The 6th Target) by James Patterson. I like this series because the main character, Lindsay Boxer, is a "chick in charge." Because she is a San Francisco police officer, each book has several cases in them. These are not all "happily ever after" and seem pretty real.

Mystery is just one genre that I like to read, but it's what I seem to be reading the most of lately. I have read several of Patterson's Alex Cross series, but I had to take a break. They just weren't working for me. I recently read my first Stuart Wood on my brother's recommendation; when the library reopens next week I'll go back for more. I could not finish Martha Grimes' Stargazey. It was just too boring, and life is too short. (I used to have to finish any book that I started, but seriously, life is too short and I have way too much to do.) I have an M.C. Beaton waiting for me that my 11-year-old read from our church's lending library. She liked it and said I would too. (She's currently re-reading Twilight that she got for Christmas.)

Who is your favorite author? I really need some new stuff to read!

The Bug Strikes Again!

My little one is sick w/the stomach bug now. :( Thankfully no one was sick on Christmas though! I don't feel great, but I think it's just from taking care of her.

Hope you had a lovely Christmas! I hope to post a recap later. Ours was wonderful.

Merry Christmas!

Warmest wishes for a very merry Christmas! We hope that all of our online friends have a beautiful holiday surrounded by family and friends. Take time to remember the true meaning of Christmas.

We say a special prayer for members of our Armed Forces who are not with their families this holiday season. Their service does not go unnoticed nor unappreciated!

May God watch over and bless you all. Merry Christmas!

A Scrapper's Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas,
I'm glued to the tree.
I’m wondering what Santa brought just for me.
Could it be cardstock or inkpads or lace?
Or some stamps, I said, with a smile on my face.
And that's when I heard him.....
"Hi Santa," I said.
He replied, "You know, good girls should be in their beds."
"I know I should Santa, and now I've been caught.
But I was just so excited to see what you brought."
"Well, let's take a look in this room where you work."
He shook his head quickly, and left with a jerk.
I heard him exclaim as he put it in gear:
"You've got enough crap,
I'll see you next year!"

Maybe Santa will be good to YOU this year! ;)

Quick Update

We're all feeling well now! Hopefully we haven't sent the bug anywhere and have just squashed it here. I'm still praying that none of us manifest any more symptoms! Thanks to everyone for your well wishes!

Snowman Soup Service Project

My two little elves and I had fun making these "snowman soup" packets for our friend and the sailors and marines who currently serve with him in Iraq. (He is the husband of my friend & downline, "Chunky Gal.") They were included in a box my students and I sent to him as a class service project. The students wrote letters and drew pictures.

I printed the following message and created a tag to tuck into two hot cocoa packets and a candy cane wrapped together with festive paper. The girls (AKA elves) colored each of the adorable snowmen that are on the front.

We’ve heard you’ve been
really good this year.
It’s always nice to hear it.
With freezing weather
drawing near
you’ll need to
warm the spirit.
So here’s a little
Snowman Soup
complete with
stirring stick.
Add hot water and sip it slow.
It’s sure to do the trick!

Thank you for your service and
Happy Holidays!

This project is so much fun and would make a great little gift for anyone on your list! It was so nice to have my family involved in the project. It really is better to give than to receive!

Supplies used (all from Close To My Heart): Stardust paper pack, Deck the Halls paper (retired) White Daisy card stock; Snow Friends and Snow Flurries stamp sets; colored pencils

The "Gift" That Keeps on Giving?

A nasty stomach bug is going around, and my oldest (daughter, not husband) has been hit with it. My plans for the day have changed a bit, so I will get as much done around the house today instead of grocery shopping, etc., as planned. I just hope the rest of us don't get it, though the way it went through my sister's house, I'm afraid we won't be lucky. Please pray we'll all be well by Christmas Eve! Thanks a bunch!!!

You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch!

It would not be the Christmas season without this holiday classic! Have you watched "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" yet this year?

I just had to make a Grinch card for my dear friend and co-teacher Traci! Not only has she worn her Grinch pin every day this month, but she "starred" in our class's reader's theater rendition of the Grinch. The kids LOVED it! LOL

To create this card, I first found a Grinch image online. The one I liked was already in color, so I printed it out on glossy photo paper. Doesn't it match the Jingle paper perfectly?!? That was total luck. I perused my Originals and Wishes card how-to books and settled on the perfect pattern: "Roundabout" from Wishes.

Since I don't have the Close To My Heart stamp set that actually includes the Grinch's famous message (Peace on Earth stamp set), I "made do" with the Card Chatter- Christmas stamp set. (You do know what famous message I'm talking about, don't you? The one about Christmas not coming from a store?


Finally, I embellished the card with some Tulip Twinkle brads and a Juniper photo anchor. (Remember, you can find all these products and tons more at my CTMH website!)

We had such a lovely dinner last night with our friends, the Maggios. They made scrumptious homemade crab ravioli. Oh my heavens! We all had so much fun!

Need a Quick Gift Idea?

These photo binder clips are fun and easy to make! I used 2" binder clips and covered them with pretty paper from the Bella paper pack. (My pieces measure just a smidge under 2"x3.25", but measure yours to fit.) After folding the paper around the clip to get gentle guidelines, I laid the pieces flat on my workspace and stamped "precious" from my Playful Flourishes stamp set. I mean, who doesn't have a photo of something or someone precious they'd like to display?

The pair of Desert Sand/Chocolate photo holders are embellished with some tiny paper flowers and sparkles. They're for our dance teachers (Hi Stephanie & Shelley!), but I left them at home by accident Thursday. :( They'll have to get theirs on the 12th day of Christmas instead of early!

The second set also uses the Bella paper pack, but I had fun with floral patterns instead of the animal print. I made these for the nine lovely fifth grade teachers I teach with. They are such great ladies, and I wanted to give them a little something-something for Christmas. Theirs are accented with a little sparkle before "precious" (kind of looks like a bullet accenting the word) and of course the Colonial White crocheted ribbon.

Another thing that I love about this project is that you can use either a vertical or horizontal photo. (My card stock base measures 3.5"x5"; I have found in the past that 4"x6" is just too heavy for clips this size.) Just turn the top piece the way you like it.

This morning, the dog didn't really let me sleep in, but at least I got to bed early last night and slept well. We are going to have such a fun weekend, so stay tuned for a recap later.

Last Day of School!

Today is our last day of school before Christmas! Yesterday was wild so I can't wait to see what today brings! (Yesterday was my class party, this morning is Macey's, and Ansley's is this afternoon.) When I got up this morning, I was thrilled to think that this is my last day (for a while) of being a slave to my alarm clock.

We have a fun weekend planned. I am going to get my Christmas cards finished and mailed and hopefully also get all the presents wrapped. How are you doing on getting your Christmas "chores" completed? I LOVE this time of year!

Here's a peek at the girls after Sunday night's Advent Lessons & Carols service.