And the stockings were hung...

It is so hard to believe that Christmas is so close! Wasn't I just handing out candy to trick-or-treaters? Didn't I just make pumpkin pies and roast a turkey? Time, like snow, is flying too fast!



I have had some camera issues - as in, the children had decided it would be fun to play photographers on Safari with Mama's camera - and as a result, there was one time-out, a bit of yelling, and one broken camera. If I hold the lens on just so, I can get a halfway decent photo... but if I lean over too much, the lens falls out and then there is more yelling...

I was able to take this picture of a layout I made for Etsy. The stockings were pretty fun to make - I don't know if you can see it or not, but the red one on the left has a real jingle bell on the curly toe :) I had to get creative with my layering to fit the word "stockings" on the one 12x12 page, but was able to manage it. And let me tell you - so glad that I got back into stamping, because my ink in my printer is out, and I wanted to print "hanging the" on some cardstock... but luckily I have my little set of letter stamps, and stamped them out instead!

Speaking of stamping... If I can get my lens back on my camera today, I will take a picture of my card for the "Once Upon a Wednesday" challenge at Pixie Cottage! I created the sketch for this challenge, and it is simple and sweet :) While I am fiddling with my camera, head over to the Pixie Cottage Blog to see the other DT member's take on this sketch. You have lots of time - until December 20 to enter this every-other-week challenge, so get your sketch on!

Let It Snow!

I am super excited about a new project - Self Standing Scrapbook pages! I have had such fun with the easel cards, so I decided to do some experimenting and paper engineering... and made some scrapbook pages that are display pages! I am making some for my Etsy store, some for Christmas gifts, and some for me!

Here is a snowy themed one. It has a little paper pieced boy on it. He reminds me of Randy from "A Christmas Story". You know, the little brother that "can't put my arms down!" There is a photomat, a journaling pocket with tag, and I even made a protective case/envelope for when it isn't on display :)

GLEEful to be Home for the Holidays...

So who watched "Glee" last night? Such a good show! It just gets better and better :) I swear, I have a "new" favorite character each time I watch... and just when you think you have a someone "figured out," they surprise you...

And as for Home for the Holidays... I am hosting my first ever Thanksgiving dinner this year! I am sure I'll burn the turkey and forget the potatoes, but I am going to give it my best. I made this card with the theme of old fashioned goodness, and have entered it into the Mojo Monday challenge. I love silhouettes, and when I found this set of rub ons in my stash, I had to use it!

Ingredients
Papers: Basic Grey
Images: Rubons from Marah Johnson
embellishments: sparkly brads, and fabric from stash

Glee photo from imusicdaily.com

I am super excited and I'll tell you why - Because it is "Once Upon a Wednesday..."

Every other Wednesday we will host a challenge, and we want you to play. Prizes and fun and inspiration abound, and because you have a week and a half to get your entry in, there is plenty of time to find your creative magic...

Head over to the Pixie Cottage blog to find out the rest of the details. There are some super cute stamps you could win, as well as a chance to become a guest DT :)

I created the sketch for this challenge, and would love to see what you come up with:

Here is my take on this sketch.


Head over to Pixie Cottage to see the rest of the Design Team's work - you won't be disappointed :)

Ingredients
Papers: MME, Graphic45, PaperPizazz
Image: Candy Cane Wishes from the Pixie Cottage
Embellishments: fabric, brad
Colored pencils, copic marker, Zig marker

Scrapping left and right...

I have been so busy making cards, I hadn't been doing too many scrapbook pages lately. This week, after mountains of Vitamin C and Echinacea, I am finally feeling better!

I have had a cough that has just lingered, I have been tired.... blah blah blah... but I am actually feeling like myself! I made some layouts for Etsy, and here are some of them....


a few have sold already, and I plan on making more! I have some great Christmas papers, and there are some embellishments I am dying to use...

Visions of Sugarplums... Pixie Peek!

It is no secret I love pinks and greens. With two boys, I love the chance to girl it up with some pretty pastels! With Christmas around the corner, however, these colors are perfect for more than just "girly" cards. Gingerbread and candy canes, frosting and minty goodness are for everyone! This little card was super fun to make. I have been so busy with Halloween preparations, it was nice to push aside my black cardstock and pull out some red and pink!

More wintery wonders await you at the Pixie Cottage blog... the Design team has been working like Santa's elves to bring you some Pixie Peeks!

Ingredients
Papers: Heidi Grace, Daisy Bucket, Core'dinations
Image: Gingerbread Men by the Pixie Cottage
colored pencils and Ranger Distress Ink


With all this sweetness, I had to enter this card into the Cute Card Thursday challenge using the sketch from A Spoon Full of Sugar.

Holly Jolly!

Being a "crafty" person (as in, one who crafts) can be confusing in a seasonal way... I am baking pumpkin pie, watching Halloween cartoons, but making Christmas cards. Many of you know this feeling, where your "real" life is pretty current with the rest of society, but in your head (and in your studio) you are a season or two ahead! I love Halloween, and I feel relief that it is almost here since I have been planning and crafting it since summer! If you are an artisan and sell your pretties, your "seasonal disorder" puts you in a crazy calendar, and a panic sets in when you still have cool projects you want to make, but the actual holiday is looming sooo close... I am also doing my final preparations for the Halloween party hosted by A Fanciful Twist. It is this weekend, so make sure you check it out! I am one of many participants, and it should be a fun, magical day!

So, my house smells nice like pumpkin pie. But after making this card, I feel like getting out some Christmas music...

This card, using the sketch for Mojo Monday's challenge, incorporate the theme of Christmas for the Creative Inspirations challenge. I love these papers! Polkadots make me super happy! I made the inside

Ingredients
Papers: Making Memories, Bo Bunny, DCwV
Image: Peachy Keen stamps
Embellishments: brads, ribbons
colored pencils, copic markers, zig markers, ranger distress ink

It's beginning to look a lot like...

I know it is probably too early to think about Christmas, but as someone who is always late sending out cards, I thought I may as well start getting in the holiday spirit. Now that I am back into cardmaking, I want to start a nice stash of Season's Greetings! This card was created using the delightful sketch on the challenge site PaperTake Weekly. Using cool greens,cream and gold and peppermint reds, this vintage styled card is entered in the Colour Create challenge. I printed the image, which is from an antique postcard I found in a dusty old store in Traverse City, MI, about three years ago, onto teastained muslin. The fabric is from my stash, and I distressed the golden paper that is matting the picture with my edger.

Ingredients

Papers:Webster's Pages, Flair Designs, Crate Paper

Embellishments: Vintage postcard image, fabric, muslin

Inks: Ranger Distress ink

Ho Ho Ho...and lots of O's...

Newly addicted to blog challenges, I tried my hand at combining several challenges into one card. This Christmas card is inspired by the sketch at WhimsieDoodles, Simon Says Stamp's Christmas Challenge, and the challenge to use spots, dots, and circles over at Creative Inspirations. I have a ton of Christmas paper, and used one of my most favorite Santa stamps. I have had this guy forever.

Ingredients
Paper: MyMindsEye, Chatterbox, Imaginsce, Basic Grey
Image: so old the label is worn off and inked to oblivion
Embellishment: ribbon
Inks and colored pencils