Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Girlie Girl Card

Happy Wednesday!  Hope you had a fun day.  I did ... well, sort of.  My brother is in town for the holidays and he wanted to take the girls to West Edmonton Mall.  Ack!  Whilst I don't mind WEM for short periods of time at LOW time today was anything BUT that!  When we arrived at 11:00 is was dead and we got 3rd row parking.  By 4:00 (yes, FIVE hours later!!!) it was a zoo and getting out of the parking lot alive was quite the task!  I'm now sufficiently exhausted and counting down the minutes until bed time.  Unfortunately Alicia fell asleep on the way home so she will now be WIDE awake for another 2 hours.  I say again ... Ack!  So, while it was a FUN day, it was also an exhausting day!  I'm looking VERY forward to tomorrow when Rebecca's friend is coming over for the whole day - they will play - I will clean and hopefully stamp!!  I think this card is my last "reserve" card - gotta start crackin' out some more in preparation for the upcoming parties and Sale-a-brations promotion.  This one was made with a stamp set from the new mini called "You're a Gem" and a new embossing folder ("Framed Tulips").  The crown is from Every Little Bit from the main catalogue.  I used the chunky glitter on top of Tombow glue (I thought I had the silver glass glitter but I don't!  Gasp!).  Very sparkly :)
Have a good night!

Tam

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Boxing on Boxing Day ...

Happy Boxing Day!  I just finished kicking my husband's butt in boxing on our new Wii.  Of course he slaughters me on the Mariokart EVERY time but I took him on the physical challenge - yay Girl Power! 

Just a quick card to post today - I made it last week ... not sure when I'll have enough "get up and go" to drag myself down to the craft room so I have a few saved "just in case".  This one was made with the Summer Sweet set from the upcoming Sale-a-brations catalogue.  I love this swirl!

I hope you are enjoying the holidays and getting some "down time" like I am.  DEFINATELY need to recharge the batteries on this old gal!

Tam

Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to All and to All a good night :)

Tam

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Buttons, Buttons Everywhere ...

Happy Tuesday!

I'm happy to say I have been able to spend more time in my craft room this last week "just for fun" than I have in a VERY long time and I'm loving it!  December is the one month of the year that I have no planned stamping functions and I can just "play" rather than having to design a certain project for a class or workshop.  "Just for Fun" cards are very different than class cards in that you can use a lot more embellishments on them.  For classes and workshops I don't always have enough of the same embellishment and/or it becomes cost prohibitive to produce more than 1 or 2 of them.  So long live December ... and stamping "just for fun!"
This is a card I created for my friend Tammie who has her birthday Jan 1st.  I'm not sure how I can mail it as it's so bulky from the buttons ... maybe a hand delivery is in order (good excuse to get together for a coffee!)
I used the new buttons available in the new mini catalogue (available Jan 4th) called Sweet Stitches.  I also used a new stamp set called Bring on the Cake.  I have to admit - I have LOTS of S.U. buttons but I think I've only used them twice on cards!!!  I keep buyin' 'em but never use 'em!!  One New Year resolution is to stop the hoarding behaviour an ENJOY all the great products I have stashed away!  I figure if I use 3 per card I should run out some time in 2012 :)
Hope you're having a great week! 

Tam

Monday, December 20, 2010

Snow Forts and New Toys!

Happy Monday!  Just 5 more sleeps until Christmas!  Yippee!   I don't know who is more excited - me or the girls!  I tried to do my wrapping last night but Alicia had a bad dream so I had to abort and snuggle her for 45 minutes until she fell back asleep.  By that time it was midnight and I was "done".  Just a few more to wrap and I'm ready to roll.
Craig is off work this week and is really getting into "relaxation mode".  He has been spending a TON of time playing with the girls wich just makes my heart smile :)  On Saturday he made them a WICKED snow fort and they have all been spending LOTS of time outside, despite the frigid temperatures.  Yesterday Rebecca spend some time making the fort a little more "girlie" by adding colored water to the structure.  Today they might add some Christmas lights.  Man - I wish I had a fort like this when I was a kid!  I remember making one with my brother YEARS ago but it sure pales in comparison!  Lookie:


(No - that isn't dog pee on the door - its the colored water Rebecca sprayed :)

Now - while the kids have been playing outside I've been playing inside.  I needed to make a birthday card for my dear friend in Calgary whose birthday is Dec 25th.  I was THRILLED to be making a card OTHER than a Christmas card.  Gotta say, I'm more than a little sick of those *lol*.  I got my 5 new stamp sets from the upcoming Mini Catalogue and Sale-a-brations catalogue and this is what I came up with:
A little crazy bright but it was fun using colors other than red and green :)  The design on the top and bottom of the card are using thin ribbon from the upcoming SAB catalogue.  You can get this ribbon (and matching flow buttons) for FREE when you order $60 from Jan 25 - March 31.
I'm off for brunch with my "oldest" friend Lisa (belated birthday lunch) and a little shopping.  Have a fun day :)
Tam

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Bits and Pieces

Happy Saturday Everyone!

A slow, lazy today.  I'm excited to start working on a birthday card withOUT using Christmas stamps or colors!  I'll definately post it when I'm done :)
Thursday was a productive day.  Rebecca made her own Wish Book for us to fill in and leave for Santa.  I think she did a really nice job!

I also managed to start and FINISH Rebecca's no-sew blanket.  I left this one rectangular rather than making it a square like I did Alicia's.  I like it better.  The fringe really cuts into the overall size of the blanket.  I can't wait to give it to her - she's gunna LOVE it!!! (I think Charlie approves of this one too!)

Hope you ae enjoying the last few days before Christmas.  I'm having a ball!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

I'm running out of things to do!

Hmmm.  I just can't believe how everything is coming together this year!  I'm running out of things to do!  Of course there is always laundry, cleaning, baking and so on but I usually feel like I have 19 projects to complete and no time to do them but now that "stamping season" is done for 2010 I'm chipping away at things and starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel for things to do.  I guess I won't be able to procrastinate on pricing my retired stock for much longer!
I finished Alicia's "wish book" for this year.  Rebecca's will take a few more days as she wants to design her own this year.  No rush - she still has 9 days to do it!
One project I cracked off in 2 hours flat was my no-sew blanket for Alicia.  I'm THRILLED with how it turned out.  I just wish it was a little bigger.  I made a baby blanket like this in the summer and knew I wanted to make a bigger one - this one still isn't big enough for my liking.  Once you cut all the fringes it really shrinks the overall blanket.  Nonetheless, Alicia will love it.  As you can see Charlie seems impressed too and I'm sure will be curled up on it before too long!  I'm now off to do Rebecca's ... and shovel.

Have a happy day!!

Tam

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Weeeeeeeeeee ...

I've been having so much fun this past week!  I have never been so relaxed in the run-up until Christmas.  Last year I was sooooo stressed out.  I was the Fundraising Chairperson for Alicia's playschool and the silent auction was a TON of work.  This year - nuthin ... and lovin' it!!  I have 4 hours to do my chores and Christmas "stuff" 4 days a week.  I'm almost there!  I just have to type my Christmas letter and then head to the post office to get postage for my out-of-country friends.  Then it's more "fun" stuff - I'm making my girls no-sew blankets and have to get those done while they are still in school.  I've done the bus driver's gift and card (Costco fancy Belgian biscuits) - I've made the 47 (yes 47!!) teacher / support staff treats - just have to sign the cards - then it's just wrapping presents!  Easy Peasy!  Oh - I still have to make the little wish books for the girls to leave for Santa ... (the reindeer food is ready to go!)

Soooooo - on with my project.  I DID tweak the Christmas card I showed you last post and made it into a Z-fold card.  I LOVE how it turned out.  Of course I couldn't just make it simple and stamp it - noooooo - I had to stamp all images in Craft Ink and emboss it with clear embossing powder to give it that texture and shine.  I was thrilled how it turned out and cracked off 36 in no time .. ok, it took about 4 hours but it was fun!



OK - I'm off to type that Christmas letter.  Hope you're all having as much fun as I am these days!!

Tam

Friday, December 10, 2010

So Simple!

Happy Friday All!

I'm just killing time until I head off to the Butterdome Craft Sale with my oldest friend, Wendy.  No, she's not OLD, we've just been friends since Grade 5.  We lost touch for a number of years but we have found each other again and I just LOVE getting together with her.  Love you Wen!
I've been crafting like crazy lately but what I've made has either been something you've already seen (30 teacher gifts - 12 M&M ornament balls and 53 Christmas cards to date!) or have been to ugly to post!  I've hit Christmas Card burn out!  Seriously!  I've been making Christmas cards since August!  Yes, Christmas cards are my FAVORITE ones to make but I am now officially sick of my current stamp sets and sick of the same old colors!  Now that I've sent out 53 cards I've run out of my "stash" and need more.  I couldn't face making more of the same ones and have been struggling to find something a) quick and b) stunning.  Last night I spent 2 hours trying to case a monochromatic card from May Fish.  I figured I couldn't go wrong with 5 layers of white.  Wrong.  Why is it that when I see other peoples' simple cards I LOVE them but when I try them I don't??  Anyway - here is the one I made - at the end of the night I figured "well, there's 2 hours of my life I'll never get back!"

I had a little more luck this afternoon.  I was determined to make a simple card with my Jolly Bingo Bits set.  I'm quite happy with what I came up with - simple and quick.  I just might tweak it a little and make it into a Z-fold card.  I'll play with it tomorrow.
Have a great Friday evening and a fantastic weekend.  2 weeks until Christmas!  Yee Ha!

Tam

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Let the games begin!

Happy Sunday Everyone!  I LOVE Sundays - it gunna be a lazy, crafty, family day today, my favorite kind of day.  The plan WAS to go sledding or skating since it isn't too cold out but The Mamma stayed up a little (ok, a LOT) past her bed time last night and just can't seem to get motivated to get our of her "comfort wear" :)  We had my sister and brother-in-law over for dinner last night and we broke into my new Scribblish game.  OMG what a laugh!  In all the years I've known Craig I have NEVER seen him laugh that much or that hard for so long. It was hysterical!  If you are looking for a good, easy, funny game to get someone for Christmas I HIGHLY suggest this one - we were still giggling about it this morning.  Too much fun!

Speaking of fun ... I've been busy trying to finalize the 19 different projects I have on the go.  I managed to crack one off in about 5 minutes - the updated Calendar Coundown.  I was a day late on this one - it should have been done by Dec 1 but missed it by a day.  It didn't really matter though as we seem to have 5 different countdown objects in the house this year!

Once I finished THAT project I decided to crack open the frame bundle I bought a while back.  I wasn't convinced I liked the flourish decor elements but I'm really happy with how it turned out (I HAVE to improve these pictures!!).  YES, it was rather tedious and time consuming to get all those little polka dots to seperate from the rest of the vinyl but with a little help from my "pokey tool" I managed it and used the salvaged vinyl to mirror the image along the bottom.  This is gunna make a great gift - can't wait to give it away!

Todays festivites will include Christmas cards for customers, friends, teachers and family; wrapping the gift for our bus driver, making the girls' Christmas Wish books (yes, I had planned to have those done for our visit to Santa Nov 20th but it didn't happen!) and continue working on my annual Christmas Ornaments for the girls (I make a special, over-the-top ornament for them every year - this year I picked a doozey!  I'll post it when I'm done ... possibly not until Easter!)  We also might bake, color and I WILL be taking a nap!  I guess I better get on with it ... sounds like a full day!

Enjoy your Sunday - and the fun of the run-up to Christmas!

Tam

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Finally!

Finally!  I have a project started and completed ... all in the same day!  I'm sad to say I can't take credit for this little beauty - it's a case of a case .... I cased it from Corinne "Roxy" Summerville who cased it from Amy Celona.

I just LOOOOOVE this color combination.  I used the Ridinghood Red with Sahara Sand (which I think I have now used a grand total of three times in five years) and Very Vanilla.  I think I'll be using this color combo a bit more in the next few weeks!  I stocked up on the Ridinghood Red Ribbon that was in the Clearance Rack a few weeks ago and now I am TOTALLY kicking myself for not taking advantage of the Ribbon Bundle that was on sale last week.  I had never used this 1 1/4" ribbon before but now that I have I MUST have more!  It's so pliable and easy to tie.  Sigh.  I feel another addiction coming on ...

I also used the Circle Brads that were in the clearnace rack sale - I snipped off the "legs" of the brads and attached them to the ribbon with the retired pop up dots.  I'm thinking it's a good thing I have a lifetime supply of all these retired goodies!  One of these days I'll with the times and create projects using CURRENT supplies - maybe my sales would increase :)

Enough rambling - on with the card ...

Hope your week is winding down nicely.  Enjoy the weekend!

Tam