Holiday Rush

Wow - can you believe it's nearly Christmas! I can't - even though I've done most of my shopping, mailed most of my cards, decorated my tree and hung my wreaths it still doesn't feel like Christmas. Some years I would say that's because it's 80 degress outside, but it's 43 and that's cold for here so that's not the problem. I wonder if others are feeling this same way?

I had a blast doing my tree this year - I made the ornaments from Stampin' Up kits and big snowflakes using my Big Shot and the snowflake die. The tree is so simple it gives me a sense of

relaxation and it makes me feel like I've gone back in time - to a time when life was so much more simple. This is my mom by the tree and this is another special year - she's 98! Can't believe it can you? Every Christmas with her is another very special blessing. My mom was 36 when I was born and it's amazing to think we've had so many wonderful years and so many Christmas trees! lol

I made my cards too. I had so many cool stamps that I ended up with four different designs I actually mailed out and others I made and hung on my own tree! In an earlier post I mentioned that I had always wanted the perfect way to display cards we received and it occurred to me to hang them on a tree like ornaments and that's just what I've done. Love it! I even decorated my envelopes because I had a stamp set I loved and didn't want to use it for cards - my husband says I look for work, but in this case I love what I do.

Happy Stamping,
Bev

Fun Day

Today was my day. All week I've had something I needed to do. Mom had doctor appts., I cooked chili at my church for close to 60 people yesterday. Thanks to some of the greatest friends in the world, Kathy, Brenda, Siok and Julia it was a success! But today was my day and was well deserved!

I read blogs I hadn't had a chance to catch up on recently. Looked at lots of fabulous cards etc. and settled down to make some thank you cards for my cooking buddies. I just love the stained glass technique that Split Coast Stampers featured a few weeks ago. I'm doing everything I can with it and loving them all. The cards today were done with Stampin' Up "Morning Soft" stamp set. The only difference in the cards in the Purely Plum background - I trimmed the corners of one with the curly label punch. Just discovered today I could do that and like the design.

I need to finish up my Thanksgiving cards and make a decision on which Christmas card I'm going to do in mass, but today was a day for me so I did these thank yous and just relaxed. Hope they and you enjoy.

Christmas Cards 2008

Wow, I am over whelmed! I love every Christmas set in Stampin' Ups catalog this year and then they added the mini. I now have about five specific Christmas sets, plus the sets like Sock Monkey and the hostess set Window Dressing that have stamps that could be for Christmas. Every time I think I've decided on my cards for this year I get a new inspiration and change. I began my preparation with Christ Is Born and tried it in about five different ways now I think I've settled on the round one shown in the previous post. But, then I saw Beatte's tutorial on Split Coast Stampers for the stained glass window technique using A Cardinal Christmas ordered the set that day and am doing some of those too. As you can see I even have two different styles of that and of course, when I now have this technique in my head I want to use it as much as possible, so I used it with the Holy family from the Holy Triptych set. My problem is that I want to do Sock Monkeys, Window Dressings, and so many many more. A few years ago I ordered cards or bought them, addressed them and mailed them. Now that I'm making them I want every possible design. lol

This is my three way fold card so I could use all of the stamps in Holy Triptych. This is the only one I will be making!

This one with just the Holy Family using the stained glass technique is more likely to have more than one completed in time to mail out in time for Christmas.

I love the A Cardinal Christmas set and the Christ is Born set and so I think these three cards will end of being my primary cards for this year, but who knows what will show up tomorrow.

More on this saga later!

November Stamp Club

Nine of us gathered together on a stormy November evening to make cards and get in the holiday spirit. We learned all about the Big Shot and the wonderful "Stampin' Up exclusive Top Note Bigz die and the Sizzix scallop circle dies available through Stampin' Up (see F/W mini catalog.) Don't know about the rest of you, but I think the Top Note is just that tops! There are so many ways to use this die and wow the ease of cutting out so many pieces at once. Sure makes prep for a class or club a breeze.



Besides the card above using the Holy Triptych stamp set and the top note die, members were given a choice of the three circle style cards (below)with stamp sets Sock Monkey and accessories, A Cardinal Christmas or Christ is Born.



These three cards make great decorations for the receiver's tree. I wish everyone would send me cards like this - I always have a hard time displaying my cards - still haven't found the perfect way, but now that I think of it I may actually punch a small hole in all the cards that arrive this year and do just this! I'm always excited when an answer comes to me when I least exect it. LOL Another problem solved.


We also wrapped Kit Kat bars for small holiday gifts. This makes a great gift for all occassions, but especially around the holidays. I even heard that they do a white chocolate Kit Kat for Christmas - I'm looking for it now! lol This also works for many other size candy bars, of course, I cased this - no orginal ideas in my brain.

The end result is that we had a great evening, learned a lot and laughed a lot - what more can you ask for than good friends and a good time, uless it's chocolate.

Today's Musings

I did my civic duty today and voted. Living in a large city it seemed like the prudent thing to do - vote early and beat the crowds. Not working during the day was a big help - I went to a poll around 2:00 and walked in, voted and walked out. Voting is such a privilege. We really can have a say if we pay attention and vote with our minds not our emotions. There are so many people in the world that would give anything to have the freedom we have and so I hope this is a record breaking year of voting. After all, you can't complain ifyou don't vote! Now we wait to see the results - I pray for our country and all of it's leaders. My mom is 98 and she's seen so many presidents, so many crisis, wars etc. and she agrees that this is definately a difficult time for our country. I would hate to think I had the responsibility of President!

On to other things, I'm getting more excited every day about my trip to San Antonio for the Stampin' Up regional seminar. I mentioned yesterday that this is my first one so I really don't know what will take place, but I hope I learn a lot, make some new friends and come home filled with enthusiasm and new ideas. I'm actully a late bloomer in the stamping/scrapbook world so I have much to learn. I love stamping and I love learning new ways of doing things. I'm still timid about trying things, but am getting past that slowly but surely. I know Saturday will be a fun filled day.

The disappointment of the day is that my daughter was going to fly in and spend the weekend with us had her trip canceled and so now we wait until Thanksgiving.

I thought for today's picture I would add one I made when the With Gratitude set first came out. I love the leaves in this set and use it so often - you'll recogonize the leaf from yesterdays cards.

Thats enough rambling tonight, got lots of things to get done. More later.