Joy!!

I am already working on Christmas cards for nest year.  This was the first year that every card we sent was handmade, and that felt really good.  Since I would like to do that again next Christmas, I thought I better get started!!

The Paper Studio Away in a Manger paper, Lawn Fawn Scripty Words die cut in gold, Clearly Defined sentiment stamped in SU! Pacific Point ink.   I'm sharing this with the Cards in Envy Celebrate the Season challenge.  Coem join us at the Words 2 Craft By Winter is the Time fro Comfort challenge!

Winter Thank you

I was super blessed by my family this holiday, and wanted to say thank you in a special way - by using some of their gifts!

Lawn Fawn Scripty Words die (a Christmas gift!), foiled Recollections Christmas Pastel paper accented with Lawn Fawn snowflakes die cut in silver paper, and edged with Krylon gold leafing pen (another gift!).  I am sharing this with the Shopping Our Stash Winter Wonderland challenge.  Still time to join w=us at Words 2 Craft By Winter is the Time for Comfort challenge!

Winter Birthday

The Shopping Our Stash challenge is to make a winter themed project that is not Christmas.  I always need more birthday cards:

DCWV Winter Basics Stack, Martha Stewart snowflake punch, Cuttlebug embossing folder.  Come play along with us at Words 2 Craft By for our Winter is the Time for Comfort challenge!

A very different project...

I usually only post cards, but I HAD to post this super easy, super inexpensive holiday gift I made today. 

In my husband's family, we draw names.  I got one of the most difficult people in the mix.  Within minutes of buying something online for her, she asked me for wooden hangers.  Hangers?!?!  OK, I'm game.  I can always return the necklace ordered, which she may or may not like. 

Off I trot to WalMart.  And I find the deal of the year.  I bought 15 wood hangers for $2.97!!!!!!!!!  How amazing is that?  The wood is unfinished, so I thought I could dress them up a bit. 

I used three different monogram stamps, mounted them on a drinking glass (the hanger is concave at the top), and inked using Staz-On.  I did have to to fill in a few bits with a micron pen,.   I am super happy with how they came out, and for less than $3, I can give these in addition to the necklace!!  Yay me!!

Come play along with our "Winter is the Time for Comfort" challenge at Words 2 Craft By!!!

Time for Home

Edith Sitwell said "Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:  it is the time for home."   

Home is a little different for everyone, perhaps a neighborhood, a house or condo, or circle of friends.  Come play along with us at Words to Craft By and show us how you see "Home".

Snowflakes heat embossed in clear, white and silver.  The image was colored with Inktense pencils. 

Pretty Packaging

The Shopping Our Stash Pretty Packaging challenge motivated me to get moving on holiday candy for my co-workers.  While we don't exchange gifts, but I do like to do something for the many people who make my work life easier. 

The small ones are Hershey Miniatures and the large ones are Ghirardelli Squares.  I cut scraps 5 1/2" x 2", and scored at 2 5/8 and 2 7/8 for the Ghirardellis.  The Miniatures are cut 3 1/8" x 2", and scored at 3/8", 1 3/8", 1 3/4, and 2 3/4".  I linked back to the blogs where I found the measurements.  I punched the embellishments from vellum and metallic scraps, and topped some off with crystals and Stickles.  

Come back Wednesday for the next Words 2 Craft By challenge!!

Merry Christmas

I think that the best craft purchase I made this year was a MISTI.  It allows me to stamp the same image more than once in the exact same place.  It is super-helpful for reverse image stamps like this one:

I have never been able to come up with a usable image form this stamp.  With the large red background, it never came out complete.  With the MISTI, I was able to re-ink the stamp multiple times and come up with a complete image.  I trimmed the image and layered it on matte silver paper.  I edged the red card base with a silver Sharpie. 

I'm sharing this with the Mod Squad challenge Trees and Snow and Creative With Stamps Christmas Challenge. 

Lovely as a Tree

I broke out my favorite set and played today!  Not much time for fun lately, between work, holidays, and family.

I heat embossed the tree in silver on purplish paper that looks more blue in the photos, I layered with matte silver paper, and added pearls as ornaments on the tree and as accents in the corner.  The sketch is #233 from OWH.

I am sharing this with the Can You Case It #142 color challenge for eggplant, silver, and neutral, and with the Mod Squad's Holiday Dimension challenge.  Wednesday is the deadline for the Small Heart Large Gratitude challenge over at Words 2 Craft By!!