"Snow Day, 2009"

Finally, for a moment, my computer let me upload some photos! YIPPEE!! These are a few I took this today. Alyssa was so glad to have a snow day!

"Technical Difficulties"

Hi, everyone! Here I am with my computer not wanting to cooperate, again! I've had a couple of projects to post, however, my computer & printer will not let me upload the photo(s). They are not playing nicely with each other!

So, I'll try to get something worked out soon! Thanks for being patient!

"Calendar Page"

This is a calendar page I decorated for January, 2009.

My plan for this year is to create a calendar page each month, using these 6x6 dated calendar inserts, I got from Taylored Expressions, to include in a mini album.

Along with each month, I will also include an adjacent page with a few pictures from that month. Then, by the end of the year, I will have a completed 2009 'year in review' album. Ambitious, huh?

"Dave Ramsey Box"

I decorated this box for my daughter, Alyssa.

She received the Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace, Jr. kit for Christmas from an Aunt & Uncle, and it contained 3 'envelopes'. . .Save, Give, and Spend. So, since she's wanting to be more responsible, we decided this envelope system would work great for her.

I took an egg box from Papertrey, and decorated it with fun patterned paper from Doodlebug. Then, to finish it off, I added ribbon, her name on top and, some rhinestones. Ta-Dah.

Now, it's ready to hold her 3 envelopes and the small calculator, that also came with the kit.

"A Thank-You"

I wanted to let everyone know about a special 'thank-you' I received from Pitney Bowes regarding my post on December 8, 2008, Supporting our Troops.

Following is the comment I received:

On behalf of everyone at Pitney Bowes and the American Red Cross, thank you for all of your support in helping to spread the word about the “Holiday Mail for Heroes” program.

We would like you to know that we’ve not only reached the goal of delivering one million cards to US service members, veterans and military families, but we surpassed it! And it’s all because people like you and your blog readers who got involved.

"Flip Album"

Sorry, but I forgot to post this cool 'flip album' I did for a Christmas gift for The Binghams.

It came in a kit from Hobby Lobby, so it had the album, paper, rub-ons, etc., which made the thought process a little easier. . .heehee, but, when completed, I think it turned out pretty neat.

"Let's Play Catch-Up!"

Hi, everyone!! So glad to be back online! Not only did my gal pal, Gina's, husband get me back online, he changed out my monitor to super size, and it is wonderful!!

Let me start off by saying that I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas with their families!! I also hope that you're looking forward to a fabulous 2009!!

In getting ready for Christmas, I had a couple of orders to get ready. I'm going to post them, so you can see what I was up to while my computer was on the fritz.

The first order included this teacher's gift. Mary said her daughter's 2nd grade teacher was very organized, so I thought a decorated box, for her desk, would be the perfect thing to hold the student's emergency cards. I started with an egg box from Papertrey, and covered all sides, including the top, with fun school paper. Using Wacky Tape, I attached the ABC ribbon around the lid. Then, I cut out the teacher's last name with my QuicKutz, and arranged on top. Lastly, for the inside, I included A-Z tabs.

These are the snowman soups I also created for the order. Since Mary's oldest daughter is a cheerleader, I colored the scarves & earmuffs, on the snowman image, our school colors.











Lastly for this order, these are the snowman kisses I prepared for Mary's 2nd grader.



Now, for this order, I created these chocolate pouches for Emily's son's class. For the stamped images on front, I used my new Gift Tag stamps from The Angel Company, and they turned out adorable.

Last, but not least, I created these Magic Reindeer Food for Emily's daughter's class. Again, I was able to use the reindeer image from the Gift Tag stamp set from TAC, on my toppers.



So, this is what I've been up to creatively. I want to thank everyone who placed orders!! I love doing this for you and appreciate your business!! Now, on to 2009! I am looking forward to a fabulous year!!!

"I'm Back!"

Hi, everyone! Thanks to Tony, Gina's husband, I'm back online!

"Hello. . .Remember Me?"

Hope everybody had a Merry Christmas and are planning on having a great New Year. Sorry I've been gone so long, but I'm fine, however, my computer is dead. As soon as I can get it fixed, I will be back posting.

Until then, thanks for being patient. I look forward to posting, again! Take care and God bless!

"Supporting Our Troops"

I almost forgot to post these cards. I made them awhile back, but they were in my batch of holiday cards to mail out today. These are part of a kit I got from Tammy at Lil Lamb's. She received kits from Prima Marketing, Inc., who were partnering with different scrapbook stores to create cards for the troops.

I thought it was cool that Tammy had these kits for us to send our wishes to the troops, so I made mine for the holidays. With the supplies in the kit, added with a few of my own, I came up with these, not so traditional, Christmas cards.

I have about three other cards from Alyssa and I to send to the troops, as well, so I contacted the Red Cross to verify a correct address of where they can be sent. So, if any of you are interested, the following address was given, however, the cards have to be postmarked by Wednesday, December 10th.

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Thanks again, Tammy, for the kits! You are too sweet!!

"Money Holders"

This is an order I did for my sister's employer. I created 21 money holders for their Christmas party.

I found this great tutorial at Dawns Stampin Studio, you can check it out HERE. Thanks, Dawn, for the fabulous directions!

Since they were needing 21 and I wanted to have a little variety, I decided to break it down to 3 different styles, and 7 holders of each.

I used basic solid cardstock for the base of each holder, with a variety of misc. patterned papers on top. For the decorative edge across, I used a Fiskars border punch. I used white cardstock for the 'belly bands' on all holders; a variety of scalloped and circle punches; and, misc. stamped images to finish them off.

I hope they like how the money holders turned out!

"Playlist"

Hi, everyone! Hope you had a fabulous Thanksgiving!! Can you believe it is December!?! Sorry I've not posted lately. . .busy, busy! But, hopefully, I'll do better this week!

Anyhoo, just wanted to let you know that I've changed my playlist, for this month, to Christmas music. I will continue to build the song list up, but for now, I've got you about 8 songs to get you in the holiday crafting mood! Hope you enjoy!!

"Cookie Cutter Gifts"

These are the gifts I just finished for Alyssa to give to the office staff at school for Christmas. My stepmom, Linda, gave me this adorable cookie cutter gift idea last year and I thought it was too cute not to do.

The bag of Christmas-themed cookie cutters that I found at Target were trimmed with pale blue silicone, so I used that to set my color scheme. After printing my poem and punching it out, I layered it on a scalloped light blue circle. I, then added a coordinating color snowflake brad, by Creative Impressions, to each, and sprayed the poem with Glimmer Mist, by Tattered Angels, to give them a little shimmer. To finish the gifts off, I tied the poems to the cello bags with blue & white checked Offray ribbon.

This is an individual photo and below is the poem that I attached to each:
I made a plate of cookies,
And ate just one or two.
But started feeling guilty,
Because they were for you.
I went into a panic
And ordered on the phone,
This brand new cookie cutter
So you can make your very own!

"Alot 'O Tags"

These tags are like the ones my gal pal, Gina, and I made at Archiver's a couple of weekends ago as part of their make & takes.

After making them at the store, we thought they turned out cute, so we each decided to make some for ourselves at home.

Thanks to Gina help, she punched all the scalloped circles and adhered them, and then I got to do the fun stuff. . .attach the eyelets; ribbons; stickers; and, stamp the to and from sentiment. Now, I've got pre-made tags handy and ready to grab!

"Beautiful Christmas Card"

I wanted to post this card because it was done by my stepmom, Linda, as her Christmas card for this year.

She has only been stamping and cardmaking since spring/summer, so when she showed me this as her Christmas card for this year, I had to brag because I was so proud of her! I thought it turned out great!

Oh, by the way, my dad has already had to turn the spare closet into her a 'stamping' space and we all know what that leads too. . .heehee

"Girls, Girls, Girls!"

This is a photo of Alyssa and all of the "girls" from her party Friday night!! The only two that did not sleepover was precious little Amber (in front) and Alyssa's cousin, Lauren (on right).

Everyone had a blast! They ate pizza; watched movies; made crafts; and, when they got sleepy, they dropped like flies! heehee

The main thing to me was Alyssa loved her birthday party/sleepover and I survived!LOL

"Fun-Filled Friday!"

This is Alyssa's 12th birthday cake! Even though her birthday was last week, she came down with the flu and was unable to have her birthday party/sleepover until tonight.

So, I brought four girls home from school with Alyssa today and it has been wild ever since! heehee Tonight we'll be having a "Camp Rock" theme party, complete with the movie and popcorn.

Alyssa's adorable cake was decorated by Monica, the pastry chef/owner of Dumplins Restaurant in Jackson. I thought it turned out so cute with the guitars and music notes. Alyssa and her girlfriends definitely thought it was cool.

I've posted below a photo of the party favor cups I fixed for Alyssa and the girls. I found these adorable cone-like cups at the Dollar Tree and filled each with different lotions, candies, pencils, bath fizzies and a Camp Rock bracelet. The girls loved them!
















Lastly, I thought it would be fun to do some crafts with the girls. So, I've planned out three different ones, and below I've posted one. I got the small acetate holders from Clear Dollar Stamps, along with the Seal stamp. The holder hold exactly three Hershey's kisses. So, I made a tag for the girl's that reads: "Sealed with a kiss" and they can adhered the stamped seal at the bottom, before tying it to the holder. I thought it would make a cute gift for them to take home. The other two crafts they are doing are covering/decorating mini composition books and making homemade lipgloss.

Someone say a prayer, I have a feeling it is going to be a long night! LOL

*permission was granted for the cake photo to be posted*

"Christmas Memories"

I took this 10-page decorative album by American Crafts and added ribbon and a metal embellishment by Making Memories, then. . .Viola!

It's now a gift ready to fill with all those Christmas photos!

"Neighbor Gifts"

This is what I am making to give out to our neighbors for Christmas.

I took an actetate card holder that I got from Papertrey and decorated it with medium blue and Bo Bunny sage dot paper. The stamped sentiments are also from Papertrey. I then added sage Offray ribbon around the top; a snowflake brad from Bo Bunny; and, a stamped snowman by Autumn Leaves.

I filled the inside with individually wrapped cream carmel chews. Yum!

"Christmas Magic"

This is a Christmas order I finished for my gal pal, Randee. These two special items are for her cutie pie daughter, Sara Blake!

First, in this gorgeous tin is Santa's Magic Key. Sara will be able to set this out for Santa every year!

Second, I made her some Magic Reindeer Food! Every kid needs to sprinkle reindeer food on Christmas Eve! If you're going to leave Santa cookies & milk, then you've got to leave something special for the reindeer, too! Plus, there's magic in it!! The stamped reindeer image is in the gift tags set from The Angel Company. Isn't it just adorable?!?!

**If you click on my image, you get a much clearer & closer view**