Swap Card Front

I will be attending as a guest at an all day Stampin' Up! Leadership Convention 2010, in Phoenix on January 9th, invited by Karen, Stampin' Up! Demonstrator. This will be my first time ever attending such an event, and I'm really looking forward to it.

One of the fun things the Demos get to do at these events is swap or exchange card fronts. A card front is only the front of a card. I plan on making 3 different card fronts (a total of 30 each), and hopefully I'll come home with 90 different card fronts!!! When you swap at these events, all materials/supplies for card fronts must be Stampin' Up (SU!)! and current (stamp sets currently available in their latest catalog). I have to label the back of each card with the recipe (list of all supplies/materials used to make card).

For example:

Stamps: Country Morning Cardstock: Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Old Olive Ink: Chocolate Chip Other: Certainly Celery & Chocolate Chip ribbon, SU! watercolor crayons Technique: Tear Art, piercing

Deck the Halls...

Just a few of my favorite things throughout the house...

This year I decided to decorate our 2 small trees instead of dragging out the "BIG" one, and placed them in our family room.

My small Christmas village collection....

"Happy Holly Days" by Charming Tails

This ornaments are so old...the belonged to my mother (she was going to get rid of them, but I rescued them).

My sister gave me this Santa...

My treasured ornaments...

A new Santa addition...

A few of my Santa's...

Some more of my Santa's...

The reason for the season!

Polka Dot Flowers

I made a set of 8 cards for my boss Tahlya! She started working in our Department in August and I really enjoy working with her! Since she found out I made cards (has received several from me) she has been very complimenting...she even requests that I make cards for whenever she needs one!

I was inspired to make this card from SigneB over at Splitcoasters.

I made the black bows...I had to take out my thread & needle... The black beads are jewelry beads for bangles I got at Michael's on clearance for a $1. On 3-4 cards I stamped a Note from You, and left the others blank.

Kitchen Cheer

This year I didn't go all out in decorating our kitchen. I chose a few items to bring some Christmas cheer though. The above snowman cookie jar was given to me by my Secret Santa about 2 years ago filled with Snickerdoodles...they were good! Thank you Sue!

The Mickey Mouse night light was a gift from my friend Arleen!!!

This poinsettia cake plate was a gift from a co-worker at one of our gift exchanges. I love it! The cake plate did not come with a dome. I bought the dome at GW about 3 days ago. The funny thing was that I wasn't even looking for one, but when I came across it...the light came on!!! It was only $1.99...

Warm Winter Wishes or...

Snowman kitchen towel? I can't decide which one is my favorite now!

The gingerbread men kitchen towel was a gift from my friend Karen, and the snowman was from Barb (3 years ago)...aka "Bunco Babes".

S&P snowmen shakers...

I had this jar for over a year and finally had a chance to use it. The Santa Claus is a timer a gift from Mary Anne.

Merry Christmas!

Let It Snow Frame

I was inspired to create a frame by Kristen from Kristen's Creation. I know I have a ways to go before I can come near to her beautiful frames... :-) Please visit her blog for lots of inspiration!

I had leftover frames from a previous craft I made...actually all I needed from each frame was the glass. I knew that eventually I would be able to use the frames for something, but didn't know what until today!

I stamped the image with white craft onto SU! Night of Navy cardstock, and heat embossed with snowy glittery embossing powder. The mat is from the $ Store; they come 3 in a package. The one thing I really need to learn is how to make lush bows like Kristen's!

Thank you Kristen for the inspiration!

Merry Christmas!

This Christmas, may your joys

be simple and abundant

and wrapped in the warmth

of God's wonderful love.

Oliva

Photo via: Lang Calendars

Tablescape Thursday

It's Tablescape Thursday on Christmas Eve, and my table is ready for today's dinner. We will have dinner right after we attend candle light service. Hubby will be fixing pork tenderloin and roasted potatoes...he's a really good cook!

I set the table very simply using my Blue Willow plates.

My sister gave me the poinsettia for Thanksgiving Day...I'm glad is still alive!

an aerial view...

I filled the cake plate with a few retro ornaments that belong to my in-laws. I treasure them!

The butter dish was given to me by my sister-in-law Carla.

I bought the blue glass plates at Cost Plus many years ago, and I use them as chargers. Many years ago I was so much in love with blue!!!

I found the tablerunner at Big Lots for $3 - 50% off sale!!! The tealights are from $ store.

I layered the white tablecloth over a burgundy tablecloth. I found this tablecloth over the summer at a garage sale in my neighborhood. It was so cheap I couldn't resist getting it.

The glasses are milk glasses. It's a set of 6 glasses and a pitcher.

Be sure to visit Susan of "Between Naps On The Porch" to view beautiful tablescapes by so many talented bloggers!

Deck the Halls...

I wanted to share a little bit of Christmas cheer from our home to yours...

A few of my snowglobes...

The above quilted coasters are from a local yearly craft show that I bought many years ago...

Wooden snowmen coasters...

I have a fascination with small pillows...

Cute, huh!

My new snowman for this year from my Secret Santa Peggy (from work)...

My reindeer small pillow...

The pillow that started it all...

Merry Christmas!

My collection of nutcrackers that my father-in-law started many years ago. The middle nutcracker was last year's. Now is up to my Hubby to continue this tradition.

I miss you Daddy O!

Note Card Box

I wanted to make a gift for Stephanie to show her my appreciation for styling my hair on a monthly basis. She is such a nice and wonderful person...and the best hairstylist!!!

The reason behind making her this note card box was so that she can have something handy to write down my next appointment...I guess you can call this an "ulterior motive"...LOL!

side view...

now for the other side...

I hope she likes it!

Crimped Envelope Pocket Card

I made a special card for a special friend this Christmas. This card is called crimped envelope pocket card. Over the summer Splitcoasters had this card tutorial which since then I've been meaning to give it a try. I loved it and plan to make more.

Crimped envelope with card...

Card...

Inside card message...

Christmas Scraplings

I finished wrapping our Christmas gifts and was ready to label each, but I had no labels!!! What's a girl to do? Scraplings to the rescue! Here are a few I made Sunday, and now all I have to do is remove the Post-It! note off each wrapped gift and make it more presentable.

Scraplings are a great way to use up all the small pieces of paper and ribbon that I can't bare throw away.

Christmas Ornaments

I would like to share some of my favorite Christmas ornaments that I've collected and some that have been given to us over the years.

Many years ago I planned on decorating our tree with only decorations that relate to our lives...

The above ornament is from Radio City Hall from one Christmas spent in NYC! The show was amazing!!!

My Fiesta Ware pitcher from Macy's in NYC. See the silver glitter star...that's Hubby's from school!!! Sweet!

My most precious ornament of all...my Martini glass!!!

I love Cracker Barrel's ornaments! My Hubby loves birdwatching and can name just about every bird!!! So we have several bird ornaments...

another birdie...

I love this clear glass bird from Cracker Barrel...

My "O" from Karen...so yummy it makes me want to lick some of the icing!!!

Let it snow...

I love Americana...this one is a new one!

Naughty or Nice???

Believe it or not we have Cardinals here in the Valley. I just love Cardinals!

Another new one for this year...

Let Heaven and Nature Sing...

A Rooster!!! from my friend Karen!!!

This glass ornament came from Natalie. We did a cookie swap this year. She made the most chocolaty and moist cookies called Cottage Cheese cookies. Most people went "yuck", but those who tasted them went "Yummy"!

Santa Baby...

The middle Santa with Bell ornament came from my Secret Santa at work - Peggy! I was her Secret Santa too! We were good at keeping it a secret from each other!!!

These are just a few of my favorites...

I've Got Mail

I want to share my first Christmas cards of the season that I received from dear friends.

The above card is from Karen...

from Jackie...

from Patti... I've never seen a card like this before...I like it!

from Lee...

Happy Holidays!

Disneyland at Christmas Time

Karen and I had a great time on our Disneyland trip a couple of weekends ago. Christmas time at Disneyland is more beautiful than any other time of the year in my opinion...
Sorry for the blurry picture, but a tourist took it...I know I took better pictures of his family than he did...LOL!!!

Main Street at night....

Jon Voight read the Christmas Story during Disney's annual Candle Light Procession...

Nights are so beautiful and festive with all of the Christmas lights! After the Candlelight Procession, we were treated to stunning fireworks!!!

My favorite fairytale princess of all time...Cinderella!

Their Royal Highness: Mickey & Minnie

Santa's Reindeer...

I still believe...

Pooh is the sweetest!!!

My old time favorite Disney attraction...I love how they have it all decorated for Christmas!

When Holidays collide...Nightmare Before Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Children's Holiday Party

I organized a Staff Children's Holiday Party at work where proud co-workers introduced their children and grandchildren. It was a great success!

Our town's firefighters were able to deliver Santa Claus to us where he met our children and delivered gifts!

One of our own played the part of Sandy Claus...and what a great job he did!!!
I was touched by the fact that children still believe...

BTW..this is Radio I mean Rudolph (a rescued greyhound whose professional name was Radio Flyer). He belongs to one of our Administrators who played the part of Santa's Helper...aka Argyle...creative, huh?

Radio/Rudolph was so good! I want one so badly, but my scrooged Hubby won't let me :-(

Each parent/grandparent was to bring a small wrapped gift for their child (labeled with their name and from Santa), and a dozen Christmas cookies to share.

Tablescape Thursday

Tablescape Thursday hosted by Susan from Between Naps on the Porch. Please visit her blog to see her amazing Christmas Feast tablescaape.

For today's tablescape I'm sharing my friend Karen's Bunco Christmas Dinner tablescape. Karen hosted Bunco at her house on Tuesday. She had her table appropriately dressed for us ladies to celebrate our last Bunco night of the year. Every year at Christmas Bunco we exchange gifts and have a cookie swap.

See Mickey Mouse? They're coasters she bought at California Adventure last weekend.

When Karen went on an Alaskan cruise couple of years ago, she fell in love with moose! Ever since then, she has been collecting...you guessed it...moose!

The big gingerbread man is a hot pad.

Gingerbread Man centerpiece...

more gingerbread man...

The gingerbread man ornament on top of the napkin was a favor from Karen to us.

Great job Karen!!!

Cards from Karen

I received these 2 cards from Karen. One was from our Red Hat December event and the other one for attending her Make & Takes. One of my Christmas gift to Karen, is to help her start up her own blog, so she can show the world her artwork...and you get to meet my friend!!!

This card is called a Tri-Shutter card

Make and Take

On Saturday morning Karen held her Make & Take, and she had us make 10 cards of each!!! They're all so beautiful and can't decide which one is my favorite!

Take a look...

Joy

I can't seem to stop making these letters!!!

I made this for a gift exchange Christmas party I am going to. They're a cinch to make, and fun too! I still think I can add something blingy, but can't seem to think like what...hopefully overnight, something will come to me subconsciously!!!

Sympathy Card

I made this sympathy card for a co-worker who just lost his sister.

Sympathy cards are hard for me to make, but I know from experience how comforting a card from friends can be.