Peyton and I on Christmas morning. Do you think he might listen to what I say? I will be putting up more photos.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! This is my husband Joe and our grandson Peyton and great-grandson Nathan.

A Blessed New Year to all!

TIME WELL SPENT

I had to take a little time and do a couple of cards with one of the new hostess sets from our upcoming catalog. Here are two using Purely Pomegranate, River Rock and Whisper White.

The new catalog arrived at my house yesterday and I have a long list of goodies to get as soon as the order date arrives in January.

I just finished this Snowflake Ornament and do like it. This is an easy to do project. There is a great Tutorial for this at:
http://technostamper.blogspot.com/search/label/ornament

The top photo shows some of my snowman collection but there is also a Santa in there. They are on a buffet that sits against the partial wall in front of the kitchen. The bottom photo is the buffet in the front entrance foyer. Most of the items in the second photo are from Home Interior. The small figures of Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus are made of clay pots and a cousin of mine gave them to me a long time ago as a gift.

Here is a little name book that I have been working on. I hope to have enough time to make several of these for the holiday as gifts.

Scrapbook Page

This is one of the 4 pages that I was working on yesterday. No stamping on these. I used Club Scrap Serengeti Kit for all 4 pages. This is a Stellar Jay that was able to get food from one of the other vacationers in our group. This was taken near Red Feathers Lake in Colorado. We had a wonderful vacation in September.

MORE CHRISTMAS

This is the tree in our bedroom. I had collected ornaments from Hersheys for years and that is the main theme on this. I do have other various ornaments on it also. There is one of my nativity sets underneath.

CHRISTMAS AT OUR HOUSE

Here is the main Christmas tree that we have in the family room. I have a few more trees up and will get them added as time allows.

ANOTHER COOKIE RECIPE

This is a really easy cookie and believe it or not it doesn't have any chocolate in it.

APPLESAUCE COOKIES

1 package 2 layer spice cake mix
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup applesauce
1 egg

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except raisins and beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Stir in raisins. Drop by teaspoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake 12-15 minutes at 350 degrees

RECIPE SHARE

I just want to quickly share a recipe that is a family favorite.
CRANBERRY CHIP COOKIES
1 cup butter softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup English toffee bits (this really adds to the flavor)

Combine flour, baking powder, salt and set aside. Cream butter and sugar in large bowl...add eggs and vanilla blend well. Gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture. Stir in chips, berries, nuts and toffee bits.

Drop by rounded Tablespoons 2" apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake 11 to 14 minutes at 350 degree preheated oven. Cool 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to continue cooling.

Enjoy!!!

SCS Challenge SC152

I have not done a Challenge in a very long time. I really liked this layout and decided to do it using a favorite retired set of mine Seasonal Sprays. I stamped the image in Basic Black on Watercolor paper then used the watercolor crayons to do the leaves and berries. Some cardstock is Basic Grey, the watercolor and Handsome Hunter are Stampin' Up! I added Stickles down both sides of the main image and gold embossed the Merry Christmas.

This is a card that I CASE'd from Evelyn Spikes who showed her version of the Burnished Watercolor Technique on Technique Junkies. I LOVED the card Evelyn did and decided to make one with the Stampin' Up! set Peaceful Wishes. The background here is Always Artichoke textured cardstock. I then used a piece of Chocolate Chip 5 1/4 x 2 1/2 that I ran I ran through the Cuttlebug. I then edged the chocolate with my gold leafing pen. On a piece of watercolor paper I stamped my design in Always Artichoke and Bravo Burgundy. I then used the sponges daubers to add a touch of color. This piece is also outlined in gold leafing pen. I love to add the gold cord when I can and added it at the side. I hope you enjoy

Here is a card I did this morning using the Tag Punch tutorial given on Splitcoaststampers. I have added the link below for the directions. On this card I used Bravo Burgundy, old snowflake vellum that Stampin' Up! used to sell. I have also used Wonderful Words II embossed in gold and gold brads on the corners. I have used the circle punch for the center of the snowflake and added a band of gold beads along the edge. I couldn't resist the Pearl center. I hope you enjoy.

http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/resources/tutorials/tag_punch_star/

COMPLETED GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Here is the photo of the completed gingerbread house. It was great fun watching the different stages of getting this completed. I'm not sure how many people were involved but there were many and many hours to achieve this.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE

I mentioned that we had been to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. This is a buikding that was in the lobby the day we checked in and I was anxious to read that it was going to be their gingerbread house.

Over the next 7 days I took many pictures of the staff putting this together and it was a delight to watch. Tomorrow I will post a photo showing it completed and the transformation was amazing.

Feeling somewhat better

Joe and I had a trip to Florida for a business convention of his. We went to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. I may try and upload a few pictures from the resort. My big problem is that I came home with a terrible cold and ended up going to the doctor last Friday. I also have a ear infection so our plans to head to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving ended. Yesterday was the first time I felt like doing anything at all and it wasn't much. I have had a terrible cough and almost no sleep since this started. I can't sleep in bed so I have been out on the recliner every night and that is getting really old. Since I am feeling a little better I might try getting back in our bed tonight. The doctor gave me three prescriptions to take and I have only been taking two of them. The one I am not taking I tried the first night and I never slept a wink and coughed even more. Cough syrup, not naming the brand, with codeine is not for me. I have been also using some old tried and true favorites - salt water for the throat and honey and lemon juice. Since we are not going away for Thanksgiving and I certainly don't feel like doing a turkey I had Joe go and order us one of those fully cooked ones for dinner. He will pick it up early Thursday morning. I am trying my best to get back to eating but there is not much that I feel like eating. Soup and oatmeal are about the only things I have been eating. I don't even drink much coffee and for me that is unusual. I don't even like to smell the coffee now.

I really did not have time to get sick. I have the house to decorate, gifts to be made and baking to start. I have decided that I am not going to bake near as much as I usually do. I have a few cookie favorites that I will do and maybe make some Cranberry Bread, Pound Cake and Fudge. I'll add a couple of favorite recipes soon.

SNOW BURST - Step it up

Okay I broke down and did a second one but added a little more to it. Think I like the first one better. Maybe I'll try for a third.

SNOW BURST

I broke down and ordered this set before the end of the mini period. Snow Burst is stamped on Shimmery cardstock in Night of Navy. The Merry Christmas is a very long retired one from Stampin' Up! that I do love. The shimmery is placed at an angle on Night of Navy cardstock with a "pearl" from the Pretties Kit in the center. I really was going for a basic easy to do card.

I just had to make one of the CD Ornaments. Peyton has his Boston Red Sox shirt on in this pic and I'm sure his dad will like it.

Here is one of the cards I worked on while on our latest trip. We spent last week at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa! Wonderful place if you have young children, not the best for a conference.

I think the set Jolliest Time of the Year

is just so cute. It also uses the Snowflake from Wondrous Gift and the saying from Sincere Salutations. I used the rectangle punch on the right side and added red grosgrain ribbon. Also have glitter glue added for that finishing touch.

Simple easy to do card. I have CASE'd this from

http://rubberstampingdiva.com/

Please visit her site to see the original and you can tell I didn't change it much. Thanks Samantha!

Here is one done using the Cuttlebug. I went over it with three different colors to make a more whimsical card. Frosty has stickles spread over him . I used the Stampin' Up! Key Tag Punch for Happy Holidays which is from a retired set. Cardstock is Glorious Green and Whisper White. Red Grosgrain ribbon and dimensionals were added to the saying along with having the edge sponged.

More Christmas

Here is another card done using the Stampin' Up! sets Holy Triptych and Star Studded Season. I also used the Slit punch and Coluzzle Cutting system. Along the left edge I used a length of Sticky Strip and then added gold beads. I also have Crystal Effects on the star and gold beads there also. I can't forget I used the Key Tag Punch for Christmas Blessings. For cardstock I used Shimmery which really adds a terrific touch, Night of Navy and one of the new In Colors Soft Sky.

Christmas Card

I decided to take some time and do a couple of Christmas cards. This is a very easy card that I decided to keep simple. I used Night of Navy, Soft Sky and Shimmery Stampin' Up! card stock. I decided to edge the Shimmery with my gold leafing pen and placed gold beads on the star. Enjoy!

Wednesday

Well for the last day of October in the year 2007 I don't have any new items to add. I had an appointment today for a mammogram and found out I haven't had one in 4 years! I hope to do better and have them at least every 2 years. I also had a bone density test done today and it is my first one. I do have some slight loss in the lower back. I just recently started re-taking Calcium in addition to my multi vitamin. Since I will be 62 before long I figured I needed to catch up on all the medical things and have to still have one more test. Hope to be putting something new up by the beginning of next week. I have been very busy making many of the Scallop Punch Ornaments to give as gifts for the holiday. Have a great stamping weekend!

DIRECTIONS FOR TRIO ORNAMENT

Here are some of the pieces that I have punched and they are ready to be folded in half.

You will need a total of 15 pieces punched out. As you can see I did not use the double sided card stock for this one. Fold them in half but make sure that all your folds are even.

Here you have the piece completed with one side open. Remember not to close it up yet.

This is the way they should look before you close them up.

Ready to put them together.

I have taped the left side and run a bead of Crystal Effects/Glossy Accents down the center of the ornament and placed my cord in there. Make sure to hold cord in center.

The first ornament is closed around the cord

Here you can see that the first part of the ornament is completed.

I use my ATG to place tape on the one side but in the center I ran a bead of Crystal Effects/Glossy Accents to really hold the cord in place.

Now the second bead is added.

The final one is placed and ready to be closed.

They are all three attached.

Add the top bead and you are ready to tie off the cord!

DIRECTIONS

Here is the Ornament put together. The only thing left is to add the glitz! Hope you enjoy any further questions please let me know.

More Ornaments

Here are a couple that I have made over the weekend.

I have done these Scallop Ornaments before but this time I decided to do them in a group of three. I think they turned out pretty good but I still have to add glitter to some of them. This is both Stampin' Up! retired papers and Basic Grey papers. I have also used some beads from the Pretties Kit on the two Stampin' Up! ones shown here.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK SIGHTS

Here are a couple more photos from our trip out west. These were taken at Fountain Paint Pot Trail in Yellowstone. I thought the tree root really was interesting looking and couldn't resist taking a few photos. We saw this as we were getting ready to walk the trail. The evergreen is covered with Sulphite from the Paint Pot. Looks almost like snow doesn't it.

MORE CHRISTMAS ITEMS

Here are some tiles that I have been working on as holiday gifts. They will be given in sets of 4.

I've just completed 3 of these and hope to make many more to give as gifts for the holidays. The blue one does not have Crystal Effects or Dazzling Diamonds on it yet. These are decorated on both sides so when hanging on the tree you can use either side.

Here are a few of the ornaments that I am making as Christmas gifts. These are so easy to make. Adding the Outline Stickers from Anita's Art Stamps gives an extra finishing touch.

CORRECTION

I just want to take a moment and make a correction to my post of the 21st. Devils Tower is in the NORTHEAST corner of the state of Wyoming. I knew that all along but since we were visiting there from North Carolina I just kept thinking west. You really do need to visit Devils Tower and take all the beauty of the area in.

Here is a Bag Album that I have made as a Christmas Gift. The front uses Stampin' Up! Designer Series Dashing paper and the stamp set Solemn Stillness. The back also uses the same paper but the reverse side. Later this week I will upload a couple of the inside pages.

Well, I just have to upload another layout that I have done on our trip out west. I think these photos speak for themselves. Devils Tower was a glorious sight to behold.

Here is one of the pages that I scrapped from our trip out west. Devils Tower was just an awesome place to visit. If you have never gone there it is in the Northwest corner of Wyoming.